Why Tawheed Comes First

Shaykh al-Albani was asked about a deeply troubling condition within the Muslim Ummah. The questioner described widespread ignorance of the correct Islamic creed, confusion in matters of belief, and disagreement over methodologies. Although sincere people were concerned by this reality and strongly desired reform, they differed over the paths by which reform should be pursued.

The question also drew attention to the many partisan movements and Islamic groups that had appeared over the decades. Each claimed to seek the rectification of the Ummah, yet they differed in their sources of creed and methodology. According to the questioner, they therefore failed to achieve success. Their adverse beliefs and methods instead became a cause of tribulation, disasters, and calamities, because they differed from the way of the Messenger and what he brought.

This conflict had a powerful effect upon Muslims, particularly the youth. They were left confused about how to understand and respond to these circumstances. The question therefore placed a serious responsibility upon Muslim callers and scholars: they must recognize the need to cling firmly to the prophetic methodology.

That methodology was described as following the path of the believers, represented by the understanding of the Companions, those who followed them in goodness, and the scholars of Islam. The scholar carries a great responsibility in confronting the situation and must play a part in its solution. Reform cannot rest merely upon a movement’s claim to rectification; its creed and method must conform to the prophetic way.

Against this background, Shaykh al-Albani was asked three urgent questions:

• What advice should be given concerning the followers of these movements and groups?
• What are the most effective ways of dealing with this situation?
• How can a Muslim absolve himself from Allah’s blame on the Day of Judgement?

The foundation of the requested solution was thus already made clear: callers and scholars must return to the prophetic methodology rather than adopting paths that depart from it.

Attention must be given to Tawheed first. This is the methodology of the Prophets and Messengers, and it provides the fundamental remedy for the confusion and painful condition found among Muslims.

The present situation is not identical to the condition of the Arabs during the Days of Jaahiliyyah. Prophet Muhammad was sent to them with the message whose perfection is now present, and there remains a clearly apparent group guided by that message and calling people to correct Islam in creed, worship, behavior, and methodology. Nevertheless, the condition of the Arabs in that era resembles the condition of many Muslim groups today.

The cure, therefore, is the same cure. Islamic callers should address misunderstanding of the meaning of “There is no god worthy of worship except Allah” in the same fundamental way that the Messenger addressed the first era of ignorance. The Messenger is the best example for treating the problems of Muslims in every time and place, as indicated by the Qur’anic description of the Messenger of Allah as an excellent example.

Following that example requires beginning where the Prophet began. The order is:

• First, rectify the beliefs of the Muslims. The starting point is correction rather than corruption in matters of belief, with Tawheed receiving the foremost attention.
• Second, rectify their worship. Sound worship follows the correction of belief.
• Third, rectify their manners. Conduct has its proper place after belief and worship.

This sequence must not be reversed in importance. Callers—and, more precisely, the scholars among the Muslims—should be mindful of it and give it serious concern. Calling others without adequate knowledge cannot supply what the caller himself does not possess. Reform must therefore proceed according to the prophetic order: belief first, worship second, and manners third.

The call to Tawheed was the foundation of the mission entrusted to the messengers. Allah states:

“We have certainly sent messengers to every nation, saying: ‘Worship Allah and abandon false deities.’”

Quran 16:36

This command identifies the first principle that callers must care for: worshipping Allah alone and abandoning everything falsely worshipped besides Him. To neglect this principle is to neglect the most important matter in the prophetic call.

The mission of Nooh, the first of the noble messengers, demonstrates the place of Tawheed with particular force. He lived for almost one thousand years and remained among his people for 950 years. Throughout that prolonged period, he focused his time and concern upon calling them to Tawheed.

His people shunned his call and urged one another to remain attached to their gods:

“And they have said: ‘You shall not leave your gods, nor shall you leave Wadd, nor Suwaa, nor Yaghooth, nor Ya’ooq nor Nasr.’”

Quran 71:23

These were the names of their idols. Their response shows that the dispute at the heart of Nooh’s mission concerned Tawheed: whether they would abandon false deities and direct worship to Allah.

This history determines the foremost concern of callers to Islam. Appropriate care and attention must always be given to Tawheed. The same priority is expressed in the divine command:

“Know that indeed there is no god worthy of worship except Allah.”

Quran 47:19

The example of every messenger, and the centuries-long effort of Nooh in particular, therefore establishes Tawheed as the fundamental principle with which Islamic callers must concern themselves.

The Sunnah of the Prophet demonstrated the priority of Tawheed through both action and teaching. During the Makkan period, his actions and Da’wah were mainly restricted to calling his people to worship Allah without partners. He therefore began his own call by directing people to the foundation of faith rather than beginning with other matters.

He also taught his Companions to follow this same order. In the hadith of Anas ibn Malik found in the two Sahihs, the Prophet sent Mu’adh ibn Jabal to Yemen and instructed him:

“Let this first matter that you call them with be the Shahaadah, that there is no god worthy of worship except Allaah, so that they will obey that.”

Mu’adh’s mission shows that beginning with Tawheed was not only the personal practice of the Messenger. It was also the method he expressly ordered his Companions to adopt when calling others. The first matter presented was the testimony that no god is worthy of worship except Allah.

The order is therefore consistent in both parts of the prophetic Sunnah described here. In practice, the Makkan call began with worshipping Allah alone. In teaching, Mu’adh was commanded to make the Shahadah the first matter of his call in Yemen. The Companions were ordered to begin with what the Prophet himself had begun with: the call to Tawheed.