With the permission of Allah, I will begin a series of translations and study notes specifically dedicated to the sisters, may Allah bless you all in this life and in the hereafter. These points of benefit will be taken from al-Fawaaid al-Muntaqaah min Sharh Kitaab-it-Tawheed (Selected Benefits from the Explanation of Kitaab-ut-Tawheed) derived from the well known explanation of our father and teacher ash-Shaykh Muhammad bin Saalih al-‘Uthaymeen, may Allah have mercy upon him. I will try to translate several benefits at a time and on other days a benefit or two depending on the length of the notes. I ask Allah to place this on my scale of good deeds and make this a means for me to enter paradise, indeed Allah is Most Generous and Able to do all things.
Benefit One
The Categories of Tawheed are three:
1 – Tawheed ar-Ruboobiyyah: and it is to single out Allah with being the creator, the owner of all the dominion, the one who controls all of the affairs of the universe.
2- Tawheed al-Uloohiyyah: and it is to single out Allah in worship.
3 – Tawheed al-Asmaa’ was-Sifaat: and it is to single out Allah by His Names and His Attributes without Tahreef (Distortion), Ta’teel (To deny Allah’s attributes), Takyeef (Saying how something is done), and Tamtheel (To compare Allah to the creation).
Therefore Tawheed has two issues connected to it:
1 – an-Nafyee (Negation) “Laa Ilaha” (There is no focal point worthy of worship)
2- al-Ithbaat (Affirmation) “Illa Allah” (Except for Allah)
Benefit Two
The decree of Allah (al-Qadhaa) consists of two categories:
1 – Kawnee (Having to do with the universe and all that is in it): This occurs by necessity. It consists of what Allah loves and what He does not love.
2 – Shar’ee (Having to do with the divine legislation): This consists of only what Allah loves. It occurs or it may not occur.
Issue: How is it that Allah decrees what He does not love?
Answer: That which Allah loves (al-Mahboob) consists of two categories:
1 – Mahboob li-Ghayrih : (Loved for something else) This is disliked within itself but loved because of the benefit and wisdom that is contained within. So it is loved to Allah from one aspect but disliked from another. This can be likened to the situation of the sick person and medicine whether it is cauterization (medical treatment by using a hot iron tip) or something else. It is loved from one aspect but disliked from another.
2 – Mahboob li-Dhaatih: (Loved within itself) There is no issue concerning this part of al-Mahboob (as it is understood).
Benefit Three
There are three types of Thulm (oppression):
1 – The oppression of mankind concerning the rights of Allah such as ash-Shirk and this is the greatest type of oppression.
2 – The oppression of mankind upon themselves such as one overburdening himself with something that he has no power of fulfilling.
3 – The oppression of mankind upon others such as murder without right and this is the greatest type of oppression concerning the right of a human being over another.
Benefit Four
Supplication (ad-Dua’aa) consists of two categories:
1 – What is known as Dua’aa-ul-‘Ibaadah (the supplication of worship): Directing the supplication to others besides Allah is considered Shirk Akbar (Major Polytheism). So whoever supplicates in a devotional manner to what is created then that person has committed Shirk Akbar.
2 – What is known as Dua’aa-ul-Mas’alah (the supplication of asking for something) which consists of three categories:
A - Supplicating to Allah Most High which is an act of worship.
B – Asking from someone besides Allah who is not able to carry out only what Allah can such as one who requests the dead feed him or requests that someone cure his illness, this is considered Shirk Akbar.
C – Asking someone besides Allah who is able to fulfill the request such as asking a living person to feed him, then this is permissible.
