A summary of the concepts held by the Ahl al-Sunnah.
The conditions for benefiting from the declaration of Tawhid.
There is no god but Allah.
The declaration of Tawhid is the primary condition and the main reason for entering Paradise.
As the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said:
"I bear witness that there is no god but Allah,
and that I am the Messenger of Allah.
No servant meets Allah with these two, without doubting them,
but that he will enter Paradise."
Narrated by Muslim.
However, one must fulfill its conditions for a person to enter Paradise.
It was said to Wahb Ibn Munabbih:
"Is the key to Paradise not 'There is no god but Allah'?"
He replied: "Yes,
but there is no key that does not have teeth.
Whoever brings the key with its teeth, the door will be opened for him;
whoever does not bring it with its teeth, it will not be opened for him."
The teeth of the key are the conditions of this declaration.
The first is:
Knowledge of its meaning, which negates ignorance of it.
Allah the Exalted says:
"Know, therefore, that there is no god but Allah."
And the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said:
"Whoever dies while knowing that there is no god but Allah,
shall enter Paradise."
Narrated by Muslim.
Second:
Certainty, which negates doubt and skepticism.
Allah the Exalted says:
“The (true) believers are those only who believe in Allah and His messenger and afterward doubt not, but strive with their wealth and their lives for the cause of Allah. Such are the sincere.” (49:15)
And the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said to Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him:
"Whoever you meet behind this wall who testifies that there is no god but Allah,
while his heart is certain of it,
then give him glad tidings of Paradise."
Narrated by Muslim.
As for the skeptic,
he is among the people of hypocrisy,
as Allah the Exalted says:
“They alone ask leave of thee who believe not in Allah and the Last Day, and whose hearts feel doubt, so in their doubt they waver.” (9:45)
"And their hearts are in doubt."
“They alone ask leave of thee who believe not in Allah and the Last Day, and whose hearts feel doubt, so in their doubt they waver.” (9:45)
Third:
Acceptance by the heart and tongue of this declaration and what it necessitates.
Its opposite is denial, turning away, and arrogance,
which is the behavior of the disbelievers.
They denied it and said:
“Maketh he the gods One Allah? Lo! that is an astounding thing.” (38:5)
“Maketh he the gods One Allah? Lo! that is an astounding thing.” (38:5)
And they were too arrogant to accept it,
as Allah the Exalted says:
“For when it was said unto them, There is no Allah save Allah, they were scornful” (37:35)
Fourth:
Submission to what the declaration indicates and necessitates,
which is Islam,
meaning surrender to Allah the Exalted and His commands.
Allah the Almighty says:
“Turn unto your Lord repentant, and surrender unto Him, before there come unto you the doom, when ye cannot be helped.” (39:54)
And Allah the Almighty says:
“Whosoever surrendereth his purpose to Allah while doing good, he verily hath grasped the firm hand-hold. Unto Allah belongeth the sequel of all things.” (31:22)
"He has grasped the most trustworthy handhold."
The most trustworthy handhold is the declaration of Tawhid.
The perfection of submission and its ultimate goal is:
Prioritizing what Allah loves, even if it contradicts one's desires,
and hating what Allah hates, even if one's desires incline toward it.
Fifth:
Truthfulness in saying it, which negates lying.
This means saying it truthfully from one's heart,
with the heart in agreement with the tongue.
Lying is claiming it while deceiving Allah and the believers,
which is the state of the hypocrites,
as Allah the Exalted says:
"And of the people are some who say..."
“And of mankind are some who say: We believe in Allah and the Last Day, when they believe not.” (2:8)
"...but they are not believers."
“They think to beguile Allah and those who believe, and they beguile none save themselves; but they perceive not.” (2:9)
“They think to beguile Allah and those who believe, and they beguile none save themselves; but they perceive not.” (2:9)
"...and they do not perceive."
"In their hearts is disease,
so Allah has increased their disease;
and for them is a painful punishment
because they used to lie."
And the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said:
"There is no one who testifies that there is no god but Allah,
and that I am the Messenger of Allah,
truthfully from his heart,
but that Allah will forbid him from the Fire."
Agreed upon.
Sixth:
Sincerity,
which is purifying the utterance of it with a righteous intention,
free from the impurities of polytheism,
and that there be no other purpose behind uttering it
other than the speaker's intention for his Lord.
Allah the Exalted says:
“And they are ordered naught else than to serve Allah, keeping religion pure for Him, as men by nature upright, and to establish worship and to pay the poor-due. That is true religion.” (98:5)
“And they are ordered naught else than to serve Allah, keeping religion pure for Him, as men by nature upright, and to establish worship and to pay the poor-due. That is true religion.” (98:5)
And the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said:
"Indeed, Allah has forbidden the Fire to anyone who says:
'There is no god but Allah,'
seeking thereby the Countenance of Allah."
Agreed upon.
Seventh:
Love for this declaration, what it indicates, and what it necessitates,
as well as love for its people who act upon it,
and hatred for what contradicts it.
Allah the Exalted says:
“Yet of mankind are some who take unto themselves (objects of worship which they set as) rivals to Allah, loving them with a love like (that which is the due) of Allah (only) - those who believe are stauncher in their love for Allah - Oh, that those who do evil had but known, (on the day) when they behold the doom, that power belongeth wholly to Allah, and that Allah is severe in punishment!” (2:165)
“Yet of mankind are some who take unto themselves (objects of worship which they set as) rivals to Allah, loving them with a love like (that which is the due) of Allah (only) - those who believe are stauncher in their love for Allah - Oh, that those who do evil had but known, (on the day) when they behold the doom, that power belongeth wholly to Allah, and that Allah is severe in punishment!” (2:165)
“Yet of mankind are some who take unto themselves (objects of worship which they set as) rivals to Allah, loving them with a love like (that which is the due) of Allah (only) - those who believe are stauncher in their love for Allah - Oh, that those who do evil had but known, (on the day) when they behold the doom, that power belongeth wholly to Allah, and that Allah is severe in punishment!” (2:165)