'Shahada': First Pillar of Islam
لا إله إلا الله محمد رسول الله
Laa-Ilaaha Illallah Muhammadur
Rassoolullah
“There is no other God but God [Allah] and Muhammad (pbuh) is His Messenger.”
To this end, the Holy Prophet (pbuh) said: “He who recites the Shahada with sincerity will enter paradise”. He was then asked: “What is the sign of sincerity?” The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) replied, “It prevents him from doing things forbidden by Allah.”
We must therefore strive to obey Allah in all circumstances, whether in the way we eat, drink, dress or behave with others. It is not appropriate to be satisfied with what suits us, by conforming ourselves, for example, to the customs and behaviours of other people, foreign to Islam, by abandoning the Sunnah and all that Allah has prescribed to us in His Holy Book.
The following Hadith further specifies what the first part of this Shahada [or Kalima] involves, that is, Laa-Ilaaha Illallah:
Hazrat Abu Huraira (ra) relates: “One day the Prophet (pbuh), then in the company of several people, was asked, what faith was. He defined it as follows: “Faith is believing in Allah, His Angels, His Meeting [Meeting with Allah], His Messengers and The Resurrection.”
We must also believe in the existence of fate, heaven and hell, and that also with firmness and without a shadow of a doubt. The person who pronounces the Shahada should think of Allah’s orders on all occasions, from sunrise to sunset, before going to bed, in his daily life, as on the verge of death. He must remain vigilant and ensure that they are strictly enforced.
However, asserting our belief in God, the One, the Omniscient, is not enough if we do not have, deep within us, a certain number of certainties.
First of all, we must be deeply convinced that anything that can happen to us depends on the will of Allah. Whether it is illness, health, birth or death, happiness or misfortune, we must be sure that it all comes from our Creator.
So, if the whole world gangs up against a person to harm him while Allah has placed him under His protection, we must believe that no evil can come to him. Likewise, if Allah bestows blessings on someone, then nothing and no one can take away those blessings from him. The believer can share with others some of the bounties which Allah has bestowed upon him. But if anyone tries to trick against him [the believer], then he will not succeed in his plan because the hand of Allah is on His servant.
We should also know
that no one can do anything without the help of Allah.
Now, let us dwell on the second part of this Statement of Faith, that is: Muhammadur Rasulullah.
We must understand that if we do not observe the teachings of the Holy Prophet (pbuh), we are losers in every way. Even though immensely rich, without the Sunnah, no success is possible. Our existence is doomed to fail. On the other hand, if we follow the teachings of our beloved prophet (pbuh), whatever our financial situation is, even in the most utter destitution, we will be victorious in this world and in the hereafter. [Insha-Allah]
To illustrate these
claims, let us take the example of Hazrat Bilal (ra). This man was a black
slave. He accepted the Shahada and put it into practice. Today, he is
still referred to as one of the Messenger of Allah (pbuh)’s greatest companions
(pbuh). He was also chosen as the first Muezzin to launch the call to prayer [Azaan]
in the Prophet’s Mosque (pbuh) in Medina. The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) even
heard the footsteps of Hazrat Bilal (ra) in paradise.
Now, let us dwell on
the case of Pharaoh [in the times of Prophet Moses (as)]. He was a powerful
monarch who ruled over a vast kingdom. Yet he refused the attestation of faith
[faith in one God – Allah, and in His Prophet, Hazrat Musa (as)]. And he is
still remembered today for the exemplary punishment he suffered. He was,
moreover, cursed by Allah in the Holy Quran. A Quranic verse proclaims this: “O you who have believed! Obey Allah and obey the
Messenger.” (An-Nisa, 4: 60)
Unfortunately, we tend to think that only what is Faraz (obligatory) matters and the rest does not count, whereas in the following Hadith the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) clearly warns us: “All my community will enter in paradise except the one who refused it.” The companions then asked him, “Who refused it?” “The Holy Prophet (pbuh) answered them: “He who followed my teachings will enter paradise and he who disobeyed me has refused to enter it.”
These words, full of immense wisdom, show us that the Holy Prophet (pbuh) considered those who reject the Sunnah as protesters/ rebels. As a result, they will not be able to access paradise. If their faith was truly complete and their love for Allah sincere, then every word and deed of Allah’s Messenger (pbuh) would have been of utmost importance to them.
Through this other
Hadith, the prophet (pbuh) sends us a new warning: “He who deviates from my
teachings has no connection with me”.
Therefore, to renounce the practice of the Sunnah is to take the risk of being expelled from the Prophet’s Ummah (pbuh). This decree clearly expresses the idea that whoever hates the Sunnah and excludes it from his life is not a Muslim worthy of belonging to the community of Muhammad (pbuh). For this reason, we must strive to act in accordance with prophetic teachings on a consistent basis.
In addition, are we not
aware that on the Day of Judgment, we will be resurrected with the people we
have imitated? It is therefore urgent, since we have recited and accepted the Shahada,
to lose our bad habits both in our way of eating, drinking, dressing and in our
way of behaving in society. It is essential to insist on this. For example, if
a Muslim girl or woman has the habit of going out with her head, legs or arms
uncovered, when she knows full well that it is a Quranic obligation, a clear divine
prescription that she covers herself properly, she must absolutely question
herself, and dress in accordance with the Shariah. We must put aside our
inclinations, our prejudices, and our passions, and model our whole life on the
blessed model of the Messenger of Allah (pbuh), standing firm on the commands of
Allah.
Our Creator states in the Holy Quran: “And whoever obeys Allah and His Messenger and fears and dreads Allah, then these are the ones who shall attain to success.” (An-Nur, 24: 53).
Allah says again: “Indeed, there is for you in the Messenger of Allah an excellent model (to follow) for whoever hopes in Allah and in the Last Day and calls upon Allah frequently.” (Al-Ahzab, 33: 22).
He also proclaims: “Say: If you love Allah then follow me; Allah will love
you then and forgive you your sins.” (Al-Ahzab 33: 32).
So let’s take a new example. If we listen to music, not ignoring that this is an act cursed by God, we must imperatively suppress this annoying habit and be content to listen to the Nazams or Qaseedas [songs without musical background, glorifying Allah and his Messenger (pbuh)]. Thus, the love we have for Allah will increase in our hearts.
Finally, we must be attentive to Allah’s commandments at every moment of our existence, obeying Him, constantly fighting our desires and passions. Only then will the Shahada take root in our hearts.
May Allah guide us and enable us to understand the real value and real meaning of Shahada. May He grant us the chance to recite it sincerely so that it becomes the norm of our daily lives. Insha-Allah, Ameen.
----Friday Sermon of