What are the five pillars of Islam?
Summary
They are the testimony of faith, prayer, zakat, fasting Ramadan, and pilgrimage for those able.
Detailed Answer
The Prophet ﷺ gathered the five pillars in one report: testimony, prayer, zakat, pilgrimage, and fasting Ramadan . They are Islam's foundational acts alongside its other duties and virtues.
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Sources (5)
Quran & Tafseer
وَإِلَـٰهُكُمْ إِلَـٰهٌ وَٰحِدٌ ۖ لَّآ إِلَـٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنُ ٱلرَّحِيمُ
“And your god is one God. There is no deity [worthy of worship] except Him, the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful.”
قُلِ ٱللَّهَ أَعْبُدُ مُخْلِصًا لَّهُۥ دِينِى
“Say, "Allah [alone] do I worship, sincere to Him in my religion,”
Prophetic Hadith
حَدَّثَنَا عُبَيْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ مُوسَى، قَالَ أَخْبَرَنَا حَنْظَلَةُ بْنُ أَبِي سُفْيَانَ، عَنْ عِكْرِمَةَ بْنِ خَالِدٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ ـ رضى الله عنهما ـ قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " بُنِيَ الإِسْلاَمُ عَلَى خَمْسٍ شَهَادَةِ أَنْ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللَّهُ وَأَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ، وَإِقَامِ الصَّلاَةِ، وَإِيتَاءِ الزَّكَاةِ، وَالْحَجِّ، وَصَوْمِ رَمَضَانَ "
“Narrated Ibn 'Umar: Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said: Islam is based on (the following) five (principles): 1. To testify that none has the right to be worshipped but Allah and Muhammad is Allah's Messenger (ﷺ). 2. To offer the (compulsory congregational) prayers dutifully and perfectly. 3. To pay Zakat (i.e. obligatory charity) . 4. To perform Hajj. (i.e. Pilgrimage to Mecca) 5. To observe fast during the month of Ramadan.”
حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ نُمَيْرٍ الْهَمْدَانِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو خَالِدٍ، - يَعْنِي سُلَيْمَانَ بْنَ حَيَّانَ الأَحْمَرَ - عَنْ أَبِي مَالِكٍ الأَشْجَعِيِّ، عَنْ سَعْدِ بْنِ عُبَيْدَةَ، عَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ " بُنِيَ الإِسْلاَمُ عَلَى خَمْسَةٍ عَلَى أَنْ يُوَحَّدَ اللَّهُ وَإِقَامِ الصَّلاَةِ وَإِيتَاءِ الزَّكَاةِ وَصِيَامِ رَمَضَانَ وَالْحَجِّ "
“It is narrated on the authority of ('Abdullah) son of Umar (may Allah be pleased with them) that the Prophet (may peace of Allah be upon him) said: (The superstructure of) al-Islam is raised on five (pillars), i. e. the oneness of Allah, the establishment of prayer, payment of Zakat, the, fast of Ramadan, Pilgrimage (to Mecca). A person said (to 'Abdullah b. Umar the narrator): Which of the two precedes the other-Pilgrimage or the fasts of Rarnadan? Upon this he (the narrator) replied: No (it is not the Pilgrimage first) but the fasts of Ramadan precede the Pilgrimage.”
حَدَّثَنِي مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ الرَّحِيمِ، حَدَّثَنَا عَفَّانُ بْنُ مُسْلِمٍ، حَدَّثَنَا وُهَيْبٌ، عَنْ يَحْيَى بْنِ سَعِيدِ بْنِ حَيَّانَ، عَنْ أَبِي زُرْعَةَ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ أَنَّ أَعْرَابِيًّا، أَتَى النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَالَ دُلَّنِي عَلَى عَمَلٍ إِذَا عَمِلْتُهُ دَخَلْتُ الْجَنَّةَ. قَالَ " تَعْبُدُ اللَّهَ لاَ تُشْرِكُ بِهِ شَيْئًا، وَتُقِيمُ الصَّلاَةَ الْمَكْتُوبَةَ، وَتُؤَدِّي الزَّكَاةَ الْمَفْرُوضَةَ، وَتَصُومُ رَمَضَانَ ". قَالَ وَالَّذِي نَفْسِي بِيَدِهِ لاَ أَزِيدُ عَلَى هَذَا. فَلَمَّا وَلَّى قَالَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم " مَنْ سَرَّهُ أَنْ يَنْظُرَ إِلَى رَجُلٍ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْجَنَّةِ فَلْيَنْظُرْ إِلَى هَذَا ". حَدَّثَنَا مُسَدَّدٌ، عَنْ يَحْيَى، عَنْ أَبِي حَيَّانَ، قَالَ أَخْبَرَنِي أَبُو زُرْعَةَ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم بِهَذَا.
“Narrated Abu Huraira: A Bedouin came to the Prophet (ﷺ) and said, "Tell me of such a deed as will make me enter Paradise, if I do it." The Prophet (p.b.u.h) said, "Worship Allah, and worship none along with Him, offer the (five) prescribed compulsory prayers perfectly, pay the compulsory Zakat, and fast the month of Ramadan." The Bedouin said, "By Him, in Whose Hands my life is, I will not do more than this." When he (the Bedouin) left, the Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Whoever likes to see a man of Paradise, then he may look at this man." Narrated Abu Zur'a: From the Prophet (ﷺ) the same as above.”
This is general educational information, not a personal fatwa. Ask a trusted scholar about your specific circumstances.