Itban ibn malik (may Allaah be pleased with him) narrated that the prophet (salallahu alaihi wasallam) said:
"..Allaah has forbidden the Hellfire (to touch) those who say 'There is no deity but Allaah,' only for the sake of Allaah"
(A part of hadith related by Al-Bukhari and Muslim)
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Itban (the narrator):
The full name of the narrator is 'Itban ibn malik ibn 'amr ibnul-'ajilan al-ansari. He was from the tribe of banu salim ibn 'awf, and a well known companion. He died during the caliphate of Mu'awiyah (may Allaah be pleased with him).
Keywords and Phrases:
Allaah has forbidden the hellfire: Forbiddance means that Allaah will safeguard the believers against the torture of hellfire.
Only for the sake of Allaah: It means that the testification of faith must be proclaimed with sincerity, or otherwise, it may be regarded as hypocrisy.
General meaning of the hadith:
The prophet (salallahu alaihi wasallam) affirms that whoever utters the testification of faith will be kept away from hellfire if he is sincere in his belief, devotes all acts of worship to Allaah alone, avoids polytheism, and fulfills all the apparent and inward requirements of faith.
Relevance of hadith to the chapter:
This hadith is a clear indication of the merit of monotheism, which guarantees admission to paradise and expiation of sins only for those who retain true belief.
Lessons drawn from the hadith:
>> The merit of monotheism, which secures its holders from the hellfire and expiates their sins.
>> It is not sufficient to utter the testification of faith without retaining firm belief of the heart, as the case of hypocrites when they proclaim Islam but inwardly do not have a firm belief.
>>Similarly, it is not sufficient to retain firm belief of the heart without verbally pronouncing the testification of faith, such as the case of the infidels.
>> The hellfire is prohibited to approach those of perfect belief in Allaah.
>> Good deeds will be accepted only if they are sincerely devoted to Allaah alone and offered in conformity with the sunnah of prophet (salallahu alaihi wasallam)
>> The mere utterance of the testification of faith by those who adore other false deities or objects besides Allaah such as devotees of shrines is of no avail. Though they verbally proclaim the testification of faith, they invoke the dead and draw nearer to them.
>> The hadith proves that almighty Allaah has a face that suits His majesty and the grandeur of His might.
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Kitab ut Tawheed (An Islamic book)
SpiritualBismillahir Rahmanir Raheem If Tawheed (oneness of Allaah) is perfect, Allaah forgives all the sins of His servant. If there is any shirk in a person's belief, then all the amal (deeds) of the person are destroyed by Allaah ta'ala. Thus, it is OBLIG...
