This is a current expanded, revised edition of the author's original work. This book presents a detailed explanation of the classical Islamic concept of God's unity as it relates to faith and acts of religious devotion. It also discusses the major areas within which the Islamic unitarian belief (tawheed) is either nullified or compromised by idolatrous concepts collectively called shirk. The uniqueness of this work lies not only in its thorough treatment of the subject in a fluid and uncomplicated English style, but is also unique in its modern presentation of classical theological issues.
True faith of a standard acceptable to Allah has to be based on tawhid free from shirk, as stated in the Qur'an and ahaddith and outlined in detail in the preceding chapters. Anything less than that represents an aspect of idolatry and or disbelief, regardless of how firmly those who join partners with God profess their faith in Him or how skillfully they rationalize their unsanctioned practices. Allah's unity must he maintained spiritually, intellectually, and practically in all facets of human life within which the pleasure of God is sought. Monotheism, as brought by the Prophets of God, was not merely a theory to be philosophically appreciated or emotionally championed, but a pragmatic blueprint for human existence in submission to the will of Almighty God, Allah. The significance of this fact lies in the purpose of man's creation. Allah said: "I only created the jinn and man for my worship" (Qur'an 51: 56).
The creation of man is itself a manifestation of Allah's perfect attributes. He is the Creator (al-Khaliq), and thus man was brought into existence from non-existence. He is the Most Merciful (ar-Rahman), and thus the pleasures of this world were granted to him. He is the Most Wise (al-Hakeem), and thus He prohibited the substances and acts which are harmful to man while allowing those which are not. He is the Most Forgiving (al-Ghafoor), and thus He pardons those who turn to Him in sincere repentance.
Abu Ayyub and Abu Hurayrah both reported that the Prophet (s) said: "If you did not commit sins, Allah would have swept you out of existence and replaced you by another people who would commit sins, ask Allah's forgiveness, and He would pardon them." Similarly all of the other divine attributes are manifest in man's creation by God's will. On the other hand, man's worship of God is for his own benefit, as Allah is in no need of man's worship. In the worship of God man realizes both his material and spiritual potential for all aspects of goodness and thereby earns for himself the everlasting abode of bliss at the end of this brief earthly journey. Consequently, the Godly way of life, Islam, provides a means of turning each and every human act, no matter how insignificant or mundane it may seem, into an act of worship. As long as the following two basic conditions are fulfilled:
- The act must be consciously done for the pleasure of God alone and,
- To be done according to the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (s) man's whole life can enter completely into the service of Allah, as He prescribed.
"Say: 'Truly, my prayer my sacrifice, my life and my death are all for Allah, Lord of all the worlds'” (Qur'an 6: 162). Such a state can only be attained through the knowledge of tawhid and its careful, conscious implementation according to the methodology taught by the final Prophet of God, Muhammad Ibn 'Abdullah (s). Thus, it is the duty of every sincere believer in God to put aside his or her cultural experiences and emotional ties to family, tribe or nation, and acquire a working knowledge of tawhid, the foundation of faith. For it is only in the application of that knowledge that man may achieve salvation.
