Shahada: True Testimony?

THE SHAHADAH:

IS THIS THE TRUE TESTIMONY?

By Paigham Mustafa

The Shahadah – “I bear witness that there is no god except God and I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of God” – is widely treated as the defining profession of faith and a central pillar of tradition. Yet the Quran requires no such declaration for a person to be considered a muslim.

Inherited doctrine insists that every Muslim must proclaim this formula as an oath of entry into Islam. But is this ceremony, so fundamental to Sunni and Shia identity, rooted in the Quran at all?

Conversion certificates and religious bureaucracy

The insistence on the Shahadah has generated an entire bureaucracy: certificates for pilgrimage, marriage, charity (wrongly labelled zakat), funerals and burial. Each sect issues its own paperwork, often rejecting others’. One must ask how many certificates Muhammad issued.

The Quran describes people recognising themselves as muslims when enriched with the message; many were muslim long before encountering the Quran (Verse 28:53). There is no formal oath, no ritual admission, no gatekeeping. One simply aligns with God’s System.

Everyone follows some system, consciously or not. The Quran calls on people to leave their own man-made systems and enter God’s System to fulfil a higher purpose (Verses 8:5). Yet many are taught that repeating the Shahadah once guarantees heaven—an idea contradicted by the Quran’s Law of Requital, in which each person is accountable.

Muslim vs ‘muslim’

A clear distinction exists between muslims—those who align with Qur’anic values—and those who merely profess Islam while following sectarian doctrine. Shia and Sunni groups claim loyalty to the Quran but elevate supplementary texts such as hadith, compiled roughly two centuries after Muhammad and attributed to him without verifiable evidence.

Both sects have numerous splinter groups. Yet when beliefs conflict with the Quran, they cannot be considered Quranic. The Quran condemns fragmentation into sects (Verse 6:159), linking unity with societal wellbeing and division with decline.

The sectarian Shahadah

In Sunnism, reciting the Shahadah marks formal entry into the faith. Converts receive certificates. The formula is recited to newborns and desired as a final utterance at death.

The Sunni declaration—the Arabic ash hadu an laa ilaaha illallaahu wa ash hadu anna muhammadar-rasulallah—is expanded by Shia groups to include: “And Ali is the friend of God.”

Yet this testimony appears nowhere in the Quran and therefore could not have been sanctioned by Muhammad, who followed only revelation. Its widespread use hides its doctrinal problems.

A violation of Qur’anic monotheism

The Quran commands believers to affirm the sovereignty of God alone, accepting no equal or rival authority. Accepting teachings that conflict with the Quran elevates human sources to divine status—shirk.

By pairing Muhammad’s name with God’s in a foundational oath, the Shahadah elevates a human messenger into the core declaration of belief. Shia additions elevate Ali further. The reverence given to hadith—often used to override Quranic rulings—makes Muhammad a secondary lawgiver. Hadith qudsi even suggests a second form of revelation.

This stems from blind adherence to inherited tradition. Examining the origins of the Shahadah exposes its flaws.

Abu Huraira and the origins of the Shahadah

Hadith literature attributes the Shahadah to Abu Huraira, a key narrator in Bukhari’s collections. Narrations in Mishkat-ul-Masabih (Vol. 1, Ch. 1, no. 27) and Tirmidhi claim Muhammad authorised him to spread this testimony.

The tale becomes stranger: the first person Abu Huraira approached was Omar, later the second caliph. Omar struck him to the ground, calling the statement blasphemy. Abu Huraira produced a pair of Muhammad’s sandals as “proof”. Only then was the formula accepted.

This story conflicts with the Quran. Believers are told that when called to God’s law through His messenger, they reply, “We hear and we obey” (Verse 24:51). Yet Omar responded with violence. Hadith literature often portrays the companions as united and gentle, yet here they appear hostile over a supposedly central tenet.

The Quranic contradiction

If the Quran is God’s revelation and the very message Muhammad proclaimed, then introducing a testimony that invokes Muhammad alongside God contradicts both scripture and the messenger’s role. Muhammad is instructed: “Do not call on anyone else besides God” (Verse 72:18). Yet the sectarian Shahadah requires calling on both.

Some argue Muhammad’s name is included only out of respect. Yet ritual prayers are deemed invalid without reciting it—a requirement without Qur’anic basis. This elevates a human above their ordained status and constitutes shirk.

The Quran notes that some recoil when God alone is mentioned but rejoice when others are invoked with Him (Verse 39:45). The insistence on adding Muhammad’s name mirrors this reaction precisely.

Is God’s witness not enough?

If the Shahadah is necessary, what of people before Muhammad or those who never encountered the formula? The Quran’s message is universal and centred on Permanent Values, not ceremonial utterances. If salvation depends on reciting a specific phrase, universality collapses.

The Quran states that God’s witness is sufficient (Verses 6:19; 4:79; 4:166). Adding “I bear witness” contributes nothing and risks distorting the principle.

Witnessing what one did not witness

In the Quran, shahad means to witness. The traditional opening—ash hadu an laa ilaaha illallah—asserts personal witnessing of what cannot be witnessed. God and the malaika bear witness (Verse 3:18). Humans cannot insert themselves into this testimony.

The Quran identifies hypocrites as those who make declarations they cannot substantiate (Verse 63:1). The messenger is told they will be exposed (Verses 29:11; 47:30). Reciting a fabricated testimony attributed to hypocrites risks repeating their behaviour.

Some believe that uttering the Shahadah ensures forgiveness on the Day of Judgement. Yet Quran decrees are grounded in accountability. Words alone do nothing; actions shape the Self.

The true affirmation

The Quran presents Abraham as the model of affirmation. He submitted wholly to God, upheld higher principles and accepted accountability (Verse 4:125). When shown the perfect system, he replied: aslamtu li rabbil aalameen—“I submit myself to the Sustainer of the universe” (Verse 2:135).

These words capture the Quranic spirit. Muhammad was instructed to follow Abraham’s creed, who set up no authority beside God (Verse16:123). Those wishing to follow Muhammad’s example must affirm as Abraham did: submit to God alone and reject any guidance conflicting with the Quran.

One cannot witness Muhammad’s reception of revelation. Elevating him above other messengers violates the Quran, which forbids distinguishing between messengers (Verses 2:285; 4:150–152). When challenged, believers are told simply to say: aslamtu wajhiya lillah – “I submit myself to God” (Verse 3:20).

Following fabricated testimonies misleads others from the straight path, and the Quran condemns this as treachery (Verses 11:18–19).

Choosing God’s System over human declarations

To be a muslim according to the Quranic requires no formulaic oath, no certificate, no sectarian allegiance. It requires leaving inherited human systems for God’s System, living by Permanent Values and accepting accountability.

No declaration of faith is needed. The transformation is ethical, internal and practical. The Quran only calls individuals to God guidance. The rest is human invention.

© 2026 Paigham Mustafa

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Paigham Mustafa has been engaged in the study and research of the Quran since 1988 and has contributed to the print media for over 37 years. His first major work, The Quran: God’s Message to Mankind, was published in 2016, followed by The Divine Blueprint in 2022. He is also the author of How To Be Human, published in 2025. His exegesis of the Quran often challenges traditional readings, offering instead a reasoned and objective analysis of the original text. His works provide essential guidance,  helping readers gain a clearer, more informed understanding of Islam. This helps address many of the issues that stem from misunderstandings, misinterpretations, and misconceptions

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