Information About

Shahadah




See Shahada (India) for the Indian town.


The shahadah ( ) is the Islam ic Creed . It is the declaration of belief in the oneness of God ('' Allah '' in Arabic ) and in Muhammad as his Messenger . Recitation of the shahadah is considered one of the Five Pillars Of Islam by Sunni Muslims. By sincerely stating the shahadah aloud, one is considered to have officially declared oneself a convert to Islam .

  • Arabic text:

  • ---لا إله إلا الله محمد رسول الله

  • Romanization :

  • ---''''

  • English translations:

  • ---There is no god but Allah (alternatively "God"); Muhammad is the Prophet (alternatively "Messenger") of Allah.


Some Shi'a Muslims add ''`Alīyun Wali Allah'' ( Ali is the Vicegerent of God) at the end of the shahahda. This is not compulsory for Shi'a; it is a matter of personal choice, although most Ayatollahs say it is preferable to add it.

Honest recitation of the shahādah once, in Arabic, in front of two Muslim witnesses, is all that is required for a person to become a Muslim according to most traditional schools.


HISTORY


One of the earliest surviving translations of the Shahadah into a foreign language is in ", i.e. '' Allah '' is being translated as " The Single God ".


CONDITIONS OF THE SHAHADAH


Inclusive of Sincerity, there are seven critical conditions of the Shahadah:

  • Al-`Ilm (Knowledge of the meaning of the shahadah, its negation and affirmation)

  • Al-Yaqeen (Certainty – perfect knowledge of it that counter-acts suspicion and doubt)

  • Al-Ikhlaas (Sincerity which negates Shirk )

  • Al-Sidq (Truthfulness that permits neither falsehood nor hypocrisy)

  • Al-Mahabbah (Love of the shahadah and its meaning, and being happy with it)

  • Al-Inqiad (Submission to its rightful requirements, which are the duties that must be performed with sincerity to Allah (alone) seeking His pleasure)

  • Al-Qubool (Acceptance that contradicts rejection).



FLAGS


Several national flags display the Shahadah:



DIFFERENCES

It is considered correct to refer to previous figures such as Prophets like Jesus (in Arabic, '' Isa '') as Messengers ( Rasul ), and a few groups (notably certain Sufi mystics) amend the declaration to mention prior prophets whose names are found in the Qur'an .

Sometimes اشهد ان '' 'ašhadu 'an'' = "I assert that" is prefixed to each half of the Shahadah.

Some of the relatively small minority, labelled the " Quran Alone Muslims" consider the second part of the Shahadah incorrect and say it should not include Muhammad's name.

Some Indonesia n Muslims pray "Allah il Allah" when appealing for God's help. This is an altered form of the first part of the Shahada.


SEE ALSO



EXTERNAL LINKS