Acknowledgements:

The following is a collection of explanatory notes used for our study course of the noble text AlQawaid Al-Arbaa. While this treatise and brief commentary compilation is by no means a
complete elucidation on all of the matters and issues surrounding shirk, it is a good starting place
for the beginning student of knowledge to get a firm foundation on the topic.
Special notes:
-

I relied on the translation of the text produced by albaseerah.org.

Verse translations were taken from Saheeh Internationals translation of the Quran.

Perfection is for Allah and Im sure there are innumerable mistakes. Please feel free to
forward the glaring ones to me via message or post to the facebook study group.

Thanks goes out to the brothers and sisters at the Nebraska Ahlus Sunnah Study Group for
their encouragement and advice.

Special thanks to Um Idris Al-Rebaati for her invaluable help, support and patience with
this project. May Allah reward her with abundant good.

I pray that this brief, small effort is beneficial for all who read it and I ask Allah, Lord of the mighty
Throne to accept it from me.

From the poor and needy slave of Allah,

Abu Idris Yusuf Al-Nebraski
27th Jumadah al-Thaani, 1435

Explanation of the Four Principles of Shirk

All praise and thanks is due to Allah, Most High. Peace mercy and blessings be upon the final
messenger Muhammad.
It is a tremendous blessing of Allah to be able to be here together for such a noble purpose. I thank
Him for his blessing. I ask Allah that He bestows upon me and you beneficial knowledge, righteous
actions and the paradise as a result of all of that.
To get right to the point, the subject of this sitting and the next five series of sittings will be on the
topic of aqeedah and more specifically regarding shirk (polytheism). It is from the essential
knowledge that every Muslim needs to know; more important than learning the rulings of prayer
and fasting, etc. While some of it may be review for you. I strongly believe that in the course of
these sessions, you will learn something beneficial from which youve never heard or become
reminded of something youve forgotten. While this knowledge is from the very foundational
knowledge that everyone should know, many people are found to be uncertain regarding it and
make mistakes in both speech and action, yet others have been misguided by others who taught on
the subject using their desires.1 Also, even if someone has this knowledge there is no harm in
repeating it. This is the way of the people of knowledge. Our scholars such as Shaykh ibn Baaz
(rahimahullah) who reached such high levels of scholarship were happy to sit in the gatherings of
small students of knowledge and hear them recite the very basic books of tawheed.
We want to begin by asking a couple of questions.
The first question: What is the first obligation upon the Muslim?
The first obligation upon the Muslim is to affirm their Lord and recognize their duty to worship
him Alone. This is the essence of tawheed.
What is Tawheed?

Shaykh Saalih ibn Fawzaan Al-Fawzaan, Readings in Al-Qawaid Al-Arbaah: (English Translation) pg 2
Salafipublications.com


Tawheed - is singling out Allah the most high for what is specifically only for Him in lordship,
worship, and names and attributes.
Tawheed al Rububiyyah Oneness of Lordship
To affirm Allah as the creator, the owner, the provider, and disposer of affairs for everything that
exists. It is a great foundation of tawheed and there are very few people who dont believe in this.
And most of those who say they dont believe in it are lying.
Tawheed al Asmaa wa Sifaat Oneness of Names and Attributes
To affirm and accept all of the names and descriptive attributes Allah has mentioned about
Himself, either in Allahs book or in the Sunnah of His messenger. We affirm them without
distorting or changing their meaning. Not to say that His hand is actually His power, or his face is
actually His reward, but that when He mentions His hands or face we affirm them.
Tawheed Al-Uloohiyyah Oneness of Worship
It is to single out Allah in all forms of worship, whether inward or outward2, in speech or action.
While negating the worship of everything other than Allah.3

:
Abdullah ibn Abbas said : Allah is the rightful owner of all the worship of every creature. 4
The reason all the prophets were sent is to fight against shirk in Uloohiyyah. And it is what we
fight against today. Some are of the opinion that the Muslim ummah as a whole are protected from
making shirk. But is this really true?
The prophet said in an authentic hadeeth, I am not afraid that you will worship others besides

And its important to say inward and outward worship because both tawheed and shirk can occur both
inwardly and outwardly. In fact, someone commits shirk in their heart before their shirk manifests itself on the limbs.
2

pg. 100
4

Hafidh al Hakami, The Signposts of the Propagated Sunnah for the Creed of the Saved and Aided Group,

Collected by ibn Jarir at Tabaree in his tafseer.

Allah, but I am afraid that worldly life will tempt you and cause you to compete with each other
for it. 5
The reply to this doubt (shubhah) is that this speech is directed in specific to the companions of the
prophet () . So he did not fear for them shirk, but as for the later generations they are
not safe from this. As a matter of fact the nabi ( ) stated the exact opposite in a hadeeth
collected by Sahih Muslim.

Aisha reported: I heard Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying: The (system) of
night and day will not end until the people have taken to the worship of Lat and 'Uzza.6
This brings us to a second question: Should we feel secure that we are protected from
commiting shirk?
Not according to the Quran. Allah says:

And when Ibraheem said; O my Lord, Make this city (Makkah) one of security, and keep me
and my descendants away from worshiping Idols. Surah Ibraheem: 35
So if Ibraheem (alayhe salaam) was afraid for himself and his family to commit shirk, then what
about us?

The text before us is a famous treatise read by Sunni students of knowledge and common folk far
and wide. It is called Al-Qawaaid al Arbaaa (The Four Fundamental Principles). It is written by
a well-known beloved and hated scholar: Shaykh Muhammad ibn Abdul Wahhab (d. 1206 h)
May Allah have mercy upon him. I say again he is loved and he is hated. The people of Tawheed
5
6

Bukhari Volume 5, Book 59 [al maghazi - the battles], Number 374:

Saheeh Muslim, Vol. 8, Hadeeth #2907 pg. 343 (English translation) Dar ul fikr

and Sunnah love him and the people of Shirk and Bidah hate him. He was born in Uyaynah in
present day Saudi Arabia to a family of scholars. He revived the call to tawheed at a time when it
was being lost, and is considered by many Islamic scholars to be the Mujadid (dominant reformer)
of his time. The Shaykh wrote dozens of works, of which this treatise is from the more wellknown and important.
The Shaykh begins by saying:

In the name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful. I ask Allah the Most Generous, Lord of the
Mighty Throne, that He befriends you in this life and in the hereafter. Also that He makes you to
become blessed wherever you are. And that He makes you from those who when they are given
they are thankful. When they are tested they are patient and when they are sinful they repent. For
verily these three characteristics are the true signs of happiness.
Explanation:

The author begins by supplicating for the student. This is from the gentleness and love of
the scholars that they care about their students and supplicate to Allah for them. This is
following the example of the messenger of Allah. It is also a refutation of those who assign
harshness to Imam Muhammad Ibn Abdul Wahaab and his dawah. Words like these do
not come from one who is harsh of heart. 7

The shaykh asked Allah to bestow upon you (the reader) al- Wiliyyah .
So who is the Wali?
The Wali is one whom Allah brings near, loves and protects.
The wali is not one from a particular tribe, lineage, or status. He does not wear a particular dress or
7

From the Explanation of Shaykh Muhammad Ramzaan Al-Hajiri

have a particular appearance.

The wali is simply one who performs 3 things and abandons 5.
- They must be firm upon Tawheed
- They must be one who clings to the authentic Sunnah.
- They should be devoutly obedient.
The wali is one who abandons
- Shirk - Polytheism
-Bidah innovations in the religion (heresy)
-Masiyyah all kinds of disobedience and sin
- Shubuhaat doubts regarding established religious affairs.
-Shahawaat low base desires 8

Allah is the ally of those who believe. He brings them out from darknesses into the light. And those who
disbelieve - their allies are Taghut. They take them out of the light into darknesses. Those are the
companions of the Fire; they will abide eternally therein. (Surah Al-Baqarah: 257)

Shaykh Saalih Al-Fawzaan says: So when Allah takes care of you, He takes you out of the
darkness of Shirk, Kufr, doubts, and heresyHe will take care of you (in this life) by guiding you
to the correct manhaj (methodology). In the hereafter He will take care of you by entering you
into the paradise.
Then the Shaykh asked Allah to make you blessed wherever you are.
Blessings are from Allah.
Blessings are sought in 8 things:

Sayings: Such as the basmala (saying bismillah - In the name of Allah)

Actions: Such as prayer in congregation (Jamaah) 25 to 27 times more reward than

prayer alone.

Foods: Such as Black Seed

Shaykh Muhammad Ramzaan al-Hajiri, Explanation of the Four Rules of Shirk:

Drinks: like Zamzam water

Certain times: Such as the morning, as in the hadeeth, "O Allah bless my Ummah in its early
rising!" 9

Certain Places: ie; Masjid al-Aqsa, Masjid nabawi, Masjid al Haram 10

Attributes or characteristics of things: A good word such as: As salaamu alaykum.

Physical essences (thawaat): The prophets body as a whole or that which has touched it.

There is nothing that remains from the self or the possessions of the prophet so this door of barakah
is closed. However we can still seek barakah from following the Sunnah of the prophet ( ).
Shaykh Saalih aal-Fawzaan said: When Allah blesses you wherever you are this is the greatest
achievement. Because your life is blessed, your provision, your knowledge, your work, your
family, wherever you go the blessings accompany you. This is a great favor from Allah. 11
The Shaykh also asked Allah that we be of those who when given they are thankful, when they are
tested they are patient, and when they sin they repent.
This is truly from the way of happiness as the shaykh says;
When you are given and you thank Allah you will be given more. As Allah says

And [remember] when your Lord proclaimed, 'If you are grateful, I will surely increase you [in favor]; but
if you deny, indeed, My punishment is severe.' (Surah Ibraheem: 7)

Not being patient is a calamity. If youre not patient with your enemies youre going to fall into
their evil plots. If youre not patient in tough times then you get more hard times and your life will
be made miserable. If youre not patient with seeking knowledge youll never learn anything in
depth. If youre not patient upon the correct path in the religion you will go astray. Shaykh AlFawzaan brings an ayah here

Sunan Abu Dawud, Saheeh al Jami (Taken from Mending the Rift: Guidelines to help observe fajr prayer)

10

Ibn Umar reported that the messenger of Allah ( )said: Prayer in this mosque of mine is better than a
thousand prayers (observed in other mosque.) besides it, except that of Masjid al-Haram. Saheeh Muslim #583
11

Shaykh Saalih ibn Fawzaan Al-Fawzaan, Readings in Al-Qawaid Al-Arbaah: (English Translation) pg 4
Salafipublications.com

And from mankind is he who worships Allah on an edge. If he is touched by good, he is reassured by it;
but if he is struck by trial, he turns on his face [to the other direction]. He has lost [this] world and the
Hereafter. That is the manifest loss. (Surah Al-Hajj: 11)

And if you sin you should repent right away and dont delay. Allah says

The repentance accepted by Allah is only for those who do wrong in ignorance [or carelessness] and
then repent soon after. It is those to whom Allah will turn in forgiveness, and Allah is ever Knowing and
Wise. (Surah al- Nissa: 17)

Then the shaykh says

:



:


:

.



Know, May Allah guide you to His obedience. Verily Al-Haneefiyah is the millah (religious path) of
Ibraaheem. To worship Allah alone, making your religion sincere to Him. For this is what Allah has
ordered all of mankind and the purpose for which He created them. As Allah Most high says,
And We did not create the jinn or the mankind except to worship me.
So when you acknowledge that Allah has created you for His worship, then know:
Worship is not called worship unless it is with tawheed, just as the prayer is not called prayer except
with purification. So when Shirk enters into worship it is spoiled. Just as impurities (spoil) when they
enter into purity.

Explanation
Al-Haneefiyyah is the millah of Ibraheem.

millah is the path or way of a prophet. Is there a difference between millah and deen? Not

much except what I came across that said that the word deen is used when ascribing the path to
Allah, and millah is used when ascribing a path to the prophets and mathhab is used when ascribing
a path to a scholar. Allah knows best.

12

Ibraheem is called the father of the prophets even though prophets came before him because
most of the prophets came from him.
Al-Haneef - is one who leans or inclines toward tawheed and turns away from shirk. This was the
path of Ibraheem and all of the prophets.
Worshiping Allah alone, being sincere to him: This is the reason you were created and this is also

what weve been ordered. As Allah says:

This ayah in its Arabic structure leaves out any other reason for our creation except worship.

Al Ibaadah literally means humility and submission.

Ibadah has been defined by Shaykh ul Islam ibn Taymiyyah as :

A comprehensive term for everything that Allah loves and is pleased with from speech and
actions whether hidden or apparent. 13
Ibaadah has two conditions, 1. Ikhlaas al-Niyyah Pure intention 2. Ittibaah ash

Shareeah Strict following of revelation ie; Quran , Sunnah & companion consensus

12
13

Al-Jurjaani, Ali ibn Muhammad, Mujam al-Tareefaat.

Ibn Taymiyyah, Essay on Servitude; English Translation of Al-Ubudiyyah , pg. 29 Al-Hidayah publishing

Know that worship is not considered worship until it is accompanied with tawheed. Just as Salaat is
not Salaat unless accompanied with taharah. So if Shirk enters into Ebaadah it is spoiled.
Shaykh Saalih al Luhaydaan says: When the shaykh says Worship is not called worship except with
tawheed hes talking about Worship that benefits (

) . Of course there are those who

offer worship to jinn, trees, streems of water, and to people. But this worship will not benefit
them?
The shaykh uses the example of salaah here because everybody knows that there is no salaah
without taharah. If one in the dunya prays and then remembers he did not perform wudhu what
does he do? He feels regret for missing that action as he knows his prayer was not accepted. Then
he performs wudu and repeats his prayer. Just like that worship is not accepted or beneficial except
with tawheed. 14

.
When you know that Shirk when it is mixed with worship it ruins it and it negates all righteous
actions and the one who does it is in the hellfire forever, then you will realize that the most
important matter upon you is knowledge and awareness of this fact so that Allah may save you
from

this

evil

trap

and

that

is

Shirk

with

Allah.

As

Allah

said

about

it;

Verily, Allah will not forgive that partners be set in worship with Him, but He forgives
whom He wills for whatever sin is less than that.

(Surah Al-Nissa: 116)

Explanation

14

Shaykh Saalih Aal shaykh says: This example helps make the point clear but is not an exactly equivalent
example. Due to the fact that regarding praying while not having wudu. Some scholars are of the opinion that one
who prays while he is not upon taharah knowlingly, he has disbelieved. Others differ and say one who does so has
committed a great sin but has not disbelieved. While there is complete agreement among the scholars that one
who commits major shirk with Allah has disbelieved. (Mentioned by br. Mustafa George in his reading of the
explanation of Qawaaid al-Arbaaa. )

Shirk Offering of worship to other than Allah, or to others alongside Allah.15

Shirk can happen in any of the three categories of tawheed.
Example; assigning origination of creation to other than Allah , calling upon dead saints or prophets
as intermediaries or describing or attributing human beings with characteristics that are solely for
Allah, etc.
Shirk is normally divided into two types:

Shirk al-Akbar Shirk that exists one from the fold of Islam. (the subject of this book.)

Shirk al-asghar Shirk that is a major sin but does not exit one from the fold of Islam.

Shirk is of the most important things that we must learn about. The shaykh rightfully called Shirk a
trap. It is a trap set by the Shaytan in order to make people losers on the day of judgment.
Consequences of Shirk

If a person dies upon the sin of shirk it will never be forgiven from him.

If a person commits shirk all of his righteous deeds become null and void.

A person who dies upon shirk will be in the hellfire forever.

What a treacherous trap and what a loser he is who falls into this trap. Therefore we must seek
forgiveness and Allahs refuge and protection in all situations, as Shaykh Saalih al-Luhaydaan says:

A person does not remain upon the truth due to the firmness of his conviction
and steadfast intellect since these things are only beneficial if Allah makes them
beneficialunless Allah grants you the ability and success to achieve that. If
Allah did not envelop many of the intellectuals who have deep insight with His
Generosity they would be lost. This is the case with many from Ahlul bidah
since the thing that led them to bidah was the fact that their intellects would
guide them in judging in matters, hidden and apparent. 16
After this weighty introduction we now move on to the first principle.
15

16

http://www.binbaz.org.sa/mat/28 -

Shaykh Saalih Al-Luhaydaan; An Explanation of the Four Rules Regarding Shirk pg. 5

.

That you know the Kuffar, whom the messenger fought, were conviced of the fact that Allah
was the creator, the provider, and the disposer of all the affairs, however this affirmation did
not enter them into Islaam. The proof for this is the saying of Allah the most High; Say: Who
provides for you from the heavens and the earth? Who owns the (ability of) hearing and
sight, and who takes the living out from the dead and the dead out from the living, and who
is the disposer of the affairs? They will say, Allah. Say: Will you not then be afraid (of
setting up rivals to Allah)?
As we previously discussed, of the three categories of tawheed, one of them is Tawheed al
Rububiyyah. This refers to singling Allah out with respect to His actions, ie; creating, providing,
regulating all affairs, etc. This is believed by nearly everyone and is not denied except by a few
ignoramuses from amongst the people and it was not denied in the time of the prophet. That is
why we say that believing in Allah with only tawheed al Rububiyyah is not enough. One must
single him out in worship.
The Quraysh believed in Allah as the Illah (one to whom worship is directed), even the greatest
illah. See their talbiyyah at Hajj.

Here we are OAllah, answering your call. Here we are, no partners you have. Except a
partner to you, that you own them and what they own. 17

17

Recorded by Imam Tabaraani, On the authority of Ibn Abbas with a weak chain. See Tasir ibn Kathir Vol. 7,
English translation, pg. 542

But they did not believe he should be singled out for worship alone. They believed simply that
Allah was their Lord who created them, but that there was nothing wrong with worshiping others
besides him. Thus the first order in the Quran is worded perfectly.

O mankind, worship your Lord, who created you and those before you, that you may become
righteous. (Surah Al-Baqarah: 21)

Shaykh Muhammad Ramzaan says: So we say to those who those who believe in tawheed alRububiyyah but they make shirk with Allah in regards to His Uloohiyyah, You and the Quraysh
are the same. Similarly those groups today who call to tawheed in an incomplete way.18 You are
calling to the tawheed of the Quraysh!!!

.

Second Foundation

18

For an example Jamaat al Tableegh: When they speak about Allah and explain the kalimah or tawheed
they explain it to mean. There is no Lord besides Allah. This is because the bulk of their affairs are taken from the
Sufis and people of kalaam (philosophers). Tawheed to them is affirming Allah as the only creator, provider and
giver of life and death. That He is one in His self and has no partner with Him. In any of their books their talk of
tawheed does not go beyond tawheed al rububiyyah. Explanation of Four the Foundations of Shirk, Al-Fawzan
pg. 31

That they (mushrikeen) say: We do not call upon and turn towards them except to seek
nearness and intercession (with Allah).
So the proof against seeking nearness through the awliyyah, is the saying of the Most High:
And those who take Awliyaa besides Allah say, We worship them only that they may bring
us near to Allah. Verily Allah will judge between them concerning that wherein they differ.
Truly Allah guides not him who is a lying disbeliever. (Az Zumar: 3
And the proof for intercession is the saying of the Most high:
And they worship besides Allah things that harm them not, nor profit them, and they say:
These are our intercessors with Allah. ( Yunus: 18)
Explanation
In this chapter, the Shaykh brings some of the excuses of the mushrikeen as to why they commit
shirk. The excuses highlighted by the shaykh here deal with taking intermediaries between
themselves and Allah.
Earlier in our lesson we learned about the Willayah of Allah, who is the wali and how they are
close to Allah. One of the most common ways that people fall into shirk is by exaggerating in their
veneration of those whom they deemed to be righteous. They say that since we are sinners then we
must have some other means with which to draw nearer to Allah. We need someone who is clean
and they can intercede between us and Allah. So what is the meaning of intercession.
Shaykh Muhammad ibn Salih Al Uthaymeen said : "

" 19

Shafaah is taking of an intermediary other than yourself seeking benefit or warding off harm. So
the people of the past made shirk with Allah by supplicating to dead righteous men asking them for
shafaah.
The Quraysh during the time of the prophet did not believe that the righteous people who died
had the ability to create, or provide or benefit or harm, but they said we take these dieties as
intermediaries between us and Allah so that they will intercede with Allah on our behalf.
Shaykh Saalih Al-Fawzaan hafidhahullah says:

19

If you were to debate with the grave worshippers of today they too repeat the
justification of the Arab pagans word-for-word saying, I know that this wali or
righteous man does not harm or benefit, but he is a righteous person and I want
him to intercede with Allah on my behalf. 20
This problem of prohibited intercession has plagued mankind throughout history. Shaykh
Muhammad Ramzan al-Hajiri (hafidhahullah) mentions a litany of messengers and their issues.
Prophet Nuh (alayhe salaam) came to his people and they were worshiping idols. Who were these
idols made after? They were of righteous people who had died off. Prophet Nuh called them to
tawheed for 950 years. They continued on this path except but a few. Then Allah drowned them
with the flood. Purifying the world from shirk and the mushrikeen. Then Ibraheem (alayhe salaam)
came to his people. What were they doing? Worshiping idols. And on and on until Allah sent His
final messenger () .
And so we find today the grave worshipers say to us, Why are you comparing us to the Quraysh
and the people of Nuh and Ibraheem? We are Muslims! We have said La illaaha illAllah!
We reply, give us the difference between what the Quraysh did with Laat and Uzza and what you
do with Al-Badawi21 ?
Rather we say we are not in need of these intermediaries. Allah is sufficient for us.

And when My servants ask you, [O Muhammad], concerning Me - indeed I am near. I respond to the
invocation of the supplicant when he calls upon Me. So let them respond to Me [by obedience] and
believe in Me that they may be [rightly] guided. (Surah al-Baqarah: 186)

Shaykh Saalih Al-Luhaydaan says something beautiful about this ayah.

The scholars of tafsir have noted that Allah did not say Say to them: I am
20

Readings in Al-Qawaid al-Arbaaah, Shaykh Salih Al-Fawzaan, English Translation. Part 5, pg. 3
Ahmad Al-Badawi d.1276 ce. Born in Fez, Morroco but later traveled to Tanta, Egypt where he is buried.
He is the pivitol figure of the Al-Badawiyyah Sufi tariqah. His grave remains a pilgrimage site for his followers .
21

near, Rather He directed His speech and answer directly to them saying, I
am indeed Near. This is so that every person / worshiper could know that
there is not intermediary between him and Allah when worshiping Him and
asking Him22
Then the Shaykh continues:

.


:

.
:

.

:
And the intercession is of two types: The prohibited intercession and the affirmed
intercession. At which
The prohibited intercession is that which is sought from other than Allah concerning that
which none is able to do, except Allah. And the proof is the saying of the Most High:
O you who believe, Spend out of what we have provided you, before a day comes when
there will be no bargaining, nor friendship, nor intercession. And it is the disbelievers who
are the oppressive wrong doers. (Surah Al-Baqarah: 254)
The affirmed intercession is that which is sought from Allah and the intercessor is honored
with the intercession and the one interceded for, is one whom Allah is pleased with his
speech and actions after He gives permission. As Allah Most High says:
Who is he that can intercede with Him except with His permission? (Surah al-Baqarah:
255)

Explanation
The shaykh here is mentioning the two types of intercession. 1. Rejected, 2. Affirmed.
The intercession that is affirmed and praiseworthy is that which fulfills two conditions.
22

Explanation of the four Rules Regarding shirk, Shaykh Salih bin Muhammad al-Luhaydan, pg. 6 English
translation, Al-Ibaanah publishers

1.

That the one who is being interceded for, Allah is pleased with them. (even

though they may have some sins, at least they are muwahidoon monotheists)
2.

A. The one who is interceding is one who has been honored to make
intercession.
B. They have been given permission.

From Sahih Al-Bukhari :

Anas ibn Malik reported: The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said, The believers will gather
on the Day of Resurrection and they will say: would that someone intercede for us with our
Lord! They will go to Adam and say: You are the father of humanity, Allah created you with His
Hand, the angels prostrated for you, and He taught you the names of all things, so intercede for
us with your Lord that we may be relieved of this place! Adam will say: It is not fitting for me.
Then he will remember his sin and he will feel shame and will say: Go to Noah, for he was the
first Messenger that Allah sent to the people of the earth. They will go to him and Noah will say:
It is not fitting for me. Then he will remember his request for his Lord to do that of which he had
no knowledge and he will feel shame and will say: Go to the intimate friend of the
Merciful, Abraham. They will go to him and Abraham will say: It is not fitting for me, so go to
Moses, the servant to whom Allah spoke directly and to whom He revealed the Torah. They will

go to him and Moses will say: It is not fitting for me. Then he will remember when he killed a
person without right and he will feel shame in front of his Lord and will say: Go to Jesus, the
servant of Allah and His Messenger, His Word and His Spirit. They will go to him and Jesus will
say: It is not fitting for me, so go to Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, the servant
who was forgiven for his past and future sins. So they will come to me and I will proceed until I
ask my Lord for permission and I will be granted permission. When I see my Lord, I will
prostrate for him and He will let me remain in that state as long as He wills and then I will be
addressed: Raise your heard and ask, your request will be granted, say and your saying will be
heard, intercede and your intercession will be accepted. I will raise my head and praise Allah
with a supplication He will teach me and I will intercede. He will fix a limit for me who will be
admitted into Paradise. Then I will come back to Allah again and when I see my Lord, the same
will happen. Then I will intercede and Allah will fix a limit for me who will be admitted into
Paradise, and then I will come back a third and fourth time and it will be said: None remains in
the Hellfire but those whom the Quran has imprisoned and destined to remain forever. Abu
Abdullah said, They are those mentioned by Allah the exalted: abiding therein eternally. (16:29) 23

:
.

.


:

.

23

Sahih Bukhari hadeeth # 4206

.





:

:

.

- -
(
:

!


...

The Third Principle
That the Prophet ( ) encountered people differing in their forms of worship. Among
them were those who worshiped the angels. And amongst them were those that worship the
prophets and the righteous. And amongst them were those who worshiped trees and stones. And
others who worshiped the Sun and the Moon. The messenger of Allah ( ) fought them
all and did not differentiate between them. And the proof is the saying of the Most High.
And fight them until there is no fitnah and [until] the religion, all of it, is for Allah. And if they cease then indeed, Allah is Seeing of what they do. (Al-Anfal: 39)

PROOF OF THE SUN AND MOON BEING WORSHIPED

And of His signs are the night and day and the sun and moon. Do not prostrate to the sun or to the
moon, but prostate to Allah, who created them, if it should be Him that you worship. (Al-Fusilaat: 37)

PROOF OF THE ANGELS BEING WORSHIPPED

Nor could he order you to take the angels and prophets as lords. Would he order you to disbelief after
you had been Muslims? (Aal Imraan: 80)

PROOF OF THE PROPHETS BEING WORSHIPED

And [beware the Day] when Allah will say, "O Jesus, Son of Mary, did you say to the people, 'Take me
and my mother as deities besides Allah?'" He will say, "Exalted are You! It was not for me to say that to
which I have no right. If I had said it, You would have known it. You know what is within myself, and I do
not know what is within Yourself. Indeed, it is You who is Knower of the unseen. " (Al-Maaidah: 112)

PROOF OF THE RIGHTEOUS BEING WORSHIPED

Those whom they invoke seek means of access to their Lord, [striving as to] which of them would be
nearest, and they hope for His mercy and fear His punishment. Indeed, the punishment of your Lord is
ever feared. (Al-Israa: 57)

PROOF OF THE TREES AND STONES BEING WORSHIPED

So have you considered al-Lat and al-'Uzza? And Manat, the third - the other one? (Al-Najm: 19-20)

And the Hadeeth of Abu Waqid al-Laythee May Allah be pleased with him, who said: We departed
with the prophet ( ) to Hunayn and we had recently left kufr (disbelief). The mushrikeen had
a tree they used to devote themselves to and hang their weapons upon. They called it Dhaat Anwaat. So
we passed by a tree and we said: O Messenger of Allah! Appoint for us a Dhaat Anwaat like they have a
Dhaat Anwaat.

Explanation
In the time of Bani Israaeel, the prophets would be sent one right after the other (sometimes along
side each other). However, the prophet ( ) was sent after a break in the prophethood.
During this break when the people of the world were without a messenger evil became
widespread. The revealed scriptures became altered and changed as Allah made no guarantees to
protect them. So with time the message of the messengers was becoming lost. Allah set the events
in order to bring the message to its final stages. Allah would send a final messenger to the perfect

place at the perfect time under the perfect conditions24, to call them with a universal message back
to the religion of their fitrah; the religion of Al-Haneefiyah. 25
So the author says: That the Prophet ( ) encountered people differing in their forms of
worship.
Some worshiped the angels, the prophets and the righteous, sun, moon, etc. Shaykh Saalih AlFawzaan says:
From the ugliness of shirk and its futility is that its doers cannot unite upon a
single matter. As opposed to the people of tawheed whose object of worship
is one.

..Are separate lords better or Allah, the One, the Prevailing? You worship not
besides Him except [mere] names you and your forefathers have forged for
them. (Yusuf: 39 -40)

They just follow their desires and propaganda of those who misguide others
and so their differences increase. 26

Some worshiped the sun and moon:

o The Yoga excersise Surya Namaskar or sun salutation is performed at sunrise. 27
o Due to this the Messenger prohibited prayer at sunrise and sunset as a way of
blocking all the means that lead to shirk.

Some worshiped Angels

o The Catholic Church openly promotes prayer to angels as a matter of creed. 28

24

The prophet was sent to a place that would be best served by its message of reform as it had every evil
and deviance within it.
25
Adapted from Explanation of the Four Rules Regarding Shirk, Shaykh Salih Al-Luhaydaan
26
Readings in al-Qawaaid al Arbaah pt. 6, pg 3
27
McGonigal, Kelly, Shine On Me, Yoga Journal, March 2010. Regarding the above mentioned exercise, an
expert is quoted in the article to say that Surya Namaskar is nothing less than the embodiment of the Gayatri
mantra, a sacred prayer to the sun. "
28
Catholic Church. (Pope Pius IV: d. 1565). (1825). Grounds of Catholic Doctrine: as contained in the
Profession of Faith, published by Pope Pius IV, by Bishop Challoner, ( pg. 45) In this book of creed the then pope

Some Worshiped the prophets and the righteous

o

The Shiites have whole books that teach prayers directly to the Prophet and Ali 29.

It is well known that many sufis call Abdul Qadir al-Jeelani

30

o So it contains a refutation against those grave-worshippers who make a distinction

in this issue. It is a refutation against those who say shirk is the worship of idols
alone. According to them the one who worships the idoles is not the same as the
one who worships a wali or righteous man and they deny that all these types of
shirk are the same as each other. They claim that shirk is restricted to the worship of
idols .
o Allah says,

Those whom you call upon desire for themselves a means of access to their lord as to
which one of them will be the closest. They hope for His mercy and fear his punishment.
(Al-Israa: 57)

the meaning of Waseelah that the righteous seek is obedience and seeking nearness
to Allah. So that which leads to Allah pleasure and the paradise is a means of
waseelah to him. As for the deviants and the foolish they say: waseelah is to set up
between yourseves and Allah intermediaries from the awliyaa, the righteous and the
dead, in order to seek nearness to Allah. It is as if they are seeking from one who
doesnt know them or one who is stingy wa naoutho billah. 31
states, That it is good and profitable to invoke them (angels), that is, to have recourse to their intercession and
prayers.
29
Mustadrak al-Wasaa'il of al-Tabarsee (Beirut, 2nd edition, 1408H), and there occurs therein (p. 310) "Then
you place your right cheek on the earth and you say a hundred times in prostration, "O Muhammad, O Alee, O
Alee, O Muhammad, suffice me (in my needs) for you are both sufficers, and aid me for you are both my helpers."
www.shia.bs
30

In the book Iman-e-Khalis, Dr. Massoduddin Usmani brings many statements of corruption and
exageration regarding Jeelani. One of them states, The dead will be questioned in the grave, Who is thy Lord?
Who is thy Prophet? What is thy Religion? If the answer comes, Abdul Qadir Jeelani They will pass the test.
(Malfoozat-e-Jeelani, commentary by Moinuddin Chishti Ajmeri)
31

Al-Waseelah is of three types: 1. Shareyah 2. Bidiyyah 3. Shirkiyyah.

The Waseelah that is permissible is that which is done with righteous deeds and calling upon
Allah with his beautiful names, or asking the righteous living person to remember you in their dua. The

Some used to worship Trees and Rocks

o Al-Laat was an idol in Taaif. It was a large sculptured rock named after a man who
used to mix guel to feed the pilgrims.
o Al-Uzza Was in the form of a tree between makka and Taaif.
o Al-Manaat- Big rock - Jabal Qudayed between Makkah and Madinah. 32
o Hubal One of the biggest idols of the Quraysh. Was in the form of a man inside
the Kabah. Both of his arms were broken, but were replaced with gold arms.
And the full text of the hadeeth of Abu Waaqid,

:
: :
( ! :
.) ) ( :
.

..bidee waseelah is that which is done by asking Allah by the right or status of the Prophet or some
other righteous person, such as the saying:

The waseelah of shirk is that a person asks or calls upon someone who is not present for help or that
they call upon other than Allah in prayer. A brilliant discussion of this topic is found in the book
Tawassul: Its Types & Its Rulings, by Shaykh Al-Albaani (rahimahullah)
32

Shaykh Saalih Al-Luhaydan mentions that the Arabs did not have a book nor a prophet with
them but were upon the way of Ismaaeel and what they had memorized from his teachings. The first
one to bring idols to Makkah to be worshiped was Amr ibn Luhay al-Khuzaee.
Narrated Sa`eed bin al-Musaiyab: al-Baheerah is a she-camel whose milk is kept for the idols and nobody
is allowed to milk it; al-Saaibah was the she-camel which they used to set free for their gods and nothing
was allowed to be carried on it. Sa`eed bin al-Musayyab said that Abu Hurairah said: Allaahs
Messenger said: I saw `Amr bin `Aamir Al-Khuzaa`ah dragging his intestines in the Fire,
and he was the first person to establish the tradition of setting free the animals (for the sake of their
deities). [Saheeh al-Bukhaaree (3521) and Saheeh Muslim (6839)]

Abu Waqid al-Laythi said We went with Allahs Messenger (

) to Hunayn while we

had just recently left disbelief. The mushrikeen had a lote tree, which they used to frequent and hang
their swords upon. They called it Dhat al-anwat (possessor of the medals of honour). We said, O
Messenger of Allah, can you make a dhat al-anwat for us like their dhat al-anwat?
Allahs Messenger said, Allahu Akbar! This way that you have mentioned, by the One in Whose Hand my
soul is, is just like what the children of Israil asked Musa; Make a god for us like their god. He said,
Surely you are an ignorant people (al-Araaf 7:138) You will follow the way of those before you. 33
From here we see the importance of seeking knowledge surrounding the affairs of tawheed and its
opposite, as this hadeeth shows clearly that ignorance leads to shirk.

The Fourth principle

The polytheists of our time are worse in their polytheism than the polytheists who came before.
This is because those who came before committed their shirk during times of ease, and made their
worship purely for Allah during times of hardship. However the shirk of the polytheists of our time
is continuous; ie; during times of ease and hardship. And the proof is the saying of Allah Most
High:
And when they board a ship, they supplicate Allah, sincere to Him in religion. But when He delivers
them to the land, at once they associate others with Him. (Surah Al-Ankaboot: 65)

And Allah knows best. May the prayers of Allah be upon Muhammad and peace be upon his family
and his companions.
33

Recorded by Al-Tirmidhi who declared it sahih.

Explanation
In the final issue of the treatise the author brings a point that ties all the 3 previous points together.
In first principle we learned the meaning of shirk, in that it is the affirmation of rububiyyah alone
without the affirmation of uloohiyah (singling out Allah for worship). In the second principle we
learned the main excuse for the shirk of the mushrikeen; that they dont believe that those whom
they call upon in prayer have created them, provide for them or control their affairs but that they
call upon them seeking closeness and intercession. In the third principle we learned the true nature
of the mushrikeen and a reply to one of their doubts, ie; it does not matter whether a persons
worship is devoted to an angel, a prophet or righteous one, the sun the moon, trees or stones, all of
this is shirk al Akbar and there is no difference between one or the other as they claim.
The fourth principle emphasizes the consequences of shirk by highlighting a reality of our times. In
the days of jahiliyah the people called upon their deities in times of ease. (And when they called
upon them they were still only doing it seeking nearness and intercession with Allah.) But when
they came upon times of hardship or faced true harm or feared for their lives they would leave off
their idols and call upon Allah alone, sincerely.
However, the people who call themselves Muslims in our time, but who commit shirk are much
worse in their shirk from several angles.
1.

The grave worshipers today in the Muslim lands call upon their dead saints not only in

times of ease but also in times of hardship. The Ulamaa of the past and present have brought many
stories and example proving the reality of this point. 34

34

Muhammad ibn Abdul Wahaab, the author of this treatise used to give dawah to the people
near his land who used to make tawaaf around the grave of Zayd ibn Al-Khattab, ( brother of Umar who
was killed during the battles of apostasy). When he used to hear the people crying out in need saying
Ya Zayd, He would say , Allah is better than Zayd. Zarabozo, Jamal, The Life, Teachings
and Influence of Muhammad ibn Abdul Wahhaab, pg. 116

1. The grave worshipers today in the Muslim lands do not call upon their saints seeking closeness
to Allah or intercession with Allah, but rather they are seeking the aid of the saints themselves;
thinking these saints have the same powers of Lordship as Allah; calling them

the

ultimate reliever, or The perfect master. 35

2. The sufi mushriks today in the Muslim lands in many cases are not even calling upon righteous
people, ie; saints, but rather upon sinners, heretics, disbelievers, and sometimes the insane. So
what is the reason for this?
a. Allah says:

Worship your Lord until the

yaqeen comes to you.36 The early explainers of the Quran have stated that the correct
interpretation is that the word yaqeen in this verse means death.

37

The sufis however

take yaqeen in this verse to mean a type of spiritual understanding or marifah. This
corrupt interpretation leads these so-called walis in many cases to abandon the prayer
and general worship all together under the guise of having attained this level of
yaqeen over and above the common folk who still need to worship as they have not
reached yaqeen.

35

It is an important point to note; it does not matter whether a person believes that others
besides Allah actually have the same powers of Lordship as Allah or whether they believe that another
has been given these powers by the permission of Allah, both beliefs constitute shirk al-Akbar, which
takes one out of the fold of Islam. (Permanent Committee for Scholarly Research and Ifta' #16300)
36

Surah Al-Hijr: 99

37

It is narrated on the authority of Um Al-Ala (an Ansari woman) that when the Messenger of

Allah entered upon the body of his brother Uthman ibn Mathun he said

Indeed the yaqeen has come to him and I hope for him good. Fathul Bari 3:137 (ibn Kathir,
Tafseerul Quran al Atheem (English translation) Vol. 5, pg. 426 Darusalaam Publishers

b. This very same false interpretation leads these false walis to commit unspeakable acts of
sin. Their mureeds excusing or condoning the behavior claiming that we (those who
have not reached al-yaqeen see the world in dhaahiri apparent truths, while the
wali sees the world in baatini hidden truths. Ie; It may look like the shaykh is drinking
Jack Daniels whiskey to you and says so on the side of the bottle, but the shaykh says its
really wine from the jannah! (lahawla wa laquwata illa billah.)

All praise is due to Allah Lord of all that exists.

End of compilation.