Free Printable Five Pillars of Islam Poster

About these five pillars of islam handouts

The Five Pillars of Islam are the basic acts of worship that Muslims share: the declaration of faith (shahada), prayer (salat), giving to those in need (zakat), fasting in the month of Ramadan (sawm), and the pilgrimage to Mecca (hajj). This poster shows each pillar as a column, with its number, its name in Arabic, a transliteration, an English term and a short plain-language line.

The poster uses columns, numbers and type only, with no pictures of people. The descriptions are short summaries written for a classroom, and they give a starting point rather than a full account of practice. Details differ between communities and between the Sunni and Shia traditions, and the poster notes this. Zakat is described with the usual share of two and a half percent of savings above a minimum amount.

Use the poster on a classroom wall in a Muslim school or as a reference in a world religions unit. Ask students to name each pillar, say which is done daily, which yearly and which once in a lifetime, and give an example of how a community supports each one. For older students, pair the poster with the five daily prayers and Hijri months charts, which show how salat and sawm connect to the daily and yearly calendar.

How to use them

1. Print the poster and hang it at eye level.
2. Read the five names aloud with the class, in both Arabic and English.
3. Have students sort the pillars by how often each is done: daily, yearly, once in a lifetime.
4. Link sawm to the Hijri months chart and salat to the five daily prayers chart.
5. Ask students to explain one pillar in their own words.

Classroom tips

• Match each pillar to a real classroom example, such as a charity drive for zakat.
• Teach the Arabic words with their meanings together so the names stay attached to the ideas.
• Invite a family member to talk about the experience of Ramadan or hajj, with the family's permission.
• Keep the poster up all year, not only during Ramadan.

Notes on this page

• The five pillars: shahada, salat, zakat, sawm and hajj.
• Details of practice differ between communities; the descriptions are short teaching summaries.
• Arabic names are in a plain print style; the reviewer confirms the spelling and transliteration.

Last reviewed 2026-10-03. Handout Hero designs are original and made for this site. They are general reference material; check your own school, district or tradition where it matters.