Benefits of Tawheed (Allah’s Oneness)
An article by Dr. Mohammed Rateb Nabulsi
In the Name of Allah the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
Definition of Tawheed:
The creed of Tawheed is the profound base of Islam, yet it is the core of all the Divine messages, Allah says:
(And We did not send any Messenger before you (O Muhammad) but We inspired him (saying): La ilaha illa Ana [none has the right to be worshipped but I (Allah)], so worship Me (Alone and none else).)
[Surat Al Anbya’a, 21:25]
There is One God Who has created everything, and He is the Lord of everything, to Him creations and matter recur, and to Him are all destinies, He is The Lord in heaven and earth, and it is only Him Who deserves to be worshiped so He might not be abjured, thanked so He might not be denied, and obeyed so He might not be disobeyed. Mu’adh bin Jabal narrated that the Prophet PBUH said,
O Mu’adh! Do you know what Allah’s Right upon His servants is?
I said, “Allah and His Messenger know best.” The Prophet said,
To worship Him (Allah) Alone.
As worshiping is the reason behind their existence.
and to join none in worship with Him (Allah). Do you know what their right upon Him is?” I replied, “Allah and His Messenger know best.” The Prophet said, “Not to punish them (if they do so).
[Agreed upon]
Tawheed’s necessities:
1. One should neither worship nor do glorify anyone other than Allah. If one assumed that an entity other than Allah has the ability to give or prevent, abase or exalt, and honor or humiliate, then he is considered as Mushrik (polytheist) 2. One shouldn’t take anyone as an ally to be loved same as loving Allah. 3. One shouldn’t take anyone as a ruler (or a judge ) to be obeyed same as obeying Allah.
The benefits of Tawheed:
1. Liberating mankind:
It liberates human from all kind of slavery, except for being slave to the One, The Dayyan (The Judge/Allah), Who has created and honored mankind. Tawheed is all about freeing mind from delusions and myths, freeing conscious from giving up and humiliation, and freeing life from the domination of deified (one who claims Godlike nature) people.
2. It builds a balanced character:
A character that defines its destiny in life, unifies its purpose, and specifies its path. This character believes in no God but one God (Allah), it addresses Him in its privacy or publicity, invokes Him in its prosperity or adversity, and it seeks Allah’s Pleasure in every small or big detail in life.
3. It fills the soul with tranquility and serenity:
Hereby, it is free of fears that dominate people of Shirk (polytheism), as Allah has saved it fears that people are open to, such like fear of sustenance, fear of death, fear with regard to self safety, fear with regard to family and kids, fear of mankind, fear of Jinn, and fear of what awaits them after life. Whereas, the faithful believer doesn’t fear but Allah, doesn’t dread but Allah, and because of that, he is secured when people are frightened, calm when people are worried, and tranquil when people are confused.
4. Tawheed is the source of power to the soul:
As it gives a great power to the soul of the follower of Tawheed (the monotheist), as his soul is filled with hope from Allah, trust in Him, reliance on Him, acceptance of His fate, endurance on His adversity, and dispense with all creations but Him, and he/she turns to be solid like a mountain (his faith will be as deeply rooted as mountain) that doesn’t move by any incidents or ordeals.
5. It is the profound base of human brotherhood and equality:
Brotherhood and equality can’t be achieved in people’s lives if they dominate each others. Furthermore, unless they act in slavery only to Allah, the Creator, the Rearer, the Ruler, the Provider, and the Judge, and to Whom will be the final return, there won’t be any equality amongst people. These are few of the benefits collected from Tawheed, and it was said: ‘The servants of Allah have not learnt better than Tawheed which is the ultimate of knowledge, whereas piousness is the ultimate of righteous deeds.’
Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds
Translation : Noora Al Sharabi Auditing : Rana Saraqbi