Islamic Articles of Faith
The Shahadah
The most basic requirement of being a Muslim is to publicly state the words “There is no God but Allah and Muhammad is His Messenger”, in arabic, with sincerity and without any reservations. This testament is the foundation for all other beliefs and practices in Islam. To become a Muslim, a non-Muslim must repeat the Shahadah three times in the presence of witnesses.
The statement of Shahada in arabic is:
Ashhadu Alla Ilaha Illa Allah Wa Ashhadu Anna Muhammad Rasulu Allah
Six Articles of Faith
Muslim doctrine is often summarized in "Six Articles of Faith." According to this list, to be a Muslim you must believe in:
- One God;
- The angels of God;
- The books of God, especially the Qur'an;
- The prophets of God, especially Muhammad;
- The Day of Judgment (or the afterlife); and
- The supremacy of God's will (or predestination).
This list is sometimes shortened to Five Articles of Faith, which leaves off belief in the supremacy of God's will.
