When Allah Almighty spoke to Prophet Musa (Moses), peace be upon him, He revealed to him the truth that He is the Lord of all worlds and that there is no deity worthy of worship except Him. In Surah Taha, our Lord says:
“Indeed, I am Allah. There is no deity except Me, so worship Me and establish prayer for My remembrance.” (Taha, 20:14)
My dear brothers and sisters, let us pay attention! The truth Allah revealed to Musa, peace be upon him, is Tawheed, the foundation of Islam. Tawheed is the beginning of everything, the essence of every matter, and the foundation of all acts of worship. It is the greatest truth that Allah is pleased with and that the prophets were sent to convey to humanity.
So, what is Tawheed? Tawheed means affirming the oneness of Allah, recognizing that only He deserves to be worshipped, directing all acts of worship exclusively to Him, and living according to the guidance He has revealed. Tawheed is not merely a statement uttered by the tongue. It is a fundamental truth that encompasses every aspect of life and shapes a Muslim’s faith, conduct, and understanding of servitude to Allah.
My dear brothers and sisters, Tawheed cannot be separated from a Muslim’s life. Whatever subject we discuss, Tawheed remains at the heart of Islam. Why? Because this is the purpose for which human beings were created. Allah Almighty says in Surah Adh-Dhariyat:
“I did not create jinn and mankind except to worship Me.” (Adh-Dhariyat, 51:56)
Our Lord did not create us merely to perform prayer, fast, or give charity. The foundation of all these acts of worship is to serve Allah and affirm His oneness. A person should organize their life in accordance with Allah’s pleasure and place their Lord at the center of their devotion.
Why Did Allah Reveal the Scriptures and Send the Prophets?
My dear brothers and sisters, what is the fundamental purpose behind Allah’s revelation of His Books? What truth did He want humanity to understand? We find the answer in many verses of the Qur’an: worship Allah and do not associate anything with Him.
In the opening verses of Surah Hud, Allah Almighty explains that the verses of the Qur’an have been perfected and then set forth in detail by One who is All-Wise and All-Aware. This Book was revealed to guide humanity, teach people how to worship properly, and direct them toward Allah.
So what did Allah do to convey this truth to humanity? He sent prophets.
Various narrations have been reported in Islamic scholarly sources regarding the number of prophets. However, regardless of which narration is considered, their fundamental mission is clear: to call people to worship Allah and to turn them away from false deities.
Allah Almighty says in Surah An-Nahl:
“And We certainly sent into every nation a messenger, [saying], ‘Worship Allah and avoid false gods.’” (An-Nahl, 16:36)
Look, my dear brothers and sisters! This was the common message of all the prophets: to call people to worship Allah, warn them against worshipping others besides Him, and establish the truth of Tawheed in their hearts.
The Messenger of Allah, Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, followed the path of the prophets before him and called people to Tawheed as his foremost message. In Surah Al-Anbiya, our Lord says:
“And We sent not before you any messenger except that We revealed to him that there is no deity except Me, so worship Me.” (Al-Anbiya, 21:25)
This means, my dear brothers and sisters, that Tawheed was not a message limited to one particular prophet. From Prophet Adam onward, it was the fundamental truth conveyed to humanity by all the prophets.
Tawheed Came First in the Prophet’s Call
When the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, appointed his Companions to convey Islam to others, he placed Tawheed first.
According to a narration recorded by both Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim, Abdullah ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with them, reported the advice the Messenger of Allah gave to Muadh ibn Jabal when he sent him to Yemen.
The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, reminded Muadh that he would be going to a community from the People of the Book. He instructed him to invite them first to testify that none has the right to be worshipped except Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah.
If they accepted this invitation, Muadh was then to inform them that Allah had obligated five daily prayers upon them. If they accepted this, he was to explain that Allah had made charity, or zakat, obligatory upon them, to be taken from their wealth.
There is a very important lesson here, my dear brothers and sisters: the Prophet introduced Tawheed first, followed by prayer and then zakat. This is because Tawheed is the foundation upon which all other acts of worship are built.
This does not mean that prayer or zakat is unimportant. On the contrary, it demonstrates the importance of faith and sincerity in ensuring that our worship is accepted by Allah. A Muslim should perform acts of worship sincerely for Allah alone and build their entire understanding of devotion upon Tawheed.
So let us reflect: if Tawheed is the purpose of our creation, if the Scriptures were revealed to explain this truth, and if the prophets were sent to call people to it, how can Tawheed ever be pushed into the background of a Muslim’s life?
The Call to Tawheed Never Ends
My dear brothers and sisters, Tawheed was not a subject that was taught only during the early days in Makkah and then considered complete. It remained central to the Prophet’s mission throughout his life.
Tawheed and prayer, Tawheed and zakat, Tawheed and education, Tawheed and striving in Allah’s cause—all these matters in a Muslim’s life must be understood in connection with the fundamental truth of worshipping Allah.
No matter should be emphasized in a way that causes Tawheed to be forgotten or treated as insignificant.
Tawheed shapes not only our conduct in this world but also our preparation for the Hereafter. If we wish to live in a way that pleases Allah, we must protect our faith, perform our acts of worship sincerely, and strive to remain steadfast in our devotion to Him until our final breath.
Tawheed Is a Muslim’s Greatest Treasure
My dear brothers and sisters, possessing Tawheed is one of the greatest blessings a person can have. If someone truly understands its value, they will recognize how important it is in their life.
Tawheed helps a person remain on the right path in this world. It forms the foundation of preparing for the life of the grave and the Day of Judgment. A Muslim should strive to preserve their faith, maintain sincere devotion, and remain committed to Islam until their final breath.
Think about it, my dear brothers and sisters. While living in this world, we want to remain believers until the very end of our lives. What will help us remain firm on this path? Sound faith in Allah, sincere worship, and a life built upon Tawheed.
In Surah Ibrahim, our Lord compares a good word to a good tree. Allah Almighty says:
“Have you not considered how Allah presents an example of a good word, like a good tree, whose root is firmly fixed and its branches are high in the sky?” (Ibrahim, 14:24)
In Islamic tafsir, this good word has been associated with the declaration of Tawheed: La ilaha illallah—there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah.
Just as a tree with firmly established roots produces fruit by Allah’s permission, Tawheed must take root in a believer’s life and be reflected in their actions.
In the following verse, our Lord explains that the tree produces its fruit at all times by the permission of its Lord. This example reminds us that Tawheed must not remain merely on our tongues. Our faith must have a real impact on our lives and become evident in our character, worship, and relationships with others.
In Surah Ibrahim, verse 27, Allah Almighty says:
“Allah keeps firm those who believe, with the firm word, in worldly life and in the Hereafter.” (Ibrahim, 14:27)
My dear brothers and sisters, remaining steadfast in faith, living in a manner that pleases Allah, and maintaining our devotion until our final breath are tremendous blessings. Therefore, it is our responsibility to learn Tawheed, understand its meaning, and put it into practice in our lives.
So, what is Tawheed? Tawheed means affirming the oneness of Allah, directing all acts of worship exclusively to Him, and living according to the truths He has revealed.
Let us not treat Tawheed as merely a statement that we repeat. Let us learn it, strive to understand it, and keep it at the center of our lives. For Tawheed is the foundation of a Muslim’s steadfastness in this world and preparation for the Hereafter.
