What is the meaning of La ilaha illa Allah?

Original answer — Shaykh ‘Abd al-‘Aziz ibn Baz

Question

«يلاحظ جهل كثير من المحسوبين على الأمة الإسلامية بمعنى لا إله إلا الله وقد ترتب على ذلك الوقوع فيما ينافيها ويضادها أو ينقصها من الأقوال والأعمال فما معنى لا إله إلا الله؟ وما مقتضاها؟ وما شروطها؟»

English translation (unreviewed): It is noticed that many of those counted as belonging to the Muslim nation are ignorant of the meaning of La ilaha illa Allah, and as a result they fall into the sayings and deeds that contradict it, oppose it or diminish it. So what is the meaning of La ilaha illa Allah? What does it require? And what are its conditions?

From the text of the answer

«لا شك أن هذه الكلمة وهي (لا إله إلا الله) هي أساس الدين، وهي الركن الأول من أركان الإسلام، مع شهادة أن محمدًا رسول الله، كما في الحديث الصحيح عن النبي ﷺ أنه قال: بني الإسلام على خمس: شهادة أن لا إله إلا الله وأن محمدًا رسول الله، وإقام الصلاة، وإيتاء الزكاة، وصوم رمضان، وحج البيت متفق على صحته من حديث ابن عمر رضي الله عنهما.»

English translation (unreviewed): There is no doubt that this statement, “La ilaha illa Allah”, is the foundation of the religion and the first pillar of the pillars of Islam, together with the testimony that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, as in the authentic hadith from the Prophet ﷺ that he said: “Islam is built on five: the testimony that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, establishing the prayer, paying the zakat, fasting Ramadan and the pilgrimage to the House.” Agreed upon as authentic, from the hadith of Ibn 'Umar, may Allah be pleased with them both.

Evidence as the shaykh cited it

«وفي الصحيحين عن ابن عباس رضي الله عنهما أن النبي ﷺ لما بعث معاذا إلى اليمن، قال له: إنك تأتي قوما من أهل الكتاب فادعهم إلى أن يشهدوا أن لا إله إلا الله وأني رسول الله، فإن أطاعوك لذلك فأعلمهم أن الله افترض عليهم خمس صلوات في اليوم والليلة، فإن أطاعوك لذلك فأعلمهم أن الله افترض عليهم صدقة تؤخذ من أغنيائهم فترد في فقرائهم الحديث متفق عليه، والأحاديث في هذا الباب كثيرة.»

English translation (unreviewed): And in the two Sahihs from Ibn 'Abbas, may Allah be pleased with them both, that when the Prophet ﷺ sent Mu'adh to Yemen he said to him: “You are going to a people of the People of the Book, so invite them to testify that there is no god but Allah and that I am the Messenger of Allah. If they obey you in that, inform them that Allah has made obligatory upon them five prayers in every day and night. If they obey you in that, inform them that Allah has made obligatory upon them a charity to be taken from their rich and given to their poor ...” the hadith, agreed upon; and the hadiths in this chapter are many.

«ومن أدلة ذلك قوله تعالى: قُلْ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ تُحِبُّونَ اللَّهَ فَاتَّبِعُونِي يُحْبِبْكُمُ اللَّهُ الآية [آل عمران:٣١]، وقوله سبحانه: وَمِنَ النَّاسِ مَنْ يَتَّخِذُ مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ أَنْدَادًا يُحِبُّونَهُمْ كَحُبِّ اللَّهِ وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا أَشَدُّ حُبًّا لِلَّهِ [البقرة:١٦٥] والآيات في هذا المعنى كثيرة.»

English translation (unreviewed): Among the evidences for that is the saying of the Most High: “Say: If you love Allah, then follow me, Allah will love you” the verse [Al 'Imran: 31], and His saying, Glorified: “And among the people are those who take rivals besides Allah, loving them as they love Allah; but those who believe are stronger in love for Allah” [al-Baqarah: 165], and the verses with this meaning are many.

«الثامن: الكفر بما يعبد من دون الله، ومعناه أن يتبرأ من عبادة غير الله ويعتقد أنها باطلة، كما قال الله سبحانه: فَمَنْ يَكْفُرْ بِالطَّاغُوتِ وَيُؤْمِنْ بِاللَّهِ فَقَدِ اسْتَمْسَكَ بِالْعُرْوَةِ الْوُثْقَى لا انْفِصَامَ لَهَا وَاللَّهُ سَمِيعٌ عَلِيمٌ [البقرة:٢٥٦].»

English translation (unreviewed): The eighth: disbelief in what is worshipped besides Allah, which means that he disavows the worship of other than Allah and believes it is false, as Allah, Glorified, said: “So whoever disbelieves in Taghut and believes in Allah has grasped the most trustworthy handhold, which will not break, and Allah is Hearing and Knowing” [al-Baqarah: 256].