The Pillars of Tawheed

The Pillars of Tawheed

Definition of Tawheed

The linguistic definition of Tawheed:
Derived from the Arabic verb ‘wahhada’, which means to unite, unify or consolidate. Linguistically Tawheed means ‘unification’.

The Shariah definition of Tawheed:
It means ‘to worship Allah (swt) exclusively without associating partners with his names, attributes, function or command’. Or in Arabic ‘Ifradulillahi bil ibadah’ worshipping Allah (swt) exclusivity

The Kalimat-ut Tawheed لا إله إلا الله
The testification of Tawheed has two aspects to it; negation then affirmation.

1. Negation (nafi)لا إله
This is the part of saying, ‘There is no god’. This negates completely any other object or person worshipped other than Allah (swt) i.e. Kufr bit Taghout

The four main things negated:
1.Al Amdad (idols) – nothing like Allah (swt) no sons or daughters has He
2.Tanfi Taghout – anything worshipped other than Allah (swt)
3.Al Aliha – any other god
4.Al Arba – any other lord

1. Affirmation (ithbat)إلا الله
This is the part of saying, ‘Except Allah (swt)’ This is the affirmation that the worship is for Allah (swt) alone and there is no one to be associated with Him in His worship as there are no partners for Him in His Kingdom and His Lordship i.e. Imanu billah

The four main things affirmed:
1.Nobody to follow but Allah (swt)
2.To love Allah (swt)
3.To fear none but Allah (swt)
4.To have tawakkul (reliance) on Allah (swt)

The above principle can be found in the following verse from the Qur'an, Allah (swt) says,

﴿ فَمَنْ يَكْفُرْ بِالطَّاغُوتِ وَيُؤْمِنْ بِاللَّهِ فَقَدِ اسْتَمْسَكَ بِالْعُرْوَةِ الْوُثْقَى لا انْفِصَامَ لَهَا وَاللَّهُ سَمِيعٌ عَلِيمٌ ﴾

Whosoever declares kufr on (rejects) Taghout then believes in Allah, he has grasped the most trustworthy knot of Islam [Surah Baqarah 2: 256]

From which the ulema have derived the two pillars of Tawheed

The Two Pillars Of Tawheed
§Al Kufr bit-Taghout (Rejecting the Taghout)
§Al Imanu billah (Belief in Allah)

Al Kufr bit-Taghout (Rejecting the Taghout)
1.The Definition of the Taghout:
Imam Malik bin Anas said:

“Al Taghout is anything that the worshipper takes as objects of worship (Ma’boud), or to be followed (Matbou’) or obeyed (Muta’a) other than Allah (swt) therefore exceeding their limits .”

Examples of Taghout:
§Taghout Worshipped
Idols, rock, stone, tree, animals, jinn, Shaytan, etc
§Taghout Followed
Priest, magician or evil scholars
§Taghout Obeyed
Evil law courts whether local, national or international, the Taghout governments in charge over the Muslim affairs, and those Mushrikeen Rulers over the Muslims, and other examples include the legislating parliaments and similar councils such as the United Nations etc.

The Five Heads of Taghout:
By Sheikh Muhammad ibn Abdul Wahhab

1.Shaytan (Iblis and his alliance)

﴿ أَلَمْ أَعْهَدْ إِلَيْكُمْ يبَنِى ءَادَمَ أَن لاَّ تَعْبُدُواْ الشَّيطَـنَ إِنَّهُ لَكُمْ عَدُوٌّ مُّبِينٌ ﴾

Did I not command you, O Children of Adam, that you should not worship Shaytan Verily, he is a plain enemy to you. [Surah Yasin 36:60]

2.Any Leader who replaces the Shariah

﴿ وَمَن لَّمْ يَحْكُم بِمَآ أَنزَلَ اللَّهُ فَأُوْلَـئِكَ هُمُ الْكَـفِرُونَ ﴾

And whosoever does not judge by what Allah has revealed, such are the disbelievers. [Surah Al MAidah 5:44]

3.Whosoever judges different to the Shariah

﴿ أَلَمْ تَرَ إِلَى الَّذِينَ يَزْعُمُونَ أَنَّهُمْ آمَنُواْ بِمَا أُنزِلَ إِلَيْكَ وَمَا أُنزِلَ مِن قَبْلِكَ يُرِيدُونَ أَن يَتَحَاكَمُواْ إِلَى الطَّاغُوتِ وَقَدْ أُمِرُواْ أَن يَكْفُرُواْ بِهِ وَيُرِيدُ الشَّيْطَانُ أَن يُضِلَّهُمْ ضَلاَلاً بَعِيدًا ﴾

Have you not seen those (hypocrites) who claim that they believe in that which has been sent down to you, and that which was sent down before you, and they wish to go for judgment (in their disputes) to the Taghut while they have been ordered to reject them. But Shaytan wishes to lead them far astray. [Surah An Nisa 4:60]

4.Whosoever claims to know the unseen

﴿ عَـلِمُ الْغَيْبِ فَلاَ يُظْهِرُ عَلَى غَيْبِهِ أَحَداً ﴾

The All-Knower of the Unseen and He reveals to none His Unseen. [Surah Al Jinn 72:26]

﴿ وَعِندَهُ مَفَاتِحُ الْغَيْبِ لاَ يَعْلَمُهَآ إِلاَّ هُوَ ﴾

And with Him are the keys of the Ghaib (all that is hidden), none knows them but He. [Surah Al An'am 6:59]

5.One who is worshipped by his/her consent

﴿ وَمَن يَقُلْ مِنْهُمْ إِنِّى إِلَـهٌ مِّن دُونِهِ فَذلِكَ نَجْزِيهِ جَهَنَّمَ ,كَذَلِكَ نَجْزِى الظَّـلِمِينَ ﴾

And if any of them should say: "Verily, I am a god besides Him,'' such We should recompense with Hell. Thus We recompense the wrongdoers. [Surah Al Anbiyah 21:29]

The Five points to rejecting Taghout:
By Sheikh Muhammad ibn Abdul Wahhab

1.To declare the Taghout to be batil (falsehood)
You must believe that the Tawagheet are all falsehood, and not from the camp of Haq (truth):

﴿ ذَلِكَ بِأَنَّ اللَّهَ هُوَ الْحَقُّ وَأَنَّ مَا يَدْعُونَ مِنْ دُونِهِ هُوَ الْبَاطِلُ ﴾

That is because Allah - he is the truth, and what they (kuffar) invoke besides him, it is batil [Surah Al Hajj 22: 62]

2.Keep distance from the Taghout
It is not enough just to declare Taghout to be falsehood; you must also keep distance from it. Hence you cannot call a ruler Taghout but become his minister or mufti. Allah (swt) says,

﴿ وَلَقَدْ بَعَثْنَا فِي كُلِّ أُمَّةٍ رَسُولا أَنِ اعْبُدُوا اللَّهَ وَاجْتَنِبُوا الطَّاغُوتَ ﴾

Worship Allah alone, and keep away from Taghout [Surah An Nahl 16: 36]

3.Declare animosity (enmity) towards the Taghout
You must declare all Tawagheet to be your enemy as they are the enemies of Allah. Many people declare Taghout to be falsehood and keep distance from it, but if you do not declare it to be your enemy you have not yet rejected Taghout:

﴿ إِنَّا بُرَاء مِنكُمْ وَمِمَّا تَعْبُدُونَ مِن دُونِ اللَّهِ كَفَرْنَا بِكُمْ وَبَدَا بَيْنَنَا وَبَيْنَكُمُ الْعَدَاوَةُ وَالْبَغْضَاء أَبَدًا حَتَّى تُؤْمِنُوا بِاللَّهِ وَحْدَهُ ﴾

We have rejected you, and there has started between us and you, animosity and hatred for ever, until you believe in Allah alone. [Surah Al Mumtahinah 60: 4]

4.To hate the Taghout
You must then have hatred towards Taghout. In Islam there is no such concept as ‘love your enemy’. In fact it is prohibited to love your enemy and it is only the foolish that do so:

﴿ إِنَّا بُرَآءُ مِنْكُمْ وَمِمَّا تَعْبُدُونَ مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ كَفَرْنَا بِكُمْ وَبَدَا بَيْنَنَا وَبَيْنَكُمُ الْعَدَاوَةُ وَالْبَغْضَاءُ أَبَدًا حَتَّى تُؤْمِنُوا بِاللَّهِ وَحْدَهُ﴾

We have rejected you, and there has started between us and you, animosity and hatred for ever, until you believe in Allah alone. [Surah Al Mumtahinah 60:4]

5.To make takfir upon Taghout
We all declare Shaytan (Taghout) to be falsehood; we keep distance from him, have animosity towards him and hate him. But we must also declare him to be kafir because the Tawagheet are entities that are worshipped, obeyed or followed other than Allah, therefore it is inevitable for it to be kafir as we only obey and worship Allah exclusively. Furthermore, Allah orders us to declare Taghout to be kafir in the Qur’an:

﴿ فَمَنْ يَكْفُرْ بِالطَّاغُوتِ وَيُؤْمِنْ بِاللَّهِ فَقَدِ اسْتَمْسَكَ بِالْعُرْوَةِ الْوُثْقَى لا انْفِصَامَ لَهَا وَاللَّهُ سَمِيعٌ عَلِيمٌ ﴾

Whosoever declares kufr on (rejects) Taghout then believes in Allah, he has grasped the most trustworthy knot of Islam [Surah Baqarah 2: 256]

After a person has fulfilled the first pillar of Tawheed, he must then fulfill the second pillar, which is belief in Allah (swt)

Al Imanu Billah (Belief in Allah)
Some of the ‘Ulema (Islamic scholars) have expressed Tawheed as three categories:
I.At-Tawheed Ar-Rububiyah (The Oneness of Allah (swt) in His Lordship)
II.At-Tawheed Al-Uluhiyah (The Oneness of Allah (swt) in His Orders)
III.At-Tawheed Al-Asma wal Sifat (The Oneness of Allah (swt) in His Names and Attributes)

Such divisions were based upon the divine evidences and can be found together in a single verse of the Qur’an;

﴿ رَّبُّ السَّمَـوَتِ وَالاٌّرْضِ وَمَا بَيْنَهُمَا فَاعْبُدْهُ وَاصْطَبِرْ لِعِبَادَتِه هَلْ تَعْلَمُ لَهُ سَمِيّا ﴾

Lord of the heavens and the earth, and all that is between them, so worship Him and abide patiently in His worship. Do you know of any who is similar to Him? [Surah Maryam 19:65]

Tawheed Al-Rububiyah: When Allah (swt) says,

“Lord of the Heavens and of the Earth, and all that is between them.”

Tawheed Al-Uluhiyah: Then Allah (swt) says,

“So worship Him (swt), and be constant and patient in His Worship.”

Tawheed Al-Asma wal Sifat: When Allah (swt) says,

“Do you know anyone one is worthy of the same Name as He?”

At-Tawheed Ar-Rububiyah
This is the dedication of the actions of Allah (swt) like creating, commanding, sovereignty and others to Him (swt) exclusively. We take as part of our ‘Aqeedah in Allah’s exclusive right of Creating and Commanding as He (swt) has said,

﴿ أَلاَ لَهُ الْخَلْقُ وَالأَمْرُ ﴾

And to He (swt) is the Creating and the Command [Surah Al A'raf 7:54]

And we also take as our ‘Aqeedah that to Allah (swt) alone belongs the sovereignty of all creation. Allah (swt) says,

﴿ وَلِلَّهِ مُلْكُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ ﴾

And to Allah (swt) belongs the dominions of the Heavens and the Earth.” [Surah An Nur 24:42]

This division of Tawheed, Al-Rububiyah, is accepted by even the Kuffar as most of them believe that Allah (swt) is the only Creator, the only Provider, the one who governs all things and He (swt) does not have any assistance nor any equal His (swt) Kingdom.
The Qur’an provides evidence that the Kuffar accept and believe in Tawheed Ar-Rububiyah as opposed to Tawheed Al-Uluhiyah, which they deny.

At-Tawheed Al-Uluhiyah
This is the dedication of the ritual actions of the servant of Allah (swt) for His (swt) sake alone like Ad-Du’a (ritual petition), Al-Khowf (fear), Al-Mahabbah (love), At-Tawakkul (reliance) and other ritual actions. Allah (swt) has said,

﴿ يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ اعْبُدُواْ رَبَّكُمُ الَّذِي خَلَقَكُمْ وَالَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَتَّقُونَ ﴾

O people! Worship your Lord, who created you and those who came before you, so that you may become God-fearing [Surah Baqarah 2:21]

At-Tawheed Al-Uluhiyah was the call of all the Prophets from the first of them (i.e. Adam (as)) to the last of them (i.e. Muhammad (saw)). Allah (swt) has said,

﴿ وَمَا أَرْسَلْنَا مِن قَبْلِكَ مِن رَّسُولٍ إِلاَّ نُوحِي إِلَيْهِ أنَّهُ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ أَنَاْ فَاعْبُدُونِ ﴾

Not a messenger did We send before you except that we inspired him: that there is no god but I; therefore worship Me [Surah Al Anbiyah 21:25]

And Allah (swt) also said,

﴿ وَلَقَدْ بَعَثْنَا فِي كُلِّ أُمَّةٍ رَّسُولاً أَنِ اعْبُدُواْ اللّهَ وَاجْتَنِبُواْ الطَّاغُوتَ ﴾

And We sent to each nation a Prophet (with the command), ‘Worship Allah (swt) and shun all Tawagheet (any idol, object or person that prevents men from doing good and leads them astray) [Surah An Nahl 16:36]

Types of acts of worship:
1. Salah (prayer)
2. Ruku (bowing)
3. Sajood (prostration)
4. Dua (supplication)
5. Istighatha (appealing for help)
6. Istiaza (seek refuge with Allah)
7. Nadhr (divine vow)
8. Zabih (slaughter)
9. Tawaf (circumbulation)
10. Sai (running between Safa and Marwa)
11. Tawakkul (reliance)
12. Khawf (fear)
13. Mahabbah (love)
14. Ta’zeem (elevate)
15. Raja (wish)
16. Khashoua (ritual focus)
17. Ragba (reference)
18. Tahakum (arbitration)
19. Dawah (calling to Islam)
20. Amr bil Marouf (commanding good)
21. Nahi anil munkar (forbidding evil)
22. Zakah (alms tax)
23. Hajj (pilgrimage)
24. Fasting (fasting), Jihad, etc

If mankind seek their ‘lords and priest’ to permit what Allah (swt) has forbidden or to forbid what Allah (swt) has allowed those people who do such an action become the ‘Abidun Lil Taghout’ or the worshippers of those Taghout and those changing Allah’s (swt) law from the priests and lords are the Taghout. Allah (swt) says,

﴿ أَلَمْ تَرَ إِلَى الَّذِينَ يَزْعُمُونَ أَنَّهُمْ آمَنُواْ بِمَا أُنزِلَ إِلَيْكَ وَمَا أُنزِلَ مِن قَبْلِكَ يُرِيدُونَ أَن يَتَحَاكَمُواْ إِلَى الطَّاغُوتِ وَقَدْ أُمِرُواْ أَن يَكْفُرُواْ بِهِ وَيُرِيدُ الشَّيْطَانُ أَن يُضِلَّهُمْ ضَلاَلاً بَعِيدًا ﴾

Have you not seen those who declare that they believe in the revelations that have come to you and to those before you? They wish to turn together for judgment (in their disputes) to the Taghout, though they were ordered to declare disbelief in them. But Satan's wish is to lead them astray far away (from the right). [Surah An Nisa 4:60]

﴿ اتَّخَذُواْ أَحْبَارَهُمْ وَرُهْبَانَهُمْ أَرْبَابًا مِّن دُونِ اللّهِ وَالْمَسِيحَ ابْنَ مَرْيَمَ وَمَا أُمِرُواْ إِلاَّ لِيَعْبُدُواْ إِلَـهًا وَاحِدًا لاَّ إِلَـهَ إِلاَّ هُوَ سُبْحَانَهُ عَمَّا يُشْرِكُونَ ﴾

They took their Rabbis and their Monks to be their Lords and Legislators besides Allah (swt) and took the Messiah, the son of Mary, while they were commanded to worship, obey and follow none but one God/Allah; none has the right to be worshipped or followed and to legislate but he, praise and glory be to him from having the partners they associate with him. [EMQ 9:31]

At-Tawheed al-Asma’ was Sifat
This is the dedication of the specific and special names and attribute to Allah (swt) alone, which He (swt) has given Himself.

Two matters are of utmost importance in this division:

1.Confirmation of the Names and Attributes Allah (swt)
This is confirming and affirming the Names and Attributes of Allah (swt) contained within the Islamic texts of the Qur’an and the Sunnah, which Allah (swt) has confirmed upon Himself.

2.Negation of making any Similitude
This is negating and rejecting any comparison between Allah (swt) and His creation in any of His Names and Attributes since Allah (swt) has said,

﴿ لَيْسَ كَمِثْلِهِ شَيْءٌ وَهُوَ السَّمِيعُ البَصِيرُ ﴾

Nothing is like Him (swt) and He is the All-Seeing and the All-Hearing [Surah Ash Shura 42:11]

The evidence for the two matters is contained in the above ayah when Allah (swt) says, ‘and He is the All-Seeing and the All-Hearing’ - this is confirmation of Allah’s (swt) Attributes of Seeing and Hearing. And Allah’s (swt) saying, ‘Nothing is like Him (swt)’ is evidence for negating any similitude between Allah (swt) and His (swt) creation as nothing is like
Allah (swt) and Allah (swt) is unlike anything.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------