Tawheed in Worshipping and Intention

Tawheed in Worshipping and Intention (Tawheed Uluhiyya)

Tawheed in Worshipping and Intention (Tawheed Uluhiyya)

27- الله تعالى واحد أحد, لا شريك له في ربوبيته, وألوهيته, وأسمائه وصفاته, وهو رب العالمين المستحق وحده لجميع أنواع العبادة

28- صرف شيئ من أنواع العبادة كالدعاء والإستغاثة, والإستعانة, والنذر والذبح والتوكل والخوف والرجاء والحب ونحوها لغير الله تعالى شرك أيا كان المقصود بذلك ملكا مقربا أو نبيا مرسلا أو عبدا صالحا أو غيرهم.

29- من أصول العبادة أن الله تعالى يعبد بالحب والخوف والرجاء جميعا, وعبادته ببعضها دون بعض ضلال. قال بعض العلماء: من عبد الله بالحب وحده فهو زنديق, ومن عبده بالخوف وحده فهو حروري, ومن عبده بالرجاء وحده فهو مرجئ.

27. Allah is The One. He has no partner, in His Lordship, Worship, and Names and Attributes. He is The Lord of the universe. He is the Only One to intend to in doing every worshipping practices.

28. Worshipping, such as praying, seeking for help, seeking for aid, vowing, slaughtering, self reliance, fearing, hoping, loving, etc, if intended to other tan Allah The Exalted, are considered as committing shirk, although intended to an angel that is close to Him, a messenger that He sent, a pious man, and so on.

29. Among the main pillar of worship is worshipping Allah the Exalted with ultimate love, fear, and hope, altogether. Worshipping Allah with only part of those aspects is a form of astray. Some scholars said, “Whoever worships Allah merely with love, is a zindiq (a man who goes astray in his religion and deviates from the truth). Whoever worships Allah merely with fear, is a haruri [1], and whoever worships Allah merely with hope, is a murji’[2]. “ (See: “Mujmal Ushul Ahlissunah” by Dr. Nashir Al ‘Aql).

Explanation:

No. 27: Allah the Exalted is The One, He has no partner in His Lordship, that means He is The Only One Who creates, bestows sustenances, gives and takes out lives, and controls the whole universe. There are no Lord beside Him, and He is The Lord of The universe.

Likewise, He has no partner in uluhiyya (matter of worshipping), that means He is The Only One Who has right to be worshipped, and to Him all worshipping practices should be intended. Hence, if we prayed, we should prayed to Him only, and if we asked for something, we should ask Him only, if we relied ourselves, we should rely it on Him only, and so on.

Beside that, we must make Him The One regarding His names and Attributes, and that means we confirm names and attributes to Allah, according to what He has confirmed about Himself, or confirmed by His messenger. Also purify Him from all weaknesses and disgraces, as He and His messenger have done before.

These three kind of tawheed (in Lordship/rububiyya, uluhiyya, and names and attributes) should be recognized and trusted by everyone. It is not enough for one to believe in His lordship only, and deny the tawheed uluhiyya, even, that believe doesn’t yet include him as a believer. Thus, the polytheists during the lifetime of the Prophet -peace and prayer of Allah be upon him- acknowledged that Allah is The Sole Creator, The Bestower of their sustenances, yet that didn’t make them as believers, until they acknowledged and admitted that none has the right to be worshipped but Allah (confirmed the tawheed uluhiyya, or the testimony ‘laa ilaaha illallaah/none has the right to be worshipped but Allah). They were dubbed as “polytheists” because they worshipped other than Allah, although they acknowledged that Allah is The Creator, The Master, and Bestower of their sustenances. Allah the Holy and Exalted decreed, which can be translated as,

“If you were to ask them: “Who created them?” they will surely say: “Allah.” Whence are they, then, being led astray?” (QS. Az Zukhruf/The Gold Ornaments: 87)

The messengers were sent to enjoin people to worship Allah alone and abandon shirk. Allah the Exalted decreed, which can be translated as,

“We raised a Messenger in every community (to tell them): “Serve Allah and shun the Evil One.” (QS. An Nahl/The Bee: 36)

No. 28: Directing or intending a kind of worship to other than Allah is considered as shirk, and the Worst sin. For example, praying to other than Allah, seeking help from other than Allah, self reliance to other than Allah, slaughtering to other than Allah, etc, either for the angels, prophet, pious men, or other than them.

Details of kinds of worship

– There are several types of asking for help:

First, asking for help from Allah the Great and Almighty, and this is among the most excellent of righteous deeds, and the habit of the messengers and their followers.

Second, asking for help from the dead ones or the living who are not present at that time, and is unable to help. This is considered as shirk, since mostly one who does it believes that whom he asked for help has hidden power in this universe.

Third, asking for help from the living ones, who know and are able to help. This is permitted in shari’a.

Fourth, asking for help from the living, but the person will not be able to help without any belief that whom he asked for possesses any hidden power to help. For example, a near-drown man yelled for help to a paralyzed man; this is a vain attempt and a mock to that other man.

Seeking for aid has several forms:

First, seeking for aid from Allah, by (one) lowering himself perfectly, as a slave who ask a thing from his Lord, and trusting all his affairs in Him, with a belief that He is the Only One able to suffice him. Such form should not intended to other than Allah, and intending to other than Him is considered as major shirk.

Second, seeking for aid from creatures in affairs that they are able to do. If it is goodness, it is permitted for one who seeks it and advised for whom he seeks from. If it is evil doing, it is forbidden for both the seeker and the aid-giver.

Third, seeking for aid from the living and the person is present at that time, but he is unable to help, this is considered as vain attempt.

Fourth, seeking aid from the dead ones, or from those who live in unseen realm, of which they are unable to do. This is also a form of shirk.

Fifth, seeking aid by doing righteous deeds and conditions that Allah pleases of; this is advised to do in shari’a, based on Allah’s decree, which can be translated as, “Believers! Seek help in patience and in Prayer;” (QS. Al Baqarah/The Cow: 45, 153).

– Slaughtering also has several kinds, those are:

First, it is aimed to glorify one who becomes the reason of slaughtering, also as a form of obedience and to get near to him. Such form should be presented to Allah the Exalted alone, and giving it to other than Him is considered as major shirk.

Second, it is aimed to glorify guests or to be served in marriage feast, or other feast; such form is advised in shari’a, it may be compulsory, or voluntary.

Third, it is aimed to have fun by consuming the meat, or to sell it, such form is allowed.

-Self-reliance has several forms too:

First: self reliance or resignation to Allah the Exalted. this is compulsory, as faith will not be perfect without it.

Second, the sheer reliance, that is when one relied himself to the dead ones, in achieving benefits and preventing harms. This is considered as major shirk.

Third, self reliance to other in matters he could do, if it is done with heart dependency and strong sense of relying, it is a form of minor shirk. But if it is done by considering the person merely as a causal, and one who does it still rely himself to Allah, then it is allowed, if the causal is indeed has effects upon the success or failure of the affairs.

Fourth, self reliance to others in affairs that they could do, in terms of delegating work, such as the Messenger of Allah -peace and prayer of Allah be upon him- delegated the amil (people whose job is to collect the zakat from society, -ed) and the guards of zakat to guard it. Such practice is generally allowed (means basically permitted), based on the Qur’an, sunnah, and agreement of muslims.

– Raja’ (Hoping). Hoping that contains the feeling of self-lowering and obedience should never be intended to other than Allah the Great and Almighty. Giving it to other than him is shirk, it may be a minor shirk, or even major shirk, depending on the intention of one who hoped.

– Khauf (fear) has three forms:

First, the natural fear, for example one fears of the beast, of fire, or being drowned. One who feel it shouldn’t be humbled (See: chapter Al Qashash/The Stories:18), but if it drove him to leave his obligations or do the forbidden things, then it is forbidden too.

Second, fear in worshipping, that is when one feared, and he worshipped by his fear. Such form should never be intended but to Allah alone, and giving it to other than him is considered as major shirk.

Third, sheer fear. For example, one feared of the dweller of grave, and it is also included in shirk.

(The details above mainly refers to the explanation of The three foundation, by Sheikh Ibn Uthaymeen).

– Love. There are several kinds of love, such as:

First, love because of Allah. This will perfecting the tawheed.

Second, the natural love. That is a kind of love that doesn’t surpass the love to Allah. It is not invalidate one’s love to Allah; such as love for wife, children, and wealth.

Third, love that nullifies the love to Allah, such as (one) loving other than Allah just as he loves Allah, or even more, that is when one is faced with two love between love of Allah and love for other than Him, he put the love to other than Allah before Him.

For example, is one loved the pious man more than his love to Allah, for example when he was asked to vow with Allah’s name, he vowed with His name but he was dare to lie with that vow, but when the pious man’s name was mentioned, he wasn’t dare to lie with that. This is the kind of shirk in love, even worse it is added with vowing with other names than Allah.

No. 29: Worship needs three pillars: love, hope, and fear. Thus, love alone without any fear and obedience, just as one’s love to food and wealth, isn’t considered as a form of worship. Likewise the fear alone without love, such as one’s fear of the beast, is not considered as worship. But if in a deed there is a mingled between love and fear, that is a worship. And all worships are not intended, but to Allah alone.

Author: Marwan Ibn Musa
Article of www.whatisquran.com

References:

“Mujmal Ushul Ahlissunnah wal Jama’ah fil ‘Aqidah” by (Dr. Nashir Al ‘Aql)
“Syarah Ath Thahaawiyyah” by (Sheikh Shalih Al Fauzan)
“Syarh Tsalaatsatil Ushul” (Sheikh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen),
“Al Qaulul Mufiid” (Sheikh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen) etc.

[1] Haruri is one of the group from Khawarij, which stated that one committed major sin is an infidel and will be left eternally in Hell.

[2] Murji’ah is a group who believe that deed is not a part of faith, and that faith isn’t increasing nor decreasing, also that sins are not dangerous for faith.

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