http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/fundamentals/tawheed/abutaw/abutaw_9.html#HEADING14
The Fundamentals of Tawheed
(Islamic Monotheism)
Abu Ameenah Bilal Philips
The Muslim scholar Abu Ameenah Philips has kindly agreed to let
MSA-USC display three chapters (1,2 , and10 ) from his book "The
Fundamentals of Tawheed (Islamic Monotheism)". This book is highly
recommended reading for those who would like to learn about the basis
of Islam: there is no being worthy of worship except Allah (God), and
Allah is Absolutely One and Absolutely Unique. We note also that a
Muslim is further obligated to accept the Prophet Muhammad (saws) as
Allah's final prophet to humanity.
1. CHAPTER ON THE CATEGORIES OF TAWHEED
Tawheed ar-Ruboobeeyah (Maintaining the Unity of Lordship)
Tawheed al-Asmaa was-Sifaat (Maintaining the Unity of Allaah's
Names and Attributes).
Tawheed al-'Ebaadah (Maintaining The Unity of Worship)
2. CHAPTER ON THE CATEGORIES OF SHIRK
Shirk in Ruboobeeyah
(A) Shirk by Association
(B) Shirk by Negation
Shirk in al-Asmaa was-Sifaat
(A) Shirk by Humanization
(B) Shirk by Deification
Shirk In al-'Ebaadah
(A) Ash-Shirk al-Akbar (Major Shirk):
(B) Ash-Shirk al-Asghar (Minor Shirk):
10. CHAPTER ON SAINT WORSHIP
Allaah's Favor:
Taqwaa:
Walee: The "Saint"
Fanaa: The Union of Man With God
The Union of God With Man
Roohullaah: The "Spirit" of Allaah
Footnotes
========================
1. CHAPTER ON THE CATEGORIES OF TAWHEED
Literally Tawheed means "unification" (making something one) or
"asserting oneness", and it comes from the Arabic verb (wahhada) which
itself means to unite, unify or consolidate.1 However, when the term
Tawheed is used in reference to Allaah (i.e. Tawheedullaah2), it means
the realizing and maintaining of Allaah's unity in all of man's
actions which directly or indirectly relate to Him. It is the belief
that Allaah is One, without partner in His dominion and His actions
(Ruboobeeyah), One without similitude in His essence and attributes
(Asmaa wa Sifaat), and One without rival in His divinity and in
worship (Ulooheeyah/'Ebaadah). These three aspects form the basis for
the categories into which the science of Tawheed has been
traditionally divided. The three overlap and are inseparable to such a
degree that whoever omits any one aspect has failed to complete the
requirements of Tawheed. The omission of any of the above mentioned
aspects of Tawheed is referred to as "Shirk" (lit. sharing); the
association of partners with Allaah, which, in Islamic terms, is in
fact idolatry.
The three categories of Tawheed are commonly referred to by the
following titles:
1. Tawheed ar-Ruboobeeyah (lit. "Maintaining the Unity of Lordship")
2. Tawheed al-Asmaa was-Sifaat (lit. "Maintaining the Unity of
Allaah's Names and Attributes")
3. Tawheed al-'Ebaadah (lit. "Maintaining the Unity of Allaah's Worship")3
The division of Tawheed into its components was not done by the
Prophet (saws) nor by his companions, as there was no necessity to
analyze such a basic principle of faith in this fashion. However, the
foundations of the components are all implied in the verses of the
Qur'aan and in the explanatory statements of the Prophet (saws) and
his companions, as will became evident to the reader when each
category is dealt with in more detail later in this chapter.
The necessity for this analytical approach to the principle of Tawheed
arose after Islaam spread into Egypt, Byzantium, Persia and India and
absorbed the cultures of these regions. It is only natural to expect
that when the peoples of these lands entered the fold of Islaam, they
would carry with them some of the remnants of their former beliefs.
When some of these new converts began to express in writings and
discussions, their various philosophical concepts of God, confusion
arose in which the pure and simple unitarian belief of Islaam became
threatened. There were also others who had outwardly accepted Islaam
but secretly worked to destroy the religion from within, due to their
inability to oppose it militarily. This group began to actively
propagate distorted ideas about Allaah among the masses in order to
tear down the first pillar of Eemaan (faith) and with it Islaam itself.
According to Muslim historians, the first Muslim to express the
position of man's free-will and the absence of destiny (Qadar) was an
Iraqi convert from Christianity by the name of Sausan. Sausan later
reverted to Christianity but not before infecting his student, Ma'bad
ibn Khaalid al-Juhanee from Basrah. Ma'bad spread the teachings of his
master until he was caught and executed by the Umayyad Caliph,
'Abdul-Malik ibn Marwaan (685-705), in the year 700 CE.4 The younger
Sahaabah (companions of the Prophet (saws)) who were alive during this
period, like 'Abdullaah ibn 'Umar (d. 694 CE) and 'Abdullaah in Abee
Awfaa (d. 705CE), advised the people not to greet those who denied
destiny nor make funeral prayers for those of them who died. That is,
they considered them to be disbelievers.5 However, Christian
philosophical arguments for free-will continued to find new
supporters. Ghailaan ibn Muslim from Damascus studied under Ma'bad and
championed the cause of free-will until he was brought before Caliph
'Umar ibn 'Abdul-'Azeez (717-720CE). He recanted his beliefs publicly,
however, [and] on the caliph's death, he resumed teaching free-will.
The following caliph, Hishaam ibn 'Abdul-Malik (724-743CE), had him
arrested, tried and executed.6 Another prominent figure in this
controversy was al-Ja'd ibn Dirham, who not only supported the
philosophy of free-will, but also attempted to re-interpret the
Qur'anic verses containing descriptions of Allaah's qualities
according to neo-platonic philosophy. Al-Ja'd was at one point a tutor
for the Umayyad prince, Marwaan ibn Muhammad, who later became the
fourteenth caliph (744-750CE). During his lectures in Damascus, he
openly denied some of Allaah's attributes, like seeing, hearing etc.,
until the Umayyad governor expelled him.7 He then fled to Kufah, where
he continued to propound his ideas and gather followers until his
heretical opinions became widely publicized and the Umayyad governor,
Khaalid ibn Abdillaah, had him publicly executed in 736 CE. However,
his main disciple, Jahm ibn Safwaan, continued to defend his master's
doctrines in philosophical circles in Tirmiz and Balakh, when his
heresies became widespread, he was executed by the Umayyad governor,
Nasr ibn Sayyaar, in743 CE.8
The early caliphs and their governors were closer to Islamic
principles and the consciousness of the masses was higher due to the
presence of the Prophet's companions and their students. Hence, the
demand for the elimination of open heretics received immediate
response from the rulers. In contrast, the later Umayyad caliphs were
more corrupt and as such cared little about such religious issues. The
masses were also less Islamically conscious and thus were more
susceptible to deviant ideas. As greater numbers of people entered
Islaam, and the learning of an increasing number of conquered nations
was absorbed, the execution of apostates was no longer used to stem
the rising tide of heresy. The task of opposing the tide of heresy
fell on the shoulders of the Muslim scholars of this period who rose
to meet the challenge intellectually. They systematically opposed the
various alien philosophies and creeds by categorizing them and
countering them with principles deduced from the Qur'aan and the
Sunnah. It was out of this defense that the science of Tawheed emerged
with its precisely defined categories and components. This process of
specialization occurred simultaneously in all of the other areas of
Islamic knowledge as it has done in the various secular sciences of
today. Therefore, as the categories of Tawheed are studied separately
and in more depth, it must not be forgotten that they are all a part
of an organic whole which is itself the foundation of a greater whole,
Islaam itself.
continued....
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