Ruling on a person who says La ilaha illa Allah without acting upon it
Question:
“Is this a Hadith: "Whoever says: 'La ilaha illa Allah' [there is no god but Allah] will enter Jannah 'Paradise'."? What does it mean? Also, is it sufficient for one to declare: (La ilaha illa Allah) without acting upon it?”
Answer:
“Many Hadiths are narrated from the Prophet (peace be upon him) to the same effect that whoever says la ilaha illa Allah truthfully or sincerely from the bottom of their heart, will enter Jannah. Yet, some other Hadith read: “I have been ordered to fight against the people until they declare that la ilaha illa Allah, so if they say it, then their blood and property are guaranteed protection on my behalf except when violating it, and their affairs rest with Allah.”[1] In some other Hadith the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “I have been commanded to fight against people until they testify that there is no god but Allah, and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, perform the Salah 'Prayer', and pay Zakah 'obligatory charity'. If they do that, their blood and property are guaranteed protection on my behalf except when justified by Islamic law, and their affairs rest with Allah.”[2]
These Hadiths explain each other. The meaning is that whoever says La ilaha illa Allah truthfully from the bottom of their heart and sincerely for Allah Alone and fulfills its rights by performing the Obligations of Allah and abandoning His Prohibitions, then dies in this state will enter Jannah and their blood and property will be protected in this world except when justified by Islam.
All Muslims have thus to fear Allah, worship Him Alone, and believe in His Messenger Muhammad (peace be upon him) as being sent to all Jinn (creatures created from fire) and mankind and as being the final Prophet. All Muslims have to perform the Obligations of Allah, abandon His Prohibitions, help one another in righteousness and piety, enjoin one another to truth and patience, and renounce all Deens (religions) of Shirk (associating others with Allah in His Divinity or worship). Whoever dies in the state mentioned above will enter Jannah without being reckoned or punished.
Conversely, whoever commits sins such as Zina (sexual intercourse outside marriage), drinking Khamr (intoxicant), devouring Riba (usury/interest), undutifulness to parents, etc. And dies in such state i.e. without offering Tawbah (repentance to Allah); they are subject to Allah's Will. Allah may bestow His Favor upon them and forgive them because of their Tawhid (belief in the Oneness of Allah/ monotheism), belief in Allah and His Messenger (peace be upon him), and being free from Shirk or He (Exalted be He) may punish them according to the state of sins that they die in. Then they are to be taken out from the Fire after being purified and they will be admitted to Jannah. A proof for this is Allah's (Glorified and Exalted be He) Saying:
{Verily, Allâh forgives not that partners should be set up with Him (in worship), but He forgives except that (anything else) to whom He wills} [Surah an-Nisaa’ 4:48]
This Ayah (Qur'anic verse) thus shows that Allah (Glorified be He) does not forgive whomever dies a Mushrik (one who associates others with Allah in His Divinity or worship). However, the same Ayah indicates that whoever dies in a state of committing sins other than Shirk is subject to Allah's Will. Allah (Glorified be He) may bestow His Favor and Mercy upon them and forgive them without the Shafa`ah (intercession) of anyone or through the Shafa`ah of the prophets, the pious, or any of those that Allah (Exalted be He) permits to intercede. Allah (Exalted be He) says:
{Who is he that can intercede with Him except with His Permission} [Surah al-Baqarah 2:255]
Allah (Glorified be He) addressed the angels:
{...and they cannot intercede except for him with whom He is pleased.} [Surah al-Anbiya’ 21:28]
And:
{And there are many angels in the heavens, whose intercession will avail nothing except after Allâh has given leave for whom He wills and is pleased with.} [Surah an-Najm 53:26]
Moreover, it is authentically reported from the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) that he will intercede several times for a large number of the sinners amongst his Ummah (nation based on one creed) after they enter the Fire. Allah will then take them out. Similarly, angels, prophets, and pious people also intercede after being permitted by Allah. Nevertheless, a group of sinners will remain in the Fire for not being encompassed by Shafa`ah; but Allah (Glorified be He) will bestow upon them His Favor and Mercy and bring them out of the Fire. No one will remain in the Fire forever except Kafirs (disbelievers) as Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He) says:
{Thus Allâh will show them their deeds as regrets for them. And they will never get out of the Fire.} [Surah al-Baqarah 2:167]
He (Glorified be He) also says:
{They will long to get out of the Fire, but never will they get out therefrom; and theirs will be a lasting torment.} [Surah al-Ma’idah 5:37]
And:
{...whenever it abates, We shall increase for them the fierceness of the Fire.} [Surah al-Isra’ 17:97]
And:
{So taste you (the results of your evil actions). No increase shall We give you, except in torment.} [Surah an-Naba 78:30]
Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He) says also regarding Kafirs:
{Neither will it have a complete killing effect on them so that they die, nor shall its torment be lightened for them. Thus do We requite every disbeliever!} [Surah Fatir 35:36]
{Therein they will cry: “Our Lord! Bring us out, we shall do righteous good deeds, not (the evil deeds) that we used to do.”} [Surah Fatir 35:37]
Allah (Glorified be He) will reply:
{Did We not give you lives long enough, so that whosoever would receive admonition could receive it? And the warner came to you. So taste you (the evil of your deeds). For the Zâlimûn (polytheists and wrong-doers) there is no helper.} [Surah Fatir 35:37]
There are many other Ayahs (Qur'anic verses) to the same effect. This is the opinion of Ahl-ul-Sunnah wal-Jama`ah (adherents to the Sunnah and the Muslim mainstream) amongst the Sahabah (Companions) of the Prophet (peace be upon him) those who follow them in piety and righteousness. I ask Allah (Exalted be He) to make us amongst them. May Allah grant us success.”
Shaykh 'Abdul-'Azeez bin 'Abdullah bin Baaz
[1] Narrated by Al-Bukhari, Book on faith, Chapter on Allah's saying: "If they turn in repentance and establish the prayer", no. 25; and Muslim, Book on faith, Chapter on the command to fight people until they profess that there is no god but Allah, p. 21.
[2] Narrated by Al-Bukhari, Book on faith, Chapter on Allah's saying: "If they turn in repentance and establish the prayer", no. 25; and Muslim, Book on faith, Chapter on the command to fight people until they profess that there is no god but Allah, p. 22.
Source: www.alifta.net - Fatwas of Ibn Baz, Volume 28, Book on subject related to `Aqidah. This was published in Al-Muslimun newspaper, issue no. 711, on 28 Jumada Al-Awwal 1419 A.H.
“Is this a Hadith: "Whoever says: 'La ilaha illa Allah' [there is no god but Allah] will enter Jannah 'Paradise'."? What does it mean? Also, is it sufficient for one to declare: (La ilaha illa Allah) without acting upon it?”
Answer:
“Many Hadiths are narrated from the Prophet (peace be upon him) to the same effect that whoever says la ilaha illa Allah truthfully or sincerely from the bottom of their heart, will enter Jannah. Yet, some other Hadith read: “I have been ordered to fight against the people until they declare that la ilaha illa Allah, so if they say it, then their blood and property are guaranteed protection on my behalf except when violating it, and their affairs rest with Allah.”[1] In some other Hadith the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “I have been commanded to fight against people until they testify that there is no god but Allah, and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, perform the Salah 'Prayer', and pay Zakah 'obligatory charity'. If they do that, their blood and property are guaranteed protection on my behalf except when justified by Islamic law, and their affairs rest with Allah.”[2]
These Hadiths explain each other. The meaning is that whoever says La ilaha illa Allah truthfully from the bottom of their heart and sincerely for Allah Alone and fulfills its rights by performing the Obligations of Allah and abandoning His Prohibitions, then dies in this state will enter Jannah and their blood and property will be protected in this world except when justified by Islam.
All Muslims have thus to fear Allah, worship Him Alone, and believe in His Messenger Muhammad (peace be upon him) as being sent to all Jinn (creatures created from fire) and mankind and as being the final Prophet. All Muslims have to perform the Obligations of Allah, abandon His Prohibitions, help one another in righteousness and piety, enjoin one another to truth and patience, and renounce all Deens (religions) of Shirk (associating others with Allah in His Divinity or worship). Whoever dies in the state mentioned above will enter Jannah without being reckoned or punished.
Conversely, whoever commits sins such as Zina (sexual intercourse outside marriage), drinking Khamr (intoxicant), devouring Riba (usury/interest), undutifulness to parents, etc. And dies in such state i.e. without offering Tawbah (repentance to Allah); they are subject to Allah's Will. Allah may bestow His Favor upon them and forgive them because of their Tawhid (belief in the Oneness of Allah/ monotheism), belief in Allah and His Messenger (peace be upon him), and being free from Shirk or He (Exalted be He) may punish them according to the state of sins that they die in. Then they are to be taken out from the Fire after being purified and they will be admitted to Jannah. A proof for this is Allah's (Glorified and Exalted be He) Saying:
{Verily, Allâh forgives not that partners should be set up with Him (in worship), but He forgives except that (anything else) to whom He wills} [Surah an-Nisaa’ 4:48]
This Ayah (Qur'anic verse) thus shows that Allah (Glorified be He) does not forgive whomever dies a Mushrik (one who associates others with Allah in His Divinity or worship). However, the same Ayah indicates that whoever dies in a state of committing sins other than Shirk is subject to Allah's Will. Allah (Glorified be He) may bestow His Favor and Mercy upon them and forgive them without the Shafa`ah (intercession) of anyone or through the Shafa`ah of the prophets, the pious, or any of those that Allah (Exalted be He) permits to intercede. Allah (Exalted be He) says:
{Who is he that can intercede with Him except with His Permission} [Surah al-Baqarah 2:255]
Allah (Glorified be He) addressed the angels:
{...and they cannot intercede except for him with whom He is pleased.} [Surah al-Anbiya’ 21:28]
And:
{And there are many angels in the heavens, whose intercession will avail nothing except after Allâh has given leave for whom He wills and is pleased with.} [Surah an-Najm 53:26]
Moreover, it is authentically reported from the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) that he will intercede several times for a large number of the sinners amongst his Ummah (nation based on one creed) after they enter the Fire. Allah will then take them out. Similarly, angels, prophets, and pious people also intercede after being permitted by Allah. Nevertheless, a group of sinners will remain in the Fire for not being encompassed by Shafa`ah; but Allah (Glorified be He) will bestow upon them His Favor and Mercy and bring them out of the Fire. No one will remain in the Fire forever except Kafirs (disbelievers) as Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He) says:
{Thus Allâh will show them their deeds as regrets for them. And they will never get out of the Fire.} [Surah al-Baqarah 2:167]
He (Glorified be He) also says:
{They will long to get out of the Fire, but never will they get out therefrom; and theirs will be a lasting torment.} [Surah al-Ma’idah 5:37]
And:
{...whenever it abates, We shall increase for them the fierceness of the Fire.} [Surah al-Isra’ 17:97]
And:
{So taste you (the results of your evil actions). No increase shall We give you, except in torment.} [Surah an-Naba 78:30]
Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He) says also regarding Kafirs:
{Neither will it have a complete killing effect on them so that they die, nor shall its torment be lightened for them. Thus do We requite every disbeliever!} [Surah Fatir 35:36]
{Therein they will cry: “Our Lord! Bring us out, we shall do righteous good deeds, not (the evil deeds) that we used to do.”} [Surah Fatir 35:37]
Allah (Glorified be He) will reply:
{Did We not give you lives long enough, so that whosoever would receive admonition could receive it? And the warner came to you. So taste you (the evil of your deeds). For the Zâlimûn (polytheists and wrong-doers) there is no helper.} [Surah Fatir 35:37]
There are many other Ayahs (Qur'anic verses) to the same effect. This is the opinion of Ahl-ul-Sunnah wal-Jama`ah (adherents to the Sunnah and the Muslim mainstream) amongst the Sahabah (Companions) of the Prophet (peace be upon him) those who follow them in piety and righteousness. I ask Allah (Exalted be He) to make us amongst them. May Allah grant us success.”
Shaykh 'Abdul-'Azeez bin 'Abdullah bin Baaz
[1] Narrated by Al-Bukhari, Book on faith, Chapter on Allah's saying: "If they turn in repentance and establish the prayer", no. 25; and Muslim, Book on faith, Chapter on the command to fight people until they profess that there is no god but Allah, p. 21.
[2] Narrated by Al-Bukhari, Book on faith, Chapter on Allah's saying: "If they turn in repentance and establish the prayer", no. 25; and Muslim, Book on faith, Chapter on the command to fight people until they profess that there is no god but Allah, p. 22.
Source: www.alifta.net - Fatwas of Ibn Baz, Volume 28, Book on subject related to `Aqidah. This was published in Al-Muslimun newspaper, issue no. 711, on 28 Jumada Al-Awwal 1419 A.H.