The Superiority of Tawheed

Alhamdulillaahi rabbil alameen
Assalaato wasalaamo ala rasoolullaah sayyidina Mohammad
wa ala ahlihi washabihi ajameen


Last week we were talking about the topic tawheed. We discussed the various categories of tawheed and most of all the importance of tawheed ul-Ulohiyyah, tawheed in worship. At the end of last gathering I quickly mentioned some of the superiorities of tawheed, and that is what we are going to discuss in more detail today inshaAllaah ta’ala.

In the Qur’aan, Allaah subhano wata’ala says, in soorah al-An’aam,


ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ وَلَمۡ يَلۡبِسُوٓاْ إِيمَـٰنَهُم بِظُلۡمٍ أُوْلَـٰٓٮِٕكَ لَهُمُ ٱلۡأَمۡنُ وَهُم مُّهۡتَدُونَ

"It is those who believe and do not adulterate their faith [in Allah's Oneness] with dhulm [wrongdoing, i.e. associating partners with Him], for them [only] is there safety and they are rightly-guided" (6:82)

Allaah mentions the word dhulm in this ayah. Dhulm linguistically means to place something in it’s wrong place. To misplace something. So Allaah says here, “those who believe and doesn’t mix their iman with any form of dhulm, these are the ones that has complete safety and will attain real peace.” In another ayah in the Qur’aan, Allaah says, this is in soorah Luqman, ayah 13

إِنَّ ٱلشِّرۡكَ لَظُلۡمٌ عَظِيمٌ۬


“Indeed Shirk is a great dhulm/wrongdoing.” (31:13)



So how can shirk be the biggest form of dhulm? Well, as I said before, linguistically dhulm means to misplace something, and the worst thing we can misplace is our worship of Allaah, subhano wata’ala. If we take our worship and put it somewhere else and worship something other than our Creator. The prophet, aleyhi salato wasalaam, explained this ayah to his companions, when they came to him and asked what Allaah meant with dhulm. They said, "O Messenger of Allah! Which of us does not wrong himself (i.e. by committing sins)?!" The Prophet, aleyhi salato wasalaam, replied, "It is not that which you think. The Zulm is As-Shirk. Don't you hear the statement of the righteous slave (Lugmaan), 'Verily Ash-Shirk (associating partners with Allah) is a great Zulm (wrongdoing, oppression and injustice) indeed."' (31:13)

So we understand this ayah,

ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ وَلَمۡ يَلۡبِسُوٓاْ إِيمَـٰنَهُم بِظُلۡمٍ أُوْلَـٰٓٮِٕكَ لَهُمُ ٱلۡأَمۡنُ وَهُم مُّهۡتَدُونَ

"It is those who believe and do not adulterate their faith [in Allah's Oneness] with dhulm [wrongdoing, i.e. associating partners with Him], for them [only] is there safety and they are rightly-guided" (6:82)

that those who believe and do not mix their worship with any form of shirk, not mix their belief with any form of shirk, those are the ones that will attain complete safety and complete peace. So what does Allaah mean by safety and peace in this ayah. There are many different levels of safety and peace, and the highest level is to be saved from the fire. On Judgement Day, Allaah will forgive these people all their sins and save then from the fire and enter them in to Paradise. The lowest level of safety is that a person, a muslim, has sinned so much that he or she must end up in hell for a period of time until all the sins are washed away before he or she can enter Paradise. This ayah can be understood to be both types of security, because Allaah say, those who believe and do not mix their belief with shirk, they will attain safety. So if our belief is at that level, at the highest level of belief, of iman, then we will reach the highest level of safety. If we have weak iman, and sin a lot, we will reach the lowest form of security. So this safety and peace is dependant on our iman and how strong it is. The stronger iman we have, the the higher level of safety and security, and the weaker iman we have the lowers level of safety. So, the person who perfects his or hers iman, and doesn’t mix up ones faith and belief with shirk, this person has Allaah promised safety from the fire of hell. Allaah promises this person safety on Judgement Day.

The Prophet has also pointed this out in a hadeeth: It is reported on the authority of `Ubadah Ibn As-Saamit (ra) that he said: "Allah's Messenger said: "Whoever testified that none is worthy of worship except Allah (ra), Alone, without partners, and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger and that Eisa (as ) is His slave and Messenger, and His Word which was bestowed upon Maryam, and a Spirit (created) from Him, and that Paradise and Hell are realities, Allah will admit him to Paradise, whatever his deeds might be." (Narrated by Bukhari)

Here the Prophet, aleyhi salato wasalaam, shows us the importance of tawheed, that the one who testifys that there is only one God and that is Allaah, and that Mohammad is his ‘abd, slave or servant. So this hadeeth shows that anyone who practices tawheed perfectly will enter Paradise, regardless of what his or hers deeds might be. The Prophet, aleyhi salato wasalaam, doesn’t mention actions here, to pray, to fast, to pay zakat, but he mentions only pure aqeedah, pure faith. This shows that a person with pure aqeedah, pure tawheed and only believes in Allaah and doesn’t associate any with Him in worship and that truly believes in the prophets, the judgement day, in akhirah, the life after this, and that believes in paradise and hell, those will enter paradise, regardless of what their deeds has been. And this shows us how important our aqeedah, our belief is. It is obvious that if we have a strong aqeedah, strong faith, leads us to do good inshaAllaah.

There is another hadeeth, where the Prophet, aleyhi salato wasalaam, said "Indeed, Allah has forbidden from Hell the person who testifies that none is worthy of worship except Allah , seeking nothing by it but Allah's Face/ Countenance." (Narrated by Bukhari and Muslim)

So if we says this, La ilaha illaAllaah, for the sake of Allaah, subhano wata’ala, to please Allaah, not because that’s how the society is, or because we grew up like this. No but if we say it because we understand the meaning of La ilaha illa Allaah, because we believe in it, because we wants to seek the pleasure of Allaah, if we say it because of this, then Allaah has forbidden Hell for us. SubhanAllaah.
So we discussed how tawheed can purify us from our sins, and now we will take this to a higher level, which is that if we purify our tawheed we will be able to enter Paradise without having to answer in front of Allaah. On Judgement Day, everyone, man, woman, believers and non believers will stand in front of Allaah and we will be questioned about our deeds. But there is some, very few, that because of their incredible strong iman wont do that. They will enter Paradise at once. And those who will do that are those who has purified their tawheed into perfection, they have purified their faith and belief completely from shirk.

In soorah an-Nahl, ayah 120, Allaah says:

إِنَّ إِبۡرَٲهِيمَ كَانَ أُمَّةً۬ قَانِتً۬ا لِّلَّهِ حَنِيفً۬ا وَلَمۡ يَكُ مِنَ ٱلۡمُشۡرِكِينَ

Verily, Ibrâhim (Abraham) was an Ummah (a leader having all the good righteous qualities), or a nation, obedient to Allâh, Hanif (i.e. to worship none but Allâh), and he was not one of those who were Al-Mushrikûn (polytheists, idolaters, disbelievers in the Oneness of Allâh, and those who joined partners with Allâh). (16:120)

Here Allaah talks about Ibrahim, Abraham, one of the most important prophets. He will be amongst those who enter Paradise without being questioned because he was so strong in his iman and so devoted to Allaah. He is among the top five prophets, and this means he was among the five best persons in this world. And out of these five has Allaah chosen two to be called khalil-ullaah, Allaahs friend, for example we can see this in soorah an-Nisaa, ayah 125. It is Ibrahim and Mohammad, aleyhom salaam, who are chosen to be this. Not because Allaah needs friends, authobillaah, but to raise them in their status. So clearly Ibrahim is amongst those who will enter Paradise without being asked, his tawheed was in perfection.

And in soorah al-Mominoon, ayah 57-60, Allaah says:


إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ هُم مِّنۡ خَشۡيَةِ رَبِّہِم مُّشۡفِقُونَ (٥٧) وَٱلَّذِينَ هُم بِـَٔايَـٰتِ رَبِّہِمۡ يُؤۡمِنُونَ (٥٨) وَٱلَّذِينَ هُم بِرَبِّہِمۡ لَا يُشۡرِكُونَ (٥٩) وَٱلَّذِينَ يُؤۡتُونَ مَآ ءَاتَواْ وَّقُلُوبُہُمۡ وَجِلَةٌ أَنَّہُمۡ إِلَىٰ رَبِّہِمۡ رَٲجِعُونَ

Verily! those who live in awe for fear of their Lord; And those who believe in the Ayât (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) of their Lord, And those who join not anyone (in worship) as partners with their Lord; And those who give that (their charity) which they give (and also do other good deeds) with their hearts full of fear (whether their alms and charities, have been accepted or not)[], because they are sure to return to their Lord (for reckoning). And in this ayah, Allaah describes the believers. The believers does not commit shirk and the status of those who enters Paradise is that they do not associate partners with Allaah, they do not commit shirk. (23:57-60)

Here Allaah describes the believers, and some of their attributes. They fear the punishment of their Rabb, their Lord, they believe in the revealed Signs of Allah and His natural Signs (the planets, the stars, the seasons, the animals, the birds, the plants etc.) which prove the existence of Him and the truth of the Message of Muhammad, aleyhi salato wasalaam, and they are guided by these Signs and do not associate partners with Allah , either openly, or secretly; and because of their strong faith, they fear that Allah will not accept their charity and good deeds; and Allah Testifies to their mutual rivalry in performing virtuous deeds, and He Informs us that they precede others in doing so. So this shows that whoever personifies these attributes and purifies himself from shirk, which nullifies good deeds, will have the right to enter Paradise without a reckoning and without punishment because he has achieved the purest Tawheed and this is his reward.

Another perspective of tawheed is the dangers of shirk, to associate partners with Allaah. This is something that is important to know. Because to really understand tawheed we also must understand shirk. Just as to really understand light, we must understand darkness. We can’t understand day if we don’t understand night. We have to understand the opposite of something to fully be able to understand a things reality.

Allaah says in soorah an Nisaa ayah 48 and 116


إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يَغۡفِرُ أَن يُشۡرَكَ بِهِۦ وَيَغۡفِرُ مَا دُونَ ذَٲلِكَ لِمَن يَشَآءُۚ وَمَن يُشۡرِكۡ بِٱللَّهِ فَقَدۡ ضَلَّ ضَلَـٰلاَۢ بَعِيدًا



Verily, Allâh forgives not that partners should be set up with Him (in worship), but He forgives except that (anything else) to whom He wills; and whoever sets up partners with Allâh in worship, he has indeed invented a tremendous sin (4:48 and 116)

This is the ayah in the Qur’aan that is the most explicit when it comes to shirk and its dangers. And it is in two places in the quraan with the same wording. Allaah can not forgive the sin of shirk, but He can forgive all other sins. Shirk is unforgivable!

In soorah Ibrahim, ayah 35, Allaah says:

وَإِذۡ قَالَ إِبۡرَٲهِيمُ رَبِّ ٱجۡعَلۡ هَـٰذَا ٱلۡبَلَدَ ءَامِنً۬ا وَٱجۡنُبۡنِى وَبَنِىَّ أَن نَّعۡبُدَ ٱلۡأَصۡنَامَ
And (remember) when Ibrâhim (Abraham) said: "O my Lord! Make this city (Makkah) one of peace and security, and keep me and my sons away from worshipping idols. (14:35)

In this ayah, Ibrahin, Abraham, aleyhi salaam, asks Allaah that neither he nor his sons would become one of those who associates partners with Allaah, that commits shirk. And this is Ibrahim! He was chosen by Allaah and is one of His greatest prophets. Imagine that. This is how dangerous shirk is, that even our prophets, asks Allaah to save them from it. And if someone like Ibrahim, aleyhi salaam, asks Allaah to protect him from shirk, what must not we, normal, people do? He wasn’t even asking to be saved from “normal” shirk but the most evil form of shirk, to actually worship someone else, an idol. So if someone like Ibrahim don’t feel safe from committing shirk, then how can we? We all must fear to fall into shirk and we must be aware of shirk and be careful and make sure we don’t fall into that.

There are two kinds of shirk, major and minor shirk. The major shirk is the kind of shirk that Allaah will never forgive. If a person dies in a state of shirk, this person is doomed to spend his or hers next life in the fire of hell forever, and that persons good deeds will be in vain. Allaah will not accept his or hers good deeds. So until now when I have been mentioning shirk, it is major shirk I have been talking about.

Minor shirk, on the other hand, is not the same as major shirk, it is as we hear, something smaller, something less, and Allaah can forgives this and the persons good deeds can be accepted. But with that fresh in our minds, we should read this hadeeth:

It is reported that the Prophet, aleyhi salato wasalaam, said: "Of the things which I fear for my Ummah, the thing which I fear most is minor Shirk. Then he was asked about minor Shirk, and he said: "It is ar-riyaa. (showing-off)"

Here the Prophet, aleyhi salato wasalaam, says, that what he fears the most for his ummah, the one who follows him, that means us also, is minor shirk. He doesn’t fear diseases, or tribulations, or problems as much as he fears this, the minor shirk. And if this is what the Prophet, aleyhi salato wasalaam, fears the most for us, his ummah, then how is it not with the major shirk? How more dangerous is not the major shirk then? When the Prophet, aleyhi salato wasalaam, was asked about minor shirk and what it was, he answered, ar-Riyaa which is to show-off. To do something, a religious act, to show oneself up for other people, to impress on others. For example those who normally don’t pray but when with others pray, or someone who is careless about his or hers prayer, but when others are present, pray with perfection and prays long, not to please Allaah but to impress on others. This is what the Prophet, aleyhi salato wasalaam, feared the most for us, his ummah. And the only thing that can purify us from this is to make our tawheed prefect. Not until then can we be free from minor shirk and can be forgiven for that. InshaAllaah.

So this shows how important it is for us to really learn about tawheed and to implement it in our lives. Because, I think many of us we think, “but I don’t pray to someone else but Allaah” “I don’t make du’aa to someone else but Allaah”. And alhamdulillaah inshaAllaah we don’t. but we must always try to perfect our tawheed, otherwise we might end up doing the minor shirk, and even though that can be forgiven, it can also lead us further away.

Subhanaka allahomma wa bihamdik
ashhado anla ilaha illa ant
wastaghfirooka waatoobo ilayk