Hisn al-Muslim 9
(أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللَّهُ وَحْدَهُ لاَ شَرِيكَ لَهُ وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّداً عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُولُهُ..).
(Ashhadu an la ilaha illal-lahu wahdahu la shareeka lah, wa-ashhadu anna Muhammadan AAabduhu warasooluh.)
(I bear witness that none has the right to be worshipped except Allah, alone without partner, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger.)
Source: Hisn al-Muslim · Reference: Hisn al-Muslim 9
Translation: Hisn al-Muslim (Fortress of the Muslim), Sa'id al-Qahtani — see site-wide attribution
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Both halves open the same way, with I bear witness, and that repetition is what holds the supplication together. The first testimony concerns Allah: that none has the right to be worshipped except Him, alone and without partner. The second concerns Muhammad ﷺ and gives him two descriptions in a fixed order, His slave before His Messenger. Nothing is requested in either half — the whole of it is testimony.
The chapter places these words at the completion of the ablution.
The order within the second testimony is not incidental. Servanthood is stated first and messengership second, and the wording does not reverse them or state one without the other.
About these notesThe notes above explain the wording of the supplication as it is translated on this page. They add no commentary, history or ruling beyond it.
In English it reads: “I bear witness that none has the right to be worshipped except Allah, alone without partner, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger.” Both halves open the same way, with I bear witness, and that repetition is what holds the supplication together.
Romanised, it runs: “Ashhadu an la ilaha illal-lahu wahdahu la shareeka lah, wa-ashhadu anna Muhammadan AAabduhu warasooluh.”
The chapter places these words at the completion of the ablution. The order within the second testimony is not incidental.
Our source line reads Sunan Abi Dawud 525.