You alone we worship, and You alone we ask for help

إِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ وَإِيَّاكَ نَسْتَعِينُ

(You alone we worship, and You alone we ask for help)

We recite the above ayah at a minimum of 17 times a day. But do we really “reflect” upon this verse each time?

This ayah “Contains Allah’s command to us to perform sincere worship for Him and to seek His aid concerning all of our affairs.” (Tafsir ibn Kathir)

Allah mentioned [إِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ] (You alone we worship) before, [وَإِيَّاكَ نَسْتَعِينُ] (And  alone You we ask for help from), because the objective here is the worship, while Allah’s help is the tool to implement this objective. (Tafsir ibn Kathir)

There are 3 major areas that this verse deals with:

1. Tawheed: Tawheed (Islamic monotheism) is the greatest foundation of Islamic belief. In fact, a person is considered a Muslim just by accepting that there is no god worthy of worship but Allaah and that Muhammad sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) is His slave and His messenger to humankind.
2. Shirk: This is the opposite of Tawheed. Committing Shirk is one of the major sins which Allah will not forgive unless we repent for it.

   “Verily, Allah forgives not that rivals should be set up in the worship with Him. He forgives save that (anything else) to whom He pleases and whoever set up rivals with Allah he has indeed done a tremendous sin.” (Al Nisa:48)

   ‘Abdullah reported: I asked the Messenger of Allaah (sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam): Which sin is the gravest in the eye of Allaah? He (the Prophet) replied: That you associate a partner with Allaah (despite the fact) that He has created you. (Sahih Muslim)

   Are we protecting ourselves from committing Shirk?
   

3. Our Purpose of Creation:  Why did Allah create us? He created us so that we shall worship him.

   “And I did not create the jinn and mankind but (with the sole purpose) that they should serve Me.” (51:56)

   We sometimes tend to forget our Purpose in Life!

Two Aspects of Tawheed:

1. Belief in Allah’s worship (Ulooliyyah): It is the belief that Allah alone is the true Ilaah who has no partner or associate. The Ilaah means al-Ma’looh i.e. al-Ma’bood, the only true God who deserves to be worshipped out of love and magnification.

   And your Ilâh (God) is One Ilâh (God – Allâh), Lâ ilâha illa Huwa (there is none who has the right to be worshipped but He), the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. (2: 163)

   Tawheed al-Ulooliyyah corresponds to the first part of the verse (You alone we worship)

2. Belief in Allah’s Ruboobiyyah: This means to believe that Allah is the only Rabb without a partner or a helper. The Rabb is the One to Whom belongs the Creation, Kingdom, and Command; There is no Creator but Allaah; No Maalik (Possessor) except Him and there is no Command but His. He says:

   Indeed your Lord is Allâh, Who created the heavens and the earth in Six Days, and then He rose over (Istawâ) the Throne (really in a manner that suits His Majesty). He brings the night as a cover over the day, seeking it rapidly, and (He created) the sun, the moon, the stars subjected to His Command. Surely, His is the Creation and Commandment. Blessed is Allâh, the Lord of the ‘Alamîn (mankind, jinn and all that exists)! (7:54)

   Tawheed ar-Rubooboyyah corresponds to the second part of the verse (You alone we ask for help)

We hope this reminder has helped refresh our knowledge of the most basic fundamental of Islam called Tawheed.