Among the 5 pillars of Islam, “The Shahadah” or “The Profession of Faith” is the first and most important pillar of Islam. It’s the first step into Islam to declare that there is no God but Allah (SWT) and Muhammad (PBUH) is the last prophet & messenger sent by Allah Almighty.
In this article, we’ll get to know what is the first pillar of Islam? Why is Shahadah the most important pillar? How to recite the Shahada? And what other Pillars of Islam?
What is The First Pillar of Islam?
The first pillar of Islam is the “The Shahadah”, also spelled “The Shahada”. It comes from the Arabic word “الشَهَادة” which means “The Testimony”, the testimony that none has the right to be worshiped but Allah (SWT) and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah (SWT).
Reciting “The Shahadah”, “The Profession of Faith” is the first required action to get into Islam, the initial submission to Islam. The statement of Shahadah should be recited in Arabic with sincere belief & true feeling to become a Muslim. It’s consists of 2 parts that represent the main beliefs of Islam:
- The first part of Shahada states that there is no god but Allah (SWT) which means that no other being has the right to be worshiped and that Allah almighty has neither partner nor son.
- The second part of the Shahada witnesses that our beloved prophet Muhammad (PBUH) is the last prophet & messenger sent by Allah (SWT).
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The Shahadah Statement
The Shahada statement should be recited out loud with sincere belief from the bottom of the heart. It’s preferred to be recited in Arabic but because “Islam is the religion of ease”, non-Arabic speaking may recite it in their native language.
How to Recite The Shahadah Statement?
أشھد ان لا الہ الا اللہ, وأشھد ان محمد رسول اللہ
The Shahadah statement in Arabic
Ash-hadu An lā ʾilāha ʾillā-Allāh wa Ash-hadu An muḥammadun rasūlu-Allāh
The Shahadah statement in Arabic (English Spelling)
“I testify that there is no god but Allah (SWT), and Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah (SWT)”
The Shahadah statement translated into English
Why is “Shahadah” The Most Important Pillar of Islam?
For Muslims, the Shahada is the most important pillar of Islam because understanding and accepting it means that one understands and accepts the essence of the entire faith. Actually, true belief in the content of the Shahada is the foremost distinguishing characteristic that defines a Muslim as a Muslim.
All it needs to convert to Islam is a single sincere public recitation of the Shahadah in its original Arabic.
What Does The Quran Say About Shahada?
For those who learn Quran, you might notice that the complete Shahadah wasn’t clearly mentioned in the Quran. Rather, each part of the Shahada was individually affirmed in certain verses of the Quran.
Here are some verses from the Quran where the Shahadah or its meaning was mentioned…
Allah witnesses that there is no deity except Him, and [so do] the angels and those of knowledge – [that He is] maintaining [creation] in justice. There is no deity except Him, the Exalted in Might, the Wise.
The Holy Quran [3:18]
Say, “I am only a man like you, to whom has been revealed that your god is one God. So whoever would hope for the meeting with his Lord – let him do righteous work and not associate in the worship of his Lord anyone.”
The Holy Quran [18:110]
Say, “He is Allah, [who is] One,
The Holy Quran [112:1]
When the hypocrites come to you, [O Muhammad], they say, “We testify that you are the Messenger of Allah .” And Allah knows that you are His Messenger, and Allah testifies that the hypocrites are liars.
The Holy Quran [63:1]
How Often Do Muslims Say The Shahadah?
The Shahada must be recited by every Muslim at least once in a lifetime with a full understanding of its meaning and with an assent of the heart.
Muslims recite the Shahadah when they wake up in the morning, and before they go to sleep at night. It’s also recited in the adhan (call to prayer) and by all Muslims performing the daily prayer (Salah). Moreover, a person who utters the shahada as their last words in this life has been promised Paradise.
What Are The Other Pillars of Islam?
As you may know, there are 5 pillars of Islam. Besides “The Shahada”, the other 4 pillars of Islam are:
- Salah (Daily Prayer)
- Zakat (Almsgiving/Charity)
- Sawm (Fasting during Ramadan)
- The Hajj (The Pilgrimage to Mecca)
as.salaam lately my 31 year old son came across You Tube explanations and reasons why he should not follow the prophet Muhammad saw. He questions where the shahada originates from because it is not mentioned in the Quraan. Says we are making shirk with Allah to place Muhammad saw’s name next to Allah’s name even in our solaah. I have had numerous arguments about this. can you advice minfadlik
Firstly the concept of shahada is in accord with the Quran where it says worship Allah alone and believe in and follow the prophet Muhummad who is Allahs messenger, peace and blessings be upon prophet Muhummad. Secondly its sunnah. We could argue the case but its overwhelming that this is the way. Its a good thing that Allahs worship comes first and that the shahada states that Muhummad saw is merely a messenger of Allah, a man like you, because many place men in the same category with God when they are not.