Sharh al-Aqeedatu-Tahaawiyya

[boriqee]

I recognized that the forum lacked a good series on this and inshallah it is a good matter for the seeker of knowledge and is one o the pilalr works among the Imaams of sunnah just ias much is Aqeedatu-Wasitiyyah, Fatawa al-Hamawiyyah, Kitaabu-Tawheed, Nailul-Awtar, Aqeedatu-Salaf Ashaabul-Hadeeth and other classical works regarding the subject. And this work is best suited in this part of the forum
The blue represents the acutal Imaams words and what follows is the commentary of the Alamaah Abdur-Rahman al-Khumayyis

The Explanation of Imam At-Tahaawi’s First Four Points of ‘Aqeedah
By Dr. Muhammad ibn ‘Abdir-Rahman Al-Khumayyis
(Taken From Sharh ‘Aqeedah Tahaawiyah Musayyar)
Translated by Rashad A. Muhaimin

Imam Abu Ja’far At-Tahaawi states:
1. We say with regard to Allah’s Oneness, hoping for His Tawfeeq, Indeed Allah is One with no associates.
The Explanation:
Indeed, Allah, Most High is One in all things (meaning), One in His Essence, One in His Actions, One in His Names and Attributes, One in His Worthiness of servitude. He has no associates in anything from amongst these qualities, so He has no partners in His Creation or His Command. As Allah, Most High says,
Surely, His is the Creation and Commandment [7:54]
And His Statement,
Is there any creator other than Allah who provides for you from the sky (rain) and the earth? [35:3]
So He has no associates in benefiting or harming, in causing death or causing life, and no partners in things other than that from these types of actions and administering in this universe.
And similarly, He has no partners in His Names and His Attributes, in His Divinity and in His being worthy of servitude and worship. And the Tawheed of the servant does not become complete until every one of these categories is purified from shirk and he is opposed to shirk in all of the categories of Tawheed that are obligatory upon him. So he (the servant) makes Tawheed of Allah in His Lordship as well as His Actions and he makes Tawheed of Allah in His Names and Attributes and he does not describe Creation with descriptions that belong solely to Allah, The Creator. He (the servant) makes Tawheed of Allah in His Divinity and he does not divert any worship from the categories of ‘Ibaadah to other than Allah. As Allah says,
You (Alone) we worship, and You (Alone) we ask for help (for each and everything).[1:5]
And Allah’s Statement,
And I (Allah) only created the Jinn and mankind to worship Me [51:56]
2. And there is nothing at all similar to Him
The Explanation:
This is from the fundamentals of Tawheed that is to be believed in concerning Allah Most High. As He States,
There is nothing like unto Him, and He is the All-Hearer, the All-Seer [42:11]
So He does not resemble anything from His Creation nor does anything in His Creation resemble Him, neither in His Essence nor His Actions. And nothing resembles Him either in His Names and Attributes or in His Status.
3. And there is nothing that can prevent or hinder Him (from doing what He pleases)
The Explanation:
That is to say that Allah Most High is capable of doing whatever He pleases. As Allah states,
Verily, His Command, when He intends a thing, is only that He says to it, "Be!" and it is! [36:82]
So there is no difficulty upon Him in anything He wills and there is no hindering Him in anything. And Allah states,
Allah is not such that anything in the heavens or in the earth escapes Him. Verily, He is All-Knowing, All-Omnipotent. [35:44].
This is from the perfection of Allah’s Might, Glorified and Exalted. What Allah wills happens and what He does not will does not happen. And this is what is discussed concerning the perfection of His Lordship.
4. And there is no deity other than Him
The Explanation:
And this is the Kalimah (phrase) of Tawheed and it is that which all of the Messengers called to. As Allah says,
And Verily, We have sent among every Ummah a Messenger proclaiming: ‘Worship Allah and avoid Taaghoot (all false deities).’ [16:36]
And the meaning of it is that nothing has the right of ‘Ibaadah except Allah and this is because He is The Creator, The Provider, The King, The Administrator of Affairs so it is His right to be singled out in all forms of worship without equal. And whatever is worshipped other than He is indeed the worship of falsehood. As Allah has stated,
That is because Allah He is the Truth and what they (the polytheists) invoke besides Him, it is Baatil (falsehood) [22:62]
This is because they do not possess anything from the Commandment or the Execution of Affairs nor do they have any thing to do with directing the affairs of creation. And this statement includes in it the negation of worship of anything other than Allah as well as holding others equal to Him. And this is establishing firm the worship of Allah alone and the worship of anything other than Allah is disbelief. This is Tawheed of Divinity or Tawheed of Worship.
Synopsis:
Indeed, Allah Most High is One in His Essence, and His Names and His Attributes, and one in His being worthy of Servitude. Nothing is similar to Him from amongst His creation and He is capable of all things. Nothing hinders Him in anything He wills and there is no difficulty upon Him in anything. There is nothing worthy of the right of worship other than Him, Glorified and Exalted.
Discussion:
1. What is the meaning of making Tawheed of Allah, Most High?
2. What are the three categories of Tawheed?
3. What are the three categories of Shirk?
4. What is the Kalimah(phrase) that all of the Messengers called to?

[boriqee]

Asalamu alaikum

Imam Abu Ja’far at-Tahaawi states in points no. 5-12:
5. He (Allah) is Qadeem (ancient) with no beginning and will always exist with no ending.
The Explanation:
Al-Qadeem is not one of the Names of Allah, Most High. The reason for using this word is to convey the meaning that nothing preceded Allah and that He exists always without an ending. And this is the meaning of the words of Allah, Most High;
He is Al-Awwal - The First (nothing is before Him) and Al- Aakhir - The Last (nothing is after Him) [57:3].
So Al-Awwal (the First) means that there was nothing before him and Al-Aakhir (the Last) means that there is nothing that comes after Him. And indeed, this was explained by the Prophet. Sallallahu’alayhi wa sallam.
6. He does not perish nor become extinct:
The Explanation:
As Allah, Most High says;
Whatsoever is on it (the earth) will perish. And the Face of your Lord full of Majesty and Honor will abide forever. [55:26,27]
and the Words of the Most High;
Everything will perish save His Face. [28:88]
For Indeed, Allah causes His creation to perish but He does not perish and He causes the extinction of His creatures but He does not become extinct. This, of course, is because He is Al-Aakhir (The Last), existing after everything, Glorified and Exalted.
7. And nothing happens except by His will:
The Explanation:
For Allah, Most High has the power to do as He pleases. As He says;
…but Allah does what He likes. [2:253]
So if Allah desired an affair, He causes it to happen in spite of the desire of all of creation and if He does not desire an affair, all of creation together would not have the ability to cause it to happen. And this is known as the Universal Will and none can repel this will. For everything, good or evil that occurs in this universe happens only because of His will and His will is not overpowered. So whatever Allah wills, happens and what He does not will, does not happen and the evidences to support this are numerous.
8. Neither the imagination nor the intellect can grasp Him:
The Explanation:
Indeed, nothing from Allah’s creation can comprehend His Knowledge, like what He, Most High says;
He (Allah) knows what happens to them (His creatures) in this world, and what will happen to them (in the Hereafter), and they will never compass anything of His Knowledge. [20:110]
So neither imagination, contemplation, nor visualization can reach Him and no one from His creatures knows the true nature of His Essence.
9. Mankind does not resemble Him:
The Explanation:
The meaning of which is that He does not resemble anything or anyone from His creation, not in His Essence, nor in His Names, nor in His descriptions, nor His Actions. There is nothing at all similar to Him, Glorified and Exalted.
10. He is Ever-Living and He does not die, He is Self-Subsisting and does not sleep
The Explanation:
And He, Glorified and Exalted, is the Ever-Living and He does not die. As He says;
And put your trust in the Ever Living One Who dies not [25:58]
and His statement;
Whatsoever is on it (the earth) will perish. And the Face of your Lord full of Majesty and Honor will abide forever. [55:26, 27]
and He says;
Everything will perish save His Face. [28:88]
For Allah, Most High is not overtaken by death and He is Self-Subsisting upon whom everything depends for sustenance. Neither slumber nor sleep overtakes Him. He is over all of the affairs of His Dominion, Glorified and Exalted. This is the refutation of those who liken Allah, Most High to His creation.
11. He is the Creator without needs and the Sustainer without needing to be sustained: The Explanation:
Indeed Allah did not create the creation to fulfill a need nor because of a desire to be sought from them. He only created the creation for His worship as He says;
And I (Allah) created not the jinns and humans except they should worship Me (Alone). [51:56]
He, Glorified and Exalted provides sustenance to all of His creation – mankind, Jinn, birds, wild animals, etc. He (Allah) sustains the believer and the disbeliever and He gives every one of them that which they ask of Him, and this does not diminish his dominion in anything. To Him belong the keys to the Heavens and the Earth.
12. The Giver of death without dread and the Reviver without effort:
The Explanation:
He, Glorified and Exalted takes the souls of His creatures without dread. As Allah has said;
It is Allah Who takes away the souls at the time of their death [39:42]
and His statement;
there is none to put back His Judgment and He is Swift at reckoning. [13:41] and; He cannot be questioned as to what He does, while they will be questioned. [21:23]
And He raises the dead on the Day of Rising;
The disbelievers pretend that they will never be resurrected (for the Account). Say: "Yes! By my Lord, you will certainly be resurrected, then you will be informed of (and recompensed for) what you did, and that is easy for Allah. [64:7]
and His statement;
Our Lord! Verily, it is You Who will gather mankind together on the Day about which there is no doubt. Verily, Allah never breaks His Promise". [3:9]
For Indeed, Allah will raise mankind on the Day of Judgment after their deaths and there is no difficulty upon Him in this. For He is the One who revives the earth after its death with water and brings about the fresh sprouting greenery as He is capable of giving life to that which is dead.
Similarly, We shall raise up the dead, so that you may remember or take heed. [7:57]
And He Who created His creatures the first time is capable of giving life to them again and this is easy for Him, Glorified and Exalted.
Synopsis:
Indeed, Allah, Most High is The First and The Last, The Ever-Living who never dies, Capable of doing whatever He pleases, nothing can encompass His Knowledge, He does not take slumber nor sleep, He does not ask of anyone to do as He pleases yet all must ask of Him.
Discussion:
1. Is Al-Qadeem one of the Names of Allah?
2. What is the meaning of the statement: Nothing happens except by His will?
3. Do the Mushrikeen exist by Allah’s will?

[boriqee]

asalamu alaikum

13. He (Allah) eternally possessed His Attributes before His act of creating His Creation, without any addition (to His Attributes) caused by His creation that was not already possessed (by Him) before their creation. And as He was in His Attributes, so shall He remain with Them forever.

The Explanation:
Indeed, every Attribute from the Attributes of Allah, Most High has been established for Him always, from before He created His creation. And all of them are from His Perfect and Complete Attributes. And to be deprived of them, would indicate some deficiency. It is inconceivable to describe Allah, Most High with Perfection after describing Him with some deficiency. And His qualities are not attributed to Him only after the creation of mankind. Indeed, every description of Allah, Most High has been established for Him before creating them (mankind). So, Allah, Glorified and Exalted always possessed His Attributes and there was no beginning for them and there is no expiration in them. Indeed, they are forever remaining as the Descriptions of Allah, Glorified and Exalted.
14. He did not acquire the name Al-Khaaliq (The Creator) after creating His creation nor did He acquire the Name Al-Baaree (The Maker) after giving existence to His Creatures.
The Explanation:
And He (Allah) Most High, was Al-Khaaliq (The Creator) before His act of creating His Creation. He possessed this Name before He created it, and He did not acquire this name by the act of bringing it into existence. And similarly, He did not acquire the name Al-Baaree (The Maker) after giving existence to His creatures. Of course, He was Al-Baaree(The Maker) before bringing His creatures into existence, for His Names and His Attributes are eternal (with no beginning and no end) and, possessed by Him in His Essence, Glorified and Exalted. And Indeed, this was confirmed by The Prophet, صلىالله عليه وسلم , when he reported that Allah, Most High, ’Decreed the fate of the creation 50,000 years before He created the Heavens and the Earth’ [Collected by Muslim]
15. The meaning of Ruboobiyyah(Lordship) was established for Him without or before there were any subjects (meaning slaves, servants, etc.) and the meaning of Al-Khaaliq (The Creator) was established for Him without or before there being any creation.
The Explanation:
Indeed, Allah, Most High is Ar-Rubb (The Lord), possessing every meaning of Ruboobiyyah(Lordship), and He was The Lord before He created anything of His Creation. Similarly, He was Al-Khaaliq (The Creator) before He created them and these are His Names and what has been made evident with regard to them is that they are established for Him from before (His Acts of creating, making and His Ruboobiyyah) and after.
16. And Similarly, He is Al-MuHyee (Reviver of the Dead) just as He gave them life the first time, and He was worthy of this name before the act of giving them life.
The Explanation:
So Indeed He, Glorified and Exalted, is the Giver of Life to the dead after the act of giving them life the first time. And He is the Giver of Life to the dead before the act of giving them life. Just as He is Al-Khaaliq (The Creator) after creating His creation, He was indeed The Creator before the act of creating them because Allah, Glorified and Exalted has power over every thing. When He wills something, He causes it to happen and when He does not will a thing, it does not happen. And this is known as Al-Kowniyyatul-Qadariyyah (The Universal Will), that which is neither repelled nor escaped by anything. And the Mu’tazilah* stated: He (Allah) has power over everything that is under His decree but the actions of His slaves are not under His decree – however, this deprives His Attributes of perfection – for indeed, Allah has power over every thing as this is what Allah informs us about Himself when He says; And Allah is Able to do all things. [2:284]
17. And this is because He has power over all things, and every thing is faqeer (poor, depending upon Him) and every affair is easy for Him and He is not in need of anything. There is nothing like unto Him, and He is the All-Hearer, the All-Seer. [42:11]
The Explanation:
And similarly, every thing is existent with the will and desire of Allah, Most high, and belief in this matter is from the important principles of Eemaan(faith) in the Ruboobiyyah of Allah Most High. And everything in this universe is poor and dependant upon Allah and is in need of Allah for everything. And every affair is easy for Allah as He has said; Verily, that is easy for Allah. [57:22] And He is not in need of anything, Indeed, every thing is in need of Him for every necessity. This matter has been established for every time and place and does not change. There is nothing like unto Him, and He is the All-Hearer, the All-Seer. [42:11]
Synopsis:
The Attributes of Allah, Most High are of His Essence and are ever-existing. His Attributes of His actions are ever-existing and they will remain. And He is deserving of His Names and Attributes before the act of creation and after.
Discussion:
1. What is the meaning of Ruboobiyyah and how does this relate to the existence of His subjects depending upon Him?
2. Is the Power of Allah over every thing?
3. What is the meaning of the Statement of Allah: There is nothing like unto Him… ?
* Al-Mu’tazilah – Deviant sect who regarded one who commits sins as neither believer nor disbeliever. They opposed the view that the Qur’an was the Speech of Allah and is uncreated. They held the position that Allah does not have knowledge of the actions of His slaves before they occurred nor did He decree them. This of course, deprives Allah of His Perfect and Absolute Qualities as the Shaykh has explained. And Allah is far above the things they ascribed to Him.

[boriqee]

asalamu alaikum

18. He (Allah) created creation with His Knowledge
The Explanation:
Indeed Allah, Most High, created creation having complete knowledge of them as He has said;
Should not He Who has created know? And He is the Most Kind and Courteous (to His slaves) All-Aware (of everything). [67:14]
For the Knowledge of the Most High encompasses everything as Allah has said;
He (Allah) knows what happens to them (His creatures) in this world, and what will happen to them (in the Hereafter), and they will never compass anything of His Knowledge. [20:110]
He (Allah) knows everything that has happened and He knows everything that is to happen and how it happens. He, in addition to this knows what does not happen. As He has mentioned in His Book;
(Allah, He is) the All-Knower of the unseen, not even the weight of an atom (or a small ant) or less than that or greater, escapes from His Knowledge in the heavens or in the earth, but it is in a Clear Book (Al-LauH Al-MaHfooz). [34:3]
Nothing is hidden from Him and His Knowledge encompasses everything in its entirety and in its particulars.
19. And He (Allah) decreed for everything a decree
The Explanation:
And Allah created everything with a decree as He has said;
Verily, We have created all things with Qadar (Divine Preordainments of all things before their creation, as written in the Book of Decrees Al-LauH Al-MaHfooz). [54:49]
And He has also said;
He has created everything, and has measured it exactly according to its due measurements. [25:2]
So, the evil and the good are both decrees of Allah and everything has been created with a term and a decree. This is the refutation of those who say that “evil” cannot be from the creation of Allah.
20. And He has appointed for them (creation) a term
The Explanation:
And He (Allah) Glorified and Exalted indeed has written for His Creation a term appointed and they cannot advance nor delay it. As He has said;
And every nation has its appointed term; when their term is reached, neither can they delay it nor can they advance it an hour (or a moment). [7:34]
So it is not possible for His creation to bring about anything in advance nor can they delay the term that Allah has appointed for them.
21. Nothing of the creation was hidden from Him before their creation and He knew what they were going to do before they were created
The Explanation:
Make no mistake that indeed Allah, Glorified and Exalted knew everything before He created His creation and He knew who would be people of happiness (meaning those who attain Paradise) and who would be people of sorrow (meaning those who enter the hellfire) and He knew who would be righteous and who would be evil. He knew all of this before He created them. He knew what was to happen to them on any given day, in any given circumstance. Glorified and Exalted, nothing is hidden from Him from His creation.
Synopsis:
Indeed, Allah created everything from His creation with His knowledge and decreed for every thing a decree. Nothing is hidden from Allah from His creation nor from their actions and He knew this before they were created.
Discussion:
1. What is the meaning of the statement of Imam at-Tahaawi – “And He (Allah) decreed for everything a decree - ?
2. Did Allah know the actions (or deeds) of His servants before He created them?

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[boriqee]

asalamu alaikum

22. And He (Allah) has commanded them (His Creation) to obey Him and has forbidden for them disobedience
The Explanation:
Indeed, Allah has commanded His creation to obey Him and He has promised that for obedience to Him is a great reward. He has also forbidden for them disobedience and has promised a severe punishment for disobedience. As He has said;
…and whosoever obeys Allah and His Messenger (Muhammad صلىالله عليه وسلم ) will be admitted to Gardens under which rivers flow (in Paradise), to abide therein, and that will be the great success. And whosoever disobeys Allah and His Messenger (Muhammad صلىالله عليه وسلم), and transgresses His limits, He will cast him into the Fire, to abide therein; and he shall have a disgraceful torment. [4:13-14]
And Imam Tahaawi’s mentioning of the command and the forbiddance after his statement about Al-Khaaliq (The Creator) is indicative of the fact that to Him (Allah) belongs the command and the forbiddance as Allah, Most High has said;
Surely, His is the Creation and Commandment. [7:54]
23. Everything happens because of His decree and His will and His will is accomplished. His ‘ibaad (servants) have no will except for what He wills for them. And What He wills happens and what He does not will does not happen.
The Explanation:
And everything happens with the decree of Allah and His will, executing His will and with His power. So there is not anything that exists except with the will of Allah the Most High. So it is impossible for anything to occur in this universe without the will of Allah, Most High. And His will, Glorified and Exalted, is accomplished with certainty and it is impossible to ever resist. It is the Universal Will of His Decree and everything that happens in this universe, happens because of the will of Allah, from the good and the evil, as Allah has said;
Allah sends astray whom He wills and He guides on the Straight Path whom He wills. [6:39]
And like what He has said;
If Allah had willed, they would not have fought against one another, but Allah does what He likes. [2:253]
And the will of the ‘ibaad (servants) is not removed from what Allah has willed for them as Allah has said;
And you will not, unless (it be) that Allah wills, the Lord of the 'Aalameen(mankind, jinns and all that exists). [81:29]
And this is the Universal Will and it is different than the Legislative Will, that which is not necessarily executed. For indeed, Allah can love something and not will it into existence as well as be displeased with an affair, yet, will it into existence, doing so according to His wisdom and His knowledge. And what Allah wills for His ‘ibaad (servants) happens and what He does not will for them is impossible for it to occur even if all of them desired it to happen. And the deviance that came from the Qadariyyah is that they said that disobedience is brought into existence by man with their will and desire independent from the will of Allah Most High. And they said that Allah, Most High, does not will it into existence and that it is only the action of man and what is desired of it is from other than Allah. They say that as if mankind can desire and originate something without the will and desire of Allah.
24. He (Allah) guides whom He pleases and protects them out of His generosity, and He leads astray whom He pleases, and abases them and afflicts them out of His Justice.
The Explanation:
Indeed, Allah, Most High is the One who guides whom He wills from His slaves to Eemaan (faith) and He saves them from falling into error and disobedience. Whomsoever Allah does this for has had Allah’s favor conferred upon him and it is obligatory to be grateful to Allah for this. Similarly, He allows to go astray whom He wills from His Creation. And He afflicts them and opens up the way between them and Ash-Shaytaan, so there is no saving them and He afflicts them with this. So by this, they fall into misguidance and disobedience and that is a justice from Him, Glorified and Exalted. To Him belongs the wisdom and absolute justice. The evidence that Allah guides whom He wills and misguides whom He wills is the statement of Allah Most High;
Allah sends astray whom He wills and He guides on the Straight Path whom He wills. [6:39]
And the statement of Allah;
…but He sends astray whom He wills and guides whom He wills. [16:93]
And the statement of Allah;
Verily! You (O Muhammadصلىالله عليه وسلم ) guide not whom you like, but Allah guides whom He wills. And He knows best those who are the guided. [28:56]
All of this is with Allah and this is from the principles of Ahlus-Sunnah (The People who adhere to the Sunnah) whereas the Mu’tazilah have deviated. They say that the actions of the servant originate from them. In reality however, whoever is guided, it is Allah who has guided Him with His favor and His preference. And whoever is lead astray, Allah is the One who sent him astray with His justice.
25. And all of mankind is subject to His will, between His Fadl (Favor) and His ‘Adl (Justice).
The Explanation:
And all of mankind is under the will of Allah, Most High between these two conditions. Al-Fadl (The Favor) and Al-‘Adl (The Justice) of Allah. So for mankind: Either one is a believer who is rightly guided and this is the fadl of Allah, Most High with His Knowledge, His Wisdom, His Generosity, and His Preference, or He is misguided by disbelief or evil and this is the ‘adl (justice) of Allah, Most High with His Knowledge, His Wisdom and there is no escaping the will of Allah, Most High:
And you will not, unless (it be) that Allah wills, the Lord of the 'Aalameen (mankind, jinns and all that exists). [81-29]
Then if the person is guided by Allah, this is from the fadl of Allah, The Most High. Then Allah punishes him for his sins or grants him forgiveness and the person leaves the sin. Then he is overtaken by the guidance of Allah after that. And indeed, the one who is astray is astray forever. And refuge is to be sought with Allah. So everything is under the will of Allah.
Synopsis:
Allah has commanded obedience to Him and has forbidden disobedience. And everything is put into motion by the Execution of His Will. And the will of the slave is under the Will of Allah. He gives guidance to whom He pleases and He misguides whom He pleases and there is no escaping what Allah, The Most High has willed for them.
Discussion:
1. What does Allah command and what does He forbid?
2. How does the Will of Allah include the good and the evil?
3. Explain what is meant when it is said that, “Allah misleads whom He pleases.”

[boriqee]

asalamu alaikum

26. And He is Exalted above having opposites and rivals.
The Explanation:
Indeed Allah Most High is Exalted and Far from having al-adhdaad (an opposite), opposing His command and His Rulings and His Creation and His Dominion or al-andaad (a rival) resembling Him in anything or in His Names and Descriptions. Indeed, He is Perfected and Exalted:
There is nothing like unto Him, and He is the All-Hearer, the All-Seer. [42:11]
And He, The Most High said;
Then do not set up rivals unto Allah (in worship) while you know (that He Alone has the right to be worshipped). [2:22]
27. No one can ward off His decree or delay His command or overpower His affairs.
The Explanation:
And He is Perfected and Exalted and when He commands an affair, it is executed and if all of creation gathered together upon trying to bring about some benefit, He can withhold it or if they gathered together to prevent some harm and He wills it then it is not possible to withhold it as Allah says;
And if Allah touches you with harm, none can remove it but He, and if He touches you with good, then He is Able to do all things. [6:17]
And Allah, The Most High says;
Whatever of mercy Allah may grant to mankind, none can withhold it, and whatever He may withhold, none can grant it thereafter. [35:2]
And the statement of Allah, Most High;
Verily, His Command, when He intends a thing, is only that He says to it, "Be!" and it is! [36:82]
And When Allah, Most High judges an affair, His Judgment is carried out and there is no delaying it.
And Allah judges, there is none to put back His Judgment and He is Swift at reckoning. [13:41]
And when He desires an affair, His command is carried out and there is no opposing or hindering it. Indeed, His command is executed upon all of creation.
And Allah has full power and control over His Affairs, but most of men know not. [12:21]
Synopsis:
Indeed, Allah Most High is far from having rivals or equals similar to Him and there is no rebelling against His decree, no delaying His Judgment, and no opposing His command.
Discussion:
1. What is the meaning of al-adhdaad?
2. What is the meaning of al-andaad?
3. Does anything delay the decree or Judgment of Allah?

[boriqee]

asalamu alaikum

28. We believe in all of it (meaning the previously mentioned beliefs) and are certain in everything that comes from it.
The Explanation:
We believe and affirm everything that has come before and we have conviction in it and it is well established within ourselves with certainty.
29. And that Muhammad صلىالله عليه وسلم is Allah’s chosen slave and His elected Prophet and His Messenger with whom He is well-pleased.
The Explanation:
Muhammadصلىالله عليه وسلم, and it is the most well-known of his honorable and noble names and that is to show the many honorable characteristics contained in the name, which means one who is praiseworthy. He is Muhammad ibn ‘Abdillah ibn ‘Abdil-Muttalib ibn Hashim from the tribe of Quraish, the central tribe of Arab genealogy, and from them are the noblest descendents, and its nobility is extensive and servitude is the most noble station of mankind as Allah says;
Glorified (and Exalted) be He (Allah) Who took His slave for a journey…[17:1]
And Allah says;
And if you are in doubt concerning that which We have sent down (i.e. the Qur'an) to Our slave [2:23]
And Allah says;
When the slave of Allah (Muhammad صلىالله عليه وسلم) stood up invoking (his Lord Allah) in prayer to Him they (the jinns) just made round him a dense crowd as if sticking one over the other [72:19]
And Indeed Allah chose him from the best of his creation and favored and preferred him over all of His creatures. He is the Messenger with whom Allah is well pleased to be the conclusion of the Messengers and He revealed to him the most noble and important of His books.
30.And Indeed he is the conclusion of the Prophets, the Imam of the righteous and leader of the Messengers and the beloved of the Lord of Creation, صلىالله عليه وسلم- May Allah’s Peace and Blessings be upon him
The Explanation:
Indeed, Muhammadصلىالله عليه وسلمis the conclusion and seal of the Prophets as shown in the statement of Allah, Most High;
Muhammad (صلىالله عليه وسلم) is not the father of any man among you, but he is the Messenger of Allah and the last (end) of the Prophets. [33:40]
And He is the one who feared and revered Allah more than anyone as He صلىالله عليه وسلمsaid ;
“Indeed I am the most fearful concerning Allah and the most knowledgeable of His prohibitions than any of you.” [Bukhari]
and He صلىالله عليه وسلم has said in another narration;
“Indeed, I have more taqwa of Allah and I am the most knowledgeable of His prohibitions.” [Bukhari]
May the Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him.
And He صلىالله عليه وسلم is the Leader of the Messengers as he صلىالله عليه وسلم said;
“I am the leader of the children of Adam and I say this without boasting.” [Ahmad]
And He صلىالله عليه وسلم is the most honorable of creation and the beloved of the Lord of the Creation, Glorified and Exalted. And Allah has chosen him, befriended him, and protected him as he صلىالله عليه وسلم said;
“Indeed Allah has taken me as a friend as He took Ibrahim as a friend.”
31. And Every claim to Nubuwwah (Prophethood) after him صلىالله عليه وسلمis falsehood and the following of desires.The Explanation:
And every claim to Prophethood after him صلىالله عليه وسلم is false, misguidance, deviation, and desires. So whoever claims Prophethood after Muhammad صلىالله عليه وسلم for himself or for anyone else is a disbeliever. And whoever believes their claim is a disbeliever. So the believer believes that there is no prophet after Muhammad صلىالله عليه وسلم and that anyone who makes this claim is a liar.
32. And He صلىالله عليه وسلم has been sent to mankind and the jinn with the truth and the guidance, with the light and illumination.The Explanation:
Indeed the Prophet صلىالله عليه وسلم is the most important and greatest of the messengers and his message is for both all of mankind and the jinn. For every messenger before him was sent to their own people exclusively but he صلىالله عليه وسلم was sent to all of mankind and to all of the jinn as in the statement of Allah, Most High;
And We have sent you (O Muhammad صلىالله عليه وسلم) not but as a mercy for the 'Alameen (mankind, jinns and all that exists). [21:107]
And the statement of the Prophet صلىالله عليه وسلم ;
“The Prophets before me were sent to their peoples only but I have been sent to all of mankind.” [Bukhari]
And indeed, Allah sent him with the truth and the guidance as in His statement;
He it is Who has sent His Messenger (Muhammad صلىالله عليه وسلم) with guidance and the religion of truth (Islamic Monotheism) to make it victorious over all (other) religions even though the Mushrikoon (polytheists, pagans, idolaters, and disbelievers) hate it. [61:9]
And he has been sent with the light and the guidance to the correct path as in the statement of Allah, Most High;
Indeed, there has come to you from Allah a light (Prophet Muhammad صلىالله عليه وسلم) and a plain Book (this Qur'an). [5:15]
So the Qur’an is illumination and the guidance and it is light and a healing for what is in the hearts.
Synopsis:
The Prophetصلىالله عليه وسلم is the chosen prophet of Allah Who sent him to both mankind and the jinn with guidance and the religion of truth and he صلىالله عليه وسلم is the conclusion of the prophets so there will be no prophet after him صلىالله عليه وسلم.
Discussion:
Was the Prophet صلىالله عليه وسلم sent to all of creation (both mankind and jinn) or was he only sent to his people?
What is the ruling on the one who claims Prophethood for himself or for others?

[boriqee]

asalamu alaikum

33. Indeed, The Qur’an is the Speech of Allah, (we believe) it came from Him without knowing or saying the kaifiyyah (how), He sent it down to His Messenger by WaHee (revelation) and the believers have accepted this as the truth and believe with certainty that the Qur’an is the Speech of Allah, Most High, in truth. It is not a created thing like the speech of humans, and whoever hears it and claims that it is the speech of a human is indeed a kaafir (unbeliever). Indeed Allah warns him and censures him and threatens him with fire when He says ; I will cast him into Hell-fire [74:26] And when Allah promises hellfire for the one who says; "This is nothing but the word of a human being!" [74:25] – We know and we are certain that it (The Qur’an) is the Speech of The Creator (Al-Khaaliq) of the human being and it is in no way similar to the speech of humans.
The Explanation:
The Qur’an is the Speech of Allah, Most High in truth. It is from Him without us knowing the mode or the way He spoke it, Glorified and Exalted is He, but it is His Speech in truth. And the Speech (of Allah) is perfect as befitting Allah, Most High and it is free from any imperfections or deficiencies. Glorified and Perfected is Allah from any and all deficiencies. And Indeed, Allah, The Almighty has said;
…and to Musa (Moses) Allah spoke directly. [4:164]
So it is established that His Speech, Glorified and Exalted, is Perfect and Majestic and that the Qur’an is His Speech as He has said;
And if anyone of the Mushrikoon (polytheists) seeks your protection then grant him protection, so that he may hear the Word of Allah (the Qur'an), and then escort him to where he can be secure, [9:6]
So what is meant is that the Qur’an is the Speech of Allah in truth. He sent it down to His Messenger, Muhammad صلىالله عليه وسلم by waHee (revelation) and the believers accept this and they know for certain that it (The Qur’an) is the literal Speech of Allah in truth. It is not a created thing. Indeed, His Attributes are part of His Essence, and the Attributes of Allah, Most High are eternal (no beginning and no ending) without being created. Furthermore, the speech of a human, it is speech that is created like them and anyone who claims that the Qur’an is the speech of a human is a kaafir. And Allah threatens him with hellfire like what He says;
Then he said: "This is nothing but magic from that of old; "This is nothing but the word of a human being!" I will cast him into Hell-fire [74:24-26]
So when the believer sees how Allah threatens with hellfire the one who claims that the Qur’an is the speech of a human, they know that it (The Qur’an) is the Speech of the Creator of humans. Indeed, every Attribute of Allah, Most high is in no way similar to the attributes of His creatures just as His Essence is in no way similar to the essence of His creatures.
Synopsis:
The Qur’an is the Speech of Allah in truth and it is not created and whoever claims that it is the speech of a human is indeed a kaafir.
Discussion:
1. What do you say concerning the Qur’an? (Meaning, what is the correct belief concerning the Qur’an?)
2. What is the ruling concerning the one who claims that the Qur’an is created?

34. And whoever describes Allah with descriptions that are similar to the descriptions of humans is indeed a kaafir. So whoever understands this, takes heed of it and refrains from imitating the sayings of the kuffaar and know that the Attributes of Allah, Most High are not like that of humans.
The Explanation:
Anyone who describes Allah, Most High with descriptions that are descriptions of humans and likens Allah to His creation in His Names and Attributes or tries do describe the kaifiiyah (mode) of His Names and Attributes is indeed a disbeliever and for they disbelieve in Allah’s statement;
There is nothing like unto Him, and He is the All-Hearer, the All-Seer. [42:11]
And when man sees this, he understands it and indeed he warns and makes takfeer (labels with disbelief) of anyone who likens Allah to humans. So soon he warns from and prohibits that people say statements that imitate the kuffaar, those whom Allah has judged that they be thrown into the fire, the abode of perdition. And soon, he comes to know that Allah, Most High in His Attributes, and the kaifiiyah of His Attributes are not similar to those of humans ever.
Synopsis:
The Attributes of Allah, Most High are not like the attributes of humans and whoever describes Allah, Most High with the descriptions of humans is truly a kaafir.
Discussion:
1. What is the daleel (proof from Qur’an and/or Sunnah) that the Attributes of Allah are not like that of humans?
2. What is the ruling on whoever makes the Descriptions of Allah like the descriptions of humans?

[boriqee]

asalamu alaikum

35. And the Ru’yah (the looking upon Allah, The All-Mighty) is true for the people of Paradise – without (their vision) being all-encompassing and without it being possible to understand the kaifiyyah (manner,mode) of their vision as it is articulated in the Book of Allah: Some faces that Day shall be Naadirah (shining and radiant). Looking at their Lord (Allah) [75:22-23]. And the explanation of it is as Allah wills and knows. Everything that has come to us from the authentic hadeeth of The Messenger of Allah صلىالله عليه وسلم is as what he has said and its meaning is based upon what he intended. We do not make ta’weel (try to interpret) based upon our desires or our imaginations for indeed no ones religion is safe except he who surrenders himself to Allah, The Mighty and Glorified, and to His Messenger صلىالله عليه وسلم and he leaves the knowledge of ambiguous things to those who have knowledge.
The Explanation:
The Ru’yahof the Believers upon their Lord, Mighty and Glorified, on the Day of Resurrection with their clear eyesight and vision is established in the Book (The Qur’an) and in the Sunnah for indeed Allah, Most High has said:
Some faces that Day shall be Naadirah (shining and radiant). Looking at their Lord (Allah) [75:22-23]
And Allah says;
For those who have done good is the best (reward, i.e. Paradise) and ziyaadah (even more) [10:26]
And indeed, the Prophet صلىالله عليه وسلم explained this ziyaadah to mean that this is the looking upon the Countenance of Allah, Mighty and Majestic as He صلىالله عليه وسلم said (to His companions on a full moon night);
‘Indeed you will look upon your Lord just as you are looking upon this full moon and there will be no difficulty in seeing Him’. [Bukhari and Muslim]
And this does not mean that their vision can encompass Allah, but the ru’yah with their vision is literal and it is true. And this does not mean that it will be ru’yah of the heart. Indeed, it is an even greater favor that the people of Paradise will be given. And the Hadeeth of the Prophet صلىالله عليه وسلم that was mentioned in this chapter is mutawaatir (comes through multiple chains of narration) and many of the Imams are absolutely certain of this. And what is intended in the ayat and in the ahaadeeth is based upon the apparent meaning and that is that the believers will look upon their Lord with their eyes on the Day of Judgment and we accept the information that has been related to us in this matter. And we do not oppose it by making ta’weel (interpretations) with our inadequate imaginations and we do not try to oppose its true meaning with our desires, for indeed, if mankind desires safety in his religion from deviance and misguidance, he must submit his understanding to Allah and His Messenger in what has been related to us in the established reports. And when he comes to those things which are ambiguous, he refers those affairs to the Creator of them like what Allah says;
So as for those in whose hearts there is a deviation (from the truth) they follow that which is not entirely clear thereof, seeking Fitnah (polytheism and trials, etc.), and seeking for its hidden meanings, but none knows its hidden meanings save Allah. And those who are firmly grounded in knowledge say: "We believe in it; the whole of it (clear and unclear Verses) are from our Lord." And none receive admonition except men of understanding. [3:7]
36. And one’s Islam is not secure unless it is based on submission and surrender. And who ever desires knowledge of things that are beyond his level of knowledge and who ever has understanding which is not content with submission, his desires cover his understanding of the purity of Tawheed, correct understanding, and correct faith. So he wanders between disbelief and faith, acceptance and rejection, confirmation and denial, and he is subject to the whisperings which lead to doubt, being neither an accepting believer nor a denying rejecter.
The Explanation:
It is not possible to become firm upon the truth of Islam unless one surrenders to what is in the texts of the Qur’an and in the Sunnah and submits to what is in both of them, accepting and being bound to it without any reservation and he does not impede it with his desires nor his doubts, his personal opinions nor his deductions nor his intellect. And when people seek knowledge of those things which are impossible to acquire, from what Allah, Most High has made hidden from his creatures, from what pertains to Him, Glorified and Exalted and His Wisdom, and His Command, and their intelligence and understanding is not content with surrendering to what Allah and His Messenger intended (in the texts, i.e. Qur’an and Sunnah) and being bound to them both. For indeed, soon he will be prohibited from knowing the purity of Tawheed in truth, and the correct knowledge of Allah, and the correct faith, that which is built upon acceptance and concession, affirmation and adherence, surrendering and submission, so he is incessantly wandering back and forth between acceptance and rejection, and between the legislated faith and disbelief in it, between acceptance of it and rebuking it, and he becomes prone to the whisperings and doubts, corrupt fantasies, wandering in dismay, not being firmly established upon that which has true. So he is not an accepting believer with complete faith nor is he a rejecting and rebellious disbeliever with complete rejection. So the correctness of faith with acceptance and surrendering will not take place until those affairs in which its wisdom is kept hidden and that which the intellect is not able to understand the reality of, is understood sufficiently by what we have been informed of by Allah, Most High and His Messenger صلىالله عليه وسلم.
37. And the belief in Ru’yah (the seeing of Allah, Most High for the people of Paradise) is not correct if a person tries to imagine it or interpret it according to his desires and understanding. And the interpretation of the ru’yah – as well as all of the meanings belonging to that of Ruboobiyyah (Lordship) – is actually leaving interpretations and adhering to submission, and this is the religion of the Muslims. And whoever does not guard himself from negation (of anything that is to be believed in according to the Qur’an and Sunnah) and likening (i.e., making similarities between Allah and His creatures), then he has gone astray and has failed to understand Allah’s Glory, for indeed, Our Lord, The Glorious, The Exalted is only to be described in terms of complete Oneness and Uniqueness and He is in no way similar to His creatures. The Explanation:
Belief in the Ru’yah of Allah, Most High is not correct if one interprets it according to his understanding or tries to imagine its reality or wonders to himself about its kaifiyyah. So this is a mistake and one does not believe in the ru’yah with correct belief because the ru’yah - its reality and mode of existence - is not known except by Allah, Most High. And the correct interpretation of affair of the ru’yah as well as that which pertains to The Creator, Glorious and Exalted and all other affairs (of the unseen) is indeed leaving making ta’weel (interpretations) and takyeef (trying to explain the manner of) in anything from what the people adhere to as their religion. Of course, we accept the correct meanings which have been established with evidence (i.e., Qur’an and Sunnah) and we do not make takyeef – (saying how) – we simply submit and surrender and bind ourselves to what has been transmitted in the Book of Allah, Most High and from the Sunnah of His Messenger صلىالله عليه وسلم. This is the correct religion of the Muslims, which is what Allah sent His Prophet صلىالله عليه وسلم with.
So the Muslim is responsible for heeding two issues:
1. Nafee - Negating that which Allah has described for Himself as well as TaHreef - distorting the correct meanings from what they were intended to mean.
2. Tashbeeh - Making similarities or likening Allah, The Creator to His creation in anything that pertains to His Essence, His Actions, and His Names and Attributes.
And these two issues are summarized in the Statement of Allah, Most High;
There is nothing like unto Him, and He is the All-Hearer, the All-Seer [42:11]
So the first half of the verse negates for Allah any similarities to anything and the second half establishes His Attributes. So the verse contains clear evidence of both negation and affirmation.
So whoever does not protect himself in these two affairs and they are Nafee (negation) and Tashbeeh – (making similarities) , goes astray in his ‘aqeedah and falls into error. So he does not affirm that which is correct and he does not negate that which is obligatory for him to negate with regard to Allah. And Allah negates for Himself a partner or anything similar to Him, rivals and opposites and that is because Allah, Most High is described with every description of complete Uniqueness in His Essence and His Actions and His Names and Attributes, in His creating and in His Command and these qualities are singular and completely unique in all of this. For indeed, He is One, Singular, ever-existing, Self-Subsisting, and He does not have a partner nor is there any similar to him and He is not similar in Meaning or Essence to anyone of His creation, neither in His Essence nor in His Actions, nor in His Names and Attributes.
38. And The Most High is far from having limits or restrictions, supporting parts or limbs and He is not confined to the six directions (right, left, front, back, above and below) like the rest of created things.The Explanation:
Allah, The Glorified and Exalted is Exalted and removed from any restrictions or limitations. There are no restrictions for Allah, restricting and confining Him, and there are no limitations for Him. Of course this means that Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He, does not permeate His creation and is not united with His creation. Indeed, He is The Glorified and Exalted is far from being on the level of His creation. And indeed He negates for Himself any supporting parts or limbs for these are tools of the servants, that which helps them benefit themselves and well as repel harm, and Allah, The Exalted, is far above this.
This is what we know from what is mentioned in the Qur’an of Allah’s Names and Attributes, but we say: Indeed the meanings of them (i.e., Allah’s Names and Attributes) in truth is what is based on clear evidence and we understand this meaning and we affirm it for Allah upon what was intended. We do not, however, try to delve into the kaifiyyah, for indeed it the knowledge of it belongs exclusively to Allah. And similarly, He (Allah) Glorified and Exalted is not limited to the six directions like the rest of created things. Of course, we do not understand this to mean that this is a total negation of direction. Indeed He, The Glorified and Exalted is in the Most Exalted and uppermost direction but what was intended by the statement is that He, Glorified and Exalted in not bound or restricted by directions nor overtaken by them like His creation.
Synopsis:
Indeed, Allah, Most High will be seen on the Day of Rising with clear vision and the seeing of Him by the believers is true even though their vision of Him does not and can not encompass Him and this is inherent in the texts of this chapter. And it is an obligation upon the Muslim to refrain from attempting to interpret (these affairs) and to refrain from the speech of the people who negate (these affairs) and to know that Allah, The Blessed and Most High is far removed from being similar to His creatures.
Discussion:
1. What is the correct understanding of the ru’yaa of Allah, The Most High on The Day of Resurrection?
2. What is obligatory upon the Muslim concerning the texts (Qur’an and Sunnah) that mention the Attributes of Allah?
3. Explain the intention behind the statement that Allah, Most High, is not restricted to the six directions.

[boriqee]

asalamu alaikum

39. And the Mi’raaj (The Prophet’s صلىالله عليه وسلم ascension through the heavens) is true.
And indeed, the Prophet صلىالله عليه وسلم was taken on a journey and he ascended to the heavens while he was awake. Then he ascended to whatever heights Allah willed. And He honored him in the way He willed, and He revealed to him what He revealed to him and he (the Prophet صلىالله عليه وسلم) did not lie about what he saw – صلىالله عليه وسلم – May Allah’s Peace and Blessings be upon him in this world and the next.
The Explanation:
And the People of the Sunnah are established upon the belief that the Prophet صلىالله عليه وسلم ascended to the heavens in body and spirit and that it was the night of the Night Journey – al-Israa’- and the israa’ is established in the Book and the Sunnah as well as by the consensus (of the scholars) – and this was the Night Journey from Makkah to Baitul-Maqdas as Allah the Most High has said;
Glorified (and Exalted) be He (Allah) Who took His slave (Muhammad صلىالله عليه وسلم) for a journey by night from Al-Masjid-al-Haraam (at Makkah) to the farthest mosque [17:1]
Wherein He (the Prophet صلىالله عليه وسلم) led the Prophets in salaah (Peace be upon them). Similarly, the Mi’raaj (the ascension) is established in that He (the Prophet صلىالله عليه وسلم) ascended in his noble body, and he ascended until he reached the seventh heaven until he reached the Lotus Tree in the farthest part. And with it is the Garden of Refuge. And Allah honored him with what He willed and communicated to him directly without a mediator and elevated him to a place that one else has been elevated and conveyed to him intimately. And what He conveyed to him was the affairs of Paradise and Hellfire, and He revealed to him what He revealed to him, and He legislated the five daily prayers – and he (the Prophet صلىالله عليه وسلم) did not lie about what he saw. But Indeed, whatever he saw with his eyes is true. He is the most important and the most honored of the Prophets and his station is above of them. And everything that happened in this blessed night has been transmitted from the Prophet صلىالله عليه وسلم and it is established in the two Saheehs (Bukhari and Muslim) and others.
40. And the Hawd (Pool) – that which Allah Most High has honored him (The Prophet صلىالله عليه وسلم) with to quench the thirst of the Ummah is true.
The Explanation:
The existence of the Hawd has been established from the Prophet صلىالله عليه وسلم . Indeed, the ahaadeeth about the Hawd has come to us mutawaatir (through multiple chains of transmission) and the scholars have made this clear. Its explanation is an important matter. It is from the drinks of Paradise, its waters are whiter than milk, it is sweeter than honey and its smell is more pleasant than that of musk. Its length and width are equal and every corner from its corners is the distance of a month’s journey. And its beauty is like that of the stars in the sky. Whoever drinks from its drink, he will never again be thirsty. And it is to quench the thirst of the Ummah on the Day of Resurrection and it is a favor from Allah upon His Prophet صلىالله عليه وسلم and He has honored him with it. And He has honored him above the rest of the Prophets. May Allah make us from amongst the People of the Hawd on the Day of Judgment.
Synopsis:
The Israa’(Night Journey) from Makkah to Baitul-Maqdas is true and the Mi’raaj(Ascension) to the heavens is true. And the revelation that occurred in the heavens is true. And the Hawd is true. And the statements of the Prophetصلىالله عليه وسلم are true.
Discussion:
1. What is the ruling on the one who denies the Israa’ ?
2. Where did he (the Prophet صلىالله عليه وسلم) journey to?
3. What do you know about the Hawd of the Prophet صلىالله عليه وسلم?

inshalalh i hopethat lalah makes this of beneficiance and that he bless all the people therein whop partook in its propagation, especially al Imaam at-Tahawee, and Shaykh Abdur-Rahman al-Khumayyis and that it serves to aid the seeker of truth to understand the religty of his way, to guide the people to correctness, to make the heart firm upon the qawai'd 9principles) of Islam, to be a hujjat 9reference point) for other discussion, and lastly but not leastly, to refute any false notions among the ignorant or to repel the agressions among distoroers and that this would aid in His cause feesibilillah

asalamu alaikum warahmatullah wa barakatuhu

[Ansar Al-'Adl]

:sl: br. Al-Izaaree :)

JazakumAllahu khayran for taking the time to contribute this and ameen to your duaa.

:w:

[boriqee]

Ameen and barakallahu feek. i miss speaking with you and dealing with people who have a better mindset upon the sunnah. inshallah i will try to make it here much more often (but not so much because im trying to decline my net time) and less time over there.

asalamu alaikum akhee

[Umm Safiya]

Aqeedatu Tahawiyah

Imam at-Tahawi

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, may Allah have mercy on him, said: This is a presentation of the beliefs of ahl-al-Sunnah wa al-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 funda- mentals 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 (ilah) 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 frown 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 t hroughout 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 lo 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 Clearer, the Seer'. (al-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 Hc 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 (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) is His chosen servant and selected Prophet and His Messenger with whom He is well pleased.

30. 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.

31. Every claim to prophethood after Him is falsehood and deceit.

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

33. 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.

34. 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 no t like human beings.

35. '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 Messenger, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, 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, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and leaves the knowledge of things that are ambiguous to the one who knows them.

36. A man's Islam is not secure unless it is based on submission and surrender. Anyone who desires to know things which it 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 he subject to whisperings and find himself confused and full of doubt, being neither an accepting believer nor a denying rejector.

37. 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 din 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 lo 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.

38. 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.

39. Al-Mi'raj (the Ascent through the heavens) is true. The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, 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.

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

41. Al-Shifa'ah, (the intercession, which is stored up for Muslims), is true, as related in the (consistent and confirmed) Ahadith.
42. The covenant 'which Allah made with Adam and his offspring' is true.

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

44. The same applies to all actions done by people, which are done exactly as Allah knew they would be done. Everyone is cased 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.

45. 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.

46. 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.

47. 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.

48. It is necessary for the servant to know that Allah already knows everything that is going to happen in His creation and hits 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 decreed it he a detailed way'. (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.

49. Al-'Arsh (the Throne) and al-Kursi (the Chair) are true.

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

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

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

53. 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.

54. We call the people of our qiblah Muslims and believers as long as they acknowledge what the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, brought, and accept as true everything that he said and told us about.

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

56. 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, may Allah bless him and grant him peace. 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.

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

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

59. 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.

60. 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).

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

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

63. And the whole of what is proven from the Prophet, upon him be peace, regarding the Shari'ah and the explanation (of the Qur'an and of Islam) is true.

64. 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.

65. 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.

66. 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.

67. 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.

68. Those of the Urnmah of Muhammad, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, 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 mentionied in the Qur'an when He says: 'And He forgives anything less than that (shirk) to whoever He wills' (al-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 recognize 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.

69. 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.

70. 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 kutr (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.

71. We do not agree with killing any of the Ummah of Muhammad, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, unless it is obligatory by Shari'ah to do so.

72. We do not recognize 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.

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

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

75. When our knowledge about something is unclear, we say: 'Allah knows best'.

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

77. 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.

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

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

80. 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 Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and in reports from the Companions, may Allah be pleased with them all.

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

82. We believe in being brought back to life after death and in being re- compensed 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).

83. 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.

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

85. 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)

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

87. 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.

88. 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 he asked.' (al-Anbiya' 21: 23)

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

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

91. 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.

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

93. We love the Companions of the Messenger of Allah 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.

94. We confirm that, after the death of the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, the caliphate went first to Abu Bakr al-Siddiq, may Allah be pleased with him, thus proving his excellence and superiority over the rest of the Muslims; then to 'Umar ibn alKhattab, may Allah be pleased with him; then to 'Uthman, may Allah be pleased with him; and then to 'Ali ibn Abi Talib, may Allah be pleased with him. These are the Rightly-Guided Caliphs and upright leaders.

95. We bear witness that the ten who were named by the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and who were promised the Garden by him, will be in the Garden, as the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, whose word is truth, bore witness that they would he. 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.

96. Anyone who speaks well of the Companions of the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and his wives and offspring, who are all pure and untainted by any impurity, is free from the accusation of hypocrisy.

97. 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.

98. 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.

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

100. We believe in the signs of the Hour such as the appearance of the Dajjal and the descent of 'Isa ibn Maryam, peace be upon him, 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.

101. 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.

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

103. 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-Matidah 5: 3)

104. 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).

105. 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.

[IbnAbdulHakim]

:salamext:

i was wondering if an english complete explenation of aqeedah tahawiah is available. JazakAllah khair, if anyone can recomend inshaAllah ta'ala

[boriqee]

I had already provided for the text and sharh of Aqeedatu-Tahawiyyah I beleive provided for by ash-Shaykh Abdur-Rahman al-Khumayyis

here is the link

http://www.islamicboard.com/islamic-...light=Aqeedatu

I was hoping the admin couuld put this post in the sticky here on this sub forum as it is in the jurisprudence section

asalamu alaikum

[SirZubair]

Masha'allah, Umm Something, good on you for starting this thread.

[Ibn Abi Ahmed]

:sl:

Excellent Thread. Jazakallah Khair.

[boriqee]

I know the sharh stopped at thirty nine so I will try to get a finish off from the other points mentioned

aslamu alaikum

P.S. shouldnt this be in the beleifs section

[Musalmaan]

A Little Introduction of Imam Abu Ja`far al-Tahawi

In the Name of Allah, the Merciful, the Compassionate

Imam Tahawi's al-'Aqidah, representative of the viewpoint of ahl-al-Sunnah wa-al-Jama'a, has long been the most widely acclaimed, and indeed indispensable, reference work on Muslim beliefs, of which this is an edited English translation .

Imam Abu Ja'far Ahmad bin Muhammad bin Salamah bin Salmah bin 'Abd al Malik bin Salmah bin Sulaim bin Sulaiman bin Jawab Azdi, popularly known as Imam Tahawi, after his birth-place in Egypt, is among the most outstanding authorities of the Islamic world on Hadith and fiqh (jurisprudence). He lived 239-321 A.H., an epoch when both the direct and indirect disciples of the four Imams - Imam Abu Hanifah, Imam Malik, Imam Shafi'i and Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal - were teaching and practicing. This period was the zenith of Hadith and fiqh studies, and Imam Tahawi studied with all the living authorities of the day. He began as a student of his maternal uncle, Isma'il bin Yahya Muzni, a leading disciple of Imam Shafi'i. Instinctively, however, Imam Tahawi felt drawn to the corpus of Imam Abu Hanifah's works. Indeed, he had seen his uncle and teacher turning to the works of Hanafi scholars to resolve thorny issues of Fiqh, drawing heavily on the writings of Imam Muhammad Ibn al-Hasan al-Shaybani and Imam Abu Yusuf, who had codified Hanafi fiqh. This led Imam Tahawi to devote his whole attention to studying the Hanafi works and he eventually joined the Hanafi school.

Imam Tahawi stands out not only as a prominent follower of the Hanafi school but, in view of his vast erudition and remarkable powers of assimilation, as one of its leading scholars. 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.

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 Companions, Successors and all the leading Islamic authorities such as Imam Abu Hanifah, Imam Abu Yusuf, Imam Muhammad, Imam Malik, Imam Shafi'i and Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal on the doctrines enumerated in this work. For these doctrines shared by ahl-al-sunnah wa-al-Jama'ah owe their origin to the Holy QurUan and consistent and confirmed Ahadith - 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 the 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 Mu'tazilah, Jahmiyyah, Qadriyah, and Jabriyah are found in the work. Moreover, it contains allusions to the unorthodox and deviant views of the Shi'ah, 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 point of certain of these statements can be properly appreciated only if the work is used as a text for study under the guidance of some learned Person able to elucidate its arguments fully, with reference to the intellectual and historical background of the sects refuted in the work. 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.'

TAHAWI'S STATEMENT OF ISLAMIC DOCTRINE (AL-`AQIDA AL-TAHAWIYYA)


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, may Allah have mercy on him, said: This is a presentation of the beliefs of Ahl al-Sunna wa al-Jama`a, according to the school of the jurists of this religion, Abu Hanifa al-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 the worlds.

We say about Allah's unity, believing by Allah's help that:

1. 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." (al-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 whomever He wills, and protects them, and keeps them safe from harm, out of His generosity; and He leads astray whomever He wills, and abases them, and afflicts them, out of His justice.

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

26. He is Exalted beyond having opposites or equals.

27. No one can ward off His decree or delay 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 (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) is His chosen Servant and elect Prophet and His Messenger with whom He is well pleased,

30. And that he is the Seal of the Prophets and the Imam of the godfearing and the most honored of all the messengers and the Beloved of the Lord of all the worlds.

31. Every claim to prophethood after Him is falsehood and deceit.

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

33. 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" (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.

34. 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.

35. 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-Qiyama 75:22-3) The explanation of this is as Allah knows and wills. Everything that has come down to us about this from the Messenger, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, 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, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and leaves the knowledge of things that are ambiguous to the one who knows them.

36. A man's Islam is not secure unless it is based on submission and surrender. Anyone who desires to know things which it 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 he subject to whisperings and find himself confused and full of doubt, being neither an accepting believer nor a denying rejector.

37. 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 religion 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.

38. 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.

39. Al-Mi`raj (the Ascent through the heavens) is true. The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, 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.

40. Al-Hawd, the Pool which Allah has granted the Prophet as an honour to quench the thirst of his Community on the Day of Judgement, is true.

41. Al-Shafa`a, the intercession which is stored up for Muslims, is true, as related in the hadiths.

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

43. 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.

44. The same applies to all actions done by people, which are done exactly as Allah knew they would be done. Everyone is eased towards 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.

45. 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).

Therefore, 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.

46. 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 the inaccessible is not sought after.

47. We believe in al-Lawh (the Tablet) and al-Qalam (the Pen) and in everything written on the former. 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, and whatever he gets he would have never missed.

48. 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 decreed it in a detailed way." (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 deluded 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.

49. Al-`Arsh (the Throne) and al-Kursi (the Chair) are true.

50. He is independent of the Throne and that which is beneath it.

51. He encompasses all things and that which is above it, and what He has created is incapable of encompassing Him.

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

53. 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.

54. We call the people of our qibla Muslims and believers as long as they acknowledge what the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, brought, and accept as true everything that he said and told us about.

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

56. 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, may Allah bless him and grant him peace. 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 Congregation (jama`a) of the Muslims regarding it.

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

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

59. 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.

60. Certainty and despair both remove one from the religion, but the path of truth for the People of the Qibla lies between the two.

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

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

63. And the whole of what is proven from the Prophet, upon him be peace, regarding the Shari`a and the explanation (of the Qur'an and of Islam) is true.

64. 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.

65. 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.

66. 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.

67. 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.

68. Those of the Community of Muhammad, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, 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 whomever He wills" (al-Nisa' 4: 116); 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 recognize Him and will not treat them in the hereafter in the same way as He treats those who deny Him, 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.

69. We agree with doing the prayer behind any of the People of the Qibla whether rightful or wrongful, and doing the funeral prayer over any of them when they die.

70. 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.

71. We do not agree with killing any of the Community of Muhammad, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, unless it is obligatory by Shari`a to do so.

72. We do not accept 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 their right guidance and ask for pardon for their wrongs.

73. We follow the Sunna of the Prophet and the Congregation of the Muslims, and avoid deviation, differences and divisions.

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

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

76. We agree with wiping over leather socks (in ablution) whether on a journey or otherwise, just as has come in the hadiths.

77. 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.

78. We believe in the the noble angels who write down our actions, for Allah has appointed them over us as two guardians.

79. We believe in the Angel of Death who is in charge of taking the spirits of all the worlds.

80. 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 the hadiths from the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and in reports from the Companions, may Allah be pleased with them all.

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

82. We believe in being brought back to life after death and in being recompensed for our actions on the Day of Judgement, and the exhibition of works, and the reckoning, and the reading of the book, and the reward or punishments, and the Bridge, and the Balance.

83. 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.

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

85. The capability in terms of divine grace and favor 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 the Shari`a. Allah the Exalted says: "Allah does not charge a person except according to his ability." (al-Baqara 2: 286)

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

87. Allah, the Exalted, has only charged people with what they are able to do and people are only capable of doing what Allah has granted them to do. 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 him to do so.

88. 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)

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

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

91. 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.

92. Allah is angered and He is pleased but not in the same way as any creature.

93. We love the Companions of the Messenger of Allah 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 behavior, while hatred of them is unbelief, hypocrisy and rebellion.

94. We confirm that, after the death of Allah's Messenger, peace be upon him, the caliphate went first to Abu Bakr al-Siddiq, thus proving his excellence and superiority over the rest of the Muslims; then to `Umar ibn al-Khattab; then to `Uthman; and then to `Ali ibn Abi Talib; may Allah be well pleased with all of them. These are the Rightly-Guided Caliphs and upright leaders.

95. We bear witness that the ten who were named by the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and who were promised the Garden by him, will be in the Garden, as the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, whose word is truth, bore witness that they would be. The ten are: Abu Bakr, `Umar, `Uthman, `Ali, Talha, Zubayr, Sa`d, Sa`id, `Abd al-Rahman ibn `Awf, and Abu `Ubayda ibn al-Jarrah whose title was the Trustee of this Community, may Allah be pleased with all of them.

96. Anyone who speaks well of the Companions of the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and his wives and offspring, who are all pure and untainted by any impurity, is free from the accusation of hypocrisy.

97. The learned men of the Predecessors, both the first community and those who immediately followed: the people of virtue, the narrators of hadith, the jurists, and the analysts-- they must only be spoken of in the best way, and anyone who says anything bad about them is not on the right path.

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

99. We believe in what we know of the karamat or marvels of the awliya' and in the authentic stories about them from trustworthy sources.

100. We believe in the signs of the Hour such as the appearance of the Antichrist (dajjal) and the descent of `Isa ibn Maryam, peace be upon him, 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.

101. 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 Sunna, and the consensus of the Muslim Community (umma).

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

103. There is only one religion of Allah in the heavens and the earth and that is the religion of Islam ("submission"). 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'ida 5: 3)

104. Islam lies between going to excess and falling short, between the likening of Allah's attributes to creation (tashbih) and divesting Allah of attributes (ta`til), between determinism and freewill, and between sureness and despair.

105. 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 Mushabbiha, the Mu`tazila, the Jahmiyya, the Jabriyya, the Qadariyya, and others like them who go against the Sunna and Jama`a and have allied themselves with error. We renounce any connection with them and in our opinion 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.


Source1
Source2

[ilm.seeker]

Explanation of Al aqeeda Al Tahawiya - Abdur-Ra’uf Shakir
http://abdurrahman.org/aqeeda/explanationtahawi.html


Concise Notes on Aqeedah at-Tahawiyyah - Salih Fawzaan - SalafiPub -
[Part1-5] http://abdurrahman.org/aqeeda/aqeeda...hnotes1to5.pdf
[ Part6] [ http://abdurrahman.org/aqeeda/aqeedahtahawiyahnotes6.pdf ]

Other Aqeeda Texts and Explanations Here
http://abdurrahman.org/aqeeda/index.html

[boriqee]

try this, you might *cough oh shoot oh no cough*

http://al-mustaqeem.tripod.com/id1.html

asalamu alaikum

[ilm.seeker]

• Questions on Al-‘Aqeedah At-Tahaawiyyah - By Abu Abdir Rahmaan Nasser ibn Najam Alvi - salafipubs - 206p [PDF]
  - Using the explanation by Shaikh Saalih Al-Fawzaan
  - A carefully devised series of questions and answers based on the classical work of ‘Aqeedah by Imaam At-Tahaawee. An excellent study aid for those who wish to learn and test themselves upon the principles of the ‘Aqeedah and manhaj of Ahlus-Sunnah.

Other useful links :

• Explanation of Al aqeeda Al Tahawiya - Abdur-Ra’uf Shakir
• Concise Notes on Aqeedah at-Tahawiyyah - Fawzaan - Part1-5 - 19p [ Part6] [PDF]

[al-fateh]

We say about Allah's unity, believing by Allah's help that:

1. 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." (al-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 whomever He wills, and protects them, and keeps them safe from harm, out of His generosity; and He leads astray whomever He wills, and abases them, and afflicts them, out of His justice.

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

26. He is Exalted beyond having opposites or equals.

27. No one can ward off His decree or delay 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 (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) is His chosen Servant and elect Prophet and His Messenger with whom He is well pleased,

30. And that he is the Seal of the Prophets and the Imam of the godfearing and the most honored of all the messengers and the Beloved of the Lord of all the worlds.

31. Every claim to prophethood after Him is falsehood and deceit.

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

33. 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" (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.

34. 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.

35. 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-Qiyama 75:22-3) The explanation of this is as Allah knows and wills. Everything that has come down to us about this from the Messenger, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, 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, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and leaves the knowledge of things that are ambiguous to the one who knows them.

36. A man's Islam is not secure unless it is based on submission and surrender. Anyone who desires to know things which it 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 he subject to whisperings and find himself confused and full of doubt, being neither an accepting believer nor a denying rejector.

37. 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 religion 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.

38. 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.

39. Al-Mi`raj (the Ascent through the heavens) is true. The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, 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.

40. Al-Hawd, the Pool which Allah has granted the Prophet as an honour to quench the thirst of his Community on the Day of Judgement, is true.

41. Al-Shafa`a, the intercession which is stored up for Muslims, is true, as related in the hadiths.

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

43. 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.

44. The same applies to all actions done by people, which are done exactly as Allah knew they would be done. Everyone is eased towards 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.

45. 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).

Therefore, 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.

46. 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 the inaccessible is not sought after.

47. We believe in al-Lawh (the Tablet) and al-Qalam (the Pen) and in everything written on the former. 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, and whatever he gets he would have never missed.

48. 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 decreed it in a detailed way." (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 deluded 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.

49. Al-`Arsh (the Throne) and al-Kursi (the Chair) are true.

50. He is independent of the Throne and that which is beneath it.

51. He encompasses all things and that which is above it, and what He has created is incapable of encompassing Him.

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

53. 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.

54. We call the people of our qibla Muslims and believers as long as they acknowledge what the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, brought, and accept as true everything that he said and told us about.

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

56. 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, may Allah bless him and grant him peace. 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 Congregation (jama`a) of the Muslims regarding it.

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

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

59. 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.

60. Certainty and despair both remove one from the religion, but the path of truth for the People of the Qibla lies between the two.

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

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

63. And the whole of what is proven from the Prophet, upon him be peace, regarding the Shari`a and the explanation (of the Qur'an and of Islam) is true.

64. 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.

65. 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.

66. 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.

67. 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.

68. Those of the Community of Muhammad, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, 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 whomever He wills" (al-Nisa' 4: 116); 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 recognize Him and will not treat them in the hereafter in the same way as He treats those who deny Him, 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.

69. We agree with doing the prayer behind any of the People of the Qibla whether rightful or wrongful, and doing the funeral prayer over any of them when they die.

70. 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.

71. We do not agree with killing any of the Community of Muhammad, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, unless it is obligatory by Shari`a to do so.

72. We do not accept 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 their right guidance and ask for pardon for their wrongs.

73. We follow the Sunna of the Prophet and the Congregation of the Muslims, and avoid deviation, differences and divisions.

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

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

76. We agree with wiping over leather socks (in ablution) whether on a journey or otherwise, just as has come in the hadiths.

77. 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.

78. We believe in the the noble angels who write down our actions, for Allah has appointed them over us as two guardians.

79. We believe in the Angel of Death who is in charge of taking the spirits of all the worlds.

80. 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 the hadiths from the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and in reports from the Companions, may Allah be pleased with them all.

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

82. We believe in being brought back to life after death and in being recompensed for our actions on the Day of Judgement, and the exhibition of works, and the reckoning, and the reading of the book, and the reward or punishments, and the Bridge, and the Balance.

83. 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.

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

85. The capability in terms of divine grace and favor 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 the Shari`a. Allah the Exalted says: "Allah does not charge a person except according to his ability." (al-Baqara 2: 286)

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

87. Allah, the Exalted, has only charged people with what they are able to do and people are only capable of doing what Allah has granted them to do. 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 him to do so.

88. 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)

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

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

91. 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.

92. Allah is angered and He is pleased but not in the same way as any creature.

93. We love the Companions of the Messenger of Allah 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 behavior, while hatred of them is unbelief, hypocrisy and rebellion.

94. We confirm that, after the death of Allah's Messenger, peace be upon him, the caliphate went first to Abu Bakr al-Siddiq, thus proving his excellence and superiority over the rest of the Muslims; then to `Umar ibn al-Khattab; then to `Uthman; and then to `Ali ibn Abi Talib; may Allah be well pleased with all of them. These are the Rightly-Guided Caliphs and upright leaders.

95. We bear witness that the ten who were named by the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and who were promised the Garden by him, will be in the Garden, as the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, whose word is truth, bore witness that they would be. The ten are: Abu Bakr, `Umar, `Uthman, `Ali, Talha, Zubayr, Sa`d, Sa`id, `Abd al-Rahman ibn `Awf, and Abu `Ubayda ibn al-Jarrah whose title was the Trustee of this Community, may Allah be pleased with all of them.

96. Anyone who speaks well of the Companions of the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and his wives and offspring, who are all pure and untainted by any impurity, is free from the accusation of hypocrisy.

97. The learned men of the Predecessors, both the first community and those who immediately followed: the people of virtue, the narrators of hadith, the jurists, and the analysts-- they must only be spoken of in the best way, and anyone who says anything bad about them is not on the right path.

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

99. We believe in what we know of the karamat or marvels of the awliya' and in the authentic stories about them from trustworthy sources.

100. We believe in the signs of the Hour such as the appearance of the Antichrist (dajjal) and the descent of `Isa ibn Maryam, peace be upon him, 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.

101. 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 Sunna, and the consensus of the Muslim Community (umma).

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

103. There is only one religion of Allah in the heavens and the earth and that is the religion of Islam ("submission"). 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'ida 5: 3)

104. Islam lies between going to excess and falling short, between the likening of Allah's attributes to creation (tashbih) and divesting Allah of attributes (ta`til), between determinism and freewill, and between sureness and despair.

105. 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 Mushabbiha, the Mu`tazila, the Jahmiyya, the Jabriyya, the Qadariyya, and others like them who go against the Sunna and Jama`a and have allied themselves with error. We renounce any connection with them and in our opinion 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.

[------]

:salamext:


Subhan'Allah.... very true article. Jazak Allah Khayr!


:wasalamex

[Umm Yoosuf]

Assalaamu Alaikum Wa Rahmatulaah al-fateh


May I have the source/reference to your article please. Shukran :)

['Abd al-Baari]

Mashallah a nice article
Jazakallah for sharing

[al-fateh]

Aqidah al-Tahawiyya

by

Imam Abu Ja'far al-Tahawi al-Hanafi (239-321 AH)
translated by Iqbal Ahmad Azami

In the Name of Allah, the Merciful, the Compassionate

Praise be to Allah, 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'. (al-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 decree 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 (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) is His chosen servant and selected Prophet and His Messenger with whom He is well pleased.
30. 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.
31. Every claim to prophethood after Him is falsehood and deceit.
32. He is the one who has been sent to all the jinn and all mankind with truth and guidance and with light and illumination.
33. 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)

34. we know for certain that it is the speech of the Creator of mankind and that it is totally unlike the speech of mankind. 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.
35. `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)

36. The explanation of this is as Allah knows and wills. Everything that has come down to us about this from the Messenger, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, 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, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and leaves the knowledge of things that are ambiguous to the one who knows them. A man's Islam is not secure unless it is based on submission and surrender. Anyone who desires to know things which it 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.
37. 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 din 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.
38. 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.
39. Al-Mi'raj (the Ascent through the heavens) is true. The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, 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).

40. Allah blessed him and granted him peace in this world and the next. Al-Hawd, (the Pool which Allah will grant the Prophet as an honour to quench the thirst of His Ummah on the Day Of Judgement), is true.
41. Al-Shifa'ah, (the intercession, which is stored up for Muslims), is true, as related in the (consistent and confirmed) Ahadith.
42. The covenant `which Allah made with Adam and his offspring' is true.
43. 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 increaser nor decreased.
44. The same applies to all actions done by people, which are done exactly as Allah knew they would be done. Everyone is cased 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.
45. 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)

46. 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. 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.
47. 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.
48. It is necessary for the servant to know that Allah already knows everything that is going to happen in His creation and 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 decreed it in a detailed way'. (al-Furqan 25:2)

And He also says:

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

49. 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. Al-'Arsh (the Throne) and al-Kursi (the Chair) are true.
50. He is independent of the Throne and what is beneath it.
51. He encompasses everything and is above it, and what He has created is incapable of encompassing Him.
52. We say with belief, acceptance and submission that Allah took Ibrahim as an intimate friend and that He spoke directly to Musa.
53. 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.
54. We call the people of our qiblah Muslims and believers as long as they acknowledge what the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, brought, and accept as true everything that he said and told us about.
55. We do not enter into vain talk about Allah nor do we allow any dispute about the religion Of Allah.
56. 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, may Allah bless him and grant him peace. 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.
57. We do not consider any of the people of our qiblah to he unbelievers because of any wrong action they have done, as long as they do not consider that action to have been lawful.
58. Nor do we say that the wrong action of a man who has belief does not have a harmful effect on him.
59. 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.
60. 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).
61. A person does not step out or belief except by disavowing what brought him into it.
62. Belief consists of affirmation by the tongue and acceptance by the heart.
63. And the whole of what is proven from the Prophet, upon him be peace, regarding the Shari'ah and the explanation (of the Qur'an and of Islam) is true.
64. 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.
65. 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.
66. 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.
67. 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.
68. Those of the Ummah of Muhammad, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, 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 mentionied in the Qur'an when He says:

`And He forgives anything less than that (shirk) to whoever He wills' (al-Nisa' 4: 116);

69. 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 recognize 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. 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.
70. 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.
71. We do not agree with killing any of the Ummah of Muhammad, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, unless it is obligatory by Shari'ah to do so.
72. We do not recognize 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 their right guidance and pardon from their wrongs.
73. We follow the Sunnah of the Prophet and the Jama'ah of the Muslims, and avoid deviation, differences and divisions.
74. We love the people of justice and trustworthiness, and hate the people of injustice and treachery.
75. When our knowledge about something is unclear, we say: `Allah knows best'.
76. We agree with wiping over leather socks (in Wudu) whether on a journey or otherwise, just as has come in the (consistent and confirmed) ahadith.
77. 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.
78. We believe in Kiraman Katibin (the noble angels) who write down our actions for Allah has appointed them over us as two guardians.
79. We believe in the Angel of Death who is charged with taking the spirits of all the worlds.
80. 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 Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and in reports from the Companions, may Allah be pleased with them all.
81. The grave is either one of the meadows of the Garden or one of the pits of the Fire.
82. 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).
83. 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.
84. Good and evil have both been decreed for people.
85. 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 Shariah. Allah the Exalted says:

`Allah does not charge a person except according to his ability'. (al-Baqarah 2: 286)

86. People's actions are created by Allah but earned by people.
87. 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.
88. 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 he asked.' (al-Anbiya' 21: 23)
89. There is benefit for dead people in the supplication and alms-giving of the living.
90. Allah responds to people's supplications and gives them what they ask for.
91. 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.
92. Allah is angered and can be pleased but not in the same way as any creature.
93. We love the Companions of the Messenger of Allah 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.
94. We confirm that, after the death of the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, the caliphate went first to Abu Bakr al-Siddiq, may Allah be pleased with him, thus proving his excellence and superiority over the rest of the Muslims; then to `Umar ibn alKhattab, may Allah be pleased with him; then to `Uthman, may Allah be pleased with him; and then to `Ali ibn Abi Talib, may Allah be pleased with him. These are the Rightly-Guided Caliphs and upright leaders.
95. We bear witness that the ten who were named by the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and who were promised the Garden by him, will be in the Garden, as the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, whose word is truth, bore witness that they would he. 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.
96. Anyone who speaks well of the Companions of the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and his wives and offspring, who are all pure and untainted by any impurity, is free from the accusation of hypocrisy.
97. 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.
98. 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.
99. We believe in what we know of Karamat, the marvels of the awliya' and in authentic stories about them from trustworthy sources.
100. We believe in the signs of the Hour such as the appearance of the Dajjal and the descent of `Isa ibn Maryam, peace be upon him, 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.
101. 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.
102. We agree that holding together is the true and right path and that separation is deviation and torment.
103. 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-Matidah 5:3)

104. Islam lies between going to excess and falling short, between Tashbih (likening of Allah's attributes to anything else), and Tatil (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).
105. 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.

VERY VERY VERY important...please take your time and read

may Allah guide us all to the right path

[hanifi]

MashaAllah. JazakAllah khair.
Did you get this from Zam Zam Academy?

[al-fateh]

no bro...

what is Zam Zam Academy

[Umm Yoosuf]

Thread Merged.

[Musalmaan]

:sl:

Again, due to the highly importance for the believe regarding the fundamentals of the Islam and faith in the Lord of the worlds,
i am reminding the 38th point of Imam al-Tahawi (Allah have mercy on him) 's famous al-Aqida al-Tahawiyya:

38. 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.

May Allah grant us all the true understanding of faith and save us from the fitnah of kufriyyah and biddah belief.

[IbnAbdulHakim]

:sl:

38. He is beyond having limits placed on Him,.

May Allah grant us all the true understanding of faith and save us from the fitnah of kufriyyah and biddah belief.

JAZAKALLAH KHAIR!!!

that clears a lot up :D

[------]

:sl:

Again, due to the highly importance for the believe regarding the fundamentals of the Islam and faith in the Lord of the worlds,
i am reminding the 38th point of Imam al-Tahawi (Allah have mercy on him) 's famous al-Aqida al-Tahawiyya:

38. 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.

May Allah grant us all the true understanding of faith and save us from the fitnah of kufriyyah and biddah belief.

:salamext:

A really good post Mashaa Allaah! Jazaak Allaah Khayr :D

[boriqee]

The ummah,unfortunately, is divided into two main creeds concerning this point.

1.The athari creed of the salafu-saalih as propounded by Abu jafar at-Tahawee himself, Abu hanifah, Maalik, Thawri, Uyainah, Hammad bin Zayd, Ahmad, Bukharee, ad-Darimee, Ibn Abi Zayd, Abdur-Razzaq, Ibn Ma'in, Daraqutnee, Ishaaq, Ibnul-Mubarak, Shafi'ee, Ali Ibnul-Madinee, Abdur-Rahman bin Mahdi, Zuhri, Hasan al-Basri, at-tabari, al-Lalikaa'ee, Shaykhul-Islam Imaamul-Aimah Ibnul-Khuzaimah, Abu Zurah, Ibn Abi hatim, andAbu Haatim ar-Razi, al-Awzaa'ee and a multiplicity of relied upon Imaams of sunnah and

2.the ashari/jahmi/mutazili creed of the khalafu-taalih as invented by our unforutnate muslim comrade like Abu Muhammad ibnul-Kullab al-Mutakalim, ibn Asaakir, Ibn Furak, Fakhru-deen ar-Razi and others

So what is its understanding as was reported fromalamaah Abdur-Rahman al-Khumayyis

38. And The Most High is far from having limits or restrictions, supporting parts or limbs and He is not confined to the six directions (right, left, front, back, above and below) like the rest of created things.

The Explanation:

Allah, The Glorified and Exalted is Exalted and removed from any restrictions or limitations. There are no restrictions for Allah, restricting and confining Him, and there are no limitations for Him. Of course this means that Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He, does not permeate His creation and is not united with His creation. Indeed, He is The Glorified and Exalted is far from being on the level of His creation. And indeed He negates for Himself any supporting parts or limbs for these are tools of the servants, that which helps them benefit themselves and well as repel harm, and Allah, The Exalted, is far above this.
This is what we know from what is mentioned in the Qur’an of Allah’s Names and Attributes, but we say: Indeed the meanings of them (i.e., Allah’s Names and Attributes) in truth is what is based on clear evidence and we understand this meaning and we affirm it for Allah upon what was intended. We do not, however, try to delve into the kaifiyyah, for indeed it the knowledge of it belongs exclusively to Allah. And similarly, He (Allah) Glorified and Exalted is not limited to the six directions like the rest of created things. Of course, we do not understand this to mean that this is a total negation of direction. Indeed He, The Glorified and Exalted is in the Most Exalted and uppermost direction but what was intended by the statement is that He, Glorified and Exalted in not bound or restricted by directions nor overtaken by them like His creation.
Synopsis:
Indeed, Allah, Most High will be seen on the Day of Rising with clear vision and the seeing of Him by the believers is true even though their vision of Him does not and can not encompass Him and this is inherent in the texts of this chapter. And it is an obligation upon the Muslim to refrain from attempting to interpret (these affairs) and to refrain from the speech of the people who negate (these affairs) and to know that Allah, The Blessed and Most High is far removed from being similar to His creatures.


So this point was meant upon the idea that the mujassimah limited Allah to creational aspects. The point was never to destroy the idea that Allah is in reality over the Throen.

And that is where the umah divides over. because our salaf did not view that Allah's being over the Throne the way Alah Himself affirmed as being "somehting bound by duirections"

But when the neo-platonic aristolian arguements marred the creedal aspects of our religion to some of hte adherents of Islam, they by default of htis foriegn understanding interpreted the texts pertaining to Allah's being above to be "something bound by limits". So thus they fell into the unfortunate mishap of interpreting our islamic texts according to aristotelian logic rather than the actual islamic manhaj of "we hear and obey".

So therefore to keep within the bounds of what Imaam at-tahawee meant, then it is safe and accepted, but if his statement is used to describe that by holding that Allah is literally above the throne as He said He was in His book, then this itself is kufr of which he Imaams made explicit takfeer thereof.

here are its reminder

from Abu haneefah himself
when asked of his opinion of the one who says, ‘I do not know whether Allah is above the heavens or on the earth.’ - “He has disbelieved, because Allah says, “The Most Merciful rose above the Throne,” and His Throne is above His seven heavens.’ He was then asked , ‘what if he said that Allah is above His Throne but he does not know whether the Throne is in the heavens or on the earth?’ He said, ‘He has disbelieved, because He has denied that He is above the heavens, And whosoever denied that He is above the heavens has disbelieved.” (‘Sharh Usul I'tiqaad Ahlus Sunnah’ of al-Laalikaaee (d.414AH), ‘al-Uluww’ of adh- Dhahabee, also ‘Sharh Aqueedah at-Tahaawiyyah’ of ibn Abee al-Izz al-Hanafee).

and this is in the sharh of the tahawiyyah by the Imaam Ibn abil-Izz of which I will get his sharh on this actual point number 38 bi ithnillah

Imaam Abu Sa’eed Uthmaan ad-Daarimee – rahimahullaah – says, “Then the Scholars before us and after us all have Ijmaa (consensus), that when we seek help from Allah or when we call him, we raise and spread our hands towards the sky and our sight is also upwards. We do not call upon him by looking below us in the earth, behind or in front, to the right or the left. We concentrate towards the sky, because everyone knows that Allah is above them, and everyone who prays says in prostration, “Praise be to Allah the Most High” (‘Radd Alal Jahmiyyah’)

Muhammad bin Yusuf said (one of the teachers of Bukhaaree), ‘the one who says that Allah is not over His Throne is a kaafir. And the one who thinks that Allah did not speak to Moses is a kaafir’ (Bukhaaree's, ‘Khalq Af’aal Ebaad’).

Imam ibn Khuzaimah said, “Whoever does not acknowledge that Allah is above His 'Arsh, above His seven heavens, and that He is separated from His creatures, is a Kafir, (unbeliever). Such person must be ordered to repent and disavow his belief, or else he must be beheaded and thrown on a garbage dump so that neither Ahlul-Qiblah (the Muslims) nor Ahludth-dthimmah (non-Muslims living in Muslim lands) be annoyed by the foul odor of his carcass.”

Imaam al-Awzaa'ee who said
“We and all the remaining tabi’ say that Allah is above his throne, we believe in whatever the sunnah describes about His (swt) attributes.” [Mukhtasar Al ‘Uluw p137 - Imam Dhahabi, & Al Asmaa Wal Sifaat – Baihaqi, & Fath ul Baari Sharh Al Bukhari – ibn Hajar v13 p417]

Imam Qutaibah bin Sa’eed was a great tabi’ tabi’ (b.150H - d. 240H), he said,
“Allah is above his throne, that is the saying of the imams in Islam and Ahl Al Sunnah Wal Jama’ah, we believe Allah is above the seven heavens above his throne, the way Allah said, “Al Rahman is above his throne.””


So when quoting such narrations one must make clear himself to the people what they are upon, are they upon the intent of the imaams or are they in opposition to them

asalamu alaikum

[extinction]

Is this like a salafi thing?

[Ibn Abi Ahmed]

:sl:

Jazakallah Khayr for the explanation Br. Al Izaaree. The following narrations are unrefutable proof of the Aqeedah of the Salaf:

The verse:

يخافون ربهم من فوقهم

“They fear their Lord from above them”

The ‘min’ here cancels out ANY possibility of ta’wil.

The proofs for Allah’s literal elevation above His creation are too numerous to be denied:

1) “Then He rose over the throne” – as it occurs in many places in the Quran

2) “Do you feel secure from the one who is in the heavens” in two places

3) “To Him do ascend the good words and the good deeds”

4) “He plans the affairs from the heaven to the earth, then it will ascend to Him”

5) “The angels and the spirit ascend to Him”

6) “When Allah said: Isa, I will take you back and raise you up to Me”

7) “Rather, Allah raised him up to Him”

8) “(The Pharaoh said) O Haman! Build me a lofty palace, that I may attain the ways and means- The ways and means of (reaching) the heavens, and that I may mount up to the god of Moses: But as far as I am concerned, I think (Moses) is a liar!” Meaning: I believe Musa is lying when he tells me that there is a God in the heavens.

9) al-Bukhari’s narration that Zaynab used to say to the other wives of the Prophet: “You were married off by your families. I was married of by Allah from above the seven heavens”

10) Muslim’s famous narration about the Prophet asking the slave girl: Where is Allah? To which the slave girl responds: In the heavens. In response to this the Prophet says: Free her, for she is a believer. A Muslim slave girl puts you, the intellectual carrots, to shame!

11) The ascent of the Prophet – SallAllahu ‘alaihi wa-sallam – to the heavens, famously known as al-Isra wal-Mi’raj. Where did he go, if not UP TO THE HEAVENS?

12) The fact that Allah descends in the last third of the night to forgive, as explicitly mentioned in the ahadeeth.

13) The fact that the angels and His revelation, descend from Him. ‘We have sent down…’ is an often ‘blasphemous’ occurrence in the Quran.

14) The Hadeeth of Ibn Mas’ud about the day of judgement when Allah will gather the creation and everyone will be looking UP towards the heavens, waiting for Allah’s judgement. Al-Dhahabi declared it Hasan.

15) ‘Umar said: the order comes from here – pointing to the sky (sahih)

16) Ibn Mas’ud said: The Throne is above water, and Allah is above the throne. Nothing is hidden to him from your actions (Sahih)

17) ‘Aisha said: Allah knows, from above the Throne, that I did not like the killing of ‘Uthman. (Sahih)

18) Ibn ‘Abbas said: Allah was above His Throne before He had created anything (Sahih). He also said to ‘Aisha: Allah, from above the seven heavens, revealed the fact about your innocence. (Sahih)

19) Masruq would say whenever he related a hadeeth from ‘Aisha: I was informed by the truthful woman, beloved to Allah, the one who was declared innocent from above the seven heavens. (Sahih)

20) al-Dhahhak said: Allah is above His throne, whilst His knowledge is with them wherever they may be. (Sahih)

[boriqee]

Is this like a salafi thing?

no dear brother. it is a

The ummah,unfortunately, is divided into two main creeds concerning this point.

1.The athari creed of the salafu-saalih as propounded by Abu jafar at-Tahawee himself, Abu hanifah, Maalik, Thawri, Uyainah, Hammad bin Zayd, Ahmad, Bukharee, ad-Darimee, Ibn Abi Zayd, Abdur-Razzaq, Ibn Ma'in, Daraqutnee, Ishaaq, Ibnul-Mubarak, Shafi'ee, Ali Ibnul-Madinee, Abdur-Rahman bin Mahdi, Zuhri, Hasan al-Basri, at-tabari, al-Lalikaa'ee, Shaykhul-Islam Imaamul-Aimah Ibnul-Khuzaimah, Abu Zurah, Ibn Abi hatim, andAbu Haatim ar-Razi, al-Awzaa'ee and a multiplicity of relied upon Imaams of sunnah and

2.the ashari/jahmi/mutazili creed of the khalafu-taalih as invented by our unforutnate muslim comrade like Abu Muhammad ibnul-Kullab al-Mutakalim, ibn Asaakir, Ibn Furak, Fakhru-deen ar-Razi and others

thing

I was merely making sure that the unintended meaning of what at-Tahawi stated was not what was taken to mean, but understood that its was not absolute,m but rather confined to the creational aspects of "direction.

And to further substantiate what i was accomplishing then this is what al-Qurtubi has to say about the Madhab of the Salaf:

"The early Salaf – may Allah be pleased with them – would not negate direction (jiha), nor would they utter such. Rather, they and the rest uttered in affirmation of that (i.e. direction) for Allah Ta’ala, as did utter His Book, and His Messengers informed – to his words: None from the Salaf al-Salih denied that Allah Ta’ala Rose over His Throne in reality (haqiqatan)"

He also says: "The most correct of the beliefs (adhar al-aqwal), although I do not subscribe to it nor do I prefer it, is what is manifest in the verses and traditions, and (the statements of) the noble and the excellent ones, that Allah Subhanahu is upon His Throne, as He informed in His Books, without kayf, separate from His creation. This is basically the Madhab of the Salaf al-Salih."

And this is the sad state unfortunately for al-Qurtubi, who was an ash'ari in some way, that he would thus fall into the ayaah 'they chose that which is worse for that which is better" because apparently from his words above, he clearly accepted that the stance of the salaf is "the most correct beleifs" and then says right after 'I do not prescribe nor prefer it" may Allah have mercy and sanctify his soul rahimahullah

Read, for example what Ibn Rushd al-Maliki has to say:

‘As for this Attribute, i.e. the belief in a direction (for Allah), then the people of Shari’a did not cease to affirm it, until the Mu’tazila and the latter Ash’arites negated it, such as Abul-Ma’ali (al-Juwayni) and those who followed him. He then said: ‘It has become obvious that the affirmation of direction (jiha) is obligatory, legally and intellectually..’
This is coming from Ibn Rushd the philosopher
so it is clear from all that has come that when the statement is made "he is not encompassed by the six directions" it is understood by the apparent wording itself that He is not "contained" as if He is not overcome with any of the directions. But if someone were to twist the statement to mean "Allah is not above His throne" then this is what I wished that no one would misinterpret from at-tahawi's words.

that is textually, both revelational wise and scholastic wise, there is a heap the size of uhood with regards to texts affirming His being "ABOVE" the Throne

As for intellectually, then it is understood that it is His creation that is subdued by direction (jihah) and not Him, and since the creation is that which is contained in a direction thenit follows that it cannot be be in connection with Allah from any side except that it is below.

that is why when al-Qurtubee said this

"Many of the past and contemporary philosophers said, ‘When it is necessary to purify the Creator (al-Baaree) - whose Magnificence is great - from having direction (jihah) and demarcation (tamayyuz), then from the requirements and necessary consequences of this, in the view of most of the past scholars and their leading contemporaries, is the purify the Creator (al-Baaree) from having direction (jihah). In their view, direction does not have the aspect of ‘above’ to it. This is because to them, when Allaah is designated with direction, this would necessitate that He is restricted to a place (makaan) and a confine (hayyiz). (Subsequently), a place and a confine necessitate (for Him) (such) movement and stillness that is related to distinction (tamayyuz), transformation (taghayyur) and new occurrences (hudooth) . This is the saying of the philosophers.

adh-Dhahabee said in reply in his al-uluw

I (adh-Dhahabee) say, "Yes, this is what the deniers of the ‘uluww (highness) of the Lord, Mighty and Majestic, have depended upon. And they turned away from the requirement of the Book, the Sunnah, the sayings of the Salaf and the innate dispositions of the whole of creation. What they claim to be necessitated (from affirming Allaah’s highness) is only applicable to created bodies. Yet there is nothing like Allaah and the necessities arising from the clear and evident texts (of the Book and the Sunnah) are also true. However, we do not make use of any explanation except one that comes through a narration. In addition to this we say, ‘We do not accept that the Creator’s being upon His Throne and above the heavens, necessitates that He is confined and in spatial direction, since whatever is below the Throne is said to be confined and in spatial direction. However, what is above the Throne is not like that. And Allaah is above the Throne as the very first generation are unanimously agreed upon and as the imaams after them have quoted from them. They said this in refutation of the Jahmiyyah, those who said that He is in every place seeking as a proof His saying, ‘And He is with you…’. So these two sayings were the very two sayings which were present in the time of the Taabi’een and their successors who came after them. And they are the two sayings that can be understood in this statement (i.e. of the philosophers). As for the third saying which came around after this which is that’ Allaah the Most High is not in any place, nor is His Holy Essence (Dhaat) confined, nor is He separate and distinct from His creation, nor is he in any spatial direction, nor is outside of any spatial directions, and nor this and nor that…’ then this is something that cannot be comprehended nor understood , along with the fact that within it is opposition to the verses (of the Book) and the narrations (from the Salaf). Therefore flee with your religion and beware of the opinions of the philosophers. Believe in Allaah and what has come from Him upon the desired intent of Allaah, then submit your affair to Him and there is no power nor movement except by Allaah."

So i hope that all of this was merely to serve in the protection o he correct understaning with reagrds to the issue at hand and not the philosophic mutazili aristotlian understanding.
that is all

asalamu alaikum

[Musalmaan]

:salamext:

Almighty Allah says in the Qur'an

Dhakkir, fa inna dhikra tanfa’ul Mou’mineen,
Remind, for indeed reminding benefits the believers. (51:55)

Aqeedah tahawiyyah, pt#

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

36. A man's Islam is not secure unless it is based on submission and surrender. Anyone who desires to know things which it 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 he subject to whisperings and find himself confused and full of doubt, being neither an accepting believer nor a denying rejector.

Allah SWT says in the Qur'an

"And there is none comparable unto Him." (Surah Al-Ikhlas, Ayah#4)

[Ibn Abi Ahmed]

:salamext:

Almighty Allah says in the Qur'an

Dhakkir, fa inna dhikra tanfa’ul Mou’mineen,
Remind, for indeed reminding benefits the believers. (51:55)

Aqeedah tahawiyyah, pt#

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

36. A man's Islam is not secure unless it is based on submission and surrender. Anyone who desires to know things which it 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 he subject to whisperings and find himself confused and full of doubt, being neither an accepting believer nor a denying rejector.

Allah SWT says in the Qur'an

"And there is none comparable unto Him." (Surah Al-Ikhlas, Ayah#4)

:sl:

If only those who do Ta'wil of the Names and Attributes of Allaah understood this point. Anyway, Jazakallah Khayr for bringing this up. This was exactly the way of the Salaf. They affirmed what Allaah affirmed for Himself and they never questioned it or went into its kayfiyyah and they had the more knowledge to get into Ta'wil, but they didn't as the later groups did when they started doing their Ta'wil. So when these groups started coming out like the Jahmiyyah, Imams from the Salaf like Imam Ahmad and others had to take a stand against their heresies, and later on, Imams like Ibn Taymiyyah stood like a beacon of the Sunnah, may Allaah have mercy upon their souls. All praise is to Allaah for putting men like Imam Ahmad and Ibn Taymiyyah in this Ummah.

[Musalmaan]

with due respect, Lets stick to Aqeedatu-Tahaawiyya and no bombardment of "quotes & quotes" in this thread and this not a topic for us to debate on.

The points mentioned in Aqeedatu-Tahaawiyya are quiet clear and distinguish Truth from falsehood, like pt. 38 did so. :)

may Allah forgive us and guide us all to the way of His true believers.

:w:

[IbnAbdulHakim]

^ lol yeah Alhamdulillah, the truth is extremely clear from falsehood.

istikhara really helps :D

[Ibn Abi Ahmed]

:sl:

The posts about Ta'wil were split and moved into a new thread found here:
http://www.islamicboard.com/islamic-...hat-tawil.html

And indeed, the truth is clear Alhamdullilah :)

[boriqee]

with due respect, Lets stick to Aqeedatu-Tahaawiyya and no bombardment of "quotes & quotes" in this thread and this not a topic for us to debate on.

The points mentioned in Aqeedatu-Tahaawiyya are quiet clear and distinguish Truth from falsehood, like pt. 38 did so. :)

may Allah forgive us and guide us all to the way of His true believers.

:w:

Yes, the truth does stand out clear form error.

since you said lets stick to the tahawiyyah then here is a present from at-tahawee

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

Point 38 must be locked in with the understanding that is brought in point 51.

And the best sharh of the aqeedah of tahawiyyah is none other than the Imaam of the hanafees, the one who brought the best sharh on at-tahawi unmatched since his time, Haafidh Ibn Abil-Izz al-Hanafee, who explains point 38 quite nicely

قوله وتعالى عن الحدود والغايات والأركان والاعضاء والادوات لا تحويه الجهات الست كسائر المبتدعات

ش أذكر بين يدي الكلام على عبارة الشيخ رحمه الله مقدمة وهي أن الناس في إطلاق مثل هذه الألفاظ ثلاثة أقوال فطائفة تنفيها وطائفة تثبتها وطائفة تفصل وهم المتبعون للسلف فلا يطلقون نفيها ولا إثباتها الا اذا تبين ما أثبت بها فهو ثابت وما نفي بها فهو منفي لأن المتأخرين قد صارت هذه الألفاظ في اصطلاحهم فيها إجمال وابهام كغيرها من الألفاظ الاصطلاحية فليس كلهم يستعملها في نفس معناها اللغوي ولهذا كان النفاة ينفون بها حقا وباطلا ويذكرون عن مثبتها ما لا يقولون به وبعض المثبتين لها يدخل لها معنى باطلا مخالفا لقول السلف ولما دل عليه الكتاب والميزان ولم يرد نص من الكتاب ولا من السنة بنفيها ولا إثباتها وليس لنا أن نصف الله تعالى بما لم يصف به نفسه ولا وصفه به رسوله نفيا ولا إثباتا وانما نحن متبعون لا مبتدعون

فالواجب أن ينظر في هذا الباب أعني باب الصفات فما أثبته الله ورسوله أثبتناه وما نفاه الله ورسوله نفيناه والألفاظ التي ورد بها النص يعتصم بها في الإثبات والنفي فنثبت ما أثبته الله ورسوله من الألفاظ والمعاني وننفي ما نفته نصوصهما من الألفاظ والمعاني وأما الالفاظ التي لم يرد نفيها ولا اثباتها فلا تطلق حتى ينظر في مقصود قائلها فإن كان معنى صحيحا قبل لكن ينبغي التعبير عنه بألفاظ النصوص دون الألفاظ المجملة إلا عند الحاجة مع قرائن تبين المراد والحاجة مثل أن يكون الخطاب مع من لا يتم المقصود معه ان لم يخاطب بها ونحو ذلك

والشيخ رحمه الله اراد الرد بهذا الكلام على المشبهة كداود الجواربي وأمثاله القائلين إن الله جسم وانه جثة واعضاء وغير ذلك تعالى الله عما يقولون علوا كبيرا فالمعنى الذي أراده الشيخ رحمه الله من النفي الذي ذكره هنا حق لكن حدث بعده من أدخل في عموم نفيه حقا وباطلا فيحتاج الى بيان ذلك وهو أن السلف متفقون على أن البشر لا يعلمون لله حدا وانهم لا يحدون شيئا من صفاته قال ابو داود الطيالسي كان سفيان وشعبة وحماد بن زيد وحماد بن سلمة وشريك وابو عوانة لا يحدون ولا يشبهون ولا يمثلون يروون الحديث ولا يقولون كيف وإذا سئلوا قالوا بالأثر وسيأتي في كلام الشيخ وقد أعجز خلقه عن الإحاطة به فعلم ان مراده أن الله يتعالى عن أن يحيط أحد بحده لأن المعنى أنه متميز عن خلقه منفصل عنهم مباين لهم سئل عبد الله بن المبارك بم نعرف ربنا قال بأنه على العرش بائن من خلقه قيل بحد قال بحد انتهى ومن المعلوم أن الحد يقال على ما ينفصل به الشيء ويتميز به عن غيره والله تعالى غير حال في خلقه ولا قائم بهم بل هو القيوم القائم بنفسه المقيم لما سواه فالحد بهذا المعنى لا يجوز أن يكون فيه منازعة في نفس الأمر أصلا فإنه ليس وراء نفيه إلا نفي وجود الرب ونفي حقيقته وأما الحد بمعنى العلم والقول وهو أن يحده العباد فهذا منتف بلا منازعة بين أهل السنة قال أبو القاسم القشيري في رسالته سمعت الشيخ أبا عبد الرحمن السلمي سمعت أبا منصور بن عبد الله سمعت أبا الحسن العنبري سمعت سهل بن عبد الله التستري يقول وقد سئل عن ذات الله فقال ذات الله موصوفة بالعلم غير مدركة بالإحاطة ولا مرئية بالأبصار في دار الدنيا وهي موجودة بحقائق الإيمان من غير حد ولا إحاطة ولا حلول وتراه العيون في العقبى ظاهرا في ملكه وقدرته وقد حجب الخلق عن معرفة كنه ذاته ودلهم عليه بآياته فالقلوب تعرفه والعيون لا تدركه ينظر إليه المؤمن بالأبصار من غير إحاطة ولا ادراك نهاية

وأما لفظ الأركان والأعضاء والأدوات فيستدل بها النفاة على نفي بعض الصفات الثابتة بالأدلة القطعية كاليد والوجه قال أبو حنيفة رضي الله عنه في الفقه الأكبر له يد ووجه ونفس كما ذكر تعالى في القرآن من ذكر اليد والوجه والنفس فهو له صفة بلا كيف ولا يقال أن يده قدرته ونعمته لأن فيه إبطال الصفة انتهى وهذا الذي
قاله الإمام رضي الله عنه ثابت بالأدلة القاطعة قال تعالى ) ما منعك أن تسجد لما خلقت بيدي ( ) والأرض جميعا قبضته يوم القيامة والسماوات مطويات بيمينه ( وقال تعالى ) كل شيء هالك إلا وجهه ( ) ويبقى وجه ربك ذو الجلال والإكرام ( وقال تعالى ) تعلم ما في نفسي ولا أعلم ما في نفسك ( وقال تعالى ) كتب ربكم على نفسه الرحمة ( وقال تعالى ) واصطنعتك لنفسي ( وقال تعالى ) ويحذركم الله نفسه ( وقال e في حديث الشفاعة لما يأتي الناس آدم فيقولون له خلقك الله بيده وأسجد لك ملائكته وعلمك أسماء كل شيء الحديث ولا يصح تأويل من قال إن المراد باليد بالقدرة فإن قوله ) لما خلقت بيدي ( لا يصح أن يكون معناه بقدرتي مع تثنية اليد ولو صح ذلك لقال إبليس وأنا أيضا خلقتني بقدرتك فلا فضل له علي بذلك فإبليس مع كفره كان أعرف بربه من الجهمية ولا دليل لهم في قوله تعالى ) أو لم يروا أنا خلقنا لهم مما عملت أيدينا أنعاما فهم لها مالكون ( لأنه تعالى جمع الأيدي لما اضافها إلى ضمير الجمع ليتناسب الجمعان فاللفظان للدلالة على الملك والعظمة ولم يقل أيدي مضافا إلى ضمير المفرد ولا يدينا بتثنية اليد مضافا الى ضمير الجمع فلم يكن قوله ) مما عملت أيدينا ( نظير قوله ) لما خلقت بيدي ( وقال النبي e عن ربه عز وجل حجابه النور ولو كشفه لأحرقت سبحات وجهه ما انتهى إليه بصره من خلقه ولكن لا يقال لهذه الصفات إنها أعضاء أو جوارح او أدوات أو أركان لأن الركن جزء الماهية والله تعالى هو الأحد الصمد لا يتجزأ سبحانه وتعالى والأعضاء فيها معنى التفريق والتعضيه تعالى الله عن ذلك ومن هذا المعنى قوله تعالى ) الذين جعلوا القرآن عضين ( والجوارح فيها معنى الاكتساب والانتفاع وكذلك الأدوات هي الآلات التي ينتفع بها في جلب المنفعة ودفع المضرة وكل هذه المعاني منتفية عن الله تعالى ولهذا لم يرد ذكرها في صفات الله تعالى فالألفاظ الشرعية صحيحة المعاني سالمة من الاحتمالات الفاسدة فكذلك يجب أن لا يعدل عن الألفاظ الشرعية نفيا ولا إثباتا لئلا يثبت معنى فاسد أو ينفي معنى صحيح وكل هذه الالفاظ المجملة عرضة للمحق والمبطل

وأما لفظ الجهة فقد يراد به ما هو موجود وقد يراد به ما هو معدوم ومن المعلوم أنه لا موجود إلا الخالق والمخلوق فإذا أريد بالجهة أمر موجود غير الله تعالى كان مخلوقا والله تعالى لا يحصره شيء ولا يحيط به شيء من المخلوقات تعالى الله عن ذلك وإن أريد بالجهة امر عدمي وهو ما فوق العالم فليس هناك إلا الله وحده فإذا قيل إنه في جهة بهذا الاعتبار فهو صحيح ومعناه أنه فوق العالم حيث انتهت المخلوقات فهو فوق الجميع عال عليه ونقاه لفظ الجهة الذين يريدون بذلك نفي العلو يذكرون من أدلتهم أن الجهات كلها مخلوقة وانه كان قبل الجهات وأن من قال إنه في جهة يلزمه القول بقدم شيء من العالم وأنه كان مستغنيا عن الجهة ثم صار فيها وهذه الألفاظ ونحوها إنما تدل على أنه ليس في شيء من المخلوقات وسواء سمي جهة او لم يسم وهذا حق ولكن الجهة ليست أمرا وجوديا بل أمر إعتباري ولا شك أن الجهات لا نهاية لها وما لا يوجد فيما لا نهاية له فليس بموجود

وقول الشيخ رحمه الله لا تحويه الجهات الست كسائر المبتدعات هو حق باعتبار أنه لا يحيط به شيء من مخلوقاته بل هو محيد بكل شيء وفوقه وهذا المعنى هو الذي أراده الشيخ رحمه الله لما يأتي في كلامه أنه تعالى محيط بكل شيء وفوقه فإذا جمع بين كلاميه وهو قوله لا تحويه الجهات الست كسائر المبتدعات وقوله محيط بكل شيء وفوقه علم أن مراده أن الله تعالى لا يحويه شيء ولا يحيط به شيء كما يكون لغيره من المخلوقات وأنه تعالى هو المحيط بكل شيء العالي عن كل شيء

لكن بقي في كلامه شيئان

أحدهما أن إطلاق مثل هذا اللفظ مع ما فيه من الإجمال والإحتمال كان تركه أولى وإلا تسلط عليه وألزم بالتناقض في اثبات الإحاطة والفوقية ونفي جهة العلو وإن أجيب عنه بما تقدم من أنه انما نفى أن يحويه شيء من مخلوقاته فالاعتصام بالالفاظ الشرعية اولى

الثاني أن قوله كسائر المبتدعات يفهم منه أنه ما من مبتدع إلا وهو محوي وفي هذا نظر فإنه ان أراد أنه محوي بأمر وجودي فممنوع فان العالم ليس في عالم آخر وإلا لزم التسلسل وان أراد أمرا عدميا فليس كل مبتدع في العدم بل منها ما هو داخل في غيره كالسموات والأرض في الكرسي ونحو ذلك ومنها ما هو منتهى المخلوقات كالعرش فسطح العالم ليس في
غيره من المخلوقات قطعا للتسلسل كما تقدم ويمكن أن يجاب عن هذا الإشكال بأن سائر بمعنى البقية لا بمعنى الجميع هذا اصل معناها ومنه السؤر وهو ما يبقيه الشارب في الإناء فيكون مراده غالب المخلوقات لا جميعها إذ السائر على الغالب أدل منه على الجميع فيكون المعنى أن الله تعالى غير محوي كما يكون أكثر المخلوقات محويا بل هو غير محوي بشيء تعالى الله عن ذلك ولا نظن بالشيخ رحمه الله انه ممن يقول إن الله تعالى ليس داخل العالم ولا خارجه بنفي التعيينين كما ظنه بعض الشارحين بل مراده أن الله تعالى منزه عن أن يحيط به شيء من مخلوقاته وأن يكون مفتقرا إلى شيء منها العرش او غيره
وفي ثبوت هذا الكلام عن الإمام أبي حنيفة رضي الله عنه نظر فإن أضداده قد شنعوا عليه بأشياء أهون منه فلو سمعوا مثل هذا الكلام لشاع عنهم تشنيعهم عليه به وقد نقل أبو مطيع البلخي عنه إثبات العلو كما سيأتي ذكره ان شاء الله تعالى وظاهر هذا الكلام يقتضي نفيه ولم يرد بمثله كتاب ولا سنة فلذلك قلت إن في ثبوته عن الإمام نظرا وان الأولى التوقف في إطلاقه فإن الكلام بمثله خطر بخلاف الكلام بما ورد عن الشارع كالاستواء والنزول ونحو ذلك ومن ظن من الجهال أنه اذا نزل الى سماء الدنيا كما أخبر الصادق e يكون العرش فوقه ويكون محصورا بين طبقتين من العالم فقوله مخالف لإجماع السلف مخالف للكتاب والسنة وقال شيخ الإسلام أبو عثمان إسماعيل بن عبد الرحمن الصابوني سمعت الأستاذ أبا منصور بن حماد بعد روايته حديث النزول يقول سئل ابو حنيفة رضي الله عنه عنه فقال ينزل بلا كيف انتهى

وإنما توقف من توقف في نفي ذلك لضعف علمه بمعاني الكتاب والسنة وأقوال السلف لذلك ينكر بعضهم أن يكون فوق العرش بل يقول لا مباين ولا مجانب لا داخل العالم ولا خارجه فيصفونه بصفة العدم والممتنع ولا يصفونه بما وصف به نفسه من العلو والاستواء على العرش ويقول بعضهم بحلوله في كل موجود أو يقول هو وجود كل موجود ونحو ذلك تعالى الله عما يقول الظالمون والجاحدون علوا كبيرا وسيأتي لإثبات صفة العلو لله تعالى زيادة بيان عند الكلام على قول الشيخ رحمه الله محيط بكل شيء وفوقه إن شاء الله تعالى

the basic gists of it, he says exactly what i said, that while it is necessary to purify the creator from having direction LIKE how the creation is bound by direction, it is not taken or understood by us that we should purify the Creator from what the Creator affirmed for Himself i.e. that He Rose above the Throne. He also mentions that three sayings emerged from it one totally denying it, one totally accepting it blindly at face value (which is what the deniers that Alllah Rose Over His Thrown are upon), and the other only being reserved as to refraining from doing the two until inquiring what is meant (which is what we sunnis are upon). And that our duty is to look into the morphology of it and that it is neither intended to mean one or the other until one compares it with the sayings of quran and hadeeth texts

had you any knowledge as to why false interpretors used this point in their favor in a way at-Tahawi did not intend is because to these deniers of the highness of Allah (al-Uloow) opined two reasons for their denialment

1. they reasoned or actually they denied al-haraka (movement) from Allah. They viewed that movement to be something created.
Now lets contrast this beleif with what the salaf beleived

Harb al-Kirmaanee mentioned that this (meaning the following statement) is the saying of those whom he met from the Imaams of Sunnah, such as Ahmad Ibn Hanbal, Ishaaq Ibn Rahaweih, Abdullah Ibn Zubair al-Humaidee, Sa'eed ibn Mansoor. The wording bellow is the wording of Sa'eed ibn Mansoor, and others stated similar

"Certainly, al-haraka is one of the requisites of life, for every living thing moves and they (the salaf) treated the denial of this (al-haraka) as one of the sayings of the jahmiyyah"

So while "SOME" of the salaf denied using the TERM (the actual pronounced term called haraka) they are all agreed to the meaning and implication of what it was used for i.e. His Coming (majee), His Arriving (Ityaan), and His Descent (Yanzil), His Rising (istiwaa). So those who denied the usage of the word only denied the usage of the word and not the aqeedah implied behind it

2. the second matter that lead to the denialment of the original negators of the Attributes was the kalaami argument whcih was that "direction" has no aspect of "above" to it. So to them, direction MEANT BY DEFAULT (due to their narrow-minded aristolian philosophizing) that it was "bound" and therefore has a limit and encompassed.

While the two groups agree (meaning the affirmers of the Attributes i.e. the orthodox sunnis and the negators of the attributes i.e. the heretical people of kalaam) that Allah is not "BOUND" or encompassed or that He is limited, where they differed is that the second heretical group understood the multiplicity of quranic proofs and the hadeethi proofs of Allah's being "above the arsh' and looked at it from the aristolian definition of what "direction" meant. On that basis they denied the Ayaah of Allah where He affirms what He Affirms.

That is why I state what the Shafi'i erudite scholar adh-Dhahabee once again where he says that in reality, we i.e. the sunnis, do not look or view what is above the throne as being encompessed and having limit, to the contrary we view that whatever is below the throne is what is encompassed and having limits and direction.

of course this is one fundamental the negators always seem to gaze over, that they are the ones who make tashbeeh of Allah, they are the ones who liken Allah to the creation. WHY?

because we seperate Allah from the creation and we beleive that the quraan IS ABSOLUTELY FREE OF THE KUFR OF TAJSEEM AND TASHBEEH. With that being said when they read the quraan, anthropomorphism lerks in their minds, and they know that as a fundamental, tajseem is kufr. So therefore they began the innovation, as adh-dhahabee the historian remarks, of t'awil.

They are the ones who invented t'awil for themselves because to them, the quran is blasphemous and add to that the prophetic traditions as well.

asalamu alaikum

[Abu Ibraheem]

Salam, why did the sharh stop at al-Miraj, please bro... finish the job

[boriqee]

actually thats alll i have that was translated by a brother I beleive his name is ABu Rhayyim and was a sharh from Abdur-Rahman al-KHumayyis.

I don't think my arabic is good enough begin where he left off translating Ibn Abi'l Izz's sharh.

asalamu alaikum

[albangsamori]

assalamu alaikum

For a complete audio lecture of Aqeedah Tahawiyyah - free download:

http://www.islamlecture.com/tahaweeyah.htm

By Abu Muhammad Abdur Rauf Shakir

[Ummu Sufyaan]

:sl:
sorry people, i dont mean to rain on your parade, but i was reading this fatwa today. its quite long, so i have just posted the relevant part.

Despite what we have referred to of the good features of this ‘Aqeedah and its commentary by Ibn Abi’l-‘Izz, it also contains a number of issues which were criticized, because they go against what the salaf believed, such as his saying, when defining faith: “Faith is affirming with the tongue and believing in the heart,” because limiting it to that is the view of the Murji’i fuqaha’ who excluded physical actions from the definition of faith. The same applies to what he said after that, “Faith is one and the same, and believers are equal with regard to the foundation of faith.”

It also includes some general phrases that may be understood incorrectly, and are most often used by innovators to mean things that are contrary to the beliefs of the righteous salaf, such as his saying, “exalted be He above limits and boundaries” and “exalted be He above having faculties and parts” and “He is not subject to directions and dimensions which are attributes of created beings.” Such phrases are used by those who misinterpret the attributes of Allaah (al-mu’attilah) to deny what is affirmed in the Book of Allaah and the Sunnah of His Messenger of the sublime attributes of Allaah that befit His perfection, may He be glorified and exalted, such as His Countenance, hands and eyes. They call them faculties and parts, and deny that Allaah possesses them.

Another example is His being above His creation, and His rising above His Throne in His heaven. They call this “directions and location” and deny that it applies to Allaah, may He be exalted.

Because of that, it is important for the seeker of knowledge to pay attention to learning this ‘Aqeedah from a scholar of Ahl al-Sunnah who can explain it, such as Ibn Abi’l-‘Izz among classical scholars and from contemporary scholars who have written brief commentaries on it, as we have referred to above.

There are many audio commentaries on this book, such as the commentary by Shaykh Saalih Aal al-Shaykh, and the commentary by Shaykh Yoosuf al-Ghufays, and others.

Shaykh Safar al-Hawaali (may Allaah preserve him) has commented at length on the commentary of Ibn Abi’l-‘Izz; you may refer to it on his website.

read the whole fatwa here inshallah.
:sl:

[boriqee]

that is true, the hanafi fuqaha haad irj'aa in their faith.

but that does not mean we turn around and go the other extrme as Safar al-Hawalee did by virtually labeling the orthodox beliefs as that of irj'aa.

So yes, it is incumbant upon us to not refer to, or take guidance form the murjis in all of their manifestations, and along with that, we do not take or refer to people upon khariji beliefs regarding emaan either. Ahlu-sunnah are hte middle people between the two extremes

asalamu alaikum

[Khaldun]

:sl:

And this is why scholars say this book is named 'Aqeedatu-Tahaawiyya and not Aqeedatu-Salafiyyah or its likes.

[Zafran]

salaam

This creed is menat to be the creed that all (sunni) muslims agree upon - I'm going to get the creed translated by Hamza Yusuf soon.

peace

[boriqee]

Hamza Yusif is not sunni in creed

he is ash'ari in creed

if one wants the full sharh of Imaam at-Tahwaee, another brother just posted its links in the next sticky thread on the commentary of tahawiyyah

asalamu alaikum

[Zafran]

Hamza Yusif is not sunni in creed

he is ash'ari in creed

if one wants the full sharh of Imaam at-Tahwaee, another brother just posted its links in the next sticky thread on the commentary of tahawiyyah

asalamu alaikum

salaam

He made a translation of Imam Thawi's book and talks about it in an inverview on Islam channel (which you can view on Youtube) - the Asharis, Ataris and Matrudi are the 3 groups that he talks about - its the main basic Sunni aqeada accpeted by all sunnis including himself.

peace

[Ummu Sufyaan]

:sl:
Im confused. what aayah/hadith has the imam, rahimahullah used to come to the conclusion that

38. And The Most High is far from having limits or restrictions, supporting parts or limbs and He is not confined to the six directions (right, left, front, back, above and below) like the rest of created things.

doesn't that negate that he is above the heavens (as stated in the hadith):? they just seem to very opposite and contradicting things :?
i have read the explanation given, but it doesn't really make much sense...

[Ibn Abi Ahmed]

:sl:

^ Go here: http://www.islamicboard.com/aqeedah/...al-hanafi.html

In Part 2, read from page 156 onwards of the actual book (page 87 on the file) where Ibn Abi al-’Izz al-Hanafi gives an explanation of this point. If that still isn't enough, I suggest asking a scholar or on the Multaqa forums.

[Ali_slave of Allah]

Sheikh Allaamah Muhammad Aamaan ibn Ali Al Jaami did a beautiful explaination for that and it is in arabic. i'll paste the link later on insha Allah

[boriqee]

salaam

He made a translation of Imam Thawi's book and talks about it in an inverview on Islam channel (which you can view on Youtube) - the Asharis, Ataris and Matrudi are the 3 groups that he talks about - its the main basic Sunni aqeada accpeted by all sunnis including himself.

peace

Yeah, Im aware of this new phenomenon that came as a tidal wave to the ummah.

The liars among the Ash'aris claimed that this was the claim of Imaam as-Safareenee

One of the greatest deceptions utilized by our ash'ari bretheren is the statement, 'The saved sect (meaning, Ahl al-Hadeeth), are the Atharis, the Ash’aris and the Maturidis'

Here is the actual rendering of his words

Some scholars said: (the saved sect) meaning, Ahl al-Hadeeth, i.e. the Atharis, the Ash’aris and the Maturidis

From what I have encountered, no scholar in Islamic history before or during as-safarini's time has made this statement, ever. Nevertheless the fact that he says “some scholars said” is apparently something he heard that may have been going around or something he came across. Whatever the case, it is apparent that it is not something he agrees with. In fact his very “sharh” of this statement proves this.
He states
I say: The wording of the Hadeeth, i.e. The Prophet's statement: ‘except one sect’, contradicts the idea of multiplicity, and thus I said:
This text (about the saved sect) cannot be applied to any sect Save the Ahl al-Athar’ (1/76)

Thus, according to the very Imaam whom the Asharis and maturidis used his words to imply upon us that he accepted them as part of ahlu-sunnah, is himself negating them to be so based upon the understanding of the salaf of which bases its understanding of “those who are saved” on being none other than “what the companions were upon” which has been dealt with above.

However if we, the Muslims, were ever sane enough to accept such a notion from our unwanted opponents, then based on their own premise, where did they ever exert this half hearted asl upon the “atharis” at any point in history. Ibnul-Qudamah is the champion of the athari aqeedah and is defamed by some of the ash’ari’s own predecessors. Ibn Taymiyyah is more so the chmpion of athari aqeedah since the time of Ahmad as is merely understood by all atharis.

Another claim was invented by Abdur-Rahman as-Sondalaanee in which he stated that ahlu-sunnah have three differing aqeedahs and only 2 in kalaam.

But I love when such people make these claims because it reveals how much fools they are because I know no Muslim will buy this. If anyone asks any Zayd or Amr on the street "ahlu-sunnah as three different aqeedahs that are acceptbale as ahlu-sunnah" he might thing your a munafiq. So I implore that people who allowed themselves to be scammed by this idea to continue spreading it.

asalamu alaikum

[boriqee]

:sl:
Im confused. what aayah/hadith has the imam, rahimahullah used to come to the conclusion that


doesn't that negate that he is above the heavens (as stated in the hadith):? they just seem to very opposite and contradicting things :?
i have read the explanation given, but it doesn't really make much sense...

The words are self explanatory in and of themselves.

what the Imaam is saying is that Allah is not "ENCOMPASSED" by the six directions. In other words He is not quarantined to up or down as it He is encompassed by that direction or the opposite directions.

So there is nothing wrong wit hthe Imaams words rather there is everything wrong with heretics that are mutakalimoon who try to interpret an athari text book on creed. This is what happens when people of kalaam try to explain the words of a muthbit athari al-Imaam at-Tahawee.

What the heretics would do is to interpret this to MEAN that Allah is not in the direction of 'Uloow" and is therefore NOT over the Throne as He said He is. So whenever they come across this statement from Tahawee, they are stupid enough to trick themselves into thinking that this athari is negating that Allah is over the Throne which He affirms in other points in his aqeedah, one of them being point number 51

the heretics among the ash;aris like to rape this single point as if the other point at-Tahawee made was never mentioned which was point 51

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

If Allah is "above" then that entails "direction" that is noted in point 38.

This is why we can;t depend on heretics to explain an athari text book, since Imaam at-Tahawee was a fully fledged Athari in Aqeedah.

Here is the sharh for point 38

The Explanation:

Allah, The Glorified and Exalted is Exalted and removed from any restrictions or limitations. There are no restrictions for Allah, restricting and confining Him, and there are no limitations for Him. Of course this means that Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He, does not permeate His creation and is not united with His creation. Indeed, He is The Glorified and Exalted is far from being on the level of His creation. And indeed He negates for Himself any supporting parts or limbs for these are tools of the servants, that which helps them benefit themselves and well as repel harm, and Allah, The Exalted, is far above this.
This is what we know from what is mentioned in the Qur’an of Allah’s Names and Attributes, but we say: Indeed the meanings of them (i.e., Allah’s Names and Attributes) in truth is what is based on clear evidence and we understand this meaning and we affirm it for Allah upon what was intended. We do not, however, try to delve into the kaifiyyah, for indeed it the knowledge of it belongs exclusively to Allah. And similarly, He (Allah) Glorified and Exalted is not limited to the six directions like the rest of created things. Of course, we do not understand this to mean that this is a total negation of direction. Indeed He, The Glorified and Exalted is in the Most Exalted and uppermost direction but what was intended by the statement is that He, Glorified and Exalted in not bound or restricted by directions nor overtaken by them like His creation.
Synopsis:
Indeed, Allah, Most High will be seen on the Day of Rising with clear vision and the seeing of Him by the believers is true even though their vision of Him does not and can not encompass Him and this is inherent in the texts of this chapter. And it is an obligation upon the Muslim to refrain from attempting to interpret (these affairs) and to refrain from the speech of the people who negate (these affairs) and to know that Allah, The Blessed and Most High is far removed from being similar to His creatures.


Now, if you wish to understand more in depth as to why the mutakalimoon suffered from chronic illogic syndrome fueled by kalaam, then their illogic and reason bereft of any benefit was best explained by Imaam al-Qurtubee

Now, originally, Qurtubee was commenting on the philosophers, but ideologically, the people he is addressing are his contemporaries among the ash'aris because they used the exact same absurd arguments as the philosophers even though their conclusions were diametrically opposed.

he says
in his Asnaa

"Many of the past and contemporary philosophers said, ‘When it is necessary to purify the Creator (al-Baaree) - whose Magnificence is great - from having direction (jihah) and demarcation (tamayyuz), then from the requirements and necessary consequences of this, in the view of most of the past scholars and their leading contemporaries, is to purify the Creator (al-Baaree) from having direction (jihah). In their view, direction does not have the aspect of ‘above’ to it. This is because to them, when Allaah is designated with direction, this would necessitate that He is restricted to a place (makaan) and a confine (hayyiz). (Subsequently), a place and a confine necessitate (for Him) (such) movement and stillness that is related to distinction (tamayyuz), transformation (taghayyur) and new occurrences (hudooth) . This is the saying of the philosophers. "

The Shafi'ee jurist adh-Dhahabee has a beautiful comment on al-Qurtubee's words above and highlighting where the ash'aris fit in all of this mess and how they negated Him from existence.

I hope this was more than sufficient to explain how our view of this point is actually the meaning of his claim and the awkward claims of the ash'aris fail to explain this point in its correct light, especially by contrasting this point with other points that denote Allah being over the Throne.

asalamu alaikum

[Ummu Sufyaan]

:sl:
^ i also agree that there aren't 3 as a shiekh once mentioned (along the lines of), "how can something contradictory be unified."

but i think there maybe a genuine misunderstanding on both parties as (im not sure about abu mansoor al-Maturidi) but abul hasan asl-Ashari, rahimahullah, WAS a mu3tazili, but later accepted the proper belief and died upon it. and i think that's where the confusion may arise for some people, as they know him to be on the acceptable creed, but may take his work from when he was a mu3tazli. im not 100% sure, but just my 2 thinking out aloud cents...

[Ummu Sufyaan]

:sl:

Sheikh Allaamah Muhammad Aamaan ibn Ali Al Jaami did a beautiful explaination for that and it is in arabic. i'll paste the link later on insha Allah

could you please post this inshallah.