The Statement of Laa illaha illah - is the Key to Paradise.
The Shahaadah is the foundation of al-Islaam, it is the first Pillar of islaam
Umar ibn al-Khataab said: "Islaam is built upon five things, The testification to Laa ilaa ha ilal Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah....."
So the virtue of the Shahaadah is indeed great and lofty, it enters people into islaam
The Prophet, peace be upon him, said: "The best statement that I and all of the other Prophets have said is the testification of Laa ilaha illalah, to him belongs the dominion, to Him belongs all praise..."
The Prophet sent Mu'aadh ibn jabal to Yemen and instructed him to call the People of the Book to firstly Laa ilaha ilallah and is from the first of affairs in Islaam, it is the first matter a person calls to when giving Da'wah
The Prophet likewise instructed the dying folk to say Laa ilaa ha ilallah
It is from the highest part of Eemaan. Eemaan increases and decreases as Ahlus Sunnah believe
The Prophet said: "Eeman has 70 odd branches and from the highest part of it is Laa ilaaha illalah"
It was said to Wahb ibn Munnabih:
Isn't Laa ilaaha illalah the key to jannah? He said
"Indeed it is, however every key has teeth, so if you come with the key with the correct teeth then the door will open for you however if you do not have the correct key the door wil not open for you"
Thus if you come on the Day of Judgement with the Shahaadah fulfilling all of it's conditions then you will be successful Inshaa'Allah. The Shahaadah needs to be actualised throughout one's life and for it to not merely be a statement upon one's tongue
Shaykh Ubayd introduces his explanation to the treatise by mentioning:
- Shahaadah linguistically means a sign,
- Islamically the Shahaadah and it's conditions are matters for a muslim to know, that it is imperative
