Likewise, the greatest ayaah (verse) in the Qur'aan is Ayatul-Kursee
(the Verse of the Throne).33 Since this great aayah informs us -
from start to finish - purely about Almighty God's Names, His Attributes and His Actions.
So this further emphasizes the importance of the Tawheed of knowledge. Similarly, Soorah
al-Ikhlaas - from start to finish - is concerned with the Tawheed of knowledge,
whilst Soorah al-Kaafiroon is connected with the Tawheed of action.24
Indeed, the Prophet - may the peace and blessings of God be upon him - said about a man
who was reciting al-Kafiroon in the first rak'ah (unit of formal prayer): "This
is a servant who believes in his Lord." Then the man recited al-Ikhlaas in
the second, so he - may the peace and blessings of God be upon him - said: "This
is a servant who knows his Lord".25 The Prophet - may the peace
and blessings of God be upon him - said: "Say: He is God, the One"
is equivalent to one third of the Qur'aan. And "Say: O disbelievers . .
. " is equivalent to a quarter of the Qur'aan.26
What further demonstrates the importance of this Tawheed is the fact that the
Prophet - may the peace and blessings of God be upon him - "would begin his day with Tawheed
(of knowledge and action), since he recited both Soorah al-Kafiroon and Soorah
al-Ikhlaas in the two rak'aat (units of prayer) before Fajr (dawn
prayer).27 And he would end the night by reciting both of these soorahs
in his witr (final - literally "odd numbered") prayer.28"29
"Indeed, all of the Qur'aan is about Tawheed."30
And Almighty God - the Mighty and Majestic - says: "A book We have sent down,
full of blessings, that men may ponder over its messages; and those who possess
understanding may take them to heart."31
Tawheed - its Importance from the Sunnah
And what proves the importance of Tawheed from the Sunnah is that the Chosen
one - may the peace and blessings of God be upon him - remained in Makkah thirteen years
amongst the disbelievers, calling them to it, and saying to them: "Say: None has
the right to be worshipped except Almighty God and thus be successful . . . ".32
The Messenger of God - may the peace and blessings of God be upon him - said: "I
have been sent close to the Hour, with the sword, so that none has the right to be
worshipped except Almighty God alone, without any partner. My sustenance is beneath the
shade of my spear. And humiliation and ignominy is for whosoever opposes my command. And
whosoever resembles a people is from them."33"34
Similarly he would send his Companions to various communities ordering them with this Tawheed
first - as was the case when he sent Mu'aadh ibn Jabal to Yeman, saying: "Indeed
you are going to a people from the People of the Book, so let the Tawheed of God be
the very first thing you call them to . . . "35
And just as the Prophet - may the peace and blessings of God be upon him - started his
Prophethood and teaching with the matter of Tawheed, then likewise he - may the
peace and blessings of God be upon him - mentioned "the matter of Tawheed
during his final illness from which he - may the peace and blessings of God be upon him -
died, when he said: "The curse of Almighty God be upon the Jews and the
Christians, for they took the graves of their Prophets as places of worship."36"37