Shahadah (Declaration of Faith)
The first pillar of Islam: the testimony that there is no god except Allah and that Muhammad is His Messenger.
Shahadah (Declaration of Faith) is the first and most fundamental pillar of Islam. It reads: "Ash-hadu an la ilaha illa Allah, wa ash-hadu anna Muhammadan rasul Allah" (I testify that there is no god except Allah, and I testify that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah). To utter this declaration with conviction is the entrance to Islam.
Shahadah is deeply connected to prayer. It is recited in the adhan (call to prayer), in the iqamah, and in the tashahhud (the declaration during the seated position in prayer). The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "Islam is built upon five pillars" and mentioned the shahadah as the first (Sahih al-Bukhari).
In Sunni theology, the shahadah is not merely a verbal utterance but a deep recognition that must be accompanied by knowledge ('ilm), conviction (yaqin), sincerity (ikhlas), truthfulness (sidq), love (mahabbah), submission (inqiyad), and acceptance (qabul). Imam al-Nawawi and other scholars have described these conditions in detail in their theological works.
Related terms
Salat al-Ayat (Prayer of the Signs)
An obligatory prayer performed during natural phenomena such as solar and lunar eclipses.
Qabd (Folding the Arms in Prayer)
The practice of folding the arms over the chest or below the navel during the standing position in prayer.
Adab al-Salah (Prayer Etiquette)
The recommended norms and inner attitudes that enrich the prayer.
Sunnah Mu'akkadah (Emphasized Sunnah)
Voluntary prayers that the Prophet (peace be upon him) performed regularly and rarely omitted.
Asr (Afternoon Prayer)
The third daily prayer, performed in the afternoon.
Ijma' (Consensus)
Agreement among Islamic scholars on a legal question, considered the third source of Islamic law.