Four Key Concepts Of The Qur’ān by Sayyid Abul A’lā Mawdūdī (r)

It is Allah Who has made the earth as a resting place for you, and the sky a canopy, and has given you shape and what a piece of work it is! - and has provided for your sustenance things pure and wholesome; such is Allah, your Lord. So Glory be to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds. He is the Living (One); there is no god but He; so address your prayers to Him, making your deen exclusive for Him. Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds. (al-Ghaafir 40:65)

Say (O Mohammad): ‘I have been bidden to give my ’ibadah to Allah, making my deen exclusive to Him, and bidden to be the first of His obedient-servants.’... say (O’ Mohammed): ‘It is Allah to Whom I give my ’ibadah, making my deen exclusive for Him; (and as for you,) give yours to whoever or whatsoever you may wish to give it to (if you will not listen to me but wish to continue in your wrong ways)’... and as for those who are careful and wise enough not to give their ’ibadah to taghoot, and who turn to Allah alone, there (surely) are glad tidings for them. (az-Zumar 39:11-17)

Verily We have sent down to you (O Muhammad) Book, with Truth; therefore, make your deen exclusive for Allah, and give your ibadah to Him alone. Hark! Deen pertains exclusively to Him (and Him alone).... (az-Zumar 39:2-3)

And to Him belongs all, there is in the heavens and the earth, and Deen is (rightly)

His alone. Why is it, then, that you fear others the way you should fear Him (alone)? (an-Nahl 16:52)

Do (the non-believers) want some deen other than Allah’s, and this despite the fact that to Him are subservient, willingly or unwillingly, all the creatures and things that constitute the universe and to Him it is that they shall (all) return?

(aal-’Imran 3:83)

And they were not bidden except that they give their ’ibadah to Allah, making their deen exclusive for Him (and Him alone).... (al-Bayyinah 98:5)

In all the above examples the word has been employed to signify the vesting of the Supreme authority in Allah alone, tacit acknowledgement of that fact, and complete unquestioning obedience and submission to that authority. The making of one’s Deen exclusive for Allah means that one should not treat anyone other than Allah as having the ultimate authority, domain, and rulership over the universe and should so make one’s obedience and submission exclusive for Him that there is no association of anyone else with Him in this respect. What is required is that there should not be even the slightest element of association and treatment of anyone else as having sovereignty or authority and being entitled to obedience and submission as of independent right. [The implication here is that any submission to anyone other than Allah should only be in pursuance of and in conformity with the obedience and submission due exclusively to Him, and with scrupulous regard for the limits prescribed by Him. Anything done by a son in obedience to the commands of his father, by a wife to those of her husband, by a slave or a servant to those of his master, and all other manifestations of obedience constitute, notwithstanding the nature of the relationship if in pursuance of Allah’s Injunction and within the limits prescribed by Him, submission to Him in practice and, as such acts of ’ibadah. If, however, they do not satisfy this criterion, and obedience is rendered to someone as if it was dire to him as of independent right, they amount to sin, and rebellion against Allah’s Commands. In a State founded and run in accordance with His Law, it is the religious duty of every Muslim to obey the state and all its commands. If it is not so founded and run, then it is sin to obey. - A. A. Maududi]