prophets along with believing in the Oneness of Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He). Islam at the time of Adam was represented in having firm belief in the Oneness of Allah as well as following the Shari`ah of Adam (peace be upon him). Islam at the time of Nuh was to believe in the Oneness of Allah along with following the Shari`ah of Nuh (peace be upon him). Likewise, other prophets, including Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) is established in having belief in the Oneness of Allah along with believing in what was revealed to Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and following his Shari`ah.
The Jews and Christians do not believe in Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon), so they are disbelievers even if some of them have faith in the Oneness of Allah. They are disbelievers according to the consensus of the Muslims, for they do not believe in Muhammad (peace be upon him). Moreover, if a person does not believe in the Message revealed to Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) in full, such as the belief in everything except in the prohibition of adultery or sodomy, thinking that adultery or sodomy is permissible, is a disbeliever and his blood is violable according to the prescribed penalty agreed upon by all Muslim scholars after setting the religious proof against them if the person is ignorant of that. Thus, the mere belief in the Oneness of Allah avails him nothing, because he belies the messengers and consequently some of Allah's Message.
Moreover, if someone has belief in the Oneness of Allah and Allah's Messengers (peace be upon them) but mocks or belittles a prophet, they become disbelievers. Allah (Exalted be He) says,
Say: "Was it at Allâh (ﻋﺰ ﻭﺟﻞ), and His Ayât (proofs, evidence, verses, lessons, signs, revelations) and His Messenger (ﺻﻠﻰ ﺍﷲ ﻋﻠﻴﻪ ﻭﺳﻠﻢ) that you were mocking?" Make no excuse; you disbelieved after you had believed.
The opposite of having faith in the Oneness of Allah is Shirk, which means ascribing partners to Allah (Exalted be He). A poet said: "Opposite matters distinctly unveil each other..." and "things get distinguished by contraries" another said:
Shirk is the opposite of Tawhid revealed by Allah (Exalted be He) to His messengers (peace be upon them). Shirk includes associating partners with Allah in worship, in His Lordship, or in His management of the affairs of the people or belying Allah's messengers in what they said or did.
Tawhid is the correct meaning of the Testimony of Monotheism, i.e. La ilaha illa Allah (there is no deity but Allah). This testimony denies offering worship to anyone but Allah and proves it is for Allah Alone. Allah (Exalted be He) says,
That is because Allâh, He is the Truth, and that which they invoke besides Him is AlBâtil (falsehood, Satan and all other false deities) and, So know (O Muhammad ﺻﻠﻰ ﺍﷲ ﻋﻠﻴﻪ ﻭﺳﻠﻢ) that, Lâ ilâha illallâh (none has the right to be worshipped but Allâh) and, Allâh bears witness that Lâ ilâha illa Huwa (none has the right to be worshipped but He), and the angels, and those having knowledge (also give this witness); (He always) maintains His creation in Justice. Lâ ilâha illa Huwa (none has the right to be worshipped but He), the AllMighty, the All Wise. and, And Allâh said (O mankind!): "Take not ilâhain (two gods in worship). Verily, He (Allâh) is (the) only One Ilâh (God).
The true meaning of Tawhid is to worship Allah alone on grounds of belief, truthfulness and action, to have deep belief that worshiping anyone other than Him is invalid, and that whoever does so is a Mushrik (one who associates others with Allah in His Divinity or worship) and he must disavow Mushriks. Allah (Exalted be He) says,
Indeed there has been an excellent example for you in Ibrâhîm (Abraham) and those with him, when they said to their people: "Verily, we are free from you and whatever you worship besides Allâh: we have rejected you, and there has started between us and you hostility and hatred for ever until you believe in Allâh Alone" and, And (remember) when Ibrâhîm (Abraham) said to his father and his people: "Verily, I am innocent of what you worship, "Except Him (i.e. I worship none but Allâh Alone) Who did create me; and verily He will guide me."
Thus, Ibrahim (peace be upon him) disavowed those who worshiped any other than Allah and the things they worshiped.
However, Tawhid is realized through seeking Allah alone with worship, disavowing worship of and worshipers of other than Him, believing in the invalidity of Shirk. It is obligatory on all those who worship Allah (Exalted be He) from the jinn and humankind to seek Him alone with worship and to establish the duty of Tawhid which is enforcing Allah's Shari`ah. Indeed, Allah (May He be Praised and Exalted) is the Ruler in this worldly life by His Shari`ah and in the Hereafter by Himself (May He be Praised) and this is part of Tawhid to have firm belief in that. Allah (May He be Glorified and Exalted) says,
The decision is only for Allâh and, So the judgement is only with Allâh, the Most High, the Most Great! and, And in whatsoever you differ, the decision thereof is with Allâh (He is the ruling Judge).
Therefore, offering some acts of worship to Awliya' (pious people), prophets, the sun, the moon, the Jinn, angels, idols, trees, and so on, is inconsistent with Tawhid and nullifies it.
Allah (May He be Praised) sent His Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and the prophets before him to nations who worshiped things other than Allah (Exalted be He), such as prophets, righteous persons, trees, stones, idols, and stars. All the prophets called their people to believe in Allah and His Oneness and to say La ilaha illa Allah (the Testimony of Tawhid), disavowing all that contradicts this faith, those who worship other than Allah as well as the objects they worshiped. Allah (glory be to Him) says,
And verily, We have sent among every Ummah (community, nation) a Messenger (proclaiming): "Worship Allâh (Alone), and avoid (or keep away from) Tâghût (all false deities i.e. do not worship Tâghût besides Allâh)."
By this, you know that what is done around the graves that are worshiped beside Allah (Exalted be He), such as the grave of [Al Sayyid] AlBadawy and AlHusayn in Egypt and the like as well as what some ignorant pilgrims may do at the Prophet's grave by seeking help over enemies and complaining to him, are forms of worshiping other than Allah (May He be Glorified and Exalted). It is like the Shirk of the first periods of ignorance. There are Sufis who believe that some Awliya' are capable of administering the universe and managing the affairs of the world even though this is major Shirk with regard to Allah's Divinity.
Some think that some people have a direct relation with Allah (Exalted be He). Consequently such servants believe that they do not have to follow
Muhammad (peace be upon him) or that they know the unseen, and are able to control other things. Indeed, this is major disbelief in