28- Regarding Tawhid al-Rububiyyah and the Virtues of Deeds as the Centre of Da’wah?
To call only to Tawhid al-Rububiyyah, leaving aside Tawhid al-Uluhiyyah and the Names and Attributes, is an incomplete call, because Tawhid al-Uluhiyyah is not established merely by affirming Tawhid al-Rububiyyah. For if that were the case, the Prophet ﷺ would not have fought the polytheists of his time, since they also accepted Tawhid al-Rububiyyah, as Allah the Exalted says:
وَلَئِنْ سَأَلْتَهُمْ مَنْ خَلَقَهُمْ لَيَقُولُنَّ اللَّهُ
“And if you ask them who created them, they will surely say: Allah.”
In another place He said:
وَلَئِنْ سَأَلْتَهُمْ مَنْ خَلَقَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ لَيَقُولُنَّ اللَّهُ
“And if you ask them who created the heavens and the earth, they will surely say: Allah.”
The polytheists affirmed Tawhid al-Rububiyyah, and their belief was that Allah alone is the Lord and has no partner. Despite this, they did not accept Tawhid al-Uluhiyyah and used to say:
أَجَعَلَ الْآلِهَةَ إِلَهًا وَاحِدًا إِنَّ هَذَا لَشَيْءٌ عُجَابٌ
“Has he made all the gods into one God? Indeed, this is truly something astonishing.”
Therefore, affirming all three categories of Tawhid is necessary; there is no alternative to it.
As for the issue of the virtues of deeds, there is no doubt that mentioning the virtues of deeds creates enthusiasm for action in a person. But if there is no Tawhid at all, then on what will the deeds be based? Tawhid is the foundation and the basis. This is why the Prophet ﷺ, while sending Mu’adh (may Allah be pleased with him) to Yemen, said:
« وَلْيَكُنْ أَوَّلَ مَا تَدْعُوهُمْ إِلَيْهِ شَهَادَةُ أَنْ لَا إِلٰهَ إِلَّا اللّٰهُ، وَأَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا رَّسُوْلُ اللّٰهِ »
That is, first of all call them to Tawhid. From this it is understood that along with Tawhid al-Rububiyyah, Tawhid al-Uluhiyyah is also necessary. If a person fully accepts Tawhid al-Rububiyyah but at the same time also prostrates to idols or to a saint, can he be called a muwahhid (one who upholds Tawhid)? Not at all. He is a polytheist upon whom Allah has forbidden Paradise, and his abode is Hell.
