In the name of Allah the Most Gracious the Most Merciful
Definition of Laa ilaha illa Allah
By Shaykh Muhammad ibn Sa’eed Raslaan may Allah preserve him
The shaykh mentions in his book entitled:“Laa ilaaha ill Allah: it’s meaning, conditions, nullifiers, and virtues” how the statement of Laa ilaha ill Allah is misinterpreted by different groups of Muslims and it’s correct interpretation. He says:
1. Ahlul wahdatil wujood (Those who claim that Allah is everywhere)
-Ahlul wahdatil wujood (or Pantheism), Ibn ‘Arabi and those like him, say that Laa ilaha ill Allah means that there is nothing worshiped except Allah. Or, they say that there is no god that exists except Allah. The meaning of this is that everything that is worshiped is Allah. Existence according to them is not broken into a creator and creation, rather everything is Allah. And for this they are given the name ahlul wahdatil wujood. If man were to worship anything (like a cow, idol, rock, man, angel) then he is worshiping Allah, because Allah is everything according to them.
*If it were to said them that existence is broken into two parts: Creator and creation they would say that this person is a mushrik. None can be a person of tawheed until they affirm that everything is Allah.
2. Ahlul Kalaam (People of Rhetoric)
-The scholars of rhetoric say that Laa ilaaha ill Allah means there is none capable of creating, disposing affairs except Allah, but this is not sufficient. This agrees with the religion of the polytheists. The polytheists say that there is none able to create, give life, cause death, provide except Allah. This is Tahweed of Allah’s Lordship.
(…and this definition does not encompass the entire meaning of laa ilaaha ill Allah.)
3. Jahmeeyah and Mu’tazilah (Those who deny Allah’s Names and Attributes)
-The definition of laa ilaaha ill Allah with them is denying His Names and Attributes. According to them whoever affirms His Names or Attributes are considered to be polytheists.
4. Hizbeeyun, Qutbiyun, and Ikhwaaniyoon (Those who divide into partianship, followers of Sayyid Qutub and the Ikhwaani)
They say that laa ilaaha ill Allah means that there is none who can legislate/judge except Allah. But here legislating/judging (hakameeyah) is only a portion of what it means.
We say to them: where are the other acts of worship?! Where is rukoo’, prostration, slaughtering, swearing, and the rest of ‘ibaadah?!
Is worship only considered to be legislating?
Yaa Subhaanallah! It is imperative to be warned from these affairs, because the statement of Laa ilaaha ill Allah is a tremendous statement. It will cause the one who gives it it’s right to be saved from the fire. The entire religion is built upon this statement from the beginning to the end. All of the call of the messengers and revealed books were built upon this statement.
5. Ahlus-Sunnah wal Jamaa’ah (The correct translation)
-Laa ilaaha ill Allah means that: there is nothing WORTHY of worship except Allah, because there are many things that are worshiped. But Allah is truly the only one who DESERVES to be worshiped, and anything worshipped beside Him is false. Allah states:
“That is because Allâh— He is the Truth (the only True God of all that exists, Who has no partners or rivals with Him), and what they (the polytheists) invoke besides Him, it is Bâtil (falsehood) And verily, Allâh— He is the Most High, the Most Great.” (Hajj:62)
Therefore this statement is a NEGATION and AFFIRMATION. Negating worship to all other types of gods and affirming that worship is for Allah alone.
Translated by: Michael AbdusSalaam Deonarain
الفقير الى الله
Trying to Follow the Salaf 