Section: The Tawhīd of Allah is The Essence of Creation

 يا منزل الآيات والفرقان

بيني وبينك حرمة القرءان

اشرح به صدري لمعرفة الهدى

واعصم به قلبي من الشيطلن

ثبت به قلبي وحقق توبتي

Know. O reader, may Allah have mercy on us altogether that Allah ta’ala in His Infinite mercy did not create man save for the purpose of His Tawhid.

He, Ta’ala said:

((وما خلقت الجن والإنس إلا ليعبدون)) الذاريات: 56

“And I (Allah) created not the jinns and humans except they should worship Me (Alone).” Adh-Dhariyat: 56

The Mufassirun among the Ulama right from the time of the Companions say that the meaning of ‘Ya’budun’ is ‘Yuwahhidun’ meaning “that they should single Me out in worship”

Thus the worship that Allah requests from us is the worship in which He Alone is worshipped and no partner is associated with Him.

Since the Unifying of Allah (Tawhid) is the essence of our creation, then there is nothing that should be put before it. There is nothing which is more important than it, for it is the essence of creation in whose absence every single thing can be sacrificed.

Allah Ta’ala said:

((وما أمرواْ إلا ليعبدواْ الله مخلصين له الدين حنفاء ويقيمون الصلاة ويؤتون الزكاة وذالك دين القيمة)) البينة: 5

“And they were commanded not, but that they should worship Allah, and worship none but Him Alone (abstaining from ascribing partners to Him), and perform As-Salat (Iqamat-as-Salat) and give Zakat: and that is the right religion.” Al-Bayyinah: 5

Thus Allah commanded that worship should be purified for Him Alone in the Din before He commanded that Salat and Zakat be given.

May Allah brighten your face, for you to know the gravity of the essence of Tawhid, after the Message reached the Prophet ﷺ and He was commanded to deliver the message of Islam, He spent the first 10 years, which were by far the most stressful and trying days of his call, calling to only TAWHID.

The Ulama of the Qur’an agree that the beginning verses of the Messengership of the Prophet ﷺ were restricted to the affair of TAWHID.

By Allah, the One who misses the essence for which He was created, Tawhid: The singling out of Allah Ta’ala in all forms of worship, has indeed lost the life of this Dunya and the safety of the Next.

The affair of the Tawhid of Allah Ta’ala is principle behind the entirety of the Book of Allah. This is why it is stressed in several places in the Qur’an that whomsoever associates partners with Allah Ta’ala in any of the various forms of worship has lost his way completely.

But it is not only the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ that was sent with the Message of Tawhid, rather it is the entirety of the Prophets and Messengers Allah Ta’ala said:

((ولقد بعثنا في كل أمة رسولا أن اعبدواْ الله واجتنبواْ الطاغوت…)) النحل: 32

“And verily, We have sent among every Ummah (community, nation) a Messenger (proclaiming): “worship Allah (Alone), and avoid (or keep away from) Taghut (all false deities, etc, i.e. do not worship Taghut besides Allah)…” An-Nahl: 32

((وما أرسلنا من قبلك من رسول إلا نوحي إليه أنه لا إله إلا أناْ فاعبدون)) الأنبياء: 25

“And We did not send any Messenger before you (O Muhammad ﷺ) but We inspired him (saying): none has the right to be worshipped but I (Allah), so worship Me (Alone and none else).” Al-Anbiya’: 25

It is the universality of the Message of all of the Prophets without a doubt. The Kalimah of Tawhid is the Kalimatu Ash-Shahadah “La Ilaha Illallah” which contains two parts:

“La Ilaha” which is a negation, negating the existence of any deity of worship beside Allah – تعالى

“Illallah” which is an affirmation, affirming that only Allah – تعالى – deserves to be worshiped, not any other deities.

Indeed, the Mushrikin in the time of the Rasul ﷺ affirmed the existence of Allah – تعالى – but they did not negate the existence of the false deities and that was what made them Mushrikin.

Likewise, the realization of only the first part without the part of affirmation results to nothing but kufr, and the one who combines between the two is the one who is the Believer in Allah – تعالى.

Rather, there is no kafir who does not believe in the existence of Allah as that is a part of the natural instincts with which Allah – تعالى created mankind.

He, تعالى said:

((ولئن سألتهم من خلق السموات والأرض ليقولن الله..)) لقمان: 25

“And if you (O Muhammad ﷺ) ask them: “Who has created the heavens and the earth,” they will certainly say: “Allah…” Luqman: 25

And this why our Ulama explained that the first thing which Allah تعالى made compulsory on the Son of Adam is the disbelief (kufr) in Taghut, when He, تعالى said:

((فمن يكفر بالطاغوت ويؤمن بالله فقد استمسك بالعروة الوثقى لا انفصام لها والله سميع عليم)) البقرة: 255

“Whoever disbelieves in Taghut and believes in Allah, then he has grasped the most trustworthy handhold that will never break. and Allah is All-Hearer, All-Knower.” Al-Baqarah: 255

This is the same reason for which the Kalimatush Shahadah itself begins with the part of the Negation (An-Naf’y) which is the deities that are associated in partners with Allah تعالى in whichever forms of association. For whomsoever has not negated the existence of these false deities cannot affirm the existence of Allah, nor can he single out Allah Ta’ala in worship (Tawhid).

Know also, may Allah Ta’ala brighten your face, that the Mushrikun of the Quraysh who fought Rasul ﷺ believed in Allah, as it has preceded, rather they even observed certain acts of Ibadah such as Salat, Sadaqat, I’tikaf, Hajj, Tawaf and its likes. But all of these did not make them to be believers due to their Shirk in Allah.

SHIRK is the associating of partners to Allah تعالى in any of the forms of either worship, obedience or recognition of shirk is that which takes one out of the fold of Islam and of it is that which does not and which is called Minor Shirk, such as Ar-Riya, swearing by other than Allah, saying ‘Masha’ Allahu wa Shi’it’, and so on. The Law Giver referred to them as minor Shirk because they are deeds that lands one into the major Shirk which takes one out of the fold of Islam.

Do not forget, may Allah rectify our affairs altogether, that among all of the sins which are committed, it is only Shirk which Allah تعالى has promised never to forgive:

((إن الله لا يغفر أن يشرك به ويغفر ما دون ذالك لمن يشاء…)) النساء: 48

“Verily Allah forgives not that partners should be set up with him in worship, but He forgives except that (anything else) to whom He pleases…” An-Nisa’: 48

As for Taghut in whom Allah commanded us to make kufr in, then it is, as the Imam Ibn Al-Qayyim Al-Jawziyyah defined it:

((الطاغوت كل ما تجاوز به العبد حده من المعبود أو المتبوع أو المطاع…))

And the Imam Ibn Taymiyyah defined it as:

الطاغوت هو فعلوت الطغيان وهو مجاوزة الحد

In essence, the Taghut is that object which is used to transgress the limits of Allah in worship, obedience or following while he/ it is pleased with that.

In most cases, Taghut is the object with which a person performs Shirk Al-Akbar and nullifies his Kalimatush Shahadah.

Thus ‘Ibadah’ in all of its forms must be to Allah Alone.

If you ask, what is Ibadah?

Then know, may Allah rectify our affairs altogether, that Ibadah is not merely worship as some English dictionaries have it, but it has a more comprehensive meaning in the explanations of the Shari’ah.

Literally, IBADAH means submitting, yielding and humiliating.

The Arabs would say a road is ‘Mu’bad’ if it is easy to thread and they would say a Camel is ‘Mu’abbad’ if it is submitting, yielding and humble.

Technically, IBADAH is a generic name for every deed with which a servant yields and submits to the biddings of His Lord and earns His pleasure, ranging from statements and actions whether apparent or hidden.

Thus the meaning of Ibadah is wide, and it is not as many people think, by which they restrict it to ‘Religious Worship’ like Ruku’u and Sujud or the rites of worship as some people call it.

At times, Ibadah is used to refer to the rites of worship like ruku’u and sujud and salat, likewise Du’a, all these, it is not permissible to offer them to other than Allah.

He said:

((وأن المساجد لله فلا تدعواْ مع الله أحدا)) الجن: 18

“And the mosques are for Allah (Alone), so invoke not anyone along with Allah.”: Al-Jinn: 18

Also, the seeking of refuge and the soughting of assistance are not given to other than Allah.

He تعالى said:

((وأنه كان رجال من الإنس يعذون برجال من الجن فزادوهم رهقا)) الجن: 6

“And verily, there were men among mankind who took shelter with the masculine among the jinns, but they (jinns) increased them (mankind) in sin and disbelief.” Al-Jinn: 6

((إياك نعبد وإياك نستعين)) الفاتحة: 5

“You (Alone) we woship, and you (Alone) we ask for help (for each and everything)” Al-Fatiha: 5

Also, sacrifice, slaughter and oath taking are forms of Ibadah that must not also be offered to other than Allah.

He, glorified is He, said:

((قل إن صلاتي ونسكي ومحياى ومماتي لله رب العالمين* لا شريك له وبذالك أمرت وأناْ أول المسلمين)) الأنعام: 162-163

“Say (O Muhammad ﷺ): Verily, my Salat (prayera) my sacrifice, my living, and my dying are for Allah, the Lord of the ‘Alamin (mankind, jinns and all that exists). “He has no partner. And of this I have been commanded, and I am the first of the Muslims.” Al-An’am: 162-163

النصر: 2((فصل لربك وانحر))

“Therefore turn in prayer to your Lord and sacrifice (to Him only).” An-Nasr: 2

At other times, Allah refers to the word Ibadah as unrestricted obedience and submitting.

He, Ta’ala said:

يس: 60((ألم أعهد إليكم يا بني ءادم أن لا تعبد الشيطان إنه لكم عدو مبين))

“Did I not ordain for you, O children of Adam, that you should not worship Shaytan (Satan). Verily, he is a plain enemy to you.” Yasin: 60

In this verse, Ibadah to the Shaytan here implies his obedience. Likewise, He, Ta’ala said on the tongue of Fir’aun and his misguided chiefs:

المؤمنون: 47((فقالواْ أنؤمن لبشرين مثلنا وقومهما لنا عابدون))

“They said: Shall we believe in two men like ourselves, and their people are obedient to us with humility (and we use them to serve us as we like).” Al-Mu’minun: 47

Thus the Ibadah which used to be offered to Fir’aun and his chiefs is obedience, yielding and submitting and not literal worship as many used to think. So think over this and do not be of the heedless ones. Then, if you have understood it well and grasped its meanings then you will understand the statement of Imam Ibnu Al-Qayyim when he referred to Taghut as that which is used to transgress the limits set by Allah in the dimensions of worship, obedience and following, since all of these three are included in the terminology of “Ibadah” as we have explained. So we explain further by saying that, everything which is used to veto Allah Ta’ala in those three dimensions of worship, obedience and followance is referred to as the Taghut.

This is why, in its classification, Imam Muhammad bn AbdulWahhab, Rahimahullah, said,

((والطاغوت كثير ورئوسهم خمسة: إبليس لعنة الله عليه من عبد وهو راض، من ادعى علم الغيب، ومن دعى غيره إلى عبادة نفسه، ومن حكم بغير ما أنزل الله))

Then it becomes clear to you that there are many diversed forms in which people offer Ibadah to other than Allah and commit Shirk now and then, using one Taghut or the other to achieve that…