(According to the Ja’fari Imami Ithna-Asheri school of thought)

Part 1 of 2

 The Usool-ul-Deen (Roots of the Religion) are:

1.   The Oneness of God (Tawheed)
2.   The Justice of God ('Adl)
3.   Prophethood (Nubuwwah)
4.   The Leadership of Mankind (Imamah)
5.   The Resurrection (Ma’ad)

 The Furoo-ul-Deen (Branches of the Religion) are:

1.   Salat (Prayers)
2.   Saum (Fasting)
3.   Hajj (Pilgrimage)
4.   Zakat (Poor Rate)
5.   Khums (Wealth Tax)
6.   Jihad (Striving)
7.   Amr-Bil-Ma'roof (Enjoin what is good)
8.   Nahi-Anil-Munkar (Forbid what is wrong)
9.   Tawalla (To love and respect the Ahl-ul-Bait and their friends)
10.   Tabarra (To disassociate from the enemies of the Ahl-ul-Bait)
    
    

Those familiar with the Sunni school of Islam will recognize some parallels here to the five “Pillars of Faith” of the Sunni schools of Islam, being:

1. Iman (Faith)
2. Salat (Prayers)
3. Saum (Fasting)
4. Hajj (Pilgrimmage)
5. Zakat (Poor Rate)

 In Shia’ theology, this first “Pillar,” Iman, or faith, is expanded to give five elements that make up the faith.  Sound, reasoned belief in these five elements acts as an anchor and foundation for the religion, and it is for this reason that they are known as the usool-ud-deen, the roots of the religion.  In this organic metaphor, these roots anchor and provide the sustenance that allows Islam to thrive and be vital.  These internal roots give support to the external branches that stem from them.  These roots must be carefully tended to and cultivated, and firmly established, otherwise the branches will suffer, either withering and dying, or becoming crooked and distorted, blemishing the entire living tree of bounty that is Islam.  These five roots build upon one another and are interrelated and interdependent, forming a complete system of belief.

 The Roots

 1. TAWHEED (ONENESS OF GOD)

 The foundation, centre, and source of the strength of these roots is Tawheed, or belief in the Oneness of God.  This belief in the Oneness of God has several elements.  There is the belief that God is One in number and indivisible, and that God must of necessity exist.   There is beyond this, the belief that God is unique, that there is none like Him, nor can anything or anyone even be imagined to be like Him.  That is, it is not only believed that there is not any other gods, but that there could not be any other gods.  His Essence is also held to be One with His various attributes. Likewise, nothing is similar in its attributes to Him. His Knowledge and Ability are unparalleled and He has no partner in Creation nor in Providing for His creatures; therefore none is like Him in any of His Perfections.  Third, there is unity in the worship of Him, with nothing else being allowed as an object of worship except Him. 

God is viewed as Omnipotent, Omniscient, Infinite and unbounded by time and space, and indeed the creator of time and space, The Most Merciful and Just, The Creator of all created things, as well as their Sustainer, Self-Subsistent, and the Ultimate Cause of all things.

 2. A’DL (JUSTICE OF GOD)

 The second of these roots is A’dl, or Justice.  At first it may seem strange that Justice has been singled out as a root of the religion, seeing as it is but one of the attributes of God.  The reason for the particular emphasis on Divine Justice in Shia’ theology stems from a great debate in Islamic scholarship that appeared early on regarding the relationship between predestination and mankind’s free will.  One group in this debate held that humanity had absolute power independent of God to create his actions.  The second held that all things, including man’s actions, are predestined and controlled by God.  The first perspective gives too much power to humankind, and sets man as being  independent from God, in contradiction to the teachings of the Qu’ran, while the second takes away man’s free will and turns him into a sort of robot, or a puppet on a string. 

The problem with the first is that it makes man as an independent creator in addition to God, while the problem with the second is that it makes God unjust, for it says that he punishes and rewards people for actions over which they had no control. 

 The teachings of the imams from the ahlul bayt (as), the family of Muhammad (saws), on the other hand, steer a middle path between these two extremes.  In this middle perspective, God is our creator and sustainer and the source for our life and power.  However, God gives us, as a gift, free will and some limited power to choose our destiny.  However, this gift is not without strings attached.  Because we are able to choose our actions within the constraints in which we live, we are responsible for our actions, whether good or bad.  As a result, we are liable to be judged for our actions, whether we do good, or whether we do bad.  God, as the Most Just, and as an Omniscient Being, is the best of judges, and is able to settle all accounts in the most thorough and appropriate manner.  He sees all that we do right, and all that we do wrong, and no one can escape justice. 

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