In the preface to this book, the author (may Almighty Allah have mercy on him) begins by praising Allah (Exalted and Glorified is He):
الحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ العَالَمِينَ
“All praise is due to Allah, the Lord of all worlds.”
He then invokes blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him), his family, and all his companions.
The author emphasizes that one of the greatest blessings from Allah for His servant is the blessing of Islam and the Sunnah, as people have a vital need to know their religion. This is because Almighty Allah created His servants so that they worship Him alone, without associating any partners with Him. Allah sent His messengers to them, revealed scriptures to them, and sent His Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) with true guidance (الهُدًى, al-hudaa) and the religion of truth (دِينُ الحَقِّ, deenul-haqq), meaning with knowledge and righteous deeds.
There is no act that brings one closer to Allah that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did not clarify and guide the Ummah toward. Similarly, there is no act that distances one from Allah that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did not warn his Ummah against.
And the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did not leave this world, did not pass away until he had fully conveyed the Message (رِسَالَةٌ, risalah), fulfilled the duty entrusted to him, demonstrated sincerity toward the Ummah, and lifted the veil of darkness (كَشَفَ الغُمَّةَ, kashafa al-ghummah)—referring here to various forms of misguidance. He strove earnestly and performed jihad in the path of Allah with true dedication.
And Allah (Exalted and Glorified is He) said:
الْيَوْمَ أَكْمَلْتُ لَكُمْ دِينَكُمْ وَأَتْمَمْتُ عَلَيْكُمْ نِعْمَتِي وَرَضِيتُ لَكُمُ الْإِسْلَامَ دِينًا
Today I have perfected your faith for you, completed My favour upon you, and chosen Islam as your way.
Qur’an, Surah Al-Ma’idah (The Table Spread), 5:3
What does this verse, one of the last revealed in the Qur’an, signify? It indicates that this religion is complete and perfect, and Allah (Exalted and Glorified is He) states that His mercy has been perfected through the revelation of this religion. Islam does not require any additions, which is why every innovation—anything introduced into the religion—will not be part of it.
It is reported from ابْنُ مَاجِشُون (Ibn Majishun) that he said:
“I heard Malik say: مَنْ ابْتَدَعَ فِى الإِسْلَامِ بِدْعَةً يَرَاهَا حَسَنَةً, فَقَدْ زَعَمَ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا ﷺ خَانَ الرِّسَالَةَ
“Whoever introduces an innovation into this religion and considers that innovation to be good is, in fact, claiming that Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) betrayed the mission entrusted to him—that is, he did not fully convey it. This is because Allah says:
الْيَوْمَ أَكْمَلْتُ لَكُمْ دِينَكُمْ
‘Today I have perfected your religion…’
فَمَا لَمْ يَكُنْ يَوْمَإِذٍ دِينًا, فَلَا يَكُونُ اليَوْمَ دِينًا
‘And whatever was not considered part of the religion on that day cannot be considered part of the religion today.’“
Refer to “Al-I’tisam” by Imam Ash-Shatibi, 1/25.
This book consists of questions and answers for children. The author titled it “Questions and Answers for Children” (أَسْئِلَةٌ وَأَجْوِبَةٌ لِلصِّغَارِ, As’ilatun wa Ajwibatun lis-Sighar), but at the same time, he stated: وَلَا يَسْتَغْنِي عَنْهَا الكِبَارُ (“And adults cannot do without them either.”). Essentially, it is a small treatise in which the author not only provided questions and answers but also added explanations to each, resulting in this book. Today, we will examine the first question.
The First Question:
مَنْ رَبُّكَ “Who is your Lord?”
Answer:
رَبِّيَ اللهُ “My Lord is Allah.”
When a person is placed in their grave, they will be asked three things (three questions will be posed to them). The first of these questions is a great and significant one. Evidence for this is found in the words of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), who said:
فَيَأْتِيهِ مَلَكَانِ, فَيُجْلِسَانِهِ فَيَقُولَانِ لَهُ : مَنْ رَبُّكَ ؟ فَيَقُولُ : رَبِّيَ اللهُ
“Two angels will come to him, make him sit up, and ask him who his Lord is, to which he will reply that his Lord is Allah” This hadith was transmitted by Imam Ahmad (18534), and its authenticity was confirmed by Sheikh Al-Albani in “Sahih al-Jami’” (1676).
Due to the significance of this question, it is the duty of a servant to know their Lord. Allah created jinn and humans, sent messengers to them, and revealed scriptures to acquaint His servants with Himself so that they may know Him. The knowledge of Allah (مَعْرِفَةُ اللهِ, ma’rifatu-llah) is one of the wise purposes and objectives for which Allah created His creations, including humans.
Some may say that Allah (Exalted and Glorified is He) created humans to worship Him. This is true, but Allah (Exalted and Glorified is He) also points to another purpose. In general, Allah created humans with three wise purposes or goals, which are interconnected and flow from one another.
The First Purpose: To know their Lord.
The evidence for this is the statement of Almighty Allah:
اللَّهُ الَّذِي خَلَقَ سَبْعَ سَمَاوَاتٍ وَمِنَ الْأَرْضِ مِثْلَهُنَّ يَتَنَزَّلُ الْأَمْرُ بَيْنَهُنَّ لِتَعْلَمُوا أَنَّ اللَّهَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ وَأَنَّ اللَّهَ قَدْ أَحَاطَ بِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ عِلْمًا
Allah is the One Who created seven heavens ˹in layers˺, and likewise for the earth. The ˹divine˺ command descends between them so you may know that Allah is Most Capable of everything and that Allah certainly encompasses all things in ˹His˺ knowledge. Qur’an, Surah At-Talaq (Divorce), 65:12
In this verse, Allah says that He created the heavens and the earth so that we may know that Allah is All-Powerful and that He encompasses everything with His knowledge. In other words, this was done so that we may come to know Him. This is the first wise purpose behind the creation of humans.
The Second Wise Purpose:
The testing (الابْتِلَاءُ, al-ibtila’), the examination (الاخْتِبَارُ, al-ikhtibar).
The evidence for this is found in a verse from Surah Al-Mulk:
الَّذِي خَلَقَ الْمَوْتَ وَالْحَيَاةَ لِيَبْلُوَكُمْ أَيُّكُمْ أَحْسَنُ عَمَلًا
˹He is the One˺ Who created death and life in order to test which of you is best in deeds.
Qur’an, Surah Al-Mulk (The Sovereignty), 67:2
What are these good deeds (العَمَلُ الحَسَنُ, al-‘amalul-hasan)? A good deed meets two criteria: it must be sincerely dedicated to Allah (خَالِصًا للهِ, khalisan li-Allah) and it must be correct, in accordance with the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) (صَوَابًا عَلَى سُنَّةِ رَسُولِ اللهِ, sawaaban ‘ala sunnati rasuli-llah).
Thus, this was the second purpose of creation.
The third purpose of creating humans and jinn is worship of Allah alone, without associating any partners with Him. The evidence for this is a verse from Surah Az-Zariyat:
وَمَا خَلَقْتُ الْجِنَّ وَالْإِنسَ إِلَّا لِيَعْبُدُونِ
I did not create jinn and humans except to worship Me.
Qur’an, Surah Az-Zariyat (The Winnowing Winds), 51:56
These words: لِيَعْبُدُونِ (“that they may worship Me”) mean لِيُوَحِّدُونِي (“that they may declare My Oneness”), that is, to profess the Tawhid of Allah (Exalted and Glorified is He), to worship Him alone and to know Him.
So, what does “He created humans and jinn to worship Me” mean? It means to profess Tawhid, the Oneness of Allah, and to know Allah, because it is known that when a servant knows Allah, they will worship Him alone, not associating anything with Him. These are very important words.
Why does shirk (associating partners with Allah) arise, and why do people worship someone besides Allah or alongside Allah? The reason for this is ignorance of the Lord in the proper way. If a servant knows Allah, they will worship Him alone, not associating anything with Him. But if they are unaware of Allah’s rights, they will commit shirk, associating partners with Allah in worship and showing disbelief. Therefore, the more knowledge a person has about Allah, the more they know Allah, the greater their worship of Allah, reverence and fear of Him, hope in Him, and proper adherence to His commands.
The messengers (الرُّسُلُ, ar-rusul) of all people had the most perfect worship of Allah (Exalted and Glorified is He) and feared Him more than anyone else. Why did the messengers fear Allah more than others, and why was their worship the most perfect? It was because of the completeness of their knowledge about Allah (Exalted and Glorified is He). Therefore, Allah says:
إِنَّمَا يَخْشَى اللَّهَ مِنْ عِبَادِهِ الْعُلَمَاءُ
Of all of Allah’s servants, only the knowledgeable ˹of His might˺ are ˹truly˺ in awe of Him.
Qur’an, Surah Fatir (The Originator), 35:28
That is, the more one knows Allah, the more they fear Him and worship Him better. The messengers (الرُّسُلُ, ar-rusul) know Allah more than anyone else, and after them, the scholars (العُلَمَاءُ, al-‘ulama). Therefore, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) says:
إِنِّي لَأَرْجُو أَنْ أَكُونَ أَخْشَاكُمْ لِلَّهِ ، وَأَعْلَمَكُمْ بِمَا أَتَّقِي
By Allah, I hope I am the most God-fearirg of you, and possess the best knowledge among you of those (things) against which I should guard. This hadith was transmitted by Imam Al-Bukhari (20) and Muslim (1110). Sheikh Al-Albani classified this hadith as authentic. Refer to “Sahih al-Jami’ as-Saghir” (1533).
Among the things that highlight the importance of knowing Allah is when the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) sent Mu’adh ibn Jabal to Yemen and said to him:
إِنَّكَ تَقْدَمُ عَلَى قَوْمٍ مِنْ أَهْلِ الكِتَابِ
You will soon find yourself in a community one among the people of the Book, so first call them to testify that
أَنْ يُوَحِّدُواْ اللهَ تَعَالَى
there is no god but Allah
فَإِذَا عَرَفُواْ ذَلِكَ
and if they accept this
فَأَخْبِرْهُمْ أَنَّ اللهَ قَدْ فَرَضَ عَلَيْهِمْ خَمْسَ صَلَوَاتٍ فِي يَوْمِهِمْ وَلَيْلَتِهِمْ
then tell them Allah has enjoined upon them five prayers during the day and the night. The hadith was transmitted by Al-Bukhari (7372) and Muslim (19).
Note here that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said to Mu’adh: “You will come to a people from the People of the Book,” meaning he sent him to Yemen to a people who had certain knowledge, who had scripture, not just any people. “The first thing you will call them to is Tawhid of Allah,” meaning that they worship only Allah. “If they know this…”
Pay attention, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) commanded Mu’adh to call them to the Tawhid of Allah, to worship Allah alone, حَتَّى يَعْرِفُواْ اللهَ (hatta ya‘rifu-llah), until they know Allah and worship Him alone without associating any partners with Him.
Therefore, a Muslim is obligated to know Allah by becoming acquainted with His most beautiful Names, His exalted Attributes, His commands and prohibitions, His rulings (ahkam), and by understanding what Allah loves and what He hates — all of this falls under the concept of “knowing Allah” (مَعْرِفَةُ اللهِ, ma‘rifatu-llah).
Whoever knows Allah will then worship Him properly, professing Tawhid, avoiding shirk and kufr. They will fulfill the third purpose: passing the trials properly, performing the best deeds sincerely for Allah and in accordance with the Sunnah.
This is how these three purposes are interconnected: the first is the knowledge of Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He), so that we may know Him; if you know Allah, the second purpose follows — proper worship of Him, professing Tawhid; and the third purpose is to pass the test by performing the best deeds that are pleasing to Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He). These are the deeds that are done sincerely for Him alone and in accordance with the Sunnah of His Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him).
Someone might say that the question in the grave: مَنْ رَبُّكَ (Man Rabbuka, “Who is your Lord?”) — is a very simple question. The question is simple, and the answer is simple: “The Lord is Allah.” But the correct answer to this is that a servant will not be able to remain steadfast there, in the grave, and give the correct answer unless he showed steadfastness in this world. If he was not steadfast in this world, then during the questioning in the grave, he will also not be steadfast and will not be able to give the correct answer with understanding and knowledge that his Lord is Allah.
And if a person considers and analyzes what will happen in the grave — such things as the questioning by the two angels, مُنْكَرٌ (Munkar) and نَكِيرٌ (Nakir) (an authentic hadith indicates that these angels are named مُنْكَرٌ Munkar and نَكِيرٌ Nakir), along with other significant and great events that will occur in the grave — then he will realize and understand how immense the need is to ask Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) to make him steadfast with a firm word.
فَيَأْتِيهِ مَلَكَانِ, فَيُجْلِسَانِهِ
Two angels will come to him, make him sit up
فَيَقُولَانِ لَهُ : مَنْ رَبُّكَ ؟
and ask him who his Lord is, to which he will reply
هاه هاه ! لا أدري …
“Haah-haah, I do no know”
The hadith was transmitted by Imam Ahmad (18534), and its authenticity was confirmed by Sheikh Al-Albani in Sahih Al-Jami’ (1676).
In this hadith, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) informed us about the one who doubts and hesitates, indicating that such a person will not be granted assistance in the grave to answer this question. Who will be granted assistance? The one who was steadfast in this world, who knew who his Lord was, and who worshiped Allah. But the one who wavered in this world will not receive Tawfiq (divine assistance) from Allah. The Almighty will not support him, and he will be unable to answer what seems to be a simple question.
Here, the insightful words of Sheikh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allah be pleased with him) are mentioned:
“Reflect on these words: ‘Haah-haah.’ Why does a person say this? It is as though they are struggling to recall something they once knew. It is as if they forgot something that was once in their memory, and now they desperately want to remember it. When it feels like you know the answer but cannot recall it, your sorrow, grief, and regret will only intensify. It will feel as though the answer is within reach, but there is a barrier preventing it, and all you can say is: ‘Haah-haah.’
Then they will add: ‘I heard people saying something, so I repeated it.’ (SubhanAllah! This person also said these words in this world, but only with their tongue. These words were not in their heart, nor reflected in their actions.) Such a person will not be able to answer in the grave: ‘My Lord is Allah,’ or say: ‘My religion is Islam,’ or say: ‘My Prophet is Muhammad.’ This is because they were hesitant and doubtful in this worldly life.”
See the commentary on Sharh Al-‘Aqeedah Al-Wasitiyyah 2/117.
Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) will strengthen and support those who were firm in Islam during their worldly life when answering this question. Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) mentions this in Surah Ibrahim.
يُثَبِّتُ اللَّهُ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا بِالْقَوْلِ الثَّابِتِ فِي الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا وَفِي الْآخِرَةِ وَيُضِلُّ اللَّهُ الظَّالِمِينَ
Allah makes the believers steadfast with the firm Word ˹of faith˺1 in this worldly life and the Hereafter. And Allah leaves the wrongdoers to stray. The Quran, Surah “Ibrahim” (14:27):
Similar to this is crossing the bridge of Sirat, which will be laid over the back of Hell, leading to Paradise. No one will be exempt from this necessity; everyone will have to cross the Sirat. The crossing will depend on how firm and steadfast people were on the Sirat, the path Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) established in this world—the path of religion. If a person was firm and straight on this path in this world, then they will easily cross the Sirat there.
In other words, the speed with which a person crosses the Sirat in the eternal life will correspond to their steadfastness on the religious path in this world. If a person was steadfast on the Straight Path (As-Sirat Al-Mustaqeem), which is Islam, then they will cross the Sirat on the Day of Judgment. However, the one who was not steadfast in Islam in this world will not be able to cross the Sirat laid over the back of Hell.
Some people express doubt and ask, “What is the need to talk about Tawhid Al-Uluhiyyah?”
What is Tawhid Al-Uluhiyyah? Tawhid (Islamic monotheism) is divided into three categories:
- Tawhid Ar-Rububiyyah (The Oneness of Lordship): Belief that Allah is the only Lord and Creator.
- Tawhid Al-Uluhiyyah (The Oneness of Worship): Belief that Allah is the only One worthy of worship.
- Tawhid Al-Asma wa As-Sifat (The Oneness of Divine Names and Attributes): Belief in the unique Names and Attributes of Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He), which are exclusive to Him.
Some people say that there is no need to talk about Tawhid al-Uluhiyyah (the Oneness of Worship), and it is sufficient to only explain Tawhid ar-Rububiyyah (the Oneness of Lordship), meaning that Allah is the only Lord. Why talk about Tawhid al-Uluhiyyah, which means worshiping Allah alone (Exalted and Glorified is He)? What do they rely on? They argue that in the grave, the question will be: “Who is your Lord?”—and this means that it is enough to study Allah’s Lordship: that He is the only Lord, Creator, Sustainer, Disposer, and Manager. What is the need, then, to discuss that Allah is the only One worthy of worship when in the grave the question will not be, “Who is your Ma’bud (the One you worshiped)?” Thus, they claim there is no question about this matter.
What is the response to this? The point is that the word “Lord” (Rabb) and the word “God” (Ilah, meaning the One worshiped, Ma’bud)—when used together in one context, they indicate different meanings. However, if they are mentioned separately, each word includes the meaning of the other.
For example, Allah Rabbi wa Ilahi (“Allah is my Lord and my God”) means: He is my Lord, Who created, sustained, and manages all, and He is my Ilah, my Ma’bud—the One I worship. When these words are in one context, they have distinct meanings: Rabb points to creation, management of affairs, and provision, while Ilah points to worship—that He is the Ma’bud (the One worshiped).
If the word Rabb is used independently of Ilah, or the word Ilah is used independently of Rabb, then they carry the same meaning and encompass the meaning of both terms.
The word Rabb refers to the Creator, Sustainer, and also the One worshiped. The word Ilah refers to the One worshiped but also includes the Creator and Sustainer.
Evidence that the word Rabb is used in the sense of Ilah (the One worshiped) is found in the words of Allah (Exalted and Glorified is He) in Surah Yusuf:
يَا صَاحِبَيِ السِّجْنِ أَأَرْبَابٌ مُّتَفَرِّقُونَ خَيْرٌ أَمِ اللَّهُ الْوَاحِدُ الْقَهَّارُ
O my fellow-prisoners! Which is far better: many different lords or Allah—the One, the Supreme?
The Quran, Surah Yusuf, 12:39:
Here, the word Arbab (lords) does not mean creators but refers to gods who are worshiped. Yusuf (peace be upon him), addressing his fellow prisoners, says:
“Is it better to worship many lords (arbaab) or Allah, the One, the Subjugator?”
This is evidence that Rabb (Lord) is used in the meaning of Ilah (God), because he is speaking to them about worship.
Another example is found in Surah At-Tawbah:
اتَّخَذُوا أَحْبَارَهُمْ وَرُهْبَانَهُمْ أَرْبَابًا مِّن دُونِ الله
They have taken their rabbis and monks as well as the Messiah, son of Mary, as lords besides Allah
The Quran, Surah At-Tawbah, 9:31
In what sense is the word “lords” used here? They did not think that the scholars and monks created them. No, of course not. It is used in the sense of objects of worship, gods. And evidence of this interpretation is the hadith of Adi ibn Hatim, who was previously a Christian and had just accepted Islam. He heard the Prophet (peace be upon him) reciting these words:
اتَّخَذُوا أَحْبَارَهُمْ وَرُهْبَانَهُمْ أَرْبَابًا مِّن دُونِ الله
They took their rabbis and monks as lords besides Allah
He said, “We do not worship them.” This means he understood that by the word “lords,” it refers to “objects of worship.” The Prophet (peace be upon him) said:
“Do they not declare halal as haram, or conversely, haram as halal, and you follow them? This is worshiping them.”
This hadith is narrated by Imam at-Tirmidhi (3095), al-Bayhaqi (10/116), at-Tabarani in “al-Kabir” (17/92), and others. The authenticity of this hadith was confirmed by imams at-Tirmidhi, Abu Muzafar as-Sam’ani, Ibn Taymiyyah, al-Alusi, al-Albani, ‘Abd al-Qadir al-Arnaut, and others. See “Tahrij Ahadith al-Kashaf” (2/66), “Tafseer as-Sam’ani” (2/303), “Majmu’ul-Fatawa” (7/67), “Ruh al-Ma’ani” (5/365), “Umdat al-Tafseer” (2/160), “As-Silsilah As-Sahihah” (3293), “Tahrij Fath al-Majid” (464), “Tahrij Ahadith Mundak’ada fi Kitab at-Tawhid” (91-94).
Thus, the companions Salaf understood that by the word “lords” (in the verse under the word أَرْبَابًا (arbaaban)), it refers to Ilah (آلِهَةٌ “Aalihah”) — the one who is worshiped.
Further evidence:
وَلَا يَأْمُرَكُمْ أَن تَتَّخِذُوا الْمَلَائِكَةَ وَالنَّبِيِّينَ أَرْبَابًا
And he would never ask you to take angels and prophets as lords. Quran, Surah “Aali Imran”, 3:80
That is, the objects of worship ma’budan (worshiped ones).
Allah (Glorified and Exalted) – He is ar-Rabb (The Lord), and ar-Rabb is Allah. The Lord is Allah, and Allah is The Lord. Therefore, in the grave, when you are asked: Man rabbuka (Who is your Lord?), it does not refer to “Who is your Creator?” but it refers to “Who is the One you worshiped, knowing Him as the Lord?” That is, Ilahuka allathee ta’buduhu (Who is your God that you worship?). This is the answer to the first question, “Who is your Lord?”
