15: Concerning The Speech of Allaah And Questioning the Attributes

No one says about the attributes of the Lord, the Most High, 'Why?' except one who doubts about Allaah, the Blessed and Most High. The Qur'aan is the Speech of Allaah, His Revelation and Light. It is not created, since the Qur'aan is from Allaah and that which is from Allaah is not created. This was what Maalik ibn Anas, Ahmad ibn Hanbal and the Scholars before and after them said and debating about it is disbelief.[1]

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NOTES

1. The Qur'aan is the Speech of Allaah, hence it is an attribute of Allaah. All of Allaah's attributes have been with Him eternally.

Imaam Maalik said, "The Qur'aan is the speech of Allaah. It is not created." Reported by al-Laalikaa'ee in Sharh Usool I'tiqaad Ahl is-Sunnah (no.414).

Imaam Ahmad ibn Hanbal was asked about the one who says that the Qur'aan was created, so he said, "(He is) a disbeliever." Reported by al-Laalikaa'ee in Sharh Usool I'tiqaad Ahl is-Sunnah (no.449).

14: Allaah is The First and the Last And His Knowledge Encompasses Everything

Our Lord(1) is the First without any 'when' and the Last without any end. He knows what is secret and what is more hidden. He ascended over His 'Arsh (Throne) and His knowledge is in every place and no place is free of His knowledge.

NOTES:

Lord: The actual word used in the Qur'aan is Rabb. There is no proper equivalent for Rabb in the English language. It means the One and the Only Lord for all the universe, its Creator, Owner, Organizer, Provider, Master, Planner, Sustainer, Cherisher, and Giver of security. Rabb is also one of the Names of Allaah.

13: Speculative Speech About Allaah Is A Heretical Innovation

May Allaah have mercy upon you! Know that speculative speech about the Lord, the Most High, is a newly invented matter and is an innovation and misguidance. Nothing is to be said about the Lord except what He, the Mighty and Majestic, described Himself with in the Qur'aan and what the Messenger of Allaah (saws) explained to his Companions. So, He, the Mighty, is One:

"There is nothing like Him and He is the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing".[1]

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NOTES

1. Soorah ash-Shoora (42):11

12: Censure of Debating and Arguing

Debating, arguing and disputing are innovations which throw doubt into the heart, even if the person reaches the truth and the Sunnah[1].

NOTES

1. Allaah, the Most High says:
"None dispute about the signs of Allaah, except those who disbelieve." (Soorah Ghaafir 40:4)
At-Tirmidhee reports a hasan hadeeth from Abu Umaamah, who said: "Allaah's Messenger (saws) said, "A people never went astray after being upon guidance except through disputation."

Then Allaah's Messenger (saws) recited this Ayah :
"This they set forth to you, only by way of argument. Nay, but they are a contentious people." (Soorah az-Zukhruf 43:58)

Al-Aajurree reports in ash-Sharee'ah (p.57) that a man came to al-Hasan (al-Basree) and said, "O Abu Sa'eed! Let me debate with you about the Religion." Al-Hasan replied, "As for me, I know my religion, If you have lost your Religion then go and look for it."
'Umar ibn 'Abdul-'Azeez, rahimahullaah, said, "He who allows his Religion to be open to disputing will frequently change over." See Jaami' Bayaanil 'Ilm (2/113)

11: There Are No Analogies For The Sunnah

May Allaah have mercy upon you! Know that the Sunnah is not a matter for analogies or reasoning with examples, and desires are not to be followed in it. Rather, it is just a case of affirming the narrations from Allaah's Messenger (sallallaahu alaihi wasallam), without asking how, explaining or saying: 'Why?' or 'How?'

10: Islam is Complete and Requires Only Submission

May Allah have mercy upon you! Know that a servant's Islaam is not complete until he follows, attests to and submits to (the truth). So anyone who claims that there remains anything from Islaam not sufficiently explained by the Companions of Allaah's Messenger, has falsely accused them, has split from them and spoken ill of them. He is an innovator, astray and leading others astray, introducing into Islaam that which is not from it.[1]

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NOTES

1. Ibn Mas'ood, radiallaahu 'anhu, described the Companions of the Messenger of Allaah (saws) saying, "Allaah looked into the hearts of the servants and found the heart of Muhammad (saws) to be the best of hearts, so He chose him for Himself and sent with him His Revelation, then He looked into the hearts of the servants after the heart of Muhammad (saws) and found the hearts of his Companions to be the best of the hearts of the servants, so He made them the helpers of His Prophet, fighting for His Religion. So that which the Muslims hold to be good is good with Allaah and that which they hold to be bad is bad with Allaah." Reported in the Musnad of Imaam Ahmad(1/379) and declared hasan by Shaikh al-Albaanee in ad-Da'eefah(2/17).

9: The Two Ways to Leave the Straight Path

Know that leaving the correct path occurs in two ways. Firstly : that a man strays from the correct path intending nothing but good, so his error is not to be followed since it leads to destruction. (Secondly), a man who deliberately opposes the truth and acts contrary to the Pious ones who came before him, he is astray, leading others astray, a rebellious devil within the Ummah. It is a duty upon those who know of him to warn the people against him and to explain his condition to them so that no one falls into his innovation and is destroyed.

8: Care With Respect to the Affairs of Knowledge and Religion

May Allaah have mercy upon you! Examine carefully the speech of everyone you hear from in your time particularly. So do not act in haste and do not enter into anything from it until you ask and see: Did any of the Companions of the Prophet (saws) speak about it or any of the scholars? So if you find a narration from them about it, cling to it, do not go beyond it for anything[1] and do not give precedence to anything over it and thus fall into the Fire.

NOTES

1. Imaam al-Awzaa'ee, rahimahullaah, said, "Knowledge is what comes from the Companions of Muhammad (saws) and that which does not come from a single one of them is not knowledge". Refer to Jaami 'Bayaanil - 'Ilm of Ibn 'Abdul Barr (2/36).

7: All Major Innovations and Deviations Begin Small and Insignificant

Beware of small innovations because they grow until they become large.[1]
This is the case with every innovation introduced in this Ummah. It began as something small, bearing resemblance to the truth which is why those who entered it were mislead and then were unable to leave it. So it grew and became the religion which they followed and thus deviated from the Straight Path and left Islaam.[2]


NOTES

1. A striking example of how small innovations lead a person into committing major innovations is found in the narration reported by ad-Daarimee in his Sunan (1/79):
'Amr ibn Salmah said: We used to sit by the door of 'Abdullah ibn Mas'ood before the Morning Prayer, so that when he came out we would walk with him to the mosque. (one day) Abu Moosaa al-Ash'aree came to us and said, "Has Abu 'Abd ar-Rahmaan come out yet?" We replied, "No." So he sat down with us until he came out. When he came out, we all stood along with him, so Abu Moosaa said to him, "O Abu 'Abd ar-Rahmaan! I have just seen something in the mosque which I deemed to be evil, but all praise is for Allaah, I did not see anything except good." He enquired, "Then what is it?" (Abu Moosaa) replied, "If you live you will see it. I saw in the mosque people sitting in circles awaiting the Prayer. In each circle they had pebbles in their hands and a man would say 'repeat Allaahu Akbar a hundred times.' So they would repeat it a hundred times. Then he would say, 'say Laa ilaaha illallaah a hundred times.' So they would say it a hundred times. Then he would say, 'say Subhaanallaah a hundred times.' So they would say it a hundred times." (Ibn Mas'ood) asked, "What did you say to them?" (Abu Moosaa) said, "I did not say anything to them. Instead I waited to hear you view or what you declared." (Ibn Mas'ood) replied, "Would that you had ordered them to count up the evil deeds they acquired and assured them that their good deeds would not be lost!" Then we went along with him (Ibn Mas'ood) until he came to one of these circles and stood and said, "What is this which I see you doing?" They replied, "O Abu 'Abd ar-Rahmaan! These are pebbles upon which we are counting takbeer, tahleel and tasbeeh." He said, "Count up your evil deeds. I assure you that none of your good deeds will be lost. Woe to you, O Ummah of Muhammad (saws)! How quickly you go to destruction! These are the Companions of your Prophet and who are widespread. There are his clothes which have not yet decayed and his bowl which is unbroken. By Him in Whose Hand is my soul! Either you are upon a Religion better guided than the Religion of Muhammad (saws) or that you are opening the door of misguidance." They said, "O Abu 'Abd ar-Rahmaan! By Allaah, we only intended good." He said, "How many there are who intend good but do not achieve it. Indeed Allaah's Messenger said to us 'A people will recite the Qur'aan but it will not pass beyound their throats.' By Allah! I do not know, perhaps most of them are from you." Then he left them.
Umar ibn Salmah (the sub-narrator) said: We saw most of those peope fighting against us on the day of Nahrawaan, along with the Khawaarij.
Authenticated by Sh. Saleem al-Hilaalee in al-Bid'ah (pp. 26-29).

2. The scholars differentiate between those innovations which take a person outside the fold of Islaam (al-Bid'atul-Mukaffirah) and those which do not. So this is not to be understood unrestrictedly.

6: All Innovation (in the Religion) is Misguidance

Know that the people never introduce an innovation until they abandon its like from the Sunnah[1] So, beware of newly invented matters, since every newly invented matter is an innovation and every innovation is misguidance and misguidance and its people are in the Fire.


NOTES

1. Hassan ibn 'Atiyyah, rahimahullaah, said,"A people never introduce an innovation into their Religion except that Allaah takes away its like from their Sunnah and then does not restore it to them until the Day of Resurrection." Reported by ad-Daarimee and declared saheeh by Shaikh al-Albaanee in al-Mishkaat (1/66/no.188).

5: Adhering to the Understanding of the Companions

May Allaah have mercy upon you. Know that the Religion is what came from Allaah, the Blessed and Most High. It is not something left to the intellect and opinions of men. Knowledge it is what comes from Allaah and His Messenger, so do not follow anything based upon your desires and so deviate away from the Religion and leave Islaam. There will be no excuse for you since Allaah's Messenger explained the Sunnah to his Ummah and made it clear to his Companions and they are the Jamaa'ah, and they are the Main Body (as-Sawaad ul-A'dham), and the Main Body is the truth and its followers.[1]

So he who contradicts the Companions of Allaah's Messenger sallallahu alaihiwasallam in any of the affairs of the Religion, then he has fallen into disbelief.[2]

NOTES

1. lmaam Ahmad reports in his Musnad (4/278) with hasan isnaad narration of Nu'maan ibn Basheer: Abu Umaamah al-Baahilee, radiallaahu 'anhu, said, "Stick to the main body (as-Sawaadul - a'dham), so a man said, "What is the 'Main Body'? So Abu Umaamah said,'This Ayah(54) in Soorah an-Noor:

"But if you turn away,he Muhammad is only responsible for the duty placed on him and you for that placed on you."

Ibn Mas'ood, radiallahu 'anhu, said,"The Jamaa'ah is what conforms to the truth, even if you are alone." Reported by Ibn'Asaakir in Taareekh Dimashq with a saheeh isnaad as pointed out by Shaikh al-Albaanee in al-Mishkaat (1/61).

2. Allaah, the Most High, did not only warn against opposing His Messenger sallallahu alaihiwasallam, but also warned against the following of any way other than that of the first Believers: the Companions, radiallaahu 'anhum, amongst whom the Qur'aan was sent down and who learned directly from the Messenger sallallahu alaihiwasallam. Allaah, the Most High says:

If anyone contends with the Messenger even after guidance has been plainly conveyed to him and follows a path other than that of the Believers (i.e. the Companions), We shall leave him in the path he has chosen and land him in Hell. What an evil refuge! (Surah an-Nisaa' (4):115)

So he who totally abandons their way and instead follows the way of the devils, like the extreme Raafidess, Baatinees and the extreme Soofees who worship others besides Allaah, then he has left the religion.

4: All The Affairs Have Been Made Clear By the Sunnah and Jamaa'ah

'Umar ibn al-Khattaab, rahimahullaah, said, "There is no excuse for anyone going astray thinking that he is upon guidance. Nor for abandoning guidance thinking it to be misguidance, since the affairs have been made clear, the proof established[1] and the excuse cut off."[2] That is because the Sunnah and the Jamaa'ah have consolidated and safeguarded all of the Religion. It has been made clear to the people, so it is upon the people to comply and follow.[3]


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NOTES
1. Al-'Irbaad ibn Saariyah, radiallaahu'anhu, reports that the Prophet said, ".... I have left you upon clear guidance. Its night is like its day. No one deviates from it after me except that he is destroyed." Reported by Ahmad, Ibn Maajah (no. 43) and al-Haakim. It is declared saheeh by Shaikh al-Albaanee in as-Saheehah (no. 937).

2. Reported by Ibn Battah in, al-lbaantul-Kubraa (no. 162) by way of Awzaa'ee that it reached him that 'Umar ibn al-Khattaab said it. However, its chain is munqati' (disconnected).

Al-Marwazee reports in as-Sunnah (no. 95) that 'Umar ibn 'Abd Allah-'Azeez said, "There is no excuse for anyone, after the Sunnah, to be misguided upon error which he thought was guidance."

3.'Abdullaah ibn Mas'ood radiallaahu 'anhu, said, "Follow and do not innovate, for you have been given that which is sufficient and every innovation is misguidance." Reported by Abu Khaithamah in Kitaab Ul-'Ilm (no. 540) and declared saheeh by Shaikh al-Albaanee.

3: The Companions Are The Foundation of the Jamaa'ah

3: The Companions Are The Foundation of the Jamaa'ah


The foundation upon which the Jamaa'ah is built is the Companions of Muhammad May Allaah's Mercy be upon them all. They are Ahl us-Sunnah wal-Jamaa'ah,[1] so whoever does not take from them has gone astray and innovated[2] and every innovation is misguidance, and misguidance and its People are in the Fire.[3]


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NOTES
1. As is shown by the hadeeth of at-Tirmidhee (no. 2641): 'Abdullaah ibn 'Amr said: The Messenger of Allaah said,"What happened to the Children of lsraa'eel will happen with my Ummah, just as one shoe resembles the other, to the point that if one of them had intercourse with his mother openly, there would be someone who did that in my Ummah. The Children of Israa'eel split into seventy two sects and my Ummah will split into seventy three sects, all of which are in the Fire except one sect." They asked, "Which is that one, 0 Messenger of Allaah?" He replied, "That which I and my Companions are upon." Declared hasan by Shaikh al-Albaanee.

2. It is authentically reported that Allaah's Messenger said,"Stick to my Sunnah and the Sunnah of the rightly guided Caliphs after me, cling to that with your molar teeth and beware of new matters, for every innovation is misguidance." Reported by Ahmad, Abu Daawood (Eng. trans. 3/1294/no.4590), at-Tirmidhee (no. 2676), Ibn Maajah (no. 42), ad-Daarimee (no. 96) and Ibn Abee 'Aasim in as-Sunnah (no. 54). Shaikh al-Albaanee declares, "Its isnaad is saheeh, its narrators reliable."

3. Jaabir, radiallaahu'anhu, reports that the Prophet would say in his khutbah, "... The most truthful speech is the Book of Allaah. The best way is the way of Muhammad. The worst of affairs are the novelties and every novelty is an innovation and every innovation is misguidance and every misguidance is in the Fire." Reported by an-Nasaa'ee (3/188). It is declared saheeh by Shaikh al-Albaanee in Saheeh Sunan in-Nasaa'ee (no. 1487).

Abu Shaamah (d.665H) said,"The order to stick to the Jamaa'ah means sticking to the truth and its followers; even if those who stick to the truth are few and those who oppose it are many; since the truth is that which the first Jamaa'ah from the time of the Prophet and his Companions, radiallaahu 'anhum, were upon. No attention is given to the great number of the people of futility coming after them." (Al-Baa'ith 'alal-Bida'h wal-Huwaadith, p.l9).

2: From the Sunnah is Clinging to the Jamaa'ah

From the Sunnah is clinging to the Jamaa'ah.[1] Whoever desires other than the Jamaa'ah and departs from it then he has thrown off the yoke of Islaam from his neck and he is astray, leading others astray.[2]

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NOTES
1. 'Umar, radiallaahu' anhu reports that the Prophet said, "Stick to the Jamaa'ah and beware of splitting, for Shaitaan is found along with the single person but is further from two. Whoever desires the centre of Paradise then let him stick to the Jamaa'ah. He whose good deed pleases him and his evil deed causes him to feel bad then he is a believer." Reported by Ahmad (1/18), at-Tirmidhee (no. 2165) al-Haakim (1/114) and is declared saheeh by Shaikh al-Albaanee in as-Saheehah (no. 1116).

Anas, radiallaahu 'anhu, reports that the Prophet said, "Indeed the Children of Israa'eel divided into seventy one sects and my Ummah will divide into seventy two sects, all of them will be in the fire except one and that is the Jamaa'ah." Reported by Ibn Maajah (no. 3993) and declared saheeh by Shaikh al-Albaanee.

2. Alluding to the hadith of Ibn 'Abbaas, radiallaahu 'anhummaa, who said: Allaah's Messenger said,"He who sees from his ruler something he dislikes, let him be patient with him, for he who splits away from the Jamaa'ah by a handspan and then dies, dies a death of Jaahiliyyah" and in a narration, "then he has thrown off the yoke of Islaam from his neck." Reported by al-Bukhaaree (trans. 9/145), Muslim and Ahmad and the other narration by at-Tirmidhee (no. 2867) and Ahmad (4/130). Refer to Sharh ul-'Aqeedat-Tahaawiyyah (379-382), checked by Shaikh Naasir ud-deen al-Albaanee.

1: The Sunnah is Islaam and Islaam is the Sunnah

Imaam al-Barbahaari (rahimahullaah) said:

All praise is for Allaah who guided us to Islaam and blessed us with it and placed us in the best nation, so we ask Him to grant us that we keep to that which He loves and is pleased with and avoid that which He hates and which angers Him.

Know that Islam is the Sunnah, and the Sunnah is Islaam[1] and one of them cannot be established without the other.


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NOTES

1. The Prophet said, "He who turns away from my Sunnah is not from me." Reported by al-Bukhaaree (Eng. trans. 7/1-2/no.l), Muslim (Eng. Trans. 2/703/n0.3236) and an-Nasaa'ee.

Abu Hurairah said that Allaah's Messenger said, "All of my Ummah will enter Paradise except those who refuse." It was said, "Who will refuse?" He replied. "Whoever obeys me enters Paradise and whoever disobeys me has refused." Reported by al-Bukhaaree (Eng. trans. 9/284/n0.384).

Imaam az-Zuhree (the famous taabi'ee, d.124H) said,"The people of knowledge who came before us used to say,'Salvation lies in clinging to the Sunnah.'" Reported by ad-Daarimee in his Sunan (no.96).

Imaam Maalik said,"The Sunnah is like the Ark of Noah. Whoever embarks upon it reaches salvation and whoever refuses is drowned." Quoted by Shaikh ul-Islaam Ibn Taimiyyah in Majmoo' ul-fataawaa (4/57).