TAWHEED – QUESTIONS & ANSWERS

MODULE TITLE: THERE IS NOTHING LIKE HIM

QUESTION 0

What is the meaning of Tawheed?

ANSWER

Linguistically in Arabic: wahh-Ha-da: to ascribe unity to something.

Allah is the One & Only God worthy of worship.

In Islam, the most basic and most important belief is Tawheed. This is the belief in Allah who is our only true
Creator, Master and Sustainer of the universe. He is the Lord towards whom we direct all our worship. We must
truly believe this in our hearts for us to be Muslims. It is easy to say this with our lips but its only when we believe
this in our heart and act upon this that we will be successful. In the Hereafter, Allah will reward those who believe
in and live by this fact, with Paradise.

QUESTION 1

Even though we cannot see Him, Name two ways we know Allah exists?

ANSWER

1. By sending us Messengers (w/Miracles).

Allah Azza Wa Jaal sent Prophets to speak to the nations before on His behalf with miracles. For example, the
splitting of the sea by Prophet Moosa (Alayhi Sallam). Prophet Muhammad (SallAllahu Alayhi Wasallam) was given
the miracle of the Qur'an- No man can create an equivalent.

2. By observing His Magnificent Creation.

Behold! in the creation of the heavens and the earth; in the alternation of the night and the day; in the sailing of
the ships through the ocean for the profit of mankind; in the rain which Allah Sends down from the skies, and the
life which He gives therewith to an earth that is dead; in the beasts of all kinds that He scatters through the earth;
in the change of the winds, and the clouds which they Trail like their slaves between the sky and the earth;-
(Here) indeed are Signs for a people that are wise. Al-Baqarah 2:164 [CARD 1]

3. By calling Him when we are in danger.

Everyone is born upon the fitrah (pure nature). As they grow up this pure nature may become deluded from the
truth. But when we face danger we go back to our fitra, and realize that He is in absolute control of our lives.
TAWHEED – QUESTIONS & ANSWERS
“And when affliction touches a man, he calls on Us, whether lying on his side or sitting or standing; but when We
remove his affliction from him, he passes on as though he had never called on Us on account of an affliction that
touched him.” (Younus, 10:12) [CARD 2]

Note: People in time of desperate situation (E.g. near death situation) turn to Allah even if they do not pray
regularly or even believe in Allah.

QUESTION 2

Name two of the three categories of Tawheed?

ANSWER 2

1.Believing that Allah is one and unique in his lordship (Ruboobiyyah)

2.Believing that Allah is one and unique in his names & attributes (Asma wa Sifat)

3.Believing that Allah is one and unique in his right to be worshipped. (Uloohiyyah)

The first verses of the Qur'an in Al-Fatiha encompasses the three types of Tawheed above.

(1) Praise be to Allah, the Cherisher and Sustainer of the Worlds (Ruboobiyyah)
(2) Most Gracious, Most Merciful (Asma wa Sifat)
(3) Master of the Day of Judgment. (Asma wa Sifaat)
(4) Thee do we worship, and Thine aid we seek. (Uloohiyyah)
(5) Show us the straight way. (Ruboobiyyah)

QUESTION 3

Why did Allah create us?

ANSWER

He created us to worship him (by serving and pleasing Him). He is our Gracious Master and we are His grateful
slaves.

And I (Allah) created not the jinns and humans except they should worship Me (Alone)" Ad-Dhaariyaat:56 [CARD 3]

Allah says that He was a hidden treasure and wished to be known thus; He created Man and Jinn purely to worship
Him. (Hadith Qudsi) A clear understanding of this Hadith is the basis for all creation, which is love, obedience and
worship of Allah.

QUESTION 4

Why did Allah (SWT) send us messengers and books?

TAWHEED – QUESTIONS & ANSWERS
ANSWER

• To guide us to the right way in worshipping Him.

• To remind us of the hereafter.

• To help us overcome our problems and feel inner peace.

He sends down the angels with inspiration of His Command to whom of His slaves He pleases (saying): "Warn
mankind that La ilaha illa Ana (none has the right to be worshipped but I), so fear Me (by abstaining from sins and
evil deeds). An-Nahl:2 [CARD 4]

Those who have believed and whose hearts are assured by the remembrance of Allah. Unquestionably, by the
remembrance of Allah hearts are reassured. Surah ar-Ra’d 13:28

QUESTION 5

Why do some people not follow messengers and books?

ANSWER

Because they are ignorant or ungrateful.

For they, when they were told that there is no god except Allah, would puff themselves up with Pride As Safaat 37:
35 [CARD 5]

QUESTION 6

Does Shaytan acknowledge that Allah created him?

ANSWER

Yes.

According to the Qur'an, Satan acknowledged Allah as His Master but disobeyed Allah's will when Allah asked the
angels to bow to Adam, who he had created from clay. Satan refused, saying that "I am better than him; you
created me from fire and created him from clay". And he did not repent. He bet Allah that he can misguide all the
humans.

QUESTION 7

Did Abu Lahb and Abu Jahl acknowledge that Allah created them?
TAWHEED – QUESTIONS & ANSWERS
ANSWER

Yes.

They acknolwedged that Allah created them yet they worshipped other deities with Allah (Shirk). They say that
these idols bring them closer to Allah (SWT). They believed in Allah's Lordship (Ruboobiyyah) but not His right to be
worshipped alone (Uloohiyyah).

If thou ask them, Who Created them, they will certainly say Allah: how then are they deluded away (from the
Truth)? Az Zukhruf 43:87 [CARD 6]

QUESTION 8

What are three benefits of believing in Allah?

ANSWER

1. Guidance

2. A Key to have all deeds accepted.

3. Paradise

4. Protection from Hell

5. A Happy Life - Exit and escape from all sorrows and problems

6. Angels give them comfort

7. Allah gives them power to spread peace.

8. Brotherhood

9. Receive love of Allah.

10.Benefit from Advice

11.Light on the day of judgement

12.Greatest Blessings: Looking at Allah

Emaan gives you a sense of stability to anchor yourself. Emaan also helps us to find our purpose and direction.
Emaan is not just in your heart, it is also in your actions.

Indeed amazing are the affairs of a believer! They are all for his benefit. If he is granted ease of living he is thankful;
and this is best for him. And if he is afflicted with a hardship, he perseveres; and this is best or him.” (Muslim)
TAWHEED – QUESTIONS & ANSWERS
To fully enjoy this life, you need Iman. True happiness is through Iman. Statisitics show that the suicide rate is
highest amongs the elite of society (so abundance of wealth does not provide happiness).

QUESTION 9

What is the origin of idolatry (giving the rights of Allah to something else)?

ANSWER

Extreme veneration of pious men who died.

In a town long time ago a group of pious men (saints) all died one after the other. The shaytaan deceived the
people by convincing them to build icons so that people "may be reminded of these pious men", then the people
continued doing this for generations. People then forgot why they used to do this, and Shaytaan came back to
them and said that their ancestors used to worship these icons. So they started worshipping them. (Hadith in
Hakim)

The prophet forbade building moseleum and structures above graves. All of this is impermissible to avoid the start
of idoltary. (Hadith: Nisaa'ie)

QUESTION 10

What is the meaning of Ibadah (servititude/Worship)?

ANSWER

The relationship between Allah and His creation (the Master and the servant).

A comprehensive term that encompassing all apparent and hidden acts and statements that are beloved to Allaah
(brings someone closer to Allah).

QUESTION 11

What do the People of Knowledge say are the three emotions of Ibadah?

ANSWER

The state of Ibadah combines the emotions of love, submission, and fear.

Say: If your fathers, your sons, your brothers, your wives, your kindred, the wealth that you have gained, the
commerce in which you fear a decline, and the dwellings in which you delight are dearer to you than Allâh and His
Messenger, and striving hard and fighting in His Cause, then wait until Allâh brings about His Decision (torment).
And Allâh guides not the people who are Al-Fâsiqûn (the rebellious, disobedient to Allâh) (Tawba:24) [CARD 7]
TAWHEED – QUESTIONS & ANSWERS
QUESTION 12

What are the two types of Love?

ANSWER

1. Love of the divine

We love for the sake of Allah the Prophets, Angles, righteous people, other Muslims.

2. Natural Love (Parental love, love of spouse, money, food etc)

Natural love is good but it can lead to sin if we do not know its limits (eg: love of women can lead to fornication
love of alcohol can lead to drinking, Abu Talib loved his lineage so much he could not leave their religion and also
Heraclius who loved his power too much to enter islam)

QUESTION 13

What are the two types of Fear?

ANSWER

1. Fear of the Divine - You only fear Allah and know that only harm can come from Allah

2. Natural Fear - Fear of Lions, Snakes, etc. – As your eman increases your natural fear diminishes.

QUESTION 14

What are two things we hope for from Allah?

ANSWER

1. Hope for guidance.

The only ones who tends to God's houses of worship is the one who believes in God and the Last Day, and is
constant in prayer, and spends in charity, and stands in awe of none but God: for [only such as] these may hope to
be among the right-guided! (9:18)

1. Hope for Forgiveness of sins.

Verily, those who have believed, and those who have emigrated (for Allâh's Religion) and have striven hard in the
Way of Allâh, all these hope for Allâh's Mercy. And Allâh is Oft-Forgiving, Most-Merciful. (Al-Baqara:218)

2. Hope for Reward for religious deeds.

TAWHEED – QUESTIONS & ANSWERS
They hope that God may reward them in accordance with the best that they ever did, and give them, out of His
bounty, more [than they deserve]: for, God grants sustenance unto whom He wills. (24:38)

QUESTION 15

What are the two conditions which need to be fulfilled in order for our ibaadah to be accepted?

ANSWER

1. Ikhlaas (Sincerity) i.e. Having the intention of doing the act solely for the sake of Allah (SWT).

2. Itiba (Conformity) i.e. conforming to the sunnah of the Prophet (SAWS)

QUESTION 16

How can natural acts be converted into religious acts?

ANSWER

All natural acts can be converted into religious acts by conforming to one condition - Sincerity.

There are those who do a deed, only for worldly gain such as money or fame. For Example the Imam who only
prays in the Masjid for his Salary, and not to complete his obligation to Allah, the most high and to please Allah.
And so when his salary stops because of his lack of sincerity to Allah, the most high, he also stops the Salah.

However Allah, because of his mercy, has allowed to do a deed which will earn us the pleasure of Allah AND some
wordly benefit. For example it is allowed to go to the masjid to pray and see your friends. And as in the examlple
below go to Hajj with the intention of performing Hajj, and the buy and sell for one's own business.

"There is no sin upon you to go Hajj for the sake of business" (Baqarah).

QUESTION 17

What is the meaning of Tawwakul?

ANSWER

Tawwakul is to do your part and then put your complete and utter trust in Allah. To cut off hope of any good from
any created object and to hope the best and rely completely on Allah. The root word of Tawakul is Wakali. This is
to entrust someone else. Putting your Tawwakul in other than Allah is shirk, however depending on the
circumstances it can be major or minor.
TAWHEED – QUESTIONS & ANSWERS
And He provides for him from (sources) he never could imagine. And if anyone puts his trust in Allah, sufficient is
(Allah) for him. For Allah will surely accomplish His purpose: verily, for all things has Allah appointed a due
proportion. (At-Talaq:3)

Moses said: "O my People! if ye do (really) believe in Allah, then in Him put your trust if ye submit (your will to His)."
(Yunus:84) [CARD 8]

QUESTION 18

Give an example of how you can practice tawwakul in your life?

ANSWER

Asking for Allah's help and then calling for an ambulance/police when in danger.

Narrated Ziad Ebn Ulakah,I was with the Prophet (PBUH) and Arabs came to him asking ‘O messenger of Allah: Do
we take medicine for treatment? He said, “Yes, Oh you the servants of Allah, take medicine, as Allah Almighty has
not created a disease without having created a cure for it except one disease! They asked, “what is it”? He said
“Old age.” In another saying “Allah never inflicts a disease without providing a cure; only those who were aware of
it knew it whereas those who were not aware, were ignorant of it.” (Related by Ahmad and others).

One day Allah's Messenger, sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam, noticed a Bedouin leaving his camel without tying it. He
asked the Bedouin, "Why don't you tie down your camel?" The Bedouin answered, "I placed my trust in Allah." At
that, the Prophet, sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam, said, "Tie your camel and place your trust in Allah" - Tirmidhi

QUESTION 19

What is the lesson of this hadith?

“If you put your tawakkul in Allah the way He deserves, He would provide for you the way he provides for the
birds. They leave in the morning with an empty stomach and return at night with a full one.” (Tirmidhi)

ANSWER

From this Hadith you can see that the bird first made an effort by going out and looking for its food, it did not
assume that the worm would come out of the hole and come looking for the bird! You cannot remain stationery
and assume that good will come looking for you!!!

QUESTION 20

What are the two types of animal sacrifice?

ANSWER
TAWHEED – QUESTIONS & ANSWERS
1. To Thank Allah purely religious reasons – Eid, Aqiqah

Say (O Muhammad SAW): "Verily, my Salât (prayer), my sacrifice, my living, and my dying are for Allâh, the Lord of
the 'Alamîn (mankind, jinn and all that exists) (An’aam:162) [CARD 9]

2. To eat - It is only natural to eat meat and of course there is nothing haram in that.

QUESTION 21

How can sacrifice of Animals become an act of shirk?

ANSWER

Sacrificing in Someone else’s name.

Ali (ra) narrated that the Prophet (saw) said, “Allah (swt ) has cursed the one who slaughters in the name of other
than Allah” (Sahih Muslim)

QUESTION 22

What are the two types of Sajdah?

ANSWER

1. Sajdah of Worship:

Sajdah of worship includes sajdah in prayer and in thanking Allah. Someone who prostrates or bows out of worship
to anyone/anything other than Allah is committing shirk as any form of worship should only be for Allah.

And from among His Signs are the night and the day, and the sun and the moon. Prostrate yourselves not to the sun
nor to the moon, but prostrate yourselves to Allâh Who created them, if you (really) worship Him. (Fussialt:37)
[CARD 10]

2. Sajdah of Respect:

Previous nations were allowed to make prostration and bow out of respect, we know the story of Surah Yusuf that
when his family entered Egypt they made prostration to him however this was not prostration of worship but of
respect as he was now the king of that town.

Allah commanded the Angels to make prostration to Adam out of respect.

We are no longer allowed to make prostration (this includes bowing) of respect to anyone. Someone who bows
their head out of respect is not committing shirk however is committing a sin.

This relates directly to the hadith of the Prophet that you will follow previous nations footstep by footstep and the
sahabah asked who the Christians and the Jews? The prophet replied yes. Prostrating to someone out of respect is
TAWHEED – QUESTIONS & ANSWERS
the first steps to shirk, it will surely end in people going to excess and prostrating out of worship and this is exactly
what the Christians have done with Jesus(as).

QUESTION 23

What is wrong with this statement? Were it not for Allah and the police the robber would have robbed us.

ANSWER

Should be Allah and then the police. It is not befitting to equate Allah with the creation.

QUESTION 24

What is wrong with this statement? I swear, by the Quran, today is Friday.

ANSWER

Muslims can only swear by Allah and they should only do it in very important and serious situations.

When you swear by something it is because you are trying to invoke sancity and respect.

"Whoever swears by other than Allah has committed shirk".

QUESTION 25

What is wrong with this statement? Abdul-Shams is the King of Kings.

ANSWER

There are two mistakes in the statement – it is naming created objects with names that go against pure tawheed.

Abdul can only be used with one of the names of Allah.

Kings of Kings is an attribute only befitting to Allah.

QUESTION 26

What is the meaning of Shafa (Intercession)?

ANSWER

The action of pleading to Allah for mercy on somebody else's behalf.

TAWHEED – QUESTIONS & ANSWERS
QUESTION 27

What is the meaning of Kufr?

ANSWER

Absence of Iman from a person. Ungratefulness. Outright rejection of the truth.

Ka-Fa-Ra: To cover up. Covering up the truth. To delude his own fitrah.

And who does more wrong than he who invents a lie against Allah or rejects the Truth when it reaches Him? Is
there not a home in Hell for those who reject Faith? Al-Ankaboot 29:68 [CARD 11]

QUESTION 28

What is the meaning of Nifaq (hypocrite)?

ANSWER

Pretend to be a Muslim while he's not.

QUESTION 29

What are two examples of a hypocrite's actions?

ANSWER

Lie
Break a Promise
Use foul language in an argument
Show off good deeds (Riyaa)
Not care about striving in Allah's path
Being two faced.
Lazy in prayer

QUESTION 30

Fill in the Blank

[Hadith] The Prophet Muhammad SAW said: "Whoever goes to a ____________ and believes in him, then you
have disbelieved the rasool & sunnah."

ANSWER
TAWHEED – QUESTIONS & ANSWERS
fortune-teller

QUESTION 31

What is the meaning of the first shahada (La ilaha ila Allah)?

ANSWER

There is no deity worthy of worship other than Allah.

The keyword here is “Worthy of” because people have made up a lot of gods but none of them is worthy of
worship.

QUESTION 32

What is the one sin that Allah says He will not forgive?

ANSWER

Shirk. The opposite of Tawheed is Shirk and Allah Azza Wa Jaal says in the Quran that He will forgive all sins but
this.

Verily! Allâh 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 Allâh, has indeed strayed far away. (An-Nisa:116)
[CARD 12]

QUESTION 33

What is the meaning of shirk?

ANSWER

To give the right of Allah to other than Allah.

And indeed it has been revealed to you (O Muhammad SAW), as it was to those (Allâh's Messengers) before you: "If
you join others in worship with Allâh, (then) surely (all) your deeds will be in vain, and you will certainly be among
the losers." (Az-Zumar:65) [CARD 13]

QUESTION 34

Why is it prohibited to create visual depictions of God?

ANSWER
TAWHEED – QUESTIONS & ANSWERS
To Preserve the unity and transcendence of God led to the prohibition of Muslims from creating representation or
visual depictions of God, or of any Prophet including Muhammad.

Many Arab Muslims later extended the ban to any representations in art of the human form. The key concern is
that the use of statues or images may lead to idolatry. The dominant forms of expression in the Islamic art, thus,
became calligraphy and arabesque. Also mention that the Bible also warns against visuals to avoid a distorted way
of worshipping Allah.

QUESTION 35

What is the meaning of Talisman?

ANSWER

A piece of jewelry that is usually hung about the neck and thought to be a magical protection against evil or
disease.

Ten people came to accept Islam. The prophet accepted 9 of them. The last one was wearing a Talisman. Wearing
the Talisman prevented this person from becoming Muslim. He threw it away and then the prophet accepted his
shahada. (Hadith)

Ibn Mas'ud came home and saw his wife wearing a Talisman he said "What is this?". This is a Talisman to protect
me from a disease, he threw it away. (ibn Majah)

QUESTION 36

Why are talismans a form of shirk?

ANSWER

Because Tawakkul is an act of worship and having a talisman is putting your Tawakkul elsewhere (giving the rights
of Allah to another object).

QUESTION 37

Fill in the blank:

The superiority of a _______ over a worshipper is like that of the full moon over the stars.

ANSWER

Scholar
TAWHEED – QUESTIONS & ANSWERS
QUESTION 38

What is the most common act of worship?

ANSWER

Du'ah (asking Allah for something). There is no other act that better illustrates the relationship between the
worshiper and his object of worship. It has been described as the essence of worship.

QUESTION 39

What came first – the belief of tawheed or shirk?

ANSWER

Tawheed has been here since the beginning of time. Allah (SWT) created Adam to worship Him alone (Tawheed) –
and there was only one way for Adam to worship Allah. Shirk is what evolved later on.

QUESTION 40

What three places did Allah (SWT) decide to be blessed (have barrakah)?

ANSWER

The land of Makkah, Masjid Al-Aqsa, and the City of Madinnah.

QUESTION 41

How does eman increase and decrease?

ANSWER

Eman increases by obedience and decreases by disobedience.

QUESTION 42

How does someone become a Muslim?

ANSWER

To make the shahadah or declaration: “There is no God worth of worship except Allah, and Muhammad is the
prophet of Allah”. And then struggle to live by the spirit and meaning of these words.
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QUESTION 43

What is the primary message of the Quran?

ANSWER

That Allah is our creator and only He deserves to be worshipped the way (deen) He wants us to worship Him,
which He defined for us in the Quran and Sunnah of the Prophet (SAWS). He wants us to recognize how wrong it is
to worship something that is powerless, itself was created, it cannot help you nor harm you, and Allah has created
it and everything else.

QUESTION 44

Who will go to heaven and hell?

ANSWER

Those who believe in Allah as the One God and do good. But this is something that only Allah knows. We do not
know and cannot judge who Allah will choose to enter paradise and who will not.

QUESTION 45

What would happen if there are two dieties?

ANSWER

They would have competed against each other each of them seeking to control the universe. The sun might rise
from the East one day and the West another day.

QUESTION 46

Why do we worship Allah?

ANSWER

It is not just because we want to go to heaven or He created us. It is because He deserves to be worshipped. He is
SO AWESOME that He deserves to be worshipped even if we don’t get anything in return. But because He is
merciful and kind He is patient with us and will reward us for recognizing His power.

QUESTION 47

Who are the Hunafaa?

TAWHEED – QUESTIONS & ANSWERS
ANSWER

A pre-Islamic (Arabian) monotheist whose beliefs are thought to have descended from the time of the hanif
Abraham, independently of Judaism, Christianity or Qur'anic Islam.

The few who felt disgust at the idolatry in Mecca, which had prevailed for centuries, longed for the religion of
Abraham and tried to find out what had been its teaching. Such seekers of the truth were known as Hunafa
(sing. Hanif), a word originally meaning “those who turn away” (from the existing idol-worship), but coming
in the end to have the sense of “upright” or “by nature upright,” because such persons held the way of truth
to be right conduct. were the non-conformists of their day, each seeking truth by the light of his inner
consciousness.

QUESTION 48

What are the articles of faith of Islam?

ANSWER

To believe in Allah - to believe in His total perfection, and uniqueness.

To believe in His prophets because they are His, and He sent them. We can not pick and choose. A Muslim
must believe in all the prophets of Allah.

To believe in the Angels. We must love them all.

To believe in Allah's predestination of good and bad.

To believe in the last day: The day of Judgment.

QUESTION 49

Does Allah (SWT) look like us?

ANSWER

No, Allah is perfect. He is not like any of His creations. He has told us that He has hands, eyes, a face, and
feet, but all of these attributes are befitting to His might and glory. A Muslim does not say a single thing
about Allah other than what Allah says about Himself. Allah is Perfect and Unique.

QUESTION 50

What is Islam?

ANSWER

Islam is not a new religion, but the same message of Tawhid that Allah revealed through all His prophets to
every people.