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Topic: Allaah is above His creation
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 yasin3683
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ibn Ahmad Maher ibn Ahmad
(U.S.A.)
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Member
Posts: 950
Joined: Nov 2006
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Bismillaah Al-Hamdulillaah wa salatu wa salaamu 'ala rasulullaah
Amma ba'd
Allaah is above His creation, by Kashif Khan, who began by praising Allaah (subhanahu wa ta'aala) and then asking Allaah to send the salaam upon the Prophet (salallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam).
We want to benefit from a very famous statement made by a very famous imam, al Imam Malik ibni Anas (rahimahullaah ta'aala). And indeed, he was Imam Darul-Hijrah. [He was] Imam Abu 'Abdillaah Malik ibni Anas. He was born in the year 93 Hijri, and that was the same year that Anas ibni Malik (radiallaahu ta'aala 'anhu) passed away. Wallaahu ta'aala a'lam. And there's a famous statement, ya ikhwaan, that is known by practically all Muslims.
A man came to Imam Malik, and said to him regarding the statement of Allaah: (which means: "The Most Beneficent rose over the Throne")
kayfa istawaa (how did this happen?)
Imam Malik (rahimahullaah ta'aala) gave the answer and he said:
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Al-Istiwaa ghairu majhool (Al-Istiwaa is not unknown)
Wal kayfu ghairu ma'kool (as for how, that is not something we can understand)
Wal eemanu bihi wajib (belief in it is obligatory)
Wa su`alu 'anhu bid'ah (and asking about it is an innovation) |
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And indeed, this is a statement, ya ikhwaan, that many - if not all - of the Salafees are aware of. [The Salafees are those who follow the Salaf (Prophet and companions) in 'aqidah and manhaj, and understand the Qur`an and Sunnah with the specific understanding the companions learned and implemented from the teachings of the Messenger, salallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam.] And it is used in abundance. So we want to take each portion of this statement and give a brief explanation from the works of Shaikh 'Abdur-Razzaq al-'Abaad (hafidhahullaa ta'aala).
So Imam Malik began his answer with Al-Istiwaa ghairu majhool (Al-Istiwaa is not unknown) This word al-Istiwaa is not something which is unknown. The meaning of this is that it is not unknown in the Arabic language. The meaning of al-Istiwaa is known in the language of the Qur`an. So Allaah (subhanahu wa ta'aala) said regarding the Qur`an:
Which the trustworthy Ruh [Jibrael (Gabriel)] has descended with. Upon your heart (O Muhammad, salallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) that you may be (one) of the warners in the clear and plain Arabic language. (Ash-Shu'ara, ayat 193-195)
Meaning it is in a language that can be understood by the people to whom the Qur`an was revelead. In a clear and apparent Arabic language. So the word al-Istiwaa is known in the Arabic language. The meaning of al-Istiwaa is known in the Arabic language. Allaah (Jalla wa 'ala) says:
Verily, We have sent it down as an Arabic Qur`an in order that you may understand. (Yusuf, ayah 2)
The Qur`an was revealed in the Arabic language not so it is a riddle that needs to be solved. But rather it was revealed in the Arabic language so that it may be understood by the people who are reading the Qur`an. Allaah subhanahu wa ta'aala says:
And if We had sent this as a Qur`an in a foreign language other than Arabic, they would have said: "Why are not its Verses explained in detail (in our language)?... (Fussilat, ayah 44) Meaning the Qur`an was revealed in the Arabic language so that it can be understood by the 'Arab. Allaah Jalla wa 'Ala said:
And We sent not a Messenger except with the language of his people, in order that he might make (the Message) clear for them... (Ibrahim, ayah 4) So that they may clarify for them. The Messenger of Allaah (salallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) was sent with the Arabic language. He spoke with the Arabic language. The Qur`an was in the Arabic language. So the words in it are understood. So there's no need to change or say the meaning of this is something else, but rather the meaning of the Qur`an is taken upon that which is apparent from its words - even among the sahaaba (radiallaahu ta'aala 'anhum). Shaikh Salih al-'Uthaimeen (rahimahullaah) mentioned that when 'Umar ibn al-Khattab (radiallaahu ta'aala 'anhu) was scared that his name was one of the names that was mentioned from amongst the names of the munafiqoon (hypocrites), Shaikh Salih al-'Uthaimeen explained that it is incorrect that one should say that "'Umar ibn al-Khattab (radiallaahu ta'aala 'anhu) was not scared of being a munaffiq. But rather he was only setting an example by saying this." But rather the meaning of the words of 'Umar ibn al-Khattab need to be taken upon the apparent meaning of the words that he used. So if this is the case with 'Umar ibn al-Khattab (radiallaahu ta'aala 'anhu), then what is the case with the Book of Allaah Jalla wa 'Ala - that speach which is regarding Allaah subhanahu wa ta'aala Himself.
Al-Imam Az-Zuhree (rahimahullaah ta'aala):
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MinAllaahi al-bayaan. (From Allaah is the clarification).
Wa 'ala rasullihi al-balaagh (Upon His Messenger is to bring us the message).
Wa 'alayna at-taslim (And upon us is to accept it). |
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So Imam Malik (rahimahullaah ta'aala) said: Al-Istiwaa ghairu majhool. When Allaah says: "The Most Beneficent (Ar-Rahman) rose over the Throne," to ask what does this word - istiwaa - mean, Imam Malik says, "It is not unknown." You know the meaning of al-Istiwaa in the Arabic language. The meaning of the word is known.
Wal kayfu ghairu ma'kool (as for how, that is something we cannot understand) Allaah (Subhanahu wa ta'aala) says:
He (Allaah) knows what happens to them (His creatures) in this world, and what will happen to them (in the Hereafter), and they will never compass anything of His Knowledge. (Ta-Ha, ayah 110)
From the eeman of a mu`min is that he believes that Allaah is greater than everything, that there is nothing greater than Allaah Jalla wa 'Ala.
There comes a narration in the Sunan of Imam Ad-Darimee on the authority of 'Abdullaah ibn Mas'ood (radiallaahu ta'aala 'anhu) that he said: | quote: |
| Indeed between the [first] heaven and the earth (and that which it contains) is a distance of 500 years. And between each two heavens is a distance of 500 years. [So 500 years between the seventh and the sixth heaven, and 500 years between the sixth and the fifth heaven, and so on and so forth.] And between the seventh heaven and the kursi is 500 years traveling distance. And between the kursi and the water is another 500 years traveling distance. And the 'Arsh [Throne of Allaah] is above the water. And Allaah is above His Throne. And nothing of your actions is hidden from Allaah. |
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This is the greatness of Allaah Jalla wa 'Ala that you have so many thousands of years of travel between the earth and the Throne of Allaah Jalla wa 'Ala, and Allaah is above His 'Arsh. And nothing from your actions is hidden from Allaah. So it is impossible, as Allaah Jalla wa 'Ala says in the verse: they will never compass anything of His Knowledge, meaning that our knowledge cannot encompass this.
Our knowledge cannot encompass this fact, that Allaah Jalla wa 'Ala - from above His 'Arsh - [has knowledge of all our actions], and nothing of our actions is hidden from His Knowledge. He sees and He hears everything.
Imam Malik said:
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Al-Istiwaa ghairu majhool (Al-Istiwaa is not unknown)
Wal kayfu ghairu ma'kool (as for how, that is not something we can understand)
Wal eemanu bihi wajib (belief in it is obligatory) |
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Shaikhul-Islaam Ibn Taymiyyaah (rahimahullaah ta'aala) said, "From our belief in Allaah is that we should believe in that which He has ascribed to Himself. And we should believe in that which has been ascribed to Him by His Messenger (salallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) without tahreef (distortion), without ta`teel (denial), without takyeef (explaining the howness of it), and without tamtheel (resembling/likening them to the attributes of the creation). Rather believing that:
...There is nothing like unto Him, and He is the All-Hearer, the All-Seer. (Ash-Shura, ayah 11)
In this is a Radd (refutation) on those who distort the Names and Attributes of Allaah Jalla wa 'Ala. So these people [who distort the Names and Attributes of Allaah] deny that Allaah subhanahu wa ta'aala has a Face, that Allaah subhanahu wa ta'aala has a Hand, or that Allaah subhanahu wa ta'aala has a Foot, or that Allaah rose over His Throne. They deny these attributes because they say, "this is likening Allaah to His creation. And Allaah says: ...There is nothing like unto Him." But they do not finish the aya, in which Allaah subhanahu wa ta'aala says: and He is the All-Hearer, the All-Seer. So because Allaah has Hearing and Allaah has Sight, and we have hearing and we have sight, does this make Allaah similiar to His creation?
Of course not!
Because our hearing and our sight are limited by our self. Our hearing and our sight is limited to the space that we occupy. So we can benefit from our hearing and our sight, but we can only benefit from our hearing and our sight in the space that we occupy. It does not leave the space that we occupy. Whereas, the Hearing and Sight of Allaah subhanahu wa ta'aala, nothing escapes it. Nothing escapes the Hearing and Sight of Allaah. And He is above the 'Arsh (Throne). While Allaah is above His creation, His Hearing and His Sight encompass all things. So this is the difference.
Imam Malik continued: Wa su`alu 'anhu bid'ah (and asking about it is an innovation)
Asking "how" is an innovation. Asking "how did Allaah rise over His Throne" is a bid'ah, or "how does Allaah descend to the lowest heaven," or "How is Allaah's Face," or "How is Allaah's Foot." [These are innovations.] This is an affair that has not been legislated for the slaves of Allaah.
The Messenger of Allaah (salallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) said: "Leave me to what I have given you. For those who came before you were destroyed because of the abundance of their questions and their differenciating over their Prophets. If I have prohibitted you from something then refrain from it, and if I have ordered you with something then bring from it what you are capable of bringing."
Al-Imam Abu Sa'eed Ad-Darimee (rahimahullaah) said, "[Imam] Malik spoke the truth. We cannot understand how. And the meaning of al-Istiwaa is not unknown. He is not ignorant of it."
Shaikhul-Islaam Ibn Taymiyyaah (rahimahullaah ta'aala) said: | quote: |
"If anyone asks, 'how did Allaah rise over His Throne?,' you shall say as Rabi'ah said, you shall say as Malik said, you shall say as other than them have said:
Al-Istiwaa ma'loom [al-Istiwaa is known.]
We know what al-Istiwaa is in the Arabic language. We know the meaning of al-Istiwaa; there's no need to ask the meaning of al-Istiwaa.
Wal kayfu majhool (the howness of it is unknown)
Wal eemanu bihi wajib (believing in it is obligatory)
Wa su`alu 'an il kayfiyyah bid'ah (to ask about how is a bid'ah) Why? Because you are asking something that the creation is not capable of answering. They do not know and they are not capable of answering." |
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Shaikhul-Islaam Ibn Taymiyyaah continued, "Likewise, if he asks how does our Lord descend to the lowest heaven, tell him, "How is He?" So if he answers ,"I do not know the howness of Him [I don't how Allaah is], then say to him, 'And we do not know how Allaah descends.'"
To know the kayfiyyah of the actions of something, you need to know the kayfiyyah of that dhat (self). If you do not have that knowledge, then how can you have the knowledge of how a certain action takes place?
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| So we have to have knowledge of that which is being attributed to know how that attribute is taking place. This is the Qa`ida (principle), ya ikhwaan, that we use as Ahlus-Sunnati wal-Jama'ah in regard to our belief with the Names and the Attributes of Allaah, Subhanahu wa ta'aala (Perfect and Most High). |
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Click here for Audio from Troid, Al-Hamdulillaah
Subhanak Allaahuma wa bihamdika ash-hadu anlaa illaaha illa anta astaghfiruka wa atubu ilayk
If I said anything correct, then it is from Allaah (subhanahu wa taa'ala), and if I erred, then that is from me and shaytan. |
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| yasin3683
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ibn Ahmad Maher ibn Ahmad
(U.S.A.)
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Member
Posts: 950
Joined: Nov 2006
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Bismillaah Al-Hamdulillaah wa salatu wa salaamu 'ala rasulullaah
Amma ba'd
A Beneficial Aid Toward Understanding Kitaab-ut Tawheed by Kashif Khan, who began by praising Allaah (subhanahu wa ta'aala) and then asking Allaah to send His salawaat and salamaat upon the last and final Messenger Muhammad ibn 'Abdullaah (salallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam).
Know that, ya ikhwaan baarakAllaahu fikum (may Allaah bless you), that indeed the asal (origin) of banu Adam (children of Adam) is at-Tawheed, as indeed Allaah Jalla wa 'Alaa states in the Qur`an:
And I (Allaah) created not the jinns and humans except they should worship Me (Alone). (Adh-Dhariyat 51:56)
And Shaikhul-Islaam Muhammad ibn 'Abdul-Wahhab (rahimahullaah ta'aala) said regarding this statement of Allaah: ya'budoon (Worship Me}
that it means: | quote: |
| except that they should single Me out with [all] worship. |
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So indeed the asal (origin) of the children of Adam is at-Tawheed. As indeed, ibnu 'Abbaas (radiallaahu ta'aala 'anhumma) said: | quote: |
| Between Adam and Noah ('alaihim i salatu wa sallam) were ten kuroon generations, and each one of those generations was upon Tawheed (monotheism). |
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And indeed, as is collected by Imam Bukhari (rahimahullaah ta'aala) in his Sahih, that Ibn 'Abbaas (radiallaahu ta'aala 'anhumma) said regarding the statement of Allaah (subhanahu wa ta'aala):
And they have said: 'You shall not leave your deities, nor shall you leave Wadd, nor Suwa', nor Yaghuth, nor Ya'uq, nor Nasra (names of the idols)/ (Nuh 71:23) These are the names of the righteous men from the people of Nuh ('alaihi salaam). When these righteous men died, Shaytan suggested to them [what seemed like a good suggestion] even though the intent behind the advice was evil. So shaytan advised them to build tamaatheel (pictures and statues) of them and put them [those pictures and statues] in the places where they used to sit. And to name them with their names. So they did that. But they were not worshipped. They made these statues and these pictures of righteous men, and they placed them in their majaalis (sitting places). But they did not worship them. But when those individuals died - those who made these tamaatheel - and knowledge was forgotten, 'ubidaat these idols [statues, pictures] began to be worshipped. In this manner did shirk (polytheism) first take place in the children of Adam ('alaihi salaatu wa salaam).
When the people of Nuh began to do these acts - as is the Sunnah of Allaah Jalla wa 'Alaa that when man strays, He sends a reminder to them - so Allaah Jalla wa 'Alaa sent to them Nuh ('alaihi salaatu wa salaam), forbidding them from shirk, ordering them with the worship of Allaah alone and without any partners, advising them to remove themselves from this kufr. [The khateeb clarified: There is a difference of opinion - as Shaikh Salih al-'Uthaimeen (rahimahullaah ta'aala) mentioned in his explanation of Kitab at-Tawheed - whether these men lived before the time of Nuh or they lived in the lifetime of Nuh but early on. The most accepted statement is they lived before the time of Nuh ('alaihi salaatu wa salaam).]
When the people heard these statements of Nuh ('alaihi salaam), their statement was: You shall not leave your deities... (Nuh 71:23) [meaning] because of the statement of this man - Nuh ('alaihi salaat wa salaam).
...nor shall you leave Wadd, nor Suwa', nor Yaghuth, nor Ya'uq, nor Nasra (names of the idols) (Nuh 71:23) [meaning] do not leave off all of these deities that you have. Meaning: do not obey Nuh ('alaihi salaatu wa salaam). Do not leave off these deities and the worship of them only because of what Nuh ('alaihi salaam) was saying. And these names - Wadd, nor Suwa', nor Yaghuth, nor Ya'uq, nor Nasra - as Ibn 'Abbas (radiallaahu 'anhumma) said were the names of the righteous ones who lived in this time. So after Adam ('alaihi salaam), people remained upon the affair of Tawheed for 10 generations. And after the passing of these 10 generations did shirk take place in the children of Adam. When these people who had some knowledge died, the people began to worship them.
Shaikh Salih al-Fawzaan (hafidhahullaah) stated that it has been narrated that all these individuals died in the same year. Because of this, those people [who survived them] were greatly affected. Because all of these men were righteous. They were greatly affected, and they used to cry over their loss. So Shaytan (may Allaah curse him) came to them with his advice [whispers], the dhaahir (apparent) of which was that he desired good. But the intent of which was evil. And he advised them to make tamatheel (representations) of these individuals. Make pictures of them - idols - of each one of them and then to name them with the names of those righteous men and to place them in their sitting places. Why? So that it would be a push for them to worship Allaah (subhanahu wa ta'aala). That they may remember the worship of these individuals and because of that worship, they begin to worship Allaah.
Al Imam al-Qurtoobi (rahimahullaah ta'aala) said, | quote: |
| "Indeed they made these pictures so that they could remember them [the righteous men] and remember their righteous, good deeds, to be forthgoing in their righteous, good deeds as these individuals were forthgoing. And they used to worship Allaah by the graves of these righteous men, but their worship - baarakAllaahu fikum - was always for Allaah subhanahu wa ta'aala. So when these individuals died and, after them, came a people who were ignorant of the intent of those who preceeded them, then ash-shaytan approached them and he suggested to them [meaning he whispered to them] and said those who preceeded them used to worship these idols. They should worship these tamatheel." |
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So as we said, what was apparent from the advice of shaytan to the people of Nuh was khair (good). But the intent behind it was evil. But we learn a lesson, the shaikh [Fawzaan] said. This is proof that bid'ah is not allowed even if what is apparent from that bid'ah is righteousness, is good - even if the intent of those who do it is good. Even then innovations are not allowed. They made these pictures, but it was a bid'ah - it was not something legislated by Allaah. It was not something that Allaah had revealed; rather it was a bid'ah. They made these tamatheel and placed them in their majaalis (sitting places). Those who did this were upon knowledge. They were upon Tawheed. But when this group died off, and knowledge was forgotten - knowledge was taken away with the death of the 'ulemma (scholars) [as comes in the narration] - you found people falling into the worship of these idols.
Ibn 'Abbas said, "When these people died off and knowledge was forgotten - with the death of the 'ulemma - knowledge was forgotten, and shirk took place. These idols were then worshipped."
Because shaytan lied to them, and said to them "your forefathers made these tamatheel so that they may be worshipped. They worshipped these things.."
In this manner, the reason ash-Shirk took place in the children of Adam was because they went to the extremes regarding those who were righteous from amongst them. The reason why shirk took place in the children of Adam was because they worshipped Allaah upon other than the legislation of Allaahu subhanahu wa ta'aala.
Al Imam Ibnul-Qayyim al-Jawziyyah (rahimahullaah ta'aala) said, "More than one from the Salaf said: when they [the righteous] died, they [those who survived after them] used to stay at their graves, then make tamaatheel [representations] of them, and then - as time progressed - they began to worship them."
This was the statement of Ibnul-Qayyim - of course, the famous Muhammad bin Abu Bakr bin Ayoob Az-Zar'ee ad-Dimisci, the great imam, the student of Shaikhul-Islaam Ibn Taymiyyah (rahimahumullaah ta'aala) - regarding what took place at that time.
Shaikh Fawzaan said that indeed these athaar (narrations) have in them great benefit.
The first benefit was the prohibition of going to extremes regarding the right of the righteous. Indeed, going to extremes regarding the righteous is what causes shirk.
As the Messenger of Allaah (salallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) said regarding himself upon his deathbed, La tutrooni kama atrat an-nasaara ibna Mariam. Inna ma anna 'abdun fa qullu 'Abdullaahi wa rasulullu. (Do not go to extremes regarding me as the Christians went to extreme regarding [Jesus] the son of Mary. Verily, I am only a slave, so say [call me] the slave of Allaah and His Messenger.) This statement was made upon the deathbed of the Messenger (salallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam).
Also he (salallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) said: | quote: |
| La'nat Allaahi 'alal yahoodi wa nasaara itaakhaadhu quboor anbiyaihim masaajid. Fala tatakhidhu. Fa inni anhaakum 'an dhaalik (The curse of Allaah be upon the Jews and Christians. They took the graves of their Prophets as places of worship. So do not take [my grave as a place of worship]. For verily, I am forbidding you from that.) |
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So the origin of shirk was going to extremes in the right of the righteous.
Shaikh Fawzaan said, "We gain proof from these narrations that going to extremes when it concerns those who are righteous is from the ways of the Jews and Christians. Allaahu subhanahu wa ta'aala says:
O people of the Scripture (Jews and Christians)! Do not exceed the limits in your religion, nor say of Allaah aught but the truth... (An-Nisa 4:171)
So this going to extremes is not the Sunnah of the Muslimoon (Muslims). The establishment of the birthdays of the Prophets or making du'aa to them or taking their graves as places of worship. All of this is from the ways of the Jews and Christians. It is not from the Sunnah of the Muslimoon. These people whom you find worshipping graves - and those who have traveled, baarakAllaahu fikum, [have seen] the abundance of this action whether in Egypt, or Pakistan or India or other than these places - you will see that these graves have a greater rush of people going there than do the masaajid of Allaah subhanahu wa ta'aala. [Aoodhoobillaah!]
The Shaikh [Fawzaan] continued, "It is the Jews and Christians who have preceeded them - not the Muslims. This is a warning [against making] pictures, and spreading these pictures because it is indeed a wasila (means) to shirk.
Think about it: the first time shirk took place in the children of Adam was because of pictures. The first time shirk took place in the children of Adam was because of pictures! And their intentions with their pictures were not evil intentions. But rather they had good intentions.
So it was not even intention that...were neither evil nor were they good as many of the people say today. [They say:] "We take pictures not because we want to fall into shirk, not because they would aid us upon the worship of Allaah; we just want to remember certain times. This is not haram. This has nothing to do with religion."
But rather the intent of those at first dwelled in these actions were good intentions, and even then it led them to committing shirk with Allaahu subhanahu wa ta'aala. And one does not know what Allaah has written for him. So you find many who hold onto the pictures of their parents who have deceased. Or they will hold onto pictures of their children who may have passed away. So much so that you see these people looking at these pictures on a daily basis. Sometimes, they may kiss these pictures on a daily basis. Allaahu subhanahu wa ta'aala knows best what type of fitnah they may fall into.
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| It may occur that one day they do not look at the picture and do not kiss the picture and something bad happens to them, while the next day when they do look at the picture or kiss the picture or speak to the picture, something good happens to them and instead of attributing it to Allaah, they attribute it to the action that took place between them and this picture. |
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So indeed, ya ikhwaan, the shaikh warned us against falling into picture-taking.
The shaikh said, "In this is a proof that just having good intentions is not sufficient. Rather, all actions must be in accordance with the sharee'ah of Allaahu subhanahu wa ta'aala. In it is a lesson of the importance of knowledge and the importance of the 'ulemma (scholars), and how they help remove harm from the masses. So when the 'ulemma died, the people fell into shirk. In it is a lesson. In any affair, you look at the benefits of it and the harms of it. So even though the making of these pictures (tamaatheel) may have had some benefit in it, the harm greatly outweighed the benefit. So Nuh ('alaihi salaam) was sent to these people to eradicate these actions of shirk, and they were eradicated. The actions were eradicated, and the people who fell into them and did not accept the Prophet and Messenger of Allaah [Nuh], they were removed from the face of the earth.
Then man strayed once again.
So for example, Banu Israil (Children of Israel) strayed when they took the cow as a deity along with Allaahu subhanahu wa ta'aala. The people of Musa and his brother Haroon ('alaihim i salaam) - and the story is mentioned in the Qur`an - and the Christians fell into shirk after al-Masih 'Eesa ibnu Mariam ('alaihi salaam) was taken to the heavens. And shirk took place in the Children of Isma'eel upon the hands of 'Amar ibni Lahi al-Khaza'ee, who changed the religion of Ibrahim and who made idols and brought these idols to the land of al-Hijaaz. And he ordered the people to worship them.
And then came the Messenger of Allaahu (salallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) returning the people - bi idhnillaah - back to the Tawheed of Allaahu subhanahu wa ta'aala. But even after the passing of the Messenger (salallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) - the last and final Messenger - shirk (polytheism) took place. It took place in the Ummah of Muhammad (salallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) on the hands of the Shee'ah, who began to build shrines in the fourth century (Hijri) upon graves, and brought the bid'ah of the Mawlid (celebration of Prophet's birthday) to al-Islam, and went to extremes regarding those who were righteous.
Wal-Hamdulillaahi ta'aala - even after the coming of the Messenger (salallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) as the last and final Messenger (salallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) - Allaah's Messenger (salallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) said, "La tazaalu taifatun min ummati dhaahireena 'alal haqq ya`muroona bil ma'ruf wa yanhawna 'anil munkar." (There will always remain a group from this Ummah that will be apparent upon the truth. They will order the good and forbid the evil.)
So Allaah (subhanahu wa ta'aala) upon the end of every 100 years sent someone to revive the religion of al-Islam. Allaah's Messenger said regarding this group, "La tazaalu taifatun min ummati 'alal haqqi dhaahireen La yadhuruhum min khadalahum wala man khalafahum hata ya`ti amrullaah tabaraka wa ta'aala wa huma 'ala dhalik." (There will always remain a group from this Ummah that will be apparent upon the truth. Those who oppose them will not harm them in any way until the order of Allaah tabaraka wa ta'aala will come while they are in that state.)
Al Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal (rahimahullaah ta'aala) said in the introduction of his book "Ar-Rad 'alal Jahmiyyah" (The Refutation upon the Jahmiyyah): | quote: |
| All praise is for Allaah, Who leaves a group after the Messengers from amongst the people of knowledge who negate the changes, distortions of those who go to the extreme. And the changes of those who are ignorant. [This group] is those who call people from misguidance to guidance, and are patient upon harm. How many are they who have gone astray whom they helped bring back to guidance? How many are those [whose eeman] have been killed by Iblees whom they have helped give life to again? How beautiful is their effect upon the people, and how ugly is the effect of the people upon them? |
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Shaikh Salih al-Fawzaan stated that without a doubt from amongst this group that Shaikh ul-Islaam Ahmad ibni Hanbal (rahimahullaah ta'aala) is speaking of is The Mujaadid (Reviver) Shaikh Muhammad ibn 'Abdul-Wahhab (rahimahullaah). For indeed, he has a great status amongst them that he revived the 'aqidah of al-Islam, and he removed the acts of Jahiliyyah from the bedouins. He fought against shirk in 'ibaada (worship). He fought against those who distorted the sharee'ah. He ordered that which is good and forbade that which is evil. He was the imam, al-'Allaamah, Al-Mujaahid, as-saabir, the caller to Allaah upon baseerah (knowledge), The Mujaadid, Shaikh Muhammad ibn 'Abdul-Wahhab bin Sulaiman al-Musharafi, at-Tameemee, An-Najdi. He was born in the year 1,115 Hijri in the city of 'Uyayna, in a house of knowledge. His father 'Abdul-Wahhab was a Judge and a faqi. His grandfather Sulaiman was a Mufti of Najd, and the leader of its 'ulemma. His uncles and the sons of his uncles (his cousins) - all of them - were people of knowledge. His city was filled with 'ulemma. And upon their hands did he learn this religion of al-Islam.
He memorized the Qur`an by a young age. He read the books of fiqh, and tafsir and hadith to his father and to the scholars of his country. So much so that he benefited from them all that which he could benefit by a young age. But he wanted more. He wanted to gain more in knowledge. He traveled to Makkah. He traveled to al-Madinah, and to Baghdad, and he continued to gain knowledge. And in his travels, he came upon the books of ash-shakhain: Shaikh ul-Islaam ibnu Taymiyyah and Imam Ibnul-Qayyim (rahimahumullaah ta'aala). And many of these books, he would copy with his own hands. So he would write out the books with his own hands, and built a library of their books that were copied with his own hands. When he saw the condition of the people of his time, and saw how it opposed the Qur`an and the Sunnah and what the Salafu-Saleh [Prophet, companions] were upon in 'aqidah and manhaj, he began to give da'wah.
He continued to give da'wah, going from place to place, and then he found aid in the city of Dhur'eeyah. He found aid upon the hand of its ameer Muhammad ibni Sa'ud (rahimahullaah ta'aala). And indeed Allaahu subhanahu wa ta'aala said:
...And whosoever fears Allaah and keeps his duty to Him, He will make a way for him to get out (from every difficulty). And He will provide him from (sources) he never could imagine. And whosoever puts his trust in Allaah, then He will suffice him... (At-Talaq 65:2-3)
Shaikhul-Islaam, with his allegiance to the ameer Muhammad ibni Sa'ud, spread the message of at-Tawheed from one corner of the Arabian Peninsula to the next. He wrote books, he answered the doubts of those who presented them. From his famous books, ya ikhwaan, was the book Kitab at-Tawheed.
And we want to [narrate] baarakAllaahu feekum (may Allaah bless you) - because of the importance of this topic of at-Tawheed - a story which is mentioned regarding this book.
Shaikhul-Islaam would teach this book from cover to cover. And once he would finish the book, he would go back to the beginning and he would start it all over again. And when this happened on a number of occasions, his students asked that another book be started, that they had learned this affair of at-Tawheed. They wanted to continue on to another affair. The shaikh, willing to test them and their understanding, set up a test for them. And he said to them that on such and such day there will be no dars (lesson) because he had to travel to see someone who had fornicated with his own mother. And his students were astonished and surprised. That was clear by the voices they made.
When [the shaikh] returned, the students asked as to what happened to this individual. Shaikhul-Islaam said it was not as he had explained - that he had commited fornication with his own mother - but rather a man was commiting shirk by slaughtering a small animal in the name of other than Allaah. When he explained this, the astonishment from his students left them. They were no longer astonished. So the astonishment that was present when they heard a man was commiting fornication with his own mother was great. But when they heard of someone commiting shirk with a small animal, the astonishment was absent, as though this action [shirk] was less serious than the former action [fornication with his mother].
Shaikhul-Islaam, through this test, knew that his students did not understand this affair of at-Tawheed, and he began the book all over again. So we want to choose, ya ikhwaan, between today and tomorrow some small chapters that speak of, firstly, what the Messenger of Allaah (salallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) put forth to eradicate shirk from this earth. And, secondly, the fear of shirk. We will be discussing these two chapters, in sha` Allaah. The majority of what we will share will come from the explanation of Shaikh Salih al-Fawzaan (hafidhahullaah) from his book E'anat ul Mustafeed bi sharhee Kitabu Tawheed (A Beneficial Aid Toward Understanding Kitaab-ut Tawheed). And we will make some additions from the explanations of Shaikh Saalih al-'Uthaimeen and from Fathul Majeed, and some other books bi idhnillaahi ta'aala.
[The khateeb ended by asking Allaah to send the salaam upon the Prophet, his family, and his companions, and by asking Allaah to bless the attendees.]
Click here for Audio from Troid, Al-Hamdulillaah
Subhanak Allaahuma wa bihamdika ash-hadu anlaa illaaha illa anta astaghfiruka wa atubu ilayk
If I said anything correct, then it is from Allaah (subhanahu wa taa'ala), and if I erred, then that is from me and shaytan. |
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| yasin3683
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ibn Ahmad Maher ibn Ahmad
(U.S.A.)
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Member
Posts: 950
Joined: Nov 2006
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Bismillaah Al-Hamdulillaah wa salatu wa salaamu 'ala rasulullaah
Amma ba'd
The Endeavors of al-Mustapha (salallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) by Kashif Khan, who began by praising Allaah (subhanahu wa ta'aala) and then asking Allaah to send His salawaat (blessings) and salamaat (peace) upon the last and final Messenger Muhammad ibn 'Abdullaah (salallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam).
Wal-Hamdulillaahi ta'aala, ya ikhwaan wa khawaat, that the Messenger of Allaah (salallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) said: | quote: |
| Ma taraktu shay`an yuqaribukum illa Allaah wa yuba'idukum 'an in-nar illa amartukum bi` wa ma taraktu shay`an yuba'idukum 'an illaah wa yuqaribukum illa nar illa nahaitukum 'an (Indeed, there is nothing that brings you closer to Allaah and distance you from the fire except I have commanded you with it. And there is nothing that will distance you from Allaah and bring you closer to the fire except that I have prohibited you from it.) |
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So from those things and affairs that the Messenger of Allaah (salallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) has taught us are the etiquettes of sitting in majaalis ul-'ilm (gatherings of knowledge, where the books of the 'ulemma are being benefited from, or the gatherings with the 'ulemma themselves).
Shaikh 'Abdul-Muhsin al-'Abbaad (hafidhahullaah) mentioned in his explanation of the hadeeth of Jibril ('alaihi salaam) regarding the statement: fa`asnada rukbataihi ila rukbatai wa wada`a kafaihi... (He [Jibril] came and sat, touching his knees with the knees of the Prophet, and putting the palms of his hands on his thighs.) We learn from this hadeeth, from the etiquettes of sitting in majaalis ul-'ilm is being close to the speaker and not being distant from him. Now, I know in the [United] States, when we went to school in the states, the 'aada (habit) was that one should be as distant as possible from the teacher, so you would always look for the seats at the end of the classroom. But this is not the habits [found in] al-Islam. So we ask the brothers that they should move up and closer, as it is the Sunnah of the Messenger (salallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam). In this hadeeth, Jibril ('alaihi salaam) was not only the teacher, but he was also the student. So unless there is a medical condition that would force us to be distant, in sha` Allaah, we ask that the brothers move up. May Allaah bless you and may Allaah give you good.
We began, ya ikhwaan, earlier today - and all praise is for Alalah - with the introduction of Kitab at-Tawheed. We brought some benefits that our Shaikh Salih al-Fawzaan (hafidhahullaah) brought.
The topic now is about the endeavors of al-Mustapha (the one sent, meaning Prophet Muhammad, salallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) regarding Tawheed. And as it is well known by Ahlus-Sunnah, because they establish their manhaj (methodology) upon this, that the Messenger of Allaah (salallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) began his da'wah with the call to at-Tawheed in al-Makkah and he remained upon that for 13 years, calling the people to the affairs of at-Tawheed. And in that time, nothing from the awaamir (wajibaat and pillars outside of Tawheed) had descended upon the Messenger of Allaah (salallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam). So while residing in al-Makkah, he called the people to nothing but La illaaha il Allaah (there is nothing deserving of worship in truth except Allaah alone). He called the people to the Tawheed of Allaah (Jalla wa 'Alaa), and at that time there was no order of as-salat (prayer), or as-sawm (fasting), or az-zakat (alms), or Hajj, or sadaqah (charity). None of these awaamir had been revealed while he resided in Makkah. And this is well known. But we want to concentrate on the end of his life.
We know that calling to Tawheed is how the da'wah of the Messenger of Allaah (salallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) began. We know, baarakAllaahu fikum, that not only is this how the da'wah of the Messenger of Allaah (salallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) began, it was also in the same manner that the da'wah of every Prophet and every Messenger ('alaihim i salaam) began.
Allaah subhanahu wa ta'aala said:
And verily, We have sent among every Ummah (community, nation) a Messenger (proclaiming): "Worship Allaah (Alone), and avoid (or keep away from) Taaghut (all false deities, etc. i.e. do not worship Taaghut besides Allaah)."... (An-Nahl 16:36)
Ibn Mas'ud (radiallaahu ta'aala 'anhu) said: | quote: |
"Whosoever wants to look at the affair of Muhammad (salallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) upon that which he ended, let him read the statement of Allaah:
Say (O Muhammad, salallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam): "Come, I will recite what your Lord has prohibited you from: Join not anything in worship with Him... (Al-An'am 6:151) |
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And this is what the affair of Muhammad (salallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) ended upon. So this is well known. The starting of the affair of the Messenger (salallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) is well known, may Allaah bless you.
On the authority of 'Abdullaah ibn Shaakhir (radiallaahu 'anhu) that he said: | quote: |
| Indeed, I went with the congregation of Banu 'Aamir to the Messenger of Allaah (salallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam). And we said, 'you are our Sayyid [the intent was: you are the best of us, but the closely related word As-Sayyid means Master].' The Messenger of Allaah (salallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) said: As-Sayyid is Allaahu tabaarak wa ta'aala. We said, 'you are the best of us and the greatest of us. The Messenger of Allaah (salallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) said: Say your statement or say some of it; do not let shaytan lead you astray. |
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Shaikh Fawzaan explained that this congregation went to the Prophet (salallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) after the conquering of Makkah - and this was just one of many congregations - from all parts of the jazeera (peninsula). Allaah said:
When comes the Help of Allaah (to you, O Muhammad (salallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) against your enemies) and the conquest (of Makkah). And you see that the people enter Allaah's religion (Islam) in crowds.
(An-Nasr 110:1-2)
So congregations used to come to the Messenger of Allaah (salallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) to enter into Islam after Makkah was conquered. So 'Abdullaah ibn Shakheer (radiallaahu 'anhu) was from those who approached the Messenger of Allaah (salallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) after the conquering of Makkah.
[Regarding the congregation of Banu 'Aamir, again:] Here is a people, baarakAllaahu fikum, approaching the Messenger of Allaah (salallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) to enter into the fold of Islam, and their statements are not incorrect. Are their statements incorrect if they anta sayidunna (you are our leader)? No. these statements were correct. The Messenger of Allaah (salallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) was the best of them. Or when they said anta afdaloona (you are the best of us, or the most noble from amongst us, you are the greatest of us)? [No.] But the Messenger of Allaah (salallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) whose message was the message of at-Tawheed, and who was well aware [from revelation] of what occured to the nations previously from the Jews and Christians and how they went to extremes with their Prophets and Messengers.
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| He wanted to close the doors to al-ghuloo, going to extremes regarding his rights. |
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Shaikh Fawzaan wrote regarding their statement anta Sayiduna (You are our Sayyid), "This was from the habits of the 'Arab. When they would go to those who were elderly amongst them, their leaders, or the kings, in this manner would they begin their speech. So when they approached the Messenger of Allaah (salallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) - and he had by Allaah's Permission just conquered Makkah, the greatest city - they thought him to be as the kings and the leaders of the 'Arab were. So they approached [addressed] him in the same manner [with the same address]. They said anta Sayiduna wa ibni Sayiduna (you are the best of us, and you are the son of the best of us). So the Messenger of Allaah (salallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) answered: | quote: |
| As-Sayyid Allaahu tabarak wa ta'aala (The Sayyid is Allaah tabarak wa ta'aala) |
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The Messenger of Allaah (salallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) desired to close the door to extremism regarding his rights (status). So when he said this, the intent was: leave this off. Do not say this. The Messenger of Allaah (salallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) feared that this Ummah would fall into that which the previous nations fell into. So in this manner, there are many ahadeeth, some of which we will discuss today regarding these statements in which the Messenger of Allaah (salallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) would prohibit them from saying these statements even though the statements themselves were not incorrect. The Messenger of Allaah (salallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) said: Qullu bi Qawlikum (say your statements [meaning you may call him the Prophet of Allaah or the Messenger of Allaah, but do not surpass that. Say those statements that would not lead you to extremism.]
In a hadeeth collected by Imam An-Nisaa`i and narrated by Anas ibni Maalik (radiallaahu 'anhu), the people said, "O Messenger of Allaah, o best of us and the son of the best of us. And our leader and from the children of our leaders." The Messenger of Allaah (salallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) answered: O people. Say your statement or say some of it; do not let shaytan lead you astray. [Meaning, do not let shaytan push you to follow your desires - instead of the path of Allaah subhanahu wa ta'aala - because this will indeed lead you to destruction.]
He said: | quote: |
Anna Muhammad, 'Abdullaahi wa rusullu. (I am Muhammad, the slave of Allaah and His Messenger.) [Meaning, this is how I should be addressed as the slave of Allaah and as the Messenger of Allaah (salallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam).]
So the two affairs [pillars] he pointed out that he wanted to be characterised with: firstly, al-'uboodiyah that he is a slave, and secondly, the Messengership. And these are the two pillars that the statement Muhammad rasulullaah (Muhammad is the Messenger of Allaah) stands upon. That you firstly agree that Muhammad is the slave of Allaah (i.e. he is not to be worshipped since he is a slave of Allaah, and not Allaah). Allaah referred to Muhammad (salallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) in the Qur`an for the first time in light of his 'uboodiyah (being a slave of Allaah). |
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Allaah subhanahu wa ta'aala said:
And if you (Arab pagans, Jews, and Christians) are in doubt concerning that which We have sent down (i.e. the Qur`an) to Our slave (Muhammad, salallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam), then produce a Surah (chapter) of the like thereof and call your witnesses (supporters and helpers) besides Allaah, if you are truthful. (Al-Baqarah 2:23)
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[This is] to establish that Muhammad (salallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam), although he is the Messenger of Allaah, he is still a man. And he does not share anything with Allaah subhanahu wa ta'aala. He does not share anything in the Rububiyah (Lordship) of Allaah. He does not share anything in the Names and Attributes of Allaah. Nor does he share anything in the [right of] worship [which is exclusively for] Allaah subhanahu wa ta'aala. So he is referred to as the slave of Allaah. This is the first pillar.
Secondly, even though he is the slave of Allaah, he is also rasulullaah (the Messenger of Allaah, salallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam). So whereas he is not Allaah (Jalla wa 'Alaa), he has a martaba (a level) above the rest of mankind. So where you do not treat him like Allaah (Jalla wa 'Alaa), you also do not treat him like anyone else from the creation. The Messenger of Allaah (salallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) continued: ma uhibu an tarfa'uni fawqa manzilati alatti anzalani Allaahu 'azza wa jall bihi. (I do not like that you should raise me to a level higher than the level with which Allaah Mighty and Majestic has sent me.) [Meaning, why am I prohibitting you from this, from referring to me as Sayiduna wa ibni sayidina or khairuna wa ibni khairina? Because this is not beloved to me that you should raise me above a status that Allaah subhanahu wa ta'aala has sent me with.]
This was the wisdom behind his statement: to prohibit them from raising him above the level of 'uboodiya (servitude) and raising him above this level of ar-risala (of carrying the message of Allaah subhanahu wa ta'aala). They should not raise him to a level of Ruboobiyah, that he owns something in the Lordship of Allaah subhanahu wa ta'aala. |
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Shaikh Salih al-Fawzaan brought some benefits from these two narrations and he said:
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| In it is a warning of going to extremes in the rights (status) of the Messenger of Allaah (salallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) by way of praising him. But rather that he should be characterized or have attributed to him that which Allaah attributed to him, and that is al-'uboodiya and ar-risala. And that we should not surpass that level by falsely claiming he is capable of forgiving our sins, nor by falsely claiming that we can seek his aid after he has passed away. All of this - audhoobillaahi ta'aala - is falling into extremism regarding his rights. Rather, it is falling into shirk and kufr. So much so, you find some of the people today taking all the rights of Allaah (Jalla wa 'Alaa) and give them to the Prophet (salallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam). So when du'aa is made [by these extremists], it is made to the Prophet. You find them being negligent in Ramadaan and you find them being negligent in Dhul-Hijjah, but when the time of the Mawlid An-Nabi (birthday of the Prophet) comes, you find them to be the most "diligent" of people, celebrating it as though it was legislated by Allaah. This is what the Messenger of Allaah (salallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) forbade us from, and this is what he (salallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) feared in his life. |
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In the sahih of Imam Bukhari and the sahih of Imam Muslim regarding the death of the Messenger of Allaah (salallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam). Keep in mind, ya ikhwaan, who loves this Ummah more than Muhammad (salallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam)? Who was it who wanted good for this Ummah, surpassing the desire for good of Muhammad (salallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam)? Indeed, the life of the Messenger of Allaah (salallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) was meant to benefit this Ummah of Muhammad. And this was proven upon his deathbed, and those affairs that he gave importance to upon his deathbed while knowing [from revelation] what his Ummah would fall into after his death.
Allaah subhanahu wa ta'aala said:
Verily, there has come unto you a Messenger (Muhammad, salallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) from amongst yourselves (i.e. whom you know well). It grieves him that you should receive any injury or difficulty. He (Muhammad) is anxious over you (to be rightly guided, to repent to Allaah, and beg Him to pardon and forgive your sins, in order that you may enter Paradise and be saved from the punishment of the Hell-fire), for the believers (he is) full of pity, kind, and merciful. (At-Tawbah 9:128)
This is what the Messenger of Allaah (salallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) is characterized with.
Shaikh Abu Muhammad Badi'ud-Deen Sha (rahimahullaah) said regarding this ayah (verse) that it is a Radd (refutation) upon the mubtadi'a (innovators; those who innovate in the religion). Because when they innovate in the religion and they bring into it what is not found in the Sunnah of Muhammad (salallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam), what is not mentioned in the ahadeeth of Muhammad (salallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam), they are belying this ayah. They are saying that there is someone out there who has greater knowledge of what will benefit this Ummah than Muhammad ibni 'Abdullaah (salallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam). Aoodhubillaah! Find someone who loves this Ummah as Muhammad (salallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) loved this Ummah. Because this is what the innovator is saying when he innovates into the religion that which does not belong in it. He is saying [by his innovation] that he found someone [or something] that has a benefit for this Ummah that Muhammad (salallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) never shared and never told this Ummah [about].
The Messenger of Allaah, knowing the fitan (trials) that would befall this Ummah, reminded them that there would come at a time when the nations would gather upon the Muslims like people gather upon food.
He reminded them that this Ummah would divide. Sa taftariku hadheehil Ummah 'ala thalatha wa sab'eena firqa kulluha fi nar ila wahida (This Ummah will divide into 73 sects, each and every one of them in the fire of Jahanam except one) He knew this was going to happen to this Ummah. He knew the fitan (trials and tribulations), whether it was a trial of wealth or the trial of women. He knew this [from revelation]. So when death came to him, what was he concerned with? Allaah (Jalla wa 'Alaa) revealed to him this knowledge of all of these trials and tribulations that are going to befall them: weakness, the enemy being upon them, the trial of wealth, the trial of women, the trial of division. The Messenger of Allaah (salallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) knew about all these trials. What did he give importance to?
It comes on the authority of Umm Salama (radiallaahu 'anha), as it is collected by Imam Bukhari and Imam Muslim, that she said: When death approached the Messenger of Allaah (salallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam), he began to pull the sheet which was upon his body over his head. So he said in that condition:
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| La'nat Allaahi 'alal yahoodi wa nasaara itaakhaadhu quboor anbiyaihim masaajid. (The curse of Allaah be upon the Jews and Christians. They took the graves of their Prophets as places of worship.) |
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Remember, death had approached him and he was aware that he would not remain much longer, so whatever he said were the last of his words, the last of his ahadeeth, the last of his sunan that would be collected. Hence at this time, it is important to pay attention to the advice he was giving. [This maybe the last advice he gives.] So what advice did he give? Listen to his Hhal (condition). He was in pain. The Messenger of Allaah (salallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) was in pain so the sheet that he had, he would pull it upon his head and then he would pull it down. Imagine the condition of the Messenger of Allaah (salallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam), and ponder his statement. The curse of Allaah be upon the Jews and Christians. They took the graves of their Prophets as places of worship.
He did not speak [in this condition] of the weakness that would befall the Ummah with regards to fitan of division, wealth and women, or any other fitan that he mentioned previously, but rather in this condition and at the end of his life, he spoke of shirk billaahi ta'aala. So the beginning of his message was at-Tawheed, and the end of his message was at-Tawheed. He began his message with the call of at-Tawheed. And when he was on his death bed, although Tawheed was established - without a doubt - in the hearts of his companions such as Abu Bakr, 'Umar, 'Uthman, 'Ali, Ibn 'Abbaas, Ibn Mas'ud, etc... (radiallaahu 'anhum ajma'een), the Messenger of Allaah (salallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) said [among] his last words: | quote: |
| La'nat Allaahi 'alal yahoodi wa nasaara itaakhaadhu quboor anbiyaihim masaajid. (The curse of Allaah be upon the Jews and Christians. They took the graves of their Prophets as places of worship.) |
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This was the greatest fear that he had, that this Ummah would fall into shirk.
So whereas he began his da'wah with the call to Tawheed, he - while on his deathbed - he was still worried about at-Tawheed, and refraining from shirk.
The shaikh said: | quote: |
"He [the Messenger of Allaah (salallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam)] brought the sheet over his head, and then he took it off and even while in this painful condition he continued his da'wah to Tawheed and he negated shirk. He (salallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) advised the Ummah.
Why?
When he knew death was close, he feared his Ummah would do as the Jews and Christians did - that they would take his grave as a place of worship. So any opportunity he got, he advised them against it. If we found the Prophet of Allaah (salallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) in this condition - upon his deathbed - advising the Ummah against shirk, then why is it that the du'aat (callers) today - from these numerous different sects - have left off the call to at-Tawheed? And the Messenger of Allaah (salallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) saw it befitting that upon his deathbed - amongst the companions [in whose hearts Tawheed was firmly established] - he [still] did not leave off the call to at-Tawheed. He didn't abandon the call to Tawheed. He ended his call and his life while still calling them to the Tawheed of Allaah subhanahu wa ta'aala. He was calling them away from the shirk of Allaah. So what makes us believe today that Tawheed is [already] established? And their condition at that time was that they were more than capable of ruling the world. Rather their conquest of the known world at that time had begun. That the great powers of that time could not deny the strength that Allaah had given them. And this was the completion of Allaah subhanahu wa ta'aala's promise.
Allaah has promised those among you who believe, and do righteous good deeds, that He will certainly grant them succession to (the present rulers) in the earth, as He granted it to those before them, and that He will grant them the authority to practise their religion, that which He has chosen for them (i.e. Islam). And He will surely give them in exchange a safe security after their fear (provided) they (believers) worship Me and do not associate anything (in worship) with Me. But whoever disbelieved after this, they are the Fasiqun (rebellious, disobedient to Allaah). (An-Nur 24:55)
This is a promise from Allaah, Who will make those with eeman the rulers of the earth as He did for those who came before them, and exchange their condition of fear for a condition of safety. Provided they do what? Provided they (believers) worship Me [Allaah] and do not associate anything (in worship) with Me. Once this Tawheed is established and shirk is eradicated and removed from the ranks, Allaah will [deliver] His promise. So it was clear that Tawheed was established in the hearts of the sahaaba (radiallaahu 'anhum ajma'een). |
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A sahaabi (companion) would come and he would stand in the presence of Muhammad (salallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) and say: Allaahumma atoobu ilaik wa la atoobu ila Muhammad (O Allaah, I seek your forgiveness, and I do not seek forgiveness from Muhammad.) And the Messenger of Allaah (salallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) said: 'Urifal haqq li ahli (The right has been given to The One Who deserves it.)
Today, if you say these words [evidences] in front of the Soofiyah and certain groups, they would consider you a munnafiq (hypocrite)! They would say [to the one reciting these evidences], "Look at this person; he does not respect Muhammad!" He has disbelieved in Muhammad!
So in the presence of the sahaaba, the Messenger of Allaah (salallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) advised them with Tawheed, prohibiting them from shirk.
[Regarding the Prophet's statement:] itaakhaadhu quboor anbiyaihim masaajid. (They took the graves of their Prophets as places of worship.) This does not just mean that they built a masjid upon a grave. But rather [this also includes] the one who may go the grave and make du'aa to those who are in the graves or make it a place of worship. All of this is taking these places as masaajid. None of these actions are allowed.
'A`ishah (radiallaahu 'anha) said regarding it: He warned us against what the Jews and Christians did. If not for that, his grave would have been open. (Meaning if it was not for the fear that his grave would be worshipped, his grave would have been open. But it was feared that his grave would be taken as a place of worship.)
The Messenger of Allaah (salallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) said: atatabi'ana sunan aman kanna kablakum (You will follow the ways of those who came before you [meaning the Jews and Christians].) So knowing that this was going to be one of the fitan, he warned the Ummah against what they did. Since the Jews and the Christians fell into this - taking the graves of their Prophets as places of worship - and commiting shirk, he warned us against that.
Shaikh Fawzaan (hafidhahullaah) brought some benefits, saying:
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| From the benefits is the prohibition of building upon graves. Because this is a wasila (a means, a path) to committing shirk with Allaah ta'aala. This hadith is a prohibition in establishing worship - even if it is for Allaah - near a grave, because this too may be mistaken and may become a means of shirk billaahi (with Allaah) ta'aala. In it is a proof that indeed the la'na (curse) of Allaah may be sent upon [one may ask Allaah to curse] a people generally, because the Prophet (salallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) sent the curse of Allaah upon [asked Allaah to curse the] the Jews and the Christians generally. In this is a proof from following the ways or imitating the Jews and the Christians in any of their acts. In them is a proof that the affair of al-'Aqidah needs to be given importance. That da'wah should start with correcting the 'Aqidah of the people. Correcting it from different types of corruption, and bringing it back to the Qur`an and Sunnah for indeed this was the manhaj (methodology) of the anbiya Prophets. When they started their da'wah, they started it by correcting the 'Aqidah - not by correcting the politics of that time, not by correcting the financial state of their people, but rather by correcting the 'Aqidah of their people. |
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Also, it comes on the authority of Jundub bin 'Abdillaah (radiallaahu 'anhu) - as it is collected by Imam Muslim that he said: I heard the Prophet (salallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) say before he died by five [days or weeks; (there is ikhtilaaf)]: I am distanced to Allaah that I should take a Khalil from amongst you. For indeed, Allaah has taken me as a khaleel as He took Ibrahim as a khaleel. But if I was to take a khaleel, I would have taken Abu Bakr as a khaleel.
[So there are only two Messengers who reached the martaba (level) of khalil-ullaah: Ibrahim ('alaihi a salatu wa salaam) and Muhammad (salallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam). So Shaikh al-'Uthaimeen (rahimahullaah) mentioned that you find, especially in the Indian subcontinent, those who make the statement: Muhammad habibullaah, wa Musa kaleemullaah, wa Ibrahim khaleelullaah (That Muhammad is the one loved by Allaah, that Moosa is the one to whom Allaah spoke, and Ibrahim is khaleelullaah.) Shaikh al-'Uthaimeen mentioned that this statement is incorrect to say. Because as for Muhammad the Messenger of Allaah (salallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam), he was also the khaleel of Allaah, and this is the highest martaba (level). And to say that the Messenger of Allaah was habeebullaah, then this is lowering the Messenger of Allaah (salallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) from his rightful place. As for habeelullaah, then indeed anyone and everyone who is righteous and is a believer is loved by Allaah subhanahu wa ta'aala. So rather, it should be said: Muhammad khaleelullaah, wa Ibrahim khaleelullaah, wa Moosa kaleemlullaah. Both Muhammaad and Ibrahim ('alaihimi salaam) were a khaleel to Allaah subhanahu wa ta'aala.
Now listen to the hikma of the Messenger of Allaah (salallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) in his statement: I am distanced that I should take a khaleel from amongst you, because Allaah has taken me as a khaleel as He took Ibrahim as a khaleel. But if I was to take a khaleel, I would have taken Abu Bakr as a khaleel. Now remember the statement was said right before his death. So the Messenger of Allaah (salallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) knew he was about to leave a void, and it is clear that he was advising this Ummah with whom should fill this void. And indeed Abu Bakr (radiallaahu 'anhu) was the best of the sahaaba, and he was the best man to walk the earth after the Prophets and Mesengers, with consensus.
The Messenger of Allaah (salallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) died in the 13th year of the Hijrah in the month of Jumada al-oola, and he was 63 years old.
Shaikh Fawzaan, in his explanation of this, said: the Messenger of Allaah (salallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) said that he is distanced that he should take a khaleel from amongst the sahaaba. So he did not have a khaleel from amongst the sahaaba, and the reason for this is because Allaah took him as a khaleel. And this level of al-khoola, there is no ishtiraak in it. It cannot be shared. So it cannot be shared with someone from the creation and Allaah subhanahu wa ta'aala. So it was not possible that the Messenger of Allaah (salallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) can be the khaleel of Allaah and along with that be the khaleel of someone from Banu Adam (children of Adam), because it is a must that this takes place with only one. So, of course, the Prophets and Messengers - all of them - are loved by Allaah subhanahu wa ta'aala. Allaah loves the tawabeen (those who repent), the mutatahireen (those who purify themselves), the mutaqeen (those who fear Allaah), the muhsineen (the good-doers). All of them are loved by Allaah subhanahu wa ta'aala, but it was Muhammad (salallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) and Ibrahim ('alaihi salaam) who were taken as a khaleel. The proof for Ibrahim ('alaihi salaam) being a khaleel is the statement of Allaah:
And Allaah did take Ibrahim (Abraham) as a Khaleel (an intimate friend). (An-Nisa 4:125)
And [the above hadith] is a proof that Muhammad (salallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) was taken as a khaleel. The Messenger of Allaah (salallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) said: "If I was to take a khaleel from this Ummah, I would have taken Abu Bakr as a khaleel." This one of the ahadeeth that clearly mentions the status of Abu Bakr.
It also comes in the saheeh of Imam Bukhari on the authority of 'A`ishah (radiallaahu 'anha) - in a hadeeth that is a clear refutation upon the Shee'ah and the Rawafid - that when the Messenger of Allaah (salallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) ordered that Abu Bakr (radiallaahu 'anhu) should lead the people in salat, while the Messenger of Allaah (salallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) was incapable of doing so because of his sickness, 'A`ishah (radiallaahu 'anha) said to the Messenger that indeed Abu Bakr (who often cried when reciting Qur`an) is a man who will not be able to hold his emotion at that time to stand in the place of the Prophet (salallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) and lead the people in salat, Abu bakr would not be able to handle himself, control himself. So rather tell 'Umar (radiallaahu 'anhu) to lead the people. The Messenger of Allaah (salallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) became angry and said, "You are like the women of Yusuf. Order Abu Bakr to lead the salat." So even then, the Messenger of Allaah did not stay away and instead he said, "Order Abu Bakr to lead the salat." He must lead the salat. This is the point, ya ikhwaan, because remember that this
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ibn Ahmad Maher ibn Ahmad
(U.S.A.)
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Member
Posts: 950
Joined: Nov 2006
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Bismillaah Al-Hamdulillaah wa salatu wa salaamu 'ala rasulullaah
Amma ba'd
Fear of Shirk by Kashif Khan, who began by praising Allaah (subhanahu wa ta'aala) and then asking Allaah to send His salawaat (blessings) and salamaat (peace) upon the last and final Messenger Muhammad ibni 'Abdullaah (salallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam).
In sha` Allaah, we want to begin with the last chapter that we will be discussing from this book E'anat ul Mustafeed bi sharhee Kitaab-ut Tawheed (A Beneficial Aid in the Explanation of Kitaab-ut Tawheed). And the chapter, baarakAllaahu fikum (may Allaah bless you), that we want to discuss is the chapter that has been entitled by Shaikh ul-Islaam Muhammad ibn 'Abdul-Wahhab (rahimahullaah) Baab al-khawfu min ash-shirk (The Chapter of Fearing Shirk [Polytheism]). And up to this chapter, the shaikh spoke about Tawheed, and the divisions of Tawheed, and the conditions of La illaaha il Allaah, and what a person may attain by (the virtues of) establishing La illaaha il Allaah.
But when he reached this point, then he began to deal with the affairs of Shirk (polytheism), because it is not sufficient that we should only teach that which is good without making prohibition of that which is evil. So when Allaahu subhanahu wa ta'aala commands us to give da'wah, His command consists of both of these matters.
Let there arise out of you a group of people inviting to all that is good (Islam), enjoining Al-Ma'ruf (i.e. Islamic Monotheism and all that Islam orders one to do) and forbidding Al-Munkar (polytheism and disbelief and all that Islam has forbidden). And it is they who are the successful. (Aali Imran 3:104)
When Allaah subhanahu wa ta'aala sent the Messengers and the Prophets, He said:
And verily, We have sent among every Ummah (community, nation) a Messenger (proclaiming): "Worship Allaah (Alone), and avoid (or keep away from) Taghut (all false deities, etc. i.e. do not worship Taghut besides Allaah)." (An-Nahl 16:36)
So Allaah's commands consists of the both of them. The shahada Ash-hadu an la illaaha il Allaah is not established except through its two pillars - al ithbat (the affirmation of the Lordship of Allaahu subhanahu wa ta'aala, the affirmation that indeed only Allaah deserves worship, meaning the affirmation of the Uluhiya of Allaahu Jalla wa 'Ala) and along with that an-nafi (the negation of these rights to anyone other than Allaah subhanahu wa ta'aala).
Shaikh Saalih al-Fawzaan explained and said: | quote: |
| No one [from the created beings] knows the greatness of health except the one who has been sick. No one knows the greatness of light except the one who has resided in darkness. Only he knows the wealth of water the one who has been thirsty. Food is known by the one who has been hungry. The greatness of peace can only be known by the one who has lived in fear. So we say that the price of at-Tawheed, the greatness of Tawheed, the establishment of Tawheed is not known except by the one who knows shirk, who knows the affairs of the days of ignorance so that he may refrain from them, so that he may stay away from them, so that he may protect at-Tawheed. |
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Shaikh Saalih al-Fawzaan said: | quote: |
| This is a refutation upon those who falsely say, "there is no need for us to learn these false 'aqaaid (creeds, methodologies) or that we should refute the Mu'tazila and the Jahmiyyah. They have gone away. They are stories of the past. Rather, teach the people at-Tawheed and that is sufficient." Some of them even say, "Do not teach them Tawheed. These are children who have been born to Muslims. They have lived in the lands of the Muslims. But rather, teach them the affairs of this world. Teach them engineering and mathematics. Teach them these things and these will be beneficial to them. As for at-Tawheed, then this is something that is established in our fitrah. And this is not something we need to worry about." |
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For this reason, ya ikhwaan, we have chosen this chapter. Because not only is this chapter a refutation upon those who do not teach the affairs of at-Tawheed... Even in Salafi communities now, you find that many (especially in the United States) have "surpassed" these topics such that conferences are now no longer about Tawheed. Why? Because we understand it. We've spent the last 10 or 15 years speaking about Tawheed; we understand it. Such that every conference that you find now is on "family values," or "sabr (patience)," or "the affairs of women," "the affairs of men," "the affairs of marriage."
What they don't understand is: if you are having issues in your marriage, or if you are having issues with your women, if you are having issues with your men, if you are having issues with the family, this is because Tawheed is not established. If Tawheed was perfectly understood, then there would be no need for these random conferences for three days explaining to women why they need to cover, explaining the benefits of the hijab.
The women in the time of the Messenger of Allaah (salallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) did not a three-day conference to tell them the benefits of covering. They did not need to know the benefits of covering. What they needed to know was that Allaah and His Messenger (salallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) ordered them with this command and that they need to obey it. They need to say:
"We hear and we obey." (An-Nur 24:51)
You find, ya ikhwaan, baarakAllaahu fikum (may Allaah bless you), the apologists that we have from Ikhwanul Muslimeen and other than them, those who like to apologize for being Muslim. They have these world-wide conferences with thousands and thousands of people, inviting scientists and inviting this person and that person speaking about the evils of alcohol, how science says that alcohol is not good for you, or that pork is not good for you. Can we say, baarakAllaahu fikum ya ikhwaan wa khawaat (may Allaah bless you, brothers and sisters) indeed this is not going to suffice these people. It will not suffice the Muslims and it will not suffice the kufaar (disbelievers). Because at the end of this conference, the kaafir might say, "Okay, I just won't drink alcohol any more." It will not push him closer to Tawheed. So you will continuously find yourself in this circuit. And this was not the case in the time of the sahaaba (companions, radiallaahu 'anhum ajma'een). They were residing in al-Madinah, and they used to drink alcohol, but when they heard the caller in the street saying, Inallaaha wa rasulahu qad haram al-khamar (Indeed Allaah and His Messenger forbade alcohol), they spit out what was in their mouth, they put down their glasses, and they broke their jars. They did not need to know "the harms of alcohol." What they needed to know was what Allaah and His Messenger ordered them to do. And this was from the completion of their understanding of at-Tawheed, and their fear of falling into shirk.
It is befitting, ya ikhwaan, to read this section from what the shaikh said.
Shaikh Fawzaan said: | quote: |
| All of this is from the tricks of ash-shaytan (Satan). It is obligatory upon us that as we know the truth, we should also know that which is false so that we may act upon the truth and that we may refrain from that which is false. And for this reason, Shaikh-ul-Islaam Muhammad ibn 'Abdul-Wahhaab (rahimahullaah) mentioned shirk after mentioning Tawheed and after he mentioned the greatness of at-Tawheed. |
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When one reads this book, one will find that Shaikh Saalih al-Fawzaan refers back to the methodology in which Shaikh Muhammad ibn 'Abdul-Wahhaab (rahimahullaah) put this book together. And there is a lesson in the manner in which he put the book together. There are lessons to be learned not only from the ayaat and the ahadeeth included in Kitab at-Tawheed, but there are lessons to be learned by the manner in which the book is put together.
So for example, Shaikh-ul-Islaam Muhammad ibn 'Abdul-Wahhaab began the book with:
In the Name of Allaah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful
Then, he mentioned (the title of the book) "Kitab-ut Tawheed," and then said: the statement of Allaah ta'aala:
And I (Allaah) created not the jinns and humans except they should worship Me (Alone). (Adh-Dhariyat 51:56) Right from the beginning - the very first two sentences - Shaikh-ul-Islaam Muhammad ibn 'Abdul-Wahhaab refuted those who explained Tawheed with Rububiyah (Lordship) alone.
So [here is] Kitab at-Tawheed (the Book of Tawheed), and what is Tawheed?
The statement of Allaah ta'aala:
And I (Allaah) created not the jinns and humans except they should worship Me (Alone). (Adh-Dhariyat 51:56) So what is intended by Tawheed is the oneness of worship. That is how Tawheed is completed. It is not ar-Rububiyah (Lordship) by itself. So in this manner does Shaikh Saalih al-Fawzaan explain that after mentioning the explanation of at-Tawheed, the fadl (bounty, virtue) of Tawheed, the da'wah to Tawheed. After that did the shaikh begin explaining the affairs of shirk, and that the establishment of Tawheed is a great blessing. But the one who understands Tawheed, he will always fear the opposite of it. So he will strive in learning the opposite, gaining knowledge about shirk so that he may be aware of its branches and aware of the tricks of shaytan.
Shaikh Fawzaan said: | quote: |
| Today, there are many people who run away from learning these affairs, from learning Tawheed, from learning Shirk, from learning the doubts, from learning falsehood and this is because they are ignorant. This is either because of their ignorance (lack of knowledge) or they desire harm upon the Muslims. They desire to corrupt the 'aqidah of the Muslims. So we should be careful of this affair. We should learn the 'aqidah of the Mu'tazila, so that we may refute it. And do not listen to those who say, "to refute the Mu'tazila is like the one who throws rocks at graves." (They mean by that their 'aqidah is dead. So why continue to refute them?) SubhanAllaah! Yes they (the founders) have died, but their methodologies are still present. Their doubts are still present. Their books are still present. They are printed. They are printed - today! People spend wealth upon them, so it is obligatory that we should speak about these affairs of at-Tawheed. And these affairs of ash-shirk. |
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The first ayah that Shaikh-ul-Islaam Muhammad ibn 'Abdul-Wahhab (rahimahullaah) brought [regarding Shirk] is:
Verily, Allaah forgives not that partners should be set up with him in worship, but He forgives except that (anything else) to whom He pleases, and whoever sets up partners with Allaah in worship, he has indeed invented a tremendous sin. (An-Nisa 4:48)
What can be a greater warning than this ayah (verse)? This ayah shows the danger of shirk. Allaah does not forgive the mushrik (the one who worships other than Allaah) even though the mercy of Allaah expands everything. Even then, Allaah will not forgive the mushrik (on the Day of Judgement). The mushrik will not enter into the mercy of Allaahu subhanahu wa ta'aala? Why? Because of the greatness of his sin (worshipping other than Allaah).
Shaikh al-'Uthaimeen (rahimahullaah) explained in his explanation of Kitab ut-Tawheed the reason for this. | quote: |
Why? The reason is: in these other sins, such as fornication, there may be something in his own self that pushes this desire within him. So even though it is not justified, there is a desire in him for this type of relationship. The one who steals, it may be a love of wealth that pushes him to do it. The one who lies, it may be a fear of harm that may be inflicted upon him if he was to speak the truth. So all of these sins [outside of shirk], those who drink and all of these sins outside of shirk, there is something within our own selves - a love of something - that pushes us to do it.
As for shirk billaahi ta'aala, then there is nothing there. It does not fulfill an internal desire in any manner. It does not make sense because the worship of other than Allaah does not avail us in anything, nor does it gain us anything, nor is it cause for our supplication to be answered, nor is it cause for our harm to be removed, nor is it cause for us to gain what we are looking for. So there's nothing there that can justify shirk. There's nothing there that can justify a person worshipping other than Allaah, ascribing a partner to Allaah. There's nothing there! For this reason, Allaah says:
Verily, Allaah forgives not that partners should be set up with him in worship, but He forgives except that (anything else) to whom He pleases, and whoever sets up partners with Allaah in worship, he has indeed invented a tremendous sin. (An-Nisa 4:48)
Allaah will not forgive shirk (on the Day of Judgement). So the one who dies upon shirk, having not repented for that shirk, Allaahu subhanahu wa ta'aala will not forgive him. Hence it is obligatory to be upon the severest of awareness against the affairs of shirk with Allaah, ta'aala.
In another ayah, Allaahu (Jalla wa 'Ala) says:
Verily, whosoever sets up partners in worship with Allaah, then Allaah has forbidden Paradise for him, and the Fire will be his abode. And for the Dhaalimun (polytheists and wrongędoers) there are no helpers. (Al-Ma'idah 5:72) This means that Paradise is haraam, forbidden [to the one who dies upon shirk]. The taste of Jannah (Paradise) is forbidden, the smell of Jannah is forbidden, the water of Jannah is forbidden, the food of Jannah is forbidden to the one who dies upon ash-shirk.
This affair of shirk is so great that Allaah subhanahu wa ta'aala forbade the people of shirk to even approach the Haram. They are not even allowed in the Al-Masjid-al-Haraam because of the greatness of the sin upon which they are.
Allaah subhanahu wa ta'aala says:
Verily, the Mushrikun (polytheists, pagans, idolaters, disbelievers in the Oneness of Allaah, and in the Message of Muhammad) are Najasun (impure). So let them not come near Al-Masjid-al-Haraam (at Makkah) after this year. (At-Tawbah 9:28) So the only people who may enter it are Ahlul-Tawheed (people of Tawheed). |
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Then Shaikhul-Islaam brought the statement of Allaah regarding Khaleelul-Allaah Ibrahim ('alaihi salatu wa salaam), who made the following du'aa to Allaah:
...and keep me and my sons away from worshipping idols. (Ibrahim 14:35)
[That was the du'aa of] Khaleelul-Allaah. That Messenger who broke the idols with his own hand, and left his family and all that which he knew for the sake of Tawheed, and was ready to slaughter/sacrifice his only son for the sake of Allaah. [In this ayah], he was making du'aa:
...and keep me and my sons away from worshipping idols. (Ibrahim 14:35)
In other words, the Khaleelul-Allaah, Ibrahim, had a fear of shirk! He had a fear of shirk, and feared his children would fall into shirk. And his children were who? Isma'il and Ishaque ('alaihimi salaam).
So when he had turned away from them and from those whom they worshipped besides Allaah, We gave him Ishaque (Isaac) and Ya'qub (Jacob), and each one of them We made a Prophet. (Maryam 19:49) So Ibrahim's lineage is the lineage of Prophets. His two sons Isma'il and Ishaque ('alaihim-i salaam) were both Prophets. The son of Ishaque - Ya'qub ('alaihi salaatu wa salaam) - was also a Prophet. The son of Ya'qub - Yusuf - was also a Prophet. And here was Khaleelul-Allaah ('alaihi salaatu wa salaam) making a du'aa:
...and keep me and my sons away from worshipping idols. (Ibrahim 14:35)
Shaikh Saalih al-'Uthaimeen wrote: | quote: |
| So Ibrahim ('alaihim-i salaam) feared shirk for himself, and he was Khaleelur-Rahman and the Imam of those upon Tawheed. Then what about us? Why, then, do we not fear Shirk with Allaah? |
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And wallaahi, ya ikhwaan, we don't fear [shirk]. If we feared falling into shirk, we would spend our time learning the affair of shirk. This masjid, ya ikhwaan, would be full with people who desire to learn the affairs of at-Tawheed and the affairs of Shirk, because they feared it that much. Because they feared it that much.
The shaikh said, | quote: |
| "Don't consider yourself safe from shirk. Don't think that you are safe from nifaaq (hypocrisy). The only one who feels safe from being a munaafiq (hypocrite) is the munaafiq (hypocrite) himself." |
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Ibn Abi Mulayka said in a narration collected by Imam Bukhari: | quote: |
| "I met 30 companions of the Prophet (salallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam), each one feared being a hypocrite." |
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And likewise you had 'Umar ibn al-Khattab (radiallaahu 'anhu) who went to Hudhaifa ibn al-Yaman (radiallaahu 'anhu) - the companion whom the Prophet (salallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) used to tell the names of the hypocrite - and said to him, "Did the Messenger of Allaah salallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam mention my name with those whom he mentioned to you from the hypocrites?" 'Umar ibn al-Khattab (radiallaahu 'anhu), one who was given the glad tidings of Paradise, asked Hudhaifa ibn al-Yaman, "Did the Messenger of Allaah salallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam mention my name with those whom he mentioned to you from the hypocrites?"
This was the condition of the one who understands Tawheed and he understands Shirk. They never feel safe. Hudhaifa ibn al-Yaman (radiallaahu 'anhu), of course, answered in the negative.
Shaikh Fawzaan wrote: "This was the great status of Ibrahim ('alaihi salaam). He was the one who fought against shirk in his time. He was an Ummah all by himself. He broke the idols with his own hands. He faced many difficulties in his path of da'wah. He was thrown into the fire, and along with all of that he always feared that he himself would fall into shirk. This is the clearest of refutations of those who say, "There is no fear upon the Muslims that they shall fall into shirk after they have learned about it."
The Messenger of Allaah (salallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) said in a hadith narrated by Mahmoud ibn Labeed and collected by Imam Ahmad in his Al-Musnad: | quote: |
| What I fear for you the most is the minor shirk. So he was asked concerning it, so he said: 'ar-Riyaa` (showing off)." |
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Allaahu akbar! Showing off was the most feared affair upon this Ummah. The Messenger of Allaah (salallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) feared this more than anything else.
Imam Ibn Katheer (rahimahullaah) brought a narration. The Messenger of Allaah (salallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) said:] What I fear for you the most is the minor shirk. So he was asked concerning it, so he said: 'ar-Riyaa` (showing off)."
Allaah will say on the Day of Resurrection, when the people are rewarded or punished for their deeds, "Go to the one for whom you were showing off in the world, and see if you will find any reward with him."
It also comes on the authority of Abu Sa'eed al-Khudri (radiallaahu 'anhu) as it is collected by Imam Ahmad in his Musnad that one day the companions of the Prophet (salallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) were sitting and speaking about the ad-Dajjal - the same Dajjal from whose fitnah the Messenger of Allaah (salallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) commanded that we should seek refuge in Allaah from (in every salat*) - sincerely concerned about ad-Dajjal. Some of them were concerned that they might see him in their own lives. The Messenger of Allaah (salallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) heard them speaking about ad-Dajjal, and said: Should I not inform you what I fear more for you than Maseeh ad-Dajjal? They said: of course, oh Messenger of Allaah. He said: Hidden Shirk. That a person stands to establish the salat, then sees that someone is looking at him so he perfects the salat.
The Messenger of Allaah (salallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) deemed that more dangerous than Maseeh ad-Dajjal. In this is a lesson, ya ikhwaan, of the danger of shirk. And this is minor shirk. What then of major shirk?
You find, baarakAllaahu fikum, that when the Prophets ('alaihimi salaam) were upon their death beds they were not worried about anything other than [this matter of shirk]. And we already went over what the Prophet (salallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) warned against when he was on his death bed [he said: La'nat Allaahi 'alal yahoodi wa nasaara itaakhaadhu quboor anbiyaihim masaajid. Fala tatakhidhu. Fa inni anhaakum 'an dhaalik (The curse of Allaah be upon the Jews and Christians. They took the graves of their Prophets as places of worship. So do not take [my grave as a place of worship]. For verily, I am forbidding you from that.)]
So we find, baarakAllaahu fikum, not only the Messenger of Allaah (salallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) but we find that when other Prophets and Messengers ('alaihimi salatu wa salaam) were on their death beds and reaching old age, you found them concerned with the affair of Shirk billaahi ta'aala. So here you have, as Allaahu (subhanahu wa ta'aala) says in Surat al-Baqarah:
And this (submission to Allaah, Islam) was enjoined by Ibrahim (Abraham) upon his sons and by Ya'qub (Jacob), (saying), "O my sons! Allaah has chosen for you the (true) religion, then die not except in the Faith of Islam (as Muslims - Islamic Monotheism)." (Al-Baqarah 2:132)
Or were you witnesses when death approached Ya'qub (Jacob)? When he said unto his sons, "What will you worship after me?"... (Al-Baqarah 2:133) Ya'qub ('alaihi salaam) had 12 sons, and he was upon his death bed. He was not worried about their financial situation, he was not worried about their unity, or whom they will marry, or how they will divide his wealth. He was not worried about any of these things on his death bed. Lying upon his death bed, he said, "What will you worship after me?"
[They answered:]
...They said, "We shall worship your Ilah (Allaah), the Ilah of your fathers, Ibrahim (Abraham), Isma'il (Ishmael), Ishaque (Isaac), One Ilah, and to Him we submit (in Islam)." (Al-Baqarah 2:133)
This, ya ikhwaan, is the importance of this affair. And for this, [the author] chose these chapters to show you, baarakAllaahu fikum, that the Prophets ('alaihimu salatu wa salaam) - even upon their death beds - did not stop the call to at-Tawheed. They did not stop warning their people from the affair of shirk. Yet we find that we have come to a state - and, with great sorrow, we say (baarakAllaahu fikum) - that even some from amongst the Salafioon have left off these topics. They have left off the books of 'aqidah.
So you find them reading only the books of fiqh, or family issues - and we do not say (baarakAllaahu fikum) that these topics are not important or that they need to be ignored; we do not say this. They are important topics, but they cannot take the place of our classes, and lessons and books of Tawheed, and the books explaining the affairs of shirk.
In sha` Allaah, I want to end this talk (baarakAllaahu fikum) by, firstly, thanking the brothers for inviting me so that I can read to the brothers some benefits from the books of our mashayikh (scholars). In sha` Allaah to entice the brothers, baarakAllaahu fikum, to inhabit this masjid and to fill it with duroos (lessons) on Tawheed and lessons on the affairs of ash-shirk to make sure this is something we need to keep in our daily routines.
BaarakAllaahu fikum, none of knows when death will come to us. And to assure us that none of us is promised that death will come to us on this condition that we find ourselves in today. We should be diligent in learning these affairs. The brothers should be thankful to Allaah that they have a masjid that focuses on these affairs. So baarakAllaahu fikum, ya ikhwaan, do not let the whispers of the shayaatin from the ins (mankind) and jinn keep the brothers away from this masjid. The brothers have a dire need to fill this masjid, ya ikhwaan, with duroos on Tawheed, duroos on al-'Aqidah, and duroos on the affairs of shirk, and duroos on manhaj.
We end ya ikhwaan, baarakAllaahu fikum, by thanking the brothers for inviting us and for hosting us. In sha` Allaah, we end. We ask Allaah (Jalla wa 'Ala) to unite us upon at-Tawheed and to keep us from falling into shirk, and to unite us in Jannah.
[The khateeb ended by asking Allaah to send the salaam upon the Prophet, his family, and his companions, and by asking Allaah to bless the attendees.]
Click here for Audio from Troid, Al-Hamdulillaah
*[Allaahumma inni a'oodhubika min 'adhab al-jahannam wa min 'adhab al-qabr wa min fitnat al-mahya wal mamaat wa min fitnatil maseeh ad-dajjal, as comes in the Sahih of Imam Bukhari, that every Muslim should seek refuge in Allaah from these four matters - the punishment of the fire, the punishment of the grave, the trials of life and death, and the trial of Maseeh ad-Dajjal.] |
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Subhanak Allaahuma wa bihamdika ash-hadu anlaa illaaha illa anta astaghfiruka wa atubu ilayk
If I said anything correct, then it is from Allaah (subhanahu wa taa'ala), and if I erred, then that is from me and shaytan.
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| yasin3683
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ibn Ahmad Maher ibn Ahmad
(U.S.A.)
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Member
Posts: 950
Joined: Nov 2006
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Bismillaah Al-Hamdulillaah wa salatu wa salaamu 'ala rasulullaah
Amma ba'd
Fear of Shirk by Kashif Khan, who began by praising Allaah (subhanahu wa ta'aala) and then asking Allaah to send His salawaat (blessings) and salamaat (peace) upon the last and final Messenger Muhammad ibni 'Abdullaah (salallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam).
In sha` Allaah, we want to begin with the last chapter that we will be discussing from this book E'anat ul Mustafeed bi sharhee Kitaab-ut Tawheed (A Beneficial Aid in the Explanation of Kitaab-ut Tawheed). And the chapter, baarakAllaahu fikum (may Allaah bless you), that we want to discuss is the chapter that has been entitled by Shaikh ul-Islaam Muhammad ibn 'Abdul-Wahhab (rahimahullaah) Baab al-khawfu min ash-shirk (The Chapter of Fearing Shirk [Polytheism]). And up to this chapter, the shaikh spoke about Tawheed, and the divisions of Tawheed, and the conditions of La illaaha il Allaah, and what a person may attain by (the virtues of) establishing La illaaha il Allaah.
But when he reached this point, then he began to deal with the affairs of Shirk (polytheism), because it is not sufficient that we should only teach that which is good without making prohibition of that which is evil. So when Allaahu subhanahu wa ta'aala commands us to give da'wah, His command consists of both of these matters.
Let there arise out of you a group of people inviting to all that is good (Islam), enjoining Al-Ma'ruf (i.e. Islamic Monotheism and all that Islam orders one to do) and forbidding Al-Munkar (polytheism and disbelief and all that Islam has forbidden). And it is they who are the successful. (Aali Imran 3:104)
When Allaah subhanahu wa ta'aala sent the Messengers and the Prophets, He said:
And verily, We have sent among every Ummah (community, nation) a Messenger (proclaiming): "Worship Allaah (Alone), and avoid (or keep away from) Taghut (all false deities, etc. i.e. do not worship Taghut besides Allaah)." (An-Nahl 16:36)
So Allaah's commands consists of the both of them. The shahada Ash-hadu an la illaaha il Allaah is not established except through its two pillars - al ithbat (the affirmation of the Lordship of Allaahu subhanahu wa ta'aala, the affirmation that indeed only Allaah deserves worship, meaning the affirmation of the Uluhiya of Allaahu Jalla wa 'Ala) and along with that an-nafi (the negation of these rights to anyone other than Allaah subhanahu wa ta'aala).
Shaikh Saalih al-Fawzaan explained and said: | quote: |
| No one [from the created beings] knows the greatness of health except the one who has been sick. No one knows the greatness of light except the one who has resided in darkness. Only he knows the wealth of water the one who has been thirsty. Food is known by the one who has been hungry. The greatness of peace can only be known by the one who has lived in fear. So we say that the price of at-Tawheed, the greatness of Tawheed, the establishment of Tawheed is not known except by the one who knows shirk, who knows the affairs of the days of ignorance so that he may refrain from them, so that he may stay away from them, so that he may protect at-Tawheed. |
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Shaikh Saalih al-Fawzaan said: | quote: |
| This is a refutation upon those who falsely say, "there is no need for us to learn these false 'aqaaid (creeds, methodologies) or that we should refute the Mu'tazila and the Jahmiyyah. They have gone away. They are stories of the past. Rather, teach the people at-Tawheed and that is sufficient." Some of them even say, "Do not teach them Tawheed. These are children who have been born to Muslims. They have lived in the lands of the Muslims. But rather, teach them the affairs of this world. Teach them engineering and mathematics. Teach them these things and these will be beneficial to them. As for at-Tawheed, then this is something that is established in our fitrah. And this is not something we need to worry about." |
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For this reason, ya ikhwaan, we have chosen this chapter. Because not only is this chapter a refutation upon those who do not teach the affairs of at-Tawheed... Even in Salafi communities now, you find that many (especially in the United States) have "surpassed" these topics such that conferences are now no longer about Tawheed. Why? Because we understand it. We've spent the last 10 or 15 years speaking about Tawheed; we understand it. Such that every conference that you find now is on "family values," or "sabr (patience)," or "the affairs of women," "the affairs of men," "the affairs of marriage."
What they don't understand is: if you are having issues in your marriage, or if you are having issues with your women, if you are having issues with your men, if you are having issues with the family, this is because Tawheed is not established. If Tawheed was perfectly understood, then there would be no need for these random conferences for three days explaining to women why they need to cover, explaining the benefits of the hijab.
The women in the time of the Messenger of Allaah (salallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) did not a three-day conference to tell them the benefits of covering. They did not need to know the benefits of covering. What they needed to know was that Allaah and His Messenger (salallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) ordered them with this command and that they need to obey it. They need to say:
"We hear and we obey." (An-Nur 24:51)
You find, ya ikhwaan, baarakAllaahu fikum (may Allaah bless you), the apologists that we have from Ikhwanul Muslimeen and other than them, those who like to apologize for being Muslim. They have these world-wide conferences with thousands and thousands of people, inviting scientists and inviting this person and that person speaking about the evils of alcohol, how science says that alcohol is not good for you, or that pork is not good for you. Can we say, baarakAllaahu fikum ya ikhwaan wa khawaat (may Allaah bless you, brothers and sisters) indeed this is not going to suffice these people. It will not suffice the Muslims and it will not suffice the kufaar (disbelievers). Because at the end of this conference, the kaafir might say, "Okay, I just won't drink alcohol any more." It will not push him closer to Tawheed. So you will continuously find yourself in this circuit. And this was not the case in the time of the sahaaba (companions, radiallaahu 'anhum ajma'een). They were residing in al-Madinah, and they used to drink alcohol, but when they heard the caller in the street saying, Inallaaha wa rasulahu qad haram al-khamar (Indeed Allaah and His Messenger forbade alcohol), they spit out what was in their mouth, they put down their glasses, and they broke their jars. They did not need to know "the harms of alcohol." What they needed to know was what Allaah and His Messenger ordered them to do. And this was from the completion of their understanding of at-Tawheed, and their fear of falling into shirk.
It is befitting, ya ikhwaan, to read this section from what the shaikh said.
Shaikh Fawzaan said: | quote: |
| All of this is from the tricks of ash-shaytan (Satan). It is obligatory upon us that as we know the truth, we should also know that which is false so that we may act upon the truth and that we may refrain from that which is false. And for this reason, Shaikh-ul-Islaam Muhammad ibn 'Abdul-Wahhaab (rahimahullaah) mentioned shirk after mentioning Tawheed and after he mentioned the greatness of at-Tawheed. |
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When one reads this book, one will find that Shaikh Saalih al-Fawzaan refers back to the methodology in which Shaikh Muhammad ibn 'Abdul-Wahhaab (rahimahullaah) put this book together. And there is a lesson in the manner in which he put the book together. There are lessons to be learned not only from the ayaat and the ahadeeth included in Kitab at-Tawheed, but there are lessons to be learned by the manner in which the book is put together.
So for example, Shaikh-ul-Islaam Muhammad ibn 'Abdul-Wahhaab began the book with:
In the Name of Allaah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful
Then, he mentioned (the title of the book) "Kitab-ut Tawheed," and then said: the statement of Allaah ta'aala:
And I (Allaah) created not the jinns and humans except they should worship Me (Alone). (Adh-Dhariyat 51:56) Right from the beginning - the very first two sentences - Shaikh-ul-Islaam Muhammad ibn 'Abdul-Wahhaab refuted those who explained Tawheed with Rububiyah (Lordship) alone.
So [here is] Kitab at-Tawheed (the Book of Tawheed), and what is Tawheed?
The statement of Allaah ta'aala:
And I (Allaah) created not the jinns and humans except they should worship Me (Alone). (Adh-Dhariyat 51:56) So what is intended by Tawheed is the oneness of worship. That is how Tawheed is completed. It is not ar-Rububiyah (Lordship) by itself. So in this manner does Shaikh Saalih al-Fawzaan explain that after mentioning the explanation of at-Tawheed, the fadl (bounty, virtue) of Tawheed, the da'wah to Tawheed. After that did the shaikh begin explaining the affairs of shirk, and that the establishment of Tawheed is a great blessing. But the one who understands Tawheed, he will always fear the opposite of it. So he will strive in learning the opposite, gaining knowledge about shirk so that he may be aware of its branches and aware of the tricks of shaytan.
Shaikh Fawzaan said: | quote: |
| Today, there are many people who run away from learning these affairs, from learning Tawheed, from learning Shirk, from learning the doubts, from learning falsehood and this is because they are ignorant. This is either because of their ignorance (lack of knowledge) or they desire harm upon the Muslims. They desire to corrupt the 'aqidah of the Muslims. So we should be careful of this affair. We should learn the 'aqidah of the Mu'tazila, so that we may refute it. And do not listen to those who say, "to refute the Mu'tazila is like the one who throws rocks at graves." (They mean by that their 'aqidah is dead. So why continue to refute them?) SubhanAllaah! Yes they (the founders) have died, but their methodologies are still present. Their doubts are still present. Their books are still present. They are printed. They are printed - today! People spend wealth upon them, so it is obligatory that we should speak about these affairs of at-Tawheed. And these affairs of ash-shirk. |
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The first ayah that Shaikh-ul-Islaam Muhammad ibn 'Abdul-Wahhab (rahimahullaah) brought [regarding Shirk] is:
Verily, Allaah forgives not that partners should be set up with him in worship, but He forgives except that (anything else) to whom He pleases, and whoever sets up partners with Allaah in worship, he has indeed invented a tremendous sin. (An-Nisa 4:48)
What can be a greater warning than this ayah (verse)? This ayah shows the danger of shirk. Allaah does not forgive the mushrik (the one who worships other than Allaah) even though the mercy of Allaah expands everything. Even then, Allaah will not forgive the mushrik (on the Day of Judgement). The mushrik will not enter into the mercy of Allaahu subhanahu wa ta'aala? Why? Because of the greatness of his sin (worshipping other than Allaah).
Shaikh al-'Uthaimeen (rahimahullaah) explained in his explanation of Kitab ut-Tawheed the reason for this. | quote: |
Why? The reason is: in these other sins, such as fornication, there may be something in his own self that pushes this desire within him. So even though it is not justified, there is a desire in him for this type of relationship. The one who steals, it may be a love of wealth that pushes him to do it. The one who lies, it may be a fear of harm that may be inflicted upon him if he was to speak the truth. So all of these sins [outside of shirk], those who drink and all of these sins outside of shirk, there is something within our own selves - a love of something - that pushes us to do it.
As for shirk billaahi ta'aala, then there is nothing there. It does not fulfill an internal desire in any manner. It does not make sense because the worship of other than Allaah does not avail us in anything, nor does it gain us anything, nor is it cause for our supplication to be answered, nor is it cause for our harm to be removed, nor is it cause for us to gain what we are looking for. So there's nothing there that can justify shirk. There's nothing there that can justify a person worshipping other than Allaah, ascribing a partner to Allaah. There's nothing there! For this reason, Allaah says:
Verily, Allaah forgives not that partners should be set up with him in worship, but He forgives except that (anything else) to whom He pleases, and whoever sets up partners with Allaah in worship, he has indeed invented a tremendous sin. (An-Nisa 4:48)
Allaah will not forgive shirk (on the Day of Judgement). So the one who dies upon shirk, having not repented for that shirk, Allaahu subhanahu wa ta'aala will not forgive him. Hence it is obligatory to be upon the severest of awareness against the affairs of shirk with Allaah, ta'aala.
In another ayah, Allaahu (Jalla wa 'Ala) says:
Verily, whosoever sets up partners in worship with Allaah, then Allaah has forbidden Paradise for him, and the Fire will be his abode. And for the Dhaalimun (polytheists and wrongędoers) there are no helpers. (Al-Ma'idah 5:72) This means that Paradise is haraam, forbidden [to the one who dies upon shirk]. The taste of Jannah (Paradise) is forbidden, the smell of Jannah is forbidden, the water of Jannah is forbidden, the food of Jannah is forbidden to the one who dies upon ash-shirk.
This affair of shirk is so great that Allaah subhanahu wa ta'aala forbade the people of shirk to even approach the Haram. They are not even allowed in the Al-Masjid-al-Haraam because of the greatness of the sin upon which they are.
Allaah subhanahu wa ta'aala says:
Verily, the Mushrikun (polytheists, pagans, idolaters, disbelievers in the Oneness of Allaah, and in the Message of Muhammad) are Najasun (impure). So let them not come near Al-Masjid-al-Haraam (at Makkah) after this year. (At-Tawbah 9:28) So the only people who may enter it are Ahlul-Tawheed (people of Tawheed). |
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Then Shaikhul-Islaam brought the statement of Allaah regarding Khaleelul-Allaah Ibrahim ('alaihi salatu wa salaam), who made the following du'aa to Allaah:
...and keep me and my sons away from worshipping idols. (Ibrahim 14:35)
[That was the du'aa of] Khaleelul-Allaah. That Messenger who broke the idols with his own hand, and left his family and all that which he knew for the sake of Tawheed, and was ready to slaughter/sacrifice his only son for the sake of Allaah. [In this ayah], he was making du'aa:
...and keep me and my sons away from worshipping idols. (Ibrahim 14:35)
In other words, the Khaleelul-Allaah, Ibrahim, had a fear of shirk! He had a fear of shirk, and feared his children would fall into shirk. And his children were who? Isma'il and Ishaque ('alaihimi salaam).
So when he had turned away from them and from those whom they worshipped besides Allaah, We gave him Ishaque (Isaac) and Ya'qub (Jacob), and each one of them We made a Prophet. (Maryam 19:49) So Ibrahim's lineage is the lineage of Prophets. His two sons Isma'il and Ishaque ('alaihim-i salaam) were both Prophets. The son of Ishaque - Ya'qub ('alaihi salaatu wa salaam) - was also a Prophet. The son of Ya'qub - Yusuf - was also a Prophet. And here was Khaleelul-Allaah ('alaihi salaatu wa salaam) making a du'aa:
...and keep me and my sons away from worshipping idols. (Ibrahim 14:35)
Shaikh Saalih al-'Uthaimeen wrote: | quote: |
| So Ibrahim ('alaihim-i salaam) feared shirk for himself, and he was Khaleelur-Rahman and the Imam of those upon Tawheed. Then what about us? Why, then, do we not fear Shirk with Allaah? |
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And wallaahi, ya ikhwaan, we don't fear [shirk]. If we feared falling into shirk, we would spend our time learning the affair of shirk. This masjid, ya ikhwaan, would be full with people who desire to learn the affairs of at-Tawheed and the affairs of Shirk, because they feared it that much. Because they feared it that much.
The shaikh said, | quote: |
| "Don't consider yourself safe from shirk. Don't think that you are safe from nifaaq (hypocrisy). The only one who feels safe from being a munaafiq (hypocrite) is the munaafiq (hypocrite) himself." |
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Ibn Abi Mulayka said in a narration collected by Imam Bukhari: | quote: |
| "I met 30 companions of the Prophet (salallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam), each one feared being a hypocrite." |
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And likewise you had 'Umar ibn al-Khattab (radiallaahu 'anhu) who went to Hudhaifa ibn al-Yaman (radiallaahu 'anhu) - the companion whom the Prophet (salallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) used to tell the names of the hypocrite - and said to him, "Did the Messenger of Allaah salallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam mention my name with those whom he mentioned to you from the hypocrites?" 'Umar ibn al-Khattab (radiallaahu 'anhu), one who was given the glad tidings of Paradise, asked Hudhaifa ibn al-Yaman, "Did the Messenger of Allaah salallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam mention my name with those whom he mentioned to you from the hypocrites?"
This was the condition of the one who understands Tawheed and he understands Shirk. They never feel safe. Hudhaifa ibn al-Yaman (radiallaahu 'anhu), of course, answered in the negative.
Shaikh Fawzaan wrote: "This was the great status of Ibrahim ('alaihi salaam). He was the one who fought against shirk in his time. He was an Ummah all by himself. He broke the idols with his own hands. He faced many difficulties in his path of da'wah. He was thrown into the fire, and along with all of that he always feared that he himself would fall into shirk. This is the clearest of refutations of those who say, "There is no fear upon the Muslims that they shall fall into shirk after they have learned about it."
The Messenger of Allaah (salallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) said in a hadith narrated by Mahmoud ibn Labeed and collected by Imam Ahmad in his Al-Musnad: | quote: |
| What I fear for you the most is the minor shirk. So he was asked concerning it, so he said: 'ar-Riyaa` (showing off)." |
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Allaahu akbar! Showing off was the most feared affair upon this Ummah. The Messenger of Allaah (salallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) feared this more than anything else.
Imam Ibn Katheer (rahimahullaah) brought a narration. The Messenger of Allaah (salallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) said:] What I fear for you the most is the minor shirk. So he was asked concerning it, so he said: 'ar-Riyaa` (showing off)."
Allaah will say on the Day of Resurrection, when the people are rewarded or punished for their deeds, "Go to the one for whom you were showing off in the world, and see if you will find any reward with him."
It also comes on the authority of Abu Sa'eed al-Khudri (radiallaahu 'anhu) as it is collected by Imam Ahmad in his Musnad that one day the companions of the Prophet (salallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) were sitting and speaking about the ad-Dajjal - the same Dajjal from whose fitnah the Messenger of Allaah (salallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) commanded that we should seek refuge in Allaah from (in every salat*) - sincerely concerned about ad-Dajjal. Some of them were concerned that they might see him in their own lives. The Messenger of Allaah (salallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) heard them speaking about ad-Dajjal, and said: Should I not inform you what I fear more for you than Maseeh ad-Dajjal? They said: of course, oh Messenger of Allaah. He said: Hidden Shirk. That a person stands to establish the salat, then sees that someone is looking at him so he perfects the salat.
The Messenger of Allaah (salallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) deemed that more dangerous than Maseeh ad-Dajjal. In this is a lesson, ya ikhwaan, of the danger of shirk. And this is minor shirk. What then of major shirk?
You find, baarakAllaahu fikum, that when the Prophets ('alaihimi salaam) were upon their death beds they were not worried about anything other than [this matter of shirk]. And we already went over what the Prophet (salallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) warned against when he was on his death bed [he said: La'nat Allaahi 'alal yahoodi wa nasaara itaakhaadhu quboor anbiyaihim masaajid. Fala tatakhidhu. Fa inni anhaakum 'an dhaalik (The curse of Allaah be upon the Jews and Christians. They took the graves of their Prophets as places of worship. So do not take [my grave as a place of worship]. For verily, I am forbidding you from that.)]
So we find, baarakAllaahu fikum, not only the Messenger of Allaah (salallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) but we find that when other Prophets and Messengers ('alaihimi salatu wa salaam) were on their death beds and reaching old age, you found them concerned with the affair of Shirk billaahi ta'aala. So here you have, as Allaahu (subhanahu wa ta'aala) says in Surat al-Baqarah:
And this (submission to Allaah, Islam) was enjoined by Ibrahim (Abraham) upon his sons and by Ya'qub (Jacob), (saying), "O my sons! Allaah has chosen for you the (true) religion, then die not except in the Faith of Islam (as Muslims - Islamic Monotheism)." (Al-Baqarah 2:132)
Or were you witnesses when death approached Ya'qub (Jacob)? When he said unto his sons, "What will you worship after me?"... (Al-Baqarah 2:133) Ya'qub ('alaihi salaam) had 12 sons, and he was upon his death bed. He was not worried about their financial situation, he was not worried about their unity, or whom they will marry, or how they will divide his wealth. He was not worried about any of these things on his death bed. Lying upon his death bed, he said, "What will you worship after me?"
[They answered:]
...They said, "We shall worship your Ilah (Allaah), the Ilah of your fathers, Ibrahim (Abraham), Isma'il (Ishmael), Ishaque (Isaac), One Ilah, and to Him we submit (in Islam)." (Al-Baqarah 2:133)
This, ya ikhwaan, is the importance of this affair. And for this, [the author] chose these chapters to show you, baarakAllaahu fikum, that the Prophets ('alaihimu salatu wa salaam) - even upon their death beds - did not stop the call to at-Tawheed. They did not stop warning their people from the affair of shirk. Yet we find that we have come to a state - and, with great sorrow, we say (baarakAllaahu fikum) - that even some from amongst the Salafioon have left off these topics. They have left off the books of 'aqidah.
So you find them reading only the books of fiqh, or family issues - and we do not say (baarakAllaahu fikum) that these topics are not important or that they need to be ignored; we do not say this. They are important topics, but they cannot take the place of our classes, and lessons and books of Tawheed, and the books explaining the affairs of shirk.
In sha` Allaah, I want to end this talk (baarakAllaahu fikum) by, firstly, thanking the brothers for inviting me so that I can read to the brothers some benefits from the books of our mashayikh (scholars). In sha` Allaah to entice the brothers, baarakAllaahu fikum, to inhabit this masjid and to fill it with duroos (lessons) on Tawheed and lessons on the affairs of ash-shirk to make sure this is something we need to keep in our daily routines.
BaarakAllaahu fikum, none of knows when death will come to us. And to assure us that none of us is promised that death will come to us on this condition that we find ourselves in today. We should be diligent in learning these affairs. The brothers should be thankful to Allaah that they have a masjid that focuses on these affairs. So baarakAllaahu fikum, ya ikhwaan, do not let the whispers of the shayaatin from the ins (mankind) and jinn keep the brothers away from this masjid. The brothers have a dire need to fill this masjid, ya ikhwaan, with duroos on Tawheed, duroos on al-'Aqidah, and duroos on the affairs of shirk, and duroos on manhaj.
We end ya ikhwaan, baarakAllaahu fikum, by thanking the brothers for inviting us and for hosting us. In sha` Allaah, we end. We ask Allaah (Jalla wa 'Ala) to unite us upon at-Tawheed and to keep us from falling into shirk, and to unite us in Jannah.
[The khateeb ended by asking Allaah to send the salaam upon the Prophet, his family, and his companions, and by asking Allaah to bless the attendees.]
Click here for Audio from Troid, Al-Hamdulillaah
*[Allaahumma inni a'oodhubika min 'adhab al-jahannam wa min 'adhab al-qabr wa min fitnat al-mahya wal mamaat wa min fitnatil maseeh ad-dajjal, as comes in the Sahih of Imam Bukhari, that every Muslim should seek refuge in Allaah from these four matters - the punishment of the fire, the punishment of the grave, the trials of life and death, and the trial of Maseeh ad-Dajjal.] |
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Subhanak Allaahuma wa bihamdika ash-hadu anlaa illaaha illa anta astaghfiruka wa atubu ilayk
If I said anything correct, then it is from Allaah (subhanahu wa taa'ala), and if I erred, then that is from me and shaytan.
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19-03-2010 @ 7:17 PM
