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Shahada

Declaration of faith in One God and His messenger

The Shahada is the first and most important pillar of Islam. It is the declaration of faith that testifies to the belief in the oneness of Allah and the acceptance of Muhammad as His final messenger.

The Shahada

أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا ٱللَّٰهُ وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا رَسُولُ ٱللَّٰهِ

Ash-hadu an lā ilāha illā-llāh, wa ash-hadu anna Muḥammadan rasūlu-llāh

I bear witness that there is no god but Allah, and I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah.

Significance

  • - It is the foundation of Islamic belief and practice
  • - By sincerely declaring the Shahada, one becomes a Muslim
  • - It affirms the oneness of Allah (Tawhid)
  • - It recognizes Muhammad (peace be upon him) as the final prophet

Implications

Accepting the Shahada means submitting to the will of Allah, following the teachings of the Quran, and living according to the example of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).