The First Pillar of Islaam

بـسـم الله والحـمـد لله والـصلاة والـسـلام عــلى رسـول الله، وبـعـد

Bearing witness that:

لا إله إلّا الله محمد رسول الله

Laa ilaaha illallaah Muhammad-ur-Rasool-Allaah

Meaning: There is no one worthy of being worshiped except Allaah and Muhammad is the Messenger of Allaah.

What it implies: It is the firm belief (of the heart) and the articulation by the tongue of this Shahaadah and all that it includes - from its obligations, connotations and conditions.

Benefits: Liberation of the heart and soul from the servitude (worship) of the creation and obedience to other than the Messengers; and leading them towards the worship of Allaah alone and obedience to the Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم.

Clarification: The translation of this Shahaadah as “there is no god but God” or “there is no god but Allaah” is an incomplete translation. This is because at the time of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم, the Mushriks did believe in the existence of Allaah and that He تعالى alone provides for them and removed their difficulties etc. But when it came to worshiping Allaah alone, they refused.

Allaah تعالى says:

{Say (O Muhammad [صلى الله عليه وسلم] to the Mushriks): “Who provides for you from the sky and the earth? Or who owns hearing and sight? And who brings out the living from the dead and brings out the dead from the living? And who disposes the affairs?” They (the Mushriks) will say: “Allaah.” Say: “Will you not then be afraid of Allaah’s punishment (for setting up rivals in worship with Allaah)?”} [Surah Yunus (10):31]

They understood the meaning of Laa ilaaha illaallaah, but they refused to distance themselves from their false gods, as Allaah تعالى says:

{Truly, when it was said to them: “Laa ilaaha illaallaah (none has the right to be worshiped but Allaah),” they puffed themselves up with pride (i.e. denied it). And (they) said: “Are we going to abandon our aalihah (gods) for the sake of a mad poet?”} [Surah al-Saaffaat (37): 35-36]