Pillars and Conditions of shahadah.

[Al-Ansariyah]

I would like to warn and notify my Muslim brothers that the word of tawhid is not just another word that will benefit just to add to one’s sayings without knowing its meaning. Rather, it is a word that will only benefit someone when he knows what it means. It will only benefit the one who fulfills its pillars and conditions. Which are: The arkan (pillars) are two:

•Nafi (negation)


•Ithbat (affirmation)

The proof for this is in the saying of His (ta‘ala), “And who disbelieves in the taghut and believes in Allah has grasped the most trustworthy handhold that will never break, and Allah is the All Hearing and All Seeing.” The shurut (condition) for “la ilaha illallah) are seven, and they are:

•‘Ilm (knowledge). The opposite of which is jahl (ignorance). He (ta‘ala) said, “So know, that there is nothing worthy of worship except for Allah.” And He (ta‘ala) said, “Except for those who bear witness to the truth while they know.”

•Yaqin (certainty). The opposite of which is shakk (doubt). He (ta‘ala) said, “Indeed, the believers are only those who believe in Allah and His messenger, then doubt not.”

•Qubul (acceptance). The opposite of which is radd (refusal). He (ta‘ala) said, “Indeed, the only saying of those who believe when they are called to Allah and His messenger to judge between them, is that they say ‘we hear and we obey.’ ”

•Inqiyad (to comply). The opposite of which is tark (abandoning). He (ta‘ala) said, “And whoever sub- mits his face to Allah, while he is a muhsin, then he has grasped the most trustworthy hand- hold.”

•Sidq (truthfulness). The opposite of which is kathib (belying). He (ta‘ala) said, “Alif lam mim. Do the people think that they will be left alone because they say ‘we believe’ and will not be tested? And We certainly tested those who were before them, and Allah will certainly make known the truthful and will certainly make known the liars.”

•Ikhlas (sincerity/purity). The opposite of which is shirk. He (ta‘ala) said, “And they were not commanded except to worship Allah, being sincere to Him in the din as hunafa.”

•Mahabbah (love). The opposite of which is bughd (hatred). He (ta‘ala) said, “And from man are those who take others besides Allah as rivals. They love them as they love Allah. But those who believe are stronger in their love for Allah.”

Shaykh ‘Abdur-Rahman ibn Hasan Al ash-Shaykh (rahimahullah) said,

“[Whoever testifies that there is nothing worthy of worship except Allah], that is, who declares it knowing its meaning and acting openly and secretly upon all that it necessitates. It is necessary for the two testimonies to be accompanied with knowledge, certainty, and acting upon its meaning, as Allah (ta‘ala) said, “So know, that there is nothing worthy of worship except Allah.” And His saying, “Except for those who bear witness to the truth while they know.” As for those who profess it without knowing its meaning, without conviction, and without acting upon what it necessitates from bara’ah from shirk and sincerity in statements and actions – the saying of the heart and tongue, and the action of heart and limbs – then it is of no benefit by consensus.”

Fath al-Majid