The six Kalmas or Kalimas in Islam are integral to the Islamic faith. These Kalmas highlight Islam's primary and most essential principles that form the core of the religion. The second Kalmah, Kalma-e-Shahadat, is so essential that it must be recited to become a Muslim. Here is a brief explanation of the 6 Kalmas:
- The First Kalma (Tayyab) reinforces the fundamental belief required by a Muslim to be a true believer, i.e., the Oneness of Allah.
- The Second Kalma (Shahadat) testifies that a Muslim believes in the Oneness of Allah and that the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) is His last Messenger.
- The Third Kalma (Tamjeed) narrates the glorification of Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى).
- The Fourth Kalma (Tauheed) strengthens faith in the Oneness of Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى).
- The Fifth Kalma (Astaghfaar) asks for repentance and forgiveness from Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى).
- The Sixth Kalma (Radd-e-Kufr) discards disbelief and submits completely to Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى).
First Kalima (Tayyibah)
لَآ اِلٰهَ اِلَّا اللّٰهُ مُحَمَّدٌ رَّسُوْلُ اللّٰهِ ؕ
There is no god but Allah, [and] Muhammad [PBUH] is the messenger of Allah
Second Kalima (Shahadah)
اَشْهَدُ اَنْ لَّآ اِلٰهَ اِلَّا اللّٰهُ وَحْدَهٗ لَا شَرِيْكَ لَهٗ وَاَشْهَدُ اَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُهٗ وَرَسُوْلُهٗ ؕ
I bear witness that (there is) no god except Allah; One is He, no partner hath He, and I bear witness that Muhammad [PBUH] is His Servant and Messenger
Third Kalima (Tamjeed)
سُبْحَانَ اللّٰهِ وَالْحَمْدُ لِلّٰهِ وَلَآ اِلٰهَ اِلَّااللّٰهُ وَاللّٰهُ اَكْبَرُ ؕ وَلَآ حَوْلَ وَلَا قُوَّةَ اِلَّا بِاللّٰهِ الْعَلِىِّ الْعَظِيْم ؕ
Exalted is Allah, and praise be to Allah, and there is no deity except Allah, and Allah is the Greatest. And there is no might nor power except in Allah, the Most High, the Most Great
Fourth Kalima (Tawheed)
لَآ اِلٰهَ اِلَّا اللّٰهُ وَحْدَهٗ لَا شَرِيْكَ لَهٗ لَهُ الْمُلْكُ وَلَهُ الْحَمْدُ يُحْىٖ وَيُمِيْتُ وَهُوَ حَئٌّ لَّا يَمُوْتُ اَبَدًا اَبَدًاؕ ذُوالْجَلَالِ وَالْاِكْرَامِؕ بِيَدِهِ الْخَيْرُ وَهُوَ عَلٰى كُلِّ شَىْءٍ قَدِیْرٌ ؕ
(There is) no god except Allah - One is He, no partners hath He. His is the Dominion, and His is the Praise. He gives life and causes death, and He is Living, who will not die, never. He of Majesty and Munificence. Within His Hand is (all) good. And He is, upon everything, Able (to exert His Will)
Fifth Kalima (Istighfar)
اَسْتَغْفِرُ اللّٰهَ رَبِّىْ مِنْ كُلِّ ذَنْۢبٍ اَذْنَبْتُهٗ عَمَدًا اَوْ خَطَاءً سِرًّا اَوْعَلَانِيَةً وَّاَتُوْبُ اِلَيْهِ مِنَ الذَّنْۢبِ الَّذِیْٓ اَعْلَمُ وَمِنَ الذَّنْۢبِ الَّذِىْ لَآ اَعْلَمُ اِنَّكَ اَنْتَ عَلَّامُ الْغُيُوْبِ وَسَتَّارُ الْعُيُوْبِ وَغَفَّارُ الذُّنُوْبِ وَلَا حَوْلَ وَلَا قُوَّةَ اِلَّا بِاللّٰهِ الْعَلِىِّ الْعَظِيْم ؕ
I seek forgiveness from Allah, my Lord, from every sin I committed knowingly or unknowingly, secretly or openly, and I turn towards Him from the sin that I know and from the sin that I do not know. Certainly You, You (are) the knower of the hidden things and the Concealer (of) the mistakes and the Forgiver (of) the sins. And (there is) no power and no strength except from Allah, the Most High, the Most Great
Sixth Kalima (Radd Kufr)
اَللّٰهُمَّ اِنّىِ اَعُوْذُبِكَ مِنْ اَنْ اُشْرِكَ بِكَ شَيْئًا وَّاَنَآ اَعْلَمُ بِهٖ وَاَسْتَغْفِرُكَ لِمَا لَآ اَعْلَمُ بِهٖ تُبْتُ عَنْهُ وَتَبَرَّأْتُ مِنَ الْكُفْرِ وَالشِّرْكِ وَالْكِذْبِ وَالْغِيْبَةِ وَالْبِدْعَةِ وَالنَّمِيْمَةِ وَالْفَوَاحِشِ وَالْبُهْتَانِ وَالْمَعَاصِىْ كُلِّهَا وَاَسْلَمْتُ وَاَقُوْلُ لَآ اِلٰهَ اِلَّا اللّٰهُ مُحَمَّدٌ رَّسُوْلُ اللّٰهِ ؕ
O Allah! I seek protection in You from that I should not join any partner with You and I have knowledge of it. I seek Your forgiveness from that which I do not know. I repent from it (ignorance) and I reject disbelief and joining partners with You and of falsehood and slandering and innovation in religion and tell-tales and evil deeds and the blame and the disobedience, all of them. I submit to Your will and I believe and I declare: There is none worthy of worship except Allah and Muhammad [PBUH] is His Messenger
The Origin Of the 6 Kalmas
The six Kalmas have not been mentioned collectively in any Islamic text; these Kalmas are selected verses from the Holy Quran and Hadith. The first and second kalma are declarations of faith and reinforce the first pillar of Islam (Tawhid), the third and fourth are beautiful ways to remember Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى), and the fifth and sixth kalma invite His mercy and forgiveness.
Origin of 1st Kalima: The origin of the first kalima can be traced back to this hadith:
Ibn 'Umar (May Allah be pleased with them) reported:
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "(The superstructure of) Islam is based on five (pillars), testifying the fact that La ilaha illallah wa anna Muhammad-ar-Rasul-ullah [there is no true god except Allah, and Muhammad ((ﷺ)) is the Messenger of Allah], establishing As- Salat (the prayers), paying Zakat (compulsory alms), the pilgrimage to the House [of Allah (Ka'bah)], and the Saum (fasting) during the month of Ramadan."
[Riyad as-Salihin 1271]
The Second Kalma (Shahadat) proclaims the oneness of Allah and the finality of the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ). Confirming the finality of the Prophet (ﷺ), Abu Huraira (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) narrated him as saying:
“Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "My similitude in comparison with the other prophets before me, is that of a man who has built a house nicely and beautifully, except for a place of one brick in a corner. The people go about it and wonder at its beauty, but say: 'Would that this brick be put in its place!' So I am that brick, and I am the last of the Prophets." [Sahih al-Bukhari 3535].
The root of the Third Kalma (Tamjeed) can be attributed to this hadith: Abu Hurairah (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) reported that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said:
"There are two statements that are light for the tongue to remember, heavy in the Scales and are dear to the Merciful: 'Subhan-Allahi wa bihamdihi, Subhan-Allahil-Azim [Glory be to Allah and His is the praise, (and) Allah, the Greatest is free from imperfection]'." [Riyad as-Salihin 1408]
Kalma Tauheed and Kalma Astaghfaar besech Allah for his mercy and is a way for Muslims to ask forgiveness from Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى). Ibn 'Abbas (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) said reported the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) saying:
"If anyone constantly seeks pardon (from Allah), Allah will appoint for him a way out of every distress and a relief from every anxiety, and will provide sustenance for him from where he expects not." [Riyad as-Salihin 1873]
It is a masoon practice for Muslims to proclaim the uniqueness and oneness of Allah. The Sixth Kalma (Radd-e-Kufr) allows Muslims to show the Almighty they submit only to Him. An-Nu`man bin Bashir (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) narrated the Prophet (ﷺ) saying:
“The supplication, is worship.” Then he recited: And Your Lord said: “Call upon me, I will respond to you. Verily, those who scorn My worship, they will surely enter Hell humiliated." [Jami` at-Tirmidhi 3372]
The Benefits of Reciting the 6 Kalmas
- Reinforces and strengthens faith in Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى).
- Leads to spiritual enlightenment and internal growth.
- Enhances understanding of monotheism and strengthens belief in the oneness and greatness of Allah.
- Leads to immense peace and contentment.
- Improves one’s character and encourages the development of humility and appreciation.
- Results in greater success in life.
Reciting and implementing the teachings of the six Kalmas in our daily lives is the key to gaining their true benefits. We should make it a habit to recite these Kalmas regularly and after each namaz:
Kalma Tayyab: Reciting this Kalma after each prayer helps strengthen faith.
Kalma Shahadat: Reciting this Kalma daily increases faith and ensures that the reciter will die on faith. It is also recited for accepting Islam.
Kalma Tamjeed: This Kalma is often recited during Tasbih namaz for the fulfillment of duas, increase in wealth, destruction of enemies, and request for Jannah in the Hereafter.
Kalma Tauheed: Reciting this Kalma daily after prayers keeps one safe from shirk and external attacks on faith.
Kalma Astaghfaar: This Kalma is beneficial for asking for forgiveness for all major and minor sins. It is recited as a Tasbih or after obligatory prayers.
Kalma Radd-e-Kufr: Reciting this Kalma daily keeps one safe from disobedience, adultery, shirk, and external attacks on faith. It is also recited for forgiveness of sins.
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