The origin and the pillars of Islamic religion

[ابوالوليد المسلم]

The origin and the pillars of Islamic religion
Dr. Amin ibn `Abdullah Al Shaqawy

Praise be to Allah and peace and blessings be upon the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him). I bear witness that there is no god but Allah alone Who has no partner with Him. I also bear witness that Muhammad is His Servant and His Messenger.

Then:
The first thing that Allah ordained for the children of Adam is to disbelieve in Taghut [False objects of worship] and believe in Allah. Allah (Exalted be He) says: “There is no compulsion in religion. Verily, the Right Path has become distinct from the wrong path. Whoever disbelieves in Tâghût and believes in Allâh, then he has grasped the most trustworthy handhold that will never break. And Allâh is All-Hearer, All-Knower.” [Surat Al Baqarah: 256].

Allah (Exalted be He) says: “And verily, We have sent among every Ummah (community, nation) a Messenger (proclaiming): “Worship Allâh (Alone), and avoid (or keep away from) Tâghût (all false deities i.e. do not worship Tâghût besides Allâh).” Then of them were some whom Allâh guided, and of them were some upon whom the straying was justified. So travel through the land and see what was the end of those who denied (the truth).” [Surat An-Nahl: 36].


Allah (Exalted be He) says: “Verily, Allâh forgives not (the sin of) setting up partners (in worship) with Him, but He forgives whom He wills sins other than that, and whoever sets up partners in worship with Allâh, has indeed strayed far away.” [Surat An-Nisa: 116].


Shaykh Muhammad ibn `Abdul-Wahab said: "The meaning of disbelieving in Taghut is to believe in the invalidity of worshipping other than Allah and denying all idols, to believe that their advocates are infidels, and show hostility against them.

As for the meaning of having faith in Allah, it is to believe that Allah is the only worshipped god without associating others with Him.

Dedicated all the acts of worship to Allah alone and do not associate others with Him. To love the people of faith, show loyalty and intimacy to them, and hate and show hostility to the disbelievers. That was the religion of Abraham (peace be upon him) which was abandoned only by the disbelievers.”


This is the meaning of the unification of worship. It was the call of all prophets and messengers of Allah when they said to their people: “Worship Allâh! You have no other Ilâh (God) but Him (Islâmic Monotheism). Will you not then be afraid (of Him i.e. of His punishment because of worshipping others besides Him)?” [Surat Al A`raf: 95].

So, it is a must that you do not associate others in worship with Allah and to divorce oneself of it and of those who practise it, as Allah says to His Prophet Abraham (peace be upon him): “And (remember) when Ibrâhîm (Abraham) said to his father and his people: “Verily, I am innocent of what you worship * Except Him (i.e. I worship none but Allâh Alone) Who did create me; and verily, He will guide me.” [Surat Az-Zukhruf: 26-27].

Therefore, it is a must to free yourself from those who worship other than Allah, as Allah says: “And I shall turn away from you and from those whom you invoke besides Allâh.” [Surat Maryam: 48].

It is also a must to avoid the polytheists and free yourself of them, as Allah says: “Indeed, there has been an excellent example for you in Ibrâhîm (Abraham) and those with him, when they said to their people: “Verily, we are free from you and whatever you worship besides Allâh: we have rejected you, and there has appeared between us and you hostility and hatred forever until you believe in Allâh Alone” — except the saying of Ibrâhîm (Abraham) to his father: “Verily, I will ask forgiveness (from Allâh) for you, but I have no power to do anything for you before Allâh.” Our Lord! In You (Alone) we put our trust, and to You (Alone) we turn in repentance, and to You (Alone) is (our) final Return.” [Surat Al Mumtahanah : 4].

The meaning of “Those with him” are the prophets, as was mentioned by Ibn Jarir. This Ayah includes exhortation to monotheism, denial of polytheism, loyalty to the people of monotheism, calling the people who deny faith disbelievers because those who practise polytheism, surely have denied faith.

“Al-`Urwah Al Wuthqa” is the testimony of declaring that there is no god but Allah, which denotes negation as well as affirmation because it negates all acts of worship to other than Allah and it affirms all kinds of worship to Allah alone without associating others with Him.”[1]

Allah explains in other positions that the origin and the pillars of Islamic religion are two:
First: The command to worship Allah alone without associating any partner with Him and exhortation to that. Loyalty to Allah and calling those who denied faith disbelievers. However, the proofs to that are numerous in the Glorious Qur’an, such as Allah’s Saying: “Say (O Muhammad peace be upon him): “O people of the Scripture (Jews and Christians)! Come to a word that is just between us and you, that we worship none but Allâh (Alone), and that we associate no partners with Him, and that none of us shall take others as lords besides Allâh. Then, if they turn away, say: “Bear witness that we are Muslims.”[Surat Al Imran: 64].

Allah (Glory be to Him) commanded His Prophet (peace be upon him) to call the People of the Scriptures to the meaning of “No god but Allah” to which He called the Arabs as well as others. The moderate and true words are “No god but Allah”.

His Saying: “And we shall not worship” includes the meaning of denying the worship of others and His Saying: “other than Allah.” dedicates all acts of worship to Allah alone without having any associates with Him.

They are two opposites which cannot be mixed. So, when polytheism exists, monotheism does not exist. Allah (Exalted be He) says regarding those who associate others with Him in worship: “And when some hurt touches man, he cries to his Lord (Allâh Alone), turning to Him in repentance. But when He bestows a favour upon him from Himself, he forgets that for which he cried for before, and he sets up rivals to Allâh, in order to mislead others from His Path. Say: “Take pleasure in your disbelief for a while: surely you are (one) of the dwellers of the Fire!” [Surat Az-Zumar: 8].

Hence, Allah called those who take associates and partners with Him “disbelievers”. The Ayahs that speak about polytheism are numerous. Therefore, a person is not considered a believer except when he or she denies polytheism, divorces himself of it, and calls those who practise polytheism disbelievers.

Second: Warning the people against associating others with Allah in worship, intensifying the punishment, showing hostility against them, and calling those who practise polytheism disbelievers. Therefore, monotheism is not complete except with denying polytheism. It is the religion of all prophets and messengers who warned their people against it. Allah (Exalted be He) says: “And We did not send any Messenger before you (O Muhammad peace be upon him) but We revealed to him (saying): Lâ ilâha illa Ana [none has the right to be worshipped but I (Allâh)], so worship Me (Alone and none else).” [Surat Al Anbiya’: 25].

Allah (Exalted be He) says: “And remember (Hûd) the brother of ‘Ad, when he warned his people in Al Ahqâf (the curved sand-hills in the southern part of Arabian Peninsula). And surely, there have passed away warners before him and after him (saying): “Worship none but Allâh; truly, I fear for you the torment of a mighty Day (i.e. the Day of Resurrection).” [Surat Al Ahqaf: 21].

Polytheism can annul all actions, major and minor, and Allah does not accept anything from a polytheist, neither an obligatory act nor a voluntary one. Allah (Exalted be He) says: “And We shall turn to whatever deeds they (disbelievers, polytheists, sinners) did, and We shall make such deeds as scattered floating particles of dust.” [Surat Al Furqan: 23]. Allah (Exalted be He) says: “And indeed it has been revealed to you (O Muhammad peace be upon him), as it was to those (Allâh’s Messengers) before you: “If you join others in worship with Allâh, (then) surely (all) your deeds will be in vain, and you will certainly be among the losers.” [Surat Az-Zumar: 65].

Allah (Exalted be He) says about His Prophets and beloved ones: “This is the Guidance of Allâh with which He guides whomsoever He wills of His slaves. But if they had joined in worship others with Allâh, all that they used to do would have been of no benefit to them.” [Surat Al An`am: 88].

The thing that gives you the willies and gives warning against a great danger that attacks the nation in the dearest thing it has is the destructive propaganda that the infidels, who oppose Islam, broadcast via satellite channels and other means to spread doubts among Muslims concerning their religion and call them cunningly to abandon it. So, beware of that.

In addition to the many dangers that we cannot get rid of except by using the aforementioned steps, such as having faith and adhering to it, knowing the polytheism and disbelief and warning against them, and divorcing oneself of polytheism.

Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds. May Allah send His peace and blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and his Companions.
[1] Majmu`at At-Tawhid (p.11-14).