Shahadah

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For other meanings, see Shahada (disambiguation).

Part of a series on the Islamic creed: Aqidah Image:Mosque02.svg
Sunni Five Pillars of Islam
Shahādah - Profession of faith Salat - Prayer Zakât - Paying of alms (giving to the poor) Sawm - Fasting during Ramadan Hajj - Pilgrimage to Mecca
Sunni Six articles of belief
Tawhīd - Oneness Nabi and Rusul - Prophets and Messengers Kutub - Divinely Revealed Books. Malā'ikah - Angels Qiyâmah - Judgment Day Qadar - Fate
Shia Twelvers Principles of the Religion
Tawhīd - Oneness Adalah - Justice Nubuwwah - Prophethood Imamah - Leadership Qiyâmah - Judgment day
Shia Twelvers Practices of the Religion
Salat - Prayer Sawm - Fasting during Ramadan Hajj - Pilgrimage to Mecca Zakât - Poor-rate Khums - One-fifth tax Jihad - Struggle Amr-Bil-Ma'rūf - Commanding good Nahi-Anil-Munkar - Forbidding evil Tawalla - Loving the Ahl al-Bayt Tabarra - Disassociating Ahl al-Bayt's enemies
Shia Ismaili 7 pillars
Walayah - Guardianship Taharah - Purity & cleanliness Salat - Prayers Zakât - Purifying religious dues Sawm - Fasting during Ramadan Hajj - Pilgrimage to Mecca Jihad - Struggle
Others
Salafi/Kharijite Sixth pillar of Islam. This box: view • talk • edit</div>

The shahadah (Arabic: شهادة (help·info) translit: Shahādah) (Turkish: Şehadet) is the Islamic creed. It means "to testify" or "to bear witness" in Arabic. The shahadah is the Muslim declaration of belief in the oneness of God and in Muhammad as his final prophet. Recitation of the shahadah is one of the Five Pillars of Islam for Muslims.

Arabic text:

أشهد أن لا إله إلاَّ الله ، وأشهد أن محمد رسول الله

Romanization:

'ašhadu 'al-lā ilāha illā-llāh, wa 'ašhadu 'anna muħammadan rasūlu-llāh

English translations:

I testify that there is no god (ilah) but God (Allah), and I testify that Muhammad is the messenger of God.
I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, and I testify that Muhammad is the messenger of Allah.<ref>USC-MSA Compendium of Muslim Texts. Retrieved on 2006-09-12.</ref>

A single honest recitation of the shahādah 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.

In usage the two occurrences of 'ašhadu 'an (or similar) = "I testify that" are very often omitted.

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

1 History
2 Conditions of the Shahadah
3 Flags
4 Differences
5 See also
6 References
7 External links

[edit] History

Image:Flag of Saudi Arabia.svg

One of the earliest surviving translations of the Shahadah into a foreign language is in Greek, from the reign of al-Walid I (86-96 AH, 705-715 CE): Οὐκ ἔστι[ν θεὸς εἰ μὴ ὁ θεὸς μόνος·] Μααμὲ[τ ἀπόστολος θεοῦ] (Ouk esti[n theos ei mē ho theos monos;] Maame[t apostolos theou]).[1] "There is no god except the single god; Muhammad is god's apostle", i.e. "Allah" is being translated as ὁ θεὸς μόνος "the single god".

Image:Offadinarrev.jpg

[edit] Conditions of the Shahadah

There are seven critical conditions of the Shahadah, without which it is considered to be meaningless:

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 God (alone) seeking His pleasure.
Al-Qubool: Acceptance that contradicts rejection.

[edit] Flags

Several national flags display the Shahadah:

The flag of Saudi Arabia, on a green background.
The unrecognized state of Somaliland.
From 1990 to 1992, the Islamic State of Afghanistan.
From 1997 to 2001, the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, under the rule of the Taliban.
Per the 2004 draft constitution for Afghanistan, white script centered on a red background.
The flag of the Supreme Islamic Courts Council of Somalia.

[edit] Differences

Part of a series of articles on

Islam

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History of Islam

Beliefs and practices

Oneness of God
Profession of Faith
Prayer • Fasting
Charity • Pilgrimage

Major figures

Muhammad
Household of Muhammad
Prophets of Islam
Companions of Muhammad

Texts & Laws

Qur'an • Sunnah • Hadith
Fiqh • Sharia • Theology

Major branches

Sunni • Shi'a

Societal aspects

Academics • History
Philosophy • Science
Art • Architecture • Cities
Calendar • Holidays • Women
Leaders • Politics • Islamism

See also

Vocabulary of Islam

This box: view • talk • edit</div>

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.^{[citation needed]}

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

Sometimes و wa = "and" is prefixed to the first word of the second half of the Shahada.

Some of the relatively small minority, labelled the "Quran Alone Muslims" or the "Quranis" consider the second part of the Shahadah incorrect and say it should not include Muhammad's name, one of the reasons being that the full Shahadah with Muhammad's name is never found in the Qur'an. One who does not believe in both parts of the Shahadah is considered to be outside of the fold of Islam.

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