The Meaning of La ilaha illa Allah, Its Implications, and Its Conditions

Question: It is observed that many of those who are considered part of the Muslim community are ignorant of the meaning of La ilaha illa Allah. As a result, they have fallen into statements and actions that contradict it, oppose it, or diminish it. What is the meaning of La ilaha illa Allah? What are its implications? And what are its conditions?

Answer: There is no doubt that this phrase, (La ilaha illa Allah), is the foundation of the religion and the first pillar of the pillars of Islam, along with the testimony that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, as in the authentic hadith from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that he said: It is agreed upon as authentic from the hadith of Ibn 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both).
And in the two Sahihs, from Ibn 'Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both), that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), when he sent Mu'adh to Yemen, said to him: The hadith is agreed upon, and the hadiths in this chapter are numerous.
The meaning of the testimony that there is no god but Allah is: there is no true object of worship but Allah. It negates divinity in truth for anyone other than Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) and affirms it in truth for Allah alone, as Allah said in Surat al-Hajj: [al-Hajj:62] And He said in Surat al-Mu'minun: [al-Mu'minun:117] And He said in Surat al-Baqarah: [al-Baqarah:163] And He said in Surat al-Bayyinah: [al-Bayyinah:5] And there are many verses in this meaning.
This great phrase does not benefit its speaker, nor does it take him out of the circle of shirk (associating partners with Allah), unless he knows its meaning, acts upon it, and is truthful with it. The hypocrites used to say it while they were in the lowest depth of the Fire, because they did not believe in it and did not act upon it.
Likewise, the Jews say it, and they are among the most disbelieving of people—due to their lack of belief in it. Likewise, the worshippers of graves and the awliya (close friends of Allah) among the disbelievers of this Ummah (the Muslim community) say it, while they contradict it with their statements, actions, and beliefs. So it does not benefit them, and they are not Muslims by saying it, because they have broken it with their statements, actions, and beliefs.
Some of the scholars have mentioned that its conditions are eight, and they summarized them in two verses, saying:
Knowledge, certainty, and sincerity with you,
Love, submission, and acceptance of it,
And the eighth is your disbelief in what
Other than the God, of things, has been deified.
These two verses have covered all of its conditions:
The first: Knowledge of its meaning, which is contrary to ignorance. It was previously mentioned that its meaning is: there is no true object of worship except Allah. So all the gods that people worship other than Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) are all invalid.
The second: Certainty, which is contrary to doubt. So it is necessary for the one who says it to be certain that Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) is the one to be worshipped in truth.
The third is sincerity, which means that the servant must be sincere to his Lord, Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He), in all acts of worship. If he directs any part of it to other than Allah, whether to a prophet, a close friend of Allah, an angel, an idol, a jinn, or anything else, he has associated partners with Allah and violated this condition, which is the condition of sincerity.
The fourth: Truthfulness. Its meaning is that he says it while being truthful in that, his heart matching his tongue, and his tongue matching his heart. If he says it with his tongue only, and his heart does not believe in its meaning, then it does not benefit him, and he becomes a disbeliever like the other hypocrites.
The fifth is love, which means that one must love Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He). If he says it while not loving Allah, he becomes a disbeliever who does not enter into Islam, like the hypocrites.
And among the evidence for that is the saying of Allah the Exalted: The verse [Al-Imran:31], and His (Glorified and Exalted is He) saying: [Al-Baqarah:165]. And the verses in this meaning are numerous.
The sixth: Submission to the meaning it indicates. Its meaning is that he worships Allah alone, submits to His Shari'ah (Islamic sacred law), believes in it, and holds that it is the truth. If he says it but does not worship Allah alone, and does not submit to His Shari'ah, but rather is arrogant about it, then he is not a Muslim, like Iblis and his like.
The seventh: Acceptance of what it indicates. Its meaning is: that he accepts what it indicates of being sincere in worship to Allah alone and leaving the worship of anything else, and that he commits to it and is pleased with it.
The eighth: Disbelief in what is worshipped other than Allah. Its meaning is that he disavows the worship of other than Allah and holds that it is invalid, as Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) said: [Al-Baqarah:256].
And it is authentic from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) that he said: , and in a narration from him (peace and blessings be upon him) that he said: Muslim narrated both in his Sahih.
So it is obligatory for all Muslims to realize this phrase by observing these conditions. When a Muslim has its meaning and stands firm upon it, he is a Muslim whose blood and wealth are forbidden (haram), even if he does not know the details of these conditions, because the intended goal is knowledge of the truth and acting upon it, even if the believer does not know the details of the required conditions.
And al-Taghut is: everything that is worshipped other than Allah, as Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) said: the verse [al-Baqarah:256].
And He (Glorified and Exalted is He) said: [An-Nahl:36]. And whoever is not pleased with that among those worshipped other than Allah, such as the prophets, the righteous, and the angels, then they are not Taghut. Rather, Taghut is Shaytan (Satan), who called to their worship and made it attractive to people. We ask Allah for us and for the Muslims to be safe from all evil. As for the difference between the actions that contradict this phrase, which is La ilaha illa Allah, and those that contradict its obligatory perfection, it is: that every action, statement, or belief that places its doer in major shirk (associating partners with Allah) contradicts it entirely and opposes it. Such as calling upon the dead, angels, idols, trees, stones, stars, and the like, and slaughtering for them, making vows to them, prostrating to them, and the like.
So all of this contradicts tawhid (the oneness of Allah) entirely, and opposes and invalidates this phrase, which is: La ilaha illa Allah. And among that is making lawful what Allah has forbidden from the forbidden things known from the religion by necessity and consensus, such as zina (unlawful sexual intercourse), drinking intoxicants, undutifulness to parents, riba (usury or interest), and the like. And among that also is denying what Allah has made obligatory of the statements and actions known from the religion by necessity and consensus, such as the obligation of the five prayers, zakah (the obligatory alms), fasting Ramadan, dutifulness to parents, and uttering the two testimonies, and the like.
As for the statements, actions, and beliefs that weaken tawhid (the oneness of Allah) and faith and contradict its obligatory perfection, they are numerous, and among them are: minor shirk (associating partners with Allah), such as riya' (showing off in worship) and swearing by other than Allah, and saying "what Allah willed and so-and-so willed," or "this is from Allah and from so-and-so," and the like. Likewise, all sins weaken tawhid and faith and contradict its obligatory perfection. So it is obligatory to be cautious of everything that contradicts tawhid and faith or diminishes its reward. And faith, according to the people of the Sunnah and the community, is: statement and action that increases with obedience and decreases with disobedience.
And the evidence for that is numerous, and the scholars have clarified it in the books of 'aqidah (creed), tafsir (Qur'anic exegesis), and hadith. So whoever wants it will find it, and praise be to Allah. And among that is the saying of Allah the Exalted: [At-Tawbah:124], and His (Glorified and Exalted is He) saying: [Al-Anfal:2], and His (Glorified and Exalted is He) saying: [Maryam:76]. And the verses in this meaning are numerous.