Shahadah

﷽

This excerpt is the first in the Pillars of Islam Series. By Allāh's permission, it is my hope that we understand the true meaning of the statement لا إله إلا الله محمد رسول الله after reading this excerpt and the following ones in this series. The content of this excerpt is from Shaykh Ibn Baz رَحِمَهُ ٱللَّٰهُ book titled "Explanation of Important Lessons for Every Muslim" explained by Shaykh AbdurRazzaq Al-Badr حفظه الله.

Shaykh Ibn Baz رَحِمَهُ ٱللَّٰهُ said:
[The second lesson is] clarifying the five pillars of Islam, and the first and greatest of them is the testimony that nothing has the right to be worshipped except Allāh and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allāh ( لا إله إلا الله محمد رسول الله the shahādah - lā ilāha ill-Allāh, Muhammad ar-Rasūlullāh). This includes explaining the meaning [of this statement] and clarifying its conditions.

As for the meaning of "nothing has the right to be worshipped," this is the negation of everything worshipped besides Allāh. "Except for Allāh" is the affirmation of the worship of Allāh alone, without partners.

Shaykh AbdurRazzaq Al-Badr حفظه الله explains the above statement as follows:
Islām has pillars that it is baed upon. The pillar is the strongest flank of something, without which it cannot stand. The pillars of Islām are like the columns of a building

البيت لا يبتنى إلا على بأعمدة، ولا أعماد إذا لم ترس أوتاد

The house is not built except upon pillars, and there can be no pillars if it is not anchored by pegs.

Thus the pillars of Islām are its columns and posts, and they are its strongest side which is needed for it to stand.

Islam is submission to Allāh with tawhīd. Whoever refuses to submit to Allāh is arrogant, and whoever submits to other than Allāh along with Him is a pagan. With this it is known that Islām contradicts two affairs: arrogance and polytheism.

Islām is built upon five pillars which were clarified by the Prophet ﷺ in the hadīth of Ibn 'Umar رضي الله عنه‎. He said that the Prophet ﷺ said:

بُنِيَ الإِسْلاَمُ عَلَى خَمْسٍ شَهَادَةِ أَنْ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللَّهُ وَأَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُولُهُ وَإِقَامِ الصَّلاَةِ وَإِيتَاءِ الزَّكَاةِ وَحَجِّ الْبَيْتِ وَصَوْمِ رَمَضَانَ

Islām is built upon five (pillars): the testimony that nothing has the right to be worshipped is except Allāh and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allāh, establishing regular prayer, paying the Zakat, performing the Hajj and fasting the month of Ramadan. [Muslim #16]

These are the five pillars of Islām, and that which it needs to be established. The greatest of these pillars and the highest in status is the testimony that nothing has the right to be worshipped except Allāh and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allāh ﷺ. This is why the Prophet ﷺ mentioned it first in this hadīth. He said, "Islām is built upon five pillars: the testimony that nothing has the right to be worshipped except Allāh and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allāh..." The two testimonies of faith - the testimony of Allāh's Oneness and the testimony for His Prophet being a Messenger - is the greatest pillar of Islām; rather it is the foundation of the religion, and the basis upon which it is built.

"None has the right to be worshipped except Allāh" is the greatest statement, without exception. It is the most virtuous and noblest statement, and it is the best form of remembrance. Our Prophet ﷺ said:

أَفْضَلُ الذِّكْرِ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللَّهُ

The best of remembrance is [saying], "Nothing has the right to be worshipped except Allāh." [Narrated by Jābir ibn Abdullah in Sunan Ibn Majah #3800]

And the Prophet ﷺ said:

خَيْرُ الدُّعَاءِ دُعَاءُ يَوْمِ عَرَفَةَ وَخَيْرُ مَا قُلْتُ أَنَا وَالنَّبِيُّونَ مِنْ قَبْلِي لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللَّهُ وَحْدَهُ لاَ شَرِيكَ لَهُ لَهُ الْمُلْكُ وَلَهُ الْحَمْدُ وَهُوَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ

The best of supplication is the supplication of the Day of `Arafah. And the best of what I and the Prophets before me have said is: None has the right to be worshipped but Allah, Alone, without partner, to Him belongs all that exists, and to Him belongs the Praise, and He is powerful over all things. [Narrated by Amr ibn Shu'aib from his father, from his grandfather, Jamī at-Tirmidhi #3585]

For this reason, Allāh said:

❊وَمَآ أَرْسَلْنَا مِن قَبْلِكَ مِن رَّسُولٍ إِلَّا نُوحِىٓ إِلَيْهِ أَنَّهُۥ لَآ إِلَـٰهَ إِلَّآ أَنَا۠ فَٱعْبُدُونِ ❊

And We sent not before you any messenger except We revealed to him that, "There is no deity except Me, so worship Me. [Sūrah al-Anbiyā' 21:25]

It was the main focus of the da'wah of the messengers, the essence of their message, and the first statement their people heard from them. The first thing they addressed their people with was:

❊ٱعْبُدُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ مَا لَكُم مِّنْ إِلَـٰهٍ غَيْرُهُۥٓ❊

Worship Allāh; You have no deity other than Him. [Sūrah al-A'rāf 7:59]

The Shaykh رَحِمَهُ ٱللَّٰهُ urged that teaching the two testimonies of faith requires explaining their meanings, along with clarifying the conditions of "nothing has the right to be worshipped except Allāh."

As for the meaning of "nothing has the right to be worshipped except Allāh," the Shaykh رَحِمَهُ ٱللَّٰهُ mentioned that "nothing has the right be worshipped" is the negation for everything worshipped besides Allāh, and "except Allāh" is the affirmation for the worship of Allāh alone, without partners.

Thus, it is a statement built upon two great pillars and two strong foundations. There is no tawhīd of Allāh without both of them, the negation and the affirmation. The negation is general, applying to everything that is worshipped other than Allāh, whether it is an inanimate object, an animal, vegetation, or other than that. However, the affirmation is specific, affirming that worship in every sense of the word is only for Allāh alone.

Whoever negates but does not affirm is not a person of tawhīd, and whoever affirms but does not negate is not a person of tawhīd. A person will not be from the people of tawhīd except by negation and affirmation. As Allāh سبحانه و تعالى said:

❊وَقَضَىٰ رَبُّكَ أَلَّا تَعْبُدُوٓا۟ إِلَّآ إِيَّاهُ❊

And your Lord has decreed that you worship none but Him [Sūrah al-Isrā' 17:23]

And Allāh سبحانه و تعالى said:

❊وَمَآ أُمِرُوٓا۟ إِلَّا لِيَعْبُدُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ مُخْلِصِينَ لَهُ ٱلدِّينَ❊

And they were not commanded except to worship Allāh, [being] sincere to Him in religion. [Sūrah al-Bayyinah 98:5]

And Allāh سبحانه و تعالى said:

❊أَلَا لِلَّهِ ٱلدِّينُ ٱلْخَالِصُ❊

Surely the religion (i.e. the worship and the obedience) is for Allâh only [Surah az-Zumar 39:3]

And Allāh سبحانه و تعالى said:

❊وَٱعْبُدُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ وَلَا تُشْرِكُوا۟ بِهِۦ شَيْـًۭٔا❊

Worship Allāh and associate nothing with Him [Sūrah an-Nisā' 4:36]

And Allāh said, narrating the statement of His prophet Ibrāhīm عليه السلام:

❊إِنَّنِى بَرَآءٌۭ مِّمَّا تَعْبُدُونَ❊ ٢٦ إِلَّا ٱلَّذِى فَطَرَنِى ❊

"Verily, I am innocent of what you worship, Except for He who created me." [Sūrah az-Zukhruf 43:25-27]

And He said:

❊وَلَقَدْ بَعَثْنَا فِى كُلِّ أُمَّةٍۢ رَّسُولًا أَنِ ٱعْبُدُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ وَٱجْتَنِبُوا۟ ٱلطَّـٰغُوتَ❊

And verily, We have sent among every ummah (community, nation) a Messenger (proclaiming): "Worship Allâh (Alone), and avoid (or keep away from) at-Tâghût (all false deities). [Sūrah an-Nahl 16:36]

And Allah سبحانه و تعالى said:

❊فَمَن يَكْفُرْ بِٱلطَّـٰغُوتِ وَيُؤْمِنۢ بِٱللَّهِ فَقَدِ ٱسْتَمْسَكَ بِٱلْعُرْوَةِ ٱلْوُثْقَىٰ❊

Whoever disbelieves in tāghūt and believes in Allâh, then he has grasped the most trustworthy handhold that will never break. [Sūrah al-Baqarah 2:256]

"The trustworthy handhold" means the statement "nothing has the right to be worshipped except Allāh." Tawhīd is to disbelieve in the tāghūt (all false deities) and to believe in Allāh.

This is the significance of the statement of tawhīd, "Nothing has the right to be worshipped except Allāh." Therefore, it is not a statement which doesn't meaning or significance; rather, is it a statement containing the greatest meaning, the noblest intent, and the most virtuous and greatest goal, which is the tawhīd of Allāh سبحانه و تعالى.

The slave will not be a person of tawhīd except by actualizing that which is indicated by the statement "nothing has the right to be worshipped except Allāh." This includes negating worship for everything other than Allāh سبحانه و تعالى, and affirming worship in every sense of the word for Allāh alone. For this reason, if someone says, "Nothing has the right to be worshipped except Allāh" truthfully, he will not supplicate to anyone other than Allāh, nor will he seek rain or aid from, place his trust in, seek help from, sacrifice an animal to, or vow to anyone other than Allāh. And he will not direct any aspect of worship to anyone other than Allāh alone.

❊لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُۥ ۖ وَبِذَٰلِكَ أُمِرْتُ وَأَنَا۠ أَوَّلُ ٱلْمُسْلِمِينَ❊قُلْ إِنَّ صَلَاتِى وَنُسُكِى وَمَحْيَاىَ وَمَمَاتِى لِلَّهِ رَبِّ ٱلْعَـٰلَمِينَ❊

Say, "Indeed, my prayer, my rites of sacrifice, my living and my dying are for Allāh, Lord of the worlds. He has no partner. And of this I have been commanded, and I am the first of the Muslims. [Sūrāh al-An'ām 8:162-163]

With this, it becomes known that merely saying this statement is not sufficient - rather, it is a must to have knowledge of its meaning and to understand its significance. It is also a must to actualize its purpose and intent of singling out Allāh with oneness and making the religion sincerely for Him.

As for a person saying, "Nothing has the right to be worshipped except Allāh," and then invalidating it by his statements or actions, such as him supplicating to other than Allāh, then his negates the statement "nothing has the right to be worshipped except Allāh." For example, [him saying], "help me, so-and-so!" or, "Send down rain, so-and-so!" or, "I seek refuge in you, so-and-so!" or, "I sacrifice for you, so-and-so!" The statement "nothing has the right to be worshipped except Allāh" only benefits the one who says it while knowing its meaning and who actualizes what it entails, establishes its purpose and intent (which is tawhīd), and makes the religion sincere for Allāh سبحانه و تعالى.

The pagans whom the Messenger of Allāh سبحانه و تعالى was sent to understood the meaning of "nothing has the right to be worshipped except Allāh", but they were too arrogant to say it.

❊وَيَقُولُونَ أَئِنَّا لَتَارِكُوٓا۟ ءَالِهَتِنَا لِشَاعِرٍۢ مَّجْنُونٍۭ❊إِنَّهُمْ كَانُوٓا۟ إِذَا قِيلَ لَهُمْ لَآ إِلَـٰهَ إِلَّا ٱللَّهُ يَسْتَكْبِرُونَ❊

Truly, when it was said to them: Lā ilāha ill-Allāh" (none has the right to be worshipped but Allāh)," they puffed themselves up with pride (i.e. denied it). And (they) said: "Are we going to abandon our ālihah (gods) for the sake of a mad poet?" [Sūrah as-Sāffāt 37:35-36]

They understood that this statement meant they were supposed to leave their gods and that it nullified their worship of other than Allāh. for this reason, they said:

❊أَجَعَلَ ٱلْـَٔالِهَةَ إِلَـٰهًۭا وَٰحِدًا ۖ إِنَّ هَـٰذَا لَشَىْءٌ عُجَابٌۭ❊

"Has he made the ālihah (gods) (all) into One Ilāh (God - Allāh). Verily, this is a curious thing!" [Sūrah Sād 38:5]

They viewed this affair as extremely strange. Then they began to advise each other to be patient upon worshipping their gods:

❊وَٱنطَلَقَ ٱلْمَلَأُ مِنْهُمْ أَنِ ٱمْشُوا۟ وَٱصْبِرُوا۟ عَلَىٰٓ ءَالِهَتِكُمْ ۖ إِنَّ هَـٰذَا لَشَىْءٌۭ يُرَادُ❊

And the leaders among them went about (saying): "Go on, and remain constant to your ālihah (gods)! Verily, this is a thing designed (against you)! [Sūrah Sād 38:6]

They rejoiced among each other for their patience:

❊إِن كَادَ لَيُضِلُّنَا عَنْ ءَالِهَتِنَا لَوْلَآ أَن صَبَرْنَا عَلَيْهَا❊

"He would have nearly misled us from our ālihah (gods), had it not been that we were patient and constant in their worship!" [Sūrah al-Furqān 25:42]

[Meaning], "If we did not adorn ourselves with patience, he was about to lead us astray from worshipping our gods."

Therefore, they understood the meaning of the statement "nothing has the right to be worshipped except Allāh." They knew it meant making worship sincerely for Allāh سبحانه و تعالى and disbelieving in everything that is worshipped besides Him. They understood that is meant the worship of anything besides Allāh is false and that is obligatory to disbelieve in it.

❊فَمَن يَكْفُرْ بِٱلطَّـٰغُوتِ وَيُؤْمِنۢ بِٱللَّهِ فَقَدِ ٱسْتَمْسَكَ بِٱلْعُرْوَةِ ٱلْوُثْقَىٰ❊

Whoever disbelieves in tāghūt and believes in Allâh, then he has grasped the most trustworthy handhold that will never break. [Sūrah al-Baqarah 2:256]

This means to grasp onto the statement "nothing has the right to be worshipped except Allāh."

This is on contrast to the pagans of later days, as they are not too arrogant to pronounce the statement of tawhīd; rather, they repeat it constantly, but they negate it with their statements and actions. They supplicate to the dead in their graves, seeking help and refuge from them, asking them to remove their graves, seeking help and refuge from them, asking them to remove their hardships and fulfill their needs, sacrificing and vowing to them, and other than that. So what will it benefit them to pronounce the shahādah?!

In summary, the statement "nothing has the right to be worshipped except Allāh" will only benefit the person who says it while actualizing what it entails. As the Shaykh said, "It is the negation of everything worshipped besides Allāh, and the affirmation of the worship of Allāh alone, without partners."

So the person supplicates to, seeks aids from, places his trust in, sacrifices to, and vows to only Allāh, and he does not direct any aspect of worship to anyone other than Allāh سبحانه و تعالى.