The Shaykh’s explanation of how to explain the oneness of worship and the oneness of lordship to those who have not heard the two testimonies.

The Shaykh : What I see regarding some of our brothers who wish to go out for the da'wah, the da'wah of the Book and the Sunnah, is that they should engage with the people to whom the da'wah has not yet reached, discussing the two testimonies: the testimony that Allah (Mighty and Majestic) is One, and the testimony that His Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) is a Messenger. It is well known that the first testimony requires a clear explanation of tawhid al-rububiyyah (oneness of lordship), tawhid al-uluhiyyah (oneness of worship), and tawhid al-asma' wa al-sifat (oneness of the names and attributes). These three categories must be discussed with some detail that does not pose a difficulty for people to understand. It is necessary to make these people understand that this testimony to Allah (Mighty and Majestic) that there is no god but He does not mean only His oneness in His essence, that He is the Creator alone with no partner. This is what this beautiful word implies, but it is not limited to that; it also means a second thing: that this Allah, the Creator, the Provider, the Giver of Life, the Giver of Death, is the only One who deserves to be worshipped, the only One who deserves to be worshipped without any other. Here, the da'iyah (caller to Islam) must address explaining the word "worship" and what it is. Many people mistakenly think that worship is only prayer. So when the preacher, the reminder, or the da'iyah says that "La ilaha illa Allah" means that no one should be worshipped alongside Allah, they understand it to mean that one does not pray to anyone other than Allah. They may expand slightly and understand that one does not prostrate to anyone other than Allah. Meanwhile, the scope of worship includes every act of worship that Allah (Mighty and Majestic) has legislated for Him. If a Muslim who testifies with his tongue that there is no god but Allah directs this worship to other than Allah, he has not established the oneness of Allah.

The Shaykh : I give a mild example that does not usually come to mind. There are some Sufi sects that, when they want to take someone or pledge allegiance to the Shaykh of the tariqah (Sufi order) to adopt the path, order him to shave his head. Shaving the head as an act of submission, obedience, and worship is for Allah; therefore, it was one of the rituals and ceremonies of Hajj. Shaving the hair in submission is an act of worship directed to other than Allah (Mighty and Majestic), let alone other issues. This is the issue in which people frequently fall, and it is shirk (associating partners with Allah): calling upon other than Allah, making vows to other than Allah, and slaughtering for other than Allah. These issues must be addressed, as we know that the majority of the general Muslim population are falling into them. This is with regard to the second category of tawhid, which is tawhid al-uluhiyyah (oneness of worship) or the oneness of worship.