And just as the declaration that Allah is the Greatest was coupled with the declaration that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah in the call to prayer, the two were also coupled when declaring Allah’s greatness upon ascending elevated places. On al-Safā and al-Marwa, and whenever he ascended a height during a military expedition, Hajj, or umra, he would declare Allah’s greatness three times and say: “There is no deity worthy of worship except Allah alone, without partner. To Him belongs all sovereignty and praise, and He has power over all things. There is no deity worthy of worship except Allah alone. He kept His promise, granted victory to His servant, strengthened His host, and alone defeated the confederates.” He would do this three times. This is reported in the Sahīh collections1. Likewise, while on his mount, he declared Allah’s greatness three times and declared that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah three times, thus coupling the two declarations. The same coupling appears in the hadith of Adi ibn Hātim related by al-Tirmidhī, in which the Prophet—peace and blessings be upon him—said to him: “O Adi, what makes you flee? Does it make you flee to hear it said, ‘There is no deity worthy of worship except Allah’? Do you know of any deity besides Allah? O Adi, what makes you flee? Does it make you flee to hear it said, ‘Allah is the Greatest’? Is anything greater than Allah?” The Prophet—peace and blessings be upon him—thus coupled the declaration that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah with the declaration that Allah is the Greatest.”2) 3.

The foremost of these statements is the declaration that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah, because it contains affirmation of Allah’s oneness, which is the root of faith. It is the statement that separates the people of Paradise from the people of the Fire, and it is the price of Paradise. No one’s Islam is valid without it. Whoever’s final words are, “There is no deity worthy of worship except Allah,” will enter Paradise. Declaring Allah’s praise and glory stands in relation to it as the branch stands to the root. Thus, the declaration that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah is the root, while all the other statements are its branches and follow from it. Hence, as reported in the two Sahīh collections from Abū Hurayra—may Allah be pleased with him—the Prophet—peace and blessings be upon him—said: “Faith comprises over