Matching Pairs The 5 Pillars of IslamOnline version The 5 pillars of Islam by Thomas Schwartz 1 2 3 4 5 Fasting. No eating, drinking, sex, or smoking from sun up to sun down during the month of Ramadan. (Sawm) Giving alms/charity to the poor (Zakat) Belief in only 1 god, Allah (Shahada) Pilgrimage. Every Muslim must visit the holy city of Mecca once in a lifetime. (Hajj) Praying the prescribed prayers 5 times a day (Salat)