6th Kalima in English: Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning

Learn the Sixth Kalima Radde Kufr with complete Arabic, clear meaning, pronunciation guidance and authentic teachings about protection from shirk and sin.

What Is The Sixth Kalima Radde Kufr?

The Sixth Kalima is commonly called Radde Kufr, meaning the rejection or repudiation of disbelief. It is taught as a prayer in which a Muslim seeks Allah’s protection from knowingly associating anything with Him, asks forgiveness for hidden errors, renounces disbelief and serious sins, renews submission to Allah, and repeats the testimony of faith.

Its central lesson is Tawhid: Allah alone deserves worship. The learner is also reminded that faith should shape speech, character and daily conduct. A sincere recitation is therefore not merely a set of memorised sounds. It should be accompanied by correct belief, repentance, an effort to leave sin, and trust in Allah’s mercy.

The Complete Arabic Text

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

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-kadhibi wal-ghibati wal-bid‘ati wan-namimati wal-fawahishi wal-buhtani wal-ma‘asi kulliha. Wa aslamtu wa aqulu: la ilaha illallahu, Muhammadur Rasulullah.

English Meaning

O Allah, I seek refuge in You from knowingly associating anything with You, and I seek Your forgiveness for what I do not know. I repent from it and disassociate myself from disbelief, associating partners with Allah, lying, backbiting, religious innovation, tale-bearing, indecencies, slander and every act of disobedience. I submit, and I declare: none has the right to be worshipped except Allah, and Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah.

An Important Authenticity Note

The complete wording above is a traditional educational compilation widely taught in the South Asian “Six Kalimas” syllabus. It should not be described as one complete statement narrated verbatim in a single Sahih Hadith. Its opening supplication, however, is authentically reported:

اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ أَنْ أُشْرِكَ بِكَ وَأَنَا أَعْلَمُ، وَأَسْتَغْفِرُكَ لِمَا لَا أَعْلَمُ

“O Allah, I seek refuge in You from associating anything with You knowingly, and I seek Your forgiveness for what I do not know.” It is recorded from the Prophet’s teaching in Musnad Ahmad and cited in Hisn al-Muslim 203, with authentication referenced in Sahih al-Jami‘ and Sahih at-Targhib.

The other ideas in the compiled Kalima agree with established Islamic teachings: rejecting shirk, repenting from sin, guarding the tongue, submitting to Allah and affirming the Shahadah. Students may learn the full classroom text while understanding this distinction honestly.

THE CENTRAL MESSAGE: PROTECTING TAWHID

Tawhid means worshipping Allah alone without giving any share of worship to another being. Dua, ultimate reliance, sacrifice, vows and other acts of worship belong to Allah. Luqman advised his son in Quran 31:13 that associating partners with Allah is a tremendous wrong.

The words “I seek refuge in You” teach humility. A believer does not depend only on personal knowledge or confidence. A person may recognise obvious shirk yet remain unaware of subtle motives, careless expressions or actions that weaken sincerity. The authentic dua therefore joins two needs: protection from what is known and forgiveness for what is unknown.

Quran 4:48 warns about dying upon shirk without repentance, while Quran 39:53–54 calls sinners not to despair but to return and submit to Allah before death. These verses must be understood together: shirk is extremely serious, and sincere repentance remains open during a person’s lifetime.

Known And Hidden Errors

The phrase “while I know” covers a deliberate act that a person recognises as wrong. “What I do not know” covers ignorance, forgetfulness, confused motives and mistakes that may not yet be visible to the person. It encourages regular self-examination without creating hopelessness or obsessive fear.

A Muslim should learn sound belief from qualified teachers, ask when uncertain, and correct a mistake when reliable evidence becomes clear. The lesson is not a licence to accuse other Muslims of disbelief. Judging a specific person involves knowledge, conditions and impediments, and is not a task for untrained individuals. The Kalima is first a prayer for one’s own protection and reform.

Repentance Requires Action

“Tubtu ‘anhu”—I repent from it—expresses a return to Allah. Sincere Tawbah includes leaving the sin, regretting it, asking Allah for forgiveness and firmly intending not to return. If the sin violated another person’s rights, those rights must also be restored or forgiveness sought in a wise and lawful way.

Repentance is not invalid simply because someone later becomes weak and sins again. The person should renew sincere Tawbah and continue striving. Allah commands sincere repentance in Quran 66:8 and tells those who have transgressed not to despair of His mercy in Quran 39:53.

What The List Of Sins Teaches

The compiled text names several dangers. Understanding them makes recitation more meaningful:

Kufr means rejection or disbelief. Shirk means directing worship or divine partnership to other than Allah. These terms are serious and should be studied carefully, not used casually as labels for people.

Kadhib means lying. The Prophet taught that truthfulness leads to righteousness and Paradise, whereas persistent falsehood leads toward wickedness and punishment, as reported in Sahih al-Bukhari 6094.

Ghibah means mentioning a fellow Muslim in a way they would dislike, even if the statement is true. If the claim is false, it becomes buhtan, a slander. This distinction is explained in Sahih Muslim 2589. Quran 49:12 strongly forbids backbiting and then reminds believers that Allah accepts repentance.

Namimah means carrying people’s words between them in order to create trouble, damage relationships or spread hostility. Sahih Muslim 105a contains a severe warning against tale-bearing. A believer should stop harmful gossip rather than forwarding it.

Fawahish refers to indecent and grossly immoral acts or speech. Buhtan is a shocking false accusation or slander. Ma‘asi means acts of disobedience generally. By mentioning them together, the learner asks Allah to purify belief, speech, private behaviour and public conduct.

Bid‘ah in this educational text refers to introducing religious practices as acts of worship without valid evidence. Detailed rulings and scholarly classifications should be learned from qualified scholars. Students should not use the word as a weapon in ordinary disagreements or assume that every new worldly tool is a religious innovation.

Renewing Submission And The Shahadah

“Wa aslamtu”—and I submit—means willingly accepting Allah as Lord and obeying His guidance. The Kalima then ends with:

لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ، مُحَمَّدٌ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ

La ilaha illallah means that none has the right to be worshipped except Allah. Muhammadur Rasulullah affirms that Muhammad ﷺ is Allah’s Messenger. Love for the Prophet ﷺ includes believing his message, following his authentic Sunnah and avoiding claims about him without evidence.

This ending connects repentance with positive commitment. Islam is not only a rejection of falsehood; it is a life of worship, truthfulness, mercy, justice and obedience to Allah.

Pronunciation Guide

Recite slowly and learn phrase by phrase before joining the entire text:

1. Allahumma inni a‘udhu bika: keep the doubled n in “inni” clear. The letter ‘ayn in a‘udhu comes from the middle throat and should not disappear.

2. An ushrika bika shay’an: pronounce the sh sound clearly. The final Tanween in shay’an produces a short “an” sound when continuing.

3. Wa ana a‘lamu bihi: do not turn a‘lamu into “alamu”; preserve the ‘ayn.

4. Wa astaghfiruka: ghayn is a deep throat sound, different from a simple g or kh sound.

5. Tabarra’tu: the doubled r has emphasis, and the hamzah before tu should remain audible.

6. Wal-ghibati wal-bid‘ati: distinguish ghayn in ghibah from the ‘ayn near the end of bid‘ah.

7. Wan-namimati: join the article naturally so that the n is clear and doubled.

8. Wal-fawahishi wal-buhtani: haa in fawahish is the light breathy ه, while haa in buhtan is the stronger ح from the throat.

9. La ilaha illallah: stretch the natural long vowels without rushing and avoid breaking the phrase in a way that obscures its meaning.

Correctness matters more than speed. Listen to a qualified Quran teacher, repeat one line at a time, and ask the teacher to correct the Arabic letters directly.

A Simple Memorisation Method

Divide the Kalima into five sections: seeking refuge from known shirk; asking forgiveness for unknown error; repenting and renouncing named sins; declaring submission; and reciting the Shahadah. Read each section ten times while looking, then five times from memory. Finally, join two sections at a time.

Practise for five to ten minutes daily. Review the meaning before reciting so the words remain connected to sincere intention. Children can use short sections and should never be rushed or embarrassed for pronunciation mistakes.

Common Mistakes To Avoid

Do not claim that the complete compiled wording is one verbatim Sahih Hadith. Cite the authentic opening dua separately and explain the educational nature of the remaining compilation.

Do not recite words of repentance while deliberately planning to continue wrongdoing. Turn the recitation into a practical decision: stop a lie, apologise for harm, leave gossip, return someone’s right or seek trusted guidance.

Do not translate shirk merely as “disbelief.” Shirk specifically concerns associating partners with Allah, while kufr is a broader term.

Do not confuse ghibah and buhtan. Ghibah is an unwelcome true statement about someone; buhtan is a false accusation. Both are forbidden, and slander adds a lie to the harm.

Do not use the lesson to police everyone else. Begin with personal belief, intentions, speech and conduct.

How To Apply This Kalima Daily

Recite the authentic opening dua regularly, particularly when reviewing intentions, doing public good deeds or feeling concerned about showing off. The longer educational text may be used as a structured personal reminder of sins to avoid.

Before sleeping, briefly review the day: Were prayers protected? Was anyone harmed by words? Was a promise broken? Did praise from people become more important than Allah’s acceptance? Ask forgiveness, decide on one repair, and begin again.

If you shared gossip, stop its spread and do not repeat it. If you lied, correct the false impression where doing so will not create a greater lawful harm. If you wronged someone financially, return the right. Repentance becomes stronger when followed by concrete change.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the complete Sixth Kalima a single Hadith?

No. The full Radde Kufr wording is a traditional teaching compilation. Its opening prayer seeking refuge from known shirk and forgiveness for unknown shirk has an authentic basis. The other themes are supported generally by the Quran and Sunnah.

Can I recite only the authentic opening dua?

Yes. It is a concise and valuable supplication. Learning the longer classroom version is also permissible as a general dua when its meaning is sound and its status is explained accurately.

Does saying these words erase every sin automatically?

Forgiveness is sought from Allah, but sincere repentance includes regret, leaving the sin, intending not to return and restoring people’s rights when applicable. Words should express a truthful return to Allah.

What if I make a pronunciation mistake?

Continue learning patiently. Break the text into small phrases and practise with a qualified teacher. Do not let embarrassment stop you from improving.

Why does the Kalima mention sins of the tongue?

Lying, backbiting, tale-bearing and slander can destroy trust and harm people. The list reminds a believer that sound faith must appear in responsible speech and good character.

The Six Kalimas Teaching Framework

The numbered Six Kalimas are a beneficial memorisation framework used by many Muslim communities. They gather declarations, dhikr and supplications to teach foundational beliefs. They are not a numbered chapter of six formulas found together in one Quranic passage or one Hadith collection. Each wording should therefore be connected to its evidence with care.

The Sixth Kalima concludes this framework with protection, repentance and renewed submission. Its best result is not only successful memorisation, but a heart that guards Tawhid, a tongue that avoids harming others, and a life that repeatedly returns to Allah.

References

Hisn al-Muslim 203, citing Musnad Ahmad 4/403 and authentication references for the supplication against hidden shirk.

Quran 31:13 — Shirk is a tremendous wrong.

Quran 4:48 — The seriousness of dying upon shirk without repentance.

Quran 39:53–54 — Do not despair of Allah’s mercy; return and submit to Him.

Quran 66:8 — The command to make sincere repentance.

Quran 49:12 — The prohibition of spying and backbiting.

Sahih al-Bukhari 6094 — Truthfulness leads to righteousness and persistent lying leads to wickedness.

Sahih Muslim 2589 — The definitions of backbiting and slander.

Sahih Muslim 105a — The severe warning concerning tale-bearing.