6 Kalimas: Arabic, Transliteration & English Translation

By the Editorial Team · reviewed against our sources · updated September 2026 · guidance, not a fatwa

What the six kalimas are and why they are taught

The six kalimas (in Urdu, chhe kalme; often searched as “6 kalma”) are a set of short Arabic statements that summarise the essentials of Islamic belief and worship. A kalima simply means a “word” or “statement,” and here it refers to a formula that a Muslim says and takes to heart. Together the six move from the plainest declaration of faith to a detailed renunciation of disbelief, so that a learner who memorises all six has, in a compact form, the vocabulary of belief, praise, repentance, and self-purification.

It is worth being clear about what this collection is. The grouping of exactly these six statements into a numbered list is a traditional teaching compilation, widely used in madrasas and homes across the Indian subcontinent for memorisation. It is a time-honoured educational tool rather than a single chapter revealed as a unit. The phrases within the kalimas are drawn from the Qur’an and the authentic teachings of the Prophet Muhammad ⍲ — such as the testimony of faith and the words of glorification — but not every kalima is a single verse of the Qur’an, and the numbering (first, second, third…) is a matter of arrangement, not scripture. Knowing this helps you value the kalimas for what they are: a trusted framework for learning, remembrance (dhikr), and daily devotion.

Below, each kalima is presented with its complete standard Arabic text, a transliteration to help with reading, and an English translation. Where you intend to recite them in worship, treat the transliteration only as a bridge and confirm your pronunciation with a knowledgeable teacher.

First Kalima — Kalima Tayyib (Kalima Tayyab)

لَا إِلٰهَ إِلَّا اللّٰهُ مُحَمَّدٌ رَسُولُ اللّٰهِ

Transliteration: La ilaha illallahu Muhammadur Rasulullah

Translation: There is none worthy of worship except Allah; Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah.

Tayyib means “the pure (word).” It is the declaration of Tawheed (God’s oneness) and of Muhammad’s ⍲ prophethood — the foundation on which a person enters Islam, and words Muslims repeat throughout the day.

Second Kalima — Kalima Shahadat (the Testimony)

أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَّا إِلٰهَ إِلَّا اللّٰهُ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُولُهُ

Transliteration: Ash-hadu an la ilaha illallahu wahdahu la sharika lahu, wa ash-hadu anna Muhammadan ‘abduhu wa rasuluhu

Translation: I bear witness that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, alone, without any partner; and I bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and Messenger.

“Shahadat” means testimony. This is the formal witnessing of faith; a close variant is recited in the sitting (tashahhud) of every prayer.

Third Kalima — Kalima Tamjeed (Glorification)

سُبْحَانَ اللّٰهِ وَالْحَمْدُ لِلّٰهِ وَلَا إِلٰهَ إِلَّا اللّٰهُ وَاللّٰهُ أَكْبَرُ وَلَا حَوْلَ وَلَا قُوَّةَ إِلَّا بِاللّٰهِ الْعَلِيِّ الْعَظِيمِ

Transliteration: Subhanallahi wal-hamdu lillahi wa la ilaha illallahu wallahu akbar, wa la hawla wa la quwwata illa billahil-‘aliyyil-‘azim

Translation: Glory be to Allah, and all praise is due to Allah, and there is none worthy of worship except Allah, and Allah is the Greatest; and there is no power nor strength except with Allah, the Most High, the Most Great.

“Tamjeed” means glorification. Its opening phrases — Subhanallah, Alhamdulillah, La ilaha illallah, Allahu akbar — are among the most beloved words of remembrance (dhikr) and are often counted on the fingers after prayer.

Fourth Kalima — Kalima Tawheed (Oneness)

لَا إِلٰهَ إِلَّا اللّٰهُ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ لَهُ الْمُلْكُ وَلَهُ الْحَمْدُ يُحْيِي وَيُمِيتُ وَهُوَ حَيٌّ لَّا يَمُوتُ أَبَدًا أَبَدًا ذُو الْجَلَالِ وَالْإِكْرَامِ بِيَدِهِ الْخَيْرُ وَهُوَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ

Transliteration: La ilaha illallahu wahdahu la sharika lahu, lahul-mulku wa lahul-hamdu, yuhyi wa yumitu, wa huwa hayyul-la yamutu abadan abada, dhul-jalali wal-ikram, biyadihil-khayr, wa huwa ‘ala kulli shay’in qadir

Translation: There is none worthy of worship except Allah. He is alone and has no partner. His is the dominion and His is all praise. He gives life and causes death. He is ever-living and will never die. He is the Possessor of Majesty and Honour. In His hand is all good, and He has power over everything.

“Tawheed” means the affirmation of God’s absolute oneness. This kalima expands the declaration with several of Allah’s attributes — His sovereignty, His giving of life and death, and His power over all things.

Fifth Kalima — Kalima Astaghfar (Seeking Forgiveness)

أَسْتَغْفِرُ اللّٰهَ رَبِّي مِنْ كُلِّ ذَنْبٍ أَذْنَبْتُهُ عَمَدًا 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

Transliteration: Astaghfirullaha rabbi min kulli dhambin adhnabtuhu ‘amadan aw khata’an sirran aw ‘alaniyatan, wa atubu ilayhi minadh-dhambil-ladhi a‘lamu wa minadh-dhambil-ladhi la a‘lamu, innaka anta ‘allamul-ghuyubi wa sattarul-‘uyubi wa ghaffarudh-dhunubi, wa la hawla wa la quwwata illa billahil-‘aliyyil-‘azim

Translation: I seek forgiveness from Allah, my Lord, for every sin I committed knowingly or unknowingly, secretly or openly; and I turn to Him in repentance from the sin that I know and from the sin that I do not know. Indeed You, You are the Knower of all that is hidden, the Concealer of faults, and the Forgiver of sins; and there is no power nor strength except with Allah, the Most High, the Most Great.

“Astaghfar” means seeking forgiveness. It is a comprehensive prayer of repentance (istighfar) covering deliberate and accidental sins, hidden and open, known and unknown.

Sixth Kalima — Kalima Radde Kufr (Rejection of Disbelief)

اللّٰهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ أَنْ أُشْرِكَ بِكَ شَيْئًا وَأَنَا أَعْلَمُ بِهِ وَأَسْتَغْفِرُكَ لِمَا لَا أَعْلَمُ بِهِ تُبْتُ عَنْهُ وَتَبَرَّأْتُ مِنَ الْكُفْرِ وَالشِّرْكِ وَالْكِذْبِ وَالْغِيبَةِ وَالْبِدْعَةِ وَالنَّمِيمَةِ وَالْفَوَاحِشِ وَالْبُهْتَانِ وَالْمَعَاصِي كُلِّهَا وَأَسْلَمْتُ وَأَقُولُ لَا إِلٰهَ إِلَّا اللّٰهُ مُحَمَّدٌ رَسُولُ اللّٰهِ

Transliteration: Allahumma inni a‘udhu bika min an ushrika bika shay’an wa ana a‘lamu bihi, wa astaghfiruka lima la a‘lamu bihi, tubtu ‘anhu wa tabarra’tu minal-kufri wash-shirki wal-kidhbi wal-ghibati wal-bid‘ati wan-namimati wal-fawahishi wal-buhtani wal-ma‘asi kulliha, wa aslamtu wa aqulu: la ilaha illallahu Muhammadur Rasulullah

Translation: O Allah, I seek refuge in You from knowingly associating any partner with You, and I seek Your forgiveness for that which I do not know. I repent from it, and I dissociate myself from disbelief, polytheism, lying, backbiting, innovation, tale-bearing, indecency, slander, and all acts of disobedience. I submit (to You), and I say: There is none worthy of worship except Allah, Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah.

“Radd” means to reject or repel; this kalima is the renunciation of disbelief (kufr) and its many forms, closing with a fresh affirmation of the first kalima.

Tips to memorise the kalimas and teach them to children

Memorising the six kalimas is easier when you build them up gradually. Start with the First Kalima until it is firm on the tongue, then add the Second, and so on. Recite aloud in short daily sessions rather than long, tiring ones, and repeat what you have learned before adding anything new. Listening to a trusted reciter and reading along with the Arabic script (not only the transliteration) trains both the ear and the eye, and steadily reduces reliance on Roman letters.

When teaching children, keep sessions brief, warm, and consistent — a few minutes after a prayer works well. Explain the meaning in their own language so the words carry weight; a child who knows that the First Kalima affirms one God, or that the Fifth seeks forgiveness, remembers with understanding. Gentle repetition and praise do far more than pressure. Above all, pair memorisation with correct pronunciation learned from a qualified teacher.

For more foundational explainers, see our Islamic information hub, and to understand the pillar of charity in Islam read what is Zakat.

This page is provided for general educational guidance and is not a fatwa (formal religious ruling). Arabic texts of the six kalimas are traditional and widely taught; transliterations are an approximate aid to pronunciation only. For correct recitation, pronunciation, and any question about religious practice, please consult the Qur’an, authentic Sunnah, and a qualified scholar or teacher.

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