Lesson one

Lesson one:

The meaning of Laa'laaha'illa- Allah

The meaning of Laa'ilaahailla- Allah is, there is no diety that deserves to be worshiped except Allah.

And the noun "Al –ilaah" is similar in meaning to "Al-ma'luh" meaning the worshiped one.

So all the deities that are worshiped besides Allah are false deities, and whoever worships other than Allah is a Mushrik [pagan i.e, none Muslim] as the Almighty Allah said:

﴿وَمَن يَدۡعُ مَعَ ٱللَّهِ إِلَٰهًا ءَاخَرَ لَا بُرۡهَٰنَ لَهُۥ بِهِۦ فَإِنَّمَا حِسَابُهُۥ عِندَ رَبِّهِۦٓۚ إِنَّهُۥ لَا يُفۡلِحُ ٱلۡكَٰفِرُونَ ١١٧﴾ [المؤمنون: 117].

Meaning: "And whoever invokes besides Allah another deity for which he has no proof – then his account is only with his Lord. Indeed, the disbelievers will not succeed".(Q23:117).

So it is –totally- impermissible to associate with Allah any deity in worship, be he a prophet and messenger or an Angel who is brought near [to Allah] or a pious worshiper among the righteous servants or a tree or a stone or anything else.

Because [acts of] Ibada are the rights of Allah alone, as Allah (the exalted) said:

﴿وَمَا خَلَقۡتُ ٱلۡجِنَّ وَٱلۡإِنسَ إِلَّا لِيَعۡبُدُونِ ٥٦﴾ [الذاریات: 56].

Meaning: "And I did not create the Jinn and Mankind except to worship me". (Q51:56).

And He (the Exalted) said:

﴿قُلۡ هُوَ ٱللَّهُ أَحَدٌ ١﴾ [الإخلاص: 1].

Meaning: "Say [O Muhammad], He is Allah who is one".(Q112:1)

And He (the Exalted) said:

﴿وَإِلَٰهُكُمۡ إِلَٰهٞ وَٰحِدٞۖ لَّآ إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ ٱلرَّحۡمَٰنُ ٱلرَّحِيمُ ١٦٣﴾ [البقرة:163].

Meaning: "And your God is one God, there is no deity worthy of worship except him, the entirely merciful, the especially merciful".Q2:163.

And He said:

﴿هُوَ ٱلۡحَيُّ لَآ إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ فَٱدۡعُوهُ مُخۡلِصِينَ لَهُ ٱلدِّينَ﴾ [المؤمن: 65].

Meaning: "He is the (ever) living; there is no deity except him, so call upon him (being) sincere to him in religion".Q40:65.

So, this is the-real- meaning of "Attauhid"(Islamic Monotheism) i.e, unifying Allah in (all acts of) worship. Thus; we shouldn't worship except Allah alone without associating (any) partner to him.

And it is with this "tauhid" which is the meaning of "Laa'ilaahailla-Allah" that Allah (S.W.T) sent His entire prophets.

Allah the Exalted said:

﴿وَمَآ أَرۡسَلۡنَا مِن قَبۡلِكَ مِن رَّسُولٍ إِلَّا نُوحِيٓ إِلَيۡهِ أَنَّهُۥ لَآ إِلَٰهَ إِلَّآ أَنَا۠ فَٱعۡبُدُونِ ٢٥﴾ [الأنبياء: 25].

Meaning:" And we sent not before you any messenger except we reveal to him that, there is no deity except me,(Allah) so worship me".(Q22:25)

And He said:

﴿وَلَقَدۡ بَعَثۡنَا فِي كُلِّ أُمَّةٖ رَّسُولًا أَنِ ٱعۡبُدُواْ ٱللَّهَ وَٱجۡتَنِبُواْ ٱلطَّٰغُوتَ﴾ [النحل: 36].

Meaning: "And we certainly sent into every nation a messenger [saying] worship Allah [alone] and avoid "taghut" (false deities)".

And Allah has narrated to us in His glorious book the stories of –His- messengers and their people, and He made it clear that the first thing the prophets called [their people] to was "Attauhid" i.e, unity of Allah [Islamic Monotheism] and He(SWT) also told us the outcome of the believers who answered their prophets' call, and the outcome of those who disbelieved in their prophets and associated with Allah partners which He has not sent [any] proof for. Allah the exalted said:

﴿لَقَدۡ أَرۡسَلۡنَا نُوحًا إِلَىٰ قَوۡمِهِۦ فَقَالَ يَٰقَوۡمِ ٱعۡبُدُواْ ٱللَّهَ مَا لَكُم مِّنۡ إِلَٰهٍ غَيۡرُهُۥٓ إِنِّيٓ أَخَافُ عَلَيۡكُمۡ عَذَابَ يَوۡمٍ عَظِيمٖ ٥٩﴾ [الأعراف: 59].

Meaning: "We had certainly sent Noah to his people, and he said, O my people worship Allah; you have no deity other than Him. Indeed, I fear for you the punishment of the tremendous day." (Q7:59) And He(SWT) said:

﴿۞وَإِلَىٰ عَادٍ أَخَاهُمۡ هُودٗاۚ قَالَ يَٰقَوۡمِ ٱعۡبُدُواْ ٱللَّهَ مَا لَكُم مِّنۡ إِلَٰهٍ غَيۡرُهُۥٓۚ أَفَلَا تَتَّقُونَ ٦٥﴾ [الأعراف: 65].

Meaning: "And to the Aad (we sent) their brother Hood. He said, O my people, worship Allah; you have no deity other than Him. Then will you not fear Him?"(Q7:65)

He (SWT) said:

﴿وَإِلَىٰ ثَمُودَ أَخَاهُمۡ صَٰلِحٗاۚ قَالَ يَٰقَوۡمِ ٱعۡبُدُواْ ٱللَّهَ مَا لَكُم مِّنۡ إِلَٰهٍ غَيۡرُهُۥ﴾ [الأعراف: 73].

Meaning: "And to the Thamood (we sent) their brother Saleh. He said, O my people, worship Allah; you have no deity other than Him".(Q7:73) And He (SWT) said:

﴿وَإِلَىٰ مَدۡيَنَ أَخَاهُمۡ شُعَيۡبٗاۚ قَالَ يَٰقَوۡمِ ٱعۡبُدُواْ ٱللَّهَ مَا لَكُم مِّنۡ إِلَٰهٍ غَيۡرُهُۥۖ﴾ [الأعراف: 85].

Meaning: "And to the (people of) Madyana (we sent) their brother Shu'aib. He said, O my people, worship Allah; you have no deity other than Him".(Q7:85) And He (S.W.T) said:

﴿وَإِذۡ قَالَ إِبۡرَٰهِيمُ لِأَبِيهِ وَقَوۡمِهِۦٓ إِنَّنِي بَرَآءٞ مِّمَّا تَعۡبُدُونَ ٢٦ إِلَّا ٱلَّذِي فَطَرَنِي فَإِنَّهُۥ سَيَهۡدِينِ ٢٧﴾ [الزخرف: 26-27].

Meaning:" And (mention, o Muhammad) when, Abraham said to his father and his people, "Indeed, I am disassociated from that which you worship(26). Except for He who created me; and indeed He will guide me". (Q43: 26 and 27) And He (SWT) said:

﴿أَمۡ كُنتُمۡ شُهَدَآءَ إِذۡ حَضَرَ يَعۡقُوبَ ٱلۡمَوۡتُ إِذۡ قَالَ لِبَنِيهِ مَا تَعۡبُدُونَ مِنۢ بَعۡدِيۖ قَالُواْ نَعۡبُدُ إِلَٰهَكَ وَإِلَٰهَ ءَابَآئِكَ إِبۡرَٰهِ‍ۧمَ وَإِسۡمَٰعِيلَ وَإِسۡحَٰقَ إِلَٰهٗا وَٰحِدٗا وَنَحۡنُ لَهُۥ مُسۡلِمُونَ ١٣٣﴾ [البقرة: 133].

Meaning: "Or were you witnesses when death approached Jacob, when he said to his sons, "what will you worship after me?" They said, "We will worship your God and God of your fathers Abraham and Ishmael and Isaac- one God and we are Muslims (in submission) to him". (Q2:133)

﴿ءَأَرۡبَابٞ مُّتَفَرِّقُونَ خَيۡرٌ أَمِ ٱللَّهُ ٱلۡوَٰحِدُ ٱلۡقَهَّارُ ٣٩﴾ [یوسف: 39].

And (prophet) Joseph (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said (to his two companions in prison):"…. are separate lords better or Allah, the one, the prevailing?"(Q12:39)

﴿وَمَآ أَرۡسَلۡنَٰكَ إِلَّا رَحۡمَةٗ لِّلۡعَٰلَمِينَ ١٠٧ قُلۡ إِنَّمَا يُوحَىٰٓ إِلَيَّ أَنَّمَآ إِلَٰهُكُمۡ إِلَٰهٞ وَٰحِدٞۖ فَهَلۡ أَنتُم مُّسۡلِمُونَ ١٠٨﴾ [الأنبیاء: 107-108].

And that was how the Prophet (s.a.w) carried out his call to the world. As Allah the exalted said: "And We have not sent you, o (Muhammad) except as a mercy to the worlds (107) Say, "it is only revealed to me that your god is but one God; so will you be Muslims (in submission to him)?"(108) (Q21:107 and 108)

Indeed the Prophet (S.A.W) started his propagation to his people at Makah by calling them to Attauhid (Islamic Monotheism). He invited them to say (Laa'ilaahailla-Allah) and abstain from idol worshiping, but most of them were arrogant and they refused to submit to the word of Attauhid (Laa'ilaahailla-Allah). So they were as Allah said (about them):

﴿إِنَّهُمۡ كَانُوٓاْ إِذَا قِيلَ لَهُمۡ لَآ إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا ٱللَّهُ يَسۡتَكۡبِرُونَ ٣٥ وَيَقُولُونَ أَئِنَّا لَتَارِكُوٓاْ ءَالِهَتِنَا لِشَاعِرٖ مَّجۡنُونِۢ ٣٦﴾ [الصافات: 35-36]. فَرَدَّ الله عليهم بقوله: ﴿بَلۡ جَآءَ بِٱلۡحَقِّ وَصَدَّقَ ٱلۡمُرۡسَلِينَ ٣٧﴾ [الصافات: 37].

Meaning: "Indeed they, when it was said to them, "there is no deity but Allah, "were arrogant (35) And were saying, "Are we to leave our gods for a mad poet? (36) (Q37: 35 and 36)

And Allah (S.W.T) answered them (immediately) by saying:

Rather, he (i.e, the prophet (S.A.W) has come with the truth and confirms the (previous) messengers". (Q7:37)

Therefore the word of Attauhid [Laa'ilaahailla-Allah] is the word of truth which the entire messengers [of Allah] called [there people to] before [the time of] the Prophet (S.A.W) and it is also the call of our prophet (S.A.W).

And indeed the pagans of Quraish understood the fact that calling to Attauhid means leaving all other deities that are worshiped besides Allah (the exalted). Therefore, tauhid can never be achieved unless by avoiding all acts of "shirk"[polytheism].

Umar Bin Alkhaddab (May Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the prophet (S.A.W) said:

«أُمِرْتُ أَنْ أُقَاتِلَ النَّاسَ حَتَّى يَقُولُوا لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللَّهُ، فَمَنْ قَالَ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللَّهُ فَقَدْ عَصَمَ مِنِّيْ مَالَهُ وَنَفْسَهُ إِلاَّ بِحَقِّهِ وَحِسَابُهُ عَلَى اللَّهِ» [متفق علیه].

Meaning: " I was ordered to fight the people until they testify to Laa'ilaahailla – Allah. If they testified to that, then their lives and wealth are saved except for Islamic rites, and their accountability is [left] to Allah". Agreed upon by Al-Bukhri and Muslim.

And when the prophet (S.A.W) sent his letters to the rulers [calling them to Islam] He started by calling them to the oneness of Allah. Abdullahi Bin Abbas (May Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the prophet (S.A.W) sent a letter to Heraclius the king of Rome [saying]:

«بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم، من مُحمَّدٍ رسولِ اللهِ إلى هِرَقْلَ عَظيمِ الرُّومِ، سَلامٌ على مَن اتَّبَعَ الهُدَى أمَّا بعدُ: فإنِّي أدعوكَ بدِعايةِ الإسلامِ، أَسْلِمْ تَسْلَمْ، وأَسْلِمْ يُؤْتِكَ اللهُ أجْرَك مَرَّتين، فإن تَوَلَّيْتَ فإنَّ عليكَ إِثْمَ الأَرِيسِيِّينَ، و﴿قُلۡ يَٰٓأَهۡلَ ٱلۡكِتَٰبِ تَعَالَوۡاْ إِلَىٰ كَلِمَةٖ سَوَآءِۢ بَيۡنَنَا وَبَيۡنَكُمۡ أَلَّا نَعۡبُدَ إِلَّا ٱللَّهَ وَلَا نُشۡرِكَ بِهِۦ شَيۡ‍ٔٗا وَلَا يَتَّخِذَ بَعۡضُنَا بَعۡضًا أَرۡبَابٗا مِّن دُونِ ٱللَّهِۚ فَإِن تَوَلَّوۡاْ فَقُولُواْ ٱشۡهَدُواْ بِأَنَّا مُسۡلِمُونَ ٦٤﴾ [آل‌عمران: 64]» [حدیث متفق علیه].

Meaning: "In the name of Allah, the most beneficent, the most merciful. [This letter is] from Muhammad, the slave of Allah and his messenger to Heraclius the ruler of the Byzantines. Peace be upon who ever follows the right path. There after: I invite you to Islam. Embrace Islam; you will be safe. Accept Islam and Allah will double your reward, and if you turn away [from the truth and reject this invitation] you will be responsible for the sins of Arisiyin [i.e your peasants]. And:"O people of the book come to a word which is just between us and you, that we worship none but Allah, and we associate no partner with Him, and that none of us shall take others as lords besides Allah, and if they turn away, say: Bear witness that we are Muslims. (Q3:V64). Reported by Albukhari and Muslim.

And the Prophet (S.A.W) sent similar letters to kisra the ruler of Paris and Al- Mukawkis the ruler of Alkibd and to the ruler of Ethiopia and to Jaifar and Iyadh the sons of Al-Jalanda at Oman and to Hodhah the son of Ali at Yamama and to Al-Mundhir the son of Sawi at Hajar and to Ibn AbiShamr the Ghssanian. These were the rulers of his time.

And in sahih of Imam Muslim from the narration of Anas bin Malik, (May Allah be please with him). That the prophet (S.A.W) wrote (letter) to every tyrant [i.e ruler] calling them to the religion of Allah".

Abdullah bin Abbas (May Allah be please with them) narrated That when the prophet (S.A.W) sent Mu'adh (May Allah be please with him) to Yemen he said to him:

«إِنَّكَ تُقْدِمُ عَلَى قَوْمٍ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْكِتَابِ، فَلْيَكُنْ أَوَّلُ مَا تَدْعُوهُمْ إِلَى أَنْ يُوَحِّدُوا اللَّهَ».

Meaning: " You are going to a nation from the people of the scriptures [divine books – Jews and the Christians] let the first thing you will invite them to, be Islamic monotheism".

Therefore, "Attauhid" [Islamic Monotheism] is the key to entering into [the religion of ] Islam, without it a person is not considered a Muslim, and if he commits anything that invalidates it, he is then an unbeliever, Mushrik [pagan], out of the religion of Islam.

Mu'adhu binJabal (May Allah is pleased with him) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (S.A.W) said to him:

«يَا مُعَاذُ! أَتَدْرِي مَا حَقُّ اللَّهِ عَلَى الْعِبَادِ؟ قَالَ مُعاذٌ: اللَّهُ وَرَسُولُهُ أَعْلَمُ. قَالَ: «حَقُّ اللَّهِ عَلَى الْعِبَادِ أَنْ يَعْبُدُوهُ وَلاَ يُشْرِكُوا بِهِ شَيْئًا». ثُمَّ قَالَ: «يَا مُعَاذُ! أَتَدْرِيْ مَا حَقُّ الْعِبَادِ عَلَى اللَّهِ إِذَا فَعَلُوا ذَلِكَ؟» قَالَ مُعاذٌ: اللَّهُ وَرَسُولُهُ أَعْلَمُ. قَالَ: «حَقُّ الْعِبَادِ عَلَى اللَّهِ إِذَا فَعَلُوا ذَلِكَ أَنْ لَا يُعَذِّبَهُمْ». [متفق عليه]

Meaning: "O Mu'adh, do you know the right of Allah upon his slaves?

Mu'adh said, Allah and his prophet know better.

The prophet said; "the right of Allah upon his slaves is to worship him and not to associate with him any deity.

He [the Prophet] then said:"O Mu'adh, do you know the rights of the servants upon Allah if they do what he ordained them?

Mu'adh said; Allah and his prophet know better.

The Prophet said the right of servants upon Allah is that He will not punish he who does not associate him with anything" (Agreed upon by Al-Bukhari and Muslim).

When a servant testifies that Laa'ilaahailla-Allah [i.e, there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah], with that; he has testified to the invalidity of all other deities besides Allah (the exalted). And he bears witness to himself that he will never worship anything besides Allah, being sincere in his worship.

And this is the kind of Islam which Allah (S.W.T) ordered to be practiced.

Allah (the exalted) said:

﴿۞قُلۡ إِنِّي نُهِيتُ أَنۡ أَعۡبُدَ ٱلَّذِينَ تَدۡعُونَ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ لَمَّا جَآءَنِيَ ٱلۡبَيِّنَٰتُ مِن رَّبِّي وَأُمِرۡتُ أَنۡ أُسۡلِمَ لِرَبِّ ٱلۡعَٰلَمِينَ ٦٦﴾ [المؤمن: 66].

Meaning:" Say (O Muhammad)."Indeed, I have been forbidden to worship those you call upon besides Allah once the clear proofs have come to me from my Lord, and I have been commanded to submit to the lord of the worlds."

Q40:V66) And Allah (the exalted) said:

﴿وَمَآ أُمِرُوٓاْ إِلَّا لِيَعۡبُدُواْ ٱللَّهَ مُخۡلِصِينَ لَهُ ٱلدِّينَ حُنَفَآءَ وَيُقِيمُواْ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَيُؤۡتُواْ ٱلزَّكَوٰةَۚ وَذَٰلِكَ دِينُ ٱلۡقَيِّمَةِ ٥﴾ [البینة: 5].

Meaning:" And they were not commanded except to worship Allah, being sincere to him in religion, inclining to truth, and to establish prayer and to give zakah (charity). And that is the correct religion.(Q98:V5)  And Allah (the exalted) said:

﴿فَٱدۡعُواْ ٱللَّهَ مُخۡلِصِينَ لَهُ ٱلدِّينَ وَلَوۡ كَرِهَ ٱلۡكَٰفِرُونَ ١٤﴾ [المؤمن: 14].

Meaning: "So invoke Allah, being sincere to him in religion, even though the unbelievers dislike it." (Q40:V14) And Allah (the exalted) said:

﴿قُلۡ يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلنَّاسُ إِن كُنتُمۡ فِي شَكّٖ مِّن دِينِي فَلَآ أَعۡبُدُ ٱلَّذِينَ تَعۡبُدُونَ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ وَلَٰكِنۡ أَعۡبُدُ ٱللَّهَ ٱلَّذِي يَتَوَفَّىٰكُمۡۖ وَأُمِرۡتُ أَنۡ أَكُونَ مِنَ ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنِينَ ١٠٤ وَأَنۡ أَقِمۡ وَجۡهَكَ لِلدِّينِ حَنِيفٗا وَلَا تَكُونَنَّ مِنَ ٱلۡمُشۡرِكِينَ ١٠٥ وَلَا تَدۡعُ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ مَا لَا يَنفَعُكَ وَلَا يَضُرُّكَۖ فَإِن فَعَلۡتَ فَإِنَّكَ إِذٗا مِّنَ ٱلظَّٰلِمِينَ ١٠٦﴾ [یونس: 104-106].

Meaning: "Say, (O Muhammad) "O people, if you are in doubt as to my religion - then I do not worship those which you worship besides Allah; who causes your death. And I have been commanded to be of the believers (104).

And direct your face (i.e, self) toward the religion, inclining to truth, and never be of those who associate others with Allah (105)

And do not invoke besides Allah that which neither benefits you nor harm you, for if you do, then you would be of the wrongdoers (106)". Q 10:V104-106

Summary:

-The meaning of (Laa'ilaaha – illa- Allah), no deity is worthy of worship except Allah

-And Attauhid (Islamic monotheism) cannot be fulfilled unless by abstaining from "shirk"(polytheism)

-The purpose, for which we are created, is to worship Allah alone (Islamic Monotheism), and not to associate any partner with Him.

-He who worships any deity besides Allah is a kaafir (pagan, unbeliever)

-All prophets called their people to Attauheed (Islamic Monotheism) and the avoidance of shirk (polytheism)

-The Foundation of the Prophet's mission is Attauhid (Islamic Monotheism). Hence, he started by calling his people to it, then he sent letters to the rulers (of his time calling them to it) and he ordered his companions to begin with it when they call to Islam.

-Attauhid is the right of Allah upon his servants.

-He who does not practice Attauhid (Islamic Monotheism) is not a Muslim even if he claims to be Muslim (by utterance).