The Six Pillars of Iman (Faith)
Suggest editThe Six Pillars of Iman (Arkan al-Iman) are the core articles of faith that every Muslim must believe. They are derived from the Hadith of Jibril (Gabriel), recorded in both Bukhari and Muslim, in which the angel came to the Prophet in the form of a man and asked: "Tell me about iman." The Prophet replied: "It is to believe in Allah, His angels, His revealed books, His messengers, the Last Day, and in divine decree — both its good and its evil." These six beliefs constitute the doctrinal foundation of Islam.
1. Belief in Allah
The first and most fundamental pillar is belief in Allah — His existence, His absolute oneness (Tawhid), His names, and His attributes. Muslims believe Allah is unique and incomparable: "There is nothing like Him" (Quran 42:11). He is eternal — without beginning or end — self-subsisting, the Creator and Sustainer of all that exists. He possesses perfect attributes: absolute knowledge, power, will, hearing, sight, speech, and life. His attributes are real and distinct, not mere metaphors, yet they bear no resemblance to the attributes of creation.
Belief in Allah requires belief in all three dimensions of Tawhid: His lordship over creation (Rububiyyah), the exclusive right of worship due to Him (Uluhiyyah), and the affirmation of His names and attributes as they appear in revelation (Asma wa's-Sifat).
2. Belief in the Angels
Angels (Mala'ikah) are beings created from light, possessing neither free will to disobey nor physical desires. They are the servants and messengers of Allah, carrying out His commands throughout the universe. Muslims believe in their existence as described in the Quran and authentic Sunnah, though we do not know their exact number. Named angels include Jibril (Gabriel), who delivered revelation; Mika'il (Michael), associated with rain and provisions; Israfil, who will blow the Trumpet at the Last Day; and Izra'il, the angel of death. Two angels — Raqib and Atid — record every person's deeds; Munkar and Nakir question the deceased in the grave.
3. Belief in the Revealed Books
Allah sent scriptures to guide humanity through His prophets. Muslims believe in all revealed books: the Suhuf (scrolls) of Ibrahim, the Tawrah (Torah) of Musa, the Zabur (Psalms) of Dawud, the Injil (Gospel) of Isa, and finally the Quran revealed to Muhammad. The Quran is unique among these: it is the final and perfectly preserved revelation. Previous scriptures, while originally authentic, underwent alteration (tahrif) over centuries and no longer exist in their original form. The Quran supersedes all previous revelations and remains unchanged since its revelation — preserved in writing and memorized by millions in every generation.
4. Belief in the Prophets and Messengers
Allah sent prophets to every people and nation throughout history to guide them to His worship alone. The Quran names 25 prophets explicitly, though traditions indicate the total number may be in the hundreds of thousands. Five are distinguished as Ulul-Azm (Prophets of Strong Will): Nuh (Noah), Ibrahim (Abraham), Musa (Moses), Isa (Jesus), and Muhammad — each faced extraordinary trials and persevered. All prophets shared the same essential message: worship Allah alone and reject all false deities.
Prophets were human beings, not divine — they could experience illness, hunger, and death. They were, however, protected from major sins and from delivering false revelation. Muhammad is the final prophet (Quran 33:40); there is no prophet after him, and any claim to prophethood after him is false. Isa ibn Maryam (Jesus) will return before the Day of Judgment, but as a human prophet — not as a divine being — to break the cross and unite the Muslim community.
5. Belief in the Last Day
The Day of Judgment (Yawm al-Qiyamah) is a pillar of faith as weighty as belief in Allah Himself. The Quran returns to it hundreds of times. It encompasses the entire sequence of events at the end of time: the blowing of the Trumpet and universal death, the second blowing and resurrection of all creation, the gathering (Hashr) on the plain of judgment, the presentation of deeds, the weighing of records on the Scale (Mizan), crossing the Bridge (Sirat) over Hellfire, intercession (Shafa'ah), and final entry into either Jannah (Paradise) or Jahannam (Hellfire). Ahl us-Sunnah believes these are real, literal events — not allegorical — as described in the Quran and authentic Sunnah.
6. Belief in Divine Decree (Qadr)
Qadr (divine decree) is belief that everything that occurs — good and evil, pleasant and painful — occurs by the knowledge and will of Allah. Classical scholars describe four levels: Allah's eternal knowledge of all things before creation; His recording of all that will occur (in al-Lawh al-Mahfuz, the Preserved Tablet); His will that everything occurs as it does; and His creation of all things and all events. This belief does not negate human responsibility — humans possess real will and make real choices for which they are accountable. The Prophet clarified the balance: "Strive for what benefits you, seek the help of Allah, and do not be incapacitated. If something befalls you, do not say 'If only I had done such-and-such,' but say 'Allah decreed it and what He wills, He does.'" (Muslim 2664)