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Islamic phrases

Shahada in Arabic

The Shahada in Arabic is أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا اللهُ، وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا رَسُولُ اللهِ (ash-hadu an lā ilāha illā-llāh, wa ash-hadu anna Muḥammadan rasūlu-llāh). It means "I bear witness that there is no god but God, and I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of God." It is the Muslim declaration of faith.

أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا اللهُ، وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا رَسُولُ اللهِ
ash-hadu an lā ilāha illā-llāh, wa ash-hadu anna Muḥammadan rasūlu-llāh

Literally: “I bear witness that there is no god but God, and I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of God”

Classical Arabic, recited with the same words by Muslims everywhere
By dialect

Shahada across the Arab world

Arabic changes from country to country. Here's what you'll actually hear.

Standard (MSA)أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا اللهُ، وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا رَسُولُ اللهِash-hadu an lā ilāha illā-llāh, wa ash-hadu anna Muḥammadan rasūlu-llāh

The Shahada is always said in Classical Arabic. It is identical in every country; there is no dialect version.

Egyptianلا إله إلا اللهlā ilāha illa-llāh

Same words. In daily speech Egyptians also say it to calm down or vent, often after a friend says وحّد الله (waḥḥid allāh), "declare God's oneness."

Levantineلا إله إلا اللهlā ilāha illa-llāh

Same words. Commonly said on hearing bad news, to steady yourself, or chanted while carrying a coffin.

Gulfلا إله إلا اللهlā ilāha illa-llāh

Same words and same uses. You will hear the full Shahada five times a day in the call to prayer.
Variations

Other ways to say shahada

ArabicMeaningWhen to use it
أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا اللهُash-hadu an lā ilāha illā-llāh
I bear witness that there is no god but GodLine 1 of the Shahada: the oneness of God (tawḥīd)
وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا رَسُولُ اللهِwa ash-hadu anna Muḥammadan rasūlu-llāh
And I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of GodLine 2 of the Shahada: the prophethood of Muhammad
لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا اللهُ مُحَمَّدٌ رَسُولُ اللهِlā ilāha illā-llāh, Muḥammadun rasūlu-llāh
There is no god but God, Muhammad is the Messenger of GodThe short form without "I bear witness," written on flags, calligraphy and coins
أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا اللهُ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ، وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُولُهُash-hadu an lā ilāha illā-llāhu waḥdahu lā sharīka lah, wa ash-hadu anna Muḥammadan ʿabduhu wa rasūluh
I bear witness that there is no god but God alone, without partner, and that Muhammad is His servant and MessengerA longer wording used in sermons, after wudu and in many duas
أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا اللهُ، وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُولُهُash-hadu an lā ilāha illā-llāh, wa ash-hadu anna Muḥammadan ʿabduhu wa rasūluh
...and that Muhammad is His servant and MessengerThe wording in the tashahhud, recited while sitting in prayer
لا إله إلا اللهlā ilāha illa-llāh
There is no god but GodSaid alone as dhikr, at funerals, or as an everyday exclamation in every dialect
Replies

How to respond

لا إله إلا اللهlā ilāha illa-llāh

There is no god but God (the reply when someone says وحّد الله, "declare God's oneness")

الله أكبرallāhu akbar

God is greatest (what people often say when someone takes their Shahada)

مبروكmabrūk

Congratulations (common to a new Muslim after their Shahada)

Pronunciation

How to say it right

The sounds English speakers find tricky, and how to get them right.

Practise with feedback

  1. أَشْهَدُ is ash-ha-du: a sh sound followed by a separate breathy h. Don't merge them into one "sh." Think "ash" + "hadu."

  2. In recitation the n of an blends into lā, so it is often heard as "ash-hadu al-lā ilāha illa-llāh." Both are correct.

  3. Muḥammad has a ḥ (ح), a strong breathy h from the throat like fogging a mirror, and a doubled m: mu-ḤAM-mad.

  4. After a or u, the l in Allāh is thick and dark (illa-llāh, rasūlu-llāh). Hold the long ā in Allāh and ilāha.

In a sentence

Example sentences

أشهد أن لا إله إلا الله، وأشهد أن محمداً رسول الله.ash-hadu an lā ilāha illā-llāh, wa ash-hadu anna Muḥammadan rasūlu-llāh.

I bear witness that there is no god but God, and I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of God.

Standard (MSA)
وحّد الله يا عم، مش مستاهلة.waḥḥid allāh ya ʿamm, mish mistahla.

Calm down (lit. declare God's oneness), man, it's not worth it.

Egyptian
لا إله إلا الله، شو صار؟lā ilāha illa-llāh, shū ṣār?

Oh my God (lit. there is no god but God), what happened?

Levantine
نطق الشهادة في المسجد قدام الناس.naṭaq ash-shahāda fil-masjid giddām in-nās.

He said the Shahada in the mosque in front of everyone.

Gulf
Culture

Using it like a local

The Shahada is the first of the five pillars of Islam. A person becomes Muslim by sincerely saying it, usually in Arabic and often in front of witnesses at a mosque, though witnesses are not a requirement in most scholarly views. Many converts say it line by line after an imam, then repeat the meaning in their own language.

The Shahada as a single sentence isn't one Quranic verse, but both halves come from the Quran: "fa-ʿlam annahu lā ilāha illā-llāh" ("know that there is no god but God," Surah Muhammad 47:19) and "Muḥammadun rasūlu-llāh" (Surah Al-Fath 48:29). It is also repeated in every call to prayer and in the tashahhud of every prayer.

In everyday Arabic, لا إله إلا الله also works as a reflex: on hearing sad news, to calm an argument, or when carrying the deceased at a funeral. Saying it this way is respectful and common, not casual misuse. Avoid writing it on things that will be thrown away or stepped on, as many Muslims find that disrespectful.

FAQ

Shahada: common questions

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What are the exact words of the Shahada?

أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا اللهُ، وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا رَسُولُ اللهِ: ash-hadu an lā ilāha illā-llāh, wa ash-hadu anna Muḥammadan rasūlu-llāh. "I bear witness that there is no god but God, and I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of God."

Is the Shahada in the Quran?

Not as one sentence, but both halves are Quranic. "Lā ilāha illā-llāh" appears in verses such as Surah Muhammad 47:19 and As-Saffat 37:35, and "Muḥammadun rasūlu-llāh" opens Surah Al-Fath 48:29.

Do you have to say the Shahada in Arabic?

It is customary and recommended to say it in Arabic, since that is its original wording. Most scholars hold that what matters is sincere belief and understanding, so it is common to say the Arabic and then the meaning in your own language.

What does "shahada" mean?

شهادة (shahāda) means "testimony" or "bearing witness." It comes from the root sh-h-d, the same root as شاهد (shāhid, witness) and شهيد (shahīd, martyr). In everyday Arabic it also means a certificate or diploma.

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