The Explanation of the Creed

[HKabdullah]

I have a book entitled: Explanation of the Creed by Abu Muhammad al-Hasan ibn 'Alee ibn Khald al-Barbahaaree (d.329H).

The author is the famous defender of the sunnah as in "every age, there has been a noble company of scholars who stood firm and expended great efforts in defending the Book of allah and the Sunnah of his messenger and in refuting the people of innovated beliefs, innovation, deviation, and misguidance...He himself acquired knowledge from a group of the senior students of Imaam Ahmed ibn Hanbal..." [taken from back book cover]

The book contains 170 points. It also contains very short explanatory notes by Khaalid Ar-Radaadee on most of the 170 points and the book was translated into English by Abu Talhah Daawood ibn Ronald Burbank.

I also have the Arabic verion which is entitled Sharh us-Sunnah, which is two volumes and contains an extensive explanation by Shaykh Saleh Al-Fawzaan.

However, I thought I might post 5 points a day (or whenever I get the chance) from the English version and due to the length of the book, keep out most of the explanations by either writing the complete footnote (denoted FN), a partial of the foot note (denoted PFN), or no footnote (Denoted NO). I would recommend everyone to buy the book in order to go over the explanations as they are very beneficial. If you understand Arabic, I would recommend preference to the two-volume set.


Text:

Bismillahi Rahman ar-Raheem

All Praise is for Allah who guided us to Islaam and blessed us with it and placed us in the best nation, so we ask Him to grant us that we keep to that which He loves and is pleased with and avoid that which He hates and angers Him.

1. Know that Islaam is the Sunnah and the Sunnah is Islaam and that one of them cannot be established without the other.

PFN: Abu Hurairah said that Allaah's Messsenger صلى الله عليه وسلم said, "All of my Ummah will enter the paradise except those who refuse". It was said, "Who will refuse?" He replied, "Whoever obeys me enters paradise and whoever disobeys me has refused." Reported by al-Bukhaaree (Eng. trans. 9/284/no.384).


2. From the sunnah is clinging to the Jamaa'ah. Whoever desires other than the Jamaa'ah and departs from it then he has thrown out the yoke of Islaam from his neck and he is stray, leading others astray.

PFN: 'Umar, radiallahu 'anhu reports that the Messsenger صلى الله عليه وسلم said, "Stick to the jamaa'ah and beware of splitting for Shaitaan is found along with the single person but is further from two. Whoever desires the centre of Paradise then let him stick to the Jamaa'ah. He whose good deeds pleases him and his evil deed causes him to feel bad is a believer." Reported by Ahmad (1/18) and others.

3. The foundation upon which the Jamaa'ah is built is the Companions of Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم. May Alaah's Mercy be upon them all. They are Ahl us-Sunnah wal-Jamaa'ah, so whoever desires not to take from them has gone astray and innovated and every innovation is misguidance, and misguidance and its people are in the Fire.

PFN: 'Abdullaah ibn amr said: The Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم said, "What happened to the Children of 'Israa'eel will happen with my Ummah, just as one shoe resembles the other, to the point that if one of them had intercourse with his mother openly, there would be someone who did that in my Ummah. The Children of Israa'eel split into 72 sects and my Ummah will split into 73 sects, all of which are in the Fire except one sect." That asked, "Which is that one, O Messenger of Allaah?" he replied, "That which I and my companions are upon." at-Tirmidhee (no.2641)

It is authentically reported that Allaah's Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم said, "Stick to my sunnah and the Sunnah of the rightly-guided Caliphs after me, cling to that with your molar teeth and beware of new matters, for every innovation is misguidance." Tirmidhee (no.2676) and others.

4. 'Umar ibn al-Khataab, rahumahullah, said, "There is no excuse for anyone going astray thinking that he is upon guidance. Nor for anyone abandoning guidance thinking that it to be misguidance, since the affairs have been made clea, the proof established and the excuse cut off. That is because the Sunnah and the Jamaa'ah have consolidated and safegaurded all of the Religion. It has been made clear to the people, so it is upon the people to comply and follow.
NO

5. May Allaah have mercy upon you. Know that the religion is what came from Allaah, the Blessed and Most High. It is not something left to the intellect and opinions of men. Knowledge of it is what comes from Allaah and his Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم, so do not follow anything based upon your desires and so deviate away from the religion and leave Islaam. There will be no excuse for you since Allaah's Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم explained the Sunnah to his Ummah and made it clear to his Companions and they are the Jamaa'ah, and they are the Main Body (as-Sawaad ul-A'dham), and the Main Body is the truth and its followers. So he who contradicts the Companions of Allaah's Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم in any of the affairs of the Religion then he has fallen into disbelief.

PFN: Ibn Mas'ood, radiallahu 'anhu, said, "The Jamaa'ah is what confirms to the truth, even if you are alone. Reported by Ibn Asaakir in Taareekh Dimashq with a saheeh isnad as pointed out by Shaykh al-Albaanee in al-Mishkaat (1/61).

And whoever contradicts and opposes the Messenger (Muhammad SAW) after the right path has been shown clearly to him, and follows other than the believers' (i.e. the Companions) way. We shall keep him in the path he has chosen, and burn him in Hell - what an evil destination. (An-Nisa 4:115)

So he who totally abandons their way and instead follows the way of the devils, like the extreme Raafidees, Baatinees, and the extreme Soofees who worship others besides Allaah, then he has left the religion. [END QUOTE from book]

[muslima_byallah]

:sl:
JAZAKHALLAH KHAIR, I WAS JUST ABOUT TO POST THIS BOOK..:)

:sl:

[xxxx2]

Asalamu alaikum

MashaAllah the book is one of the classical ones and it need to be studied too, i hv the book too the book can be found here most of the points

http://spubs.com/sps/apps_sharhussunnah.cfm