The claim that tawhid (the oneness of Allah) divides Muslims and splits them apart
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Question:
We are still dealing with these questions in this context regarding tawhid (the oneness of Allah), may Allah protect you. Another questioner says: It is said that tawhid (the oneness of Allah) divides and splits the Muslims. What is your comment, Your Excellency?
Answer:
This is a lie and contrary to reality. Tawhid (the oneness of Allah) is what united the Muslims, and the Muslims do not gather except upon the word of tawhid (the oneness of Allah), by which Allah united the Arabs and non-Arabs in the time of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and those who came after him. What divides the Ummah is shirk (associating partners with Allah) with Allah (Mighty and Majestic), and that is disagreement in creed and disagreement in methodologies. This is what divides the Ummah. As for when the methodology is unified upon the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), and tawhid (the oneness of Allah) is purified from shirk (associating partners with Allah) and the worship of other than Allah, then the word of the Muslims is unified. For this reason, when the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said to Quraysh:Sunan al-Bayhaqi 1:325 and he said: they said: What is it? He said: Sunan an-Nasa'i 3982Sahih (Darussalam) So they were repelled and they said: [Sad 38:5]? [Sad 38:5-6] It is this that divides the Ummah: that every person, or every people of a land, or every sect has deities other than Allah (Mighty and Majestic) [Yusuf 12:39]? [Yusuf 12:39-40]. Yes.
The presenter:
May Allah reward you, Honorable Dr. Salih,
We are still dealing with these questions in this context regarding tawhid (the oneness of Allah), may Allah protect you. Another questioner says: It is said that tawhid (the oneness of Allah) divides and splits the Muslims. What is your comment, Your Excellency?
Answer:
This is a lie and contrary to reality. Tawhid (the oneness of Allah) is what united the Muslims, and the Muslims do not gather except upon the word of tawhid (the oneness of Allah), by which Allah united the Arabs and non-Arabs in the time of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and those who came after him. What divides the Ummah is shirk (associating partners with Allah) with Allah (Mighty and Majestic), and that is disagreement in creed and disagreement in methodologies. This is what divides the Ummah. As for when the methodology is unified upon the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), and tawhid (the oneness of Allah) is purified from shirk (associating partners with Allah) and the worship of other than Allah, then the word of the Muslims is unified. For this reason, when the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said to Quraysh:
Say: There is no god but Allah, and you will succeed
قولوا لا إله إلا الله تفلحواA word by which the Arabs will unite with you and the People of the Book will pay you the jizyah (the tax on protected non-Muslims)
كلمة يجتمع لكم بها العرب ويبذل لكم من أهل الكتاب الجزيةIt was narrated that An-Nu'man bin Salim said: "I heard Aws say: 'I came to the Messenger of Allah [SAW] among the delegation of Thaqif and I was with him in a tent. Everyone in the tent had gone to sleep except him and I. A man came and whispered to him, and he said: Go and kill him. Then he said: Does he not bear witness to La ilaha illallah (there is none worthy of worship except Allah) and that I am the Messenger of Allah? He said: He does bear witness to that. The Messenger of Allah [SAW] said: Leave him alone. Then he said: I have been commanded to fight the people until they say La ilaha illallah. If they say it, then their blood and their wealth become forbidden to me, except for a right that is due. (One of the narrators) Muhammad said: I said to Shu'bah: 'Doesn't the Hadith contain: Does he not testify to La ilaha illallah (there is none worthy of worship except Allah) and that I am the Messenger of Allah?' He said: 'I think it is both, but I do not know.'"
قولوا لا إله إلا اللهHas he made the gods [only] one God?
أَجَعَلَ الْآلِهَةَ إِلَٰهًا وَاحِدًاIndeed, this is a curious thing." (6) And the eminent among them went forth, [saying], "Continue, and be patient over [the defense of] your gods. Indeed, this
إِنَّ هَٰذَا لَشَيْءٌ عُجَابٌ وَانطَلَقَ الْمَلَأُ مِنْهُمْ أَنِ امْشُوا وَاصْبِرُوا عَلَىٰ آلِهَتِكُمْ إِنَّ هَٰذَاare separate lords better or Allah
أَأَرْبَابٌ مُّتَفَرِّقُونَ خَيْرٌ أَمِ اللَّهُ(39) O [my] two companions of prison, are separate lords better or Allah, the One, the Prevailing? (40) You worship not besides Him except [mere] names you have named them, you and your fathers, for which Allah has sent down no authority. Legislation is not but for Allah. He has commanded that you worship not except Him. That is the correct religion, but most of the people do not know.
الْوَاحِدُ الْقَهَّارُ مَا تَعْبُدُونَ مِن دُونِهِ إِلَّا أَسْمَاءً سَمَّيْتُمُوهَا أَنتُمْ وَآبَاؤُكُم مَّا أَنزَلَ اللَّهُ بِهَا مِن سُلْطَانٍ إِنِ الْحُكْمُ إِلَّا لِلَّهِ أَمَرَ أَلَّا تَعْبُدُوا إِلَّا إِيَّاهُ ذَٰلِكَ الدِّينُ الْقَيِّمُ وَلَٰكِنَّ أَكْثَرَ النَّاسِ لَا يَعْلَمُونَThe presenter:
May Allah reward you, Honorable Dr. Salih,
Source
قناة «العلامة الدكتور صالح الفوزان»، برنامج (فتاوى) (063) لمعالي الشيخ صالح الفوزان بتاريخ [1435-08-13] - كبار العلماء — youtube.com (5:06)
The Arabic text is a machine transcription of the audio recording.