| |
Verily the praise is for Allah, we praise Him,
and we ask for His Help, and His Forgiveness,
and we repent to Him. We seek refuge in Allah
from the evils of our own selves, and from the
sins of our actions. Whoever is guided by
Allah, there is no misguidance for him, and
whoever is misguided by Him, then there is no
guide for him. I testify that there is none
worthy of worship except Allah alone, without
any partners. I testify that Muhammad is His
slave and His messenger. May Allah blessings
be upon him, and upon his family, and his
companions, and whoever follows them in
goodness. As for what proceeds:
So verily the knowledge of tawheed [the oneness
of Allah] is the noblest of sciences, and the
greatest in rank, and most obligatory to be
studied because it is the knowledge of Allah the
Exalted, and His Names, and His Attributes, and
His Rights upon His slaves.
Likewise, it is the key to the path to Allah the
Exalted, and the foundation of His Laws [sharee'ah].
So the messengers were united upon calling to
it. Allah the Exalted says:
"And We did not
send before you any messenger, except that We
revealed to him that there is none worthy of
worship except Me, so worship Me."
[Sooratul Anbiyaa 21:25]
Allah Himself testifies to His Oneness, and the
angels, and the people of knowledge testify to
it also. Allah the Exalted said:
"Allah the Exalted
testifies that there is none worthy of worship
except Him, and so do the angels, and those of
knowledge - [that He is] maintaining [creation]
in justice. There is none worthy of worship
except Him, the Exalted, the Mighty, the Wise."
[Sooratul Aali 'Imraan 3:18]
Since this is the nature of tawheed, it is
binding upon every Muslim to devote himself to
learning, teaching, contemplating on, and
believing in it, so that his religion may be
built upon safe foundations, and so that he may
be satisfied, and get the blessings of its
fruits and results. [1]
THE RELIGION OF ISLAM
The Religion of Islam is the religion which
Allah sent Muhammad (sallAllahu 'alayhi wa
sallam) with. Allah abrogated with it all other
religions, and perfected it for His slaves, and
completed with it His favour upon them, and
chose it for them as a religion. So no religion
besides it will be accepted. Allah the Exalted
said:
"Muhammad is not a father from any of your men,
rather he is the Messenger of Allah, and the
last of the prophets."
[Sooratul Ahzaab 33:40]
And Allah the Exalted said,
"Today I have
perfected for you your Religion, and completed
for you My favour upon you, and have chosen for
you Islam as a religion." [Sooratul
Maa'idah 3:5]
And Allah the Exalted said:
"Verily the
religion with Allah is Islam." [Soorah
Aali 'Imraan 3:19]
And Allah the Exalted said,
"And whoever takes
other than Islam as a religion, it will never be
accepted from him, and he will be in the
Hereafter - from the losers." [Soorah
Aali 'Imraan 3:85]
Indeed Allah made obligatory upon all the people
to specify worship for Him. So He said in
speaking to the Messenger (sallAllahu 'alayhi wa
sallam):
"Say: 'O mankind,
indeed I am the Messenger of Allah to you all,
[To Him] belongs the dominion of the heavens and
the earth. There is none worthy of worship
except Him; He gives life and causes death.' So
believe in Allah and His messenger, the
unlettered prophet, who believes in Allah and
His Words, and follow Him so that you may be
guided." [Sooratul A'araaf
7:158]
In Saheeh Muslim from Abee Hurayrah (radiyAllahu
'anhu), from the Messenger of Allah (sallAllahu
'alayhi wa sallam) that he said: "By Him in
whose Hand is the soul of Muhammad, no one is
from the Jews or the Christians, and then he
dies and he has not believed in that which I was
sent with, except that he is from the people of
the Fire." [2]
To believe in Islam means to believe in what he
(sallAllahu 'alayhi wa sallam) brought with
approval and submission, not mere belief.
Consequently, Abu Taalib was not a believer in
the Messenger (sallAllahu 'alayhi wa sallam),
along with what he came with, even though he
testified that it was the best of religions.
The religion of Islam has guaranteed all the
good things that were included in the previous
religions. It is distinguished because its good
is valid in all times and places, and peoples.
Allah the Exalted says in speaking to His
Messenger (sallAllahu 'alayhi wa sallam):
"And We revealed
to you the Book in truth, affirming what
preceded it from the books, and a supervisor
over them." [Sooratul Maa'idah
5:48]
This means that its existence is good for all
times places and people. Following it does not
negate the benefit of a nation in any time or
place, rather it benefits them. This does not
means that it is subject to every time place or
people as some of the people think.
The religion of Islam is the true religion
through which Allah guarantees the one who
adheres to it with His Help, and He will render
him victorious over all others. Allah the
Exalted says:
"He is the one who
sent His Messenger with the true Religion, to
render it victorious over all other Religions,
even though the idolaters may detest it."
[Sooratus Saff 61:9]
Allah the Exalted says:
"Allah has
promised those among you who have believed and
done righteous deeds, that He will surely grant
them succession [to authority] upon the earth
just as He granted it to those before them and
that He will surely establish for them their
Religion, which He has preferred for them and
that He will surely substitute for them, after
their fear, security. They worship Me, not
associating anything with Me. But whoever
disbelieves after that; then they are the
disobedient ones." [Sooratun
Noor 24:55]
The religion of Islam is a creed and a law, so
it is perfect in its belief and law:
-
It commands the Oneness of Allah, and it
forbids from shirk [associating partners with
Allah].
-
It commands truthfulness and forbids from
lying.
-
It commands justice, [3] and forbids from
oppression.
-
It commands truthfulness and forbids from
treachery.
-
It commands the keeping of promises and it
forbids from treason.
-
It commands righteousness towards parents and
forbids from disobedience to them.
-
It commands the keeping of the ties of kinship
- and they are the family - and it forbids
from cutting oneself off from them.
The comprehensive statement is that Islam
commands with all virtuous characteristics, and
that it forbids from every despicable
characteristic. It commands every good action,
and it forbids from every sinful action. Allah
the Exalted said:
"Verily Allah
commands with justice and good conduct to
relatives, and forbids immorality and bad
conduct and oppression. He admonishes you that
perhaps you will be reminded." [Sooratun
Nahl 16:90] [4]
THE PILLARS OF Islam
The Pillars of Islam are the foundations upon
which it is built, and they are five. It is
mentioned in what is related from Ibn 'Umar (radiyAllahu
'anhu), from the Prophet (sallAllahu 'alayhi wa
sallam), that he said: "Islam is built upon
five, that you single out Allah in worship [and
in a narration regarding the five:], to testify
that there is none worthy of worship except
Allah, and that Muhammad is His slave and
messenger, and to establish prayer, and to give
charity (zakaat), and to fast in the month of
Ramadhaan, and to perform pilgrimage (hajj)." So
a man said: 'Pilgrimage and fasting in Ramadhaan.'
He said: 'No. fasting in Ramadhaan and
pilgrimage. This is how I heard it from the
Messenger of Allah (sallAllahu 'alayhi wa sallam).'
It is agreed upon, and this wording is from
Muslim. [5]
-
As for testifying that there is none worthy of
worship except Allah, and that Muhammad (sallAllahu
'alayhi wa sallam) is His slave and messenger,
then it is the unwavering belief affirmed by
this testification, as if its definitiveness
comes from this testification. Indeed this
testification is only one pillar that contains
a number of testifications because of the
following reasons: either because the
Messenger (sallAllahu 'alayhi wa
sallam)conveyed from Allah the Exalted, so
testifying to his slavehood, and messengership
is from the testification that none has the
right to be worshipped except Allah. Or it can
be because these two testifications form the
foundations for the correctness of actions and
their acceptance. No action is correct or
acceptable except if it is done with sincerity
towards Allah the Exalted, and in conformity
to the Messenger (sallAllahu 'alayhi wa sallam).
So the testification that none has the right
to be worshipped except Allah is confirmed by
sincerity, and the testification that Muhammad
is His slave and His messenger is confirmed by
obedience. From the fruits of this great
testification is the liberation of the heart
and soul from being enslaved by the creation,
and from the following of other than the
messengers.
-
As for establishing the prayer, then it is to
worship Allah by doing it, and to be steadfast
and complete in its time and place. From its
fruits is the relaxation of the heart, and the
coolness of the eye, and the driving away of
indecency and evil.
-
As for charity (zakaat), then it is to worship
Allah the Exalted by spending what one is
capable of to purify ones wealth. From its
fruits is that it purifies the soul from
despicability and greed, and it fulfills the
need of Islam and the Muslims.
-
As for fasting in Ramadhaan, then it is to
worship Allah the Exalted by staying away from
eating during the days of Ramadhaan. From its
fruits is the taming of the soul by leaving
the things it loves for the pleasure of Allah
the Mighty and Majestic.
-
As for pilgrimage to the House, then it is to
worship Allah the Exalted by going to the
Sacred House to establish the rites of
pilgrimage. From its pillars is the taming of
the soul related to a struggle in ones wealth
and body in obedience to Allah the Exalted.
Consequently, pilgrimage is a type of jihaad
in the Path of Allah the Exalted.
So the fruits we have mentioned for these
foundations - and whatever we have not mentioned
- make the nation a purified and cleansed
Islamic nation, specifying Allah for worship
upon the True Religion, and performing good
deeds with justice and truthfulness. So
everything else from the laws of Islam is
rectified by the establishment of these
foundations. A nation is not rectified except by
rectifying the matters of its religion, and it
fails to rectify its own condition as needed
because it neglects the rectification of its
religion.
Whoever wishes to see an illustration of this,
then let him read the statement of Allah the
Exalted:
"And if only the people of the cities
had believed and feared Allah, We would have
opened upon them blessings from the heavens and
the earth; but they refused, so We seized them
for what they were earning. Then did not the
people of the cities feel secure from Our
punishment coming to them at night while they
were asleep? Or did the people of the cities
feel secure from Our punishment coming to them
in the morning while they were at play? Then did
they feel secure from the Plan of Allah? But
none feels secure from the Plan of Allah except
the losing people." [Sooratul Aaraaf
7:96-99]
Let him look into the history, for verily in the
history is a lesson for those who think, and a
vision for those who have a veil in front of
them. And Allah is the Supporter. [6]
THE FOUNDATIONS OF THE ISLAMIC CREED
The religion of Islam - as has preceded - is a
creed and a law. Indeed we pointed out some
things from its laws, and we mentioned what is
established by the pillars of its laws.
As for the Islamic creed, then its foundations
are belief in Allah, and His angels, and His
books, and His messengers, and the Last Day, and
the pre-decree - the good of it, and the evil of
it.
Indeed these foundations are proven by the Book
of Allah and the sunnah of His messenger (sallAllahu
'alayhi wa sallam). So in His Book, Allah the
Exalted says:
"It is not righteousness that you turn your
faces to the east or the west. Rather the
righteous person is the one believes in Allah,
and the Last Day, and the angels, and the books,
and the prophets." [Sooratul Baqarah 2:177]
Also, He said regarding Pre-Decree:
"Verily Allah
created everything with Pre-Decree. And Our
command is but one, like the glance of an eye."
[Sooratul Qamar 54:49-50]
As for the sunnah of the Messenger (sallAllahu 'alayhi
wa sallam), the Prophet said in reply to Jibreel
when he asked about faith: "Faith is that you
believe in Allah, and His angels, and His books,
and His messengers, and the Last Day, and it is
that you believe in Pre-Decree; the good of it,
and the evil of it." This is related by Muslim.
[7][8]
THE
OBJECTIVES OF THE Islamic CREED
The objectives of the Islamic creed and its
noble aims for the one who adheres to it are of
many types, from them:
Purifying the intention and worship for Allah
the Exalted alone, because He is the Creator. It
also means not associating anything with Him
since it is obligatory to make the intention and
worship for Him alone.
-
The liberation of the intellect and thought
from the chaotic disorder emanating from a
heart which is devoid of this belief. Whoever
has a void in his heart from this, then it is
either empty of every creed and worship and
susceptible only to material things, or it is
immersed in misguided beliefs and
superstitions.
-
The soul and the thought are comforted so
there is no anxiousness in the soul, or
disturbance in the thought, because this creed
connects the believer directly to his Lord. So
he is pleased with his Lord, Director, and
Lawful Judge. So his heart becomes satisfied
with His Pre-Decree, and his chest is laid
open for the acceptance of Islam, such that he
does not seek a substitute for it.
-
The intention and the action become secured
from deviation in the worship of Allah the
Exalted, or in the interaction with the
creation, because the foundation of it is
faith in the messengers which guarantees the
following of their path. Consequently, the
intention and action are safeguarded.
-
He has resoluteness and seriousness in all
matters. He does not let any opportunity to
perform a righteous action pass him by, except
that he does it and hopes for the Reward. He
does not see the manifestation of a sin,
except that he distances himself from it, and
fears punishment. This if because of the
foundation of faith in the Resurrection and
the Recompense upon all actions. "And from all
are degrees from what they have done. And your
Lord is not unaware of what they do." [Sooratul
An'aam 6:132] Indeed the Prophet (sallAllahu 'alayhi
wa sallam) incited towards this aim in his
statement: "The strong believer is good, and
he is more beloved to Allah than the weak
believer, and there is good in both of them.
Strive upon what benefits you, and seek help
from Allah, and do not weaken. If a calamity
befalls you, then do not say: 'If only I had
done such and such.' Rather say: 'Allah has
decreed, and He does what he wishes.' So
verily 'if' opens the work of shaytaan." It is
related by Muslim. [9]
-
The ummah will become strong in spending -
whether it is expensive or cheap - towards the
establishment of their Religion and for the
reinforcement of its growth. They will not
have any concern with the trials that may
afflict them in that path. Allah the Exalted
said about this: "The believers are only those
who have believed in Allah and His messenger,
and they doubt not but they strive in their
wealth and their persons in the Path of Allah.
It is these who are the truthful." [Sooratul
Hujuraat 49:15]
-
The achievement of prosperity in this world
and in the Hereafter by reinforcing the
individuals and the groups and the attainment
of reward and nobility. Allah the Exalted
says: "Whoever does righteousness, whether
male or female, and he is a believer; We will
surely cause him to live a good life, and We
will surely give them their reward according
to the best of what they used to do." [Sooratun
Nahl 16:97]
-
These are some of the objectives of the
Islamic creed, and we hope that Allah the
Exalted will establish us and all of the
Muslims. [10]
Footnotes:
[1] This was taken from the book, 'Sharh Usoolul
Eemaan' (p. 3-4) of shaykh Muhammad Ibn Saalih
al 'Uthaymeen.
[2] This is reported in Saheeh Muslim (1/94),
and Mukhtasar Saheeh Muslim with the checking of
shaykh al-Albaanee (no. 20)
[3] Shaykh Muhammad Saalih al-'Uthaymeen says:
"Justice is equality between that which is the
same, and division between that which is
different. Justice is not absolute equality as
some of the people allege when they say: 'The
religion of Islam is a religion of absolute
equality.' However, equality between different
things is oppression. Islam did not come with
this, nor does it praise the one who does it."
[4] This section was taken from 'Sharh Usoolul
Eemaan' (p. 5-8)
[5] This is reported in Saheeh Muslim (1/34),
and in Mukhtasar Saheeh Muslim with the checking
of shaykh al-Albaanee, no. 62.
[6] This section was taken from 'Sharh Usoolul
Eemaan' (p. 9-11)
[7] This is reported in Saheeh Muslim (1/1-3),
see Mukhtasar Saheeh Muslim with the checking of
shaykh al-Albaanee (no. 1) For an explanation of
this lengthy hadeeth, see 'Majmoo'ul Fataawaa
war Rasaa'il' (3/143) of shaykh Muhammad Ibn
Saalih al-'Uthaymeen.
[8] This section was taken from 'Sharh Usoolul
Eemaan' (p. 13)
[9] This is reported in Saheeh Muslim (8/56),
see Mukhtasar Saheeh Muslim with the checking of
shaykh al-Albaanee (no. 1840)
[10] This section was taken from 'Sharh Usoolul
Eemaan' (p. 58-60) |
