FEAR OF SHIRK
KITAAB AT-TAWHEED, CHAPTER TWO [PART 3]
TAWHEED THE ISLAMIC PRINCIPLE OF GOD'S ONENESS
ASSEMBLED BY MALLAM ABBA ABANA, KUBWA, ABUJA, NIGERIA
http://variousislamicdawadocuments.blogspot.com
https://web.facebook.com/abba.abana
emails:gonidamgamiri@yahoo.com; abba.abana@gmail.com
Saturday 3rd Safar 1443 AH and 11th September 2021 CE
Bismillah Walhamdulillah Was Salaatu Was Salaam 'ala Rasulillah. As-Salaam Alaikum WA-Rahmatullahi Wa-Barakatuhu.
Praise be to Allaah; we seek His help and His forgiveness. We seek refuge with Allaah from the evil of our own souls and from our bad deeds. Whomsoever Allaah guides will never be led astray, and whomsoever Allaah leaves astray, no one can guide. I bear witness that there is no god but Allaah, and I bear witness that Muhammad (ﷺ) is His slave and Messenger.
Don't forget your own Self while PREACHING to others – [Umar ibn khattab]
Preamble
What is tawhid?
a) Shar’i definition of Tawhid
b) Categories of Tawheed
c) What is Tawheed al-Rububiyyah?
d) What is Tawheed al-Uluhiyyah?
e) What is Tawhid al-Asma wa’l-Sifat?
f) Principles of Tawhid al-Asma wa’l-Sifat
Tawhid means believing in Allah Alone as God and Lord and attributing to Him Aِlone all the attributes of Lordship and divinity. Tawhid is divided into three categories; namely, Tawhid al-Rububiyyah (Oneness of Divine Lordship), Tawhid al-Uluhiyyah (Oneness of Divinity) and Tawheed al-Asma wa’l-Sifat (Oneness of the Divine Names and Attributes). For more about the meaning of tawhid and its categories, see the detailed answer.
Tawhid in Arabic means attributing Oneness to Allah and describing Him as being One and Unique, with no partner or peer in His Essence and Attributes.
The Arabs say Wahid, Ahad and Wahid, all meaning one. Allah is Wahid, meaning that He has no rivals or peers in any way. So Tawhid means knowing Allah is One, with none like unto Him. Whoever does not acknowledge Allah in these terms and does not describe Him as being One with no partner or associate does not believe in Tawhid.
Shar’i definition of Tawhid
With regard to the Shar’i definition of Tawhid, it means believing in Allah Alone as God and Lord and attributing to Him Alone all the attributes of Lordship and divinity.
It may be defined as follows: Believing that Allah is One with no partner or associate in His Lordship (rububiyyah), divinity (uluhiyyah) or names and attributes (al-asma wa’l-sifat).
This word (Tawhid) and its derivatives are used with this meaning in the Quran and Sunnah. For example:
Allah says (interpretation of the meaning):
قُلۡ هُوَ ٱللَّهُ أَحَدٌ (١) ٱللَّهُ ٱلصَّمَدُ (٢) لَمۡ يَلِدۡ وَلَمۡ يُولَدۡ (٣) وَلَمۡ يَكُن لَّهُ ۥ ڪُفُوًا أَحَدُۢ (٤)
“Say (O Muhammad): He is Allah, (the) One [Ahad]. Allah-us-Samad [Allah — the Self-Sufficient Master, Whom all creatures need, (He neither eats nor drinks)]. He begets not, nor was He begotten. And there is none co-equal or comparable unto Him” [Holy Quran Chapter al-Ikhlas 112:1-4]
وَإِلَـٰهُكُمۡ إِلَـٰهٌ۬ وَٲحِدٌ۬ۖ لَّآ إِلَـٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنُ ٱلرَّحِيمُ (١٦٣)
“And your Ilah (God) is One Ilah [ilahun wahidun] (God — Allah), La Ilaha illa Huwa (there is none who has the right to be worshipped but He), the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful” [Holy Quran Chapter al-Baqarah 2:163]
لَّقَدۡ ڪَفَرَ ٱلَّذِينَ قَالُوٓاْ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ ثَالِثُ ثَلَـٰثَةٍ۬ۘ وَمَا مِنۡ إِلَـٰهٍ إِلَّآ إِلَـٰهٌ۬ وَٲحِدٌ۬ۚ وَإِن لَّمۡ يَنتَهُواْ عَمَّا يَقُولُونَ لَيَمَسَّنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ مِنۡهُمۡ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ (٧٣)
“Surely, disbelievers are those who said: ‘Allah is the third of the three (in a Trinity).’ But there is no Ilah (god) (none who has the right to be worshipped) but One Ilah [ilahun wahidun] (God —Allah). And if they cease not from what they say, verily, a painful torment will befall on the disbelievers among them” [Holy Quran Chapter al-Maidah 5:73]
And there are many similar verses.
In Sahih al-Bukhari (7372) and Sahih Muslim (19) it is narrated that Ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) said: When the Prophet (ﷺ) sent Mu’adh ibn Jabal to Yemen, he said to him: “You are going to people from among the People of the Book, so let the first thing to which you call them be belief in Allah alone (Tawhid). If they accept that, then tell them that Allah has enjoined on them five prayers every day and night. If they pray then tell them that Allah has enjoined on them zakah from their wealth to be taken from their rich and given to their poor. If they agree to that then take it from them but avoid the best of people’s wealth.”
In Sahih Muslim it is narrated from Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (ﷺ) said: “Islam is built on five (pillars) : belief that Allah is One, establishing regular prayer, paying zakat, fasting Ramadan and Hajj.”
What is meant by Tawhid in all these texts is affirming the meaning of the testimony that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, which is the essence of the religion of Islam with which Allah sent His Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ), based on the evidence of the words of the Quran and Sunnah.
In some versions of the hadith of Muadh quoted above it says: “You will come to some people from among the People of the Book so when you come to them, call them to bear witness that there is no god except Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah.” (Narrated by al-Bukhari, 1492)
According to another version of the hadith of Ibn ‘Umar: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: “Islam is based on five (pillars): the testimony that there is no god except Allah and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger...” (Narrated by Muslim, 16)
This indicates that Tawhid is the essence of the testimony that there is no god except Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, and that this is Islam with which Allah sent His Prophet to the two races of mankind and the jinn, other than which Allah will not accept any religion from anyone.
Allah says (interpretation of the meaning):
وَمَن يَبۡتَغِ غَيۡرَ ٱلۡإِسۡلَـٰمِ دِينً۬ا فَلَن يُقۡبَلَ مِنۡهُ وَهُوَ فِى ٱلۡأَخِرَةِ مِنَ ٱلۡخَـٰسِرِينَ
“Truly, the religion with Allah is Islam” [Holy Quran Chapter Al ‘Imran 3:19]
“And whoever seeks a religion other than Islam, it will never be accepted of him, and in the Hereafter he will be one of the losers” [Holy Quran Chapter Al ‘Imran 3:85]
Categories of Tawheed
Once this is understood, it should be noted that the scholars have divided Tawhid into three categories, as follows:
i. Tawhid al-Rububiyyah (Oneness of Divine Lordship),
ii. Tawhid al-Uluhiyyah (Oneness of Divinity) and
iii. Tawhid al-Asma wa’l-Sifat (Oneness of the Divine Names and Attributes).
What is Tawheed al-Rububiyyah?
Tawhid al-Rububiyyah (Oneness of Divine Lordship): means believing in Allah as One and Unique with regard to His actions such as creation, sovereignty, control, giving life and death, and so on.
There is a great deal of evidence to support this in the Quran and Sunnah.
Whoever believes that there is any creator other than Allah or any sovereign controlling this universe and disposing of its affairs other than Allah has denied this aspect of Tawhid and disbelieved in Allah.
The kuffar of old accepted this aspect of Tawhid in general terms, although they differed with regard to some of its details. The evidence that they used to accept this is to be found in several verses of the Quran such as the following (interpretation of the meaning):
وَلَٮِٕن سَأَلۡتَهُم مَّنۡ خَلَقَ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٲتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضَ وَسَخَّرَ ٱلشَّمۡسَ وَٱلۡقَمَرَ لَيَقُولُنَّ ٱللَّهُۖ فَأَنَّىٰ يُؤۡفَكُونَ (٦١)
“And if you were to ask them: ‘Who has created the heavens and the earth and subjected the sun and the moon?’ they will surely reply: ‘Allah.’ How then are they deviating (as polytheists and disbelievers)?” [Holy Quran Chapter al-'Ankabut 29:61]
وَلَٮِٕن سَأَلۡتَهُم مَّن نَّزَّلَ مِنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ مَآءً۬ فَأَحۡيَا بِهِ ٱلۡأَرۡضَ مِنۢ بَعۡدِ مَوۡتِهَا لَيَقُولُنَّ ٱللَّهُۚ قُلِ ٱلۡحَمۡدُ لِلَّهِۚ بَلۡ أَڪۡثَرُهُمۡ لَا يَعۡقِلُونَ (٦٣)
“And if you were to ask them: ‘Who sends down water (rain) from the sky, and gives life therewith to the earth after its death?’ they will surely reply: ‘Allah.’ Say: ‘All the praises and thanks be to Allah!’ Nay, most of them have no sense” [al-‘Ankabut 29:63]
وَلَٮِٕن سَأَلۡتَهُم مَّنۡ خَلَقَهُمۡ لَيَقُولُنَّ ٱللَّهُۖ فَأَنَّىٰ يُؤۡفَكُونَ (٨٧)
“And if you ask them who created them, they will surely say: ‘Allah.’ How then are they turned away (from the worship of Allah Who created them)?” [Holy Quran Chapter al-Zukhruf 43:87]
In these verses Allah states that the kuffar affirm that He is the Creator, Sovereign and Controller, but despite that they do not worship Him alone (Tawhid of worship), which points to the graveness of their wrongdoing and lies, and the weakness of their reasoning. For if there is One Who is described in such terms, none should be worshipped except Him Alone and none should be described as being one and unique except Him; may He be glorified above those that they associate with Him.
So whoever affirms this Tawhid in the true sense must inevitably also affirm the Oneness of Allah’s Divinity (Tawhid al-Uluhiyyah).
What is Tawheed al-Uluhiyyah?
Tawhid al-Uluhiyyah means devoting all acts of worship, both inward and outward, in word and deed, to Allah Alone, and not worshipping anything or anyone other than Allah, no matter who he is. Allah says (interpretation of the meaning):
وَقَضَىٰ رَبُّكَ أَلَّا تَعۡبُدُوٓاْ إِلَّآ إِيَّاهُ وَبِٱلۡوَٲلِدَيۡنِ إِحۡسَـٰنًاۚ إِمَّا يَبۡلُغَنَّ عِندَكَ ٱلۡڪِبَرَ أَحَدُهُمَآ أَوۡ كِلَاهُمَا فَلَا تَقُل لَّهُمَآ أُفٍّ۬ وَلَا تَنۡہَرۡهُمَا وَقُل لَّهُمَا قَوۡلاً۬ ڪَرِيمً۬ا (٢٣)
“And your Lord has decreed that you worship none but Him” [Holy Quran Chapter al-Isra 17:23]
وَٱعۡبُدُواْ ٱللَّهَ وَلَا تُشۡرِكُواْ بِهِۦ شَيۡـًٔ۬اۖ وَبِٱلۡوَٲلِدَيۡنِ إِحۡسَـٰنً۬ا وَبِذِى ٱلۡقُرۡبَىٰ وَٱلۡيَتَـٰمَىٰ وَٱلۡمَسَـٰكِينِ وَٱلۡجَارِ ذِى ٱلۡقُرۡبَىٰ وَٱلۡجَارِ ٱلۡجُنُبِ وَٱلصَّاحِبِ بِٱلۡجَنۢبِ وَٱبۡنِ ٱلسَّبِيلِ وَمَا مَلَكَتۡ أَيۡمَـٰنُكُمۡۗ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يُحِبُّ مَن ڪَانَ مُخۡتَالاً۬ فَخُورًا (٣٦)
“Worship Allah and join none with Him (in worship)” [Holy Quran Chapter al-Nisa 4:36]
It may be described as devoting all one’s actions to Allah Alone.
It is called Tawhid al-Uluhiyyah because it is based on ta-alluh lillah which is worship and devotion of Allah accompanied by love and veneration.
It is also called Tawhid al-‘Ibadah (oneness of worship) because it means that a person worships Allah by doing what He has commanded and avoiding that which He has forbidden.
It is also called Tawhid al-Talab wa’l-Qasd wa’l-Iradah (Oneness of goal, purpose and will) because it means that a person does not seek anything except the Face of Allah, so he worships Him sincerely.
This is the kind of Tawhid concerning which people went astray, which is why the prophets were sent and the Books were revealed. This is the purpose for which the universe was created and laws were prescribed. Concerning this, disputes arose between the prophets and their peoples, so the stubborn were doomed and the believers were saved.
Whoever goes astray with regard to this Tawhid, such as devoting some of his worship to someone other than Allah, has gone beyond the pale of Islam and drifted away from true belief. May Allah protect us from that?
What is Tawhid al-Asma wa’l-Sifat?
With regard to Tawhid al-Asma wa’l-Sifat (Oneness of the Divine Names and Attributes ), this means affirming the names and attributes of Allah and believing that there is none like unto Allah in His names and attributes.
Principles of Tawhid al-Asma wa’l-Sifat
This Tawhid is based on two principles:
1 – Affirmation: i.e., affirming that which Allah has affirmed for Himself in His Book or that His Prophet (ﷺ) has affirmed of His beautiful names and sublime attributes in a manner that suits the Majesty and Greatness of Allah, without distorting them, twisting their meanings, denying their reality or discussing how they are.
2 – Denial: i.e., denying that Allah has any faults and denying any shortcomings that He has denied Himself. The evidence for that is the words of Allah (interpretation of the meaning):
“There is nothing like Him, and He is the All-Hearer, the All-Seer” [Holy Quran Chapter al-Shura 42:11]
So He has denied that He bears any resemblance to His creation, and affirmed that He has attributes of perfection in a manner that befits Him, may He be glorified.
K itaab At -Tawheed, Chapter: 2
Section Thirteen
Fear of Shirk
Allah [Subhanahu Wa Taala], says:
إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يَغۡفِرُ أَن يُشۡرَكَ بِهِۦ وَيَغۡفِرُ مَا دُونَ ذَٲلِكَ لِمَن يَشَآءُۚ وَمَن يُشۡرِكۡ بِٱللَّهِ فَقَدِ ٱفۡتَرَىٰٓ إِثۡمًا عَظِيمًا (٤٨)
" Verily, Allah forgives not
that partners be set up with Him [in worship] but He forgives other than that
to whom He pleases; and whoever sets up partners with A llah [in worship], he
has indeed invented an enormous wrong" (Holy Quran Chapter 4:48)
Shirk is the most dangerous of all
sins, the wickedest and the most severely punished because of the dishonour and
denigration of the Rabb, Almighty, All-powerful, and the likening of Allah [Subhanahu
Wa Taala] to His creation which it entails. Allah [Subhanahu Wa Taala] informs
us in this verse that He will not forgive the one who commits Shirk and dies as
a Mushrik,[1] but as for the one who dies
believing in the Oneness of Allah [Subhanahu Wa Taala], although he may have
committed some sins, Allah [Subhanahu Wa Taala] has promised him forgiveness in
accordance with His Will. Then He explains why the mushrik will not be
forgiven, saying that by his association of partners with Allah [Subhanahu Wa
Taala], he has rejected Him and belied Him and committed a sin the
like of which there is no other.
Benefits Derived From This Verse
1. That whoever dies being guilty of Shirk Akbar, will assuredly go to
the Fire.
2. Whoever dies believing in the Oneness of Allah, although he may have
committed major sins, may be forgiven if Allah, Most Glorified, Most High
Wills.
3. In the verse is a reply to the khawarij,[2]
who charged those guilty of major sins with disbelief, and to the mu'tazilah,[3]who believed that those guilty of major sins would
spend eternity in the Fire.
4. Confirmation of the Divine Will which is one of His Attributes.
Relevance of This Verse to the
Subject of Tawheed
That it proves that Allah Will not forgive those who are guilty of
Shirk and this should be a warning to all.
Section Fourteen
Allah [Subhanahu Wa Taala], says:
مَّثَلُ ٱلۡجَنَّةِ ٱلَّتِى وُعِدَ ٱلۡمُتَّقُونَۖ تَجۡرِى مِن تَحۡتِہَا ٱلۡأَنۡہَـٰرُۖ أُڪُلُهَا دَآٮِٕمٌ۬ وَظِلُّهَاۚ تِلۡكَ عُقۡبَى ٱلَّذِينَ ٱتَّقَواْۖ وَّعُقۡبَى ٱلۡكَـٰفِرِينَ ٱلنَّارُ (٣٥)
" And
[remember] when Ibrahim said: "My Rabb! Make this city one of peace and
security , and keep me and my sons away from worshipping idols" (Holy
Quran Chapter 13:35)
Allah [Subhanahu Wa Taala], Most
Glorified, Most High, informs us that Ibrahim (as ) supplicated Allah [Subhanahu
Wa Taala] to make Makkah
a place of safety and stability, because fear and chaos prevent people from
performing their religious rituals. Then he followed this with another request
to his Rabb: That He preserve him and his family from idol worship, for he knew
the danger of that and he knew how easily people can be seduced by it.
Benefits Derived From This Verse
1. The virtue of Makkah over other cities.
2. Ibrahim's prayer for the security and stability of Makkah.
3. Evidence of the benefit of supplication.
4. That the original religion of all the Messengers is one: Belief in the
Oneness of Allah.
5. The desirability of one's supplicating on behalf of his family.
6. The forbiddance of worshipping idols.
Relevance of This Verse to the
Subject of Tawheed
That it proves that Ibrahim, with his strong faith, fears for himself
and his family that they may be affected by Shirk; thus, the obligation upon us
to fear Shirk is that much greater.
Section Fifteen
It
is reported that the Prophet (ﷺ)
said:
"Of the things which I fear for my Ummah, the thing which I fear most is
minor Shirk. Then he was asked about minor Shirk, and he said: "It is
ar-riyaa."[4]
The Prophet (ﷺ) informs us in
this Hadith that he fears for us, and that what he fears most for us is minor Shirk.
This shows how kind-hearted and compassionate the Prophet (ﷺ) was towards
his Ummah, and how concerned he was for their good: He knew the dangers of
minor Shirk , how it can strongly manifest itself in the community, polluting
the pure monotheism of the Muslims, especially since it can afflict them
without them even knowing it. This is why the Prophet (ﷺ) warned them to
beware of it.
Benefits Derived From This Hadith
1. The care and concern shown by the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) for his Ummah.
2. The division of Shirk into two categories: Major and minor.
3. That riyaa` is considered Shirk.
4. The obligation of asking the people of knowledge about matters which confuse
them.
Relevance of This Hadith to the
Subject of Tawheed
That the Hadith proves that Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) feared for his
Companions that they migh unwittingly fall into minor Shirk ; this, in spite of
their strong faith and understanding of Islam and Tawheed. Therefore, we, with
our comparatively weak faith and little knowledge, are even more obligated to
fear both major and minor Shirk.
Section Sixteen
It
is reported on the authority of Ibn Mas'ood (RadiaAllahu Anhu) that the
Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said:
"W
hoever died while supplicating another deity besides A llah [Subhanahu Wa
Taala], will enter the Fire." (Narrated by Bukhari)
The Prophet (ﷺ) informs us in
this Hadith that whoever adulterated that which should be purely for Allah [Subhanahu
Wa Taala] (i.e. worship), by worshipping others besides Him, and died in this
state, will have his abode in the Hell-fire.
Benefits Derived From This Hadith
1. Whoever died as a Mushrik will enter the Fire - If it was major Shirk,
he will abide therein forever, but if it was minor Shirk, then Allah [Subhanahu
Wa Taala] will punish him as much as He wishes, then he will be allowed to
leave the Fire.
2. That a person will be judged upon his last act in this world.5
Relevance of This Hadith to the
Subject of Tawheed
That the Hadith proves that whoever died calling upon a deity other than Allah [Subhanahu
Wa Taala], will enter the Hell-fire, therefore it is incumbent upon us to fear
Shirk.
Section
Seventeen
It is reported by Muslim, on the authority of Jabir (RadiaAllahu
Anhu), that Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)
said: "Whoever meets Allah [Subhanahu Wa Taala], without associating
partners with Him, will enter Paradise; and whoever meets Him as one who
associated anything with Him, will enter the Fire.
The Prophet (ﷺ) informs us in
this Hadith that whoever died without associating partners with Allah [Subhanahu
Wa Taala] - either in Rabbship or worship or in His Divine Names and Attributes
is promised an abode in Paradise, while whoever died as a Mushrik, will abide
in the Hell-fire.
Benefits Derived From This Hadith
1. Confirmation of the existence of Paradise and Hell.
2. That a person will be judged upon his last act in this world.
3. Whoever died believing in the Oneness of Allah [Subhanahu Wa Taala], will
not dwell forever in the Hell-fire, but will find his eternal abode in
Paradise.
4. Whoever died as a Mushrik must dwell eternally in the Hell-fire.
Relevance
of the Hadith to the Subject of Tawheed
That the Hadith proves that whoever
died as a Mushrik will enter the Fire, and the knowledge of this obliges us to
fear Shirk in all its manifestations.
Footnotes
1. Mushrik: One who commits Shirk?
2. Khawaarij: A deviant sect, who claimed that committing major sins takes a
person out of the fold of Islam.
3. Mu'tazilah: A deviant sect, who denied the Divine Attributes of Allah (ﷺ), and claimed that those who
committed
major sins would dwell eternally in the Hell-fire.
4. Narrated by Imam Ahmad.
5. It is reported on the authority of 'Abdullah Ibn 'Amr (RadiaAllahu Anhu)
that Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)
said: "...verily, he whose abode will be Paradise, his final deed will be
of the deeds of the people of Paradise, whatever he did (previously), and
verily, he who is destined for the Hell-fire, his final deed will be of the
deeds of the people of the Hell-fire, whatever he did (previously)."
(Narrated by Ahmad and At-Tirmizi, who said it is hasan-saheeh-ghareeb i.e.
somewhere between the classifications of saheeh (authentic) and hasan (good),
though narrated at some point(s) in its sanad by only one narrator.
Sources and References:
1. https://www.learnreligions.com/tawhid-2004294
2. https://www.educationquizzes.com/specialist/islam/tawheed-oneness-and-uniqueness-of-allah/
3. https://islamqa.info/en/answers/49030/what-is-the-meaning-of-tawhid
4. https://hostnezt.com/cssfiles/islamiat/notes/Tawheed.pdf
5. Al-Hujjah fi Bayan al-Mahajjah, 1/305.
6. Lawami’ al-Anwar al-Bahiyyah, 1/57.
