whoever said, ‘There is no deity worthy of worship but Allah,’ and had in his heart goodness equal to the weight of a speck.”1 This shows that those who profess this declaration vary in their standing with respect to it according to the faith established in their hearts.

— Among the virtues of this declaration is that, were it weighed against the heavens and the earth, it would outweigh them. It is related in the Musnad from Abdullah ibn Amr that the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—said: “As Noah lay dying, he said to his son, ‘I enjoin upon you: “There is no deity worthy of worship but Allah.” If the seven heavens and the seven earths were placed on one pan of a scale and “There is no deity worthy of worship but Allah” on the other, it would outweigh them all. And if the seven heavens formed one closed ring, “There is no deity worthy of worship but Allah” would shatter them.’”2

— Among its virtues is that no barrier stands between it and Allah; rather, it passes through the veils until it reaches Allah—Majestic and Glorious is He. Al-Tirmidhī relates with a sound chain of transmission from Abu Hurayra—may Allah be pleased with him—that the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—said: “No servant sincerely says, ‘There is no deity worthy of worship but Allah,’ without the gates of heaven being opened for it, all the way to the Throne, provided that he avoids the major sins.”3

— Among its virtues is that it saves the one who utters it from the Fire. It is related in Sahih Muslim that the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—heard a caller to prayer say, “I testify that there is no deity worthy of worship but Allah,” whereupon he said, “He has escaped the Fire.”4 In the two Sahih collections, Itbān—may Allah be pleased with him—relates that the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—said: “Allah has forbidden the Fire to anyone who says, ‘There is no deity worthy of worship but Allah,’ seeking thereby the countenance of Allah.”5