The Two Fundamental Principles with regards to worship in Islaam

Shaykhul-Islaam Taqiyyu-deen Ahmad bin Taymiyyah al-Harraani ( رحمه الله تعالى )

These are the two great fundamental principles:

·       Firstly: We worship Allaah alone.

·       Secondly: We do not worship Him except with that which was legislated upon us, and we do not worship Him with innovated acts of worship.

These two foundations are the implementation of “I testify that none has the right to be worshipped except Allaah alone (in Truth) and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allaah.” 

Allaah, the Most High said:

لِيَبْلُوَكُمْ أَيُّكُمْ أَحْسَنُ عَمَلًا

“That He may test you which of you is best in deed.”[1]

Al-Fudayl bin ‘Iyaad said: who is sincere and correct in it. The action, if it is sincere but not correct, it is not accepted; if it is correct but not sincere, it is not accepted. It is only accepted when it is both sincere and correct – it is sincere when it is done for the sake of Allaah and correct when it is done in compliance to the Sunnah.

This is the actualization of the words of Allaah:

فَمَن كَانَ يَرْجُو لِقَاء رَبِّهِ فَلْيَعْمَلْ عَمَلًا صَالِحًا وَلَا يُشْرِكْ بِعِبَادَةِ رَبِّهِ أَحَدًا

“So whoever hopes for the Meeting with his Lord, let him work righteousness and associate none as a partner in the worship of his Lord.”[2]

And Ameerul-Mu’mineen Umar bin al-Khattaab used to say in his supplications: O Allaah! Make my actions in its entirety righteous and seeking thereby Your Face alone.

And Allaah, the Most High said:

أَمْ لَهُمْ شُرَكَاء شَرَعُوا لَهُم مِّنَ الدِّينِ مَا لَمْ يَأْذَن بِهِ اللَّهُ

“Or have they partners with Allaah (false gods), who have instituted for them a Religion which Allaah has not allowed.”[3]

And it is reported in as-Saheehayn on the authority of ‘A’ishah that the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said:

” مَنْ أَحْدَثَ فِي أَمْرِنَا هَذَا مَا لَيْسَ مِنْهُ فَهُوَ رَدٌّ “

“Whoever introduces into this affair of ours that which is not of it, it must be rejected.”[4]

And in the wording in as-Saheeh:

مَنْ عَمِلَ عَمَلًا لَيْسَ عَلَيْهِ أَمْرُنَا فَهُوَ رَدٌّ

“Whoever does an action that we have not commanded, it must be rejected.”[5]

And it is also recorded in as-Saheeh and other than it that Allaah, the Most High said:

أَنَا أَغْنَى الشُّرَكَاءِ عَنِ الشِّرْكِ، فَمَنْ عَمِلَ لِي عَمَلًا أَشْرَكَ فِيهِ، غَيْرِي فَأَنَا مِنْهُ بَرِيءٌ وَهُوَ لِلَّذِي أَشْرَكَ

“I am the One Who does not stand in need of a partner. If anyone does anything in which he associates partners with Me, I shall abandon him with one whom he associates with Allaah.”[6]

And it is due to this that the fuqaha say: al-‘Ibaadah (worship) is restricted upon tawqeef. It is recorded in as-Saheehayn that ‘Umar bin al−Khattab kissed the Black Stone and then said: “By Allaah, I know that you are a stone and that you can neither do any harm nor good; and if I were not to see Allah’s Messenger (صلى الله عليه وسلم) kissing you, I would not have kissed you.” By Allaah, Glorified is He from all imperfections, commanded us to follow and obey the Messenger (صلى الله عليه وسلم), to have allegiance to him and love him. And (He commanded us) to love Allaah and His Messenger above all others. And obeying and loving him entails loving Allaah and venerating Him. Allaah, the Most High, said:

قُلْ إِن كُنتُمْ تُحِبُّونَ اللّهَ فَاتَّبِعُونِي يُحْبِبْكُمُ اللّهُ وَيَغْفِرْ لَكُمْ ذُنُوبَكُمْ وَاللّهُ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ

 “Say (O Muhammad to mankind): “If You (really) love Allaah Then follow Me (i.e. Accept Islamic Monotheism, follow the Qur’an and the Sunnah), Allaah will love You and forgive You of Your sins. and Allaah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.”[7]

 And Allaah, the Most High, said:

وَإِن تُطِيعُوهُ تَهْتَدُوا

“If You obey him, You shall be on the Right Guidance.”[8]

And He, The Most High, also said:

وَمَن يُطِعِ اللّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ يُدْخِلْهُ جَنَّاتٍ تَجْرِي مِن تَحْتِهَا الأَنْهَارُ خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا وَذَلِكَ الْفَوْزُ الْعَظِيمُ

“And Whosoever obeys Allâh and his Messenger (Muhammad) will be admitted to Gardens under which rivers flow (in Paradise), to abide therein, and that will be the great success.”[9]

And the likes of this is many in the Qur’aan.

It is not upon any individual to go out of these limits set by the Sunnah and that which is legislated in the Sharee’ah; established by the Book and the Sunnah and that which the Salaf of this Ummah were upon.

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[1] Surah al-Mulk:02

[2] Surah al-Kahf:110

[3] Surah As-Shoora:21

[4] Bukhari and Muslim

[5] Muslim

[6] Muslim, Ibn Majah

[7] Surah al-Aala Imraan:31

[8] Surah al-Noor:54

[9] Surah an-Nisaa:13

Source: Majmoo ‘al-Fataawaa of Shaykhul-Islaam ibn Taymiyyah, Volume one, page 231-232 (Daarul-Wafaa, Mansoora, 3^rd Edition, 1426/2005)

Translated by: Aboo ‘Ubaydah Ahmad al-Maaldeefee