Just as a building needs strong pillars to stand, a Muslim's life of worship rests on five great acts. Together they are called the Five Pillars of Islam, and they shape how a Muslim believes, prays, gives, fasts and travels for the sake of Allah.
The famous hadith
In a well-known hadith reported in Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī and Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim, the Prophet ﷺ taught that Islam is built upon five things: to bear witness that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah; to establish the prayer; to give the zakāh; to fast in Ramadan; and to make the pilgrimage to the House for whoever is able.
The five in brief
- Shahādah — the declaration of faith, the doorway into Islam.
- Ṣalāh — the five daily prayers that keep a Muslim connected to Allah.
- Zakāh — giving a set share of one's wealth to those in need.
- Ṣawm — fasting from dawn to sunset in the month of Ramadan.
- Ḥajj — the pilgrimage to Makkah, once in a lifetime for those who are able.
How they fit together
The first pillar is belief in the heart and on the tongue. The next three are things a Muslim does regularly — daily prayer, yearly charity, and a month of fasting. The fifth is a journey made when a person has the health and means. Some, like prayer, happen every day; others, like Ḥajj, may happen only once in a lifetime. The schools of law agree on these five essentials, even where they differ on smaller details of practice.
Building good character
The pillars are not only rituals. Prayer builds discipline and humility, zakāh builds generosity, fasting builds self-control and empathy, and Ḥajj builds patience and unity. Practised sincerely, they draw a person closer to Allah and shape a kinder, more grateful character.
Put the Five Pillars in the order given in the Prophet's ﷺ hadith:
- Shahādah — the declaration of faith
- Ṣalāh — establishing the prayer
- Zakāh — giving the obligatory charity
- Ṣawm — fasting in Ramadan
- Ḥajj — the pilgrimage to the House