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Bismillaah Al-Hamdulillaah wa salatu wa salaamu 'ala rasulullaah
Amma ba'd
Tawheed, The Two Shahaadahs, and their True Meanings
All praise is due to Allaah. We praise Him, seek His aid, and His forgiveness. We seek refuge in Allaah from the evils of our souls and the evils of our actions. Whomsoever Allaah guides, none can misguide. And whomsoever Allaah allows to go astray, none can guide him. I bear witness that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, Alone and without any partners, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger.
Linguistically, Tawheed means Oneness. In the Sharee'ah (Islam), Tawheed authentically means singling out Allaah in that which is specific to Him. So whoever wants to enter Jannah (Paradise) has to believe and act upon all of the following:
1- To believe that Allaah is the only Creator, the only Provider, the only Disposer of all affairs, the only Giver of life and death;
Such is Allaah, your Lord! Laa ilaaha illa Huwa (none has the right to be worshipped but He), the Creator of all things. So worship Him (Alone), and He is the Wakeel (Trustee, Disposer of affairs, Guardian, etc.) over all things. (Al-An'am, ayah 102)
Verily, Allaah! Unto Him belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth, He gives life and He causes death. And besides Allaah you have neither any Walee (protector or guardian) nor any helper. (At-Tawbah, ayah 116)
and
2- To believe that Allaah, the Most High, is the One worshipped in truth, and He has no partners besides Him in that. And this is the meaning of 'Laa Ilaaha Illa Allaah,' and the meaning of this is: there is no deity worshipped in truth except Allaah (and that which is worshipped besides Him is worshipped in falsehood). [La ma'booda bi Haqqin illAllaah (wa ghairullaahi in 'ubida fa fi baatil)]
Allaah, subhanahu wa ta'ala said (what means):
That is because Allaah He is the Truth (the only True Lord of all that exists, Who has no partners or rivals with Him), and what they (the polytheists) invoke besides Him, it is Batil (falsehood) And verily, Allaah He is the Most High, the Most Great. (Al-Hajj, ayah 62)
...Verily, the Right Path has become distinct from the wrong path. Whoever disbelieves in Taaghoot (false deities) and believes in Allaah (worships only Allaah, and belives in Allaah's oneness), then he has grasped the most trustworthy handhold that will never break [this trustworthy handhold is 'Laa illaha illa Allaah']... (Al-Baqarah, ayah 256)
So Allaah is to be singled out in each and every act of worship, such that du'aa is only directed to Allaah alone (no exceptions), and that salat is only directed to Allaah alone (no exceptions), sacrifice is only for Allaah alone (no exceptions), fasting is only directed to Allaah alone (no exceptions), reverence (awe) is only for Allaah alone (no exceptions), reliance is only on Allaah (no exceptions), Hope is only in Allaah (no exceptions), etc...;
3- Then it is to believe in everything that has been revealed in the Noble Qur`aan and the authentic ahadeeth from the names of Allaah and His attributes. And affirming them for Allaah alone, at the level that is befitting the Most High, without Tahreef (perverting the texts), without Ta`teel (denying their meanings), without Takyeef (seeking after their specific details), and without Tamtheel (likening Allaah to His Creation). Complying with the statement of the Most High:
Say (O Muhammad): "He is Allaah, (the) One. Allaah-us-Samad (The Self-Sufficient Master, Whom all creatures need, He neither eats nor drinks). He begets not, nor was He begotten; And there is none co-equal or comparable unto Him." (Al-Ikhlas, ayat 1-4)
And His (subhanahu wa ta'aala) statement:
There is nothing like unto Him, and He is the All-Hearer, the All-Seer. (Ash-Shura, ayah 11)
And He (Ta'ala) said:
And (all) the Most Beautiful Names belong to Allaah, so call on Him by them, and leave the company of those who belie or deny (or utter impious speech against) His Names. They will be requited for what they used to do. (Al-A'raf, ayah 180)
This is Tawheed, my Muslim brothers and sisters; as you can see, it is more than saying "Allaah is One." If you go to Egypt, the Christians and Coptics who speak Arabic say "Allaah is One." Does that make them Muslim? No! If you ask your Christian or Jewish neighbor John Smith or Kathy Goldstein, they'll say "God is One." Does that make them Muslim? No!
Why?
This is because they worship other than Allaah. Worshipping only Allaah is the part of Tawheed that some people from this Ummah ignore, so you see some of these people saying "La ilaaha il Allaah" with their tongue but negating it with du'aa to the Prophet or the dead - a clear indication they have not understood the statement of Tawheed. Refuge in Allaah is sought from this.
Read what Allaah (subhanahu wa ta'aala) commanded His Messenger (salallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) to ask the mushrikeen, such as Abu Lahb and Abu Jahl:
Say (O Muhammad): "Who provides for you from the sky and from the earth? Or who owns hearing and sight? And who brings out the living from the dead and brings out the dead from the living? And who disposes the affairs?" They will say: "Allaah." Say: "Will you not then be afraid of Allaah's Punishment (for setting up rivals in worship with Allaah)?" (Yunus, ayah 31)
So if the mushrikeen, such as Abu Lahb and Abu Jahl, affirmed that Allaah is The Creator and The Provider and the One Who disposes all the affairs of everything that exists, then why did Allaah declare them kufaar (disbelievers)?
They were declared kufaar (disbelievers) because they worshipped other than Allaah. They gave some of their du'aa to other than Allaah, they sacrificed for other than Allaah, they sought refuge in other than Allaah, etc...
Likewise, we cannot have mistakes in any part of Tawheed ('Aqeedah). We cannot say Allaah - in His Self - is "everywhere" or "in every place" when He has told us in the Qur'an:
And He is the Irresistible, above His slaves. (Al-An'am, ayah 18)
And also has told us:
Do you feel secure that He, Who is over the heaven (Allaah). (Al-Mulk, ayah 16)
And also has told us:
The Most Beneficent (Allaah) Istawa (rose over) the (Mighty) Throne (in a manner that suits His Majesty). (Ta-Ha, ayah 5)
So we say about Allaah what Allaah says about Himself, that He is above us, above the heavens, and above His Throne. As for Allaah's Knowledge, then yes, Allaah's Knowledge is everywhere. As for His Self, He is The Most High.
Know, may Allaah have mercy upon you, that we have to believe in everything above, as Allaah says:
So if they believe in the like of that which you believe, then they are rightly guided, but if they turn away, then they are only in opposition. So Allaah will suffice you against them. And He is the All-Hearer, the All-Knower. (Al-Baqarah 2:137)
Does your 'aqeedah match the 'aqeedah of the Prophet (salallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) and his companions? Do you attend 'aqeedah classes, my Muslim brothers and sisters, due to its priority and tremendous benefit for the Muslim?
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The Status of the Prophet (salallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam)
Muhammad ibn 'Abdullaah (salallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) was a slave not to be worshipped, and a Messenger not to be denied. ['Abdun la yu'bad wa rasulan la yukathab]
No act of worship is to be directed toward the Prophet or anyone other than Allaah, and nothing besides the reward from Allaah is to be sought from any act of worship. Muhammad ibn 'Abdullaah (salallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) is the seal of all Prophets, and no Prophet will come after him. The Prophet was not sent to be worshipped, but rather was sent to be followed and taken as an example.
Allaah sent the Prophet with Tawheed (worshipping Allaah alone), and the Prophet (salallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) called to Tawheed and refuted shirk for 23 years before dying at the age of 63.
And indeed it has been revealed to you (O Muhammad), as it was to those (Allaah's Messengers) before you: "If you join others in worship with Allaah, (then) surely (all) your deeds will be in vain, and you will certainly be among the losers. (Az-Zumar, ayah 65)
Indeed in the Messenger of Allaah (Muhammad) you have a good example to follow for him who hopes in (the Meeting with) Allaah and the Last Day, and remembers Allaah much. (Al-Ahzab, ayah 21)
Say (O Muhammad to mankind): "If you (really) love Allaah then follow me (i.e. accept Islamic Monotheism, follow the Qur'an and the Sunnah), Allaah will love you and forgive you of your sins. And Allaah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful. (Aali Imran, ayah 31)
Blessed be He Who sent down the criterion (of right and wrong, i.e. this Qur`an) to His slave (Muhammad) that he may be a warner to the 'Alameen (mankind and jinns). (Al-Furqan, ayah 1)
Believing in Prophet Muhammad (salallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) means to:
1- Believe in what he (salallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) came with.
2- Do what he commanded.
3- Refrain from what he forbade.
4- Do not worship Allaah except with what He legislated (in type, manner, etc), in accordance with the Prophet's statement: Whosoever does an action not in accordance with our matter (Sunnah), then it will be rejected. [Muslim]
The Messenger of Allaah (salallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) is our Imam, and we take no one's words over his words, as Allaah said about him in Surat an-Najm (ayat 3-4):
Nor does he speak of (his own) desire. It is only an Inspiration that is inspired.
And since the Messenger (salallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) did not speak from his own desire, opinion or accord in conveying the religion, Allaah says:
He who obeys the Messenger (Muhammad), has indeed obeyed Allaah, but he who turns away, then we have not sent you (O Muhammad) as a watcher over them. (An-Nisa, ayah 80)
...And whatsoever the Messenger (Muhammad) gives you, take it, and whatsoever he forbids you, abstain (from it)... (Al-Hashr, ayah 7)
The Messenger of Allaah (salallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) is the only human we will be asked about in the grave. The Prophet was not created from noor - as some people of bid'ah deviantly claim - rather the Prophet was a man created from that which men are created from, he had a shadow, walked in the market, ate, had relations with his wives, and went to the bathroom.
Say (O Muhammad, (salallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam)): "I am only a man like you..." (Al-Kahf, ayah 110)
And he (salallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) did not know the Ghaib (unseen), except what Allaah revealed to him.
Say (O Muhammad, (salallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam)): "I possess no power of benefit or hurt to myself except as Allaah 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. (Al-A'raf, ayah 188)
Say (O Muhammad (salallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam)): "I don't tell you that with me are the treasures of Allaah, nor (that) I know the unseen; nor I tell you that I am an angel. I but follow what is revealed to me by inspiration." Say: "Are the blind and the one who sees equal? Will you not then take thought?" (Al-An'aam, ayah 50)
And he (salallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) was sent to all of mankind:
Say (O Muhammad, (salallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam)): "O mankind! Verily, I am sent to you all as the Messenger of Allaah - to Whom belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth. La ilaaha illa Huwa (none has the right to be worshipped but He); It is He Who gives life and causes death. So believe in Allaah and His Messenger (Muhammad), the Prophet who can neither read nor write (i.e. Muhammad) who believes in Allaah and His Words [(this Qur`an), the Taurat (Torah) and the Injeel (Gospel) and also Allaah's Word: "Be!" - and he was, i.e. 'Iesa (Jesus) son of Maryam (Mary),], and follow him so that you may be guided. (Al-A'raf, ayah 158)
So the status of the Prophet (salallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) with Ahlus-Sunnah wal Jama'ah is the status that Allaah and His Messenger commanded us to uphold, baarak Allaahu feekum (may Allaah bless you).
The Prophet (salallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) said:
Do not over praise me like the Christians over praised the son of Maryam. Indeed I am a slave of Allaah and His Messenger. [Bukhari]
And in another hadeeth, he said:
I am a slave. I eat what a slave eats and sit like a slave sits. [al-Baghawee] |
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Subhanak Allaahuma wa bihamdika ash-hadu anlaa illaaha illa anta astaghfiruka wa atubu ilayk
If I said anything correct, then it is from Allaah (subhanahu wa taa'ala), and if I erred, then that is from me and shaytan.
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yasin3683
21-03-2011 @ 5:28 AM
