Many people say that they do not perform the rites of Islam, and when one of them is asked to perform them, he says, "I bear witness that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah."
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The questioner : Many people say in it that they do not perform the rites of Islam, and when one of them is asked to perform them, he says, "I bear witness that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah." This is what was required of the Messenger to obtain through fighting. If they say that, their blood and wealth are protected from him. Therefore, do they repeat that Islam is merely the utterance of the word of tawhid (the oneness of Allah)?
The Shaykh : We say: This understanding, which this questioner and others have, is a great and grave error, in that they think that Islam is the testimony that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah. Rather, this is the key to entering Islam.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : As for Islam, it is this along with the other rites. For this reason, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:Sahih Muslim 21b And Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) fought them; he fought those who withheld zakah (the obligatory alms).
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : And when 'Umar ibn al-Khattab questioned him about that, he said:.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : So zakah (the obligatory alms) is among the rights of Islam that are necessary. Likewise, prayer, Hajj (the major pilgrimage), and fasting. But among these rights, some, if left, constitute kufr (disbelief), such as prayer, for it is established from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that it is what is between a man and kufr (disbelief) and shirk (associating partners with Allah).
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : And that it is the covenant between us and the disbelievers. And among the rights of Islam, some, if left, do not constitute kufr (disbelief) according to what the sacred texts require.
And the important point is that Islam is not merely the utterance of the two testimonies. How can one be a Muslim who says, "I bear witness that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah," while he does not establish the right due to Allah and His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) that is obligatory for them?
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : If he testifies that there is no god but Allah, why does he not establish His right? Why does he not worship Him? If he says, "I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah," why does he not establish His right? Why does he not follow him? So it is necessary to worship Allah and to follow the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him).
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Otherwise, merely uttering the two testimonies is not sufficient.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : The hypocrites testify that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, but they do not perform the pillars of Islam. Therefore, they were not believers.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The Shaykh : We say: This understanding, which this questioner and others have, is a great and grave error, in that they think that Islam is the testimony that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah. Rather, this is the key to entering Islam.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : As for Islam, it is this along with the other rites. For this reason, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
And when they do it, their blood and riches are guaranteed protection on my behalf except where it is justified by law
فإذا فعلوا ذلك عصموا مني دماءهم وأموالهم إلا بحقهاThe questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : And when 'Umar ibn al-Khattab questioned him about that, he said:
Zakah is the right of the wealth
الزكاة حق المالThe questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : So zakah (the obligatory alms) is among the rights of Islam that are necessary. Likewise, prayer, Hajj (the major pilgrimage), and fasting. But among these rights, some, if left, constitute kufr (disbelief), such as prayer, for it is established from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that it is what is between a man and kufr (disbelief) and shirk (associating partners with Allah).
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : And that it is the covenant between us and the disbelievers. And among the rights of Islam, some, if left, do not constitute kufr (disbelief) according to what the sacred texts require.
And the important point is that Islam is not merely the utterance of the two testimonies. How can one be a Muslim who says, "I bear witness that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah," while he does not establish the right due to Allah and His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) that is obligatory for them?
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : If he testifies that there is no god but Allah, why does he not establish His right? Why does he not worship Him? If he says, "I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah," why does he not establish His right? Why does he not follow him? So it is necessary to worship Allah and to follow the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him).
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Otherwise, merely uttering the two testimonies is not sufficient.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : The hypocrites testify that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, but they do not perform the pillars of Islam. Therefore, they were not believers.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Yes.