Foundations of Faith - As-Suhaymi

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Kingdoin of Saudi Arabia

Ministry of Islamic Affairs,
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Endowment Da'wah and Guidance

King Fahd Qur:an Printing Complex
General Secretariat
Academic Affairs
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The Foundations of Faith

in the Light of the Qtir an and the Sunnah
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A Committee of Scholars
Translated by
D r. 'Abdur- R azza q JAb dul- M aje ed Alar o
A Research Scholar in the Academic Affairs Department
(Cy king Fahd Quraau Printing Complex, 2ft07

King Fahd Nat ion a I Library Cataloping-in
Publication Dala
A committee of scholars
The foundations of faith in the light of the Quran
and the Sun mill. / A committee of scholars.
Dr. 'Abdur-Razzaq "Abdul-Majeed Alaro - Al-Madinah

Al-Munawarah, 2007
480 P; 16x23 cm.
ISBN: 973 9960 9732-7^
1- Faith (Islam)
2- Islamic creed Dr. Alaro, 'Abdur-RazzjSq
' A bdllJ-Majeni {T ranslald r j
240 dc
1428/4682
LD.no. I42S/46S2
ISBN: 978-9960-9732-7-2
I-Title
In the Name of Allah

the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful
Tin? Foundations of Faith
Contents
Foreword by His Excellency, the Minister.
Preface
Introduction
Section One: The Beliefta AMIi
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1.1 Meaning and proofs from the Qur'an and Surittah, as well as
rational and instinctive proofs
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1.2 Believing in the oneness of Lordship alone cannot save the
believer from punishment,,
14
1.3 Aspects of deviation concerning the Oneness of Lordship
{Tawhld al-Ruhubiyyak)
19
Chapter Two; Oneness of Divinity {Tiiwhld al-Ulfihiyyah)
21
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23
.....
2.2 To worship none but Allah is an obligation
, 34
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44
2.4 Polytheism, disbelief and their types

2.4.1 Polytheism
2.4.1.1 Major polytheism: Definition, re ,o a
2.4.1.2 Minor polytheism: Definition, title and types
* The difference between major and minor polytheism
2.4.2 Disbelief (Kufr)
2.4.2.1 Definition
2.4.2.2 Types
- Major Kufr and its types
- Minor Kufr and some examples of it
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* * *
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84
...
... I- .i'
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...
89
93
95
96
96
96
96
99
im

Chapter Three: Oneness of Allah Regarding His Names and
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Preamble: The belief in Allah's Names and Attributes and its

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114
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122
3.3 Some principles regarding Almighty Allah's Names and Attributes

Section Two: Other Articles of Faith
143
Chapter One: The Belief in Angels
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1.1 The identity, origin, qualities and characteristics of the angels 144
1.2 The importance of believing in the angels, the nature of this
153
belief, and its proofs

1.3 Functions of the angels.
180
Introduction: Linguistic and Islamic meaning of Revelation
its types
>
i..
2.1 Rule concerning the belief in Divine Books and the proofs
thereof
187
2.2 Method of believing in the Divine Books <>'<

A*
3 Distortion of the "Forah, hytf (the Gospel) and some other
books excluding the Qurian
'
2.4 Believing in the Glorious Qur'an and the characteristics of

such belief
213
IV
Til* Foundation* of Faith
Chapter Three; Believing in Allah's Messengers
226
3.1 The rale concerning the belief in the Messengers and the
proofs thereof
227
.......
3.2 Definitions of "prophet'1 and "messenger", and the difference

between the two terms
232
33 The method of believing in Allah's Messengers
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3,4: Our duty towards the Messengers of Allah
235
244
3.5 Messengers described by Allah as Men of Firm Resolution

{Vhi al- 'Azm)
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-3.6 The special qualities of Prophet Muhammad (M) and the

rights owed him by his followers
255
3.7 His message as the final of all divine messages; hence, no

Prophet shall come after him
280
Nig!
285
3.9 The truth about the life of the Prophets
295
3.10 The Prophets' miracles compared to the karamaks of the

< -3
righteous believers
3.11
Al-Waliyy and ai-WUayah (Righteousness and being

318
'" '
, i,,i. ii' >.
310
./. ;
335
4.3 Believing in the Resurrection
Chapter Five; The Bcliefin Pre-ordaimTicDt
5.1 Definition, proofs and dissimilarities
5.2 Stages of Preordainment
J45
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11 -n 11- ;.
373
.... 374
377
Section Three; Other Issues Relating to the Muslim Creed
381
Chapter One; Islam, iman (I'aith) and Iksan (Excellent

Performance of Devotional acts)
382
382
1.1 Islam..,
1.2 Faith (Imirs} and its articles, and the rule concerning
perpetrators of major sins {Kaha'sr)
385
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1.3 Excellent Performance of Devotional acts ijhsan),
, 392
1.4 The relation between Islam., I man and .ihsrn
393
Chapter Two; Amity and Enmity (in Islam): Meaning and norms
394
Chapter Three; The Due-rights of the Companions of the

Prophet (|)
402
3.1 Who are- the Companions? Our duty to love and support them 403
3.2 The necessity of holding I hem in high esteem and as persons
with undoubted probity, as well as refraining from (unnecessary
discussion of] their disputes. All in the light of Islamic proofs.
3.3 The Prophet's relations
3.4 The Rightly Guided Caliphs
407
412
417
3.5 The ten [Companions] who received, in advance, glad tidings

of their admittance into Paradise
420
Chapter Four: Our .Duty towards the Muslim Rulers and the
Populace, and the Need to Remain United with Them
423
Chapter Five: Molding Fast to the Book of Allah and the

Sunnah, and the Proofs of its Obligation
5.1 Meaning and proofs
5.2 Warning against innovation in religion (Bid'ah)
5.3 Exposing the ugly face of separation and discord
Glossary of Arabic Words/Terms
VI
429
430
437
441
450
The omd&tmm of Faith

-
FOREWORD
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Praise be to Allah, the Lord of all beings, who says in His

Glorious Book, 4
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(a:
Nahl: 125)-
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and Messengers of Allah, who has also said, (Sf ylj ^ lyih). Convey
of my message fto others], at least a single Syah^K (BukMri: 3461 T
Mosques, King 'Abdullah bin 'Abd ab'Azm AESa'ud regarding the
extension of whatever is good to .Muslims in the four comers of the
earth. Hits includes, primarily, giving the Book, of Allah necessary
attention, facilitating its publication, translating its meaning and
distributing copies of It to Muslims or whoever may develop an
interest in studying it among the non-Muslims, Furthermore, to
religious or worldly affairs.
'The Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Endowments, Dawah and
Guidance, represented here by the King Puhd Qur'an Printing
f - The word ayah here stands for whatever the Prophet (;fe) was heard saying or seen
doing, This could be a portion of the Quran as revealed to him by Allah, or an
explanation of it, otherwise known as the prophetic Sumah. (Translator)
vu
Tint Fotmdatkms af Faith
and clear understanding, is hereby pleased to present the book;

"THE FOUNDATIONS Of FAITH IN THE LIGHT OF THE
QVR 'AN AND THE SUNNAJT, with, a view to educate Muslims on
issues of Aqidah {Muslim's Belief), which is also the basis of their
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faith, The Prophet iM) has said,
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There Is a piece of flesh in the [human} body, should It be good
Other series of books on Hadith, Fiqh (Islamic Jurisprudence),.
Remembrance of Allah and Supplication would also come into
circulation in sha Adah, We pray to Allah, the Supreme, the
Almighty, to make them all useful to the Muslims worldwide.
it is my pleasure to thank the authors, the review and drafting
committees, and the translator, for their sincere efforts, 1 would also
like to express my gratitude to the entire staff of the General
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religion and defender of the sound faith, under the leadership of the
Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques and his Crown Prince, may
Allah protect them. In conclusion of our supplication, we say, "Praise
be to Allah the Lord of all beings".
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Preface
Praise be to Allah who 3MS perfected for us the religion of
Islam, completed His favour upon us, made our nation, the Muslim
nation, the best of all nations and raised amongst us a Messenger of
our own.
the Book and the wisdom ii>
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beings, and upon his family as well as his Companions,

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Mankind and jinn' ' are created to worship Allah alone. This
has been stated in His saying that,
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worship Me* (si-Dhariyai; 56).

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His Messenger {:<) represent the utmost degree of fulfilment regarding
the worship of Allah, This Tawhid is also the basis for the habitation
of this universe, without which the alternative would be sheer
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Allah
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Had there been therein [the heavens and the earth| (other) gods
besides Allah, there would have been ruin in both. Glorified he
attribute to Him. (al-AnbiyS': 22).
1-The Book, thai is the Glorious Quv!lin, vvbilo ihe word wisdom here represents the
traditions of the Prophet I'M) or Sutmah, (Tninslator)
2- The Jinn are a speci es of beings created by Allah from fire.
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The Foufidafloiw of Faith
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It H Allah who created seven heavens and of the earth the like
thereof. 1he commandment descends between them; that yoti may
know that AHSh is able to do all things, and that Allah
comprehends all things in |HIsf Knowledge. (al-Taiaq: 12).
As il is not possible for human intellect to comprehend.

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revelation to clarify such to mankind, Thus., they would he able to

worship Him based on knowledge, understanding, crystal clear
principles and upright fundamentals, Henceforth, Allah's Messenger's
have come in succession to convey and explain this message to the
people of their time. A testimony to this is found in the following
Qubamc verses:
And there never was a nation but a warner had passed among
them- (Htm 24).
Then We sent our Messengers in succession. tal-Mu'raMn:: 44}. i.e
one coming after another, until Allah wound up His revelations with
and Messengers, Muhammad (31), who delivered the message.
the cause of Allah, He also called people to the religion of Allah, both
in secret and in public, and perfectly shouldered the burdens of the
divine Message. Although he was extremely harmed in this respect, he
x.
bore all the hardships with patience, just as the Messengers of firm
resolution had done before. Prophet Muhammad (#) was unrelenting
in his effort to call people to the way of Allah and lead them to His
straight path, until He manifested the religion and completed His
, many
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people embraced islam. Moreover, never did he part with life until
Thus, He said in .His Glorious Book,
This day 1 have perfected for you your religion, completed my

(ah Ma'idab: 3),
The Prophet: (sgg) has also explained in detail ail the fundamental and
non-fundamental aspects of this religion. The great scholar of the
Abode of
Malik bin Anas testified to this by saying,. "It is
implausible to assume that the Prophet (&) could have taught his
followers how to become purified after using the toilet, but never
Calling people to believe in one God, (Allah), to worship Him
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before him; they all agreed on this and invited people Co it. Tawhid has
their message and the basis of their mission. Adah (M) says,
t- i.e. al-Madmah al-Nalmwiyyah or the city of the Prophet (%'}, The word Hijrnh
means emigration. (Translator)
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And certainly, We have raised in every nation a Messenger

of them were some whom Allah guided, and of them were some
upon whom straying became inevitably established. So travel
was, (i-Na.y :36),
And We sent not before yon any Messenger except that We
so worship Me jalone]. (ahAnbiya* :25).
And ask those of Our Messengers whom We sent before you: Bid
We ever appoint gods to be worshipped besides the Most Merciful
(Allah]? (ahZukhmf: 45),
He has ordained for you of religion what He enjoined upon Nuh,

We enjoined upon Ibrahim, Mfi.sS and
that you should
establish the religion and be not divided therein, (a! Shiiia: 13).
According to the two most authentic collections of the hadilh
(Prophetic tradition), Abu Uurasrah (40 narrated that Allah's
Messenger (M) said.
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The Feuailatiofts of faith

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The Prophets [of Allah J are half siblings; brothers of different

maternal parenthood, but their religion is one, (Bukhan: 3443;
Muslim: 2365). The religion., and, of course, the creed of the Prophets is
law sent to each of them, A llah, (ti) has said,
(al-Ma'idalr 48).
Every Muslim or MinnifP' therefore, ought to understand

clearly, that issues of creed must neither be subjected to human
reasoning, nor be decided on the basis of "give and take" argument.
Rather, it is incumbent upon every Muslim in any part of the world to
adhere to the creed held by Allah's Messengers and Prophets, and
believe in those principles they all believed in and invited people to,
without doubt or hesitation.
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The Messenger has believed in what was revealed to him from his
We make no
ISO
distinction between any of His Messengers. And they say, We hear

and we obey. [We seek} Your Forgiveness, our Lord, and to you is
the {ultimate) return. (al-Baqarah: 285).
f- The word Mu'mm literally means a believer, bui whenever used alongside the
word .Muslim ii denotes a level of faith higher than that of an ordinary Muslins.
('Translator!
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Tilt Foundations of Faith
Such k the behaviour of the- believers and their way of lifebelief, submission, compliance and acceptance. Any believing Muslim
with these qualities will be safe and secure and shall live in peace,
with tranquillity and a purified mind. He will also be totally free from
contradiction, confusion, scepticism, illusion, irresolution
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flawless bases and strong rules, is the only time-tested factor that can
life and in the life to come. This belief has clearly defined landmarks,
most accurate proofs and faultless evidence. It is, in addition,
absolutely compatible with human nature, sound minds and
unimpaired hearts.
The entire Muslim world is, therefore, in dire need of getting
familiar with this unadulterated belief being the axis around which
la this book, even as concise as it is, the readers will find the
proofs and many pieces of evidence. Thus, it is a book consisting of

>3
Such important principles handed down to us by the Messengers, are

so evident that any reasonable person, whether young or old, could
easily assimilate them in a very short time. Success is, however, solely
in the Hands of Allah.
xtv

In this connection, wc thank., profusely, the authors; Dr, Salih
bin Sa'd aLSuhaymi, Prof, \Abd al-Ra^zaq bin "Abd al-Muhsin ah
\Abbad and Dr, Ibrahim bin 'Amir abRuhayli. Wc also appreciate the
efforts of the editing board made up of Prof 'Ah bin Muhammad
Nasir FaqTbi and Prof. Ahmad bin 'Atiyya.b aLGharnidi, Similarly, we
thank the translator; .Dr, 'Abdnr-Razzaq 'Abdul-Majeed Alaro, as well
as the translation's revision committee members; Dr, Haitham
It is our hope thai Allah tjM) will make this work fruitful for ail
Muslims, as we conclude our supplication saying, "Praise be to Allah,
the Lord of all beings",.
General Secretariat: of
King Fuhd Qwr'an Printing Complex
xv
Tlit- Foundations of Faith
Introduction
Obviously, every Muslim realises the importance of Faith
(Iman), alongside the numerous gains and advantages it has for the
faithful, both in this life and in the life after death. Without a sound
faith, no worldly or heavenly benefit can be obtained; hence, it is the
and be safe from misfortunes, evils and difficulties. He will also be

rewarded in the hereafter and live [herein in eternal bliss and
. i)
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says,
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Whoever does righteousness, whether male or female, while he is a

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they used to do, (akNrbi. 97)..

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And whoever desires the hereafter and exerts the effort due to it
while he is a believer- it is those whose effort is ever appreciated
by [Allah], {aMsra': 19).
But whoever comes to Him as a believer, having done good deeds;

for such will be the highest degrees. ('ii-His: 75).
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Indeed, those who believe and do righteous deeds; they shall have
the garden of Paradise as a lodging. Wherein they will abide
forever,
fal-Kaht: 107, 108).
l.Qtfc U.I
in the same tone.

Faith (Iman), according: to proof's from both the Quran and the
Sitmiah, is based on six principles. These are:
1- Belief in Clod (Allah).
2- Belief in His Angels.
3- Belief in His Books.
4- Belief in His Messengers.
3- BcHefin the Last Day.
Book of Allah as well as in the Snmiah of His Prophet (M), including:
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1- O you who believe, believe41'* m Allah and His Messenger and

the Book He has revealed to His Messenger and that which He
I- As for those who have believed already, they are being commanded here to
confirm and adhere to their faith, {Translator}
Tht- Fouridalioits of Faith

had sent down before. Whoever disbelieves in Allah, His angels,
His Books, His Messengers and the Last Bay has certainly
wandered far astray, (ai-NisT: 136),
V
2- Righteousness h not that you [merely] turn your faces to the

east or the west*1*, but righteousness is fthe quality of he] who
believes in Allah, the Last Day, the Angels, the Book and the
Prophets... (al-Baqarah: 177}.
4 3*334$
3- The Messenger has believed in what was revealed to him from
his Lord, and {so have) Hie believers. All of them did believe in
Allah, His angels, His Books and His Messengers [saying], "We
J9
"We hear and we obey. fWe seek] Your Forgiveness, our Lord,
and to you is the [ultimate] ret urn. j.iij-Ba.qamh-2 85).
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4- We have indeed created all things with predestination. (sl-Qamar:
49}.
f- i.e. m ynlah (Prayer), {TrairslaUir}

3
S- 'Uinar bin al-Khaitab (#) narrated, according to the famous hadifh

of Jibrll as reported by Muslim in his Sahih
that Angel Jibril
(Gabriel) asked the Prophet {0} about Faith. He replied

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"jFaith is] to believe in e\Hfih, His angels,

_
His Books His
Messengers, the Last Pay, and in Predestination, whether
auspicious or inauspicious". {duJuh Mu-Jun, kudith no. \).
These six great foundations or articles of Faith are
indispensable. Furthermore, they are all inherent qualities of Faith; no
part of them, can be separated from the other. Believing in any of
them, therefore, presupposes belief in the rest, while to have
disbelieved in any, equally amounts to being an unbeliever in all.
both in learning ihem and in acting in line with their teachings.
in the following pages, we shall discuss the first article of
Faith, viz, the Belief in God (Allah),
I.- $ah'ih is the name given to certain books or compilations of the hatftih or
prophetic tradition, which are regarded to be most authentic, (Translator}
The- lumridatlons of Faith
SECTION ONE: BELIEF IN ALLAH
or subdivisions of this.
To have faith in Allah means believing in His uniqueness
regarding lordship, divinity, as well as names and attributes, as these
elements represent the bases of the belief in Allah. Furthermore,.
Islam, the true religion is also known as "fawîd, for it is based on
believing in the oneness of God regarding His sovereignty and acts;
His essence, names and attributes; and His being an object of worship.
It is thus, inferable from this that the Tawhld professed by the
1- Tawhld al-Ruhubiyyah (.Oneness of Lordship}.
V
of everything; its Creator and Provider, who gives life and has die
power to revoke it. The Beneficent,, who is also capable of inflicting
harm, and it is only He who responds favourably to invocation in hard
times. He has control of all matters; every goodness is at His disposal,
and to Him everything shall return. No partner has He in any of die
aforementioned quali ties.
2- TiiwhTd al-lHuhiyyah (Oneness of Divinity)
such as submission, humility, and adoration, reverence, bowing down *
prostration, sacrificial offering, and vow. None should be associated
with Him in any of these acts,
Thir Foundations of Faith
That is to believe in the exclusive possession by Allah, of
in the Simnah of His Prophet (;$;), This also entails exalting Him
above any defect or shortcoming, and not to liken Him to any of His
believer must believe in Allah's knowledge of all things, and His
ability to do whatever He wants, That Be is the Ever-living, who
sustains and protects all beings, and neither drowsiness nor sleep
overtakes Him, His Volition is all-time effective, and His Wisdom
always far-reaching.
All-hearing, All-seeing God. The
Compassionate, the Merciful, who rose over the mighty Throne, and
has full grip on His dominion. The King and the Holy; He is totally
free from defects and is line Giver of security. The Overwhelming, the
Almighty, the Compeller and the Supreme; Glory be to Him, and
exalted is He above all that they ascribe to Him as partners. Ail of
these and other most beautiful names and lofty attributes of Allah
must be believed in.
There arc numerous proofs from both the Book of Allah and
Tawkid Indeed, the Glorious Qur'ln as a whole is all about Tawhld,
its rights,, as well as gains of being a monotheist. In addition to the
issue of Shirk (Polytheism), the poly the i-sls and their punishment.
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after thorough exploration and close examination of related Qur'an
and Summh texts. This has led Litem to conclude that mankind are
required to believe in oneness of Allah regarding His lordship.
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an
Tiiwhul will now follow.
his is
ion of the three divisions of
Tlitr Foundations of Faith

*
Ruhubipyah)
1.1 Meaning and proofs from the Qur'Sn and the
Sunnah^ as well as rational and instinctive proofs
1.1.1 Meaning:
a) Linguistically, the word; mbnbiyyah is the verbal noun of
1rabahafrom
which another word 'rah# has been derived. The term
'al-Riibuhiyyak * on the other hand, is an attribute of Allah (M).
Having been derived from the noun 'al-Rabb' {i.e. Lord), which further
suggests a host of meanings in the Arabic language, such as an owner
of something, an obeyed master or sovereign, and a reformer.
b) Tawhid ai-Rubuhiyyah as a technical term, however, means
believing that Allah is one and unique in all His acts. These include
His acts of creating, providing., possessing, shaping, bestowal and
denial, benefiting and inflicting harm, as well as causing anyone or
anything to live or die. His ability to preordain, His Sovereignty,
,, CUJ.'
exclusively to Him, One must believe in them all.

1.1.2 Proofs
a) Qur'Snic proof's
Allah (M) says,
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see, and cast into the earth firm mountains, lest it should shake
kinds. And We (Allah) send down water from the sky, and We
cause [plants] of every good kind to grow therein. This is the
creation of Allah . Show Me then, what those (w hom you worship)
beside Him have created. Rather, the wrongdoers are in clear
error". (Luqman: 10,11).
"Were they created by nothing, or were they themselves the
creators"? oa-fun 35).
b) Proofs from the Sunmh:
Ahmad and Abu Dawud both narrated on the authority of
'Abdullah bin al-Shskhlr (#4 that Allah's Messenger (M) said,
"Allah is the Sayyid (Master or .Lord), glorified and exalted is
He".
In another narration by Timiidhi and others, the Prophet {3s)
once advised Ihn 'Abbas in the foI,having way;
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Ant! were they to untie in inllicl any barm on you, they could
likewise do so only to the extent of what He has predestined to

book of fate] have dried up".
Ahmad; vol, i P- 3tJ7^'1),
l
Allah's existence. His exclusive qualities of lordship, and His

absolute power and control over His creations are all indisputable
even by the way of logical reasoning, which involves pondering over
the signs of Allah that are, at the same time, proofs of His existence.
Lordship there from is usually done in different ways, the most
common of which are:
1-
Pondering over the signs of Allah regarding creation of the
human soul, otherwise known as: "Evidence of the Human Soul'.
as
lummâhih.
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The Foutidaikms of Faith

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that He is the only and unique Lord, who has neither associates nor
partners. Thus, 1-Ie has said,
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And also in your selves {there are signs), will you not then see? (al
DMrivfit; 21.},
And IbyJ the soul, and Him who perfected i.L (al-Sbams; ?),
Anybody who reflects deeply on the marvellous work of Allah as
manifested in the very making of his own soul, will realize the
existence of an All-wise, All-aware Lord and Creator. It is impossible
for man to have created a drop of sperm, the genesis of his own
creation. Neither is it conceivable that he himself converted the drop
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bones with flesh.
2universe. This is also known as 'Evidence of the Universe', and if
constitutes another great sign of Allah cogently indicating His
Lordship. A Qur'anic verse goes thus:
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f-
We shall show them Our signs in the universe and in their own
selves, until it becomes manifest to them that it [This Qur'fm) is
the truth. Is it not sufficient in regard tn your Lord that He is a

Witness over ail things? (Fussilat: 53),
'
i 1 '1
earth
stars, the sun, the moon,
the mountains, the trees, the seas, and the rivers; furthermore, what
encloses them all of night and day, and the impeccable running of the
universe as a whole, will conclude that an entity of such magnitude
must have a creator and adminsstrata* who is solely responsible for its
running. Moreover, the more a sensible person ponders, with deep
consideration, over these amazing and unprecedented creations of
Allah, t
u. k
>U*
truth and with the truth. Thai they are scrolls of signs and hooks of
evidence and proof of all what Allah has informed us concerning
Himself,, and of His oneness.
A tradition has it that a group of people once came to argue
0)
only and unique Lord, ('TawhJri ai-Ruhfshiyyah), The Imam said to

them, "Before we ever begin to talk on this issue, may I ask you to
inform me of a boat found on the Tigris River, which leaves the coast
by itself, gets itself filled with foodstuff and other things, and then
returns to the coast and anchors also without the intervention of
anyone"! The answer from the group was,
ri
f- Imam Abu tianifab is one of the leading Muslim scholars after whom die four
schools of Muslim law arc named. The rest are MaMk, al-Shlft'i and Ahmad bin
Harshal, may Allah have mercy on them, (Translator)
12
absolutely impossible" At that point the Imam remarked; "If that is

impossible m the case of an ordinary boat,, how then can it be feasible
with regard to the whole universe with all its heights arid depths"?
universe
'1
1U11
P'
t* I
as clear evidence on the oneness and uniqueness of the Creator,
13
Tlit Foundation* of Faith
1.2. Believing in 'fawhld at-Ruhukiyyuh alone cannot save the

believer from punishment
As we have mentioned earlier, believing in oneness of
Lordship is one of t
rr
i?
Ii
coming of Allah's Messengers to their people, and as such cannot

alone earn a person immunity to Allah's punishment, should he/she
fail to supplement it with another inherent component of TawhTd,
which is Tawhidat-Uluhiyyah. Allah says,
And most of them believe not in Allah except that they attribute
partners [to Him]. (Yusuf: lOO).
The import here is that* even though most of them fulfil the
their Lord, Creator and Provider, in whose Hands is the control of all
affairs, yet they associate partners with Him through, worshipping
extending benefit., nor have they the ability to bestow or deprive
anyone of any good. What has been given here as the meaning of this
verse is in fact a representation of the opinion of the Mufimirfm
{Scholars who comment on the meaning of the Glorious Qur'an)
among the Companions of the Prophet as well as their followers.
]A
Ibn 'Abbas said, "It was part of their Faith to say, whenever
they -were asked; "Who creased the heavens, the earth, and the
>
mountains"?, 'Allah1, yet they were polyiheists". In his remark
Ikrimah said, "If you ask them; "Who created them, the heavens and
the earth"?, they answer, 'Allah'. Their Faith is all about this, but they
still worship others besides Jimi", Mujahid, another prominent scholar
also commented saying, "Their Faith was just what they declared of
their belief in Allah as their Creator, who sustains them and would
eventually cause them to die. That was nevertheless, a
with Shirk, for they also worshipped other than Allah". And in the
words of "Abd
yd, "No one
worships something besides Allah, unless he has certain belief in Him,

and knows that He is his Lord. Creator and Provider, even though he
associates partners with Him. Can't you reflect on how Prophet
.
e'
ve? aiQ
saying.
|*r|? -CT1
< >"-X1 % \
'-V-A-ttA<
J
See wow that which you have been worshipping, you and your
forefathers. They are all indeed aw enemy to me, save the Lord of
in
the worlds. (a!-ShuW: 75-77}' \

m
I: our pious ]
are numerous.
as their Lord, the Creator, the Provider, who controls and manage all
I- Ibn Jarir, al-Tafclr vol vii pp. ?f 2-tl 3.
15
The FouadaJkms of Faith
having set up with Allah sonic associates whom they invoked and.
In many places has the Glorious Quran stated that the
polytheists, in spite of their worshipping other deities, believe in the
Lordship of Allah {W), Allah says in some of these instances.
And if you were to ask thm; who created the heavens and the
earth, and subjected the sun and the moon J to their appointed
turned away? (ab'Ankabfii: 61p
the sky, and revives therewith the earth after its death? They
would eeriatnly say, LAlilbf Say, Praise he to Allah"! But most
of them have no sense. (al-'AnkabQu 63),
\
And if you ask them who created them, they will surely say,
'Allah'. How then arc they turned away? {ahZukhruft S7).
*> >
1
i'J*J
J -
>,/>
#.*6
*}
-J
16
' ">
>S
CjJhJi.* , 4X*< j*
i'
Say, "
88
know"! They will say, 'To Allfthh Say 3
If
Will you not then
remember"? Say, "Who is the Lord of the seven heavens and the
Lord of the great Throne"? They will say, trTo Allah [all that
belongs}" Say, "Will you not then fear
Say f "In whose
'I '
but against Him there is no proteelion, if yon know". They will

say, "To Allah fall that belongs"]. Say, "How then are you
distracted"? (al-WnimQii; 84-89).
At no time have the poly th cists considered their idols to be the
one sending the rain or providing the needs of Allah's creatures.
Neither did they believe that the idols have control of the affairs of the
world. All this they regarded as distinctive qualities of Allah, as they
admitted that the idols they called upon instead of Him were ordinary/
creatures that could benefit or harm neither themselves nor their
worshippers. Equally, they believed that those idols possessed neither
or see
Furthermore, they held that Allah alone is the Creator and the Lord
and all that exists besides Him are created by Him and under His
control. Those polylheists, however, attributed to Allah partners and
intermediaries from Iiis own creation, whom they thought could
intercede with Him on their behalf and bring them closer to Him. On
this, Allah (g) has said,
TUt Fotifidalbns of Faith
"4
t*& C^J !4*>
And those who choose protectors besides Allah

worship them only that they may bring us nearer to Him
ms
Zuman 3). i.,e
**
(al
to
gain His provision and help in whatever may befall them of worldly
calamities.
The polytheists were not regarded as Muslims, despite this
general attestation concerning their belief in Allah's Lordship. On the
contrary. Allah declared them unbelievers and polytheists, and
wealth as lawful, because of their failure to confirm their belief in

H is thus clear that believing in Allah's Lordship alone without
believing in Him as the only object of worship is not enough and
cannot save one from His punishment. Rather, such faith in Allah's
Lordship must be seen as substantial evidence indicating that religion
should he solely for Allah, and that mankind should worship none but
Him atone.
IK
Tht Foundafiotis of Faith

!ie J
.J B
the oneness of Lord, in addition to a wide range of evidence pointing

to this as well. In spite of this, we could notice certain errors being
" >/
i-
Outright denial of Allah's Lordship and disbelieving in His very
existence constitutes a major aspect of this deviation. One could

observe this in the attitudes of atheists who see Allah's creations as
mere manifestations of nature or just a consequence of lime
And they say. "There is nothing hut our life in this world; we die
and we live, and nothing hut time destroys is".
Another aspect of deviation in this, regard is to deny some of
Allah's characteristics or part of the features of His Lordship. Such as
when a person disbelieves in Allah's power to cause him to die or to
bring him back to life after his death. Or when he denies Allah's
3-
Lordship to someone or something else, Thus, it is an act of shirk to

regard something or someone as having a share with Allah in His
control of the universe regarding any facet of this control, such as
creation and destruction; giving life to anyone and taking it back;
19
Tl>t Foundations of Faith
other features of Lordship,
20
The Foundations ofFailb

NTT
jK-1!
}Vi
The word 'Uh'thiyyah' is a derivative of Hah, which means god

or deity, Al-ilah (The Divine or God) is therefore one of the most
beautiful names of
while al-Uliihiyyah (Divinity)

*y
gFl
true
God whom every soul must worship, submit to, humiliate itself
before, and comply fully with His injunctions, for He is the Great
Lord who created the universe, and has its absolute control. He
me
oe
the exclusive power to reproduce them; hence, none but Him a kmc
should be worshipped,
Timh'id al-Uiuhiyyah is to worship none but Allah, meaning
-*
is worthy of worship. Moreover, the qualities and features of a divine

ieves in it would mak
his only object of worship and serve Him with all forms of worship,
noticeable and unnoiiccable alike. Thus, you find him/her performing
$iyam (Fasting) and liajj (Pilgrimage), He would be encouraging
others to do what is right and forbid them to do what is wrong, be
dutiful towards his parents and be kind to his relatives as well.
21
Similarly, such a person would not neglect the inward principles of

religion, which are the belief in Allah, in His angels. His Books, His
or unfavourable. His objective in doing all that will be nothing save to
satisfy his Lord and gain His reward.
We shall now discuss in lids chapter, some important issues
relating to this aspect of TawbJd.
22
The lumttdatioiis of Faith
i* tyi
2.1.1 Proofs
C*
the only God who is worthy of worship are ample and numerous,
a)
A command may come in this regard, as expressed in the
following verses:
4*
tiyCS j$dj
J^!i
vour I
J*U)#
U'l
before you,-so that you may bee nine pious, {akiiqarab.;21}

-i
Worship Allah, and ascribe none as partner to Him. (al-Nisa*: 36)

/ >,r,vh
A) <i-*>e
yj,
*-d
c>
--a-
.0
f'uS'<l
TS J
worship Me, (al-Dhariyat: 56).
23
111
--

C)
the coming of Allah's Messengers, The Qufanic verses in this respect

include:
t
1>
t>
j #
And indeed, We have raised in every nation a Messenger

-NAT 36)..
> 43
I-?
,4s
Af
ZfrJ
r"-
4.^-
[saying,] "There is no god worthy of worship but 1, so worship

Me", (ai-Anbiya'; 25).
d)
At some other limes, this form of Tawhid is described as the
purpose of Allah's revelations. Allah til) says.
.1
itr
He [Allah] sends down the angels with the revelation of His

|my creatures]; there is no god worthy of worship but I, therefore
fear Meh tal-Nafeb 2).
*>
Sometimes, this may take the form of an explanation of the
tremendous gains, ample reward, and generous grace Allah has for
whoever believes in this aspect of Tawhid, both in this life and in the
life to come. Thus, a Quranic verse reads as follows:
24
Tit*
-- 4
*C
+J
*
> jHh~*
Those who believe and obscure not their faith with
oi'Faiib
ij
i?
A.
~ /
theirs
is security, and they arc rightly guided. (ai-An'Sm; 82).
Another way this is usually explained h to warn, against its
opposite. This may also .involve mentioning the risk involved in doing
Cir-
its
Cj jdtf i.%
vzzK&tgjiSi}
1
-4
Whoever associates partners with Allah, for such Allah has indeed
forbidden Paradise, and his abode will be Fire, For wrongdoers
there will be no helpers, fa)- Ma'idah: 72).
v
Do not set up with Allih any other god, lest you be cast into Hell,
reproved and abandoned* (aUwfi*: 39).
in oneness
of Allah, They similarly contain an invitation to it,, as well as reference
to its virtue, reward, and the severity' of the punishment, which acting
in contrast to it may email.
respect to this Tawhidal-Uluhsyyah and Its importance. They include:
f- Linguistically, the word p.ulm' means, wrong, injustice,, oppression etc. But here it
denotes shirk or worshipping other than. Allah, as has been clarified in a {uidsth.
(Translator)
25
1-
According u> Bukhfiri in his hadish compilation, Mu'adh bin

Jabal. {-$=) narrated saying, "The Prophet (0) said, "O Mu'adh! Do
yow know the right Allah has over His servants"? Mu'adh replied.
m
The Prophet then said, "To
H,
worship Him alone, associating none as partners with Him, Do

you also know what, is due to them from Him"? Mu'adh said,
"Allah and His Messenger .know best". The Prophet ($s) said, "Not to
punish them fit it is He alone they worship! [Bukh&rk 7373).
j.
iSd
Ibn 'Abbas
At lyrjt it Jl
iai
narrated saying, as the Prophet (0) was

^ Jji
J*^ ?/ J*
>
J &)
You are going to a nation of the People of the Book, The first
thing to which you should invite them is to believe that Allah h
one and only. If they appear to have known this, then inform them
of the ftyefdaiiyj prayers Allah has enjoined on them** (Bukhari:
7372),
3-
Another hadfth reported by Ibn Mas'iid (#>) quoted the Prophet
Whoever dies while si Hi invoking something other than Allah U> as

a rival to Him, such a person will be admitted into Hell-tire,
{BukhSrt 4497).
I.- i.,c. worshipping something or someone of Allah's creatures, Du'a or invocation

is an act of worship, (Translator)
26
4-
Jabsrbin 'Abdullah {<#) also narrated that Allah's Messenger (At)
said,
.ijAi J** M *4 &j4
i\
* \
*>)
fcr1
Anyone who meets Allah (at death}, associating no partner with

(Muslim: W).
The hadiths relating to tins issue are numerous.
21
No doubt, believing in Allah as the only God who is worthy of

worship is the greatest of all principles. It h also the most perfect,
most superior and most imperative for mankind's welfare. Both
divine laws have been ordained for the purpose of fulfilling the
i" i.
>
prevails, and without it evil and perversion will be the order of the
m:
the objective of their message, and the foundation of their Da'wah,
Allah iM) says.
a*
>
f>
J-i> > -A 11
* f* _
"uofr 1 ^.irr^
And indeed, We have raised in every nation a Messenger

".(a!-Nabl:36).
And We sent no Messenger before yon unless We revealed to him

(saying,! "There is no god worthy of worship but I, so worship
Me". (al-Aribiya': 25).
The Glorious Quran has in so many places indicated that the
Tawhld ahlMhlyyah was the key of all divine missions, adding that
every messenger of Allah did start his mission by calling his people to the
28
Tlit Foundalitns of FaiJb
And to {the tribe oi| *Ad |W'e senf| their brother, Hfid, who said-
be
And to (the tribe of] I hainfid {We sent} their brother, SiSi|, who
said, MO my people] Worship AMh, you have no other god worthy
of worship but Him", iiU-ATaf'; 73)..
4&
[ *
>f\
pjfcli-t
ij\j p
And to [the people of} iVIidian {We sent] their brother, Shiruib,
who said,
110
my people! Worship
;ih, you have no other god
worthy of worship but Him". {d-A'raf: 85).
2l>
Tlit Foundations of Faith
2.1.3 TawhTti al-lKuh'tyyak as thy bone of contention between

Allah's Messengers and their people
point for all divine missions. There was never a Messenger sent by
Allah who had not started his mission with an invitation to the
belief in His oneness. The disputes between the Messengers and
their respective people were, therefore, centred around this aspect
of Faith, The Prophets asked them to believe in one and only God
{Allah) and to worship none but llim, while they, on their partinsisted on shirk and idolatry, except those of them whom Allah
had shown the right way. Regarding this, Almighty Allah said of
the people of'Nuh (a),
And they said. "Forsake not your gods. Forsake not Wadd, nor
Sims', nor YagQth, nor Yu'uq^ nor Aas/1*". And they have indeed
led many astray. |0 AllahSf May You increase the wrongdoers in
nothing save error. (Nuh: 23-24}.
e'Sf 't
< if
/
They said, "Have you come to turn us away from our gods? Bring
upon us then that which you threaten us with, if you are of the
truthful". (al-Abqaf: 22).
f- These are names of the idols they worshipped then,
30
Tht* Foundations of Faith

*
4
They said, "O HCIdt You have brought us no clear proof, and we
shall not forsake our gods on your [mere) saying, and neither are
we going to believe in you"; (31ml: 53).
k* 9
>
^ , ***
> .. ^
ids
They said, C SaiihJ Hitherto, you have been a figure of good

hope among us. Do you [now] ask us not to worship what our
fathers used to worship? Really, we are in deed in serious doubt
concerning that to which you call us1'. (Hud: 62).
- .
says,
SlU
. *.
L* p
They said, "O ShtTaib! Does your prayer command you that we
should abandon what our fathers used to worship, or that we
should give up doing what we ike with our own property? You
nt3 (Had: S7).
Me also said regarding the unbelievers among the tribe of Quraish(D
'W
4 SvMptst&t&jsystt
1- Qurai-sh is the prominent Meecan Bribe io which the Prophet {%} himself
belonged.
Tlit* FrtufidafUms of Faith
come
to them, and the infidels say, "This is a sorcerer, an outright liar.
Makes he the gods one God? This h, indeed, a curious thing". The
*
Go and he staunch to
your gods, this is really something designed [against you], We

have not heard of this in the religion of these later days. This is
nothing but an inventionif
ol
0* V1-*-***
^ \!5/
(Sad: 4-7).
.^-t
i >J
*2*
liA-* ^
vd/S-*'
O-Jf'
a* lis
- "-? ^. * ^ 4.S*
3
^ 4l-^> \g/ ^
'it' ft. rf
'
i* r- > -4
s
I*
And when they see you [Muhammad] they treat you only in
mockery [saying,] "Is this he whom Allah has sent as a
messenger? He would have almost misled us from our gods, had
we not been steadfast [in worshipping] them". They will know,
the [right] path. Have you seen him who adopted his own whims
as his god, Would you then he a guardian over htm? Or do you
assume that most of them hear or understand? They are but as
44).
The aforementioned texts ami other similar ones arc clear

indications that the belief in one divine God and invitation to an
unadulterated religion have been the main subject of disagreement
between the Messengers of Allah and the people of their time.
32
Tht* Foundations of Faith
The prophet (%$} said, as narrated in an authentic hadfih,

iW
5W^. oij k\ *j!j. 4} *j

j* ^
jp* ÛH JAM v'i c^y'i)
^*io ^1* i^w* aii t>i liU jtSjJi tjjjy

(.
"1
none
has (he right 1o he worshipped save Allah, and (hat Muhammad Is

Allah's Messenger, and perform (obligatory) salak (prayer), and
pay obligatory alms {zakah). If they do, then their lives and
properties are safe, except in operation of any other Islamic
Injunction(55
"iBukhMr 25;
Muslim: 22}.
.{<&1
4^J>j idu jijr
Cp j#
<*i| *$ Jd ây
"Whoever proclaims "X# UUha ttt Att&k* (INone, but Allah has
the right to he worshipped), and has disbelieved in ail other
protected, and to Allah falonc] he/she will account [for his/her
actions]". {Muslim: 23j.
I - That is, any other cause that may necessitate the opposite in any given circumstance,
such as murder for example. (Translator)
33
The Foundation of Faith
2.2 To worship none hut Allah alone Is an obligation
Sn a strict linguistic sense, the word 'ibadah in Arabic means

for a docile camel, as a mark of its. humiliation, and "lanq mu'abbad
ft
In islamic terms, 'ibadah or worship encompasses all manifest

further explained when we mention in this hook some forms of
worship at a later stage.
Worship in
1-G
'5-
As for those who have believed, they love Allah more {than any
ah
h:36Sj.
2- Absolute hope. Allah, the Almighty, says in another verse,

'V
f
fal-lsra'; 57).
. so
3- Total fear of His Punishment. Allah (M) says.

And they fear His punishment. {aMsra1: 57).
34
The- Foundations of Faith

[h
) of the Glorious Qur'In, where
appears m tb
/
trS
'i
p.
\-
Praise bei
JiTj
**
11 w
*-m-1 |_
<4 V
i*
the
l-FiiUhiih: 2-4'),
The- first verse expresses "love", for Allah (ttsi) is a Benefactor,

and a benefactor is usually admired in accordance with the extent of
his benefit. The second verse speaks of "hope", as we know that
people usually hope for the mercy of anyone described as being
merciful. While the third verse implies "fearA for there is tendency for
anyone to fear the punishment of He who owns reckoning and
recompense.
Thus, the clause following
immediately reads: d AiL -dft
the above quoted verses
You alone we worship. Meaning, in
other words, 1 worship You alone 0 my Lord with all these elements;
with my love for you as implied in "Praise be to Allah the Lord of
all beings", in anticipation of Your mercy as indicated in the phrase
"The Most Gracious, the Most Merciful", and out of fear of your
punishment, as evident in the phrase: "Owner of the Day of
* *
For an act of worship to be approved of by Allah it must fulfil

two conditions:
1-
Sincerity to Allah, the object of worship. Allah (M) approves of
no act of worship except when done exclusively for His sake. He says,
35
And they were ordered nothing except to worship Allah, keeping

religion exclusively for Him. (aJ-Bayyinafc: 5),
s >
-*
Surely, the pure religion h for Allah, alone. (af-Zuraar; $).

Say
Allah alone 1 do worship, sincere to Him in my religion".
{al-Zuman 14).
2-
owing
to Allah unless it conforms to the teachings of His Messenger (H).

Allah {^) has said,
4
And whatever the Messenger gives you, take it And whatever he
forbids for you, abstain [from iff. (alHashr: 7).
v*
But no, by your Lord, they can have no Faith until they make you
find thereupon, within themselves, no discomfort from your
v
(al-Nisa'; 65)
d
.{A J j$J V*
U !Jw UJ W'AJO JM)
it, such an Invention will be rejected", (i.e. it is inadmissible).

{Bukhari: 269?).
36
Based on that, any act of worship that is void of either

sincerity to Allah or compliance with the Sunnah of the Prophet (%) is
meaningless, A renowned Muslim scholar, h'udail bin lyad -mayAllah have mercy on him- remarked, with reference to Almighty
Allah's saying,
A
H'
"v
(Hud; A al-Mulk; 2),
fhat is the most sincere and most correct deed'1 It was said to him; O
Abu "Ali, which act is the most sincere and most unerring? He replied,
"A sincere but incorrect act is unacceptable to Allah, just as no
accurate
I In
icss
A sincere act is that which has been done for the sake of Allitlu and
01
His Prophet (mf)u
Quranic verses containing evidence on the above mentioned

conditions include the word of Allah in the close of surah al-Kahf
Say fO Muhammad], "I am only a human being like you, to whom

has been revealed that your God is one God, Therefore, whoever
hopes for the meeting with his Lord, let him do righteous deeds
and not associate in the worship of his Lord jAHShJ anyone". (alKahf: I SO).
I- H;!yai al-Awliya' vol. viii p. 95,
37
2.2,2 Forms of worship

Worship { 'Ihadah) is of numerous types. Any righteous deed
or utterance whether manifest or concealed is regarded as a branch of
worship, provided that such is loved and assented to by Allah 0), We
Supplication {Du'S), Allah (0) says,
(ah
Cihiife 14}.
/ /"t *i
t^
sT* '
>
And the mosques are only for Allah, none should you, therefore,
invoke along with Him. (al-iicc: IS}.
f * **-
**.
-i
>- v
it
And who is more astray than he who invokes, instead of Allah,

such that will not answer Mm until the Day of Resurrection, and
arc leven] unaware of their invocation. And when {on the Day of
Reckoning! the people are gathered, they w ill become enemies to
them and deny having been worshipped by them. (al-Abqaf: 5-6}
Whoever Invokes a living or non-living being, other than
'2*
could provide has become a. disbelieving polytbdst Asking a living

fellow human being to render a sendee he/she is capable of rendering
is, however, a blameless act. Such as saying to him/her, 'Give me
something to eat or to drink1, etc, It must be added that, even such a
permissible request may not be directed to a dead or an absent
3S
Tht- Foundations: of Faith
creature, who are not in a position lo provide anythin'P0 for anyone;
Mas'alah and Du'a'at-'lbadah The former is a supplication made to

or
113
involves any open or secret pious act. It is understandable that a

worshipper usually asks Allah, either by spoken word or silent
expression, for his act of worship to be accepted, and for he to be
rewarded for that.
Any Quranic statement commanding us to make invocation [to
-r .r
2,3,4-
Love, Fear, and Hope are also acts of worship. As we have
mentioned earlier, the three represent the basic elements of worship.

5-
Reliance on. something. This means, with, regard to Allah,

J til
and putting one's trust in Him, without ignoring the pursuit of

whatever means He has made lawful for attainment of benefits or
"21!s'%
says !
And in Aii&ir you must put your trust if you are indeed believers,
{al-Mfi'idah: 23).
3l>
Ant! whoever puts hh trust in Allah, He h sufficient for him. (1-
6, 7, S- Desire, Fright, and Reverence

Desire is a wish, to have something you love, fright denotes a
fear that culminates in flight from, horrible things, while reverence
indicates a feeling of humility and submissiveness to
Allah's
sublimity, which makes one submit voluntarily to both His general

and specific pre-ordainrnents1'1\ A saying of Allah (M) stating all
&
csOJ eÂs
ae*-
They used to hasten to do good deeds, even as they invoke Us with

desire and fear, and were submissive to Us. {al-Anbiya-: 90)
9-
Anxiety. This is a feeling of nervousness, resulting from one's
knowledge of the majesty and absolute authority of whom he fears.

> 'tty <i-y.
So fear them not, but fear Me. (al-Bisqaruh: 150- at- Jvte'idah: 3).
Turning to Allah in repentance; by being obedient to Him and
10avoiding acts of disobedience., Allah fMi has said,
f- Allah's pre-ordainment is. of two types, namely Kawm and Shard, The former is
general affecting all. His creatures, while the latter is specific as it concerns only
wh;-i Allah approves of or assents to. (Translator)
4ft
Tht Foundations of Faith

\
<.
And to your Lord you should I urn repentant, and submit <ai
Zumat". 54).
II- Seeking Allah's help hi my attempt to achieve religious or

worldly benefits. Allah ($g) says,
/ *
* jd^j.
S,
*- Jl
You (All&h) alone we worship and You alone we ask for help.
(atFatihah: 5). The Prophet ($g) also said in his advice for Ibn 'Abbas,
[His cousin]:
"When you ask for help,, ask none but AUSh'h (Sutum ai-Tirmiditi;
1 1\
2516, Khisnatf Ahmad 'vol. I p. 307)- \
12- To take refuge in something or, in other words, seek protection

from a misfortune. Allah ($s) says,
Say, ttr ,
which He created". (al-Paia* 1-2)
C-'Tf '<
4^
The God of mankind. From the evil of the sneaking whisperer",
{a)Na.s: 1-4).
13-
Calling for help in order to be salvaged from hardship or
destruction. Allah (M) says,

i - This is st fiasm (fairly sound) hadhh, according to Tirmidhi, but ,?ahi4 (authentic?
m the opinion of ai-Hakim.
41
When you sought help of your Lord and He answered you, ralAniSi: 9).
14plcaxing Allah, Some Quranic verses go thus

jT
'
** '?->
J* f
dying are indeed for Ailih, Lord of the worlds". {a!-Afl*2m: !62 i.
/
"'*?/ -v. t
Perform Salih {.Prayer) for your Lord and sacrifice [an animal],
{ai'Kawiltar: 2).
15-
Vow. This means deliberate imposition of an act or a non-
obligatory religious observance on oneself, Allah (W) says.

*
'it
*v
They [are those who] fulfil [thcirj vow and fear a day whose evil
wili be widespread. tal-Insan: 7).
The foregoing are jusi examples of the acts of worship, which
are all exclusive possessions of Allah (M) alone, and should not be
devoted to any other being.
Acts of worship, in terms of parts of the human body used in
a) Acts relating to the heart, such, as love, fear, hope, returning
to Allah in repentance, anxiety, fright, and putting one's trust in Allah,
etc.
42
l>) Verbal acts, such as saying 'Atkamdulillah* (Praise be to

Allah), 'La iidha ilia Allah', (There is no god worthy of worship save
Allah) 'Suhhdn Allah' (Glorified be Allah), or asking for Allah's
>
etc
c) Acts relating to the limbs, These include Saldh (prayer),

tasting., Zakdh (obligatory alms), pilgrimage, charity, fighting in the
cause of Allah, etc.
43

*
The Prophet (M), out of concern for his followers, was very
keen to see them a strong and well fortified nation, who would fulfil
the obligation of Tawhid and steer clear of any means or cause that
rJ
cr
i*
>
:>K
">
There has come to you a Messenger from among yourselves. It

grieves him to see you undergo any difficulty. He is Mi of concern
Tawbahr 12$).
The Prophet (s) went to great lengths in 1

from time to lime, both in specific and in generic terms. He meant to
protect the religion he had been sent with, the true and simple faith,
the religion of IbrahimU) from any word or action thai is capable of
21
All this is duly evidenced in hss Stmnah (t). Hence, he has firmly
established the proof wiped out obscurity and clearly displayed the
right path, leaving no room for excuse.
The following themes will throw more light on how the
Prophet Oh) has actually safeguarded Tmvh'id (monotheism) and
blocked any course leading to either polytheism or falsehood.
f- Mam, at times, is called 'Milial Ibrahim9 {The religion or faith of Ibrahim},, in
reference to Prophet Ibrahim
the great grandfather of our Prophet.
Muhammad {$?:), who was himself a Muslim. (Translator)
44
Tire Foundations of Faith
2.3.1
Ruqa in the Arabic language is the plural form of 'ruqyah' )

which means a therapeutic treatment involving both recitation and
spitting. This recitation may be from the Glorious Qur'ati or of the
i'
b) Rule
Ruqyah, in Islam, is a permissible act. The proofs of this
include a nanatkm by 7\wf bio W
(4i) who said, "During the
Jahiliyyah (Frc-Islarnic) period we used to apply Ruqyah, We

therefore asked the Prophet (?4) of his view concerning this practice
and he said,
'May 1 see the type of Ruqa vow use |first before I give my
verdict], for there is nothing wrong in using spells as long as they
are free from {elements or traces] of polytheism'." {Muslim: 2200).
Another narration by Anas bin Malik (-&) has it that,
J
'The Messenger of Aliih (;
*#l
sanctioned the use of ruqyah to
rescue a victim of an evil eye, and of a bite, as well as
{MmUm: 21'>6).
In another hadith narrated by Jabir bin 'Abdullah ('^ * & vthe

Prophet iM) said,
I- Namlah is a sore usually found on one or both skks of a person,
45
like Foundations of Faith
"Whoever is able to do his brother a favour, let him do *o"+

{Muslim: 219-0).
'Aishah (if-* & ^has also narrated saying, "Each time any of us
complained [of an illness], Allah's Messenger would wipe his body
with his right band and then say,
.(UJU-
M dj\i* V) M H JUJ* Cjf OAlj ^
y J-Ui v**l)
are the Healer, There Is no jrealj healing save Yours; such a

healing that leaves behind no sickness'-" (BiMari; 5743; Muslim: 2191 ?.
e) Conditions.
There are three conditions for the use of 'ruqycth'm Islam, they are:
1- A 'ruqyah' must not be seen us self-efficacious; otherwise,
using it would become a forbidden act,, and even an act of Shirk. The
user must, therefore, see it as an ordinary measure whose efficacy
depends solely on Almighty Allah's sanction.
Islam. Thus, a ruqyah that involves calling upon any other being
besides Allah, or seeking the help of jinn, etc. is not only prohibited,
but also amounts to polytheistic act.
3
words; hence, any ruqyah consisting of talismans or magical words is

forbidden.
46
"Can a man apply 'ruqyah' m have it applied on him"? He answered;

H .
1/
Any ruqyah ihai lacks the above-mentioned conditions is

being used believes in its self-efficacy, or the ruqyah itself consists of
polytheistic or shid'ahdi> expressions; or involves taking something as
an intermediary in a manner thai, could bad to kufr {disbelief).
Furthermore, a ruqyah that is formed of ambiguous words also
belongs to this category.
i - Any newly invented word or deed belie ved So lie an act of worship without a
as
a bid'ah {unlawful iii.novai.ron or heresy) from an. Islamic point of view.

(Translator)
47
2.3.2 Amulets {Al-Tamaim)

a) Definition; Tamaim, being the plural form of "rwnimah", are
bring one good luck or protect him from evil. Arabs in the pre-fslamie
era used to put such things on their children, and allege falsely that
they could protect them from evil eyes.
b) Rule; Using amulets is prohibited, and not only that., it even
constitutes an act of 'Shirk'; as it amounts to a sort of spiritual
His attributes.
According to Ibn Mas'Qd
Allah's Messenger (M) said,
"Spells, amulets and iiwatah^' are all acts of 'Shirk'" {Sumn Abu
a),)-
ier Companion, 'Abdullah, bin UJkoim (#} also quoted the
us
be left forsaken in its custody", ihiusnad Ahnutd vol iv p. 310; Swum

Ti\\
l.u.
1- Tiwalah is a charm used in order to eodear & wife to her husband and vice-versa.
(Translator)
3- A sahlh hadiih, according to Hakim,
4S

X
.(4 &\ JJ
* .
y)
.'i
whoever hangs a HWJI'U/J d> may he/she not be relieved
m.j.
{Musnad
Ahmad vol, ivp, J 54; Mustadrak aklfakim vol. ivp. 240
Also on the authority of 'Uqbah bin 'Amir (4yh Imam Ahmad reported
l..
CJV
.{î AM 1^1 ji*
"Whoever wears an amulet has committed Shirk 1* {Musruid vol, iv p.

9
i-U
156'
polytheistic meanialkms, a predominant feature of the ruqa used then

by the Arabs,
being, found in those incantations, were responsible for their

proscription.
c) Muslim scholars have different opinions on whether an amulet
consisting of a portion of the Glorious Qur'an may be used or not.
Some of them are in favour of wearing amulets of this sort, while
others disapprove of it. The latter view is, however, the correct one
based on the following reasons;
t- Wada'ah is an object hung somewhere with a believe that it has some magical
powers, (Translator)
2- This is azah'ib (sound or authentic) hadith according to both Hakim and Bhahabi,
3- A 'taijJh Ijadfth, according So Hakim in al-Mmtadrak vol, iv p, 244, Furthermore,
in the opinion of'Abdul Rahman bin Hasan, its narrators are ihiqat (trustworthy).
49
1 The prohibition of using amulets in Islamic texts h a

genera! rule, excluding no form of it
2-T.i
Qufim,
Glorious Book to dishonour, as one would have to wear it even in
lavatories and the like.
4- Using the Glorious Qufian as a therapeutic measure has a
clearly defined method, and that is to recite part of it on a sick person;
hence, no additional method should be invented.
so
The Foundation* of Faith
2,3.3 Wearing any ring-like abject {halaqah), string or any other

similar object believed to have magical or therapeutic effect
to wear
they have magical powers to bring them some benefit, ward of
*<&>
Ji Ji
oI
at ^-5 li >7$ j*
d.
f ^
>
*
Say, "Then, have you considered what you invoke besides Allah?
if Allah intended for me any harm, are they removers of His
harm; or if He intended for me some mercy, are they withholders
\
of His Mercy"? Say, "Sufficient for me is Allah, upon Him falonej

rely the [wisef reliers'h (ahZumarr 18).
// A
4
/ K? *
*
h
\' **
c* L
g
J,
y
V. ^
-'Z
>
**, k.ji
Mi
Thev have neither the ability to rid you of adversity nor to

transfer it [to someone eise|" tAl-lsra': 56).
According to a narration by TmrSii bin al-Ilusain (4*\ the
Prophet (iff having easi his eyes on a man with a brass ring on his
finger, asked him, "What h this [lor]"? The man answered, 'I have
worn it because of wdfunahL'J)
A
f- Al-Wahinah, according to lbri a!-Ai;Mr {al-Nihliyah vol, v p, 203), is an illness that

usually affects the upper arm, shoulder,. or the whole hand of a person,
('Translator}
51
11a' Foundations of Faith

cI
^ J- ^ iCii#- UA^ 4U>J
^ ^ iVjPj51)
((Aft
"Take it off, for it will only increase your weakness! Throw it

away,
never prosperOi i Muxn&if Ahmitd vol, i v v>. 44 5.(2)'},
' !*
saw a man
who had a piece of string on his hand for protection against fever,
lludhaifah reacted by cutting the string, and recited the following
Qur'anio verse:
And most of them believe not in AUUi except that they |stiii]
associate partners with Him. (Yusef: 106}.
b) Rule:
The mere use of a ring or string and the like with a belief that
they possess magical powers is a forbidden act (hanim), which may
efficacy without Allah's intervention. Such an act amounts to a major
infringement of Tawhld at-Rububiyyah (Believing m the Oneness of
sn His
above all what they claim for Him as associates.
1- i.e. you will no: he safe from Allah's wralh. and punishment, (Translator)
2- The isnad (chain of iraosmisskm) of this (ladith is ha?,an, said al-Bil.âirf And
according to al-Hailhamt, lbe narraUirs arc reliable,
52
The Fotindatkms of Faith
On the other hand, if the user, having behoved in the unity of

Allah, and His control of all affairs, takes his wearing a ring or string
a minor shirk on the grounds of adopting an unlawful means, and
heeding to that with his heart, Furthermore, this could lead him into
committing major shirk, especially if he becomes psychologically
a benefit or save him from calamity.
S3
lite Foundations of Faith
Ai-Taharruk, or seeking the blessings of something usually

takes one of the two following courses;
1-
Al-Tahamtk with a known Islamic source of blessing, like ihe

5V
And this Jthe Qur'5n{ is a blessed Book, which We have revealed.

{abAtram: 92, 155). The blessings of the Glorious Quran include the
guidance it has for the human hearts, die remedy to the diseases of
their breasts, as well as its reformation of their souls, and setting their
characters right, etc.
2-
Al-Taharmk with an unlawful means. This includes seeking the
blessing of trees, stones, graves, domes, shrines etc., and It is an act of

Shirk
A narration by Abu Waqid al-LailhJ {#} goes thus: "We set
out to Himain [on a military campaign] with Allah's Messenger iM) by
the time we had just left disbelief [and embraced Islam], The then
polythcists had a lotus tree called 'Dhaf arnviit\ which they would
stick to and hang their arms on, As we were passing by a lotus tree
we asked Allah's Messenger (1}* ri Would you give us a 'dhdr mwat $
]4J^SCp
utf JS
JH cJ'd uf
igji'ij
L'f
5^
pi CSAfJ]
2-
"AllSftu Akbar!, This indeed, Is the way [people are destined to

behave]. By He (Allah) in whose Hand is my soul, you have said
t
S4
Make for s a god just as they have gods. He j'MtaJ said,

tl
9
(al-AYSf; 138),
Definitely, yon would follow the paths of those before you, (Jimidht:
sdolise trees, graves, stones and the like, either by seeking their
blessings, being devoted to them, or offering animal sacrifices to
them, are all acts of Shirk. On this basis, their request was described in
the hadi'th as a replica of another request made in the past by the
Children, of Israel who had said to their Prophet, "Make for us a god
just as they have gods". These people demanded to have a lotus tree
and seek blessings thereof in the same manner as the polytheists
usually do, while the Children of Israel asked for a god just as others
also had their own gods, Both requests are in conflict with the notion
of Tawhld (monotheism); seeking the blessings of a tree is a form of
The Prophet's saying, "IJdiiiitelyy you would follow the
paths of those before you", as quoted above, is an indication thai,
something of that nature will happen in his nation, and he has said that
to forbid such an act and forewarn against it,
55
Islam, Muslims,, who, no! long ago were living in sheer ignorance,,
were barred front, visiting the graves., Later, such, a visit was declared
f L. *
lie, even
came in. recognition of the fact that the Muslims, by then, had become
r <
stronger in. their belief, just as the Islamic faith itself has gained
momentous ground among the people, Moreover, the evidence of
Tawh'id has become apparent, while on the other hand, weaknesses of
counter fallacious argument have also been uncovered.
Li) said,
"1 used to forbid you to visit the graves, but you may now visit
them", fMuslim: 977).
He also said i
7*
"Visit the graves, for that would remind you of death". (46<*/im:
975),
-(IP*
>*$x *M o* t&s* J\>
"1 have in the past, forbidden you to visit the graves. But now you
should visit them, for there is a lesson for you in doing so". (Mimmd
AMmadvol. Hi,p. SB; MusiaM aN/Mim *L>L I p. 531).
In another hadith narrated by Anas bin Malik (4>h Allah's

Messenger (;|s) also said,
56

SÎ /"OJJ
>#} v^1 ij* tyV
Jjs^' *>,} ^ |&s* v^*>

.<0*i IjJjil ?j
"1 have in the past forbidden you to visit the graves. G! You
should now visit them, as such a visit would soften your hearts,
cause you to shed tears, and remind you of the hereafter
4-
Nevertheless, you should never say [hujr' {any forbidden word}".

{MusUidtuk alHakim vol 3 p. 532).
Buraidah (4&) again reported that, "Allah's Messenger used to
Leach his companions [what lo say] whenever ihey visited a cemetery.
One of them would say,
M jLd ;U*iy Jh tti d] djj
y^-Uf Jjd
-py
"Peace he upon you the inhabitants of this land, from among the
believers and the Muslims, 'With the will of Allah, we shall surely
join you. I beseech AU5h to give us and you too peace, forgiveness,
wclibemg, etc". {Muslim: 975),
visiting the graves, after it had been prohibited, was later declared
permissible for two major purposes. The first is to teach the people
voluntary
renunciation
of
attractions
through
their
m
addition to learning from what befalls the deceased in their graves. Ail
this would not only help increase one in faith and strengthen his
conviction, but would also broaden his spiritual contact with Allah
and rid him of inadvertence and turning away from the truth.
57
The second objective for authorising such visits is to show
What we have just mentioned hi this regard is the only view

U 1
%J. J
opposing view to provide convincing and cogent evidence on liis

claim..
Moreover, for the purpose of preserving the tenets of TawhTd,
the Simnak has Spoken of many prohibitions in relation to either the
graves or the visit to them. Bvery Muslim ought to team about this, to
save himself from falsehood and religious aberration. We shall now
talk on some of those prohibited acts as follows:
i) Saying '///>' during the visits to graveyards
It has been mentioned above that Allah's Messenger (H)
cautioned against saying *hujr* during any visit to graveyards. 'Hujr' is
an. Arabic word standing for whatever is unlawful in Islam, the worn
of which is to associate a partner with AJIIh, by calling on the dead
instead of Allah, for help or good health. This is an open act of Shirk
terms in many hadUht of his that such acts arc unlawful,, and cursed
whoever engages in any of them,
Imam Muslim, the renowned scholar of HadJth, reported on
the authority of Jundub bin 'Abdullah (4P), that Allah's Messenger (As)
said just five days before his death,
58

h
.(dAii .rf f^TUi j| Aarl JJJ}*'

"Indeed, those- who came before you used to take the graves of
their Prophets and the righteous among them as places of
worship, You should not use the graves as places of worship (Liu
mosques), I am indeed forbidding that for you", {Muslim-, 532),
ft is, thus, major Shirk to call on a dead person for help or offer
m act of worship to him, It is also an atrocious Innovation to either
devote oneself to the graves, or pursue therein answer to one's
supplication, as well as to perform prayer (saidh) in a mosque that has
graves within it
'Aishah iMi
ig
his last illness*

-CÛ-
jjs fa
"May Allah curse the Jews and the Christians, for they have used
the graves of their Prophets as places of worship", iBukkim: 1330;
Musitm: S3!}.
ii) Slaughtering at a cemetery

This is counted as an act of major Shirk, provided that the
intention is to please the dead, with the hope that they may come to
one's aid. Doing so tor any other purpose apart from what has been
-
Shirk. The Prophet (0) has said, "Aqr is not Islamic". In his
Razzaq [al-San'ani] said, "They used to slaughter cows or sheep ai
graveyards". (Srnan Abu Dawfttl: 3222),
5L>
llit1 Foundations of Faith

iii- vii) Raising the surface of a grave by adding more to the
originally extracted soil; plastering the grave; inscribing names
All of the aforementioned are part of the innovations that Jed
the Jews and the Christians astray , and were major causes of Shirk.
Jabir (4s) reported saying,
/
ijrs
j*5i
^ M^
-(^
"Alilh's Messenger {} forbade the plastering of the graves,

sitting on them* erecting buildings on them, adding another soil to
their sail, and inscribing anything an them", {Muslim: 970; SummAhu
Dawud: 3225 and 3226; Mushrdrak al-Hakim vol, i p. 525),
viii) Praying in the direction of graves, or performing the prayers
in graveyards
According to Abu Murthid al-Ghanawt (4A the Prophet (M) said.
,<V* Sj~X ^
i J] I*UJ
"Do not pray in the direction of graves, and do not sit on them".
{Muslim: 972)
Abu Said al-iChudri (<#)> goes thus:
except
for cemeteries and lavatories". iSunan Ahu Dawiid: 492, Siman alTirmidhi:Ml{VS.
I- A sahih *sound or authentic) hadiih, liceordimg to both al-Hilkim Knd al-Dbahabi,

60
This also is an innovation inherited from the Jews and

Christians' aberrations. The hadlth in relation to this narrated by
'Aishah
At
has been mentioned above, i.e. "May Allah curse
the Jews and the Christians, for they have used the graves of their
This is another innovation against which there is downright

*K
mi
sjLî ^
Abu Hurairah {-#}
C '
IT
djji
"Do not use my grave as a festivalU?, and do not cause your houses
to become graves. Ask for the blessings of AllSh to be upon ine
wherever you may be, for that will surely reach meM * iSuftan Abu
Dawud: 2042; Mitmad Ahmad vo], u131, 36?)..
a
visits to the Prophet's gi
1 is more
or kss a way of transforming the scene invo a festival, The Prophet (Mi has,
. .1
. 1
for Allah's Mercy and Blessings to be on him wherever they are, Be also added
safytaticms to bi.ni. This itself is another mam testation of the simplicity of this
of the Prophet \M.
hi
in a narration by Aba Hurairah (&} that Allah's Messenger (iO said

k%< >*
*j i^.
-CiJ ^
"No one should start out on a Journey to visit a particular place

save three mosques. The Sacred Mosque in Makkab, the mosque
of Allah's Messenger and the AqsiS (Jerusalem) mosque". {Bukhart.
nSr>; Muslim: 1397).
62
2.3,6 Al-Tawassui
Linguistically, The word " TcmassuP is derived from another Arabic
word "wasJiaP, that is, means, measure, medium, etc. "Al-wasHaf

and "al-wasJlaP
hence, "aP'f'awcmuP den
made for its achievement,
have almost the same meaning;
Al-Tawassui, in a less broad islamic definition, is seeking the

P*
ordained and abstaining from what He has forbidden,

!*'5ni
The first place is where A hah (M) says.

4
\3&*l> **s LH-^ 1>
*4
rT
4.'
to Him, A Did strive in His cause, Dial you may succeed, (ah Maukli;
35},
111 the other place, Allah (M) says,

>
I'll
^ I'd < fd "
<$"** ' A" ? fo'.'T
Those whom they call upon seek (themselves) the means [of
approach} to their Lord, as to which of them would be nearest,
the punishment of your Lord is ever feared, fal-lsra': si),
63

i-7V
Allah by doing what He would assent to, Thus, we see al-Haik Ibn
<u+_* to
ij) and others like Mujahicl Abu Wail, al-Hasan ai-Basri,
'Abdullah bin KathTr, aS-Suddi and Ibn Zayd, who have all explained
the word al-wasihu in the verse to mean an attempt to get closer to
,
As for the second verse, as quoted above, a great Companion

of the Prophet (Mh 'Abdullah bin Mas'Gd {#) has made known the
circumstances surrounding its revelation, as well as its meaning. He
said, "The verse was revealed in connection with the case of a group
of Arabs who had been worshipping a group ofjinn. Later, those jinn
themselves embraced .Islam, while their worshippers remained
unaware", i'Bukisdri: 4734; Muslim: 304(1),
deed or lofty act of worsiup adopted as means of seeking Almighty
i n
ift-r
"They seek the means of approach to their Lord". That is* they
look for those pious acts that can be used as means to get nearer to
and, of course, to gain His pleasure.
e) Divisions of Tawassuk Tawassul has two types; lawful and
unlawful.
I- Ibn Kalhir, al-Tqfiir, vol. ii ji, 50,
64
The Foundations: of Faith
i) The lawful Tawossul is to use a legitimate means to get closer to
declared as lawful in both or any of them is thereby valid, while ail

This lawful Tawassut h itself subdivided into three types,
namely
t-
mea
!tm says
in his supplication, 'O Allah, 1 ask You with Your being the Most
Gracious and the Most Merciful,, to make me healthy'. Or he says, 1
beseech You with Your mercy that encompasses ail things, to forgive
me and have mercy on me', etc.
ib
following Quranic text:

/ />>
,A-
Ft >T't*T
"To Alllh belong the Most Beautiful Names: invoke Htm by

them n (al-A'raf; 180).
2- Using the righteous deeds one has performed, as means of
approach to Allah, For instance, one may say, 'O Allah, forgive me by
virtue of my belief in You, my love for You and my following Your
Messenger'. Or say, '0 Allah, 1 beseech You to drive away my grief
in consideration of the love I have for your Prophet Muhammad (#),
and my belief in his message'. The supplicant may also mention a
considerable good deed he/she has performed, and use that to seek
access to his Lord, as done by die three men of the cave, whose story
we shall mention, later.
65
The FoutulatioiL* of Faith
The proofs of the validity of this lype include Allah's (-Si)

saying.
4
Those who say, "Our Lord! We have indeed believed, so forgive
us our sim and save us from the punishment of the Fire". (Aihrnim 56),
Our Lord! We believe in what You have revealed and follow

Your Messenger, so list us among those who bear witness |lo the
truth], (Al-imran; 53],
The content-of the storv of the three men of the cave is another
V
proof supporting the validity of this form of Tawasnnl. According to

'Abdullah bin Tjmar (U^ dt
Allah's Messenger (j) said,
&*-JS* J)'.> <> pwl H W

*
4/1 ,*lS* Ki\
&&
/ V' *.M JJ ^ -4W J! W A *i v* a-#*"*

:J, JUS
dyJ
JAJJ1- did J) X**\ :d wXai
Ldfei Jt/
W* c^s-A
ijJ$\ # \S ^ dih Jj ,urt :d iJiS $ j* Jy iUu> 4 wfs

r
& d,
<4
JvU iXJ Jf U^pT C-5"J i.dljsJ* dWt-i pljj! 4 d" <uf Ji#u C~" d]
1 J1*
djAUwj 4^J Ûij daij alj caî ^
w#wf da ^
il * g
*-JI
* 1 * U^lai/
id c**j&
idikjU
Jf [t-fr~-A"'^
J*
c^r b *Ul :j**l Jus oU-Jl J
LJU L-4pT dl Yj c/i êi p lîj!j
66
J'u -4>
j*u3l w^-I j*
1u} ^ UV!(T

Jw
fb! &*f ^
0l*i M
Lptf45 i4
C^/j
.*&t %^
;kj,43 JP* i^Jhi

*j & *# icia^j
)+* & j**

^ >&'*
J''
"Once, three men of the previous nations were walking, and it
suddenly started to rain. They took shelter in a cave, the entrance
of w hich got closed m I hey were inside. They said to each other,
'O you people, by Allah! Nothing can rescue you from this hut the
them said, O Allah! You know that 1 had a labourer who worked
for me on the condition that 1 should give him a faraq*1* of rice.
The labourer left and abandoned his wages, but I sowed the faraq
me demanding his wages and I said to him: "Go to those cows and
drive them away with yon". He said, But I am only entitled to a
Allah! If what I have done is seen by You to he out of my fear of

You, may You then open this cave for us. The rock jat the
i2j
The other man then said, "O
Allah! You are aware thai I had old parents whom 1 used to
provide with the milk of my sheep every night One night I had a
I- A Faraq = 6516 grams, Qsl'aji, Miihsmnisd Rtwvwas, Mn'jam Lughai al-Fuqoha'
(Dictionary of islamic Legal Terms) pp, '> 1.2.411 (Translator)
2- Bui ihe space was so small that tfeev could not have come out through it. This
clarification is found in a separate narration by Silliim,
61
The Fouiidatiotis of Faith
delay, and came later but found them sleeping. My wife and
children were already crying in hunger, but t used to delay iheir
did not
want to wake them up, but also disliked leaving them alone
without drinking from the milk, otherwise, they might become
weak. 1 kept wailing [for them| until daybreak, O Allah! if what I
tr
may
You then open this cave for us. The rock once again shifted and
they could then see the sky. The third man said, 0 Allah, You
know that I had a cousin (a daughter of my paternal uncle) whom
I loved very much. I tried to seduce her but she refused to comply
unless I paid her one hundred dinars. I sought the money and got
it, and having brought the dinars to her she allowed me to sleep
with her, As I was sitting between her legs ike, so close as to
making love to her) she said, MFear Allah, and beware of opening
the seal without the right to do W*M [On hearing this} i got up
and left ji'or her] the hundred dinars, O Allah! If what I. have done
is seen by Yon to be out of my fear of You, may You then open
this cave for m. Thus, Allah made the cave open, and they came
out of itM. {Bukharl. 3465).
3-
Using a supplication made by a pious man or woman, whose
supplication is expected to be answered, as a means of approach to
i,e, do oo? deOowor 5m\ for you have no kgitsnuUe right to do so; you are not my
husband, (Translator)
6S
Allah. A Muslim may, for instance., request from such a righteous

individual, known to be persistently obedient to Allah. ($&), to
supplicate Allah on his behalf, for relief from certain distress or for
comfort and well-being.
fhe fact thai the Companions of ihe Prophet {0} used to ask
him, whether privately or collectively, to supplicate Allah on their
behalf is
.A
narration by Anas bin Malik (#} goes thus:
,<0a.
jj| M flbi-y
O'S1
^
^y
JA huJr\ ^j
^ky 0)
^ Jy*">y y ;jUi Wd|| dc Jy-o

J-d
* iA
IUAA s-jJJl :
CWj ^ Uy iU-A 'Jlj 4*jS ^y
* i-ib 4fc*i^S J vM' wtlA J* J*y

,wily3^1
uV Jyji
*iA *1 ^ JÂ
sASU Jy
i"y
it
^ ,U
^4 s-U-Jt J iSj> U
Ujly U 41j : Jli
yk#l
U *uu^ -wi ya # it
jiy Ofi isuii fc4# ijCJi c-u,
t-ar/-y C*fc3d :JS 4J*AJI C*Uj w!jhy JMriy
J*
,U~U ^J
"On a Friday, a man entered fliie Prophet's mosque] through a

gate facing the pulpit, while Allah's Messenger (#) was standing
delivering the Khutbak (Friday sermon). The man stood and faced
the Prophet, then proclaimed: '0 Allah's Messenger, the livestock
are
us
[with rain]'. The Prophet raised his hands and prayed, "O Allah!
Give us rain" (three times). By Allah! There were no clouds at ail
in the sky that we could see, and there was no single building
between m and the mountain of Sal CD A cloud like a shield

appeared from behind the mountain, and., after reaching the
middle of the sky 9 spread and then rained. By Allah! We could
a man also
entered through the same gate, while the Prophet was also
and proclaimed, 'O Allah's Messenger! Properties are being
destroyed, and the roads are cut off. Invoke AMh to stop the
Allah! [Send] the rain round about us and not on us, [May the
rain be confined to} the plateaus, the mountains, the hills, and the
tree trunks". It [suddenly] ceased to rain and we came out
walking in the Sun M . Shuraik., a Kub-narfarakir of this hadtih said, '1
asked Anas whether this man was the same man who had entered the
mosque the previous Friday1? Anas said, "I do not know". {Bukhari:
tOB, Muslim*. 897).
cr
4S>
said that some seventy thousand people
among his followers wall be admitted into Paradise without being
"They are those who neither request the use of tuqyah nor
I- Sal\ up tii] io day, is the name of a mountain in ilie city of Matimah, {Translator}
70
*>
Lord"
<* .
'+
They rely only <m their
Ukashah bin Mibsan stood yp and said, O Messenger of
Allah! Ask Allah to let me be one of them. The Prophet (M) said,
"You are one of them". {Bukh&ri: 5705; Muslim: 2 Vd).
In another hadilh of similar denotation, the Prophet flj
{!}
mentioned 'Uwais al-Qarnf
seek Allah's forgiveness on their behalf.

This type of Tawassu! is only applicable provided that the
person we
such from a dead person who, in essence, has ceased to engage in any
act.
f- This man has bem described in anolhcr fyarfirh as a righteous roan who will live
in the generation of the
(Those who lived immediately after the
71
ii) Forbidden Tawassu!

Thai is using an. invalid means, from an Islamic viewpoint, to
seek access to Allah (i)
help, or to provide one's needs or dispel his worries. Doing so is an act
as Supplicating to Allah there; building a mosque or the tike on top of

the graves; and placing lamps, mantles or veils around ihem, etc. Such
acts are regarded as minor polytheism which is not only inconsistent
with the perfection of TciwhTd, but also leads co committing the major
one.
3- Using the honour, prestige or lofty position of the Prophets
and the righteous men and women as a means of approach to Allah
(3#). Tins is a forbidden, nay innovated heresy, for Allah has never
sanctioned or approved ofit He says,
Has Allah permitted you |1o do soJ? (Yunus: 591
The honour or
\ IT
And that man has only that for which he makes effort. (akNajm: 39}
the Prophet ill) and Ins Companions. -Many Muslim scholars have
72

ill i
also unequivocally declared it forbidden, Abu Hanlfah
"It is blameworthy for a supplicant to say, 'I ask You (Allah) with the
honour or importance of so and so person, or that of Your Awiiya t
(beloved ones among His creatures), Your Messengers, the Sacred
House, or the Mash'ar al-Raram
d) Refutation of (common] fallacious arguments concerning
Tawassul
Perhaps the antagonists of Ahl al-Sumiah wa al-Jama'ah {The
Orthodox Sunni Muslims who follow strictly the injunctions of the
Qufan and the Stmrtah) would cite some fallacious arguments or raise
certain objections regarding the issue of Tawassui, either to sustain
genuineness of their stance, Their argumentation in this regard is,
usually, centred around one of the following points:
First: Weak or fabricated hadiths, which they use to buttress
their stand on the issue. However, once the fictitious nature of such
haduhs or their weakness is uncovered, the purported argument itself
e
1- The famous scholar and one of the four imams of she Muslims schools of law.
(Translator)
2- AThiash'ar al-lfaram is another name for MuzdalifaK a suburb of Makkab city,
('Translator)
73
s>* <*
4i fdU % ji
AI 4 ^ i# ^ ijCy>-i
A*
<
n
Or: "When you ask Allah, ask Him with my prestige, for my
*
The statement above is a fabricated hadrth, neither reported by any

Muslim scholar, nor recorded in any of the hadiih compilations.
/ -0^
2-
" Whenever you are bewildered or confounded with a matter,
then you should call on the dead to help you".

This, as well, in the opinion of all Muslim scholars, is a spurious and
forged statement.
,
3-
fyfii <ufc jfAH jw1' jJ) 1*
"An ordinary stone could have been a source of benefit to one
of you, if he had had a good impression of if".

This is another hadith fabricated by some polythcists, and its content
;* L-e :jL_i ^
d.u* J* jUU v; k Jd kiyM

r1; ^ i Jd 'CAAUf |iy
<*
dLJ
0*4
ia
.(dta&s- UA^^jJjdlS
4-
d!
ydi \l> -i
iiy* wLS"y
:JtiJ ;djy) JAM
^ JU-1 Ji Jus?
"After Adam (&$) had committed the sin, he said, "O my
me'h Allah said, "O Adam! How did you know of Muhammad
when 1 have not yet created him"? He replied: "O my Lord! After
74
you
into me
an
inscription on the poles of the Throne residing; 'There is no god

worthy of worship save AMh, and Muhammad is His Messenger1,
1 deduced from this thai you have appended his name to Yours
because of his being your most beloved creature", Allah said, "I
have forgiven you; were if not for the sake of Muhammad, 1
would not have created you(l}l'.
content reads;
-{iftiSd cJiU U mt)
"Had it not been for your sake (Muhammad] I would not have
made the orbits".
The attitude of a Muslim towards these and other forged
tuidnhs should he total negligence., and should never, in the least see
in them a proof let alone relying on them in his religion.
Second; Genuine hadiths, which they either misunderstand or
are:
;Jl&
vû]^
!JW la[ C> (&) v'lk-M. #
itf)
. (djiJ -J'i iUi-u 143 ** ^M.l J-AP* ,Jlj -.UyLnd u!~e >AU1 J-AP ^
1-
"Each time they suffered drought, 4Umar bin aTKhatfSb
asked aPAbbis bin *Abd al-Muttalib [the Prophet's uncle] to

f- Al-Albaw, Muhammad Nasir al-diin Sihilasu al-Ahadfth al-Da'ifah wa alMa'^du 'ah (The Series of Wealc aad Fabricated Hadiths), vol,if pp.. 8K, hadith
no. 25,
75
invoke Allah for rain. He would say, 1iO Allah! We used to ask
our F
vou h
give us rain0. The narrator added: 11 Arid they would he given rain",
{Bukhari: I OH}}
Those opponents of Ah! af-Sunmh (The Orthodox Sunni

Muslims) erroneously infer from the above hadlth that 'Umar actually
used the prestige of 'Abbas and his position in Allah's sight as a
means of approach to Him, They therefore interpret the contents as
"We have been using the prestige of our Prophet to seek access to
You, and you would give us rain. We now use that of his uncle to seek
access to You",
This is, clearly., a misunderstanding on their part, and a veryremote interpretation, which is even incompatible with the context.
Using the person or prestige of the Prophet 0} as a method of
approach to Allah was, as far as the Companions of the Prophet were
concerned, an unknown phenomenon, They would instead ask him,
ier
mentioned some instances of this. Thus, when 'Umar (4b) made his
Alt-) tth
.7*
he never had
in mind using 'Abbas's prestige or person, but rather his invocation, on

their behalf. Besides, had taking the person or prestige of anyone as a
way
tx f
would have been meaningless on the pari of 'Umar to give up using
7fi
sum s move-.
having known that they actually used the Prophet's invocation tor
them during his lifetime,
as a
means of approach to Allah, it is understandable that what they

believed to be lawiul with, respect to Tawassul was to use the
invocation of the intermediary and not his person.
The hcullth therefore, comprises no proof in support of the
view that says a. person or his prestige may be used as a means of
approach to Allah fig).
2- TJlhmin bin Hunaif (4-r) narrated: A blind man came to the
Prophet and said, "Ask. Allah to cure me (to restore my sight)". The
Prophet {;) replied:
,(dS >
djy
c*z %
"If that is your wish 1 shall do, but should you wish to endure
S.i
invocation* T3
him to perform ablution in the best way he could and say the
fo
ti
-(J
j*Ui ij
it
W,
9&* ^PT\P-
"D Allah! I beseech You and turn towards You through Your
Prophet Muhammad; the Prophet of mercy, Through you 1 have
turned towards my Lord, that my request may be granted, O
77
Allah, accept his intercession for me". idumw Tirmidhi: 3578; Mmmd
Ahmad vol, iv p, 138
(l).
'il
L"
of the Prophet's prestige or that of any other righteous individual as a

means of approach to Allah, whereas the hadith, in reality, is void of
aoy indication to this. The blind man only requested that the Prophet
[M) invokes Allah to restore his sight, and thus lie responded saying,
"If that is your wish I shall do, but should you wish to endure
your disability, that would be better .for you", but the man insisted
that he should invoke Allah, The wording of this hadith has,, therefore,
clearly proved that the story was only an instance of a tawassul
through the Prophet's supplication, and not through his person or
PI
prestige. Based on this, Muslim scholars such as ai-Baihaqr'A regard

the contents of this hadith as a manifestation, of the Prophet's miracle
and an example of Stow Allah answerd his invocations. Allah {}
restored the blind man's sight hi recognition of the blessings of the
However, after the death of the Prophet (M), receiving such a
blessing the blind roan enjoyed is unrealistic, for it is impossible that
the Prophet would supplicate for any one after he {^) has died.. A
hadith of his reads as follows:
[- According to at-Baihaqi the chain oftonsmisvion lbr this hadith is sound,

2- See his voluminous book: Dalai! al-NiwuvAvah (Proofs of Prophethomij vol, vu
p, 1.67,
78
nA
:t hj*r
-MS & % 4** jiaSl dUi)|l CJU tej)
"The acts of everyman come 1o an end with his death, except for
three. These are; recurring charity! knowledge by which the
people after him benefit, and a righteous offspring who invokes
Allah for him". {Muslim: 1631),
is one oi
being.
are
in any case.
devoid of any proof, as they are all based on either unreliable

traditions, or on sound hadfths whose contents have nothing to do with
their false claim.
7l>
2.3,7 Excess (Al-Ghutuww)

m any way.
nt
S or
wt
i he word gfmfuww as an Islamic term indicates going beyond

the limit set by Allah for His servants, concerning their belief or
worship,
b) Rule:
t in
of religious texts, which also warn against being excessive, and

explain the immediate and remote consequences that await the
fanatics. Allah (M) says,
'?
f-< <1"'
' \\
^\^sb
O people of the Book, do not commit excess m your religion or say

about Allah except the truth. (ai-'Nisa'; 173),
r
*
.-r ^
\*> S-r;
* >
*\y*
Say, "<) people of the Book, do not exceed the limits in your
religion beyond the truth, and do not follow the inclinations of a
people who had gone astray before and misled many, and have
V
1 from the right
- TT'S
A narration by lbn 'Abbas

Messenger {$?) said,
SO
has it that Allah's
on
the grounds of being exlremisls in (practicing their] religion".
iI),
In another hadith reported by Ibn Mas'ud (<&), Allah's

Messenger (;M) said.
In another hadith reported
by Ibn Mas'ud ($>). Allah's
Messenger (fr) said,

(iijsksil dills)
"Those who exceed the limits have perished!". He repeated this

thrice. {Muslim: 2670).
According to a report by Umar bin al-Khattab {-*), the
Prophet (#*) has also said,
.{d^j M
\J\ ij* ji j_r^
OjM UT Jjjd V)
"Do not overrate me as the Christians had done with respect to

Tsa ibu Maryam (Jesus the son of Mary), for I am only a servant
of Allah and Mis Messenger". {Sttkhm 3445),
In this hadith the Prophet (;i) warned, his adherents not to go too far in
extolling him, lest they reach the extent of saying of htm what the
Christians had said of Jesus by calling him Lord or God. He further
declared that he was only a servant of Allah, and that he should be*
described as Allah had described him: 'A servant of Allah and His
Messenger However, those who have gone astray insisted on
e Proohei's order and ncmetraime what he has forbidden.
f- A sah'ik liadith, according to both Hakim and Dhahahi,
SI
Tito Foundations of Faith
Thus, they strongly disagreed with him, went beyond the limit in
(Is) to forgive their sins, to dispel their sorrows, cure their illnesses,
(**
and so on.
v'
God, Allah, while directing them to a created being is an act of
gkuluww in religious matters.
82
Undoubtedly, every Muslim has a loi to gain by knowing what
protect himself against their evils or plights. Allah loves to see His
creatures knowing what is right, so that they may love and follow it->
not only required to identify what is good and implement it, but also to
recognize evil and beware of it The two most authentic collections of
the hadith quote Hudhaifah bin al-Yaman, a Companion of the
Prophet to have said, "People used to ask Allah's Messenger (is) about
good tiling, but 1 used to ask him about the evil one, lest it should
befall me". (Bxtkhan-, 7084; Muslim-. 3 847), And in the words of'Omar bin
al-K.hattah
"It is only when we have people bom and grew up as
Muslims without any idea of pre-lslamic paganism that the handhold

/
Many verses of the Glorious Quran, have spoken on

polytheism and disbelief* cautioned against involvement m cither, and
exposed their bad consequences in this life and in the hereafter.
Glorious Qur'Sn and the Sunnah, Allah {%') says,
1 A&- *sPl> 9*^
4
way of the criminals will become evident. (al-An'&m: 55).

fn the corning pages, we shall discuss some important issues relating
to this topic,
S3
2.4.1 Polytheism (Shirk)

a) Definition;
From a linguistic viewpoint, the word shirk simply means
putting two things on an equal footing. But a view of the same word
from an
gives room for a wider import of two
subdivisions; general and specific meanings.

someone
1-
Shirk in Allah's Lordship,

This happens when one picks
an equal
...
.
.
for Allah in a Lordship-related attribute, or ascribe such an attribute to

any other being. The Lordship-related attributes include: creation and
the act of providing for die created, giving and taking of life, as well
as the running of the universe, Allah ($&) says
is there any creator other than Allah who provides for yon from
the heaven and earth? There is no deity worthy of worship save
He. How then are you deluded? (Fstir: 3).
2-
Shirk with regards to Allah's names and attributes, That is to
invent a peer for Him in any of His names or qualities, for lie has
said,
a*
Nothing is like Him, and He is the Hearing, the Seeing. (al-Shura

in
3-
Shirk in Allah's Divinity, This is to give any of His divine
characteristics or the right of being worshiped to another being. This
84
animal
> vow, etc
xv ($t) says.
$ iu* it
as equals [to Him}. They love them m they love Allah, (ai-Raqurah;
165},
As for the specific meaning of Shirk, this implies giving to

Allah a rival whom one will also invoke, ask for his/its intercession.
love, and even see as his/her hope. Each time the word Shirk is
mentioned either in the Glorious Quran or the hadiih, this special
meaning of the word usually comes first to mind.
The Islamic texts have censured Shirk and warned against it in

various ways. They have similarly demonstrated the danger and grave
consequences that the polytheists incur in this life and In the hereafter.
- Allah called Shirk the 'unforgivable sin', Unless the polytheist
4 Oi&W&XfrMfa Mil
48),
- Allah also described it as the worst of all injustices. He says,
d * fo *111 1\
#
\
Shirk is indeed, a gross injustice. (Luqtsian: 13).
1#
V
- Also, Alllh has described Shirk as capable of destroying

one's good deeds. He says.
S3
The FoundatioJis of Faith
*3 #Ji? *4l&S
-'I-" \
&
And surely, It has been revealed to you and to those before you
[that] if you should associate fanything with Atlfihj your deed
would surely become worthless, and you would surely be among
the losers. (al-Zumar: 65).
beings, and claiming an equal for Him. Allah says,
They will say while they dispute therein, "By Allah, we were
indeed in manifest error. When we equated you [false gods] with
the Lord of all beings",. {al-S'Jrinmi: yii-tix?.
- furthermore, Allah declared thai any one who dies as a
h*
&
a a^ JS # 44 ^ 41
A
Indeed, he who associates others with Allah - Allah has forbidden

him Paradise, and the Fire will be his abode. And there are not for
the wrongdoers any helpers, (ai- MS'idah: 72).
Proofs of various kinds in this respect are many in the Glorious
Quran.
c) The cause of Shirk
The root cause of Shirk and the motive behind its occurrence
among
ns
highly esteemed people, and their usual excess in extolling or praising
them. Ailiih says,
56
mm)
f-
pmm04%
And they said, "Never leave your gods; and leave neither Wadd,
nor Suw(i\ nor YaghHth, nor Ya'Sq, nor Nasr. And already they
have misled many. And |0 Allah!], grant no increase to the
wrongdoers save error. (Niih: 23-24),
These are names of some righteous men among the people of
named the same after them. Although their aim was to glorify the
men. immortalize their remembrance and commemorate their virtues.,
they ended up worshipping them,
An indication to this is found in a narration by Ibn 'Abbas
h sr-who said, "The idols which the people of Nuh had
W''ors.hipped5 later became objects of worship among the Arabs. The
Kalh tribe at Daumat / Jandat"! used to worship Wadd, Hudhail were
worship!
wa, while Yaghulh was first worshipped by Murad
tribe, then by Bamt Ghuimf of Jurfacnr Saba) The llamadam look

as 1
oi wt;
p, and the
tribe of Himyar
opted for Nasr. The aforementioned names of idols were initiallyr

of those righteous men, Saian inspired their people to place idols
used to sit
I- A village in the northern pari of Arabian Peninsula, Presently, it ss a famous

Sown in al- Jouf, one of the Saudi Arabian provinces, Of, al- Hamas,'i, Yiiquf,
Mu'jam al-Buldm vol. ii p,4?; Junaidif Sa'tL Ma jam al-Amkinm al-Wisrid
dhikruafi $ah;h a!-Bukhiin, Riyadh: 1419 A,H, p. 231, (Translator)
S7
never worshipped the statues, Alter that generation,, the reason for
and thus the new generation adopted the worship of their idols".
{Bukhari: 4920).
As part of Iris commentary on the above mentioned verse;

/ >.V''
And they said, "Never leave your gods
1P
Ibn JarTr al-Tabari
narrated from Muhammad bin Qais who said, "They [Wadd, Suwa"
were a group of virtuous people who had others who followed their
example. After their death, it came to the minds of their followers that
if they produced portraits of their deceased leaders, that would give
remember those righteous men. They, therefore, made the portraits
[without adopting them as objects of worship]. After their demise.
to worship those men, and that for their sake, they were usually blessed
with rain, Thus, that generation, worshipped them0)
By so doing they have combined two evils, their devotion to
the graves of the virtuous men, and carving the portraits which they
'T'd
2'
and remain the principal means thereof anytime, any place.
I- Tafsxr al-Jabari, vol. xii, p, 254,
SS
d) Types of Shirk
Shirk has two types, namely: major and tumor Shirk,
t.-'
peer and worshipping both. This sends one outside the fold of Islam
in the past.
Moreover, if one should die in a situation like this, he will, live
r cease to live, and yet
the punishment therein will never he reduced. This major Shirk is
divisible into four as follows;
1- Shirk in connection with supplication.
Supplication is a high-ranking act of worship in Islam. In fact.
*/
that. (5^W
r *
tU-d!) i.e. "Supplication is the worship" {Musnxd AJimttd

rvi
vol iv p. 267; Sanaa Tinmdhi: hadah no, 2969 "

1*
Allah {M) says.

.p.
>
And your Lord said, "Call upon Me; I will respond to you*
tl
My
(GhMlr; 60).
Since supplication is an act of worship, directing it to anyone

V y
.. an
angel, a righteous man or woman., a tomb, a. stone or any other created

being has become poiytheist and disbeliever. Allah ("&) says.
l- The hadhh is "a,va??-,V(j^rA", according to Tirmidbi,
S9
,4
mc$ .A sS k? i jx U4 Jg g^|i
^^*
*?
no proof, then his reckoning is only with his Lord |Allah]. Surely,
17),
Thai supplication is an act of worship,, while offering it to

anyone besides Allah is an act of'Shirk {polytheism) is further proofed
in the following verse:
&l -J$ js ^J4 Vii^'4
si
^* * 4
TU /It;
4^
And when they board a ship, they supplicate Allah, sincere to Him
in religion. But when He delivers them safe to the land, at once
they associate Others with Him. (&l-'Anfcabat: 65 k
Here?
'
W..
times. Now imagine the ease of a person who associates others with
Allah, whether he lives in affluence or he is m. distress!
2-Shirk of intention and volition
worship is purely material or just to show off, -as people with sheer
hypocrisy usually do- and aims to gain neither Allah's pleasure nor
the blessing of the hereafter. Such a person has committed a major
Shirk. Allah (B) says,
}&&
>j> \
r>
q f&S
Ukk mm -Vji
^1
90
*f
The Foumdations of Faith
be wronged. They are those for whom there is nothing in the

hereafter except the Fire. And vain is whatever they did therein,
(Hud- 15-16),
This type of Shirk is very critical and dangerous.

3- Shirk in obedience.
Whoever obeys any of Allah's creatures either in making
lawful what He has proscribed, or prohibiting what He permits has
actually taken whom he obeys to that extent as other gods besides
In such people's right to allow or forbid those things either for him or
for any other fellow, even when be knows that their judgement in this
respect is against the teachings oiTslam, Allah (Sag) says.
4
*
as lords besides AllSh, ami {have also taken as lord] the Messiah*
son of Maryam (Mary)- And they were only commanded to
worship just one God;
associate
Iwith HimJ.(l-Tawbah: 3.1),
An unambiguous exposition of this verse would reveal that

obeying their scholars and the devout among them, rather than
invoking them, is the subject matter here. Thus, when Adiyy bin
VI
llit Foundations of Faith
HStim (4fe) remained saying, "'We (Christians1"1-') never worshipped

them11, the Prophet ($$) explained to him that their compliance with the
orders of those religious leaders, which happened to be the negation of
pujknsi AUl ajr U CJ& J*) U
j-di)
what He has forbidden, and you follow them in both"? 'Adiyy

answered in the affirmative. Then the Prophet {>%} said, "That is how
you worship them". {Sunan TlrmlUhi'. 3095; Tabaruni, ai-Mujam al-Kabir
vol. xvii, p. 92a\
4- Shirk in love.
That is love in conjunction with servitude, and usually
necessitates glorification, exaltation, humility and submission to the
beloved. This kind of love is due to Allah, alone, and anyone who
4 %&
as equals Jto Him]. They love them as they love Allah, hut those
who believe are stronger in their love fur Alifih. (at-Baqarsh; 165).
I-'Adiyy (<&) was once a Christian before be eirnhriteed Islam, (Translator)

2- A hasan hadith, in the opinion of Tirrnirlhi,, one of its narrators,
92
Minor SAM, on the other hand, is either means of the major

shirk or any act or saying branded as shirk in the religious texts, but
a minor
polytheist is the same as that of perpetrator of a capital offence in
Islam, whose fate will only be decided in the hereafter according to
', -
s:
<?
a) Minimal Showing-off
According to a narration by imam Ahmad and others, the
Prophet vM) once addressed his Companions saying, "What I fear
most that you might commit is the minor Shirk". They said, "But
what is the minor Shirk,. O Allah's Messenger"? lie replied.
^d_U
cSjUt-
*.Ub fJi Jw k JjL
J*
,ydi J
Showing off a>. Allah will say on tlie Day of Resurrection after He
had recompensed Mankind for their deeds, "Go to those whom
deed you performed while you were alive, and see then if you
(2)
could get any reward from them o [Musnad Ahmad vol, v, p, 428''
b) Saying, "What Allah, and you too may will". {Mu sha Allah wa
shi'ta).
Thai is in .matters of worship,

2- The chain of transmission for 1ms fcadith is good, said ai-Mundhiri in his al
io he men of the faliift hadiihs. Mqimd al-Zawakl vol u p. 102,
93
Messenger (;M) said

.(Mtt t-U f iiil
U ! Jj5
^ tUy
V)
Never say, 'What Allah and m and so person may will'* bat
rather*you should say* "Whal Allah, may will, then what so and so
may wil!(1>M {Siman Ahu Dawuct, 4V8-0''a\>.
e) Saying, "But for Allah's and so and so person's intervention, this, or
that would have happened", or "But for the presence of the duck, the
thieves would have gained entrance into the house", etc.
According to Ihn Ahi Hatim0)
said in
his comment cm the meaning of Allah's saying:
So do not attribute equals to AMh, while you know [that He alone
has the right to be worshipped], (aUBaqarah: 22).
"[Attributing to Allah] equals is an act of Shirk, which is more
inconspicuous than the creeping of an mi on a black rock in the
darkness of night, It is to say, 'By .Allah, by your life,, oh so and so
P
*A
of this or that person in the house, the thieves would have gained
entrance'. Or that a man should say to his fellows, 'If Allah and you.
too will'. Or the expression: 'But for Allah's and so and so person's
intervention, this or that would have happened5. You should not
i-wn
I i.
t- That h if it is necessary to add 1hc name of such & person in the statement.
However, to say "'What Allah alone may will" is far better. (Translator)
2- The chain of transmission is piii'ih {acceptablej,, according to Dhahabi in
M.ukhtaâr al-Jiaiuqi I /.140/2,
3- ibn Abi Hatim, al-Tafsir vol. i, p, 62.
94

T1
he two are different from each other in many ways, the most
important of which arc as follows:
before repenting. As for the minor one, the perpetrator, whether he
repents or not, may be forgiven if Allah SO wishes.
2- No previous act of worship will be valid the moment one
only the act with which it occurs.
3- A perpetrator of minor Shirk remains in the fold of Islam,
Hellfire, and for him Paradise has been forbidden. Minor Shirk, on the
other hand, is a sin just like any other sin.
The Foundatiaus of Faith
2.4.2 Disbelief {Kufr}

a) Detlniton
Linguistically, Kufr is an Arabic word meaning; concealment
rs\
of Faith (.Tmari), and as .such, lack of belief in Allah and His

Messenger, Kufr does not necessarily coincide with a denial of the
.
./
-r
divine message; as some other factors, including doubt or scepticism,

deliberate avoidance of the truth as a result of envy, pride and
submission to certain misleading caprices, may also be responsible for
being an unbeliever.
b) Types of Disbelief:
The two types of Kufr are major and minor disbelief, "With the
while the latter also subjects one to a transitory, but not permanent,
punishment of the Fire,
i) Major Disbelief;
1-
Disbelief as a result of denial, This means lack of belief in the
truthfulness of Allah's Messengers. Anyone who belies their message,

1
fd- i> -ULAF- ^ pM
,# Â^=S=il5
or
. Is there not a home in
l!
Hell for the unbelievers? tuPAnitabui; 68).
96
Tint Foundations of Faith
2x
Disbelief through rejection end arrogance. This is when a person

rr
of Allah or comply with his order, jji spite of being convinced of his
truthfulness and the genuineness of his mission. The proof of this in
the Book of Allah goes thus:
pt i,iur
i.
!J
art
' \
& k>
f
And (remember) when We said to the angels, "Prostrate

yourselves before Adam". They fell prostrate, all save Bits
(Satan), who refused and behaved arrogantly, And was one of the
unbelievers. iai-Baqarah: 34).
3-
Sceptical unbelief. Thai is when one remains unconvinced of the
truthfulness of Allah's Messengers, It is also called "Disbelieving on

the grounds of suspicion" (Kufr al-Zatm), implying thereby lack of
certainty or being indecisive. The proof comes in the body of the
following Quranic text:
,5 is %
4?^^r" f
ue 0-
$ T i-5 ogi iguakO?
irt f y1/ oS
*,
Hour [Resurrection! will occur, and if indeed, 1 am eventually

brought back to my Lord fon the Day), I will surely find better
than this as a resort'. His comrade said to him during their
l>7
as
&
my Lord as
4-
partner1.
(al-Kahf: 3-5-38).
Disbelief as a
, Thai is
to keep oneself completely away from the religion of Islam, by

turning a deaf ear io the divine message and paying no attention
whatsoever to it. Allah (W) savs,
w
But those who disbelieve turn away from that of which they are
warned. {ai-Ahqat: 3).
5-
Hypocritical unbelief or in sincerity in the matters of Faith, That
is In the case of someone who pretends to be a believer, while he is

really an infidel0). Allah $s) says,
o
& -r- ^
*><
r v
That is because they believed and then disbelieved; their hearts are
therefore sealed, and so they do not understand, (sfoMujiafiqim: 3)
Hypocrisy itself is of two types. These are:
Hypocrisy in Faith, which is also a major unbelief and capable
a)
of sending one out of the fold of Islam. This hypocrisy Is subdivided
into six, namely: Belying the Messenger of Allah, or any part of his
message; harbouring the hatred of Allah's Messenger or of his
f- ibn ai-Qayyira, Madarij at-Salifcin, vol, I, p, 346.

98
by the Messenger of Allah suffers a set-back,. or being unhappy about

a victory recorded by such a mission.
h)
Practical Hypocrisy, This is a minor unbelief and, as such, docs
not nullify the culprit's faith, even though it is a capital offence. Some
instances of practical hypocrisy are mentioned in the following hadifh:
itf
titj
MM. % .vjS
iiu i>\S"
lib
l tit
j* gj)
tit
Jlfch
"Anyone with the following four characteristics is a downright

hypocrite, and whoever has any of them has got in him a feature
of hypocrisy until he gives it up. [They are;} If he is entrusted, he
betrays the trust If he speaks, he tells a lie. If he makes a
covenant, he proves treacherous. And if he quarrels, he behaves in
an unfair and dishonourable manner", {Bukkurh 34; Muslim: 58).
Jijt % iUbJ-i Mj 1i]>
jiull hly
lies whenever he speaks, intention at breaching of self-made

promises, and proving to he dishonest each time he is entrusted
with something". {Biikhiin: 33}.
ii) Minor Disbelief
subjects him/her to everlasting punishment in Hell, but constitutes a
dire threat of being punished by Allah. This type of unbelief is also
i)9
lexis must I
>, given
: we
ii
Allah {%&) says

J --" M
%
*- f ^
.<>
^ j" '- .' |"' -i * iy *'Ws*
CtV >VT ^ 'C "
"~
And Allah presents an example; a city which was safe and secure,
hs provision coming in 11 in abundance from all places, but it
denied the favours of Allah, So Allah made It taste hunger and
fear for what they had been doing, (al Nahl: 112).
ei {3s
*
j'i j
(J&
p* 'J*
4 okdi)
"Two practices on the part of men are regarded as unbelief:

Defaming another person's genealogy, and wailing for the dead".
{Muslim: 67).
{J6**,
"Do not revert to unbelief after me by striking the necks of one

another (killing each other}", {h'ukhm: 121- Muslim: 65).
is minor
rJ-rl
unbelief, whose perpclrator remains a Muslim. Allah (W) has also

said,
100
The FMmdaliofts of Faith
./
-f\
ta&mo
_.5?
V'
And if two parties among the believers should fight, then make
settlement between the two. But if one of them oppresses the
other, then fight lyow all] the oppressing party until if returns to
the ordinance of Allah. And if if does, you should then make
reconciliation between them in justice. And act equitably, Allah
really loves those who act justly. The believers are but brothers, so
reconcile between your brothers, And tear AH2h; that you may
receive mercy. (al-Hujurat: 9, 3 0).
Thus, Allah referred to both parties as "believers" in spite of fighting
one another. He also Said,.
indeed, Allah does not forgive association of partners with him.

who associates partners with Allah has certainly invented a
tremendous sin. (abNisT: 48).
This verse indicates that based on what Allah may will the
?
L"' t
ktt y>
by Allah, or be subjected first to punishment in proportion to his

misdeed. As for Shirk, die verse has likewise spoken plainly enough
that such is an unpardonable offence in the sight of Almighty Allah,
who has also said.
303

U"S
. !?-. i-"" >, "tf.f A-^-Tf
*&" ,!/-" -U*
"i !* -- -*?i \
Jyî y4,^p
.'f
\^
forbidden Paradise, and bis abode will be Fire. For wrongdoers,

there will be no helpers, tui- Ma'nbk 72).
102
Tin* Foundations of Faith

LI
Unseen {Ghaih) is any thing of the past, present or future
'1
Say, "None in the heavens and on earth knows the unseen, but
(ahNainl: 65).
unseen laspectsj of the heavens and the
earth, (al-M; 26).
He is the One who knows the unseen and the witnessed, the
Grand, the Exalted, (al-Ra'd; %
None bu5 Allah (M) alone knows the unseen, not even an angel
nor a Messenger of His, lei alone any other inferior creature. Here is
what Allah said about NQh, His prophet G0),
/
And I do not tell you that I have the treasures of Allah, neither do
XjMxt'iJJCW.
>*,
.the
knowledge Jof what you asked for] is with
Allah alone. And 1 convey to you that with which I was sent', (al
A)K|M: 23 '|.
Allah also commanded His Prophet, Muhammad ('$') saying,
103
The Foundation.* of Faith

>**<
>y
not know the unseen'. (aUAri'am: 50).

Furthermore, Re said
4 i&tj0 &
c41 u ^ i
$0
; 4'i ^
d -
-- >* ?"
f^1
are
truthful' fhey said, 'Glory be io Yim; we have m> knowledge

except what You have taught
Indeed, it is You who is the
Knowing, the Wise1. ubBaqarah: 31:, 32).

However,. Allah {M} may choose to disclose some of the
unseen to some of His creatures through revelation. He says
accordingly,
' '
is^-h
yh-j C* &*>J & *

(n?J
Î zL^1 ^
I-My
?* s
**
jf
He is the One who
{knowledge of| unseen to anyone. Except for Messengers whom
He has approved of, and He sends before him {i.e. each
that they have conveyed the messages of their Lord; and He has
encompassed whatever is with them, and has kept count of all
things. (ai-Jirm: 26-28).
104
What is being referred to In the above verses is the relative

rather than the absolute unseen. The former,, even though, is unseen to
some, but not so to other people. Whereas the absolute unseen is
known only to Allah (M), and who would dare claim to have such
knowledge when Allah has restricted its possession to Himself alone!
It is therefore incumbent upon every Muslim, to he watchful of
unseen. This folk include sorcerers, soothsayers and the like, who
have gone astray, misled many, and yet, remain far from the right
path.
We shall now touch on some of the tools those people employ
to arrogate to themselves the knowledge of unseen, and, as a result,
mislead the laymen and the ignorant among Muslims, and even
undermine their belief
1- Sorccry/Magic:
In a pure linguistic sense, one may refer to anything with an
obscure or indistinct cause as 'sihJ (sorcery)- But m a narrow
technical import, the word 'sikr1 means charms, spells and magical
knots that may have fatal or less damaging effect or a body or soul, or
stir up marital discord between two spouses, if Allah had so willed.
a sorcerer is an
unbeliever who will have no portion of the benefits of tire hereafter.
Allah m) says,
105
Hit Foundations of Faith

>
\f "
>""?f-* *
l>
t *
t, .
^C5^5
S&V&t&r
>/ </
r ^& f , .
\y
**t
>
T^r
>\-"-c
-r-'-J
And they followed (instead] what the devils related (falsely.

not Su'liman who disbelieved, but the devils did, teaching people
magic and that which was revealed to the two angels, Marat and
*iî
they had said, 'We are only a trial so do not disbelieve {by
learning magic from us1}. And yet they {the people] learn from
wife. But they cannot harm anyone through if except by Allah's
permission. And they learn that which harms them and does not
benefit them. And they knew for sure, that he who purchased it
{magic} would have no share in the hereafter. And Indeed,
wretched is that for which they sold themselves, if only they knew.
Blowing upon knots'IT! is also a form of sorcery. Allah (#!}
says,
]06
^44^^^^ J)?
4 lii i^C ^ 5U 3a*
/i
the night when it k intense. And from the evil of those who
an envier when he envies. !>J-i'aLaq: 1-5.)..
2= Astrology:
*Y
heavenly body as a premise lo predict, iieetirrenee yr otherwise of

(T
*j)>
Allah's Messenger i;M) said,

.{mij W 1j
Aai
W^- vffS55
sorcery. And if he should go further in learning it, he would also

nj.'n, (Abu Dawitct 3905).
3- Predicting on the basis of purported restraint frono a bird or
manifestation of a sign in drawn lines*
said, I heard the Messenger of Allah <M) saying,
i- Or of the sin of a sorcerer, See: Ai-Manijwi, Paid aAQad'ir vol, vi p. SO,

('Transistor)
107
.(CJrt y
U^')
Al-'Iy&fah, al-Tiyarah (Premonition, or evil omen etc.) and al-Tarq

')+
.rfJi
Al-Iyiifah is any alleged restraint from birds, as well as optimism or

pessimism on account of their names, sounds or passage.
Al-Turq means magical lines,, which, arc usually drawn on sand, or
4- fctrtune-teliiag;
This is another way of making undue claims of knowing lire
unseen, The origin of this practice goes back to what some jinn
eavesdrop from angels, and is later passed to fortune-tellers. Abu
J* Jj'' ^ J? ^
y)
"Whoever goes to a fortune-teller and believes m what he tellsIhen he has disbelieved in what was revealed to Muhammad *1
(i)
{Abu Daniid: 3904; MusiiudAhmadwA, ii, p. 429; aS-Musladnik vol i, p. 50
5- Writing Abajad alphabet;

Another magical practice, which involves giving each letter of
the alphabet certain digits of numbers. A sorcerer then applies such
numbers mathematically on names of human beings, places or limes,
and consequently predicts the fortune or misfortune of the parties
concerned.
- This liadsth, according to both Hakim and Dhahabf is -yjhih, conforming to the
standards set by both Bukliilh ant! Muslim,
308-
Ibn 'Abbas
said of the perpetrators of this kind of

(1) H
t stars
I couldn't see how such people
can have any share [of mercyj iti the sight of Allah", {Musanmf
'Ahdiittiazzaq vol. xL p. 26).
6- Palmistry, cup reading(2) etc., are other fraudulent methods

being employed by some to claim the knowledge of what befalls
people in future, such as death and life, poverty and wealth, health and
illness, and so on.
7- Necromancy:
The practitioners here allege that they can bring back the souls
punishment, etc. fhis is another scope of quackery and Satanic
sorcery, aimed at nothing save distortion of people's creed and
promotion of immorality. It is also a ploy to deceive the uninformed
people and unjustly consume their wealth, as well as a means of
claiming the knowledge of unseen,
b- Le, for magical purposes as men turned in. '2' above. (Translator)
2- Cup reading is another dubious art. of lortimeldiing known in some parts of the
world, As in palmistry, a cup-reading fortune-idler depends on the configuration
of lines and bumps in an almost empty coffee cup to determine the fortune or
otherwise of his client, {Translator}
8- Evil omen:
a
one on account of what be had seen of the movement of birds.
O
a practice is another form of polytheism, and a Satan's force of terror.

According to Imran bin Husain (*,) the Prophet (jt) has said,
J VI
J*** J'
j**0
i!
<** j&**
J1
-if*
J1
fi,
J6 Aa iJi
'lie is not of as0).

such to be introduced to him by another person; or who acts as a
fortune-teller or has Ills own fortune told by another person; or
employs magic or asks others to use it for him. And Whoever goes
to a fortune-teller and believes in what he tells- then he has
disbelieved in what was revealed to Muhammad", {Musnsid al-Bmzar
o\
vol ix, p.52 hadith no. 35?*' %
We beseech Allah for an improvement in the [spiritual]

conditions of the Muslims. May He bestow cm them good
understanding of their religion, and protect them from the deceit of
criminals and collaborators of the devils,.
1- he, His practice is alien to curs as true believers in Allah (M),

2- Tire narrators, according to akHaUfarni, are men of the yalitfi hadishs, (alHaithami, Majma' al-7.a\vam vol.v, p, 11?,
no
Tke Foundations of Faith
TS>
Preamble; The belief in Allah's Names and Attributes and its

impact on the Muslim
3,1 Definifon and proofs.
3.1.1 Definition.
3.1.2 The proper method of establishing this belief.
3.1.3 Proofs of this method.
3.2 Practical examples in the light of the Qur'Sn and the Sunnah.
3.3 Some principles regarding Adah's Names and Attributes.
Preamble: The belief in Allah's Names and Attributes and

its impact on the Muslim
Believing in Allah's Names and Attributes has enormous
we
On his worship of
All 4!
of his engagement in bean-related devotion to Allah, which makes

him rely on Allah and be mindful of his physical and menial actions.
He will also gain control of bis thoughts; and thus, think only of what
pleases Allah, and loves anyone or anything strictly for His sake
alone. His hearing and sight will all be in accordance with Allah's
has a fair thought concerning Him.
All these and other concepts relating to the belief in the
meanmas of Allah's Names and Attributes cause one to offer both
noticeable and uimoiiceable acts of worship to Allah. Worshippers
are, however, not the same in this regard'*'1, and that is a favour of
Allah which He bestows on whoever He likes.
The great impact of Adah's Name \AJ~GhaffmJ (the Oft"w"
ceaseless hope he shows for His Mercy.

The impact of Allah's Name "Shadkl a!-'!qah' (The One who is
stem in punishment) is so enormous that one would fear Him and
never dare to break His laws. Similarly, all other Names or Attributes
of Allah, based on what each of than denotes, have impacts on the

zu\
law, That further gives rise to hearty love for Allah; the basis of
Muslim's happiness in this world and the world to come, the key to
every success, and the most valuable assistance one could get
regarding the worship of his Lord in the most accurate manner. The
Perfecting an act of worship or improving it in accordance

with the wish of Allah depends on the hearty love one has Jbr Him,
which is also contingent on knowing Him by His Names and
most,
since their love and knowledge of Kim surpass those of any other
human being,
in
3,1 Definition and proofs of the belief in Allah's Nantes and

Attributes
3.1,1 Definition;
It is 10 believe in any name or attribute ascribed to Allah,
either by Himself or by His Messenger iMh and to absolve Him from
as
not befitting Him (M). This also entails acknowledging the true
meaning or indication of any divine Name or Attribute, as well as
bearing in mind its impacts and implications on Allah's creatures.
That is to believe absolutely and decisively in whatever term

distortion, nor negation, nor subjecting such terms to descriptive
ytf) or
and it is done in two ways:

1- Literal or Physical distortion, by adding something to a
this occurs in the following verse:
.
S>.
Some people distort the word lis!mva' (He rose over,,,} in this verse to
mean hiavAa (He took possession of
'"
fhe author of al-Nunsyyah [a well-known literary masterpiece] thus

commented saying,
] 14
Tlie Foundations: of Faith

^
,11)
wM* TO if} 4
M'T
fVj Jjfch
and the TJa, being inserted
by the Jahmilcs1'^ are both additions to the revelation of the Lord of

the Throne"
2- Abstract distortion, by twisting a word to mean, something
different from what Allah and His Messenger intended by it. An
instance of this is the imtoipretotkMi by some, of "Hand" with respect
to Allah as either His Power or Blessing, Such a wrong interpretation,
Negation or TaW" in Arabic is to deny Allah's Attributes,
such as a claim by some that He has no attributes at all, The. difference
between this and the earlier mentioned distortion lies in the fact that
the latter involves substituting an incorrect meaning for the already
misrepresented word, while denial of the intended or the correct
meaning remains a common denominator in both.
TakyJf means subjecting the Attributes of Allah to human
the Throne is in this or in that manner etc. This, indeed, is an undue

claim, for the state of Allah's Attributes Is known only to Him; ii is
beyond what a human being can comprehend.
2- Le
a*
ns
h 10} lo His creatures, such as
tf
ours, .r
C- ^
is He above such a similitude.

Attributes has three fundamental rules, fulfillment of which is enough
of Allah's Qualities. In other words, none of Allah's Attributes should

2- Believing m any Name or Attribute ascribed to Allah either
by Himself or by His Messenger, m a manner that suits His Sublimity
and Majesty.
3- To have no aspiration to comprehend the actual condition
of Allah's Attributes, as it is impossible for a created being to know
this.
True implementation of those rules indicates genuine
establishment of faith regarding the Names and Attributes of
Almighty Allah, and In line winh the principles laid down by the
3.1.3 Proofs of the Method:

The Qur'anie proofs in this regard, and precisely, as related to
/ >
'ill
i*
' -
"There is nothing like unto Him, and He is the Hearing, the

Seeing". (al-Shura: i I).
] 16
This verse deplores resemblance of any kind between the

I, and
Htm,
could the Hearing or S
iy
[?k
His creatures. This is also applicable to all other Attributes of Allah

(W), One may read, for instance, the following verse where Allah (|sj>
says,
SyAx- > >
-2"f S,"
rfdli o
f $
-"M
'V
has heard the speech of the one who argues(I) with vou
concerning her husband and directs her complaint to Allah, And
AllSh hears your dialogue; Indeed, Allah hears and sees I
things], {sl-Mujadilah; i )
In his commentary on this ayah, Ibn Kathlr mentioned a
remark^' made by 'Aisiia
^>j) who had said, "Praise he 10 Allah
whose Hearing covers every voice, That woman [referred to in the

of the house but could not hear their conversation. Yet Allah (M)
revealed a revelation which says, "AHili J
1>
L'H
at,
1- Le. pleads,
2- As reported by both Bukhari (in Te Bonk of Tawhid vol xtii p. Ytl) and Ahmad
Im al-Musnad vol, vi p, 4(>),
3- Ibn. Kathlr, al-Tafsh vol, viii p. (hi,
117
not assert similarities to Allah, nor set up equals for Him. Definitely,
nothing is similar or identical to Him1'.
Allah has also said,
4(
,i)
That is to say, according to ibn "Abbas c
), "Do you know of
any co-equal or peer for the Lord"?

In another verse, Allah {;W} says.
s'
And there is no any equivalent to Him. (al-lktuas: 4).

According to Tabari, this verse means, "Nothing resembles Him, and
fc-1'
As for the proofs concerning the second rule, (i.e. Believing

in any Name or Attribute ascribed to Allah either by Himself or by
His Messenger), Allah (M) has said.
.4
Allah -there is no deity worthy of worship but He, the Everovertakes him nor sleep. To Him belongs whatever is in the
heavens and whatever is on the earth. Who is he that can
intercede with Him except by His permission? He knows that
ns
which Is in front of them and that which is behind them, and they
His Kursim extends over the heavens and the earth, and He is
never weary of preserving them. And He is the Most High, the
Most Great. (al-Baqarah: 255),
#
He lAUahJ is the First and the Last, the Predominant and the
Intimate, and He knows all things. (at-Hadld: 3).
1
r%z$
^^'
>r
-Il'AA
*
v.
ij
>
-*
*>
One who Knows the invisible and the visible2

Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful. He h Allah besides
whom there is no deity worthy of worship, the Sovereign, the
Holy, Who is free from defects, the Keeper of Faith as* The
Watcher over His creatures, the Almighty, the CompeJler, the
Supreme; glory he to Allah [exalted is He} above what they
associate [with HirnJ. He is AlJflh, the Creator, the Originator, the
Maker of all shapes, His are the best Names, Whatever is in the
the
Ail-Wise. (al-Hashr: 22-2A}.
f- Kursi literally means chair, Allah's Kursi is, however, different from His "Arsh
(Throne), (Translator)
119
The Foutulatioiis of Faith
Proofs m this regard from the Simnah include a narration by

( X- \
Abu Hurairah (<#), as reported by Muslim in his sahlk". He Said,

"The Messenger of Allah iM) used to command us to recite the
j3ui
JS* VJJ Wj
4fA Cif idi Jfef jA
'fj
4A/J1 VJJ J*/# VJJ

dAj
sOdjj]lj
^ d-s*i
AIM
i is.^ dhja l_rM Û1' eMj
vj
JJÂj
wJ"'!
cM
udiji
-0>
Throne. Our Lord and the Lord of all things; the Splitter of the
grain of corn and the date stone; the Revealer of the Torah, the
InjTl (Gospel) and the Criterion (he. the Qur'an). 1 seek refuge in
You from the evil of every living thing that You fake hold of its
forelock""^ 0 Alllh! You are the First, nothing is before You; You
are the Last, after You there is nothing; You are the Predominant,
and nothing is above You; You are the Intimate, and nothing is
from want'," {Muslim: 27 3 3). There are many other textual proofs in this
regard.
Concerning the third rule (To have no Aspiration of
comprehending the actual condition of Allah's Attributes),, the proofs
include Almighty Allah's saying:
f- The itadith compilations of both Bukhdri and Muslim are known as fahi'h.
(Transistor)
2- i.e, You have pcrfed control, over h. (Translator)
3 20

/ H^T
tsiciizbs
lJ
He [Allah] knows all thai is before them and all that is behind
them, while they do not encompass Him In knowledge. tjs-Ha: 110).
r*
"Human knowledge cannot envelop the Lord of the heavens and the
IV
H-
of Allah could he, should therefore be refuted".

Some other Qufanie proofs In this respect Include:
.{
#
\ J^K
/
No vision perceives Him, but He perceives all vision, (al-Arfsm: 103),
Another scholar savs in his remark on the meaning of this verse, "This
shows how perfect is Allah's Majesty, and that He is greater than all
things. It further clarifies that, owing to the perfection of His
Sublimity, He cannot be perceived in an encompassing manner An
encompassing perception of something is more than the mere seeing
of that thing. Hence, Allah shall be seen in the hereafter but not in an
encompassing manner, just as one could know Him, but could never
have a total knowledge of Him".
Every right-minded person should therefore realize that the
extent the human intellect could go has a limit, just as one's hearing
and seeing abilities are not unlimited. Caring to know whatever is
beyond human comprehension, such as the actual condition of Allah's
Attributes, is
i;t
a wall or to hear voices coming from a very far distance, using one's
natural faculties of hearing and sight.
321
The Foundation! of Faith
3,2 Practical examples on tiie topic, in accordance with

the Qur'an and the Sunnah
Glorious Book of Allah or the Sumtah of Bis Prophet. 0} are
enormous- These have also been expressed m a variety of ways and
contexts, and indeed, many of Bis Names and Attributes are
mentioned in both sources.. Books and other academic works on this
subject are also available; whatever we are going to mention in the
me.
A: NAMES
Almighty Allah's Names include %Al-tiuyy* and *At-Qayyum\
(The Ever-Living and the One who sustains and protects all beings)
and both have been mentioned in the Quran and the Sunnah. Allah
says,
/
.r
AHSh -there is no deity worthy of worship but He, the EverLiving, Who sustains and protects ail beings, (aLBaqatah: 255).
As for evidence from the Sunnah, Anas bin Malik 0) narrated
saymg.
] 22

:*JUO ^ w<
J"SUH 13 U*
A_H ^ t3t
i**"
OljWJ!. gJ* cJ
US*
nl) V .U1 ^ t>t# dUU
^Hs k ^ ^ *M) m ^ Jul fjJ k ^ k f'/'lh

(,J**\ M J*-* !Mj
11 Wc
were in a gathering with the Prophet (0), white a man was
standing perfbming salah. After the man bad bowed, prostrated and
recited the Tashahhmi{l} he supplicated saying, "O Allah! 1 beseech
You in Your capacity as the One to whom praise is due. There is no
the earth, O ('Allah'] the Mighty and Glorious, O [Allah] the EverLiving., the Sustainer and Protector of all beings". The Prophet (|g}
then remarked, "This man has invoked Allah with the greatest: oi'
His Names. Whoever invokes Him using this Name, his
supplication will be answered,, and his request be granted". {Hakim,
cil-Musiadmk^ kadhh BO. 1 85t>"
*'JW
And know that Allah is Rich (Free of need), Praiseworthy, (ah

Baqarah: 26?}.
Similarly, the hadiih of J'axhahhud as narrated by Ka*b bin TJjrah
serves as another proof here. According to the narrator, the Prophet
(#;} has taught them to say.
1 Tashahhud is that special, form of supplication, which one recites during prayer
in n sitting posh ion after every two units irakadts}, (Translator)
2- A
hadUh conforming to the Muslim's standard, said id-Hakim. al-Dhababi
also supported this view.
] 2fi

>****<? Wf WJ- Jf
a.
j WJ
\*& JHP^}
of Muhammad, as if had been on Ibrahim and the family of

ibrSliim. Indeed, \m are Praiseworthy, Glorious". {Bakhmt, 3370;
Muslim: 406),
- Al-Rahmtln and Al-Rahfm: (The Entirely Merciful and the
Especially Merciful).
Allah (ft) says.
7
|All) praise is (due] to Allah, Lord of all beings. The Entirely
Merciful, the Especially Merciful. ul-Fs%&: 2,r>>.
It. is also on record that on the Day of Hudaihiyyah, when the
reconciliation treaty' between the .Muslims and the Meccan polytheisis
was being worked out, the Prophet (#) ordered his scribe to write
"Bismi Allah aU Rahman aBRalfsm" (In the name of Allah the Entirely
;!i
Merciful, the Especially Merciful)
- ABHatim (The Most Forbearing):
4
Indeed, He |AIIh| is Most-Iris rbea ring, Most-Forgiving. (Kafir: 45}.
f- Ci $al?ik Bukhiiri; 2731.
324
As for proof from ihe Sunnah, )bn 'Abbas c,u+* A! reported

.(...jwU-l JM&SJ) ii *j'i 4 *>
"There is no deity worthy of worship except Allah, the Most

Great, Most Forbearing,,/', Wukhjiri:, HS- Muslim: 2730).
B: ATTRIBUTES
Allah's Attributes include:
- Ability or omnipotence (al~Qudmh}i
This is a personal (dhati) Attribute of Allah, firmly established
in both the Qur'ai: and the Sunmh. A dhati attribute is any inherent
Quality of Allah that is in no circumstances separable from Him. As
for this Attribute ual~Qudrah", Allah (ig) says,
Indeed, Allah Is Abie to do all things, ial-Baciarah.: 20)
-As <+>
Also in the. Swmah,
y m
his body since he embraced islam, The Prophet i;M) said to htm;
cr
} *
j# fb
asf! i
J& d-y
j* wyij
"Lay your hand on that pari of your body where you feel pain
and then say, 'In Use name of Allah' -three times-,T seek refuge in
the might of AUili and His Ability, from the evil of that which 1
am feeling and that which 1
wary of -seven times-", i Muslim:
2202).
525
The Foumlatiotis of Faith
Also a personal attribute and is derived from Al.

Al-Hayy' which has been mentioned earlier together with its proofs
- Knowledge (al-'llm):
Knowledge is another personal attribute for Allah duly
confirmed in the Qur'an. and Simnah, Allah says,
H "A
*
s\.
41
ge. (al-Baqarah: 255).
from the Simnah, jabir bin 'Abdullah
Ai
>j) reported that
Allah's Messenger (M) used to teach, them to say as part of the

supplication for IsnkharaiP \,
ij
"O Allah; 1 ask You to ehofrse for me the best fin aeeordaneej
with Your Knowledge; and with Your Ability* I seek the
capability [for such) A (M&W: 6382).
- Will, volition, etc- (uNrmkh):
This is also one
b the
I i'
not at any given time or situation depends absolutely on His Will and
Volition. Allah says,
I.- i.e. the special supplication for seeking guidance from Allah before making
important decisions or when tine is in jierpiesing situations. (Translator)
526

>
$$&&&&>*$& ^Z&igkiZ&M^y
JT"
L?
{contain] Islam, and whoever it is His
to send astray He
makes his breast tight and constricted, as if he were climbing into

the shy, (al-Aifam; 125),
Similarly, 'Abdullah bin "Umar (W*_* &
reported that he heard
. v;..
f,tf
&
"
^ ÎAA3I
jfcjSj tej)
Atlih waists to punish a narioiK the punishment tails on all its
, iMuslim; 2S79).
This, as well, is a personal idhati) Attribute for Allah, firmly

.a.
isl
r"<
r tA ff ->" -.?)
Glorify the .Name of your Lord, the Most High, (al-Ala; i >.
r~>
>4
.<
1&
:J; 50)
A hadith narrated by Abu Hurairah (/#A which we have quoted earlier

in this book., also contains proof for this Attribute. The hadith says,
527
The Fouiidatiotis of Faith

jALJej! C
^j
iiA*?
CJ!j
iU-i
.{ V* ^J3 fcTs14
Cjfj
diSj* 4^
",,,0 Allah! You are the First, nothing is before You, You are the
Last, after Yea there h nothing. You are the Predominant and
nothing Is above You, You are the Intimate, and nothing is closer
than You
{Muslim: 2713).
V
Another act-related Attribute of Allah, confirmed in the

Glorious Book and the Suimah, Allah says,
4 &2&S& 33*
>
1AliEii] the Most Merciful rose over the Throne, ffa-Ha: 5),
According U> QatSdah bio al-Nu'Tnan {#), Allah's Messenger
(*) also said,
.(**** J* *jr^
ij* &s iJ
"When Allah had finished creating ills creatures He rose over His
Throne", (Dhahahf al-'Uhmw harftfh no. ij 39"
The word "Istiwa"' io the Arabic language means; being
above, ascension, rising up and settlement, Allah's htiwa', however, is
&
- Talk and Talking {al-Kat&m).

Talking, with respect to Allah, is a personal Attribute as far as
the talking ability itself is concerned, but an. act-related one with
regard to each and. every Word spoken by Him, Allah (W) therefore,
speaks audibly whenever and in whatever manner He likes. The
113
include the following:
I.- The author, H-Dhahahb said, "Its rcarouors are reliable'*,, and the hadtth was also
recorded by al-Khabat in his book called 'al-Sunnah'.
12S

>
.{
T?
(ai-Nisa': 164),
and bis Lord fAliaii} spoke ia him, he said, 'My Lord! Show me
[Yourself} fhafl may look at You". (al-A'raf: 143}.
m
,{.,.. flA-i S'jjsSl <4JJ Jar-j
<&'* ilUkws'i ^J* k
"Adam and Musa engaged in a debate, and the falter said, pO

Adam, you are our progenitor; you were the cause of our failure
and our being driven out of Paradise', Adam also responded, 'O
Musa, AIMh did select you to |receive the privilege of] being
spoken to directly by Him, and He also wrote for you the Torah
with His own Hand' ..." {BukhSri: 6614; Muslim: 2652).
- Countenance or Pace (al-Wajlin}:
Allah's Face is both personal as well as textual (khabari)m

>v
ft.
ills
***
(iil-Buqarab: 272}.
I- The khabari Attribute of Allah are those llmt the Muslims rely solely on textualevidence from either the Qu.v'an, or the Simmh for their conibmalion or
otherwise. Thus, we must believe in such Attributes as long as there is proof for
them, even if we fail to .HIM! logical justification for them based on our limited
human imagination. (Translator)
129
The Foundation.*; of Faith
.4
and Honour, tal-Rahnjgn: 27).
Jabir bin 'Abdullah (u** h ^}) narrated saying,
#-*> ja ^
&i** u* *Jj-> d)
* JUS
.^r^{
Cr* Oa
:$fc
/ f
J.-- /
"At the revelation of this Quranic verse 'Say, He is the {only One]
\ the
Prophet (M said, "I seek refuge in Your Face". Then Allah said,
'Or from beneath your teeth and the Prophet (ft) said, "! seek
refuge in Your Face". Then Allah said, "Or to cover you with
confusion in party strife". [t*i-An*am: 6S)j and the Prophet (#) said,
"|Anyway,J this is less (severe){Eukkan: 740-6),
- The T wo Hands ial-YudM):
The two Hands fur Allah (Mi arc also persona)-textual
attributes, firmly established in the QurTm and the Sunnah, Allah says,
Rather, both His Hands are extended (in bounty!. He gives as He
pleases, (at- MS'idah; 64),
kr-
i>A^, CIAW' 1*J -*PW> 0
.y
lie (AiiSh) said, fO Iblfs [Satan]! What prevented you from

prostrating before that which I have created with My both
Hands'? (Sad: 75).
no
Muslim on the authority of Abu Musa ai-Ash'ari {#) who quoted

Allah's Messenger (&) as sayings
&* j#' V* *>s4
,^l
wjJ JJlU 9A*
M ii\)
'
repent for their shortcomings committed during the day. He also

stretches out His Hand during the day, so that sinners may repent
A,
west fi)A (Muslim: 2759),
- The Two Eyes (ttf-'AyfiHh}:

Allah's two Eyes as confirmed in both the Quran and the
says,
y-y-
V
He also said to His other Prophet, Nub (8&&J)
,5^
u'
i: 37}.
As for proofs from the Suimah, a haduh narrated by 'Abdullah bin

'Umar <'u**
has it that Allah's Messenger {?) said,
I.- The rising of the sun in the west is a major portent of the Day of Resurrection,
(Transistor)
13!
The Foutulatioiis of Faith
^ Jbr4i
ib ***& Jl sa9i J^J
A' ^1
V <&* >|j
*
,(5ÛP lîfi. A^ylt. ^
"You are well aware of |thc Qualities off Allah, Indeed, Allah is
not one-eyed -the Prophet pointed to his own eyes [and then said](Bukhara 7407; Mustiny,
2933).
- Foot (Al-Qtidam):
Here is another personal {dhati) Attribute of Allah, in
In one
of those haiilihs narrated by Abu Ilurakah (4*), the Prophet (M) said
>J* 4Ih< MUMJjZZ .&r- JWj d>V
g* jt-g,U
Uft .>
J**< Ji tyaui
"As for the Fire, if will not be filled up until Allah puts His Leg.
Then the Fire will say, 'enough, enough, enough' and at tb.a!
moment it will become tilled; with its different parts coming closer
fo each Other". (Bukhm-t 4850; Mwiifts: 2846),
S?x
.CI'
u>
~?
4849; Muslim: 2848).

Iw
ihc Sunnah are innumerable; the above mentioned ones are, therefore.
132
Attributes as belonging to Allah in a manner that suits His Majesty

and Perfection, and state them as exactly as either Allah or His
Messenger {&) has done in the Quran and the Surmah, It is
indisputable that Allah knows about Himself more than any of His
creation would know. Similarly, the knowledge of His Messenger {%)
m
r {>*&
is also the most sincere mentor, and the most fluent, eloquent and
God-fearing person. Care must therefore be taken to avoid either
denial of Allah's Attributes or comparing them to those of His
creation, for Nothing is like Him, nnd He is the All-Hearing, the
AO-Seeing. (al-Shfira: ill
133
3.3 Some principles regarding Almighty Allah's Names and

Attributes
or Essence
By ihky we mean that Allah is comparable to nothing in His
Self, Attributes and Acts
Self is
since
undoubtedly real and unique, His Attributes, as confirmed in the
Qufian
to any
other attributes. Hence, our approach to both issues must be one and
consistent.
As Allah's Self has never and is not being disputed by any
ff
ti
denies Allah's Attributes in spite of believing in His Self, If anyone

should argue that he is rejecting those attributes with a view to avoid
comparing Allah to His creatures, then the counterargument to that is
to say, 'Why then have you ascribed to Allah a real self, while you
also attribute selves to His creatures; doesn't that amount to
comparison, based 011 your initial deduction"? However, if he claims
-and certainly he would- that the self he ascribes to Allah is quite
different from those of His creatures, then we ask him to apply this
on His Qualities as well. Allah's Self is indeed incomparable to any
other one, but, similarly., His Attributes must also follow suit.
Furthermore,. If the contender should exclaim that how can he believe
in an Attribute of Allah when the actual description of such is
unknown to him? The answer is to say, 'All you need to do here is the
same as what you have done regarding His Self, in which you also
believe, even though you do not know how,' exactly it is'.
134
b) Whatever is said regarding a particular Attribute must also be

...i
each of Allah's Attributes, iu terms of affirmation or denial This

UX
&
"
icves
some or /
hi some of Allah's Attributes such, as Life. Knowledge, Ability,
as Love, Satisfaction, Anger, etc,, claiming that these-unlike the ones

he believes in- are mere metaphorical terms. To such a person we
should say, "These Attributes all belong to Allah, and there is no basis
for treating part of them differently". As you would ascribe to Alllh
certain attributes such as life, knowledge, ability, hearing and sight
without comparing them to similar qualities possessed by His
creatures, you should also believe in the Love [for righteous acts for
e.
you
would be contradicting yourself

ilKlO
*<!'
!-'S
r than
reasoning, are the- only source for knowing Allah's Names and
Attributes. Addition or omission of any Name or Attribute is,
therefore, unacceptable, for the human reasoning cannot know on its
own what the Almighty Allah deserves in this respect. Allah (M) has
saw
135
Ha' Foundation of Faith
4s
u
II
be questioned, (at-lsra': 36).. This has always been the method of the
P 'a
should Allah be described other than the way He or His Messenger

should not be exceeded".
In his contribution, another scholar reasoned that knowing
something and subsequently being able to describe it is possible
through any of the following three ways: Having seen the object itself,
or its like, or through a description of it made by one who knows it.
fhe source of our knowledge concerning Allah (), His Names and
Attributes is confined to the third way, viz. the information we mayr
Wj
.He has revealed and taught His messages, If is therefore .inevitable to

stick to the divine revelation in knowing what is, and what is not a
Him in this world so that we could describe Him, neither is there
something identical to Him that we may use its qualities to describe
Him, Exalted and Holy is our Lord,
Allah's Names are at the peak of every beauty. He says,
136
Tlit? Foundations: of Faith

i
(ai-Afaf;
180). This is so, because the bearer is Allah (fo owner of the best and
most honourable designation, while the Names themselves contain
>
The name 'al-Hay/ (The living) for instance, denotes a

perfect and permanent life with neither a beginning nor an end; a. life
that presupposes many other attributes of perfection, including
knowledge, ability, hearing, sight, etc..
The name al-'Ailm (The Knowing) on the other hand, implies
an impeccable Knowledge, free from any previous Ignorance or
subsequent forgetfulness. Allah says,
.4
' J-
> ***
He JMftsa| said, 'The knowledge thereof is with my Lord jkeptf in.

a record. My Lord JAiiahj neither errs aor forgets', its Hi: 52).
Such an extensive supernatural Knowledge that encompasses all
things both in summary and in detail, whether they relate to Allah's
/ / > .>
M J.
r-'fo >1-
conceal. (Ghgfir 19).

V
single name may alone reveal this beauty, or when such a name forms
with another one a befitting beautiful combination, and thus adding
excellence to an already existing perfection.
137
The Founulatiojis of Faith
I-'or example, Allah often conjoins the names 'aiÂzW (The

Almighty) and 'al-HakTm* (The All-Wise) to describe .Himself in the
Glorious Qur'an. Each of the two names denotes, separately, the
perfect quality it naturally entails, which is might in the former, as
we
' p'>
of both names, yet indicates an additional, excellent quality, as it

reveals that Allah's Might is never dissociated from wisdom. Hence,
His Might brings about neither injustice nor oppression, unlike some
of His creatures, who are also mighty in the human concept, but may
be led to sin by arrogance, and thus become unfair in their dealings,
Similarly, Allah's Wisdom and Judgment are ahvays characterized by
His perfect Alight, in contrast to prudence or judgment of any created
being, which are noi permanently free from inferiority, Allah knows
best.
At the close of this chapter, we would like to mention some of
the benefits thai a Muslim may reap through adherence to litis
abstaining from associating partners with Him, whether in His
Lordship, Divinity, Names or Attributes
I-
A believing servant of Allah gains the bliss of this life and the
life to come. Rather, Faith itself is the pre-requisite for achieving

felicity in both; hence, the level, of"one's belief in his Lord, His Names
ns
0-
Tht- Foundations: of Faith

T'hc most important factor of one's fear of Allah
and his
ohcriien.ee to Him is that belief he has in Him. His Names and His
Attributes. The more a person grows in his knowledge of Allah the
nearer he comes in his approach to Him. He would similarly be more
pious, devote more time and energy for the worship of his Lord, and
>
repose, security
and guidance, which the believer enjoys both in this life and in the
hereafter. Allah
*>*?* y
says.
-f
>*
it <111
.A*
*j>A* i s
' -If \
Those who have believed, and whose hearts find rest in the
remembrance of Allah, Truly, in the remembrance of Allah do
hearts find rest* tal-Rad; 28).
4-
The reward of the hereafter is attainable only for people with
sound faith. Anyone who believes in Allah and has fulfilled the
conditions of this belief wilt be rewarded in the hereafter and be
admitted into Paradise, the width whereof is as the width of the
has cither seen or heard of its like, and neither has its picture come to
a. human mind The believer will also be saved from Fire and its
devastating punishment, and, above all, gain an everlasting pleasure of
his Lord. Moreover, on the Day of Resurrection, he will enjoy looking
at the noble Face of Almighty Allah in neither distress nor trying
ordeal.
t?
to Him., Without Faith, ail ads, no mailer how various or .numerous,

are
u,
*?
*
(al-Mifidah; 5),
/ A
,0-0it;
> -'A"
/ >
*
it with necessary effort, while being a believer; for such their

effort Finds favour [with Allah], (al-Tsrab 19},
6-
Sound belief in Allah brings about compliance with the truth,
both in theory and practice. It also prepares the believer to accept

useful admonitions and effective lessons, In addition, faultless
disposition, good intention, initiatives for the performance of good
deeds, shunning forbidden and abominable actions, as well as sticking
to commendable behaviour,, noble habits and useful morals are also
benefits of having sound Faith,
7of evil and sorrow, safety and danger, obedience and msurgenee, or
any other form of the inevitable, In the days of happiness and
Him, while they also utilize the blessing He has bestowed on them in a
manner that pleases Him, During bard times and in the ease of any
misfortune, they also have recourse to their faith., and console
140
The* Fmmiiati<ms of Faith
themselves with it and the reward that usually comes in the aftermath.
They also return to their faith whenever in fear or sorrow, and their
hearts are thus reposed, their faith increases, and their reliance on
Allah becomes greater.
5
as they do pious acts and are being guided by Allah to such. They *
therefore, acknowledge His favour on. them, aspire to complete the
acts, and beseech Allah to grant them steadiness and persistence in
performing the same and make them acceptable to Him. They equally
resort to their faith in A hub when they commit any sin, and quickly
repent and get themselves purified of whatever evil or taint involved.
Thus, we see that true believers resort to died belief in the one and
only God (Allah) in all their actions and conditions.
8-
developing hearty love for Him. The reason is that Allah's Names and
arc
naturally beloved to the human mind. When the heart is full of love
e
acts, and the wisdom behind the creation- which is to worship Allah
alone, thus becomes a reality,
9the creation. This will also result in sincere reliance on Him in the
course of striving for worldly or religious benefits. And in that lie
343
like Foundation of Faith
man's success and prosperity, for whoever puis his trust in Allah, He
! >
10
The IhstT 0) .,r
gateway to all other aspects of knowledge. Usually, the field of any

knowledge is either a creation of Allah and His commandment, or
something He has made or prescribed, Allah's commandment and
creation stem from His most beautiful Names, and are so co-related
that one is a requisite for the other, Whoever accomplished the ihsa' of
Allah's Names in the best humanly possible way, has, therefore,
mastered all branches of knowledge.
f- The word ihfa' literally means counting and memorization of something. But
whenever used in relation to Allah's Names,. H further involves believing ia those
Names or Attributes, and acting in line with "heir connotations. {Translator)
342
SECTION TWO: OTHER ARTICLES OF FAITH

Chapter 1; The Belief in Angels
1.1 The identity, origin, qualities and some of the characteristics
of the angels.
1.2 The importance of believing in the angels, the nature of this
belief and its proofs.
1.3 Functions of the angels.
1.1 The Identify, origin, <|uallil and some of the characteristics

of the angels
The word 'malaikah* (i,c, angels) in, the Arabic language is the
plural form of 'maiak1; a derivative of the word 'aluk' meaning
'message'.
Angels are Allah's creatures who have luminous and soft
bodies, and are capable of assuming many honourable shapes. They
also possess outstanding power and exceptional ability to move from.
exact number is known only to Allah, Who has. chosen them to
worship Him and keep to His commandments. Hence, the angels
never refuse to execute any order from Him, and they do precisely
mr
Allah, created the angels from, light. A narration by 'Aisba

04* i
quoted the Messenger of Allah ($0 as saying.

W wiUj U
111
*)
.J*
J* v'W
,}y y
Ciia*)
**
gel
.U>
(Muslim: 2996T
Their qualities
l- i.e. in the Qur'an, Cf. al-Sajdah: 7; ?ad: 71. {Translator}
344
The- Foundation* of Faith
stern. Allah says
' ** &J.U &&&%&%#%&&
<s
- *
whose fuel is people and stones. Over which are [appointedl

angels, who are harsh and severe. (al-Tahdm: 6),
as follows;
He [the Prophet] has been taught [this Qur'an] by one who is
intense in strength, {ahNaj'ni: 5)..
ii
%
1^î?îp
highly ranked, {a kiakwir: 20).

The magnitude of the angels' physical sizes and creation is
another quality, which has been used to describe them. According to
fA,
following Qur'anic verse:

/ . >??
,Y >.-> -c? x
And he {Muhammad] has already seen hint [Jibrtlj in the clear

horizon. {at-Takwir: 23). The Prophet (&;) replied,
145
s-U-Jl
J*
^ ^ ^JLK J* *J f jtjr? J* '**1}
t/> Ji *U-Ji
"That was Jihrll (Gabriel) who I have not seen in his natural
angelic form except on these two occasions. 1 saw him descending
177}..
In another narration by Imam Ahmad, Ibn Mas'ud (#7) said,

J
-W
&Uv-i dj-
(^ *t ^
^ ^ Jjr-J ii'j)
Jij^5 V*
^ ii--
"Allah's Messenger (ft) saw Angel Jibrll in Ms original angelic

form. He has six hundred wings, each of which blocked tip the
horizon. Many pearls, rubies and other objects of different
colours, the exact number of which is known to Allah, were falling
off the Wings". {Musnad Ahmad VaU, p. 395 aid vi, p. 294''V
Also, according lo Jlbir bin 'Abdullah
& i/*>>, and as
reported by Abu Dawtkl, Allah's Messenger {Wi said *

jc>
AJsie-j
U ii\ J-yd's Q&- j* at' 35d*>U wa*
M ^ t>ii)
bearers of His Throne; the distance between his earlobe and his
shoulder is equivalent to a seven hundred year walk", i\Sunan Aim
Dawud vol. v p. 96 kadith no 4727
(2},
}-
1- The isndd (chain of transmission) for this had'ith is 'good) said al-Hiifi^ Ibn
Ktithir,
2- According to Haitharai in his Majmd' ai-Zawasd the narrators arc- known for
having transmitted many other sound haddhs,
146
Tlit- Foundation* of Faith
Another feature of the angels, is the difference in degrees of

their physical composition, There are angels with just two wings,
others with three, or four, while there are some with up to six hundred
an
*>*7Z
mi
$$*&<$&&&& k
who made the angels messengers with wings; two or three or four.
He increases in creation what He willM, (Fatin i).
Attractiveness and. handsomeness are also distinctive features
of the angels, whose slandadi'd in this respect is of towering height.
Allah (0) described Angel fibril saying,
,fHe
(the Prophetj has been taught [this Qtir'fin| by one who is
Intense in strength. Free from any defect in body and in mind. He

5, <>)
se
j*4
has been explained as
'one with attractive outward appearance' and as 'one with handsome

\ur
"0
\
And when they saw him they exalted him [admired hh

attractiveness}* cut their hands [distractedly! and said, 'God
147
lite Fotuidatioiis of Faith
forbid! This Is not a human Mug; this is hut a noble angel'! (Yusuf:
31).
from the human perspective

those
Furthermore, Allah described the angels as being honourable
and righteous. He says,
<y^r
A.
VI
-7
la the hands of scribes |Le. angels]; honourable, righteous. ( Abasa:

13, 16)..
But indeed, over you are |angeis appointed as] keepers.

Honourable, writing down [your deeds], (ai-lnfitar; JO, 11).
.Modesty is another quality of the angels,. The Prophet (H) has
said of his companion, *Uthman (40,
.(*&& itiA
J3fj &
U'.
angels are bashful"? (Muslim 2-101),

The angels are also described as being knowledgeable. Allah
V
A*
(abBaqarahr 30),
even as He ascribes to Himself knowledge of other things, of which
348

f-
One [i.e. Gabriel
is intense in sfrengi
uv
him Nbis
This verse means, according to Tabari, that 'JibriT taught the Prophet
{0} this Qur'an. Angel Ji
**t
scholar, but also as a teacher,

and noble characters
f F!
AH
important and highly esteemed they are. May the peace of Allah be
upon them.
149
The characteristics of the angels
share with them.

One of those distinctive features is that they live in the
heavens, and only come to the earth occasionally to cany out Allah's
orders regarding His creatures and their affairs, Allah says,
-4K *ttU *^0*$ î %p\

He sends down the angels with the riik (revelation) of His
-j>
; I),
<
And you will see the angels surrounding the Throne on all sides.
glorifying the praise of their Lord, tal-Zumar: 75k
in accordance with a narration by Abu Hurairah (<#). Allah's
Messenger {$&) said,
I*%J> J
:u
*j' UiT ^ .^! jAjf M Ûi ^ i/e

. (ijUe
f
HAUTJ?
A group of angels stay with you at night and another group stay
Afternoon CAsr) prayers. Those angels who have been with you
overnight ascend fto Heaven} where AMh, even though He knows
more about them, will ash the angels, "In what state have you left
my servants'? They reply, "We left them as they were performing
Muslim. 632), The proofs concerning ibis issue are too many to be
mentioned here.
550

4
verses
iA "A %
J^r
itXi-oi L
j1f* <Jt
/ s As-rA
And they make the angei% wh themselves are servants of (AllShJ

the Most
t. (ah
Zukhruf: .19).
with the names of females. tal-Nairn: 27),
Another distinguishing quality of the angels is their absolute

obedience to all of Allah's commandments, Irs addition, the angels
have no tendency for sinful acts, but, on the contrary, have natural
propensity for compliance with Allah's commands, lie says.
(al-Tahnra: 6).
,
./ ^ ....
4 >-
,'Cj? >7 >
They speak not until lie km spoken, and by His Command they
act, (ai-Anbiys': 27),
Also, the angels tire never bored with, or weary of engaging in
acts of worship. Allah (W) says.,
151
lln> Foundations of Faith

.. / ^
4 ti&i
m are neither ton proud to

worship Him, nor are they weary fof His worship}. They glorify
IHimj day and night, land] they flag not. ui-Artojva'; 19,2m
<
HO
j.s'
if*J>-
>
But if they jthe polythcisfs] are arrogant, still, those who are near
your Lord glorify Him by night and by day, and they do not
become weary.
38),
Those are some of the qualities Allah has given His angels, but
not to humankind and jinn. Generally , the angels are entirely another
physical composition. Humankind and jinn are similarly endowed
with certain features, which also make them different from one
another, Allah knows best,
f- t.e, the angels, (Translator)
152
1,2 The Importance of believing in the angels, the nature of this

heiief and its proofs
The belief In angels constitutes in Islam a pillar of Faith and a

major prerequisite for it. This has been clearly stated in the
A>
c^* y
& k. 5^
jP
Lord, and fso have] the believers. Each of them has believed in
,, (gtl-Baqarah; 2S5).
other articles of Faith, is part and parcel of His revelation to the

Messenger {$), Thai He has also enjoined this on him and on his
followers, and that ihey have ail adhered la it.
Allah says also in another verse,
- it* >
y-
-5^
Righteousness is not that you fmerdyf turn your faces toward the
east or the west, but righteousness is [in] one who believes in
fal
Raqanth; 177).
According lo this verse, Allah has made one's believe in the

mentioned items a mark of righteousness, which comprises of all
meritorious acts. The reason being thai those items are the basis of a 11
like Foundation of Faith
pious acts, In addition to being the pillars of Faith, from which all
other branches emanate.
en
IS:
//
And whoever disbelieves in Allah. His angels. His Books, His

(afNisr:
iv
136).
unbeliever and described him as having wandered far astray, h is

therefore bespoken that believing in die angels constitutes a major
pillar of Faith, while 'neglecting it nullifies the creed of a Muslim
entirely.
The Simnak as well contains some proofs on this point, as
clearly stated in the hadlih known as the hadlth of Jibrll. The hadith,.
as related by Muslim, quotes "Uinar bin al-Khattab (*&) as saying.
iVisilt
Jjfj ^
H fji Oii ifi fa JJ*J A* ^ W^)
I Jj j-far &* .A>I 'u
jL_iS
! j 
^ ^ l| If J! JLîs af
JU .^sU- 4J| C*feu1 01 C-jdl

j ;4ib ryjjf fa : Jti ?ul)h jf- ^/ss^Li :
& Jj->
Wjh
Ax*at) 4U* ,4
fa-rrIs ;Jd .ci** :Jtl *j*} *nr ,;^'H O*?J ^ fJ^'d
ja ,4)Ji
a_b' ii! ;jii ?uhjU ^

y1
i*%ait
: Jd
L4UJ4
^ ili .flijj fafag fa Wje 4f :ja
:je .jsuh ^
^ Jjj-dt u Jil ?a*ub
tj djl_jdfcy it'Uij! vU^-j ,414! ;S1 yill aW*3' iy Cflj
154
<USs

:jL-i
^ ;cJi VjJUJl j,
jtl jr Ui wiis jik?'
One day, we were with Allah's Messenger (ji:) when a purely white
dressed man, with exceptionally black hair appeared before its. No
knees, while resting his palms over his own thighs. He then said, fO
Muhammad! Inform me about Islam1. Allah's Messenger p&) said*
'Islam ts to testify that there is no deity worthy of worship but
AtlSh, and thai Muhammad is His Messenger; to perform Salah\
to pay the obligatory charity (Zakiih); to fast in the month of
Ramad&n and to perform Hajj to the sacred House fin MakkahJ,
provided that you are able to do soh He [the questioner] remarked,
'You have spoken the truth'. We- were amazed to see him playing
the roles of a questioner and a verifier simultaneously. He then said,
"Tell me about Faith1. Allah's Messenger (jig) said, 'That you believe
in Allah, His angels, His Books, His Messengers, the Last Bay and
in predestination; whether auspicious or inauspicious
'Inform me about
The Prophet () said, 'To worship
Allah as If you are seeing J Shin for although you do not, but He
- ,
certainly sees you <1 - The questioner said, 'Tell me about the Hour
and the Prophet's response was, 'Who is being asked this question
1- That is outstanding performance of acts of worship, {Translator)

2- i.e. the last day of the world. (Translator)
155
like Foundatiotis of Faith
does not know more than the questioner himself. Then he said,
That a slavegirl will give birth to her mistress, and that you will see
barefooted
ying with one another

*
stage, and after a long while the Prophet iM) asked me, 'O Timor!
Did you know who the questioner was1? I replied, "Allah and. His
Messenger know best'. The Prophet (g) said, "That was fAngel]
JibrTi; lie has come to teach you your religion", {Muslim: 8),
degrees of religion, and symbolizes a unique approach to the teaching
of Islam as a religion. It applies a methodology based on dialogue
between an angelic Messenger, Jibril (-%&0, the archangel, and a
human Messenger, Muhammad ftff who is also the best of all
mankind.
to this hadUh and borrow from it their approach to the process of
with them- have also acted, in the same way. More pertinently, the
liadJth contains reference to the angels, and describes the belief in
b
How do we believe in the angels?

Believing in the angels comprises of certain things, which
every believer in them must observe. They are as. follows:
156
TIH Foundations of Faith

1-
f j-i'
2-
none
. The proof of this
includes Almighty Allah's saying that

f
Muddashihir: .3 i}-Thai is to say, in the opinion of some pious

predecessors of the Muslim Ummah, due to the large number of the
soldiers of your Lord, (Le. the angels) none except Him alone knows
them.
The lengthy hadifh of tire Night journey of the Prophet to
(<#=) quotes Allah's Messenger
'
(is) as saying,
4dyJu
C~r*It
OA :Jis yt,u u EJaj^r h :cdli

w

2- TV- wording as quoted above is from the Muslim's compilation.
157
(Bid-Mai
3207;
in another hac&h related by Muslim on the authority of

.h
.<*}& diu*'{J? ^ ifuj
^ *^9^-
</&>
and with each bridle there will he seventy thousand angeb

dragging the Ml. (Muslim-. 2U2).
The two had)fits we have just mentioned are proofs on how
large the number of the angels is. We have stated that a batch of
seventy thousand angels enters the Bait Ma'mur every day and never
returns to it again, and that Hdtiire will be dragged on the Day of
Resurrection by such a great number of angels, Therefore, one can just
imagine the multitude of other angels, charged with other various
tasks! Only Allah, their Creator, knows that.
r>-
The dignity of the angels, their high standing and nobility in the
sight of their Lord should also be accorded necessary recognition,

says,
r
/
srA'
*
A >"f
a sm1. Glorified is lie! Rather, they are jbutj honoured servants

His
order they act. (al-Anbiya 2(>07).

i\
'f
111 the hands of scribes fangeisj. Honourable, righteous. pAbasa: 35,

16}.
158
verse He says of Ihe-m,
and never do they become weary. (FuîUii: m

Thus, He has qualified them as those who are near Him - an
outstanding prestige indeed, in addition to being un-weary in
furthermore, in keeping with, the angels' prestige in His sight,
Allah has sworn by them in some places in the Quran, These include;
|i swear] by those [angels] ranged in ranksm And those who
drive [the clouds] along. And those who recite the Dhikr [Qur'an
and other divine Books]. (al-Ssafti: I -3).
J*
-Mh
7
And by those [angels] who bring criterion. And those who deliver
, (al-Mursalfe; 4 s 5).
Proofs of the- honour Allah has bestowed upon His angels are
expressed in varying methods and multifarious contexts in the
Glorious Qur'Sn. These are so enormous and clear enough for any
right minded person to observe. Establishing the same, from an
Islamic viewpoint, is therefore inevitable.
f- Or lined up in rows,
]5l>
4-
1,1
D'
of their positions in the sight of Allah {W)> as established in the

religious lexis, Allah says *
,/ 't* / 'It
-<_i > f
AIMh chooses from the angels Messengers and from mankind.

AtlSh is indeed* All-Hearing, All-Seeing. (al-Hsyj: 75),
m ujiMffX^CifStjAr
- A
cs
Never would the Messiah disdain to be a servant of Allih* nor

would the angels who are near jjt IlimJ. (ai-Nisa'i 172}
Allah's Message, while -others are near Him; an indication of their
superiority. Those who are near Allah (A!-Muqarrahi~m), in addition to
the bearers of His Throne are the best of all angels, with just three
among ihem occupying the highest positions. The trio arc mentioned
in a supplication, which the Prophet used to recite at the beginning of
J*J*'J *
O AltSh! The Lord of Jibrfl, MEkfttl and Isr&ftt. The Originator of

the heavens and the earth, Who knows the seen and unseen.
{Muxnud Ahmad: vol. vi p. 156: Sunan ul-NmuiiviA. in p. 173 hadssh no. 1625JU}
Among these three, fibril is superior to the other two an gel s,

He is the one entrusted to convey Allah's revelation; his honour is
1- An almost 'identical narration occurs as well, in lu>lh :;.ahih Muslim (no. 770} and
Sunan Ihn Majah {no, 1357),
160
therefore an upshot of his task. Allah made mention of Jibrli in the

Qur'an in a manner incomparable to the way any other angel has been
mentioned, lie has also called and described him with most
honourable names and qualities, such as calling him the Ruhil.i in the
following verses:
(abSkraii'
193).
!
;#
Therein Ion the Night of Decree^1! descend the angels and the
Ruh, {ariQadr: 4).
Furthermore, this epithet "ruh is mentioned annexed to the
Almighty Allah's name, as another honour for its hearer, Jihril, Allah
says,
Then We sent to her our Rsh who appeared before her in the
form of a well proportioned man. (Maryam; 17),
/ <.*<
>> A'' r y.
Say, 'The Rah of the Quds brought it down from your Lord', (ah
NaKi: 102). The word 'Qudv' here, according to the correct interpretation
of the verse, refers to Allah ($g).
Jibrii is further described in some other ways, including:
I- Literally, "spirit",
161

/
# UV
\v*"
10 4>''> &
%$A
r*,
y. (al
Takwlr: 19-21),
\
.r
He [the Prophet] has been taught [this Qur'Snl by one who is

[,fitsrjlj rose and became stable [in lib true angelic form], (al-Najm:
5, 6).
Thus, Allah
described Jibril as His Messenger, and as being
honourable, mighty and distinguished in His sight. Jihiii was also

described as being obeyed In the heavens, trustworthy in the
conveyance of revelation, in addition to being of handsome physical
appearance.
should not perceive them as enemies, Allah {0) says

.f
. " /r>
4; *#>.
'Jj'J
^ > >fjV \
The believers, males and females, are friends (supporters) of one

another, (at-Twbah; ??).
The fact that the angels are also believers in Allah and obedient to
Him, leaves no doubt concerning their inclusion here. The words of
d as
follows:
162

Jk **
?*
which they tire ordered. tri-Tabilm: 6).
.4
iSZ'J.aSi * d2^
But if you help one another against him [the Prophet], then
indeed, AHJSh is his Protector, and Jibrfi and the righteous among
the believers. (ai-Taiiniii: 4).
5.
' -j-
-*
He [Allah] it is Who sends His blessings on you, and so do His

angels. That He may bring you forth from darkness unto light, (alAhx&b: 43).
y
>y* ^ *4
IsO-*
Indeed, those who have said, "Our Lord is Allah' and afterward
were upright, the angels will descend upon them [saying,J 'Pear
not nor grieve'. (Fu$ilat: 30).
Believers are therefore duty-bound to love and support the
angels, as reciprocation of their love, help, support and asking Allah to
forgive the believers as well Similarly, Allah warned against being
hostile to His angels. He says,.
/
A.
OH
3s3&
and Mlksn - then indeed, Allah is an enemy to the unbelievers. <alBatpraln 98),
163
Here, Allah declared thai harbouring hatred for His angels also
provokes His own enmity and wrath., The angels only act according to
Allah's instruction; being hostile to them is, therefore, tantamount to
being hostile to Allah Himself.
fr
and have no
say, neither In the creation of the uni verse nor in the running of its
affairs. They are but forces of Almighty Allah, who act on His orders.
The disposition of all affairs is totally in the Hands of Allah; no-one
shares any portion thereof with Him,
Moreover, k is unlawful to devote any act of worship to the
angels. Rather, their Creator, who has also created all other creatures
and has neither a parmer nor a peer in His Lordship, Divinity, Names
aud Attributes, should alone be worshipped, Allah says in explaining
this point,
J
Neither could he la Prophet of Aiifth| command yon to take the

angels and Prophets as lords. Would he order you to disbelieve
after you had been Muslims? (Al-lmran; $0)
I'i
^ s-' -
iXi,
i
. <
A*'*-*
&
pUrCdy
**
* >- '-'AH
fT
4:
a son'. Glorified is He! Rather, they are [but] honoured servants
[of if Is], They do not utter a word until He has spoken, and on His
order they act. He knows what is before them and what is behind
564
them, md they cannot intercede except for one whom He

approves of. And they!
whoever of them should say, 'Indeed, I am a god besides Him*,
the wrongdoers, (al-Anbiya*: 26-29},
Here, Allah made is
oJ
the angels, And how could lie have ordered that when such is an act
of disblief in Him? Subsequently, Allah disproved the claim thai the
angels are His daughters, and raised Himself far above such a false
claim. He also declared that they are but servants whom He has
chosen to honour. They abide by His order, apprehensive from fear of
Him, and could not intervene on behalf of anyone excepi him among
the monoiheisis with whom He is pleased. In conclusion, Allah
ime
to claim that he is a god. It is thus evident from the foregoing that the
angels are mere servants of Allah and under His absolute control. On
7-
Believing specifically in those angels who are mentioned by
name in either the Qurltt or the Suwtah. They include JibrTf Mlkall,
IsrafTI, Malik, Harut, Marat* Ritjw&n, Munkar, Kaklr and any other
in divine texts. This list
also comprises those angels whose description is given in the texts,
I
deed), and those who are identified with certain functions, like the
Death Angel and the Angel of the mountains, it includes also those
whose collective tasks are spelled out generally, as in the eases of the
165
the protection of Allah's creation, those entrusted with the safety ol

embryos and the uteruses, those who perform circumamhulation
iiawaf) round al-Bait al-Ma'mur'm the heaven, as well as those who
Lour around the globe, etc"
and strictly in
their names, qualities, functions and information, We shall discuss all

this in the coming pages tnsha Allah.
The above represents the bulk of what we must believe in,
regarding the angels, as contained in the Islamic texts. Allah, the
Exalted knows best.
166
1.3 Functions of the angels

Angels are a section of Almighty Allah's soldiers, He has
assigned to them many important roles and assignments, and equipped
them with the necessary strength, to enable them perform their duties
the angels are divisible along the following lines:
Angel Jibrll, who is responsible for the conveyance of Allah's
revelation to the human Messengers, May the peace and blessing be
upon them, Allah says.
The- trustworthy Ruh^1' has brought it |Le, the Qur'Sisf Upon your
heart [O Muhammad], that you may be of the warners. In a clear
Arable tongue. (ai-SliuW: 193-195).
fibril, as we have mentioned earlier, is the archangel and the
most honourable of all angels m the sight of Allah, Who has
accordingly described him as powerful and trustworthy in dischargin O
his responsibilities.
The Prophet (M) only saw him in his angelic form twice, while
on all other occasions he appeared to him in the form of a man. In one
of those two angelic appearances, the Prophet 0) saw him in the
horizon, towards the east. On this, Allah (M) has said,
And indeed, he (Muhammadf has seen him jJibrlll in the clear
horizon. (abTakwsf: 23).
f- Literally, 'spirit*,
3 67
lle Foundations of Faith
The other time the Prophet (0) saw Jihril was m the heaven*
on. the night of ism'. Allah says.
/
\
V'
-.V i"+*
&r
And surely, lie has seen him [Jibrll| in another descent [on
Near
it 18 the Paradise of Abode. (al-Najm: 13-15).
According to Muslim's compilation of the hadtih, VVishah
asked the Prophet (Ml to explain the above quoted verses, and he
said,
J]
bW
"That was Jibrll, who 1 have not seen in his real angelic form
except on these two occasions, L saw him descending from the
heaven with the magnitude of his physical appearance covering
the distance between the heavens and the earth". (Muslim: nib
Another angel is MtkMi, who takes charge of raindrops,
plantations and crops, He has been mentioned in the Quran as
follows,
jii 31
>>'
.
*
f.s?
J-** i>
4 of,
if
&
AI
(al-
Angel Mlkall occupies a high position with his Lord. No

wonder He made special mention of both him and jihril in the above
verse, even after he had earlier mentioned the more general
16a
appellation -"His angels"- to show how important the two of them are.
Mfkaf! is also mentioned in the Sitmmh, as we have quoted earlier the
Prophetic supplication for the night non-obligatory prayer, when he
would say.
J^lr-b Jsf^j Jijfi- ^ fr&hy
"O AlUih! The Lord of JibrTI, MTkSTl and IsrUflL.."* {Musnad Ahmad:
vol. vs p.156: Sumn nl-Nitxai. vol. Hi p.173 hadith no. 1.625^'). The Muslim
scholars have deduced from this that the trio of Jibi'Tl, Mlkall and
Ismftl are the best of all angels,
The last mentioned in the hadith, Is.r3.tTh is charged with the
responsibility of blowing the Siirll\ in addition to being one of the
bearers of Allah's Throne. Imam Ahmad reported on the authority of
'Abdullah bin \Amr {U$_* d\ ^that a Bedouin once came to the
Prophet (Is) and asked him what was the Sur'l The Prophet (is)
answered.
"A horn which will be blown", {MnmadAhmmt vol. is p.162, ll>2). This
hadhh was also related by Hakim1.3) and both he and Dbahahi
declared it an authentic narration,
According to both. Ahmad and Tirmidhi, Abu Sa'Td al-Khudri
(&) also narrated a hadith quoting the Prophet (H) as saying,
t- An almost identical narration occurs as well in bulb rpsbilt Muslim (no. 770) and
Sunan Ihn Mdjah (no 1357),
2- This $&' is in the form of s huge horn,
3- Musmdmk vol is ]>, 5Ob; iv p, 5S9, The hadith lias been quoted directly from this
source,
Wi

JiJ ,jAfc ^ ja*, 6xe*
S
OJAJI
W"'w *!l J&j ^ U/>
J!
k>y*LU
"How can
to see when he will he ordered [to blow the Horn|. The Muslims
[i.e. the audience] said, 1G Messenger of Allah, what should we say
then1? He replied, "say, "Ifash una Allah wa tii'ma al-Wakfh *al
AllSh tawakkalnW (Allah is sufficient for us, and lie is the best
Disposer of affairs. We put our trust in Allah)'." {Musmd Ahmmi-. vol.
rti p.vii; Sman Tirmidhi vol iv p, 620 im 2431; vol, v pp. 372-373 no, 3243?,
This U a fairly sound hadFih {hasan), in the opinion of Tirmidhi, but
followed by that of swoon,, and finally the blast of resurrection, Allah

says as He refers to the first blow.
4jjV! 4 Crt> >^4
P
*>
except whom Allah will {exempt], (al-Naml: 87).,

-r .3 A *&.
>
27* VI
4 o*j
4 4*
4
s*
And the Horn will be blown. All who are in (he heavens and all
who are on the earth will swoon away, except whom Allah will
(exempt]. Then It will blown a second lime, and, at onee, they will
be standing, looking on. ud-Zumar: 08}.
370
'There is another angel whose primary function is jfe

termination; hence, he is called The Angel of Death (Malak al Mawi)
<>
Sav* "The Angel of Death, who is set over yon, will take your souls.
Then to your Lord you will be returned1, (al-Sajdah; 11),
The angel of death has under him. some angelical subordinates, who
appear to a person
varies from one person to another; they appear in a most pleasant
mood to the righteous urn! in a most horrible way to the sinful, Allah
vh-
W H
tiiL-j- oy
Until when death lias approached one of you, Our Messengers

1 Angel of Death and his aides] take his soul, and they do not
neglect their duty* fal-AiVam: 63).
The angel entrusted with the mountains is called 'The Angel
of the .Mountains' (Malak alMihal), He is mentioned in a hadiih
narrating the Prophet's bitter experience at the advent of his mission
with the people of Taif.01
1
jULu
* A* i>l
jLUi <Jtj*
w a^y JvU ^ dJL^ k

W.T.I^ Cj iWviA 'wfcj1 UJi'i
: c* Ja
11 "L
'
14
-i
a
i
$ jprJ -b
Ctis
f- A city near Makkah, -t a dss&mce of about 85 km, (Translator)
J71
*# .
l^rlU
"Suddenly, 1 was shaded by a doud, As 1 looked up 1 saw Angel

.fibril in thai" cloud He called me and said, 'Allah has heard what
your people said and their response to your call Now He has sent
to you the Angel of the Mountains, so that you may command him
to deal with them In a manner you deem fit'. Then the Angel of
the Mountains also called me, greeted me and then said, 'O
Muhammad, that is left to you; if you like, I will cause the two
mountains I of Makkah; Alto Qubais and the one facing if) to fall
m them*, The Prophet <H) said, 'No, J rather hope that Allah will
12 t
alone and would not associate partners with Him'." (Sahlh Bukhtm:
3231; Sahlh Muslim: 1795).
Another angel is entrusted with the safety of the uteruses.

Anas bin Malik {-#} narrated that Allah's Messenger (M) said,
** * Vj k .W* ^ k
lyj k :Jj% ^ f j*k Jpj J*3 J*
Ui SX*- <*)
f jS"M :Jd
.âb iil a'/ lid
<** J* 4
"Allah has appointed for the womb an. angel who says, rO Lord! A
drop of semen, O Lord! A clot, O Lord! A little lump of flesh t
And if Allah wishes to complete its creation, the angel will ask:
'Male or female? Wretched or blessed? What about His/her
0'
(SWu/j Mukhari: 3 It: Sahlh Muslim:
2646).
The hearers of Allah's Throne are also among the angels.

Allah (W) says.
172
Cfil
**
pgj
iywi Pp &J
c$i ^
y
4 !*#
Those who carry the Throne and those around it glorify the
the believers. (Ghafir: ?),
4^
<3# *> JC*
And eight jof the angels] will, that day, bear the Throne of your
Lord above them, tal-Haqqah: VI)..
According to a Musbm scholar, those angels around the
Throne are known as the Karruhiyym, who, together with the bearers
of the Throne (Hamukiiu a! '' Arsh), are of the highest rank among the
angelsti)
Another group of the angels arc the keepers of Paradise.
Allah (M) says,
jf i
And those who feared their Lord w ill be led to Paradise in groups
until when they reach there while it gates have been opened and
its keepers say, 'Peace be upon you; you have done well; so enter it
to abide therein eternally1', {ai-Zumar; 73).
<+j& "fPjjj
PP #
Gardens of eternal residence; they will enter them with whoever

were righteous among their fathers, their spouses and their
descendants. And the angels will enter upon them from every gate.
{al-RaVi: 23).
I- Ibn Kalhir, Tqfs'ir vol. vij p. 120,
173
-We seek refuge in Allah from Hell-. Allah (M) says,

if
feJJSSjfiC WJZ-
Arid those In the Fire will say io the guards of Hell, 'Entreat your
Ford to relieve us of a day of the torment', (Ghafin 49>,
J 1/
>"
..'r \
guards of Hell. (al-'Alaq: 17,3 8).
4 \&
Over it [Heiifire] are nineteen {angels]. And We have appointed

none but the angels as guardians of the Fire. And their number
We have made only to be a trial for the unbelievers. (al-Mtiddatluhir:
xr 31).
h>i
And they will cry out, 'O Mfilik y let your Lord put us to death'.
fie will say, 'Indeed, here you must remain', (al-Zufchmf: 77).
a guard of Hell comes m a kaduh related by Bukhdri on the authority
of Samara bin. Jundub {#) who quoted Allah's Messenger (M) as
saying,
UA, tjtjr trfj ,p\
dfJl. Jd\ Ji$ ^
ihilt C-fy)
I saw tonight two men who came to me and said, 'That {angel] you
see kindling the fire is Malik, the keeper of Hell. J am Jibrll and
this is MlkUi. {sa%fy BitkhSri-. 3236).
f- i.e. one of the guards ofHeH.
374

m
Ma'rnBr. A fresh batch of seventy thousand angels enter it every day

as reported by Malik bin Saâ'ah (-4&) that Allah's Messenger (0) said,
j-jT 4*4
C*Sl U* ;Jil tU* U
y
Ci> J ^ >}
b j*T V
I ** lyj* !M
>j*r- fjj
bouse In
al-Ma'mfo; seventy thousand angels enter it every day, and when

i I\
they have left, they never return 1o ii V (liukhari-, 3207; Muslim; my .

The Sayyafrun (Those who lour round the globe) are
1111
by Abu Hurairah (0) has ii that,

Uji Sj-erj
jkh J
,(,,, UijJl tWJl'
J Jti
is &)}
J] I***U
Alllh has some angels who go round searching for those who
remember Allah, As soon as they Unci any group thai engages in
on
to the object of your pursuit*! The Prophet iM) added, 'Then the
angels encircle them with their wings up to the nearest heaven*.
{.S'ah.Ih Bukhdn: 6408; sahlh A4mlim\ 2689)'(2)
1-The wording as quoted above ss from the Muslim's compilation

2- The hadhh as quoted above is from xah'ih BukJidri.
IIS
Foundations of Faith
creatures
to communicate to the Prophet (?*) greetings from his followers. The
a sound chain of
-o
transmission, and on the authority of'Abdullah bin Mas'ud (&)> that

Allah's Messenger {$) said,
(^-J5
J,
0?)
AUSh (Jg) has some angels who tour round the globe; they convey
to me greetings from my ummah {i.e. my adherents). {Musmd Ahmad:
(3)
vol. i p. 452; Sunan cd-Nasal vol. iii p. 43 hadtih no. 1282)
Another group of angels are the Honourable Scribes

(Kiram Katibun), whose duty is to record and compute the deeds of
Allah's creatures. Allah (Jg) said,
% '''
a# yjxy
2* SiiS*
And indeed, over you are {appointed] keepers* Honourable,

writing down jyoar deeds], They know whatever you. do. (aMnfriar;
If*
one
on the
right and the other on the left. Heit) does not utter a word except
that with him is an observer, ready to record (it]. (Qai: 17 18).
1- The kadiih as quoted above is from Musnad Ahmad,

2- i.e. human being, male or frmak.
126
MujShid, a notable scholar, said in his interpretation of these verses,.

''There is an. angel on his right and another on his left. The an get on
the right writes down his good deeds, while his bad deeds are also
:i.|3
There are some

and interrogate the dead In their graves. They are catted "Munkar
and Nak'i'r", as established in some authentic kadiths. Bukhari and
Muslim related on the authority of Anas bin Malik (4ri that the
Prophet iM said,
flbt j*AW
40 a& 4_J!
ijyy *jd J
*) -Mb bp
ti J fig- j^jll uii III w*t JJTJJI WU JI Jys

g*4
^ i&!'
al jijl QA Iil.ÂAa
JeiS M ijtiLS dj**jj
When a person has been lowered into his grave and his people
have returned home leaving him behind, Even as he certainly
hears their footsteps, two angels come to him, get Mm seated and
then say, 'What did yon use to say of this man (Muhammad $)'?
9
M testify that
he is a servant of Allah and His Messenger'. Then it will he said to

him, 'Look at your seat in the Hellfire; Allah has given you in
place of that another seat in Paradise1. And he will see both seats.
(Bukhari; W^Mustmr, 2mf\
A similar narration comes from Abu Hurairah (4*), according
to both Tirmidhi and Ibn Hibban. The Prophet (0) was reported to
have said.
I- TV- hadUh as quota] above is from yahih Bukhari.
nn
The Foutidatiotis of Faith

j&'tyj jSsid*
Olajk-v*! 0"iU atff
Jts ji c*d,l jp ^5}
-(
J0'<
,-
When a dead person for perhaps he said 'one of you'] is buried,

two black-blue angels4,14eome to him. One of them is called .41.V,
Ihey will say, 'What did you use
to say concerning this man
ti n
T ySunan Tirmidhi: Ihn Uihhari)(2)

~'
Those we have mentioned above are the most famous of the

angels whose names or functions are precisely defined in religious
texts. It is incumbent upon every' person to believe in their existence
and accept as true whatever is said concerning them in the divine
texts. Allah (if) knows best.
The benefits of the belief In the angels
Believing in the angels provides many significant benefits for the
believers, These include;
1as His perfect power and authority.
creatures. This is manifested through appointing, for those creatures.
This may also be translated as "two black angels with blue eyes"', according to
Sheikh Mubarakafuri in his commentary on Smm Tirmidhi (Tuhfat aiAfywadhi). vol. sv, p. 155,
2- Snnan Tirmidhi, vol. hi p,385, harfiih no. J 073; aidhsm fi taqrib $ahih Ibn
FUbhm vol, vii p, 386. hadbh no, 31 i ?, The haduh as quoted above is in.
accordance with the Tiirnkllii's version,, who has also classified the hadtih as a
fairly sound haditk.
]7S
Tint Foundation* of Faith

angels who look after ihem, record their deeds and do many other
a- .
their assistance for the faithful and their pleading for Allah's
forgiveness on their behalf.
Chapter Two: The Belief in Books Revealed by Allah

Introduction: Linguistic and Islamic meaning of Revelation (#/Wahy). and its types.
thereof.
2.2 The way of believing in the Divine Books.
2.3 The distortion of the Torah Infti (Gospel) and some other
books excluding the Qur'&n.
2.4 Believing in the Qur'In and the characteristics of that.
Introduction: linguistic and Islamic meaning of Revelation {alWahyU and its types,
Literally, the word 'wahy is used for my fast and mysterious
communication. Thus, wahy may be a gesture, writing., message or
inspiration; any information you successfully pass to others, through
whatever channel, constitutes a wahy, In this .sense, wahy is neither
A
the following areas:

1-
Natural inspiration for humankind, such as in the ease of the

V'
49
A
. dA
-v^
And we Inspired the mother of Misa fsayiflgl, 'Breast-feed himh

T>,
2-
Instinctive inspiration to animals, like the one to the bees as
mentioned in the following verse:

And your Lord inspired the bees Isayiftgl 11 ake your habitations
in the mountains,,,' (al-Nahl: 68).
3- A quick signal iirdicatiiig a symbol oi' suggestion. Such a gesture
was once used by Prophet Zakariyah (Zachariab) (%) to communicate
with his people. Allah says,
:Sl
Then he [&akariyyah| came tmt Id his people from the prayer

chamber and signalled, to them Isayiitgl, 'Glorify fAHShl in the
morning and afternoon'. (Maryam; II).
4- The insinuation of the Devil, and the evil be portrays to he fairseeming in the minds of his confederates, Allah (M) says,
: ch - > A ^.
U
L -
i>-
:>
IIT:-
And certainly the devils inspire their associates to dispute with

yon. (al-An'am; 121).
5-
indeed with you, so keep firm those who have believed'. (al-Anfal:
12}.
Meaning of Revelation (Wahf) from an Islamic viewpoint

likes of His laws or Scriptures, either directly or through an
intermediary".
Typ es of Revelation
Receiving a revelation from Allah is accomplished in many
ways, summed up in the following Qufanic verse:
jrjii
cfS M
*4,
4M
* - -
1'\ <&
c>
unless through revelation; or from behind a partition; or that He
] S2
Tin? Foundation* of Faith
-o
Here, Allah declared, that His speech or revelation to human beings

comes in three categories:
First; Sheer inspiration. That h what Allah easts into the heart of a
receiver of His revelation, who will know for sure that Allah, and
none else, is the source of such a revelation. The phrase 'Unless
through revelation' ud-ThiM; 51) in. the just quoted verse selves as
in a
kadHh narrated by 'Abdullah bin MasTid. (4M who quoted the Prophet.
(0} as saying,
IjTSHj M ijSU i$Ijj J-&-J &
-jj J sLJi.
.(wiyi j
The Huh al-Quds (he, Archangel jibrlij has breathed into my

heart that so seal will die unless it had exhausted its (God-gives)
i 5)
livelihood]. (Suhik Jbn Hibba/f T aSMusuidrak vol. is p,jv; Swum Ibn Majnh,
hadith no. 2144; Ibis AbT Danyii, al-Qmm 'air, al-Baihaqi, Shu'ah ai-riman^; a!I 3I
Boghawi, volxiv p.304 haa'iSh no. 4 \. 1:2}" ,
what a Prophet of Allah sees in a dream., A Quranic account of such a
1- See; Atowarid al-Zam'an, hadith no, 1084,, 1085,

2- See: al-Mughni 'an Ijamt ai-Asjar, pp, 419,895,
3- This is a sound iiadiik according 1o Hlikirri and Dhahabi.
1S3
The foundations of Faith
4^
4I
should sacrifice you'. (aUftSfllc 102)..

to
have at the earliest stage of his mission. According lo both Bukhari
and Muslim* 'Aisha ft** &
"^l "*i-ij iSji ^
said,
kiJ1
i>* S -&1 Jj*} nuiki* JA

(gv*oh jAi JiA Ojit^r
The revelation to Allah's Messenger began with good dreams. He

had no dream except that it turned to be real (clear) like bright
daylight. (Bukhari, hadsih m. 3; Muslim. hadlsh m. E60}1'*.
The Prophets with whom Allah has communicated in this

mode include:
* Mils a
as mentioned in a number of Quranic verses, such as;

/. (aJ-NisS': 164).
/
>
' A X" r-i'-\

'J
And when Mosa came at the time and place We had appointed
and his Lord spoke to him. (al-AW; 143).
Adam (*&&}> according to a saying of Allah that:
1- The hadsih as quoted above is from frfhik Bukhan; Muslim only related an almost
sirrolar version.
] S4
Tlit Fmmdatiofts of Faith
: 37).
Muhammad {#}, io whom, according to proofs from the Summh,

Allah has also spoken during his night journey to heaven.
in the earlier quoted
verse is the phrase; "... or from behind a partition"* (al-Shura; 51).
Third: Revelation through an angel,, such as the coming down of
Angel fibril with revelation from Allah
ti> t
Messengers
Prophets. The proof of this form of revelation is in the clause; "
t> *
or
that He sends a Messenger to reveal, by His Permission, whatever

He will". (al-Shurst: 51).
The whole of the Glorious Quran has been revealed in this
way; uttered by Almighty Allah to the hearing of Angel Jihril, who in
turn conveyed it to Muhammad (Js). Allah says,
And truly it filie Qur'&n| is the revelation of the Lord of all

beings. The trustworthy Rah has brought it down upon your
heart [O Muhammad], that you may be of the warners...
(al
SJm'ariA 192-194).
'4
XJJ J*
*>
ft
Says TThe Rfihu> of the Qud ] Allah] brought it down from your
Lord, in truth. (abNabl:
f- t.e, Angel JihrTl f&SK (Translator)
185

Jibrd (?2SST) communicated Allah's revelation to our Prophet ($g) using
three different methods:
)- He appeared to the Prophet (M) twice in his real angelic
.0)
2- Sometimes, tine revelation, would come to the Prophet (0) as

the ringing of a bell, and when it has ceased he recalled whatever
fibril had said.

3-
and communicate the message to the Prophet (0). An example of this

is the earlier mentioned hacilsh^', where Jibiil came to ask the Prophet
The Prophet (0) informed us of the second and third methods
mentioned above when he fielded a question put to him by al-Harith
bin Hishlm (#*)
to you1'? He answered
u^
J, Jt*s UUdy
ceased, I recall whatever lie [Angel JihrTlj said. This kind is the
man, and I grasp whatever he says", {sahib Bukhiin: 2; sahib Muslim :
2333>.
1- CI p.. 167.
2- Of. P. 155.
]86
thereof;
What are the Books?
The word 'kuiub', the plural form of 'kiiab\ is the verbal noun
ofkataba-yaktuhif, meaning: to write something. The linguistic usage
The word 'kstab' initially was used to denote a sheet of paper and
,
<
The people of the Book ask you to bring down to them a hook
from heaven. (al-Nisah 153), i.e. a sheet of paper with something
written on it.
to His Messengers, These consist of what He originally sent in a book

form, such as the Torah, and that which He revealed verbally through
art angel but was later documented, as was the case with the other
divine Books.
is
an important pillar of Faith and a major principle of Islam., without

which one cannot become a believer, There are proofs of this in the
Qufan and the Simnah. Allah (t) says,
187

s*
]> Jii
&& *$ y&pk *AKVJ $% W* ***

M
^ %4^jJ v->--J -r- -
0 3#
4J IJ-JJU
O you the faithful

[Muhammad M\
?'
believe in Allah and
I the Book thai lie sent down upon His
Messenger and the Book which Me sent down before. And

whoever disbelieves in
Mis angels, His Books, Ilis
Messengers and the Lasi Day has indeed gone far astray. (al-Nisis*.;
136).
!n this verse Allah commanded his. servants,, the faithful to abide by all
ordered them to believe in Him, His Messenger, Muhammad fj), die
Book I.e. the Qur'an- that Me sent down upon His Messenger, and
that which He sent down before, which comprises all the previous
Books like the lotah.
' and the ZahurP) Furthermore, He
declared at the end of the verse whoever disbelieves in any of the
a
course, one of those mentioned pil lars of Faith, Allah says further.
I- Allah's revelation to his Prophet, Tsa (Jesus) -may the peace of Allah be upon
him- is called Injt!, which is commonly rendered in English as "Gospel",
(Translator)
(David jfcS), The biblical Booh, of Psalms usually rendered in Arabic as 'Sifr alMa-amir does not precisely represent Allah's revelation o him. (Translator)
133.
The Foundations t Faith
*36 s* & y y$s
p&& cJâ>
4. d$Ss*J&%
Righteousneess is not that you [merely) turn your faces toward the
east or the west, but righteousness is |ixt| one who believes In
Allah, the Last Day, the angels, the Book and the Prophets
i.
(at
Baqarah: 177).
m those pillars of Faith, as well as io practicing the virtues that were

subsequently mentioned in the verse, Allah mentioned "believing in
the Book' as a pill
,-r
F i
to Ibri Kathlr, h a generic noun embodying all the heavenly revealed

books, up till the time they were finally sealed with the coming of the
me CO
.(2)
in the following tone,
vj*5S
jJi cj Zgi, *3 JLgj o*
$1 4?'. ^
A \
îs ^
dJ ij C$Z&j
bh* f
t|j1> "j
,s#
o.y^*
J**
Say.
that which was scut down to Ibrahim [Abraham], IsmlPrl

[ishmael], lsh3q {Isaac], Ya^qflb [Jacob] and the Descendants1^,
and that which was given to Mflsa [Moses] and 'fsa [Jesus], and
t- thn Kathir, Tapir vol, k p. 297.
2- The Jews and the Christians, (Translator)
3- i.e, the descendants ofWqub (Jacob or Israel),
189
distinction between any of them, anil to
Him we submit as
Muslims'. i.al-Saqarah: 1.36).

down to them through 'His Messenger (M), what He had revealed to
those prominent Prophets mentioned in the verse., as well as His
revelation, to all other Prophets as a 'whole, Furthermore, the verse
points out that the believers do not discriminate between the
concerned. The verse has thus contained belsefm all Messengers and
in the books revealed to them, just as there are many other verses of
the Glorious Quf'ari referring to this as well.
The Simnah similarly attests to the necessity of believing in the
divine Books, and declares such as a pillar of Faith, This is evident in
the hadUh of Jihrfl T&Sf when lie asked the Prophet (#) about the
pillars of Faith, and Allah's Messenger (M)-, in his response, mentioned
believing in the Books as one of those pillars, This hadlth has been
0)
It is, therefore, established that believing in the divine Books,

all without exception, is an obligation. Similarly, one should believe
in them as revelations from Allah, sent down to His Messengers with
truth, guidance and light. Moreover, he should see whoever
disbelieves in them or denies any part thereof as an unbeliever, and no
more as a Muslim.
f- Please see p. 155.
1*1
Believing in Books revealed by Allah has many great impacts

on the believer. These include;
contain guidance for them to their
heavenly benefits and
interest.
2
I A
Books laws iliat are suitable for every nation. Moreover, the laws of
the Glorious Quran, being the seal of the Books, conform to all ages,
and are relevant in any place until the Day of Resurrection,
3- Affirmation of the talking/speaking attribute as an
unquestionable quality for Allah (g), as well as believing in the
uniqueness of His speech. 11 is not comparable to the speech or words
of His creation, who, equally, lack the potency to produce the like of
His words.
2.2 The method of believing in the Divine Books
Believing in Books revealed by Allah consists of many
aspects, which, according to many available proofs, are indispensable
pillar of Faith. These are:
1
Allah Cafe). That they are really His words, not that of anyone else
and that He actually uttered their contents as exactly as He willed and
in a manner He has chosen. Allah Himself has said,
J 91
-if ? *:-S-U
S"
4 ^ti%agy.e&iy
Alllh, none lias the right to he worshipped hut He, the Everliving, Who sustains and protects all that exists. He has revealed
to you (Muhammad] the Book in truth, confirming that which was
[revealed] before it, and He revealed the Torah and the IitjFL
Before, as guidance for mankind, and He sent down the Criterion
[he, the Qur'anj, Indeed those who disbelieve in the revelations of
Alllh shall have a severe punishment, And Allah is Almighty,
Owner of Retribution. (AKTmrSw.: 2-4).
Here, Allah informed us thai He did reveal those books
mentioned in the verse, the Torah, the Injil and the Quran from
Himself; an indication that they are His words, originated from Him
alone and not from any other be in g. Thus, He concluded the verse by
revelations.
I *J > i-"*
J.yj JAfe
viylT'?, \
U/i L4 f
c
Oil- Ma'idah; 44),
so were
i
in another context. He declares the Tomb as part of His words. He

says,
192
The FftuadatiotiS of Faith

1
A*5'
Oj*<+~z ,*+*;
Ly-l?i n
Do yon fO believers] covet that Ihey would believe In your

religion, while a party of them used to hear the Words of Allah
(ul-Baqarab; 75)
The Torah was the words of Adah thai the Jews, according to this
verse, heard and then distorted. This view has been expressed by alSuddi, ibn Zaid and many other scholars of the Qur'amc exegesis
(Tafitir). Concerning the
Allah also said,.

. XI
Let the people of the IfijJl Judge by what Allah has revealed
therein, (al- M&'idak 47). That is the 'Dos' and 'Don'is', which are,
definitely, part of the words of Allah.
He also says of the Glorious Qufan,
(1)
Alif-LSm- Ri
(This is) a Book whose verses are perfected and
then presented in detail, front [One Who is] All-Wise, WeilAcquainted [with all things). (Hud; H
In another verse, Allah, addressed His Messenger ($j) saying,
>1
if
All-Knowing, (al-Nami; (>)..

He also said.
).- These letters are part of the miracle of the Qur'tm; none but Allah alone knows
their meaning, (Translator)
IK
from your Lord,
Z*J>
102).
4
grant him protection so that he may hear the Words of Allah, (alTawbah: 6).
It is this Qur'an sent down by Allah upon His Messenger (0), and
nothing else, that the polylheists have been ordered to listen to; hence.
the Qur'an is certainly words of Allah,
2-
Believing that the Books have invited people to worship Allah
alone, and that they are sources of goodness, guidance and light. Allah
says,
It Is not for a human being that Allah should give him the Book,
would say to the people, 'Be servants to me rather than to AU3H'.
{ATTmnm: 79),
whom Allah
* v.7UJ
'? fc'
Prophethood, should then ask people to take him as a deity instead of

Ilim. The reason being lliat all the Books revealed by Allah have
enjoined the worship of Him alone.
mankind, Allah (3$) says.
]94
#*0
He has revealed to you [Muhammad] the Book in truth,
confirming that which was {revealed] before if, and He revealed
the forah and the InjTl Before, m guidance for mankind, (Ai'Imran; 3, 4)
>
if
Mankind was one community [of one religion before their
deviation!; then AH5h sent Prophets as bearers of good news and
as warners, and He sent down with them the Book in truth, [at
Baârah: 213).
-4X jj.
indeed. We sent down the Torah, in which was guidance and tight
tai-Mridab: 44}.
'
And We gave him [Je&usj the Jnj% in which was guidance and
light {akMridah; 46).
cS-l^f it* 5^444
tjfjjf U&*J
The month of Ramadan in which was revealed the Qur'Sn, as

guidance for mankind and clear proofs of guidance and the
criterion. (ai-Saqarah: 1S5)
5*n
195
3-
Believing that the Books of Allah confirm one another, and as
such, no contradiction exists between them, Allah says concerning the

Glorious Qur'an,
/ *
And We have sent down to you [Muhammad] the Book In truth.

confirming lbat which preceded it of the Scripture and as a
Watcher over if. (akMa'idab: 4&).
While He also said of the hsjii.
And We gave him [Jesus] the hip!, in which was guidance and
light, and confirming that which preceded it of the Torah. (at
MiTidah: 46).
We must therefore believe in this, and hold firmly thai the

Books of Allah are free from contradiction or inconsistency. Thai
being one of the outstanding characteristics, which distinguish the
Books of Allah from the works of created beings, and His Word from
that of His creatures. Anything written by a created being usually
contains flaws, shortcomings and discrepancies; hence, Allah says
while describing the Glorious Quran,
-4
<3
Had it been from [anyone] other than Allah, they would surely
4
Believing in those Books of Allah, which He has specifically
named for us. One should accept as. true whatever Allah or His
Messenger have Said concerning them. These hooks are:
(i) The Torah; the Book Allah revealed to Musa fAT), Allah says,
1%
And We gave the Book to MQsa after we had destroyed the

u,
r
11
>fc>/
:){]\
c i dfe.
<y* 1jStf
\4Ui ^ *siM jfiij
related
C*J :JyM f9*^j <AA --)
i\ji WUi
W J
who will say, 'I am not Hi for thai -and he would mention the sin
he had committed- hut you should go to Musa, whom Allah gave
the Torah and spoke to directly'." {BtMari: 7410; Muslim: 193}.
Allah revealed to Musa the Torah, written 00 some tablets. He
says.
-'Vi if K
,f
>
s*
^ f
And We wrote for him on the tablets lessons from all things and
an explanation for all things, {ai-vVrat 145),
the Torah", According to Abu
H eras rah
the Prophet (M) narrated part of a debate between

IX
,(4A?J
bid dsw*j
iji! i5ukv?l
4 Jd ..)
"Adam said, '0 .VIusa, Allah favoured you by talking (directly] to

you, and He wrote for you the Torah with His own Hand".
iBukhSri: 0014; Muslim: 2$$2{\
I- i.ii, on the Day of Resnrfediou (TninsHior)
]<}?
Hie Foundations of Faith
The Torah was the most important of all the Books revealed to
the Children of Israel and it contained details of their law and
judgements, Although the Torah was originally the Book revealed to
Musa (m)
i *
lav.
IAU bM
says.
4
T he Prophets who submitted (to Allah |Judged for the Jews by its
standard, as did the rabbis and learned authorities [among the
Jewsj, for they were entrusted with the protection of the Book of
Ailih, and they were witnesses thereto. {al-Maldah: 44).
However, Allah informed us m Hts book how [he Jews have distorted
and altered the Torah, as we shall elaborate more on this in the next
topic, if Allah so wills.
<11) The litjil
Al-injil is the Book Allah sent to Tsa the son of Maryam (Jesus
lu4
(*&*
s*<-
,t|
<S4*J
-JV
?ft
r-p
And in their footsteps We sent Tsa (Jesus) the son of Maryam

confirming the Torah which came before him; and We gave him
the Injft, in which was guidance and light and confirming that
which preceded it of the Torah, as guidance and admonition for
the pious. cal-Ma'idah; 46),
198
to some scholar^ 1"
i*
Inj'il is limited to certain, few rules, which had been subject of

disagreement among them. In a Quranic verse, Al-Masi'h (i.e. Prophet.
Tsa -Jesus- %&} himself is quoted as having said to the Children of
*"A
<>
>
And |1 have eomej to make lawful for you part of what was
forbidden to you, (Al-lmran; 50).
Air.
have clearly heralded the coming of our Prophet, Muhammad (#).

Allah says,
- *
If
a-
, >
Those who follow the Messenger, the unlettered Prophet, who

{at-A'raf: 157).
Just as the Torah, the Jnjll also suffered distortion, We are

going to discuss this further in the coming topic, with the grace of
Allah.
(iii) Zuhar
The Book sent to L
olr. Allah
says,
f- ibn Raihtr, Tqfsir, vol. ii, p. 36.
p>i>
Muslim, scholar, commented on the meaning of this verse saying, "We

120
A L'5
*44,
rules of lawful and unlawful, no obligations.
or
eai A
stipulated punishment".
Allah says in Surah al-Najrn (Chapter 53),

A
^
lifiJ
O* ^
t
Or has he not been informed of what was in the Scriptures of

Miisa. And IhrShTro who fulfilled |his obligations!. That no laden
person shall bear the load fsins] of another. And that man has
,k
ffort. (al-Najiw 36-39).
He has also said in Surah al-A'la ( Chapter 87),

4ji#
Indeed, lie has prospered; who purifies himself. And remembers

the name of his Cord and prays |U\ performs salah\. Nay, you
prefer the life of this world. While the Hereafter is better and
more lasting. Truly, this is in the Scriptures of the earliest
|revelation]. The Scriptures of I tor Shim and Mft&ft. (al-A"2: 14-19).
200
Here
Scriptures He revealed upon two of His Messengers, Ibrahim and

t
(v) The Glorious Qur'Iu

The Qur'an is that Book Allah revealed upon our Prophet
Muhammad (). to confirm and! watch over the previous Books. The
it?
most perfect of ail His Scriptures, ft has also abrogated laws of the
past Scriptures; its mission is general, meant for the entire humankind
and jinn. Allah says
as a confirmation and watcher over the Books that preceded it, cab
Ma'idah: 48). Watching over those Books implies being witness and
tudge over them.
C>tslfa
^$ *4*
Say, 'What is most weighty In testimony'? Say, 'Allah Is Witness

between me and you. And this Qur'&n was sent to me that, with it,
(abAn'am: !9),
4U
(al-Furqin: 1;<.
Aside from the appellation 'the Qur'an1, this Book has many other
names, of which the most famous are:
201
- at- Furqan (The Criterion),

- al-KHah (The Book),
- al-TanrJt (The Revelarino), and
- al-Dhikr (The Reminder).
Our faith in ihe aforementioned Books (i-v) should be m
accordance with the information we have in the religions texts
concerning their names and to whom. they have been revealed. We
regarding either the Books themselves, or stories of the people to
whom thev were sent.
"
5other Books or Scriptures, winch Allah previously revealed to His

Ay s
Messengers, It is not allowed, after the Qur'an has been revealed, that
anyone of humankind and jinn: people of the past Scriptures and
others alike, should worship Allah or seek justice through something
different from this Qur'an. Proofs in the Book of Allah and Surtnah of
His Messenger (M) on this are many, Allah says,
4U
>
jf F1'
Jil2\
>>? ai*
(affurq&u; I).
jk s
JC>a,
kr"
*"
if
^ ' A
S ^ <a A
^ "
>
5v*
r\
o*
tg?^ Z&4
J
--
A S
0 people of the Book, there has come to you Our Messenger

making clear to you much of what you used to hide of the Book
2-02
The FoiiadaHofts of Faith
and overlooking much. There has come to you from Allah a light
who pursue His
K
into the light by His Permission, and guides them to a straight

path, (ai-MS'tdah: 15, 16).
nsak
his judgment between the people of the Book, He says>>

*
' V.\
* -
no
follow their inclinations away from what has come to you of the
truth. (abMa'idah: 48),
u'J
u**i
*.*
'I"-'1?
'\
sgisyim
And judge between them by what Allah has revealed and do not
follow their inclinations. And beware of them, lest they tempt you
a
you. (ai-MTidah: 49).
A proof from the Srnnah In this regard comes in the body of a
hadith narrated by jabir bin 'Abdullah (<*+-* & s>g'limar bin alKhattib (*#.) came to the Prophet (M) with a book he had received
from a follower of the Past Scriptures (i.e., a Jew or a Christian) and
read it to him. The Prophet got angry and said,
V .ijii jUSgj 14
AM **
I J li&st
djlA^S
jl
j*
(i^s di ^ AAWJ U VL-
Are you all confused about my mission, oh you pUmarj bin aiKhaffab! By Him in whose Hand is my life, I have brought it to
203
you
your religion!* lest they Ml you a truth and you [erroneously]

deny it, or they fabricate a lie but yon [mistakenly] believe in it,
By Him in whose Hand is my life, If [Prophet] Mfisa {%&) were to
live today, he would have no alternative but to follow rne, This
hadiih is of hasan (fairly sound) grade, considering ail the chains of
transmission5
Books of Allah as a whole, A more detailed discussion regarding what
one should believe regarding the Glorious Qurian in particular is
expected to follow under a separate heading, if Allah so wills.
- Related by Ahmad, ai-Bazîr,. al.-Baih.8qi and others, cf. Musnad Ahmad, vol. hi,,
p, 387; Kmhf al-Astiir. 134; Shu 'ah al- Jmiin; 177.
204
2.3 The distortion of the Torah, the Injit and same other divine
Books excluding the Qur'an.
The People of the Book and distortion of the words of Allah
Allah CM) has spoken of the distortion, alteration and
the past Scriptures. As for the Jews, Allah says in the Glorious
Qur'an,
/ > >. c s
"7
fs *
Bo you [O believers] covet that they would believe in your

religion, while a party of them used to hear the Words of Allah
(ah
Baqamh; 75).
U$4b
{'al-NixS': 46}.
1/
* t' -
>0
âps xm*x A&SSK

4 0="0
Of-
'' 'J'
<' /.
^
"HA
">
And from those who say, WVe are Christians* we. took their
covenant, but they forgot land abandoned'1'] a portion of that of
i- Al-Sa'dl, Jaysir al-Kanm al-Rahman, p, ] 80 (Translator)
2-05
which they were warned. So We stirred up enmity and hatred

among them until the Day of Resurrection. And Allah is going to
inform them about what they used to do, G people of the Book,
A
g much, (al-
Ma'idsh; 14,15),
These verses are witnesses to the fact, that the Jews and the
and at times by removing something from it, As regards the former

Allah says.
t
fr r >
J-
" i-
A &'
f >
>
>Jbl
ti
* -
So woe to those who write the 'book' with their own hands, then
say, 'This is from Allah', in order to exchange it for a miserable
them for what they earn. (tii-Eaqiirab; 79),
m
p i
His Books. He says
-v<
if
"
G people of the Book, there has come to you Our Messenger

I *
i.'.
>011
{ai-Mfi'idah: 15).
206
The Foimdatitms of Faith
4U1M
Say, 'Who sent down the Book that MBsa brought; a light and
guidance for the people. You jJewsj make it into [separate] sheets,
disclosing [some of] it and concealing much', {al A am: 91).
207
Having mentioned the distortion of Books revealed to the

people of the Book m general, here we are going to concentrate- on
InfiL
Say, 'Who sent down the Book that Mfisa brought; a light and
u
disclosing [some of] St and concealing much', and you m were

taught that which neither yon nor your fathers knew. Say, 'Allah
[revealed it}', then leave them in their vain discussion, amusing
themselves, ol-Anrtm; 91}.
"PI
is to say,
by Mttsa onto pieces of paper, to facilitate what you intend of
Wi
<*
Do you [O believers] covet that they would believe in your

religion, while a party of them
and then distort it after they had understood it. {abBaqarah: 75).
f- t.e, the Jews, or the Muslims who are taught hy the Glorious Qur'iin. (Translator)
208
Al-Suddi, a prominent Muslim scholar, said, "That was the Torah;
they distorted it", .Another scholar, Ihn Zayd further says, "They twist
the Torah that Allah, has revealed for them; they make the lawful
therein unlawful and. the unlawful lawful. They also misrepresent the
l,N
As regards the twit, here is what Allah told us in His Book

-'AS
^4=4, ii: 1
?
*
>
A
^
.<( ** *<!>
J
i -
-- r
V,-M'
r,/
1i
C"VVK
f jt y-
*K JitaS 0
***** \'"Y
' A*JI ^
>*-r
M.y
- ^
V-T
..-:
And from those who say. f\Ve are Christians' we took their
covenant, but they forgot {and abandoned ] a portion of that of
which they were warned. Therefore, We stirred up enmity and
hatred among them until the Day of Resurrection. And AU5h is
going to inform them about what they used to do. O people of the
Book, there has come to you Our Messenger making clear to you
{ai-Ma'idab; 14 J5),
According to some scholars of the Qufanic exegesis, the verse
WJ.1K,V
against Allah., hut still left much of their manipulation undisclosed,

since there was no need to expose that*"'1.
1- Ai-SiVdi, Taysir al-Kanm ai-R.ahman, p, 18-8, (TremslaRvr}

2- ibri Kstbir, al-Tafiir vol, id, p. 63.
im
like Fou&datiotis of Faith
Ail the above quoted verses point to the fact that the 'Torah and
the hyil were changed and distorted; hence, Muslim scholars have
unanimously agreed on this.
has preserved it.

The Glorious Qur'an is. free from corruption and distortion
fiT*
who preserved and safeguarded this Qur!an, He says accordingly,

Truly, it is We Who sent down the Reminder [i.e. the Qur*5n] and
* u
In his commentary' on this verse, Erriam al-Tabari, the well-known

Muslim scholar, says, ".Allah said, AVe arc, for the Quran, Guardian;
ii},,
Allah informed us elsewhere in the Quran that He has

perfected His Book, explained it in detail and raised it high above any
falsehood. He said.
ST*-
c <)**
a As
Falsehood cannot come at ii, neither from before if nor from

behind it; lit isf a revelation from an Ail-Wise, Praiseworthy
[God]. (Fussilal: 421.
I- !.bn, Jarir, al-TafsTr vol. xiv p, 7.
210
Thiv Foundation* of Faith

./
-W -Zh*~
AMf -l,Sm
*>?
y
ES(1l|
then presented in
One
ag
is] All-Wise,
7
11-
gsj. (Hud: ]).
With
it. Indeed, upon Us is its collection [in your heart] and [to make
possible) its recitation. {al-Qiy&nah: 2 6,17),
rt
!titer and spirit of the Qurian from any alteration or modification.

Stalling from the time it was revealed and until He will sanction its
retrieval back to Him. Allah has taken upon Himself tire duty of
making this Qur'an taught io the Prophet to make possible its
collection in his heart to explain it to him, and make it more
expounded through the Su/mah. After this, Allah also selected some
pious and trustworthy followers for the Prophet who learnt this
and generations. The Hook of Allah thus remains intact and
unadulterated; adults and children read it exactly as it has been
initially revealed to Allah's Messenger (0), the variety of times and
cities notwithstanding.
Muslim scholars have drawn attention to an amazing clever
remark regarding why it was possible for the people of the Book to
I- These tetters are part of the miracle of the Quftra;. none but Allah alone knows
their meaning, (Translator)
211
distort the Torah, but. such distortion with regard to the Quran is
inconceivable, Abu 4Amr al-Dani narrated on behalf" oi Abu ai-Hasan
tr
once SH
* Why
was
it feasible for the people of the Torah to distort it, and wasn't for the
people of the QuTan'7 He replied, "Allah (M) said of the people of the
Torah,
>
y
* for
t\
they were eotrusted with the protection of the Book of
AIJ5h, (al- MTtdah; 44).

Allah made the safety of His Book their responsibility, and thus if
became possible for them so tamper with it. However, concerning the
Qur^n Allah said instead,
/<
-1 <j
Truly, It is We Who sent down the Reminder [i.e. the Qur'Irtj and
We will surely be its Guardian. (a)-Hijr: 9).
the nation of the Qur'ln"
<
-the narrator- added, "I then went to Abu
'Abdullah al-muhamili and sold him what had happened, and he

remarked, 'I have never heard a statement better than this'."
212
Tin? Foundations of Faith
2*4 Believing in ffie Glorious Qur'an and the

characteristics of such belief
2,4.1 Definition.s t>f the Qwr'an, Quttsi hmfith end Nabawi hadftk>
The Glorious Qur'fiu is the word of Allah, uttered by Him

originally in a manner not exactly known io m, Allah then sent it
down as a revelation to his Messenger, and the believers have
as true
is
truly the words of Allah, which Angel jihril heard directly from Him
j
and then brought down to the last of His Messengers, Muhammad (:%).
both in letter and spirit*1^. The Qur'an, which has been transmitted
through many recurring Sines of transmission, leading thereby to
certainty as regards Sis contents, is written on pages of the
and safeguarded from being corrupted or distorted><3)
i
by the Prophet () from his Lord (Allah). which lias been

communicated to us either via a solitary chain of transmission {AhUd}
{- he, the utterances themselves sad the meaning thereof,

2- i,e, copies of the Qur'an,
3- Al-Tahawiyyah, vol i,. p, 172; sl-Quuin, Marina', Mabahhh fi 'Ulum al-Qur'an
(Studies in the Sciences of the Qur'an) p, 21;; al-Qssmiu Jaroiil al-DtHn. Qawa 'id
al-Tahdith (Principles of UafJiih narration) p, {15,
213
lite Founclatiotis of Faith
or through recurring linos of dissemination (Muimvatir) less In degree

,0)
i
s.WA .1*
AL.-
a Companion of ihe Prophet, narrated on behalf of the Prophet (Ss)

.(tjU&Vi u
'J
W<4
r Ji
<*)
and
also proscribed that you be unjust to one another, so beware of

injustice, iSahih Muslim: 2577).
And by Nabawi hadTth we mean any saying, deed, silent
approval or description ascribed to the Prophet
The difference between the three (Le. the Qur-an, the Quttsi and
the Nabawi hadTths)
The Qur'an is different from both the Qudsi and the Nabawi
kadfihs in the sense thai the mere recitation of its text is an act of
I
Allah has even challenged mankind an4 jinn to produce, if they could
Similarly no one is allowed to touch the Qur'an if he is .ritually
srnpurem or to recite it if he is in a state of major impurity
Substituting a meaning for the original wording of any portion of the
AI-Qassmi, Jama! akUdm, op, cit,,, p, 65,

2- Al-Qisimi, Jams! al-Ddm, pp. eh,, pp. 61-62 ; Ibri 'Ulhaimayn, Musfaiahti alt
3- l.a. wilhou! ablution, (Tnmidalor)

4- t.e, after sexual intercourse. (Translator)
214

r*3
!I
on
tenfold.
'if11
00
Ytfdaw/ hadith, The former is utterly the words of Allah, while the
latter is that of His Prophet: (gg) both, in letter and spirit. Furthermore,
the Qudst hadtih is superior to the NabawJ hadith, in view of the
supremacy of Allah's words over the utterances of His creatures'' '1'.
f- Al-Qaslrni, Jamill ai-Dtisn, op, oil., pp, 65-66,
23 5
Ha' Foundations of Faith
Believing in the Books revealed by Allah constitutes a major

said regarding the faith in the Books of Allah, generally. The Glorious
Quran -having abrogated all the previous Scriptures and as a criterion
over them, which Allah, has directed mankind and jinn to take as the
basis for their acts of worship since the- time it was revealed to our
Prophet, Muhammad iMy has some exceptional characteristics that
are necessary for the belief in it, These are as follows;
1-
To believe in the universality of its mission, and in the generality
of the law it has brought for the whole of humanity and Jim They
cannot afford to disbelieve in the Qurian or worship Allah in a way
other ihan what He has prescribed in it. Allah (&} says,
Blessed be He {Ahihj Who sent down the Criterion (The Qurln]
upon Hts servant that he may he to the worlds a warncr* (al-Furqan: 11
thus,
it
This Qar'In has been revealed to me that I may therewith warn

you and whomever M reaches. (ai-An'am; m,
He also informs us about another statement pronounced by iht jinn,
who said,
'A
"At
LiUi
*?
Indeed, we have heard an amazing recitation |Le, the Qur'SnJ. 'II

guides to the right path, and we have believed in it. ial-Jinn-1,2).
23 6

1
/T'o
believe that the Okmnus Qur'an has nullified all the past
Scriptures. It Is forbidden for the people of the Book (Jews and

Qur'an has been revealed. No religion or act of worship is valid, nor
may something he declared lawful or unlawful, except in accordance
with what. Allah has mentioned in this Book, Allah fW) says.
And whoever desires other than Islam as a religion, never will if
be accepted from him,. i,Ai-Tmra.n: ss),
S.
,4 Slide ojiStcK
And We have indeed sent down to you [Muhammad] the Book in

truth, that you may judge between people by that which Aliith has
shown you, {ai-Nixa': tos).
Similarly, we have mentioned earlier in the kadith narrated by Jabir bin
"Abdullah how the Prophet (%;) forbade his Companions to read
d)
s
adding that.
i>m) were to
IM
live today, he would have no alternative but to follow me
a>
3-
to the laws brought by the previous Scriptures, which were

characterized by many burdens and stem obligations lor their
adherents. Allah (M) says,
f- That is when out' reads those books and regards them, after the Qur'an has been
revealed, as sources of divine guidance or legislation, (Translator)
2- See p. 204,
23 7
"V
tm;
*"
<-
- csejifjas
XM.
Those who follow the Messenger, the unlettered Prophet, whom

they find written fie
are] with them. He enjoins upon them what is right and forbids
and prohibits for them the fouls and relieves them of their burden
and the shackles^ that used to be upon them. (ai-AW; 157),
4-
The Quran is the only Scripture that Allah has guaranteed to
protect from corruption regarding either the text itself or the meaning
rhereof. Thus, He says,
-T"'H fit-' > -r iT \
*z
Truly, it is We who sent down the Reminder [i.e. the Qur'in] and
We will surely be its Guardian, ta! Hijr: y>.
t -t
>
Falsehood cannot eome at it, neither from Isidore it nor from

behind it; [it is] a revelation from an All-Wise, Praiseworthy
(Fesstial: 42).
Furthermore, Allah declared that He has taken upon Himself the
explanation ami elucidation of this Quran in accordance with what He
had intended and prescribed, He says,
I- t.e, strict or stem obligations.
2-1S
HfB 5K?
qz& & C
Indeed, upon Us is lis collection fin your heartf and |l make

possible! ite recitation. So when We have recited it [to you through
Angel JibrllJ, then follow its recital. Then upon Us is its
clarification. (al-Qiyimith: 17-19).
The eminent Muslim, scholar of Tqfs'ir (Quranic exegesis), Ihn KuShir,
following way: "That is to say, 'After you should have recited and
memorized it, We shall explain and expound it to you, and also inspire
*you
with the meaning

--- in line with what. We had intended and
ordained1."
a some
of the Prophet Gif) until the present lirae. Those scholars not only
learnt the Qur'an by heart but. in addition, had good understanding of
its meaning, acted uprightly in line with its injunctions, and authored
sizable works relating to every branch of its sciences or fields. The
areas covered by their academic legacy in this respect include the
following:
Tafsir (Quranic exegesis)
Qur'an).
; M.
Makkt and Madatti
Makkan and the Madman
revelation).
2-19
istinbat ai-Ahkum ("the science of legal deduction in the

Our'ars),
Nasikh and MamUkh (The theory of abrogation in the
Qur'an).
9
bs)
VFJ
Ijaz af-Qttr'mi (The inimitability or miraculous nature of the

Quran).
Qharib at-Qur'an (The iess-comnntm words in the Qur'in),
I*rah al-Qur'an (Grammatics! analysis of the Quranic words).

etc,
sp
Book and
related sciences,. His protection of the Qur'an
materialized through the aforementioned fields. Hence, it remains

today well protected, as it is being read and explained as exactly as it
was originally revealed.
5-
There are many aspects of mimitabiKty in the Qur'an, as in the
xh
i'^
represents the greatest miracle as well as the strongest and lasting

tip till the Day of Resurrection., The two Sheikhs (Bukhari and
Muslim) reported on the authority of Abu Ilurairah (4Q that Allah's
Messenger (M) said,
2.20
wr Ub v~gi ^ ^ *** u
^ ^ 4 *wVt $ w>
.(fc^l aji !*jU ^jSff OjSl itf J*JU
$1 eb<j1 i-?-j
Every Prophet was given miracles that led! people to believe in

him. But what I have been given is the revelation, which Allah
revealed to me. I therefore hope thai my followers would
outnumber those of amy other Prophet on the Day of
Resurrection. {Bukhart -V^l; Muslim: 152).
Facets of inimitabiliiy in the Qur'In include the beauty of the
compilation itself, the purity of its language and the eloquence of the
method. Mankind -inA jim were both challenged at varying degrees to
produce the like of this Qujân. or at least part of it. At the initial stage.
parallel to the Cuban, but they totally fell short of that. Allah {$&)
says,
Or do they say, 'He (Muhammad] has forged IP? Nay, they do mi
believe. Let them produce a statement like it, if they should be
truthful. (af-Tlfin 53. 34},.
list-
o
p
> is
4% 'A
helped one another', (ai-tsrr: 88),
r.
/*+.
> > '*
After this, Allah called them to dare bring forth just ten similar surahs
(chapters), but they also failed to do so, Allah states,
221
Or do they say, *Me invented it?' Say, 'Then bring you ten surahs
like if that have been invented* and cat! [to your aid| whomever
you can besides Allah, If you should be truthful', (MM; 13).
'Then in the third lime, .Allah challenged them to produce just one
surah, but, as usual, they lacked the ability for this as welt, Allah (M)
says,
ftitfSj&gjazXir
Or do they say, 'He invented it?' Say 'Bring you then a surah
(forged} like it, and call upon (for help} whomever you can besides
Allah, if you should be truthful', (Vimus: 3S).
have been established; having mentioned the incapability of the entire
creation to withstand the least degree of Allah's challenge in this
regard, and that is to simply produce nothing more than just a surah
like unto the Quran! Knowing that a surah of this nature may consist
of just three verses; an equivalent of the shortest of the surahs of the
Glorious Qur'an.
Adah (W) has explained m the Qur'an all what humanity stands
6in need of, pertaining to either the worldly life or the life after death.
Thus, He declared,
'4
$4
things, and as guidance, mercy and glad tidings for the Muslims,
(al-Naht: 89},
222
The Foundation* oi Faith

/
\*
(l\
Nothing have We neglected in the Book' iid-An-lra; 3k),

In. the words of Ibn Masfid (4fc), "'Every knowledge has been revealed
-
7-
Allah (M) has made the Quran easy for remembrance and
cogitation,, as one of the roost important features of this Book. He

says,
there any why will remember [or receive admonition]? (at-Qanw;!.?),
a* $ is
s
[This isj a Book full of blessings, which We have sent down to von,
that they might ponder over its syahs and that people of
understanding would be reminded, âd: 1%
Commenting on the above quoted verse (d-Qamar: 17), the famous
Muslim scholar, Mujahid said "That is: We facilitated its recitation".
Another Muslim scholar called al-Suddi gave the meaning as, "We
made it easy for the [people's] tongues to recite it", Ibn 'Abbas
<Uj_Ais. h
also said, "Had it not been that Allah has facilitated its
recitation for men, no created being would have been able to

{"' l
pronounce the words of Allah'*''A
f- The 'Book' here may also mean she Preserved Tablet (al-lawh a!- Mahfiq'i
according to some Tafs'ir scholars, {Translator)
2- Ibn Kathir, Tapir vol viii, p. 453,
223
According to Tabari and some other leading scholars of the

Qyr'anic exegesis, the statement 'Gufan made easy' embodies
facilitation of the word being, recited. H also includes facilitation of the
meaning, thereby paving the way for an easy reflection, meditation
and learning lessons from the Qur'an,
noticeable enough in reality.
8 The Glorious Qur'an contains the gist of the teachings of all the
past Scriptures, and the basic elements of the laws of all Messengers.
:o-x
And We have sent down to you (Muhammad) the Book in truth,

confirming that which preceded it of the Scripture and as a
Watcher over it. (aJ-Ma'idah: 4&i
.1,
lie lAlifth] has ordained for you of religion what He enjoined

upon Kulm had thai which We have revealed in you {Mutmnimadj,
and what We enjoined upon Ibrahim (Abraham), Minor |Mwse$|
and Tm (Jesus) - to establish the religion and not be divided
therein. (al-Shuia: m.
9- The QurSn contains detailed information about the past
Messengers and nations in an unprecedented magnitude. Allah ($g)
says,
>
And each [story] We relate to you from the news of the [past]
Messengers is that by which We make firm your heart. {Hud: i20)
224
That is from the news of the cities, which We relate to you; of

down], (Hud: 100).
4 &*sa & ic jg
A C 221
JS
S /T
X*.
Thus, We relate to you IMuhammadJ from the news of what has

preceded. And indeed We have given you from Us a reminder (i.e.
the Qur'ftn]. (Ta-Ha: 99).
10-
Of all the divine Books, the Glorious Quran was the last to be
revealed, the ultimate and the witness over all the previous Books.
Allah (W) says
k
/
4
He jAllih f has revealed to you [Muhammad] the Book in truth*
confirming that which was [revealed] before if. and He revealed
the Torah and the InjiL Before, as guidance for mankind, and Me
sent down the Criterion ike, the Qur'Snb (Al- 'Jmrtn;3,4).
confirming that which preceded it of the Scripture and as a

Watcher over it (al-Mft'idah: 4S),
The aforementioned are some of the characteristics of the
Glorious Qur'an, which distinguish it from other Scriptures. One's
faith in the Quran remains invalid until he/she believes in all of these
points, both in theory and in practice. Allah, the Sublime, knows best.
225

*
This chapter consists of eleven items as follows:

i) The rule concerning the belief in Allah's Messengers and the
proofs thereof,
ii) Definition of the terms: prophet' and 'messenger', with special
reference to the difference between the two.
iv) Our duly towards them,
(31) and the

veracity of seeing him in a dream,
vii) His message as the final of ail divine missions; henee, no
Prophet shall come after him.
(g); Facts and
proofs.
K J
II
s) 1 he Prophets* miracles compared to the karamah (charisma) of

the righteous believers,
si) Al-Waliyy and al-WUSyah from an Islamic viewpoint.
3,1
[ is a
iV,
" AJ
-iC
J^1
l^y s^* ^
'V
The Messenger has believed in what was revealed its him from Im
Lord, and |so havef the believers, Laeh of them has believed in
Ailih, His angels, His Books and His Messengers (saying}, 'We
make no distinction between any of His Messengers'. And they
**
(al-Baqarah: 285).
Thus, Allah mentioned the belief m His Messengers as one of those

""
articles of faith in which the Prophet and the believers alike have
believed. He further described their faith In those Messengers as an
indivisible entity; having believed In. all of them without any
exception,
Stating further, the rule concerning whoever renounces the
belief in H
A: >
<-
"" >
o**~, o-.y
-- r >,
' f'
Indeed, those who disbelieve in Allah and His Messengers and

wish to separate between (the belief in] Allah and (the belief in)
His Messengers and say, 'We believe in some, but reject others'.
227
and wish to take a course inidway. They are, truly, the

unbelievers... lai-NbiT; 150, S51 >.
Here, Allah declared as infidels whoever disbelieves in the
us some
in others. He went further to describe them us 'the

real, unbelievers'; an indication that their infidelity is both certain and
unequivocal.
Conversely, Allah (is) explained, in the same context, the
stand of the faithful in this respect by saying
ij
But they who believe in AllSh and His Messengers and make no
discrimination between any of them, to those He is going to give
their rewards. And Allah is Ever Forgiving, Most Merciful, (alKha': 152).
without prejudicing against any of them, by believing in some and

disbelieving in others.
an
.':c
T It
that believing in the Messengers of Allah constitutes an article of

Faith. This is evident in the fyadtfh of Jibnl as quoted earlier in this
boolv '1, In his response to Angel Jibr'sTs
Messenger ($g) said, "[Faith means] that you believe in Allah, His
l- CI", Chapter One: The Belief in Angels,
22S
The- Foundations: of Faith
angels. His Books, His Messengers, the Last Dayn> \ Thus

e -
the other articles of Faith in. which every Muslim must believe
The Prophet (in was also reported to have a special

supplication, which he would recite each time he prayed the mm
h
pJ wjl w**i ^J}J

* j^4
JJM cu'
CCJI
4JJ
wy
j>- jUfj ijs- Urly .jiM iljiilj ijj-t
O AllSh! Praise he to You, You are the Light of the heavens and
the earth. Praise be to You. You are the Keeper of the heavens
and the earth. Praise be to You, You are the Lord of the heavens,
the earth and whoever is therein, You are the Truth; Your
Promise is the truth; Your Word is the truth and meeting You Jon
the Day of Resurrection] is the truth. Paradise is true, and so too
is the Fire (Hell). The Prophets are also true, and the Hour
(Resurrection] is likewise true
R *+
iStshlh Bukhan: 7499),
and Hell, as well as in the coming of the Hour of Resurrection

the night prayer he used to offcL These factors combined together-
t- Seep. 155,
229
as I
K-
/-
il
incontestable that whoever disbelieves in all or any of Allah's

for having rejected such an important principle of Faith: the belief in
the Messengers-.
2 SO
Believing in Allah's Messengers provides the believer with
ile Messengers to guide and lead

*
3- Loving the Messengers themselves and giving them due

respect. Moreover, the believer will praise them in a befitting manner,
for they are the Messengers of Allah (W) and the cream of His
servants, on the one hand, and, on the other hand, for their role in
their adherents, and putting up with the mischief of those followers.
231
3.2 Definitions of twbiyy 'prophet* and ras&t 'messenger', and the

difference between the two terms
Linguistically, the word 'mbiyy is a derivative of another
word: 'naba", which means an immensely useful news or information.
A saying of Allah (W) goes thus:
/
About what are they asking one another? About the great news.
{d-Naba'L 1,2)
Hence, a Prophet is called 'n&ibiv)/, for he receives message from

Allah and disseminates the same to others. In other words, he is at
both ends: the receiving and the dispatching.
Another view suggests that the word 'nahiyy' perhaps has its
origin in the word h\aha\mh\ meaning an elevated object. Having this
in. mind, it is then opined thai the Prophets have been given this title
'Nahiyy' in recognition of their high ranking status above all other
human beings. Allah {M) says,
(Maryam; 57).
As for the word '.rasul1, it is also derived from, another word
'trmaP meaning 'to send something*. Allah (ii) has informed us in the
But indeed, I am going to send them a present, and wait to see

with what f reply) will the emissaries return. (at-Naml: 35).
232
Now we come to the Islamic technical meaning of both terms.

Muslim scholars have expressed here different views, hut the most
acceptable definition is as follows;
A 'tiahiyy' (Prophet) is he whom. Allah has given, through revelation,
the law which be himself shall follow, and by which he shall also
command the believers to abide, A ]rasut (Messenger) however, is he
whom Allah has .revealed to, ordering him to convey His message to
those who defy His orders,
The dissimilarity between both, terms lies in the fact, that a
h is informed of Allah's commands and
even tf
prohibitions so that he may pass the same to fellow believers, his
!
mission is nevertheless restricted to that circle, and may not be

extended to cover the unbelievers, As for a 'messenger', he is sent to
both the believing and the disbelieving nations; to convey Allah's
message to them and invite them to 1lis worship.
A 'Messenger' does not necessarily bring about new law.
Hence, Yusuf (Joseph), although a Messenger, followed the religion
even
though, they were, like MCisa (the initial recipient of the Torah),
Messengers of Almighty Allah. Allah
>
>*
2^" -'-fit 1*1*^^3-
'4
says
|T1
J-
T *4-'-
you remained in doubt of that which he brought to you, until

when he died, you said, 'Never will AJiah send a Messenger after
himh iGhaflr: 34).
233
* *
-'; >"- '" -i"T
S -i *>>
I'i
U VJ***
. A"
to Ibrilhim, Ismail, Ishaq, Ya'qub, the Descendantsm Isft,

t u
ZtthUr, And Messengers We have already related to you their

stories, and others about whom We have not related to you. And
to Mfls3 AHlh spoke direct, (ai Nisa': 163,1(4).
A Prophet. in some cases, mav also be called 'messenger'.
i'f >A
\JrbJ U
/
*
y.
"\
1 ><
> *
And We did not send before you any Messenger or Prophet except
that when he recited the revelation |or spoke] the Devil threw into
it [some falsehood), sai-l:h# 52),
Here, Allah ($?) slated that both arc sent by Him to convey His
message; whether a Prophet or a Messenger. This implies that any
Prophet -whom Allah has ordered to invite his fellow believers to
certain act- is regarded as having been scni to them with a message
from Him, even though his mission Is not unlimited, As for a
Messenger Srasul\ whose mission is unrestricted, he is sent to the
entire creation, the faithful and the infidels alike.
f- he, the offspring of Prophet Ya'qub's sons.
234
The Foundatiotix of Faith
Believing in Allah's Messengers means to accept as true

concerning them, both
generally and minutely.
The general acceptance or belief in this regard .signifies betn &sa
resolutely convinced that Allah ($6) has raised for every nation a.
partners to Him, and to disbelieve in arty other deity being worshipped
besides Him. Allah {> says,
And indeed. We have sent among every nation a Messenger.
Ali&h |akmc| and avoid false objects of
worship (tagkst). (al-Nahl: 36).
One should also believe that the Messengers were all truthful,
righteous, prudent, honourable, pious and trustworthy. And that they
right path. Allah (W) says,
u>y
i: 52).
He said again after mentioning many of those Prophets and

Messengers.
/
^ -a
.2
"
-ir*
">
tsAM
brothers. And We chose them and guided them to a straight path.
235
That is the guidance of Allah, by which He guides whomever He
is the plain truth and the manifest guidance. They have come with
clear signs from their Lord to their people, En this regard, Allah (?}
relates what She dwellers of Paradise will say in she life to come as
follows:
CiJ>
yy
Certainly, the Messengers of our Lord had come with the truth.
fal-AW: 43).
Allah says again in another verse,

4 **
-5*-
tf
>
t?
irfi"-ixf-1'ii\
may keep up justice. (aUHadid: 25),
4 yj-uÛbi "
% ^
""*&&&&%$><2E4#e3^C|
We sent not before you any Messenger except that We

revealed to him that
{Allah], so worship Me {alone}'. i.al-Anbiya'; 25),
/
y /v
rt
We prescribed to each of you a law and a clear way. (al-Mridab: 48).
236
Bqualiy, we must hold that the Messengers have conveyed

very clearly the message Ihey were sent with, leaving no excuse
thereby tor the creation. Allah (&) says,
w iwty fyj sîLy
J& J
Till He [Allah] sees(It thai they [the Messengers] have conveyed

the Messages of their Lord- And He has encompassed all thai is
with them, and kept count of ail things. (aBJum: 28),
"***-
& if Otty,
**A$ ^
Messengers as hearers of good news and warners, so that

mankind will have no plea against Allah after [the coming of] the
Messengers. (al-Nisa': 165).
It is also necessary to believe that the Messengers are part of
Allah's creation, and posses nothing of the Lordship's characteristics,
Rather, they are only savaniis of Allah LS-A whom He honoured with
His revelation. Allah (ifs) says.
Their Messengers said to them, 'We are only human beings like
you, but Allah confers favour upon whom He wills of His
servants'. (Ibrahim 11,1).
And I do not tell you that I have the treasures of Allah, neither do
I know the unseen, nor do I claim to be an angel, (Hud: 31).
dj
Jarir and ibn al-Jswzi-'Hid al-,\1asir- , (Translator)
237
cf. TafsTrs of both Ibn
While He similarly commanded our Prophet, Muhammad (M'h to

declare the same to his people,
dp'
/ %
Say. t J do not tell you that 1 have the treasures of Aihth or that I
what is revealed to me'. (ahAu'iim: 50).
lis
> -^/ oAWiAfS

ctttfttj\pc<&as&jz~* *7
Indeed* We will support our Messengers and those who believe

during the life of this world and on the Day when the witnesses
will stand forth. (GMfin si).
others;
tig. A1
4t
-x XV
>x*--
'*4
Those Messengers
it
some of them We caused to exceed others.

! jrtki
ikB3),
We must believe generally in all what has been mentioned

above, as well as in any other related issues as stated in both the
Believing in Allalfs Messengers in detail however, has to do
only with those Messengers who have been mentioned expressly
23S

either in the Glorious Quran or m the Surrnah. One should believe
minutely in whatever is contained in the religious texts regarding their
names, stories, merits and attributes.
Some twenty live Prophets or Messengers in ail have been
mentioned in the Quran. eighteen of them in the following
consecutive verses alone:
k* f
*"4
+A+*A ,
igJ J
ff
if .'1 jjjsJ*
*
*
' /
^ *1 ry y
>y
^ *5 %
....fcl ^
-J
t" >-r <
'*&*
H'.
< > v IS***
-* ' -*-
>*
L% ,''
against his people. We raise in degrees whom We will. Certainly,

your Lord is All-Wise, All-Knowing, And We gave him [i.e.
Ibrahim] Ishaq and YaTpIb, each of them W e guided. And Nflh,
* '
V
-all were
of the righteous. And lsmfl'11 and al-Vasa'and Yfmus and Lufand ait We preferred over the worlds. (al-Au'Sm: 83-86).
The names of the rest of them occur in different verses as we shall
mention bellow:
And to *Ad [Wrc sentj their brother. Had. (at-A'raf: 65).
23<>

> >
And to Thamfid [We scuij their brother, S9lih. (d-A-ntf 7?}.

A
+>
J-L
# W*A i
WMA* at? #
And to {the people of] Madyan [We sent) their brother, Shu'ayb.
a
{al-A'rgf: 85).
/ / *y
s /
Indeed, Allah chose Adam and Nii.ii,., (AJ-'lmran: 33).
4%^
4 j
And [remember] lsmS'll, Idrts, and Dhul-Kilt; all were of the

patient {al-Anhiyif: 5),
>A* iJ^ 'j js' JJV
>p
Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah; and those with him are

(al-Fath; 59),
Oui' faith regarding the aforementioned Prophets and

Messengers should therefore be in detail. We should also
acknowledge that each one of them was either a Prophet or a
Messenger sent by Allah, in accordance with whatever Allah, or His
r|i has
applies, for instance, to the case of Prophets Ibrahim and Muhammad

-May Allah's peace and mercy be upon them- whom Allah has taken
as close friends. Allah (M) says.
240
And Allah did take Ibrahim as an intimate friend. (sl-Nisr: 125).

The Prophet (#&) also said.
.0M*
# ur %M- to
ah
Indeed, Allah took me m an intimate friend, Just m He had taken

Ibrahim before. (Muslim: 532).
A Quranic
verse reads as follows:
-5V, .
ii_pM
And to Miisa Allah spoke directly. (al-Nisiy- 164),
j /
Other examples in this connection include Prophet Dawiid (;#<}, for

whom Allah subdued the mountains and [he birds, as they glorified
Allah along with him, Allah (is) says,
M\
>
+\
And We subdued the mountains and the birds to exalt \Us]* along
with DawCid. And We were doing [thaiJ. (aUAnbiyr: 19).
says,
And assuredly. We bestowed grace on Dawiid from Us, JWe saidj,
'G mountains and birds, glorify fAlllh| repeatedly with him.' And
We made iron pliable for him. {Sab,A 16),
Similarly, Allah subjected the wind to the orders of Suiaiman, just as
He subdued for him jinn who worked in front of him according to his
wish. Allah (W) says.
241

-t" *" " ' K" '
CSk>
\ -'\
i-
< l>
%J*
. ** >>
?m>
r,
And to Suiiman We [made obedient! the wind - its morning

[stride] was a month's fjouncy] and its afternoon [stride] was a
month's (journeyi(,l And
gush forth for htm, and there were among the jinn who worked in
front of him, by the Permission of his Lord. (Saba': 12).
O
And SukiirnSn inherited fUie knowledge and Prophet hood of his

father,] Dawfld. He said, 'O people, we have been taught the
speech of birds, and on us have been bestowed all thmgs 'l (alNam?: 16').
We should also believe in all what Allah has narrated in His

Book of the stories of His Messengers with their nations. This
and Allah's help that came for His Messengers and their true
followers. Some instances of this are the accounts of what happened
between Prophet Musa and Fir'awn (Pharaoh), between Ibrahim and
his people, as well as Nuh, Hud, Salih, Shu'aib, Lut and their
respective nations. Still related to this is what Allah told us of the
relation between Yusuf, bis brothers and the people of Egypt; between
Yunus and his people, and the rest of what we imd either in the
1- The implication here is thai Suiaiman (.&) could travel as long as two months.'
journey in just one day. Of Tajsit' al-Sa 'd'i p. <123. (Translator)
2- he, all things that a Prophet or monarch, is usually given, {Translator)
242
Glorious Quran or the Surmah regarding the stories of Allah's

Prophets and Messengers, We must believe in all minutely and as
belief in the Messengers are established. Allah, the Exalted knows
best
243
Th* Foundation of Faith

IV
EfP
The .Muslim nation must uphold the rights due for Allah's
Messengers. This is in line with their lofty religious position and their
high and superior
35 L
Furthermore, the
honour He has conferred upon them by assigning to them dignified

tasks
conveying
His revelation and law to the entire creation,

These rights include:
Believing in whatever they have brought, and in the fact that all
1-
of them, without exception, were sent by their Lord, A Hah, to convey

His message to whomever He sent them. Allah (M) says.
>e
And We sent no Messenger save that he should be obeyed by

Allah's Permission, (al-Nisab <M).
js&fWs
And obey Allah and obey the Messenger and beware! But if you
turn away, then you should know that upon Our Messenger h
fits
>
>
u 5.
>
<A
ol f
4lk&0ti&
indeed, those who disbelieve in Allah and His Messengers and
His Messengers and say, 'We believe in some, but reject others*
and wish to take a eourse midway. They are, truly, the
unbelievers
4 44
(al-NisT; 15(1, l$)l
244
as a
;rs, we
accept as true all what they have brought of the divine

message.
in addition, it is necessary to know that neither mankind nor
jinn are allowed to follow any of the past Messengers after the coming
of Prophet Muhammad (0), who has been sent to all. His law has
nullified all the preceding laws of the previous Prophets: hence, no
religion is valid save that which Allah has sent through this noble
7,b
And whoever desires other than Islam as religion it will never

be accepted from him. Vet, in the hereafter, he will be among the
lOSerS. t'Al-'ImrSn; 85}.
And We have not sent you fO Muhammad) except to all mankind.

as a bringer of good tidings and a waraer. But most of the people
do not know. (Saba'; 28).
iS^fr
Jjij
4lwtfrt^
Say, rO you people, indeed I am Allah's Messenger to you all1, (a!
sV
A'rgf: 158).
2-
is to love and
*&***
support them, and avoid hating or contracting the enmity of any one of
them. Allah (M) says,
245
,4 s&Kifi&fy !CCS$Z J&S >

56),
<
OjM
'5
- "" iY'A'l*" t 7 t-TT -- > ;>K" Ik
lJa*i
+L4JI Ay>
Ojrt_y^ ]J p
Ant! the believers* men and women are allies of one another, (a.lTawbah; 71)
The above verse describes the believers as being allies or

helpers of one another, and Messengers of A Hah are no exception,
being the mos! perfect in Faith, Hence, the love and support the
any other person. 011 the grounds of their exalted position in religion
and their high status of Faith. Based on this, Allah warned against
harbouring enmity or hatred against the Messengers, and even
mentioned this alongside the hostility towards Himself and His angels,
making both equal in terms of any ensuing punishment or requital. He
says,
f
<
"So-
Whoever is an enemy to Allah, His angels, Ills Messengers and

[Angels} Jibrll and Mfkall- then certainly, Allah is an enemy to
the disbelievers. t&J-Baqamh: 9H).
3
To believe that the Messengers are superior to the rest of
mankind; no one, no matter how righteous and pious he/she may be,
can reach their status. This is because being a bearer of Allah's
g.b His own selection and not
message comes exclusively
through diligence or hard work Allah chooses for His mission
whomever He wills among His creation, Allah {%) said,
246

jf #
"t*
S*
^ ,
<*
A .**
_ ,s
.iS f
"+*
Allah chooses from the angels Messengers and from the people,
, (a!-## 75).
,, %.
>
^(35
TV"''
* * t
(al-Affgm:
83}. ID the verses following this, as we have mentioned earlier in this

chapter, Allah referred to a number of Prophets and Messengers and
then said,
J. A 7
tf "M &*> '%
And all We preferred over the worlds*1*. (af Akam: 86).

The Simnah also testifies to the supremacy of Allah's
Messengers over the rest of His creation. According to Abu. Hurairah
{#}, the Prophet (M) said,
-(J* Ji i.r>Jt y/11' :J.A ^ ^
it Is unlit that a man should say, 1i am better than [Prophet]
Vaults the son of Matthew1, This version of the hmfiih has been
reported by both Bukhtiri and Muslim {Bukkm: 3416; Muslim: 2376a> >
W hoever says,1! am heller than Yeans the son of Matthew' - has

told a lie. (Bukharr, 4604).
t- re,
2- The hadiik as queued above is from ,';ahlh Bukkan,
247
saymg,
H'TU
said this with a view to prevent a situation where some ignorant

''an.
concerning Yimiis {;%&} to be a sign of degradation for him. Muslim

in the least, bespeak a relegation for him as a Prophet, He was
Allah has said of his ease in the Glorious Quran. For instance, Allah
fWl said,
J*
I <>*
- A'
*)> LS- IsX?*
J-*
iC ' * *
J*
42
,> *- -?
tr
Arid (remember} DM-fifVun'11 (he. Prophet YunusJ when he

departed In anger and thought that We would not decree
(anything} upon him. And he cried out within the depths of
darkness, 'None has the right to he worshipped but You |Aliiii|;
glorified be You. Truly, I have been of the wrongdoers'. So We
responded to hira and saved him from distress. And thus do We
save the faithful. (at-AnbiyiP: &7M}Allah has also said,
\
SsaffSt: 339448).
f- Literally; Toe man of the hsfe or the whale',
248

4-
others, He says,
0* |4^ u*f ^
Those Messengers
some
among them were those to whom Allah spoke, and others He

raised to degrees (of honour), iai-Bitqamli: 253}.
"fahari, said in his
commentary on this verse, "Ayah, the exalted says, those my
Messengers; some of them 1 have made superior to others. To some,
like Milsa, I spoke directly, while 1 raised some above others in rank
by honouring them and placing them highly". Hence, pan of the rights
we owe them as a Muslim nation is to place every one of ihem
appropriately in tonus of supremacy ami high status, in, and not out of
the context of the religious texts.
o-
AJlah has commanded us to do this, and informed us that the good

Ail
that people make for His Messengers shall remain for them even after
their death. Allah (M) says of Prophet Nul,i
4^4
And We left for him>
sm >
y
|favorble mention] among later
generations. 'Peace be upon Nfih among the worlds*, (aPSsaflai: 78,

79).
He also said of lbrahTm
249
And We left for
4
him (favourable
mention) among later
generations, 'Peace he upon Ibrahim'. {ahSsaffit: m,109).

And of Musi and Ilarun. He said,
And We left for them [favourable mentionl among later
generations. 'Peace he upon Musa and Hanmh {ai-Ssafiae 119.120).
Furthermore, He said in a more general term,
/
And peace be on the .Messengers. (al-^rfarBt: \U),

Imam Jbn KathTr said while commenting on the above, "The saying of
Allah,
Peace be upon NQh among the worlds' explains the
favourable mention and praise which Allah has left for Nuh, which
means that every nation or group of people ask Allah to bestow His
peace upon him'51".
Similarly, another erudite scholar, Imam al- Nawawl reported
a consensus reached by Muslim scholars, declaring the invocation of
Allah's blessing on all the Prophets as not only lawful but even
recommended. In his words, "Muslim scholars have unanimously
agreed that it is lawful to ask for Allah's blessing to be bestowed on
our Prophet, Muhammad (#), Likewise, those of reliable authority
among the scholars have reached a consensus regarding the
permissibility of this with respect to other Prophets, as well as the
I- ihn Kathir, Tapir vol, vii, p, 20.
250
angels, independently"\ As for other people [Le, other than the

ki|. r(^)n
These are some of what we should uphold concerning the

rights of the Messengers of Allah, 'They are welt established in the
knows best.
f- Le. even when the name of Prophet Muhammad \M) has not been mentioned.
(Transistor!
2- he, unless they are mentioned &hmg with, the Prophet. (Translator)
251
3.5 Messengers described by AHS'b as Men of firm Resolution

{'Ulu at- 'Azm)
The- "Ulu al- 'Azm' among the Messengers are those who were
M says,
-< ^ Af r
41,
* f?
So be patient |0 Muhammadj, as were the Messengers of Firm

Resolution. (aS-Ahqsf: 35).,
Muslim scholars have different opinions concerning the
identity of those Messengers; in the view of some, all Messengers of
Allah belong to this category. .According to this viewpoint, the word
which occurs in the original Arabic text of the above quoted verse
V
si I
should not be mistaken for the other h-d which denotes partition, and
literally means; 'among' or 'of, Ibn Zayd, one of the scholars who
subscribe to this opinion, has this to say. "All Messengers of Allah
have been of determination. No Prophet [or Messenger] lias ever been
sent by Allah, unless he was found to be resolute, judicious and
AT
the "Ulu al- Azm' at just five, namely: Nuh, Ibrahim, Musa, 'Isa and
fLki
iv
he Vtu
al-Azm among the Messengers are: Prophets Muhammad, Nuk

Ibrahim, Musi and 'Isa, may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon
all of them
Subscribers to this view include Mujahid, 'Ala' al-
Khurasiini and many scholars of the later generations,
252

.v
71
together on two occasions, and this apparently serves as proof hacking

the latter opinion. In the chapter of l-AMabiK\ Allah (3$) says,
"' """
ftf </} Jrtfy
& op
'.-
(h ni oj
4% d*
And [remember, o
-\
their covenant, and from you and from Nuh and Ibrahim and
Mfisa and *lsa, the son of Maryam; and We took from them a
solemn covenant. (ai-Ai.ixsh: i\
M a
. -U)
J
where Allah (M) says

^ -
* ?
f >'1
"&G
J*
t "
&r~ T
He [Allah] has ordained for you of religion what He enjoined

upon Niib, and that which We have revealed to you {Muhammad]*
and what We enjoined upon Ibrahim [Abraham], Mtisa [Moses]
and 4lsa (Jesus] - to establish the religion and not he divided
therein. (at-Shum; 13).,
According to some scholars of the Qur'anic exegesis, "The reason for
this exclusive mention of just the names of those Messengers, is to
class of the firmly resolute Messengers",
1- ix, Chapter 33 of the Glorious Qur'tui,

2- t.e, Chapter 42 of the Glorious Q'ur'un,
253
In addition, those live Prophets are the best of all lite

Messengers of Allah, and of mankind as a whole, Abu Hurairah {#)
said, "The elites among the descendants of Adam are live: Nui),
Ibrahim, Tsa, Musa and Muhammad, while the best of these five is
Muhammad, may Allah's peace and blessings be on all of them",
(Reported by al-Barsolr -as in Kashf
vol hi p- 114- ; Myma' ai-Zawa'id

Hi
vol vii) p, 255; al Mtmadrakvol, ii, p. 54b' i.
in another hadlih which further slates Prophet Muhammad's

supremacy as the best among the best, Abu Hurairah {#:>) quoted the
Prophet (31) as saying,
Jj'j
Jjlj j$'>
JdUy y Jy.j AUA1I AJI fM ajj AwJ oi>
1 shall be the leader for all mankind on the Day of Resurrection. 1

shall also be the llrsi person to come out of his grave, the first
intercessor and the first person whose intercession will be
accepted. {Muslim: 2278; Abu Dawud: 4673, voI.v pJH).
f- The men of this hnad (chain of transmission)., according to Hsithami, arc men of
the $ar>,ih hadiihs, and according So sl-Bakiim the chain of transmission is
reliable- al-Dhabahs also assented to this,
254
'*:
The- Foundations i' Faith
izhi
veracity of seeing him in a dream

(a) His special qualities
outstanding traits and qualities,. with which. He also set him above all
other Messengers and the entire creation., These qualities include the
following:
1-
jinn. Hence, they must all follow him and believe in. his message.
Allah (it) says.
AA
y- f-;-.
as a b ringer of good tidings and a warmer
9 8
{Saba': 7S),
Blessed be lie |AMh) Who sent down the Criterion {The Quriinj
i-r
According to lfon. 1 Abbas,
>
* &i ^; the phrase "To the worlds"
means to mankind and/dm.

yuaj! ^
.(0^1 ^
g\yr c~Jaid :c~w

jJjM Jj
tj.
c-Ud)
J
I have been granted privilege over all other Prophets in six

I. |
range of meaning, and have been helped with the fear {that my
enemies feel in their heart, which makes them fearful of attacking
me|, Spoils have been made lawful for me, and the earth as
.{*)
and place of worship. I am seal to the entire creation, and

- -i
In a related development. Abu Hurairah also quoted the

j
l*7l
& **1 a c-*
Lr
-o'ch cJiWrttfi j* dtf y] *+ cuL^y
,>*js
By Him (Allah! whose Hand is the life of Muhammad! Any

member of this nation, whether a Jew or a Christian, who hears
about me but fails to believe in what I have been sent with till he
dies he shall he one of the inhabitants of Hell-Are. (Muslim: 153).
2-
His being the last of Allah's Prophets and Messengers. Said Allah
mi
4V#f2% A\
2 arts ^
Muhammad is not the father of any one of your men, but [he Is)
40),
and Muslim, the Prophet (fs) has said,
as cic-.uR water ami sand.. (Translator)
256
*4
^ J?J jus'
^ *yVi ja*j ^ t>j>
!its .; Jli t'liih 0*U -*&>) *M 10 2< jib f A] OJ&JUJ At Ojijkj ûil J**ti .Ajlj,
.(^M-*1
tdj Aidf
My similitude in comparison with the Prophets before me is that

of a man who has built a house finely and beautifully, except for a
the house and admire it, but also say, 8What if a briefc had been
put [in the spaeej'! The Prophet added, 'I am the brick; I am the
last of the Prophets'. {BukJniri: 3535; Muslim: 22N6'1'}.
Having known these proofs, the Muslim nation as a whole,
both past and present generations have unanimously agreed on this
creed, They have similarly reached a consensus declaring whoever
claims to be a Prophet, after Muhammad (}, an infidel who must be
subjected to capital punishment of death should he persist in this
heretical claim. Al- Alusi, a prominent Muslim scholar, said.
Im
the Glorious Quran and the Sunmfh while the Muslims have also
unanimously agreed on that. Whoever claims the opposite is a
disbeliever and must face the death penalty should he insist on his
claim 1\
1 _
revealed to him, as it is the greatest of all miracles and the most

evident of all signs. It is the words of Allah, well-protected against
corruption and alteration, and shall remain with the Muslim nation
until the lime it will be raised again to Allah, by His permission. Allah
says.
f- The hac&h as above is from the Bukium compilation.
257
The Foutidatioiis of Faith
/ f
^
1- - "0 ->:**' ^>&

of% f*r^ ^-
Say, 'If mankind ami jinn gathered in order to produce the like of
helped one another', (al-isrs': 88),
l^s^4
*
r-
4-A
. j.
is it not sufficient tor them that We sent down to you the Book
(al-'Anksbut; 51),
Bukhari and Muslim narrated on the authority of Abu Hurairah

(*&} that Allah's Messenger ('3k) said.
A-SjJj! 1& 6t5* yjjj
Jpi *k*a
.jfi
*W "S! J wS't , u)
('
There has never been a Prophet except that Alllh gave him of
miracles what led people to believe in him. What I have been
given is the revelation which Allah revealed to me, and I hope
therefore, to have more followers than any other Prophet would
have on the Day of Resurrection. (Bukhari-. 4m; Muslim: 152}.
4-
His nation is the best of all nations, and they will constitute the
vast majority of the dwellers of Paradise. Allah (W) says.

#
*+
4%
what is right, forbid what is wrong, and believe in Allah. (Ai-imran:

MO).
258
The- Foundaliofts of Faith
According to MtTiwiyah bin H.aidah al-Qushayri (#>), the

Prophet {$) explained the meaning of the just quoted verse as follows;
(*"" J* ^/fJ
^ <J*r"
f%
Von
nations, out of which you are the host anil most honourable in the
Sight of Allah, (Musnad Ahmad, vol rv, p.447; Sunm Tirmidhi; MX!!, vol v, p.
226
t,
Another tradition narrated bv "Abdullah bin Mas'iid (/&) has it

that
*i :\iXi
JA ^
Oi
J_ai
f ^/J oi
S_Jri
0*1 i>j& Wl jeji jl m Arf ^
J,Li
:J'w
^ -* hT
:jd .,**j ;UJi . (sU^S JA! wJJ ljJj& dl

All >l
:ja ytf :Utf .<**'

iL
'*5
uLr J
3jl
jjî wbr
We were once in the company of the Prophe t ($g) in a rent, then he
Paradise"? We replied 1Yesh Then he said, "Would it please you to
be one-third of the inhabitants of Paradise"? We said, 1Yes'. He said
further, 'Would if please you to be half of the inhabitants of
Paradise'? We answered, "Yes\ Then he said, "By Him [Allah] in
whose Hand is the life of Muhammad, I hope that you will indeed
constitute half the number of the people of Paradise. No one shall
enter Paradise except a soul that submits itself {to Allah as
Muslim], and you (my followers] in comparison to the polyfheists
The hadith has been classified by Tirmidhi as 'hasaX, hut as 'xah'ih' by both
Hakim, and Dhahahi,
are Just like a single white hair on the skin of a black ox, or a
single black hair on the skin of a red osft (Bukhara 652% Musiim: 221),
5-
He shall he the pre-emsnenl personality among the descendants

.0.)
4
L#ft/
<e^
J-jb
** J-k* o* J'/j
4lj ^
: f ft,
shall also be the first person to come out of his grave, the first
intercessor, and the first
person whose intercession will be
accepted. {Muslim: 2278; AM Dawud. 4673, voLv p .38).
(y-
He is the owner of the greate st intercession; when, on the Day of
Resurrection, he shall intercede for the people at the Mmvqif{2\

delay. Before then, other Messengers of high repute, one after the
D*
4 bjftkUu>
/ ft*'
hi1"" ft..-"' V
KJLJp
It Is expected that your Lord will resurrect you to a station o!

praise. (si-isi'Sb 79),
I- p, 254,
2- Mawqif literally means; stopping place, station, scene etc, in the context above,
it refers to the gathering of all creatures in a single place on the Day of
Resurrection, (Translator)
26ft

Pv
(the TTibiim) including Hudhtufah, Salman, Anas, Abu Hurairah, Ibn

Mas* Qd, Jabir bin 'Abdullah, tbo 'Abbas
Mujabid, Qa&dah and
others have all interpreted the 'station of praise1 mentioned above to

mean the intercession. Qatadab, one of them, said, "The Muslim
scholars used lo construe the 'station of praise' as the Prophet's
The Prophet's intercession for the people at the Mawqif on tire
Day of Resurrection is further confirmed in the Stmmih; precisely in a.
lengthy tradition known as the 'hadifh of intercession', reported by
haclith points out that Prophets Adam, Nub, Ibrahim, Musa and Tsa
-may Allah's peace be on them- would all. in sequence, express their
wish to be excused from doing the intercession, claiming that they are
unsuitable for such an undertaking. The hadtth continues as follows:
i^rt *-J
j cJj, li'p ,Js- J teg ^ J* OifcwU4
^/U>
t
JtA f -ig->k d'
tii u>
Thereafter, they would come to me {le. Prophet Muhammad Mh

given. On seeing my Lord, I shah prostrate before Him, and He
would leave me in that state as long as He would like. Then 1 shall
listened to; and ask [for whatever you like], you will he granted
your request; and intercede, your intercession will be accepted. !
shall then praise my Lord with certain forms of praise He has
taught rne, and then intercede... (Bukhm-, 3340; Mm-hm: 193).
2.61
He owns the Hag of praise; a real flag he shall carry exclusively
1-
on the Day of Resurrection, while the whole humanity will be

subordinate to him, and gather under his banner. In the opinion of
some Muslim scholars, the Prophet (M) deserves this on the grounds
ot t
-r A
'A '
created being has ever used to praise Him. Pointing to the Prophet's
quoted him as saying,
jai
^ J*
"i'j uJ-!
;2-Uajl jtj*
alj A--. Lil)
I shall be the pre-eminent person among mankind on the Day of

Resurrection. The flag of praise shall be with me i say ifais
without boasting. Every Prophet, Adam and others will ail be
under my flag. Let me add also, without boasting, that I shall be
the first (person to come out alive] after the earth would have split
apart. {Swum TtrmkBui 36 25, vol. v,p. 587'0)
").
The most esteemed position that will be accessible to only one
8-
person in Paradise, otherwise known as 'ai-Wasi/ah\ also belongs to

the Prophet (#&)/Abdullah bin *Amr bin aPAs
reported
to have heard Allah's Messenger (&) saying,

*k
f
JL& y Aib
tjL* f Jjii u
?
M AU* y
(ie-li-Sji d cub- kW-jh ^ JL*
fr
y Ul 4s_gT! ot yjj
- Tirmidhi classified this hadifh as 'basm-saluh'. Imam Afimssd also narrated an.
almost identical version in his Musnssd vol. iii, p, 2.
262
When yon hear the Mtt'otitfhirf \ repeat after him what he says
Allah to bless me.
that, yi> should beseech Allah to grant me the rWasitah%\ a rank
in Paradise accessible only to one of Allah's servants* and 1 hope
to be that servant. Anyone who asks [Allah] to grant me the
'Wa$Tlah\ let him/her rest assured of my intercession* {Muslim-. 384),
the Prophet (M) indicate his prominent position in the sight of Allah,,
as well as his high stains in this life and the life to come.
(b) What the followers of Prophet Muhammad owe him as rights
Many are the rights that members of the Prophet's nation owe
him. Some of these rights b ave be en mentioned earlier as part of what
the Muslim nation as a whole owes. Allah's Messengers generally. In
the coming pages, we shall focus on those rights that are specifically
t-
To believe, in detail, in his prophet hood and message, with a
past Messengers. This necessitates to accept, as truth, whatever he

J
all what he has forbidden, and worshipping Allah only in a manner he

has prescribed. Proofs on this arc in both the Glorious Quran and the
Sumah. Allah (6f) says.
Le, who calls people to come out and pray in the mosque at the appointed time of
each obligatory prayer. (Translator)
263

So believe in Allah and His Messenger and the Light )U, the
Qur'fin), which We have sent clown. ^-Tsgbabuo; :i
' "
5>
<**'
Believe, therefore, in Allah and His Messenger, the unlettered

that you may he guided. (at-A'raf; JriSA
so
And whatever the Messenger has given you -take it; and whatever
he has forbidden you- refrain [from it). (aM.laskr 7).
"Abdullah bin "Umax CH* -* Â) narrated that Allah's
Messenger (jM) said,
IjiiM
JjuL J|
.i
JJ[ "i. 0; '_JA^4V,
JJiL d wiyi)
t jjjij a%^Ji
i,
,<At J*
1 have been commanded to light people until they testify that none
His Messenger, and perform the obligatory prayers (Sittiih), and
pay ZakHh. If they do-then their lives and property are safe*
except for another islamic injunction {if violated), and their
reckoning will be done by Allah. {Biikhari: 25; Muslim: 22).
2people. Hence, he left no virtue
having encouraged and
persuaded them to engage therein, and there was no vice except thai
he has forbidden and warned them not to commit it. Allah (W) says,
264

îrfJJ Jz**}
pw p
pp
This day I have perfected lor you your religion, completed My

Favour upon you, and approved for you Islam as religion, (alMf+'icM; 3). According to Abu Dardu', the Prophet (M) has said,
,{4i^ Ujtij ififJ t*uSi Ja* J* piCsfy ^ it?
,, ,>
By Allah! I have left you on a plain course; the night thereof h as

clear as the day. [SUHMI Jim M&tjah (preface), vol.. i, p. 4 had'ith m. 5).
A testimony regarding the Prophet's conveyance of Allah's
message came from the Companions (H* ^ ^J) at their largest ever
congregation of the farewell pilgrimage. On that day, the Prophet had
delivered a
ing sermon, during which he explained what
Allah cither prescribed or forbidden for [hern, in addition to his advice

tor them to uphold the [laws of] the Book of Allah, Lastly, the Prophet
(} remarked, "You shall he questioned concerning me; what
would you say"?. They replied, 'We will bear witness that you have
conveyed [the message], discharged [your duty as a Prophet] and
offered [sincere] counsel', At this point, he- raised his forefinger
towards the sky
Allah, he witness J to thisj" three times, (Muslim: f?J8!l!)
Ahu Dharri (4A that, "By the time Muhammad (is) left us [i.e. died]
there was not even a single bird flapping its wings in the sky, except
that he had told us something about it". {Musmd Ahmad vol. v p. 153).
1- The hadith is part of the Jatiir bin 'Abdullah's detailed account of the Prophet's
pilgrimage,
265

c....
ci arc
numerous
3-
To love
Mcsscngcrs of Allah; however, our Prophet (&) has a special status in

this regard. Hence, we should love him more than we love an.v other
K*
person, including our children, parents, relatives and even our own
selves, Allah (H) says
SL'3J\J |39iS
o/pM' Jyi>
i
MX
.*
o;
>
A-
,^-v
j. U&j
.5" \p4J*
<*- .
>
*>
Say, fO Muhammad], "If your fathers**', your sons, your

brothers, your wives, your relatives, wealth which you have
obtained, commerce wherein you fear decline, and dwellings with
which yon are pleased, are more beloved to you than Allah, His
Messenger and striving in Ills cause-then wait until Allah
executes His Command. And Allah does not guide the defiantly
disobedient people". (abTawbah: 24).
Thus, Allah paired the love for Himself with the love for His
Messenger $}, and subsequently threatened anyone who loves his
wealth., family and children more than he loves Allah or His
Messenger by saying, "Then waif until AMh executes His
Command. And Allah does not guide the defiantly disobedient
people".
f- Or your parents (f. ai-Sa'di., Taffir p.. 292),
266

IA
<cc**
*^}i *^s ^
^ ^/''
o*M *>
None of yon can he true believer, unless he loves me more ihm he

15; Muslim: 44),
In the same context, 'Umar btn al-Khattab (4s) was reported to

have addressed the Prophet (0 saying,: "0 Allah's Messenger, you are
dearer to me than any other thing except my own self," The Prophet
(Is) said, "By Him (Allah) iti whose Hand is my life! That is not
PM
'Omar then said to him, 11 swear by Adah that now you are more
beloved to me even than my own self"! The Prophet (0 said, "Now*
O 'Umar [You have just said what you are expected to say as a
believer*1'!"- [Bukhari: 6632, on ihe authority of'Abdullah bio HisMm)
4-
To give .him due respect, befitting honour and reverence, these
are all part of his rights as enjoined by Allah (W) in His Glorious
Book. Allah says.
(3), >
honour him and respect him [i.e. the Prophet (g|)|. od-Faih: 9)
i See Ibn Hajar, Fathii al-Ban vol, si, p, 536 (Translator)
2- i,e, honour him, according to Ibn 'Abbas

A kr-*>yf, This may also mean, in
the opinion of Qstsdah, 'support him',
3- te, respect him, according io thn 'Abbas (Hr^6 *
Qatadafe also interpreted
ibis to mean an order from Atliih due lire Prophet tSs) must be made the leader.
267
Tho Foundations of Faith

**
ft-crl
3""r
"Vt
* >?
t>"r
-Ifiv
^ > a :>?t
f
So they who have believed in him |IUe Prophet (||)|, honoured

him, supported him and followed lite Light which was sent down
with him - it is those who will he the successful. (ai-AW: isi).
*4 *Av $*#3 V&$ !** ty&p

Messenger, (ahtfujurat: S}.
\* " -y
+S
<KA
1 >*>
calling of one another, (ai-NUr; 63).

The import here, according to Mujahid - a well-known scholar
of the Qur'lme exegesis, is that "Allah commanded them to say,
humbly and gently., 'O Messenger of Allah' whenever they needed to
call his attention, and not lo say, is
'O
Muhammad".
The Companions of the Prophet
oo their part, have

One
ighi>
of them, Usarnah bin Shuraik {*&) said, "1 came lo the Prophet 0) and
awe
as if tfc
Honouring the Prophet (0) has not ceased with his death, but
continues even after his demise, A prominent. Muslim Scholar, Qadi
TytkJ says accordingly, "Let it be known to you that giving due
respect, honour and reverence lo the Prophet (0) after his death, is as
2.6a
compulsory as giving the same to him white he was alive, This applies
specifically whenever his name is mentioned, or his Simnah and
kadiihs are recited, or when one hears his biography. Similarly, we
should -out of our respect for the Prophet (0)- maintain good
relations with his immediate and extended family, and honour both
his relations and companions".
o-
is another duty we owe him, and even an order from Allah, the
Almighty, who has said,
-til -J .*
t.H t f 11:
Indeed, Allah confers blessing upon the Prophet, and His angels
[ask Him to do so). O you who believe, ask [Allah to confer]
blessing upon him, and ask [Allah to grant him] peace. (ai-Ahzate 56).
A Muslim linguist called al-Mubarrid said, "The word *sakttf
bless someone. Hence, the word implies (conferring] mercy, on the
tv-A
:s
Him on the pari of the angels".

<u** k
i,
To
narrated that Allah's Messenger said,

J*)
,.(!jA*
"Anyone who asks (Allah to confer] a blessing on me, Allah will

recompense him/her with tenfold blessings t
{Muslim: 584)
In another hadiih, ijusain bin 'Ah bin Abi Talib

quoted the Prophet fH) as saying.,
2m
k ^*_,) also
J**
*** ^/'s ^^ iW5>
does not ask [Allah to confer| on me blessings, (Strnm TmmM: 3546,

ID,
vol.
4J
Allah lo confer peace and blessing on someone is
recommended generally in favour of all. the Prophets m we have

mentioned earlier. However, it is more emphatically established in the
case of our Prophet iM), as one of the most important obligations
owed him by his followers; hence, we have seen it fit to make special
mention of that here. Muslim scholars have stated this religious
obligation unequivocally, while some even recorded unanimous
agreement on it. A prominent scholar' and jurist, Qadi Tyad, said in
this connection, "Be informed that invoking [Allah's] blessings upon
the Prophet (M) is. by and large, a religious obligation, which is not
restricted to a particular time. The order from Allah in this respect
implies obligation, in the opinion of the Muslim leaders and scholars,
who have unanimously agreed on this".
(>-
Acknowledging all his firmly established outstanding traits,
excellent characteristics and high status, whether those we have

mentioned earlier in this book, or other traits and qualities that are
equally proved in the Islamic texts. One should accept all this as true
addition, we must get this spread among the people and teach the
same to our young ones, who should also be taught to love their
f- This is a "hasan-saki'h gktmb'* hadhh. agecrclmg to Tirrrmiht.
2.70

<> *
7as it amounts to a most

dangerous harm to the person of the Prophet himself Here is how
daft eommar
y^- jlli
'M
--
Say, H am only a man like you, to whom has been revealed that
your god is One God,. So whoever would hope for the meeting with
his Lord let him do righteous deed, and not associate in the
worship of his Lord anyone1. (at-Kaiu: 110).
.* Lf
-'i'% -|L* vfj
-.1 -it r;
%'
S-l
t*i sp
t
>
5
Say, 'I do not tell you that 1 have the treasures of Ali&b or that 1
know the unseen, nor do I tell you that 1 am an angel 1 only follow
what is revealed to me'. (d-An'sra; 50).
was
Lordship, nor 'was he an angel. Rather, he followed the order and
revelation of his Lord. The Prophet (0) himself has cautioned his
adherents against excess in. their approach whether to his person, or to
; itim as saying,
DJ
ax* ui Uts fa*
^jLadl Csjel W5"
V)
i
concerning ibn Maryam (i.e.. Jesus the son of Mary}; I am only a
271
11a' Founclatioiis of Faith
servant of Ali&h. You siitmltl therefore say (accordingly), 'A

servant of Allah and His .Messenger'. {Bukhari: 344Sf'l})..
Ibn al-Athlr, the renowned linguist and scholar, opined that 'lira",
being the Arabic word used in the above ftaMh, means, precisely,
giving an undue praise to someone or something,
in a separate narration, Ibn 'Abbas <}H^
yj said, "A roan
came to the Prophet iM) and after discussing with him certain issues
he (the man) said, '[Such would be,] if Allah and you will'. The
Prophet 0) reacted to this by saying, "Have you made me a peer of
A05h! Rather, what Allah alone wills Ishall be]"* (MusnadA.fymad, vol
i;p.2l4^V
Mere, the Prophet 0) warned against excess regarding his person,
which would mean placing him above his human status and ascribing
to him pail of Almighty Allah's exclusive qualities. This also
represents an indirect warning against any other form of excess not
mentioned above; exceeding the limits set for our approach to the
person of the Prophet or his praise, in whatever way, is unlawful
Some forms of this excess amount to associating partners with
Allah (it), such as when a person funis to the Prophet in supplication
x
an act of worship that must
*r:?\
he directed to none but Allah (#g) alone,
1- An almost identical version occurs as welt in Musnad Ahmad, vol, i, p, 23.

2- An almost identical version occurs as well in Smrn Ibn Majah: 211?,
27 2
Other facets of excess regarding the person of the Prophet (M)

include;
-
Offering sacrificial animal in his name.
Making a vow for him.

* %}
or
lacing the grave during $alah (prayer) or any other act of

worship.
All this is unlawful, as those acts cons chute acts of worship, which
being. Allah says,
' %
S
- -1
Say, 'Indeed, my prayer, my service of sacrifice, my living and my

dying are for AllSh, Lord of the worlds. No partner has He, And
this I have been commanded, and f am the first [among youj of
the Muslims'. (abAa'Sm: 162, 163}.
8support his companions and relations- including his wives, and not to
use degrading or insulting language for them. This is because Allah
has enjoined on the Muslims to love and support the Companions of
his Prophet {?). as He has also encouraged the generations alter them
27T5
11a' Foundatioiis of Faith

M
3,
r.J and the
Amiar"- among the- Companions (4),
Si y*t
*
And those who came after ihem say, 'Our Lord, forgive us and
hearts
our
rancour towards those who have believed. Our Lord, You arc
indeed, Kind and Merciful1. (ai-J.ia&ltr: i<jj.
He also said concerning the relatives and the household of His
Messenger (MX
4&jr,iSp^r*
Say, fl do not ask yon for it |i.c, the Message 1 have brought) any
reward, except goodwill due to |my| kinship [wiih you)'. (ul-ShurS: 23).
According to some, this verse may also be interpreted as follows, "Say
to those believers who have followed you, 'i do not request any
payment from you in return for what 1 have brought to you, except
that you love my relatives'."
Zayd bin Arqara (#.) narrated that the Prophet (M) once stood
up and addressed the people saying,
1- ix, the Emigrants; those who emigrated from Makkah to Madinab at the instance
of the Prophet $&}, (Transl ator)
2- Le,
Hijntb or emigration, (Translator)
2-74
Jj-o JLi ^ ^Ji jr* ^ ^ -y^1' %' V* Ato Ul)
Jfi &*k ,(-q ?
\s*> Ij-W . jyhj ÂA'I AJ* fa wtef Uij'
W>'
,
,i
(i^ >r J ^
- 1
angel of death) whom 1 shall answer. |ButJ I am leaving among

you
the Glorious Quran) that contains guidance and light. So stick to

tV
to the Book of Allah and then said,J "And jthe second thing is) my
relations. I remind you |to fear) AMh [regarding your duties]
towards my relations. I remind you [to fear] Allah [regarding
your duties] towards my relations, I remind you [to fear) Allah
[regarding your duties] towards my relations". {Muslim: 240S).
In this way, the Prophet (S) did command us to be kind to his family
and to value their worth and rights very highly, in recognition of their
honour and relation to him. He has equally advised us to treat Ms
as saying,
Vj
W#
U LAS A3*\ Jt
y( jdi iÛwl Ijh-J y[)
Allah's cause) an amount of gold that is as huge as Vhud a>, that
l- A mountain on the outskirts of Madinah, (Translator)
275
would sot t>e equal to the reward of eves a mttdd
(15
or half mttdd
'-J,
It has always been a basic and undisputed principle of the

Orthodox Stimii Muslims {Ah! ctlSumiah) to love the Companions of
the Prophet (0), as well as his relatives and wives. They see the
defamation of any or all of the Companions as a mark of aberration
scholar, "If yon see a man making disparaging remark abour a
Companion of Allah's Messenger {fM'h then you should know thai he is
a heretic". Another erudite Scholar, imam Ahmad bin Hanha! also
said. If you sec a man using a degrading language for a Companion
II
to be a Muslim".
The foregoing Is only brief presentation of part of the rights
owed the Prophet (0) by his followers. May Allah (J_M) guide us and
our Muslim brothers, so that we may fulfil our obligations in this
respect.
f- A mudd in. measurement approximately consists of 543 grams of grain or the

like, (Translator)
2- The hacush as quoted above has been taken from the Bukhari's book,
276
it) Elaborating on the veracity of seeing the Prophet (#:) in a

dream
has
been established through, evidences in the Surtnah. 'The implication
i*
thereby is that whoever sees him in a dream, has truly seen his person,
and not someone else resembling him. According to Abu Hurairah
(<#*), the Prophet CM) himself has said.,
(el
bvk-ddi ,jp> .J)j AEi fUil J Jlj j*)
Anyone who saw me while sleeping has, in reality, seen me as a

person*
Another version of the hadith also narrated by Abu Hurairah {A-}
reads as follows.
.ay i J
J Jj &>
Whoever saw me in a dream, shall also see me while he is awake

[i.e. with his own eyes!, Satan cannot impersonate my identify.
(Bukkark 6993; Muslim: 226b).
form", Jabir bin 'Abdullah (4*) also quoted the Prophet (Mi as saying,
($
i 4i$ <J{j
fjdl J <j$j J*}
Whoever saw me while asleep - no doubt, he has seen me as a

person. It is improper for Satan to assume my identity. (Muslim: 226S).
Based on the contents of the above hadliha, it is feasible lo see
the Prophet Oi) in a dream, and whoever does, he/she has actually
seers none but the Prophet ($j) himself, for Satan has been
incapacitated to assume his shape. However, we should be mindful of
the fact that the true vision being referred to in these hacUihs is
277
applicable only when the person Has. seen the Prophet (M) in his real
I >
es
statement by Ibn SMn, as quoted above, precisely touched on this
the hadith immediately, with the aim of clarifying the nature of the
vision reported in the hadith. Also conforming to this is another
narration by al-Hakim. on the authority of "Arim bin Kulaih who said,
"1 was informed by my lather that he said to Ibn ' Abbas
have seen the Prophet ($} in a dream', Iba "Abbas said, 'Describe him
to me', Kulaib, the original narrator continued, 'I then mentioned
al-Hasan bin "Ali
, citing his resemblance to the Prophet.
{!&), Ibn "Abbas then remarked, "He, truly, resembled him", {Ah
muskuirakvol. iv, p,
Another narrator called Ayyub said, "Whenever a man

- 121
informed Muhammad ibn Sinn ' [hat he had seen die Prophet {?) [in
description proves alien to what he (Ibn. Sirin.) knows, he would then,
say, 'You have not seen, the Prophet (|t)Y! Ibn Ilajar, who reported this
in his book: Path al-Bdri, classified the chain of transmission as
sound,
On the saying of the Prophet (-^"Whoever saw me in a
dream, shall also see me while he is awake [i.e. with his own
I- This is a %<thJh h./idTth, according to both Hakim and Dbahahi, Ibn Hajar also
judged die chain of transmission as 'Jayyid' (good),
1- He is the same Ibn Smrs mexstkmcd earlier in this chapter - a well-known Muslim
scholar who died in the second century of the Hijra (Muslim calendar'!',
('Translator)
27S
eyesj
c?
the import of the last clause in the hadith, The most, famous of these
views are as follows;
that h, compared to what one sees with his own eyes, This view
enjoys the support of another version of the same hadith, which reads
as i
L
I j
. {Reported by Muslim on
the authority of Abu Hurairah &},
2- Seeing the Prophet ($?:) with one's own eyes, as mentioned

in the hadiih, has been peculiar to those of his contemporaries who
believed in hint even before they were privileged to eateh sight of
him.
3- The clause refers to what will happen on the Day of
Resurrection, when those who have seen the Prophet (as) in a dream
will be granted special privileges above those who have not. Allah
(M) knows best.
3.7 Prophet Muhammad's message as the final of all divine

messages;
of the Prophet (gami that he was the last of all Prophets of

Allah, However, our
Prophet Muhammad {$) has on the Muslims' faith, and what
they stand to gain in having such a belief. These include:
1-
Finality of the Islamic legislation, perfection of the religion, as
well and the great impact of both on the fife of the Muslims, For these
<fV
M
k
A1
*+
B--S
This day I have perfected for you your religion, completed my

Favour upon you, and have approved for you Islam as religion, (al
Mh: 3).
pilgrimage; just a few months prior to his death, at a time Allah had.
completed for hira the law of Islam, No wonder, the Jewish
community used to envy the Muslims on account of what Allah.
that a Jew came to 'Umar bin al-Khattab (-4*) and said, "Had thai
verse, which you read in your book, been revealed to us, i.e. Jews, we
would have made the day it was revealed a festival". 'Umar (4*)
asked, "Which verse is thai1"?. The man replied, "This day I have
perfected for you your religion". {liukharr. 45; Muslim: 3017),
280
in a prn
likening the past Messages before him to a well-built palace, with
every component being intact, except for a place of one brick.
to complete the edifice. This apparently shows that Islam, and in fact
all. other divine messages as a
cannot,
any
circumstances, accommodate any addition, as it is equally impossible

hadith of "the brick" we now quote has been mentioned earlier when
we discussed the elMraeterislies of the Prophet {ill}. The reader may.<
therefore refer to that section for details.
2-
religion nor the law of their Prophet {M) could be abrogated or

outdated with the coming of a new Prophet, The termination ofc
ne
I (is) implies
that no new Prophet shall further come and no new law will be sent
after his prophet hood and his law, The coming of Tsa (Jesus S&S),
even as he will maintain his status as a Prophet, does not contradict
this fact, Jesus, in his second coming to this world (i.e. his descent
his own former law which, in reality, has been abrogated. In other
words, he shall be an adherent of the law of our Prophet, fundamental
and non-fundamental aspects alike.
2-SI
3-
Wsth this belief, Muslims will have no doubt whatsoever thai
whoever claims to be a Prophet after Muhammad (M) is an outright

liar. This represents a most notable benefit the Muslim community
derive from the creed of the finality of prophet hood. They are
protected thereby from failing into the trap of impostors who claim to
be prophets. For this same reason, the Prophet (M) committed himself
purposely and wilfully to warning his followers of the danger posed
by those impostors, when he affirmed the belief in himself as the final
Prophet of Allah, in line with this, the Prophet, {&) informed us of
some
him; thus* warning Ms followers not to believe in or follow those liars.
This is contained in a hadtih narrated by Thawban (-#) who quoted the
Prophet (is) as saying,
Indeed, there will be among my nation thirty impostors who shall
all claim to be prophets, while 1 am fin truth,] the last Prophet. No
Prophet shall come after me, {Sutmn Tinmdhi: 2219. vol iv, p. 499" "i
4distinguished positions in the Muslim nation.. Allah (jjg) has entrusted
them to govern the people and manage both their religious and
run by their Prophets. Abu l-lurairah (#.) narrated that the Prophet (it)
said,
f- The hadith has been classified by Tirxnidhi as "hatan-yahsli", Abu Dawud also
reported a similar version on the authority of Abu-Hurairah (Swim Ahit Dawikf:
433:1, 4334. vol, iv p. 329).
2S 2
The Foundations; of Faith

i,A~Jv,
y $<*
"i *>'y
^ &U& Wlf Ar^'1 i^J-d J?Hfr4 Jrt vd~5'iS")

JjS'i A%H !-/> :
Wi djili (/&
OJ&*J
.(,-*lfrUP ,4&U id 6$
The children of Israel were ruled by their Prophets; each time a
*
J1
shall come alter me, tout there will he successors who shah
increase in number. The audience asked,
n un
then would vou
order us to do"? He replied, MGhey anyone that will be the first to

rulers) their due rights. Allah will ask Ihera about what He has
put under their custody8', {Hukhm-i: 3455; Muslim: 1*42'3').
The position of Muslim rulers of this nation, in terms of governance
and administration, is therefore equivalent to that of the Prophets
among the children of Israel. Another had'ith narrated bv Abu
S?
Murairah (*&) has it that,

i*
<J"
A1 ii]y
i.'h
iv, p.. 313; ai'Muskidnskvolj'v, p. 522""'),

The condition of the Muslim nation (Ummah) also testifies to
this, as both religious
0"
managed through those caliphs, rulers and scholars who handle the
2- This is a $ah'ih (authentic') hadith, accordiruj to both Hilkim and Dhahabi,
2S:l
Furthermore, Allah (M) keeps renovating for the- Muslim nation

C5
throughout the ages. He does this through Muslim reformers who

claims by the impostors., and from, the misinterpretation of those who
ever; no matter how ancient the Message of the Prophet (3) has
and particularly on those whom H.e has honoured with such a
responsibility.
At any rate, the belief in the termination of prophet hood and
its impacts on religion are considered prominent features of this
nation, which impart to it strong faith with certainty, positiveness*
-
11!
deep-rootedness and stability, tints 1 the time Allah's order will come .
f- t.e, until the Day of Resurrection, (Trms later)
2S4
3.8
'a'i-
Messenger's Night Journey <al-hr&y. Facts and proofs
Definition:
Linguistically, (be- word "al-hnt" is derived from another
Arabic word *surdFt which denotes either a journey for the whole
night or for the most pari of it Hence, it is commonly said. "Saraytu"
or "Asravtu" as derivable verbs, Hassan
i,.ij
It J
Meaning: "She travelled to you by night, and she has not been doing
so before".
However, as an Islamic term, whenever the word "ism1" is
mentioned, nothing comes, to mind but the Messenger of Allah's night
and his returning irip the same night.
The reality and proofs of "far#"1 (The Night Journey)
The Night Journey was a great sign Allah has used to support
i m
iV.
,AE?U*-
Makk.ah, M
-AC,
.(2)
*
and was in the company of Angel Jibrtl <*j.
On arrival at Jerusalem, the Prophet [0} tied up his riding animal

\Buraq) to the ring of the door of the mosque. He then entered the
mosque and led other Prophets hi prayer, "{"hereupon. Angel Jibril
fo,A') brought him a drinking vessel containing wine, and another one
1- re, Ijassan bin Thah.il (#=}, a Ceropanion of the Prophet (${), (Translator)
2- t.e, a riding animal with this name, {Trail slater)
2S5
containing milk. The Prophet {0} cho.sc the vessel of milk, and Jshn!
said to him, "You have been guided to the sound nature". Proofs from
the Qttr'an and the Stmnah on the incident of the Night Journey
include the following:
Allah m)
CM*3 4 &X
-V- >
Distant Mosque fin .Jerusalem!, whose surroundings We have

blessed, to show him of Our signs, indeed He [Allah] is the
lie a ring, the Seeing. (ai-M: 3).
IV]
j-k
that Allah's Messenger (M) said,

* Jt* &** J*5'
j**$ fy* >*j)
iiUVI M Jtjf
UlMj 4=k{ji D*M riji^\ Cw Cwi
0"" '] *A*
,**
.(5^1
A-i w-gUas
-B'M Jk>r JU* -crvUi
f [: jdj
j* *%
Al-BurBq* a white tall animal that is bigger than a donkey hat

smaller than a mule, w as brought to me. The animal's step [was so
wide that itj reached the farthest point within the reach of its
sight. 1 rode on its back till I reached Jerusalem. There, I tied If
np to the ring, which was normally used for the same purpose by
the [former] Prophets. Then, I entered the mosque and performed
286
The- Fmirsiiatiobs of Faith
two raka'ahsii}t After thai, 1 came out oly to meet .libtTl (ft#)
coming to me with two drinking vessels; one of wine, and the
other was of milk. 1 chose the fvessel off milk, and Jlbrtl said, 'You
have chosen the |$odj nature*2''. The foadtfh continued with the
account of how the Prophet (0)., subsequently, ascended to heaven,
{sahsh Muslim; 162),
The Prophet's (M) Night Journey has been mentioned in a
number of hadiths., some of which are in the books of Bukhari and.
MuslimO)
Simim ^K About thirty of the Companions of the Prophet (if) narrated
these hadiths, while other narrators among Muslim scholars and
traditionists are too many to be counted,
Muslims scholars throughout all ages never disputed the
genuineness of the Night Journey; Moreover, some of them, like Qadi
dyad in his book Al-Shija, and Safarmi in Lawdmi' al-Anwar, have
reported consensus on this issue,
LD
thus, he has engaged in it with both his body and spirit. This is what
we are told in the authentic religious texts, and is also the opinion of
the Companions of the Prophet (0), as well as scholars of the Ah! alSimnah (The Orthodox Surtni Muslims) and their academic
authorities.
1- A unit of the Muslims prayer 00ah) is called raka 'ah, (Translator)
2- The contextual interpretation of flic word "T Intf" or nature here would mean
Islam and probity, Sec: M-Nawawi's commentary oil sob'ih Muslim vol. ii, p,
212.. (Translator)
3- s,e, the most auihenik eompiiations of the hadiths,
287
in the words of ibn Abi al-te al-Hanail, a well-known

scholar, "The hadith of the Night Journey, according to the correct
opinion, reveals among other tilings that the Prophet (ifi was,
physically and in a state of full consciousness, taken for the journey
by night from the Sacred Mosque to the Par Distant Mosque", While
confirming that this has been the view of all Muslim scholars among
the Companions and the generations a tier them, another notable
scholar, Qadi Tyad also said, 'In the opinion of the majority of our
righteous predecessors (Salqf) and the Muslims generally, the Night
Journey was that of the body which took place while the Prophet (M)
was awake. This is the truth and was the view held by [the Prophet's
Companions and their followers such as] Ibrt "Abbas, Jihir, Anas,
Hudhaifah, TJmar, Abu Hurairah, Malik bin Sa'sa'ah, Abu Habbah
al-Badri, Ibn Mas'ud, ai-Dahhak, SaTd bin Jubair, Qatadah, Ibn alMusayyib, fbn Shihah, Ibn Zayd, al-Hasan, Ibrahim, Masruq,
Mnjahid, Tkrsmah and Ibn jural]. it is also a proof to the opinion held
by "Aishah t5** A
Scholars like Tabari and Ahmad ibn fianbaS
have similarly subscribed to this view. Furthermore, it is the opinion

of a very large group of Muslims, and most of the later-date Muslim
Jurists, Traditiomsis, Theologists and scholars of the Noble Quran
exegesis".
hi a critique of the view that the Night journey took place
twice, a well-versed Muslim scholar said, "The unerring view as held
by the leading experts, m the field of the hadiih is that the Night
Journey took place only once, and that was in Makkah after the
Prophet fig) had been sent as a Messenger of Allah.. What an odd view
28ft
is thai which tries to portray the event as a recurring one! Besides*
*J
b<
decreed My obligation and reduced the burden for My servants', but

would revert the number to fifty again the second time, and now start
afresh to reduce it ten, ten"!
ci
As far as the religious texts and the scholars' remarks are

concerned,, we can hardly separate the issue of the Prophet's ascension
(Mi Yap} from thai of the Night journey ijxreP), Hence, tor the benefit
.
of the reader, ii is pertinent that we define the term Mi Yaf now.

Mi Yap, being a derivative of another Arabic word "'Uriij
*-
means a ladder-like instrument used to ascend or climb something
As an Islamic term, al-Mi Yaj is strictly used to designate the

ascension of the Prophet (!,) together with Angel JibrTl, from
the seventh one, It also comprises his seeing other Prophets in those
heavens -each in his position, as well as his greeting to them and their
welcoming him. After which he proceeded to the Lotus Tree of the
Utmost Boundary (Sidrat al-Mimtaha) where he saw JibrTl in his real
shape, Thereafter, on that very night, he received Allah's injunction to
2S9

pri
->
directly in
to the earth. Both
night; as per the correct view regarding this issue.

V1
Prophet's ascension, The Qufamc proofs to this regard include

references to great signs witnessed by the Prophet (0) on that
important night. Allah (W) says,
.4 sSii
Will you then dispute with him [Muhammad Hj over what he saw.
And indeed, lie saw him [he, jibrll
in another descent. At the
Lotus Tree of the Utmost Boundary, Near it is the Garden of

Resort [i.e. Paradise). When that which covers did cover the lotus
tree. The sight [of the Prophet iM}\ did not swerve, nor did it
transgress [its UmiiJ. Indeed, he saw of the greatest signs of his
Lord, (ai-Nsjiri; LMS>..
Allah mentioned in the above verses those of His great signs lie had
3M
as seeing Angel Jibril near the Lotus 'free of the Utmost Boundary,
and viewing the tree itself being covered with what covered it ol Allah's order, i.e. golden butterflies, according to both Ibn 'Abbas
{U*i* k<
and Masriiq

f- 'Masriiq is a renowned scholar of the Tabi'i generation, (Translator)
200
of hadiths, including the aforementioned one narrated by Anas bin

concerning the Prophet's 'Night Journey, k contains as well an account
of what happened, during his ascension to heaven. The Prophet {H)
ef
f5k Ul
3j^- Jj $
^ JJ
L- &
^ ^ Utf
>4 4'
WJH iAS :Jd ?4gjl wu Alj

OIJj A*
.J5WW UJ^ i3b vî
-tfW- ^
I :
-$&
d'j-J
.-wrf :Jd
&
i -
J] cJj_^ iâSj fji Jf J 5%^ jj->

dUis ibj Jj wrj.1 :J'i .3%* jwi1 iwis tcb*!
i*i
& Jj C*rjl :Jt#
JeB^H ^
:Jd .U> ^ Jfe** :CU* -^y4 Jj

J; **
fji J5*
J) pT :J&
.UJ- ^
fiJJi
.gj-d ^
V; %
d^W'i 4d;j, Jj ^r;'j <iDi e>j&Js; V ddsd Oj
^ /Jj .a** li:Jii ^ fWl **U
JWJ
,<.,. iVrf oj->dd)JJyu> *}W> J&
We were thereafter lifted up to heaven, where Jibril, having

demanded that the gate be opened, was asked to say who he was.
He said, (I am] Jibrfi, Be was also asked, WVtao is with you'? Be
replied, 'Muhammad'. After this, Jibril was asked, 'Has lie
M>
and he replied in the
affirmative. Then, the gate was opened for us and I met Adam
who welcomed me and supplicated for me.
fi
29!
how he met other Prophets there, until he said, 'Then, JibrTI took .me
to the Lotus Tree of the Utmost Boundary, whose leaves are like
When the tree became covered with what covered it of Allah's
order, it was then in a different shape; so beautiful that none of
Allah's creation could describe its prcttiness. Thereupon, Allah
revealed to me His revelation, and commanded me to perform
prayer fifty times a day. 1 descended until I met Mfisa (&!}, who
asked me, 'What did your Lord enjoin on your followers*?. I said,
'Fifty prayers'. He remarked, 'Go back to your Lord and beseech
Him to reduce the number; your people cannot bear such an
obligation. 1 say this based on my experience with [my people] the
Children of Israel'. 1 returned to my Lord and said, fO my Lord,
reduce {the number of the prayers you have enjoined] on my
followers'. He therefore cut the number down to forty-five. I went
hack to MM and said, *
Again, MM said, 'Your people would not be able to comply with
such an order. Go back to your Lord and beg for more reduction'.
The Prophet (#) added, "1 kept going and coming between my
night, but each shall be tenfold [In reward]; making the total
{again] fifty prayers'..." {Muilmr. 162).
2V2
here are other versions of this story, not too different in

content,, narrated by
'Abbas,
U iJrt
and are all recorded in the two sahths['\ as well as other hadlth
compilations.
Important Note
{01 Our duty as
Muslims is to believe in them as true phenomena, constituting
important virtues given exclusively to our Prophet fit), among all
n\r
commemorate the day of the Night Journey and the Prophet's

ascension to heaven ijsra' and Mi yaj). It is similarly illicit to perforin
special prayers on this occasion, as done today by some Muslim
laymen. Rather, such an act amounts so a detestable innovation, which
was neither authorized by the Prophet (0) nor practised by any of our
worthy predecessors. Moreover, it is not even the view of any scholar
The A hi al-Sunnah scholars have described the so-called
27'ilk and the likes, as part of the
special prayer on the eve of I
heresies added to Allah's religion, They further declared it an unlawful

act in the opinion of all the leading Muslim scholars, Hence, none but
an ignorant heretic would introduce such a practice. The Messenger
(0) has said,
f- t.e, the books of Bukhan ami Muslin.i. {Trans I snort
2*3
(5J
u !>U
Vf 4
C**)
sin innovation shall be handed back to him [i.e. rejected]. {Muslim:

26*7).
234
il has been affirmed m many Islamic proofs thai all the

Prophets of Allah, with the exception of some, have died. The
some other proofs.
Tsa (Testis) (m), for instance, did not die, but was raised up alive to
Allah in heaven, as we shall later explain.
Proofs concerning the demise of Allah's Prophets include the
following:
Allah (0) says,
.ii| ojpf
}\ p
Or were you present when death approached Ya'qub [Jacob], (at

Baqarah: 133).
UA. cJA A
j
A4
-* > * ' *
* s
And Yusnf |Joseph] had already come to you before with clear
you, until when he died, you said, 'Never will AllSh send a
Messenger after him', (GliSftr; 34).
He also said of His Prophet, Sulaiman fA?)(
4-i
eating his staff, (Saba"; 14),
f- t.e, a woodworm or tcrmik'. (Transktor)
2-SS
The Fotibdatiohs of Faith
indeed, you are to die, and iliey, certainly, are to die [as wellJ. (>l
Zuinar: 30).
11
notification for the Prophet (M) about his death, which was then
forthcoming, and for his adherents and antagonists alike, about an
inevitable end of their lives, The verse therefore.
Companions (4#) that the Prophet (Ji) was also bound to die.
Moreover, Allah (M) has said, in even a more general tone, as He
Every soul shall taste death* (Al-1raran: 185),
4% Z'afiLTs
*
Thus, the aforementioned verses are proofs to the fact that the
Prophets
us. He says,
./ t x cM
also die, jars! like ail other human beings, except
<Li2 A,\7<
>I
*& t
*
-il>
who disbelieve' (At-lmjtti:

55),
V
This verse evidently indicates thai Allah (If) did raise Tsa
{#) body and soul to heaven, and that he had never parted with life.
Ibn jarfr al-'fabail an erudite scholar of the Qur'anic exegesis has
contextually explained the word
used in the verse to mean
field hold the view that a more relevant rendering should be 'causing
This latter viewpoint has a similitude in another verse.
where Allah (M) says,
2%
d ?<> ^ i -
<
*V
Allah takes away the souls at the lime of their death, and those
that have not iyetj died, |He lakesj during their sleep, {d-Zumar; 42),
It is therefore incontestable that "h'd (Jesus) (sofl&) is alive now m the
heaven, even though Allah has informed us of the subsequent death
which is bound to seize him loo 'before the Hour of Resurrection, He
says,
y
5S*?5>
jp
U)
[he, Hsa - Jesus] before his

death. And on the Day of Resurrection he will be, against them, a
witness. (al-Nisab 159).
The phrase "his death" in the above verse refers to that of Tsa (Jesus)
irae, when he shall break
the cross, kill all pigs and abolish thsJizyah^'. These are all proved in
those authentic hadlths that mention Prophet isa's (Jesus) return to
earth at the End of Time, as recorded either in the two sahlh
It is also believed in some Muslim academic quarters that
Prophet Idrls (Enoch) has never breathed his last, but, like Jesus
{rtuH Wfct*}, was caused by Allah to ascend to Himself. Subscribers to
this view cite the following Qur'ame verse as a piece of evidence:
lord or son of the Lord, (Transistor)

2- Jizyak is the money payable by certain categories of she non-Muslims in a
Muslim slate, or under the protection of the Muslim government Jesus's
abolition of she Jizyah is necessary, as no one by then would have any excuse to
remain an unbeliever, (Translator)
297

/
truth; and a Prophet. And We raised him to a high station.

{Mar/am: 56,57).
Mujlhtd, a well-known Muslim scholar said, "Idrls was raised up just

as isa was also raised up, and had never died". However, in. the
opinion of Ihn 'Abbas
in
'lie was raised up to heaven,
where he [later] died". Some also claim that he was raised to the
Fourth Heaven; the exact knowledge of this belongs to Allah alone.
Nevertheless, the point we intend to make here is that Muslim scholars
have different views regarding the death, of Prophet idri's fr&B), but one
certain thing is, had he not really died before, a day must certainly
Allah m) that,
/ * vft-4
v
Every soul must have a taste oi death. (Al-'tmrsn:! 8-5).
Apart from Prophets Tsa and Jdns, no one of the other
Messengers has an unceasing existence, 'this has been the view of all
responsible Muslim scholars, and the above-mentioned proofs as well
j i
,i;
t ill
j *
The religious
lexis hi this connection contain certain
fc*
. An
example of this is what we read in those hadiihs narrating the
Prophet's ascension to heaven, that the Prophet (M) saw some other
Messengers of Allah and even had dialogues with them. This has
come in a hadith transmitted by both Bukhin and Muslim on the
authority of Anas bin Malik (4A who quoted the Prophet {$&) as
saying,
29S
The Foundation of Failli

:JlS YdU j*j ;JJ -.Jij* Jtt Y<i** J* "wMi J-j*r Ste*ili sW~Js J] U< j* f)
J UOj ^ v5"./
^ ,U SAi
Jui ?w_J! ^ :j*& f%J* *BA*- JajHf

* ;*U
- a
.<U!
w-AJ A
V^1 *WJt- J] U*
f *j>e&
^ a* ;Jtf
a5j :Ji .*** ;JlS UJM ^ ;Ji .J*^

^ ^ WyM
ui ii^
& ^jL? h/) ^
4 !J"J ^ MV
We were thereafter lifted up to heaven, where Jibrli, having

demanded that the gale be opened, was asked to say who he was.
He said, [1 ami dibrfl He was also asked, 'Who k with you'? He
replied, 'Muhammad'. After this, Jibrll was asked, 'Has he
{.Muhammad (g){ been sent to j by Allah]'?, and he replied in the
affirmative. Then, the gate was opened for us and 1 met Adam
who welcomed me and supplicated for me. After this we were to
ascend to the second heaven, where JibiTi also asked permission to
enter. Again, he was asked who he was, and he said, 'JibriT. Then,
been sent
to'. Then, the gate was opened for us and 1 saw there the two
cousins jof each other], Tsa Ibn Maryam [i.e. Jesus the son of
Mary], and ahy& [i.e. John] the son of Zakariyyft -May the
blessings of Allah be upon all of them. They both welcomed me
[Bukhayr, 3570; Muslim: Ui2),
E3vr
.w
in
the fourth, filth and sixth heavens respectively, while in the seventh
im
llie Foundations of Faith
heaven he saw Ibrahim (>&$) resting, with his back on the Bait
.(*>
Ma inur"
Yet Ibn sAbbas <t
* jn
also narrated, according to both
,1 a
J] jfcM t^yy ^.yy
On the night of my Night journey, 1 saw MtUa; a tali, browncoloured man, as if be was one of the men of the Shanuah12) clan. 1
also saw 'Isa (Jesus), who was a man of medium height and
moderate complexion; inclined to the red and white colours, and
was Of lank hair. (Bukharit 3239; Mustiml 165).
Some people erroneously see m these and other similar texts

reasonable grounds for their claim of permanent existence for the
Prophets. However, the truth is that every Prophet of Allah has lived
and died, except fro the two known cases of isa (Jesus) -whose
existence up till now is well confirmed in the religious texts- and Idrls,
Messengers and Prophets are concerned, there are proofs indicating,
with all certainty, that they are all dead. We have mentioned some of
these proofs already.
1- Li,-, the Frequented House ir. the heavens. (Translator)

2- Shamah is the name of a elan in Yemen, Members of this clan are usually tail
and thin, See; Fatfai al-Bari vol vi, pp. 429, 485; Sarliu Nawawi 'ah Muslim
vol 7i, p.226. (Translator)
300
Tine Foundation* of Faith

<y
him on the night of his ascent to heaven is likewise an incontestable

tact, which in no sense contradicts the import of other authentic
proofs. What he saw that night were the souls (spirits) of those
Their bodies -except where otherwise statedCD are, in reality on the
earth in their respective graves, This is the view being held by lire
leading scholars of Ahl at-Surmuh (The Orthodox Sunni Muslims).
"Concerning
his seeing other Prophets on the night of his ascent to heaven, where
be saw Adam in the nearest heaven, Yahya and Tsa in the second
heaven, Yusuf in the tilled and Idris in the fourth. He also saw Martin
in the fifth heaven, Musa in the sixth, and finally he caught sight of
Ibrahim white in the seventh, heaven, or perhaps in a reverse order,
What he saw actually were their souls (spirits) portrayed in the forms
of their bodies. Some people have suggested that perhaps the Prophet
igers, w
TV
<
in their graves,
is, however, a very weak proposition,
Nevertheless, Tsa (^) did ascend to heaven with, both his body and
soul, and the same tiring is being said of Idrls, too. As for Ibrahim
Musa and others, they are on this earth, buried in their respective
graves.
i- As in the esse of Tsa (Jesus

body and soul (Translator)
who was raused to ascend to heaven wiih Ins
301
If h important to add here thai, just as Allah (#) has honoured

His Messengers by causing their souls to ascend to heavens, where
they (i.e. the souls) HOW live- hi luxuiy as Allah may wish. He has also
as this has
4>ri
been authoritatively reported in. a narration by Aws bin Aws {.#) who
quoted the Prophet iM) as saying,
* i-d <4^ J%*]l ^ ^ Ijjjtftt iid! fje
C^ ; Jj% ;Ju
JJaSl
>1)
uij Ci-U UftL* Je>/<3 Jtj ,.01 JJ~-J k hjiiii .{^
.{î -aUsri J*jSfl J* ?/- J*j j* Jl ol) : Jtl

indeed, Friday is one of the best days you have. Therefore, invoke
on me as much as blessings you could on that day, for your
invocation of blessings shall be displayed for me. The audience then
said, f0 Allah's Messenger, how could our invocations be displayed
for you after your body might have been decomposed'? He replied
(Is), "Indeed, Allih 0) has barred the earth from [touching! the
bodies of [HisJ Prophets", {Mmnad Ahmad vol, jv, p.viit; Swan Abu Damid
o>
From the foregoing, the truth, regarding this important issue

has become clear, and so has the nature of the belief a Muslim must
hold in this respect. Allah (T) knows best,
f- The chain of transmission is authentic;, according to Imam Nawawi,
302

3.1
.<*>
The Prophets' miracles compared to the kttmmahs
Of the
righteous believers
Definition:
The word WjM (i.e. miracle) is derived from ' ktjz1, which
-M
y '
says accordingly. "The Prophet's miracle is anything he has used to

render his opponents ineffective at the point of provocation.
Linguistically, the Arabic word W jszah'' ends with letter Tf, which
In technical terms, 'tint Jizati is a supernatural phenomenon
that happens at the hands of Allah's Prophets as a proof of their
truthfulness, and survives any attempts to disprove it.
-
natural or conventional thing is not covered by this ddmition, even

though it may also happen at the hands of the Prophets. On the same
account, any supernatural action or phenomenon performed by a nonProphet cannot be classified as 'mu)'izah'; hence, such acts by the
Awliya' (righteous or devoted believers) are called karamah, as the
even with all the more reason, what magicians and fortune-tellers
practise of sorcery and the like, should also be excluded from the
content of the definition.; for those magical practices are only
perpetrated by the most evil persons. Finally, the last clause in the
I.- Karamah is a miracle performed by my righteous servant of Allah, other than

His Prophets and Messengers, (Translator)
303
definition, viz, "* - - as a proof of {heir truthfulness, and .survives any
are
Many are the wonders performed by the Prophets- Prophet

.V
1,5
of the specifications of that camel they wanted, Sahh iMIl) supplicated

to Allah, who, in response, ordered that veiy rock to split open for a
big she-camel, conforming totally to all standards and specifications
they had mentioned in their request CO Allah says with reference to
this,
1
-Lj >" < fSl if .
A . *.>
U '*> 'jXfc-l jfye.
^ A**-5
y sLft
And to ThamUd fWe sent I their brother aii& He said, 0 my

people, worship AiiiSh; you have no god worthy of worship other
This Is the she-camel of Allah&) [sent] to you as a sign, So leave
her to graze in Allah's land, and do not touch her with harm, lest
there seize you a painful punishment, (afoVraf: 73).
1- Ibn Kadiix, Tafsir vol iii, p, 436.

2- t.e, created by Allah. (Tn'-mktor)
304
The miracles given io Ibrahim ($M) included the fire his

'y *<
thrown into it. Allah says.

<*>
A!
-i
4&
'fa''*H'
11
iA
/
CeKl
U3,
-
They said, "Born Mm and support fi.e. take revenge for] your
gods- if you are to act1. We {AUAh] said, 10 fire! Be coolness and
safety for Ibrahim'. And iliey planned against Mm, hut We made
them the worst losers. (al-Anbiya1; 6S-70),
Of Miisa's miracles was the stick, which would transform into
115
fic
am 'JL JS
V
And what is that in your right hand , O Mflsa? He said, 'it is my

stick; 1 lean upon It, and with it I heat down leaves tor my sheep
and I find in it other uses1 {AillthJ said, 'Cast it down, O Milsa
So he cast it down, and behold! 11 was a snake, moving
lAtlShf said, 'Grasp it and fear not; We shall return it to its

former state'. (Ts-Jia.; 17-21.3,
his hand into his slitrl, and then pull it out again while the hand would,
become white, shining like the moon without an indication of any
harm or disease. Allah (} says,
305
The Von*riations of Faith

jf ; "A tyi'
->
K *
<.
*> *f",V
And draw in your hand to your side; it will come out white
without disease being a not her sign, (Ts-Ha: 2-2),
(Jesus's) miracles included his making, out of clay
9
;>eeorne
birds by Allah's leave. He also used to rub over the bora-blind and
n, /
(M) says
SJS St 3 4iki *3"* * S

And when you made from ciay [what was[ like the form of a bird
with My Permission, then you breathed into it and it became a
bird with My Permission; and you healed the blind (from birth}
and the leper with My Permission; and when you brought forth
the dead with My Fer
(al-MTittoh; 110).
The Glorious QuiriTi was part of (be miracles given to our
given to
the Messengers of Allah. He says,
o;r
ft (>*'-*
. iM *
e if*, jjjî l,y
Jp
y*J 4
4^
servant [i.e. Muhammad ()}, then produce a sSrah the like
thereof and call upon your witnesses other than Allah, if you
should be truthful <al-Baqarah: 2Ti.
306
The Fotmdatiims of Faith

*f
jb *&ht
-* > Iff
^ *
'
"t
^4V, iA ^
I*"* 2
S'V
If
y^' "f
^ J
JK > *>*
- *
this Qur'Sn, they could wot produce the like thereof, even if they
helped one another'. (ai-fcra': 88).
Thai the moon split in two, upon the request of the people of
also by other people elsewhere. Allah (0) says,

/ ^
t $ J*' * > ** S,..y i r^y
.'
yj*tJ h%*i
Uî Ab W sîi
4*13'
The Hour (of Judgement and Resurrection! has come near and
the moon split. And if they see a sign, they turn away and say,
'Continuing magic'. (ai-Qamar: 1,2}.
The Night Journey and the Asectu to Heaven mentioned earlier were
likewise miracles given to Muhammad {^). Allah (W) has said..
rilled is He (Allah! who took His servant (Muhammad M for a
a-
Distant Mosque |i Jerusalem), (aUsrT: I).

"Miracles of Allah's Messengers are numerous, and most
especially those of our Prophet
Muhammad {;), whom
3'r-i
supported with many signs, the like of which has never been given to
any of the past Prophets. In fact, we have mentioned here only few
examples of the numerous signs and pieces of evidence given to our
Prophet (0).
307
AI-Karhmah:
Kammah is a supernatural phenomenon, not associated with, a
claim to prophet hood, and neither is i? considered a premise leading
eventually to that. Karamah happens at the hands of a manifestly
righteous servant of Allah, who must be of sound belief and pious
acts,
Being an extraordinary development, void of any claim to
prophet hood, as defined above, the word 'karamah' is applicable to
neither conventional events, nor miraculous acts of the Prophet*
<>%-'-t ij,
The supernatural development that usually precedes
prophet hood, known in Arabic as 7rMp is equally excluded, just as

in the definition.
Different karamahs have been given to many virtuous men or
women (Awliya'), including those of the past nations. For instance.
Allah (ii) said of Maryam (Mary) <?*Ji i*>),
3B Ui
S%%
liis 3;
68^ fc <2t!
tr
'
Each time ZakaHyS jZaehariah} entered upon her In the prayer

chamber (mthr8b), he found with her provision. He said, 'O
Maryam, from where have you got this'? .She said, 'It is from
APSJib (Af-imran: 3?).
Also parallel to this was the story of the People of the Cave, as related
in the Noble Qur'an.
308.
among this nation of Muhammad ($), who have been honoured with,
one form of karamah or the other,
- Usaid bin Iludatr (.#.) was once reading sural al-Kahj-ri>
when, as a result of his recitation, some angels descended from heaven
m the form of a canopy containing lamp-like images.
-*!
Both Salmon and Abu DardiT
i< ^j) were once eating
- Khubaib bin *Adiyy (<&) was held captive by the Makkan

idolaters, as
3
< li
sV ?5
- Al-'Aia* al-Hadraml {*&) and his troops crossed an open sea

while riding on the hacks of their horses; however, the saddles of
those horses were not wet,
-AbS Muslim al-Khawlani {&
was taken captive by
Ai-Aswad aPAnasi, an impostor who claimed he was a Prophet,
"U1
that; Muhammad (fi> was Allah's Messenger, and he responded ibis

time in the affirmative. So aPAnasi, the impostor, ordered that his
captive (i.e. al-Khawiani) be thrown into a fire. Surprisingly, alKhawlani was later found therein performing prayer; the flaming tire
had turned into coolness and source of safety for him. There are more
stories of this nature in books of history and biography.
f- t.e, chapter f 8 of the 'Noble Qur'iin. (Triinrialor')
toy

'I'S
'I;
The difference between the two lies in the miracle's link with
prophet hood, while karamaht on the other hand, must be void of it.
The holder of a karamah deserves it because of his following the
Hence, miracle (mi/jizah) belongs to the Prophets, while karamah is
for other righteous servants of Allah, The two, however, are
supernatural phenomena.
in the opinion of some leading Muslim scholars, any karamah
given to a righteous man or woman must be seen as par! of the
miracles Allah has conferred on his/her Prophet; as they could only
respective Prophets. In other words, any karamah credited to a
virtuous person (waiiyy) must be considered a branch of the miracles
conferred on that Messenger, based on whose law he/she has been
worshipping Allah.
<*
or idiomatic expression, which occurs in neither the Qur'an. nor the

some textually established fails,
kariimah:
Believing in the miracles and karamah, given to the Prophets
and other righteous servants of Allah (Awiiycf) respectively.
310
fact,, backed up with textual evidence from both the Qur'Sn and the
accept it as true. Any contrary stance in this respect amounts to
rejection of ail available proofs, it. also means acting against factual
evidence, and seriously deviating from what has been the opinion of
erudite Muslim scholars concerning this issue. Allah (M) knows best,
311
from an islamic viewpoint

Definition;
Wilayah, which originally means love and closeness in the
Arabic language is considered the opposite of r 'adawah' (enmity),
whose origins are hatred and discord,
in technical sense, the word 'wilayah* stands for "Closeness to
Allah through one's obedience to Htm11 While 'alWaUy/ (the
righteous), as an Islamic term, is somebody who combines two
* >S **
Ay
,'s
fw
-s-
-4 -^^4
Behold! Certainly, lor the Awiiyu'{i> (friends or allies) of Allah
there will be no tear, nor will thev grieve, {They are] those who
believe and keep their duty (to Allah J. (Venus: 62.63).
In as much as the allies or friends of Allah are the pious
believers, is. follows, logically, that the level of one's closeness or
friendship with Allah is determined based on the degree of his or her
faith and piety. Hence, the more committed one is in his faith and Ms
fear for Allah, the more exceptional becomes his closeness to Him.
Therefore, people are nut equal in terms of their closeness to Allah,
just as they are at variance regarding their level of commitment, with
respect to Faith and piety.
I- Awiiya' is the plural form of H'fotev jiKittkwd above, (Translator)
312
Generally, Allah's Prophets are the most superior of all Mis

allies or friends; even, though they, themselves, belong Jo different
T'l
v'
iCSLi
.0) while the Vht &l~ 'azm (Messengers described by
Allah, as men. of firm resolution), i.e. Nub, Ibrahim, Muss, Tsa and
-
Furthermore, Muhammad (3?) -as discussed earlier- stands out as the

best of all the five 'Uhs a!- 'azm Messengers, followed by Ibrahun ('#),
The question of who is superior to whom among the rest (i.e. Nuh,
Musa and Tsa) remains unresolved,
Categories of the Awtiyff
Allah's allies or friends are divisible into two classes, namely
'the Foremost and Nearest to Allah1 and The Moderate Companions of
the Right Hand'.
Allah \M) has spoken of both groups in many places in His
Book, He says,
As * A rr r*,'i
J>S*19^ h
1
c ,>
W A/
A***
Vw
'A
i
*+ s
C-Ua*-
When the Event Inevitable occurs. There can be no denial of its

occurrence. It will bring down fsomej and raise up (others{.When
).- Sec p. 232 for details on the difference between the two terms (Messenger and
prophet). (Translator)
313
crumbled, breaking down. Becoming dust dispersing, And you
the Companions of lite Left- how [unfortunate] will he the

Companions of the Left, And the Foremost, the Foremost, Those
are the ones brought near [to Allah], in the Gardens of Bliss, tab
Waqt'als: i-12).
Thus, Allah mentioned here three groups: one of them, the

Companions of the Left., will he m Hell-fire, while the other two, he,
the Companions of the Right and the Foremost, the ones brought near
to Allah shall end up in Paradise, Allah mentions again die two
' * *"*iT"-' * *T
-r.
r :'C. >,FT L,
And if he [i.e. the deceased] was of those brought near [to AllSh],
was of the Companions of the Bight, 1 hen (the angels will sayj>
'peace for you
W&ji'ab: B8-9J).
The Prophet (jjg) further described the deeds of both parties in a

,0) where the narrator, Abu Huntirah (<&}, quoted
the Prophet (0) as saying,
f- See the glossary for its ddmitkin,
314
Ji vj# 'AJ i^/'i
^ MJ 4 ^,5t* *>*4W ^ )>
**# C*sT 4^1 ti V* JT JM* 4'

.1-4
,jk *hrj,j ^
JlJfi W
C**jsfc U 4J
i^'1 *\t i* J+L
*r*i) -*< *~i qfAJ*
.(tiV^f
*4*H <$**
. *
Mine- I shall he at war with him The best thing, which My

servant may ttse to get closer 1o Me is the |religious] obligation
that I have enjoined on him. And My servant shall continue to
draw near to Me with supererogatory acts unlit i love him. When
I love him, I am his hearing with which he hears,, his sight with
which he sees, his hand with which he strikes and his foot with
which he walks. If he were to request anything from Me, I would
surely give him, and were he to seek refuge in Me, I would
certainly grant him that Ike* protect hirajh {JixthMm 6502}.
The righteous, the Companions of the Right, are those who
take the religious obligations as means of approach to Allah (M). They
do what Allah has enjoined on them and abstain from what He has
forbidden them, to do, However, they bother neither to perform
recommended (non-obligatory) acts nor to renounce unnecessary
r>e.
As tor
worship Allah with supererogatory acts, in addition, to the obligatory
ones. Thus, they perform both the mandatory and the recommended
A
blameworthy as Well. Having drawn themselves close- to Allah by

worshipping Him with all they could afford of their beloved things.
335
Allah (g)>
m return
for thai, loved them deeply and prevented them
from committing sins.. He also answered their prayer, and this has all
OA
V
him" +
t?h
a or rl
choose for themselves any special dress nor stick to a peculiar

outward appearance.
Based on. what has been authoritatively affirmed by conversant
true righteous men or women do not single themselves out with -either
a particular clothing or a peculiar outward appearance, A leading
Muslim scholar who has written on this topic puts it m the following
way:
Allah's allies or friends have no external distinctive mark of
whatever is declared permissible in Islam They do not wear a
DC
. A
that 'Many a siddiq (veracious person) found in suits' and many a

,(v), Rather, Allah's allies may
come from any category of (he followers of Muhammad ($0, with the
1- Or my other outer garment having no religious sipiitlcance.

2- he, any kind of dress signifying religious importance.
316
exception of anyone known for heresy or immorality, A righteous

servant of Allah and His ally (waft)*}1) may, therefore, be found among
from among those who fight in foe cause of Allah, as he may even
belong to the trading, agricultural or industrial class.
(.AwIiyS'} is null and void.

The righteous servants of Allah are all fallible. They do not
know the unseen, nor have the power to dispose of anything
concerning cither the creation or the sustenance. Furthermore, they
never invite people to exalt them or give them part of their wealth or
certain gifts. Anybody found perpetrating one or more of what we
have mentioned above as an impostor; a liar who is rather an ally of
the Devil, not of Allah Hit). Allah knows best,
337

*ft
4.2 The bliss and punishment of the grave.

4.2.1 Believing in the bliss and punishment of the grave and the
proofs establishing this.
4.2.2 The two (i.e. bliss and punishment) of the grave are
4,2.3
4.3
Believing in the Resurrection.
4.3.1 The real meaning of 'resurrection'*

4.3.2 Proofs establishing the Resurrection from the Glorious
Qur'an. the Sunnah and reason,
4.3.3 The final gathering.
concerning It,
believe m both, and the proofs regarding that.
typesDefinition:
Ashrdt is the plural form of \'sharaf, meaning sign or portent,
In the opinion of some linguists, the word may also indicate the outset
of an event, However, the author oi" Lism at- 'Arab, a famous Arable
lexicon, added that both derivations are closely related; for the portent
of an object or event is likewise its beginning.
The word "so dk'' in Arabic denotes a period of time, but is
widely used particularly in reference to the Resurrection. Allah (M)
says,
With Him is the knowledge of the Hour [i.e. of the Resurrection!.
(al-Zukhruf: 85),
Sa 'ah is one of the most famous names for the Resurrection,

nu i!
r\S
reason
i'*
Day of Resurrection) which wilt be sudden and take people try

surprise at a given period of time,
Portents of the Hour of Resurrection are signs and indicative
m) says,
31l>
Hie Foundation* of Faith
r.At' re
come
upon them suddenly? But already there have come [some off Its
indications. (Muhammad: IS).
Types of the portents of the Hour
1-
Remote or distant signs, That, is those portents which had come
to pass and subsequently become pail of history', The mission of our

Prophet (M) Is considered one of these portents, pursuant to what Anas
were
S
middle One). [BidMn: 6504; Musiim: 2951),

has said concerning this,
<r
-I".!-
< f
moon split. (al-Qaman 1)

.s to come out
(J)
from Hijaz
and shed light on the necks of camels in far away
J2)
Buxra
1- In. Western Arabia, (Translator)

2- A village near Damascus, (Translator)
320
-(iSj** j#
*,#** 3^*' J>) & & ./ &*
*>
The Hour will not come to pass until a lire comes out of the land
of HijUz, which shall throw light on the necks of camels in RusrS*
{BukhSrt 7UH; Muslim'. 2902).
P
out in
The fire, which

VYS
of tire, and created much panic for the people. As mentioned in the
above quoted hacfith, the light coming from this lire was seen by the
people in far away Syria^'\ as the inhabitants of Busya village over
there saw in it the necks of their camels.
2-
Intermediale signs. That is those portents which have occurred
?n the past and did not stop, but are, rather, constantly on the increase.
There are many portents of this kind, which include seeing a slave-girl
who will give birth to her mistress^-', and the barefooted, unclothed
shepherds competing with one another in building high-rise edifices,

,(0Ui J aJ
U :JU W p
'i
*Ui'. dPj tdtd! ! j4\ 3^! ^ J dl} ^
'
-}
& i>i ;J* vWIÛt
Lebanon, Jordan and Palestirce. (Transistor}

2- The indication here is that any offspring resulting from intercourse between a
man and his slave-girl or woman is,, more or less, regarded a master for the
mother, who being a slave- is mounted among her master's properly, As it is
well known, a man's property eventually gets to his children,
321
He (Jibrtl) said, 'Tell me about the HourH>,1 and the Prophet's

respon.se was* 'Who is being asked this question does not know
more than the questioner himself. Then he said, 'Tell me then
about its signs', The Prophet (ft) said, 'That a slave-girt will give
birth to her mistress, and that you will see barefooted, unclothed.
magnificent houses'. {Muslim: 8).
Also inclusive here is the emergence of thirty impostors, who
shall ail claim to be Prophets. According to Abu Hurairah (40, the
Prophet (It) has said,
.(Jil
j* U_J-
j?-
*$}
The Hour [of Resurrection] will never come to pass until nearly
thirty liars emerge, alleging that they are Messengers sent by
Allah. (Bukhart: m%
said,
(4-W & T Ckrh
blj
^ fir*jt *-*&
J OySw *i\j)
Prophet shall come after me. (Swum Abit Dawud: 4252; Sunan Tirntidhs;
22! A
shall be uncovered by the River Euphrates, and what will follow thai
1-lx, the last day of ?hc world,

2- This is a "hmrnxfahth" kad'iik, according to TirmkJhi.
322
the Prophet OH) said.

I
J*
J* Â r~*>
{.A *$& ^ ii/l
?A
JT J jay
r'll
vet'
Euphrates uncovers a mountain of gold beneath It A. |fierce!

combat over the treasure shall erupt between the people, leaving
ninety-nine out of every one hundred [combatants] dead, while
every one of them would have said, 'Perhaps 1 shall he the one
who will survive'* (Muslim: 2&l>4^This portent has not ycl happened,
Major signs. These are portents that will immediately precede
3-
the coming of the Hour itself. These signs are ten in nrnber, none of
which has taken place yet, According to a report by Muslim in his
j uj ;ja ,a*ui /OJ ttjja

^r
J]
u ijui ,/uui
d2**)
^JbrAhj dU-Oi jfdi -.Oil jU- \$li \}y JJ-
h 4AJi yMj *v/di Sjjj^
The Prophet (:H) came to us all of a sudden as we were busy in a

discussion, He said 'ConcernLing what arc you discussing'? We
replied, 'We are disc ssing the Hour [of Resurrection]'. Then he said.
I.- A similar narration occurs in both $ttfuh .Bukharf, 71 lb ami MusnadAhmad, vol,
ii, p, 261,
323
'It will im come to pas until you see ten signs preceding it'. He
of the sun from the west, *Isfi ibo Mary am (Jesus the son of
At.
the earth in three different localisms; one in the east, one in the
west
is a fire that will come forth from Yemen, and shall drive people
to their place of assembly, {Musiinr. 2901).
in some oilier kaclifhs, the Prophet. (H) mentioned Ai-Mahdi,
demolition of the Ka'bah (The Sacred house in Makkah), and the
Noble Qur'an being lifted from the earth. We shall later quote the
huciJiha relating to all of these.
Majority of Muslim scholars, especially those with high
academic standing, believe that the ten major portents of the Hour are
the three we have just mentioned, as well as those mentioned in the
above quoted haefith of Hudhaifah bin Asld, The only exception is the
cave-ins, which were also mentioned in the same haclith. The cave-ins,
no doubt, form part of the portents, but will happen before the major
ten
;
irn. Here the cave-ins were

J
J&k
vij-ilv
uJbi
Jp- d% 4*L-Jl U|}
Jwaln
M^1' *jtj*
The Hour will not come to pas* until there come ten signs: a cave-In
in the east, another one in the west, and a third one in the Arabian
324
peninsula, the $moke, the Antichrist
+1
remaining portents, (hfmbn: 2905).

what we have in this version, of the hcvMth, the first of these signs
would be the three cave-ins. Some of the signs have occurred during
the time of the Prophet. (#:), as pointed out by ibn Wahh",
In the coming pages, we shall give details concerning the ten
major portents, as well as the proofs thereof,
a) The coming oiAt-Mahdi
Ai-Mahdi is a man from among the family of the Prophet ('%&):
a descendant of Hasan bin LALi [the Prophet fid's grandson], who will
V^
filled before him with injustice and oppression. Both Mahdi's name
Vyi-
father (i.e. Muhammad bin 'Abdullah). Abu Dawud and Tirmidhi

narrated on the authority of 'Abdullah bin Mas'ud (4?) that the
Messenger iM) said,
^ r"! **r H->^
w
'j*h
n
.(Uitji Iur ik-wjj
wJkJtf
5^,
The world shall not come to an end until a man from my family
rules over the Arabs. His name will be the same as mine, while his
father's name will also be as my father's name. lie will fill the land
(i.e. the world) with justice and equity, as it was filled with
tyranny and injustice. (Swum Abu Dawud vol. iv, p.306; kadhh no 4282;
{IV
Swmrt Tirmidhi vol. iv, p. SOS, hadith tit). 223tf J.
pan, classified it as a 'diamn-xahih" haciilh,
32S
b)
pear at the End

g
shall claim to he the Lord His false claim will never entice a true
believer, even though, he will have unrestricted access to every city in
...
a paradise, although his purported fire is, in reality, paradise, while his
so-called paradise is, in fact, a fire. Many authentic haifitfa of the
ing the
one transmitted by Muslim in his sahtk compilation, on the authority of
'Abdullah bin "Aim' bin al-ri
who quoted the Prophet (M)
as saying,
U* j&J J1- ^
(
j' nUJaJi !*- y s
v.
The Antichrist ipajjiil) will appear in my nation and shall stay for
years. Then Allah will send *Isa ibn Maryam (Jesus the son of
ril
1 chase him (the
AT!
(Mmlim: 2940}.
the people and praised Allah in a manner He deserves, He then spoke

of the Antichrist saying.
f- One of the Prophet's Companions;.,
326

W
*jS > ^[ -OS
^ % # & Uj *>*"yd J|).
-Oj*^ J-J ^ ^'j -Jj&'] ^ 0)JM Mj& ^
11 V/
I forewarn you about hiiii. There was never a Prophet before,

except that tie had warned his people of him [he. the Antichrist],
Nflh had warned his people of him. However, I shall tell you
you should know that he is one-eyed, whereas Allah is, certainly.
not, {Bukhari; 305?, Muslim: 169tU).
c) 'Isa bin Marvam (JcsusVs descent from heaven
He shall descend to the earth as a fair ruler, and will break the
cross, kill pigs and slay the Antichrist. There are proofs from both the
*s
4
(abZukhraf: 61)..
Many of the Qur'in expositors have seen in the above verse an
indication to Jesus's descent from heaven, According to a report in the
Musnad Ahmad, subscribers to this view include ibn 'Abbas (W** &'
who said while explaining the verse, "ll. implies the coming of Tsa ibn
&Si
1- The text of the had'ith as quoted above Is from the latter,

2- Mumad Ahmad vol.?,. p. > IS.
327

There are also many autherHk kadlihs on this, including the
one narrated by Abu Hurairah (*&), who quoted the Messenger of
Allh (M) as saying>
jr& fcj*
tt
Ijjr 5a**!J\
J>'i ^
OJ5J ^ ,wd *X3J
***
J'd1 Ja-ijj kyM juj ^-M

-(^ UJ
By Him in whose Hand is my soul, f'lsa - Jesus] the son of Mary wiJI
shortly descend among sou as a. just ruler, and shall destroy the cross*
/] i
kill pigs and abolish the jizyah \ Then, there will be abundance of
wealth, that nobody will like to accept jt, and a single sajd&h (I.e. a
prostration or prayer] would bo more rewarding than the whole
world and whatever is therein* dhtkhart 2222; Mmm: \55{2>).
d) The emergence of Gog and Magog
Gog and Magog are part of Allah's creation, so numerous in
number that no one could dare wage war against them. They are
believed to be of the progeny of YSfiih, a son of prophet Nuh {&&).
The Glorious Quran, as well as the Stmmih contain references to the
emergence of Gog and Magog, Allah (#g) says,
=SH
*4$ &X& y**-- 4^ ' < |4S
1- See the glossary for its deihvihari,

2- The text of the hadlth has been taken, from the latter,
32S
%&* ^
Until when Gog and Magog are let loose [from their wall), and they
swoop down from every mound. And fwhenj the true promise [i.e.
the Resurrection] has approached; then suddenly the eyes of those
{al-Anbiys1; 96, 97),
Zaiaab bint Jahsb Oi* in
one of the Prophet's wives, also
narrated thai, one day, Allah's Messenger (M) dropped in on her white
in fear saying,
aaa J_&.
j* ^
r> &
^ ijr'j
Jij
V] dj f}
jk*j
la Haha ilia Allah {Mono has I he right to he worshipped save

Allah). Woe to the Arabs for an imminent danger; A bole has
been made in the wall of Gog and Magog, like this. He
demonstrated this by forming a circle with ids thumb and index
lingers,,. (Bukhdn: 33-46.; Muslim: 2880),
e) Demolition of the Ka 'bait and looting of its ornaments by a man
called Dhu-Suwaiqalain (i.e. the thin-legged man) from Abyssinia
(now Ethiopia),
LV
VjS)
Dhu~Suwuiqatmn from Abyssinia will demolish the Ka "hah.

(Bukhdrt. 1591\Muslim: 2909).
Imam Ahmad also reported through, a sound chain of transmission that

'Abdullah bin *Amr {U^ *
narrated that he heard Allah's
Messenger (M) saying.
329
Tho Foutulatiaas of Faith
C4J**J
jfcWt Vj ^kl
decoration and strip it of its covering. As if 1 were looking at Mm

[now]
220),
f) The Smoke
This refers to the eruption of a heavy smoke from the sky,
which shall cover ail people. The proof of this in the Glorious Qur'an
goes as follow:
J." IT *.*; lii y

r\
0 cgd,
oh
:*-fr \
/
Then watch for the Day when the sky will bring a visible smoke.
Covering the people; this is a painful torment, (abDiikhan; !0V!!).
As for the proof from the Sumiah, the hactiih of Iludhaifah bin
Asid (4i} mentioned earlier has it that,
j>& c/uT jA& 'iÂ-J \jj jp- fjifti J> U)>
Indeed it [he, the Hour) will not come to pass until you see ten
signs preceding it. The Prophet ($) then mentioned the Smoke,
290)}.
g) The Qur'Sn shall he lifted (retrieved) from the earth hack to

heaven
This will be to the extent that no single verse, whether it had
been written down or committed to memory, shall be left out. A
3 SO
The Foondariotts of Faith
reference to this comes in a hiufiih narrated by Hudhaifah [bin al

J
V**'
T - T
as saying,
US' f%#f I j*!*,}
Islam will he effaced jusi as the embroideries of any cloth gel

blotted out, until no one will know of n
(prayer), nor the nusuk (i.e. pilgrimage
s* nor saiah
or -Umrah), The
verse of it shall remain on ISte earth. {Sunm am Majah vol. u, p. 1344,

il>
hadilh.W). 4049; al-Mustadrak vol. iv p, -173 ' },
h) Rising of the sun from the west.
"This also has been mentioned in the Qur'an and the Simnah.
says.
*
J'
*A
air * v,>:"
BS*
|5wjL4
jf
i?1
benefit from Its faith as long as il had not believed before or had
earned through its faith some good, (al Airam: 158),
signs of your Lord" a reference to this phenomenon, that is rising ol
the sun from, the west. Imam. at-Tabari said after relating the opinions
been classified by al-Hakim as aiiiherdie, a]-Dhhabi is also in support of this

view,
331

I f,
l&\
said.
w^^5i
*JJeJ J*- &Ui)
U>
Similarly
Ii
of Abu Hurairuh {-&) thai Allah's Messenger (tf ) said.

&
I f ji*l
wAh
u"i
C*U
14jk*
jr XM-Ji AV)
UT~
Uuj 3 c-^s" jf JJ JA CA1
The Hour shall not come to jjass until Hit sun rises from the west
When this happens and the people see it they will all believe [in
Alllh and in His religion]. Thai: is when no soul will benefit from
its faith, if it had neither believed nor earned some good through
its faith before. (Bukhari: 46%6; Muslim: 157).
The Beast is a prodigious hairy and legged creature, whose

length is believed 10 be sixty cubits^ . It is also assumed that it is a
different creature- bearing resemblance to many animals, its coining
before the Day of Resurrection has been confirmed in both the
,-1
'or
2- Cubit is an ancient measure of length based on the length of the forearm.
(Translator)
332
* e&t
tzm
pe&tft&gV)
J. < -?\*
a
signs, not certain |'iu Faith]. (sl-Naml; 82),

The Prophet {#) also said, according to a narration by Abu Hurairah (/&),
i] j!*" %&*} J
ji J-^ ^
J. UWj U-A
dA45)
Jîj*J ^
t#
, no good will it do to a
person to believe then, If be bad disbelieved before or had not
earned some good through his faith:
1- Rising of the sun from the west.
2- [The coming of] the Antichrist (Dajjaf).
3- [The appearance of] the Beast {Dabhah) of the earth.
{Mailt m: 158}.
Another hadlth reported by Imam Ahmad on the authority of

AbuUmamah (*#) reads as follows,
JiM jr#
4s-i ^
-J* ^ p*^
^ & >dj&$
,U>
oil their noses. Then *
extent that a man will buy a camel, and when he Is asked, 'From
whom did you buy it1? he replies, Tram one of those marked
people1. (Muxnad Aknnni viA. v, p. 2fi 15'"'j,
1- i:,e, the mfkids. Cf. Faid d-Qarfir veil. Hi. p, 236, {Translator}
2- Al- Haithami and some oilier scholars of flic hadnk classified the chain o(
transmission for this had'ilk as âhlh (sound),
333
J) The out-break of a raging fire, which will come forth from Aden
[in Yemen) and drive the people to their place of assembly [on the
Day of Judgement], This portent will mark the end of all the major
T'L
come in the haSih of Hudhaifah bin AsTd (<$) quoted earlier, where
the Prophet (M) was reported to have said,
6I
yr
-< -
And the last of all this will he a tire which shall come forth from
of judgement), (Muslim: 3901},
In another version of the same hadnh, the text reads as follows
i
' j
And a fire which shall come forth from the depth of Aden and
drive people away.
The aforementioned are the most important portents of the
Hour, after which the Horn' itself will be established by Allah's
permission. It has been reported, as well, that those portents shall
follow one another in an uninterrupted sequence, like strung heads.
the Prophet () said

S? X yto
iUi uf
J*** y\
* <
tir)
succession;
they shall follow one another in an unceasing sequence, like beads
Strung with one another. (aj-W/arn al-Awal vol. v, p,14S, hadith no. 4283}.
334
4.2.1 Believing in the bliss aid punishment of the grave and the
proofs establishing this
To believe in the bliss kept for those who are obedient to
Allah, and in the punishment reserved for whoever deserves it of the
m
, constitutes a
basic element of Faith *
and the Simnah, On the bliss of the grave Allah (Mi has said.
j- **
Aliih keeps firm those who believe, with the firm word, in the
worldly life aid in the hereafter, {jhtSMm: 21).
This verse indicates thai Allah (W) keeps the faithful firm in their
it is also an indication to what follows that of ease and comfort
Similarly, Bukhari reported on the authority of ai-Bara' bin hAztb
{u** to
that the Prophet (;t) said.
dJUXJ h
U_*4
h *?i A-Jl
J j jp ftj)
,4
come to him. Then, he will testily that there h no god worthy of

worship except Allah, and that Muhammad is His Messenger.
This is what Allah referred to in His saying, 'Allah keeps firm
**
\Bukkari\ 1369),
As for the punishment of the grave, Allah (W) said,
f- This theme will be discussed under three headings,
335
(j** p>A
!i-^
jffi %$
OJP^1
4 ^ssuâctMSs^
And the worst of punishment enveloped the people of Fir 'awn

(Pharaoh). The Fire; they are exposed to ft
morning and
afternoon, And the day the Hour comes to pass fit will be said]
'Make the people of Pharaoh enter the severest punishment'

mSfir; 45,46),
this, saying, "The majority of Muslim scholars are of the opinion that
coming of the Hour] will be in the interval between a person's demise
and his resurrection on the Day of Judgement {Banakh). It is
Grave'." Another erudite scholar, al-IIafiz Ibn Kathir also said, "This
verse is an important proof for Ahi al-Simnah who infer from it the
(V
of the Grave goes as follows

/
1.""
r-''
li ^
'X
''<<
We shall punish them twice, and thereafter they will be brought

hack to a horrible punishment. (ai-Tawbaii: 101).
Many scholars among the pious predecessors have figured out from.
this verse a testimony on the reality of the punishment of the grave.
f- ibn, Kmbtr, Tapir, vol. vii p. 136.
336
According to one of ihem, Mujahid (A
"We shall punish them
they will he brought back to a horrible punishment, i.e. on the Day

of Resurrection", Another scholar, Qaiadab also expressed his view on
the import of this verse by saying, "Punishment in the world and in the
grave. Then, they will be brought back to a severe psmLshmeot In
H
verses
mentioned above as proofs of the Punishment of the Grave in his
,V0
The proofs from the Sunnah concerning the bliss arid
punishment in the grave are many, For instance. 'Abdullah bin 'Umar
Jsi
,(v^
3Jri
k
j* ulT .ji
J*j* cU tif ^+4 %

JUJ .JU j*f ^ jUi j*f #
^ **4
"When one of you fi.e. people in general! dies, be will be shows bis
shown his position among them. It will be said to him, 'This is

your
Judgement'*" (Bukharh L3?9; Mmimw 2Sh(i),
- Cf. Bakhari's collection iai-Sah'ih), the chapter of the kaduhs relating to the
PiimshmeHtofdre Grave. (See Fash at-Bari vol iii, p. 231),
397

.{jji-'i
J* |lr>JU1^ Cl- s! iUjfi-jJ IjjlA? )/ ui *$J>)
Had it not been for |the I ear I havef that you may cease to bury
Punishment of the Crave. {Musiim: 2H68),
The proofs relating to this subject in the QuTan and the Sunnah are
many. Allah (M) knows best.
33S.
4.2.2 The two (i.e. bliss and punishment of the grave) are
applicable to both the soul and the body
The bliss arid punishment of the grave affect not only the
corpse but. the soul of the dead person as well !o other words, the
/ Vv
the body or the remains of the deceased, as both shall share the two
together. However, it may happen in some eases that the soul alone
enjoys the bliss or hear Ibe torment, This has been duly proved in
many religious texts, and has also been agreed upon by AM al-Sunmh,
in contrast to an opposing view that only the soul would be, in all
eases,
The proofs on ibis include a narration by Anas bin Malik {#)
quoting the Messenger of Allah t.M) as saying,
otu set *lus
4! utf- 4 ,A+*f
JJU
u* Jjjj
r+p Wt9 # M*) J*/
J *=>y lit
iM)
^ JjSc^-U iiMj#
Ui ^ AM** Jt jw 4 JAJ 4y^.j

u j/ cuT *>>!1 tjj# tJ*jh iJU ^ Jji? cATud juy >ilu jJuti 4,
^
When a servant jof Allah|(I>
Vj-kij -A-A Vy c-eya *51 :JUU
Jj4
t^1 > 4k & has been lowered into his grave, as
following question: 'W hat did you use to say of lids man (thai is,
- The servitude to Allah here in. generic, meaning every human being; as they are
all completely under His control, the believers and rtoti believers alike,
(Translator)
339
Foundations of Faith
Muhammad H)*? As for a believer, his response will he; 'I testify
that he is a servant of Allah and His Messenger1, Then, II will he
said to him, 'Take a look at your position in the Fire; Allah has
provided for you instead, another position in Paradise', and lie
shall see both. As for a hypocrite or m infidel, both of whom will
he asked the same question, 'What did you use to say of this
man'?, their answer will be; '1 do not know; I used to say what 1
heard people saying'. Then each of them will be told, 'Neither did
you know, nor flake guidance through the] recitation {of the
Glorious Qur'Snf. Alter this, he will be hit with iron hammers,
[the effect of that on him will be to the extent that] he will produce
such a cry as everything near to him will hear, except human
beings and jwn* {Bukhari: 1338}.
The lengthy hadiih narrated by al-Bara' bin *Azib, as reported
bv Ahmad. Abu Dawiid, ai-Hakim and others, also contain an
>
'
important addition. In this harfith, The Prophet {0} was quoted to have
said, after mentioning the discharge of the sou], and the subsequent
ascent of a believer's soul to heaven,
.{dfn, d
jlXU vU
iWS)
3*
Then, two angels will come to him, make hint sit and ask him.
Who is your Lord? (Mijsnad Ahmd vol, iv, p, 287; Swum Abu Dawudvol.
v, p. 75 hadlih no: 4753, zlMuskuirak vol. i, pp. 37o8 OX)-
f- Ai-Haki.m and some other scholar?-; classified this haditk as authentic isah'ihY
34tl
The Foundation oi' Faith
The two aforementioned kadlsh, therefore, show that the bliss

and punishment in the grave are applicable to both the sou) and the
body. 1B the- first hadMi, the clause, 'When a servant lot' Ailllij has
b een lowered Into Ms grave' is a clear validation of this, for the word
'a servant' [meaning a person] definitely refers to both the body and
the soul On the- other hand the Prophet (#)'s declaration, in the
second had'Uh,
the interrogation, further buttresses this viewpoint. Furthermore, the
words and terms used in both hadiihs clearly reflect bodily
specifications and qualifies. Those expressions include, 'He hears
their footsteps'; Two angels will come to him and get him seated';
"He will be hit with iron hammers'; and 'Me will produce such a
ery, * All of these point to the fact that what befalls one of either
bliss or punishment in his grave has to do with the soul and the body
together.
However, in some other islamic texts the implication is thai
the delight and agony of the grave may be confined, to some cases, to
the soul alone. According to 'Abdullah bin 4 Abbas C++-* & s?
Allah's Messenger (0) said,

yu-if ijj j** jk
*j
*ui Awr
kM1 # 4 v** &
41
^& J&J ^
When your brothers were killed |as martyrs in the battle of

Uhudl, All8h made their souls to be inside green birds. The birds
fly to the rivers of Paradise, eat of its fruits and retire to golden
341
lamps in the shadow of the liiromn {Mmmd Ahmad vol i, P, 266; aiMustadmk vol it, pp,
297t.lJ)1 >
restricted to the sole alone in some eases. Regarding this, a leading

Pi
id, "Ah! ai-Suwmh wa al-Jama'ah
(The Orthodox Sunni Muslims) have unanimously agreed that both

IV
the Grave. The soul is thus tormented or blessed, either in isolation or

together with the body as a single entity, The bliss and punishment are
inflicted on both in this ease, as they may also be restricted in some
other eases to the soul alone".
f- A sound hadiih: in ihe opinion of both al-irtflkirn und at-Phababi.
342
In the course of our discussion on the angels and their

:xtf
shall focus on believing in their existence in detail, and their role in

trials of the de-ad; in as much as all this, by and large, constitutes part
of our on-going discussion concerning the belief in Bliss and
Punishment of the Grave,
Description of the two angels and their interrogation of the
deceased after the funerals have been reported in many authentic
hadiihs. Tirmidhi and Ibn Hibbin both reported on the authority of
"uo
^Jy^jii j
^ ^ >* J,jk
f U*
JjSs
it
klT ui
c4' j& tfj)
'J* 4
jJLi ,;^JJ**}} &<XJ* ICiljf
* fi
bjiji ^L-Jt CAS* :Jiii U&lu illf 01 J. ,,
W* ^
JtM
,(&$$ 4*ufet 4* At
j>- cb!
jj* UU*
Jl W ji bjA-*' 4jd J d
ur A!10^^ AU. clB

J1Ji yi 4&Lel Jtkm^
f>ste
When a deceased -or perhaps he said, 'one of you'- has been

come to him; one of
ask the deceased, "What did you use to say about this man'? He
[Muhammad {H)j is a servant of Allah and His Messenger; 'I
u*rf
that Muhammad is His servant and iMessenger'. The two angels
34:1
will then say, 'We liad known before that you would say what you
have just said'. Thereafter, his grave will he expanded to the
*
was a hypocrite, he would say, T heard people saying [something

about the man] and 1 also said the same but 1 do not know'. The
two angels will say, 'We knew already this was going to he your
response'. After this, the earth will be told to press hira and it will
*
UZ
vol iii( p, 383, fyatfiih no. 1(1? I ( aNItsmfi T'aqrib
ihn ISibban vol viup, 386
hadith no. 31t7*lj).
It is, therefore, obligatory to believe in ail that has been proved

in the hadiths concerning the names of the two angels, their
description, as well as their interrogation of the deceased in their
graves and the mode of that. Furthermore, we should have no doubt
about what shall be the responses of either the believers or the
hypocrites to their questions, Neither should we he skeptical about the
as elaborately
explained in those hadiths.
Muslim scholars have different opinions coBcemmg whether
the interrogation in the grave will be for the followers of Prophet
Muhammad (0) alone, or for all other nations of Che past Messengers
f- Tirrcsdhi classified this kadi'lh as 'hasan-gb^nh',
344
Tht- Foundations of Faith
as well. However, based on the import of the available

proofs, the view supporting that the interrogation will he a general
phenomenon, affecting ail and sundry, seems more correct It is also
the opinion of most of the erudite Muslim scholars. Allah (M) knows
best.
4.3 Believing in the Resurrection:
Believing in resurrection of the dead is one of the greatest
fundamentals of Faith in Islam. Resurrection itself as an issue,
consists of many aspects traceable to proofs from Islamic texts. We
shall now treat those aspects under different headings with a view to
expose the essence of'resurrection1', the importance of believing in it,
and what a believer should believe in, concerning its conditions and
events.
* t
c i*
First: It is used to mean 'sending' or 'dispatching' someone or

i
(M) that,
j
.y >
Then We sent after them MiisS. (al-AW: 103).

Second: If is also used as a synonym of other words, namely,
Hiharati and 'tahrik' (awakening and prompting) Hence, it is
commonly said, "Ba'ath tu aBba'Jra fa n ba'ciiha'f meaning, I
incited or awoke the camel, then It got incited", Very close to this
345
meaning is when we say, 'Ha'tha al-mawtff, that is, resurrection of the

vo
says,
Then We revived yon after your death... (al-Baqarak 56). i.e. We

restored life hack to you,
Resurrection {al-RcCth) as an Islamic terra would therefore

imply raising-tip of the dead and causing them to come out of their
graves by Allah fo&). This resurrection means exactly that Allah (Ml
will gather decomposed bodies of the dead and restore them back to
their original forms and shapes with His Might. After that, He will
final judgement. Allah (&) says,
* J*
>
J)' UUii
And he puts forth for Us a parable, forgetting his (own) creation.

Say JO Ml>araiiiadJ 'He will give them life who produced them
the first time; and He is, of every creation, Alt-Knowing. (YS-Sin:
n.i9).
According to I;ludhaifah (4H, Allah's Messenger (M) said,

f \
UOJ-
ijAft'ii W-* lijj :Akl
i'iJ'S j*
^ 4 UJ.J& kjpdcti Uj.W

,{d jA&
Jj
: J'J
Si Ojh
cdTl lit
I ; J'vSi Jit
V bWj, i>J)
ljU !jj,jt
^t_} jl jir fjj j
Death approached a man, who. having tost any hope to survive,

instructed his family thus, 'Whenever 1 die, you should gather for
me much firewood, and build a fire [to burn my remains!. W hen
346
bones, you should

in the sea on a windy day,0>. |They did exactly as he had
instructed them| "
him, 'Why have you done so'? The man replied, 'Out of my fear of
You'* Allah, therefore, forgave him, (Bukhori: WI9),
It is thus clear from the above quoted verse and hadtth that
Allah will reproduce tire same bodies arid gather their disintegrated
remains, so that they are restored back to their original forms, after
which He will give life back to them. Glorified is He (Allah) who is
never incapable of doing anything, and able is He to do all things.
The Surmah has further shed light on how exactly the
-
-n water
AH 3V,
(rain) which shall bring forth the dead like grasses growing on. the
surface of the ground. According to both Bukhari and Muslim, Abu
; Jts
,U#
JA*1 ^ri VJ*

tM
Jj44 f} :Jtf
V**
wW W
?iU*
^ Vj J* VI V*
:Jli
d*
<UJ1\
shall be an Interval of forty. The narrator, Abu Hurairah was asked,

'Is it forty days, or forty mouths, or forty year's"?, but responded by
f- Cf, Fatty al-'Ban vol, vi, p. 522- (Translator)
34 7
saying 1 refused [to specify thai]1"If,* After that, Allah will send
dawn water from the sky, while the dead will rise in a manner
i
reconstructed on the Day of Resurrection, {Bukhmt. 4935; Muslim-,

2935).
'.r
. It
has also stated thai the dead shall remain in their graves for forty,
between the first and the second blowing of the trumpet; the first
being the killing blowing, while the second will be for resurrection.
Although the narrator of this hadlth did not specify whether the
interval would be foiiy days, months or year's, it has, however, been
the sky water likened in some narrations to men's sperm. With that
water.
shall rise up from their graves like growing grasses, after every part of
their bodies, save the coccyx, had disintegrated. It. is worth reiterating
are
this; their bodies shall never decay,
from the ihrcgoin
we hope the reader has 0iained some
insights regarding the nature, time and mode of resurrection. Allah

(flO knows best.
f- CI", Fath al-Ban vol, vsii, p. 414. (Transistor)
348
4.3,2 Proofs establishing the Resurrection from the Glorious

Qur'fcn, the Sunnah, and reasoning
Glorious Qur'an as well as the Sunnah have proved, is many
instances, that Allah (M) will resurrect the dead. Quranic proofs, in
this respect include the following:
/
>
K,
j*
m JJ
Then We revived you after your death that perhaps you would he
grateful. (ai-Baqarah: 56).
/
' ?>
At
t-** cT *
K-
Your creation fthat is., Allah's creation of all human beings] and
your resurrection are just as easy as the creation and
*
resurrection] of a single soul, indeed, Allah is Ail-Hearing and

All-Seeiiig. (LaqmSn; 28).
The unbelievers claimed that thev would never be resurrected.
Say, 'Yes, by my Lord, you will surely be resurrected, then you
will surely be informed of what you did; and that, for AHSh, Is
easy'. (afTaghabim; ?},
Concerning proofs from
the Surmah Abu Hurairah (>%?.}

}>
t\
4 ir-*J
*. j*
4 & ^ Jjh^' 4
J jl ^
'jM* *)
Jjf >/"& 4S/-I V

J>j$k ^
Do not rate any of Allah's Prophets as superior to another, for

when the trumpet is blown, everyone on the earth and in the
heavens will become unconscious, except those whom Allah will
Mb
exempt. Then it will he blown mice again and I will he the first
3414; Muslim: 2373)
In another narration, reported also by both Bukhari and

Muslim, but on. the authority of .Abu Sulci al-Khudri (40, the text
reads as follows:
f
% .And
I will he the first person for whom the earth shall
apart (Bukharr, 2412; Muslim: 2278),
The body of the two kadiths thereby verified that on the Day
of Resurrection, Allah would raise up the dead from their graves, and
cause them to proceed to the place of the final assembly (A!Mahshar), The haditks on the other hand point out the distinctive
quality of the Prophet (Is) as the first person who will be resurrected
on the Day of Judgement.
will reveal that restoration of an already created being after it had

ceased to exist, otherwise known as resurrection, is much easier than
the initial creation of that being. For this reason, AlSSh (0) has cited in
the Glorious Qufao the creation of mm in the beginning as a clear
is surely,
and even with greater reason, able to repeat it. Thus, He relates for us
350
Tht- Foumiatioas of Faith
m His Book the argument of that individual who questions the

rationality of Resurrection, saying,
C&J
. (Ya-Si)i: 78).
Then, Allah (M) refuted this argument saying,

Say [O Muhammad] "He will give them life who produced them
the first time'. {Ya-Si -.19).
Allah says also,

^ '^-dp'
J&J
- ' "ih t . i , ,u
iH ,i, , it
And it is He who begins creation; then He repeats it, and that is

[even} easier for Him. (al-Rum: 27.].
This stands, therefore, as both textual and logical proof from the
Glorious Book of Allah against whoever denies or opposes the
Resurrection, and what an irrefutable proof is it!
4.3,3 The fmai gathering:
There are textual proofs stating that all creatures will be
gathered barefooted, naked and not circumcised in the Place of the
/>
4'
*>
And We will gather them [all], leaving out none of them, (al Kahf: 47)
v
4
~
On the Day the earth will be changed to a different earth, and so
will be the heavens too, and they [i.e. all creatures} will appear
before Allah, the One, the Prevailing, f Ibrahim; 48],
351
The Foutidatiotis of Faith

i
feJ1 j A-d' i-fr'

Ji <HH*
ser of
.T
(^y- *'y 5U*- k>v^' j*ji
^ yk>
,r^>
Jtf vt is
'
People will be gathered on the Day of Resurrection barefoot*

naked and uncircumcteed* ). said, '(.) Messenger of Allah, men and
women all together; looking at one another"! The Prophet (fi) said, 0
'Aishali, the matter will be too serious for them to look at one
another, [Bukhiin: 6527; Muslim: 28-59).
This gathering will be genera! embracing all creatures of
47
which shall take place either in Paradise or in Hell, In this case, the
faithful will be led to Paradise in the form of an honourable
delegation, whose members will ride on camels. Allah (i$) has said,
The Day We will gather the pious unto fAllah] the Most Merciful
as a delegation. (Majryam: 85).
Imam Tabari narrated that "All (4ri said regarding the meaning
of this verse, "By Allah- [members of] this delegation will neither be
summoned walking on their feet, nor be driven [in a humiliating
manner]. Rather, they will he presented 'with she-camels, the like of
which no created being has ever seen. They [i.e. their riding camels]
will have on them golden saddles, and their bridles will fee made oi
aquamarine. They will mount these camels until they knock on the
doors of Paradise*'1
I- Al'Tahan. Tafsir vol vni, p. 886,
352
As for the disbelievers, they will he led to Hell-fire prone on

*1%,
^ <
ts y"
}ju>
The ones who are gathered fproae] on their faces to Hell, those
are the worst in position and* as to [the straight! path, most
astray* (al-Furq&n: 34}k
v-c
And We will gather them on the Day of Resurrection jpronej on

their faces - blind, dumb and deaf. (a!.-Ts.ra': 97).
3575
proofs concerning if
The IJmvd is a huge wafer basin Allah has given the Prophet
hi). It is located at the Place of the Final Assembly {Mcikshar} where
he and his followers shall come (to drink from). This cistern has been
described in many texts as (containing water) whiter than milk, colder
extremely wide; both its length and breadth measuring equally, while
supplied directly from Paradise, through a golden spout and another
one made of silver.
stars in. the sky.
The existence of the Prophet's cistern is confirmed in many
authentic hadlths, rated by some competent scholars as mulawaiirs^K
The hadlths were narrated by more than thirty companions of the
Prophet pi), including Anas bin Malik ( ) who quoted the Messenger
of Allah (M) as saying,
^
itjj
JT
The dimensions of ray cistern, are just like the distance between
are as many as the
number of stars in the sky. (Bukharr. 6580; Muslim: 2303).
f- A matawaiir tiadish is thai which has been: narrated at all stages of trmsmission
by so many persons., that their number and trustworthiness eliminate doubts
about its authenticity, (Translator)
354
'Abdullah bin 'Amr bin al-'As also narrated saying, The Messenger of
5
*-*})
& wî
> '>-
.(lAii UJSJ Vi
j**
w
'
.v
Hie extent of my
Journey {on foot], lis angles are equal, while the water thereof is
whiter than milk and more fragrant than musk. As for its vessels,
never
The cistern, as- said earlier, is located at the Place of the Final
Assembly, and its water gush forth from River Kmvikar, which, is
another river in Paradise that Allah lias also given the Prophet (M).
Allah (it) said,
iK
We have, indeed, granted you |0 Muhammad] the K&wthar. (aI

Kawthar; li
n.
|
f
Ah
Mizdn) comes before the cistern [Hawd], while other scholars

maintain that the- cistern conies first. The latter view is, however, the
correct one.
said, "This [i.e. thai the Hm\:d, chronologically, will precede the
Mizan) seems to he meaningful, for people shall come out of their
graves thirsty".
355
4.3.5 *Ai-MtztW (The heavenly balance/scales): Features and

proofs;
constituent part of the mandatory belief concerning events of the Day
of
tilt with any good or had deed equal to even the weight of an atom.
Proofs from the Quran and the Smmah on the existence of the
/.s
J&*-" if Tv
lis-
pU>
a**
J ''fly
<*L>
1*
(al-AnbiyiW).
4 >** VJ
UL*
/ *'
.4#
-r-'
as
heavy. He will be in a pleasant life fin Paradise}. But as for one
(that is, HellilreJ. (al-Qari'ah: 6-9).
According to both Bukhari and Muslim, Abu Hurairah (4*)
reported a saying of Allah's Messenger iM) reading as follow.
rOfjall 4
OUdj! Jfr
4\ ^^9^
t &\
[There are} two expressions that are dear to [Allah], the Most
Merciful; very light [i.e. easy] for I he tongue to pronounce, and
yet heavy in weight in the scales }of human deeds]. They are;
'Subhana AllUh wa bi hamdihi, subhSna AllSh a I- 'Atfm' (Glory be
356
to Allah, and praise be to Him. Glory be to Allah the Sublime),

{.Bnkhfsri: 7563; Muslim: 2694),
Another narration by Imam Ahmad, al-Hakim and others.
revealed that Ibn Mas'Gd, a Ceompamon of the Prophet (0) once
climbed an arakahU) tree, Being a thin legged person, the wind started
to shake him, and this scene made the people around him scoffed at
him. Then, the Messenger ('!} asked them of the cause of their laugh,
and they replied, 'O the Prophet of Allah, it was the thinness of his
(Ibn Mas'ud's) shins that made us laugh'. The Prophet (0) said, 'By
Htiti (AllSh) In whose Hand is rny life, (hose shins jof Ibn Mas'iidl
are, indeed, heavier in the Balance than the mountain of Uhudh
(2)
)-
[Musnad Ahmad vol. a, pp. 420, 421; si- Mustadjak vol. Hi, p. 31?
Based on what we found in some Islamic texts, the heavenly

scales will be used lo weigh three different things, These are;
1- Deeds.
The above quoted hadtih narrated by Abu Hurairah, i.e. 'The two
expressions that are dear to [Allah] the Most Merciful
-1
is an
evidence for this.

The proof of this is a hadtih narrated by 'Abdullah bin * Ami
bin al-'As (U** h
quoting Allah's Messenger (0) as saying,
f- Arakah is the tree whose small branches are usually used as sticks for cleaning
2- The hadiih has been classified as yTTi by both al-Bakrm and al-Dhahahi,
357
lite Foutulatioiis of Faith

^*iiHj m
i"jl
boyish^ t_p^ dWU*1
Jji fjs
jtjjj :Jfi ^ ^
li* JA .jivtf! \JjAi f
:J.>M -Vj k *S '-dj& ijvjl 2W ?k~*- .j!

4J1 ^ Cif "&&n
k a\y
W J&*
JT
>
dAJt '4j& -Vj k v
J ;jr_jAsi hjJ! kilJu; ^
b^-
CUi &\ Jb
S*M
i>ij &\ *5^
ii-if 4 tWlj f j C/^suJ* g^ :JU ^ V db) :Jtf
a-U
* 4i'iaJl S.U U t^j \J ; JjiU dJCjj ^r^!i ;Jj4*
.{^/ ^ / k fr-t ^ jjfci Vj
voajj
csiiW :ja
out a man among

my
ninety-nine scrolls (records of bad deeds] over him; each scroll
extending as far as the eyes could see. Then, He will say, 'Do you
deny anything of these (recorded deeds)? Bid My scribes, who
kept watch, wrong you'? The man will reply, 'No, my Lord'. Then,
Allah will ask him whether he had done any good deed, or
perhaps he has any excuse for the bad ones he had perpetrated.
The man will become stunned and say, 'No my Lord', Allah will
today you will not be wronged'. Then, a document will he brought
out containing the testimony that 'None has the right to be
Messenger', Allah will then say, "Come on to witness yourself the
weighing |i,e of your deeds]' The man says, 'O my Lord! Of what
[of my wrong deeds]? Allah will say, "Surely, you will not he
wronged". The scrolls will be put in one of the scales [of the
Balance] and the document in the other. The |99| scrolls will
3SS
The Foundation*: of Faith

a*
v*
]Uj
L'
Merciful, the Especially Merciful {Musnad Ahmad vol. h, p. 213; Smm

r> V
" 5
S-A'tU
Li, pp. 6tS29\
3- The person who performed She deeds himself is also subject to

being weighed on the Day of Resurrection. This has been expressed m
11ri
>
?J>P^ lib feef*
t."
We shall therefore, assign no weight lt> them on the Day of

Resurrection. (al-K.ahf; 105).
Similarly, the hadtth of Ibn Mas"ud {.#), mentioned above, is
another proof in this regard. As we have read til that hadith, Ibn
Marud's shins will be heavier on the Scale than the mountain of
IJhud.
f- A sound hadith-, according to both al-bbikim ami al-Dluihabf.
33l>

!
*> i
Literally, the word 'shqfd 'ah' indicates 'means and request1,

while in conventional sense, it implies demanding the good on behalf
of another person. On the other hand, shqfa'ah or intercession with
respect to Allah (M) is to ask Him to overlook sins and misdeeds of
another person.
The intercession with Allah denotes, in essence, that He, out of
His kindness and generosity, will on the Day of Resurrection allowsome of His righteous creatures,, angels, Messengers, or ordinary
believers to intercede with Him for some sinners wrho had never
associated partners with Him. This will be done with the aim of
uncovering the honourable status of the intercessors in the sight of
Allah, as well as showing .His mercy to those on whose behalf the
intercession will be made.
The validity of an intercession of this kind is, however.
a)
Allah's permission for the intercessor to intercede, as clearly
stated in His sayings that,

/ ?>
A*
(Al-Baqarah; 255),
/ A
"V
And no intercession can avail with Him except for one whom He
permits. (Saba': 23).
3tvtS
The- Fftundafisms f Faith
b)
That Allah is pleased with the person on whose behalf the
intercession is made. The proof of this prerequisite is the saying of

Allah iM) ?iiaf
YYa T'
pleased, (al-Anbiya1; .28},
Whereas there are Islamic texts proving that Allah only approves of
intercessions made on behalf of the monotheist believers. Muslim
i
(M) said,
'V
Jjfii
Jjj
hj*S ^ Ji3)
j> ou & k tu. a\ ai'u ^ ;uub
fo every Prophet [Allah has given] a granted supplication. While

every other Prophet had shown haste in [reaping the fruit of] his
supplication, I have reserved mine for intercession for my
followers on the Day of Resurrection. And if Allah so willed, it
(Muslim: 19')},
J"
them, (Mbdaththir; 48),

There are many proofs, in the Glorious Quran and the Sunnah*
establishing the intercession with Allah on the Day of Resurrection.
Having mentioned above some of the Qufante texts in this regard, We
shall now quote some of the many proofs from the Sunnah relating to
361
this issue as well Abu Said al-fcChudri (<*) reported thai Aliib's
Messenger hfe) said,
V' Jtiijlj Dywjit
,(Je$
djJ'i gjiij
C*AAA Jt#uj Jyv
!jU*s (t lj3 t*w j*J jUl ^
J>4# - ')
J&M ÎjJs
Resurrection!, 'The angei.%,

interceded. Now if is the turn of [Allah] the Most Merciful of those
who show mercy t * Upon that, lie will take a handful of (the
inhabitants of} Heilfire and thereby set free from it a group who
bad never done any good deed* {Musnad Ahmad vol, i.ii, p.94; alAaranu
'Abdul Ra^zaq, al-Mmamafvol. :si, p.410, hadtrh no. 29H57),
The hadllhs on the intercession on the Day of Resurrection are
numerous. Eminent Muslim scholars have aLso testified to their being
famous and frequent in the Sihati ^ and Masariic?'*' hadith literatures,
Furthermore, it has been reported in the two most authentic collections
of hadith thai,
(9'Ai &
Anyone who has .Faith In Ufa hearth, even equal to the weight of a
mustard seed, shall be taken out from Hcllfire. (Bukhmt 7439; Muslim:
184}.
I - i.e. those collections of the hadit.hs consisting, only, of the sound or authentic
fyadiths, (Translator)
2- Masanid is the plural fom-i of Miimad which, means, in technical sense, a
collection of the hadUhs siTanged according So their narrators, and no! according
to their contents, A Musnad may consist of authentic and weak traditions.
(Translator)
362
Tl Foundations of Faith
Cg-L
Any intercession, in view of either its acceptance or otherwise

is divisible into two: accepted and rejected. As for the former, it is
such an intercession that fulfils all conditions, while the latter is thai
which fails to ec
with one or more of the stipulated provisos.
which we have mentioned earlier in this book,
A total of eight types of intercession are for our Prophet (MX
and they all belong to the category of the accepted intercession. These
arc;
C
1- This refers to the Prophet's (M) intercession for people on

them after they had waited for long in an helpless mood. This
ji
> *
as the Laudable Position {Maqam Mahmiid), is one of the distinctive

characteristics of our Prophet (M) above all other .Messengers of
and bad deeds wall be equal He will mediate for them so as to be

admitted into Paradise.
they will be exempted from going to Hell, even though they really
deserve thai.
get their positions elevated.
3f>rs
5- He will also intercede lor another group to be admitted into

6-
be punished, so thai their punishment may be toned down. The

Prophet's ($*) intercession for his uncle, Abu Talib belongs to this
category,
7- The dwellers of Paradise will also be given permission to
8- He will also intercede for some of his followers who had
entered Hell on account of their major sins., to be liberated from it.
All of these types of intercession are confirmed in many
authentic texts, the details of which are available in books of IslamicCreed and Sunnah,
Some of the aforementioned types of mediation, arc given
specifically to the Prophet (ffe) alone. Such as the Greatest
Intercession, the intercession for his uncle, Abu Talib, and the one
meant for gaining entrance permission for the inhabitants of Paradise,
However, carrying out other hums of intercession, such as the one for
IS &
r^s-Lta-6 -
vt
V&V
unresolved among the scholars, in some few eases. Allah (Wf knows
best.
364
4.3.7 The heavenly bridge (At-$irSf): Features and proofs;

From a linguistic viewpoint, the word 'sirat' refers to a plain
route. uS'/raf, in the Islamic perspective, is a bridge stretched across the
Helifire, which every one, whether of old or later times, will have to
* i>:
W.
There are proofs from both the Quran and the Swmah
confirming the existence of this bridge. For instance, Allah. (M) says,
And there is none of you except he will come to it (Hell). This is

upon your Lord an inevitability decreed. Then We will save those
who feared Allah and leave the wrongdoers therein {humbled] on
their knees. (Maryam: 71,72).
''Coming to it (Hell)" as mentioned above, means, according to the
majority of Quranic exegesis scholars, crossing the .prat bridge. This
view was also expressed by lbn 'Abbas, Ibn Mas'ud, KaT> al-Ahbar
and others.
in the same vein, Abu SaTd al-KJhudri (kAi reported, in a
detailed narration of the events of Jrifva/f1'1 and the intercession in the
hereafter,, that Allah's Messenger {M) said,
f- t..e, seeing Allah iM), (Translator)
365
Iter J*
ui
Jj-j % ^ |Hr* <JSJ^ t& J**4 .r^k t/fc f
L-i JUi-^0/;
*S>a U lUÛ* aC^j vJ^Sj
>h,.
v^s AA'] A
*&>*
t .PUUwJ'.
'JC-/ -J ^
'
>
4 U-J^J
ty^
Then the bridge will be laid across Hell. We [i.e. the Companions of
the Prophet (#}] said, 'O Allah's Messenger, what is the bridge'?. He
replied, "It is a slippery {bridge] on which there are hooks and
wide thorny seed, hearing prickles with bent ends. Such a thorny
seed, called al-Sa'dan is usually found in Najd area(li Some
believers will cross the Siraf bridge as quickly as the wink of an
eye. Some others as fast as lightning, some as fast as the wind and
some as fast horses and camels. Some of them will, therefore, land
safely without any harm, some after receiving some scratches,
while some will fall down into Hell. The last person will cross }the
bridge] being dragged. {Bukhan\ 7439, Muslim: 1 as1'"*).
The 'Sinlf bridge is described in many hadllhs as more
delicate than, hair and sharper than a sword, it is also said to be so
slippery that one can hardly stand firm oil it, except he whom Allah,
will make to secure there a foothold. This bridge shall he laid in a
murky place. However, people will be given light in accordance with
the level of their Faith, thereby crossing it in different conditions
based on. the degree of their Faith as explained earlier in the previous
hadith.
t- The central plain of Arabia is called Najd, RiyfuL the capital of Saudi Arabia, for
2- The hadith as quoted above lias been taken from the ihikhdri's compilation.
366
believe in both, and the proofs regarding that.

Believing in the existence of Paradise and Hell is a religious
obligation. Paradise, situated in the Seventh Heaven near the Lote-tree
of the Utmost Boundary, is the abode meant for rewarding whoever
obeys Allah. Allah (W) has said.
And surely, he has seen him f.iihrUj to another descent Ion
Paradise comprises one hundred degrees in all, the scope

between every degree and another is like the distance between the sky
and the earth. Abu Hurairah narrated that Allah's Messenger (if) said,
L&* Cy^T jivwJ ^y U
J-j** J
*$'< tAU^-1
fcU 4*-\ J i>J>
There are one-hundred degrees to Paradise, which Aflih has
earth- (Bukfmn; 2790).

The highest position in Paradise is called 'At-h'irdaws ai-A 'Id',
on the top of which there is the Throne, and from it the livers of
<4*) went further to say "So if you supplicate to Aiish, ask tor the
thereof. The Throne of [Aihllif the Most Merciful is at Its top, and
from if the rivers of Paradise gush forth".
367
The Foundatiotis of Faith

\
Paradise has eight gales, as mentioned In the hadlih reported

by Bukhari on the authority of Said bin Sa'd {$), who quoted the
Prophet (M) as saying,
% 4** H
^ vk W
V*
4)
There are eight gates leading to Paradise, one of which is called

'Al-Mayydti f only those who used to fast will he allowed to enter
through this gate. \Bukhurs: 3257). The bliss Allah has prepared for
dwellers of Paradise is sueh. that no human being has ever seen or
On the other hand, Hdlfire is the abode of everlasting
whose hypocrisy is in relation to their faith. Bell will similarly be a
transient home for sinners among the faithful, whom Allah may
choose to punish in proportion to the gravity of their guilt, and then
admit them into Paradise, Thus, He says,
Indeed, Allah forgives not associating partners with Him, hut He
(af-Nisr: 48).
ascribed to Ibn
cllm LUI1MM& Ui tiUWiiVViUU. iCVClfe
with varying degrees. A prominent Muslim scholar of the past,

'AbduiRahman bin Aslant said, "The degrees of Paradise are in the
368.
nethermost of all the levels (of Hell) wilt be home of the hypocrites";
just as Allah (&) has said.
Indeed, the hypocrites will be in the lowest depth of the Fire, (al-Nsa:
145}
As for the gates to the Fire, there are seven in all, Allah (0) says
/
- $1" <<*
Jf > $1**?
J
sinners] assigned, (-ai-ijijo 44).

'['he known ji,c, ordinary] Ore of this work! is just a pari of
some seventy pails which make up the Hellfire. The hatiith
confirming this, as reported by both Bttkhari and Muslim on the
>({H*
if
if *?
3265; Mmlim: 871).

There are three factors necessary for believing in both Paradise and
Heil, ihe.se are;
To believe definitely in their existence; in Paradise as an abode
for the righteous* fc and in lie!I lite as home for disbelievers and
hypocrites. Allah (M) says,
V
Jr
ly.
369
We shall burn them in Fire. As often as their skins are roasted

the punishment Indeed* Allah is ever Mighty, All-Wise, But these
who believe and do righteous deeds- We will admit them to
gardens under which rivers How, wherein they will abide
forever... (al-Nisa'i 56,57).
2-
Believing that both Paradise and iieli are, at the present time,
already in existence, Allah said of Paradise,
-4 SaEsiiiy
Prepared (already) for the pious, <Ai-limrn: 133)Conversely, He also said concerning HeHtlre,
A
-
/
A kadlth narrated by 'ImrSn bin liusain ( has it that the Prophet (M

said,
ytlfl CJIJ ylJl J C*ds"!y .*1jiiul Ljial jiifl C-Jji
J C-s&l)
I looked into Paradise, and found the majority of its inhabitants to

the occupants thereof were women. (Bttkhari: VIA\ Muslim: 2758 i").
1- The hadiih, as quoted above, is from the Bukhana book, while Muslim's
narration of the hadifh is cunei.se, but carries the same meaning,
370

3-
Bdieving in the permanent existence of both, as well as the

>Vfc
'4
jji'i -cddhij 1^4-i
Dwelling eternally therein; and that is the great success. (al-NisT: 13).
And of the Fire He says.
*"+
>!* .S^S iij 0^
And whoever disobeys Allih and His Messenger- then indeed, for
him is the fire of licit; they will abide therein eternally. {.al-Jian: 23).
The disobedience referred to in this verse means infidelity or
polytheism; hence, that rightly accounts for the description of the
culprit's stay in Hell, as permanent and everlasting. The famous
Muslim scholar, al-Qurtubi, said, "The word -eternally' in the verse
f*}
rl.
indicates that the disobedience mentioned therein isnolvtheisnr'
'Abdullah bin ;Umar (Uf* 2c ^j.) narrated that Allah's Messenger (is)
said,
"il3^
V -J/j*# (**
fjk f
Afri ^ J*f & J**)
-CM j* W ^ y ctj> H yds j*f kj

the people of the Fire loo to enter the Fire. Then, a caller will
stand between the two parties and proclaim, *0 people of
let everyone
live eternally in his/her present abode". {Bukharh 6514; Muslim-.

2H50(2}}.
1- Al-Qurtubi. ai-Tafssi', vol. x.fo p21\ Ai-Shawferai, Fatiui al-Qadir vol. v.. p. 3d?,
2- The wording of the hadBh BS mentioned above belongs to Muslim.
371
Benefits of believing in the Last Day.

Throughout his life, a believer enjoys immense benefits
derived from his faith in the Last Day, These benefits include:
1- His interest in performing acts of obedience to Allah is
aroused, as he hopes to gain the reward of that. Day, Fearing the
potential punishment of that Day, on the other hand, creates in him. a
resisting force against any aspiration for committing acts of
disobedience to Allah (Ml
2- This belief also serves as a comforter for the believer over
any bliss or possessions of this world that may elude him, for he hopes
to be compensated with better bliss and reward of the hereafter.
3- It equally helps the believer to realise the perfection of
Almighty Allah's justice, as He will requite everyone on the basis of
his/her actions [in the world], in spite of being Merciful to all.
372
Chapter Five: Belief in Preordainment |al~Qad' wa al

Qadar]
SJ Definition, proofs and dissimilarities.

5,2 Stages of Pre-ordainment.
The FotifidaUoiis of Faith
5.1.1 What is Qada' and what Is Qadar?

The word 'Qada' literally means judgement or decision. As an
Islamic term, it implies any decree Allah has made concerning His
creatures. This may have to do with either their existence or
extinction, or effecting certain changes in their life.
As for 'Qadar' in the linguistic sense. It is a verbal noun
suggesting comprehensive familiarity with the extent of an object.
While from a strict Islamic viewpoint, 'Qadar3 is the sempiternal preordainment by Allah (M), regarding, what happens to His creatures,
based on I lls prior knowledge of that.
5.1.2 Qada'md Qadar- my difference/
two
terms In the following way

r.r
while Qada implies winding up or completion of the matter. An

erudite scholar of hadtlh, Abu Hatmi cited some examples to further
clarity' this issue. For instance, when a piece of cloth is given to a
tailor,, the first thing he does is to measure the cloth. At this stage the
ease may he. However, when he has tailored it or made it to measure,,
he has thus finished working on that piece of cloth and cannot remeasure it again. Qadar, therefore, precedes Qada.
374
Another eminent scholar, Ibn al-A.thTr also said, "The two are
correlative and inseparable; Qaciar represents a foundation, while
Qada is like the building (to be erected on that foundation]. Whoever
tries to separate one of them from the other is indeed trying to pull
down the building entirely'1.
<Aa'
meaning must be given to each with the aim of distinguishing between
the two terms. However, if one of them is used to the exclusion of the
other, each term becomes, m this ease, a synonym of the other, and the
two, according to some scholars, may be used interchangeably.
M3 Proofs;
Believing in Preordainment constitutes a pillar of Faith, as
'5
respect include:
4 A'
(al-Qaman <19)
s i*
And ever is the Command of Allah a decree predetermined, (alAhz&r. 38).

V
He |Allah] created everything and measured It exactly according

to its due measurements. (al-Hirqaa: 2).
There are many fradtihs m this issue as well, including the
hadith of fibril, which we have quoted earlier in this book, The
375
Faith, mentioned "the belief in Preordainment, whether favourable

or not".
In another hadffh reported by Muslim, Abdullah bin 'Aimbin al-'As (U$**>) said, I heard the Messenger (0) of Allah
saying,
irtfj;juT
!/)
Alllh had written the predetermined measures of His creatures

fifty thousand years before He created the heavens and the earth
and His Throne was upon water. (Muslim; 2653),
Companions, have all unanimously agreed on the obligation of the
belief in Preordainment. Tails, a famous scholar who lived in the
generation after the Companions (40, said, "I have met some of the
Companions of Allah's Messenger {0}, they ail used to say,
'Everything occurs in a proportion predeleraiined1! H
'Abdullah bin 'Umar <u-* a
narrating that the Messenger of
Allah (-&) said, "There is a predetermined measure for everything;

even for Incapacity and capability or capability and incapacity",
(MmUm- 2655).
Imam Nawawi also said, "There are ample and conclusive proofs on
the affirmation of Allah's Preordainment [for all things] in the
Glorious Quran, the Sumiak and the consensus of the Companions,
as well as men of authority among the old and late generations'".
376
5.2 Stages of Preordaijixncnt:

Based on what we have ITS various Islamic texts, and as those
texts have been explained by Muslim scholars, prcordainmc-nt or
First; Allah's knowledge of everything, whether existent or non
existent, imaginable or even unimaginable,. He encompasses all with
His vast knowledge; hence, He knows what has occurred, what is
going to occur, and what has never occurred, how it should have
occurred, if at all it had occurred, A. proof of this comes in the body of
the following Qur'gnic verse:
sf'.t'rW
*# ^^4
So you may know that Allah is over all things competent, and that
In addition, Ibn 'Abbas iWg ^ in ^>y} narrated that the Prophet
(H) was asked about the late of the polytheists' offspring who died
young, and he said,
.(isUt* ijitf- if fiii k)
Allah knows best what they would have done (i.e. if they had lived
to come <f age). {Bukhara 1384; Muslim: 2659),
Second: The writing, by Allah (0), of all things that will come to be
until the Hour of Resurrection, 'Thus, He says,
377
The Foundations of Fahh
Do you not know that AliSh knows what is in the heaven and
earth? Indeed, that is in a book fi.e. recorded]. Indeed, that, for
Allah, is easy. (ai-Hajj: 70).
>
-# uyJ
\
.*
i"tx
>
1.2),
The hadith of' Abdullah bin 'Amr bi sPAs mentioned above

is also relevant here as another proofs as it included information on
how Allah had written the measures of His creatures, fifty thousand
Third: The wish [of Allah -JAij; whatever Allah wishes will certainly
says,
A
When He |Allah] intends a thing. His Command is only that He

says to it, "BeM, and it is. (Ya-siri: -B2).
\
And you cannot will except as Allah wills- Lord of all the worlds*
{ahTakwTr; 29),
Similarly, Abu Hurairab reported that Allah's Messenger (#) said,
& Otf
ItÂ 0]
p# ICJLA Cij j JAP!
None of you should say, Hj Ailih, forgive me if You wish', or rii

You like, have mercy on me". Let he [i.e. the supplicant] be firm in
37S.
his invocation; Allah docs what lie wills, and no one can compel
Him, <Bukhuri:
Muslim: 26?9U\
Fourth: The creation of all things by Allah l.M'u whose power to do

that is absolute and unrestricted. lie -Glorified be He- is the Creator of
every inactive or motionless being and its inactivity, Allah says

accordingly.
-
\-i
Allah is the Creator of all things, and He is, over all things,
Disposer of affairs, (ai-Ziimar; 62}.
\
>
While Allah has created you and fall] what you do/make, (abSsaffst:
96).
Htisain narrated that Allah's Messenger (#) said,

J w^S"y .sUl J* Mi,/- 01fj
a a
y 4t
-}
la the beginning, there was nothing in existence save Allah,
|thea, He created the Throne] and His Throne was upon water.
He wrote everything in the Book'1'2"1, and created the heavens and
the earth. (Bukhdri: 3] 91).
1- The wording, as quoted shove, has been 1aken from Muslim's book,
2- i.e. the Lawh Mali/tit (Preserved Slide), ef, Path al-Bari volvi. p, 290.
('Translator)
379
The Fouadalkms of Faith
Believing in all the aforementioned stages is necessary for

whoever wants to establish his Faith in Prcordamment. Arty one who
disbelieves in one or more of Ihera has failed to have the required
best
%+
The belief in Preordammesd affords the believer

important benefits. In addition,, it has far-reaching impacts on his/her
life. These include:
1- Relying on Almighty Allih, even as one applies certain
means to achieve his/her goals. This reliance stems from the
2- The rest of mind one enjoys as a result of his/her belief that

vnan
any goal in life. Such an achievement is only a favour from Allah, in

view of what We lias preordained of the means that led to it. Hence,
one would, instead, be thankful to Allah and avoid self-conceit.
4- Getting rid of anxiety and weariness in case one misses an
iW
calm and patient in hope for reward from Allah im)7 having known
that such conditions are pari of what He has preordained.
3 so
SECTION THREE: OTHER ISSUES RELATING TO

THE MUSLIM CREED
Chapter One: Islam, Iman (Faith) arid Ihslhi (Excellent Performance of
Devotional Acts).
Chapter Three: lie Due-rights of the Prophet's Companions.

Chapter Four: Our Duty towards the Muslim Rulers and the Populace,
as well as the Need to Remain United with Them.
Chapter Five; Holding Fast to die Qur'an and the Summit as well as
Prohibition of Disunity.
Chapter One: Islam, Intuit and Ihsan

1J Islam;
1.1.1 Definition:
Linguistically.,
the
word
'Islam'
denotes
compliance,
submissivencss and obedience. On the other hand. 'Islam', as a

religious term, is submission lo Allah by believing in His oneness.,
abiding by His laws, rejecting polytheism and being an adversary to
the polytheism, Allah <) says.
Say, Indeed, my prayer, my service of sacrifice, my living and my

*o
5k
have been commanded, and 1 am die firs? [among yon] of the

Muslims". {al-An'fim: 162, 163).
And whoever desires other than Islam as a religion, never will it
losers. (Al-tmiaa: B5).
1,1.2 Pillars of Islam
The fundamental principles of Islam are five. The Prophet (jig)
explained this in a had'ifh narrated by " Abdullah bin TJmar
saying,
3S2
it
Tht- Foundation* of Faith

?LJij
* J) 4 IS! $ ^
> <flUyi )
.(iww>A'd;' *mj
Islam is based on five (pillars or principles): To testify that none
is His Messenger, to perform the fobligatory! prayers dutifully, to
pay the obligatory alms (/akah), Ha J] (Pilgrimage), and to fast
during the month of Ramadan, iBakhavi: JSi Muslim-. 16).
Similarly., the hadith of Jibril, which, we have quoted several
times in this hook, is another proof in this respect. In that hadith*
Angel .fibril had asked the .Prophet (Mi to ld.1 him about Islam, and his
response was:
J .'rtUll
eifj ^
.(jk { ...ci-w :Jti .bW* *filj cUftku-i u] Cmyh
Islam means that you hear witness that none has the right to be
worshipped save Allah, and that Muhammad is Allah's
if*
CI , uirt
pay
the obligatory aims (zakih); fast in the mouth of Ramadan; and

perform the pilgrimage, if you can afford that He [i.e. Jibril]
remarked, 'You have spoken She truth1, {Bukhari; 50; Muslimk),
if
Bearing witness that 'Lii ilaha ilia Allah' means that only
hand, testifying that 'Muhammad is Allah's Messenger', bespeaks that
3S:l
one would follow his command, accept whatever he has said as true,
shun ail what he lias either forbidden or warned against and never
worship Allah except in accordance with what he has laid down as
rules, or preached.
3S4
1.2 Faith (Imart) and its articles, and the Islamic ruling concerning
perpetrators of major sins;
1.2,1. Definition;
The
word
"bmf
means
credence
and
acknowledgement. Conversely, Imim as an Islamic term implies a

doctrine that one holds in his heart, pronounces out verbally, and
ay
1,2,2 Art icles and proofs of Faith {Iman)

The pillars or articles of Faith are six, as demonstrated in the
following Qur'anie verse:
r>
' >-
>*
east or the west, but righteousness is [in] one who believes in

Alllh, the Last Day* the angels, the Hook and the Prophets.., <aiBaqarah: 177),
Regarding proof from the Svnnah, we quote again the had'uh

of JibrTl, and precisely the Prophet's response to his question with
respect to Faith. He said,
ij* ^ ^jlj
fjJ'Sj *X*jj
tf>
. (|*1... wiw-
That you believe in Allah, His angels, Books, Messengers and the
Last Day. You should also believe in Preordainmenf whether
auspicious or Inauspicious, JibrTl said, "You have said the truth".
{Bukhari: SO; Muslim: ).
3S5
The Fouodalkms of Faith
123 Increase and decrease in Faith

Evidently, both the Qur'Sn and the Sunnah tell us that Faith
deepens and weakens, The rise in one's faith h a consequence of
engaging in devotional acts, while the opposite ensues from
committing sinful acts, Allah (iM) said.
and bestows on them their piety, (Muhammad; 17},

,^-r^ .4Û ^
"
r *>
* *
-v
WJ.
!
bi
# b
The believers are only those who, when Allah is mentioned, their
AnfSi: 2).
it is He who sent down tranquillity into the hearts of the believers

that tliev may grow more in Faith along with their jpresentf Faith,
(dF'ath; 4).
Messenger (M) that,

{î y
J diS' ^ jUi -y
He will [eventually] come out of (i.e. be freed from) Hell, whoever

has in his heart Faith equal to the weight of an atom. (BukhaH: ?51<J:
Muslim: 193).

J-ijWl ^
3-W} Uliilj
*l *|l If U^PI it&X
0U#*>
*1
is 'L8 itdha ilia Allah* (.None tout Allfih alone has the right to be
the road, And modesty or bash fulness is also a branch of Faith,
{Muslim: 57).
L2.4 Islamic ruling concerning perpetrators of major sins:

Grave offences, from an. Islamic viewpoint, are divided into
two, offences thai lead to disbelief and atrocities that do not disqualify
partners to Allah - which is the gravest offence ever committed
mg against Allah, or His
Messenger. The latter involves such misdeeds, which, originally, are
not considered to be beyond the pale of Islam. Thus, the perpetrator
remains a Muslim unless he believes the acts themselves are lawful.
These include usury or interest oriented transactions murder,
fornication and adultery etc. The Quran and the Sunnah mention that
any Muslim who commits major sins of this category remains a
believer, although his/her Faith decreases, and would be called a
sinner or disobedient person.
However, his fate in the hereafter lies squarely in 'whatever
may please Allah (M). If He likes, He will forgive him, out of His
mercy. He may also, out of His justice, give him a taste of the
387
Hit Foundiif tOiis of FaHli
punishment he deserves, if He so wishes. In any ease, the person will

not remain permanently m Hell; he will eventually be admitted into
Paradise on the grounds of what he had, while he was alive, of Faith
and Tcmhid, Allah (M) says,
i*a ^ iXjl
Indeed, Allah does not forgive [the sin of] associating partners
with Him, but He forgives what is less than that for whom He
strayed far away, {al-NUr: I Ifi),
J.tl ^
^ ^ ^ ^ ^ fljj -0* & Ai % li H Jfi ^
*ji* Jj Ai
*_Jt H Jli j* jdi j* <r JJ (^ j* 5j; C^jy Us Jj Ai H] *J] H

C* ^
Whoever has said, 1La ilaha ilk Allah', (None but Allah alone has
the right to be worshipped) having in his heart good [u. Faith]
equal to the weight of a barky grain- will be taken out {i.e. freed]
from Hell. Whoever has said, *M ilaha ilk Allah', having in his
drawn out of Hell, And whoever has said, 'La ilaha ilk AUSht
having in his heart good |U. fatili] equal to the weight of an atom,
: 192).
What we have stated above concerning perpetrators of major

sins is in harmony with the view of the worthy predecessors of the
3SS
Muslim nation: the Companions., the TabiTn0) and those who

followed them on the path of guidance and >
oood conduct This,
likewise, is the moderate approach hi this regard, as opposed io other
stances
which arc either too extreme or very lenient, The

(2)
*
Kharidjites
for instance, prove extremist by making anyone who
commits a major sin. a de facto apostate who deserves to be slain.

fvfj
(%}
of Heilfire in the hereafter, On the other hand, the fanatic Murjiles

have also gone too far", though in a reverse direction, by putting the
perpetrator of mortal sins and a believer who abides by the rules of
Islam and does not violate any of its laws, on an equal footing,
regarding both of ibeni as being perfect in their Faith,
* Proofs indicating that a Muslim, even if he commits major sins,
should not he considered an unbeliever
The Qur'anic evidence in this regard reads as follows:
The Kharidjites or Ihe Secede rs are those who rose in opposition, to both "Aii and
i.
iTOiil
The Kharidjites hold., among many other extreme views, that there is an
obligation to revolt apinsl a leader of I he Muslim state as a method of
reformation, (Translator)
3- The Murjiiies are those who con due Faith to either just a word pronounced, or a
doctrine held in She heart or even just mere know-ledge of that, to the exclusion of
deeds. (Translator)
3S9
JS&S
'4 ?
}
t ?-
4 &$$&
f'
*C?I
- *U^''
:*s*
then
make peace between the two. But if one party oppresses the other,
then light you fall] the oppressing parly until it returns to the
ordinance of Atlih. And if it returns, then make peace between
them in justice ami act equitably. Indeed, Allah loves those who
act equitably. The believers are but brothers. Therefore, make
peace between your brethren. And fear Allah, that you may
receive mercy, (al-iiujuiiu 9,10).
We could see in the above verses that despite the reference to
both parties as having committed the sin of waging unnecessary war
against each other, which of course amounts to a grave offence, and to
one of them as an oppressor, Allah ($g) qualified both parties as
'believers', referring to them as 'brothers', Furthermore, He even
ordered the rest of the Muslim community to bring about
The Simnah proofs in this respect include a narration by Abu
'jj&l -Jjk f
jUb
iAA* j* J^-k
{
sfrjfrti
j* Jay* 3*
& J&-4)
Jt&* AJS J
3#
Allah will cause the people of Paradise to enter Paradise- He will

admit into it whomever He wishes out of His Mercy. He will also
cause the people of Heiltlre to enter it, and then say,
3*1
] anyone
who has in his heart Faith equal to the
weight of a grain of mustard seed, and let him/her come out *

{Muslim-- f
(Si1
are Muslims will not be banished to live permanently in the Fire, as

anyone with even the slightest degree of Faith will eventually be set
free from Hell. Similarly, the kadith indicates that the believers are
never at a par; some are raised above the others, based on the nature or
amount of their righteous deeds. However, Faith itself deepens or
perpetrated.
I.- The hadith occurs in the book of fraan, chapter of 'Intercession and Drawing the
Monofbeists out of the Fire',
3*3
Definition: Al-Ihscm means being duiiful to Allah (M) both in private

and in public, as one who loves and tear Kim, hopes for His reward,
and is afraid of His punishment, Tins is accomplished through
performance of obligatory and supererogatory rituals, as well as.
tri? i
who strive earnestly in performing meritorious acts,

Proofs from the Qur'an and the. Sunnuh
Allah (m says.
I
A >'
Truly, Alllh Is with those who fear [Html and those who are
, (al-Nahl; 128).
The proof of litis from the Sunnah is demonstrated in the text

of the hadlih of jjbsil (a$r), when he asked the prophet (dl) to tell him
what exactly the word Ihsm stands for. The Prophet (0;) answered
saying,
A&jl *i$
J* { w
dJir &
di)
To worship Allah as if ym were [physically] seeing Him, for even

fi>
f- The hacfah has been mentioned earlier on p, 155,
392
1,4 Relation between fotem,
ImSn (Faith) and IfysOn (Excellent
performance of devotional acts)

The three terms occurred in the hadisk of -fibril, who came to
the Prophet (W) purposefully (o inquire about these issues., lite
Prophet its) in Ms response described 'Islam' as compliance with
outward religious obligations. Such as bearing witness that none but
Allah alone deserves to be worshipped and that Muhammad is a
messenger of Allah, establishing prayer (Salad)., paying the obligatory
alms (Zakah), fasting in the month of Ramadan and Hajj (the
pilgrimage) to the Sacred House in Makkah. He also explained the
nature of Faith (linin) as being a hidden matter, involving the belief in
Allah. His angels. His Books, His Messengers, the Last Day and
Preordainment, whether favourable or unfavourable. Furthermore, his
answer concerning 'Ilisan' shows that this implies being fearful of
Allah, both in secret and in public; hence his statement, "That you
i
>
ft1
see Him, but He, surely, sees ytm'b

Whenever rite three terms are jointly mentioned, giving a
distinctive meaning to each becomes a necessity. Thus, the word
Islam' stands for outward obligations.,
Or
inner issues and "Ihsan implies the highest degree of servitude to

Allah. However 5
(i.e. Islam
become synonyms and can be used
interchangeably, while dhsan\ in this respect, embraces the concept of

both.
393
and Al~ bars' (Disavowal) in Islam

2.1 Definition;
Al-wala\ a verbal noun of waiiya', is an Arabic word denoting
an approach to something. It therefore, suggests, in this context,
further implies living in their midst, as well as standing by them
against their enemy,
Al-'hara' is also a verbal noun of 'bara
ft
meaning to cut
something. It is therefore commonly said, ''Bara al qakimA, that is, he

chopped off a pen, The meaning in relation to our topic 'would
nor supports them, and should even restrict his/her sojourn in their
land to eases of necessity alone,
22 Al-wala' and Al-hara'as prerequisites of TawhTd:
A Muslim must sec the cause of Allah as the real criterion for
either his love or closeness to someone, or his enmity and hatred for
another, Thus, he loves and supports his fellow Muslims, as he does
says,
By&j
Syjy?
OjJ-i %$ \}^+ Sj'o AiuJ
Your ally is none but Allah and [therefore] His Messenger and
those who believe -those who establish prayer and give obligatory
charity (zakahU and they bow [in worship!. And whoever is an ally
of Allah and His Messenger and those who believe- indeed, it is
the party of Allah that will triumph. (nl-Mtfdafa: 55.56),
4
O you who believe, do not take the Jews and the Christians as
allies. They are fin faetj allies of one another. And whoever Is an
ally to them among you, then indeed, he is fonej of them. Truly,
AllSh does not guide the wrongdoing people. uS-Ma'idab: 51).
>*
*
^
0 4
>#
V
lid
uA^s*
d 23
,i $
even if they were their fathers or their sons or their brothers or

their kindred. (ai-MujMilah: 22),
a Muslim is duty bound lo love and stand by bis fellow Muslims, and
to treat as
verses shed light on gains of this mutual love and support that
Muslims should have for one another, as well as the dangers of taking
the disbelievers as allies.
23 The position
and Al~bar& in islam:
The doctrine of Al-wala' and A'S-bara occupies in Islam a high

position, as it is believed to be the strongest of all the bonds of Faith.
3*5
In other words, it indicates strengthening the love and intimacy thai

hind the Muslim community, and severing ties with the antagonists of
Islam. According to ibn 'Abbas cu^s^
Allah's Messenger {/)
said.
.(ijji J jakjSj iwi J wJ-ij M J 5U'd!J 5^1 p &$i <s/ jf/)
bonds of Faith is to stay attached to
someone or set oneself against him/her; love or hate him/her, all
Mu'jam al'Kahir vol. xi p.. 215; al-Baghawi, Sharhu al'Sunncsh vol, iii p, 129, bolli
with a fairly reliable chain ofuansmLîon),
II-
US *
Sycophancy, in this context, means that one willingly forsakes

from all that is expected of him as a .Muslim, in terms of vigilant care
and concern for his religion, on account of flattering the disbelieving
. gains.
An example of this is when, a person maintains an intimate
*
A3
Wcm
from so doing, despite being eapable of this. Allah (M) says,
3%
The Fotmdatiotis of Faith
IL
--
r ?, -
--V
if
,1-r >:'- ->
by the tongue of Bawfid (David) and of 'Isa the son of Maryam

(Jesus the son of Mary).
were ever transgressing. They used not to prevent one another
from wrongdoing that they did. Evil indeed was what they were
doing. You see many of them becoming allies of those who
disbelieved
iai-MS'idah: 78-SO).
Pliancy, however, is to ward off or prevent an evil in a

courteous
from him, especially if one is scared of the person's wickedness, or
includes showing leniency either to an ignorant fellow who is under
one's tutelage, or to a vicious person whose acts we are to warn
against We should not prove uncivil to him, but, instead, employ
to reconcile with such a person.
permission to enter to the Prophet (gjfl. When the Prophet (0) saw
him he said, "What an evil brother of the tribe; what an evil son
of the tribe"! However, when the man eventually [came in and] sat
down, the Prophet (j) behaved with him in a nice and polite manner,
and was completely at ease with him. After the man had left, 'Aisha
{i** Ai
said, 'D Messenger of Allah, when you first saw the man
you said so ami so. Then, you [surprisingly] treated him so politely
(i
d1'
/ y
f JJ
il'i Juc- Û1
oj ,Ub*i
twip I.)
.(9^
O *Aisha, have you ever seen me using had or dirty language? The
a t
/V
be he that people leave

evil. {Bukhfm: 6U32).
The Prophet (d), therefore, for the benefit of religion, behaved with
H
man's bad reputation. This, accordingly, suggests that pliancy and

results in significant advantages. Such advantages may include
harmonization, total prevention of an evil or, at least, reduction or
alleviation of its hearing.
This, on
, is an
people to the path of Allah (W). The Prophet ($c) himself has set an
example in this respect by dealin a politely with the hypocrites in
Madinah just to eschew their evil, and to endear himself to them and
to others.
However, what has been stated above is different from
sycophancy, which, in essence, means currying favour with sinners or
wrongdoers for the sake of material gain and not for any religious
interest. Sycophancy is therefore not permissible in Islam.
398
Bum*-.
J
"Tv> t < "5,
'4
with him, when they said to their people, 'Indeed, we are
dissociated from yon and from whatever yon worship other than
Allah. We have denied you, and there has appeared between us
and yon enmity and hatred forever, until yon believe in AiMh
alone1. (ai-Mummhanah: 4).
Also, Allah gives us a glimpse of how the Ansarm in Madinah
stood by their brothers h Faith,

{Muhqfirun}, saying.
r- *<rz
x
x <
>"
rAtumtM
.'4$
s
And those who, before them, settled in the home [i.e. MadinahJ
and had adopted Faith. They love those who emigrated to them.
i.
the Emigrants}. But [also} give them preference over themselves.

r
the stinginess of his soul- it is those who are the successful, (alHashr; 9).
f- Literally, the helpers,
If a person is found to pusses paradoxical qualities of either

good and evil, obedience and disobedience, or following the way
(SunmtH) of the Prophet (M and introducing innovations {Bid'ah) in
religion, such a person should be considered as deserving his due
friendship, alliance and Allah's reward on the one hand, as well his
due hostility and Allah's punishment on the other; each in accordance
with the extent he/she has gone in observing or perpetrating such acts.
This itself is not abnormal, tor we could similarly find a person who
earns honour for a reason, but deserves to be humiliated on account of
another, A poor or poverty-stricken thief, for instance, may have
his/her hand cut off for stealing {in accordance with the law of Islam),
but may also be considered for a grant that will satisfy his need from
the public treasury, or perhaps receive charity from his fellow
Muslims. This principle is, therefore, an object of agreement among
- (.
2,7 Do worldly transactions with disbelievers have anything to do with

W
* CT
the precept oiAl-waMf smdAl-barS*!

in trade or other business transactions is permissible in Islam. It is,
similarly, unerring to appoint them as aides in ease there is need for
that, or when it becomes inevitable to do so. However, this must be
dorse on a small-scale and should not pose a threat either to Islam or
the Muslims.
400
It is worth mentioning here that the Prophet 0} himself

(] j
engaged the services of 'Abdullah bin Uraiqtt
.j .<2J
and even mortgaged his shield to a Jew, so that the latter would lend
him a sa''* of barleycorn. Similarly,, 'Alt 0} hired himself out to a
woman
well, taking a date-fruit in exchange for each bucket of water. On

another occasion, the Prophet (;&:) asked for the help of the then
Jewish Community in Madinah to fight the pofytheists. Be also got
assistance from the Khusa'ah tribe in his campaign against the
disbelievers of his own clan, Qurassk. AH of these instances have no
negative impact on the notion of AUwala' and Ai-bara?, However, U
should be added that non-Muslims residing in a Muslim community
must comply with general (Islamic-defined) standards of behaviour,
and should not engage in any invitation to their religion.
{- Who was a disbeliever, Cf. Pofhu ui-Bari,. vol, iv, pp, 517, 518, (Translator)
3- $a' is an old-fashioned measure. A ' is. equivalent to 2, !?2 grams, Cf Qal'aji,
M Mu jam lughat al-Fuqahii' (Dictionary of Islamic Legal Terms), p, 419,
(Translator)
401
Th* Fotiadatkms of Faith

*
>*
Companions (Sahabali)
support them.
3,2 The necessity of holding them in high esteem and as persons with
undoubted probity, as well as refraining from [imnceessaiy discussion
i* - 1
I*
3J The Prophet's relations and their rights; his wives being part and
parcel of his household.
*>
oider.
their admittance into Paradise.
The- Foundations: of Faith
support them
3A.l Detinltion:
A companion of the Prophet (M) is anyone who has met him
(physically during his lifetime). Such a person must be a Muslim at
The Companions are the best generation, the cream of the

entire Muslim nation, and with the exception of the Prophet {&'), they
are also the best thereof. We are duty bound to support them, love
in their befitting status. Every Muslim is bound to love them, as that
itself is part of our religion .and Faith, which also constitutes an act
that could bring one closer to Allah, the Most Merciful. Conversely,.
harbouring haired against them is considered an act of infidelity and
tyranny
Any slander or defamation of the Companions is in fact a.
4 5-
we knew of it in
the first, instance, after they had received it fresh, verbally, from the
Messenger of Allah {fM). They have also passed its contents to us
honestly and sincerely, and disseminated its message to [virtually]
every nook and cranny of the universe in less than a quarter of one
century. Through their efforts, Allah (fg) subjected many cities of the
403
Tike Foundations of Faith
Both the Glorious Qur'an and the Smmah have described the
love and support for the Com.pan.ioos as not only an obligation, but.
also an indication of a mail's sincerity in his Faith. Allah (W) says,
J ''.
oridTY""' > y
,, > -?(.
5"^'* >-~tt
'
The believers, men and women, are allies of one another, (aiTawbah; 71).
No doubt, the Companions are believers - and of course, on account

of Allah (Hi) and His Messenger's recommendation, they are even the
best of the believers. Having said
this, it logically follows that
it.
part of whoever loves or supports them.
Furthermore, Anas (40 narrated thai the Prophet (M) has also
said,
.(jUiHl J*k> tfUttil
V* 0\f IA)
The sign of Faith is to love the An sir
while the sign of
The Islamic texts relating to this issue are many, and cannot all
be mentioned here. Nevertheless, we deem it fit to point out at this
juncture some benefits of being an ally of the Companions of the
Prophet (M), both in this life and in the life to come, We are stating
i- i.e. these of the Prophet's Oo.mpani.c?. who played host to the Emigrants {#!Muhqiirfm) in tvladmsih, (Translator)
404
The Foimdatiofts of Faith
this with the hope that it may further arouse the readers' interest in
pursuing this goal
Prosperity and victory arc some of these benefits in this life.
Allah fM) says.
\
believe- indeed, it is the party of Attfih that wilt triumph, (aiMa'idab: 56).
Ihn KathTr, the famous scholar of Qur'ame exegesis said. "Whoever is

pleased with the alliance, friendship and help of Allah, His Messenger
and will be helped, as well, in both1'.
DC.
life to come, lies in the hope thai those who love them will be
has given a hint of this when, according to Ihn Mas'fid {#.<), a man
came to him and said, 'O Allah's Messenger! What would you say of a
man who loves a certain group of people, but has not yet caught up
with them'? The Messenger of Allah (f;)
-< V5
* *
A man is with whom he loves, {Muslim-, 7M0),

For this reason, the Companions of the Prophet fg} used to
seek nearness to Allah or His favour through their love for Abubakr
and 4Umar (U*_* h ^0$, and even regarded that as one of their best
and most promising deeds in the sight of Allah. According to
40S
Hit Foundations of Faitli
man,, "[But] what have you in preparation for that"? He said,

'Nothing, except that I love Allah and His 'Messenger, Then the
- \*<
p * C-H)
Anas bin Malik [the narrator] remarked, "At no time had we been as
happy as we were thai day, on hearing the saying of the Prophet (Jg)
that, 'You will be with whom you have loved1." Anas continued, T
love the Prophet (M)< Abuhukr and Tiimr, and, on. the strength of my
than they have done'. {Bukhart 36#Kj.
406
Tht Foundation* of Faith
persons with undoubted probity, as well as refraining front

(unnecessary discussion >fj I heir disputes. Ait in the light of Islamic
Allah. (g) commended the Prophet's Companions, promised

them the best reward and was pleased with them. Thus. He says.
at
.<
>
^\
ir
/
îe-
.>
Jjkil i4JX* U.** 1^-5
J !; 1*4^
r'
X*
>
and He has prepared for them gardens [Paradise] under which

rivers flow, wherein they will dwell forever. That is the supreme
success- (al-Tawbab: 100).
r
* 'Z t.f <*
^ssi<W**su3*
allegiance to you fi.e,

M^4'l 1'C'Z
f.
-in
k3'>
Sj^k^
^Jj^J
' ' > '.

4>i jA-
*50^.ytdlS -&$fc -*2 *, ^
d-Jai^c
";r^'
/ fi
407
' fr
< ^ >.- 'ViT'--" f >'i' '' -It vt.

ij>-*
eAd-i ^
and their property, while seeking bounty from Allah and His
r
[2
given to them |U the Emigrants]. But [also] give them preference

over themselves, even (hough they are in privation. And whoever
is protected from the stinginess of his souL it is those who are the
successful. And those who came after them, they say 'Our Lord,
forgive us and our brothers w ho preceded us in Faith, and put not
in our hearts rancour against those who have believed. Our Lord,
indeed 'You are Most Kind, Most Merciful', {al-fjashr: 8, 9 and 10).
The above quoted Quranic verses manifest the excellent
qualities of the Companions and how [Allah] has commended them.
Whether they were of the Emigrants [Muhqjiriin), or the Helpers
(Amar), those who partook in the Battle of Badr, (hose who were
Tree or whoever had the privilege of being a Companion of the
Prophet {$&). The verses continued by describing the succeeding
generations {aider the Companions) as those who seek Allah's
forgiveness for their predecessors among the Companions, and
beseech Him to keep off their hearts any resentment towards their
fellow believers.
4M
Those Quranic verses and many other similar ones also

contain references to asking Allah \M) to be pleased with the
Companions, the glad tidings of their admittance into Paradise, their
attainment of the supreme success, and speaking highly of them,
Furthermore, the verses mention some of their qualities, such as their
love for others, unselfishness, generosity, and love for their Muslim
other great qualities and good repute, all of which they rightly
deserve.
Likewise, the Messenger of Allah (0) has given credit to the
Companions in a number of' hadlths, including the one reported by
Muslim on the authority of Jabir bin 'Abdullah Q"L
^ ^*>} who
as saying,
-(pJi
h')
enter the Fire. {Muslim: 2496).

There are hadtihs speaking generally of the virtues of all the
Companions, while some others focus on the heroes of Badr,. There
are still other hadlths mentioning precisely excellent qualities of
The duty of every Muslim is, therefore, to practically apply
those hadlths, assuming every Companion of the Prophet (M.) as
deserving his love and support. He should also invoke Allah to be
pleased with them, speak highly of them, follow their examples and
es.
409
Hit Foundation!! of Faith
3,2,2 Retraining from [unnecessary discussion o{| die Companions'

them
O.
are, with the exception of our Prophet (M), the elite of this Muslim
nation (ummah) and the best thereof; they were the first among this
nation to embrace Islam, They are landmarks of guidance, and Sights
where and when there is darkness, They strove hard in. Allah's cause
in defending
as ti
the religion (Islam) firmly, Hence, whoever dispraises or insults them,

or belittle anyone of them- he is one of the most evil of all creation,
whose action amounts to an assault against the religion as a whole.
apostasy Is himself, with even more reason, an infidel or apostate.
Quite evidently, no matter the amount of devotional acts anyone
coming after the generation, of the Companions may embark on,
he/she can never rise to their calibre. Both Bukhari and Muslim
reported m their authentic hadlih compilations that AM SaTd al1
^4*-!
J> jl y pifuH d'ji Ôwf y Us4 \y^J *i)
Do not abuse any of my Companions; for if one of you spent gold

equal to the Vhud mountain (in Allah's cause], that would not be
410
Tht Fotmdatiobs of Faith
m or even naif a mud spent ry one ot mem. (Bukhara

367.3; Muslim: 2540., 2541), This hadsth is a proof forbidding anyone to
). Furthermore,
it stresses that nobody can reach 8heir status., no matter what .amount
of righteous acts he/she may perform.
Every Muslim must, therefore, believe in the integrity of the
Companions, and ask Allah to he pleased with them. Likewise, he
should shun any interest in taking up the controversial matters among
them. Rather, he should leave their secrets or intentions for Allah
alone to decide. 4Umar bin 'Abdul 6Aziz, a prominent Muslim leader
and scholar of the Tabi'm generation has said, "Those [i.e. the
Companions] were people Allah had saved our hands from being
stained with their blood. We should, therefore, restrain our tongues
from speaking evil of their honour or dignity11,
In a nutshell
love and support all Companions of the Prophet (M). They also place
them in their rightful positions with every sense of justice and
fairness, and not with mere fancy or partiality, which is but a
transgression.
f- A rmaf is equal to 543 grams. Cf, Qid.'sjl, M, op. ei.t., p, 41l>. (Translator)
4rt
33 The Prophet's relations (Ah!

3.3.1 "Who are the AM aHiayfl
AM al-Bayt ate those of the kindred of the Prophet (M) whom.
Allah forbade to take alms. Thev are the families of *Ali bin Abi
Talib, JaTar and al-'Abbls, the defendants of al-Harith bin 4Abdul
MuUuhb, as well as the wives of the Prophet fi).
33.2 Proofs on virtues of the Prophet's family:
rVi
Aillh intends only to remove from you the impurity jof sin], O
members of the [Prophet's] household, and to purify you
thoroughly, (al-Ah/ab: 33).
The Prophet (#) has also said.
l remind you (to fear] Allah, by giving my relations ja befitting
treatment], {Muslim: 2408),
333 The wives of the Prophet ($g) m part and parcel of his
household
Allah m) says.
J
"**** f'r,
\ >+
i\ *Nn
y'~
y.
y'*'-
"a*V"my *.
PiA_
5 *
lAXU^
412
-y
ij*VJ
Tht- Foundations of Faith
O wives of the Prophet, you are not like any other woman. If yon
tear Allah, then do not be soft in speech [to men], lest he in whose
heart is a disease [of hypocrisy or evil desire of fornication) should
covet, but speak with appropriate speech. And abide in your
houses, and do not display yourselves as was the display of the
former times of ignorance. And establish prayer and give
obligatory alms {Zakah) and obey Allah and His Messenger, Allah
intends only to remove from you the impurity fof sin], O members
of the {Prophet's] household, and to purify you thoroughly. And
remember that which is recited in your houses of the verses of
Allah [i.e. the Qnr*n] and the wisdom [i.e. the Sunnah\. Indeed,
Allah Is ever Courteous, Well-Acquainted [with all things). (alAfczab: 32, 33 and 3d).
imam Ihn Kathlr commented on the meaning of the above
verses saying, "A certain point concerning which anyone who
wives of the Prophet (is) arc included in the saying of Allah (Mh
members of the [Prophet's] household, and to purify you
thoroughly
In fact, they were the ones bein g addressed in this
context; hence, Allah said in the close of it, "And remember that
which is recited in your houses of the verses of Allih and the
wisdom". That is to say, in other words, "Give practical effect to
your houses, of the Quran and the Simmih". 'Thus, Qatadah and some
413
as, "Remember this favour [of Allah] with which you have been
, ij
distinguished from all other women1''

rs
AL'I
As mentioned above, Allah's Messenger () has said,

r- V
I remind you fto feaii AilSh, by giving mv relations fa befitting

treatment^ {Muslim: 2408).
Muslims), therefore, love and honour the family of their Prophet ($j)
in keeping to his bidding concerning them, This is even construed as

part of their loving and honouring the Prophet fifi himself However,
being a relative of the Prophet, alone, is not enough to merit the
Muslim's love or alliance. Rather, such is contingent on the person's
{IX-
y\., .
Lai i
f S
We could now observe how fair the stance of Ah! al-Sumah

\
whoever defies the Prophcfs orders and deviates from the religion,
even if he were of the household of the Prophet (M). As mentioned
f- ibn, Kstblr, al-Tafiir vol vi p. 4I I,
414
earlier, being a relative of the Prophet (Jfc) or a member of his

household can never, alone, avail anybody, except if the person is
(#) narrated saying, When this. Qur'Saic verse;
ins
>
i* i>t k
!,j
<& JA
jj*
^ *$
hJS jf
*5? ic Jj W kLo y iUvS iil
pXif-
t$)
^ w$L
O people of Qnraish!U>
to this) Save yourself [from HellJ; 1 cannot save you from Allah's
punishment. O Descendants of Abdu Manaf! 1 cannot save you
from Allah's punishment. O Safiyyah, the aunt of AMh's
Messenger! I cannot save yon from Allah's punishment. O
fattmah, the daughter of Muhammad! Ask me [to give youj
anything you like of my property, [hut] I cannot save you from
Allah's punishment (BMW: 4771; Mw/wn 204).
The Prophet ($>) also said in another hadsih.
his family relationship cannot speed him up. [Muslim; 2699).
f- Quraisb is the tribe the Prophet {&:) himself belonged to. (Translator)
435

-
m
they were infallible, Similarly. Ah! al-Sunnah disavow some other
groups who either declare themselves enemies of the righteous and.
They.
ii
is to lake the persons of the Prophet's relations as means of approach
moderate and upright, tolerating neither excess nor negligence.
416
3.4,1 Who are the Rightly Guided Caliphs?

They are: Abubakr (al-Skidi'q), 'Urnar bin sil-Khattab (y.1Faruq), 'Uthman bin 4Affao (Dhu al-Nurain) and 'All bin Abi Talib
ti-i
tii\.
tea
va
The Khuiafa' Rmhidrn (.** *' ^-) arc the best of the Prophet's
Companions, and the rightly guided caliphs who the Messenger of
Allah (Jt) ordered ns to follow and to hold fast to their guidance. This
has come in a hudith narrated by al-T'rbad bin Sariyah (4*) who
quoted the Prophet (M) as saying,
iSeM*
S' dVwH
j* d\s .Uiyfj
\S
pS^j,y
.(4l*>U U&> jr dd
y)r^
wtbUj
I instruct you to hear and obey [your leaders]; tor whoever among
you lives after me shall witness a Jul of dissension. So you must
(who shall reign] after me. Keep to them and hang on to them.
Moreover, beware of newly invented matters [in religion]; every
path. (Reported in Mu.mad Ahmad, vol, i.\% p.. 126-127 and Sunan Tirmidhi. vol, vii
p. 438 wstit a sound chain ofrj'ansmission).
417
The Followers of Simmh or Orthodox Sunns 'Muslims

unanimously agree thai the Rightly Guided Caliphs must be ranked, m
terms of who is superior to whom, according to the order of their
assumption of the caliphate: AbObakr, then 'limar. then "Uthrnan, then
sAJi
fife). Many hadllhs have been reported regarding their virtues, of
which we shall now mention just one for each of them.

As for Ahubakr (4fh the hadiths mentioning his virtues include
the saying of the Prophet (H) publicly on his pulpit
j
_S*i: U
SJLX&- Jefo
ceJ" J)
{J*. -J
earth, 1 would have* definitely, chosen Abubakr as my bosom
Of AbObakr. (Bukkari: 3654; Muslim: 2382).
-(|*4* spUaJkl ^ J**
&A yj*l J
jtXtl
J i>& 4)
were
divinely inspired feven though they were not Prophets], If there is
any of such persons amongst my followers, * Ulnar bin ai-Khaft&b
must surely, be- olie of them. UMMri: 3689; Muslim: 2398}.
Regarding Tlthman t^-i/Aishah
^s>> narrated in a
lengthy hadltk that, "Ahubakr entered [the house of the Prophet (0)}*
then 'Umar, then
Uthm&n. When the Prophet (0) noticed the
presence of 'Uthmihi be sat down and adjusted his dress, [Later],
418

it-
and he replied,
Must I not feel shy before a man whom the angels feel shy before?
{Muslim: 2401}
With respect to 'Aii (.&), a ftaclith narrated by Sail! bin SaM

military expedition,
:JlsS ...
^Lr*&
*i'jh â^S!)
-<-
Indeed, 1 shall give the war-flag tomorrow to a man who loves

as well. Under his leadership (as the llag-bearerj will Allah grant
[the Muslims] victory, lie then said, "Send for 'Ali " and gave
*a a
him the Hag. And Allah (0) granted them victory under his command.
<Bukhari: 3702; Mux Ism: 2405).
419
The Fouadatfoiis of Faith
35 The ten [Companions] who received, in advance, glad tidings of

their admittance into Paradise
We have seen in the previous pages the high status of the
explained also that some of them are superior to others, it should be
noticed thai the forerunners who were the first to embrace Islam
among the Emigrants (Mukajinm), then the Helpers (An$ar) are the
best class of the Companions, followed by the warriors of the Battles
of Badr, Uhud and AhzabU) respectively, After them, there are the
participants in the Ridwati pledge of allegiance, then, as a general rule,
those who had migrated and fought m Allah's cause before the
Conquest of Makkah are higher in. rank than those who spent of their
wealth and fought afterwards, However, to both parties Allah has
promised the best reward.,
The best of all Companions are ihe Rightly Guided Caliphs:
Abu-bakr, ftjmar, "Uthrnan and fcAls {-$>), Then., 'Abdul Rahman bin
'Awf; ai-Zubair bin aVAwam, the hawari {di.scipk) of Allah's
Messenger (0); and Talhah bin "Ubaid-Allah. Others are Sa4d bin Abi
Waqqas; the Trustee of this Muslim nation, Abu 'Ubaidah bin alJarrah; and Sa'id bin 2aid bin Nufaif may Allah be pleased with them
all.
There are hadishs mentioning, virtues of all of these ten
Companions together, while in some other hadnhs that has been
f- t.e, the Battle iif 'Treiieh or ihe Confederate;-;, (Translator)
420
restricted to some of them alone. One of those hadilhs that state

generally virtues of all the ten was reported by Ahmad and the authors
of the Swman l\ on the authority of 'Abdul Rahman bin al-Akhnas
who quoted Said bin Zayd (.#) as saying, "I testify that I .heard the
Messenger of Allah (M) saying,
yjl&j
;I
J dUf-j vidrl J j+Z)
J j5J
jJ# :Jti .^W1!
jjj
..(Wij ^ 4^ j*) ; JUI
j*
Ten [persons] will be in Paradise. The Prophet will be in Paradise,

AbQbakr! will h& in Paradise, and so will be 4Umar 'Uthm&n,
Rahmin bin "Awf. Said, the narrator continued, "Had it been my
wish to tell you the tenth person 1 would have done so. Then, the
'Who is he*? Then he said, "He is Said bin Zttydm h
(Mmnad Ahmad*
vol. i, p, 188 wish a sound chain, of narration).

In addition to these ten, the Prophet (fs) has equally given the
good news of entering Paradise to others among his Companions.
Such as 'Abdullah bin Madrid, liilal bin Rabalj, 'U'kasha bin Milium,.
Ja'far bin Abi. "falib, and many others, The method the AM af-Swmah
(Followers of the Sunnah or the Orthodox Suoni Muslims) apply in
1- Thai is, the hadith eovnpilaiioos by Abb Dawud, Tirmidht.. NasiH and Ibn Maiah.
(Translator)
2- That is, the narrator himsel f (Translator)
421
this regard is to mention categoricalty by name, as an occupant of

from Allah's Messenger (M'l Thus, they testily thai such a person, will
Ki
had given in this regard. Ho wever, as for those of them who did not
Sti '
Companions, regarding their being admitted into Paradise, Allah said

after mentioning the Companions and what made some of them
superior to others,
-# 4-
"f" 4k \
-J
(al-Nisa1; 95}.
Regarding other individual Muslims, the AM al-Sunnah never

state definitely that so and so will go to either Paradise or Hell
Rather, they wish that the righteous be rewarded favourably, and fear
with certainty., thai whoever breathes his last being a monotheist (a
savs.
4 >ss &s*&sc,w% +%&&&
>
indeed, Allah does not forgive [the sin of} associating partners
with Him, but He forgives what is less than that for whom He
wills- (ai-Nisa': !!<*).
422
The Ffttmdatiohs of Faith
Chapter Four: Our duty towards the Muslim rulers and
imam Muslim reported on the authority of Abu Ruqayyah,

4l A4j<Jj
vV
JkI :Jl# fail
q J* :'Ul
^4')}
The religion is the nasTkah [i.e. sincere well-wishing, counsel,

admonition, etc.] We (i.e. the audience) said, 'For whom, oh Allah's
Messenger1? He replied, "For Allah, His Book, His Messenger and
for the Muslims, both rulers and Ibe ruled", (Muslim; 55),
The meaning of 'the msthah for Allah' is to worship Him
alone, exalt Him and fear Him. It also involves hoping for His mercy,,
loving Him, acting in accordance with His injunctions and abstaining
from whatever He has forbidden.
The nmihah for His Messenger (if) entails acceptance of
whatever information he has given as true, being obedient to his
orders, following his way (Sutmah) and making his teachings one's
\A
i?
as
Wi
The naslhah for Muslim leaders means supplicating for them.,

loving them and being obedient to them, in as much as they exceed
not the limits laid down by Allah (&}.
423
nation by enjoining virtues- and forbidding vices. Furthermore, we

should love for them what we love for our selves of good things, and
TJ
? I'tc
Imam (a Muslim leader or ruler) as an obligation, even if he happens

to be a tyrant. This compliance, however, is not without restrictions;
hence, a ruler's order should be heeded only when it falls within the
must not obey a created being at the expense of his obedience to the
Creator.
leading a congregational tyalilb), perform the pilgrimage (Hajj) and
partake in Jihad under his leadership. In matters of discretionary
and not the rulers, are obliged in this case to concede to the other
party; for the public interest., harmony and lack of disunity are more
important than any other personal interest,. Legal and authorised
methods must also be applied while counselling a Muslim leader or
ruler, without revolting against him or becoming a rival to him.
Imam al-Tahlwi, a prominent Muslim scholar said We do
not approve of rebellion against our leaders and rulers, even if they act
424
unjustly. We do not invoke Allah against them, neither do we refuse to

obey them. The obedience to them, we believe, is part of the
obedience to Allah that is binding [on all], as long as they command
not perpetration of sins, Furthermore, we supplicate to Allah that He
may guide and forgive them".
The proofs of this are numerous, whether in the Glorious
Qyr'an or in the Stmnah. Allah ($5) says,
.i
O you who believe! Obey Aillh, obey the Messenger, and [obey]
those in authority among you. tal-NOF: 59).
As for the proof from the Sursnah, we have a hadith narrated
as saying,
yU ais
my orders has, likewise, disobeyed Allah, Whoever obeys his
equally disobeyed me, (Bukhari: 7137).
Allah (m said,
/' ^
fjt ^ *$'
Ji *Jd' S.^J#)
A Muslim must listen to, and obey [his leader} concerning what he
to, and obeying (the leader| is, then, not binding. (Bukfwi-, 7144).
425

C
meant for a leader or ruler must be offered in secret, arid free from.
provocation and exaggeration. This has been pointed out in a hadiih
reported by Ibn Ahi. 'Asim and others* on. the authority of Tvad bin
ll&Cl U
t$ii HI) 3'ds Ai*
Od vU JJMJJ <.hpkf>
as saying,
yd o'ikU
id rtji ^*y
pU* âl!
that in public. Rather* he should hold his hand fi.e. get so close
physically near to him]. So if the ruler/leader takes his advice,
tine! And if he turns a deaf ear to it, then the adviser has
discharged his duty. Htm Abi TVsjirn, til-Snnnah vol, is, p, 50? with- a sound
chain of transmission).
y*tn
save what amounts to disobedience to Allah ($g) We can also

summarise the imports of those proofs as follows;
1- At any rate, a Muslim must bear and obey his leader/ruler..
refusal to heed our advice,

3- Anyone who counsels the rulers and forbids them to do
wrong things, in a legal way, has rid himself of any guilt.
4- Provocation of unrest and the motives for such a
provocation are all forbidden.
426
5- We should never rise or rebel against a Muslim ruler, unless

we have conspicuous and concrete proof of his acts of disbelief.
6- It is obligatory to remain constantly with that Muslim
eir
speech, acts and belief. We must also love arid support them, tread in
their steps and be keen io see them united on the truth. Moreover, we
(M) says>
-.'At
*\'K
it. I A .
."=^T> " 'i
d rid* j
clear io him, and follows other than the way of the believers, We
shall keep him in the path he has chosen and burn him in Hell;
what an evil destination! ukNisa': 115).
The Messenger of Allah (-If) also said,
O'eh J Xs X* ^ .Sjt-uX-i g* M
3*w*-y
the Hand of Allah is with the Jama'ah. And whoever isolates

himself will also be isolated in the Fire. (Sumn Ttrmidhi: 2167; Ihn AM
'Asi/f!, al-Simnah: 8(1).
According to Ibn 'Abbas <*<-) M

also warned that,
427
Allih's Messenger (#}
The Foundations of Fahh
[j><i fcUH lift* y
**j&t U~J<
^ tf)
.(IM*
.0.
should be patient; tor whoever separates himself from the

company of (he JamaUth jbe I he orthodox Muslim community!
even for a span*
those who died in the pre-Islamie era of ignorance'1*. (Bukhark 7143).
AH of the aforenierstmncd texts point at the necessity of
remaining constantly in the company of the Muslim community, as
well as retraining front contending with those who are at the helms of
affairs. The- texts, likewise, comprise serious threat for whoever
lC,i
f- i,e, those who lived and died in anarchy without any divine or constituted
authority to reckon with, Cf, Al-Nawwi, Sbar)i $ahi~h Muslim, vol. xii, p, 238;.
Ibn, Hajar, Fathu al-Bari, vol. xiii p. 7. (Translator)
42.S
Th* Foundations of Faith
and the Proofs of its Obligation:

5.1 The meaning of holding fast to the Qnr'Sn and the Smmah and
proofs of its obligation.
S3 Exposing the ugly face of separation and discord.
The Fmindatkms of Faith
wf its obligation
Allah (H) has commanded She Muslim community to he united
and harmonious on the basis of adherence to His Book and the Sunnah
of His Prophet (0). He equally forbade disunity and explained the
danger it poses to the entire Muslim nation, both in this life and in the
life to come. To accomplish this, we have been directed to resort, to
the Book of Allah in all fundamental and non fundamental issues, and
to keep off any cause that could lead to dissension or disunity.
Therefore, the smoothest path to salvation is to hold firmly to
*
ley are
wdl-fortified and durable stronghold, for whomever Allah IM) may

grant success, Allah (M) says.
J6tT3
'
ZiUCt>>
1*"** r
tit.
TV I
Cfct
Aiid hold firmly, all of you, to the rope of Altfth and be not
von
were enemies (to one another) but He brought your hearts
together and you became, by His Favour, brothers. And you were
on the edge of a pit of the Fire, and He saved you from if Thus$
:w
be guided. (Ah Imran: 103}.

term 'rope of Allah', as explained by scholars of Quranic exegesis,
430

>3
of Allah, which is binding on all Muslims refers to adherence to His

compulsory that we unite, and declared discord and dissension
unlawful He says further,

G
4*
\ >*" "Y
/** y
*JS JWU UJ
\ -yw
r
take it; and whatever
(aJ-Hsshr: ?},
The injunction .here is ail-inclusive, covering both fundamental and

non-fundamental aspects of religion, whether explicit or implicit.
II n
ha:
pie
must abide and should not oppose, Furthermore, a statement by the

on the same subject; hence, no one is allowed, under any excuse, to
neglect such a statement. Equally, it is impermissible to give
preference to a saying of any created being over that of the
*
Al*
'I
<-*.2 H
" y
O you who believe,, obey Ailili and His Messenger, and do not
ATI&I; 20).
In this way, Allah instructed Bis believing servants to be obedient, to

Him and His Messenger. He also warned them not to oppose the
Messenger or imitate the infidels who stubbornly resist his mission.
For this reason Allah said, as in the above quoted verse, "And do not
43!
The Foundation* of Faiih

turn away from Mm11. That is, by being disobedient to him, defying
his order, or ignoring his warning,
Allah IM) has also said,
&&&$ m
O you who believe! Obey AllSh, obey the Messenger, and j obey J
those in authority among you, And if you disagree over anything,
refer it to Allah and the Messenger, if you do believe in Allah and the
"N'isiV: 59).
x' J
Al-Haflz Ibn Kathlr said in his commentary on the above verse, "[The
Messenger' indicates compliance with his Surmah, The expression
'[obey] those in authority' among you' means when they command
you to perform an act of obedience to Allah, but not of disobedience;
no created being should be obeyed at the expense of compliance with
Allah's injunctions",
Commenting on the saying of Allah (fg), "And if you. disagree
,a>,
notable Muslim scholar, said, "That means: refer it to the Book of

Allah and the Sunnah of His Messenger
This is an order from Allah
{$!) thai all matters of dispute among people, relating to either

fundamental or non-fundamental issues, must be resolved through the
Glorious Qur'an and the Surmah. Allah says as well.
f- AI-NisiF: 59,
432
with AllSh. (al-Shur#; H,

Hence, the Quranic and the Suunalvs ruling or testimony in favour of
there save error! In view of this, Allah (31) said, as quoted above, "If
you do believe in Allsh and the Lmi Day
That is to say, resolve
your disputes and unfaniiisarity through the Qur'an and the Surmah,
and whoever fails to do so is neither a believer in Allah nor in the Last
Day. "That is the best
1ft
5
this clause explains that resorting to the
Book of Allah and the Smnah of His Messenger in controversial

matters is the best approach, and "the best In. result"; that is, in the
outcome and end result, as explained by al-Suddi, or. in the opinion of
another scholar, Mujahid, with respect to the reward ensuing from
(1)
that. This latter viewpoint is close to the context
There me still
manv more verses in the Glorious Quean concerning the necessity of

-
holding fast to the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of His Prophet (M)
'}
and resorting to both in all matters,

in
the fyadith include a narration by Abu Huratrah (<*), as reported by

Muslim, that Allah's Messenger Hi) said,
f- ibn, Kisihir, al-Tafcir vol ii, p, 3(!4.
433
*JL && <)

<t&
^ *>s>
.pS"_/* Al *Vj ^ IjflwU >1j Jjijil *ij ^ &1 jr*r
o'j
.(JU! ^WJj JljJII/fj * Jtij Js* <fctt
some other three things, lie likes to see you worshipping ilim alone
holding firmly, all of you
you
the other hand, He disapproves for you idle talk, too much
inquisition and wasting of fyour| wealth. {M A: 1715).
Allah (M) said,
in
ajj ji>
1 am going to leave behind for you what if you hold on to, you will
never go astray, after me: the Book of Allah and my Summh.
(Reported by Imam Malik ics at-Muwaij,d vol ii, p. #99),
The Prophet (M) said further in another hadith,

.(eUJu
t~j>~
J* ?&/)
1 have left you on a white (plain course) whose night is fas clear)
as
(Sunm Jbn Mfijak vn], i,jt, J t> -Preface-ill.),
Also, the haduh of al-Trhad bin Sariyah mentioned earlier has

it that the Prophet {j&) said,
f- See also al-Albani, $ah'ih (bn Majak vol, i, p, 6,
434
'f
JMlow my Sutw&h (my way) and that of the Rightly Guttled

Caliphs [who shall rdgnf after me. Hold on to them and stick
firmly to them. (Sttmm J hu Dnvdid vol. v, p. 13; Suhtm Tirmidhi with Tuh/ah
Ltl-ahwadh 's- vol. vii, p. 4.38).
In addition, the Prophet (H) has given those of his followers
who adhere to his Swmah the glad tidings of entering Paradise. And
this, to every believer -no matter how meagre the level of his/her
Faith- represents the ever best good news, and the most coveted goal.
a hadith narrated by Abu
Hurairah (-#), who quoted the Me ssenger of Allah (M) as saying,
J^ ii
J*
&
j*j
- J* o*
All my followers will enter Paradise, except those who refuse.

They (the audience) said, 0 Messenger of AdSh, who will [dare]
refuse [to enter Paradise?) He said, Whoever obeys me will eater
Paradise, and whoever disobeys me has refused [to be admitted
into Paradise]. (Bukhari: 12m).
.it"
momentous than ignoring his order through inventing hreresy in

religion?
Assuredly, the Muslim group, usually referred to as the
Jama ah., that will he saved from Allah's punishment are those who
tread in the path of the Prophet (3$} and his Companions. Uhayy bin
435
Ka'b
said, "Stick to the way and Sumiah [of the Prophet (M)], tor
none of those on the way and Sunnah [of the Prophet ()]
wito,
remembering [Allah] the Most Gracious, sheds tears profusely out of

his fear of Him- shall be touched by the Fire; never, this will not
c*
and following the way [of the Prophet (if)] than to engage laboriously
in practices that are contrary to the way and Sumiah [of the Prophet
436
The Faimdatitmi of Faith
gag;
hJt,
ri.
! *
Jîil ft
'Bid'ah' is an Arabic word meaning,, literally, an unprecedented

Allah f-il) that
[Allah h\ the Rmfru li.e. Originator} of the heavens and the
earth, (at-Baqarah: i 17).
However* in the technical sense of the Islamic law (Sharia),
'Bid'ah' is any newly invented creed or act of worship in contrast
>s
predecessors of the Muslim nation,

5,2.2 The danger of4Bid tefe':
Innovations or inventions in religion pose grave danger, and
have negative impacts, not only on individuals and the community.
I X i-
Such innovations (referred to in Arabic as Bid'ah) are utterly

invention of new things in religion, introducing a saying in Allah's
name without any true knowledge of such, and adding to the religion
Innovation in religion may constitute grounds for rejection of one's
acts of worship, as it also leads to discord among the Muslims. An
innovator,
-f
>
to thai of whoever might have follow ed him in doing what he invented.
437
Furthermore, innovation in religion will be a major reason for denying

an
<w*-* ^
,W.,
y **bi : JUi ^ Q* fti; J ifi
ijstj&f
,<^
*t
;JjiU AM*.
i am your predecessor (forerunner) at the HawtJ (the heavenly

cistern). Whoever passes by me |there] shall drink ffrom it), and
whoever drinks [from if] shall never be thirsty again. Surely, there
will come to me people who 1 will recognise and they too will
**'1
say, "They are of my followers". It will be said to me, "You do not

M
Then, 1
will say, "Far removed [should be] who changed [the religion]
after me". (Bukhan; 4583,6584; Muslim-. 229(1),
Moreover, innovation of Shis kind is a disgrace to religion and
distortion of its landmarks. To sum up, innovation in religion poses a
serious threat to the religious as well as worldly issues of concern to
all Muslims.
the Simmlh will discover that innovation in religion is generally
prohibited and undesirable. This covers all types of innovation in
religion, even though the gravity of prohibition varies according to the
nature of any given innovation itself,
43S.
It is also not a secret that innovation m religion lias been

'
I 11
/3
*4?
JST W
ffk))
inventions are innovation, and every innovation Jin religion! k

aberration. (Musnad Ahmad, vol i, p.. 435; Suriisn Darimi voL I p. ?S; a}htustadrakv). ii, p, 3iS'^V
,{Aj,
A** jjmJ U lAa Uj*d
Whoever introduces in this matter of ours [i.e. Islam] something

Muslim: I ? 18),
's
t4>
to religion, is an innovation, while every innovation is an aberration,

bound for rejection. The import thereby is that innovation in acts of
worship or belief is prohibited. The prohibition is, however, of uneven
degrees, depending on the nature or gravity of the committed
innovation. Thus, some innovations are sheer infidelity. Such as
circumambulation of tombs with the aim of endearing oneself to the
or calling on the dead persons for help
- At-Hakim scored the chain of transmission, for this hadtih as 'scwm-d", and al-Dhahabi
also consented to this.
43<>
Some forms of innovation may be means of Polytheism

(Shirk). Examples of this include building [a mosque for instance] on
graves, as well as performance of prayer ($alah) or making
i*. such as when a
/*
the Islamic texts, or engages in invented invocations, or chooses to

live in
heat of the sun.
>.*.? v.*
F*V
-JglOII
from the guidance of the Quran, the Smnah and the way of the
worthy predecessors. This self-imposed banishment from what we
have mentioned culminates in ignorance of the sources of legislation
ml
Other factors that could lead to an outbreak of innovation in

religion include:
<_
P
Dependence on weak or fabricated hadiths, which the

innovators normally use to buttress their stance.
Imitating the disbelievers,
Copying the attitudes of those who have gone astray.
440
53 Exposing the ugly face of separation and discord

53.1 Proofs
Allah (M) has condemned disunity and proscribed whatever
means or cause
and the Simnah similarly warned against separation or dissension.

labelled it as a major cause of disappointment in this life, and of
humiliation, punishment, and darkening the face in the here-iriter,
Allah (W) says,
*<* t
?**- - .fts-
M es Ui &.t* *J
*" M .* > -5
U I
Sf
<
* *> / ^
y .V
fj2 try
^ {\*i1 i\ 4*
.45
the clear proofs had come to them. For them there is awful
punishment On the Day (some] faces will turn white and fsome]
it will he said], ?*
the punishment for what you used to refect". But as for those
whose faces turn white, {they will bef within the Mercy of Allah
Ibn 'Abbas said, "The faces of the AM ai-Sunnah (Followers of the
Simnah or the Orthodox Sunni Muslims) will turn white, while the
faces of the innovators and those who became divided will turn
black".
443
f $ <3i
*ur 4 fri
$ti (A? &J*
44^ !*r
\
Indeed, those who have divided fhcir religion and become sects.
fci
used to do. (al-An'Sm: i 59},

The above texts prove the dispraising of discord, and highlight
the danger inherent therein, whether in tin's life or in the life to come.
They further illustrate how dissension was responsible for the doom
how it has beers the root cause of every deviation from the right path
experienced so far by the human race.
Condemnation of discord and dissension, as well as urging
people to be united and harmonious are also reported in a number of
hacillhs. In one of those hadiihs, according to both Imam Ahmad and
Jjias-
SAS ii\} ,iL
,#*1 J*1 'JM'

1
^ & (M 0*
w
Indol e you
split up into seventy-two sects. This ummah (Muslim community
or nation) will [also] split up into seventy-three sects, out of which
seventy-two are Hell-bound, while only one will go to Paradise,
442

(I) if
and that is the JatM'ah
i,Reported in Mumad Ahmad, vol. jv, p. 152;
Swan Aim Dumul, vol v p. 5 and others with a sound chain id'transmission).
The Prophet (M) has thus announced that his followers will
Hie seventy-two erring sects are. undoubtedly, those who indulge in
vices
Although the bone of contention in the discord referred io in
the above hadith may be confined to religious issues, the disagreement
may also be centred around religious, as well as worldly issues that
ultimately end up as religious matters. Moreover, it is also probable
i 'i*
a view that whoever Allah will save shall not fall victim of that.
532 Disunity and separation as a cause of the destruction that befell
past nations
&
eespecially with
grounds of their discord and 1

respect to their Scriptures,
f- The word "at-Jama 'ah'1' here and in some other similar contexts means the truth
and compliance with the Sstmuih of the Prophet {Mb no matter how large or
small the number of the adherents may be, (Translator)
443
Having seen the peoples of Syria and Iraq taking issue with
one another on matters relating to the letters of the Quran, even
though the Prophet (M) had forbidden such argumentation, jjudhaifah
(&) said to 'Uthraan bin "Allan [the Caliph] {<&), "Would you put
not dispute about the Book, as did the nations before them"?. The
imports of this statement are two:
First: Prohibition of such a dispute,
Second: Learning a lesson front what befell, those who lived before us.
?\
/.f
That is because Allah has sent down the Book in truth, and those
who find a cause of disagreement in the Book are, indeed, in
extreme dissension.{aJ-Baqarab: 176).
&t
/ *> ---
jsa c/f
And those who were given the Scripture (Tews and Christians!
differed not except out of mutual jealousy, after knowledge had
come to them. (Alrtinran: 19).
Another related proof from the Smrnth comes in the hadiih
'!
1^ ,
.(psJas-l I*
ljl(J yl, p&jA !i(j
j*
Leave me in as much as I have not ordered you [to do something

or to refrain from it|; for those who lived before you were
destroyed on the grounds of their excessive curiosity and their
444
The Foundations oi' Faith
something, keep away train it. And if I command you to do

something, do ol it as much as yon can. (Bukhdri: VM\ Muslim: B3?>,
his followers to desist from
any act that they have riot been
commanded to engage in, citing as a justification for this, the doom of

the past nations on account of their frequent inquisitiveness and
defiance of orders ofsheir Prophets,
5.3.3 Is it a blessing to differ?
Some people claim that dissension is itself a mercy, drawing
on a fabricated hadilh, which says,
This claim is unacceptable, in view of available proofs from

the Glorious Qur'an, the Simnah and intellectual reasoning. We have
previously mentioned some of the Quranic verses as well as the
we believe, are sufficient for whoever may like to ponder over them.
Furthermore, the Glorious Qur'Sn has made it clear that disagreement
and mercy are both inconsistent and irreconcilable; hence, Allah (M)
says,
eG
*.
A-\
w .. \t
But they will not cease to differ. Except whom your Lord has
given Mercy. (Hud: 1 IS, 119),
445
support their stance is absolutely false and invalid, and not even
Thus, the invalidity of
the purported hadlih is, itself, enough to refute such a claim., let alone
the irrationality of its content. No sane person would imagine that
discord is mercy, knowing the dangerous consequences that usually
ensue from it, such as mutual rancour, hatred and desertion, or perhaps
even on minor issues.
5,3,4 How to get rid of separation and dissension;
The rightly guided group of Muslims {Jama 'ah) are the
salvaged party and the victorious group. To speak of their identity
they are those who strictly follow the way of the Prophet (H) and his
companions, and never do they delect from the way or turn aside from
it. Al-Shatibi, a celebrated Muslim scholar, said in his book
'ai-fJisam'^K "The Jama'ah (i,e, the way of the Orthodox
Sutmi Muslims) represents the practices of the Prophet (&), his
Companions and their faithful followers", The path to salvation is
therefore, following the way of the Ah! al-Sunnah wa al-Jama'ah
(followers of the Smmah or the Orthodox Sutmi Muslims) in speech.
y *rs
to them. Allah (W) has said.
Meaning; Holding Fast to the Book of AHiih as well as the Smmah of His
Prophet {Is}, (Transistor}
446
.ajji \JÂ kZ>Z&j {JJ&<4^>j
And whoever opposes the Messenger, after guidance has become

clear to him, and follows other than the way of the believers, We
What an evil destination! lid-Nisir' US).
s > 1i
>
As-4|
And this is My path, leading straight; so follow it. And do not

fallow [other] ways, for you will be separated from His way. This
'am; J 53).
in another had'ith reported, by 11.rm.ldhi and others, on the

authority of4Abdullah bin HJnw (U^ -*1
J* Jki
the- Prophet (H) said,

:Jtl ji- %%# J*-
My nation (umrnah) -or perhaps he said,
^4 t)
the nation of
Muhammad'- will never agree unanimously on an error, and the

(1)
Hand of Allah is (always] with the jams*ah
(Reported in Snnuft
Tirmidhi vol. iv, p.446 and other hadtih compilations with a sound chain of
transmission).
With this,, we come to a conclusion that the road to salvation
honourable and mighty Book,, which no falsehood can come unto.
f- CI", the meaning of the word " Jama'ah" as slated above. (Translator)
447
speak from his own inclination, but exclusively through revelation

revealed [to him]. The two, i.e. the Quran and the Surmah are the only
sources for the creed and Sharia (jaw) of Islam. Any method or
Sticking to the Simmh U, therefore, the way of the believers,
and the well-fortified stronghold, it is as well, the way through which
innovators, the false claims of liars and the distortion of fanatics and
those who arc ignorant, 11 is the system that made the first generation
of Muslims righteous and pious; hence, we can attain neither success
nor prosperity unless we revert to the same system, Malik bin Anas,
the renowned scholar of the Abode of the Hijrah [i.e. the city of
Madinah] said, "Nothing could set right the last generation of this
ummah, save that which had formerly made right the earlier
generation". Meanwhile, the first generation of this ummah were
uprig
Surmah of His Messenger (-Ji).
t ss
the Quran and the Sumtah has to be in accordance with the method
and understanding of our worthy predecessors, for Allah fife} has said,
448
The Foimdatiofts of Faith
*SjW55
LA^ O *LL>
4-dai j
And whoever opposes the Messenger, after guidance has become

clear to him, and follows oilier than the way of the believers We
What an evil destination! (akNtsa': 315). Keeping to the way of the
believers, that is, the Companions and those who sincerely and
accurately follow them is, therefore, the path to salvation.
We invoke Allah, the .Exalted, to bestow on the Muslims ike
Sunnah of their Prophet (il), and to follow the way of the believers.
The conclusion of our supplication is to say, "Praise be to Allah, the
Lord of the worlds". May His Blessings be upon our Prophet,
Muhammad, as well as on his famdv and Companions,
449
Glossary of Arabic Words/Terms;

AhSd: Ahad hadiths are those reported via solitary chains of
transmission.
A hi ul-Surtnah wa al-Jam&'ah or A hi al-Sunnuhi Followers of the
Stmnahy or the Orthodox Sirani Muslims who follow, strictly, the laws
of the Qur'an and the Stmnah.
Ai-Baif Al-Ma'mfir: The Frequented House in heaven sevenththousand angels enter it every
and when they have left, ihey
never return lo it,
Al-Ghaib; Unseen.
AL-Hijra: The emigration of the Prophet 0} and his followers, from
Makka.h to Madmuh,
AJ-Injll: Allah's revelation to Prophet Tsa (Jesus)
<M).
Al-SahlhtSn or Saklhain: The books of Bukhati and Muslim; the most

authentic compilations of the hadJlhs.
Al-Salaf;
The Muslim's
worthy
predecessors, such as
the
Companions, the Tahi 'im> etc.

AI-Tawrith: The Torah; Allah's revelation to Prophet Musa (Moses)
(fjuJi u*),
AI-ZabQr: The Psalms; Allah's revelation to Prophet Dawud (David)
(fXJ i >0),
Ansftr: The Helpers; the Muslim inhabitants of Madinah city at the
time of the Hijrah or emigration.
Ayah: A verse of the Glorious Qur'an.
'Aqfdah: Faith or belief,
450
The Fotmdafiotts of Faith
: Any newly invented word or deed believed to be an act oi

i-
or
the Surmah
*74
DaAvah; Calling others to the religion of islam.

Dawfltl; David, the Prophet {^yuJi ^),
Du2h Supplication or invocation.
IPir'awm Pharaoh.
Hadlth; Cf, Swmah,
ii- i
!>C
IMrun; Aaron, the Prophet

Hasan; A hascm hadiih is fairly authentic.
Ibrahim; Abraham, the Prophet CyftJi v*),
Idrls: Enoch, the Prophet VJi u*),
UySs: Elias, the Prophet (rtuJi u*).
Iiir5n; Faith.
'Isa; Jesus, the Prophet (%-T ^).
Isaac, the Prophet (f!sUh *J).
Isma'Tl: Ishmael, the Prophet (?*Ji *M).

isn2cl or Sanad: The chain of transmission of any hadith.
IsrS* and Mi'rij: The Prophet's night journey and ascent to heaven.
IstikhSrah: The special supplication for seeking guidance from Allah
before making important decisions, or when one is in perplexing
situations.
451
Jahiliyyah; The period of Arab paganism preceding the advent of

Islam,
Jibrll: Archangel Gabriel
ai
pa:
m-
Muslim state, or under Sbe protection of the Muslim government.

Kiribah: The Sacred House in Makisb,
KarUmah: a miracle performed by any righteous servant of Allah
other that His Prophets and Messengers,
Kufr; Unbelief,
Kutub al-Sihah: Collections of the authentic hadtths,
Maryam: Mary.
Mawqif: Literally: stopping place, station, scene etc. In some
contexts, it refers precisely to the gathering of all. creatures in a single
place on the Day of Resurrection.
MlkMl: Angel Michael.
Mu'addltto; A caller who calls people to come out and pray in the
mosque
Mu'min: A believer.
Mufasstran: Scholars of Tafslr (Commentary on the meaning of the
Quritn).
MiiMjirSii; The Emigrants; those who emigrated from Mak.kah to
Mflsa: Moses, the Prophet
u&).
452
Musnad: (pi. Masanid): The collections of the fiadiths that are

arranged not
narrators or transmitters.
MutawStir: A mutavvitii' fyadiih
is that which is generally
acknowledged, or has been transmitted through recurring lines of

dissemination, leaving no doubt thereby about its authenticity,
NCih: Noah, the Prophet
^),
Qadar: Preoi'dainmeni or predestination.

Qudsi haitTth: Any hadlth narrated both in letter and spirit by the
Prophet (M) from Allah, which has been communicated to us either
via a solitary chain of transmission, or through recurring lines of
dissemination, but less in degree than that through which the Quran
has been transmitted.
Qyraish: The prominent fvleeeari tribe to which the Prophet (SI)
himself belonged,
Raka'ah: A unit of the Muslim's prayer.
RiyS': Showmg-off,
Rtitgyah: Therapeutic treatment involving both recitation and spitting.
Snddu al-DharTvah: Precautionary measures.
SahSbah: The Companions of the Prophet (M).
$ahthi The most authentic harfiths of the Prophet (M) are usually
referred to as sahih.
Sahih: The Muslims' ritual prayer.
Shafi'ah: Intercession.
Shirk: polytheism.
453

Sifat Dhatiyyah or Dlsiri Attributes: Any inherent quality of Allah
SifSt Khabariyyah or the Khakuri Attributes: They are those of

Allah's attributes, whose confirmation or otherwise depend solely on
a\
i-'-:
Siyam: Fasting,
SulaimHn: Solomon, the Prophet
*1*).
Stmmth: Sayings or acts of the Prophet (M).

Surah: A chapter of the Glorious Qufan,
TSbPQn: Those who lived immediately after the Companions and
have actually met some of them.
Tatslr: Commentary on the meaning of the Quran or Qur'ank
exegesis.
Tahfir: Anything that is itself pure and may be used for ritual
purification, such as clean water and sand.
Tashahbud: The special form of supplication.,, which one recites
during prayer in a sitting position alter every two raka 'ats.
si i
Tawltfd al-AsmS* wa al-Sifnt: Believing, in the oneness of Allah

regarding His names and attributes,
worshipped.
Tawliid: Monotheism; believing in the one and only God.
454
The Fou&datiotts of Faith

'T'l
; If a narrator of the hadith is described as "thiqat1 he is
reliable.
vice-versa.
Ummah: The nation of Islam, or the Muslim community,
WaJiyy (PI. awliyS'): A righteous person in the sight of Allah, usually
referred to as "saint",
Y&'qGb: Jacob, the Prophet (*%J\ *M).

Yunus: Jonah, the Prophet (&*>' *M).
Yflsuf: Joseph, the- Prophet {ûJi vfy
Zakaht Obligatory alms.
ZakariyyS: Zaehariah, the Prophet (yA-Ji v^)-
4S5

Foundations of Faith - As-Suhaymi

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I

Kingdoin of Saudi Arabia

Endowment Da'wah and Guidance

The Foundations of Faith

(Cy king Fahd Quraau Printing Complex, 2ft07

Dr. 'Abdur-Razzaq "Abdul-Majeed Alaro - Al-Madinah

2- Islamic creed Dr. Alaro, 'Abdur-RazzjSq

' A bdllJ-Majeni {T ranslald r j

In the Name of Allah

Tin? Foundations of Faith

( i 'i i r i > '(

> M^* M'M

M v J' ' MO' ns,M '1> / ' M Ml

2.2 To worship none but Allah is an obligation

2.4 Polytheism, disbelief and their types

The Foundations of Faith

***,%*% #/NN. *//..

Preamble: The belief in Allah's Names and Attributes and its

3.2 Practical examples

>{ 'li 4 i ' 4

4 i ' W Z I ' I 4 I { ' > I 4 4 ' * . /i /t/O . J ' 4 J

3.3 Some principles regarding Almighty Allah's Names and Attributes

Chapter One: The Belief in Angels

belief, and its proofs

2.2 Method of believing in the Divine Books <>'<

3 Distortion of the "Forah, hytf (the Gospel) and some other

books excluding the Qurian

2.4 Believing in the Glorious Qur'an and the characteristics of

Til* Foundation* of Faith

Chapter Three; Believing in Allah's Messengers

3.2 Definitions of "prophet'1 and "messenger", and the difference

33 The method of believing in Allah's Messengers

.,':' >. 11, i, ci.

3,4: Our duty towards the Messengers of Allah

3.5 Messengers described by Allah as Men of Firm Resolution

-3.6 The special qualities of Prophet Muhammad (M) and the

3.7 His message as the final of all divine messages; hence, no

3.9 The truth about the life of the Prophets

3.10 The Prophets' miracles compared to the karamaks of the

Al-Waliyy and ai-WUayah (Righteousness and being

, i,,i. ii' >.

i, > i i. j i.i <; i. : j' i i, -; ii .;: ,i ' i

The Foundations of Faith

Section Three; Other Issues Relating to the Muslim Creed

Chapter One; Islam, iman (I'aith) and Iksan (Excellent

os >: 'j >:

1.3 Excellent Performance of Devotional acts ijhsan),

1.4 The relation between Islam., I man and .ihsrn

Chapter Three; The Due-rights of the Companions of the

3.5 The ten [Companions] who received, in advance, glad tidings

Chapter Five: Molding Fast to the Book of Allah and the

The omd&tmm of Faith

Praise be to Allah, the Lord of all beings, who says in His

Tint Fotmdatkms af Faith

and clear understanding, is hereby pleased to present the book;

The Foundations of Faith

I\VI I .S I OUvOviyiv.y.v.sVi <sW

beings, and upon his family as well as his Companions,

worship Me* (si-Dhariyai; 56).

The Foufidafloiw of Faith

As il is not possible for human intellect to comprehend.

revelation to clarify such to mankind, Thus., they would he able to

The Foundations of Faith

This day 1 have perfected for you your religion, completed my

***,%% #/NN. //..

is- fT^1 & 4^^ iX