Supplicating to Righteous Individuals

Bismillah

Taken from “An Explanation of Aspects of the days of Ignorance” of the Imaam and Mujaddid Muhammad Bin ‘Abdil-Wahaab[d.1206H] Explained by Shaikh Saalih bin Fawzaan al-Fawzaan

The First Aspect: Supplicating to Righteous Individuals

[1] They performed worship by mixing righteous people into their supplication and worship of Allaah. They only did this desiring that these (righteous people) act as intercessors for them before Allaah, based on their notiont hat Allaah loved this and that these righteous people loved Him. Allaah says: “And they worship besides Allaah things that harm them not nor profit them, and they say: ‘These are our intercessors with Allaah.” [Surah Yoonus:18]

And He says: “And those who take associates apart from Him (say): ‘We worship them only so that they may bring us nearer to Allaah.” [Surah az-Zumar:3]

This is the greatest of matters that the Messenger of Allah salalahu alayhi wa salam opposed them in. So he brought sincerity (i.e. doing deeds sincerely for Allaah alone and not for anyone else) and informed that it was the religion of Allah, which all the Messengers were sent with. And he informed us that no deeds are accepted (by Allaah), except those done sincerely (for Him alone). And he salalahu laayhi wa salam informed that whosoever does what these (polytheists) approved of, then Allaah has forbidden paradise for him and his final destination will be the hellfire.

It is due to this aspect that mankind becomes divided into Muslims and disbelievers. And it is due to it that enmity (between the two) occurs. ANd it is for this purpose that Jihaad was legislated, as Allaah says:

“And fight them (disbelievers) until there is no more fitnah (evil/disbelief) left, and the religion is for Allaah alone.” [Surah al-Anfaal:39]

-the Explanation-

Allaah says: 

“And I did not create the Jinn and mankind except that they should worship Me.” [Surah adh-Dhaariyaat:56]

Worship is the right of Allaah – It is not permissible that someone else be worshipped along with Him regardless of who it may be. However, the people of the Days of Ignorance did the opposite of this, for they abandoned worshipping Allaah, which was the reason why they were created. Instead of worshpping Allaah, they worshipped statues, trees, rocks, jinn, angels, “saints”, and righteous people. So they directed their worship to otehr than Allaah. Among them were those who did not worship Allaah at all. These were the disbelievers, such as the athiests and the Dahriyyah. And among them were those who worshipped Allaah as well as other gods along with Him. But the ruling with regard to both of these types is one and the same. The one who worships others along with Allaah is just like one who doesnt worship Allaah at all. This is since his worship is in vain. Allaah is not pleased with Shirk (associating partners in worship with Him). Likewise, the deed must be in accordance with what Allaah has legislated. So Allah do not accept the  deed that has innovation in it, just as He does not accept the deed that has polytheism in it. So the greatest aspect of the Days of Ignorance was Associating partners in worship with Allaah and innovating into the Religion.

The author, may Allaah have mercy on him, began with this aspect since it was the most dangerous characteristic of the people of the Days of Ignorance. ANd it is also because it was the first thing that the Messenger of Allaah salalahu alayhi wa salam began with-rejecting it and calling the people to abandon it. So the first thing the Messenger of Allaah salalahu alayhi wa salam began with-as did all of the other prophets0 was the command to make all of the worship sincerely and exclusively for Allaah alone and to abandon the worship of everything besides Him. This is the beginning of the call of the Messengers, since this is the foundation uponw hich everything else is built on. If the foundation is corrupt, there is no benefit in all of the other things that come after it-there is no benefit in the prayer, fasting, hajj, charity or any of the other forms of worship. So long as the foundation is corrupt and one is lacking Tawheed, there is no benefit in all of the other good deeds, since Shirk (associating partners in worship with Allaah) has nullified and invalidated them.

During the Days of Ignorance, the people would worship Allaah and many other things along with Him, amongst which was the worship of righteous and pious individuals, as occured with the people of Nooh (alayhi salam) when they went to extremes with regard to their righteous people- Wadd, Suwaa’, Yagooth, Ya’ooq and Nasr. They worshipped their graves apart from Allaah using the excuse that htey were righteous people and they sought nearness to Allaah through them and that they would intercede before Allaah on their behalf.

This is how the people of the Days of Ignorance gradualy began to fall into Shirk. SO they would worship the righteous and pious people as well as the angels. And they would say: “We only worship them so that they may bring us closer to Allaah.” And they would say: “They will intercede for us before Allaah.” They would not say: “They are partners in worship with Allaah.” Rather, they would say: “They are only devout worshippers of Allaah who serve as intermediaries for us before Allaah, and they will intercede on our behalf and draw us nearer to Him.” They would not call this action of theirs Shirk, since the Devil had made it appear to them that it wasn’t Shirk, but rather they would call it “seeking nearness to Allaah” through the intermediation and intercession of righteous people. Consideration is not given to names but rather to the facts. So this act of theirs is shirk even if they call it “intercession” or “nearness.” It is in fact Shirk. Using different names does not change the reality of something.

to be continued Inshaallaah

Falsehood of Tafweed al-Manawiyah

To Believe In the meanings and Rulings Indicated by the Texts of the Names and Attributes

 

Thus, the Salaf believe in the Names and Attributes of Allah and in the meanings and rulings indicated by them, as for their true nature, they entrust this knowledge to Allah.

 

They are free of what the Mu’attilah accused them of; they alleged taht the Salaf believe in the words of the texts concerning the Names and Attributes but that they entrust the knowledge of their meanings to Allah.

 

This claim is ignorance of the Salaf, for they possessed the greatest understanding and contemplation of the ayat of the Book and the ahadith of the Prophet salalahu alayhi wa salam, especially with respect to the knowledge of Allah (Ta’ala)

They understood the meaning of what they read and of the knowledge they possessed, but they did not concern themselves with the ghayb, which is barred from them. They did not delve into the nature of the Attributes, which was the case of the people of Kalam and innovations.

 

As a result, when these people did delve into the issue of the essence of Allah and His Attributes, they committed ta’wil and ta’til. The reason which caused them to do so was the constriction that they felt as a result of tashbih. They sought to flee from it and thus, ended up committing ta’til. Ta’til has always been committed as a result of tashbih.

 

If only they had initially exalted Allah above any similarity to His creation and affirmed the Attributes whilst negating any likeness, they would have escaped and succeeded as well as agreed with the belief of th Salaf and come to realize that the Salaf were not (mere) carriers of scrolls the contents of which they did not understand.

One who contemplates the statements of the famous Imams of the Salaf in this realm will realise that they ahd the most precise insight and were the most knowledgable in this area, and that those who opposed them did not understand the reality of the statements of the Salaf and the Imams. This is why those who differed (from them) became rivals to each other with regard to the Book and stood in opposition to the Book.

 

Allah (ta’ala) has said:

 

“And verily, those who disputed in the book are far away in opposition.
 (Surah al-Baqarah 2:176) [Dar’ al-Ta’arud al-‘Aql wa al-Naql, 2/301]

 

Anyonewho has read the statements of the Salaf that are recorded in the books of belief, tafsir and hadith concerning discussing the texts that mention the Attributes, will know that the Salaf discussed the meanings of the Attributes, explained them and did not remain silent about them. These statements stand as the greatest testimony to the understanding of the Salaf ont he meaning of the Attributes and to their belief in them.

 

Taken from “Tawhid of Allah’s Most Beautiful Names and Lofty Attributes” By Muhammad Ibn Khalifah al-Tamimi [Al=Hidaayah Publishing and Distribution]

Accept the Reports As They Are

Bismillah

Taken from (The Creed of the Pious Predecessors-The People of Hadeeth) by The Great Imaam Aboo ‘Uthmaan Ismaa’eel ibn ‘Abdur-Rahmaan As-Saaboonee (rahimahullah) [Masjid Ibnu Taymeeyah Publication]

Chapter 7

The Position of the Salaf (Regarding These Narrations)

72. Yazeed ibn Haroon related in a meeting a hadeeth of Ismaa’eel ibn Abee Khaalid, from Qais ibn Abee Haazim, from Jareer ibn ‘Abdullah, that the Messenger of Allah salalahu alayhi wa salam said:

“Indeed you will see your Lord, like you see the full moon.” [Related by Ibn Khuzaimah in Kitaab ut-Tawheed 1:407-411]

So a man in the meeting said to him: ‘O Aboo Khaalid, what is the meaning of this hadeeth?’ He in reply got angry and said:

“How great is your resemblance to Sabeegh and how great is your need for that which was done to him. Woe be to you, and who knows how it will be? For who is it permissible to transgress this statement which the Hadeeth came with or to speak about it from one’s own desires, unless it be the one who ridicules himself and belitles his religion. Whenever you hear a hadeeth from the Messenger of Allah (salalahu alayhi wa salam), follow it and do not innovate in it. Indeed if you follow it and do not dispute about it, you will be saved. If not you will be destroyed.”

73 The story of Sabeegh which Yazeed ibn Haaroon referred to when he said:

“How great is your resemblance to Sabeegh and how great is your need for that which was done to him.”

It is related by Yahya ibn Sa’eed from Sa’eed ibn al-Musayyab: That Sabeegh at-Tameemee came to the chief of believers, ‘Umar ibn al-Khattaab radiallahu anhu, and said: ‘O chief of the believers, tell me about the verse:

“The Dhaariyaat that scatter dust”

He replied: “It is the winds and if I had not heard the Messenger of Allah salalahu alayhi salam say so, I would not have said it.” Sabeegh said:

‘So tell me about the verse:

“And they bear the heavey weight of water”

He replied: “It means the clouds, and If I had not heard the Messenger of Allah salalahu alayhi wa salam say so, I would not have said it.” Sabeegh said:

“So tell me about the verse:
“And those who distribute by command.”

He replied: “It means the Angels, and If I had not heard the Messenger of Allah salalahu alayhi wa salam, say so, I would not have said it.” Sabeegh said:

“So tell me about the verse:

“And those which float with ease”

He replied:
“It means the ships, and If I ha dnot heard the Messenger of Allah salalahu alayhi wa salam say so, I would not have said it.”

Then ‘Umar (radiallahu anhu) ordered the man to be whipped one hundred times. Then he was confined to a room. When he had recovered, he was called for and he was whipped again one hundred times until he was carried away on a saddle. Then ‘Umar wrote to Aboo Moosa al-Ash’aree (radiallahu anhu) stating that he, (Sabeegh) was to be prevented from attending the meetings of the people. That remained the case, until Sabeegh came to Aboo Moosa and swore that there was not anything in him now from what was in himbefore. So Aboo Moosa wrote to Umar, who replied: I think that he has indeed spoken the truth so let him with with the people.
[Related by al-Bazzaar 299, Ibn Katheer in his Tafseer 7:390 and Ibh Hajar in al-Isaabah 2:199. Al-Aajuree says in ash-Sharee’ah p.74 “The man was whipped because he used to seek the interpretation of the unclear verses of the Quraan (the mutashaabih) and he used to busy himself with knowledge which was not beneficial.” )

Creed of ahluh Hadeeth on Attributes

The Creed of the People of Hadeeth by Aboo Uthmaan Ismaa’eel ibn Abdur Rahmaan as-Saaboonee’s

The Creed of the People of Hadeeth Regarding the Attributes of Allah

With Allah lies all success. Indeed the People of Hadeeth are those who adhere to the Qur’an and Sunnah-may Allaah protect those of them who are alive and have mercy on those who have passed away. They bear witness to the unity of Allaah, the Most High, and to the message and prophethood of the Messenger (Salalahu alayhi wa salam). They know their Lord, the Most Mighty and the Most Majestic, through those Attributes which He has mentioned in His revelation which He has sent down, or which His Messenger (salalahu alayhi wa salam) attested to in the authentic ahaadeeth which have been related by the precise and trustworthy ones from him.

They affirm what Allaah, the Most Majsetic, has affirmed for Himself in His book or through the tongue of His Messenger, (Salalahu alayhiw a salam). They do not believe in comparing His Attributes with those of His creation. They say: He created Adam (alayhis salam) with His Hands Just as He, the One free of all defeciencies mentions:
“He said: O iblees what prevented you from prostrating before that which I have created with My Two Hands.”[1]

They do not change the meaning from its place, by saying His Two Hands mean His Two bounties or His two powers like the tahreef of the Mu’tazilah and the Jahmiyyah, may Allaah destroy them. They do not ask nor think as to how they may be. They do not liken them to the hands of the creation like the Mushshabihah do, may Allaah humiliate them.

Allaah, the Most High, has protected Ahl- us-sunnah from all tahreef (distrortion), tashbeeh(comparison) and takyeef (asking how). He has blessed themw ith knowledge and understanding so that they may traverse the paths of Tawheed and Tanzeeh (elevating Allah and exalting Him Above defects and deficiencies). They ahve abandoned all defective statements and comparison. They follow what Allaah, the Most Mighty and the Most Majecstic, has said:
“There is nothing like Him and He is the All Hearing, the All Seeing.” [2]

And just as the two Hands of Allah are mentioned in the Qur’aan:

“But His Two Hands are outspread. He spends as He pleases.” [3]

The Hand is mentioned in the authentic ahaadeeth of the Messenger of Allaah,(salalahu alayhi wa salam), like in the debate of Moosa (alayhis salam) had with Adam(Alayhis salam):

“Allaah created you with His Hand and the Angels prostrated to you.”[4]

————————————————————————–
[1] Sooratas-Saad: 38:75

[2] Sooratash-Shuraa: 42:11

[3] Sooratul-Maa’idah: 4:64

[4] Related by Muslim (2652)

Methodology of Those who Deny Attributes

The Methodology of Those Who Deny Allaah’s Attributes

The methodology of those who deny Allaah’s Attributes indicate and necessitate many false allegations against the sources of Islaam and its people. From these allegations are the following:

Firstly: This methodology alleges that the Qur’an and Sunnah both have explicitly come with kufr (disbelief) and openly call to it. This is because they are both full of affirmations and proof of Allaah’s Attributes-those very attributes that these people claim that by affirming them, one is making Tashbeeh (declaring that Allah is similar to something else) and kufr.

Secondly: Their methodology alleges that neither the Qur’aan nor the Sunnah clarified the truth because the truth, as they understand it, is the negation of the attributes and there is no text or apparent meaning withing the Qur’aan or sunnah that negates the Attributes of perfection from Allah.

Most of those who pretend to have knowledge from these people derive and reason out their claim based upon proofs such as Allaah’s statement,

“Do you know any similarity to Him?” (19:65)

And His Statement (Subhanahu wa ta ala)
“And there is nothing equal to Him” (112:4)

And it is well-known to anyone with an intellect that what is meant by the likes of these texts is the affirmation of the perfection of Allaah, and there is nothing similar to Him regarding His Attributes. And there is no way they could indicate a negation of His Attributes. No doubt, that whoever tries to prove to people the negation of Allaah’s Attributes with the likeness of this speech; then it is either, vague, deceitful, or incapable of clarifying the true meaning. All of these are impossible regarding the speech of Allah (aza wa jal) or the Messenger (Salalahu alayhi wa salam). Both of their speech is comprised of the most eloquent of clarity and intention. There is no agenda within it to misguide the creation and confuse them with obscurities.

Thirdly: This methodology also alleges that the first and foremost predec essors from the Muhaajiroon, Ansaar, and those who followed them in righteousness all used to propagate falsehood while concealing the truth, or they were all ignorant of the truth. This is because so many chains have reported the belief of affirming the Attributes of perfection to Allaah from them. It is this very belief that these deniers claim to be falsehood. None of them (the salaf) have ever said a single statement in support of negating the attributes- the very belief these deniers claim to be the truth. This allegation is unthinkable regarding the best generation and the best of this Ummah.

Fourthly: Another false allegation of these deniers is that if Allaah is not described with attributes of perfection, then He must be described with those deficiency, for everything present must have charactersitics. Therefore, the matter is turned against these deniers as they fall into a greater evil than that which they flee from.
(Explanation of a Summary of Al-‘Aqeedatul-Hamawiyyah of Ibn taymiyah rahimahullah by Imaam Muhammad ibn Saalih al-Uthaymeen rahimahullah