UNDERSTANDING
TAWHEED
So the relationship and connection you have with Allah is proportionate to your level of
knowledge of Him, and those most knowledgeable of Him are those most worshipping of
Him. Based on this, it is of utmost importance for every Muslim to learn the basics of this
field of Islamic knowledge, such basics that no Muslim can be excused for being ignorant
of.
It is quite sad that many Muslims today are ignorant of who Allah really is and the basic
foundation upon which Islam is built, which is the Tawheed of Allah, or His oneness and His
sole right to be worshiped alone without any partners. If they truly knew Allah, they would
never venerate others or direct their worship to them.
This is the sad state of most of mankind, and it has been the case since ancient times. It
is for this reason that Allah sent prophets and messengers throughout history for the sole
purpose of guiding mankind out of the darkness of Kufr (disbelief) and Shirk (associating
partners with Allah) into the light of Iman (belief) and Tawheed (attributing Oneness to Allah).
It is only through learning Tawheed and then uniting upon it that our state as individuals and
as an Ummah will improve.
Allah says in the Qur’an:
“And most of them do not believe in Allah without associating
others with Him [in worship] .” [Yusuf 12:106]
He also says:
“Based on one’s knowledge of Allah is his veneration for Him
in his heart, and those most knowledgeable of Him are those
most revering and venerating of Him.”
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04 | Keys to Paradise
So here Allah makes the condition for prosperity and security in this life and the next to be
based on not mixing our Iman with Shirk which nullifies Tawheed.
Based on all of this, learning Tawheed is something that every Muslim is responsible for,
and no one is excused. So get comfortable and get ready to learn about the most essential
aspect of your religion, the very foundation that the acceptance or rejection of all of your
deeds will be based on – the Tawheed of Allah.
Allah says in the Qur’an:
“It is only those who believe and do not tarnish their Iman
with injustice (Shirk) who are guaranteed security and are
rightly guided.” [Al-An’am 6:82]
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06 | Keys to Paradise
Think about it: is our purpose in this world simply to
eat, sleep, work, acquire some material things and
enjoy ourselves?
Thus, Allah created us in order for us to serve Him and worship Him.
To answer the last question, let’s think about the
following: Look around you. Unless you live in a cave,
you are surrounded by things we humans have made
with our own hands. Ask yourself, why did we make
those things? The answer, of course, is that we make
things to perform some specific function for us. In
short, we make things to serve us. So by extension,
why did our Creator make us, if not to serve Him?
That in a nutshell is the purpose of this life. The purpose behind our creation is to recognize
the Creator, to worship Him, to surrender ourselves to Him, and to obey the laws that He has
determined for us. This is our purpose in this life.
Is this our purpose?
Why were we born?
What is the object of our existence?
What is the wisdom behind the creation of
man and this universe?
Allah says in the Qur’an:
“And I did not create the jinn and mankind except to worship
Me.” [al-Dhariyat 51:56]
What Is The Purpose
of Life?
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What Does It Mean to
Worship Allah?
What is important to remember concerning worship is that it is Allah’s sole right and must
only be directed to Him alone. If anything is associated with Allah in any act of worship, that
action becomes invalid and unacceptable.
Allah has given us some examples of these acts of worship and highlighted the importance
of making sure we direct them to Him alone:
“And your Lord says, ‘Supplicate to Me; I will respond to you.’ Surely those who are too
proud to worship Me will enter Hell, fully humbled.” [Ghafir 40:60]
1 Du’a (Supplication):
“Do not prostrate to the sun or the moon, but prostrate to Allah, Who created them, if
you truly worship Him alone.” [Fussilat 41:37]
2 Salah (Prayer):
“Say: Surely my prayer, my rites of sacrifice, my life, and my death are all for Allah—Lord
of all worlds. He has no partner.” [Al-An’am 6:162-163]
3 Sacrificial Slaughter:
“Worship is a comprehensive term encompassing everything
that Allah loves and is pleased with — whether sayings or
actions, both outward and inward.”
The well-known 13th century Islamic scholar, Ibn Taymiyyah, gives us the
answer:
07 | Keys to Paradise
These acts of worship related to the heart, are more important than outward bodily acts of
worship, because without the actions of the heart there is no benefit in actions of the body.
Isn’t the distinguishing feature between the believer and the hypocrite based on what is in
the heart of actions? Also, doesn’t a person enter Islam first through the action of his heart
before any bodily actions?
Highlighting the importance of the heart and
its role, the Prophet said,
“There is an organ in the body, if
healthy, the whole body is healthy,
and if corrupt, the whole body is
corrupt. Indeed, it is the heart.”
[Bukhari]
Expounding on this, the well-known 13th
century Islamic scholar, Ibn al-Qayyim, says,
“Actions of the heart represent the
spirit of worship and its core; so if
the actions of the body parts are
missing it, it is like a dead body
without a soul.”
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These are some examples of outward bodily acts of worship. Another important form of
worship is that which is related to the heart , such as;
Belief
Sincerity
God-consciousness
Love
Fear
Hope
08 | Keys to Paradise
Balancing Love,
Hope and Fear
So in order to function well in this life as a believer, and be rewarded with Allah’s Paradise
in the next, we need balance between love, fear and hope. Putting too much emphasis on
fear of Allah without any reason leads to despair, and putting too much emphasis on hope
without any reason leads to negligence.
Thus, love, fear and hope are the three pillars of worship that are only to be directed to Allah
alone. When they are directed to other than Allah, it constitutes Shirk.
However, does that mean that you can’t love anyone besides Allah, or fear anyone besides
Him? No. The kind of love, fear and hope which is exclusively for Allah is the one that is
associated with veneration that leads a person to worship that object of love, fear or hope.
As for a natural love or fear for others that does not involve veneration, we are not forbidden
from it.
You may be asking yourself;
How does the believer worship his Creator?
What should you have in your heart when worshiping Allah?
The well-known 13th century Islamic scholar, Ibn
al-Qayyim says,
“The heart on its journey towards Allah
is like that of a bird. Love is its head, and
fear and hope are its two wings. When
the head is healthy, then the two wings
will fly well. When the head is cut off, the
bird will die. When either of two wings is
damaged, the bird becomes vulnerable
to every hunter and predator.”
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09 | Keys to Paradise
Directing Your Worship
Towards Allah
What about asking others for your needs?
It is not considered Shirk to ask others for your needs on the condition that you are not
asking out of veneration for them and that they are able to provide you for what you are
asking them for. As for asking others for something that only Allah can provide, then this
is what constitutes Shirk.
To further elaborate, every human being seeks things that will benefit him and avoids things
that will harm him, and no one can provide what will benefit him nor prevent what will harm
him other than his Creator. When you realize this, you understand that to seek your needs
solely from your Creator is the very essence of worship.
Moreover, if we were to analyze the stories of the prophets and messengers in the Qur’an, we
would find something common among all of them: they all called their people to single out
Allah in worship. In fact, this was the primary theme that their mission was based upon.
Allah says in the Qur’an:
“We never sent a messenger before you except that we
revealed to him: There is no god [worthy of worship] except
Me, so worship Me [alone].” [Al-Anbiya 21:25]
Prophet Nuh said to his people:
“O my people! Worship Allah—you have no other god besides
Him.” [Al-A’raf 7:59]
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All of this shows us the importance of making sure that
we single out Allah in worship and direct all of our acts of
worship to Him alone.
Prophet Hud said to his people:
“O my people! Worship Allah—you
have no other god besides Him .”
[Al-A’raf 7:65]
Prophet Salih said to his people:
“O my people! Worship Allah—you
have no other god besides Him.”
[Al-A’raf 7:73]
Prophet Ibrahim said to his people:
“Worship Allah, and fear Him.”
[Al-Ankabut 29:16]
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The foundation of the Islamic faith is belief in the Oneness of God. According to the
teachings of Islam, Allah is absolutely One and His Oneness should never be compromised
by associating partners with Him - neither in worship nor in belief. Due to this, Muslims are
required to maintain a direct relationship with Allah, and therefore all intermediaries are
absolutely forbidden.
This is the essence of Islam which is embodied in the first pillar of Islam, the testimony or
the Shahadah of ‘La ilaha illa Allah’ or ‘none has the right to be worshipped besides Allah’.
The significance of this testimony is too great to encompass. But some of its virtues are as
follows:
“So whoever disbelieves in the taghut (anything worshipped besides Allah) and believes
in Allah, then he has grasped the firmest handhold which will never break.” [Al-Baqarah
2:256]
1 It is the firmest handhold which will never break:
The Prophet said: “ Iman is seventy or sixty odd branches, the most superior of them
is the statement ‘La ilaha illa Allah’. The lowest is to remove something harmful from
the pathway. And shyness is a branch of Iman.” [Bukhari]
2 It is the highest level of Iman:
The Prophet said: “Whoever testifies that none has the right to be worshipped
except Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, Allah will forbid him to
the Fire.” [Muslim]
3 It is a cause for salvation from eternal Hellfire:
The Significance of
The Shahaadah
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These are only a few of the many virtues of this great testimony that brings a person
into the fold of Islam. However, it only benefits the one who proclaims it with faith and
understanding.
The Prophet said: “ Whoever testifies that there is none worthy of worship except
Allah alone without any partners, and that Muhammad is His slave and His Messenger,
and that Jesus is the slave of Allah and His Messenger, and His Word which He
bestowed on Mary and a spirit from Him, and that Paradise is true and the Fire is true,
Allah will admit him into Paradise with the deeds which he had done even if they were
few.” [Bukhari & Muslim]
4 It is a cause for entering Paradise:
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The Meaning of
‘La Ilaha Illa Allah’
So to sum it up, the testimony ‘La ilaha illa
Allah’ means:
“There is no true god who
deserves to be worshipped
besides Allah.”
‘La ilaha’ is a form of negation, where you
are negating the right of any deity or god to
be worshipped.
‘illa Allah’, is a form of affirmation, where
you are now affirming the right of Allah
alone to be worshipped. So because of
who Allah is (the one and only true God), it
is His sole right to be worshipped.
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Shirk
Since the concept of Tawheed or the oneness of God is a central and foundational theme in
Islam, it naturally follows that any attempt to undermine this concept is considered perilous.
Thus, there is no sin in Islam worse than that of Shirk or ascribing partners to Allah.
The matter of Shirk is so serious simply because of how unjust it is. If Allah is the One who
gave you your eyes, your brain, your heart, your breath and everything else, does He not
deserve praise and thanks? Now how about directing that praise and thanks to others who
had no share in creating you or providing for you?
A man once asked the Prophet :
“Which sin is the worst in the sight of Allah? ”
The Prophet replied:
“That you ascribe to Allah a rival when it was He who created you.”
[Bukhari and Muslim]
What Is Shirk?
Shirk is to ascribe a partner or equal to Allah, whether it be in His Lordship, or in His
worship, or in His Names and Attributes.
Shirk in Lordship: There are certain characteristics of Lordship that belong solely
to Allah, like creating, sustaining, providing, etc. Whoever believes that such
characteristics belong to other than Allah or associates a partner to Allah in these
characteristics has committed Shirk in Allah’s Lordship.
1
Shirk in worship: The right to be worshipped is a right that belongs solely to Allah. So
whoever believes that others deserve any kind of worship or associates partners with
Allah when worshipping Him has committed Shirk in Allah’s worship.
2
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Committing Shirk in any of these categories is of great danger and comes with severe
consequences.
Among these consequences are the following:
Shirk in Allah’s Names and Attributes: There are certain names and attributes of Allah
that He has taught us through His revelation. These names and attributes are unique
in every way and belong to Allah alone. Whoever attributes any of Allah’s Names or
Attributes to others has committed Shirk in Allah’s Names and Attributes.
3
So be careful of Shirk and everything that leads to it, for its consequences are extremely
severe.
“Indeed, Allah does not forgive associating others with Him, but forgives anything else
of whoever He wills. And whoever associates others with Allah has indeed committed
a grave sin. ” [Al-Nisa 4:48]
1 It is the only sin that Allah does not forgive if one does not repent from it:
“Had they associated others with Him, their good deeds would have been wasted.”
[Al-An’am 6:88]
2 It causes all of one’s good deeds to go to waste:
“Whoever associates others with Allah will surely be forbidden Paradise by Allah. Their
home will be the Fire. And the wrongdoers will have no helpers.” [Al-Ma’idah 5:72]
3 It prevents one from entering Paradise and guarantees him to end up in Hellfire
forever:
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Which Came First:
Tawheed or Shirk?
Some people argue that humans have always been worshipping different gods from the
beginning of time, and that it was Tawheed or monotheism that came later. But is that really
true? Not quite.
So the prophets and messengers were all sent to their people to bring them back to what
humanity was originally upon, and that is Tawheed. As such, calling to Tawheed and
warning against Shirk was the one theme that we find common in the mission of all of
Allah’s prophets and messengers.
As for the last messenger to be sent, our Prophet Muhammad , we find that the first
thirteen years of his mission as a prophet was focused on calling his people to Tawheed
and warning them from Shirk.
As such, the Qur’an is filled with verse upon verse addressing this very topic. But something
very interesting, is the many different styles used in the Qur’an to highlight this topic.
Allah tells us:
“Humanity was once nothing but a single community [of
believers], but then they differed.” [Yunus 10:19]
Ibn Abbas (ra) explains:
“Between Nuh and Adam were ten generations; all of them
upon the religion of truth. Then they differed, so Allah sent
the prophets as bringers of glad tidings and as warners.”
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Some of these are as follows:
These, along with many other styles used in the Qur’an demonstrate the great importance
the Qur’an gave to the topic of Tawheed and Shirk.
“Worship Allah alone and associate none with Him.” [Al-Nisa 4:36]
1 Directly commanding us to worship Allah alone and abandon ascribing partner to
Him:
“Among His signs are the day and the night, the sun and the moon. Do not prostrate to
the sun or the moon, but prostrate to Allah, Who created them all, if you truly worship
Him alone.” [Fussilat 41:37]
3 Deducing Allah’s sole right to be worshipped through proving His Lordship, i.e. that
if He alone created, then He alone deserves worship:
“When [Ibrahim] said to his father: O dear father! Why do you worship what can neither
hear nor see, nor benefit you at all?” [Maryam 19:42]
4 Proving that Allah alone deserves to be worshipped by demonstrating His
perfection compared to false gods who are deprived of that perfection:
“The parable of those who take allies other than Allah is that of a spider who takes a
home. And the weakest of all homes is certainly that of a spider, if only they knew.”
[Al-Ankabut 29:41]
5 Using parables to demonstrate Allah’s sole right to be worshipped and how others
don’t deserve that worship:
“I did not create jinn and humans except to worship Me.” [Al-Dhariyat 51:56]
2 Linking the reason behind our creation to the worship of Allah:
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18 | Keys to Paradise
To ascribe to someone other than Allah
something that belongs solely to Allah, which is
basically Shirk in Allah’s Lordship, worship and
Names and Attributes (as previously explained).
This kind of Shirk causes one to leave the
fold of Islam and guarantees him eternal
punishment in the Hellfire if he does not repent
from it before death.
The Different Categories
of Shirk
It was previously mentioned that Shirk is to
ascribe a partner or equal to Allah, and that the
matter of Shirk is an extremely dangerous one,
as there is no sin greater in the sight of Allah
than it.
However, it should be understood that Shirk is
of two kinds:
So what is meant by these two kinds of Shirk
and what are some examples of each?
Firstly: Major Shirk
Major Shrik
Minor Shrik
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Some examples of Major Shirk:
“And do not invoke besides Allah what can neither benefit nor harm you — for if you do,
then you will certainly be one of the wrongdoers.” [Yunus 10:106]
1 Supplicating to other than Allah, like asking for your needs that only Allah can
provide from false gods or the dead, whether they be prophets or saints:
“And yet there are some who take others as Allah’s equal — they love them as they
should love Allah.” [Al-Baqarah 2:165]
2 Associating others with Allah in love and veneration, by loving a created being as
one loves Allah:
“That is only from Shaytan, trying to prompt you to fear his followers. So do not fear
them; fear Me if you are true believers.” [Aal Imran 3:175]
3 Associating others with Allah in fear, like believing that created beings have
supernatural powers that can harm us, or believing that the dead can harm the living:
“Say: None in the heavens and the earth has knowledge of the unseen except Allah.”
[Al-Naml 27:65]
4 Believing that others besides Allah have knowledge of the unseen or the future,
like fortune-tellers and soothsayers:
“Or do they have associate-gods who have ordained for them beliefs which Allah has
not authorized?” [Al-Shura 42:21]
5 Believing that others besides Allah have the right to legislate that which only Allah
can legislate for us, like believing in man-made systems of governance:
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“Shall I not inform you of what I fear for you more than the Dajjal? It is the hidden
shirk. It is when a man stands up for prayer, then beautifies his prayer for others to
see.” [Ibn Majah]
Anything that leads to Major Shirk, or what has been described in the texts as being Shirk but
does not reach the extent of Major Shirk.
This kind of Shirk is considered a major sin but does not cause one to leave the fold of Islam.
It does not negate the Tawheed in one’s heart but it diminishes it.
Some examples of Minor Shirk:
Secondly: Minor Shirk
Riya , which is to perform an act of worship which is supposed to be solely for Allah
with the intention of showing it off to others. The Prophet said:
1
“Spells, amulets and love-charms are Shirk.” [Abu Dawud and Ibn Majah]
Using amulets or good luck charms and hanging them in different places for
protection. The Prophet said:
2
“Those before you would take the graves of their prophets as places of worship. So
don’t take graves as places of worship, for I forbid you from doing so.” [Muslim]
Seeking blessings in things which Allah has not made as a means of blessings, like
wiping the graves of saints seeking blessings therefrom or praying in certain places
where it is claimed that there is blessings. The Prophet said:
3
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The Categories
of Tawheed
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As we previously learned, Tawheed is the central theme
of Islam. As such, it is vital for every Muslim to learn
about what Tawheed encompasses. By analysing the
various texts that concern Tawheed, we can conclude
that Tawheed generally comes under three categories:
So let’s take a look at each one of these categories.
Tawheed of Lordship
Tawheed of the Names and Attributes
Tawheed of Worship
What this category means is affirming that Allah is One and unique in His actions, such
as creation, sustaining, providing, governing, giving life and death, and so on. These are
characteristics of Lordship that belong to Allah alone, and one’s Tawheed is not complete
unless he affirms that.
This category of Tawheed is something that the majority of humanity affirm in essence.
In fact, what history shows us is that there were very rare cases of the total denial of a
supreme divine being who created this world and sustains it. What this proves is that the
natural position of human beings is belief in God and not disbelief in His existence, as
atheists would like you to believe. Thus, what was common among all people in the past
was their mutual understanding of the existence of a supreme divine being who created
everything that exists, including the Mushrikun who used to believe in Allah’s existence as
the Creator, Provider and Controller of this universe.
Tawheed al-Rububiyyah or Lordship
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But although the majority of humanity affirm this category of Tawheed, it is not sufficient
to grant them salvation from the Hellfire or admission into Paradise. If that was the case,
there would have been no point of contention between the messengers and their people
because all of them affirmed this aspect of Tawheed, but rather the contention was over
Allah’s oneness and exclusivity to be worshiped.
Having said that, there are several Iman-related effects that result from affirmation of
Tawheed of Allah’s Lordship. Among these are:
Allah says in the Qur’an:
“If you ask them who created the heavens and the earth
and subjected the sun and the moon, they will certainly say,
‘Allah!’ How can they then be deluded? ” [Al-Ankabut 29:61]
Allah says in the Qur’an:
“We never sent a messenger before you except that We
revealed to him that, ‘There is no god [worthy of worship]
except Me, so worship Me [alone].’” [ Al-Anbiya 21:25]
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“And yet there are some who take others as Allah’s equal — they love them as they
should love Allah. But the believers love Allah even more.” [Al-Baqarah 2:165]
1 Having the love of Allah:
The Prophet said: “He has found the taste of Iman who is content with Allah as his
Lord, with Islam as his religion and with Muhammad as his Prophet.” [Muslim]
2 Getting to taste the sweetness of Iman:
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“We will certainly test you with a touch of fear, famine and loss of property, life and
crops. Give good news to those who patiently endure — who, when faced with a
disaster, say: Surely to Allah we belong and to Him we will all return.” [Al-Baqarah
]2:155-156
3 Being content with whatever Allah has decreed:
What this category means is to affirm those Names and Attributes of Allah that He has
informed us about in His Book or upon the tongue of His Messenger . At the same time,
one must also negate from Allah those Names or Attributes that Allah Himself negated
from Himself in His Book or upon the tongue of His Messenger .
Moreover, there are four important things to stay away from when discussing the Names and
Attributes of Allah:
Tawheed Al-Asma Wa-Siffat
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Outright denial of Allah’s Names and
Attributes, whether all of them or some of
them.
1
Misinterpreting the meanings of Allah’s
Names or Attributes, like giving metaphorical
meanings to some of them.
2
Attempting to understand or explain how the
realities of certain Attributes of Allah are.
3
Resembling or likening any of Allah’s Names
or Attributes to those of His creation.
4
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So based on this, we understand that Allah has the best of Names and loftiest of Attributes.
These Names and Attributes tell us about who Allah is, and as such we affirm that they are
real and that their apparent meanings are actually intended. But it is important to remember
that these Names and Attributes do not resemble those of Allah’s creation.
For example, Allah is the All-Hearing and All-Seeing; He speaks and He laughs; He is above
His creation and He also descends in the last third of every night. All of these Names and
Attributes have been mentioned in the Qur’an and Sunnah, and we believe in each one
of them and in their apparent meanings, but without attempting to understand how their
realities are, and without resembling them to the attributes of Allah’s creation. By doing
this, we give Allah His due right and accept what He has informed us about Himself in the
manner in which He intended, paving the way for fulfilling the very purpose behind which
Allah described Himself to us: in order for us to venerate Him and worship Him in the
manner in which He is pleased with.
Allah says in the Qur’an:
“Allah has the Most Beautiful Names. So call upon Him by
them, and keep away from those who practice deviation
concerning His Names. They will be punished for what they
used to do.” [Al-A’raf 7:180]
“There is nothing like Him, for He [alone] is the All-Hearing,
All-Seeing. ” [Al-Shura 42:11]
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This is the most important category of Tawheed without question; Tawheed of worship. It is
due to this category that Allah created us, sent the prophets and messengers, made it the
condition to attain eternal salvation and admission into Paradise.
So what exactly is Tawheed of worship?
Tawheed of worship is to affirm that Allah alone deserves to be worshiped without any
partner. So it is not sufficient to affirm that Allah exists, or that He is the Creator and
Supreme being without also affirming His sole right to be worshipped alone without any
partner.
Believing in the Oneness of Allah means to realize that all prayer and worship should be
exclusively for Allah. Some religions, even though they believe in “One God”, do not make
all of their worship and prayers for Him alone. They also direct their prayers and
Tawheed al-Uluhiyyah
Allah says in the Qur’an:
“He is Allah — there is no god [worthy of worship] except
Him: Knower of the seen and unseen. He is the Most
Compassionate, Most Merciful. He is Allah — there is no
god except Him: the King, the Most Holy, the All-Perfect, the
Source of Serenity, the Watcher [of all], the Almighty, the
Supreme in Might, the Majestic. Glorified is Allah far above
what they associate with Him [in worship]! He is Allah: the
Creator, the Inventor, the Shaper. He alone has the Most
Beautiful Names. Whatever is in the heavens and the earth
[constantly] glorifies Him. And He is the Almighty, All-Wise.”
[Al-Hashr 59:22-24]
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worship to beings that are not All-Knowing and
All-Powerful. From this we understand that
the underlying difference between Islam and
all other religions or philosophies is not over
whether Allah exists or not, or whether He is
the only Lord and Creator or not. But rather the
underlying difference is over whether Allah is
the only One who deserves to be worshipped
alone without any partners or not.
So how do you convince someone of the truth
of this concept, i.e. Tawheed of worship?
The best way to do so is by following the
method Allah has used in the Qur’an, which
is to demonstrate how Tawheed of Lordship
necessitates Tawheed of Worship.
How? Basically, the Mushrikun whom Allah
addresses throughout the Qur’an were people
who understood and even believed in Allah
as the Lord and Creator, meaning that they
affirmed the Tawheed of Lordship. So Allah
uses this fact to prove to them that it is only
therefore rational that you also affirm the
Tawheed of worship, because Tawheed of
Lordship necessitates Tawheed of worship.
In simple words: how can you claim that there
is only One Creator who created everything
and then when it comes to worship, you don’t
worship that One Creator alone, but rather
direct your prayers and worship to others, or
associates partners with Him in His worship?
It’s not logically acceptable to do so.
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Allah says in the Qur’an:
“And if you ask them who created the heavens and the earth,
they will definitely say, ‘Allah!’ Say, ‘Praise be to Allah!’ In fact,
most of them do not know.” [Luqman 31:25]
“If they happen to be aboard a ship [caught in a storm], they
cry out to Allah alone in sincere devotion. But as soon as He
delivers them safely to shore, they associate [others with Him
once again].” [Al-Ankabut 29:65]
“Their messengers asked them: Is there any doubt about
Allah, the Originator of the heavens and the earth? He is
inviting you in order to forgive your sins.” [Ibrahim 14:10]
In fact, Allah reminds them of how they turn to Him for help, supplicating to Him alone
without any partners to save them from drowning:
That’s because this belief in Allah as the only Lord and Creator automatically necessitates
that He alone is the One who can hear our prayers and grant us what we seek His help for.
Thus, belief in the Tawheed of Lordship automatically necessitates belief in the Tawheed
of Worship.
This is why when the messengers were denied by their people after they called upon them to
worship Allah alone, they appealed to the one thing that they knew they could not deny:
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What Is Worship?
Now that we understand the significance of Tawheed of worship, which is to affirm that Allah
alone deserves to be worshiped without any partner. This leads us to another very important
question: what exactly is meant by worship?
Worship in Islam is to basically obey Allah with submission and humility, out of love for Him
and wanting to get near to Him. The well-known 13th century Islamic scholar, Ibn Taymiyyah,
gives us a very beautiful definition of worship in Islam. He says :
“Ibadah (worship) is a comprehensive term comprising of
everything that Allah loves and is pleased with – whether
in sayings or actions, outward or inward. So prayer, fasting,
performing Hajj, speaking the truth, fulfilling trusts, being
dutiful to parents, keeping ties of relations, fulfilling
contracts, commanding the good, forbidding the evil, waging
Jihad against the disbelievers and hypocrites, showing
kindness to neighbours, orphans, the poor, wayfarers, slaves
and animals, supplication, remembrance of Allah, reciting the
Qur’an, and other similar acts are considered worship. Also,
love for Allah and His Messenger, fear for Allah, turning to
Him, sincerity for Him, patience over His decisions, gratitude
for His blessings, satisfaction over His decrees, reliance
in Him, hoping for His mercy, fearing His punishment, and
other similar acts are also worship of Allah. That is because
worship of Allah is the ultimate goal that is beloved and
satisfying to Him for which He created the creation.”
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From this, we learn that worship in Islam is a very broad concept that pretty much covers
all aspects of our lives. We also learn that worship can be divided into four categories:
All of these are different kinds of acts of worship that a Muslim performs in his or her daily
life. However, it must be noted that there are two conditions that must be met in order for
any act of worship to be accepted by Allah:
Bodily acts of worship: those that you carry out physically with your body parts, like
prayer, fasting, performing Hajj, doing acts of kindness to others, and so on.
1
Sincerity of intention: Allah only accepts an act of worship when it is performed
sincerely for Him without associating others. This includes making sure that we don’t
intend with our worship to please others or show-off to others, or that we don’t have
any worldly intentions when performing an act of worship.
1
Adherence to what Allah and His Messenger have legislated: Allah only accepts
an act of worship that He and His Messenger have legislated for us. So any act of
worship that we innovate and introduce into the religion is not accepted. We must
make sure that our acts of worship are based on the method that the Prophet
has taught us.
2
Verbal acts of worship: those that you perform through your tongue, like supplication
to Allah, verbal remembrance of Him, reciting the Qur’an, speaking the truth, and so on
2
Financial acts of worship: those that you carry out with your wealth, like Zakah,
charity, feeding the poor, spending on those under your care, and so on.
3
Spiritual acts of worship: those that you perform with your heart – which is the
essence of all other acts of worship since it is the heart where they emanate from –
like love for Allah, fear for Him, hoping for His mercy, reliance in Him, and so on.
4
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Righteous deeds are in reference to the second condition and not associating anyone in
the worship of Allah is in reference to the first condition.
Outlining these two conditions, Allah says:
“So whoever hopes for the meeting with their Lord, let them
do righteous deeds and associate none in the worship of
their Lord.” [Al-Kahf 18:110]
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The Negative Effects
of Disobeying Allah
Since worship in Islam is to obey Allah with submission and humility, out of love for Him and
wanting to get near to Him, it naturally follows that disobeying Allah and not submitting to
Him is something that negatively affects one’s relationship with Allah and hinders his or her
worship of Him.
Disobedience of Allah varies from minor to major types. Minor sins are those for which no
punishment has been specified in this world or the hereafter. On the other hand, major sins
are those for which specific punishments have been mentioned either in this world or in the
hereafter, like murder, theft, consuming Riba (interest or usury), and so on.
Minor sins are forgivable through a variety of different ways, like seeking Allah’s forgiveness,
doing certain good deeds that wipe out sins, like giving in charity, and so on. On the other
hand, major sins can only be forgiven by turning to Allah in sincere repentance.
If one dies not having repented for a major sin, it is feared that he or she will face Allah’s
punishment in the hereafter. However, whether they are punished or not, if they happen to
be believers who were people of Tawheed, not dying upon Shirk, their punishment in the
Hellfire will not be eternal, and Allah will eventually admit them into Paradise.
Stopping the sin immediately.
Having regret and remorse for committing the sin
Having a strong determination to never return to
the sin again.
And in the case of the rights of others, returning
their rights to them.
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A SINCERE
REPENTANCE
MUST INCLUDE:
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This demonstrates the virtue of Tawheed and the grave danger of Shirk. Shirk is the only sin
that is unforgivable, meaning that if a person does not repent from it before death, not only
is it feared that they will face punishment in the hereafter like those who commit any other
major sin, but it is guaranteed that their punishment will be eternal and that Allah will never
forgive them.
This proves that as long as a disbeliever and Mushrik (polytheist) repents before death, Allah
will forgive them and save them from eternal punishment in the hereafter. But if they don’t,
then there’s no chance of being forgiven in the hereafter.
Look at it this way: an employee at a manufacturing company decides to give away some
critical undisclosed information about an upcoming product to a competing company. If
the company comes to know about his actions, they would never forgive him and fire him
right away. On the other hand, another employee decides to steal some office supplies and
is caught. The company would forgive him and warn him not to do it again.
What is meant here by Allah not forgiving the one who commits Shirk is if he or she does not
repent before death, as Allah says:
Allah says in the Qur’an:
“Indeed, Allah does not forgive associating others with Him,
but forgives anything else of whoever He wills.” [Al-Nisa 4:48]
“Tell the disbelievers that if they desist, their past will be
forgiven.” [Al-Anfal 8:38]
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Thus, Allah has made some sins forgivable, but only one unforgivable: Shirk, because
worship is the sole right of Allah, and to direct it to others is severe injustice.
“And when Luqman said to his son, while advising him: O my
dear son! Never associate anything with Allah [in worship], for
associating [others with Him] is truly the greatest injustice.”
[Luqman 31:13]
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Disbelief And Hypocrisy
Due to the immense status of Tawheed in the sight of Allah, there are certain things that
Allah has warned us of that corrupt one’s Tawheed. The most dangerous of these is Shirk,
both the major and minor of it, as previously discussed.
Besides Shirk, among the things that corrupt one’s Tawheed is Kufr (disbelief) and Nifaq
(hypocrisy).
As for Kufr, it is to simply disbelieve in Allah and His Messenger or anything that they have
sent us of the religion of Islam. Expounding on this, the well-known 13th century Islamic
scholar, Ibn Taymiyyah says:
So based on this, Kufr can be denial with one’s heart, but it can also be something one says
or does that has been classified as Kufr and causing one to leave Islam. An example of a
statement that implies Kufr is to ridicule something in Islam.
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“Kufr is to disbelieve in Allah and His Messenger, whether
that is accompanied by denial or it is not accompanied by
denial but rather doubt, or turning away from Iman out of
jealousy or arrogance, or because one is following whims
and desires that prevent one from following the message.
So Kufr is the attribute of anyone who rejects something
that Allah has commanded us to believe in, after news of
that has reached him, whether he rejects it in his
heart without uttering it, or he utters those words of rejection
without believing it in his heart, or he does both; or he does
an action which is described in the texts as putting one
beyond the pale of Islam.”
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An example of an action that implies Kufr is to aide the disbelievers and enemies of Islam in
their fight against Muslims.
However, it should be noted that although something is classified as being Kufr, the doer
is not automatically labelled as a Kafir (disbeliever), but rather more investigation and
explanation is required before one is considered a Kafir who has left the fold of Islam.
As for Nifaq, it is to be a hypocrite with respect to one’s belief. So a Munafiq (hypocrite)
is one who conceals Kufr while making an outward show of being a Muslim. Allah has
warned us of the hypocrites in the Qur’an more than He has warned us of any other group.
That’s because the danger of the hypocrites is far greater than the disbelievers who are
open enemies to Islam due to the former being in the ranks of the Muslims.
Allah says in the Qur’an:
“Say: Was it Allah, His revelations, and His Messenger that
you ridiculed?” Make no excuses! You have disbelieved after
your belief.” [Al-Tawbah 9:65-66]
Allah says in the Qur’an:
“O you who believe! Take neither the Jews nor the Christians
as allies—they are allies of each other. Whoever does so will
be counted as one of them. Surely Allah does not guide the
wrongdoing people.” [Al-Ma’idah 5:51]
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Although the hypocrites are not considered
believers, we have to treat them as Muslims in
general. That is because judging what is in the
hearts is exclusively for Allah to do. However,
Allah and His Messenger mentioned several
characteristics of the hypocrites so that the
Muslim community remains cautious of their
evil and harm. Some of their most prominent
characteristics are:
Therefore, the Muslim should be extra careful to
avoid such evil characteristics so that he or she
is not seen as a hypocrite in the sight of Allah.
Allah says concerning the hypocrites:
“They are the enemy, so beware of them. May Allah
condemn them! How can they be deluded [from the truth]?”
[Al-Munafiqun 63:4]
Lying
Treachery
Deceit
Resorting to foul language when disputing.
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Affixing Tawheed In
The Heart
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Tawheed is a tree that grows in the believer’s heart. It exists in the heart before it branches
out into words and actions. Its growth and beauty increase as one performs acts of
obedience to Allah, thereby increasing one’s love for his Lord, his fear of Him and his hope
for His reward and forgiveness.
It is therefore of utmost importance that a Muslim pays attention to the status of Tawheed
in his or her heart, making sure that it remains firm at all times.
There are many things that cause Tawheed to become firm in the heart. Among them are the
following:
Performing acts of obedience or good deeds seeking the reward of Allah.
Abstaining from committing sins fearing the punishment of Allah.
Contemplating on the creation of Allah in the heavens and earth.
Learning about the Names and Attributes of Allah, their requirements, their effects and
their indications of the exaltedness and perfection that belongs to Allah.
Seeking beneficial Islamic knowledge and acting according to it.
Reciting the Qur’an while pondering over and contemplating its meanings and what Allah
intends by His words.
Getting closer to Allah by performing Nawafil (extra acts of worship) after completing
the obligatory acts.
Continual remembrance of Allah under all circumstances, with one’s tongue and heart.
Giving precedence to what Allah loves over what you love when you are overtaken by
your desires.
Contemplating both the hidden and open blessings of Allah thoughtfully, and pondering
over His generosity and benevolence to His creation.
Making the heart soft and subdued before Allah.
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May Allah allow us to be sincere Muslims, ameen.
Secluding with Allah when He descends during the last part of the night while reciting
His Book, standing in complete humbleness before Him, and then concluding by
repenting and asking for His forgiveness.
Sitting with the sincere lovers and worshipers of Allah so that one can benefit from the
most fruitful of their words.
Staying away from every single thing that acts as a barrier between the heart and Allah
and His pleasure.
Abstaining from excessive speech, food and socializing with people.
Loving for your Muslim brother or sister what you love for yourself of good things, and
struggling to train yourself to get used to that.
Freeing the heart of hatred for fellow Muslims, as well as grudges, envy, pride, arrogance
and self-admiration.
Being satisfied and content with the various decrees of Allah.
Being grateful to Allah at times of ease and having patience at times of difficulty and
afflictions.
Returning to Allah in repentance at times of disobedience.
Performing as many righteous good deeds as one can, like being dutiful to parents,
having good manners and etiquette, maintaining kinship ties, feeding the poor, and so
on.
Adhering firmly to the Sunnah and following in the footsteps of the Prophet in all
things, small or great.
Ensuring that one’s food comes from Halal sources.
Commanding all that is good and forbidding all that is evil.
