madeenahsh
IB Veteran
- Messages
- 684
- Reaction score
- 206
- Gender
- Female
- Religion
- Islam
Al-Wasiyatul-Kuburaa
By Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah
In the name of Allah, the Merciful, the Compassionate
From Ahmad bin Taymiyyah, may Allah forgive him, to those whom this book has reached of Muslims faithful to the Sunnah and the Jamaa‘ah, those who belong to the group of the exemplary, learned Shaykh Abu al-Barakaat ‘Adi bin Musaafir al-Umawi [1] , may Allah have mercy on him, and to those who follow his example, may Allah lead them on his path and assist them in obedience to Him and His Messenger (sal-Allaahu ‘alayhi was-sallam). May Allah make them of one mind by His unbreakable reins, rightly guided on the path of those upon whom He has bestowed His grace - the prophets, the righteous, the martyrs, and pious. And may He avert them from the path of the wayward, of those who deviate (from the straight), who depart from what He sent through His Messenger (salla Allahu ‘alayhi was-salaam) of law and method, so that they be of the most vigorous followers of the Qur'aan and Sunnah. May Allah's peace and blessings be upon you.
We praise Allah, there is no god but He. He is deserving of praise and has power over all things. We ask Him to bless the seal of the prophets and master of the children of Aadam (sal-Allaahu ‘alayhi was-sallam), the most noble of creation to its Lord, and closest of them to Him, and greatest in rank among them before Him: Muhammad His servant and Messenger, peace be upon him, his family, and his followers.
Allah indeed sent Muhammad (sal-Allaahu ‘alayhi was-sallam) rightly guided with the religion of truth so that he would make the entire religion known, and sufficient is Allah as a witness. He revealed to him the Book of truth, testifying to, and faithful to the books that came before. He perfected religion for him (the Messenger (salla Allahu ‘alayhi wassalaam)) and his community, and completed His favor upon them, and made them the best community of humanity. Of the seventy some communities humanity comprises [2] , they are the best and most noble to Allah. He made them a middle community, i.e. just and the best, and for that reason He made them witnesses for humanity. He guided them, with that which He sent all of His messengers, in the religion which He prescribed to all of His creation. He then made them distinct after that, in that He distinguished them and honored them with the sharee‘ah and methodology which He had made for them.
The first of these [the sharee‘ah] is like the fundamentals of faith, the highest and most virtuous of which is tawhid. This is the declaration that there is no god but Allah, as Allah has said:
And We sent no messenger before you but We revealed to him, (saying): None has the right to be worshipped but Me (Allah), so worship Me.» [Al-Anbiya (21):25].
And Allah said:
«And verily we sent to every nation a messenger, (saying), worship Allah, and avoid Taaghut (false deities); . [Al-Nahl (16): 36].
And Allah said:
And ask those of Our messengers whom We sent before you: Did We ever appoint deities to be worshipped beside the Most Merciful? [Al-Zukhruf (43): 45].
And Allah said:
He has ordained for you the religion which He revealed unto Nuh, and that which We reveal to you (Muhammad), and that which We revealed unto Ibrahim and Musa and ‘Isa, . [Al-Shura (42): 13].
And Allah said:
O messengers! Eat of the good things, and do righteous actions. Verily I am aware of what you do. And verily this your religion is one religion and I am your Lord, so fear Me . [Al-Mu minun (23): 51-2].
And the ideals of faith were contained in all the books of Allah and all His messengers as Allah said:
Say : ‘We believe In Allah, and and what he has sent to us, and to Ibrahim, Ismaa'il, Ishaaq, Y'aqub, And the Tribes, and that given To Musa and ‘Isaa and that given To (all) prophets from their Lord: We make no difference between them: And we submit to Allah (in Islam) . [Al-Baqarah (2): 136].
Similarly:
but say: ‘I believe in the Book which Allah has sent down; And I am commanded to judge justly between you . [Al-Shura (42): 15].
Similarly, Allah said:
The messenger believes in what hath been revealed To him from his Lord, as do the believers. Each one (of them) believes In Allah, His angels, His books, and His messengers. ‘We make no distinction (they say) between one and another of His messengers. And they say: ‘We hear, and we obey: We seek your forgiveness, Our Lord, and to you Is the return. . [Al-Baqarah (2):285] etc.
Then there is faith the Last Day and its associated rewards and punishments as He recounted the faith of the believers of the communities which preceded when He said:
Those who believe (in the Qur an), And the Jews, and the Christians and the Sabians - believe in Allah And the Last Day, And do righteous deeds, shall have their reward With their Lord; on them shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve . [Al-Baqarah (2): 62].
Then there are the fundamental laws as He mentioned in surat al-An‘aam and al-A‘raaf and Subhaan and in other Meccan surahs. Among them are: His command (to humanity) to worship Him alone who has no partner, His command to honor one s parents and relatives, the fulfillment of contracts, honesty in speech, fairness in one s dealings with others, giving to the beggar and poor, the prohibition of unjust killing, the forbidding of vile deeds both external or internal, the forbidding of unwarranted treachery and tyranny, forbidding speech in religion without knowledge. Along with these, the things that tawhid includes, like sincerely devoting the religion to Allah and trusting in Allah, hoping for Allah s mercy, fear of Allah, patience for Allah s judgment, and carrying out Allah s commands. Similarly, that Allah and His Messenger be more beloved to the servant than his family, possessions, and (all other) people. These are in addition to other principles of faith which Allah revealed in passages of the Qur an, such as the Meccan suras, and some of the Medinan.
As for the second [the methodology], it is found in what Allah revealed in the Medinan surahs of laws of His religion and what the Messenger (sal-Allaahu ‘alayhi was-sallam) set as a way for His community. For Allah (subhaanahu wa ta‘aalaa) revealed to him the Book and wisdom and strengthened the Believers by that. He ordered the wives of His prophet to recite that for He said:
And Allah has sent down to you the book and wisdom and taught you what you knew not (before) . [Al-Nisa (4): 113].
And He said:
Indeed Allah conferred a great favor on the believers when He sent among them a messenger from among themselves, reciting unto them his verses, purifying them, and teaching them the book and the wisdom . [ Al-‘Imran (3): 164 ]
And He said:
And remember that which is recited to you in your homes, verses of Allah and the wisdom . [Al-Ahzab (33): 34].
More than one of the salaf said: “Wisdom is the Sunnah because that which was recited in the houses of his wives (may Allah be pleased with them) other than the Qur'an was his (sal-Allaahu ‘alayhi was-sallam) Sunnah, and for that he (salla Allahu ‘alayhi wassalaam) said: “I was indeed given the Book and its like along with it.” [3]
And Hasaan bin ‘Atiyyah said, “Jibril, upon him peace, delivered the Sunnah to the Prophet (sal-Allaahu ‘alayhi was-sallam) as he did the Qur'an, and he taught it to him as he did the Qur'an.” [4]
These represent the body of prescribed laws, by which Allah distinguished His Prophet and his community. They represent one common direction, a common ritualism, a common methodology. Like the five prayers for example, performed at their respective times, each with their required number of units. Each of these with recitation, bowings, prostrations, each performed while facing the direction of the Sacred House. Like the duties of zakaah, and its statutes which He (subhaanahu wa ta‘aalaa) enjoined upon a Muslim s possessions of livestock and grains, dates, items of trade, gold and silver. In addition to those whom He allotted this for, saying:
Zakat is only for the poor and the needy, and those employed to collect the (funds); and to attract the hearts of those whose been (recently) inclined (to islaam); to free captives and for those in debt; in the cause Of Allah; and for the wayfarer: A duty imposed by Allah, And Allah The All-Knower, the All wise . [Al-Tawbah (9): 60].
This is the same for fasting in the month of Ramadan, and hajj to the Sacred House. It is the same for the limits which He ordained for people regarding marriages, inheritance, criminal punishment and types of business. And the sunan which He established for their festivals, Friday prayer, congregating for the obligatory prayers, and for the eclipse prayer, for the rain prayer, as well as the funeral prayer, and the tarawih prayer. And the customs that He (subhaanahu wa ta‘aalaa) established for them regarding eating, manner of dress, birth and death. Allah also prescribed other such customs, manners, and rulings as did His Messenger; regarding blood, wealth, goods, honor, profits and yields. As well as other limits and rights additional to these, which He established for them on the tongue of the Messenger (sal-Allaahu ‘alayhi was-sallam).
By these He made them have a love for faith and adorned their hearts with it, and so He made them followers of His Messenger (sal-Allaahu ‘alayhi was-sallam). He protected them from agreeing on error as the communities before them erred, for Allah sent a Messenger to each community when they erred as He said:
And verily we sent to every nation a messenger, (proclaiming), worship Allah, and avoid Taaghut . [Al-Nahl (16):36].
And Allah said:
And there never was a nation, except a warner was sent to them . [Fatir (35): 24].
And as for Muhammad (sal-Allaahu ‘alayhi was-sallam) the seal of the prophets of whom there is no prophet after him, Allah protected his community from agreeing on error, and as such He made it so they would establish the evidence until the Day of Resurrection. For that reason, the consensus of this ummah is as authoritative as the Book and the Sunnah. By this, the people of this community upon the truth were distinguished with the Sunnah and the Jamaa'ah from the people of falsehood who claim that they follow the Qur'an, while opposing the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (sal-Allaahu ‘alayhi was-sallam) and what the Muslims have agreed upon.
In His Book, Allah ordered adherence to the Sunnah of His Messenger (salla Allahu ‘alayhi was-salaam) and following his path. He ordered harmony and clinging to the community, and He forbade division and separatism, for He said:
He who obeys the Messenger, obeys Allah . [Al-Nisa (4): 80].
And Allah said :
We sent not a Messenger, But to be obeyed, in accordance with the will of Allah .
[Al-Nisa (4): 64].
And Allah said:
Say: ‘If you love Allah, then follow me: Allah will love you, and forgive you your sins . [Al ‘Imran (3): 31].
And Allah said:
But no, by the Lord, they can have no (real) faith, until they make you judge In all disputes between them, And find in their souls no resistance against your decisions, but accept them with the fullest submission. . [Al-Nisa (4): 65].
And Allah said:
And hold fast, all together, by the rope which Allah (stretches out For you), and be not divided among yourselves . [Al ‘Imran (3): 103].
And Allah said:
As for those who divide Their religion and break up Into sects, you have no part in them in the least . [Al-An am (6): 159].
And Allah said:
Be not like those who are divided amongst themselves and fall into disputations after receiving clear signs . [Al ‘Imran (3): 105].
And Allah said:
And they have been commanded except: To worship Allah, sincerely, being True (in faith); To establish regular prayer; And to pay Zakat; And that is the established Religion . [Al-Bayyinah (98): 5].
And Allah said:
Verily, this is My straight path so follow it; Follow not (other) paths for they will scatter you about from His path . [Al-An'am (6): 153].
And Allah said in the mother of the Book (the Fatihah):
Show us the straight way (6), The way of those on whom you have bestowed Your grace, Those whose (portion) Is not wrath, And who go not astray . [Al-Fatihah (1): 6-7].
And so it followed that the Prophet (sal-Allaahu ‘alayhi was-sallam) said: “The Jews are those with whom He is wrath, and the Christians are those who have strayed.” [5] In the mother of the Book [6] , which Allah gave to our Prophet (salla Allahu ‘alayhi wassalaam) among the treasures from beneath the Throne, and without which there is no prayer [7] , the likes of it not being revealed in the Taawrah nor the Injil, nor the Zabur, nor in the remainder of the Qur'an. In it, He ordered us to ask Him to show us the straight path, the path of those on whom Allah has bestowed His grace, not whose portion is wrath like the Jews, and not those who go astray like the Christians.
And this is the Straight Path: It is the pure religion of Islam, and it is what is in the Book of Allah, and it is the Sunnah and that which is represented by the community. For the pure Sunnah is the pure religion of Islam. Indeed, it is narrated from a number of routes - both in the Sunan books and the Musnad books -like that of the Imaam Ahmad, Abu Daawud, at-Tirmithi, and others that the Prophet (sal-Allaahu ‘alayhi was-sallam) said: “This nation will become divided into seventy-two sects all but one of which will meet the fire and that is the Jama‘ah.” [8] and in another narration; “...Those who are on the same path as I and my companions are today.” [9]
And this is the saved sect, Ahl as-Sunnah, and they are the middle [moderate] sect, as the religion of Islam is the middle [moderate] among the religions, for the Muslims are the moderate nation regarding belief in the prophets of Allah, His messengers and His pious servants. Muslims did not exaggerate as the Christians had, for they (the Christians) adopted their priests and monks as lords besides Allah and claimed ‘Isaa as the son of Allah. Yet they were commanded to only worship one god of whom there is no god but He, who is free of whom they associated Him with. The people of the Sunnah are not treacherous as were the Jews, who would kill the prophets without justification, and they would kill those who commanded justice among the people, and anything that the Messenger came with that they did not like, then groups of them rejected it, and groups of them fought against it.
But the believers: they believed in the messengers of Allah, and assisted them and revered them and loved them and obeyed them, and they did not worship them nor did they adopt them as lords, as Allah said:
It is not (possible) that a man, to whom Is given the Book, and wisdom, and the prophet-hood, Should say to people: ‘Be my worshippers rather than Allah's : On the contrary (He would say): ‘Be Rabbaaiyyun (learned men of the religion who practice what they know and preach to others.) For you are teaching the book and you have studied it. Nor would he instruct you to take angels and prophets for Lords. Would he bid you disbelief after you have submitted your will? [Al ‘Imran (3): 79-80].
Moreover, the believers were moderate as it pertains to ‘Isaa for they did not say: he is Allah, nor did they say he was the son of Allah, nor the third of three as the Christians say.
And they did not disbelieve in him nor slanderously lie about Maryam, so that they make him the son of a sin, as the Jews claimed. Rather they said this is a servant of Allah, and His messenger, and His word which He delivered to the Virgin Mary, and a spirit from Him [10] .
Similarly the believers are moderate with the laws of Allah's religion. They did not deny that Allah could abrogate or remove a law if He willed as the Jews claimed. Allah said about them:
The Fools among the people Will say: ‘What has turned Them from their qiblah ( Jerusalem ) to which they used to face? [Al-Baqarah (2): 142], and in another verse: When it is said to them, ‘Believe in what Allah has sent down, they say, ‘We believe in what was sent down to us; yet they reject all besides, even if it be truth confirming what is with them . [Al-Baqarah (2): 91].
And they did not allow the great ones among them of scholars and His servants that they change the religion of Allah, thereby commanding what they (the authorities) willed and doing away with what they willed, as the Christians did, as Allah mentioned about them:
They take their priests and their anchorites to be their lords besides Allaah . [Al-Tawbah (9): 31].
‘Adi bin Haatim, may Allah be pleased with him, said: I said; “O Messenger of Allah! They did not worship them.” The Prophet said: “They did not worship them, but they declared lawful for them the prohibited and they obeyed them, and they forbade to them the lawful, and they obeyed.” [11] And the believers say: “Creating and ordaining are Allah's”, so just as none other than He creates, neither may any ordain. And they say: “We hear and we obey”, and so they obey all that Allah commands. And they say: “God indeed commands what He intends”, as for creatures, then it is not their place to alter the order of the exalted Creator.
Likewise as to the attributes of Allah (subhaanahu wa ta‘aalaa), the Jews portrayed Him with deficient attributes of the created. They said: “He is poor and we are rich”. And they said: “The hand of Allah is bound.” And they said: “He became tired from creating and rested on the seventh day.” And similar sayings to that effect. On the other hand, Christians portrayed the creature with the attributes of the Creator that are specific to Him. They said: “He [the creature] creates, provides, forgives, is merciful, pardons creation, rewards, and punishes.”
The believers believe in Allah (subhaanahu wa ta‘aalaa) who has neither namesake nor peer, there is none comparable to Him, and there is nothing like Him. He is Lord of the Worlds and creator of all things, and all things are servants of Him and in need of Him:
There are none in the heavens and the earth but must come to the Most Merciful as a servant. He does take an account of them all, and has numbered them all exactly. And every one of them will come to alone on the Day of Resurrection. [Maryam (19): 93-95].
And among other things [that this community is different from Jews and Christian are the matters of] the permitted and the forbidden, for the Jews are, as Allah said:
For the wrong doing of the Jews We made unlawful for them certain (foods) good and wholesome which had been lawful for them . [Al-Nisa (4): 160].
Thus they do not eat animals with hooves such as the camel and the duck, nor do they eat the kidneys or the fat around the intestines, and they refrain from eating the goat who is still nursing, and so on. It is said that the items they are forbidden from are three hundred and sixty items, and those things which are incumbent upon them are two hundred and forty eight commands. Likewise, they are very strict in matters of impurities so that they will not even eat with a menstruating woman, nor will they be in her presence in the home.
As for the Christians, they regard the offensive and all the forbidden things as permitted, but what ‘Isaa actually said to them:
(I have come to you) to make lawful to you part of what was (Before) forbidden to you . [Al ‘Imran (3): 50].
And for this Allah said :
Fight those who believe not In Allah nor the Last Day, nor hold that forbidden which has been forbidden by Allah and His Messenger, nor acknowledge the religion of truth, from among the people of the book, Until they pay the Jizyah with willing submission, And feel themselves subdued . [Al-Tawbah (9): 29].
But the believers, as Allah described them in His words:
But My mercy extends to all things. That (Mercy) I shall ordain for those who are Al-Mutaqqun, and pay Zakat, and those who believe in Our Ayat. (156) Those who follow the Messenger, the unlettered Prophet, whom they find mentioned In the Taurat- and the Injeel (Gospel)- For he commands them what is just and forbids them what is evil; he allows them as lawful what is good (And pure) and prohibits them From what is bad (and impure); He releases them from their heavy burdens And from the yokes that are upon them. So it is those who believe in him, honor him, help him, and follow the Light Which is sent down with him- It is they who will prosper (157) . [Al-A'raf (7): 156-157]. ”
This is a lengthy topic one could discuss for a substantial amount of time.
This is Ahl as-Sunnah wal-Jama‘ah in relationship to the sects, on the topic of the names of Allah, His ayaat and His qualities, they are centered between the people of ta‘til, and those who abdicate Allah's names and ayaat, and those who deny the reality that Allah described Himself with, until they have made Him resemble one non existent and deceased. Ahl as-Sunnah wal-Jamaa‘ah are between the people of tamthil, those who give similitudes for Allah, resembling Him to creatures.
Ahl as-Sunnah wal-Jamaa‘ah believe in what Allah has described Himself with, and that which His Messenger (sal-Allaahu ‘alayhi was-sallam) described Him with - without distortion or denial, and without saying “how” and making comparisons.
On the topic of His creating and decreeing, they are centered between those who deny Allah's ability - those who do not believe in His complete capability, his universal will, nor that He created everything - and between the corruptors of Allah's religion who believe that a person has no will, nor ability, nor even works. So they denounce commanding and forbidding, and rewards and punishments, reaching the level of the idolaters who said;
If Allah had wished we should not have given partners to Him, nor would our fathers: nor should we have had any taboos . [Al-An'aam (6): 148]. ”
Ahl al-Sunnah believes that Allah has power over all things, and He is able to guide His servants and change their hearts. They believe that whatever He should will, is, and that which He does not will, is not. Thus, there will not be anything under His sovereignty which He did not intend, and He is not incapable of executing what He intends. They believe that He is the creator of everything, from the essence of each thing, its characteristics, and its movement. They believe that a human possesses ability, will, and deeds. They also believe that the servant chooses, and they do not call him compelled, since the compelled is one who has been forced against his will. They believe that Allah Almighty made the human free to choose what he does, so he chooses as he wishes, and Allah created him and his choice. There is no other possibility, for there is nothing like Allah, not in His essence, nor His attributes, nor His deeds.
On the topic of titles, judgments, punishments and threats, they are between the Wa‘idiyah [12] - those who assign the major sinners among the Muslims to eternal dwelling in the Fire, believing them to be removed from faith in its entirety, and they also deny the Prophet's (sal-Allaahu ‘alayhi was-sallam) intercession - and between the Murji'ah, those who believe that the faith of a disobedient person is the same as the faith of the prophets, and that righteous deeds are something beyond the call of religion and faith, and they also deny the threat and punishment entirely.
Ahl al-Sunnah wal-Jamaa‘ah believe that the disobedient Muslims possess some amount of faith and its basic elements, but not all of the obligatory faith which warrants Paradise, nor are they to dwell eternally in the Fire. But he who has faith in his heart the weight of a mustard seed will get out of the Fire [13] . They believe that the Prophet (salla Allahu ‘alayhi was-salaam) has saved his intercession for those of his community who have committed major sins.
On the topic of the companions of Allah's Messenger (sal-Allaahu ‘alayhi was-sallam), they are also moderate between the excessive who exaggerated the status of ‘Ali radi-Allaahu anhu - such that they considered him to be more virtuous than Abu Bakr and ‘Umar radi-Allaahu anhu, believing that he was the infallible Imaam - and that the other companions were oppressive, disobedient, and that the community fell into disbelief after them. Likewise, some of them have made ‘Ali a prophet or a god. And between the brutes who believe that he was a disbeliever and that ‘Uthmaan was also a disbeliever, making thier blood and the blood of those who ally with them lawful for the shedding, and considering it recommended to curse ‘Ali, ‘Uthmaan and others, maligning the khilaafah of ‘Ali and his Imamate. As with the rest of the topics of the Sunnah, Ahl as-Sunnah wal-Jamaa‘ah are the moderate because they adhere to the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of His Messenger (salla Allahu ‘alayhi was-salaam), and to what the early emigrants, the Ansaar, and those who faithfully follow them agreed upon.
Chapter
The Fiqh of Da‘wah
May Allah cause you to prosper. Allah has bestowed upon you an affiliation to Islam which is His religion, and He cured you of the afflictions which those outside of Islam, the idolaters and the People of the Book suffer from. Islam is the greatest and most sublime of blessings, for Allah does not accept from anyone a religion other than it:
If anyone desires a religion other than Islam (submission to Allah), never will it be accepted of him; and in the hereafter he will be in the ranks of those who have lost (All spiritual good) . [Al ‘Imran (3): 85].
Allah guarded you by your attachment to the Sunnah from most of the errant innovations, such as much of the innovation of the Rafidhiyah, the Jahmiyah, the Khawaarij and the Qadiriyah. For that He made you abhor those who curse the companions of Allah's Messenger (sal-Allaahu ‘alayhi was-sallam), or deny the names of Allah, His attributes, His decrees, and His will. Abhorrence for these innovations is the way of Ahl al-Sunnah wal-Jama‘ah, and this is of the greatest gifts which Allah gives, through it comes the completion of faith and the perfection of religion. And for this reason, there are many people of goodness and religion among you, and those people who struggle fighting in the way of Allah, such as do not exist among the innovative sects. And for this reason aid to victory remains among the military of the Muslims, and Allah's soldiers are defending you, with Allah's religion supporting you and strengthening the believers, and in the people of zuhud and the people of worship among you, those whose condition is that of purity and the accepted way, those of miracles who bring benefit to the Muslims [14] , and those pious awliyaa' among you gifted with a truthful tongue.
And indeed in the venerable shaykhs who were among you such as the one called Shaykh al-Islam Abu al-Hasan ‘Ali bin Ahmad bin Yusuf al-Qarshi al-Hikkaari [15] , and after him the exemplary learned Shaykh ‘Adi bin Musaafir al-Umawi and those who follow their way. Among them are those of virtue and religion and benefit, following the Sunnah, as Allah honored them and gave them strength, illuminating thier way. And Shaykh ‘Adi, may Allah bless his soul, was among the most virtuous of the righteous servants of Allah, and among the greatest of those shaykhs who are followed, having pure praiseworthy qualities, as is known by the people familiar with his life. His reputation is well-known among the ummah, having a truthful tongue of remembrance, and his creed that has been preserved from him remained within the creed of the shaykhs that preceded him, those whose paths have been followed such as Shaykh al-Imaam as-Saalih Abu al-Faraj ‘Abdul-Waahad bin Muhammad bin ‘Ali al-Ansaari ash-Shiraazi, later known as ad-Dimashqi [16] ; Shaykh al-Islam al-Hikkaari and others. These shaykhs did not leave the major fundamentals of Ahl as-Sunnah wal-Jama‘ah, rather they were proponents of the fundamentals of Ahl as-Sunnah, they invited to them, they were active in its propagation, and eradicating those who contradicted that by their virtuous religious practice. By these great acts Allah raised their rank and illuminated and extended thier guiding way, as is said about them in the popular news of their lives. All of this is so, although in thier statements and the statements of those who followed them there exists some blame-able issues, some weak evidences, like hadiths that are not confirmable, and analogies that were not yet refuted, as is known by the people of insightful knowledge.
One may adhere or not to the words of anyone, except for the words of the Messenger of Allah (sal-Allaahu ‘alayhi was-sallam). One must be more careful especially with the words of the later scholars of the ummah who did not make judgments based upon complete knowledge and understanding of the Book, the Sunnah, nor did they distinguish between the sound hadiths and the weak ones, nor were they able to make proper well grounded analogies. With that, being surrounded by desire, and many opinions, division and differences, resulting from enmity and discord.
For these and their like are the direct causes that fuel ignorance and oppression, as Allah describes the people who suffer from them by saying;
...but man undertook it—he was indeed unjust and foolish . [Al Ahzab: 72]
for when Allah grants people knowledge and justice, He delivers them from this error, and Allah said:
By (the Token of) time (through the Ages) verily man is in loss, except such as have faith, and do righteous deeds, and (join together) In the mutual teaching of truth, and of patience. [Al- ‘Asr, 1-3]
and Allah said:
And We appointed, from among them, leaders, giving guidance under Our command, so long As they persevered with patience and continued to have faith in Our signs. [Al Sajdah, 24]
And you know, may Allah make you prosper, the Sunnah that must be followed is the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah in matters of creed, worship, and all aspects of religion. Those matters are known by knowledge of the authentic hadiths of the Prophet (salla Allahu ‘alayhi was-salaam) which are related about him regarding what he did or left in his words and deeds. And after that, those matters are also found in the way of those early Muslims, and those who faithfully followed them and those principles are found in the well known books of Islam like the Sahih of al-Bukhaari, and Muslim, and the Sunnan books like: Sunnan Abu Daawud and an-Nasaa'i and Jaami' at-Tirmithi, and the Muwata' of Imaam Maalik, and the Musnad books like the Musnad of Imaam Ahmad and others. It is also found in the books of commentary on the Qur'an, books recording the early military expeditions, and the rest of the books of hadith.
Some scholars collected hadiths and reports in the matters of the creed of Ahl as-Sunnah. Among those scholars are Hamaad bin Salimah, and ‘Abdurrahmaan bin Mahdi, and ‘Abdullah bin ‘Abdurrahmaan ad-Daarami, and ‘Uthmaan bin Sa‘id ad-Daarami and others among thier class. They chapterized their books in a manner similar to that of al-Bukhaari, Abu Daawud, an-Nasaa'i, Ibn Maajah and others. The same was done in the works of Abu Bakr al-Athram, and ‘Abdullah bin Ahmad and Abu Bakr al-Khalaal, Abu al-Qaasim at-Tabaraani, and Abu ash-Shaykh al-Asbahaani, and Abu Bakr al-Aajuri, and Abu al-Hasan al-Daaraqutni, Abu ‘Abdullah bin Mandih, Abu al-Qaasim al-Lalakaa'i, Abu ‘Abdullah Ibn Battah, Abu ‘Amr at-Talamanki, Abu Nu'aym al-Asbahaani, Abu Tharr al-Harawi, and Abu Bakr al-Bayhaqi [17] . And indeed, in some of these works there are weak hadiths, of which the people of knowledge are aware.
Often people have related many hadiths which are lies and fabrications about Allah's Messenger (sal-Allaahu ‘alayhi was-sallam), regarding the attributes of Allah as well as the other topics of creed and general topics of religion. Those narrations are of two groups: Among them are those which are false talk, not permitted to be said, far less than of being attributed to the Prophet. (sal-Allaahu ‘alayhi was-sallam)
And the second group; from that which some of the Salaf or some of the scholars or others uttered. This type could be true or is something which was accepted on based ijtihaad or the view of one's mathhab, so it has been referred to as having come from the Prophet (sal-Allaahu ‘alayhi was-sallam). This is common among those who do not know the hadith, like the issues which the Shaykh Abu al-Faraj ‘Abdul-Waahad bin Muhammad bin ‘Ali al-Ansaari initiated, making them a test, distinguishing a person by them to be either Sunni or an innovator, And these are well known issues. But some of the liars created chains for them back to the Messenger of Allah (sal-Allaahu ‘alayhi was-sallam), and passed them off as his speech. Even those who have the least knowledge know that it is a fabrication, and while most of these issues are in agreement with the general principles of Islam, yet in them is that which if a person were to oppose it, he would not be judged as an innovator. An example of these is the question over what the first favor that Allah granted to His servant was. This is an issue that there is difference over among Ahl as-Sunnah, but the division is a matter of choosing different words to explain it because it centers around the question of a carnal pleasure, the fulfillment of for which one is punished, is it called a favor or not?
It is therefore obligatory to differentiate between the authentic hadith and the fabricated hadith, for the Sunnah is the truth without falsehood, the authentic hadiths, not the fabricated. This is a major principle for the people of Islam in general, and more particularly for those who invite to the Sunnah.
Chapter
Important Points
It was previously noted that the religion of Allah is in the middle between excessiveness and neglect. Allah did not commission his servants any order except that Shaytaan launched one of two tactics against it and it did not matter to him which won out. These were either immoderation in it (the order) or neglect of it. Since no other religion than Islam, which is the religion of Allah, is accepted from anyone, then Shaytaan has attacked many of those a part of it, to the extent that they would violate many of its laws.
He has diverted groups of the most devoted and cautious of this ummah, so that they went through Islam, just as the arrow goes through its prey. And the Prophet (salla Allahu ‘alayhi was-salaam) ordered fighting the renegades, for reports are recorded in the Sahih books of hadith and others from the commander of the faithful, ‘Ali bin Abu Taalib, Abu Sa‘id al-Khudri, Suhail bin Hanif, Abu Tharr al-Ghafaari, Sa‘d bin Abu Waqaas, ‘Abdullah bin ‘Umar, and Ibn Mas'ud, may Allah be pleased with them, and others besides them, that the Prophet (sal-Allaahu ‘alayhi was-sallam) mentioned the Khawaarij and said: “One of you will find his prayer disgraced by theirs, his fasting disgraced by theirs, his recitation disgraced by theirs. Yet thier recitation of the Qur'an will not even go beyond their throats, they will go through Islam as the arrow goes through its prey, only piercing it. So fight them, for indeed in fighting them there is reward from Allah for the fighter on the Day of Resurrection. If I were to come up them, I would fight them with the vengeance unleashed upon the people of ‘Ad.“ [18] And in one narration, “the worst case of murder under the canopy of heaven is better than the murder that they commit.” [19] In another narration, “If they knew, those who combat them, what was related for them on the tongue of Muhammad (salla Allahu ‘alayhi was-salaam), they would leave doing otherwise.” [20] When they appeared during the khilaafah of ‘Ali bin Abu Taalib, may Allah be pleased with him, he and the companions of the Allah's Messenger (sal-Allaahu ‘alayhi was-sallam) fought them, because of the Prophet's order, and his emphasis on fighting them. All of the Imaams of Islam have agreed upon fighting them.
23- This is the case for all of those sects who divide the Muslims, leaving the Sunnah of Allaah's Messenger (sal-Allaahu ‘alayhi was-sallam) and his sharee‘ah; whether people of deviant desires, or affronting innovation. For this reason the Muslims fought the Rawafidh who are the most evil of these people, declaring the majority of the Muslims to be disbelievers, as they did with the three khalifahs and others. They claimed that they alone are the believers, and other than they are all disbelievers. They declare those who say that Allah will be seen in the hereafter to be disbelievers, as well as those who believe in Allaah's attributes, His all-encompassing ability and universal will. And they declare disbelievers of all those who oppose the innovation that they call to. They perform masah over thier feet but not over the khuff [21] , they delay breaking the fast and the prayer until the stars have appeared, they combine between two prayers without a reason, they say a qunut [22] in the five prayers, they have made fuqqaa‘ [23] , the meat of the people of the book and the meat of those Muslims who differ with them unlawful. That is because they believe that they [the Muslims] are disbelievers. They say horrible things about the companions which there is no reason to mention here, and there are many other things. So the Muslims have fought them by the order of Allah and His Messenger.
During the time of Allaah's Messenger (sal-Allaahu ‘alayhi was-sallam) and the rightly guided khalifahs Islam was attributed to those who became renegades from it by their tremendous amount of worship, such that the Prophet (sal-Allaahu ‘alayhi was-sallam) ordered fighting them. So know that an affiliate of Islam or to the Sunnah at this time may also be a renegade from Islam and the Sunnah, such that he calls Sunnah that which is no part of it, rather he has left the Sunnah, and that occurs by two means:
Excessiveness, which Allah condemned in His Book saying;
O people of the Book! Do not exaggerate in your religion, do not say about Allah other than the truth. Al-Masih [24] ‘Isaa bin Maryam was Allaah's messenger and His word which He delivered to Maryam, and a spirit from Him...and Allah is a sufficient trustee . [An-Nisaa 4:171]
And; Say: O people of the Book! Do not exceed the truth with your religion, and do not follow people of desire, they have gone astray before and have lead many to stray from the even path . [Al-Maa'idah 5:77]
And the Prophet (salla Allahu ‘alayhi wassalaam) said, “Beware of exaggerating in the religion, for it is only exaggerating in religion that the destroyed the people before you.” [25]
Among the causes is sectarianism and division that Allah mentioned in His mighty Book.
Among them are narrations reported from the Prophet (sal-Allaahu ‘alayhi was-sallam) which are lies against him according to the agreement of the people of knowledge, these are called hadiths by the ignorant so that whatever he thinks or desires will be agreed to.
And the most astray deviation - following whims and desires - as Allah said, condemning this in truth;
They follow but a guess and that which they themselves desire, whereas there has already come to them guidance from their lord. . [Al-Najm (53): 23]. ”
And He said truthfully about His Prophet (sal-Allaahu ‘alayhi was-sallam):
By the star when it goes down - your companion is neither astray nor being misled, Nor does he speak of (his own) desire. It is only revelation revealed. [Al-Najm (53): 1-4]. ”
So He (subhaanahu wa ta‘aalaa) declared him to be above misguidance and error which are ignorance and wrong. For the misguided is he who does not know the truth, and the errant is the one who follows his desire. He (subhaanahu wa ta‘aalaa) related that the Prophet did not speak out of his own desire, but it is revelation which Allah revealed to him, so He characterized him with knowledge and being safe from desire.
In the following detailed sections, I will mention a number of categories of the sources of falsehood innovated by sects who affiliate themselves with the Sunnah, but they have by them left the Sunnah and become among the greatest of the wrong doers.
This article is continued on page 2
Footnotes
[1] Abu Muhammad ‘Adi bin Sakhar ash-Shaami - or ‘Adi bin Musaafir, which is more popular - Ibn Ismaa‘il bin Musaa ash-Shaami, later known as al-Hikkaari because he settled near the mountains of Hikkaar in northern ‘Iraaq. One of the Sufi groups takes their name, al-‘Adawiyah, from him, and it is said that he was a student of the Shaykh ‘Abdul-Qaadir al-Jilaani. Later, a sect known as the Yazidiyah (known for their worship of Shaytaan) evolved from the ‘Adawiyah tariqah and their erroneous beliefs regarding the shaykh. Some of these beliefs are eluded to by the author later.
[2] See point number six.
[3] Abu Daawud, with an authentic chain of narrators.
[4] He was one of the Imaams of ash-Shaam, he died near the year 130 H. This report from him was recorded by ad- Daarami, al-Lalakaa'i and al-Khaatib with an authentic chain of narrators. The words, “So he taught it to him...” Are Not found in Ad-Darami's version.
[5] An authentic hadith recorded by Ahmad, at-Tirmithi, ‘Abdur-Razzaaq, Ibn Hibbaan, at-Tabari and others.
[6] Surat al-Fatihah.
[7] Referring to a hadith recorded by Muslim and others, reported by ‘Ubaadah bin as-Saamit radi-Allaahu anhu that Allah's Messenger (S) said, “There is no prayer for one who does not recite the Opening of the Book in it.”
[8] An authentic hadith recorded by many scholars of hadith such as Imaam Ahmad and Abu Daawud and at-Tirmithi.
[9] An authentic hadith, see as-Sahihah no. 203-204 al-Albani.
[10] That is, as the scholars of Tafsir have reported, “a spirit from the spirits that He created.” And as appears later, “a word from Him” means that Allah said, “Be” and he was. So he was created by a Allah's word. See the Tafsir of Ibn Kathir .
[11] This is a famous hadith recorded by at-Tirmithi, al-Bayhaqi, at-Tabari and Ibn ‘Abdil-Barr others. Ibn Taymiyyah and Muhammad Naasir ad-Din al-Albaani graded it hasan because of a mursal (stopping at a follower of a companion) report that serves as a witness for it. Shaykh Muhammad al-Hamud graded it weak in his notes on this book, but he fell short of mentioning this particular witness for it. See al-Halabi's notes.
[12] That is “the people of the threat” i.e., the Khawaarij and the Mu‘tazilah. Because of thier beliefs that every threat for a sin is automatically applicable to the sinner who performs it.
[13] As recorded in a lengthy hadith found with al-Bukhaari and Muslim.
[14] "Those who bring benefit...” i.e. because of their wisdom, is the meaning of the term “tasrifaat” as explained by Shaykh ‘Abdur-Razzaaq ‘Afifi in his comments on this work.
[15] Known as Shaykh al-Islam Abu al-Hasan ‘Ali bin Ahmad bin Yusuf bin Ja‘far al-Umawi as-Sufyaani al-Hikkaari. He was praised for his knowledge by many biographers, and he was known as a Sufi shaykh. He died in the year 486 H.
[16] He was a Hanbali scholar and author, also known for his debates with the Ash‘ariyah during his time in ash- Shaam. He died in the year 486 H.
[17] The author did not mention Imaam Muslim's work here simply because the work was not chapterized until Imaam an-Nawawi did that later.
[18] Al-Bukhaari, Muslim and others.
[19] At-Tirmithi and others.
[20] Muslim and others.
[21] Usually used to refer to leather sock, whereas “jawrab” refers to the sock. The author's usage of “khuffs” in the above context covers “socks” as well.
[22] An category of audible supplications performed more commonly during the witr prayer.
[23] A drink prepared from barely or dates. This name is used for the unfermented version of it. Imaam al-Bukhaari said, “Ma‘n said, ‘I asked Maalik bin Anas about fuqqaa‘. He said, “If it does not intoxicate then there is no harm in it.” Ibn ad-Daraawardi said, “We asked about it, and they said, ‘It does not intoxicate, there is no harm in it.'” See Sahih al- Bukhaari v. 7 the book of drinks, chapter 4 of Muhsin Khan's translation.
[24] Al-Masih comes from the word masah, to wipe. In the case of ‘Isaa (S) it implies a meaning similar to the Jewish idea of Messiah rather than the Christian idea. In the case of the Dajjaal as appears later (al-Masih ad-Dajjaal) it should not be misunderstood to carry the Christian meaning of “antichrist”, as is common. Here the term masih comes from one of the versions the hadith narrated about the Dajjaal having one eye. An example of this hadith appears later. In one narration it is said that his eye is mamsuh or wiped. It is for this reason that he carries that name. However, since he will be killed by ‘Isaa (S) then the name antichrist is often applied to him.
[25] An authentic hadith recorded by Ahmad, an-Nasaa'i, Ibn Maajah and others.
By Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah
In the name of Allah, the Merciful, the Compassionate
From Ahmad bin Taymiyyah, may Allah forgive him, to those whom this book has reached of Muslims faithful to the Sunnah and the Jamaa‘ah, those who belong to the group of the exemplary, learned Shaykh Abu al-Barakaat ‘Adi bin Musaafir al-Umawi [1] , may Allah have mercy on him, and to those who follow his example, may Allah lead them on his path and assist them in obedience to Him and His Messenger (sal-Allaahu ‘alayhi was-sallam). May Allah make them of one mind by His unbreakable reins, rightly guided on the path of those upon whom He has bestowed His grace - the prophets, the righteous, the martyrs, and pious. And may He avert them from the path of the wayward, of those who deviate (from the straight), who depart from what He sent through His Messenger (salla Allahu ‘alayhi was-salaam) of law and method, so that they be of the most vigorous followers of the Qur'aan and Sunnah. May Allah's peace and blessings be upon you.
We praise Allah, there is no god but He. He is deserving of praise and has power over all things. We ask Him to bless the seal of the prophets and master of the children of Aadam (sal-Allaahu ‘alayhi was-sallam), the most noble of creation to its Lord, and closest of them to Him, and greatest in rank among them before Him: Muhammad His servant and Messenger, peace be upon him, his family, and his followers.
Allah indeed sent Muhammad (sal-Allaahu ‘alayhi was-sallam) rightly guided with the religion of truth so that he would make the entire religion known, and sufficient is Allah as a witness. He revealed to him the Book of truth, testifying to, and faithful to the books that came before. He perfected religion for him (the Messenger (salla Allahu ‘alayhi wassalaam)) and his community, and completed His favor upon them, and made them the best community of humanity. Of the seventy some communities humanity comprises [2] , they are the best and most noble to Allah. He made them a middle community, i.e. just and the best, and for that reason He made them witnesses for humanity. He guided them, with that which He sent all of His messengers, in the religion which He prescribed to all of His creation. He then made them distinct after that, in that He distinguished them and honored them with the sharee‘ah and methodology which He had made for them.
The first of these [the sharee‘ah] is like the fundamentals of faith, the highest and most virtuous of which is tawhid. This is the declaration that there is no god but Allah, as Allah has said:
And We sent no messenger before you but We revealed to him, (saying): None has the right to be worshipped but Me (Allah), so worship Me.» [Al-Anbiya (21):25].
And Allah said:
«And verily we sent to every nation a messenger, (saying), worship Allah, and avoid Taaghut (false deities); . [Al-Nahl (16): 36].
And Allah said:
And ask those of Our messengers whom We sent before you: Did We ever appoint deities to be worshipped beside the Most Merciful? [Al-Zukhruf (43): 45].
And Allah said:
He has ordained for you the religion which He revealed unto Nuh, and that which We reveal to you (Muhammad), and that which We revealed unto Ibrahim and Musa and ‘Isa, . [Al-Shura (42): 13].
And Allah said:
O messengers! Eat of the good things, and do righteous actions. Verily I am aware of what you do. And verily this your religion is one religion and I am your Lord, so fear Me . [Al-Mu minun (23): 51-2].
And the ideals of faith were contained in all the books of Allah and all His messengers as Allah said:
Say : ‘We believe In Allah, and and what he has sent to us, and to Ibrahim, Ismaa'il, Ishaaq, Y'aqub, And the Tribes, and that given To Musa and ‘Isaa and that given To (all) prophets from their Lord: We make no difference between them: And we submit to Allah (in Islam) . [Al-Baqarah (2): 136].
Similarly:
but say: ‘I believe in the Book which Allah has sent down; And I am commanded to judge justly between you . [Al-Shura (42): 15].
Similarly, Allah said:
The messenger believes in what hath been revealed To him from his Lord, as do the believers. Each one (of them) believes In Allah, His angels, His books, and His messengers. ‘We make no distinction (they say) between one and another of His messengers. And they say: ‘We hear, and we obey: We seek your forgiveness, Our Lord, and to you Is the return. . [Al-Baqarah (2):285] etc.
Then there is faith the Last Day and its associated rewards and punishments as He recounted the faith of the believers of the communities which preceded when He said:
Those who believe (in the Qur an), And the Jews, and the Christians and the Sabians - believe in Allah And the Last Day, And do righteous deeds, shall have their reward With their Lord; on them shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve . [Al-Baqarah (2): 62].
Then there are the fundamental laws as He mentioned in surat al-An‘aam and al-A‘raaf and Subhaan and in other Meccan surahs. Among them are: His command (to humanity) to worship Him alone who has no partner, His command to honor one s parents and relatives, the fulfillment of contracts, honesty in speech, fairness in one s dealings with others, giving to the beggar and poor, the prohibition of unjust killing, the forbidding of vile deeds both external or internal, the forbidding of unwarranted treachery and tyranny, forbidding speech in religion without knowledge. Along with these, the things that tawhid includes, like sincerely devoting the religion to Allah and trusting in Allah, hoping for Allah s mercy, fear of Allah, patience for Allah s judgment, and carrying out Allah s commands. Similarly, that Allah and His Messenger be more beloved to the servant than his family, possessions, and (all other) people. These are in addition to other principles of faith which Allah revealed in passages of the Qur an, such as the Meccan suras, and some of the Medinan.
As for the second [the methodology], it is found in what Allah revealed in the Medinan surahs of laws of His religion and what the Messenger (sal-Allaahu ‘alayhi was-sallam) set as a way for His community. For Allah (subhaanahu wa ta‘aalaa) revealed to him the Book and wisdom and strengthened the Believers by that. He ordered the wives of His prophet to recite that for He said:
And Allah has sent down to you the book and wisdom and taught you what you knew not (before) . [Al-Nisa (4): 113].
And He said:
Indeed Allah conferred a great favor on the believers when He sent among them a messenger from among themselves, reciting unto them his verses, purifying them, and teaching them the book and the wisdom . [ Al-‘Imran (3): 164 ]
And He said:
And remember that which is recited to you in your homes, verses of Allah and the wisdom . [Al-Ahzab (33): 34].
More than one of the salaf said: “Wisdom is the Sunnah because that which was recited in the houses of his wives (may Allah be pleased with them) other than the Qur'an was his (sal-Allaahu ‘alayhi was-sallam) Sunnah, and for that he (salla Allahu ‘alayhi wassalaam) said: “I was indeed given the Book and its like along with it.” [3]
And Hasaan bin ‘Atiyyah said, “Jibril, upon him peace, delivered the Sunnah to the Prophet (sal-Allaahu ‘alayhi was-sallam) as he did the Qur'an, and he taught it to him as he did the Qur'an.” [4]
These represent the body of prescribed laws, by which Allah distinguished His Prophet and his community. They represent one common direction, a common ritualism, a common methodology. Like the five prayers for example, performed at their respective times, each with their required number of units. Each of these with recitation, bowings, prostrations, each performed while facing the direction of the Sacred House. Like the duties of zakaah, and its statutes which He (subhaanahu wa ta‘aalaa) enjoined upon a Muslim s possessions of livestock and grains, dates, items of trade, gold and silver. In addition to those whom He allotted this for, saying:
Zakat is only for the poor and the needy, and those employed to collect the (funds); and to attract the hearts of those whose been (recently) inclined (to islaam); to free captives and for those in debt; in the cause Of Allah; and for the wayfarer: A duty imposed by Allah, And Allah The All-Knower, the All wise . [Al-Tawbah (9): 60].
This is the same for fasting in the month of Ramadan, and hajj to the Sacred House. It is the same for the limits which He ordained for people regarding marriages, inheritance, criminal punishment and types of business. And the sunan which He established for their festivals, Friday prayer, congregating for the obligatory prayers, and for the eclipse prayer, for the rain prayer, as well as the funeral prayer, and the tarawih prayer. And the customs that He (subhaanahu wa ta‘aalaa) established for them regarding eating, manner of dress, birth and death. Allah also prescribed other such customs, manners, and rulings as did His Messenger; regarding blood, wealth, goods, honor, profits and yields. As well as other limits and rights additional to these, which He established for them on the tongue of the Messenger (sal-Allaahu ‘alayhi was-sallam).
By these He made them have a love for faith and adorned their hearts with it, and so He made them followers of His Messenger (sal-Allaahu ‘alayhi was-sallam). He protected them from agreeing on error as the communities before them erred, for Allah sent a Messenger to each community when they erred as He said:
And verily we sent to every nation a messenger, (proclaiming), worship Allah, and avoid Taaghut . [Al-Nahl (16):36].
And Allah said:
And there never was a nation, except a warner was sent to them . [Fatir (35): 24].
And as for Muhammad (sal-Allaahu ‘alayhi was-sallam) the seal of the prophets of whom there is no prophet after him, Allah protected his community from agreeing on error, and as such He made it so they would establish the evidence until the Day of Resurrection. For that reason, the consensus of this ummah is as authoritative as the Book and the Sunnah. By this, the people of this community upon the truth were distinguished with the Sunnah and the Jamaa'ah from the people of falsehood who claim that they follow the Qur'an, while opposing the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (sal-Allaahu ‘alayhi was-sallam) and what the Muslims have agreed upon.
In His Book, Allah ordered adherence to the Sunnah of His Messenger (salla Allahu ‘alayhi was-salaam) and following his path. He ordered harmony and clinging to the community, and He forbade division and separatism, for He said:
He who obeys the Messenger, obeys Allah . [Al-Nisa (4): 80].
And Allah said :
We sent not a Messenger, But to be obeyed, in accordance with the will of Allah .
[Al-Nisa (4): 64].
And Allah said:
Say: ‘If you love Allah, then follow me: Allah will love you, and forgive you your sins . [Al ‘Imran (3): 31].
And Allah said:
But no, by the Lord, they can have no (real) faith, until they make you judge In all disputes between them, And find in their souls no resistance against your decisions, but accept them with the fullest submission. . [Al-Nisa (4): 65].
And Allah said:
And hold fast, all together, by the rope which Allah (stretches out For you), and be not divided among yourselves . [Al ‘Imran (3): 103].
And Allah said:
As for those who divide Their religion and break up Into sects, you have no part in them in the least . [Al-An am (6): 159].
And Allah said:
Be not like those who are divided amongst themselves and fall into disputations after receiving clear signs . [Al ‘Imran (3): 105].
And Allah said:
And they have been commanded except: To worship Allah, sincerely, being True (in faith); To establish regular prayer; And to pay Zakat; And that is the established Religion . [Al-Bayyinah (98): 5].
And Allah said:
Verily, this is My straight path so follow it; Follow not (other) paths for they will scatter you about from His path . [Al-An'am (6): 153].
And Allah said in the mother of the Book (the Fatihah):
Show us the straight way (6), The way of those on whom you have bestowed Your grace, Those whose (portion) Is not wrath, And who go not astray . [Al-Fatihah (1): 6-7].
And so it followed that the Prophet (sal-Allaahu ‘alayhi was-sallam) said: “The Jews are those with whom He is wrath, and the Christians are those who have strayed.” [5] In the mother of the Book [6] , which Allah gave to our Prophet (salla Allahu ‘alayhi wassalaam) among the treasures from beneath the Throne, and without which there is no prayer [7] , the likes of it not being revealed in the Taawrah nor the Injil, nor the Zabur, nor in the remainder of the Qur'an. In it, He ordered us to ask Him to show us the straight path, the path of those on whom Allah has bestowed His grace, not whose portion is wrath like the Jews, and not those who go astray like the Christians.
And this is the Straight Path: It is the pure religion of Islam, and it is what is in the Book of Allah, and it is the Sunnah and that which is represented by the community. For the pure Sunnah is the pure religion of Islam. Indeed, it is narrated from a number of routes - both in the Sunan books and the Musnad books -like that of the Imaam Ahmad, Abu Daawud, at-Tirmithi, and others that the Prophet (sal-Allaahu ‘alayhi was-sallam) said: “This nation will become divided into seventy-two sects all but one of which will meet the fire and that is the Jama‘ah.” [8] and in another narration; “...Those who are on the same path as I and my companions are today.” [9]
And this is the saved sect, Ahl as-Sunnah, and they are the middle [moderate] sect, as the religion of Islam is the middle [moderate] among the religions, for the Muslims are the moderate nation regarding belief in the prophets of Allah, His messengers and His pious servants. Muslims did not exaggerate as the Christians had, for they (the Christians) adopted their priests and monks as lords besides Allah and claimed ‘Isaa as the son of Allah. Yet they were commanded to only worship one god of whom there is no god but He, who is free of whom they associated Him with. The people of the Sunnah are not treacherous as were the Jews, who would kill the prophets without justification, and they would kill those who commanded justice among the people, and anything that the Messenger came with that they did not like, then groups of them rejected it, and groups of them fought against it.
But the believers: they believed in the messengers of Allah, and assisted them and revered them and loved them and obeyed them, and they did not worship them nor did they adopt them as lords, as Allah said:
It is not (possible) that a man, to whom Is given the Book, and wisdom, and the prophet-hood, Should say to people: ‘Be my worshippers rather than Allah's : On the contrary (He would say): ‘Be Rabbaaiyyun (learned men of the religion who practice what they know and preach to others.) For you are teaching the book and you have studied it. Nor would he instruct you to take angels and prophets for Lords. Would he bid you disbelief after you have submitted your will? [Al ‘Imran (3): 79-80].
Moreover, the believers were moderate as it pertains to ‘Isaa for they did not say: he is Allah, nor did they say he was the son of Allah, nor the third of three as the Christians say.
And they did not disbelieve in him nor slanderously lie about Maryam, so that they make him the son of a sin, as the Jews claimed. Rather they said this is a servant of Allah, and His messenger, and His word which He delivered to the Virgin Mary, and a spirit from Him [10] .
Similarly the believers are moderate with the laws of Allah's religion. They did not deny that Allah could abrogate or remove a law if He willed as the Jews claimed. Allah said about them:
The Fools among the people Will say: ‘What has turned Them from their qiblah ( Jerusalem ) to which they used to face? [Al-Baqarah (2): 142], and in another verse: When it is said to them, ‘Believe in what Allah has sent down, they say, ‘We believe in what was sent down to us; yet they reject all besides, even if it be truth confirming what is with them . [Al-Baqarah (2): 91].
And they did not allow the great ones among them of scholars and His servants that they change the religion of Allah, thereby commanding what they (the authorities) willed and doing away with what they willed, as the Christians did, as Allah mentioned about them:
They take their priests and their anchorites to be their lords besides Allaah . [Al-Tawbah (9): 31].
‘Adi bin Haatim, may Allah be pleased with him, said: I said; “O Messenger of Allah! They did not worship them.” The Prophet said: “They did not worship them, but they declared lawful for them the prohibited and they obeyed them, and they forbade to them the lawful, and they obeyed.” [11] And the believers say: “Creating and ordaining are Allah's”, so just as none other than He creates, neither may any ordain. And they say: “We hear and we obey”, and so they obey all that Allah commands. And they say: “God indeed commands what He intends”, as for creatures, then it is not their place to alter the order of the exalted Creator.
Likewise as to the attributes of Allah (subhaanahu wa ta‘aalaa), the Jews portrayed Him with deficient attributes of the created. They said: “He is poor and we are rich”. And they said: “The hand of Allah is bound.” And they said: “He became tired from creating and rested on the seventh day.” And similar sayings to that effect. On the other hand, Christians portrayed the creature with the attributes of the Creator that are specific to Him. They said: “He [the creature] creates, provides, forgives, is merciful, pardons creation, rewards, and punishes.”
The believers believe in Allah (subhaanahu wa ta‘aalaa) who has neither namesake nor peer, there is none comparable to Him, and there is nothing like Him. He is Lord of the Worlds and creator of all things, and all things are servants of Him and in need of Him:
There are none in the heavens and the earth but must come to the Most Merciful as a servant. He does take an account of them all, and has numbered them all exactly. And every one of them will come to alone on the Day of Resurrection. [Maryam (19): 93-95].
And among other things [that this community is different from Jews and Christian are the matters of] the permitted and the forbidden, for the Jews are, as Allah said:
For the wrong doing of the Jews We made unlawful for them certain (foods) good and wholesome which had been lawful for them . [Al-Nisa (4): 160].
Thus they do not eat animals with hooves such as the camel and the duck, nor do they eat the kidneys or the fat around the intestines, and they refrain from eating the goat who is still nursing, and so on. It is said that the items they are forbidden from are three hundred and sixty items, and those things which are incumbent upon them are two hundred and forty eight commands. Likewise, they are very strict in matters of impurities so that they will not even eat with a menstruating woman, nor will they be in her presence in the home.
As for the Christians, they regard the offensive and all the forbidden things as permitted, but what ‘Isaa actually said to them:
(I have come to you) to make lawful to you part of what was (Before) forbidden to you . [Al ‘Imran (3): 50].
And for this Allah said :
Fight those who believe not In Allah nor the Last Day, nor hold that forbidden which has been forbidden by Allah and His Messenger, nor acknowledge the religion of truth, from among the people of the book, Until they pay the Jizyah with willing submission, And feel themselves subdued . [Al-Tawbah (9): 29].
But the believers, as Allah described them in His words:
But My mercy extends to all things. That (Mercy) I shall ordain for those who are Al-Mutaqqun, and pay Zakat, and those who believe in Our Ayat. (156) Those who follow the Messenger, the unlettered Prophet, whom they find mentioned In the Taurat- and the Injeel (Gospel)- For he commands them what is just and forbids them what is evil; he allows them as lawful what is good (And pure) and prohibits them From what is bad (and impure); He releases them from their heavy burdens And from the yokes that are upon them. So it is those who believe in him, honor him, help him, and follow the Light Which is sent down with him- It is they who will prosper (157) . [Al-A'raf (7): 156-157]. ”
This is a lengthy topic one could discuss for a substantial amount of time.
This is Ahl as-Sunnah wal-Jama‘ah in relationship to the sects, on the topic of the names of Allah, His ayaat and His qualities, they are centered between the people of ta‘til, and those who abdicate Allah's names and ayaat, and those who deny the reality that Allah described Himself with, until they have made Him resemble one non existent and deceased. Ahl as-Sunnah wal-Jamaa‘ah are between the people of tamthil, those who give similitudes for Allah, resembling Him to creatures.
Ahl as-Sunnah wal-Jamaa‘ah believe in what Allah has described Himself with, and that which His Messenger (sal-Allaahu ‘alayhi was-sallam) described Him with - without distortion or denial, and without saying “how” and making comparisons.
On the topic of His creating and decreeing, they are centered between those who deny Allah's ability - those who do not believe in His complete capability, his universal will, nor that He created everything - and between the corruptors of Allah's religion who believe that a person has no will, nor ability, nor even works. So they denounce commanding and forbidding, and rewards and punishments, reaching the level of the idolaters who said;
If Allah had wished we should not have given partners to Him, nor would our fathers: nor should we have had any taboos . [Al-An'aam (6): 148]. ”
Ahl al-Sunnah believes that Allah has power over all things, and He is able to guide His servants and change their hearts. They believe that whatever He should will, is, and that which He does not will, is not. Thus, there will not be anything under His sovereignty which He did not intend, and He is not incapable of executing what He intends. They believe that He is the creator of everything, from the essence of each thing, its characteristics, and its movement. They believe that a human possesses ability, will, and deeds. They also believe that the servant chooses, and they do not call him compelled, since the compelled is one who has been forced against his will. They believe that Allah Almighty made the human free to choose what he does, so he chooses as he wishes, and Allah created him and his choice. There is no other possibility, for there is nothing like Allah, not in His essence, nor His attributes, nor His deeds.
On the topic of titles, judgments, punishments and threats, they are between the Wa‘idiyah [12] - those who assign the major sinners among the Muslims to eternal dwelling in the Fire, believing them to be removed from faith in its entirety, and they also deny the Prophet's (sal-Allaahu ‘alayhi was-sallam) intercession - and between the Murji'ah, those who believe that the faith of a disobedient person is the same as the faith of the prophets, and that righteous deeds are something beyond the call of religion and faith, and they also deny the threat and punishment entirely.
Ahl al-Sunnah wal-Jamaa‘ah believe that the disobedient Muslims possess some amount of faith and its basic elements, but not all of the obligatory faith which warrants Paradise, nor are they to dwell eternally in the Fire. But he who has faith in his heart the weight of a mustard seed will get out of the Fire [13] . They believe that the Prophet (salla Allahu ‘alayhi was-salaam) has saved his intercession for those of his community who have committed major sins.
On the topic of the companions of Allah's Messenger (sal-Allaahu ‘alayhi was-sallam), they are also moderate between the excessive who exaggerated the status of ‘Ali radi-Allaahu anhu - such that they considered him to be more virtuous than Abu Bakr and ‘Umar radi-Allaahu anhu, believing that he was the infallible Imaam - and that the other companions were oppressive, disobedient, and that the community fell into disbelief after them. Likewise, some of them have made ‘Ali a prophet or a god. And between the brutes who believe that he was a disbeliever and that ‘Uthmaan was also a disbeliever, making thier blood and the blood of those who ally with them lawful for the shedding, and considering it recommended to curse ‘Ali, ‘Uthmaan and others, maligning the khilaafah of ‘Ali and his Imamate. As with the rest of the topics of the Sunnah, Ahl as-Sunnah wal-Jamaa‘ah are the moderate because they adhere to the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of His Messenger (salla Allahu ‘alayhi was-salaam), and to what the early emigrants, the Ansaar, and those who faithfully follow them agreed upon.
Chapter
The Fiqh of Da‘wah
May Allah cause you to prosper. Allah has bestowed upon you an affiliation to Islam which is His religion, and He cured you of the afflictions which those outside of Islam, the idolaters and the People of the Book suffer from. Islam is the greatest and most sublime of blessings, for Allah does not accept from anyone a religion other than it:
If anyone desires a religion other than Islam (submission to Allah), never will it be accepted of him; and in the hereafter he will be in the ranks of those who have lost (All spiritual good) . [Al ‘Imran (3): 85].
Allah guarded you by your attachment to the Sunnah from most of the errant innovations, such as much of the innovation of the Rafidhiyah, the Jahmiyah, the Khawaarij and the Qadiriyah. For that He made you abhor those who curse the companions of Allah's Messenger (sal-Allaahu ‘alayhi was-sallam), or deny the names of Allah, His attributes, His decrees, and His will. Abhorrence for these innovations is the way of Ahl al-Sunnah wal-Jama‘ah, and this is of the greatest gifts which Allah gives, through it comes the completion of faith and the perfection of religion. And for this reason, there are many people of goodness and religion among you, and those people who struggle fighting in the way of Allah, such as do not exist among the innovative sects. And for this reason aid to victory remains among the military of the Muslims, and Allah's soldiers are defending you, with Allah's religion supporting you and strengthening the believers, and in the people of zuhud and the people of worship among you, those whose condition is that of purity and the accepted way, those of miracles who bring benefit to the Muslims [14] , and those pious awliyaa' among you gifted with a truthful tongue.
And indeed in the venerable shaykhs who were among you such as the one called Shaykh al-Islam Abu al-Hasan ‘Ali bin Ahmad bin Yusuf al-Qarshi al-Hikkaari [15] , and after him the exemplary learned Shaykh ‘Adi bin Musaafir al-Umawi and those who follow their way. Among them are those of virtue and religion and benefit, following the Sunnah, as Allah honored them and gave them strength, illuminating thier way. And Shaykh ‘Adi, may Allah bless his soul, was among the most virtuous of the righteous servants of Allah, and among the greatest of those shaykhs who are followed, having pure praiseworthy qualities, as is known by the people familiar with his life. His reputation is well-known among the ummah, having a truthful tongue of remembrance, and his creed that has been preserved from him remained within the creed of the shaykhs that preceded him, those whose paths have been followed such as Shaykh al-Imaam as-Saalih Abu al-Faraj ‘Abdul-Waahad bin Muhammad bin ‘Ali al-Ansaari ash-Shiraazi, later known as ad-Dimashqi [16] ; Shaykh al-Islam al-Hikkaari and others. These shaykhs did not leave the major fundamentals of Ahl as-Sunnah wal-Jama‘ah, rather they were proponents of the fundamentals of Ahl as-Sunnah, they invited to them, they were active in its propagation, and eradicating those who contradicted that by their virtuous religious practice. By these great acts Allah raised their rank and illuminated and extended thier guiding way, as is said about them in the popular news of their lives. All of this is so, although in thier statements and the statements of those who followed them there exists some blame-able issues, some weak evidences, like hadiths that are not confirmable, and analogies that were not yet refuted, as is known by the people of insightful knowledge.
One may adhere or not to the words of anyone, except for the words of the Messenger of Allah (sal-Allaahu ‘alayhi was-sallam). One must be more careful especially with the words of the later scholars of the ummah who did not make judgments based upon complete knowledge and understanding of the Book, the Sunnah, nor did they distinguish between the sound hadiths and the weak ones, nor were they able to make proper well grounded analogies. With that, being surrounded by desire, and many opinions, division and differences, resulting from enmity and discord.
For these and their like are the direct causes that fuel ignorance and oppression, as Allah describes the people who suffer from them by saying;
...but man undertook it—he was indeed unjust and foolish . [Al Ahzab: 72]
for when Allah grants people knowledge and justice, He delivers them from this error, and Allah said:
By (the Token of) time (through the Ages) verily man is in loss, except such as have faith, and do righteous deeds, and (join together) In the mutual teaching of truth, and of patience. [Al- ‘Asr, 1-3]
and Allah said:
And We appointed, from among them, leaders, giving guidance under Our command, so long As they persevered with patience and continued to have faith in Our signs. [Al Sajdah, 24]
And you know, may Allah make you prosper, the Sunnah that must be followed is the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah in matters of creed, worship, and all aspects of religion. Those matters are known by knowledge of the authentic hadiths of the Prophet (salla Allahu ‘alayhi was-salaam) which are related about him regarding what he did or left in his words and deeds. And after that, those matters are also found in the way of those early Muslims, and those who faithfully followed them and those principles are found in the well known books of Islam like the Sahih of al-Bukhaari, and Muslim, and the Sunnan books like: Sunnan Abu Daawud and an-Nasaa'i and Jaami' at-Tirmithi, and the Muwata' of Imaam Maalik, and the Musnad books like the Musnad of Imaam Ahmad and others. It is also found in the books of commentary on the Qur'an, books recording the early military expeditions, and the rest of the books of hadith.
Some scholars collected hadiths and reports in the matters of the creed of Ahl as-Sunnah. Among those scholars are Hamaad bin Salimah, and ‘Abdurrahmaan bin Mahdi, and ‘Abdullah bin ‘Abdurrahmaan ad-Daarami, and ‘Uthmaan bin Sa‘id ad-Daarami and others among thier class. They chapterized their books in a manner similar to that of al-Bukhaari, Abu Daawud, an-Nasaa'i, Ibn Maajah and others. The same was done in the works of Abu Bakr al-Athram, and ‘Abdullah bin Ahmad and Abu Bakr al-Khalaal, Abu al-Qaasim at-Tabaraani, and Abu ash-Shaykh al-Asbahaani, and Abu Bakr al-Aajuri, and Abu al-Hasan al-Daaraqutni, Abu ‘Abdullah bin Mandih, Abu al-Qaasim al-Lalakaa'i, Abu ‘Abdullah Ibn Battah, Abu ‘Amr at-Talamanki, Abu Nu'aym al-Asbahaani, Abu Tharr al-Harawi, and Abu Bakr al-Bayhaqi [17] . And indeed, in some of these works there are weak hadiths, of which the people of knowledge are aware.
Often people have related many hadiths which are lies and fabrications about Allah's Messenger (sal-Allaahu ‘alayhi was-sallam), regarding the attributes of Allah as well as the other topics of creed and general topics of religion. Those narrations are of two groups: Among them are those which are false talk, not permitted to be said, far less than of being attributed to the Prophet. (sal-Allaahu ‘alayhi was-sallam)
And the second group; from that which some of the Salaf or some of the scholars or others uttered. This type could be true or is something which was accepted on based ijtihaad or the view of one's mathhab, so it has been referred to as having come from the Prophet (sal-Allaahu ‘alayhi was-sallam). This is common among those who do not know the hadith, like the issues which the Shaykh Abu al-Faraj ‘Abdul-Waahad bin Muhammad bin ‘Ali al-Ansaari initiated, making them a test, distinguishing a person by them to be either Sunni or an innovator, And these are well known issues. But some of the liars created chains for them back to the Messenger of Allah (sal-Allaahu ‘alayhi was-sallam), and passed them off as his speech. Even those who have the least knowledge know that it is a fabrication, and while most of these issues are in agreement with the general principles of Islam, yet in them is that which if a person were to oppose it, he would not be judged as an innovator. An example of these is the question over what the first favor that Allah granted to His servant was. This is an issue that there is difference over among Ahl as-Sunnah, but the division is a matter of choosing different words to explain it because it centers around the question of a carnal pleasure, the fulfillment of for which one is punished, is it called a favor or not?
It is therefore obligatory to differentiate between the authentic hadith and the fabricated hadith, for the Sunnah is the truth without falsehood, the authentic hadiths, not the fabricated. This is a major principle for the people of Islam in general, and more particularly for those who invite to the Sunnah.
Chapter
Important Points
It was previously noted that the religion of Allah is in the middle between excessiveness and neglect. Allah did not commission his servants any order except that Shaytaan launched one of two tactics against it and it did not matter to him which won out. These were either immoderation in it (the order) or neglect of it. Since no other religion than Islam, which is the religion of Allah, is accepted from anyone, then Shaytaan has attacked many of those a part of it, to the extent that they would violate many of its laws.
He has diverted groups of the most devoted and cautious of this ummah, so that they went through Islam, just as the arrow goes through its prey. And the Prophet (salla Allahu ‘alayhi was-salaam) ordered fighting the renegades, for reports are recorded in the Sahih books of hadith and others from the commander of the faithful, ‘Ali bin Abu Taalib, Abu Sa‘id al-Khudri, Suhail bin Hanif, Abu Tharr al-Ghafaari, Sa‘d bin Abu Waqaas, ‘Abdullah bin ‘Umar, and Ibn Mas'ud, may Allah be pleased with them, and others besides them, that the Prophet (sal-Allaahu ‘alayhi was-sallam) mentioned the Khawaarij and said: “One of you will find his prayer disgraced by theirs, his fasting disgraced by theirs, his recitation disgraced by theirs. Yet thier recitation of the Qur'an will not even go beyond their throats, they will go through Islam as the arrow goes through its prey, only piercing it. So fight them, for indeed in fighting them there is reward from Allah for the fighter on the Day of Resurrection. If I were to come up them, I would fight them with the vengeance unleashed upon the people of ‘Ad.“ [18] And in one narration, “the worst case of murder under the canopy of heaven is better than the murder that they commit.” [19] In another narration, “If they knew, those who combat them, what was related for them on the tongue of Muhammad (salla Allahu ‘alayhi was-salaam), they would leave doing otherwise.” [20] When they appeared during the khilaafah of ‘Ali bin Abu Taalib, may Allah be pleased with him, he and the companions of the Allah's Messenger (sal-Allaahu ‘alayhi was-sallam) fought them, because of the Prophet's order, and his emphasis on fighting them. All of the Imaams of Islam have agreed upon fighting them.
23- This is the case for all of those sects who divide the Muslims, leaving the Sunnah of Allaah's Messenger (sal-Allaahu ‘alayhi was-sallam) and his sharee‘ah; whether people of deviant desires, or affronting innovation. For this reason the Muslims fought the Rawafidh who are the most evil of these people, declaring the majority of the Muslims to be disbelievers, as they did with the three khalifahs and others. They claimed that they alone are the believers, and other than they are all disbelievers. They declare those who say that Allah will be seen in the hereafter to be disbelievers, as well as those who believe in Allaah's attributes, His all-encompassing ability and universal will. And they declare disbelievers of all those who oppose the innovation that they call to. They perform masah over thier feet but not over the khuff [21] , they delay breaking the fast and the prayer until the stars have appeared, they combine between two prayers without a reason, they say a qunut [22] in the five prayers, they have made fuqqaa‘ [23] , the meat of the people of the book and the meat of those Muslims who differ with them unlawful. That is because they believe that they [the Muslims] are disbelievers. They say horrible things about the companions which there is no reason to mention here, and there are many other things. So the Muslims have fought them by the order of Allah and His Messenger.
During the time of Allaah's Messenger (sal-Allaahu ‘alayhi was-sallam) and the rightly guided khalifahs Islam was attributed to those who became renegades from it by their tremendous amount of worship, such that the Prophet (sal-Allaahu ‘alayhi was-sallam) ordered fighting them. So know that an affiliate of Islam or to the Sunnah at this time may also be a renegade from Islam and the Sunnah, such that he calls Sunnah that which is no part of it, rather he has left the Sunnah, and that occurs by two means:
Excessiveness, which Allah condemned in His Book saying;
O people of the Book! Do not exaggerate in your religion, do not say about Allah other than the truth. Al-Masih [24] ‘Isaa bin Maryam was Allaah's messenger and His word which He delivered to Maryam, and a spirit from Him...and Allah is a sufficient trustee . [An-Nisaa 4:171]
And; Say: O people of the Book! Do not exceed the truth with your religion, and do not follow people of desire, they have gone astray before and have lead many to stray from the even path . [Al-Maa'idah 5:77]
And the Prophet (salla Allahu ‘alayhi wassalaam) said, “Beware of exaggerating in the religion, for it is only exaggerating in religion that the destroyed the people before you.” [25]
Among the causes is sectarianism and division that Allah mentioned in His mighty Book.
Among them are narrations reported from the Prophet (sal-Allaahu ‘alayhi was-sallam) which are lies against him according to the agreement of the people of knowledge, these are called hadiths by the ignorant so that whatever he thinks or desires will be agreed to.
And the most astray deviation - following whims and desires - as Allah said, condemning this in truth;
They follow but a guess and that which they themselves desire, whereas there has already come to them guidance from their lord. . [Al-Najm (53): 23]. ”
And He said truthfully about His Prophet (sal-Allaahu ‘alayhi was-sallam):
By the star when it goes down - your companion is neither astray nor being misled, Nor does he speak of (his own) desire. It is only revelation revealed. [Al-Najm (53): 1-4]. ”
So He (subhaanahu wa ta‘aalaa) declared him to be above misguidance and error which are ignorance and wrong. For the misguided is he who does not know the truth, and the errant is the one who follows his desire. He (subhaanahu wa ta‘aalaa) related that the Prophet did not speak out of his own desire, but it is revelation which Allah revealed to him, so He characterized him with knowledge and being safe from desire.
In the following detailed sections, I will mention a number of categories of the sources of falsehood innovated by sects who affiliate themselves with the Sunnah, but they have by them left the Sunnah and become among the greatest of the wrong doers.
This article is continued on page 2
Footnotes
[1] Abu Muhammad ‘Adi bin Sakhar ash-Shaami - or ‘Adi bin Musaafir, which is more popular - Ibn Ismaa‘il bin Musaa ash-Shaami, later known as al-Hikkaari because he settled near the mountains of Hikkaar in northern ‘Iraaq. One of the Sufi groups takes their name, al-‘Adawiyah, from him, and it is said that he was a student of the Shaykh ‘Abdul-Qaadir al-Jilaani. Later, a sect known as the Yazidiyah (known for their worship of Shaytaan) evolved from the ‘Adawiyah tariqah and their erroneous beliefs regarding the shaykh. Some of these beliefs are eluded to by the author later.
[2] See point number six.
[3] Abu Daawud, with an authentic chain of narrators.
[4] He was one of the Imaams of ash-Shaam, he died near the year 130 H. This report from him was recorded by ad- Daarami, al-Lalakaa'i and al-Khaatib with an authentic chain of narrators. The words, “So he taught it to him...” Are Not found in Ad-Darami's version.
[5] An authentic hadith recorded by Ahmad, at-Tirmithi, ‘Abdur-Razzaaq, Ibn Hibbaan, at-Tabari and others.
[6] Surat al-Fatihah.
[7] Referring to a hadith recorded by Muslim and others, reported by ‘Ubaadah bin as-Saamit radi-Allaahu anhu that Allah's Messenger (S) said, “There is no prayer for one who does not recite the Opening of the Book in it.”
[8] An authentic hadith recorded by many scholars of hadith such as Imaam Ahmad and Abu Daawud and at-Tirmithi.
[9] An authentic hadith, see as-Sahihah no. 203-204 al-Albani.
[10] That is, as the scholars of Tafsir have reported, “a spirit from the spirits that He created.” And as appears later, “a word from Him” means that Allah said, “Be” and he was. So he was created by a Allah's word. See the Tafsir of Ibn Kathir .
[11] This is a famous hadith recorded by at-Tirmithi, al-Bayhaqi, at-Tabari and Ibn ‘Abdil-Barr others. Ibn Taymiyyah and Muhammad Naasir ad-Din al-Albaani graded it hasan because of a mursal (stopping at a follower of a companion) report that serves as a witness for it. Shaykh Muhammad al-Hamud graded it weak in his notes on this book, but he fell short of mentioning this particular witness for it. See al-Halabi's notes.
[12] That is “the people of the threat” i.e., the Khawaarij and the Mu‘tazilah. Because of thier beliefs that every threat for a sin is automatically applicable to the sinner who performs it.
[13] As recorded in a lengthy hadith found with al-Bukhaari and Muslim.
[14] "Those who bring benefit...” i.e. because of their wisdom, is the meaning of the term “tasrifaat” as explained by Shaykh ‘Abdur-Razzaaq ‘Afifi in his comments on this work.
[15] Known as Shaykh al-Islam Abu al-Hasan ‘Ali bin Ahmad bin Yusuf bin Ja‘far al-Umawi as-Sufyaani al-Hikkaari. He was praised for his knowledge by many biographers, and he was known as a Sufi shaykh. He died in the year 486 H.
[16] He was a Hanbali scholar and author, also known for his debates with the Ash‘ariyah during his time in ash- Shaam. He died in the year 486 H.
[17] The author did not mention Imaam Muslim's work here simply because the work was not chapterized until Imaam an-Nawawi did that later.
[18] Al-Bukhaari, Muslim and others.
[19] At-Tirmithi and others.
[20] Muslim and others.
[21] Usually used to refer to leather sock, whereas “jawrab” refers to the sock. The author's usage of “khuffs” in the above context covers “socks” as well.
[22] An category of audible supplications performed more commonly during the witr prayer.
[23] A drink prepared from barely or dates. This name is used for the unfermented version of it. Imaam al-Bukhaari said, “Ma‘n said, ‘I asked Maalik bin Anas about fuqqaa‘. He said, “If it does not intoxicate then there is no harm in it.” Ibn ad-Daraawardi said, “We asked about it, and they said, ‘It does not intoxicate, there is no harm in it.'” See Sahih al- Bukhaari v. 7 the book of drinks, chapter 4 of Muhsin Khan's translation.
[24] Al-Masih comes from the word masah, to wipe. In the case of ‘Isaa (S) it implies a meaning similar to the Jewish idea of Messiah rather than the Christian idea. In the case of the Dajjaal as appears later (al-Masih ad-Dajjaal) it should not be misunderstood to carry the Christian meaning of “antichrist”, as is common. Here the term masih comes from one of the versions the hadith narrated about the Dajjaal having one eye. An example of this hadith appears later. In one narration it is said that his eye is mamsuh or wiped. It is for this reason that he carries that name. However, since he will be killed by ‘Isaa (S) then the name antichrist is often applied to him.
[25] An authentic hadith recorded by Ahmad, an-Nasaa'i, Ibn Maajah and others.