IHC Islamic Heritage Center

1. Knowledge - of the meaning of the Shahadah, which negates arrogance.
Allah says, "So know that there is no God save Allah, and ask forgiveness for your sin." (Surah Muhammad: 19).

The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “Whoever dies knowing that there is no one worthy of worship except Allah shall enter Paradise.”  (Recorded in Sahih Muslim).

2. Certainty – perfect knowledge of it, which negates suspicion and doubt.
Allah describes the believers in the Qur'an as those who have belief in Allah and then their hearts waver not. Allah says, "the believers are those only who believe in Allah and His messenger and afterward doubt not, but strive with their wealth and their lives for the cause of Allah. Such are the sincere." (Al-Hujjarat : 15).

The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said, "No one meets Allah with the testimony that there is none worthy of worship but Allah and I am the Messenger of Allah, and he has no doubt about hat statement, except that he will enter Paradise." (Recorded by Muslim.)

3. Sincerity - which negates shirk.
That is, when we make the Shahadah, we must do for the sake of Allah, never for any other reason. Allah says in the Qur'an, "And they are ordained not else than to serve Allah, keeping religion pure for Him, as men by nature upright and to establish worship and to pay the poor-due. That is true religion" (Al-Bayinah: 5).

And the Prophet (peace be upon him) added, "Allah has forbidden for the Hell-fire anyone who says, 'There is no one worthy of worship except Allah,' and say so desiring the face [and pleasure] of Allah." (Recorded by Muslim).

4. Truthfulness - which negates falsehood/hypocrisy.
The Prophet (peace be upon his) said, "No one bears testimony to there being no one worth of worship save Allah, sincerely from his heart, except that Allah makes the Hell-fire forbidden for him." (Al-Bukhari and Muslim.)

5. Love - of the Shahadah and its meaning, which negates hate.
Allah Says, "Yet of mankind are some who take unto themselves (objects of worship which they set as) rivals to Allah, loving them with a love like (that which is due to) Allah only. However, those who believe are stauncher in their love of Allah" (Al-Baqarah: 165).

The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, "Whoever has three characteristics has tasted the sweetness of faith. [The first of these] is that he loves Allah and His Messenger more than he loves anyone else..." (Al-Bukhari and Muslim.).

6. Submission - to the commands of Allah.
This is what Allah commands in the Qur'an, "Turn unto Him repentant, and surrender unto Him" (Al-Zumar: 54).

Allah has praised those who submit to His command by their actions. Allah says, "Who is better in religion than he who surrenders his purpose to Allah while doing good" (Al-Nisa: 125).

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