2 Sharʿi Evidences Regarding the Wording of the Kalimah Tayyibah
Derived from: Fatawa Arkan-e-Islam
الحمد لله، والصلاة والسلام علىٰ رسول الله، أما بعد!
❖ Question:
Is the complete phrase “Lā ilāha illā Allāh Muḥammadur Rasūlullāh” found in any Hadith as it is?
✅ Answer:
The exact combined wording of the Kalimah Tayyibah —
“لَا إِلٰهَ إِلَّا اللّٰهُ مُحَمَّدٌ رَسُوْلُ اللّٰهِ“
— is not recorded verbatim in a single Hadith.
Rather, this is a concise form of the fuller declaration:
“أشهد أن لا إله إلا الله وأشهد أن محمدًا عبده ورسوله”
which comprehensively affirms Allah’s oneness and the Prophethood of Muhammad ﷺ.
✦ Evidence ①: Hadith Mentioning “Lā ilāha illā Allāh”
◈ Narration of Abu Hurairah رضي الله عنه:
The Prophet ﷺ said:
“أمرت أن أقاتل الناس حتى يقولوا لا إله إلا الله، فإذا قالوها عصموا مني دماءهم وأموالهم…”
(al-Muʿjam al-Awsaṭ: 6/215)
Translation:
“I have been commanded to fight the people until they say: ‘Lā ilāha illā Allāh.’ When they say it, they protect from me their lives and property…”
✅ This Hadith clearly shows that the Prophet ﷺ regarded the Tawḥīd portion of the Kalimah — Lā ilāha illā Allāh — as the essential declaration of faith.
✦ Evidence ②: Linguistic and Juristic Validity
➤ Based on
- In Arabic (as in many languages), certain words are understood to be implied (محذوف).
- Example:
The phrase “بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ” is understood as:“I begin in the name of Allah…”
Although the verb “I begin” does not appear in the Arabic, it is mentally acknowledged. - Similarly, when someone says:
“لَا إِلٰهَ إِلَّا اللّٰهُ مُحَمَّدٌ رَسُوْلُ اللّٰهِ“
It is implicitly understood as:
“(أشهد أن) لا إله إلا الله (وأشهد أن) محمد رسول الله”
— with the verbs “I bear witness” mentally present and understood by both the speaker and listener.
✔ This method is consistent with Qur’anic style, where ellipses (محذوف) are often implied in the language.
✔ The aforementioned Hadith also contains implied rulings, though not explicitly stated in words.
Therefore, saying:
“Lā ilāha illā Allāh Muḥammadur Rasūlullāh”
is completely correct and valid.
Note:
In Ṣalāh, during at-Taḥiyyāt, it is necessary to pronounce the full wording precisely as prescribed, without omission or addition.
✦ Scholarly Consensus (Ijmāʿ)
- There is unanimous agreement among the scholars of the Ummah that:
“Lā ilāha illā Allāh” is a valid and sufficient summary of the Kalimah.
- No credible scholar is reported to have objected to this formulation.
- Hence, the usage of this phrase is permissible, established, and legislated (mashrūʿ wa jāʾiz).
وبالله التوفيق
