Class 3
CONDITIONS OF LA ILAAHA ILL ALLAH
Every Muslim knows that the Key to Paradise is the statement, "La Ilaah Ill Allah - There is none worthy of worship except Allaah." Yet too many Muslims simply rely upon this statement and believe that as long as they have made this statement, nothing will harm them. They think they will be granted Paradise because of this mere verbal statement of the Shahadah. There is no question that the mere saying of," I bear witness that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah and I bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and messenger," is not sufficient for salvation. In fact, the hypocrites used to make this statement quite often yet Allaah describes them as liars and says that they shall abide in the lowest abyss of the Hell-fire.
As many scholars state, though, this statement or testimony is the key to Paradise. They say "Yes, it is the key but every key has ridges. If you come with the key that has the right ridges, the door will open for you. Yet if you do not have the right ridges the door will not open for you."
That is, the statement must meet certain conditions. These conditions are what will differentiate the person who will benefit from his making of that statement from the one who will not benefit from that statement, no matter how many times a day he may have made that statement.
Before discussing the conditions of the Shahadah, there is one more point that I feel compelled to make. That is, some people have a tendency to take one Hadith or one verse and then based on that one text, they will make some conclusion that, for example, whoever simply says," La Illaaha Ill Allah," will enter Paradise. But, actually, we should all realise that all of the Qur'aan and Hadith complement each other and explain one another. To find the correct position on any one question, one must bring together all of the related verses and Hadith and see what the true Islaamic position is of that question. The same is true for the conditions of the shahadah.
If we study the verses of the Qur'aan and the Hadith of the Prophet ﷺ, we will find that the conditions of the shahadah are seven, eight or nine in number depending on how we look at them. It is important that all of us make sure that we are meeting these conditions in our own lives and in our own testimony of faith. We must do our best to satisfy these conditions before it is too late and our testimony will be of no avail whatsoever. It is not simply for the sake of teaching these conditions, indeed there is no benefit to that. But it is, instead, for all of us to look to ourselves and to make sure that we are actually meeting these conditions so that, by Allaah's mercy, the doors to Paradise will be open for us by our key of “La Ilaaha Alla Allaah”.
The conditions of La ilaha illallah and its meaning:
The conditions of La ilaha illallah are the ridges of this key, and they are: -
Al-`Ilm (Knowledge of the meaning of the shahadah, its negation and affirmation)
Al-Yaqeen (Certainty – perfect knowledge of it that counter-acts suspicion and doubt)
Al-Qubool (Acceptance that contradicts rejection).
Al-Inqiad (Submission to its rightful requirements, which are the duties that must be performed with sincerity to Allah (alone) seeking His pleasure)
Al-Sidq (Truthfulness that permits neither falsehood nor hypocrisy)
Al-Ikhlaas (Sincerity which negates shirk)
Al-Mahabbah (Love of the shahadah and its meaning, and being happy with it)
KNOWLEDGE (Al Ilm)
That is, one must have the basic and general knowledge of what is meant by the shahadah. One must understand what the shahadah is affirming and what the shahadah is denying. Allaah says in the Qur'aan,
"So know (O Muhammad ) that La ilaha ill-Allah (none has the right to be worshipped but Allah), and ask forgiveness for your sin..." (Muhammad : 19).
Similarly, the Prophet ﷺ said, "Whoever dies knowing that there is no one worthy of worship except Allaah shall enter Paradise." (Recorded by Muslim). In fact, the shahadah itself is a testimony. When one testifies to something, one must know what it is that he is testifying concerns. Obviously, a testimony about something that one does not have any knowledge about is absolutely unacceptable. Allaah says in the Qur'aan,
"Save him who bears witness unto the truth knowingly" (al-Zukhruf : 86)
Now this condition probably sounds obvious; if someone said to you, "There is no God except Allaah," and then said that what he meant by Allaah was Jesus, you would immediately tell him that this shahadah is nonsense. Yet can you imagine that there is a Muslim country in the world that until recently used to have a yearly week-long celebration to "the Gods of the Sea"! All along they call themselves Muslims and they make the shahadah numerous times a day. This clearly shows that they have no idea what the meaning of their shahadah is. Do you think that this kind of shahadah will open the doors to Paradise for them?
Today, we see Muslims questioning why we cannot be more secular and celebrate pagan festivals or congratulate them for it. If we know and believe that none has the right to be worshipped but Allah then how can we celebrating the worship of other deities?
CERTAINTY (or Al-yaqeen)
This is the opposite of doubt and uncertainty. In Islaam, in fact, any kind of doubt is equivalent to Kufr or disbelief. We must, in our hearts, be absolutely certain of the truth of the shahadah. Our hearts must not be wavering in any way when we testify to the truth of, "There is none worthy of worship except Allaah." Allaah describes the believers in the Qur'aan as those who have belief in Allaah and then their hearts waver not. Allaah says,
"... the (true) believers are those only who believe in Allaah and His messenger and afterward doubt not, but strive with their wealth and their lives for the cause of Allaah. Such are the sincere" (al-Hujuraat : 15)
Similarly, the Messenger of Allaah ﷺ said, "No one meets Allaah with the testimony that there is none worthy of worship but Allaah and I am the Messenger of Allaah, and he has no doubt about that statement, except that he will enter Paradise." (Sahih Muslim) Indeed, Allaah describes the hypocrites as those people whose hearts are wavering.
Many scholars have stated that the diseases of the heart, or the doubt and suspicions that one allows into one's heart, are more dangerous for a person's faith than lusts and desires. This is because lusts and desires may be satisfied at some time yet the person still knows them to be wrong and he may control himself and repent and give up that evil deed. On the other hand, the doubts and suspicions may linger in the heart, with no cure, until the person finally leaves Islaam entirely or continues to practice Islaam while, in fact, in his heart he does not have the true faith. The greatest cure for these doubts is seeking knowledge. It is through sound knowledge of the Qur'aan and the sunnah that most of these doubts will be removed. By study and understanding, one will attain certainty. And as one studies and learns more, his certainty will be made firmer and firmer. The greatest counterforce that can defeat doubts and misconceptions, after the bounty and guidance of Allaah, is sound knowledge and understanding of the religion. When a person has that, he will not be affected by the weak arguments put out by the enemies of Islaam and he will be, Allaah willing, from among those described in the Qur'aan, "It is only those who have knowledge among His slaves that fear Allaah" (Faatir : 28)
ACCEPTANCE (or Al-Qabool)
If a person has knowledge of and certainty in the shahadah, this must be followed by acceptance, with the tongue and heart, of whatever that shahadah implies. Whoever refuses to accept the shahadah and its implications, even if he knows that it is true and certain about its truth, than he risks of being a disbeliever. This refusal to accept is sometimes due to pride, envy or other reasons. In any case, the shahadah is not a true shahadah without its unconditional acceptance. Allaah says in the Qur'aan,
"Do you believe in part of the book and reject part of it? And what is the reward of those who do so save ignominy in the life of the world, and on the Day of Resurrection they will be consigned to the most grievous doom" (al-Baqara : 85).
SUBMISSION and COMPLIANCE (or Al-Inqiyad)
This implies the actual physical enactment with our deeds of our shahadah. In fact, this is one of the main meanings of the word Islaam itself, "the submission to the will and commands of Allaah." This is what Allaah commands in the Qur'aan,
"Turn unto Him repentant, and surrender unto Him" (al-Zumar : 54).
Allaah has praised those who submit to His command by their actions. Allaah says, "Who is better in religion than he who surrenders his purpose to Allaah while doing good" (al-Nisa : 125)
Actually, Allaah has clearly made it a condition of faith that one submits to the command of Allaah and His messenger. Allaah says,
"But nay, by your Lord, they will not truly believe until they make you [the Messenger of Allaah] judge of what is in dispute between them and find within themselves no dislike of which you decide, and submit with full submission" (al-Nisa : 65)
Unfortunately, there are many who claim that there is no relationship between faith and deeds. This incorrect understanding of faith has spread throughout the Muslim world. Indeed, our shahadah or testimony of faith must be implemented or realised in our hearts, tongues and actions. In our hearts, we must have love for Allaah, fear Allaah and hope in Him. With our tongues we must testify to the shahadah. And with our actions, we must implement what the testimony of faith requires from us. Anyone who claims to be a Muslim and yet does no deeds, either does not understand Islaam whatsoever or is bearing testimony against himself that his testimony of faith is not a true and correct testimony of faith.
This does not mean that the true believer never commits a sin. Indeed, true believers do commit sins, but as long as they recognise that what they did is not correct and it is inconsistent with their obligation of submitting to Allaah, then they have not violated the soundness of their testimony or shahadah. But do not forget, they are still sinners. And what is the minimum of submission that is required from a person beyond which there can be no claim to faith? Allah says, “But if they repent [by rejecting Shirk (polytheism) and accept Islamic Monotheism], perform As-Salat (Iqamat As-Salat) and give Zakat, then they are your brethren in religion”. (At-Tawbah 9:11). And the Prophet ﷺ said,
“Between a man and shirk and disbelief there stands his neglect of the prayer.” (Sahih Muslim)
‘The covenant that distinguishes between us and them is the prayer, and whoever neglects it has disbelieved (become a disbeliever).’” (Ahmad, Abu Dawood, Tirmidhi, An-Nisa’ii & Ibn Majah)
So the submitting and then acting upon it is a compulsion.
TRUTHFULNESS (As-Sidq)
As opposed to hypocrisy and dishonesty. This means that when we say the shahadah, we are saying it honestly. We actually mean it. We are not lying when it comes to our testimony of faith. The Prophet ﷺ said, "No one bears testimony to there being no one worth of worship save Allaah, sincerely from his heart, except that Allaah makes the Hell-fire forbidden for him." (Bukhari & Muslim.)
Obviously, the shahadah of those who become Muslims simply to benefit from being Muslim or plan against them and not because they believe in Islaam will be rejected by Allaah in the Hereafter. They will face a painful punishment due to their lying.
SINCERITY (Al-Ikhlaas)
That is, when we make the shahadah, we must do so solely for the sake of Allaah. We must not do it for any other reason. And we must not do it for anyone else's sake. In this manner, the meaning of sincerity is opposite of Shirk or ascribing partners with Allaah. We became and remain Muslims solely for Allaah's sake. Allaah says,
"Worship Allaah, making religion pure for him" (al-Zumar : 2).
"And they are ordained not else than to serve Allaah, keeping religion pure for Him, as men by nature upright and to establish worship and to pay the poor-due. That is true religion" (al-Bayyinah : 5).
And the Prophet ﷺ added, "Allaah has forbidden for the Hell-fire anyone who says, 'There is no one worthy of worship except Allaah,' and say so desiring the face [and pleasure] of Allaah." (Recorded by Muslim).
This is something that we should all think about, especially those of us who grew up in Muslim families and were born Muslim. We should make it very clear to ourselves that we are Muslims only for the sake of Allaah. We are not Muslims for the sake of our parents, friends, family or community. It must be clear in our hearts that we are Muslims for the sake of Allaah first, last and only. One of the signs that we are Muslims for the sake of Allaah is that we do whatever Allaah asks of us, regardless of what anybody else desires or wants from us. That is, in the same way that we are Muslims solely for the sake of Allaah, all of our actions are done for the sake of Allaah. However, sometimes one begins to wonder whether this condition is met by some people. Some people from the Muslim world practice Islaam to the extent that it is pleasing to their families. If there is anything in Islaam that their families do not like-although their families are Muslim and therefore they actually should like all of Islaam- then they do not practice that aspect of Islaam. One common example of that nature is how culture is given preference over deen and its rulings especially during weddings.
LOVE (Al-Mahabbah)
That is, the believer loves this shahadah, he loves in accordance with the shahadah, he loves the implications and requirements of the shahadah and he loves those who act and strive for the sake of this shahadah. This is a necessary condition of the shahadah. If a person makes the shahadah but does not love the shahadah and what it stands for, then, in fact, his faith is not complete. It is not the faith of a true believer. And if he loves something more that this shahadah or if he loves something more than Allaah, then he has negated his shahadah. The true believer, the one meeting the conditions of the shahadah puts no one whatsoever as an equal to Allaah in his love. Allaah says in the Qur'aan,
"Yet of mankind are some who take unto themselves (objects of worship which they set as) rivals to Allaah, loving them with a love like (that which is due to) Allaah only. However, those who believe are stauncher in their love of Allaah" (al-Baqara : 165).
"Say: If your fathers, or your sons, or your brethren, or your wives, or your tribe, or the wealth you have acquired, or merchandise for which you fear that there will be no sale, or dwellings you desire are dearer to you than Allaah and His Messenger and striving in His way: then wait till Allaah brings His command to pass. Allaah guides not wrongdoing folk" (al-Tauba : 24).
The Prophet ﷺ said, "Whoever has three characteristics has tasted the sweetness of faith. [The first of these] is that he loves Allaah and His Messenger more than he loves anyone else ... " (Recorded by al-Bukharee and Muslim.).
This is one of the most important aspects of Islaam yet, for some reason, it is missing from the lives of many Muslims. They act in Islaam as if Islaam were a chore instead of doing things out of the love of Allaah. When Allaah orders us to do something, like bear witness to the faith, we should realise that that thing is pleasing to Allaah and, therefore, out of our love for Allaah, we should be very pleased to do the acts that are pleasing to Allaah. But, as I said, this feeling is missing from many, many Muslims today.
Dear brothers and sisters, these are the conditions of the shahadah. These are the aspects of the shahadah that each and every one of us should look to in ourselves and ask ourselves, "Is my shahadah meeting those requirements? Am I saying it sincerely, honestly and out of love for Allaah? Am I saying it based on what it really means? Am I denying all other false objects of worship?..." These questions we should ask ourselves now before we meet Allaah. Allaah willing, we shall ask ourselves these questions now and we shall find that we have all the right answers for them. Or, if we find we have some deficiency, we shall work to remove that deficiency. Such that, by Allaah's mercy, in the Hereafter, our shahadah will be the key to Paradise for us and the gates of Paradise will swing wide open for us and we will be able to live forever in the bounties of Paradise, with Allaah being pleased with us.
Again, it is not simply a matter of knowing these conditions. Indeed, one can meet many Muslims who have these conditions memorised, yet when one looks to their deeds and behavior, one can see that these conditions have no effect on them. This means, in fact, no matter how well he knows and can rattle off these conditions, he, in fact, is not fulfilling them. In the Hereafter, his knowledge of these conditions will be of no avail to him. Indeed, his knowledge will be a proof against him as he clearly knows what the conditions are that he must satisfy yet he has shown that he is not willing to satisfy them in his life.
TIPS FOR THE TEST
Do not have to memorise the ayahs or hadeeths word for word and their references, but remember their meanings and the msg being given.
Remember the conditions.
ASSIGNMENT
There will be an Assignment Question asked in the Test. Marks will be given based on the following: -
I. Invite atleast 10 people to the course (can invite via WhatsApp, Facebook, Email, telegram or word of mouth) 4 Marks. (check the note below for exceptions)
Note:
Those who have already invited whether on Whatsapp, Email or FB, do not need to invite again.
It does not matter, whether people join or not, our job is to invite.
II. Talk to 5 people (friends or family) about any three topics from the course - (5 Marks)
III. Recite atleast 3 of the Adhkaar at their recommended times as taught in Class 2. (5 Marks)
IV. Pray for the Ummah, pray for the ease of all the poor & oppressed Muslims and Maghfirah of the Muslims who passed away. Pray that Allah make us all strong in imaan and give us the hidayah to work for the aakhirah and to help each other. - 1 Mark
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