Muslim also records—on the authority of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him)—that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “I have been commanded to fight people until they testify that there is no god but Allah, believe in me and in what I have brought. Once they do so, they secure their blood and their wealth from me—except for a right that is due—and their reckoning is with Allah.”

Numerous ḥadiths speak to this matter, and all of them highlight the priority given to the two testimonies over every other obligation, showing that they are the greatest pillars of Islam.

These two narrations, along with others, further make it clear that the prayer is among the rights entailed by the declaration that there is no god but Allah; indeed, it is its most emphatic right after acknowledging the Messenger’s prophethood. This proves that the prayer is not the greatest pillar of Islam; rather, the greatest pillars are the two testimonies, followed by the prayer. This is manifest—praise be to Allah—and there is no disagreement about it among the Muslims.

Anything to the contrary that may have escaped the author—may Allah grant us and him success—is, without doubt, an oversight, and few are completely free of such slips; none are safeguarded from error except the prophets—may blessings and peace be upon them all.