وَقَالُواAnd they said{{وَانْطَلَقَand went forthالْمَلأُthe chiefsمِنْهُمْfrom themأَنِthatامْشُواgoوَاصْبِرُواand be steadfastعَلَىuponآلِهَتِكُمْyour gods}}[ص:٦][Sad: 6](١).(1).
And they said, "Go forth among them and be steadfast [in worship] to your gods." [Sad: 6] (1).
وَلِلتَّوْضِيحِAnd for clarificationفَإِنَّindeedقَوْلَهُمْtheir saying::الْعِلْمُknowledgeبِمَعْنَاهَاof its meaningنَفْيًاnegatingوَإِثْبَاتًاand affirmingيَتَضَمَّنُincludesشَطْرَهَاits halfالْأَوَّلَthe firstنَفْيَnegationالْعِبَادَةِof worshipعَمَّاfrom whatسِوَىother thanاللَّهِAllahعَزَّExaltedوَجَلَّand Glorified،,كَمَاjust asيَتَضَمَّنُit includesشَطْرَهَاits halfالثَّانِيَthe secondإِثْبَاتَهَاits affirmationلَهُfor HimسُبْحَانَهُGlory be to Himوَتَعَالَىand may He be Exalted،,فَكَمَاso just asأَنَّthatالْحَقَّthe TruthجَلَّHe is GlorifiedوَandعَزَّExaltedلَاnotشَرِيكَa partnerلَهُfor HimفِيinمُلْكِهِHis dominionوَخَلْقِهِand His creationوَتَدْبِيرِهِand His management،,فَإِنَّهُthen indeedلَاnotشَرِيكَa partnerلَهُfor HimفِيinعِبَادَتِهِHis worship..
And for clarification, their saying: 'Knowledge of its meaning, negating and affirming, includes its first half negating worship from other than Allah, Exalted and Glorified, just as its second half includes affirmation of it for Him, Glory be to Him and may He be Exalted. For just as the Truth, He is Glorified and Exalted, has no partner in His dominion, His creation, and His management, then indeed He has no partner in His worship.
فَلَاSo there is noبُدَّescapeمِنَfromالْعِلْمِknowledgeبِمَعْنَاهَاof its meaning؛;لِأَنَّbecauseالتَّلَفُّظَutteranceبِهَاof itدُونَwithoutمَعْرِفَةِknowledgeمَعْنَاهَاof its meaningوَمُقْتَضَاهَاand its implicationsلَاnotيَنْفَعُbenefitsصَاحِبَهَاits ownerكَالَّذِيlike the one whoيَتَكَلَّمُspeaksبِلُغَةٍin a languageلَاnotيَفْهَمُهَاhe understands it،,وَدَلَّand indicatedعَلَىuponهَذَاthisالْكِتَابُthe Bookوَالسُّنَّةُand the SunnahقَالَHe saidتَعَالَىExalted is He::{{فَاعْلَمْSo knowأَنَّهُthatلَاnoإِلَهَdeityإِلَّاexceptاللَّهُAllahوَاسْتَغْفِرْand seek forgivenessلِذَنْبِكَfor your sinوَلِلْمُؤْمِنِينَand for the believing menوَالْمُؤْمِنَاتِand the believing womenوَاللَّهُAnd Allahيَعْلَمُknowsمُتَقَلَّبَكُمْyour movementوَمَثْوَاكُمْand your resting place}}[مُحَمَّدٍ:١٩].[Muhammad: 19].
So knowledge of its meaning is necessary; because uttering it without knowing its meaning and its implications does not benefit its owner, like one who speaks in a language they do not understand. The Book and the Sunnah indicated this. He is Exalted: 'So know that there is no god except Allah, and seek forgiveness for your sin and for the believing men and believing women. And Allah knows your [earthly] abiding and your resting place.' [Muhammad: 19].
وَقَوْلُهُAnd His saying::{{وَلَاAnd notيَمْلِكُpossessالَّذِينَthose whoيَدْعُونَthey call uponمِنْfromدُونِهِbesides Himالشَّفَاعَةَthe intercessionإِلَّاexceptمَنْwhoeverشَهِدَtestifiedبِالْحَقِّto the truthوَهُمْwhile theyيَعْلَمُونَknow}}[الزُّخْرُفِ:[Al-Zukhruf:٨٦].86].
And His saying: 'And those they call upon besides Him do not possess [authority for] intercession, except for him who testifies to the truth, and they know.' [Al-Zukhruf: 86].
قَالَSaidالْبَغَوِيُّAl-Baghawi::""أَرَadَHe intendedبِشَهَادَةِby the testimonyالْحَقِّof the truthقَوْلَ:the sayingلَاNoإِلَهَdeityإِلَّاexceptاللَّهُAllahكَلِمَةَthe wordالتَّوْحِيدِof monotheism{{وَهُمْand theyيَعْلَمُونَknow}}بِقُلُوبِهِمْwith their heartsمَاwhatشَهِدُواthey testifiedبِهِto itبِأَلْسِنَتِهِمْwith their tongues""(٢).(2).
Al-Baghawi said: "He meant by the testimony of the truth the saying: 'There is no god except Allah,' the word of monotheism. '{and they know}' with their hearts what they testified to with their tongues." (2).
وَفِيAnd inالصَّحِيحِAl-SahihعَنْfromعُثْمَانَUthman--رَضِيَmay Allah be pleasedاللَّهُAllahعَنْهُwith him--قَالَhe said::قَالَSaidرَسُولُMessengerاللَّهِof Allah--صَلَّىmay bestow blessingsاللَّهُAllahعَلَيْهِupon himوَسَلَّمَand grant him peace::""مَنْWhoeverمَاتَdiesوَهُوَwhile heيَعْلَمُknowsأَنَّهُthatلَاnoإِلَهَdeityإِلَّاexceptاللَّهُAllahدَخَلَwill enterالْجَنَّةَParadise""(٣).(3).
And in the authentic narration from Uthman - may Allah be pleased with him - he said: The Messenger of Allah - may Allah's prayers and peace be upon him - said: 'Whoever dies knowing that there is no god except Allah enters Paradise.' (3).
قَالَSaidشَيْخُSheikhالْإِسْلَامِof IslamابْنُIbnتَيْمِيَّةَTaimiyyahرَحِمَهُmay have mercy on himاللَّهُAllahتَعَالَىExalted is He::""مَنْWhoeverاعْتَقَدَbelievesأَنَّهُthat heبِمُجَرَّدِby mereتَلَفُّظِهِutterance of itبِالشَّهَادَةِof the testimonyيَدْخُلُwill enterالْجَنَّةَParadiseوَلَاand will notيَدْخُلُenterالنَّارَthe Fireفَهُوَthen heضَالٌّis astrayمُخَالِفٌcontraryلِلْكِتَابِto the Bookوَالسُّنَّةِand the Sunnahوَالْإِجْمَاعِand the consensus""(٤).(4).
Sheikh al-Islam Ibn Taimiyyah, may Allah have mercy on him, Exalted, said: "Whoever believes that by merely uttering the testimony he enters Paradise and does not enter the Fire, then he is astray, contrary to the Book, the Sunnah, and the consensus." (4).
وَقَالَAnd saidالشَّيْخُSheikhسُلَيْمَانُSulaimanبْنُson ofعَبْدِAbdاللَّهِAllah::""أَمَّاAs forالنُّطْقُutteringبِهَاitمِنْwithoutغَيْرِwithoutمَعْرِفَةٍknowledgeلِمَعْنَاهَاof its meaningوَلَاand withoutعَمَلٍaction
And Sheikh Sulaiman bin Abdullah said: "As for the utterance of it without knowledge of its meaning and without action...