Tahlil
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The Tahlil (, ', ), also spelled Tahleel, is a form of
dhikr (; ; ) is a form of Islamic worship in which phrases or prayers are repeatedly recited for the purpose of remembering God. It plays a central role in Sufism, and each Sufi order typically adopts a specific ''dhikr'', accompanied by specific ...
that involves the praising of
God In monotheistic belief systems, God is usually viewed as the supreme being, creator, and principal object of faith. In polytheistic belief systems, a god is "a spirit or being believed to have created, or for controlling some part of the un ...
in
Islam Islam is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic monotheistic religion based on the Quran, and the teachings of Muhammad. Adherents of Islam are called Muslims, who are estimated to number Islam by country, 2 billion worldwide and are the world ...
by saying "There is no god but Allah. He has no partner with Him" ().


Etymology

The word ''Tahlil'' is the
verbal noun Historically, grammarians have described a verbal noun or gerundial noun as a verb form that functions as a noun. An example of a verbal noun in English is 'sacking' as in the sentence "The ''sacking'' of the city was an epochal event" (wherein ...
of the form 2 verb ''Hallala'' () which means '"to praise" or "to acclaim".


History

Traditionally, the utterance of the sentence is part of the
shahada The ''Shahada'' ( ; , 'the testimony'), also transliterated as ''Shahadah'', is an Islamic oath and creed, and one of the Five Pillars of Islam and part of the Adhan. It reads: "I bear witness that there is no Ilah, god but God in Islam, God ...
performed by somebody converting to
Islam Islam is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic monotheistic religion based on the Quran, and the teachings of Muhammad. Adherents of Islam are called Muslims, who are estimated to number Islam by country, 2 billion worldwide and are the world ...
. It is recommended for tahlil to be uttered as the last words of a dying person as a hadith states that the person who dies uttering the tahlil (with conviction in the words) will certainly enter Jannah. In
Indonesia Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania, between the Indian Ocean, Indian and Pacific Ocean, Pacific oceans. Comprising over List of islands of Indonesia, 17,000 islands, including Sumatra, ...
and
Malaysia Malaysia is a country in Southeast Asia. Featuring the Tanjung Piai, southernmost point of continental Eurasia, it is a federation, federal constitutional monarchy consisting of States and federal territories of Malaysia, 13 states and thre ...
, ritualized repetitive chanting of the tahlil is part of the tradition of kenduri, which is common during death rituals. The custom is known locally as ''majlis tahlil'' "assembly to perform prayers". This practice is more common among Muslims who are followers of the traditionalist
Nahdlatul Ulama Nahdlatul Ulama (, , NU) is an Islamic organization in Indonesia. Its membership numbered over 40 million in 2023, making it the largest Islamic organization in the world. NU is also a charitable body funding schools and hospitals as well as or ...
movement.


Hadith

According to
Abu Huraira Abū Hurayra ʿAbd al-Raḥmān ibn Ṣakhr al-Dawsī al-Zahrānī (; –679), commonly known as Abū Hurayra (; ), was a companion of the Islamic prophet Muhammad and considered the most prolific hadith narrator. Born in al-Jabur, Arabia to ...
, the Prophet of Islam said
Malik ibn Anas Malik ibn Anas (; –795) also known as Imam Malik was an Arab Islamic scholar and traditionalist who is the eponym of the Maliki school, one of the four schools of Islamic jurisprudence in Sunni Islam.Schacht, J., "Mālik b. Anas", in: ''E ...
reported from Talha ibn Ubaydullah ibn Kariz that Muhammad said, "The best dua is dua on the day of Arafa, and the best thing that I and the Prophets before me have said is "There is nothing worshipped but Allah, alone without any partner" (La ilaha illa'llah, wahdahu la sharika lah)" Muwatta of Imam Malik
/ref>


See also

*
Shahada The ''Shahada'' ( ; , 'the testimony'), also transliterated as ''Shahadah'', is an Islamic oath and creed, and one of the Five Pillars of Islam and part of the Adhan. It reads: "I bear witness that there is no Ilah, god but God in Islam, God ...
*
Anthem of the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria "Death or Freedom" was the national anthem of the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria, a former List of active separatist movements in Europe#North Caucasian Federal District, partially recognized separatist state in the North Caucasus, used between 1991 ...
, which repeats the tahlil throughout


References

{{commons category Islamic terminology Arabic words and phrases