Meaning of the Shahadah; What is the Shahadah?
Let me first tell you a bit more about what Shahadah is. Shahadah is a testimony of the Islamic faith. Declaring shahadah is significant for several reasons.
- In the first part of the shahadah, it is mentioned that God is only one – Allah.
- Muhammad (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) is his final messenger and brings Allah’s message.
- Reciting the shahadah with sincerity is the primary step for someone converting to Islam.
- Muslims recite the shahadah in all five daily prayers and at significant moments of their life.
The Shahadah is more than just words; it represents a deep commitment that influences every aspect of a Muslim’s life, something felt deeply in the heart.
Definition of Shahadah
I bear witness there is no God but Allah, and Muhammad is the messenger of Allah.
Shahadah pronunciation
Ashhadu al-laa ilaaha il-lal-laahu wa ash-hadu an-na muham-madan ‘abdu-hoo wa rasooluh.
Declaring the Shahadah: A Personal Experience
It was the day. After work, I headed straight to my husband’s parents’ house, my nerves tingling with anticipation. I don’t like being the center of attention, and today was no exception. Upon arrival, I was instructed to take a shower, perform a ghusl (a full-body purification ritual), and wear clean clothes.
The plan was for the Shahadah to take place at my husband’s home, with only him and his parents being present, and a mufti (someone who provides authoritative interpretations of Sharia law) officiating the ceremony. The setting of just four people seemed perfect for my comfort level. This was also the first time I wore a scarf. I remember glancing at myself in the mirror, chuckling nervously, “Oh gosh, this makes me look so old!” 😀
Fast forward, we gathered in the living room. The mufti sat across from me, with my husband’s parents by his side. He began with a prayer in Arabic, which I couldn’t understand, but I tried my best to stay focused. Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed my mother-in-law fiddling with not one, but three phones! But not just one phone, but three! I’m like what is going on here?? Let me tell you….each phone had a purpose in place shall I say. One was put on the floor facing me and recording it all. The second phone was on speaker so the couple of people that were on the other end could hear it. And the third phone was a live WhatsApp call video to her family abroad. So we went from four people to suddenly having an audience. I remember my heart racing. If I was nervous in the beginning at this point I was having a panic attack 🙂 I was trying to keep it together and focus.
The actual declaration was swift, I was already familiar with shahadah and its meaning when I was doing my research. The Mufti would always recite a couple to three words at a time and I was repeating it after him, a total of three times. Then he said the meaning of Shahadah in English. You can see it is straightforward and there is nothing to worry about.
After the declaration, the mufti made dua (supplication) for me, my family, my husband’s family, and the entire ummah (Muslim community). Because I didn’t understand Arabic, my husband later explained its beauty and significance to me. I fought back tears, moved by the heartfelt prayers.
This moment was when I truly saw and felt the real beauty of Islam for the first time. The mufti asked Allah for guidance for my entire family. I cannot describe the overwhelming sensation of positivity and good words. I thought I would burst into tears right there and then. I wanted to run into a room where I could be alone, cry my eyes out, and then return once I had calmed down. I’m an extremely emotional person, and to this day, I have no idea how I managed to hold it together.
By the way, I haven’t seen the video of me taking Shahadah to this day. I get nervous all over again. But I’m glad it is there, maybe I can show that to my children once.
