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Part I: Imaan

Q. What is the kalimah of Islam?
A. The kalimah of Islam is:

Laa ilaa-ha il-lal-laa-hu muhammadur-rasoolul-laah
There is no god except Allah; Muhammad (peace be upon him) is His Messenger.

This kalimah is also called kalimah tauheed or kalimah tayyibah.

(Kalimah literally means a "word", or "utterance" or "proclamation".)

Q. What is kalimah shahaadah?
A. Kalimah shahaadah (kalimah of bearing witness) is:

Ash-hadu an-laa ilaaha il-lal-laa-hu wa ash-hadu an-na Muhammadan ‘ab-duhoo wa rasooluh.
I bear witness that there is no god except Allah and I bear witness that Muhammad (peace be upon him) is Allah's worshipper and His Messenger.

Q. What is imaan (faith)?
A. Imaan is to have faith in something and to proclaim it.

Q. What is our imaan mujmal (faith in a nutshell)?
A. Imaan mujmal is:

aamantu bil-laahi kamaa huwa bi as-maa-i-hi wa sifaatihi wa qabiltu jamee’a ahkaamihi. ‘iqraarum bil-lisaani wa tasdeequm bil-qalb.
I believe in Allah as He is with all His names and attributes and I accept all of His orders. It is said with the tongue and confirmed in the heart.

Q. What is our imaan mufas-sal (elaborated faith)?
A. Imaan mufas-sal is:

aamantu bil-laahi wa ma-laa-i-katihi wa kutubihi wa rusulihi wal-yaumil-aakhiri wal-qadri khairihi wa shar-rihi minal-laahi ta’aalaa wal-ba’thi ba’dal-maut.
I believe in Allah, in His angels, in His books, in His messengers, in the Day of Judgement, and (I believe) that all good and evil is decreed by Allah, and in the life after death.

Q. Who created you?
A. Allah created us, our fathers and mothers, the skies and the earth, this universe and everything in it.

Q. How did Allah create the universe?
A. By His power and command.

Q. What are the people called who do not believe in Allah?
A. They are called kaafir (unbelievers).

Q. What are the people called who do not worship Allah but worship other things, or those who believe in two or three gods?
A. Such people are called kaafir and mushrik.

Q. Will Allah pardon or forgive the mushrik or the kaafir?
A. Kaafir and mushrik will never be pardoned. They will always be kept in great pain and trouble in the hereafter.