THE BOOK OF TAWHEED

By Imaam Muhammad ibn Abdul Wahhaab
The Book of Tawheed Translated and Explained by Sameh Strauch © 1998 International Islamic Publishing House IIPH source: islam.com

Allah subhanahu wa ta`aala says: "[They were] Moved by Wrong Thoughts About Allah - Thoughts Which Belonged to the Jahiliyyah: They said: "Is the matter anything to do with us?" Say to them: "Verily, the matter is for Allah." They hide within themselves what they would never reveal to you: They say: "If the matter had been left with us, none of us would have been killed here." Say: "Even if you had remained in your homes, those for whom death was written would have gone forth to their deaths." But [all this was] that Allah might test what is in your hearts and purge what is in your hearts, for Allah knows well the secrets of your hearts." (3:154)

Relevance of This Verse to the Subject of the Chapter

That the verse proves the forbiddance of thinking ill of Allah subhanahu wa ta`aala.

Relevance of This Verse to the Subject of Tawheed

That it proves the obligation to think well of Allah subhanahu wa ta`aala for this is an essential aspect of Tawheed.

Allah subhanahu wa ta`aala says:

"And that He may punish the hypocrites, men and women, and the polytheists, men and women, who think evil of Allah: On them is a round of evil: The Wrath of Allah is on them: He has cursed them and prepared for them the Hell-fire: And an evil destination is it." (48:6)

In this verse, Allah subhanahu wa ta`aala, informs us that the disbelievers from among the hypocrites and the polytheists hold false beliefs concerning Allah subhanahu wa ta`aala, and they wish for the Believers defeat and destruction, but Allah subhanahu wa ta`aala will defeat their nefarious plotting and He promises them two punishments: One in this world, when their hearts will be crushed at the ultimate success of the Muslims over the disbelievers, and another in the Hereafter, when Allah's mighty Wrath will overtake them: They will receive no mercy from Him and they will be plunged into the Hell-fire to dwell therein for eternity.

Benefits Derived From This Verse

1. That the hypocrites are the greatest danger to the Muslim Ummah.

2. The forbiddance of thinking ill of Allah.

3. That the Qur'an customarily mentions males before females.

4. That thinking ill of Allah is a sign of hypocrisy.

5. Confirmation of Allah's Divine Attribute of Anger in a manner befitting His Majesty.

6. The general permissibility of cursing the disbelievers.

7. Confirmation of the existence of the Hell-fire.

Relevance of This Verse to the Subject of the Chapter

That it proves the forbiddance of thinking ill of Allah subhanahu wa ta`aala.

Relevance of This Verse to the Subject of Tawheed

That the verse proves the obligation to think well of Allah subhanahu wa ta`aala, because this is an essential aspect of Tawheed.

Ibn Al-Qayyim said, concerning the first verse, "The explanation of this thought (of the unbelievers) is that they believed that Allah subhanahu wa ta`aala would not help His Messenger (sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam) and that his affair (i.e. Islam) will be forgotten. It is also explained as meaning that the afflictions which befell him were not from Allah's Qadr and His Wisdom. It is therefore explained as a denial of Allah's Qadr and His Wisdom and denial that the matter (i.e. Message) of His Messenger (sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam) would be completed and that it would prevail over all religions. These were the evil thoughts of the hypocrites and the polytheists as mentioned in Qur'an Al Fath - and they are only that: evil thoughts. Any person who believes that falsehood will prevail over Truth (i.e. Islamic Monotheism) continuously, and that it will cause Truth to disappear, or who denies that things occur in accordance with Allah's Qadr and His Decision, or denies the overriding wisdom behind His Qadr, which is deserving of all praise, and thinks that it is due to an aimless, purposeless will: These are the thoughts of those who disbelieve. Woe to those who disbelieve in the Hell-fire - and most of them think ill of Allah, subhanahu wa ta`aala, when it concerns that which affects them in particular and what He does to others, and none is saved from such evil thoughts except those who truly know Allah, subhanahu wa ta`aala, and His Divine Names and Attributes and understand the necessity of His Wisdom and of praising Him. Let the wise recipient of good counsel look at himself closely in this matter and repent to Allah, subhanahu wa ta`aala, and ask His Forgiveness for having thought ill of his Rabb. And if you were to examine such individuals, you would see each of them in distress and anger with what Allah, subhanahu wa ta`aala, has decreed, blaming and finding fault in it and thinking that it should have been such-and-such. In this, some are more guilty than others. Examine yourself: Are you free from such thoughts? If you are saved from it, you have been saved from a great calamity, but if you are not, I cannot regard you as saved."