18/10/2012 02:36 Characteristics of Tawheed Al-Ibaadah - Islamic Network

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The Islamic Network - www.islaam.net
Thursday, 2 Dhu 'l -Hijjah 1433 AH / 18th October 2012 CE
Characteristics of Tawheed Al-Ibaadah
by Salh al-Budayr
Safar 3, 1422 (April 27, 2001)
All praise is due to Allaah. May peace and blessings be upon His Prophet Muhammad saws, his family and companions.
Fellow Muslims! Fear Allaah in all your undertakings and worship him all the time. Thank Him for His blessings for He has
promised additional favour for whosoever is grateful.

O you who believe! Fear Allaah as He should be feared and die
not except in a state of Islaam. (AalImaran 3: 102)

Fellow Muslims! Make a just estimate of Allaah such as is due to Him and reflect over signs of His magnificence, favours,
sovereignty and His wonderful creatures for this will increase you in faith. He says,

And on the earth are signs for those who have faith with
certainty. (51: 20).

He also says,

Verily in the creation of the heavens and the earth, and in the
alternation of night and day, there are indeed signs for men of
understanding. (3: 190)

Allaah created this wonderful and great universe and all that it contains in which there are signs upon signs. Glory be to
Him! He manifested His proofs for those who reflect and made His evidence clear to those who are heedless. Blessed be
Allaah, the Best of Creators. Ibn Masood said,

The distance between the nearest heaven and that which follows it is a journey of 500 years; the distance between one
heaven and another is a journey of 500 years and the distance between the seventh heaven and the Kursiyy (Footstool)
is a journey of 500 years. The Throne is over the water, and Allaah is over the Throne, and He knows what you do. (Ad-
Daarimee).
The Prophet saws also said,

The seven heavens are in relation to the Kursiyy like a ring thrown into a waterless desert. And the
superiority of the Arsh (the Throne) ovr the Kursiyy is like the superiority of the desert over that ring. (Al-
Bayhaqqee).
Ibn Abbaas said,

The seven heavens and the seven earths are nothing more in Allaahs hand than a mustard seed in the hand of one of
you.
Dear Muslims! One of the proofs of Allaahs greatness is a hadeeth narrated by Al-Bukharee and Muslim on the authority
of Abdullah ibn Masood that a Jewish rabbi came to the Prophet saws and said,
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When it is on the Day of Resurrection, Allaah will place the heavens on a finger, the earths on a finger,
the sea and the soil on a finger and the rest of creation on a finger then He will shake them and say, I am
the King, I am the King. Ibn Masood said, I saw the Messenger of Allaah saws smiling (upon hearing
this) so that his molar teeth showed in astonishment and confirmation of what the rabbi had said. Then he
recited, They made not a just estimate of Allaah such as is due to Him. And on the Day of Resurrection
the whole of the earth will be grasped by His hand and the heavens will be rolled up in His right hand.
Glorified is He, and high is He above all that they associate with Him.
The Prophet saws also said,

I am permitted to speak about one of Allaahs angels who is one of the bearers of the Arsh; The distance
between his earlobe and shoulder is a journey of 700 years.
Al-Bukharee related on the authority of Aboo Hurayrah that the Prophet saws said,

When Allaah has ordained some affair in the heaven, the angels beat with their wings in obedience to His
statement which sounds like a chain dragged over a rock. Until when fear is banished from their hearts
they (the angels) say, What is it that your Lord has said? They say, The Truth! And He is most High
most Great.
Glory be to the Owner of Power and Majesty. None has the right to be worshipped save Him. Dear Muslims! These are
but some of the texts that point to the more obvious signs of Allaah, His omnipotence and greatness. Do we make just
estimates of Allaah? Do we glorify Him as we should? Do we fulfil our obligations to him as His slaves and creatures?
Muaadh Ibn Jabal said,

I was riding behind the Messenger of Allaah on a donkey called Ufayr and he said, O Muaadh! Do you
know Allaahs right upon His slaves and the slaves right upon Allaah? I said, Allaah and His Messenger
know best. He then said, Allaahs right upon His slave is that they should worship Him and associate
nothing with Him in worship, and the slaves right upon Allaah is that He does not punish whoever does
not associate anything with Him. (Al-Bukharee & Muslim).
Fellow Muslims! The greatest act of injustice is to associate partners with Allaah in worship. He says,

Whoever sets up partners with Allaah, Allaah has forbidden
Paradise for him, and the fire will be his abode. And for the
wrongdoers there are no helpers. (5: 72).

He also says,

So shun the abomination (worshipping) of idols and shun lying
speech. Hunafaa Lillaah (i.e. to worship none but Allaah), not
associating partners to Allaah. And whoever assigns partners to
Allaah, it is as if he had fallen from the sky and the birds had
snatched him or the wind had thrown him to a far off place. (Al-
Hajj 22: 30-31)

Brothers in Islaam! Beware of Shirk and the means that lead to it and be aware that the best way to be safe from Shirk is
to know it. Hudhayfah Ibn Al-Yamaan said,

People used to ask the Messenger of Allaah saws about good things but I used to ask about evil things so that they
might not touch me.
Fellow Muslims! It is unfortunate that some Muslims fall into actions that negate the principle of Tawheed. It is therefore
necessary to explain to people issues and rules that have to do with Tawheed. There are many Quranic verses and
authentic Hadeeths that give clear and comprehensible proofs on the fact that it is only Allaah who has the right to be
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authentic Hadeeths that give clear and comprehensible proofs on the fact that it is only Allaah who has the right to be
worshipped and that all acts of worship should be dedicated and devoted to Him alone.
Dear Muslims! It is part of perfection of Tawheed to abstain from uttering Shirk-containing statements even if one does not
intend it as such. Likewise is swearing by others beside Allaah and whoever does that is on the verge of a dangerous sin.
The Prophet saws said,
Whoever swears by other than Allaah has committed Kufr or Shirk. (Ahmad)
He also said,

Do not swear by your fathers or mothers or other deities beside Allaah. And also do not swear by Allaah
unless you are saying the truth. (Abu Dawood).
One can swear by Allaah, His names and Attributes. Whoever swears by other than Allaah should repent and not do that
again. Sad Ibn Abee Waqqaas said,

We were having a discussion at a time when I had just left Jaahiliyah (just embraced Islaam) and I swore
by Al-laata and Al-Uzza [some Arab idols]. The companions of the Messenger of Allaah then told me,
What an evil statement have you uttered! Go to the Prophet saws and tell him of what you have said. We
think that you have become a Kafir by this utterance. Then I went to Him and told him that. He then said,
Say: Laa Illaaha Illa Allaah Wahdahu Laa Shareeka Lah. Three times then spit to your left side three
times and do not say the statement again.
Dear Muslim! Shun the use of despicable utterances like, I depend on Allaah and you. Ahmad reported that a man came
to the Prophet saws and told him,

Whatever Allaah and you will. The Prophet saws replied, Are you making me an equal to Allaah? Nay, it
is whatever Allaah alone wills.
Fellow Muslim! Beseech Allaah and seek for His favour through good deeds like Tawheed and abstention from all forms
of Shirk. Do not beseech Him through un-recommended and forbidden supplications. Further shun the wearing of
talismans and the like, for doing such is part of Shirk. Turn to Allaah alone in difficulties for He is the only one capable of
removing hardships. He says,

And if Allaah touches you with harm, none can remove it but He,
and if He touches you with good, He is able to do all things, and He
is Irresistible, above His slaves and He is the All-Wise, Well-
Acquainted with all things. (Al-Anaam 6: 17-18)

Fellow Muslims! All these superstitious objects that people wear cannot prevent harm from touching them, nor can they
cure them of any illness. One should therefore keep away from them. Imraan bin Husayn narrated,

The Prophet saws saw a brass talsiman on a mans arm and asked him, What is this? The man
answered, It is Al-Waahinah (an object worn on the arm to prevent pain). The Prophet saws then said, It
will not increase you except in feebleness. Take it off. If you die while it is on you, you will never prosper.
(Ahmad)
Ahmad also reported that a group of people came to the prophet. He took the allegiance of nine of them and held his
hand from the tenth. They said,

O Messenger of Allaah You took the allegiance of all of us and left this man. The Prophet saws replied,
It is because he is wearing a talisman. Then the man broke the talisman and the Prophet saws took his
allegiance.

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allegiance.
Fellow Muslim! Do not visit fortune-tellers, astrologers and soothsayers because they claim to possess the knowledge of
the unseen. They are tricky and treacherous people and ask their clients to associate partners with Allaah and to
slaughter animals to others beside Allaah. The Prophet saws said,

May Allaah curse whoever slaughters for others beside Allaah.
He also said, Whoever visits a fortune-teller and asks him anything, his prayer will no be accepted for
forty nights. (Muslim)
He also said, Whoever visits a soothsayer and believes him in what he says has disbelieved in what is
revealed to Muhammad. (Ahmad)
Brothers in Faith! Keep your Tawheed pure and free from Shirk, know that it is unlawful to seek blessings from trees,
graves, stones etc. Aboo Waaqid Allaythee narrated that they (the companions) went out with the Prophet saws to
Hunayn.

The unbelievers had a lote tree under which they would stay for worship and on which they hanged their
weapons for blessing. That tree was called Dhaat Anwaat. So the companions came by a huge green lote
tree on their way and said, O Messenger of Allaah! Make for us a Dhaat Anwaat as like that of them (the
unbelievers). The Prophet saws replied, By Him in Whose hand in my soul, you have said what the
Children of Israel said to Moosa: Give us a god like their gods. He then said, Indeed you are an ignorant
people! You shall follow the paths of those who were before you little by little. (Ahmad and others)
Be also aware, dear brothers, that it is not permissible to seek blessings from the Prophets saws grave nor from his
birthplace or that of any Prophet or righteous people. It is also not permissible to seek blessing from walls of any mosque,
even the sacred mosque in Makkah. It is only recommended to kiss or touch Al-Hajar Al-Aswad and to touch the Yamani
corner. Ibn Umar said,

I have not seen the Prophet touching anything of The House except the Yamani Corner and the Hajar al-
Aswad. (Al-Bukhari & Muslim).
Umar also said while kissing the Black Stone,

By Allaah! I know that you are only a stone that can neither benefit no harm, had I not seen the Prophet
saws kissing you, I would not have kissed you. (Muslim).
Fellow Muslims! Seeking help from the dead, supplicating to them, asking them ones needs, slaughtering to appease
them etc. are all acts of idol worshippers who are friends of Satan. These are of the Major Shirk that destroy ones good
deeds and lead one to eternal condemnation. Allaah says,

And who is more astray than one who calls (invokes) beside
Allaah, such as will not answer him until the Day of Resurrection
and are (even) unaware of their calls (invocations) to them. And
when mankind are gathered (on the Day of Resurrection) they (the
false deities) will become enemies for them and deny their
worshipping. (Al-Ahqaaf 46: 5-6)

Fellow Muslims! Going to the excess as regards the graves of Prophets and righteous people by building mosques and
domes on them and decorating them is a major sin and an avenue to Shirk. Aaisha and Ibn Abaas said,
When the Prophet saws was dying, he would cover his face with a sheet and remove it when he felt pain.
While in this condition, he said, May the curse of Allaah be on the Jews and the Christians, for they made
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While in this condition, he said, May the curse of Allaah be on the Jews and the Christians, for they made
graves of their prophets mosques. Warning (his Ummah) against what the Jews and Christians did.
Dear Muslims! Erecting structures on the graves, plastering them and inscribing on them are unlawful. Jaabir narrated,

The Messenger of Allaah saws has forbidden plastering of graves, sitting on them and erecting
structures on them. (Muslim and others). In At-Tirmidhees narration, he adds, and writing on them.
Alee Ibn Abee Taalib told Abul Hayyaaj Al-Asdee,

Let me indeed send you with what the Messenger of Allaah saws sent me, that, you should not leave any
statue undemolished nor a raised grave unlevelled. (Muslim)
Indeed, having intention of worshipping Allaah at the grave of a Prophet or a saint is a means leading to Shirk. That is
why making supplications at the graves including that of the Prophet saws is forbidden. Aboo Yalaa and Ad-Diya Al-
Maqdisee reported that Alee Ibn Husayn saw a man who used to enter an opening that is at the Prophets grave and
make supplications there. He forbade him from doing that and told him. Let me narrate to you a hadeeth I heard from my
father on the authority of my grandfather that the Messenger of Allaah saws said,

Do not turn my grave into a place of festival, nor turn your houses to graves [whereby you do not pray in
them]. Invoke blessings on me, for your invocation of peace and blessings on me reaches from wherever
you may be.
Brothers in Islaam! Fear Allaah as He should be feared and be conscious of Him in public and in private. Allaah says,

O you who believe! Be afraid of Allaah and be with those who are
true (in words and deeds) (At-Tawbah 9: 119)

Fellow Muslims! Implementation of Allaahs law upon His slaves is an act of glorifying Allaah. It is therefore incumbent
upon Muslims and their leaders to submit to Allaahs law, surrender to His judgements and fight anything that runs counter
to it. Indeed associating partners with Allaah in rules and judgement is like associating partners with Him in acts of
worship and whosoever denounces the right of Allaahs and His Prophets saws judgement, believes that others
judgements are better than or equal to Allaahs or believes that it is permissible to judge with what contradicts Allaahs
and His Messengers Law has disbelieved in what was revealed to Muhammad saws and gone out of the fold of Islaam.
Allaah says,

But No! By your Lord! They can have no faith until they make you
(Muhammad) judge in all disputes between them and find in
themselves no resistance against your decisions and accept
(them) with full submission. (An-Nisaa 4: 65)

Fellow Muslims! Perceiving evil omens in days, months or some birds is an act of the period of ignorance (Jahiliyyah)
which Islaam has come to eradicate. Perceiving evil omens does not in any way change what has been decreed. Al-
Bukhaaree reported that the Messenger of Allaah saws said,

(There is) no Adwa (no contagious disease is conveyed without Allaahs permission), nor is their any bad
omen (from birds) nor is there any (bad omen in a bird called) Haamah nor is there any bad omen in the
month of Safar.
Fear Allaah, devote your hearts to Allaah and fight superstition in all its forms.
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