Tawheed Al-Uloohiyyah

What is Tawheed Al-Uloohiyyah?

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The word Tawheed literally means ‘to make something one’. But when the word Tawheed is used in a religious context as defined by Islam, then it means to believe in Allah as the One and only True God who deserves to be worshipped alone without any partners. Allah ﷻ is the sole Creator and Sustainer of everything. And to Allah belong the Most Beautiful Names and Attributes.

There are three categories of Tawheed. These categories include Tawheed Ar-Ruboobiyyah, Tawheed Al-Uloohiyyah, and Tawheed Al- Asmaa Wa-Assifaat.

Tawheed Al-Uloohiyyah is to devote all acts of worship to Allah ﷻ . This means that one’s prayer, fasting, and sacrifice should be directed to only Allah,so that every act of Ibaadah has been (restricted) directed to Allah Alone.

The Qur’aan mentions Tawheed Al-Uloohiyyah many times. One clear example of this can be found in the following aayah:

قُلْ إِنَّ صَلَاتِى وَنُسُكِى وَمَحْيَاىَ وَمَمَاتِى لِلَّهِ رَبِّ ٱلْعَـٰلَمِينَ (١٦٢) لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُۥ ۖ وَبِذَٰلِكَ أُمِرْتُ وَأَنَا۠ أَوَّلُ ٱلْمُسْلِمِينَ (١٦٣) (سورة الأنعام : ١٦٢ – ١٦٣)

“Say: Indeed, my prayer, my sacrifice, my living and my dying are for Allah, the Lord of creation. There is no partner for Him. And with this I have been commanded, and I am first of those who submit (i.e. Muslims).” (Soral-An’am 162-163)

Tawheed Al-Uloohiyyah involves more than just isolated acts of worship. Rather Tawheed A-Uloohiyyah is more comprehensive in the way that it defines Allah’s exclusive right to be worshipped.

The Prophet ﷺ explained that the people can direct worship to others besides Allah by following religious leaders in their rulings when these rulings contradict the legislation of Allah. We understand this from the hadeeth narrated by ‘Adee ibn Haatim which mentions that he heard the Prophet recite the aayah:

ٱتَّخَذُوٓا۟ أَحْبَارَهُمْ وَرُهْبَـٰنَهُمْ أَرْبَابًۭا مِّن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ (سورة التوبة : ٣١ )

“They have taken their scholars and monks as lords besides Allah…” (Soorat at-Tawbah 31)

Upon hearing this, ‘Adee ibn Haatim responded, “We did not use to worship them.” The Prophet ﷺ said, “Did they not make haraam what Allah had made halaal and you followed them upon that? And did they not make halaal what Allah made haraam and you followed them upon that? He said, Yes.” The Prophet then clarified for him. “That was your worship of them.” (At-Tirmidhi)

Tawheed Al-Uloohiyyah is very important since it represents the basis upon which the shahaadah is founded. Every Muslim who utters the shahaadah must believe that there is nothing worthy of worship except Allah a. A person who merely repeats the shahaadah might not understand how the shahaadah is truly an expression of Tawheed Al-Uloohiyyah.

The Prophet ﷺ and his Companions did not divide Tawheed into these three categories. This is because they had a more complete understanding of Tawheed. Dividing Tawheed into three categories was done by Muslim scholars to help people to gain a more comprehensive understanding of Islam. These three categories were established through careful reading and contemplation of the texts of the Qur’aan. So, by dividing the concept of Tawheed into three categories, the scholars were able to simplify the concept of Tawheed and make it much easier for people to understand.

Believing in Allah as the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ and his Companions did requires that we understand the concept of Tawheed in the same manner that they understood it. They understood Tawheed perfectly and completely since they were taught by the Messenger of Allah how to believe in Allah. It is very important for the Muslims who have come after them to strive hard to achieve a complete understanding of the concept of Tawheed because success in the next life depends upon it.

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