A number of works expounding the creed of Islam, when discussing the Shahadah, or the Testimony of Faith, mention the virtues and merits of this beautiful and profound statement. When you read these virtues and merits, your love for this statement will grow even more, your estimation of its importance will also magnify and they will make your heart soar to the skies due to an increase in iman.

The Highest Level of Iman

Abu Hurayrah reported from the Messenger of Allah ﷺ who said:

“Faith is seventy or sixty odd branches, the most superior of them is the statement La ilaha ill Allah (there is none worthy of worship except Allah), the lowest is to remove something harmful from the pathway and shyness is a branch of faith.”

Reported by al-Bukhari, no. 9 and Muslim, no. 154

The Greatest Blessing Bestowed by Allah on His Slaves

Out of the innumerable blessings and favours Allah has bestowed upon us, being guided to this beautiful statement is without doubt the greatest of all His blessings.

It is for this reason, this greatest blessing is mentioned in Surah al-Nahl which is considered by the scholars to be the Surah of Blessings. To further highlight the greatness of this blessing, Allah the Exalted mentions it right at the beginning of the Surah before He mentions all other blessings.

Allah the Exalted said:

يُنَزِّلُ المَلائِكَةَ بِالرّوحِ مِن أَمرِهِ عَلىٰ مَن يَشاءُ مِن عِبادِهِ أَن أَنذِروا أَنَّهُ لا إِلٰهَ إِلّا أَنا فَاتَّقونِ

{He sends down the angels with inspiration of His Command to whom of His slaves He pleases (saying): “Warn mankind that La ilaha illa Ana (none has the right to be worshipped but I), so fear Me}

[al-Nahl (16): 2]

The Firmest Handhold

The testimony of faith is the key to success and happiness in the next life. It is the firmest handhold which will never break.

Allah the Exalted said:

فَمَن يَكفُر بِالطّاغوتِ وَيُؤمِن بِاللَّهِ فَقَدِ استَمسَكَ بِالعُروَةِ الوُثقىٰ لَا انفِصامَ لَها ۗ وَاللَّهُ سَميعٌ عَليمٌ

{So whoever disbelieves in the taghut (anything worshipped besides Allah) and believes in Allah, then he has grasped the firmest handhold which will never break}

[al-Baqarah (2): 256]

The Good and Pure Word

It is the Good Word which has been set a parable in Surah Ibrahim. Allah the Exalted said:

أَلَم تَرَ كَيفَ ضَرَبَ اللَّهُ مَثَلًا كَلِمَةً طَيِّبَةً كَشَجَرَةٍ طَيِّبَةٍ أَصلُها ثابِتٌ وَفَرعُها فِي السَّماءِ

{Have you not considered how Allah presents an example, a good word is like a good tree whose root is firm and whose branches are high in the sky}

[Ibrahim (14): 24]

Cause of Salvation

Anas b. Malik said: “The Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to attack at dawn (during military expeditions), so that he could listen out for the Adhan (call to prayer). If he heard the Adhan then he would refrain from attacking, otherwise he would attack. He heard a man say: “Allahu akbar Allahu akbar” and the Messenger of Allah ﷺ  said:

“He is following the Fitrah (natural disposition).”

Then he said: “Ash-hadu an la ilaha ill Allah, ash-hadu an la ilaha ill Allah (I bear witness there is none worthy of worship except Allah, I bear witness there is  none worthy of worship except Allah).” The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:

“You have escaped the Fire.”

They looked and say that he was a goatherd.””

Reported by Muslim, no. 382

Al-Sunabihi said: “I entered upon ‘Ubadah b. al-Samit while he was dying, and I wept. He said: “Take it easy, why are you weeping? By Allah, if I am asked to bear witness, I will bear witness for you, and if I am asked to intercede I will intercede for you, and if I can, I will help you.”

Then he said: “By Allah, there is no hadith that I heard from the Messenger of Allah in which there is anything good for you but I narrated it to you, except for one hadith, which I will tell you today, since I am about to die. I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ say:

“Whoever testifies that none has the right to be worshipped except Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, Allah will forbid him to the Fire.”

Reported by Muslim, no. 29

 

 

 Cause of Entering al-Jannah

‘Ubadah b. Samit reported from the Messenger of Allah ﷺ who said:

“Whoever testifies that there is none worthy of worship except Allah alone without any partners, and that Muhammad is His slave and His Messenger, and that Jesus is the slave of Allah and His Messenger, and His Word which He bestowed on Mary and a spirit from Him, and that Paradise is true and the Fire is true, Allah will admit him into Paradise with the deeds which had done even if those deeds were few.”

Reported by al-Bukhari, no. 3435 and Muslim, no. 28

 

The Heaviest on the Scales

‘Abd Allah b. ‘Amr reported from the Prophet ﷺ that he said:

“Noah, peace be upon him, said to his son at the time of his death: “I enjoin you with La ilaha ill Allah (there is none worthy of worship except Allah), for if the seven heavens and the seven earths were to be put on one pan (of the scale) and “La ilaha ill Allah” was put on the other pan (of the scale), “La ilaha ill Allah” would outweigh it, and even if the seven heavens and the seven earths were all one solid ring, “La ilaha ill Allah” would break it. And I enjoin you with “SubhanAllahi wa bi hamdihi” (far removed is Allah from all imperfections and all praise is His), for it is the prayer of everything and through it everything is sustained.”

Reported by Ahmad, 2:225 with a sound chain.

‘Abd Allah b. ‘Amr narrated that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:

“A man from my nation will be called before all of creation on the Day of Resurrection, and ninety-nine scrolls will be spread out for him, each one extending as far as the eye can see.

Then Allah, the Mighty and Exalted, will say: “Do you deny anything of this?” He will say: “No, my Lord.” He will say: “Have My recording scribes been unfair to you?” Then He will say: “Do you have an excuse? Do you have a good deed?” The man will be terrified and will say: “No.”

Allah will say: “Indeed you have good deeds with Us, and you will not be treated unjustly this Day.” Then a card will be brought out on which is written Ash-hadu an la ilaha ill Allah wa anna Muhammadan ‘abduhu wa rasuluh (I bear witness that none has the right to be worshipped except Allah, and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger).

He will say: “O Lord, what is this card compared with these scrolls?” He will say: “You will not be treated unjustly.” Then the scrolls will be placed on one side of the Balance and the card on the other. The scrolls will go up (i.e. be light) and the card will go down (i.e. will heavily outweigh the scrolls).

Reported by Ibn Majah, no. 4300, al-Hakim, no. 529 and Ahmad, 2:213. The hadith has been graded sound by al-Albani and others.

 

There is no Veil between It and Allah

Abu Hurayrah reported from the Messenger of Allah ﷺ who said:

“No worshipper has ever said: La ilaha ill Allah (there is none worthy of worship except Allah) sincerely, except that the gates of the heavens are opened for it, until it reaches to the Throne, so long as he avoids the major sins.”

Reported by al-Tirmidhi, no. 3590 and graded fair by al-Albani in Sahih al-Tirmidhi, no. 2839.

 

Eligibility for Receipt of  Intercession on the Day of Judgement

(…to follow…)