Silsilah Sahihah

Benefits:

«لا إِلَهَ إِلَّا الله» is the word of monotheism (tawhid), which indicates that only Allah Ta’ala is the true deity, and He alone is worthy of worship. All other deities besides Allah are false gods. Among the countless branches of faith, «لا اله إِلَّا الله» holds the highest rank, because it is the very declaration by which one enters the fold of Islam, and by denying it, one is counted among the ranks of apostasy and disbelief.

The meaning of having faith in Allah Ta’ala is to accept His essence and attributes exactly as they are, and to have complete conviction in the requirements of those attributes. For example, providing sustenance (rizq) is an attribute of Allah Ta’ala, and it is Allah Himself who has commanded us to use lawful means and resources for sustenance. Now, if a person gathers sustenance through unlawful means, or after using lawful means refrains from giving charity out of fear of shortage, or does not close his shop to perform prayer at its time, then this means he is not fulfilling the requirement of Allah Ta’ala being the Provider (Razzaq), and he does not have complete trust in Allah Ta’ala’s attribute of “providing sustenance.” Faith and conviction are not just imaginary constructs, but have a deep connection with actions.

In light of all the verses and hadiths, the meaning of bearing witness to the prophethood and messengership of Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa sallam is that he is the Seal of the Prophets (Khatam an-Nabiyyin) and the Seal of the Messengers, the possessor of the Qur’an, and that his statements and actions are authoritative in religious matters. In matters of dispute and controversy, he sallallahu alayhi wa sallam should be considered the final judge and arbitrator, and all the prophets and messengers who held the office of prophethood and messengership before him should be believed in as true, and that all their laws have now been abrogated.

In the first part of the blessed hadith, a miracle of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam is mentioned, which is a sign and proof of his messengership. That is why, after this miracle, the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam mentioned the virtue of bearing witness to his messengership.

Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah radi Allahu anhu narrates that the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said:

«أَكْثرُوا مِنْ شَهَادَةِ أَن لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ قبل أن يُحَالَ بَيْنَكُم وبينها وَلَقَنُوهَا مَوْتَاكُمْ» [صحيحه: 467]

“Continue to bear witness in abundance to the oneness of Allah Ta’ala as the only true deity, before there comes a barrier between you and it, and instruct those near death to say it.”

In this blessed hadith, the command is given to frequently mention «أَشْهَدُ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا الله» during one’s life, so that a Muslim is not deprived of the great reward of this remembrance.

Secondly, it is not known whether at the time of death one will have the opportunity to bear witness to the oneness of Allah Ta’ala or not; therefore, one should make full preparation for the Hereafter before death. Dear readers! You must have seen that some people suddenly meet their end due to accidents or certain illnesses, and some people die before us, but they are unable to utter this word. The Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam spoke the truth that one should prepare provisions for the Hereafter before passing through such stages. In the second part of the hadith, there is the command to instruct the dying person to recite the word of monotheism (tawhid).

Furthermore, this blessed hadith proves that through the miracles of the Noble Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, one’s conviction in Allah Ta’ala and in him is strengthened.

“Mudd” and “Sa’” are measures of volume; the weight of a Sa’ is approximately two kilograms and one hundred grams, and a Mudd is one fourth of a Sa’.