Mistakes in `Aqidah
From `Abdul-`Aziz ibn `Abdullah ibn Baz to those who might receive it among the Muslims,
may Allah guide them to what pleases Him and grant them more knowledge and Iman (Faith)! Amen.
As-salamu `alaykum warahmatullah wabarakatuh (May Allah's Peace, Mercy, and Blessings be upon you!)
I was told that many people commit mistakes in `Aqidah (creed). They might think that certain things are acts of Sunnah (whatever is reported from the Prophet), whereas they are Bida` (innovations in the religion), including denying Allah's highness and Istiwa' (Allah's rising over the Throne in a manner that befits Him). It is known that Allah (Glorified be He) mentioned this in His Glorious Book in His saying, Indeed, your Lord is Allâh, Who created the heavens and the earth in Six Days, and then He rose over (Istawâ) the Throne (really in a manner that suits His Majesty).This was mentioned in seven Ayahs (Qur'anic verses) in the Qur'an, including this one. When Malik (may Allah be merciful to him) was asked about this, he said, "Istiwa' is known; its manner is unknown; and believing in it is Wajib (obligatory)." Other scholars of the Salaf (righteous predecessors) said the same.
Linguistically, Istiwa' means superiority and highness. Allah (Glorified be He) says, So the judgement is only with Allâh, the Most High, the Most Great! He (Glorified be He) also says, ...and He feels no fatigue in guarding and preserving them. And He is the Most High, the Most Great.He (Glorified and Exalted be He) also says, To Him ascend (all) the goodly words, and the righteous deeds exalt them (i.e. the goodly words are not accepted by Allâh unless and until they are followed by good deeds)There are a number of Ayahs that indicate His Highness and that He (Glorified be He) is above the `Arsh (Allah’s Throne). This is the opinion adopted by Ahl-ul-Sunnah wal-Jama`ah (adherents to the Sunnah and the Muslim mainstream) among the Sahabah (Companions of the Prophet) and others.
(Part No. 8; Page No. 29)
Thus, we should believe in this and warn people against believing otherwise.
Another example is building Masjids (mosques) over the graves, offering Salah (Prayer) in them and building domes over them. All these are means leading to Shirk (associating others with Allah in His Divinity or worship). The Prophet (peace be upon him) cursed the Jews and the Christians for this. He also warned against it in his saying, May Allah curse the Jews and the Christians; they turned the graves of their prophets into places of `Ibadah (worship). (Agreed upon by Imams Al-Bukhari and Muslim). The Prophet (peace be upon him) also said, Beware of those who preceded you and used to turn the graves of their prophets and righteous people as places of `Ibadah. You must not turn graves into Masjids; I forbid you to do that.Related by Muslim in his Sahih (authentic) Book of Hadith and narrated by Jundub. It is also related by Muslim in his Sahih Book of Hadith, on the authority of Jabir ibn `Abdullah Al-Ansary (may Allah be pleased with him), that The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) forbade plastering of graves, sitting on them, and building over them. There are many Hadiths that stress this meaning.
The Muslims should beware of this and advise each other to leave it, because the Prophet (peace be upon him) warned against it. It is a means leading to Shirk, invoking the dead, seeking their help, asking them for victory, and other forms of Shirk.
It is known that Shirk is the gravest major sin. Thus, we should beware of it and the means leading to it. Allah has warned people against this in many Ayahs, including His saying, Verily, Allâh forgives not that partners should be set up with Him (in worship), but He forgives except that (anything else) to whom He wills He (Glorified be He) also says, And indeed it has been revealed to you (O Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم), as it was to those (Allâh’s Messengers) before you: "If you join others in worship with Allâh, (then) surely (all) your deeds will be in vain, and you will certainly be among the losers." He (Glorified and Exalted be He) also says, But if they had joined in worship others with Allâh, all that they used to do would have been of no benefit to them. There are many Ayahs that stress this meaning.
(Part No. 8; Page No. 30)
One of the forms of major Shirk is invoking the dead, those who are not present, the Jinn (creatures created from fire), idols, trees and stars; seeking their help; asking them to heal the patients and grant them victory.
This was the religion of the earlier Mushriks (those who
associate others with Allah in His Divinity or worship) of Quraysh and
others. Allah (Glorified be He) says about them, And they worship
besides Allâh things that harm them not, nor profit them, and they say:
“These are our intercessors with Allâh.”He (Glorified be He) also says,
So worship Allâh (Alone) by doing religious deeds sincerely for Allâh’s
sake only. Surely the religion (i.e. the worship and the obedience) is
for Allâh only. And those who take Auliyâ’ (protectors, helpers, lords,
gods) besides Him (say): "We worship them only that they may bring us
near to Allâh." Verily Allâh will judge between them concerning that
wherein they differ. Truly, Allâh guides not him who is a liar, and a
disbeliever.
There are many Ayahs that stress this meaning, which indicate that the earlier Mushriks knew that Allah is the Creator, the Provider, the One Who brings benefit and the One Who causes harm. However, they worshipped their idols so that they would intercede for them with Allah and bring them closer to Him. Thus, Allah declared them as Kafirs (disbelievers) and Mushriks; and He asked the Prophet to fight them so that `Ibadah is dedicated to Allah alone, according to Allah's saying, And fight them until there is no more Fitnah (disbelief and polytheism, i.e. worshipping others besides Allâh) and the religion (worship) will all be for Allâh Alone [in the whole of the world].
Many books were written by scholars about this issue where they clarified the reality of Islam with which Allah sent His Messengers and revealed His Books. They also clarified the religion, beliefs, and deeds of Jahiliyyah (pre-Islamic time of ignorance) that contradict with Shari`ah (Islamic law). Those scholars include `Abdullah, son of Imam Ahmad, the great Imam Muhammad ibn Khuzaymah in "Kitab Al-Tawhid (Book of Monotheism)", Muhammad ibn Waddah and others. The best books written on this issue are the ones written by
(Part No. 8; Page No. 31)
the Shaykh of Islam Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah be merciful to him), the most concise of which is his book entitled "Al-Qa`idah Al-Jalilah fi Al-Tawassul wal-Wasilah". There is also the book written by Shaykh `Abdul-Rahman ibn Hasan ibn Muhammad ibn `Abdul-Wahhab (may Allah be merciful to him), entitled "Fat-h Al-Majid Sharh Kitab Al-Tawhid."
The rejected acts of Shirk also include swearing by anyone or anything other than Allah, such as swearing by the Prophet (peace be upon him), any other person, or by Amanah (trust). This is a Munkar (that which is unacceptable or disapproved of by Islamic law and Muslims of sound intellect) and prohibited Shirk, according to the saying of the Prophet (peace be upon him), A person who swears by anything other than Allah has committed an act of Shirk. Related by Imam Ahmad (may Allah be merciful to him) on the authority of `Umar ibn Al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) with a Sahih Isnad (chain of narration). It is also related by Abu Dawud and Al-Tirmidhy with a Sahih Isnad, on the authority of `Abdullah ibn `Umar ibn Al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said, A person who swears by anyone or anything other than Allah has committed an act of Kufr (disbelief) or Shirk. It is also authentically reported from the Prophet (peace be upon him) that he said, A person who swears by Amanah is not one of us. There are many Hadiths that stress the same meaning.
Swearing by anyone other than Allah is a form of minor Shirk according to scholars. Thus, we should beware of it, as it is a means to major Shirk. The same applies to saying "what Allah wills and so-and-so wills", ''If it was not for Allah and so-and-so'' and ''this is from Allah and so-and-so." We should rather say "what Allah wills and then so-and-so wills", "If it was not for Allah and then so-and-so", and "this is from Allah and then so-and-so." It is authentically reported that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said, Do not say, "What Allah wills and so-and-so wills" but rather say, "What Allah wills and then so-and-so wills."
One of the prohibited forms of Shirk committed by many people is wearing amulets and safeguards made of bones, shells, or such things. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, If one wears an amulet, Allah will not accomplish their affairs; and if one wears a cowrie shell, Allah will not protect them. A person who wears an amulet commits an act of Shirk. The Prophet (peace be upon him) also said,
(Part No. 8; Page No. 32)
Incantations, amulets and love-potions are considered Shirk. These Hadiths include amulets and Huruz (protective amulets), whether from the Qur'an or otherwise, as the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) did not exclude anything of them, and as wearing amulets of the Qur'an might lead to wearing others, so all of them should be prohibited in order to block the means leading to Shirk, establish Tawhid and apply the Hadiths.
The only excluded form that was permitted by the Messenger of
Allah (peace be upon him) is Ruqyah (reciting Qur'an and saying
supplications over the sick seeking healing) provided that it does not
include any form of Shirk. He (peace be upon him) said, There is no
harm in Ruqyah that does not include any form of Shirk. He (peace be
upon him) performed Ruqyah with some of his Sahabah. Being one of the
Shar`y (Islamically lawful) means, there is no harm in Ruqyah if it is
from the Qur'an, the authentically established Sunnah or clear words
that do not imply Shirk or include unacceptable words.
The innovated Munkars also include celebrating birthdays, whether the birthday of the Prophet (peace be upon him) or others. Neither he (peace be upon him) nor the Rightly-Guided Caliphs, the rest of the Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with him) or their followers in the first three centuries did it. It first took place in the fourth century, initiated by the Fatimids and other Shiites. Then, it was done by the Sunnis out of ignorance of the rulings of Shari`ah and imitation of those who commit Bida`.
We should beware of this, as it is one of the unacceptable
Bida` rejected by the saying of the Prophet (peace be upon him), Avoid
novelties (in religion), for every novelty is a Bid`ah, and every
Bid`ah leads to misguidance.
The Prophet (peace be upon him) also said,
If a person innovates things in our affairs for which there is no valid
reason, these are to be rejected. Agreed upon by Imams Al-Bukhari and
Muslim from `Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her). The Prophet (peace
be upon him) also said, If a person does any act for which there is no
sanction from our behalf, that is to be rejected.Related by Muslim in
his Sahih Book of Hadith. In his Khutbahs (sermons), the Prophet (peace
be upon him) used to say, The best of speech is embodied in the Book of
Allah; the best of guidance is that given by Muhammad (peace be upon
him); the most evil affairs are their innovations; and every Bid`ah
leads to misguidance. Related by Muslim in his Sahih Book of Hadith,
(Part No. 8; Page No. 33)
on the authority of Jabir ibn `Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him). There are many Hadiths that stress this meaning.
(Part No. 8; Page No. 33)
on the authority of Jabir ibn `Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him). There are many Hadiths that stress this meaning.
Celebrating birthdays is one of the means of exceeding proper limits and Shirk, so we should beware of them, warn each other against them, and advise each other to stick to the Sunnah and leave that which contradicts it.
May Allah guide you, us and the rest of the Muslims to what pleases Him; grant us comprehension of religion, and sticking to it. May He protect us and all the Muslims from the delusive Fitnahs (trials) and the insinuations of Satan! He is the Only One Capable of doing so. As-salamu `alaykum warahmatullah wabarakatuh.
http://www.alifta.net/Fatawa/
No comments:
Post a Comment