Question: "Some people, from the callers, have begun giving importance to mentioning 'Tawheedul-Haakimiyyah' in addition to the three well-known categories of Tawheed. So does this fourth category enter within the three categories? or not ' such that we make it a separate category which we must give (extra) importance to?

And it is said that Shaikh Muhammad ibn 'Abdul-Wahhaab gave attention to Tawheedul-Uloohiyyah in his time when he saw that the people fell short of Tawheed in that aspect, and that Imaam Ahmad in his time gave attention to Tawheedul-Asmaa was-Sifaat when he saw the people falling short of Tawheed in that aspect. But as for today then the people fall short with regard to Tawheedul-Haakimiyyah, so therefore we must give attention to it. So how correct is this saying?"

Answer: "Tawheed is of three categories: Tawheedur-Ruboobiyyah, Tawheedul-Uloohiyyah and Tawheedul-Asmaa was-Sifaat, and there is no fourth category. And judging by what Allaah sent down comes under Tawheedul-Uloohiyyah since it is from the types of worship due to Allaah, the One free of all imperfections, and all of the types of worship fall under Tawheedul-Uloohiyyah. 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.

However there were some of them who generalised and said that Tawheed is of two classes: Tawheed of things known and affirmed (al-Ma'rifah wal-Ithbaat) - and it is Tawheedur-Ruboobiyyah and Tawheedul-Asmaa was-Sifaat; and Tawheed of purpose and intentions (at-Talab wal-Qasd) - and it is Tawheedul-Uloohiyyah. Then there are others who particularise and so place Tawheed in three categories, as has preceded, and Allaah knows best.

So it is obligatory to give attention to all of Tawheedul-Uloohiyyah, and to begin by forbidding shirk, since it is the greatest of sins and annuls all of the deeds, and a person upon it will remain for ever in the Fire. Also all of the Prophets began with the command to worship Allaah alone and the forbiddance of shirk; and Allaah has commanded us to follow their way and to proceed upon their methodology in Da'wah and the rest of the affairs of the deen. So giving attention to tawheed with its three categories is obligatory in every time, since shirk and denial/divestment (ta'teel) of the names and attributes are still found, indeed they occur very often and their danger increases towards the end of time, and the seriousness of these two is a matter hidden from many of the Muslims, and those who call to these two are many and active. So occurrence of shirk is not something restricted to the time of Sheikh Muhammad ibn 'Abdul-Wahhaab, nor is denial/divestment (ta'teel) of the names and attributes restricted to the time of Imaam Ahmad, Rahimahullaah, as occurs in the question. Rather their danger has increased and their prevalence has grown in Muslim societies today. So they are in the greatest need of those who will forbid from falling into them and who will make clear their danger. Whilst knowing that being upright upon the commands of Allaah and avoidance of what He forbids and applying/judging by His Sharee'ah, all of that falls under realisation of Tawheed and remaining free from shirk.

And may Allaah extol and send peace upon our Prophet Muhammad and his true followers and his Companions.

Source: Taken from 'al-Muslimoon,' no. 639, 25th of Dhul-Hijjah 1417H which corresponds to Friday the 2nd of May 1997 SalafiPublications (trans. Dawud Burbank)