"I BEAR WITNESS THAT THERE IS NO GOD BUT ALLAH, AND I BEAR WITNESS THAT MUHAMMAD IS THE MESSENGER OF ALLAH."

The moment a person voluntarily utters the above declaration of the shahaadah, he becomes a Muslim. The shahaadah is the profession of faith, and it is the first pillar of Islam.

This profound statement expresses a Muslim's complete acceptance and total commitment to the message of Islam. There are several conditions that a person should adhere to in order for him/her to utter the shahaadah, among them; knowledge, certainty, acceptance, submission and truthfulness. Hence, it is crucial for a person to thoroughly understand what the shahaadah is all about when submitting himself to it and to the teachings of Islam.

This statement of faith is a genuine belief that includes all the articles of faith. It comprises two parts: the first part is the creed "There is no god but Almighty Allah. This phrase refers to the witnessing of the Oneness of Allah and therefore, is a rejection of any form of deity other than Him.

The act of witnessing the Oneness of Allah means that we accept Him as the shaper and guide of our lives, undistracted by other influences including people, things, moods or desires.

The second part of the shahaadah declares that Muhammad is God's Messenger to mankind. By reciting the shahaadah with full commitment and acceptance, a Muslim accepts Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) as the last Messenger of Allah sent with the mission of spreading the glad tidings of Islam.

Prophet Muhammad's (pbuh) mission brought the final posting of the Divine Truth and thus he is regarded as the Seal of the Prophets, and the final Messenger from Allah Almighty.

The declaration of the shahaadah must be accompanied with actions that please Allah as representations of one's submission to Him. As such, Muslims must always avoid actions that may nullify their shahaadah, among which are associating partners with Allah and setting up intermediaries between oneself and one's Creator.