Shaykh Saalih ibn 'Abdillaah Al-Fawzaan
From his book Duroos min Al-Qur'aan Al-Kareem (p.20-21)
Translated exclusively for www.bakkah.net

[ In the Name of Allaah, the Lord of all the worlds, may His Salaah and Salaam be upon His final Prophet and Messenger, and upon all his family members and companions, and those who follow his way, to proceed... ]

The tawheed that is sought from us is tawheed al-uloohiyyah. All of the Messengers began by calling their people with [1]:

( Worship Allaah, as you have no deity to worship other than Him )

They began like this, calling to tawheed al-uloohiyyah, as the Qur'aan reports about them. That is because tawheed al-uloohiyyah is what mankind is ignorant of, and the Shaytaan tries to keep them away from its proper understanding.

As for tawheed ar-ruboobiyyah, it is something understood and continuously present inside the souls. It is not sufficient enough to save the servant. It does not make anyone a believer nor can anyone enter the circle of tawheed by way of it. This is why the Messenger (sallallaahu 'alayhe wa sallam) fought the disbelievers of Quraysh, while they believed that Allaah was the Creator, the Provider, the Controller of affairs, and the One who brings life and death. He fought them, declaring their blood to be permissible until they affirmed tawheed al-uloohiyyah. He (sallallaahu 'alayhe wa sallam) said:

"I have been ordered to fight the people until they say 'Laa ilaaha illallaah.' For if they say that, then their blood and property are safe from me, except with its (the shahaadah's) rights [2], and their account will be with Allaah." [3]

This is proof that the greatest thing sought from the creation is tawheed al-uloohiyyah, since he (sallallaahu 'alayhe wa sallam) did not say, "I have been ordered to fight the people until they affirm that Allaah is the Creator, the Provider, and the Bringer of life and death." Everyone agrees to this. Rather he said:

"...until they say 'laa ilaaha illaah'"

This means until they testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah alone.

This article was taken from BAKKAHnet (www.bakkah.net)