Abu ‘Abdur-Rahmān ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar ibn al-Khattāb (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) say:
"Islam is built on five: testifying that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger, establishing prayer, giving Zakah, performing Hajj to the (Sacred) House, and fasting Ramadān."
Reported by Muslim (No. 16c, 16d), Al-Bukhari (No. 8), At-Tirmidhi (No. 2609), An-Nasa’i (No. 5001) and Ahmad (No. 4567, 5414, 5743, 6019).
The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) likened Islam to a well-built structure based on five pillars that carry it and the rest of its characteristics complement the structure. First pillar: The two testimonies of faith; testifying that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah. These two testimonies constitute one pillar as they are both inseparable. The slave utters the two testimonies of faith acknowledging the oneness of Allah and His exclusive worthiness of worship apart from others, acting upon their requirements, believing in the message of Muhammad (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), and following him. Second pillar: Establishing the prayer, which refers to the five obligatory prayers that are to be observed every day and night and they are: Fajr (morning), Zhuhr (noon), ‘Asr (afternoon), Maghrib (sunset), and ‘Ishā’ (night), along with observing their conditions, pillars, and obligatory acts. Third pillar: Giving the obligatory Zakah, which is an obligatory financial act of worship due on every type of property that has reached the limit prescribed by Shariah and it is to be given to those entitled to it. Fourth pillar: Performing Hajj, which is travelling to Makkah to perform the rituals as a means of worshipping Allah Almighty. Fifth pillar: Fasting Ramadān, which is abstaining from food, drink, and other invalidators from the break of dawn until sunset with the intention of worshipping Allah.
Lessons
The two testimonies of faith are inseparable, i.e., none of them is valid without the other; hence, he considered them one pillar.
The two testimonies of faith are the core of the religion; hence, they are essential for the validity of any saying or deed.
Explanation in Arabic
شَبَّهَ النبيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم الإسلامَ بِبِناءٍ مُحْكَمٍ بأركانه الخمسة الحاملة لذلك البُنيان، وبقية خصال الإسلام كتتمة البنيان، وأولُ هذه الأركان: الشهادتان؛ شهادة أن لا إله إلا الله وأنَّ محمدًا رسول الله، وهما ركن واحد؛ لا تنفك إحداهما عن الأخرى، ينطق العبد بهما معترفًا بوحدانية الله واستحقاقه للعبادة وحده دون ما سواه، وعاملًا بمقتضاها، ومؤمنًا برسالة محمد صلى الله عليه وسلم مُتَّبِعًا له. والركن الثاني: إقامة الصلاة، وهي الصلوات الخمس المفروضات في اليوم والليلة: الفجر، والظهر، والعصر، والمغرب، والعشاء، بشروطها وأركانها وواجباتها. والركن الثالث: إخراج الزكاة المفروضة، وهي عبادة ماليَّة واجبة في كل مال بَلَغَ قَدْرًا مُحَدّدًا في الشرع، تُعطى لمستحقيها. والركن الرابع: الحج، وهو قَصْدُ مكة لإقامة المَناسك، تَعبُّدًا لله عز وجل. والركن الخامس: صوم رمضان، وهو الإمساك عن الأكل والشرب وغيرهما من المفطرات بِنِيَّةِ التعبُّد لله، من طلوع الفجر إلى غروب الشمس.
تلازم الشهادتين، فلا تصح أحدهما إلا بالأخرى؛ لذا جعلهما ركنًا واحدًا.
الشهادتان هما أساس الدين، فلا يُقبل قولٌ ولا عملٌ إلا بهما.
Scholars’ grades
Grade taken from the status of the collection (Sahih Muslim).
Grades of other versions (4)
AuthenticAl-Albaniصحيح — صحيح الترمذي (2609)
Ahmad Shakirإسناده منقطع — تخريج المسند لشاكر (7/17)
Ibn Hajar al-Asqalaniفيه] بركة بن يعلى تبقى معرفة حاله — لسان الميزان (2/273)
Authentic chainالحكميإسناده صحيح — معارج القبول (614/2)
Other versions
AuthenticMuttafaq ‘alayh (Bukhari and Muslim)Sahih al-Bukhari 8
"Islam is built on five: testifying that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger, establishing prayer, giving Zakah, performing Hajj to the (Sacred) House, and fasting Ramadān."
وعن ابن عمر رضي الله عنهما أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم قال: بني الإسلام على خمس: شهادة أن لا إله إلى الله وأن محمدًا رسول الله، وإقام الصلاة، وإيتاء الزكاة، وحج البيت، وصوم رمضان" ((متفق عليه))
Narrated by Abdullāh ibn ‘Umar
AuthenticMuttafaq ‘alayh (Bukhari and Muslim)Mishkat al-Masabih 4