Question
What is the meaning of Kalima? Why is the name of our Prophet attached to the name of Allah in the Kalima?
Answer
The Kalimah Tayyibah is, in fact, a declaration of one’s belief that Islam is the true religion. The two basic and distinctive features of Islam, which distinguish it from all other creeds of the world are a) its uncompromising stand on the belief in one God only and b) the belief in the prophethood of Mohammed (pbuh). The Kalimah, being a declaration of one’s adherence to Islam entails both these basic elements of Islamic faith. Thus, in the Kalimah, a person declares as follows:
There is no one worthy of our worship, except the One God and Mohammed (pbuh) is the messenger of God.
I really could not understand the second part of your question. It is, in fact, not the name of the Prophet (pbuh), which is attached to the name of God, in this Kalimah, on the contrary, it is actually the two beliefs – i.e. Tawheed (oneness of God) and Risalah (prophethood) – which have been mentioned together in it. The reason for joining these two beliefs, as I have stated earlier, is the significance of these two beliefs, in making the Muslims a separate nation from all the other creeds of the world. Moreover, if closely examined, the declaration of the combination of these two beliefs is, in its essence, the declaration of the complete contents of Islam.
October 23, 2000