The meaning of [the confession]: Lâ ilâha

illallâh (The first confession of a Muslim which

means: ‘None has the right to be worshipped
:but Allâh’) and its conditions

The conditions of Lâ ilâha illallâh and its

:meaning
Lâ ilâha illallâh is the key to Paradise, but every
key should have teeth by which it opens or it would
.not be useful
The conditions of Lâ ilâha illallâh are the teeth of
:this key, and they are
Knowing its meaning, which is the negation .1
of worship except to Allâh, then confirming it only to
.Him
َ
”‫ه‬ُ ّ ‫ه ِإل الل‬
َ َ ‫ه ل إ ِل‬ ْ َ ‫عل‬
ُ ّ ‫م أن‬ ْ ‫فا‬َ “ ,Allâh said
meaning – {Know, therefore, None has the right –
to be worshipped but Allâh, and ask forgiveness for
your fault, and for the men and women who
believed.} This means that there is no truly
worshipped god in earth so is in heaven except
.Allâh
‫ “من مات وهو‬,And the Prophet said
meaning - “Whoever dies while he - ”‫يعلم أنه‬
knows that there is no true god worthier to be
worshipped but Allâh shall enter the Paradise”.
.Reported by Muslim
1
 The certainty, which negates doubt. This .2
could be only achieved by having a certain heart,
.which never doubts in it
‫ن‬ ِ ّ ‫ن ال‬
َ ‫ذي‬ َ ‫مُنو‬
ِ ‫ؤ‬ ُ ْ ‫ما ال‬
ْ ‫م‬ َ ّ ‫ “إ ِن‬,Allâh  said
ْ َ‫م ل‬
- ”‫م ي َْرَتاُبوا‬ ّ ُ‫ه ث‬
ِ ِ ‫سول‬
ُ ‫وَر‬ ِ ّ ‫مُنوا ِبالل‬
َ ‫ه‬ َ ‫آ‬
meaning – {Only those are Believers who have
believed in Allâh and His Messenger, and have
{.never since doubted in it
‫ “أشهد أن ل إله‬,And the Prophet  said
meaning – “Any slave who meets with - ”‫إل الله‬
Allâh, bearing witness that none has the right to be
worshipped but Allâh, and that I am his
Messenger, without entertaining any doubt about
these (two fundamentals), will not be banished
.”from entering Paradise
Accepting whatever this word necessitates .3
:in heart and saying, Allâh said about disbelievers
ُ ّ ‫ه ِإل الل‬
‫ه‬ َ َ ‫م ل إ ِل‬ْ ‫ه‬ ُ َ‫ل ل‬َ ‫قي‬
ِ ‫ذا‬َ ِ ‫كاُنوا إ‬َ ‫م‬ ْ ‫ه‬ ُ ّ ‫“إ ِن‬
َ
‫هت َِنا‬ ُ ‫ر‬
َ ِ ‫كو آل‬ ِ ‫ن أئ ِّنا ل ََتا‬ َ ‫قوُلو‬ُ َ ‫وي‬َ .‫ن‬َ ‫ست َك ْب ُِرو‬ ْ َ‫ي‬
meaning – {For they, when they - ”‫ن‬ ٍ ‫جُنو‬ ْ ‫م‬
َ ‫ر‬ٍ ‫ع‬ ِ ‫شا‬ َ ِ‫ل‬
were told that none has the right to be worshipped but
Allâh, would puff themselves up with Pride. And say:
"What! Shall we give up our gods for the sake of a
Poet possessed?’}, this means that they disobeyed to
.say it where believers did
‫ “أمرت أن أقاتل‬,And the Prophet  said
meaning - “I have been ordered (by - ”‫الناس‬
Allâh) to fight the people till they say, ‘None has
2
the right to be worshipped but Allâh’, and whoever
said it then he will save his life and property from
me except on trespassing the law (rights and
.”(conditions for which he will be punished justly
.Submission and surrender to what it shows .4
َ “ ,Allâh  said
‫م‬ْ ُ ‫وأِنيُبوا إ َِلى َرب ّك‬
َ
َ
meaning – {Turn yourselves to - ”‫ه‬ ُ َ ‫موا ل‬
ُ ِ ‫سل‬
ْ ‫وأ‬َ
.{(your Lord (in repentance) and bow to His (Will
The Truth, which negates lying. This means .5
.that one should say it truly from heart
َ َ
‫ن‬ْ ‫سأ‬ُ ‫ب الّنا‬ َ ‫س‬
ِ ‫ح‬ َ ‫ أ‬.‫ “الم‬,Allâh  said
َ
.‫ن‬
َ ‫فت َُنو‬ ْ ُ‫م ل ي‬ ْ ‫ه‬ ُ ‫و‬َ ‫مّنا‬ َ ‫قوُلوا آ‬ ُ َ‫ن ي‬ ْ ‫كوا أ‬ ُ ‫ي ُت َْر‬
ُ ّ ‫ن الل‬
‫ه‬ َ َ ‫عل‬
ّ ‫م‬ ْ َ ‫فل َي‬
َ ‫م‬
ْ ‫ه‬ ِ ِ ‫قب ْل‬َ ‫ن‬ ْ ‫م‬ ِ ‫ن‬ ِ ّ ‫فت َّنا ال‬
َ ‫ذي‬ َ ْ ‫قد‬َ َ ‫ول‬َ
meaning - ”‫ن‬ َ ‫كاِذِبي‬َ ْ ‫ن ال‬ ّ ‫م‬َ َ ‫عل‬
ْ َ ‫ول َي‬
َ ‫قوا‬ ُ َ‫صد‬َ ‫ن‬ َ ‫ذي‬ ِ ّ ‫ال‬
– {Alif Lam Mim. Do men think that they will be left
alone on saying, "We believe," and that they will not
be tested? We did test those before them, and Allâh
will certainly know those who are true from those
{.(who are false (believers
‫ “ما من أحد‬,And the Prophet  said
meaning – “If anyone testifies (sincerely - ”‫يشهد‬
from his heart) that there is None has the right to
be worshipped but Allâh’, and that Muhammad
 is His bondsman and His messenger, Allâh
”.immunes him from Hell Fire

3
 Loyalty, which is the purification of the deeds .6
with the good intention from any kind of Shirk
.((polytheism
ُ
َ ّ ‫دوا الل‬
‫ه‬ ُ ُ ‫عب‬
ْ َ ‫مُروا ِإل ل ِي‬
ِ ‫ما أ‬ َ “ ,Allâh  said
َ ‫و‬
meaning – {And they - ”‫ن‬ َ ‫دي‬ ُ َ‫ن ل‬
ّ ‫ه ال‬ َ ‫صي‬
ِ ِ ‫خل‬
ْ ‫م‬
ُ
have been commanded no more than this: to worship
Allâh, offering Him sincere devotion, being True (in
{.(faith
‫ “أسعد الناس‬,And the Prophet  said
meaning - “The luckiest person - ”‫بشفاعتي‬
who will have my intercession on the Day of
Resurrection will be the one who said, 'None has
the right to be worshipped but Allâh,' sincerely
”.from the bottom of his heart
‫ “إن الله حرم على النار‬,And he also said
meaning – “Allâh immuned from - ”‫من قال‬
Hell Fire whomever he said, ‘Lâ ilâha illallâh’ only
aiming at the face of Allâh Glorified and Exalted
”((desiring His Satisfaction
Loving this pure word and loving whatever .7
it necessitates or shows, and loving its people who
perform its meaning and take it strongly with its
.conditions, and hate whatever may negate that
‫ن‬ ِ ُ ‫خذ‬
ْ ‫م‬ ِ ّ ‫ن ي َت‬
ْ ‫م‬
َ ‫س‬
ِ ‫ن الّنا‬
ْ ‫م‬ َ “ ,Allâh  said
ِ ‫و‬
َ ّ ‫دون الل‬
‫ن‬ ِ ّ ‫وال‬
َ ‫ذي‬ ِ ّ ‫ب الل‬
َ ‫ه‬ ُ َ‫م ك‬
ّ ‫ح‬ ْ ‫ه‬
ُ َ ‫حّبون‬
ِ ُ ‫دا ي‬ ً ‫دا‬
َ ‫ه أن‬
ِ ِ ُ
َ
meaning – {Yet there are - ”‫ه‬ ِ ّ ‫حّبا ل ِل‬ُ ّ‫شد‬ َ ‫مُنوا أ‬
َ ‫آ‬
men who take (for worship) others besides Allâh, as

4
 equal (with Allâh): they love them as they should
love Allâh, but those of Faith are overflowing in
.{their love for Allâh
‫ “ثلث من كن‬,And the Prophet  said
meaning - “Whoever possesses the - ”‫فيه‬
following three qualities will taste the sweetness of
:faith
The one to whom Allâh and His Messenger.1
.become dearer than anything else
Who loves a person and he loves him only .2
.for Allâh's sake
Who hates to revert to disbelief (Atheism) .3
after Allâh has brought (saved) him out from it,
”.as much as he hates to be thrown in fire
To disbelieve in Tawagheet (those who are .1
worshipped or wrongly obeyed other than Allâh).
These are the worshipped gods else than Allâh.
Moreover, to believe in Allâh as a Lord and a truly
.worshipped God
‫د‬ َ ‫ن‬
ْ ‫ق‬ ِ ‫دي‬
ّ ‫في ال‬ ِ َ‫ “ل إ ِك َْراه‬,Allâh  said
‫فْر‬ُ ْ ‫ن ي َك‬ْ ‫م‬ َ ‫ف‬َ ‫ي‬ ّ ‫غ‬َ ‫ن ال‬ْ ‫م‬ِ ُ‫شد‬ ْ ‫ن الّر‬ َ ّ ‫ت َب َي‬
َ ‫س‬
‫ك‬ َ ‫م‬ ْ َ ‫ست‬ْ ‫قدْ ا‬ َ ‫ف‬ َ ‫ه‬ ِ ّ ‫ن ِبالل‬ْ ‫م‬ ْ ُ ‫وي‬
ِ ‫ؤ‬ َ ‫ت‬ ِ ‫غو‬ ُ ‫طا‬ّ ‫ِبال‬
‫ه‬ُ ّ ‫والل‬ َ ‫ها‬ َ َ‫م ل‬ َ ‫صا‬ َ ‫ف‬ ِ ‫قى ل ان‬ َ ْ ‫وث‬ُ ْ ‫ة ال‬ِ ‫و‬َ ‫عْر‬ُ ْ ‫ِبال‬
meaning – {Let there be no - ”‫م‬ ٌ ‫عِلي‬ َ ‫ع‬ ٌ ‫مي‬ ِ ‫س‬ َ
compulsion in religion: Truth stands out clear from
Error: whoever rejects Evil and believes in Allâh has

5
grasped the most trustworthy hand-hold, that never
.{breaks. And Allâh is the All-Hearer All-Knower
‫ “من قال ل إله‬,And the Prophet  said
meaning – “He who professed that - ”‫إل الله‬
there is no god but Allâh and made a denial of
everything which the people worship besides Allâh,
”.his property and blood became inviolable

The meaning of [the confession]:

Muhammad-ur-Rasûl-Allâh
The second confession of a Muslim, which)
means: Muhammad  is the Messenger of
.(Allâh
6
 The belief that he is sent from Allâh, so that we
should believe him in what he has informed, and obey
him in what he has ordered, and leave what he has
forbade, and worship Allâh as he has decreed.
Moreover, we should believe that he is the last (end)
of the Prophets and that his Message (Islâm) is quite
.general for all mankind and jinn
In fact, the veneration of the Prophet with his
orders and prohibition and sticking to his rules are
the true expression for the real meaning of this
.(testimony (confession
However, this is a mere submission to the orders
of Allâh, who sent him to all people as a bearer of
glad tidings, and a warner, and as one who invites to
Allâh (Islâmic Monotheism, i.e. to worship none but
Allâh Alone) by His Leave, and as a lamp spreading
light (through his instructions from the Qur’ân and
(the Sunnah – the Legal ways of the Prophet

.Our duty towards the Prophet of Allâh 

.Believing him.1
”‫وى‬ َ ‫ه‬َ ْ ‫ن ال‬ ْ ‫ع‬ َ ‫ق‬ ُ ِ‫ما ي َن ْط‬ َ ‫و‬ َ “ ,Allâh  said
meaning – {Nor does he say (aught) of (his -
.{own) Desire
.Patterning after him.2
‫ن‬َ ‫حّبو‬ ِ ُ‫م ت‬ ْ ُ ‫ن ك ُن ْت‬ ْ ِ‫ل إ‬ْ ‫ق‬ ُ “ ,Allâh  said
‫م‬ْ ُ ‫فْر ل َك‬ ِ ‫غ‬ْ َ ‫وي‬
َ ‫ه‬ ُ ّ ‫م الل‬ْ ُ ‫حب ِب ْك‬
ْ ُ ‫عوِني ي‬ ُ ِ ‫فات ّب‬َ ‫ه‬ َ ّ ‫الل‬
meaning – {Say (O Muhammad  ): - ”‫م‬ ْ ُ ‫ذُُنوب َك‬
7
 "If you do love Allâh, then follow me: Allâh will
love you and forgive you your sins’}, and He also
ِ ّ ‫ل الل‬
‫ه‬ ِ ‫سو‬ ُ ‫في َر‬ ِ ‫م‬ْ ُ ‫ن ل َك‬ َ ْ‫قد‬
َ ‫كا‬ َ َ ‫ “ل‬,said
meaning – {You have indeed - ”‫ة‬ ٌ َ ‫سن‬ ُ
َ ‫ح‬ َ ٌ‫وة‬َ ‫س‬
ْ ‫أ‬
in the Messenger of Allâh  a beautiful pattern
‫س‬ َ ُ “ ,(of conduct)}, and said
ْ ‫ق‬
ُ ‫ها الّنا‬ َ ّ ‫ل َياأي‬
ُ َ ‫ذي ل‬
‫ه‬ ِ ّ ‫عا ال‬ ً ‫مي‬ ِ ‫ج‬ َ ‫م‬ ْ ُ ‫ه إ ِل َي ْك‬ِ ّ ‫ل الل‬ ُ ‫سو‬ ُ ‫إ ِّني َر‬
‫و‬
َ ‫ه‬ ُ ‫ه ِإل‬ َ َ ‫ض ل إ ِل‬ ِ ‫والْر‬ َ ‫ت‬ ِ ‫وا‬ َ ‫ما‬ َ ‫س‬ ّ ‫ك ال‬ ُ ْ ‫مل‬ ُ
‫ي‬
ّ ِ ‫ه الن ّب‬ ِ ِ ‫سول‬ ُ ‫وَر‬ َ ‫ه‬ ِ ّ ‫مُنوا ِبالل‬ ِ ‫فآ‬ َ ‫ت‬ ُ ‫مي‬ ِ ُ ‫وي‬
َ ‫ي‬ ِ ‫ح‬ ْ ُ‫ي‬
‫ه‬
ُ ‫عو‬ ُ ِ ‫وات ّب‬َ ‫ه‬ ِ ِ ‫مات‬ َ ِ ‫وك َل‬َ ‫ه‬ ِ ّ ‫ن ِبالل‬ ُ ‫م‬ ِ ‫ؤ‬ْ ُ ‫ذي ي‬ ِ ّ ‫ي ال‬ّ ‫م‬ ّ ‫ال‬
meaning – {Say (O - ”‫ن‬ َ ‫دو‬ ُ َ ‫هت‬ ْ َ‫م ت‬ْ ُ ‫عل ّك‬ َ َ‫ل‬
Muhammad  ): "O men! I am sent unto you all,
as the Messenger of Allâh, to Whom the dominion
of the heavens and the earth belongs: there is no
worthy god to be worshipped but He: it is He Who
gives both life and death. So believe in Allâh and
His Messenger, the unlettered Prophet, who
believed in Allâh and His Words: follow him that
.{(so) you may be guided
.Decreeing his love.3
‫م‬ْ ُ ‫ؤك‬
ُ ‫ن آَبا‬ َ ‫ن‬
َ ‫كا‬ ْ ِ‫ل إ‬ ُ “ ,Allâh  said
ْ ‫ق‬
َ ‫خوان ُك ُم‬ ُ ‫وأ َب َْنا‬
‫م‬ْ ُ ‫جك‬ ُ ‫وا‬ َ ‫وأْز‬ َ ْ َ ْ ِ ‫وإ‬ َ ‫م‬ ْ ُ ‫ؤك‬ َ
َ
‫ة‬
ٌ ‫جاَر‬ َ ِ ‫وت‬ َ ‫ها‬ َ ‫مو‬ ُ ُ ‫فت‬ ْ ‫قت ََر‬ ْ ‫لا‬ ٌ ‫وا‬ َ ‫م‬ ْ ‫وأ‬ َ ‫م‬ ْ ُ ‫شيَرت ُك‬ ِ ‫ع‬ َ ‫و‬ َ
َ
‫ب‬
ّ ‫ح‬َ ‫ها أ‬ َ َ ‫ون‬ْ ‫ض‬ َ ‫ن ت َْر‬ ُ ِ ‫ساك‬ َ ‫م‬ َ ‫و‬ َ ‫ها‬ َ َ‫ساد‬ َ َ‫ن ك‬ َ ‫و‬ ْ ‫ش‬ َ ‫خ‬ ْ َ‫ت‬
‫في‬ ِ ‫هاٍد‬ َ ‫ج‬ ِ ‫و‬ َ ‫ه‬ ِ ِ ‫سول‬ ُ ‫وَر‬ َ ‫ه‬ ِ ّ ‫ن الل‬ ْ ‫م‬ ِ ‫م‬ ْ ُ ‫إ ِل َي ْك‬
َ ‫فت َربصوا حّتى يأ ْت ِي الل ّه بأ‬
‫ه‬
ِ ‫ر‬ ِ ‫م‬
ْ ِ ُ َ َ َ ُ ّ َ َ ‫ه‬ ِ ِ ‫سِبيل‬ َ
- ”‫ن‬ َ ‫قي‬ ِ ‫س‬ ِ ‫فا‬ َ ْ ‫م ال‬ َ ‫و‬ ْ ‫ق‬ َ ْ ‫دي ال‬ ِ ‫ه‬ ْ َ‫ه ل ي‬ ُ ّ ‫والل‬ َ

8
 meaning – “Say (O Muhammad  ): If it be that
your fathers, your sons, your brothers, your mates,
or your kindred; the wealth that you have gained;
the commerce in which you fear a decline; or the
dwellings in which you delight - are dearer to you
than Allâh, Or His Messenger, or the striving in
His cause - then wait until Allâh brings about His
”.decision: and Allâh guides not the rebellious
‫ “ل يؤمن أحدكم‬,And the Prophet  said
meaning – “None amongst you is a - ”‫حتى‬
truthful believer till he loves me more than he
”.loves his father, his son, and all mankind
.Adoration of Allâh the way he decreed.4
”‫ “وما ينطق عن الهوى‬,Allâh  said
meaning – “Nor does he say (aught) of (his -
‫ “من‬,own) Desire”, and the Prophet  said
- ”‫عمل عمل ليس عليه أمرنا فهو رد‬
meaning – “He who innovates things in these
affairs of ours, for which there is no valid
”.(reason), his innovations are to be rejected
َ ‫سو‬
‫ل‬ ُ ‫ع الّر‬
ْ ِ‫ن ي ُط‬
ْ ‫م‬
َ “ :And Allâh said also
meaning – {He who obeys - ”‫ه‬ َ ّ ‫ع الل‬ َ َ ‫قدْ أ‬
َ ‫طا‬ َ ‫ف‬
َ
{.the Messenger, has in fact obeyed Allâh

.Avoiding cause harm to him.5

‫ن‬
َ ‫ذو‬ ْ ُ‫ن ي‬
ُ ‫ؤ‬ َ ‫ذي‬ِ ّ ‫م ال‬
ْ ‫ه‬ ُ ْ ‫من‬ ِ ‫و‬َ “ ,Allâh  said
ُ ُ
‫ر‬
ٍ ْ ‫خي‬َ ‫ن‬ ُ ُ‫ل أذ‬ْ ‫ق‬ ُ ‫ن‬ ٌ ُ‫و أذ‬ َ ‫ه‬ َ ‫قوُلو‬
ُ ‫ن‬ ُ َ ‫وي‬
َ ‫ي‬
ّ ِ ‫الن ّب‬
9
 ‫ن‬َ ‫مِني‬ ِ ‫ؤ‬ْ ‫م‬ ُ ْ ‫ن ل ِل‬ُ ‫م‬ ْ ُ ‫وي‬
ِ ‫ؤ‬ َ ‫ه‬ ِ ّ ‫ن ِبالل‬ ُ ‫م‬ ِ ‫ؤ‬ْ ُ‫م ي‬ْ ُ ‫ل َك‬
‫ن‬ ْ ُ‫ن ي‬
ُ ‫ؤ‬
َ ‫ذو‬ َ ‫ذي‬ِ ّ ‫وال‬َ ‫م‬ ْ ُ ‫من ْك‬ِ ‫مُنوا‬ َ ‫نآ‬ َ ‫ذي‬ِ ّ ‫ة ل ِل‬ٌ ‫م‬ َ ‫ح‬
ْ ‫وَر‬ َ
َ
meaning – - ”‫م‬ ٌ ‫ب أِلي‬ ٌ ‫ذا‬ َ ‫ع‬َ ‫م‬ ْ ‫ه‬ ُ َ‫ه ل‬
ِ ّ ‫ل الل‬ َ ‫سو‬ ُ ‫َر‬
{Among them are men who molest the Prophet
and say, "He is (all) ear." Say (O Muhammad
 ), "He listens to what is best for you: he
believes in Allâh, has faith in the Believers and is
a Mercy to those of you who believe." But those
who molest the Prophet will have a grievous
{.punishment
In fact, the phrase ‘molest the Prophet’ here
includes: his honorable body, what he has sent
by from Allâh, his Sunnah, his family, his wives
– the mothers of believers – and his honorable
.companions

10