ISLAMIC BELIEF (Al-'Aqidah)

by Imam Abu Ja'far al-Tahawi (239-321 AH)
literal contributions by Iqbal Ahmad A'zami

Preface

In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful, the Most Compassionate.

Imam Tahawi's Al-'Aqidah, representative of the viewpoint of Ahlus Sunnah Wal Jama'ah - has long been the most widely acclaimed, and indeed indispensable, reference work on Muslim Beliefs. This post only depicts an edited version in the English language. May Allah Ta'ala make it easy for all of us to understand.


About The Author

Imam Abu Ja'far Ahmad bin Muhammad bin Salamah bin Salmah bin 'Abdul Malik bin Salmah bin Sulaim bin Sulaiman bin Jawab Azdi RH, popularly known as Imam Tahawi RH, after his birth-place in Egypt, is among the most outstanding authorities of the Islamic world on Hadith and Fiqh (Islamic Jurisprudence).

He lived between 239-321 A.H. - an epoch when both the direct and indirect disciples of the four Imams - Imam Abu Hanifah RH, Imam Malik RH, Imam Shafi'i RH and Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal RH - were teaching and practicing. This period was the zenith of Hadith and Fiqh studies, and Imam Tahawi RH studied with all the living authorities of the day.

Imam Tahawi RH began as a student of his maternal uncle, Isma'il bin Yahya Muzni RH, a leading disciple of Imam Shafi'i RH. Imam Tahawi RH is a follower of the Hanafi School of Jurisprudence. His monumental scholarly works, such as Sharh Ma'ani al-Athar and Mushkil al-Athar, are encyclopaedic in scope and have long been regarded as indispensable for training students of Fiqh.

As far as Aqidah goes - all schools of the Ahlus Sunnah Wal Jama'ah are united in their Belief system. Infact, even in their juristic practices, almost 75% is the same in the execution of rulings and best practices.

Imam Tahawi's Al-'Aqidah, - though small in size, is a basic text for all times, listing what a Muslim must know and believe and inwardly comprehend. There is consensus among the Sahabah RA, Tabi'in RH and all the leading Islamic authorities such as Imam Abu Hanifah RH, Imam Malik RH, Imam Shafi'i RH, Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal RH, Imam Abu Yusuf RH and Imam Muhammad RH - on the doctrines enumerated in this work. This is fundamentally because these doctrines shared by the Ahlus Sunnah Wal Jama'ah owe their origin to the Holy Qur'an, as well as consistent-and-confirmed Ahadith - both being the undisputed primary sources of Islam.

Being a text on the Islamic doctrines, this work draws heavily on the arguments set forth in the Holy Qur'an and Sunnah. Likewise, the arguments advanced in refuting the views of sects that have deviated from the Sunnah, are also taken from the Holy Qur'an and Sunnah.

As regards to the misguided sects mentioned in this work, a study of Islamic history up to the time of Imam Tahawi would be quite helpful. References to sects such as the Mu'tazilah, the Jahmiyyah, the Qadriyah, and the Jabriyah are found in the work. Moreover, it contains allusions to the unorthodox and deviant views of the Shi'ah, the Khawarij and such mystics as had departed from the right path. There is an explicit reference in the work to the nonsensical controversy on Khalq-al-Qu'ran in the times of Ma'mun and some other 'Abbasid Caliphs.

While the permanent relevance of the statements of belief in Al-'Aqidah is obvious, the historical weight and relevance of certain of these statements can be properly appreciated only if the work is used as a text for study under the guidance of the Ulama able to elucidate its arguments fully. The Ulama will be able to provide reference to the intellectual and historical background of the sects refuted in the work, InshaAllah. Such study helps one to better understand the Islamic doctrines and avoid the deviations of the past or the present.

May Allah grant us a true undersanding of faith and include us with those to whom Allah refers as:

"those who believe, fear Allah and do good deeds"

and

"he who fears Allah, endures affliction, then Allah will not waste the reward of well-doers."

In the Name of Allah, the Merciful, the Compassionate.

Praise be to Allah, Lord of all the Worlds.

The great scholar Hujjat al-lslam Abu Ja'far al-Warraq al-Tahawi al-Misri RH said:

This is a presentation of the beliefs of Ahlus Sunnah Wal Jama'ah, according to the school of the jurists of this religion:

Abu Hanifah An-Nu'man ibn Thabit al-Kufi;
Abu Yusuf Ya'qub ibn Ibrahim Al-Ansari; and
Abu 'Abdullah Muhammad ibn Al-Hasan Al-Shaybani

May Allah be pleased with them all;

and what they believe regarding the fundamentals of the religion and their faith in the Lord of all the Worlds.

1. We say about Allah's unity believing by Allah's help - that Allah is One, without any partners.

2. There is nothing like Him.

3. There is nothing that can overwhelm Him.

4. There is no god other than Him.

5. He is the Eternal without a beginning and enduring without end.

6. He will never perish or come to an end.

7. Nothing happens except what He wills.

8. No imagination can conceive of Him and no understanding can comprehend Him.

9. He is different from any created being.

10. He is living and never dies and is eternally active and never sleeps.

11. He creates without His being in need to do so and provides for His creation without any effort.

12. He causes death with no fear and restores to life without difficulty.

13. He has always existed together with His attributes since before creation. Bringing creation into existence did not add anything to His attributes that was not already there. As He was, together with His attributes, in pre-eternity, so He will remain throughout endless time.

14. It was not only after the act of creation that He could be described as 'the Creator' nor was it only by the act of origination that He could he described as 'the Originator'.

15. He was always the Lord even when there was nothing to be Lord of, and always the Creator even when there was no creation.

16. In the same way that He is the 'Bringer to life of the dead', after He has brought them to life a first time, and deserves this name before bringing them to life, so too He deserves the name of 'Creator' before He has created them.

17. This is because He has the power to do everything, everything is dependent on Him, everything is easy for Him, and He does not need anything.

"There is nothing like Him and He is the Hearer, the Seer." (Ash-Shura 42:11)

18. He created creation with His knowledge.

19. He appointed destinies for those He created.

20. He allotted to them fixed life spans.

21. Nothing about them was hidden from Him before He created them, and He knew everything that they would do before He created them.

22. He ordered them to obey Him and forbade them to disobey Him.

23. Everything happens according to His degree and will, and His will is accomplished. The only will that people have is what He wills for them. What He wills for them occurs and what He does not will, does not occur.

24. He gives guidance to whoever He wills, and protects them, and keeps them safe from harm, out of His generosity; and He leads astray whoever He wills, and abases them, and afflicts them, out of His justice.

25. All of them are subject to His will between either His generosity or His justice.

26. He is exalted beyond having opposites or equals.

27. No one can ward off His decree or put back His command or overpower His affairs.

28. We believe in all of this and are certain that everything comes from Him.

29. And we are certain that Muhammad SAW is His chosen servant and selected Prophet and His Messenger with whom He is well pleased. And that he is the seal of the prophets and the Imam of the godfearing and the most honoured of all the messengers and the beloved of the Lord of all the Worlds.

30. Every claim to prophethood after him is falsehood and deceit.

31. He is the one who has been sent to all the jinn and all mankind with truth and guidance and with light and illumination.

32. The Qur'an is the word of Allah. It came from Him as speech without it being possible to say how. He sent it down on His Messenger as revelation. The believers accept it, as absolute truth. They are certain that it is, in truth, the word of Allah. It is not created, as is the speech of human beings, and anyone who hears it and claims that it is human speech has become an unbeliever.

Allah warns him and censures him and threatens him with Fire when He says, Exalted is He:

"I will burn him in the Fire." (Al-Muddaththir 74: 26)

When Allah threatens with the Fire those who say

"This is just human speech" (Al-Muddaththir 74: 25)

we know for certain that it is the speech of the Creator of mankind and that it is totally unlike the speech of mankind.

33. Anyone who describes Allah as being in any way the same as a human being has become an unbeliever. All those who grasp this will take heed and refrain from saying things such as the unbelievers say, and they will know that He, in His attributes, is not like human beings.

34. "The Seeing of Allah by the People of the Garden" is true, without their vision being all-encompassing and without the manner of their vision being known. As the Book of our Lord has expressed it:

"Faces on that Day radiant, looking at their Lord." (Al-Qiyamah 75: 22-3)

The explanation of this is as Allah knows and wills. Everything that has come down to us about this from the Prophet Muhammad SAW in authentic traditions, is as he said and means what he intended. We do not delve into that, trying to interpret it according to our own opinions or letting our imaginations have free rein. No one is safe in his religion unless he surrenders himself completely to Allah, the Exalted and Glorified and to His Messenger SAW, and leaves the knowledge of things that are ambiguous to the one who knows them.

35. A man's Islam is not secure unless it is based on submission and surrender. Anyone who desires to know things which is beyond his capacity to know, and whose intellect is not content with surrender, will find that his desire veils him from a pure understanding of Allah's true unity, clear knowledge and correct belief, and that he veers between disbelief and belief, confirmation and denial and acceptance and rejection. He will be subject to whisperings and find himself confused and full of doubt, being neither an accepting believer nor a denying rejector.

36. Belief of a man in the "seeing of Allah by the people of the Garden is not correct if he imagines what it is like, or interprets it according to his own understanding since the interpretation of this seeing" or indeed, the meaning of any of the subtle phenomena which are in the realm of Lordship, is by avoiding its interpretation and strictly adhering to the submission. This is the Deen of Muslims. Anyone who does not guard himself against negating the attributes of Allah, or likening Allah to something else, has gone astray and has failed to understand Allah's Glory, because our Lord, the Glorified and the Exalted, can only possibly be described in terms of Oneness and Absolute Singularity and no creation is in any way like Him.

37. He is beyond having limits placed on Him, or being restricted, or having parts or limbs. Nor is He contained by the six directions as all created things are.

38. Al-Mi'raj (the Ascent through the Heavens) is true. The Prophet Muhammad SAW, was taken by night and ascended in his bodily form, while awake, through the Heavens, to whatever heights Allah willed for him. Allah ennobled him in the way that He ennobled him and revealed to him what He revealed to him:

"And his heart was not mistaken about what it saw." (Al-Najm 53: 11)

Allah blessed him and granted him peace in this world and the next.

39. Al-Hawd, (the Pool which Allah will grant the Prophet SAW as an honour to quench the thirst of His Ummah on the Day Of Judgement), is true.

40. Al-Shifa'ah, (the intercession, which is stored up for Muslims), is true, as related in the (consistent and confirmed) Ahadith.

41. The covenant "which Allah made with Adam and his offspring" is true.

42. Allah knew, before the existence of time, the exact number of those who would enter the Garden and the exact number of those who would enter the Fire. This number will neither be increased nor decreased.

43. The same applies to all actions done by people, which are done exactly as Allah knew they would be done. Everyone is eased to what he was created for and it is the action with which a man's life is sealed which dictates his fate. Those who are fortunate are fortunate by the decree of Allah, and those who are wretched are wretched by the decree of Allah.

44. The exact nature of the decree is Allah's secret in His creation, and no angel near the Throne, nor Prophet sent with a message, has been given knowledge of it. Delving into it and reflecting too much about it only leads to destruction and loss, and results in rebelliousness. So be extremely careful about thinking and reflecting on this matter or letting doubts about it assail you, because Allah has kept knowledge of the decree away from human beings, and forbidden them to enquire about it, saying in His Book:

"He is not asked about what He does but they are asked." (Al-Anbiya' 21: 23)

So anyone who asks: "Why did Allah do that?" has gone against a judgement of the Book, and anyone who goes against a judgement of the Book is an unbeliever.

45. This in sum is what those of Allah's friends with enlightened hearts need to know and constitutes the degree of those firmly endowed with knowledge. For there are two kinds of knowledge: knowledge which is accessible to created beings, and knowledge which is not accessible to created beings. Denying the knowledge which is accessible is disbelief, and claiming the knowledge which is inaccessible is disbelief. Belief can only be firm when accessible knowledge is accepted and inaccessible knowledge is not sought after.

46. We believe in Al-Lawh (the Tablet) and Al-Qalam (the Pen) and in everything written on it. Even if all created beings were to gather together to make something fail to exist, whose existence Allah had written on the Tablet, they would not be able to do so. And if all created beings were to gather together to make something exist which Allah had not written on it, they would not be able to do so. The Pen has dried having written down all that will be in existence until the Day of Judgement. Whatever a person has missed he would have never got it, and whatever one gets, he would have never missed it.

47. It is necessary for the servant to know that Allah already knows everything that is going to happen in His creation and has decreed it in a detailed and decisive way. There is nothing that He has created in either the heavens or the earth that can contradict it, or add to it, or erase it, or change it, or decrease it, or increase it in any way. This is a fundamental aspect of belief and a necessary element of all knowledge and recognition of Allah's oneness and Lordship. As Allah says in His Book:

"He created everything and ordered them in due proportions." (Al-Furqan 25: 2)

And He also says:

"Allah's command is always a decided decree." (Al-Ahzab 33: 38)

So woe to anyone who argues with Allah concerning the decree and who, with a sick heart, starts delving into this matter. In his delusory attempt to investigate the Unseen, he is seeking a secret that can never be uncovered, and he ends up an evil-doer, telling nothing but lies.

48. Al-'Arsh (The Throne) and Al-Kursi (The Chair) are true.

49. He is independent of the Throne and what is beneath it.

50. He encompasses everything and is above it, and what He has created is incapable of encompassing Him.

51. We say with belief, acceptance and submission that Allah took Ibrahim as an intimate friend and that He spoke directly to Musa.

52. We believe in the angels, and the prophets, and the books which were revealed to the messengers, and we bear witness that they were all following the manifest Truth.

53. We call the people of our qiblah - Muslims and believers as long as they acknowledge what the Prophet SAW brought, and accept as true everything that he said and told us about.

54. We do not enter into vain talk about Allah nor do we allow any dispute about the religion of Allah.

55. We do not argue about the Qur'an and we bear witness that it is the speech of the Lord of all the Worlds which the Trustworthy Spirit came down with and taught the most honoured of all the Messengers, Muhammad SAW. It is the speech of Allah and no speech of any created being is comparable to it. We do not say that it was created and we do not go against the Jama'ah of the Muslims regarding it.

56. We do not consider any of the people of our qiblah to be unbelievers because of any wrong action they have done, as long as they do not consider that action to have been lawful.

57. Nor do we say that the wrong action of a man who has belief does not have a harmful effect on him.

58. We hope that Allah will pardon the people of right action among the believers and grant them entrance into the Garden through His mercy, but we cannot be certain of this, and we cannot bear witness that it will definitely happen and that they will be in the Garden. We ask forgiveness for the people of wrong action among the believers and, although we are afraid for them, we are not in despair about them.

59. Certainty and despair both remove one from the religion, but the path of truth for the people of the qiblah lies between the two (e.g. a person must fear and be conscious of Allah's reckoning as well as be hopeful of Allah's mercy).

60. A person does not step out of belief except by disavowing what brought him into it.

61. Belief consists of affirmation by the tongue and acceptance by the heart.

62. And the whole of what is proven from the Prophet SAW, regarding the Shari'ah and the explanation (of the Qur'an and of Islam) is true.

63. Belief is, at base, the same for everyone, but the superiority of some over others in it is due to their fear and awareness of Allah, their opposition to their desires, and their choosing what is more pleasing to Allah.

64. All the believers are 'friends' of Allah and the noblest of them in the sight of Allah are those who are the most obedient and who most closely follow the Qur'an.

65. Belief consists of belief in Allah, His angels, His books, His messengers, the Last Day, and belief that the Decree - both the good of it and the evil of it, the sweet of it and the bitter or it - is all from Allah.

66. We believe in all these things. We do not make any distinction between any of the messengers, we accept as true what all of them brought.

67. Those of the Ummah of Muhammad SAW, who have committed grave sins will be in the Fire, but not forever, provided they die and meet Allah as believers affirming His unity even if they have not repented. They are subject to His will and judgement. If He wants, He will forgive them and pardon them out of His generosity, as is mentioned in the Qur'an when He says:

"And He forgives anything less than that (shirk) to whoever He wills" (An-Nisa' 4: 116)

and if He wants, He will punish them in the Fire out of His justice and then bring them out of the Fire through His mercy, and for the intercession of those who were obedient to Him, and send them to the Garden. This is because Allah is the Protector of those who recognise Him and will not treat them in the Next World in the same way as He treats those who deny Him and who are bereft of His guidance and have failed to obtain His protection. O Allah, You are the Protector of Islam and its people; make us firm in Islam until the day we meet You.

68. We agree with doing the prayer behind any of the people of the qiblah whether right-acting or wrong-acting, and doing the funeral prayer over any of them when they die.

69. We do not say that any of them will categorically go to either the Garden or the Fire, and we do not accuse any of them of kufr (disbelief), shirk (associating partners with Allah), or nifaq (hypocrisy), as long as they have not openly demonstrated any of those things. We leave their secrets to Allah.

70. We do not agree with killing any of the Ummah of Muhammad SAW, unless it is obligatory by Shari'ah to do so.

71. We do not recognise rebellion against our Imam or those in charge of our affairs even if they are unjust, nor do we wish evil on them, nor do we withdraw from following them. We hold that obedience to them is part of obedience to Allah, The Glorified, and therefore obligatory as long as they do not order to commit sins. We pray for them right guidance and pardon from their wrongs.

72. We follow the Sunnah of the Prophet and the Jama'ah of the Muslims, and avoid deviation, differences and divisions.

73. We love the people of justice and trustworthiness, and hate the people of injustice and treachery.

74. When our knowledge about something is unclear, we say: "Allah knows best".

75. We agree with wiping over leather socks (in Wudhu) whether on a journey or otherwise, just as has come in the (consistent and confirmed) ahadith.

76. Hajj and jihad under the leadership of those in charge of the Muslims, whether they are right or wrong-acting, are continuing obligations until the Last Hour comes. Nothing can annul or controvert them.

77. We believe in Kiraman Katibin (the noble angels) who write down our actions for Allah has appointed them over us as two guardians.

78. We believe in the Angel of Death who is charged with taking the spirits of all the worlds.

79. We believe in the punishment in the grave for those who deserve it, and in the questioning in the grave by Munkar and Nakir about one's Lord, one's religion and one's prophet, as has come down in ahadith from the Prophet Muhammad SAW, and in reports from the Sahabah RA.

80. The grave is either one of the meadows of the Garden or one of the pits of the Fire.

81. We believe in being brought back to life after death and in being recompensed for our actions on the Day of Judgement, and Al-'Ard, having been shown them and Al-Hisab, brought to account for them. And Qira'at Al-Kitab, reading the book, and the reward or punishments and in Al-Sirat (the Bridge) and Al-Mizan (the Balance).

82. The Garden and the Fire are created things that never come to an end and we believe that Allah created them before the rest of creation and then created people to inhabit each of them. Whoever He wills goes to the Garden out of His Bounty and whoever He wills goes to the Fire through His justice. Everybody acts in accordance with what is destined for him and goes towards what he has been created for.

83. Good and evil have both been decreed for people.

84. The capability in terms of Tawfiq (Divine Grace and Favour) which makes an action certain to occur cannot be ascribed to a created being. This capability is integral with action, whereas the capability of an action in terms of having the necessary health, and ability, being in a position to act and having the necessary means, exists in a person before the action. It is this type of capability which is the object of the dictates of Shari'ah. Allah the Exalted says:

"Allah does not charge a person except according to his ability." (Al-Baqarah 2: 286)

85. People's actions are created by Allah but earned by people.

86. Allah, the Exalted, has only charged people with what they are able to do and people are only capable to do what Allah has favoured them. This is the explanation of the phrase: "There is no power and no strength except by Allah". We add to this that there is no stratagem or way by which anyone can avoid or escape disobedience to Allah except with Allah's help; nor does anyone have the strength to put obedience to Allah into practice and remain firm in it, except if Allah makes it possible for them to do so.

87. Everything happens according to Allah's will, knowledge, predestination and decree. His will overpowers all other wills and His decree overpowers all stratagems. He does whatever He wills and He is never unjust. He is exalted in His purity above any evil or perdition and He is perfect far beyond any fault or flaw.

"He will not be asked about what He does but they will be asked." (Al-Anbiya' 21: 23)

88. There is benefit for dead people in the supplication and alms-giving of the living.

89. Allah responds to people's supplications and gives them what they ask for.

90. Allah has absolute control over everything and nothing has any control over Him. Nothing can be independent of Allah even for the blinking of an eye, and whoever considers himself independent of Allah for the blinking of an eye is guilty of unbelief and becomes one of the people of perdition.

91. Allah is angered and can be pleased but not in the same way as any creature.

92. We love the Companions of the Messenger of Allah RA but we do not go to excess in our love for any one individual among them nor do we disown any one of them. We hate anyone who hates them or does not speak well of them and we only speak well of them. Love of them is a part of Islam, part of belief and part of excellent behaviour, while hatred of them is unbelief, hypocrisy and rebelliousness.

93. We confirm that, after the death of Rasulullah SAW, the caliphate went first to Abu Bakr As-Siddiq RA, thus proving his excellence and superiority over the rest of the Muslims; then to 'Umar ibn Al-Khattab RA; then to 'Uthman ibn Affan RA; and then to 'Ali ibn Abi Talib RA. These are the Rightly-Guided Caliphs and upright leaders.

94. We bear witness that the ten who were named by the Prophet Muhammad SAW, and who were promised the Garden by him, will be in the Garden, as the Prophet SAW, whose word is truth, bore witness that they would be. The ten are: Abu Bakr, 'Umar, 'Uthman, 'Ali, Talhah, Zubayr, Sa'd, Sa'id, 'Abdur-Rahman ibn 'Awf and Abu 'Ubaydah ibn al-Jarrah whose title was the trustee of this Ummah, may Allah be pleased with all of them.

95. Anyone who speaks well of the Companions of the Messenger of Allah RA, and his wives RA and offspring RA, who are all pure and untainted by any impurity, is free from the accusation of hypocrisy.

96. The learned men of the first community and those who followed in their footsteps - the people of virtue, the narrators of the Ahadith, the jurists and analysts - they must only be spoken about in the best way and anyone who says anything bad about them is not on the right path.

97. We do not prefer any of the saintly men among the Ummah over any of the Prophets but rather we say that any one of the Prophets is better than all the Awliya' put together.

98. We believe in what we know of Karamat, the marvels of the Awliya' and in authentic stories about them from trustworthy sources.

99. We believe in the signs of the Hour such as the appearance of the Dajjal and the descent of 'Isa ibn Maryam RA, from heaven and we believe in the rising of the sun from where it sets and in the emergence of the Beast from the earth.

100. We do not accept as true what soothsayers and fortune-tellers say, nor do we accept the claims of those who affirm anything which goes against the Book, the Sunnah and the consensus of the Muslim Ummah.

101. We agree that holding together is the true and right path and that separation is deviation and torment.

102. There is only one religion of Allah in the heavens and the earth and that is the religion of Islam. Allah says:

"Surely religion in the sight of Allah is Islam." (Al 'Imran 3: 19)

And He also says:

"I am pleased with Islam as a religion for you." (Al-Ma'idah 5: 3)

Islam lies between going to excess and falling short, between Tashbih (likening of Allah's attributes to anything else), and Ta'til (denying Allah's attributes), between fatalism and refusing decree as proceeding from Allah and between certainty (without being conscious of Allah's reckoning) and despair (of Allah's mercy).

104. This is our religion and it is what we believe in, both inwardly and outwardly, and we renounce any connection, before Allah, with anyone who goes against what we have said and made clear.

We ask Allah to make us firm in our belief and seal our lives with it and to protect us from variant ideas, scattering opinions and evil schools of view such as those of the Mushabbihah, the Mu'tazilah, the Jahmiyyah, the Jabriyah, the Qadriyah and others like them who go against the Sunnah and Jama'ah and have allied themselves with error. We renounce any connection with them and they are in error and on the path of destruction.

We ask Allah to protect us from all falsehood and we ask His Grace and Favour to do all good.

Aqidah 112

The Holy Qur'an is the speech of Allah Ta'ala.

It is eternal and uncreated.

Allah Ta'ala has referred to the Qur'an as His Speech and has linked it to Himself.

There is a unanimous consensus of the Ummah on this that the Holy Qur'an is the Speech of Allah Ta'ala and it is His quality.

Allaah Ta'ala is eternal in all His Qualities.

There was no difference of opinion during the first era of Islam that the Qur'an is uncreated; and even the predecessors after the era of the Sahabah RA were unanimous that the Qur'an is not a creation.

Allaah Ta'ala says:

"Indeed Our Speech to a thing when We desire it, then We say to it 'Be' and it is."

Therefore if everything is created by the word "Be" then it should be understood that these words and this Speech of Allah Ta'ala is not a creation. Otherwise to create this word another word "Be" would be necessary. And for the second one, a third would be necessary. This will continue into infinity. Hence it is established that the Speech of Allah Ta'ala is not a creation.

Abdullah ibn Abbas RA says regarding the Aayat:

"The Arabic Qur'an, in it there is no crookedness" -

- indicates that the Qur'an is not a creation.

"Because there is no creation except that crookedness is found in it."

Also Allah Ta'ala says regarding the Holy Qur'an that there is no crookedness in it.

Abdullah ibn Abbas RA once heard a person saying at the Ka'abah:

"O Rabb of the Qur'an..."

Then Abdllah ibn Abbas RA said:

"Do not let your tongue utter such words, indeed everything that is Marbuub (being nourished) is a creation; and the Qur'an is uncreated."

Also, if the Qur'an is a creation then it would be possible to find its equivalent.

Imaan Rabbani Mujjaddid Alfa Thaani RA said:

"The Qur'an is the Speech of Allah Ta'ala, which He has clothed with words and sounds and revealed it upon our Nabi SAW. In it He has addressed His servants with Commands and prohibitions. Just as we would bring to the fore our own speech by means of effort and the tongue, similarly our hidden object and aim is brought to the fore; in the same way Allah Ta'ala has clothed His own Speech in words and sounds without the use of effort or tongue, merely by His Perfect Power. In this way he has revealed it upon His servants and through the means of words and sounds He has made known His object. Therefore both types of speech that is His Own Speech and worded speech, are in reality the Speech of Allah Ta'ala. Just like the two types of our speech, own and worded are in reality one speech. Not that the first type (own) is literal and the second type (worded) is figurative. Because a sign of figurative is that it is permissible to negate it and (thereby) negate worded speech. And not to regard it as Allah Ta'ala's speech is undoubtedly Kufur. Like it is mentioned in the Qur'aan that the Kuffaar say:

"This (Qur'an) is but the speech of man."

Also if the Qur'aan was a creation then it would be possible to bring a similarity to it. And since it is not possible to bring anything similar to the Qur'an then it should be understood that it is eternal and uncreated.

Allah Ta'ala says:

"They listen to the Speech of Allah and then they change it."

The crux is that just like worded speech, own speech is also in reality speech. Like Allah Ta’ala says:

"They say to themselves why does Allah not punish us for what we say" , "Lower your speech or make it loud" - Saiyidina Umar RA said on the day of Saqeefah: "I prepared some speech in my mind."

*NOTE: The meaning of Saqifah is explained at the end of this article.

From these texts it is dear that both, worded speech and own speech, are in reality referred to as speech.

One should know that the speech of Allah Ta'ala is based in two meanings.

Firstly, Speech is Allah Ta'ala's encompassing Quality, that is connected to the Being of Allah Ta'ala. There is no doubt on its being eternal.

The second meaning is that by saying Speech - those words of Allah Ta'ala are meant which He has spoken. The Qur'an is referred to as the Speech of Allah Ta'ala in this meaning. This Qur'an is the Speech of Allah Ta'ala that was revealed upon Nabi Muhammad SAW, that we recite with our tongues and listen to with our ears and memorise in our hearts and is written on our pages. It is eternal and uncreated. However, the recitation of the Qur'an and its listening to and its writing is new and created, because this recitation and listening and writing are the doings of the servants. The actions of the servants are new and created actions.

The above is the view held by Imam Bukhari RA and other Ulama-ul-Muhaqqiqeen RA.

Imam Zahli's RA view is that - the person who says that the words of the Qur'an are new, that is the recitation and the listening to the Qur'an is new, then that person is a Bid'ati.

The object of Imam Bukhari RA was to differentiate between the Quality of Allah Ta'ala and the action of the slave.

- END OF ARTICLE -

* Saqifah:

Saqifah, also known as "Saqifa Bani Saeda" or Saqifat Bani Sa'ida, was a roofed building used by Banu (tribe) of Sa'ida, of the faction of the Khazraj, of Madinah. On the day that the Prophet Muhammad SAW died, the Ansar (Muslims originally from Madinah), gathered in the Saqifah to discuss the future & leadership of the Muslims. There were two tribes of the Ansar, the Khazraj and the Aws; who were both present. When the Prophet Muhammad SAW's companions, Abu Bakr RA and Umar RA learned of the gathering, they went to the meeting. After an extensive discussion, those who gathered there gave their Bai'ah (allegiance), to Abu Bakr As-Siddiq RA as the leader of the Muslims.

Easy Good Deeds - Optimism and Hope from Allah

Besides fear of Allah, expecting good from Him is an act of sublime merit.

Abu Hurairah RA has quoted the Prophet Muhammad SAW as saying:

"Hoping for good is also an act of worship of Allah." (Tirmidhi, Hakim)

In a Hadith Qudsi (Divine Hadith) our blessed Prophet SAW has quoted the Divine words of Allah Ta'ala:

"I am what my bondsman thinks of me, and where he remembers Me, there I am with him." (Bukhari, Muslim)

Many merits have been given in Q'uran and Hadith for having high hopes from Allah. This implies that one must try to live according to the Divine Commands and when he incuritably commits errors, he should expect Divine Mercy for it. But if one is entirely unmindful of Divine commands, does not care to reform himself, and is driven by worldly and carnal desire and yet expects Divine Pardon and Mercy, he has been castigated and condemned in the above Hadith.

The right way is to try to reform oneself and to balance Allah's fear and good hopes from Him.

Anas RA related:

"Once our Prophet (SAW) went to a young man who was on his death bed and asked him:

'How do you feel?'

The young man said:

'I have much hope from Allah but I also fear for my sins.'

The Holy Prophet (SAW) said:

The believer who has these two ideas simultaneously at such time, Allah fulfils his hopes and grants him security from his fear." (Tirmidhi)

There Is No Compulsion In Religion

An Advice to Those Who Seek the Truth for the Sake of Truth

Without any doubt Almighty Allah SWT could have created a world without hardship, pain and misfortune; but that would have meant His depriving man of freedom and choice; mankind would have been let loose in the world as a creature without will or the power of decision, just like any other creature lacking perception and awareness, formed exclusively by nature and totally obedient to it. Would he then have deserved the name of man?

Having paid the heavy price of losing all his innate capacities and freedom, his most precious resource, would he have advanced toward perfection, or decayed and declined? Would not the world too have lost all goodness and beauty, these being comprehensible only in terms of their opposites?

It is plain that the power to distinguish and discriminate makes possible the existence of good and evil, and of beauty and ugliness. By giving man the inestimable blessing of freedom and the ability to choose - Allah SWT, Whose Mahabbat and Wisdom is manifest throughout creation, wished to display fully His ability to create phenomena bearing witness to His Greatness, His Infinite Wisdom, His Glory and His Power.

Out of this great love and affection Almighty Allah placed within man’s being - the possibility of doing both good and evil, and although He compels him to do neither He always expects him to do good. Almighty Allah SWT does not approve of evil or Dhulum; it is righteous conduct that meets with Allah's approval and in exchange for which He provides abundant, unimaginable reward. Almighty Allah warns man against following the path of evil and threatens him with punishment and torment if he does so.

Thus by using the power of choice that Almighty Allah – Exalted and Glorious has bestowed on him - man can act as he should, conforming both to Divine guidance and to his own conscience. But if occasionally his foot should slip and he should commit some sin, the path remains wide open for him to return to purity and light, to Almighty Allah's favour and mercy.

This is in itself a further manifestation of the Glorious Creator’s generosity and all-embracing justice, one more of the countless blessings that He bestows on His servants. Were Almighty Allah to give immediate reward to the virtuous for their righteous conduct and acts, they would not in any way be superior to the corrupt and the sinful. And if the evil in thought and in deed were to be always met with instant punishment and retribution, virtue and purity would not enjoy any superiority in this world to vice and impurity.

Almighty Allah created all men in accordance with their primal nature: they neither knew faith through any religion nor Kufr through apostasy. Then Almighty Allah sent His Prophets Alaihimussalaam, the last in line and the Seal who was His Beloved Rahmatulil 'Aalameen – Muhammad ibn Abdullah SAW to summon mankind to faith in Allah SWT. Of them are those whom Almighty Allah guided and others whom He did not.

The import of the tradition is that Allah, Exalted and Glorious, does not compel anyone towards Imaan or Kufr. Out of His Infinite Mercy and Mahabbat, Allah created mankind in a pure state of Fitrah - a Divine-given nature wherein mankind has the capacity to distinguish good from evil and guidance from error. Then Allah SWT sent His Messengers and the Prophets Alaihimussalaam to guide humanity and to call them to faith in the Glorious Creator and Sustainer. Those who had not betrayed their Allah-given nature were thereby guided to faith. Others, by virtue of their betrayal, were led into error and Kufr. The evil of the evildoers makes them blind to guidance.

This is what is meant by what Allah SWT says in the Qur'an:

"But fear Allah, and listen (to His counsel): for Allah guided not a rebellious people." (Ayat 108: Surah Al-Maa'idah)

Allah mentions furrther in the Qur'an:

"And Allah guides not the rebellious." (Ayat 24: Surah At-Taubah)

and

"And Allah guided not those who are perversely rebellious." (Ayat 80: Surah At-Taubah)

Based on this belief, we can establish a standard for our thoughts, our speech, our deeds and our behaviour; we establish a complete way of living which results in success. Based on faith we can institute a programme of success as declared by Almighty Allah with words of truth and wisdom, as described in the following verse of the Holy Qur'an:

"So set thou thy face steadily and truly to the Faith: (Establish) Allah's handiwork according to the pattern on which He has made mankind (Fitrah): No change (let there be) in the work (wrought) by Allah: that is the standard religion (Din-ul-Qayyim): But most among mankind understand not." (Ayat 30: Surah Ar-Rum)

As turned out from the creative hand of Almighty Allah, man is innocent, pure, true, free, inclined to right and virtue, and endued with true understanding about his own position in the Universe and about Almighty Allah's goodness, wisdom, and power. This is his true nature, just as the nature of a lamb is to be gentle and of a horse is to be swift. But man is caught in the meshes of distorted customs, inflated egos, greed, superstitions, selfish desires, and false teaching. This may make him pugnacious, unclean, false, slavish, hankering after what is wrong or forbidden, and deflected from the love of his fellow men and the pure unadulterated worship of the One True Creator and Sustainer – Almighty Allah SWT.

The problem before the Prophets' 'Alaihimussalaam is to cure this crookedness, and to restore human nature to what it should be under the Will of Almighty Allah. Din-ul-Qayyim here includes the wholelife, thoughts and desires of man. The "Standard Religion", or the "Straight Path" is thus contrasted with the various human systems that conflict with each other and call themselves separate "religion" or "sects". Almighty Allah's Religion is One, as Allah is One.

"Repentance" does not mean sackcloth and ashes, or putting on a gloomy pessimism. It means giving up disease for health, crookedness (which is abnormal) for the Straight Path, the restoration of our nature as Almighty Allah created it from the falsity introduced by the enticements of Evil.

Almighty Allah SWT tells us with words of truth that His Creation was pure and good in itself. All the corruption and mischief was introduced by Evil e.g. arrogance, quest for power, greed, selfishness, hatred, Fitnah, etc. -

"Mischief has appeared on land and sea because of (the meed) that the hands of man have earned, that (Allah) may give them a taste of some of their deeds: in order that they may turn back (from evil)." (Ayat 41: Surah Ar-Rum)

The consequences of Evil must be evil, and this should be shown in such partial punishment as "the hands of men have earned" - so that it may be a warning for the future and an invitation to enter the door of repentance. The ultimate object of Almighty Allah’s justice and punishment is to reclaim man from Evil, and to restore him to the pristine purity and innocence in which he was created.

Almighty Allah then tells us that we must make the necessary changes to our life before it is too late. For a Day will surely come when true values will be restored and all falsehood and evil will be destroyed. Nothing but repentance and amendment can avert the consequences of Evil. When that fateful Day actually comes, repentance will be of no avail: for the impassable barrier between Evil and Good will have been fixed, and the chance of return to Almighty Allah's pattern will have been lost -

"But set thou thy face to the Right Religion, before there come from Allah the Day which there is no chance of averting: On that Day shall men be divided (in two)." (Ayat 43: Surah Ar-Rum)

The sharp division will then have been accomplished between the unfortunate ones who rejected Truth and Faith and will suffer for their rejection, and the righteous who will attain Peace and Salvation. The state of the Blessed will not be merely a passive state. They will actively earn and contribute to their own happiness as confirmed to us by Allah SWT in His Book:

"Those who reject faith will suffer from their rejection: And those who work righteousness will make provision for themselves (in Paradise)." (Ayat 44: Surah Ar-Rum)

Compulsion is incompatible with religion because religion depends upon faith and will, and that it would be meaningless if religion is induced by force. Truth and Error have been so clearly shown up by the Infinite Mercy and Bounty of Almighty Allah that there should be no doubt whatsoever in the minds of any persons of goodwill as to the fundamentals of faith for Almighty Allah's protection is continuous, and His Plan is always to lead us from the depths of darkness into the clearest light.

Almighty Allah SWT declares to us:

"Let there be no compulsion in religion: Truth stands out clear from error: whoever rejects Tagut and believes in Allah hath grasped the most trustworthy hand-hold, That never breaks. And Allah heareth and knoweth all things." (Ayat 256: Surah Al-Baqarah)

Do we desire Fitrah? Are we heading toward the standard religion or has mankind reached a point where we are so pleased with ourselves that we desire no real change; are we perhaps so satisfied in doing what is not pleasing to Almighty Allah; have we found a way to avoid doing that which our Maker and Creator has commanded and that we continue to do the things that He has prohibited? Have we found another way to the Throne?

Clear vision and prudence are essential today. We must be able to perceive what is best for us, based on a standard higher than what society offers. We must reach a level where, on the basis of inspiration sent to us by Almighty Allah SWT, we accept knowledge that is in the best interest of ourselves. This comes as a result of practice, of doing what was taught to us by our Beloved Nabi SAW and doing what Almighty Allah has commanded.

InshaAllah – Almighty Rabbul 'Aalameen will confer upon us a full understanding of Adab in the sense of how things work. It is said that Almighty Allah gave Nabi Adam AS something that distinguished him from those whom Allah Exalted told to submit to him. He gave Nabi Adam AS the knowledge and the nature of things and Almighty Allah blessed him with the sense of Adab, how things would work and function. It is our understanding and practice of this level of Islam that demonstrates that we understand how things work. The extent that we are in accord with those things that Rabbul 'Aalameen has commanded upon us determines how much success Almighty Allah will bless us with, and what we will get by practicing His Deen.

We must begin to examine the tools that were created for us. As practicing Muslims we must become aware of other people defining for us our reality. We must be able to detach ourselves from man-made concepts of right and wrong, good and evil, individuality and equality. In order to see our problem, objectively, and define our struggle, we must elevate our consciousness above the temporal concepts found in man-made documents. Only by becoming aware of the Sacred Source of legislation can we understand for what goals we should be struggling during our very short stay in this Dunia. Let us therefore struggle for what Almighty Allah has commanded.

One who denounces Islam is called a Murtad.

This is mentioned in the Qur'an where Allah states:

"And he among you who turns away from his religion (becomes Murtad) and dies in the state of disbelief (Kufr) then all the deeds of such people are null and void, in this world and in the Hereafter, and such people are among the inmates of the Fire, to dwell therein forever." (Ayat 217: Surah Al-Baqarah)

The above verse tells us three important points:

1) A person who turns away from Islam is called a Murtad. This is the Arabic word in this verse.

2) Such a person's deeds are destroyed and rendered void.

3) Such a person, if he/she dies in the state of Kufr, will remain eternally in Hell.

On this basis the Ulama have ruled that all the Solat, Zakat, Sawn, Hajj, and other acts of worship are destroyed when one exits from Islam.

Rasulullah SAW said:

"If one changes his religion (i.e. turns from Islam to Kufr) then kill him." (Bukhari)

Hence the Fuqaha (Scholars of Islam) are unanimous that the Murtad must be slain.

However, such a ruling may only be executed in an Islamic state, not in the non-Muslim countries where we live, since there is no Shar'ee court to oversee punishments of this nature. Basically the Murtad must be given an opportunity to air his doubts about Islam. The Ulama would have to clear and answer these doubts.

When adequate time and effort has been exhausted on this issue, and reasonable answers have been advanced to expel and doubts and aspersions against Islam, and inspite of all this the Murtad refuses to come back into the fold of Islam, the law of execution will apply.

However, as stated earlier, this may only be carried out under the auspices of a Muslim court. In many cases in this world whereby Muslims live under kuffar rule, we will apply the initial stage of concillation: trying to convince him/her to come back into the fold. For this there is no time limit.

Shi'ites Exposed

Based on the advice of the Majlisul Ulama PE

It is essential that Muslims who feel that it is normal to sympathise the Shi'ahs - erase their minds of the notion that Shi'ism is a part or form of Islam – and that it is just as one of the other four Madhabs which constitute the Ahlus Sunnah.

Shi'ism is not Islam nor is it a sect of Islam.

This may be heavy for those who are new to this understanding, and thus a decent explanation is required.

The ostentatious religious calls of an Islamic hue emanating from the late Khomeini and his clergy do not make Shi'ism any closer to Islam than the religious and "Islamic" calls and slogans of religions such as Qadianism. Like Qadianism, Shi'ism too believes in the extension and perpetuation of Nubuwwat (Prophethood) after the Prophet Muhammad SAW.

Although both religions (Qadianis and Shi'ism) overtly assert a belief in the finality of the Nubuwwat of Rasulullah SAW, they covertly believe by way of fallacious interpretation in the continuation of Nubuwwat.

Shi'ah religious literature abundantly clarifies the fact that Shi'ites believe in the continuation of Nubuwwat after Rasulullah SAW. The only cover presented by Shi'ism for this Kufr belief is a name - i.e. Imaam.

Instead of calling the one they believe to be a Prophet or Nabi or Rasul, they describe him as an Imam, and instead of saying Nubuwwat they say Imamat. But, in terms of the Shi'ah religion, there is absolutely no difference between a Nabi or a Shi'ite Imam. In fact, Shi'ism propagates the superiority of an Imam over a Nabi.

Hence, the late Khomeini declared:

"It is one of the essential beliefs of our Shi'ite school that no one can attain the spiritual status of the Imams, not even the cherubim or the prophets." (Writings and Declarations of Imam Khomeini: Islam & Revolution)

In the same book, Khomeini stated:

"In fact, according to tradition that have been handed down to us, the Most Noble Messenger and the Imams existed before the creation of the world in the form of lights situated beneath the divine throne: They were superior to other men even in the sperm from which they grew and in their physical composition."

Also in the same book, Khomeini said:

"The Prophet (SAW) himself said: We have states with God that are beyond the reach of the cherubim and the prophets."

Khomeini emphasised also in the same book:

"It is part of our belief that the Imaams too enjoy similar states..."

It is thus clear from the above excerpts that Shi'ism asserts the superiority of its Imams above the ranks of the other Ambiya AS. In fact, they even assert the superiority of Saiyidina Ali RA over Rasulullah SAW. Insha Allah, we will show from their writings that the Shi'ite priests believe that Saiyidina Ali RA is higher in rank than even Rasulullah SAW:

In Volume 1 of Al-Kaafi, the work of the Shi'ite authority, Al-Kulaini, the following appears on page 223:

"A man said to him (Abu Ja'far):

"O son of Rasulullah (SAW)! Has Amirul Mu'mineen (Saiyidina Ali RA) greater knowledge or some of the Ambiyaa?" Abu Ja'far said: "Listen to what he says! Verily, I have explained to him that Allah has bestowed to Muhammad the knowledge of all the Ambiyaa and most assuredly He has bestowed all of it to Amirul Mu'mineen. And he (the questioner) asks me if he (Saiyidina Ali RA) has greater knowledge or some of the Ambiyaa."

Al-Kaafi is one of the most authoritative books in Shi'ah theology. Kulaini, the author, is regarded by the Shi'ah clergy to be one of their top ranking authorities. Thus, in the Shi'ah book, Shi'ite Islam by the Shi'ah priest, Tabatabai - Al-Kaafi is praised in the following terms:

"The book of Kulaini known as Kaafi is divided into three parts... it is the most trustworthy and celebrated work of Hadith known in the Shi'ite world."

From the aforementioned that Imamat is a continuation of Nubuwwat, there is no doubt. Their beliefs as propounded by their own authorities unequivocally assert total equality between Nubuwwat and Imamat, in fact, Imamat is even accepted to be superior to Nubuwwat by the Shi'ah religion.

The Shi'ite book, "The Faith of Shi'ah Islam" states:

"We believe that Imamat is one of the fundamentals of Islam and that man's faith can never be complete without belief in it. It is wrong to imitate our fathers, family or teachers in this matter, even if we respect both, for it is just as necessary rationally to consider Imamat as it is to consider Tauhid and Nubuwwat."

"We believe that, just as it is necessary for Allah to send someone as a Prophet, so it is also necessary for Him to appoint an Imam."

"The Imamat is therefore a continuation of a prophethood, and the reasoning which proves the former's necessity is the same that which prove the latter's. We believe that, like the Prophet, an Imam must be infallible, that is to say incapable of making errors or doing wrong, either inwardly or outwardly."

"Their (i.e. the Shi'ite Imams) position in regard to Islam is the same as the Prophet’s, and the reasoning which necessitates their infallibility is the same as that which necessitates the Prophet's infallibility, and there is no difference between them in matters."

Hence, Muslims must understand that there is no difference of opinion among the Shi'ahs regarding their belief of the equality between Rasulullah SAW and the Imams of Shi'ism. The abovementioned statements testify to this claim.

The same book states:

"We believe that the Imamat, like Prophethood, must be an appointment from Allah through His Messenger, or an appointed Imam. From this point of view, the Imamat is the same as the Prophethood."

No one should therefore labour under the misapprehension that Shi'ism believes in the Islamic concept of Finality of Nubuwwat. The Qadianis claim to believe in the Finality of Nubuwwat, but their devious interpretation of this concept opens the way for them to accept Mirza Ghulam as a Nabi. In the same way, the Shi'ahs believe in the continuation of Nubuwwah inspite of their claim to believe in the Finality of the Nubuwwah of Muhammad SAW. Each and every attribute, office, function and institution exclusive with Nubuwwah is asserted for the Imams by the Shi'ite. One who studies the religious literature of the Shi'ahs will not fail to understand that on only this one basis of Imamat, the Shi'as are not Muslims.

Rejection of a Nabi is Kufr. One who does not believe in a Nabi is a Kafir. This is the belief of Islam. But according to the Shi'ah religion, belief in Imamat is Fardh just as Fardh as it is to believe in Rasulullah SAW. According to Shi'ism, one who denies / does not accept any of the Shi'ite Imams – is a Kafir. Propounding this view, the Shi'ah authority, Kulaini, stated in his Al-Kaafi:

"We (i.e. the Imams) are those whose obedience Allah has made Fardh… Whoever denies us is a Kafir."

This belief in Shi'ism categorically indicates that the Shi'ah religion regards its Imams as Ambiyaa. All those who do not subscribe to the Shi'ah doctrine of Imamat are branded as Kafirs by the Shi'ah religion. This is an indisputable fact in terms of Shi'ah theological writings. It is entirely another matter for Khomeini and the present Shi'ah clergy to ostensibly claim that they regard Sunnis as Muslims. Such devious statements are based on the Shi'ah doctrine of Taqiyyah (so-called holy hypocrisy) and stem from pernicious political motives.

The Islamic Ruling on Shi'ites

EXPLANATIONS FROM EARLY ULAMA

Imam Shafi'i RA

On one occasion, Imam Shafi'i RA said concerning the Shi'ites:

"I have not seen among the heretics a people more famous for falsehood than the Raafidite Shi'ites." [Ibn Taymiyah, Minhaj-us-Sunnah An-Nabawiyyah, 1/39]

On another occasion Imam Shafi'i RA said:

"Narrate knowledge from everyone you meet except the Raafidite Shi'ites, because they invent Ahadith and adopt them as part of their religion." [Ibid, Page 38]


Imam Abu Hanifah RA

It was reported that often, Imam Abu Hanifah RA used to repeat the following statement about the Shi'ites:

"Whoever doubts whether they are disbelievers has himself committed disbelief."


Imam Malik RA

Once Imam Malik RA was asked about them and he replied:

"Do not speak to them nor narrate from them, for surely they are liars." [Minhaj-us-Sunnah, 1/37]

During a class of Imam Malik RA, it was mentioned that the Raafidite Shi'ites curse the Sahabah RA (Na'udzubillah).

In reply, Imam Malik RA quoted the verse from the Qur'an:

"Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah and those with him are harsh with the disbelievers and gentle among themselves. So that the disbelievers may become enraged with them."

Imam Malik RA then said:

"Whoever becomes enraged when the Sahabah (RA) are mentioned is one about whom the verse speaks." [Tafsir al-Qurtubi, Surah Al-Fath]

That is to say - anyone who is enraged by the mention of the Sahabah RA automatically becomes a disbeliever, because the verse says:

"...the disbelievers may become enraged with them (Sahabah RA)."


Abdullah ibn Al-Mubarak RA

Ibn Al-Mubarak RA was reported to have said:

"Religion is gained from the Ahl-ul-Hadith (People of Hadith), scholastic theology and crafty exemptions from religious ordinances of Ahl-ur-Ray and lies from the Raafidite Shi'ites." [Imam Adh-Dhahabi, Al Muntaqaa min Minhaaj al-I'tidaal, Page 480]


Abu Zur'ah Ar-Razi RA

Abu Zur'ah Ar-Razi RA was quoted as saying:

"If you see someone degrade any of the Companions (RA) of the Prophet SAW, know that he is a disbeliever. Because the Prophet SAW, was real, what he brought was the truth and all of it was conveyed to us by the way of the Sahabah (RA). What those disbelievers wish to do is to cast doubt on the reliability of our narrators in order to invalidate the Qur'an and the Sunnah. Thus the disbelievers are the ones most deserving defamation."


Al-Qadi Abu Ya'la RA

It was reported that Abu Ya'la RA said:

"The position of jurists concerning one who curses the Sahabah RA, believing that such an act is permissible, is that he has committed an act of disbelief. If he curses them but does not believe that cursing them is permissible, then he is guilty of immorality, and not disbelief." [Ibn Taymiyah, As-Sawarim Al-Maslul, Page 569]


At-Tahawi RA

In his book on the Islamic creed - Al-Aqidah At-Tahawiyyah - the author states:

"We love the Companions (RA) of Allah's Prophet SAW, without going overboard in our love of anyone of them or remaining aloof (Tabarra) from any of them. We hate those who hate them or speak ill of them and we only speak well of them. Loving them is a religious act, and an expression of faith and righteousness while hating them is an act of disbelief, hypocrisy and transgression." [Sharh Al-Aqidah At-Tahawiyyah, Page 528]


Ibn Hazm Al-Andalusi RA

One day during the period of Muslim rule in Spain, Imam Abu Muhammad ibn Hazm RA was having a debate with some Spanish Catholic priests about their religious texts. He brought before them evidence of textual distortions in the Bible and the loss of original manuscripts. When they replied by pointing out to him Shi'ite claims also being distorted, Ibn Hazm RA informed them:

"Shi'ites could not be used as evidence against the Qur'an or against Muslims because they are not themselves Muslims." [Ibn Hazm, Al-Fisaal Fi Al-Milal Wa An-Nihal, 2/78 and 4/182]

Their claims have also been rebutted by numerous other early scholars such as:

Ibn Taymiyyah RA in Minhaj-us-Sunnah;

Imam Adh-Dhahabi RA in Muntaqa Min Minhaj-Al-I'tidal;

Ibn Kathir RA in his history book: Al-Bidayah Wa An-Nihayah;

Ibn Al-Jawzi RA in Talbis Iblis; and

Al-Qadi Ibn Al-Arabi RA in Al-Awwasim Min Al-Qawasim.


EXPLANATIONS FROM CONTEMPORARY SCHOLARS

Imam Al-Alusi

Imam Al-Alusi declared the Raafidite Shi'ites as disbelievers because of their defamation of the Sahahah RA. His position was based on the rulings of Imam Malik RA and other scholars who were in agreement with him.

In reply to their claim to be Ahl-ul-Bayt (The Prophet's SAW family), Al-Alusi said:

"No, they are really followers of the Devils and Ahl-ul-Bayt are innocent of them."


Muhibbuddin Al-Khatib

Al-Khatib wrote a book on the Shi'ites entitled: Al-Khutut Al-Aridah Lil-Usus Allati Qama Alayhaa Deen Ash-Shi'ah Al-Ithnay 'Ashriyah (translation: Broad Outlines of the Basis for the Twelver Shi'ite Creed). He also footnoted earlier works on the Shi'ah like Al-Muntaqa and Awasim Min Al-Qaqasim. In all of his works, Al-Khatib considers the Shi'ites to be disbelievers.


Bahjat Al-Baitar

When this great Syrian scholar was asked if transactions were permissible with Shi'ites, he replied in a book called Al-Islam Wa As-Sahabah Al-Kiram Bain As-Sunnah Wa Ash-Shi'ah in which he said:

"Political and economic dealings with them are allowed in the same way that they are allowed with states and people with whom there are treaties in spite of differences between their lands and religions and ours. And help can only be sought from Allah."


Dr. Hilali

After living closely to the Shi'ites for some years, the famous Morrocan scholar, Dr Hilali, wrote a paper on them in which he declared them disbelievers.


Al-Bashir Al-Ibrahimi

While visiting Iraq, this professor who is the leading religious scholar in Algeria saw with his own eyes the Shi'ite book, Az-Zahra, in which Saiyidina Umar ibn Al-Khattab RA - was accused of homosexuality (Na'udzubillah). On his return home to Algeria he exposed the Shi'ites and clearly outlined their principle beliefs and practices.


Mustafa As-Siba'i

This eminent Palestinian scholar was also among those who lived with the Shi'ites for a period and worked for rapproachment with them; however, he soon discovered their real intentions and noted them in the foreword of his classic: As-Sunnah Wa Makanatuha.

He wrote:

"Those people continue to hold fast to their books in which slanderous attacks and false descriptions are given of the incidents of disagreement among the Sahabah RA. Hence their intention behing the call to rapproachment seems to be bringing the Sunnites closer to the Shi'ite creed and not bringing them closer to each other."

On another occasion, As-Siba'i wrote:

"A Muslim would almost be in a state of total bewilderment and confusion at the audacity of these people towards Allah's Messenger SAW were it not for his knowledge that most of the Rafidites are Persians. Some Persians feigned Islam and used Shi'ism as a cover for the destruction of Islam. There were also among the Persians those who were unable to free themselves from the effects of their former religions and thus they entered Islam with a pagan mentality which did not mind telling lies about the Prophet SAW."

Among other contemporary scholars who have have made similar statements are:

Shaikh Ibn Baaz

Allaamah Ash-Shanqiti

Al-Albani

Ahmad Ameen

An-Nashashibi; and

Dr Rashad Salim

Aqidah 111

Allah SWT is a Speaker.

From time immemorial until eternity, Allah Ta'ala had the ability to speak, and never once was Allah ever without this quality. At any given time, Allah can listen to the entire Creation and reply to each person's Du'as and requests. Allah SWT is never unwary or kept occupied, whilst attending from one side to the other. The Taurat, the Injil, the Zabur, the Al-Qur'an-ul-Karim and all other Divine Scriptures are all manifestations and descriptions of Allah's Speech. The Speech of Allah Ta'ala is one and encompassing. All Divinely revealed Books and Scriptures are pages of Allah's encompassing Speech, that have various effects in their revelations.

Speech is a complete quality of perfection, while dumbness is a fault. All perfect qualities are established for Allah Ta'ala, and He is free and pure from all qualities of fault. Since Speech is an inherent quality of Allah Ta'ala, it is eternal i.e. has always been existent and is not newly acquired. The quality of an eternal Being is also eternal. There are Bid'atees (cursed innovators) who have this view that Allah Ta'ala is 'Mutakallim' (Speaker) in the sense that He creates speech in others. This view is clear ignorance and stupidity. It smacks of misunderstanding of the Arabic language. The word 'Mutaharrik' (something that moves), according to the dictionary means something that has the quality of movement. Something that makes other things move is not called 'Mutaharrik', hence the Creator of speech is not called 'Mutakallim'. One should understand that the Speech of Allah is unlike the speech of others. The entire Muslim Ummat is unanimous on this that Allah Ta'ala speaks. The difference of opinion among the knowledgeable scholars of Islam only arises in the reality and type of speech.

Some say that the Speech of Allah Ta'ala does not comprise of words and sound. The Speech of Allah Ta'ala is a quality of His that is part of His Being, it has neither words nor sound. The Arabic text and calligraphy that we see in the Kitaabs is merely a manifestation and proof of His Eternal Speech, which is a means that allows us to read and listen to his Eternal Speech. The words and letters that allows us to read and listen to Allaah Ta'ala's eternal Speech is just a covering and clothing for it. It is not the actual Speech. Rationally speaking, this explanation is understandable, that an eternal thing can manifest itself in a newly created thing. A new thing cannot contain an eternal thing, but a new thing can be used as a mirror to reflect the qualities of an eternal thing. The sky can be reflected and seen through the pupil of the eye, but the sky can never be contained in the eye. The Auliyaa and Aarifeen are unanimous that the Speech of Allaah Ta’ala is inherent to His Being and does not have words or sound. The Muhadditheen say that the Speech of Allah Ta'ala has words and sound, but these words and sounds are unlike the words and sounds that are found in the Universe. Just like how the Being of Alaah Ta'ala is incomparable, so too is His Speech.

"There is nothing like Him."

The Mutakallimeen say that just as the Being of Allah Ta'ala is unique and incomparable, so too is His quality of Speech. There can be no connection between Him and His created Universe. Allah Ta'ala makes use of the Arabic language as a medium for His servants to understand Him. Words and sounds are a covering for His Speech. Language is a mirror and manifestation to His Speech. The Ayats of the Qur'an, which are made up of words are also a mirror of Alaah Ta'ala's Speech. Therefore according to the Shari'ah it is Waajib to have respect and to honour the Qur'an. It cannot be touched without Wudhu (ablution).

Its recitation should also be carried out with utmost respect. Therefore the Arabic recitation of the Qur'an is a cloth for Allah's incomparable eternal Speech. Let us understand that Allah Ta'ala's unique and incomparable Speech is hidden and concealed behind this veil. The Arabic recitation is not the actual Eternal Speech, but is in fact - the covering.

Quick Hadith 057

The Prophet SAW's Companion - Rabi’ah Al-Jurashi RA narrates that Rasulullah SAW had a dream wherein he saw a person (an angel) who told him:

"May your eyes sleep and your ears hear and your heart understand."

Rasulullah SAW (accepted this by) saying:

"My eyes has slept, my ears have heard and my heart has understood."

Rasulullah SAW said:

"It was told to me:

"A king built a house and prepared a meal in the house. The king sent his messenger (to invite people to partake of the meal). Whosoever accepted the invitation entered the house and ate from the food, the king became happy with him. Whosoever did not accept the invitation and did not enter the house and did not partake of the meals, the king was displeased with him." "

Rasulullah SAW said:

"Allah is the King; Muhammad (SAW) is the Messenger; The house is Islam; and the meals is Jannah (Paradise)." " (Mishkaat: Qadeemi)


COMMENTARY

The instruction to Humanity is crystal clear. Allah Ta'ala created Jannah and its bounties. Allah sent Rasulullah SAW as the Messenger to invite people to enter the house of Islam. Those invitees who accept the invitation, will enter Jannah and enjoy its Bounties.

Important Injunctions On Aqidah - 2.0

This short series provides a rather detailed explanation on the tenets of ALL Muslims - i.e. adherents of the Ahlus Sunnah Wal Jama'ah. I invite all of us to read this series with due care, concern, importance and urgency, so that we double-check our stance with regards to our Basic Tenets of Faith; as laxity in doing so may cost us the difference between Jannah and Jahannam.

Bismillah.


(DISCUSSION CONTINUED)


ALLAH'S MESSENGER

Allah Most High sent Muhammad SAW, the Qurayshite unlettered prophet, to deliever His inspired message to the entire world, Arabs and non-Arabs, jinn and mankind, superseding and abrogating all previous religious systems with the Prophet's Sacred Law, except for the provisions of them that the new revelation expicitly reconfirmed. Allah has favoured him above all the other prophets and made him the highest of mankind, rejecting anyone's attesting to the divine oneness by saying "There is no god but Allah", unless they also attest to the Prophet SAW by saying "Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah." He has obliged men and jinn to believe everything the Prophet SAW has informed us concerning this world and the next, and does not accept anyone's faith unless they believe in what he has told us will happen after death.


The Trial of The Grave

The first of these matters is the questioning of Munkar and Nakir, two tremendous, awe-inspiring personages who sit a servant upright in his grave, body and soul, and ask him about the unity of Allah and the messengerhood of the Prophet Muhammad SAW, saying, "Who is your Lord, what is your religion, and who is your prophet?" It is they who try people in the grave, their questioning being the first ordeal after death. It is Obligatory to believe in the torment of the grave, that it is a fact, is just, and affects both body and soul, in the way Allah wills.


The Scale

It is obligatory to believe in the scale (Mizan), which consists of two scalepans and a balance indicator between them and is as great in size as the thickness of the heavens and earth. It weighs a servant's deeds through the power of Allah Most High, and the weights placed on it are as fine as an atom or mustard seed, that justice may be perfectly done. The pages recording one's good deeds will be placed in a form pleasing to behold on the side of the scale for Light, weighing it down according to their rank with Allah through His generosity, while the pages recording one's bad deeds will be placed in an ugly form on the side of Darkness, diminishing the weight of the opposite side through Allah's justice.


The Bridge Over Hell

It is obligatory to believe in the bridge over hell (Sirat), a bridge spanning the breadth of hell, sharper than a sword and finer than a hair, which unbelievers' feet shall slip from by Allah's decree and plunge them into hell, and the feet of believers shall be made fast upon by Allah's generosity, and from thence they shall be conducted to the Final Abode - Paradise.


The Watering Place

It is Obligatory to believe in a watering place people will come to, the watering place of Muhammad SAW, which believers will drink from before entering paradise, after having crossed the bridge over hell. Whoever drinks from it will never thirst again. Its width is month's journey across, its water whiter than milk and sweeter than honey, and there are as many pitchers around it as stars in the sky. Two aqueducts pour into it from Kauthar, a spring in
Paradise.


The Final Reckoning

It is obligatory to believe in the Final Reckoning and the disparity in the way various people are dealt with therein, some made to answer, others pardoned, and some admitted to paradise without reckoning, being the intimaters of Allah (muqurrabun). Allah Most High shall ask whomever He wills of the Prophets if they have conveyed their message, ask unbelievers why they denied the messengers, ask those of reprehensible innovation (bid'ah) about the sunnah, and ask Muslims about their works.


Believers Shall Depart from Hell

It is obligatory to hold that true sinful believers who believe in the oneness of Allah, who follow the prophet of their time will be taken out of hell after having paid for their sins, through the generosity of Allah Mighty and Majestic. No one who is a true monotheist will abide in the fire forever.


The Intercession of the Prophets and Righteous

It is obligatory to believe in the intercession of first the prophets, then religious scholars, then martyrs, then other believers; the intercession of each one commensurate with his rank and position with Allah Most High. Any believer remaining in hell without intercessor shall be taken out of it by the favour of Allah, no one who are believers remaining in it forever, and anyone with an atom's weight of faith in his heart will eventually depart from it.


The Excellence of the Sahabah RA - the Prophetic Companions

It is obligatory to believe in the excellence of the prophetic Companions RA. One must think best of all of the Companions RA of the Prophet SAW and praise them just as Allah Almighty and Majestic praised in the Qur'an (Surah 3: Ayat 110); and His messenger have praised them too. May Allah SWT be pleased with all of them. Ameen.


CONCLUSION

Allah SWT has been conveyed by prophetic hadith and attested to by the words of the early Muslims. Whoever believes it with deep conviction belongs to those of the truth, who follow the sun, and distinguishes himself from the faction who have strayed, the sect adhering to repehensible innovation (bid'ah). We ask from Allah through His Mercy for perfect certainty and steadfastness in religion, for ourselves and all Muslim; He is the Most Merciful of the Merciful.


(This is the end of this mini-series)

Important Injunctions On Aqidah - 1.5

This short series provides a rather detailed explanation on the tenets of ALL Muslims - i.e. adherents of the Ahlus Sunnah Wal Jama'ah. I invite all of us to read this series with due care, concern, importance and urgency, so that we double-check our stance with regards to our Basic Tenets of Faith; as laxity in doing so may cost us the difference between Jannah and Jahannam.

Bismillah.


(DISCUSSION CONTINUED)


Allah's Will

Allah Most High wills all that exists and directs all events. Nothing occurs in the physical or spiritual world, be it meager or much, little or great, good or evil, of benefit or detriment, faith or unbelief, knowledge or ignorance, triumph or ruin, increase or decrease, obedience or sin; save through His ordinance, apportionment, wisdom, and decision. What He wills is, and what He does not will is not. Neither sidelong glance nor passing thought is beyond His design. He originates all and returns it, does what He wills, and none can repulse His command. There is no rescinding His destiny, no flight for a servant from disobeying Him except through divinely given success therein and mercy, and no strength to obey Him save through His choice and decree.

If all mankind, jinn, angels, and devils combined their efforts to move or to still a single particle of the universe without His will and choice, they would be unable to. His will, like His other attributes, exists in His entity and He ever possesses it. He has willed from preeternity the existence of all things at the times He has chosen. They occur at the times which He has destined from beginningless eternity, occurring neither before nor after, but taking place in accordance with His knowledge and will, without substitution or alternation. He directs events without successive throughts or waiting for time to elapse, which is why nothing divers Him from anything else.


Allah's Hearing and Sight

Allah Most High is all-hearing and all-seeing. He hears and sees, no sound however slight eluding His hearing, and no sight however minute escaping His vision. Distance does not obscure His hearing nor darkness hinder His vision. He sees without pupil or eyelids, and hears without ear canal or ears, just as He knows without a heart, seizes without limb, and creates without implement. His attributes no more resemble the attributes of His creatures than His entity resembles the entity of His creatures.


Allah's Speech

Allah Most High speaks, commands, forbids, promises, and warns, with beginninglessly eternal speech that is an attribute of His entity, not resembling the speech of creatures in being a sound generated by the passage of air or impact of bodies, nor in letters articulated by compressing the lips or moving the tongue. The Qur'an, Torah, Evangel, and Psalms are His Books, revealed to His Messengers (upon whom be peace). The Qur'an is recited with tongues, written in books, and memorised in hearts despite being beginninglessly eternal, an attribute of the entity of Allah Most High, unsubject to disseverance and separation by conveyance to hearts or pages. Musa AS heard the speech of Allah without sound or letter, just as the righteous see the entity of Allah Most High in the afterlife without substance or accident.

Since Allah possesses all of the above attributes, He is living, knowing, omnipotent, willing, hearing, seeing, and seeking by virtue of His life, power, knowledge, will, hearing, sight, and speech, not merely by virtue of His entity.


Allah's Acts

Everything besides Allah Glorious and Exalted exists through His action, proceeding from His justice in the best, fullet, most perfect and equitable way. He is wise in His acts and just in His decrees. His justice is not comparable to the justice of His servants, since injustice may only be imagined from a servant through his disposal of what belongs to another, while this is inconceiveable from Allah Most High, since nothing belongs to anyone besides Him that He should unjustly disclose of it. Everything besides Him, be it human, jinn, angel, devil, heaven, earth, animal, vegetable, mineral, substance, accident, intelligible, or sensory, is contingent, and was brought into existence through His power after not being, created by Him after it was nothing. He alone existed in preeternity, and nothing else. He then originated creation, that His omnipotence might be mainfest, His prior decree effected, and His eternal word realised; not from needing or requiring anything in creation.

Our origination, beginning, and responsibility are of Allah's generosity, not because of their being obligatory for Him, and His blessings and benefaction exist because of His favour, not because of being due from Him. Everything that exists is indebted to Him for His generosity and goodness, His blessings and benevolence; for He is well able to pour all manner of torments upon His servants and try them with every variety of suffering and illness, and were He to do so, it would be just on His part and not wicked or unfair. Allah Mighty and Majestic, rewards His servants, the believers, for their acts of obedience because of His generosity and in fulfillment of His word, not because of their deserving it or His owing it to them. He is not obliged to anyone to do anything, nor is injustice on His part conveivable, for He does not owe any rights to anyone. The obligation of men and jinn to perform acts of obedience is established by His having informed them of it upon the tongues of the prophets AS, and not by unaided human reason. He sent the prophets and manifested the truth of their messages by unmistakable, inimitable miracles. They have communicated His commands, prohibitions, promises and warnings, and it is obligatory for mankind and jinn to believe in what they have conveyed.

Important Injunctions On Aqidah - 1.0

This short series provides a rather detailed explanation on the tenets of ALL Muslims - i.e. adherents of the Ahlus Sunnah Wal Jama'ah. I invite all of us to read this series with due care, concern, importance and urgency, so that we double-check our stance with regards to our Basic Tenets of Faith; as laxity in doing so may cost us the difference between Jannah and Jahannam.

Bismillah.


OUR AQIDAH WITH REGARDS TO ALLAH ALMIGHTY

Introduction

All Praise be to Allah, Who originates all and returns it, who does as He wills, He of the noble Throne and overwhelming force, the fuide of His elect servants to the wisest path and straightest way, who has blessed them, after having had them attest to His Oneness, by preserving the tenets of their religion from the darknesses of doubt and misgivings, bringing them through His providence and guidance to follow His chosen Messenger and the example of his noble and honoured Companions; He who manifests Himself and His acts to His servants through His sublime attributes, of which none possess knowledge save those who give heed with a present mind.


Allah's Oneness

He is one is - being without partner, unique without peer, ultimate without opposite, alone without equal. He is one, preeternal, beginninglessly uncreate, everlastingly abiding, unceasingly existent, eternally limitless, the ever selfsubsisting through whom all else subsists, ever enduring, without end. He is, was and ever will be possessed of all attributes of majesty, unannihilated by dissolution or separation through the passage of eons or terminus of interims. He is the First and Last, the Outward and Inward, and He has knowledge of everything.


Allah's Transcendence

Allah is not a body with a form, or a limitary, quantitative substance, not resembling bodies in quantifiability or divisibility, or in being a substance or equalified by substance, or being an accident or qualified by accidents. He does not resemble anything that exists, nor anything that exists resemble Him. There is nothing whatsoever like unto Him, nor is He like unto anything. He is not delimited by magnitude, contained by places, encompassed by directions, or bounded by heavens or earth.

He is 'established on the Throne' (Al-Qur'an: Surah 20: Ayat 5) in the way He says and the meaning He intends, 'established' in a manner transcending contact, settledness, fixity, indwelling, or movement. The Throne does not bear Him up, but is borne, up by the subtlety of His infinite power, as are the angels who carry it, and all are powerless in His grasp. He is above the Throne, the heavens, and all else to the farthest reaches of the stars, with an aboveness that does not increase His nearness to the Throne or heavens, or His distance from the earth and what lies beneath it. He is as exalted in degree above the Throne and the heavens as He is above the earth and its depths, though He is near to everything in existence, nearer to a servant than his own jugular vein, and is witness to everything. His nearness no more resembles the nearness of objects to one another than His entity resembles the entities of objects.

He does not dwell in anything, nor anything indwell in Him. He is as exalted above containment in space as he is above confinement in time. He was, before creating time and space, and is not even as He was. He is distinguished from His creation by His attributes. There is nothing in His entity other that Him, nor is His entity in what is other than Him. He is beyond change and motion; events neither occurs within Him nor changes befall Him of majestly exalted above change, and in the attributes of His perfection beyond needing any increase in perfection. The existence of His entity is known by human reason, and in the after life is beheld by the eyesight of the righteous as a beatitude and favour, to consummate their perfect joy with the sight of His Noble Countenance.


Allah's Life and Almighty Power

Allah Most High is living, almighty, overmastering, triumphant, unaffected by inability or weakness; unsusceptible to drowsiness, sleep, annihilation, or death; possessed of absolute soverignty and might, of irresistible power and force. His is the majesty and sway, the creation and command. The heavens are enfolded in His right hand and all beings are powerless in His grasp. He alone creates, begins, gives existence, and originates. He creates all beings and their acts, ordains their sustenance and terms. Nothing possible is out of His grasp, the disposal of no matter is beyond His power. The number of things He can do is limitless, the amount He knows is infinite.


Allah's Knowledge

Allah knows all things knowable, encompassing all that takes place from the depths of the earth to the highest heaven. He knows without an atom's weitht in the earth or heavens escaping His knowledge. He knows the creeping of a black ant across a great stone on a lightless night, and the motion in the air of a particle of dust on a windy day. He knows the concealed and the yet more hidden, the buried recesses of hearts, the movement of thought, and the opacities of the inmost soul; with preeternal, beginningless knowledge that He has always possessed from the limitless reaches of past eternity, not with awareness originating within Him through being imparted or conveyed.