تَدْعُوهُمْcalls themإِلَيْهِto itشَهَادَةُthe testimonyأَلَّاthat there is noإِلَٰهَdeityإِلَّاexceptاللَّهُAllah
calls them to it, the testimony that there is no deity except Allah.
وَفِيAnd inرِوَايَةٍa narration:,"إِلَىٰ"toأَنْthatيَعْبُدُواthey worshipاللَّهَ"Allah."
And in a narration: "to that they worship Allah."
فَدَلَّSo it indicatedعَلَىٰthatأَنَّthatالتَّوْحِيدَmonotheismهُوَisأَوَّلُthe firstوَاجِبٍobligationعَلَىٰuponالْعِبَادِthe servants،,خِلَافًاcontrary toلِمَنْthose whoزَعَمَclaimedأَنَّthatأَوَّلَthe firstوَاجِبٍobligationمَعْرِفَةُis knowledgeاللَّهِof Allahبِالنَّظَرِby contemplationأَوْorالْقَصْدِintentionإِلَىٰtowardsالنَّظَرِcontemplationأَوْorالشَّكِّdoubtكَمَاasهِيَtheyأَقْوَالٌare sayingsلِأَهْلِof the peopleالْكَلَامِof theologyالْمَذْمُومِthe dispraised.
So it indicated that monotheism is the first obligation upon the servants, contrary to those who claimed that the first obligation is knowledge of Allah by contemplation, or intention towards contemplation, or doubt, as these are sayings of the dispraised people of theology.
فَإِنَّFor indeedمَعْرِفَةَknowledgeاللَّهِof Allahفِطْرِيَّةٌis innate;فَطَرَHe createdاللَّهُAllahعَلَيْهَاupon itعِبَادَهُHis servants،,قَالَHe saidتَعَالَىٰthe Most High:,أَفِيIs thereاللَّهِin AllahشَكٌّdoubtفَاطِرِCreatorالسَّمَاوَاتِof the heavensوَالْأَرْضِand the earthأَيْmeaningأَفيis thereوُجُودِهِHis existenceشَكٌّdoubt،,فَإِنَّfor indeedالْفِطَرَthe innate dispositionsشَاهِدَةٌtestifyبِوُجُودِهِto His existenceمَجْبُولَةٌand are predisposedعَلَىٰtoالْإِقْرَارِacknowledgmentبِهِof Him،,فَإِنَّso indeedالِاعْتِرَافَthe acknowledgmentبِهِof Himضَرُورِيٌّis necessaryفِيinالْفِطَرِthe innate dispositionsالسَّلِيمَةِthe sound ones،,كَمَاasقَالَsaidصَلَّىٰmay AllahاللَّهُAllahعَلَيْهِbless himوَسَلَّمَand grant him peaceكُلُّEveryمَوْلُودٍchildيُولَدُis bornعَلَىٰuponالْفِطْرَةِthe innate dispositionفَأَبَوَاهُthen his parentsيُهَوِّدَانِهِJudaize himأَوْorيُمَجِّسَانِهِMagianize himأَوْorيُنَصِّرَانِهِChristianize him
For indeed knowledge of Allah is innate; Allah created His servants upon it. The Most High said: {Is there in Allah doubt? Creator of the heavens and the earth} [Ibrahim:10] meaning, is there doubt in His existence? For indeed the innate disposition testifies to His existence and is predisposed to acknowledgment of Him. So indeed the acknowledgment of Him is necessary in the sound innate dispositions, as said - may Allah bless him and grant him peace -: "Every child is born uponței the innate disposition, then his parents Judaize him, or Magianize him, or Christianize him" (1).
تَفْسِيرَاتٌInterpretationsبَاطِلَةٌfalseلِـofلَاLaإِلَٰهَilahaإِلَّاillaاللَّهُAllah
False Interpretations of "La ilaha illa Allah"
وَإِذَاAnd whenتَبَيَّنَit becomes clearأَنَّthatمَعْنَىٰthe meaningلَاLaإِلَٰهَilahaإِلَّاillaاللَّهُAllah:isلَاnoمَعْبُودَworshipped beingبِحَقٍّtrulyإِلَّاexceptاللَّهُAllah،,وَهَذَاand thisتَفْسِيرُis the interpretationأَهْلِof the peopleالسُّنَّةِof the Sunnah،,فَيَنْبَغِيthen it is appropriateالتَّنْبِيهُto point outإِلَىٰtoأَنَّهَاthat itقَدْhas beenفُسِّرَتْinterpretedبِتَفْسِيرَاتٍwith interpretationsبَاطِلَةٍfalse،,مِنْهَاamong them:,
And when it becomes clear that the meaning of La ilaha illa Allah is: no deity truly worshipped except Allah, and this is the interpretation of the people of the Sunnah; then it is appropriate to point out that it has been interpreted with false interpretations, among them:
that the meaning of La ilaha illa Allah is: no existent being except Allah, and this is the interpretation of the people of Unity.
that its meaning is: meaning, no existent worshipped being except Allah, and this is false because it necessitates from it that every worshipped being, whether worshipped truly or falsely, is Allah.
that its meaning is: meaning, no creator except Allah, or no lord except Allah, and if the meaning were like that, then there would not have been a dispute between the Prophet - may Allah bless him and grant him peace - and the disbelievers of Quraysh; and there would not have been a dispute between the messengers and their nations; for the nations acknowledge that there is no creator except Allah, so this meaning alone is not what is intended by it.