What Are The Five Pillars Of Islam?

The Five Pillars are the central beliefs of Islam. The First Pillar of Islam is Shahadah; the declaration of faith that all Muslims must make. The declaration is a simple formula in two parts that announces Allah is the only God and that Mohammed is his messenger.

The Second Pillar of Islam is Salat. This is the obligatory daily prayer ritual which consists of praying five times a day. The prayer can be done anywhere, though most Muslims attend the mosque as frequently as possible. The prayers are spread throughout the day and so determine the organisation of everyday life.

The Third Pillar is Zakat or charity. Charity is taken very seriously by Muslims as everything comes from God and so wealth should be shared. Muslims calculate their Zakat as a percentage of their income.

The Fourth Pillar is Sawm and refers to the obligatory fast during Ramadan. The fast shows self control and allows a time for full concentration on Allah. It is seen as beneficial to health and also a way of purifying the self.

The Fifth Pillar is hajj or the pilgrimage to Mecca that Muslims are expected to try and complete at least once in their lifetime.