The Shahada
The testimony of faith
Ashhadu an lā ilāha illallāh, wa ashhadu anna Muḥammadan rasūlullāh
I bear witness that there is no god but Allah, and I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah.
The Shahada, the declaration of faith.
"I bear witness that there is no god but Allah, and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah." Hear it, learn it word by word, and understand what it means.
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Recording: ISurrender, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons, trimmed and converted to MP3.
Guide
What the Shahada means, and how to say it.
The Shahada is the first pillar of Islam. The Prophet ﷺ said: "Islam is built on five: bearing witness that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, establishing the prayer, paying zakat, Hajj, and fasting Ramadan."1
The two halves
"There is no god but Allah" (lā ilāha illallāh) denies that anything else deserves worship, then affirms it for Allah alone. "Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah" (Muḥammadur rasūlullāh) accepts that he was sent by Allah, and that his guidance is to be followed.
How to say the Shahada and become Muslim
- Understand what it means and believe it in your heart.
- Say it aloud, in Arabic if you can: Ashhadu an lā ilāha illallāh, wa ashhadu anna Muḥammadan rasūlullāh.
- You may say the meaning in your own language too, especially if the Arabic is hard at first.
- It is good, but not required, to say it in front of other Muslims, such as at a masjid. They can help you with your next steps.
- Take a bath (ghusl) and start learning the prayer. All previous sins are forgiven when someone accepts Islam.2
Hanafi position
Belief in the heart is the core of faith, and saying the Shahada with the tongue is required of someone able to speak, so that the rulings of Islam apply to them. No witness, imam or ceremony is a condition. Someone who cannot pronounce the Arabic may say it in their own language.3
Other madhhabs
- Shafi'i, Maliki, Hanbali
- They agree that saying the two testimonies with belief is how one enters Islam, and that no witness is a condition.
Seven conditions scholars mention
Scholars list conditions that make the Shahada sincere: knowing its meaning, certainty without doubt, accepting it, submitting to it, truthfulness, sincerity for Allah alone, and loving it and those who hold it. They are drawn from verses and hadith rather than a single text.
- Sahih al-Bukhari 8; Sahih Muslim 16.
- Sahih Muslim 121.
- Al-Taftazani, Sharh al-Aqaid al-Nasafiyyah; Ibn Abidin, Radd al-Muhtar. The other madhhabs' positions are summarised from their standard works.
Our teachers will check the Arabic and transliteration on this page before launch. The rulings on this page are pending review by the scholars on our team.
Questions
Good to know.
What is the Shahada in English?
"I bear witness that there is no god but Allah, and I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah."
How do you pronounce the Shahada?
Ash-ha-du an laa i-laa-ha il-lal-laah, wa ash-ha-du an-na Mu-ham-ma-dar ra-soo-lul-laah. Press Listen above to hear it, and tap each word to see it on its own.
Do I need witnesses to take the Shahada?
No. Saying it sincerely is enough. Saying it in front of other Muslims is good, because they can support you.
Is the Shahada the same as the first kalima?
They share the same meaning. The first kalima is the short form, "La ilaha illallahu Muhammadur rasulullah". The Shahada adds "I bear witness" to each half.
When do Muslims say the Shahada?
In the call to prayer, in the tashahhud of every prayer, when entering Islam, and as dhikr at any time. It is sunnah to help a dying person say "La ilaha illallah".