First Foundation of Shirk

The disbelievers, whom the Messenger fought, affirmed (Tawheed of Allah's Lordship) that Allah is the Creator and Disposer of all affairs, yet their affirmation did not enter them into Islam and the proof of that is the Saying of Allah,

“Say, 'Who provides for you from the sky and from the earth? Or Who owns your hearing and sight? And Who brings out the living from the dead and brings out the dead from the living? And Who disposes the affairs? They will say, 'Allah.'” [Soorah Yunus (10): 31]

Explanation: By Shaikh Salih ibn Fawzan al-Fawzan

The First Foundation: The disbelievers whom the Messenger fought affirmed Tawheed ar-Rububiyah (Oneness of Allah's Lordship), yet their affirmation of Tawheed ar-Rububiyah did not enter them into Islam and did not sanctify their blood or wealth.

This proves that Tawheed is not just the affirmation of Rububiyah (Allah's Lordship), and Shirk is not just the Shirk in Rububiyah (Allah's Lordship). Rather there has never been anyone who committed Shirk in Allah's Lordship except some strange amongst the creation. Otherwise, all the nations affirmed Tawheed ar-Rububiyah (Allah's Lordship).

(The definition of) Tawheed ar-Rububiyah (Oneness of Allah's Lordship) is affirming that Allah is the Creator, the Provider, the One who gives life and causes death and the Sustainer. In brief, Tawheed ar-Rububiyah is to single out Allah in His Actions.

No one from the creation claimed that there is someone else who creates, provides or gives life and causes death alongside Allah.

Rather, the disbelievers used to affirm that Allah is the Creator, the Provider, the One Who gives live and causes death and the Sustainer. Allah says, “If you ask them (i.e., the disbelievers), 'Who has created the heavens and the earth?' They will say, 'Allah.'” [Soorah Luqman (31): 25]

“Say, Who is (the) Lord of the seven heavens, and (the) Lord of the Great Throne?' They will say, 'Allah.'” [Soorah al-Mu'minoon (23): 86-87]

Read the last verses of Soorah al-Mu'minoon, you will find that the disbelievers used to affirm Tawheed ar-Rububiyah and similarly Allah Says in Soorah Yunus,  “Say (to the disbelievers), 'Who provides for you from the sky and from the earth? Or who owns your hearing and sight? And Who brings out the living from the dead and brings out the dead from the living? And who disposes the affairs? They will say, 'Allah.'” [Soorah Yunus (10): 31] So the disbelievers affirmed Tawheed ar-Rububiyah.

Tawheed is thus, NOT just the affirmation of Tawheed ar-Rububiyah as the scholars of Kalaam (philosophers) claim. They claim that Tawheed is the affirmation that Allah is the Creator, the Provider, the One who gives life and death. They say, 'He is One in His Self and there is no division to Him, He is One in His Attributes and there is nothing like Him, He is One in His Actions and there is no partner with Him.’

This (definition of Tawheed by the scholars of Kalaam) is (in fact, only a part of Tawheed, i.e.,) Tawheed ar-Rububiyah (and not the complete Tawheed).

Refer to any book from the books of the scholars of Kalaam you will find that they do not go beyond Tawheed ar-Rububiyah.

Tawheed ar-Rububiyah is not the Tawheed with which Allah sent the Messengers, and affirmation of Tawheed ar-Rububiyah alone does not benefit the individual because (of the fact that) the disbelievers and the leaders of disbelief affirmed Tawheed ar-Rububiyah, but it did not bring them out of disbelief and did not enter them into Islam. So, it is a great mistake (to define Tawheed in the way of the scholars of Kalaam).

Hence, whosoever believes this (i.e., Tawheed is limited only to Tawheed ar-Rububiyah), has not believed anything more than what Abu Jahl and Abu Lahab believed in.

Today some educators stop at the affirmation of Tawheed ar-Rububiyah, and do not even touch (the subject of) Tawheed al-Uluhiyyah. This is a great wrong (and injustice) with regards to the issue of Tawheed.

They also (wrongly) define Shirk in these words, “Shirk is that you believe that someone creates with Allah or provides alongside Him.”

We say (in response to them), 'This is the saying of Abu Jahl and Abu Lahab. They did not believe that someone creates with Allah or provides with Allah. Rather they affirmed that Allah is the Creator, the Provider, the One who gives life and death.'