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The requirements of the declaration of faith (1/5)

It is clear from what has preceded, that the meaning of laa ilaaha illallaah is: None has the right to be worshipped except the One [true] Deity; which is Allaah, alone, without any partner. He alone is the One Who deserves to be worshiped.

Therefore, this great kalimah implies that whatever else is worshiped besides Allaah is not a true deity that deserves to be worshiped; rather, all such deities are false. It is for this reason that many of the commands to worship Allaah are also accompanied by a [command] to negate worship along with Him. Because the worship is not correct if others are worshipped along either Him. Allah the Most High said:

“Worship Allah alone, and do not associate anything else as partners with Him.” [Soorah An-Nisa (4): 36].

Allah, the Most High also said: “Whosoever disbelieves in at-taaghoot and believes in Allaah, has grasped the most trustworthy handhold that never breaks. And Allaah is the All-Hearer, the All-Knower.” [Soorah al-Baqarah 2:256](1)

Allaah the Exalted [also] said: “We sent a Messenger to every nation ordering them to worship Allaah alone, obey Him, and make their worship purely for Him; and that they should avoid everything worshiped besides Allaah.” [Soorah an-Nahl 16:36[.

The Prophet sallallahu alaihi wasallam said: “Whoever says laa ilaaha illallaah and rejects whatever is worshiped besides Allaah, his blood and his wealth become sacred and his account is with Allaah.”(2).

Every Messenger said to his people: “O my people! Worship Allaah alone. You have none other than Him that has the right to be a deity to be worshiped.” ]Soorah aI-A’raaf 7:59[.

And there are evidences other than this. Imaam Ibn Rajab, rahimahullaah, said: “To explain this meaning and to clarify it: When a person says laa ilaaha illallaah, it means, according to him, that none has the right to be deified and worshiped except Allaah. And al-Ilaah is the One Who is obeyed and not disobeyed; due to awe and veneration of Him, and due to love, fear, hope and reliance upon Him; as well as being the One Who is asked from and is supplicated to.

And none of this is correct, except for Allaah the Mighty and Majestic.” (3).

This is why when the Prophet sallallahu alaihi wasallam said to the unbelievers of the Quraysh: Say laa ilaaha illallaah, they retorted: “Has he made all the deities into a single Deity to be worshiped i.e Allaah]. Indeed, this is something very peculiar!” ]Soorah Saad 38:5].

They [the unbelievers] understood that this kalimah rendered false the worship of any and every deity and restricted worship to just Allaah alone, and they did not want this. So it is clear that laa ilaaha illallaah, along with its requirement, implies:

That Allaah alone should be singled out with worship; and that the worship of other than Him should be abandoned. So when a person says laa ilaaha illallaah, he is proclaiming that it is obligatory to single out Allaah alone with worship, and he is [at the same time] denouncing the worship of other than Him, such as [the worship] of idols; [the dead in the] graves; the pious and righteous.

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1) Imaam Ibn-Qayyim rahimahullah, said in I‘laamul-Muwaqqi’een (1/53): “At-Taaghoot is anyone concerning whom a person exceeds the limits, whether it is with regards to someone [who is pleased to be] worshipped, obeyed, or followed.”

2) Reported by Muslim (no.37).

3) Kalimatul-Ikhlaas (p.25).

 Episode 26: The requirements of the declaration of faith (2/5)

The falsehood of those who worship the [dead in the] graves, and the likes, can be seen in that they believe laa ilaaha illallaah merely implies the affirmation that Allaah exists, or that He is the Creator and the One Who has the ability to originate or other similar beliefs; or that it just means judgment and sovereignty (haakimiyyah) belongs solely to Allaah. They think that whoever holds such beliefs and explains laa ilaaha illallaah in this manner, then they have reached the absolute truth of tawheed - even if they do what they do as regards worshipping others along with Allaah, or believe in [directing worship to] the dead; drawing closer to them by offering sacrifices to them; making vows to them; ritually walking around and circumambulating (tawaaf] their graves and seeking Divine blessings (tabarruk) from the earth around them! These people are unaware that even the unbelieving Arabs held these beliefs, and that they acknowledged and affirmed that Allaah was the Creator Who has the ability to originate. They claimed that they worshiped others along with Him because these [other deities] would bring them closer to Allaah; they did not believe that [these deities] were the actual ones who created, or were the providers of sustenance. So [the fact that] judgment belongs solely to Allaah (haakimiyyah) is only a part of the overall meaning of laa ilaaha illallaah, it is not the main implication of it. Thus it is not enough to judge by the Prescribed Laws of Allaah (sharee’ah) in matters concerning rights, prescribed punishments (hudood) and disputes, whilst neglecting the existence of shirk in the very worship of Allaah itself! If the meaning of laa ilaaha illallaah was as these people claimed, then there would have been no dispute between the Messenger sallallahu alaihi wasallam and between the mushrikoon, those who worshiped idols and others along with Allaah. Indeed, if the Messenger sallallahu alaihi wasallam had just asked them to affirm that Allaah is the One Who has the ability to originate and create, or to affirm that Allaah exists, or if he asked them to judge in accordance with Allaah’s Prescribed Laws concerning issues of blood, property and rights - whilst remaining silent about the issue of [singling out Allaah alone with] worship - then they would have hastened in responding to the Messenger sallallahu alaihi wasallam. However, they were a people who understood the Arabic language, and therefore they clearly understood that if they were to say laa ilaaha illallaah, they would be affirming the falsity of worshipping idols and that this kalimah was not a mere phrase devoid of meaning. This is why a group of them said: “Has he made all the deities into a single Deity to be worshiped. Indeed, this is something very peculiar!”   ]Soorah Saad 38:5]. And Allaah said about them: “When it is said to them: Say laa ilaaha illallaah, they puff themselves up with pride. And they say: Are we to abandon our deities that we worship, because of a mad poet?” [Soorat as-Saafaat 37:35-36]. Allaah, and that they would have to single out Allaah alone with worship, and that if they said it and continued worshipping idols then they would be contradicting themselves; so they refrained from this contradiction. However, the present-day grave-worshippers do not refrain from this hideous contradiction. They say laa ilaaha iilallaah yet they contradict it by worshipping the dead and drawing closer to their shrines by directing various acts of worship to them. So woe be to those who have less knowledge concerning the [true] meaning of laa ilaaha illallaah than even Aboo Jahl and Aboo Lahab!  Episode 28: The requirements of the declaration of faith (4/5)

From the requirements of laa ilaaha illallaah is to affirm the Names (asmaa) and Attributes (sifaat) of Allaah; those that He called and described Himself with, or those that His Messenger sallallahu alaihi wasallam called and described Him with. Allaah the Exalted said: “To Allaah belong the most Beautiful Names, so call upon Him by them. And leave those who reject and twist (ilhaad) His Names, they will be requited for what they used to do.” [Soorah al-A’raaf7:180].

It is stated in Fathul-Majeed: “The root meaning of ilhaad in the language of the Arabs implies: Turning away from the objective, swerving away, deviating ... All of the Names of the Lord, the Exalted, are Names and Attributes by which He acquainted His worshippers and which point towards His perfection. Ibn al-Qayyim, rahimahullaah, said: “Ilhaad [of the Divine Names and Attributes] occurs through either: a complete denial and rejection of them; rejecting them by divesting them of their true meanings; distorting them by means of figurative interpretations (ta’weelaat); or by giving the Names of Allaah to His creation, such as the deviation of the people who believe in experiencing union with Allaah (ahlul-ittihaad), for they give these Names to worldly things, whether [they] are praiseworthy or blameworthy. (1)(2)

So whoever commits ilhaad in Allaah’s Names and Attributes, either by divesting them of their correct meaning (ta’teel), by figurative interpretation (ta‘weel) or by out rightly rejecting them (rafd) - as has been done by the Jahmiyyah, the Mu’tazilah and the Ash’arees - have actually contravened what laa ilaaha illallaah signifies. This is because the true deity So whoever commits ilhaad in Allaah’s Names and Attributes, either by divesting them of their correct meaning (ta’teel), by figurative interpretation (ta‘weel) or by out rightly rejecting them (rafd) - as has been done by the Jahmiyyah, the Mu’tazilah and the Ash’arees - have actually contravened what laa ilaaha illallaah signifies. This is because the true deity deserving of worship is He with Whom nearness is sought (yatawassalu) by calling upon Him with His Names and Attributes.

Allaah the Most High said about this: “So call upon Him by them.” (Soorah aI-A’raaf 7:180).

So that which has no names, nor any attributes, then how can it be a deity? How will you call upon that deity? What will you call upon that deity with? (3)

1) Badaa’i’ul-Fawaa’id (1/169).

2) Fathud-Majeed (2/742-743).

3) Imaam as-Sa’dee, rahimahullah, said in al-Qawlus-Sadeed (pp. 161-163), whilst explaining the above verse: “The foundation of tawheed is affirming whatever Allaah affirmed for Himself, or whatever His Messenger affirmed for Him, as regards His beautiful Names; being aware of what they encompass as regards their majestic and beautiful meanings, worshipping Allaah by them and calling upon Him with them. So everything that the worshipper seeks from his Lord - whether regarding his worldly or religious affairs - then he seeks it by calling upon Him with an appropriate Name from amongst the beautiful Names of Allaah.

So whoever calls upon Him requiring provisions and sustenance, should ask Him by His Name ar-Razzaaq (the Provider). Whoever requires mercy and forgiveness [should call upon Him with His Name] ar-Rahmaan (the Most Merciful), ar-Raheem (the Bestower of Mercy), al-Birr (the Most Kind). al-Kareem (the Most Generous), al-Afu (the Pardoner). ul-Glaafoor (the Oft-Forgiving), at-Tawwaab (the One Who accepts repentance). and their like. What is better than this is that calling upon Him by His Names and Attributes is an act of worship providing that the meanings of His beautiful Names are acquired by the hearts, such that hearts are affected by what they signify and are filled with this awareness. So, for example, the Names [signifying] greatness, pride. Magnificence and dread, should fill hearts with awe of Allaah and reverence to Him. The Names [signifying] beauty, goodness, kindness, compassion and munificence should fill the heart with love of Allaah, a yearning for Him, praise of Him and gratitude to Him. The Names [signifying] might, wisdom, knowledge and power should fill the heart with submissiveness to Allaah, fear of Him and humility to Him. The Names that [signify] knowledge, being informed, omnipresence, watchfulness and witnessing, should fill the heart with an awareness that Allah watches over every movement and moment of stillness, and thus makes one guard against having evil thoughts and corrupt intentions. The Names signifying self-sufficiency, richness and beneficence should fill the heart with a realization of being dependant and in great need of Him, turning to Him at all times and under all circumstances”.