MCC Tucson Lectures
Muslim Community Center of Tucson
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October 17, 2025·Rabiʻ II 25, 1447 AH·7:44 PM·17m·Friday-Isha

Islam's Three Foundations Beyond the Five Pillars

The Three Pillars of Islam: Submission, Obedience, and Disassociation from Shirk

definition of islamtawhidshirksubmission to allahislamic foundationsprophet muhammadquran interpretationmuslim identity
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Summary

This lecture discusses the foundational definition of Islam as revealed in Surah al-Muddathir, emphasizing three core pillars: submission to Allah alone without partners, obedience to Allah and His messenger, and disassociation from shirk (polytheism) and its people. The speaker explains that these three elements are essential and must coexist in a Muslim's life, using the hadith where Gabriel asked the Prophet about Islam to demonstrate that while Islam has prominent practices (the Five Pillars), its actual essence lies in these three foundational principles. The lecture clarifies misconceptions about nominal Muslims and emphasizes that Islam must have bearing on a person's life and choices, not merely be a label.

Transcript

Note: This transcript was generated using YouTube's automatic captioning, with AI-assisted cleanup for readability. It may contain inaccuracies due to background noise, audio quality, or limitations of the transcription software — particularly during Arabic recitation. Listener discretion is advised; please refer to the original video for precise wording.

Alhamdulillah.

[Silence]

Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala tells us in the final of the six points that he taught the prophet sallall.aii alaihi wasallam as the first building blocks to his character and his dawa. When he revealed to him the verses of Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala says to him, "Stand and warn and your Lord exalt and your own clothing purify and purify your deeds and fulfill your oath. and abandon the idols. Abandon all of idolatry. Abandon the idols and abandon all that will end with the punishment of Allah subhanahu wa'ta'ala. And do not reproach. Do not reproach upon your followers. Do not reproach your followers for what you do for them. And do not reproach your Lord for what you do in his service. And for your Lord's sake, be patient. These are not only the building blocks of his da sall. Wasam. These are the essence. This is the essence of Islam. When the prophet sallall.aii wasallam was asked by Gabriel very famous narration of he came to him and asked what is Islam? Islam. He said Islam is to testify that none is rightfully worshiped but Allah and that Muhammad is the messenger of Allah. To establish prayer to give zakah to fast Ramadan and to make your migration or your hajj to the house of Allah if you are able to do so. He defined Islam by its most prominent rights. He defined Islam by its most prominent rights. By its most prominent pillars. This is why they're referred to as the pillars of Islam. These are the most prominent aspects, rights, and practices of Islam. So he identified it by its parts. But if we were to ask what is the definition of Islam? The definition of Islam that every prophet and messenger came to his people with. We know the prophets and messengers they all have the same religion. There is no difference in the core essence of their religion. The prophet Sam said, he said, "We the prophets are paternal brothers." Notice the wording, paternal brothers.

[Silence]

Forchech. He says, "Sallam, we the prophets are paternal brothers." What are paternal brothers? Physically speaking, paternal brothers are siblings that have different mothers but all have the same father. This is a figurative that he is speaking about a spiritual brotherhood. He says we the prophets are paternal brothers. Our mothers vary yet our religion is one. He didn't say our father is one. He said our religion is one. Meaning that the core religion of Islam, Islam is the religion of all the prophets and messengers. Even if they have subtle differences in the nuances of their laws, halal haram, the expression of that worship may vary based on what is appropriate for the time and place and people. However, their religion is one. They were all Muslim. And so if we were to say, what is that religion of theirs? Define it. What is the definition of Islam? The definition of Islam is.

[Silence]

These are the three points that define Islam. What is the definition of Islam? person were to say what is Islam? You define it as what its actual substance is. What is it based on? It is the first pointed submission to Allah withhed. The belief in Allah alone without any partners. The worship of Allah alone without any partners. The second point and obedience to him or we should say submission to him with in obedience and disassociation from Shik and its people. This is the definition of Islam. The definition of Islam number one, it is submission to Allah with and submission to him in obedience. and disassociation from shik and its people. These three points have to unite in a single person for the person to be Muslim. For instance, a person who enters into Islam but enters worshshiping other than Allah. Others along with Allah, this person cannot be Muslim. A person enters into Islam but they do not obey him, obey Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala at all. What do we mean by obedience? A general holistic obedience meaning the person his or her attitude is Allah is my creator I have to obey him I have to obey Allah and his messenger it has some bearing on the person's life even if it is slight even if it is very weak at its beginning and those two will not be accepted until a person thirdly rejects and disassociates himself from shik and its people. Notice the wording shik and its people. Disassociation meaning a religious disassociation. doesn't mean you wouldn't have a shik a neighbor that's a mushri or a boss that's a mushri or a parent that's a mushri whatever the case may be these are cultural associations we are speaking about a spiritual religious affiliation the person no longer ascribes to shik and its people find that these points are found in these opening verses of admir Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala commands him this is number two purify your deeds. This is the second point he says and abandon and disassociate yourself from the worship of idols. This is the third point. These three make up the essence of Islam. There's no such thing as a person who accepts Islam but still worships other gods or associates unto Allah partners. There is no such thing as a Muslim who is Muslim by name but nonpracticing meaning they have Islam in its teachings has zero bearing on their lives. This does not exist. This cannot exist. This is a non-existent idea that's in people's minds. In order for a person's Islam to be valid, there has to be some bearing, some semblance of holistic obedience to Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala. Even if the person makes mistakes, even if the person sins, even if the person that is expected. But a person to say and then move on with their life never learning anything extra. That statement having zero bearing on his life or her life and their choices thereafter. This is not considered to be a valid Islam. And number three, disassociation from a shik and its people. That a person doesn't become Muslim and say, you know, Islam is great and I personally am Muslim. However, you know, this idolatry or that idolatry is, you know, also interesting. It's acceptable. It's very it's some you know there's many ways to Rome right many roads all roads lead to Rome as they say or that a person say generally holistically speaking I love or this person says that they love Hindus those whom they've met and those whom they have not met it's their Hinduism that makes them love them this is a type of shik Remember here we are speaking about a spiritual love. What is a spiritual love? We as Muslims, we have a spiritual love for all Muslims. Those whom we met and those whom we have not met. They are all our brothers and sisters whether we know them or not. Their trait that makes them our brothers and sisters is their Islam. If a person were to have this affection or this association with a religion other than Islam in this way, this will make a person's Islam invalid. Because these are the three points when Allah says abandon idols. Abandon the worship of idols. Abandon the holidays and celebrations of idols. Abandon the superstitions of idols. Abandon the people of idolatry. What did Iraim say to his people? He said, "We hereby disassociate ourselves from you all and that which you worship aside from Allah." Notice the wording. The war, we disassociate ourselves from you and those which you worship aside from Allah. Pharaoh's wife said, "She made her dua, oh Allah, save me from Pharaoh and his actions." We don't have this idea that has been heard by, you know, Muslims hear these ideas sometimes, these poetic oneliners. They catch a person's attention and they sound correct but they are incorrect. Such as hate the sin and not the sinner. This here tells us that there is a difference between the action and the person who commits that act. This is a statement that is taken from Christianity. This doesn't exist in the Quran in the Sunnah. There is an inherent connection between the person and his actions. That's why on the day of judgment what will be weighed? People's actions, people's deeds. And in other verses, people themselves will be weighed. In other verses, the scrolls of a person's deeds will be weighed. Why? Those all three of those are the same thing. When Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala tells us that he is he will weigh a person and in another verse he will weigh a person's actions and in another verse he will weigh the scrolls of a person's actions. That's because they are all the same thing. You cannot separate between the person and the behavior. They are innately connected. And so these three points are the definition of Islam. And these three points are what the prophet sallall.aii was sent to uphold in himself and expound upon in his da'wah. all of the rest of the Quran, every other verse that was revealed to him subsequent to these verses, every following verse that was revealed to him from the beginning of the Quran to the end is an explanation of these opening.

[Arabic recitation]