Ignorance or Bad Creed of the One Who Says There Is No Need to Study Tawhid
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Question:
Some people repeat that we are monotheists, so there is no need for us to study tawhid (the oneness of Allah). What is your opinion of this statement?
Answer:
Answer: We ask Allah for well-being. This is ignorance or bad creed. It is obligatory to study tawhid (the oneness of Allah), because what you do not know of it is more than what you know, if you have any knowledge of tawhid. Therefore, the scholars used to study tawhid from the time of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) until our time. They studied it in the mosques, they studied it in the schools, they studied it in their gatherings, and they authored books on it. A person should not purify himself and say, "I know tawhid." Many things may be hidden from you that, if you leave them or if you do them, would contradict tawhid. So you must know that and fear for yourself making a mistake in creed. And this is Ibrahim (peace be upon him) who said: "And keep me and my descendants away from worshipping idols," even though Ibrahim was the one who broke the idols and was tortured and harmed for that, and he was patient (peace be upon him). And despite this, he feared for himself lest a person be led astray. One does not purify himself and say, "No, I know, I am a believer, and I am not [one who worships idols]." This is not permissible. This is arrogance, and may Allah protect us from it. When the fitnah (trial, discord or temptation) comes, it encompasses everyone except whom Allah (Mighty and Majestic) has shown mercy, and it devours people except whom Allah has shown mercy and saved from it. A person fears for himself regarding fitnah, especially if he is ignorant of the matters of creed, for he will undoubtedly fall into it. He does not avoid shirk (associating partners with Allah) until he knows what shirk is and what its types are. He does not become a monotheist until he knows what tawhid is and what its types are, so that he is upon clear knowledge. As for the ignorant one, he is exposed to danger.
Some people repeat that we are monotheists, so there is no need for us to study tawhid (the oneness of Allah). What is your opinion of this statement?
Answer:
Answer: We ask Allah for well-being. This is ignorance or bad creed. It is obligatory to study tawhid (the oneness of Allah), because what you do not know of it is more than what you know, if you have any knowledge of tawhid. Therefore, the scholars used to study tawhid from the time of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) until our time. They studied it in the mosques, they studied it in the schools, they studied it in their gatherings, and they authored books on it. A person should not purify himself and say, "I know tawhid." Many things may be hidden from you that, if you leave them or if you do them, would contradict tawhid. So you must know that and fear for yourself making a mistake in creed. And this is Ibrahim (peace be upon him) who said: "And keep me and my descendants away from worshipping idols," even though Ibrahim was the one who broke the idols and was tortured and harmed for that, and he was patient (peace be upon him). And despite this, he feared for himself lest a person be led astray. One does not purify himself and say, "No, I know, I am a believer, and I am not [one who worships idols]." This is not permissible. This is arrogance, and may Allah protect us from it. When the fitnah (trial, discord or temptation) comes, it encompasses everyone except whom Allah (Mighty and Majestic) has shown mercy, and it devours people except whom Allah has shown mercy and saved from it. A person fears for himself regarding fitnah, especially if he is ignorant of the matters of creed, for he will undoubtedly fall into it. He does not avoid shirk (associating partners with Allah) until he knows what shirk is and what its types are. He does not become a monotheist until he knows what tawhid is and what its types are, so that he is upon clear knowledge. As for the ignorant one, he is exposed to danger.
Source
www.alfawzan.af.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.