What are the six pillars of faith (iman) in Islam?

The six pillars of faith, known as Iman in Arabic, are the fundamental articles of belief for Muslims. These are:

1. Belief in Allah (God): This is the absolute oneness of God, His unique attributes, and that He is the sole Creator and Sustainer of the universe. (Muslim, Sahih, Vol. 1, p. 38-39)
2. Belief in His Angels: Angels are unseen beings created by Allah to carry out His commands. (Muslim, Sahih, Vol. 1, p. 38-39)
3. Belief in His Books: This refers to the divine scriptures revealed by Allah to His prophets, such as the Torah, the Gospel, the Psalms, and the Quran, which is considered the final and complete revelation. (Muslim, Sahih, Vol. 1, p. 38-39; Ibn Kathir, Tafsir, Vol. 7, p. 484-487)
4. Belief in His Messengers: Muslims believe in all the prophets sent by Allah, from Adam to Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus, and finally Muhammad (peace be upon them all), who is the last prophet. (Muslim, Sahih, Vol. 1, p. 38-39)
5. Belief in the Last Day: This encompasses belief in the Day of Judgment, resurrection after death, and accountability for one's deeds, leading to either Paradise or Hellfire. (Muslim, Sahih, Vol. 1, p. 38-39; Ibn Kathir, Tafsir, Vol. 7, p. 484-487)
6. Belief in Divine Decree (Qadar): This means believing that Allah has knowledge of and has ordained all that will happen, both good and bad. However, this does not negate human free will and responsibility for their actions. (Muslim, Sahih, Vol. 1, p. 39; Tirmidhi, Sunan, Vol. 5, p. 7)

The famous Hadith of Gabriel (Jibril), narrated in various authentic collections like Sahih Muslim and Sunan Tirmidhi, beautifully outlines these pillars. In this narration, Gabriel, in human form, asks the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) about Iman, and the Prophet replies with these six articles. (Muslim, Sahih, Vol. 1, p. 38-39; Tirmidhi, Sunan, Vol. 5, p. 7)

It's important to note that while these are the pillars of Iman (faith), the practice of Islam also includes the pillars of Islam, which are the outward acts of worship like the declaration of faith, prayer (salat), charity (zakat), fasting during Ramadan (sawm), and pilgrimage (hajj). These are interconnected, as true faith is expected to manifest in righteous actions. (Muslim, Sahih, Vol. 1, p. 38-39; Tirmidhi, Sunan, Vol. 5, p. 3-7)