The Meaning of Articles of Faith

8/4/2019 The Meaning of Articles of Faith

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Dr. Mahmood MUr

TheMeaning OfAR1ICLESOE

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OFFICE FOR CALL &GUIDANCE AI- SULAY) RIYADH1419 ZIP CODE 11431) TEL.NO (01) 2410615 -FAX (01) 2414488-232E.mail: [email protected]


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AI-IIUlGd, I/lamicliaftual/-2

8t1lH The articles of faith

Compiled bymahftloud R. mUlQd3rd Revised Edition

Third Edition, 142V/200'\Copyright Mahmoud R. MuradAll rights reserved

1422/2001


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Cooperative Office ofCan and Guidance at Sulay , 1006Kiog Fahad National Library Cataloging-In-Publication DataMurad,Mahmoud RidhaThe articles of faith. I Mahmoud RidaMurad;Riyadh ,2006

96p; 17cmISBN: 9960-9746-4-2I-Faith (Islam) 1-Tide240 dc 1417/1159

L.D. no. 141711159ISBN: 9960-9746-4-2


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Books published by the author1- The Mini Library of Islam2- Commentary on al-Aqeedah al-Wasitiyah By al

Harras, Ibn Uthaimeen & al-Fozan3- Abridgment of the Prophefs Biography by Ibn

Hisham4- Life & Beliefs of Muhammad b. Abdulwahhab5- Exposition of the Articles of Faith6- Rulings on Fasting7- The Other Side of Sufism8- Searching for the Truth9- Muslim Woman's Guide10- The Islamic Methodology of Aqeedah & Fiqh11- The Book of Tawheed By Dr. S. AI-Fozan12- The Message of Islam13-The Loftiness of Allah& other publications.


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Contents

Introduction , 1The Levels of Deen 4The Articles of Faith 7Who Is Allah 8The Types of Tawheed , 12Rules Regarding the Divine Names &Attributes 17Belief in the Angels 22Angels' Duties 28Belief in the Scriptures 40How to believe in the Messages .41The Qur'an is Comprehensive Legislation 48Belief in the Messengers .51Jesus' Status in Islam .56Belief in the Last Day 63Signs of the Final Hour 64


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The Day of Resurrection 68The Nature of Jannah 75Viewing the Face of Allah 76The Nature of Hell 78Belief in al-Qadha' & al-Qadar 81The Invalidators of Islm 84


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Preface to Third EditionMore than three years have passed since

'The Mini Library' was first published, duringwhich Muslims' dire need for such works, andtheir keen interest in learning their faithsubsequent to the international events during thepast four years.

Compiling the Mini Library took too long tocompile; which makes i t imperative revising it,and reprinting a large quantity to cover the needof English-speaking Muslims for such a reliableand authentic source of Islamic data.

Besides, in the wake of the 9/11 events,curiosity has driven many non-Muslims, whoserespective media kept bombarding them withdistorted and fictitious data about Islam and itsadherents, to search for the truth. A fact, which isproven by their rush to buy whatever Islamicliterature they lay hands on. This, indeed, is one ofthe positive aspects of the plight of the MuslimUmmah.

The investigative study of the prevalentsituation suggests that the 3rll edition of the MiniLibrary should mark a 100,000. Copies for the first


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stage to be available for free distribution, and befollowed by similar quantities in subsequentstages.

After the 2nd edition ran out of print, thisedition has since been revised, its typographicalerrors are corrected, and every book in it isthoroughly reviewed. However, regardless howhard man keeps improving his work, it remainsvulnerable and imperfect in comparison with theBook of Allah, simply because i t is a human'swork.

One of the main changes I have made in theManual of Arkan is the issue of Istiwa' of Allahabove His Throne. Some brothers have graciouslyrew my attention to the possibility ofmisconstruing the verb 'to mount', which agreed,so I changed the verb 'to mount' into the verb 'toscend' thus to allow no chance formisinterpreting this Divine action, bearing inthat there is no exact, or a loan term thatay substitute the Arabic verb 'ISTAWA'.We should keep in mind too that since Allah

of none of His creatures, therefore,


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'ascending His throne' means He is above withoutcontact, and in a manner which suits His Majesty.

You may also notice that I have changed thetitle of this work into "The Mini Library of Islam"for it in deed contains the basic informationa Muslim, new or otherwise, needs to know aboutIslam.

It is appropriate to express my gratefulness tothose who were gracious enough to review thiswork, and make valuable observations on itscontents. May Allah grant them the best ofrewards.

I also ask Allah to reward me for it, and helpme accomplish the (Mini Library of Islam II)which will include works that will be of greatbenefit to the students of knowledge in sha' Allah.

All praise is due to Allah, the Rubb of theWorlds.

M.Murad1 4 2 7 / 2 0 0 ~


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IntroductionAll praise is due to Allah Whom we praise, andhose aid we implore. We seek His forgivenessnd guidance, and we take refuge with Himour own evils and sinful acts. He, whomllah guides aright, none can lead astray; and

He leads astray, none can guide aright.I testify that there is no true god except Allah

lone, Who has no partner, and I testify thatis the slave of Allah and Hisessenger. May Allah reward him the best of

ewards as a satisfaction for his Ummah (nation)nd exalt his mention and render him safe fromery derogatory thing, and may He reward hisfor their pelSeVel3I\CE'., sincerity in

ransmitting the Deen to their subsequentThis book is part of a series of books that are

in a set titled, The Muslim's Mini Library.t includes the basic information about Islam that a

new or otherwise needs to learn aboutslam in terms of creed, worship, andmanners. This


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Library will be followed, in sha Allah,. with morecomprehensive one that may include major worksthat deal with transactions and other varioussubjects.This book explains the Articles of Faith thatevery Muslim must uphold and apply whateverthey entail. These articles comprise in general theelements of the Aqeedah2 of Ahlus-Sunnah wal-Jama'ah3 that I have compiled in simple language.I f the reader requires further details, he shouldrefer to sound authentic references of Ahlus-Sunnahwal-Jama'ah, and to people of knowledge who areknown with their sound Aqeedah.t The phrase, 'in sha Allah' means 'if Allah so wills.'2 Aqeedah is a doctrine upon which one's mind is fully settledor determined; or to which one adheres, or a firm belief, inthis case the Aqeedah of Tawheed signifies the belief that Allahis the God Who is worthy of being worshipped. For example,believing in Allah as the only true God is a central Aqeedah inIslam.3Ahlus-Sunnah wal-Jama'ah is an appellation that applies tothe sect that adheres to what the Prophet, may Allah exalthim, and his Companions were adhering. He foretold that hisUmmah would be divided into 73 sects. All of whom aredoomed to Hell except Ahlus-Sunnah wal-Jama'ah.


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I ask Allah to help you gain from this librarysound knowledge. He is most capable of doing so.And I conclude with praising Allah, the Exalted.

M.R.Murad1425/2004

[email protected]


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The Levels of the Deen4Umar b. al-Khattab, may Allah be pleased with

him, said:While we were sitting with the Messenger ofAllah, may Allah exalt his mention, one day, a man

appeared in very white clothes, and very blackhair. He did not seem to be a transient, yet none ofus recognized him. He came in and sat facing theProphet, may Allah exalt his mention, with hisknees touching the Prophet's knees, and placed hishands on the thighs of the Prophet, may Allah exalthis mention, and said, '0 , Muhammad! Tell me,what is Islam?' The Prophet, may Allah exalt hismention, answered, 'Islam is to testify that there isno true god except Allah, and Muhammad is theMessenger of Allah, perform the Salah, give the4 The Arabic term 'Deen' is usually translated into 'religion'.'Religion' in Western. terminology as opposed to the term,'Deen' in Islamic terminology means a way of spending anhour or so on Sundays to listen to a sermon in a church. Theword 'Deen', commonly refers to Islam as a whole way of life.It is -all in one- theological dogma, acts of worship, politicalpractice, and a detailed code of conduct, including thehygiene or etiquette. Hence, it is preferable to refer to Islamas 'Deen' instead of religion.


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observe Fasting of Ramadhan, and performhe Hajj if you can afford it.' The man said, 'You

told the truth.' Omar said, We were amazed;e asked him and yet he approved his answer.' Thean further asked, 'Tell me what is Eeman?' The

may Allah exalt his mention, said, 'Eemans to believe in Allah, and to believe in His angels,is Books, His Messengers, and to believe in theinal Day, and in al-Qadar and in its good & badonsequences.' 'You have told the truth,' he said.

he asked, 'Tell me, what is Ihsan?' He said, ' I ts to worship Allah as though you see Him.

you do not see Him, yet He sees you.' Heaid, 'Tell me, when is the Final Hour?' The

may Allah exalt his mention, said, 'Thene who is asked has no more knowledge about its

than the one who is asking.' He said, 'Telle then about its signs.' The Prophet, may Allahxalt his mention, said, 'When a bondswomanives birth to her own mistress, and when you see

naked,. shepherds with one another innstructing tall buildings.' Then the man left. The

may Allah exalt his mention, was thinkingor a while, and then he asked Omar, 'Do you


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know who the questioner was?' 'Allah and HisMessenger know best,' Umar said. 'That wasJibreel. He came to teach you your Deen,"5 1heMessenger ci Allah, may Allah exalt his mention,said.6

This hadeeth signifies clearly that there are threelevels in the Deen: Islam, Eeman and lhsan. Everylevel consists of certain articles. The first level,Islam, is based on five pillars: The Testimony ofFaith (there is no true God except Allah andMuhammad is the Messenger of Allah) that manmust profess to enter Islam, performing Salah,giving Zakat, observing Ramadhan and performingHajj once in a lifetime for those who can afford it.

Eeman is the second level, which consists of sixarticles that are discussed below. The third level,Ihsan, means worshipping Allah, as though onesees Him; that is, a Muslim must be conscious ofAllah and should know that He sees him whereverhe may be. This is the best and highest levela Muslim can reach.5 It is obvious that the Prophet, may Allah exalt his mention,did not meanUmar alone, rather the Muslims at large.6 Saheeh Muslim '


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Consequently, we may say, not every Muslim isMu'min (a believer.) Not every believer is Muhsin(who has reached the level of Ihsan).

The Articles of FaithThere are six articles of faith that a Muslim must

uphold without any doubt in order to belong to thepeople of Jannah, or the Heavenly Gardens. Hemust believe in:

I-Allah2-His Angels3-His Scriptures4- His Messengers5- The Last Day6- TheQadIut&Qadm


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n i[)j no', " ," flTI "= w n ( ~ w n ) 1 U . ~ ml':l c ' ~ : V j L . ! l : l J : DWho is Allah?Allah is the proper name, which applies to the

true God Who exists necessarily by Himself, Whois named with all the excellent Divine names andqualified by all attributes of perfection. Allah isOne and Unique. He has neither a wife, nor a son,nor a partner, nor an equal. He is the sole Creatorand the Rubb7 of the universe.

Every creature has an inherent faith in HisOneness, Divinity, and Ruboobiyah, and in theuniqueness of His attributes and names. Hisessence does not resemble the essences. He doesnot inhere in anything, nor does anything inhere inHim. "There is nothing that resembles Him." He is7 Some prefer to translate the Arabic term, 'Rubb' into 'Lord'.Beside the fact that the latter is a Biblical term referring to thealleged lordship of the slave of Allah, Prophet Eesa (Jesus)may Allah exalt his mention, the word 'lord' which is limitedto 'master', 'chief', 'proprietor', or 'ruler', can never convey theconclusive signification of the term 'Rubb'. Among otherthings, the term 'Rubb' means, the One Who gives life andcauses death, the Creator, the Fashioner, the Provider, theOne upon Whom all creatures depend for their means ofsubsistence.


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the One, the Sole, and the Indivisible. He isOmnipotent and Omniscient.

His knowledge comprehends everything,hidden & manifest in perfect manner. He is toogreat to be encompassed by the knowledge of Hiscreatures.

Nothing occurs in the visible or invisible worldswithout His will, determination, and decree.Whatever He wills takes place, and whatever Hedoes not, will not take place. There is none to alterHis commands or decrees. He is Merciful Whosemercy and justice encompasses everything, andensures smooth running of the universe, in whichnothing is out of order. There is none to share Hisdomain, and He stands in need of none of Hiscreatures.

He is the Rubb of the worlds. Whenevera believer is in need of Allah, or is in distress callson Him, He responds to him. He is above the SevenHeavens, above His Arsh (Throne) above it ina manner which suits His grandeur and majesty.

Imam Abu Ja'farat-Tahawisaid:


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We say regarding the belief in the Oneness ofAllah, 'Allah is One without a partner."8

Abul-Izz al-Hanafi commented on this statementsaying:You should know that Tawheed was the firstissue with which the Messengers initiated theirmissions. It is the very first step a Muslim takes inthe path of Islam. Noah who was the firstMessenger Allah sent to mankind opened hismission saying to them: "0 my people! WorshipAllah. You have no other god beside Him."9

So did every otherMessenger say to his people.Allah says:Verily, we have sent a Messenger to every

nation preaching, 'Worship Allah, and shun theTaghoot. IO

And He says:We never sent a Messenger before you but We

revealed to him, 'There is no true God save I,therefore, worship Me. 118 AI-Aqeedah at-Tahawiyah, p. 77, al-Maktab al-Islami .9Q.7:6510 Q. 16:36/ Taghoot is any deity, object, or a slave of Allahworshipped beside or to the exclusion of Allah.


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The Prophet Muhammad, may Allah exalt hismention, said:

I am commanded to fight people until theyprofess that there is no true god except Allah, andMuhammad is the Messenger of Allah. 12Man is born with an inherent nature of

acknowledging Allah as his Creator. Allah says: "Isthere a doubt about Allah, the Creator of theheavens and the earth?"l3 The Prophet, may Allahexalt his mention, said:

Every human is born with primordial natt.Ire ofad


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I have created all My creatures believing in MyOneness, but devils lead them astray. 15

In fact, the whole Qur'an proves the Oneness ofAllah. The Qur'anic chapters contain informationabout Allah's names and attributes, or an invitationfor worshipping Him and ascribing no partner toHim, and shunning every deity that is worshippedbeside or in lieu of Him. Or they containcommands & prohibitions that are rightsnecessitated by Tawheed, or about the rewards thatAllah promises those who believe in His Oneness,and the punishment that awaits the polytheists andinfidels.That is why professing the Testimony of Faith is

the key that opens the gate of Islam to enter it.Hence, any person who wishes to embrace Islammust first profess the Testimony of Faith.

The Types of TawheedTawheed is a term, which is synonymous with

Islam. It means to believe in the Oneness of Allah.That is to believe that there is no true god besideAllah. In fact Allah has provided rational proof of15 Muslim


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the impossibility and improbability of the existenceof two gods in the universe. He says:

Had there been gods other than Allah theheavens and the earth would surely be ruined. 16To believe that Allah alone is the true God, the onlyGod Who is worthy of being worshipped. Thismeans that all the legitimate acts of worship mustbe dedicated to Him alone. It also means that He isthe sole Creator and maintainer of the universe andwhat is in it. Moreover, one must believe that Hehas the qualities and attributes of perfection.1-Ttl'ldteed al-lJIoohiyah17

To believe that Allah is the only God who hasthe right of Uloohiyah (Divinity) over all Hiscreatures. There is absolutely no creature that hasa divine attribute. Allah has neither a son, a wife,nor a partner. He stands in need of none of Hiscreatures. He says:

16Q.21:22J7 Uloohiyah, Divinity, or the state, or quality of Allah.


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Say, 'Allah is One. Allah is the Samadh. 18 Heneither begets nor was He begotten. Nor is thereanyone who is comparable to Him. 19

He is the only God Who deserves to beworshipped. Hence, no devotional rite should bedevoted to other than Allah. Believing otherwiseconstitutes major Shirk.This type of Tawheed was the main point ofcontention between the Prophet, may Allah exalthis mention, and the pagans. Although theyacknowledged Allah as the only Creator, yet theyadamantly refused to recognize Him as the onlyGod Who deserves to be worshipped. They alsowondered in denial about the fact that Allah is theonly true God. Allah, the Exalted, quotes in HisBook their response to the Prophet, may Allah exalt18 As-Samadh is one of Allah's beautiful names. It signifies theRubb to Whom recourse is had, to whom obedience isrendered, without Whom no affair can be accomplished, theOne to whom Ruboobiyah (the state of Rubb) ultimatelypertains, the Creator of everything, of Whom nothing isindependent, and on Whom every created thing depends forits means of subsistence, and whose Oneness everythingtestifies.19 Q. Surah # 112


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his mention, when he enjoined them to believe inthe Oneness of Allah. They said: "Does he reducethe gods to one god? This is indeed a strangething."202-Tawheed ar-Ruboobiyah21

The belief that Allah alone is the Rubb of everything, that is, the Creator, the Provider, theProprietor, the One in Whose hand is the disposalof all affairs. He has the power over all things. Hegives life, causes death, grants honor, victory anddefeat.The term Rubb is derived from the verb 'to rear'

or 'to raise'. Since Allah is the One Who providesman with all his needs from His bounty hence, Herears his creatures and nourishes them with Hisfavors and bounty. In return man should expresshis gratefulness to Allah by worshipping Himalone ascribing no partner to Him.

Tawheed ar-Ruboobiyah is the central creed, yetupholding it without upholding the other twotypes of Tawheed is not enough to save one fromHell. The pagans at the time of the Prophet, may20Q.38:521 Ar-Ruboobiyah is the state, or quality of the Rubb.


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Allah exalt his mention, acknowledged that Allahis the Creator of the heavens and the earth, and theProvider, yet this did not benefit them or save themfrom Fire on the Day of Resurrection.Allah says:And if you ask them, 'Who created the heavensand the earth?' They wouldsay, ,Allah:223- Tawheed al-Asma wus-Sifat

To believe that Allah enjoys unique divinenames and attributes with which Allah has namedand qualified Himself, and those with which HisMessenger, may Allah exalt his mention, namedand qualified Him, without comparing Him withHis creatures, and without suspending distorting themeaning of His names and attributes. He says:

There is nothing comparable to Him; and He isthe Hearer, the Seer.23

Tawheed ar-Ruboobiyah entails believing inTawheed al-Uloohiyah, that is, He who believes inAllah as the Rubb, as described above,acknowledges by necessity, that no one deserves tobe worshipped except Allah. He therefore22Q.31:2523 Q. 42:11


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supplicates Allah alone, seeks His help, trusts Him,and dedicates legitimate worship to Him alone.

Rules regarding the Divine names & AttributesShaikh Ibn Uthaimeen, may Allah sanctify his

soul and admit him into His Gardens, wrote a veryimportant book with the Arabic title: al-Oawa'id alMuthla fee Sifat Allah wa Asma'ihil Husna = TheIdeal Rules Regarding the Fine Names & Attributesof Allah. He said in the introduction to thisvaluable book:Believing in the names and attributes of Allah is

one of the articles of faith, i.e., believing in Allah,His Ruboobiyah, Uloohiyah and His names andattributes. Therefore, this article enjoys greatsignificance in Islam. No one can worship Allah ina perfect manner until he knows the names &attributes of Allah, the Exalted, and worships Himknowingly and properly.

The Types of Divine AttributesBelieving in Allah entails believing in His namesand Attributes. The essence of Allah must havenames and qualifications, because it is impossiblefor any essence to exist without attributes. That is


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why believing in Allah's names and attributesentails believing in Allah Himself.

The attributes of Allah is a matter which belongsto the invisible world. This means that one mustbelieve in them as they occur in the texts of theQur'an & the authentic Sunnah.

The First RuleAll of the names of Allah are absolutely fine andbeautiful; for they connote the attributes of

perfection, and are free from every probability ofdefect.

Example: 'The Living', is one of Allah's nameswhich means that Allah enjoys a perfect life; a lifewhich was not preceded by inexistence, nor will itbe terminated. It is a life that necessitates perfectattributes of knowledge, hearing, seeing and therest of the Divine attributes.

Another example: 'The Knower', another nameof Allah, which connotes perfect knowledge thatwas never preceded by ignorance nor is it affectedby oblivion.

Another example: Allah combines 'ThePowerful', 'the Wise', two names of His, in many


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ayaat in the Qur'an. Each of them signifiesperfection, i.e., perfect power, and infinite wisdom.This means that His power does not entailoppression or injustice. Contrary to the creature'spower, which may drive a person who possesses itto follow his whims and oppress others. Similarly,is His wisdom which is always associated withpower.

The Second RuleThe names of Allah are both appellations andepithets; appellations in term of His essence, andepithets in term of the meaning and significance.As for the appellations, such as the Living, theKnower, the Hearer, the Seer, the Merciful, thePowerful, the Wise, are all names of One God,Allah, the Exalted. While, in terms of epithets, eachone of these names has a different significationthan the others. That is, His name, 'the Living', hasa different meaning than that of the Hearer, or theKnower.

The Third RuleThe namesofAllah necessitate the following three

points:1- Confirming the name as one of Allah's.


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2- Confirming the attribute that the namesignifies as one of Allah's.

3- Confirming the ruling of that name. Example:Allah is Merciful. This means that the sinners whorepent to Him, He turns to them with mercy, formercy is one of the requirements of His name, theMerciful.

The Fourth RuleThe names of Allah are not subject to opinion. Inother words, we cannot give Allah names that He

has not named Himself with, nor did HisMessenger, may Allah exalt his mention, namedHim with.

The Fifth RuleThe names of Allah are not limited to a certainnumber. Although there is a hadeeth which isrelated to the Prophet, may Allah exalt hismention, signifying that Allah has 99 names, butthis does not mean that He has no other names.Rather, there are names of Allah that He has notmentioned in the Qur'an, nor taught them to any ofHis creatures.


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The Sixth RuleThe names and attributes of Allah should not be

suspended or distorted. This is common practice ofthe deviant sects. They deny some of these names, theirsignification or rulings.

They hold them to resemble human attributes. They give Allah names that He has not named

Himself with, as the Christians call Him 'TheFather.'


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~ l N ~ r r l l ~ j f llm i l l l u ~ A , ] 1 ~ ~ J l 2 \To believe in the existence of the angels who are

bodies of light who inhabit the heavens. TheProphet, may Allah exalt his mention, said:There is no space of a hand span in the heavenbut is occupied by an angel who is either bowingor prostrating24

A'ishah, may Allah be pleased with both sheand her father, reported that the Prophet, mayAllah exalt his mention, said:

Angels are created from light, and jinn arecreated from fire, and Adam was created asdescribed to you.25

They are honorable slaves of Allah who executetheir duties perfectly without objection andcelebrate His praise day and night withoutslackening. They are neither male nor female, nordo they eat or drink. They worship Allahcontinuously and celebrate His praise day andnight without boredom or exhaustion. Theydescend to earth during the Night of Honor and to

24 Ibn Majah & others.25 Muslim


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exa:ute certain chores, such as fighting with thebelievers.

Their numberThey are too many that only Allah knows theirnumber. Allah says: "No one knows the troops of

your Rubb except He." Just to give an idea, there isa place in the seventh heaven called, 'ai-Bait alMa'moor' (The Continuously Occupied House)about which the Prophet, may Allah exalt hismention, said: "Seventy thousand angels enter itevery day and never have the chance to re-enter itagain."26

He also said: "Hell, on the Day of Resurrectionwill be dragged forth having 70,000 reigns andevery reign will be held by 70,000 angels."27 Thismeans that 4,900,000,000 angels will be draggingHell forward. You can also imagine their largenumber when you consider the fact that everyhuman has one angel to handle the drop of semenfrom which man develops, two to record his deeds,a group of them to guard him as well as the Qareen,

26Bukhari & Muslim27Muslim


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or the companion who keeps his company to guidehim to the right course.

TheirNames and FunctionsAngels have names, but only few of them are

mentioned by name in the Qur'an. Allah says:Say, 'He who is an enemy to Jibreel (thenJet it be

known) that it is He Who sent him down on yourheart with the leave of Allah verifying what wasrevealed prior to it, and as guidance and gladtidings to the believers. He who is an enemy toAllah, His angels, His Messengers, Jibreel, andMichael, then (let it be known) that Allah is anenemy to the infidels.28Allah describes the angels that are appointed on

Hell-Fire saying:

o you who believe! Guard yourselves and yourfamilies from the Fire whose fuel is men andstones, upon which are appointed angels, harshand stem, who do not disobey Allah in what He

28 Q. 2:97,89


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ommands them and they d,o as they_ are29The Bearers of the Throne

Anas reported that the Messenger of Allah, mayllah exalt his mention, said:I am permitted to describe one of the Bearers of

he Throne; the distance between his earlobe andis shoulder takes a bird 700 years to cross.'30On the other hand, there is a strong relationshipman and angels; they attend him duringis formation in his mother's womb, and guardim after his birth.They brought man revelation from Allah, guardim, record his deeds, and finally they take out his

at death.Jibreel is the trustworthy angel whom Allahntrusted with the Divine messages that Heevealed to His Messengers. He was the Spirit thatllah sent to Maryam. Allah says: /IAnd We senterOur Spirit." Abdullah b. Mas'ood said:

Abu Dawood, The Book of Sunnah.


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The Messenger of Allah, may Allah exalt hismention, saw Jibreel in his real size with 600 wings;each one of them blocked the horizon. 31

He also said:I saw Jibreel descending from heaven; hisenormous size blocked the space between theheaven and the earth,32

Allah describes Jibreelsaying:He is a noble, powerful Messenger whom Allahhas granted a high rank. He is obeyed there (in the

Heavens) and he is trustworthy.33Israfeel, is the angel who will blow the horn the

first time to mark the end of life in this world, andwill blow it again for Resurrection.Malik, is the Keeper of Hell. Hell's inmates willcall on him to ask Allah to put an end to theirmisery. Allah says: 11And they called, '0 Malik! Letyour Rubb terminate our life. He said, 'You willremain therein for ever."

31 Imam Ahmad32 At-Tirmidthi33 Q. 81:19-21


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Ridhwan, is the Keeper of Jannah. The Prophet,may Allah exalt his mention, mentioned his namein various ahadeeth.

Munkar & Nakeer, the two angels whointerrogate the dead in the grave.Malak al-Mawt, the Angel of Death, who

collects human's souls at their point of death.Haroot & Maroot, the two angels whom Allah

sent down to earth to test people by teaching themsorcery as referred to in Surat al-Baqarah ayah #103.

Raqeeb & Ateed. The two angels who keepman's company throughout his life. Allah says:

The two Recording Angels write down theman's deeds; one sits on his right, and the other onis left. He does not utter a word but Raqeeb &teed are there to record i t)4It is clearly stated in the Qur'an that angels die

ust as men and jinn do. Allah says:And the hom will be blown, and all that are inthe heavens and the earth will be shocked to death;ave those whom Allah exempts. Then it will be

34 Q. 50:18.19


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blown again, and behold! They are standinglooking on.35

Angels' DutiesRegistering the fetus' futureAbu Dthar, may Allah be pleased with him,

said:I heard the Messenger of Allah, may Allah exalt

his mention, saying: Allah, the Exalted, sends anangel to enter the a woman's womb 120 days afteran ovum is lodged in it to fashion it. He creates itshearing, sight, skin, flesh and bones. Then theangel says, '0 my Rubb! Male or female?' Allahthen dictates the angel to write down whatever Hewills.'36

In another version, the Prophet, may Allah exalthis mention, said: 11Allah sends an angel to breathelife into the fetus, and dictates him four decrees:the fetus' provision, life term, accomplishmentsand fate; as towhether he is going to be miserable orprosperous." All of which are recorded during thefetal stage.35 Q. 39:6836 Muslim


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Guarding ManAllah says:There are angels that protect man from behindand in front of him from the accidents by the leaveofAllah}7Ibn Abbas, the Interpreter of the Qur'an,

explained this ayah saying that the angels referredto in this ayah are those appointed by Allah toguard man and protect from accidents that he mayencounter.However, when an accident, which Allah has

foreordained to befall man, the angelic guardsabandon him at that point so that the accident takesplace.38Delivering Divine RevelationAllah says in the Qur'an that Jibreel is the

angelic Messenger between Allah and His humanMessengers. Allah describes Jibreel as 'TrustworthySpirit.' There are other angels through whom Hecommunicates with His Messengers and otherhumans.

37Q. 13:1138 Ibn Katheer, Tafseer al-Qur'an al-Adtheem, Surat ar-Ra'd


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Assisting BelieversThere are also angels whom Allah sends down

to fight along with the believers in battles againstthe infidels. Others are assigned to enjoin people todo good deeds, as there are devils to entice them todo evil deeds.RecordingMan's DeedsThere are angels who record man's deeds,

actions, and utterances. Allah says:Whatever man utters the two recordingangels, one on his right side a ~ the other on hisleft side, record it.39The angel on man's right side writes down hid

good deeds, while the one on his left side writesdown his evil deeds.TestingManThere are, yet angels who are sent down to earth

to test people, by giving them good things to seehow grateful to Allah they would be, or byteaching them evil things such as the two angels,Haroot and Maroot who tested people by teachingthem sorcery. Allah says:

39 Q. 50:17,18


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And they did not teach a person before warninghim, 'We teach sorcery as a test, therefore, do notdisbelieve by learning it.'4o

Death's and Grave's AngelsAllah has assigned the Angel of Death, along

with other assistants to take the souls41 of menwhen their life span ends.Say, 'The Angel of Death who is charged with

terminating your Iives.42The Angel of Death pulls out the soul of theunbeliever harshly and roughly, and the believer'ssoul gently,43 and they give the latter glad tidingsupon his death.44There are two angels, Munkar and Nakeer, whoquestion the dead in the grave; they torture the

infidels in it. The Prophet, may Allah exalt his

40 Q. 2:10241 Soul and life are used interchangeably throughout thebook unless otherwise specified.42 Q. 32:11. The Angel of Death terminates man's life when hecollects his soul.43 Refer to the ayaat in surah #3:93 & #6:5044 Refer to this in surah #41:30


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mention, described man 's condition at the po in t ofdea th saying:

W hen a believer is about to leave this world anden ter the next, white faced angels descend from theheavens to a ttend him. Their faces are like the sun.They bring along w ith them shrouds and perfumesfrom Jannah, and sit by his side. They are as manyas the sight can reach. The Angel of Death, mayAllah exalt his mention, sits by his head and says,'0 good soul, come out to enjoy the forgivenessand pleasure of Allah.' The Prophet, m ay Allahexalt his mention, went on to say, "The soul comesout rolling down like a drop of water rolling out ofa pitcher. When he holds it, the angels do not leaveit in his hand for a flicker of an eye. They take it,place it in tha t shroud , and perfume it. It then em itsa fragrance like the best musk tha t can be found onearth." He said, "They then take it up to heavens,where no g roup of angels tha t they pass by but ask,'Who is this good soul?' They say so & so, the sonof so and so, calling h im by the best of nam es tha the used to be called in this world. Then they go upto the lowest heaven and ask perm ission to en terit; and its gate will be opened for them . Angels


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who are nearest to the next Heaven willaccompany him to see him ascend to the upperHeaven, until they finally take the soul up to theseventh Heaven. Then Allah, Azza m:zlall (ExtoJJed beHis Glory) says, 'Place the record ofMy slave in thehighest rank, but take him back to earth; for from itI created them, and into it I will tum them, andfrom it I will bring them forth again.'

The Messenger of Allah, may Allah exalt hismention, said: 'When the soul is taken back to joinits body, two angels will enter his grave, make himsit down, and ask him, 'Who is Y O ~ l f Rubb?' Hesays, 'My Rubb is Allah.' 'What is your Deen?' Hesays, 'Islam is my Deen.' And, 'Who was that manwho was sent to you?' He says, 'The Messenger ofAllah, may Allah exalt his mention.' Finally, theywill ask him, 'How do you know?' 'I read the Bookof Allah, believed in it, and believed it', heanswers. Allah will say, 'My slave has told thetruth. Give him bedding from lannah, put on hima garment from lannah, and open up for hima window to lannah.' The Prophet, may Allah exalthis mention, went on, 'through which a breezewafts at him fragrance from lannah. His grave


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expands as far as his sight can reach.' He furthersaid, 'Then a handsome man beautifully dressed,and perfumed comes to him and says, 'Rejoice inwhat awaits you. This is your promised day'. Heasks him, 'Who are you? Your face foretells nothingbut good news.' He says, 'I am your good deeds.'At that point, he says, '0 my Rubb! Let the FinalHour take place. 0 my Rubb! Let the Final Hourcome to pass so that I may return to my family andproperty.'

As far as the infidel is concerned, the Prophet,may Allah exalt his mention, said, 'When an infidelis about to leave this world and enter the nextworld, black faced angels descend from heavenbringing him rough cloth and sit by his side (theyare as many as the sight can reach.) The Angel ofDeath, may Allah exalt his mention, sits by hishead and says, '0 wicked soul! Come out to sufferthe wrath of Allah.' The Prophet, may Allah exalthis mention, said, 'The soul will disperse into hisbody,45 such that the Angel of Death pulls it outjust like a skewer is pulled out of wet yam of wool.45 The soul disperses in the body for fear of death andpromised torment.


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Once he pulls it out, the angels do not leave it in hishand for a flicker of an eye, and place i t in thatcloth. It emits horrible odor like that of the mostdecayed carcass found on earth. "They then take itup to heavens, where no group of angels that theypass by but ask, 'Who is this wicked soul?' Theywill say, 'He is so & so.' They call him by theugliest of names with which he used to be called inthis world. When they reach the lowest heaven andask for the gates to be opened for him, no gate willbe opened for him. Then the Messenger of Allah,may Allah exalt his mention, recited the followingayah: liThe gates of heaven will not be opened forthem, nor will they enter Jannah until a camel goesthrough a needle's eye."46 Allah will say, 'Place hisrecord in Sijjeen, the lowest earth. It will be roughlythrown into it. Then the Prophet, may Allah exalthis mention, recited: IIAnd he who ascribesa partner to Allah will be as though he has fallenoff from the sky, and birds snatch him up; or asthough the wind blows him to a remote place."47

46Q.7:4047 Q. 22:31


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Soon after that his soul reJoms his body,whereupon two angels come to him, make him sitdown, and ask him, 'Who is your Rubb?' He says,'Ah, ah, I do not know.' They ask him, 'What isyour Deen?' He says, Ah, ah, I do not know.' Theyask him, 'Who was that man who was sent to you?'He says, 'Ah, ah, I do not know.' A Allah will say,'My slave has lied. Give him bedding from Fire,and open up for him a window to the Fire.' Nosooner than wind blows heat on him from Hell-Fire, and his grave tightens to the point ofsqueezing him to force his ribs intertwine. Then anugly man wearing filthy clothes with repulsiveodor comes into his grave and says, 'Grieve bywhat will sadden you. This is your promised day.'He asks him, 'Who are you? Your face foretells evilnews.' He says, 'I am your wicked deeds.'Thereupon, he says, '0 my Rubb! Let not the FinalHour take place.'''48There are other angels who pray for thebelievers to be guided on the right path, and forthose who attend the congregational Salah in

48 ImamAhmad


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masajid (mosques) and for those who stand in thefirst line in such Salah.

Attending Circles of Dthikr49The Prophet, may Allah exalt his mention, said:There are angels of Allah who roam the earth

seeking dthikr circles. When they find one, in whichpeople are remembering Allah, they call each other,'Come. Here is what you are looking for!' TheProphet, may Allah exalt his mention, said,'Theysurround the attendants with their wings on top ofeach other, until they reach the lowest heaven(signifying their large number).50

There are also angels who record the names ofthose who attend fum'ah Salah. They stand,according to the authentic hadeeth, on each door ofthe masjid, recording the names according to thetime of attendants' arrival. Once the Imam sits

49Dthikr, glorifying Allah by reciting all formulas of Hispraise: reading, reciting Qur'anic and expressinggratitude to Him, and supplicating Him with obedience andeagerness.50 Saheeh al-Bukhari & SaheehMuslim


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down they fold up their records. That is, they donot take names after that.51

Angels and other CreaturesThere are eight angels who bear the Arsh ofAllah, which is the greatest of all the creatures. It

encompasses the heavens and the earth, and Allahis above it. There are also angels who areappointed for mountains, others for rain, for landproduce, for clouds and thunder. There are thekeepers of Jannah, and the keepers of Jahannam(HelL) Beside those, there are many angels whoseduties and number only Allah knows.

A Muslim must love all angels withoutdistinction because all of them are obedient slavesof Allah. He who hates one of them hates all. Afterall, the angels love the believers and pray for theirwelfare. Then Allah says:

It is He Who mentions you in the Supremeangelic sphere, and His angels pray for you so that

51 This does not mean that those who enter a mosque afterthe Imam stands on the pulpit are deprived of the reward forattending tl;te Tum'ah Salat, rather, they would not be giventhe reward of those who arrived before them. Allah knowsbest.


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e delivers you from darkness into light, and He isrciful to the Believers.52The Guards ofMadinahThe Dajjal, or the False Messiah, will traverse allthe world save two places; Makkah andadinah. Tameem ad-Dari, who met ad-Dajjal,id that the latter told him:I am the False Messiah. I am just about to be

and will go forth to enter every townithin forty nights, except Makkah and TaibahMadinah) both of which I am barred from;henever I want to enter one of them an angel

me with a sword in his hand driving mefrom it. There are angels who guard everytrance of these two cities.53

Muslim, Abu Dawood & at-Tirmidthee


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~ I B 3 ~ l l l l ~ f f lllIil l i l l u ~ m J P l f u J n ~As a fundamental of faith one must believe

firmly in the Messages with which Allah sent HisMessengers and Prophets to mankind, and tobelieve that they did convey them to theirrespective peoples. Allah destructed nations whoaccused their Prophets and Messengers of lying.Therefore, it is our duty to believe in all of theScriptures in general. Allah says:Say, 'We believe in Allah, and in what is sent tous, and in what was sent to Ibraheem, Isma'eel,Is'haq, Ya'qoob, and the Asbat,S4 and in what Musaand Eesa were given, and in what was given to allthe Prophets from their Rubb. We make nodistinction between one Messenger and another,and we.obey Allah willingly.'ss

Believing in the ScripturesWhatever Allah revealed to His Messengers'waseither in a written form, like the Torah, which was

sent down to Musa, a Book such as the Qur'an that54 The Asbat are twelve children of Ya'qoob (Isra'eel) andtheir tribes.55 Q. 2:136


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was revealed in installments, or sheets like thosethat were sent down to Ibraheem, may Allah exalthis mention. It might have been verbal revelationlike that which was revealed to Isma'eel, Is'haq,Ya'qoob, and the Asbat.

It is incumbent to believe in every thing thatAllah revealed to His Prophets & Messengers.

How to believe in the Messages?We believe in what was revealed in the previousBooks, and that adhering to them was incumbentupon those nations to whom those Books weresent. We also believe that the Divine Books supporteach other, and attest to the veracity of each other.He who denies any Book sent down by Allah is aninfidel.

However, we believe that every latter Bookabrogates the set of laws of the former one,partially or entirely. Based on this, the Qur'anabrogates many laws that were contained in theTorah and the New Testament.

To give an example, Adam was allowed to givehis daughters in marriage to his sons, but later onthis was abrogated. So was marrying two sisters in


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the same time, as was the case of Va'qoob, but thatwas abrogated too. The New Testament legalizedwhat was illegal by the Old Testament. Eesa said tothe Children of Israel:And I have come to approve the Torah that

was revealed before me, and legalize for yousome of what was illegal.56Similarly, the Qn'anabrogated many laws of both

the Old and the New Testaments. Allah says:Those who follow the Messenger, the UnletteredProphet, whose description they find in the Torahand the Gospel, that he enjoins them goodmanners, and forbids them the abominablemanners, legalizes for them the good things andforbids them the impure, and relieves them fromtheir burdens and shackles that were on them.57

Source of Divine MessagesThere is only one source of all the Divine Books.Allah says:

Allah; there is no true God other than He, theEver-living, the Maintainer of everything. He

56Q.3:5057 Q. 7:157


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sent down the Book with the truth to youconfirming the veracity of the Books thatpreceded it. And He previously sent down theTorah and the Gospel as guidance to men, andHe sent down the Qur'an.58Allah revealed them for one single purpose that

is, to guide mankind to the straight path, whichleads them to prosperity in this as well as in theworld to come by professing His Oneness, andrestricting their acts of worship exclusively to Him.Each of the previous Messages was restricted toone particular nation, at particular one stage.Hence, Allah did not promise to preserve any ofthem, rather each Scripture was memorized by theRabbis and scholars ofthe respective nation.

There are forms of revelation that are mentionedby name in the Qur'an; such as the Sheets ofIbraheem, the Torah of Musa, the Zaboor ofDawood, the Gospel of Eesa, and the Qur'an whichis revealed to Muhammad, may Allah exalt hismention.

There are other Scriptures that Allah revealed toHis Messengers, but did not mention them in the58 Q. 3:2-4


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QuI'an. Thus, it is Allah Who sent down the DivineBooks as guidance to set a way of living tomankind through which they could accomplish thepurpose of bringing them into existence.It is impossible for man to lead a unique anddecent way of life unless they follow laws that areissued by a single authority that rewards andpunishes accordingly in both this as well as thenext world. However, when they follow differentlaws that are issued by different authorities whomay reward and punish in this world only. Man inthat case will have to go in two different directions,and be subject to two different authorities. At thatpoint human life will be disrupted, and chaos andcorruption will prevail. Allah says:

Were there to be gods other than Allah in theheavens and earth, they would have been ruined.59

Based on this fact, Allah has assigned for everynation through the ages laws and rites that suitedthem and served the purpose of that particular age.Despite this fact, Allah enjoined one uniqueAqeedah on man from the day Adam was createduntil the Day of Resurrection.59Q.21:22


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Allah created the whole creation in order to berecognized by them as the only God Who is worthyof being worshipped. He says:

I have created jinn and men only to worshipMe.60Divine Scriptures Are:1- The Torah, the Book which Allah revealed to

Musa, may Allah exalt his mention.2- The Zaboor, the Book which Allah revealed toDawood (David) may Allah exalt his mention.3- The Injeel, or the New Testament, which was

revealed to Eesa Oesus) may Allah exalt hismention.

The Books that are in the hands of the People ofthe Book [Christians and Jews] today, that is, theTorah, or Old Testament, the New Testament,should not be held as authentic because they aredistorted, altered, and tampered with. Hence, theTorah, the Old and the New Testaments, the Bible,and all preceding Books are abrogated by theQur'an.

4- The Qur'an, Since the Qur'an is the lastMessage, which Allah sent to mankind, He has60 Q. 51:56


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Verily, We have sent down the dthikr,63 and willbe guarding it."64

The Qur'an was revealed to the Prophet, mayAllah exalt his mention, in portions, ascircumstances warranted over a period of twenty-three years; thirteen of which in Makkah, and tenin Madinah. It is divided into 114 suwar (chapters)of varying lengths.

Allah, the Exalted, d1al1enged the Arabs and non-Arabs to produce a book similar to the Divine one.The challenge was reduced to ten suwar, yet theyfailed to do so. Finally, Allah challenged them toproduce a single Surah comparable to any of His.Although they were masters of eloquence andrhetoric, yet they failed to take the challenge. Theyrealized that the Qur'an could never be from otherthan Allah, the Rubb of the worlds.

The difference between the miracles of theprevious Messengers; which proved their veracity;63 The term, 'dthikr' in this context denotes both the Qur'anand the Sunnah which comprises the actions, utterances andapproval of the Messenger of Allah, may Allah exalt hismention.64Q.15:9


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and that of Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah,may Allah exalt his mention, is that theirs tookplace during their lifetime, whereas the miracle ofthe Qur'an shall remain effective, everlasting, andever-challenging until the Day ofResurrection.

The Qur'an is a comprehensive legislationThe Qur'an constitutes the most comprehensive

concept of Islam on the practical level as the sourceof the Shari'ah, or the Divine laws and legisJatirn. It iscomprehensive because it includes laws, as well asthe underlying purposes and moral principles, andthe creed to which every Muslim must uphold.Islamic Shari'ah is designed and made suitable notonly for Muslims, but for all humankind for alltimes. The Islamic law governs all human acts, bydelineating every person's public or private-dutiestoward Allah and His creation.

Man-made laws are based on theories.Whenever a new legislators assume authority, ora new theory is introduced and appeals to thelegislators, the laws are changed accordingly. TheDivine law, on the other hand, is unalterable andperpetual because the One Who made it is Allah,


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the Ever-Living and Everlasting. He is the CreatorWho created mankind and ordained what is bestfor them until the end of time. For this reason theQur'an, which is the last revelation to the last of theProphets and Messengers, it has abrogated allprevious Books. Allah says:

And this Qur'an not such as could ever beproduced by other than Allah, rather, it is theconfirmation of what was before it (i.e., theTorah and the Gospel, etc.) It is also a fullexplanation of the Book, which is without doubt,from the Rubb of the worlds. Or, do they say,'He (Muhammad, may Allah exalt his mention)has invented it. Say, 'Then produce a Surah likeit, and summon whoever you can [to help you]apart from Allah, i f you are truthfu1.65There is no nation that had ever cared about,

revered, and preserved its Divine Scripture as theMuslim Ummah (nation) has cared about, reveredand preserved the Qur'an. Unlike the other DivineScriptures, the Qur'an is not kept in the hands ofone particular group of Muslims; that is why it isabove suspicion that it might have been tampered65 Q. 10:37-38


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with or altered. I t has always been within the reachof all Muslims; many of whom memorized it. TheProphet, may Allah exalt his mention, commandedthe Muslims to recite Qur'anic suwar (chapters) orayaat in their Salah. Allah commands the Muslimsto refer all their disputes to the Qur'an for finaljUdgment. The Qur'an was compiled in its finalform at a time when the first Muslims whocommitted it to memory were still alive. Allah haspromised to preserve it, and it will be preserveduntil the Day of Resurrection. The Muslims todayread and recite the same Qur'anic texts that wereread and recited during the lifetime of the ProphetMuhammad, may Allah exalt his mention, and hisCompanions, with whom Allah is pleased. Not asingle letter has been added to the Qur'an nordeleted from it since.


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Belief in the Messengers is the firm attestationthat Allah did send a Messenger to every nationinviting them to worship Him alone. This beliefentails denouncing all gods that are worshippedbeside, or to the exclusion of Allah, and believingthat all Messengers were truthful, and did conveyto their peoples the Message with which Allah sentthem. Allah sent many Messengers whose numberis known to Him alone.

The mercy of Allah and His wisdom requiresending Messengers to mankind inviting them toworship Him alone. He did not bring the creationinto existence in vain. Hence, believing in Allahentails believing in His Messengers. Allah, theExalted, condemns believing in Him withoutbelieving in His Messengers. He says:

Those who disbelieve in Allah and HisMessengers and want to make distinctionbetween Allah and His Messengers, saying, 'Webelieve in some and disbelieve in some,' andwant to pursue a course in between. It is theywho are the real infidels."66

66 Q. 4:150-152


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It is incumbent on all Muslims to believe in allProphets and Messengers. He, who denies one ofthem, denies alL The first Messenger was Noah,and the last is Muhammad, may Allah exalt theirmention and render them safe from everyderogatory thing.

The purpose of sending Messengers was toinvite people to worship Allah alone, anddenounce the Taghoot, or all false gods. Allah says:And We did raise among every people

a Messenger preaching them: 'Worship Allahalone, and shun the Taghoot." 67None of the Prophets and Messengers possessed

divine qualities. They were human. Allahdistinguished them by commissioning them asProphets, and Messengers, and supported themwith miracles. They had no knowledge of al-ghaib[the invisible world] except what was revealed tothem thereof by Allah. They had no power tobenefit or harm others, nor did they have a share inthe dominion of Allah. Allah charged them withthe duty of conveying His Message to theirpeoples, and promised them Jannah. They diq67 Q 16:36


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anvey the Message perfectly, and were veracioos.Allah says:

And We sent a Guiding-Messenger to everypeople.68But Allah sent Muhammad, may Allah exalt his

mention, to mankind at large. He says:Say, 0 mankind, I am the Messenger of Allah

to you alL69Muhammad, may Allah exalt his mention, is thelast of the Messengers and Prophets of Allah and

the best of them all. His name is Muhammad, sonof Abdullah, son of Abdul-Muttalib. His lineagetraces back to Ibraheem, may Allah exalt hismention, the Beloved of Allah. He was born inMakkah in 570 AC.

Due to the fine reputation he enjoyed among hispeople, they nicknamed him'theTrustworthy'. At theage of 40, he was endowed with Prophethoodwhen Allah, the Exalted, revealed to him throughangel Jibreel, the first Qur'anic ayaat, andcommanded him to preach the belief in the

68 Q.13:769Q.7:158


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Oneness of Allah and warn people againstpolytheism.

Many people like to think that true salvation inthe Hereafter may be attained by followinga Prophet or a Messenger other than Muhammad,may Allah exalt his mention, or by adhering toa Deen other than Islam. This is untrue; for the OneWho sent Noah as the first Messenger to mankindis the One that sent Ibraheem and all the Messengersafter him, including Musa, Eesa, and Muhammad,may Allah exalt their mention. . Allah tooka covenant from all of them that they must believein Muhammad, may Allah exalt his mention, andsupport him. He says:And when Allah took a covenant from the

Prophets, saying, since I gave you the Book andthe hikmah70 and then when a Messenger comesto you believing what is with you, you shouldbelieve in him and support him. Allah then said,'Do you testify to this and accept this covenant?'They said, 'We agree and testify to it.' Then He

70 Hikmah signifies wisdom and knowledge.


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said to them, 'Therefore, bear witness and I doso along with you.71This means that every human being must follow

Muhammad, may Allah exalt his mention, becauseevery Messenger gave his people the good news ofhis advent as a Messenger. The last Messenger whogave his people this good news was Eesa, mayAllah exalt his mention. Allah says:

And when Eesa, son of Maryam, said, '0Children of Israel! Surely I am the Messenger ofAllah to you, ascertaining that which is beforeme of the Torah, and giving glad tidings ofa Messenger who will come after me his namewill be Ahmed.72Hence, whoever believed in Musa, until the

advent of Eesa, may Allah exalt his mention, it wasincumbent on him to believe in and follow him.SinceMuhammad, may Allah exalt his mention, is thelast of the Messengers that Allah sent to mankind,it is incumbent on every human being to believe inhim, adhere to his guidance, and support him.Hence, the true happiness in this world and in the71 Q.3:8172Q.61:6


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world to come can be attained only thrvugh followingMuhammad, may Allah exalt his mention, Allahsays:

And We have sent you only as mercy to theworlds (men and jinn).73Believing in the Messengers of Allah means

believing that they were trustworthy in what theyconveyed to their people, and that Allah protectedthem from what would hamper their mission.Among whom are the most prominent andsteadfast: Noah, Ibraheem, Musa, Eesa andMuhammad, may Allah exalt their mention. Theyare human and slaves of Allah. Every Prophet orMessenger before Muhammad, may Allah exalt hismention, was sent to his own people. butMuhammad, may Allah exalt his mention, is sentto mankind at large.

Eesa (Jesus') status in IslamNone of Allah's Mes3engers or Prophets claimedto be god or semi-god. Allah says:

Allah has not taken a son for Himself, nor isthere a god with Him. Otherwise, each godwould have taken away what he creates, and

73 Q. 21:107


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some of them would surely have ?ominated overthe others. Far is Allah above .all what theyattribute to Him.74Muslims believe in all of the Prophets andMessengers that Allah sent to mankind.Moreover, they accept Eesa, not as Christians

claim him to be the Divine manifestation or son ofGod; but as a slave of Allah and His Messenger.

Albeit his unnatural or miraculous birth, sincehe was born of a virgin, hence, he is called Eesa,son of Maryam (Mary) and although he is highlyrespected in Islam, yet Islam does not concede anyidea of his divinity, or that he is the son of God.This, or any Trinitarian dogma or any suggestionthat Eesa is somehow a hypothesis of Godincarnate is utterly rejected in Islam. Regarding hisbirth, Allah says:

And tell them the story of Mary as mentioned inthe Book, when she isolated herself from herpeople in an eastern place. Then We sent her Ourangel, Gabriel, who appeared to her in a shape of aperfect man. Shocked as she was, she said to him: "Iseek refuge with the Merciful God from you; that74Q.23:91


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is, if you fear Him." He eased her fear by saying: "Iam not what you are thinking. 1 am onlya messenger from your God to give you a pureson." She wondered: "How can 1 have a son whenno man has ever touched me, nor am 1 a badwoman?" He said, 'This is what yourGod has said,'"It is easy for Me, and We75 shall make him topeople as a proof of Allah's capability of bringingman into existence through various methods,and to be as mercy from Us. Besides, it's aninevitable thing which is already foreordained." Soshe became pregnant with a baby, and she isolatedherself in a remote place. Later on, labor pain droveher to a trunk of a palm-tree, and she said: 'Wouldthat I died before this, and was a thing completelyforgotten, or never existed.'

Then her baby called her from beneath her,saying: "Grieye not! Your God has made a streamrun below you; and shake the trunk of the palm-75 Lest you wonder why the 151 person pronoun used her is in theplural form, you should know that the speaker is God Himself. It isknown that the use of plural of 1st person pronoun, 'WE' is a term ofaggrandizement used by kings. Therefore, if kings, who are onlycreatures use it, by right, the One Who created them is more entitledto its use.


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tree, ripe date-fruits will fall down for you. So, eat,drink, and enjoy yourself, and whenever you seea human being then gesture to him: 1 have vowedto observe fast for the sake of the Merciful God; so 1will not speak to any human being."

When she finally returned home carrying herbaby, people were shocked and reproached hersaying: "0 Mary, you have committed a grievoussin. 0, sister of Aaron! (They called her by thatname because her lineage traces back to Moses'brother, Aaron. They reminded her of her piouspredecessors saying, 'Your father was not abadman, nor was your mother an unchastewoman."

Since she made a vow of abstaining fromtalking, the infant spoke again to prove hismother's innocence:

she pointed at her baby. They disapprovinglyasked: "How can we talk to a infant in a cradle?"At that point, the infant himself spoke saying: "1am a slave of Allah. He has given me the Book,made me a Prophet, and blessed me to enjoin thegood conduct, and forbid the abominable whereverI may be, and He enjoined me to perform prayer,


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and give Zakat76 as long as I live. And He hasmade me dutiful to my mother; not arrogant toworship Him, nor a miserable. And safety andsecurity are granted to me on the day I was bornthrough till the day I shall die, and on the day Ishall be raised again." 77

This is the truth about Eesa Oesus) son ofMaryam, which they doubt. It does not befit Allahto have a son. He is far removed from everyimperfection. When He wants a thing to take place,He only says to it, 'Be', and it is. Surely, Allah is myRubb and your Rubb. So, worship Him alone. Thisis the true faith. 78

Eesa did not die on the cross, as commonlybelieved by the Christians; rather, Allah raised himup to Him. It was someone else who was actuallycrucified. Allah says:

76 The term, 'Zakat' legally means, 'alms', and linguistically,'purification'.77 In order to prove to them that he was only a human, hementioned that he was born, will die, and be raised again likeany other human being.78 Q.19:16-36


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They neither killed him, nor crucified him, itappeared so to them. Rather, He took him up toHim. Allah is everMighty, Wise.79Just like other Messengers of Allah, Allahenabled Eesa to perform certain miracles as signs of

his veracity as desaibedin the following ayaat:And he is a Messenger to the Children of

Israel to tell them: 'I have come to you witha sign from your Rubb that I make out of muda shape of a bird for you to see, then I puff on it,and it will become a real bird by the will ofAllah. And I heal the blind and the leprous, andrevive the dead by the will of Allah. And I cantell you what you eat and store in your homes.Surely, there is a sign in that for you i f you onlybelieve.'80

Eesa's Return to EarthEesa, may Allah exalt his mention, is right now

in heaven. He will come down to earth at the endof time as a major sign of the Final Hour. Allahdescribes Eesa saying:79Q.4:15780Q.3:49


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He is only a slave whom We have graced, andmade him an example for the Children ofIsrael.81 And He says:

And verily, he is a sign of the Final Hour.82There are many authentic Prophetic traditionsconcerning Eesa's return to earth and ruling by theQur'an. 83

81 Q. 43:5982 Q. 43:6183 Ibn Katheer, Tafseer al-Qur'an al-Adtheem, Vol.- p. 139-140


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a' 1 l l l i l ~ J E , ~ l l i l d nUll i i l l i ! ~ l L . ~ j ) l 1 !D)z;i}::YA Muslim should firmly believe in the veracity

of what Allah has mentioned in the Qur'an, andwhat His Messenger, may Allah exalt his mention,said about the events of death, questioning andtorment in the grave, Resurrection, the Assembly,the Reckoning, the Bridge over Hell, the Scale,Jannah, Fire, and the rest of the eschatologicalevents 00 theDayci Resurrection.

Questioning in the GraveThe Prophet, may Allah exalt his mention, said

that man will be asked in his grave:Who is your Rubb? What is your Deen? And,Who is your Prophet? Allah, the Exalted, will

inspire the believers to give the right answers.The believer will say, 'My Rubb is Allah, myDeen is Islam, and my Prophet is Muhammad.While the hypocrite, or the infidel will say withconfusion: IIAh, ah, I do not know. I heard peoplesay something, and I repeated it. II Thereupon, hewill be struck with an iron club, and will giveout a loud shriek which could be heard by


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everything except men and jinn. Were they tohear his shrieking they would drop dead.84The torment of the infidels in the grave is true,

as indicated by the words of Allah, the Exalted:Pharaoh -Fir'awn- and his people are exposedto Hell-Fire morning and evening. And on theDay of Resurrection, it will be said, 'SubjectFir'awn's people to the severest torment.'8SThe Messenger of Allah, may Allah exalt hismention, said:

You will be tested in your graves." He alsoemphasized the torment of the grave.86Signs of the Final HourIt is only Allah Who knows the timing of theFinal Hour. He says:

People ask you concerning the Final Hour.~ a to them, 'The information about it is keptwith Allah alone. What do you know? It may beforthcoming. 87

84 As-Sunan al-Arba'ah85 Q.40:4686 Imam Ahmad87 Q.33:63


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The Messenger o Allah, may Allah exalt hismention, said that there are two kinds of the signsof the Final Hour; Minor, and Major:

Minor SignsThere are many minor signs of the Final Hour

such as: the mission of the Prophet Muhammad,may Allah exalt his mention, the fire which willerupt in the Hijaz Province,88 contraction of time,speaking of inanimate things, speaking of animals,bondwomen giving birth to their own mistresses,the competing of the shepherds in erecting tallbuildings, vain glory of people over building fancymosques, prevalence of commotion, exceBvefrequencies of massacres, prevalence of fornication& liquor coosumpti


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rain, it will, and the earth to give out its produceand it will. The Messenger, may Allah exalt hismention, warned against following or believinghim.2- The descent of Eesa (Jesus) may Allah exalthis mention, from the heaven to Damascus.89 Hewill kill the Dajjal, invite people to Islam, breakthe cross, kill the swine,90 and waive the jizyah. 91He will finally die and Muslims will perform hisfuneral Salah.

3- The emergence of Ya'jooj and Ma'jooj(Gog & Magog) two large human nations who willspread devastation on earth. Eesa and thebelievers, who will be in their hideout, will thenpray to Allah to put an end to them, and Allah willrespond favorably.

89 Damascus is the CapitalofSyria.90 As a proof of the false crucifixion, Eesa will break thecross. While killing the swine stands as a proof of theChristians' false claims that Jesus made swine's flesh lawfulfor them to eat, and wine to drink.91 Jizyah is the fee that was levied from Christian and Jewishsubjects of a Muslim state whereby they ratify the compactthat ensures their protection.


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4- The emergence of the Beast of the Earth justbefore the Final Hour. It will speak to people andwarn them against imminent torment anddestruction. Allah says:And when the sentence is passed against

them, We shall bring out from the earth a beastwhich will warn that people are doubtful aboutOur signs.925- The rising of the Sun from the West. At thattime, all non-Muslims will declare their belief in

Allah, but it will be too late, for belief at that pointwill not avail a person who did not previouslybelieve, or benefited from his belief.

There are other signs as indicated by theMessenger of Allah, may Allah exalt his mention,The Final Hour will not come to pass until

you witness ten signs of which are: the rising ofthe sun from the West, the smoke, theemergence of the Beast from tre earth, treappearance of Gog & Magog,93 the descending

92Q.27:8293 Gog & Magog are two large nations that will appear at theend of time who will create mischief on earth and kill allthose coming on their way.


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of Eesa, son of Maryam from heaven, theappearance of the DajjaI, and three earthquakes;one in the East, one in the West, and the third inthe Arabian Peninsula, a n a fire, which willerupt from underground in Aden to drivepeople to the Assembly Land. It wil


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witnesses95 will be brought, and humankind willbe judged fairly, and they will not be wronged.96Men will emerge from their graves bewildered,

and will be summoned to stand on the AssemblyLand for a day, which is fifty-thousand years long;naked, barefuoIed, and unciro.nncised; awaiting thefinal verdict of Allah, having nothing to drink oreat.

The Prophet, may Allah exalt his mention, saidthat an infidel on that Day would be sinking in hissweat up to his ears.97

IntercessionAs a result, humankind will suffer great distress,

and will look for someone to intercede to Allah ontheir behalf so that Allah starts taking account oftheir deeds. They go to Adam, their father, and askhim to intercede on their behalf, but he tells themto go to Noah, who in tum excuses himself andtells them to go to Ibraheem. Ibraheem too excuseshimself and tells them to go to Musa. Musa tells95 The 'witnesses' in this context are the angels who recordman's deeds.96 Q. 39:68-7097 Saheeh al-Bukhari.


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them to go to Eesa, who disqualifies himself andinforms them, like the Messengers before him, thatAllah is angry like He has never been before, andwill never be angrier. Eesa instructs them to go toMuhammad, may Allah exalt his mention, whomAllah forgave his past and future sins.Muhammad, may Allah exalt his mention, agrees,and intercedes with Allah on their behalf. Allahwill then begin taking accounts of His slaves.98Display and Reckoning

The Display: All mankind will be displayedbefore their Rubb. Allah, the Exalted,says:

And they will be presented to your Rubbstanding in rows. "Now have you come to Us asWe created you the first time. But you claimedthat We would slate no time for the fulfillmentof OUr promise.99The Messenger of Allah, may Allah exalt his

mention, said:Allah, the Exalted, will speak to every one of

you directly without a translator. tOO98 The account of this event is in Saheeh al-Bukhari.99Q.18:48100 Bukhari and Muslim


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Allah shall call His slaves on the Day ofResurrection to account for their deeds. Those whowill receive their records with their right hands arethe prosperous, and those who will receive theirrecords with their left hands, or from behind theirbacks, are the miserable, and they will be dealtwith harshly. Allah says:

Surely, they shall return to Us. Then, We willsurely call them to account. 101All mankind will be called to account except

those about whom the Prophet, may Allah exalt hismention, said that they will be exempted. They are70 thousand from his followers, who will beadmitted into Jannah, without having to be called toaccount, and without punishment.

The first nation that will be called to account isthe Ummah of Muhammad, may Allah exalt hismention, and the first thing about which one willbe questioned on the Day of Resurrection is Salah.I f a Muslim's Salah is accepted by Allah, the rest ofhis good deeds would be accepted too. Otherwise,none of his good deeds would be accepted.

101 Q. 88:25, 26


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AI-Hawdh (The Pool)It is a great pool, which Allah has granted

Muhammad, may Allah exalt his mention. HisUmmah will attend it on the Day of Resurrection.Those who deviate from the guidance ofMuhammad, may Allah exalt his mention, will bebarred from it. The Pool's water is whiter thanmilk, and sweeter than honey. Its cups are asnumerous as the stars in the sky. Its length is adistance of one-month journey, and so is its width.It is already in existence. He who drinks from itonce will never feel thirsty again.

AI-Mizan (The Scale)The Scale will be set on the Day of Resurrectionfor weighing man's deeds. It is a real Scale with

two actual sides, in fulfillment of Divine justice.He, whose good deeds outweigh his bad deeds,will prosper and go to Jannah, and he, whose baddeeds outweigh his good deeds, will be miserableand go to Hell-Fire. Allah says:

And the weighing on that Day will be real. So,those whose good deeds are heavy in the scalewill prosper. While whose good deeds are light,


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i t is they who will have ruined themselvesbecause they deniedOur signs. 102As for those whose good and bad deeds will be

equal, they will be the companions of al-A'raj 103The infidels and the hypocrites will have nogood deeds to be weighed. Their good deeds willtum into ashes blown away on a windy day.

The Prophet, may Allah exalt his mention,described As-Sirat saying:As-Sirat is a Bridge extended over the midst of

Hell, on which the feet shall not be firm. It hashooks and thorns like those of as-Si'dan tree. 104 Itis sharper than a sword and thinner than a hair.On each side of it are hooks to pull d o whomever it is commanded to. Some will cross itswiftly, others slowly, and yet others will cross it

102 Q. 7::8,9103 The companions of al-A'ra! are people whose good andevil deeds are equal, so that they shall not have meritedlannah by the former, nor Hell by the latter. However, theywill finally be admitted into lannah after forgiving theiroffenses, which they dealt one another in this world.104 A thorny tree.


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sustaining scratches and cuts, while the rest willland in Hell. lOSAll mankind will cross the Bridge; while the

believers will be admitted to lannah after crossingit. Allah, the Exalted, says:Every one of you will definitely pass through

it. This is a promise, which will definitely befulfilled by your Rubb. 106Ibn al-Qayim, may Allah grant him mercy, said:The firmness of man's feet on the Bridge over

Hell will be identical to the firmness on the straightpath in this world. He will cross the Bridge in thesame manner he proceeds on the path of Islam inthis world. lO?The first man to cross the Bridge will beMuhammad, may Allah exalt his mention, and thebelievers. The safety of the rest of the Muslimsdepends 00 thY achievements. Some will cross theBridge faster than the flickering of an eye, somelike lightning, some like wind, some like birds,some like the best of and 9JDle with a quick105 AI-Hakim.106Q.19:71107 At-Tafseer al-Qayim, p. 9,10


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pace, some walking, and some crawling, whileothers will drag their feet along. The rest will fallinto Hell.Muslims who adhere to the Book of Allah andthe Sunnah of His Messenger, may Allah exalt his

mention, most will be the fastest to cross the Siraton their way to Jannah. We ask Allah to include uswith such believers.

The Nature of ]annahJannah is the abode, which Allah has prepared

for the believers on the Day of Resurrection. Itincludes all means of happiness that neither an eyehas ever seen, nor an ear has ever heard of, norimagined by human mind.There are different levels in Jannah prepared for

the faithful, each according to his rank, Eeman andpiety. There are pure mates in Jannah; the beautifulvirgins Hoorun Een, young girls in green silkygarments, rivers of water that never gets stagnant,rivers of pure honey, rivers of unalterable milk,and rivers of wine which is delightful to theconsumers, fruits that residents of Jannah desire,birds' meat of their choice, ornaments, and palaces


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of gold and silver. The pebbles of ]annah are pearlsand coral, its soil is sweet scented musk. There arethings in ]annah that are most desired, and mostjoyful to the beholder. Its residents will live thereineternally. The female believers, regardless of theirage, will be in ]annah young virgins to enjoy theirmale mates therein. 108

Abu H u r a i r ~ h reported that the Prophet, mayAllah exalt his mention, said:

I f a woman performs her five daily Salah,guards her chastity, and obeys her husband, shewould enter ]annah through any gate shewishes. 109

Viewing the Majestic Face of AllahThe Prophet,may Allah exalt his mention, said:When the people of ]annah enter it, Allah, the

Exalted, will ask them, 'Do you want Me to giveyou more?' They will say, 'Have You not

108 If both spouses are admitted into Jannah, they will bereunited there. But i f a woman married more than one manin this world, she, according to a Prophetic tradition, wouldbe the wife of the one she married last, or she would havea choice. Allah knows best. (al-Baihaqi)109 Ibn Hibban


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whitened our faces? Have you not admitted usinto Jannah, and saved us from the Fire?' TheProphet, may Allah exalt his mention, went onto say, 'Allah at that point will unveil His face.There is nothing that is given to them moreexciting than seeing their Rubb, the BlessingGiver, and the Exalted. II0The believers will see Allah in the next world

only. The vision of Allah is a fact proven by thewords of Allah:Faces on that Day shall be bright, looking at

their Rubb. lllThe ahadeeth also emphasize that the vision of

Allah is true. The Prophet, may Allah exalt hismention, said:Verily, you will see your Rubb as clearly as

you see the full moon in the night.. withouta:nfusi.cn 112The Messenger of Allah, may Allah exalt hismention, further explained:

110 MuslimIII Q. 75: 22,23112 Saheeh al-Bukhari & Saheeh Muslim.


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Allah, the Exalted, w ill reveal H im self to theres iden ts of lannah, and they will look at HisGracious face and see Him clearly. No joy equalstheirs in that, nor is any happiness or de ligh tcomparab le to theirs in that. I 13We ask Allah to make us among those who will

be g raced by view ing H is face.The infidels, on the o the r hand, will be deprived

of the great favor of seeing A llah on the Day ofResurrection. Allah, the Exalted, says:

Nay, they w ill su re ly be debarred from see ingthe ir Rubb on that Day.114

The Nature of ]ahannam (Hell)The Fire is the abode, wh ich A llah has prepared

for the in fidels who deny Allah and H isMessengers, and who ascribe to A llah a son,a spouse , or a partner. I t is a lso for those whodevour others' wealth through usury and otherillicit m eans , and who make pic tu res or statues ofhuman beings or animals. It is the abode of thosewomen who beautify themselves for other than the irhusbands, the adu lte resses and adu ltere rs , and for

113 Sunan at-T irm id th i .114 Q. 83:15


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those who commit suicide. Hell has. seven gatesand levels. The Prophet, may Allah exalt hismention, described Hell-Fire saying:

I t was ignited for a thousand years until itturned red, and kept burning for anotherthousand years until it turned white, andcontinued for another thousand years until itblackened. Its flames never fade away. Thegarments of its inmates are made from fire; theirfood is the ghisleen,115 Az-Zaqtp"".u 6 and Dham!.117Such food neither fattens nor helps in hunger;while their drink will be terribly hot waterwhich cuts tJ:uwgh the intestines. Every time theirskin bums out, Allah will replace it so that theyhave continuous suffering. I18Hell has seven gigantic gates. There are

scorpions and snakes in it. Allah has prepared forHell's inmates, chains, shackles, and blazing115 Ghisleen, what is washed off the flesh and blood of theinmates of Hell, and what flows from their skins andwounds.116 A plant growing in Hell whose bitterness is matchless.117 A plant growing in Hell.118 At-Tirmidthee.


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flames. They will live therein forever, with neitherfriends, nor supporters.

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

unimaginable size that only Allah knows. To givean idea, the Prophet, may Allah exalt his mention,described the size of an infidel in Hell saying:.The distance between his shoulders in Hell-Fire

is 3-day journey taken by a fast horseman. Hismolar is as big as Mount Uhud. 119That is because the larger the infidel's size grows

the more tormenting his punishment will be. Allah,the Exalted, says:

a you who believe! Save yourselves and yourfamilies from a Fire whose fuel is man andstones, over which are appointed angels, stemand severe, who do not disobey Allah in whatHe commands them, and do as they arecommanded. 120

119 Muslim120Q.66:6


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@o J E ( j 1 l l l i 1 ( ~ 1 ihm. ha=!Q1rPJ.lillJitrmv r; @(ad Qi!ll.(Ji1ill1J,121The Qadar is foreordaining things by Allah

before their occurrence, and recording them in thePreserved Tablet. He foreordained everything fiftythousand years before He created the heavens andthe earth. 122

Allah is the Creator of all creatures and theiracts. So whatever they do, good or evil, is inaccordance with His decree. Allah says:Verily, We have created everything bya decree. 123

Belief in the Qadar is the firm attestation to thefact that all general and particular decrees havebeen prerecorded, and that every event has itscourse by the decree of Allah. He has createdeverything, and assigned for it a propermeasure

121AI-Qadha' signifies a general decree of Allah, as that everyliving being shall die; whereas al-Qadar signifies a particulardecree of Allah, or the execution of the Qadha', as that certainperson shall die at particular time and place.122 Ahmad, Muslim, & at-Tirmidthi123 Q. 54:49


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The Stages of the Qadar:Believing in the Qadar requires believing that:1-Allah, the Exalted, is well acquainted with

everything taking place and His knowledgeena:mpcHlESevaything. Allahsays:Do you not know that Allah knows whatever

is in the heavens and the earth? Surely, it is allpreserved in a record, and that is easy forAllah.1242- Allah, the Exalted, has assigned the portions

of everything in the Preserved Tablet. He says:There is nothing, which takes place on earth,

or in you, but is foreordained before We broughtit into existence.1253- Nothing takes place in the heavens or on earth

without the will of Allah; whatever Allah wills,takes place and whatever He does not, will not takeplace. Allah says:

Verily, His command, when He wantsa thing, is only that He says to it, 'Be'! And itis. 126124Q.22:70125 Q. 57: 22126Q.36:82


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4- Allah, the Exalted, is the Creator of all things.There is no other creator besides Him, nor is therea Rubb other than He.

The Prophet, may Allah exalt his mention, said:None of you but his seat in Jannah or Hell isalready assigned for him. A man asked him,'Shall we rely on this (that is, not endeavor towin our way into Jannah) Messenger of Allah?'He said, 'No. Rather, try yourbest; for everyoneis accommodated to do what he is created for. 127The Prophet, may Allah exalt his mention,

meant that since no one knows his destiny, onemust try his best to please Allah, for the destiny ofall things are known only to Allah.

127 Saheeh al-Bukhari.


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The Invalidators of IslamShirk, ascribing to Allah a wife, a son, a rival, or

a partner to share His Ruboobiyah and Uloohiyah.Allah has declared Himself to be far removed fromwhat they attribute to Him saying:

Allah is far removed from every impe

The Meaning of Articles of Faith

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