The Three Fundamental Principles – Introduction and First Principle
The introduction and first principle from The Three Fundamental Principles by Shaykh Muhammad Ibn Abdul Wahab - the exact text with word-for-word translation from the original book.
The Three Fundamental Principles – Introduction and First Principle
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
Introduction
This is the introduction to The Three Fundamental Principles by Shaykh Muhammad Ibn Abdul Wahab. This book contains the essential knowledge that every Muslim must know about their Lord, their religion, and their Prophet.
The Three Fundamental Principles
English Translation: Know that it is obligatory upon every Muslim male and female to learn these three matters and act upon them.
The Three Principles
English Translation:
The First Matter: Knowledge of the Lord
The Second Matter: Knowledge of the Religion
The Third Matter: Knowledge of the Prophet
The Three Fundamental Principles Explained
THE FIRST: That Allah created us and provided sustenance for us, and He did not leave us in a state of neglect, rather He sent a Messenger to us.
English Translation: The First: That Allah created us and provided sustenance for us, and He did not leave us in a state of neglect, rather He sent a Messenger to us.
The proof is the Saying of Allah, the Most High: “We sent a Messenger to every nation [saying]; ‘Worship Allah and shun the taghut.’” [Soorat an-Nahl: 36]
THE SECOND: That Allah is not pleased that anyone should be made a sharer in worship along with Him, neither any near angel nor any sent Messenger.
English Translation: The Second: That Allah is not pleased that anyone should be made a sharer in worship along with Him, neither any near angel nor any sent Messenger.
The proof is the Saying of Allah, the Most High: “And the places of worship are for Allah alone, so do not invoke anyone along with Allah.” [Soorat al-Jinn: 18]
THE THIRD: That whoever is obedient to the Messenger and singles out Allah with all worship, upon Tawheed, then it is not permissible for him to have friendship and alliance with those who oppose Allah and His Messenger.
English Translation: The Third: That whoever is obedient to the Messenger and singles out Allah with all worship, upon Tawheed, then it is not permissible for him to have friendship and alliance with those who oppose Allah and His Messenger.
The proof is the Saying of Allah, the Most High: “You will not find a people who believe in Allah and the Last Day loving those who oppose Allah and His Messenger, even if they are their fathers, or their sons, or their brothers, or their kinsfolk. Rather Allah has decreed true Belief for their hearts, and strengthened them with proof, light and guidance from Him; and He will enter them into the gardens of Paradise beneath whose trees rivers will flow, and they will dwell therein forever. Allah is pleased with them and they with Him. They are the party of Allah. Indeed the party of Allah are the successful.” [Soorat al-Mujaadilah: 22]
The Foundation of the Religion
Know, may Allah direct you to obedience to Him, that the true and straight Deen, the way of Ibraaheem is that you worship Allah alone making the Deen purely and sincerely for Him. This is what Allah commanded all of the people with, and it was for this that He created them.
Allah, the Most High, says: “I did not create jinn and mankind except that they should worship Me.” [Soorat adh-Dhaariyaat: 56]
And the meaning of worship, ''ibaadah’, here is to single Allah out with all worship, Tawheed. And the greatest of all that Allah has commanded is Tawheed which is to single out Allah with all worship. The most serious thing that He forbade is shirk, which is to invoke others besides Him, along with Him.
The proof is His Saying, the Most High: “Worship Allah alone, making all worship purely for Him, and do not associate anything in worship along with Him.” [Soorat an-Nisaa: 36]
The Three Principles Which a Person Must Know
So if it said to you: What are the three principles which a person must know? Then say the servant’s knowledge of His Lord and His Deen and his Messenger Muhammad.
THE FIRST PRINCIPLE
So if it is said to you: ‘Who is your Lord?’ Then say: ‘My Lord is Allah, who has nurtured me and all of creation with His favors and blessings. He is the one whom I worship, and there is no other whom I worship besides Him.’
The proof is the Saying of Allah, the Most High: “All praise is for Allah, the Lord of all creation.” [Soorat al-Faatihah: 1]
Everything besides Allah is a created being and I am one of the creation.
How Did You Arrive at This Knowledge of Your Lord?
So if it is said to you: ‘How did you arrive at this knowledge of your Lord?’ Then say: ‘Through His signs and those things which He has created; and from his signs are the night and the day, the sun and the moon; and from that which He has created are the seven heavens, and the seven earths, and all those within them, and whatever is between them.’
The proof is the Saying of Allah, the Most High: “And from His signs are the night and the day, and the sun and the moon. Do not prostrate to the sun, nor the moon, but prostrate to Allah who created them, if you truly worship Him.” [Soorat Fussilat: 37]
And His, the Most High’s Saying: “Your Lord is Allah who created the heavens and the earth to six days, then ascended upon the Throne. He causes the night to cover the day which it follows with haste; and the sun, the moon and the stars are subservient and subject to His command. Certainly creation and commandment are His alone. Exalted is Allah the Lord of all creation.” [Soorat al-A’raaf: 54]
The Lord is the One Who is Worshipped
The Lord is the one who is worshipped, and the proof is the Saying of Allah, the Most High: “O mankind! Worship your Lord, Who created you and those who were before you so that you may be of those who seek to avoid Allah’s anger and punishment. 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 (in worship) while you know.” [Soorat al-Baqarah: 21-22]
Ibn Katheer, raheemullaah, said: “The creator of these things is the One who deserves to be worshipped.”
Types of Worship
All the types of worship which Allah commanded like Islaam (submission and obedience to Allah), Eemaan (true Belief comprising the belief of the heart, speech of the tongue and action of the limbs), and Ihsaan (perfection of worship), and from that is:
- Invocation/supplication (du’aa)
- Reverential fear (khawf)
- Hope and longing (rajaa)
- Trust and reliance (tawakkul)
- Fervent desire (raghbah)
- Dread (rahbah)
- Reverence and humility (khushoo’)
- Awe (khashyah)
- Turning repentantly (inaabah)
- Appealing for aid and assistance (isti’aanah)
- Seeking refuge (isti’aadhah)
- Seeking deliverance and rescue (istighaathah)
- Sacrificing (dhabh)
- Vows (nadhr)
The proof for this is the Saying of Him, the Most High: “And the places of Prayer are for Allah alone, so do not invoke anyone along with Allah.” [Soorat al-Jinn: 18]
The Ruling on Shirk
Anyone who directs any part of that to anything besides Allah, then he is a mushrik (pagan/polytheist), an unbeliever (kaafir), and the proof is the Saying of Him: “And whoever worships along with Allah any other object of worship has no proof for that; his reckoning will be with his Lord. Indeed the unbelievers will never prosper.” [Soorat al-Mu’minoon: 117]
In the hadeeth there occurs: “Invocation is the core of worship.”
And the evidence for this is the Saying of Allah: “And your Lord said: ‘Invoke Me, I will respond to your (invocation). Verily! Those who scorn My worship, they will surely enter Hell in humiliation!’” [Soorat Ghaafir: 60]
Evidence for Different Types of Worship
The evidence for reverential fear (khawf) is the Saying of Allah: “So do not fear them, but fear Me and beware of disobeying Me, if you are truly Believers.” [Soorat al-‘Imraan: 175]
The evidence for hope and longing (ar-raja) is the Saying of Allah: “So whoever hopes to see His Lord and be rewarded by Him, then let him make his worship correct and make it purely and sincerely for Him; and let him not make any share of it for anyone other than Him” [Soorat al-Kahf: 110]
The evidence for trust and reliance (at-tawakkul) is the Saying of Allah: “And place your reliance and trust in Allah if you are true Believers” [Soorat al-Maa’idah: 23] and He said: “And whoever places his reliance and trust in Allah then He will suffice him” [Soorat at-Talaaq: 3]
The evidence for the fervent desire (ar-raghbah), dread (ar-rahbah) and reverence and humility (al-khushoo’) is the Saying of Allah: “They used to hasten to acts of devotion and obedience to Allah, and they used to worship Allah upon love and desire, and upon fear, and were reverent and humble before Allah.” [Soorat al-Ambiyaa: 90]
The evidence for awe/dread (al-khashyah) is the Saying of Allah: “So do not have awe of them, but have awe of Me” [Soorat al-Maa’idah: 3]
Key Lessons from This Chapter
- The Purpose of Creation: Everything was created for the worship of Allah alone
- The Unity of Worship: All forms of worship must be directed to Allah alone
- The Rejection of Shirk: Associating partners with Allah is the greatest sin
- The Evidence from Creation: Allah’s signs in creation prove His existence and right to be worshipped
- The Types of Worship: All acts of worship, from prayer to supplication, must be for Allah alone
- The Consequence of Shirk: Those who associate partners with Allah will not prosper
This chapter establishes the fundamental principle that Allah alone deserves all worship, and that any form of shirk nullifies one’s Islam.