The main rules of Islam are the five pillars: the Shahada (declaring that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad ﷺ is His messenger), Salah (five daily prayers), Zakat (obligatory charity), Sawm (fasting in Ramadan) and Hajj (pilgrimage to Makkah once in a lifetime, for those able). The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said Islam is built on these five.
- Shahada: declare and believe that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad ﷺ is His messenger.
- Salah: pray the five daily prayers at their times.
- Zakat: give 2.5% of qualifying savings each lunar year to those in need.
- Sawm: fast from dawn to sunset every day of Ramadan.
- Hajj: make the pilgrimage to Makkah once in a lifetime, if able.
Every other rule in a Muslim’s life, from what to eat to how to treat parents and neighbours, grows out of these foundations and the six articles of faith. This guide explains each pillar in plain English, the evidence for it, who it applies to, and the basic dos and don’ts that Muslims follow every day.
Rules, pillars or laws: What do people mean by “the rules of Islam”?
Islam has no official list of “10 rules”. When people ask about the rules of Islam, they usually mean the five pillars, the core obligations every Muslim performs.
Behind the pillars are the six articles of faith (what a Muslim believes), and around them is sharia, the wider body of Islamic law and ethics drawn from the Quran and the Sunnah, which covers worship, food, family, business and manners. Scholars of the four schools of law explain these details, and they agree on the essentials.
What are the 5 rules of Islam?
The five rules (pillars) of Islam are the acts of worship that every adult Muslim accepts and practises. The table below summarises them.
| Pillar | Arabic | What it means | How often |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Declaration of faith | Shahada (الشهادة) | Bearing witness that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad ﷺ is His messenger | Said sincerely to enter Islam, and repeated in every prayer |
| 2. Prayer | Salah (الصلاة) | Five obligatory prayers facing the Kaaba in Makkah | Five times every day |
| 3. Obligatory charity | Zakat (الزكاة) | Giving 2.5% of qualifying savings to people in need | Once a lunar year, if wealth is above the minimum (nisab) |
| 4. Fasting | Sawm (الصوم) | No food, drink or marital relations from dawn to sunset | Every day of Ramadan |
| 5. Pilgrimage | Hajj (الحج) | Pilgrimage to Makkah in the month of Dhul Hijjah | Once in a lifetime, for those physically and financially able |
Where do the five pillars of Islam come from?
The five pillars are listed together by the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ in a well-known hadith: “Islam is built upon five: testifying that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, establishing the prayer, giving zakat, performing Hajj, and fasting in Ramadan” (Sahih al-Bukhari 8; Sahih Muslim 16).
In the hadith of Jibril (Gabriel), the angel came in human form and asked the Prophet ﷺ, “Tell me about Islam.” He answered with the same five acts, and then described faith (iman) as belief in Allah, His angels, His books, His messengers, the Last Day and divine decree (Sahih Muslim 8). Each pillar is also commanded in the Quran, for example “establish prayer and give zakat” (Quran 2:43), fasting (Quran 2:183) and Hajj (Quran 3:97).
Rule 1: What is the Shahada?
The Shahada is the declaration of faith: Ash-hadu an la ilaha illa Allah, wa ash-hadu anna Muhammadan rasul Allah, which means “I bear witness that there is no god but Allah, and I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah.” Saying it sincerely, understanding its meaning, is how a person becomes Muslim.
The first half affirms tawhid, the oneness of Allah: He alone is worshipped, with no partner. The second half accepts Muhammad ﷺ as the final messenger, whose example (the Sunnah) shows how to live by the Quran. Muslims repeat the Shahada in the call to prayer and in the tashahhud of every prayer, so it is a daily reminder as well as a one-time declaration. If you are exploring Islam, our guide to learning about Islam for beginners explains what to learn first.
Rule 2: How many times a day do Muslims pray?
Muslims pray five obligatory prayers every day, each within its own time window, facing the Kaaba in Makkah (the qibla). Allah says: “Indeed, prayer has been decreed upon the believers at specified times” (Quran 4:103).
| Prayer | Time window | Obligatory rak’ahs |
|---|---|---|
| Fajr | From true dawn until sunrise | 2 |
| Dhuhr | From just after midday until mid-afternoon | 4 |
| Asr | Mid-afternoon until sunset | 4 |
| Maghrib | Just after sunset | 3 |
| Isha | After twilight has gone, into the night | 4 |
Before praying, a Muslim makes wudu (ritual washing of the face, arms, head and feet) and wears clean, modest clothing. Prayer can be offered almost anywhere clean, alone or in congregation, and Friday’s Dhuhr is replaced for men by the congregational Jumu’ah prayer. Many Muslims also pray the voluntary sunnah prayers before and after the obligatory ones. For the full method, see our guide to prayers in Islam.
Rule 3: What is Zakat and how much do you pay?
Zakat is an obligatory annual charity of 2.5% on savings and qualifying wealth (such as cash, gold, silver and trade goods) that stays above a minimum threshold, the nisab, for a full lunar year. It purifies wealth and makes sure the poor share in the community’s blessings.
The Quran names eight groups who may receive zakat, including the poor, the needy, those in debt and stranded travellers (Quran 9:60). Zakat is different from sadaqah, which is voluntary charity given at any time in any amount; you can read more in the benefits of zakat and sadaqah. There is also a small, separate charity paid at the end of Ramadan, explained in our guide to Zakat al-Fitr.
Rule 4: What are the rules of fasting in Ramadan?
During Ramadan, the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, adult Muslims fast every day from dawn (Fajr) until sunset (Maghrib), giving up food, drink and marital relations. Allah says: “O you who have believed, fasting is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you, that you may become righteous” (Quran 2:183).
Fasting is also about guarding the tongue, eyes and behaviour. Islam makes it easy for those who would struggle: people who are ill or travelling may break the fast and make up the days later (Quran 2:184–185), women do not fast during menstruation and make the days up afterwards, and those who cannot fast at all because of old age or chronic illness feed a poor person for each day instead. See the most important rules of fasting and the rules of women’s fasting in Ramadan for details.
Rule 5: Who has to perform Hajj?
Hajj is obligatory once in a lifetime for every adult Muslim who is physically and financially able to make the journey to Makkah. Allah says that pilgrimage to the House is a duty owed to Him “by whoever is able to find a way there” (Quran 3:97).
Hajj takes place from the 8th to the 12th or 13th of Dhul Hijjah. Pilgrims enter a state of ihram, circle the Kaaba (tawaf), walk between Safa and Marwah, stand at Arafah, spend the night at Muzdalifah and stone the pillars at Mina. Eid al-Adha falls on the 10th. Our guide What is the Hajj? walks through each step.
What is the difference between the pillars of Islam and the pillars of faith?
The five pillars of Islam are actions a Muslim does; the six pillars of faith (iman) are beliefs a Muslim holds in the heart. Both come from the hadith of Jibril (Sahih Muslim 8), and together they make up the core “rules” of the religion.
| Five pillars of Islam (actions) | Six pillars of faith (beliefs) |
|---|---|
| Shahada | Belief in Allah |
| Salah | Belief in His angels |
| Zakat | Belief in His revealed books |
| Sawm | Belief in His messengers |
| Hajj | Belief in the Last Day |
| Belief in divine decree (qadar), the good and the bad |
What are the basic dos and don’ts in Islam?
Beyond the five pillars, Islamic rules (sharia) guide everyday life. Things are permitted (halal) by default; a short list is forbidden (haram), and good character is required of everyone.
Things Muslims are required or encouraged to do
- Worship Allah alone and keep the five pillars.
- Be kind and dutiful to parents (Quran 17:23).
- Be honest, keep promises and treat neighbours, guests and family well.
- Eat halal food and dress modestly.
- Seek knowledge, starting with the Quran and the basics of worship.
Things Islam forbids
- Associating partners with Allah (shirk), the greatest sin.
- Alcohol, intoxicants and gambling (Quran 5:90).
- Pork, blood and meat of animals that died by themselves (Quran 2:173).
- Interest (riba) in lending and borrowing (Quran 2:275).
- Adultery and fornication (Quran 17:32).
- Theft, lying, cheating, backbiting and spying on others (Quran 49:12).
Scholars agree on these essentials. On finer details the four schools of law (Hanafi, Maliki, Shafi’i and Hanbali) sometimes differ, and all four are respected.
What does a new Muslim do first?
A new Muslim does not need to learn everything at once. Most teachers suggest this order for the first weeks:
- Say the Shahada sincerely and understand its meaning.
- Learn wudu and begin the five daily prayers, even if you read from a card at first.
- Memorise Al-Fatihah and a few short surahs for prayer.
- Learn the basics of halal food and the main things Islam forbids.
- Prepare for your first Ramadan and learn the rules of fasting.
Our guide to learning about Islam for beginners covers these steps in more detail.
How do you learn to pray and read the Quran correctly?
Prayer is recited in Arabic, so learning to read the Arabic letters and pronounce Al-Fatihah correctly is one of the most useful first steps. Start with Arabic alphabet pronunciation, then learn the basics of tajweed, the rules of correct recitation. A teacher who is a native Arabic speaker can correct sounds that are hard to learn from a book or app.
Why are the rules of Islam important?
The pillars give a Muslim’s life a steady rhythm of remembering Allah: the Shahada sets the belief, the five prayers return the heart to Allah through the day, zakat trains generosity, fasting builds self-control and gratitude, and Hajj gathers Muslims of every colour and nation as equals. Islam describes itself as a religion of ease, and its rules are meant to bring peace to the individual and justice to society rather than hardship.
How can you learn the rules of Islam with a teacher?
Reading is a good start, but most people learn prayer, wudu and Quran recitation fastest with a patient teacher who can answer questions as they come up. Murouj Academy teaches Quran reading and recitation in live, one-to-one online lessons with native Arab teachers, including ijazah holders. Adult beginners can learn to read Arabic in our Qaida classes for beginners, and families who want a structured path for children can choose Islamic studies for kids. To recite your prayers and the Quran correctly, our online Tajweed course teaches pronunciation from the letters up. You choose your teacher (women and girls learn with female teachers), and you can book a free trial class before deciding.
Frequently asked questions
How many rules are there in Islam?
The core rules are the five pillars of Islam (Shahada, Salah, Zakat, Sawm and Hajj) and the six articles of faith. Detailed rulings on worship, family, food and business build on these foundations.
What is the most important pillar of Islam?
The Shahada comes first, because the other acts of worship rest on belief in one God and His messenger. After it, Salah is the most important practical pillar, since it is performed five times every day.
Are the five pillars of Islam mentioned in the Quran?
Each pillar is commanded in the Quran, for example prayer and zakat (Quran 2:43), fasting (Quran 2:183) and Hajj (Quran 3:97). They are listed together as five in the hadith “Islam is built upon five” (Sahih al-Bukhari 8; Sahih Muslim 16).
What are the 10 rules of Islam?
There is no official list of ten rules in Islam. The core rules are the five pillars; lists of “ten rules” online usually mix the pillars with common ethical teachings, such as honouring parents and avoiding alcohol.
What is the fourth pillar of Islam?
In the order of the hadith of Jibril (Sahih Muslim 8), the fourth pillar is fasting in Ramadan (Sawm). Some lists put Hajj fourth and fasting fifth, following the order in Sahih al-Bukhari 8; the five pillars are the same either way.
When do the rules of Islam become obligatory?
The pillars become obligatory at puberty for a Muslim who is sane, and Zakat and Hajj also depend on having enough wealth and ability. Children are taught gently before then, usually starting with prayer from around the age of seven.
What happens if a Muslim misses a pillar?
A missed obligatory prayer or fast should be made up as soon as possible, and unpaid zakat is still owed. Islam always leaves the door of repentance open: a Muslim who falls short sincerely asks Allah’s forgiveness and returns to the practice.
References
- The Quran: 2:43, 2:173, 2:183–185, 2:275, 3:97, 4:103, 5:90, 9:60, 17:23, 17:32, 49:12.
- Sahih al-Bukhari 8 and Sahih Muslim 16: “Islam is built upon five.”
- Sahih Muslim 8: the hadith of Jibril on Islam, iman and ihsan.
