In The Name of Allaah, The Most Merciful, The Bestower of Mercy

Tawheed Ar-Roboobiyyah: [It is] firm belief and clear affirmation that Allaah (alone) is The Lord and Owner of everything. He (alone) is the Creator, Provider and He (alone) gives life and death. He (alone) is the One who judges and controls the affairs with what He wills, how He wills and whenever He wills. Whatever Allaah wills must happen and whatever He does not will cannot happen. He is the Lord of the entire universe and the king of the Day of Judgement. He created everything and measured it exactly according to its due measurements, and He gave to each thing its form and nature, then guided it aright. This aspect of Tawheed was affirmed by the idol worshippers during the lifetime of the Prophet (sallal-laahu-alayhi-wasallam) and the Qur’an has informed (us) about their affirmation of it. [Allaah (The Most High)] said:

وَلَئِنْ سَأَلْتَهُمْ مَنْ خَلَقَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ وَسَخَّرَ الشَّمْسَ وَالْقَمَرَ لَيَقُولُنَّ اللَّهُ ۖ فَأَنَّىٰ يُؤْفَكُونَ

”If you were to ask them: “Who has created the heavens and the earth and subjected the sun and the moon?” They will surely reply: “Allah.” How then are they deviating (as polytheists and disbelievers)?

He (The Most High) said:

قُلْ لِمَنِ الْأَرْضُ وَمَنْ فِيهَا إِنْ كُنْتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ
سَيَقُولُونَ لِلَّهِ ۚ قُلْ أَفَلَا تَذَكَّرُونَ
قُلْ مَنْ رَبُّ السَّمَاوَاتِ السَّبْعِ وَرَبُّ الْعَرْشِ الْعَظِيمِ
سَيَقُولُونَ لِلَّهِ ۚ قُلْ أَفَلَا تَتَّقُونَ

Say: “Whose is the earth and whosoever is therein? If you know!” They will say: “It is Allah’s!” Say: “Will you not then remember?” Say: “Who is (the) Lord of the seven heavens, and (the) Lord of the Great Throne?” They will say: “Allah.” Say: “Will you not then fear Allah (believe in His Oneness, obey Him, believe in the Resurrection and Recompense for each and every good or bad deed).” [23:84-87]

So even though they affirmed this aspect of Tawheed, it did not enter them into the fold of Islaam because they did not acknowledge that Allaah (alone) has the right to be worshipped; rather they associated others as partners to Him in worship. Indeed, Allaah is so self-sufficient that he is in no need of having any partner. [Allaah said in a Hadeeth Qudsi]: ”Whoever does an action whilst associating others as partners (to Me in that action), I am free from him and (the action he performed), and (I am free from being (a partner) to the one He (associated as a partner to Me in that action).”

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[For further details, see: Al-Eedaahaat As-Saniyyah Li-Usoolil Aqaa-id Ad-Deeniyyah of Al-Allaamah Zaid Bin Haadee Al-Madkhalee: page: 22-23 and see footnote Number 1 for the meaning of the hadeeth..Abridged and slightly paraphrased]