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TO REFLECT ON THE SHAHADA "LA ILAHA
ILALLAH"
"That is Allah, your Lord!
There is no god but He, the creator of all things: Then worship
you Him : and He has power to dispose of all affairs." (Qur'an
6:102)
Although all practising Muslims
repeat the shahadah many times every day, only few
understand its profound meaning, and appreciate its implications.
For example, how many Muslims understand why the shahadah
uses the negative form - La Ilaha ha Ila Allah
(There is no Ilah except Allah), instead of the
affirmative form - Allah is one; and why did the Qur'anic
revelations stress this concept for the thirteen years which the
Prophet (saas) spent in Mecca before migrating to Medina? To help
us in understanding the answer to these questions, and in better
appreciating the implications of La Ilaha Illa Allah, the Qur'an
provides us with the following two facts:
- All the prophets and messengers of Allah
were principally teaching the same thing: La Ilaha lila
Allah:
O my people! worship Allah! you
have no other god but Him (Qur 'an 7:59)
This is precisely what Noah said; Hud
declared (Qur'an 7:65); and Salih affirmed (Qur'an 7:73).
Shuaib gave the same message (Qur'an 7:85). The same doctrine
was repeated and confirmed by Prophets Moussa, Issa, and
Mohammad (saas)
"Say; Truly I am a warner: no god
is there but Allah, the One, Supreme, and Irresistible." (Qur'an
38:65)
"Say: Verily, I am commanded to serve Allah, and
follow with sincere devotion his deen." (Qur 'an 39:11)
- Many of the unbelievers who opposed the
prophets did not deny the existence of Allah, nor that He was
the sole creator of heavens and earth; and of human beings.
If you were to question them, "Who
created the heavens and earth?" they would be sure to
reply, "they were created by (Him), the exalted in power,
full of knowledge ". (Qur 'an 43:9)
"If you ask them, who created them, they will
certainly say, Allah: how then are they deluded away from
the truth)?" (Qur 'an 43:87)
The Muslim scholar Abul A'la Maududi explains
La ilaha illa Allah by using four basic terms
from the Qur'an: Ilah, Rabb, Ibadah, and
deen (see the table below). The four words, and their
derivatives, are repeated many times in the Qur'an; the word
Ilah (147 times), Rabb (975 times), Ibadah (275 times), and
deen (94 times). Note that the word deen is an all encompassing
concept dealing with life as an integrated whole. It is not
restricted to the so called "religious" observances, practices,
and rituals.
In the light of these four basic
terms, La ilaha illa Allah means:
Allah is our Rabb and our Ilah; there
is no Rabb and no Ilah except He. To Him alone we make Ibadah;
and only His deen we adopt and sincerely follow.
In the light of this definition, it is clear
that the whole dispute between the unbelievers and the Prophets
centered around the uncompromising demand of the prophets that
the unbelievers should recognize the very being whom they
acknowledged as their creator, as their Rabb and Ilah
(as defined in the table) , and should assign this position
to none else.
There are many important
consequences for appreciating the full meaning and implications
of La ilaha illa Allah, including the following
three:
- Absolute freedom of the human conscience
from servitude to, or subjection by, anyone or anything; and
realization that one's life, livelihood, and sustenance are
all in the hands of Allah and Allah alone.
- The natural urge for making ibadah to an
ilah will be directed towards the true Ilah (Allah), rather
than towards one or more false ilahs (false gods), whether
they be humans, or material things.
- Following the true deen of Allah gives a
sense of direction, and a meaning to one's life in the
present world, and leads to success in the Hereafter.
We pray to Almighty Allah to help us in
appreciating the meaning and implications of La ilaha
lIla Allah, and in translating its meaning in our daily
lives. Ameen.
Four terms Needed to Understand
La Ilaha Illa Allah Ilah
Deity, God
One to be worshipped
One who has power to satisfy your needs and answer your prayer
One who is in control of your affairs
One who can comfort you; provide protection and support for you
Rabb
Lord, Master and owner
Sustainer, provider and guardian
Sovereign, ruler and administrator
Ibadah
Worship and devotion
Submission and obedience
Subjection and servitude
Deen
Ideology
Government and constitution
Complete system (way of life)
Allah is the Rabb and the
Ilah. There is no Rabb and no Ilah except
He. To Him Alone we make Ibadah. Only His Deen we
adopt and sincerely follow.
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