Stated Shaykhul-Islaam Ibn Taymiyyah (d.728H) – rahimahullaah, “Al-Ilaah (the deity) is al-Ma‘looh (the one who is deified). And al-Ma‘looh is the one who is deserving of worship.” 3
Stated Imaam al-Qurtubee (d.671H) – rahimahullaah, “Laa ilaaha illallaah: That is, there is none worthy of worship besides Allaah.” 4
Stated Imaam Haafidh al-Hakamee5 (d.1377H) – rahimahullaah, “So the meaning of laa ilaaha illallaah is: There is no deity worthy of worship in truth, besides Allaah (laa ma’bood bi haqq illallaah).” 6
Stated Imaam ’Abdur-Rahmaan Ibn Hasan aalush-Shaykh (d.1285H) – rahimahullaah, “And the meaning of laa ilaaha illallaah is: There is no deity worthy of worship in truth, besides Allaah (laa ma’bood bi haqq illallaah).”7
And al-’Allaamah Muhammad Ibn ’Abdul-Wahhaab al-Wassaabee added onto these two latter definitions the following, “And if other than Allaah is worshipped, then it is in falsehood.” Then he stated, “Allaah the Exalted said,
“That is because Allaah is the Truth, and whatever they call upon besides Him, then it is false. Indeed, Allaah is the Most High, the Great.”
[Sooratul-Hajj 22:62]
And Allaah the Exalted said,
“So know that there is no deity worthy of worship besides Allaah.”
[Soorah Muhammad 47:19].”8
Footnotes
3 Refer to Majmoo’ul-Fataawaa (10/249) and (13/200) and Iqtidaa‘us-Siraatil-Mustaqeem (p. 461).
4 Refer to the Tafseer (2/291) of al-Qurtubee.
5 He is the Shaykh, al-’Allaamah Haafidh Ibn Ahmad al-Hakamee. He was a Salafee Scholar from the province of Tihaamah. He was born in the year 1342H in the city of as-Salaam near Jeezaan. He was a sign in terms of brilliance and he was quick in memorization and understanding. He studied under the noble Shaykh, ’Abdullaah al-Qar’aawee. He died in the year 1377H and his age was only 35 years. For his biography, refer to his son’s introduction to his book Ma’aarijul-Qubool.
6 Refer to Ma’aarijul-Qubool (2/416) of Haafidh al-Hakamee.
7 Refer to Fathul-Majeed (p. 52) of ’Abdur-Rahmaan Ibn Hasan aalush-Shaykh
8 Refer to al-Qawlul-Mufeed (p. 19) of Muhammad Ibn ’Abdul-Wahhaab al-Wassaabee
Source: The Meaning and Conditions of Laa Ilaaha IllAllaah Based upon the work of Imaam Haafidh al-Hakamee (d.1377H) and others, Prepared by Maaz Qureshi, Sunnah Publishing.
