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:
This topic is of the utmost importance, because this tremendous testimony is not accepted except with its conditions. Just as it is well known that prayer is not valid except with its conditions, and that purification and ablution are not valid except with their conditions, likewise Lā ilāha illā Allāh is neither valid nor accepted from its utterer unless its conditions—mentioned by the people of knowledge—are fulfilled.

This topic is of great importance because many people are unaware of these conditions and assume that merely uttering it, simply pronouncing it, will benefit them.

These constraints laid down by the scholars are necessary, and these conditions are tremendous and important, so that a person does not come on the Day of Resurrection—just as Allāh said:

{ وَبَدَا لَهُم مِّنَ اللَّهِ مَا لَمْ يَكُونُوا يَحْتَسِبُونَ }

“And there will appear to them from Allāh that which they had not been reckoning” [Az-Zumar: 47]

A person may utter Lā ilāha illā Allāh yet contradict it from the very day he says it, and it will not benefit him with Allāh, Exalted is He.

The Number of the Conditions

These conditions have been mentioned by the people of knowledge. Some mention that they are seven conditions, while others add an eighth.

Shaykh Ḥāfiẓ al-Ḥakamī (raḥimahullāh) gathered them in the following poem verses, saying:

وبشروطٍ سبعةٍ قد قُيِّدت * وفي نصوص الوحي حقًّا وردت
فإنه لم ينتفع قائلها * بالنطق إلا حيث يستكملها
العلمُ واليقينُ والقبولُ * والانقيادُ فادرِ ما أقولُ
والصدقُ والإخلاصُ والمحبةُ * وفقك اللهُ لما أحبَّهُ

* And with seven conditions it has been bound * and in the texts of revelation they have truly come
* For its utterer does not benefit from it * by mere utterance unless he fulfills them
* Knowledge, certainty, and acceptance * and submission—so understand what I say
* And truthfulness, sincerity, and love; may Allāh grant you success in what He loves.

These are seven conditions mentioned by Ḥāfiẓ al-Ḥakamī (raḥimahullāh).

Others gathered them and added an eighth condition, saying:

علمٌ يقينٌ وإخلاصٌ وصدقُك مع
محبةٍ وانقيادٍ والقبولِ لها
وزيد ثامنُها الكفرانُ منك بما
سوى الإله من الأوثان قد أُلِها

* Knowledge, certainty, sincerity, and your truthfulness along with
* Love, submission, and acceptance of it;
* And an eighth is added: your disbelief in whatever
* Besides the true God has been worshipped among idols.

Thus, we conclude that the conditions of Lā ilāha illā Allāh are eight.

Arrangement of the Conditions

• The first condition: Knowledge (Al-ʿIlm)
• The second condition: Certainty (Al-Yaqīn)
• The third condition: Sincerity (Al-Ikhlāṣ)

(The explanation of the remaining conditions will follow in the next lessons, inshāʾ Allāh)

The First Condition: Knowledge

Meaning: knowledge of the meaning of the statement Lā ilāha illā Allāh. This has already been mentioned in previous lessons: What is the meaning of Lā ilāha illā Allāh?

Whoever bears witness that Lā ilāha illā Allāh must know the right of Allāh, otherwise, how could he fulfill it?

And what is the evidence that knowledge is a condition?

{ فَاعْلَمْ أَنَّهُ لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ }

“So know that there is no god except Allāh” [Muḥammad: 19]

And the Prophet, ṣallallāhu ʿalayhi wa-sallam, said:
“Whoever dies while knowing that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allāh will enter Paradise.” Narrated by Muslim.

The State of People Regarding This Condition

• A category that knows the meaning of Lā ilāha illā Allāh and acts upon that knowledge.
• A category that is ignorant of the meaning of Lā ilāha illā Allāh and does not know its meaning.

Such a person is told Lā ilāha illā Allāh, and he thinks its meaning is:

• There is no Creator except Allāh
• Or there is no Provider except Allāh
• Or there is none capable of origination except Allāh

That is an incorrect interpretation of the statement.

Rather, it is necessary to know that the meaning of Lā ilāha illā Allāh is: Nothing is worthy of worship except Allāh.

Meaning: all objects of worship besides Allāh, Exalted is He, must be abandoned.

The Understanding of the Polytheists

{ إِنَّهُمْ كَانُوا إِذَا قِيلَ لَهُمْ لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ يَسْتَكْبِرُونَ * وَيَقُولُونَ أَئِنَّا لَتَارِكُوا آلِهَتِنَا لِشَاعِرٍ مَّجْنُونٍ }

“Truly, when it was said to them: ‘There is no god but Allāh’, they puffed themselves up with pride * And said: ‘Are we going to abandon our gods for the sake of a mad poet?’” [Aṣ-Ṣāffāt: 35–36]

{ أَجَعَلَ الْآلِهَةَ إِلَٰهًا وَاحِدًا إِنَّ هَٰذَا لَشَيْءٌ عُجَابٌ }

“Has he made all gods into One Ilāh? Verily, this is a curious thing!” [Ṣād: 5]

They understood that its meaning was abandoning all deities and singling out one God (Allāh) for worship.

An Important Benefit: Combining the Evidences

In matters of religion, it is necessary to combine all the evidences. Do not take some evidences and leave others.

Thus, the ḥadīths in which it is mentioned: “Whoever dies saying Lā ilāha illā Allāh…” must be combined with other ḥadīths that restricted it with knowledge, sincerity, and certainty.

{ أَفَتُؤْمِنُونَ بِبَعْضِ الْكِتَابِ وَتَكْفُرُونَ بِبَعْضٍ }

“Then do you believe in a part of the Scripture and reject the rest?” [Al-Baqarah: 85]

The Second Condition: Certainty

Certainty means that one says Lā ilāha illā Allāh while being certain of it, with no doubt. If he says it while in doubt, it does not benefit him.

An example of this is the hypocrites.

{ إِنَّ الْمُنَافِقِينَ فِي الدَّرْكِ الْأَسْفَلِ مِنَ النَّارِ }

“Verily, the hypocrites will be in the lowest depth of the Fire” [An-Nisāʾ: 145]

Evidences for the Condition of Certainty

{ إِنَّمَا الْمُؤْمِنُونَ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا بِاللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ ثُمَّ لَمْ يَرْتَابُوا }

“Only those are the believers who have believed in Allāh and His Messenger, and afterward doubt not” [Al-Ḥujurāt: 15]

{ فَهُمْ فِي رَيْبِهِمْ يَتَرَدَّدُونَ }

“So in their doubts they waver” [At-Tawbah: 45]

The Prophet, ṣallallāhu ʿalayhi wa-sallam, said: “No slave meets Allāh with these two while doubting them except that he will be barred from al-Jannah.” Narrated by Muslim.

And he told Abū Hurayrah: “Whomever you meet behind this wall bearing witness that Lā ilāha illā Allāh, with certainty in his heart, then give him glad tidings of al-Jannah.” Narrated by Muslim.

Conclusion of the Lesson

1. The first condition: Knowledge
2. The second condition: Certainty

Many people are ignorant of these conditions, and thus confusions arise for them. Just as prayer is not valid without purification, likewise Lā ilāha illā Allāh does not benefit except with its conditions.