The Command to call upon Allah By His grace and kindness, وَقَالَ رَبُّكُمُ And your Lord said: Allah encourages His servants to call upon Him, and He guarantees to respond. Sufyan Ath-Thawri used to say: O You Who love most those who ask of You, and O You Who hate most those who do not ask of You, and there is no one like that apart from You, O Lord. This was recorded by Ibn Abi Hatim. Similarly; the poet said: Allah hates not to be asked, and the son of Adam hates to be asked. Qatadah said that Ka`b Al-Ahbar said, This Ummah has been given three things which were not given to any nation before, only to Prophets. When Allah sent a Prophet, He said to him, `You are a witness over your nation.' But you have been made witnesses over mankind; it was said to the Prophets individually, `Allah has not laid upon you any hardship in religion,' but He said to this entire Ummah: وَمَا جَعَلَ عَلَيْكمْ فِى الدِّينِ مِنْ حَرَجٍ (and (Allah) has not laid upon you in religion any hardship), (22:78) and it was said to the Prophets individually; `Call upon Me, I will answer you,' but it was said to this Ummah, ادْعُونِي أَسْتَجِبْ لَكُم (Call upon Me, I will answer you). This was recorded by Ibn Abi Hatim. Imam Ahmad recorded that Al-Nu`man bin Bashir, may Allah be pleased with him, said, The Messenger of Allah said: إِنَّ الدُّعَاءَ هُوَ الْعِبَادَة Indeed the supplication is the worship. Then he recited, وَقَالَ رَبُّكُمُ ادْعُونِي أَسْتَجِبْ لَكُمْ إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يَسْتَكْبِرُونَ عَنْ عِبَادَتِي سَيَدْخُلُونَ جَهَنَّمَ دَاخِرِينَ And your Lord said:Call upon Me, I will answer you. Verily, those who scorn My worship they will surely enter Hell in humiliation!. This was also recorded by the Sunan compilers; At-Tirmdhi, An-Nasa'i, Ibn Majah, and Ibn Abi Hatim and Ibn Jarir. At-Tirmidhi said, Hasan Sahih. It was also recorded by Abu Dawud, At-Tirmidhi, An-Nasa'i, and Ibn Jarir with a different chain of narration. Allah's saying: إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يَسْتَكْبِرُونَ عَنْ عِبَادَتِي Verily, those who scorn My worship, means, `those who are too proud to call on Me and single Me out,' سَيَدْخُلُونَ جَهَنَّمَ دَاخِرِينَ they will surely enter Hell in humiliation! means, in disgrace and insignificance. Imam Ahmad recorded from `Amr bin Shu`ayb from his father, from his grandfather that the Prophet said: يُحْشَرُ الْمُتَكَبِّرُونَ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ أَمْثَالَ الذَّرِّ فِي صُوَرِ النَّاسِ يَعْلُوهُمْ كُلُّ شَيْءٍ مِنَ الصَّغَارِ حَتْى يَدْخُلُوا سِجْنًا فِي جَهَنَّمَ يُقَالُ لَهُ بُولَسُ تَعْلُوهُمْ نَارُ الاْنْيَارِ يُسْقَوْنَ مِنْ طِينَةِ الْخَبَالِ عُصَارَةِ أَهْلِ النَّار The proud will be gathered on the Day of Resurrection like ants in the image of people, and everything will be stepping on them, humiliating them, until they enter a prison in Hell called Bulas. They will be fed flames of fire, and given for drink a paste of insanity dripping from the people the Fire. Signs of the Power and Oneness of Allah Allah the exalted say; اللَّهُ الَّذِي جَعَلَ لَكُمُ اللَّيْلَ لِتَسْكُنُوا فِيهِ وَالنَّهَارَ مُبْصِرًا Allah, it is He Who has made the night for you that you may rest therein and the day for you to see. Allah reminds us of His grace towards His creation in that He has given them the night in which they rest and relax from their activities so that they can go back to them for their livelihood during the day. He has given them the day with its light, so that they can undertake their journeys and engage in their business. إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَذُو فَضْلٍ عَلَى النَّاسِ وَلَكِنَّ أَكْثَرَ النَّاسِ لَا يَشْكُرُونَ Truly, Allah is full of bounty to mankind; yet, most of mankind give no thanks. means, they do not express gratitude for the favors which Allah bestows upon them. Then Allah says ذَلِكُمُ اللَّهُ رَبُّكُمْ خَالِقُ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ لاَّ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ هُوَ That is Allah, your Lord, the Creator of all things, La ilaha illa Huwa. means, the One Who does all of these things is Allah, the One, the Unique, the Creator of all things, besides Whom there is no other god or lord. فَأَنَّى تُوْفَكُونَ How then are you turning away? means, `how can you worship idols which cannot create anything but are themselves hand-made and carved?' كَذَلِكَ يُوْفَكُ الَّذِينَ كَانُوا بِأيَاتِ اللَّهِ يَجْحَدُونَ Thus were turned away those who used to deny the Ayat of Allah. means, just as these people (Quraysh) were led astray by their worship of gods other than Allah, those who came before them also disbelieved and worshipped others, with no proof or evidence, but on the basis of ignorance and desires. They denied the signs and proof of Allah اللَّهُ الَّذِي جَعَلَ لَكُمُ الاَْرْضَ قَرَارًا Allah, it is He Who has made for you the earth as a dwelling place, means, `He made it stable and spread it out for you, so that you might live on it and travel about in it; He strengthened it with the mountains so that it does not shake with you.' وَالسَّمَاء بِنَاء and the sky as a canopy, means, `a roof covering and protecting the world.' وَصَوَّرَكُمْ فَأَحْسَنَ صُوَرَكُمْ and has given you shape and made your shapes good, means, `He created you in the best and most perfect form.' وَرَزَقَكُم مِّنَ الطَّيِّبَاتِ and has provided you with good and pure things. means, of food and drink in this world. Allah states that that He is the Creator of the dwelling place and of the inhabitants and of the provision; He is the Creator and Provider, as He says in Surah Al-Baqarah: يَـأَيُّهَا النَّاسُ اعْبُدُواْ رَبَّكُمُ الَّذِىْ خَلَقَكُمْ وَالَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَتَّقُونَ الَّذِى جَعَلَ لَكُمُ الاٌّرْضَ فِرَاشاً وَالسَّمَأءَ بِنَأءً وَأَنزَلَ مِنَ السَّمَأءِ مَأءً فَأَخْرَجَ بِهِ مِنَ الثَّمَرَتِ رِزْقاً لَّكُمْ فَلَ تَجْعَلُواْ للَّهِ أَندَاداً وَأَنتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ O mankind! Worship your Lord (Allah), Who created you and those who were before you so that you may have Taqwa. Who has made the earth a resting place for you, and the sky as a canopy, and sent down water (rain) from the sky and brought forth therewith fruits as a provision for you. Then do not set up rivals unto Allah while you know. (2:21-22) And here Allah says, after mentioning the creation of all these things: ذَلِكُمُ اللَّهُ رَبُّكُمْ فَتَبَارَكَ اللَّهُ رَبُّ الْعَالَمِينَ That is Allah, your Lord, so Blessed be Allah, the Lord of all that exists. meaning, exalted and sanctified and glorified be Allah, the Lord of all the worlds. Then He says هُوَ الْحَيُّ لَا إِلَهَ إِلاَّ هُوَ He is the Ever Living, La ilaha illa Huwa; means, He is the Ever Living, from eternity to eternity, Who was, is and shall be, the First and the Last, the Manifest, the Hidden. لَا إِلَهَ إِلاَّا هُوَ (La ilaha illa Huwa), means, there is none comparable or equal to Him. فَادْعُوهُ مُخْلِصِينَ لَهُ الدِّينَ so invoke Him making the religion for Him Alone. means, affirm His Oneness by testifying that there is no God but He. Imam Ahmad recorded that after ending every prayer, Abdullah bin Az-Zubayr used to say: لَاا إِلهَ إِلاَّ اللهُ وَحْدَهُ لَاا شَرِيكَ لَهُ لَهُ الْمُلْكُ وَلَهُ الْحَمْدُ وَهُوَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ لَاا حَوْلَ وَلَاا قُوَّةَ إِلاَّ بِاللهِ لَاا إِلهَ إِلاَّ اللهُ وَلَاا نَعْبُدُ إِلاَّ إِيَّاهُ لَهُ النِّعْمَةُ وَلَهُ الْفَضْلُ وَلَهُ الثَّنَاءُ الْحَسَنُ لَاا إِلهَ إِلاَّ اللهُ مُخْلِصِينَ لَهُ الدِّينَ وَلَوْ كَرِهَ الْكَافِرُون There is no (true) God except Allah Alone with no partner or associate, to Him belongs the dominion and praise, for He is able to do all things; there is no strength and no power except with Allah; there is no (true) God except Allah and we worship none but Him; to Him belong blessings and virtue and goodly praise; there is no (true) God except Allah, we worship Him in all sincerity even though the disbelievers may hate that. He said, The Messenger of Allah used to say the Tahlil in this fashion after every prayer. Similar was also recorded by Muslim, Abu Dawud and An-Nasa'i. الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ All the praises and thanks be to Allah, the Lord of all that exits The Prohibition of Shirk, the Order for Tawhid, and the Evidence Allah says, قُلْ إِنِّي نُهِيتُ أَنْ أَعْبُدَ الَّذِينَ تَدْعُونَ مِن دُونِ اللَّهِ لَمَّا جَاءنِيَ الْبَيِّنَاتُ مِن رَّبِّي وَأُمِرْتُ أَنْ أُسْلِمَ لِرَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ Say:I have been forbidden to worship those whom you worship besides Allah, since there have come to me evidences from my Lord; and I am commanded to submit to the Lord of all that exists. Allah says, `say, O Muhammad, to these idolators, that Allah forbids them to worship anyone, such as these idols and false gods, except Him.' Allah explains that no one apart from Him is deserving of worship, as He says هُوَ الَّذِي خَلَقَكُم مِّن تُرَابٍ ثُمَّ مِن نُّطْفَةٍ ثُمَّ مِنْ عَلَقَةٍ ثُمَّ يُخْرِجُكُمْ طِفْلً ثُمَّ لِتَبْلُغُوا أَشُدَّكُمْ ثُمَّ لِتَكُونُوا شُيُوخًا It is He, Who has created you from dust, then from a Nutfah then from a clot (a piece of coagulated blood), then brings you forth as an infant, then (makes you grow) to reach the age of full strength, and afterwards to be old. meaning, He is the One Who Alone, with no partner or associate, causes you to pass through these different stages, and this happens in accordance with His command, will and decree. وَمِنكُم مَّن يُتَوَفَّى مِن قَبْلُ though some among you die before, means, before being fully formed and emerging to this world; so his mother miscarries him. And there are some who die in infancy or in their youth, or when they are adults but before they reach old age, as Allah says: لِّنُبَيِّنَ لَكُمْ وَنُقِرُّ فِى الاٌّرْحَامِ مَا نَشَأءُ إِلَى أَجَلٍ مُّسَمًّى that We may make (it) clear to you. And We cause whom We will to remain in the wombs for an appointed term. (22:5) وَلِتَبْلُغُوا أَجَلً مُّسَمًّى وَلَعَلَّكُمْ تَعْقِلُونَ and that you reach an appointed term in order that you may understand. Ibn Jurayj said, In order that you may remember the Resurrection. Then Allah says هُوَ الَّذِي يُحْيِي وَيُمِيتُ It is He Who gives life and causes death. meaning, He is the Only One Who does that, and none is able to do that except He. فَإِذَا قَضَى أَمْرًا فَإِنَّمَا يَقُولُ لَهُ كُن فَيَكُونُ And when He decides upon a thing He says to it only:Be! -- and it is. means, He cannot be opposed or resisted. Whatever He wills definitely comes to pass.