FIRST PILLAR OF ISLAM

 SHAHADA

Many Muslims know the first pillar of Islam: The Shahada (Islamic Confession of Faith). To bear witness and declare that Allah is the Only One worthy of worship and that Muhammad is His Messenger. To explain this confession           

    

On the other hand, unfortunately, few know or have studied the conditions of this confession. Is it just an oral performance? Of course not. In order to have a quality, complete and valid confession of faith, we must know and remember the following 7 conditions:

The conditions:  

1. Knowledge of confession of faith. Knowledge of what invalidates it and knowledge of what confirms it.
2.    Certainty - confidence in the confession of faith. From this certainty, her knowledge is perfected. It also dispels doubt and uncertainty.
3.   Honesty for the confession of faith. Circus, which is polytheism, paganism, paganism, and various forms of them, is honestly dispelled.
4.     Philadelphia for the confession of faith. The truth negates insincerity.
5.     Love for the confession of faith. Love for what it signifies and satisfaction for it.
6.     Compliance - submission to the letter of confession of faith. This means obedience to the command it contains, keeping it by deeds, sincerely for the sake of Allah alone, seeking His pleasure.
7.     Acceptance of the confession of faith. Acceptance nullifies denial.

• Analysis/explanation of the conditions:

1. This knowledge has to do with learning the commands of Allah and the methodology of our Prophet Muhammad. In other words, it is the knowledge of the Qur'an and the knowledge of the Sunnah (prophetic tradition). It is the knowledge that the believer has about His Lord and the Apostle. Knowledge is covered by evidence (which we will see below) from its text's revelation. Knowledge of what opposes and invalidates confession, which is Circus (polytheism - paganism), and knowledge of what confirms it, which is Tawheed (Islamic Monotheism). So it is the knowledge of Allah, His Prophet, and his religion/way of life/code so that we can achieve our salvation after death.

     2.Certainty and confidence. The peace in the heart of the believer. The absence of doubt and instability. It is mainly this certainty that floods the heart after knowledge, understanding, and similar action. That is why knowledge is perfected with certainty

      3. For acts of worship, and this means that our intention is to seek the pleasure of our Lord, only for Him only in Allah the Highest does this automatically remove the Circus (polytheism, paganism,).

     4.  Philadelphia which removes hypocrisy. When the confession of faith is said with true faith in the heart and with deeds, then we really stand by this statement. But when confession is said because others say it or we do not accept it completely, if our actions contradict, then the door to hypocrisy will soon open. And as the Salaf (the virtuous predecessors of Islam) used to say, the believer is the one who controls himself from the disease of hypocrisy and does not rest thinking that he is "pure."

    5.   Which, on this basis, we strive to please the Highest. Because we love our Lord, we gladly and joyfully keep His commandments. No laziness, complaints, and whining.

     6 . Compliance which means that as soon as we realize the failure or some mistake, we immediately, as soon as possible, return. Compliance with the confession of faith in all matters of daily life. It is obedience to the Creator and also obedience to his Apostle.

    7.It is the acceptance of this confession that is done voluntarily. And in the heart (faith) and with deeds. Complete acceptance of the revelation of Allah the Highest and the teaching of his Prophet. It also means that we put aside our wishes and opinions by prioritizing the text of revelation where it has the first day in our lives. At this point let us say that the great Imam, Ibn Qayyim, adds the 8th category to the conditions of confession of faith. This is infidelity to false deities (taghut). As the Highest says: "Whoever believes in false gods, and believes in Allah, then has   grasped the most trustworthy hand (of truth) that can never be broken" {Qur'an 2: 256}