Using the Hadith of 'Utbah as Evidence for Sufficiency of the Utterance Without the Action
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The questioner:
Honorable Shaykh, may Allah grant you success. Some people cite the hadithSahih Ibn Khuzaymah 3:173 to argue that it is sufficient to say "La ilaha illa Allah" with acknowledgment of its implications, even if one does not act upon them.
The Shaykh:
One must act upon what he says. It is not merely a phrase uttered with the tongue. Even if he knows its meaning but does not act upon it, "La ilaha illa Allah" will not benefit him.
The questioner:
Do the people of the Sunnah have two positions on this issue? And is there anyone who holds that view?
The Shaykh:
No, the people of the Sunnah do not have two positions on this issue. The one who does not act in accordance with the meaning of "La ilaha illa Allah" is not benefited by it, is not among its people, and does not enter Paradise with it until he acts in accordance with its requirements. This is unless he said it and died before he was able to act, or was killed before he was able to act. However, if he intentionally abandoned the action, he is not among the people of Paradise. Yes.
Honorable Shaykh, may Allah grant you success. Some people cite the hadith
Indeed, Allah has forbidden the Fire for the one who says "La ilaha illa Allah" seeking thereby the Face of Allah.
فإن الله حرم على النار من قال لا إله إلا الله يبتغي بذلك وجه اللهThe Shaykh:
One must act upon what he says. It is not merely a phrase uttered with the tongue. Even if he knows its meaning but does not act upon it, "La ilaha illa Allah" will not benefit him.
The questioner:
Do the people of the Sunnah have two positions on this issue? And is there anyone who holds that view?
The Shaykh:
No, the people of the Sunnah do not have two positions on this issue. The one who does not act in accordance with the meaning of "La ilaha illa Allah" is not benefited by it, is not among its people, and does not enter Paradise with it until he acts in accordance with its requirements. This is unless he said it and died before he was able to act, or was killed before he was able to act. However, if he intentionally abandoned the action, he is not among the people of Paradise. Yes.
Source
شرح كتاب فتح المجيد في شرح كتاب التوحيد [ صالح الفوزان ]، تابع باب : فضل التوحيد وما يكفر من الذنوب - 4 — islamhouse.com (47:55)
The Arabic text is a machine transcription of the audio recording.