Part 34

Thus no worship will be accepted without: (i) sincerity and purity of ones intention for Allaah, the Mighty and Majestic, and this is comprised in the testification that none has the right to be worshipped except Allaah, and (ii) Following and adherence to the way of the Messenger, and this is what comprised in the testification that none has the right to be worshipped except Allaah. In this Noble aayah Allaah bears witness for himself that none has the right to be worshipped but Him, and likewise that the angels and the people of knowledge bear witness that also, and that He, the Most High, maintains justice, and He affirms that with His Saying, “Allaah bears witness that none has the right to be worshipped but Himl and likewise the angels and the people of knowledge bear witness: He who maintains justice, none has the right to be worshipped but Him, the All-Mighty, the All-Wise” [94] [surah Aal-‘Imraan (3): 18]. The Aayah also contains a great commendation for the people of knowledge since He informs that they bear witness along with His witness and that of the angels. At the forefront of the people of knowledge are His noble messengers. This testification is the greatest testification due to the exaltedness of the One testifying and of that which is being testified, since the witness if Allaah, and His angels, and the people of knowledge; and that which is witnessed to is the tawhid of Allaah in worship. Its meaning is that none has the right to be worshipped except Allaah: "laa ilaaha" (Nothing has the right to be worshipped besides Allaah), and "illallaah" (except Allaah) affirms worship for Allaah alone, and that there is to be no one given any share of His Dominion and Sovereignty. [95] ________________________________________________________ His saying, 'Its meaning (the meaning of laa ilaaha illallaah) is that none has the right to be worshipped except Allaah' - the testification laa ilaaha illallaah is that a person affirms with his tongue and his heart that there is nothing that is worshipped rightfully except Allaah, the Mighty and Majestic, since ilaah means that which is worshipped (ma'bood). So the sentence laa ilaaha illallaah comprises a denial and an affirmation. As for the denial it is laa ilaaha (None has the right to be worshipped), and as for the affirmation, then it is illallaah (except Allaah). So in the sentence there is a word understood in meaning but not stated in words, which is necessary to complete the meaning and it is haqq (rightfully), and when this is understood it clarifies the answer to the following question that may be raised: How can it be said that there is no ilaah except Allaah {laa ilaaha illallaah) despite the fact that there are false gods worshipped besides Allaah. Furthermore Allaah, the Most High, calls them gods/objects of worship {aalihah) and those who worship them call them gods. Allaah, the Exalted and Most High, says, "So their gods which they invoked besides Allaah could not save them from the punishment of their Lord when it came, nor repel any of it from them." [surah Hood (11):101] So how can other deities be confirmed besides Allaah, the Mighty and Majestic, when all of the messengers said to their people, "Worship Allaah alone, there is none besides Him deserving and having the right to your worship." [surah alA'raaf (7):59] The answer to this question will become clear when we know what is the unstated word or words necessary to complete the meaning of the saying laa ilaaha illallaah. So we say: These gods {aalihah) which are worshipped besides Allaah are gods, but they are false and futile gods, they are not true gods and do not possess anything of divinity, nor deserve any worship, and the proof for this is the Saying of Allaah, the Most High, "That is because Allaah is the true God, deserving all worship, having none like Him no sharer and no rival, and those gods which the mushriks invoke besides Him are futile and false and not able to create anything, rather they are themselves created things. It is Allaah who is the Most High, above everything, the Most Great." [surah al-Hajj (22):62J This is also proven by the Saying of Allaah, the Most High, "Have you seen, O mushriks, (the idols) al-Laat, al-'Uzzaa, and the other one Manaat, the third of them. You prefer and love the male offspring for yourselves and then falsely attribute daughters, which is something that you hate for yourselves, to Allaah. This is indeed an unjust division. Rather these idols are mere names which you mushriks and your forefathers have invented. Allaah has sent down no proof for that." [surah an-Najm (53): 19-23] The Saying of Allaah, the Most High, concerning Yoosuf, 'alayhis-salaam, provides further proof, "You do not worship besides Allaah except idols which you call gods, which you and your forefathers give names to, for which Allaah has sent down no authority." [surah Yoosuf (12):40] So the meaning of laa ilaaha illallaah is: None has the right to be worshipped except Allaah, the Mighty and Majestic. As for those things which are worshipped besides Him, then the godship which their worshippers claim for them is not a reality, but rather false and futile.