6 Kalmas of Islam: A Comprehensive Guide

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. Here is a brief explanation of the 6 Kalmas:

1. Kalma Tayyab (The Declaration of Faith)

Arabic:
لَا إِلٰهَ إِلَّا اللّٰهُ مُحَمَّدٌ رَسُولُ اللّٰهِ
English:
There is no god but Allah, Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah

• The First Kalma (Tayyab) reinforces the fundamental belief required by a Muslim to be a true believer, i.e., the Oneness of Allah.

2. Kalma Shahadat (The Testimony of Faith)

Arabic:
أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلٰهَ إِلَّا اللّٰهُ وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُولُهُ
English:
I bear witness that there is no god but Allah, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and His Messenger.

• The Second Kalma (Shahadat) testifies that a Muslim believes in the Oneness of Allah and that the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) is His last Messenger.

3. Kalma Tamjid (The Declaration of Glory and Praise)

Arabic:
سُبْحَانَ اللّٰهِ وَالْحَمْدُ لِلّٰهِ وَلَا إِلٰهَ إِلَّا اللّٰهُ وَاللّٰهُ أَكْبَرُ وَلَا حَوْلَ وَلَا قُوَّةَ إِلَّا بِاللّٰهِ الْعَلِيِّ الْعَظِيمِ
English:
Glory is to Allah, and praise is to Allah. There is no god but Allah, and Allah is the Greatest. There is no power and no strength except through Allah, the Most High, the Most Great.

• The Third Kalma (Tamjeed) narrates the glorification of Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى).

4. Kalma Tawhid (The Declaration of Oneness of Allah)

Arabic:
لَا إِلٰهَ إِلَّا اللّٰهُ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ لَهُ الْمُلْكُ وَلَهُ الْحَمْدُ يُحْيِي وَيُمِيتُ وَهُوَ حَيٌّ لَا يَمُوتُ أَبَدًا أَبَدًا ذُو الْجَلَالِ وَالْإِكْرَامِ بِيَدِهِ الْخَيْرُ وَهُوَ عَلٰى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ
English:
There is no god but Allah, He is One, without any partners. To Him belongs the dominion, and to Him belongs all praise. He gives life and causes death, and He is the Ever-Living, who does not die, Everlasting, Full of Glory and Honor. In His Hand is all good, and He is capable of everything.

• The Fourth Kalma (Tauheed) strengthens faith in the Oneness of Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى).

5. Kalma Istighfar (The Declaration of Seeking Forgiveness)

Arabic:
أَسْتَغْفِرُ اللّٰهَ رَبِّي مِنْ كُلِّ ذَنْبٍ أَذْنَبْتُهُ عَمْدًا أَوْ خَطَأً سِرًّا أَوْ عَلَانِيَةً وَأَتُوبُ إِلَيْهِ مِنَ الذَّنْبِ الَّذِي أَعْلَمُ وَمِنَ الذَّنْبِ الَّذِي لَا أَعْلَمُ إِنَّكَ أَنْتَ عَلَّامُ الْغُيُوبِ وَسَتَّارُ الْعُيُوبِ وَغَفَّارُ الذُّنُوبِ وَلَا حَوْلَ وَلَا قُوَّةَ إِلَّا بِاللّٰهِ الْعَلِيِّ الْعَظِيمِ
English:
I ask forgiveness from Allah, my Lord, for every sin I have committed knowingly or unknowingly, in private or in public. I turn to Him in repentance for the sins I know and the ones I do not know. Surely, You are the Knower of the unseen, the Concealer of faults, and the Forgiver of sins. There is no power and no strength except with Allah, the Most High, the Most Great.

• The Fifth Kalma (Astaghfaar) asks for repentance and forgiveness from Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى).

6. Kalma Radd-e-Kufr (The Declaration of Rejection of Disbelief)

Arabic:
اللّٰهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ أَنْ أُشْرِكَ بِكَ شَيْئًا وَأَنَا أَعْلَمُ بِهِ وَأَسْتَغْفِرُكَ لِمَا لَا أَعْلَمُ بِهِ تُبْتُ عَنْهُ وَتَبَرَّأْتُ مِنَ الْكُفْرِ وَالشِّرْكِ وَالْكَذِبِ وَالْغِيبَةِ وَالْبِدْعَةِ وَالنَّمِيمَةِ وَالْفَوَاحِشِ وَالْبُهْتَانِ وَالْمَعَاصِي كُلِّهَا وَأَسْلَمْتُ وَأَقُولُ لَا إِلٰهَ إِلَّا اللّٰهُ مُحَمَّدٌ رَسُولُ اللّٰهِ
English:
O Allah, I seek refuge in You from associating anything with You knowingly, and I ask Your forgiveness for what I do not know. I repent for what I have done and renounce all disbelief, polytheism, lies, backbiting, innovation, slander, immoral acts, false accusations, and all sins. I embrace Islam and testify that there is no god but Allah, and Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah.

• The Sixth Kalma (Radd-e-Kufr) discards disbelief and submits completely to Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى).