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Frequently Asked Questions on Islaam and the Muslims- Part 5

Frequently Asked Questions on Islam and the Muslims:
Part 5
This is a series aimed at creating a thorough understanding of the essential teachings that
underlie Islam, mainly for non-Muslims, in a brief, yet concise manner.
Question 5. Although you have touched upon "Tawheed" (Monotheism)
somewhat already, can you give a more thorough explanation of it?
When we read the Qur'aan and the Prophet's explanation of it in his "Sunnah" (the way,
the model of conduct), we find that Allaah speaks of Himself and of the requirements of
Tawheed from three angles
a) Affirming and establishing that all the actions related to creating, owning,
regulating, sustaining, providing, and so on are unique to Him alone and not
shared by any of the creation.
b) Affirming what belongs to Him of Lofty Names and Praiseworthy Attributes,
and by all of that His knowledge, perfection, power, wisdom, and other
qualities and attributes are known.
c) Affirming that all forms of worship (whether actions of the heart, statements of
the tongue or actions of the limbs), internal and external are due to Him alone,
alongside the mentioning these forms of worship and cautioning from directing
them to others besides Him or alongside Him. Additionally, all acts of worship
must fulfil two conditions a) that they are sincere and b) that they are in
accordance with the Scripture.
However, the Qur'an also addresses the opposite of Tawheed, which is known as Shirk,
and this only perfects the understanding of Tawheed, and complements the knowledge of
what is required of it. Shirk, in the Qur'an, has also been addressed as follows:
a) It is to ascribe the qualities that are unique to Allaah, to other than Him. So for
example claiming someone has absolute power over life and death, or the rain,
or the clouds, or having independent knowledge of the unseen matters, or the
ability to forgive and pardon, or to heal and provide, and other such affairs.
Similarly, it is to ascribe the defective qualities of humans to Allaah. Hence, it is
to either reduce Allaah to the defective qualities of humans, or to raise humans
by ascribing them the unique qualities of Allaah.
b) To give the Names or attributes that are unique to Allaah, and befit Him alone,
to the creation, or vice versa, which is giving the names or attributes that only
befit the creation, to Allaah. It is important to note here that what is being
negated here is the reality behind the names and attributes, and not just the
mere name or attribute itself, since there are many names and attributes
common to Allaah and the creation, such as seeing, hearing, knowing, or such
as the one who forgives, or the one who is just, or the one who is kind and so
on. There is one reality of these names and attributes for Allaah, and yet
another one for the creation, and there is no likeness between them. Hence,
orthodox Muslims, affirm the Names and Attributes of Allaah, as they have
been reported in the Book and the Sunnah, without i) negating them, ii)
distorting their meanings iii) specifying a modality for them or iv) likening
them ­ in their reality and true nature - to those of the creation.
c) To direct any of the forms of worship (which includes actions of the heart,
statements of the tongue and actions of the limbs) to anyone besides or
alongside Allaah, such as absolute love, fear, hope, reliance, or seeking
forgiveness, or supplication, or ritual sacrifice, or prayer and other affairs of
worship and devotion. Examples of Shirk would include, relying upon
talismans, believing in fortune-tellers (i.e. that they have independent
knowledge of the Unseen), calling upon the Saints, knocking on wood for good
fortune ­ and many other things that have been documented in the Book and
the Sunnah and which are all based upon superstition and lies against Allaah.
Thus, Tawheed is in knowledge and action, and its antithesis, Shirk, too is in knowledge
and action, and it is for this reason that orthodox Muslims are always greatly concerned
with these affairs in all times and stages of their lives. This forms the very fabric and basis
of Islaam, and is the arena in which Muslims strive to educate themselves, so that they
proceed upon knowledge and understanding, in realising the actual purpose of their lives.
It is also important to mention here that there are Muslim factions, past and present, who
have deviated, from the point of view of both knowledge and action, in the arena of
Tawheed.
From the point of view of knowledge:
Then there are two extremes in the middle of which is the balance of Orthodox Muslims.
The first faction went to extreme in affirmation, and hence affirmed qualities and
attributes for Allaah believing that they are the same in essence as those of the humans,
and they are the Anthropomorphists (Mushabbihah). Thus, they only conceived of the
reality of the attributes in terms of the reality of human attributes. In reality, the Lord this
faction was worshipping was reduced to nothing but an idol.
The second faction went to an extreme in negation and denied altogether the attributes
and qualities that Allaah has affirmed for Himself, and their denial was in one of three
ways:
a) Complete denial (known as Ta'teel), and hence they stripped Allaah of any
attributes at all
b) Denial based upon interpolation or distortion of these attributes to other than their
intended meanings (known as Ta'weel and Tahreef) and
c) Negation of any meaning for these attributes and negation of having any
knowledge of them (known as tafweedh).
And the Lord this faction was worshipping was reduced to a non-existent, uncharacterised
Lord.
Orthodox Muslims are in between the two extremes and describe Allaah with what He
described himself and what His Messenger described Him with, and they negate from Him
whatever He and His Messenger negated from Him ­ this being the sound and correct
principle in knowing Allaah. Hence, they affirm for Him all of His Names and Attributes,
with their meanings, while negating any resemblance between them and those of the
creation, and without distorting and interpolating them and without enquiring into their
true realities. Everyone of Allaah's Names requires that we affirm either two or three
matters, depending upon whether the Name is transitive or non-transitive. Hence, the
Name "Al-Aleem" which means "All-Knowing", requires a) that we affirm this Name for
Allaah, that He has named Himself with it b) that we affirm for Allaah the attribute that it
indicates, i.e. "Ilm" (knowledge) and c) how this Name and the corresponding attribute
relates to the creation ­ and this is that Allaah's knowledge encompasses every single
think and is the knower of all things past and present, manifest and hidden. The Name "al-
Aleem" is an example of a transitive name. As for the non-transitive names, then they just
require two matters, so for example the Name, "al-Hayy" (Ever-Living), then this requires
that we a) affirm the name "al-Hayy" for Allaah and b) that we affirm for him the attribute
that it contains, which is perfect, ever-lasting life. And this manner we come to have a
detailed knowledge of Allaah ­ based upon what He himself has revealed about himself ­
in opposition to all the other religions, ways and calls, which are based upon ignorance
and false information concerning Allaah.
And from the point of view of action: Then they are those who direct the various
forms of worship to other than Allaah, such as wearing talismans, saint-worship,
supplicating to the dead, seeking intercession through intermediaries, showing absolute
and unconditioned love, fear, hope or reliance, or other than that from the actions of the
heart, to things besides or alongside Allaah and so on. All of this is considered Shirk. There
are two types of Shirk, that which expels from Islam and contradicts Tawheed, and that
which does not. The one that does not expel from Islam or contradict Tawheed absolutely,
is what is known as "riyaa" or showing off, doing actions for the sake of other than Allaah.
Question 6: Can you give some quotations of the Qur'aan to highlight what
you have just covered?
Yes, the Qur'an is replete with all of this, and likewise is the Sunnah (the Prophet's
statements and actions) and we will draw upon statements from the Sunnah later in this
series. As for the Qur'an, then by way of example only:
On Tawheed (Monotheism)
O mankind! Worship your Lord (Allâh), Who created you and those who were before
you so that you may become Al-Muttaqûn (the pious). Who has made the earth a
resting place for you, and the sky as a canopy, and sent down water (rain) from the sky
and brought forth therewith fruits as a provision for you. Then do not set up rivals
unto Allâh (in worship) while you know (that He Alone has the right to be
worshipped). Baqarah ­ 2:21-22
And your ilâh (God) is One ilâh (God - Allâh), Lâ ilâha illa Huwa (there is none who
has the right to be worshipped but He), the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful. Al-
Baqarah - 2:163
Or were you witnesses when death approached Ya'qûb (Jacob)? When he said unto his
sons, "What will you worship after me?" They said, "We shall worship your ilâh (God -
Allâh), the ilâh (God) of your fathers, Ibrâhim (Abraham), Ismâ'il (Ishmael), Ishâque
(Isaac), One ilâh (God), and to Him we submit (in Islâm)." Al-Baqarah - 2:133
And We did not send any Messenger before you (O Muhammad) but We inspired him
(saying): Lâ ilâha illa Ana [none has the right to be worshipped but I (Allâh)], so
worship Me (Alone and none else)." Al-Anbiya - 21:25
Say (O Muhammad (Peace be upon him)): "He is Allâh, (the) One. Allâh-us-Samad
(The Self-Sufficient Master, Whom all creatures need, He neither eats nor drinks). He
begets not, nor was He begotten; "And there is none co-equal or comparable unto
Him." Al-Ikhlaas 112
Lord of the heavens and the earth, and all that is between them, so worship Him
(Alone) and be constant and patient in His worship. Do you know of any who is similar
to Him? (of course none is similar or coequal or comparable to Him, and He has none
as partner with Him). [There is nothing like unto Him and He is the All-Hearer, the
All-Seer]. Maryam 19:65
And (all) the Most Beautiful Names belong to Allâh, so call on Him by them, and leave
the company of those who belie or deny (or utter impious speech against) His Names.
They will be requited for what they used to do. Al-A'raaf 7:180
On Shirk (Associating Partners with Allaah)
Surely, they have disbelieved who say: "Allâh is the Messiah [`Iesa (Jesus)], son of
Maryam (Mary)." But the Messiah [`Iesa (Jesus)] said: "O Children of Israel! Worship
Allâh, my Lord and your Lord." Verily, whosoever sets up partners in worship with
Allâh, then Allâh has forbidden Paradise for him, and the Fire will be his abode. And
for the Zâlimûn (polytheists and wrongdoers) there are no helpers. Al- Mai'dah -
5:72
Verily, Allâh forgives not that partners should be set up with him in worship, but He
forgives except that (anything else) to whom He pleases, and whoever sets up partners
with Allâh in worship, he has indeed invented a tremendous sin. An-Nisaa ­ 4:48
And (remember) when Luqmân said to his son when he was advising him: "O my son!
Join not in worship others with Allâh. Verily! Joining others in worship with Allâh is a
great Zûlm (wrong) indeed. Luqman ­ 31:13
And they worship besides Allâh things that hurt them not, nor profit them, and they
say: "These are our intercessors with Allâh." Say: "Do you inform Allâh of that which
He knows not in the heavens and on the earth?" Glorified and Exalted be He above all
that which they associate as partners with Him! Yunus 10:18
Surely, the religion (i.e. the worship and the obedience) is for Allâh only. And those
who take Auliyâ' (protectors and helpers) besides Him (say): "We worship them only
that they may bring us near to Allâh." Verily, Allâh will judge between them
concerning that wherein they differ. Truly, Allâh guides not him who is a liar, and a
disbeliever. Az-Zumar 39:3
Say (O Muhammad): "Call unto those besides Him whom you pretend [to be gods like
angels, Iesâ (Jesus), 'Uzair (Ezra), etc.]. They have neither the power to remove the
adversity from you nor even to shift it from you to another person." Those whom they
call upon [i.e. the Prophets and the Righteous] desire (for themselves) the means of
nearness to their Lord (Allâh), as to which of them should be the nearest and they
['Iesa (Jesus), 'Uzair (Ezra), angels, etc.] hope for His Mercy and fear His Torment.
Verily, the Torment of your Lord is something to be afraid of! Al-Israa 17:56-57
On some the forms of worship (by way of example only)
Invocation, Supplication: "And the mosques are for Allaah (Alone), so invoke not
anyone along with Allaah". Al-Jinn 72:18. And whoever invokes (or worships),
besides Allaah, any other ilaah (god), of whom he has no proof, then his reckoning is
only with his Lord. Al-Mu'minoon 23:117 And your Lord said: "Invoke Me, [i.e.
believe in My Oneness (Islaamic Monotheism)] (and ask Me for anything) I will
respond to your (invocation). Al-Ghafir 40:60

Love: And of mankind are some who take (for worship) others besides Allâh as rivals
(to Allâh). They love them as they love Allâh. But those who believe, love Allâh more
(than anything else). If only, those who do wrong could see, when they will see the
torment, that all power belongs to Allâh and that Allâh is Severe in punishment. Al-
Baqarah 2:165
Fear: So fear them not, but fear Me, if you are (true) believers. Aali Imraan 3:175

Hope: So whoever hopes for the Meeting with his Lord, let him work righteousness
and associate none as a partner in the worship of his Lord. Al-Kahf 18:110

Reliance, Trust: And put your trust in Allaah if you are believers indeed. Al-Ma'idah
5:23. And whosoever puts his trust in Allaah, then He will suffice him. At-Talaaq
65:3
Reverance, Homage: Verily, they used to hasten on to do good deeds, and they used to
call on Us with hope and fear, and used to humble themselves before Us. Al-Anbiya
21:90

Repentance: And turn in repentance and in obedience with true Faith (Islaamic
Monotheism) to your Lord and submit to Him, (in Islaam) az-Zumar 39:54
Seeking aid, assistance (i.e in those things that only Allaah has power over): You
(Alone) we worship, and You (Alone) we ask for help (for each and everything). Al-
Fatihah 1:5
Seeking refuge: Say: "I seek refuge with (Allaah) the Lord of mankind. An-Naas 114:1

Imploring assistance, succour: (Remember) when you sought help of your Lord and
He answered you. Al-Anfaal 8:9

Ritual Sacrifice: Say (O Muhammad): "Verily, my Salaat (prayer), my sacrifice, my
living, and my dying are for Allaah, the Lord of the `Aalameen (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'aam 6:162-163

Fulfilment of vows: They (are those who) fulfill (their) vows, and they fear a Day whose
evil will be wide-spreading. Ad-Dahr 76:7
As has already been mentioned, this is by way of example only, and one is encouraged to
read the Qur'an and its explanation to get further insight into this.
From SP