This post was originally written on March 15, 2018. Please note that these blogs are not being brought back in order, so if you are looking for Part 1 and Part 3, I will link them below. Jazakallah khair for reading! Please share this with your friends and family as well. The more my blog is shared, the more sadaqah e jariyah will be given to my family and progeny inshallah.
As Muslims, we declare the Oneness of Allah SWT, and that there is no one else but Allah SWT. Without this, we are not Muslims – at least, not true Muslims. Because Islam is based on monotheism, we are told that it is Allah SWT we must obey, and pray to. It is Him who has created the entire heavens and the earth, and everything in between.
The second Kalimah is the following:
Ashhadu Al-laa Ilaaha Illa-llaahu Wahdahoo Laa Shareeka Lahoo, Wa Ashhadu Anna Muhammadan ‘Abduhoo Wa Rasooluhu. This means:
I bear witness that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, the One alone, without partner, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and Messenger.
What are the virtues of reading the second kalimah?
Well, first of all, this kalimah is about the testimonial we make – the oath we make to always remember that our Lord is Allah SWT alone, and that our beloved Prophet Muhammad (SAW) is the messenger of Allah SWT. Let me break this down further.
Ashhadu al-laa ilaaha illa-llaahu means bearing witness that Allah SWT is the only One worthy of our worship. We do not worship anyone or anything else aside from our Lord of the Worlds. No one has created us except for Allah SWT, so therefore, we must obey Him, and praise Him.
When we say the first part of the Shahadah, we are giving our testimony that Allah SWT is the only God. There is no other God. Allah SWT does not have children, does not have parents, or partners. We do not ascribe partnership with Allah SWT. He is the One, and that is all.
Wahdahoo laa shareeka lahu means there is no other being, or shareek other than Allah SWT. Whoever ascribes others to Allah SWT does not believe in the Oneness of Allah SWT or in Islam. This is the very foundation of our religion. It is what our souls had witnessed before we were all born on this earth through Prophet Adam (AS).
Finally, wa ashhadu anna muhammadan ‘abduhoo wa rasoolahu means there that our beloved Prophet Muhammad (SAW) is the Messenger of Allah SWT. Messenger means that he is a human being who came to guide us to the path of Allah SWT. He is not a partner of Allah SWT, nor is he another being. Our Prophet (SAW) was a human being, and he was the personification of leadership. He led us toward Islam again.
Now, why is this line so important in the Shahadah? Why is it specifically mentioned that Prophet Muhammad (SAW) is the Messenger here?
There is a good reason.
When Prophet Isa (AS) was born, he was born through the miracle of Allah SWT. Mariam (RA) was not married and was a virgin when she gave birth to Prophet Isa (AS). With him came the book, the Injeel, which has since then become known as the Bible.
As we know, Christians believe that Prophet Isa (AS), also known as Jesus Christ in the Christian religion, is the son of God.
Astaghfarullah! May Allah SWT provide forgiveness. This is not true and it even says it in the Bible, where Prophet Isa (Alayhis Salaam) says that he is nothing without his Lord and that the Lord of the Worlds is but One.
Therefore, the line in the Shahadah becomes even more important for us to know that just as all the other prophets who have come into this world (those who are mentioned specifically in the Quran and those who have not been mentioned), they were all human beings. They were not God, and should never be considered as such. They are like all of us, but Allah SWT enlightened their hearts and souls so they could deliver the message of Islam, and the true Oneness of Allah SWT.
Reading the Shahadah is important. It is a part of the Five Pillars of Islam, and we read this, sans the wahdahoo la shareeka lahu part, during our Tashahhud. When we raise our right index finger during the Tashahhud, we say:
Ashhadu Al-laa Ilaaha Illa-llaahu, Wa Ashhadu Anna Muhammadan ‘Abduhoo Wa Rasooluhu
In every salaah, we bear witness that there is no one but Allah SWT, and that Prophet Muhammad (SAW) is the Messenger of Allah SWT.
Is the Shahadah the key to paradise?
If one reads the Shahadah with pure sincerity, yaqeen, with the acceptance that Allah SWT is our Lord, and we ask Him to forgive us, we obey His commands, and we love our Lord more than anything else, this will be the key to paradise.
However if one reads this, but has no sincerity in his or her heart, and believe reading this will protect them and provide them entry to Jannah, they will not have that key. The reason is because a person can say this and still be a hypocrite if they do not have the full belief in their hearts.
Only Allah SWT knows the true intentions of our heart. Therefore, whenever you say the shahadah, say it with love, with the utmost respect and sincerity. Doing dhikr of this kalimah often will provide you with more love and insight of the Oneness of Allah SWT.
If you missed the first part of the Kalimah series, please click here to read about Kalimah Tayyab.
Look out for the third part of the Kalimah series here. Please share this blog and any of my other blog posts with your family, friends and on social media so it can spread around the world. The more Islamic knowledge we spread, the better it is for everyone, subhanallah.
-Aasiyah N. Ghazi