<P> Islam's monotheistic nature is reflected in the first shahada, which declares belief in the oneness of God and that he is the only entity truly worthy of worship . The second shahada indicates the means by which God has offered guidance to human beings . The verse reminds Muslims that they accept not only the prophecy of Muhammad but also the long line of prophets who preceded him . While the first part is seen as a cosmic truth, the second is specific to Islam, as it is understood that members of the older Abrahamic religions do not view Muhammad as one of their prophets . </P> <P> Shahada is a statement of both ritual and worship . In a well - known hadith, Muhammad defines Islam as witnessing that there is no god but God and that Muhammad is God's messenger, giving of alms (zakat), performing the ritual prayer, fasting during the month of Ramadan and making a pilgrimage to the Kaaba: the five pillars of Islam are inherent in this declaration of faith . </P> <P> Recitation of the shahādah is the most common statement of faith for Muslims . In Sunni Islam, it is counted as the first of the Five Pillars of Islam, while the Shi'i Twelvers and Isma'ilis also have the shahada as among their pillars of faith . It is whispered by the father into the ear of a newborn child, and it is whispered into the ear of a dying person . The five canonical daily prayers each include a recitation of the shahada . Recitation of the shahada in front of witnesses is also the first and only formal step in conversion to Islam . This occasion often attracts more than the two required witnesses and sometimes includes a party - like celebration to welcome the convert into their new faith . In accordance with the central importance played by the notion of intention (Arabic: نیّة ‎ ‎, niyyah) in Islamic doctrine, the recitation of the shahada must reflect understanding of its import and heartfelt sincerity . Intention is what differentiates acts of devotion from mundane acts and a simple reading of the shahada from invoking it as a ritual activity . </P> <P> Though the two phrases of the shahada are both present in the Quran (for example, 37: 35 and 48: 29), they are not found there side by side as in the shahada formula . Versions of both phrases began to appear in coins and monumental architecture in the late seventh century, which suggests that it had not been officially established as a ritual statement of faith until then . An inscription in the Dome of the Rock (est. 692) in Jerusalem reads "There is no god but God alone; He has no partner with him; Muhammad is the messenger of God". Another variant appears in coins minted after the reign of Abd al - Malik ibn Marwan, the fifth Umayyad caliph, in the form "Muhammad is the servant of God and His messenger". Although it is not clear when the shahada first came into common use among Muslims, it is clear that the sentiments it expresses were part of the Quran and Islamic doctrine from the earliest period . </P>

What is the first pillar of islam called