Understanding Tawheed and Shirk: Methodology, Principles, And Misconceptions.

[MuhammedAli]

Khariji Claim Regarding Seeking Help And Its Theological Basis:

Khariji said: ‘Seeking help from the dead is Shirk but not from the living.‘ In his error, Khariji has assumed that seeking assistance from soul of Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa aalihi was’sallam) and the Saliheen in general establishes EQUALITY with attributes of Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala). EQUALITY will elevate a creation to status of an Ilah, hence any request made to deceased, or soul would amount to worship. This judgment appears to be based on, and connected with, a PERCEIVED violation of Tawheed with respect to Names and Attributes of Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala). Khawarij typically don’t connect all the dots to provide a logical justification for their judgement. MOST IF not ALL Khawarij FAIL to understand the GEARS that were turned to arrive at their ERRONEOUS judgment; hence they resort to the “ONE-LINER” with addition of: “… because it is Dua and Dua to creation is worship.”

Principled Response:

IF X is declared as ‘in accordance with Tawheed’ in one state such as in living, near, according to means; and same X is Shirk according to another state such as dead, far, out of means; than it never was Shirk in any and is not Shirk any state because Shirk is determined by CREED in Ilahiyyah/Rububiyyah – i.e. to believe a creation is an Ilah/Rabb - not state of person being asked.

Explanation OF Principle Detailed In Response:

(i) Khariji’s statement that seeking HELP from deceased is SHIRK but not from living can only be true IF the FOLLOWING is TRUE: (a) IF providing help while dead were an exclusive attribute of Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala) then requesting help from deceased persons would amount to ascribing this exclusive (i.e. helping-while-dead) attribute of Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala) to a creation, thereby elevating deceased creation to status of an Ilah/Rabb. (b) IF providing help while living was EXCLUSIVE attribute of Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala) and then requesting HELP from any of His living creation would amount to Shirk. Would it not? IF you say PROVIDING HELP while Living is NOT EXCLUSIVE attribute of Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala) but His creation shares with Him in this attribute therefore there is no Shirk in asking the LIVING. Warning: Any who believes helping-while-dead is a unique attribute of Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala), or believes creation has share in Allah’s (subhanahu wa ta’ala) unique attributes, or believes Allah’s any/every attribute is NOT absolutely UNIQUE to Him is without doubt upon major Kufr. ONCE MESSAGE OF ISLAM HAS REACHED SUCH PERSON AND HAS REJECTED IT THEN HE/SHE IS TO BE DEEMED AND TREATED AS A KAFIR. (ii) I have pointed errors in Khariji understanding and with those errors it will now be easy to explain to readers and to relate to principle’s explanation. (iii) Asking the living person to provide HELP without ascribing Ilahiyyah is in accordance with teaching of Tawheed because HELP IS REQUESTED FROM CREATION. One asking the deceased person to provide ASSISTANCE in absence of Ilahiyyah is not guilty of Shirk because the ACT OF SEEKING HELP IS SAME and HELP SOUGHT FROM IS ALSO FROM CREATION. What will change the verdict is inclusion of Ilahiyyah and intention of worship. IF you ask a living/dead person while AFFIRMING Ilahiyyah, then you commit Shirk. Ruling is same IF one requests help from someone classed as FAR/NEAR as long as Ilahiyyah is affirmed.

Fundamental Principle OF Tawheed:

Tawheed will be Tawheed in every context, at all times, in every place, for everyone affirming it, and will remain Tawheed forever as it was and has been. Tawheed has never been, will never be, will never agree with Shirk, or become Shirk.

Fundamental Principles OF Shirk:

1^st Principle: Shirk remains Shirk in every situation, every state, and in every place, for everyone engaged in it, and will remain Shirk forever. It has never been in agreement with Tawheed, will never agree with Tawheed, and it has never been permitted.

2^nd Principle: Shirk in ESSENCE and ATTRIBUTES is establishing a level of PERFECTION, or a degree of EQUALITY in Essence, or in one, or some, or all OF Allah’s ATTRIBUTES to such an extent that there remains NO DISTINCTION between Him and creation.

3^rd Principle: Shirk in ESSENCE and ATTRIBUTES is an IMPOSSIBLE for creation and IF THIS IMPOSSIBILITY IS ESTABLISHED and BELIEVED regarding any created being constitutes Shirk.

Explaining The 1^st Principle OF Shirk:

(i) Khawarij say prostration to a creation is Shirk. This violates 1^st principle of Shirk according to which anything Shirk cannot be in accordance with Tawheed. The error becomes clear when we note angels prostrated to Prophet Adam (alayhis salam) and Prophet Yaqub (alayhis salam) prostrated to Prophet Yusuf (alayhis salam). (ii) Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala) did not instruct the angels to prostrate to Prophet Adam (alayhis salam) with creed/intention which warrants charge of Shirk/Ibadah, nor the angels did so. Similarly Prophet Yaqub (alayhis salam) did not prostrate to Prophet Yusuf (alayhis salam) with notion he is prostrating to his/an Ilah nor he intended worship in his prostration hence no charge of Shirk, or Ibadah. (iii) In contrast to the Khawarij the Muslims hold to position that to take a creation as Ilah, prostrating to it, or to invoke it with intention of worship always has been Shirk and rightly warrants accusation of creation-worship. (iv) IF an individual, in his misguidance, engaged in prostration to them while affirming Ilahiyyah, intended it as an act of worship, then Shirk would be established, and creation would be worshipped. Same ruling applies to ANYONE who engages in prostration to any creation AT PRESENT with intention of worship and with creed of Ilahiyyah. (v) This analysis demonstrates actions ALONE cannot be something IF not combined with BELIEF and INTENTION. Also establishes coherence of the Islamic methodology for determining Shirk and Tawheed, while exposing the methodological and conceptual errors in the Khariji position.

Explaining The 2^nd Principle OF Shirk:

(i) The 2nd principle of Shirk states that associating partners occurs only when a level of perfection or equality is affirmed that removes all distinction between Allah and His creation. (ii) Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala) revealed many Ayaat establishing He is owner of attribute of RAUF and RAHEEM. In NEARLY all He established both these ATTRIBUTES FOR HIMSELF: “And if it had not been for the favor of Allah upon you and His mercy and because Allah is Kind and Merciful.” [Ref: Q24:20] In one He indicated Prophet Muhammad (sallallahu alayhi wa aalihi was’sallam) is also RAUF and RAHEEM: “There has certainly come to you a Messenger from among yourselves. Grievous to him is what you suffer; (he is) concerned over you and to the believers is kind and merciful.” [Ref: Q9:128] (iii) There are ninety-nine names and attributes of Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala) that have been revealed in Quran and Ahadith. Two are Rauf and Raheem as evidenced by Ayah and countless other: “And if it had not been for the favor of Allah upon you and His mercy and because Allah is Kind and Merciful.” [Ref: Q24:20] Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala) is Rauf and Raheem FROM ETERNITY and will be so ETERNITY TO COME. Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala) is ZAATI Rauf and Raheem; meaning by His very Essence; He possesses these attributes INDEPENDENTLY; not through ACQUISITION, or BESTOWAL. This is level of PERFECTION in one, some, or all of His attributes is absolutely UNIQUE to Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala). (iv) Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala) revealed: “There has certainly come to you a Messenger from among yourselves. Grievous to him is what you suffer; (he is) concerned over you and to the believers is kind and merciful.” [Ref: Q9:128] In accordance with this verse we Muslims believe Prophet Muhammad (sallallahu alayhi wa aalihi was’sallam) is Rauf and Raheem. We believe that the Zaat (Essence) and the Sifat (Attributes) of Prophet Muhammed (sallallahu alayhi wa aalihi was’sallam) WERE CREATED. Everything related to him CAME INTO EXISTENCE at a point in specific time. Prior to that he did NOT EXIST, including prophetic attributes of RAUF and RAHEEM. Furthermore the Zaat and the Sifat of Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa aalihi was’sallam) are Ata’ee (Bestowed) including attributes of RAUF and RAHEEM. This means that Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa aalihi was’sallam) like all His creation is dependent upon Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala) for existence of his Zaat and Sifat. (v) It is evident that there is a clear and absolute difference between Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala) being Rauf and Raheem, and the Prophet Muhammad (sallallahu alayhi wa aalihi was’sallam) being described with these qualities. In the case of the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa aalihi was’sallam), these attributes are limited, created, bestowed, and therefore subject to increase in excellence according to Allah’s (subhanahu wa ta’ala) will. Yet, no matter how elevated they become, they can never reach a level that removes the distinction between the Creator and His creation. This example proves the 2nd principle: mere sharing of a name or attribute does not constitute Shirk unless equality in perfection is affirmed to a degree that removes all distinction between the Creator and creation. (vi) IF any misguided soul ascribes to Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa aalihi was’sallam) PERFECTION which is exclusive right of Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala) and removes all distinction then such a misguided soul has committed major Shirk.

Explaining The 3^rd Principle OF Shirk:

3^rd principle in a nutshell states Shirk is an impossibility which IF established for any creation warrants Shirk. Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala) is Eternal, Ever-Lasting, Independent, Uncreated, Unlimited, Necessary Existence (Wajib ul-Wujud), Unchanging, Self-Sustaining, Real (Haqiqi), and Beyond-Comparison (HAS-NO-LIKENESS). Ascribing any of these to a creation’s ESSENCE, or ATTRIBUTE would warrant an IMPOSSIBLE being assigned to a creation which will result in Shirk. To explain with an example; a creation may be DEPENDENT in some aspects while seemingly INDEPENDENT in others. However this independence is not ABSOLUTE-INDEPENDENCE. Absolute independence - no dependence upon ANYONE, or ANYTHING - such independence is only UNIQUE to Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala). Ascribing such degree INDEPENDENCE to a creation is what the 3^rd principle terms as, ASCRIBING an IMPOSSIBLE to a creation.

Conclusion:

(i) Understanding Tawheed and Shirk requires careful attention to both creed (belief) and action, as actions alone cannot determine Shirk without the intention and affirmation of Ilahiyyah. The Khariji error in oversimplifying acts like seeking help demonstrates the importance of analyzing the methodology and principles underlying Islamic theology. (ii) The three principles of Shirk clarify the boundaries between the Creator and creation: (a) Shirk remains Shirk in all contexts, regardless of time, place, or circumstances. (b) Equality or perfection in divine attributes cannot be shared; affirming such equality with any creation removes the distinction between Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala) and His creation. (c) Attributing impossibilities - unique attributes of Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala) - to creation constitutes Shirk, as creation can never possess what is exclusive to Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala). (iii) Examples, such as seeking help from living or deceased beings or the Prophet’s (sallallahu alayhi wa aalihi was’sallam) bestowed attributes, demonstrate that the mere presence of similar qualities in creation does not constitute Shirk, provided the uniqueness of Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala) is preserved. Shirk arises only when the absolute, exclusive, and impossible attributes of Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala) are ascribed to creation, or when creation is affirmed as having Ilahiyyah, which is inclusive OF Rububiyyah by DEFAULT. (iv) In essence, Tawheed is eternal, absolute, and uncompromising, while Shirk is an impossible attribution that violates the very uniqueness of Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala). Correct understanding of these principles protects one from misjudgments, oversimplifications, and erroneous theological conclusions.

Wama alayna ilal balagh ul-mubeen.
Muhammed Ali

Edited 07:32 گزشتہ کل by MuhammedAli