Some Important Rules and Basic Principles Regarding Names and Attributes
First Rule
Regarding the names and attributes of Allah Almighty, the texts found in the Book and Sunnah must be upheld according to their apparent meaning, and no kind of alteration or change should be dared. Changing the apparent meaning is equivalent to speaking about Allah Almighty without knowledge, which is religiously forbidden. Allah the Exalted says:
قُلْ إِنَّمَا حَرَّمَ رَبِّيَ الْفَوَاحِشَ مَا ظَهَرَ مِنْهَا وَمَا بَطَنَ وَالْإِثْمَ وَالْبَغْيَ بِغَيْرِ الْحَقِّ وَأَن تُشْرِكُوا بِاللَّهِ مَا لَمْ يُنَزِّلْ بِهِ سُلْطَانًا وَأَن تَقُولُوا عَلَى اللَّهِ مَا لَا تَعْلَمُونَ ﴿٣٣﴾
“Say, ‘My Lord has forbidden all immoralities, whether apparent or hidden, and sin and unjust rebellion, and that you associate with Allah that for which He has not sent down authority, and that you say about Allah that which you do not know.'”
For example, two hands are affirmed for Allah, the Lord of Glory.
Therefore, it is obligatory to affirm them for Allah Almighty. Now, if someone says that here “hands” means power, then he has diverted the speech of Allah Almighty from its apparent meaning, and doing so is daring to speak about Allah without knowledge, which is forbidden.
Second Rule
Under this rule, there are a few branches whose explanation will make the entire rule clear.
➊ All the names of Allah Almighty are extremely good and beloved, because all these names contain some attribute within them, and none of these attributes have any defect or flaw of any kind. Allah the Exalted says:
قُلِ ادْعُوا اللَّهَ أَوِ ادْعُوا الرَّحْمَٰنَ ۖ أَيًّا مَّا تَدْعُوا فَلَهُ الْأَسْمَاءُ الْحُسْنَىٰ
“Say, call upon Allah or call upon the Most Merciful. Whichever name you call, to Him belong the best names.”
In the mentioned noble verse, among the beloved names of Allah Almighty, “Ar-Rahman” has been mentioned, which consists of a very beloved attribute “vast mercy.”
➋ And the names of Allah Almighty are not confined to a specific number. The evidence for this is the statement of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, in which he used to supplicate:
أَسْأَلُكَ اللهُمَّ بِكُلِّ اسْمٍ هُوَ لَكَ، سَمَّيْتَ بِهِ نَفْسَكَ أَوْ أَنْزَلْتَهُ فِي كِتَابِكَ أَوْ عَلَّمْتَهُ أَحَدًا مِنْ خَلْقِكَ أَوِ اسْتَأْثَرُتَ بِهِ فِي عِلْمِ الْغَيْبِ.
“O Allah! I ask You by every name You have for Yourself, or revealed in Your Book, or taught to any of Your creation, or preserved in the treasure of the unseen.”
And remember that the names of Allah which are in His treasure of the unseen are impossible for us to enumerate or encompass.
Along with this, consider another statement of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, as narrated by Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah رضي الله عنه, who said that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
إِنَّ لِلَّهِ تِسْعَةً وَتِسْعِينَ اسْمًا مِائَةً إِلَّا وَاحِدًا، مَنْ أَحْصَاهَا دَخَلَ الْجَنَّةَ.
“Indeed, Allah Almighty has ninety-nine names, one less than one hundred; whoever enumerates them will enter Paradise.”
Benefit
The word “Ihsaa” mentioned in the hadith means to read, understand, memorize, and form belief accordingly.
Benefit
This narration does not contradict the mentioned hadith, as is evident from the apparent meaning, because the meaning of this hadith is that “Among all the names of Allah Almighty, only the ninety-nine (99) names that are memorized and counted will make one enter Paradise.”
It does not mean that the total names of Allah Almighty are only ninety-nine (99), and there are no other names besides these.
Benefit
Among the names of Allah Almighty, ninety-nine (99) names are mentioned which we find in the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of the Prophet ﷺ.
Complete Interjection
Ibrahim (peace be upon him), even after hearing the extremely harsh response from his disbelieving father, did not lose his composure and prayed for his safety, as if to say that although you are threatening to stone me, you will not harm me; I will pray to my Lord for your forgiveness. He is very merciful to me and will not disappoint me.
The commentators write that Ibrahim (peace be upon him) responded to evil with good, as Allah, the Almighty, described the qualities of the believers by stating one attribute: “And when the ignorant address them, they say [words of] peace.” (Meaning: I do not want to argue with you.)
وَإِذَا خَاطَبَهُمُ الْجَاهِلُونَ قَالُوا سَلَامًا
And when foolish people come to them, (the righteous servants of the Most Merciful) pass by with peace.
The commentators have also written that Ibrahim’s (peace be upon him) promise to his father that he would ask Allah for his forgiveness was based on the expectation that he would embrace Islam and not die in disbelief. Accordingly, he continued to seek forgiveness for him for a long time, even after migrating to Sham, building the Sacred Mosque, and the birth of Ishaq and Ismail, as stated in Surah Ibrahim, verse (41):
رَبَّنَا اغْفِرْلِي وَلِوَالِدَيَّ وَلِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ يَوْمَ يَقُومُ الحِسَابُ
“O our Lord! Forgive me and my parents and the believers the Day the account is established.”
But when it became certain to them that he was an enemy of Allah, they declared their disassociation from him, as the Almighty Allah says:
وَمَا كَانَ اسْتِغْفَارُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ لِأَبِيهِ إِلَّا عَن مَّوْعِدَةٍ وَعَدَهَا إِيَّاهُ فَلَمَّا تَبَيَّنَ لَهُ أَنَّهُ عَدُوٌّ لِّلَّهِ تَبَرَّأَ مِنْهُ ۚ إِنَّ إِبْرَاهِيمَ لَأَوَّاهٌ حَلِيمٌ ﴿١١٤﴾
“And Abraham’s invocation for forgiveness for his father was only because of a promise he had made to him. But when it became clear to him that he was an enemy to Allah, he disassociated himself from him. Indeed, Abraham was most tender-hearted and forbearing.”
Purpose of Arrival:
And it should also be remembered that some of Allah’s names are used in a compound form, such as “Malik-ul-Mulk” (Owner of the Kingdom), “Ahkam-ul-Hakimin” (The Most Judicious of Judges), and “Arham-ar-Rahimin” (The Most Merciful of the Merciful), etc.
➌ All the Beautiful Names of Allah are divinely sanctioned, whose affirmation is dependent on the evidence of the Quran and Hadith. Therefore, no addition or subtraction can be made to any name by one’s own intellect, nor can the intellect comprehend it. Hence, in this regard, only the revealed texts will be relied upon.
The command of Allah Almighty is:
وَلَا تَقْفُ مَا لَيْسَ لَكَ بِهِ عِلْمٌ
“And do not pursue that of which you have no knowledge.”
4. Some names of Allah Almighty are intransitive; believing in them is complete only when you affirm the following two things:
◈ Every name of Allah Almighty indicates His essence.
◈ And every name of Allah Almighty indicates the attribute that is inherent in that name.
And if the name is transitive, then believing in it will be complete when, along with the above two things, you also affirm this third thing:
◈ Due to the transitive nature of this name of Allah Almighty, it indicates its effect; for example, the attribute Ar-Rahman (The Most Merciful) means it is accepted that He shows mercy to whichever servant He wills.
Third Rule
It relates to the attributes of Allah Almighty; to fully understand it, it is necessary to comprehend some subsidiary points.
First Subsidiary Point:
All the attributes of Allah Almighty are perfect and praiseworthy; there is no defect or flaw in them, such as the attribute “Al-Hayat” (Life), “Al-Ilm” (Knowledge), “Al-Qudrah” (Power), “As-Sam'” (Hearing), “Al-Basar” (Sight), “Ar-Rahmah” (Mercy), “Al-Izzah” (Might), “Al-Hikmah” (Wisdom), “Al-Uluww” (Exaltation), and “Al-‘Azamah” (Greatness), etc.
Allah Almighty says:
وَلِلَّهِ الْمَثَلُ الْأَعْلَىٰ
“And the best and highest attribute is for Allah.”
And those who describe defects in the names and attributes of Allah have been condemned by Allah Almighty Himself in the Holy Quran.
وَقَالَتِ الْيَهُودُ يَدُ اللَّهِ مَغْلُولَةٌ ۚ غُلَّتْ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَلُعِنُوا بِمَا قَالُوا ۘ بَلْ يَدَاهُ مَبْسُوطَتَانِ يُنفِقُ كَيْفَ يَشَاءُ
“And the Jews say, ‘Allah’s hand is chained.’ Their hands are tied up and they are cursed for what they say. Rather, both His hands are open.”
Since the Being of Allah, the Lord of Glory, is perfect and complete, it is necessary that every attribute of His be perfect and complete. Therefore, any attribute that in any way indicates defect or flaw is impossible for Allah, such as the attributes “death,” “ignorance,” “forgetfulness,” “incapacity,” “blindness,” and “deafness,” etc.
Indeed, possessing any defective attribute contradicts His perfect Lordship.
Benefit:
And if an attribute is, in one respect, an attribute of perfection but in another respect an attribute of defect, then for Allah, it will neither be absolutely affirmed nor absolutely negated; rather, in such a case, the aspect of detail will be considered. Accordingly, the state of perfection of such attributes will be affirmed for Allah, and the state of defect will be impossible. Examples of such attributes are “deceit,” “scheming,” “trickery,” and “betrayal,” etc.
These and all such attributes will be considered attributes of perfection only when they are in the context of comparison, because in that case it means that the one possessing this attribute is not incapable of matching his enemy’s action. And when there is no context of comparison, then all these attributes are attributes of deficiency. Therefore, in the first case, these attributes are affirmed for Allah Almighty, and in the second case, they are not.
The following examples make the matter completely clear:
وَيَمْكُرُونَ وَيَمْكُرُ اللَّهُ ۖ وَاللَّهُ خَيْرُ الْمَاكِرِينَ
“And on the other hand, they were plotting, and on the other hand, Allah was planning, and Allah is the best of planners.”
إِنَّهُمْ يَكِيدُونَ كَيْدًا ﴿١٥﴾ وَأَكِيدُ كَيْدًا ﴿١٦﴾
“Indeed, they (the disbelievers) are in a game of chess, and I am also making a move.”
إِنَّ الْمُنَافِقِينَ يُخَادِعُونَ اللَّهَ وَهُوَ خَادِعُهُمْ
“Indeed, the hypocrites want to deceive Allah, but He will punish them with deception.”
قَالُوا إِنَّا مَعَكُمْ إِنَّمَا نَحْنُ مُسْتَهْزِئُونَ ﴿١٤﴾ اللَّهُ يَسْتَهْزِئُ بِهِمْ
“(The hypocrites) say, ‘We are with you,’ while they are only mocking the believers. Allah will punish them for their mockery.”
Therefore, if someone asks you whether Allah is characterized by the attributes “Al-Makr” (deception), “Al-Khida'” (trickery), and “Al-Kayd” (scheming), you should neither say “yes” nor “no” in response. Rather, say that Allah deals with such matters of deception, trickery, and scheming according to what is befitting His essence and as He deems appropriate for the person deserving of it.واللہ اعلم
And Allah has not used the attribute of “betrayal” for Himself even in comparison, because betrayal is the act of breaking trust, which is an absolutely condemnable trait.
وَإِن يُرِيدُوا خِيَانَتَكَ فَقَدْ خَانُوا اللَّهَ مِن قَبْلُ فَأَمْكَنَ مِنْهُمْ ۗ وَاللَّهُ عَلِيمٌ حَكِيمٌ ﴿٧١﴾
“And if they intend to betray you, then indeed they have already betrayed Allah before, and He had enabled the believers over them. And Allah is Knowing and Wise.”
Consider carefully: “They have betrayed Allah,” but in contrast, Allah, the Lord of Glory, has used these words; (فَأَمْكَنَ مِنْهُمُ) So He gave the believers power over them.
Second Branch:
The attributes of Allah Almighty are of two types:
➊ Affirmative
➋ Negative
◈ Affirmative Attributes:
These are the attributes that Allah Almighty has affirmed for Himself, such as the attribute of “Al-Hayat” (Life), “Al-Ilm” (Knowledge), “Al-Qudrah” (Power), “Istiwaa ‘ala al-Arsh” (Establishing Himself on the Throne), “Nuzul” (Descent), “Al-Wajh” (The Face), and “Al-Yadain” (The Hands), etc. Therefore, it is extremely necessary to affirm these attributes for Allah in a manner befitting His Majesty, and there are proofs for this from reason and revelation.
Rational Proof:
Because Allah Almighty knows His attributes best, and He Himself has affirmed these attributes for Himself.
Logical Argument:
The command of the Almighty Allah is:
يَاأَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا آمِنُوا بِاللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ وَالْكِتَابِ الَّذِي نَزَّلَ عَلَىٰ رَسُولِهِ وَالْكِتَابِ الَّذِي أَنزَلَ مِن قَبْلُ ۚ وَمَن يَكْفُرْ بِاللَّهِ وَمَلَائِكَتِهِ وَكُتُبِهِ وَرُسُلِهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ فَقَدْ ضَلَّ ضَلَالًا بَعِيدًا ﴿١٣٦﴾
“O you who have believed, strengthen your faith in Allah and His Messenger and the Book that He has revealed upon His Messenger, and the books which He revealed before. And whoever disbelieves in Allah, His angels, His books, His messengers, and the Last Day – then indeed, he has gone far astray.”
It is remembered that faith in Allah includes faith in His attributes, and similarly, faith in the Book includes faith in every attribute mentioned in the Book of Allah.
◈ Negative Attributes:
These are the attributes which Allah Almighty has negated from His essence. Denying these attributes to Allah and affirming their opposites to the Perfect Being of Allah is absolutely necessary, for example:
Allah Almighty’s command is:
وَتَوَكَّلْ عَلَى الْحَيِّ الَّذِي لَا يَمُوتُ
“And rely upon the Ever-Living who does not die.”
Now it is necessary to negate death from Allah Almighty, and along with that, it is also necessary to affirm and accept the attribute opposite to death, namely “life,” as a perfect attribute of Allah.
Third Branch:
There are two types of affirmative attributes:
➊ Essential
➋ Functional
◈ Essential Attributes:
These are the attributes of Allah Almighty by which He has always been and will always be characterized, such as the attribute of “hearing” and “seeing,” etc.
◈ Functional Attributes:
Functional attributes refer to those attributes whose occurrence depends on His will; He may perform the action or may not. For example, the attribute “establishing Himself on the Throne” and “coming” (al-majee’) are such attributes.
Benefit
But sometimes, an attribute of Allah Almighty is both essential and active, such as “Speech.” If this attribute is considered in terms of its essence, it is an essential attribute, because Allah Almighty has always been characterized by the attribute of speech and will always remain so. But in terms of uttering speech, this attribute is active, because Allah Almighty’s speaking depends on His will and intention; thus, He speaks whenever He wishes and whatever He intends.
Fourth Branch:
It is necessary to keep in mind three fundamental rules regarding these attributes.
That all attributes of Allah Almighty are real, because the rule is:
لأصلُ فِي الْكَلَامِ الْحَقِيقَةُ وَلَا يُعْدَلُ عَنْهُ إِلَّا بِدَلِيْلٍ يَقْتَضِی ذَلِكَ.
Speech will be attributed to the original reality, and without a compelling argument to deviate from this reality, deviation is not permissible.
It is not permissible to describe the modality (the manner) of any attribute of Allah Almighty.
Analogical Evidence:
The command of the Creator Almighty is:
وَلَا يُحِيطُونَ بِهِ عِلْمًا
And the knowledge of the people does not encompass Him.
Also, the command of Allah Almighty is:
فَلَا تَضْرِبُوا لِلَّهِ الْأَمْثَالَ إِنَّ اللهَ يَعْلَمُ وَأَنْتُمْ لَا تَعْلَمُونَ
“So do not set up equals to Allah while you know (what you do).”
Reason by intellect:
It is impossible for human intellect to comprehend the nature of Allah’s attributes. Allah’s attributes are not similar or identical to the attributes of creatures.
Textual evidence:
Allah says:
لَيْسَ كَمِثْلِهِ شَيْءٌ
“There is nothing like unto Him.”
Reason by intellect:
Allah Almighty deserves perfection that surpasses every perfection, therefore it is impossible for Him to be similar or identical to any creature, because creatures are defective in every respect.
Difference between metaphor and modality:
Metaphor means to describe the nature of an attribute by restricting it to its similar counterpart, for example, someone says that Allah’s hand is like a human hand.
Ta’keef means describing a quality without limiting it by comparison to its equivalent, for example, a person imagines a specific quality for the Hand of Allah Almighty without any simile or metaphor.
The ruling on Tamsil and Ta’keef:
Tamsil (anthropomorphism) and Ta’keef are false and impermissible.
Fourth Rule
The method of refuting the Mu’attila, etc.
The Mu’attila deny some of the names and attributes of Allah Almighty, and they distort and alter the apparent meanings of the texts regarding the attributes. They are also called Mu’awwala. The method of refuting them is that we say to them:
◈ Your statement is against the apparent texts.
◈ It is against the method of the Salaf.
◈ It is not supported by any authentic evidence from your creed.
For some attributes, the fourth reason or more reasons may be possible for their refutation.
Conditions of Tawheed:
“Shuroot” is the plural of “Shart,” which in Arabic language means “condition” or “stipulation.” إلزام الشئى وإلتزامه في البيع۔ etc., refers to a restriction imposed in transactions like sale, whose adherence is necessary.
In the light of Islamic jurisprudence, “Shart” means something upon which the occurrence of a ruling depends, and without which the ruling cannot come into existence. However, it is not necessary that when it exists, the ruling must necessarily come into effect, such as the condition of ablution for prayer.
If ablution is performed, the prayer will be valid, and if ablution is not performed, the prayer cannot be valid. But its existence does not necessarily mean that the prayer must be performed.
Similarly, if the conditions of Tawheed are not met, Tawheed itself will not be established. The conditions of Tawheed are seven (7):
1. Knowledge
2. Certainty
3. Sincerity
4. Truthfulness
5. Love
6. Following and obedience of the banner
7. Acceptance
Some scholars have compiled them into a couplet:
عِلْمٌ يَقِينٌ وَ إِخْلَاصٌ وَصِدُقُكَ مَعَ
مَحَبَّةٍ وَ إِنْقِيَادٍ وَ الْقُبُولُ لَهَا
In the following lines, we explain their details for complete benefit.
➊Knowledge
The greatest obstacle on the path of monotheism and accepting Islam is ignorance and lack of knowledge, therefore it is essential for any person to have knowledge of monotheism in order to accept Islam.
Allah Almighty says:
فَاعْلَم أَنَّهُ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللهُ
So, O my Prophet! Know that indeed there is no deity except Allah.
لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللهُ is a testimony and witness, and for a person who is giving testimony about something, it is extremely necessary that he is well aware of what he is testifying to. Thus, Abu al-Muzaffar Wazir says: لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللهُ requires that the one who declares it is well aware that none besides Allah is worthy of worship. As Allah Almighty has said:
فَاعْلَم أَنَّهُ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللهُ
So, O my Prophet! Know that indeed there is no deity except Allah.
Using this very noble verse as evidence, Imam Bukhari (may Allah have mercy on him) establishes a chapter in his Sahih book of knowledge. ” باب العلم قبل القول والعمل “ The chapter is on the statement that knowledge (its rank) precedes speech and action.
Furthermore, there is a hadith of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ:
مَنْ مَاتَ وَهُوَ يَعْلَمُ أَن لا إِلهَ إِلَّا اللهُ دَخَلَ الْجَنَّةَ .
“Whoever dies in a state knowing that there is no deity except Allah, then that person will enter Paradise.”
From the above noble verse and the Prophetic hadith ﷺ, it is understood that for every person, it is necessary to know the meaning of Tawheed and the matters that establish it.
And in Surah Ibrahim (verse: 52), people are commanded to acquire knowledge of the Oneness of Allah, because knowledge is a condition for Tawheed through which a person’s certainty becomes firm that Allah is One, and He has no partner. It is stated:
هَٰذَا بَلَاغٌ لِّلنَّاسِ وَلِيُنذَرُوا بِهِ وَلِيَعْلَمُوا أَنَّمَا هُوَ إِلَٰهٌ وَاحِدٌ وَلِيَذَّكَّرَ أُولُو الْأَلْبَابِ ﴿٥٢﴾
“This is the message of Allah to the people, so that they may be warned by it, and so that they may know that indeed Allah is One God, and so that the wise may take admonition.”
In this noble verse, Allah Almighty has said لِيَعْلَمُوا أَنَّمَا هُوَ إِلَهُ وَاحِدٌ, which means “so that they may acquire knowledge of the Oneness of Allah.” It is not said لِيَقُولُوا إِنَّمَا هُوَ إله واحِدٌ “so that they may acknowledge the Oneness of Allah.”
That is, it is not just acknowledgment, but having knowledge is necessary. Accordingly, the command of the Exalted Allah is:
وَلَا يَمْلِكُ الَّذِينَ يَدْعُونَ مِن دُونِهِ الشَّفَاعَةَ إِلَّا مَن شَهِدَ بِالْحَقِّ وَهُمْ يَعْلَمُونَ ﴿٨٦﴾
“And those false deities besides Allah whom these polytheists call upon will have no power of intercession, except those who testify to the truth knowingly.”
In this noble verse, (إِلَّا مَنْ شَهِدَ بِالْحَقِّ وَهُمْ يَعْلَمُونَ) means (إِلَّا مَنْ شَهِدَ أَن لَّا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَهُمْ يَعْلَمُونَ۔
“Yes! Those who have knowledge of monotheism and testify to it.”
These are some evidences from the Book and Sunnah which firmly establish that knowledge is a very essential condition for monotheism.
➋Certainty
After understanding the meanings of Tawheed, sincerely believing in it from the heart that “only Allah Almighty is worthy of all acts of worship” without any doubt is the second condition of Tawheed. Therefore, Allah Almighty has praised the believers who have made this claim of faith true in the following words:
إِنَّمَا الْمُؤْمِنُونَ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا بِاللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ ثُمَّ لَمْ يَرْتَابُوا وَجَاهَدُوا بِأَمْوَالِهِمْ وَأَنفُسِهِمْ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ ۚ أُولَٰئِكَ هُمُ الصَّادِقُونَ ﴿١٥﴾
“Indeed, the believers are those who believe in Allah and His Messenger, then they do not doubt, and strive with their wealth and their lives in the cause of Allah. Those are the truthful.”
Similarly, it is mentioned in a Hadith. Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah (RA) reports that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said:
أَشْهَدُ أن لا إلهَ إِلَّا اللهُ وَأَنِّي رَسُولُ اللهِ لَا يَلْقَى اللَّهَ بِهِمَا عَبْدُ غَيْرَ شَادٍ فِيهِمَا إِلَّا دَخَلَ الْجَنَّةَ.
“I bear witness that there is no deity except Allah, and I (Muhammad) am the Messenger of Allah, and whoever does not doubt these two testimonies will enter Paradise.”
And it is narrated from Sayyiduna Mu’adh رضي الله عنه that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
مَا مِنْ نَفْسٍ تَمُوتُ وَهِيَ تَشْهَدُ أن لا إله إلا الله وأنّي رَسُولُ اللهِ يَرْجِعُ ذَلِكَ إِلى قَلبِ مُوقِن إِلَّا غَفَرَ اللهُ لَهَا.
“Whoever dies in a state of testifying with certainty that there is no deity except Allah, and that I am the Messenger of Allah, then Allah (Exalted) will forgive his sins.”
These ahadith indicate that certainty (yaqeen) is a condition for Tawheed, and some Imams have even called it the essence of faith (iman). Thus, Hafiz Ibn Hajar رضي الله عنه narrated the statement of Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Mas’ud on
: الْيَقِينُ الْإِيْمَانُ كُلُّهُ “Certainty is the whole of faith.”
Sayyiduna Ibn Mas’ud means that certainty is the foundation of faith, to the extent that Sufyan al-Thawri رضي الله عنه used to say: “If certainty settles in the heart, a person’s desire for Paradise increases, and he begins to detest Hell.”
And on the contrary, “doubt” is a sign of hypocrisy, therefore Allah Almighty has said regarding the hypocrites:
إِنَّمَا يَسْتَأْذِنُكَ الَّذِينَ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ وَارْتَابَتْ قُلُوبُهُمْ فَهُمْ فِي رَيْبِهِمْ يَتَرَدَّدُونَ ﴿٤٥﴾
“Only those ask your permission who do not believe in Allah and the Last Day, and their hearts are in doubt, so they are in doubt about their own doubt.”
➌Sincerity
The third condition of Tawheed is sincerity. Sincerity means that worship should be purely for Allah, without any involvement of showing off, ostentation, display, or worldly motives; otherwise, the condition of sincerity will be nullified. Sheikh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
“The essence of Islam is the two testimonies (Shahadatain), so whoever seeks ostentation and display in worship has not truly believed in Tawheed.”
That is why Allah Almighty said:
إِنَّا أَنزَلْنَا إِلَيْكَ الْكِتَابَ بِالْحَقِّ فَاعْبُدِ اللَّهَ مُخْلِصًا لَّهُ الدِّينَ ﴿٢﴾ أَلَا لِلَّهِ الدِّينُ الْخَالِصُ ۚ وَالَّذِينَ اتَّخَذُوا مِن دُونِهِ أَوْلِيَاءَ مَا نَعْبُدُهُمْ إِلَّا لِيُقَرِّبُونَا إِلَى اللَّهِ زُلْفَىٰ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَحْكُمُ بَيْنَهُمْ فِي مَا هُمْ فِيهِ يَخْتَلِفُونَ ۗ إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يَهْدِي مَنْ هُوَ كَاذِبٌ كَفَّارٌ ﴿٣﴾
“O My Prophet! Indeed, We have sent down this Book to you with the truth, so worship Allah, being sincere to Him in religion. Indeed, the sincere devotion is for Allah alone. And those who take others besides Him as allies say, ‘We only worship them so that they may bring us nearer to Allah.’ Indeed, Allah will judge between them concerning that over which they differ on the Day of Resurrection. Indeed, Allah does not guide he who is a liar and [confirmed] disbeliever.”
At another place He said:
قُلِ اللَّهَ أَعْبُدُ مُخْلِصًا لَّهُ دِينِي ﴿١٤﴾
“O My Prophet! Say, ‘Indeed, I worship only Allah, sincere to Him in my religion.'”
And the command of Allah Almighty is:
وَمَا أُمِرُوا إِلَّا لِيَعْبُدُوا اللَّهَ مُخْلِصِينَ لَهُ الدِّينَ حُنَفَاءَ
“And they were not commanded except to worship Allah, [being] sincere to Him in religion, inclining to truth.”
Thus, the meaning of sincerity also includes that the declaration of لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللهُ should not be made for the sake of someone else or to please someone else. Accordingly, the beloved Prophet Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, said:
إِنَّ اللهَ حَرَّمَ عَلَى النَّاسِ مَنْ قَالَ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللهُ يَبْتَغِي بِذَلِكَ وَجُهَ اللَّهِ عَزَّوَجَلَّ .
“Indeed, Allah has forbidden Hellfire for the one who says لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللهُ seeking the pleasure of Allah Almighty.”
And it is narrated from Sayyiduna Mu’adh ibn Jabal رضي الله عنه that the Prophet ﷺ said:
مَنْ شَهِدَ أن لا إلهَ إِلَّا اللهُ مُخْلِصًا مِنْ قَلْبِهِ دَخَلَ الْجَنَّةَ.
“Whoever testifies لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللهُ with a sincere heart will enter Paradise.”
It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah رضي الله عنه that he asked, O Messenger of Allah ﷺ! On the Day of Resurrection, who will benefit the most from your intercession? The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said; O Abu Hurairah! I was certain that no one would ask me about this before you. Because I had seen your eagerness regarding Hadith.
أَسْعَدُ النَّاسِ بِشَفَاعَتِي يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ مَنْ قَالَ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللهُ خَالِصًا مِنْ قَلْبِهِ أو نَفْسِهِ.
“(Listen!) The person who will benefit the most from my intercession on the Day of Resurrection will be the one who sincerely and wholeheartedly لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللهُ says.”
Saying it from the heart means that one should avoid shirk, because whoever does not avoid shirk is not truly convinced of this kalima from the heart, even if he recites it with his tongue. Therefore, sincerity is a fundamental condition for Tawheed; without it, Tawheed is not accepted. In fact, no deed is accepted without sincerity. Amir Umar (RA) used to pray:
اَللَّهُمَّ اجْعَلْ عَمَلِى صَالِحًا، وَاجْعَلْهُ لَكَ خَالِصًا، وَلَا تَجْعَلُ لأحَدٍ فِيهِ شَيْئًا .
“O Allah! Make my deeds correct, and make them sincere for You alone, and do not make anyone else a part of them.”
Everyone knows that Allah has no partner; He alone is the Creator, the Provider, and the One who manages all affairs between the heavens and the earth. All these blessings demand that you do not associate others with Allah, who are creatures like you and do not own even an atom between the heavens and the earth.
The command of the Exalted Allah is:
يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ اعْبُدُوا رَبَّكُمُ الَّذِي خَلَقَكُمْ وَالَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَتَّقُونَ ﴿٢١﴾ الَّذِي جَعَلَ لَكُمُ الْأَرْضَ فِرَاشًا وَالسَّمَاءَ بِنَاءً وَأَنزَلَ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ مَاءً فَأَخْرَجَ بِهِ مِنَ الثَّمَرَاتِ رِزْقًا لَّكُمْ ۖ فَلَا تَجْعَلُوا لِلَّهِ أَندَادًا وَأَنتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ ﴿٢٢﴾
“O mankind! Worship your Lord, who created you and those before you, so that you may become righteous. He who made the earth a bed for you and the sky a canopy, and sent down water from the sky by which He brought forth various fruits as provision for you. So do not set up rivals to Allah while you know (that there is none comparable to Him).”
Thus, in the above-mentioned verses, three things are combined: the command for pure worship of Allah alone, the denial of worship of anyone besides Him, and the statement of the Oneness of Lordship—that there is no creator, provider, or manager except Allah. This is a clear proof that all humans are obligated to worship only this One Being.
➍Truthfulness
Truthfulness means that along with understanding, believing in, and developing sincerity in the concept of human monotheism, one should act with truthfulness and honesty in these matters. One should develop such truthfulness that is completely opposed to falsehood. Allah Almighty says:
وَالَّذِى جَاءَ بِالصِّدْقِ وَصَدَّقَ بِهِ أُوْلَئِكَ هُمُ الْمُتَّقُونَ
“And those who bring the truth and those who confirm it – those are the fearing of Allah.”
Sayyiduna Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him), explaining ’’الصدق“, says that this refers to the “Kalima of Tawheed.”
Therefore, the meaning of (وَصَدَّقَ بِهِ أُولَئِكَ هُمُ الْمُتَّقُونَ) will be that whoever, after understanding the meaning of the “Kalima Tawheed,” develops a sincerity that is free from falsehood and lies, is a pious person.
Similarly, many hadiths explicitly indicate the condition of sincerity in Tawheed. For example, the Prophet ﷺ said to Abu Musa Ash’ari رضي الله عنه with his people:
أَنَّ مَنْ شَهِدَ أن لا إلهَ إِلَّا اللهُ صَادِقًا بهَا دَخَلَ الْجَنَّةَ.
“Whoever sincerely testifies لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللهُ will enter Paradise.”
And the Prophet ﷺ said to Sayyiduna Mu’adh رضي الله عنه:
مَا مِنْ أَحَدٍ يَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللهُ وَأَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا رَّسُولَ الله صِدقًا مِنْ قَلْبِهِ إِلَّا حَرَّمَهُ اللَّهُ عَلَى النَّارِ۔
Whoever sincerely testifies that there is no deity except Allah and that Muhammad ﷺ is the true Messenger of Allah, Allah will forbid the fire of Hell for him.
But the person who only verbally acknowledges but denies the meaning of Tawheed in his heart is a hypocrite, as Allah Almighty has said:
إِذَا جَاءَكَ الْمُنَافِقُونَ قَالُوا نَشْهَدُ إِنَّكَ لَرَسُولُ اللَّهِ ۗ وَاللَّهُ يَعْلَمُ إِنَّكَ لَرَسُولُهُ وَاللَّهُ يَشْهَدُ إِنَّ الْمُنَافِقِينَ لَكَاذِبُونَ ﴿١﴾
O Prophet! When the hypocrites come to you, they say, “We bear witness that you are indeed the Messenger of Allah,” and Allah knows that you are indeed His Messenger, and Allah bears witness that the hypocrites are indeed liars.
In the mentioned noble verse, Allah Almighty addressed the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, saying: O my Prophet! When Abdullah bin Ubayy bin Salul and other hypocrites come to your gathering, they express with their tongues that they are Muslims and say to deceive you: “We testify that you are the Messenger of Allah.” Allah Almighty said: Allah knows that you are His Messenger, whether the hypocrites testify to it or not. And Allah testifies that the hypocrites are liars in their testimony because their inner selves are contrary to their outward appearance. Therefore, truthfulness in monotheism is a necessary matter.
➎Love
Among the conditions of monotheism, the fifth condition is love. In fact, the knowledge of monotheism and correct belief cannot be attained without love, because love indicates such sincerity that is contrary to polytheism. So, whoever loves Allah also loves His religion.
And the person who loves His religion and monotheism should express this love through their actions. Allah Almighty says:
وَمِنَ النَّاسِ مَن يَتَّخِذُ مِن دُونِ اللَّهِ أَندَادًا يُحِبُّونَهُمْ كَحُبِّ اللَّهِ ۖ وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا أَشَدُّ حُبًّا لِّلَّهِ ۗ وَلَوْ يَرَى الَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا إِذْ يَرَوْنَ الْعَذَابَ أَنَّ الْقُوَّةَ لِلَّهِ جَمِيعًا وَأَنَّ اللَّهَ شَدِيدُ الْعَذَابِ ﴿١٦٥﴾ إِذْ
“And there are some people who take others as partners with Allah and love them as they should love Allah, while the believers love Allah intensely.”
❀ Hafiz Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allah have mercy on him) says:
There are two types of shirk (associating partners with Allah).
◈ Major Shirk
◈ Minor Shirk
Major Shirk is not forgiven by Allah Almighty without repentance, and it is when a servant associates someone with Allah, and loves that person as one should love Allah. This is the shirk in which the polytheists equate their false deities with the Lord of the Worlds, and this equality is in love, reverence, and worship, as is the case with most polytheists in the world! In fact, most polytheists love their deities more than Allah, and they become happier by remembering them. If someone does not mention these deities and spiritual guides, whom they have made their gods, with respect and honor, they become so angry and express rage like a leopard or a dog. And if someone violates the limits set by Allah, it does not even affect them; rather, they immediately become happy for a little worldly gain, as if nothing had happened.
Allah Almighty said:
وَإِذَا ذُكِرَ اللَّهُ وَحْدَهُ اشْمَأَزَّتْ قُلُوبُ الَّذِينَ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ بِالْآخِرَةِ ۖ وَإِذَا ذُكِرَ الَّذِينَ مِن دُونِهِ إِذَا هُمْ يَسْتَبْشِرُونَ ﴿٤٥﴾
“And those who do not believe in the Hereafter, when only the mention of Allah comes to them, their hearts reject it, and when anything besides Allah is mentioned, their faces light up with joy.”
Dear readers! The true believers are those who, due to their correct knowledge of the Oneness of Allah, do not associate anyone else with Him in their love for Allah.
❀ Yahya bin Mu’adh says:
“Whoever associates anyone with Allah within His limits and does not keep them, is definitely not truthful in his claim of love for Allah.”
❀ Abu Ya’qub says:
“Any person who claims to love Allah Almighty but does not obey His commands, his claim is false, and whoever boasts of love for Allah but does not fear Him is arrogant.”
The love of Allah Almighty demands that you do not disobey Him, but rather obey Him. Some of the pious predecessors have said:
تَعْصِى الإِلهَ وَأَنتَ تَزْعُمُ حُبَّهُ
هذَا لعمرى فِي الْقِيَاسِ شَنِيْعُ
لَوْ كَانَ حُبُّكَ صَادِقًا لأطَعْتَهُ
إِنَّ الْمُحِبَّ لِمَنْ يُحِبُّ مُطِيعُ
You both disobey Allah and express love for Him. By Allah! This is a very bad thing. If your love were true, you would obey Him, because a lover is obedient to the beloved.
قُلْ إِن كُنتُمْ تُحِبُّونَ اللَّهَ فَاتَّبِعُونِي يُحْبِبْكُمُ اللَّهُ وَيَغْفِرْ لَكُمْ ذُنُوبَكُمْ ۗ وَاللَّهُ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ ﴿٣١﴾
“Say, [O Muhammad], ‘If you love Allah, then follow me, so Allah will love you and forgive you your sins. And Allah is Forgiving and Merciful.'”
❀ Hafiz Ibn Kathir (may Allah have mercy on him) writes:
“This noble verse is evidence against all those who claim to love Allah but do not follow the Muhammadan way. Until a person follows the Shariah of Muhammad in all his words and actions, he is false in his claim of loving Allah.”
Whenever a person develops the condition of love in Tawheed, he begins to feel the sweetness of faith. It is narrated from Sayyiduna Anas رضي الله عنه that the Prophet ﷺ said:
ثَلَاتٌ مَنْ كُنَّ فِيْهِ وَجَدَ بِهِنَّ حَلَاوَةَ الْإِيمَانِ : مَنْ كَانَ اللهُ وَرَسُولُهُ أَحَبَّ إِلَيْهِ مِمَّا سِوَاهُمَا ، وَمَنْ أَحَبَّ عَبْدًا لَا يُحِبُّهُ إِلَّا لِلَّهِ وَمَنْ يَكْرَهُ أَنْ يَعُودَ فِي الْكُفْرِ بَعْدَ إِذَا أَنْقَذَهُ اللهُ كَمَا يَكْرَهُ أَن يُلْقَى فِي النَّارِ .
“Whoever has these three qualities will taste the sweetness of faith: first, that Allah and His Messenger are dearer to him than anyone else; second, that he loves a person solely for the sake of Allah; and third, that Allah has saved him from disbelief, and then he hates to return to disbelief as much as he hates to be thrown into the fire.”
While explaining this hadith, Nawab Sadiq Hasan Khan writes in his book
:
وَهذَا الْحَدِيثُ بِمَعْنَى حَدِيث : ذَاقَ طَعْمَ الْإِيْمَانِ مَنْ رَضِيَ بِاللهِ رَبًّا وَبِالْإِسْلَامِ دِينًا وَبِمُحَمَّدٍ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ رَسُولًا وَذَلِكَ أَنَّهُ لَا يَصِحُ الْمَحَبَّةُ لِلَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ حَقِيْقَةٌ ، وَحُبُّ الْآدَمِي فِي اللهِ وَرَسُولِهِ ، وَكرَاهَةُ الرُّجُوعِ إِلَى الْكُفْرِ لَا يَكُونُ إِلَّا لِمَنْ قَوَى الْإِيْمَانُ يَقِيْنَهُ ، وَاطْمَأَنَّتُ بِهِ نَفْسُهُ ، وَانُشَرَحَ لَهُ صَدْرُهُ ، وَخَالَطَ لَحْمَهُ دَمَهُ ، وَهَذَا هُوَ الَّذِى وَجَدَ حَلَاوَتَهُ. وَالْحَبُّ فِى اللَّهِ مِنْ ثَمَرَاتِ حُبِّ الله .
And this hadith is synonymous with another hadith
, in which it is stated that the taste of faith is experienced by the person who is content with Allah as his Lord, who has adopted Islam as his religion, and who has accepted Prophet Muhammad ﷺ as the Messenger. And this blessing (the greatest) is attained only by the fortunate one whose faith has made his certainty firm and strong, whose heart has become tranquil, whose chest has expanded, and whose faith and certainty have entered his flesh and blood. And this is the fortunate person who has tasted the sweetness of faith, and the love of Allah’s righteous servants for Allah is the fruit of the love of Allah Himself.
A little further, it is written:
أَصْلُ الْمُحَبَّةِ : الْمَيْلُ إِلى مَا يُوَافِقُهُ الْمُحِبُّ.
ثُمَّ الْمَيْلُ قَد يَكُونُ لِمَا يَسْتَلِدُّهُ الْإِنْسَانُ وَيُحَسِنُهُ ، كَحُسُنِ الصُّورَةِ ، وَالصَّوْتِ ، وَالطَّعَامِ ، وَنَحُوهَا ، وَقَدْ يَسْتَلِنُّهُ بِعَقْلِهِ لِلْمَعَانِي الْبَاطِنَةِ ، كَمُحَبَّةِ الصَّالِحِينَ ، وَالْعُلَمَاءِ وَأَهْلُ الْفَضْلِ مُطْلَقًا ، وَقَدْ يَكُونُ لاِحْسَانِهِ إِلَيْهِ ، وَدَفَع الْمَضَارِ وَالْمَكَارِهِ عَنْهُ . وَهَذِهِ الْمَعَانِي كُلُّهَا مَوْجُودَةٌ في النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ ؛ لِمَا جَمَعَ مِنْ جَمَالِ الظَّاهِرِ وَالْبَاطِنِ ، وَكَمَالِ خِلَالِ الْجَلَالِ وَأَنْوَاعِ الْفَضَائِلِ ، وَإِحْسَانِهِ إِلَى جَمِيعِ الْمُسْلِمِينَ هِدَايَتَهُ إِيَّاهُمْ إِلَى الصِّرَاطِ الْمُسْتَقِيمِ.
“Indeed, love is the name of heartfelt inclination; sometimes this inclination is towards beautiful and handsome forms, sometimes towards a beautiful voice or good food, and sometimes this pleasure is related to inner meanings. For example, loving the righteous, scholars, and people of virtue due to their levels of excellence, and sometimes love arises for those who are benefactors, who have helped in hardships and difficulties. Loving such people is also commendable, and all these qualities are gathered in the noble person of the Beloved Prophet Sayyidina Muhammad Rasulullah ﷺ. His outward and inward beauty, his praiseworthy attributes, qualities, virtues, and all the favors he bestowed upon the Muslims are evident, as he ﷺ guided them to the path of truth.”
❀ That is why Imam Malik (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
الْمُحَبَّةُ فِى اللهِ مِنْ وَاجِبَاتِ الْإِسْلَامِ وَفِي الْكِتَابِ الْعَزِيزِ۔
“Loving Allah is among the obligations of Islam.”
Because in the Noble Book, the Word of the Lord is:
وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا أَشَدُّ حُبًّا لِلهِ۔
“And the believers love Allah more.”
The late Nawab, while making a long commentary on imaginary love, writes:
وَمِنْ أَعْظَمِ مَكَائِدِ الشَّيْطَان ، مَا فُتِنَ بِهِ عُشَّاقُ صُوَرِ الْمُرْدِ وَالنِّسْوَان وَتِلْكَ لَعَمُرُ اللَّهِ ! فِتْنَةٌ كُبُرَى ، وَبِلِيَّةٌ عُظمى ، اسْتَعَبدَاتِ النَّفُوسُ لِغَيْرِ خِلَاقِهَا .
“And one of the greatest traps of Satan is this trap in which many lovers have remained and still exist, who fall in love with ‘effeminate’ boys and women and thereby ruin their worldly life and hereafter. واللہ! This is a very great trial, may Allah protect everyone from it. آمین.”
And the late Nawab has written in another place in his famous treatise Tahreem al-Khamr:
“The disease of love has a special similarity with wine and adultery as well as singing; this disease arises from the lust of the private parts. Whoever’s temperament is dominated by lust, this disease seizes that lustful person. When union with the beloved becomes impossible or unattainable, actions of madness begin to appear from love. Therefore, in religious books, love has been condemned and its outcome has been declared as polytheism. In the Quran and Hadith, this unfortunate word has not been used anywhere. In the story of Zulaikha, excessive love is expressed by the term ‘shaghaf hubb’ (intense passion). This action of Zulaikha was issued from a state of disbelief. Among the Hindus, love also appears from women’s side, unlike the Arabs where men are the lovers. Just as Qais was infatuated with Layla. Worse than that is the love of the people of Persia, who are infatuated with ‘amrad’ (effeminate men). This is a kind of sodomy and pederasty. Just as the manifestation of love from the woman’s side is a prelude to adultery. Whoever is afflicted with this disease becomes a drunken adulterer. The scholars have written that love prevents a person from the monotheism of the Lord of the Worlds and captures him in polytheism and idolatry. Because the lover becomes a servant of the beloved. He places the beloved’s pleasure above the Creator’s pleasure. This is precisely his idol worship.”
We have heard some lovers say, and have also read in books of love poetry:
For years, I have taken support from your memories
I have worshipped you in the temples of imagination
And in addition to this:
You are that idol in the temples of imagination
My feelings’ sculptor has shaped you
May Allah protect us from this thorny garden of polytheism, and by granting His love, bring us from metaphor to reality.آمین
❀Allama Ibn Qayyim (may Allah have mercy on him) says:
وَأَصْلُ الْعِبَادَةِ وَتَمَامُهَا وَكَمَالُهَا هُوَ الْمُحَبَّةُ ، وَإِفْرَادُ الرَّبِّ سُبْحَانَهُ بِهَا ، فَلَا يُشْرِكِ الْعَبْدُ بِهِ فِيهَا غَيْرَهُ.
This is the true worship, and through this worship is complete and perfect, that the entire being is in love with Allah, Glorified and Exalted be He, and the servant does not associate anyone else in this love.
“From this discussion, it is understood that love holds an inseparable and essential position for monotheism. Whoever associates others in love with Allah is a polytheist.”
➏Obedience and Willful Submission
The sixth condition among the conditions of Tawheed is “obedience and compliance.” This means that after understanding Tawheed, a person should become so obedient that he acts upon the commands of Allah Almighty and refrains from what He has forbidden, because Islam is essentially about making one’s limbs obedient to the Tawheed of Allah.
The command of Allah Almighty is:
وَأَنِيبُوا إِلَىٰ رَبِّكُمْ وَأَسْلِمُوا لَهُ مِن قَبْلِ أَن يَأْتِيَكُمُ الْعَذَابُ ثُمَّ لَا تُنصَرُونَ ﴿٥٤﴾
“And all of you turn to your Lord and remain devoted in obedience and servitude to Him, before a punishment comes upon you, then no one will be able to help you.”
The person who becomes completely obedient to his Lord and carries out His commands and prohibitions with perfect sincerity has taken hold of a strong support. This person is like someone who, to climb a high mountain, holds onto the strongest support hanging from it and reaches its summit. Allah Almighty says:
وَمَن يُسْلِمْ وَجْهَهُ إِلَى اللَّهِ وَهُوَ مُحْسِنٌ فَقَدِ اسْتَمْسَكَ بِالْعُرْوَةِ الْوُثْقَىٰ ۗ
“And whoever submits his face to Allah while he is a doer of good – then he has grasped the most trustworthy handhold.”
It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Abbas (RA) that الْعُرْوَةِ الْوُثْقَى, meaning the strong support, refers to the declaration of the Oneness of Allah لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا الله.
Remember that just as obedience to Allah Almighty is obligatory, similarly submission to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ is extremely necessary. Accordingly, Allah Almighty has sworn by His own Self and said that no person can be a Muslim until he accepts the Messenger of Allah ﷺ as the judge in all his affairs. This is because your judgment is a divine judgment, and it is essential to have firm belief in its truth in the heart and to demonstrate faith in it through actions. Therefore, Allah has stated at the end of the following verse that it is necessary for people to accept it both outwardly and inwardly, and that no doubt about its truth remains in any corner of the heart. Consider the command of the Almighty:
فَلَا وَرَبِّكَ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ حَتَّى يُحَكِّمُوكَ فِيْمَا شَجَرَ بَيْنَهُمْ ثُمَّ لَا يَجِدُوا فِي أَنْفُسِهِمْ حَرَجًا مِّمَّا قَضَيْتَ وَيُسَلِّمُوا تَسْلِيمًا
“So by your Lord, they will not [truly] believe until they make you, [O Muhammad], judge concerning that over which they dispute among themselves and then find within themselves no discomfort from what you have judged and submit in [full, willing] submission.”
Regarding the occasion of revelation of this noble verse, consider the hadith narrated by Imam Bukhari in his Sahih (No. 4585) from Urwah bin Zubair, which states: “Sayyiduna Zubair (may Allah be pleased with him) had a dispute with an Ansari regarding the flow of water from the well of Harrah, and the matter reached the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. He said, ‘O Zubair! After your land has been irrigated, open the water towards your neighbor.’ The Ansari said, ‘O Messenger of Allah! Did you make this decision because Zubair is your cousin?’ Upon this, the color of the Prophet’s face changed, and he said, ‘O Zubair! Irrigate your land and hold back the water until it reaches the wall of your land, then open it towards your neighbor.’ When the Ansari displeased the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, he explicitly gave Zubair his full right, although initially he had given advice that favored the Ansari. Later, Zubair used to say that he believed these verses were revealed regarding this incident.”
❀ Hafiz Ibn Qayyim (may Allah have mercy on him) writes in the commentary of this noble verse:
أَقْسَمَ سُبُحَانَهُ بِنَفْسِهِ عَلى نَفِي الْإِيمَانِ عَنِ الْعِبَادِ حَتَّى يُحَكِّمُوا رَسُولَ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فِي كُلِّ مَا شَجَرَ بینھم۔
“Allah Almighty has sworn by His own Self that no person can become a Muslim until he accepts your decision in matters of disagreement.”
Dr. Abdul Haleem Mahmood (may Allah have mercy on him) says:
أَوَالتَّحْكِيمُ إِذَا كَانَ لِرَسُولِ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ حَالَ حَيَاتِهِ فَإِنَّهُ بِسُنَّتِهِ وَتَعَالِيْمِهِ بَعْدَ انْتِقَالِهِ إِلَى الرَّفِيقِ الأعلى.
“You, peace be upon you, were a ruler during your blessed life, and after your passing, your Sunnah and your teachings must be accepted as the final decision.”
To emphasize the importance of the beloved Prophet’s (peace be upon him) Sunnah and blessed Hadiths, consider the statements of some scholars and predecessors:
Imam Fakhr al-Din al-Razi (died 606 AH) said:
Imam Fakhr al-Razi (may Allah have mercy on him) states that Allah Almighty has sworn by His own Self and said that no person can be a believer unless the following conditions are found in him:
➊ Being satisfied with the decision of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.
➋ Having firm conviction in the heart that the decision of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ is indeed true.
➌ Not having the slightest hesitation in accepting the decision of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.
He then writes that every authentic hadith of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ comes under the context of this verse, and every person who believes in Allah and His Messenger is obligated to accept every authentic hadith of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and not reject any hadith due to religious prejudice; otherwise, the warning mentioned in this verse will also apply to him.
The statement of Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy on him), who died in 661 AH:
Sheikh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy on him) states that “It is an established fact through the Quran, Sunnah, and consensus that Allah has made obedience to Himself and His Messenger obligatory upon the servants. In the commands and prohibitions, Allah has not made obedience to anyone other than the Messenger ﷺ obligatory upon this Ummah. That is why Sayyiduna Abu Bakr Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him) used to say: As long as I obey Allah, you should obey me, and if I disobey Allah, then do not obey me. All the scholars of the Ummah agree that there is no infallible person other than the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. For this reason, many great Imams have said that the words of every person may be accepted or rejected except those of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. This was also the reason why the four famous Imams of the jurisprudential schools forbade people from blindly following them in every matter.”
Statement of Allama Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah (may Allah have mercy on him), who died in 691 AH:
Imam Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah (may Allah have mercy on him) writes, “You will see the idolaters say that when a hadith agrees with the statement of the Imam whom they follow, and the narrator’s action is contrary to it, they say that the evidence is the narrator’s narration, not his action. And when the narrator’s action agrees with the Imam’s statement, and the hadith is contrary to it, they say that the narrator opposed his narration because this hadith has been abrogated in his view; otherwise, this opposition would invalidate his integrity. Thus, these people commit the worst contradictions in their speech in the same place and the same chapter. But our belief is that after the authentic hadith has come, there is no room left for the Ummah to abandon it.”
➐Acceptance
The last condition of Tawheed is acceptance. That is, along with understanding the meanings of the Kalima of Tawheed لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا الله, it should be accepted, and no form of worship should be rejected out of arrogance, envy, malice, or negligence; otherwise, the condition of acceptance will be lost.
And Tawheed will be incomplete. Allah Almighty has described this defect of the disbelievers:
إِنَّهُمْ كَانُوا إِذَا قِيلَ لَهُمْ لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ يَسْتَكْبِرُونَ ﴿٣٥﴾ وَيَقُولُونَ أَئِنَّا لَتَارِكُو آلِهَتِنَا لِشَاعِرٍ مَّجْنُونٍ ﴿٣٦﴾
“When it was said to them that there is no deity except Allah, they showed arrogance and pride. And they said, ‘Shall we leave our gods for the words of a mad poet?'”
On the contrary, there are glad tidings of Paradise for those who understand the meanings of Tawheed and worship only Him, and Allah promises to bless them with countless bounties.
إِلَّا عِبَادَ اللَّهِ الْمُخْلَصِينَ ﴿٤٠﴾ أُولَٰئِكَ لَهُمْ رِزْقٌ مَّعْلُومٌ ﴿٤١﴾ فَوَاكِهُ ۖ وَهُم مُّكْرَمُونَ ﴿٤٢﴾ فِي جَنَّاتِ النَّعِيمِ ﴿٤٣﴾
“But for Allah’s chosen servants is a provision that will never end. Various kinds of fruits, while they will be honored and respected.”
And the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said:
مَنْ قَبِلَ مِنِّي الْكَلِمَةَ الَّتِى عَرَضْتُهَا عَلَى عَمِّي فَرَدَّهَا عَلَيَّ، فَهِيَ لَهُ نَجَاةٌ.
“Whoever accepts the Kalima (Tawheed) from me, this Kalima will be the means of his salvation. I had also presented this Kalima to my uncle, but he rejected it (did not accept it).”
In this noble hadith, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ has given glad tidings of salvation to the person who accepts the Kalima of Tawheed.
