The First Obligation Upon the Slaves of Allah

The First Obligation upon the Slaves [of Allaah]
The first duty upon the creation is the first thing they are called to, and this has been made clear by the Prophet j to Muaadh ibn Jabal, radiyallaahu ‘anhu, when he sent him to Al-Yaman [Yemen]. He said:
 “Verily you reach a community of the people of the Book. So the very first thing to which you should call them to is the testification that la ilaaha illallaah [nothing has the right to be worshipped except Allaah], and that Muhammad is Allaah’s Messenger…”
So this is the very first obligation on the ‘Ibaad, that they testify to the Oneness of Allaah, the Mighty and Majestic and to testify of His Messenger’s (SAW) Message. And it is through the Tawheed of Allaah, the One free of all imperfection, and the testimony as to His Messenger being entrusted with the Message, that Ikhlaas
and Mutaaba’ah, both of which Reported by al-Bukhaaree and Muslim. The reported version is that of al-Bukhaaree in his Saheeh, vol.2, no.478. Ikhlaas means to purify, and it signifies that the Muslim by his worship intends and desires the Face of Allaah, the Mighty and Majestic, and to reach al-Jannah, the place where Allaah bestows honour and favours. So the Muslim worships none along with Allaah, making the religion purely and sincerely for Him. [See Ibn ‘Uthaymeen’s Sharhul Usool athFiqhul ‘Ibaadaat ‘Aqeedah Section constitute the prerequisite for the acceptance of every worship, would be realized. So this constitutes the very first obligatory duty on the ‘Ibaad i.e. that they must single Allaah out as the only true God worthy of worship, and testify of His Messenger’s Message [he is entrusted with it and that he proclaimed in its entirety]. Hence, the Shahaadah of Laa ilaaha illallaah comprises the entire Tawheed.
By
Sh. Muhammad bin Saalih Al-'Uthaimeen
(rahimahullah)
Rendered into English
By
Dr. Saleh As-Saleh

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