[7] Basics- Revisiting and Revising The Most Important Fundamentals: [The Shahaadah Has Conditions That Must Be Fulfilled Otherwise Its Utterance Will Not Benefit The One Who Utters It]

In The Name of Allaah, The Most Merciful, The Bestower of Mercy.

It was said to Imaam Wahb Bin Al-Munabbih [may Allaah have mercy upon him] – born 34AH and died 114AH: “Is Laa Ilaaha Illal laah – There is no deity worthy of worship except Allaah – not the key to paradise?” He replied, “Certainly, but there is not a key except that it has biting cuts; so if you come with a key with biting cuts, it will open for you; otherwise it will not open for you”. [Hilyatul Awliyaa 4/66]

Wahb [may Allaah have mercy upon him] indicated to the conditions and principles of Laa Ilaaha Illal laah that are found in the Qur’aan and the authentic Sunnah. Sp, if a person says, “By just saying, ‘Laa Ilaaha Illal laah – There is no deity worthy of worship except Allaah – a person will be benefitted without establishing its principles and fulfilling its conditions”, then it should be said to him, “The meaning of this statement of yours necessitates that the Munaafiqoon are benefitted due to Allaah’s statement: [إِذَا جَآءَكَ ٱلۡمُنَـٰفِقُونَ قَالُواْ نَشۡہَدُ إِنَّكَ لَرَسُولُ ٱللَّهِ‌ۗ – When the hypocrites come to you (O Muhammad ), they say: “We bear witness that you are indeed the Messenger of Allah]. [Ref 1] No one would hold this view about the Munaafiqoon because Allaah will not accept the statement Laa Ilaaha Illal laah – There is no deity worthy of worship except Allaah- from a person unless he fulfils its conditions and established its principles that are found in the Qur’an and authentic Sunnah. It was said to Al-Hasan Al-Basri [may Allaah have mercy upon him], “The people say that the one who says Laa Ilaaha Illal laah – There is no deity worthy of worship except Allaah- will enter paradise”, so he replied, “The one who says Laa ilaaha illal laah, fulfils it rights and obligations will enter paradise”. [Al-Hujjah Fil Bayaan Al-Mahajjah 2/152]

[Source: Explanation of Important Lessons For The Muslim Ummah. pages 46-47. Maktabah Malik Al-Fahad 1436AH. (2015)]
Next topic: The conditions of Laa Ilaaha Illal laah and their proofs

Ref 1: What did Allaah say about the Munaafiqoon?

إِذَا جَآءَكَ ٱلۡمُنَـٰفِقُونَ قَالُواْ نَشۡہَدُ إِنَّكَ لَرَسُولُ ٱللَّهِ‌ۗ وَٱللَّهُ يَعۡلَمُ إِنَّكَ لَرَسُولُهُ ۥ وَٱللَّهُ يَشۡہَدُ إِنَّ ٱلۡمُنَـٰفِقِينَ لَكَـٰذِبُونَ
ٱتَّخَذُوٓاْ أَيۡمَـٰنَہُمۡ جُنَّةً۬ فَصَدُّواْ عَن سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ‌ۚ إِنَّہُمۡ سَآءَ مَا كَانُواْ يَعۡمَلُونَ
ذَٲلِكَ بِأَنَّہُمۡ ءَامَنُواْ ثُمَّ كَفَرُواْ فَطُبِعَ عَلَىٰ قُلُوبِہِمۡ فَهُمۡ لَا يَفۡقَهُونَ

When the hypocrites come to you (O Muhammad ), they say: “We bear witness that you are indeed the Messenger of Allah.” Allah knows that you are indeed His Messenger and Allah bears witness that the hypocrites are liars indeed. They have made their oaths a screen (for their hypocrisy). Thus they hinder (men) from the Path of Allah. Verily, evil is what they used to do. That is because they believed, then disbelieved, therefore their hearts are sealed, so they understand not. [Surah Al-Munaafiqoon. 1-3]