Tawhid al-Hakimiyyah | BIDAH? Is it allowed for us to say tawhid is divided into four and include the tawhid of hakimiyyah – meaning, to single out Allah with rule/judgment?
The concern with the tawhid of hakimiyyah and singling it with mention did not exist except in the last centuries, it being the thirteenth-century hijri. It was only singled out when man-made laws were established; thus some spoke about it and that rule belongs solely to Allah, even though its beginnings appeared in the time of ibn Taymiyyah and ibn Kathir regarding the Yasiq of the Tatar.
We say here that there are some who have a particular position concerning whoever speaks about the tawhid of hakimiyyah based on criticism of a particular movement (the Sahwah movement) or based on specific occurrences, none of which is based on looking at the issue from a scientific lens.
Thus verdicts were passed declaring whoever singles out hakimiyyah as a type of tawhid as an innovator. But the correct view is that there isn’t an issue adding the tawhid of hakimiyyah. It’s not said he is an innovator and declaring him one for this is a mistake. There are those who divided tawhid into two categories, then came those who divided it into three; he would be an innovator according to that view. There are also some people of knowledge that divided tawhid into five categories, adding the tawhid of following. Is he an innovator as well? The rule (qa’idah) is that there is no problem with terminology if it is correct. If reality requires highlighting and paying attention to a certain tawhid and making it an independent category, even if it is within the categories before it, there is no objection; and there are many parallels for that.
Hakimiyyah enters into the tawhid of asma and sifat, based on the name al-Hakam as in the hadith: “Verily, Allah is the judge and the rule belongs to Him.” And it is based on the effects, i.e., one of the meanings of rububiyyah: the act of ordering and forbidding. Where is the bid’ah in that? The one who declared another an innovator for this is either a mistaken mujtahid, and this is said about those known for being honest, or a misguided jahil or one trying to patch up rulers that substituted the law of Allah and a trumpet for them. We say here as well that from the people of knowledge are those that made the conditions of ‘la ilaha illallah’ to be seven. While some of them extracted eight and mentioned the condition of kufr in the taghut, although it is present within the seven conditions.
However, due to its importance, it was separated from the condition of love and made independent. Are they innovators? Similar to this is the issue of iman. Some of the Salaf made it two statements: statements (qawl) and action (‘amal). But when people of innovation appeared and began to speak, some of them said it is: qawl, ‘amal, and belief (i’tiqad). And when the Murjiah spoke concerning action, the Salaf said iman is: i’tiqad, qawl, and acting on the pillars (‘amal bil-arkan).
Thus they included the word ‘arkan’ to clarify. And some made it: qawl, ‘amal, i’tiqad, and intention (niyyah). And some of included: following (itba’). All of the foregone is correct. Each that required clarification or importance the Salaf increased by that amount. They are not invented additions, as they were present and contained in the speech of those who preceded in general. Based on the rule of some people, whoever added to the two words concerning iman is an innovator. Source: Al-Wasit fi Sharh Awwal Risalah fi Majmu’ah at-Tawhid, pp. 27-8. By Shaykh Ali Al-Khudayr #staymuslimdontvote
