Does disbelieving in other gods lead to certainty in God's oneness, or does certainty in God's oneness lead to disbelieving in other gods, based on the noble verse: "There shall be no compulsion in [acceptance of] the religion. The right course has become clear from the error. So whoever disbelieves in Al-Taghut and believes in Allah has grasped the most trustworthy handhold with no break in it. And Allah is Hearing and Knowing"?

It is necessary to believe in Allah as Lord and to disbelieve in every object of worship besides Him; neither suffices without the other. It is stated in the Book of Tawhid (Monotheism) that the Prophet's (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) saying: "Whoever says: 'There is no god but Allah,' and disbelieves in what is worshipped besides Allah, his wealth and blood are inviolable, and his reckoning is with Allah," clarifies that merely uttering the Shahadah (testimony of faith), or knowing its meaning, or acknowledging it, or praying to Allah alone, is not enough. Rather, disbelief in what is worshipped besides Allah is essential for his blood and wealth to be inviolable.

It is stated in the explanation of "The Three Fundamental Principles" by Saleh Al-Fawzan that worship is only achieved by shunning the Taghut (idolatry), in affirmation of Allah's saying: {So whoever disbelieves in Taghut and believes in Allah has grasped the most trustworthy handhold with no break in it} [Al-Baqarah: 256]. The polytheists used to believe in Allah, but they corrupted their faith with Shirk (polytheism), as in Allah's saying: {And most of them do not believe in Allah except while they associate others with Him} [Yusuf: 106].

And disbelief in other gods alone is not sufficient, for there are those who have no religion or are atheists and worship nothing. One might believe in Allah but not disbelieve in the Taghut, thus becoming a polytheist, similar to the polytheists of Arabia during the time of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) who claimed that they worshipped idols to bring them closer to Allah, in affirmation of Allah's saying: {Unquestionably, for Allah is the pure religion. And those who take protectors besides Him [say], "We only worship them that they may bring us nearer to Allah in position"} [Az-Zumar: 3].

Therefore, the word of Tawhid, "La ilaha illa Allah" (There is no god but Allah), is comprehensive and fulfills the intended purpose, because it negates the right of worship from everything other than Allah, such as the Taghut and other objects of worship, and affirms it for Allah alone. It is stated in Al-Buraq's explanation of "Sharh Al-Aqeedah At-Tahawiyah" that it is composed of negating the right to divinity from everyone except Allah, for He is the true God, and every object of worship besides Him is false, in affirmation of Allah's saying: {That is because Allah is the Truth, and what they call upon other than Him is falsehood} [Al-Hajj: 62]. The negation is disbelief in Taghut, and the affirmation is belief in Allah, as in Allah's saying: {There shall be no compulsion in [acceptance of] the religion. The right course has become clear from the wrong. So whoever disbelieves in Taghut and believes in Allah has grasped the most trustworthy handhold} [Al-Baqarah: 256].