The Shayatin of man and jinn don’t want the Ummah to be strong. Due to this, they don’t want Tawhid to be manifested. And they don’t want this Ummah to have love for it. So, I say that the Muslim tests his heart with this affair.
Does he love learning about tawhid?
So, when the khateeb gives khutbah about Tawhid, he says, “Alhumdulillah today we heard something tremendous from our shaykh. He taught us Tawhid.” This is a heart that is alive! Or does he say (Allah’s refuge is sought) “This Shaykh all he knows is Tawhid.” This is a sign of evil in the heart.
Have we established Tawhid (singling out Allah in worship) so that our actions upon Tawhid are more pleasurable than cold water when we’re thirsty? And better than gathering all of the wealth, or not?
Are we cautious and afraid of Shirk?
And do we ask Allah to keep us away from Shirk, or not?
Do we call to Tawhid, especially if the need arises, when we see polytheists and mistakes from one who ascribes himself to Islam, but attaches his heart to other than Allah, to a Shaykh, to grave, or not?
And we patient upon this or when the people merely say, “Wahhabi!” We become scared!
The believer that knows the right of Allah, is patient upon the call to Tawhid (singling Allah out in worship) even if only one person remains. Even if only one person remains in the whole village and the rest of the people left him and distanced themselves from him. This is because he calls to Tawhid, he remains calling to Tawhid and establishes Tawhid!
If he teaches Tawhid, only ten people show up. If he tells stories fifty thousand show up! The believer teaches Tawhid, even if there is only one that shows up. He is patient and delighted that he is teaching Tawhid.
By Allah O brothers, we got this from our teachers. Our Shaykh Abdul Aziz Al-Shibl رحمه الله, he was from those who feared Allah the most and from the most pious of men. And we don’t praise anyone above Allah. But we knew him to be a man of religion, worship and one with a soft heart. The Shaykh used to teach me in secondary school. Whenever he would mention the companions, he رحمه الله would start crying. He was a man of Tawhid and a memorizer of the Book of Allah. And he died here in this Masjid (Al-Nabawi). Our Shaykh, he taught over there. By Allah O brothers, I saw him with my own eyes, teaching and there were no students there! He was sitting in his seat teaching, and there was no one there sitting! However, the Shaykh kept on teaching, teaching Tawhid until he finished. He would pray Isha behind the Imam and then finish رحمه الله.
This is how we saw some of our teachers! Some of the students of Shaykh Ibn Uthaymeen رحمه الله mentioned to me, that in the beginning of the Shaykh’s life, he would teach and not one person came. So, he told the Mu’adh’dhin of the Masjid to sit with him and he’d teach him. This is because he would teach for the sake of Allah, not for an audience.
Some of the people, and Allah’s refuge is sought, Shaytan laughs at them. He says, “If you teach Tawhid, no one will attend. However, if you teach Fiqh, especially if you teach a Maliki text if you’re Maliki or an Hanifi text if you’re Hanifi or a Shafi’i if you’re Shafi’i or a Hanbali text if you’re Hanbali, many will attend!” All of it is Knowledge! Teach Fiqh! Without doubt Fiqh is good and it’s knowledge. However, the person does not leave off teaching Tawhid, due to the few people that attend his class. And these are the fruits of our understanding of the importance of Tawhid.
Translated by: Abu Owais Balaswad
Source: https://youtu.be/ilaO264nQeU
