Essence and Obligations of the Two Testimonies in Islam

❖ The Reality and Requirements of the Two Testimonies in Light of Qur’an and Hadith ❖
Adapted from: Fatāwā Arkān-e-Islām

✦ The Oneness of Allah and the Messengership of the Prophet ﷺ: The Key to Islam​

✦ Explanation of the Two Testimonies (Shahādatayn)​

❖ Meaning of the Two Testimonies​

① To testify that none is worthy of worship except Allah
② And that Muhammad ﷺ is the Messenger of Allah
③ These two declarations are the gateway into Islam
④ Without them, entry into Islam is not possible

❖ The Prophet’s ﷺ Guidance to Mu‘ādh ibn Jabal (رضي الله عنه)​

When the Prophet ﷺ sent Mu‘ādh ibn Jabal (رضي الله عنه) to Yemen, he instructed:


«فَاِذَا جِئْتَهُمْ فَادْعُهُمْ اِلٰی اَنْ يَشْهَدُوا اَنْ لَّا اِلٰهَ اِلاَّ اللّٰهُ وَاَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا رَسُوْلُ اللّٰهِ»
(Bukhārī 4347, Muslim 19)


Meaning:
"When you reach them, invite them to testify that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah and that Muhammad ﷺ is the Messenger of Allah."

✦ Explanation of the Testimony of Tawḥīd​

"Lā ilāha illallāh" – There is no deity worthy of worship except Allah

❖ Declaration by Heart and Tongue​

✔ A person testifies with heart and tongue that:
There is no true deity except Allah.
✔ The term “Ilāh” means one who is worshipped.
✔ The verb “Ta’allaha” implies engaging in worship.

❖ Structure of the Statement: Negation and Affirmation​

✔ Negation: Lā ilāha – There is no deity
✔ Affirmation: illallāh – Except Allah

❖ Clarifying the Omitted Word "حقّ" (True)​

✔ The full expression is: "Lā ilāha ḥaqq illallāh"
✔ It implies: No true deity exists except Allah
✔ The word "ḥaqq" is omitted to emphasize that while others are worshipped falsely, only Allah is worshipped rightfully.

❖ The Invalidity of Worshiping Other Than Allah​

Allah says:


﴿فَما أَغنَت عَنهُم ءالِهَتُهُمُ الَّتى يَدعونَ مِن دونِ اللَّهِ﴾ (Hūd: 101)
“Their false gods whom they invoked besides Allah availed them nothing.”


﴿وَلا تَجعَل مَعَ اللَّهِ إِلـهًا ءاخَرَ﴾ (Isrā’: 39)
“Do not set up another deity with Allah.”


﴿لَن نَدعُوَا۟ مِن دونِهِ إِلـهًا﴾ (Kahf: 14)
“We shall not invoke any deity besides Him.”

❖ The Prophets’ Message to Their Nations​

﴿اعبُدُوا اللَّهَ ما لَكُم مِن إِلـهٍ غَيرُهُ﴾ (A‘rāf: 59)
"Worship Allah, you have no other deity besides Him."

❖ False Deities and Baseless Names​

﴿إِنَّ اللَّهَ هُوَ الحَقُّ وَأَنَّ ما يَدعونَ مِن دونِهِ البـطِلُ﴾ (Luqmān: 30)
"Indeed Allah is the Truth, and all they invoke besides Him are false."


﴿إِن هِىَ إِلّا أَسماءٌ سَمَّيتُموها أَنتُم وَءاباؤُكُم﴾ (Najm: 23)
"These are nothing but names you and your forefathers have invented."


﴿ما تَعبُدونَ مِن دونِهِ إِلّا أَسماءً﴾ (Yūsuf: 40)
"You worship nothing besides Him but names which you have invented."

❖ Conclusion on Testimony of Tawḥīd​

✔ Lā ilāha illallāh means:
“There is no true deity except Allah”
✔ Any claim of divinity for other than Allah is falsehood and rejected

✦ Explanation of the Testimony of Messengership​

"Anna Muḥammadan Rasūlullāh" – Muhammad ﷺ is the Messenger of Allah

❖ Confirmation by Tongue and Heart​

✔ Belief and verbal affirmation that:
Muḥammad ibn ʿAbdillāh al-Qurashī al-Hāshimī ﷺ is Allah’s Messenger
✔ Sent to all mankind and jinn

❖ Allah’s Command​

﴿قُل يـأَيُّهَا النّاسُ إِنّى رَسولُ اللَّهِ إِلَيكُم جَميعًا﴾ (A‘rāf: 158)
"Say: O mankind! Verily, I am the Messenger of Allah to you all."


﴿تَبارَكَ الَّذى نَزَّلَ الفُرقانَ عَلى عَبدِهِ﴾ (Furqān: 1)
"Blessed is He who sent down the Criterion upon His servant to warn the worlds."

✦ Requirements of the Testimony of Messengership​

✔ Affirmation of all that the Prophet ﷺ conveyed
✔ Obedience to his commands
✔ Avoidance of what he forbade
✔ Worshiping Allah only in the way he taught

✦ The Humanity and Servanthood of the Prophet ﷺ​

❖ Qur’anic Evidence​

﴿قُل لا أَقولُ لَكُم عِندى خَزائِنُ اللَّهِ...﴾ (Anʿām: 50)
"Say: I do not say to you that I possess the treasures of Allah..."


﴿قُل إِنّى لا أَملِكُ لَكُم ضَرًّا وَلا رَشَدًا﴾ (Jinn: 21–22)
"Say: I possess no power to harm or guide you."


﴿قُل لا أَملِكُ لِنَفسى نَفعًا وَلا ضَرًّا﴾ (Aʿrāf: 188)
"Say: I do not control benefit or harm for myself except what Allah wills."

❖ Worship is Due to Allah Alone​

﴿قُل إِنَّ صَلاتى وَنُسُكى...﴾ (Anʿām: 162–163)
"Say: Indeed, my prayer, my sacrifice, my life and my death are all for Allah, the Lord of the worlds. He has no partner..."

✦ The True Status of the Prophet ﷺ​

✔ Allah honored the Prophet ﷺ as His servant and Messenger
✔ He is not to be worshipped, nor does he share in divine attributes
✔ Faith and obedience to him are obligatory—within the scope of his servanthood and messengership

✦ Conclusion​

✔ Allah alone is the true deity, and Muḥammad ﷺ is His true Messenger
✔ Entry into Islam is impossible without both testimonies
✔ Allah has designated the Prophet ﷺ as His servant and Messenger, and we are commanded to believe in him and follow him in that capacity
✔ The foundation of Islam rests on these two declarations
✔ Our salvation lies in upholding these testimonies with full sincerity and submission