Bismillah.
I want to make this post about how optimal tawheed is achieved. I read and watched some videos by various scholars of Ahlus Sunnah wal Jammah and the formula that they all described for achieving optimal tawheed is the same across the board. Firstly, for those who are not aware, tawheed itself is the true belief in Allah (swt). Tawheed in a nutshell is one of the most important pillars of the deen. The first step in truly believing in Allah is by testifying that there is no God but Allah, and that Muhammad (saw) is His last and final Messenger. This is the shahadah, which every Muslim knows. In addition, there are some obligatory conditions that come along with the shahadah.
- Eliminating all shirk (associating partners with Allah (Swt)). Shirk is very difficult to eliminate due to the encompassing nature of it. Many people unknowingly commit hidden forms of shirk such as worshipping themselves. Hedonistic tendencies and lavish extravagance also come into this since the humanly desires take precedence at that point.
- Eliminating all bid’ah. Bid’ah are unfortunately very commonly found amongst our global Muslim ummah. These added toxins in our pure deen unfortunately cause a dent in achieving true tawheed since the very premise and basis of any bid’ah has no grounding in the Qur’an or Sunnah of the Prophet (saw). The job of the Muslim is to be woke and knowledgeable about the various bid’ah that people may be committing around them. Ignorance and lack of seriousness will ultimately lead to the creation of bid’ah.
- Minimizing and ultimately giving up sins is perhaps one of the most challenging things to achieve. As humans, we commit sins on a daily basis. Some people’s whole lives are consumed by sin, may Allah (swt) protect us from that type of lifestyle, ameen. However, as the Muslim slowly begins a transformation and grows closer to the deen, committing sins will become less attractive. Once the deen becomes cemented in a persons life, sins become harder and harder to commit due to the high levels of taqwa (God-consciousness) that individual will have. May Allah (swt) make us from amongst those who have high levels of taqwa, ameen.
Many scholars of the past describe another category of tawheed that includes actions of the heart, tongue, and limbs. The Muslim must have knowledge about how to achieve tawheed and must understand it’s concept. Each adult will be accountable for their knowledge about tawheed. Obeying the commandments of Allah (Swt) and the Prophet (saw) is required to achieve tawheed as well. This can be done by enjoining the good and forbidding the evil.
The more a person achieves these things, the stronger will be his Tawheed and the greater will be his reward.
Our Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) has explained to us that the one who attains the highest level of Tawheed is the one who is promised that he will be with the seventy thousand who will enter Paradise without being brought to account – we ask Allaah of His bounty.
In Sahih al-Bukhari Sahih Muslim it is narrated that Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) said:
The Messenger of Allah (saw) said: “The nations were shown to me and I saw a Prophet with a group of men, a Prophet with one or two men, and a Prophet with no one with him. Then a huge crowd was shown to me, and I thought that they were my ummah, but it was said to me, ‘This is Musa and his people. But look at the horizon.’ I looked, and there was a huge crowd. Then it was said to me: ‘Look at the other horizon,’ and there was (another) huge crowd. It was said to me: ‘This is your ummah, and among them are seventy thousand who will enter Jannah without being called to account or punished.’”
Then he got up and went into his house, and the people started discussing those who would enter Jannah without being called to account or being punished. Some of them said: Perhaps they are the ones who accompanied the Messenger of Allah (saw). Some said: Perhaps they are those who were born in Islam and did not associate anything with Allah (swt). And they mentioned several ideas. Then the Messenger of Allah (saw) came out and said: “What are you discussing?” They told him, and he said: “They are the ones who did not perform ruqyah or ask others to do so, and did not believe in omens, and did not use cautery, and they put their trust in their Lord.” Ukkaashah ibn Mihsan stood up and said: Pray to Allah (swt) to make me one of them. He said: “You will be one of them.” Another man stood up and said: Pray to Allah (swt) to make me one of them. He said: “Ukkaashah has beaten you to it.”
~Sahih Bukhari & Sahih Muslim
Achieving the highest level of tawheed cannot be achieved by simply wishing or pretending. Empty claims and false actions that have no inner belief in Allah (swt) will not achieve ihsan. Ihsan and tawheed is achieved through firm faith, good attitude, patience, and righteous deeds. Muslims must be quick to take advantage of their time and be haste in doing good deeds and acts of worship.
My Daily Deen 