A Refutation of The Shiites And The Mutazilah
Should I Memorise Quraan or Seek Knowledge? Shaykh Saalih al-Fawzaan
Should I Memorise Quraan or Seek Knowledge?
Shaykh Saalih al-Fawzaan was asked a question by a youth who had reached 16 years of age and for the last 18 months had been memorising the Quraan in a hifdh program. He wanted to focus on seeking knowledge, however he was advised against this by the supervisor of the hifdh program; saying that the youth requires tarbiyyah (islamic cultivation) and that if he was to seek knowledge without tarbiyyah, it would be detrimental to him. The young man then asked Shaykh Saalih (hafidahullah) for his advice:
Seeking knowledge is tarbiyyah, there is no difference between tarbiyyah and seeking knowledge. Memorise the Quraan and seek knowledge this IS tarbiyyah.
MUHAADARAT FEE AL-AQEEDAH WA AD-DAWAH; AL-MAJMOO’A ATH-THAANIYA VOL.1 PGS. 180
Path of Allah – Shaykh b. Baaz
Path of Allah – Shaykh b. Baaz
Shaykh b. Baaz in explanation of the ayah where Allah informs us of Ibraheem’s (alayhis salaam) conversation with his father:
فَاتَّبِعْنِي أَهْدِكَ صِرَاطًا سَوِيًّا
“So follow me. I will guide you to a Straight Path.” [Soorah Maryam: 43]
Meaning, I will direct you to a clear straight path, which has no crookedness, nor secrecy in it. The straight path is the worship of Allah alone, obeying His commands and staying away from His prohibitions, stopping at His legislated divine limits,(1) this is Allaah’s Straight Path in regards to every prophet from the time of Aadam until the end of time.
Allah’s Straight Path:
It is to make your actions sincerely for Allah alone whilst following that which the prophets (alayhimus salaatu was salām) came with in every time and place. And the final of the prophets is our Prophet Muhammad (sallallaahu alayhi wa salam).
Allah’s Straight Path After the Sending of Muhammad (sallallaahu alayhi wa salam):
It is believing in that which (the prophet) Muhammad (sallallaahu alayhi wa salam) came with, following it and being steadfast upon it. This is the Straight Path which is mentioned in Allaah’s statement (The Mighty and Majestic):
اهْدِنَا الصِّرَاطَ الْمُسْتَقِيمَ
Guide us to the Straight Way
صِرَاطَ الَّذِينَ أَنْعَمْتَ عَلَيْهِمْ غَيْرِ الْمَغْضُوبِ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا الضَّالِّينَ
The Way of those on whom You have bestowed Your Grace, not (the way) of those who earned Your Anger, nor of those who went astray. [Al-Faatihah: 5-7] (2)
(1) Refer to explanation of Imaam Nawawee’s 40 Hadeeth, Hadeeth nos. 6
(2) Ayahs were numbered 5-7 based on the opinion that the basmalah is not part of Al-Faatihah, see fatwa of permanent committee and fatwa of Shaykh b. Baaz :
www.alifta.net/Fatawa/fatawaDetails.aspx?languagename=en&BookID=7&View=Page&PageNo=1&PageID=12005
www.binbaz.org.sa/noor/6257
Advice Against Self-Amazement with One’s Knowledge and Actions Shaykh Sālih al-Fawzān
Advice Against Self-Amazement with One’s Knowledge and Actions
Shaykh Sālih al-Fawzān (hafidahullah):
A person shouldn’t be deceived with what he has from religion, knowledge or acts of worship. Instead, he thanks Allah for His blessings upon him (verbally with the tongue and physically with his limbs by using these blessings in the obedience of Allah), and he acknowledges (with his heart) that this is a favour from Allah bestowed upon him.
Shaykh Fawzān’s Mā Tayassar wa Tahassal min Durūs al-Qurān fī Hizb al-Mufassal Vol.1 pg.24
Does Allah Love You? – Shaykh ‘Abdul Mohsin al-‘Abbaad
Does Allah Love You?
Shaykh ‘Abdul Mohsin al-‘Abbaad mentioned in explanation of the verse:
قُلْ إِن كُنتُمْ تُحِبُّونَ اللَّهَ فَاتَّبِعُونِي يُحْبِبْكُمُ اللَّهُ وَيَغْفِرْ لَكُمْ ذُنُوبَكُمْ وَاللَّهُ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ
Say (O Muhammad) if you (truly) love Allah, then follow me, Allah will love you and forgive you your sins. And Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful. (Aali Imraan: 31)
“Meaning, you have received more than you desired by loving Him, i.e. Allah loves YOU, and this is greater than you loving Him.
Some wise scholars said:
The issue isn’t that you love (Allah), indeed it is only that you are loved (by Allah).
Al-Hasan Al-Basri and other than him from the Salaf said:
A people claimed to love Allah so he tested them with this verse:
قُلْ إِن كُنتُمْ تُحِبُّونَ اللَّهَ فَاتَّبِعُونِي يُحْبِبْكُمُ اللَّهُ وَيَغْفِرْ لَكُمْ ذُنُوبَكُمْ وَاللَّهُ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ
Say (O Muhammad) if you (truly) love Allah, then follow me, Allah will love you and forgive you your sins. And Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful. (Aali Imraan: 31)
This is why some of the Salaf named this verse: aayatul imtihaan and ikhtibaar (Verse of Examination).
Min Kunooz al-Quraan al-Kareem, Tafseer Aayaat min al-Kitaab al-Azeez ( Kutub wa Rasaa’il ‘Abdul Mohsin vol.1 pg. 196)
Reflect deeply upon these tremendous words and contemplate upon your inner belief or possibly outward claims to love Allah and His Messenger.
Are you worshipping Allah sincerely?
Are you following the prophet (sallallaahu alaihi wa salam) in all possible ways (statements, actions and manners)?
Or are you opposing the commands of Allah and the guidance of His final messenger (alayhis salaatu was salaam)?
قُلْ إِن كُنتُمْ تُحِبُّونَ اللَّهَ فَاتَّبِعُونِي يُحْبِبْكُمُ اللَّهُ وَيَغْفِرْ لَكُمْ ذُنُوبَكُمْ وَاللَّهُ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ
Say (O Muhammad) if you (truly) love Allah, then follow me, Allah will love you and forgive you your sins. And Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful. (Aali Imraan: 31)
Summary of Traps of the Shaytān – Ibn al-Qayyim
Summary of Traps of the Shaytān
The shaytān will attempt to divert you from Allāh’s religion in many different ways, and if he fails with one method, he will continue with a different method, as can be seen by the speech of the Imām ibn al-Qayyim (rahimahullāh):
First Trap:
Evil of disbelief, polytheism and enmity to Allāh and His Messenger.
And if he is unable to get you to fall into this trap he goes to the next:
Second Trap:
Evil of Innovation and opposing the Messenger’s Sunnah. And this is a doorway to disbelief and polytheism.
Third Trap:
Evil of Major Sins, with all their various types.
Fourth Trap:
Evil of Minor Sins, which if gathered together it’s possible they will be the cause for a persons destruction.
Fifth Trap:
Evil of Busying Oneself with Permissible Affairs, for which there is no reward and no punishment associated with; however the consequences of this trap is losing out on potential reward by utilising energy and time with affairs that have no reward.
Sixth Trap:
Evil of Busying Oneself with actions of good (المفضول), however by way of performing them, actions which are of greater virtue and reward are not performed (الفاضل).
Finally if the shaytān fails in the aforementioned levels he and his supporters from jinn and mankind don’t cease to attempt to divert you and misguide you from Allāh’s religion, not leaving you, even whilst you are on your death bed.
Summarised & Paraphrased from Badā’i at-Tafsīr al-Jāmi’ li mā Fassarahu al-Imām ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah, Vol.3 pgs. 452-452
NB: The Shaytān tries to seduce, deceive and trap mankind one level at a time, starting with the most severe and working down. Seek refuge from the accursed Shaytān and be ardent upon the remembrance of Allāh and recitation of legislated supplications.
Attempting to Safeguard Oneself from Showing Off (Ar-Riyaa) – Al-Uthaymīn
Attempting to Safeguard Oneself from Showing Off (Ar-Riyaa) – Al-Uthaymīn
There are those who abandon acts of obedience [due to] fear of riyaa [i.e. showing off in acts of worship].
This [occurs] because Shaytān plays about with a person and beautifies for him [or her] the abandonment of acts of obedience out of fearing riyaa; rather you should perform acts of obedience, but there should not be -in your heart- [a desire] to show off.
Al-Qawl al-Mufīd fī Sharh Kitāb at-Tawhīd by Shaykh Uthaymīn, Vol.1 Pg.92
Glad tidings to Those Christians Who Submitted to The Message of The Final Messenger When it Reached Them- [An Excerpt From Al-Jawaabus Saheeh]
In The Name of Allaah, The Most Merciful, The Bestower of Mercy
Allaah [The Most High] said:
وَإِذَا سَمِعُواْ مَآ أُنزِلَ إِلَى ٱلرَّسُولِ تَرَىٰٓ أَعۡيُنَهُمۡ تَفِيضُ مِنَ ٱلدَّمۡعِ مِمَّا عَرَفُواْ مِنَ ٱلۡحَقِّۖ يَقُولُونَ رَبَّنَآ ءَامَنَّا فَٱكۡتُبۡنَا مَعَ ٱلشَّـٰهِدِينَ
وَمَا لَنَا لَا نُؤۡمِنُ بِٱللَّهِ وَمَا جَآءَنَا مِنَ ٱلۡحَقِّ وَنَطۡمَعُ أَن يُدۡخِلَنَا رَبُّنَا مَعَ ٱلۡقَوۡمِ ٱلصَّـٰلِحِينَ
فَأَثَـٰبَهُمُ ٱللَّهُ بِمَا قَالُواْ جَنَّـٰتٍ۬ تَجۡرِى مِن تَحۡتِهَا ٱلۡأَنۡهَـٰرُ خَـٰلِدِينَ فِيہَاۚ وَذَٲلِكَ جَزَآءُ ٱلۡمُحۡسِنِينَ
And when they (who call themselves Christians) listen to what has been sent down to the Messenger (Muhammad), you see their eyes overflowing with tears because of the truth they have recognised. They say: ”Our Lord! We believe; so write us down among the witnesses. And why should we not believe in Allaah and in that which has come to us of the truth (Islaamic Monotheism)? And we wish that our Lord will admit us (in Paradise on the Day of Resurrection) along with the righteous people. So because of what they said, Allaah rewarded them Gardens under which rivers flow (in Paradise), they will abide therein forever. Such is the reward of good-doers.”5:83-85
Shaikhul Islaam Ibn Taymiyyah [rahimahullaah] said: Therefore, Allaah [Glorified be He] did not give a promise for reward in the Hereafter, except to those who believe in Muhammad [sallal-laahu-alayhi-wasallam]. They are the ones about whom it is stated:
[وَإِذَا سَمِعُواْ مَآ أُنزِلَ إِلَى ٱلرَّسُولِ تَرَىٰٓ أَعۡيُنَهُمۡ تَفِيضُ مِنَ ٱلدَّمۡعِ مِمَّا عَرَفُواْ مِنَ ٱلۡحَقِّۖ يَقُولُونَ رَبَّنَآ ءَامَنَّا فَٱكۡتُبۡنَا مَعَ ٱلشَّـٰهِدِينَ – And when they (who call themselves Christians) listen to what has been sent down to the Messenger, you see their eyes overflowing with tears because of the truth they have recognised. They say: ”Our Lord! We believe; so write us down among the witnesses]. [5:83]
The witnesses are those who testify to the Messengership of Muhammad [sallal-laahu-alayhi-wasallam]. They bear witness that none has the right to be worshipped except Allaah and that Muhammad [sallal-laahu-alayhi-wasallam] is the Messenger of Allaah. So, they are the witnesses being spoken about. Allaah said:
وَكَذَٲلِكَ جَعَلۡنَـٰكُمۡ أُمَّةً۬ وَسَطً۬ا لِّتَڪُونُواْ شُہَدَآءَ عَلَى ٱلنَّاسِ وَيَكُونَ ٱلرَّسُولُ عَلَيۡكُمۡ شَهِيدً۬اۗ
”Thus We have made you [true Muslims – real believers of Islaamic Monotheism, true followers of Prophet Muhammad and his Sunnah (legal ways)], a Wasat (just) (and the best) nation, that you be witnesses over mankind and the Messenger (Muhammad) be a witness over you”. 2:143
And for that reason, Ibn Abbaas [radiyallaahu-anhu] and other than him stated [about the statement in the ayah: [فَٱكۡتُبۡنَا مَعَ ٱلشَّـٰهِدِينَ – so write us down among the witnesses]-Meaning:, ”Write us down with Muhammad [sallal-laahu-alayhi-wasallam] and his Ummah”.
[Source: Al-Jawabus Saheeh Liman Baddala Deenal Maseeh 2/46. Section: Faslun Fee But’laan Al-Istidlaal Bil-Mutashaabih]
People Negligent Regarding Aqīdah are Two Types – Shaykh Ubayd
Shaykh Ubayd al-Jābirī explained regarding the one who is easy going and negligent regarding Aqīdah, he is one of two types [of people and] there is no third:
1. An ignorant man. He is not acquainted with the call to the path of Allaah based on clear sightedness, [rather] he follows every Tom, Dick and Harry.
2. An evil man- person of desires, an innovator and misguided person. He knows that as long as the Creed of Tawheed and Sunnah is strong amongst its people, he cannot approach them [with misguidance], rather he approaches them [with misguidance] when their souls become weak.
This type of person firstly manifests beautified expressions and general statements to show that he adheres to the correct Aqīdah and Dawah, so that the hearts of the people become inclined towards him, he wins their trust and gets a strong position amongst them.
Afterwards, he wraps himself around them like a snake that wraps [itself] around its prey, then he releases – amongst them – the flame of bidah and newly invented affairs (in creed, acts of worship or both), and in most cases only a few of his followers free themselves from him.
Slightly paraphrased from Tabsiratu al-Khalaf bi Sharh at-Tuhaf fī Madhāhib as-Salaf page 53