The meaning of lailaha illa allah

1. The meaning of Lailaha illa Allah Lesson 1 part 2. The Pillars of Islam and Iman . By Sheikh Muhammad bin Jamil Zeno Prepared by Ms Nabila Yaqub Khan

2. The meaning of Lailaha illa Allah “None has the right to be worshipped but Allah,” It is the negation of the worship of other than Allah. It is affirmation of Allah alone: There is only one God.

3. References Allah says in Surah Muhammad verse 19 : “So know that none has the right to be worshipped but Allah ….” The Prophet said :   “Whoever says La ilaha illa -Allah sincerely will enter Paradise.”   ( Sahih Al Jami)

4. A Person is sincere to La ilaha illa -Allah when he: Understands it Acts according to its requirement Invites others to it Gives it precedence over all other issues Realizes that all man and Jinn are created to worship Allah

5. Allah’s Messenger صلي الله عليه وسلم said to his uncle Abu Talib when he was dying: “O uncle, say ‘ La ilaha illa -Allah’, a statement by which I can plead on your behalf before Allah.’ But his uncle refused to say, ‘La ilaha illa -Allah’.” ( Al Bukhar , Al Muslim)

6. The Prophet صلي الله عليه وسلم preached in Makkah for 13 years and invited the pagans to ‘ La ilaha illa -Allah ’ Saying “Testify that none has the right to be worshiped but Allah.”

7. The response of the people: They wondered why the Warner sent to them was a man from among themselves. The disbelievers called the Prophet a sorcerer, a liar and a mad poet. They thought that it was strange that he made all the gods into Allah (one God).

8. …..The Response of the People. The leaders of the Makkans told their people to continue to worship their gods. They had not heard of the faith in Allah from the later generations of their ancestors. They said it was an invention in their religion. They refused to say ‘ La ilaha illa -Allah’ because their pride. They asked each other not to give up their gods for the sake of “a mad poet”.

9. The Prophet صلي الله عليه وسلم said “Whoever says ‘ La ilaha illa -Allah’ and rejects whatever is worshipped besides Allah, his property and blood becomes sacred and his reckoning (estimation of this eman and deeds etc) is with Allah the Mighty and exalted .” ( Al Muslim)  

10. A complete system of Life ‘ La ilaha illa -Allah’ is the foundation of tawhid and Islam . It makes worship pure for Allah A believer calls upon Allah alone He refers all issues to Allah alone. He excludes all other systems of law.

11. The meaning of Ilah as explained by the scholar Ibn Rajab: The one who is obeyed and not defied. Because of our sense of awe and reverence, fear and hope. We place our trust in Him. Ask Him and supplicate to Him alone. If someone does the above mentioned to anyone other than Allah, he is not sincere to ‘ La ilaha illa -Allah’

12. The last words of a Dying Person The Prophet صلي الله عليه وسلم said: “Urge those of you who are in their death beds to say ‘ La ilaha illa -Allah’; for verily, whoever’s last words are ‘ La ilaha illa -Allah’ , will eventually enter Paradise even if he has to go through whatever he has to go through.” ( Ibn Hibban in his Sahih )

13. …The last words of a Dying Person Allah’s Messenge صلي الله عليه وسلم visited a (dying) man of Ansar and said to him, “Uncle say ‘ La ilaha illa -Allah’. The ansari asked, “Do you consider me maternal uncle or paternal uncle?” The Prophet (may peace be upon him ) said , “A maternal uncle”. The man said, “Then it is better for me to say ‘ La ilaha illa -Allah’. He صلي الله عليه وسلم replied, ‘Yes’.” ( Reported by Ahmed)

14. The words ‘ La ilaha illa -Allah’ will benefit the one who : Confirms the meaning of ‘ La ilaha illa -Allah’ in his life. Does not nullify it by associating partners with Allah. Does not supplicate to the dead. Does not call upon the living that is absent. Such acts nullify are ‘ La ilaha illa -Allah’ just as wudu is by urination etc.

15. The Prophet صلي الله عليه وسلم said: “Whoever says, ‘ La ilaha illa -Allah’ it will be his salvation someday no matter what befalls him before that.” ( Reported by Baihaqi in Ahadith Sahiha )

16. CW/ HW: Review What is the meaning of ‘ La ilaha illa -Allah What is the importance of ‘ La ilaha illa -Allah’ in Islam? What is the meaning of Illah as explained by Ibn Rajab? Who would be able to benefit from ‘ La ilaha illa -Allah’? What should we urge a dying person to say explain with the help of ahadith ?