Conditions of Tawheed

Statement La ilaha ilallah is limited with heavy conditions, that has to be fulfilled with words,
believes and deeds. Shaikh AbdurRahaman ibn Hasan rahimahullah, said “According to
consensus verbal pronouncement of testimony of Tawheed will not benefit unless it accompanies
with knowledge, certainty or without deeds it necessitate such as rejection of Shirk, sincerity in
words and deeds; words and deeds of heart and words and deeds of limbs.” (Fathul Majid, pg
39) Therefore, the Shahadah(testimony) has numerous conditions of which one’s Iman cannot be
valid without them. Scholars of Usul al Fiqh have defined shart (condition) as follows: “The
presence of a certain matter depends on the condition’s fulfillment, and its negation necessitates
the negation of the matter. However the mere presence of the condition (solitary) does not
necessitate the absolute presence of the matter.” Example the existence of witnesses does not
necessarily mean that a marriage has taken place, yet without witnesses a marriage would not be
valid. Conditions of Tawheed are:

Knowledge (ilm) of Tawheed its opposite is ignorance. Allah says:

“Know, that there is no god but Allah.”(47:16)

“Save him who bears witness unto the truth knowingly.”(al Zukhruf, 86) In fact, the
Shahaadah itself is a testimony. When one testifies to something, one must know what it is that
he is testifying concerning. Obviously, a testimony about something that one does not have any
knowledge or his knowledge is insufficient regarding object of testimony is unacceptable.
Therefore, basis of Shahadah must be understood by the person testifying to it.

Prophet salallahu alejhi va salam said: “Whosoever dies knowing that there is no god but Allah
will enter Paradise.” (Sahih Muslim) Shaikh Muhammad ibn AbdulWahhab said: “The Deen of
the Prophet salallahu alejhi va salam was Tawheed. And this is the firm Knowledge that there is
no one worthy of worship except Allah and that Muhammad salallahu alejhi va salam is
Messenger of Allah and to work and act according to everything that it stands for.”

The second condition is Truthfulness (sidq) its opposite is lie.

Prophet salallahu alejhi va salam said: “There is not a single person who bears witness that there
is no one worthy of worship except Allah and that Prophet is His Messenger truthfully from his
heart except that Allah will prohibit the fire from touching him.” (Sahih Buhari)

The third condition is Sincerity (ikhlas) its opposite is Shirk (association with Allah in worship)

Allah says “And they have been commanded no more than this: To worship Allah, offering
Him sincere devotion, being true (in faith).” (Al Bayyinah, 98:5) Allah says: “Say, ‘Allah
alone I worship by doing religious deeds sincerely for His sake only.”(az Zumar, 14)

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The fourth condition is Certainty (yeqin) its opposite is doubt

Allah says, “The true believers are only those who believe in Allah and His Messenger and
afterward doubt not, but strive with their wealth and their lives for the cause of Allah.
Such are sincere.” (al Hujuraat, 15)

Prophet salallahu alejhi va salam said: “I bear witness that there is no one worthy of worship but
Allah and I am the Messenger of Allah. Any person who meets Allah with these two statements,
without harbouring any doubt in them will be entering into Paradise.” (Sahih Muslim)

The fifth condition is to work according to it (Inqiyad) inwardly and outwardly its opposite is
disobedience and shirk.

“And whosoever submits his face to Allah, while he is a Muhsin (performs good deeds
totally for Allah’s sake and in accordance to the Sunnah).” (Lukman,31: 22) Submition
implies following with absolute acceptance

The sixth condition is acceptance (qubul) its opposition is rejection.

There exist type of people who know the truth and its applications but they refuse it out of envy
and pride. Allah says “out of envy from their own selves, even after the truth has become
manifest unto them.” Al Bakarah, 2:109)

The seventh condition is love (muhabah) its opposite is hatred

It is that Allah is only object of love which necessitates love of the Shahadah and its people,
whilst having enmity and hatred towards Shirk and ahl Shirk.

Allah says: “If there had been in the heaven and earth gods besides Allah, both of them
would have been corrupted.”(al Anbiya,21:23) Ibn Taymiyyah said: ‘It is not permissible to
love anything from the matters that are in existence for their own essence except Allah, but it is
allowed to love these things for other than their sake. Allah is the only One who can be loved for
Himself.”

Ibn Qayyim said: “Nothing is loved with Allah rather all other things are loved for His sake and
because of Him.”

Pillars of Tawheed
Rukn (element, pillar) is always part of the act, while a shart (condition) is external to it. For
example bowing (ruku) is a rukn (element) of prayer and is a part of it, while ablution is a
condition and is external to prayer.

There are two arkan (pillars, elements) of Tawheed that are mentioned in ayah “ Whoever
disbelieves in Taghut and believes in Allah, then he has grasped the most trustworthy
handhold that will never brake.” (al Bakarah, 2:256) These elements are Kufr in Taghut and

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Iman in Allah. Rejection of Taghut is contained in ‘La ilaha’ and believe in Allah is contained in
’ilallah’ therefore we have two parts negation and affirmation. Negation is to believe in the
futility of worshipping other than Allah, and that you abandon doing so and hate it, and that you
reject (takfeer) and make enmity with those who do it (‘ahl Shirk’). Affirmation is to believe that
Allah is the only true God who deserves to be worshipped alone, apart from everything else
besides Him. And it is that you make all types of worship – every act - sincerely for Allah alone,
while negating and rejecting that from everything else that is worshipped besides Him. Proof for
negation part (Kufr in Taghut) is Allah’s words: “There has indeed been an excellent example
for you in Ibrahim and those with him, when they said to their people: ‘Verily, we are free
from you and whatever you worship besides Allah. We have rejected you and there has
commenced between us and you, enmity and hatred forever, until you believe in Allah
alone.” (al-Mumtahinah, 60/4) and proof for affirmation part is Allah’s words “And they were
commanded not, but that they should worship Allah, and worship none but Him Alone,
(abstaining from ascribing partners to Him), and perform as Salat and give az Zakat, and
that is the right religion.” (Al Bayyinah, 98:5) Ibrahim alejhisalam expressed himself with
negation and affirmation when he said to his father and his people: “Behold! Ibrahim said to
his father and his people: ‘I do indeed clear myself of what you worship. (I worship) only
Him Who made me, and He will certainly guide me’. And he left it as a Word to endure
among those who came after him, that they may turn back.”(26:28) The scholars of Tafser
are in agreement that what is meant by ‘Word’ is ‘La ilaha ilallah’.

Imam Abdur Rahman bin Hasan rahimahullah said:

“Imams from Salaf and Halaf and all followers from ‘Ahl Sunnah Wel Jemah’ agree (Ijmaa)
that person will not be Muslim except if he leaves Shirk, if he reject it and one who does it. To
hate them, to express his enmity towards them according to his capabilities with sincerity
towards Allah in all his deeds, as it came in hadith of Muaz ibn Jabal: “Right of Allah is to be
worshiped alone and not to associate with Him in anything.” (Ed Durer Es Senijje, 11/545)

Application of conditions of Tawheed on Kufr in Tagut

Knowledge (ilm)

If one does not know that Tawheed is not valid except by rejecting Shirk and Mushrikun he is
not fulfilling first condition of Tawheed which is knowledge. Shaikh AbdurRahaman ibn Hasan
rahimahullah said: “Lailaha ilallah is word of Islam due to ignorance of its meaning Islam will
not be valid. If he does not know why is this word established and what it point to.” (Ed Durer es
Senijje, 2:246) Condition of knowledge necessitate that Muslim knows that one who worships
other than Allah or together with Allah is not Muwahhid and that Tagut is not Muwahhid. That
Deen Islam is pure from Shirk and Kufr.

Truthfulness (sidq)

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Condition of truthfulness necessitate that Muslim is truthful in belief that Taghut and Mushrik
are not same religion as Muslim and that he is not Munafik (hypocrite) in his belief. Allah says:
“Say: O al Kafirun (disbelevers) I worship not that which you worship, nor will you
worship that which I worship. And I shall not worship that which you are worshiping. Nor
will you worship that which I worship. To you be your religion and to me my religion.” (Al
Kafirun, 1-6) Note that Allah is ordering His Messenger to make Takfeer on Mushrikun and to
declare that their religion is not his religion meaning they are not on same Deen. One who claims
that one who falls into shirk is still Muslim because he is ignorant or one who makes
interpretation of texts is negating this chapter and not performing Kufr in Taghut.

Certanity (yeqin)

He has to have certainty that one who associate partners with Allah is not Muwahhid. Imam
Abdur Rahman bin Hasan said: “One who knows meaning of La ilaha ilallah he knows that one
who doubts or hesitates regarding Kufr of one who did Shirk to Allah that he did not do Kufr in
Taghut.” (Ed Dureru Es Senijje, 2/109) Shaikh Abu Butayn (ra) answered a question in the
following manner to those who asked him: “You are making takfir of Muslims.’ The individual
who say ‘you are making takfir of Muslims’ to us does not know Islam or Tawhid. It is
understood from his statement that his Islam is not sound/valid. It is because this individual does
not reject shirk of today’s mushrikun (disbelievers) and he does not evaluate it as shirk which
nullifies Tawhid. An individual who is in such situation is not Muslim.” (Majmuatu’r-Rasail, I,
Part 3, 655)

Sincerity (ikhlas)

From condition of sincerity it necessitate rejection of worshiping Taghut. Allah says: “And We
have indeed sent to every nation a messenger (saying to his people): “Worship Allah alone
and avoid the Taghout.” (an-Nahl 16/36) also “Those who avoid Taghut by not worshiping
them and turn to Allah, for them are glad tidings, so announce the good news to My
slaves.” (az Zumar,39:17)

Shaikhul Islam Muhammad ibn Abdil Wahhab said:

“Meaning of disbelieve in Taghut is to reject everything which is worshiped instead of Allah

from: Jinn, Mankind, tress, stones and other, and to testify that such is on Kufr and on
misguidance, to hate him, even if he is your father or brother. One who says: ‘I am worshipping
only Allah, but I am not hostile towards leaders neither towards tombs over graves and
similar. Such person in essence is negator of La ilaha ilallah. He does not believe in Allah nor
he performed Kufr in Taghut.” (Ed Dureru Es Senijje, 2/121)

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Allah says: “Have you not seen those who claim to have Iman (faith) in that which has been
revealed to you, and that which was revealed before you, and they want to go for judgment
(Tahakum) (in their disputes) to the Taghut, when they have been ordered to
reject(yakfuru) them? But the Devil wishes to lead them far astray.” (an-Nisa 4/60) Shaikh
Sylaiman bin Abdullah bin AbdulWahhab rahimahullah said: “Whoever bears witness ‘Lailaha
ilallah’ (There is no one worthy of worship except Allah) then turns for judgment to someone
else then Allah and His Messenger concerning disputed issues has nullified the Testimony he
gave when he bore witness.” (Tayseer al Azeez al Hameed, 554-555) Ibn Taymiyyah said:
“Islam implies submission (Istislam) to Allah Alone. Whoever submits himself to Him and to
anyone else is a Mushrik and whoever does not submit himself to Him is too arrogant to Worship
Him. Both the Mushrik and Mutekabir (arrogant) to worship Him are Kafir. Submission Him
Alone implies worshiping Him Alone and obeying Him Alone. This is religion of Islam.” (at
Tadmuriyah, 169)

Conditions of working according to it (Inqiyad) inwardly and outwardly and acceptance (qubul)
necessitates acceptance and working towards Kufr in Taghut with ones words and deeds. Allah
says: “And We have indeed sent to every nation a messenger (saying to his people): ‘Worship
Allah alone and avoid the Taghout (false deities).” (an-Nahl 16/36)
Shaikhul Islam Muhammad ibn Abdil Wahhab said:

“Meaning of disbelieve in Taghut is to reject everything which is worshiped instead of Allah

from: Jinn, Mankind, tress, stones and other, and to testify that such is on Kufr and on
misguidance, to hate him, even if he is your father or brother. One who says: ‘I am worshipping
only Allah, but I am not hostile towards leaders neither towards tombs over graves and
similar. Such person in essence is negator of La ilaha ilallah. He does not believe in Allah nor
he performed Kufr in Taghut.” (Ed Dureru Es Senijje, 2/121)

The two sons of Sheikh Islam Muhammad ibn Abdil Wahhab, Husain and Abdullah, said:

“Regarding the one that says: ‘I do not declare enmity towards the Musrikun, or who declares
enmity towards them but did not perform Takfir on them, or the who says; I do not have conflict
with people of La ilaha ilallah even if they committed Kufr, Shirk and opposed Din of Allah,
or who says; I do not object to the shrines,” The two sons of Shaikhul Islam Muhammad ibn
Abdil Wahhab, Husain and Abdullah, said: “ This is not a Muslim rather he is from those about
whom Allah said: “And they say: ‘We believe in some and disbelieve in some.” Until he said
“They are Kafirun in truth.” And Allah has obligated enmity towards Mushrikun, withdrawing
from them, and performing Takfir of them.” (Ed Dureru Es Senijje, 10/139-140)

Condition of love (muhabah) necessitate hatred and enmity towards Shirk, Taghut and
Mushrikun

Allah says: “You will not find any people who believe in Allah and the Last Day making
friendship with those who oppose Allah and His Messenger.” (al Mujadilah, 22) also “And

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there has started hostility and hatred for ever until you believe in Allah Alone.” Shaikh Hamad
ibn Atiq rahimahullah said “If it is paid attention in the ayah first ‘enmity’ has been mentioned
than ‘hatred’. It is because the first state is much important then the second. One may show
hatred towards mushrik but does not show enmity towards them. However to be a Muslim along
with showing hatred towards mushrik he must also show openly enmity towards them. If it is not
like this he would not done whatever he was obligated to (have done). (Sabili najat wal fikak) It
is impossible to combine love for Tawheed and love for those that oppose it in the heart. When
love for Tawheed is established in a heart it destroys love for Shirk and its people. As love of
Allah gets more perfect so does hatred for what beloved hates and does not like. Love for Taghut
and mushrikun is clear indication of animosity and hatred for Tawheed and its people even
though person does not show it in reality.

Shaikhul Islam Muhammad ibn Abdil Wahhab said:

“You to whom Allah bestowed blessing of Islam and recognition that Allah is only worthy of
worship, do not think if you say: ‘this is truth and I reject everything except this truth, but I will
not oppose Mushrikun nor I will speak anything about them, do not think that by this way you
will attain entering into Islam. Instead, has to exist an enmity against them, against those who
love them, belittling them and showing enmity against them. As your father Ibrahim alejhi va
salam and those with him said: “Verily, we are free from you and whatever you worship besides
Allah: we have rejected you, and there has started hostility and hatred for ever until you believe
in Allah Alone.” Or when the Most High says: “Whoever disbelieves in Taghut and believes in
Allah, then he has grasped the most trustworthy handhold that will never break.” Or as He says;
“We have sent to every nation Prophet: Worship Allah and avoid (keep away from) Taghut.” If
person states: ‘I am following Prophet salallahu alejhi va salam and He is on truth, but I would
not be hostile to Lat, Uzza, I would be hostile towards Abu Jahl and those similar to him, I have
nothing with them, Islam of such person is not valid.” (Ed Dureru Es Senijje, 2/109)

By: Faris M. Hrnic