Clarification that legislation is among the attributes of Allah the Exalted, and that associating partners with Allah includes taking a legislator other than Allah who makes things lawful and forbidden
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The Shaykh : It remained for us in the previous lesson to clarify that among the forms of associating partners with Allah Mighty and Majestic is taking a legislator other than Him. Legislation is an attribute of Allah Mighty and Majestic and a unique characteristic of His. It is not permissible for a Muslim to believe that anyone else possesses it or to attribute it to any person in this world, no matter how high or exalted he may be. This is because the texts of the Book and the Sunnah are explicit in clarifying that legislation belongs to none but Allah Mighty and Majestic.
Allah Mighty and Majestic rebukes the polytheists who used to forbid things on their own authority and permit other things in exchange for them on their own authority, by saying Mighty and Majestic:[Ash-Shuraa 42:21] This is a rebuke of those who legislate on their own authority. There is also a rebuke of those who followed such self-appointed legislators. Our Lord Blessed and Exalted is He said, censuring and rebuking the Christians: [At-Tawbah 9:31] This verse was difficult for some of the Companions, because they understood from it that the shirk of the polytheist Christians was only of the first type, which is shirk in lordship alone. One of them, 'Adi ibn Hatim al-Tai, who had been one of the few Christians who practiced the Christian religion at that time and who read and wrote, then Allah Mighty and Majestic guided him to Islam, so he embraced Islam, accompanied the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), and attended his gatherings. When the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) recited this verse to the Companions in one of those gatherings: to its end, 'Adi ibn Hatim was surprised, because he had been well-versed in the Christian religion. He said: O Messenger of Allah! We did not take them as lords besides Allah. It seemed he understood that when Allah Mighty and Majestic said: [At-Tawbah 9:31] it meant: they believe that they create along with Allah. The Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) clarified to him that the verse does not mean that, but rather that the Christians associated partners with Allah Mighty and Majestic when they took their priests and monks as legislators besides Allah Mighty and Majestic. Thus they fell into shirk, as if they believed that these were lords along with Allah who act in the universe as they please. That is what our Lord Mighty and Majestic intended in this verse.
The Messenger (peace be upon him) returned to 'Adi and said to him: By this verse and its explanation, it becomes clear that the rebuke does not include only those who appoint themselves as legislators, making things lawful and forbidden, permitting and prohibiting whatever they wish, without relying on the Shari'ah of Allah Mighty and Majestic in any of it. The rebuke is not directed at this legislator alone, but it also includes those who follow them and take them as legislators besides Allah Mighty and Majestic.
Perhaps this is among the meanings of the saying of Allah Mighty and Majestic regarding the polytheists: "And do not take any protectors besides Him." When a Muslim follows a person who forbids and permits, he has made him a protector (wali) whom he seeks help from besides Allah Mighty and Majestic. This is shirk that is not shirk in the essence, but rather shirk in servitude and in attributes. Therefore, the Muslim must be cautious. It may seem strange to say: the Muslim must be cautious about appointing himself a legislator along with Allah Mighty and Majestic, because we believe that no one among the Muslims legislates besides Allah Mighty and Majestic. Perhaps this is indeed the case.
But on the contrary, what is available and exists in abundance is taking legislators besides Allah Mighty and Majestic. This is what must be warned against with the utmost urgency, because many have been found who take protectors besides Allah who are legislators, forbidding and permitting. But those who follow them are even more numerous in many of the past centuries, especially in the present age when legislation and codification have become the nature of all ruling, controlling, and guiding states and their peoples and nations.
Therefore, in the present age, many Islamic writers and reformers have emphasized and warned against a Muslim becoming entangled in submitting to a legislator other than Allah Mighty and Majestic. Consequently, many of them have emphasized commanding the sincerity of worship for Allah Mighty and Majestic and legislation for Him, and attributing sovereignty to Him alone, Blessed and Exalted is He, with no partner.
Allah Mighty and Majestic rebukes the polytheists who used to forbid things on their own authority and permit other things in exchange for them on their own authority, by saying Mighty and Majestic:
Or have they other deities who have ordained for them a religion to which Allah has not consented?
أَمْ لَهُمْ شُرَكَاءُ شَرَعُوا لَهُمْ مِنَ الدِّينِ مَا لَمْ يَأْذَنْ بِهِ اللَّهُThey have taken their scholars and monks as lords besides Allah, and [also] the Messiah, the son of Mary
اتَّخَذُوا أَحْبَارَهُمْ وَرُهْبَانَهُمْ أَرْبَاباً مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ وَالْمَسِيحَ ابْنَ مَرْيَمَThey took their rabbis
اتَّخَذُوا أَحْبَارَهُمْThey have taken their scholars and monks as lords
اتَّخَذُوا أَحْبَارَهُمْ وَرُهْبَانَهُمْ أَرْبَاباًThe Messenger (peace be upon him) returned to 'Adi and said to him:
"Were you not such that when they forbade you something lawful, you forbade it, and when they permitted you something forbidden, you permitted it?" 'Adi said: "As for this, it used to be the case." The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "That is your taking them as lords besides Allah, Blessed and Exalted is He."
ألستم كنتم إذا حرموا لكم حلالاً حرمتموه، وإذا حللوا لكم حراماً حللتموه؟ قال عدي : أما هذا فقد كان، فقال صلى الله عليه وسلم: فذاك اتخاذكم إياهم أرباباً من دون الله تبارك وتعالىPerhaps this is among the meanings of the saying of Allah Mighty and Majestic regarding the polytheists: "And do not take any protectors besides Him." When a Muslim follows a person who forbids and permits, he has made him a protector (wali) whom he seeks help from besides Allah Mighty and Majestic. This is shirk that is not shirk in the essence, but rather shirk in servitude and in attributes. Therefore, the Muslim must be cautious. It may seem strange to say: the Muslim must be cautious about appointing himself a legislator along with Allah Mighty and Majestic, because we believe that no one among the Muslims legislates besides Allah Mighty and Majestic. Perhaps this is indeed the case.
But on the contrary, what is available and exists in abundance is taking legislators besides Allah Mighty and Majestic. This is what must be warned against with the utmost urgency, because many have been found who take protectors besides Allah who are legislators, forbidding and permitting. But those who follow them are even more numerous in many of the past centuries, especially in the present age when legislation and codification have become the nature of all ruling, controlling, and guiding states and their peoples and nations.
Therefore, in the present age, many Islamic writers and reformers have emphasized and warned against a Muslim becoming entangled in submitting to a legislator other than Allah Mighty and Majestic. Consequently, many of them have emphasized commanding the sincerity of worship for Allah Mighty and Majestic and legislation for Him, and attributing sovereignty to Him alone, Blessed and Exalted is He, with no partner.