| The Shahadah (Arabic: شهادة (help·info)
transliteration: Šahādah) is the basic creed or tenet of Islam
(Submission): "'ašhadu 'al-lā ilāha illā-llāhu wa 'ašhadu 'anna
muħammadan rasūlu-llāh", or "I testify that there is no god (ilah) but
Allah, and I testify that Muhammad is the messenger of Allah". As the
most important pillar, this testament is a foundation for all other
beliefs and practices in Islam. Ideally, it is the first words a newborn
will hear, and children are taught as soon as they are able to
understand it and it will be recited when they die. Muslims must repeat
the shahadah in prayer, and non-Muslims wishing to convert to Islam are
required to recite the creed. Technically the Shi'a do not consider the
Shahadah to be a separate pillar, but connect it to the beliefs. |