Why is the finger raised at the declaration of faith during prayer?

The raised finger affirms what one is saying at that moment, that there is no god but Allah. A single finger stands for the One God.

Towards the end of the prayer, the worshipper sits and recites the declaration of faith. Its heart is the sentence “There is no god but Allah.” It is at exactly these words that Muslims raise their index finger.

Many people know this movement from childhood without always knowing what it means. Yet the meaning is simple. A single finger shows the number one. Without a word, it says what the tongue is saying. God is One, and there is no second beside Him.

In this way the body confirms the word. At that moment speech and gesture say the same thing, and each strengthens the other. The finger is a silent seal on what one is bearing witness to.

The Oneness of God is the centre of Islam. The verses above say so very clearly. Every prayer brings the worshipper back to this one thought, and the raised finger makes it visible.

That is why it is worth understanding the words of the prayer. For someone who knows what they are saying, this small movement becomes a conscious declaration rather than a mere habit.