Section 6: Explanation of the Pillars of True Worship

Worship rests upon three pillars; these are: Love, Fear and Hope. Love must be accompanied by submissiveness, and fear by hope. These things must be present. Allah, while describing His believing slaves, said: i P “...whom He will love and they will love Him...” (Qur’an 5:54) He also said: “...But those who believe love Allah more (than anything else)... ” He also said, while describing His Messengers and Prophets: “...Verily, they used to hasten on to do good deeds, and they used to call on Us with hope and fear, and used to humble themselves before One of the Salaf said: “Whoever worships Allah with love alone, is a heretic. Whoever worships Him with hope alone is a Murji ’a. ” Also whoever worships Him 22 Members of a deviant sect. who believe that faith neither increases nor decreases, and that being a Muslim, renders one immune from Allah's punishment, regardless of one’s sins. So, they do not fear Allah’s punishment. (TN) with fear alone is one of the Khawarij n However, the one who worships Allah with love, fear and hope is the true Believer and Monotheist.” Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah has mentioned this in his treatise ‘al- 'Ubudiyyah'. He also said: ‘The religion of Allah is worship, obedience and humility to Him (Alone). The etymological meaning of'Ibadah (worship) is submission. A path is ‘abbad if it has been prepared and severally stepped upon. However, the worship which is enjoined, involves the meaning of humility and the meaning of love. Therefore, it encompasses perfect humility to Allah - the Most High - and perfect love for Him. One who humbles himself to a person though he hates him, is not a slave to him. Also, if he loves something but is not subservient to it, he is not a slave to it. This is similar to the love a man has for his children and his friends. Therefore, either of the two does not suffice in the worship of Allah - the Most High. Rather, it is mandatory that Allah is more beloved to a slave than everything else and greater than every other thing to him. ‘The worship of the Gracious Lord is perfect love and humility of the slave, these are its two axes, and upon them the orbit of worship revolves. It revolved not until the (two) axes were established. Its steering is by command; the command of His Messenger (31), not by whims, desires and the devil.' He likened the revolution of worship love and humility to the Beloved, Allah, Honored and Glorious, with the revolution of an orbit on its axes. He also mentioned that the revolution of the orbit of worship is by the command of the Messenger and what he has legislated, not by whims, or the whisperings of the soul and the devil. This is not worship. Whatever the Messenger has legislated is what makes the orbit of worship revolve; innovations, deviations, desires and blind followership of one’s ancestors, do not make it revolve. 23 Members of a deviant sect, who believe that one who commits a major sin is an unbeliever and will dwell forever in the Hell. (TN) ‘at al-Tawhid an-Najdiyyah, pg. 549 2.3. Tawhid-ul Asma’ was-Siffat (Oneness of His Names and This consists of the following: Section 1: Evidences from the Qur’an, Sunnah and reasoning to establish the Names and Attributes (of Allah). Section 2: The methodology of the Ahl-us-Sunnah with regards to the Names and Attributes of Allah. Section 3: Refutation of those who deny the Names and Attributes (of Allah) or deny a part thereof.