FIVE PILLARS OF ISLAM

The Five Pillars of Islam are five basic acts in Islam, considered mandatory by believers and are the foundation of Muslim life.

They make up Muslim life, prayer, concern for the needy, self purification and the pilgrimage. They are:

Shahadah: declaring there is no god except God, and Muhammad is God's Messenger
Salat: ritual prayer five times a day
Zakat: giving 2.5% of one’s savings to the poor and needy
Sawm: fasting and self-control during the holy month of Ramadan
Hajj: pilgrimage to Mecca at least once in a lifetime if one is able.

The Shia and Sunni both agree on the essential details for the performance and practice of these acts, but the Shia do not refer to them by the same name.