Testifying

Of all the things that Muslims have to remember, there is one thing that is the most important of all.

It is to remember that there is One God

[Hu] made everything in the heavens and the earth.

Muslims have special words to say to remind themselves that God is One.

In Arabic the words are "La ilaha illa Allah",

which means "There is no God except the One God".

Muslims use the Arabic words that were used by Muhammad,

the man who heard God's words and told them to the people of the world.

Because he passed on the words that God wanted us to hear, he is called

a Messenger.

And because Muslims follow that Message of Muhammad,

when they say "There is no God except the One God",

they also say the Arabic words "Muhammad Rasul Allah"

which means "Muhammad is God's Messenger".

Anyone who believes these words is a Muslim at heart.

And anyone who says these words must be accepted as a Muslim

by all the rest of the Muslims in the world.

It is the most important part of being a Muslim,

to say that "There is no God except the One God, and Muhammad is God's Messenger"

Sometimes people people have special ceremonies when they first say these special words,

to mark the time that they say to everyone that they are Muslim.

But for many Muslims there is no special occasion

because they are some of the first words they ever learn to say.

But every Muslim who can speak has at some time said the words "La ilaha illa Allah, Muhammad rasul Allah"

It is what makes a Muslim a Muslim.

Lots of Muslims will point the first finger of their right hand when they say these special words,

like pointing at what they see, pointing the way, or like using their finger to show the number one.

But one finger is just one finger of lots of fingers like it.

God is One

there is no other. like [Hu]

These special words "La ilaha illa Allah, Muhammad rasul Allah" are known by the Arabic name "Shahada",

which means to witness that God is true,

and to say to everyone that this is what you believe.

When we use the name "Shahada", in English as in the Arabic,

it also means that this truth is so important in our lives that without it our lives are not worth living.

It is important enough to die for.

It is the most important truth about life.