Mana La Ilaha Illa Allah - Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab
- Author died
- 1206 AH
- Editions
- Mana La Ilaha Illa Allah - Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab
Mana La Ilaha Illa Allah (Arabic: معنى لا إله إلا الله, The Meaning of "There is No God but Allah") is a short creedal treatise written by the Najdi scholar Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab (d. 1206 AH / 1792 CE) to explain the meaning, conditions, and core theological implications of the Islamic testimony of faith .
Composition and Purpose
The treatise was composed as a direct response to a question posed to the author regarding the precise meaning of the testimony لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ ("There is no god but Allah") . Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab characterizes this phrase as the dividing line between belief and disbelief, the word of piety (kalimat al-taqwa), and the firmest handhold (al-urwah al-wuthqa) that the Prophet Ibrahim left as a lasting word among his descendants . He emphasizes that merely uttering the words with the tongue while remaining ignorant of their meaning is insufficient for salvation, noting that hypocrites utter the testimony and even pray and give charity, yet reside in the lowest depths of Hellfire .
Core Structure and Arguments
The author structures the explanation of the testimony around its dual components of negation (nafy) and affirmation (ithbat), arguing that it negates all divinity from created beings—including angels like Jibril and prophets like Muhammad ﷺ—and affirms it exclusively for God . To demonstrate this, he presents two foundational premises:
- Affirmation of Divine Lordship (Tawhid al-Rububiyyah): The author asserts that the pre-Islamic polytheists whom the Prophet Muhammad fought already acknowledged that God alone creates, provides sustenance, gives life, causes death, and governs all affairs, citing قُلْ مَنْ يَرْزُقُكُمْ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ وَالْأَرْضِ أَمَّنْ يَمْلِكُ السَّمْعَ وَالْأَبْصَارَ وَمَنْ يُخْرِجُ الْحَيَّ مِنَ الْمَيِّتِ وَيُخْرِجُ الْمَيِّتَ مِنَ الْحَيِّ وَمَنْ يُدَبِّرُ الْأَمْرَ فَسَيَقُولُونَ اللَّهُ (Surah Yunus: 31) . Despite this acknowledgment, and despite their charitable acts, pilgrimage, and worship, their blood and property were not deemed inviolable .
- Necessity of Exclusive Worship (Tawhid al-Uluhiyyah): The reason for their disbelief, according to the text, was their refusal to direct acts of worship exclusively to God . The author maintains that acts such as supplication (du'a), seeking deliverance (istighathah), ritual slaughter (dhabh), and vowing (nadhr) directed to any prophet, angel, or saint constitute disbelief .
The treatise addresses the argument of those who invoke righteous figures—such as Isa, Uzayr, or angels—solely for status and intercession (shafa'ah) while acknowledging God as the sole creator and sustainer . The author equates this stance with the position of pre-Islamic opponents such as Abu Jahl, citing وَالَّذِينَ اتَّخَذُوا مِنْ دُونِهِ أَوْلِيَاءَ مَا نَعْبُدُهُمْ إِلَّا لِيُقَرِّبُونَا إِلَى اللَّهِ زُلْفَى (Surah al-Zumar: 3) and وَيَعْبُدُونَ مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ مَا لَا يَضُرُّهُمْ وَلَا يَنْفَعُهُمْ وَيَقُولُونَ هَؤُلَاءِ شُفَعَاؤُنَا عِنْدَ اللَّهِ (Surah Yunus: 18) .
Comparison and Conclusion
In the closing section, the author compares the polytheists of his own era with those of early Islamic history, arguing that contemporary practices of invoking saints or intermediaries during times of hardship represent a more severe form of polytheism . He cites وَإِذَا مَسَّكُمُ الضُّرُّ فِي الْبَحْرِ ضَلَّ مَنْ تَدْعُونَ إِلَّا إِيَّاهُ فَلَمَّا نَجَّاكُمْ إِلَى الْبَرِّ أَعْرَضْتُمْ (Surah al-Isra: 67) to show that earlier polytheists sincerely devoted their supplications to God alone when in distress at sea and associated partners only in times of ease . In contrast, he criticizes contemporary individuals who invoke figures such as Ma'ruf al-Karkhi, Abd al-Qadir al-Jilani, early companions like Zayd ibn al-Khattab and al-Zubayr ibn al-Awwam, the Prophet Muhammad, or regional figures like Shamsan and Idris, even in moments of affliction . The work concludes with an exhortation to adhere firmly to the testimony of faith and to reject all false objects of veneration (al-taghut) .
Answer updated