An eBook About "شروط لا إله إلا الله The Conditions Of Lā-Ilāha-Ilallāh" :The testimony of faith (Shahādah). Part One

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Foreword

Indeed all praise is due to Allāh (swt) whom we praise, seek help from and guidance. We seek refuge in Allāh (swt) from the evil of ourselves and the evil of our actions. Whosoever Allāh (swt) guides none can misguide and whosoever He (swt) misguides and leaves to be misguided none can guide. And I bear witness that there is no god but Allāh (swt); He is alone without any partners. And I bear witness that the Prophet Muhammad (saw) was His servant and messenger.

Allāh (swt) says in the Qurān,

يا أيها الذين آمنوا اتقوا الله حق تُقاته ولا تموتنَّ إلا وأنتم مسلمون

“O you who believe! Fear Allāh as He should be feared, and die not except in a state of Islām.”[1]

And Allāh (swt) says,

يا أيها الناس اتقوا ربكم الذي خلقكم من نفسٍ واحدةٍ وخلق منها زوجها وبثَّ منهما رجالاً كثيراً ونساءً واتقوا الله الذي تساءلون به والأرحام إن الله كان عليكم رقيباً

“O mankind! Fear your Lord, who created you from a single person, created of like nature His mate, and from them scattered (like seeds) countless men and women; Fear Allāh, through whom you demand your mutual (rights), and (reverence) the wombs (That bore you): for Allāh ever watches over you.”[2]

And He (swt) also says,

يا أيها الذين آمنوا اتقوا الله وقولوا قولاً سديداً . يُصلح لكم أعمالكم ويغفر لكم ذنوبكم ومن يُطع الله ورسوله فقد فاز فوزاً عظيماً

“O you who believe! Fear Allāh, and (always) say a word directed to the Right: That He may make your conduct whole and sound and forgive you your sins: He that obeys Allāh and His Messenger, has already attained the highest achievement.”[3]

To proceed. Indeed the most truthful of speech is the Book of Allāh (swt) and the best of guidance is that of the Prophet Muhammad (saw). The most evil of affairs are the newly invented matters of which all newly invented matters are innovations (bid’ah). Each and every innovation is misguidance and every misguidance leads to the fire.

The most great and honourable testimony which Allāh (swt) revealed to the prophets and messengers from the time of Ādam (as) to the Prophet Muhammad (saw) is the testimony of Tawhīd that, there is no God but Allāh. It is the greatest statement that mankind has pronounced since the time Allāh (swt) created Ādam (as) until this day today and will continue as such until the end of time.

It is the best form of making Dhikr (remembrance) and for its purpose did Allāh (swt) create all creation, sent the prophets and revealed the Divine books. For its purpose did Allāh (swt) beautify the paradise and stoke the flames of the fire. For its purpose Allāh (swt) legislated Jihād, fighting and killing, peace and war, al-Walā’ (affection for believers) and al-Barā’ (aversion to disbelievers). For its purpose do the battalions of Jihād and liberation go forth and fight.

It is the ultimate goal which makes other benefits and interests insignificant in comparison. Such a statement affords protection for the one who says it in this life and may prevent spillage of blood when doubtful matters arise.

It is a testimony which will be the foundation to direct people to enter either the Heavens or the Hellfire. Whoever fulfils its rights and duties truthfully and sincerely will enter paradise. And whoever rejects it, opposes it and does not fulfil its conditions will enter the fire and will be deserved of its punishment.

It is a testimony that will benefit and aid the proclaimer irrespective of the actions of disobedience he may have performed (as long as they are less than Shirk). Conversely, if a person does not attest to the Shahādah but performs good deeds equivalent to the extent of the heavens and the earth, these will not be of benefit to him one iota.

It is such a great testimony that if one were to place the heavens and earth on one side of a scale and the testimony that there is no god but Allāh on the other, it would outweigh them all. As we find such in the statement of Nuh (as) when he was upon his deathbed bequesting his son saying,

آمرك بلا إله إلا الله؛ فإن السماوات السبع والأرضين السبع لو وضعت في كفة، ووضعت لا إله إلا الله في كفة لرجحت بهنَّ، ولو أن السماوات السبع والأراضين السبع كنَّ حلقة مبهمةً لقصمتهنَّ لا إله إلا الله

“I command you to say, ‘There is no god but Allāh.’ For if the seven heavens and the seven earths were placed on one side of a scale, and the testimony that there is no god but Allāh on the other, it would surely outweigh them. And if the seven heavens and the seven earths were a single dark ring, they would be divided by ‘there is no god but Allāh.’”[4]

Unfortunately, throughout history and even in this day and age, such a testimony has been attacked and its meaning has been twisted and given false interpretations by many deviant groups and the people of hawa (desires). From the disbelieving secularists, the Sūfīs, the people of Irjā’ and the followers of Jahm bin Safwān many have tried to claim the testimony for themselves. Even the modern day so-called Salafies who have made themselves the foot soldiers of the Tawaghīt defending the criminal rulers over our countries, have played a role in changing and twisting the true meaning of the Shahādah.

By their plots and plans and false interpretations, they wish to empty the meaning of the Shahādah from what was intended by it. They wish for us to deal with it as if it is merely letters and words we fire off upon our tongues when making Dhikr with prayer beads in the corner of the mosque; devoid of any outward change in a person’s life, or effect on one’s heart.

They do not deal with the Shahādah the way it was intended to be, a methodology for one’s whole life, a complete system and way to change for the better, to change society from the darkness of Shirk into the brightness and guidance of Tawhīd, from the oppression of Jāhiliyah (days of ignorance) to the justice of Islām, and from the worship of creation, irrespective of its types and categories, to the worship of Allāh (swt) alone without any partners.

They have devoided the Shahādah from its reality and the purpose it was revealed for making it appear to the people as the mere mentioning of cold words which benefit the person only when it is recited or mentioned having no effect either upon their reality or upon their works or their lives. They say, ‘Say the Shahādah once in your life and you can do as you wish after that’. Say it once and you will be from the people of success and Īmān (belief) in this life and the Hereafter even if you do not perform the pillars of the Dīn and their obligations. Say it once and worship after that whatever you wish from the different gods, idols and sinful Tawaghīt!![5]

As long as you have said the Shahādah even once in your lifetime, it will remain for you a protection and prevention against Takfīr (being excommunicated from the religion) and from entering Hellfire; and you will be protected from anyone doubting your Dīn or Īmān irrespective of how grave your actions may be.

This is how they advise and teach the people causing destruction and negative consequences upon their life, worship and religion. However, the reality of such an understanding of the Shahādah, is that the people are in one valley and the Dīn is in another. Unfortunately, by the deceptive permission of the modern day Murjiah, the people think that they are doing good deeds.

What they understand from the Dīn and from Tawhīd is the mere pronunciation of words and speech of which they do not know its conditions, meanings or duties and it has no bearing upon their lives or actions.

When the matter becomes so easy and simple as mentioned above, and there is a lack of care and respect towards it, we find that each and every person will come forth and pronounce the Shahādah without due caution when it is requested of them. Such that we find the ruling Tawaghīt saying it, the Zanādiqa (apostates) saying it, the secularists saying it, the idol worshippers saying it, even the atheistic Communists pronouncing it. In fact there is no one from amongst the Kuffār or Fujār (sinful evil-doers) except that we may find them stating the Shahādah. Indeed when two from the evil-doers are found disputing, one will say to the other in order to silence him, “Wahid Allāh” – ‘Say there is no god but Allāh’ meaning keep silent and stop arguing!! This is unfortunately how people treat the Shahādah and the word of Tawhīd except those whom Allāh (swt) have favoured.

Each and every one of these people believe that they are the true Muslim believers and are from the people of Jannah as they have been made to believe so by the Murjiah and followers of Jahm bin Safwān. No one is allowed to ever question the correctness of their belief or of their Islām, or even accuse them of disbelief. And anyone who proceeds in such a vein is from the Khawārij or from those who have become excessive in making Takfīr!!

They build such understandings upon texts and evidences which are in reality not proofs for their case but actually are proof against them. They place these texts outside of their subject matter and in arenas which they were not revealed for, and they give them meanings and false explanations which take them away from the true meanings which was intended by Allāh (swt).

An example of an evidence which they use their sick desires to sway to their understanding is when the Prophet (saw) said,

من قال لا إله إلا الله دخل الحنة
“Whoever says there is no god but Allāh (swt) will enter paradise”[6]

Subsequently, they claim that if you simple say the Shahādah and do naught else, then you will enter Jannah and they claim that this is what the Prophet (saw) taught us and intended by this. Another example which they may use is the Hadīth of the Bitāqa (card) which is a Sahīh (correct) hadīth narrated by the Prophet (saw) when he said,

إن الله سيخلص رجلاً من أمتي على رؤوس الخلائق يوم القيامة، فينشر عليه تسعةً وتسعين سجلاً، كل سجلٍّ مثل مد البصر ثم يقول: أتنكر من هذا شيئاً ؟ أظلمك كتبتي الحافظون ؟ يقول: لا يا رب، فيقول: أفلك عذر ؟ فيقول: لا يا رب، فيقول: بلى إن لك عندنا حسنة وإنه لا ظلم عليك اليوم، فيُخرج بطاقة فيها أشهد أن لا إله إلا الله وأشهد أن محمداً عبده ورسوله، فيقول: احضر وزنك، فيقول: يا رب ما هذه البطاقة، وما هذه السجلات ؟! فقال: فإنك لا تُظلم . قال: فتوضع السجلات في كفة والبطاقة في كفة فطاشت السجلات وثقلت البطاقة، ولا يثقل مع اسم الله شيء

“Allāh (swt) will summon one person in front of all His creation in the Day of Judgement. Ninety-nine of his records will be unfolded, each ranging as far as the eye can see. It will be said to him, ‘Do you deny any of these deeds? Did my recorders do any injustice to you?’ The man will reply, ‘No my Lord.’ Then he will be asked, ‘Do you have any excuse (i.e. any good deeds)?’ He will reply, ‘No my Lord.’ It will be said to him, ‘Indeed you do have good deeds! And today no injustice will befall you!’ A card will then be brought to him upon it transcribed, ‘I bear witness that there is no god but Allāh (swt) and that Muhammad (saw) is His messenger and servant.’ He will ask, ‘O my Lord! What is this card? What are these deeds?’ It will be said to him again that he will not be oppressed. The ninety-nine deeds will be placed on one side of the scales and the card on the other, and the card with the Shahādah on it will outweigh the records. And there is nothing that is weightier than the Name of Allāh (swt).”[7]

Using such evidences, the modern day Murjiah claim the correctness of their understanding and their methodology and attest to the fallacy of those who oppose them. I state that such evidences are not proof for the correctness of their methodology but rather are proof against them as you the reader Inshā’Allāh will discover in this work.

Before we begin speaking about the conditions of the Shahādah, we must make mention of a few necessary introductory principles to dispel some of the doubts and uncertainties which the Murjiah amongst others expound. Inshā’Allāh this will clarify the matter to the reader and will serve as additional knowledge in relation to the subject matter at hand, that being the conditions of the Shahādah.

We ask Allāh (swt) acceptance and success in our task.

[1] Surah ale-Imrān 3:102
[2] Surah an-Nisa 4:1
[3] Surah al-Ahzāb 33:70-71
[4] Sahīh Adāb al-Mufrād, Hadīth No.426
[5] We will be using the terms Tāghūt and Tawaghīt in numerous places in our article. However, what does this term mean and what is the correct understanding of the term? There are some scholars today who state that Tāghūt only refers to the Shaytān and nothing else. Is such as a statement correct? The definition of Tāghūt which the Ulemā’ of the Salaf mention is as follows, ‘anything that is made an object for the Ibadāt (acts of worship) and is pleased with it is a Tāghūt’. Ibadāt here includes making du’a (petition), performing rukū’ or Sujūd (prostration) and commanding and forbidding. This definition is wide and includes animals, stones, shayateen (devils), trees and men. In the definition we mentioned’…and is pleased with it…’ this is to exclude the Prophets and messengers of Allāh some of whom such as Isa (as) and Musa (as) have been taken in worship besides Allāh (swt). We know that these Prophets (as) did not call for the people to worship them, rather they only called the people to the real Tawhīd and to worship Allāh (swt) alone. Consequently, the Prophets (saw) cannot be called Tawaghīt as they are not pleased with being worshipped.
[6] Narrated by Tabarāni, Ibn Hibbān amongst others.
[7] Sunan Tirmidhi, Hadīth No. 2127

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