A discourse on tawhid (the oneness of Allah), Islam, faith, and some of their topics and the disagreement therein

The Shaykh : The foundation of Islam is built upon tawhid (the oneness of Allah). Islam was built upon five pillars, the first of which is the testimony that there is no god but Allah. This testimony is not understood by the majority of Muslims today, upon whom we rely to realize the Islamic society and establish the Muslim state on their shoulders. Many of them understand "La ilaha illa Allah" to mean: "There is no Lord but Allah." This is an incomplete understanding, without a doubt. If a disbeliever wanted to enter Islam and said, "There is no Lord but Allah," he would not thereby become a Muslim. This is because belief in the One Lord does not make the speaker a monotheist. This is a long discussion, and I do not wish to prolong it for you; I am merely reminding you. Tawhid (the oneness of Allah) has three categories: tawhid al-rububiyyah (oneness of lordship), tawhid al-uluhiyyah (oneness of worship) or tawhid of worship, and tawhid of the attributes.
Today, many—if not most—Muslims do not understand "La ilaha illa Allah" in the sense that Allah is One in His essence, One in His worship, and One in His attributes. They understand "There is no Lord but Allah" and consider the matter finished. Therefore, the disagreement that is said to be in the branches and not in the principles is contradicted by reality. Some people may say that this is only believed by the common people. We say: If only that were the case, the matter would be less serious. But many of the specialists support the common people in their deviation from this correct tawhid (the oneness of Allah).
So let us move on to an example. Come forward, our brothers, complete the circle. Spacing out like this in gatherings is contrary to the practical Sunnah. So let us move on to an example from the reality of Muslims today, their scholars. They disagreed regarding faith: is it speech and belief without action, or does it also include action? There are two opinions, and they have disagreed on this since ancient times. From this disagreement, another disagreement branched out: Is it permissible to make an exception in one's faith? Is it permissible to say, "I am a believer, if Allah wills"?
Whoever said that faith is speech and belief said: It is not permissible to say, "I am a believer, if Allah wills." Whoever said that righteous action is a condition of faith said: How is it not permissible to say, "I am a believer"? And who is able to say, "I am truly a believer, by Allah—Mighty and Majestic—describes the believers with attributes such as: to the end of the noble verses? Who says, "By Allah, I am humble in my prayer, I am far from idle talk and turn away from idle talk"? We hope in Allah, if Allah wills, that we are believers in these meanings.
In summary: We have inherited this disagreement from long centuries, and it is widespread among Muslims today. This disagreement is one of the strongest causes of the weakness that every Muslim witnesses today in the Islamic society. Therefore, when the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) said that the medicine and cure in the hadith is returning to the religion, he meant the religion in its correct concept. Therefore, we say: When we call to the Book and the Sunnah, we mean the Book and the Sunnah as practiced by our righteous predecessors (may Allah be pleased with them). For they are the ones who received the religion from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) in wording and explanation, in wording and meaning. So they applied it as they understood it.
So the problem today is that we are ignorant of our religion. We must devote our efforts to understanding our religion correctly, then convey it to people, and combine understanding with action. Otherwise, knowledge without action benefits us in no way.
This is my answer: How to proceed to jihad in the path of Allah and establishing the Muslim state?
Correct knowledge and righteous action are necessary. As for continuing to shout and call for jihad while we do not strive against our own selves, this means that we have deceived ourselves and others. On this occasion, I mention a word from some Islamic callers, with which I conclude the answer to that question. He says: "Establish the state of Islam in your hearts, and it will be established for you on your land." Establishing the Muslim state means applying the Shari'ah rulings within our own selves; this is the path to establishing the Muslim state in our society. Before that, there is no way to it, ever. Look at our homes today; you will find them to be non-Islamic homes. Look at our daughters and sons; you will find them wearing non-Islamic clothing. How can we realize the Islamic society when we do not try to make our small societies Islamic societies? How can we try to realize something we are unable to do while neglecting something we are able to do? This is the exact opposite of what is required. A person who cannot lift heavy loads of twenty kilograms is calling for lifting one hundred kilograms; this is impossible. But when Muslims train themselves in obedience to Allah—Mighty and Majestic—and implementing His commands after understanding them correctly, and they apply what they are able to, and then strive to realize and apply what they are not able to, to the extent that circumstances help them, this is what I have as an answer to that question.