Al-Ajwibah al-Sadidah: Sound Answers on Tawhid and Shirk (Part 2) by Zayd al-Madkhali
“Al-Ajwibat-us-Sadidah ‘ala al-As’ilat-ir-Rashidah” – (The Sound Answers to the Rightly-Guided Questions) – (Part 2)
By: ‘Allamah Zayd ibn Muhammad ibn Hadi al-Madkhali (may Allah have mercy on him)
Urdu Translation: Umm Muhammad Khushnuma Muslehuddin
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Question 3: What is Tawhid, how many types are there, and what is the reward in this world and the Hereafter for the one who fulfills it in its true sense?
Answer: Tawhid means to single out Allah alone in worship, to worship Allah with complete sincerity by being entirely free from all forms of Shirk (polytheism), whether major or minor, little or much. It also means to declare disassociation from Shirk and its people, as Allah commands:
{قُلۡ إِنَّ صَلَاتِی وَنُسُكِی وَمَحۡیَایَ وَمَمَاتِی لِلَّهِ رَبِّ ٱلۡعَـٰلَمِینَ (١٦٢) لَا شَرِیكَ لَهُۥۖ وَبِذَ ٰلِكَ أُمِرۡتُ وَأَنَا۠ أَوَّلُ ٱلۡمُسۡلِمِینَ} – [Al-An’am: 162-163]
Translation: "Say, 'Indeed, my prayer, my rites of sacrifice, my living, and my dying are for Allah, Lord of the worlds (162). No partner has He. And this I have been commanded, and I am the first of the Muslims.'"
Similarly, Allah Subhanahu wa Ta’ala has said:
{رَّبُّ السَّمٰوٰتِ وَ الۡاَرۡضِ وَمَا بَيۡنَهُمَا فَاعۡبُدۡهُ وَاصۡطَبِرۡ لِـعِبَادَتِهٖؕ هَلۡ تَعۡلَمُ لَهٗ سَمِيًّا} – [Maryam: 65]
Translation: “Lord of the heavens and the earth and whatever is between them – so worship Him and be steadfast in His worship. Do you know of any similarity to Him?”
Types of Tawhid:
There are three types of Tawhid:
(1) Tawhid al-Uloohiyyah
(2) Tawhid ar-Ruboobiyyah
(3) Tawhid al-Asma’ was-Sifat
Tawhid al-Uloohiyyah (Oneness of Worship):
This means that all acts of worship (such as prayer, supplication, sacrifice, vows, trust, fear, hope, etc.) are devoted solely to Allah, and no false deity is associated as a partner with Allah.
Tawhid ar-Ruboobiyyah (Oneness of Lordship):
This is the acknowledgment that Allah alone is the Creator, the Provider, the Giver of life and death, and the Controller of all affairs. He alone is the one who governs the entire universe. He does what He wills. He will not be questioned, whereas all of creation will be answerable to Him.
Tawhid al-Asma’ was-Sifat (Oneness of Names and Attributes):
This means to hold the firm belief that the names of Allah Ta’ala are the most beautiful and His attributes are the most exalted. And to affirm these names and attributes as Allah and His Messenger have described them, without any tahreef (distortion of meaning), ta’teel (denial), tashbeeh (drawing analogies to creation), or takyeef (describing ‘how’ they are). As Allah Ta’ala has said:
{لَيۡسَ كَمِثۡلِهٖ شَىۡءٌ ۚ وَهُوَ السَّمِيۡعُ الۡبَصِيۡرُ} – [Ash-Shura: 11]
Translation: “There is nothing like unto Him, and He is the Hearing, the Seeing.”
The Reward of Tawhid:
In this world, the one who acts upon Tawhid attains tranquility of the heart, honor, protection, and special help from Allah.
And in the Hereafter, the Muwahhid (one who upholds Tawhid) will be blessed with Allah’s pleasure, the boundless bounties of Jannah (Paradise), salvation from Jahannam (Hellfire), and above all, the honor of seeing Allah, which is the greatest success.
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Question 4: What is Shirk, how many types are there? And what is the ruling on a person who dies while committing Shirk with Allah?
Answer: Shirk is to worship other than Allah, or to associate anyone with Allah in any aspect of worship, whether it is a person, a tree, a stone, the sun, the moon, the living or the dead, or any other creation that did not exist before and will eventually perish and be destroyed. These things have no power to benefit or harm, cause death or life, or resurrect, neither for themselves nor for their worshippers.
Types of Shirk:
There are two types of Shirk:
(1) Shirk al-Akbar (Major Shirk): This is the major sin wherein a person associates another with Allah in worship (such as worshipping idols, graves, or any creation). If a person persists in major Shirk and dies without repenting, they will remain in Hellfire forever. As Allah Ta’ala has commanded:
{اِنَّ اللّٰهَ لَا يَغۡفِرُ اَنۡ يُّشۡرَكَ بِهٖ وَيَغۡفِرُ مَا دُوۡنَ ذٰ لِكَ لِمَنۡ يَّشَآءُ ۚ وَمَنۡ يُّشۡرِكۡ بِاللّٰهِ فَقَدِ افۡتَـرٰۤى اِثۡمًا عَظِيۡمًا} – [An-Nisa: 48]
Translation: “Indeed, Allah does not forgive association with Him, but He forgives what is less than that for whom He wills. And he who associates others with Allah has certainly fabricated a tremendous sin.”
(2) Shirk al-Asghar (Minor Shirk):
These are actions done for the sake of showing off or for worldly purposes instead of for the pleasure of Allah, such as riyaa (showing off one’s prayer, charity, or any good deed to be seen by people). Similarly, swearing by other than Allah, such as swearing by a trust, ancestors, the Ka’bah, honor, or nobility. And likewise, saying: “Whatever Allah and so-and-so willed,” or “If it were not for Allah and so-and-so, such-and-such would have happened,” etc.
Although all these are minor Shirk, in some cases, they can become major Shirk depending on the intention and belief of the speaker (meaning, whether these statements constitute major or minor Shirk depends on the intention and creed of the one who says them).
(For example, if someone swears by other than Allah and gives that thing a status of greatness equal to or greater than Allah in the oath, meaning they give it the same reverence that is due to Allah, then this is major Shirk).
Therefore, we seek refuge in Allah from major and minor Shirk and from the fate of those who commit it. Allah Azza wa Jall has said:
{فَمَنۡ كَانَ يَرۡجُوۡالِقَآءَ رَبِّهٖ فَلۡيَـعۡمَلۡ عَمَلًا صَالِحًـاوَّلَايُشۡرِكۡ بِعِبَادَةِ رَبِّهٖۤ اَحَدًا} – [Al-Kahf: 110]
Translation: "So whoever would hope for the meeting with his Lord - let him do righteous work and not associate anyone in the worship of his Lord."
{يٰۤـاَيُّهَا النَّبِىُّ اتَّقِ اللّٰهَ} – [Al-Ahzab: 1]
Translation: “O Prophet, fear Allah.”
Sheikh Ibn Uthaymeen (may Allah have mercy on him) (d. 1421 AH) says in the commentary of this verse:
“(Allah Subhanahu wa Ta’ala has commanded even His noble Prophet ﷺ to adopt Taqwa) but every one of us — despite our shortcomings — when told: ‘Fear Allah!’, becomes filled with anger. And if it is said to him: ‘May Allah guide you’, he says: ‘What misguidance or evil am I involved in (that you are praying for my guidance)?'” – [Sharh al-Arba’een an-Nawawiyyah, p. 171]
This statement of the Sheikh (may Allah have mercy on him) points to a common psychological and moral weakness found in our society: when an individual is advised towards piety (Taqwa) or guidance, they perceive it as an insult to themselves and become emotional and defensive. However, wisdom and prudence demand that when someone gives us good advice, we should consider it an opportunity for self-reform, not a reason for personal offense.
