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Kitaab At-Tawheed, Chapter: 30

" It is only Satan who suggests to you the fear of his awliyaa` [supporters and friends]. Do not fear them, but fear Me, if you are of the Believers" (Qur'an 3:175)

Because fear of Allah's creatures might cause the Muslims to refrain from supporting and raising the flag of Islam, Allah (swt ), Most High, informs us in this verse that any such fear which may enter our hearts is only the deception of Satan and his followers, that delegation often takes the form of spreading falsehood by various methods. Then Allah (swt ) commands the Muslims not to pay any heed to the whispers of these devils, but to fear Allah (swt ), Alone - if they are truthful in their belief, for fear of Allah must take precedence over any other fears.

1. The forbiddance of abandoning one's obligations due to fear of Allah's creatures.

2. The obligation to fear Allah, Alone, sincerely.

3. That fear of Allah is a sign of faith.

That it proves the obligation of fearing Allah (swt ) Alone, sincerely.

That the verse proves the obligation of fearing Allah (swt ), Alone, in sincerity; therefore, it is clear that fear is a form of worship and directing an act of worship to other than Allah (swt ) is shirk.

Fear consists of four kinds: (i) The fear that someone other than Allah (swt ) will cause one some form of illness, poverty or other misfortune by his power and will - whether he claimed that this was due to the feared one's independent power or because of his supposed position as an intercessor with Allah (swt ): This kind of fear is forbidden, for it equates the one who is feared with Allah (swt ), which is an act of major shirk; (ii) fear of one of Allah's creatures which leads the one in fear to seek a solution from that which has been forbidden, or to abandon his obligations; this is forbidden; (iii) fear of Allah's promised recompense for the disobedient: This type of fear is the highest level of faith; (iv) natural fear, such as the fear of another of Allah's creatures e.g. a lion, a snake, etc. Such fear is permissible.

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Allah (swt ), says:

" The mosques of Allah shall be maintained only by those who believe in Allah and the Last Day, offer prayers perfectly, give zakah and fear none but Allah: It is they who are most likely to be on true guidance" (Qur'an 9:18)

Allah (swt ), Most Glorified, Most High, tells us in this verse that, because the mosques are places of worship for the Muslims and centres of knowledge, leadership and guidance, He has placed the responsibility of their building and maintenance in obedience to Allah (swt ) and His Messenger (saas ) on the shoulders of the Muslims. He (swt ), Most High, adds that none should perform this duty except those who believe in the Oneness of Allah (swt ) and in the Day of Recompense and Accounting, who perform the obligations commanded by Allah (swt ) in the prescribed manner and do so purely for Him, Alone. Then He (swt ), Almighty, All-powerful, confirms that such people will be successful, by Allah's Will and His facilitation.

1. That the building and maintenance of mosques for the purpose of worship is a sign of faith.

2. The obligation to perform the five prayers correctly.

3. The obligation to give zakah to those who are entitled to it.

4. The obligation to fear and glorify Allah (swt ), Alone.

That the verse proves the obligation to fear and glorify Allah (swt ), Alone.

That the verse proves the obligation to fear and glorify Allah (swt ), Alone, therefore such fear and glorification is a form of worship and to direct such worship to other than Allah (swt ) is an act of shirk.

It has been said that by building and maintaining mosques, what is meant here is being responsible for their planning, financing supervision, regularly organizing teaching and lectures by scholars therein; and it has been said that what is intended is the physical construction, repair and maintenance, cleaning etc. But it is more correct to say that the verse covers both meanings, since they do not contradict each other.

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Allah (swt ), says:

" Then there are among men those who say: "We believe in Allah," but when they suffer affliction in Allah's cause, they treat men's oppression as if it were the punishment of Allah! And if help comes to you [oh, Muhammad] from your Lord, they will surely say: "We have [always] been with you!" Does not Allah know best all that is in the hearts of the `aalameen [the worlds of mankind and the jinn]?" (Qur'an 29:10)

Allah (swt ), Most High, informs us in this verse that some of the people (i.e. the hypocrites) affect to believe by their words, but when hurt comes to them from others because of their professed faith, they compare this temporary punishment of man to the lasting punishment of Allah (swt ) and abandon their faith. Then when Allah (swt ) aids his followers and slaves from among the Believers, and blesses them with victory and spoils, they affect to believe once more in order that they may receive a share of the spoils along with the believers. Then Allah (swt ) warns them that He (swt ) knows the hypocrisy that is in their hearts and that He (swt ) will recompense them for it.

1. Patience in the face of affliction borne for the sake of one's religion is a part of faith.

2. The forbiddance of hypocrisy in religion.

3. That it is the way of the hypocrite to flee from the enemy in terror when he advances, but to advance in avarice and greed when the enemy is in retreat.

That it proves the forbiddance of likening fear of Allah (swt ) with fear of His creation.

That it proves the obligation to place one's fear of Allah (swt ) above fear of His creation; this shows that fear is a form of worship, and directing worship to other than Allah (swt ) is shirk.

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It is reported on the authority of Abu Sa'eed Al-Khudri (ra ), in a marfoo' form that he said: "It is from a lack of certainty (of faith) that a person pleases people and by so doing, invokes Allah's Anger, and that he praises them for the livelihood which Allah (swt ) has given him and that he blames them for the things not bestowed by Allah (swt ). Not even the avarice of the greediest of people can bring Allah's Blessings, nor can the aversion of the one who hates it prevent it."

Abu Sa'eed informs us in this narration, which is attributable to the Prophet (saas ), that it is weakness of faith and uncertainty which causes a person to gratify people by his speech and actions at the expense of his religion, increasing their pleasure with him at the same time as they decrease Allah's Pleasure with them and thanking them for the blessings which Allah (swt ) has given them and holding them to blame for those blessings which Allah (swt ) does not ordain for him, forgetting that the One Who grants or withholds is Allah (swt ). Then Abu Sa'eed mentions that all bounty comes from Allah's Hand - He grants to whom He wills and He withholds from whom He wills, and that none can attract such bounty, even though he may be the most avaricious of people, nor can he withhold it from any, even though he may violently oppose it.

1. That faith may increase and decrease, strengthen and weaken.

2. That righteous deeds are a part of faith.

3. Confirmation of Allah's Divine Attribute of Anger.

4. The forbiddance of thanking people, if it is believed that the blessing came from them independently, without Allah's having ordained it.

5. The forbiddance of blaming people for what Allah (swt ) has not ordained for us.

6. That good and evil are ordained by Allah (swt ).

That it proves the prohibition of abandoning an obligation due to fear of men.

That the narration shows that fear is a form of worship, and directing worship to other than Allah (swt ) is shirk.

(a) This narration has some weakness in its sanad but other narrations strengthen and support it.

(b) There is no contradiction between this narration and the Hadith which states: "Whoever does not thank people does not thank Allah (swt )," because here what is intended is thanking people for doing something which was in their power and which they have in fact, done, such as giving financial aid; this is quite unlike thanking a person for making it rain or thanking him for making the sun shine. Also, it is forbidden to thank a person for something believing that he acted independently, without Allah having ordained it.

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On the authority of `A`ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) it is reported that Allah's Messenger (saas ) said:

"Whoever seeks Allah's Pleasure at the expense of men's displeasure, will win Allah's Pleasure and Allah (swt ) will cause men to be pleased with him. And whoever seeks to please men at the expense of Allah's Displeasure, will win the Displeasure of Allah (swt ) and Allah (swt ) will cause men to be displeased with him." (Narrated by Ibn Hibban in his Saheeh)

The Prophet (saas ) informs us in this Hadith that whoever sought Allah's Pleasure by obeying His Commands and abstaining from all of that which He has prohibited, without caring whether or not he pleased others and without paying heed to their insults and oppression, will achieve Allah's Pleasure and He will place love for that person in the hearts of mankind; but as for him who tried to please the people at the expense of his Religion, he will incur the Wrath of Allah (swt ), Most Glorified, Most High, and He (swt ) will place hate of that person in the hearts of the people as a punishment for him because of his bad intentions - one only has to look at the present situation in the Muslim world to see the truth of this.

1. Confirmation of Allah's Divine Attribute of Pleasure.

2. That adhering strictly to the tenets of the Religion will result in Allah's Pleasure.

3. The forbiddance of hypocrisy in religious matters.

4. Confirmation of Allah's Divine Attribute of Anger.

5. That hypocrisy in religious matters results in Allah's Anger.

6. That the love or hate in the heart is in Allah's Hands.

That it proves the forbiddance of abandoning obedience to Allah (swt ) due to fear of others or seeking to please them.

That the Hadith proves the obligation to fear Allah (swt ), Alone; this proves that fear is a form of worship and directing worship to other than Allah (swt ) is shirk.

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