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Shahadah, Declaration of Faith
What is it ?
Profession of faith, is the first pillar of Islam. Muslims
bear witness to the oneness of God by reciting the creed
"there is no diety but God and Muhammad is His
servant and messenger." This simple yet profound
statement expresses a Muslim's complete acceptance of,
and total commitment to, the message of Islam.
This statement of faith should be declared publicly.
It should be a genuine belief which includes all the
articles of faith. The witnessing of the Oneness of
Allah is the rejection of any form of deity other than
Allah, and the witnessing that Muhammad is His Messenger
is the acceptance of him being chosen by Allah to convey
His message of Islam to all humanity and to deliver
it from the darkness of ignorance into the light of
belief in, and knowledge of, the Creator.
What is it's Significance
Islam is one of the three monotheistic religions to
arise in the Middle East; along with the other two -
Judaism and Christianity- it stresses the oneness and
uniqueness of God. The word 'Allah' means 'The God.'
The second phrase of the Shahada declares that Muhammad
is God's messenger to humankind. Accepting the Judaeo-Christian
Biblical tradition in large part, Muslims believe that
God had sent prophets and messengers to other nations
in the past with the same revealed message Muhammad
was to recite to the Arabs. Muhammad's mission brought
the final positing of divine Truth, and thus Muhammad
is regarded as the "Seal of the Prophets."
Reciting and accepting the Shahadah, before two witnesses
is all the formality required from new embracers of
Islam. It is also included in the call to prayer (adhan)
and repeated during all prayers. And yet it is more
than a verbal formality, for when you take God as your
God it means that you take Him as the shaper and guider
of your life, undistracted by other influences be they
people, things or moods and desires. And as you profess
that Mohammad is His messenger it means a pledge to
abide by the instructions and teachings given by Mohammad
and to acknowledge their divine source. In Islamic jurisprudence
and literature over the ages lengthy works have be written
on the far reaching implications of 'No god but God
and Mohammad is His messenger.'
How is it recited and what do the words mean?
Ashhadu Alla Ilaha Illa Allah Wa Ashhadu Anna Muhammadun
rasulu'Llah
Which can be interpretation as:
I bear witness that there is no god but Allah and that
Muhammad is His Apostle"
or
I bear witness that there is no diety but Allah (and)
Muhammad is His servant and messenger"
Notes
"Allah" is infact a conjunction of two words
(i.e. Al-Ilah):
"Al" which means "The"
"Illah" which means "God"
Ilaha (god/diety)
Refer to anything which we may be tempted to put in
place of God wealth, power.
Illa'Llah:' except God, the source of all Creation.
Muhammadun rasulu'Llah: 'Muhammad is the messenger of
God'.
A message of guidance has come through a man like ourselves.
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