The 7th Lesson from the Book of Tawheed: Understanding the True Meaning of “Laa Ilaaha Illaa Allaah

The True Meaning of “Laa Ilaaha Illaa Allaah” and Its Importance in Tawheed

7th Lesson from the Book of Tawheed by Shaykhul-Islaam Muhammad bin Abdil-Wahhaab

بســـم اللــه الرحــمــن الـرحـــيــم

From the commentary on the Book of Tawheed by Shaykhul-Islaam Muhammad bin Abdil-Wahhaab may Allaah have mercy on him, 7th, Lesson

By Shaykh, the ‘Allāmah, the Trustworthy Advisor, Abu ‘Abdirrahmān Yahya bin ‘Ali Al-Hajūri – may Allāh preserve him – on the 17th, Jumaadah Al-Oulaa, 1443H

And in the Sahih on the authority of the Prophet ﷺ that he said: 

من قال لا إله إلا الله وكفر بما يُعبد من دون الله، حرم ماله ودمه، وحسابه على الله

"Whoever says 'Laa ilaaha illaa Allaah' and disbelieves in that which is worshipped besides Allaah, then his wealth and blood become prohibited, and his reckoning is with Allaah." 

And the explanation of this chapter: Is what is after it of chapters. In it are the most greatest of Masaa’il and the most important, and it’s the explanation of Tawheed, and the explanation of Ash-Shahaadah; and it clarifies it with clear cut affairs.

And from it: Is the verse in Al-Israa’, it clarifies in it a refutation against the Mushrikeen who call upon the righteous, so in it is a clarification that this is Major Shirk.

And from it: Is the verse of Al-Baraa’ah, it clarifies in it that the people of the Book took their priests and Rabbis as Lords beside Allaah, and it clarifies that they were not ordered except to worship One Ilaah (God – Allaah), along with the explanation which has no ambiguity to it in it: It was their obeying their scholars and devout worshippers in disobedience (to Allaah’s laws/commandments), not them calling upon them.

And from it: The statement of Al-Khaleel ﷺ to the Kuffaar: 

(وَإِذْ قَالَ إِبْرَٰهِيمُ لِأَبِيهِ وَقَوْمِهِۦٓ إِنَّنِى بَرَآءٌ مِّمَّا تَعْبُدُونَ إِلَّا ٱلَّذِى فَطَرَنِى فَإِنَّهُۥ سَيَهْدِينِ)

"And (remember) when Ibrahim (Abraham) said to his father and his people: "Verily, I am innocent of what you worship, Except Him (i.e. I worship none but Allah Alone) Who did create me, and verily, He will guide me."

[Az-Zukhruf: 26-27]

So he made his Lord an exception to those worshipped. And Allaah mentioned that this freeing oneself and love and association is: The explanation of the Shahaadah 'Laa ilaaha illaa Allaah'; so He said: 

(وَجَعَلَهَا كَلِمَةًۢ بَاقِيَةً فِى عَقِبِهِۦ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَرْجِعُونَ) 

"And he made it a Word lasting among his offspring, that they may turn back."

[Az-Zukhruf: 28]

And from it: The verse of Al-Baqarah concerning the Kuffaar whom Allaah said concerning them:

(وَمَا هُم بِخَٰرِجِينَ مِنَ ٱلنَّارِ)

"And they will never get out of the Fire."

[Al-Baqarah: 167]

He mentioned that they love their idols like they love Allaah; so this points towards that they love Allaah a great loving, but it didn’t enter them into Islaam. So how about one who loves the idol more than they love Allaah? And how about the one who only loves the idol and doesn’t love Allaah?

And from it is the statement of the Prophet ﷺ: "Whoever says 'Laa ilaaha illaa Allaah' and disbelieves in that which is worshipped besides Allaah, then his wealth and blood become prohibited, and his reckoning is with Allaah." 

And this is from the most greatest of what clarifies the meaning of ‘Laa ilaaha illaa Allaah’, for indeed it was not (just) the uttering of it that made the wealth and the blood protected, rather not evening understanding its meaning with its wording, rather not even affirming that, rather not even it being that he doesn’t call except Allaah alone not associating partners with him, rather his wealth and blood is not sacred until he attaches to that disbelieving in everything that is worshipped besides Allaah; for if he has doubt or takes a middle-stance his blood and wealth are not forbidden. 

So what a Mas’alah, how great it is, and how magnifying! And what a clarification, how clear it is! And a proof, how decisive it is against the disputant!

#Tawheed #Shirk #IslamicReminder