Part 2BELIEF IN ALLAH’S RUBUBIYYAH WAS AFFIRMED BY THE MUSHRIKS WHILST THEY HAD KNOWLEDGE CONCERNING IT.The discussion thus far leads us to the following questions, did the mushriks believe in Tawheed Rububiyyah for Allah alone? Did they clearly know and accept the concept and consequences of Tawheed Rubibiyyah? The answer is yes as described below in opposition to the confusion spread by the two brothers.
Imam Uthaymin states:
“No one from amongst the people denied the rububiyyah of Allah except for the ones who did so not out of rejection but out of arrogance and opposing the truth after it was made clear. Such as Firawn but even concerning him Allah said,
“And they rejected them, while their [inner] selves were convinced thereof, out of injustice and haughtiness. So see how was the end of the corrupters.” (Surah al-Naml:14)
and
“[Musa] said, "You have already known that none has sent down these [signs] except the Lord of the heavens and the earth as evidence, and indeed I think, O Pharaoh, that you are destroyed." (Surah al-Isra:102)
[Sharh Usul al-Iman (pg.36), Dar Ibn Jawzi]
Even the Barailwi muffasir accepts whilst explaining the following ayat:
“The lightning almost snatches away their sight. Every time it lights [the way] for them, they walk therein; but when darkness comes over them, they stand [still]. And if Allah had willed, He could have taken away their hearing and their sight. Indeed, Allah is over all things competent. O mankind, worship your Lord, who created you and those before you, that you may become righteous, [He] who made for you the earth a bed [spread out] and the sky a ceiling and sent down from the sky, rain and brought forth thereby fruits as provision for you. So do not attribute to Allah equals while you know [that there is nothing similar to Him].[Surah al-Baqarah:20-22]
“This ayah shows that all of mankind accept Allah as their creator and even the mushriks of Makkah accepted this fact”
He adds:
“No one from amongst mankind [even Firawn who claimed rububiyyah for himself did so only on a limited basis claiming to be the sustainer of his people but not all of mankind], Jinn, angels, idol or stone have ever contended that they are the creators of the heavens and earth” [Tibyan ul-Quran, Ghulam Rasool Sa’eedi, [1:307]
(The note about firawn is from Sa’eedi himself)
Imam Ibn Katheer mentions the explanation of Ibn Abaas concerning ‘Then do not set up rivals unto Allah (in worship) while you know (that He Alone has the right to be worshipped),
وبه عن ابن عباس : ( فلا تجعلوا لله أندادا وأنتم تعلمون ) أي : لا تشركوا بالله غيره من الأنداد التي لا تنفع ولا تضر ، وأنتم تعلمون أنه لا رب لكم يرزقكم غيره وقد علمتم أن الذي يدعوكم إليه الرسول صلى الله عليه وسلم من توحيده هو الحق الذي لا شك فيه . وهكذا قال قتادة .
‘Ibn Abbas said it means, do not associate partners with Allah those that cannot benefit nor harm you. Yet YOU ALL KNOW that there is no other RABB that provides sustenance for you other than him and indeed you all KNOW that which the messenger invites you to the tawheed [worship] is the truth in which there is no doubt. This was also said by Qataadah.’ [Tafsir ibn Kathir [1:32]
Thus it is clear that the mushriks affirmed and had knowledge of Allah’s rububiyyah hence Allah uses it as an evidence to establish his oneness in worship [tawheed uluwhiyyah through it.
Fakhr al-Din al-Razi writes:
“Know that there is no one in the whole universe who ascribes a partner with Allah who is at the same level with Allah in existence (wujud), power (qudrah), knowledge (‘ilm), or wisdom (hikmah). Not one person until today has been found [who believes that anyone is on the same level as Allah] except the Zoroastrians…” [Tafsir al-Kabir [2:112]
This is the same Fakhr al Din al-Razi that Asrar referred to as Asharee and one whom he relies upon in aqidah, yet Asrar claims that the mushriks denied rububiyyah by saying the idols had qualities of Allah and were equal to him [as the two brothers also suggest in the article in question]. Yet Razi says the complete opposite saying that only the Zorastrians made such a claim.
The Deobandee mufti Taqi Usmani writes an explanatory note:
‘The pagans of Arabia used to admit that all this is created by no other than Allah. Still they used to worship other than Allah and associated partners with him’ [English translation of quran by Mufti Taqi Usmani Deobandee, the meanings of the noble quran with explanatory notes]
Allah says:
“Say (O Muhammad SAW): "Who provides for you from the sky and the earth? Or who owns hearing and sight? And who brings out the living from the dead and brings out the dead from the living? And who disposes the affairs?" They will say: "Allah." Say: "Will you not then be afraid of Allâh's Punishment (for setting up rivals in worship with Allah)?" [Surah Yunus:31]
Ibn Kathir states:
“Allah wanted to establish his rububiyyah and oneness upon the mushriks through these verses”, and “they say Allah, that is, they KNOW THAT [he is rabb] and acknowledge it” [Tafsir ibn Kathir [3:86]
Imam Sa’di mentions:
“Say to the mushriks using as evidence against them their belief in tawheed rububiyyah as to why they reject tawheed uluwhiyyah” [Taysir Karim al-Rahman Fi Tafsir Kalam al-Manaan [3:25]
The above Explanation about the mushriks knowing and accepting the rububiyyah of Allah is also given by the brewylwee in his tafseer. [Tibyan ul-Quran, Ghulam Rasool Sa’eedi [5:362]
Allah says:
“And most of them believe not in Allah except that they attribute partners unto Him [i.e. they are Mushrikûn –polytheists.” [Surah Yusuf:106]
Ibn Katheer states:
وقوله : ( وما يؤمن أكثرهم بالله إلا وهم مشركون ) قال ابن عباس : من إيمانهم ، إذا قيل لهم : من خلق السموات ؟ ومن خلق الأرض ؟ ومن خلق الجبال ؟ قالوا : " الله " ، وهم مشركون به . وكذا قال مجاهد ، وعطاء وعكرمة ، والشعبي ، وقتادة ، والضحاك ، وعبد الرحمن بن زيد بن أسلم .
وهكذا في الصحيحين أن المشركين كانوا يقولون في تلبيتهم : لبيك لا شريك لك ، إلا شريكا هو لك ، تملكه وما ملك . وفي الصحيح : أنهم كانوا إذا قالوا : " لبيك لا شريك لك " يقول رسول الله ، صلى الله عليه وسلم : " قد قد " ، أي حسب حسب ، لا تزيدوا على هذا .
Ibn `Abbas commented, "They have a part of faith, for when they are asked, `Who created the heavens Who created the earth Who created the mountains' They say, `Allah did.' Yet, they associate others with Him in worship.'' Similar is said by Mujahid, `Ata, `Ikrimah, Ash-Sha`bi, Qatadah, Ad-Dahhak and `Abdur-Rahman bin Zayd bin Aslam. In the Sahih, it is recorded that during the Hajj season, the idolators used to say in their Talbiyah: "Here we rush to Your service. You have no partners with You, except a partner with You Whom
You own but he owns not!''
Praise be to Allah it is clear to see that the likes of Ibn Kathir and the salaf, companions and others than them ascribed a part of faith to the mushriks and this was belief in Rububiyyah. In fact, Ibn Katheer goes further in explaining that there shirk was actually in setting up partners with Allah that they would use as intermediaries to get closer to Allah, whom they believed was the ultimate sustainer and sovereign. This destroys the doubts of the mushriks who invite others to shirk.
We refer to the tafseer of Imam Ibn Jarir to exactly what the salaf which Ibn Kathir listed said about this. He said:
قال ابن جریر في تفسیر ھذه الآیة: (( یقول تعالى ذكره: وما یقر أكثر ھؤلاء الذین وصف عز وجل صفتھم بقولھ: {وَكَأَیِّن مِّنْ ونَ عَلَیْھَا وَھُم عَنْھَا ُّ ءَآیَةٍ فِي السَّمَوَاتِ وَالأَرْضِ یَمُر (١ (مُّعْرِضُونَ} با أنَّھ خالقھ ورازقھ وخالق كل شيء إلا وھم بھ مشركون في عبادتھم الأوثان والأصنام واتخاذھم من دونھ أرباباً وزعمھم أنَّ لھ ولداً تعالى ا عما یقولون وبنحو الذي قلنا في ذلك قال أھل التأویل ... )). فروى عن ابن عباس أنَّھ قال: (( من إیمانھم إذا قیل لھم من خلق السماء، ومن خلق الأرض ومن خلق الجبال؟ قالوا: ا وھم مشركون )). وعن عكرمة أنَّھ قال: (( تسألھم من خلقھم ومن خلق السموات والأرض فیقولون ا فذلك إیمانھم با ،وھم یعبدون غیره )). وعن مجاھد قال: (( إیمانھم قولھم: ا خالقنا ویرزقنا ویمیتنا فھذا إیمان مع شرك عبادتھم غیره )). وعن عبد الرحمن بن زید بن أسلم قال: (( لیس أحد یعبد مع ا غیره إلا وھو مؤمن با ویعرف أنَّ ا ربھ، وأنَّ ا خالقھ ورازقھ وھو یشرك بھ، ألا ترى كیف قال إبراھیم: {أَفَرَءَیْتُم مَّا ٌّ لِّي إِلاَّ رَبَّ كُنتُمْ تَعْبُدُونَ أَنتُمْ وَءَابَآؤُكُمْ الأَقْدَمُونَ فَإِنَّھُمْ عَدُو ـــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــ (١ (سورة یوسف، الآیة ١٠٥ . القول السديد ٧٠ (١ (الْعَالَمِینَ } ، قد عرف أنَّھم یعبدون رب العالمین مع ما یعبدون، قال: فلیس أحد یشرك إلا وھو مؤمن بھ، ألا ترى كیف كانت العرب تلبي تقول لبیك اللھم لبیك لا شریك لك، إلا شریك (٢ (ھو لك، تملكھ وما ملك، المشركون كانوا یقولون ھذا ))
In summary ibn Jareer says they accepted Allah as there rabb [rububiyyah] yet they denied his oneness in directing all worship to him alone.
Ibn Abbas said they had a portion of faith. Ikrimah said that they had faith accompanied with shirk in worship.
Abdur-Rahman bin Zayd bin Aslam said ‘None worship others alongside Allah except that they have faith in Allah and that he is there RABB. Do you not see what the prophet Ibraheem said to the mushriks:
‘He said: "Do you observe that which you have been worshipping, "You and your ancient fathers? "Verily! they are enemies to me, save the Lord of the 'Alamîn (mankind, jinn and all that exists); “ [Surah al-Shura;75-77]. [Tafsir Ibn Jarir at-Tabari [7:89]
Praise be to Allah, how can the two brothers even dare to quote evidence contrary to this when the salaf are in clear opposition to them!
Furthermore, the two brothers rely heavily in there evidence below upon the tafseer of Ibn Jarir yet he is completely against them and accepts that the mushriks had faith in rububiyyah yet the two brothers use the same tafseer and make their own ijtihad, yet Ibn Jareer is far removed from them. Nowhere have the two brothers shown from the tafseer they quote that the mufassirs accept their stance. This is enough for the one who is seeking the truth!
Imam Baghawee comments upon the verse in his tafseer by saying:
مع هذا إن وجد منهم بعض الإيمان فلا { يُؤْمِنُ أَكْثَرُهُمْ بِاللَّهِ إِلَّا وَهُمْ مُشْرِكُونَ } فهم وإن أقروا بربوبية الله تعالى، وأنه الخالق الرازق المدبر لجميع الأمور، فإنهم يشركون في ألوهية الله وتوحيده، فهؤلاء الذين وصلوا إلى هذه الحال لم يبق عليهم إلا أن يحل بهم العذاب، ويفجأهم العقاب وهم آمنون.
‘They confirmed and accepted the rububiyyah of Allah, as they accepted him as creator, sustainer and the controller of all the affairs, instead they were disbelievers in the uluwhiyyah tawheed of Allah’ [Mu’alim al-Tanzil]
‘And If you were to ask them: "Who has created the heavens and the earth and subjected the sun and the moon?" They will surely reply: "Allah." How then are they deviating (as polytheists and disbelievers)’ [Surah al-Ankabut:61]
Imam Ibn Kathir comments:
يقول تعالى مقررا أنه لا إله إلا هو ; لأن المشركين - الذين يعبدون معه غيره - معترفون أنه المستقل بخلق السموات والأرض والشمس والقمر ، وتسخير الليل والنهار ، وأنه الخالق الرازق لعباده ، ومقدر آجالهم واختلافها واختلاف أرزاقهم ففاوت بينهم ، فمنهم الغني والفقير ، وهو العليم بما يصلح كلا منهم ، ومن يستحق الغنى ممن يستحق الفقر ، فذكر أنه المستبد بخلق الأشياء المتفرد بتدبيرها ، فإذا كان الأمر كذلك فلم يعبد غيره ؟ ولم يتوكل على غيره ؟ فكما أنه الواحد في ملكه فليكن الواحد في عبادته ، وكثيرا ما يقرر تعالى مقام الإلهية بالاعتراف بتوحيد الربوبية . وقد كان المشركون يعترفون بذلك ، كما كانوا يقولون في تلبيتهم : " لبيك لا شريك لك ، إلا شريكا هو لك ، تملكه وما ملك
“Allah states that there is no God but He. The idolaters who worshipped others besides Him recognized that He was the sole creator of the heavens and earth, the sun and the moon, alternating the night and day. They acknowledged that He was the Creator Who provided for His servants and decreed how long they should live. He made them and their provision different, so that some were rich and some were poor, and He knew best what was suitable for each of them, who deserved to be rich and who deserved to be poor. So, Allah stated that He has alone created everything, and that He alone is controlling them -- if this is how it is, then why worship anyone else Why put one's trust in anyone else Since dominion is His Alone, then let worship be for Him Alone. Allah often establishes His divinity by referring to their acknowledgement of His Unique Lordship, because the idolaters used to acknowledge His Lordship, as they said in their Talbiyah (during Hajj and `Umrah: "At Your service, You have no partner, except the partner that You have, and You possess him and whatever he has.''” [Tafsir Ibn Kathir [6:301]
So how will the two brothers escape from the fact that the imams of tafseer repeatedly confirm that that the mushrikeen had rububiyyah?
If it is said are there any verses in which the mushriks expressly confirmed Allah being the RABB so that no doubt remains then we say the following:
Allah says:
‘Say: "Whose is the earth and whosoever is therein? If you know!" (84) They will say: "It is Allâh's!" Say: "Will you not then remember?" Say: "Who is (the) RABB Lord of the seven heavens, and (the) [RABB] Lord of the Great Throne?"They will say: "Allah." Say: "Will you not then fear Allah (believe in His Oneness, obey Him, believe in the Resurrection and Recompense for every good or bad deed)?" [Surah al-Muminun:84-87]
Ibn Kathir comments:
يقرر تعالى وحدانيته ، واستقلاله بالخلق والتصرف والملك ، ليرشد إلى أنه الذي لا إله إلا هو ، ولا تنبغي العبادة إلا له وحده لا شريك له; ولهذا قال لرسوله محمد صلى الله عليه وسلم أن يقول للمشركين العابدين معه غيره ، المعترفين له بالربوبية ، وأنه لا شريك له فيها ، ومع هذا فقد أشركوا معه في الإلهية ، فعبدوا غيره معه ، مع اعترافهم أن الذين عبدوهم لا يخلقون شيئا ، ولا يملكون شيئا ، ولا يستبدون بشيء ، بل اعتقدوا أنهم يقربونهم إليه زلفى : ( ما نعبدهم إلا ليقربونا إلى الله زلفى ) [ الزمر : 3 ] ، فقال : ( قل لمن الأرض ومن فيها ) أي : من مالكها الذي خلقها ومن فيها من الحيوانات والنباتات والثمرات ، وسائر صنوف المخلوقات ( إن كنتم تعلمون )
“Allah states that the fact that He is One and that He is independent in His creation, control, dominion and guides one to realize that there is no God except Him and that none should be worshipped except Him Alone, with no partner or associate. He tells His Messenger Muhammad to say to the idolators who worship others besides Him, even though they admit His [RUBUBIYYAH] Lordship, that He has no partner in Lordship. But despite this they still attributed partners in divinity to Him, and worshipped others besides Him even though they recognized the fact that those whom they worshipped could not create anything, did not own anything, nor do they have any control over anything. However, they still believed that these creatures could bring them closer to Allah,
مَا نَعۡبُدُهُمۡ إِلَّا لِيُقَرِّبُونَآ إِلَى ٱللَّهِ زُلۡفَىٰٓ
(We worship them only that they may bring us near to Allah) (39:3). So Allah says:
قُل لِّمَنِ ٱلۡأَرۡضُ وَمَن فِيهَآ
(Say: "Whose is the earth and whosoever is therein'') meaning, "Who is the Owner Who has created it and whatever is in it of animals, plants, fruits and all other kinds of creation''
إِن ڪُنتُمۡ تَعۡلَمُونَ • سَيَقُولُونَ لِلَّهِۚ
("If you know!'' They will say: "It is Allah's!'') means, they will admit that this belongs to Allah Alone with no partner or associate. If that is the case,
قُلۡ أَفَلَا تَذَكَّرُونَ
(Say: "Will you not then remember'') that none should be worshipped except the Creator and Provider.” [Tafsir ibn Kathir]
So we can see that the mushriks expressly called allah there RABB and not only that they admitted that he was the lord of all creation and of the heavans, earth and mighty throne!! Indeed, there can reamin no doubt that they acknowledged an dbelieved allah to the rabb.