Some Basic Islamic Beliefs

1) Belief in God

Muslims believe in one, unique, incomparable God, Who has no son nor partner, and that none has the right to be worshipped but Him alone. He is the true God, and every other deity is false. He has the most magnificent names and sublime perfect attributes. No one shares His divinity, nor His attributes. In the Qur’an, God describes Himself:-

“Say: He is God, the One. God, to Whom the creatures turn for their needs. He begets not, nor was He begotten, and there is none like Him.” [Al-Qur'an 112]

No one has the right to be invoked, supplicated, prayed to, or shown any act of worship, but God alone. God alone is the Almighty, the Creator, the Sovereign, and the Sustainer of everything in the whole universe. He manages all affairs. He stands in need of none of His creatures, and all His creatures depend on Him for all that they need. He is the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing, and the All-Knowing. In a perfect manner, His knowledge encompasses all things, the open and the secret, and the public and the private. He knows what has happened, what will happen, and how it will happen. No affair occurs in the whole world except by His will. Whatever He wills is, and whatever He does not will is not and will never be. His will is above the will of all the creatures. He has power over all things, and He is able to do everything. He is the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful, and the Most Beneficent.

In one of the sayings of the Prophet Muhammad, we are told that God is more merciful to His creatures than a mother to her child. [Narrated in Sahih Muslim, #2754, and Sahih al-Bukhari, #5999]

God is far removed from injustice and tyranny. He is All-Wise in all of His actions and decrees. If someone wants something from God, he or she can ask God directly without asking anyone else to intercede with God for him or her. God is not Jesus, and Jesus is not God. [It was reported by the Associated Press, London, on June 25, 1984, that a majority of the Anglican bishops surveyed by a television program said, "Christians are not obliged to believe that Jesus Christ was God." The poll was of 31 of England’s 39 bishops. The report further stated that 19 of the 31 bishops said it was sufficient to regard Jesus as "God’s supreme agent." The poll was conducted by London Weekend Television’s weekly religious program, "Credo."]

Even Jesus himself rejected this. God has said in the Qur’an:-

“Indeed, they have disbelieved who have said, ‘God is the Messiah (Jesus), son of Mary.’ The Messiah said, ‘Children of Israel, worship God, my Lord and your Lord. Whoever associates partners in worship with God, then God has forbidden Paradise for him, and his home is the Fire (Hell). For the wrongdoers (the wrongdoers include the polytheists) there will be no helpers.’ ” [Al-Qur'an 5:72]

God is not a trinity. God has said in the Qur’an:-

“Indeed, they disbelieve who say, ‘God is the third of three,’ when there is no god but one God. If they desist not from what they say, truly, a painful punishment will befall the disbelievers among them. Would they not rather repent to God and ask His forgiveness? For God is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful. The Messiah (Jesus), son of Mary, was no more than a messenger … ” [Al-Qur'an 5:73-75]

Islam rejects that God rested on the seventh day of the creation, that He wrestled with one of His angels, that He is an envious plotter against mankind, or that He is incarnate in any human being. Islam also rejects the attribution of any human form to God. All of these are considered blasphemous. God is the Exalted. He is far removed from every imperfection. He never becomes weary. He does not become drowsy nor does he sleep.

The Arabic word Allah means God (the one and only true God who created the whole universe). This word Allah is a name for God, which is used by Arabic speakers, both Arab Muslims and Arab Christians. This word cannot be used to designate anything other than the one true God. The Arabic word Allah occurs in the Qur’an more than 2150 times. In Aramaic, a language related closely to Arabic and the language that Jesus habitually spoke, [NIV Compact Dictionary of the Bible, Douglas, p. 42], God is also referred to as Allah.

2) Belief in the Angels

Muslims believe in the existence of the angels and that they are honored creatures. The angels worship God alone, obey Him, and act only by His command. Among the angels is Gabriel, who brought down the Qur’an to Muhammad.

3) Belief in God’s Revealed Books

Muslims believe that God revealed books to His messengers as proof for mankind and as guidance for them. Among these books is the Qur’an, which God revealed to the Prophet Muhammad. God has guaranteed protection of the Qur’an from any corruption or distortion. God has said:-

“Indeed, We have sent down the Qur’an, and surely We will guard it (from corruption).” [Al-Qur'an 15:9]

4) Belief in the Prophets and Messengers of God

Muslims believe in the prophets and messengers of God, starting with Adam, including Noah, Abraham, Ishmael, Isac, Jacob, Moses, and Jesus, peace be upon them all. But God’s final message to man, a reconfirmation of the eternal message, was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad. Muslims believe that Muhammad is the last prophet sent by God, as God has said:-

“Muhammad is not the father of any one of your men, but he is the Messenger of God and the last of the prophets … “ [Al-Qur'an 33:40]

Muslims believe that all the prophets and messengers were created human beings who had none of the divine qualities of God.

5) Belief in the Day of Judgment

Muslims believe in the Day of Judgment (the Day of Resurrection) when all people will be resurrected for God’s judgment according to their beliefs and deeds.

6) Belief in al-Qadr

Muslims believe in al-Qadr, which is Divine Predestination, but this belief in Divine Predestination does not mean that human beings do not have free will. Rather, Muslims believe that God has given human beings free will. This means that they can choose right or wrong and that they are responsible for their choices. The belief in Divine Predestination includes belief in four things:-

1. 
   
   God knows everything. He knows what has happened and what will happen.
   
   


2. 
   
   God has recorded all that has happened and all that will happen.
   
   


3. 
   
   Whatever God wills to happen happens, and whatever He wills not to happen does not happen.
   
   


4. 
   
   God is the Creator of everything.
   
   

Some Basic Islamic Beliefs

Slaughtering for Other than Allah's Sake

Allah, subhanahu wa ta’ala, said:

“Say: ‘My prayer, indeed my whole life and death are to Allaah, Lord of the universe, to whom there is no associate’ ” [Al-Qur'an 6:163-164], and

“Address therefore your prayers to your Lord, and slaughter in His Name.” [Al-Qur'an 108:2]

In his sahih, Muslim relates from ‘Ali, radiallahu ‘anhu, the following, “The Messenger of Allah, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, gave four judgements: 1) admonition to him who slaughters in the name of anyone other than Allah, 2) admonition to him who curses his parents, 3) admonition to him who shelters the perpetrators of a crime incurring a divine sanction and 4) admonition to him who unjustly alters the frontiers of personal land properties.”

Ahmad reports that Tariq ibn Shihab related that the Prophet of Allah, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said, “Flies provided the circumstances for a man to go to Paradise and for another to go to Hell.” When he was asked to explain how that was possible, the Prophet, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said, “Two men passed by a people who had an idol to which they prescribed an obligation for every person seeking to go through their territory. When the first objected that he had nothing to sacrifice to the idol, the people told him he had to sacrifice something even if it were a few flies. So he caught few flies, sacrificed them and let through. Naturally he was consigned to Hell. When another was required to sacrifice something, he objected that he would never sacrifice aught to anyone but Allah. They killed him, and he of course went to Paradise.”

Issues addressed in this chapter

1. Explanation of the verse, “Say: ‘My prayer, indeed my whole life and death … ‘ “;


2. Explanation of the verse, “Address therefore your prayers to your Lord, and slaughter in His Name.”;


3. Cursing whomsoever slaughters in any other name than Allah’s;


4. Cursing whomever curses his parents, including the person who invites such curse by cursing somebody else’s parents and thus eliciting a reciprocal cursing of his own;


5. Cursing whoever shelters the muhdith i.e. the perpetrator of a crime incurring divine sanction, with a view to enable him to escape punishment;


6. Cursing whomsoever alters unjustly the frontiers of personal land properties, and thus continues them to achieve illegitimate advantage;
   
   

   introduction to usool al-fiqh and fiqh



7. Difference between cursing a definite person for a definite crime and cursing the perpetrators of crimes in general;


8. The significant story of the flies;


9. That the person who sacrificed flies to the idol to avoid the threat of the idolaters went to hell though he did not approve of his own deed;


10. Assessing the degree of shirk within the hearts of Muslims. Their patient suffering of martyrdom and resistance to the demand of the idolaters through the latter only required only the external act;


11. That he who entered Hell was a Muslim. Otherwise the Prophet would not have said that the man entered Hell merely for sacrificing flies. This story constitutes evidence for another hadith viz “Paradise is closer to man than his own soles. And so is Hell.”; and


12. That the work of the heart is the greater requirement, even among idolators.

No Slaughter in the Name of Allah where Slaughter in Another Name is Practised

Allah, subhanahu wa ta’ala, said:

“Do not even stand therein.” [Al-Qur'an 9:108]

Abu Dawud related that Thabit ibn al Dahhak, radiallahu ‘anhu, said, “A man made a vow to sacrifice a camel at a place called Buwanah, and sought the Prophet’s permission to do so. The Prophet, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, asked, ‘Does this place have an idol such as those of jahiliyyah?’ The man answered, no. The Prophet asked again, ‘Did the unbelievers hold any of their feasts at that place?’ Again the man answered, no. The Prophet then said, ‘Go ahead and fulfil your vow. The vows which ought not to be fulfilled are those which involve disobedience to Allah, or fulfilment of what is beyond man’s capacity’.”

Issues addressed in this chapter

1. Explanation of the verse, “Do not stand therein.”;


2. That disobedience to Allah, as well as obedience are without real effects in the world;


3. Reference of the questionable problem to the clear one, for solution by extrapolation;


4. Permissibility of asking the mufti for details wherever there is need;


5. Vows specifying the place of fulfilment are legitimate aslong as no legal hinderances intervene;


6. Illegitimacy of fulfilling a vow at a place where an idol stands, or had once stood;


7. Illegitimacy of fulfilling a vow where unbelievers held a celebration, though the practise is presently extinct;


8. Illegitimacy of fulfilling a vow made on such a spot because the vow is ipso facto illegitimate;


9. Caution against imitating the unbelievers in their celebrations, even if unwittingly;


10. No vow is legitimate if its content is illegitimate; and


11. No vow is legitimate for a man if it demands fulfilment of what he cannot do.

Source: Chapters 10 and 11 from Kitab at-Tawhid

Slaughtering for Other than Allah's Sake

Ruling About Ahlul-Fartah

The Ahlul-Fatrah are those whom the call of the messengers did not reach.

Ash-Shanqiti said:

“What is apparent is that what is correct about this question – which is, ‘Do the mushrikun (those who associate partners with Allah) have an excuse due to their being people whom the call of the messengers did not reach or not?’ is that they have excuse to it in this world, and that Allah will test them on the Day of Resurrection with a fire which He will order them to enter. So whoever enters it will enter Paradise, and they are those who would have affirmed the truth of the messengers had come to them in this world, but those who refuse to enter the fire, then they will be punished in it, and they are those who would reject the messengers if they had come to them in this world, since Allah knows what the people would have done had the messengers come to them.”

What is established from Allah’s Messenger and it is a text directly relevant to the matter about which there is no disagreement. So there is no room for disagreement to continue along with it.

And from the proofs that the people of al-Fatrah will be tested is the saying of the Prophet:

“Four will make a plea on the Day of Resurrection: A deaf man who could not hear, an insane man, a senile man and those who died in a time when there was no Messenger. So as for the deaf man, he will say, ‘O my Lord, Islam came and I did not hear anything’. As for the insane he will say, ‘Islam came while the children threw dung at me’. As for the senile he will say, ‘Islam came and I could not comprehend anything’. As for the one who died in the time when there is no Messenger, he will say, ‘O my Lord your Messenger did not come to me’. So their agreement will be taken that they will obey Him, then He will send a Messenger to them ordering them to enter the fire. By Him in Whose hand my souls is, if they would enter it, it would be cool and safe for them.” [At-Tabarani and Ibn Hibban]

(s) On the Issue of Takfeer

Ruling About Ahlul-Fartah

Realities of Allah's Attributes

Imam Al-Juwayni1 (d. 438H) – rahimahullah – said:

“Know, that for a brief period, I was confused about three matters:

1. The issue of As-Sifat (the Attributes of Allah);


2. The issue of Al-Fawqiyyah (Allah being above His creation); and


3. The issue of Al-Harf (the Word) and As-Sawt (the Voice) about the Glorious Qur’an.

I used to be confused about the differing sayings – which are found in the contemporary books with regards to these matters whether ta’wil (manipulative distortion) should be made of the Attributes and tahrif of them. Whether to take them as they are and halt at their meanings, or whether to affirm them without ta’wil, ta’til, tashbih or tamthil. But I found in the texts of the Book of Allah – the Most High – and the Sunnah of His Messenger sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, a great clarity about the reality of these Attributes, and likewise with regards to affirming Al-’Uluww (the highness of Allah), Al-Fawqiyyah, Al-Harf and As-Sawt.

Then I found in the books of the later Scholars – from the mutakallimin (the people of innovated speech and rhetoric) – their making ta’wil of (Allah’s Attribute of) Al-Istawa (Allah ascending above His creation) by saying that it meant qahr (His dominance) and istila (His conquering); ta’wil of (Allah’s Attribute of) An-Nuzul by saying that it meant His command descends; ta’wil of (the Attribute of) Al-Yadayn (the Hands of Allah) to mean His Power or His Favour; and ta’wil of Al-Qadm (the Foot of Allah) to mean the foot of truth with their Lord; and the likes of this. Along with this, I found that the claimed that the Speech of Allah – the Most High – meant a speech existent in His Self (qafm bidh-dhat) with Word, but not with Voice. They claimed that these Words are a mode of expression from the meaning existing with Himself!

From those who held to these sayings were a a group of people, who had a high status in my heart, such as a group of the Ash’ari Shafi’i Scholars – and I am upon the madhhab (school of thought) of Ash-Shafi’i radhiallahu ‘anhu, knowing the obligations of my Religion and its rulings. So I found the likes of these great Shaykhs adhering to the likes of such statements – and they were my teachers – and I had complete faith in them, their nobility and their knowledge. However, despite all this, I found my heart having a hatred for such ta’wil such that I could not find any tranquillity and peace with it. It caused my chest to feel constricted, rather than causing it to expand …

The 5th verse of Surah Taha

And I used to fear affirming the Attributes of Al-’Uluww, Al-Istawa and An-Nuzul fearing that it would imply hasr (limiting and encompassing Allah by His creation) and tashbih (resembling Allah to His creation, i.e. anthropomorphism). However, despite this, when I studied the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of His Messenger sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, I found in them texts pointing to the reality of these meanings. I found that the Messenger sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam clarified that which came from His Lord, as well as describing Him with them. And know – without any doubt at all – that he sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam used to have present in his noble gatherings the Scholar and the ignorant person, the one with sharp intelligence and the not so sharply-intelligent, the arab and the non-arab. However, I did not find anything by which he followed-up such texts with which he used to describe his Lord neither with another text, nor with anything that would cause the meanings to be removed from their (real meaning), or cause ta’wil to be made of them; such as the ta’wil of my Shaykhs and Scholars from the mutakallimin – such as their ta’wil of Al-Istawa to istila, and their ta’wil of An-Nuzul (Allah’s descending) to mean that His command descends; and other than this. And I did not find that he sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam used to warn the people from having iman (faith) in what was apparent in his speech describing his Lord, whether it was concerning Al-Fawqiyyah (Allah being above His creation), or Al-Yadayn (the Hands of Allah), or other than them. And there is nothing recorded from him which proves that these Attributes have another inner meaning, other than what is apparent from their meaning … ”

Then Imam Al-Juwayni – rahimahullah – mentions some ayat and ahadith concerning Al-Fawqinah and Al-Istawa, then he continues:

“So when we came to know this, and came to hold this as our ‘aqidah (belief), we were then preserved from the doubts of ta’wil, the blindness of ta’til (divesting Allah- totally or partially – of His Attributes) and the foolishness of tashbih and tamthil (likening Allah to His creation). We then affirmed for Allah the ‘Uluww (highness) of our Lord – the Most Perfect – and His Fawqiyah and that He Ascended (Istawa) over His ‘Arsh (Throne) in a manner that befits His Majesty and Greatness. So the truth is very clear in this and the chest will readily accept this, for indeed tahrif (distorting the text) is rejected by the correct and sound intellect, such as tahrif of Istawa to istila (conquering); and other than this. Likewise, wuquf (affirming the wording of the Attributes, but halting at their meanings) is also blindness and ignorance, since we know that our Lord described Himself with these Attributes so that we may come to know Him by them. So – in our knowing Him – we do not halt at affirming the wordings of the Attributes, whilst negating what is intended from their meanings. Since He did not described Himself to us by these Attributes, except that we may affirm what He has described Himself with, not that we halt at them. Likewise tashbih and tamthil are also foolishness and ignorance.

Thus, the one whom Allah – the Most High – causes to agree upon affirming (the Attributes) – without tahrif, takyif and wuquf – then he has indeed agreed upon what is intended from them, if Allah – the Most High – wishes.”

Then he – rahimahullah – explains the reason why Ahlul-Kalam (the people of innovated speech and rhetoric) felt that they were forced to make ta’wil of Allah’s Istawa (Ascending) to istila, so he said:

“And Allah expanded my chest about the state of those Shaykhs who made ta’wil of Al-Istawa to istila … and it is my belief that they do not understand the Attributes of the Lord – the Most High – except with what befits the creation. Thus, they do not understand Al-Istawa of Allah as truly befits Him … so this is why they distort the words from its proper context and deny what Allah has described Himself with. And we shall mention the explanation of that – if Allah wills.

And there is no doubt that us and them (i.e. the Ash’ariyyah) agree upon affirming the Attributes of Al-Hayat (Life), As-Sawz’a (Hearing), Al-Raw (Seeing), Al-’Ilm (Knowledge), Al-Qudrah (Power), Al-Iradah (Will) and Al-Kalam (Speech) of Allah. And we certainly do not understand the Attribute of Life of Allah to mean with the likes of such organs that are established in our bodies. Likewise, we do not understand the Hearing and Seeing of Allah to imply that there are limbs. So, just as they say: His Life is not like ours, nor is His Knowledge and Seeing, rather they are Attributes in a way that is befitting to Him, not befitting to us. Then we – likewise – say: His Attribute of Life is known, but its kafiyyah (the nature of how it is), is unknown. His Knowledge is known, buts its kafiyyah is not. Likewise, His Seeing and Hearing are known and there is no implication of there being organs and bodily-parts in any of this – rather all these Attributes are in a way that befit Him.

Likewise is the case for His ‘Ayn (Eye), Fawqiyyah, Istawa and Nuzul. His Fawqiyyah is known – it is established just like the reality of His Hearing and the reality of His Seeing are also established; they are known, but their kafiyyah is not. Then similarly, His Fawqiyyah is known and established in a way that befits Him, but the kafiyyah is unknown. Likewise, His Istawa (Ascending) over the ‘Arsh (Throne) is known, but the kafiyyah is not explained by implying movements or transmission, which befit the creation – rather His Istawa is in a manner that befits His Greatness. Thus His Attributes are known from the direction of sentence and affirmation, but are unknown from the perspective of how they are and setting limits. So the Believer is clear about the Attributes from one perspective and blind from the other. So the Believer is clear from the perspective of affirmation and existence, but blind from the perspective of their kafiyyah and limits. So this is the way by affirming what Allah – the Most High – has described Himself with, and by negating tahrif, tashbih and wuquf: so this is what the Lord – the Most High – intends for us concerning His Attributes … that we recognise them, have iman in them being haqiqah (real) and negate any tashbih to them, nor to deny for Allah His real Attributes by tahrif and ta’wil. Indeed, there is no difference between Allah’s Attribute of Al-Istawa and As-Sama’ and between His Attribute of An-Nuzul and Al-Basr – since each occurs by a text.

So if they say to us about Al-Istawa: you have made tashbih! Then we reply to them about As-Sama’: You have made tashbih, and have described your Lord with organs! So if they say: No organs and bodily-parts, rather it is in a manner that befits Him. Then we reply about Al-Istawa and Al-Fawqiyyah: There is no confinement nor limitation, rather it is in a manner that befits Him. So whatever is necessary concerning the Attributes of Life, Hearing, Seeing and Knowledge and not making any tashbih to them, then such is also necessitated regarding Allah’s Attributes of Ascending, Descending, Al-Yad (Hand), Al-Wajh (Face), Al-Qadm (Foot), Ad-Dahak (Laughing) and At-Ta’ajjub (Amazement). So just as they do not imply for Him any organs, we do not imply for Him any limbs nor anything that befits the creation. And it is not from justice and fairness that they understand the Attributes of Ascending, Descending, Face and Hand to imply resemblance to the creation, and therefore they think that they must resort to ta’wil and tahrif – (yet they do not do so for the other Attributes such as Lie, Hearing and Seeing).

So those possessing justice and fairness will understand what we have said, have ‘aqidah in it, accept our sincere advice and will take as the Din of Allah the affirmation of all His Attributes, negating from them any tashbih, ta’til, ta’wil or wuquf. This is what Allah intended from us concerning this. Since all these Attributes (that they affirm), and all the others (that they make ta’wil of) come from a single place – and that is the Qur’an and the Sunnah. Thus, when we affirm one set of Attributes without ta’wil, but make ta’wil and tahrif for the others, then we are like those who believed in one part of the Book, but disbelieved in another part. And this is sufficient and clear – if Allah – the Most High – wills.”

(s) Risalah Ithbatu’l-Istawa wa’l-Fawqiyyah (pp. 176-183), abridged which is part of Majmu’atu’r-Rasa’il al-Muniriyyah. The translation is taken from Al-Ibaanah Magazine Issue 3, Dhu’l-Qa’dah 1416H (April 1996).

Realities of Allah's Attributes

Principle of Limitation (Tawqif)

Peoples’ sayings and actions are of two kinds: acts of worship by which their religion is established, and customary practices which are required for day to day living. From the principles of the shari’ah we know that acts of worship are those acts which have been prescribed by Allah or approved by Him; nothing is to be affirmed here except through the shari’ah. However, as far as the worldly activities of the people are concerned they are necessary for everyday life. Here the principle is freedom of action; nothing may be restricted in this regards except what Allah, the Most High, has restricted. This is the case because commanding and prohibiting are both in the Hands of Allah. As far as worship is concerned there has to be a command from Him concerning it. Thus, when it requires a command (from Allah) to establish something, how can we say that something is restricted without His command?

That is why Ahmad ibn Hanbal, may Allah have mercy upon him, and other jurists (fuqaha) who base their judgements on ahadith say, “In relation to acts of worship, the principle is tawqif“; that is to say, nothing can be legislated in this regards except what Allah Himself has legislated. To do otherwise is to incur the risk of being included in the ayah:-

“Do they have partners (with Allah) who have prescribed for them in religion that concerning which Allah has given no permission?” [Al-Qur'an 42:21]

But as far as living habits are concerned, the principle is freedom because nothing can be restricted in this regards except what Allah Himself has prohibited. Here, to do otherwise is to be included in the meaning of His saying:-

“Say: Do you see what Allah has sent down to you for your sustenance? Yet you have made some part of it halal and some part haram.” [Al-Qur'an 12:59]

Principle of Limitation (Tawqif)

Principle Concerning Unity and Splitting - the Reason for this, and their Resultant Effects

“Those who were given the Scriptures did not differ except out of mutual jealousy and hatred (bagyan) after Knowledge had come to them.”

Informing that their differing arose after the coming of Knowledge that made clear to them what they should steer clear of – for indeed Allah, the Sublime, does not let a people become misguided after He guided them except after telling them what they should steer clear of. And informing that they differed only due to the reason of mutual jealousy and hatred.

Al-Bagy means to exceed the proper bounds as was indicated by Ibn ‘Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, (in his commentary to this word): ‘arrogance and jealousy’ – this arising due to differing ijtihad that were not based upon Knowledge. What is not meant by al-bagy is the permissible difference that arises between the scholars, for al-bagy is either the neglect or omission of the Truth, or exceeding the proper bounds. Exceeding the proper bounds either by leaving an obligatory action or by performing a forbidden action – and it is known that splitting and disunity is the outcome of this.

An example of this lies in what He, the Most High, said about the People of the Book (translation of the meaning):-

“And from those who call themselves Christians, We took their covenant but they abandoned (or forgot) a portion of the Message that was sent to them. So we planted enmity and hatred till the Day of Resurrection.” [Al-Qur'an 5:14]

So He informed us that in their forgetting / abandoning a portion of the Message – meaning leaving a portion of that which they were commanded with – lay the reason for their enmity and hatred.

This is what is occurring amongst the adherents of our Religion and it can be found amongst the various parties that differ with regards to their principles and many subsidiary matters – found amongst the scholars and the worshippers – to the point that one finds a resemblance to the two nations about whom one says concerning the other, ‘they are upon nothing.’

This is like what we find amongst the legal jurists who stick to the outward actions of the Religion, and those who take to the path of tasawwuf who stick to the inward actions of the Religion, for each one of these negates the path of the other and claims that they are not from the People of the Religion, or they oppose the other in a way of opposing of those who do not consider the other to be part of the Religion. There occurs between them enmity and hatred.

This is because Allah, the Mighty, has ordered that the heart be purified just as He has ordered that the body be purified. Both these aspects of purification are from the Religion that Allah, the Majestic, has commanded and made obligatory. Allah, the Generous, has said (translation of the meaning):-

“Allah does not want to place you in difficulty, but He wants to purify you and to complete His Favour on you that you may be thankful.” [Al-Qur'an 5:6 - the verse pertaining to wudu]

“In it (the masjid) are men who love to purify themselves and Allah loves those who purify themselves.” [Al-Qur'an 9:108]

“Indeed Allah Loves those who turn to Him in repentance and He loves those who purify themselves.” [Al-Qur'an 2:222]

“Take charity from their wealth in order to purify and sanctify them.” [Al-Qur'an 9:103]

“They are the ones whose hearts Allah does not wish to purify.” [Al-Qur'an 5:41]

“Indeed the polytheists are impure and filthy.” [Al-Qur'an 9:28]

So we find that the concern of many of the legal jurists and the worshipper is only the purification of the body, and he goes beyond the requirement of the Shari’ah with respect to his concern and action. He leaves what he has been commanded and recommended with respect to the purification of the heart, and we find that he does not understand purification except in this bodily aspect. And we find that the concern of many of the Sufis is the purification of the heart only, to the extent that he will go beyond the requirement of the Shari’ah with respect to his concern and action while leaving what he has been commanded and recommended with respect to the purification of the body.

So the first group go to the extreme of wasting water and considering to be impure that which is not impure, and staying away from that which has not been legislated to stay away from, this despite their hearts containing different shades of jealousy, arrogance and hatred towards their Brothers. In this there is a clear resemblance to the Jews.

The other group goes to the extreme of negligence, they go to great extents to safeguard the heart to the point that they consider ignorance of that which is obligatory to know – such as the evil from which it is obligatory to steer clear of – from those things that safeguard the heart (from actually desiring that evil). In this they do not differentiate between safeguarding the heart from desiring evil, and safeguarding the heart through its knowing the evil and its knowing that with which it has been commanded. Then alongside this negligence and ignorance they do not preserve themselves from the impure things and hence establish the obligatory purification. In this there is a clear resemblance to the way of the Christians. So enmity has occurred between these two groups due to their leaving a portion of what they have been commanded with, and due to their bagy – which is to exceed the correct bounds, either by ignoring or omitting the Truth, or by enmity and oppression. Al-Bagy sometimes occurs amongst some people, or sometimes with regards to the rights of Allah – both of these are implied. This is why He, the Most High, said, “out of mutual jealousy and hatred,” for each group was displaying bagy to the other by not acknowledging the others right and not refraining from showing enmity to the other. Allah said (translation of the meaning):-

“Nor were the People of the Book divided until the clear proof came to them.” [Al-Qur'an 98:4]

“Mankind was one nation and Allah sent Messengers as bringers of glad-tidings and warners. And He revealed with them the Book in Truth so that they may judge amongst mankind in that which they differed. And only those to whom it was given differed concerning it after clear proofs came to them through hatred, one to another.” [Al-Qur'an 2:213]

“Indeed those who divide their Religion into sects, you have no concern in them in the least.” [Al-Qur'an 6:159]

“(Always) turning in repentance to Him, and be afraid and dutiful to Him: and establish the prayers and do not be of the polytheists – of those who split up their Religion and became sects, each sect rejoicing in that which is with it.” [Al-Qur'an 30:31-32]

This is because each party of the polytheists used to worship whatsoever god their desires dictated as Allah, the Most High, said (translation of the meaning):-

” … what you call the polytheists too is hard upon them.”

“O Messengers! Eat of the goodly things and do righteous deeds. Indeed I am Well-Acquainted with what you do. And Verily! This, your Religion, is one Religion and I am your Lord, so keep your duty to Me. But they have broken their Religion into sects, each group rejoicing in what it has.” [Al-Qur'an 23:51-52]

So it becomes clear that the way of unity is by means of gathering all of the Religion, and acting upon it in its entirety – that is worshipping Allah Alone without any partners in the way that He ordered, inwardly and outwardly. The way to disunity is by leaving a portion of that which the servant has been commanded with, and by al-bagy.

The result of unity is the Mercy and Pleasure of Allah, the Most High, His sending salah upon the servants, and happiness in this world and in the hereafter, and white faces (on the Day of Judgement). The result of disunity is the Punishment of Allah, the Most Wise, His Curse, and black faces, and the Messenger, upon whom be peace, declaring himself free of them. This is one of the proofs that consensus is a definitive proof, for when the Muslims unite then they are all obeying Allah, the Most High, in this and have Mercy showered on them. And there cannot be obedience to Allah and His Mercy by way of an action that He has not commanded, in either Belief, saying or action. For if there were to be a saying or action upon which they agreed that had not been commanded by Allah, the Most High, then this would not be obedience to Allah and neither would it be a means of His Mercy.

Principle Concerning Unity and Splitting - the Reason for this, and their Resultant Effects

Origins of Shirk

[1] From that which has been established in the shari’ah (prescribed law) is that mankind was – in the beginning – a single nation upn true tawhid, then shirk (directing any part or form of worship, or anything else that is solely the right of Allah, to other than Allah) gradually overcame them. The basis for this is the saying of Allah, the Most Blessed, the Most High:-

“Mankind was one Ummah, then Allah sent prophets bringing good news and warnings.” [Al-Qur'an 2:213]

Ibn ‘Abbas, may Allah be pleeased with him, said, “Between Noah and Adam were ten generations, all of them were upon shari’ah (law) of the truth, then they differed. So Allah sent prophets as bringers of good news and as warners.” [2]

Ibn ‘Urwah al-Hanbali (d. 837H) said, “This saying refutes those historians from the People of the Book who claim that Cain and his sons were fire-worshippers.” [3]

I say: In it is also a refutation of some of the philosophers and atheists who claim that the (natural) basis of man is shirk, and that tawhid evolved in man! The preceeding ayah (verse) falsifies this claim, as do the two following authentic hadith:-

Firstly: His saying that he related from his Lord (Allah), “I created all my servants upon the true religion (upon tawhid, free from shirk). Then the devils came to them and led them astray from their true religion. They made unlawful to people that which I had made lawful for them, and they commanded them to associate in worship with Me, that which I had sent down no authority.” [4]

Secondly: His saying, “Every child is born upon the fitrah [5] but his parents make him a jew or a christian or a magian. It is like the way an animal gives birth to a natural offspring. Have you noticed any born mutilated, before you mutilate them?” [6]

Abu Hurayrah said, “Recite if you wish:-

‘Allah’s fitrah with which He created mankind. There is to be no change to the creation (Religion) of Allah.’ ” [Al-Qur'an 30:30] [6]

After this clear explanation, it is of the upmost importance for the Muslim to know how shirk spread amongst the believers, after they were muwahhidin (people upon tawhid). Concerning the saying of Allah, the Most Perfect, about the people of Noah:-

“And they have said : You shall not forsake your gods, nor shall you forsake Wadd, nor Suwa’, nor Yaghooth, nor Ya’ooq, nor Nasr.” [Al-Qur'an 71:23]

It has been related by a group from the Salaf (Pious Predecessors), in many narrations, that these five deities were righteous worshippers. However, when they died, Shaytan (Satan) whispered into their people to retreat and sit at their graves. Then Shaytan whispered to those who came after them that they should take them as idols, beautifying to them the idea that you will be reminded of them and thereby follow them in righteous conduct. Then Shaytan suggested to the third generation that they should worship these idols besides Allah, the Most High, and he whispered to them that this is what their forefathers used to do!

So Allah sent to them Noah, peace be upon him, commanding them to worship Allah alone. However none responded to his call except a few. Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, related this whole incident in Surah Nuh (Noah). Ibn ‘Abbas relates, “Indeed these five names of righteous men from the people of Noah. When they died Shaytan whispered to their people to make statues of them and to place these statues in their places of gathering as a reminder of them, so they did this. However, none from amongst them worshipped these statues, until when they died and the purpose of the statues was forgotten. Then (the next generation) began to worship them.” [7]

The likes of this has also been related by Ibn Jarir at-Tabari and others, from a number of the Salaf (Pious Predecessors), may Allah be pleased with them all. In Ad-Durr al-Manthur (6/269) ‘Abdullah ibn Humaid relates from Abu Muttahar, who said, “Yazid ibn al-Muhallab was mentioned to Abu Ja’far al-Baqir (d. 11H), so he said, ‘He was killed at the place where another besides Allah was first worshipped.’ Then he mentioned Wadd and said, ‘Wadd was a Muslim man who was loved by his people. When he died, the people began to gather around his grave in the land of Babel, lamenting and mourning. So when Iblis (Satan) saw them mourning and lamenting over him, he took the form of a man and came to them, saying I see that you are mourning and lamenting over him. So why don’t you make a picture of him (i.e. a statue) and place it in your places of gatherings so that you maybe reminded of him. So they said: Yes, and they made a picture of him and put in their place of gathering; which reminded them of him. When Iblis saw how they were (excessively) remembering him, he said why doesn’t every man amongst you make a similar picture to keep in your own houses, so that you can be (constantly) reminded of him? So they all said yes. So each household made a picture of him, which they adored and venerated and which constantly reminded them of him.’ Abu Ja’far said, ‘Those from the later generation saw what the (pevious generation) had done and considered that … to the extent that they took him as an ilah (diety) to be worshipped besides Allah.’ He then said. ‘This was the first idol worshipped other than Allah, and they called this idol Wadd.’ ” [8]

Thus the wisdom of Allah, the Blessed, the Most High, was fufilled, when he sent Muhammed, upon whom be peace, as the final prophet and made his shari’ah the completion of all divinely Prescribed Laws, in that He prohibited all means and avenues by which people may fall into shirk, which is the greatest of sins. For this reason, building shrines over graves and intending to specifically travel to them, taking them as places of festivity and gathering and swearing an oath by the inmate of a grave have all been prohibited. All of these lead to excessiveness and lead to the worship of other than Allah, the Most High.

This being the case even more so in an age in which knowledge is diminishing, ignorance is increasing, thre are few sincere advisors ( to the truth) and Shaytan is co-operating with men and Jinn to misguide mankind and to take them away from the worship of Allah alone, the Blessed, the Most High.

FOOTNOTES

1. Tahdhir as-Sajid min Ittikhadh al-Quburi Masajid, pp.101-106


2. Related by Ibn Jarir at-Tabari in his tafsir (4/275) and al-Hakim (2/546) who said, “It is authentic according to the criterion of al-Bukhari.” Adh-Dhahabi also agreed


3. Al-Khawakib ad-Durari fi Tartib Musnad al-Imam Ahmad ‘ala Abwab al-Bukhari, 6/212/1, still in manuscript form


4. Related by Muslim (8/159) and Ahmad (4/162) from ‘Iyadh ibn Himar al-Mujashi’i, may Allah be pleased with him


5. [From the Editors] Ibn al-Athir said in An-Nihayah (3/457), “Al-Fitr means to begin and create, and al-fitrah is the condition resulting from it. The meaning is that mankind were born upon a disposition and a nature which is ready to accept the true religion. So if he were to be left upon this, then he would continue upon it. However, those who deviate from this do so due to following human weaknesses and blind following of others … ” Al-Hafidh ibn Hajar said in Al-Fath (3/248), “The people differ concerning what is meant by al-Fitrah and the most famous saying is that it means Islam. Ibn ‘Abdul-Barr said, ‘That is what was well known with most of the salaf (pious predecessors), and the scholars of tafsir are agreed that what is meant by the saying of Allah, the Most High, ‘Allah’s fitrah with which He created mankind’ is Islam.”


6. Related by Al-Bukhari (11/418) and Muslim (18/52)


7. Related by al-Bukhari (8/534)


8. Related by Ibn Abi Hatim also, as is in al-Kawakib ad-Durari (6/112/2) of Ibn ‘Urwah al-Hanbali, along with an isnad which is hasan, up to Abu Muttahar. However, no biography could be found for him, neither in Ad-Dawlabi’s Al-Kuna wal-Asma, nor Muslim’s al-Kuna, nor any one elses. And the hidden defect here is that he is from the Shi’ah, but his biography is not included in At-Tusi’s al-Kuna from the index of Shi’ah narrators.

Origins of Shirk

Importance of Tawhid

1) Verily, Allah has created the world and everything in it in order to worship Him alone. He sent the Messenger to call the people to tawhid and the Noble Qur’an is concerned with the ‘aqidah of tawhid in most of its chapters, and it explains the harm of shirk for the individual and the society. Shirk is the reason for destruction in this life and the reason for eternal destruction in the Fire of the Hereafter.

2) Verily, all the Messengers began their call with tawhid, which they were commanded by Allah to convey it to the people. He, the Most High, said:-

“We have not sent before you from the Messengers, except We inspired to him that He is the only One worthy of worship, so worship Him.” [Al-Qur'an 21:25]

The Messenger of Allah stayed in Makkah for thirteen years while he called his people to the tawhid of Allah and he called to Him alone without associating anything with Him. It was regarding this issue that Allah revealed the following verse to His Noble Messenger:-

“Say: Verily I call to my Lord and I do not ascribe any partners to Him at all.” [Al-Qur'an 72:20]

The Noble Messenger brought up his followers upon tawhid from the time of childhood and he said to the son of his uncle, his cousin ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbas, “When you ask, then ask Allah, and when you seek help, then seek help from Allah.” [Hasan Sahih, Tirmidhi]. This tawhid is in reality the religion of Islam, which is built upon it, and anything other than it is not accepted by Allah.

3) Verily the Messenger, peace be upon him, taught his Companions to begin their call to the people with tawhid, so he said to Mu’adh ibn Jabal, when the Prophet, upon whom be peace, sent him to Yemen, “So let the first thing you call them to, be the testification that none has the right to be worshipped except Allah.” And in another narration, ” … that they worship Allah alone.” [Agreed upon]

4) Tawhid is embodied in the testification that “None has the right to be worshipped except Allah, and Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah.” Its meaning is that there is no one who is worthy of deserving worship except Allah, and there is no worship except that which the Messenger of Allah came with. It is this testification which allows a unbeliever to enter into Islam, since it is the key to Paradise, and the one who testifies to it and believes it enters into Paradise as long as he does not invalidate it by shirk or a word of disbelief.

5) The disbelieving Quraysh offered the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, kingship, wealth and wives and other than that from the pleasures of this life in exchange for him abandon the call to tawhid, and abandon the attacks against the idols. However, he did not desire that from them, rather lie continued his call and endured the onslaught along with his Companions, until the call to tawhid was victorious after thirteen years, after which Makkah was conquered and the idols were destroyed. The Messenger of Allah, upon whom be peace, recited:-

“Truth has come and falsehood has vanished, surely falsehood is ever bound to vanish.” [Al-Qur'an 17:81]

6) Tawhid is the preoccupation of a Muslim in his life, so he begins his life with tawhid and he ends his life with tawhid. His task in life is to establish tawhid and the call to tawhid, since tawhid unifies the believers and gathers them upon the statement of tawhid. So we ask Allah to make the statement of tawhid (la ilaha lillallah) our last words in this world and we ask Him to gather the Muslims upon the statement of tawhid.

Importance of Tawhid