18- The First Right Over the Creation
The first right of Allah the Almighty over the creation is that they be called to Allah the Almighty, as the Prophet ﷺ said when he sent Mu’adh (may Allah be pleased with him) to Yemen:
« إِنَّكَ تَأْتِي قَوْمًا أَهْلَ كِتَابٍ؛ فَلْيَكُنْ أَوَّلَ مَا تَدْعُوهُمْ إِلَيْهِ شَهَادَةُ أَنْ لَا إِلٰهَ إِلَّا اللّٰهُ، وَأَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا رَّسُوْلُ اللّٰهِ »
“You are going to the People of the Book, so first of all present the call to Tawhid. This is the first right that is owed by the servants: that they worship Allah alone and bear witness to the Messenger-hood of the Prophet ﷺ.”
It is through affirming the Tawhid of Allah the Almighty and the Messengership of the Prophet ﷺ that the blessing of following the Sunnah and sincerity is attained, and by virtue of these alone every act of worship reaches the level of acceptance.
