Calling to Tawheed is the First Priority

[IHYA-US-SUNNAH]

Calling to Tawheed is the First Priority

From Ibn Abbas -Radhi Allaahu anhu- who said:  ‘When the Prophet -sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam- sent Mu’adh towards the people of Yemen, he -sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam- said to him:

‘Indeed you are going to a group from the people of the Book, so the first thing that you should call them to is that they single out Allaah –Ta’ala - alone with worship. So when they come to know this, then inform them that Allaah has obligated upon them five payers in their day and night, so when they pray, inform them that Allaah has obligated a Zakat from their wealth.  Which is taken from their rich and given to their poor. If they accept this, then take it from them and beware of taking the best wealth of the people.’  [Collected by Bukhari, Muslim & the books of Sunnan]

First things First :

Shaykh Salih al Fawzan said: ‘Beginning with first things first, is that firstly one should begin with correcting the Aqeedah, by commanding with having Ikhlaas (sincerity) for Allaah in worship, and prohibiting Shirk.

Then by ordering with establishing the prayer, and paying the Zakat, and fulfilling the obligatory duties and leaving the prohibited actions, as was the way of all the Prophets, like Allaah Ta’ala said: And verily, We have sent among every Ummah (nation) a Messenger (proclaiming): Worship Allaah (Alone), and avoid (or keep away from) Tâghût (all false deities, etc. i.e. do not worship Tâghût besides Allaah).[Nahl: 36]

And Allaah Ta’ala said:

وَمَا أَرْسَلْنَا مِنْ قَبْلِكَ مِنْ رَسُولٍ إِلَّا نُوحِي إِلَيْهِ أَنَّهُ لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا أَنَا فَاعْبُدُونِ

 

And We did not send any Messenger before you but We inspired him (saying): Lâ ilâha illa Ana [none has the right to be worshipped but I (Allaah)], so worship Me (Alone and none else).’ [Anbiyya: 25]

as well as many other Ayaat.

‘When the Prophet -sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam- sent Mu’adh towards the people of Yemen, he said to him:

‘Indeed you are going to a group from the people of the Book, so the first thing that you should call them to is that they single out Allaah –Ta’ala - alone with worship. So when they come to know this, then inform them that Allaah has obligated upon them five payers in their day and night…..’ To the end of the Hadeeth.

The best example is in the way and biography of the Prophet -sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam, and the most perfect Manhaj (methodology), whereby he -sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam- spent many years calling the people to Tawheed, and prohibiting them from Shirk, before he commanded them with the Prayer, Zakat, Fasting, Hajj and before he prohibited them from Ribaa (interest), stealing and murder.’

[From: The introduction to 'Manhaj al-Anbiyya Fee Dawa ila Allaah' by Shaykh Rabee al -Mudkhali p.7]

 The Sunnah in Practice & Teaching

Muhammad Nasir- Deen Al-Albaani (d.1420A.H) -Rahimullaah- said:

‘This was how the Sunnah of the Prophet -sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam- was in practice and in teaching.

As for his action: them this does not require research, since the Prophet’s -sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam- actions in the Makkan period and his Dawa’ was generally calling his people to the worship of Allaah and that He had no partners.

As for in teaching: then there is the Hadeeth of Anas bin Malik -Radhi Allaahu anhu-, which is mentioned in Bukhari and Muslim: that when the Prophet -sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam- sent Mu’adh to Yemen he said to him: ‘So the first thing that you should call them to is that they single out Allaah –Ta’ala - alone with worship. So when they come to know this…’ to the end of the Hadeeth, and this is well-known and famous, Inshallaah.

Therefore, the Prophet -sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam- ordered his companions to begin with what he began with, and that is Dawa’ to Tawheed.’

[From: ‘Tawheed awaalan Ya Duwaat al-Islaam’ by Al-Albaani p.10-11] 

The Obligation of Teaching Tawheed

 

Allaah Tabaraka wa Ta’ala said:

فَاعْلَمْ أَنَّهُ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَاسْتَغْفِرْ لِذَنبِكَ وَلِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَالْمُؤْمِنَاتِ

So know that Lâ ilâha ill-Allâh (none has the right to be worshipped but Allaah), and ask forgiveness for your sin, and also for (the sin of) believing men and believing women. [Muhammad: 19]

1 - Ibraheem at-Taymee (d. 72 A.H.) said:

'They (the Companions) used to recommend that a young child should learn what is said in the Salah (prayer), and the first Arabic words that he says are ‘La ilaha ‘illa Allaah’[‘There is None Worthy of Worship, in Truth, Except Allaah’]seven times, so that would be the first thing that he would have spoken with.

[Collected by AbdurRazzaq & Ibn Abi Shaybah]

 2 - From Jafar from his father who said: 'Ali bin al-Hussain used to teach his son saying: 'say: I have believed in Allaah and disbelieved in Taghoot (false deities). [Aamantu Billaahi wa Kafartu biTaghoot]' [Collected by Ibn Abi Shaybah]

3 - Shaykh Albaani said: ‘So O you Muslim, it is obligatory upon you, an individual obligation that you hasten to know and acquaint yourself with the pure Tawheed, and what nullifies it from Shirk. That is done by studying the Book of Allaah and the Sunnah of His Messenger -sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam.

Indeed whoever adheres to them will be successful, and whoever deviates away from it, becomes misguided.  Allaah’s help is sought.’ [From: ‘Hajjatul Nabee -sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam’ p.8]