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Fatwa CenterPre-Islam Makkans believed in Tawheed Ar-Ruboobiyyah
Question
Assalaamu alaykum, Shaykh. I read your previous fatwas, and you claim that the polytheists of Makkah believed in Tawheed Ar-Ruboobiyyah (Oneness of Lordship)? We agree that believing that Allah has offspring amounts to Shirk (polytheism) in Ruboobiyyah, and the polytheists of Makkah believed angels to be the daughters of Allah, so why then do Wahabis/Salafis claim that the polytheists of Makkah believed in Tawheed Ar-Ruboobiyyah? We clearly know that the pagan Makkans believed that angels are the daughters of Allah.
Answer
All perfect praise be to Allah, the Lord of the worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah and that Muhammad, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is His slave and Messenger.
First of all, you should know that only a few Arab tribes (specifically Kinaahah and Khuzaaʻah) held the belief that the angels are the daughters of Allah; it was not a common belief held by all Arab tribes. This fact was highlighted by Tafseer (exegesis) scholars, including Ibn ʻAashoor 
in his book At-Tahreer wa At-Tanweer, when commenting on the verse (which means): {And they attribute to Allah daughters - exalted is He - and for them is what they desire.} [Quran 16:57]
That the polytheists believed in the Ruboobiyyah (Lordship) of Allah; meaning that He alone is the Creator and Sustainer of the universe, the One Who grants life and causes death and Who manages the universe etc., which means Tawheed of Allah through His Actions; this was established in many verses of the Quran. These verses urged them to believe in Tawheed of worship as well, by turning to Him alone in supplication and seeking help, relying on Him alone, and dedicating all worship exclusively to Him. Ibn Katheer said in his commentary on the verse {And if you asked them who created them, they would surely say, "Allah." So how are they deluded?} [Quran 43:87]:
"In this verse, Allah, the Exalted, emphasizes the fact that none is worthy of worship save Him, because the polytheists who associated partners with Him in worship admitted that He is the Sole Creator of the heavens, earth, sun, moon, day, and night, and that He is the Sole Sustainer of all Creation, Who grants all beings provisions, and Who has predetermined their destinies and decreed that they should be granted dissimilar amounts of provision in this worldly life, making some rich and some poor. Verily, Allah is the All-Knowing of His slaves, their situations, and what suits them best. The verse underlines that Allah is the Creator of all things and solely manages their affairs. If this is the case, then why is other than Him worshipped? Why is other than Him relied upon? Just as He is One in His dominion, He should be One in worship. The polytheists used to admit His Ruboobiyyah, as in their Talbiyah during the pre-Islamic pilgrimage: 'Labbayka la shareeka laka, illa Shareekan huwa laka, Tamlikuhu wa-ma malak.' (At Your service! You have no associates save the one who is Yours. You have dominion over him and over what He possesses.)" So this is not the claim of those you referred to as "Wahabis or Salafis".
This amount of Ruboobiyyah existed in those who believed that the angels are the daughters of Allah. They did not believe that the angels created them along with Allah or the like of the attributes of Ruboobiyyah mentioned above.
It is worth highlighting that the Muslim should beware of letting such titles (like Sufis, Wahabis, and the like) stop him from accepting the truth when it becomes clear to him. Verily, rejecting the truth is one of the key reasons for the disunity of Muslims. Allah, the Exalted, says (what means): {And from those who say, "We are Christians," We took their covenant, but they forgot a portion of that of which they were reminded. So, We caused among them animosity and hatred until the Day of Resurrection. And Allah is going to inform them about what they used to do.} [Quran 5:14]
Shaykh Al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah commented on this verse, saying, "Whenever people neglect some of the commands of Allah, animosity and discord break out among them. And if they disunite, they are destroyed and ruined. Verily, unity is a source of mercy and disunity is a source of torment."
Allah, the Exalted, criticized some actions of the Jews or Christians or polytheists in order to warn the Muslims against imitating them in this regard.
Allah knows best.
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