Shayekh Muhammad At-Tameemi/Saleh As-Saleh
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Know, may Allaah’s Mercy be upon you, that Allaah (subhanahuhu wa ta’ala: Far is He removed from every imperfection, the Most High) made it very clear that mankind must follow Islaam, hold to it and dissociate from whatever contradicts it. The declaration that “There is no God but Allaah” not only negates all false deities and confirms worship only to Allaah, it also requires the complete dissociation from any form of worship to any false deity; Allaah (subhanahuhu wa ta’ala) says:
لَآ إِكۡرَاهَ فِى ٱلدِّينِۖ قَد تَّبَيَّنَ ٱلرُّشۡدُ مِنَ ٱلۡغَىِّۚ فَمَن يَكۡفُرۡ بِٱلطَّـٰغُوتِ وَيُؤۡمِنۢ بِٱللَّهِ فَقَدِ ٱسۡتَمۡسَكَ بِٱلۡعُرۡوَةِ ٱلۡوُثۡقَىٰ لَا ٱنفِصَامَ لَهَاۗ وَٱللَّهُ سَمِيعٌ عَلِيمٌ
“There is no compulsion in religion. Verily, the right path has become distinct from the wrong path. Whoever disbelieves in Taaghut (false deities)1 and believes in Allaah, then he has grasped the most trustworthy handhold that will never break. And Allah is All-Hearer, All-Knower.” (Qur’an 2: 256)
Furthermore, to declare that Muhammad (sallallaahu ‘alayhe wa sallam: may Allaah Exalt his mention and safeguard him and his message) is the Messenger and slave of Allaah requires the belief that Muhammad (sallallaahu ‘alayhe wa sallam) is trusted by Allaah (subhanahu wa ta’ala) to deliver the Message of Islaam, and that Muhammad (sallallaahu ‘alayhe wa sallam) is to be followed and obeyed because Allaah (subhanahu wa ta’ala) decreed in the Qur’an:
وَمَآ ءَاتَٮٰكُمُ ٱلرَّسُولُ فَخُذُوهُ وَمَا نَہَٮٰكُمۡ عَنۡهُ فَٱنتَهُواْۚ وَٱتَّقُواْ ٱللَّهَۖ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ شَدِيدُ ٱلۡعِقَابِ
“And whatsoever the Messenger gives you, take it. And whatsoever he forbids you, abstain (from it) and fear Allaah. Verily, Allaah is severe in punishment.” (Qur’an 59: 7)
All the ways and methods that are needed by the Muslim to fulfill this declaration of Tawheed2 are explained in the Qur’an and by the Prophet Muhammad (sallallaahu ‘alayhe wa sallam). Allaah (subhanahu wa ta’ala) and His Messenger (sallallaahu ‘alayhe wa sallam) warned that there are ways that lead to Shirk,3 Kufr4 and rejection of Faith. The Muslim must be very knowledgeable about Tawheed so that he does not indulge in practices and concepts that contradict the essence of Islaam. The most dangerous and widely existing ways that breach Tawheed are:
ONE: Shirk in the worship of Allah: to associate something and/or anyone in the worship of Allaah:
إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يَغۡفِرُ أَن يُشۡرَكَ بِهِۦ وَيَغۡفِرُ مَا دُونَ ذَٲلِكَ لِمَن يَشَآءُۚ وَمَن يُشۡرِكۡ بِٱللَّهِ فَقَدۡ ضَلَّ ضَلَـٰلاَۢ بَعِيدًا
“Verily! Allâh forgives not (the sin of) setting up partners (in worship) with Him, but He forgives whom He wills sins other than that, and whoever sets up partners in worship with Allâh, has indeed strayed far away.” (Qur’an 4: 116)
إِنَّهُ ۥ مَن يُشۡرِكۡ بِٱللَّهِ فَقَدۡ حَرَّمَ ٱللَّهُ عَلَيۡهِ ٱلۡجَنَّةَ وَمَأۡوَٮٰهُ ٱلنَّارُۖ
“Verily, whosoever sets up rivals in worship with Allaah, then Allaah has forbidden Al- Jannah for him, and the Fire will be his abode.” (Qur’an 5: 72)
TWO: Setting up intermediaries between a person and Allaah is Kufr (disbelief):
calling upon them and seeking their intercession and depending upon them. Those who do this are taking “associates” with Allaah and this is Shirk. Allaah (subhanahu wa ta’ala) says (what means):
فَلَا تَجۡعَلُواْ لِلَّهِ أَندَادً۬ا وَأَنتُمۡ تَعۡلَمُونَ
“Then set not up rivals unto Allaah (in worship) while you know (that He Alone has the right to be worshiped). (Qur’an 2: 22)
The Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alayhe wa sallam) was asked: ‘Which sin is the Gravest? He said: “That you set up rivals unto Allaah (despite the fact) that He has created you.”5 Allaah (subhanahu wa ta’ala) says (what means):
وَلَا تَدۡعُ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ مَا لَا يَنفَعُكَ وَلَا يَضُرُّكَۖ فَإِن فَعَلۡتَ فَإِنَّكَ إِذً۬ا مِّنَ ٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَ
“And invoke not besides Allâh, any that will neither profit you, nor hurt you, but if (in case) you did so, you shall certainly be one of the Zâlimûn (polytheists and wrong-doers). (Qur’an 10:106)
THREE: Believing that the Mushrikeen (those who commit Shirk) are not Kufar or doubting their Kufr or defending and correcting the beliefs of the Kufar, is Kufr. Allaah (subhanahu wa ta’ala) says (what means):
يَـٰٓأَيُّہَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ لَا تَتَّخِذُواْ ٱلۡيَہُودَ وَٱلنَّصَـٰرَىٰٓ أَوۡلِيَآءَۘ بَعۡضُہُمۡ أَوۡلِيَآءُ بَعۡضٍ۬ۚ وَمَن يَتَوَلَّهُم مِّنكُمۡ فَإِنَّهُ ۥ مِنۡہُمۡۗ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يَهۡدِى ٱلۡقَوۡمَ ٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَ
“O you who believe! Take not the Jews and the Christians as Auliyâ’ (friends, protectors, helpers), they are but Auliyâ’ of each other. And if any amongst you takes them (as Auliyâ’), then surely he is one of them. Verily, Allâh guides not those people who are the Zâlimûn (polytheists and wrong-doers and unjust).” (Qur’an 5: 51)
This is one of the greatest contradictions to Tawheed. Here it is important to caution that many Muslims are reluctant (and feel ashamed) to say the word “Kufr” to describe a disbeliever or to point out their acts of Shirk. Some even look at the Kufar with great deal of admiration, fear and obedience. Those have an inferiority complex that leads them to become blind followers and defenders of the Kufar and their ways. They are at grave danger since this may “melt” their identity.
The Muslim’s position about these matters must be dissociation from Kufr and Shirk, but Love for Allaah (subhanahu wa ta’ala), His Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alayhe wa sallam) and the believers:
لَّا يَتَّخِذِ ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنُونَ ٱلۡكَـٰفِرِينَ أَوۡلِيَآءَ مِن دُونِ ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنِينَۖ وَمَن يَفۡعَلۡ ذَٲلِكَ فَلَيۡسَ مِنَ ٱللَّهِ فِى شَىۡءٍ إِلَّآ أَن تَتَّقُواْ مِنۡهُمۡ تُقَٮٰةً۬ۗ وَيُحَذِّرُڪُمُ ٱللَّهُ نَفۡسَهُ ۥۗ وَإِلَى ٱللَّهِ ٱلۡمَصِيرُ
“Let not the believers take the disbelievers as Awliyaa’ (supporters, helpers, etc.) instead of believers, and whoever does that will never be helped by Allaah in any way, except if you indeed fear a danger from them. And Allaah warns you against Himself (His punishment), and to Allaah is the final return.” (Qur’an 3: 28)
FOUR: The belief that guidance by someone other than the Prophet Muhammad (sallallaahu ‘alayhe wa sallam) is better or that ruling by other than the rule of Muhammad (sallallaahu ‘alayhe wa sallam) is better, then this is Kufr. The rule of Muhammad (sallallaahu ‘alayhe wa sallam) is the rule of Allaah:
فَلَا وَرَبِّكَ لَا يُؤۡمِنُونَ حَتَّىٰ يُحَكِّمُوكَ فِيمَا شَجَرَ بَيۡنَهُمۡ ثُمَّ لَا يَجِدُواْ فِىٓ أَنفُسِہِمۡ حَرَجً۬ا مِّمَّا قَضَيۡتَ وَيُسَلِّمُواْ تَسۡلِيمً۬ا
“But no, by your Lord, they can have no true Faith (al-waajib: which is dutiful upon them), until they make you judge in all disputes between them, and find in their souls no resistance against your decisions, but accept (them) fully with submission.” (Qur’an 4: 65)
Some examples of this are:
(a) The belief that systems and laws made by human beings are better than, or equal to the Sharee’ah of Islaam; or that Islamic system is not suitable for the contemporary times, and that Islaam is the cause of backwardness of the Muslims.
(b) The belief that enforcing the punishments prescribed by Allaah (subhanahu wa ta’ala), such as cutting of the hand of the thief or the stoning of an adulterer, is not suitable for this day and age. Continue reading →
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