Bismillah, walhamdulillah, wassaalatu wassalaam alaa Rasoolillah
Asalamu alaykum warahmatullah!
Dear beloved readers, thank you for joining us once again.
Todays Islamic creed (Aqidah) Lesson will expand on the previous one.
We will go into a bit more detail regarding the categories of analysis of Tawhid and Islamic Monotheism.
Categories of Analysis of Tawhid
1- Tawhid- ar-Rububiyyah- (Oneness of Allah in His Lordship).
¬ This means we affirm and understand that Allah is the Only Supreme Creator of all that exists.
¬ Allah is the uncreated, Ever-Living, Self-Existing, Self-Subsisting Creator, The Lord of the Worlds
¬ Allah is The Provider, The Sustainer, The Protector. There is no power nor strength except with Allah.
¬ Allah is the King of absolute sovereignty, He owns everything. He is The One, the dominion is His alone and He has no rival nor partner.
¬ He decrees with perfect wisdom. He is the Subduer, The Dominator, The All-powerful, and He has absolute control over the universe and its affairs. And His Justice and wisdom are perfect.
And Allah knows best!
Bismillah, walhamdulillah, wasalatu wassalaam alaa rasoolillah!
Asalamu alaykum!
Hey there, we’re back for part 2 of the second lesson.
Previously, we discussed the antithesis of Tawheed, namely ‘Shirk’ (see the previous lesson).
It’s really important to know what shirk is exactly, since it’s the biggest sin, we need to know what it is so we can avoid it!
Do you remember the categories of Tawheed (see part 2, part 3, part 4 of lesson 1) ? Well, here we will be discussing the categories of Shirk…
The Antithesis or Tawheed: ‘Shirk’ and its categories
Shirk means to ascribe a partner/partners to Allah (The One True God), in His Lordship and/or worship.
May Allah protect us! ameen
Let us stay away from these types and all types of Shirk!
May Allah protect us from all types of shirk! May Allah, The One, The Compeller, grant us perfect Tawheed for His sake alone forever! May Allah forgive us for any error. Allahumma salli alaa Muhammad Sallallahu alayhi wasallam. ameen!
Thurrock Muslims
Asalamu alaykum!
10 things that bring about the Love of Allah – Ibn alQayyim
1. Recitation of the Qur’an with reflection and understanding of its meaning.
2. Seeking closeness to Allah by performing voluntary deeds after obligatory ones, for that leads one to the highest levels of love.
3. Remembering Allah in every situation by one’s time, heart and deeds. One’s share of that love is to the degree of one’s share with that remembrance.
4. Preferring what He loves to what you love when your desires are strong.
5. Allowing your heart to reflect on His Names and Attributes.
6. Reflecting on His many favours and blessings both the apparent ones and hidden ones, for that leads to His love.
7. Having your heart soften as it is worshipping Allah.
8. Being alone with Him in worship when He descends during the last third of the night. To invoke Him, to recite His speech (Quran), to stand with all sincerity (in prayer) and with good manners and good submission (humility) and to end that with repentance and seeking His forgiveness.
9. Sitting with those who are truthful in their love of Allah.
10. Staying away from all that creates barriers between the heart and Allah.
Say (O Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم to mankind): “If you (really) love Allah then follow me (i.e. accept Islamic Monotheism, follow the Qur’an and the Sunnah), Allah will love you and forgive you your sins. And Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.” [Qur’an chapter 3 verse 31]
May Allah enable us to be of those whom He loves and is pleased with, and those who practise what we preach, ya Salam, ya Rabb al alameen! Allahumma salli wasallim alaa nabiyinaa Muhammad!
(Jazakallah khair, courtesy of Sheikh Musleh Khan)
Thurrock Muslims
In the Name of Allah, The Most Gracious, The Most Merciful
Name of Dua- Sayyid-al-istighfaar (The Best Form of Seeking Forgiveness)
(Transliteration of Arabic –approximate representation)
Allaahumma anta rabbiy laa ilaaha illa anta, khalaqtani wa ana ‘abduka wa ana ‘ala ‘ahdika wa wa’dika ma astata’tu. A’oodhu bika min sharri ma sana’tu, aboo’u laka bi ni’matika ‘alayya wa aboo’u laka bi dhanbi, faghfir li fa innahu laa yaghfir al-dhunooba illa anta
(English translation)
‘O Allaah, You are my Lord, none has the right to be worshipped except You, You created me and I am Your servant and I abide to Your covenant and promise as best I can, I take refuge in You from the evil of which I committed. I acknowledge Your favour upon me and I acknowledge my sin, so forgive me, for verily none can forgive sin except You.’
source: from Sunnah, mentioned here
Evidence: from Sunnah sources, Hadith narration
It was narrated from Shaddaad ibn Aws (may Allah be pleased with him) from the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him):
“The best of prayers for forgiveness is: Allaahumma anta rabbiy laa ilaaha illa anta, khalaqtani wa ana ‘abduka wa ana ‘ala ‘ahdika wa wa’dika ma astata’tu. A’oodhu bika min sharri ma sana’tu, aboo’u laka bi ni’matika ‘alayya wa aboo’u laka bi dhanbi, faghfir li fa innahu laa yaghfir al-dhunooba illa anta (O Allaah, You are my Lord, there is no god but You. You have created me and I am Your slave and I am keeping my promise and covenant to You as much as I can. I seek refuge with You from the evil of what I do. I acknowledge Your blessing and I acknowledge my sin, so forgive me, for there is none who can forgive sin except You).” He said: “Whoever says this during the day, believing in it firmly, and dies on that day before evening comes, he will be one of the people of Paradise, and whoever says it at night, believing firmly in it, and dies before morning comes, he will be one of the people of Paradise.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari (6306)
And Allah knows best.
source: http://islamqa.info/en/126934
Please share for the sake of Allah, spread the good, spread the rewards!
Wasalamu alaykum
Thurrock Muslims
Bismillah, walhamdulillah, wasalatu wassalaam alaa rasoolillah!
Asalamu alaykum!
It’s been a while, and we’re back for a fresh new lesson.
Following on from the summarised explanations of Islamic Monotheism/Tawheed, we will continue discussing Islamic Creed, focusing on the antithesis of Tawheed, namely ‘Shirk’.
The Antithesis or Tawheed: ‘Shirk’
Shirk means to ascribe a partner/partners to Allah, in His Lordship and/or worship.
Shirk is the biggest sin, a gross injustice, the heinous sin that Allah will not forgive (unless it is sincerely given up and repented from).
May Allah protect us from Shirk. May Allah forgive us and return us to Tawheed. Aameen!
“Verily, Allah forgives not that partners should be set up with Him (in worship), but He forgives except that (anything else) to whom He wills; and whoever sets up partners with Allah in worship, he has indeed invented a tremendous sin.”
[Qur’an, chapter 4 verse 48]
The Qur’an informs us of Luqman, a righteous servant of Allah, who advised against Shirk for it is a great wrong.
‘And (remember) when Luqman said to his son when he was advising him: “O my son! Join not in worship others with Allah. Verily joining others in worship with Allah is a great Zulm (wrong) indeed.’ [Qur’an chapter 31 verse 13]
Shirk may occur in statement or action. There are different categories of Shirk.
to be continued…
Bismillah, walhamdulillah, wasalaatu wasalaam alaa rasoolillaah.
Asalamu alaykum.
Hey hey readers! Are you ready for the proofs of Tawhid, that is, the proof for Allah’s Oneness in His Lordship, names and attributes and right to be worshipped alone.
Bismillah Here we go!
Categories of Tawhid & Islamic Monotheism evidences
1- Tawhid ar-rububiyyah- Oneness of Allah in His Lordship:
In the Qur’an, Allah the Lord of all creation, The Supreme Creator, says (English interpretation):
‘[All] praise is [due] to Allah, Lord of the worlds ‘ [Qur’an, chapter 1, verse 2]
and :
‘O mankind, worship your Lord, who created you and those before you,
that you may become righteous -‘ [Qu’ran chapter 2:v21]
also:
”Then, to Allah belongs [all] praise – Lord of the heavens and Lord of the earth, Lord of the worlds. (36)
And to Him belongs [all] grandeur within the heavens and the earth, and He is the Exalted in Might, the Wise. (37)’ [Qur’an chapter 45, verse 36-37]
2- Tawhid Asmaa wa Sifaat- Oneness of Allah in His Names and Attributes-
Many of Allah’s names and attributes are mentioned in various places in the Qur’an and the authentic hadith narrations.
For instance, Allah says:
‘And (all) the Most Beautiful Names belong to Allah , so call on Him by them, and leave the company of those who belie or deny (or utter impious speech against) His Names. They will be requited for what they used to do.’ [Qur’an 7:180]
And Allah says (interpretation of meaning) :
‘He is Allah beside Whom La ilaha illa Huwa (none has the right to be worshipped but He), the King, the Holy, the One Free from all defects, the Giver of security, the Watcher over His creatures, the All-Mighty, the Compeller, the Supreme. Glory be to Allah! (High is He) above all that they associate as partners with Him. [Qur’an, 59:23]
and:
‘Allah! La ilaha illa Huwa (none has the right to be worshipped but He), Al-Hayyul-Qayyum (the Ever Living, the One Who sustains and protects all that exists). Neither slumber nor sleep overtakes Him. To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth. Who is he that can intercede with Him except with His Permission? He knows what happens to them (His creatures) in this world, and what will happen to them in the Hereafter. And they will never compass anything of His Knowledge except that which He wills. His Kursi extends over the heavens and the earth, and He feels no fatigue in guarding and preserving them. And He is the Most High, the Most Great.‘[This Verse Qur’an, chapter 2:v255 is called Ayat-ul-Kursi ]’
One crucial point that must be made, is that Allah is The One, and He does not have any rival, and none is comparable to Him. The 112th chapter of the Qur’an beautifully captures this:
‘Say (O Muhammad, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him): “He is Allah, (the) One.{1}
“Allah-us-Samad [Allah the Self-Sufficient Master, Whom all creatures need, (He neither eats nor drinks)]. {2}
“He begets not, nor was He begotten. {3}
“And there is none co-equal or comparable unto Him.” {4} [Qur’an , chapter112]
3- Tawhid ul ‘ibaadah- Oneness of Allah in His right to be worshipped alone.
In the Qur’an:
‘O mankind, worship your Lord, who created you and those before you, that you may become righteous – (21)
[He] who made for you the earth a bed [spread out] and the sky a ceiling and sent down from the sky, rain and brought forth thereby fruits as provision for you. So do not attribute to Allah equals while you know [that there is nothing similar to Him]. (22)’ [Qur’an chapter 2, verses 21-22]
Allah is the True God:
‘And your god is one God. There is no deity [worthy of worship] except Him, the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful.’ [Qur’an chapter 2 verse 163]
‘Say, “I seek refuge in the Lord of mankind, (1)
The Sovereign of mankind. (2)
The God of mankind, (3)’ [Qur’an chapter 114: verses 1-3]
Since Allah is the One who created us, nutures us, protects us, sustains us, grants us good, averts harm from us, the One who will cause us to die, and resurrect us and bring us to account, surely He deserves the worship. And our purpose in life is to attribute Oneness to Allah, as He deserves in His Lordship, names and attributes and worship. We need to affirm Allah’s Oneness in our belief, statements and actions.
It is Allah alone, upon Whom we call at time of ease and distress. It is Allah Who responds to our invocations however He wills. It is Allah Who has supreme control over the universe, He is The Almighty, The All-Powerful. He is The Compeller, The Dominator, The Irresistable.
Because we need to fulfil our purpose of existence, and we need to worship Allah and humble ourselves before the Self-Sufficient Master Whom all creatures need, Who is The Rich, Free of all needs, The Self-Sustaining. There is no true God worthy of worship except Allah. And Muhammad peace be upon him is the servant and final messenger of Allah.
Crucially, it is incumbent upon us that we worship Allah the way He commanded, in accordance to the Qur’an and Sunnah of His final prophet Muhammad peace be upon him.
And the greatest sin, in the sight of Allah, is ‘shirk’ , that is, associating a partner with Allah in Lordship and worship. May Allah protect us from shirk. ameen.
“Verily, Allah forgives not that partners should be set up with Him (in worship), but He forgives except that (anything else) to whom He wills; and whoever sets up partners with Allah in worship, he has indeed invented a tremendous sin.” [Qur’an, chapter 4 verse 48]
In sha Allah, the next topics will be about shirk and its types.
With love for the sake of Allah.
Keep happy.
wasalaamu alaykum
Thurrock Muslims
Bismillah, walhamdulillah, wassaalatu wassalaam alaa Rasoolillah
Asalamu alaykum warahmatullah!
Dear readers,
This is part four of the first lesson in Islamic creed (Aqidah) Lesson. This one is ABSOLUTELY, POSITIVELY pertinent.
There follows the third category of analysis of Tawhid and Islamic Monotheism
Categories of Analysis of Tawhid continued
3- Tawhid al ‘Ibaadah- (Oneness of Allah in His right to be worshipped alone).
We understand that Allah is the Lord of all that exists, He is the Sustainer, The Protector, The Provider, The Ever-Living, The Self-Subsisting, uncreated Eternal Creator, whose names and attributes are perfect, and there is no similitude to Him.
Once we recognise this, we must ultimately come to the conclusion that The Supreme Creator, Allah, is surely the only One deserving of our worship and devotion.
Undoubtedly, He is the One providing for us and the One who originated us, without any need for us whatsoever. Allah is the Rich, Free of all needs, The Praiseworthy. Allah’s existence does not depend on anything, for He is the Self-Existing and Self-Sustaining. Yet we, as mere created beings, must be cognisant of the fact that we are in need, we are poor, we are powerless. We NEED Allah. We need to worship Him, because this is the purpose for which we were created. And whether we worship Allah or not, this does not add or detract from His Majesty and Might in the least bit, for He is The Self-Sufficient master whom all creatures need.
In sha Allah we will mention some proofs from the authentic Islamic texts regarding the content in the previous lessons.
Thanks for your attention, our beloveds.
May Allah be Merciful to us all and forgive our numerous sins. ameen.
with love for the sake of Allah,
Thurrock Muslims
Bismillah, walhamdulillah, wassaalatu wassalaam alaa Rasoolillah
Asalamu alaykum warahmatullah!
Dear intelligent students,
Here’s part three of the first lesson in Islamic creed (Aqidah) Lesson. Pay attention because it’s IMPORTANT!
We will discuss the second category of analysis of Tawhid and Islamic Monotheism
Categories of Analysis of Tawhid continued
2- Tawhid- asmaa wa sifaat- (Oneness of Allah in His names and attributes).
Allah is One in His names, His attributes and essence. There is no similitude to Him. Allah has many names! Knowledge of these beautiful names and Divine attributes help us to know more about Allah, so we can worship Him in a more perfect manner. For instance, we know that Allah is Al-Hayy (The Ever-Living) and Al-Qayyum (The Self-Existing, The One Who sustains all that exists).
Therefore, we understand that only the Eternal One, has the right to be worshipped, whereas all other things are mere, powerless created beings, who rely on the sustainence and protection of Allah (The Supreme uncreated Creator). Incidentally, Allah does not depend on anything, He is the Free of all needs, The Self-Subsisting, The Praiseworthy. Many of Allah’s names and attributes can be found in the Authentic Islamic texts, namely the Qur’an and the Saheeh Ahaadith.
Allah does not resemble His creation, neither do they resemble Him. He is Unique in His Oneness, He is One, and there is nothing like Him. None of the creation share His names and attributes, for we are limited in capacity and ability and we cannot comprehend everything. Since Allah is the Creator, undoubtedly He must be the Omniscient, The All-Knowing, The All-Hearing, The All-Seeing, The All-Powerful, The Capable of all things, The Determiner.
And there’s more!
But anyways, In sha Allah, in the next session, we will discuss the third category of Tawhid.
May Allah forgive our sins, for He is the Most Forgiving, The Most Merciful. May Allah abundantly bless His final messenger Muhammad peace be upon him, ameen
Stay awesome!
Thurrock Muslims
Thurrock Muslim Community 