Islam in a nutshell: five pillars, six articles of faith

The five pillars of Islamic practice are mandatory for all Muslims. 1: The declaration of faith in the oneness of God and that Muhammad is the last prophet of God. 2: Performing the ritual Muslim prayer five times a day. 3: Carrying out the fast each Ramadan. 4: Mandatory almsgiving amounting to about 2.5 percent of one's wealth given to the needy at the end of each year. 5: Pilgrimage to Mecca at least once in one's lifetime, if one is physically and financially able to do so. There are six articles of faith in Islam, which are the basic beliefs that one must have in order to be considered a true Muslim. A Muslim must believe in the One God; angels; the divine scriptures, including the Quran; the prophets sent by God to humankind, including Muhammad; the Day of Judgment and the Afterlife; and predestination (God's will).