Tawheed-al-Ulūhiyyah is the belief that Allāh alone deserves all acts of worship. This aspect of Tawheed focuses on directing every form of worship—such as prayer, supplication, sacrifice, and reliance—exclusively to Allāh, without associating any partners or intermediaries. It is the commitment to worship Allāh alone and to avoid idolatry or giving divine attributes to anyone or anything else.
Allāh emphasizes this exclusivity in the Qur’an:
“And your god is one God. There is no deity [worthy of worship] except Him, the Most Merciful, the Especially Merciful.”
— Surah Al-Baqarah (2:163)
This verse affirms that only Allāh deserves to be worshiped, rejecting any notion of associating others with Him.
Additionally, Allāh commands:
“And We certainly sent into every nation a messenger, [saying], ‘Worship Allāh and avoid Ṭāghūt (false deities).’”
— Surah An-Naḥl (16:36)
This verse shows that the central message of all prophets was to direct worship to Allāh alone and to reject false gods.
Understanding Tawheed-al-Ulūhiyyah means recognizing that worship is due to Allāh alone, with sincere devotion and submission. It inspires a person to seek closeness to Allāh by dedicating their actions, love, and reverence to Him, knowing that He alone is worthy of worship. This aspect of Tawheed forms the foundation of Islamic worship, guiding Muslims to a pure and undivided devotion to Allāh.