Tauheed & Shirk

What is Tawheed?

 Tawheed in Arabic means attributing Oneness to Allah

and describing Him as being One and Unique, with no
partner or peer in His Essence and Attributes.
 Tawheed is part of human nature

 Allaah has created people with the natural instinct (fitrah) to affirm His
Lordship and Oneness, but the shayaateen (devils) came to the sons of
Adam and caused them to deviate from their religion. According to a
hadeeth qudsi (a type of prophetic narration), “I created all My slaves
as haneefs (monotheists), but the shayaateen (devils) came to
them and made them deviate from their religion, and they
forbade them that which I had permitted to them.” (Narrated by
Muslim, no. 2865)
Tawheed (Pillar of Islam)

 In Saheeh Muslim it is narrated from Ibn ‘Umar (may Allaah be

pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah
be upon him) said: “Islam is built on five (pillars): belief that Allaah
is One, establishing regular prayer, paying zakaah, fasting
Ramadaan and Hajj.”
 Tawheed

 The Prophet ( )‫ﷺ‬said, "O Mu`adh! Do you know what Allah's Right upon His slaves is?" I
said, "Allah and His Apostle know best." The Prophet ( )‫ﷺ‬said, "To worship Him (Allah)
Alone and to join none in worship with Him (Allah). Do you know what their right upon
Him is?" I replied, "Allah and His Apostle know best." The Prophet ( )‫ﷺ‬said, "Not to punish
them (if they do so). (Sahih al-Bukhari 7373)
 When the Prophet ( )‫ﷺ‬sent Mu`adh to Yemen, he said to him, "You are going to a nation
from the people of the Scripture, so let the first thing to which you will invite them, be the
Tauhid of Allah. If they learn that, tell them that Allah has enjoined on them, five prayers
to be offered in one day and one night. And if they pray, tell them that Allah has
enjoined on them Zakat of their properties and it is to be taken from the rich among
them and given to the poor. And if they agree to that, then take from them Zakat but
avoid the best property of the people.“ (Sahih al-Bukhari 7372)
 Tawheed in the Light of the Quran

And your god is one God. There is no deity [worthy of worship] except Him, the Entirely
Merciful, the Especially Merciful. (Surah 2 Verse 163)

Allah - there is no deity except Him, the Ever-Living, the Sustainer of existence. (Surah 3 Verse 2)

Say, "He is Allah, [who is] One (Surah 112, verse 1)

 Tawheed in the light of the Quran

They have certainly disbelieved who say, " Allah is the third of three." And there is no god except one
God. And if they do not desist from what they are saying, there will surely afflict the disbelievers among
them a painful punishment. (Surah 5 Verse 73)
 Types of Tawheed

 Tawheed al-Ruboobiyyah (Oneness of Divine Lordship) means believing in

Allah as One and Unique with regard to His actions such as creation, sovereignty,
control, giving life and death, and so on
 Tawheed al-Uloohiyyah (Oneness of Divinity) means devoting all acts of
worship, both inward and outward, in words and deeds, to Allaah Alone, and not
worshipping anything or anyone other than Allaah, no matter who he is.
 Tawheed al-Asma’ wa’l-Sifaat (Oneness of the Divine Names and
Attributes). affirming the names and attributes of Allaah and believing that there is
none like unto Allah in His names and attributes.
 Tawheed al-Ruboobiyyah (Oneness of
Divine Lordship)

 “And if you were to ask them: ‘Who has created the heavens and the earth and
subjected the sun and the moon?’ they will surely reply: ‘Allaah.’ How then are they
deviating (as polytheists and disbelievers)?” [al-‘Ankaboot 29:61]

 “And if you were to ask them: ‘Who sends down water (rain) from the sky, and gives
life therewith to the earth after its death?’ they will surely reply: ‘Allaah.’ Say: ‘All the
praises and thanks be to Allaah!’ Nay, most of them have no sense” [al-‘Ankaboot
29:63]

 “And if you ask them who created them, they will surely say: ‘Allaah.’ How then are
they turned away (from the worship of Allaah Who created them)?” [al-Zukhruf 43:87]
 Meaning of Ilah

Word ilah includes the :

 capacities to fulfill the needs of others, to give them shelter and protection, to
relieve their minds of distress and agitation, superiority, the requisite authority
,power to do all these, to be mysterious in some way or hidden from men's eyes,
turning of men eagerly to him.

“And He alone is the Ilah in the heavens and the Ilah in the earth; and He alone is
the all-Wise, the all-Knowing (that is, He alone possesses the wisdom and the
knowledge required for governing such a Domain)” (43:84) Surat Az Zukhruf
"Do not make two ilahs ;there is but one ilah ; So, fear Me alone." (16:51) Surat Al
Nahl
 Tawheed al-Uloohiyyah

 devoting all one’s actions to Allah alone.

 And your Lord has decreed that you worship none but Him” [al-Isra’ 17:23]
 “Worship Allah and join none with Him (in worship)” [al-Nisa’ 4:36]
 It is also called Tawheed al-‘Ibaadah (oneness of worship) because it
means that a person worships Allah by doing that which He has
commanded and avoiding that which He has forbidden.
 It is also called Tawheed al-Talab wa’l-Qasd wa’l-Iraadah (Oneness of goal,
purpose and will) because it means that a person does not seek anything
except the Face of Allah, so he worships Him sincerely.
 Tawheed al-Asma’ wa’l-Sifaat

 Affirmation: i.e., affirming that which Allah has affirmed for Himself in His Book or that His
Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) has affirmed of His beautiful names and
sublime attributes in a manner that suits the Majesty and Greatness of Allah, without distorting
them, twisting their meanings, denying their reality or discussing how they are.
"The most beautiful names belong to God: so call on Him by them;..." (7:180)
 Denial: i.e., denying that Allah has any faults and denying any shortcomings that He has
denied Himself.
“There is nothing like Him, and He is the All-Hearer, the All-Seer” [al-Shoora 42:11]
 So He has denied that He bears any resemblance to His creation, and affirmed that He has
attributes of perfection in a manner that befits Him, may He be glorified.
“Say: If the sea were ink for writing the words of my Lord, the sea would be exhausted before the
words of my Lord were exhausted, even if we brought the like of it as a supplement (18:109)
Essence of Tawheed

Say, "Indeed, my prayer, my rites of sacrifice, my living and my dying are

for Allah, Lord of the worlds. (6-162)

So worship Allah, [being] sincere to Him in religion. (39:2)

Shirk (Polytheism)

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IVE1B-gcS0k
 Shirk

 In terms of sharee’ah or Islamic terminology, shirk means ascribing a partner

or rival to Allah in Lordship (ruboobiyyah), worship or in His names and
attributes. A rival is a peer or counterpart. Hence Allah forbids setting up
rivals with Him and he condemns those who take them (rivals) as gods
instead of or besides Allah in many verses of the Qur'an.
 Some Quranic Verses on Shirk

 Verily ! Allah will not pardon those who associate a partner with Him. Apart from
him, He will pardon all others . Who ascribe partners to Allah has gone far astray.
(4:116)
 [He] who made for you the earth a bed [spread out] and the sky a ceiling and
sent down from the sky, rain and brought forth thereby fruits as provision for you. So
do not attribute to Allah equals while you know [that there is nothing similar to
Him(2:22)
 “And they set up rivals to Allah, to mislead (men) from His path! Say: ‘Enjoy (your
brief life)! But certainly, your destination is the (Hell) Fire!’” [Ibrahim 14:30]
 Those who associate partners with Allah, when they will see their "partners" they will
say: "Our Lord! These are `partners' whom we used to call besides You ." But they
(the partners) will throw back their word at them (and say): "Indeed you are liars!"
(16:86)
 Types of Shirk

 Shirk akbar (major shirk) ascribing to someone other than Allaah

something that belongs only to Allaah, such as Lordship (ruboobiyyah),
divinity (uloohiyyah) and the divine names and attributes (al-asma’ wa’l-
sifaat).
 Shirk asghar (minor shirk) includes everything that may lead to
major shirk, or which is described in the texts as being shirk, but does not
reach the extent of being major shirk.
 Shirk Khafi (Hidden Shirk) type of minor shirk
 Major Shirk

 This kind of shirk may sometimes be outward Or hidden,

 Shirk may sometimes take the form of beliefs:
 there is someone else who creates, gives life and death, reigns or controls the affairs of
the universe along with Allah
 there is someone else who must be obeyed absolutely besides Allah
 they may associate others with Allaah in love and adoration, by loving a created
being as they love Allaah
 “And of mankind are some who take (for worship) others besides Allaah as rivals(to
Allaah). They love them as they love Allaah” [al-Baqarah 2:165]
 there are those who know the Unseen as well as Allaah.(see verses 6:50, 18:110)
 Major Shirk

 Shirk may sometimes take the form of words:

 those who make du’aa’ or pray to someone other than Allaah, or seek his help or seek refuge
with him with regard to matters over which no one has control except Allaah,
 those who make fun of religion or who compare Allah to His creation, or say that there is another
creator, provider or controller besides Allah

 Shirk may sometimes take the form of actions:

 one who sacrifices, prays or prostrates to something other than Allah,
 who disseminates laws to replace the rulings of Allah
 one who supports the kaafirs and helps them against the believers
 Minor Shirk

 acts such as Riya’ (doing good deeds for show) and seeking reputation.
 It is authentically reported that the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wassallam) said, “The thing that I
fear most for you is minor Shirk.” They said, “O Messenger of Allah! What is minor Shirk?” He
said, “Riya’.
 Venerating some people or things in a way that does not go so far as ascribing lordship to
them
 swearing by anyone or anything other than Allah
 Referred by ‘Umar Ibn Al-Khattab (ra) that the Prophet (saws) said, "Anyone who swears by
other than Allah has committed Shirk .
 Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Incantations, amulets and love
spells are shirk.” (Abu Dawood 3883)
 Being emotionally attached to some means which have no basis and for which Allaah has
Shirk Khafi (hidden Shirk)

 The Messenger of Allah.(saws) said, “It is the hidden

Shirk; a person stands up in Salah (Prayer) and tries to
make it perfect when he realizes that others are looking
at him.” (Related by Imam Ahmad)
 Conclusion

 The greatest sin is shirk and transgression against the unique rights of
Allaah, which are to be worshipped and obeyed alone, with no partner
or associate.
 Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) taught to his
companions when he said to them: “Shirk among you will be more
subtle than the footsteps of an ant, but I will teach you something
which, if you do it, both minor and major shirk will be kept away from
you. Say: Allaahumma inni a’oodhu bika an ushrika bika wa ana a’lam
wa astaghfiruka lima la a’lam (O Allaah, I seek refuge with You from
associating anything with You knowingly, and I seek Your forgiveness
for that of which I am unaware).” [Classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in
Saheeh al-Jaami’, 3731]
 Points to Ponder

 And if Allah should touch you with adversity, there is no remover of it except
Him. And if He touches you with good - then He is over all things competent
(6:17)
 And He is the subjugator over His servants. And He is the Wise, the
Acquainted [with all].(6:17)
 And with Him are the keys of Unseen, none knows them except Him. And
He knows what is on the land and in the sea. Not a laef falls but that He
knows it.And no grain is there within the darkness of the earth and no moist
or dry thing but that it is wriiten in a clear record (6:59)