Do you bear witness that there is no god except God? Do you bear witness that nothing (no being, creation, inanimate object, person, animal or plant, paper, system, desire, passion, pride, vanity, etc.) is worthy of worship except God? Do you bear witness that God Alone is the Creator and Sustainer of all? Do you bear witness that God Alone is worthy of worship?
Laa ilaaha illa Allah – there is no god but Allah.
This is the most important declaration a Muslim makes. It forms part of the words of purity (“tayyibah”) and testification (‘shahaadah”); the shahaadah is the what a convert would recite in order to enter the fold of Islam (simple as that!).
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1. The Word of Purity (“Kalimah Tayyibah”)
Laa ilaaha illa Allah Muhammadur rasool Allah
There is no god but Allah, Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم is the messenger of Allah
2. The Word of Testimony (“Kalimah Shahaadah”)
Ash-hadu an laa ilaaha illa Allah wa ash-hadu an-na Muhammadan ‘abdu-hoo wa rasooluh
I bear witness (testify) that there is none worthy of worship but Allah and I bear witness (testify) that Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم is His servant and His messenger.
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Islam is simple, concise and beautiful. No elaborate ceremonies, no hoops to jump through, nothing more than simply (yet very profoundly) bearing witness that there is none worthy of worship except Allah and that Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم is His messenger.