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What's So Special About Muharram? 1) It is the first month of the Hijri calendar. 2) It is one of the four sacred months concerning which Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): "Verily, the number of months with Allaah is twelve months (in a year), so it was ordained by Allaah on the Day when He created the heavens and the earth; of them, four are sacred. That is the right religion, so wrong not yourselves therein..." [al-Tawbah 9:36] Abu Bakr (may Allaah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (sa) said: 'The year is twelve months of which four are sacred, the three consecutive months of: Dhu'l-Qa'dah, Dhu'l-Hijjah and Muharram, and Rajab Mudar which comes between Jumaada and Sha'baan.' (Reported by al-Bukhaari, 2958). 3) The 10th of Muharram is the 'day of Ashura' Fasting the day of 'Ashoora' does expiate for the past year, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: 'For fasting the day of 'Ashura, I hope that Allah will accept it as expiation for (the sins committed in) the year that went before.' (Narrated by Muslim, 1162.) This is by the bounty that Allaah bestows upon us, whereby fasting one day expiates for the sins of a whole year. And Allaah is the Owner of great bounty. 4) Sins in this month are more serious, and good deeds bring greater reward It was reported that Ibn 'Abbaas said: Allaah's words (interpretation of the meaning):'so wrong not yourselves therein...'referred to all the months, then these four were singled out and made sacred, so that sin in these months is more serious and good deeds bring a greater reward. 5) Virtues of observing Nafl (voluntary fasts) Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: 'The Messenger of Allaah (sa) said: 'The best of fasting after Ramadaan is fasting Allaah's month of Muharram.' (reported by Muslim, 1982). InshaaAllah the day of 'Ashoora' is on Friday (18th Jan 2008), and those who intend to fast are required to fast Thursday (Jan 17th) or Saturday also (Jan 19th) - in order to avoid singling out the Friday for fasting. May Allah accept from us and you.. Adapted from Islam Q&A - Shaykh Muhammad Salih al-Munajjid (Courtesy of JustQuran / Blog) ![]()
Abu Usamah - Fiqh of Ashura ![]()
The Truth About The Islamic Month, Muharram ![]()
Tags: Figh
Shaykhul Islaam Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah
Reference: Taken from the book: Tools for the Patient & Provisions for the Thankful
Imaan is of two halves; half is patience (Sabr) and half is being thankful (Shukr). More than one from amongst the Salaf said: "Patience is half of Imaan."
Abdullaah bin Masood - radi Allaahu anhu – said: `Imaan is of two halves: half is patience and half is gratitude.`
This is why Allaah – Subhanahu – combines patience and being thankful in His saying: Truly, in this there are signs for every patient, thankful person[1]
As Allaah has mentioned in the verses of soorat Ha Mim `Ain Seen Qaaf 33, and soorat Saba 19, and in soorat Luqman 31. Indeed there are considerations which have been mentioned for these classifications of patience and gratitude:
The First Consideration
That Imaan is a definition for all sayings, actions and intentions. And this is divided into two divisions: performing righteous actions and leaving prohibitions; so doing an action is obedience to Allaah and that is the reality of Shukr. Leaving a prohibition is being patient in keeping away from sins, and all of the Deen is about these two aspects: doing that what you have been commanded to do, and leaving what you have been commanded to leave.
The Second Consideration
That Imaan is built upon two pillars: Yaqeen (certainty), and Sabr (patience). They are two pillars that are mentioned in His Ta`ala`s saying: And We made from among them (Children of Israel), leaders, giving guidance under Our Command, when they were patient and used to believe with certainty in Our Ayaat[2]
So with Yaqeen, the reality of commands and prohibitions is known, and the reality of reward and punishment is also known. With patience commands are carried out, and patience also stops a person from doing that which he has been prohibited from. He will not achieve true faith in fulfilling commands and keeping away from prohibitions, knowing these commands and prohibitions are from Allaah, nor will he achieve true faith of reward and punishment, except with Yaqeen (certainty).
It is not possible for the slave to remain steadfast upon carrying out commands, and stopping oneself from prohibitions except with patience, therefore patience becomes half of Imaan, and the second half of Imaan is being thankful, by carrying out what he has been commanded with, and leaving that which he has been prohibited from.
The Third Consideration
Imaan is sayings and actions. Sayings of the heart, and sayings of the tongue. Actions of the heart, and actions of the limbs.
The explanation of this is: whoever knows Allaah with his heart, and does not affirm it with his tongue then he cannot be a believer.
As Allaah said concerning the people of Pharaoh:
And they belied the Ayaat, wrongfully and arrogantly, though they themselves were convinced thereof [i.e. those (Ayaat) are from Allaah[3]
And like wise, Allaah said concerning the people of `Aad and the people of Salih : And `Ad and Thamûd (people)! And indeed (their destruction) is clearly apparent to you from their (ruined) dwellings. Shaytan made their deeds fair seeming to them, and turned them away from the Right Path, though they were intelligent.[4]
And Musa said to Pharaoh:
Musa said: `Verily, you know that these signs have been sent down by none but the Lord of the heavens and the earth as clear evidences[5]
So these people achieved the sayings of the heart: which are al-Ma`rifah (knowing) and `ilm (knowledge), but despite this they were not regarded as believers. Also, the person who says with his tongue that which is not in his heart is not regarded as a believer, but rather he is regarded as being from the hypocrites.
Also, the one who knows with his heart and affirms it with his tongue is not regarded as a believer with just that, until he performs actions of the heart from love and hate, friendship and hostility; so he loves for Allaah and His Messenger, and he has loyalty to the `Aawliyah (friends) of Allaah and he shows enmity to the enemies of Allaah, and he submits his heart to Allaah Alone. Submitting oneself to following His Messenger and obedience to Him (Allaah), and adhering to His Sharia` externally and internally, and if he does this, it is not sufficient for him to have complete Imaan until he does that what he has been commanded with.
So these four `Arkaan (pillars) are the `Arkaan of Imaan upon which Imaan is built, and it is: going back to knowledge and action, and abstaining from that which is prohibited, which is also regarded as action. Both knowledge and action cannot be achieved except with patience, so Imaan becomes two halves: one of which is patience, and the other which is the result of this patience, is knowledge and action.
The Fourth Consideration
The soul has two forces: a driving force, and a restraining force, and the soul is always going back and forth between the rules of these two forces; driven towards that which it loves, and abstaining from that which it dislikes. The whole of the Deen is based upon, motivating oneself and abstaining. Motivation towards obedience, and abstention from sinning against Allaah. It is not possible to achieve any of these except by patience.
The Fifth Consideration
The whole of the Deen is hope and fear, so the believer is one who has hope and fear. Allaah Ta`ala said: Verily, they used to hasten on to do good deeds, and they used to call on us in hope and in fear[6]
And in the supplication at the time of going to sleep, which Bukhari narrated in his `Saheeh`: `O Allaah, indeed I have submitted my self to You, and directed my face towards You, and entrusted my matters to You.`
So you will never find a believer except that he is one who has hope and fear. Hope and fear are not established except on the stalk of patience, so fear encourages him to be patience and hope steers him towards being thankful.
The Sixth Consideration
That everything that a slave is exposed to in this world, does not exclude that which will benefit him in this world and in the Hereafter, or that which will harm him in this world and in the Hereafter, or that which will benefit him in one of these two places, and harm him in the other. The noblest types of action that a person does are those that benefit him in the Hereafter, and he leaves the other world and leaves that which will harm him in it, and this is the reality of Imaan. Hence the action that benefits him is Shukr (thankfulness), and leaving that which harms him is patience.
The Seventh Consideration
That a slave cannot separate himself from an action that he does, nor a prohibition that he leaves, and destiny overtakes him. He has an obligation of three things, patience and thankfulness. So fulfilling that which you have been commanded to do is Shukr (thankfulness) and leaving prohibitions and being patient with your destiny, is patience.
The Eighth Consideration
Indeed the slave consists of two aspects which call him: an invitation that calls him to the Duniya and its worldly desires and delights. And an invitation that calls him to Allaah and the Hereafter, and that which has been prepared in it for the `Aawliyah of Allaah from amongst its everlasting blessings.
So the rebel of worldly passions and desires is Sabr, and that which responds to Allaah and the Hereafter is Shukr.
The Ninth Consideration
The Deen revolves around two fundamental principles: determination and perseverance. These are two principles which are mentioned in the hadeeth which has been narrated by Ahmad and an-Nisaee on the authority of the Prophet -sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam- `O Allaah verily I ask of You perseverance in my affairs, and determination in conduct.`[7]
The foundation of Shukr is the correctness of resolve, and the foundation of Sabr is the force of perseverance, so when a slave is supported with determination and perseverance, then he has indeed been supported with assistance and capability.
The Tenth Consideration
Indeed the Deen is built upon two foundations: Truth and patience, and both are mentioned in the saying of Allaah Ta`ala:
And they advise one another to the truth, and recommend one another with patience.[8]
So what it is required of the slave is to do actions truthfully with in himself, and implementing them amongst the people.
And this is the reality of Shukr, which is not possible for the slave unless he is patient upon it, and in doing that Sabr becomes half of Imaan.
And Allaah -Subhanahu Ta`ala- knows best.
Footnotes: [1] Ibrahim 14:5 [2] Sooratul as-Sajda 24 [3] Sooratul Naml 14 [4] Sooratul Ankaboot 38 [5] Sooratul Isra 102 [6] Sooratul Anbiyya 90 [7] As-Saheehah 3228 – Shaykh Albaani [8] Sooratul Asr 3
Tags: General
The Cistern and River of al-Kawthar
Muhammad Saalih al-Munajjid
Taken from Islam-qa.com
Praise be to Allaah, blessings and peace be upon the noblest of Allaah’s creation and upon his family and companions and those who follow him.
The word kawthar in Arabic refers to great abundance.
In Islamic terminology it has two meanings:
1 – It is a river in Paradise which Allaah has given to His Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). This meaning is what is meant in the verse where Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“Verily, We have granted you (O Muhammad) Al?Kawthar (a river in Paradise)”
[al-Kawthar 108:1]
This is how the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) interpreted it. It was narrated by Muslim in his Saheeh (607) that Anas (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: Whilst we were with the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), he dozed off then he raised his head and he was smiling. We said, “Why are you smiling, O Messenger of Allaah?” He said: “A soorah has been revealed to me.” And he recited (interpretation of the meaning):
“Verily, We have granted you (O Muhammad) Al-Kawthar (a river in Paradise)…”
[al-Kawthar 108:1]
to the end of the soorah. Then he said: “Do you know what is al-Kawthar?” We said: Allaah and His Messenger know best.” He said: “It is a river that my Lord has promised to me in which there is much goodness. And it is a cistern to which my ummah will come on the Day of Resurrection.”
Al-Tirmidhi (3284) narrated from Ibn ‘Umar (may Allaah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Al-Kawthar is a river in Paradise. Its banks are made of gold and its bed is of pearls and rubies…” al-Tirmidhi said: It is hasan saheeh; it was classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh Sunan al-Tirmidhi, 3/135.
2 – It is a great cistern – a tank for holding water – which will be set up in the place of gathering on the Day of Resurrection, to which the ummah of Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) will come. The water of this cistern will come from the river of al-Kawthar which is in Paradise, hence it is called the Cistern of al-Kawthar. The evidence for that is the hadeeth narrated by Muslim in his Saheeh (4255) from Abu Dharr, that “into the Cistern will flow two pipes from Paradise.” The apparent meaning of this hadeeth is that the Cistern will be next to Paradise so that the water from the river that is inside Paradise will be able to flow into it, as Ibn Hajar said in al-Fath 11/466. And Allaah knows best.
But is it only for the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) to the exclusion of other Prophets, or not?
With regard to the river of al-Kawthar from which water will flow into the Cistern, there is no report of any other Prophet having anything like it, apart from our Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). Allaah states that He has blessed him with it in Soorat al-Kawthar, so it is likely that this is only for our Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and not for any other Prophet.
With regard to the Cistern of al-Kawthar, it is well known among the scholars that it is only for our Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). Among those who stated this was al-Qurtubi in al-Mufahhim. But al-Tirmidhi (2367) narrated that Samurah said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Every Prophet will have a cistern and they will be looking to see who has the largest number of followers coming to him, and I hope that I will have the largest number.” All the isnads of this hadeeth are weak (da’eef), but some of the scholars ruled that it is acceptable because it has so many isnads, as al-Albaani said in al-Saheehah, 1589. Some of them ruled that it is weak (da’eef). Even if this hadeeth cannot be proven, it is not unlikely that the Cistern will also be only for our Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) to the exclusion of others. And Allaah knows best.
The characteristics of the river that is in Paradise and the Cistern that will be set up in the place of gathering were narrated in the saheeh Sunnah. The characteristics of the river of al-Kawthar that will be in Paradise include the following:
Al-Bukhaari narrated in his Saheeh from Anas (may Allaah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Whilst I was walking in Paradise, I saw a river whose banks were domes of hollow pearls.” I said, “What is this, O Jibreel?” He said: “This is al-Kawthar which your Lord has given to you.” The angel struck it with his hand and its mud or its perfume was of the most fragrant (or pure) musk.
In al-Musnad (12084) it was narrated from Anas (may Allaah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “I have been given al-Kawthar, and it is a river that flows on the face of the earth. Its banks are domes of pearls and it is not covered. I struck its dust with my hand and its dust was the most fragrant (or pure) musk, and its pebbles were pearls.” Classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in al-Saheehah, 2513.
According to another report narrated in al-Musnad (12827) also from Anas, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) was asked about al-Kawthar and he said: “That is a river which Allaah has given to me, in Paradise. It is whiter than milk and sweeter than honey, and in it are birds whose necks are like the necks of camels.” ‘Umar said: “Those are soft birds.” The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Eating them is even softer, O ‘Umar.” Classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Targheeb wa’l-Tarheeb, 3740.
With regard to the features of the Cistern that will be in the place of gathering, they include the following:
Al-Bukhaari (6093) and Muslim (4244) narrated that ‘Abd-Allaah ibn ‘Amr said: The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “My Cistern is (as big as) the distance of a month’s (journey). Its length and width are equal and its water is whiter than milk and its scent is better than musk. Its drinking vessels are like the stars of the sky and whoever drinks from it will never thirst again.”
In Saheeh Muslim (4261) it is narrated from Anas (may Allaah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “In it can be seen vessels of gold and silver whose number is as the stars of the sky.” According to another report, “More than the number of stars in the sky.”
It is also narrated in Saheeh Muslim (4256) from Thawbaan (may Allaah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) was asked about its drink and he said: “It is whiter than milk and sweeter than honey. Two pipes feed into it from Paradise, one of gold and the other of silver.”
There is no doubt among the scholars that the ahaadeeth about the Cistern reach the level of being mutawaatir (i.e., narrated by so many people from so many people that it is inconceivable that they could all agree upon a lie). It was narrated from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) by more than fifty of his companions. Al-Haafiz ibn Hajar listed the names of the Sahaabah who narrated these ahaadeeth in al-Fath (11/468). And al-Qurtubi said in al-Mufahhim Sharh Saheeh Muslim: “Every Muslim has to understand and believe that Allaah has singled out His Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) to be given the Cistern, the name and features of which and its drink are mentioned in the well known saheeh ahaadeeth which, when taken together, constitute definitive knowledge.
With regard to where the Cistern will be located in the land of gathering:
The scholars differed concerning this matter. Some said that it will be after the Siraat (bridge across Hell). Others said that it will be before the Siraat. This is the view of the majority and is more likely to be correct – and Allaah knows best – because some of those who come to it will be taken to Hell, and if it were after the Siraat they would not be able to reach it because they would already have fallen into Hell – we seek refuge with Allaah.
We must also draw attention to a very important and serious matter which is that not everyone who belongs to the ummah of Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) will attain the honour of drinking from the Cistern of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). The ahaadeeth clearly state that there are some people among this ummah who will be driven back harshly from the Cistern – we ask Allaah to keep us safe from that. Who are the ones who will drink and who are the ones who will be pushed away?
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) has answered this question clearly in such a way that no one has any excuse. Muslim narrated in his Saheeh (367) from Abu Hurayrah that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) came to the graveyard and said: “Peace be upon you, O habitation of believing people. We will join you soon, if Allaah wills. Would that we had seen our brothers.” They said, “Are we not your brothers, O Messenger of Allaah?” He said: “You are my companions. Our brothers are those who have not yet come.” They said: “How will you recognize those among your ummah who have not yet come, O Messenger of Allaah?” He said: “If a man has a horse with a white blaze and white feet among horses that are all black, don’t you think that he will recognize his horse?” They said: “Of course, O Messenger of Allaah.” He said: “They will come with white foreheads and white hands and feet because of wudoo’. I will have reached the Cistern ahead of them and men will be driven away from my Cistern as stray camels are driven away. (I will say), ‘Let them come,’ and it will said to me, ‘They changed after you were gone,’ so I will say, ‘Away with them!’”
In al-Bukhaari (6528) and Muslim (4243) it is narrated that Abu Haazim said: I heard Sahl say: I heard the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) say: “I will reach the Cistern ahead of you. Whoever comes to it will drink and whoever drinks from it will never thirst again. Some people will come to me whom I will recognize and they will recognize me, but then a barrier will be placed between me and them.” Abu Haazim said: al-Nu’maan ibn Abi ‘Ayyaash heard me narrating this hadeeth and said: “Is that how you heard Sahl say it?” I said, “Yes.” He said: “I bear witness that I heard Abu Sa’eed al-Khudri add: and he [meaning the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)] said: ‘They are from me.” And it will be said; “You do not know what they did after you were gone.” And I will say, “Away with those who changed after I was gone!”’”
It was narrated by al-Bukhaari (2194) and Muslim (4257) from Abu Hurayrah that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “By the One in Whose hand is my soul, I will drive men away from my Cistern as strange camels are driven away from a cistern.”
Al-Qurtubi (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: Our scholars (may Allaah have mercy on them) said: Everyone who apostatizes from the religion of Allaah or who introduces innovations with which Allaah is not pleased and did not give permission for is one of those who will be driven away from the Cistern. Those who will be most forcibly driven away will be those who differed from the majority of Muslims and split from them, such as the Khaarijis and Raafidis of all stripes, and the Mu’tazilis and anyone who followed their ways. The same applies to the evildoers and oppressors who tried to extinguish the truth and kill its followers and humiliate them, and those who openly committed major sins and took the matter of sin lightly, and all those who followed deviant whims and desires and innovation. Al-Tadhkirah by al-Qurtubi, 306.
So we must strive to follow the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and not go against him in any way, in the hope that Allaah will honour us by allowing us to drink from this blessed Cistern. Otherwise what regret can be greater than the regret of the one who is pushed away from before the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and suffers unbearable thirst but is not allowed to drink that cool water, then his loss is further compounded by the prayer of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) that he be driven far away? We seek refuge with Allaah. Imagine this torment – what if you were actually to experience it?
We ask Allaah to bless us and our Muslim brothers will guidance to follow the Sunnah and to avoid bid’ah (innovation) and sin. Ameen. Praise be to Allaah, the Lord of the Worlds.
See al-Qiyaamah al-Kubra, 257-262; al-Jannah wa’l-Naar, 166, 167 – both by Shaykh ‘Umar al-Ashqar. Fath al-Baari by al-Haafiz Ibn Hajar, 11/466.
Tags: Aqida
Author: Muhammad Bin Jameel Zainoo
Source: Al-Waasitah of Ibn TaymiyyahThe subject of intermediation between Allaah and the creation is an extremely important one. Unfortunately, many of the Muslims are ignorant of it. A result of this is that we have forbidden ourselves the help of Allaah and being strengthened by Him, something which He promised us, should we seek refuge in Him (alone) and follow his command.
Allaah the Exalted said: And it is a duty upon Us to help the Believers [Rum 30:47]
If you aid Allaah He will aid you and establish your feet firmly (upon the earth) [Muhammad 47:7]
And to Allaah, His Messenger and the Believers belongs the Honour [Munaafiqoon 63:8]
Mankind can be divided into three groups in terms of their understanding of how intermediation exists between Allaah and His creation.
THE FIRST: Those who reject that Allaah sent the Messenger (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam) as an intermediary to teach the Sharee'ah (Allaah's right to be worshipped alone, His commands and prohibitions and all the ways and means Allaah has legislated to help mankind achieve their purpose on this earth) and claim that this Sharee'ah is for the common people, naming it the External Knowledge. They depend upon opinions and dotings for their form of worship and have given it the name Internal Knowledge. They also call it Kashf (sudden enlightenment). In reality however, these are nothing but whisperings of Shaytaan and the satanic means and ways which are in opposition to the simplest pillar of Islaam! Their well known saying in this regard is: My heart informed me about my Lord.[1]
They ridicule the scholars of the Sharee'ah and criticise them because they claim theytake their knowledge 'from the dead'. As for themselves, they claim to take their knowledge (directly) with good tidings (i.e. they receive revelation) from the Ever-Living and Self-Sustaining. As a result of this they have put many to trial and have led them astray. They commit such actions which are in complete opposition to the Sharee'ah and which are can be found in their books, that the scholars have declared them to be disbelievers and also declared their blood to be lawful due to their apostacy; being ignorant or feigning ignorance of the first pillar principle of the Sharee'ah which is that whoever worships Allaah by something other than what was revealed to Muhammad is a Kaafir without a doubt, due to the saying of Allaah the Exalted:
But no by your Lord! They do not believe until they make you judge in all their disputes and then find no resistance in their souls to what you decide and offer their fullest submission [Nisaa 4:65]
As such, Shaytaan has made their actions alluring to them by corrupting their knowledge and extinguishing its light. As a result they travel in darkness upon darkness and resort to their desires and imaginations worshipping Allaah by them. They are those whom Allaah has described in the Qur'aan: Say: Shall we tell you of those who lose most in respect of their deeds?-Those whose efforts have been wasted in this life, while they thought that they were acquiring good by their works? They are those who deny the Signs of their Lord and the fact of their having to meet Him (in the Hereafter): Vain will be their works, nor shall We, on the Day of Judgment, give them any weight. [Kahf 18:103-105]
This group has also been divided into a number of factions each of them disagreeing and fighting with another due to their being far from the Straight Path, the Path of those whom Allaah has favoured, not of those upon whom is His anger nor of those who go astray. All of these groups are in the Fire like the Messenger (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam) mentioned: Ummah will split into 73 groups. Seventy two will be in the Fire and one in Paradise: (the one) which is upon what I and my companions are upon.orted by Abu Daawood, Tirmidhee and Nasaa'ee with an authentic chain of narration from Abu Hurairah]
THE SECOND:Then there are others who exaggerate in this intermediation. This particular understanding is one of error.They have made it carry a meaning which, in reality, it does not. They have taken the physical essence of the Messenger (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam) and others from among the prophets and righteous as intermediaries believing that Allaah the Exalted will not accept any action from His servants unless they approach Him through these intermediaries. Exalted is Allaah from what they say. They have described Allaah - and refuge is sought from Allaah - with something He refuses to be described with. It is the oppressive kings of this world who place barriers at their own doors so that none can enter (and converse with them or request from them) except he who has some sort of intermediary between himself and the king.
Where is this belief in the speech of Allaah:
When My servants ask You concerning Me, I am indeed close (to them): I listen to the prayer of every suppliant when he calls on Me: Let them also, with a will, Listen to My call, and believe in Me: That they may walk in the right way [Baqarah 2:186]
This noble verse indicates that the one and only intermediary for coming closer to Allaah the Exalted is correct and true Eemaan in Him, then worshipping Him by what He has commanded. This verse has placed the righteous action as being above Eemaan so as to make mankind aware of the significance of correct and righteous action and that it is a necessary condition for attaining success with Allaah's happiness and entering into His Paradise.
Allaah the Exalted has mentioned Waseelah (the means of getting closer to Him) in the Quran intending by it acts of obedience. This is the one intermediary which will bring you closer to Him, open up for you the doors of His Mercy and enter you into His Paradise.
O you who believe! Fear Allaah and seek the means of approach to Him and strive in His path in order that you may succeed [Maa'ida 5:35]
Allaah has mocked the unmindful ignorants who have taken the righteous servants of Allaah as intermediaries while these servants themselves are in need of the means of approach to Allaah. This the obedience which will bring them closer to Allaah. Their is no other path for attaining closeness to Him besides it just like Allaah the Exalted has mentioned:
Those whom they call upon do desire (for themselves) means of access to their Lord, - even those who are nearest: they hope for His Mercy and fear His Wrath: for the Wrath of thy Lord is something to take heed of. [Israa 17:57]
It is sad that out of neglecting the correct and righteous actions and committing sins, these unmindful people have been enticed into depending upon such intermediaries. This is what has caused the failure of those Muslims who have forgotten or affected ignorance of the speech of Allaah to His Messenger (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam) who is the leader of all the sons of Aadam:
Say: I have no control of benefit or harm over myself [A'raaf 7:188]
and also the saying of the Messenger (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam) to his daughter, the myrtle of his heart: "O Faatimah!... I can avail you nothing from Allaah." and his (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam) saying: "When a man dies his actions cease except for three: recurring charity, knowledge which he imparted and a son which supplicates for him."
If there had not been in the Qur'aan and the Sunnah proof of the impermissibility of seeking nearness to Allaah through the prophets and the righteous except that of Umar Ibn Al-Khattaab when he requested his uncle, Al-'Abbaas, to supplicate for the Muslims and abandoned Tawassul through the Messenger (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam) , it would be enough as a refutation against this group. How excellent is what Imaam Abu Haneefah said (rh): And I detest that Allaah should be asked (for something) except by Allaah (i.e. directly)ias occurs in Durr ul-Mukhtaar and other books of the Hanafees. If seeking nearness to Allaah by means of the bodies of those whom we have mention were permissible then we would have found supplications in the Qur'aan and the Hadeeth - and how great is their number - linked to making tawassul through them!
THE THIRD: Amongst the Muslims are those who understand intermediation between Allaah and His creation to be the Messengership, which consists of knowledge, education and training. They have comprehended its great importance and the extent of mankind's need for it. So they hurry towards the Messenger (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam) taking him as the greatest intermediary and means of approach for obtaining the Sharee'ah and seeking light (i.e. guidance) with the light of revelation. They study, together, the Messenger' Seerah and his Sunnah just as they study the Qur'aan, their motto being the call of Allaah the Exalted: There hath come to you from Allaah a (new) light and a perspicuous Book,- by which Allaah guides all who seek His good pleasure to ways of peace and safety, and leadeth them out of darkness, by His will, unto the light,- guideth them to a path that is straight. [Maaidah 5:17-18]
This group is the saved one which has been mentioned in the previous hadeeth and which has been given the glad tidings of Paradise.
It is unfortunate that the way of this group is full of harm. This is because the correct form of Islaam has become strange and the majority of Muslims have become distant from it and have turned to innovations and opinions.
The Messenger (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam) has informed us that the correct Deen is like a stranger to the people when he said: Indeed Islaam began as a stranger and shall return as a stranger just as it began, so Toobaa (a tree in Paradise) for the strangers. [Reported by Muslim from Abu Hurairah]. And in the narration of Imaam Ahmad and Ibn Maajah: It was then said: O Messenger of Allaah, who are the strangers? He replied: Those looked down upon in every tribe. And in the narration of Tirmidhee: So Toobaa for the strangers, those who rectify what the people have corrupted of my Sunnah. And also in the authentic narration of Imaam Ahmad the Messenger (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam) after being questioned as to who the strangers were, said: Righteous people amidst a majority of evil people. Those who disobey them are greater than those who obey them.
This group strives for the ways of correction and reform and carries the torch of revival so that the Muslims awaken and return to the correct form of Islaam. Let us say to those who turn away, to their own ruin, what Allaah has said to their equals:
"No reason have we why we should not put our trust on Allaah. Indeed He Has guided us to the Ways we (follow). We shall certainly bear with patience all the hurt you may cause us. For those who put their trust should put their trust on Allaah" [Ibraaheem 14:12]
Footnotes
1. Ibn al-Qayyim said: He (Shaikhul Islam) said: And as for what many of the people of imaginations and foolishness say: Haddathanee qalbi an Rabbi (My heart informed me of my Lord) then it is correct that his heart informed him. However from whom? His Shaytaan or from His Lord? When he says: My heart informed me about my Lord he is ascribing this informing to someone about whom he does not know whether he actually informed him or not. And this is a lie. He said (Shaikhul- Islam): And the muhaddath of this Ummah (i.e. Umar ibn Al-Khattab) [referring to the hadeeth in Bukhaaree: Indeed in the nations before you there were muhaddathoon (people who were spoken to) and if there was one in this Ummah it would be Umar Ibn al-Khattab] never used to say this and this saying [my heart informed me of my Lord] was never uttered by him on a single day. Allaah protected him from saying that. In fact his scribe wrote one day: This is what Allaah showed to the Ameer ul-Mumineen, Umar ibn al-Khattab. So he (Umar said: No. Erase it and write: This is what Umar ibn al-Khattab saw. If it is correct it is from Allaah and if it is wrong then it is from Umar and Allaah and His Messenger are free from it. And he said: I speak about it with my opinion. If it is correct it is from Allaah and if it is wrong it is from me and Shaytaan. So this the saying of al-Muhaddath (i.e. Umar) who has the testification of the Messenger (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam) and you will see the Ittihaadi (believing in the Divine Union) and the Hulooli (believing in the inclusion of Allaah in His creation or parts of His creation) and the licentious unrestrained strayer giving rise to forgery saying: My heart has informed me about My Lord.
So look at these two sayings (that of Umar and that of those claiming to receive knowledge of Allaah direct, from their hearts) and these two grades, those who say both these sayings (i.e. Umar and those making this claim) and these two states (that of Umar and of those besides him) and give every owner of a right his due right and do not make the counterfeit/imposter and the sincere the one and the same thing.
Madaarij us-Saalikeen (1/64)
Tags: Aqida
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