Is there 4 branches of tawheed? 1. there is tawheed-ur-rububiyyah 2. there is tawheed-ul-uluhiyyah 3. there is tawheed-ul-asmaai-was-swifaat WHAT ABOUT TAWHEED OF LEGISLATION?

All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger.

After investigating the texts of the Quran and the Sunnah of the Prophet we find that Tawheed is divided into three categories:

1-     Tawheed Ar-Ruboobiyyah, which is believing that Allaah is the only Creator, Cherisher, Sustainer and it is He Alone Who takes care of all the matters of the worlds.  Whoever believes that Allaah has a supporter in these matters or that someone other than Allaah carries them out, he commits Kufr (disbelief).

2-     Tawheed Al-Uloohiyyah, which is believing that Allaah is one and He is The Only One worthy of being worshipped. Whoever entitles a portion of worship or a form of worship to other than Allaah, he commits Shirk (associating partners with Allaah). For instance if someone prays  to a creature, idol, or tree seeking reward from Allaah, or offers sacrifice to them, etc, he performs Shirk in Uloohiyyah since he sets partners in worshipping Allaah.

3-     Tawheed Al-Asmaa' Was-Sifaat, which is approving and believing in all the Names and Attributes that Allaah has described Himself with or His Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, described Him with such as Ar-Rahmaan, Ar-Raheem, Al-‘Atheem, etc. 

 No one is allowed to call Him a Name other than the Names and Attributes that He gave to Himself or His Prophet Muhammad called Him with.

However, some scholars divided Tawheed into two categories only:

1-     Tawheed of Knowledge and Confirmation (of the Actions, Names and Attributes of Allaah): this category includes Tawheed Ar-Ruboobiyyah and Tawheed Al-Asmaa' Was-Sifaat.

2-     Tawheed At-Talab Wal-Qasd (of our actions towards Allaah): this means to worship Allaah Alone without associating with Him any partners, which is Tawheed Al-Uloohiyyah.

The meaning is the same; it is only the names of these categories which differ. From this, people derived Tawheed Al-Haakimiyyah, which means that Allaah Alone Has the right to legislate, and they classified it as a separate category for its importance. Nonetheless, in principle it is included in Tawheed Ar-Ruboobiyyah.

For more benefit on ruling (judging) with what Allaah has not legislated, please refer to Fatwa 91731.