Which pillar requires a pilgrimage to Mecca if one is able?

Which pillar requires a pilgrimage to Mecca if one is able?

• A. Salat
• B. Shahadah
• C. Zakat
• D. Hajj

Answer: (D)

The obligation described is the pilgrimage to Mecca, called Hajj. It is one of Islam’s five pillars and becomes required for a Muslim who is physically and financially able to undertake it at least once in their lifetime. The emphasis is on capability and means: if someone cannot perform it now due to illness or lack of resources, they are not bound until they have the ability, which is exactly what makes Hajj the correct reference here. Hajj involves specific rites during the lunar month of Dhu al-Hijjah, such as entering a state of consecration (ihram), performing circumambulation of the Kaaba (tawaf), running between the hills of Safa and Marwah (sa'i), and standing at Arafat, but the essential idea is the obligation to undertake the pilgrimage once, when able. The other options correspond to different acts of worship: daily prayers, declaration of faith, and almsgiving, none of which require a journey to Mecca.