Hard evidence for the true statement of faith ('shahada').
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Peace NoProgressive,
You ask some good questions and I hope to demonstrate my points clearer in relation to your questions.
As Salaam Alaikum,
So then you'll need to decide when the shahada that is used today came in.
Looking at other Islamic coinage - gold dinars - it is evident that dinars from the 12th Century begin to have the modern shahada imprinted on them.
http//img.photobucket.com/albums/v431/zuiko/12CEDinar.jpg
You can clearly see the modern shahada in the first two lines there. So there was an evolution of the shahada; there is no doubt about that. But it took 500 years for this to appear on the coins!
The coin shown in my first post is from the Abbasid dynasty.
Dinars from the earlier Ummayad dynasty have the same 'la illaha illa allah wahdahu la shareeka lah' shahada on one side and 'allahu ahad allahu samad lam yalid wa lam yulad' on the other side. The earlier coins are therefore the God centric and there is a progressive corruption as time goes on.
And knowing what it takes to be a Mu'min, I have issue with you saying that saying the shahada today is trying to make the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) a lesser partner. Even when you become a Mu'min, you must believe in the Messenger aswell, from my knowledge. So would declaring ourselves as believers, mean that we are making the Prophet Muhammad as a lesser partner aswell?
If you agree that there were muslims and mumins before the messenger's time then you must understand that the name of Mohammed was not placed next to the God in any statement by those people.
The crime of 'shirk' is not about idolatry but about the creating of partners or associates with the God. The mushriks always believed in a supreme deity but made the error of creating humans, and things which they believed had an association or share in the power of the God.
Modern muslims have associated Mohammed with the God; giving him through association the power of intercession and elevating him to as high a state as is compatible with their own sensibilities.
When you believe in messengers you agree to not make distinctions between them 2285 'la nufariku beyna ahadin min rusulih'. And yet by differentiating and elevating Mohammed in the way they do traditionists have succeeded in disobeying this command of the God also.
Muslim is submitting to God (swt). We can find this in the Quran. That is all that seems to be required.
The importance of monotheistic belief is clear. But there is an additional requirement - to desist from the crime of associating with the God.
4116 clearly states that the only unforgivable thing is the setting up of partners or associates.
4116 The God forgives not that partners should be ascribed unto Him. He forgives all except that to whom He will. Whoso ascribes partners unto the God has wandered far astray.
Abraham never set up partners 16120. The setting of partners is not equivalent to believing that there are other gods; but rather it's far more insidious and involves the assignment of humans and other objects as partners in the God's authority. See also 12106 and 108.
12106 And most of them believe not in the God without associating (other as partners) with Him!
12108 Say, "This is my path I invite to the God, on the basis of a clear proof, and so do those who follow me. The God be glorified. I am not of those who set up partners."
Thus we clearly have in this the example of a messenger actually stating with words that they are not of those who set up partners.
Finally, here again is the statement of those with faith. Say...
6163 "He has no partner. This is what I am commanded to believe, and I am the first to submit."
La shareeka lahu wabithalika omirtu waana awwalu almuslimeena
Peace.
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i know this is an old post... but as ive just read the article about the shahada on the website
http//www.free-minds.org/articles/hadith/testimony.htmi thought id ask .... these old coins show the inscription to be "la illaha illa allah" etc.... but freeminds say the true testimony is "aslamtu li rabbi-l alameen"
One point of argument is the verses which say "allah suffices as a witness" so we shouldnt testify this at all... but doesnt 318 say GOD bears witness that there is no god except He, and so do the angels and those who possess knowledge, upholders of justice. Truthfully and equitably, He is the absolute god; there is no god but He, the Almighty, Most Wise.and also
6012 says O Prophet! when believing women come to you giving you a pledge that they will not associate aught with Allah....
what is this pledge? surely "la illaha illa allah"?Im thinking you must say "la illaha illa allah" to be a believer (mumin) and then when you become a submitter (muslim) you say "aslamtu lirabi-l alameen"
What do you think? -
no i think intention/thoughts also count
335 .... You are not to blame for any honest mistake you make but only for what your hearts premeditate.
Your deepest thoughts matter when they affect an action...
Although here i was talking just about the shahada in general - i agree with idolfree1 in that respect - god knows what is in our hearts, and sees what we do. Both are relevant.
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Peace Ay
That is your Prerogative ( to think whatever you like ), But if Intention, Thoughts and Statement counts then please see 631 Regarding The Sahada . Is the Sahada a Statement Bearing Witness about God upon accepting Islam? Then Why Ibrahim , one of the Great Prophets when Allah asked him to Aslamo , he Replied with Aslamto li Rabbil alamiin ? 2140.
Also God, The Malaikats and Thinking People all saying La Ilaha Illa Allah ( 318 ).Cheers
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Salam!
Im still exploring what the shahada is to be honest... i do think that abrahams statement rings true and i feel it has more depth than just affirming that there is no God but God, but to actually submit willingly to His will....
i think 631 is specific about hypocrites - ie. they say one thing but in their hearts is something else (ie. they dont believe in him as a messenger) so that is why intention counts.
And I am not of the belief that the second part of the shahada is valid anyways i think it is just to affirm that "la illaha illa allah" and to submit as Abraham did seems right to me....
but of course im a very confused person so theres a big chance im wrong about things!
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Salam almarh0m
Im with you. I would say the 318 says the real "shahdah"
318 God witnessed that He, (there is) no God except He, and the angels and those of the knowledge (He is) keeping up/taking care of with the just/equitable, no God except He, the glorious , the wise/judicious .
-->God and the angels and those of the knowledge witnessed/testified that there is no God except God alone.
peace
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Peace ay, all,
i think 631 is specific about hypocrites - ie. they say one thing but in their hearts is something else (ie. they dont believe in him as a messenger) so that is why intention counts.
And I am not of the belief that the second part of the shahada is valid anyways i think it is just to affirm that "la illaha illa allah" and to submit as Abraham did seems right to me....
Witnessing something that one has not seen or witnessed is tantamount to lying and that is why Allah said that the hypocrites were liars when they witnessed the messengership, because they had not witnessed it.
Even the Messenger himself did not witness his own messengership but said God is sufficient as a witness !!!
1343 And those who reject Say "You are not a messenger." Say "God is sufficient as a witness between me and you, the One who has the knowledge of the Scripture."
SHAHADA means to witness/testify, not believe. We are required to BELIEVE in the mesengership, not witness/testify it, for which God is sufficient.
4828 He is the One who sent His messenger with the guidance and the system of truth, so that it would expose all other systems. And God is sufficient as a witness.
Thus saying "la ilaha ilallah" would be affirmation (7158, 9129, 1330, 3865), but saying "ash hadu an la ilaha ilallah" would be witnessing/testifying, and this can be done only by those with knowledge from among the humans.
318 God bears witness that there is no god but He, as do the Angels, and those with knowledge, He is standing with justice. There is no god but Him, the Noble, the Wise.
Now can we affirm the messengership of Muhammad alone instead of witnessing/testifying ? I don't think so because then we will be differentiating between the messengers by not affirming all the messengers in that sentence, which would be an impossible task because we don't know the names of hundreds of messengers, but only those we have been told about in al-qur'aan. We have been told not to differentiate between any of the messengers.
2285 The messenger believes in what was sent down to him from his Lord. And the believers, all who believe in God, and His angels, and His Scriptures, and His messengers "We do not differentiate between any of His messengers;" and they said "We hear and obey, forgive us O Lord, and to you is our destiny."
Declaration of one's submission/peacefulness/islam is, however, done by saying "aslamtu li rabbi al-3alameen" as per Abraham
2131 When his Lord said to him "Submit," he said "I submit to the Lord of the worlds."
It follows that
DECLARATION OF ISLAM Aslamtu li rabbi al-3alameen (2131)
AFFIRMATION OF ONE GOD La ilaha ilallah (7158, 9129, 1330, 3865)
SHAHADA Ash hadu an la ilaha ilallah (only for those with knowledge, 31
Hope that helps and clarifies any confusion.