What is the meaning of "La ilaha illa Allah"?

The questioner:
The interpretation of the statement "Say: There is no deity except Allah," contrary to the position of those who claim knowledge?

The Shaykh:
Yes, it is necessary to utter "La ilaha illa Allah," and its meaning is that one must abandon the worship of anyone other than Allah. The meaning of "La ilaha illa Allah" is that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He. As for the one who says it with his tongue while worshipping other than Allah, "La ilaha illa Allah" does not benefit him, because he has contradicted it and invalidated it. Many of those who say it today worship other than Allah, Mighty and Majestic, such as graves, shrines, the awliya (close friends of Allah), and the righteous. They have no argument except the argument of the first polytheists, who sought intercession from them, as He, Exalted and Majestic, said regarding the first polytheists: They have specialized in worshipping them, but they say, "Our intention is that they bring us closer to Allah." They are among the polytheists, and I seek refuge in Allah. They persist in shirk (associating partners with Allah), and even if it were assumed that they said "La ilaha illa Allah," it would not benefit them, because it is not merely a phrase to be spoken; it is a phrase, a meaning, and a requirement. One must adhere to the meaning of this word and its implication. Now, among those who claim knowledge, there are those who say that if one says "La ilaha illa Allah," that is sufficient, even if one does what one does in worshipping other than Allah, slaughtering for other than Allah, and making vows. They say, "Saying 'La ilaha illa Allah' is sufficient." This is a result of their ignorance; they do not understand the meaning of "La ilaha illa Allah." Even if they are scholars, not every scholar understands the meaning of "La ilaha illa Allah." Yes.

The questioner:
That Abu Jahl and those with him knew the intent of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) when he said to a man, "Say: La ilaha illa Allah."

The Shaykh:
Yes, indeed, the first polytheists knew the meaning of "La ilaha illa Allah" and that it is not merely a phrase to be spoken, but rather a phrase, a meaning, and a requirement. Its meaning is that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah, and its requirement is that one abandons the worship of other than Allah, stays away from it, and purifies worship for Allah, Mighty and Majestic. For this reason, when the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said to the polytheists, "Say: La ilaha illa Allah, and you will succeed," they said: They understood the meaning of "La ilaha illa Allah" to be that divinity and worship belong to Allah, Mighty and Majestic, and they did not want that. They did not want to abandon their idols and their objects of worship. In His saying: They are arrogant about saying it and stubborn in their religion, saying, "We will not abandon the worship of other than Allah, Mighty and Majestic, such as their idols and trees.
And their stones. They understand the meaning of They are better in understanding, or more astute, than the scholars of misguidance today who say that saying "La ilaha illa Allah" is sufficient, even if one does not act upon it, even if one does not know its meaning, and even if one does not act upon its requirement. For this reason, the Shaykh said in some of his letters, "Woe to a man; the polytheists are more knowledgeable about the meaning of 'La ilaha illa Allah' than he is." Yes.