Is it true that it is said about the Salafis that they focus on matters of tawhid (the oneness of Allah), particularly the names and attributes, more than on other matters?

The questioner : It is rumored, or some Salafis are accused, that they are only interested in reading about tawhid (the oneness of Allah), and especially the names and attributes, more than anything else. Why is that?

The Shaykh : In this question, I actually notice a form of isolation (I'tizal), and I hope thatThe questioner : that was what was intended, and that it was not a shot fired by one who does not aim, as the saying goes, because it came at the end of the question more than anything else. So we say: You are right. The Salafi callers call Muslims to the foundation of Islam, which is tawhid (the oneness of Allah), more than to anything else that is far less important than that. This means that this question contains an indication that this is an error, if that is the case. Then the questioner is the one who is in error. Why? If we asked any one of those who hold a grudge against the Salafis for their focus on tawhid and what branches from it, such as fighting shirk (associating partners with Allah), idolatry, superstitions, and false beliefs, and if we said to these objectors: "What should we focus on more?" I challenge them to say that there is something more important than this. Yes, there are important and very important matters, and one person may not be able to call to them or understand them, nor even a group of people, but rather one group may not be able to do it, but rather groups. And as it was said: "If you seek knowledge greatly and your life is short in attaining it, you will miss the more important of it, then the more important." So if the Salafi caller cannot, for example, research politics and economics and things called in the present age and terminology, he cannot, because Allah has not given man a capacity that expands and a memory that expands to encompass everything that the Muslim community must know, so that one individual can encompass it all. This is impossible. And Allah Mighty and Majestic says: So every Muslim must perform his share of the obligations, especially if they are individual obligations (fard 'ayn). When he finishes them, he performs collective obligations (fard kifayah). As for why so-and-so works in such-and-such and does not work in such-and-such, that is an error. No one, no matter how well you think of him, can do everything that a Muslim must do. This is impossible, especially in the chapter of collective obligations (fard kifayah). For example, those we see working, for instance, in the area of Islamic politics. They claim, why? They do not care about reforming the beliefs of Muslims. An individual lives in their party and their group for a few years or more, then he comes out afterwards without understanding the creed, without understanding the meaning of "La ilaha illa Allah" (There is no god but Allah), which the Arabs understood in the early days of Islam while they were still in their disbelief and their misguidance, but after they understood it, they disbelieved in it, as Allah Mighty and Majestic related about them that they said: Many Muslims today do not understand this word. Why do these people work, they claim, in politics, and work, they claim, in education? Why do they not concern themselves with reforming the creed? Why do they not concern themselves with purifying Islam from what has entered it of weak and fabricated hadiths and deviant beliefs? Why? And why? These questions never end. We are content that if people like these perform their duty, we thank them for it, because this is one of the collective obligations (fard kifayah), but on the condition that they do not fight those people who say that they have devoted their lives to what? Calling to tawhid (the oneness of Allah). And this is a matter of some fairness. We have heard much, and we have even seen it printed in a message there in Jordan, where they say: "And what do the Salafis have except moving the finger, which is a sunnah (recommended practice), and hanging the small clock in the mosque, which is a bid'ah (religious innovation)?" And the one who writes this knows that these Salafis are addressing the most important issue of today, which the Islamic world needs: first, knowing Allah Mighty and Majestic in His worship and in His names and attributes; and second, singling out the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) in following him, excluding all people. This is the meaning of "La ilaha illa Allah, Muhammad rasul Allah" (There is no god but Allah, Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah). The Salafis, by the grace of Allah, whom Allah has blessed, call to this sincerity to Allah Mighty and Majestic, to His oneness, and to singling out the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) in following him, excluding others, even the prophets and messengers, let alone those below them, who are the scholars and the righteous. Perhaps you remember, and one thing reminds of another, the hadith of Jabir ibn 'Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with them both), which Imam Ahmad narrated in his Musnad and others: Who follows today? The masses of Muslims? Do they follow the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him)? It is regrettable to say frankly: Take any Shaykh (scholar) in whom you believe there is knowledge and say to him: "Describe to me how the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) used to pray so that I can pray his prayer." If he is fair, he will preempt you by saying, "My madhhab (school of jurisprudence) is Shafi'i," and if he is Hanafi, he will say, "My madhhab is Hanafi." If you ask him about the pillars of wudu' (the ablution for prayer) and the conditions of wudu', he will say, "I am Hanafi, there are four," and if he is Shafi'i, he will say, "There are six." My brother, show me how the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) used to perform wudu'. They do not know the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), and the connection, unfortunately, has been cut off between them and the Messenger. So they follow other than the Messenger in reality, while their duty was to single out the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) in following him, just as they single out Allah in worship, because this is the right of Allah, and His worship is exclusive to Him, with no partner, and this is the right of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), which is following him exclusively, with no partner in this following either. We do not find today the scholars of Muslims being sincere to the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) in following him; rather, they take many followers with him, and many of the followers are very many. So we call for making Muslims understand the reality of this testimony: "La ilaha illa Allah, Muhammad rasul Allah." Should those who work in what is below that in Islam not fight this call? Because their call is not worth, as we say in Syria, the skin of an onion, if they do not believe in this tawhid (the oneness of Allah) which Allah Blessed and Exalted has clarified in His Book and explained by His Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) in his Sunnah. Our Lord says: Today, hundreds of thousands of Muslims pray, not only the five prayers, but they pray while people are sleeping, and they perform Hajj (the major pilgrimage) to the House of Allah, the Sacred, and not only the Hajj of Islam, but they may perform Hajj every year. And yet, in the Sacred House of Allah, we hear shirk (associating partners with Allah) doing its work. What is the benefit of these acts of worship if our Lord Mighty and Majestic explicitly states in His Book, as you heard: "If you associate partners with Me, your deeds will be nullified," and He said Mighty and Majestic regarding the disbelievers: So if it is permissible for us to be proud that we call, in most of our matters, to tawhid (the oneness of Allah) and tawhid al-asma' wa al-sifat (oneness of the names and attributes), if it is permissible for us to be proud of that, then we are very proud of a text in the Qur'an: So the others should not fight this call, but rather submit to it, so that they may benefit from other efforts that are far, far below that call.