Conditions of Tawheed

THE CONDITIONS OF TAWHEED

The Deen of Islam is encompassed by three:

1. At Tawheed
2. Al Shari'ah (known as Al Khilafah)
3. Al Jihad

Muslims do not consider Islam to be something secondary in our lives, rather we believe it to be central to all of our actions and beliefs, Abdullah Ibn Abbas (ra) said:

"The Deen is what you believe in (Tawheed), act upon (Shari'ah) and die for (Jihad)"

So Tawheed is essential, but what is Al Tawheed? and how do we prevent ourselves from falling into shirk?

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

AL TAWHEED
Al Tawheed is to worship Allah (swt) exclusively. However Allah is not something that we can define ourselves, Allah (swt) has certain attributes, and we must attribute them to him exclusively, we do not know anything about Allah (swt) more than he has informed us about Himself.

AL SHART AL TAWHEED
The Conditions of Tawheed

There are 7 conditions of Tawheed, without them our Tawheed is incomplete and void:

1. AL ILM Knowledge about the Kalimah
2. AL YAQEEN Certainty
3. AL QUBOUL Acceptance
4. AL INQIYAAD Submission
5. AL SIDEQ Belief
6. AL IKHLAAS Sincerity
7. AL MAHABBAH Love
   

1- AL ILM Knowledge
You cannot worship Allah (swt) exclusively if you do not know his attributes. If you do not know his attributes; you will become Mushrik knowingly or unknowingly.

Allah (swt) said: "So know that Laa ilaha illAllah, and ask forgiveness for your sin, and also for (the sin of) believing men and believing women. And Allah knows well your moving about, and your place of rest." [Muhammad (47): 19]

We cannot accept someone to have Tawheed if he does not have knowledge of Allah (swt).
The Prophet (saw) said:"Whosoever dies with the knowledge of "Laa ilaha illa Allah" is in Jannah" [Muslim]

You cannot negate all gods and accept "Allah" alone if you do not know what "Allah" is.

Allah (swt) said: "This (Qur'an) is a message for mankind, in order that they may be warned thereby, and that they may know that he is the only one ilaah - and that men of understanding may take heed." [Ibrahim (14): 52]

Allah (swt) said: "And those whom they invoke instead of him have no power of intercession - except for those who bear witness to the truth knowingly, and they know (about tawheed)." [Zukhruf (43): 86]

So Knowledge about the kalima, laa ilaha illallah is essential.

2- AL YAQEEN Certainty
After you establish knowledge, you must have certainty, and believe in the kalima with certainty.

Allah (swt) said: "The believers are those who believe in Allah (swt) and his Messenger (saw) and after that they have no uncertainty, and fights with their wealth and their bodies in the way of Allah (swt)" [Hujurat (49): 15]

The Prophet (saw) said: "Whoever said "ash hadu an Laa ilaha illa Allah wa ashadu anni rasulullah" and no servant when he meets Allah then (on the day of judgement) with certainty, he will enter Jannah" [Muslim]

3- AL QUBOUL Acceptance
You must then accept it completely and verbally, you must declare the shahadah, a non-Muslim cannot become Muslim before making this declaration even if he believes with certainty in Islam.

Allah (swt) said: "And whenever we used to say to them, there is only one god, and they used to know with certainty but they used to have takabbur (Arrogance) and reject it" [37: 35]

4- AL INQIYAAD Submission
You must submit to Allah's names and attribute exclusively in your sayings and your actions
Allah (swt) said: "By your lord, they are not believers until they refer to you (Muhammad (saw)) in all of their affairs, then they should not find any disagreement therein, and they must submit fully." [4: 65]

Allah (swt) said: "There is no compulsion in the deen, the right path has become distinct from the wrong path, whoever rejects taghout, and believes in Allah, he has got a firm hold of the most trustworthy handhold that will never break, and Allah is the All hearing, all knowing." [2: 256]

Allah (swt) said: "Verily, the rule is for none but Allah" [12: 40]

5- AL SIDEQ Belief
Belief/Conviction in the heart.

You must accept it completely and verbally, ...And then you must submit to Allah's names and attribute exclusively in your sayings and your actions ...And then have Conviction in the heart.

The Prophet (saw) said: "Whosoever says "Laa ilaha illa Allah Muhammadun rasulullah" and believes in it will enter paradise" [Musnad Imam Ahmad]

The Prophet (saw) said: "Anybody who testifies that "Laa ilaha illa Allah wa Muhammadun rasulullah", believing it in his heart, Allah will forbid hellfire from him" [Bukhari & Muslim]

Allah (swt) said: "When the hypocrites come to you, they say "We testify that you are the Messenger of Allah" and Allah testifies that you are indeed the Messenger, But Allah (swt) testifies that they are liars indeed." [Munafiqun (63): 1]

Allah (swt) said:"And from mankind are some who say: we believe in Allah and the last day" while in fact they believe not" [2: 8]

Allah (swt) said: "So if they believe as you believe they are indeed on the right path; but if they turn back it is they who are in opposition; but Allah will suffice thee as against them and He is the All-Hearing the All- Knowing." [2: 137]


6- AL IKHLAAS Sincerity
Allah (swt) said: "And they have been order to submit to Tawheed, sincerely for Allah (swt) …" [Bayyinah: 5]

The Prophet (saw) said: "Whosoever says "Laa ilaha illa Allah Muhammadun rasulullah" … Allah has forbid upon him the hellfire, whoever seeks sincerely for the sake of Allah"

The Prophet (saw) said: "The most happy people on the day of judgement, who will enjoy my intercession, will be the one who says "Laa ilaha illa Allah Muhammadun rasulullah" sincerely from his heart." [Bukhari]


7- AL MAHABBAH Love
Allah (swt) said: "Some people will take instead of Allah, any equivalent. They love them like they love Allah, but the believers they love Allah most. If only those who do wrong could see the torment, that all power belongs to Allah (swt) and that Allah is severe in punishment" [2: 165]
The Prophet (saw) said:"The most powerful knot of imaan is to love for the sake of Allah (swt) and to hate for the sake of Allah (swt) …" [Bukhari]

Allah (swt) said: "Allah does not forbid you to deal justly and give them their rights (not "kindly") with those who fought not against you on account of your religion nor drove you out of your homes. Verily Allah loves those who deal with equity and justice. It is only those who fight against you on account of your religion and have driven you out of your homes, and helped to drive you out, that Allah forbids you to befriend them. And whosoever will befriend them, then such are the zalimun." [Mumtahanah (60): 8-9]

It is shirk to love anybody WITH Allah (swt). We must love Allah Exclusively.