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Belief in the oneness of Allah is the most important article of faith. Oneness of Allah means Tauheed, which is the foundation of Islam. Thus, the Quran mentions this belief as an act of righteousness in Surah al-Baqarah:
“It is righteousness to believe in Allah…..” (2:177)
God alone is the Supreme Being of this universe. He is the one and the only to be worshipped as there is no god but Allah. The Quran in many places testifies this fact:
“There is no god but He” (2:255)
“Worship God! You have no other god but Him” (7:59)
God is unique and matchless in nature, person and attributes. As for the nature and person of God, we simply can not imagine as it is beyond our comprehension. Many Surahs mentions this unique nature of God, such as, (2:255), (42:11) but Surah al-Ikhlas best sums up this:
“Say, He is Allah the one, Allah the eternal, the absolute. He beget not, nor is he begotten and there is no one like Him” (112)
By believing in the oneness of Allah and Muhammad (pbuh) as his last messenger, a person enters the folds of Islam:
“There is no god but Allah and Muhammad (pbuh) is the messenger of Allah”
God is the Creator and Sustainer of all known and unknown worlds. He alone is the king and Lord of the entire universe as He needs no assistance in maintaining this unbounded domain. Surah al-Nas mentions:
“Say I seek refuge with the Lord of mankind, the King of mankind, the god of mankind” (114:1-3)
God’s knowledge is unlimited and infinite. He has knowledge of all time. He knows everything that is hidden, as the Quran states:
He knows whatever is on the earth and in the sea. Not a single leaf falls but with His knowledge” (6:59)
God is ever living (immortal) and is free from the clutches of time and space. The Quran in this regard says:
“He is the first and the last” (57:3)
The Jews and the Christians believe that Harzat Isa was the son of Allah, but the fact is the God has no family tree or progeny. He has no ascendants, descendents or consorts. The Quran proves this:
“How can He have a son when He has no consort” (6:101)
It is also believed by Muslims that God alone is the source of mercy and guidance, as mentioned in Surah al-Fatiha. He is the sole source of help and protection, as Surah 113 and 114 mention God’s refuge (help/protection) against external and internal evil. God has the power to bring an end to time and make us all stand accountable before Him:
“Master of the Day of Judgement” (1:4)
Thus, this article is the core of all Islamic teachings; any form or degree of associating partners with God is called ‘Shirk’, which is the only unpardonable sin, as mentioned in (4:48). The Holy Prophet (pbuh) himself said:
“Shirk is the greatest of all sins” (Hadith)
Pillars
Summary Of Haj
A Summary of What The Pilgrims Do In Hajj (METHOD OF HAJJ)1 – The pilgrim should enter ihraam on the eighth day of Dhu’l-Hijjah from Makkah or its environs within the sanctuary. When entering ihraam for Hajj he should do what he did when entering ihraam for ‘Umrah: ghusl (full ablution), putting on perfume and praying. He should form the intention of entering ihraam for Hajj and recite the Talbiyah.
The Talbiyah for Hajj is the same as the Talbiyah for ‘Umrah, except that one should say here “Labbayka hajjan (Here I am for Hajj)” instead of “Labbayka ‘umratan (Here I am for ‘Umrah).” If he fears that some obstacle may prevent him from completing Hajj, he should stipulate a condition and say: “If something prevents me (from completing Hajj) I will exit ihraam at the point where I am prevented (from continuing).” If he is not afraid of any obstacle then he does not need to stipulate any condition.2 – Then he should go to Mina and stay there overnight, and offer five prayers there: Zuhr, ‘Asr, Maghrib, ‘Isha’ and Fajr.3 – When the sun rises on the ninth day he should proceed to ‘Arafah and pray Zuhr and ‘Asr together there, shortened, at the time of Zuhr. Then he should strive in du’aa’, dhikr and prayers for forgiveness until the sun sets.4 – When the sun sets, he should proceed to Muzdalifah and pray Maghrib and ‘Isha’ there when he arrives. Then he should stay there overnight until he prays Fajr, and remember Him and call upon Him until just before sunrise.5 – Then he should move on to Mina to stone Jamrat al-‘Aqabah which is the last pillar that is closest to Makkah, throwing seven pebbles one after another, each one approximately the size of a date stone, saying takbeer (“Allaahu akbar”) with each throw.6 – Then he should slaughter the hadiy (sacrificial animal), namely a sheep or one-seventh of a camel or one-seventh of a cow.7 – Then he should shave his head if he is male; women should cut their hair but not shave it, taking off the length of a fingertip from all parts of their hair.8 – Then he should go to Makkah and perform the tawaaf of Hajj.9 – Then he should go back to Mina and stay there for those nights, namely the nights of the eleventh and twelfth of Dhu’l-Hijjah, and stone the three Jamaraat (stone pillars) after the sun has passed its zenith, throwing seven pebbles, one after another, at each, starting with the smallest pillar – which is the one that is furthest away from Makkah, then the middle pillar. He should recite du’aa’ after both, then he should stone Jamrat al-‘Aqabah, after which there is no du’aa’.10 – When he has finished stoning the pillars on the twelfth of Dhu’l-Hijjah, if he wishes he may hasten and leave Mina, and if he wishes he may delay (his departure) and stay there on the night of the thirteenth and stone the three Jamaraat after the sun passes its zenith. It is better to delay and stay longer, but it is not obligatory unless the sun sets on the twelfth and one is still in Mina, in which case it becomes obligatory to stay until one stones the three jamaraat after the sun passes its zenith. But if the sun sets on the twelfth day and a person is still in Mina but not by choice, such as if he had packed his bags and got into the bus or truck, but was delayed because of overcrowding and traffic jams, then he does not have to stay, because his staying until after sunset was involuntary.11 – Once those days are over and the pilgrim wants to leave, he must not leave until he has performed the farewell tawaaf, going around the Ka’bah seven times. Women who are menstruating or bleeding following childbirth d o not have to do this farewell tawaaf.12 – If the pilgrim is performing a voluntary Hajj on behalf of another person, whether a relative or otherwise, then he has to have done Hajj for himself before that. There is no difference in the way he performs Hajj apart from the intention, i.e., he should form the intention of performing this Hajj on behalf of that person, mentioning him by name in the Talbiyah and saying, “Labbayk ‘an [fulaan] (Here I am on behalf of [So and so]).” Then when he says du’aa’ during the rituals he should pray for himself and for the person on whose behalf he is performing Hajj.
The Talbiyah for Hajj is the same as the Talbiyah for ‘Umrah, except that one should say here “Labbayka hajjan (Here I am for Hajj)” instead of “Labbayka ‘umratan (Here I am for ‘Umrah).” If he fears that some obstacle may prevent him from completing Hajj, he should stipulate a condition and say: “If something prevents me (from completing Hajj) I will exit ihraam at the point where I am prevented (from continuing).” If he is not afraid of any obstacle then he does not need to stipulate any condition.2 – Then he should go to Mina and stay there overnight, and offer five prayers there: Zuhr, ‘Asr, Maghrib, ‘Isha’ and Fajr.3 – When the sun rises on the ninth day he should proceed to ‘Arafah and pray Zuhr and ‘Asr together there, shortened, at the time of Zuhr. Then he should strive in du’aa’, dhikr and prayers for forgiveness until the sun sets.4 – When the sun sets, he should proceed to Muzdalifah and pray Maghrib and ‘Isha’ there when he arrives. Then he should stay there overnight until he prays Fajr, and remember Him and call upon Him until just before sunrise.5 – Then he should move on to Mina to stone Jamrat al-‘Aqabah which is the last pillar that is closest to Makkah, throwing seven pebbles one after another, each one approximately the size of a date stone, saying takbeer (“Allaahu akbar”) with each throw.6 – Then he should slaughter the hadiy (sacrificial animal), namely a sheep or one-seventh of a camel or one-seventh of a cow.7 – Then he should shave his head if he is male; women should cut their hair but not shave it, taking off the length of a fingertip from all parts of their hair.8 – Then he should go to Makkah and perform the tawaaf of Hajj.9 – Then he should go back to Mina and stay there for those nights, namely the nights of the eleventh and twelfth of Dhu’l-Hijjah, and stone the three Jamaraat (stone pillars) after the sun has passed its zenith, throwing seven pebbles, one after another, at each, starting with the smallest pillar – which is the one that is furthest away from Makkah, then the middle pillar. He should recite du’aa’ after both, then he should stone Jamrat al-‘Aqabah, after which there is no du’aa’.10 – When he has finished stoning the pillars on the twelfth of Dhu’l-Hijjah, if he wishes he may hasten and leave Mina, and if he wishes he may delay (his departure) and stay there on the night of the thirteenth and stone the three Jamaraat after the sun passes its zenith. It is better to delay and stay longer, but it is not obligatory unless the sun sets on the twelfth and one is still in Mina, in which case it becomes obligatory to stay until one stones the three jamaraat after the sun passes its zenith. But if the sun sets on the twelfth day and a person is still in Mina but not by choice, such as if he had packed his bags and got into the bus or truck, but was delayed because of overcrowding and traffic jams, then he does not have to stay, because his staying until after sunset was involuntary.11 – Once those days are over and the pilgrim wants to leave, he must not leave until he has performed the farewell tawaaf, going around the Ka’bah seven times. Women who are menstruating or bleeding following childbirth d o not have to do this farewell tawaaf.12 – If the pilgrim is performing a voluntary Hajj on behalf of another person, whether a relative or otherwise, then he has to have done Hajj for himself before that. There is no difference in the way he performs Hajj apart from the intention, i.e., he should form the intention of performing this Hajj on behalf of that person, mentioning him by name in the Talbiyah and saying, “Labbayk ‘an [fulaan] (Here I am on behalf of [So and so]).” Then when he says du’aa’ during the rituals he should pray for himself and for the person on whose behalf he is performing Hajj.
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