Five Pillars of Islam for Kids: Simple Guide for Parents

What Are the Five Pillars of Islam for Kids?

Here is the short list. Read it with your child and let them count the pillars on their fingers.

Tip: say the Arabic name, then the plain word. Kids like to learn both. After a week, ask them to say the Arabic name when you say the plain word.

• Shahadah: we believe in one God, Allah, and that Muhammad is His messenger.
• Salah: we pray 5 times a day.
• Zakah: we share some of our money with people in need.
• Sawm: we fast in the month of Ramadan.
• Hajj: we go to Makkah once in our life, if we can.

Shahadah: What Do Muslims Believe?

For your child to read: The Shahadah is a short sentence. It says there is no god but Allah, and Muhammad is His messenger. It is the first pillar, and all the others stand on it.

For parents: This is the door into Islam. A person who says it and means it is a Muslim. Your child hears it in the adhan (call to prayer) and in every prayer, so they may know it better than they think.

Live it this week: Teach your child to say the Shahadah in Arabic and in English. Ask them to say it once in the morning and once at bedtime. Then ask, "What does it mean to you?" Let them answer in their own words.

Salah: Why Do Muslims Pray 5 Times a Day?

For your child to read: Salah is how we talk to Allah. We pray 5 times a day: Fajr, Dhuhr, Asr, Maghrib and Isha. Before we pray, we wash with wudu.

For parents: Salah is the pillar a child sees the most. A well-known hadith tells parents to ask a child to pray at age 7. Before that, let them stand next to you and copy the moves. Our guide on how to teach a child to pray goes step by step, and wudu steps for kids covers the washing.

Live it this week: Pick one prayer, such as Maghrib, and pray it on time together every day. Keep it calm and short. One prayer done well each day is a great start.

Zakah: How Do Muslims Share What They Have?

For your child to read: Zakah means giving part of our money to people who need it. It keeps our hearts kind and clean. What we have is a gift from Allah, and we share it.

For parents: Zakah is a set amount, usually 2.5%, that a grown-up gives each year on savings above a set level. Most young children have no savings of their own to pay it on. But kids can learn the habit through sadaqah, which is any gift of charity, big or small.

Live it this week: Give your child a jar. Each day, they drop in one coin from their own pocket money. At the end of the week, choose together where to give it, such as a food bank or a mosque appeal.

Sawm: Do Kids Have to Fast in Ramadan?

For your child to read: In Ramadan, Muslims do not eat or drink from dawn until sunset. Fasting helps us feel what hungry people feel. It also teaches us to be patient and to thank Allah.

For parents: Fasting becomes a duty when a child reaches puberty. Young children do not have to fast. Many families still let older kids try a short fast, like until lunch, so they feel part of Ramadan. Go by your child's age and health, and stop if they feel unwell.

Live it this week: If it is not Ramadan, try a "mini fast" from a habit instead. For example, no sweets for one day, or no tablet until after school. In Ramadan, a child of the right age can try a half-day fast on a weekend.

Hajj: What Is the Journey to Makkah?

For your child to read: Hajj is a trip to Makkah, a city in Saudi Arabia. Muslims from all over the world go there in the same few days each year. They walk around the Kaaba, the house built for Allah.

For parents: Hajj is a duty once in a lifetime for adults who are healthy and can afford it. The Quran says this in Surah Al Imran. Many Muslims in the USA, UK, Canada and Australia save for years to go.

Live it this week: Find Makkah on a map or globe with your child. Trace a line from your home to it. Then look at photos of the Kaaba together and ask what they notice.

How Do I Teach the 5 Pillars of Islam to Kids?

You do not need to teach all five in one day. Here is a simple 5-week plan. Give each pillar one week.

Week 1: Shahadah. Say it each day and talk about what it means.

Week 2: Salah. Pray one prayer on time together every day.

Week 3: Zakah. Fill a coin jar and give it away on the last day.

Week 4: Sawm. Try a mini fast from a habit, or a short fast in Ramadan.

Week 5: Hajj. Use a map, photos and a story to learn about Makkah.

At the end of each week, ask your child to tell you 3 things they learned. If they can teach it back to you, they have it.

What Activities Teach the Five Pillars of Islam?

Hands-on work helps the pillars stick. These ideas also work well for a school project in a Western classroom, where your child may be one of only a few Muslims.

House with 5 pillars: Cut a roof out of card. Stick 5 paper straws or lolly sticks under it as pillars. Write one pillar name on each. Then pull one stick out and ask, "What happens to the roof?" That shows why each pillar matters.

Talk questions for a class project:

• Which pillar do you do every day?
• Why do you think Muslims share their money?
• How do you feel at the end of a fast?
• If you could go to Makkah, what would you want to see?
• Which pillar is the easiest for you, and which is the hardest?

Where Can My Child Learn More?

The pillars are a first step. Kids can then learn more about faith, good manners and the stories of the Prophets in Islamic studies for kids. If prayer is your main goal, our prayer lessons teach wudu and Salah word by word.

At Salam Campus, these topics fit inside our live 1-on-1 online Quran classes for kids. You can choose a male or female tutor and start with a free 30-minute trial. For plans, see our fees page.