Short answer: The five pillars of Islam are the five acts every Muslim builds their faith on: the shahadah (declaring that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad ﷺ is His Messenger), salah (praying five times a day), zakat (giving 2.5% of savings to people in need each year), sawm (fasting from dawn to sunset in Ramadan) and Hajj (the pilgrimage to Makkah, once in a lifetime for those able). The list comes from the Prophet ﷺ, who said "Islam is built on five" (Sahih al-Bukhari 8, Sahih Muslim 16).
Where the five pillars come from
The list of five comes from the Prophet ﷺ himself. He compared Islam to a building that stands on five pillars:
بُنِيَ الإِسْلاَمُ عَلَى خَمْسٍ: شَهَادَةِ أَنْ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللَّهُ وَأَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ، وَإِقَامِ الصَّلاَةِ، وَإِيتَاءِ الزَّكَاةِ، وَالْحَجِّ، وَصَوْمِ رَمَضَانَ
Buniyal-islāmu ʿalā khams: shahādati an lā ilāha illallāhu wa anna Muḥammadan rasūlullāh, wa iqāmiṣ-ṣalāh, wa ītā'iz-zakāh, wal-ḥajj, wa ṣawmi Ramaḍān
Islam is built on five: testifying that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, establishing the prayer, giving zakat, Hajj, and fasting in Ramadan.
Sahih al-Bukhari 8 (this wording) and Sahih Muslim 16, from Abdullah ibn Umar · sahih
The same five appear in the famous hadith of Jibril. The angel Jibril (Gabriel) came to the Prophet ﷺ in the form of a man dressed in very white clothes, sat in front of him and asked: "Tell me about Islam." The Prophet ﷺ answered:
الإِسْلاَمُ أَنْ تَشْهَدَ أَنْ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللَّهُ وَأَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ، وَتُقِيمَ الصَّلاَةَ، وَتُؤْتِيَ الزَّكَاةَ، وَتَصُومَ رَمَضَانَ، وَتَحُجَّ الْبَيْتَ إِنِ اسْتَطَعْتَ إِلَيْهِ سَبِيلاً
Al-islāmu an tash-hada an lā ilāha illallāhu wa anna Muḥammadan rasūlullāh, wa tuqīmaṣ-ṣalāh, wa tu'tiyaz-zakāh, wa taṣūma Ramaḍān, wa taḥujjal-bayta inistaṭaʿta ilayhi sabīlā
Islam is that you testify that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, establish the prayer, give zakat, fast Ramadan, and make pilgrimage to the House if you are able to find a way to it.
Sahih Muslim 8, from Umar ibn al-Khattab · sahih
A pillar holds a building up. Belief lives in the heart, and the pillars are how it shows in a Muslim's week and year: some every day, some every year, one once in a lifetime. Each of them is also commanded in the Quran, as the sections below show.
1. Shahadah: the declaration of faith
Shahadah (شَهَادَة) means "testimony" or "bearing witness". It is one sentence with two halves:
أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ، وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ
Ash-hadu an lā ilāha illallāh, wa ash-hadu anna Muḥammadan rasūlullāh
I bear witness that there is no god but Allah, and I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah.
The words of the testimony, as in the adhan and the tashahhud of every prayer
- "There is no god but Allah" means that only Allah is worshipped. He has no partner, no child and no equal. This belief is called tawheed, the oneness of God.
- "Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah" means that Muhammad ﷺ was sent by Allah, so Muslims follow what he taught and the way he lived (his Sunnah).
فَٱعْلَمْ أَنَّهُۥ لَآ إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا ٱللَّهُ
Fa'lam annahoo laaa ilaaha illal laahu
"So know, [O Muhammad], that there is no deity except Allah"
Quran 47:19, part of the ayah · translation by Sahih International
The second half is in the Quran too: "Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah" (48:29). In daily life: a person becomes Muslim by saying the shahadah sincerely, understanding and believing it. After that it is never far away. Muslims hear it in the adhan five times a day, say it in the sitting of every prayer, and hope it will be their last words, since the Prophet ﷺ said that whoever's last words are "La ilaha illallah" will enter Paradise.3 Learn it word by word, with audio, on the shahada page, and see what to do next in the new Muslim guide.
2. Salah: the five daily prayers
Salah (صَلَاة) is the prayer Muslims perform five times a day: standing, bowing, prostrating and sitting, reciting the Quran in Arabic and facing the Kaaba in Makkah. It is the first thing a Muslim does after the shahadah, and the Prophet ﷺ called it the pillar (amud) of the religion.4
إِنَّ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ كَانَتْ عَلَى ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ كِتَٰبًۭا مَّوْقُوتًۭا
Innas Salaata kaanat 'alal mu'mineena kitaabam mawqootaa
"Indeed, prayer has been decreed upon the believers a decree of specified times."
Quran 4:103, part of the ayah · translation by Sahih International
| Prayer | When | Fard rakahs |
|---|---|---|
| Fajr | From dawn until sunrise | 2 |
| Dhuhr | After midday | 4 |
| Asr | In the afternoon | 4 |
| Maghrib | Just after sunset | 3 |
| Isha | At night | 4 |
Who must pray: every Muslim who has reached puberty and is of sound mind. Parents teach children from the age of seven.5 A woman does not pray during her period and does not make those prayers up. Before praying, a Muslim makes wudu (washing the hands, mouth, nose, face, arms, head and feet), and on Fridays men pray Jumuah in congregation instead of Dhuhr. The five prayers were given to the Prophet ﷺ on the night of the Isra and Miraj.6 In daily life, each prayer takes about five to ten minutes and shapes the whole day, from before sunrise to night. Find today's times on prayer times and learn the steps in how to pray.
3. Zakat: the yearly charity
Zakat (زَكَاة) means "purification" and "growth". Every year, a Muslim who has more than a minimum amount of wealth, called the nisab, for a full lunar year gives 2.5% of it (one fortieth) to people in need. The nisab is the value of 87.48 g of gold or 612.36 g of silver. In the Quran, zakat is named next to prayer again and again:
وَأَقِيمُوا۟ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَءَاتُوا۟ ٱلزَّكَوٰةَ وَٱرْكَعُوا۟ مَعَ ٱلرَّٰكِعِينَ
Wa aqeemus salaata wa aatuz zakaata warka'oo ma'ar raaki'een
"And establish prayer and give zakah and bow with those who bow [in worship and obedience]."
Quran 2:43 · translation by Sahih International
Zakat is due on cash, savings, gold and silver, shares and business stock, not on your home, car or clothes. It goes only to the eight groups the Quran names in 9:60, such as the poor, the needy and people in debt (see who can receive zakat). It is different from sadaqah, which is any charity you give freely, any time. One difference between the schools:
Zakat is due on gold and silver jewellery, even jewellery a woman wears every day, once its value with her other zakatable wealth reaches the nisab.
Other madhhabs
- Shafi'i, Maliki and Hanbali
- No zakat is due on permitted jewellery that is worn regularly. Zakat is due on jewellery kept as savings or for trade.
In daily life, zakat is paid once a year, and many Muslims pay it in Ramadan. Work out what you owe with the zakat calculator. Zakat al-Fitr, a small payment before Eid, is a separate charity.
4. Sawm: fasting in Ramadan
Sawm (صَوْم) means fasting. Every day of Ramadan, the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, Muslims eat and drink nothing, and keep away from marital relations, from dawn until sunset, for 29 or 30 days.
يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ كُتِبَ عَلَيْكُمُ ٱلصِّيَامُ كَمَا كُتِبَ عَلَى ٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَتَّقُونَ
Yaa ayyuhal lazeena aamanoo kutiba 'alaikumus Siyaamu kamaa kutiba 'alal lazeena min qablikum la'allakum tattaqoon
"O you who have believed, decreed upon you is fasting as it was decreed upon those before you that you may become righteous -"
Quran 2:183 · translation by Sahih International
The verse gives the reason: taqwa, being mindful of Allah. Fasting also teaches patience and gratitude, and helps people feel what hunger is like for the poor. Who must fast: Muslims who have reached puberty and are healthy. People who are ill or travelling may leave the fast and make it up later (2:184). Women do not fast during their period and make the days up later. Someone who can never fast, such as a very old person, pays fidya instead, by feeding a poor person for each day.
A pregnant or nursing woman who fears harm to herself or her baby may leave the fast and makes up the days later. She does not pay fidya.
Other madhhabs
- Shafi'i and Hanbali
- If she fears only for the baby, she makes up the days and also feeds one poor person for each day (fidya). If she fears for herself, she only makes up.
- Maliki
- A pregnant woman only makes up the days. A nursing mother makes up the days and also pays fidya.
In daily life, Ramadan means an early meal before dawn (suhoor), breaking the fast at sunset, often with dates, extra prayers at night (taraweeh), reading the Quran and giving charity. Ramadan 1448 is expected to begin around 8 February 2027. Read the fasting rules, what breaks the fast and why Muslims fast.
5. Hajj: the pilgrimage to Makkah
Hajj (حَجّ) is the pilgrimage to Makkah, in Saudi Arabia, from the 8th to the 13th of Dhul Hijjah, the last month of the Islamic year. Pilgrims wear simple white clothing (ihram), walk around the Kaaba (tawaf), stand in prayer on the plain of Arafah, stay at Muzdalifah and Mina, and throw pebbles at the pillars called the Jamarat. Standing at Arafah is the heart of it: the Prophet ﷺ said, "Hajj is Arafah."7
وَلِلَّهِ عَلَى ٱلنَّاسِ حِجُّ ٱلْبَيْتِ مَنِ ٱسْتَطَاعَ إِلَيْهِ سَبِيلًۭا
Wa lillaahi 'alan naasi Hijjul Baiti manis tataa'a ilaihi sabeelaa
"And [due] to Allah from the people is a pilgrimage to the House - for whoever is able to find thereto a way."
Quran 3:97, part of the ayah · translation by Sahih International
Who must go: every adult Muslim who is healthy enough, can afford the journey, and can leave enough money for the family at home, once in a lifetime. When a man asked the Prophet ﷺ whether it was every year, he said that if he said yes, it would become obligatory every year and people would not be able to do it.8
Hajj becomes due straight away in the first year a person is able. Delaying it without an excuse is a sin. This is the view of Imam Abu Yusuf, which the school relies on; Imam Muhammad allowed a delay for someone sure to perform it later.
Other madhhabs
- Maliki and Hanbali
- Also due straight away once a person is able (the relied view of both schools).
- Shafi'i
- It may be delayed, as long as it is performed before death, though going early is better.
In daily life, most Muslims save for years to go. Those at home fast the Day of Arafah and celebrate Eid al-Adha with the sacrifice (qurbani). Hajj 2027 is expected from 14 to 19 May 2027: see Hajj 2027. Umrah, the lesser pilgrimage, can be done any time of year but is not one of the five pillars (see the Umrah guide).
The order of the pillars
Most lists put fasting fourth and Hajj fifth. Some reports of the hadith put Hajj before fasting, and in Sahih Muslim, when a man repeated it that way to Ibn Umar, he corrected him: "No: fasting Ramadan, then Hajj. That is how I heard it from the Messenger of Allah ﷺ."2 The order also follows history. The shahadah was the message from the first day. The five prayers were given on the night of the Isra and Miraj, before the move to Madinah. Fasting Ramadan became obligatory in the second year after the Hijrah, and zakat in its set amounts in Madinah. Hajj came last: most scholars say in the ninth year after the Hijrah, some say the sixth.
Are all five equally important? The shahadah comes first, because the other four are only accepted with it. After it, prayer is the most important. As for someone who does not keep them:
Someone who denies that any pillar is obligatory leaves Islam. Someone who believes in the pillars but neglects them, for example by missing prayers out of laziness, commits a major sin but remains a Muslim, and must repent and make up what was missed.
Other madhhabs
- Shafi'i and Maliki
- The same: neglecting prayer without denying it is a major sin, not disbelief.
- Hanbali
- In the school's best-known view, someone who abandons the prayer completely, even without denying it, is counted as having left Islam.
Five pillars and six articles of faith
Students often mix up two lists. Both come from the hadith of Jibril:
| Five pillars of Islam | Six articles of faith | |
|---|---|---|
| What they are | What a Muslim does | What a Muslim believes |
| Arabic name | Arkan al-Islam | Arkan al-Iman |
| The list | Shahadah, salah, zakat, sawm, Hajj | Allah, the angels, the books, the messengers, the Last Day, the decree (qadar) |
The third level in the same hadith is ihsan: "that you worship Allah as though you see Him, and though you do not see Him, He sees you". Read more in the six articles of faith and what is Islam.
Quick quiz: test yourself
Ten questions on this page. Each answer shows why, with a link back to the part that explains it.
Tap an answer for each question. Your score shows here.
1. How many pillars of Islam are there?
Five. The Prophet ﷺ said Islam is built on five (Bukhari 8, Muslim 16). The six are the articles of faith, what Muslims believe. Read this part
2. What is the first pillar of Islam?
The shahadah, the declaration of faith, comes first: it is how a person enters Islam. Read this part
3. What does the shahadah say?
"There is no god but Allah, and Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah." The other three are phrases Muslims say often, but they are not the shahadah. Read this part
4. How many times a day must a Muslim pray?
Five: Fajr, Dhuhr, Asr, Maghrib and Isha. Read this part
5. Which way do Muslims face when they pray?
Towards the Kaaba in Makkah (Quran 2:144). For the first months in Madinah the Muslims faced Jerusalem, then the qibla was changed to the Kaaba. Read this part
6. What does the word zakat mean?
Zakat means purification and growth: giving it purifies the wealth that is left and, Muslims believe, makes it grow in blessing. Read this part
7. How much zakat is due on savings above the nisab, held for a lunar year?
2.5%, which is one fortieth. On 1,000 dollars of zakatable savings, that is 25 dollars. Read this part
8. In which month do Muslims fast every day from dawn to sunset?
Ramadan, the ninth month of the Islamic calendar (Quran 2:185). Read this part
9. How often must a Muslim who is able go on Hajj?
Once in a lifetime, for an adult Muslim who has the health and the money to make the journey. Read this part
10. In a famous hadith, which angel came as a man and asked the Prophet ﷺ "Tell me about Islam"?
Jibril (Gabriel). The hadith of Jibril is in Sahih Muslim (8), from Umar ibn al-Khattab. Read this part
Printable one-page summary
AmalKit · Islam basics
The Five Pillars of Islam
The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said: "Islam is built on five: testifying that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, establishing the prayer, giving zakat, Hajj, and fasting in Ramadan." (Sahih al-Bukhari 8 and Sahih Muslim 16, from Ibn Umar)
| # | Pillar | What it is | How often | Where it comes from |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Shahadah شَهَادَة | Believing and saying that there is no god but Allah, and that Muhammad ﷺ is His Messenger. | Said once to become Muslim, then repeated in every prayer | Quran 47:19 and 48:29 |
| 2 | Salah صَلَاة | Praying at five set times each day, facing the Kaaba in Makkah: Fajr, Dhuhr, Asr, Maghrib and Isha. | Five times every day | Quran 4:103 and 2:43 |
| 3 | Zakat زَكَاة | Giving 2.5% of savings held for a lunar year above a minimum (the nisab) to people in need. | Once a year, if you have the nisab | Quran 2:43 and 9:60 |
| 4 | Sawm صَوْم | No food, drink or marital relations from dawn to sunset, every day of the month of Ramadan. | Every day of Ramadan, each year | Quran 2:183 to 185 |
| 5 | Hajj حَجّ | Travelling to Makkah in the month of Dhul Hijjah for the rites of Hajj, if you are able. | Once in a lifetime, for those able | Quran 3:97 |
Pillars and beliefs
The five pillars are what Muslims do. The six articles of faith are what Muslims believe: in Allah, His angels, His books, His messengers, the Last Day, and the decree (Sahih Muslim 8).
Words to know
Allah: the Arabic word for God. Qibla: the direction of the Kaaba. Nisab: the minimum wealth for zakat. Ramadan: the ninth Islamic month. Makkah: the city of the Kaaba.
Printed from amalkit.com/five-pillars-of-islam · Quran translation: Sahih International
AmalKit · Islam basics · Worksheet
The Five Pillars of Islam: 10 questions
NameClassDate
Circle the right answer.
How many pillars of Islam are there?
A. ThreeB. FiveC. SixD. Ten
What is the first pillar of Islam?
A. SalahB. ZakatC. The shahadahD. Hajj
What does the shahadah say?
A. There is no god but Allah, and Muhammad is the Messenger of AllahB. Allah is the GreatestC. In the name of Allah, the Most MercifulD. All praise is for Allah
How many times a day must a Muslim pray?
A. ThreeB. FiveC. SevenD. Once
Which way do Muslims face when they pray?
A. EastB. Towards JerusalemC. Towards the Kaaba in MakkahD. Any direction
What does the word zakat mean?
A. Purification and growthB. PrayerC. FastingD. Journey
How much zakat is due on savings above the nisab, held for a lunar year?
A. 1%B. 2.5%C. 10%D. 20%
In which month do Muslims fast every day from dawn to sunset?
A. MuharramB. ShawwalC. RamadanD. Dhul Hijjah
How often must a Muslim who is able go on Hajj?
A. Every yearB. Once in a lifetimeC. Every RamadanD. Never: it is optional
In a famous hadith, which angel came as a man and asked the Prophet ﷺ "Tell me about Islam"?
A. MikailB. IsrafilC. JibrilD. Malik
Answers: 1 B, 2 C, 3 A, 4 B, 5 C, 6 A, 7 B, 8 C, 9 B, 10 C
FAQ
What are the 5 pillars of Islam in order?
1. Shahadah, the declaration of faith. 2. Salah, the five daily prayers. 3. Zakat, the yearly charity. 4. Sawm, fasting in Ramadan. 5. Hajj, the pilgrimage to Makkah for those able (Bukhari 8, Muslim 16).
What is the most important pillar of Islam?
The shahadah, because the others are only accepted with it. After it comes prayer, which the Prophet ﷺ called the pillar of the religion (Tirmidhi 2616).
Zakat is which pillar of Islam?
Zakat is the third pillar. It is 2.5% of savings held for a lunar year above the nisab, given to the groups named in Quran 9:60.
What is the fifth pillar of Islam?
Hajj, the pilgrimage to Makkah in Dhul Hijjah, once in a lifetime for every adult Muslim who is able to make the journey.
Are the five pillars in the Quran?
Each pillar is commanded in the Quran, for example prayer and zakat in 2:43, fasting in 2:183 and Hajj in 3:97. The list of five together comes from the hadith of the Prophet ﷺ.
Do all Muslims follow the five pillars?
Yes. Sunni and Shia Muslims all pray, give zakat, fast Ramadan and go on Hajj. Shia scholars group these acts in a different scheme, but the practices are shared.
Sources
- Sahih al-Bukhari 8, from Abdullah ibn Umar.
- Sahih Muslim 16, from Abdullah ibn Umar, including his correction of the order (fasting before Hajj).
- Sunan Abi Dawud 3116, from Muadh ibn Jabal; graded sahih by al-Albani.
- Jami at-Tirmidhi 2616, from Muadh ibn Jabal: "The head of the matter is Islam, its pillar is the prayer"; at-Tirmidhi graded it hasan sahih.
- Sunan Abi Dawud 495, from Abdullah ibn Amr; graded hasan sahih by al-Albani.
- Sahih al-Bukhari 349 and Sahih Muslim 162, the hadith of the Isra and Miraj.
- Jami at-Tirmidhi 889 and Sunan Abi Dawud 1949, from Abd al-Rahman ibn Ya'mar; graded sahih by al-Albani.
- Sahih Muslim, Kitab al-Hajj, from Abu Hurayrah (Hajj once in a lifetime).
- Sahih Muslim 8, from Umar ibn al-Khattab (the hadith of Jibril).
- Quran 47:19, 48:29, 4:103, 2:43, 9:60, 2:144, 2:183 to 185 and 3:97, Arabic from the Uthmani text, translation by Sahih International.
- On the rulings: al-Marghinani, al-Hidayah (Hanafi), chapters on zakat, fasting and Hajj; Ibn Abidin, Radd al-Muhtar. The other schools are summarised from their standard manuals: al-Nawawi, al-Majmu (Shafi'i); Ibn Qudamah, al-Mughni (Hanbali); al-Dardir, al-Sharh al-Kabir (Maliki).
The rulings on this page are pending review by the scholars on our team.