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The Meaning of L ilha illal-Lh Muhammad raslul-Lh
Imm Muhammad Nsir ud-Dn Al-Albn Imm Muhammad bin Slih al-'Uthaymn And Shaykh Muhammad Sa'd Rasln
Translated by Ysn Abu Ibrhm

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The Meaning of L ilha illal-Lh Muhammad raslul-Lh

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Imm Muhammad Nsir ud-Dn Al-Albn: Many people don't know the reality of these two testimonies. And it is not possible for a disbeliever's Islm to be accepted, except by testifying that L ilha illal-Lh (there is no deity worthy of worship in truth except Allh) and that Muhammad raslul-Lh (Muhammad is the Messenger of Allh). We all know this reality: Islm is that you testify that there is no deity worthy of worship in truth except Allh and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allh. But many Muslims do not know what these two testimonies necessitate. The first one is L ilha illal-Lh and the other is Muhammad raslul-Lh. I want to make my speech this night revolve around the second testimony: and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allh. With a brief clarification of the firs t testimony, which is a must. His (i.e. the Prophet's) statement: I have been commanded to fight the people until they testify L ilha illalLh. This firstly means that there exists no deity worthy of worship in truth except Allh - Blessed and Exalted be He. It means that the Muslim makes his worship sincere for Allh, the Mighty and Majestic, so he does not associate any partners with Allh in the worship of Allh. This requires an extensive study, and we spoke about it more than once. But I wanted to say some brief words about this good statement: That it means that there is no deity worthy of worship in truth except Allh. It does not mean, as some may think, that L ilha means L rabba (no Lord). This is a deficient explanation. al -Ilh means: al-Ma'bd (the one who is worshipped). As for Rabb (Lord), then this could refer to the Creator - Glorified and Exalted be He, The Most-High Who is the Lord of the House, the Lord of all that exists, the Lord of the Mighty Throne, and the likes. And this could also refer to the rabb (owner) of wealth, the owner of a house, and the likes. So the meaning of this good statement L ilha illal-Lh is not only: L rabba illal -Lh (there is no Lord except Allh). No! Rather the meaning is: L ma'bd bi haqq fil-wujd illal-Lh (there exists no deity worthy of worship in truth except Allh). This is why this statement of Tawhd does not benefit a person at all in what is hoped for the one who says it on the day he meets Allh - the Mighty and Majestic from salvation of forever abiding in the Hell-Fire, except if he understood the meaning of Ilh in this testimony, in this good statement. al-Ilh means: al-Ma'bd al-Haqq (the one who is worthy of worship in truth). So he does not worship others besides Allh - Blessed and Exalted be He, the Most-High. This is the meaning of the statement of Tawhd. This is because the polytheists - according to the text in the Noble Qur'n - testified
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The Meaning of L ilha illal-Lh Muhammad raslul-Lh

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that the Creator of the Heavens and the Earths is Allh. He, the Mighty and Majestic, said: "And if you (O Muhammad) ask them: "Who has created the heavens and the earth," they will certainly say: "Allh"." [31:25] So it is not enough for the Muslim to say: Allh is the Creator and the Provider. Even though this is a must (for the Muslim to believe)! But he should also add to his belief that there is no Lord except Allh, no Creator except Allh and no Provider except Allh, [he should add to this] that there exists no deity worthy of worship in truth except Allh - Blessed and Exalted be He, the Most-High. And by this he has fulfilled the right of this good statement. I said previously that I will keep my speech about this good statement brief, because I have dealt with it more than once. I want to devote a small part of this sitting to the second testimony, which is: and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allh. I said that they are two statements. We do not worship except Allh: this is the meaning of L ilha illal-Lh. And the second statement [means]: we do not worship Allh except by that which Allh legislated. So when we worship Allh by that which Allh legislated, only then we have applied and truly believed when we say: L ilha illal-Lh, Muhammad raslul-Lh. But if we expand the scope of 'Ibdah (worship), and we worship Allh - the Mighty and Majestic - by that which our Lord did not legislate in the Qur'n or the Sunnah, then we have not truly believed in the second testimony and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allh. Why? Because our belief that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allh means two things. The first thing: that he is sent as a Messenger from the Lord of all that exists to all of the people as a bringer of glad tidings and as a warner. As a Messenger: meaning with a message, which is the message of Islm. The other thing: that he has conveyed the message and fulfilled the trust, and he has not left for anyone anything (of deficiency) to complete for him - . And that is why our Lord - Blessed and Exalted be He, the Most-High - has confirmed that he - - has fulfilled the right of being Messenger. And we testify to this and we say: and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allh"." Imm Muhammad bin Slih al-'Uthaymn: "The statement of Tawhd, L ilha illal-Lh: firstly we should know its meaning. It means that there is no deity worthy of worship in truth except Allh. There is no deity worthy of worship in truth except Allh. This is its meaning. So
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everything that is worshipped besides Allh from angels, prophets, righteous servants, trees, stones, sun and moon, then it is Btil (falsehood). Because of His Statement, the Most High: "That is because Allh He is the Truth (the only True God of all that exists, Who has no partners or rivals with Him), and what they (the polytheists) invoke besides Him, it is Btil (falsehood) And verily, Allh He is the Most High, the Most Great." [22:62] This is the meaning of this great statement. And it is based on two pillars: Nafy (negation) and ithbt (affirmation); the negation of Ulhiyyah from everything besides Allh, and its affirmation for Allh. And by this, Tawhd is actualized. Meaning: by combining negation and affirmation, Tawhd is actualized. What indicates this is that a mere negation, which is not combined with affirmation, is a negation which negates any existence (of a deity that has the right to be worshipped). And that a mere affirmation, which is not combined with negation, is an affirmation which does not deny partnership. So Tawhd is not actualized except with affirmation and negation. Negation of the ruling from everything besides the one whom it is affirmed for, and its affirmation for the one whom it is affirmed for. And these two pillars are the foundation. As for its conditions, then it (i.e. the testimony of L ilha illal-Lh must be pronounced based upon Yaqeen (certainty) which has no Shakk (doubt) with it and 'Ilm (knowledge) which has no Jahl (ignorance) with it. And it (also) must have conditions which make it continuous, like acting upon its requirements according to that which the Shar'ah necessitates. As for just pronouncing it with the tongue without belief and certainty, then this doesn't benefit! So we testify that L ilha illal-Lh (there is no deity worthy of worship in truth except Allh) and that Muhammad raslul-Lh (Muhammad is the Messenger of Allh). Na'am." Shaykh Muhammad Sa'd Rasln: "The Tawhd (Oneness) of the Ma'bd (the One Who is worshipped) is obligatory! The Tawhd of the Ma'bd is a must! And the person must make his worship sincere for Allh, the All -Mighty, the Owner of all Praise. Nothing should be worshipped except Allh! And all of the acts of worship - the apparent and hidden thereof - should be made sincere for Allh! So anyone who directs any type of worship to other than Allh, then he has committed Shirk (polytheism, i.e. he has associated partners with Allh)! Because nothing has the right to be worshipped in truth except Allh! And this is the meaning

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of L ilha illal-Lh: - L ma'bd bi haqq illal-Lh (there is no deity worthy of worship in truth except Allh). But if you say: there is no god (i.e. object that is worshipped) present except Allh, and there is no god in existence except Allh, then the existing objects that are worshipped in the duny are many! The people worship the [unclear] in some countries! And others worship trees! And others worship stones! The people worship other things besides Allh, except those upon whom Allh had mercy upon! So then this explanation of this good statement is not correct. Rather its true meaning and its correct intent, with which Allh sent the Messengers, is: L ma'bd bi haqq illal-Lh (there is no deity worthy of worship in truth except Allh). Just as you should single out Allh, the Lord of all that exists, in worship, it is obligatory upon you to single out the Messenger of Allh - - in obedience! And every obedience is subject to the obedience of Allh, the Lord of all that exists, alone, even the obedience of the Messenger. For we only obey the Messenger of Allh out of obedience for Allh! And everyone whom Allh and the Messenger of Allh commanded that he should be obeyed, then his obedience is not independent and unrestricted, rather it is subject to the obedience of Allh, the Lord of all that exists! He who obeys the Messenger, has indeed obeyed Allh.[4:80] So in the end, all obedience returns to the obedience of Allh, the Lord of all that exists, alone. We obey the Messenger of Allh out of obedience for Allh, the Lord of all that exists! And Allh has indeed established obedience for him: Obey Allh and obey the Messenger..." [5:92] And He did not establish independent and unrestricted obedience for other than Him, nor for other than His Prophet - . We obey the rulers as long as they obey Allh. And we obey the parents out of obedience for Allh and out of obedience for the Messenger of Allh. In the end, every obedience is subject to the obedience of Allh, the Lord of all that exists, and the obedience of His Trustworthy Prophet ."

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The Meaning of L ilha illal-Lh Muhammad raslul-Lh