The Six Kalimas: A Parent’s Guide to Teaching Each One
This is a teaching guide for parents, not a memorization sheet for children. Each Kalima below has the Arabic, transliteration, English meaning, hadith source for the wording, and — most importantly — practical guidance on what to focus on when you teach it to your child at different ages.
Before the six themselves, one section on what the Six Kalimas actually are, because even the Darul Ifta of Deoband has clarified this and most parents have not heard the answer.
What are the Six Kalimas, really?
The Six Kalimas are a compilation. They are six declarations and remembrances assembled by the senior scholars of the Indian subcontinent — primarily the Deoband and Bareilly traditions — to give children a structured, memorable foundation in Islamic belief.
They are not recorded as a fixed set of “six” anywhere in the Qur’an or in any single hadith. The grouping itself was a pedagogical choice. This has been confirmed by Darul Ifta Deoband, by Mufti Ebrahim Desai, and by SeekersGuidance, all of whom give the same answer when asked.
However — and this is where some online voices overcorrect — the individual wordings of most of the Kalimas are directly drawn from authentic hadith. The first Kalima is the shahadah, found in dozens of narrations. The second is the witness statement from the hadith of Bilal (RA) and others. The third is built on the hadith in Sahih Muslim about words “light on the tongue, heavy on the scale.” The fourth is from the hadith of Abu Ayyub al-Ansari (RA) in Sahih al-Bukhari. So the wordings are sound; the framing as a numbered set of six is the teaching tool.
What this means for parents: teaching your child the Six Kalimas is not a religious obligation in the sense that missing them is sinful. It is, however, an excellent educational structure that has served Indian Muslim families for generations. Teach them with that frame — as a foundation, not as a fixed sunnah — and your child will grow into the more complete picture later without confusion.
How to use this guide
For each Kalima, you will see:
- The Arabic text (large, with full tashkeel for accurate recitation)
- Transliteration (for parents who do not read Arabic yet)
- Translation
- The hadith source for the wording (so you can answer your child when they ask “where does this come from?”)
- A “How to teach this” box — what to focus on at ages 4–6, 7–10, and 11+
If your child is under 6, focus only on memorization and pronunciation. If your child is 7–10, add the meaning. If your child is 11 or older, add the source and the discussion.
1. Kalima Tayyibah (The Pure Word)
Kalima Tayyibah
لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ مُحَمَّدٌ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ
La ilaha illallahu Muhammadur Rasulullah
“There is no god but Allah; Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah.”
Source: The shahadah is the foundation of Islam itself. Reported in Sahih al-Bukhari (8) and Sahih Muslim (16) in the famous hadith of Ibn Umar (RA): “Islam is built on five…”
How to teach this
Ages 4–6: Memorization only. Recite it with them three times after Fajr and three times after Maghrib. Don’t worry about translation yet. Get the pronunciation right — especially the “La” (no vowel held), the heavy “L” in “Allah,” and the “M” in Muhammad.
Ages 7–10: Now add meaning. Explain “There is no god but Allah” first. Then add “Muhammad ﷺ is His Messenger.” Use the “Why do we say this?” question — because we are Muslims and this is what every Muslim believes.
Ages 11+: Discuss the depth. Tawhid as belief. The implications of accepting only Allah as God (no idols, no partners, no superstitions). The role of the Prophet ﷺ as messenger.
2. Kalima Shahadat (The Witness)
Kalima Shahadat
أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُولُهُ
Ash-hadu an la ilaha illallahu wahdahu la sharika lahu, wa ash-hadu anna Muhammadan abduhu wa rasuluh
“I bear witness that there is no god but Allah, alone, with no partner. And I bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and His Messenger.”
Source: This wording appears in the hadith narrated by Umar ibn al-Khattab (RA) about the rewards of saying it after wudu — “Whoever performs wudu well and says these words, the eight gates of Paradise are opened for him…” (Sahih Muslim, 234).
How to teach this
Ages 4–6: Too long for full memorization at this age. Skip until 6+, or break it in half and teach the first phrase only (“Ash-hadu an la ilaha illallah”).
Ages 7–10: Full memorization. Common mistake: children mix up “abduhu” (His servant) and “rasuluh” (His messenger). Slow that part down. Explain what “I bear witness” means — like in court, you are saying “I declare, with certainty, in front of everyone.”
Ages 11+: Teach the connection to wudu (the hadith above). Have them say it after wudu as a regular practice. Discuss why “abduhu” (servant) comes before “rasuluh” (messenger) — the Prophet ﷺ’s first identity is as Allah’s servant.
3. Kalima Tamjeed (The Glorification)
Kalima Tamjeed
سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ وَالْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ وَلَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَاللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ وَلَا حَوْلَ وَلَا قُوَّةَ إِلَّا بِاللَّهِ الْعَلِيِّ الْعَظِيمِ
Subhanallahi walhamdu lillahi wa la ilaha illallahu wallahu akbar, wa la hawla wa la quwwata illa billahil aliyyil azim
“Glory be to Allah, all praise is for Allah, there is no god but Allah, and Allah is the Greatest. There is no power and no strength except with Allah, the Most High, the Most Great.”
Source: The first four phrases (Subhanallah, Alhamdulillah, La ilaha illallah, Allahu akbar) are from the hadith of Abu Hurairah (RA) in Sahih Muslim (2695): “The dearest words to Allah are four…” The closing “La hawla wa la quwwata illa billah” is from the hadith in Sahih al-Bukhari (6610) about a “treasure from the treasures of Paradise.”
How to teach this
Ages 4–6: Teach the first four phrases only — Subhanallah, Alhamdulillah, La ilaha illallah, Allahu akbar. These are the famous four words children remember most easily. Save the longer ending for later.
Ages 7–10: Full Kalima. The challenging part is “la hawla wa la quwwata illa billahil aliyyil azim” — break it into “la hawla / wa la quwwata / illa billah / il-aliyyil-azim” and have them clap on each segment to learn the rhythm.
Ages 11+: Teach what each phrase means individually. Subhanallah = Allah is far above any flaw. Alhamdulillah = all praise belongs to Allah. La ilaha illallah = no deity but Allah. Allahu akbar = Allah is greater than anything. La hawla wa la quwwata illa billah = there is no power or strength except from Allah.
4. Kalima Tawhid (The Oneness)
Kalima Tawhid
لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ، لَهُ الْمُلْكُ وَلَهُ الْحَمْدُ يُحْيِي وَيُمِيتُ، وَهُوَ حَيٌّ لَا يَمُوتُ أَبَدًا أَبَدًا، ذُو الْجَلَالِ وَالْإِكْرَامِ، بِيَدِهِ الْخَيْرُ، وَهُوَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ
La ilaha illallahu wahdahu la sharika lahu, lahul mulku wa lahul hamdu, yuhyi wa yumitu, wa huwa hayyun la yamutu abadan abada, dhul jalali wal ikram, biyadihil khair, wa huwa ala kulli shay’in qadir
“There is no god but Allah alone, with no partner. To Him belongs sovereignty, and to Him belongs all praise. He gives life and causes death, and He is Living and never dies. Possessor of Majesty and Honour. In His hand is all good, and He has power over all things.”
Source: The core of this Kalima is from the hadith of Abu Ayyub al-Ansari (RA): “Whoever says, ‘La ilaha illallahu wahdahu la sharika lahu, lahul mulku wa lahul hamdu, wa huwa ala kulli shay’in qadir’ ten times will receive the reward of freeing four slaves from the children of Isma’il” (Sahih al-Bukhari, 6404; Sahih Muslim, 2693). The additional phrases (“yuhyi wa yumit,” “dhul jalali wal ikram”) are drawn from other authentic narrations and combined for educational purposes.
How to teach this
Ages 4–6: Skip. This is the longest Kalima and is overwhelming for young children. Wait until they are comfortable with Kalimas 1, 2, and the short version of 3.
Ages 7–10: Break it into four parts: (1) the shahadah part, (2) “lahul mulku wa lahul hamd,” (3) “yuhyi wa yumit, wa huwa hayyun la yamutu abadan abada,” (4) the closing. Teach one part per week. Don’t try the whole thing at once.
Ages 11+: This is where they understand the full majesty of what they are saying. He gives life, causes death, never dies Himself, owns the kingdom, owns all praise, holds all good in His hand, has power over everything. Discuss each phrase. This is the Kalima of Allah’s attributes.
5. Kalima Astaghfar (The Seeking of Forgiveness)
Kalima Astaghfar
أَسْتَغْفِرُ اللَّهَ 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 بِاللَّهِ الْعَلِيِّ الْعَظِيمِ
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
“I seek forgiveness from Allah, my Lord, for every sin I committed knowingly or unknowingly, secretly or openly. And I repent to Him from the sin I know and the sin I do not know. Indeed, You are the Knower of all that is hidden, the Concealer of faults, the Forgiver of sins. There is no power and no strength except with Allah, the Most High, the Most Great.”
Source: The wording is drawn from authentic hadith on istighfar, including narrations in Sahih al-Bukhari about the Prophet ﷺ seeking Allah’s forgiveness more than seventy times a day (Bukhari, 6307). The exact wording as compiled is a teaching arrangement; the substance is sunnah.
How to teach this
Ages 4–6: Teach the short form: “Astaghfirullah” (I seek forgiveness from Allah). That alone, said three times, is what a child this age can manage. The full Kalima can wait.
Ages 7–10: Begin building toward the full version. Start with the first sentence and add one phrase per week. Explain what istighfar means simply: “When we make a mistake, we tell Allah we are sorry.”
Ages 11+: Full Kalima. Discuss the structure — they are asking forgiveness for sins they know about AND sins they don’t. They are acknowledging Allah as al-Ghaffar (the Forgiver), as-Sattar (the Concealer), al-Allam (the Knower). This is heavy theology and they can handle it now.
6. Kalima Radd-e-Kufr (The Rejection of Disbelief)
Kalima Radd-e-Kufr
اللَّهُمَّ 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 إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ مُحَمَّدٌ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ
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 gheebati wal bid’ati wan-nameemati wal fawahishi wal buhtani wal ma’asi kulliha, wa aslamtu, wa aqulu la ilaha illallahu Muhammadur Rasulullah
“O Allah, I seek refuge in You from associating any partner with You knowingly, and I seek Your forgiveness for what I do not know. I repent from it, and I declare myself free from disbelief, polytheism, lying, backbiting, innovation, slander, indecency, false accusation, and all sins. I submit, and I declare: there is no god but Allah, Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah.”
Source: The opening — seeking refuge from shirk knowingly and seeking forgiveness for it unknowingly — is based on the hadith of Abu Musa al-Ash’ari (RA) recorded in Musnad Ahmad and other collections. The list of sins to disavow (kufr, shirk, lying, backbiting, etc.) is a compilation by South Asian scholars to teach children the categories of major sins and the act of disavowal.
How to teach this
Ages 4–6: Skip entirely. This Kalima is conceptually too heavy for young children — disavowing categories of sin requires understanding what those sins are. Wait until 9 or 10.
Ages 7–10: Begin in the later part of this range. Memorize in three blocks: (1) the seeking refuge from shirk, (2) the list of sins to disavow, (3) the closing shahadah. Explain each of the named sins in age-appropriate language — kufr is denying Allah, shirk is making a partner with Allah, ghibah is talking badly about people behind their back, and so on.
Ages 11+: Full discussion. This is the Kalima where a child confronts the existence of categories of sin, the concept of bid’ah (innovation in religion), and the act of consciously rejecting them. It pairs well with broader aqeedah lessons. Use it as a starting point for those conversations.
The teaching order: which Kalima first?
Madrasas in India and Pakistan typically teach the Kalimas in numerical order — 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. That works, but it is not the only sequence. For home teaching, here is a more practical order based on length and difficulty:
| Order | Kalima | Why this order |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | Kalima 1 (Tayyibah) | Shortest. Foundational. Every child should know this by age 5. |
| 2nd | Kalima 3 (Tamjeed) — first four phrases only | Easy, rhythmic, immediately useful in daily dhikr. Children love saying Subhanallah, Alhamdulillah, Allahu akbar. |
| 3rd | Kalima 2 (Shahadat) | Builds on Kalima 1. Connect it to wudu — they say it after wudu and earn the rewards. |
| 4th | Kalima 5 (Astaghfar) — short form first | Just “Astaghfirullah” first. Teaches the concept of seeking forgiveness early, before they need it heavily. |
| 5th | Kalima 3 (Tamjeed) — full version | Now add the “la hawla wa la quwwata” ending. |
| 6th | Kalima 4 (Tawhid) | Longer and conceptually deeper. Teach by age 9–10. |
| 7th | Kalima 5 (Astaghfar) — full version | Now add the full istighfar. |
| 8th | Kalima 6 (Radd-e-Kufr) | Last. Requires understanding of sins and disavowal. Age 10+. |
This order means a child who starts at age 4 has all six Kalimas memorized in full by approximately age 11, learned in a sequence that matches their cognitive development. Madrasa teaching tries to do all of this faster; home teaching does not have that pressure and can take the slower, deeper path.
Common mistakes parents make
Memorizing without meaning
The most common mistake is teaching all six Kalimas in Arabic with no understanding of what they say. The child grows up able to recite but unable to defend or explain their faith. Each Kalima should be memorized in Arabic AND explained in the child’s mother tongue (Urdu, Hindi, English, or whatever your home uses).
Treating it as a fixed obligation
Some parents pressure children with the idea that not knowing the Kalimas is a sin. As discussed at the top of this guide, the Six Kalimas are a teaching compilation, not a divine command. The shahadah (Kalima 1) is essential for being a Muslim. The other five are highly beneficial but not in the same category. Don’t add weight that isn’t there — children can sense religious anxiety and it sours the experience.
Skipping the source
When a child asks “where does this come from?” — and they will, usually around age 8–10 — the parent who shrugs has lost a teaching moment. Each Kalima above has its hadith source listed. Bookmark this page or save the references; when the question comes, you have the answer.
Wrong pronunciation that solidifies
Children memorize what they hear. If you teach them with incorrect tajweed — wrong makharij, wrong vowel lengths, wrong pauses — they will recite it that way for the rest of their lives. If your own Arabic pronunciation is uncertain, use a recording from a qualified reciter, or enroll the child in a structured course. Our online Quran course for kids includes Kalimas with proper recitation in the foundation curriculum.
Want a teacher to handle the Kalimas systematically?
Our online classes for kids cover the Six Kalimas with proper tajweed, meanings, and age-appropriate explanations.
View kids courseFrequently asked questions
Are the Six Kalimas mentioned in the Qur’an or Hadith?
The individual wordings are mostly drawn from authentic hadith — the shahadah, the four glorifying phrases of Kalima Tamjeed, the wording of Kalima Tawhid from the hadith of Abu Ayyub al-Ansari (RA), and the istighfar formulas. The compilation as a fixed set of six is a teaching arrangement by Indian and Pakistani scholars to help children learn the basics of belief. This has been clarified by Darul Ifta Deoband, Mufti Ebrahim Desai, and SeekersGuidance.
Is it five or six Kalimas?
Different traditions count differently. The Deoband and Bareilly scholarly traditions in India and Pakistan teach six. Some other compilations list five (treating Kalima Radd-e-Kufr as part of Kalima Astaghfar or omitting it). The substance is the same; only the numbering differs.
At what age should I start teaching my child the Kalimas?
Start Kalima 1 (Tayyibah) by age 4, as a phrase the child hears daily. Move to the short form of Kalima 3 (Subhanallah, Alhamdulillah, La ilaha illallah, Allahu akbar) by age 5. Build the rest gradually using the order suggested in this guide, aiming for full memorization of all six by age 10 or 11.
Do children have to memorize all six in Arabic?
The shahadah (Kalima 1) is essential for every Muslim and should be memorized in Arabic. The other five are highly beneficial but are not religious obligations in the same sense. Memorizing them in Arabic is the traditional practice and is strongly encouraged, but do not present it to a child as something that, if missed, is sinful.
What if my child memorizes them but pronounces them wrong?
Fix it as early as possible. Wrong pronunciation memorized at age 5 is much harder to correct at 15. Use a qualified teacher, a structured online course, or recordings from reliable reciters. The makharij (articulation points) and vowel lengths matter — particularly for letters like ع (ayn), ح (ha), ق (qaf), and ض (dad), which have no English equivalents.
Should I teach my child the meanings or just the Arabic?
Both. Memorizing without meaning produces a child who can recite but cannot explain. Memorizing only the meaning loses the connection to the Arabic words and the rewards of recitation. Do them together — teach the Arabic first for sound, then add the meaning in the child’s mother tongue once the Arabic is fluent.
What are the benefits of reciting the Kalimas?
The first Kalima is the foundation of being Muslim and the key to Paradise according to many authentic hadith. The others, drawn from Sunnah, carry the rewards mentioned in their original narrations — for example, the dhikr in Kalima Tamjeed is among the “dearest words to Allah” (Sahih Muslim 2695), and Kalima Tawhid recited ten times carries the reward mentioned in Sahih al-Bukhari 6404. The benefits are real and authentic when recited with understanding.
One closing thought for parents
The Six Kalimas are how generations of Muslim children in India have learned the fundamentals of their belief. Your great-grandfather probably learned them this way. Your grandmother probably did too. Teaching them to your child is not just a religious activity — it is a transmission of an educational heritage that has worked for centuries.
But the Kalimas are a beginning, not an end. A child who has memorized all six but does not pray, does not read Qur’an, and does not understand basic aqeedah has missed the point. The Kalimas are the door. What you do once your child walks through that door — the daily prayers, the Qur’an, the akhlaq — is the actual journey.
May Allah make our children among those who carry His words on their tongues, in their hearts, and in their lives.
Mufti Salim Qasmi
Graduate of Darul Uloom Deoband and lead scholar at Iqra Expert Online Quran Academy. Specializes in Hanafi fiqh, Hadith sciences, and contemporary issues for Muslim families. Read more about the author →
