Tawḥeed Al Uloohiyyah

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

The second category of Tawḥeed is Tawḥeed Al Uloohiyah (if mentioned in connection with Allaah) and it's also called Tawḥeed Al Ibaadah (if mentioned in connection with the creatures).

ذَٰلِكَ بِأَنَّ ٱللَّهَ هُوَ ٱلۡحَقُّ وَأَنَّ مَا يَدۡعُونَ مِن دُونِهِ ٱلۡبَٰطِلُ وَأَنَّ ٱللَّهَ هُوَ ٱلۡعَلِىُّ ٱلۡكَبِيرُ 

That is because Allâh, He is the Truth, and that which they invoke besides Him is Al-Bâtil (falsehood, Satan and all other false deities); and that Allâh, He is the Most High, the Most Great. [31:30]

Worship covers 2 things. Firstly, humility and submitting to Allāh by following His commands and abstaining from His prohibitions out of love and magnification towards Him. Secondly, it refers to that by which we conduct the worship. In this sense, worship is comprehensive meaning it's everything that Allāh Loves and is Pleased with from sayings, actions (both manifest and hidden) etc. Such as Ṣalāḥ is an worship done following His commands and abstaining from what's prohibited in it. It's also that by which one worships.

So to single out Allāh in this form of worship is to submit being His slave, worshipping Him Alone out of love, humility and magnificance.

لَّا تَجۡعَلۡ مَعَ ٱللَّهِ إِلَٰهًا ءَاخَرَ فَتَقۡعُدَ مَذۡمُومًا مَّخۡذُولًا 

Set not up with Allâh any other ilâh (god), (O man)! (This verse is addressed to Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه و سلم , but its implication is general to all mankind), or you will sit down reproved, forsaken (in the Hell-fire). [17:22]

ٱلۡحَمۡدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ ٱلۡعَٰلَمِينَ  

All the praises and thanks be to Allâh, the Lord of the ‘Âlamîn (mankind, jinn and all that exists). [1:1]

So here Allāh says which means that He Alone is the Rabb of 'Alameen. This is like a cause to affirm Divinity for Him Alone. He is the only Deity worthy worship.

يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلنَّاسُ ٱعۡبُدُواْ رَبَّكُمُ ٱلَّذِى خَلَقَكُمۡ وَٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبۡلِكُمۡ لَعَلَّكُمۡ تَتَّقُونَ

O mankind! Worship your Lord (Allâh), Who created you and those who were before you so that you may become Al-Muttaqûn [2:21]

The One who is set apart with creation is the One deserving of being worshipped. It's foolishness to make a created creature who will perish one day a deity to worship when in fact it cannot benefit anyone neither by bringing something into existence or by sustaining or supporting or extending your life span. Similarly, it's foolishness that you go to someone's grave who already died- who cannot even bring benefit or harm to himself, to supplicate to him and worship him while he himselve is in need of your supplication for him. Even if it's a very honorable person in sight of Allâh which is Prophet Muḥammad ﷺ, you cannot go to his grave and invoke him.

This branch of Tawḥeed was rejected by most creation and due to this Allāh sent the Messengers and Books to them.

وَمَآ أَرۡسَلۡنَا مِن قَبۡلِكَ مِن رَّسُولٍ إِلَّا نُوحِىٓ إِلَيۡهِ أَنَّهُۥ لَآ إِلَٰهَ إِلَّآ أَنَا۠ فَٱعۡبُدُونِ

And We did not send any Messenger before you (O Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم) 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)." [21:25]

Yet the followers of Messengers were very few as Prophet ﷺ said, "...and I saw a Prophet with a group of people and a Prophet with one or two persons and a Prophet with whom there was nobody"

Most of the later authors on the topic of Tawḥeed emphasize the Tawḥeed Ar Ruboobiyyah as if they're addressing those who reject the existence of the Rabb. Though such people can be found, quite a large number of even Muslims fall into shirk in worship. So proper attention should be paid to this aspect of Tawḥeed for making it known to those who call themselves Muslim yet committing polytheism by directing worship other than Allaah.

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©️ Picture: from unsplash