Conditions And Meaning Of The Shahadah

Conditions And Meaning Of The Shahadah

By Sheikh 'Abdul-'Azeez bin Baaz
Taken from his Majmoo' al-Fataawaa [vol. 1, pg. 231]
Produced by al-manhaj.com

It's meaning - There is none who has the right to be worshipped 
except Allaah. It's pillars are:

1. The negation phrase – there is no deity worthy of worship (Laa 
Ilaaha)
2. The confirmation phrase – except Allaah (IllaaAllaah)

The phrase: "there is no deity worthy of worship" negates all other 
false objects of worship while the phrase "except Allaah" confirms 
that there is only one true God worthy of worship who has no partners.

The conditions of the Shahaadah (testimony of Faith) are eight:

1. `Ilm (Knowledge): Knowledge of it's meaning - what is confirmed by 
it and what is negated by it. As previously stated it was mentioned 
that the meaning of: "There is none that has the right to be 
worshipped except Allaah" is that all other objects of worship that 
mankind set up as partners with Allaah are false.

2. Yaqeen (Certainty): Certainty of it's meaning, free from doubt or 
suspicion. This means on must be upon certainty that none has the 
right to be worshipped except Allaah.

3. Al-Ikhlaas (Sincerity): This means the sincerity the servant has 
towards only his Lord, in all acts of worship. For example, if 
anyone deviates from this sincerity to Allaah and directs it toward a 
Prophet, a walee, an idol, a king, the jinn or any other false object 
of worship, than certainly he is guilty of committing shirk 
(polytheism) and has contradicted this condition of the Shahaadah 
(testimony of Faith), which is Sincerity.

4, As-Sidq (Truthfulness): It's meaning is to speak the truth in 
order to remove any traces of hypocrisy. This is the meaning of 
Sidq. It also means to observe truthfulness with the tongue as well 
as the heart. If sidq is only observed by the tongue and not by the 
heart, then this condition of sidq (truthfulness) has not been met.

5. Al-Mahabbah (Love): It's meaning is to love Allaah. The 
declaration of the Shahaadah requires that the person loves Allaah. 
If someone declares his faith but does not love Allaah then he's at a 
stage of kufr, where he doesn't enter into Islam, as was the way of 
the hypocrites. The proof for this is in the saying of Allaah:

"Say (O Muhammad, to mankind) if you really love Allaah then follow 
me. Allaah will love you and forgive you of your sins. And Allaah 
is oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful." [Surah Aali `Imran: 31]

6. Al-Inqiyaad (Compliance): One must comply with the obligations of 
the Shahaadah. This means to carry out all the obligatory duties 
with faith and certainty that these obligations are the rights your 
Lord has over you. If one fails to worship Allaah and to adhere to 
his Legislation, showing arrogance and animosity towards it, then he 
is not from the believers, as was the case with Iblees (the Devil) 
and others of his nature.

7. Al-Qubool (Acceptance): One must accept the Shahaadah and it's 
meaning. This means accepting all its conditions with sincerity and 
worshiping only Allaah. It also entails leaving off that which is 
worshipped besides Allaah as equals, whilst being firm on this and 
pleased with it.

8. Rejection of anything worshipped besides Allaah: The meaning of 
this condition is that one must stay clear of and distance himself 
from all acts of worship other than the worship of Allaah. And he 
must recognize, with certainty that all acts of worship, which are 
not done solely for Allaah, are false and to be rejected. Allaah 
says in the Qur'aan:

"Whoever disbelieves in the Taghoot (false deities and systems) and 
believes in Allaah, then he has grasped the most trustworthy handhold 
that will never break. And Allaah is the All=Seeing, All-Knowing." 
[Surah Al-Baqarah: 256]