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
Sunan al-Tirmidhi (Tirmidhi's Hadith Collection)
One of the six canonical hadith collections, known for its classification of narrations by strength.
Ijma' (Consensus)
Agreement among Islamic scholars on a legal question, considered the third source of Islamic law.
Ayat al-Kursi (The Throne Verse)
The mighty verse from Surah Al-Baqarah (2:255), describing Allah's omnipotence.
Tawhid (God's Oneness)
Islamic monotheism — belief in Allah's absolute oneness, the core of prayer.
Tashahhud (Declaration of Faith in the Seated Position)
The specific recitation during the seated position in prayer, with greetings to the Prophet.
Salat al-Wahsha (The Prayer of Loneliness)
A prayer performed on the first night after burial for the soul of the deceased.