Shahadah

The first pillar of Islam is the “Shahadah”, also spelled “Shahada”. It comes from the Arabic word “الشَهَادة” which means “Testimony”, the testimony (declaration) that none has the right to be worshiped but Allah (SWT) and that Muhammad (PBUH) is the Messenger of Allah (SWT).

The recitation of the “Shahada”, the “Profession of Faith” is the first required action to enter Islam, the initial submission to Islam. The declaration of Shahadah should be recited in Arabic with sincere faith and true feeling to become a Muslim. It consists of 2 parts that represent the main beliefs of Islam:

The first part of the Shahada says that there is no god but Allah (SWT), meaning that no other being has the right to be worshiped and that Allah has neither a partner nor a son.
The second part of the Shahada testifies that our beloved Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) is the last prophet and messenger sent by Allah (SWT).

To be a Muslim, shahada (Profession of faith) is the most important & first pillar of Islam, because understanding and accepting it means that one understands and accepts the essence of the entire faith.

All it takes to convert to Islam is a single sincere public recitation of the Shahada in its original Arabic.