The Five Pillars
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can explain what the Five Pillars are and give reasons for why each may be seen as the most important.
Key learning points
- The Five Pillars are important Muslim practices with their basis in the Qur'an and the example of the Prophet Muhammad.
- The Five Pillars are of particular importance to Sunni Muslims.
- The Five Pillars are important practices which 'hold up' the faith of a Muslim.
- There can be a diversity of opinion on which of the Five Pillars is the most important.
Keywords
Hajj - pilgrimage to Makkah with certain steps and actions
Salah - five daily prayers as an act of worship
Sawm - fasting during daylight hours in the month of Ramadan
Shahadah - the statement of faith in Islam
Zakah - 'to purify'; a charity tax where Muslims give 2.5% of their yearly wealth as alms
Common misconception
The Ten Obligatory Acts in Shi'a Islam are completely different from the Five Pillars in Sunni Islam.
Four of the Five Pillars are part of the Ten Obligatory Acts - salah, zakah, sawm and Hajj.
Teacher tip
Students can create a mindmap for the Five Pillars, showing how they relate to the key beliefs of Islam.
Licence
Lesson video
Loading...
Prior knowledge starter quiz
5 Questions
Q1.What is the belief in the oneness of God called in Islam?
Q2.The belief in means trusting Allah's ultimate plan.
Q3.Which prophet is considered the 'seal of the prophets' in Islam?
Q4.In Islam, angels are created from and carry out God's will.
Q5.What is the name for paradise in Islam?
Assessment exit quiz
5 Questions
Q1.Place the Five Pillars in the correct order.
Q2.The Five Pillars are especially emphasised by Muslims.
Q3.Which of the Five Pillar is not part of the Ten Obligatory Acts in Shi’a Islam?
Q4.Which of the Five Pillars is most often practiced, according to research?
Q5.Why is Hajj the least performed of the Five Pillars?
To help you plan your 10 religious education lesson on: The Five Pillars, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 10 religious education lesson on: The Five Pillars, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom. Plus, you can set it as homework or revision for pupils and keep their learning on track by sharing an online pupil version of this lesson.
Explore more key stage 4 religious education lessons from the Islam: Practices unit, dive into the full secondary religious education curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.