Five Pillars
Muslims believe that God spoke
directly to Muhammad through an
angel, Gabriel.
Muhammad then recited all he
had heard and these were later
recorded and compiled to form
the Qur’an.
Muslims use this book as a guide
for how they should live and what
they should believe. Many
memorize the entire book and
recite from it daily.
The Sunnah is the daily
practice of the faith.
Muhammad provided the
ultimate example for how
Muslims should live in
their daily lives.
The Hadith is
made up of the
traditional
accounts of
people who saw
and interacted
with
Muhammad.
These stories are
passed down and
used as
instruction for
Muslims today.
Shari’ah is the body of laws written
to help Muslims follow the Qur’an.
Muslims are still developing this
laws today.
Shari’ah means “the path to be
followed.”
These laws emphasize obedience to
the Qur’an and respect for others.
Five Categories:
Forbidden
Discouraged
Allowed
Recommended
Obligatory
The Shahadah is the Muslim
declaration of faith.
“There is no God but God, and
Muhammad is the messenger of
God.”
This emphasizes monotheism, the
belief in only one God.
It also shows how God is the very
center of a Muslim’s life.
The Salat is the daily
ritual prayer, which
Muslims perform
five times a day.
This emphasizes
religious discipline,
spirituality and
closeness to God.
Prayer is so
important that
Muslims go through
a purification
process before each
prayer session.
Zakat means “purification.” The giving of
charity purifies wealth teaches
selflessness.
Muslims give at least 2.5% of their income
to:
Soup kitchens
Clothing
Shelter for the poor
Stranded Travelers
School fees
What connections can you make between
Muhammad’s life and the emphasis on
charity in Islam?
During Ramadan,
the ninth month of
the Muslim
calendar, Muslims
fast from sun up to
sun down.
This teaches selfcontrol and
empathy.
Muslims believe
this is the month
in which God
revealed his
message to
Muhammad.
Hajj is the
special
pilgrimage to
Makkah.
Every Muslim,
who is physically
able, visits
Makkah at least
once in their
lifetime.
This pillar
emphasizes
fellowship and
equality.
Jihad means “to strive.” It
represents a physical struggle
with spiritual significance.
Lesser jihad is an external
struggle against oppression.
Greater jihad is an internal
struggle against evil.
Muslims believe they should
fulfill jihad with the heart,
tongue, and hand.