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Belief in Allah

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَـنِ الرَّحِيمِ

Belief in Allah

Imanu billah (Belief in Allah) is the first pillar of Iman (Faith) and is often referred to as Tawheed (the oneness of Allah). The scholars of Islam have expressed Tawheed as three branches to provide clarification.

1.  At-Tawheed Ar-Rububiyah (The Oneness of Allah in His Lordship)

2.  At-Tawheed Al-Uluhiyah (The Oneness of Allah in His Orders)

3.  At-Tawheed Al-Asma wal Sifat (The Oneness of Allah in His Names and Attributes)

Such divisions were based upon the divine evidences and can be found together in a single verse of the Qur’an. Allah (swt) says,

رَّبُّ السَّمَـوَتِ وَالاٌّرْضِ وَمَا بَيْنَهُمَا

فَاعْبُدْهُ وَاصْطَبِرْ لِعِبَادَتِه

هَلْ تَعْلَمُ لَهُ سَمِيّا

Lord of the heavens and the earth, and all that is between them,

So worship Him and abide patiently in His worship.

Do you know of any who is similar to Him? [EMQ 19:65]

When Allah (swt) says, “Lord of the Heavens and of the Earth, and all that is between them” and that is Tawheed Al-Rububiyah.

Then Allah (swt) says, “So worship Him (swt), and be constant and patient in His Worship” and here is Tawheed Al-Uluhiyah

And when Allah (swt) says, “Do you know anyone one is worthy of the same Name as He?” this is Tawheed Al-Asma wal Sifat.

At-Tawheed Ar-Rububiyah

This is the dedication of the actions of Allah (swt) like creating, commanding, sovereignty and others to Him (swt) exclusively. We take as part of our Aqeedah (belief) in Allah’s exclusive right of Creating and Commanding as He (swt) has said,

أَلاَ لَهُ الْخَلْقُ وَالأَمْرُ

“And to He (swt) is the Creating and the Command” [EMQ 7:54]

And we also take as our Aqeedah that to Allah (swt) alone belongs the sovereignty of all creation. Allah (swt) says,

وَلِلَّهِ مُلْكُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ

“And to Allah (swt) belongs the dominions of the Heavens and the Earth”

[EMQ 24:42]

This division of Tawheed, Al-Rububiyah, is accepted by even the Kuffar (disbelievers) as most of them believe that Allah (swt) is the only Creator, the only Provider, the one who governs all things and He (swt) does not have any assistance nor any equal His (swt) Kingdom. The Qur’an provides evidence that the Kuffar accept and believe in Tawheed Ar-Rububiyah as opposed to Tawheed Al-Uluhiyah, which they deny.

Tawheed Al-Uluhiyah

This is the dedication of the ritual acts of the believer to Allah (swt) alone.  Rtual acts such as Ad-Du’a (supplication), Al-Khawf (fear), Al-Mahabbah (love), At-Tawakkul (reliance) and other ritual actions. Allah (swt) has said,

يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ اعْبُدُواْ رَبَّكُمُ الَّذِي خَلَقَكُمْ وَالَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَتَّقُونَ

“O people! Worship your Lord, who created you and those who came before you, so that you may become God-fearing;” [EMQ 2:21]

At-Tawheed Al-Uluhiyah was the call of all the Prophets. Allah (swt) has said,

وَمَا أَرْسَلْنَا مِن قَبْلِكَ مِن رَّسُولٍ إِلاَّ نُوحِي إِلَيْهِ أنَّهُ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ أَنَاْ فَاعْبُدُونِ

“Not a messenger did We send before you except that we inspired him: that there is no god but I; therefore worship Me” [EMQ 21:25]

And Allah (swt) also said,

وَلَقَدْ بَعَثْنَا فِي كُلِّ أُمَّةٍ رَّسُولاً أَنِ اعْبُدُواْ اللّهَ وَاجْتَنِبُواْ الطَّاغُوتَ

“And We sent to each nation a Prophet (with the command), ‘Worship Allah (swt) and shun all Tawagheet (any idol, object or person that prevents men from doing good and leads them astray)’” [EMQ 16:36]

Types of RITUAL acts:

There are many actions which are refereed to as ibadaat (ritual acts) such as:

1.  Salah (prayer)

2.  Ruku (bowing)

3.  Sajood (prostration)

4.  Dua (supplication)

5.  Istighatha (appealing for help)

6.  Istiaza (seek refuge with Allah)

7.  Nadhr (divine vow)

8.  Zabih (slaughter)

9.  Tawaf (circumbulation)

10. Sai (running between Safa and Marwa)

11. Tawakkul (reliance)

12. Khawf (fear)

13. Mahabbah (love)

14. Ta’zeem (elevate)

15. Raja (wish)

16. Khashoua (ritual focus)

17. Ragba (reference)

18. Tahakum (arbitration)

19. Dawah (calling to Islam)

20. Amr bil Marouf (commanding good)

21. Nahi anil munkar (forbidding evil)

22. Zakah (alms tax)

23. Hajj (pilgrimage)

24. Fasting (fasting), Jihad, etc

These actions must only be directed and dedicated towards Allah (swt) alone.

If mankind seek their ‘lords and priest’ to permit what Allah (swt) has forbidden or to forbid what Allah (swt) has allowed those people who do such an action become the ‘Abidun Lil Taghout’ or the worshippers of those Taghout and those changing Allah’s (swt) law from the priests and lords are the Taghout. Allah (swt) says,

أَلَمْ تَرَ إِلَى الَّذِينَ يَزْعُمُونَ أَنَّهُمْ آمَنُواْ بِمَا أُنزِلَ إِلَيْكَ وَمَا أُنزِلَ مِن قَبْلِكَ يُرِيدُونَ أَن يَتَحَاكَمُواْ إِلَى الطَّاغُوتِ وَقَدْ أُمِرُواْ أَن يَكْفُرُواْ بِهِ وَيُرِيدُ الشَّيْطَانُ أَن يُضِلَّهُمْ ضَلاَلاً بَعِيدًا

“Have you not seen those who declare that they believe in the revelations that have come to you and to those before you? They wish to turn together for judgment (in their disputes) to the Taghout, though they were ordered to declare disbelief in them. But Satan’s wish is to lead them astray far away (from the right).” [EMQ 4:60]

اتَّخَذُواْ أَحْبَارَهُمْ وَرُهْبَانَهُمْ أَرْبَابًا مِّن دُونِ اللّهِ وَالْمَسِيحَ ابْنَ مَرْيَمَ وَمَا أُمِرُواْ إِلاَّ لِيَعْبُدُواْ إِلَـهًا وَاحِدًا لاَّ إِلَـهَ إِلاَّ هُوَ سُبْحَانَهُ عَمَّا يُشْرِكُونَ

“They took their Rabbis and their Monks to be their Lords and Legislators besides Allah (swt) and took the Messiah, the son of Mary, while they were commanded to worship, obey and follow none but one God/Allah; none has the right to be worshipped or followed and to legislate but he, praise and glory be to him from having the partners they associate with him.” [EMQ 9:31]

At-Tawheed al-Asma was Sifat

This is the dedication of the specific and special names and attribute to Allah (swt) alone, which He (swt) has given Himself.

Two matters are of utmost importance in this division:

Firstly: Confirmation of the Names and Attributes Allah (swt)

This is confirming and affirming the Names and Attributes of Allah (swt) contained within the Islamic texts of the Qur’an and the Sunnah, which Allah (swt) has confirmed upon Himself.

Secondly: Negation of making any Similitude

This is negating and rejecting any comparison between Allah (swt) and His creation in any of His Names and Attributes since Allah (swt) has said,

لَيْسَ كَمِثْلِهِ شَيْءٌ وَهُوَ السَّمِيعُ البَصِيرُ

“Nothing is like Him (swt) and He is the All-Seeing and the All-Hearing.” [EMQ 42:11]

The evidence for the two matters is contained in the above ayah when Allah (swt) says, ‘and He is the All-Seeing and the All-Hearing’ - this is confirmation of Allah’s (swt) Attributes of Seeing and Hearing. And Allah’s (swt) saying, ‘Nothing is like Him (swt)’ is evidence for negating any similitude between Allah (swt) and His (swt) creation as nothing is like Allah (swt) and Allah (swt) is unlike anything.

From islambase.tk