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The pillars of Islam are five: the testimony of faith, prayer, zakat, fasting and the Hajj.
The pillars of Islam are five: to testify that there is no god but God and that Muhammad is God's messenger, then prayer, zakat, fasting in Ramadan, and the Hajj for those who are able.
Storytellers (10–12) read the Explorers text, then cross to the Scholars text.
The five acts on which Islam is built according to the sound hadith: the testimony that there is no god but God and that Muhammad is God's messenger, establishing prayer, paying zakat, fasting Ramadan, and the pilgrimage to the House for those able to make the journey. The pillars join the heart, the tongue and the body and the wealth. This order follows the well-known hadith of Ibn Umar in the two Sahihs. The details of each pillar differ among the schools of law, so each has its own entry. This entry gives what the hadith says without the detailed rulings.
Summary
"The five pillars of Islam" are the deeds upon which Islam was built in the Prophet ﷺ's hadith: "Islam is built on five: the testimony that there is no god but God and that Muhammad is God's messenger, establishing the prayer, giving the zakat, fasting Ramadan, and the pilgrimage to the House" 1.
The pillars in detail
- The two testimonies: testifying that there is no god but God and that Muhammad is God's messenger 1.
- The prayer: establishing the prayer 1.
- The zakat: giving the zakat 1.
- The hajj 1.
- Fasting Ramadan 1.
The order of the pillars differs between accounts: in another place in Ibn Khuzayma the hajj comes before the fast 2.
The hadith's source
Al-Bukhari recorded this hadith as number 8 (volume 1, page 12 of the al-Bugha edition); the editor notes that Muslim also recorded it in the chapter "the pillars of Islam and its great supports" as number 16 3. The editor explains "supports" as being to the building in the place of pillars — it does not stand without them 3.
Ibn Khuzayma narrates it from Ibn Umar with the wording: "Islam is built on five: the testimony that there is no god but God, establishing the prayer, giving zakat, fasting Ramadan, and the Hajj to the House" 1. Elsewhere in his book the Hajj comes before the fast 2, which confirms that the order differs between the accounts.
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Connections
- Based on
- Arba'un 3 — Islam is built on five· Arba'un 22 — if I pray the prescribed prayers· Arba'un 29 — tell me of a deed that admits me to Paradise· Muwatta 485· Islam (the religion and the term)
- Basis for
- The shahada· Salah (the prescribed prayer)· Zakat (obligatory alms)· Fasting in Ramadan· Hajj (the pilgrimage to Mecca)
People and things also explored
Muwatta 485· Islam (the religion and the term)· Muwatta 1346· The shahada· Arba'un 8 — I was ordered to fight the people· Muslim 16 — Islam is built on five· Muwatta 194· Muwatta 195
Sources
- Ibn Khuzayma, al-Mukhtasar (local scan) , p.192
- Ibn Khuzayma, al-Mukhtasar (local scan) , p.906
- Sahih al-Bukhari (al-Bugha edition) , p.14
- Tanzil Project, Qur'an text v1.1
- Jami' al-Ulum wal-Hikam — Ibn Rajab al-Hanbali
Cite this page
islam.museum contributors. “The five pillars of Islam”. islam.museum, https://islam.museum/en/concept/five-pillars/. CC BY-SA 4.0. Last updated 2026-10-25.