Praise is the opening of every matter of importance, whether intimate communion with the Lord or people addressing one another. The testimony of faith accompanies both praise and the proclamation of Allah’s greatness. In the call to prayer and in sermons, it concludes the words of praise. In the call to prayer, it follows the proclamation of Allah’s greatness; then the people are addressed with the muezzin’s words: “Come to prayer; come to success.” In sermons, it is followed by the words addressed to the people: “To proceed.” It is also recited in the tashahhud (the testimony recited in prayer), after which one chooses whichever supplication one likes best. Thus, praise and affirmation of Allah’s oneness come first when created beings address their Creator, with praise at the very beginning.

When Allah created Adam, peace be upon him, the first words He caused him to utter were words of praise. Adam sneezed and said, “Praise be to Allah, Lord of all worlds.” Allah said, “May your Lord have mercy on you.” Thus, his first utterance was praise, and the first words he heard from Allah were words of mercy. Allah likewise began the Mother of the Quran with praise, while the testimony of faith comes at the end. The beginning of al-Fātihah is:

“Praise be to Allah,”

and the last part devoted to the Lord is:

“You alone we worship.”

The same applies to the tashahhud. In sermons, too, the testimony of faith follows the opening praise. Its affirmation of the Lord’s divinity—that the Lord is the One worshipped—is the ultimate end toward which His servants’ deeds lead:

“Had there been in the heavens and the earth gods besides Allah, both would have been ruined.”

Yet praise is placed first because praise comes from Allah as well as from His creation. It also continues in Paradise: their final invocation will be, “Praise be to Allah, Lord of all worlds.” This is unlike worship, for worship through prostration and similar acts belongs only to this world. Affirming His oneness and remembering Him, however, continue in Paradise: He inspires its people to do so just as He inspires them to breathe.