By Dr. Tariq Abdulhaleem
Praise be to Allaah
O Allaah, we seek refuge in You from disbelief or association in any shape or form, big and small, and from any innovation in anyway, big or small, and we ask for your forgiveness and repent to you from any sins major and minor. We clear ourselves in order to be saved from your punishment and be protected in your shade on the day where there’s no shade except yours.
The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said:
"If people where granted their wishes, then the blood and wealth of people would be lost." (reported in Bukharee and Muslim).
However, the burden of proof is on the accuser as it is in Usool of Ahl al-Sunnah wal-Jama’ah. So this is our creed and what we claim so that it may be known in writing and we don’t contradict it in any sayings or actions.
We, by Allaah’s help, declare our creed to all, without disguising nor hiding our faith. Rather, we declare it clearly that we adhere to Ahl al-Sunnah wal-Jama’ah, the saved sect. We do not leave it to anyone to claim otherwise. So whoever’s looking to judge us can go back to what we outline in this section because it is what we shall enter our graves believing in and shall not be changed to any other faith or worldly gain. Thus, we say that we believe in:
1. Allaah (Exalted is He) is only but One, Eternal and Absolute, that has no spouse or child, nor does He have a partner, helper in creation, or supporter in sustaining His kingdom.
2. Allaah (Exalted is He) has created humans on the natural disposition (Fitrah) of Islaam, like the similitude of an unmarked Animal, Allaah created it with no mutation in its features. Then He gave humans their minds to seek the true path in its light, and guidance in darkness.
3. Allaah (Exalted is He) has taken the eternal pledge on Humans to admit His Lordship and Governorship, and by which He annulled the excuses of ignorance and imitation.
4. Since Allaah (Exalted is He) did not wish to make people accountable for their deeds based on the original pledge or the given Fitrah and mind, He (Exalted is He) blessed humans with His bounty of sending them messengers with glad tidings and warnings, as opposed to what the sect of Mu'tazilah claims. He (Exalted is He) sent prophets and messengers to each and every nation (Ummah) to worship no one but Him and to avoid Al-Taghoot (any thing that claims the stature of Allaah (Exalted is He) or replace Him in any capacity).
5. The messengers of Allaah (Exalted is He), starting with Adam, through Noah, Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, Jesus and Muhammad (may Allaah have peace on all of them) had one same message to humankind: to worship no one but Allaah, and take no partners with Him.
6. We believe that the essence of Tawheed of Allaah (Exalted is He) is admitting His Lordship (Ruboobiyah) and Governorship (Uloohiyah), and His Names and Attributes (Al-Asma wa As-Sifat), and worship Him, seek protection only in Him, in private and public actions and intentions.
7. The Attributes of Allaah (Exalted is He) are firm and true as He described Himself with in His divine words. Allaah (Exalted is He) said:
"There is nothing like Him, and He is the One that hears and sees" (Al-Shura:11)
Allaah negated any similarities with his creation, then affirmed His attributes of Hearing and Seeing. It is the pre-existence of similitudes in the mind of People of Innovation (Ahlul Bidaa) that makes them not able to accept the words of Allaah as He revealed them without any deviation (Taweel). Such deviation is only necessary to remove these similarities from such corrupted minds as Mu'tazila (and those in the minds of Ashariyyah). Allaah (Exalted is He) settled on His Throne, without asking "How" as Imaam Maalik said when he was asked about the meaning of the verse. Allaah (Exalted is He) is separate from His creatures and above them as He said. So as in all His divine attributes, we accept these attributes the way the companions accepted them without arguments that do not apply to such attributes.
8. Allaah (Exalted is He) has the ultimate knowledge of the past, present and the future to the smallest minute detail as He said:
"Nor is hidden from the Lord (so much as) the weight of an atom on the earth or in heaven. And not the least and not the greatest of these things but are recorded in a clear Record" (Yunus:61).
Allaah (Exalted is He) also knows the alternative choices of Man; if they took place, how would they be. This is only the necessity of Him being of ultimate knowledge that is beyond our comprehension. This knowledge does not necessitate coerce Man in making any choices (pre-destination). Allaah (Exalted is He) knows and knew the events as described and they all happen exactly the way He knew and recorded them. It is impossible that any event happen any other way, otherwise His knowledge is wrong or incomplete. Events were:
a. Known to Allaah
b. Recorded by Allaah (Exalted is He)
c. Descended to the Lower Heavens to be ready for Angels to carry them out, and
d. Carried out by humans which is known as the Qada’a.
9. We believe in Angels, Divine books of Allaah, Messengers and Prophets, Qadaa and Qadar (both good and bad), the Pass (Al-Sirat), the Scale (Al-Meezaan), Intercession of the Prophet, the Dajjal, permanence of the Heavens and Hellfire, and all and every Aqeeda issue that was proven in the correct Sunnah.
10. The worship of Allaah (Exalted is He) is based on on His Lordship. Worship of Allaah (Exalted is He) means to obey Him in every single act of the Muslim’s life:
a. Islaam is the only and lone source of Law in Muslims’ lives, both individuals and societies, as Allaah (Exalted is He) is the Creator and the Ruler,
"He created the sun, the moon, and the stars, (all) governed by laws under His Command. Is it not His to create and to govern? Blessed be Allaah, the Cherisher and Sustainer of the Worlds!" (Al-A’araf:54).
Allaah (Exalted is He) also said:
“And those who do not rule with what Allaah Has revealed are the disbelievers” (Al-Maidah:44).
So enforcing secular Laws to rule the lives of Muslims, establishing parallel laws and secular constitutions to follow, and killing those who call for following Divine Laws (Share'aah) is a true and clear renunciation of Islaam. However, ruling with an individual's desires, against Sharee'ah rulings, in a specific case is a sign of weakness of Imaan and is a sin. This is different from establishing a parallel Sharee'ah and following a secular constitution that is driven from sources other than Islaam.
b. Allaah (Exalted is He) is the Only Sustainer (Walee) of the believers. The allegiance, loyalty, love and support (Wala’a) of Muslims in any aspect of life has to be directed toward Allaah (Exalted is He), and hence His true servants - the believers. The matter of Wala’a is a matter of Tawheed. Those who associate with the unbelievers (especially in matters of laws), join their legislative bodies, and uphold legislations contrary to Islaamic laws are mocking Sharee'ah. They are as Allaah said in Al-Nisa'a:140) like them (unbelievers). Moreover, such sins can negate Imaan without one recognizing it. Such people are after money, fame or position (worldy gains).
In addition, we must point out that respecting other members of other faiths, such as Christians and Jews, is obligatory in Islaam. It is part of our faith to be kind to all people, help the community and the neighbourhood of your residence. Being a good example is a way of Da'wah that the Prophet has guided us to follow.
c. All rituals and acts of worship such as sacrifice and Dua’a are solely devoted to Allaah (Exalted is He). We believe that making "Tawasul" is through the good deeds of the person, or the Dua’a of a living righteous person. This is what was proven in the correct Sunnah, in spite of the misguided Sufis who, like all Ahlul Bidaa, insist on referring to weak or fabricated Hadeeths and overlook the correct Sunnah.
11. Imaan comprises both action and sayings. It increases by good deeds and decreases by sins.
12. Sins are major and minor, and insistence on sinning does not constitute negation of Islaam, in despite of the claim of Khawarij. We also believe that good deeds clear the bad deeds, accept the major ones. The intercession of martyrs, righteous people, the Prophet and all other intercessions proven in the correct Sunnah are all ways to help Muslims overcome the difficulty in the Day of Judgment.
13. The words of Qur’aan are understood on the obvious meaning, with no hidden or internal (Batin) meaning, in spite of Shiites and Sufis. Such astray interpretations are ways to change the solid and firm beliefs of Ahlul Sunnah.
14. The correct Sunnah is the second source of Islaamic jurisprudence. The Sunnah of the Prophet prohibited and permitted matters over and above what’s in Qur’aan. Sunnah also explains the Qur’aan. It specifies the general, clarifies the ambivalent, and restricts the absolute.
15. Great scholars of Ahlul Sunnah have clarified and scrutinized the AHadeeth of the Prophet . They established the science of Hadeeth terminology, filtered out all fabricated and denounced Hadeeths, and flagged the weak Hadeeths and the sources of the weakness. They thoroughly criticized both the Chain of men (Sanad) and the Text of Hadeeth (Matn). Those who claim that the Matn was not scrutinized by the Muhadditheen are the followers of the innovations of Mu'tazilah of the past, the Orientalists and their strayed students of the present. Such claims only prove their ignorance and ill intentions which cannot be aired without denouncing the Sunnah altogether, as the Shiites did.
16. Actions are proofs of the intentions (external is a proof of the internal). Those who split the actions from intentions are of Ahlul Bidaa, whether it's the innovations of Murji'ah, Sufism or Shiites. These sects have all used this split to cast their own corrupt understanding on the firm meanings of Qur’aan and Sunnah.
17. Qur’aan text and correct Hadeeths do not contradict correct logic or sound human intellect that goes with clear Fitrah, despite the claims of Mu'tazilah and Shiites.
18. All the companions of the Prophet , from Abu Bakr As-Sideeq to Mu’Awiyah Ibn Abi Sufyan (may Allaah be pleased with them all) are honourable and trustworthy. We do not interject in whatever conflict that took place between them in the past. We believe that they all have an honour that can not be achieved by any other person of any other generation; that is the companionship of the Prophet . He was protected from making mistakes (Ma'asoum) and died content with all of his companions, in spite of the astray Shiites.
19. The Prophet died without appointing any successor (Khalifa) despite the claims of Shiites. He has chosen Abu Bakr to lead the prayers while he was sick for few days, knowing that Ali (may Allaah be please with him) is present and close by. We denounce the delusional lies of Shiites who accuse all the companions of becoming Kuffar (unbelievers) after the death of the Prophet . We cannot emphasize enough the fact that this claim simply tarnishes the Prophet , it is as if the Prophet was totally fooled in his own close circle of friends (far be it). No wonder Orientalists and unbelievers of other religions use the Shiites false proofs to destroy Islaam; May Allaah (Exalted is He) expose and destroy all the unrepentant Ahlul Bidaa and the unbelievers who are trying to hurt His Deen.
20. We denounce the innovations of Sufism and all its falsehood and superstitious claims and actions, which had the worst effect on the Ummah. Similarly, we denounce the Grave Worshipers and and those who seek support from the dead corpse of good or evil people and add to the Deen whatever Allaah (Exalted is He) had never allowed or revealed.
21. We denounce the Khawarij of this Ummah who falsely accuse sinners of being Kuffar (unbelievers), which is against Qur’aan and correct Sunnah. Their twisted interpretation of Qur’aan and Hadeeth is devilish and only leads to innovation. Declaring a Muslim to be a Kafir (unbeliever) has to be based on a clear proof from Qur’aan and Sunnah and can only be done by knowledgeable persons, as in the correct Hadeeth of the Prophet .
22. We denounce the Mu’rjiah sect, who claims that Imaan is only the pronunciation of the testimony of faith, that Actions are not part of it, and that sins do not hurt the Muslim as long as “he has a good heart and intention”. Good actions and intentions are defined very clearly in Sunnah and they are connected together as in the methodology of Ahlul Sunnah. We also pray to Allaah (Exalted is He) to guide those Muslim individuals and groups who have fallen for some ideas of Mu'rjiah and adopted some of their methodology of interpretation. They are unknowingly weakening the Ummah and shall bare the burden of their actions.
23. We also have reservation on some slogans and quotes of some present scholars and leaders of Islaamic groups who claim: "We cooperate in whatever we agree on, and we excuse each other in whatever we differ about". Although such claims might be attractive to those who have "
good" intentions and little knowledge, this type of generalization does not suit the present nor serve the purpose of Sharee'ah (i.e. to rally around the correct Aqeedah and follow the straight path of Islaam). We believe that we have to seek the way of Ahlul Sunnah, away from the innovations of Sufism, Khawarij, Mu'rjiyah, Mu'tazilah and all other bidaas (innovations) of the past and the present. We call upon them to join us on the straight path, and we strive to make them understand. However, we also believe that those who do not repent from their bidaa should be denounced, exposed and contradicted openly to make other Muslims aware of their innovation. This is the stand of our great Salaf such as Ahmad Ibn Hanbal and Ibn Taymiyah and all the scholars of Ahlul Sunnah. Unity between Muslims is a branch of them seeking and following the right Path not visa versa. We do not seek unity through the wrong paths just for the sake of unity as if it is a goal of Sharee'ah on its own.
24. We denounce the Mu'tazilah and their followers who made the human intellect and logic as the ultimate reference on judging the appropriate and correct text of Qur’aan and Sunnah. Such self-acclaimed scholars are disgrace to Sharee'ah and only add to the army of evil that attacks Islaam on all fronts. We believe that the correct text is always in agreement with sound logic and intellect. It only depends on who’s logic and intellect is used to judge it.
25. We declare secularism as one of the most dangerous methods of Kufr (disbelief) that was introduced to Muslims in the recent decades to divide Islaam, in accordance with the European model of the Middle Ages in separating church (religion) from state. There is no such thing as a “Secular Muslim”, it is contradiction in terms. A person can only be a secular or a Muslim. Those so called Muslims who join the unbelievers legislative councils and promote their secular approaches amongst Muslims belong to Kufr without second thought.
26. Scholars of Ahlul Sunnah of different branches of knowledge complement each other and do not conflict. Every scholar can be wrong in a specific ruling or opinion, as no one is preserved from wrong except the Prophet . However, the correct ruling is always found within the circle of Ahlul Sunnah scholars, as this Ummah does not consent to the wrong. We denounce the blind following of any scholar no matter who he is or where his stand of knowledge might be, as we are originally followers of the Prophet not of any other human being. We equally respect all scholars of Ahlul Sunnah even those who we differ with in particular cases. We, however, follow the Haq (truth) wherever it is, with no bias or prejudice to any Madhhab or scholar. We call upon Muslims to follow the correct proofs of Sharee'ah, rather than specific persons. If a person chooses to follow a specific Madhhab, he must be aware of:
a. To preserve the right to apply a ruling other than what is in that Madhhab if proven to be the right ruling,
b. Not to bash other Muslims who follow other Madhhabs and
c. To have it in his heart that he follows the Prophet and his sayings and actions no matter which of the Scholars present it. We denounce those who claim they are followers of the "Salaf" yet they harass and accuse other Muslims of being deviant if they do not agree with them, or the scholar of their choice, on any issue.
27. Restoration of Islaam as the constitution in Muslims' lives is an essential part of our Aqeedah. All Muslims wherever they reside carry the burden to establish Islaam as the governing constitution in their lives as it was before.
28. The right to the defend one's land is a fixed principle in all religions and in any human law that is based on justice and fairness. We believe that there's no compulsion in religion and that the rights of People of the Book must be preserved in Muslims lands, as long as they do not show enmity to Islaam and abide by the laws of society. On the other hand, People of other religions have no right to invade and occupy Muslims in their own lands in the name of liberation.
29. Women are partners of men and equal half of society. They have equal rights and responsibilities of Men in Islaam, within the frame of duties that is established to suit their own nature. Islaam recognizes the psychological, physical and emotional differences between the two genders and has legislated appropriate laws to accommodate such differences. Neither gender is primarily better than the other. Allaah (Exalted is He) has given men a step above women within the specific format of the relationship between the two genders in Islaam. This step above forms a duty on the part man rather than a merit. It is a burden of taking care of women, not to boss them around or abuse them in any way. All calls to exploit women and make them a walking toy of men for the enjoyment purposes of men by exposing more of their bodies are not acceptable in Islaam.
This is our creed in few lines, we believe in it and live by it. As for those who are still not clear on who we are:
1. We are not from Khawarij, may Allaah guide you, then we do not call anyone a disbeliever by a sin or disobedience that one commits .
2. We are not from Mu'tazila, that affirms the mind and disregards the texts.
3. We are not from Murji'ah that affirms Imaan in the heart without any action.
4. We are not from Shiites whom Allaah and His messenger disavow because of their fabrication against the companions and wives of the Prophet.
5. We are not from those with corrupt minds who proclaim that Allaah has attributes like those of human-beings.
6. We are not from Sufis, those demented people who dance and jump in the of Dhikr.
7. We are not Qutbis, but we hold great respect and love for the martyr Sayid Qutb, may Allaah reward him for what offered to the Islaam, and we recognize by that no one is free of error in all issues, Sayid , may Allaah have mercy on him, is no exception. We do not follow his Taweel of Allaah’s attributes or any issue where he generally disagreed with the Sunnah.
8. We are not a Surooriya, although we recognize that the man who this group is attributed to (Muhammad Suroor) preached in the way of Allaah. He offered to the Islaam good scientific material, and he directed many of young men to the right path as much as he could. Although he has his share of flaws that relate to some legitimate opinions or personal behaviours, which we are not free to indulge in. May Allaah guide him, and all those who call to the way of Allaah and proper Sunnah.
9. Finally, fatwaa in Islaam is not a matter of giving an opinion as many think. It is a duty on those who obtained the sciences and principles of Sharee'ah, practiced it, understood reality and studied its dimensions. Thus, the mufti has to meet both sides of fatwa: knowledge of the juristic rules and the knowledge of reality and the particular situation. As for those ignorant people who blindly give fatwas with no prior knowledge, fear Allaah (Exalted is He) and consider the consequences of your irresponsible actions.
We therefore are pure people of Sunnah whose creed is not marred with a blemish. We live by this creed and hope to meet the Lord with our hearts firm on it.