What Is the Proof That the 5th and 6th Kalimas; Statements Are Based on Hadith?

Answered by Mawlana Ilyas Patel

Question

There was a Q&A article on the six Kalimas quite common in the Indian Subcontinent. It was answered that they are based on sunna, all six of them. I want to ask that, except the first and second Kalima, which are the same (shahada), and the third and fourth, which are random hadith-based valid dhikr, what is the evidence that the last two of them are hadith-based?

Answer

In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful and Compassionate.

I pray you are in good faith and health.

The six Kalimas, taught in the Indian Subcontinent associated madrasas and maktabs, are all statements with a basis in the hadith. These were extracted from the Quran and Hadith by the senior scholars of the Indian subcontinent. The purpose was to create ease for the children in learning the basics of belief.

They range from the declarations of faith to forms of remembrance (dhikr) and wordings of seeking forgiveness (istighfar) mentioned in Bukhari and rejection of disbelief (radd al-kufr) mentioned in Musnad Ahmad. In other words, some of these are exact wordings of the hadith, like the first four, and others, like the fifth and sixth, seem to be derived therefrom.

By reading, believing, and memorizing the words and understanding the translations of these Kalimas; statements, one’s beliefs are protected. It is therefore taught at the primary level in the out-of-school settings in maktabs, evening, and Sunday madrasas.

First and Second Kalima

The first two of the five Kalimas are necessary and important for every Muslim, for it is bearing testimony (shahadah) on the fact that there is no God but Allah, and Muhammad (Allah bless him & give him peace) is his Prophet and Messenger.

”لا اله إلا الله محمد رسول الله.“

“La Ilaha Ill-Allahu Muhammad al-Rasullullah.” (There is none worthy of worship except Allah, and Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah). [Kanz al-‘Ummal]

”أشھد ان لا إله إلا اللہ وأشھد أن محمداً عبدہ ورسوله.“

“Ashadu An La Ilaha Ill-Allahu  Wa Ashadu Anna Muhammadan ‘Abduhu Wa Rasuluhu.” (I bear witness that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, the One alone, without a partner, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and Messenger). [Bukhari]

Third Kalima

The third Kalima is actually a remembrance (dhikr) of Allah in glorifying and praising Him. There are great rewards promised in the hadith upon this remembrance (dhikr) of Allah.

The Companion Abu Hurayra (Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah said: “For me to say,

”سبحان اللہ، والحمد للہ، ولا إله إلا اللہ واللہ اکبر.“

‘Subḥānallāh Walḥamdu lillāh Wa lā ilāha illallāh Wallāhu Akbar.’ is more beloved to me than whatever the sun has shed its light on. Its rewards are more beloved to me than the whole universe, and whatever it contains.” In another narration, it has an addition of,

”ولا حول ولا قوة إلا باللہ العلي العظیم.“

“Wa lā ḥawla wa lā quwwata illā billāh al-‘Ali al-‘Azim.” [Muslim; Tirmidhi]

Fourth Kalima

The wording of the fourth Kalima has also been mentioned in the hadith. Abu Ayyub al-Ansari (Allah be pleased with him) relates that the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) said: Whosoever says:

”لا إله إلا اللہ وحدہ لا شریک له، له الملك وله والحمد، یحیي ویمیت وھو علی کل شئ قدیر.“

“La ila ha illa Allahu wahdahu la sharika lahu, Lahu al-mulku wa lahu al-hamdu, Yuhyi wa Yumitu wa huwa ala kulli shayin qadir” (There is no one worthy of worship but Allah, alone, who has no co-sharer, His is the kingdom, For Him is all praise, He gives life and death, He has power over everything) ten times, will receive the reward of freeing four slaves from the children of Isma‘il (Allah bless him).” [Bukhari; Muslim]

Fifth and Sixth Kalima – Statements of Faith Renewal, Disapproving Disbelief, and Seeking Forgiveness

The fifth Kalima; statement is a supplication (dua) in disapproving of disbelief (kufr), seeking the protection of Allah from associating any partners with Him. Some only mention the wording of seeking His forgiveness in all types of actions as a fifth kalima.

These two statements of the fifth and sixth Kalima are uttered as a renewal and reminder of what is necessary to believe in, disapprove as a Muslim and seek forgiveness from Allah.

The Prophet Teaches the Foremost Way of Seeking Forgiveness -Sayyid al-Istighfar.

Shaddad ibn Aws (Allah be pleased with him) reported the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) said: “The best way to seek forgiveness is that you say: ‘O Allah, You are my Lord. There is no God but You. You created me, and I am Your servant, I am committed to You and Your promise as much as I can. I seek refuge in You from the evil I have done. I acknowledge Your favors, and I acknowledge my sins, so forgive me. Verily, no one forgives sins but You.’”

”اللَّهُمَّ أَنْتَ رَبِّي لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ خَلَقْتَنِي وَأَنَا عَبْدُكَ وَأَنَا عَلَى عَهْدِكَ وَوَعْدِكَ مَا اسْتَطَعْتُ أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ شَرِّ مَا صَنَعْتُ أَبُوءُ لَكَ بِنِعْمَتِكَ عَلَيَّ وَأَبُوءُ لَكَ بِذَنْبِي فَاغْفِرْ لِي فَإِنَّهُ لَا يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ.“

The Prophet said, “Whoever says this in the day with conviction and dies before evening, he will be among the people of Paradise. Whoever says this in the night with conviction and dies before the morning will be among the people of Paradise.” [Bukhari]

Sixth Kalima Radd al-Kufr

In Arabic, the sixth Kalima is read:

”اَللّٰهُمَّ اِنِّیْٓ اَعُوْذُ بِكَ مِنْ اَنْ اُشْرِكَ بِكَ شَيْئًا وَّاَنَآ اَعْلَمُ بِهٖ وَ اَسْتَغْفِرُكَ لِمَا لَآ اَعْلَمُ بِهٖ تُبْتُ عَنْهُ وَ تَبَرَّأْتُ مِنَ الْكُفْرِ وَ الشِّرْكِ وَ الْكِذْبِ وَ الْغِيْبَةِ وَ الْبِدْعَةِ وَ النَّمِيْمَةِ وَ الْفَوَاحِشِ وَ الْبُهْتَانِ وَ الْمَعَاصِىْ كُلِِّهَا وَ اَسْلَمْتُ وَ اَقُوْلُ لَآ اِلٰهَ اِلَّا اللهُ مُحَمَّدٌ رَّسُوْلُ اللهِ.“

“Allahumma Inni A‘udhu bika Min An Ushrika Bika Shayaw Wa Ana A‘lamu Bihi Wa Astaghfiruka Lima La A‘lamu Bihi Tubtu ‘Anhu Wa tabarraatu Min al-Kufri Wa al-shirki Wa al-kidhbi Wa al-ghibati Wa al-bid‘ati Wa al-namimati Wa al-fawahishi Wa al-buhtaani Wa al-m‘asi Kulliha Wa Aslamtu Wa aqulu La Ilaha Illa-Allahu Muhammadur Rasulullah.”

“O Allah! I seek refuge in You from that I should ascribe any partner with You knowingly. I seek Your forgiveness for the sin of which I have no knowledge. I repent from it. And becoming disgusted of disbelief and idolatry, lying and backbiting, innovation and slander, lewdness and abomination and all other acts of disobedience, I submit to Your will. I believe, and I declare that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, and Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah.

Related:
Is It a Bid‘a to Memorize the Six Kalimas?
Sayyid al-Istighfar: The Foremost Way of Seeking Allah’s Forgiveness

Why not begin your search for knowledge by signing up for a course on SeekersGuidance?

I pray this helps with your question.
Wassalam,
[Mawlana] Ilyas Patel
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

Mawlana Ilyas Patel is a traditionally-trained scholar who has studied in the UK, India, Pakistan, Syria, Jordan, and Turkey. He started his early education in the UK. He went on to complete the hifz of the Quran in India, then enrolled in an Islamic seminary in the UK, where he studied the secular and ‘Aalimiyya sciences. He then traveled to Karachi, Pakistan. He has been an Imam in Rep of Ireland for several years. He has taught hifz of the Quran, Tajwid, Fiqh, and many other Islamic sciences to children and adults onsite and online extensively in the UK and Ireland. He taught at a local Islamic seminary for 12 years in the UK, where he was a librarian and a teacher of Islamic sciences. He currently resides in the UK with his wife. His interest is a love of books and gardening.