^ Heh, I gave an entire Khutbah on this hadith once. It was on the importance of understanding and implementing tawheed so that we can benefit from the intersession of the Prophet. If I can find it on one of my flash drives I’ll upload it.
Found it:
Dear brothers and sisters, we are gathered here today on one of the greatest days of the year, the blessed day of Eid ul fitr. A day that Allahu subhanahu wa taala has made for us to rejoice in his blessings, and give thanks to him for his bounty, and to praise him for his guidance. So all praises are due to Allah who guided us. And we would never have been guided, had Allah not guided us. We praise him and we magnify him for giving us the opportunity to complete the Month of Ramadan. We thank him for making this Ramadan easy for us, and for not making it difficult for us. We ask him subhanahu wa ta’ala to accept our good deeds—our fasting, our standing, our prayer, and our charity. And we ask him to forgive us our sins, and hide our faults, and overlook our many shortcomings.
Brothers and sisters, we are gathered here on this blessed day, brought together in spite of all of our differences-differences in culture and language and nationality-- united under the banner of Laa Ilaaha illalah. Laa ilaaha illa, a phrase that Allahu subhanahu wa ta’aala bears witness to, along with his angels and those who have knowledge. As Allahu subhanahu wata’aala says.
شَهِدَ اللّهُ أَنَّهُ لاَ إِلَـهَ إِلاَّ هُوَ وَالْمَلاَئِكَةُ وَأُوْلُواْ الْعِلْمِ قَآئِمَاً بِالْقِسْطِ لاَ إِلَـهَ إِلاَّ هُوَ الْعَزِيزُ الْحَكِيمُ (3:18)
Allah bears witness that nothing has the right to be worshiped besides him, as do the angels, and those endowed with knowledge standing firm on justice. There is no god but He, the Exalted in Power, the Wise.
Laa ilaaha illalah, the call of all of the messengers from Adam to Nuh, to Ibrahim, to Musa, to Eesa to Muhammad. As Allah Subhanahu wata’aala says:
وَمَا أَرْسَلْنَا مِن قَبْلِكَ مِن رَّسُولٍ إِلَّا نُوحِي إِلَيْهِ أَنَّهُ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا أَنَا فَاعْبُدُونِ (21:25)
And we did not send a messenger before you oh Muhammad except that we inspired him that none has the right to be worshiped besides me, so worship me.
Laa ilaaha illa, the phrase that would outweigh the heavens and the earth and all that is contained in them, The phrase that Musa alayhi-salaam was instructed to say in order to remember his lord. As Abu Sa'id Al-Khudri (May Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the messenger of Allah said:
"Musa alayhi-salaam said: 'O my lord, teach me something through which I can remember You and supplicate to You.' Allah answered: 'O Musa,Say, La ilaha ilIa-Allah'. Musa said: 'O my lord, all your slaves say these words'. Allah said:'O Musa, if the seven heavens and all they contain other than Me and the seven earths as well, were all put in one side of the scale and La ilaha ilIa-Allah was put on the other side, then Laa ilaaha illa lah would outweigh them.'"
Laa ilaaha illa lah, the phrase that saved Yunus from the darkness of the belly of the fish.
Laa ilaaha illa lah, the phrase that Yusuf taught his two companions in the misery of the prison, Laa ilaha illa lah, the phrase that Saalih and Shuaib taught to their people. Laa ilaha illa lah, the foundation of Iman, the basis of belief, the key to jannah, and the protector from the fire.
'Itban (May Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet (May the peace and blessing of
Allah be upon him) said:
فإن الله حرم على النار من قال: لا إله إلا الله يبتغي بذلك وجه الله 
"Indeed Allah has forbidden for the Hellfire the person who testifies: 'There is nothing worthy of
worship in truth (no true God) but Allah', seeking thereby nothing but Allah's (pleasure)."
(Al-Bukhari, Muslim).
And on the day when the trumpet will be blown, On the day when the Heavens will be ripped asunder, and when the stars will scatter, and the seas will burst forth, On the day when the dead will be resurrected. and ALL of mankind will be made to stand before the lord of the worlds. That day all of you will be brought forth, and none of your secrets will be hidden. On the day when the Hellfire will be blazing and the Jannah will be brought near. On the day when no mother will think about her children, and no husband will be worried about his wife and family, and no when no one will be willing to spare even a single blessing to save his lovedones from the fire…On that day, no deed, neither good nor bad, no deed will outweigh Laa ilaaha illalah on the scales.
As we find in the great hadeeth narrated by Abdullah Ibn Amr Ibn al-‘Aas (R) who reported that Messenger of Allah said : A man from my ummah will be summoned in front of everyone on the Day of Resurrection, and there will be brought out and unrolled for him ninety-nine scrolls of bad deeds, each scroll extending as far as the eye can see. Then Allah 'Aza wa jal will say: Do you deny any of this? So the man will reply: No, O Lord. Then it will be said: Do you have any excuse or any good deed (to compensate)? The man, in a state of terror, will answer: No. It will then be said: No, indeed you do have good deeds, and no injustice will befall you this day. So a card will be taken out for him, upon which there will be the (Shahadah) Laa ilaaha illa lah, Muhammadur rasulullah. The man will say: 0h (Lord), what is this card in comparison to those scrolls! It will be said to him: No injustice shall befall you. The scrolls will then be placed in one of the scales and the card in the other; the scrolls will be light in weight, whereas the card will be heavy."
Subhan Allah, from this great Hadeeth, we find the superiority of the testimony of Laa ilaaha illa lah. Similarly, on the day of resurrection, when mankind will be gathered before their lord, and when the people of Jannah will be put into Jannah, and the people of hellfire will be put into the hellfire. There will be among the people who believed in Laa ilaaha illa Lah, there will be those who had wronged themselves, there will be those who had commited major sins. And these people will be under the decree of Allah, if he wills he will forgive them immediately and enter them into Paradise, or if he wills he will punish them in the Hellfire according to their sins, As Allah Ta’ala says in soorah Al Baqarah:
فَيَغْفِرُ لِمَن يَشَاء وَيُعَذِّبُ مَن يَشَاء وَاللّهُ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ (2
So he forgives whosoever he wills, and he punishes whom he wills, and Allah is Able to do all things.
That is the day that the Messenger of Allah will be raised to The Maqaam Al Mahmoud, or the staion of praise and glory. It is the honored station of The prophet on the day of judgement through which Allah will allow him to intercede on belalf of those who believed in Laa ilaha illa lah. As Allahu Subhanahu wa ta’aala says
وَمِنَ اللَّيْلِ فَتَهَجَّدْ بِهِ نَافِلَةً لَّكَ عَسَى أَن يَبْعَثَكَ رَبُّكَ مَقَامًا مَّحْمُودًا
And in parts of the night, offer extra prayers, as an addition for you, soon may it be that your lord raises you to a station of praise and glory.
As Ibn Jareer has said concerning the Maqaam Al-Mahmoud That this is the position to which the Messenger of Allah will be raised on the day of resurrection, to intercede for the people, so that their lord will relieve them of some of the hardships they are facing on that day.”
And it has been reported on the authority of Abdullah ibn Umar that the Messenger of Allah said:
The sun will come closer until the sweat reaches halfway up one’s ears. When the people are in that state, they will ask adam for help, and he will say, I am not the one for that. Then they will ask musa and he will say likewise, then they will ask Muhammad, and he will intercede for the people and will go and take hold of the handle of the gate of paradise, and that will be the day that Allah raises him to the position of praise and glory;”
And Jabir bin Abdillah Narrates in Sahih Muslim:
Then Intercession will be permitted to all those who are entitled to intercede. They intercede until they take out of the fire whoever said La ilaha illa Lah, and has the weight of a barely grain of good in his heart. They will be laid down in Jannah and the inhabitants of jannah sprinkle water over them until they sprout like a seed which grows in a waterway, and their burns disappear. One of them will be asked about his wishes until he is given the world and ten times its like.
And these are the last people to be taken from the hellfire from the people of Tawheed.Those people who committed major sins, but did not associate partners with Allah Ta’ala. This shows us the importance of Tawheed and having the correct Aqeedah, and it shows us the importance staying away from shirk, as Allah Ta’ala says
إن الله لا يغفر أن يشرك به ويغفر ما دون ذلك لمن يشاء
Verily Allah does not forgive that a partner be set up with him in worship, but he forgives other than that for whomever he wills.
And as the prophet was asked by Abu Hurairah
Who will be the happiest of people with your intercession? He said, whoever said Laa ilaaha illa Lah sincerely from his heart.
So the intersession and the success in this life and in the hereafter are for those people who had sincerity in tawheed. It will not be for the people of kufr and shirk. So as Muslims and believers in Laa Ilaaha illalah, it is of the utmost importance that we understand our aqeedah, and understand the meaning of Tawheed. And strive to stay away from shirk in all of its types and forms. Particularly in times and seasons of worship, such as in Ramadan, and on hajj, and on this blessed day of Eid. it is of the utmost importance that we free ourselves and rid ourselves of any actions that could cause our deeds to become null and void. As Allahu subhaanahu wa ta’aala says:
وَلَقَدْ أُوحِيَ إِلَيْكَ وَإِلَى الَّذِينَ مِنْ قَبْلِكَ لَئِنْ أَشْرَكْتَ لَيَحْبَطَنَّ عَمَلُكَ وَلَتَكُونَنَّ مِنَ الْخَاسِرِينَ
إِنَّهُ مَنْ يُشْرِكْ بِاللَّهِ فَقَدْ حَرَّمَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ الْجَنَّةَ وَمَأْوَاهُ النَّارُ وَمَا لِلظَّالِمِينَ مِنْ أَنصَارٍ
BREAK
Having sincerity to Laa ilaaha illa lah, firmly believing in it and acting upon it, is not only a statement that we utter or a slogan that we use. It does not only mean believing that Allah is the creator and the sustainer of the universe. It does not only mean believing that Allah feeds us, and provides for us, and arranges all of our affairs for us, and sends down the rain, and changes the night into the day and the day into the night. All of these things are indeed a PART of believing in Laa ilaaha illalah, but belief in them alone is not enough. As we know, the kuffar of Quraish used to believe that Allah created them and created the heavens and the earth and the sun and the moon and the galaxies, but this was not enough to make them believers. As Allah subhanahu wa ta’aala says, instructing his prophet:
قُل لِّمَنِ الْأَرْضُ وَمَن فِيهَا إِن كُنتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ
سَيَقُولُونَ لِلَّهِ قُلْ أَفَلَا تَذَكَّرُونَ
قُلْ مَن رَّبُّ السَّمَاوَاتِ السَّبْعِ وَرَبُّ الْعَرْشِ الْعَظِيمِ (23:8
سَيَقُولُونَ لِلَّهِ قُلْ أَفَلَا تَتَّقُونَ
قُلْ مَن بِيَدِهِ مَلَكُوتُ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ وَهُوَ يُجِيرُ وَلَا يُجَارُ عَلَيْهِ إِن كُنتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ (23:88)
سَيَقُولُونَ لِلَّهِ قُلْ فَأَنَّى تُسْحَرُونَ
· 23:84 (Y. Ali) Say: "To whom belong the earth and all beings therein? (say) if ye know!"

· 23:85 (Y. Ali) They will say, "To Allah." say: "Yet will ye not receive admonition?"

· 23:86 (Y. Ali) Say: "Who is the Lord of the seven heavens, and the Lord of the Throne (of Glory) Supreme?"

· 23:87 (Y. Ali) They will say, "(They belong) to Allah." Say: "Will ye not then be filled with awe?"

· 23:88 (Y. Ali) Say: "Who is it in whose hands is the governance of all things,- who protects (all), but is not protected (of any)? (say) if ye know."

· 23:89 (Y. Ali) They will say, "(It belongs) to Allah." Say: "Then how are ye deluded?"
So we can see that the Kuffar of Quraish accepted that Allah was their creator, but this was not enough to bring them into Islam. The kuffar of quraish understood that baring witness to Laa Ilaaha illa lah meant much more than believing that Allah was their lord. It meant singling Allah out alone in worship, so that nothing else besides him was worshiped. It meant putting all of their hope in Allah, putting all of their trust in Allah, fearing Allah as he should be feared, believing in the supremacy of his laws and his commands, believing that only Allah can help us, or harm us. Believing that no created thing has the power to help or harm, or to make things halaal or haraam. Believing that no created thing knows the unseen, believing that no created thing has any share in might or power except as Allah wills..No created thing, not a Messenger, not an angel, not a wali, and not an Idol. They understood that Laa ilaha illalah meant doing every act of worship sincerely for the sake of Allah, and this is why when they were called to say Laa ilaaha illalah, they said:
أَجَعَلَ الْآلِهَةَ إِلَهًا وَاحِدًا إِنَّ هَذَا لَشَيْءٌ عُجَابٌ
Has he made the gods (all) into one Allah. Truly this is a strange thing!"
Similarly, Allah says concerning mankind:
وَمَا يُؤْمِنُ أَكْثَرُهُمْ بِاللّهِ إِلاَّ وَهُم مُّشْرِكُونَ
Unfortunately, we find that many people who say Laa ilaaha illa lah and claim to believe in Tawheed also fall into different types of shirk, Things like requesting things from other than Allah, things that only Allah can do, to fearing other than Allah, to putting their hope in other than Allah, to sacrificing to other than Allah, to believing in things like magic and superstition and horoscopes. All of these things compromise Tawheed, and are types of shirk, and Allahu subhaanahu wa ta’ala says:
الَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ وَلَمْ يَلْبِسُواْ إِيمَانَهُم بِظُلْمٍ أُوْلَـئِكَ لَهُمُ الأَمْنُ وَهُم مُّهْتَدُونَ (6:82)
· 6:82 (Y. Ali) "It is those who believe and confuse not their beliefs with wrong - that are (truly) in security, for they are on (right) guidance."
As Muslims and believers in Laa ilaaha illa lah, it is of the utmost importance that we put tawheed at the center of everything we do. When we tell others about Islam, we should begin with Tawheed, As the messenger of Allah instructed Mu’adh bin Jabal when he sent him to Yemen, He said.
Surely you are approaching a people who are people of the book, so let the first thing that you call them to be Laa ilaaha illa lah..
The call to Tawheed was always the call of the messengers. They always began calling the people to Laa ilaaha illalah before addressing any other issues. Their call was never to nationalism, or racism, or independence, or rebellion. They never began their call by addressing social issues alone, for social issues can never be addressed without first addressing the issue of Tawheed. Never has there been a social injustice that did not have at the very root of it a problem with Tawheed.
Take for example the story of Amir al Mu’minin Umar radiyallahu anh, the one who the messenger of Allah said concerning him “by the one whose hand my soul is in, the devil does not meet you on a path except that he takes another path”. The one who Strengthened Islam and subdued shirk in every single instance. The one who Allah used to spread Islam to the east and west of the earth. Who conquered the Mediterranean, Who conquered Iraq, Egypt, Armenia, and Persia and who built over 4000 mosques in those places. Let’s look at him before he accepted Laa ilaaha illalah…It was narrated that the companions would see him laughing sometimes and then crying sometimes, one after the other. So they asked him “Oh amir Al mu’mineen, why is it that we see you laughing sometimes then crying.” He said, I laugh when I remember that once when I was in the days of Jahiliyah, I made an idol out of dates, but then I became so hungry that I ate it.
Then I cry when I remember how I dug a hole to burry my daughter alive, as was the practice of the Arabs at that time, and as I was digging her grave and putting her in, she reached up to brush the dust out of my beard.” Look at the injustice and evil that they lived in before Islam, and look at how Laa Ilaaha Ila lah saved them from it. Umar R as we know, went on to become one of the staunchest protectors of Tawheed and one of the strongest enemies of shirk. As Shaikh Al-Islam Ibn Taimiyah said concerning Umar, verily Allah strengthened Islam with him and subdued shirk and its people by him, established the signs and rituals of the religion, and prohibited anything that lead to the undoing of the bond of Islam. Allah went on to make a great empire and khilaafah on earth through the likes of Umar, but that empire was never the call of the messengers, it was only the result of the call, as Allah says.
وَعَدَ اللَّهُ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا مِنكُمْ وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ لَيَسْتَخْلِفَنَّهُم فِي الْأَرْضِ كَمَا اسْتَخْلَفَ الَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِهِمْ وَلَيُمَكِّنَنَّ لَهُمْ دِينَهُمُ الَّذِي ارْتَضَى لَهُمْ وَلَيُبَدِّلَنَّهُم مِّن بَعْدِ خَوْفِهِمْ أَمْنًا يَعْبُدُونَنِي لَا يُشْرِكُونَ بِي شَيْئًا
Allah has promised, to those among you who believe and work righteous deeds, that He will, of a surety, grant them in the land, inheritance (of power), as He granted it to those before them; that He will establish in authority their religion - the one which He has chosen for them; and that He will change (their state), after the fear in which they (lived), to one of security and peace: 'They will worship Me (alone) and not associate anything with Me.
The call to tawheed and the acceptance of Laa Ilaha Illa lah has the power to immediately change a person’s entire focus and outlook on life, it takes the staunchest disbeliever and makes them into a believer, it takes the most money-hungry, materialistic, worldly minded individual and changes them into the most god-fearing, pious person. We do not have to go far to find examples of this, indeed, examples of such people may very well be gathered here with us today, but lets look at the example of the Magicians of fir’awn who challenged Musa Alayhi salaam. When they gathered to defend the evil plot of Firawn, and he promised them riches and position in this life if they succeeded. Look at their priorities..when they came to Fir’awn, seeking only the life of this world.
#وَجَاء السَّحَرَةُ فِرْعَوْنَ قَالْواْ إِنَّ لَنَا لأَجْرًا إِن كُنَّا نَحْنُ الْغَالِبِينَ (7:113)
· 7:113 (Y. Ali) So there came the sorcerers to Pharaoh: They said, "of course we shall have a (suitable) reward if we win!"

#قَالَ نَعَمْ وَإَنَّكُمْ لَمِنَ الْمُقَرَّبِينَ (7:114)
· 7:114 (Y. Ali) He said: "Yea, (and more),- for ye shall in that case be (raised to posts) nearest (to my person)."

#قَالُواْ يَا مُوسَى إِمَّا أَن تُلْقِيَ وَإِمَّا أَن نَّكُونَ نَحْنُ الْمُلْقِينَ (7:115)
· 7:115 (Y. Ali) They said: "O Moses! wilt thou throw (first), or shall we have the (first) throw?"

#قَالَ أَلْقُوْاْ فَلَمَّا أَلْقَوْاْ سَحَرُواْ أَعْيُنَ النَّاسِ وَاسْتَرْهَبُوهُمْ وَجَاءوا بِسِحْرٍ عَظِيمٍ (7:116)
· 7:116 (Y. Ali) Said Moses: "Throw ye (first)." So when they threw, they bewitched the eyes of the people, and struck terror into them: for they showed a great (feat of) magic.

#وَأَوْحَيْنَا إِلَى مُوسَى أَنْ أَلْقِ عَصَاكَ فَإِذَا هِيَ تَلْقَفُ مَا يَأْفِكُونَ (7:117)
· 7:117 (Y. Ali) We put it into Moses's mind by inspiration: "Throw (now) thy rod":and behold! it swallows up straight away all the falsehoods which they fake!

#فَوَقَعَ الْحَقُّ وَبَطَلَ مَا كَانُواْ يَعْمَلُونَ (7:118)
· 7:118 (Y. Ali) Thus truth was confirmed, and all that they did was made of no effect.

#فَغُلِبُواْ هُنَالِكَ وَانقَلَبُواْ صَاغِرِينَ (7:119)
· 7:119 (Y. Ali) So the (great ones) were vanquished there and then, and were made to look small.

#وَأُلْقِيَ السَّحَرَةُ سَاجِدِينَ (7:120)
· 7:120 (Y. Ali) But the sorcerers fell down prostrate in adoration.

#قَالُواْ آمَنَّا بِرِبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ (7:121)
· 7:121 (Y. Ali) Saying: "We believe in the Lord of the Worlds,-

#رَبِّ مُوسَى وَهَارُونَ (7:122)
· 7:122 (Y. Ali) "The Lord of Moses and Aaron."

#قَالَ فِرْعَوْنُ آمَنتُم بِهِ قَبْلَ أَن آذَنَ لَكُمْ إِنَّ هَـذَا لَمَكْرٌ مَّكَرْتُمُوهُ فِي الْمَدِينَةِ لِتُخْرِجُواْ مِنْهَا أَهْلَهَا فَسَوْفَ تَعْلَمُونَ (7:123)
· 7:123 (Y. Ali) Said Pharaoh: "Believe ye in Him before I give you permission? Surely this is a trick which ye have planned in the city to drive out its people: but soon shall ye know (the consequences).

#لأُقَطِّعَنَّ أَيْدِيَكُمْ وَأَرْجُلَكُم مِّنْ خِلاَفٍ ثُمَّ لأُصَلِّبَنَّكُمْ أَجْمَعِينَ (7:124)
· 7:124 (Y. Ali) "Be sure I will cut off your hands and your feet on apposite sides, and I will cause you all to die on the cross."

#قَالُواْ إِنَّا إِلَى رَبِّنَا مُنقَلِبُونَ (7:125)
· 7:125 (Y. Ali) They said: "For us, We are but sent back unto our Lord:

#وَمَا تَنقِمُ مِنَّا إِلاَّ أَنْ آمَنَّا بِآيَاتِ رَبِّنَا لَمَّا جَاءتْنَا رَبَّنَا أَفْرِغْ عَلَيْنَا صَبْرًا وَتَوَفَّنَا مُسْلِمِينَ (7:126)
· 7:126 (Y. Ali) "But thou dost wreak thy vengeance on us simply because we believed in the Signs of our Lord when they reached us! Our Lord! pour out on us patience and constancy, and take our souls unto thee as Muslims (who bow to thy will)!

· 
#قَالُوا لَن نُّؤْثِرَكَ عَلَى مَا جَاءنَا مِنَ الْبَيِّنَاتِ وَالَّذِي فَطَرَنَا فَاقْضِ مَا أَنتَ قَاضٍ إِنَّمَا تَقْضِي هَذِهِ الْحَيَاةَ الدُّنْيَا (20:72)
· 20:72 (Y. Ali) They said: "Never shall we regard thee as more than the Clear Signs that have come to us, or than Him Who created us! so decree whatever thou desirest to decree: for thou canst only decree (touching) the life of this world.

#إِنَّا آمَنَّا بِرَبِّنَا لِيَغْفِرَ لَنَا خَطَايَانَا وَمَا أَكْرَهْتَنَا عَلَيْهِ مِنَ السِّحْرِ وَاللَّهُ خَيْرٌ وَأَبْقَى (20:73)
· 20:73 (Y. Ali) "For us, we have believed in our Lord: may He forgive us our faults, and the magic to which thou didst compel us: for Allah is Best and Most Abiding."
Such is tawheed, the call of Laa ilaaha illalah, the call that unites us. It is Allah’s most trustworthy hand-hold, that never breaks, As Allah says:
فَمَنْ يَكْفُرْ بِالطَّاغُوتِ وَيُؤْمِن بِاللّهِ فَقَدِ اسْتَمْسَكَ بِالْعُرْوَةِ الْوُثْقَىَ لاَ انفِصَامَ لَهَا وَاللّهُ سَمِيعٌ عَلِيمٌ (2:256)
whoever rejects Taghoot-false deities- and believes in Allah hath grasped the most trustworthy hand-hold, that never breaks. And Allah heareth and knoweth all things.
It is Allah’s firm word through which he sets firm those who believe, as Allah says
يُثَبِّتُ اللّهُ الَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ بِالْقَوْلِ الثَّابِتِ فِي الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا وَفِي الآخِرَةِ وَيُضِلُّ اللّهُ الظَّالِمِينَ وَيَفْعَلُ اللّهُ مَا يَشَاء (14:27)
· 14:27 (Y. Ali) Allah will establish firm those who believe, with the word that stands firm, in this world and in the Hereafter; but Allah will leave, to stray, those who do wrong: Allah doeth what He willeth.

So we ask Allahu subhanahu wa ta’aala to keep us firm upon tawheed and to keep us strong upon Laa ilaaha illa lah in this world and in the hereafter.
Allah clearly didn't answer that last prayer for me.
Topic: Does the fear of hell (if you believe in one) affect the way you live?