The fundamentals of Islām have been mentioned above, in other words, during this early era, when the revelation of Islāmic law was in its preliminary stages, among the pillars of Islām, real emphasis was put on the existence and unity of Allāh. After this was belief in the messengers of God, life after death, and the doctrine of recompense after death. Although these principles are so basic that if one contemplates, everything is encompassed within them, yet the manner in which these and other principle elements were later collectively declared the pillars of Islām; this was not the case in the beginning. Same was the case with physical worship. Rather, among the pillars of physical worship, none had been formally established amongst the currently existent pillars of Ṣalāt, fasting, Ḥajj, and Zakāt1, etc. Albeit, it is evident from Aḥādīth in as much that in early stages Gabrielas taught the Holy Prophetsa the method in which to pray and perform Wuḍū2. The formal observance, however, of the five daily prayers came into practice much later, and fasting, etc., were declared obligatory even later. In the beginning, there was only Ṣalāt, and even that was of supererogatory nature. Muslims would gather in groups of two to four and offer their prayers either in their homes, or in the valleys near Makkah, as they found the opportunity to do so, in the form of a common worship. Hence, with reference to this early era, historians write that one time the Holy Prophetsa and Ḥaḍrat ‘Alīra were offering their Ṣalāt in a valley of Makkah, when suddenly Abū Ṭālib passed by. Until then, Abū Ṭālib was completely unaware of Islām, thus, he stood there and observed this spectacle with great amazement. When the Holy Prophetsa completed his Ṣalāt, he asked, “What religion is this, which you have adopted?” The Holy Prophetsa responded, “Uncle! This is the religion of God and of Abraham.” Then, the Holy Prophetsa briefly presented an invitation to Islām before Abū Ṭālib, but he brushed it off saying, “I cannot forsake the religion of my ancestors.” But with that he also addressed his son Ḥaḍrat ‘Alīra and said, “My son, undoubtedly, do support Muḥammadsa, for I trust that he shall call you towards nothing but goodness.”3 Another incident, perhaps close to this era is that, Sa‘d bin Abī Waqqāṣ and a handful of Muslims were offering their Ṣalāt in a valley, when suddenly a few idolaters appeared and reproached them for their new form of worship. This led to a mutual altercation.4
1 Almsgiving (Publishers)
2 Ablution (Publishers)
3 * As-Sīratun-Nabawiyyah, By Abū Muḥammad ‘Abdul-Malik bin Hishām, p. 187, Bābu Dhikri anna ‘Aliyyabna Abī Ṭālibinra Awwalu Dhakarin Aslama, Dārul-Kutubil-‘Ilmiyyah, Beirut, Lebanon, First Edition (2001)
4 * Tārīkhuṭ-Ṭabarī, By Abū Ja‘far Muḥammad bin Al-Jarīr Ṭabarī, Volume 2, p. 228, Bābu Dhikril-Khabri ‘ammā kāna min Amri Nabiyyillāhisa ‘inda Ibtidā’illāhi Ta‘ālā, Dārul-Fikr, Beirut, Lebanon, Second Edition (2002)