Five Pillars of Islam (Islamic)

The Five Pillars of Islam (arkān-al-Islām أركان الإسلام; also arkān ad-dīn أركان الدين "pillars of the religion") are five basic acts in Islam, considered obligatory by believers and are the foundation of Muslim life. These are summarized in the famous hadith of Gabriel.

Islam

The Quran presents them as a framework for worship and a sign of commitment to the faith. They make up Muslim life, prayer, concern for the needy, self purification and the pilgrimage. They are:

1. the shahada (Islamic creed)
2. daily prayers (salah)
3. almsgiving (zakāt)
4. fasting during the month of Ramadan (sawm)
5. the pilgrimage to Mecca (hajj) at least once in a lifetime.

The minority Shia and majority Sunni both agree on the essential details for the performance of these acts, but the Shia do not refer to them by the same name (see Ancillaries of the Faith, for the Twelvers, and Seven pillars of Ismailism).