Impermissibility of taking the Shahaadah on behalf of someone else

One cannot affirm what is in other people's heart except to judge them for their speech and actions

بسم الله والحمد لله والصلاة والسلام على رسول الله ، وبعد

The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said:

❝Indeed all praise is due to Allaah,

WE praise Him,

And WE seek His help,

And WE seek His forgiveness,

And WE seek refuge with Allaah from the evils of our souls and the mischief of our deeds.

Whoever He تعالى guides, then here is none to lead him astray,

And whomever He تعالى misleads, then there is no guide for him.

I ^[1] testify that none has the right to be worshipped but Allaah,

and I testify that Muhammad is His Slave and His Messenger.❞

[From the Ahaadeeth of Ibn Mas`ood and Ibn `Abbaas رضي الله عنهما as reported in Sunan Abu Dawood, Sunan Ibn Maajah, Sunan al-Tirmidhee and Sunan al-Nasaa’ee. And graded as “Saheeh” by Shaikh al-Albaanee]

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[1] Shaikh al-Albaanee رحمه الله said:

Notice here how the mode of speech changes from plurality to singularity, contrary to what had preceded earlier. The plural here is in regards to “the plural of numbers” [and not “plural of respect”]. Shaikh al-Islaam, Ibn Taymiyyah رحمه الله expressed it nicely on what may be the wisdom behind it, as reported from him by his student, Ibn al-Qayyim رحمه الله in “Tahdheeb al-Sunan” (3/54).

He (Ibn al-Qayyim) said: All the Ahaadeeth (with its different chains) are unanimous in reporting: “WE seek His help”, “WE seek His forgiveness”, “WE seek refuge…”, (all are in plural form) and begin with the letter “ن”, except for the two Testimonies which are in singular form: “I bear witness that none has the right to be worshipped but Allaah, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His Slave and His Messenger.”

Shaikh al-Islaam Ibn Taymiyyah رحمه الله said:

When the Testimony (of Faith) is concerned, no one can bear the responsibility on behalf of someone else, nor will it be accepted on behalf of someone else (i.e. no one can deputize others to take the Testimony on his behalf), and that is why the Shahaadah is in singular form. But when one is seeking Allaah’s help, refuge and forgiveness, it is accepted on behalf of others (as well). A person can ask Allaah’s forgiveness for himself as well as for others, and he can seek Allaah’s help and protection on behalf of others (as well); and that is why they are mentioned in plural form. One can say: “O Allaah! Help us, protect us and forgive us”…

Ibn Taymiyyah further says: Seeking help, refuge and forgiveness are from the acts of requesting and beseeching (Allaah), so if one likes, he can beseech them from Allaah on his behalf and on behalf of his Muslim brothers. But as for the Shahaadah, then it is an act of announcing that you bear witness in the Oneness of Allaah (and that He alone should be worshiped) and in the Messengership of Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم. It is expressing and affirming what the heart believes. A person can only express about himself, for he knows about himself (better than others); but on the contrary, he can only affirm what the others have said and uttered but not what is in their hearts. And Allaah knows best.

--end of quote from Ibn al-Qayyim

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A few more benefits from the Hadeeth of “Khutbatul-Haajah” (Khutbah of Need):

1) The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم taught the “Khutbatul-Haajah” the same way he taught the “Tashahhud” for the Salaah (At-tahiyyaatu lillaahi was-salawaatu…).

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2) One should be keen in learning the “Khutbatul-Haajah” due to the statement of Ibn Mas`ood رضي الله عنه: “The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم taught us the Khutbah of prayer (At-tahiyyaatu) and Khutbah of need.” [Reported by Ibn Maajah (1892) and graded as “Saheeh” by Shaikh al-Albaanee]

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3) There was nothing beneficial except that the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم informed his Companions about it. He صلى الله عليه وسلم said: “I am leaving you upon a (path of) brightness whose night is like its day. No one will deviate from it after I am gone but one who is doomed.” [Sunan Ibn Maajah (43) and graded as “Saheeh” by Shaikh al-Albaanee]

Abu Dharr رضي الله عنه said: The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم left us (in such a state) that there was not a bird flapping it wings in the air except that he صلى الله عليه وسلم would teach us about it. He (Abu Dharr) said: the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said: “There is nothing left which would take you closer to the Jannah and distance you from the Fire, except that it has been made clear to you.” [al-Tabaraanee in Mu`jam al-Kabeer  (1647) and graded as “Saheeh” by Shaikh al-Albaanee in al-Saheehah (1803)]

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4) These are from the “Jawaami` al-Kalim” (concise words but comprehensive in meaning), as Ibn Mas`ood said at the beginning of this Hadeeth: “The Messenger of Allaah صلى الله عليه وسلم was granted Jawaami` al-Khair wa Khawaatimah (a combination of all manner of goodness, as well as its seal),” or he said: “Fawaatihal Khair (the opening (of the way to) all good).” [Reported by Ibn Maajah (1892)]

The Prophet said: “I have been given superiority over the other prophets in six respects: I have been given words which are concise but comprehensive in meaning…” [Saheeh al-Bukhaaree (7013) and Saheeh Muslim (1062, 1063, 1066, 1067) and the wordings are his]

Imaam al-Bukhaaree said: Jawaami` al-Kalim means that Allaah تعالى expresses in one or two statements or thereabouts the numerous matters that used to be written in the books revealed before (the coming of) the Prophet (ﷺ) [i.e. the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم was given the gift of expressing in a few words all the benefits which were written in the previous scriptures].

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5) The precaution taken by the Companions in narrating the Ahaadeeth exactly as they heard, and the precaution of the Muhadditheen in recording them exactly the way the heard it. The reason being the following:

a) Not attributing something to the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم which he did not say:

The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said: “Whoever ascribes to me what I have not said then (surely) let him occupy his seat in Hell-fire.” [Saheeh al-Bukhaaree (109), from the Hadeeth of Salamah رضي الله عنه; and there are many more Ahaadeeth narrated by other Companions]

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b) So that neither the wordings nor the meaning would get changed:

One such example is mentioned in the Hadeeth of al-Baraa’, in the Du`aa in which he substituted the word “al-Nabiy” to “al-Rasool” and the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم corrected him.

Narrated al-Baraa’ bin `Aazib رضي الله عنه: The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said to me: “Whenever you go to bed perform ablution like that for the prayer, lie or your right side and say: “Allaahumma aslamtu wajhee ilaika, wa fauwadhtu amree ilaika, wa alja’tu zahree ilaika raghbatan wa rahbatan ilaika. Laa Malja’a wa laa manjaa minka illaa ilaika. Allaahumma aamantu bikitaabika-l-ladhee anzalta wa bi-nabiiyika-l ladhi arsalta.” (O Allaah! I surrender to You and entrust all my affairs to You and depend upon You for Your Blessings both with hope and fear of You. There is no fleeing from You, and there is no place of protection and safety except with You. O Allaah! I believe in Your Book (the Qur’aan) which You have revealed and in Your Prophet (Muhammad) whom You have sent). Then if you die on that very night, you will die upon faith. Let the aforesaid words be your last utterance (before sleep).” I repeated it before the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم and when I reached “Allaahumma aamantu bikitaabika-l-ladhee anzalta (O Allaah I believe in Your Book which You have revealed).” I said: “Wa-rasoolika (and your Messenger).” The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said: “No, (but say): `Wa Nabiyyika-l-ladhee arsalta (Your Prophet whom You have sent).” [Saheeh al-Bukhaaree (247, 6311) and Saheeh Muslim (6544)]

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c) The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم made Du`aa for those who transmit the narrations exactly as they heard it:

d) The one who is being informed might have more understanding than the transmitter:

The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said: “May Allaah cause to flourish a person who hears my words, understands them, remembers them, and then he conveys them from me to others exactly as he has heard it. Perhaps there are those who have knowledge but no understanding, and there may be those who convey knowledge to those who may have more understanding of it than they do.” [Sunan Ibn Maajah (230, 231, 232, 233, 236, 3056), Sunan Abu Dawood (3660), Sunan al-Tirmidhee (2656, 2657, 2658) from the Ahaadeeth of Zaid bin Thaabit, Jubair bin Mut`im, Ibn Mas`ood, Anas Ibn Maalik رضي الله عنهم, and graded as “Saheeh” by Shaikh al-Albaanee]