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The Three Fundamental Principles and its Evidences
By Shaikhul Islam
Muhammad ibn Abdul Wahhab At-tameemee
1115- 1206 AH
Carefully studied by
Abdulazeez bin Dakhil Almutairee
In the name of Allah the Beneficent the Merciful
Know, may Allah have mercy on you, that it is obligatory upon us to learn four issues:
First: Knowledge which is knowing Allah, knowing His Messenger, and knowing the religion of Islam through the evidences.
Second: Acting according to this knowledge.
Third: Calling others to this knowledge.
Fourth: Patience in the face of adversity that results from calling the people to it.
And the evidence for that is the saying of Allah the Most High:
“By the Time, Verily, Man is in loss. Except those who believe and do righteous good deeds, and exhorts one another to Truth, and exhorts one another to Patience and Constancy.” (Q103:V1-3)
Ash-Shaafi, may Allah have mercy on him, said about these verses: "If no proofs besides this verse had been revealed by Allah to his creation, it would have been sufficient for them."
Al-Bukhari, may Allah have mercy on him, named a chapter in his Sahih:
"Chapter: Knowledge before Speech and Action"
The evidence is the saying of Allah the Most High:
“Know, that none has the right to be worshipped but Allah, and ask forgiveness for your sin…” (Q47:V19). Thus, He the Most High began with knowledge before speech and action.
Know, may Allah have mercy on you, that it is obligatory upon every Muslim, male and female, to learn these three issues and to act according to them:
The First: That Allah created us, gave us sustenance, and He did not leave us without guidance. Rather, He sent His messenger to us; whosoever obeys Him will enter Paradise, and whosoever disobeys Him will enter Hell Fire.
The evidence for this is the saying of Allah:
“Verily, We have sent to you, (O men) a Messenger, to be a witness over you, as We did send a Messenger to Pharaoh. But Pharaoh disobeyed the Messenger; so We seized him with a severe Punishment.” (Q73:V15-16).
The Second: Allah does not accept that any partner is associated with Him in worship, be he an exalted angel or a Prophet that has been sent. The evidence is in His saying: “And the places of worship are for Allah (alone): So invoke not any one along with Allah.” (Q72:V18)
The Third: Whosoever bears obedience to the Prophet and worshipped Allah alone, it is not permissible for him to take as friends those who deny Allah and His messenger, even if they were his closest kin.
The evidence for this is the saying of Allah the Most High:
“You will not find any people who believe in Allah and the Last Day, making friendship with those who oppose Allah and His Messenger, even though they were their fathers or their sons, or their brothers, or their kindred. For such He has written Faith in their hearts, and strengthened them with Ruh from Himself. And He will admit them to Gardens beneath which Rivers flow, to dwell therein (forever). Allah will be well pleased with them, and they with Him. They are the Party of Allah. Truly it is the Party of Allah that will be Successful.” (Q58:V22).
Know, -may Allah guide you to His obedience- that Hanifiyyah which is the creed of Ibrahim, is to worship Allah alone, with pure religious devotion. It is this that Allah has ordered all people with; and indeed He created them for this purpose. The evidence is in His saying:
“And I (Allah) created not the Jinn and mankind, except that they should worship Me (alone).” (Q51:V56) The meaning of “worship Me” is “believe in My Oneness”
The greatest of that which Allah has ordered is Tawheed. That is to worship Allah alone. The greatest of that which He has forbidden is Shirk (polytheism), which means associating partners with Allah. The evidence is in His saying:
“Worship Allah, and do not associate any partners with Him (in worship)…” (Q4:V36)
If you were asked "What are the three fundamentals that a person must know?
Say: “A servant should know his Lord, his religion, and his Prophet- peace be upon him.”
If you are asked: “Who is your Lord?”
Say: “My Lord is Allah. He has nourished me and nourished all other creatures with his blessings. He is my Deity, and I have no other Deity but Him and the evidence is in His saying: “Praise be to Allah, the Cherisher and Sustainer of the world” (Q1:V2) and everything other than Allah is of His Creation; and I am part of that Creation.”
If you were asked: "How did you come to know your Lord?"
Say: "Through His signs and His creations. Among his signs are the Night and Day, and Sun and Moon. Among his creations are the Seven Heavens and the Seven Earth, and all that is in and between them."
The evidence is in His saying: “The creation of the heavens and earth is greater than the creation of mankind...” (Q40:V57)
And also the saying of Allah: “And from among His Sings are the Night and the Day, and the Sun and the Moon. Prostrate yourselves not to the Sun and the Moon, but prostrate yourselves to Allah, Who created them, if you (really) worship Him.” (Q41:V37)
And the saying of Allah:
“Indeed your Lord is Allah, Who created the heavens and the earth in six days, and then He rose over the Throne (in a manner that suits His Majesty). He brings the night as a cover over the day, each seeking the other in rapid succession: and the Sun, the Moon, and the stars, (all) are subjected to His Command. Verily, His is the Creation and the Commandment. Blessed be Allah, the Cherisher and Sustainer of the Worlds!” (Q7:V54)
The "Lord" here is the one who deserves to be worshipped, the true Deity. The evidence to this is in His saying:
“O mankind! Worship your Lord (Allah), who created you and those who were before you, so that you may become pious; Who has made the earth a resting place for you, and the sky as a canopy, and sent down rain from the sky and brought forth therewith fruits as a provision for you. Then do not set up rivals unto Allah (in worship) while you know (that He alone has the right to be worshipped).” (Q2:V21-22)
Ibn Katheer, may Allah have mercy on him, said: "It is only the creator of all these things who deserves to be worshipped."
Some of the forms of worship ordained by Allah are submission, faith, charity, invocation and supplications, fear, hope, trust, aspiration, awe, reverence, apprehension, repentance, call for help, appeal for refuge, sacrifice, to vow.
These as well as other forms ordered by Allah are all to Allah. The evidence is in His saying: “And the places of worship are for Allah (alone): So invoke not any one along with Allah.” (Q72:V18)
Consequently, if anyone performs one of these rites not exclusively to Allah then he is a polytheist and an unbeliever. The evidence for this is the saying of Allah the Most High:
“And whoever invokes (or worships), besides Allah, any other god, of whom he has no proof, then his reckoning is only with his Lord! And verily the disbelievers will not be successful.” (Q23:V117)
Invocation:
It was narrated in the hadith: "Invocation is the essence of worship" and the evidence is in His saying:
“And your Lord said: “Invoke Me; I will respond to you. Verily those who scorn My worship they will surely enter hell in humiliation!” (Q40:V60).
Fear:
Evidence for fearing Allah alone is in His saying:
“It is only shaitaan who would make (you) fear his supporters; so fear them not, but fear Me, if you are (true) believers.” (Q3:V175)
Hope:
Evidence for hope in Allah is in His saying:
“Whoever hopes for the meeting of His Lord let him work righteousness and associate none in the worship of His Lord.” (Q18:V110)
Trust:
Evidence for trust in Allah is in His saying:
“…put your trust in Allah if you are believers indeed.” (Q5:V23) and His saying: “And whoever puts his trust in Allah, then He (Allah) will suffice him.” (Q65:V3)
Aspiration, Awe, and Humility:
Evidence for aspiration, awe, and humility is in the statement of Allah:
“They used to call on Us with aspiration and awe, and used to humble themselves before Us.” (Q21:V90)
Apprehension:
Evidence of apprehension is in His saying:
“So fear them not, but fear Me; and that I may complete My Blessings on you and that you may be guided.” (Q2:V150)
Repentance:
Evidence of repentance is in the statement of Allah:
“Turn in repentance and in obedience with true Faith to your Lord.” (Q39:V54)
Seeking for help:
Evidence for seeking for help is in His saying:
“And You (Alone) we worship, and You (Alone) we ask for help.” (Q1:V5)
Also, it is related in the Prophetic tradition:
If you ask for help, ask Allah only.
Appeal for Refuge:
Evidence of appeal for refuge is in His saying:
“Say: I seek refuge with (Allah) the Lord and Cherisher of Mankind, The King of Mankind, the Deity of mankind.” (Q114:V1-3)
Appeal for Help during calamity:
Evidence of appeal for help during calamity is in His saying:
“Remember when you sought help of your Lord and He answered you” (Q8:V9)
Sacrifice:
Evidence of sacrifice is in His saying:
“Say: 'Truly, my prayer, my sacrifice, my living and my dying, are (all) for Allah, the Cherisher of the Worlds. He has no partner” (Q6:V162)
And from the hadith: “Allah's curse is upon those who offer sacrifices to other than Him”
Vows:
Evidence of vows is in His saying:
“They fulfill (their) vows, and they fear a Day whose evil will be wide spreading.” (Q76:V7)
The Second Fundamental: Knowing the religion of Islam with evidences
It is submission and surrender to Allah alone, with Tawheed and submitting to Him by obeying His commandments and being free from polytheism and polytheists.
It has three categories:
Islam (Submission).
Imaan (Belief).
Ihsan (Perfection of Worship).
Each of the categories has pillars.
The Pillars of Islam are five. The evidence for this from the Sunnah is the Hadith of the Son of Umar- may Allah be pleased with them- he said: the messenger of Allah peace be upon him said: Islam was built upon five pillars; to testify that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah and that Muhammad is the messenger of Allah, to establish regular prayer, the give out obligatory charity, to fast the Month of Ramadan, and to carry out pilgrimage to the sacred house.
The evidence for this the saying of Allah the Most High: “Indeed, the religion in the sight of Allah is Islam.” (Q3:V18).
Also the saying of Allah: “And whoever desires other than Islam as religion - never will it be accepted from him, and he, in the Hereafter, will be among the losers.” (Q3:V85).
The evidence for testifying is His saying:
“Allah bears witness that none has the right to be worshipped but He and the angels, and those having knowledge (also give this witness); (He always) maintains His creation on justice. Laa ilaha illa huwa, the All-Mighty, the All- Wise.” (Q3:V18).
The meaning of this is that it is only Allah that is worthy of being worshipped, and the negation, "... Laa ilaha ...", refutes entirely everything that is worshipped besides Allah. “…illa Allah” affirms that Allah alone deserves to be worshipped without any partners. Just as He has no partner in worship He also has no partner in His Domain.
The following verses illustrate this point:
“And (remember) when Ibrahim said to his father and his people: “Verily, I am innocent of what you worship, “Except Him Who did create me, and verily, He will guide me.” And he made it (Laa ilaha illa Allah) a Word lasting among his offspring that they may turn back (to Allah).” (Q43:V26-28)
And the saying of Allah:
“Say: (O Muhammad): O People of the scripture: Come to a word that is just between us and you: That we worship none but Allah (alone); that we associate no partners with him and that none of us shall take others as Lords besides Allah. Then, if they turn away, say: "Bear witness that we are Muslims.” (Q3:V64).
The evidence for testifying that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah is in His saying:
“Verily there has come unto you a Messenger from amongst yourselves: it grieves him that you should receive any injury or difficulty. He is anxious over you; for the Believers (he is) full of pity kind and merciful. But if they turn away, Say (O Muhammad): “Allah is sufficient for me. Laa ilaha illa Huwa in Him I put my trust and He is the Lord of the Mighty Throne.” (Q9:V128-129)
To testify that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah signifies that one should obey his orders and believe him in what he has informed us of, to avoid what he prohibits and worship Allah according to His precepts.
The evidence for prayers and Zakat, and the meaning of worshipping Allah alone is in His saying:
“And they were commanded not, but that they should worship Allah, and worship none but Him alone, sincerely (abstaining from ascribing partners to Him, being true in faith); and establish regular prayer; and give Zakat; and that is the right religion.” (Q98:V5)
The evidence for fasting is the saying of Allah:
“O you who believe! Fasting is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you, that you may attain piety.” (Q2:V183)
The evidence for Pilgrimage is His saying:
“And Pilgrimage to the House is a duty that mankind owes to Allah, those who can afford the journey; but if any deny faith, Allah stands not in need of any of His creations.” (Q3:V97)
The Second Category: Imaan (Belief)
Imaan comprises of seventy and some odd number branches, the highest is to testify to "La ilaha illa Allah" and the lowest is to remove obstacles from the path of the people. Modesty and bashfulness is one of the branches of Imaan.
The pillars of Imaan are six: Belief in:
- Allah.
- His Angles.
- His Books.
- His Messengers.
- The Last Day.
- Divine Preordainment whether good or bad.
Evidence from the Quran for these six pillars of Imaan is:
“It is not righteousness that you turn your faces towards East or West; but Al-Bir is (the quality) of the one who believes in Allah, the Last Day, the Angels, the Book, and the Prophets…” (Q2:V177)
Evidence for Divine preordainment from the Quran is:
“Verily, We have created all things with Qadar (Divine preordainments of all things before their creation as written in the Book of Decrees-Al Lauh al –Mahfuz)” (Q54:V49)
The Third Category: Ihsan (Perfection of worship)
It has just one pillar which is to worship Allah as if you see Him; for though you do not see Him, Verily He sees you.
Evidence is in His saying: “And whoever submits his face to Allah while he is a doer of good - then he has grasped the most trustworthy handhold.” (Q31:V22). And the saying of Allah: “For Allah is with those who restrain themselves, and those who are Muhsinun (those who are perfecting their deeds-who perform good deeds totally for Allah’s sake only without showing off or to gain praise or fame and they do them in accordance with the Sunnah).” (Q16:V128).
And the saying of Allah: “And whoever relies upon Allah - then He is sufficient for him.”(Q65:V3). And the saying of Allah: “And rely upon the Exalted in Might, the Merciful (217) who sees you when you arise (218) and your movement among those who prostrate (219) indeed, He is All- Hearing, the All- Knowing (220) (Q26:V 217-220).
And the saying of Allah: “And, [O Muhammad], you are not [engaged] in any matter or recite any of the Qur'an and you [people] do not do any deed except that We are witness over you when you are involved in it.” (Q10:V61).
Evidence from the hadith is the well-known hadith of Jibreel.
On the authority of Umar bin Al-Khattab, may Allah be pleased with him, who said: "One day while we were sitting with the messenger of Allah, there came upon us a man with extremely white clothes and extremely black hair. There were no signs of travel on him and none of us knew him. He sat before the Prophet (saw) and supported his knees up against the knees of the Prophet’s and put his hands on the Prophet's thighs. He said:
"O Muhammad, tell me about Islam.”
"He (saw)said: "Islam is to testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, to establish the prayers, to give Zakat, to fast the month of Ramadan, and to perform the Pilgrimage to the House, if you have the means to do so.”
"He (the stranger) said: "You have spoken truthfully."
We were amazed that he asks the question and then tells him that what he had said was true.
The stranger then said: "Tell me about Imaan."
He the messenger of Allah said: "It is to believe in Allah, His Angles, His Books, His Messengers, The Last Day, and in the Divine decree, the good and the evil thereof.”
He said: "Tell me about Ihsan."
He (saw) answered: "It is that you worship Allah as if you see Him, even though you do not see Him, He sees you.”
He said: "Tell me about [the time of] the hour."
He said (saw): "The one being asked does not know more than the one asking.‟‟
He said: "Tell me about its signs."
He said (saw): "The slave girl shall give birth to her master, and you will see the barefooted, scantily-clothed, destitute shepherds competing in erecting lofty buildings.‟‟
Then he left. I stayed for a long time. Then he [the Prophet (saw)] said: "O Umar, do you know who the questioner was?"
I said: "Allah and His Messenger know best.” He said: "That was [the angel] Gabriel who came to teach you your religion."
The Third Fundamental: Knowing Your Prophet Muhammed-peace be upon him
He is Muhammad, son of Abdullah the son Abdulmutalib the son of Hashim. And Hashim is from Quraish and Quraish is from Arab and Arab is from the offspring of Ismail the son of Ibrahim Alkhaleel. He lived for sixty-three years, forty before his mission and twenty-three years as a prophet and a messenger.
His was made a prophet with the revelation of: "Read! in the name of your Lord…” and was made a messenger with the revelation of: "O you enveloped in garments! Arise and warn!” and his town is makkah.
Allah the Most High sent him as a messenger to warn against associating partners with Allah and to invite to the worship of Allah alone.
The evidence is in His saying:
“O you (Muhammad) enveloped in garments! Arise and warn! And magnify your Lord (Allah)! And purify your garments! And keep away from Ar-Rujz (the idols)! And give not a thing in order to have more. And be patient for the sake of your Lord!” (Q74:V1-7).
The meaning of "Arise and warn" is that he should warn against associating partners with Allah, and call the people to worship Allah alone, and “And magnify your Lord”- through testifying to His unity, "And purify your garments”- purify your deeds from polytheism, “Keep away from Rujz”- keep away from idols and their worshippers, to be free from them and to reject them.
During the first ten years of his prophet hood, Muhammad (saw) continued to call people to the worship of Allah alone then he was taken on a journey to the heavens whereupon the five daily prayers (salat) were made obligatory. Thus, he performed prayers in Makkah for three years thereafter he was ordered to migrate to Madinah.
Migration is the movement from the town of polytheism to the town of Islam. This kind of migration is obligatory upon the nation of the Muslims and it remains up till the Last Day.
The evidence is in His saying:
“Verily! As for those whom the angels have taken (in death) while they are wronging themselves (as they stayed among the disbelievers even though emigration was obligatory to them), they (angels) asked them: “In what condition were you?” They reply: "We were weak and oppressed on earth." The angels asked: "Was not the earth of Allah spacious enough for you to migrate therein?” Such men will find their abode in Hell - What an evil destination! - Except the weak ones among men, women and children who were unable to devise a plan, nor are they able to direct their way.” (Q4:V97-98).
And the saying of Allah the Most High:
“O My slaves who believe! Certainly, spacious is My Earth: therefore worship Me (and Me alone).” (Q29:V56).
Al-Baghawi, may Allah have mercy on him, said: "The reason for the revelation of this verse was concerning the Muslims who remained in Makkah and had not migrated to Madinah. Allah calls them: “believers”
The evidence for migration from the Sunnah is the hadith:
“Migration will not end until repentance ends, and repentance will not end until the sun rises from the west.”
When the Prophet settled in Madinah, the other ordinances of Islam were prescribed; these include the Zakat, fasting, Pilgrimage, the Adhan (call to prayers), Jihad (fighting in the way of Allah), and the injunction to recommend good and denounce evil.
He continued with this for ten years and after that he passed on- may Allah be pleased with him- but his religion remains.
There was no good except that he guided his nation to it and no evil except that he warned them against it. The good that he guided them to is Tauheed and everything that Allah loves and is pleased with. The evil that he warned against is associating partners with Allah and against everything that Allah dislikes and prohibits.
Allah has sent him to all people and nations, and He has ordained that all mankind and jinn should follow him in obedience to his message. The evidence is in His saying:
“Say (O Muhammad): 'O mankind! Verily I am sent unto you all” (Q7:V158)
And with him Allah has completed and perfected the religion. The evidence is in the saying of Allah the Most High: “This day, I have perfected your religion for you, completed My favor upon you, and have chosen for you Islam as your religion.” (Q5:V3)
The evidence of the prophet's death is in the saying of Allah the Most High:
“Verily, you (O Muhammad) will die and verily, they too will die. Then on the day of Resurrection, you will be disputing before your Lord.” (Q39:V30- 31)
All mankind will be resurrected after death. The evidence is in the saying of Allah the Most High: “Thereof (the earth) We created you, and into it We shall return you, and from it We shall bring you out once again.” (Q20:V55)
And the saying of Allah: “And Allah has brought you forth from the (dust of) earth. Afterwards He will return you into it (the earth), and bring you forth (again on the Day of Resurrection).” (Q71:V17-18).
After Resurrection, mankind will render account to Allah and then they will be recompensed according to their deeds. The evidence is in His saying:
“And to Allah belongs all that is in the heavens and all that is in the earth, that He may recompence those who do evil with that which they have done and reward those who do good, with what is best.” (Q53:V31)
Whoever denies or rejects the resurrection has disbelieved. The evidence is in His saying:
“The disbelievers claim that they will never be resurrected. Say (O Muhammad): Yes! By my Lord, you will certainly be resurrected, then you will be informed of (and recompensed for) what you did, and that is easy for Allah.” (Q64:V7).
Allah has sent all the messengers as bearers of good news and warnings. The evidence is in His saying:
“Messengers as bearers of good news as well as of warning, in order that mankind should have no plea against Allah after (the coming) of the messengers” (Q4:V165)
The first messenger is Nuh- peace be upon him, and Muhammad is the last and he is the Seal of the prophets. There shall be no prophet after him. The evidence for this is the saying of Allah the Most High: “Muhammad is not the father of [any] one of your men, but [he is] the Messenger of Allah and last of the prophets.”(Q33:V40).
The evidence that the first messenger is Nuh-peace be upon him is the statement of Allah, the exalted:
“Verily, We have sent the revelation to you (O Muhammad) as We sent the revelation to Noah and the Prophets after him.” (Q4:V163).
To every nation Allah the Most High sent a messenger, from the time of Nuh to Muhammad, to command them to worship Allah alone, and to forbid them from worshipping taghut (false deities). The evidence is in His saying:
“And verily, We have sent among every nation a Messenger (proclaiming): “Worship Allah (alone), and avoid taghut (all false deities).” (Q16:V36).
Allah the Most High has made it obligatory upon all to disbelieve in taghut and to worship Allah alone.
Ibn Al-Qayyim, may Allah have mercy on him, said: "Taghut (false deities) is that with which the slave exceeds his limits, whether as an object of worship, or a person followed, or obeyed."
The taghuts are numerous, but at the head of them are five:
Iblees, may Allah curse him.
Whoever is worshipped and is pleased with being worshipped.
Whoever calls people to worship him.
Whosoever claims any knowledge of the Unseen (Ghaib).
Whosoever judges or rules by other than what Allah revealed.
The evidence is in His saying:
“There is no compulsion in religion. Verily the Right Path has become distinct from the wrong path. Whoever disbelieves in taghut and believes in Allah then he has grasped the most trustworthy handhold that will never break. And Allah is All-Hearer, All-Knower.” (Q2:V256).
This is the meaning of "La ilaha illa Allah”. In the Prophetic tradition is this text: “The head of the matter is Islam, its Pillars are prayer, and its highest pinnacle is Jihad (fighting in the Cause of Allah)."
Allah knows best. May His peace and blessings be upon Muhammad, his household and companions.
By Shaikhul Islam
Muhammad ibn Abdul Wahhab At-tameemee
1115- 1206 AH
Carefully studied by
Abdulazeez bin Dakhil Almutairee
In the name of Allah the Beneficent the Merciful
Know, may Allah have mercy on you, that it is obligatory upon us to learn four issues:
First: Knowledge which is knowing Allah, knowing His Messenger, and knowing the religion of Islam through the evidences.
Second: Acting according to this knowledge.
Third: Calling others to this knowledge.
Fourth: Patience in the face of adversity that results from calling the people to it.
And the evidence for that is the saying of Allah the Most High:
“By the Time, Verily, Man is in loss. Except those who believe and do righteous good deeds, and exhorts one another to Truth, and exhorts one another to Patience and Constancy.” (Q103:V1-3)
Ash-Shaafi, may Allah have mercy on him, said about these verses: "If no proofs besides this verse had been revealed by Allah to his creation, it would have been sufficient for them."
Al-Bukhari, may Allah have mercy on him, named a chapter in his Sahih:
"Chapter: Knowledge before Speech and Action"
The evidence is the saying of Allah the Most High:
“Know, that none has the right to be worshipped but Allah, and ask forgiveness for your sin…” (Q47:V19). Thus, He the Most High began with knowledge before speech and action.
Know, may Allah have mercy on you, that it is obligatory upon every Muslim, male and female, to learn these three issues and to act according to them:
The First: That Allah created us, gave us sustenance, and He did not leave us without guidance. Rather, He sent His messenger to us; whosoever obeys Him will enter Paradise, and whosoever disobeys Him will enter Hell Fire.
The evidence for this is the saying of Allah:
“Verily, We have sent to you, (O men) a Messenger, to be a witness over you, as We did send a Messenger to Pharaoh. But Pharaoh disobeyed the Messenger; so We seized him with a severe Punishment.” (Q73:V15-16).
The Second: Allah does not accept that any partner is associated with Him in worship, be he an exalted angel or a Prophet that has been sent. The evidence is in His saying: “And the places of worship are for Allah (alone): So invoke not any one along with Allah.” (Q72:V18)
The Third: Whosoever bears obedience to the Prophet and worshipped Allah alone, it is not permissible for him to take as friends those who deny Allah and His messenger, even if they were his closest kin.
The evidence for this is the saying of Allah the Most High:
“You will not find any people who believe in Allah and the Last Day, making friendship with those who oppose Allah and His Messenger, even though they were their fathers or their sons, or their brothers, or their kindred. For such He has written Faith in their hearts, and strengthened them with Ruh from Himself. And He will admit them to Gardens beneath which Rivers flow, to dwell therein (forever). Allah will be well pleased with them, and they with Him. They are the Party of Allah. Truly it is the Party of Allah that will be Successful.” (Q58:V22).
Know, -may Allah guide you to His obedience- that Hanifiyyah which is the creed of Ibrahim, is to worship Allah alone, with pure religious devotion. It is this that Allah has ordered all people with; and indeed He created them for this purpose. The evidence is in His saying:
“And I (Allah) created not the Jinn and mankind, except that they should worship Me (alone).” (Q51:V56) The meaning of “worship Me” is “believe in My Oneness”
The greatest of that which Allah has ordered is Tawheed. That is to worship Allah alone. The greatest of that which He has forbidden is Shirk (polytheism), which means associating partners with Allah. The evidence is in His saying:
“Worship Allah, and do not associate any partners with Him (in worship)…” (Q4:V36)
If you were asked "What are the three fundamentals that a person must know?
Say: “A servant should know his Lord, his religion, and his Prophet- peace be upon him.”
If you are asked: “Who is your Lord?”
Say: “My Lord is Allah. He has nourished me and nourished all other creatures with his blessings. He is my Deity, and I have no other Deity but Him and the evidence is in His saying: “Praise be to Allah, the Cherisher and Sustainer of the world” (Q1:V2) and everything other than Allah is of His Creation; and I am part of that Creation.”
If you were asked: "How did you come to know your Lord?"
Say: "Through His signs and His creations. Among his signs are the Night and Day, and Sun and Moon. Among his creations are the Seven Heavens and the Seven Earth, and all that is in and between them."
The evidence is in His saying: “The creation of the heavens and earth is greater than the creation of mankind...” (Q40:V57)
And also the saying of Allah: “And from among His Sings are the Night and the Day, and the Sun and the Moon. Prostrate yourselves not to the Sun and the Moon, but prostrate yourselves to Allah, Who created them, if you (really) worship Him.” (Q41:V37)
And the saying of Allah:
“Indeed your Lord is Allah, Who created the heavens and the earth in six days, and then He rose over the Throne (in a manner that suits His Majesty). He brings the night as a cover over the day, each seeking the other in rapid succession: and the Sun, the Moon, and the stars, (all) are subjected to His Command. Verily, His is the Creation and the Commandment. Blessed be Allah, the Cherisher and Sustainer of the Worlds!” (Q7:V54)
The "Lord" here is the one who deserves to be worshipped, the true Deity. The evidence to this is in His saying:
“O mankind! Worship your Lord (Allah), who created you and those who were before you, so that you may become pious; Who has made the earth a resting place for you, and the sky as a canopy, and sent down rain from the sky and brought forth therewith fruits as a provision for you. Then do not set up rivals unto Allah (in worship) while you know (that He alone has the right to be worshipped).” (Q2:V21-22)
Ibn Katheer, may Allah have mercy on him, said: "It is only the creator of all these things who deserves to be worshipped."
Some of the forms of worship ordained by Allah are submission, faith, charity, invocation and supplications, fear, hope, trust, aspiration, awe, reverence, apprehension, repentance, call for help, appeal for refuge, sacrifice, to vow.
These as well as other forms ordered by Allah are all to Allah. The evidence is in His saying: “And the places of worship are for Allah (alone): So invoke not any one along with Allah.” (Q72:V18)
Consequently, if anyone performs one of these rites not exclusively to Allah then he is a polytheist and an unbeliever. The evidence for this is the saying of Allah the Most High:
“And whoever invokes (or worships), besides Allah, any other god, of whom he has no proof, then his reckoning is only with his Lord! And verily the disbelievers will not be successful.” (Q23:V117)
Invocation:
It was narrated in the hadith: "Invocation is the essence of worship" and the evidence is in His saying:
“And your Lord said: “Invoke Me; I will respond to you. Verily those who scorn My worship they will surely enter hell in humiliation!” (Q40:V60).
Fear:
Evidence for fearing Allah alone is in His saying:
“It is only shaitaan who would make (you) fear his supporters; so fear them not, but fear Me, if you are (true) believers.” (Q3:V175)
Hope:
Evidence for hope in Allah is in His saying:
“Whoever hopes for the meeting of His Lord let him work righteousness and associate none in the worship of His Lord.” (Q18:V110)
Trust:
Evidence for trust in Allah is in His saying:
“…put your trust in Allah if you are believers indeed.” (Q5:V23) and His saying: “And whoever puts his trust in Allah, then He (Allah) will suffice him.” (Q65:V3)
Aspiration, Awe, and Humility:
Evidence for aspiration, awe, and humility is in the statement of Allah:
“They used to call on Us with aspiration and awe, and used to humble themselves before Us.” (Q21:V90)
Apprehension:
Evidence of apprehension is in His saying:
“So fear them not, but fear Me; and that I may complete My Blessings on you and that you may be guided.” (Q2:V150)
Repentance:
Evidence of repentance is in the statement of Allah:
“Turn in repentance and in obedience with true Faith to your Lord.” (Q39:V54)
Seeking for help:
Evidence for seeking for help is in His saying:
“And You (Alone) we worship, and You (Alone) we ask for help.” (Q1:V5)
Also, it is related in the Prophetic tradition:
If you ask for help, ask Allah only.
Appeal for Refuge:
Evidence of appeal for refuge is in His saying:
“Say: I seek refuge with (Allah) the Lord and Cherisher of Mankind, The King of Mankind, the Deity of mankind.” (Q114:V1-3)
Appeal for Help during calamity:
Evidence of appeal for help during calamity is in His saying:
“Remember when you sought help of your Lord and He answered you” (Q8:V9)
Sacrifice:
Evidence of sacrifice is in His saying:
“Say: 'Truly, my prayer, my sacrifice, my living and my dying, are (all) for Allah, the Cherisher of the Worlds. He has no partner” (Q6:V162)
And from the hadith: “Allah's curse is upon those who offer sacrifices to other than Him”
Vows:
Evidence of vows is in His saying:
“They fulfill (their) vows, and they fear a Day whose evil will be wide spreading.” (Q76:V7)
The Second Fundamental: Knowing the religion of Islam with evidences
It is submission and surrender to Allah alone, with Tawheed and submitting to Him by obeying His commandments and being free from polytheism and polytheists.
It has three categories:
Islam (Submission).
Imaan (Belief).
Ihsan (Perfection of Worship).
Each of the categories has pillars.
The Pillars of Islam are five. The evidence for this from the Sunnah is the Hadith of the Son of Umar- may Allah be pleased with them- he said: the messenger of Allah peace be upon him said: Islam was built upon five pillars; to testify that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah and that Muhammad is the messenger of Allah, to establish regular prayer, the give out obligatory charity, to fast the Month of Ramadan, and to carry out pilgrimage to the sacred house.
The evidence for this the saying of Allah the Most High: “Indeed, the religion in the sight of Allah is Islam.” (Q3:V18).
Also the saying of Allah: “And whoever desires other than Islam as religion - never will it be accepted from him, and he, in the Hereafter, will be among the losers.” (Q3:V85).
The evidence for testifying is His saying:
“Allah bears witness that none has the right to be worshipped but He and the angels, and those having knowledge (also give this witness); (He always) maintains His creation on justice. Laa ilaha illa huwa, the All-Mighty, the All- Wise.” (Q3:V18).
The meaning of this is that it is only Allah that is worthy of being worshipped, and the negation, "... Laa ilaha ...", refutes entirely everything that is worshipped besides Allah. “…illa Allah” affirms that Allah alone deserves to be worshipped without any partners. Just as He has no partner in worship He also has no partner in His Domain.
The following verses illustrate this point:
“And (remember) when Ibrahim said to his father and his people: “Verily, I am innocent of what you worship, “Except Him Who did create me, and verily, He will guide me.” And he made it (Laa ilaha illa Allah) a Word lasting among his offspring that they may turn back (to Allah).” (Q43:V26-28)
And the saying of Allah:
“Say: (O Muhammad): O People of the scripture: Come to a word that is just between us and you: That we worship none but Allah (alone); that we associate no partners with him and that none of us shall take others as Lords besides Allah. Then, if they turn away, say: "Bear witness that we are Muslims.” (Q3:V64).
The evidence for testifying that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah is in His saying:
“Verily there has come unto you a Messenger from amongst yourselves: it grieves him that you should receive any injury or difficulty. He is anxious over you; for the Believers (he is) full of pity kind and merciful. But if they turn away, Say (O Muhammad): “Allah is sufficient for me. Laa ilaha illa Huwa in Him I put my trust and He is the Lord of the Mighty Throne.” (Q9:V128-129)
To testify that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah signifies that one should obey his orders and believe him in what he has informed us of, to avoid what he prohibits and worship Allah according to His precepts.
The evidence for prayers and Zakat, and the meaning of worshipping Allah alone is in His saying:
“And they were commanded not, but that they should worship Allah, and worship none but Him alone, sincerely (abstaining from ascribing partners to Him, being true in faith); and establish regular prayer; and give Zakat; and that is the right religion.” (Q98:V5)
The evidence for fasting is the saying of Allah:
“O you who believe! Fasting is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you, that you may attain piety.” (Q2:V183)
The evidence for Pilgrimage is His saying:
“And Pilgrimage to the House is a duty that mankind owes to Allah, those who can afford the journey; but if any deny faith, Allah stands not in need of any of His creations.” (Q3:V97)
The Second Category: Imaan (Belief)
Imaan comprises of seventy and some odd number branches, the highest is to testify to "La ilaha illa Allah" and the lowest is to remove obstacles from the path of the people. Modesty and bashfulness is one of the branches of Imaan.
The pillars of Imaan are six: Belief in:
- Allah.
- His Angles.
- His Books.
- His Messengers.
- The Last Day.
- Divine Preordainment whether good or bad.
Evidence from the Quran for these six pillars of Imaan is:
“It is not righteousness that you turn your faces towards East or West; but Al-Bir is (the quality) of the one who believes in Allah, the Last Day, the Angels, the Book, and the Prophets…” (Q2:V177)
Evidence for Divine preordainment from the Quran is:
“Verily, We have created all things with Qadar (Divine preordainments of all things before their creation as written in the Book of Decrees-Al Lauh al –Mahfuz)” (Q54:V49)
The Third Category: Ihsan (Perfection of worship)
It has just one pillar which is to worship Allah as if you see Him; for though you do not see Him, Verily He sees you.
Evidence is in His saying: “And whoever submits his face to Allah while he is a doer of good - then he has grasped the most trustworthy handhold.” (Q31:V22). And the saying of Allah: “For Allah is with those who restrain themselves, and those who are Muhsinun (those who are perfecting their deeds-who perform good deeds totally for Allah’s sake only without showing off or to gain praise or fame and they do them in accordance with the Sunnah).” (Q16:V128).
And the saying of Allah: “And whoever relies upon Allah - then He is sufficient for him.”(Q65:V3). And the saying of Allah: “And rely upon the Exalted in Might, the Merciful (217) who sees you when you arise (218) and your movement among those who prostrate (219) indeed, He is All- Hearing, the All- Knowing (220) (Q26:V 217-220).
And the saying of Allah: “And, [O Muhammad], you are not [engaged] in any matter or recite any of the Qur'an and you [people] do not do any deed except that We are witness over you when you are involved in it.” (Q10:V61).
Evidence from the hadith is the well-known hadith of Jibreel.
On the authority of Umar bin Al-Khattab, may Allah be pleased with him, who said: "One day while we were sitting with the messenger of Allah, there came upon us a man with extremely white clothes and extremely black hair. There were no signs of travel on him and none of us knew him. He sat before the Prophet (saw) and supported his knees up against the knees of the Prophet’s and put his hands on the Prophet's thighs. He said:
"O Muhammad, tell me about Islam.”
"He (saw)said: "Islam is to testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, to establish the prayers, to give Zakat, to fast the month of Ramadan, and to perform the Pilgrimage to the House, if you have the means to do so.”
"He (the stranger) said: "You have spoken truthfully."
We were amazed that he asks the question and then tells him that what he had said was true.
The stranger then said: "Tell me about Imaan."
He the messenger of Allah said: "It is to believe in Allah, His Angles, His Books, His Messengers, The Last Day, and in the Divine decree, the good and the evil thereof.”
He said: "Tell me about Ihsan."
He (saw) answered: "It is that you worship Allah as if you see Him, even though you do not see Him, He sees you.”
He said: "Tell me about [the time of] the hour."
He said (saw): "The one being asked does not know more than the one asking.‟‟
He said: "Tell me about its signs."
He said (saw): "The slave girl shall give birth to her master, and you will see the barefooted, scantily-clothed, destitute shepherds competing in erecting lofty buildings.‟‟
Then he left. I stayed for a long time. Then he [the Prophet (saw)] said: "O Umar, do you know who the questioner was?"
I said: "Allah and His Messenger know best.” He said: "That was [the angel] Gabriel who came to teach you your religion."
The Third Fundamental: Knowing Your Prophet Muhammed-peace be upon him
He is Muhammad, son of Abdullah the son Abdulmutalib the son of Hashim. And Hashim is from Quraish and Quraish is from Arab and Arab is from the offspring of Ismail the son of Ibrahim Alkhaleel. He lived for sixty-three years, forty before his mission and twenty-three years as a prophet and a messenger.
His was made a prophet with the revelation of: "Read! in the name of your Lord…” and was made a messenger with the revelation of: "O you enveloped in garments! Arise and warn!” and his town is makkah.
Allah the Most High sent him as a messenger to warn against associating partners with Allah and to invite to the worship of Allah alone.
The evidence is in His saying:
“O you (Muhammad) enveloped in garments! Arise and warn! And magnify your Lord (Allah)! And purify your garments! And keep away from Ar-Rujz (the idols)! And give not a thing in order to have more. And be patient for the sake of your Lord!” (Q74:V1-7).
The meaning of "Arise and warn" is that he should warn against associating partners with Allah, and call the people to worship Allah alone, and “And magnify your Lord”- through testifying to His unity, "And purify your garments”- purify your deeds from polytheism, “Keep away from Rujz”- keep away from idols and their worshippers, to be free from them and to reject them.
During the first ten years of his prophet hood, Muhammad (saw) continued to call people to the worship of Allah alone then he was taken on a journey to the heavens whereupon the five daily prayers (salat) were made obligatory. Thus, he performed prayers in Makkah for three years thereafter he was ordered to migrate to Madinah.
Migration is the movement from the town of polytheism to the town of Islam. This kind of migration is obligatory upon the nation of the Muslims and it remains up till the Last Day.
The evidence is in His saying:
“Verily! As for those whom the angels have taken (in death) while they are wronging themselves (as they stayed among the disbelievers even though emigration was obligatory to them), they (angels) asked them: “In what condition were you?” They reply: "We were weak and oppressed on earth." The angels asked: "Was not the earth of Allah spacious enough for you to migrate therein?” Such men will find their abode in Hell - What an evil destination! - Except the weak ones among men, women and children who were unable to devise a plan, nor are they able to direct their way.” (Q4:V97-98).
And the saying of Allah the Most High:
“O My slaves who believe! Certainly, spacious is My Earth: therefore worship Me (and Me alone).” (Q29:V56).
Al-Baghawi, may Allah have mercy on him, said: "The reason for the revelation of this verse was concerning the Muslims who remained in Makkah and had not migrated to Madinah. Allah calls them: “believers”
The evidence for migration from the Sunnah is the hadith:
“Migration will not end until repentance ends, and repentance will not end until the sun rises from the west.”
When the Prophet settled in Madinah, the other ordinances of Islam were prescribed; these include the Zakat, fasting, Pilgrimage, the Adhan (call to prayers), Jihad (fighting in the way of Allah), and the injunction to recommend good and denounce evil.
He continued with this for ten years and after that he passed on- may Allah be pleased with him- but his religion remains.
There was no good except that he guided his nation to it and no evil except that he warned them against it. The good that he guided them to is Tauheed and everything that Allah loves and is pleased with. The evil that he warned against is associating partners with Allah and against everything that Allah dislikes and prohibits.
Allah has sent him to all people and nations, and He has ordained that all mankind and jinn should follow him in obedience to his message. The evidence is in His saying:
“Say (O Muhammad): 'O mankind! Verily I am sent unto you all” (Q7:V158)
And with him Allah has completed and perfected the religion. The evidence is in the saying of Allah the Most High: “This day, I have perfected your religion for you, completed My favor upon you, and have chosen for you Islam as your religion.” (Q5:V3)
The evidence of the prophet's death is in the saying of Allah the Most High:
“Verily, you (O Muhammad) will die and verily, they too will die. Then on the day of Resurrection, you will be disputing before your Lord.” (Q39:V30- 31)
All mankind will be resurrected after death. The evidence is in the saying of Allah the Most High: “Thereof (the earth) We created you, and into it We shall return you, and from it We shall bring you out once again.” (Q20:V55)
And the saying of Allah: “And Allah has brought you forth from the (dust of) earth. Afterwards He will return you into it (the earth), and bring you forth (again on the Day of Resurrection).” (Q71:V17-18).
After Resurrection, mankind will render account to Allah and then they will be recompensed according to their deeds. The evidence is in His saying:
“And to Allah belongs all that is in the heavens and all that is in the earth, that He may recompence those who do evil with that which they have done and reward those who do good, with what is best.” (Q53:V31)
Whoever denies or rejects the resurrection has disbelieved. The evidence is in His saying:
“The disbelievers claim that they will never be resurrected. Say (O Muhammad): Yes! By my Lord, you will certainly be resurrected, then you will be informed of (and recompensed for) what you did, and that is easy for Allah.” (Q64:V7).
Allah has sent all the messengers as bearers of good news and warnings. The evidence is in His saying:
“Messengers as bearers of good news as well as of warning, in order that mankind should have no plea against Allah after (the coming) of the messengers” (Q4:V165)
The first messenger is Nuh- peace be upon him, and Muhammad is the last and he is the Seal of the prophets. There shall be no prophet after him. The evidence for this is the saying of Allah the Most High: “Muhammad is not the father of [any] one of your men, but [he is] the Messenger of Allah and last of the prophets.”(Q33:V40).
The evidence that the first messenger is Nuh-peace be upon him is the statement of Allah, the exalted:
“Verily, We have sent the revelation to you (O Muhammad) as We sent the revelation to Noah and the Prophets after him.” (Q4:V163).
To every nation Allah the Most High sent a messenger, from the time of Nuh to Muhammad, to command them to worship Allah alone, and to forbid them from worshipping taghut (false deities). The evidence is in His saying:
“And verily, We have sent among every nation a Messenger (proclaiming): “Worship Allah (alone), and avoid taghut (all false deities).” (Q16:V36).
Allah the Most High has made it obligatory upon all to disbelieve in taghut and to worship Allah alone.
Ibn Al-Qayyim, may Allah have mercy on him, said: "Taghut (false deities) is that with which the slave exceeds his limits, whether as an object of worship, or a person followed, or obeyed."
The taghuts are numerous, but at the head of them are five:
Iblees, may Allah curse him.
Whoever is worshipped and is pleased with being worshipped.
Whoever calls people to worship him.
Whosoever claims any knowledge of the Unseen (Ghaib).
Whosoever judges or rules by other than what Allah revealed.
The evidence is in His saying:
“There is no compulsion in religion. Verily the Right Path has become distinct from the wrong path. Whoever disbelieves in taghut and believes in Allah then he has grasped the most trustworthy handhold that will never break. And Allah is All-Hearer, All-Knower.” (Q2:V256).
This is the meaning of "La ilaha illa Allah”. In the Prophetic tradition is this text: “The head of the matter is Islam, its Pillars are prayer, and its highest pinnacle is Jihad (fighting in the Cause of Allah)."
Allah knows best. May His peace and blessings be upon Muhammad, his household and companions.