1. Belief in One God and the Testimony of Faith (Tawheed)
Tawheed (pronounced tow-heed) is an Arabic term which refers to the unique belief in the oneness of God. It is Islam’s concept of monotheism in which the religion’s core tenets are built upon.
It refers to the belief that there is only one divine being that is worthy of worship – Allah. When Muslims mention the name of Allah, they are calling out to the one true God of the universe.
Tawheed is the first and the most important pillar of the five pillars of Islam. Believing and acting on this pillar is the key to entering Islam. In order to become a Muslim and enter into the fold of Islam a person must pronounce the testimony of faith, or shahada in Arabic. The testimony of faith is a single statement:
لآ اِلَهَ اِلّا اللّهُ مُحَمَّدٌ رَسُوُل اللّهِ
“Laa ilaha illa Allah Muhammad Rasoolullah”
This sentence means “There is no God but Allah and Muhammad is His Messenger.”
It means to admit and to believe that none deserves to be worshipped except Allah, and Muhammad is Allah’s Messenger. The entirety of the religion and all of its teachings is built upon the foundation of this belief in God.
The testimony of faith (shahada) is the most important thing in the life of a Muslim. The words “La ilaha illAllah” are announced during the call to prayer and in sermons. It is the phrase by which the earth and heavens were raised. Every single creation was created for this phrase. This is the phrase which distinguishes between a Muslim and a person of another faith.
There are two parts of the first half of the testimony of faith. Let’s break it down:
Part 1:
لآ اِلَهَ اِلّا اللّهُ
“Laa ilaha illa Allah”
“Laa ilaha illa Allah” which means “there is no god but Allah” or “none has the right to be worshipped except Allah.” This part of the testimony nullifies all forms of worshipping anyone or anything other than Allah. Worshipping other divine beings is considered to be a grave sin in Islam.
With this phrase, you are affirming that Allah alone is the Creator, Ruler, and Sustainer of all things, and He alone is deserving of our worship.
Part 2:
مُحَمَّدٌ رَسُوُل اللّهِ
“Muhammad Rasoolullah”
The second half of the testimony of faith means “Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah.” To believe in this statement is to bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah. It also means to follow what he says, obey him in what he orders us to do, to stay away from what he forbids, and to worship Allah only in ways that were legislated.
You also believe that Allah sent his Messenger (peace be upon him), revealed the Qur’an to him, and commanded him to call the people to Tawheed (belief in the oneness of God).