Testimony of faith requires belief and practice
5-5-2011 | IslamWeb
Question:
There is considerable debate about the Hadeeth (narration) in which the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said that anyone who says, “La ilaaha illa Allaah” (there is none worthy of worship except Allaah) will enter Paradise. Is there an addition indicating that people who committed adultery and theft will be included?
Will you please elaborate on this Hadeeth, concentrating on the degree of authenticity and the requisites of such a great phrase “La ilaaha illa Allaah”?
Will mere utterance and belief in it be sufficient for one to be admitted into Paradise?
Answer:
All perfect praise be to Allaah, the Lord of the worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is His Slave and Messenger.
There are many Hadeeths, both general and specific, related to the two testimonies of faith. It would be improper to found evidence on the general Hadeeths, without examining the specific ones. Take, for example, the Hadeeth in which the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, was reported to have said that anyone whose last words in this life were “La ilaaha illa Allaah” (there is none worthy of worship except Allaah), would enter Paradise. [Al-Haakim. An-Nawawi: Saheeh]
Another example, is a Hadeeth in which the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, was reported to have said that anyone who died associating no partners with Allaah The Almighty would enter Paradise. 'Abu Tharr 
wondered whether the persons who committed adultery or theft would be included. The Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, answered yes. [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]
These two Hadeeths are general. However, there are other explanatory Hadeeths, which restrict the criteria. For instance, the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said that anyone who says “La ilaaha illa Allaah” (there is none worthy of worship except Allaah) and disbelieves in deities other than Allaah The Almighty, will have his wealth and blood protected and his reckoning will be with Allaah The Almighty. [Muslim]
According to this Hadeeth, one must disbelieve in anything to which acts of worship are dedicated instead of Allaah The Almighty. This disbelief must be coupled with “La ilaaha illa Allaah” (there is none worthy of worship except Allaah).
In addition to this, Shaykh ‘Abdullaah ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Abd Al-Wahhaab
mentioned that if such a person does not disbelieve in anything that is worshipped except Allaah The Almighty, his wealth and life are not to be protected, for he has not renounced associating partners with Allaah The Almighty as the word “La ilaaha illa Allaah” requires.
Here is another example of a specific Hadeeth: the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, was reported to have said that anyone who testifies that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is His Slave and Messenger, and that ‘Eesaa (Jesus) 
is the Servant and Messenger of Allaah The Almighty and His word which He directed to Mary and a soul [created at a command] from Him, and that Paradise is true, and that Hell is true, Allaah The Almighty will admit him into Paradise with the deeds which he had done. [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]
Commenting on this Hadeeth, Shaykh ‘Abd Ar-Rahmaan ibn Hasan ’Aal Ash-Shaykh mentioned that uttering this phrase must be coupled with understanding it. This understanding must be both inward and outward and must be practiced with certainty. This is based on the verse which reads (what means): {So know, [O Muhammad], that there is no deity except Allaah.} [Quran 47:19] Allaah The Almighty also Said (what means): {But only those who testify to the truth [can benefit], and they know.} [Quran 43:86]
'Aal Ash-Shaykh went on to say that scholars agree that it is useless to merely utter the phrase without knowing its meaning, being certain about it and practicing it, including total renouncement of associating partners with Allaah The Almighty and sincerity in what a persons speaks, thinks and does. 'Aal-Shaykh quoted Al-Qurtubi the Maaliki scholar who refuted the creed of the extremists among the Murji’ah (a deviant sect), who argued that merely uttering the testimonies is sufficient to establish one’s faith.
However, the above Hadeeths rebut their creed, which is invalid under Sharee‘ah. Their creed justifies hypocrisy and judging a hypocrite as a true believer, which is totally incorrect. Al-Murji’ah, incidentally, is a deviant sect which is of the view that faith is established through utterance of the testimony of faith even if it is not coupled with practice. According to them, a believer will not be punished for committing sins, just as a disbeliever will not be rewarded for observing acts of obedience. This belief is totally incorrect, especially since it justifies hypocrisy.
Back to the Hadeeth of the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, there are seven conditions that must be fulfilled for a sound testimony of faith:
First, to utter “la ilaaha illa Allaah” while being perfectly aware of its meaning according to the above-mentioned evidence. It is also narrated that the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said that anyone who dies while knowing that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah The Almighty will be admitted into Paradise. [Muslim]
Second, to be certain about it. The Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, was reported to have said that anyone who testifies with certainty that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, will be assured of entering Paradise. [Muslim]
Third, to be sincere while saying it. The Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, was reported to have said that Allaah The Almighty will never admit anyone to Hell who said “la ilaaha illa Allaah” only for His sake. [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]
Fourth, to be completely truthful. The Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, was reported to have said that he will intercede for every one who testified that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, with his mind believing what his tongue pronounces and with his tongue expressing what his mind believes. [Ahmad]
Fifth, to accept the phrase without any feelings of rejection, contrary to the disbelievers who reject it. Allaah The Almighty Says (what means): {Indeed they, when it was said to them, "There is no deity but Allaah," were arrogant.} [Quran 37:35]
Sixth, to develop obedience and observance, for Allaah The Almighty Says (what means): {And return [in repentance] to your Lord and submit to Him.} [Quran 39:54]
Also, Allaah The Almighty Says (what means): {But no, by your Lord, they will not [truly] believe until they make you, [O Muhammad], judge concerning that over which they dispute among themselves and then find within themselves no discomfort from what you have judged and submit in [full, willing] submission.} [Quran 4:65]
Seventh, to love this phrase and those who believe in it. There are numerous evidences of this; one of them is the Hadeeth in which the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said that anyone who loves for the sake of Allaah The Almighty, hates for His sake, gives for His sake and prevents for His sake has perfected his faith. [Abu Daawood]
Allaah The Almighty Says (what means): {And (the ones) who have believed have stronger (fervor in the) love towards Allaah.} [Quran 2:165]
In addition to all of this, one must believe in the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, and in everything that was narrated on his authority.
The requisites of this phrase must be known and fulfilled. The Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, was reported to have said that Allaah The Almighty ordered him to fight people until they testified that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah and that Muhammad is His Messenger, perform prayers and pay Zakah (obligatory charity). Once they did so, their life and wealth would be preserved except when there was a violation for which there was a prescribed punishment, and their reckoning would be with Allaah The Almighty. [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]
Shaykh Muhammad ibn ‘Abd Al-Wahhaab mentioned the consensus on fighting anyone who said “la ilaaha illa Allaah” without believing in its meaning and fulfilling its requirements until he did so.
Discussions of the requirements of this phrase are endless.
Allaah Knows best.