The Ahadeeth of Tawheed
from the
‘Silsilah Ahadeeth As-Saheehah’
of
Shaykh Al-Albaani
Translated by
Abbas Abu Yahya
Chapters of Tawheed and the Shahahdatayn
Part 5
19 -Glad Tidings for those who Worship Allaah Alone
712 – “May you have glad tidings, and give glad tidings to those after you, that the one who truly testifies that there is no one worthy of worship except Allaah, enters Paradise.”
713 – “May you have glad tidings, may you have glad tidings, do you not testify that there is none worthy of worship in truth except Allaah, and that verily I am the Messenger of Allaah?
They said : Yes
He said: Then this Qur’aan is rope, one end of it is in Allaah’s Hand, and the other end is in your hands, so hold on to it, indeed you will never be misguided and never be destroyed after it.”
1314 – “May you have glad tidings, and give glad tidings to the people; whoever says: ‘La ilaha ‘illa Allaah’ being truthful to it enters Paradise.”
In the following chapter in the narration of Mu’aadh bin Jabal -radiAllaah anhu- it is mentioned:
“I said : should I not convey the good news to them O Messenger of Allaah?
He said: leave them to do good actions.”
It was narrated by Bukhari (1/199 – Fathul – Bari) and Muslim (1/45) and other than them from the hadeeth of Anas that the Messenger of Allaah –sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam– and Mu’aadh were riding companions on a riding beast, and the Messenger said: O Mu’aadh……” the hadeeth.
And in it is mentioned:
“Shall I not inform the people so they can receive this good news?
He said: they will rely just upon that.
Mu’aadh narrated this at his death due to the fear of being sinful.”
Ahmad narrated (5/228, 229, 230, 232, 236) from many narrations on the authority of Mu’aadh, and in one of them he said: “I will inform you of something which I heard from the Messenger of Allaah – sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam – , nothing prevented me from narrating it except that you will just rely upon that, I heard the Messenger say: “Who ever testifies to ‘La ilaha ‘illa Allaah’ (‘There is none worthy of worship in truth except Allaah) sincerely from his heart, or with certainty from his heart will not enter the fire, or he will enter Paradise.” And another time he said: “He will enter paradise, and the fire will not touch him.”
Its chain of narration is authentic according to the conditions of Bukhari and Muslim.
Bukhari wrote a chapter heading for the hadeeth of Mu’aadh saying:
“Chapter: whoever selected some people to teach them knowledge preferring them over others for fear that the others may not understand it”
‘Alee said: speak to the people with what they know, would you like that they disbelieve in Allaah and His Messenger.
Then Imaam Bukhari brings forth the chain of narration, and Adam bin Abu Eeyaas mentioned in (his) ‘Book of Knowledge’, an extra wording: ” Leave off what they dislike.” i.e. that which will be confusing for them to understand.
And similar to this is the saying of Ibn Masood: “If you speak to a people, and their intellects cannot comprehend your speech except that it will be a Fitnah for some of them.”
Narrated by Muslim (1/9).
Hafidh Ibn Hajr said: “From those who disliked narrating some hadeeth more than others, like Ahmad regarding the hadeeth which apparently show rebelling against the ruler. Also, Maalik regarding the hadeeth of Sifaat (the Attributes) of Allaah Azza wa Jal, and Abu Yusuf regarding hadeeth which are not Mutawwatir. Before them was Abu Huraira from what has preceded regarding the story when he was reluctant to narrate in case he was killed. The meaning here is what occurred from Fitn (trials and tribulations). Similar to this is what Hudayfah had narrated.
Additionally, on the authority of al-Hasan who disliked narrating the hadeeth of Anas to those performing Hajj with the story of the Bedouins who were entrusted with the camels of the Prophet – sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam – but they stole them. He punished them, due to what some of the people took as a means of what they used to rely upon, in going to extremes in spilling blood, by using weak explanations.
The principle behind this issue is; If what is apparent from the hadeeth is something that strengthens a Bida’ and the apparent meaning is not primarily intended, then refraining from narrating that hadeeth is better, if you fear that the person your conveying it to will take the apparent meaning, and Allaah knows best.”
Indeed the scholars have differed in their explanation of the hadeeth in this chapter, and those Ahadeeth which have this meaning. Which is, the fire is prohibited upon the one who says ‘La ilaha ‘illa Allaah’ the scholars have many different statements. Some of them were mentioned by al-Mundhiri in his book ‘al-Targheeb’ (2/238), and the rest can be seen in ‘al-Fath’.
That which gives content to the soul, and delight to the heart, based on the evidence gathered shows there is no conflict between these evidences. This can be conveyed in the following three situations:
Firstly: The one who fulfills the necessities of the Shahahdtayn, adhering to the obligations of the Sharia’ and keeping away from the prohibitions. In this instance the hadeeth is on its apparent meaning, so the person enters Paradise and is completely prohibited from the fire.
Secondly: That the person dies upon the Shahahdatyn, and he had fulfilled the five pillars. However, perhaps he had neglected some of the obligatory duties, and he perpetrated some prohibitions, so this person is under Allaah’s Will. He will forgive him as is mentioned in the following hadeeth that comes after this hadeeth, and also in other well-known hadeeth, which talk about the expiation of sins.
Thirdly: This point is similar to the previous one, although this person does not exercise the rights of Shahahdatyn. The Shahahdatyn does not prevent him from what Allaah has prohibited, as is mentioned in the hadeeth of Abu Dharr that has been agreed upon by Bukhari and Muslim: “even if he commits adultery and steals…….” To the end of the hadeeth.
Furthermore, this person did not perform actions that could merit him Allaah’s forgiveness. Therefore, this person would be prohibited from the fire which is obligatory for the Kuffar. If he does enter it, then he would not stay in it with them for ever. Rather he would come out of the fire, due to intercession or something other than it and surely enter into Paradise. This is clear from the saying of the Messenger – sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam –: “Whoever says: ‘la illah ila Allaah’ it will make him successful, one day, no matter what he had done before that.”
It is an authentic hadeeth….. Allaah Subanahau wa Ta’ala knows best.
1315- “Whoever meets Allaah not having associated partners with Him, performing the five prayers, and fasting Ramadhan, then Allaah will forgive that person.
I said : Shall I not give the people this good news O Messenger of Allaah?
He said: Leave them to do good actions.”
I (al-Albaani) say: The evidence which is apparent from this hadeeth is that a Muslim does not merit the forgiveness of Allaah except if he meets Allaah The Mighty and Majestic not having associated anything in worship with Him. This is because Shirk is the biggest of major sins, as is well-known in the authentic Ahaadeeth.
From here it becomes apparent to us the misguidance of those people who live along side us, and they pray our prayer and fast along with us, but they fall into types of shirk and idolatry, like seeking assistance from the dead of the Aawliyaa and the righteous people. Making Dua’ to them in times of hardship and not making Dua’ to Allaah. Slaughtering for them and making oaths to them, by which they think they come close to Allaah by doing so. How wrong they are! << That is the consideration of those who disbelieve! Then woe to those who disbelieve from the Fire! >>
So, it is upon every one of our Muslim brothers who have been afflicted with something from Shirk that they hurry and repent to the Lord of the worlds. There is no path to this repentance except with beneficial knowledge which is taken from the Book and the Sunnah. This knowledge has been propagated in the books of our scholars – may Allaah Ta’aala have mercy on them, and from those who specifically propagated this were Shaykh ul-Islaam Ibn Taymeeyah and his student Ibn Qayyim al-Jawzeeyah, and those who imitated their example, and followed their path.
The Muslims should not be discouraged from repenting by those who whisper mischief. Implying that these forms of shirk are means of closeness and nearness to Allaah. So, the affair of these people is the same as those about whom the Prophet – sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam – mentioned “they call it with other than its name” making permissible some of the prohibited things.
This advice I direct towards whoever is concerned with his hereafter from amongst our misguided Muslim brothers, before the day comes when the truth of the saying of the Lord of the Worlds about His worshippers who are far from Him. << And We shall turn to whatever deeds they did, and We shall make such deeds as scattered floating particles of dust. >>