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A Detailed & In Depth

Look At Tawheed Al-
Haakimiyyah, ‘The So
Called Fourth Category
OF Tawheed’

By Abdul Kareem Ibn

Ozzie
This article will deal with the issue of tawheed haakimiyyah (the so
called fourth category of tawheed), the scholar’s stance on this
tawheed and its implications.

But before this issue is dealt with in this article the issue of what
tawheed is and its categories shall be dealt with inshallah.

Shaykh Abdur-Rahmaan Ibn Naasir As-Sa’dee, said, “Know

that Tawheed in the unrestricted sense is the knowledge and the
acknowledgement that the Lord Allaah, is singled out with all the
attributes of Perfection. And it is to affirm that He is singled out with
all the Attributes of Greatness and Majesty. And it is to ingle Him out
alone with all worship (What the Shaykh has said here is giving a
description of the general meaning of tawheed.)

And this is of three categories:

1. The first category:

Tawheed ul-Asmaa was-Sifaat (The Tawheed of Allaah’s
Divine Names and Attributes):

It is to believe that the Lord Allaah - the Most Mighty and

Majestic, He Alone has total and complete Perfection in every sense,
in that He has the characteristics of Greatness and

Majesty and Beauty which are such that nobody else besides Him has
any share of those along with Him whatsoever.

And this comes about by affirming for Allaah that which He affirmed
for Himself or His Messenger, sallallaahu alayhi wasallam, affirmed
for Him with regard to all of the Names and
Attributes and their meanings, and the rulings which follow on from
them – whatever is reported from them in the Book and the
Sunnah in the manner that befits His (Allahs) Greatness and Majesty.
(And this is done) without denying anything from them, without
divesting them of their true meaning, without twisting their meaning
and without causing them to resemble the creation.

And, by denying for Him, everything which He denied for

Himself, or was denied for Him by His Messenger, with regards to
deficiencies and defects and denying everything for Him that conflicts
with His Perfection.

2. The second category:

Tawheed ar-Rubobiyyah (Tawheed of Allaah’s Lordship):

It is that the slave believes with certainty, that Allaah is the

Lord (ar-Rabb) Who Alone is singled out with creation, giving
provision and controlling the affairs. The Lord He Who nourished
and sustained all of the creation with His blessings, who nourished
His chosen ones from His creation, they are the Prophets and their
followers. He nourished them with:
• The correct beliefs;
• Fine manners;
• Beneficial knowledge;
• And with righteous and correct actions.

And this (latter) beneficial cultivation (tarbiyah) for the hearts

and souls, that is the one that produces happiness and success in
this world and the Hereafter.

3. The third category of Tawheed:

Tawheed of al-‘Ibaadah (Tawheed of Allaah’s Divinity and
worship):

It is the knowledge and the acknowledgement, that Allaah is the sole

Possessor of Divinity, and the One Who has the sole Right to be
worshipped over all of His creation. (And) that He (Allah) alone
should be worshipped by them, (all of them, the creation) and they
should make the Religion sincerely and purely for Allaah alone.

And this last category of Tawheed, it necessitates the first two

(Categories of Tawheed), and it includes them. (i.e. Tawheed of
Allaah’s Divinity and worship, necessarily covers and includes belief
and affirmation of Allaah’s Lordship and His Names and Attributes.)

Because this divinity is a characteristic, that covers all the attributes

of perfection and all the characteristics of lordship and greatness.

Because He Allaah, is the One Who is Divine, and has the sole Right
to be worshipped. And He is the sole One Who has the Attributes of
Greatness and Majesty.

And also as a further reason (to worship Allaah alone), is due to what
He has given to His creation from the great blessings.”

Shaykh Fawzaan said, “In the Name of Allaah, the All-Merciful,

may His Salaah and Salaam be upon His final Messenger, and upon
all his family members and companions, and those who follow his
way, to proceed...

Tawheed has three categories understood directly from Allaah's Book.

This division of tawheed is not from someone's opinion, nor is it
merely a traditional way to explain tawheed. It is a division that is
taken directly from Allaah's Book.

The first category is tawheed ar-ruboobiyyah, which means "to single

out Allaah in understanding His Actions," like His creating,
providing, bringing of life and death, and keeping order in all affairs.
A person understands that Allaah alone is the Creator, the Provider,
the Ever-Living One in charge of all affairs.

The second category is tawheed al-uloohiyyah, which means "to single

out Allaah within the actions of the servant." This includes all actions
that draw them closer to Allaah, Glorified and Exalted, like:

Du'aa' – supplication, Khowf – fear, Rajaa' – hope, Rahbah – awe,

Ragbah – longing, Tawakkul – trust, Isti'aanah - seeking general
assistance, Istighaathah - seeking assistance in emergencies, Thabh –
slaughtering and Nathr - taking oaths.

All forms of worship must be strictly for Allaah alone, and nothing
can be done for other than Him. This is what is called tawheed
al-'ebaadah, or tawheed al-uloohiyyah, and it is the tawheed that is
put into practice as the servant singles out Allaah in everything He
has requested, with an intention for Him alone, in all acts of
obedience.

The third category is tawheed al-asmaa' was-sifaat, which means "to

believe in every Name and Attribute that Allaah affirmed for Himself,
or those that His Messenger (sallallaahu 'alayhe wa sallam) affirmed
for Him.

These three categories are understood directly from Allaah's Book.

Every verse that mentions Allaah's Actions, like creating, providing,
bringing life and death, and controlling affairs, is describing tawheed
ar-ruboobiyyah. This is quite frequent in the Quran.

Allaah says, “Say: 'Who owns the earth and all that is on it, if you truly
have knowledge?' They will say: 'Allaah.' Say: 'Then won't you be
reminded?' Say: 'Who is the Lord of the seven heavens and the Great
Throne?' They will say: 'Allaah.' Say: 'Then won't you have taqwaa?'
Say: 'In whose Hands are the treasures of everything, and He protects
while there is no protector against Him, if you truly have knowledge?'
They will say: 'Allaah.' Say: 'How then are you deluded from the
truth?'” Soorah Al-Mu'minoon (23):84-89

Allaah also says, “Say: 'Who is it that provides for you from the
heavens and the earth?' Or 'who possesses hearing and sight and
brings forth the living from the dead, and the dead from the living?
And who is in control of the affairs?' They will say: 'Allaah.' Say: 'So
then won't you have taqwaa?'” Soorah Yoonus (10):31.

Similarly, every verse that mentions the creation of the heavens and
the earth or other created things is about tawheed ar-ruboobiyyah.

Every verse mentioning worship, whether it be a command to

worship Allaah or a prohibition of shirk, is about tawheed al-
uloohiyyah.

Every verse mentioning something about Allaah's Names or

Attributes is about tawheed al-asmaa' was-sifaat.

All of these categories are found in Allaah's Book, and this is what led
the scholars to say, "Tawheed is three categories: Uloohiyyah,
Ruboobiyyah, and al-Asmaa' was-sifaat." They did not invent this
division on their own; rather it is something directly from Allaah's
Book.” Duroos min Al-Qur'aan Al-Kareem

So form the words of the two shaykhs it should be understood what

tawheed is and what the three categories of tawheed are.

Shaykh Abu Maalik Muhammad Ibraaheem Shaqrah in his

treatise on Sayyid Qutb (the head of the takfire dawah of this era, he
is now dead) state there is an ijmah about on these three categories
being correct; he said “the consensus (ijmah) of the Ummah…is
pleased that there are three aspects of Tawheed.”
Tawheed has one meaning which has been derived by a large number
of scholars of AHLU SUNNAH of the past and present from Qati
(definitive) proofs. Articles of faith can only be determined by Qati
(definitive) proofs with a Qati text and with a Qati meaning.
A Qati (definitive) proof which has a Qati text is all of the Quran and
Saheeh (authentic) Mutawatir hadeeth (a mutawatir hadeeth is one
which is reported by such a large number of people that they cannot
be expected to agree upon a lie, all of them together) hadeeth, because
they have been reported in a conclusive way that has made the text
authentic beyond doubt.
A Qati (definitive) proof which has a Qati meaning is majority of the
Quran and some Saheeh (authentic) Mutawatir hadeeth, that have
been reported in clear words (Alfaz al Waziha) which have only one
meaning (Dalalah).
This meaning of Tawheed has been classified into different categories
by the scholars of AHLU SUNNAH of the past and present for the
purposes of teaching Tawheed and making it easy to understand all
the different aspects of Tawheed.
Unlike the meaning of Tawheed the different categories of Tawheed
are based on ijtihad of individual scholars from AHLU SUNNAH from
the past and present. The reason these scholars resorted to ijtihad is
because as time went on the Muslim became more and more ignorant
of tawheed so these scholars understood that they the need, for the
ummah to understand, implement and call to tawheed. Therefore
they want to find the easy way to explain Tawheed to the ummah as it
was in need of it.

So due to the necessity (daroorah) of understanding, implementing

and calling to tawheed, the scholars from AHLU SUNNAH of the past
and present used ijtihad to come up with the classifications of
Tawheed. This was done in order to lessen the evil of Muslims being
negligent in learning and being deficient in their understanding of
Tawheed.

As there was no clear text (Nass) available in the Quran and the
Sunnah, stating the classification of tawheed these scholars had to
employ ijtihad to research through the Quran, Sunnah, Ijmahs and
Qiyases (analogical dedications) to find out the correct and easiest
classifications of Tawheed.
Based upon the ijtihad of the scholars from AHLU SUNNAH of the
past and present they came up with two ways of classifying Tawheed
however in reality the two different classifications all implied the
same thing and only differed in the names used to classify Tawheed.

The first way used to classify Tawheed was by calling the categories of
Tawheed:

1. Tawheed Al-'Ilm wa'l-'Atiqaad (Tawheed of Knowledge and

Beliefs) also known as Tawheed fi'l-Ithbaat wa'l-Maa'rifah
(Tawheed of Acknowledgement and Knowledge)

2. Tawheed fi'l-Talib wa'l-Qasd (Tawheed of Solicitation and

Intent) also known as Tawheed Al-Qasd wa'l-Iraadah
(Tawheed of Intention and Purpose).

This way of classifying tawheed was the most popular way of

classifying Tawheed in the past thus it became the most well known
way of the salaf to categorise Tawheed. Some Muslims even think that
it was the only way the salaf categorised Tawheed, this opinion is
incorrect.

Ibn Abee Al-'Izz (who was from the salaf died 792 AH), said in his
chapter of Tawheed in Sharh of the Ta’hawiwwah: "Further, the
Tawheed to which the Messengers invited and which was the main
context of the revealed Books are of two kinds:

• Tawheed fi'l-Ithbaat wa'l-Maa'rifah (Tawheed of

Acknowledgement and Knowledge): The first is to acknowledge
the Being (and existence) of Allaah, the Most High, along with all
His Attributes, Acts and Names. In this, He is unique. There is
none like Him in all these characteristics - as Allaah Himself and
His Messengers informed us. And
 • Tawheed fi'l-Talib wa'l-Qasd (Tawheed of Solicitation and
Intent): The second, the Tawheed of Solicitation and Intent, has
been well defined by the following short chapter from the
Qur'aan: [Say: O you disbelievers… (Al-Kaafiroon, 1)] And: [Say:
O People of the Book, come to an equitable term between
yourselves and us, that we shall worship none but Allaah…
(Aal-'Imraan, 64)] [Look to "Sharh' Al-'Aqeedah At-Tahawiyyah"
eng. Trans. Pg. 8-9, published by Al-Attique]

The second way to classify Tawheed is:

1. Tawheed Ar Ruboobiyyah (Tawheed Lordship)

2. Tawheed Al Uloohiyyah also known as Tawheed ul-Ibadah
(Tawheed Worship)
3. and Tawheed Al Asmaa was Sifaat (Tawheed Of Allahs Names &
Attributes)

This way of classifying tawheed is used today by the scholars of Ahlus

Sunnah; some Muslims claim the salaf never used this classification
however this untrue; some of the salaf used it however the first
categorisation mentioned above was more popular.

Imam as-Safaareenee (who was from the salaf he died 1112 hijri
year/1700 C.E.) said, "Know that Tawheed has three divisions:
Tawheed ar-Ruboobiyyah (the Oneness of God in His Lordship),
Tawheed al- Uloohiyyah (to single-out Almighty God alone for
worship) and Tawheed al-Asmaa was-Sifaat (the uniqueness of God's
Names and Attributes)." [Lawaami' al-Anwaarul-Bahiyyah (1/128) of
as-Safaareenee]

These two ways of classifying Tawheed into two or three categories

has led some Muslims to think these classification are two different
things when in reality these classifications are the same but just with
different names.
Tawheed Al-'Ilm wa'l-'Atiqaad (Tawheed of Knowledge and Beliefs)
also known as Tawheed fi'l-Ithbaat wa'l-Maa'rifah (Tawheed of
Acknowledgement and Knowledge) includes:

• Tawheed Ruboobiyyah (Tawheed of Lordship)

• Tawheed al-Asmaa' was-sifaat (Allahs Names and Attributes)

Tawheed fi'l-Talib wa'l-Qasd (Tawheed of Solicitation and Intent)

also known as Tawheed Al-Qasd wa'l-Iraadah (Tawheed of Intention
and Purpose) includes:

• Tawheed Uloohiyyah which, is also known as Tawheed ul-Ibadah

(Tawheed of Worship)
• Tawheed al-Asmaa' was-sifaat (Tawheed of Allahs Names and
Attributes)

So from the above it is clear that the scholars of Ahlus Sunnah have
used their ijtihad to come up with two different ways two categories
Tawheed which are only different in name but not in the meaning
they are trying to convey.

These findings of the scholars of Ahlus Sunnah which are based on

ijtihad are essentially Zanni (speculative) proofs as they are not Qati
(definitive) proofs, so their ijtihad can be rejected or accepted.

These individual ijtihads of some of the scholars Ahlus Sunnah soon

became universal accepted by all of the scholars from AHLU
SUNNAH of the past and present. Thus these individual ijtihads soon
became conclusive Ijmahs of the scholars of Ahlus Sunnah of the past
and present.

A conclusive binding Ijmah after the death of the sahaba is the

agreement of all mujtahid scholars (no matter what group they belong
to i.e. Sufi, Ashari etc, as long as the group is not considered outside
Islam by the Muslims (like the racist Nation Of Islam group who
think they are Muslim but are considered kuffaar by all the Muslim
scholars from every group)), on an issue of a particular time.

The agreement must be expressed by clear statements of these

scholars stating there is an ijmah or this ijmah may be expressed
through the opinions of all scholars of that time all agreeing with each
other. An example of this type of ijmah is there collective believe that
for a kaafir to become a Muslim this person must say and believe in
the shahhadah.

This type of perfect ijmah is very rare in Islam due to the number of
madhabs (most of which do not exist any more in the past there was
much more than four madhabs) and the large number of groups in
Islam (most of which have there own scholars though they may be
deviant and misguided in some areas of aqeedah, manhaj or fiqh their
general level of knowledge about Islam as a whole can not be denied.
Therefore a innovator can be a scholar but he is just not upon the
Sunnah (i.e. Sufi scholars.) thus this type of scholar should be avoid
and the scholars upon the Sunnah should be followed).

So the Ijmah that Shaykh Abu Maalik Muhammad Ibraaheem

Shaqrah is referring to is the unanimous agreement of all of the
mujtahid scholars of AHLU SUNNAH of the past and present the
mujtahid scholars of AHLU SUNNAH of the past and present.

This agreement that Tawheed has three categories which are Tawheed
Ruboobiyyah (Tawheed of Lordship), Tawheed Uloohiyyah also
known as Tawheed ul-Ibadah (Tawheed of Worship) and Tawheed al-
Asmaa' was-sifaat (Tawheed of Allahs Names and Attributes), has
been expressed by clear statements of these scholars stating there is
an ijmah on this issue. Also this ijmah has been expressed through
the opinions of all of these scholars on the issue of these categories all
agreeing with each other with not even one scholar from AHLU
SUNNAH of the past and present stating otherwise or objecting to the
ijmah on this issue.

So this is an Ijma al-Sariah (explicit Ijma) of the scholars from AHLU

SUNNAH of the past and present. This only occurs when all or a
majority of scholars agree on something and no dissent is known to
have been voiced by any other scholar or scholars of Ahlus Sunnah
Wal Jamaah.

As the two main adillah (evidences) that the deen (religion) is derived
from are the Quran and Sunnah after this the next adillah the deen is
derived from is ijmah (consensus).

So just as the Quran and Sunnah are a hujjah (proof) in this deen so is
ijmah of the sahaba and the scholars of Ahlus Sunnah, when their
ijmah does not contradict the Quran and Sunnah or an already
established ijmah by the sahaba or scholars.

Masaail (issues) are of two types, those that have been agreed upon
by the Scholars of Ahlus Sunnah and those in which the Scholars of
Ahlus Sunnah have differed.

The issue of the three categories of Tawheed which is the popular way
of categorising Tawheed in this era or the two categories of Tawheed
which used to be the most popular way of categorising Tawheed in the
past, are both issues that have been agreed upon by the Scholars of
Ahlus Sunnah so these three or two categories must be accepted and
not added to by the takfires or any other Muslim.

If a person adds to a correct ijmah by Ahlus Sunnah then the addition

is considered a bidah (innovation) which is rejected and not to be
acted upon, the addition is just like someone adding an act of worship
to the shariah this would be considered a rejected bidah (innovation).
However a deviant misguided Islamic writer called Sayyid Qutb from
the 1950’s developed a concept called al-haakimiyyah which was to
clarify that Allah has no partner in his judgement (Hukm) and in his
legislation (Tashree). He tried to use this concept to make takfire of
the Muslim rulers and governments of his time.

Soon other callers to takfire took on this concept and they added it to
the three categories of Tawheed which (are the popular way of
categorising Tawheed in this era) and claimed this concept of al-
haakimiyyah is a new forth category of tawheed known as tawheed al-
haakimiyyah.

They said this new fourth category of Tawheed was needed to help the
Muslims understand:
1. it is either major or minor kufr to rule by other than Allahs law
(however the takfires always suggested it is only major kufr to
rule by other than Allahs laws),
2. that it is either haraam and a major sin or major shirk for any
Muslim to legislate their own laws (however the takfires always
suggested it is only major shirk for a Muslim to legislate his own
laws)
3. And that taking laws from the legislations of kufr is minor or
major kufr (however the takfires always suggested it is only
major kufr to take laws from the legislations of kufr).

This concept has only been applied to the Muslim rulers specifically
and generally the Muslim governments by the takfires and by any
others who call to it.

Through the use of this so called new fourth category, the takfires
have TRYED to establish the takfir of the Muslim rulers specifically
and then the Muslim governments in general due to them ruling by
other than what Allah has revealed, legislating their own laws (which
are other than the shariah laws) and taking rulings from the
legislations of kufr (the secular laws of the colonialist who used to
rule many of the Muslim countries).

So after the takfires have made these claims and the Muslims know
that the three categories of Tawheed which is the popular way of
categorising Tawheed in this era or the two categories of Tawheed
which used to be the most popular way of categorising Tawheed in the
past, are both issues that have been agreed upon by the Scholars of
Ahlus Sunnah from the past and present.

Therefore it is upon the Muslims of this ummah to return this new

issue and this new claim to the scholars of Ahlus Sunnah to ask them
if what the takfires claim, that a new forth category of tawheed known
as tawheed al-haakimiyyah should be added to the three categories of
Tawheed is correct as it breaks the ijmah of the scholars of Ahlus
Sunnah on the categories of Tawheed being two or three.

Allah says, “Ask the people of remembrance (the scholars)

if you do not know.” {an-Nahl (16): 43}

These are the words of the scholars of Ahlus Sunnah on this

very important topic:

Shaykh Saalih as-Sadlaan said, "And whoever makes al-

Hakimiyyah a fourth and separate category of Tawheed is either an
ignoramus (jahil) or an innovator (mubtadi'), he has adopted the
views of the Philosophers and the views of those who have no
knowledge of aqidah or of the shari'ah. Or he is a person who merely
narrates [opinions from others] and does not even know what he
narrates (from others)!" [al-Muslimun no.639].

Shaykh Nasir al-Aql - said: "And likewise, the claim that al-
Hakimiyyah is the most special and specific characteristics of
Ilaahiyyah (of Allaah's right to be worshipped alone) has no basis and
this is an innovated claim… And [the term] al-Hakimiyyah - in view of
this - is amongst those problematic words and the Deen is not based
upon it, and neither does the aqidah rest upon it. The understanding
of the contemporaries of this term is not devoid of exaggeration and
extremism and being engrossed with the meaning which in their view
is intended by this term. [In my view] it is best to avoid it." [al-
Muslimun (no. 639)].

Fatwa of the Permanent Committee of Senior Scholars (no.

18870) dated 11/06/1417H is their statement: "Then making 'al-
Haakimiyyah' a separate category is an innovated matter, which has
not been the saying of any of the scholars as far as we know."

Shaykh Muhammad Naasiruddeen al-Albaanee was asked,

"Our Shaykh, may Allaah bless you, the scholars of the Salaf, may
Allaah have mercy upon them, mention that Tawheed is of three
types: 'ar-Ruboobiyyah,' 'al-Uloohiyyah' and 'al-Asmaa was-Sifaat,' so
is it correct for us to say that there is a fourth Tawheed that is
'Tawheedul-Haakimiyyah' or 'Tawheed of Judgement?' So he replied:
"'Al-Haakimiyyah' is a branch of the branches of Tawheed ul-
Uloohiyyah, and those who focus their attention upon this newly
invented saying in the present age use it as a weapon not to teach the
Muslims the Tawheed that all of the Prophets and Messengers came
with, but rather as apolitical weapon. So if you wish I will establish for
you what I have just said, even though this question has repeatedly
been answered by me, many times - or if you wish we will continue
upon our topic.

I have said in similar circumstances, as support for what I have just

said, that usage of the word 'al-Haakimyyah' is part of the political
da'wah that is particular to some of the parties present today; and I
will mention here something that occurred between myself and
someone who gave the khutbah in one of the mosques of Damascus.

So on the day of Jumu'ah he gave a khutbah which was all about

judgement/decree being for Allaah, the Mighty and Majestic. But this
person made an error with regard to a matter of fiqh. So after he had
finished the prayer I went forward to him and gave him 'salaam,' and
said to him, 'O my brother, you did so and so, and that is contrary to
the Sunnah.' So he said to me, 'I am a Hanafee, and the Hanafee
madhhab says what I have done.' So I said, 'Subhaanallaah! You have
given khutbah that judgement/decree is just for Allaah, the Mighty
and Majestic, but you only use this word to attack those rulers whom
you think are Unbelievers because they do not rule according to the
Islamic Sharee'ah. But you have forgotten about yourselves - that
Allaah's decree/judgement covers every Muslim. So why, when I say
to you that the Messenger did so and so, why do you say, 'But my
madhhab is such and such.' Then you have contradicted that which
you call the people to.'

So if it were not for the fact that they use this saying as a tool for
political propaganda of theirs, then we would say, 'This is our
merchandise that has been returned to us.'

So the da'wah that we call the people to contains 'al-Haakimiyyah'

and other than 'al-Haakimiyyah': Tawheedul-Uloohiyyah and
Tawheed of worship - that which you concentrate upon enters within
it. We are the ones who propagated what you mention whilst you are
focusing upon 'al-Haakimiyyah,' the hadeeth of Hudhayfah ibn al-
Yamaan, that when the Prophet recited this ayah to his noble
Companions:

They (the Jews and the Christians) took the Rabbis and learned men
as lords besides Allaah. Soorah at-Tawbah (9):31

Then 'Adiyy ibn Haatim at-Taa'ee said, 'By Allaah, O Messenger of

Allaah, we did not take them as lords besides Allaah.' So he said,
'When they made something lawful forbidden for you, had you not
used to declare it forbidden; and when they made lawful something
forbidden, had you not used to take it as being lawful?' He said, 'As
for that, then it did used to happen.' He said, 'Then that is your taking
them as lords besides Allaah.'

So we are the ones who propagated this hadeeth, and then it reached
the others. Then they advanced one part of Tawheedul-Uloohiyyah or
worship, with this innovated title for political aims.

So I do not see anything (wrong) in a terminology such as this if only

they had not left it as mere propaganda without their acting as it
requires. So it is, as I have just mentioned, a part of Tawheed of
worship - but you will see them worshipping Allaah in whatever
manner each of them feels like, and if it is said, as we have just
mentioned in the incident of the man who gave the khutbah, 'that
someone is acting contrary to the Sunnah,' or 'this is something
contrary to the saying of the Messenger (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa-
sallam),' then he says, 'My madhhab is such and such.'

That judgement/decree is for Allaah alone is not just a proof against

the Unbelievers and the mushriks, but also against anyone who
transgresses against Allaah by contradicting what came from Allaah
in His Book, and from His Prophet (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa-sallam) in
his Sunnah. This is what I have as a reply to the likes of this
question." Taken from 'al-Muslimoon,' no. 639, 25th of Dhul-Hijjah
1417H which corresponds to Friday the 2nd of May 1997.

Shaikh Muhammad ibn Saalih al-'Uthaimeen was asked

concerning this, and he replied that: "Whoever claims that there is a
fourth category of tawheed under the title 'Tawheed al-Haakimiyyah'
is to be counted as an innovator (mubtadi'). So this is an innovated
categorisation which emanates from an ignorant person who does not
understand anything of the affairs of 'aqeedah and the deen. This is
because 'al-Haakimiyyah' falls within Tawheed ur-Ruboobiyyah from
the aspect that Allaah decrees whatever He wills.
It also enters under Tawheed ur-Ruboobiyyah in that the servant
must worship Allaah according to what He has decreed. So it does not
fall outside the three categories of tawheed, which are: Tawheed ur-
Ruboobiyyah, Tawheed ul-Uloohiyyah and Tawheed ul-Asmaa was-
Sifaat."

Then, when asked, 'How are we to rebut them?' he replied:

"We rebut them by saying to them, 'What does 'al-Haakimiyyah'
mean?' It does not mean except their saying that judgement/decree is
for Allaah alone ' and that is Tawheed ur-Ruboobiyyah. So Allaah, He
is the Lord, the Creator, the Sovereign Owner, the One in control of
the affairs.

But as for what they intend by it and an explanation of the danger of

this idea of theirs, then we do not know their intentions and desire, so
therefore we cannot estimate the seriousness of this matter.' Taken
from 'al-Muslimoon,' no. 639, 25th of Dhul-Hijjah 1417H which
corresponds to Friday the 2nd of May 1997.

Shaykh Naasir bin Abdullaah al-Fiqaari - head of the Division

of 'Aqeedah and Contemporary Movements in the Faculty of Religion,
Qaseem - said, "I consider that Tawheed ul-Haakimiyyah in the view
of those who have made it a fourth and separate category of Tawheed
- or [at least] with some of them - is actually linked with the issue of
Imaamah (leadership) and not with the issue of Tawheed [itself]! So
you will observe that the issue of Imaamah is the most fundamental
of their principles, their sole concern and [constitutes the] core of
their orientation in their terminology of dawah!
However, it is [in fact] a way that is foreign to the Sunnah and its
people. This is because it is the Raafidah who make the issue of
Imaamah the most fundamental principle of their religion. And the
People of I'tizaal - those who left the Jamaa'ah (i.e. the Mu'tazilah) -
have made it the fifth principle of their school of thought."
Shaikh Ali Hasan al-Halabi said “Our Shaykh, Abu Maalik
Muhammad Ibraaheem Shaqrah - is resolute in his treatise on
Sayyid Qutb (p.54) that whoever uses this terminology [of al-
Haakimiyyah] "is not correct in doing so" and he described the term
itself that it "is not supported in the language" (p. 57). He also said,
"Some of those who have come out against us - in recent times - with
the statement "Tawheed ul-Haakimiyyah", then this is but a bubble
that they have embellished and beautified for themselves. It will not
take long before it ends up as nothing and vanishes." And he also
said, "Certainly, the word "al-Haakimiyyah" when it is annexed to the
word "Tawheed" necessitates splitting from the consensus of the
Ummah which is pleased that there are three aspects of Tawheed…"

Shaykh Fawzaan said, “And there are those from our present time
that divide Tawheed into four categories so they say, Tawheed is four
categories:

1. Tawheed Ar Ruboobiyyah
2. Tawheed Al Uloohiyyah
3. Tawheed Al Asmaa was Sifaat and
4. Tawheed Al Haakimiyyah.

And they base their claim upon their statement that the division of
Tawheed is traditional and it is not terminated (at the three known
divisions). So, there is no prohibition on adding to the three.

And it is said to this : The division is not Traditional, but indeed it

returns to the Book and the Sunnah. And the salaf whenever they
divided Tawheed into three divisions they extracted them from the
Kitaab and the Sunnah.

As for al-Haakimiyyah, then it is truthful. It is obligatory that the

rulings return to the Sharee'ah of Allah , the Exalted and Most High,
but this is included in Tawheed al-Ibaadah (al-Uloohiyyah), because
it is obedience to Allah, the Exalted and Most High, and the salaf did
not neglect Tawheed al-Haakimiyyah because of which we need
someone to come later than them and add it, but they considered it
included in Tawheed al-Uloohiyyah!

Because from the worshipping of Allah, the Exalted and Most High, is
obedience to Him on the rulings of His sharee'ah, so it is not made a
separate category. And if this was not the case, it would have been
upon us to make as-Salaah (prayers) a separate category, from the
categories of Tawheed, and az-Zakaah (charity required from those
who fulfill certain conditions) as a category and as-Siyaam (fasting) as
a category and al-Hajj (pilgrimage to the House of Allah in Makkah)
as a category and all the different types of worship would have been
made categories of Tawheed, and Tawheed would've had an amount
of categories which will never end! And this is wrong.

But all the categories of Ibaadah (worship) are included in one

category and that is Tawheed al-Uloohiyyah, for verily, it gathers all
of that together in itself and it prohibits the entrance of other than
that.

And one who opposes at-Tawheed, he is called a Mushrik (one who

associates with Allah in Tawheed) or a Kaafir (someone who is made
aware of the message of Islaam but refuses to worship Allaah , a
disbeliever) , and one who opposes this obedience (to the Messenger)
then he becomes a Mubtadi'a (innovator).

These are the sayings of those who oppose Ahlus Sunnah, in the
division of Tawheed and they are either a Mufrit or a Mufarrit.

The Mufrit is the one who adds to the three divisions of Tawheed, and
the Mufarrit is one constrains it to one category and ignores the rest;
in fact (he) ignores the most important of them, the category which
has been demanded (from the creation), and that is Tawheed al-
Uloohiyyah.
As for Tawheed ar-Ruboobiyyah, so then all of the ummahs (nations)
have confessed to its (truthfulness). No one denies it except the
abnormal ones from the creation, who have denied it out of pride and
stubbornness, despite the fact that they know this (to be the truth) in
the depths of their souls. So all of the creation acknowledge that
indeed Allah is the creator, the provider, the ever living that never
dies, the disposer of affairs but this is not the Tawheed which has
been demanded (from the creation).” Lessons from the Glorious
Quran

From the above words of the scholars Tawheed al Haakimiyyah is a

part of tawheed which falls within the three classifications of
tawheed, which are Tawheed Ruboobiyyah, Uloohiyyah and Asmaa
wa Sifaat.

The reason Tawheed al Haakimiyyah falls within the three above

classifications of tawheed is because;
1. Allah alone legislates and this is part of his Ruboobiyyah,
legislating and because the servant must worship Allaah
according to what He has decreed.
2. All acts of worship have to be based on Allah's laws to be
classified as an act of worship to Allah, performing any act of
worship sincerely according to Allahs law enters into Uloohiyyah.
3. Allah is al-Haakim and this is from his Asmaa wa Sifaat.

Therefore it is clear there is no real need to make tawheed al-

Haakimiyyah a fourth category of tawheed because the one who does
that has only taken one aspect of Tawheed (which contains many
aspects) advanced it given it this title and then added it to the three
established categories of tawheed. By doing this they have split from
the ijmah of the scholars of Ahlus Sunnah Wal Jamaah from the past
and the present.

The takfires who do this have at worst innovated, a fourth category of

tawheed and are therefore innovators, because an ijmah of the
scholars is a proof in a religious matter just like the Quran and
Sunnah are. So when the takfires oppose this ijmah (of the scholars of
the past and present) by adding a fourth category to tawheed they are
classed as innovators.

Those who deny they are innovators claiming the issue of the
categories of tawheed is a matter ijtihad can not deny that the takfires
are ignorant people when it comes to the matters of tawheed. Because
they have claimed something No scholar from the past or present has
ever spoken of (adding a fourth category to tawheed and calling it
Tawheed al-Haakimiyyah).

Another reason for the takfires ignorance of tawheed is the majority

of them often do not call to the other categories of tawheed. They only
call to tawheed al-Haakimiyyah, by doing this they are going against
the guidance of the prophets and messengers, in the sense that all the
prophets and messengers including the prophet Mohammed called to
all the aspects and categories of tawheed but they focused mainly on
Tawheed Uloohiyyah not haakimiyyah. This is another matter that all
of the scholars have agreed upon.

Plus the takfires are Mufrit because they add to the three divisions of
Tawheed and the majority (not all) are also Mufarrit as they only
focus their dawah efforts on calling to one category of tawheed
(tawheed al-haakimiyyah) and ignore the rest Tawheed Ar
Ruboobiyyah, Tawheed Al Uloohiyyah and Tawheed Al Asmaa was
Sifaat).

Even though there is no real need to make tawheed al-Haakimiyyah a

fourth category of tawheed as it goes against the ijmah of tawheed
being three categories. It is not permissible to deny al-Haakimiyyah
as an aspect of tawheed as it falls into the three agreed upon (by the
scholars of the past and present) and well known categories (Tawheed
Ar Ruboobiyyah, Tawheed Al Uloohiyyah and Tawheed Al Asmaa was
Sifaat).
Shaykh al-Ghunayman said, "It is not permissible to deny
Tawheed al-Haakimiyyah, for it is from the types of
Tawheed.

But it falls under Tawheed al-‘Ibaadah (Tawheed Uloohiyyah) with

regards to the ruler himself as a person. With regards to it meaning
Tawheed, then it falls under ar-Ruboobeeyyah, because the Ruler is
Allaah. So it should be that the Rabb is the Muttasarrif (Controller of
affairs), He is the One who has the Hukm, so it falls under Tawheed
Ar-Ruboobiyyah with regards to ruling, ordering, prohibiting, and
carrying out, whereas regards to application and action then the slave
is responsible for following the Hukm of Allaah, so then it is from
Tawheed Al-‘Ibaadah (Tawheed Uloohiyyah) in this sense.

And making it into a fourth category doesn’t make sense

because it falls into the three categories (Tawheed Ar
Ruboobiyyah, Tawheed Al Uloohiyyah and Tawheed Al
Asmaa was Sifaat). And the division without a reason is a
cause of extra words which are not needed, and it is a simple
matter anyway.

If he makes it a separate category then he is being redundant, and

there is no harm in it.” (The Shaykhs words “there is no harm in
it” means, that in the shaykhs opinion though it makes no sense to
add Tawheed al-Haakimiyyah as a fourth category to Tawheed
doesn’t make sense as it is a cause of extra words which are not
needed, he does not see the harm that such a matter brings about.
Majority of the scholars of Ahlus Sunnah believe this matter does
bring about great harm to the ummah however a minority (like the
shaykh) view that it brings about no harm to the ummah, so this a
difference of opinion on this matter.

However they all agree that making Tawheed ul-Haakimiyyah an

additional category is against the ijmah on the categories of tawheed
being three or two and they all agree that for this reason it is an
innovation which makes no sense and is not need.”)

So Ahlus Sunnah do not deny al-Haakimiyyah (and what it implies)

as an aspect of tawheed but they do not make it a fourth category of
tawheed as they belief it is already included in the three well known
categories of tawheed on which there has been scholarly consensus
(ijmah).

Thus because Ahlus Sunnah does not deny al-Haakimiyyah and what
it implies because it is included in the three well known categories of
tawheed on which there has been scholarly consensus (ijmah)they
belief:
1. it is either major or minor kufr to rule by other than Allahs law,
2. that it is either haraam and a major sin or shirk (that expels the
doer from Islam) for the Muslims to legislate their own laws
(which are other than the shariah laws)
3. and that taking laws from the legislations of kufr is either major
sin and minor or major kufr (that expels the doer from Islam).

They always belief that all the Muslims of this time need to be
educated about these issues.

What Ahlus Sunnah does deny and rejected is the idea that al-
Haakimiyyah is:
• A fourth category of Tawheed. They belief it is already included
in the three well known categories of tawheed
• Applies only to the Muslim rulers and the Muslim governments.
Ahlus Sunnah belief this concept applies to all Muslims.
• That this so called new fourth category, can be used ONLY to
establish the takfir of the Muslim rulers specifically and then the
Muslim governments in general. Ahlus Sunnah belief that takfir
can be established upon ANY Muslim who violates al-
Haakimiyyah not just the Muslim rulers or governments. But not
because he has violated the so called fourth category of Tawheed
 but because by violating al-Haakimiyyah this person has violated
all of the three categories of Tawheed to a lesser or greater
degree. Due to the fact that al-Haakimiyyah is included in the
three well known categories of tawheed on which there has been
scholarly consensus (ijmah).

Shaykh Ali Hasan al-Halabi as explained the stance of Ahlus

Sunnah on al-Haakimiyyah when he spoke about his own stance on
this matter. He said, "I differentiate between al-Haakimiyyah
with its correct understanding and meaning in the view of
Ahl us-Sunnah and the adherents to the Manhaj of the Salaf
and between al-Haakimiyyah with its restricted and limited
meaning in the view of the mukaffireen (those who perform
takfir), the sentimentalists and the agitators.

And this is because that "al-Haakimiyyah [that] belongs to Allaah

alone" [Silsilah Ahadith as-Sahihah (30/1/6) of Imaam al-Albani.] -
applies to every facet of life - [both] worship and regulatory matters,
to both aqeedah and manhaj, to the guardian (amir) and the subject
(ma'mur), to the ruler and the one ruled over - and it is considered
one of the fundamental principles of the Salafi Dawah.

Whoever is confused between considering this to be "one of the

principles of the Salafi (Ahlus Sunnah) Dawah" and between making
it "one of the pillars of Tawheed ul-Ibadah (this is another name for
Tawheed Al Uloohiyyah), then all we can do is to make a supplication
of guidance for him...”

Side Points:

Question & Answers with Shaykh Fawzaan on Tawheed al-

Haakimiyyah

Questioner 1: There is someone who has made a fourth category for

Tawheed and called it Tawheed al-Haakimiyyah
Shaykh Fawzaan: [interjecting]... This is misguidance..., this is
misguidance. This is misguidance and an [unnecessary] addition,
which the people of knowledge have not affirmed. Tawheed is but two
or three categories... this is contradictory, one person says Tawheed is
only one category and another says it is four categories. All of this is
misguidance.
Questioner 1: This person's evidence is that the basis for this
categorization...

Shaykh Fawzaan: [interjecting]... [words unclear].. Tawheed ul-

Haakimiyyah an independent category and it does not enter into
Tawheed ul-Uloohiyyah? It enters into Tawheed ul-Uloohiyyah! It is a
type of worship and is a type of devotion to Allaah, the Mighty and
Majestic.

Questioner 2: He says that these three categorisations, al-

Uloohiyyah, ar-Ruboobiyyah and al-Asmaa was-Sifaat, he says that
this is a matter which is arrived at by the ijtihad of the scholars, or by
way of investigation and analysis (istiqraa').

Shaykh Fawzaan: That is sufficient for us, we will not add to what
they have unanimously agreed upon, and they agree upon this.. [then]
there comes an ignoramus in the twentieth century... he says 'I am a
Mujtahid and I will add to what the People of Knowledge have agreed
upon'. This is misguidance...

Questioner 2: [interjecting]...

Shaykh Fawzaan: This is clear error! Because al-Haakimiyyah

enters into Tawheed ul-Uloohiyyah. Who has made it another
category or made it an independent category? Will he make the
prayer into a fifth or sixth category and jihad a seventh category?
[Because] all of the types of worship are from the types of Tawheed?
This is not correct...
Questioner 2: So this is an innovated saying, this saying [Tawheed
ul-Haakimiyyah]?

Shaykh Fawzaan: Yes, there is no doubt in this, it is in opposition

to the Ijmah [consensus of Ahlus Sunnah]. None of the people of
knowledge have ever spoken with it. It is in opposition to the Ijmah."

The Fifth Category Of Tawheed Called Tawheed Ittibaa ar-

Rasool (Tawheed Of Obedience To The Messenger)

Shaykh Fawzaan said “And from them (those who add categories
to Tawheed) are those who add a fifth category to the fourth one and
they name it ittibaa ar-Rasool (obedience to the Messenger) and this
is wrong.

For the obedience to the Messenger is truthful and necessary but

obedience to the Messenger is a requisite of Tawheed and because of
this the shahhadah, (testimony of faith to testify) that nothing is
worthy of worship except Allah is not correct. Except with the
shahhadah that Mohammad is his (Allahs) messenger.

So a requisite of the shahhadah of Allah with Tawheed is the

shahhadah for the Messenger with messengership. And this is a
requisite of Tawheed, and not a separate category of Tawheed.”
Lessons from the Glorious Quran