Re: Additions to the Kalma Tayyaba
I think either you did not read my post correctly or read it but did not understood correctly. So, let me clarify further (even though you could find same from my earlier post too)
Kalma-e-Tayaba ‘LA ILAHA ILLALLAH MUHAMMAD- AR RASOOL-ALLAH’ (there is no ‘Allah’ but/except ‘The ‘Allah’ and Muhammad is ‘Rasul’ of Allah) is minimum belief requirement of Islam but it is not called ‘Shahadah’. This Kalma is statement but not oath. It is statement for confirmation to ourselves that what we believe (when we recite to ourselves) … something what we can also declare loudly for others to know what we believe too.
As for ‘Kalma-e-Shahadah’, it is to do with giving witness (making Allah witness) to that minimum requirement of beliefs, that is ‘ASHADU AN LA ILAHA ILLALLAH WA ASHADU AN-NA MUHAMMADAN ABDU-HU WA RASOOL-ALLAH’ *. This Kalma is not just a statement but it is an oath. It is door to Islam where we bear witness in front of Allah regarding minimum beliefs of Islam (Kalma-e-Tayaba).
When a non-Muslim becomes Muslim they take this oath (Kalma-e-Shahadah) in front of Allah (other Muslims if present could become witness to this oath). Further, all Muslims regularly take this oath in front of Allah when we do our Salat (pray Namaz). Other thing to remember is that oath is always taken in front of superior body. So, when reciting Kalma-e-Shahadah one should remember that it is an oath that one only takes in front of Allah and no one else. If others are present and one reads Shahadah loudly, they could only become witness to this oath.
So, one should not mix one with another. One is ‘statement’ and other is ‘oath’.*