Is the Price of Paradise Good Deeds?

In the name of Allah, the Most Beneficent the Most Merciful

“The Lettuce”

How often have you heard that Islam is a deed based religion and that Muslims “buy” their way into paradise with righteous actions?  This claim, often held by many seeking to attack Islam, is an attempt to deny Allah’s perfect mercy and forgiveness displaying Islam as unforgiving, overly strict, and an oppressive religion while highlighting their own as one of compassion, love, and mercy.  A similar view is also held by a deviant sect of Muslims, who believe that Allah has made a promise, which He is bound by; to enter the believers into paradise in exchange for their righteous deeds therefore implying everlasting life therein is not linked to Allah’s eternal mercy and grace but a simple transaction or exchange.  Without a shadow of doubt, Islam requires its followers to conform to Allah’s divine legislation, partaking in that which is righteous and abandoning that which is evil, as an apparent display and part of one’s inner faith, but is it as some have claimed, “a pass” “into Gardens under which rivers flow”?

“The Meat”

Al-Hafith Abdur-Rahman ibn Ahmed ibn Rajab (d. 795 H)

(رحمه اللّه)

has said the following in a concise treatise clarifying this issue:  Imam al-Bukhari (may Allah have mercy on him), in his as-Sahih, reported a tradition on the authority of Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) in which the prophet (salla Allahu alaihi wa sallam) said, “none of you will be saved by his/her actions”.  His companions replied and said, “Not even you messenger of Allah?” and he (salla Allahu alaihi wa sallam) said, “not even me, unless Allah envelopes me in His mercy. Therefore, do good deeds properly, sincerely and moderately, and worship Allah in the morning, the afternoon and during a part of the night, and always adopt a middle, moderate, regular course so you can reach your target (Paradise).”  He, al-Bukhari, also reported in another chapter of his book that the prophet (salla Allahu alaihi wa sallam) said, “The religion of Islam is easy and whoever overburdens himself in his religion will not be able to continue in that way so adopt a middle, moderate, regular course and try to achieve perfection in order to receive glad tidings that you will be rewarded; and gain strength by worshipping in the mornings and the nights.”  Likewise he reported, from the traditions narrated by Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her), that the prophet (salla Allahu alaihi wa sallam) said, “Do good deeds properly, sincerely and moderately so that you may receive glad tidings because one’s good deeds will not make him enter Paradise.” They asked, “Even you, messenger of Allah?” He said, “Even I, unless and until Allah envelops me with His pardon and Mercy” and “Do good deeds properly, sincerely and moderately and know that your deeds will not make you enter Paradise, and that the most beloved deeds to Allah are the most regular and constant even if they were few.”

These prophetic traditions embody a very great and important principle and from them branch various issues including the manners and behavior one adopts in their path to Allah the Most High.  This principle; the individual’s actions do not save him from the fire or enter him into paradise but rather all of that occurs by the forgiveness and mercy of Allah has been demonstrated in the Quran in many verses such as,

فَالَّذِينَ هَاجَرُواْ وَأُخْرِجُواْ مِن دِيَارِهِمْ وَأُوذُواْ فِي سَبِيلِي وَقَاتَلُواْ وَقُتِلُواْ لأُكَفِّرَنَّ عَنْهُمْ سَيِّئَاتِهِمْ وَلأُدْخِلَنَّهُمْ جَنَّاتٍ تَجْرِي مِن تَحْتِهَا الأَنْهَارُ

“…so those who emigrated and were driven out from their homes, and suffered harm in My Cause, and who fought, and were killed (in My Cause), verily, I will remit from them their evil deeds and admit them into Gardens under which rivers flow (in Paradise)…” (Aali Imran 3:195),

يُبَشِّرُهُمْ رَبُّهُم بِرَحْمَةٍ مِّنْهُ وَرِضْوَانٍ وَجَنَّاتٍ لَّهُمْ فِيهَا نَعِيمٌ مُّقِيمٌ

“Their Lord gives them glad tidings of a Mercy from Him, and that He is pleased (with them), and of Gardens (Paradise) for them wherein are everlasting delights.” (At-Tawbah 9:21), and,

تُؤْمِنُونَ بِاللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِوَتُجَاهِدُونَ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ بِأَمْوَالِكُمْ وَأَنفُسِكُمْ ذَلِكُمْ خَيْرٌلَّكُمْ إِن كُنتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ. يَغْفِرْ لَكُمْ ذُنُوبَكُمْ وَيُدْخِلْكُمْ جَنَّاتٍ تَجْرِي مِن تَحْتِهَا

“That you believe in Allah and His Messenger (Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him), and that you strive hard and fight in the Cause of Allah with your wealth and your lives, that will be better for you, if you but know!  (If you do so) He will forgive you your sins, and admit you into Gardens under which rivers flow…” (As-Saff 61:11, 12)

So the link between entering paradise and salvation from the fire and the forgiveness and the mercy (of Allah) substantiates the fact that neither (entering paradise nor salvation from the fire) are achieved without the forgiveness and mercy of Allah.  Additionally, some of the Scholars of the past have said that, “the next life is either Allah’s pardon or the fire and this life is either Allah’s protection or destruction” and as another example of this, Muhammad ibn Wasi` bid farewell to his companions at the time of his death by saying, “alaikumus-salaam (I bid you farewell) to the fire or to Allah’s pardon.

As for Allah’s statement,

وَتِلْكَ الْجَنَّةُ الَّتِي أُورِثْتُمُوهَا بِمَا كُنتُمْ تَعْمَلُونَ

“This is the Paradise which you have been made to inherit because of your deeds which you used to do (in the life of the world).”  (Az-Zukhruf 43:72) and

كُلُوا وَاشْرَبُوا هَنِيئًا بِمَا أَسْلَفْتُمْ فِي الْأَيَّامِ الْخَالِيَةِ

“Eat and drink at ease for that which you have sent on before you in days past!  (Al-Haqqah 69:24).”, the scholars have differed in regards to the meaning of these two verses and hold two opinions.

1.  Entering paradise is only because of Allah’s mercy and the placement in the various levels of paradise is based on deeds.

2.  The letter ‘ba’ (the second letter in the Arabic language) in the previously mentioned verses,

(بِمَا كُنتُمْ تَعْمَلُونَ) و (بِمَا أَسْلَفْتُمْ فِي الْأَيَّامِ الْخَالِيَةِ)

which have been translated as “because of your deeds which you used to do (in the life of the world)” and “for that which you have sent on before you in days past!” is used in this context to demonstrate cause (and not the sole reason), and that Allah has made action only a means to enter paradise.  The letter ‘ba’, the very same letter in the previous verses, used in the prophet’s (salla Allahu alaihi wa sallam) statement, “no one will enter into paradise because of their righteous deeds” contextually means compensation or exchange and the actual understanding of that narration is that no one is deserving of or entitled to paradise because of their actions.  With this explanation, the delusion that the value of paradise is righteous action and that the one who has performed such actions is entitled to enter paradise just as the one who pays for a product is entitled to receive it has been removed.  In addition to the fact that action, although a means, is not the ultimate reason for entering paradise, it has been clarified that the sole reason is indeed Allah’s grace and mercy.  Therefore, entering paradise has become attached to Allah’s infinite grave, mercy, and forgiveness because He is the creator of the means, the results, and consequences and is not a result of action itself.

In as-Sahih it has been reported that the prophet (salla Allahu alaih wa sallam) said, “Allah the Most High said to the paradise, ‘You are My mercy which I show to those of my servants whom I will.” –end of translation

“The Bun”

From just a short selection of this very powerful treatise and a little bit of reflection, we can clearly see that the prophet, the most righteous of all mankind, (salla Allahu alaihi wa sallam) himself, to the surprise of his companions, will not enter paradise based on his deeds.  It is Allah who created us, our actions; one of His many blessings if taken advantage of, and paradise and it is He alone who enters into it whomever He pleases.  Do actions play a role in that? Yes, it is clear from the previously mentioned texts that they serve as a means to gaining Allah’s mercy and forgiveness but not the “golden ticket” itself.  We can see from all of this, the Muslim takes the middle moderate course, as is the norm in all affairs, by not solely relying upon his/her righteous actions or solely banking on Allah’s forgiveness while in continuous sin.  Islam calls for the joining of those two actions; striving hard in righteous deeds and turning to Allah for His grace, mercy, and forgiveness.  It’s hard to imagine that by ignoring His legislation, or even worse blatantly opposing it, one will be in His good standings as Allah is perfectly just and perfectly merciful. At the same time, who can stand in front of The Creator of the heavens and earth and believe that he/she is owed that which is priceless?!

And who said knowledge isn’t delicious?

Prepared by John ‘Eesa’ Starling

Source:

مجموع رسائل الحافظ ابن رجب الحنبلي

Volume 4, pg. 391-394

Found in:  Al-Qawlul Mufeed, January 2010

Holiday

Imam Muhammad ibn Abi Bakr ibn al-Qayyim (d. 751 H)

(رحمه اللّه)

Congratulating non-Muslims on the occasion of their un-Islamic rituals which are specific to them is impermissible as unanimously agreed upon by the scholars (of Islam).  An example of this is congratulating them on their holidays and fasting (or other acts of worship) saying, “have a blessed holiday or celebration”, “congratulations to you for this holiday”, or what resembles this (like merry Christmas, happy thanksgiving, happy Easter, happy new year, happy Valentines day, etc.).  So if the one who congratulates them doesn’t fall into an act of disbelief (with their statement) then it is deemed impermissible (as opposed to being an act of disbelief) and equivalent to congratulating them for prostrating to the cross.  In fact it is a greater sin and more hated by Allah than congratulating them for drinking alcohol, murder, or fornication etc. (from the sinful acts).  There are many who have no concern (or knowledge) of Islam that do this and do not know the extent of evil that they have fallen into.  Thus whoever congratulates a servant (of Allah be he Muslim or not) for their sins, innovations, or disbelief has exposed themselves to Allah’s anger and wrath.

Translated by John ‘Eesa’ Starling

Found in:

Al-Qawlul Mufeed, December 2009

Holidays and Festivals of Non-Muslims

Shaikhul Islam Ahmed ibn Abdul-Haleem Ibn Taymiyah (d. 728 H)

(رحمه اللّه)

Shaikh Ibn Taymiyah was asked about the Muslims who cook Christian foods on Nayrooz (the Persian new year celebration), partake in the remaining seasonal events such as Jesus’ baptism, his birthday (i.e. Christmas), Easter, Holy Saturday, etc. and sell products which they use to establish their celebrations.  Is it permissible for the Muslims to do any of this or not?

All praise is for Allah.  It is not permissible for the Muslims to imitate the non-Muslims in any manner specific to their celebrations; not food, clothing, ritual bathing, lighting candles (stringing lights), or taking a day off of regular habits, work, worship etc.  Likewise it is not permissible to hold a banquet, exchange gifts, or sell them products which they use for these celebrations.  The Muslims are also not to allow their children to take part in their games or decorate.  In general, they should not practice any action which is specific to the non-Muslim in their holidays treating these days like any other normal day of the year and if they do fall into some of these acts intentionally some of the scholars, from both the past and present, hold this to be hated (meaning impermissible).  As for the previously mentioned activities, there is no disagreement between the scholars regarding their ruling. In fact some of the people of knowledge hold the opinion that whoever takes part in such acts has fallen into (an act of) disbelief due to them glorifying the ceremonies of disbelief.  Some of the scholars have said that whoever slaughters a sheep in the non-Muslim celebrations is like the one who slaughters a swine.

Abdullah ibn Amar Al-Aas said, “whoever imitates the non-Arab countries (i.e. non-Muslims at that time) and takes part in their celebrations and festivals imitating them until they die will be raised with them on the day or resurrection”.  In Sunan Abi Dawood, Thabit ibn ad-Dahhak said, “In the time of the Prophet (salla Allahu alaihi wa sallam) a man took a vow to slaughter a camel at Buwanah (a known location at the time). He came to the Prophet (salla Allahu alaihi wa sallam) and said: I have taken a vow to sacrifice a camel at Buwanah.  The Prophet (salla Allahu alaihi wa sallam) asked, “Did the place contain any idol worshipped in pre-Islamic times?” He said, “No.” He (salla Allahu alaihi wa sallam) then asked, “Was any pre-Islamic festival observed there?”  He replied, “No”, so the Prophet (salla Allahu alaihi wa sallam) said, “Fulfill your vow, for a vow to do an act of disobedience to Allah must not be fulfilled nor a vow taken for that which the human being has no control over.”  So the prophet (salla Allahu alaihi wa sallam) did not allow this man to fulfill his vow, with the fact the fulfilling a vow is obligatory, until he (the man) informed him (the prophet) that there was no pre-Islamic festival observed there in which the prophet (salla Allahu alaihi wa sallam) said, ” for a vow to do an act of disobedience to Allah must not be fulfilled”.  So if offering a ritual sacrifice in a place where there was a non-Muslim festival or celebration observed is sinful, then what about taking part in that very same festival?!  In fact Umar ibn al-Khattab, the companions (may Allah be pleased with them all), and the remaining Muslim leaders made it a condition upon the non-Muslims that they were not to publicly display their celebrations in the Muslim lands but could partake in them privately in their homes.  So what about the Muslims who publicly observe such celebrations themselves?!  Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) went so far as to say, “do not learn their lingo nor enter the churches with the non-Muslims on their holidays because (Allah’s) anger descends upon them”.  So if the one entering to take a peek or something like that is prohibited because (Allah’s) anger descends upon them then what about the one who does what Allah is angry with from their religious rituals?!  More than one of the scholars of the past has said that the verse,

وَالَّذِينَ لَا يَشْهَدُونَ الزُّورَ

“And those who do not witness falsehood…” (Al-Furqan 25:72) refers to the non-Muslim’s celebrations (and holidays).  So if this verse is referring to the one who is a witness of such events then what about the one who takes part in those activities which are characteristic of their holidays?!

It has been authentically reported in al-Musnad and as-Sunan that the prophet (salla Allahu alaihi wa sallam) said, “whoever imitates a people is from them” and in another wording, “whoever intimates others besides us (Muslims) is not from us”.  If this hadeeth and it’s consequences are referring to imitating the non-Muslims even in that which could be considered habit, custom, and manners, then what about imitating them in that which is greater in degree from that which the majority of the scholars have deemed to be hated, either impermissible or extremely disliked, such as eating what they have slaughtered for their holidays and festivals, sacrificed for other than Allah, and what has been slaughtered on (an-Nusub) stone alters?!  Similarly the scholars have deemed it impermissible for the Muslims to help the non-Muslims with their holidays (, festivals, and celebrations) by exchanging gifts and selling them their needed goods, saying, “it is not permissible for the Muslims to sell anything to the Christians which benefits their holidays be it meat, blood, clothes, etc. nor are they to loan them transportation or aid them with anything from their religion, because that is a form of glorifying and supporting their disbelief.  It is also a must that the rulers prohibit the Muslims from doing so.”  This is because Allah the Most High said,

وَتَعَاوَنُوا عَلَى الْبِرِّ وَالتَّقْوَى وَلَا تَعَاوَنُوا عَلَى الْإِثْمِ وَالْعُدْوَانِ

“Help you one another in virtue, righteousness and piety; but do not help one another in sin and transgression. And fear Allah. Verily, Allah is Severe in punishment.” (Al-Ma’idah 5:2)

It is also impermissible for the Muslims to assist the non-Muslims in drinking alcohol by making it for them, so what about that which is from the rituals of disbelief?!  If it is not permissible to help and aid them, then what about the one who actually takes part in such activities and behavior?!  Allah knows best.

Translated by John ‘Eesa’ Starling

Found in: Al-Qawlul Mufeed, December 2009

For more on this topic, listen or download: Muslims Participating in Christmas by Shaikh Ibn Baz (FREE MP3!)

By the Great Scholar

Shaikh Abdul-Azeez ibn Baz (d. 1420 AH)

(رحمه اللّه)

What is the ruling of the Friday prayer if it coincides with Eid?  Must is be established by everyone or only a specific group?  Some people believe that if it coincides with Eid there is no Friday prayer.

It is an obligation upon the imam and preacher of the Masjid to establish the Friday service in the masjid and to lead the people who attend in prayer.  The prophet (salla Allahu alaihi wa sallam)  used to establish it on Eid day, praying the Eid and the Friday prayer, perhaps reciting in both the Eid and Friday prayers surah Ala and Ghashiah as has been reported by An-Numan ibn Bashir (may Allah have mercy upon him) in Al-Bukhari.

Whoever attends the Eid service is permitted to miss the Friday service and pray thuhur in his home or with some of his brothers in Islam.  If he prays the Friday prayer with the people it would be better but if he leaves the Friday prayer due to him attending the Eid prayer there is no sin upon him but he must pray thuhur alone or in a group. May Allah bless you.

Click here for MP3 For more audio files visit the library.

Shaikh Abdul-Azeez ibn Baz also mentions in another verdict,

“If the Eid coincides with Friday it is permissible for the one who attended the Eid service to either pray the Friday prayer or to pray Thuhur according to what has been authentically reported from the prophet (salla Allahu alaihi wa sallam) in which he allowed a concession for the Friday prayer saying, “Two eids have joined today, so whoever attended the Eid does not have to pray the Friday prayer” but he is not to abandon Thuhur.  That which is better is to pray the Friday prayer with the people but if he does not then he is to pray Thuhur.”

Translated by John ‘Eesa’ Starling

The 10 Days of Thul-Hijjah

A Friday Sermon by the Great Scholar

Shaikh Muhammad Salih Al-Uthaimeen (d. 1421 AH)

(رحمه اللّه)

All praise is for Allah and I bear witness that there is no deity worthy of worship other than Allah who is alone and without partner, a witness with which we hope for salvation on the day we meet Him and I bear witness that Muhammad His is servant, messenger, close friend, and guardian of His revelation, may His peace and blessings be upon him, his family, companions, and all of his followers in perfection until the day of judgment.

Servants of Allah, in these days you will be starting the 10 days of thul-Hijjah of which the prophet (salla Allahu alaihi wa sallam) conveyed the virtue of righteous action in them with his statement, “there are no days that contain righteous action more beloved to Allah than these ten days, ‘it was said, not even struggling in the way of Allah’ in which he replied, not even struggling in the way of Allah except for the one how goes out with his wealth and his life and none of it returns”.  So righteous action in the 10 days of Thul-Hijjah is more virtuous than righteous action in the last 10 of Ramadan and is more righteous than any day of the year.  This is what the prophet (salla Allahu alaihi wa sallam) said but many people are ignorant of their significance thus you can hardly find anyone who distinguishes them from the other days of the year by increasing in righteous deeds.  Thusly I say, whoever the Sunnah of the prophet (salla Allahu alaihi wa sallam) has reached then it is more befitting and rightful that he follow it in its obligations and desirable actions therefore you should increase in righteous action in these 10 days, increase in praying, reciting the Quran, remembering Allah, giving charity, and fast for fasting is from the most virtuous of actions as Allah the Mighty and Majestic said in a hadeeth Qudsi, “every action of the son of Adam is rewarded by 10 times to 700 times or more except for fasting for it is for me and I reward for it”.  In these ten days respect your sacrificial slaughter in regards to that which has been sanctified by the prophet (salla Allahu alaihi wa sallam) as he said, “If the 10 days begin and one of you wishes to slaughter then do not cut your hair, trim your fingernails, or take from you skin anything”.  So whoever wants to slaughter then he is not to do any of that until he slaughters out of respect for the rights of the slaughter which is from Allah’s legislated ceremonies (or symbols) who said,

ذَلِكَ وَمَنْ يُعَظِّمْ حُرُمَاتِ اللَّهِ فَهُوَ خَيْرٌ لَهُ عِنْدَ رَبِّهِ * حُنَفَاءَ لِلَّهِ غَيْرَ مُشْرِكِينَ بِهِ وَمَن يُشْرِكْ بِاللَّهِ فَكَأَنَّمَا خَرَّ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ فَتَخْطَفُةُ الطَّيْرُ أُوْ تَهْوِى بِهِ الرِّيحُ فِي مَكَانٍ سَحِيقٍ *  ذَلِكَ وَمَنْ يُعَظِّمْ شَعَائِرَ اللَّهِ فَإِنَّهَا مِنْ تَقْوَى الْقُلُوبِ  ( الحج :30 – 32  )

“That (meaning the prescribed duties of Hajj is the obligation that mankind owes to Allah), and whoever honours the sacred things of Allah, then that is better for him with his Lord. The cattle are lawful to you, except those (that will be) mentioned to you (as exceptions). So shun the abomination (worshipping) of idol, and shun lying speech (false statements). Hunafâ’ Lillâh (i.e. to worship none but Allah), not associating partners unto Him and whoever assigns partners to Allah, it is as if he had fallen from the sky, and the birds had snatched him, or the wind had thrown him to a far off place. Thus it is [what has been mentioned in the above said Verses (27, 28, 29, 30, 31) is an obligation that mankind owes to Allah]. And whosoever honors the Symbols of Allah, then it is truly from the piety of the heart.” (Al-Hajj 22:30-32)

This statement demonstrates the importance of the sacrifice as the prophet (salla Allahu alaihi wa sallam) legislated for it sacred things which the individual is to honor when arranging it.

In which country is the sacrifice to be?  It is to be in the individual’s country, in his home and he is to establishe the symbols or rituals of Allah with it in Allah’s lands and it is not just charity intended for the needy in the Muslim countries but rather it is a special pious act in which the individual seeks to get closer to his Lord.  If it was just charity then it would be permissible to give it before and after the Eid prayer, it would be permissible to give from all the beasts of cattle, and it would be permissible for the animal who has come of age and the one who has not but it is a fixed type of worship that has been limited in its performance and time.  From this we know that it is incorrect to send money to another country to sacrifice with it for this is not from the Sunnah of the messenger (salla Allahu alaihi wa sallam) as he would send a sacrificial animal from Madinah to Makkah specifying the place and not the need of the people.  The prophet (salla Allahu alaihi wa sallam) used to sacrifice in Madinah and if one was to send money for this sacrifice to another place then he would miss out on its many benefits such as establishing the ceremonies throughout the lands for sacrificing this animal is from the symbols and ceremonies of Allah and if the people sent their money to other lands to sacrifice then they would remain without establishing these ceremonies, they will miss out on remembering their Lord for whom they are sacrificing these animals for as Allah the Most High said,

وَلِكُلِّ أُمَّةٍ جَعَلْنَا مَنْسَكاً لِيَذْكُرُوا اسْمَ اللَّهِ عَلَى مَا رَزَقَهُمْ مِنْ بَهِيمَةِ الْأَنْعَام  (الحج : 34 )

“And for every nation We have appointed religious ceremonies, that they may mention the Name of Allah over the beast of cattle that He has given them for food.” (Al-Hajj 22:34)

Following the Sunnah of the prophet (salla Allahu alaihi wa sallam) will be missed out on as he would slaughter his own animal, mention the name of Allah, and ask Allah to accept it.  So if you send your money far away then who will take charge of this affair for you?  Would it not be the butcher? That is if we hold a good opinion and thought of him and put our trust in him and likewise the one whom we send the money with and if you were to do the sacrifice at your home then you would take charge of it if you were capable and ready and in turn you would glorify the symbols of Allah in your home and if you were to send it to another country then you would certainly miss out on this great benefit and you would miss out on eating from it as Allah has ordered to eat some of it and said,

وَالْبُدْنَ جَعَلْنَاهَا لَكُمْ مِنْ شَعَائِرِ اللَّهٌِ لَكُمْ فِيهَا خَيْرُ. فَاذْكُرُوا اسْمَ اللَّهِ عليها صَوَافَّ فَإذا وَجَبَتْ جُنُوبُهَا فَكُلُوا مِنْهَا وَأَطْعِمُوا الْقَانِعَ وَالْمُعْتَرَّ  ( الحج : 36 )

“And the Budn (cows, oxen, or camels driven to be offered as sacrifices by the pilgrims at the sanctuary of Makkah.) We have made for you as among the Symbols of Allah, therein you have much good. So mention the Name of Allah over them when they are drawn up in lines (for sacrifice). Then, when they are down on their sides (after slaughter), eat thereof, and feed the beggar who does not ask (men), and the beggar who asks (men).” (Al-Hajj 22:36)

And that which is known, if your sacrifice was in another country then it is not possible to act in accordance with the order of Allah by eating some of it as it is not with you, thus you miss out on this order from Allah the Mighty and Majestic.  Some of the people of knowledge have said that eating some of it is an obligation and if the individual does not eat from it then he is sinning, and there is no doubt that he is being disobedient in this order but is he sinning like the sinner or not?  This issue contains a difference of opinion between the scholars.  Likewise if you were to send your money to another country for the sacrifice you would not know when it would take place, would it be on the first day, which is better than the three after it, or would it be before the prayer or after the days of Tashreeq and you would remain on hold regarding when you could cut your hair, trim your finger nails, and take from you skin.  If you sent it to another country you would not know if the one purchasing the animal did his best to make sure that it was of the right age and free from defects, you will miss out on all of this.  O brothers it is incorrect for a person to send his money to another land to sacrifice because of what is missed out on of great benefits which you have heard.  If someone has extra money then I encourage him to send it to poor countries in need for the struggle in Allah’s way and Allah the Most High and Glorified possesses great virtue.

It is from the Sunnah for a man to sacrifice on behalf of himself and his family without a doubt and if he was to limit it to just himself then this is a practice in agreement to the Sunnah of Allah’s messenger (salla Allahu alaihi wa sallam) as the prophet (salla Allahu alaihi wa sallam) was the most noble of the creation without a doubt, he loved righteousness and goodness the most from the creation without a doubt, was the first of the people to perform good deeds without a doubt, he was the legislator for his nation without a doubt, and he (salla Allahu alaihi wa sallam) did not slaughter on his own behalf of his family except once, and it is known that he had 9 women, each woman in her own house and he did not sacrifice more than that.  Therefore, what some people do today of waste in their sacrifice is in opposition to the Sunnah that which some.  Unfortunately, we have some people who sacrifice 10 animals and have no need for them, a man sacrifices for himself and his family as I said and then the daughter comes and says that she wants to sacrifice for her paternal grandfather and grandmother and for her maternal grandfather and grandmother and like this the sister and the wife have similar requests until one house has 10 sacrifices and no need for them which is waste.  So I say that the prophet (salla Allahu alaihi wa sallam) did not sacrifice on behalf of Khadijah who was his most beloved wife, the mother of most of his children, and the women that he never took another wife with while she was present.  Likewise his uncle Hamzah Abdul-Muttalib (radi Allahu anhu) who was martyred in the battle of Uhud and was the lion of Allah and His messenger and the prophet (salla Allahu alaihi wa sallam) did not sacrifice on his behalf.  Likewise his daughters that passed away before his death, he did not sacrifice on their behalf, so where did we get this practice of sacrificing for the dead?  So whoever has one correct word from the prophet (salla Allahu alaihi wa sallam) that he sacrificed on behalf of his passed away relatives or that he ordered someone to sacrifice on behalf of their dead relatives then save us with it and we will accept it and follow it by the will of Allah, as for performing acts of worship seeking to get close to Allah based on pure emotion in our hearts then this is not allowed because the legislation is from Allah.  Do you not know that some of the scholars say that sacrificing on behalf of the dead is not correct as it was not mentioned in the Sunnah with the fact that the prophet (salla Allahu alaihi wa sallam) said, “whoever does a deed that has not been ordered by us then it is rejected”.  Do you not know that those who have made the sacrifice on behalf of the dead permissible have done so by comparing it with charity as charity has been mentioned in the Sunnah in the hadeeth of Sad ibn Ubadah when he “gave a dress on behalf of his mother with the permission of the prophet (salla Allahu alaihi wa sallam)” and the man who said, O messenger of Allah, “My mother died suddenly, and I think that if she could speak, she would have given in charity. May I give in charity on her behalf? And he (salla Allahu alaihi wa sallam) said yes” but did he ever say to his nation give charity on behalf of your deceased?  Did he ever say sacrifice on behalf of your deceased or did he every sacrifice on behalf of his deceased relatives?  This is were you derive the ruling, so what is our deal that we make one house have 10 sacrifices, give or take, for the deceased in one year?  So we say to those that have extra money, one slaughter is sufficient for everyone in one house so do not overstep the bounds of the Sunnah of Allah’s Messenger (salla Allahu alaihi wa sallam).  Are you better than the messenger or is he better?  Are you more generous than the Messenger or is he?  Do you love obedience more or does he?  Bring your evidence if you are truthful.  By Allah, we are not more generous than the messenger of Allah nor are we more knowledgeable with what Allah loves nor quicker in doing that which Allah loves, rather the messenger of Allah (salla Allahu alaihi wa sallam) is absolutely the most generous of the creation without a doubt and more loving of that which is good.  So we say that a man is to sacrifice for himself and on behalf of his family with one sheep and he who has extra money then he is to help his Muslim brothers in the Muslim lands for there are poor people who can only eat leaves and there are people who are not properly clothed and cannot warm themselves from the cold or dress appropriately in the heat so what is our deal?  We prevent them from what Allah has given us and then we waste it as Allah the Mighty and Majestic has said,

والله لا يحب المسرفين

“Allah does not like the wasteful”

So we say to those that desire to benefit their deceased, give generously with this money for other than the sacrificial animal, give it in the form of charity and give it to your brothers who are dying of starvation in great number.  O brothers, I invite you and myself to follow the Sunnah and not to follow emotions and to move forward with the prophet Muhammad (salla Allahu alaihi wa sallam) as our guide and role model and not to overstep that which he did or be wasteful in that which Allah dislikes waste.

Some people rely upon week narrations that in every hair of the sacrificial animal there is a good deed which is not authentically reported from the prophet (salla Allahu alaihi wa sallam). The most important thing regarding the sacrifice is that the blood is spilt seeking the face of Allah, glorifying Him the Mighty and Majestic, the Most High said,

لَنْ يَنَالَ اللَّهَ لُحُومُهَا وَلا دِمَاؤُهَا وَلَكِنْ يَنَالُهُ التَّقْوَى مِنْكُمْ  ( الحج : 37 )

“It is neither their meat nor their blood that reaches Allah, but it is piety from you that reaches Him.” (Al-Hajj 22:37)

This is what reaches Allah, that we fear Him the Mighty and Majestic in what we seek to get closer to Him with and we mention His name, enjoy eating from it, us, our children, neighbors, brothers, and the poor.  More importantly are those that send money from the endowments of their deceased relatives to sacrifice in other countries and how this is rationalized.  The guardian of these endowments is a trustee and it is not permissible for the trustee to act by himself as he is only authorized by the permission of the authorizer and that permission is impossible as he is deceased.  The intent of the deceased is apparent for they wanted those after them to enjoy eating this sacrifice, to mention the name of Allah over it, to praise Allah for the food, and to supplicate for them. This is the intent of the trust, not to sacrifice from across the oceans and seas.

Servants of Allah, do not act according to your emotions, you have scholars, so ask them because that which is built upon knowledge and evidence is real authentic worship and that which is built upon thought, confusion, and emotion which has no reference from the book of Allah, the Sunnah of His messenger (salla Allahu alaihi wa sallam) or from the rightly guided predecessors is vain and false in accordance with the statement of the prophet (salla Allahu alaihi wa sallam), “whoever does a deed which has not been ordered by me will have it rejected.

In conclusion, whoever has a sacrificial animal then do not send it to another country, slaughter it in your country making the symbols of Allah apparent and following the Sunnah of the messenger of Allah (salla Allahu alaihi wa sallam) in order to obtain the many great benefits which we have mentioned that if it was sent out of the country they would be missed out on.  Secondly, waste in the sacrifice, there is no reason to have more than one sacrifice as that is enough for a man and his family and whoever has extra money and wants to benefit his deceased relatives then he is to give it in the form of charity to those in other countries in more need than those here in this country.  Thirdly, we have mentioned that the person who wants to slaughter is not to cut his hair, trim his fingernails, or remove any of his skin from the beginning of Thul-Hijjah until he slaughters and whoever is having a slaughter done for him then there is no problem for taking from them, for example the family members if the man of the family wants to slaughter on behalf of them then they can cut their hair and trim their nails with no problem for the prophet (salla Allahu alaihi wa sallam) said, “whoever of you wants to slaughter” and he did not say, wants to sacrifice or sacrifice on behalf of , likewise it was not reported that the prophet (salla Allahu alaihi wa sallam) told his family not to cut their hair, trim their nails, or take from their skin when he wanted to sacrifice on behalf of them and the origin of this affair is permissibility until there is sufficient evidence of prohibition.  Thus this prohibition does not include the people of the house rather it is specific for the one who wants to perform the slaughter.

O brothers, know that the best speech is the book of Allah and the finest guidance is that of Muhammad (salla Allahu alaihi wa sallam).  I ask Allah the Most High to make us adhere to the guidance of Muhammad (salla Allahu alaihi wa sallam) until we meet Him pleased with us.  The worst of affairs are newly invented matters for every newly invented matter in the religion is an innovation, every innovation is a going astray, so stick to the main body of Muslims for Allah’s hand is over them and whoever strays, strays into the fire.  Know that Allah the Most High orders you to send you salutations of peace and blessings upon you prophet Muhammad (salla Allahu alaihi wa sallam) and has said,

إِنَّ اللَّهَ وَمَلائِكَتَهُ يُصَلُّونَ عَلَى النَّبِيِّ يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا صَلُّوا عَلَيْهِ وَسَلِّمُوا تَسْلِيماً (الأحزاب : 56 )

“Allah sends His blessings on the Prophet (Muhammad (salla Allahu alaihi wa sallam)) and also His angels too. O you who believe! Send your salutations of peace and blessings upon him.”  (Al-Ahzab 33:56)

Translated by John ‘Eesa’ Starling

Found in:

Al-Qawlul Mufeed, December 2008

By the great scholar

Shaikh Zaid Muhammad Hadee

(حفظه اللّه)

Q:  How many pillars of faith are there, what is the meaning of every pillar, what are their proofs and what are their fruits (benefits)?

A:  The pillars of faith are six:  they are to believe in Allah, in His angels, in His books, in His messengers, the Last Day, and to believe in the divine decree it’s good and bad from Allah be He blessed and High.

The meaning of Iman in Allah the Mighty and Majestic is the belief in His presence, explicit affirmation in His lordship (Ar-Rubûbiyyah), apparent and hidden recognition of His Godhood (Al-Ulûhiyyah), faith upon the true understanding in His beautiful names and lofty attributes (Al-Asma’ was-Sifât), and observing that in a practical workable manner in this life just as Allah wants and His messenger (salla Allahu alaihi wa sallam) legislated.  Allah, be He blessed and High said:

ذَلِكُمُ اللّهُ رَبُّكُمْ لا إِلَـهَ إِلاَّ هُوَ خَالِقُ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ فَاعْبُدُوهُ وَهُوَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ وَكِيلٌ

“Such is Allah, your Lord! Lâ ilâha illa Huwa (none has the right to be worshipped but He), the Creator of all things. So worship Him (Alone), and He is the Wakîl (Trustee, Disposer of affairs, Guardian, etc.) over all things.”[1]

And He said glory to Him,

وَإِلَـهُكُمْ إِلَهٌ وَاحِدٌ لاَّ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ هُوَ الرَّحْمَنُ الرَّحِيمُ

“And your Ilâh (God) is One Ilâh (God – Allah), Lâ ilâha illa Huwa (there is none who has the right to be worshipped but He), the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful.”[2]

And He, be He Blessed and High said,

لَيْسَ كَمِثْلِهِ شَيْءٌ وَهُوَ السَّمِيعُ البَصِيرُ

“There is nothing like unto Him, and He is the All-Hearer, the All-Seer.”[3]

And from the fruits of faith in Allah are; freeing the soul from the servitude of other then Allah and making it pure (sincere) and its actions for its creator glorified is He, (obtaining) the happiness of this life and the hereafter.

As for the meaning of Iman in the angels then it is the belief in their presence, that they are from the great creations of Allah, that he fashioned them upon His obedience thusly there is no way for them to violate His order, and that He has entrusted to them important jobs which are not established except by them, and from them; who is sent down with the revelation, who manages the rain and vegetation, who safeguards the children of Adam from evil and disliked things, etc. from that which we know and which we know not.

وَمَا يَعْلَمُ جُنُودَ رَبِّكَ إِلَّا هُوَ

“And none can know the hosts of your Lord but He.”[4]

بَلْ عِبَادٌ مُّكْرَمُونَ. لَا يَسْبِقُونَهُ بِالْقَوْلِ وَهُم بِأَمْرِهِ يَعْمَلُونَ

“…are but honored slaves. They speak not until He has spoken, and they act on His Command.”[5]

And faith in this pillar has lofty benefits from them are:

1- Knowledge of the greatness of The Creator glory be to Him, His strength, and powerful reign as He created this creation which is innumerable.

2- The servants gratitude to his Lord for what He has entrusted him with from general and specific fostering, care, and maturing for indeed He has made serviceable for him (man) what is in the heaven and what is in the earth and among that are the angels; their variety of important jobs and great rank.

3- Love of the angles as they are the most sincere (faithful) of creation for the believing worshippers of Allah as He said The Most High,

الَّذِينَ يَحْمِلُونَ الْعَرْشَ وَمَنْ حَوْلَهُ يُسَبِّحُونَ بِحَمْدِ رَبِّهِمْ وَيُؤْمِنُونَ بِهِ وَيَسْتَغْفِرُونَ لِلَّذِينَ آمَنُوا رَبَّنَا وَسِعْتَ كُلَّ شَيْءٍ رَّحْمَةً وَعِلْمًا فَاغْفِرْ لِلَّذِينَ تَابُوا وَاتَّبَعُوا سَبِيلَكَ وَقِهِمْ عَذَابَ الْجَحِيمِ. رَبَّنَا وَأَدْخِلْهُمْ جَنَّاتِ عَدْنٍ الَّتِي وَعَدتَّهُم وَمَن صَلَحَ مِنْ آبَائِهِمْ وَأَزْوَاجِهِمْ وَذُرِّيَّاتِهِمْ إِنَّكَ أَنتَ الْعَزِيزُ الْحَكِيمُ. وَقِهِمُ السَّيِّئَاتِ وَمَن تَقِ السَّيِّئَاتِ يَوْمَئِذٍ فَقَدْ رَحِمْتَهُ وَذَلِكَ هُوَ الْفَوْزُ الْعَظِيمُ.

“Those (angels) who bear the Throne (of Allah) and those around it glorify the praises of their Lord, and believe in Him, and ask forgiveness for those who believe (in the Oneness of Allah) (saying): “Our Lord! You comprehend all things in mercy and knowledge, so forgive those who repent and follow Your Way, and save them from the torment of the blazing Fire!  “Our Lord! And make them enter the ‘Adn (Eden) Paradise (everlasting Gardens) which you have promised them, and to the righteous among their fathers, their wives, and their offspring! Verily, You are the All-Mighty, the All-Wise. “And save them from (the punishment, because of what they did of) the sins, and whomsoever You save from (the punishment, because of what they did of) the sins (i.e. excuse them) that Day, him verily, You have taken into mercy.” And that is the supreme success.”[6]

The meaning of Iman in the books is having a decisive belief that they are sent from Allah, he spoke them, sent them down to His messengers as revelation and the people of faith believed in them via their messengers truthfully and honestly, and that Allah ordered all of the Muhammadian nation to declare its faith hidden and apparently with what He sent to his previous prophets as He said glory be to Him,

قُولُواْ آمَنَّا بِاللّهِ وَمَا أُنزِلَ إِلَيْنَا وَمَا أُنزِلَ إِلَى إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَإِسْمَاعِيلَ وَإِسْحَاقَ وَيَعْقُوبَ وَالأسْبَاطِ وَمَا أُوتِيَ مُوسَى وَعِيسَى وَمَا أُوتِيَ النَّبِيُّونَ مِن رَّبِّهِمْ لاَ نُفَرِّقُ بَيْنَ أَحَدٍ مِّنْهُمْ وَنَحْنُ لَهُ مُسْلِمُونَ

“Say (O Muslims), ‘We believe in Allah and that which has been sent down to us and that which has been sent down to Ibrâhim (Abraham), Ismâ’il (Ishmael), Ishâque (Isaac), Ya’qûb (Jacob), and to Al-Asbât [the twelve sons of Ya'qûb (Jacob)], and that which has been given to Mûsa (Moses) and ‘Iesa (Jesus), and that which has been given to the Prophets from their Lord. We make no distinction between any of them, and to Him we have submitted (in Islam).’”[7]

The meaning of Iman in the messengers is the belief, which contains no doubt, that Allah has send messengers as preachers and warners so that mankind does not have an excuse with Allah after the messengers, the first of them being Noah (alaihi-salaam) and the last of them Muhammad (salla Allahu alaihi wa sallam).  So whoever is guided by them and answers their call they have indeed been guided and whoever denies their message and disbelieves in it they have indeed gone astray and deviated from what is right. The Most High said,

وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ بِاللّهِ وَرُسُلِهِ وَلَمْ يُفَرِّقُواْ بَيْنَ أَحَدٍ مِّنْهُمْ أُوْلَـئِكَ سَوْفَ يُؤْتِيهِمْ أُجُورَهُمْ وَكَانَ اللّهُ غَفُورًا رَّحِيمًا

“And those who believe in Allah and His Messengers and make no distinction between any of them (Messengers), We shall give them their rewards, and Allah is Ever Oft­-Forgiving, Most Merciful.”[8]

Iman in the messengers has many great benefits and lofty fruits from them:

1- Absolute knowledge of the mercy of Allah the Mighty and Merciful who did not assign the creation to their intellects rather He sent to them messengers and sent down to them books.

2- Holding their messages as a great blessing which Allah bestowed upon his servants in every age and place.

3- The love of those noble messengers, the people of counsel, honesty, trustworthiness, and sincerity.

The meaning of the Iman in the last day is the belief based on knowledge derived from the book of Allah and the Sunnah of his messenger Muhammad (salla Allahu alaihi wa sallam) that Allah will resurrect the creation after their death then join them together for a day, which there is no doubt their in, and will recompense both (parties) for their deeds,

فَمَنيَعْمَلْ مِثْقَالَ ذَرَّةٍ خَيْرًا يَرَهُ وَمَن يَعْمَلْ مِثْقَالَ ذَرَّةٍ شَرًّا يَرَهُ

“And whosoever does evil equal to the weight of an atom (or a small ant), shall see it.”[9]

And the one who lies (disbelieves) regarding this day or something contained therein including the bridge, the scale, the pond, the paradise and hellfire, the reckoning according to actions, etc. from that which is know from the legislation, then indeed he has gone astray from the straight path as the validity of its occurrence has been substantiated by the book, the Sunnah, and the consensus of the Muslims (the scholars).

And Iman in this pillar has many benefits from them:

1) Enthusiasm in performing good deeds and persistence in earning rewards via righteous statements, actions, and beliefs hoping for the reward which has been promised in the Noble Qur’an and the pure authentic Sunnah.

2) Refraining from disobedience, its statements and actions those hidden and apparent as commitment of them is a cause for the punishment of Allah which has been promised for the sinners whom go beyond His boundaries, neglect His obligations, and turn away from that which the messengers came with which contains their rectification and success if they were to believe in it and be upright upon it.

The meaning of Iman in the divine decree is the decisive belief that all of the creation; the lofty and lowly, in total and in part, its speaking and silent, its moving and stationary have been decreed by Allah and informed of before existence and they will occur in their times and restricted places upon their specified characteristics according to what He has ordained for them in eternity.  The proofs for this great pillar are many in the book and the Sunnah, none is displeased with them except the disbeliever and none interpret them with other than their true interpretation except the ignorant or the heedless,

خَلَقَ كُلَّ شَيْءٍ فَقَدَّرَهُ تَقْدِيرًا

“and has measured it exactly according to its due measurements.”[10]

And it has been authentically reported in Sahih Muslim[11] on the authority of `Abdullah ibn `Amr ibn Al-`Aas (radi Allahu anhu) who said, “I heard the messenger of Allah (salla Allahu alaihi wa sallam) say, ‘Verily Allah has written the quantity of the created beings before He created the heavens and the earth by 50,000 years’”[12] and there are many other proofs for this pillar.

From these explicit texts it becomes clear to the true believer in his faith that every action of the creation, chosen and not chosen, does not exceed (is limited to) the will of Allah be He blessed the Most High, rather everything that happens in the heavens and earth from bringing to life and putting to death, health and sickness, poverty and wealth, long life and short, sending down the fixed time, its term, its place, its reason, unhappiness, happiness, hope, adversity, hardship, ease, disbelief, belief, good, and bad, all of that is by the eternal decree of Allah, written by the pen which was created by Allah ordered to write the decrees of everything until the hour is established, thusly there is no affair nor event from except that the pen has recorded it in that hour until the last hour is established just like what has past you by recently.  And it is not necessary from that, that the servants rely upon what has been written and leave acting (performing deeds) which is weakness and deviation from the guidelines of the Noble Qur’an and advice of the truthful trustworthy messenger (salla Allahi alaihi wa sallam), thusly diligence and hard work are inevitable in earning good deeds and leaving evil deeds for that is a reason for the pleasure of the Lord of the earth and the heavens, a substantial cause for entering the gardens, and ascension of its high beautiful levels.

And it has come in a Hadeeth narrated by Ahmad[13] and others on the authority of `Umar ibn Al-Khattab[14] (radi Allahi anhu) that he said to the prophet (salla Allahi alaihi wa sallam), “Do you see what we are doing as a newly invented affair or what has become void?  He said (salla Allahu alaihi wa sallam), in what has become void O ibn Al-Khattab and all of it is made easy; as for the one who was from the people of happiness then he works for happiness and as for the one who was from the people of misery then he works for misery”[15] and in a narration `Umar said, “now we will strive hard O messenger of Allah”.

From the fruits of Iman in the divine decree its good and bad, its sweet and bitter are as follows:

1) Reliance on Allah, entrustment of all affairs to Him as He is the giver of life, reliever of needs, reliever of anguish, and dealer (ruler) of all His creation with what He likes and how He likes.

2) Weariness and caution from falling into the disease of astonishment when the person acquires his religious or worldly desire, thus he feels that obtainment of every loved thing and the repelling of every disliked thing is indeed a divine decreed blessing from a wise authority thusly praising Allah for it.

Translated by John ‘Eesa’ Starling

Found in:

A Short Compilation for Better Clarification

[1] (Al-An’am 6:102)

[2] (Al-Baqarah 2:163)

[3] (Ash-Shura 42:11)

[4] (Al-Muddaththir 74:31)

[5] (Al-Anbiya 21:26,27)

[6] (Ghafir 40:7-9)

[7] (Al-Baqarah 2:136)

[8] (An-Nisa 4:152)

[9] (Az-Zalzalah 99:8)

[10] (Al-Furqan 25:2)

[11] Muslim: He is Abu Al-Hasn Muslim ibn Al-Hujjâj Al-Quraishy An-Naisabûry author of As-Sahih and one of the Imams (who memorized by heart a vast number of hadeeth) and one of the great authorities of the Muhaditheen, he was born in the year 260 Hijrah and pasted away in the year 315 Hijrah, he was 55 years old. (تقريت التهذيب ج2 ص245).

[12]رواه مسلم في كتاب القدر باب حجاج موسى وآدم عليهما السلام ج16 ص203 بشرح النووي عن عبد اللّه بن عمرو ابن العاص رضي اللّه عنه.

[13] Ahmad ibn Hanbal:  He is the Imam of Ahlus-Sunnah of his era and the leader of the scholars of Hadeeth.  Ahmad ibn Muhammd ibn Hanbal Ash-Shaibâny, born the month Rabea` Al-Awwal year 164 Hijrah in Baghdad, His father died when he was a child so his mother raised him with the best upbringing.  He took knowledge from many scholars from many places; Iraq, Sham, and the Hijaz.  He was firm in the days of the trial like an unshakable mountain despite the lengthy injury (and torture) which was no less than 16 years.  He pasted away (may Allâh have mercy on him) in the year 241 Hijrah.

(صفة الصفوة ج2 ص236 وما بعدها، حلية الأولياء ج9 ص161 وما بعدها)

[14] `Umar ibn Al-Khattâb: He is `Umar ibn Al-Khattab ibn Nufail ibn Abdil-`Izzi ibn Rabâh ibn Abdillah ibn Qurt ibn Razâh ibn `Addy ibn K`ab ibn Lu’ay Al-Qurashy Al-`Adawi Abu Hafs.  He was born after the elephant (year of the elephant) by 13 years, he was appointed to the Khilâfah after (Abu Bakr) As-Siddiq, he was an inspired muhaddith as Allâh made the truth come from his tonque and heart, the Qur’an agreed with him in numerous places, from his virture and strong Imân the Shaitân would flee from him, he died a martyr on the hadn of Abu Lu’luh Al-Majûsy Thursday with four nights remaining in Dhul Hijjah 24 Hijrah, and his Khilâfah was 10 years, 5 months, and 21 days, his age (at death) was 63 according to what is correct.

[15] رواه الترمذي في كتاب القدر باب ما جاء في الشقاء والسعادة ج4 رقم135 ص445 عن عمر بن الخطاب.

By the great scholar

Shaikh Abdul-Azeez ibn Baz (d. 1420 AH)

(رحمه اللّه)

All praise is for Allah and may peace and blessings be upon His messenger, upon his messenger’s family, companions, and all that follow his guidance.

I thank Allah the Glorified for this meeting with my noble sons regarding learning, memorizing, calling to, and acting according to the Quran.  There is no doubt that the Quran is the revealed speech of Allah, which is not created, from Him it came and to Him it shall return.  He sent it to His servant and messenger the seal of the prophets Muhammad ibn Abdillah (salla Allahu alaihi wa sallam) containing an evidence (or argument) over all His servants.  The Most High said,

ِكتَابٌ أَنزَلْنَاهُ إِلَيْكَ لِتُخْرِجَ النَّاسَ مِنَ الظُّلُمَاتِ إِلَى النُّورِ بِإِذْنِ رَبِّهِمْ إِلَى صِرَاطِ الْعَزِيزِ الْحَمِيدِ

“(This is) a Book which We have revealed unto you (O Muhammad (salla Allahu alaihi wa sallam)) in order that you might lead mankind out of darkness (of disbelief and polytheism) into light (of belief in the Oneness of Allah and Islamic Monotheism) by their Lord’s Leave to the Path of the All-Mighty, the Owner of all Praise.” (Ibrahim 14:1)

إِنَّ هَـذَا الْقُرْآنَ يِهْدِي لِلَّتِي هِيَ أَقْوَمُ وَيُبَشِّرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ الَّذِينَ يَعْمَلُونَ الصَّالِحَاتِ أَنَّ لَهُمْ أَجْرًا كَبِيرًا

“Verily, this Quran guides to that which is most just and right and gives glad tidings to the believers (in the Oneness of Allah and His Messenger, Muhammad SAW, etc.). who work deeds of righteousness, that they shall have a great reward (Paradise).” (Al-Isra 17:9)

قُلْ هُوَ لِلَّذِينَ آمَنُوا هُدًى وَشِفَاء

“Say: ‘It is for those who believe, a guide and a healing.’” (Fussilat 41:44)

وَإِنَّهُ لَتَنزِيلُ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ. نَزَلَ بِهِ الرُّوحُ الْأَمِينُ. عَلَى قَلْبِكَ لِتَكُونَ مِنَ الْمُنذِرِينَ. بِلِسَانٍ عَرَبِيٍّ مُّبِينٍ.

“And truly, this (the Quran) is a revelation from the Lord of the ‘Alamin (mankind, jinns and all that exists), Which the trustworthy Rûh [Jibrael (Gabriel)] has brought down; Upon your heart (O Muhammad (salla Allahu alaihi wa sallam)) that you may be (one) of the warners,  In the plain Arabic language.” (Ash-Shu’ara 26:192-195)

كِتَابٌ أَنزَلْنَاهُ إِلَيْكَ مُبَارَكٌ لِّيَدَّبَّرُوا آيَاتِهِ وَلِيَتَذَكَّرَ أُوْلُوا الْأَلْبَابِ

“(This is) a Book(the Quran) which We have sent down to you, full of blessings that they may ponder over its Verses, and that men of understanding may remember.” (Sad 38:29)

وَهَـذَا كِتَابٌ أَنزَلْنَاهُ مُبَارَكٌ فَاتَّبِعُوهُ وَاتَّقُواْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُرْحَمُونَ

“And this is a blessed Book (the Quran) which We have sent down, so follow it and fear Allah (i.e. do not disobey His Orders), that you may receive mercy (i.e. saved from the torment of Hell).” (Al-An’am 6:155)  So it is an obligation upon every responsible individual to act in accordance with this book and to follow its directive, what Allah has conveyed therein and refrain from that which is in opposition to it.  Likewise it is obligatory upon everyone to act according to the prophetic practice as the Most High said,

قُلْ أَطِيعُوا اللَّهَ وَأَطِيعُوا الرَّسُولَ فَإِن تَوَلَّوا فَإِنَّمَا عَلَيْهِ مَا حُمِّلَ وَعَلَيْكُم مَّا حُمِّلْتُمْ وَإِن تُطِيعُوهُ تَهْتَدُوا وَمَا عَلَى الرَّسُولِ إِلَّا الْبَلَاغُ الْمُبِينُ

“Say: ‘Obey Allah and obey the Messenger, but if you turn away, he (Messenger Muhammad (salla Allahu alaihi wa sallam)) is only responsible for the duty placed on him (i.e. to convey Allah’s Message) and you for that placed on you. If you obey him, you shall be on the right guidance. The Messenger’s duty is only to convey (the message) in a clear way (i.e. to preach in a plain way).’” (An-Nur 24:54)

وَمَا آتَاكُمُ الرَّسُولُ فَخُذُوهُ وَمَا نَهَاكُمْ عَنْهُ فَانتَهُوا

“And whatsoever the Messenger (Muhammad (salla Allahu alaihi wa sallam)) gives you, take it, and whatsoever he forbids you, abstain (from it” (Al-Hashr 59:7) Allah the Glorified has conveyed that He sent him to all of mankind, both man and jinn, Arab and non-Arab and said,

قُلْ يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ إِنِّي رَسُولُ اللّهِ إِلَيْكُمْ جَمِيعًا الَّذِي لَهُ مُلْكُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالأَرْضِ لا إِلَـهَ إِلاَّ هُوَ يُحْيِـي وَيُمِيتُ فَآمِنُواْ بِاللّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ النَّبِيِّ الأُمِّيِّ الَّذِي يُؤْمِنُ بِاللّهِ وَكَلِمَاتِهِ وَاتَّبِعُوهُ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَهْتَدُونَ

“Say (O Muhammad (salla Allahu alaihi wa sallam)):  ’O mankind! Verily, I am sent to you all as the Messenger of Allah – to Whom belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth. Lâ ilâha illa Huwa (none has the right to be worshipped but He); It is He Who gives life and causes death. So believe in Allah and His Messenger (Muhammad (salla Allahu alaihi wa sallam)), the Prophet who can neither read nor write (i.e. Muhammad (salla Allahu alaihi wa sallam)) who believes in Allah and His Words [(this Quran), the Taurât (Torah) and the Injeel (Gospel) and also Allah's Word: "Be!" - and he was, i.e. 'Iesa (Jesus) son of Maryam (Mary),], and follow him so that you may be guided.’” (Al-A’raf 7:158)  Thus guidance is found in following him (salla Allahu alaihi wa sallam) and following what has come in Allah’s book as He the Glorified said,

وَمَا أَرْسَلْنَاكَ إِلَّا كَافَّةً لِّلنَّاسِ بَشِيرًا وَنَذِيرًا

“And We have not sent you (O Muhammad (salla Allahu alaihi wa sallam)) except as a giver of glad tidings and a warner to all mankind” (Saba’ 34:28)

وَمَا أَرْسَلْنَاكَ إِلَّا رَحْمَةً لِّلْعَالَمِينَ

“And We have sent you (O Muhammad (salla Allahu alaihi wa sallam)) not but as a mercy for the ‘Alamin (mankind, jinns and all that exists).” (Al-Anbiya 21:107)  And the prophet (salla Allahu alaihi wa sallam) said, “I was sent to all of mankind” therefore it is a must that every accountable person hold firm (and follow) Allah’s book and practice of His messenger (salla Allahu alaihi wa sallam).  In another tradition he (salla Allahu alaihi wa sallam) said, “I have left you with two things, the first is Allah’s book which contains guidance and light so take Allah’s book and adhere to it” and Allah created the creation to worship Him as He said,

وَمَا خَلَقْتُ الْجِنَّ وَالْإِنسَ إِلَّا لِيَعْبُدُونِ

“And I (Allah) created not the jinns and humans except they should worship Me (Alone).” (Adh-Dhariyat 51:56)

يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ اعْبُدُواْ رَبَّكُمُ

“O mankind! Worship your Lord (Allah( “ (Al-Baqarah 2:21)

وَلَقَدْ بَعَثْنَا فِي كُلِّ أُمَّةٍ رَّسُولاً أَنِ اعْبُدُواْ اللّهَ وَاجْتَنِبُواْ الطَّاغُوتَ

“And verily, We have sent among every Ummah (community, nation) a Messenger (proclaiming): “Worship Allah (Alone), and avoid (or keep away from) Tâghût” (An-Nahl 16:3)  This worship is obedience to Allah which is monotheism, fear of Allah, piousness, and guidance as the Most High said,

وَلَقَدْ جَاءهُم مِّن رَّبِّهِمُ الْهُدَى

“Whereas there has surely come to them the Guidance from their Lord!” (An-Najm 53:23).  Thus it is a must that these types of worship be learned and understood as they are the religion of Islam and you are a creation (made) for worship.  It is a must that man and woman learn and know these types of worship well so that they can be performed upon insight.  These acts of worship are what you were created for and Allah called this religion worship due to the servant performing them in this world with submissiveness to Allah.  The religion of Islam is worship; the prayer is worship, giving the mandatory charity is worship, fasting is worship, the pilgrimage is worship, and struggling in the way of Allah is worship.  Similar is all that Allah obligated us to perform in His obedience.  This is a great religion, the religion of Islam, a religion of worship which you have been created for, a religion of guidance, piousness, and awareness of Allah.  Thus it is a must that everyone, both male and female, fear Allah and worship Him by being obedient, following His command and refraining from His prohibitions being sincere to Him alone not worshipping anyone or thing other than Him, which embodies the testimony “there is no god but Allah” meaning, “there is no god worthy of worship except Allah” as the Most High mentioned in the Quran,

ذَلِكَ بِأَنَّ اللَّهَ هُوَ الْحَقُّ وَأَنَّ مَا يَدْعُونَ مِن دُونِهِ هُوَ الْبَاطِلُ وَأَنَّ اللَّهَ هُوَ الْعَلِيُّ الْكَبِيرُ

“That is because Allah He is the Truth (the only True God of all that exists, Who has no partners or rivals with Him), and what they (the polytheists) invoke besides Him, it is Bâtil (falsehood) And verily, Allah He is the Most High, the Most Great.” (Al-Hajj 22:62),

وَإِلَـهُكُمْ إِلَهٌ وَاحِدٌ لاَّ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ هُوَ الرَّحْمَنُ الرَّحِيمُ

“And your Ilâh (God) is One Ilâh (God – Allah), Lâ ilâha illa Huwa (there is none who has the right to be worshipped but He), the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful.” (Al-Baqarah 2:163), and

فَاعْلَمْ أَنَّهُ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَاسْتَغْفِرْ لِذَنبِكَ

“So know (O Muhammad (salla Allahu alaihi wa sallam)) that Lâ ilâha ill-Allâh (none has the right to be worshipped but Allah), and ask forgiveness for your sin” (Muhammad 47:19)  This is the meaning of “there is no god but Allah” and the god is that which the heart deifies and glorifies with many types of worship and none are worthy of that except Allah alone nor is it correct to worship others.  Hence it is an obligation upon every responsible male and female on the face of the earth, both Arab and non-Arab, to worship Allah and be aware of Him, obey His commands, stay away from that which he prohibited, and not overstep the bounds which He set out of obedience, truthfulness, desire, and fear as they were created for this, they were created for Islam and Allah commands this,

إِنَّ الدِّينَ عِندَ اللّهِ الإِسْلاَمُ

“Truly, the religion with Allah is Islam.” (Aali Imran 3:19)

وَمَن يَبْتَغِ غَيْرَ الإِسْلاَمِ دِينًا فَلَن يُقْبَلَ مِنْهُ وَهُوَ فِي الآخِرَةِ مِنَ الْخَاسِرِينَ

“And whoever seeks a religion other than Islam, it will never be accepted of him, and in the Hereafter he will be one of the losers.” (Aali Imran 3:85)

الْيَوْمَ أَكْمَلْتُ لَكُمْ دِينَكُمْ وَأَتْمَمْتُ عَلَيْكُمْ نِعْمَتِي وَرَضِيتُ لَكُمُ الإِسْلاَمَ

“This day, I have perfected your religion for you, completed My Favor upon you, and have chosen for you Islam as your religion.” (Al-Ma’idah 5:3)  This is Islam, the way of life which Allah is pleased with.  He will not accept another religion.  Islam is Allah’s worship, monotheism, and conforming to His legislation in speech, action, and creed.  The Most High said,

إِنَّ الدِّينَ عِندَ اللّهِ الإِسْلاَمُ

“Truly, the religion with Allah is Islam.” (Aali Imran 3:19)  There is no path to the knowledge and awareness of this worship except by (the grace of) Allah and then by learning, understanding, and studying.  Learning, understanding, and having care and concern for the Quran and sunnah is a must in order to learn this mentioned worship which you have been created for so that you may act accordingly sincerely for Allah, loving Him, and glorifying Him in all situations and circumstances.  It is a must that you are always righteous and upright upon monotheism, His obedience, following His legislation, and abandoning that which He has prohibited wherever you are until you pass away.  Allah the Most High said to His prophet (salla Allahu alaihi wa sallam),

وَاعْبُدْ رَبَّكَ حَتَّى يَأْتِيَكَ الْيَقِينُ

“And worship your Lord until there comes unto you the certainty (i.e. death).” (Al-Hijr 15:99) and He said,

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ اتَّقُواْ اللّهَ حَقَّ تُقَاتِهِ وَلاَ تَمُوتُنَّ إِلاَّ وَأَنتُم مُّسْلِمُونَ.  وَاعْتَصِمُواْ بِحَبْلِ اللّهِ جَمِيعًا وَلاَ تَفَرَّقُواْ

“O you who believe! Fear Allah (by doing all that He has ordered and by abstaining from all that He has forbidden) as He should be feared. [Obey Him, be thankful to Him, and remember Him always], and die not except in a state of Islam (as Muslims) with complete submission to Allah.  And hold fast, all of you together, to the Rope of Allah (i.e. this Quran), and be not divided among yourselves…” (Aali Imran 3:102-103)

This is the worship which you have been created for; fearing Allah, holding firm to His rope (i.e. the Quran), and being upright (and righteous) in the religion and from the means of obtaining this are having concern for the Quran (i.e. dedicating yourself to it), studying it and gaining understanding in it and the practice of His messenger (salla Allahu alaihi wa sallam) according to the statement of the prophet (salla Allahu alaihi wa sallam), “whoever Allah wants good for, He grants him understanding in the religion” [agreed upon by Al-Bukhari and Muslim].  For this, I congratulate those who are responsible for the schools which care for the Quran and I thank them for what they are doing, glorifying the book of Allah and teaching it to the generations.  This is the way to true happiness for the one who is upright and sincere in doing that.

We ask Allah to aid them in that which He is pleased with, that which contains their happiness and understanding in the religion.  I request both teachers and students to have concern for the book of Allah, the teacher, student, and employee and I advise everyone to dedicate themselves to the book of Allah, reciting it, reflecting over it, understanding it, acting according to it, and memorizing it because it contains guidance and light as the Glorified said,

إِنَّ هَـذَا الْقُرْآنَ يِهْدِي لِلَّتِي هِيَ أَقْوَمُ

“Verily, this Quran guides to that which is most just and right” (Al-Isra 17:9),

قُلْ هُوَ لِلَّذِينَ آمَنُوا هُدًى وَشِفَاء

“Say: ‘It is for those who believe, a guide and a healing.’” (Fussilat 41:44), and

وَهَـذَا كِتَابٌ أَنزَلْنَاهُ مُبَارَكٌ فَاتَّبِعُوهُ وَاتَّقُواْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُرْحَمُونَ

“And this is a blessed Book (the Quran) which We have sent down, so follow it and fear Allah (i.e. do not disobey His Orders), that you may receive mercy (i.e. saved from the torment of Hell).” (Al-An’am 6:155).  This is a great book containing guidance and light, every letter contains reward, and everyone who learns a single letter will be rewarded ten fold.

I advise everyone to take care of Allah’s book being dedicated to reading it, reflecting over it, striving to know its meaning, and acting according to it along with memorizing that which is easy.  This is Allah’s book, the greatest and most truthful book which He sent down as a mercy for mankind and a healing for the heart.  Likewise He made His messenger a mercy to all of mankind and guidance to all people as he said,

يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ قَدْ جَاءتْكُم مَّوْعِظَةٌ مِّن رَّبِّكُمْ وَشِفَاء لِّمَا فِي الصُّدُورِ وَهُدًى وَرَحْمَةٌ لِّلْمُؤْمِنِينَ

“O mankind! There has come to you a good advice from your Lord (i.e. the Quran, ordering all that is good and forbidding all that is evil), and a healing for that (disease of ignorance, doubt, hypocrisy and differences, etc.) in your breasts, – a guidance and a mercy (explaining lawful and unlawful things, etc.) for the believers.” (Yunus 10:57),

وَنَزَّلْنَا عَلَيْكَ الْكِتَابَ تِبْيَانًا لِّكُلِّ شَيْءٍ وَهُدًى وَرَحْمَةً وَبُشْرَى لِلْمُسْلِمِينَ

“And We have sent down to you the Book (the Quran) as an exposition of everything, a guidance, a mercy, and glad tidings for those who have submitted themselves (to Allah as Muslims).” (An-Nahl 16:89), and

وَمَا أَرْسَلْنَاكَ إِلَّا رَحْمَةً لِّلْعَالَمِينَ

“And We have sent you (O Muhammad (salla Allahu alaihi wa sallam)) not but as a mercy for the ‘Alamin (mankind, jinns and all that exists).” (Al-Anbiya 21:107)

It is a must that we learn this book and understand it so we may know what we were created for and know what worship we were created for in order that we may be upright (in observing it).  Likewise is the practice of the prophet (salla Allahu alaihi wa sallam), we must learn it, memorize it, and understand it asking about that which we do not understand because the student always asks about that which he does not understand in the Quran and Sunnah.  Allah the Most High said,

فَاسْأَلُواْ أَهْلَ الذِّكْرِ إِن كُنتُمْ لاَ تَعْلَمُونَ

“So ask of those who know the Scripture [learned men of the Taurât (Torah) and the Injeel (Gospel)], if you know not.” (An-Nahl 16:43)  Learning Allah’s book is from the greatest blessings thus we congratulate very student to has concern for the Quran and I advise you to be upright upon this great good and to ask Allah for success and sincerity in this, and in the concern (and effort) in understanding Allah’s book and the practice of His messenger (salla Allahu alaihi wa sallam), performing the obligations and refraining from prohibitions, rushing to good deeds, and being aware of every evil along with increasing in reciting His book, studying, gaining understanding in it while referring to the beneficial books for commentary such as Ibn Jarir, Ibn Kathir, Al-Baghawi, and the likes so that you may know the truth and understand that which you do not.  It is also a must that the student ask his/her teacher about that which he/she does not understand with a pure intention in order to learn the book of Allah. It is the responsibility of the teacher to take care of the students, having concern for them, advising them and teaching them that which is good and righteous deeds. And I ask Allah that they be righteous youth, learning, teaching, and rushing to good deeds because the most important thing after bearing witness that there is no deity worshiped in truth other than Allah and that Muhammad is His messenger is performing the five obligatory prayers in congregation in the masjid.  It is also a must that the people of knowledge, the scholar and the student of knowledge be role models in that, performing the prayers in congregation so that others can follow in their footsteps and take their example.  The scholars are the inheritors of the prophets starting with the messengers, may peace and blessings be upon them, and then the scholars as they are their predecessors calling to Allah in speech, action, and behavior.  The students of knowledge must learn and act being role models for others and display the effects of knowledge, learning, and understanding in the religion and book of Allah.

We ask Allah by His perfect names and lofty attributes to grant success to everyone in that which pleases Him, to bless us with complete understanding of this religion, to grant us with concern and dedication to His book and practice of His messenger acting according to them, calling and advising with them in speech, action, creed, and understanding, and to protect us from that which drives us astray from trials and the temptations of the Devil…

Translated by John ‘Eesa’ Starling

Found in:

Al-Qawlul Mufeed, November 2009

By the great scholar

Shaikh Abdur-Rahman Nasir As-Sa’di (d. 1376 AH)

(رحمه اللّه)

The answer, and success is with Allah; increasing the reward of righteous actions to the amount of 10 fold is something that occurs in every righteous deed as the Most High said,

من جاء بالحسنة فله عشر أمثالها

“Whoever brings a good deed shall have ten times the like thereof to his credit…” (Al-An’am 6:160) As far as increasing the reward of good deeds beyond that, which is the intent of the question, then there are reasons or causes directly connected to the one performing the deed, the deed itself, its time, place, or effect.  From the most important causes for the reward of a righteous deed to be increased is the worshipper actualizing in his/her deed sincerity to the One he/she is worshipping i.e. Allah and following the practice of the prophet (salla Allahu alaihi wa sallam).  That’s if the action or deed is legislated, the worshipper’s intention is to please his Lord and gain His reward, and he actualizes this intent by making it the driving cause for the action, which is the purpose of the deed or action in that it is done out of ones faith in Allah and His messenger (salla Allahu alaihi wa sallam) seeking to fulfill an order from the Legislator solely for His pleasure as has come in many verses and traditions such as the Most High’s statement,

إنما يتقبل الله من المتقين

“Verily, Allah accepts only from those who are the pious.”  (Al-Ma’idah 5:27) Those who are pious to Allah by actualizing sincerity and in agreement with the sunnah.  Similar is what has been reported in the prophetic tradition, “whoever fasts the month of Ramadan with faith (in its obligation) seeking the reward from Allah, he will be forgiven for what has proceeded of sin and whoever prays the month of Ramadan while faith (in its obligation) seeking the reward from Allah, he will be forgiven for what has proceeded of sin.”  And there are many texts which contain a similar meaning.

A few deeds performed with full sincerity outweigh many which do not reach their level of strong sincerity and for this, the outward actions are given superiority by Allah i.e increased in reward, in accordance with their superiority established in the hearts or strength of faith and sincerity.  Included in the actions which are increased in reward according to the sincerity of the worshiper is abandoning the souls desires of that which is impermissible if those desires are left sincerely from the heart for no other reason (other than Allah) and the people of the cave’s story is an evidence for this…

Translated by John ‘Eesa’ Starling

Found in:

Al-Qawlul Mufeed, October 2009

Ash-Shaikh Al-Muhaddith Muhammad Nasirud-Deen Al-Albani (d. 1420 AH)

(رحمه اللّه)

Questioner: May Allah bless you.  What is the criterion according to the Islamic legislation for distinguishing between the Sunnah which is considered custom and the Sunnah which is considered worship?

Shaikh Al-Albani: The criterion requires a level of knowledge as relates to the one who wishes to distinguish between a Sunnah that is worship and a Sunnah that is a custom.  It has been mentioned that there are actions of the prophet (salla Allahu alaihi wa sallam), that came from him and he did them seeking to get closer to Allah the Blessed and Exalted; this category is the Sunnah that is worship.  Its opposite is another category that also mentions actions of the prophet, (salla Allahu alaihi wa sallam); and the least we can say is that these actions don’t have the ruling of worship, rather they have the ruling of customs or that the issue returns to the persons desires and they have no connection to worship. This category clearly has no connection to worship therefore it is in the category of customs; and between these two categories are doubtful matters.

If we look at these doubtful matters from a particular angle then the person might lean towards connecting an action to worship and from another angle might lean towards connecting them to a Sunnah that is only a custom; according to the student of knowledge (who is investigating these issues). It is sufficient for the student of knowledge to stop at the second category that is opposite the first category.  For example, the prophet (salla Allahu alaihi wa sallam) used to have sandals that had two straps, so what appears at first glance is that, if the student of knowledge has sandals with one strap then he is opposing the Sunnah as the Sunnah is to have sandals with two straps!! It appears that this has a connection to worship, but it is only a custom of the Arabs, they used to wear this type of sandal and they didn’t wear the type of footwear known today as ‘shoes’ or what resembles them.

What is left as relates to the student of knowledge is the category that can be linked to the first group or the second group, and this requires knowledge to determine which group it is from either worship or sunnah and with this (in mind) we find the Scholars agreeing upon affairs that are from the Sunnah but differing upon the particulars of it i.e. being either from the Sunnah of custom or from the Sunnah of worship.  An example of this is what is related to the Hajj which we shall begin soon.  It has been related that the prophet (salla Allahu alaihi wa sallam) descended at Al Batha, so some of the companions said, and I think it was Aisha, ‘Staying at Al-Mahassab is not the Sunnah.’, only agreeing that he pitched a tent there and rested, but some of the people who arrive believe that resting at Al Batha is from the completeness of Hajj and here there could be a difference of opinion because this affair requires something extremely clear in order to connect it to the first category or the second category.

Now we shall mention some current examples, because many of the youth, and all praises belong to Allah, shorten their garments not allowing them to flow long with the intent of following the Sunnah. So is this a Sunnah that is custom or a Sunnah that is worship?

If we looked at this action (shortening the garment) of the prophet (salla Allahu alaihi wa sallam) separately from some of his statements then perhaps we would waver between connecting this action to the Sunnah that is worship or the Sunnah that is custom. But when the traditions containing the statements of the prophet (salla Allahu alaihi wa sallam) came such as the narration where he said, ‘The izaar of the believer is to the midway point of the shin and if it is longer then let it go to the ankles and if it is longer then it is in the fire.’ This (narration) puts and end to the wavering between whether this action is a Sunnah of worship or a Sunnah of custom and it is certain that this is a Sunnah of worship because when he described the method of clothing as it relates to the believer he said it is to the middle of the shin and if it is longer then there is no problem if it goes to the ankle but as for what is longer than that then it is in the fire.

Opposite to this is a Sunnah that has been affirmed for the prophet (salla Allahu alaihi wa sallam) which is him having long hair.  Sometimes his hair would reach his earlobes and if it was longer then it would reach the top of his shoulders. Rather, it has been confirmed that when the prophet (salla Allahu alaihi wa sallam) entered Mecca he had his hair in four braids. So is growing the hair long firstly, and then putting it into braids secondly, a Sunnah of worship or a Sunnah of custom?  The answer as I see it, there is nothing here that calls to, justifies, or can be construed to cause any wavering concerning as to whether this is a Sunnah or custom or worship. Why?  Firstly, because the prophet (salla Allahu alaihi wa sallam) was not the one who started this Sunnah, rather this was present before the Messenger was born, not to mention before he became a prophet(salla Allahu alaihi wa sallam)!  This was the custom of the Arabs; they used to grow their hair long. And some of the youth to this day, like the youth in the deserts of Syria that we have witnessed, bunch their hair and put it into braids.  Therefore this is a custom that was not started by the prophet (salla Allahu alaihi wa sallam) rather he just continued upon the customs of the Arabs letting his hair grow and when he entered Mecca he put it into four braids.  There is nothing here that would hurt us if we considered this Sunnah a Sunnah of custom, as opposed to a Sunnah of worship.

Another example: The prophet (salla Allahu alaihi wa sallam) used to wear white; is this a Sunnah of custom or a Sunnah of worship?  If his statement had not been narrated, “The best clothes for you are white clothes, therefore dress your living in white clothes and bury your dead in white clothes” we would have said this was his preference as the Messenger (salla Allahu alaihi wa sallam) used to love white clothes just as he used to love honey for example and he used to hate lizard meat.  But when his statement came, ‘the best clothes for you are white’, and then he ordered with wearing it, and at the least a command shows that it is recommended, saying dress your living in white clothes and bury your dead in white clothes, it left from being a Sunnah of custom and became a Sunnah of worship.

With this standard and criterion it is obligatory for us to weigh the actions of the prophet (salla Allahu alaihi wa sallam). Therefore what he started having nothing in its context making us believe it is a Sunnah of custom then it is a Sunnah of worship.   As for his actions (salla Allahu alaihi wa sallam) which are consistent with the customs of the Arabs then these actions are from the Arab customs and it is no problem for the one who does them just as it is no problem for the one who leaves them.   Likewise are his actions (salla Allahu alaihi wa sallam) that dealt with his disposition or his personal taste which also have no connection to the affairs of worship. As for the aforementioned example, the prophet (salla Allahu alaihi wa sallam) used to love honey, and it’s possible that we will find some people who hate honey but we can’t say they have opposed the Sunnah!! Eating honey is not worship. Therefore if it is not easy for a person to eat honey or if they have no desire to eat honey then we don’t say they have opposed the Sunnah rather they have opposed the disposition of the Prophet which was that he loved honey.  From a different angle, the Prophet (salla Allahu alaihi wa sallam) used to hate lizard meat and the Arabs found it to be pleasant, and when it was put on the table of the Prophet (salla Allahu alaihi wa sallam) and he was told that it was lizard meat he didn’t touch it.

Once in front of him was one of the famous companions, none other than Khalid ibn Walid and he used to eat it with great desire such that it would cause people to look at him; he would eat and the juices would stream down his beard. So when he saw that his prophet (salla Allahu alaihi wa sallam) was not eating he said, “O Messenger of Allah is this (lizard meat) haram?” because he felt a shock inside of himself, he’s eating ravenously and the prophet (salla Allahu alaihi wa sallam) is not reaching his hand towards the food; so he said, ‘is this haram’.  The prophet (salla Allahu alaihi wa sallam) said, “No, but this was not in the land of my people so I find that I detest it.”  Therefore we don’t say to the person that loves lizard meat, “you have opposed the Sunnah”, because the prophet (salla Allahu alaihi wa sallam) used to hate lizard meat and we also don’t say this to the one who does not like honey.  And you will find those who don’t like honey, and I have found that one of my sons does not like honey. I love honey and I love all sweets in general, but one of my sons hates honey; but I don’t say to him, ‘You have opposed the Sunnah’, because this has no connection to worship. And like this, it is incumbent upon us to look at the actions of the prophet (salla Allahu alaihi wa sallam).

Many of the people, especially the students of knowledge, during this time period are heedless of these specifics and some of them go to extremes. So you find some of the youth intending to grow their hair long believing that this is the Sunnah of the prophet (salla Allahu alaihi wa sallam). Yes, I say this is from the actions of the prophet (salla Allahu alaihi wa sallam) but there is no proof that it is better. Rather the Prophet (salla Allahu alaihi wa sallam) announced as is found in Sahih Muslim, ‘shave it all or leave it all’.  Therefore if the hair is grown long it is not a Sunnah of worship rather it is only a Sunnah of custom. So if a person continues to shave his head his entire life it can not be said that he is opposing the Sunnah of the prophet because the prophet (salla Allahu alaihi wa sallam) grew his hair his entire life; with the exception being during the Hajj and Umrah because he (salla Allahu alaihi wa sallam) used to shave his head during this time.

And you know the hadith that appears in Sahih Bukhari and Muslim where the prophet (salla Allahu alaihi wa sallam) said, ‘O Allah forgive those who shave their heads, O Allah forgive those who shave their heads, O Allah forgive those who shave their heads”, they said and those who cut their hair short O Messenger of Allah, and he said “and those who cut their hair short, but those who only cut their hair short receive a lesser reward, and to shave the head in more virtuous”.

Hence, if the person grows their hair long out of habit or because this is just his natural disposition then there is nothing preventing this, and as for the one who intends by this to get closer to Allah because the prophet (salla Allahu alaihi wa sallam) grew his hair long then we say this is in opposition to the Sunnah of the prophet (salla Allahu alaihi wa sallam).  Here, there is a detail that attention has to be given to, by the one who grows his hair long because the prophet (salla Allahu alaihi wa sallam) grew his hair long, so he believes that he is following the prophet (salla Allahu alaihi wa sallam) by growing his hair long.  I say with all frankness that he is opposing the prophet and his opposition is not apparent rather it is hidde. So from what is apparent is that it seems that he is following the prophet by growing his hair long, so what is the opposition?

The opposition: It is obligatory upon us to pay attention to the statement of our prophet (salla Allahu alaihi wa sallam) “Verily Actions are (judged) by intentions, so each man will have what he intended. Thus, he whose migration was for Allah and His messenger, his migration is for Allah and His messenger; but he whose migration was for some worldly thing he might gain, or for a wife he might marry, his migration is for that which he migrated.”  So the one who goes out with the prophet peace and blessings are upon him, as a mujahid then that which is apparent is what? It is that he is a mujahid in the path of Allah; but in reality he went out for some worldly gain or to marry a woman therefore he opposed the prophet (salla Allahu alaihi wa sallam) in his intention.  So will he be rewarded as a mujahid, when he opposed the best of the mujahids; opposed him in what, in his intention, the answer is no.   Now the one who grows his hair long, emulating his prophet, his example is like the example of the mujahid that went out with the prophet as a mujahid, but his intention was opposed to the intention of the prophet (salla Allahu alaihi wa sallam). (So the question may be) how is this related to the one who grows his hair long? We say to him: Do you know that when the prophet (salla Allahu alaihi wa sallam), grew the hair on his head long that his intention with this was to get closer to his Lord? He did not seek to get closer to Allah by loving honey, and he did not seek to get closer to Allah by hating lizard meat, and also he did not seek to get closer to Allah the Mighty and Majestic by growing his hair long!! So you seek to get closer to Allah (by growing your hair long)? Then you have opposed the prophet (salla Allahu alaihi wa sallam), in the strongest condition from the conditions of worship.

The first condition: The intention must be sincerely for the face of Allah the Blessed and Exalted.  The second condition: It must be in accordance with the action of the prophet. You are in accordance with him in his action, but you opposed him in his intention.

As relates to the Fajr prayer, both the Sunnah for Fajr and the Fajr prayer itself, both are two rakats. So if a man prayed the two Sunnah rakat for Fajr with the intention that they were obligatory, was he in accordance with the Sunnah?  The answer is no.

And from the misguidance of the Qadianis is that they believe the two Sunnah rakats for Fajr are obligatory. So when they pray these two rakats the appearance is as though they are in accordance with the messenger (salla Allahu alaihi wa sallam), but their heart and their intention oppose the messenger (salla Allahu alaihi wa sallam). So the one who prays the two Sunnah rakats of Fajr with the intention that they are obligatory, this one is like the one who opposed the messenger in his intention but agreed with him in the appearance. The appearance doesn’t have any value because the deeds are by the intentions.  The meaning of the hadith is the righteous deeds are only by righteous intentions.

Therefore, if we don’t know that the prophet (salla Allahu alaihi wa sallam), sought to get closer to Allah by growing his hair long then it’s not permissible for the Muslim to seek to get closer to Allah by something that the prophet (salla Allahu alaihi wa sallam) did not seek to get closer to Allah with; this is an innovation in the religion and you all know the traditions that strongly warn against innovation in the religion. Whoever invents something into this affair of ours that is not from it will have it rejected. Therefore this is a newly invented matter because the person seeks to get closer to Allah by something that the prophet (salla Allahu alaihi wa sallam) did not seek to get closer to Allah with. This is the nature of the innovator, because they bring actions that the prophet (salla Allahu alaihi wa sallam) did not seeking to get closer to his Lord with and like that, we distinguish between the Sunnah of worship, that which we emulate the messenger in and between the Sunnah of custom, that which we have a choice to do or to leave because it is only a Sunnah of habit.

This point is that it is incumbent that we separate between this and that; meaning our following the messenger (salla Allahu alaihi wa sallam) is in the affairs of the religion not in the affairs of the worldly life and in this there are mistakes, severe mistakes from some of the ignorant people, those who do not separate between the Sunnah of habit and the Sunnah of worship.  The Sunnah of worship does not accept anything extra and for this reason the Messenger peace be upon him said, ‘every innovation is misguidance and every misguidance is in the fire’.  The sunnah of custom accepts an increase and it accepts a decrease and it accepts everything, because it’s a custom. I will give you one example from the Sunnah of custom, from the messenger of Allah (salla Allahu alaihi wa sallam).

He (the Prophet) entered Mecca opening it the day Allah helped him against the people of Mecca, and he had four braids. This is the sunnah of the Arabs and to this day you find this sunnah with some of the Bedouin youth. I have seen them in the desert; until today this custom is present with them. You are free with regards to this, if you see that it is suitable for you then you do it, and if you want you can leave it, and you have not opposed the Sunnah of the messenger with regards to this. Why, because it is a Sunnah of custom not a Sunnah of worship.

This categorization is from the completeness of comprehension and understanding in the religion where many of those beginners in knowledge are ignorant about this as they are not yet scholars.

Translated by Rasheed Barbee

Found in:

Al-Qawlul Mufeed, December 2007

Al-Qawlul Mufeed, January 2008

Al-Qawlul Mufeed, February 2008

A Friday Sermon by The Great Scholar

Shaikh Muhammad Salih Al-Uthaimeen (d. 1421 AH)

(رحمه اللّه)

All praise is for Allah, we praise Him, seek His aid, seek His forgiveness, repent to Him, and seek refuge in Him from the evil of our souls and evil deeds.  Whomever Allah guides there is none to lead him astray and whomever Allah allows to stray there is none to guide him.  I bear witness that there is no deity worshiped in truth other than Allah who is alone and has no partner and I bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and messenger who He sent with guidance and the true religion thus conveying the message, fulfilling the trust, and leaving his nation upon clearness whose night is like its day none stray from it except that they are destroyed.  I send salutations of peace and blessings upon him, his family, companions, and all that follow him in perfection until the last day.

You were looking forward to the month of Ramadan and it has come and now you have left it behind you which is how every individual is when waiting for something and then having it pass by them and then leaving it behind until death arrives.  Indeed the month of Ramadan came as a noble guest and now you have left it with what Allah has willed of righteous deeds and has left as a witness for you or against you.  There is a group that are happy to see it go as they have finished with it, finished fasting and worship that was difficult upon them and there is another group who are happy with its completion for they have ended it with ending sin and transgression with what they did in it of righteous deeds and achieved what Allah promised of forgiveness.  The difference between these two groups is great and the sign of those that are happy with its ending is the return of sin, neglect of the obligations, and boldness with the prohibitions all of which the effect can be seen in society as the number of people that pray in the masjid is decreased significantly, and whoever squanders his prayer then other than it is more of a waste as the prayer prevents vileness and abomination.  Sin perhaps conceals obedience and righteousness after it has been performed and the one acting has nothing except fatigue.  Some people say that the reward for virtue or good deeds is more good deeds or virtue after them so whoever acts righteously and then follows it with goodness then that is the sign of the acceptance of his first act of righteousness just as the one who does good deeds and then follows it with evilness could have his good deeds nullified when weighed on the scales.

The actions of the believer do not end with the ending of the season of deeds for the action of the believer is persistent and does not stop except with death, Allah the Most High said,

(وَاعْبُدْ رَبَّكَ حَتَّى يَأْتِيَكَ الْيَقِينُ) الحجر:99

“And worship your Lord until there comes unto you the certainty (i.e. death).” (Al-Hijr 15:99)

And He said,

(يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اتَّقُوا اللَّهَ حَقَّ تُقَاتِهِ وَلا تَمُوتُنَّ إِلَّا وَأَنْتُمْ مُسْلِمُونَ) آل عمران:102

“O you who believe! Fear Allah (by doing all that He has ordered and by abstaining from all that He has forbidden) as He should be feared. [Obey Him, be thankful to Him, and remember Him always], and die not except in a state of Islam (as Muslims) with complete submission to Allah.” (Aali Imran 3:102)

The month of fasting, the season of action, has come to an end but the time of action and deeds does not end.  The fasting of Ramadan is over but fasting is still legislated and all praise if for Allah so whoever fasts the month of Ramadan and then follows it with six days in the month of Shawwal is like fasting the entire year.  The prophet (sall-Allahu alaihi wa sallam) has made fasting every Monday and Thursday a guided practice of his and said that the good deeds are displayed to Allah the Mighty and Majestic on those two days.  He also advised Adu Hurairah, Abu Thar, and Abu Darda (radi Allahu anhum) to fast three days of every month, “fasting three days of every month is fasting the entire year”.  Likewise he encouraged the performance of righteous action in the ten days of Thul-Hijjah such as fasting and it was narrated that he did not leave fasting in those ten days.  He (sall-Allahu alaihi wa sallam) said, “the best fast after Ramadan is Allah’s month Muharram” and said that fasting the tenth of that month was an expiation for the previous year.  He (sall-Allahu alaihi wa sallam) also said that fasting the day of Arafah expiated the previous and coming year and Aisha said that he (sall-Allahu alaihi wa sallam) did not fast in a month voluntarily like he fasted in the month of Shaban as he used to fast most of it, rather he used to fast all of it.

Praying in the night of Ramadan has come to an end but praying at night is still legislated for every night of the year.  The prophet (sall-Allahu alaihi wa sallam) encouraged this and said, “the best prayer after the obligatory prayers is in the middle of the night”.  It has also been authentically reported that he (sall-Allahu alaihi wa sallam) said, “Verily Allah descends to the heavens of the earth every final third of the night and says, who is supplicating to me so that I may answer him, who is asking me so that I may give him, and who is seeking forgiveness from me so that I may forgive him”.  So fear Allah O servants and spend your lives performing (good) deeds and realize your statements with action for the real life of a person is what he spends in the obedience of Allah.  The tactful person is he who subjects himself, taking himself to account and performs deeds for what is after death and the weak person is he who follows his desires and hopes that Allah will give him security.

O Muslims, Allah has made the ways to goodness easy for you and opened their doors and called you to enter them conveying to you their reward.  The five (obligatory) prayers are the most certain of the pillars of Islam after the testimony of faith and they are five in number and fifty on the scales of the one who performs them.  They are an expiation and salvation on the day of resurrection.  Allah has legislated them for you and completed them with extra voluntary prayers numbering 12 units.  Four before the noon prayer with two tasleems and two after, two after the sunset prayer, two after the night prayer, and two before the dawn prayer whoever prays them Allah will build a house for him in paradise.  The odd numbered pray or witr is also a prophetic practice in accordance to his statement, “whoever fears that he will not stand the last part of the night then he is to pray an odd number in the first of the night and whoever desires to pray in the last of the night then he is to pray an odd number then, for the prayer in the last part of the night is a witness and that is the best and most virtuous”.  So the witr is a certain practice and it is not appropriate that anyone leave it while some of the people of knowledge hold the opinion that it is obligatory and sinful if left.  Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal said, whoever leaves the witr then he is evil and his witness should not be taken.  The witr is at least one unit and at most 11 units and its time is after the night prayer until before the time of the dawn prayer and while its time is at night it can be made up in the day with an even number of units so if someone’s habit is to pray three units and forgets to pray them in the night or sleeps through them, he is to pray four units in the day as it has come in Muslim on the authority of Aisha that the prophet (sall-Allahu alaihi wa sallam) would pray twelve units in the day if he slept or was unable to pray in the night.  The remembrances after the obligatory prayers were performed by the prophet (sall-Allahu alaihi wa sallam) after he made tasleem and would seek forgiveness three times and then say,

اللهم أنت السلام ومنك السلام تباركت يا ذا الجلال والإكرام

After the prayer he would glorify Allah saying Subhana Allah 33 times , Al-hamdulillah 33 times, and Allahu Akbar 33 times which is 99 and said whoever completes 100 by saying “la illaha illa Allah wahdahu la sharika lak, lahu al-mulk wa lahu al-hamd wa huwa ala kuli shai-en qadir” will be forgiven even if his sins are (as abundant) as the foam of the ocean.  The ablution for the one who performs it thoroughly and then says, “there is no deity worshipped in truth other than Allah who is alone and without partner and I bear witness that Muhammad is his servant and messenger, O Allah make me from those who are oft-repenting and of those who purify themselves” will have the eight doors of paradise opened for him and will be allowed to enter any of them he pleases.  Likewise spending of wealth in charity of all types on the family and children all draw one near to Allah the Mighty and Majestic even for one’s own self as there is not a servant who spends seeking the face of Allah except that he is rewarded for it.  Also Allah is pleased with the servant who eats and praises Him for the food and drinks and praises Him for the drink.  The one who aids the widow and the poor is like the one who struggles in the way of Allah, the one who fasts and does not break his fast, or the one who stands in prayer and does not stop and the one who aids the widow and poor is the one who answers their call for provision and sees to their needs just as your family, both young and weak who are not able to see to their own needs who are from the poor so aiding them is like struggling in the way of Allah or constant fasting and continuous praying.  O servants of Allah, the pathways to righteousness are numerous, so where are those that take these paths?!  Their doors are open, so where are those that enter them?!  The truth is very clear and no one strays from it except they are destroyed so take your portion of every righteous deed for Allah the Most High has said,

(يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا ارْكَعُوا وَاسْجُدُوا وَاعْبُدُوا رَبَّكُمْ وَافْعَلُوا الْخَيْرَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَ) (الحج:77)

O you who believe! Bow down, and prostrate yourselves, and worship your Lord and do good that you may be successful. (Al-Hajj 22:77)

May Allah give me and you success in taking advantage of our time and spending it with righteous actions and avoiding sin and evilness, and I ask that He purify us from it from His favor and bounty for He is vast in granting and giving.  O Allah may peace and blessings upon your servant and prophet Muhammad, upon his family, companions, and those that follow them in perfection until the last day.

All praise is for Allah for His benevolence and I thank Him for granting success and His greatness.  I bear witness that there is no deity worshipped in truth except Allah who is alone and without partner in His godhead, lordship, and ruler ship and I bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and messenger the aide to his religion and caller to His paradise and pleasure.  I send salutations of peace and blessings upon him, his family, companions, aides, and supporters.

As you have heard, whoever fasts the month of Ramadan and then follows it with six days from Shawwal is like the one who fasts the entire year.  Thus, it is a must that these six days of Shawwal not be left by anyone as they are few in number and contain great virtue.  It is best for these days be fasted consecutively starting with the second day of Eid until they are completed as this is considered rushing to goodness, but if they are delayed or separated then there is no problem so long as the month has not ended.   It must also be known that anyone who has days to make up of Ramadan, the six days of Shawwal will be of no benefit before those days are made up as the prophet (sall-Allahu alaihi wa sallam) said, “whoever fasts Ramadan and then follows it…” thusly whoever has days to make up from Ramadan is not to be considered as having finished and completed Ramadan and accordingly whoever has to make up days is to start with them first and then follow them with the six days of Shawwal.  If one finishes the days to be made up then finds some reason which prevents him from fasting such as sickness or travel and then makes up the six days of Shawwal in the following month then it is hoped that he will gain the reward as the days were not left except with a valid excuse.

Some of the common folk name the eighth day of this month the eid of the pious which is an incorrect naming as the 8^th day is like the 7^th day, it is not an eid for the pious nor the sinful as there is not found in the sunnah other than three legislated eids which are eid al-fitr, eid al-adha, and the weekly eid of Friday and all other holidays are innovations which Allah has replaced with that which is better, eid al-fitr and eid al-adha as the prophet (sall-Allahu alaihi wa sallam) said.  The prophet (sall-Allahu alaihi wa sallam) entered Madinah and the residents had two days of play and joy and the prophet (sall-Allahu alaihi wa sallam) said, “Allah has replaced them for you with that which is better” meaning eid al-fitr and eid al-adha. O Muslims, fear Allah the Most High, worship Him, and thank Him so that you may be successful as Allah the Mist High said,

(يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا ارْكَعُوا وَاسْجُدُوا وَاعْبُدُوا رَبَّكُمْ وَافْعَلُوا الْخَيْرَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَ) (الحج:77)

O you who believe! Bow down, and prostrate yourselves, and worship your Lord and do good that you may be successful. (Al-Hajj 22:77)

Be devoted to doing goodness, be devoted to benevolence to the people and sparing them from harm for Allah the Most High loves those that are benevolent and know that the best speech is the book of Allah and the finest guidance is that of Muhammad (sall-Allahu alaihi wa sallam), the worst of affairs are newly invented, every newly invented affair in the religion of Allah is an innovation, every innovation is a going astray and every going astray is in the fire.  Stick to the main (orthodox) body of Muslims for Allah’s hand is over them and whoever strays, strays into the fire.  Know that Allah orders you with an order in which He began with Himself and said,

(إِنَّ اللَّهَ وَمَلائِكَتَهُ يُصَلُّونَ عَلَى النَّبِيِّ يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا صَلُّوا عَلَيْهِ وَسَلِّمُوا تَسْلِيماً) (الأحزاب:56)

Allah sends His Salât (Graces, Honours, Blessings, Mercy, etc.) on the Prophet (Muhammad (sall-Allahu alaihi wa sallam)) and also His angels too (ask Allah to bless and forgive him). O you who believe! Send your Salât on (ask Allah to bless) him (Muhammad (sall-Allahu alaihi wa sallam)), and (you should) greet (salute) him with the Islamic way of greeting (salutation i.e. As­Salâmu ‘Alaikum). (Al-Ahzab 33:56)

O Allah, send your salutations of peace and blessings upon your servant and prophet Muhammad…

Translated by John ‘Eesa’ Starling

Found in:

Al-Qawlul Mufeed, October 2008

Al-Qawlul Mufeed, September 2008