Translated by: Busari Abdulhakeem Tunde
Ash-shaykh al-'alaamah Saalih al-Fawzaan May Allah guard and preserve him said:
Seven (7) conditions are necessary for the testimony of: 'La ilaha illal-Lah (There is none worthy of worship except Allah)', it will not benefit its sayer except by their embracing (of all these requirements), and they are outlined below:
First requirement:
Knowledge (Al-Ilm):
In other words, knowledge with its meaning of what negates it (La ilaha illal-Lah) and what makes it valid. It (knowledge) negates ignorance. Allah, the Most High said:
إِلَّا مَنْ شَهِدَ بِالْحَقِّ وَهُمْ يَعْلَمُونَ
"except those who bear witness to the truth (i.e. believed in the Oneness of Allah, and obeyed His Orders), and they know (the facts about the Oneness of Allah)". - Az-Zukhruf: 86
That is: (who bear witness) with'La ilaha illal-Lah', (and they know) what their tongues have testified to with their heart. If they say it without understanding its meaning it will not benefit them: because they do not believe what it (La ilaha illal-Lah) denotes.
Second requirement:
Certainty (Al-Yaqeen):
The sayer (of La ilaha illal-Lah) must be certain of what it (La ilaha illal-Lah) attests to. And if he is a doubter of what it (La ilaha illal-Lah) is attesting to then it will not benefit him. Allah the Most High s!d:
إِنَّمَا الْمُؤْمِنُونَ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا بِاللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ ثُمَّ لَمْ يَرْتَابُوا
"Only those are the believers who have believed in Allah and His messenger, and afterward do not doubt" - Al-Hujurat: 15
He is a disbeliever if he doubt. The messenger of Allah said on the authority of Abu Hurayrah:
"Whoever you meet behind this wall that proclaims that there is no other god worthy of worship except Allah with certainty in his heart, give him the glad tiding of paradise" - Muslim
And whoever does not proclaim with certainty in his heart doesn't deserve to enter paradise.
Third requirement:
Acceptance (Al-Qabuul):
The acceptance that these words (La ilaha illal-Lah) demands the worship of Allah alone while neglecting associating others with him in worship. Whoever says it (La ilaha illal-Lah) and does not accept or adhere to it is from those who Allah said regarding:
إِنَّهُمْ كَانُوا إِذَا قِيلَ لَهُمْ لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ يَسْتَكْبِرُونَ * وَيَقُولُونَ أَئِنَّا لَتَارِكُو آلِهَتِنَا لِشَاعِرٍ مَجْنُونٍ
"Truly, when it was said to them:La ilaha illal-Lah "(none has the right to be worshipped but Allah)," they puffed themselves up with pride (i.e. denied it). And (they) said: Are we going to abandon our aalihah (gods) for the sake of a mad poet?" - As-Saaffat: 35-36
And today, this is the state of the grave worshippers: indeed they are saying: (La ilaha illal-Lah) and (they) do not leave the worshipping of the grave and are not from the accepter ofLa ilaha illal-Lah.
The fourth requirements:
Submission (Al-Inqiyaad)
Submitting to what it (La ilaha illal-Lah) denotes. The Most High said:
وَمَنْ يُسْلِمْ وَجْهَهُ إِلَى اللَّهِ وَهُوَ مُحْسِنٌ فَقَدِ اسْتَمْسَكَ بِالْعُرْوَةِ الْوُثْقَىٰ
"And whoever submits his face (himself) to Allah while he is a good doer (performing good deeds only for Allah's sake) then he has grasped the most trustworthy hand-hold" - Luqman: 22
The most trustworthy hand-hold (is): La ilaha illal-Lah: and the meaning of "submit his face": he surrenders to Allah with sincerity.
The fifth requirement:
Truthfulness (As-Sidq)
Truthfulness: He (believer) should say the kalimah (La ilaha illal-Lah) with sincerity in his heart, if he only say it with his tongue and is not sincere with his heart he has become an hypocrite and a liar.
The Most High said:
وَمِنَ النَّاسِ مَنْ يَقُولُ آمَنَّا بِاللَّهِ وَبِالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ وَمَا هُمْ بِمُؤْمِنِينَ * يُخَادِعُونَ اللَّهَ وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَمَا يَخْدَعُونَ إِلَّا أَنْفُسَهُمْ وَمَا يَشْعُرُونَ * فِي قُلُوبِهِمْ مَرَضٌ فَزَادَهُمُ اللَّهُ مَرَضًا ۖ وَلَهُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ بِمَا كَانُوا يَكْذِبُونَ
"And of mankind, there are some (hypocrites) who say: "we believe in Allah and the last day" while infact they believe not. They (think to) deceive Allah and those who believe, while they only deceive themselves, and perceive (it) not! In their hearts is a disease (of doubt and hypocrisy) and Allah has increased their disease. A painful torment is theirs because they used to tell lies." - Al-Baqarah: 8-10
The sixth requirement:
Sincerity (Al-Ikhlaas)
Sincerity: It is the clarification of actions from all forms of shirk: That he (believer) should not intend greediness from the greed of this world, ar-riyaa' (duplicity) with his deeds, and prestige with his saying. For what is in the saheeh Hadith from 'Itbaan's hadeeth, he (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said:
"Verily, Allah has forbidden the fire (hell) for whoever say "La ilaha illal-Lah" (none has the right to be worshipped but Allah) craving (only) the face of Allah by that" - Bukhaari and Muslim
The seventh requirement:
Love (Al-Mahabah)
Loving this word (La ilaha illal-Lah), what it denotes and its people who work with its requirements.
The Most High said:
وَمِنَ النَّاسِ مَنْ يَتَّخِذُ مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ أَنْدَادًا يُحِبُّونَهُمْ كَحُبِّ اللَّهِ ۖ وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا أَشَدُّ حُبًّا لِلَّهِ
"And of mankind are some who take (for worship) others besides Allah as rivals (to Allah). They love them as they love Allah. But those who believe, love Allah more (than anything else)." - Al-Baqarah: 165
The people of (La ilaha illal-Lah), they love Allah with a sincere love, and the people of shirk, they love Him but also love others than Him and this is negating the requirements of La ilaha illal-Lah.
Source: 'Aqeedatut-Tawheed, pp:42-45
