Bin Baaz: The Essence of `Ibadah and Tawhid of the Creator

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In the name of Allah, the most Gracious, the most Merciful 

The Essence of `Ibadah and Tawhid of the Creator 

Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds. The good end will ultimately be for the righteous people! May Allah's Peace and blessings be upon His servant and Messenger, the best of His creation who was entrusted with His Revelation, our Prophet and Imam, Muhammad Ibn `Abdullah, his Family, his Companions, and those who follow in his footsteps until the Day of Resurrection. 

Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He) has ordained His servants to worship and fear Him and to enjoin the good and forbid the evil. He says, And I (Allâh) created not the jinn and mankind except that they should worship Me (Alone). Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He) has created humankind and Jinn to worship Him Alone by following His Commands, avoiding His prohibitions, and devoting all acts of worship to Him. The creation should do so out of firm belief in Allah, in His messengers, and in all that the messengers taught. It is an act of worship to worship Allah with no associate or partner and to abide by the limits set by Him as this is indicated in His Book and the Sunnah of His Messenger (peace be upon him). There are many Ayahs in which Allah (Exalted be He) orders His servants to do so. He (Glorified and Exalted be He) says, O mankind! Worship your Lord (Allâh), Who created you and those who were before you so that you may become Al­Muttaqûn (the pious See V.2:2). Who has made the 

earth a resting place for you, and the sky as a canopy, and sent down water (rain) from the sky and brought forth therewith fruits as a provision for you. Then do not set up rivals unto Allâh (in worship) while you know (that He Alone has the right to be worshipped). Allah (Exalted be He) states that He has created them for this purpose. He says, O mankind! Worship your Lord 

(Allâh) 

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i.e. believe in Tawhid (belief in the Oneness of Allah). Ibn `Abbas and others stated that the verb "worship" 

refers to Tawhid. This is stressed by His saying, Who created you and those who were before you so that you may 

become Al­Muttaqûn (the pious). e.g. by fulfilling His obligations and avoiding His prohibitions. Allah (may He be 

Praised) has pointed out some signs of His competency, which makes Him worthy of worship. He (Exalted 

be He) says, Who has made the earth a resting place for you, and the sky as a canopy, and sent down water (rain) from the sky 

and brought forth therewith fruits as a provision for you. Then do not set up rivals unto Allâh (in worship) while you know (that He 

Alone has the right to be worshipped). Allah (may He be Praised) has created the earth and all things on it such as 

mountains, trees, rivers, seas, animals, and so on, and made it a resting place for the servants to help them 

fulfill His right. The purpose of creation is to worship and fear Allah. So, He has created bounties in the earth 

and has sent down rain from the sky to help them obey Him. He (may He be Praised) says, He it is Who created

for you all that is on earth. The earth is made a resting place, the sky is made a protected ceiling, and the rain is 

sent down from the sky for the various fruits and plants to grow as provision for the servants to help them 

fulfill His right, avoid His prohibitions, support His pious people and fight His enemies. Allah (Glorified and 

Exalted be He) says, O mankind! Be dutiful to your Lord, Who created you from a single person (Adam), and from him (Adam) 

He created his wife [Hawwâ (Eve)], and from them both He created many men and women; and fear Allâh through Whom you demand (your mutual rights), and (do not cut the relations of) the wombs (kinship). Surely, Allâh is Ever an All­Watcher over you. 

Allah (may He be Praised) says, O mankind! Fear your Lord and be dutiful to Him! Verily, the earthquake of the Hour (of Judgement) is a terrible thing. He (Glorified and Exalted be He) also says, O you who believe! Fear Allâh (by doing all that 

He has ordered and by abstaining from all that He has forbidden) as He should be feared. [Obey Him, be thankful to Him, and remember Him always], and die not except in a state of Islâm [as Muslims (with complete submission to Allâh)]. And hold fast, all 

ofyoutogether,totheRopeofAllâh(i.e.thisQur’ân)Moreover, 

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He (Exalted be He) says, O mankind! Verily, the Promise of Allâh is true. So let not this present life deceive you, and let not the chief deceiver (Satan) deceive you about Allâh. He (Exalted be He) also says, O mankind! We have created you from a male 

and a female, and made you into nations and tribes, that you may know one another. Verily, the most honourable of you with Allâh is that (believer) who has At­Taqwâ [i.e. he is one of the Muttaqûn (the pious. See V.2:2)]. Verily, Allâh is All­Knowing, All­Aware. He (may He be Praised) also says, O mankind! Be afraid of your Lord (by keeping your duty to Him and avoiding all evil), and fear 

a Day when no father can avail aught for his son, nor a son avail aught for his father. Verily, the Promise of Allâh is true: let not then this (worldly) present life deceive you, nor let the chief deceiver (Satan) deceive you about Allâh. 

Allah (Exalted be He) also says, And they were commanded not, but that they should worship Allâh, and worship none but Him Alone (abstaining from ascribing partners to Him) There are other Ayahs indicating that He (may He be Praised) is 

their Lord Who is worthy of worship and that the believers are most entitled to glorify and fear Him, and abide by His command. Allah (Exalted be He) has revealed the Divine Books through the messengers to point out this right for which mankind and Jinn are created and ordered to fear and worship Him. The Noble Qur'an was revealed to Muhammad (peace be upon him) and described His right over the servants and the details of Shari`ah. Allah (Exalted be He) ordered His Prophet (peace be upon him) to explain this and guide people to it and detail its rulings. He (Glorified and Exalted be He) says, And We have also sent down unto you (O Muhammad صلى االله عليه و سلم) the Dhikr [reminder and the advice (i.e. the Qur’ân)], that you may explain clearly to men what is sent down to them, and that they may give thought. i.e. the Qur'an is sent down to the Prophet (Exalted be He) to explain to people what is sent down to them and help them understand problematic issues. The Prophet (peace be upon him) conveyed the message perfectly and explained to his nation the religion and what they need. There is nothing good except he guided them to it and nothing evil except he warned them against it. It is authentically reported that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said, 

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It is the duty of every Prophet whom Allah sent to guide his followers to what he knew was good for them and warn them against whatheknewwasbadforthem. (RelatedbyMusliminhisSahih). 

All the messengers were sent to guide people to the best of what they know and warn them against the wrong they know. Our Prophet (peace be upon him) conveyed the most perfect message and the greatest advice, and the most complete explanation. He guided people to every good and warned them against every evil. Allah (Exalted be He) ordained His servants to unify, and cooperate in righteousness and piety. He ordered them to be one body against His enemies. The Muslims have to be distinguished from Allah's enemies who disobey His command, do not devote the acts of worship to Him, and can neither fulfill His obligations nor avoid His prohibitions. The party and allies of Allah should be distinguished from the party and allies of the Satan. The persons who obey His orders, adhere to Shari`ah, and observe the limits should be distinguished from those who oppose His orders, support His enemies, exceed the limits, and do not follow what the messengers brought. Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He) says, The believers, men and women, are Auliyâ’ (helpers, supporters, friends, protectors) of one another; they enjoin (on the people) Al­Ma‘rûf (i.e. Islâmic Monotheism and all that Islâm orders one to do), and forbid (people) from Al­Munkar (i.e. polytheism and disbelief of all kinds, and all that Islâm has forbidden); they perform As­Salât (Iqâmat­as­Salât), and give the Zakât, and obey Allâh and His Messenger. Allâh will have His Mercy on them. Surely Allâh is All­Mighty, All­Wise. This Ayah refers to the qualities of the believers who obey His command and realize the worship for which they were created. Allah (Exalted be He) has described them in His saying, The believers, men and women, are Auliyâ’ (helpers, supporters, friends, protectors) of one another The believers love, support, and advise one another. Hence, they are Allah's allies, not enemies. The believer loves for his brother the same good and benefits he loves for himself and hates for him the evil he hates for himself. They advise and help one another in righteousness and piety, and are never guilty of Ghibah (backbiting) or Namimah (tale­bearing), telling lies, cheat, betrayal, or perjury. 

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The believers, males and females, should have these qualities. Allah (may He be Praised) has described such people as allies. The believing man is the ally of his brother in Islam, and the believing woman is the ally of her sister in Islam. They are distinguished from the enemies through giving advice to one another, being steadfast in religion, and being excellent in fulfilling Allah's right. They are praised by Allah (Exalted be He) in another Ayah inSurah Al­Ahzabas He (may He be Praised) says, Verily, the Muslims (those who submit to Allâh in Islâm) men and women, the believers men and women (who believe in Islâmic Monotheism), the men and the women who are obedient (to Allâh), the men and women who are truthful (in their speech and deeds), the men and the women who are patient (in performing all the duties which Allâh has ordered and in abstaining from all that Allâh has forbidden), the men and the women who are humble (before their Lord Allâh), the men and the women who give Sadaqât (i.e. Zakât, and alms), the men and the women who observe Saum (fast) (the obligatory fasting during the month of Ramadân, and the optional Nawâfil fasting), the men and the women who guard their chastity (from illegal sexual acts) and the men and the women who remember Allâh much with their hearts and tongues Allâh has prepared for them forgiveness and a great reward (i.e. Paradise). 

He (may He be Praised) describes His supporting servants, men or women, with these good manners and qualities. He tells us that He prepared for them forgiveness and great reward. They will enter paradise and escape Hellfire, thanks to their Islam, faith, fear of Allah and fulfilling His right. On the contrary, He (may He be Praised) says concerning His enemies, And those who disbelieve are allies of one another, (and) if you (Muslims of the whole world collectively) do not do so [i.e. become allies, as one united block under one Khalifah (a chief Muslim ruler for the whole Muslim world) to make victorious Allâh’s religion of Islâmic Monotheism], there will be Fitnah (wars, battles, polytheism) and oppression on the earth, and a great mischief and corruption (appearance of polytheism). He (may He be Praised) says, The hypocrites, men and women, are one from another; they enjoin (on the people) Al­Munkar (i.e. disbelief and polytheism of all kinds and all that Islâm has forbidden), and forbid (people) from Al­Ma‘rûf (i.e. Islâmic Monotheism and all that Islâm orders one to do), and they close their hands [from giving (spending in Allâh’s Cause) alms]. They have forgotten Allâh, so He has forgotten them. Verily, the hypocrites are the Fâsiqûn (rebellious, disobedient to Allâh). Allâh has promised the hypocrites men and women and the disbelievers, the Fire of Hell; therein shall they abide. It will suffice them. Allâh has cursed them and for them is the lasting torment. 

Thus, those enemies of Allah (Exalted be He) are from one another and are allies of one another in falsehood and corruption. 

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On the other hand, His believing allies are distinguished from His enemies. They enjoin good and forbid evil regardless of the relations of friendship and kinship. Their love for each other does not prevent them from forbidding evil. 

They advise each other for the sake of Allah and His servants so as to rectify the society and the Muslims affairs and be distinct from the enemies. The Ma`ruf refers to what is ordained by Allah (Exalted be He) and His Messenger (peace be upon him) and the Munkar refers to what is forbidden by them. It is the manner of the believers to support, advise, wish the good, and hate the evil for one another. Meanwhile, they enjoin the good and forbid the evil due to their loyalty to each other.  Patronage for sake of Allah necessitates enjoining the good and forbidding the evil. The believer does not like his brother in Islam to do any act that displeases Allah (Exalted be He) and leads to the penalty of torture in the Hellfire. Rather, he loves goodness and hates evil for his brother in Islam, so he enjoins what pleases Allah and forbids what leads him to the wretched destination.  Among the great characteristics of the believing men and women is that they sincerely perform Salah in a state of tranquility and Khushu` at its due time achieving its obligations and pillars. They offer it as Allah (Exalted be He) prescribed. Unlike the hypocrites, they only offer it out of showing­off or for some worldly benefit. Rather, they seek the reward and fear the punishment. Furthermore, they pay Zakah (obligatory charity) to its rightful recipients as Allah (Exalted be He) has commanded as they know that it is an obligation. Allah (Exalted be He) has granted them many bounties including their wealth and ordered them to pay a small part of it in order to be grateful and support their brothers in Islam. He (may He be Praised) says, and obey Allâh and His Messenger. The faith is not complete unless they obey Him and His Messenger in all affairs. Committing sins weakens faith, so the believers obey Allah (Exalted be He) and His Messenger (peace be upob him) in all affairs and avoid all sins.  ( Part No : 5, Page No: 11)  Thanks to their complete faith, they hasten to perform Tawabah from the sins they commit when they are heedless. All the believing men and women are fallible. Only the messengers (peace be upon them) are infallible. When a person errs and commits any trivial sin, he should hasten to perform Tawbah from it so as to regain his complete faith and fear of Allah.  According to Ahl­ul­Sunnah wal­Jama`ah (those adhering to the Sunnah and the Muslim main body), faith is shown through words and deeds and it increases and decreases. It increases if a person obeys and remembers Allah and decreases if they are heedless and commit sins. It is a trait of their perfect belief that believing allies of Allah befriend and support for the sake of Allah and hate for the sake of Allah. They are very careful about mixing with Allah's enemies from the Jews, Christians, communists, pagans, and other disbelieving persons. This matter is dangerous and led the Muslims, except those who are protected by the mercy of Allah, during the last centuries to serious affliction and widespread evil. They are saved from this evil due to their faith, fear of Allah and carefulness not to support and depend on Allah's enemies. The result of mixing with those enemies may be of great evil and corruption. This is especially true when the guides and advisors are few, faith and religious jealousy are weak, knowledge is scant, and temptations are many where the case is worse. The enemy drives the Muslim to do any act that displeases Allah (Exalted be He) and causes people to be far from His mercy. Sometimes, they make the Shirk and disbelief attractive for the Muslim so as to detach the believers from their religion. Sometimes they make the sins attractive for the Muslim to commit them and so the faith becomes weaker.  Sins, as stated by the people of knowledge, are the means to disbelief and bad end. The enemies spare no effort to beautify falsehood and invite the believers to it in order to fill Muslims with doubts concerning their religion, so that they become confused and shaky or convert to their religion.  ( Part No : 5, Page No: 12)  Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He) says inSurah Al­`Imran, O you who believe! Take not as (your) Bitânah (advisors, consultants, protectors, helpers, friends) those outside your religion (pagans, Jews, Christians, and hypocrites) since they will not fail  to do their best to corrupt you. They desire to harm you severely. Hatred has already appeared from their mouths, but what their breasts conceal is far worse. Indeed We have made plain to you the Ayât (proofs, evidence, verses) if you understand. Lo! You are the ones who love them but they love you not, and you believe in all the Scriptures [i.e. you believe in the Taurât (Torah) and the Injeel (Gospel), while they disbelieve in your Book, the Qur’ân]. And when they meet you, they say, "We believe." But when they are alone, they bite the tips of their fingers at you in rage. Say: "Perish in your rage. Certainly, Allâh knows what is in the breasts (all the secrets)." If a good befalls you, it grieves them, but if some evil overtakes you, they rejoice at it. But if you remain patient and become Al­Muttaqûn [the pious ­ See V.2:2], not the least harm will their cunning do to you. Surely, Allâh surrounds all that they do.  There are many Ayahs that stress this meaning such as His saying Verily, as for those whom the angels take (in death) while they are wronging themselves (as they stayed among the disbelievers even though emigration was obligatory for them) i.e. as they stayed among the disbelievers they (angels) say (to them): “In what (condition) were you?” In what (condition) were you? They reply: “We were weak and oppressed on the earth.” They (angels) say: “Was not the earth of Allâh spacious enough for you to emigrate therein?” Such men will find their abode in Hell ­ What an evil destination! Except the weak ones among men, women and children who cannot devise a plan, nor are they able to direct their way. These are they whom Allâh  is likely to forgive them, and Allâh is Ever Oft­Pardoning, Oft­Forgiving.  This Ayah points out the great danger of staying among or mixing with the Mushriks. It was revealed concerning the Muslims who stayed in Makkah and supported the enemies in the Battle of Badr. Some of them were killed along with the Mushriks. The preponderant report is that they were forced to fight against the Muslims, because if they engaged in the battle willingly, they would be apostates. Yet,  ( Part No : 5, Page No: 13)  the Mushriks dared to force them to participate in the Battle and fight against the Muslims because they were

staying among them. 

Some people of the Salaf were of the view that those people become disbelievers because of their support of the Mushriks, which makes them one of them. Whoever supports the Mushriks against the Muslims is an apostate. Allah (Exalted be He) says, And if any amongst you takes them as Auliyâ’, then surely he is one of them. Verily, AllâhguidesnotthosepeoplewhoaretheZâlimûn(polytheistsandwrong­doersandunjust).Therearetwopossibilitiesfor this situation: Those who fight against the Muslims and support the Mushrikeen become disbeliever. The second one is those who are forced to do so, they are wrongdoers; they prefer to stay with them and do not hasten to emigrate. Their staying was a means to fight the Muslims and support the enemies. Thus, staying among the Mushriks and mixing with Allah's enemies pose a great danger. A person may apostate and become a disbeliever, if he supports them against the Muslims. If he is saved from this, his stay may be a means leading him to obey them in some false matters or abandon some truthful matters. He may also give up his religion due to their call to falsehood and filling him with doubts. The Muslim is obliged to be careful about mixing with Allah's enemies and avoid their evil plots so as to be saved from their evils. Al­Hafiz Ibn Kathir (may Allah be merciful with him) commented on this Ayah Verily, as for those whom the angels take (in death) whiletheyarewrongingthemselves(astheystayedamongthedisbelieverseventhoughemigrationwasobligatoryforthem)saying that whoever stays among the Mushriks, while he is able to emigrate and is prevented from practicing his religion, yet willingly remains among the disbelievers is wronging himself and a sinful, according to the unanimous agreement among the scholars. End of quote. 

The one who stays and mixes with the Mushriks, while he is unable to practice his religion commits one of the well­established forbidden religious matters. That is why there is no disagreement among the scholars concerning this matter. His stay among them may lead him to many worse outcomes such as becoming a disbeliever and obeying them in falsehood. 

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Moreover,Abu Dawud, Al­Tirmidhy, and Al­Nasa'y related through an authentic Isnad on the authority of Jarir Ibn `Abdullah Al­Bajaly that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said, I am not responsible for any Muslim who stays among the Mushriks. This is because his stay among them may lead him to become a disbeliever, have weaker faith, or be unable to fulfill Allah's right. 

A l­Nisa'y(may Allah be merciful with him) related through an authentic Isnad that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “Allah does not accept any deeds from a Mushrik, after having embraced Islam, until he separates himself from theMushriks.” i.e.untilhedepartstheMushriks.

There are many Hadiths that convey the same meaning. Yet, there is nothing wrong with the one who has faith, knowledge, and insight to mix with them, if the purpose is manifesting the religion through calling them to Allah, denying the falsehood, and showing the truth. The messengers and the prophets did so with many kinds of disbelievers. This person who intends to bring them out of darkness into light and save them from the falsehood will be greatly rewarded. The callers to Allah who are qualified for this task and have the required knowledge will be rewarded, because they excel Allah's enemies by manifesting and calling to the truth. 

The ignorant persons who mix with them without guidance are exposed to great danger in various ways. 

Such people are unable to deny their falsehood and may be misled due to their ignorance. The disbelievers exert themselves to fill them with doubts and detach them away from Islam. There is neither might nor strength save in Allah. It is incumbent upon every Muslim to 

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be careful and avoid mixing with them. It is most important not to travel to their countries. Traveling to these countries for persons who have little knowledge and insight about Islam poses a great danger and harm. The forbidden acts such as Shirk, Zina, drinking Khamr, and so on, are done openly in these countries. So, traveling there may lead the person who has no guidance or sufficient knowledge to commit false acts and follow prohibited desires and false doubtful matters which Satan calls to. 

There are many Muslims who travel to non­Muslim countries for the sake of study, work, tourism, and so on. They return home with another character. Some lose their faith and become corrupted. Those whom Allah (Exalted be He) saved and is merciful to them are an exception. Every Muslim is obliged to be reluctant to Allah's enemies and be careful about their evil plots wherever they are. They must not mix with them unless they call and guide them to the truth and goodness so as to be distinct and careful of the evil, confusion, and falsehood of those enemies. The Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with them) used to do so when they were in Makkah. They called to Allah although they were weak and afraid of being hurt by the disbelievers. Meanwhile, some of Sahabah were afraid to do so and concealed their faith until Allah (Exalted be He) made a way out for them. 

At the present time, the excessive mixing between the Muslims and the disbelievers has led to many evil consequences. Every believer, therefore, has to beware of this matter and these consequences. They should not mix with them unless the purpose is to call and guide them to the truth, not befriending or loving them. Neglecting Allah's order leads to great evil and worse outcomes. Allah (Exalted be He) is the one who is sought for help and in Him we trust. There is neither might nor power except with Allah, The Most High, the Most Great. 

May Allay, by His Most Beautiful Names and Attributes, guide us all to the useful knowledge and good deeds, and grant us understanding of His Religion! May Allah grant this religion victory, raise His word, set right the affairs of Muslims everywhere and help them hold fast to His Religion, and apply Shari`ah! 

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May Allah guide Muslim rulers to success, help and guide them to whatever pleases Him, make them a means to guide His slaves, and make their condition better! Indeed, He has Power over all things. May Allah's Peace and Blessings be upon our Prophet and Messenger Muhammad, his family, his Companions, and those who follow them in righteousness!