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Now
comes the question: How does a person enter Islam?
A
person does not enter Islam except by the manner defined and described to us by
the messenger of Allah and it begins with testifying to the declaration of faith
(Laa ilaha illa Allah Muhammadur Rasulul Allah.)
It
is reported on the authority of Abu Huraira that the Messenger of Allah said:
‘‘I have been ordered to fight the people until they testify, ‘There is no
deity save One Allah’, if he professors it then his life and property is
guaranteed my protection’’
The
Prophet, may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, also said:
Whoever
testified that there is no god but Allah and Muhammad is the Messenger of
Allah, Allah has prohibited the (hell) fire from him.
The
happiness of man in this world and the hereafter is dependent on the words Laa
ilaha illa Allah. It constitutes the core of the invitation of all the
messengers including the Prophet Muhammad, may the peace and blessings of Allah
be upon him.
Allah
jalla wa ‘alaa says:
And
We did not send any Messenger before you (O Muhammad peace and blessings be
upon him) but We revealed to him (saying): Laa ilaha illa Ana [none
has the right to be worshipped but Me (Allah)], so worship Me (Alone and
none else). (21:25)
In
order for the word Laa ilaha illa Allah to be accepted from a person and to
benefit him according to Allah and with which he enters Islam and is saved from
the hell fire it is incumbent that the one uttering it fulfils its conditions.
Without
the fulfillment of these conditions there will be no benefit for the one
uttering these words even if he repeats it a thousand times a day.
The
conditions of
LAA
-ILAHA-ILLA-ALLAH
The
First: knowledge of the meaning of this word.
The
following verse indicates the necessity thereof:
So
know that La ilaha illa Allah (none has the right to be worshipped
but Allah) …
(47:19)
and
also:
except
whoever bears witness to the truth knowingly. (43:86)
Allah
ta’ala says:
Allah
(himself) bears Witness that Laa ilaha illa huwa (none
has the right to be worshipped but He) and the angels and those having knowledge; (He
always) maintains His creation with justice. Laa ilaha illa huwa (none
has the right to be worshipped but He), the All-Almighty, the All-Wise. (3:18)
In
Sahih Bukhari, as in Sahih Muslim, there is a hadith, reported by Uthman, may
Allah be pleased with him, that says:
"The
messenger of Allah, may Allah bless and grant him peace, said, ‘‘Whoever
dies and he has knowledge that there is no god but Allah, shall surely enter
Paradise’’ ".
(Muslim,
Book 1, Chapter11 Number 0039)
LAA-ILAHA-ILLA-ALLAH
MEANS:
To
worship Allah alone rejecting and being free from all that are worshipped
besides Allah and this is the meaning of ‘there is no deity’ that is none of
the false deities that are worshipped deserve to be worshipped except Allah.
Likewise being free from all disbelievers that worship these false deities.
To
establish all worship unto Allah alone rejecting all other partners that are
joined in worship with Him and to reject (i.e. not to love, to call as
disbelievers, not to make friends with and stay far away from) all people who
worship false deities. At the same time; to love, help, make friends and be
together only with the people who worship Allah alone.
Loyalty
and servitude is for Allah alone without any partner and likewise loyalty to the
messenger of Allah, may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, and to the
believers; to love them, to assist them and to be affiliated and associated with
the group of the believers.
To
worship Allah as he has ordered on the tongue of His messenger Muhammad, may the
peace and blessings of Allah be upon him.
Bearing
witness to Laa ilaha illa Allah requires implicitly bearing witness that
Muhammad is the messenger of Allah. If a person testifies that this word is the
truth, he also testifies whatever the person who has brought this word said is
the truth.
Whoever
is ignorant of this meaning of Laa ilaha illa Allah then he has believed in a
creed that he does not know. This kind of belief does not benefit him in any
way.
Secondly:
It indicates that Laa ilaha illa Allah does not benefit one by merely
pronouncing it and having knowledge of its meaning until one executes its
requirements and fulfils that which it necessitates.
The
Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him said:
Whoever
says Laa ilaha illa Allah and disbelieves in that which is worshipped besides
Allah then he is guaranteed the protection of his life and his property and his (secret)
affairs are with Allah.
(Sahih
Muslim, kitab al-Iman, 1/53, (23).)
What
is required from the one pronouncing
Laa ilaha illa
Allah:
To
worship Allah alone and to worship Him just as He has ordered. To exert all one’s
effort to establish His deen on earth. To stay away from and not to undertake
shirk and all beliefs, deeds and expressions that can nullify the declaration of
the testimony, that is to refrain from all kufr that takes one out of the fold
of faith and out of the circle of Islam and the muslims.
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