The Shaykh’s discourse on tawhid (the oneness of Allah), Islam, and faith, and on some of their topics, and on the disagreement that has occurred, in response to a previous question about jihad and when it is to be undertaken

The Shaykh : The foundation of Islam is built upon tawhid (the oneness of Allah). Islam is 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 establish the Islamic society and the Muslim state on their shoulders. Many of them understand "La ilaha illa Allah" to mean "There is no Lord but Allah." This is certainly an incomplete understanding, because if a disbeliever wanted to enter Islam and said "There is no Lord but Allah," he would not thereby become a Muslim. That is because belief in the One Lord does not take the leader out of being one who does not practice tawhid (the oneness of Allah). 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 it as "There is no Lord but Allah," and the matter ends there. Therefore, the disagreement that is said to be in the branches and not in the principles is contradicted by reality. Some people may say, "This is only what the common people believe." We say, if only that were the case, the matter would be easy. 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. Advance, my brother, complete the circle, keep your distance like this in the gatherings; this is contrary to the practical Sunnah. So let us move on to an example from the reality of Muslims today. Their scholars have disagreed on 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"? The one who says that faith is speech and belief says it is not permissible to say, "I am a believer, if Allah wills." The one who says that righteous action is a condition of faith says, "How is it not permissible? I am a believer, and who is able to say, 'I am truly a believer'?" Allah the Exalted describes the believers with attributes, among which is to the end of the noble verses. So who says, "I swear by Allah, I am humble in my prayer, I am far from idle talk and turn away from idle talk"? We hope that Allah, if He wills, that we are believers in these meanings. In summary, this disagreement has been inherited by us from long centuries and 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 of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said in the hadith that the cure is returning to the religion, he meant the religion in its correct concept. Therefore, 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), because 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. They understood it as he understood it and applied 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 nothing. This is my answer. How is the way to jihad in the path of Allah and establishing the Muslim state? Correct knowledge and righteous action are necessary. As for us continuing to write 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, applying the legal rulings within ourselves, is the path to establishing the state in our society. Before that, there is absolutely no way to it. Look at our homes today; you find them to be non-Islamic homes. Look at our daughters and sons; you find them wearing non-Islamic clothing. How can we achieve the Islamic society when we do not try to make our small communities Islamic communities? How can we try to achieve something we are unable to do while leaving something we are able to do? This is the opposite of what is required. It is like a person who cannot lift heavy loads of twenty kilograms but calls for lifting one hundred kilograms; this is impossible. But when Muslims train themselves in obeying Allah the Exalted and executing His commands after understanding them correctly, and they apply what they are able to, and strive to achieve 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.