Introduction

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم، الحمد لله رب العالمين، وأشهد أن لا إله إلا الله وحده لا شريك له، وأشهد أن محمدا عبده ورسوله، صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وصحبه وسلم تسليما كثيرا إلى يوم الدين.

To proceed:
In this lesson of Jaami‘ al-Masaa’il (The Compendium of Creed), we begin examining the first part of the Hadeeth of Jibreel, where the Prophet, salla-llaahu ‘alayhi wa salalam, said:

Islaam is to bear witness that There is no god except Allaah, and that Muhammad is His Messenger.

Our focus today is on the first portion: the words of what is known as Kalimat at-Tawheed (The Expression of Monotheism): Laa ilaaha ill-Allaah, Muhammadun Rasoolu Allaah.
(لا إله إلا الله، محمد رسول الله).
This is the foundation of Islaam, and understanding it correctly is essential.

The Meaning of “Ash-hadu” (I bear witness)

Scholars explain that saying “Ash-hadu” (testify) means:

• Acknowledgment in the heart: a firm inner conviction
• Pronunciation with the tongue: expressing what the heart believes

Meaning: The tongue expresses the heart’s certainty.

The word ash-hadu (testify) was chosen instead of uqirru (acknowledge) because:

• Testimony implies presence and direct witnessing.
• Saying “I testify” is like seeing the truth with one’s own eyes, which is the pinnacle of certainty.
• “Uqirru” (acknowledge) lacks the act of expressing, which is necessary.

Does the Heart or Tongue Alone Suffice?

The heart alone is sufficient only for someone physically unable to speak (e.g., a mute person).
The tongue alone is insufficient; it must be accompanied by true belief in the heart.

This is because the hypocrites may utter Laa ilaaha ill-Allaah with their tongues while their hearts reject it. Allaah, Exalted is He, says of them: {They say with their tongues what is not in their hearts} [Al Fath: 3].

The Meaning of La ilaha ill-Allaah

People have often misinterpreted this phrase, and there are a few common but incorrect interpretations:

1. “There is no deity in existence except Allaah”.
   False, because Allaah Himself mentions the existence of false deities worshipped by others, though they are invalid.
2. “There is no Rabb except Allaah”.
   This interpretation reduces the meaning of Laa ilaaha ill-Allaah to Tawheed ar-Ruboobiyyah (Monotheism in Lordship) alone.
   While this statement is true in itself, it is not the intended meaning of the shahaadah.
   The idolaters of Makkah affirmed that Allaah is the only Rabb, yet they are not Muslims because they did not single Him out in worship.
3. Some people claim that Allaah is present in everything and that everything we see is Allaah.
   This is the view of some extremists among the Sufis and is not correct, it is false, as Allaah is completely above His creation and separate from it.
4. Some people say that Laa ilaaha ill-Allaah means: “We should not be certain that anything in creation really exists; only Allaah truly exists”.
   This is false. Being certain of things that exist does not contradict the oneness of Allaah. Allaah Himself affirms the existence of many things in the Qur’aan.
5. “No one is worshipped except Allaah”.
   Also false, because there are things that are/were worshipped besides Allaah, like the sun, the moon, fire, and others.

The Correct Understanding

Nothing is worthy of worship
except Allaah
لا مَعْبُودَ بِحَقٍّ إلّا الله
Laa ma‘booda bi haqqin illa Allaah

Everything else worshipped besides Allaah is false.
Allaah is Al-Haqq (The Truth), and all other deities are falsehood.
This meaning fully captures the purpose of the shahaadah.

Historical Example

Even Abu Taalib, the uncle of the Prophet, salla-llaahu ‘alayhi wa salalam, did not say Laa ilaaha ill-Allaah, despite being asked to by the Prophet in his deathbed, because he understood its meaning: to worship Allaah alone and abandon the idols of his ancestors, and his father ‘Abdu al-Muttalib. Mere uttering of the words without understanding and application is insufficient.

Summary of Key Points

1. “Ash-hadu” (testify) = I acknowledge in my heart and pronounce with my tongue; testimony is stronger than mere acknowledgment.
2. The heart alone suffices only if speech is impossible; tongue alone is insufficient.
3. The true meaning of Laa ilaaha ill-Allaah: “There is nothing worthy of worship except Allaah”.
4. All other interpretations are incorrect and lead to deviation.