Fiqhul 'Ibaadaat

Understanding Worship
(Section One)
The Creed
By

Sh. Muhammad bin Saalih Al-'Uthaimeen

(rahimahullah)
Rendered into English
By
Dr. Saleh AsAs-Saleh
[With Related Appendix]

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Aqeedah Section

[I begin (to write) seeking the help of the Name of Allaah, Ar2
3 4
Rahmaan, Ar-Raheem ]
1

Allaah is the Alam (identifying name or title) of the Majestic, Sole, and
True God. This noun, which is the Name of Allaah, applies to none other
than Him. He, Most Majestic and High, has other Names all of which
follow on from His Name, Allaah. The meaning of the Name, Allaah, is
the malooh (that which is worshipped out of love, magnification,
deification, and longing). [See Shaykh Muhammad ibn Uthaymeens
Sharhul Aqeedah al-Waasitiyyah (Dammaam, KSA: Daar ibnul Jawzi,
2nd. ed. 1415/1994], p. 38, and Sharh Lumat al-Itiqaad (Ismaaeeliyyah,
Egypt: Maktabatul-Imaam al-Bukhaari (checked by Ashraf Maqsood),
1412/1992)], p.29.
2

Ar-Rahmaan (The One Who is Most Merciful): This is one of Allaahs

particular Names and which denotes the attribute of very great and
extensive mercy, which exists with Him. [See ibnul Qayyims Badaai
Al-Fawaaid (Beirut, Lebanon: Daarul Khayr, 1st. ed. 1414/1994)], vol.1,
pp.23-24, and ibn Uthaymeens Sharhul Aqeedah al-Waasitiyyah, ibid.
3

Ar-Raheem (The One Who Bestows Mercy): This Name denotes that the
Attribute is related to the marhoom (i.e. the one whom Allaah chooses to
receive His Rahmah (Mercy). So, the difference between Ar-Rahmaan
and Ar-Raheem is that in the case of the former, Ar-Rahmah is His
Attribute, and in the latter, Ar-Rahmah is His Act, meaning that He is the
One Who bestows Ar-Rahmah upon others. So, when both Names come
together [i.e. Ar-Rahmaan, Ar-Raheem], then the meaning in this context
is that Allaahs Mercy is very great and extensive, and that His Mercy
reaches His creation. This is what is meant by those who say that ArRahmaan is the One Whose Mercy encompasses everything (general
Mercy), and Ar-Raheem is the One who has Mercy upon the believers
(special Mercy). Since Allaahs Mercy upon the Kuffaar is a special one
in this life only, then it is as if they have no mercy upon them, because in
the Hereafter when they will ask Allaah to save them from Hell and admit

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Aqeedah Section

being wrong, Allaah will deal with them with His Justice, not His Mercy,
Saying:
.[108 :
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Remain you in it [Hell] with ignominy! And speak not to Me!

[Quraan, soorat Al-Muminoon (23): 108)].

The Name, Ar-Raheem, is applied to Allaah and may be applied to others.

Allaah has described His Messenger Muhammad as Raheem (Soorat AtTawbah, 9:128). Ibn Katheer ( ) said: Some of the Names of Allaah
are restricted to Him only, like the Names: Allaah, Ar-Rahmaan, AlKhaaliq, Ar-Raaziq and so forth. Some other Names, however, may be
applied to other than Him. [See Badaai Al-Fawaaid, p.24, Sharhul
Aqeedah Al-Waasitiyyah, pp.38-39, Lumatul Itiqaad, p.29, Tafseer ibn
Katheer (1:21), Sharh Thalaathat al-Usool within Shaykh ibn
Uthaymeens Majmoo Fataawaa (Riyaadh, KSA: Daar Ath-Thuraya,
1st. ed. 1414/1993)], vol. 6, p.11.
4

The book begins with the basmalah (   ) in adherence with
the way of Allaah
 in His Book and following the example of the
Prophet (
) who used to begin his letters with it. Given the
aforementioned discussion of the meanings of the Names: Allaah, ArRahmaan, and Ar-Raheem, the meaning of the Basmalah is: I begin [in
this case to write] seeking the help and the blessings of each and every
Name of the Names of Allaah
 whose very great and extensive mercy
is His Attribute. [See Lamatul Itiqaad, p. 29.]

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Introduction

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All Praise is due to Allaah. We praise Him, and seek His help
and forgiveness. We seek refuge in Allaah, Most High, from
the evils of our own selves and from our wicked deeds.
Whomever Allaah guides cannot be misguided, and whomever
He leads astray cannot be guided. I testify that there is no true
God worthy of being worshipped except Allaah, alone,
without partner or associate. I further testify that Muhammad
5
is His slave and Messenger (
). May Allaahs Salaah and
5

(Sallallaahu alayhi wasallam): The Salaah and Salaam of Allaah be

upon His Prophet Muhammad. The Salaah of Allaah upon Prophet
Muhammad is His Praise of the Prophet before the angels who are close
to (but below) Allaah, the Most High, who istawaa (ascended) upon His
Arsh (Throne), which is above the seven heavens, in a manner that suits
His Majesty. The angels also praise the Prophet (
). The Salaam is
Allaahs safeguarding of the Prophet from deficiencies and any kind of
evil, and the protection of the Message with which he was entrusted.
When the Muslim says (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam), he invokes Allaah
to grant His Praise and Security to Prophet Muhammad and the protection
of the Message of Islaam which was revealed to him. [See ibnul

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Salaam also be granted to the Prophets pure family and to all

of his noble companions.
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O you who believe! Fear Allaah [by doing all that He

ordered and abstaining from all that He forbade] as He should
be feared [obey Him, be thankful to Him, and remember Him
always] and die not except in a state of Islaam. [Quraan, soorat
aal-Imraan (3): 102].

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O mankind! Be dutiful to your Rabb [Allaah], Who created

you from a single person [Adam] and from him [Adam] He
created his wife [Eve], and from them both He created
many men and women. And fear Allaah through Whom
Qayyims Jalaaul Afhaam fee Fadlis-Salaati-wa-Salaam alaa
Muhammadin Khairil Anaam, [Damascus, Syria: Daar ibn Katheer, and
Al-Madeenah, KSA: Daar at-Turaath, 1408/1988], p.128.
6

Rabb: Allaah is Ar-Rabb. He is the One Who gave all things the power
to grow, to move and to change, to Whom belongs the Creation and
Commandment; the Master Who has no equal in His Sovereignty,
Predominance, and Highness, The One Who Provides for and Sustains all
that exists.

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you demand your mutual [rights] and [do not cut the
relations of] the wombs [kinship]. Surely, Allaah is Ever an
All-Watcher over you. [Quraan, soorat an-Nisaa (4): 1].
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O you who believe! Keep your duty to Allaah and fear

Him, and speak [always] the truth. He will direct you to do
righteous good deeds and will forgive you your sins. And
whosoever obeys Allaah and His Messenger, has indeed
achieved a great success. [Quraan, soorat al-Ahzaab (33): 70-71].
To proceed:
Allaah, the One free of all imperfection and the Most High,
did not create the creation in play (without any purpose).
Indeed they were brought to exist only due to a great wisdom,
embracing within its folds the secrets of happiness for this life
and for the next. Allaah, the Most High, said:
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Did you think that We created in play (without any

purpose), and that you would not be brought back to Us
(for requital)? [Quraan, soorat al-Muminoon (23): 115].
Allaah [] has made clear the purpose behind Creating the
Jinn and Ins (mankind), who are duty bound to act in
accordance with His Statement:

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I did not create the jinn and mankind except that they
worship Me. [Quraan, soorat ath-Thaariyaat (51): 56].
This noble Aayah directs us to the established fact upon which
life is based, that there is a specified objective behind the
existence of mankind and Jinn. This is signified in the
execution of a noble task, the one who undertakes it has
indeed accomplished the purpose behind his existence, and the
one who fails to achieve this objective his life becomes
aimless and devoid of its pure and genuine meaning. This
specified objective (al-Ghayah al-Muhaddadah) is the
worship of Allaah alone in the manner which Allaah has
prescribed for His slaves to worship Him. The life of the
7
Abd in its entirety will never be upright unless it is in
accordance with this noble task being directed to achieve the
aforesaid objective.
7

Abd [Lit. slave]. Mankind and Jinn are Ibaad ([Link]) of Allaah
meaning they surrender to Allaahs Universal Pre-decree, none is able to
escape His Pre-ordainment, because they are a Creation of His. S
o,
whether believers or non-believers in Allaah, they are, in the general
sense, slaves [Ibaad] of Allaah. He, the Exalted, said:
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There is none in the heavens and the earth but comes unto ArRahmaan (the One Whose Mercy encompasses everything) as a slave.
[Quraan, soorat Maryam (19): 93]. The believer, however, who devotes his
worship to Allaah alone, is distinguished as being a slave-worshipper to
Allaah. In this sense, the term Abd is specific as being the slaveworshipper of Allaah.

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The true happiness in this life and the next, one lies in the
accomplishment of this objective by adhering to Allaahs Way,
in Aqeedah and in [all] manners and transactions, and by
striving against ones self and making it comply with this Way.
Allaah, the Most High, said:
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Whoever follows My Guidance, there shall be no fear on

them, nor shall they grieve. [Quraan, soorat al-Baqarah (2): 38].
8

The call to the Tawheed of Allaah and to single Him out with
all worship is not restricted to one nation with the exclusion of
another. In fact, Allaah did not send His Messengers to the
people except that they call them to Allaahs Oneness
(Tawheed) and to the worship of Him alone and to abandon all
that is worshipped besides Him.
The Ibaadat [all forms of worship] with the preceding nations
were suitable to their time and environment. Then when
Muhammad
came [as a chosen Prophet], Allaah ordained
upon him al-Ibaadah (worship) in its most perfect sense.
Al-Ibaadah, as was defined by Shayk-ul-Islaam ibn
Taymeeyah, Rahimahullaah (may Allaah bestow His Mercy
8

Tawheed: Singling Allaah alone as the Sole Creator, Provider,

Nourisher, and Sustainer of all that exist, the One who is qualified with
the unique Names and Attributes, and the Only True God worthy of all
worship.

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upon him), is a comprehensive term for everything that Allaah

loves and is pleased with, both sayings and actions, the
apparent, and the hidden. For this meaning to be realized and
implemented, it is inevitable that man must worship Allaah,
with submissiveness and compliance, according to the way He
has prescribed and in the manner that He, the One free of all
imperfection, is pleased with. Al-Ibaadah cannot be
according to what people come up with from desires and
opinions.
The point to which this whole matter is reduced to is that the
9
awareness of the meaning of Uboodiyyah to Allaah alone
9

The term Uboodiyyah has two aspects to it. (a)Uboodiyyah in its

universal aspect which means everything is being enslaved to Allaah. In
this case it pertains to the Ruboobiyyah of Allaah (He is the Rabb of all
that exists). Accordingly, it is the submission to what Allaah has
commanded and decreed in the creation, and this kind of submission is
common to all creation, none is able to escape it. Allaah
 (the Most
High) said:
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There is none in the heavens and the earth but will come to ArRahmaan [The One Whose Mercy encompasses everything (Allaah)] (on
the Day of Resurrection) as submissive slaves. [Quraan, soorat Maryam
(19): 93].
This kind of Uboodiyyah is referred to as Kawniyyah (pertaining to the
universal reality).
(b)The second kind of Uboodiyyah comprises the obedience of the
believers, whereby the slaves of Allaah are acting according to Allaahs
right to be worshipped alone. Therefore, it is specific to those who
comply with the Shareeah of Allaah, . He  says:
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10

must be firmly established in the heart, and that the Abd

(worshipping slave) must direct himself to Allaah in every
move of his soul and limbs, rather in every move of his life,
and that he must devote himself exclusively to the One Who is
free of all imperfection [Allaah] by ridding himself of every
meaning which opposes the Uboodiyyah to Allaah alone.
It is apparent that the concept of Al-Ibaadah comprehends all
aspects of life. And thus it is a bounding duty upon the
worshipping slave that he does not desist from obeying His
Creator in that which originates from conduct and transactions
at all times during his life span. In fact, Allaah, the One free
from all imperfection, commanded His Prophet (
), in an
absolute sense, to worship Him at any time. Allaah, the
Exalted, said:
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And worship your Rabb until there comes unto you the
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And the believing slaves of ar-Rahmaan are those who walk on the
earth in humility and sedateness. [Quraan, soorat al-Furqaan (25): 63].
The slave (Abd) of Allaah, who obeys Allaah, is a worshipping slave.
In the general sense, he is part of the creation and thus he is also a
submissive slave. The Kaafir, however, is a submissive Abd in the
general sense only. The believing slaves fulfill the exclusive meaning of
the Uboodiyyah. And theUboodiyyah of the Messengers (alayhimusSalaam: May Allaah protect them from all kinds of evil) is the very
special slavery to Allaah, Most High. None can compete with the
Messengers degree of Uboodiyyah to Allaah.

10

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11

certainty (i.e. death). [Quraan, soorat al-Hijr (15): 99].

Islaam has established certain acts of worship and rites that
confer distinction upon it. It has assigned for them specific
times, measures, and manners and has made their execution
obligatory upon man, whenever their conditions are met, such
that he would not be able to abandon or delay them when they
become a bound duty upon him. They constitute the practical
implementation of mans belief in the Tawheed of Allaah, the
One free of all imperfection, and represent the practical pillars
of Islaam and its basic foundations.
The establishment of the rites of Islaam from Salaat (prayers),
Siyaam (fasting), Zakaat (obligatory charity), and Hajj
(pilgrimage to the House of Allaah), must be performed in
10
accordance with the methodology of Takleef (do and dont
do) prescribed by Allaah. Allaah, the One free of all
imperfection and the Truth, in His Esteemed Book, has
clarified this methodology. He, the Most High, said:

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And We have sent down to you [O Muhammad j] the Book

[the Quraan] as an exposition of everything, a guidance, a
mercy, and glad tidings for those who have submitted
10

Takleef: Charging with duty those who are legally responsible to abide
by the Divine Commands of the Legislator (Allaah) as prescribed in the
Quraan and (or) authentic Sunnah.

11

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12

themselves [to Allaah as Muslims]. [Quraan, soorat An-Nahl (16): 89].

And He, the Exalted, said:
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We have neglected nothing in the Book, and then unto

their Rabb they (all) shall be gathered. [Quraan, soorat al-Anaam
(6): 38].

He [Allaah] made it a bounding duty upon His Prophet to

explain the Revealed Aayaat and what it contains from
Ahkaam (rulings). He, the Most High, said:

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And We have sent down to you [O Muhammad
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[reminder and the advice (i.e. the Quraan] that you may
explain clearly to men what is sent down to them, and that
they may give thought. [Quraan, soorat an-Nahl (16): 44)].
After establishing this explanation, people should be able to
worship their Rabb with sure knowledge and deep
understanding and insight (Baseerah), and thus the pretext of
those who magnify other than Allaah, or those who worship
Him in ways which He did not ordain and who encircle their
worship with Bida (innovations) and Dhalaalaat (straying
paths), will come to an end. Allaah, the Most High, said:
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Messengers as bearers of good news as well as of warning

in order that mankind should have no pleas after the
[coming] of the Messengers. And Allaah is Ever AllPowerful, All Wise. [Quraan, soorat an-Nisaa (4): 165].
So if the Muslim is in need for food and drink to support .his
backbone and strengthen his body, then he is need of that
which nourishes his soul from the knowledge of the correct
Aqeedah (creed) and insight into the underlying reasons of
the Ibaadaat, including their prescribed times, extent, and
specification as supported by authentic proofs from the
Quraan and Sunnah. Thus he quenches his thirst, assures his
heart, and sets himself upright on performing the Ibaadah
according to its prescribed manner.
Verily, Allaahs Message is certain to pass because it is the
legacy of the Ulamaa (the learned scholars) and the share of
the believers until mankind will stand before the Raab of alAaalameen.
Allaah has made the Ulamaa, with regard to the people, as
sources for direction, landmarks for guidance and integrity,
and verifying standards for keen insight and good judgment.
They are like a fruit-bearing tree in need of someone to stretch
his hand out to pick up from its fruits, and like a blooming
flower in want of someone to benefit from its fragrance and
aroma. Allaah, the Most High, said:

13

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14

Aqeedah Section

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So ask the People of knowledge if you do not know.

[Quraan, soorat al-Anbiyaa (21): 7]
11

And in this book Fiqhul Ibaadaat, our Waalid and Shaykh,

Muhammad bin Saalih Al-Uthaymeen, gave answers to
questions frequently occurring to the minds of many, and
which need to be explained and clarified. So, he unraveled
them detailing what is general and clarifying what is obscure
and explaining the underlying reasons and wisdom of the
Ibaadaat; revealing what is corrupt in the life of men from
creeds and worship, [presenting all of this] in his own style
which is distinguished in its agreeability and clarity,
supporting his saying with proves from the Quraan and
Sunnah.
My brother, the reader:
This is a new dawhah (decorated work) which I put before you
after I have exerted an effort [to accomplish it] which I hope it
be righteous and preserved in the scale of good deeds on The
Day when neither wealth nor sons will avail, except him who
brings to Allaah a clean heart [clean from Shirk (polytheism),
and Nifaaq (hypocrisy)].
I ask Allaah to render my intentions and deeds, as well as
yours, pure and right, and that He preserves our Shaykh and
keeps him steadfast with the word that stands firm in this
11

Waalid (lit. father), a word of respect used for an elder person.

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15

world (i.e. on Tawheed), and in the Hereafter. And that He

leads us to that which He loves and is pleased with.
And our last call is that all praise is for Allaah, Rabbul
Aalameen, and may Allaah extol and send blessings of peace
upon our Prophet Muhammad and upon all of his companions
and true followers.
Note:
I would like to remind the reader that, unless otherwise stated,
any mention in the footnotes of Saheeh al-Bukhaaree or
Saheeh Muslim then it refers to the published English
Translations by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khaan and Abdul
Hameed Siddiqi, respectively.
Saleh As-Saleh.

15

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16

The Tawheed and Belief

The Purpose Behind The Creation Of Mankind

Question 1: What is the purpose of creating mankind?

The Answer: In the Name of Allah, the Beneficient, the Most

Merciful. All Praise is due to Allaah, the Lord of all that
exists. And I invoke Allah to have His Salaah and Salaam
upon our Prophet Muhammad, the believers from his family,
and all of his companions. It proceeds then:
Before I answer this question, I would like to point to a
general foundation regarding what Allaah, the Mighty and
Majestic, Creates and Legislates. This foundation is derived
from His, the Blessed and Exalted, Saying:
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Only He [Allaah] is The All-Knowing, The All-Wise.

[Quraan, soorat at-Tahreem (66): 2].

And His Saying:

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Verily, Allaah is Ever All-Knower, All-Wise

[Quraan, soorat al-Ahzaab (33): 1],

As well as many other Aayaat that prove the affirmation of

Hikmah (Perfect Wisdom) to Allaah, the Mighty and Majestic,
as regard to what He Creates and Legislates i.e. with respect to
both, His Kawniyyah and Shariyyah Decrees. In fact, there is
nothing which Allaah Creates except with wisdom, whether
16

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17

this is in the bringing of its existence or in making it nonexisting. There is nothing that Allaah, the One free of all
imperfection and the Most High, ordains but with wisdom,
whether this is in the rendering of it to be obligatory,
forbidden, or permissible.
However, these qualities of wisdom, comprised in Allaahs
legislative and universal Decrees, may be known or unknown
to us, and it may be known to some people but not to others,
depending on the degree of knowledge and understanding
which Allaah bestows upon them. Once this is decided, then
we say that indeed Allaah has Created the Jinn and mankind
for a great wisdom and a noble objective, and that is the
worship of Him, the Most Blessed and Most High, as He ()
Said:
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And I did not create the jinn and mankind except that they
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And He, the Most High, Said:
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3
&r u $WZ 7t
t
3
o )
=n z
y $
y &r
F 7
s
y s &r

Did you think that We created you in play and (for no

purpose) and that you would not be brought back to Us?
(for requital?) [Quraan, soorat al-Muminoon (23): 115].

17

Fiqhul Ibaadaat

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18

.[36 :Z W]

8
x u I &r

| }
M #$ =

| t
s &r

Does man think that He will be left neglected?

[Without being punished or rewarded for the obligatory duties
enjoined by his Rabb on him]
[Quraan, soorat al-Qiyamah (75): 36]

And many other Aayaat that point out that Allaah, the Exalted,
has the most profound Wisdom in the Creation of the Jinn and
mankind, and it is the worship of Him alone.
And al-Ibaadah (worship) is humiliating oneself to Allaah,
The Mighty and Majestic, with love and awe by doing that
which He has ordered and avoiding that which He has
forbidden, in the manner prescribed by the Shareeah.
Allaah, The Most High, Said:
.[5 :ZI]
t $
e !#$ & !s
t
= !
#$ #(
6 u 9
 ) #( E & $! t u

And they were commanded not, but that they should

worship Allaah, and worship none but Him Alone
(abstaining from ascribing partners to Him). [Quraan, soorat alBayyinah (98): 5].

This is indeed the wisdom in the creation of the Jinn and

mankind. Accordingly, whoever rebels against His Rabb and
disdains to worship Him then, in fact, he is abandoning this
Wisdom for which Allaah has Created the Ibaad. His act
testifies that Allaah, , Created the creation aimlessly and
without any purpose. Even though he may not declare this
openly, nevertheless, this is necessitated by his rejection and
rebellion against obeying his Rabb.

18

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19

Question 2: Is there a meaning for Ibaadah (worship) such

that it is possible for us to know of? Does it have a general
and a specific meaning?
The Answer: Yes. Its general meaning is as I have indicated
earlier, namely the submission to Allaah, the Mighty and
Majestic, with love and awe by doing that which He
commands and avoiding that which He has forbidden, and in
the manner set forth by His legislations. This is the general
meaning.
The specific meaning, i.e. its meaning in detail, then, as
Shaykh-ul-Islaam ibn Taymeeyah said, It is a
comprehensive name covering whatever Allaah loves and
is pleased with, both sayings and actions, the apparent and
the hidden, such as fearing (Khawf), having awe
(Khashyah), having true trust and reliance (Tawakkul),
Prayers (Salaat), Zakaat (obligatory charity), Fasting
(Siyaam) and the like, from the ordinances of Islaam.
Then if you mean that the general and specific meaning [of
Ibaadah] is what has been mentioned by some scholars,
namely that Ibaadah is either Kawniyyah or Shariyyah,
meaning that man could be in a Kawniyyah and Shariyyah
state of submission to Allaah, then the Kawniyyah worship is a
general one, comprising the believer and unbeliever and the
righteous as well as the wicked, due to the saying of Allaah,
the Most High:

19

Fiqhul Ibaadaat

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20

.[93 :U ] #
Y 7
t
u q
" 9#$ A #u
H )
{
F #$ u N
u
y
9#$ t
2

There is none in the heavens and the earth but comes to

Ar-Rahmaan as a slave. [Quraan, soorat Maryam (19): 93].
Therefore all that is in the heavens and the earth is, in the
universal sense (Kawnee), submitting to Allaah, The One free
from all imperfection. None can stand to oppose Allaah or
work against Him in whatever He wants as to His Universal
Will.
As to the specific worship, al-Ibaadah ash-Shariyyah, which
is the submission to Allaah, the Most Highs, Shar
(legislation), then this is specific to the believers in Allaah, the
One free of all imperfection, who carry out His Command.
Then some of this is more specific and some is less. The more
specific worship is like that of the Messengers alyayhimussalaatu was salaam as signified in the Saying of Allaah, The
Most High:
:
0] #"
t

=n y = 9
t 3
u 9
6
t
4 ?n
t
t $%s " 
9 #$
t t %
! #$ 8
x u $6t ?s
.[1

Blessed be He Who sent down the criterion (of right and

wrong, i.e. this Quraan) to His slave (Muhammad
). [Quraan,
sooart al-Furqaan (25): 1].

Also in His Saying:

(#
#$ u & # V i i ; u
/ #( ? ' s $t
7
t
4 ?n
t $u 9 t $
i =
5 u
F 2

) u

20

Fiqhul Ibaadaat

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21

.[23 :VWI]
t %

|
F . ) !
#$
i . u #!
y
y

And if you (Arab pagans, Jews, and Christians) are in doubt

concerning that which We have sent down (i.e. Quraan) to
Our slave (Muhammad
), then produce a Soorah of the
like thereof and call your witnesses (supporters and helpers)
besides Allaah, if you are truthful. [Quraan, soorat al-Baqarah (2):
23],

Also in His Saying:

.[45 :[] "
| / {
F #$ u
{
F #$ < ' & >
z )
t u ,
t s
y
) u t
"t / ) $! t
y 7t
" . #$ u

And remember Our slaves, Ibraaheem, Ishaaq, and

Yaqoob, [all] owners of strength [in worshipping Us] and
[also] of religious understanding, [Quraan, soorat Saad (38): 45]
And the likes of these ayaat describe the Messengers,
alayhimus-salaat was-salaam, with al-Uboodiyyah.
Question 3: Would those specifically choosing al-Ibaadah
al-Kawniyyah and excluding al-Ibaadah ash-Shariyya, be
rewarded?
The Answer: Those will not be rewarded for it, because they
are submitting to Allaah willingly or unwillingly. And so man
may get sick, turn poor, and lose(s) his beloved ones having
no desire whatsoever for this. In fact, he dislikes it. But this is
submission to Allaah, the Mighty and Majestic, in the
universal (Kawnee) sense.

21

Fiqhul Ibaadaat

22

Aqeedah Section

The First Obligation upon the Slaves [of Allaah]

Question 4: What is the first obligation upon the creation?

The Answer: The first duty upon the creation is the first thing
they are called to, and this has been made clear by the Prophet
j to Muaadh ibn Jabal, radiyallaahu anhu, when he sent him
to Al-Yaman [Yemen]. He said:
A(;  B2
C D,=, E
, FG"2" :2 , , 3"2 4 50, 6, 7
, 82 *9 ,:, 2 6; <2 ,0 2 ., !=, , 42 ;  , 4 ! 3!>
, 42 ! ) =$,  
"... 42 ! ) =$, AFH
, ( !I, 4 ! !"2 4, "2   I ,J
; K,  I 3"2 .;   L;  .;  D, :2 <M2 N
9 ,D+2 * -; I
.[;\IB ]0B. B . ;\I]

Verily you reach a community of the people of the Book. So the very
first thing to which you should call them to is the testification that la
ilaaha illallaah [nothing has the right to be worshipped except Allaah],
12
and that Muhammad is Allaahs Messenger

So this is the very first obligation on the Ibaad, that they

testify to the Oneness of Allaah, the Mighty and Majestic and
to testify of His Messengers
Message. And it is through
the Tawheed of Allaah, the One free of all imperfection, and
the testimony as to His Messenger being entrusted with the
13
14
Message, that Ikhlaas and Mutaabaah, both of which
12

Reported by al-Bukhaaree and Muslim. The reported version is that of

al-Bukhaaree in his Saheeh, vol.2, no.478.
13

Ikhlaas means to purify, and it signifies that the Muslim by his worship
intends and desires the Face of Allaah, the Mighty and Majestic, and to
reach al-Jannah, the place where Allaah bestows honour and favours. So
the Muslim worships none along with Allaah, making the religion purely
and sincerely for Him. [See Ibn Uthaymeens Sharhul Usool ath-

22

Fiqhul Ibaadaat

Aqeedah Section

23

constitute the prerequisite for the acceptance of every worship,

would be realized. So this constitutes the very first obligatory
duty on the Ibaad i.e. that they must single Allaah out as the
only true God worthy of worship, and testify of His
Messengers Message [he is entrusted with it and that he
proclaimed in its entirety]. Hence, the Shahaadah of Laa
ilaaha illallaah comprises the entire Tawheed.
The Relation of the Shaadah with the Types of Tawheed.

Question 5: But does the Shahaadah Comprise the Types

of Tawheed?
The Answer: Indeed it does encompass the types of Tawheed
altogether, either by way of inclusion or implication. This is
because a persons statement, I testify that La ilaaha
illallaah, is immediately understood such that the intended
meaning is Tawheed al-Ibaadah (i.e. to single Allaah out with
all worship). This type of Tawheed, also called Tawheed alUloohiyyah, is inclusive of Tawheed ar-Ruboobiyyah (i.e. to
single Allaah out with Creation, Sovereignty and Control of
affairs), because everyone who worships Allaah alone, would
not worship Him until he firmly attests that ar-Ruboobiyyh is
exclusively His. It also comprises the Tawheed of al-Asmaa
Thalaatah within Majmoo al-Fataawaai, vol.6, p.31. An English
translation of this book by brother Daawood Burbank is published by
Daar al-Hidaayah, Birmingham, and U.K].
14

Mutaabaah (inf.n. of Tabiah i.e. to follow, to comply with, adhere,

etc.): the pursuing of the Prophet Muhammads (
) guidance in all
matters of Deen.

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Fiqhul Ibaadaat

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24

15

was-Sifaat, because man does not worship except what he

knows to be worthy of worship due to the Names and
Attributes He has. This is why Ibraaheem said to his father:
$\
x 7
y
t _
u 
7
u

y
t
$t
7 ?s
z 9 M
/t 'r t / {
L
t $%s )
.[42 :U ]

O my father! Why do you worship that which hears not,

sees not and cannot avail you in anything? [Quraan, soorat
Maryam (19): 42].

So, the Tawheed of al-Ibaadah, which is Tawheed alUloohiyyah, comprises both Tawheed ar-Ruboobiyyah and
that of al-Asmaa was-Sifaat.
The Meaning of Tawheed.

Question 6: What is the Meaning Tawheed?

The Answer: Tawheed is a verbal noun from the verb
Wahhada ("!N ." ), Yuwahhidu (!6" D), i.e. he unified something
and made it one, and this cannot be realized except through
15

Tawheed al-Asmaa was-Sifaat is to single Allaah out with all of the

most beautiful Names and superlative Attributes which He has affirmed
for Himself or which His Messenger, Muhammad
has affirmed for
Him, without Tahreef (changing or distorting the meaning of the Names
and Attributes), without Tateel (denying or suspending their meanings),
without Takyeef (specifying how they are), and without Tamtheel
(exemplification). It also involves denying all that which Allaah has
denied from Himself.

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Fiqhul Ibaadaat

Aqeedah Section

25

denial (Nafy) and affirmation (Ithbaat); negation of this ruling

(i.e. oneness) for everything other than the Muwahhad (that
which is it made for), and affirmation of it for him. So, for
example, we say: A persons Tawheed is not complete unless
he testifies that La Ilaaha Illallaah (none has the right to be
worshipped except Allaah), thus he denies the Uloohiyyah for
everything besides Allaah and he affirms it to Allaah alone.
This is due to the fact that absolute negation is nothing but
absolute denial while absolute affirmation does not prevent
others from sharing in the ruling. Hence, for example, if you
say: Such and such is standing. Here you have affirmed the
standing for him, however, you did not single him out with
[all] standing, because it is possible that someone else might
be sharing with him in this standing. And if you say: None is
standing, then you have made an absolute denial and you did
not affirm the standing for anyone. But if you say: None is
standing except Zayed or none is standing except such and
such, then you are singling out Zayed (or such and such) with
the standing since you have negated the standing from
everyone else besides him. This is the implementation of
Tawheed in reality, meaning that Tawheed is not considered
true Tawheed until it comprises denial and affirmation.
Question 7: In General, What are the Types of Tawheed ?
The Answer: The types of Tawheed, according to what has
been stated by the learned scholars, are three:
1-Tawheed ar-Ruboobiyyah
2-Tawheed al-Uloohiyyah
3-Tawheed al-Asmaa was-Sifaat.

25

Fiqhul Ibaadaat

26

Aqeedah Section

They have come to this conclusion through pursuing,

verification, exploration and studying of the Aayaat and
Ahaadeeth. They found that the Tawheed is nothing but these
three types and accordingly they have classified the Tawheed
into three types.
Question 8: What are the Types of Tawheed? Please
Clarify and Give Examples.
The Answer: The types of Tawheed as regard to Allaah, the
Mighty and Majestic, all fall under a general definition and
that is to single Allaah, the One free of all imperfection, out
with all that is particular to Him. And they are three types:
(1) Tawheed ar-Ruboobiyyah which is to single out Allaah
with Creation, Sovereignty, and Control of affairs. Since
Allaah Alone is the Creator, there is no creator besides Him.
Allaah, the Most High, Says:
3
s ?
4 'r s ( u

 ) t 9s )
I 4
{
F #$ u $!
y
9#$
z i 3
% " t !
#$  )
x ,
@ = z
y


y

.[3 :^?]

Is there any creator other than Allaah who provides for

you from the sky (rain) and the earth? La Ilaaha Illaa
Huwa (none has the right to be worshipped but He). [Quraan,
soorat Faatir (35): 3].

And Allaah, the Most High, Said, exposing the futility of the
deities of the unbelievers:
.[17 :A%]

" 2

x ?s
s &r 3 ,
=
s

y .x ,
=
s
y s &r

26

Fiqhul Ibaadaat

Aqeedah Section

27

Is then He, Who creates as one who creates not? Will you
not then remember? [Quraan, soorat an-Nahl (16): 17].
So He, Allaah, is the Sole Creator. He created everything and
gave everything its due and decreed measure. His Creating
includes whatever occurs due to His Actions as well as all that
which occurs as a result of the actions of His Creation. For this
reason it is from the complete belief in al-Qadar (Allaahs
Pre-decree) that you believe that Allaah, The Most High,
Creates the actions of creation, as He, The Most High, Says:
.[96 :_`]
t =
y ?s $t u / 3
)
s =n {
s !
#$ u

And Allaah Created you and your handiwork.

[Quraan, soorat

as-Saafaat (37): 96].

One way to direct this is that the action of the abd is from his
attributes, and he is Created by Allaah, and that the creator of
something is a creator of its attributes.
Another angle to this is that action of the abd is caused by a
determined will and complete ability, both of which are
Created by Allaah, the Mighty and Majestic. Indeed, the
creator of the complete cause is the creator of the effect. But
then if you say: How is that we say that He, The Most High,
is singled out with creation even though creation may be
affirmed to other than Him as evident in the saying of Allaah,
the Most High,

t )
= s : #$

| m
&r !
#$ 8
x u $7t Ft s

27

Fiqhul Ibaadaat

28

Aqeedah Section
16

So Blessed be Allaah, the Best of creators,

and also in the saying of the Prophet (
), regarding picturemakers, It will be said to them [on the Day of Resurrection], Put life
17

in that which you have created. ?

The answer to this is that, someone other than Allaah, The

Most High, does not create like Allaahs Creation. Indeed,
[anyone other than Allaah], cannot bring into existence
something non-existent nor can he bring life to the dead.
Rather, the creation by other than Allaah, The One free from
all imperfection and The Most High, takes place by means of
changing and transforming of a thing from one condition into
another; yet, the thing itself is a Creation by Allaah. The
picture-maker, for example, when he makes a picture, he does
not create anything. In reality, all that he did is that he
transformed something into something else just as one
transforms clay into the form of a bird or that of a camel, and
as (he) one transforms a white sheet into a colored picture by
means of coloring. All the ink as well as the white paper is
from the Creation of Allaah, The Mighty and Majestic. So, this
is the difference between the affirmation of creation with
regard to Allaah, The Mighty and Majestic, and its affirmation
with regard to the created being. Accordingly, Allaah, The
Most High, is singled out with Creation, which is particular to
Him.

16
17

Soorat al-Muminoon (23): 14.

Reported by al-Bukhaaree and Muslim. See Saheeh al-Bukhaaree,

vol.3, no.318.

28

Fiqhul Ibaadaat

29

Aqeedah Section

The Second Pillar of Tawheed ar-Ruboobiyyah is that

Allaah, The Most High, is singled out with Sovereignty,
meaning that Allaah, The Exalted, is The Sole Owner, as He,
The Most High, Said:
.[1 :HB] "
%s &

x
e .
4 ?n
t u
u 7
=
9 #$
u / %
! #$ 8
x "t 6t ?s

Blessed be He, in Whose Hand is the Dominion, and He is

the Able to do all things. [Quraan, soorat al-Mulk (67): 1].
And He, The Exalted, also Said:
t >s ?s
F . ) =n
t $gp

u  )g
u
u &

x
e 2

3
N
=w t
u /
. t
%
.[88 :
 ]

Say: In Whose Hand is the sovereignty of everything?

And He protects (all), while against Whom there is no
protector, if you know. [Quraan, soorat al-Mulk (67): 1].
So the One to whom belongs the absolute and all
comprehensive sovereignty is Allaah alone, and attributing
sovereignty to other than Him is only a relative matter. In fact,
Allaah, The Exalted, affirmed ownership to other than Him, as
in His, The Exalted, Saying:
.[61 :] tp B
$
x F 6
=n t $t &r

There is no fault that you should eat in your houses...or

(from that) whereof you hold keys. [Quraan, soorat an-Noor (24): 61].
And also, in His, The Most High, Saying:

29

Fiqhul Ibaadaat

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30

.[6 :
 ]

= t  )
x
* s
]
y &r M
3
s =n t $t &r

_
u &r
# ?n
t
 )

And those who guard their chastity, except from their

wives or [the captives and slaves] that their right hands
possess, [Quraan, soorat al-Muminoon (23): 5-6].
And the like from the above texts which prove that other than
Allaah may have a dominion, but this sovereignty is unlike the
Sovereignty of Allaah, The Mighty and Majestic. Rather it is
an inadequate, restricted, and incomprehensive dominion. And
so, Zayeds house does not belong to Amr and vice versa.
Moreover, this dominion is limited, in the sense that the
person is unable to dispose freely what he possesses except in
the way he is permitted to do so. That is why the Prophet (
)
forbade the wasting of wealth. and Allaah, The Most High,
Said:
.[5 :O] $
V u % / 3
9s !
#$
y _
y L 9 #$
3
9s u &r u $!
y 
x
G 9#$ #( ? ?
u

And give not unto the foolish your property that Allaah
has made a means of support for you. [Quraan, soorat an-Nisaa (4):
5].

And this is a proof that mans dominion is inadequate and

limited, unlike the Sovereignty and Dominion of Allaah, The
One free from all imperfection and The Most High, which is a
general, all-comprehensive, and absolute Sovereignty. He ()
does whatever He wants and He cannot be questioned as to
what He does, while they (mankind) will be questioned.

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31

The Third Pillar of Tawheed ar-Ruboobiyyah is that Allaah

is singled out with Tadbeer (control of all affairs). So Allaah,
The One free of all imperfection, is The One who controls the
affairs of the creation; He disposes the affairs of the heavens
and the earth as He, The Most High, Says:
.[54 :a9R]
t >s y 9 #$ >
G u !
#$ 8
x u $6t ?s 3 E {
F #$ u ,
= s : #$ & !s
&r

Surely, His is the Creation and Commandment. Blessed

(be) is Allaah, The Rabb of the Worlds. [Quraan, soorat al-Araaf
(7): 54].
This control is comprehensive, nothing can prevent or oppose
it. The disposal of affairs by some creatures, like mans control
of the disposal of his wealth, children, servants, and so forth,
is a narrow, limited, and restricted, not absolute, kind of
control. So this stands to prove that our statement that,
Tawheed ar-Ruboobiyyah is to single out Allaah with
Creation, Sovereignty, and Control of Affairs, is true. This is
the meaning of Tawheed ar-Ruboobiyyah.
As for the Second Type of Tawheed, which is Tawheed alUloohiyyah, then it is to single Allaah out with all worship
such that a person does not take anyone else besides Allaah
and worships him, and or do acts of devotion for him as he
worships Allaah and does acts of devotion for Him. And it is
with regard to this type of Tawheed that the Mushriks went
astray; those whom the Prophet (
) fought, and whose wealth,
land, and homes he made lawful to be taken; and whose
womenfolk and children he took as captives. And it is this type
which the Messengers were sent with and with which the
Books were brought down, together with its two fellow types,
Tawheed ar-Ruboobiyyah and Tawheed al-Asmaa-was31

Fiqhul Ibaadaat

Aqeedah Section

32

Sifaat. However, most of the striving of the Messengers with

their people was with regard to this type of Tawheed, Tawheed
al-Uloohiyyah, such that a person does not direct anything of
worship to other than Allaah, neither to a close angel, nor to
any Prophet sent as a Messenger, nor to a righteous Wali (true
friend of Allaah), nor to anyone from the creation. Because
worship is not correct except for Allaah, The Mighty and
Majestic. Whoever violates this type of Tawheed is a Mushrik,
an unbeliever, even if he affirms Tawheed ar-Ruboobiyyah
and Tawheed al-Asmaa-was-Sifaat. So, if a man believes that
Allaah, The One free of all imperfection and The Most High,
is The Creator, The Owner, The One Who controls all affairs,
and that He () is The One who is worthy of all that which He
deserves from (the) His Names and Attributes, but he worships
besides Allaah other than Him, then his affirmation of
Tawheed ar-Ruboobiyyah and Tawheed al-Asmaa-was-Sifaat
is of no avail to him. So, if it were to be the case that a man
totally affirmed the Tawheed of ar-Ruboobiyyah and alAsmaa-was-Sifaat, but he went to a grave and worshipped its
occupant, or he vowed to offer him a sacrifice in order to draw
near to him, then he would be a Mushrik, an unbeliever, an
inhabitant of the Hell-Fire forever. Allaah, The Most High,
Says:

=
=9 $t u ( $ 9#$ 1u ' t u s f
y 9 #$ =n
t !
#$ t " m
y
)
s s !
$$ / 8

t )
.[72 :V!b] 9 $
| &r

Indeed, whoever associates anything in worship with

Allaah, then Allaah has forbidden Al-Jannah for him and
the Fire will be his abode; and for Ath-Thalimeen [the
32

Fiqhul Ibaadaat

Aqeedah Section

33

transgressors who worship others besides Allaah] there will

be no helpers [to save them from Allaahs punishment on the
Day of Resurrection]. [Quraan, soorat al-Maaidah (5): 72].
And it is a matter known to everyone who recites the Book of
Allaah, The Mighty and Majestic, that the Mushriks whom the
Prophet (
) fought, and whose blood he deemed lawful to
seek, and whose wealth he made lawful to take; and whose
womenfolk and children he took as captives; and whose land
he took as booty, used to be in agreement that Allaah, The
Most High, alone, is The Rabb and The Creator; they had no
doubt concerning this. But since they used to worship others
along with Him, they, as a result, became Mushriks whose
blood were made allowable to seek, and whose wealth were
made lawful to take.
As for the Third Type of Tawheed, which is Tawheed alAsmaa-was-Sifaat, then it is to single out Allaah, The One
free of all imperfections and The Most High, with whatever
Names and Attributes He has, respectively, named or
described Himself with in His Book or on the tongue of His
Messenger (
). This is established by affirming whatever
Allaah has affirmed for Himself, without Tahreef (changing or
twisting their wording and meanings), without Tateel
(denying or divesting Allaah of His Attributes), without
Takyeef (asserting how they are), and without Tamtheel
(likening them to those of the creation). It is inevitable that we
have faith in whatever Names and Attribute which Allaah has
affirmed for Himself, based upon al-Haqeeqah (their real and
true meanings), but without Takyeef and without Tamtheel,
and not according to al-Majaaz (metaphoric interpretations). It
is with regard to this type of Tawheed that many groups from
33

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34

this Ummaah who have the same Qiblah and who follow, but
in different ways, the religion of Islaam has gone astray. Some
18
of them exaggerated in the aspects of an-Nafiyy and
19
Tanzeeh to the point that would take the exaggerator out of
Islaam. Some took a moderate stand, while others were closer
to the creed of ahl-us-Sunnah. But the way of the Salaf with
regard to this type of Tawheed is that Allaah, The Mighty and
Majestic, is to be Named and qualified with whatever He
Names and qualifies Himself with and in accordance with their
real and true meanings without Tahreef (changing or twisting
their wording or meaning), without Tateel (denial of them),
without Takyeef (specifying how they are) and without
Tamtheel (likening them to those of the creation). As an
example, Allaah, The One free of all imperfections, Named
Himself (cd(): Al-Hayy (The Ever-Living), Al-Qayyoum
20

(YcW: ). So, we must believe in Al-Hayy as a Name of the

Names of Allaah and in the Attribute implied by this Name
and that is the perfect Life which is neither preceded by adam
(non-existence) nor coming to naught. And Allaah, The One
free of all imperfections and The Most High, Named Himself:
18
19

Nafiyy: Denying specific and general imperfection.

Tanzeeh: Elevating Allaah above all forms of imperfection. Under the

pretext of affirming the Tanzeeh and denying imperfection, the extremists
denied Allaahs Attributes or some of them or divested them of their
meaning. They were under the same delusion that their affirmation
necessitated resemblance of Allaah to His creation.
20

Al-Qayyoum means the One Who is established on His Own, SelfSubsisting, by Whom all things subsist; He sustains, protects, prepares,
and runs the affairs of all things as He wills in accordance with His
knowledge, Wisdom, and Justice.

34

Fiqhul Ibaadaat

Aqeedah Section

35

"f#" As-Samee, "B" Al-Aleem. Therefore, we must

believe in As-Samee [The One who is All-Hearer] as a Name
of the Names of Allaah, and that Hearing is one of His
Attributes; and believe that He Hears, which is the ruling
necessitated by this Name and this Attribute. Because an AllHearer without Hearing or without understanding what is
heard, is something impossible. Likewise, one must deal with
the rest of the Names and Attributes.
Another example: Allaah, The Supremely Exalted, Said:
$Gt
s
6 t #
y t
/t #( 9 $%s $o 3 #( 9 u

&r M
=
4 ' !s = t !
#$
t ;u 9 #$ M
9s $%s u
.[64 :V!b] $!
t o #
y .x ,


The Jews say: Allaahs Hand is tied up (i.e. He does not

give and spend of His Bounty). Be their hands tied up and
be they accursed of what they uttered. Nay, both His
Hands are widely outstretched. He spends of [His Bounty]
as He wills. [Quraan, soorat al-Maaidah (5): 64].
Here Allaah, The Most High, Said:
$tGs6t #yt t/

Nay, both His Hands are widely outstretched.

So He affirmed for Himself Two Hands described by al-Bast
21
(hI) which is the bountiful giving. So it is binding upon us
21

This is the obviously understood meaning and therefore it is true and

real meaning as determined from the context itself.

35

Fiqhul Ibaadaat

36

Aqeedah Section

to believe that Allaah, The Most High, has Two Hands

stretched forth with bountiful giving and favours. And we
must not try to assert how these Hands are, neither by our
hearts nor by our imagination or by our tongues, and that we
must not liken them to the hands of the creatures because
Allaah, The One free of all imperfections, Says:
.[11 :jk]  )
7t 9 #$


9#$ u
u (

x = W
.x
} 9s

Nothing is like unto Him, and He is The All-Hearer, The

All-Seer. [Quraan, soorat ash-Shoora (42): 11].
And also Allaah, The Exalted, Says:
d,
y 9 #$  ) t /
z 7t 9 #$ u
z O }
M #$ u
z
s /t $t u $p ] "t
y
s $t
| m
u 
x 9 #$
} /n u t " m
y $
y )
%

t >s ?s
$t !
#$ ?n
t #( 9 )
?s &r u $Y
s =
/
i t
9s $t !
$$ / #( . 
@ &r u
.[33 :a9R]

Say [O Muhammad
] the things that my Rabb has indeed

forbidden are: Al-Fawaahish [great evil sins, every kind of
unlawful sexual intercourse, etc.] whether open or secretly,
sins [of all kinds], wrongful oppression, joining partners [in
worship] with Allaah for which He has given no authority
and saying things about Allaah of which you have no
knowledge. [Quraan, soorat al-Araaf (7): 33]
.

And also Allaah, The Mighty and Magnificent, Says:

36

Fiqhul Ibaadaat

37

Aqeedah Section

t
t %.x 7
y 9s ' &
. y #x 
9 #$ u u
| 7t 9 #$ u
y

9#$
) 4
=
/ 7
y 9s
} 9s $t #
)
?s
u
.[36 :O7l]
Z
t

And follow not [O man i.e., say not, or do not or witness not,
etc.) that of which you have no knowledge of [e.g. ones
saying, I have seen, while in fact he does not seen, or I
have heard, while he has not heard]. Verily! The hearing,
and the sight, and the heart, of each of those (you) will be
questioned [by Allaah]. [Quraan, sooart al-Israa (17): 36].
So whoever resembles the Hands [of Allaah] to the hands of
the creatures then he has rejected the saying of Allaah, The
Mighty and Majestic,
.[11 :jk]  )
7t 9 #$


9#$ u
u (

x = W
.x
} 9s

Nothing is like unto Him, and He is The All-Hearer, The

All-Seer. [Quraan, soorat ash-Shoora (42): 11],
And furthermore he has disobeyed Allaah, The Exalteds,
Saying:
.[74 :A%]
t $Vs {
F #$ !
#( / 
?s
s

So put not forward similitudes for Allaah [as there is

nothing similar to Him, nor He resembles anything]. [Quraan,
soorat an-Nahl (16): 74].

And whoever assigns a specification (Kayf) to the Hands of

Allaah and says that they are of a particular manner, any
manner, then he has said about Allaah of which he has no
knowledge and followed that of which he has no knowledge.
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38

The Importance of Tawheed Al-Asmaa was Sifaat

Question 9: We would like some more details about this

type of Tawheed i.e. Tawheed al-Asmaa was Sifaat.
The Answer: The truth is that this type of Tawheed, Tawheed
of the Names and Attributes, should be discussed in more
detail because of its importance and because the Muslim
Ummah has been divided to a large extent with respect to it.
But Allaah by His leave guided those who believed from the
Salaf and their followers to the truth of that wherein they
differed. And Indeed, Allaah guides whom he wills to a
Straight Path.
A basic foundation regarding this type of Tawheed has
preceded, and that is we must affirm whatever Names and
Attributes Allaah has affirmed for Himself or His Messenger
affirmed for Him in truth, without Tahreef, without Tateel,
without Takyeef and without Tamtheel. Then we mentioned
examples for this in reference to the Names of Allaah, The
Mighty and Majestic, and an example with regard to one of
His Attributes, the Hands. And that as far as the Names are
concerned, we mentioned that we must affirm that whatever
Allaah has Named Himself with is a Name of Allaah, and that
we affirm what is implied by the Name from the Attribute as
well as the effect necessitated by the Attribute [al-Hukm]. And
we also stated that we must believe in whatever Attributes
Allaah has qualified Himself with and that they are true and
real. We gave an example and that was the Attribute of the
Hands, since Allaah affirmed for Himself Two Hands, both of
which are affirmed for Allaah in truth [i.e. not metaphorical].

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39

Aqeedah Section

However, it is not permitted for us to liken these Hands with

the hands of the creatures, nor is it permissible for us to
imagine in our hearts or utter on our tongues the Kayfiyyah of
these Hands, because Tamtheel (drawing parallels to Allaah) is
a rejection of the Saying of Allaah, The Mighty and Majestic,
.[11 :jk]  )
7t 9 #$


9#$ u
u (

x = W
.x
} 9s

Nothing is like unto Him, and He is The All-Hearer, The

22
All-Seer, and a disobedience of Allaah because of The
Exalteds Saying:
.[74 :A%]
t $Vs {
F #$ !
#( / 
?s
s

So put not forward similitudes for Allaah [as there is

nothing similar to Him, nor He resembles anything]. [Quraan,
soorat an-Nahl (16): 74].

As for the Takyeef, then it is committing that which Allaah has

forbidden and declared unlawful, because Allaah Says:
&r u ,
d
y 9 #$  ) t /
z 7t 9 #$ u
z O }
M #$ u
z
s /t $t u $p ] "t
y
s $t
| m
u 
x 9 #$
} /n u t " m
y $
y )
%

t >s ?s
$t !
#$ ?n
t #( 9 )
?s &r u $Y
s =
/
i t
9s $t !
$$ / #( . 
@
.[33 :a9R]

Say [O Muhammad
] the things that my Rabb has indeed

forbidden are: Al-Fawaahish [great evil sins, every kind of
unlawful sexual intercourse, etc.] whether open or secret,
sins [of all kinds], wrongful oppression, joining partners [in
22

Quraan, soorat ash-Shoora (42): 11.

39

Fiqhul Ibaadaat

40

Aqeedah Section

worship] with Allaah for which He has given no authority

and saying things about Allaah of which you have no
knowledge. [Quraan, soorat al-Araaf (7): 33].

t
t %.x 7
y 9s ' &
. y #x 
9 #$ u u
| 7t 9 #$ u
y

9#$
) 4
=
/ 7
y 9s
} 9s $t #
)
?s
u
.[36 :O7l]
Z
t

And follow not [O man i.e., say not, or do not or witness not,
etc.) that of which you have no knowledge of [e.g. ones
saying, I have seen, while in fact he does not seen, or I
have heard, while he has not heard]. Verily! The hearing,
and the sight, and the heart, of each of those (you) will be
questioned [by Allaah]. [Quraan, sooart al-Israa (17): 36].

We shall give a second example about the Attributes, which is

the Istiwaa of Allaah on His Arsh (Throne). Verily, Allaah
has affirmed for Himself that He Istawaa alaa [ascended
upon] His Arsh in seven places in His Book (Al-Quraan) all
stated by the word Istawaa. And now if we refer to the
meaning of al-Istiwaa in the Arabic language we find that
whenever it is expressed in the transitive state with the
preposition alaa [above, on, upon], then it necessitates
nothing but ascending and rising above something.
Accordingly, the meaning of The Most Highs Saying:
.[5 :^]
3 u Gt
#$
" y 9 #$ ?n
t
o q
" 9#$

The Most Merciful Istawaa alaa Arsh, and the like from
the Aayaat, is that Allaah ascended above His Arsh and that
this is a particular transcendence other than the absolute

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Fiqhul Ibaadaat

Aqeedah Section

41

23

Transcendence above the entire worlds. And That this Uluw

(transcendence) of Allaah, is affirmed in truth, for He
ascended above His Arsh in a manner befitting Him, The
Mighty and Majestic, and which does not resemble the
mounting of a person above a bed, or on a cattle, or on ships,
things which Allaah has mentioned in His Saying:
(#" .
?s
O


4 ?n
t #( Gt
Ft 9
t 6 .x " ?s $t
y {
F #$ u 7
= 
9 #$
z i /3
9s
y _
y u
9s $ 2

$t u #
x
y $o 9s "t

y %
! #$
z s
y 6
#( 9 )
?s u =n
t u Gt
#$ #s )
3
/n u s
y
.[14S12 :amQ]
t 7 = )
s
9s $u /n u
4 <n ) $! ) u
t " )

And He has appointed for you ships and cattle on which

you ride: In order that you may mount on their backs, and
then may remember the Favour of your Rabb when you
mount thereon, and say, Far removed from all
imperfection Who has subjected this to us, and we could
never have it [by our efforts]. And verily, to our Rabb we
indeed are to return! [Quraan, soorat az-Zukhruf (43): 12-14].

23

In the Aayah:

3 u Gt
#$
" y 9 #$ ?n
t
o q
" 9#$

The Most Merciful ascended above the Arsh, Allaah, The One free of
all imperfection, mentioned the prepositional phrase n A9 [above the
Throne], upon which the verb Istawaa acts before the verb itself.
According to the basic principles of the Arabic grammar, bringing
forward that which usually comes afterward indicates restriction and
particularization. Hence, the Istiwaa of Allaah upon the Arsh is a
particular uluw (transcendence).

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42

So, it is impossible that the mounting of the creature on

something would be such that the ascending of Allaah above
His Arsh resembles it, because there is nothing like unto
Allaah in all of His Attributes.
Whoever said that the meaning of "n LB9 j-7" [Ascended
above the Arsh] is "n LB9
-7" Istawlaa (gained mastery
over) the Arsh, then indeed has committed a very serious
mistake, because this is changing the words from their right
places, and is contrary to the consensus of the Sahaabah and
at-Taabieena lahum bi Ihsaan (their successors in
righteousness) and necessitates futile consequences which are
impossible for the believer to utter in regards to Allaah, The
Mighty and Majestic. This is because, without any doubt, the
Noble Quraan was sent down in the Arabic language, as The
Most High Said:
.[3 :amQ]

= )
?s
6
= y 9 $| / "t
t $ u " % o = y _
y $ )

And verily, we have made it a (brought down this) Quraan

in Arabic so that you may be able to understand [its
meanings and its admonitions]. [Quraan, soorat az-Zaukhruf (43): 3].
And also He, The Exalted, Said:
c<1 "t
t
A $
| = /
t

9 #$
z
t 3
Gt 9 7
y 7 = %s
4 ?n
t
{
F #$ y
" 9#$ /
t t t
.[195S193 :Ok]
& 7

[And truly this Quraan is a revelation] which the

trustworthy Rooh [Gibreel] has brought down upon your
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43

heart [O Muhammad
] that you may be [one] of the

warners in the plain Arabic language. [Quraan, Soorat ash-Shu'araa'
(26): 193-195].

The meaning in the Arabic language entailed by the wording

Istawaa Alaa such and such is Ascending and settling
above [al-Uluw wal Istiqraar]. Verily, this meaning is in full
agreement with the wording.
So the meaning of Istawaa alal Arsh is that He [Allaah]
ascended above it in a particular way that befits His Majesty
and Greatness. Therefore, if we interpret it to mean Istawlaa,
then indeed we have changed the words from their right
places, because by doing so we have changed the meaning of
Uluw (transcendence) denoted by the Arabic language, the
language of the Quraan, to that of Isteelaa (taking mastery
of).
Moreover, the Salaf and their successors in righteousness are
agreed upon as of the meaning of Istiwaa' (ascending above)
due to the fact that there is no single letter of a different
interpretation that has been quoted from them. And the rule is
that when a term is mentioned in the Quraan or in the Sunnah
and there is nothing reported from the Salaf which opposes its
obvious meaning or explains it in a way opposite to its
obviously understood meaning, then this means that they have
basically preserved it in accordance with its obviously
understood meaning (Alaa Thaahirihi) and that they believed
in that which it implies. That is why if someone asks us: Do
you have an explicit wording that the Salaf interpreted the
term Istawaa as Alaa LB9 (ascended above)? We will say:
Yes! The Salaf has mentioned this explanation. However,
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44

assuming that this has not been explicitly stated by them, then
the basic principle regarding the meaning of the wording in the
Quraan and in the Sunnah is that it remains on the meaning
necessitated by the Arabic language.
As to the futile obligations necessitated by interpreting
Istawaa to mean Isteelaa, they become evident if we
contemplate The Most Highs Saying:
?n
t
3 u Gt
#$
O
5 $ &r G

u {
F #$ u N
u
y
9#$ ,
t =n {
y %
! #$ !
#$
3
/ u
<
)
.[54 :a9R]
E y 9 #$

Verily! Your Rabb is Allaah who created the heavens and

the earth in six days, then He Istawaa (ascended above) the
24
Throne]:
If we say that the meaning of Istawaa is Istawlaa [gained
mastery of], then this necessitates that before the creation of
the heavens and the earth, the Arsh was not a possession of
Allaah, because He said (what means): He created then
Istawaa. So, if you say that this means that He [created]
then Istawlaa, then this would necessitate that the Arsh did
not belong to Allaah before the creation of the heavens and the
earth, not even when they were created. This would also
necessitate that the expression that Allaah gained mastery of
the earth, and of anything of His creation, whether stated or
implied, is correct. And there is no doubt that such meaning
(Istawlaa) is futile and does not befit Allaah, The Mighty and
24

Soorat al-Araaf (7): 54.

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Fiqhul Ibaadaat

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45

Majestic. Accordingly, it has been made clear that the

interpretation of Istiwaa with Isteelaa includes two
prohibitions: One of them is changing the words form their
right places, and the second is attributing to Allaah qualities
which does not befit Him.
The obligations Towards Each Type Tawheed

Question 10: What is obligatory upon us towards each of

the types alone?
The Answer: It is obligatory upon us to believe in all that
which is comprised in each type, and that we single out
Allaah, The Mighty and Majestic, with all the meanings
necessitated by each particular type.
The Danger in Worshipping other than Allaah

Question 11: What is the ruling on directing any kind of

worship to other than Allaah, The One free of all
imperfections?
The answer may be understood from what has preceeded
where we said that Tawheed al-Ibaadah is to single Allaah
out with all worship. This means that nobody should give any
share of worship to other than Allaah, The Most High.
It is known, for example, that sacrificing (ath-Thabh) is a
means by which a person draws nearer to Allaah, because
Allaah has commanded it in His Saying:

45

Fiqhul Ibaadaat

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46

.[2 :op] " tp

#$ u 7
y /n "t 9
e
| s

Therefore turn (your) in prayer to your Rabb and sacrifice

[to Him only]. [Quraan, Sooarat al-Kawthar (108): 2].
And so each means of nearness to Allaah is an act of worship.
So if a person sacrifices anything to other than Allaah out of
veneration of the one for whom he sacrifices, and as an act of
submission to him and a means of nearness to him, in the very
same manner he venerates Allaah and seeks nearness to Him,
then he is setting up rivals to Allaah, The One free of all
imperfection, in worship (i.e. he is a Mushrik). And in that
case, Allaah has made it clear that He has forbade al-Jannah
for the Mushrik and his abode is the Fire of Hell. Accordingly,
we say that what is done by some people from sacrificing for
the graves of those whom they claim to be Awliyaa (friends of
Allaah), is Shirk which takes the person out of the Religion.
Our advice to those people is that they must repent to Allaah,
The Mighty and Majestic, from what they have done. They
should make their sacrifice for Allaah alone in the same
manner they make their prayers and fasting for Allaah alone. If
they do so, then their past sins will be forgiven as Allaah, The
Most High, Said:
.[3 :0&R] #
y =n
y
%s $
9s " 
x #(
Gt t ) #( " 
x 2

z %

# 9j %

Say to those who have disbelieved, if they cease then their

past will be forgiven (from disbelief). [Quraan, Soorat al-Anfaal (8):
38].

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Fiqhul Ibaadaat

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47

Indeed Allaah will give them more than that. He will change
their sins into good deeds, as Allaah, the Most High, Says:
) !
#$ t " m
y L 9 #$
} 
9#$
t = F )
t
u "t z
y #u $
9s ) !
#$
y t

t

t %
! #$ u
t t >
#
x y 9 #$ & !s #
y
$Y $Or &r ,
t = t 7
y 9 s
y 
t t u 4

t
u ,
d s
y 9 $$ /
$s
[ =
|
W
y
t


t u

t #u u >
z $?s t
 ) $ $
y $
#
s u
y u )
9 #$
:
0] $
V m
#Y 

x !
#$
t %.x u 3 M
; u
| m
y

? $t h
y !
#$

d 6t 
9s ' ' s
.[70S68

And those who invoke not any other Ilaah (god) along with
Allaah, nor kill such life as Allaah has forbidden, except
for a just cause, nor commit illegal sexual intercourse,
(nor)and whoever does this shall receive the punishment.
The torment will be doubled to him on the Day of
Resurrection, and he will abide therein in disgrace; except
those who repent and believe (in Tawheed), and do
righteous deeds, for those, Allaah will change their sins
into good deeds, and Allaah is the One who is Oftforgiving, and Most Merciful. [Quraan, soorat al-Furqaan (25): 68-70].
So, my advice to those who seek nearness to the occupants of
the graves by offering sacrifices for them, is to repent to
Allaah, The Most High, from this action and to turn to Him. If
they do so, then they shall receive the glad tidings of
forgiveness from Allaah, The One who is Most Generous and
who is Very Bountiful (
N: al-Man-naan). Indeed Allaah,
The One free from all imperfection is pleased with the
repentance of those who repent to Him.
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48

The Meaning of Ash-Shahaadataan

Question 12: What is the meaning of Ash-Shahaadataan:

La Ilaaha Illallaah and Muhammad Rasoolulaah.
The Answer: The Shahaadah (testimony) that La Ilaaha
Illallaah and that Muhammad Rasoolullaah (Muhammad is
the Messenger of Allaah) is the key of Islaam. Entering the
fold of Islaam is impossible without them. That is why the
Prophet
commanded Muaadh ibn Jabal () when he sent
him to Yemen that the very first thing he should call them to is
the Shahaadah: La Ilaaha Illallaah, Muhammad
25
Rasoolallaah.
As far as the first part comprising the testimony that La Ilaaha
Illallaah, it means that the person must assert with his tongue
and in his heart that there is nothing that is worshipped
rightfully except Allaah, The Mighty and Majestic. This is
26
because the word Ilaah means Malooh (that which is
worshipped out of love, magnification, deification, and
longing), and Atta-alluh means (deification), signifying that:
25

The testimony that none has the right to be worshipped except Allaah
and that Muhammad
is the Messenger of Allaah is a single pillar of
Islaam even though it consists of two complementary parts. The first part
[Laa Ilaaha Illallaah] necessitates that all acts of worship must be
sincerely devoted to Allaah alone. The second part [Muhammad
Rasoolullaah] obligates that all worship must be done in accordance with
the way of the Prophet
. Therefore, no worship will be accepted unless
it fulfills the obligations of both parts.
26

Ilaah is of the measure fiaal in the sense of the measure mafool

meaning malooh.

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49

None deserves to be worshipped except Allaah Alone.

The sentence: La Ilaaha Illallaah comprises a denial and an
affirmation. As for the denial it is: La Ilaaha: None has the
right to be worshipped, and as for the affirmation, then it is:
Illallaah: Except Allaah. The term Allaah is a substitute
(gr. Badal) for the unspoken predicate of La, because in the
sentence there is a term which is understood in meaning but
not stated in words and it is haqq (rightfully). So, the complete
sentence is La Ilaaha Haqq Illallaah: There is nothing that is
worshipped rightfully except Allaah. So, this Shahaadah is an
attestation with the tongue following the belief with the heart
that there is nothing that is worshipped rightfully and
deservingly except Allaah, The Mighty and Majestic. It
comprises the sincere and pure dedication of worship to
Allaah Alone, and the denial of any worship for everything
besides Him.
The realisation of completion of the meaning of the sentence
with the unstated word (predicate) haqq (rightfully), clarifies
the answer for the following question often raised by many
people: How can you say that there is no Ilaah except Allaah
despite the fact that there are gods worshipped besides
Allaah? Also, Allaah calls them gods: Aaliha and those who
worship them call them gods. Allaah, The Most Exalted and
The Most High, Says:
7
y /n u E &r u %! `
y $
9 &

x !
#$

t

t L 9 #$
J
y 9 #u
]
t M
u
&r $!
y s
.[101 :<=]

So their gods which they invoked besides Allaah, could not

avail them when there came the Command of your Rabb
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50

[to destroy them]. [Quraan, soorat Hood (11): 101].

He, The Exalted, also Says:
.[39 :O7l] "t z
y #u $
9s ) !
#$
y t
y g B
r
u

And set not up with Allaah any other Ilaah [god]

[Quraan,

soorat al-Israa (17): 39].

.[88 :q`W] "t z

y #u $
9s ) !
#$
y t

?s
u

And invoke not any other Ilaah [god] along with Allaah.
[Quraan, soorat al-Qasas (28): 88].

So, how could it be possible to say that none has the right to
be worshipped except Allaah when other deities are confirmed
besides Allaah, The Mighty and Majestic, and when all of the
messengers said to their people:
.[59 :a9R]  )
x > 9s )
i 3
9s $t !
#$ #(
7
#$

Worship Allaah Alone, you have no other god besides

Allaah (who deserves your worship). [Quraan, soorat al-Araaf (7):
59].

The answer to this question will become clear when we

recognise the unstated term to complete the meaning of the
statement La Ilaaha Illallaah. So we say: These Aalihah
(gods) which are worshipped besides Allaah are gods, but they
are false and futile gods. They are not true gods and do not
possess anything from the right of divinity as proven by the
Saying of Allaah, The Most High:
50

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51

T? y 9 #$ u
!
#$
&r u

7t 9 #$
t

t $t
&r u ,
s
y 9 #$ u
!
#$
'r / 7
y 9 s
.[30 :
#W]  )6 6
x 9 #$

That is because Allaah, He is the Truth (the true God who

deserves all worship) and those gods that the Mushriks
invoke besides Him are futile and false, and that Allaah is
The Most High, (above everything) The Most Great. [Quraan,
soorat Luqmaan (31): 30].

Additional proof is in the Saying of Allaah, The Most High:

4 \s {
W #$ & !s u " .x %
!#$
3
9s &r
# "t z
{
W #$ s Ws 9 $W 9#$ n 4 u t u
3 9 #$ u M
| = 9#$ u "t s &r
!#$
t t &r $! /. $! /t #u u
F &r $!
y
G
x $! o
&r
H )
}

)
# u )

y
% #] ) 7
y = ?
.[23S19:X]
?
s =
$p 5

Have you then considered, (O Mushriks) al-Laat, al-Uzzaa,

27
and the other one Manaat, the third of them? How do
you prefer for yourselves the male offspring and then
28
falsely attribute females, (something that you hate for
yourselves, to Allaah?) This is a division most unfair! They
(their idols) are but names which you and your forefathers
27
28

These are names of some of the idols worshipped by the pagan Arabs.

They claimed that the angels are the daughters of Allaah. It is also said
that they considered al-Laat, al-Uzzaa and Manaat as female partners to
Allaah. Far removed is Allaah above what they attributed to Him. [See
ash-Shawkaanees Fathul Qadeer (Jeddah, KSA: Daar al-Andalus alKhadraa, 1st ed., 1415/1994)], p.108.

51

Fiqhul Ibaadaat

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52

have invented. Allaah has sent down no authority for that.

[Quraan, soorat an-Najm (53): 19-23].

Furthermore, the Saying of Allaah, The Exalted, concerning

Prophet Yoosuf () is yet another proof:
$p 5 !
#$
t t &r $! 2
$! /t #u u
F &r $!
y
G

y [ $!
y
&r
H )

t
7 ?s $t
.[40 :_7D]
?
s =

You do not worship besides Allaah except idols that you

call gods and which you and your forefathers have
invented names for them. Verily! Allaah has sent down no
proof for that. [Quraan, soorat Yoosuf (12): 40].
Therefore, the meaning of La Ilaaha Illallaah is: None has the
right to be worshipped except Allaah, The Mighty and
Majestic. As for those things which are worshipped besides
Allaahlike: Messengers, Angels, Awliyaa (friends of
Allaah), stones, trees, the sun, the moon or other thingsthen
the divinity which their worshippers claim for them is not a
reality, i.e. it is false and futile. The true Godship is that of
Allaah, The Mighty and Majestic.

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53

The Meaning of The Shahaadah:

Muhammad is the Messenger of Allaah.

Question 13: You explained the meaning of the

Shahaadah: La Ilaaha Illallaah. So, what is the meaning of
the Shahaadha: Muhammad Rasoolullaah
The Answer: As for the meaning of the testification that
Muhammad (
) is the Messenger of Allaah [Muhammad
Rasoolullaah] then it is the attestation with the tongue and the
belief with the heart that Muhammad bin Abdullaah alQurashee al-Haashimee is the Messenger of Allaah to all of
the creation, to the Jinn and mankind, as stated by Allaah, The
Most High:
) t 9s )
I (
{
F #$ u N
u
y
9#$ 
= 9s %
! #$ $ d
s
6
9s ) !
#$

u o )
!$$ /

%
! #$
c h {
W #$
c < 9#$ & !
u u !
$$ / #( $t s ( M

u
s
u

.[158 :a9R]

Gt
?s
6
= y 9s 7 ? #$ u G
y = 2
u

Verily! I am Allaahs Messenger to you all. He is the One

to whom the Dominion of the heavens and the earth
belongs, none has the right to be worshipped but Him; It is
He Who gives life and causes death. So believe in Allaah
and His Messenger, the Prophet who can neither read nor
right, who believes in Allaah and in His Words [this
Quraan] and follow him so that you may be guided. [Quraan,
soorat al-Araaf (7): 158].

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54

He, The Most High, also Said:

:
0] #"
t

=n y = 9
t 3
u 9
6
t
4 ?n
t
t $%s " 
9 #$
t t %
! #$ 8
x u $6t ?s
.[1

(Exalted is) Blessed be He Who sent down the Criterion [of

right and wrong, i.e. the Quraan] to His slave [Muhammad
]
that he may be a warner to the Aalameen (mankind and
Jinn). [Quraan, soorat al-Furqaan (25): 1].
This Shahaadah necessitates that you believe whatever
Allaahs Messenger informed you of; you comply with
whatever he commands; you avoid whatever he forbade and
prohibited, and that you do not worship Allaah except with
that which he prescribed. It also necessitates that you do not
believe that Allaahs Messenger has any share nor any right in
Ar-Ruboobiyyah or in controlling the affairs of the creation,
nor any right to be worshipped at all. Rather, he
is a slaveworshipper, not one to be worshipped; and that he is a
Messenger who is not to be belied. It is not in his power to
bring harm or benefit, neither for himself nor for others,
except as Allaah Wills. This is evident in the Saying of Allaah,
The Most High:
) ( 7
=n t o )
3
9s
% &r
I u =
| t 9 #$
=n
&r
I u !
#$
#! t z
y


3
9s
% &r
H %
.[50 :Y&R]
<n )
# r
y $t
 )
7 ? &r

Say [O Muhammad
]: I do not tell you that with me are

the treasures of Allaah, nor that I know of al-Ghayeb (the
hidden and unseen); nor I tell you that I am an angel. I but
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Fiqhul Ibaadaat

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follow what is revealed to me (by inspiration).

55
[Quraan, soorat

al-Anaam (6): 50].

He is a slave of Allaah who acts as he is commanded and

follows the orders he is given. And Allaah, The Most High,
Says:
y`
&r
9s u
n
t &r !
#$
z u )g
9s o )
% #
Y
x u
u #u
/ 3
9s 7
= &r
I o )
%
.[22S21 :r] #
s
y Gt =

[Say O Muhammad
]: It is not in my power to cause

(bring) you harm or bring (guide) you to the Right Path.
Say: None can protect me from Allaahs Punishment [if I
were to disobey Him], nor should I find refuge except in
Him. [Quraan, soorat al-Jinn (72): 21-22].
Allaah, The Most High, also Says:
|= t 9 #$
=n
&r M
. 9s u 4 !
#$ u $!
x $t
 ) #

u $Y 
t

u 9 7
= &r
H %

t
5 )
s 9j  )
0o u "
t
 ) $O t &r
) 4
G 9#$
z _
t $t u  )
y 9 #$
z N
 Ys 6
Gt

]

.[188 :a9R]

Say (O Muhammad
): I possess no power of benefit or

hurt to myself except as Allaah Will. And if I had the
knowledge of the Ghayeb, I shoud have secured for myself
an abundance of wealth, and no evil should have touched
me. I am but a warner, and a bringer of glad tidings unto
people who believe. [Quraan, soorat al-Araaf (7): 188].

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Fiqhul Ibaadaat

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56

So, this is the meaning of the testimony of Laa Ilaaha

Illalaah, Muhammad Rasoolullaah. From this meaning the
person knows that nothing from the creation deserves the right
to be worshipped, not the Messenger of Allaah
nor anyone
from the creation who is below him in rank; and that worship
an only be for Allaah, alone; and that the right of Allaahs
Messenger upon us is to give him the rank and standing which
Allaah, The Most High, gave to him: The slave of Allaah and
His Messenger.
The Difference Between the Profession with the Tongue and
the Profession with the Heart

Question 14: However, what is the difference between the

profession of the testimony of faith with the tongue and its
profession with the heart? Is it obligatory to profess both?
The Answer: The difference between the profession with the
tongue and that with the heart is obvious, because some
people, like the hypocrites, profess the testimony with their
tongues only. As for these hypocrites, Allaah Says concerning
them:
.[1 :
W?] !
#$

"t 9s 7
y )
p
t #( 9 $%s
t )

u
9 #$ 8
x u %! `
y #s )

When the hypocrites come to you [O Muhammad (
)], they

say: We testify that you are indeed the Messenger of
Allaah. [Quraan, soorat al-Munaafiqoon (63): 1].
Immediately following this, however, Allaah, The Most High,
Says:
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Fiqhul Ibaadaat

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57

.[1 :
W?]

/
3
s 9s
t )

u
9 #$
)
p
t !
#$ u & !
"t 9s 7
y )
=n t !
#$ u

Allaah knows that you are indeed His Messenger, and

Allaah bears witness that the hypocrites are liars indeed.
[Quraan, soorat al-Munaafiqoon (63): 1].

Those people professed with their tongues but not with their
hearts. A person may profess with his heart but does not utter
it. This kind of profession does not avail him in as much his
profession is not outwardly manifested. As to what is between
him and Allaah, then its knowledge is with Allaah, or the
ruling on it is with Allaah. However, in as far as the ruling in
this life, the profession with his heart alone, does not avail
him. It cannot be ruled that he is a Muslim as long as he does
not utter the testimony with his tongue, unless he is physically
or legally incapable of doing so, then, in this case, he may be
dealt with as necessitated by his condition. So, it is inevitable
that the testimony be in the heart and on the tongue.
A Doubt and its Rebuttle

Question 15: What lead to this question is that nowadays

there is a group of people when they are called to worship
Allaah they say: Allaah is the Rabb of the hearts. We
would like also that you comment on this response?
The Answer: We say that Allaah is indeed the Rabb of the
hearts as well as the tongues. He is not the Rabb of the hearts
only; and if the hearts become good then the limbs become
good, because the Prophet
says:

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Fiqhul Ibaadaat

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58

I 4P+)  
,Q
  , 
,  &,
,  <" R4P+)  
, Q S
, ) >
, T,H) >
, <" UVW( 2 Q ' !" I"
.[B . ;\I]

".XY B, -2 

Verily, there is a piece of flesh in the body, if it becomes good [reformed],

the whole of the body becomes good but if it gets spoilt the whole body
gets spoilt and that is the heart.

29

This Hadeeth renders the futile and false the claim by some,
who when you advise him in regard to certain things with
30
which he disobeys Allaah, he says: at-Taqwaa is right here,
31
and he points towards his chest. His is a word of truth
intended to imply something futile. In fact a word may be true
in its general sense, but the speaker intends to imply by it a
futile meaning. Indeed think of the Saying of Allaah, The
Most High, concerning the Mushriks:
&

x $u " m
y
u $t $! /t #u
I u $o 2
u
&r $! t !
#$ u $!
x 9s #( . u
&r
t %
! #$
)
u
y
.[148 :Y&R]

The Mushriks will say: If Allaah had willed, we would have

not committed Shirk, nor would our fathers, and we would
not have forbidden anything [against His Will]! [Quraan, soorat
al-Anaam (6): 148].

29
30

An agreed upon hadeeth. See Saheeh al-Bukhaaree, vol.1, no. 49.

The true meaning of at-Taqwaa is fearing Allaah and hoping for His
Mercy by executing His Commands and staying away from all that He
has forbidden.
31

The Prophet (
) in the authentic hadeeth reported by Muslim said: A

Muslim is the brother of a Muslim. He neither oppresses him nor humiliates him nor
looks down upon him. The Taqwaa is here [and while saying so] he pointed towards
his chest thrice. See Saheeh Muslim, vol. 4, no.6219.

58

Fiqhul Ibaadaat

59

Aqeedah Section

So, they said: If Allaah had willed, we would have not

committed Shirk, and they were truthful in that which they
said. Because if Allaah had willed, they would have not
committed Shirk. They, however, did not intend the truth by
using this word. Rather, they wanted to justify their staying on
their Shirk and the lifting of punishment from upon them. This
is why Allaah, The Most High, Said:
.[148 :Y&R] $u
y ' /t #( % #s
4 L m
y

= 7 %s

%
! #$ >
z
.x 
9
x 2

Likewise belied those who were before them, [they argued

falsely with Allaahs Messengers], till they tasted of Our
Wrath. [Quraan, soorat al-Anaam (6): 148].
32

So, of no avail to them was the use of al-Qadar [Allaahs

Pre-decree] as a plea when they intended it to be a justification
for continuing on their Shirk, and an excuse for lifting the
33
blame and punishment from upon themselves. The actual
fact, however, is exactly as they have put it: If Allaah had
not willed, they would not have committed Shirk, as
Allaah, The Most High, said to His Messenger:

32

Al-Qadar: Allaahs Pre-ordainment of the creation in accordance with

His Foreknowledge, and in accordance with His Wisdom.
33

In his book Sharh al-Usool ath-Thalaathah, Shaykh Muhammd Bin

Uthaymeen, may Allaahs Mercy be upon him, said: If there had been
any excuse for them in al-Qadar then Allaah would not have sent down
His Punishment upon them. See Sharh al-Usool ath-Thalaathah
[English Translation by brother Daawood Burbank], p.186, Daar alHidaayah Publishing, Birmingham, U.K.

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60

9s u
t . 

9 #$

t
"
&r u ( u

 ) t 9s )
I (
/i 7
y 9s )
z r
& $! t
7 ? #$
.[107S106 :Y&R] #( . u
&r $! t !
#$ u $!
x

Follow what has been inspired to you [O Muhammad
]

from your Rabb, Laa Ilaaha Illaa Huwa [none has the right
to be worshipped but He] and turn aside from the Mushriks.
Had Allaah willed, they would have not committed Shirk.
[Quraan, soorat al-Anaam (6): 106-107].

There is, however, a difference between the two cases. In the

latter case, Allaah Said to His Prophet (what means): Had
Allaah willed, they would have not committed Shirk, in
order to clarify that their Shirk occurs by His Will, and that
He, The One free of all imperfections, The Most High, has a
Wisdom as to the committing of Shirk by them; and in order to
comfort His Prophet (
) that this action of theirs (Shirk) takes
place by His, The Exalted and Most Highs, Will.
Therefore, the important thing is that the person who says
when you give him advice: at-Taqwaa is here [i.e. in his
heart], has said a true word indeed. However, he intended by
it something futile and false, because the one who said: atTaqwaa is here... is the Prophet
, the same one who also
said:
"...PQR U WXY[
R\ ^_R\ cdef U WXY hi
j m"
Verily, there is a piece of flesh in the body, if it becomes good [reformed],
the whole of the body becomes good...

If there is Taqwaa in the heart, then it is imperative that there

is Taqwaa in the limbs, and the outward actions are a sign of
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61

the inward actions of the heart.

The Meaning of Eemaan
Question 16: Briefly, what is the meaning of Eemaan
[faith] and its pillars.
The Answer: Eemaan has two meanings:
1- A linguistic meaning which is: The attestation to and the
belief in a thing (al-Iqraar wa-Tasdeeq).
2- A legal (Sharee) meaning that is: The attestation that
necessitates acceptance and submission. Legally, therefore, a
persons attestation to whatever is obligatory from faith is not
sufficient unless he accepts and submits. For example, if a
person attests and acknowledges that Muhammad is the
Messenger of Allaah, but he neither accepts that which he

brought, nor submits to his commands, then he is not a
believer. For this reason, there was amongst the Mushriks
those who acknowledged and attested to the Prophets (
)
Message, but they did not obediently yield and submit to him,
rather, they remained on the religion of their folk. Hence, their
mere attestation, without acceptance and submission, was of
no avail to them.
So, the legal meaning of belief is more specific than its
meaning in the Arabic language. Also, it may be that the legal
meaning is more general than the linguistic one. Consider, for
example, the prayers; it is from the Eemaan in its legal sense,
as Allaah, The Most High, Says:
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62

4?n
t =
= )
s t

t
" 9#$
6 K t t
z =n u 9
 ) $! p ; =n
t M
| . L 9 #$ 's #s 7 )
9 #$ $o = y _
y $t u

3
o
y )
y
9 !
#$
t %.x $t u 3 !
#$
y
y
t %
! #$ ?n
t
 ) u )7 3
s 9s M
t %.x ) u 4 7t )

t
.[143 :VWI]

Certainly, Allaah would never make your faith to be lost.

[Quraan, soorat al-Baqarah (2): 143], meaning, Your prayers towards
Jerusalem [to which they were used to face in prayer before
Allaah commanded them to turn their faces towards Makkah].
Linguistically, however, Salaat is not called faith, because it
is an outward act, whereas faith (Eemaan), in the [Arabic]
language is from the matters of the inward [i.e. pertaining to
the heart].
So, if we want to define the legal Eemaan (al-Eemaan ashSharee), then we say that it is: The attestation which
necessitates acceptance and submission, and if it does not
necessitate this, then it is not considered a legal faith.
The Relation of Eemaan to the Hadeeth of Jibreel ()

Question 17: Is the aforementioned meaning the same as

that which came in Prophets (
) answer to Jibreels
question about Eemaan?
The Answer: Yes, because the true Eemaan in Allaah and in
His Angels, His Books, and His Messengers, necessitates
acceptance and submission. So, whoever says that he is a
believer in Allaah, His Angels, His Books and His
Messengers, but he does not accept and submit, then this
saying of his is of no benefit to him. The same applies to the
faith he has in his heart, it is of no benefit to him unless he
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63

accepts and yields in submission.

Question 18: If a person is asked about Eemaan, should he

say that it means the attestation that obligates acceptance
and submission, or should he say that it means to believe in
Allaah, His Angels, His Books, and His Messengers as the
Messenger
explained?
The Answer: We say that the meaning necessitates acceptance
and submission, and accordingly if the person raising the
question asks for details, then we say: You believe in Allaah,
His Angels, His Books, and His Messengers. These details
cover the Religion in its entirety.
The Meaning of Eemaan And Its Pillars

Question 19: We would like to expound on the meaning of

Eemaan and also know of its pillars?
The Answer: We already spoke about the legal definition of
Eemaan and the detail definition that the Prophet
mentioned
in the Hadeeth of Jibreel. The legal definition, which we
pointed out, is a general one that comprises the whole of Deen,
i.e. the attestation which necessitates acceptance and
submission. This definition is the one which the learned
scholars refer to in Usool (Fundamentals), in the books of
Aqaaid [singl. Aqeedah (creed)]. As for the definition in the
Hadeeth of Jibreel (), it constitutes a particular meaning of
Eemaan. This is so because the Prophet (
) explained the
meaning of Islaam when Jibreel first asked him about it, then

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64

he (Jibreel) asked him about Eemaan which is the inwardly

established Aqeedah; and Islaam, constitutes the outward
actions [i.e. The Shahadatan, Salaat, Zakaat, Sawm (fasting)
and Hajj, and which are the Arkaan (pillars) of Islaam].
No one really doubts that a persons belief, that there is no true
God worthy of worship except Allaah (La Ilaaha Illallaah) is
from the Eemaan. There can be no doubt about this. However,
since it is a declared statement, then it is considered from the
acts of the outward which include [in addition to La
IlaahaIllallaah], Salaah, Zakat, fasting, and Hajj.
On the other hand, the Arkaan of Eemaan explained by the
Prophet (
) are six and they are known. The Prophet (
) said
in his reply to Jibreel:
B . ;\I]

".Z2 [\, , Z2 2 ; , $2 , Y  26 , (2 ];
, 2 2 ^ _2 ;,, 42 2 = $ , 42 2D+) , 42 D2  `2a
 (, , 42 ! 26 , (2 ];
  I"
.[B ]0B.

Eemaan is that you truly believe in Allaah, His Angels, His Books, His
Messengers, the Last Day, and that you truly believe in the Pre-decree
34
(al-Qadar), the good and the evil of it.

We are going to discuss these six pillars because of their

importance:
The belief in Allaah: The belief in Allaah comprises four
matters:

34

Reported by al-Bukhaaree in his Saheeh, vol.1, no.47, and by Muslim,

Saheeh Muslim, vol.1, no.1. The cited narration is that of Muslim.

64

Fiqhul Ibaadaat

(1)
(2)
(3)
(4)

Aqeedah Section

65

The belief in His Existence

The belief in His Ruboobiyyah
The belief in His Uloohiyyah
The belief in His Names and Attributes.

(1) The belief in the Existence of Allaah.

It is the full attestation that Allaah, The One free of all
imperfection, The Most High, exists. No one openly denied
the existence of Allaah, The Mighty and Majestic, except by
way of haughtiness. Otherwise it is impossible for any
reasonable person to claim that this creation was appeared by
chance or it came into existence without a cause, due to the
fact that this is something impossible to occur as agreed upon
by the people of sound intellect. Indeed the existence of
Allaah, The Mighty and Majestic, is something proven by all
kinds of evidences:
(i) Rational
(ii) Fitriyyah [from Fitrah: Natural disposition],
(iii) Legal, and
(iv) Hissiyyah [from Hiss: What is experienced and
perceived].
All of these four evidences prove the existence of Allaah, The
Mighty and Majestic.
As for the intellectual proof, then it is that we witness the
existence of this universe and what occurs in it from things
which is rather impossible for any creature to do. The
existence of creation: the heavens, the earth and what is in
them from the stars, mountains, rivers, trees, the speaking, the
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66

speechless, and so forth. How did this existence come into

being? Did it appear by chance? Or did it occur without a
cause? Or did it bring itself into existence? These are three
possibilities whereby the intellect does not accept a fourth
possibility. All of these possibilities are futile and false. As for
it appearing by chance, then this is something that the intellect
as well as reality itself denies, because you cannot bring such
magnificent creation into existence just by chance; there must
be a cause for each effect. Furthermore its astounding
arrangement and harmonious order that has no conflict or
collision within it, makes it impossible that it all came about
randomly. This is because that which would come into
existence by chance, its development would not be ordered
because all of it is random and by chance.
As for the possibility that creation brought itself into
existence, then it is also clearly impossible. This is because
before its existence, creation did not exist, it was nothing; and
that which is nothing cannot bring into existence that which
does not exist.
As for the third possibility that this existence came to exist
without a cause, then the meaning is the same as our saying
that it appeared by chance; and this, as preceded, is
impossible.
It remains to be said that existence has someone who brought
it into being, and He is Allaah, The Mighty and Majestic. He,
The Most High, Says:
4
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66

Fiqhul Ibaadaat

Aqeedah Section

67

.[36S35 :s]
t %
 /t

Were they created by nothing? Or were they themselves

the creators? (did they create themselves?) Or did they
create the heavens and the earth? Nay, they have no
certainty? [Quraan, soorat at-Toor (52): 35-36].
Hence, this creation rationally proves the existence of Allaah,
The Mighty and Majestic. As for the proof of the natural
disposition for the existence of Allaah, then it is so evident
that it does not require a proof. This is because man is created
upon the natural disposition (Fitrah) of belief in his Rabb. The
Prophet (
) said:
.[B . ;\I] ".4G [bc I 4G[deK I 4GL[, K Z 6C fgh 3  K L9 ( *
P +"

Every child is born upon the natural disposition, then his parents
35
change him into a Jew, or a Christian, or a Majian.
That is why in case something suddenly befalls upon a person
in this life such that it may destroy him, he would say with his
tongue and without feeling: O Allaah! or O Rabb! or the
like. This proves that the innate nature of man has been
created upon the belief in the existence of Allaah, The Mighty
and Majestic.
As for the proof of the Hiss for the existence of Allaah, then it
is very often that we hear of supplications being answered by
35

Reported by al-Bukhaaree and Muslim. See Saheeh al-Bukhaaree,

vol.2, no.467.

67

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68

Allaah. Also the person himself who calls upon Allaah, his
supplications are indeed responded to. Many are those who
invoked Allaah and said: O [Yaa] Rabb, and behold! They
saw response was right before his eyes! Indeed in the Quraan
there are many examples for this, like the Saying of Allaah,
The Most High:
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And (remember) Ayyub (Job), when he cried to his Rabb:

Verily, distress has seized me, and you are the Most
Merciful of all those who show mercy. So We answered
his call, and We removed the distress that was on him.
[Quraan, soorat al-Anbiyaa (21): 83-84].

In addition, there are many other examples from the Sunnah,

one of which is the Hadeeth reported by Anas ibn Maalik in
which he said: A man [a bedouin Arab] entered the mosque
on the day of Jumah whilst the Prophet (
) was delivering the
Khutbah, and said: O Messenger of Allaah, property is being
destroyed, and the passages have become blocked, so
supplicate Allaah to send rain down upon us. The Prophet (
)
raised his hands and then said: O Allaah send down rain upon
us; O Allaah send down rain upon us. The sky was clear
without any cloud in it. The Prophet (
) did not come down
from his pulpit except that rain was flowing from his beard,
may Allaahs Salaat and Salaam be upon him. There was a
downpour of rain for one week. Then on the succeeding Friday
a man (the same man or someone else) entered the mosque and
said: O Messenger of Allaah, the houses are collapsing and
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69

wealth is being flooded, so supplicate Allaah to stop the rain

for us. The Prophet (
) raised his hands and began to say:
around us and not upon us, pointing with his hands, and he
36
did not point to any direction except that it cleared. People
then stepped out walking in the sunshine.
Many are the supplications which a person calls upon his Rabb
(Allaah) to be answered are indeed responded to. This is a
proof contained in what is experienced and perceived for the
existence of Allaah, The Mighty and Majestic.
As for the Sharee proof for the existence of Allaah, then it is
beyond being enumerated. Indeed the Quraan in its entirety as
well as all of the affirmed Ahaadeeth in their legal and
informative nature, proves the existence of Allaah, The
Mighty and Majestic, as Allaah Says concerning the Sublime
Quraan:
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Had it been from other than Allaah, they would have

surely found therein much discrepancy. [Quraan, soorat an-Nisaa
(4): 82].

The belief in the existence of Allaah, is one of the matters that

comprise(s) the belief in Allaah. As for the belief in Allaahs
Ruboobiyyah, Uloohiyyah, Names and Attributes, then a
detailed discussion of these branches of Tawheed has
36

Collected by al-Bukhaaree in his Saheeh, vol.2, no.55, and Muslim,

vol.2, no.1955.

69

Fiqhul Ibaadaat

70

Aqeedah Section

preceded.

How to Respond to the Dahrees

37

Question 20: We know that the Dahrees, who are many

nowadays and who are considered from the intellect
because they think and infer, are agreed upon the belief in
the non-existence of Allaah, The Mighty and Majestic. So,
how to respond to people like this?
The Answer: First I would like to comment on your saying that
37

Dahrees: People who deny the existence of Allaah and claim that adDahr (time) manages and disposes the affairs of the world. Allaah, The
Most High, says concerning them:
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And they say: There is nothing but our life of this world, we die and
we live and nothing destroys us except ad-Dahr (time). And they have
no knowledge of it: they only conjecture. [Quraan, soorat al-Jaathiyah
(45): 24].

The Prophet (
) said:

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Allaah Said, The son of Adam annoys Me for he abuses Ad-Dahr though I am AdDahr (Time); in My Hands are all things, and I cause the revolution of day and
night. [Agreed upon hadeeth. Saheeh al-Bukhaaree, vol. 6, no.351].

The statement I am ad-Dahr, means that Allaah is The One Who

manages Time as explained in the hadeeth itself: In My Hands are all things
[including Time]. Allaah is The One who Created everything and who
disposes the affairs of everything [including Time]. It is wrong, therefore,
to attribute anything to Time.

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71

they are intellectual. So, if you mean by the intellect that of

contemplation, then yes! They are intellectuals who
contemplate and understand; and if you mean by that the
maturity of the intellect and its following of the right way in
its affairs (Rushd), then they are not intellectuals. That is why
Allaah described the Kuffaar as deaf, dumb, and blind, so they
have no sense. They are, however, intellectualshaving the
intellect of contemplation, through which evidence is
established upon them.
In reality when they say that Allaah does not exist they say this
out of arrogance, otherwise they know it is impossible that an
erected door makes itself exist nor does it make itself stand
upright. They know that it is inevitable that such door needed
a carpenter or a blacksmith to build. It is also certain that it
needed a construction worker to install. Indeed they know the
food they eat and the water they drink definitely is in need of
someone to produce and that the food is in need of someone to
sow its seeds. They also know that it is impossible for anyone
from the people to create such seed-produce, nor to make its
seed grow to become a standing crop having stems and
bearing fruits.
They know all of this, and they know that this is something
which humans are incapable of doing. They, however, are
being arrogant, and there is no benefit in debating with an
arrogant. He will never accept [the truth], no matter what it
may be. If you tell him, This is the sun and it is right before
him, he will not accept. It is a waste of time to argue with
people of this kind, and, as stated by some scholars, the way to
invite them is to contend with them in fight not in debates.

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72

The Eemaan (Belief) and its Pillars

Question 21: What are the Pillars of Eemaan?

The Answer: Eemaan is to believe in Allaah, His Angels, His
Books, His Messengers, The Last Day, and Al-Qadar, its good
and its evil. We already have discussed the matter of belief in
Allaah. As to the issue of belief in the Angels, we say that they
are creatures from the world of al-Ghayeb whom Allaah, The
Most Mighty and Most Majestic, Created from light and made
them submissive to His Command:
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they never slacken (to do so). [Quraan, soorat al-Anbiyaa (21): 20].
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They disobey not Allaah in that which He Commands

them, but they do that which they are commanded. [Quraan,
soorat at-Tahreem (66): 6].

The angels are of various kinds with respect to their deeds,

tasks, and levels. Jibreel, alayyhis-Salaam, is entrusted with
al-Wahy (Revelation); he brings down the Revelation from
Allaah upon His Messengers, as He, The Most High, said:
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72

Fiqhul Ibaadaat

Aqeedah Section

73

Truly, which the trustworthy Ruh has brought [this

Quraan] down upon your heart (O Muhammad
) that you
may be one of the warners, in plain Arabic language.
[Quraan, soorat ash-Shuaraa (26): 193-195].

And He, The Most High, Said:

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Say (O Muhammad
): Verily Ruh-ul-Qudus [Jibreel, the

pure spirit] has brought it [the Quraan] from your Rabb in
truth. [Quraan, soorat an-Nahl (16): 102].
The Prophet
saw him (Jibreel) twice in the actual shape that
he had been created upon. Once he saw him in his genuine
38
figure having six hundred wings covering the whole horizon.
Meekaaeel, one of the great angels, whom Allaah, The Most
Mighty and Most Majestic, has entrusted with the duty of
looking after rainfall and the growth of plants by rainfall.
Israafeel is also one of the great angels whom Allaah, The
Most Mighty and Most Majestic, has entrusted with blowing
the Horn (as-Soor). He is also one of the great angels who
bear the magnificientArsh (Throne). The Prophet (
) used to
mention the names of these three angels upon the beginning
(after takbeer) of the night prayer (Salaatul-layel), saying:
T
, GI R2fL FJ X
2 V n2  R2#$i &
2  , l  R*=" * ` ( * `m2: FN$ F. "
38

See Saheeh al-Bukhaaree, vol. 4, nos. 455, 457.

73

Fiqhul Ibaadaat

Aqeedah Section

74

( jo E
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Allaah, the Rabb of Jibreel, and Meekaaeel, and Israafeel, the

Creator of the heavens and the earth, the One Who Knows the world of
al-Ghayeb and of ash-Shahaadah (what is seen); You Judge amongst
your slaves about that wherein they used to differ. Guide me by your
Leave to the truth of that wherein they differed. And You Guide whom
39
You Will to a Straight Path.

The reason for mentioning these three angels is because each

one of them is entrusted with that which comprises life; and
the Resurrection from death is considered life. So, as far as we
know, those three are the best of the angels.
Among them is the angel of death (Malakul-Mawwt) whose
duty is to take the souls of the living (at the point of death).
Amongst them also are two angels who are entrusted with
recording the deeds of each personone on his right and one
on his left. There are angels who are in charge of attending the
40
circles of knowledge. Whoever needs more details about this
subject let him review the works of the scholars.
39
40

Reported by Muslim in his Saheeh, vol.1, no.1694.

Other angels include:
(i)
Those entrusted with the embryos in the womb,
(ii)
Maalik, who is entrusted to guard the Hellfire,
(iii) Those whose duty is to question the deceased when he is
placed in the grave asking him who is his Rabb, his Deen, and
his Prophet,
(iv)
Those who take stand at every gate of the mosque to write the
names of the people chronologically,
(v)
Those welcoming the believers when they enter al-Jannah.

74

Fiqhul Ibaadaat

75

Aqeedah Section

The Belief in the Angels

Question 22: Are there other things related to the belief in

the angels?
The Answer: It remains to be said that belief in the angels, may
Allaahs Salaam and Salaam be upon them, is of two types,
general and detailed one. Those whose names we know of,
then we must believe specifically in each and every one of
them. We say, We believe in Allaah, and in Jibreel,
Meekaaeel, Israafeel, the angel of death, Maalik (who is
entrusted to guard the Hellfire), and so forth. As for those
whose names are unknown to us, then we have general and
comprehensive belief in all of them.
The angels are many in number, so many that only Allaah, The
Most Mighty and Most Majestic, can enumerate them. The
Prophet (
) said:
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In the Much Frequented House that is in the seventh heaven,

seventy thousand angels enter it each day praying in it every day, and
then when they leave they never return to it, but another group arrives
41
everyday.
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He (
) also said, There is not even the place for four fingers in the
heavens except that it is occupied by an angel standing before Allaah,
41

Reported by al-Bukhaaree, vol.4, no.429 and Muslim, vol.1, no.309.

75

Fiqhul Ibaadaat

Aqeedah Section

or bowing (in Rukoo), or prostrating.

76

42

We, however, do not know of them specifically, and of their

deeds and duties except to the extent that we were brought
about by the Shar. All that which the Shar detailed regarding
their tasks, conditions and deeds is incumbent that we believe
in it as it is detailed. As to the things that are not detailed, we
must believe in them in general.
Believing in the angels, who possess from the abilities and
powers that which is not possessed by humans, is from the
Signs of Allaah, The Most Mighty and Most Majestic.
Accordingly, believing in them is a belief in Allaah, The One
free of all imperfections and The Most High, and in His
Magnificent Ability.
It is incumbent that we love the angels, because they are
believers and because they carry on the Commands of Allaah,
The Most Mighty and Most Majestic. Anyone whose is an
enemy to anyone of them is a Kaafir (disbeliever) as
established in the Saying of Allaah, The Most High:
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Whoever is an enemy to Allaah, His Angels, His
Messengers, Jibreel and Meekaaeel, then verily, Allaah is
42

Reported by at-Tirmithee, Ahmad, and Ibn Hibbaan. At-Tirmithee said

its degree is hasan ghareeb, and al-Albaanee graded it as hasan [Saheeh
Sunnan at-Tirmithee (Arabic), no. 1882].

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Fiqhul Ibaadaat

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77

an enemy to the disbelievers. [Quraan, soorat al-Baqarah (2): 98].

He, The Most High, also Said:
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Say (O Muhammad
): Whoever is an enemy to Jibreel [let

him die in his fury], for indeed he has brought it [this
Quraan] down to your heart by Allaahs Permission,
confirming what came before it [i.e. the Tarawa (Torah) and
the Ingeel (Gospel)]. [Quraan, soorat al-Baqarah (2): 97].
The Belief in the Books

Question 23: What about the Third Pillar of Eemaan?

The Answer: The third pillar of belief is the belief in the Books
of Allaah, The Most Mighty and Most Majestic (). These are
the Books that Allaah has sent down upon His Messengers
alayhimus-salaat was-Salaam. Indeed, the Quraan
(obviously) implies that none of the Messengers were sent
except that Allaah (has) revealed with him a Book, as He, The
Most High, Says:
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Indeed, We have sent our Messengers with clear proofs

and have revealed with them the Books and the Balance
that mankind may keep up justice. [Quraan, soorat al-Hadeed (57):
25].

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Fiqhul Ibaadaat

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78

He, The Most High, Says:

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t t &r u
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u

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Mankind were one community [on Tawheed] and Allaah

sent Prophets with glad tidings and warnings, and with
them He sent down the Scripture in truth to judge between
people in matters wherein they differed. [Quraan, soorat alBaqarah (2): 213].

The way of belief in these Books is to have general and

comprehensive belief in all of them. Whatever we knew of
them by name, then we believe specifically in them. The
Tawraat, Injeel, az-Zaboor (given down to Daawood ), the
Suhuf (Scriptures) of Ibraaheem and Moosaa (Moses), and the
Noble Quraan, are specifically known to us. So, we believe
specifically in them, as for those for which we do not know by
name then we have general belief in all of them, because
Allaah burdens not a person beyond his scope.
The question, however, is, How do we believe in these
Books? We say that whatever had been authentically related
to us from the reports about these Books, then, in any case, it
is obligatory upon us to believe in them because they are from
Allaah. Concerning the legislations contained in these Books,
it is binding upon us to only act upon what is stated in the
Noble Quraan. As to those reports that we have no knowledge
of their authenticity, then we give no opinion respecting them
until their authenticity becomes clear to us. Because these
books were subjected to alterations, substitutions, and

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79

modifications, as well as addition and omission.

The Belief in the Messengers

Question 23: What do you say regarding the Fourth Pillar

of EemaanBelief in the Messengers?
The Answer: The belief in the Messengers alayhimus-salaatu
was-Salaam, is to believe that Allaah () has sent to mankind
Messengers of their own reciting unto them His aayaat
(Verses) and sanctifying them. The first of these Messengers
was Nooh (Noah) alayhis-salaatu was-Salaam. Before Nooh,
however, no Messenger was sent. Hereby we know the error of
the historians who said that Idrees alayhis-salaat was-Salaam
was before Nooh. The reason is that Allaah () says in His
Book (i.e. al-Quraan):
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Indeed We sent Revelation to you (O Muhammad) as We

sent Revelation to Nooh and the Prophets after him. [Quraan,
soorat an-Nisaa (4): 163].

And in the authentic Hadeeth relating the story of intercession

(Shafaaah), it is reported that the Prophet (
) mentioned that
the people will come to Nooh and say: You are the first of the
43
Messengers whom Allaah sent to the people of the earth So,
there is no Messenger before Nooh, and no Messenger after
Muhammad (
). Allaah, The Most High, Says:
43

Part of a long hadeeth reported by al-Bukhaaree and Muslim. See

Saheeh al-Bukhaaree, vol.4, no.556.

79

Fiqhul Ibaadaat

Aqeedah Section

80

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Indeed, Muhammad (
) is not the father of any of your

men, but he is the Messenger of Allaah and the last of the
Prophets. [Quraan, soorat al-Ahzaab (33): 40].
As to the descending of Eesaa (Jesus), the son of Mary, at the
end of time, he does not descend as a Messenger entrusted to
originate a new Message. Rather, he descends as a [prophet]
ruling by the Shareeah of Muhammad (
), because it is
obligatory upon Eesaa and all other prophets to believe in
Muhammad (
), as Allaah, The Most High, Says:
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And [remember] when Allaah took the Covenant of the

Prophets, saying: Take whatever I gave you from the
Book and Hikmah [understanding of the Laws of Allaah,
etc.], and afterwards there will come to you a Messenger
[Muhammad
] confirming what is with you; you must then
believe and help him. Allaah said: Do you agree [to it]
and will you take up My Covenant [which I conclude with
you]? They said: We agree. He said: Then bear
witness; and I am with you among the witnesses [for this].
[Quraan, soorat aal-Imraan (3): 81].

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Fiqhul Ibaadaat

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81

This Messenger who confirms what is with the prophets is

Muhammad (
), as was authentically related from ibn Abbaas
and others (radiallaahu anhum).
What is important, therefore, is to believe in the Messengers
according to what has been mentioned above, i.e. the first of
them is Nooh and the last is Muhammad (
). And the way of
belief in them is that we believe and affirm whatever is
narrated authentically from their reports because it is from
Allaah (). However, as for the laws revealed to them, it is
not binding upon us to follow anything thereof, except that
which was brought by Muhammad (
) and was necessitated
by the Shareeah.
Regarding the particular Messengers, anyone whom Allaah or
His Messenger (
) has made his name known to us, then we
must specifically believe in him. As for those Messengers
whose names were not made known to us then we have
collective and general belief in all of them, just as we have
said about the Books and the Angels.
The Belief in the Last Day

Question 25: How can the belief in the Last Day be?
The Answer: The belief in the Last Day means the belief in the
Day when the Hour will be established (qiyaamus-saaah). It
is called the Last Day (al-Yawmul-Aakhir) since there is no
day that comes after it. Indeed man was nothing then he was
brought to exist in his mothers womb, then in this life.

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44

Afterwards he will transfer to the life of al-Barzakh then to

the Day of Resurrection. So, these are the five states of
existence of man. Allaah, The Most High, Says:
.[1 :
&l] # .
$\
x 3
t
9s "
$
!#$
z i
m


| }
M #$ ?n
t
4 At &r

y

Has there not been over man a period of time, when he was
nothing to be mentioned. [Quraan, soorat al-Insaan (76): 1].
This is mans first state being nothing to be mentioned.
Afterwards he came to exist in the womb of his mother, then
he came out:
.[78 :A%] $\
x

=n ?s

3
F
y &

/
. i 3
_
y "t z
&r !
#$ u

And Allaah has brought you out from the wombs of your
mothers while you know nothing. [Quraan, soorat al-Nahl (16): 78].

In this regard, it is proper to speak about the trial in the grave

(fitnatul-qabr). This is that after the burial of the deceased,
two angels will come to him and will ask him about his Rabb,
his Deen, and his Prophet. As for the believer then Allaah will
make him firm on the true saying. He will reply: My Rabb is
Allaah, and my Deen is Islaam, and my Prophet is Muhammad
(
). As for the unbeliever, he will say: Aah, Aah I do not
know. I heard the people saying something so I said it too.
Following this trial of the grave there will be bliss or
44

Barzakh: lit. barrier; the state experienced after death until the Day of
Resurrection.

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83

punishment until the Day of Resurrection. Whoever is from

the non-Muslims will be in Punishment until the Day of the
Resurrection, and whoever is from the disobedient Muslims
then he may be punished in his grave for a period known only
to Allaah (). Subsequently, punishment will be lifted from
befalling upon him.
The Punishment or the bliss in the grave occurs mainly upon
the soul, but the body may feel its pain; just as the punishment
in this life inflicts the body and the self may feel it. For
example, in this life beating befalls upon the body and
similarly the pain. The self may get affected and then becomes
saddened and distressed. In the grave, however, the matter is
different, punishment or bliss occur on the soul; there is no
doubt though that some of this punishment or bliss befalls
upon the body, either by the joy caused by the bliss or by the
pain of agony caused by the torture.
As for the time when the Hour is established i.e. on the Day of
the greatest Resurrection, people will be raised from their
graves to stand before Rabbul Aalameen (Allaah)barefoot,
naked, and uncircumcised. The skin cut off in the process of
circumcision will return to its place so that man is raised up
from his grave complete without any kind of defect, as Allaah,
The Most High, Says:
.[104 :OI&R]
,
9 = z
y
t &r $! t &
y /t $
y .x

As We began the first creation [when they were nothing] We

shall repeat it [after their death]. [Quraan, soorat al-Anbiyaa (21): 104].
Then the reckoning will take place as it is stated in the Book
of Allaah and in the Sunnah of His Messenger (
), and people
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84

will end up either in Paradise (al-Jannah) or in Hell-Fire.

Whoever enters Paradise will live and remain therein forever
and will not die. As for him who enters the Hell-Fire, if he is
from those who committed acts of disobedience, and is not
saved by way of intercession or does not receive a special
Mercy (pardon) from Allaah, will eventually leave it after he is
punished for what he deserves. He will not stay therein
forever. As for the unbeliever, however, he will reside in it
forever.
The Belief in al-Qadar

Question 26: What about the pillar of belief in al-Qadar.

The Answer: The belief in al-Qadar is one of the six pillars of
Eemaan that the Messenger of Allaah (
) stated to Jibreel
when the latter asked him about Eemaan. This matter is of
paramount importance. In fact, people disputed in the issue alQadar for a longtime. Even during the time of the Prophet (
),
people disputed and argued about it. Likewise until this day
people are still in dispute.
All praise is to Allaah; the truth concerning al-Qadar is clear
and evident so there is no need for disputing and arguing. And
so, the belief in al-Qadar is to believe that Allaah () gave
everything its due and decreed measure as He, The Most High,
Says:
.[2 :
0] #"\
)
?s u
)
s s &

x
2

t =n z
,
y u

And Allaah Created everything and gave everything its

due and decreed measure. [Quraan, soorat al-Furqaan (25): 2].
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85

Aqeedah Section

This measure which Allaah () has Pre-decreed is in

accordance with His Wisdom and in compliance with that
which is necessitated by this Wisdom from noble objectives
and beneficial outcomes for the people in their worldly affairs
and in the hereafter (Paradise).
The belief in al-Qadar centers upon four matters:
The First Rank: al-Ilm (Knowledge) which means to fully
believe that Allaah () has encompassed everything with His
Knowledge including that of the past, present, or the future,
whether with regard to His Actions or the actions of His
Creation. He has always and eternally Known everything, both
the general and the specific details. The proofs for this rank of
al-Qadar in the Quraan and Sunnah are many. Allaah, The
Most Blessed and The Most High, Says:
.[5 :
#9 K] $!
y
9#$
u
{
F #$

x =n
t
4 
x
s
!
#$
)

Truly, nothing is hidden from Allaah in the earth or in the

heavens. [Quraan, soorat aal-Imraan (3): 5].
And also Allaah, The Most High, Says:
)

@n $t u 4 " s
7t 9 #$ u h 9y 9 #$ $t
=n t u 4 u

 ) $!
y
=n t
=
t 9 #$ x
? $
x t
y
u
5=Gt .
 )
C / $t
u =
5
u
u
{
F #$ M

y =
7 6 m
y
u $
y
=n t
 ) > %s u u
.[59 :Y&R]
& 7

And with Him are the keys of al-Ghayeb, none knows them
but He. And He knows whatever there is in (or on) the

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earth and in the sea; not a leaf falls, but he knows it. There
is not a grain in the darkness of the earth nor anything
fresh or dry, but is written in a Clear Record. [Quraan, soorat
al-Anaam (6): 59].

And also He, The Most High, Says:

.[16 :|]

t /

u ? $t
=n t u
z
| }
M #$ $u )
=n z
y
)
s 9s u

And indeed We have Created man, and We know what his

ownself whispers to him. [Quraan, soorat Qaaf (50): 16].
And additionally, The Most High, (Allaah) Says:
.[283 :VWI]
=
t
t =
y ?s $
y / !
#$ u

And Allaah is All-Knower of what you do.

[Quraan, soorat al-

Baqarah (2): 283].

In addition to other verses proving that the Knowledge of

Allaah () encompasses everything in general and in details.
Anyone who denies the belief in this rank of al-Qadar then he
is an unbeliever because he disbelieves Allaah and His
Messenger as well as the general consensus of the Muslims,
and because he defames the Perfection of Allaah (). This is
because the contrary of knowledge is either ignorance or
forgetfulness, and both are imperfection. Indeed Allaah, The
Most High, Says about Moosaa,alayihis-salaatu was-Salaam,
when Firawwn (the Pharoah) asked him:
u 1n u

t
 (=
5 Gt . 1n u
y
$
y
=

t $%s
4 <n {
W #$
" )
9 #$
$/t $
y s
t $%s

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Fiqhul Ibaadaat

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87

.[52S51 :^]
| t

What about the generations of old? Moosaa said: The

knowledge thereof is with my Rabb, in a Record. My Rabb
is neither unaware nor He forgets. [Quraan, soorat Taahaa (20): 5152].

So He is not unaware, meaning He is not ignorant about

anything of the future, nor does He forget anything of the past.
The Second Rank: Al-Kitaabah, which means that Allaah,
The Most High, Wrote the measures of everything until the
establishment of the Hour. In fact, as soon as Allaah ()
Created the Pen (al-Qalam) He commanded it Saying:
Write! The Pen said: What should I write, my Rabb?
Allaah Said: Write all that which will occur. At that time the
record of all that which will take place until the Day of
Resurrection was written, collectively and comprehensively.
So Allaah wrote the measures of everything in the Preserved
Tablet. This stage and the one before is proven by the Saying
of The Most High:
y79 s
) 4 =
A Ft . 
9 s
) 3
{
F #$ u $!
y
9#$ $t
=n t !
#$
<
&r
=n ?s
9s &r
.[70 :}(]  )
o !
#$ ?n
t

Do you not know that Allaah knows whatever is in the

heavens and the earth? Verily, it is all in the Book, and it is
something easy for Allaah. [Quraan, soorat al-Hajj, (22): 70].

He said (what means): It is all in the Book, meaning that it is

something known to Allaah, and in the Book refers to the
Preserved Tablet. Furthermore, this writing is sometimes
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detailed as in the case of the embryo in his mothers womb.

After completing four months, Allaah sends an angel to it
commanding him to write down four words recording its
provisions, life-span, actions and whether it will be wretched
or fortunate, as it has been established in the authentic hadeeth
reported by Abdullaah bin Masoud ().
In addition, there is the record written in the Night of Decree
(Laylatul-Qadr) concerning what will occur over the whole
year, as Allaah () Says:
#"\ &r
A 3
m
y "@ &r
.
"t 
$p ;
z
$ . $ ) 4 > .x "t 6t '7 #s 9s o 9 t &r $! )
.[5S3 :
m!]
t ,#
" $ . $ ) 4 $! t


i
45

We sent it (this Quraan) down on a blessed night. Verily,

we are warning [those who disbelieve in the Oneness of
Allaah]. Therein (that night) is decreed every matter of
ordainments [for the whole coming year]. Amran [i.e. a
Command or this Quraan or the decree of every matter] from
Us. Verily, We are ever sending [the Messengers]. [Quraan,
soorat ad-Dukhaan (44): 3-5].

The Third Rank: Al-Masheeah, which means that

everything in existence, whether it is from those matters
pertaining to His Actions or those matters pertaining to the
actions of the people, takes place by the Masheeah (Will) of
Allaah, The Mighty and Majestic. Allaah, The Blessed and
Most High, Says:
45

The night of Qadr, soorah no. 97, in the month of Ramadaan.

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89

.[27 :=*] !$tt $t !$# ytu

And Allaah does what He Wills. [Quraan, soorat Ibraaheem, (14): 27].
.[9 :A%]

u d
&r
6
1
y o ;m u $!
x 9s u

And had He Willed, He would have Guided you all

(mankind). [Quraan, soorat an-Nahl (16): 9].
.[118 :<=]


= Gt
t 9 #t t
u ( Z
y n
u Z &
} $ 9#$
y gp :m 7
y / u u $!
x 9s u

And if your Rabb had so Willed, he could surely have made

mankind one nation (all on Tawheed). [Quraan, soorat Hood (11):
118].

And also He, The Most High, Says:

.[16 :^?]
7
`
y ,
9 = s 2
N
' t u
6
7

'
t o )

And if He Willed, He could destroy you and bring about a

new creation. [Quraan, soorat Faatir (35): 16].
These are in addition to many other texts that prove that His
Actions takes place in accordance with His Will, as He The
Most High, Says:
3
9s u M
o oi 6t 9 #$

? u %! `
y $t
/t
. i

/t
.
t %
! #$
Gt Gt % #$ $t !
#$ u $!
x 9s u
$t
y 
t !
#$
3
9s u #( = Gt Gt % #$ $t !
#$ u $!
x 9s u 4 "t 
x .x ] u
z t #u
]
s #( 
=n Gt z
#$

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Fiqhul Ibaadaat

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90

.[253 :VWI]
"

If Allaah had Willed, succeeding generations would not

have fought against each other, after clear Verses of Allaah
had come to them but they differedsome of them believed
and others disbelieved. If Allaah had Willed, they would
not have fought, but Allaah does what He Likes. [Quraan,
soorat al-Baqarah (2): 253].

And this is a clear text that Allaah had Willed the actions of
the slave to occur, and that if He had Willed not for him to act,
he would not act.
The Fourth Rank: The Khalq and that is to believe that
Allaah is The Creator of everything, for He is The Creator and
everything besides Him is Created. Creatures are a Creation of
Allaah, The Mighty and Majestic. Anything, of their actions
and sayings is a Creation of Allaah (). This is because mans
sayings and actions are from his attributes. Knowing that man
is created, then his attributes are a Creation of Allaah (). The
proof for this is the Saying of Allaah, The Most High:
.[96 :8?`]
t =
y ?s $t u / 3
)
s =n {
s !
#$ u

And Allaah created you and your handiwork.

[Quraan, soorat

as-Saaffaat (37): 96].

Allaah, The Most High, stated the creation of man and his
actions as well. He Said:

t =
y ?s $t u

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91

And your handiwork,

proving that mans deeds are a Creation of Allaah, The Most
Mighty and Most Majestic.
These are four ranks whereby the belief in Pre-decree cannot
be completed except by believing in them. We repeat them
saying: To believe that (i) Allaah, The Most High, knows
everything, both the general and the specific details, (ii) He
wrote the decreed measures of everything in the Preserved
Tablet (al-Lawhul-Mahffooth), (iii) everything in existence
exists by the Will of Allaah (), and (iv) Allaah, the Most
High, is The Creator of everything.
Then know that the belief in the Pre-decree does not contradict
the utilisation of means. In fact, deployment of the means is
something commanded by the Law (Shara), and it occurs by
reason of Pre-decree, since causes bring forth their effects.
And for this reason, it is mentioned that when AmmerulMumineen (the leader of the believers) Umar ibn AlKhattaab was on his way to ash-Shaam, he was told that the
country was inflicted by the Plague; he consulted with the
sahaabah () as to whether he should continue the journey or
return to al-Madeenah. People disagreed about it. Then a
decision was reached to return to al-Madeenah. When Umar
() made up his mind, Abu Ubayydah Aamir ibn Al-Jarraah,
whom Umar used to respect and dignify, approached him and
said: O Ameerul-Mumineen! Why should you return to alMadeenah! Are you running away from the Pre-decree of
Allaah? He (Umar)  replied: We run away from the Pre-decree
of Allaah to the Pre-decree of Allaah.

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92

Afterwards Abdur-Rahmaan bin Awff (), who had been

away in connection of some of his needs, returned and told
them that the Prophet () said concerning the plague: If you
46

hear of its presence (an outbreak of plague) in a land, do not go to it.

Briefly, the relevant thing is the saying of Umar (): We run

away from the Pre-decree of Allaah to the Pre-decree of Allaah. This
proves that taking the appropriate means is from what Allaah
has ordained. We know that if a man says: I will believe in
Allaahs Pre-decree and that Allaah will grant me a son
without having a wife,if he says this, he would be
considered from amongst the insane ones! Similarly, if he
says: I believe in Allaahs Pre-decree but I will not seek the
means of sustenance, and that he did not take on any means
of sustenance, it would be considered foolishness!
The belief in al-Qadar (Pre-decree), therefore, does not
contradict the legally approved means or the correct
physical means or approaches. As to the illusionary means,
considered as means by their claimersyet they are not, are
[really] of no consequence and deserve no attention.
Then know, that an uncertainty respecting the belief in alQadar is raised; though in reality, however, it is not. It is for
someone to say: If my action is Pre-decreed by Allaah (),
then why should I be punished on committing a sin when it is
something already Pre-decreed by Allaah? The response to
this is to say: You have no proof in using Allaahs Pre-decree
as an excuse for the sin you committed, because Allaah ()
46

Reported by al-Bukhaaree in his Saheeh, vol.7, no.625, and in Saheeh

Muslim, vol.4, no.5504.

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93

did not compel you to commit such sin; and that when you
embark on committing it, you do not have the knowledge that
it is Pre-ordained upon you, because man does not know of
what was Pre-decreed except after it is manifested. So before
committing the sin, why did you not take into consideration
that Allaah has Pre-decreed obedience on you and therefore
you obey Him? Just as in your worldly affairs you strive to
take care of that which you consider good, and you turn away
from that which you see as evil, then why do you not treat
yourself accordingly in affairs pertaining to the Hereafter?
And I believe that there is nobody after being told that there
are two roads that lead to Makkah, one is safe and facilitated
and the other is dangerous and difficult, would take the
dreadful and difficult road and then say that: this has been
Pre-decreed for me! He will certainly take the safe and easy
road. Consequently, there is no difference if you are told that
there is a road to Paradise and another to the Fire. So, if you
take the road to the Fire, then you are like the one who took
the dreadful and rough road to Makkah. Yourself will criticize
this man who took such a road. So, why do you accept for
yourself to take the road to the Fire of Hell and turn away from
the road to bliss? And if man has a proof in Pre-decree for
committing sins, then it would not be removed by sending the
47
Messengers.
There remains a brief statement regarding al-Qadar, and it
pertains to the fact that belief in Pre-decree produces
magnificent fruits affecting the conduct and the heart of man.
Because if you believe that everything occurs by the Pre47

Since their sinful acts after the sending of the Messengers would still be
according to the Pre-decree of Allaah.

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94

decree of Allaah, then at times of delight you will give thanks

to Allaah, The Mighty and Majestic, and you do not become
amazed with your own self. You do not also think that this
matter occurred by your own power and strength. You do,
however, believe that it is just a cause in case you have done
the necessary mean by which you have attained that which
delights youand that all the good is in the Hand of Allaah. So
you will be more thankful for the blessing granted by Allaah,
The One free of all imperfection, The Most High. This will
motivate you to carry on the obedience to Allaah in
accordance with that which He commanded you, and that you
do not regard your own self having a favor upon Allaah.
Rather, you see that the favor is His, The One free of all
imperfection, The Most High. He, The Exalted, says:
&r / 3
=n
t
T
t !
#$
/t ( /3

y =n
)
?n
t #(
?s
 % ( #(
=n
&r
&r 7
y =n
t
t
t
.[17 :8X(]

y
M 9 / 3
1
y
y

They regard as favor upon you (O Muhammad ) that they

have embraced Islaam. Say: Count not your Islaam as a
favor upon me. Nay, but Allaah has conferred a favor upon
you, that He has Guided you to the faith, if you indeed are
true. [Quraan, soorat al-Hujuraat (49): 17].
Similarly, if a calamity befalls you, you believe in Allaah and
submit without being regretful or afflicted with grief on that.
Have you not given thought to the saying of the Prophet ?():
R 6 0D= RE0h eK ( 3 8 Rq0W 2 (]r (  x" kX8I
j
 Y  (]r"

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Fiqhul Ibaadaat

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Aqeedah Section

* S
 Dh
 M |+   |+ T
 0 sI  :*Y
 \ E
, 6 >I " Rb0

.[B ]

". gJ

A strong believer is better and is more lovable to Allaah than a weak

believer, and there is good in every one of them. Cherish that which
gives you benefit and seek help from Allaah and do not lose heart, and
if anything (in the form of trouble) comes to you, do not say: If I had not
done that, it would have not happened so and so, but say: Allaah did
that which He had Pre-decreed, and He does whatever He Wills, and
that if opens the way for the acting of Shaytan [by casting opposition
48

to Allaahs Pre-decree in the heart].

So, in the belief in the Pre-decree there is rest to the soul and
heart and absence of grief at that which escaped, and of worry
and distress at that which is to come. Allaah, The Most High,
Says:
&r
6 %s i =
5 Gt 2

 )
3


&r

u
{
F #$ 7 6t
>
z $
| &r $! t
!$
y / #( m
"t 
?s
u
3
?s $s $t
4 ?n
t #(
y ' ?s
3
s 9j  )
o !
#$ ?n
t 
9 s
) 4 $!
y &r u 9
.[24S23 :!D!(] A
s
5 $Ft
. =
G t

!
#$ u 3
6
9?s #u

No calamity befalls on the earth or in yourselves but it is

inscribed in the Book of Decrees (al-Lawh al-Mahfooth)
before we bring it into existence. Verily, that is easy for
Allaah. In order that you may not grieve at the things that
you fail to get, not to rejoice over things which has been
given to you. [Quraan, soorat al-Hadeed (57): 22-23].
48

Reported by Muslim in his Saheeh, vol.4, no.644. The statement

between the brackets,[], is the explanation of al-Qaadee Iyaad in
Sharh Saheeh Muslim by An-Nawawee.

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Aqeedah Section

As to the one who does not believe in al-Qadar, there is no

doubt that he will grieve and regret at times of calamities, and
the Shaytaan will open up for him every new way or
possibility [to confuse him and keep him dissatisfied]. And
That he will be pleased and become proud and deluded if
prosperity befalls him. The Eemaan in the Pre-decree,
however, prevents all of this.
The Increase and Decrease of Eemaan (Faith)

Question 27: Does Eemaan increase or decrease? What are

the things that make it increase or decrease?
The Answer: As to the increase and decrease of Eemaan, it is
established that Faith, according to Ahlus-Sunnah wal49
Jammaaah, comprises three matters: iqraar with the heart,
speech with the tongue and actions of the limbs. And so if it is
as such, then it will increase and decrease, since the [degree]
of iqraar with the heart differs in respect of excellence.
Indeed, the attestation to a report is not the same as attestation
by actual examination. Similarly, the attestation to the
narration of one reporter is not the same as in the case of two,
and so on. For this reason, Ibraaheem () said:
< = %s

y
u 9j 3
9s u
4 ?n /t
t $%s ( ?
9s u &r
t $%s (
4 At
y 9 #$
s
? #
y 2

&r >
b u
.[260 :VWI]

My Rabb! Show me how you give life to the dead? He

(Allaah) said: Do you not believe? He said: Yes (I
49

Iqraar: Attestation that necessitates acceptance and submission.

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Fiqhul Ibaadaat

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97

believe), but to be stronger in faith. [Quraan, soorat al-Baqarah (2):

260].

So, faith increases as far as iqraar the attestation of the heart

and its tranquility and peace is concerned; and a person
experiences this of himself. When he attends a circle of
knowledge, where admonition and remembrance of al-Jannah
and an-Naar is presented, he will increase in faith, as if he
sees this with his own eyes. And when, at times of negligence,
he leaves such circle, the degree of certainty of faith in his
heart diminishes.
Similarly, faith increases because of utterance, for the one who
celebrate the praises of Allaah ten times is not as the one who
remembers Him a hundred-times. Hence, the latters degree of
faith is far more greater.
Likewise, whoever performs the worship in the perfected
manner, his faith is greater than the one who comes up with it
imperfectly. Equally is the action, for if a person does more
[righteous] deeds with his limbs than another person, then the
former has greater faith than the one who did less.
The increase and decrease of faith is already affirmed in the
Book [Quraan] and in the Sunnah. Allaah, The Blessed and
The Most High, Says:
(#" 
x .x
t %
# 9j Z u F
 )
Es

$u = y _
y $t u Z 3
s =n t
 ) $ 9#$ =
| tp
&r $! u = y _
y $t u
.[31 :o!] $Y u ) #( t #u
t %
! #$ y #y t u =
| Gt 3
9 #$ #( ? &
t %
! #$
z )
Ft
u 9

And We have set none but angels as guardians of the Fire.

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98

And We have fixed their number (19) only as a trial for the
disbelievers, in order that the People of the Scripture (Jews
50
and Christians) may arrive at a certainty and that the
believers may increase in Faith. [Quraan, soorat al-Muddathir (74):
31].

And He, The Most High, also Says:

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And whenever there comes down a soorah, some of them

(hypocrites) say: Which of you has had his Faith increased
by it? As for those who believe, it has increased their
Faith, and they rejoice. But as for those in whose hearts is
a disease (of doubt, disbelief and hypocrisy), it will add
suspicion and doubt to their suspicion, disbelief and doubt;
and they die while they are disbelievers. [Quraan, soorat at-Tawbah
(9): 124-125].

And in an authentic narration, the Prophet () said:

50

That this Quraan is the truth as it agrees with their Books regarding the
number (19) which is written in the Tawraat (Torah) and the Injeel
(Gospel)

98

Fiqhul Ibaadaat

99

Aqeedah Section

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I have not seen anyone more deficient in intelligence and religion and
51

who would lead astray the cautious sensible man than you. (Meaning
the woman).

Eemaan (Faith), therefore, increases and decrease, but what is

the reason of its increase and decrease?
As for the causes of increase of Eemaan, they include the
following:
The First Cause: Knowledge of Allaah, The Most High, by
His Names and Attributes. Verily, there is no doubt that the
more a persons knowledge of Allaahs Names and Attributes
increase, there is no doubt that he increases in faith. For this
reason you find that the people of knowledge who know of
Allaahs Names and Attributes that which is not known by
others, you find them, in this respect, stronger in faith than the
others.
The Second Cause: Reflecting upon the legislative and
universal verses and signs. Indeed, whenever a person
reflects upon the universal signs (i.e. the creation)the
heavens, the earth, man, animals, and so forth(except that) he
increases in faith. Allaah, The Most High, Says:

51

Saheeh al-Bukhaaree, vol.1, no.301, and Saheeh Muslim, vol.1, no.143

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Fiqhul Ibaadaat

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100

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And on the earth are signs for those who have Faith with
certainty. And also in your ownselves. Will you not then
see? [Quraan, soorat ath-Thaariyaat (51): 20-22].
Verily, the signs signifying this matter are many and prove
that man, through his contemplation of, and reflection about
this universe, increases in faith.
The Third Cause: Abundant acts of obedience. Thus, the
more mans actions of obedience are, the more he increases in
faith, regardless whether such actions are of the uttered or
practical forms. Hence, ath-Thikr increases faith in quantity
and quality, and the same is true with Salaat, Siyaam, and
Hajj.
As regard to the causes of decrease of faith, they are to the
contrary of those causing its increase. [They include the
following]:
[First]: Ignorance of Allaahs Names and Attributes
necessitates decrease in faith. This is because if a person
does not know of Allaahs Names and Attributes, then he lacks
the knowledge that will increase his faith.
[Second]: Turning away from reflecting upon Allaahs
Universal and Legislative sign, something that causes the
decrease in faith, or at least its stagnancy and lack of growth.
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Fiqhul Ibaadaat

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101

[Third]: Committing sin. Indeed, the committing of sin has a

great influence on the heart and on faith. That is why the
Prophet
said:
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The one who commits fornication does not do so while he is in perfect
52

state of faith.

[Fourth]: Abandoning Obedience: Indeed, the abandoning of

obedience [to Allaah] is a cause for decrease in faith.
However, if the act of obedience is obligatory and he [the
believer] abandons it without being legally exempted, then it is
a kind of decrease upon which he deserves to be blamed and
punished. In case, however, an act of obedience was not
obligatory, or that it is obligatory but he abandoned it because
he was legally excused, then it is a decrease for which he is
not to be blamed. That is why the Prophet (
) described
53
women as, deficient in intelligence and religion. He (
)
explained the cause for womans deficiency in religion by the
54
fact that she can neither pray nor fast during her menses, even
though she is not held blameworthy for abandoning the
prayers and fasting during the state of menses. Rather, she is
commanded to do so [i.e. to abandon prayers and fasting].
However, since she missed doing these same acts that man is
commanded to perform, she became deficient than man from
this perspective.
52

Reported by Al-Bukhaaree in his Saheeh, vol. 7, no.484, and by

Muslim.
53
54

Reported by Al-Bukhaaree, vol.1, no.301, Muslim, and others.

Ibid.

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102

Question 28: There are those of the opinion that Eemaan

neither increases nor decreases, and that sin wipes out
Eemaan entirely, and that the person who commits it
becomes a Kaafir! How to respond to those people?
The Answer: Responding to those people is as we have
indicated earlier from the evidences constituting the textual
proofs of the Quraan and Sunnah, as well as by the factual
evidences. So we say to them: Now if a reporter came to you
and told you that such and such person arrived in town today,
and you consider this reporter trustworthy. Accordingly, then
the belief that such a person did indeed arrive becomes an
established matter with you. Thus, if another man came and
informed you of the same thing, wouldnt your belief as
regards to his arrival increase? They will say: Surely our belief
would increase as result of this. Thus, if you actually see this
arriving person by your own eyes, you would increase more in
certainty. No one would dispute this matter. Further we say:
Since we have included the actions and sayings into the name
of Eemaan, then their variations in terms increase and
decrease is a known and undeniable matter. In this, therefore,
is a clear proof that Eeman increases and decreases.
Denying that Eemaan Increases and Decreases

Question 29: But what is the Islamic Ruling vis--vis the

unattestation to the increase and decrease of faith?
The Answer: The ruling is based upon the status of the person
who disapproves of the attestation. If he did so out of rejection
and denial, then he is a Kaafir because of his denial and
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103

rejection of what the Quraan has stated. And if his

disapproval is due to taweel (interpretation), then it may or
may not lead to disbelief, for taweel is of different levels. So,
a person who says, based upon his interpretation, I dont
attest that Eemaan increases and decreases, then he is, with
respect to Eemaan, in a state depending upon his level of
interpretation.

The Manner of Judging by other than that

which Allaah has revealed

Question 30: What is the manner of judging by other than

what Allaah has revealed?
The Answer: The way of ruling by other than what Allaah has
sent down is divided into two parts:
The First Part: The ruler nullifies the Judgment of Allaah, in
55
order to replace it with another taaghuti judgment, thus
abolishes the judgment by Shareeah amongst the people.
Instead, he replaces it with another judgment laid down by
men; like those who abandon the legal judgments regarding
transactions between the people and replace them with
systems of law [set up by man]. There is no doubt that this
constitutes substituting the Shareeah of Allaah, The One free
of all imperfection, The Most High, for something else. And
This is unbelief that takes the person out of the fold of
religion, because this ruler has made himself equal in rank
55

Taaghuti: From taaghut, which is dervived from tughyaan, meaning to

go beyond the bounds. See the Appendix.

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104

with The Creator, as he has legislated for the Creation of

56
Allaah something that Allaah did not approve of. Also,
whatever opposes the Judgment of Allaah (), if he makes of
it the decisive judgment between the creation, then Allaah has
named this Shirk in His Saying:
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Or have they partners with Allaah [false gods] who have

instituted for them a religion that Allaah has not ordained?
[Quraan, soorat ash-Shura (42): 21].

The Second Part: The Legislations of Allaah are maintained

with full authority, and that judgment is conditional on them.
However, a ruler judges by other than what is necessitated by
56

These words of the Shaykh, may Allaahs Mercy be upon him, were
originally published in the book entitled Fataawaa and which was
compiled by Ashraf Maqsood. The Shaykh addressed the same issue in
his most recent book al-Qawlul Mufeed Sharhu Kitaabit Tawheed in its
edited and corrected version [vol.2, p.160; published by Daar ibnil
Jawzee, 1419, Dammaam, KSA]. He said: As far as the one who lays
down a system of legislations while knowing the judgement of Allaah
[regarding the issues for which these legislations are layed down] and that
these legislations contradict the Judgement of Allaah, then this ruler has
substituted the Shareeah with such legislations. Thus he is an
unbeliever, because he did not prefer such system of laws to the
Shareeah of Allaah except that he believes that it is better for the slaves
of Allaah and for the country from the Shareeah of Allaah. And so when
we say that he is an unbeliever, then we mean by that: that this action
leads to unbelief. These words of our noble Shaykh were totally ignored
by some people. And so as an advice to the believers, I relate these late
statements of our Shaykh, asking Allaah () to guide me and all Muslims
to His Straight Path. Aameen. [Saleh As-Saleh].

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105

these Legislations i.e. he judges by other than what Allaah has

sent down. Then three situations fall under this category:
First Situation: The ruler judges by that which is contrary to
the Shareeah of Allaah whilst believing that it is better than
that of Allaah and more beneficial for Allaahs Creation, or is
like Allaahs () Judgment, or it is allowable for him to judge
by that which Allaah did not reveal, then this is unbelief (Kufr)
that makes the ruler leave the Religion. Since he was not
content with the Judgment of Allaah (), and did not appoint
Allaah as a Judge between creation.
Second Situation: The ruler judges by other than that which
Allaah has sent down whilst believing that the Judgment of
Allaah is better and more beneficial for creation. However, he
leaves it while feeling that he is disobedient to Allaah. He
intends only to tyrannize and oppress the one being sentenced
due to the enmity between them. Thus, he rules by other than
that which Allah has sent down, not because of dislike to the
Ruling of Allaah or as a replacement it, or believing that his
judgment is better or equal to it, or that it is permissible to
judge by it. He did so, however, for the sake of inflicting harm
upon the sentenced person. In this situation we dont say that
this ruler is an unbeliever. Rather we say that he is a tyrant,
transgressor beyond bounds, and oppressor.
Third Situation: The ruler judges by other than that which
Allaah has sent down while believing that Allaahs Judgment
is better and more beneficial to the creation, and believes that
in doing so he is being disobedient to Allaah (); but he, due
to some lowly desire within himself, judges to his advantage
or in interest of the one in whose favour he passes judgment
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106

then this is sinfulness and disobedience to Allaah. And upon

these three situations (descriptions) the Saying of Allaah in the
following three aayaat, applies:
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And whoever does not judge by what Allaah has sent

down, then they are the ones guilty of unbelief (kafiroon).
[Quraan, soorat al-Maaidah (5): 44].
The above ayah applies to the first situation.
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And whoever does not judge by what Allaah has sent

down, then they are the transgressors (thaalimoon) [Quraan,
soorat al-Maaidah (5): 45].

The above ayah applies to the second situation.

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And whoever does not judge by what Allaah has sent

down, then they are the disobedient (faasiqoon) [Quraan, soorat
al-Maaidah (5): 47].

The above ayah applies to the third situation.

And this matter is from the most dangerous things occurring in
our times, for there are some people who became attached to
and excited to admiration by the system of laws of the nonMuslims until they became extremely fond of it. And then
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107

perhaps they would place them foremost to the Judgment of

Allaah and His Messenger, not knowing that the Judgment of
Allaah and His Messenger will continue until the Day of
Resurrection. For indeed the Prophet (
) was sent to the all of
mankind until the Day of Resurrection, and that the One who
has sent Him, The One free of all imperfection, The Most
High, is Most Knowledgeable of the affairs of His Creation
until the Day of Resurrection. So, it is impossible that He
would Legislate for His Creation except that which is of
benefit to them in matters of their Religion and their wordy
life until the Day of Resurrection. Therefore, anyone who
claims, or is under the illusion that, in our times, something
other than the Judgment of Allaah, The Most High, is more
beneficial for the Creation of Allah than those Judgments
whose Legislations appeared at the time of the Prophet (
),
then he has indeed strayed into a plain error. He should then
repent to Allaah and return to his senses and contemplate
about his affair.

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108

The Difference Between the Thaalim (Transgressor)

and Faasiq (Disobedient Sinner`)

Question 31: You mentioned, however, about the Faasiq

and the Thaalim things that are close, or possibly
intermixed. And it is that the Thaalim rules by that which
Allaah has not sent down whilst knowing that Allaahs
Judgment is better. But that he intends to gratify his thirst
for revenge from someone. So he applies a judgment on
someone that Allaah has not approved of. And then the
Faasiq rules while knowing the Judgment of Allaah and
that it is the right Judgment, but because of his own
interest or lowly desire, or due to a certain bias to fulfill
the desires of someone else, he rules by that which Allaah
has not sent down. So what is the difference between the
two?
The Answer: The difference is that the one whom we describe
as Thaalim, judges seeking to transgress against the one on
whom he passes judgment, even though he may not have an
interest in that. He does not, at all, take into consideration the
interest of the one in whose favour he passes judgment. The
most important thing to him is tyranny and transgression with
respect to the one on whom he passes sentence.
As for the other one, the faasiq, he takes into account the
interest of the one in whose favour he passes judgment. He did
not feel that he is transgressing against the one on whom he
passes sentence. For this reason no distinction is made
regarding the one on whom the judgment is passed as being
such or such person. This is because he (the judge) intends
only the interest of the one in whose favour he passes
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109

judgment, or that he likes to draw a benefit for himself or the

like. So, this is the difference between the two.
SOOTHSAYING
(Fortune-Telling)

Question 32: What is Soothsaying?

The Answer: Soothsaying or divination (Kihaanah) is of the
measure Fiaalah and it is derived from al-Kahn which means
speaking falsely, and searching for the facts in ways that are
completely unfounded. This was the practice of some people
during the pre-Islamic era (al-Jaahiliyyah) and with whom the
Shayaateen (the devils) established contact, relating to them
57
the hearing they (the devils) steal from the heaven. Those
receiving the hearing take each word and add to it whatever
they want from the words of falsehood, then they impart it to
the people. If the matter occurs exactly as they said, people
will be deceived by them and will take them as authority to
which they turn to for judgment and for predicting the future
events. That is why we say that the soothsayer is the one who
informs about the hidden matters in the future. As for the one
who visits a soothsayer, then he may be classified into one of
the following three categories:

57

The Prophet (
) said: While the angels talk over the clouds about
things that are going to happen on the earth [in another narration: they
mention the affairs decreed in heavens], the devils hear a word of what
they say and pour it in the ears of the sooth-sayer as one pours something
in a bottle, and they add one-hundred lies to that (one word). Reported in
Saheeh al-Bukhaaree, vol.4, no.508.

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110

First: He visits the soothsayer then he asks him without

believing him. Then this is legally forbidden, and the
punishment assigned to the one who does this is such that
prayers extending to forty days will not be accepted from him,
as affirmed in the report collected in Saheeh Muslim and in
which the Prophet (
) said:
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He who goes to a diviner (soothsayer) and asks him about anything,

58

his prayers extending to forty days or nights will not be accepted.

Second: He goes to a Kaahin (soothsayer) and asks him about

anything and believes him in what he tells. This is disbelief in
Allaah (), because he believed him in his claim of knowing
59
of al-Ghayeb (the hidden andunseen). Believing men in their
claim of knowing al-Ghayeb is a denial of the Saying of
Allaah, The Most High:
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None in the heavens and the earth knows the Ghayeb

(unperceived realities) except Allaah. [Quraan, soorat an-Naml (27):
65].
And denying what Allaah and His Messenger inform of is
Kufr (unbelief). That is why it is mentioned in the authentic
58
59

Reported by Mulsim. See Saheeh Muslim, vol.4, no.5540.

Al-Ghayeb: The hidden and unseen of all unperceived realities related

to Allaah, Paradise, Hell and so on.

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Fiqhul Ibaadaat

111

Aqeedah Section

transmission:
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Whoever goes to a diviner, and believes what he says then he has

60

indeed disbelieved in what was sent down upon Muhammad.

Third: He goes to the fortune-teller and asks him about

anything in order to expose his situation to the people, and that
what he does is merely divination, distortion and misguidance.
There is no harm in this. The proof for it is that when the
Prophet (
) encountered ibn Sayyad (who claimed
prophethood), he (
) concealed something for him within
himself (to test him), and when he (
) asked him about what
he (
) concealed for him, he said: It is a Dukh intending AdDukhaan (smoke). Thereupon the Prophet (
) said: May you
be disgraced and dishonoured, you would not be able to go beyond your
61

rank.

These are the conditions of those who go to a diviner, and they

are three. The first is that he goes to him not believing in him,
60

Reported by At-Tirmithee, and Ibn Maajah. It was authenticated by

Ahmad Shaakir and al-Albaanee (See al-Irwaa by al-Albaanee, no.
2006).
61

The story of Ibn Sayyaad, a diviner, is detailed in Saheeh Muslim (Book

of Fitan), Saheeh al-Bukhaaree (Books of Janaaiz, Jihaad and Siyar, alQadar, al-Adab, and others), At-Tirmithee (Book of Fitan) and by others.
In it the Prophet (
) exposed his claim of Prophethood through this test.
He was not able to complete the word Dukhaan pertaining to soorat adDukhaan. The devils imparting the information to Ibn Sayyaad were not
able to snatch the complete word, thus it came in this distorted form.

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112

nor intending to test and expose him, and this is unlawful. The
applicable punishment upon the one who does this is that his
prayers will not be accepted from him for forty days. The
second is that he asks him about anything, and believes him.
This is unbelief in Allah (). It is obligatory upon the person
who does this to repent from it, and to return to Allaah ().
Otherwise, he dies on a state of unbelief. The third situation is
such that he goes to the diviner and asks him in order to test
him, and expose his reality to the people. In this there is no
harm.

The Ruling Regarding Those Who go to Diviners

Question 33: It would be nice if we could know of the

status of people who go to fortune-tellers.
The Answer: Their situations are as follows:
First Case: A person goes to the diviner and asks him about
anything without believing him, and in doing so he does not
intend to expose his reality. Then the person is sinful, and the
applicable punishment is that prayers will not be accepted
from him for forty days.
Second Case: He goes to the fortune-teller and then he asks
him and believes him. This person is an unbeliever because he
denies the Saying of Allaah, The Most High:
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Fiqhul Ibaadaat

Aqeedah Section

113

None in the heavens and the earth knows the Ghayeb

(unperceived realities) except Allaah. [Quraan, soorat an-Naml (27):
65].

Third Case: He goes to him and asks him in order to test him,
and expose his status and his lies and falsifying to the people.
And we have mentioned that there is no harm in this.
And it is a determined matter that if a thing that is legally
permissible leads to something forbidden, then itself becomes
prohibited. So, if it is determined that in this third case
whereby the person goes to the diviner to test him and expose
his reality, and as such it may become a reason leading people
to be deceived by himthen under such circumstances he
should not do that and should not go to him, even if it were to
be done for this good intention. Since the rule is that, whatever
leads to something prohibited then it is itself, prohibited.
Astrology and Its Ruling

Question 34: What is astrology (At-Tanjeem) and its

ruling?
The Answer: At-Tanjeem (Astrology) is derived from an-Najm,
and it means regarding celestial conditions as indications of
earthly (terrestrial) events, meaning that the astrologer links
whatever occurs or will occur on earth with the stars: their
movements, rising, setting, conjunction and disjunction, and
likewise.

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114

And astrology is a kind of magic; it is forbidden since it is

based upon delusions that have no truth to them. So, there is
no connection between earthly events and what takes place in
heavens. And for this reason when the people of the preIslamic era believed that the sun and the moon do not eclipse
except for the death of someone great; then the sun eclipsed at
the time of the Prophet (
), on the day when his son
Ibraaheem () died, and when the people said it eclipsed
because of his death, the Prophet (
) addressed the people
after he performed the eclipse prayer and said:
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The sun and the moon are two signs from amongst the Signs of
Allaah; they do not eclipse because of the death or the life of
62

anyone. So, the Prophet (
) annulled the linkage of earthly

63

events with heavenly conditions, and it is so.

Just as being a kind of magic, it is also a cause for delusions,
and unreal and baseless psychological agitations, driving the
person into endless imaginations, pessimism, and wonderment.
There is another kind of Tanjeem whereby a person utilises the
time of rising of the stars as indications of specified times for
doing certain things, time duration, and seasons. Then there is
no harm in this and no objection to it. Like if he says if such
and such star begins to rise, then the time of the rain season
62
63

Reported by al-Bukhaaree, vol.2, no.154, and Muslim.

Movement and configurations of heavenly objects.

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Fiqhul Ibaadaat

Aqeedah Section

115

has begun, or that the time of fruit ripening has commenced

and so forth. There is no harm in this and no objection to it.
The Relation of Astrology with Fortune-Telling

Question 36: Is there a connection between astrology and

divination?
The Answer: Yes there is. The relation between them is that all
are founded upon delusion, lying, devouring the wealth of
people in falsehood and bringing about worries, grief, and the
like upon the people.
Which One is More Dangerous?

Question 37: Which one, however, is more dangerous on

the Muslims?
The Answer: This depends upon the spread of this matter
amongst the people. So, it may be that in some countries
astrology has no influence whatsoever on its people, and that
they neither give attention to nor believe in it. However,
divination may be widespread in their lands, and thus it is
more dangerous. And it may be just the opposite. However, in
view of the reality of astrology and divination, the latter is far
more dangerous and significant.
The Reality of Magic

Question 37: You mentioned in your talk that astrology is a

form of magic, so what is magic?
The Answer: The Scholars said magic tantamount to
everything that is subtle and whose cause is hidden, so as to
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116

have a hidden influence not to be known by the people. In this

respect, its meaning comprises both astrology and divination.
Rather, it includes influence by way of eloquence and fluency
of speech, as the Prophet (
) said: Verily, some forms of speech
64
are magic. So, everything exerting influence, yet it is not
something known, then it, i.e. the influencing factor, is a kind
of magic.
Question 39: What is meant by subtleness in your saying,
Magic is everything that is subtle and whose cause is
hidden?
The Answer: Subtleness means something subtle and hidden,
and its contrary is something great, big, and obvious. For
example, the magician does something that attracts the
friendship of the enchanted so that he becomes greatly devoted
to him. Or that he does something that alienates the enchanted
in order that the latter vehemently hates him. Although, the
enchanted, who was overtaken by great attraction, or immense
alienation, is not aware of this and its cause is hidden to him.
Question 40: What is the legal judgment regarding magic
and its learning?
The Answer: Learning magic is forbidden. Rather it is Kufr
(unbelief) if it is attained by means of seeking help from the
devils. Allaah, The Most Blessed, The Most High, Says:

64

Collected by al-Bukhaaree in his Saheeh, vol.7, no.662, Muslim and

others.

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117

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And they followed what the Shayaateen (devils) gave out

(falsely of the magic) in the lifetime of Sulaymaan
(Solomon). Sulayman did not disbelieve, but the
Shayaateen disbelieved, teaching men magic and such
things that came down at Babylon to the two angels,
Haaroot and Maaroot, but neither of these two (angels)
taught anyone such things till they had said: We are only
for trial, so disbelieve not (by learning this magic from us).
And from these (angels) people learn that by which they
cause separation between man and his wife, but they could
not thus harm anyone except by Allaahs Leave. And they
learn that which harms them and profits them not. And
indeed they knew that the buyers of it (magic) would have
no share in the Hereafter. [Quraan, soorat al-Baqarah (2): 102].
So, learning this kind of magic, and which is accomplished by
way of seeking help from the devils, is disbelief (Kufr). Its
practice is also Kufr and transgression against creation. And
for this reason, the magician is to be killed either due to
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118

Riddah (apostasy), or as a legal punishment. If his magic is

such that he would become an unbeliever by way of it, then he
should be killed for his apostasy and unbelief. If, however, his
magic does not reach the level of unbelief, then he should be
killed by virtue of legal punishment in order to repel his evil
and harm from the Muslims.
Is There a Reality to Magic?

Question 41: Is magic a true thing, or it is just conveying

doubts, and fantasies to the people?
The Answer: Magic is something real, without any doubt, and
it has real influence. However, whether it transforms the thing
in essence, moves the still, or causes the thing in motion to
become still, is an imagination and not reality. And
contemplate the Saying of Allaah, The Most Blessed and Most
High, concerning the story of the magicians from the people of
Firawwn. Allaah () Says:
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They bewitched the eyes of the people, and struck terror

into them, and they displayed a great magic. [Quraan, soorat alAraaf (7): 116)].

How did they bewitch the eyes of the people? They bewitched
the eyes of the people until the people got to the point where
they started looking at the robes and sticks (of the magicians)
as if they were snakes in motionjust as Allaah, The Most
High, has Said in soorat Taaha (no.20):

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119

.[66 :^]
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By their magic, appeared to him as though they moved

fast. [Quraan, soorat Taaha (20): 66].
So, with regard to influencing the transformation of things and
moving the motionless, or rendering the moving thing still,
magic has no effect whatsoever. However, as far as its ability
to enchant or affect the bewitched until he sees the still
moving and the moving still, then such effect is very apparent,
and therefore it has a reality. For this reason it affects the
body, intelligence, and senses of the bewitched, and it may
destroy him.
The Relation of Divination with Magic

Question 42: You mentioned divination and you defined

the fortune-teller as well as the magician. Is there,
however, a connection between divination and magic?
The Answer: As we have mentioned earlier: The fortune-teller
exerts influence upon the people by what he brings in to them
from the information about futuristic matters. And likewise,
the magician influences peoples minds, thinking, and bodies
till the bewitched imagine things that have no reality it.
Was the Prophet (
) Bewitched?

Question 43: It was reported from the Prophet (
) that he

was bewitched. So we would like you to talk about the
means by which he (
) was bewitched. Furthermore, is it
contradictory to the status of Prophethood that
bewitchment of the Prophet (
) took place?
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120

The Answer: It has been confirmed in the Saheehayn (alBukhaaree and Muslim collections of Ahaadeeth) and in other
traditions that the Prophet (
) was enchanted. His
bewitchment, however, did not affect him from the aspect of
Legislation or Revelation. The utmost thing in this respect is
that he (
) reached a stage whereby he began to fancy that he
was doing a thing which he was not actually doing. The magic
material intended for the Prophet (
) was the cast of a Jew
known by the name Labeed ibn al-Asam. Allaah, The One
free of all imperfection and The Most High, protected the
Prophet (
) from it, until he was informed of what occurred to
him by way of inspiration. He used to seek refuge in Allaah
against evil by the recitation of al-Muawwithatayn, soorat alFalaq and soorat An-Naas.
And this kind of magic does not influence the state of
Prophethood, since it did not affect the behavior of the Prophet
(
) regarding the Revelation and acts of worship, as we have
mentioned earlier. Some people have denied that the Prophet
(
) was bewitched under the pretext that such saying
necessisitates believing the unbelievers, and even the wrongdoers who said:
.[47 :O7l] #s W_u ) t6Gs? )

You follow none but a witched man.

[Quraan, soorat al-Israa (17):

47].

There is no doubt, however, that such saying does not obligate

approving those unbelievers and wrongdoers in what they
have attributed to the Prophet (
). Since they claim that the
Messenger (
) is bewitched in what he utters from Revelation,
and what he has brought is mere hallucination, like the

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121

hallucination of the bewitched. However, the bewitching that

occurred to the Prophet (
) did not affect him in anything of
the Revelation whatsoever, or in anything of the acts of
worship. And it is forbidden that we deny his enchantment
based upon our misunderstanding of the texts.
The Reality of Ilhaad?

Question 44: What is Ilhaadconcerning Allaahs Names

and Attributes?
The Answer: The basic meaning of the term Ilhaad i.e. in the
Arabic language, it means inclination. And from this is the
Saying of Allaah, The Most High:

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The tongue of the man they incline to is foreign, while this

(the Quraan) is a clear Arabic tongue. [Quraan, soorat an-Nahl (16):
103].

And from it is the lahd in the grave, for it is called lahd

because of its inclination towards a side of the grave. One
cannot know the meaning of Ilhaad except by knowing the
meaning of Istiqaamah (uprightness), since, as it is said,
Things become clear and distinct by the [meaning] of their
contraries. So, the Istiqaamah (uprightness) with regard to
the subject of Allaahs Names and Attributes is that we
conform to their true and real meanings which befit Allaah,
The Most Mighty and Most Majestic, without Tahreef
(changing or twisting their wording and meanings), without
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122

Tateel (denying or divesting Allaah of His Attributes),

without Takyeef (asserting how they are), and without
Tamtheel (likening them to those of the creation), just as it has
passed before in the foundation pertaining to this subject and
which ahlus-Sunnah wal-jamaaah adhere to. Thus, if we
know the meaning of al-Istiqaamah regarding this matter, then
its is opposite is al-Ilhaad. And already the people of
knowledge have mentioned several kinds of Ilahaad
concerning the Names of Allaah, The Most High, which may
be comprised by saying that it is deviating from the right
course, with respect to that which is obligatory to believe in
regarding them.
So, the first kind is for someone to deny some of the Names
or any of the Attributes denoted by them. Like to deny the
name Ar-Rahmaan as one of the Names of Allaah, just as the
people of Jaahilyyah did; or to affirm the Names but deny the
Attributes it comprises. Like the saying of some innovators:
Allaah, The Most High, is Ar-Raheem (The One Who
Bestows Mercy) but without Rahmah (Mercy), Samee (allHearer) but without Sam (Hearing), al-Baseer (all-Seer) but
without Basar (Seeing), and so forth.
Second Kind: He designates names to Allaah with which He
did not Name Himself. The basis that this is considered
Ilahaad lies in the fact that Allaahs Names are contingent
upon Revelation (tawqeefiyyah) so that it is not permitted for
anyone to designate a name to Allaah with which He did not
Name Himself. Since this is considered of saying things about
Allaah of which one has no knowledge of, and also because it
is a transgression against Allaah () and His Right. And this
is similar to what the philosophers have done, for they have
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123

designated the name Active Cause for God. And likewise

with the Christians, for they have given the name the Father
to Allaah, The Most High,and so forth.
Third Kind: He believes that these names denote attributes
similar to those of the creation. Accordingly, he makes them
indicative of Tamtheel. The basis that this is considered
Ilahaad is that whoever believes that the Names of Allaah ()
denotes likening of Allaah to His Creation, then he has made
the Words of Allaah and His Messenger (
) infer unbelief.
Because likening of Allaah to His Creation is unbelief, for its
a denial of Allaahs Saying:
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There is nothing like Him, and He is The All-Hearing, The

All Seeing. [Quraan, soorat ash-Shura (42): 11], and of His Saying:
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Do you know of any who is similar to Him?

[Quraan, soorat

Maryam (19): 65].

Naeem bin Hammad and al-Khuzaaee, the Shaykh of Imaam

al-Bukhaaree, said: Whoever likened Allaah to His Creation,
then he has disbelieved, and whoever denied the Attributes by
which Allaah qualified Himself with, then he has also
disbelieved. And the Names by which Allaah Named Himself
as well as the Attributes by which He qualified Himself, will
not be called Tashbeeh (declaring Allaah to be like His
65
Creation).
65

Shaykh al-Albaanee, may Allaahs Mercy be upon him, said that the
Isnaad of the narration from Hammad is saheeh [ath-Thahabees alUluw], p. 184. After reporting the above statement of Hammaad in Siyar

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124

The Fourth Kind: He derives from the Names of Allaah, The

Most High, names for idols. Like the derivation al-Laat
from al-Ilaaah, al-Uzzaa from al-Azeez, and minaat
from al-Mannaan. The basis that this is considered Ilahaad,
is that Allaahs Names are particular to Him. So it is not
allowed to ascribe the meanings denoting these Names to any
created being for the sake of offering him (her, or it) that
which only Allaah deserves from worship.
These are the types of Ilhaad concerning the Names of Allaah,
The One free of all imperfection, The Most High.
Types of Shirk

Question 46: Shall we then change [the topic] from

knowledge concerning the types of Ilhaad to that regarding
knowledge of the types of Shirk?
The Answer: We mentioned earlier that Tawheed comprises
negation and affirmation aspects, and that confining it to mere
negation is Tateel (denial), while restricting it to the aspect of
66
affirmation does not does prevent sharing in the ruling. That
is why it is inevitable that Tawheed comprises the aspects of
affirmation and denial. Hence, whoever does not affirm the
Right deserved by Allaah based upon this perspective of
Tawheed, then indeed he has set up associates in worship
along with Him (i.e. committed Shirk).

Alaam An-Nubalaa, Imaam ath-Thahabee, may Allaahs Mercy be upon

him, commented, This statement is true...
66

See pages 25-27, and 50.

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125

Shirk is of two types: Greater shirk (Shirkun Akbar), which

causes the person to leave the Religion, and a lesser shirk
(Shirkun Asghar). So, the Major Shirk is unrestricted Shirk
termed as such in the Legislation (Shareeah), and it causes
the person to leave the folds of his Religion (deen), just as if
he directs any share of the types of worship to other than
Allaah (), like if he prays, fasts, or offers sacrifice for
anyone other than Allaah. Similarly, it is from Major Shirk to
invoke anyone other than Allaah (), like calling upon an
occupant of a grave or someone who is absent requesting his
help in something which none but Allaah has Power over it.
And with regards to the types of Shirk, they are known in that
which the people of knowledge have written.
And as to the second type, which is the lesser Shirk, then it is
every action or saying defined by the Shareeah as being
Shirk, but which does not take a person out of the Religion.
Like swearing by other than Allaah, for the Prophet (
) said:
Whoever swears by other than Allaah, then he has committed unbelief
67

or Shirk. So, the one who swears by other than Allaah whilst

believing that none has an exaltedness equal to that of Allaah,

The Most High, then we say that he has committed shirk of the
lesser type, regardless whether the one by whom an oath is
being made is venerated by the people or not. So it is not
permissible to swear by the Prophet (
), nor by a president or
a minister. And it is also not allowed to swear by the Kabah
(Sacred House of Allaah), nor by Jibreel or Meekaaeel and
the like. Since this is considered Shirk, but it is a lesser Shirk
that does not take the person out of the fold of Religion.
67

Reported by at-Tirmithee (no.1535, Arabic) and Ahmad (2:69, Arabic).

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And from the types of lesser Shirk is minor Riyaa (showing

off in good works). Like for example, if a person stands to
pray for Allaah () but then he beautifies its performance
because he knows that somebody amongst the people sees
him. So, he beautifies his prayer in order to show off before
the people. Such a person is a Mushrik but his Shirk is of the
lesser type, since he performed the worship for Allaah but
introduced on it this beautification as show off before the
creatures. And similarly, if he spends his wealth in a way that
draws him closer to Allaah, but he intended that people praise
him for his spending, then he is a Mushirk of the lesser Shirk.
Like with the major Shirk, the types of the lesser Shirk are
many and they are known in the books of the people of
knowledge.
Defining the Types of Shirk

Question 46: We knew the types of shirk, but is there a

specific definition for each type of it?
The Answer: Yes! We have mentioned that the lesser Shirk is
everything defined or described by The Legislator as being
Shirk, but which does not take a person out of the Religion.
And that the Major Shirk is everything defined or described by
The Legislator as being Shirk and it takes the person out of the
Religion.

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Is the relinquishing of worship called Shirk?

Question 47: It was mentioned, as in the narration

reported by Saheeh Muslim, the saying of the Prophet (
):
Verily between man and between Shirk and Kufr (unbelief) is the
68

abandonment of prayers. Is the abandonment of worship

considered Shirk?
The Answer: Yes, it is Shirk in the general sense, because the
person who abandons the prayers out of negligence has done
so because he followed his lowly desires. Accordingly, he
placed his desires foremost to the obedience of Allaah (),
and thus he became Mushrik from this perspective, just as
Allaah has Said:
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Have you seen him who takes his own lust (vain desires) as
his ilaah (god)? And Allaah knowing (him as such), left him
astray. [Quraan, soorat al-Jaathiyah (45): 23].
So anyone who follows his lowly desire, placing it foremost to
the obedience of Allaah (), then this deed of his is a type of
Shirk even though the more specific meaning of Shirk does not
comprise the aspect of relinquishment [i.e. of worship].

68

Reported by Muslim in his Saheeh, vol.1, no.146 and 147.

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128

The Reality of the Deen of Islaam?

Question 48: What is the Religion of Islaam?

The Answer: Islaam in its general sense is the worship of
Allaah, The Most High, in the way in which He Prescribed
through the Messengers that He sent, from the time He
Ordained for His Creation to follow His Legislation until the
time when the Hour will be established. So, it comprises that
which Noah () came with from guidance and truth, as well
as that which Ibraaheem (), the leader of the pure Muslims
(Imaam al-Hunafaa), came with. It also includes that which
Moosaa (Musa), and Eesaa (Jesus) [Y> EB9] came with, as
has been mentioned by Allaah, The Most High, in many
aayaat which show that the previous revealed laws were all
submission (Islaam) to Allaah ().
However, in its particular sense, Islaam is specific to that
which the Prophet (
) was sent with. This is because that
which the Prophet (
) was sent with abrogates all of the
previous religions. So whoever follows him becomes a
Muslim, and whoever declines to follow him is not a Muslim
because he did not submit himself to Allaah. Rather he
submitted to his vain desire. So the Jews in the time of Moosaa
() were Muslims, and the Christians in the time of Eesaa
() were Muslims; but since the Prophet Muhammad (
)
was sent and they disbelieved in him they are not Muslims.
And because of this it is forbidden for anyone to believe that
the religion of the Jews and Christians which they adhere to
today is correct and accepted with Allaah or that it is equal to
the Religion of Islaam. Verily, whoever believes in this then

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129

he is an unbeliever who has left the Religion of Islaam. This is

because Allaah () Says:
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The only Religion acceptable to Allaah is Islaam.

soorat aal-Imraan (3): 19].

69

[Quraan,

And He, The Most Mighty and Most Majestic, Says:

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And whoever seeks to follow a religion other than Islaam

then Allaah will not accept that from him. [Quraan, soorat aalImraan (3): 85].

69

In our times there are those who call for religious dialogues aimed at
bridging the gaps between religions. This is a very dangersous
approach, because the objective of the believers is to propagate Islaam
and remove any misconcepts about it, not to accommodate the creeds of
kufr propagated by other religions. In addition, there are those who
mislead people through the idea that Christianity, Judaism, and Islaam are
sharaai samaawiyyah (lit. heavenly revelations), in order to establish
that the Chrisitian and Jews of our times are not kuffaar. The Jews and
Christians follow altered versions of the original revelations. Many texts
in the Quraan and in the authentic sunnah excplicitly state the kufr of the
Jews and Christians and that their Books are abrogated by the Quraan.
The fact that Allaah, Most High, gave special rulings regarding the food
of the Christians and Jews (who believe in their books even though they
are abrogated) as well as marrying from their women does not preclude
the fact that Allaah called them kuffaar. In this respect, I humbly remind
the reader to refer to our book entitled The Call for the Unity of
Religion: A False and Dangerous Call for further discussion on this
matter.

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130

This Islaam, which Allaah has pointed out, is the Islaam with
which Allaah favoured Muhammad (
) and his nation, due to
His Saying:
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This day I perfected your Religion for you, and completed

My favour upon you, and I am Pleased with Islaam
(complete submission and obedience to Allaah) as your
Religion. [Quraan, soorat al-Maaidah (5): 3].
This is an explicit textual proof that after Muhammad (
) was
sent, any nation other than this nation [of Muhammad (
)] is
not on Islaam. Accordingly, the religion with which they serve
Allaah, Allaah will not accept from them and will not benefit
them on the Day of Resurrection. And it is not permissible
for us that we consider their religions as truly established
and upright. And for this reason those who describe the
Jews and Christians as our brothers, or say that their
(Jews and Christians) religions today are truly established
religions, commit a grave error due to what we have
70
mentioned earlier.
70

May Allaah bestow his Mercy on our Shaykh for his deep insight into
this matter. Nowadays some people blinded by nationalism and/or driven
by political agendas, have lost the sense of distinguishing between the
creed of Islaam and the corrupt creeds of the Christians and Jews. They
call the Jews and Christians our brothers and that Muslims should
concentrate more on matters common to all rather than point out to
disagreements. May Allaah guide all Muslims to the truth regarding all
corrupt creeds and methodologies.

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131

So if we say that Islaam is the worship of Allaah, The Most

High, in the way in which He Prescribed, then this includes the
submission, outwardly and inwardly, to Him alone. Thus it
comprises the entire Religion: creed, actions, and sayings. But
when stated in association with Eemaan (faith), then Islaam
refers to the apparent actions pertaining to the tongue and the
actions of the limbs, and Eemaan means the inward actions
pertaining to the creed and the actions of the heart. And the
proof for this distinction is the Saying of Allaah, The Most
Blessed:

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The Bedouins say: We believe. Say: You believe not but

you only say, We have surrendered (in Islaam), for Faith
has not yet entered your hearts. [Quraan, soorat al-Hujuraat (49): 14].
And also in the Saying of Allaah, The Most High, in soorat
ath-Thaariyaat (Hood):

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So We brought out from therein the believers. But We

found not there any household of the Muslims except one
[of Loot and his two daughters]. [Quraan, soorat ath-Thaariyaat (51): 3536].

Allaah here distinguished between the believers and the

Muslims. The reason for this is that the household in the
village of Loot was, in the outward, a Muslim one, since it
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132

comprised the wife of Loot who betrayed him and was an

unbeliever. And as for those who were brought out from the
village, then they were the true believers in whose hearts faith
had entered. The proof for this distinction between Eemaan
and Islaam when they are stated together is in the hadeeth
reported by Umar ibn al-Khattaab () and in which Jibreel
(Gabriel) asked the Prophet (
) about Islaam and Eemaan.
The Prophet (
) said: Islaam is that you testify that none has the
right to be worshipped except Allaah, and that Muhammad is the
Messenger of Allaah; establish the Prayer; pay the Zakaat; Fast
Ramadaan; and perform Pilgrimage (Hajj) to the House if you are able
to do so. And concerning Eemaan, he (
) said: It is that you
truly believe in Allaah, His Angels, His Books, His Messengers, the
Last Day; and that you truly believe in Pre-Decreeits good and its
bad.

Consequently, Islaam, upon generalization, comprises the

entire Religion and Eemaan falls under it; and that if it is
stated in association with Eemaan, then it is interpreted to
mean the outward actions from the saying of the tongue and
the actions of the limbs. And Eemaan is meant to be the
inward actions from the beliefs and actions of the hearts.
Question 49: So should we then understand that we have a
general and a particular definition of Islaam?
The Answer: Yes, we do have a definition of Islaam in the
general sense as well as a definition in the particular sense
when it is stated in association with Eemaan as was mentioned
in the hadeeth of the Prophet (
) [reported by Umar ibn alKhattaab] and in the two aayaat mentioned earlier [soorat alHujuraat, 14; and soorat ath-Thaariyaat, 35-36].

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133

The Taaghut and Its Types?

Question 50: What is the meaning of at-Taaghut and its

derivations?
The Answer: at-Taaghut is derived from at-Tughyaan and atTughyaan means to go beyond the bounds, as occurs in the
Saying of Allaah, The Most High:
.[11 :Z(] t $gp : #$ / 3
o = u q
x $!
y 9 #$ $t
s $
9s $ )

When the water of the flood (taghaa) We carried you in the

Ark. [Quraan, sooarat al-Haaqah (69): 11], meaning that when the water
of the flood rose beyond the normal bounds (taghaa), We
carried you in the Ark.
The best explanation of the term is what Ibnul Qayyim,
rahimahullah, mentioned, that at-Taaghut
is Anyone,
regarding whom the servant goes beyond the due bounds,
whether it is someone worshipped, obeyed, or followed.
So, the idols that are worshipped besides Allaah are
Taaghoots; and the evil scholars who call to misguidance and
to innovations and to making lawful that which Allaah has
forbidden, or forbidding that which Allaah has made lawful, or
those who present to the people in authority that it is
acceptable to abandon the Shareeah of Islaam in favour of
legislative systems introduced from outside that are contrary to
the legislative system of Islaam, then they are Taaghoots also,
since they have gone beyond their bounds. This is because the
limit of the scholar is that he should be one who adheres to
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134

that which the Prophet (
) came with, since the scholars are
truly the inheritors of the Prophets. They inherit from them in
knowledge, action, manners, the call to Allaah, and teaching,
presenting this inheritance in their nations. If they go beyond
this limit and begin to present it as acceptable to the rulers that
they can abandon the Shareeah of Islaam in favour of such
systems [introduced from the outside], then they are Taaghuts,
since they have gone beyond that which was binding upon
them, that they should adhere to the Shareeah.
As for his (ibnul Qayyim  ) saying [regarding the
definition of Taaghut]: or one obeyed, then what he meant
by that is those rulers who are obeyed due to that being
required by Shareeah or because it is necessitated by way of
this case they are to be obeyed due to that being required by
Shareeah and necessitated Pre-decree (al-Qadar). So the
rulers are to be obeyed as required by the Shareeah if they
command that which is not contrary to the Command of
Allaah and His Messenger. This is because the duty upon the
people is to hear and obey when the ruler commands that
which is not contrary to the Command of Allaah and His
Messenger. In this situation and with this condition, their
obedience to those in authority is obedience to Allaah (). For
this reason, we should bear in mind that when we carry out
what the state authority has ordered from matters in which it
must be obeyed, we are, in this respect, worshipping Allaah,
The Most High, and drawing closer to Him through this
obedience. So, bearing this in mind, our execution of the ruled
matter will be something that draws us closer to Allaah, The
Mighty and Majestic. It is something that we should be
conscious of; because Allaah, The Most High, Says:

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135

.[59 :O]

3
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O you who believe, obey Allaah, and obey his Messenger,

and those of you in authority. [Quraan, soorat an-Nisaa (4): 59].
As for the obedience to those in authority because it is
necessitated by way of Pre-decree (Qadaran), then if the rulers
are strong in their authority then people will obey them
because of the authoritative strength they possess, even if they
are not motivated to do so by Eemaan. Since the matter of
obedience to the ruler could be motivated by Eemaan, and in
this case it is beneficial obedience to the rulers as well as the
people. And it may come about because of the ruler's authority
and strength such that the people fear him and are intimidated
by him due to the severe punishment he inflicts upon those
who oppose him. For this reason we say that with regard to
this matter the peoples situation regarding their rulers varies as
follows:
(i)
(ii)

(iii)

Sometimes the motivation of Eemaan is strong, and

the ruler's authority is strong. This constitutes the
most complete and highest situation.
Other times the motivation of Eemaan is weak, and
the rulers authority is weak; and this is lowest state
and the one most dangerous for the societyrulers
and the ruled. Since in this state anarchy in thoughts,
manners, and actions will take place.
Sometimes the motivation of Eemaan is strong, and
the rulers authority is weak. This represents a
middle state whereupon if the rulers authority is
strong then its manifestation will be better for the

135

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(iv)

Aqeedah Section

136

nation. But if the rulers authority in this case is

absent, then do not ask about its state of corruption
and evil actions! Because the motivation of Eemaan
is weak.
If the situation is such that the motivation of Eemaan
is weak (strong), and the rulers authority is strong
(weak), then the apparent situation will be weaker
than the former state (iii). However, in terms of
peoples relation with their Rabb (Allaah) it will be
more beneficial to them than in the former case
where the rulers authority is lacking.

So these are four states: Strong Eemaan and strong ruler,

weak Eemaan and weak ruler, strong Eemaan and weak ruler,
and strong ruler and weak Eemaan.
Therefore, the important thing is that we say that when we
carry out the commands of the ruler, we should believe that
through this act we draw closer to Allaah, The Most
Magnificent, Most High. And the reason why Ibnul Qayyim
said that at-Taaghut is anyone, regarding whom the servant
goes beyond the due bounds, whether it is someone
worshipped, obeyed, or followed, is because the ruler who is
obeyed may command that which is contrary to the Command
of Allaah and His Messenger. In this case there is neither
hearing nor obeying, and it is not permissible for us to obey
him in that which is disobedience to Allah (). Since Allaah,
The Most High, has deemed that their obedience be dependent
upon the obedience of Allaah and His Messenger, as it is
understood from the context of the aayah:

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137

.[59 :O]

3
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O you who believe, obey Allaah, and obey his Messenger,

and those of you in authority. [Quraan, soorat an-Nisaa (4): 59].
He did not say (what signifies): and obey those in
authority. So this indicates that obeying them is not
something independent. Rather it is related to the obedience of
Allaah and His Messenger. And it has been affirmed in the
transmission from the Prophet (
) that Verily, obedience (to
somebody) is required when he enjoins what is
71
Maroof, meaning all that which is established by
Shareeah. But as regard to that which is denied by the
Shareeah, then it is forbidden to obey any created being even
the father or the mother. If they command that which is
disobedience to Allaah, then it is unlawful for you to obey
them, since the obedience of Allaah takes precedence over any
kind of obedience. So, if a man obeys his ruler in that which is
disobedience to Allaah, then he has gone beyond his bounds.

71

See Saheeh al-Bukhaaree, vol.5, no.629.

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138

The Creed of the Muslims

Regarding Eesaa (Jesus )?

Question 51: What is the creed of the Muslims with regard

to Eesaa, son of Maryam? Also what is the ruling as to the
saying that he was killed and crucified.
The Answer: The belief of the Muslims regarding Eesaa, son
of Maryam, may Allaahs Salaah and Salaam be upon him, is
that he is one of the noble Messengers. In fact he is one of the
five Messengers foremost in their resolve. They are
Muhammad (
), Ibraaheem, Moosaa, Noah and Eesaa (may
Allaahs Salaah and Salaam be upon them all). Allaah, The
Most High, mentioned them in three places in His Noble
Book. So, He Said in soorat al-Ahzaab
:
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And (remember) when We took from the Prophets their

covenant, and from you (O Muhammad (
), and from
Noah, Ibraaheem (Abraham), Moosaa (Moses), and Eesaa
(Jesus), son of Maryam (Mary); We took from them a
strong covenant. [Quraan, soorat al-Ahzaab (33): 7].
Also in sooart ash-Shoora, Allaah Said:
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138

Fiqhul Ibaadaat

139

Aqeedah Section

.[13 :jk] #( % " 

x Gt ?s
u
t $
e !#$ #( % &r
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#
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4
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"t / )

Your Rabb (Allaah) prescribed for Noah (Nooh), and that

which We revealed to you (O Muhammad:
), and that
which He prescribed for Ibraaheem, Moosaa, Eesaathat
you should establish the Religion, acting upon what is
prescribed, and not split into sects with regard to it. [Quraan,
soorat ash-Shooraa (42): 13].

We belieive that Eesaa (
) is a human from the children of

Adam created from a mother without a father, and that he is a
slave-worshipper of Allaah and His Messenger. So he is a
slave, one who is not to be worshipped, and a Messenger, not
to be denied. And that he does not possess any of the qualities
of Rubbobiyyah. Rather he is as Allaah has Said:

"t
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)
.[59 :amQ]

Eesaa is not but a slave of Ours whom We Granted Our

Favour to him (blessed with guidance and Eemaan,) and We
made him a sign to the children of Israel. [Quraan, soorat azZukhruf (43): 59].

And that he (may Allaahs Salaah and Salaam be upon him)

did not command his people to appoint him and his mother as
gods besides Allaah. In fact, he told that which Allaah has
Commanded him with:
.[117 :V!b]
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Worship Allaah, my Rabb and your Rabb.

Maaidah (5): 117].

139

[Quraan, soorat al-

Fiqhul Ibaadaat

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140

And that he, Eesaa (
) was Created by the Word of Allaah
(Be!) as Allaah, The Most High, Says:
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Verily, the likeness of Eesaa before Allaah, (in Allaahs

Sight,) is the likeness of Adam. He Created him from dust,
then (He) Said to him: Be- and he was. [Quraan, soorat aalImraan (3): 59].

And that there is no Prophet between him (Eesaa) and

Muhammad (
), as Allaah, The Most High, Says:
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And (remember) when Eesaa, son of Maryam, said: O

Children of Israel! I am the Messenger of Allaah unto you,
confirming the Torah (which came) before me, and giving
glad tiding of a Messenger to come after me, whose name
shall be Ahmad. But when he (Ahmed, i.e. Muhammad
)
came to them with clear proofs, they said: This is plain
magic. [Quraan, soorat as-Saf (61): 6].
And no ones faith will be complete until he believes that
Eesaa is Allaahs slave and Messenger, and that he is free
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Fiqhul Ibaadaat

Aqeedah Section

141

from and high above what the Jews described him with, they
said he was son of a prostitute conceived by way of
fornication. We seek refuge in Allaah from this. Allaah, The
Most High, cleared him of all of that. Also the Muslims
disassociate themselves from the way of the Christians who
went astray in their understanding of the reality with regard to
Eesaa, son of Maryam, since they have appointed him and his
mother as gods besides Allaah. And some of them said: He is
the son of Allaah, and others said: Allaah is the third of
three (Trinity).
As far as him (Eesaa) being killed and crucified, then
Allaah, The One free from all imperfection and The Most
High, categorically and decisively denied that he was killed or
crucified. So He, The Most Mighty and Most Magnificent,
Said:
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.[159S157

But they (the Jews) they killed him not, nor crucified him,
but the resemblance of Jesus was put over another man
(and they killed that man), and those who differ therein are
full of doubts, they have no certain knowledge, they follow
nothing but conjecture. For surely they killed him not. But

141

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142

Allaah raised him up (with his body and soul) unto Himself
(and he is in the heavens). And Allaah is All-Powerful, AllWise. And there is none from the people of the Scripture
(Jews and Christians), but must believe in him (i.e. Eesaa, as
a Messenger of Allaah and a human being) before his
(Eesaas, or a Jews or a Christians) death. And on the Day
of Resurrection, he (Eesaa) will be a witness against
them. [Quraan, soorat an-Nisaa (4): 157-159].
Therefore anyone who believes that Eessa, son of Maryam,
may Allaahs Salaah and Salaam be upon him, was killed and
crucifixion then he has denied the Quraan. And anyone who
denies the Quraan is an unbeliever. So we believe that Eessa
(
) was neither killed nor crucified. But we say that the Jews
drew on themselves the sin of killing and crucifixion, since
they claimed that they killed Eesaa, son of Mary, the
Messenger of Allaah, while in reality they killed him not.
Rather they killed someone who was put there to resemble
him, because Allaah put the resemblance of Eesaa over a man
from amongst them, and they killed and crucified that man.
And then they said that they killed Eesaa, son of Mary, the
Messenger of Allaah. Thus the Jews drew upon themselves the
sin of killing and that of crucifixion in their testimony
concerning themselves. And as to Eessa, son of Maryam,
Allaah, The Most High, cleared him of that, and protected him
and raised him up unto Himself in the heavens. And he shall
descend to earth at the end of time (before the establishment of
the Hour), and he will judge by the Shareeah of Muhammad
(
), then he will die on earth and will be buried in it; then he
will be raised (ascend) just like the rest of the children of
Aadam, since Allaah, The Most High, Says:

142

Fiqhul Ibaadaat

Aqeedah Section

143

.[55 :^]
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Thereof (the earth) We Created you, and into it We shall

return you, and from it We shall bring you out once again.
[Quraan, soorat Taahaa (20): 55].

.[25 :a9R]
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"t B
$p ] u
t ?
?s $
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t u t B
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t $%s

He (Allaah) Said: Therein (the earth) you will live, and

therein you shall die, and from it you shall be brought out
(i.e. resurrected). [Quraan, soorat al-Araaf (7): 25].

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144

The Division of the Ummah

Question 52: What is the extent of the split up within the

Ummah after the death of its Prophet Muhammad (
)?
The Answer: The Prophet (
) informed us, as was
authentically related from him, that, The Jews were split up into
seventy one sects, and the Christians were split up into seventy two
(three) sects, and that this Ummah will be split into seventy three sects,
all of which are in the Fire except one. [And when the

companions asked the Prophet (
): Which is that one. O

Messenger of Allaah? He (
) replied: That which I and my
72

companions are upon today.

This sect is the saved one. It is saved from Bida in this life,
and in the Hereafter it will be saved from Hell, and it is the
victorious group (at-Taaifah al-Mansoorah) until the Day
when the Hour will be established. It continues to prevail,
abiding by the Command of Allaah, The Most Mighty and The
Most Magnificent.
As far as these seventy-three sects, of which one is on the truth
and the rest are on falsehood, some people attempted to
enumerate them. Accordingly, they classified the people of
Bida into five categories, and subdivided each category into
branches in order to come up to this limit or the number that
72

Reported by Aboo Daawood (English Translation No. 4579), atTirmithee (Book of Eemaan, No. 2640, 2641; declared hasan by alAlbaanee), Ibn Maajah (Kitaabul Fitan, No. 3991; declared saheeh by alAlbaanee), and Ahmad in the Musnad (2:332). It is also in Saheeh alJaamie No. 1083.

144

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145

was specified by the Prophet (
).

Other people were with the opinion that it is more proper to
refrain from enumerating them, since these sects were not the
only ones that went astray. In fact, some people reached a
level of misguidance exceeding that of the sects before them,
and that this took place even after these sects were enumerated
to seventy-two. And they [people holding to this view] said
that the enumeration of these sects and knowledge as to when
it will be reached is not possible until the end of time when the
Hour will be established.
So it is more deserving that we generalize that which the
Prophet (
) summed up and say: This ummah will divide into
seventy three sects, all of them in the Fire except one. Then
we say: whoever contradicts that which the Prophet (
) and
his companions were upon, then he is included in these sects.
And it is possible that the Prophet (
) may had indicated
fundamental matters concerning these sects, and of which now
we are able to know only ten of them. It may be also that he
had indicated certain fundamentals with branches included
therein, as it is the view held by some people. And with Allaah
is the Knowledge [concerning this matter and all matters].
The Characteristics of the Saved Group

Question 53: What is the most distinguished qualities of

the saved group?
The Answer: The most distinguishing quality of the saved
group is the adherence to that upon which the Prophet (
) was
upon in matters of Aqeedah (creed), Ibaadah (worship),
145

Fiqhul Ibaadaat

Aqeedah Section

146

manners, and transactions. You find the saved group

distinguished in these four matters. With respect to Aqeedah,
you find it holding on to that which is proven by the Quraan
and Sunnah from pure Tawheed pertaining to the
Ruboobiyyah, Uloohiyyah, and al-Asmaa was-Sifaat (Names
and Attributes). Regarding worship, you find it distinguished
in its perfect adherence to that which the Prophet (
) was
upon in matters of worship and in its execution of them as
regard their types, manners, timing, places, and causes. So you
dont find them innovating in the Religion of Allaah. Rather,
they are in an utmost degree of good manners with Allaah and
His Messenger. They do not introduce any kind of worship,
which Allaah did not approve, in advance, before Allaah and
His Messenger. You also find them distinguished from others
in their good manners, love of good to the Muslims, openness
of their hearts, cheerful faces, eloquence, and so forth, from
the noble and beautiful aspects of manners. And with regards
to transactions, you find them treating others with truthfulness
and clarity, and which the Prophet (
) alluded to in his saying:
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The seller and the buyer have the right to keep or return goods as long
as they have not parted or till they part; and if both spoke the truth and
described the defects and qualities (of the goods), then they will be
blessed in their transaction, and if they told lies or hid something, then
the blessings of their transaction would be lost.

73

73

Reported by al-Bukhaaree in his Saheeh, vol.3, no.293, and Muslim,

vol.3, no.3661.

146

Fiqhul Ibaadaat

Aqeedah Section

147

So, this is the distinction and the distinguishing mark for

ahlus-Sunnah wal-Jamaaah, the saved group, which follows
that which the Prophet (
) was upon.
Question 54: Is it necessary that the characteristics in the
four matters: Aqeedah, worship, manners and transaction
be totally or completely present without diminution? And
in case anything of it is gets diminished, does this take the
person out of the folds of the saved group or it doesnt ?
The Answer: Diminution in these matters does not disqualify
the person as being from the saved group unless he fails to
fulfill the aspect of Tawheed or that of Bida. The matter is
just as Allaah, The Most High, Said:
.[132 :Y&R] #( =

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_
y u y
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9 u

And for all there will be degrees (or ranks) according to

what they did. [Quraan, soorat al-Anaam (6): 132].
Failing to fulfill the part of Tawheed and that of Bida, may
take the person out of the saved sect. Similarly, with respect to
Ikhlaas (pure intention). However, as far as the matters of
manners and transactions, then failing to fulfill them does not
take the person out of this saved sect, though he is sinful for
this.

147

Fiqhul Ibaadaat

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148

Question 55: Is there something you want to add

concerning the qualities of the saved sect?
The Answer: The truth of the matter is that there isnt anything
to add, since the four fundamental matters that we have
mentioned are clear and sufficient. However, it might need
some details with respect to the matter of manners. So, the
most important aspect of manners is unity and agreement on
the truth, the thing that Allaah () has enjoined on us:
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e !#$ #( % &r
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#
|
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4
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"t / )

Your Rabb (Allaah) prescribed for Noah, and that which

We revealed to you [O Muhammad (
)], and that which
He prescribed for Ibraaheem, Moosaa, Eesaathat you
should establish the Religion, acting upon what is
prescribed, and not split into sects regarding it. [Quraan, soorat
ash-Shooraa (42): 13].

And He (Allaah ) informed us that those who split their

Religion into sects, Muhammad (
) is clear of them:
.[159 :Y&R] >

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|
9 $Y u
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t %
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)

Verily, those who divided their religion and break up into

sects, you Muhammad (
) have no concern of them in the
least. [Quraan, soorat al-Anaam (6): 159].
So agreement and unity of the hearts are from the most
distinguished qualities of the saved group, ahlus-Sunnah wal
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Fiqhul Ibaadaat

Aqeedah Section

149

Jamaaah. In case disagreement amongst them occurs due to

74
Ijtihaad, in matters where Ijtihaad is applicable, then they do
not hold enmity, hatred or hostility against each other. Rather,
they believe that they are brothers even if this kind of
disagreement takes place amongst them. This is true to the
extent that each of them would pray behind the Imaam
believing that the latter is not in a state of Wudoo whilst the
Imaam believes he does have his Wudoo. An example for this
is that each of them would pray behind someone who ate
camel meat believing that it nullifies the prayer whilst this
Imaam believes that it does not. Thus each of them consider
that the prayer behind this Imaam is correct, even though if he
would have prayed the same prayer [after eating camel meat]
by himself, he would have consider it incorrect. All of this is
because they consider that the difference in opinion arising
from Ijtihaad, in cases where Ijtihaad is permissible, is, in
reality, not a disagreement. Since each one of the disputants
follows what is incumbent upon both for them to follow from
the evidence that is impermissible for either one to relinquish.
They see that if their brother disagrees with them regarding a
certain action and does this in compliance with the evidence,
then in reality he is in agreement with them. This is because
they themselves call for the following of the proof wherever it
may be. So if he disagrees with them based upon his
conformance with what he regards as valid proof, then in
reality he is in agreement with them, since he is in conformity
with that which they call for and aim to, from judging by the
Book of Allaah and the Sunnah of His Messenger (
).
74

Ijtihaad: Deduction of reasoned decisions to suit particular

circumstances based upon fundamental guidelines from the Quraan
and/or authentic Sunnah.

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150

And it is well known to many scholars what took place

between the companions with regard to similar matters of
disagreement, even during the time of their Prophet (
). He
(
) did not harshly denounce anyone of them. When he (
)
returned from the battle of al-Ahzaab, Jibreel came to him and
directed him to set out for Banee Quraydhah who broke the
covenant with the Muslims. The Prophet (
) then ordered his
companions and said: None of you should pray Asr except at
75
Banee Quraydhah. So, they left Madeenah for Banee
Qurayadhah, and when the time for Asr prayer arrived some
of them delayed their prayer until they reached Banee
Qurayadhah and therefore prayed it outside of its time. They
did not pray until after sun set, since the Prophet (
) said:
None of you should pray Asr except at Banee Quraydhah. Others
prayed on time and said that the Prophet (
) intention was for
76
them to make haste in setting off. Those were the ones who
were correct in their understanding. In spite of this, the
Prophet (
) did not blame anyone of them, and none of them
held any enmity or hatred against each other because of their
disagreement in understanding this text. That is why I believe
that it is a binding duty upon the Muslims who belong to the
Sunnah that they should be one nation, and that factionalism
should not occur amongst thema person belongs to this group
and another belongs to another group, and the third belongs to
a third group and so on. In such a manner, they fight amongst
each other with the spears of their tongues. They hate each
75

Saheeh al-Bukhaaree, vol.2, p.34, and Saheeh Muslim, vol.3, no.4376.

In the report by Muslim, it is Thuhr prayer instead of Asr.

76

So that when the time for Asr prayer arrived, they would already be at
Banee Quraydhah.

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151

other and take enemies out of each other because of a

disagreement whose ruling is permissible to deduce by way of
Ijtihaad. There is no need for me to specifically mention each
group. But the sensible person would understand and the
matter would be clear to him. So, I believe that it is incumbent
upon ahlus-Sunnah wal Jamaaah to unite even though they
may dispute in that wherein they have been differing as a
result of their understanding of what is necessitated by the
texts. All praise is due to Allaah, for this is a matter in which
there is ample scope for accommodation. What is important is
agreement and unity of the hearts. And there is no doubt that
the enemies of Islaam love that the Muslims are divided,
regardless whether they are enemies who openly express their
hostility, or enemies who pretend to be friends of Muslims or
Islaam, while in reality they are not. So, the obligatory thing is
that we should be distinguished with this distinctive mark and
that is we are from the saved sect that agrees to unity.

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152

The Correct and False Tawassul

Question 56: What is the correct and false Tawassul ?

The Answer: At-Tawassul is the infinitive of Tawassala,
Yatawassalmeaning to take a means that will make the
person reach his intended goal. So, its original meaning is:
Seeking to attain the intended objective. And it is divided into
two types:
Correct: And this is the Tawassul through the correct means
leading to the intended goal.
Incorrect: And this is the Tawassul by a way that does not
lead to the intended objective.
With regard to the first type, and which is the Tawassul by the
means that lead to the intended objective, then it is of several
types, including:
1-Tawassul (seeking a means of nearness to Allaah) by means
of His Attributes, regardless whether it is done in the
general or specific sense. An example on the general way is
the statements mentioned in the hadeeth reported by
Abdullaah bin Masoud () concerning the invocation said to
relief from distress and grief:
B[G"2 F. !  Y  , 8, , .-,
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,  , - .9 =; 

152

Fiqhul Ibaadaat

153

Aqeedah Section

".B[-, N
, ,-< , B2G; 8 z a2:, j2$; >
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=O Allaah! I am Your slave, son of Your male slave and female slave.
My forelock is in Your Hand. Your judgment concerning me is
continuously executed. Your Decree over me is Just. I ask You by every
Name which is Yours, with which You Named Yourself, Taught to
anyone from Your Creation, or sent down in Your Book, or which You
kept to Your Self in the Knowledge of the Hidden with You, that You
make the Quraan the nurturer (the life of) of my heart, the light of my
chest, the removal of my sadness and of my anxiety.

77

This case is a Tawassul by means of Allaahs Names in the

general sense, as in his (
) saying: I ask You by every Name
which is Yours, with which You Named Yourself.

With regard to the specific aspect, then it is to make Tawassul

by means of one particular Name for a specific request
befitting this Name, like what was reported in the hadeeth of
Abu Bakr () when he asked the Prophet (
) to inform him of
a supplication that he may use in his prayer. So the Prophet
(
) said:
ue ( fhV( h  RTGI !" NG| hVK  R+ ) B2h G, T
  s" ."
[.B . ;\I]

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Say: O Allaah, I have done great injustice to myself, and none can
forgive sin except You, so forgive me a forgiveness from You, and be
merciful to me, as You are The Most Forgiving, The Most Merciful

78

77

Reported by Ahmad (1/391) and the wording is his, and al-Haakim

(1/509) and others and its isnaad is saheeh as in as-Saheehah (no.199).
78

Reported by al-Bukhaaree and Muslim. See Saheeh al-Bukhaaree,

vol.8, no.338.

153

Fiqhul Ibaadaat

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154

So he sought Forgiveness and Mercy and made Tawasssul to

Allaah, The Most High, by means of two of His Names
befitting what is being requested. So he said: You are The
Most-Forgiving, The Most-Merciful. This type of Tawassul
falls under the Saying of The Most High:
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And (all) the Most Beautiful Names belong to Allaah, so

call on Him by them. [Quraan, soorat al-Araaf (7): 180].
Supplication here comprises two types: Supplication when a
request is made (duaaul masalah), and invocation through
worship (duaaul Ibaadah).
With regards to the Tawassul to Allaah by means of His
Attributes, then it is like the Tawssul by means of His Names
in the sense that it could be general and specific. As to the
general way, then it is like your saying: O Allaah, I ask you
by Your Beautiful Names and Most Supreme Attributes, then
you mention your request. And with respect to the specific
way, then it is to perform Tawassul to Allaah, The Most High,
by means of a particular Attribute that is specifically related to
a particular request, like that which was mentioned in the
hadeeth:
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O Allaah by Your Knowledge of the Hidden and Unseen, and Your

Power over the Creation, grant me life for as long as You Know that

154

Fiqhul Ibaadaat

Aqeedah Section

155

life is good for me, and grant me death when death is good for me.

79

Here Tawassul to Allaah, The Most High, is by means of the

Attributes of Ilm (Knowledge), and Qudrah (Power): By Your
Knowledge of the Hidden and Unseen, and Your Power over the
Creation. This comprises the one type of Tawassul.

The Second Type: A person seeks means of Nearness to

Allaah by means of His believe in Him and in His Messenger.
So, he says: O Allaah I have believed in You and in Your
Messenger, so forgive me, or grant me success and rectitude.
Or that he says: O Allaah by my faith in You and in Your
Messenger I ask you such and such. And from this is the
Saying of Allaah:
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.[191S190

Verily! In the Creation of the heavens and the earth, and

in the alteration of night and day, there are indeed signs
for men of understanding. Those who remember Allaah
[always, and in prayers] standing, sitting, and lying
downto His saying: Our Rabb! Verily, we have heard
the call of one (Muhammad
) calling to Faith saying:
79

Reported by al-Bukhaaree and Muslim. See Saheeh al-Bukhaaree,

vol.7, no.575.

155

Fiqhul Ibaadaat

Aqeedah Section

156

Believe in your Rabb, and we have believed. Our Rabb!

Forgive us our sins and expiate from us our evil deeds, and
make us die [in the state of righteousness] along with the
Abraar [the pious and righteous believers]. [Quraan, soorat aalImraan (3): 190-191].

So they sought nearness to Allaah by their Eemaan in Him that

He Forgive them their sins, expiate from them their evil deeds,
and make them die along with the Abraar.
The Third Type is to make Tawassul to Allaah by means of
righteous deeds. And from this is the story of the three people
who entered into a cave to sleep in it. They were trapped in the
cave when a boulder [rolled down from the mountain] and
blocked the entrance of the cave and they could not remove it
away. So each one of them sought a means of nearness
(Tawassul) to Allaah by means of a righteous deed that he had
done. So the first one of them used his kindness to his parents
as Tawassul, and the second used as Tawassul his perfect
abstention from fornicating [with his uncles daughter]. As to
the third one, he used as Tawassul his preserving the right of
his employee. Each one of them said: O Allaah if I did that
seeking Your Face, then release us from our situation. So the
rock moved. This is Tawassul to Allaah () by means of a
righteous deed.
The Fourth Type is to use as Tawassul the conditions of a
person, meaning that the supplicant seeks a means of nearness
to Allaah by mentioning his circumstances and his state of
need. And From this is the saying of Moosaa ():
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157

"O My Rabb! I am in need of whatever good that You

bestow on me. [Quraan, soorat al-Qasas (28): 24].
In doing so, he is using Tawassul to Allaah by mentioning his
condition, asking Allaah to bestow whatever good on him. A
related case is in the saying of Zakhariyyaah ():
.[4 :U ] $6Y
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My Rabb! My bones have grown feeble, and grey hair has

spread on my head. [Quraan, soorat Maryam (19): 4].
So these are some of the types of Tawassul, and all of them are
allowed since they are good means to use as Tawassul to attain
what is being intended.
A Fifth Kind of Tawassul

Question 57: Are there any other types of Tawassul in

addition to the four that you have mentioned?
The Answer: Yes, there is an additional type of Tawassul and
it is the seeking of nearness to Allaah by means of the
supplication of a righteous man and whom it is hoped that his
invocation will be answered, because the companions (  d
E9) used to ask the Prophet (
) to invoke Allaah for them,
generally and specifically. Indeed it is reported in the
saheehayen (al-Bukhaaree and Muslim collections of hadeeth)
from the transmission of Anas bin Maalik () that a man
entered the Mosque on the day of Jumuah and the Prophet
(
) was giving the Khutbah and said: O Messenger of
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158

Allaah, the livestock are dying and the roads are cut off so
supplicate to Allaah for us that He should give us rain. So
the Prophet (
) raised up his hands and supplicated and said:
O Allaah bless us with rain,-three timesand he did not
descend from the minbar (pulpit) until the rain was dripping
from his beard. The rain continued for a whole week. And on
the next day of Jumaah the same man or someone else came
while the Prophet (
) was standing giving Khutbahand
said: Buildings are being destroyed and livestock are being
drowned, so supplicate to Allaah to withhold it for us. So the
Prophet (
) raised his hands and said: O Allaah, around us
and not upon us so he did not point with his hands in any
direction except that the clouds cleared awayand we went
80
out walking in sunshine.
And there are several incidences on which the companions
asked the Prophet (
) to supplicate to Allaah specifically for
them. And from this is the case when the Prophet (
)
mentioned that seventy thousand of his Ummah shall enter
Paradise without reckoning nor punishment, and that they are
81
those who do not treat themselves with Ruqya, nor do they
believe in good or bad omen nor do they get themselves
branded (cauterized), but the put their trust in Allaah;
thereupon Ukaashah bin Muhsin stood up and said: O
Messenger of Allaah, supplicate to Allaah to make me from

80

Reported by al-Bukhaaree and Muslim. See Saheeh al-Bukhaaree,

vol.2, no.55, nos.126-132, no.34, vol.4, no.782, and vol.8, no.115.
81

Ruqya: Recitation of Quranic texts on an ill or charmed person as a

treatment from disease.

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159
82

amongst them. So he (
) said: You are one of them. This

is also from the kind of permissible Tawassul: that a person
asks someone to supplicate to Allaah, The Most High, for him,
if it is hoped for that this persons supplication will be
answered. However, it should be that the person requesting
someone to supplicate Allaah for him intends to benefit
himself and his brother, the one from whom he asked the
supplication, so that the request is not solely for his own
interest. Since if you want to benefit your friend as well as
yourself, then this will end up as something good for him. This
is because when a man supplicates to Allaah for his brother in
his absence, the angel says: Aameen, and for you the same.
Similarly when someone supplicates Allaah for his brother,
then he is from those who do good by virtue of this
supplication, and Allaah loves those who do good.

The Incorrect and Futile Tawassul and its Types.

Question 58: Having known the Correct Tawassul and its

Types, then it is inevitable for us to know the Incorrect
Tawassul and its Types.
The Answer: The incorrect and futile Tawassul is to use an
unprescribed way, something which is not affirmed as a legal
way by Shareeah, as a means of nearness to Allaah, The Most
High. Since Tawassul in this manner is from nonsense and
falsehood that contradicts the intellectual and textual proofs.
82

Reported by al-Bukhaaree and Muslim. See Saheeh al-Bukhaaree,

vol.7, no.606.

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160

And from this is that a person uses the supplication of a

deceased man as Tawassul to Allaah (). He asks this
deceased person to supplicate to Allaah for him. Then this is
not a correct and prescribed means. Rather it is foolishness on
the part of the one who asks this deceased man to supplicate to
Allaah for him. Since once he dies, the actions of the deceased
cease to exist, and it is impossible for him to supplicate to
Allaah for anyone. Even the Prophet (
), it is not possible that
he supplicates to Allaah for anyone after his (
) death. For
this reason, the companions (E9  d) did not use as Tawassul
to Allaah by asking the Prophet (
) to invoke Allaah for them
after his death. In fact, when the people suffered a drought at
the time of Umar Ibn al-Khattaab (), he said: O Allaah we
used to ask Your Prophet to supplicate on our behalf to
You and You would bless us with rain, and now we ask the
uncle of our Prophet [i.e. al-Abbaas ()] to supplicate to
You on our behalf, so bless us with rain. So al-Abbaas
() stood up and supplicated to Allaah (). Had the matter of
asking the deceaseds supplication to Allah been a permissible
and correct way, then Umar and those with him from the
companions would have asked that from Allaahs Messenger
(
). Since the response to his supplication is more likely to
take place than that of al-Abbaas ibn Abdul-Muttalib ().
What is important, therefore, is that Tawassul to Allaah by
means of asking supplication from the deceased is false and
impermissible. And from the incorrect type of Tawassul is to
seek nearness to Allaah by means of the status of the Prophet
(
), saying: O Allaah, I ask you by the rank of Your Prophet
[to grant me] such and such. This is since the status of the
Prophet (
) is not something of benefit to you. It is only
beneficial to the Prophet (
), but as regard to you then it is of
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161

no benefit to you that you use as Tawassul to Allaah, The

Most High. And as we have mentioned, Tawassul is seeking
the correct means that is fruitful. So, what is of benefit to you
in that the Prophet (
) has an honourable status with Allaah?
And if you want to make correct Tawassul to Allaah, then say:
O Allaah, I ask You by my Eemaan in Your Prophet, or by
my love of Your Prophet or the like, then this is from the
correct and beneficial means.
The Affirmed and Annulled Intercession.

Question 59: What is the affirmed and nullified

intercession?
The Answer: Ash-Shafaaah is derived from ash-Shafa and it
is the opposite of witr (one), and it is to make a single thing
one of a pair or couple, for example to make the one two, the
three four and so forth. This is as far as its linguistic derivation
is concerned. Traditionally, however, it means the laying of a
petition (interceding, mediating) with someone in favor of
another, in procuring a benefit or warding off a harm, i.e. the
intercessor lays down a mediation between the one on whose
behalf an intercession is sought (al-mashfooilahu) and the
one pleaded with (al-mashfoo ilayh), in order to procure a
benefit for al-mashooilahu or repel from him something
harmful.
Intercession is two types, confirmed and correct intercession,
and a false one that is of no benefit to its people. As to the
confirmed and correct intercession, then it is the one which
Allaah, The Most High, has confirmed in His Book, and which
His Messenger (
) has confirmed. And it is approved only for
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162

the people of Tawheed and those of pure intentions. Since

Aboo Hurayrah () said: O Messenger of Allaah! Who will
be the luckiest person, who will gain your intercession on the
Day of Resurrection? He (
) said: The one who says la
ilaaha illallaah (none has the right to be worshipped except
83
Allaah) purely from his heart.
And this type of intercession has three conditions to it:
First condition: Allaah being pleased with the intercessor.
Second condition: Allaah being pleased with the one on
whose behalf intercession is being sought, and the
Third condition: Allaahs permission for the intercessor to
intercede.
These conditions are collectively stated in the Saying of
Allaah, The Most High:
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And there are many angels in the heavens, whose

intercession will avail nothing except after Allaah has
given leave for whom He Wills and is Pleased with. [Quraan,
soorat an-Najm (53): 26].

83

Reported by al-Bukhaaree. See Saheeh al-Bukhaaree, vol.1, no.98.

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163

And they are mentioned in details in the following Sayings of

Allaah, The Most High:
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Who is he that will intercede with Him except by His

Permission? [Quraan, soorat al-Baqarah (2): 255)].
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On that day no intercession shall avail, except the one for

whom Ar-Rahmaan has given permission and whose word
is acceptable to Him. [Quraan, soorat Taha (20): 109].
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And they cannot intercede except for him with whom He is

Pleased. [Quraan, soorat al-Anbiyaa (21): 28].
It is inevitable that these three conditions be met in order for
intercession to take place. And based upon this, then we come
to know the second type of intercession. And this is the
annulled intercession, which avails not its people, and which
the Mushriks (polytheists) claim to be the intercession of their
gods for them, with Allaah (). Indeed, this intercession
avails them not, as Allaah, The Most High, Says:
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And so no intercession of intercessors will be of any use to

them. [Quraan, soorat al-Muddath-thir (74): 48].

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Fiqhul Ibaadaat

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164

This is since Allaah, The Most High, accepts not the Shirk of
those Mushriks, and that He would not give Permission for
them to intercede. Since there is no intercession except for
those whom Allaah is Pleased with, and Allaah accepts not
Kufr for His servants and He Loves not mischief. So, the
Mushriks attachment of importance on the gods that they
worship whilst they say, these are our intercessors with
Allaah, is false and has no benefit. Rather this will only keep
them farther away from Allaah.
Furthermore, the confirmed shafaaah, as the scholars, may
Allaahs Mercy be upon them, mentioned, is divided into two
kinds: General and Special. The meaning of General is that
Allaah () Permits whom He Wishes from His righteous
servants to intercede on behalf of those whom Allaah has
given the Permission for intercession. And the Special
[means] the intercession particular to the Prophet (
), and the
greatest of which is ash-Shafaaatul-Uthmaa (the greatest
intercession) and which takes place on the Day of
Resurrection when the people will suffer such distress and
trouble as they will not be able to tolerate. So they will look
for someone who will intercede for them with Allaah () to
relieve them from this greatly distressing and long-standing
situation. So they go to Aadam, then to Noah, Ibraaheem,
Moosaa, and then to Eessa. None of them intercede, until the
matter reaches Muhammad (
). So he (
) stands up and
intercedes with Allaah () to save His slaves from this
immense situation. So Allaah responds to his supplication and
accepts his intercession. And this is part of al-Maqaam alMahmood (the highest station of praise and glory) which
Allaah, The Most High, has Promissed to the Prophet (
) in
His Saying:
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165

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And in some parts of the night offer the salaat with it (i.e.
recite the Quraan in the prayer), as an additional prayer
(tahajjud) for you (O Muhammad). It may be that your Rabb
will raise you to al-Maqaam al-Mahmood. [Quraan, soorat alIsraa (17): 79].

And from the intercession that is particular to the Prophet (
)

is his intercession for ahlul-Jannah (the people of Paradise) to
enter al-Jannah. Because after they cross the siraat (the bridge
over Hell) the people of al-Jannah will be stopped at a bridge
between Paradise and Hell, and here their hearts will be
rendered free from the wrongs they have committed against
each other until they are cleaned and purified. Then after that
they will be granted permission to enter into al-Jannah.
However, they will not be admitted therein until after the
Prophets (
) intercession with Allaah for them to enter
Paradise. Therefore the gates of al-Jannah will open by virtue
of the Prophets (
) intercession.
As regard the general intercession by the Prophet (
) and by
others besides him from the righteous slaves of Allaah, then it
is to intercede for the People of the Fire from the sinful
believers who do not deserve the endless dwelling therein. He
(
) intercedes on their behalf for them to get out of the Fire.
And this type of intercession is confirmed for him (
) as well
as for others from the Prophets, the martyrs, and the righteous,
and Allaah knows best.

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166

The Creed of The Salaf with Regard to the Noble Quraan

Question 60: What is the creed of the Righteous

Predecessors regarding the Noble Quraan?
The Answer: The creed of the as-Salaf pertaining to the Noble
Quraan is like their creed with regard to the rest of the
Attributes and Names of Allaah, and it is based upon what is
proven by the Book of Allaah and the Sunnah of His
Messenger (
). And we all know that Allaah, The One free of
all imperfection, The Most High, described the Quraan as
being His Words, and that it is sent down from Him. So, He,
Most Magnificent and Most High, Says:
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And if anyone of the Mushriks seeks your protection, then

grant him protection so that they may hear the Word of
Allaah [the Quraan], and then escort him to where he can
be secure. [Quraan, soorat at-Tawbah (9): 6].
And the intended by the Word of Allaah here, without any
doubt, is the Noble Quraan. And furthermore, He, the Most
High, Says:


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Verily, this Quraan narrates to the Children of Israel

most of that in which they differ. [Quraan, soorat an-Naml (27): 76].

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167

So, the Quraan is the Word of Allaah, The Most High, letter
and meaning. He really Spoke it and bestowed it upon Jibreel,
the trustworthy, who then brought it down upon the heart of
Muhammad (
) so that he may be one of those who warn, in
the plain Arabic language. The Salaf also believe that the
Quraan is a Revelation, brought down by Allaah () upon
Muhammad (
) in parts over a period of thirty years as
necessitated by Allaahs Wisdom. In addition, its revelation is
either original or occasional, meaning that some of it is
brought down in response to a certain occasion that
necessitated its revelation, and some of it is revealed without
being due to a certain reason. Also some of it is revealed as a
narration of a past condition that occurred to the Prophet (
)
and his companions, whilst some of it comes down as original
Legislations, Revealed for the first time. This is according to
what has been mentioned by the people of knowledge
pertaining to this matter.
Furthermore, the Salaf say: The Quraan is in the beginning
from Allaah (), and to Him it shall return at the end of time.
This constitutes the saying of the Salaf regarding the Noble
Quraan.
And it is something well known to us all that Allaah, The
Most High, described the Quraan with great qualities. He
described it as hakeem (wise), kareem (an honourable reciter:
Noble), atheem (great), and majeed (glorious). And these
qualities with which Allaah has described His Words applies
to the one who holds to this Book and works according to it
openly and inwardly. So Allaah, The Most High, grants him
from the glory, greatness, wisdom, might, and authority,
something that it would not be given to the one who does not
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168

cling to the Book of Allaah (). That is why I call upon, from
this pulpit, all of the Muslims, rulers and ruled, scholars and
common people, to cling hold to the Book of Allaah (),
openly and inwardly, so that they attain the might, happiness,
glory, and prevalence in the East and West.
The Most Prominent Rulings Regarding
The Quranic Recital

Question 61: What is the most distinguished ruling of

Quranic Recital?
The Answer: The reciter of the Quraan should be in a state of
84
85
purity from al-Hadath al-Asqhar and al-Hadath al-Akbar,
and it is not allowed for him to recite the Quraan while in the
state of major impurity (al-Hadath al-Akbar). The one who is
86
junub, for example, must not read the Quraan until he takes
a bath. This is because the Sunnah came with the prohibition
from recitation in the state of janaabah (after having sexual
discharge). As regard the menstruating woman, then there is a
difference of opinion amongst the people of knowledge
regarding whether it is permissible for her to recite the
Quraan. They differed into two sayings. Some of them said
that it is permissible that she recites the Quraan because there
84

al-Hadath al-Asghar: State of ritual impurity arising from passing wind

or urine or answering the call of nature.
85

al-Hadath al-Akbar: Major state of impurity arising from sexual

discharge.
86

Junub: A person in a state after having sexual intercourse with his wife
or after having a sexual discharge in a wet dream.

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169

is no clear and authentic proof from the Sunnah that prevents

her from reading the Quraan, and that the old state, or
condition, of things is that of exemption from responsibility
and obligations as well as non-prohibition. Others from the
people of knowledge are of the opinion that it is impermissible
for her to recite the Quraan while she is menstruating. Since
she is considered from those who are legally obligated to
perform ghusl (bath), like the one who is junub. And also
because there are narrations reported from the Prophet (
) that
infer prohibition. And my opinion regarding this matter is that
she should not read the Quraan if she intends mere recitation.
However, if she intends to read the Quraan to meet a certain
need, for example if she fears that she may forget it, or that she
recites it for her children or her students if she is a teacher, or
if she is a student who wants to read it before her teacherthen
there is no harm in this because there is need for that.
Similarly, there is no harm for her to recite the aayaat (verses)
87
that are of the wird, like aayatul Kursee (verse 255 of soorat
al-Baqarah), since this is considered a need. Accordingly, the
opinion I hold to is closer to the right one based upon the need
of the menstruating woman. If she needs the recitation, then
she may read the Quraan, otherwise she should not.
Likewise, it is desirable for the one who recites the Quraan
that he contemplates in his heart the magnificent meanings
denoted by the Words of the Noble Quraan, whether these
verses comprise reports and stories or Legislations. This is
since Allaah () has Sent down the Quraan for this
87

Wird: A set portion of the Quraan or invocations or the like from the
remembrance of Allaah which a person recites on a daily basis.

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170

underlying reason:
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[This is] a Book [the Quraan] which We have Sent down to

you, full of blessings, that they may ponder over its Verses
and that men of understanding may remember. [Quraan, soorat
Saad (38): 29].

The person finds a great difference between the state when he

recites the Quraan with an inattentive heart and that when he
recites it with an attentive heart, contemplating what he says.
He finds a great difference between the two states, and that He
benefits more if he recites the Quraan with contemplation and
pondering, for indeed this strengthens in his heart the state of
Eemaan (faith) and attestation as well as the submissiveness
and yielding obediently to the Laws contained in the Book of
Allaah ().
And as far as the way the recitation should be, then it should
be a quiet recitation without the rushing that might drop out
some of the letters or conceal the words. Rather, he should
recite the Quraan quietly and with ease, free from restraints
(tarassul). There is no harm to speed up sometimes, but with
the condition that he must not drop out the letters or some of
88
it, nor that he uses idghaam where idghaam is impermissible
to apply or the like.

88

Idghaam: To contract one letter into another.

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Aqeedah Section

We would also like to address in the remaining part of our talk

about the Fundamental Principle of the Deen, the ruling
regarding the recitation to the soul of the deceased, meaning
that the person recites the Quraan intending that its reward be
to one of the deceased from the Muslims. The scholars of
Islaam disagreed with regard to this issue. Some of them think
that this is unperscribed and that the deceased does not benefit
from the recitation under such condition. Others think that he
benefits therefrom, and that it is permissible for a person to
recite the Quraan with the intention that its reward be for such
and such person from the Muslims whether he is his relative or
not. And this is the preponderating opinion. Since in terms of
the type of Ibaadaat (acts of worship), there are reports
indicating the permissibility of disposing them to the
deceased, just like in the hadeeth of Saad ibn Ubaadah ()
where it is reported that he gave his garden as a charity on his
89
mothers behalf. And as in the story of the man who said to
the Prophet (
):
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My mother died suddenly and I thought that if she had lived she would
have given alms. So, if I give alms now on her behalf, will she get the
90

reward? The Prophet (
) replied in the affirmative.

89

Reported by Maalik in al-Muwatta [English Translation, Daar al-Fikr],

vol.2, no.1489.
90

Reported by al-Bukhaaree and Muslim. See Saheeh al-Bukhaaree,

vol.2, no.470.

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172

And these are individualized cases implying that the disposing

of some types of worship to someone from the Muslims is
allowed, and it is as such. However, what is better than this is
that he supplicates to Allaah for the deceased and keeps the
righteous deeds to himself, since the Prophet (
) said:
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When a man dies, his acts come to an end, but three, recurring
charity, or knowledge (by which people) benefit, or a pious son, who
91

prays for him (for the deceased), and he didnt say: or a pious

son, who recites for him, performs salaat for him, fasts for
him, or gives charity on his behalf. Rather he said: Or a pious
son, who prays (invokes Allaah) for him, though the context is
deeds-related. So this proves that the best thing is that the
person supplicates to Allaah for the deceased, not that he
allocates a share for him from the righteous deeds. And a
person is in need for the good deeds as he would find its
reward saved for him with Allaah ().
As to what is done by some people from recitation for the
deceased after his death and for a charge-for example a reciter
attends to read the Quraan for a pay in return, and such that
its reward is intended for the deceased-then this is a bidah
and its reward does not confer upon the deceased. The reason
for this is that this reciter sought only the worldly reward by
his recitation. And whosoever comes up with a worship
seeking only the worldly life, then he shall have no share of
91

Reported by Muslim in his Saheeh, vol.3, no.4005.

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Fiqhul Ibaadaat

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173

reward therefrom in the Hereafter, as Allaah, The Most

Blessed and Most High, Says:
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Whosoever desires the life of the world and its glitter, to

them We shall pay in full (the wages) of their deeds therein,
and they will have no diminution therein. They are those
for whom there is nothing in the Hereafter but Fire, and
vain are the deeds they did therein. And of no effect is that
which they used to do. [Quraan, soorat Hood (11): 15-16].
And on this occasion, I convey an advice to my brothers
who are accustomed to do this kind of work, that they save
their money to themselves or to the inheritors of the deceased,
and that they should know that this act, in itself, is an
innovation. And that the deceased does not receive the reward
of the recitation, since the reciter who has no intention by his
recitation, except to take fees, has no reward with Allah ().
And then he would have taken the money whilst the deceased
would not have benefited therefrom.

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174

The Recitation of Soorat al-Faatihah

For the Prophets (
)Soul

Question 62: As regard those who bequeath that the

Faatihah be recited on behalf of the Prophets soul, or on
his behalf by the Prophets grave?
The Answer: It is not binding to execute this bequest, because
it is a bequest of an unprescribed matter. For the Prophet (
)
does not prescribe for anyone to worship Allaah and then
dedicate the reward of worship to the Messenger (
). Since,
had this been prescribed, then the companions, may Allaah be
pleased with them, would have been the most preceding
people in attaining it. And also because the Prophet (
) is in
no need for this. For indeed there is no person who does a
righteous deed except that the Prophet (
) would have a
similar reward. Because he (
) is the one who has directed to
this, and, [as the Prophet (
) said]: The one who guides to what
92
is good is like the one who does it. So, this bequest is from the
foolish and futile actions as well as a bidah, something which
has not been reported from the righteous predecessors, may
Allaah be Pleased with them. And similarly if he said: Recite
the Faatihah on my behalf by the Prophets grave, then it is
not binding to fulfill this bequest. The reason for this is that
specifying a particular place for a particular worship not
prescribed by the shara, is from the bida as it is known in the
aforementioned discussion pertaining to the issue of

92

Reported by at-Tirmithee (no.2672, Arabic). And also in saheeh

Muslim: One who guides to something good has a reward similar to
that of its doer, vol.3, no.4665.

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175

93

Pursuance of the Messenger (
). And that the following of

the Messenger (
) cannot be achieved until the act of worship
agrees with the Shareeah in six matters: cause, type, extent,
manner, time, and place.
*******************
This is the end of the books section on the matters of
Creed. I thank Allaah, The Most High and Most Magnificent
for making this work possible, and I ask him to forgive my
sins and mistakes, and to forgive my parents, my family, and
my shaykhs,especially the author, shaykh Muhammad ibn
Saalih al-Uthaymeenand all the noble scholars of Islaam.
May Allaah grant the best of reward for its author, and that He
grants me a share of the reward for it, and that He gathers me
and him in the final domain where He Bestows honour, indeed
He is The Most Generous, The Most Beneficent Bestower.
All Praise is due to Allaah, The Rabb of all Creation, and may
He extol and send blessings of peace and safety upon our
Prophet Muhammad.
Saturday the 6th of Sha'baan, 1426 Hj.
Corresponding to the 10th of Sept. 2005.
The slave of Allaah
Saleh As-Saleh
93

See page section on Saved Group.

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Appendix
Definition of Taaghut
Taaghut: Derived from Tughyaan, exceeding the limits. So:
1. Whatever is worshipped instead of or to the exclusion of Allaah is a
Taaghut. So, any human being who is pleased to be set as an object of
worship is a Taaghut.
2. The one who exceeds the limits concerning following and obedience to
other than Allaah, and in setting others as rivals with Allaah, then himself
is a Taaghut.
3- Those who make Istihlaal, making the unlawful lawful or vice versa ,
and are obeyed for that are Taaghut, because they are being set as Lords
besides Allah. Here it must be known that obeying them on their Istihlaal
is divided into three categories:
(i) If the person obeys them while pleased and content by their saying,
giving precedence to their judgments, and discontent with Allaahs ruling,
then he is a kafir.
(ii) The person obeys them while accepting Allaahs ruling and knowing
that it is the best and the most fitting to man, but due to lowly desire in
himself he chooses otherwise. For example, he may be seeking a job, and
so forth. In this case it is not kufr, Rather he is a faasiq (rebellion,
disobedient).
(iii) The person obeys them due to ignorance, thinking that their rulings
are those of Allaahs. This is subdivided into two cases:
(a) The person is able to know the truth by himself, but he is negligent. In
this case he is sinful, because Allaah ordered to ask the people of
knowledge when matters are not known.
(b) The person is not knowledgeable and unable to learn but he follows
them by way of blind following believing that it is the truth. In this case
there is nothing upon him, i.e not held blameworthy. [ See Al-Qawlul
Muffed Alaa Kitaab at-Tawheed, by our Shayekh Muhammad bin Salih
Al-Uthaimeen, v.2, pp. 157-158, with slight adaptation].
4. It covers also all that which opposes Allaah's Judgment. And this is of
different levels and ranks. Some may lead to exiting the fold of Islam,
while others don't.

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177

Some examples on Taaghut: Those followed, like soothsayers, magicians,

and evil scholars, are Taaghut. Those pleased for being worshipped
besides Allaah, as well as idols, are Taaghut

Every Kufr is Taaghut, but not every Taaghut is Kufr

Here I relate a very important benefit explaining the issue of Taaghut
which is often misunderstood by enthusiastic young Muslims and it is by
Shayekh Sulaimaan Ibn Samhaan (rahimahullaah: may Allaahs Mercy
be upon him). He said: It should be known that the one who seeks
judgments from the Taaghut, or rules by other than Allaahs rule while
believing that (these) judgments are more perfect and better than the
Judgment of Allaah and His Messenger, then this is disbelief (Kufr
aqadi: pertaining to creed) that takes the person out of the fold of Islamas it is mentioned in the ten nullifiers of Islam. However, as to the one
who does not believe as such but resorted to the Taaghut judgment while
believing that it to be false, then this is of the practical type of disbelief
(Kuframali: lesser type that does not take the person from Islam). [See
Irshaadut Taalib Ilaa Ahamil Mataalib, p. 19.] In addition, anyone (ruler
or ruled) who equates the judgment of Allaah and His Messengers to that
of man, or believes that the rules of man are more fitting to our times than
the Islamic laws, commits Kufr [See Shayekh bin Baazs (rahimahullaah)
details on this matter in Qadiyyatu-t-Takfeer bayna Ahlis-sunnah wa
Ffiraqu-d-Dalaal, by Shayekh Saeed Ibn Wahf Al-Qahtaani, pp. 72-73.]
It is, therefore, concluded that the term Taaghut in itself does not
necessarily translate into major disbelief and apostasy, since every Kufr
is Taaghut, but not every Taaghut is Kufr. Imaam Ibnul Qayyim
(rahimahullaah) considered that figurative interpretations of Allaahs
Names and Attributes through scholastic ways, and giving precedence to
the intellect over the legal texts as Taaghuts (in as-Sawaaiq alMursalah, v.2, 632-633). Certainly, none considers every level of these
distortions as a major Kufr!!

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178

Very Important to Remember

(i) General Statements of Imputation of Kufr.

This is known as Itlaaq-ut-Takfeer: stating in the general sense, such as to

say, whoever does or says such and such,from what is known to be kufr
then he is a kafir.
(ii) Applicability on a particular person:
This is known at Takfeer-ul-Muayyan It is to impute what is generally stated
to be kufr on a particular person. This can be established only after conditions
of takfeer (imputing kufr), as well as all impediments which may hinder the
imputing of kufr are met.
(iii) Who Are the Ones who advise on these Enormous Matters?
The Imputation of kufr is very serious and it is not left for common Muslims or
the student of knowledge to decide. Surely the reliable scholars following the
path of the salaf are the ones who can advise concerning these immense issues.
So people should refrain and hold themselves so as not to hasten to impute kufr
on a particular person before the evidences are established and impediments are
removed.
And Allaah, the Most High, Knows best.
The slave of Allaah
Saleh As-Saleh

178