Lesson four:
The virtues of Attauheed (Islamic monotheism)
Attauheed means sincerity to Allah (the Almighty and the Exalted) in religion, and it is a condition for a servant to be a Muslim. It is the meaning of Ashshahadatu an la'ilaa illa- llahu [i.e testifying that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah]. And he who does not profess the unity of Allah is not a Muslim even if he claims to be a Muslim and uttered the testimony of Islamic monotheism with his tongue. This testimony will not be accepted from him until he works with its obligations, and that is by being sincere to Allah(the Almighty and the exalted) in Religion and to shun away from false deities and to disavow from polytheism and polytheist.
Allah the Exalted said:
﴿لَآ إِكۡرَاهَ فِي ٱلدِّينِۖ قَد تَّبَيَّنَ ٱلرُّشۡدُ مِنَ ٱلۡغَيِّۚ فَمَن يَكۡفُرۡ بِٱلطَّٰغُوتِ وَيُؤۡمِنۢ بِٱللَّهِ فَقَدِ ٱسۡتَمۡسَكَ بِٱلۡعُرۡوَةِ ٱلۡوُثۡقَىٰ لَا ٱنفِصَامَ لَهَاۗ وَٱللَّهُ سَمِيعٌ عَلِيمٌ ٢٥٦﴾ [البقرة: 256].
Meaning: There shall be no compulsion in the Religion. The right course has become distinct from the wrong. So whoever disbelieves in taaghut [false deities] and believes in Allah has grasp the most trustworthy handhold with no break in it. And Allah is hearing and knowing. Q2:V256.
Allah the Exalted said:
﴿وَٱلَّذِينَ ٱجۡتَنَبُواْ ٱلطَّٰغُوتَ أَن يَعۡبُدُوهَا وَأَنَابُوٓاْ إِلَى ٱللَّهِ لَهُمُ ٱلۡبُشۡرَىٰۚ فَبَشِّرۡ عِبَادِ ١٧﴾ [الزمر: 17].
Meaning: "But those who have avoided taaghut [false deities] lest they worship it, and turn back to Allah – for them are glad tidings. So give good tidings to My servants. Q39:V17.
And He the Exalted says:
﴿وَلَقَدۡ بَعَثۡنَا فِي كُلِّ أُمَّةٖ رَّسُولًا أَنِ ٱعۡبُدُواْ ٱللَّهَ وَٱجۡتَنِبُواْ ٱلطَّٰغُوتَ﴾ [النحل: 36].
Meaning: And we certainly sent into every nation a messenger [saying] "Worship Allah and avoid taaghut [false deities] Q16:V36.
1-; Thus, the greatest virtue of tauheed is that it is the root of the Religion of Islam. So, one will not be considered a Muslim until he practices the real tauheed.
And the reward of a monotheist is the greatest reward, and it is the contentment of (Almighty) Allah, escape from the Fire, entering Paradise and seeing Allah the exalted [therein].
Mu'adh bin Jabal (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (S.A.W) said:"
«مَا مِنْ أَحَدٍ يَشْهَدُ أَنْ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللَّهُ، وَأَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا رَسُولُ اللهِ صِدْقًا مِنْ قَلْبِهِ إِلاَّ حَرَّمَهُ اللَّهُ عَلَى النَّارِ» [رواه البخاري].
Meaning; "There is none who testifies sincerely that none has the right to be worshipped but Allah and Muhammad is his Apostle, except that Allah will save him from the Hell-fire."
On the authority of Ubadah bin As-samit (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (S.A.W) said:
«مَنْ شَهِدَ أَنْ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللَّهُ وَحْدَهُ لاَ شَرِيكَ لَهُ، وَأَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُولُهُ، وَأَنَّ عِيسَى عَبْدُ اللهِ وَرَسُولُهُ وَكَلِمَتُهُ أَلْقَاهَا إِلَى مَرْيَمَ وَرُوحٌ مِنْهُ وَالْجَنَّةُ حَقٌّ وَالنَّارُ حَقٌّ أَدْخَلَهُ اللَّهُ الْجَنَّةَ عَلَى مَا كَانَ مِنَ الْعَمَلِ» [متفق علیه].
Meaning: "Whoever testifies that None has the right to be worshipped but Allah Alone Who has no partner, and that Muhammad is His Slave and His Apostle, and that Jesus is Allah's Slave and His Apostle and His Word which He bestowed on Mary and a Spirit created by Him, and that Paradise is true, and Hell is true, Allah will admit him into Paradise with the deeds which he had done even if those deeds were few.". Agreed upon.
Therefore, as for the believer who believes in Islamic Monotheism, Allah has promised to admit him into Paradise even if he commits what he has committed from sinful acts, because Allah may forgive him his sins and pardon him, and He may punish him for the sins he has committed, in the world or in his grave or in the courtyard of the Day of Judgment or in the Hell Fire, and then Paradise will be his final abode by the will of Allah (the Exalted).
But as to the polytheist, his punishment is indeed the worst punishments, which is the anger of Allah the Almighty, His hatred and eternity in the Hell Fire, and deprivation from entering Paradise and from seeing Allah the almighty.
Allah the Exalted said:
﴿إِنَّهُۥ مَن يُشۡرِكۡ بِٱللَّهِ فَقَدۡ حَرَّمَ ٱللَّهُ عَلَيۡهِ ٱلۡجَنَّةَ وَمَأۡوَىٰهُ ٱلنَّارُۖ وَمَا لِلظَّٰلِمِينَ مِنۡ أَنصَارٖ ٧٢﴾ [المائدة: 72].
Meaning: Indeed, he who associates others with Allah, Allah has forbidden him paradise, and his abode is the Fire. And there are not, for the wrongdoers any helpers. Q4: V72. And He (SWT) said:
﴿كَلَّآ إِنَّهُمۡ عَن رَّبِّهِمۡ يَوۡمَئِذٖ لَّمَحۡجُوبُونَ ١٥ ثُمَّ إِنَّهُمۡ لَصَالُواْ ٱلۡجَحِيمِ ١٦﴾ [المطففین: 15-16].
Meaning: No! Indeed, from their lord, that day, they will be partitioned. Then indeed, they will [enter and] burn in the Hell Fire. Q83: V15 and 16.
And Allah the exalted does not forgive Ashshirk (polytheism) and does not pardon the polytheists, rather, He necessitates a painful and permanent punishment upon them if they die on it without repentance. As Allah the Exalted said:
﴿إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يَغۡفِرُ أَن يُشۡرَكَ بِهِۦ وَيَغۡفِرُ مَا دُونَ ذَٰلِكَ لِمَن يَشَآءُۚ وَمَن يُشۡرِكۡ بِٱللَّهِ فَقَدۡ ضَلَّ ضَلَٰلَۢا بَعِيدًا ١١٦﴾ [النساء: 116].
Meaning: " Indeed, Allah does not forgive associating (partners) with Him, but He forgives what is less than that for whom He wills. And he who associates others with Allah has certainly gone far astray. Q4: V116.
Abdullah bin Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (S.A.W) had said:
«مَنْ مَاتَ وَهْوَ يَدْعُو مِنْ دُونِ اللهِ نِدًّا دَخَلَ النَّارَ وَقُلْتُ أَنَا مَنْ مَاتَ وَهْوَ لاَ يَدْعُو لِلَّهِ نِدًّا دَخَلَ الْجَنَّةَ» [رواه البخاري].
Meaning: "whoever dies while still invoking anything other than Allah as a rival to Allah will enter Hell Fire." And I said, "Whoever dies without invoking anything as a rival to Allah, will enter Paradise. Reported by Albukhari.
Ashshirk (polytheism) simply means to associate other deity with Allah in worship thereby making him a partner to Allah in acts of worship. For whoever joins a partner to Allah, his work will become worthless, and he will be among the losers.
Allah the Exalted said:
﴿وَلَقَدۡ أُوحِيَ إِلَيۡكَ وَإِلَى ٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبۡلِكَ لَئِنۡ أَشۡرَكۡتَ لَيَحۡبَطَنَّ عَمَلُكَ وَلَتَكُونَنَّ مِنَ ٱلۡخَٰسِرِينَ ٦٥ بَلِ ٱللَّهَ فَٱعۡبُدۡ وَكُن مِّنَ ٱلشَّٰكِرِينَ ٦٦﴾ [الزمر:65-66].
Meaning: And it was already revealed to you and to those before you that if you should associate [anything] with Allah, your work would surely become worthless, and you would surely be among the losers. Rather, worship [only] Allah and be among the grateful. Q39:V65 and66.
Thus, the utmost virtue of monotheism is the rescue from the penalty which Allah prepared for the polytheists.
2- ; Among the virtues of Tauheed is that, it is a condition for the acceptance of [any] work. Hence, the entire works of polytheist are unacceptable and every religion other than the religion of Islam is unacceptable (to Allah)
Allah the Exalted said:
﴿وَمَن يَبۡتَغِ غَيۡرَ ٱلۡإِسۡلَٰمِ دِينٗا فَلَن يُقۡبَلَ مِنۡهُ﴾ [آل عمران: 85].
Meaning: And whoever desires other than Islam as religion- never will be accepted from him, and he, in the hereafter, will be among the losers. Q3:V 85.
And He said:
﴿وَلَوۡ أَشۡرَكُواْ لَحَبِطَ عَنۡهُم مَّا كَانُواْ يَعۡمَلُونَ ٨٨﴾ [الأنعام: 88].
….But if they had associated others with Allah, then worthless for them would be whatever they were doing. Q6: V88.
And He said regarding the unbelievers:
﴿وَقَدِمۡنَآ إِلَىٰ مَا عَمِلُواْ مِنۡ عَمَلٖ فَجَعَلۡنَٰهُ هَبَآءٗ مَّنثُورًا ٢٣﴾ [الفرقان: 23].
Meaning: And we will approach what they have done of deeds and make them as dust dispersed. Q25: V23.
Thus, the deeds of an unbeliever are worthless, rejected and unacceptable, because, Allah does not accept any work from a polytheist. Whereas the deeds of a believer who believes in Islamic Monotheism are acceptable even if they are little. Besides, Allah will multiply it for him in many folds.
3- Among the virtues of Attawheed [Islamic monotheism] is what the Monotheist feels in terms of tranquility of heart and peace of mind, and that is because, the monotheist invokes only one deity [i.e Allah] ever hearing, seeing, knowing, competent, kind and merciful. In His Hands is all dominion, and in His Hands belongs benefit and harm, no deity worthy of worship except Him. The servant worships Him, relies on Him, hopes for His mercy and fears His punishment, and he pursues His pleasure moving in His favor and mercy. So, his heart is assured by the remembrance of Allah, rich by Allah, precious by Allah, dependent on Allah, he neither fears nor grieves, and he will not go astray nor suffer.
Allah the Exalted said:
﴿ءَأَرۡبَابٞ مُّتَفَرِّقُونَ خَيۡرٌ أَمِ ٱللَّهُ ٱلۡوَٰحِدُ ٱلۡقَهَّارُ ٣٩﴾ [یوسف: 39].
Meaning: …Are separate lords better or Allah, the One, the Prevailing? Q12: V39. And He the Exalted said:
﴿ضَرَبَ ٱللَّهُ مَثَلٗا رَّجُلٗا فِيهِ شُرَكَآءُ مُتَشَٰكِسُونَ وَرَجُلٗا سَلَمٗا لِّرَجُلٍ هَلۡ يَسۡتَوِيَانِ مَثَلًاۚ ٱلۡحَمۡدُ لِلَّهِۚ بَلۡ أَكۡثَرُهُمۡ لَا يَعۡلَمُونَ ٢٩﴾ [الزمر: 29].
Meaning: Allah presents an example: a man [i.e, slave] owned by quarreling partners and another belonging exclusively to one man, are they equal in comparison? Praise is to Allah! But most of them do not know. Q39: V29. And He the Exalted said:
﴿وَمَنۡ أَضَلُّ مِمَّن يَدۡعُواْ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ مَن لَّا يَسۡتَجِيبُ لَهُۥٓ إِلَىٰ يَوۡمِ ٱلۡقِيَٰمَةِ وَهُمۡ عَن دُعَآئِهِمۡ غَٰفِلُونَ ٥ وَإِذَا حُشِرَ ٱلنَّاسُ كَانُواْ لَهُمۡ أَعۡدَآءٗ وَكَانُواْ بِعِبَادَتِهِمۡ كَٰفِرِينَ ٦﴾ [الأحقاف:5-6].
Meaning: And who is more astray than he who invokes besides Allah those who will not respond to him until the day of Resurrection, and they, of their invocations are unaware. And when people are gathered [i.e, in the Day of Judgment], they [who were invoked] will be enemies to them, and they will be deniers of their worship. Q46:V5 and 6. And He the Exalted said:
﴿ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ وَلَمۡ يَلۡبِسُوٓاْ إِيمَٰنَهُم بِظُلۡمٍ أُوْلَٰٓئِكَ لَهُمُ ٱلۡأَمۡنُ وَهُم مُّهۡتَدُونَ ٨٢﴾ [الأنعام: 82].
Meaning: They who believe and do not mix their belief with injustice, those will have security, and they are rightly guided. Q6: V82.
And the prophet (S.A.W) has translated the word Azzulm [injustice] in this verse to mean Ashshirk [polytheism] and he made reference to the sayings of Allah
﴿إِنَّ ٱلشِّرۡكَ لَظُلۡمٌ عَظِيمٞ ١٣﴾ [لقمان: 13].
Meaning… Indeed, associating partners to Allah is a great injustice. Q31: V13.
4- : Among the virtues of Attauheed [Islamic monotheism], is that, it is the greatest cause of Allah's love for a servant, in addition to numerous kinds of blessings, such as, forgiveness of sins, relief from agony, multiplication of good deeds, promotion in ranks, protection from evils and epidemics, repel of the enemies' plot, cessation of worry and grief, and acquisition of favors and blessings, freedom from wraths and punishments and liberation from slavery to the self, the devil and other creatures. As well as taste of the flavor of Iman [faith] and the pleasure of sincerity, eagerness to meeting Allah, departure from darkness to light. Thus, he departs from the darkness of polytheism to the light of Islamic monotheism, from the humiliation of wrong doing to the glory of obedience, and from the darkness of ignorance to the light of knowledge, from the hesitation of doubts to the chilliness of certainty, and from misguided ways to the straight path of Allah.
Chapter: Muslims are of great differences (in rank) in terms of their perfection of Attauhid. So, whenever a servant is more sincere to Allah (the Almighty), the more he will acquire from the virtues of Attauhid. In other words, a person's share in the virtues of Attauhid is in direct proportion to his sincerity to Allah. And as such, his share in the blessings of Allah will increase, likewise, the custodianship of Allah, His favor, mercy, benedictions, and rewards in the world and in the hereafter will increase.
And the more loyal he is to Allah, the more he will be saved from the devil and his harm. As Allah the Exalted said when He Satan took oath to lead Mankind astray:
﴿قَالَ رَبِّ بِمَآ أَغۡوَيۡتَنِي لَأُزَيِّنَنَّ لَهُمۡ فِي ٱلۡأَرۡضِ وَلَأُغۡوِيَنَّهُمۡ أَجۡمَعِينَ ٣٩ إِلَّا عِبَادَكَ مِنۡهُمُ ٱلۡمُخۡلَصِينَ ٤٠ قَالَ هَٰذَا صِرَٰطٌ عَلَيَّ مُسۡتَقِيمٌ ٤١ إِنَّ عِبَادِي لَيۡسَ لَكَ عَلَيۡهِمۡ سُلۡطَٰنٌ إِلَّا مَنِ ٱتَّبَعَكَ مِنَ ٱلۡغَاوِينَ ٤٢﴾ [الحجر: 39-42].
Meaning: [The devil]said, My lord, because You have put me in error, I will surely make [disobedience] attractive to them[i.e, Mankind] on earth, and I will mislead them all (39) Except among them, Your chosen servants (40).
[Allah] said," This is a path [of return] to Me [that is] straight (41). Indeed My servants- no authority will you have over them, except those who follow you of the deviators (42). Q15: V39-42. And Allah the Exalted said:
﴿فَإِذَا قَرَأۡتَ ٱلۡقُرۡءَانَ فَٱسۡتَعِذۡ بِٱللَّهِ مِنَ ٱلشَّيۡطَٰنِ ٱلرَّجِيمِ ٩٨ إِنَّهُۥ لَيۡسَ لَهُۥ سُلۡطَٰنٌ عَلَى ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ وَعَلَىٰ رَبِّهِمۡ يَتَوَكَّلُونَ ٩٩ إِنَّمَا سُلۡطَٰنُهُۥ عَلَى ٱلَّذِينَ يَتَوَلَّوۡنَهُۥ وَٱلَّذِينَ هُم بِهِۦ مُشۡرِكُونَ ١٠٠﴾ [النحل: 98-100].
Meaning: So when you recite the Quran, [first]seek refuge in Allah from Satan, the expelled[from Allah's mercy] (98). Indeed, there is for him, no authority over those who have believed and rely upon their lord (99). His authority is only over those who take him as an ally and those who through him associate others with Allah (100). Q16: V98-100.
And whoever reaches the level of Ihsan in Attauheed [i.e, the most perfect level of it], and rescues (his faith) from the impurities of both major and minor shirk, and he worships Allah as if he is seeing Him, he will enter Paradise without any accountability nor punishment, and he will attain a high rank in Paradise. We seek Allah of His bounties.
