50 Q&A on Tawheed

50 Questions and Answers on Tawheed

Q1: Who is your Rabb (the Lord)?

My Rabb is Allah Who has created me and all that exists, He nourishes me and all creatures by His bounties.

Q2: What is your Deen (religion)?

My Deen is Islam, which is submission and obedience to the Order of Allah and His Messenger with love, hoping for His reward and fearing His punishment.

Q3: How did you know Allah?

I know Him by His signs and creation, like the day and night; the sun and the moon; the heaven and the earth; and all that is in between them.

Q4: Where is Allah?

Allah is above the heavens, above the Throne and separate from His creatures.

Q5: Is Allah with us (in essence)?

Allah is above His Mighty Throne, but He is with us by His knowledge, hearing, seeing and other attributes. As He said to Moses and Aaron (peace be unto them): "Fear not, verily! I am with you both, hearing and seeing." [Quran 20:46]

Q6: How do you worship Allah?

I worship Allah according to the teachings of the Prophet (peace be upon him). I worship Him Alone, ascribing no partner to Him.

Q7: Why did Allah send Messengers?

Allah sent Messengers to call people to worship Him Alone, and to ascribe no partner to Him; so that mankind will have no excuse for disobeying Allah.

Q8: What is the meaning of Islam?

Islam means submission to Allah sincerely and willingly.

Q9: What are the pillars of Islam?

1. Testimony of Faith (to testify that none has the right to be worshipped but Allah and Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah).

2. To perform Salat (prayer).

3. To pay Zakat (form of charity).

4. To observe Saum (fasting) in Ramadan.

5. To perform Hajj (pilgrimage to the Sacred House), if one can afford it.

Q10: What is Iman?

Iman (Faith) means to believe in the heart, to confess by the tongue and to act with the parts of the body.

Q11: How many branches does Iman (Faith) comprise?

Iman comprises over 70 branches, the uppermost of which is the saying that there is no true God except Allah and lowest of which is the removal of harmful objects out of the way.

Q12: Does Iman (Faith) increase or decrease?

Iman increases by obedience to Allah while it decreases by sins and evil acts.

Q13: What are the pillars of Iman (Faith)?

The pillars of Iman are 6, i.e. to believe in:

1. Allah

2. His Angels

3. His Messengers

4. His Books

5. The Last Day

6. Divine Preordainment; its good or bad consequences

Q14: What is belief in Allah?

The belief in Allah is to believe that He is the Sole Creator, Sustainer, Provider, and the One in Whose Hand is the disposal of all affairs. Everything stands in need of Him, but He stands in need of none. He is the Only One Who is worthy of being worshipped. He has the beautiful names and the perfect attributes.

Q15: Who are the angels?

The angels are creatures of light. They are Allah's obedient slaves, they do what they are commanded and never disobey, i.e. Angel Gabriel (peace be to him).

Q16: What is the meaning of Belief in the Book and the Messengers?

It means that Allah sent the Messengers like Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus, Mohammad (peace be upon them all) etc, and sent down the Books like the Torah, Zaboor (Psalms), Injeel (Gospel), Qu'ran, etc, to call people to worship Allah Alone, associating nothing with Him. He sent Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) as the last of the Messengers and Prophets and abrogated all the previous Books with the Qu'ran. Therefore worship should be done according to the Qu'ran and the Sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).

Q17: What is the meaning of Belief in the Last Day?

The Belief in the Last Day means to believe that Allah has foreordained a fixed term for everything, and a term for this world. He will assuredly raise the dead from their graves and will take account of everyone's deeds in this world. On the Day of Resurrection, rewards and punishments will be assigned. Everyone will be justly acquitted.

Q18: What is the meaning of Belief in foreordainment (Qadar)?

The Belief in foreordainment (Qadar) means to believe that everything - good or bad - happens or takes place according to what Allah has foreordained. He has created everything by a decree and in due proportion.

Q19: What is Ihsan?

It is to worship Allah as though you see Him, although you do not see Him, He sees you.

Q20: What is the meaning of; 'There is no god but Allah'?

It means that none has the right to be worshipped but Allah Alone. Negating all false gods and affirming that Allah is the only true God.

Q21: What is the meaning of 'Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah'?

It means obeying him in whatever he commanded, refraining from what he forbade, and believing all that he informed.

Q22: What are the conditions of the testimony of Iman (Faith)?

There are 7 conditions of the Testimony of Faith:

1. Knowledge which negates ignorance.

2. Certainty which negates doubt.

3. Sincerity and purity of intent which negates shirk (polytheism).

4. Truthfulness which negates hypocrisy.

5. Love and devotion which negates disdain of Allah's Deen.

6. Submission which negates disobedience.

7. Acceptance which negates rejection or denial.

Q23: What is the greatest thing that Allah has enjoined?

The greatest thing that Allah has enjoined is Tawheed (Oneness of Allah).

Q24: What is Tawheed (Islamic Monotheism)?

Tawheed means declaring Allah to be the only true God who deserves to be worshipped in truth and confirming all attributes with which He has qualified Himself or that are attributed to Him by His Messenger (peace be upon him).

Q25: What are the aspects of Tawheed?

There are 3 aspects of Tawheed:

1. Tawheed Ar-Rububiyah

2. Tawheed Al-Uluhiyah

3. Tawheed Al-Asma was-Sifat

Q26: What is Tawheed Ar-Rububiyah?

It is declaring Allah to be One and Unique in His work i.e. creation, sustenance, bringing to life and causing death, etc.

Q27: What is Tawheed Al-Uluhiyah?

It is declaring Allah as the only true God to whom all acts of worship must be dedicated, such as Salat (prayers), Zakat (charity), Saum (fasting), Hajj, supplications, vowing, etc.

Q28: What is Tawheed Al Asma was-Sifat?

It is an affirmation of all the Divine Names and Attributes of Allah in a manner that suits His Majesty, as mentioned in the Qur'an and the Sunnah.

Q29: How would you describe Ibadah?

It is a comprehensive word comprising deeds and words that Allah loves and is pleased with whether manifested or hidden.

Q30: What are the conditions of Ibadah?

There are 2 conditions of Ibadah:

1. Sincerity

2. Submission to Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him), i.e. to act according to his Sunnah.

Q31: List some types of Ibadah.

Some types of Ibadah are praying, charity, fasting, the pilgrimage, fear of Allah, hope in His Mercy. Seeking His aid, and other acts of worship which Allah has commanded and enjoined.

Q32: What is the greatest sin that Allah has forbidden?

The greatest sin which Allah has forbidden is Shirk (polytheism).

Q33: What is polytheism?

It means to believe that there is one who shares with Allah in His acts or Divinity, i.e. ascribing partners or setting up rivals to Allah.

Q34: What are the types of polytheism?

There are 3 types of polytheism:

1. The greater polytheism (Shirk Akbar)

2. The lesser polytheism (Shirk Asghar)

3. The latent polytheism (Shirk Khafi)

Q35: What is greater polytheism (Shirk Akbar)?

The greater polytheism is to devote any form of worship to other than Allah, Allah will never forgive one who dies upon Shirk, nor accept his good deeds, and he would be cast out from the fold of Islam.

Q36: What are the types of greater polytheism?

There are 4 types of greater polytheism:

1. Polytheism in invocation, i.e. involving supplications to other than Allah. 

2. Polytheism in intentions, i.e. purpose and intentions not for the sake of Allah but directed towards other false deities.

3. Polytheism in obedience, i.e. rendering obedience to any authority against the Order of Allah.

4. Polytheism in love, i.e. showing love to others which is due to Allah Alone.

Q37: What is lesser polytheism?

The lesser polytheism is Ar-Riya', that means the acts of worship done to gain praise or fame rather than to please Allah, this type of polytheism, however, does not cast the person committing it out of the fold of Islam.

Q38: What is latent polytheism?

Latent polytheism implies being dissatisfied with the conditions ordained by Allah.

Q39: What is the proof of latent polytheism?

The proof of the above Shirk is the saying of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him): 'Latent polytheism is more hidden in this nation than the track of a black ant over a black stone on a dark night.' [Musnad Ahmad]

Q40: What are the types of Kufr (disbelief)?

There are 2 types of kufr:

1. The major Kufr which casts people of out Islam.

2. The lesser or minor Kufr which does not cast one who commits it, out of Islam. It is Kufr of ungratefulness.

Q41: What are the types of major Kufr?

There are 5 types of major Kufr:

1. The Kufr of denial.

2. The Kufr of arrogance associated with recognition of the truth.

3. The Kufr of doubt.

4. The Kufr of disregard.

5. The Kufr of hypocrisy.

Q42: What are the categories of hypocrisy?

There are 2 categories of hypocrisy:

1. Hypocrisy in Belief.

2. Hypocrisy in deeds and actions.

Q43: What is the hypocrisy in Belief?

Hypocrisy in Belief is of 6 types:

1. Denial of the Messenger (peace be upon him).

2. Denial of the thing with which the Messenger (peace be upon him) sent.

3. Hating Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him).

4. Hating the thing with which the Messenger (peace be upon him) is sent.

5. Rejoicing at the disgrace of Islam.

6. Disliking the prevalence of Islam.

Q44. What is the hypocrisy in deeds and actions?

Hypocrisy in deeds and actions is of 5 types:

1. When he speaks, he lies.

2. When he promises, he breaks it.

3. When he is entrusted, he betrays.

4. When he disputes, he acts immorally.

5. When he makes a pact, he acts treacherously.

Q45. Are good deeds accepted by Allah with polytheism?

Never! None of the deeds are accepted when mixed with polytheism. Allah says: 'But if they had joined in worship others with Allah, all that they used to do would have been of no benefit to them.' [Quran, 6:88]

Q46: What are the nullifies of Islam?

There are 10:

1. Polytheism of worship

2. He who does not believe that the polytheists are disbelievers, or doubts their infidelity or holds their belief to be valid.

3. He who sets up intermediaries between one's self and Allah, supplicating them, trusting them and asking them to intercede on his behalf.

4. He who believes that the guidance of others is more perfect than the Prophet's (peace be upon him).

5. He who hates anything that the Prophet (peace be upon him) was sent with.

6. He who denies the Deen of the Prophet (peace be upon him) or ridicules its reward or punishment.

7. Sorcery.

8. Supporting the polytheists against the Muslims.

9. He who believes that some people are exempt from abiding by the Shari'ah as Khidr was exempt from the laws of Moses (peace be upon him).

10. Turning away from the Deen of Allah by neither learning or applying it.

Q47: What are the 3 fundamentals that every Muslim must learn?

They are:

1. Knowing your Rabb (the Lord, the Creator, the Sustainer, and the One Whose Hand is the disposal of all affairs).

2. Knowing your Deen (Islam).

3. Knowing your Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).

Q48: What is Taghut?

Everything that is worshipped, or followed, or obeyed other than Allah is Taghut.

Q49: How many Taghut are there and who are their leaders?

There are many but their leaders are 5.

Q50: Who are the leaders of Taghut?

They are:

1. Satan, may Allah curse him.

2. Anyone who is worshipped and consents to it.

3. A person who calls the people to be worshipped instead of Allah.

4. A person who claims the knowledge of the Ghaib (unseen, hidden, invisible, absent, etc).

5. The ruler who rules by laws other than that sent down by Allah.