Commentary on the division of tawhid (the oneness of Allah) into four categories, and whether tawhid al-hakimiyyah (the oneness of sovereignty) falls under tawhid al-rububiyyah (oneness of lordship) or tawhid al-uluhiyyah (oneness of worship)?

Al-Halali: There are some people who claim to belong to the groups of jihad and claim to be upon the methodology of the Salaf (the earliest generations). They divide tawhid (the oneness of Allah) into four categories: the three known to us, and they add to them what is called tawhid al-hakimiyyah (the oneness of sovereignty), making it a fourth category of tawhid. What is your response to this division? May Allah reward you. And where do we place the issue of ruling? Is it in tawhid al-rububiyyah (oneness of lordship) or in tawhid al-uluhiyyah (oneness of worship)?

The Shaykh : I believe that first, before I answer where we place it, the answer is in the saying of Allah the Exalted: So it is possible that this is the answer, meaning it is in lordship. But what I want to say is that if the intention behind this new term is not to be contentious and contrary to the old terminology, then every group may use whatever terms they wish. However, in addition to this, I say that I do not see it in the interest of the da'wah (calling others to Islam) to multiply the terms, because people will be confused by these terms. It is sufficient to ask: do we place it in lordship or in worship? Whether you put it here or put it there, the important thing is that the ruling belongs to Allah (Mighty and Majestic), and it is not for anyone to legislate what Allah (Blessed and Exalted is He) has not legislated. This is my answer to such a question.
Al-Halali: The intention behind such a term is for them to say that the scholars of the Salafi da'wah and the callers of the Salafi da'wah do not care about the issue of ruling?

The Shaykh : May Allah guide them. It is not that they recite the verse more than others. It is not that they do not care about this modern term; rather, they do not care about it. They deny anything that contains legislation that contradicts the Shari'ah (Islamic sacred law), whether it is small or large, whether it comes from a ruler or from a subject. They make no distinction whatsoever.
Al-Halali: Do those who say this limit the concept of sovereignty to the rulers?

The Shaykh : I have answered you, and we add to them.
Al-Halali: Sovereignty is broader for us than it is for people.

The Shaykh : I have answered you; we add to them. We do not distinguish between a ruler and a subject. Perhaps you remember, on this occasion, my story with one of the preachers in Damascus, one of these enthusiasts. His entire sermon was about "sovereignty belongs to Allah," this modern term. Today, I have no fanaticism against this term except regarding its consequences and what they build upon it. His entire sermon was around this topic, but the man is a young enthusiast who has no knowledge and no fiqh (Islamic jurisprudence). I noticed a contradiction with the Sunnah (the Prophet's way) in his sermon, though I do not remember it exactly now. After he finished the sermon and prayed, I went to him and greeted him, drawing his attention to his contradiction with the Sunnah. He said to me, "But I am a Hanafi." I said, "Subhan Allah (Glory be to Allah)! Your entire sermon was against this answer you are giving, or do you distinguish between a Muslim who brings a form of worship that Allah has not legislated, even if it is through ijtihad (independent legal reasoning)? There is nothing wrong with that? Here, sovereignty for other than Allah is fine? No, absolutely not." I said to him, "You have now completely contradicted the sermon you delivered." My intention is to say that they claim what is not theirs, and we practice what they claim and more. But they brought this term and made a great fuss, as they used to say in the past, "they raised the world and sat it down," and today they have developed it: they raised the world and... Yes, so the point is that our da'wah is much broader than their da'wah. Therefore, they made it their habit to deal only with the rulers, so they forgot themselves, and Allah made them forget themselves. Yes.

The questioner : I mean, our Shaykh, they have the name, and we have the substance.

The Shaykh : How?

The questioner : They care about the name, and we care about the substance of the name.

Another questioner : Tawhid al-hakimiyyah (the oneness of sovereignty)... with lordship or with worship? Your opinion is that you say it is the same whether it is included with lordship or with worship?

The Shaykh : What does it matter to you?

The questioner : Is it a question from me?

The Shaykh : I said earlier . The hadith of Hudhayfah is the answer. 'Adi ibn Hatim said, "O Messenger of Allah, we did not worship them." He said, He said, "Yes." He said, Is this the answer?