The Main Purpose of This Manual 15

The Stances of the Four Imams It is quite appropriate to quote here some of the Imam's

statements that may be a lesson for those who follow them blindly, and consider their statements as binding as the revelation. Allah says:

Follow that which has been sent down to you from your Rubb, and do not follow supporters other than Him.

How little do you remember!(!)

Abu Hanifah: The first of the four Imams, Abu Hanifah, an-Nu'man b.

Thabit, may Allah grant him mercy, said: 1 - If the hadith is proven to be authentic then I hold it as my

madth 'hab. (2)

2 - It is unlawful for anyone to use my statements without knowing the textual proofs upon which I based them.P)

3 - If I make a statement which contradicts the Book of Allah, and the Sunnah of the Messenger, then discard my statement.(4

)

Malik b. Anas: I am only a human, I may say the right thing, and I may err.

Check out my sayings; whatever agrees with the Book and the Sunnah, take it, and reject that which does not.CS)

There is no one other than the Prophet, but whose sayings are not subject to error. Some of which may be accepted and some rejected.(6

)

Ash-Shati'ee: There is no one but missed some of the Prophetic traditions.

(1) Q. 7:3 (2) Ibn Aabideen, ai-Hashiyah, vol.l, p.63. (3) Ibn Abdulburr, ai-Intiqa', p.l45. (4) Al-Fullani, ai-Eeqadth, p.50. (5) Ibn Abdulburr, al-jami', vol.2, p.32. (6) Ibid.

16 The Main Purpose of This Manual

Whatever statement I make, rule or deduce which does not conform with the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah, then reject it. The right thing is what the Messenger of Allah ~ said, and I adopt it as mine.<t)

If the hadith is proven to be authentic then it is my madth 'hab(2)

The Muslims are agreed that he to whom a Prophetic tradition becomes clear, should not disregard it in favor of any opinion. (3)

Ahmad: He who rejects a hadith of the Messenger of Allah ~ stands

on a brink of destruction.<4l

It is for the sake of the Muslim solidarity that all acts of worship, transactions, civil statutes and other aspects of human life must conform with the Sunnah of the Prophet ~· Allah commands:

Nay, by your Rubb, they shall never be true believers until they set you a judge in their disputes, and then find in their hearts no inconvenience concerning that which decide and submit with full submission.<5 l

And He says: Let those who disobey his command beware lest a trial afflict

them, or suffer a grievous punishment.Col The true Muslim is the one who submits to Allah willingly

and takes Muhammad ~. as his best example to follow in every aspect of life.

(I) ai-Hakim. (2) a!-Full ani p.lOO. (3) Ibn ai-Qayyim, I'lam ai-Muwaqqi'een, vol.2, p.361. (4) Ibid. (5) Q. 4:65 (6) Q. 24:63

Book I: The Aqeedah 17

Book I The Aqeedah rcreedJ

The Importance of Aqeedahm

The Pious Predecessors were very particular about uphold­ing the sound aqeedah, because it brings the Muslims together, and safeguards them against shirk (polytheism) and deviation. It also establishes justice. The Companions of the Messenger ~ set an example for future generations to follow in terms of sacrificing their lives defending the aqeedah, preaching and promoting it.

The aqeedah makes the Muslims more attached to the Messenger of Allah ~ and his Companions, with whom Allah is pleased. Allah commands the latter generation of Muslims to follow their footsteps, and adhere to their faith, in order to be safe from falling into the traps of deviant sects. Allah says:

Those who believe and do not contaminate their faith with shirk; it is those who will enjoy security, and it is

they who are the well-guided. (Z)

Ibn Kathir(3) commented on this ayah saying:

This ayah refers to those who dedicate worship to Allah alone, sincerely without ascribing a partner to Him. They are the well-guided in this world, and the secured on the Day of Resurrection. The Prophet ~ said: "He who meets Allah ascribing no partner to Him shall be admitted to Jannah. "(4

)

( I) /lqeedah, a doctrine upon which one's mind is fully settled or determined; or to which one holds, or a firm belief, in this case the aqeedah of tawheed signifies the belief that Allah is the One, and Only One Who is worthy of being worshipped.

(2) Q. 6:82 (3) A prominent Qur'anic exegete of the 7th century of Hijrah. He is known

with his renowned exegesis Tafseer al-Our'an al-Adtheem. (4) Ahmad & Ibn Majah.

18 Book I: The Aqeedah

Shaikhul-Islam b. Taymiyyah(l) said in his comment on this hadith:

This applies to him who professes it, and dies while believing in it. The promise in this hadith is conditional, that is, to profess it sincerely from his heart, truthfully and certainly, because the essence of tawheed makes the soul attracted to Allah, the Exalted. Hence, he who testifies sincerely that there is no true god except Allah, he shall be admitted to Jannah. This can be achieved by repenting sincerely from all sins. If one dies in this condition, he shall certainly receive that promise.

It is authentically reported that Allah will finally remove from the Fire anyone who professed the Testimony of Faith, and anyone in whose heart is a grain's weight, or a mustard seed's weight, or an ant's weight of iman.

There are other authentic traditions that promise deliver­ance to anyone who professes the Testimony of Faith, provided he does so sincerely. Sincerity and strong faith efface sins as daylight effaces the darkness of the night.

The Tawheed

The Pillars of Islam Umar b. ai-Khattab, may Allah be pleased with him, said: I heard the Messenger of Allah ~ , say: "Islam is based on five: The testification that there is no true god except Allah, and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, and the performance of Salat, and giving out the Zakat, and the performance of the Ha.ij, and the Sawm (fasting) of Ramadhan. (Z)

(1) Shaikhui-Islam, Taqiyud-Deen Ahmad b. Tayimiyyah. He was born in Harran, Syria, in 10, or 12th of Rabi I, 661 H. He is considered as the revivalist of the 7th Century. His works count between 300-500 volumes in various religious topics, the most renowned of which are Majmoo' al­Fatawa, 37 volumes.

(2) AJ-Bukhari & Muslim.

Hook I: The Aqeedah 19

The meaning of the Testimony of Faith

It is the word to which all Messengers invited their people. It comprises the denial of all false deities, and restricting divinity to Allah alone as the only true God. Allah says:

..... ..... J.. ,_

~~~ ~~ _; ~l :Jl -~ ~; '~l W~t And your God is only One God. There is no true God

except He. (Il

Shaikh bin Baz,(2) may Allah preserve him, elaborated on the meaning of the Testimony of Faith saying: "The word, 'true' must be added because it reveals the falsehood of all gods that arc being worshipped besides, or to the exclusion of Allah, and it also signifies that the God who is worshipped in truth is Allah alone. A number of scholars such as Shaikhul-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah, his student, Ibn ul-Qayyim, and others have emphasized this fact which is proven by the words of Allah:

"'-~t :i ........ ,. _. / )-,. / 4"~/ -!.--"'..; ,..,. -; ... hf / ..... ~ "'C~I J""' <~_p ~ _;_;_;y4 l. ,_:_,~ _y..ll _,.& 4-ul _:..,'t C!...IJ> 7

That is because it is Allah alone Who is the true God, and whatever they worship beside Him are false. (JJ

This includes all gods that people worship beside, or to the exclusion of Allah, whether human, angels, jinn or any other creatures. That is why the pagans refused to profess this Testimony because they knew that it denounced their false gods."(4)

Shaikhul-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah said: Allah has created the creatures for His worship which

comprises knowing Him, depending on Him, loving Him, and sincere devotion to Him. Their hearts acquire tranquillity by remembering Him, and their eyes will be delighted by seeing Him on the Day of Resurrection, for nothing of what He will

(1) Q_ 2:163 (2) Sh. Abdul-Aziz b_ Baz is the Mufti of Saudi Arabia. (3) Q_ 31:30 ( 4) Abdul-Aziz b_ Baz, annotations on the al-Aqeedah at-Tahawiyyah.

20 Book 1: The Aqeedah

give them is more delightful to them than seeing Him_(I)

The Prophet ~ , 'asked Mu'adth b. Jabal: "Do you know what is the right of Allah upon his slaves? Mu'adth said: "Allah and His Messenger know best. He said: The right of Allah upon His slaves is that they should worship Him ascribing no partner to Him. Do you know what is the right of the slaves upon Allah when they fulfill His right? He said: "Allah and His Messenger know best. He said: "Their right is that He would not punish them.

The Tawheed, or the belief in the Oneness of Allah is a tri­dimensional aspect. It comprises Tawheed ar-Ruboobiyyah, Tawheed al-Uloohiyyah, and Tawheed: al-Asmaa' was-Sifaat.

1 - Tawheed ar-Ruboobiyyah(2)

The belief that Allah alone is the Rubb(3) Who creates, and

handles the affairs of His creatures, and that He revives the dead, causes death, and extends benefits and wards-off evil. No one denies this type of Tawheed; even the Mushriks (pagans) recognized this type of Tawheed. Allah says:

: ~::l\"~' .// /,/·i.J\"' ~:"'1\ :~~·/ .~1 ·~))!"' ;~1 ~- t'~"·/ ./ i~~ ~ l..r' r:f- 0-'J ~ 'J c- ~ .:r <..'f.J 'J / ~ r-'.Jf. iJ' <.J"7

/ ,., J. {;._.. [. .... J. n~.._/ ,.,,.. , ........ " J"'"'i ,...1,.,..,., ., .... ,., ,_.,., // ,.. .. , _,....... ,---.~ ... ,. • ,. _ .. .,r ... ,.;p >\.j\ j.;j ..u uy~ v':ll .1,:~ irJ ~\ ~ . ~ I Gf'.'J ~\ Say, 'Who provides you from the heavens and the earth? Or who controls the hearing and the sights? And who brings forth the living from the dead, and who brings the dead from the living? And who handles all affairs?

They will say, Allah'(4l.

The recognition of this Tawheed is inherent in man's nature. Only an atheist denies it. (1) Shaikhul-Islam, Ibn Taymiyyah, Majmu' al-Fatawa, vol.l. (2) The state, or quality of the Rubb. (3) Some translate the term 'Rubb' into 'Lord', the meaning of 'Rubb' is far

more comprehensive than to be restricted to a single word such as 'lord'. Rubb, means, among other things, the Creator, the Sustainer, the Provider, and the One in whose hands is the disposal of all affairs.

(4) Q. 10:31

/look 1: The Aqeedah 21

2 - Tawheed al-Uloohiyyah0 )

The belief that Allah alone deserves to be worshipped, that is; all acts of worship must be dedicated to Him alone as ~ignified by the Testimony of Faith. That is why the pagans refused to profess it because they knew professing it meant denying all false gods that they were worshipping. They wondered in denial:

<(::.ce :.0 1b. ~~ ~; ~l 4:if' ~~ Does he make the gods as one God. This is indeed

amazing. (2)

The first command given in the Qur'an is:

.sJI 0)!.i p::.w ~ ~ ~J~ ~ .sJI N~ ~~~ .;81 li~~ ~ <~ (f~ :~ ;ur ~ j_)\_; rs, :d~ t::.) J.}Ir (SJ ~

~~;J·;; ;~; ~~~::.J A 9 :i '5G fJ ~s~ ~~~ 0 people, worship your Rubb Who created you and those

who were before you that you may guard yourselves. Who made the earth a bed for you, and the heaven as a

roof, and He sends down water from the clouds, and therewith brings forth fruits as sustenance for you,

therefore, do not set up rivals to Allah while you know (all this.)(3 l

He who testifies that there is no true god except Allah, denounces worshipping anything or anyone other than Allah. Therefore, he who professes this Testimony, believes in it, knows its meaning, acts in accordance with its requirements that denounce shirk and ascertains the Oneness of Allah is the true Muslim. Whereas, he who utters it and acts in accordance with its requirements without believing in it is a hypocrite. And he who utters it and contradicts it by polytheistic actions is a kafir regardless of how often he utters it. Of such are the grave

(I) Uloohiyyah, Divinity, or the state, or quality of Allah. (2) Q. 38:5 (3) Q. 2:21,22

22 Book 1: The Aqeedah

worshippers who utter it neither understanding its meaning nor having it affect their behavior.

3- Tawheed al-Asma' was-Sifaat0 J

Believing in and ascertaining what Allah has described Himself with, and what His Messenger ~, has attributed to Him without drawing similarity or parallels between the attributes of Allah and those of His creatures, and without suspending, distorting, or denying the meaning of His names and attributes. Allah says:

,( ~~ ~~~~ /'/ f . -;: <~ /1J.. "\ - / . ~ .Y".J .......J"" // / I.Y"!''T

There is none like unto Allah; and He is the Hearer, the Seer.<2 l

Tawheed ar-Ruboobiyyah necessitates the belief in Tawheed al-Uloohiyyah, that is, whoever believes in Allah as the Rubb, as described above, confesses by necessity, that no one deserves to be worshipped except Allah, and he therefore calls on Allah alone, seeks His help, trusts Him alone, and dedicates the legitimate acts of worship to Him alone.

The Conditions of the Shahadah

The Shahadah, or the Testimony of Faith has certain conditions that must be fulfilled in order to deliver one who professes it on the Day of Resurrection. These conditions are:

1 - Knowledge

2 - Certainty 3 - Sincerity

4 - Truthfulness 5- Love

6 - Submission internally and externally

7 - Acceptance. 1 - Knowledge: Knowing the two aspects of the Shahadah;

(1) The uniqueness of the divine names and attributes. (2) Q. 42:11

Hook I: The Aqeedah 23

the negation and the confirmation. By uttering the first segment of the Testimony: "There is no true god", one negates all false deities whether self-appointed, or man-made. While uttering the second segment, "except Allah', one affirms the Oneness of Allah and restricts divinity to Allah alone.

2 - Certainty which removes doubt. The heart must be firmly certain of the meaning of the shahadah without a doubt.

3 - Sincerity: To dedicate all acts of worship to Allah sincerely.

4 - Truthfulness: To be truthful in professing the Testimony of Faith, and in following the Sunnah of the Prophet ~-

5 - Love and Devotion: This condition entails loving Allah for all His innumerable favors that He bestows on His slaves, the best of which is Islam. It also entails loving the Prophet Muhammad~, more than any other human being.

6 - Submission, to submit to Allah internally and externally 7 - Acceptance: To reject none of the conditions of the

Testimony of Faith

The Articles of /man (Faith) The Prophet ~ , said: The /man is to believe in Allah, His angels, His Books, His Messengers, and in the Final Day, and in al-Qadar and in its good and bad consequences<}).

1 - Belief in Allah Allah is the name of the essence of the only true God who

exists by necessity and deserves all the praise. Hence, He prefers it to the rest of His names, extolled be His glory. It is this name­Allah- out of all the names that combines all attributes of perfection. Allah is One and Unique. He has neither a wife, a son, a partner, nor an equal. He is the sole Creator and the Rubb of the universe.

Believing in Allah means believing in His Oneness, in His

(I) Muslim.

24 Book I: The Aqeedah

Ruboobiyyah, Uloohiyyah, and in His names and attributes as mentioned above.

2 - Belief in the Angels To believe in the existence of the angels because Allah

mentions this in His Book. They are bodies of light who fulfill the commands of Allah obediently, celebrating His praise day and night without slackening, or exhaustion. They are neither male nor female. They also perform Salah bowing and prostrating standing in straight rows. The Prophet ~' said:

There is not a space of a hand span in the heaven but is occupied by an angel who is either bowing or prostrating. (1)

Although they obey Allah constantly, yet they stand in awe of Him.

3 - The Belief in the Scriptures Believing that Allah, the Exalted, did send down Scriptures

to His Prophets and Messengers to convey them to their peoples. Those Scriptures comprise the speech of Allah. They were doubtlessly, truthful, and chaste at the point of revelation. The Qur'an, however, has abrogated all the Scriptures that were revealed before it.

Among the fundamentals of !man is the firm belief in the Messages which Allah sent to mankind through His Messengers and Prophets.

There are forms of revelation that are mentioned by name in the Qur'an such as the Sheets of Ibraheem, the Torah of Musa, the Zaboor of Dawood, the Gospel of Eesa, and the Qur'an which is sent to Muhammad ~· There are other Books the names of which Allah has not mentioned in the Qur'an.

(1) Ibn Majah & others.

/look I: The Aqeedah 25

llow do We Believe in the Divine Scriptures?

We believe in what was revealed in the previous Books, and lhat adhering to them was incumbent upon those nations to whom they were sent. We also believe that the Divine Books -.upport and attest to the veracity of one another. He who denies ;~ny Book sent by Allah becomes an infidel. We believe, however, that every Book abrogated the set of laws of the one 1 hat preceded it, partially or entirely. Based on this, the Qur'an .dnogates all of the Books that preceded it.

l -The Torah, was revealed to Musa, alaihis-salaam.<I) 2 - The Zaboor, was revealed to Dawood, (David), alaihis-

111/aam. 3- The Gospel, was revealed to Issa, (Jesus), alaihis-salaam. The Books that are in the hands of the People of the Book

I< 'hristians and Jews] today, that is, the Torah or Old Testament, 1 he Evangel or the New Testament, are altered and tampered with.

4 - The Qur'an, is the word of Allah, and His final Scripture which He revealed to Muhammad~- It is the principal source t>f the Islamic Shari'ah (law). Allah has sent it down as guidance ;~nd mercy to mankind. Allah has promised to preserve and protect the Qur'an from distortion, adulteration, addition, or impairment. Allah says:

.e ,_,t,.i -:J G( ''}JI C.t ~ .~ d1 J.­"~:<.l ~ , ,-> /·, ~ .:;.s. .. r Verily, We have sent down the dthikl2

;, and most surely We are guarding it. <3>

The Qur'an was revealed in portions, as circumstances warranted over a period of twenty-three years; thirteen in

1 I) A.laihimus-sa/aam, an expression signifying: May Allah render them safe from every derogatory thing.

1.1 ) The term, 'dthikr' in this context denotes both the Qur'an and the Sunnah which comprises the actions, utterances and approval of the Messenger of Allah'.

I\) Q. 15:9

26 Book I: The Aqeedah

Makkah and ten in Madinah. It ts divided into 114 suwar (chapters) of different lengths.

4 - Belief in the Messengers Believing in all the Messengers that Allah sent even though

we did not see them. Since Allah informed us about them, we take it for granted that they conveyed to their peoples the Message with which Allah sent them. The first Messenger Allah sent to mankind was Nooh, and the last is Muhammad, alaihimus-salaam. Allah says:

~';;_;.,61 i;~-::;~ ;1(1 ~~ --.) -J;.j ~ ¥= ~ ~ ~_;, And We did send a Messenger to every people preaching them: 'Worship Allah alone, and shun the taghoot'. (1)

They were only human, having no divine qualities. They had no power to extend benefit to others, nor cause them harm, nor did they possess a share of the dominion of Allah. Allah charged them with the duty of conveying His Message to their peoples, and promised to admit those who follow them into Jannah.

The Qur'an as Comprehensive Legislation

The Qur'an constitutes the comprehensive concept of Islam on the practical level as the source of the Shari'ah, or the Divine laws and legislation. It is comprehensive because it includes law, as well as the underlying purposes and moral principles, and the creed to which every Muslim must subscribe. Islamic Shari'ah is designed and made suitable not only for Muslims, but for all mankind at all times. The Islamic law is fit to govern all human acts, by delineating every person's public or private-duties.

Man-made laws are subject to alteration, and are based on theories. Whenever a new body of legislators assumes authority, or a new theory appears and appeals to the legislators, they change the laws accordingly. The Divine law, on the other hand,

{1) Q. 16:36 - Taghoot, anything - man or otheiWise - that is worshipped beside or to the exclusion of Allah.

/look /: The Aqeedah 27

1s unalterable and perpetual because the One Who made it is the 1-:vcr-living and Everlasting, the Creator of mankind Who 1 1rdained for all human beings what is best for them till the t·nd of time. Consequently, the Qur'an; which is the last ll'velation to the last of the Prophets and Messengers; ;1hrogates all previous Scriptures.

Who is Muhammad ~ Muhammad ~ , is the last of the Messengers and Prophets

1 ,f Allah and the best of them all. His name is Muhammad, son 1 ,f Abdullah, son of Abdul-Muttalib and his lineage is traced hack to lbraheem, alaihis-salam, the Beloved of Allah. He was horn in Makkah in 570 AC. Due to the fine reputation he t·njoyed among his people, they nicknamed him 'the Trust­worthy'. At the age of 40, he was commissioned with l'rophethood when Allah, the Exalted, revealed to him, through 1 he angel Jibreel, the first Qur'anic ayaat, and commanded him 1 t, preach the belief in the Oneness of Allah, and warn people ;1gainst polytheism.

The Birth and Status of Eesa (Jesus) in Islam

Muslims believe in all of the Prophets and Messengers that Allah sent to mankind. Moreover, they accept Eesa, not as < 'hristians claim him to be the divine manifestation or son of < iod, but as a slave of Allah and Messenger, albeit of his miraculous birth, since he was born of a virgin, hence, he is ~·ailed Eesa, son of Maryam (Mary).

None of Allah's Messengers or Prophets claimed to be god m part-god. Allah says:

Allah has not taken a son for Himself, nor is there a god along with Him, for otherwise, each god would have taken away what he had created, and some of them

would surely have dominated over the others. Far be Allah above all that which they attribute to Him.< 0

28 Book 1: The Aqeedah

Albeit his unnatural or miraculous birth, and although Eesa is highly respected in Islam, yet Islam does not accept any idea of his divinity, or believe that he is son of God. This, or any Trinitarian dogma of God or any suggestion that Eesa is somehow an hypothesis of God, is utterly rejected in Islam. Eesa did not die on the cross, as commonly believed by the Christians, rather, Allah raised him up to Him. It was someone else who was actually crucified. Allah says:

They neither slew him, nor did they crucify him, but it appeared so to them. Rather Allah took him up to Him.

Allah is ever Mighty, Wise<l). Like the other Messengers, Allah enabled Eesa to perform

certain miracles as signs of his veracity as described in the following ayaat:

And (We will send him) a Messenger to the Children of Isra'eel (to say to them): That I have come to you with a sign from your Rubb, that I will fashion for you out of mud the shape of a bird, then I breathe into it, and it will be a bird by the will of Allah, and that I heal the

blind (by birth), and the leprous, and revive the dead by the will of Allah, and that I can tell you what you eat and store up in your homes. Surely, there is a sign in that for

you if you are believers<2J.

5 - Belief in The Last Day To believe that the time will come when every thing will

come to an end, then Allah will resurrect His slaves to question them about what they did in this world. This day is called Yawm al-Qiyamah (The Day of Resurrection).

The Questioning in the Grave

When the dead is buried, he will be attended by two angels who make him sit, and question him angrily: 'Who is your

( l) Q. 4:157 (2) Q. 3:49

/look 1: The Aqeedah 29

U11f,h'? 'What is your deen? and, 'Who is your Prophet'? This is 1 hl: last test a believer undergoes. Allah, the Exalted, says:

~/·§I .r G11 •·Nil · ..:..Gll J·:::it i~'1: ./ Ji ~~ ~}.. ,J-"':: ...._J..J - )..J":-'""" <J / > ,'Y" > ,_,.... ~- > .1' _. ""J .. I! / J / -'

"'~G t.: ~I r/~// ~~ ~~ 1 .!./ "{ • J.A;..J •rr ~.) Allah makes firm the believer by the right saying, (I) both

in the present life and in the life to come, and Allah sends astray the wrongdoers and He does what He

wills.<2)

The believer will be able to say: 'My Rubb is Allah, my deen ~~Islam, and my Prophet is Muhammad ;i!!. Allah will announce: "My slave has told the truth. Give him bedding fromlannah, and dothes from Jannah, and open for him a gate to Jannah. While 1 hl: hypocrite, and the unbeliever will answer with confusion ·,aying: "Aa, Aa, I do not know. I heard people say something, so I repeated it." Allah will announce: "My slave has lied. Give him bedding from Fire, and open for him a gate to Fire." Thereupon, o,uch will be struck with an iron club, and he will give out an t·xtrcmely loud shriek which will be heard by everything except 111en and jinn. Were they to hear it, they would drop dead.Ol

The Signs of the Final Hour

There are minor signs of the Final Hour that have already .1ppcared, such as the life and death of the Prophet Muhammad . ·· .. , the conquest of Jerusalem, the afflictions of the first Century t ,r Hijrah. While there are other minor signs that have already ;1ppcared, such as shepherds' competing in erecting tall buildings, building fancy mosques, the prevalence of afflictions, nccssive frequencies of massacres, prevalence of promiscuity, ;uJd liquor consumption.

( I) The 'Right saying' is the assertion of the Oneness of Allah. Allah makes it easy for the believer to profess the Testimony of Faith upon death, and to answer the questions of the angels of the grave.

( ') o. 14:27 ( \) Abu Dawood & others.

30 Book I: The Aqeedah

The Major Signs of the Final Hour

1 -The appearance of al-Mahdi. The Messenger of Allah ~'said:

Were there only one day left of the life of this world, Allah would have extended it until He sends a man from me -or from my household- whose name is like mine, and whose father's name like my father's." (i.e., Muhammad b. Abdullah.) 0 l

It should be borne in mind that this Mahdi whose name is mentioned in the above hadith is not the mythical one in whom the Rafidhah, Shi'ite, believe that he is hidden in a tunnel for over a 1000 years, whose name is Muhammad b. al-Hasan al­Askari.

2- The advent of the Dajjal (Pseudo-Christ), which will be the most serious test against whom all Messengers warned their peoples.

The Day of Resurrection

A day will come when every living creature will die then, after a certain period of time, Allah will revive His slaves. They will be assembled naked, barefooted and uncircumcised; the way they were born to question them about what they did in this world after which they will end up in the final abode; Jannah or Fire. This day is called the Day of Resurrection. Allah says:

{ 't1 -:~ ~-It <iS:..JI ~ .;_:; ..;;::;<-o'JI ~.; s,::. ,~; ~ Cf_;t /. N (d ~ ~ .:--'11 -:x~l<~.. "'-<-" ,!: ''G ·" (~ 2ri ......; -:-/ t:!_)_) "1;:_) :?..r;. U"'_) , ~'-' r "t<.l~ i -- ~ ~. ..r --- Cf

"'-s;-rc-: ..q .,/ ~t '~"' , -~- J/~i11- -:-,·.A ~.st.: ~~ "': - ~-' / :- ~ ~-' / '-' ~ :- ..::) . /

And the horn will be blown, and those in the heavens and those upon the earth shall die, except those whom Allah wills to exempt. Then it will be blown again, and behold, they will be standing looking. <2J And the earth

------------

(I) Abu Dawood. (2) Looking, probably waiting what will happen next. Allah knows best.

/look 1: The Aqeedah

will shine with the light of its Rubb, and the records will be laid down, and the Prophets and the witnesses will be

brought forth, and (His slaves) will be judged with justice, and they will not be wronged. Ol

The Display and Reckoning

31

The Display: All mankind will be displayed before their 1\u/Jh. Allah, the Exalted, says:

~ jl ;:ij s. r~; jj ~ ~ c~=~ ~Lt. ~~ ~ w.;~~ <(1~) jJ

And they will be presented to your Rubb standing in rows: "Now you have come to Us as We created you the first time. But you claimed that We will fix no time for

the fulfillment of Our promise. (ll

The Messenger of Allah ~, said: Allah, the Exalted, will speak to everyone of you directly without a translator. <Jl

11-Hisaab (The Questioning)

Allah says:

<(~~ C$ ~l ( ~~l Wi 0~9> To Us, surely is their return. Then, surely, it is Us Who

will call them to account. <4l

Those who will receive their records with their right hands ;1re the prosperous, and those who will receive their records with 1 heir left hands, or from behind their backs, are the miserable.

Intercession

Mankind will suffer greatly on the Day of Resurrection, and

I I) Q. 39: 68,69 I') Q. 18:48 1 I) Bukhari and Muslim 1·1) Q. 88:25, 26

32 Book 1: The Aqeedah

as a result, they will look for someone to intercede with Allah on their behalf, so that Allah starts taking account of their deeds. They will go to Adam, their father, asking him to intercede on their behalf, but he will disqualify himself, and direct them to Nooh, who in turn will excuse himself and direct them to lbraheem. lbraheem too will excuse himself and direct them to Musa. Musa will direct them to Eesa, who will excuse himself for being unable to fulfill their wish. He informs them, like the Messengers before him, that Allah today is angry like He has never been before, nor will He ever be angrier. Eesa will instruct them to go to Muhammad ~, who will take the responsibility and intercede with Allah on their behalf. Allah, will then begin taking accounts of His slaves' deeds< 1

).

Al-Hawdh (The Pool) It is a great body of water granted to Muhammad ~, by

Allah. It will be attended by his Ummah, on the Day of Resurrection. Those who deviate from the guidance of Muhammad ~' will be barred from it. The Pool's water is whiter than milk, and sweeter than honey, and its cups are as numerous as the stars in the sky. It is one month's distance in length and so is its width. It is already in existence. He who drinks from it once shall never feel thirsty afterwards.

Al-Mizan (The Scale) The Scale will be set up on the Day of Resurrection for

weighing man's deeds. It is a true Scale with two actual sides, in fulfillment of the divine justice. He whose good deeds outweigh his bad deeds, shall prosper and go to Jannah, and he whose bad deeds outweigh his good deeds, shall be at loss, and suffer misery in Hell-Fire.

As for those whose good and bad deeds are equal, they will be the companions of al-Aa'ra/2

). The infidels, and the

(I) The account of this event is in Sahih ai-Bukhari. (2) The companions of al-Aa'raf are persons whose good and evil deeds are=

Book 1: The Aqeedah 33

hypocrites shall have no good deeds to be weighed for them. Their good deeds shall be like ashes blown away in a windy day.

As'Sirat (The Bridge)

The Prophet ~. described As-Sirat saying: As-Sirat is a Bridge extended over Hell, on which the feet shall not be firm. It has hooks and thorns like those of as­Si'dan(l) trees. (2)

The Sirat is sharper than a sword and thinner than a hair(3).

On each side of it are hooks to pull down whoever it is commanded to pull down. None shall be spared from crossing the Sirat. Some shall cross the Sirat swiftly, others slowly, and yet others will cross it sustaining scratches and cuts, while the rest will land in Hell.(4

)

The Vision of Allah

The believers will see Allah on the Day of Resurrection. Allah says:

ft~( ~; j~ ~If #i :~~ Faces on that Day are bright, looking at

their Rubb (S) '

The Prophet ~. said: Verily, you shall see your Rubb as clearly as you see the moon on the night of its fullness, without confusion. <6>

The Messenger of Allah ~. further explained: Allah, the Exalted, will show Himself to the people of

=equal, so that they shall not have merited Jannah by the former, nor Hell by the latter. But they shall finally be admitted to Jannah after forgiving their offenses which they dealt one another in this world.

(1) Very thorny tree. (2) Muslim. (3) Muslim. (4) Bukhari. (5) Q. 75:22,3 (6) Bukhari & Muslim.

34 Book I: The Aqeedah

Janmzh, and they will look at Him. Thus will they see Him clearly. No joy will equal their joy in that, nor will any happiness or delight stand beside their happiness in that. (t) We ask Allah to make us among those who will be graced by

viewing His face. The unbelievers, on the other hand, will be deprived of the great favor of seeing Allah on the Day of Resurrection. Allah, the Exalted, says:

,.( / / '::!.. ~s~;.;;:I f.:; ri).; ~t ~.,.

Nay, they will surely be debarred from seeing their Rubb on that Day. (2)

]ahannam (Hell) and its Description

Allah says:

kit ~ ~~4IJ .;81 ~~j~ GC ~~ ~ i; ~~: &~i (~t ~z,_)~J [; .:;~_; ~~1 t ~~ ::;~ ~ ~~~ l'%

0 you who believe! Save yourselves and your families from a Fire whose fuel is man and stones, over which

are appointed angels, stern and severe, who do not disobey Allah in what He commands them, and do as

they are commanded. (J)

The Fire is the abode which Allah has prepared for the infidels who deny Allah and His Messengers, and who ascribe to Allah a son, a spouse, or a partner. As well as for those who devour others properties through usury and other illegal means, and who make pictures or statues of human beings or animals. It is the abode of those women who beautify themselves for other than their husbands, and for the adulteresses and adulterers, and for those who commit suicide. The Prophet~. described Hell­Fire saying:

It was ignited for a thousand years until it turned red, and

(1) Sunan at-Tirmidthi. (2) Q. 83:15 (3) Q. 66:6

Book I: The Aqeedah 35

kept burning for another thousand years until it turned white, and continued for yet another thousand years until it blackened. Its flames never burn out. The garments of its inmates are made from fire; their food is the ghisleen°J, Az­Zaqqoom(2J, and Dharee,(JJ. Such food neither fattens nor helps in hunger, while their drink will be terribly hot water which cuts through the intestines. Every time their skin burns out, Allah will replace it so that they have continuous suffering. <4>

Hell has seven gigantic gates. There exist in it scorpions and snakes. Allah has prepared for Hell's inmates, chains, shackles, and blazing flames. They will live therein forever, having neither friends, nor supporters.

The Size of the People of the Fire The inmates of Hell-Fire will grow to an unimaginable size

that only Allah knows. To give an idea, the Prophet ~' described the size of an unbeliever in Hell saying:

The distance between the unbeliever's shoulders will be a distance of three-day journey taken by a fast horseman. His molar will be the size of Mount Uhud. (S)

6 - Belief in Al-Qada & al-Qadar Al-Qada' signifies a general decree of Allah, as that every

living being shall die; whereas al-Qadar signifies a particular decree of Allah, or the execution of the Qada ', as that certain person shall die at a particular time and place. Allah says:

~:1; ~ ~j. :t 6~~ Verily, everything have We created by a decree<6>.

(1) What is washed off the flesh and the blood of the inmates of Hell, and what flows from their skins and wounds.

(2) A plant growing in Hell whose bitterness is matchless. (3) A plant growing in Hell. (4) At-Tirmidthee. (5) Muslim. (6) Q. 54:50

36 Book I: The Aqeedah

Belief in the Qadar is the firm attestation to the fact that all general and particular decrees have been prerecorded, and that every event has its course by the decree of Allah. He has created everything, and foreordained its proper measure(!).

The Stages of the Qadar:

Belief in the Qadar requires believing that: 1 - Allah, the Exalted, knows what took place in the past,

and what will take place in the future, and there is nothing hidden from Him. Allah says:

Neither an ant's weight in the heavens nor in the earth, or anything less than that, or greater escapes Him. <Z>

2 - Allah, the Exalted, has everything prerecorded in the Preserved Tablet. Allah says:

·l I~ · • ~ .. ~~ ·<-"' ~~ .,-·, ~/ . .;'']\ · 4 ~ · ~~/~ t}.. u <.t-7'~ J / ~ ·~ ~ IJc.:t'J '-'-.<••/ ~ ·'""' ,

~.&. JS ~ 2Jls ~t t:~ There is nothing which takes place on the earth, or in yourselves, but it is foreordained before We brought it

into existence. Surely, that is easy for Allah. (J)

3 - The will of Allah includes everything. Nothing takes place in the heavens or in the earth without the will of Allah and His wish. Allah says:

"'-) )C/~ v }t J/ !/ ·1 1"·-;: /1--1 Fi n!\ -w/'1}.. ""(~~ ()) ,"'! ~ u ~ .)c; .)• ·~ .r

Verily, His command, when He wants a thing, is only that He says to it, 'Be'! and it is. <4>

4 - Allah, the Exalted, is the Creator of all things. There is no other creator beside Him, nor is there a Rubb other than He. Allah says:

(1) Q. 25:2 (2) Q. 3:34 (3) Q. 57:22 (4) Q. 36:82

/look 1: The Aqeedah

Allah is the Creator of all things, and He is the Guardian over all things. <•>

The Nullifiers of I slam <2>

The nullifiers of Islam are ten: 1- Shirk<3>, or polytheism. Allah, the Exalted, says:

~t~ .;:J. &ls 0;, ~ ~_:; ~fl. ~P J ~ --1 ~~ t1,. Allah does not forgive ascribing a partner to Him, but He forgives a sin which is short of that to whoever He

pleases. <4>

And: • / .::; // J /" .J .... f ......... ""-:.; • .~ ,, ...... .,. ........ ""' .,, ...-,~ .. •.J. / .J.~ J..... ~ ~ c..J .JL.:JI ~.JI.o.J ~~ ~ ..111 r~ .....u ;il~ ..!l.A .:ro ,...:.l,...

~J~........-.~ /

Surely, whoever ascribes a partner to Allah, Allah will certainly debar him from Jannah, and the Fire will be

37

his abode, and the wrongdoers shall have no helpers. <s> Among acts of worship that polythiests dedicate to other

than Allah, is making offerings to jinn, or graves. 2 - Setting up intermediaries between oneself and Allah,

supplicating them, asking them to intercede on his behalf, and depending on them. This, according to consensus of the scholars, would cast such a person out of Islam.

3 - He who does not believe that the polytheists are infidels, or doubts their infidelity, or holds their beliefs to be valid becomes an infidel himself.

4 - He who believes that there is guidance more perfect than that of the Prophet ~, or believes that other laws are better than

(!) Q. 39:62 (2) The nullifiers of Islam are those things when committed individually or

collectively renders the one who commits them an apostate. (3) Shirk, ascribing partner to Allah and worshipping it with or to the exclusion

of Allah. (4) Q. 4:116 (5) Q. 5:72

38 Book /: The Aqeedah

his, or prefers the laws of the taghooP> to those of his, such a person becomes an infidel himself.

5 - He who hates anything of what the Messenger was sent with apostatizes even if he fulfills it.

6 - He who derides a thing of the deen of the Messenger of Allah ~. or ridicules its reward or punishment becomes an infidel, as indicated by the words of Allah: ..

J.:;; (:;% ~ I»~ ~ ~J.~ ;~·; ~ <A_;~; <~~~_; ~\1 ji~ ... ~ "'-r.,/, ~~~

Say, 'Was it Allah and His ayaat and His Messenger that you mocked at! Do not apologize. You have certainly

apostatized after having belier(2). 7- Sorcery,C3> a form of which is the sar/4>, and the at/5> as

proven by the words of Allah:

~~ ~ ~ :.fo Wl 'I~ J;. ~ ~ 1:1~ ~.J~ They did not teach a man without saying to him: 'We are

only a test; do not become an infidel (by learning sorcery).<6)

8 - Supporting the polytheists against the Muslims. The proof of this are the words of Allah:

~~ :J~ H rl~ ;;~ And whoever among you takes them for friends, he is

(1) Taghoot: whatever is worshipped instead or to the exclusion of Allah. (2) Q. 9:64 (3) It is called sorcery, or magic because it deals with hidden things that cannot

be seen by the eye. It only takes effect with the universal will of Allah, not the will which determines the legitimate things, for sorcery is not legitimate.

(4) The sarf, is turning a thing away or back from its course. (5) Love-spell, made for a man to love his wife. It is a type of sorcery, and is

considered a form of shirk (polytheism), for it is applied believing that it has the power of warding-off evil, or extending benefits without the will of Allah, the Exalted.

(6) Q. 2:102 "They" in this ayah refers to the angels that are mentioned in this and the subsequent verses in surah ai-Baqarah #2.

/look I: The Aqeedah 39

indeed one of them. (t)

9 - He who believes that some people are exempted from abiding by the shari'ah of Muhammad ~. as the Khidr(Z) was exempted from abiding by the laws of Musa (Moses) alaihis­·'·alam(3)' is an unbeliever.

10- Turning away from the deen of Allah by neither learning nor applying it. Allah says:

'*::,_;.(~ ~p1 ~ G~ ~ .;;-.;1 ~ <~ ~~ -;} ~ ~ :,.;_;t And who is more wrongful than the one who is reminded of the signs of his Rubb and then turns away from them. We will surely punish the criminals with vengeance. (4)

Committing any of the above nullifiers constitutes apostasy from Islam regardless whether one commits it willfully, jokingly, or fearfully. Only the one who is coerced to commit it would be exempted from this verdict.

The Muslim must be aware of these nullifiers, and keep away from them. We seek refuge with Allah against all sins that call for Allah's anger and painful punishment.

The Types of Shirk

There are three types of shirk: The greater shirk, the lesser shirk, and the latent shirk.

1 - The Greater Shirk, ascribing a partner to Allah and worshipping him with or to the exclusion of Allah. This type of shirk is neither forgiven by Allah nor a good deed is accepted with it. Allah says:

'*r~ .;!. ~; 0;. ~ ~_; ·~ .!lp J ~ --1 j\ tlt

(1) Q. 5:51 (2) The reference to al-Khidr is made in surah al-Kahf in the Qur'an #18:60

through 82. (3) Alaihis-salam, a salutation formula to be recited after the mention of any

Prophet of Allah meaning, 'May Allah render him safe from every evil or imperfection'.

(4) Q. 32:22

40 Book I: The Aqeedah

Allah does not forgive ascribing a partner to Him, but He forgives a sin which is short of that to whoever He

pleases. O>

The Greater Shirk is of four types:

1 - The shirk of supplication. (Z) Allah says:

~ Gl _;.il J1 1;~ ,~ ~ ~.j\ :1 0# 411 ~~ ~~ .j l:~ ~~~~

~~J'A And when they go on board a ship, they call on Allah

sincerely with exclusive faith in Him. But when He brings them safe ashore, behold, they ascribe partners

to Him.<3>

2 - The shirk of the intention, will and objective. The proof of this type of shirk are the words of Allah:

~ ~ )._) ~ ~ ~~ ~; Yi:~~ C:OI ~;;JI ~.~. 0f .;~ .. / _,. I'~ i >~ / \.: .k </ >LSI -li {·§I . ·fi /;; ;)..UI ill·' ~ >-:·~ 'f:"/ ,_,......,.,. > :) _) ~ )_?.:: y r- ~ •/ ~"' ~-

.• e,'i/•:. i~~ ~ '11 c ~u~ '-" ~,_,

He who desires the present life and its ornaments, We shall fully reward them for their works in this life, and

they shall not be wronged therein. Those shall have nothing in the Hereafter except the Fire, and that which they did (of good deeds) in this life shall come to naught,

and vain shall be what they used to do. <4>

3- The shirk of obedience. Its proof are the words of Allah:

al c., / jt ~~ ~;~ ~ ~t:::;:3 r r ,--;a:~_; ~~~ i.J~<~~ ~ (1) Q. 4:116 (2) This type of shirk, comprises supplicating creatures to acquire things that

only Allah can give or fulfill, such as asking those creatures to make the supplicator rich, to cure his ailment, or to fulfill his other needs. This is typical of ignorant people who practice these acts of worship by the graves of pious people.

(3) Q. 29:65 (4) Q. 11:15, 16

Hook I: The Aqeedah

~ ~ .. ~~ ;;J1 'l iJ,__.,.," 1-':,\1 1-'1 -":"J ~~ i-~ 1 G" "/·" ' . ~ ~ ~ _.:) '+-'~ -' . ._ ~ -'~ -' ('""":"......-"

~~Y? ~ They take their priests and monks, and the Messiah, the

son of Mary, for gods beside Allah. And they are commanded to worship One God. There is no true god except He. Far is He removed from what they ascribe to

Him.(t)

41

This clearly means that obeying people of knowledge m matters involving disobedience to Allah as a form of worship. This is explained by the Prophet ~, to Adiy b. Hatim, who, at the time, was a Christian, when the latter said to him: 'We did not worship them (i.e. the monks), the Messenger of Allah ~, explained: "Worshipping them means obeying their sinful commands. "(2)

4 - The shirk of love. Its proof are the words of Allah:

~~~ ZtJ~ ';tl ~ H-~ GI::J ~~ i)fl ~ ~ ;_; -.r;GI ~.Jt ~~Ji. ~ i£\

And there are some of the people who take for themselves objects of worship other than Allah, loving them as they love Allah. But those who believe love Allah

more.(3)

2 - The Lesser shirk(4)

Allah, the Exalted, says:

'*tJ ~~ !;~, .J.A -;~ ~ ~ J ~i; ·ft~ {'GJ_ i;.-i ~f .)1

(l) Q. 9:30 (2) The Prophet, further explained to Aidy that the sinful act of such monks

comprised legalizing the unlawful and vice versa. (3) Q. 2:165 ( 4) The lesser shirk is a vehicle to the greater shirk, which defects the Tawheed.

This type of shirk, however, does not cast the person committing it out of Islam. Perfoming acts of worship only that people may hear, or see and commend him for that constitutes the lesser shirk. Once the good deed is done in that spirit, it becomes void.

42 Book 1: The Aqeedah

So let him who expects the reward from his Rubb, do good deeds, and let him worship none beside his Rubb. Ol

3 - The latent shirk; its proof are the words of the Prophet~:

This type of shirk is more latent among the Muslims than the track of a black ant over a black stone on a dark night. <ll The following supplication may be recited for the expiation

of this type of shirk:

. ~~~i ~ t; !l ·~~'i' ~~~it; ..!1 !l '·i 0i ..!1 ~ 'i ~\ :;[li I ~ J I ; r' ; Y <../, r'""""

Allahumma inni a 'oodthu bika an ushrika bika rna a 'lam wa astaghfiruka mala a 'lam.

0 Allah, I take refuge with You against ascribing partners to You knowingly, and I seek Your forgiveness

for doing so unknowingly. <Jl

The Types of Kufr (disbelief).

There are two types of kufr:

The first: which casts the one who commits it out of the folds of Islam. It is of five types:

a - The kufr of denial. Its proof is:

~ ~ .;:;ii ;::, t1 ~~ .:,:t ) 4~ ~~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~_;, ~J.=~;,bil ._t:' -- / ~

And who is more wrongful than the one who forges a lie against Allah, and denies the truth when it has come to him. Is there not an abode in Hell for the disbelievers?<4l b - The kufr of arrogance which is associated with

recognition of the truth. (S) Its proof is:

(1) Q. 18:110 (2) Imam Ahmad. (3) Ibid. (4) Q. 29:68 (5) Although such a person recognizes the truth, yet he rejects it out of=

/look 1: The Aqeedah

~ -=-~ '-2"::•\/ :t -'.1:1 -q, ~-~ /~~ i ~~ ·t-'.(o/il (] ~(). ~ u ~ ~!) ~ ~· • !J . r / !J . ~ ,.Jr

""/, ._,(-'j' ~~~\

And when We said to the angels, "Prostrate before Adam, and they all prostrated except Iblees. He refused

and was arrogant, and he was of the disbelievers. <•> c- The kufr of doubt. Its proof is: H~ -n Pj ' // l ~~:, -/ /' .-. , __. /,./ ,./// ////). .)>1 Lo.J 1...~...,>1 ~~ J..:i L.>l ~ \.. Jli ·~ / 4'! ~J..l; yAJ ~ J-.~JJ"

HI-' -'.t J-'1~ \"fi~ I'::~ \fo/ ";/\"i •/ :\\ ~ ~ .. 'f/ '"/ \-::. :;'/!/.(\ ~..._ ~" 1.11 • • ~ ~ w..~.r~ .J; ~. l...).l;.J 0;-'.J ..;....;'--" ..... ~ /,. 1~/~ ""/ / o /,. ;~ (J. ~,. '-' //// ~~ __. <(-'\' n /,. ,,./ yA ~ ~.) l.!h_;.... ( ~ ~ ( '1~ ~ ~ ->A ...:..~ rv.J~ _,.._,

~~~ u). _J_);i '1_; j~ ~ ..... ;, .... ;..

And he entered his garden while wronging himself. He said, 'I do not think this will ever perish. Neither do I think that the Final Hour will ever come. And if I ever return to my Rubb, I shall find better garden than this. And his companion said to him while dialogizing with him, 'Do you disbelieve in the One Who created you from soil, and afterwards of sperm-drop, and then

fashioned you into a perfect man? But as for me, Allah is my Rubb, and I do not ascribe a partner to my

Rubb.'<2>

d - The kufr of aversion. And the proof is:

~5_?.~ b~jl ~ 0S &J~)> And those who disbelieve are disregardfull of what they

have been warned. (J)

e - The kufr of hypocrisy. Its proof:

~~_;6~~ ~ ~ ~_,ii ~ ~ !l)r (.1 ~~~ ~\_ .!113)> That is because they first believed, then disbelieved, so a

43

=arrogance. This was the case of lblees who knew that he should have obeyed Allah, yet he disobeyed Him arrogantly.

(1) Q. 2:34 (2) Q. 18:35-38 (3) Q. 46:3

44 Book I: The Aqeedah

seal was set upon their hearts, and consequently they do not understand. (t)

The minor kufr which does not constitute apostasy. It is the kufr of ungratefulness. Its proof:

J' ~ ~~ "5~ ~~ ~:: c~ ~~: .::~ i;,J :B ~~ y~.J)> ~~ ~ ~;.Jt fiJI S.Q ~ Q~t $1 ;t~ ~~~ <;~

~0;.~ :.-: And Allah strikes a parallel of a city which was safe and

secure; its provisions came to it easefull from every­where, but it was ungrateful to the favors of Allah, so

Allah made it suffer hunger and fear on account of what they used to do. (l)

Hypocrisy is of two categories:

Creedal and Practical. The Creedal hypocrisy is of six types; he who commits any of

them would be condemned to the lowest level of Hell. 1 - Denial of the Messenger ~-2 - Denial of a thing from the Message with which the

Messenger ~. is sent. 3 - Hating the Messenger ~-4 - Hating a thing from the Message with which the

Messenger ~. is sent. 5 - Rejoicing at the ebbing of Islam. 6 - Loathing the prevalence of Islam. The Practical hypocrisy is of five types as mentioned in the

following Prophetic tradition: The traits of a hypocrite are three: When he speaks he lies, and when he promises, he breaks his promise, and when he is entrusted, he betrays the trust." In another version he said:

(1) Q. 63:3 (2) Q. 16:112

/look I: The Aqeedah 45

And when he litigates or disputes, he acts immorally, and when he makes a compact, he .acts treacherously(!).

Apostasy

Apostasy is a total departure from Islam, an outright kufr (disbelief) which is punishable by· death, and condemns the apostate to live eternally in Hell-Fire if he does not repent before his death.

The Types of Apostasy.

1 - Creedal, by ascribing a partner, a son or spouse to Allah, or imputing Divine attributes to a creature, or denying the Messenger, his Sunnah, a Divine Book, or any article of faith, or anything which is known as an indispensable part of Islam.

2 - Verbal, by reviling Allah, His Messengers, or His revealed Books, or supplicating anyone beside Allah, legalizing an illegal, such as fornication, usury, or vise versa, or the like.

3 - Practical, by making offering or prostrating to other than Allah, or the like.

Repentance can be achieved by sincerely professing the Testimony of Faith "There is no true god except Allah, and Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah."

It is neither lawful for an apostate to inherit from his Muslim relatives nor be inherited by them; his estate belongs to the treasury.

He who consults a soothsayer, or fortune-teller and believes in his words, he denies what has been revealed to Muhammad ~-(2)

(1) Bukhari & others. (2) Muslim.