THE TRUE MUSLIM

by

Dr. Diyaaud-deen Al-Qudsy

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After explaining the Imaan and Islam that Allah requires and the conditions necessary for that we proceed to another very important aspect, just as important as the one that preceded it, which is:

How does a believer protect his Imaan and Islam until he meets Allah?

Allah subhana wa ta’ala explains the purpose for creating us:

And I (Allah) created not the jinn and mankind except that they should worship Me (Alone). (51:56)

This verse makes clear to us that jinn and man were created for the purpose of worshipping Allah alone without associating partners with Him.

So what is the worship that Allah requires of us; for which He has created us?

The linguistic meaning of the word Worship is: subservience, submission, surrender and obedience.

As for the juristic meaning: it is a collective noun for everything that Allah loves, it pleases Him and He has ordered of sayings and actions, internal and external.

Allah subhana wa ta’ala did not leave us to determine what is worship and what is not but He has defined and explained worship to us in His Book and in the Sunnah of His messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him.

It is obligatory that we execute all our worship only to Allah alone without associating any partners with Him. If we perform any of the worship to anyone other than Allah or to anyone together with Allah then we have worshipped other than Allah and have associated partners with Him.

Allah azza wa jalla says:

Worship Allah and join none with Him (in worship)… (4: 36)

Allah subhana wa ta’ala orders us in this noble verse not to worship anyone or anything except Allah alone and not to perform any kind of worship, big or small to other than Allah. All worship must be performed to Allah alone and no partners in worship must be joined with Him. Associating partners with Allah renders a persons actions null and void and takes him out of the fold of the faith. If such a person does not seek Allah’s forgiveness and dies upon shirk (polytheism) then Allah will never forgive him and his destiny will be the fire, remaining there forever.

Allah jalla wa ‘alaa says:

Verily! Allah forgives not (the sin of) setting up partners in worship with Him, but He forgives whom He wills, sins other than that, and whoever sets up partners in worship with Allah, has indeed strayed far away.

(4:116)

Allah also says:

...Verily, whosoever sets up partners (in worship) with Allah, then Allah has forbidden Paradise to him, and the Fire will be his abode. And for the Zalimun (polytheists and evil-doers) there are no helpers. (5:72)

Allah subhana wa ta’ala also says:

It is not for the Mushrikun (polytheists, idolaters, pagans) to maintain the mosques of Allah while they witness against their ownselves of disbelief. The works of such are in vain and in fire shall they abide. (9:17)

Say (O Muhammad to the polytheists):

‘‘Do you order me to worship other than Allah? O you fools!’’ And indeed it has been revealed to you (O Muhammad), as it was to those (Allah’s Messengers) before you: ‘‘If you join others in worship with Allah, (then) surely, (all) your deeds will be in vain, and you will certainly be among the losers.’’ (39:64-65)

What is the shirk (polytheism) that is mentioned in these verses, that nullifies the actions, that if a person dies upon Allah never pardons and which takes its doer to the hell fire forever? What is this shirk? How are we able to know it so that we can avoid it? If we do not know it thoroughly then the possibility of us falling into it in every instant is conceivable. Therefore it is obligatory upon us to know it so that we do not fall into it and cause our actions to be nullified and in order that we may meet Allah as believers and muslims.

Shirk: is polytheism or associating partners with Allah, joining partners in worship with Allah.

Allah subhana wa ta’ala has clearly explained the concept of shirk in Quran and Sunnah. One whom the Quran and Sunnah have reached cannot be ignorant of it and he will not be excused for not knowing it.

Allah azza wa jalla says:

And most of them believe not in Allah except that they attribute partners unto Him (Allah). (12:106)

Allah subhana wa ta’ala informs us in this verse that faith which is mixed with shirk will not be accepted by Allah and that most of the peoples’ belief is mixed with one of the kinds of shirk, nonetheless they have no excuse for that. The great number of mushriks does not justify shirk nor are they forgiven because of that.

So whoever mixes his Imaan with any kind of shirk that invalidates Tawheed then he is mushrik (polytheist). He is not called a believer nor a muslim no matter how much he claims Imaan and Islam. Indeed Allah subhana wa ta’ala does not accept anything except the pure religion, free from any kind of shirk.

Allah azza wa jalla says:

And whosoever submits his face (himself) to Allah, while he is a Muhsin (good-doer i.e. performs good deeds totally for Allah's sake without any show-off or to gain praise or fame etc. and does them in accordance with the Sunnah of Allah's Messenger Muhammad, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), then he has grasped the most trustworthy handhold [Laa ilaha illa Allah (none has the right to be worshipped but Allah)]. And to Allah return all matters for decision. (31:22)

The word “Muhsin” in the verse means ‘free from shirk’-no worship big or small has been performed to other than Allah.

In order that you clearly understand the meaning of worship, as Allah requires it let us take some examples:

When most people are asked what worship is, they answer that it is prayer, fasting, zakaat, hajj and that which is similar to it and they know that whoever performs these acts of worship unto other than Allah then he has associated partners with Allah.

Allah subhana wa ta’ala informs us that there are other forms of worship that are no less than prayer, fasting, zakaat and hajj, but many people do not know this.

Allah ta’ala says:

...The judgment is for none but Allah. He has commanded you to worship none but Him, that is the (true) straight religion, but most people know not. (12:40)

This verse informs us that the right of judging between the people is not for anyone besides Allah ta’ala and giving this right to Allah alone is worship of Him. Giving this right or part of it, even if it is a little, to any creation is shirk (associating of partners with Allah) and takes one out of the fold of Islam thereby invalidating ones actions. If one does not repent for it then his abode is the fire of hell remaining therein forever.

This verse further explains to us that many people do not know that the concept of the Tawheed of Allah in ruling, that not accepting another judgment besides His is worship just like prayer, fasting, zakaat and hajj and that whoever gives the right of ruling to other than Allah then he has worshipped someone else besides Allah.

Likewise it explains to us that the straight (true) religion that Allah accepts is the religion in which the right of ruling is only for Allah alone, in every big or small issue.

…that is the (true) straight religion… (12:40)

Indeed the right of ruling and judging does not belong to anyone except him who is described with the attributes of the true deity because He alone deserves to be worshipped.

If this right is given to other than Allah or to someone else together with Allah then he has associated partners with Allah and worshipped other than Allah and has opposed the command of Allah. Allah subhana wa ta’ala has ordered us not to worship anyone but Him thus Allah says:

…He has commanded you to worship none but Him… (12:40)

Whoever gives the right of judgment and ruling to other than Allah or associates someone with Allah in ruling then he has taken this other person as his deity even if he does not clearly say ‘you are my Lord’. By merely giving someone else this right, even a small portion of it, then he has worshipped that person.

Many people know that whoever prays to, fasts, performs pilgrimage to other than Allah then he has worshipped other than Allah, but many of them do not know that whoever gives the right of ruling to other than Allah then he has worshipped other than Allah, thus Allah explains this reality to us saying:

That is they do not know that giving the right of ruling to other than Allah is worship of someone other than Allah just like praying, fasting and performing pilgrimage to other than Allah. The fact that they do not know that does not place them on the (true) straight religion. One can only be on the straight religion when one gives the entire ruling to Allah alone. That is the meaning of the ‘‘(true) straight religion’’.

There is another issue that must be dealt with and it is the issue of Democracy and political parties.

There are people who claim that they want to return to ruling by Islamic law, but by way of establishing political parties, entering elections and gaining seats in the parliaments of the disbelieving regimes thereby using their position as a tool in changing the laws and making Islam dominant in these countries in the hope that one day it will become an Islamic state, without the shedding of Muslim blood, as they claim.

Whoever claims that it is permissible for him to establish or join a political party following and adhering to the laws of disbelief in a democratic state or a state that does not rule by Shariah, claiming that his action is for the benefit of Islam and the Muslims, is either ignorant of Islam or is working for the destruction of Islam and wants to drug and deceive the people of Islam thus firmly establishing the rule of taghut. Such acts, even if the purpose thereof is to establish the rule of Islam, are clear kufr, which a Muslim never undertakes.

Becoming a candidate for a kaafir government, not ruling by Islam by way of establishing a political party that follows and adheres to the laws of the country means accepting these laws of the country that are opposed to Islam. One who accepts these laws or judges by them has disbelieved, no matter how much he claims that he wants Islam and wants the implementation of the Shariah of Islam. Islam does not come by undertaking kufr.

Those that implement the rulings of kufr or accepts it, claiming that this acceptance is only a temporary acceptance in order to implement Islamic law or in order to help Islam and the Muslims, is either ignorant and does not understand the Creed of Islam or does not understand how ruling in Islam is accomplished or they are opportunists wanting to misguide those wanting Islam and the rule of Islam in order to gain some worldly benefit by exploiting peoples’ love for Islam and their ignorance of it.

Anyone that does this has left the fold of Islam no matter how much such a person claims to have Imaan and Islam and no matter how much he prays, fasts and alleges that he wants to establish the Shariah of Islam. Those that help such a person, whether out of ignorance or knowingly, have worshipped this person besides Allah.

It is not permissible for anyone to be ignorant of this issue, the issue that ruling or judging is only for Allah, as it is the basis of belief and the basis of Tawheed.

Islam came to take man out of the worship of slaves to the worship of the Lord of the slaves alone. Islam does not rule by enslaving man first to other than Allah and then to Allah this is not the method that Allah has explained to us to bring about the rule of Islam. There is none more astray and more ignorant as one who wants to enslave and subjugate people first to man and then to Allah.

Determining and specifying the limits of (halaal) the permissible and (haraam) the prohibited is the right of Allah alone and He has no partner therein. The haraam is that which Allah has made haraam and the halaal is that which Allah has made halaal. So whoever makes permissible that which is prohibited or prohibits that which is permissible and is followed therein then he has set himself up as a deity besides Allah.

Those who obey and help him in that and do not consider him a disbeliever has indeed disbelieved and has worshipped taghut. Therefore whoever votes for these parties or helps them or does not takfeer (call them disbelievers) them or does not takfeer those that do not takfeer them has indeed disbelieved because he has not disbelieved in taghut.

Another example that clarifies the meaning of worship is:

Allah azza wa jalla says:

You (alone) we worship and You (alone) we ask for help. (1:5)

(Remember) when you sought help of your Lord and He answered you (saying): ‘‘I will help you with a thousand of the angels each behind the other (following one another) in succession.’’ (8:9)

Allah subhana wa ta’ala explains to us in these verses that calling or requesting help when in distress and seeking assistance from Allah is worship. One who invokes and supplicates other than Allah, like the dead or those that are absent; expecting from them, fearing them, asking them for the fulfillment of needs, for the dispelling of grief or relief from sorrow etc. then such a person is mushrik having committed major shirk which takes one out of the fold of Islam.

Allah jalla wa ‘alaa says:

And who is more astray than one who calls on (invokes) besides Allah, such as will not answer him till the Day of Resurrection, and who are (even) unaware of their calls (invocations) to them? (46:5)

And worship (invoke) not besides Allah, any that will neither profit you, nor hurt you, but if you did so, you shall certainly be one of the Zalimun (polytheists and evil-doers).  

And if Allah touches you with hurt, there is none who can remove it but He; and if He desires any good for you, there is none who can repel His Favour, which He causes it to reach whomsoever of His slaves He will. And He is the Oft-Forgiving, the Most Merciful. (10:106,107)

Surely, the pure religion (i.e. the worship and the obedience) is for Allah only. And those who take Auliya' (protectors, helpers, Lords, gods) besides Him (say):

These acts of worship and others that are mentioned in Quran and Sunnah are for Allah alone and none of it is allowed for anyone besides Allah azza wa jalla, not to a king nor relative. Whoever undertakes part of his worship to other than Allah even with the intention of approaching Allah becomes a disbeliever and has associated partners with Allah.

Indeed for a person to be a muslim it is incumbent that Islam materializes and actualizes in its complete comprehensive meaning, which is submission and surrender to Allah alone, He has no partner, apparent nor hidden.

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