This excerpt is taken from Sheikh Abu Hamza Abdul Khaliq Siddiqi's book Sahih Fazail-e-Amaal.
The declaration of the Kalima Tawheed is the fundamental and important pillar of Islam. It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them) that when the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) appointed Sayyiduna Mu'adh (may Allah be pleased with him) as the governor of Yemen, he said:
”أدعهم إلى شهادة أن لا إله إلا الله وأني رسول الله فإن هم أطاعوا لذلك فأعلمهم أن الله قد افترض عليهم خمس صلوات فى كل يوم وليلة فإن هم أطاعوا لذلك فأعلمهم أن الله افترض عليهم صدقة فى أموالهم تؤخذ من أغنيائهم وترد على فقرائهم.“
"Invite the people first to لا إله إلا الله محمد رسول الله. If they accept it, then inform them that Allah has made five prayers obligatory upon them every day and night. If they accept that, then inform them that Allah has made Zakat obligatory on their wealth, which will be collected from the rich and given to the poor."
Reference: Sahih Bukhari, Book of Zakat, Hadith No: 1395.
If a non-Muslim accepts the Kalima Tawheed, then his life and property become safe. Accordingly, the Messenger of Hashim (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
”أمرت أن أقاتل الناس حتى يقولوا: لا إله إلا الله فمن قال لا إله إلا الله عصم مني ماله ونفسه إلا بحقه وحسابه على الله.“
"I have been commanded to fight the people until they say the Kalima Tawheed لا إله إلا الله. Whoever says the Kalima Tawheed has saved his wealth and life from me, but his rights and his reckoning are with Allah."
Reference: Sahih Muslim, Book of Faith, Hadith No: 125.
Belief in the Kalima Tawheed will be a means of expiation for sins. Sayyiduna Anas bin Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that he heard the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) say that Allah says:
”يا ابن آدم إنك ما دعوتني ورجوتني غفرت لك على ما كان فيك ولا أبالي يا ابن آدم لو بلغت ذنوبك عنان السماء ثم استغفرتني غفرت لك ولا أبالي يا ابن آدم إنك لو أتيتني بقراب الأرض خطايا ثم لقيتني لا تشرك بي شيئا لأتيتك بقرابها مغفرة.“
"O son of Adam! As long as you call upon Me and hope for My forgiveness, I will forgive every sin you commit. O son of Adam! I do not care if your sins reach the edges of the heavens, and you ask Me for forgiveness, I will forgive you. O son of Adam! I do not care if you bring sins equal to the earth and meet Me without associating anyone with Me, I will forgive you as much as the earth, that is, all sins will be forgiven."
Reference: Sunan Tirmidhi, Book of Supplications, Hadith No: 3540 - Al-Silsilah Al-Sahihah, No: 128,127 - Al-Rawd Al-Nadhir, No: 432.
One who sincerely declares the Kalima Tawheed becomes deserving of the intercession of the Prophet, the intercessor on the Day of Judgment. It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) that he asked: O Messenger of Allah! Who will be the most fortunate to receive your intercession on the Day of Judgment? The Noble Prophet (peace be upon him) said: O Abu Hurairah! I was certain that no one would ask me about this before you because I saw your eagerness for hadith. Listen!
”أسعد الناس بشفاعتي يوم القيامة من قال لا إله إلا الله خالصا من قلبه أو نفسه.“
"The one who will benefit the most from my intercession on the Day of Judgment is the one who sincerely says La ilaha illallah."
Reference: Sahih Bukhari, Book of Knowledge, Chapter: Eagerness for Hadith, Hadith No: 99 - Musnad Ahmad: 273/2.
If the sincere pleasure of Allah is the goal, then Hellfire is forbidden for the one who declares the Kalima Tawheed, as the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said:
”لن يوافي عبد يوم القيامة يقول: لا إله إلا الله يبتغي بها وجه الله إلا حرم الله عليه النار.“
"No servant will be presented on the Day of Resurrection in a state that he has declared the Kalima لا إله إلا الله and his intention was to seek the pleasure of Allah, then Allah will forbid the fire of Hell upon him."
Reference: Sahih Bukhari, Book of Softening the Hearts, Hadith No: 6423.
One who testifies to the Kalima Tawheed with a sincere heart will enter Paradise. It is narrated from Sayyiduna Mu'adh bin Jabal (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet of Mercy (peace be upon him) said:
”من شهد أن لا إله إلا الله مخلصا من قلبه دخل الجنة.“
"Whoever testifies to لا إله إلا الله with a pure heart will enter Paradise."
Reference: Sahih Ibn Hibban: 280/1, Hadith No: 200 - Al-Silsilah Al-Sahihah, No: 2355.
Indeed, the belief in Tawheed is a means of nearness to the Divine Throne. The jurist of the Ummah, Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said:
”ما قال عبد لا إله إلا الله قط مخلصا إلا فتحت له أبواب السماء حتى تفضي إلى العرش ما اجتنب الكبائر.“
"Whoever sincerely says لا إله إلا الله, the gates of the heavens are opened for him until he reaches the Throne, provided he avoids major sins."
Reference: Sunan Tirmidhi, Book of Supplications, Hadith No: 3590 -
Al-Albani (may Allah have mercy on him) graded it Hasan.
Reference: Al-Mishkat, No: 2314 - Al-Ta'leeq Al-Ragheeb: 238/2
A person who lives by the belief in Tawheed, when he is about to depart from this world, receives this glad tidings:
﴿يَا أَيَّتُهَا النَّفْسُ الْمُطْمَئِنَّةُ. ارْجِعِي إِلَىٰ رَبِّكِ رَاضِيَةً مَّرْضِيَّةً. فَادْخُلِي فِي عِبَادِي. وَادْخُلِي جَنَّتِي.﴾
"O tranquil soul! Return to your Lord, well-pleased and pleasing [to Him]. So enter among My servants and enter My Paradise."
Reference: (89-Al-Fajr: 27 to 30)
And the Messenger of Hashim (peace be upon him) said:
”من مات وهو يعلم أنه لا إله إلا الله دخل الجنة.“
"Whoever dies knowing that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah will enter Paradise."
Reference: Sahih Muslim, Book of Faith, Hadith No: 43 - Musnad Ahmad: 69,65/1.
When the time of Sayyiduna Nuh (peace be upon him) came, he advised his son:
”أوصيك بقول لا إله إلا الله فإنها لو وضعت فى كفة الميزان ووضعت السماوات والأرض فى كفة لرجحت.“
"I advise you to hold firmly to لا إله إلا الله because if the seven heavens and the earths are placed on one side of the scale and لا إله إلا الله on the other side, it will outweigh them."
Reference: Al-Adab Al-Mufrad, Hadith No: 548 - Musnad Al-Bazzar, Hadith No: 3029 - Kitab Al-Zuhd by Ahmad, Hadith No: 282 - Al-Silsilah Al-Sahihah, Hadith No: 134.
