Oneness of Allah, Tawheed, Polytheism, shirk

 

Oneness of Allah (Tawheed), Polytheism (shirk)

A ship that has two captains may end up sinking, so what about the whole universe?

Allah says in the Quran, {If there were gods besides Allah in the heavens and the earth, they both would have been ruined.}  (Surah Al-Anbiyah 21:22)

 

Tawheed is the firm belief that Allah is the only true god who deserves to be worshipped. This means that all acts of worship, whether apparent or hidden, must be directed to Him alone. The Quran states, {Your God is One God. There is no god but Him, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful.} (Surah Al-Baqarah 2:163)

 

The actions of Tawheed are of two kinds 

• Outer: Actions or sayings that are apparent to others by being pronounced aloud or done in public, such as: the two testimonies of faith (shahadatain), the prayer, zakat, Hajj, reciting Quran, jihad, slaughtering of animals, swearing oaths, or uttering remembrances of Allah.

 

• Inner: Hidden actions, sayings, or thoughts that Allah alone is aware of, such as: faith, intentions, vows, trust in Allah, fasting, fear of Allah, hope in Allah, and the like. 

The virtues of Tawheed and its importance 

1-Tawheed is the best kind of faith and worship.

2- Pure Tawheed expiates sins, and the angels will pray for forgiveness for a person who has it.

3- Pure Tawheed is a reason to enter Paradise.

4- Angels give the believers the glad tidings of Paradise.

5- Tawheed is the foundation of the religion, and the other pillars of Islam depend on it.

6- It is obligatory for each Muslim to know the pillars of Islam, the pillars of faith (iman), and the 

other acts of worship which are included in Tawheed.

Polytheism, or associating partners with Allah (Shirk) 

Polytheism means either worshiping something other than Allah or associating partners with Allah. For example: requesting help from the deceased or from idols, as well as loving them, fearing them, making a vow in their name, or slaughtering in their name. The proof is that Allah says in the Quran, {Indeed, Allah does not forgive associating partners with Him, but He forgives what is less than that, for whomever He wills, and whoever sets up partners in worship with Allah has certainly gone far astray.} (Surah An-Nisaa, 4:116)

 

Shirk is of two types: Major Shirk and Minor Shirk

Major Shirk: This involves directing any act of worship to other than Allah. An example is prostrating to other than Allah. Allah says, {And of His signs are the night and day and the sun and moon. Do not prostrate to the sun or to the moon, but prostate to Allah, who created them, if it is Him that you worship.} (Surah Fussilat 41: 37)

 

Minor Shirk: This involves those words or deeds which serve as a vehicle to commit major shirk. An example is making one’s prayer a little longer sometimes or reciting the Qur’an a little louder for the sake of showing off. The Prophet ﷺ once observed, “The thing that I fear most for you is the minor shirk.” His Companions asked, “What is the minor shirk, Messenger of Allah?” He replied, “Showing off.” [Musnad Ahmad: 23630]

 

You must know that none of Allah's creations is equal to Him. He alone is Everlasting and All-Powerful. It is He Who creates, provides, and knows everything, and no one except Him can be characterized with such great attributes. It is He alone Who deserves praise, obedience,

and gratitude.