Conceptualizing At-Tawheed Ar-Rubuubiyyah

Thursday 22-Nov-2018, 4:43PM / 1300


Translation by Misbaah Olagunju Aboo 'Amaal

Tawheed in Ar-Rubuubiyyah is not to associate any other with Allah in three affairs: Al-Khalq, Al-Mulk and At-Tadbeer. 

Al-Khalq: Creation, Origination, Fashioning, Constitution

أَلَا لَهُ الْخَلْقُ وَالْأَمْرُ
"Surely, His is Creation and Commandment." - Al-A'raf: 54

Khalq is the first aspect of the Rubuubiyyah (Lordship) of Allah over His creation

Tawheed in Al-Khalq is to recognize that to Allah alone belongs the credit of true origination from nothing. No share of this is to be accorded to other than him, not to the partners associated with Him who are not capable of bringing forth a wing of a fly if they gathered for that sole purpose, and certainly not to man whose inventions are but the transformation of other products of His origination.

From the negation of tawheed in al-khalq is to accord other than Allah with the ability to give or end life, to deny or doubt resurrection, to follow the misguidance of shaytaan in altering Allah's creations and speaking vile of or abusing the features of His creatures. 

Instances of these is to mock Allah's promise to reconstitute decayed flesh and bones of man for recompense, and to pluck the eyebrows, separate the teeths, slit animals ears, and to abuse the physically challenged for their deformities.

To Allah belongs true origination, His command whenever He intends a thing is 'be' and then it is, He creates man and the actions of his hands, He is the fashioner, the best of creators. 


Al-Mulk: Dominance, Authority, Ownership, Possession, Reign 

وَلِلَّهِ مُلْكُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ
"And to Allah belongs the kingdom of the heavens and the earth." - Al-Jathiya 27

Al-Mulk is the second aspect of the Rubuubiyyah (Lordship) of Allah over His creation

Tawheed in Al-Mulk is to attest to the fact that to Allah alone belongs the all-inclusive ownership of the heavens and the earths with all within them, none share in anything of His authority over them, He holds the keys to their treasures and distribute from His superfluous bounty among His slaves as he deem fit. 

Disbelief in this aspect of Rubuubiyyah is to conceive that other than Allah have an authority over any portion of His dominion, therefore able to influence the distribution of it's provisions and impact the fate of others without Allah's permission.

From such conceptions is you blaming your misfortunes on enemies, your believe that someone hindered you from reaching your fortune, your turning to deities for provisions or to help with procreation, and your extravagant tribute to men of worldly worth and status for their possessions and positions.

For Allah alone is the true and all-inclusive possession of all that exist and His authority and control extends throughout His dominion unlike man whose authority is truncated by designations and even limited within them. Non among His creations owns nothing by themselves, only what they enjoy from Allah's provision, the self-sufficient and worthy of praise. 


At-Tadbeer - Administration, Control, Organization, Management, Disposition, Schematization

إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ
"Certainly, Allah has power over all things." - Al-Baqarah: 20

Tadbeer is the third aspect of the Rubuubiyyah (Lordship) of Allah after the first: Khalq (creation/origination) and the second: Mulk (dominance/ownership)

Tawheed in At-Tadbeer is the conviction and attestation to the sovereignty of Allah in His administration of the heavens and what it contains as well as the earths and all it harbours, He overseas both with His cognizance and the hearts of His slaves are between His fingers.

From the negations of Allah's administration is your notion which suggests that He have a mandate which He must comply to in His administration, such that you form an assumption that an event is bound to follow through in the occurrence of another specific event, giving administrative credit to other than Him and denying preordainment and rejecting His judgement.

From such assumption is: that two consecutive months cannot be 30 days, that fair skinned couples cannot give birth to dark skinned children, relying on meteorological data without taking into consideration Allah's will, cursing time and weather, your believe that some people are capable of holding back the rain or altering it's destination, and your statement of regret: "If I had done this or that, then so and so would/wouldn't have happened."

To Allah belong the administration of all that exist and He disposes them as He deems fit according to His Knowledge and Wisdom, lofty and free from the influences of His creations, and non can question His judgement, the mighty and sublime.


Adapted from:
Sharhu al-Aqeedati-l-Waasitiyyah l-ibn al-Uthaymeen 
Fathu-l-Majeed Sharhu Kitaabu-t-Tawheed l-ibn Hasan Aali-sh-Shaykh. 

For more Tawheed Topics, click here.