Praise be to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon the Messenger of Allah. To proceed:
The basic principle is that whoever pronounces the two testimonies of faith, openly practices the rituals of Islam, and adheres to its outward rulings is treated as a Muslim. It is not permissible to declare such a person outside Islam merely because he is unaware of the detailed issues of Tawhid or is unable to list the conditions of “La ilaha illa Allah.”
Judgments in this world are based on what is outwardly apparent, while what is in people’s hearts is for Allah Almighty to judge.
The Prophet ﷺ strongly questioned Usamah ibn Zayd (may Allah be pleased with him) for killing a man after he had said, “La ilaha illa Allah,” saying:
“Did you kill him after he had said, ‘La ilaha illa Allah’?”
Narrated by Al-Bukhari and Muslim.
The Prophet ﷺ also said:
“Whoever prays as we pray, faces our qiblah, and eats our slaughtered animals is a Muslim who has the protection of Allah and the protection of His Messenger.”
Narrated by Al-Bukhari.
A Muslim is not required to be able to memorize the names of the conditions of the declaration of Tawhid, list them, or explain them using scholarly terminology.
What is required is that their meanings be realized in his belief and actions: that he believes in Allah, worships Him alone, believes in His Messenger ﷺ, accepts what he brought, and submits to the religion of Allah.
Therefore, an ordinary Muslim may genuinely fulfill the meanings of Tawhid even though, if asked to name the conditions of “La ilaha illa Allah,” he may be unable to list them.
Scholars have explained that what matters is fulfilling the meanings of these conditions, not merely memorizing their wording. A person may memorize all of them yet fall into things that contradict them, while an ordinary Muslim may not know their names but still believe in their meanings and live according to them.
A distinction must be made between judging a person in this world and the true state of what is in his heart.
Whoever outwardly manifests Islam is subject to the rulings applicable to Muslims. People are not permitted to search into his heart or pass judgment on what is hidden within him.
The Prophet ﷺ said:
“I have not been commanded to search the hearts of people or cut open their bellies.”
Narrated by Al-Bukhari and Muslim.
As for a person’s acceptance before Allah and salvation in the Hereafter, that depends on the reality of his faith and what exists in his heart of belief, sincerity, and submission. Allah alone knows what is hidden within hearts.
The duty is to teach him his religion and Tawhid with gentleness and clarity, rather than testing him on scholarly terminology and detailed issues and then declaring him a disbeliever if he does not know them.
Many ordinary Muslims may be unaware of some matters and details of Islamic creed while still possessing the foundation of faith, Tawhid, and submission to Allah and His Messenger.
The purpose of learning Islamic creed is for the Muslim to know his Lord and religion and to realize Tawhid in his life, not merely to memorize definitions and terminology.
Whoever was raised as a Muslim, pronounces the two testimonies of faith, performs prayer and the other rituals of Islam is, in principle, a Muslim and is treated as a Muslim. He does not leave Islam merely because he is unaware of the detailed issues of Tawhid or does not know the names of the conditions of “La ilaha illa Allah.”
However, he should be taught whatever he does not know about his creed and religion, because what is required is to understand and realize the meaning of Tawhid and avoid what contradicts it, not merely to memorize terminology.
As for the true state of people’s hearts and their final judgment in the Hereafter, that belongs to Allah Almighty.
And Allah knows best.