(La ilaha illallah, Muhammad-ur-Rasul-Allah)

"Noone has right to be worshipped but Allah..and Muhammad is the Messenger Of Allah"

The Shahadah has three aspects:

A. It is that, you have to pledge a covenant with (Allah), the Creator of the heavens and earth,the Ruler of all that exists, the Lord of Majesty and Highness, on four points(or conditions).

Point I: A confession with your heart that the Creator ( of everything) is Allah, it is that you have to say: "I testify that the Creator of all the universe including the stars, the planets, the sun,the moon, the heavens, the earth with all its known and unknown forms of life, is Allah. He is the Organizer and Planner of all its affairs. It is He who gives life and death, and He is the Sustainer, and the Giver of security." And this is called(your confession for the) "Oneness of Lordship of Allah,"-Tauhid-ar-Rububiyyah.

Point II:A confession with your heart that you have to say: "I testify that none has the right to be worshipped but Allah Alone." The word "Worship" carries a great number of meanings in Arabic language: It conveys that all kinds of worship are meant for Allah Alone( and none else, whether it be an angel, Messenger, Prophet Isa(Jesus)-son of Maryam(Mary), "Uzair(Ezra), Muhammad, saint, idol, the sun, the moon and all other kinds of false deities. So pray to none but Allah, invoke none but Allah, ask for help from none but Allah, swear by none but Allah, offer an animal as sacrifice to none but Allah,...etc, and that means,--all that Allah and His Messenger Muhammad(p.b.u.h.) order you to do, (in the Qur'an and in the Sunnah ) you must do, and all that Allah and His Messenger(p.b.u.h.) forbid you, you must not do. And this is called(your confession for the) "Oneness of the worship of Allah,"--Tauhid-al-Uluhiyyah. And that you worship none but Allah.

Point III:A confession with your heart that you have to say: "O Allah! I testify that all the best of names and the most perfect qualities with which You have named or qualified Yourself in Your Book or as Your Prophet Muhammad(p.b.u.h.) has named or qualified You, with his statement, I believe that all those are for You without changing their meanings or neglecting them completely or likening them to others." As Allah says:

"There is nothing like unto Him and He is the All-Hearer, the All-Seer." (v.42:11)

This holy Verse confirms the quality of hearing and the quality of sight for Allah without likening them (giving resemblance) to others, and He also says:

"To one whom I have created with Both My Hands," (v.38:75)

and He also said:

"The Hand of Allah is over their hands." (v.48:10)

This confirms two Hands for Allah, but there is no similarity for them. Similarly Allah says:

"The Most Gracious (Allah) rose over (Istawa) the (Mighty) Throne." (v.20:5)

So He rose over the Throne really in a manner that suits His Majesty. And ALlah is over His Throne over the seventh heaven, as the slave-girl pointed towards the heavens, when Allah's Messenger(Muhammad, p.b.u.h.) asked her as to where Allah is. He only comes down over the first heaven to us during the last third part of every night and also on the day of 'Arafah(Hajj,i.e. the 9th of Dhul-Hijjah), as mentioned by the Prophet(p.b.u.h.) but He is with us by His Knowledge only, not by His Personal-Self. It is not like that, as some people say that ALlah is present everywhere--here, there, and even inside the breasts of men. He sees and hears all that we do or utter. And this is called(your confession for the) "Oneness of the Names and Qualities of Allah."--Tauhid-al-Asma was-Sifat and this is the right Faith, the Faith which was followed by the Messengers of Allah from Noah, Abraham, moses, David, Solomon, Jesus to Muhammad(peace be upon all of them) and the Companions of Prophet Muhammad(p.b.u.h.) and the righteous followers of these Messengers.

POINT IV: A confession with your heart that you have to say: "O Allah! I testify that Muhammad(p.b.u.h.) is Your Messenger." That means that none has the right to be followed after Allah, but the Prophet Muhammad(p.b.u.h.) as he is the last of His Messengers. As Allah says:

"Muhammad is not the father of any man among you, but he is the Messenger of ALlah and the last of the Prophets. And Allah is Ever All-Aware of everything."(v.33:40)

"And whatsoever the Messenger gives you, take it and whatsoever he forbids you, abstain from it."(v.59:7)

And Allah says:

"Say (O Muhammad to mankind): 'If you love Allah, then follow me, follow the Qur'an and the Sunnah." (v.3:31)

As for others than Muhammad(p.b.u.h) their statements are to be taken or rejected as to whether these are in accordance with Allah's Book or with the Sunnah of the Prophet(p.b.u.h.) or not. As divine revelation has stopped after the death of Prophet Muhammad(p.b.u.h.) and it will not resume except at time of descent of 'Isa(Jesus)- son of Maryam(Mary) and he will rule with justice according to the Islamic laws, during the last days of the world as it has been mentioned in the authentic Hadith.(Sahih Al-Bukhari,Vol.3,Hadith No.425)

B. It is essential to utter: La ilaha, Muhammad-ur-Rasul Allah. As it has come in the statement of the Prophet Muhammad(p.b.u.h.)to his uncle Abu Talib at the time of the latter's death: "O uncle, if you utter it then I shall be able to argue on your behalf before Allah, on the Day of Resurrection." Similarly, when Abu Dharr Al-Ghifari embraced Islam, he went to Al-Masjid-al-Haram and he proclaimed it loudly in front of the Quraish infidels until he was beaten severely.

C. It is essential that the limbs and all the other parts and organs of one's body testify to it, and this is very important as regards its meaning. So whoever has confessed this, he shall not commit sins. By committing sins the limbs and all the other parts and organs of his body will testify against him that he was a liar in his words which he pledged to Allah. In case he commits sins, he should know that it is a sin that obliges him to repent to Allah, and ask His Forgiveness.

With the confession of this great sentence a person enters in the fold of the Islamic religion accordingly, it is essential for him to believe in all Messengers of Allah and not to differentiate between them. As it is mentioned in His book, Allah says:

"Do then those who disbelieve think that they can take My slaves(i.e. angels;Allah's Messengers) as Auliya besides Me? Verily, We have prepared Hell as an entertainment for disbelievers." (v.18:102)

After confessing shahadah he or she should take a bath(i.e. Ghusl) and then offer a two Rak'at prayer, and act upon the five principles of Islam, as narrated by Ibn 'Umar (p.b.u.h.) in the book, Sahih Al-Bukhari, Vol.1 Hadith No.7:-

Allah Messenger(p.b.u.h.) said: "Islam is based on the following five (principles):

1. To testify La ilaha illallah wa anna Muhammad-ur-Rasul-Allah(none has the right to be worshipped but Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah).

2. Perform (Iqamat) As-Salat.

3. To pay Zakat.

4. To perform Hajj(i.e. pilgrimage to Makkah).

5. To observe Saum(fast) during the month of Ramadan.(and must believe in the six articles of faith, i.e. to believe in: Allah, His angels, His Messengers, His revealed Books, the Day of Resurrection, and AL-Qadar(Divine Preordainments i.e. whatever Allah has ordained must come to pass).