Shahada - Testimony of Faith
The Shahada is the first of the five pillars of Islam. It is also called the kalimah. It is a declaration of the central It is the testimony of faith, expressing the two simple, fundamental beliefs that make one a Muslim: There is no god but God and Muhammad is the messenger of Allah; tawheed (the oneness of God) and the acceptance of the risalah (prophethood of all the prophets sent to us from Adam (as) to RasulAllah ﷺ).
Truthful, wholehearted recitation of the shahada in front of two Muslim witnesses is the requirement for any person who wants to join Islam-to become a Muslim. It represents acceptance of the entirety of Islam-not just of Allah and Muhammad (ﷺ) . The shahada must be recited correctly aloud with full understanding and internal assent.
There are 2 forms of the shahada (شهادتان):
What is beautiful about the shahada is that it is a universal statement of faith-it provides for us, as believers, unity. This very statement is what brings us into the fold of Islam and keeps us in it. Sincerely reciting this and thoroughly believing in the statement is the very first pillar of Islam.
There are conditions to the shahada:
We must learn the shahada's meaning, but also what the tawheed of it is and that Allah's decree has been written; in His command is all.
Any kind of doubt is equivalent to kufr (disbelief). Allah describes the hypocrites as those people whose hearts waver. Doubts and suspicions are extremely dangerous because they can linger and push a person to leave their faith-unlike desires and the nafs, which may be satisfied, but the person will know that such actions are wrong and repent, turning back. The only way to cure doubts is to seek knowledge-to gain certainty.
Rejecting any one part of the faith-the truth-means the shahada is invalid.
We must be Muslims for the sake of Allah-not for any other reason.
If a person says the shahada but does not fully believe in it, they will be severely punished in the Hereafter.
If a person does not love the shahada and what it stands for, then their faith is incomplete.
This refers to the actions that show the belief. With our actions, we have to implement what the shahada requires from us.
Furthermore, there should be astaqeem (adherence) to the shahada and denial of any false worship or shirk.
May Allah guide us and strengthen our imaan, solidifying our testimonies.
Truthful, wholehearted recitation of the shahada in front of two Muslim witnesses is the requirement for any person who wants to join Islam-to become a Muslim. It represents acceptance of the entirety of Islam-not just of Allah and Muhammad (ﷺ) . The shahada must be recited correctly aloud with full understanding and internal assent.
There are 2 forms of the shahada (شهادتان):
- لا إله إلا الله محمد رسول الله - "There is no God but Allah, (and) Muhammad is the messenger of Allah."
- اشهد ان لا إله إلا الله واشهد ان محمدا رسول الله - "I bear witness that there is no God but Allah, and I bear witness that Muhammad is the messenger of Allah."
What is beautiful about the shahada is that it is a universal statement of faith-it provides for us, as believers, unity. This very statement is what brings us into the fold of Islam and keeps us in it. Sincerely reciting this and thoroughly believing in the statement is the very first pillar of Islam.
There are conditions to the shahada:
- Ilm: Knowledge of the meaning of the shahada, its negation, and its affirmation.
We must learn the shahada's meaning, but also what the tawheed of it is and that Allah's decree has been written; in His command is all.
- Yaqeen: Certainty – no suspicion or doubt.
Any kind of doubt is equivalent to kufr (disbelief). Allah describes the hypocrites as those people whose hearts waver. Doubts and suspicions are extremely dangerous because they can linger and push a person to leave their faith-unlike desires and the nafs, which may be satisfied, but the person will know that such actions are wrong and repent, turning back. The only way to cure doubts is to seek knowledge-to gain certainty.
- Qubool: Acceptance that contradicts rejection.
Rejecting any one part of the faith-the truth-means the shahada is invalid.
- Ikhlaas: Sincerity which negates shirk (believing in one other than Allah as God).
We must be Muslims for the sake of Allah-not for any other reason.
- Sidq: Truthfulness that permits neither falsehood nor hypocrisy.
If a person says the shahada but does not fully believe in it, they will be severely punished in the Hereafter.
- Mahabbah: Love of the shahada and its meaning, and being happy with it and its requirements.
If a person does not love the shahada and what it stands for, then their faith is incomplete.
- Inqiyaad: Submission and compliance to its rightful requirements, which are the duties that must be performed with sincerity to Allah (alone) seeking only Allah's pleasure.
This refers to the actions that show the belief. With our actions, we have to implement what the shahada requires from us.
Furthermore, there should be astaqeem (adherence) to the shahada and denial of any false worship or shirk.
May Allah guide us and strengthen our imaan, solidifying our testimonies.
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Please contact me about any discrepancies found, errs in information, etc. May Allah guide us and forgive us our shortcomings!
Please contact me about any discrepancies found, errs in information, etc. May Allah guide us and forgive us our shortcomings!