Pahalgam: The recent terror attack which occurred in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam on Tuesday (April 22) sent shockwaves across the nation as chilling details emerged. According to the eyewitnesses, the terrorists forced Hindu tourists to recite the ‘Kalma’ before mercilessly shooting them. The terrorists misused the Islamic declaration in Pahalgam before executing the tourists in the valley.
Here’s the details about ‘Kalma’ which is a sacred Islamic declaration of faith and know about its significance in Islam.
In Islam, the 5 Kalmas are declarations or statements that summarise core beliefs and principles. These are often taught to children and recited for spiritual learning and reflection, especially in South Asian countries.
Officially, there is only one Kalma (Shahada) in Islam that is required for a person to become a Muslim and is considered the fundamental declaration of faith:
“La ilaha illallah, Muhammadur Rasulullah”
(There is no god but Allah and Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah)
Then why do people say there are 6 Kalmas?
In South Asian countries (like India, Pakistan and Bangladesh), six Kalmas are taught to children for memorisation and spiritual learning. These are not mandatory pillars or rituals of Islam, but they contain important Islamic beliefs and supplications. They help in understanding the concepts of:
1. Tawheed (Oneness of God)
2. Shahada (Testimony of Faith)
3. Tamjeed (Glorification of God)
4. Tawheed (again, with details)
5. Astaghfar (Seeking Forgiveness)
6. Radde Kufr (Rejecting disbelief)
However, these six are not found grouped together in the Quran or Hadith. They are more of a traditional educational tool than a formal religious requirement.
1. First Kalma – Kalma Tayyab (Word of Purity)
Arabic: لَا إِلٰهَ إِلَّا ٱللَّٰهُ مُحَمَّدٌ رَّسُولُ ٱللَّٰهِ
Transliteration: La ilaha illallah, Muhammadur Rasulullah
Meaning: There is no god but Allah, and Muhammad (PBUH) is the Messenger of Allah.
2. Second Kalma – Kalma Shahadat (Word of Testimony)
Arabic: أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلٰهَ إِلَّا ٱللَّٰهُ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ، وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُولُهُ
Transliteration: Ashhadu an la ilaha illallahu wahdahu la sharika lahu, wa ashhadu anna Muhammadan ‘abduhu wa rasuluhu
Meaning: I bear witness that there is no god but Allah, He is One and has no partner, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and Messenger.
3. Third Kalma – Kalma Tamjeed (Word of Glorification)
Arabic: سُبْحَانَ اللّٰهِ وَالْحَمْدُ لِلّٰهِ وَلَا إِلٰهَ إِلَّا ٱللَّٰهُ وَاللّٰهُ أَكْبَرُ، وَلَا حَوْلَ وَلَا قُوَّةَ إِلَّا بِاللّٰهِ الْعَلِيِّ الْعَظِيمِ
Transliteration: Subhanallah, walhamdulillah, wa la ilaha illallah, wallahu akbar. Wa la hawla wa la quwwata illa billahil ‘Aliyyil ‘Azim
Meaning: Glory is to Allah, all praise is to Allah, there is no god but Allah, and Allah is the Greatest. There is no power and no strength except with Allah, the Most High, the Most Great.
4. Fourth Kalma – Kalma Tawheed (Word of Oneness)
Arabic: لَا إِلٰهَ إِلَّا ٱللَّٰهُ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ، لَهُ ٱلْمُلْكُ وَلَهُ ٱلْحَمْدُ يُحْيِي وَيُمِيتُ، وَهُوَ حَيٌّ لَا يَمُوتُ، أَبَدًا أَبَدًا، ذُو ٱلْجَلَالِ وَٱلْإِكْرَامِ، بِيَدِهِ ٱلْخَيْرُ، وَهُوَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ
Transliteration: La ilaha illallahu wahdahu la sharika lahu, lahul-mulku wa lahul-hamdu, yuhyi wa yumit, wa huwa hayyun la yamutu abadan abada, zul-jalali wal-ikram, biyadihil-khayr, wa huwa ‘ala kulli shay’in qadeer
Meaning: There is no god but Allah. He is One, He has no partner. His is the Kingdom and His is the praise. He gives life and causes death. He is Ever-Living and does not die. All greatness and honor belong to Him. In His hand is all good and He has power over everything.
5. Fifth Kalma – Kalma Astaghfar (Word of Seeking Forgiveness)
Arabic: أَسْتَغْفِرُ اللّٰهَ رَبِّي مِنْ كُلِّ ذَنْبٍ أَذْنَبْتُهُ عَمْدًا أَوْ خَطَأً سِرًّا أَوْ عَلَانِيَةً وَأَتُوبُ إِلَيْهِ مِنَ الذَّنْبِ الَّذِي أَعْلَمُ وَمِنَ الذَّنْبِ الَّذِي لَا أَعْلَمُ، إِنَّكَ أَنْتَ عَلَّامُ الْغُيُوبِ وَسَتَّارُ الْعُيُوبِ وَغَفَّارُ الذُّنُوبِ، وَلَا حَوْلَ وَلَا قُوَّةَ إِلَّا بِاللّٰهِ الْعَلِيِّ الْعَظِيمِ
Transliteration: Astaghfirullaha Rabbi min kulli dhambin adhnabtuhu ‘amdan aw khata’an sirran aw ‘alaniyatan wa atubu ilayh, min adh-dhanb alladhi a‘lamu wa min adh-dhanb alladhi la a‘lamu, innaka anta ‘allamul-ghuyub, wa sattar-ul-‘uyub, wa ghaffar-udh-dhunub, wa la hawla wa la quwwata illa billahil ‘Aliyyil ‘Azim
Meaning: I seek forgiveness from Allah, my Lord, for every sin I have committed knowingly or unknowingly, secretly or openly. I turn to Him in repentance for the sins I know and the sins I do not know. Truly, You are the Knower of the unseen, the Concealer of faults, and the Forgiver of sins. There is no power and no strength except with Allah, the Most High, the Most Great.
6. The Sixth Kalma is called Kalma Radde Kufr (Word of Rejecting Disbelief)
Arabic: اللّٰهُمَّ إِنِّى أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ أَنْ أُشْرِكَ بِكَ شَيْئًا وَأَنَا أَعْلَمُ بِهِ، وَأَسْتَغْفِرُكَ لِمَا لَا أَعْلَمُ بِهِ، تُبْتُ عَنْهُ وَتَبَرَّأْتُ مِنَ الْكُفْرِ وَالشِّرْكِ وَالْكِذْبِ وَالْغِيبَةِ وَالْبِدْعَةِ وَالنَّمِيمَةِ وَالْفَوَاحِشِ وَالْبُهْتَانِ وَالْمَعَاصِى كُلِّهَا، وَأَسْلَمْتُ وَأَقُولُ لَا إِلٰهَ إِلَّا ٱللّٰهُ مُحَمَّدٌ رَسُولُ ٱللّٰهِ
Transliteration: Allahumma inni a’udhu bika min an ushrika bika shay’an wa ana a’lamu bihi, wa astaghfiruka lima la a’lamu bihi, tubtu anhu wa tabarra’tu minal-kufri wash-shirki wal-kidhbi wal-ghibati wal-bid’ati wan-namimati wal-fawahishi wal-buhtani wal-ma’asi kulliha, wa aslamtu wa aqulu la ilaha illallahu Muhammadur Rasulullah.
Meaning in English: O Allah! I seek Your protection from associating anything with You knowingly. I seek Your forgiveness for what I do not know. I repent from it and declare myself free from disbelief, polytheism, lies, backbiting, innovation, slander, indecency, false accusations, and all sins. I submit to Your will and declare: There is no god but Allah, Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah.
