Commentary on the Hadith: (Whoever swears... let him say, La ilaha illa Allah)

The Shaykh : Perhaps many of our brothers present here remember an authentic hadith in which he (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Now, if we hear someone who lived in the pre-Islamic age of ignorance and then said, "I bear witness that there is no god but Allah and Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah," what do we say about him? He has embraced Islam. But if we hear him swear by al-Lat and al-Uzza, what comes to mind? Is he not an associate of partners with Allah? So, do we immediately rule that he has committed shirk (associating partners with Allah) and apostatized from the Islam he entered with the good word? The answer is no. This hadith is among the evidence that makes us rein in our souls from rushing to declare a disbeliever anyone from whom we hear a word of disbelief. It reins in our souls from declaring a disbeliever anyone from whom we hear a word of disbelief. Look, this hadith, in addition to what I am citing as evidence for not rushing to declare a disbeliever anyone from whom we hear a word of disbelief, gives us another benefit. The Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) did not say, "Interrogate him" regarding what he means by this oath, which is clear shirk. Instead, he said, "Let him say, La ilaha illa Allah." Why? Out of good opinion of this Muslim, because he did not enter Islam except after having disbelieved in al-Lat and al-Uzza. However, the old custom of the pre-Islamic age of ignorance may overcome him, and his tongue may rush ahead and say a word of disbelief. So, we now take a lesson and learn Islamic etiquette and knowledge: if we hear a word of disbelief from a Muslim, we do not rush to declare him a disbeliever. Rather, as you mentioned earlier with some examples, we clarify the matter with him. First, what did you say regarding a person who says, "Democracy is our law"?

The questioner : It is a legal obligation.

The Shaykh : It is a legal obligation. Now, do you think that the one who says "Democracy is a legal obligation" means by "legal" that it is Islamic? You may find many Muslim rulers who, in some of their statements, say that it is necessary to refer to international legality. Do you hear this word and must you?

The questioner : Yes.

The Shaykh : So, if "Democracy is a legal obligation," we need to clarify with him what he means by these three names and terms. This is a serious matter, my brother. You are speaking about a Muslim who testifies that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah. You might see him praying with you in the mosque, and yet he said this word. When you want to rule on him, your ruling should be for his education. But education takes two forms: teaching and warning. When he says "Democracy," we need to stop with him and ask, "What is democracy, my brother?" I am certain that this man, first of all, will not be able to give you a comprehensive and exclusive definition of democracy, as is said. But we teach him the straight path. We say to him, "Do you mean by democracy what contradicts the Islamic Shari'ah?" If he says yes and continues with the other two terms, "Democracy that contradicts the Islamic Shari'ah is an obligation," then the connection between us and him is cut off. But do you think that any person from whom you hear this word, if you asked him, "The democracy I mean contradicts and opposes the Islamic Shari'ah, and it is an obligation," would give you this answer? Or would he say a word he hears from so-and-so the writer, so-and-so the orator, and so on? But perhaps the orator himself does not mean by the word what is truly intended by it, which is ruling by other than what Allah has revealed. Therefore, may Allah reward you, the point is that we should be disciplined and fearful of declaring a Muslim man a disbeliever merely because he spoke a word whose apparent meaning is disbelief. We do not say, "This word is fine and it is permissible to utter it," far be it from Allah. But if we hear it from a person, we do not rush and say, "You have disbelieved." If the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) said what I heard earlier, it means to rein in your soul, do not declare your Muslim brother a disbeliever, be patient with him, and understand what he intends. And in my knowledge, there are people who, of course, adopt disbelief and irreligion as their religion. This cannot be denied, unfortunately. But there are people with weak imaginations and minds, meaning followers of every caller, as it is said. These are poor people, these are dervishes who do not understand the terms they are taught. Therefore, clarification is necessary. So, if you now say, "I do not think he means by democracy that which contradicts the Islamic Shari'ah," it is enough for you to say what we say. And this often happens. We hear someone swear by other than Allah, and we say to him, "My brother, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, And you are a Muslim man. So the Messenger says in another hadith, and so on. Do not swear by your father, do not swear by your brother, and so on, because this means exalting other than Allah, and Allah is greater than everything. So if you swear, swear by Allah (Mighty and Majestic). And you give him this admonition. We have tried with people; you give them an admonition the first time, the second time, and the third time, and they return to their old habit. They will swear again. And you say, "My brother, why are you swearing?" He says, "By Allah, this is our custom." But you must resolve in your mind that Islam has forbidden you from this, otherwise we will suspect your religion.
Abu Malik: He explains it with another explanation, saying to you:

The Shaykh : Allah is the Greatest. This is ignorance itself.
Abu Malik: But, Shaykh, there is a commentary on the hadith. When the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) ordered the one who swore by al-Lat and al-Uzza to follow his first statement with another statement, "La ilaha illa Allah," he did not distinguish between the forgetful, the mistaken, and the intentional. So the hadith includes them all. The intentional one might be ignorant, or he might be mistaken, or he might be forgetful, or his tongue or habit might overcome him. Therefore, the truth is that for this reason, we say that the phrase "La ilaha illa Allah" is not what returns him to Islam, but rather it is a reminder of what he should be upon regarding pure tawhid (the oneness of Allah) in its wording and its meaning.

The Shaykh : This is from the category of, may Allah reward you, as I said,
Al-Halabi : Shaykh, is there not something else to be said, especially since the hadith has a beginning and a first part, which is the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): So the statement came out like an expiation?

The Shaykh :
Al-Halabi : Yes, exactly.

The Shaykh : This actually supports it. I think the answer is clear, if Allah wills.