The words:

“There is no deity worthy of worship except Allah alone, without partner. To Him belongs sovereignty, and to Him belongs all praise,”

encompass both the affirmation of Allah’s oneness and praise of Him. Likewise, the Prophet would say after prayer:

“There is no deity worthy of worship except Allah, and we worship none but Him, devoting our religion sincerely to Him, even if the disbelievers dislike it.”

He, glorified be He, begins His address with praise and brings matters to a close with praise. When He first created Adam, the first thing He caused him to utter was praise: Adam sneezed, and He caused him to say, “All praise is for Allah.” He then said to him, “May your Lord have mercy on you, Adam.” Thus, the first thing Adam spoke was praise, and the first thing he heard was mercy.

He brings matters to a close with praise, as in His words:

“Judgment was passed between them in truth, and it was said, ‘All praise is for Allah, Lord of all worlds.’”

“So the people who did wrong were utterly destroyed. And all praise is for Allah, Lord of all worlds.”

“And the last of their supplications will be, ‘All praise is for Allah, Lord of all worlds.’”

And He, glorified be He, is the One to whom these words refer:

“To Him belongs all praise in this life and the Hereafter. His is the judgment, and to Him you will be returned.”

The affirmation of Allah’s oneness is the beginning and end of religion. The first thing to which the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, called was the testimony that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah. He said:

“I have been commanded to fight the people until they testify that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah.”

He said to Mu‘ādh:

“You are going to a people from among the People of the Book, so let the first thing to which you call them be the testimony that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah.”

The affirmation of Allah’s oneness also marks the conclusion. In the authentic report narrated by Muslim from Uthmān, the Prophet said:

“Whoever dies knowing that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah will enter Paradise.”

In the authentic hadith narrated by Muslim from Abū Hurayrah:

“Prompt those among you who are dying to say, ‘There is no deity worthy of worship except Allah.’”

In the Sunan, in the hadith of Mu‘ādh:

“Whoever’s last words are ‘There is no deity worthy of worship except Allah’ will enter Paradise.”

And in the Musnad: “Indeed, I know a declaration that no servant utters