Belief In Allah (swt)
Chapter 1
Introduction
1. Belief in Allah is human nature (fitra)
2. Disbelief is a form of stupidity and a perversion of nature
3. Why this study is the most noble and the most important knowledge
4. The way to belief in Allah (swt)
5. Benefits of belief in Allah
Belief in Allah is human nature
Allah created us with an inclination to believe in Him. He took us all from the back of Adam and had us bear witness to His Lordship (Al-Ahzaab: 172-173). He sent messengers to remind us of this and call us back to our innate nature (Ar-Rum: 30). The Prophet (sas) said: "Everyone is born on the fitra, but their parents turn them into Jews or Christians or Magians. Just as the animal is born whole – do you see on it any injuries or missing parts?" After reporting this, Abu Huraira said: Read, if you are so inclined: {The Fitra (nature) with which Allah created the people – there is no changing the creation of Allah}
The Prophet (sas) said: "My Lord ordered me to teach you that of which you are ignorant… I created all of my slaves upright (monotheist) but the shayateen came to them and pulled them away from their din and ordered them to associate with me that for which I sent down no authority."
Disbelief is a form of stupidity and a perversion of nature
Since belief is our nature, disbelief is an unnatural state and contrary to our nature. This negates the belief that original or ‘primitive’ man was a pagan worshipper of idols. Rather, the atheists are the most primitive of peoples who actually follow their lusts and desires while believing they are following intelligence and reason. Belief in the oneness of Allah is not something concocted by people – it is our nature and is confirmed by the revelations to all of the prophets.
Why this study is the most noble and the most important knowledge
The nobility of any study derives from the nobility of its subject matter. The subject at hand deals with the knowledge of Allah, His Oneness and dedicating all forms off worship solely to Him.
There can be no more important field of study, since the fruit of understanding tauhid is a good life in this world and the success of eternal joy in the hereafter.
{Whoever works righteousness whether male or female while they are believers, we will give them a good life and will grand them their reward based on the best of that which they used to do.} An-Nahl: 97
{When guidance comes to you from me, whoever follows my guidance will not go astray nor sufer hardship. Whoever turns away from my guidance will have an oppressive life and we will gather him on Qiyama blind. He will say: My Lord why have you brought me back blind though I used to see? He said: Likewise my signs came to you and you were neglectful of them and in like manner today you are neglected.} Taha: 123
The way to belief in Allah (swt)
The disbelievers of all times disputed with guidance by demanding:
6. To see Allah directly
See: Ghaafir: 36-37; Al-Baqarah: 55; An-Nisaa: 1537. To hear Him speak to them directly
See: Al-Baqarah: 118
In this verse, Allah mentions that their statement resembles that of others before them and that {…their hearts are similar…} indicating that the disbelievers in all ages come with the same lame reasoning. Then, Allah said {…We have made the signs clear to a people who have certainty…} indicating that the road to belief in Allah is to ponder the signs of Allah which will fill the heart with certainty of belief in Him.8. That Allah grant their special wish or show them the sign they demand
See: Al-Israa’: 90-92
Benefits of belief in Allah
Allah has promised that the results of belief in Him include: a good life in this world (An-Nahl: 97), guidance (Al-Hajj: 54), might and pride (Al-Munafiqoon: 8), power in the earth (An-Nur: 55), salvation (Yunus: 102), Allah’s allegiance to us and
His defense of us and aid with His Might against our enemies (Al-Hajj: 38, Ar-Rum: 47), and that our enemy will never be able to overcome us and violate our dignity (An-Nisaa: 141).
As for the hereafter, the rewards promised are much greater. See: Yunus: 9-10, Al-Kahf: 107-108
The obvious absence of these benefits from our nation today can only be the result of our straying from the true belief in Allah (swt). Our success in this life and the hereafter can only come from our understanding and application of this knowledge. Knowledge required for belief in Allah includes:
9. Belief that Allah exists
10. Belief in the Lordship (omnipotence) of Allah and Allah alone
11. Belief in the Deityship (right to legislate and be obeyed) of Allah and Allah alone
12. Belief in the names and attributes of Allah as conveyed in the Communication
These issues will be the subject matter of the coming chapters, insha Allah ta’ala.
Tauhid
Introduction
The word tauhid means to make or to conceive as or hold to be one. Tauhid of Allah means both the oneness and the uniqueness of Allah Most High. Stated briefly, tauhid means attributing/ascribing/dedicating all attributes, beliefs and forms of worship to Allah and allowing none of these to be toward other than Allah, Most High.
In this way, tauhid combines the two fundamentals of rejection and assertion. When we say laa ilaha (there is no deity…), we reject all aspects of deity from all others except Allah Most High. Thus, Allah shares His attributes with no one, he alone creates and commands and He alone defines how He is to be worshipped and legislates the laws which govern our lives. When we say illa Allah (…except Allah), we affirm all of the things just mentioned to Allah Most High.
For ease of understanding, the study of Tauhid is divided into three areas:
Tauhid Ar-Ruboobiya. The exclusive uniqueness of Allah as omnipotent Lord. The one and the only one fully capable and in command in His creation. Stated another way: this form of tauhid pertains to the actions of Allah Most High.
Tauhid Al-Uloohiya. The exclusiveness uniqueness of Allah as deity. Allah is the only valid object of worship and no portion of any form of worship may be directed to other than Allah. Stated another way: this form of tauhid pertains to our actions.
Tauhid Al-Asmaa’ wa As-Sifaat. The exclusiveness uniqueness of Allah with regard to His names and attributes as He told us in the Qur’an or commanded his Prophet (sas) to tell us in the hadith. Stated another way: this form of tahuid pertains to complete acceptance of Allah’a attributes and names as they have been given to us.
These three categories are not from the revelation (Qur’an and Sunnah) as such. They were developed by the early scholars of this Ummah for ease of study and understanding. They carry weight because of the specific evidence from the Qur’an and the Sunnah for each point, not in and of themselves. In fact, this is not the only possible categorization and two other ‘types’ of tauhid are sometimes mentioned:
Tauhid Al-Ittibaa. The exclusiveness of following. Allah, the One has ordered us to take the Prophet (sas) as our guide and our example. Thus to give any other priority in following over the Prophet (sas) is to go against Allah and to divide our belief.
Tauhid Al-Haakimiya. The exclusiveness of Allah in legislation. Since Allah is the Supreme Lawgiver, part of our worship of Allah is to always accept His legislation on all matters and never to give the legislation of any other precedence over the legislation of Allah. Since Allah is our deity, there is no conceptual difference between turning away from bowing to Allah and bowing to others and turning away from Allah’s perfect laws and implementing the laws of others instead.
Once you understand how the two principles of rejection and assertion apply to the three (or four, or five) categories of Tauhid just described, you have a basic understanding of the framework of this field of knowledge into which to place specifics of its study.
First: Tauhid At-Ruboobiya
(The Oneness of Allah as Omnipotent Lord)
This is the oneness and uniqueness of Allah with regard to His actions. We believe that Allah alone can create and He is omnipotent and in full control of all things. He alone creates life and brings death. He alone provides our sustenance and sends us messengers. Allah said about His creating:
{Allah is the creator of all things and He is in charge over all things.}
Az-Zumar: 62
Allah mentioned his ‘order’, that He alone is in control and in command of all things in two verses (Aal-Imraan: 152-154). The specific mention is in the following sentense in verse 154:
{…they say is there anything for us in this affair? Say: the command belongs entirely to Allah…}
In another verse, Allah combines the two concepts:
{…Verily, His is the creation and the
command. Blessed is Allah, Lord of the worlds.}
Al-A’raaf: 54
The meaning is that everything is created except for Allah and His attributes and that everything is under His command. Nothing happens except by His command, nothing can impede His command and nothing happens which was not commanded by Allah. Allah is the sovereign and has no partner or companion in His dominion.
When Pharaoh, who claimed himself to be lord but actually knew better in his heart, challenged Musa and Harun as to the identity of the lord they claimed, Musa answered:
{He said: "Our Lord is the one who gave all things their form and then directed them.}
Taha: 50
Complete understanding of Tauhid Ar-Ruboobiya is not sufficient to avoid Shirk.
Actually, it is rare in human history that any group advocated the rejection of this kind of tauhid. It is mainly cited as something obvious and used as evidence for the other aspects of tauhid. It is the nature of mankind to know and except his creator. Read Sura Ibrahim, verses 8 and 9 for a description of the call of all of the messengers and the behavior of most of the people in the face of it. At the beginning of verse 9, Allah quotes them as saying:
{Their messengers said: "Is there any doubt about Allah, the creator of the heavens and the earth?!"}
Even Pharaoh who, like Farakhan after him, claimed that Allah was a man walking on the earth (himself), knew in his heart that his Creator was the One and Only Allah Most High. Allah quotes Musa as saying to him:
{He said: "You know that these signs have only been sent by the Lord of the heavens and the earth…"}
Al-Israa: 102
Also, Allah said about Pharaoh and his people:
{They opposed it, though they were certain of its truth, out of oppression and arrogance.}
An-Naml: 14
Even the pagans of Makka, to whom the Qur’an was first sent, accepted the Lordship of Allah Most High and understood Tauhid Ar-Ruboobiya. After mentioning some of the disputes of these people with the Prophet (sas), Allah says about them:
{And if you were to ask them who created the heavens and the earth and put the sun and the moon in submission, they will say: "Allah." So how, then, are they misled?}
Al-Ankaboot: 63
After several verses talking about the realities which all who disbelieve in Allah will face on Qiyama, Allah says to them:
{Say: Who provides your sustenance from the heavens and from the earth and who owns hearing and sight and who brings the living from the dead and the dead from the living and who arranges all affairs? They will surely say: "Allah." Why, then, don’t you beware?}
Yunus: 31
Tauhid Al-Uloohiya
(Continued)
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This is the most important area of tauhid and it could even be said that it is is tauhid. Here are some of the proofs of that:
It is the message of all
of the prophets (may peace be upon them all). Allah said:
{We have not send before
you any messenger but that we communicate to them that
there is no deity except Me, so worship Me.} Al-Anbiyaa: 25
{We have commissioned a messenger
in every nation that: "Worship Allah and get away
from all those worshipped other than Him."} An-Nahl: 37
{And remember the
brother of [the people of] 'Aad when he warned his people
by the hills - and many other warnings have gone by both
before and after him - that: "You must not worship
any but Allah."} Al-Ahqaaf:
21
{Say: O people of the
book let us come to a fair word between us: that we not
worship any but Allah and that we associate none with Him
and that we do not take one another as lords other than
Allah. If they turn away, the say: "We bear witness
that we are Muslim."} Aal
'Imraan: 64
And, the Prophet (sas) said: "The
prophets are brothers. The lineage of their mothers is
different, but their din
is one."
Thus, we see that all
religion is one and it is the religion of tauhid.
Religions in the sense of rulings, laws and other
specifics have been different. Furthermore, these
messages superceded and abrogated each other if they came
to the same people and the message of Muhammad (the first
and only message to come to all of mankind), superceded
all previous messages. Note that this last point only
pertains to the rulings and details of the law. There was
no difference in the tauhid (theology) taught by
the various messengers through the ages. The differences
we see today are the result of the corruption of the
original messages of the earlier messengers. Allah said:
{And we send down to you
the book with the truth - a confirmation of the books
which came before it and an authority over them. So judge
between them with what Allah sent down and do not follow
their inclinations away from the truth which has come to
you. For each of you we have made a law and a program.
And if Allah had wished, He would have made you a single
nation. Rather in order that He may test you in that
which you have been given. So compete in good deeds. Unto
Allah is your return altogether and He will inform you
about that in which you differ.} Al-Ma'idah: 48
It is the first
aspect of the din with which people are
addressed. It is a prerequisite required for all good
deeds. Just as prayer cannot be accepted without
ablution, likewise no good deed can be accepted unless
accompanied by tauhid of Allah Most High. Allah
said:
{It has been communicated
to you and to those who came before you that if you
associate any with Allah that your deeds will be
nullified and you will be among those in loss. Rather it
is Allah you must worship and be among the grateful.} Az-Zumar: 65-66
The Prophet (sas) said to Mu'adh ibn Jabal when he sent
him to Yemem: "O
Mu'adh, you will be coming to a people from those of the
book. Let the first thing you call them to be the worship
of Allah Mighty and Great. Once they understand that,
inform them that Allah has made obligatory upon them five
prayers in each day and night. Once they do that, inform
them that Allah has made obligatory upon them zakat.
It is taken from their wealthy and returned to their
poor. Once they obey you in that, take it from them and
beware of taking the best of their property." Muslim and Bukhari
It is the key to success
and safety in this life. With the acceptance of tauhid,
the covenant of Islam is established and blood and
property is protected from the Muslims except for any
provision in the law (such as treason, adultery or
murder).
The Prophet (sas) said: "I
have been ordered to fight the people until they say:
"There is no deity but Allah." So, whoever says
"There is no deity but Allah" has protected his
blood and his property from me except for its rights and
his account is up to Allah." Bukhari
It is the key to success
and safety in the life hereafter. One who knows the tauhid
of Allah in his/her heart will enter Allah's paradise,
even if they may be punished in hell-fire for a time if
their bad deeds outweigh their good deeds. One who
associates partners in worship with Allah will be in
hell-fire forever no matter what the quantity of their
good deeds and even if they pray and fast and believe
themselves to be Muslim. Allah said:
{Verily, Allah does not
forgive for any to be associated with Him and He forgives
anything less than that to whomever He wishes.} An-Nisaa: 48
The Prophet (sas) was asked: What are the inevitables? To
which he (sas) said: "Whoever
dies not associating anything with Allah enters paradise
and whoever dies associating anything with Allah enters
the fire."
It is the essence if Islam and that which distinguishes it from all other religions and philosophies. This is why a Muslim must repeat its assertion many times a day in the five prayers, in the adhaan in discourse and in remembrance of Allah.
All of Qur'an is really about this kind of tauhid, its implications, obligations and results and the result of straying from it. All of the Qur'an consists of:
Information about Allah and His Names, Attributes and Actions. This is the intellectual basis of tauhid.
Calls to the worship of Allah alone and to avoid any associating with Him in worship. This is the program of action of tauhid.
Orders and prohibitions and commands to obey Allah Most High. These are the implications and necessary results of the tauhid of Allah Most High.
Information about the bounties Allah has bestowed on the people of tauhid, including the blessings they receive in this world and the great rewards which await them in the hereafter. This is the result of the tauhid of Allah Most High.
Information about the people of shirk (the opposite of tauhid) and the examples Allah has made of them in this life as well as the punishment which awaits them in the hereafter. This is the result of straying from, deviating from or being ignorant of the ways of the tauhid of Allah Most Hig
Tauhid Al-Qasd wa At-Ta'alluh
The meaning of this type of tauhid is to make Allah our only object in all forms of worship and ritual. This means to turn to Allah and to Allah alone with all forms of worship whether spoken or acted (internally or externally). This includes love, glorification, hope, fear, reliance, supplication (du'a), seeking of aid, rituals of sacrifice, oaths, bowing, prostration, etc. Allah said:
{Say: Surely my prayer, my [rituals of] sacrifice, my living and my dying are for Allah Lord of the Worlds. He has no partner! With this I have been commanded and I am the first of those who submit (Muslims)} Al-An'aam: 162-163
Here Allah ordered his Messenger (sas) to announce to the world and to the mushrikeen of Makka, who used to turn to other than Allah with various forms of worship and to sacrifice in other than His name, the he (we) opposes them in this and that he (we) turn only to Allah with all of this. As we have pointed out earlier, these same mushrikeen 'believed in' Allah and knew his lordship and omnipotence. It was their directing various forms of worship to other than Allah - and NOT any rejection of Allah as Lord - which made them mushrikeen. And so this type of tauhid is the core of the message which Muhammad (sas) brought to his people and the world.
The main source of shirk among mankind has always been going to excess with regard to spiritual leaders and righteous people. For example, the very idols which the people of Makka had placed in the Ka'aba and to which they turned for advice (by casting straws and 'reading' the result) and for intercession with Allah had as their origin pious teachers from the people of Nuh. Allah said on their tongues and the tongues of all who follow their way:
{And we have sent down to you the book with the truth. So worship Allah devoting your din exclusively to Him. Surely, to Allah is the pure religion. But those who have taken beside Allah allies (awliyaa') [say:] We only worship them that they may bring us closer to Allah. Allah will judge between them regarding that in which they have differed. Surely, Allah does not guide one who is a liar and truly a disbeliever.} Az-Zumar: 3
Among these were the people of Nuh. Their idols were, in fact, images of righteous men from their earlier generations. Shaitaan kept after his friends among them for generations until they were actually worshipped and taken as intercessors with Allah Most High. These idols were later worshipped by the Arabs. When confronted with tauhid, the leaders of the people of Nuh said (as Allah reports):
{And they said: Do not abandon your gods. Do not abandon Waddan nor Suwaa'an nor Yaghootha, Ya'ooqa or Nasran} Nuh: 23
Imam Bukhari narrates in his Sahih that Ibn Abbas said: "The idols of the people of Nuh later spread among the Arabs. Wadd belonged to [the tribe of] Kalb from Domat Al-Jandal. Suwaa' belonged to Hudhail, Yaghooth belonged to Murad then later to Bani Ghutaif from Jarf in Saba'. Ya'ooq belonged to Hamadhan. Nasr belonged to Humair, the people of Dhi Al-Kalaa'. These were names of righteous people from the people of Nuh. When they died, Shaitaan inspired their people to place monuments where they used to sit [and teach]. They named these with their names, but they were not worshipped until that generation died out and the knowledge was corrupted - then they were worshipped."
For this reason, the Prophet (sas) forbid all forms of excess with regard to other humans - even himself - in many hadith. For example:
"Do not exaggerate with me (or exaggerate in praising me) as the Christians exaggerated with 'Isa the son of Maryam. I am nothing but a slave. So say: slave of Allah and His messenger." Muslim and Bukhari
"Beware of excess. It was nothing but excess in religion which destroyed those who came before you." An-Nasaa'i, Ibn Majah and Ahmad
Also in Sahih Al-Bukhari, once the Prophet (sas) was listening to some women chanting about the Martyrs of Badr when one of them said: "And among us is a prophet who knows what will be tomorrow." The Prophet (sas) said: "Stay away from this and say what you were saying before."
In our time, many of the devotees of the graves and others have gone astray in this area of tauhid. Many have taken their 'allies' (awliyaa') and righteous ones as partners who they love as one should only love Allah Most High. They turn to them with many forms of worship (which belongs rightfully only to Allah) such as supplication, seeking of aid, ritual sacrifice, oaths, etc. This deviation has spread like wildfire in this Ummah. Some have even been so beguiled by shaitaan that they call this worshipping of other than Allah 'sunnah' or the way of 'ahlus sunnah wa al jamaa' even though they have not one single shred of evidence from the pure Sunnah nor from the practice of the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) to support their polytheistic ways. The Prophet's (sas) warning about such reversals of reality in the din in a sahih hadith in which he mentioned a time where people will call wrong right and right wrong and when they are corrected and called to the pure sunnah, they will say: "This is an innovation!" (Hadhihi bid'a).
In spite of the magnitude of deviation in this time and in other times in the past, Allah has alway blessed this Ummah with Mujaddidum (renewers) in every age who call this nation back to the pure tauhid and the pure sunnah and practice of the Companions.
Do not consider the battle for tauhid in our age to be limited to establishing the proofs against grave worship and other forms of shirk in the area of ritual. It also includes opposing with sound evidence from the Qur'an and the Sunnah the 'modernists' and the 'secularists' who advocate turning away from the shari'a of Allah and ruling and judging by other than what Allah send down. All of these represent the threats to the pure tauhid of Allah Most High.
Among the types of worship which belong only to Allah are suplication (du'a), seeking of aid (istighaatha) and seeking of refuge (ists'aadha).
Supplication (du'a) can be divided into two types: supplication of asking and supplication of worship. Allah has used the word in theQur'an to mean the first type and to mean the second type and sometimes to mean both of them.
Supplication of Asking. This is asking for that which is beneficial or to be shielded from that which is harmful. Allah rejected in Qur'an the directing of this type of du'a to other than Him, since He alone possesses the right to cause harm or bring benefit. Allah said:
{And do not supplicate beside Allah that which cannot benefit you nor harm you. If you do so, then you are surely among the oppressors.} Yunus: 106
This type of du'a includes and is in fact du'a of worship at the same time because the asker has directed his need to Allah alone and supplicated his Lord in humility and this is one of the best forms of worship. For this reason, the Qur'an and the Sunnah have called this type of du'a 'worship' ('ibaada). Whoever denies that supplication for ones needs is worship has opposed the Qur'an, the Sunnah, the language and the understanding of the nation since its beginnings. The following are proofs of this point:
{And your Lord said: Supplicate to Me that I may respond to you. Surely, those who are too arrogant to engage in worship of me will enter hell-fire humiliated.} Ghaafir: 60
{And who is more astray than one who supplicates beside Allah those who do not respond to them until Qiyama and they are not conscious of their supplication and, when the people are gathered, they will be enemies to them and they will be in total rejection of their worship of them.} Al-Ahqaaf: 65
The Prophet (sas) said: "Du'a is worship." Abu Daud, At-Tirmidhi, Al-Haakim and others.
Supplication of Worship. This is all forms of devotion including mentioning/remembrance, recitation, prayer, sacrifice, etc. These things have been called du'a either because they are similar in their bringing on the reward of Allah or because one who busies himself with these devotions rather than the first form of du'a may be given by Allah even more than those who ask Allah. Or it is because one who engages in any of these forms of worship is actually in a position of asking Allah - asking Him for reward and paradise. So the term du'a really includes both forms as explained here.
As we have seen, seeking a means to Allah by asking Him by means of a righteous person or prophet or through the high station of that righteous person or prophet is an innovation. As such, it is not lawful in Islam. Furthermore, it is something never practiced nor taught nor sanctioned or allowed by the Prophet (sas), his companions or the first two generations after them. There are three types of 'seeking of means' or tawassul which are lawful and legitimate in Islam as follows:
{To Allah belong the most beautiful names so call Him with them and leave those who deviate with regard to His names. They will be repaid that which they used to do.} Al-A'raaf: 180
'Deviation' with regard to Allah's names (al-ilhaad fiy asmaa' Allah) means to corrupt or change their meaning or the names themselves. This includes three forms:
This verse was revealed about one of the Companions who used to call to Allah saying "O Rahman, O Raheem". One of the mushrikeen said: "Does not Muhammad and his companions claim that they worship one lord? So what is with this one calling to two lords?"
Abu Huraira reports that the Prophet (sas) said: "Allah has 99 names - one hundred minus one. Whoever encompasses them, enters paradise. He is witr ('odd-numbered') and he loves things witr."
{...and put me in - by Your mercy - among your righteous slaves.} An-Naml: 19
This is part of a du'a by Sulaiman after witnessing the great favors of Allah upon him.
Among the du'a of the Prophet (sas), are the statements:
"O Living, O Omnipotent, by Your Mercy I seek aid."
"I seek refuge in your Compassion from Your just punishment. I seek refuge in Your pleasure from your displeasure. I seek refuge in You from You. Glorious is your face - I cannot encompass sufficient glorification of you. You are as You have glorified yourself."
{If only they - when they had wronged themselves - had come to you and asked Allah's forgiveness and the Messenger asked forgiveness for them, they would have found Allah quick to turn back [to those who turn back to Him], most Merciful.} An-Nisaa: 64
Some of the Companions asked the Prophet (sas) to ask Allah for rain when the rain was late in coming. The Prophet (sas) prayed the prayer (istisqaa') and Allah answered it and the rain came.
{O you who believe, beware of Allah and seek the means to Him and fight in His path that perhaps you may be successful.} Al-Ma'idah: 35
Also included in this area is seeking the way to Allah by love for the Prophet (sas) and following of his commands because this is a part of good deeds. In fact, love for Allah and His Messenger is the foundation of Islam upon which all other good deeds are built. Following the Prophet (sas) in all that he command and prohibited is the way to Allah's love and forgiveness. Allah said:
{Say: If you truly love Allah then follow me that Allah may love you and forgive for you your sins. Allah is most forgiving, most merciful.} Aal-'Imraan: 31
The meaning of isti'aadha is to seek refuge, shelter or protection from some evil or harm. Seeking refuge with Allah is an act of worship prescribed in Islam. After telling us of the power of repaying offense and attach with good deeds, Allah said:
{And if a bad impulse comes to you from shaitaan, seek refuge in Allah. He is surely they Hearer, the Knower.} Fusilat: 36
{And, when you recite Qur'an, seek refuge in Allah from the rejected shaitaan} An-Nahl: 98
{Say: I seek refuge with the Lord of the dawn from any evil which He created.} Al-Falaq: 1-2
To seek refuge in any other than Allah is shirk. This is based on the fact that any act which is worship when directed to Allah becomes shirk when it is redirected to other than Allah.
It is not lawful to seek refuge in other than Allah Most High. This is one of the proofs that the Words of Allah are attributes of Allah, part of Him and not a created thing. The proof of this is that the Prophet (sas) used to say: "I seek refuge in the perfect Words of Allah." Also, Allah said:
{And some men among the humans used to seek refuge in some men among the jinn and they increased them in fear.} Al-Jinn: 6
Seeking refuge with Allah is an act of worship which Allah has ordered us to practice in many verses in the Qur'an. Whoever redirects any of this to other than Allah has made a partner to Allah in his worship. The Arabs, when they camped in a valley for the night and felt afraid, used to say: "I seek refuge in the chief of this valley from the foolish among his people." Meaning that they sought the protection of the leader of the jinn of that place. The jinn were so flattered and pleased with being worshipped beside Allah did things to increase the fear of those humans so that they may continue and increase in their worship (seeking refuge) of them.
After completing this unit, you will be expected to understand the following:
The meaning of tauhid of obedience and following.
The difference between and isolated deviation from ruling by what Allah sent down and secularism.
Secularism negates the very foundation of Islam in several ways:
- shirk in the Lordship of Allah
Most High
- shirk in the Deityship of Allah Most High
- rebellion against the Prophethood of Muhammad (sas)
- rejection of iman (belief) generally
- holding ruling by other than what Allah send down to be
lawful
- it seeks to displace Islam as the foundation of life
- it is taghoot - that which Allah has commanded
us to worship Him by rejecting it and staying away from
it
Some fallacies and their refutation
Fatawa from some of the scholars about secularism in legislation.
It is to make Allah your only deity with your obedience and following. That is by implementing the shari'a of Allah and being in complete acceptance of that which was brought to us by the Prophet Muhammad (sas). It includes rejecting everything which is at odds with that such as human desires and inclinations as well as man-made philosophies, political parties, etc. Surely, the One who alone created mankind is the only one to rightfully guide them and whose commands to them are absolute and binding. There is nothing lawful but what Allah has made lawful, nothing forbidden but what Allah has made forbidden, nothing obligatory but what Allah has made obligatory and no din except that ordained by Allah Most High. Allah said:
{There is no sovereignty except Allah's. He commands you not to worship any but Him. That is the way which is straight but most of the people do not know.} Yusuf: 40
Allah here commands us to make Allah our only deity in sovereignty (al-hukm), judging, ruling and governing and informed us that that is part of making Allah our only deity in worship and that this is the way which is straight (ad-deen al-qayyim) of which many of the people are ignorant. There is no one - whoever they may be - who has any right to alter or oppose Allah's rulings or to associate others besides Allah in obedience. Allah said:
{Or do they have partners who have legislated for them in their din that for which Allah has given no permission? If it were not for the final word of judgement, their case would have been decided.} Ash-shooraa: 21
Here Allah condemns those who do not follow what Allah has legislated for us through His Prophet (sas) - the upright way of life - and who instead follow what their devils (shayateen) and false deities (taghoot) have designated as halal or haraam. This is what the mushrikeen of Makka had done long after Ibrahim: inventing laws for themselves for which Allah had sent no authority. Allah then mentions here that if it were not for the final judgement being set to happen on Qiyama, He would have finished them off here and now because of the heinous nature of their deeds. This verse clearly indicates that legislating - i.e., designating what is lawful and what is forbidden - without any authority from Allah and in that which is at odds with what Allah has legislated is to associate partners with Allah in worship (shirk).
This fact has been very basic in the understanding of the Muslims through the centuries. History has not recorded any significant difference of opinion in the fact that the right of legislation belong exclusively to Allah nor in the complete rejection and non-validity or any ruling, action or statement which is rejected by the sources of the shari'a. Muslim have understood that anyone who turns away from a clear ruling in the Message given to Muhammad (sas) and seeks a ruling from another source - even one of the preceding revelations of Allah - has rebelled against Allah and His Prophet (sas) and has removed the bond of Islam from himself by taking a partner with Allah in obedience and following.
In our times, the fitan which have afflicted this Ummah have obscured even this obvious truth. Many have people have entered into doubt and the Muslims have divided into two groups and differed. This makes it an important subject to be covered in detail, in hopes that correct understanding of Islam can be restored and differences can be ended.
There is no significant difference of opinion about the following: Whoever sticks to judging by the Shari'a generally and takes it as the final authority and reference in all issues, but fails to do so in a particular incident and judges by other than Allah's Shari'a in deference to personal desire, blood relations, etc., that such a one does not leave the fold of Islam by that act unless they hold it to be lawful for them to do that. That is act is regarded as a major sin - albeit one of the most major sins of all. This is the way in which we should understand statements of the earliest generations of scholars when they referred to those who fail to rule by what Allah sent down, the ones mentioned in Allah's statement:
{And whoever did not rule by what Allah sent down, these are the disbelievers.} Al-Ma'idah: 44
They said things like: "This is [a] kufr less than [the] kufr." or "...a kufr which does not remove one from Islam.", etc.
The confusion has come these days regarding those who refuse generally to rule by the Shari'a and take something else as the primary authority in criminal, legal, economic and other areas of law and who reject the primacy of the Shari'a in matters of law and state. This is a warmed-over version of what the Christian West calls "separation of church and state" and it entered the Muslim world with colonialism and neo-colonialism. Although this principle saved the West in some sense from the falsehood and opperssion of man-made "Christianity" run amuck, it has done nothing but destroy and degrade the Muslim nation. This is the subject of discussion here and we will start by pointing out the differences between this and the issues commented on by the salaf in the interpretation of the above verse.
In the first case the final authority belongs to the Shari'a. Nothing is regarded as lawful or unlawful except according to the Shari'a. When new issues arise, consultation is directed to the scholars of the Shari'a and rulings are sought in the Qur'an, the Sunnah, the Companions and the writings of the imams and scholars through the ages. When a ruler strays from this to some other consideration and rules with other than the dictates of the Shari'a, this is a partial deviation, not the rejection of the Shari'a or the replacing of it with something else. It does not affect the general overarching principles of law mentioned above. The general principle remains that the ruler is under and bound by the Shari'a. He will face Allah with his sin of deviating from the truth in a particular incident, but he has not destroyed the entire structure by this sin.
As for secularism, in this case the final authority belongs to other than Allah and the Shari'a. It may be described as the "public interest" or "the will of the people" or other names and it is not bound by the shari'a. It is based solely on desires and inclinations or reasoning without the light of revelation - all of which has been called hawaa in the Qur'an. When new or difficult issues arise, consultation is directed to those trained in French Law or German Law or International Law and to commentaries on the fundamental documents of these disciplines. Such states have rejected the primacy and the authority of the shari'a altogether in all matters of law and the state and removed its authority from all affairs of public and private life.
In the first case, the criterion for measuring the justice and validity of a ruling, decision or policy is searching for the intention and ruling of Allah from the textual sources. As for the second case, the criterion for measuring the correctness of such actions is one's opinion of the "public interest" and the degree to which it is in harmony with the spirit and letter of the textual sources of the man-made body of law. In this society, ruling by Allah sent down is not only the norm, it is a criminal offense. So, for example, if a judge ruled for a thief's hand to be cut off, he would have broken the man-made law and be subject to criminal prosecution.
There is a clear difference between these two cases: in the first case the ruling of Allah is regarded as the truth and the right while in the second one it is something rejected and a criminal offense. In fact, secularism is diametrically opposed to the most fundamental principles of Islam, as we will see in the coming sections, insha Allah.
The Arabic word 'almaaniya or 'ilmaaniya is a modern term, unknown in earlier times. It first appeared in a French-Arabic dictionary by Luis Bachter printed in 1828. Subsequently, it appeared in an Arabic dictionary Al-Mu'jam Al-Waseet published in Cairo. Originally, the word was 'almaaniya which is derived from the work 'alam or "world". It was described in the Al-Mu'jam in 1960 in this way i.e., a "worldly" perspective as opposed to a "religious" or "superstitious" way of looking at the world.. In the 1985 edition, the word has changed to 'ilmaaniya which makes it a reference not to the "world", but to 'ilm or "knowledge" - and by that they mean modern experimental science and the creeds and beliefs which go with it.
The latest form of this word (which relates to "knowledge") contains a large element of error and deception. It is incorrect as a translation because the original word "secularism" in English has nothing to do with knowledge. It simply means the separation between "religious" and "temporal" issues in all areas of life especially law and government. This would be called laadeeniya or dunyawiya in Arabic. It is also hightly deceptive since relating this concept to "knowledge" conceals its true meaning and makes it seem like something positive. Similarly, Iblis has encouraged us to confuse one another by naming evil things with good-sounding names such as calling riba (interest) fa'ida (benefit) or calling scantily-dressed dancing women fann (art), etc. If called by their origina names, Muslims would instinctively understand their nature, so they must be disguised in this way to make them easy to swallow.
The true meaning of secularism is the separation between Islam and the state and legal system or more accurately, the separation of Islam from real life and relegating it to ritual aspects of worship and viewing it as a personal relationship between and individual and his Creator. Islam is then viewed as a mere inheritance or anthopological curiosity or relic.
There is no lawful but what Allah has called lawful and no forbidden but what Allah as forbidden and no din except the one prescribed by Allah and His Messenger (sas). Whoever makes lawful something agreed upon its prohibition in the shari'a or vice-versa or changes the shari'a or refuses to submit to ruling by it and seeking rulings from it has exited from Islam in the concensus of the Muslims. In the coming sections, we will detail how secularism negates the fundamentals of Islam insha Allah.
As mentioned earlier, to Allah belongs the "creation" and the "order" and this is at the very heart of the Lordship of Allah Most High. Allah mentioned this, saying:
{Verily your Lord is Allah the One who created the heavens and earth in six days and then He was over the throne. He causes the night to cover the day - it seeks it out perpetually. The sun, the moon and the stars are under the control of His order. Verily, His is the creation and the order. Blessed is Allah, Lord of the worlds.} Al-A'raaf: 54
When Musa was confronted by Pharaoh's questions: "Who is the Lord of you two, O Musa?", he answered with these two attributes of Allah:
{Our Lord is the one who gave all things their creation (or form) and then directed them.} Taha: 50
Just as Ibrahim before him had described his Lord saying:
{The one who created me and He is the one who guides me.} Ash-Shu'araa: 78
And finally, Muhammad (sas) was commanded to exalt his Lord with the same two attributes:
{Exalt the name of your Lord Most High (1) The One who created and formed (2) And the One who apportioned and directed} Al-A'laa: 1-3
THE ORDER OF ALLAH HAS TWO MEANINGS:
First: Allah's Absolute Order in His Creation: This is the order with which Allah controls the affairs of his creation. It is the one referred to in the Qur'an where Allah says to a thing "Be." and it is. There is absolutely nothing which occurs outside of this order of Allah and nothing which can resist it. Allah said about this:
{Our order is nothing more than, whenever We decide something, that We say to it "Be." and it is.} Yasin: 72
{And our Order is nothing but one [instant], like the blink of an eye.} Al-Qamar: 50
Second: Allah's Order to His Creation in the Shari'a: This is the order of Allah which distinguishes the halaal from the haraam and defines the entire system of life which Allah has ordained for the believers. It is obeyed by some of Allah's creation and disobeyed by others. Allah said about this:
{And we made among them imams who guide with Our order as long as they were steadfast and had certain belief in our signs.} As-Sajdah: 24
History has rarely known anyone to question Allah's Oneness and Supremacy in creation and order as pertains to His creation - the first type above. On the other hand, human history is filled with examples of those who rejected the Oneness of Allah with regard to His order in His Shari'a - the second type above - and claimed partnership with Allah in lawmaking. Allah tells us in the Qur'an about the one who said "I will send down something just like what Allah has sent down." And some of the feeble attempts of Musailama Al-Kadhdhaab to "compose" Qur'an of his own have been preserved for our amusement. For example:
Alladheena yalbasoona thiyaabahum bin-nahaari wa yughassiloonahaa bil-lail ulaa'ika hum al-muttahharoon.
"Those who wear their clothes by day and wash them by night, these are those who purify themselves."
Allah also tells us of Pharaoh saying to his people:
{I only show you what I have seen and I only guide you to the path of guidance.} Ghaafir: 29
In our time, we have seen those who look to secularism and taken as their religion the separation of all affairs of law, legislation and the state from matter of "religion". Some of them have even gone so far as to claim that the man-made or democratic laws are superior to the Shari'a of Islam because they are "modern" and "civilized" while the shari'a to them is "backward" and from a "bedouin" time and culture.
The tauhid of Allah in His Lordship is not complete until one makes Allah One and Alone in His creation and in His Order with both of its meanings: His absolute order in his creation (His decree) and His commands to his creation (His shari'a). This requires the acceptance of Allah as the ultimate and final Legislator - the acceptance that there is no halaal except that which Allah has defined as such and no haraam except that which Allah has defined as such. Whoever calls the people (and/or himself) to the following and obedience of another law other than the shari'a is a disbeliever and a mushrik.
The scholars of Usool-ul-Fiqh have all agreed on the axiom that "None has the right to legislate but Allah." Don't be fooled by their discussion of whether the intellect can arrive independently at the ruling in an issue. What they are talking about is the intellect - through training and other knowledge of the shari'a and its sources and ways - DISCOVERING or "uncovering" the eternal ruling of Allah in an issue, NOT legislating independently of Allah Most High. Though there was some disagreement on the details of this discussion, they are all in agreement that the definition of a ruling in the shari'a is:
"A directive from Allah relating to the actions of the responsible beings as a request, a choice or a relational definition."
And, they divided shari'a rulings in to two types:
Rulings of Responsibility: where Allah addresses the responsible beings requesting or leaving choice. It comes in five categories: wajib (obligatory), haraam (forbidden), mustahabb (preferred), makrooh (disliked) and mubaah (neutral).
Relational Rulings: where Allah addresses the responsible beings defining relations in the law such as something being the cause of something else or a condition for it or something which blocks it.
Clearly secularism - which includes the rejection of the primacy of the shari'a as the ultimate source of law and which claims the right to leglislate independently of Allah general legislation which define obligation, prohibition, choice or relational rulings at odds with the order of Allah and His Prophet (sas) - is a rejection of the Lordship and the Deityship of Allah Most High. It is one of the actions of shirk akbar (greater polytheism) without doubt. There can be no distinction between the one who questions Allah's oneness in His creation and the one who questions Allah's oneness in His order. Both are taghoot, mushrik and in a state of rebellion against the worship of Allah Most High.
The "lordship" of the priests and rabbis of the Christians and Jews was of this type: they legislated contrary to Allah's shari'a, making the lawful forbidden and the forbidden lawful. The people followed them in this and it was described as "worship" of them. They never claimed "lordship" with regard to creation or decree, it was only with regard to guidance and the orders of the shari'a.
Adiyy ibn Haatim (a former Christian before his Islam) reports that he heard the Prophet (sas) read: {They took their scholars and monks as lords othher than Allah...} At-tauba: 31 He said to the Prophet (sas): We never used to worship them. The Prophet (sas) said: "Did they not forbid that which Allah allowed and you likewise forbid it and they allowed that which Allah forbade and you likewise allowed it? He said: Yes. The Prophet (sas) said: "That is your worship of them."
The tauhid of Allah in His Lordship is not complete with the mere acceptance of his creation and his decree. Rather, it must also include His oneness in legislating, judgeing and commanding and the acceptance of the guidance and laws brought from Him by Muhammad (sas). Detracting from Allah's oneness in legislation is no different from detracting from His oneness in creation and omnipotence. The One who commanded us to accept His decree and omnipotence in all things is the same one who commanded us to refer and defer to His shari'a in all legal matters. He is the One who said:
{There is no sovereignty except Allah's. He commands you not to worship any but Him.} Yusuf: 40
{Or do they have partners who have legislated for them in the din that for which Allah has given no permission?} Ash-Shooraa: 21