What are the conditions of the word of tawhid?
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The questioner : This questioner is from Sudan, Ahmad, and he says in this question: What are the conditions of the word of tawhid "La ilaha illa Allah"?
The Shaykh : The word of tawhid "La ilaha illa Allah": first, we must know its meaning.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Its meaning is that there is no true object of worship except Allah. This is its meaning. So whatever is worshipped besides Allah, whether an angel, a prophet, a wali, a tree, a stone, the sun, or the moon, is invalid, due to the saying of Allah the Exalted:[Al-Hajj 22:62] This is the meaning of this great word, and it is built on two pillars: negation and affirmation. It is the negation of divinity from everything other than Allah and the affirmation of it for Allah. Through this, tawhid is realized; that is, tawhid is realized by the combination of negation and affirmation. The point is that pure negation that is not accompanied by affirmation is mere non-existence, and pure affirmation that is not accompanied by negation is an affirmation that does not prevent sharing, so tawhid is not realized except by affirmation and negation: negating the ruling from everything other than the one for whom it is affirmed, and affirming it for the one for whom it is affirmed. These two pillars are the foundation.
As for its conditions, it must be issued from certainty and knowledge: certainty with no doubt and knowledge with no ignorance. It also has conditions for its continuation, such as acting in accordance with what it requires, as prescribed by the Shari'ah. As for merely saying it with the tongue without belief and conviction, that does not benefit. We testify that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah. Yes.
The questioner : May Allah bless you.
The Shaykh : The word of tawhid "La ilaha illa Allah": first, we must know its meaning.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Its meaning is that there is no true object of worship except Allah. This is its meaning. So whatever is worshipped besides Allah, whether an angel, a prophet, a wali, a tree, a stone, the sun, or the moon, is invalid, due to the saying of Allah the Exalted:
That is because Allah is the Truth, and that which they call upon other than Him is falsehood, and because Allah is the Most High, the Grand.
ذلِكَ بِأَنَّ اللَّهَ هُوَ الحَقُّ وَأَنَّ ما يَدعونَ مِن دونِهِ هُوَ الباطِلُ وَأَنَّ اللَّهَ هُوَ العَلِيُّ الكَبيرُAs for its conditions, it must be issued from certainty and knowledge: certainty with no doubt and knowledge with no ignorance. It also has conditions for its continuation, such as acting in accordance with what it requires, as prescribed by the Shari'ah. As for merely saying it with the tongue without belief and conviction, that does not benefit. We testify that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah. Yes.
The questioner : May Allah bless you.