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

Allaah [The Most High] said:

فَٱعۡلَمۡ أَنَّهُ ۥ لَآ إِلَـٰهَ إِلَّا ٱللَّهُ وَٱسۡتَغۡفِرۡ لِذَنۢبِكَ وَلِلۡمُؤۡمِنِينَ وَٱلۡمُؤۡمِنَـٰتِ‌ۗ وَٱللَّهُ يَعۡلَمُ مُتَقَلَّبَكُمۡ

So know [O Muhammad] that Laa ilaaha ill-Allah [none has the right to be worshipped but Allah], and ask forgiveness for your sin, and also for [the sin of] believing men and believing women. And Allah knows well your moving about, and your place of rest [in your homes, graves etc]. [Surah Muhammad. Aayah 19]

It is Fard Ayn [i.e. an individual duty (or obligation)] to have knowledge of Laa Ilaaha Ilal laah [i.e. that none has the right to be worshipped except Allaah], because it is knowledge a person cannot do without. This knowledge can be acquired through several ways and the greatest of them is to seek knowledge about the sound meanings of Allaah’s Names and Attributes, because that teaches a person the Greatness of Allaah, directs him to deify and worship Allaah alone and makes him know that Allaah alone is worthy of all praise.

To know that Allaah [The Most High] alone is the Creator, the One in control of all affairs of the universe and this necessitates that He alone has the right to be deified and worshipped.

To know that Allaah [The Most High] alone bestowed the creation with all the apparent blessings they have [i.e. Islaam, the lawful pleasures of this world- including health, good looks, etc] and all the hidden blessings [i.e. Eemaan, knowledge, wisdom, guidance for doing righteous deeds, and also the pleasures and delights of the Hereafter in Paradise, etc]. All this necessitates that the hearts should be attached to Allaah, love Him, deify Him alone and associate no partners to Him.

To pay attention to what one sees and hears regarding the reward Allaah [The Most High] bestows on those who establish Laa Ilaaha Ilal laah- the help He gives them and the bliss He has kept for them in the afterlife; and the punishment He inflicts on the enemies of Tawheed- those who associate partners with Him in worship. All this shows that Allaah alone has the right to be worshipped.

To know the characteristics of the idols and the other false deities that are worshipped besides Allaah due to the fact that they are deficient in every way and dependent on others. Neither do they have the ability to harm nor benefit; neither do they have the ability to cause death nor give life, nor can they raise the dead. Neither can they aid those who worship them nor can they give them an atom’s weight of benefit, nor repel an atom’s weight of harm from them. The one who knows that these are some of the characteristics of the idols and false deities will know that none has the right worshipped except Allaah and that everything worshipped besides Allaah is false.

To know that the best of the creation-those people who possess the noblest and most perfect manners, the most sound intellects, views and the most perfect in knowledge- are the Messengers and Prophets of Allaah and then the pious learned scholars, and they all testify to the fact that Allaah alone has the right to be worshipped.

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[Source: An Excerpt from ‘Tayseer Al-Kareem Ar-Rahmaan Fee Tafseer Kalaam Al-Mannaan). Slightly paraphrased]

Shaykh ‘Alee Naasir al-Faqihee (hafidahullah) said,

“These [are] Four Rules(1),that the Muslim benefits from throughout his life. And they address affairs of creed, and it is known that if the creed is correct and sound, everything else [will also be] correct.

Because the Messenger of Allah informed us that,

“ There is a morsel of flesh in the body, if it is sound, the whole body is sound. And if it is corrupt the whole body is corrupted, and it is the heart.”(2)

Therefore, if the heart is sound, then all of the limbs are in obedience; meaning the heart is (like a) king and the limbs are (like) soldiers. When the heart is righteous it does not reach out except to good, and it does not perform except [that which is] good.”

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The first lesson of the Shaykh’s explanation of Al-Qawā’id Al-‘Arba’a,

(1) Al-Qawā’id Al-‘Arba’a authored by Shaykh Al-Islām Muhammad ibn ‘Abd Al-Wahhāb (rahimahullāh)
(2) Bukhāri & Muslim

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

Allaah [The Most High] said:

شَهِدَ ٱللَّهُ أَنَّهُ ۥ لَآ إِلَـٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ وَٱلۡمَلَـٰٓٮِٕكَةُ وَأُوْلُواْ ٱلۡعِلۡمِ قَآٮِٕمَۢا بِٱلۡقِسۡطِ‌ۚ لَآ إِلَـٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ ٱلۡعَزِيزُ ٱلۡحَڪِيمُ

Allah bears witness that Laa ilaaha illaa Huwa [none has the right to be worshipped but He], and the angels, and those having knowledge [also give this witness]; [He is always] maintaining His creation in Justice. Laa ilaaha illaa Huwa [none has the right to be worshipped but He], the All-Mighty, the All-Wise. [Aal Imraan Aayah 18]

[شَهِدَ ٱللَّهُ – Allah bears witness]- Meaning: Allaah [The Most High] bears witness and He is sufficient as a Witness, He is the Most Truthful and Just Witness, and His speech is absolute truth; [أَنَّهُ ۥ لَآ إِلَـٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ- that None has the right to be worshipped but He]- Meaning: He Alone is the true God of all the creation, everyone is a slave of His and  completely in need of Him, but He is The Independent One Who is Free of All Needs.

Then Allaah [The Most High] mentioned His testimony alongside the testimony of the Angels and that of those endowed with knowledge [amongst the creation]. He [The Most High] said: [شَهِدَ ٱللَّهُ أَنَّهُ ۥ لَآ إِلَـٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ وَٱلۡمَلَـٰٓٮِٕكَةُ وَأُوْلُواْ ٱلۡعِلۡمِ  – Allah bears witness that none has the right to be worshipped but He), and the angels, and those having knowledge (also give this witness)]; this is a great virtue of the scholars.

Then Allaah [The Most High] said: [قَآٮِٕمَۢا بِٱلۡقِسۡطِ‌ۚ – He (Allaah) is always maintaining His creation in Justice]-Meaning: Allaah [The Most High] maintains justice in all affairs. Then Allaah [The Most High] emphasised His previous statement, saying: [  لَآ إِلَـٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ – None has the right to be worshipped but He]. [ٱلۡعَزِيزُ – The All-Mighty]; [ٱلۡحَڪِيمُ – The All-Wise]: Meaning: He is The All-Wise in all His statements, actions, divine legislation and decrees.

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[An Excerpt from ‘Al-Misbaah Al-Muneer Fee Tahdheeb Tafseer Ibn Katheer)’. slightly paraphrased]

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

Allaah  [The Most High] said:

هُوَ ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِى لَآ إِلَـٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ‌ۖ عَـٰلِمُ ٱلۡغَيۡبِ وَٱلشَّهَـٰدَةِ‌ۖ هُوَ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنُ ٱلرَّحِيمُ

هُوَ ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِى لَآ إِلَـٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ ٱلۡمَلِكُ ٱلۡقُدُّوسُ ٱلسَّلَـٰمُ ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنُ ٱلۡمُهَيۡمِنُ ٱلۡعَزِيزُ ٱلۡجَبَّارُ ٱلۡمُتَڪَبِّرُ‌ۚ سُبۡحَـٰنَ ٱللَّهِ عَمَّا يُشۡرِڪُونَ

هُوَ ٱللَّهُ ٱلۡخَـٰلِقُ ٱلۡبَارِئُ ٱلۡمُصَوِّرُ‌ۖ لَهُ ٱلۡأَسۡمَآءُ ٱلۡحُسۡنَىٰ‌ۚ يُسَبِّحُ لَهُ ۥ مَا فِى ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٲتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضِ‌ۖ وَهُوَ ٱلۡعَزِيزُ ٱلۡحَكِيمُ

He is Allah, than Whom there is Laa ilaaha illaa Huwa (none has the right to be worshipped but He) the All-Knower of the unseen and the seen (open). He is the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful. He is Allah than Whom there is Laa ilaaha illaa Huwa (none has the right to be worshipped but He) the King, the Holy, the One Free from all defects, the Giver of security, the Watcher over His creatures, the All-Mighty, the Compeller, the Supreme. Glory be to Allah! (High is He) above all that they associate as partners with Him. He is Allah, the Creator, the Inventor of all things, the Bestower of forms. To Him belong the Best Names . All that is in the heavens and the earth glorify Him. And He is the All-Mighty, the All-Wise. [Surah Al-Hashr. Aayaat 22-24]

[هُوَ ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِى لَآ إِلَـٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ‌ۖ – He is Allah, than Whom there is none that has the right to be worshipped but He)]: Meaning: Allaah [The Most High] informed us that He alone has the right to be deified and worshipped, for there is no deity worthy of worship besides Him. And that is because He is Perfect [free is He from all imperfections, deficiencies, weaknesses,  similarities, co-equals, faults, defects etc]. He alone bestowed everything to the creation out of His All-Encompassing Generosity and He alone controls all the affairs of the universe in perfect order. Every other thing taken as a deity besides Him is false and does not have an atom’s weight of right to be worshipped. Any other thing taken as a deity besides Him is deficient and dependent [or in need].

[عَـٰلِمُ ٱلۡغَيۡبِ وَٱلشَّهَـٰدَةِ‌ۖ  – The All-Knower of the unseen and the seen (open)]; Meaning: Allaah [The Most High] described Himself as having All Encompassing knowledge. His knowledge encompasses what is hidden from the creation and that which can be seen.

[هُوَ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنُ ٱلرَّحِيمُ – (He is Ar-Rahmaan-The Most Merciful)]: Meaning: Allaah described Himself that He has an All-Encompassing Mercy which reaches everything and every living thing [Ref: A]; [And He is Ar-Raheem-The Bestower of Mercy]: Meaning: He bestowed special mercy to the believers, just as He said in another Ayah:[وَكَانَ بِالْمُؤْمِنِينَ رَحِيمًا -And He is Ever Most Merciful to the believers (33:43)][Ref: B)]

Then Allaah [The Most High] reiterated that He alone is the true and only deity worthy of worship, saying: [هُوَ ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِى لَآ إِلَـٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ – He is Allah than Whom there is Laa ilaaha illa Huwa (none has the right to be worshipped but He)].

Then Allaah [The Most High] stated that He is [ٱلۡمَلِكُ -The King]: Meaning: The owner of everything in the heavens and the earth. All the inhabitants and everything in the heavens and the earth belong to Him, completely in need of Him and under His dominion.

Then Allaah [The Most High] said that He is [ ٱلۡقُدُّوسُ ٱلسَّلَـٰمُ- The Pure and Perfect; The One Free from all defects]; [ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنُ –The True and Trustworthy, The Granter of Security]; [ٱلۡمُهَيۡمِنُ  -The Trustworthy and Ever Watchful Witness]; [ٱلۡعَزِيزُ – The All-Mighty or The Invincible]; [ٱلۡجَبَّارُ-The Exalted and All-Mighty Compeller]; [ٱلۡمُتَڪَبِّرُ‌ۚ – The One Supreme in Glory, The Justly and Rightfully Proud].

Then Allaah [The Most High] said: [سُبۡحَـٰنَ ٱللَّهِ عَمَّا يُشۡرِڪُونَ – Glory be to Allah! (High is He) above all that they associate as partners with Him]. This statement declares Allaah free from all that is falsely ascribed to Him by those who associate partners with Him and those who wilfully turn away from Him.

Then Allaah [The Most High] said: [هُوَ ٱللَّهُ ٱلۡخَـٰلِقُ – He is Allah, the Creator]: Meaning: The Creator of all the creation. [ ٱلۡبَارِئُ- The Originator]; [ٱلۡمُصَوِّرُ‌-The Bestower of forms].

Then Allaah [The Most High] said: [لَهُ ٱلۡأَسۡمَآءُ ٱلۡحُسۡنَىٰ –  To Him belong the Best Names]: Meaning: He has many Names, which none can enumerate nor does anyone know all of them except Himself. All His Names and Attributes are perfect -[free from all deficiencies, defects etc].

Then Allaah [The Most High] said: [يُسَبِّحُ لَهُ ۥ مَا فِى ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٲتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضِ‌ – All that is in the heavens and the earth glorify Him].

[وَهُوَ ٱلۡعَزِيزُ ٱلۡحَكِيمُ – And He is The All-Mighty or The Invincible; The All-Wise]: Meaning: Whatever He wants to occur will occur, and nothing occurs except due to a perfect wisdom and benefit. [Ref 1]

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[Ref 1 & Ref A: Source: (Tayseer al-Kareem Ar-Rahmaan Fee Tafseer Kalaam Al-Mannaan). slightly paraphrased]

[Ref B: Al-Misbaah Al-Muneer Fee Tahdheeb Tafseer Ibn Katheer]

NB: Translation of the Names of Allaah in this article were taken from the translation of the Noble Qur’aan’ by Dr Muhsin Khan and Shaikh Taqi-yuddeen al-Hilaali, as well as from a poster by Salafipublications.

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

Allaah [The Most High] said:

لَهُ ۥ دَعۡوَةُ ٱلۡحَقِّ‌ۖ وَٱلَّذِينَ يَدۡعُونَ مِن دُونِهِۦ لَا يَسۡتَجِيبُونَ لَهُم بِشَىۡءٍ إِلَّا كَبَـٰسِطِ كَفَّيۡهِ إِلَى ٱلۡمَآءِ لِيَبۡلُغَ فَاهُ وَمَا هُوَ بِبَـٰلِغِهِۦ‌ۚ وَمَا دُعَآءُ ٱلۡكَـٰفِرِينَ إِلَّا فِى ضَلَـٰلٍ۬

For Him (Alone) is the Word of Truth (i.e. none has the right to be worshipped but He). And those whom they (polytheists and disbelievers) invoke cannot respond to them with a thing, no more than one who stretches forth his hand (at the edge of a deep well) for water to reach his mouth, but it reaches him not, and the invocation of the disbelievers is nothing but an error (i.e. of no use). [Surah Ar-Ra’d Ayah 14]

Allaah [The Most High] alone has the right to be worshipped. One’s acts of worship has to carried out sincerely for the sake of Allaah [The Most High] and likewise Allaah [The Most High] alone has the right to be invoked when one seeks after the fulfilment of a specific need. Allaah [The Most High] alone has the right to be loved [i.e. the love that obligates on a person to direct all acts of worship to Allaah alone].

Allaah [The Most High] alone has the right to be worshipped with Al-Kawf [Fear (R1)]; Ar-Rajaa [Hope and longing (R 2)]; Ar-Raghbah [Fervent Desire (R3)]; Ar-Rahbah [Dread (R4)] and Al-Inaabah [turning to Allaah in repentance (R5)]. That is because Allaah alone is the possessor of all the Names and Attributes of perfection – [and free is He from all imperfections, deficiencies, weaknesses, similarities, co-equals, faults, shortcomings etc] – which makes Him the only deity worthy of worship. Any other thing taken as a deity besides Him is false.

 [وَٱلَّذِينَ يَدۡعُونَ مِن دُونِهِۦ لَا يَسۡتَجِيبُونَ لَهُم بِشَىۡءٍ  – And those whom they (polytheists and disbelievers) invoke cannot respond to them with a thing]: Meaning: The idols and false deities that are associated as partners with Allaah [The Most High] in worship cannot respond with a thing to those who invoke and worship them- neither can they respond to their requests in this life nor in the afterlife; [إِلَّا كَبَـٰسِطِ كَفَّيۡهِ إِلَى ٱلۡمَآءِ لِيَبۡلُغَ فَاهُ وَمَا هُوَ بِبَـٰلِغِهِۦ‌ – no more than one who stretches forth his hand (at the edge of a deep well) for water to reach his mouth, but it reaches him not].

This is an excellent similitude regarding the invocation of the one who invokes other than Allaah, for he is like one who stretches his hand at the edge of a deep well [to get some] water, even though it is impossible to reach it by doing so. This is the case regarding the one who invokes false deities besides Allaah [The Most High], for he will not reach his goal. Allaah [The Most High] said in another Ayah:

إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ كَذَّبُواْ بِـَٔايَـٰتِنَا وَٱسۡتَكۡبَرُواْ عَنۡہَا لَا تُفَتَّحُ لَهُمۡ أَبۡوَٲبُ ٱلسَّمَآءِ وَلَا يَدۡخُلُونَ ٱلۡجَنَّةَ حَتَّىٰ يَلِجَ ٱلۡجَمَلُ فِى سَمِّ ٱلۡخِيَاطِ‌ۚ وَڪَذَٲلِكَ نَجۡزِى ٱلۡمُجۡرِمِينَ

Verily, those who belie Our Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) and treat them with arrogance, for them the gates of heaven will not be opened, and they will not enter Paradise until the camel goes through the eye of the needle (which is impossible). Thus do We recompense the Mujrimun (criminals, polytheists, sinners, etc.). [7:40]

[وَمَا دُعَآءُ ٱلۡكَـٰفِرِينَ إِلَّا فِى ضَلَـٰلٍ۬ – and the invocation of the disbelievers is nothing but an error (i.e. of no use)]: Meaning: They invoke false deities; therefore their invocation is tantamount to misguidance. As for Allaah, He is the True King of the entire creation and the only deity worthy of worship, therefore, to worship Him alone is the truth and it is what will definitely benefit a person in this life and the next.

[Source: (Tayseer al-Kareem Ar-rahmaan Fee Tafseer Kalaam al-Mannaan). slightly paraphrased]

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Footnotes:

Ref 1: Al-Kawf [Fear]: Fear is to be frightened and is a result of expecting something which will bring about destruction, harm or injury, and Allaah, the one free of all imperfections and the Most High, forbade having fear of the allies of the Satan, and He commanded fear of Himself alone. Fear is of three types: (i) Natural fear, such as a person’s fear of predatory animals, fire, or drowning. This is something for which a person is not to be blamed. Allaah, the Most High, said about Moosaa, “So he entered in the morning in Pharaoh’s city in a state of fear, awaiting events.” [Soorah al-Qasas (28): 18] However if this fear is, as mentioned by the author, a cause of his leaving an obligation or doing something forbidden, then it is forbidden. Since whatever causes an obligation to be abandoned, or causes something forbidden to be done is itself forbidden (haraam). The evidence here is the Saying of Allaah, the Most High, “So do not fear them, but fear Me and beware of disobeying Me, if you are truly Believers.” [Soorah Aal-‘Imraan (3):175] Furthermore fear of Allaah, the Most High, is sometimes something praiseworthy, and is sometimes something that is not praiseworthy. It is praiseworthy when it prevents you from being disobedient to Allaah, and causes you to fulfil the obligatory duties and to avoid what is forbidden. So if this goal is reached, then the heart settles and is at peace, and is dominated by joy at the blessings of Allaah and hope for His reward. It is something that is not praiseworthy when it causes a person to despair of Allaah’s Mercy and to give up hope altogether. In such a case the person will give up and may continue in sin due to the fact that he totally gives up hope. (ii) Reverential fear, that he fears something and takes that as his religion. This is to be for Allaah, the Most High, alone. Directing such reverential fear to anyone other than Allaah, the Most High, is major shirk. (iii) Secret supernatural fear, such as fearing someone buried in a grave, or a person thought to be pious, who is far away and cannot affect him, yet still he has secret fear for him. This is also mentioned by the scholars as being a case of shirk. The evidence for hope and longing (ar-rajaa) is the Saying of Allaah the Most High: “So whoever hopes to see His Lord and be rewarded by Him, then let him make his worship correct and make it purely and sincerely for Him; and let him not make any share of it for anyone other than Him” [71] [Soorah al-Kahf (18):110]. [Source: English translation of the ‘Three fundamental principles’ by Abu Talhah (may Allaah have mercy upon him and his wife)]

Ref 2: Ar- Rajaa [Hope and longing] is that a person wishes for something that may be attained and is close, and it may be something that is far off but treated as being something close. This earnest hope which comprises humility and submission may not be directed except to Allaah, the Mighty and Majestic, and directing it to anyone other than Allaah, the Most High, is shirk. This shirk will either be lesser shirk or major shirk depending upon the state of the heart of the person in this case. The author uses as evidence the Saying of Allaah, the Most High, “So whoever hopes to see His Lord and be rewarded by Him, then let him make his worship correct and make it purely and sincerely for Him; and let him not make any share of it for anyone other than Him.” [Soorah al-Kahf (18):11O] ‘Hope’ which is praiseworthy is only that which is found in a person who acts in obedience to Allaah and hopes for reward from Him, or a person who repents from sin and hopes that his repentance is accepted. As for a person who hopes despite the fact that he does not act, then this is delusion and false hopes, and is something blameworthy. [Source: English translation of the ‘Three fundamental principles’ by Abu Talhah (may Allaah have mercy upon him and his wife)]

Ref 3: Ar-Raghbah [Fervent Desire] and Ref 4: Ar-Rahbah [Dread]: Ar-Raghbah is the love and desire to reach that which is beloved. Ar-Rahbah is fear which causes one to flee away from the cause of fear. So it is a fear that is accompanied by action. Allaah [The Most High] said: [إِنَّهُمۡ ڪَانُواْ يُسَـٰرِعُونَ فِى ٱلۡخَيۡرَٲتِ وَيَدۡعُونَنَا رَغَبً۬ا وَرَهَبً۬ا‌ۖ وَڪَانُواْ لَنَا خَـٰشِعِينَ  – They used to hasten to acts of devotion and obedience to Allaah, and they used to worship Allaah upon love and desire, and upon fear, and were reverent and humble before Allaah] [21:90]

In this noble Aayah, Allaah, the Most High, describes the most loyal and sincere of His servants as worshipping Allaah, the Most High, upon raghbah and rahbah, whist being humble and submissive to Him. The du’aa (invocation) here covers both invoking Allaah through acts of worship, and supplication. So they call upon Allaah out of earnest desire for what is with Him, and hoping for His reward, whilst also fearing His punishment as a result of their sins. So the Believer should hasten to Allaah, the Most High, upon fear and earnest desire; with regard to actions of obedience his hope and earnest desire should predominate, so that he is keen to perform them and hopes that they will be accepted; and with regard to whenever he thinks of committing a sin, then fear should predominate so that he will flee away from doing it and be saved from its consequent punishment. Some scholars say that the aspect of hope should pre-dominate when a person is ill, and the aspect of fear when he is well. They say this since a person who is ill feels subdued and weakened and it may be that his appointed time is near, so that he may die, and he should do so whilst thinking good of Allaah, the Mighty and Majestic. But when healthy he is energetic and has hope of remaining for a long time, and this may lead him to be exuberant and carefree, so fear should predominate in order to be safe from that. It is also said that the earnest hope and fear should be equal so that his hope does not lead him to feel safe from Allaah, and his fear does not cause him to despair of Allaah’s mercy, since both of these are evil and cause a person’s destruction. [Source: English translation of the ‘Three fundamental principles’ by Abu Talhah (may Allaah have mercy upon him and his wife)]

Ref 5: Al-Inaabah [turning to Allaah in repentance]: Allaah [The Most High] said: [وَأَنِيبُوٓاْ إِلَىٰ رَبِّكُمۡ وَأَسۡلِمُواْ لَهُ – So turn, O you people, repentantly and obediently to your Lord, and submit obediently to Him] [39:54]

Al-Inaabah is to turn to Allaah, the Most High, in obedience, and avoiding disobedience to Him, and its meaning is close to that of repentance (tawbah), except that it is more subtle in meaning, and conveys the sense of dependence upon Allaah and fleeing for refuge to Him, and it cannot be except for Allaah. What is meant by the Saying of Allaah, the Most High, “…submit obediently to Him” is: Islaam as prescribed and required of us in the Sharee’ah and that is to submit to the laws and commandments of Allaah. This is because submission to Allaah, the Most High, is of two types: (i) Submission of all the creation, which is to submit to whatever He has decreed should exist and occur in the creation about which the creation has no choice. So this is general and covers everyone in the heavens and the earth, the Believers and the unbelievers, the righteous and the wicked. No one can possibly disdain and depart from this. The evidence for it is the Saying of Allaah, the Most High, “And to Him everyone in the heavens and the earth submit, willingly or unwillingly, and to Him you will all be returned.” [Soorah Aal-‘Imraan (3):83] (ii) Submission to the laws and prescriptions of Islaam, and this is to submit in obedience. This is particular to those who are obedient to Allaah, the Messengers and those who follow them upon good. The evidences for this in the Qur’aan are many, and from them is the Aayah mentioned by the author [Soorah az-Zumar (39): 5] [Source: English translation of the ‘Three fundamental principles’ by Abu Talhah (may Allaah have mercy upon him and his wife)]

Regarding seeking forgiveness, Shaykh Fawzan in explanation of the final verse of soorah an-Nasr said,

“It is better to complete ones lifespan with seeking and supplicating for forgiveness, because people, whether they are upon righteousness, uprightness and performance of righteous actions; then indeed they still have shortcomings regarding the right of Allah, so they should seek forgiveness. Subsequently it takes precedence and is obligatory for the sinful servant to seek and supplicate for forgiveness from Allah.

There is great virtue in seeking forgiveness and seeking of forgiveness is legislated to be done when completing righteous actions; when your life is approaching its end; when getting up from a gathering (1) and when completing the prayer.

On the authority of Thawbaan (may Allah be pleased with him), who said: When he had finished his prayer, the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to ask for forgiveness three times and say: “Allaahumma anta al-salaam wa minka al-salaam, tabaarakta yaa dhaa’l-jalaali wa’l-ikraam (O Allaah, You are al-Salaam (the One Who is free from all defects and deficiencies) and from You is all peace, blessed are You, Possessor of Majesty and Honour).” (2)

Likewise he completes his life with asking for forgiveness, just (as he does at the end of each obligatory prayer) because seeking of forgiveness is sought after (at then end of an action, or one’s life).

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Maa Tayyasara wa Tahassala min Duroos al-Quraan fee Hizb al-Mufassal pg. 527 with additional benefits from the recorded lesson.

(1)Sunan at-Tirmidhi 3433, Authenticated by Shaykh al-Albaani
(2) Muslim 135