By Sheikh Islam Muhammad ibn Abdil Wahhab
The kinds of People who say “La ilaha illAllah”
By Sheikh Islam Muhammad ibn Abdil Wahhab
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
The meaning of the La ilaha illAllah is the word of superiority with the highest of nobility. The person who holds firm to it is safe and the one who seeks protection through it is saved. The Prophet(ﷺ) said: “Whoever says there is absolutely no deity worthy of worship except Allah and rejects everything that is worshipped besides Allah then his wealth and his property are inviolable. It is for Allah to call him to account.”[1] This hadith shows that the Shahadah is a word with importance.
There are 3 types of people with this word-“ La ilaha illAllah”.
1st a group who say it and actualize it. They know it has a meaning, thus they act according to it. There are things that nullify the shahadah, so they stay away from them. The 2nd group of people say it on their tongues and beautify themselves to appear as believers, yet in their hearts is disbelief and doubt. The 3rd group simply say this word and don’t act by it. In fact, they do things that go against it. Allah said:
{الَّذِينَ ضَلَّ سَعْيُهُمْ فِي الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا وَهُمْ يَحْسَبُونَ أَنَّهُمْ يُحْسِنُونَ صُنْعاً}
“Those whose efforts have been wasted in this life while they thought that they were acquiring good by their deeds![2]
The 1st group of people are safe and are the faithful believers. The 2nd group of people are hypocrites and the 3rd group of people are polytheists. “There is absolutely no deity worthy of worship but Allah is a fortress, yet they set up a catapult of denial and throw stones of destruction with it. As a result of that their enemy enters and snatches away the true meaning of the Shahadah and leaves them standing with only an appearance. The prophet (ﷺ) said: “Allah does look at your outward appearance, but instead He looks at your hearts and actions.”[3]
The meaning of this word is snatched away from the 2nd and 3rd category of people. i.e the hypocrites and the polytheists. They are just left stuttering words of an illusion. Like mentioning a fire that doesn’t burn, water that doesn’t drown, food that doesn’t satisfy hunger, and a sword that doesn’t cut. This kind of fortress doesn’t stop an enemy from invading. What is a husk that has no core of fruit? What is an oyster shell without a pearl? What can be done with a husk that lacks fruit?! What is the benefit of an oyster shell that lacks jewelry?!
La ilaha illAllah when acted on according to its meanings is like the soul in the body. When is the soul isn’t present the body is a corpse. Likewise, this word doesn’t benefit when it’s meaning isn’t acted on. The people of knowledge have virtue with the Shahadah. They take it by its form and meaning; thus beautifying their appearance by saying it on their tongues and acting on in their hearts. La ilaha illAllah manifests itself through the sincerity of these scholars. Allah said:
{شَهِدَ اللَّهُ أَنَّهُ لا إِلَهَ إِلَّا هُوَ وَالْمَلائِكَةُ وَأُولُو الْعِلْمِ قَائِماً بِالْقِسْطِ لا إِلَهَ إِلَّا هُوَ الْعَزِيزُ الْحَكِيمُ}
Allah bears witness that La ilaha illa Huwa (none has the right to be worshipped but He), and the angels, and those having knowledge (also give this witness); (He is always) maintaining His creation in Justice. La ilah illa Huwa (none has the right to be worshipped but He), the All-Mighty, the All-Wise.[4]
The scholar who is strayed acts by this word in its essence and not in its meaning. He adorns himself outwardly with faith but inwardly with disbelief. He has faith in things which can’t benefit him ,or harm him. These kind of people have darkness in their hearts. For that reason, Allah hasn’t given them the criterion to distinguish between truth and falsehood. They remain that state on the Day of judgement. Allah said:
{ذَهَبَ اللَّهُ بِنُورِهِمْ وَتَرَكَهُمْ فِي ظُلُمَاتٍ لا يُبْصِرُونَ}
Allah took away their light and left them in darkness. (So) they could not see.[5]
The person who says, “La ilaha illAllah”, worshipping his desires and wealth, then what will he say to his lord of the Day of Resurrection? Allah said:
{أَفَرَأَيْتَ مَنِ اتَّخَذَ إِلَهَهُ هَوَاهُ}
Have you seen him who takes his own lust (vain desires) as his ilah (god),[6]
The Prophet (ﷺ)said: May the worshipper of the Dinar, Dirham and striped silk cloak be miserable. If he is given anything he is satisfied and if not, then he is unsatisfied.[7]
If you say there is absolutely no deity worship on your tongue only then it’s like a barren fruit tree. This makes you a hypocrite. If you say the Shahadah while it dwells in your heart, then this makes you a believer. Beware of being a believer on tongue and not in the heart. You will be summoned by this word on the courtyard on the Day of Judgement. “My Lord I companioned this person for this amount of time, yet he didn’t give me my rights. He didn’t take care of my sanctity properly. This testimony will either be in your favor, or against you on the Day of Judgement.
The scholar of virtue will have the testimony bear witness for him honorably allowing him to enter Jannah. The scholar who is strayed will have this declaration testify candidly on his behalf until he enters the fire. Allah said:
{فَرِيقٌ فِي الْجَنَّةِ وَفَرِيقٌ فِي السَّعِيرِ}
when a party will be in Paradise (those who believed in Allah and followed what Allah’s Messenger brought them) and a party in the blazing Fire (Hell)[8]
The testimony of “ La ilaha illAllah”,is a tree of happiness. When planted within a sprout of truthfulness and is watered with sincerity and tended to with good deeds,and then its roots become firmly planted. After this its leaves turn green that bare numerous fruits that are eaten. Allah said
{تُؤْتِي أُكُلَهَا كُلَّ حِينٍ بِإِذْنِ رَبِّهَا}
Giving its fruit at all times, by the Leave of its Lord[9]
On the other hand, if this tree is planted in a sprout of denial and schisms then is watered with Riya and hypocrisy; and is fertilized with bad deeds and evil speech then the ravine of excuse overflows on it. Then, blasphemy flows beneath it. This causes the tree’s fruit to scatter and its leaves to fall. Following this the tree is uprooted. At that time, storms of filth pour rain tearing it apart.
{وَقَدِمْنَا إِلَى مَا عَمِلُوا مِنْ عَمَلٍ فَجَعَلْنَاهُ هَبَاءً مَنْثُوراً}
And We shall turn to whatever deeds they (disbelievers, polytheists, sinners, etc.) did, and We shall make such deeds as scattered floating particles of dust.[10]
When the Muslim actualizes the Shahadah then it is incumbent upon him to complete the other pillars of Islam. This is similar to hadith. The Prophet (ﷺ) said Islam is built on five pillars: There is absolutely no deity worthy of worship except Allah and Muhammad is Allah’s Messenger, establishing the prayer, paying the Zakah, fasting in Ramadan and performing Hajj ;whoever has the means to do so. Whoever disbelieves then Allah is in no need of anything from Jinn or mankind.[11],[12]
Translated by Abu Aaliyah Abdullah ibn Dwight Battle
Doha,Qatar 1444H©
[1] Muslim 22
[2] Khaf :104
[3] Muslim 2563
[4] Al-Imran:18
[5] Al-Baqarah:17
[6] Al-Jathiyah:23
[7] Al-Bukhari:2887
[8] Ash-Shurah:7
[9] Ibrahim :25
[10] Al-Furqan:23
[11] Al-Bukhari :8
[12] درر السنية vol2/pg 112