Simplified explanation of the Five pillars of Islam: declaration of faith, prayer, zakat, fasting and pilgrimage, which represent a framework of the Muslim life and the core of Islam religion. Moreover it talks about the The main message of Islam.

The Pillars of Islam

It is important to define the term ‘rukn’ at the outset. Linguistically speaking, rukn denotes the mainstay of something which provides it with strong support.This is why it is often referred to as ‘pillar’.  In an Islamic context, rukn is a part of something that is essential for its completion. Thus both the rukn and the condition are essential for something to take place, but a condition is not part of that something, while a rukn is.

‘Bowing’, or ruku', is a rukn of prayer, because it is a part of it and its omission renders the prayer invalid, while ablution, or wudu’, is a condition, because it is essential for the validity of prayer but is not a part of it.[1]

To re-emphasize, both rukn and condition are essential for the validity of prayer, but they differ in the following ways:

1. Conditions take place before the prayer, while rukns are within it;

2. Conditions start before a prayer and continue until it has finished, while rukns are temporary, with one yielding to the next. Each of the following consecutive acts is a rukn of prayer: standing up, bowing, standing up again, prostration, rising, etc.

3. The combination of all rukns constitute the prayer, but this is not so with the conditions. To cover up certain parts of the worshipper’s body is a condition but it forms no part of the prayer.[2]