and total acceptance of, the message of Islam. This statement of faith should be recited and declared publicly, and should be a genuine belief which includes all of the articles of faith. Reciting and accepting the Shahadah before two witnesses is all that is required of new members of the Islamic faith. The Shahadah is also included in the Adhan, or call to prayer, and is to be repeated during all everyday prayers. The Shahadah is generally always recited in Arabic, since Arabic is considered to be the "language of God." The words in Arabic are: "Ashhadu Alla Ilaha Illa Allah Wa Ashhadu Anna Muhammadun rasulu'Llah." This can be interpreted as: "I bear witness that there is now god but Allah and Muhammad is His Apostle" (Shahadah, Declaration of Faith).

A famous follower of Islam, Whab ibn Munabbih, was once asked, " Isn't the statement of faith the key to P

The third condition is acceptance. Knowledge and certainty of the Shahadah must then be followed by acceptance, with the tongue and heart, of what it implies. If anyone refuses to accept the Shahadah, even if they know that it is true, they are considered to be a disbeliever. One must also believe what is stated in the Quran, and has no right to chose what he wants to reject or believe (Zarabozo). As stated by Allah, "Do you believe in part of the book and reject part of it? And what is the reward of those who do save ignominy in the life of the world, and on the Day of Resurrection they will be consigned to the most grievous doom" (Qur'an, al-Baqara 85). If one refuses to accept the truth, it goes against their testimony of faith (Zarabozo).

If one studies the Quran and the Hadith of the Prophet, he or she will learn that there are nine conditions of the Shahadah (Zarabozo).

The fourth of these conditions are submission and compliance, or al-inqiyad.

The second condition is certainty, or al-yaqeen. One must be absolutely certain of the truth of the Shahadah. Any kind of doubt is considered to be a disbelief.

Sixth is sincerity, or ikhlas. When one says the Shahadah, they must do it solely for Allah, and no other's sake. One must make it clear that they are Muslims only to Allah first, last and only (Zarabozo). "And they are ordained nothing else than to serve Allah, keeping religion pure for Him, as men by nature upright and to establish worship and to pay the poor-due. That is true religion" (Qur'an, al-Bayyainah 5).

[Accessed 25 October 1999].

Some common words found in the essay are:
Shahadah One's, Allah Day, Allah Muhammad, Allah Zarabozo, Allah Day', Zarabozo Allah, Shahadah Zarabozo, Day Resurrection, Declaration Faith, Zarabozo Prophet, declaration faith, deeds people, october 1999, 25 october 1999, believe allah, 25 october, britannica online, encyclopedia britannica, accessed 25, qur'an al-baqara, accessed 25 october, encyclopedia britannica online, conditions shahadah, online accessed 25, conditions shahadah allah,
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