Hadith: Islam is to testify that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, to establish prayer, to pay Zakah, to fast Ramadan, and to perform Hajj to the House if you are able to find a way thereto

عن عمر بن الخطاب رضي الله عنه قال:
بَيْنَمَا نَحْنُ عِنْدَ رَسُولِ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ ذَاتَ يَوْمٍ إِذْ طَلَعَ عَلَيْنَا رَجُلٌ شَدِيدُ بَيَاضِ الثِّيَابِ، شَدِيدُ سَوَادِ الشَّعَرِ، لَا يُرَى عَلَيْهِ أَثَرُ السَّفَرِ، وَلَا يَعْرِفُهُ مِنَّا أَحَدٌ، حَتَّى جَلَسَ إِلَى النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، فَأَسْنَدَ رُكْبَتَيْهِ إِلَى رُكْبَتَيْهِ، وَوَضَعَ كَفَّيْهِ عَلَى فَخِذَيْهِ، وَقَالَ: يَا مُحَمَّدُ، أَخْبِرْنِي عَنِ الْإِسْلَامِ، فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «الْإِسْلَامُ أَنْ تَشْهَدَ أَنْ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللهُ، وَأَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا رَسُولُ اللهِ، وَتُقِيمَ الصَّلَاةَ، وَتُؤْتِيَ الزَّكَاةَ، وَتَصُومَ رَمَضَانَ، وَتَحُجَّ الْبَيْتَ إِنِ اسْتَطَعْتَ إِلَيْهِ سَبِيلًا» قَالَ: صَدَقْتَ، قَالَ: فَعَجِبْنَا لَهُ، يَسْأَلُهُ وَيُصَدِّقُهُ، قَالَ: فَأَخْبِرْنِي عَنِ الْإِيمَانِ، قَالَ: «أَنْ تُؤْمِنَ بِاللهِ، وَمَلَائِكَتِهِ، وَكُتُبِهِ، وَرُسُلِهِ، وَالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ، وَتُؤْمِنَ بِالْقَدَرِ خَيْرِهِ وَشَرِّهِ» قَالَ: صَدَقْتَ، قَالَ: فَأَخْبِرْنِي عَنِ الْإِحْسَانِ، قَالَ: «أَنْ تَعْبُدَ اللهَ كَأَنَّكَ تَرَاهُ، فَإِنْ لَمْ تَكُنْ تَرَاهُ فَإِنَّهُ يَرَاكَ» قَالَ: فَأَخْبِرْنِي عَنِ السَّاعَةِ، قَالَ: «مَا الْمَسْؤُولُ عَنْهَا بِأَعْلَمَ مِنَ السَّائِلِ» قَالَ: فَأَخْبِرْنِي عَنْ أَمَارَتِهَا، قَالَ: «أَنْ تَلِدَ الْأَمَةُ رَبَّتَهَا، وَأَنْ تَرَى الْحُفَاةَ الْعُرَاةَ الْعَالَةَ رِعَاءَ الشَّاءِ يَتَطَاوَلُونَ فِي الْبُنْيَانِ» قَالَ: ثُمَّ انْطَلَقَ، فَلَبِثْتُ مَلِيًّا ثُمَّ قَالَ لِي: «يَا عُمَرُ، أَتَدْرِي مَنِ السَّائِلُ؟» قُلْتُ: اللهُ وَرَسُولُهُ أَعْلَمُ، قَالَ: «فَإِنَّهُ جِبْرِيلُ، أَتَاكُمْ يُعَلِّمُكُمْ دِينَكُمْ».
[صحيح] - [رواه مسلم] - [صحيح مسلم: 8]

‘Umar ibn al-Khattāb (may Allah be pleased with him) reported:
One day, we were sitting with the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) when there appeared before us a man dressed in extremely white clothes and had very black hair. No traces of travel were visible on him, and none of us knew him. He came in and sat down opposite the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), rested his knees against his, and placed the palms of his hands on his (the Prophet's) thighs. He said: "O Muhammad, tell me about Islam." The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Islam is to testify that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, to establish prayer, to pay Zakah, to fast Ramadan, and to perform Hajj to the House if you are able to find a way thereto." He said: "You have spoken the truth." We wondered how he asked him and affirmed his truthfulness. Then, he said: "Tell me about Imān (faith)." He said: "It is to believe in Allah, His angels, His books, His messengers, and the Last Day, and believe in the divine decree, the pleasant and unpleasant aspects thereof." Then, he said: "You have spoken the truth." Then, he said: "Tell me about ihsān." He said: "It is to worship Allah as if you see Him, for if you do not see Him, He sees you." He said: "Tell me about the Hour." He said: "The one questioned about it knows no more than the questioner." He said: "Then, tell me about its signs." He said: "The slave girl will give birth to her mistress, and you will see the barefoot, naked, and destitute herdsmen competing in constructing lofty buildings." Then, he departed. I stayed for a while, and then he said to me: "O 'Umar, do you know who the questioner was?" I said: "Allah and His Messenger know best." He said: "He was Jibrīl (Gabriel). He came to teach you your religion."
[Authentic hadith] - [Narrated by Muslim] - [Sahih Muslim - 8]

Explanation

'Umar ibn al-Khattāb (may Allah be pleased with him) informs that Jibrīl (peace be upon him) appeared before the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) in the form of an unknown man with white clothes and very dark hair and the signs of travel - such as fatigue, dust, unkempt hair, and dirty clothing - were not visible on him. None of those present knew him. This happened while they were sitting with the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). He sat down before the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) as a learner and asked him about Islam. He answered him, pointing out the pillars of Islam: acknowledgment of the two testimonies of faith, observing the five prayers, paying the Zakah to its due recipients, fasting the month of Ramadan, and performing the obligation of Hajj for those who are able to do so.
The inquirer said: You have spoken the truth. The Companions wondered that he posed the question, which indicated that he apparently did not know the answer, and then he affirmed that the answer was right.
Then, he asked the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) about faith, and he answered him listing the six pillars that contain belief in the existence of Allah Almighty and His attributes, ascribing His actions, such as creation, to Him alone, and devoting worship only to Him; belief that the angels, whom Allah created from light, are honorable servants who do not disobey Allah Almighty and they execute His commands; belief in the scriptures revealed by Allah Almighty to the messengers, like the Qur’an, the Torah, and the Gospel, and in the messengers who conveyed Allah's religion, such as Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus, and the last of them Muhammad (peace be upon all of them); belief in the Last Day, which includes the barzakh life (life after death in the grave) and that every human being will be resurrected after death and undergo the reckoning and will ultimately end up in Paradise or Hellfire; and belief that Allah had predestined all things according to His prior knowledge, wisdom, writing, and will, and that everything happens according to Allah's predestination and creation. Then, he asked him about ihsān, and the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) told him that ihsān is to worship Allah as if you can see Him, and if he cannot reach that level, he should then worship Allah Almighty as if Allah is watching him. The first is the level of watching, which is higher, and the second is the level of watchfulness.
Then, he asked the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) about the Hour, and he clarified that knowledge of the Hour is one of the things Allah kept to Himself alone; so, none of the creation knows it, neither the one inquired about it nor the inquirer.
Then, he asked him about the signs of the Hour. He pointed out that its signs include the increasing number of slave girls or the prevalence of children's ingratitude toward their mothers as they treat them like slaves and that shepherds and poor people will lead a life of opulence in the latter times, taking pride in the construction and decoration of big houses.
Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informed that the inquirer was Jibrīl, who came to teach the Companions this upright religion.