Belief in Tawheed
It is essential for a worshiper to strengthen his belief in Tawheed, which is the essence of Islam, indeed the very Islam itself. There is a very strong connection between prayer and Tawheed; prayer teaches the oneness of the Lord of the worlds. The entire prayer is composed of the theme of Tawheed and demands Tawheed. That is why it is said:
أَقِيمُوا الصَّلَاةَ وَلَا تَكُونُوا مِنَ الْمُشْرِكِينَ ﴿٣١﴾
“Establish prayer and do not be among the polytheists.”
It has been understood that the act of safeguarding prayer protects a person from the filth of polytheism; polytheism is a painful matter for the one who prays. This is why Allah Almighty commanded Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him) to keep the House of Allah free from polytheism and such other impurities and filth, so that those who perform Tawaf, pray, and bow and prostrate would not be harmed or troubled:
وَإِذْ بَوَّأْنَا لِإِبْرَاهِيمَ مَكَانَ الْبَيْتِ أَن لَّا تُشْرِكْ بِي شَيْئًا وَطَهِّرْ بَيْتِيَ لِلطَّائِفِينَ وَالْقَائِمِينَ وَالرُّكَّعِ السُّجُودِ ﴿٢٦﴾
“And when We appointed for Ibrahim the site of the House, [saying], ‘Do not associate anything with Me and purify My House for those who perform Tawaf and those who stand [in prayer] and those who bow and prostrate.'”
The rotation of night and day, the light of the sun and the moon, and their continuous movement in their orbits according to a fixed system, without the slightest deviation, are such great signs of Allah Almighty that indicate His perfect power, knowledge, and wisdom, and invite humans to worship only Allah Almighty and not associate anyone with Him:
وَمِنْ آيَاتِهِ اللَّيْلُ وَالنَّهَارُ وَالشَّمْسُ وَالْقَمَرُ ۚ لَا تَسْجُدُوا لِلشَّمْسِ وَلَا لِلْقَمَرِ وَاسْجُدُوا لِلَّهِ الَّذِي خَلَقَهُنَّ إِن كُنتُمْ إِيَّاهُ تَعْبُدُونَ ﴿٣٧﴾
“And among His signs are the night and the day, and the sun and the moon. Do not prostrate to the sun or to the moon, but prostrate to Allah who created them, if it is Him you worship.”
وَاعْبُدُوا اللَّهَ وَلَا تُشْرِكُوا بِهِ شَيْئًا
“And worship Allah and associate nothing with Him.”
ولَا يُشْرِكْ بِعِبَادَةِ رَبَّةٍ أَحَدًا
“And do not associate anyone in the worship of your Lord.”
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
«حق الله على عباده أن يعبدوه ولا يشركوا به شيئا»
“The right of Allah over His servants is that they worship Him and do not associate anyone with Him.”
In the above noble hadith, the Master of the Children of Adam, the Beloved Subhani, the Guide of the Worlds ﷺ has stated the right of Allah over His servants that they worship Him and do not associate anyone with Him. This also proves that the completion of Tawheed is not only through the worship of Allah Almighty, but also the denial and rejection of all kinds of partners along with worship is necessary; otherwise, Tawheed will remain incomplete and even unacceptable.
From the same above hadith, Sheikh al-Islam Muhammad Tamimi (may Allah have mercy on him) has deduced in the book Al-Tawheed:
➊ «إن العبادة هي التوحيد.»
➋ «إن عبادة الله لا تحصل إلا بالكفر بالطاغوت.»
The same theme is present in Surah ﴿قُلْ يَا أَيُّهَا الْكَافِرُونَ﴾. And the command of Allah Almighty:
فَمَن يَكْفُرْ بِالطَّاغُوتِ وَيُؤْمِن بِاللَّهِ فَقَدِ اسْتَمْسَكَ بِالْعُرْوَةِ الْوُثْقَىٰ
“So whoever rejects Taghut and believes in Allah has grasped the most trustworthy handhold with no break in it.”
This is also the meaning, and the conqueror of Badr and Hunayn, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, was also commanded to present this invitation:
قُلْ إِنَّمَا أُمِرْتُ أَنْ أَعْبُدَ اللَّهَ وَلَا أُشْرِكَ بِهِ ۚ إِلَيْهِ أَدْعُو وَإِلَيْهِ مَآبِ ﴿٣٦﴾
“Say, ‘Indeed, I have been commanded to worship Allah, [being] sincere to Him in religion. And I am commanded to be the first [among you] of the Muslims.'”
In this noble verse, the unparalleled in character and appearance, Muhammad the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, is commanded to inform the disbelievers that you ﷺ worship Allah alone and do not associate anyone with Him. And this is the fundamental belief upon which all heavenly religions agree.
قُلْ إِنَّ صَلَاتِي وَنُسُكِي وَمَحْيَايَ وَمَمَاتِي لِلهِ رَبِّ الْعَلَمِينَ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ وَبِذَلِكَ أُمِرْتُ وَأَنَا أَوَّلُ الْمُسْلِمِينَ
“Say, ‘Indeed, my prayer, my sacrifice, my living, and my dying are for Allah, Lord of the worlds. He has no partner. And this I have been commanded, and I am the first [among you] of the Muslims.'”
Wise Luqman (peace be upon him) also advises his son, saying, do not associate anyone as a partner with Allah, because associating partners is a great injustice. As long as he lives, he should worship Allah alone, the Almighty. What greater injustice can there be than a servant opposing the will of his Creator by prostrating before others, asking for wishes, and spreading his hands:
وَإِذْ قَالَ لُقْمَانُ لِابْنِهِ وَهُوَ يَعِظُهُ يَا بُنَيَّ لَا تُشْرِكْ بِاللَّهِ ۖ إِنَّ الشِّرْكَ لَظُلْمٌ عَظِيمٌ ﴿١٣﴾
“And when Luqman said to his son while advising him, ‘O my son, do not associate [anything] with Allah. Indeed, association [with Him] is great injustice.'”
Due to shirk, all of a person’s deeds become null and void. Allah Almighty, after mentioning the prophethood, messengership, guidance, and greatness of eighteen (18) prophets in Surah Al-An’am, stated that if despite these great honors they committed shirk, all their righteous deeds would be wasted. The command of Allah Almighty is:
وَلَوْ أَشْرَكُوا لَحَبِطَ عَنْهُم مَّا كَانُوا يَعْمَلُونَ ﴿٨٨﴾
“If they had committed shirk, their deeds would have been in vain.”
Hafiz Ibn Kathir writes that “In this noble verse, the fearfulness and danger of shirk have been explained, as Allah Almighty has stated in the verse:
وَلَقَدْ أُوحِيَ إِلَيْكَ وَإِلَى الَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِكَ لَئِنْ أَشْرَكْتَ لَيَحْبَطَنَّ عَمَلُكَ
‘It has been revealed to you and to all the noble prophets before you by revelation that if you commit shirk, your deeds will be wasted.'”
Whoever associates partners with Allah, Paradise is forbidden for him, and his abode is Hell:
إِنَّهُ مَن يُشْرِكْ بِاللَّهِ فَقَدْ حَرَّمَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ الْجَنَّةَ وَمَأْوَاهُ النَّارُ ۖ
“Indeed, whoever associates others with Allah, Allah has forbidden Paradise for him, and his refuge is the Fire.”
Paradise is forbidden for the polytheist. Allah Almighty has also mentioned this in Surah Al-A’raf, stating:
وَنَادَىٰ أَصْحَابُ النَّارِ أَصْحَابَ الْجَنَّةِ أَنْ أَفِيضُوا عَلَيْنَا مِنَ الْمَاءِ أَوْ مِمَّا رَزَقَكُمُ اللَّهُ ۚ قَالُوا إِنَّ اللَّهَ حَرَّمَهُمَا عَلَى الْكَافِرِينَ ﴿٥٠﴾
“And the inhabitants of Hell will call to the inhabitants of Paradise, ‘Pour upon us some water or from whatever Allah has provided you.’ They will say, ‘Indeed, Allah has forbidden them both to the disbelievers.'”
And Bukhari and Muslim have narrated that the Prophet ﷺ commanded a person to announce among the people:
«إن الجنة لا يدخلها إلا نفس مسلمة»
“Only a Muslim person will enter Paradise.”
