Shirk Even in Tauhid Arr-Ruboobiya
Although the pagans of Makka and most of the other peoples of this earth acknowledged the Lordship of Allah, Most High, this does not mean that shirk was not also committed in this area. Any belief that creation or command is shared by others than Allah constitutes shirk in this area of tauhid. For example, the Zoorastrians, who believed in a ‘god of light’ and a ‘god of darkness’. Similarly, if one were to believe that Iblis could lead astray one who Allah commanded would be guided, that would also be shirk in this area. To believe that any others besides Allah possess the power to cause harm or bring benefit is to associate partners with Allah in His Lordship. The people of prophet Hud (sas) said to him:
{We say that some or our gods have afflicted you…}
Hud: 54
Allah explained the falsehood of such beliefs, i.e., that anyone could share with the one and only Allah in creation or command, saying:
{Allah has not taken for Himeslf any son and there is not with him any other deity. If it were so, then each deity would go with what it had created and they would have struggled to overcome one another.}
Al-Mu’minoon: 91
Here, Allah points out that, if there were more than one creator, one of the following would necessarily happen:
Each would depart and separate from the other with its creation and its dominion.
One would overpower the other and they would not then be equal.
They would both be under another third entity who would do with them as He wished. That one, then is the true deity and they are nothing but His slaves and His creation.
Thus, the organization of this creation, its perfect harmony, etc. is the ultimate proof of the single Lord who alone creates and who alone commands in His creation.
So, although the pagans of Makka acknowledged the Lordship of Allah Most High, as do most of humanity, their understanding was deficient and not like the understanding brought by the messengers of Allah, peace be upon them. If they had truly understood the Lordship of Allah, it would have guided them to accepting the deityship of Allah and to worshipping him alone and with no partners.
Tauhid Ar-Ruboobiya is the Door to Tauhid Al-Uloohiya
In other words: The understanding of the Lordship of Allah, i.e., His being ALONE the possessor of creation and command, is the door to understanding what is upon us regarding the deityship of Allah, i.e., His being ALONE the one deserving of our worship, obedience and his being ALONE the one to legislate the haram (forbidden) and the halal (allowed) and to prescribe the laws and principles which govern righteous living in this life.
Most of the Qur’an is filled with discussions of Tauhid. If you look carefully at these verses, you will find that Allah did not seek to establish his uniqueness as Lord as such since this was widely accepted by humanity and by the pagan Arabs first being addressed with the Qur’an. Rather, Allah consistently cites His Lordship in order to guide us to His deityship. Allah said:
{O people, remember the favors of Allah upon you! Is there any creator besides Allah who provides your sustenance from the heavens and from the earth? There is no deity except Him! How, then are you misled?}
Fatir: 3
{Allah is the one who made the earth a residence for you and made the sky a structure. He formed you and made you beautiful. He provided for you every clean them. That is Allah your Lord. Blessed is Allah, Lord of the worlds. He is the Living. There is no deity by Him, so call to Him sincere in your worship of Him. Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds.}
Ghaafir: 64-65
{Who, then, created the heavens and the earth and sent down to you from the heavens water and caused to grow with it beautiful gardens. You had no way to make its plants grow. Another deity along with Allah?! Rather, they are such an unjust people. Who, then, made the earth a residence for you and placed rivers thereon and put in it anchors and placed a barrier between the two kinds of water? Another deity along with Allah?! Rather, most of them do not know. Who, then, answers the desparate one when he calls out to Him and removes hardship and makes you successors in the earth? Another deity along with Allah?! How little you remember. Who, then, guides you in the darkness of the land and sea and who sends the winds are harbingers before the coming of His mercy? Another deity along with Allah?! Exalted is Allah above what they associate with Him. Who, then, begins the creation and then repeats it? And who provides for you from the heavens and the earth? Another deity along with Allah?! Say: Bring your proof if you speak the truth!}
An-Naml: 60-64
Consistently, Allah uses the human awareness of the Creator as an argument or a proof to call people to accepting Allah as the sole DEITY and directing all forms of worship solely to Him.
{Say: Whose is the earth and all who are on it if you know. They will say: It is Allah’s. Say: Why then don’t you take heed? Say: Who is the lord of the seven heavens and the Lord of the mighty throne? They will say: It is Allah’s. Say: Why then don’t you beware? Say: In whose hand is the dominion over all things and he grants protection is not protected by anyone, if you know? They will say: It is Allah’s. Say: So how have you lost your sense?}
Al-Mu’minoon: 84-89
{Say: Who provides for you from the heavens and the earth and who controls hearing and seeing and who takes the living out of the dead and takes the dead out of the living and who controls this affair? The will say: Allah. So, say: Will you not then beware?}
Yunus: 31
You will also find that whenever Allah condemns the worship of idols and other besides Allah, He does so by reminding us of their lacking the attributes of Lordship. This is important because the idol-worshippers did not attribute to them attributes of Lordship. They knew these issues belonged only to Allah. Rather, they directed some acts of worship to the idols as intermediaries between themselves and Allah. By reminding them that these intermediaries possess neither harm or benefit, Allah directed them (and us) to seek our needs directly from the One capable of delivering and He absolutely rejected any intercessors or intermediaries between Himself and His slaves.
{And those to whom they call besides Allah do not create and they themselves are created. Dead and not alive and they have no idea when they will be resurrected. Your deity is a single deity. Those who have no belief in the hereafter have hearts which reject and they are arrogant.}
An-Nahl: 20-22
{That which you worship besides Allah is nothing but idols and you have created a forgery. Those who you worship besides Allah cannot grant you sustenance, so seek your sustenance from Allah and worship Him and direct your gratitude to Him. Unto Him is your return.}
Al-‘Ankaboot: 17
Summary
Tauhid Ar-Ruboobiya is the uniqueness of Allah as pertains to His actions and that he alone possess creation, command and providing sustenance.
Belief in this alone is not sufficient to be free from shirk.
Belief in this area of tauhid is the door way to tauhid al-Uloohiya. This latter is that which brings success and freedom from shirk. It is the fruit. Understanding Tauhid Ar-Ruboobiya is the prerequisite or the means to it.
All the verses which reprimand the disbelievers for their shirk, use the Lordship of Allah (well known) as the proof for the sole deityship of Allah (in dispute).
Review Questions
Tauhid Arr-Ruboobiya is:
Acknowledging the existence of Allah
Acknowledging Allah’s attributes of creation and command even if others have some participation in them.
Affirming the oneness and uniqueness of Allah with regard to His actions and believing the He alone possess creation, command and sustenance.
Directing all worship to Allah to to Allah alone and asserting one’s innocence of all who are worshipped besides Allah.
Is the assertion of the Lordship of Allah sufficient to achieve innocence from shirk? Explain with evidence.
Is it possible to believe in the Deityship of Allah without accepting the Lordship of Allah? Why?
The verses which Allah directed to the idol-worshippers:
Stressed the existence of Allah, something which the pagans rejected.
Stressed that Allah alone creates, controls and grants sustenance because they used to attribute some of that to others besides Allah.
Stessed the Lordship of Allah with all of its characteristics in order to build on this foundation the call to the deityship of Allah since the first one was a point of agreement and the disagreement was in the second.
Stressed the many and detailed rulings of the Shari’a.