The Six Pillars of Iman (Faith)
1. Belief in Allah ﷻ
The first and most important article of faith is to believe in Allah ﷻ. This means believing that Allah ﷻ is the one true God and that He alone is worthy of worship. He is the Creator, Sustainer, and Owner of everything that exists, and there is nothing comparable to Him.
Belief in Allah ﷻ means affirming His perfect names and attributes as they are described in the Qur’an and the authentic teachings of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, without denying them, changing their meanings, or comparing them to the creation. Allah ﷻ is perfect and free from every deficiency.
A Muslim believes that Allah ﷻ has complete knowledge of all things, that He is All-Powerful, and that nothing occurs outside of His knowledge and will. He is the Most Merciful, the Most Wise, and the Most Just.
Believing in Allah ﷻ also means directing all acts of worship to Him alone. A Muslim does not pray to anyone besides Allah ﷻ. This belief in the absolute oneness of Allah ﷻ is known as Tawḥīd, and it is the foundation upon which Islam is built.
Allah ﷻ says in the Holy Qur’an:
“Allah—there is no deity except Him, the Ever-Living, the Sustainer of all.”
— Qur’an 2:255
True belief in Allah ﷻ should therefore affect every part of a Muslim’s life. It gives a person purpose, strengthens their trust in Allah ﷻ, encourages them to obey Him, and reminds them that they will ultimately return to Him.
2. Belief in the Angels
The second article of faith is to believe in the angels of Allah ﷻ. The angels are a creation of Allah ﷻ who were created to worship Him and carry out the commands He gives them. They are unseen to us, but their existence is established through the Qur’an and the authentic teachings of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ.
Angels are completely obedient to Allah ﷻ. They do not disobey His commands, and they carry out the duties that Allah ﷻ has assigned to them. Unlike human beings, they do not have the ability to choose between obedience and disobedience to Allah ﷻ.
There are many angels, and Allah ﷻ has assigned different duties to them. Among them is Jibrīl (Gabriel) عليه السلام, who was responsible for bringing Allah’s revelation to His Prophets. Other angels record the deeds of human beings, protect people by the command of Allah ﷻ, and carry out other tasks that Allah ﷻ has commanded them to fulfil.
A Muslim believes in all of the angels mentioned by Allah ﷻ and His Messenger ﷺ, whether they know their names and specific duties or not. Belief in the angels also reminds us that our actions are not unnoticed. Allah ﷻ has appointed angels who record our deeds, and everything we do will ultimately be accounted for.
Allah ﷻ says in the Holy Qur’an:
“The Messenger has believed in what was revealed to him from his Lord, and so have the believers. They all believe in Allah, His angels, His Books, and His messengers.”
— Qur’an 2:285
Belief in the angels is therefore an essential part of faith. Although we cannot see them, we believe in their existence because Allah ﷻ and His Messenger ﷺ have informed us about them. This belief strengthens our awareness of Allah ﷻ, encourages us to do good, and reminds us that the unseen world is part of the reality that Allah ﷻ has created.
3. Belief in the Revealed Books
The third article of faith is to believe in the Books that Allah ﷻ revealed to His Prophets and Messengers as guidance for humanity. Muslims believe that Allah ﷻ sent revelation to different nations throughout history, teaching them to worship Him alone and to live according to His guidance.
Among the revealed Books mentioned in the Qur’an are the Tawrah (Torah), which was given to Musa (Moses) عليه السلام; the Zabur (Psalms), which was given to Dawud (David) عليه السلام; the Injil (Gospel), which was given to Isa (Jesus) عليه السلام; and the Qur’an, which was revealed to Muhammad ﷺ.
Muslims believe that the original revelations came from Allah ﷻ and were therefore true. However, the Qur’an explains that previous scriptures were not preserved in their original form and that people altered, concealed, or changed some of what had been revealed. The Qur’an was sent as the final revelation, confirming the truth that came before it and serving as the final criterion by which previous revelation is judged.
The Qur’an is unique among the revealed Books because Allah ﷻ has promised to preserve it. It is the final and complete revelation, and no prophet or scripture will come after Muhammad ﷺ and the Qur’an.
Allah ﷻ says:
“He has sent down to you the Book in truth, confirming what came before it, and He sent down the Torah and the Gospel.”
— Qur’an 3:3
Belief in the revealed Books means believing that Allah ﷻ has always provided humanity with guidance. It teaches us that the message of the Prophets was fundamentally the same: to worship Allah ﷻ alone, obey Him, and live according to His guidance. The Qur’an is the final guidance for humanity and remains a source of truth, wisdom, and direction until the end of time.
4. Belief in the Messengers
The fourth article of faith is to believe in all the Prophets and Messengers sent by Allah ﷻ. Muslims believe that Allah ﷻ chose certain individuals from among humanity to convey His message, teach their people, call them to worship Allah ﷻ alone, and guide them towards what is right.
Throughout history, Allah ﷻ sent Prophets and Messengers to different nations. Their message was fundamentally the same: to worship Allah ﷻ alone and to avoid associating partners with Him. Some of the Prophets mentioned in the Qur’an include Adam, Nuh (Noah), Ibrahim (Abraham), Musa (Moses), Isa (Jesus), and Muhammad ﷺ.
Muslims are required to believe in all of the Prophets and Messengers mentioned by Allah ﷻ. We do not reject any of them or believe in some while rejecting others. They were all chosen and honoured by Allah ﷻ, and they fulfilled the responsibility entrusted to them.
Prophet Muhammad ﷺ holds a unique position in Islam as the final Prophet and Messenger. Allah ﷻ sent him with the final revelation, the Qur’an, and his message is for all of humanity. There will be no prophet after him.
Allah ﷻ says in the Holy Qur’an:
“Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah and the seal of the prophets.”
— Qur’an 33:40
Belief in the Messengers also means believing what Allah ﷻ and His Messenger ﷺ have taught us about them. Muslims love and respect all of the Prophets, but they do not worship them. Worship belongs to Allah ﷻ alone.
The Messengers serve as examples for humanity, demonstrating how to worship Allah ﷻ, uphold good character, remain patient during hardship, and live according to His guidance. By believing in and following the final Messenger, Muhammad ﷺ, Muslims seek to follow the path of the Prophets and fulfil the purpose for which Allah ﷻ created them.
5. Belief in the Day of Judgement
The fifth article of faith is to believe in the Day of Judgement, also known as the Day of Resurrection. Muslims believe that this life is temporary and that every human being will be resurrected after death and brought before Allah ﷻ to be judged for their beliefs, words, and actions.
The Day of Judgement is a day of perfect justice. Nothing will be overlooked, no matter how small or insignificant it may seem. Every person will be shown their deeds and will be held accountable for how they lived their life. Those who believed in Allah ﷻ and lived righteously will be rewarded, while those who rejected the truth and persisted in wrongdoing will face the consequences of their actions.
Allah ﷻ says in the Holy Qur’an:
“So whoever does an atom’s weight of good will see it, and whoever does an atom’s weight of evil will see it.”
— Qur’an 99:7–8
Belief in the Day of Judgement reminds a Muslim that this life is not without purpose or accountability. Wealth, status, appearance, and worldly achievements will not determine a person’s ultimate success. Instead, what matters is faith, sincerity, and righteous deeds.
Muslims also believe in what Allah ﷻ and His Messenger ﷺ have informed us about the events of the Hereafter, including the resurrection, the gathering of humanity, the reckoning of deeds, the weighing of deeds, the crossing of the Ṣirāṭ, Paradise, and Hellfire.
Belief in the Day of Judgement should influence how a Muslim lives each day. It encourages a person to do good, avoid sin, seek forgiveness when they make mistakes, and treat others with justice and kindness. It also gives hope that every injustice will ultimately be addressed and that no good deed will ever be lost.
Ultimately, the Day of Judgement reminds us that our time in this world is temporary and that our true and everlasting destination is the Hereafter. A successful believer therefore strives to live each day in obedience to Allah ﷻ, hoping for His mercy and preparing to meet Him.
6. Belief in Divine Decree
The sixth and final article of faith is to believe in the divine decree of Allah ﷻ, known as Al-Qadar. This means believing that Allah ﷻ has complete knowledge of everything that has happened, everything that is happening, and everything that will happen. Nothing occurs outside of His knowledge, wisdom, and will.
Belief in divine decree includes understanding that Allah ﷻ knew and decreed all things before He created the heavens and the earth. Everything that takes place is known to Him, and nothing happens except by His permission. At the same time, human beings have been given the ability to make choices and are responsible for the choices they make. We are therefore accountable for our actions, while recognising that Allah ﷻ has complete control over His creation.
Allah ﷻ says in the Holy Qur’an:
“Indeed, all things We created with divine decree.”
— Qur’an 54:49
Belief in Al-Qadar does not mean that a person should become passive or stop striving to do what is right. Islam teaches us to take the necessary means, make our best efforts, and then place our trust in Allah ﷻ. We do what is within our ability while accepting that the final outcome is in the hands of Allah ﷻ.
This belief provides comfort during times of difficulty and teaches a Muslim to be patient when faced with hardship. When something happens that we cannot change, we trust that Allah ﷻ knows what we do not know and that His wisdom is greater than our own. At times of ease and success, it teaches us to be grateful and recognise that our blessings ultimately come from Allah ﷻ.
The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said:
“Know that what has befallen you could not have missed you, and what has missed you could not have befallen you.”
— Sunan Abi Dawud 4699
Belief in divine decree therefore gives a Muslim a balanced outlook on life: we strive, make responsible choices, and take action, while placing our trust in Allah ﷻ and accepting His decree. It teaches us patience during hardship, gratitude during ease, and trust in the wisdom of Allah ﷻ in every situation.
