بِسْم الله الرحمن الرحيم
8-1-1438
The Importance of Learning about Allah / Tawheed
The most important thing a person should focus on when studying Aqeedah is Belief in Allah. If you spend your entire life studying the Names, Attributes, and Actions of Allah, and die upon it, it will be sufficient for you to enter Paradise. Because this is the purpose behind our existence in life: to know Allah, and when we know Him to accordingly worship Him.
1) Learning about Allah corrects the Tawheed of a Person.
The true Muwahhid is the one who singles Allah out in His Actions. Allah has two kinds of actions:
1) Actions of Greatness - أفعال العظمة
E.g. His Might, Ability, Strength, Creation
2) Actions of Ihsan -أفعال الإحسان - (All whatever Allah does of goodness to His creation)
E.g. His Mercy, Kindness, etc.
Because the Muwwahid knows Allah by His Actions, His Tawheed Al-Uloohiya is perfect. He does not direct any act of worship to other than Allah. Whenever he needs something, he does not stand at the gate of anyone other than Allah regardless if is cure for his sickness, guidance, reformation, comfort of his heart, etc. He does not turn his heart to any of the creation.
The Muwwahid also knows Allah by His Perfect Attributes. He knows that there is no one who is perfect except Allah. He knows that Allah is الصمد، السلام ،القدوس. Therefore he does not turn his heart to anyone other than Allah nor hope from anyone except Allah. He knows all the creation are poor and weak, and Allah is the Absolute Rich and Strong. He knows that he is incapable of managing his own life, and Allah is Able to do anything. When he knows these facts about himself and his Creator, his Tawheed is perfected.
Thus Tawheed requires strong knowledge. As your knowledge increases, as your Tawheed becomes perfect. As you learn about Allah, as your تأليه الله (deification of Allah) increases. Knowledge is required from us; to learn more and more about Allah from the Qur'an and Sunnah. The problem with people is deficiency in knowledge.
E.g. Most Muslims recite Ayat AlKursi day and night. But if you ask most of them what the meaning of القيوم is they stay silent. This great Name means:
1) القائم بنفسه - Self subsisting
2) والمقيم لغيره - The One who subsists the rest of the Creation.
Allah stands in need of no one, while the creation in its entirety are in need of Him.
There are different aspects of the قيومية of Allah- One is قيومية الحفظ (How Allah protects us)
Look into your body. Your heart is beating, your blood is flowing through your veins, your stomach is digesting. Who is in charge of your internal organs, making it function properly? It is by Allahs permission that these internal organs function. He is able to say stop and they will stop.
Allah did not give us responsibility over our hearts and stomachs. He is the One in charge of them. Yet when people talk about their body they say "The blood runs, the heart beats, the stomach digests", attributing the action to the organ, as if the organ has the ability to function by itself. This is weak attributing of the actions to Allah, which is weak Tawheed Ruboobiya. Accordingly, our acts of worship are very weak, and we do not give Allah His due right.
The right of Allah on His slaves is that we worship Him alone and no one else.
عَنْ مُعَاذِ بْنِ جَبَلٍ، قَالَ مَرَّ بِي رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ وَأَنَا عَلَى حِمَارٍ فَقَالَ " يَا مُعَاذُ هَلْ تَدْرِي مَا حَقُّ اللَّهِ عَلَى الْعِبَادِ وَمَا حَقُّ الْعِبَادِ عَلَى اللَّهِ " . قُلْتُ اللَّهُ وَرَسُولُهُ أَعْلَمُ . قَالَ " فَإِنَّ حَقَّ اللَّهِ عَلَى الْعِبَادِ أَنْ يَعْبُدُوهُ وَلاَ يُشْرِكُوا بِهِ شَيْئًا . وَحَقُّ الْعِبَادِ عَلَى اللَّهِ إِذَا فَعَلُوا ذَلِكَ أَنْ لاَ يُعَذِّبَهُمْ"
It was narrated that Mu’adh bin Jabal said: “The Messenger of Allah ﷺ passed by me when I was riding a donkey, and said: ‘O Mu’adh, do you know what Allah’s right over His slaves is and what His slaves’ right over Allah is?’ I said: ‘Allah and His Messenger know best.’ He said: ‘The right of Allah over His slaves is that they should worship Him and not associate anything with Him. And the right of the slaves over Allah, if they do that, is that He should not punish them.’” [Ibn Majah]
But look at our hearts - we direct it to everyone, distracted with people. We have little love and magnification of Allah. This is all because we do not look into the actions of Allah in detail. The right of Allah upon us is great, and the slave will only give Allah His due right when he truly knows Him.
We are created with a sound فطرة (Natural Disposition) which accepts Tawheed and rejects Shirk. Because naturally, we love whoever does good to us, and direct our hearts and our attention to him. But the people of Shirk, instead of thanking Allah, thank someone else who has not done anything to them of favours. This goes against our natural disposition. So why do they do it? Because they first believe that those whom they worship besides Allah have perfect attributes. They say these Prophets, Messengers, Awliyaa have great status with Allah. We do not deny this. Then they say something which we do not agree: Because of this status, Allah has given them the permission to dispose the affairs of the universe. To know the unseen, to give, take, provide.
They attribute them with the perfect attributes of Allah, therefore they love and magnify them, and accordingly worship them.
The Hindus, for example, worship different gods. Each god is responsible for a certain matter. They give each false god some attribute of Allah, so the heart becomes attached to these idols and false gods. In this way Shirk spread amongst people - When they gave the attributes of Allah to his creation.
Because what makes us say لا اله الا الله? What makes us attached to Allah? What makes us love Him? When we know He has Perfect Attributes and no One else. This makes us say لا اله الا الله from our hearts.
Those people who say these gods have these attributes do not have any proof for their claim. But we have proof to refute their claim. Allah said in [17:56-57]:
"Say (O Muhammad SAW): "Call unto those besides Him whom you pretend [to be gods like angels, Iesa (Jesus), 'Uzair (Ezra), etc.]. They have neither the power to remove the adversity from you nor even to shift it from you to another person."
"Those whom they call upon [like 'Iesa (Jesus) - son of Maryam (Mary), 'Uzair (Ezra), angel, etc.] desire (for themselves) means of access to their Lord (Allah), as to which of them should be the nearest and they ['Iesa (Jesus), 'Uzair (Ezra), angels, etc.] hope for His Mercy and fear His Torment. Verily, the Torment of your Lord is something to be afraid of!"
Why are you then worshipping and calling them if they do not have the ability to remove distress from you? In [10:107]:
"And if Allah touches you with hurt, there is none who can remove it but He; and if He intends any good for you, there is none who can repel His Favour which He causes it to reach whomsoever of His slaves He will. And He is the Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful."
Allah says in [35:14]:
"If you invoke (or call upon) them, they hear not your call, and if (in case) they were to hear, they could not grant it (your request) to you. And on the Day of Resurrection, they will disown your worshipping them. And none can inform you (O Muhammad SAW) like Him Who is the AllKnower (of each and everything)."
Even if they hear you, they will not be able to give and respond to you. So where did you get that they respond to you and remove your distress? No polytheist will be able to refute these evidences.
It is very important to learn about Allah in order that our لا اله الا الله is correct. But whenever Allah gives us blessings, these blessings become a barrier between us and Allah. We forget Allah and become engaged with the blessings He has given us, therefore our لا اله الا الله becomes weak. Instead of increasing in gratitude to Allah, our belief weakens.
2) A person will not be kept firm answering the questions in the grave without it.
Who will be able to answer these three questions? Only the Muwwahid who really knew Allah his life. The person, whom while alive in this world, uses his eyes, ears, and heart to come closer to Allah. He hears the news about Allahs perfection from the Qur'an and Sunnah. He hears that Allah is الصمد، الغني, and sees the impact of Allahs attributes in his life and in the universe. He sees the impacts of Allahs greatness, mercy, wisdom. He sees how the animal lifts up its leg in order to not stamp on its baby and sees the mercy of Allah. He knows that such and such situation indicates Allahs wisdom, he knows had not what happened happened, he would not have been guided, etc.
If he lives like this, he will die upon this, and when he is in his grave, he will easily say "My Lord is Allah."
The problem with us is that we do not use our eyes, ears, and hearts in reflecting over the signs of Allah in the universe, nor in ourselves.
The one who knows Allah with certainty (علم اليقين) will not fight for his رزق (Provision) in the Dunya. He knows Allah is الرزاق and everything is a رزق from Allah.
E.g. Someone who holds a special position in your heart promised to visit you, and you have been looking forward to her visit. Qadar Allah, she could not make it. Her visit is a رزق (provision) and Allah stopped that رزق from you. If you really believe that Allah is الرزاق, and this visit is a رزق, and that Allah prevented it from you, you would not blame her every time you see her and ask her why she did not come, nor will you have any malice in your heart towards her.
These are little things we go through in our life, while we do not think that they are رزق from Allah. And this is all due to our weak knowledge about Allah.
E.g. You wanted to go for Hajj and tried, but Allah did not write it for you. This is a رزق from Allah which was prevented from you.
The person who has true knowledge will not fight for his رزق, he will accept what Allah has given him.
Thus, If you want to pass the test in your grave, you need to know Allah in detail. And Allah teaches us about Himslf in the Qur'an from Surah AlFatihah until Surah An-Nas.
3) The Purpose behind Allah sending Messengers is to call people to Tawheed
Allah addresses the Prophet ﷺ many times in the Qur'an with "قل" (Say).
For example, in [113:1]:
"Say (O Muhammad (Peace be upon him)): "He is Allah, (the) One."
And in [34:36]:
"Say (O Muhammad ﷺ): "Verily, my Lord enlarges and restricts the provision to whom He pleases, but most men know not."
This means: O Muhammed ﷺ, tell the people that He is Allah, the One. Tell the people that Allah is the One who enlarges and restricts provision. This is the message of the Messengers; to call the people to Tawheed - to Allah.
In [21:25]:
"And We did not send any Messenger before you (O Muhammad SAW) but We inspired him (saying): La ilaha illa Ana [none has the right to be worshipped but I (Allah)], so worship Me (Alone and none else)."
Allah sent every Messenger to call to لا اله الا الله and worship Allah alone. But there were people that took that messenger as a god instead of following the teachings of that Messenger. They took the Prophet ﷺ as their Waseela, as the Sufis do. Although Allah sent the Messengers to guide people to Him.
Look at the defeat which occurred to the Muslims in the Battle of Hunayn. The companions were great in number and forces, but they were defeated. It is to tell you that it is not your force or numbers that grant you victory, but victory comes from Allah. This is the message of Allah to the people. But when the people are given blessings they become tempted and deceived by the means. Allah says in [8:17]:
"You killed them not, but Allah killed them. And you (Muhammad ﷺ) threw not when you did throw but Allah threw, that He might test the believers by a fair trial from Him. Verily, Allah is All-Hearer, All-Knower."
Allah is the Owner of the Kingdom and He is Able to do Everything. So who should our hearts be attached to? Allah.
In [7:188]:
"Say (O Muhammad ﷺ): "I possess no power of benefit or hurt to myself except as Allah wills. If I had the knowledge of the Ghaib (unseen), I should have secured for myself an abundance of wealth, and no evil should have touched me. I am but a warner, and a bringer of glad tidings unto people who believe."
If the Prophet ﷺ does not have the power to benefit or harm himself, how can he benefit you when you invoke him?
4) Tawheed is the basis of the acceptance of all deeds
Allah will not accept any deed no matter how big it is, unless it is based on Tawheed. If a person prays a lot, fasts, recipes Qur'an, but commits shirk, his deed will not be accepted by Allah. In [39:65]:
"And indeed it has been revealed to you (O Muhammad ﷺ), as it was to those (Allah's Messengers) before you: "If you join others in worship with Allah, (then) surely (all) your deeds will be in vain, and you will certainly be among the losers."
As you increase in your Tawheed, the more your deeds will be accepted by Allah. The acceptance of your deeds are dependent on the strength of your Tawheed and belief in Allah. In [16:97]:
"Whoever works righteousness, whether male or female, while he (or she) is a true believer (of Islamic Monotheism) verily, to him We will give a good life (in this world with respect, contentment and lawful provision), and We shall pay them certainly a reward in proportion to the best of what they used to do (i.e. Paradise in the Hereafter)."
In [4:124]:
"And whoever does righteous good deeds, male or female, and is a true believer in the Oneness of Allah (Muslim), such will enter Paradise and not the least injustice, even to the size of a Naqira (speck on the back of a date-stone), will be done to them."
"و هو مؤمن" (..While he is a believer...)
Belief in Allah = Tawheed
Tawheed is the cause for the multiplication of reward of the deed.
The Prophet ﷺ said:
" لاَ تَسُبُّوا أَصْحَابِي، فَلَوْ أَنَّ أَحَدَكُمْ أَنْفَقَ مِثْلَ أُحُدٍ ذَهَبًا مَا بَلَغَ مُدَّ أَحَدِهِمْ وَلاَ نَصِيفَهُ "
"Do not abuse my companions for if any one of you spent gold equal to Uhud (in Allah's Cause) it would not be equal to a Mud or even a half Mud spent by one of them." [Bukhari]
A mountain of gold in charity we give will not be equal to a handful of what the companions give. Why? Because of the belief and Tawheed which was established in their heart, which we do not have much of. They surpassed people in their Tawheed. Their hearts were attached to Allah. When they gave charity they did not count how much would remain with them. They were not afraid of poverty. They would just give and forget themselves. This is due to the strong belief in their heart, thus their reward was great.
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