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An Explanation of Tauhid and the Testimony: La ilaha illa-Allah
Allah the Almighty said:
“Those whom they call upon (like Jesus- son of Mary, Ezra, angels, etc.) desire (for
themselves) means of access to their Lord (Allah) as to which of them should be nearest and they (Jesus, Ezra, angels etc.) hope for His Mercy and fear His Torment. Verily; the Torment of Your Lord is something to be afraid of” (17:57)
And He said:
“And (remember) when Abraham (May Allah be pleased with him) 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.’ And he made it (i.e. La ilaha illa-Allah) a Word lasting among his offspring that they may turn back (i.e. to repent to Allah or receive admonition).” (43:26-28)
Allah the Almighty said:
“They (Jews and Christians) took their rabbis and their monks to be their lords besides
Allah.” (9:31)
He said:
“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.).” (2: 165)
And in Sahih (Muslim) it is reported that the Prophet (May the peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) said:
“He who professed that there is no God to be worshipped but Allah and made a denial of
everything which the people worship besides Allah, his property and blood become inviolable, and his affair rests with Allah.”
Important issues of the Chapter
This chapter contains the greatest and most important of issues namely the explanation of
Tauhid and the testimony of Faith and a clarification of it through clear matters.
Of them is the verse in Surah AI-Isra ‘. It is a clear rejection to the polytheists who supplicate
the righteous ones as well as making clear that to do so is major Shirk.
Also the verse in Surah AI-Bard ‘a clearly shows that the People of the Book took their
priests and their rabbis as lords besides Allah. It is also clear that they were not ordered except to worship a single deity (i.e. Allah). The explanation of the Verse which has no ambiguity in their obedience to the scholars and other slaves of Allah in sinful things and not calling or supplicating them.
Additionally is the statement of Ibrahim (Peace be upon him) to the disbelievers wherein he
excepted his Lord from other deities:
“Verily, I am innocent of what you worship except Him, Who did create me.”
(42:26, 27)
Allah mentioned that this disassociation and being free from Shirk explain the testimony of
La ilaha ilIa-Allah, for He said:
“And He made it [i.e. La ilaha ilIa-Allah (none has the right to be worshipped but Allah
Alone)] a Word lasting among his offspring that they may turn back.” (43:28)
There is the verse of Surah AI-Baqarah regarding the disbelievers where Allah said of them:
“They will not get out from the Fire” (2:167)
It is mentioned that they love those whom they associate with Allah, as they love Allah, and
this points to the fact that they do indeed love Allah tremendously but this nevertheless did not bring them into the fold of Islam. Then how about the one who loves the false deity more than he loves Allah? How about the one who loves none other than his false deity and has no love for Allah?
The Prophet (May the peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) stated:
“Whoever says La ilaha ilIa-Allah and rejects all other things that are worshipped besides
Allah, his wealth and his blood are inviolable and his account rests with Allah.”
This is of the weightiest statements clarifying the meaning of La ilaha ilIa-Allah. It shows
that a mere pronouncement does not protect the pronouncer’s blood and wealth. It is insufficient to simply understand its evident meaning and words, to acknowledge it, or even for the pronouncer to call on none other than Allah, Who is Alone and without partners. Rather, the pronouncer’s wealth and blood do not become inviolable until in addition to all of the above, he totally rejects all else that is falsely worshipped besides Allah. For, if one has doubt or hesitates in this, neither his wealth nor blood is safe. What greater or more splendid an example can be given?
What could elucidate the point in more clear manner? What more conclusive argument is there to cut off any dispute of the point?.
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