The conditions of the Shahadatain

Bismilah, Al-Rahman Al-Rciheem. Alhamdulilahi Rab Al- ‘Alameen wa

salla Allahu ‘ala Muhammedan wa ‘ala aalahi wasahbihi wassalam.

In the name of Allah, the Most Benefcent, the Most Merciful. All praise
is due to Allah, the Lord of all that exists. I testify there is no true God
worthy of worship except Allah and that Muhammed is Allah ’s true
Slave and Messenger. May Allah ’s salah and Salam be upon the
Prophet, his pure family and his noble companions and those that
follow on their path until the day of resurrection. May Allah subhanahu
wa ta ’ala make us from them. Wal-hamdulilah Rab Al-‘Alameen

The Shahadatain “La ilaha illaAllah Muhammadur Rasulullah”

(testimony of faith) is our "Muftah ul Jannah" (Key to Paradise).

Hasan Al Basri (Rahimahullah) the student of Abu Huraira

(radhiAllahu anhu) was once asked: Didn't the Prophet say:
“Whoever says Laailahailla-lah will enter Jannah?”
He replied: "Yes, if a person says La ilaha illaAllah and 'fulfls its
conditions and rights' will enter Jannah Insha Allah."

Wahb ibn Munabbih (Rahimahullah) was asked, “Isn't the key to

Paradise the kalimah La ilaha illaAllah (to testify that 'none has the
right to be worshiped save Allah')?”
He answered; 'Yes! But every key has ridges. If you come with the key
that has the right ridges, the door will open for you. Yet if you do not
have the right ridges the door will not open for you."

This statement is like a key which must meet certain conditions in order
for it to work. In fact these conditions determine who will beneft from
the statement and who will not. It does not matter how many times per
day anyone says it.

Learning, understanding and practicing these conditions is incumbent

on a believer, only then by Allah's Mercy, the doors to Jannah will open
for us with our KEY (muftah) of “La ilaha illaAllah".
The Conditions and Rights of the Shahadah

Part 1 – La ilaha illaAllah

The number of conditions may be understood as seven, eight or nine

depending on how they are categorised and combined by our Scholars.
They have combined some conditions for easier comprehension and
memorisation.

Regardless, it remains that one must understand and apply these

conditions for his Shahada to be valid.

Listed here are "nine" conditions in order to give more attention and
detail to each and every aspect. The nine conditions of the shahadah are:

1 KNOWLEDGE (’ilm),

2 CERTAINTY (yaqeen),

3 ACCEPTANCE (qabool),

4 SUBMISSION and COMPLIANCE (Inqiyad),

5 TRUTHFULNESS (as-sidq) as opposed to hypocrisy and dishonesty,

6 SINCERITY (or al-ikhlass),

7 LOVE (mahabbah),

8 DENIAL OF FALSE WORSHIP (kufr bi't taghut) and

9 ADHERENCE (astaqeem) until death

It is Obligatory for a Muslim to learn Tawheed and also to learn things

that oppose it or nullify it.

* By learning the opposites, things become clearer.

1. Knowledge:

"So know, [O Muhammad], that there is no deity except Allah." [Quran

47: 19]

Know - meaning have the knowledge.

We should know the conditions and connotations of La ilaha illalAlah

and the most important of it is that 'There is no deity worthy of worship
except Allah'. The opposite of knowledge is ignorance and so we should
not be ignorant of this knowledge.

2. Certainty (in la ilaha illaAllah):

“The believers are only the ones who have believed in Allah and His
Messenger and then doubt not...” [Quran 49:1 5].

The opposite of certainty is ‘doubt’. And no Muslim should have an

atom of a doubt in la ilaha illaAllah. Certainty and not a shadow of
doubt - not 99% not 99.99% a full 1 00%.

Whoever doesn’t have this condition has not fulflled the basic
requirements of la ilaha illaAllah.

3. Acceptance (of la ilaha illaAllah):

“Indeed they, when it was said to them, ‘There is no deity but Allah, ’
were arrogant.” [Quran 37:35].

The opposite of acceptance is rejection. When the mushriks were asked

to accept la ilaha illaAllah they became arrogant and rejected.

Even the Shytaan (devil) knows Allah but he is arrogant.

The Prophet (salliAllahu alayhi wa sallam) said, "The example of

guidance and knowledge with which Allah has sent me is like abundant
rain falling on the earth, some of which was fertile soil that absorbed
rain water and brought forth vegetation and grass in abundance. (And)
another portion of it was hard and held the rain water and Allah
benefted the people with it and they utilized it for drinking, making
their animals drink from it and for irrigation of the land for cultivation.
(And) a portion of it was barren which could neither hold the water nor
bring forth vegetation (then that land gave no benefts). The frst is the
example of the person who comprehends Allah's religion and gets
beneft (from the knowledge) which Allah has revealed through me and
learns and then teaches others. The last example is that of a person who
does not care for it and does not take Allah's guidance revealed through
me (He is like that barren land.)" (Sahih Bukhari Book of Knowledge
hadith no. 79)

4. Submission and Compliance (to la ilaha illaAllah):

Submit to la ilaha illAallah with our heart, body and soul. Submission -
the very meaning of Islam ‘to submit to the will of Allah’.

“And return [in repentance] to your Lord and submit to Him.” (Quran
39:54)

“And whoever submits his face [himself] to Allah while he is a doer of

good - then he has grasped the most trustworthy handhold." [Quran 31 :
22]

The opposite of submission is (in this context) to leave it or to reject it or

to not act upon it.

Therefore it is not just theoretical or something you know but it is also

something that you have to act upon.

5. Truthful (to la ilaha illaAllah):

Opposite of it is lying, hypocrisy or deceit i.e. someone says it but not

for the sake of Allah rather he says it for some worldly gains.

This is a characteristic of a Munafq (hypocrite).

“And of the people are some who say, "We believe in Allah and the Last
Day, " but they are not believers. They [think to] deceive Allah and those
who believe, but they deceive not except themselves and perceive [it]
not.” [Quran 2:8 and 2:9]
6. Sincerity (Ikhlas) (to la ilaha illaAllah):

The opposite of Ikhlas is Shirk (associating partners with Allah).

You don’t do it for the sake of people or the worldly matters, but you do
it for the sake of Allah.

“And they were not commanded except to worship Allah, [being]

sincere to Him in religion....” (Quran 98:5)

“Indeed, We have sent down to you the Book, [O Muhammad], in truth.

So worship Allah, [being] sincere to Him in religion.” [Quran 39:2]

7. Love (for la ilaha illaAllah):

Do it for the Love of Allah - love Allah and love for the sake of Allah.

At the same time hate that which Allah hates. Hate what is being
worshiped besides Allah.

“And [yet], among the people are those who take other than Allah as
equals [to Him]. They love them as they [should] love Allah. But those
who believe are stronger in love for Allah.” [Quran 2:165]

8. Denial of false worship:

Although that is clear in the words of the testimony of faith, it does not
seem clear to everyone who makes that testimony. In Surah al-Baqarah,
Allah clearly reminds us of this important aspect of the shahadah, the
shahadah is not merely an affrmation but it is both an affrmation and a
negation. Allah states,

"And he who rejects false deities and believes in Allah has grasped a
frm handhold which will never break." [Quran 2: 256]

The Prophet (salliAllahu alayhi wa sallam) made this point even clearer
when he said, "Whoever says there is no one worthy of worship except
Allah and denies whatever is worshipped besides Allah, then his wealth
and blood are protected and his accounting will be with Allah."
(Recorded by Muslim).

Although this condition should be obvious to everyone who says the

words of shahadah, you can still fnd people who say the shahadah and
then make acts of worship for beings or things other than Allah. You
will fnd them going to the graveyards and worshipping those in the
graves. They will perform acts of worship, not for the sake of Allah, but
for the sake of the dead "saints" in the grave. They are not Muslims,
there shahada won't beneft them. And this shahadah will mean nothing
on the Day of Judgment.

9- Adherence (astaqeem) (to La ilaha illaAllah) until death:

This is must if the shahadah is to mean anything for you in the

Hereafter. You cannot rest on your laurels of what you may have done
in the past. No, indeed, the shahadah must be your banner until your
death.

The Prophet ( salliAllahu alayhi wa sallam) said, “A man spends a long

time doing the deeds of the people of Paradise and then he ends his
deeds with the deeds of the people of the Hell-fre. And a man spends a
long time doing the deeds of the people of the Hell-fre and then he ends
his deeds with the deeds of the people of Paradise." (Recorded by
Muslim).

Allah says in the Qur'an,

"O believers, observe your duty to Allah with right observance, and die
not except as Muslims [in complete state of surrender, submission,
obedience to Allah].” [Quran: 3:102]

Part 2- “Mohammad Rasool Allah”

What are the implications of Muhammad Rasool Allah (salliAllahu

alayhi wa sallam)?

The following are the conditions of 2nd part of the Shahada

1. To believe in Muhammad (salliAllahu alayhi wa sallam) as the

Prophet of Allah

“Say, [O Muhammad], ‘O mankind, indeed I am the Messenger of Allah

to you all, [from Him] to whom belongs the dominion of the heavens
and the earth.” [Quran 7:158]
“Allah is most knowing of where He places His message.” [Quran 6:1
24]

2. To Love the Prophet (salliAllahu alayhi wa sallam)

We love Him (salliAllahu alayhi wa sallam), respect and honor Him

( salliAllahu alayhi wa sallam)

“Indeed, We have sent you as a witness and a bringer of good tidings

and a Warner that you [people] may believe in Allah and His Messenger
and honor him and respect the Prophet and exalt Allah morning and
afternoon” [Quran 48:8 and 48:9]

Hadith: Narrated By 'Abdullah bin Hisham: We were with the Prophet

(salliAllahu alayhi wa sallam) and he (salliAllahu alayhi wa sallam) was
holding the hand of 'Umar bin Al-Khattab. 'Umar said to Him
(salliAllahu alayhi wa sallam), "O Allah's Apostle! You are dearer to me
than everything except my own self." The Prophet (salliAllahu alayhi
wa sallam) said, "No, by Him in Whose Hand my soul is, (you will not
have complete faith) till I am dearer to you than your own self. " Then
'Umar said to him, "However, now, by Allah, you are dearer to me than
my own self." The Prophet (salliAllahu alayhi wa sallam) said, "Now, O
'Umar, (now you are a believer)." (Bukhari Volume 8, Hadith Number
628)

3. To believe with certainty that the Prophet (salliAllahu alayhi wa

sallam) conveyed the message

He (salliAllahu alayhi wa sallam) conveyed it correctly, He (salliAllahu

alayhi wa sallam) conveyed ‘all’ of it and He (salliAllahu alayhi wa
sallam) conveyed it clearly.

“This day I have perfected for you your religion and completed My
favor upon you and have approved for you Islam as religion...” [Quran
5:3]

“..And upon the Messenger, there is no responsibility but to deliver

clearly.” [Quran 24:54]

There is no need for any additions or deletions in this religion. If anyone

claims the need for amendment (bida’h i.e. innovation) in Islam know
that he is not on it (Islam) rather he is on misguidance.

All that is needed is already there in the Quran, Sunnah and the
understanding of the Three best generations’ (Sahaba, Tabaeen &
Tabetabaeen) and there is no need for any new kind of understanding of
the religion. We Muslims understand our religion based on the
understanding of our Pious Predecessors (the three best generations).
Nobody can understand Islam better than the three generations given
the title of “The best generations of Islam” by our beloved Prophet
Muhammad (salliAllahu alayhi wa sallam).

Whoever believes that there is need for some kind of bida’h in this
religion, he is actually accusing the Prophet (salliAllahu alayhi wa
sallam) of not fulflling his message.

Anything which is complete cannot be amended i.e. it is already perfect.

And Islam is perfect trying to amend it is ’dalalah’ (going astray or away

from the truth).

4. Belief that He (salliAllahu alayhi wa sallam) left us on complete

guidance

After his (salliAllahu alayhi wa sallam) guidance there is no need to go

to any other source for guidance.

“Surely the best speech is the Book of Allah and the best of all guidance
is the guidance of Muhammad (salliAllahu alayhi wa sallam). And the
worst of all affairs are newly invented things and every newly invented
thing is an innovation and every innovation is astray." (Sahih Muslim)

5. Obey him (salliAllahu alayhi wa sallam)

Say, "Obey Allah and obey the Messenger; but if you turn away - then
upon him is only that [duty] with which he has been charged, and upon
you is that with which you have been charged. And if you obey him,
you will be [rightly] guided. And there is not upon the Messenger
except the [responsibility for] clear notifcation." [Quran 24:54]
6. Turn to him for guidance

When we differ in opinion we turn to Quran and Sunnah and submit

whole heartedly.

“But no, by your Lord, they will not believe until they make you, [O
Muhammad], judge concerning that over which they dispute among
themselves and then fnd within themselves no discomfort from what
you have judged and submit in [full, willing] submission.” [Quran 4:65]

The Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said, "Whoever
among you lives (for a long time) will see many differences. I urge you
to follow my sunnah and the way of the rightly-guided Caliphs who
come after me. Hold on to it frmly. Beware of newly-invented matters,
for every innovation is a going astray." [Narrated by Ahmad, 4/126; at-
Tirmidhi no. 2676]

Now that the Prophet (salliAllahu alayhi wa sallam) is not with us we

take it back to the Quran, Sunnah and the understanding from the Pious
Predecessors. And not to my and your understanding or this or that
methodology or philosophy.

7. Follow his (salliAllahu alayhi wa sallam) example

The highest way in which Allah has praised our Prophet (salliAllahu
alayhi wa sallam) is by calling him Abdullah- meaning the one who has
perfected the worship of Allah, this is the meaning of abd (in this
context). No one has worshiped Allah as he truly deserves to be
worshiped except the Prophet (salliAllahu alayhi wa sallam) .

“There has certainly been for you in the Messenger of Allah an excellent
pattern for anyone whose hope is in Allah and the Last Day and [who]
remembers Allah often.” [Quran 33:31]

8. We have to love and respect his (salliAllahu alayhi wa sallam)

family members

“..Allah intends only to remove from you the impurity [of sin], O people
of the [Prophet's] household, and to purify you with [extensive]
purifcation.” [Quran 33:33]

Before the Prophet (salliAllahu alayhi wa sallam) passed away he said:

‘I remind you of the rights of my family members...’

We have to show extra Love for His family members (the ones who
were Muslims) which include His (salliAllahu alayhi wa sallam) wives,
children and their progeny.

There are people (groups) who do not give any extra regard to the
family of the Prophet (salliAllahu alayhi wa sallam) and on the other
extreme there are groups who have exalted the status of the family of
the Prophet (salliAllahu alayhi wa sallam) to the extent that it has
become shirk.

We Muslims take the middle path between these two extremes.

9. We have to love and respect his (salliAllahu alayhi wa sallam)

Companions

We have to show Love for His (salliAllahu alayhi wa sallam)

companions. Allah has mentioned them more than once that ‘He is
pleased with them and they with him.’ And we have to say 'radiallahu
anha' when they are mentioned.

The Prophet salliAllahu alayhi wa sallam) said; "The best of my Ummah

is my generation (Qarni), then those who follow them, then those who
follow them.” [Bukhari and Muslim]

All of this constitutes of the second part of the shahadatain Muhammad

Rasool Allah. This is the meaning and entailment of it.

May Allah make this a beneft for us, in our hearts, in our actions, from
our limbs and our tongues. Aameen.