How to write, speak, and understand Shahada in Arabic?

The Islamic Shahadah, also known as the Islamic Declaration of Faith, is the most fundamental expression of Islamic beliefs. It is a concise statement that encapsulates the core faith of Islam and is an important aspect of a Muslim's life. The Shahadah is recited by Muslims as a testimony of their faith, and it is considered one of the Five Pillars of Islam. 

 عَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ قَالَ :  قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ : "  بُنِيَ الْإِسْلَامُ عَلَى خَمْسٍ :  شَهَادَةِ أَنْ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَأَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُولُهُ وَإِقَامِ الصَّلَاةِ وَإِيتَاءِ الزَّكَاةِ وَالْحَجِّ وَصَوْمِ رَمَضَانَ 

Ibn ‘Umar reported that Allah's messenger said: “Islam is based on five things: the testimony that there is no god but God and that Muhammad is His servant and messenger, the observance of the prayer, the payment of zakat, the pilgrimage, and the fast during Ramadan.

This article will explore how to pronounce the Shahadah, how it is written in Arabic, and its meaning either as a complete sentence or word by word.

Pronunciation of the Shahadah

The Shahada in Arabic is:

 أَشْهَدُ أَلَّا إِلَه إِلَّا اللَّه، وَأَشْهَدُ أَنْ مُحَمَّدًا رَسُولُ اللَّه. 

In English transliteration, it is pronounced as:

`ash-hadu `allā ilāha illallâh wa ash-hadu anna muħammadan rasūlullâh

To break it down for better understanding

( أشهد ) /`ash-hadu/ “I bear witness”. This word is a present verb  شَهِدَ -  يَشْهَد which means to testify, bear witness, see, watch, etc. The verb here is conjugated with  أنا (I), so there is no need to mention it again. 

( ألَّا ) = ( أنْ لا ) /`al-lā/ “That there is no”. It consists of two particles: the conjunctive  أنْ meaning “that” and the negative article  لا meaning "no." You may notice they are mixed in script and also in pronunciation, as the n sound of the word  أن has been totally merged into the following word, forming a double l sound, which in Arabic has to be pronounced twice with the diacritic Shaddah  ألّا. The negation article  لا here is called  لا النافية للجنس (lā of generic negation); it denies the whole genus. In other words, it negates definitely and totally.

( إله ) /`ilāha/ “Deity”.

( إلا الله ) /`il-lallah/ “Except Allah”. These are two words: the first one is  إلّا meaning ‘except - except for,” while the second one is  الله meaning Allah (SWT). You may have noticed that the word  إلّا has the same letters as the previous word  ألّا , meaning “that there is no,” mentioned above. However, there is an important difference between them. The previous one has the Hamzah above the Alif, while this one has the Hamzah underneath. Also, the previous one is pronounced 'al-lā, while this one is pronounced `il-lā.

( و ) /wa/ “and”. In the Arabic writing system, the  و should be connected to the following word without space:  وَأَشْهَدُ (not  وَ أَشْهَد ).

( أشهد ) /`ash-hadu/ “I bear witness”

( أَنَّ ) /`an-na/ “that”. This time the particle  أنّ with double  ن has the same meaning as  أنْ with single  نْ , but it is more suitable, as it’s followed by a noun, while the other one is followed by a negation particle.

( محمدًا ) /muħammadan/ “Muhammad.” The noun here is in the accusative case,  منصوب , because of  أنّ. 

( رسول الله ) /rasūlullâh/ “the Messenger of Allah (PBUH). 

Writing the Shahadah

In Arabic script, the Shahadah could be written with or without diacritic signs ( حركات ). Here is how it is written with full diacritics:

 أَشْهَدُ أَلَّا إِلَه إِلَّا اللَّه، وَأَشْهَدُ أَنْ مُحَمَّدًا رَسُولُ اللَّه. 

Here is how to write Shahadah in Arabic without diacritics:

 أشهد أن لا إله إلا الله، وأشهد أن محمدًا رسول الله. 

Meaning of the Shahadah

The Shahadah is composed of two parts, each conveying a significant belief:

 أشهد أن لا إله إلا الله (`sh-hadu `al-lā ilāha `illallâh)

Sentence meaning: "I bear witness that there is no deity but Allah.”

 وأشهد أن محمدًا رسول الله (Wa `ash-hadu `an-na muħammadan rasulullâh)

Sentence meaning: "And I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah.”

Significance of the Shahadah

The Shahadah is the foundation of a Muslim's faith and practice. By reciting the Shahadah, a person declares their belief in the oneness of Allah and the prophethood of Muhammad (PBUH). This declaration is a prerequisite for anyone wishing to convert to Islam and must be made with full understanding and sincere belief. The Shahadah is also recited daily in the five obligatory prayers, reinforcing its importance in a Muslim's life.

Monotheism (Tawhid)

The first part of the Shahadah emphasizes the concept of Tawhid, the oneness of Allah, which is the cornerstone of Islamic theology. It rejects any form of polytheism and affirms that there is only one God who is worthy of worship.

Prophethood

The second part of the Shahadah acknowledges Muhammad as the final prophet and messenger of Allah. Muslims believe that Muhammad was chosen by Allah to deliver His final message to humanity, completing the chain of prophethood that includes prophets such as Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, and Jesus.

Impact on Daily Life

The Shahadah has a significant impact on a Muslim's daily life. It influences their actions, behaviors, and interactions with others. Belief in the Shahadah encourages Muslims to live righteously, follow the teachings of Islam, and strive for spiritual and moral excellence.

In conclusion, the Shahadah is more than just a declaration of faith; it is a comprehensive statement that encapsulates the essence of Islamic belief. Understanding its pronunciation, writing, and meaning can deepen one's appreciation of its significance in Islam. Whether one is a Muslim or simply interested in learning about Islamic practices, the Shahadah serves as a powerful testament to the faith and devotion of Muslims around the world.

It is noteworthy to notice that Shahada in Arabic has additional lexical meanings, such as:

• Certificate, e.g.  شَهَادَة خِبرة “certificate of experience” -  شَهَادَةُ ضَمَان certificate of warranty -  شَهَادَةُ تَخَرُّج certificate of graduation

• Testimony, especially orally in court under oath or affirmation

• Martyrdom, The death of a martyr, as in the following Hadeeth of the Prophet (PBUH):

 عَنْ جَابِرِ بْنِ عَتِيكٍ قَالَ :  قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ : "  الشَّهَادَةُ سَبْعٌ سِوَى الْقَتْلِ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ :  الْمَطْعُونُ شَهِيدٌ وَالْغَرِيقُ شَهِيدٌ وَصَاحِبُ ذَاتِ الْجَنْبِ شَهِيدٌ وَالْمَبْطُونُ شَهِيدٌ وَصَاحِبُ الْحَرِيقِ شَهِيدٌ وَالَّذِي يَمُوتُ تَحْتَ الْهَدْمِ شَهِيدٌ وَالْمَرْأَةُ تَمُوتُ بِجُمْعٍ شَهِيدٌ ". 

Jabir b. ‘Atik reported Allah’s messenger as saying, “There are seven types of martyrdom apart from being killed in Allah’s path. Those who die of plague, those who are drowned, those who die of pleurisy, those who die of an internal complaint, those who are burnt to death, those who are killed by a building falling on them, and women who die while pregnant are martyrs.”

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