. J ; ; ;J; : ,;I•; (cont.)

This does not mean that the true believer never falls into sin. Indeed, true believers do commit sins. But as long as they recognize that what they did is not correct and it is inconsistent with their obligation of submitting to Allah, then they have not violated the soundness of their testimony or shahaadah. The fifth condition is truthfulness or al-sidq (J..l...:JI), as opposed to hypocrisy and dishonesty. This means that when one says the shahaadah, he is saying it honestly, actually meaning it. He is not lying when it comes to his testimony of faith or simply trying to deceive or fool anyone. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, (fJ /. (fJ 0,,., p (fJ .J. ,,,., "' / (fJ "' "' 0 ,,. ,,. ill to#' 1\ w ·. lj৵ ill\ J J ..- \3 0i' ill 1\ 4.ll 1 0i J .... . ..- ..G-i •. \ ? _ ' : ..- ... YJ J _ _ ঍, }fll = Hadith #3: Islam Has Been Built Upon Five [Pillars] "No one bears testimony to there being no one worthy of worship save Allah, sincerely from his heart, except that Allah makes the Hell-fire forbidden for him." (Recorded by al-Bukhari.) Most people have heard of those who say the testimony of faith yet they are not saying it honestly. They do not believe in it. They are simply saying it in order to protect themselves or to get some gain from doing so. These are the hypocrites. Allah has described them in the opening of the Quran with the following words, क़ N . 1 ' ' 4/ · 6\ 5/it_/ Jit GI/ ' 1 '6/ / u\ / / ख़ ଺-'4t ଻ ঋ.;: ࢺY"'Z' ;J / :. + uƑ if U" 7J / / / ., 0 ,,.. ,,.. .... J.,., /,J 0;Z l)lS" D Ӫi ylH ӫ) t.::.:,_; Zil n;1_;; :>;. ӭ)'•  "And of mankind are some who say, 'We believe in Allah and the Last Day,' when they believe not. They think to beguile Allah and those who believe, and they beguile none save themselves, but they perceive not. In their hearts is a disease, and Allah increases their disease. A painful doom is theirs because they lie" (al-Baqara 8-10). The shahaadah of those who become Muslims only to benefit from being Muslim and not because they believe in Islam will be rejected by Allah in the Hereafter. They will face a painful punishment due to their lying. The sixth condition is a pure sincerity or al-ikhlaas (u-a)J..;.)'1). When one declares the shahaadah, one must do that solely for the sake of Allah. One must not do it for any other reason or anyone else's sake. In this manner, the meaning of purity is the opposite of shirk or ascribing partners with Allah. One becomes and remains Muslim solely to serve Allah, to avoid His anger and punishment and to gain His mercy and reward. Allah says in the Quran, J;uT j 1;' .a.;& 7\ ֘Li "Worship Allah, making religion pure for him" (al-Zumar 2). Allah also says, g'.1 8_1\ i ' 6' / /T89: : :.UT Q NR -1ȕ 7I i ై/;J ú1 i-' f -/ :r---' উঊ ? i:.r.. ࢹ J . 6 Jr ॗ ,,.. ,,.. ,,,. ,,,. /  / B (_ շ::ail ո; չ1Sj gjbjJI i)-9j "And they are ordered not else than to serve Allah, keeping religion pure for Him, as men by nature upright and to establish worship and to pay the poor­ due. That is the true religion" (al-Bayyinah 5). The Prophet (peace be upon him) also said, r$ ,,... r$ (/J ,,,. ,,.. ,,,. ,,., ,,,. ""' ,,,. "' (/J .JJ\ ;/ 2..LJ.1 . :•/ ill I 1I I 01 J / Ž ঈ \ \ if ! Æ i? \ Commentary on the Forty Hadith of al-Nawawi "Allah has forbidden for the Hell-fire anyone who says, 'There is no one worthy of worship except Allah,' and says so desiring the face [and pleasure] of Allah." (Recorded by Muslim.) This is something that all Muslims should think about, but especially those who grew up in Muslim families and were born Muslim. Everyone should be clear to himself that he is Muslim only for the sake of Allah. A Muslim cannot be a Muslim for the sake of his parents, friends, family, community or worldly goal. It must be clear in the mind that one is a Muslim for the sake of Allah first, last and only. The seventh condition is love or al-mahabbah (?1). That is, the believer loves this shahaadah, he loves in accordance with the shahaadah, he loves the implications and requirements of the shahaadah and he loves those who act and strive based on this shahaadah. This is a necessary condition of the shahaadah. If a person makes the shahaadah but does not love the shahaadah and what it stands for, then, in fact, his faith is not complete. It is not the faith of a true believer.