…In another verse Allah says: “We certainly sent a messenger to every nation, proclaiming: ‘Worship Allah and keep away from the taghut’” (Surah al-Nahl, 16:36). Thus, Allah can be worshipped only by shunning the taghut; two opposites cannot coexist. Major faith and major disbelief cannot be present together in a single heart, even though minor disbelief may coexist with faith. (84) The Shaykh remarks: This is the very meaning of la ilaha illa Allah—that one disbelieves in the taghut and believes in Allah. Islam is defined as surrender to Allah through tawhid, compliance with Him through obedience, and disavowal of shirk and its people. This constitutes the “head” of the religion. The two testimonies are the head and foundation of Islam, and no one enters the faith unless he brings these two testimonies—pronouncing them, knowing their meaning, acting upon them, and holding them with conviction. Without this he is not regarded as a Muslim. Religion is compared to a body that has a head, a central pillar, and a hump: if the head is severed or absent…