Strengthening of the Faith
Chapter One
Description of Tauhid
People's unawareness and ignorance:
Polytheism is generally widespread among the people and the concept of Monotheism is in scarcity. Many people who claim to be the bearers of Faith do not understand the meanings of Tauhid and Shirk (Monotheism and polytheism). Apparently they are Muslims, but they are unconsciously involved in the acts of Shirk. Therefore, first we should try to understand the meanings of Tauhid (Monotheism) and Shirk (polytheism) so that we may know about their advantages and disadvantages as directed by Qur'an and Sunnah.
The acts leading to polytheism:
In difficult times and situations people call upon saints, Prophets, Imam, martyrs, angels and fairies for assistance; make their vows to them, invoke them for the fulfillment of their wishes and even make so-called offerings to them so that their wishes may come true. To avoid ailments, they have no scruples about attributing their sons to those false deities by giving them such names as Abdun-Nabi, Ali Bakhsh, Hussain Bakhsh, Peer Bakhsh, MadarBakhsh, Salar Bakhsh, Ghulam Muhiuddin and Ghulam Moinuddin etc. Someone raises a plait of hair in the name of a deity, someone slaughters an animal in their names, someone invokes them in a distressed situation and someone swears an oath in their names. This means that the way non-Muslims treat their gods and goddesses, these so-called Muslims also give exactly a similar treatment to the Prophets, saints, Imam, martyrs, angels and fairies. Despite committing all the above sinful acts, they still claim to be Muslims. As Allah has rightfully said:
{And most of them believe not in Allah except that they attribute partners unto Him.} (V.12:106)
Those who profess to have Faith in Allah while their actions reeking of polytheism:
It means that the majority of people who outwardly profess to have faith in Allah are in fact entangled in the quagmire of polytheism. If someone questions them as to why are they involved in Shirk while evincing faith in Allah, they answer by saying that we are not committing an act of polytheism, neigh we cherish a tremendous amount of love for the prophets and saints and we are none but their true devotees. Had we considered them on an equal status with Allah, it would have been 'an act of Shirk', but we merely consider them the slaves and creatures of Allah, Who had vested in them an authority and given them the capability to the effect that they manipulate the matters concerning this world by the Will of Allah. Therefore calling upon them for help is calling upon Allah for His Help. These people are dear ones to Allah and therefore are free to do whatever they like. These are our advocates who will intercede with Allah on our behalf. Meeting them makes one meet his Cherisher and calling upon them makes us near to Allah. The more we recognize their greatness and pay our respect to them, the more we shall be drawn towards Allah. In addition to all this, they make a lot of other absurd and baseless statements.
The verdict of Qur'an:
The sole reason for all the above incongruities is that people have forsaken Qur'an and Hadith and exercise their own judgments in the matters concerning Shari 'ah by applying their own intellect, pursue myths and superstitions, and try to justify their erroneous customs and traditions by presenting insubstantial evidence. If they had the knowledge of Qur'an and Hadith, they would have known that even the pagans among the Arabs used to employ similar kind of arguments before the Prophet {Peace be upon Him}.Allah's wrath befell them as He declared them liars in one of the Qur'anic verses:
{And they worship besides Allah things that hurt them not, nor profit them, and they say: 'These are our intercessors with Allah.' Say: Do you inform Allah of that which He knows not in the heavens and on the earth? Glorified and Exalted is He above all that which they associate as partners with Him!} (V.I0:18)
None but Allah is the Capable:
The objects which the polytheists offer their worship to, are absolutely powerless. They possess no capability of either benefiting anybody or inflicting any harm on someone. As to their notion that they will intercede with Allah on their behalf, is nothing but a mere fallacy for the simple reason that Allah did not inform them about any such thing. Do they profess to be more knowledgeable than Allah in regard to the matters of this world and the heavens in what they believe to be their mediators with Allah on their behalf? 'Thus, it becomes known to us that there is no such mediator in this universe who, on the basis of people's belief or disbelief in them, can either benefit or harm someone. Even the intercession of the Prophets and saints itself is governed by Allah. Nothing happens if someone calls upon them in distress. Furthermore, we are warned that whoever ,worships someone as his intercessor, is also a 'Mushrik' as stated by Allah in this verse:
{And those who take Auliya (protectors and helpers) besides Him (say): 'We worship them only that they may bring us near to Allah.' Verily, Allah will judge between them concerning that wherein they differ. Truly, Allah guides not him who is a liar, and a disbeliever.} (V.39:3)
None is the supporter other than Allah:
The fact is that Allah is very close to a human being but the human beings themselves got distracted from this basic truth and coined a fallacious concept believing that an idol shall draw us near Allah and thus took such idols to be their mediators. These are the people who shamelessly turned down the bounty of Allah that it is He who listens to everyone directly and fulfills everyone's desires. Instead of turning to Allah, they started directing their prayers and invocations towards the so-called deities other than Allah for the fulfillment of their wishes. To make the matters worse, these people also wished to, be near to Allah by employing erroneous and wrong methods. How could these ingrates and untruthful people be guided on the Right Path? The more they tread on this crooked path, the more shall they be driven away from the Right Path.
None is the sustainer other than Allah:
This clarifies that whosoever worships the so called deities in the hope that worshipping them shall make him nearer to Allah, is none but a polytheist, an accomplished liar and the one who rejects the bounty of Allah. Allah states in one of the Qur'anic verses:
{Say: In Whose Hand is the sovereignty of everything (i.e. treasures of each and everything)? And He protects (all), while against Whom there is no protector, (i.e. if Allah saves anyone none can punish or harm him, and if Allah punishes or harms anyone none can save him), if you know. They will say: '(All that belongs) to Allah.' Say: 'How then are you deceived and turn away from the truth?'} (V.23:88-89)
Even if the polytheists are asked about an entity who exercises an absolute control over the whole universe and against whom no one can stand, they will definitely say it is Allah. When Allah is All-Powerful, is not it an act of lunacy to associate partners with Allah? Thus it becomes known to us that Allah has not given anyone authority to dispose off universal matters and no one is either capable of supporting someone else. Furthermore, even the polytheists of the prophetic era did not consider the idols to be on a par with Allah in terms of status, but considered them as slaves and creatures of Allah. They also knew that these idols did not possess any of the Divine powers, but their Shirk was represented by calling upon them, making vows to them, presenting offerings to them and considering them as their intercessors with Allah. This means that whosoever accords someone a similar treatment, even though by reckoning him to be a slave and a creature, such a person is bound to be regarded as a counterpart of Abu Jahl in terms of polytheism.
The reality of Shirk (Polytheism):
Shirk does not only imply that an entity be equated with Allah or be reckoned as His counterpart, but it goes much further to include the things and manners which Allah has peculiarized to His Qualities and that represent the signs of worshipping and obeisance which He has specified for his slaves to observe for Him Alone. In case, someone observes those signs and exhibits them in front of any other entity whatsoever other than Allah, such a practice also lies within the definition of Shirk: this practice includes making prostrations, sacrificing an animal in the Name of Allah, making vows, calling upon Him in distress, considering Allah to be Himself present everywhere, and maintaining that the others do have a role to play in the matters of one's fate and destiny. All the above are different shapes and varieties of Shirk. Prostration is particularized to be performed for the sake of Allah only, animal sacrifice is done for Him Alone, vows are made to Him Alone, He is the One, Who, in times of distress (situations), is called upon. He is the Omnipotent and All-Powerful and He is the Supreme Authority over everything. If any of these qualities are ascribed to any other entity other than Allah, it is known as Shirk, even if such an entity is regarded as inferior to Allah or is reckoned to be a creature or slave of Allah.
All such beings and entities like a Prophet, saint, jinn, Satan, ghost, apparition and fairy shall all be treated equally in this matter and whoever considers them as having Divine powers commits an act of Shirk and the doer of such a thing will become a Mushrik (the one who associates partners with Allah). Hence Allah has brought down His wrath on the Jews and Christians too even though they did not practice idolatry, but treated their Prophets and saints in a similar manner (i.e. they attributed to them the qualities which are purely Divine in nature) as Allah has stated in the following Qur'anic verse:
{They (Jews and Christians) took their rabbis and their monks to be their lords besides Allah, (by obeying them in things which they made lawful or unlawful according to their own desires without being ordered by Allah) and (they also took as their lord) Messiah, son of Mary, while they (Jews and Christians) were commanded (in the Torah and the Gospel) to worship none but One (God-Allah) La ilaha ilia Huwa (none has the right to be worshipped but He). Praise and glory is to Him, (far above is He) from having the partners they associate (with Him).}(V.9:31)
It means that even though they considered Allah as the Most Supreme Lord, but besides that, they also gave their recognition to other mini-lords, which are their priests and monks. These people were never instructed to commit such acts of Shirk. Allah is all Alone worthy of being worshipped. He has no partners. Everyone, whether big or small, are none but His helpless slaves.
Allah states in one of the verses of the Noble Qur'an:
{There is none in the heavens and the earth but comes unto the Most Beneficent (Allah) as a slave. Verily, He knows each one of them, and has counted them a full counting. And everyone of them will come to Him alone on the Day of Resurrection (without any helper, or protector or defender,)}. (V.19:93-95)
It means that regardless whether a creature happens to be an angel or a human being, it carries a status of no more than being a slave before Allah. A slave lies under an absolute hegemony of Allah and therefore, is completely helpless and powerless. Everything lies under Allah's control. He gives nobody under anyone's control. Everyone shall have to appear in His Presence to account for his deeds. No one will advocate for anyone there nor one could lend his support to anyone else. There are hundreds of verses mentioned in this regard in the Noble Qur'an whereas only we, as a specimen, have made a mention of a few of them. Whosoever understands them clearly, shall have a clear understanding of the concept of Shirk and Tauhid. In sha 'Allah