Monday 29 August 2011

An imaam who has a problem ith pronunciation

 

The imam of our masjid have problems pronouncing many of the arabic words while reciting the Qur'an. I was told that of the imam can't recite the Qur'an, pronounce the arabic words as good or better than you do you can't pray behind him lest your prayer is invalid. When I heard this I stopped praying behind this imam but have not said anything to him yet. Can you please calrify this matter for me.

Praise
be to Allaah.  

 

If the imaam is unable to pronounce some words because he is a foreigner
(non-Arab), for example, or because he has an accent, then it is OK
for him to lead others like him in prayer.  If there is no one
who can pronounce the words properly, then his leading them in prayer
is valid and the prayers offered behind him are valid. But if there
is someone who can pronounce all the words properly, in that case it
is not correct for someone like the imaam mentioned in the question
to lead the prayer. 

 

Shaykh ‘Abd al-Kareem al-Khudayr

 

The imaam was accused of reciting Qur’aan incorrectly; what is the status of past prayers?

 

What is the ruling on the prayers led by an imaam who has led the prayers for more than two years, both the prayers in which Qur’aan is recited silently and those in which it is recited out loud, then those who were praying behind him accused him and said that his leading the prayers was not valid? Please note that the person was appointed as imam by a local fatwa committee and that this committee also prayed behind this imaam who is accused of not being qualified. This committee is formed of imams who are appointed to issue fatwas. 


1 – What is the ruling on the prayers led by this person whose leadership of the prayers is said to be invalid because of the alleged mistakes in Qur’aan recitation? 


2 – What is the ruling on the prayers of those who prayed behind this person for more than two years, both the prayers in which Qur’aan is recited silently and those in which it is recited out loud – during which his mistakes should have been apparent – then he was accused of being unqualified? 


3 – What is the ruling on this person’s leading the prayers, and the leading of those shaykhs who prayed behind him, then they left him because they said that he was reciting incorrectly and was not qualified.

Praise be to Allaah.
 

 

1 – If the imaam recites al-Faatihah incorrectly and
alters the meaning, his leading the prayers is not valid. Otherwise his
prayer is valid, so long as he does not do anything wrong in his recitation
such that he distorts the Qur’aan, or adds or takes away anything
deliberately. In that case his prayer is invalid. 

2 – The prayer of those who were led by him is valid, in sha
Allaah, so long as they did not know that his prayer was invalid. 

3 – The prayer of those who accused him then left him, if they thought that his prayer was invalid then their prayer is invalid too, otherwise it is not. 

 

 

Where should a woman stand when she prays in jamaa’ah with her husband?

 

i have recently got married alhumdulillah and could you tell me can one pray jamat with his wife and if so how?


Praise be to Allaah.
 

 

It is permissible for a man to lead his wife in prayer, and
the woman should stand behind the man, because it is not permissible for her
to stand with him, because when the Prophet (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) led Anas and the orphan in prayer, he made Umm Sulaym –
who was the mother of Anas – stand behind them. 

It is also indicated by the report narrated from Anas ibn
Maalik, that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him) led him and his mother or maternal aunt in prayer. He said, “He
made me stand to his right and he made the woman stand behind us.” (narrated
by Muslim, al-Masaajid wa Mawaadi’ al-Salaah, 1056). 

Al-Kaasaani said: If
there is a woman praying with the imaam, he should make her stand behind
him. 

Ibn Rushd al-Hafeed said: there is no dispute concerning the
fact that a lone woman may pray behind the imaam and that if there is also a
man present, the man should pray beside the imaam and the woman should pray
behind him. 

See Ahkaam al-Imaamah wa’l-I’timaam by al-Muneef, p.
319-320 

And Allaah knows best.

It is permissible for the imaam to call the adhaan, say the iqaamah and lead the prayer

 

Is it permissible for the imaam to call the adhaan, say the iqaamah and lead the prayer at the same time?

Praise be to Allaah. 

Yes,
that is OK.

 It
is permissible for the imaam to call the adhaan, say the iqaamah and
lead the people in prayer at the same time, because all of these acts
are acts of worship and obedience. There is nothing wrong with that,
because it is done for the sake of obeying Allaah and drawing closer
to Him. And Allaah knows best.

Permissibility of following the imaam from behind the door of the mosque

 

The nature of the place in which we pray is such that when it gets full, we close the door, and some people pray outside the prayer-place, following the imaam by hearing his voice on the loudspeakers. Is their prayer valid even though they are outside the mosque?

Praise be to Allaah. 

It
was narrated that Zayd ibn Thaabit (may Allaah be pleased with him)
said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace
and blessings of Allaah be upon him) was staying in a hut made of palm
leaves. He prayed in that hut and some men followed him, they came and
prayed with him. And in the hadeeth in which this incident is described,
it says: “The best prayer of a man is prayers offered in his house,
except for the obligatory prayers.” (Agreed upon)

 This
hadeeth indicates that it is permissible to follow the imaam even if
he is in a room where the person following him cannot see him, or if
one of them is on the roof and the other is in a lower place. The point
is that if it is possible to follow the imaam if they are all inside
the mosque, there is no dispute among the scholars that it is permissible
for him to do so.

 The
hadeeth also indicates that the presence of a barrier between the imaam
and the members of the congregation does not mean that the prayer and
their following the imaam are invalid. Al-Nawawi said: “For their following
to be valid, the person following has to know when the imaam moves,
whether they are praying in the mosque or elsewhere, or one of them
is in the mosque and the other is outside – this is according to scholarly
consensus.”

 If
one of them is outside the mosque and he can see the imaam or other
members of the congregation, even if the rows are interrupted, the prayer
is valid because there is nothing to make it invalid and there is something
to make it valid – which is that he can see either the imaam or some
of the people behind him, and he is able to follow the prayer.

 In
al-Insaaf it says: with
regard to the continuity of the rows, reference should be made to al-‘urf
(local custom, i.e., what is traditionally regarded as being complete),
according to the correct view.

 It
says in al-Mughni: interruptions
(in the rows) do not matter. This is the view of Maalik and al-Shaafa'i,
because there is no limit in that, since it does not prevent following
the imaam. What matters here is what would prevent a person from seeing
or hearing the imaam. Al-Nawawi made it a condition that there should
not be big gaps outside the mosque, which is the view of the majority
of scholars. And Allaah knows best.

Praying behind someone who makes amulets

 

Is it permissible to pray behind an imaam who makes amulets for people, then if a  drought comes he tells the people to buy a ram or a cow, and to slaughter it and let the young boys eat it at the time of the drought, so that rain will come? Is it permissible to pray behind an imaam who makes vows and offers sacrifices to something or someone other than Allaah?

Praise be to Allaah. 

Firstly: it is permissible to pray behind one who writes
amulets from the Qur’aan and prescribed du’aa’s, but he should not write
them, because it is not permissible to hang them on one’s body or elsewhere.
But if the amulets include anything that constitutes shirk, then you
should not pray behind the one who writes them. It should be explained
to him that this is shirk and the one who should do that (explain this)
is one who has knowledge of this matter.

Making vows to anyone or anything other than Allaah is
shirk, and offering sacrifices to anyone or anything other than Allaah
is shirk, because Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“And
whatever you spend for spendings (e.g., in Sadaqah — charity for Allaah’s
Cause) or whatever vow you make, be sure Allaah knows it all

[al-Baqarah 2:270]

“Say
(O Muhammad): “Verily, my Salaah (prayer), my sacrifice, my living,
and my dying are for Allâh, the Lord of the ‘Aalameen (mankind, jinn
and all that exists).

[al-An’aam 6:162]

And because the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “May Allaah curse
those who offer sacrifices to anyone or anything other than Allaah.”

Vows are also implied by the word “nusuki”
(in al-An’aam 6:162, translated here as “my sacrifice”).

Secondly: It has
not been reported that the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) ever commanded anyone to
buy a ram or a cow to slaughter it and let the young boys eat it when
there was a drought, in order to make rain fall. What is prescribed
in such cases is Salaat al-Istisqaa’ (prayer asking for rain), du’aa’,
praying for forgiveness and giving in charity. The action described
in the question is a bid’ah (reprehensible innovation) which has no
basis in the pure sharee’ah of Islam. It was reported in a saheeh hadeeth
that the Prophet (peace and blessings
of Allaah be upon him) said: “Whoever does an action that is not in
accordance with this matter of ours (i.e., Islam), will have it rejected.”

And Allaah is the source of strength. May Allaah bless
our Prophet Muhammad and his family and companions, and grant them peace.

 

 

Tuesday 23 August 2011

The hadeeth which says that eating twice a day is extravagance is not saheeh

 

‘Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said: The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) saw that I had eaten twice in one day and he said: “O ‘Aa’ishah, do you want to have nothing to worry about except your stomach? Eating twice a day is extravagance and Allah does not love those who are extravagant.”. 

Praise be to Allaah.

This hadeeth was narrated by al-Bayhaqi in Shu‘ab
al-Eemaan (7/441). He said: Abu ‘Abd al-Rahmaan al-Sulami told us:
Muhammad ibn Ahmad ibn Hamdaan narrated to us: Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn
‘Ubaydah narrated to us: Yahya ibn ‘Uthmaan al-Masri narrated to us: my
father narrated to me: from Ibn Luhay‘ah, from Abu’l-Aswad, from ‘Urwah,
from ‘Aa’ishah – and he quoted it. This isnaad is da‘eef (weak). 

Abu ‘Abd al-Rahmaan al-Sulami’s name was Muhammad ibn
al-Husayn, the author of the book Tabaqaat al-Soofiyyah (d. 412 AH).
Al-Haafiz al-Dhahabi said concerning him: They criticized him and he is not
reliable. See Mizaan al-I‘tidaal, 3/532. 

‘Abd-Allah ibn Luhay‘ah is da‘eef (weak) in terms of his
memory too. 

Hence Imam al-Bayhaqi said, after narrating this report:
There is some weakness in it. End quote. 

Al-Mundhiri (may Allah have mercy on him) said: Its isnaad
includes Ibn Lunhay‘ah. End quote. 

Al-Targheeb wa’l-Tarheeb, 3/101 

Shaykh al-Albaani (may Allah have mercy on hm) said: It is
mawdoo‘ (fabricated). end quote. 

Al-Silsilah al-Da‘eefah, 257. 

We have previously quoted a number of saheeh hadeeths which
condemn extravagance in food. You can see them in the answer to question no.
102374. There is nothing in
them to suggest that eating twice in one day is criticised. 

To sum up: eating twice in one day is something that is
permissible and allowed. It is one of the well-known customs of the Arabs.
They used to eat two meals in a day, al-ghada’ and al-‘asha’ (morning and
afternoon/evening meals). If a person did not do that, it was only because
he was poor; it was not because eating twice in one day is a kind of
extravagance. 

It was narrated that ‘Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with
her) said: “The family of Muhammad (blessings and peace of Allah be upon
him) did not eat two meals in one day but one of them was dates. 

Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 6455. 

Al-Haafiz Ibn Hajar (may Allah have mercy on him) said: 

This indicates that sometimes they could not find anything
but one meal in a day, and if they did find two meals, one of them would be
dates. End quote. 

Fath al-Baari (11/292) 

And Allah knows best.

It is not Sunnah to recite Soorat l-Qadr after finishing wudoo’

 

I just got told by a friend that by reciting the Surah Qadr the sins of 40 years will be forgiven? Also it should be read after the completion of wudhu? I am aware that we should recite bismillah before starting wudhu and after finishing it we should recite the kalimah shahadat.


Please clear away this doubt for me since I am not sure if any of this is backed by authentic hadith or not.

Praise be to Allaah.

There is no shar‘i basis for this idea, and there is
nothing in the Sunnah of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon
him) to suggest this. 

Al-Sakhkhaawi (may Allah have mercy on him) said: Reciting
the soorah “Inna anzalnaahu” [i.e., Soorat al-Qadr] after finishing
wudoo’ is something for which there is no basis and this not the Sunnah. End
quote. 

Al-‘Aamiri al-Ghazzi (may Allah have mercy on him) said: 

Reciting Soorat al-Qadr after finishing wudoo’ is something
for which there is no basis. 

Al-Jadd al-Hatheeth fi Bayaan ma laysa bi Hadeeth
(p. 234). 

Al-Albaani (may Allah have mercy on him) mentioned in
al-Da‘eefah (1449) a hadeeth about that and he said concerning it: It is
fabricated (mawdoo‘). 

There are proven du‘aa’s and adhkaar in the Prophet’s Sunnah
which may be recited straight after doing wudoo’. The Muslim should be keen
to recite them and not add anything to them. 

For more information please see the answer to question no.
45730. 

And Allah knows best.

The hadeeth “Whoever is content with a little provision from Allaah…”

 

How sound is the hadeeth, “Whoever is content with a little provision from Allaah, Allaah will be content with a little of righteous deeds from him”?

Praise be to Allaah.
 

 

This hadeeth was narrated by al-Bayhaqi in Shu’ab
al-Eemaan (7/204). 

Its isnaad includes Ishaaq ibn Muhammad al-Farawi, who was
classed as da’eef by al-Nasaa’i, Abu Dawood and al-Daaraqutni. 

See Meezaan al-I’tidaal, 1/351; Tahdheeb
al-Tahdheeb, 1/217. 

It was also classed as da’eef by al-‘Iraaqi in Takhreej
al-Ihyaa’, 4/334.

A fabricated hadeeth about the advice given to ‘Ali

 

I have received via e-mail a hadeeth attributed to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), and I have seen it in more than one discussion board. 


The one who wrote it says that he received it via e-mail. This is the text of the hadeeth: 


The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: 


“O ‘Ali, do not sleep until you have done five things, which are: reading the entire Qur’aan, giving four thousand dirhams in charity, preserving your place in Paradise and placating your opponent.” 


‘Ali said: “And how could I do that, O Messenger of Allaah?” 


The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Do you not know, O ‘Ali, that if you recite Qul huwa Allaahu ahad (i.e., Soorat al-Ikhlaas) three times, it is as if you have recited the entire Qur’aan? And that if you recite Soorat al-Faatihah four times it is as if you have given f our thousand dirhams in charity? And that if you say Laa ilaaha ill-Allaah wahdahu laa shareeka lah, lahu’l-mulk wa lahu’l-hamd yuhyi wa yameet wa huwa ‘ala kulli shay’in qadeer (There is no god but Allaah alone with no partner or associate.

His is the Dominion and to Him be praise, He gives life and death and He is able to do all things) ten times, you will preserve your place in Paradise? And if you say Astaghfir-Allaah alladhi laa ilaaha illa huwa al-hayy al-qayyoom wa atoobu ilayh (I seek the forgiveness of Allaah beside Whom there is no other god, the Ever-Living, the Eternal, and I repent to Him) ten times you will have placated your opponent.” 


Then they concluded by saying: 


The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) indeed has spoken the truth. 


Is this hadeeth saheeh?.


Praise be to Allaah
 

 

This hadeeth is false and fabricated
(mawdoo’). 

The scholars of the Standing Committee said
concerning this hadeeth: 

This hadeeth has no basis, rather it is one
of the fabricated reports and lies made up by some of the Shi’ah, as has been pointed out by the imams of hadeeth. 

Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa’imah,
4/462, 463. 

Shaykh Muhammad ibn Saalih al-‘Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him) was asked about this
and he said: 

This hadeeth which says that the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) gave this advice to ‘Ali ibn Abi Taalib (may Allaah be pleased with him) is a lie that was fabricated
against the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). It is not correct to attribute it to the Messenger (peace and blessings
of Allaah be upon him), because “whoever narrates a hadeeth from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) which he thinks is
false is himself one of the liars,” and “whoever tells lies about the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) deliberately, let
him take his place in Hell.” But if it is mentioned in order to explain that it is fabricated and to warn people against it, this is something
which will be rewarded. The point is that this hadeeth is a lie against the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and against
‘Ali ibn Abi Taalib. 

Fataawa Islamiyyah,
4/111 

And Allaah knows best.

 

Falseness of the hadeeth about Adam praying by virtue of Muhammad (blessings and peace be upon them both)

 

I read this hadeeth and I would like to know whether it is saheeh or not. 


“When Adam committed his sin, he said, ‘O Lord, I ask You by virtue of Muhammad to forgive me.’ Allaah said, ‘O Adam, how do you know of Muhammad when I have not yet created him?’ He said, ‘O Lord, when You created me with Your own hand, and breathed into me the soul that You created, I raised my head and saw written on the pillars of the Throne, Laa ilaaha ill-Allaah Muhammad Rasool Allaah [There is no god but Allaah, Muhammadi s the messenger of Allaah]. Then I knew that You would not mention in conjunction with Your name any but the most beloved of Your creation to You.’ Allaah said, ‘You have spoken the truth, O Adam. He is indeed the most beloved of My creation to Me. Pray to me by virtue of Him, for I have forgiven you. Were it not for Muhammad, I would not have created you.’”.


Praise be to Allaah.
 

 

This hadeeth is mawdoo’ (fabricated).
It was narrated by al-Haakim via ‘Abd-Allaah ibn Muslim al-Fahri (who said), Ismaa’eel ibn Muslimah narrated to us, ‘Abd al-Rahmaan ibn Zayd ibn
Aslam told us, from his father, from his grandfather, from ‘Umar ibn al-Khattaab (may Allaah be pleased with him), that he said: The Messenger of
Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said, “When Adam committed his sin…” Then he quoted the hadeeth as the questioner quoted
it. 

Al-Haakim said: The isnaad of this hadeeth is
saheeh. 

This is what al-Haakim said! But a number of
scholars rebuked him and denounced him for classing this hadeeth as saheeh. They ruled that this hadeeth is false and fabricated, and they pointed
out that al-Haakim contradicted himself when commenting on this hadeeth. 

There follow some of their comments: 

Al-Dhahabi said, criticizing the words of
al-Haakim quoted above: 

Rather it is mawdoo’ (fabricated), and ‘Abd
al-Rahmaan is not reliable, and I do not know who ‘Abd-Allaah ibn Muslim al-Fahri is. 

Al-Dhahabi also said in Meezaan
al-I’tidaal: It is a false report. 

Al-Haafiz Ibn Hajar agreed with him in
Lisaan al-Meezaan. 

Al-Bayhaqi said:  

‘Abd al-Rahmaan ibn Zayd ibn Aslam is the
only one who narrated it with this isnaad, and he is da’eef (weak). Ibn Katheer agreed with him in al-Bidaayah wa’l-Nihayyah, 2/323. 

Al-Albaani said in al-Silsilah al-Da’eefah,
25: (it is) mawdoo’. 

Al-Haakim himself (may Allaah forgive him) accused ‘Abd al-Rahmaan ibn Zayd of being a
fabricator of hadeeth, so how could his hadeeth be saheeh? 

Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah said in
al-Qaa’idah al-Jaleelah fi’l-Tawassul wa’l-Waseelah (p. 69): 

Al-Haakim’s narration of this hadeeth is
something for which he was denounced, and he himself said in his book al-Madkhil ila Ma’rifat al-Saheeh ‘an al-Saqeem:  

‘Abd al-Rahmaan ibn Zayd ibn Aslam narrated fabricated ahaadeeth from his father, and it is
obvious to any competent hadeeth scholar that he is the one to blame for fabricating ahaadeeth. I say: ‘Abd al-Rahmaan ibn Zayd ibn Aslam is
da’eef (weak) because he made a lot of mistakes.

 See Silsilat al-Ahaadeeth al-Da’eefah
by al-Albaani, 1/38-47.

 

Wednesday 17 August 2011

Who is Allaah?

 

 

Allaah is the Arabic word for "one God", the same as Eloh in Aramaic. Allaah is not the God of
Muslims only. He is God of all creations, because He is their Creator and Sustainer.

 

What do Muslims Believe?

 

 

Muslims believe in one, unique, incomparable, and singular God, whose name in Arabic is "Allaah",
literally meaning "The God"; in the angels created by Him; in the prophets through whom His revelations
were brought to mankind; in God's complete authority over human destiny, and in life after death.

Muslims believe in a chain of prophets (may the peace and blessings of Allaah be upon them all) starting
with Adam and including Noah, Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Job, Moses, Aaron, David,
Solomon, Elias, Jonah, John the Baptist and Jesus, peace be upon them.

God's final message to man, a reconfirmation of the eternal message and a summing-up, synopsis, and
perfection of all that has gone before was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad
, peace be upon him,
the last prophet, through the angel Gabriel.

 

Evidence that only Allah is the Creator of life

 

Please explain to me, according to the Qur’an, is it possible for a human to produce
life? If not, then explain in detail about the cloning of animals and possibly humans, by
humans.



Please give the answer in detail as it is confusing the minds of many, who think that in
the next century science will conquer religion.


Praise be to Allah.



The evidence that Allah is the only Creator of life may be found in many places in the Qur’an and
Sunnah. For example:



"Blessed is He in Whose Hand is the dominion, and He is Able to do all things,

Who has created death and life, that He may test you which of you is best in deed, and He is the
All-Mighty, the Oft-Forgiving."

[al-Mulk 67:1-2]



"Is, then, He Who creates as one who creates not?"

[al-Nahl 16:17]



"Yet they have taken besides Him other gods that created nothing but are themselves created . . ."

[al-Furqaan 25:3]



Allah challenged all of mankind to create even the most insignificant creature, i.e. a fly, but no one
could do that and no one ever will. Allah says:



"O mankind! A similitude has been coined, so listen to it (carefully): verily! Those on whom you call
besides Allah cannot create (even) a fly, even though they combine together for the purpose. And if
the fly snatched away a thing from them, they would have no power to release it from the fly. So
weak are (both) the seeker and the sought."

[al-Hajj 22:73]



Imam al-Bukhari reported in his Saheeh from Abu Sa‘eed (may Allah be pleased with him) that the
Prophet
(Peace & Blessings of Allah be upon Him) said: "There is no created being but Allah created it." In Arabic, the word "khalaqa"
means to make out of nothing, which is something that only Allah can do; it is impossible for anyone
except Allah to do this. It also carries the meaning of decreeing or foreordaining. [**]



See Fath al-Bari Sharh Saheeh al-Bukhari, 13/390.



The Religion of Allah (Islam) is proud and cannot be defeated by the kaafirs’ arrogance about the
knowledge they possess. Allah says:



". . . [they] are deceived by the life of this world . . ."

[al-An‘aam 6:70]



"They know only the outside appearance of the life of this world, and they are heedless of the
Hereafter."

[al-Rum 30:7]



We ask Allah to help us to be steadfast in our adherence to His Religion, and to make our end good.
And Allah knows best.


is it possible to see Allaah in this world?

 

I have read that no man has seen Allah (S) in this life, not even the
prophet (SM) in his mira'j. The book has been written by Sk. Abu Ameenah Bilaal Philips.
Now, I have heard from one scholar from my country that Imam Malik saw Allah (S) hundred
times in his dream. Is that possible?

May Allah (S) reward you.

Praise be to Allaah.

Seeing Allaah in reality (as opposed to in a dream) is not possible in
this life, although no doubt it will happen after death. This is not because seeing Him is
impossible in itself, but because Allaah has willed that it should not happen. This is for
many reasons, some of which have been found by the scholars, and others which remain known
only to Allaah. Among the reasons which we do understand is human weakness, which is
apparent from the story of Moosa (upon whom be peace), which we will quote shortly.
Another reason is that seeing Allaah is a great blessing and joy, indeed it is the
greatest blessing, so it is withheld for the place of ultimate blessing and joy, namely
Paradise. Another reason is that this world is a mixture of good believers and kuffaar, so
this blessing is deferred until it will be given exclusively to the believers in Paradise.
Withholding this blessing until the Hereafter also provides a strong motive to do good in
this world, so that one may see Allaah and feel secure and content in nearness to Him in
the Hereafter.

Evidence that it is not possible to see Allaah in this world

Allaah says, in the story of Moosa (peace be upon him) (interpretation
of the meaning): “And when Moosa came at the time and place appointed by Us, and
his Lord spoke to him, he said, ‘O my Lord! Show me (Yourself), that I may look upon
You.’ Allaah said, ‘You cannot see Me, but look upon the mountain, if its stands
still in its place, then you shall see Me.’ So when his Lord appeared to the
mountain, He made it collapse to dust, and Moosa fell down unconscious. Then when he
recovered his senses he said, ‘Glory be to You, I turn to You in repentance and I am
the first of the believers.’” [al-A’raaf 7:143]. The word lan
(here translated as cannot in ‘You cannot see Me’) conveys the meaning of
‘You will not see Me in this life’, because there is evidence that man will see
Allaah in the Hereafter, which means that this lan is not eternal in application.
(The negative particle lan often carries a sense of eternal negation, that
something will never happen, but this is not the case here. Translator).

Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “No vision can
grasp Him, but His Grasp is over all vision. He is the Most Subtle and Courteous,
Well-Acquainted with all things.” [al-An’aam 6:103]. The commentator
al-Haafiz Ibn Katheer (may Allaah have mercy on him) said, in his tafseer of this aayah:
“Concerning the phrase No vision can grasp Him, several comments regarding it
have been narrated from the imaams of the salaf, one of which is that it means, you will
not be able to see Him in this world, even though you will see Him in the Hereafter. The
reports that state this, narrated from the Messenger of Allaah
(peace and blessings
of Allaah be upon him), reach the level of mutawaatir and are reported through more than
one sound isnaad in the books of Saheeh, Musnad and Sunan. [Translator’s
note: a mutawaatir report is one that was narrated by so many to so many that it is
inconceivable that they could all have agreed on a lie].

Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “It is not given to
any human being that Allaah should speak to him unless (it be) by inspiration, or from
behind a veil, or (that) He sends a Messenger to reveal what He will by His Leave. Verily,
He is Most High, Most Wise.” [al-Shoora 42:51].

Abu Hurayrah said: “Some people said, ‘O Messenger of Allaah,
will we see our Lord on the Day of Resurrection?’ He said, ‘Do you have any
doubt about seeing the sun on a cloudless day?’ They said, ‘No, O Messenger of
Allaah.’ He said, ‘Do you have any doubt about seeing the full moon on a
cloudless night?’ They said, ‘No, O Messenger of Allaah.’ He said,
‘You will see Him just as clearly on the Day of Resurrection…’” (Reported
by al-Bukhaari, 6088). It is clear that the idea that Allaah will not be
seen in this life was well-entrenched in the minds of the Sahaabah. They were asking about
the Hereafter, and this is what the Prophet’s answer also referred to.

Abu Dharr said: “I asked the Messenger of Allaah
(peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him), ‘Have you seen your Lord?’ He said,
‘(There is) light, how could I see Him?’” This light, which prevented him
from seeing Him, is a veil of light, which is further explained in the hadeeth of Abu
Moosa, who said, “The Messenger of Allaah
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him) stood up and told us five things: ‘Allaah does not sleep, and it is not
befitting that He should sleep. He lowers the scale and lifts it. The deeds in the night
are taken up to Him before the deeds of the day, and the deeds of the day before the deeds
of the night. His veil is the light. If He were to withdraw it (the veil), the splendour
of His countenance would consume His creation as far as His sight reaches.’” (Reported
by Imaam Ahmad and Muslim, 263).

Further clear evidence comes in the hadeeth which warns against the
Dajjaal (antichrist): “Written between his eyes is (the word) kaafir, which will be
read by everyone who hates his works, or every believer will read it. Know that none of
you will see your Lord until he dies.” (Reported by Muslim, 5215).

So any claim that anyone but the Prophet
(peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) can see Allaah in reality is impossible, according to the
consensus of the scholars. However, there is some disagreement among the scholars as to
whether or not the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) saw Allaah on
the night of the Mi’raaj. The correct view is that he did not see Him physically,
with his own two eyes, because when he was asked about this, he said, “(There is)
light, how could I see Him?” According to another report, he said, “I saw
light.” The Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) did not see Him,
but he saw His veil of light.

The question of whether Allaah may be seen in a dream does not
contradict the fact that Allaah cannot be seen in reality in this world, because all the
texts quoted above speak about physical vision when one is awake, not the
“vision” of the heart when one is asleep. Proof that the latter kind of vision
is possible is to be seen in the hadeeth about the dispute of the “chiefs on
high” (the angels). Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allaah be pleased with him) said, “The
Messenger of Allaah
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said, ‘My Lord
came to me tonight in the most beautiful form.’ I think he said, ‘in a dream. He
said, “O Muhammad, do you know what the chiefs on high disputed about?” I said,
“No.” He put His hand between my shoulder-blades and I could feel its coolness
on my chest (or just beneath my throat), then I knew everything that is in the heavens and
on earth. He said, “O Muhammad, do you know what the chiefs on high disputed
about?” I said, “Yes.” He said, “About expiation, and expiation is
staying in the mosque after prayers, walking to join congregational prayers, and doing
wudoo’ properly in adverse conditions. Whoever does that will live a good life and
die a good death, and will be as sinless as the day his mother bore him.” He said,
“O Muhammad, when you pray, say Allaahumma innee as’aluka fa’l
al-khayraat wa tark al-munkaraat wa hubb al-masaakeen, wa idha aradta bi ‘ibaadika
fitnatan fa’qbudni ilayka ghayra maftoon (O Allaah, I ask you to make me do good
deeds and avoid evil deeds, and to make me love the poor and wretched. If You want to test
Your slaves, then take me unto You without subjecting me to the trial). One’s status
in Paradise may be raised by spreading the greeting of salaam, feeding others, and praying
at night when people are sleeping.”’” (Reported by Imaam Ahmad,
16026; and by al-Tirmidhi, 3159, who said it is a saheeh hasan hadeeth).

Some of the scholars have commented that it is possible
to see Allaah in a dream.

Imaam al-Daarimi said, in his refutation of Bishr ibn Ghiyaath,
“This seeing took place in a dream, and in a dream it is possible to see Allaah in
any shape or form.” (p. 166)

Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah said, “A believer may see his Lord in
a dream, in various forms according to his faith and belief. If his eemaan is correct, he
can only see Him in a beautiful form, and if his faith is lacking, this will be reflected
in the way he sees Him. Seeing Allaah in a dream is not like seeing Him in reality. It may
have different interpretations and meanings referring to something in reality.” (al-Fataawa,
3/390)

He also said, “Whoever sees Allaah in a dream sees
Him in a form that corresponds to his own state. If he is righteous, he will see Him in a
beautiful form, which is why the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
saw him in the most beautiful form. (al-Fataawa, 5/251)

Shaykh ‘Abd al-Azeez ibn Baaz was asked about the
ruling concerning one who claims to have seen the Lord of Glory in a dream, and whether it
was true, as some claim, that Imaam Ahmad ibn Hanbal had seen the Lord of Glory in his
dreams more than one hundred times. The Shaykh answered as follows:

“Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allaah have mercy on him) and
others said that it is possible for a man to see his Lord in a dream, but what he sees is
not reality, because there is nothing like Allaah, may He be glorified and exalted. Allaah
says (interpretation of the meaning): ‘… There is nothing like unto Him, and
He is the All-Hearer, the All-Seer.’ [al-Shoora 42:11]. Nothing in His creation
is like unto Him. A person may dream that his Lord is speaking to him, and no matter what
kind of image he sees, that image is not Allaah, because there is nothing that is like
Allaah in any way. Shaykh Taqiy al-Deen (may Allaah have mercy on him) mentioned that
dreams differ according to the state of the person who is dreaming. The more righteous and
closer to goodness a person is, the more correct his dream will be, but the truth is still
something other than what he sees, because the guiding principle is still that there is
nothing like unto Allaah.

He may hear a voice and be told such-and-such, or to do such-and-such,
without any clear image resembling anything in creation, because there is nothing at all
like unto Allaah… Some people may imagine that they have seen their Lord when in fact
this is not the case. The Shaytaan may deceive a person and make him imagine that he is
their Lord, as it was reported that he made ‘Abd al-Qaadir al-Jeelaani see him on a
throne above water, and said, ‘I am your Lord and I freed you from doing any duties
(worship, etc.).’ ‘Abd al-Qaadir al-Jeelaani said, ‘Get lost, O enemy of
Allaah! You are not my Lord, because the commands of my Lord are not cancelled for
anyone,’ or some similar words.

As for whether Imaam Ahmad saw his Lord, I do not know if this is true
or not. It is said that he saw his Lord but I do not know if this is true.” And
Allaah knows best.

 

Who do Muslims worship?

 

Who do Islams worship?

Praise be to Allaah.

Before answering, we would like to express our appreciation for your
interest, at such a young age, in the religion of Islam. May Allaah open the door for you
to find much blessing through your asking this question, and decree for you guidance such
as you have never thought of. Allaah [the Arabic name for the One True God –
Translator] says in the Qur’aan [the Holy Book of Islam] (interpretation of the meaning):

“This is the Guidance of Allaah with which He guides whomsoever
He will of His slaves…” [al-An’aam 6:88]

“And whomsoever Allaah wills to guide, He opens his breast to
Islam…” [al-An’aam 6:125]

With regard to this important question – who do the Muslims
worship? – the answer is to be found in the Holy Qur’aan, which is the Scripture
of Islam, and in the words of the Prophet of Islam, Muhammad
(peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) who received Revelation from his Lord.

Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“In the name of Allaah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful.
All praises and thanks be to Allaah, the Lord of the ‘Aalameen (mankind, jinns and
all that exists), the Most Beneficient, the Most Merciful, the Only Owner (and the Only
Ruling Judge) of the Day of Recompense (i.e., the Day of Resurrection). You (Alone) we
worship, and You (alone) we ask for help (for each and every thing).” [al-Faatihah
1:1-5]

“O mankind! Worship your Lord (Allaah), Who has created you and
those before you so that you may become al-muttaqoon (the pious).” [al-Baqarah 2:21]

“Such is Allaah, your Lord! None has the right to be worshipped
but He, the Creator of all things. So worship Him (Alone), and He is the Wakeel (Trustee,
Disposer of affairs, Guardian) over all things.”[al-An’aam 6:102]

“And your Lord has decreed that you worship none but Him, and that
you be dutiful to your parents. If one of them or both of them attain old age in your
life, say not to them a word of disrespect, nor shout at them but address them in terms of
honour.” [al-Isra’ 17:23]

Muslim worship Allaah [the One True God] whom all the Prophets
worshipped. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“Or were you witnesses when death approached Ya’qoob
[Jacob]? When he said unto his sons, ‘What will you worship after me?’ They
said, ‘We shall worship your God, the God of your fathers, Ibraaheem [Abraham],
Ismaa’eel [Ishmael] and Is-haaq [Isaac], One God, and to Him we submit (in
Islam).” [al-Baqarah 2:133]

The Muslims worship Allaah and call others who follow different
religions to worship Allaah Alone, as Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“Say [O Muhammad]: ‘O People of the Scripture [Jews and
Christians]: come to a word that is just between us and you, that we worship none but
Allaah, and we associate no partners with Him, and that none of us shall take others as
lords besides Allaah.’ Then, if they turn away, say, ‘Bear witness that we are
Muslims.’” [Aal ‘Imraan 3:64]

It is Allaah Alone Whom Nooh [Noah] (peace be upon him) called his
people to worship, as Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“Indeed, We sent Nooh [Noah] to his people and he said: ‘O
my people! Worship Allaah! You have no other god but Him. Certainly, I fear for you the
torment of a Great Day!.’” [al-A’raaf 7:59]

It is Allaah Alone whom the Messiah [Jesus] (peace be upon him)
called people to worship, as Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“Surely they have disbelieved who say: ‘Allaah is the
Messiah [Jesus] son of Maryam [Mary].’ But the Messiah said: ‘O Children of
Israel! Worship Allaah, my Lord and your Lord.’ Verily, whosoever sets up partners in
worship with Allaah, then Allaah has forbidden Paradise for him, and the Fire will be his
abode. And for the zaalimoon (polytheists and wrong-doers) there are no helpers.”
[al-Maa’idah 5:73]

Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“And (remember) when Allaah will say (on the Day of
Resurrection): ‘O ‘Eesa [Jesus], son of Maryam [Mary]! Did you say unto men:
‘Worship me and my mother as two gods besides Allaah?’ He will say: ‘Glory
be to You! It was not for me to say what I had no right (to say). Had I said such a thing,
You would surely have known it. You know what is in my inner-self though I do not know
what is in Yours. You, only You, are the All-Knower of all that is hidden and unseen.

Never did I say to them aught except what You (Allaah) did command me
to say: “Worship Allaah, my Lord and your Lord.” And I was a witness over them
while I dwelt amongst them, but when You took me up, You were the Watcher over them, and
You are a Witness to all things.’”[al-Maa’idah 5:116-117]

When Allaah spoke to His Prophet Moosa [Moses] (peace be upon him),
He said (interpretation of the meaning):

“Verily, I am Allaah! None has the right to be worshipped but
I, so worship Me, and perform al-Salaah [prayer] for My Remembrance.”

[Ta-Ha 20:14]

Allaah commanded His Prophet Muhammad
(peace and blessings of Allaah
be upon him) as follows (interpretation of the meaning):

“Say [O Muhammad]: ‘O mankind! If you are in doubt as to
my religion (Islam), then (know that) I will never worship those whom you worship, besides
Allaah. But I worship Allaah Who causes you to die, I am commanded to be one of the
believers.” [Yoonus 10:104]

It is Him Alone, with no partner or associate, Whom the angels worship
and do not worship anyone or anything besides Him, as He says (interpretation of the
meaning):

“To Him belongs whosoever is in the heavens and on earth. And
those who are near Him (i.e., the angels) are not too proud to worship Him, nor are they
weary (of His worship).”[al-Anbiya’ 21:19]

Everything that is worshipped instead of Allaah can neither bring
benefit nor cause harm, it can neither create nor provide. Allaah says (interpretation of
the meaning):

“Say (O Muhammad, to mankind); ‘How do you worship besides
Allaah something which has no power either to harm or to benefit you? But it is Allaah Who
is the All-Hearer, All-Knower.’” [al-Maa’idah 5:76]

“You worship besides Allaah only idols, and you only invent
falsehood. Verily, those whom you worship besides Allaah have no power to give you
provision, so seek your provision from Allaah (Alone), and worship Him (Alone), and be
grateful to Him. To Him (Alone) you will be brought back.” [al-‘Ankaboot 29:17]

Having explained this, we must complete the topic by asking: why should
we worship Allaah Alone with no partner or associate? The answer is as follows:

Firstly: because there is nothing and nobody else in the universe that
deserves to be worshipped, for Allaah is the Creator and Sustainer, Who has created the
universe out of nothing and has bestowed so many blessings upon us. Allaah says
(interpretation of the meaning):

“So glorify Allaah, when you come up to the evening [i.e.,
offer the Maghrib (sunset) and ‘Isha’ (night) prayers], and when you enter the
morning [I.e., offer the Fajr (morning) prayers].

And His is all the praise and thanks in the heavens and the earth, and
(glorify Him) in the afternoon [i.e., offer ‘Asr (mid-afternoon) prayer] and when you
come up to the time when the day begins to decline [i.e., offer the Zuhr (mid-day)
prayer].

He brings out the living from the dead, and brings out the dead from
the living. And He revives the earth after its death, and thus shall you be brought out
(resurrected).

And among His Signs is this, that He created you (Adam) from dust, and
then [Hawwa (Eve) from Adam’s rib, then his offspring from the semen, and], - behold
you are human beings scattered!

And among His Signs is this, that He created for you wives from among
yourselves, that you may find repose in them, and He has put between you affection and
mercy. Verily, in that are indeed signs for a people who reflect.

And among His Signs is the creation of the heavens and the earth, and
the difference of your languages and colours. Verily in that are indeed signs for men of
sound knowledge.

And among His Signs is the sleep that you take by night and by day, and
your seeking of His Bounty. Verily, in that are indeed signs for a people who listen.

And among His Signs is that He shows you the lightning, by way of fear
and hope, and He sends down water (rain) from the sky, and therewith revives the earth
after its death. Verily, in that are indeed signs for a people who understand.

And among His Signs is that the heaven and the earth stand by His
Command, then afterwards when He will call you by single call, behold, you will come out
from the earth (ie.e, from your graves, for reckoning and recompense).

To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and the earth. All are
obedient to Him.

And He it is Who originates the creation, then will repeat it (after it
has perished), and this is easier for Him. His is the highest description (i.e., none has
the right to be worshipped but He, and there is nothing comparable unto Him) in the
heavens and in the earth. And He is the All-Mighty, the All-Wise.” [al-Room 30:
17-27]

Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“Is not He (better than your gods) Who created the heavens and
the earth, and sends down for you water (rain) from the sky, whereby We cause to grow
wonderful gardens full of beauty and delight? It is not in your ability to cause the
growth of their trees. Is there any god with Allaah? Nay, but they are a people who
ascribe equals (to Him)!

Is not he (better than you gods) Who has made the earth as a fixed
abode, and has placed rivers in its midst, and has placed firm mountains therein, and has
set a barrier between the two seas (of salt and sweet water). Is there any god with
Allaah? Nay, but most of them know not.

Is not He (better than your gods) Who responds to the distressed one,
when He calls Him, and Who removes the evil, generations after generations. Is there any
god with Allaah? Little is it that you remember!

Is not He (better than your gods) Who guides you in the darkness of the
land and the sea, and Who sends the winds as heralds of glad tidings, going before His
mercy (rain)? Is there any god with Allaah? High Exalted be Allaah above all that they
associate as partners (to Him)!

Is not He (better than your so-called gods) Who originates creation,
and shall thereafter repeat it, and Who provides for you from heaven and earth? Is there
any god with Allaah? Say: ‘bring forth your proofs, if you are truthful’

Say: ‘None on the heavens and the earth knows the unseen except
Allaah, nor can they perceive when they shall be resurrected.’”

[al-Naml 27:60-65]

So is there anyone or anything besides Allaah that deserves to be
worshipped?

Secondly: Allaah did not create us except to worship Him, as He says
(interpretation of the meaning):

“And I (Allaah) created not the jinns and humans except they
should worship Me (Alone).”[al-Dhaariyaat 51:56]

Thirdly: No one will be saved on the Day of Resurrection except
those who used to worship Allaah truly and sincerely. After death Allaah will resurrect
His slaves and call them to account, rewarding or punishing them according to their deeds.
No one will be saved on that day except for those who used to worship Allaah Alone. The
rest will be gathered into a Hell, a terrible fate! The Prophet of Islam, Muhammad
(peace
and blessings of Allaah be upon him), was asked by his Companions: “Will we see our
Lord on the Day of Resurrection?” He told them:

“Do you doubt that you can see the sun and the moon when the sky
is clear?” We [his Companions] said, “No.” He said, “Then you should
not doubt that you will see your Lord on that Day, you will see Him as you see them (the
sun and moon).” Then he said, “A caller will call out, ‘Let every people go
to that which they used to worship.’ So the worshippers of the cross will go with
their cross, the worshippers of idols will go with their idols and the worshippers of
every god will go with their gods, until there will be left those who used to worship
Allaah, whether they were righteous or otherwise, and a few of the People of the Book
[Jews and Christians]. Then Hell will be brought and shown to them as if it is a mirage.
It will be said to the Jews, ‘What did you used to worship?’ They will say,
‘We used to worship ‘Uzayr, the son of God.’ It will be said, ‘You
have lied. Allaah does not have a wife or son. What do you want?’ They will say,
‘We want something to drink.’ It will be said to them, ‘Drink!’ and
they will fall into Hell. Then it will be said to the Christians, ‘What did you used
to worship?’ They will say, ‘We used to worship the Messiah, the son of
God.’ It will be said, ‘You have lied. Allaah does not have a wife or son. What
do you want?’ They will say, ‘We want something to drink.’ It will be said
to them, ‘Drink!’ and they will fall into Hell. Then there will be left those
who used to worship Allaah, whether they were righteous or otherwise. It will be said to
them, ‘What are you waiting for? All the people have gone.’ They will say,
‘We have separated from them and we need Him more today. We heard a caller saying
that every people should follow that which they used to worship, so we are waiting for our
Lord.’ He will say, ‘Al-Jabbaar [the Compeller, i.e., Allaah] will
come…’ And He will say, ‘I am your Lord.’ They will say, ‘You are
our Lord,’ but none will speak to Him except the Prophets… then every believer
will prostrate to Him.” (Reported by al-Bukhaari, no. 6886).
These believers are the people of Paradise on whom shall be no fear neither shall they
grieve, and they will dwell therein for ever.

We hope that this matter has now become clear. In conclusion we can say
nothing except that which Allaah has said (interpretation of the meaning):

“Whoever goes right, then he goes right only for the benefit of
his ownself. And whoever goes stray, then he goes astray to his own loss…”
[al-Isra’ 17:15]

Peace be upon him who follows the guidance..

What is the meaning of the hadeeth “Do not inveigh against time (waqt) for Allaah is time waqt)”?

 

Is the saying "Do not curse time for Allah is time" authentic from
the Rasool's sayings ? If so, how do you interpret this ? I am confused about this issue.

Praise be to Allaah. 

The word used in the hadeeth is not waqt (= time),
but dahr (= time, vicissitudes of time) [this element of confusion may
stem from translation of the question into Arabic]. This hadeeth was
narrated by Muslim (5827) from Abu Hurayrah.

 Other
versions of the hadeeth are:

“Do
not inveigh against time (al-dahr), for Allaah is time”

“Let
not any one of you say, ‘Woe to time,’ for Allaah is time”

“Allaah
says, ‘The sons of Adam offend Me and say, Woe to time, but they should
not say Woe to time. I am time, I alternate the night and the day, and if
I willed, I could seize them both.’”

 With
regard to the meaning of the hadeeth, al-Nawawi said:

 They
said: this is a metaphor, because the Arabs used to inveigh against time
when disasters such as death, old age, loss of money, etc., happened. They
would say, ‘Woe to time’ and other phrases cursing or inveighing
against time. So the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him) said: ‘Do not inveigh against time for Allaah is time’, i.e., do
not inveigh against the One Who brings about those disasters, for that
will be directed towards Allaah, for He is the One Who causes them to
happen. Time (al-dahr) means al-zamaan (time) which cannot do anything in
and of itself, for it is just one of the things that have been created by
Allaah.

 The
meaning of the phrase “for Allaah is time” means that He is the One
Who causes those events and accidents to happen, and He is the Creator of
all that happens. And Allaah knows best.

 (Sharh
Muslim, 15/3)

 It
should be noted that “time” (al-dahr) is not one of the Names of
Allaah; it is attributed to Allaah in the sense that He created it and is
controlling it, i.e., He is the Creator of time. Some phrases in the same
hadeeth also indicate this, as when He says,  “It is in My Hand, I alternate the night and the day.”
The One Who alternates and the thing which is alternated cannot be one and
the same; there is the One Who alternates – i.e., Allaah – and the
thing which is alternated – i.e., time, which Allaah controls as and
when He wills.

 See:
Fataawa al-‘Aqeedah by Shaykh Ibn
‘Uthaymeen, 1/163

 Al-Haafiz
Ibn Katheer said, in his Tafseer of the aayah (interpretation of the
meaning):

 “And
they say: “There is nothing but our life of this world, we die and we
live and nothing destroys us except Ad‑Dahr (time)” [al-Jaathiyah
45:24]

 Al-Shaafa'i,
Abu ‘Ubaydah and others said, in their commentary on the hadeeth of the
Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), “Do not
inveigh against time for Allaah is time” – During the Jaahiliyyah, if
some difficulty, trial or disaster befell them, the Arabs would 
say ‘Woe to time’, attributing those events to time and
inveighing against it. But the One Who brought those events to pass is
Allaah, so it was as if they were inveighing against Allaah, may He be
glorified, because in fact He was the One Who caused those things to
happen. So it was forbidden to inveigh against time in this manner,
because Allaah is Time, i.e., He is the One lWho is controlling it, but
the Arabs were attributing those events to Time.

This
is the best of the comments made in the Tafseer of this hadeeth, and this
is what is meant. And Allaah knows best.

 (Tafseer
Ibn Katheer, 4/152)

 Shaykh
Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allaah preserve him) was asked about the ruling on
inveighing against time. He replied:

 Inveighing
against time may be divided into three categories:

 1.                
Where the intention is to convey information without blaming or
condemning. This is permissible, such as when a person remarks, “We are
suffering from the heat (or the cold) today” and the like, because deeds
are judged according to their intentions, and in this case a person is
merely describing what is happening without expressing discontent.

2.                
Where a person inveighs against time as the cause of events, as if
by inveighing against it he means that time is what causes things to
alternate between good and bad. This is shirk
akbar (major form of shirk)
because when a person attributes events to something other than Allaah,
this means that he believes that there is another creator alongside
Allaah.

3.                
Where a person inveighs against time but believes that the One who
causes things to happen is Allaah, but he inveighs against time because of
the bad things that happened. This is haraam because it is contrary to the
sabr (patience) that is required, but it is not kufr because the person
does not inveigh directly against Allaah. If he were to inveigh directly
against Allaah, he would be a kaafir.

 (Fataawaa
al-‘Aqeedah, 1/197)

 Other
reprehensible expressions which people utter include cursing the hour or
the day on which a certain bad thing happened, and so on. This is a sin
because it is cursing and improper speech, and because this is cursing
something which does not deserve to be cursed. What has the hour or the
day done wrong? Nothing apart from the fact that the events happened then,
but they are only created things which have no control over anything and
cannot be held to blame. If a person inveighs against time, this reflects
on the Creator of time. The Muslim should be above speaking in such a
foolish and improper manner. And Allaah is the One Whose help we seek.

 

 

Conditions of the acceptance of the Shahaadatayn

 

My question deal with a topic I heard in a khutbah. The Imam spoke about our khalimah. And he said it has conditions, that the ulama have given 9 or so, that you must have in order to gain access to jannah. He said just saying the words would not be enough. I wanted to know what were those conditions. He gave a few that I can remember. The first being knowledge of the Khalimah. The second being yaqeen. I would like to know if you know of this, and if I could be given the rest? Any help you may be able to provide would be appreciated insha Allah

Praise be to Allaah. 

It
seems that by “kalimah” you mean the Kalimat
al-Tawheed (lit. Word of Divine Unity), which is the Shahaadatayn,
“Laa ilaaha ill-Allaah Muhammadun Rasool-Allaah (There is no
god except Allaah, and Muhammad is the Messenger of Allaah).” This is
also what the khateeb was
referring to. 

There
are a number of conditions attached to the Shahaadatayn,
which are as follows: 

(1)    
(1)                               
Knowledge

 This
means knowing the meaning of the Shahaadah,
both the negation (There is no god) and the affirmation (except Allaah),
knowledge as opposed to ignorance of this.

 Allaah
says (interpretation of the meaning):

“So
know (O Muhammad) that Laa ilaaha ill -Allaah (none has the right to be
worshipped but Allaah)…”

[Muhammad
47:19]

 “except
for those who bear witness to the truth knowingly [i.e., that there is no
god except Allaah, and they know” [al-Zukhruf 43:86]
– they know in their hearts the meanings of the words that their mouths
speak.

 It
is reported in al-Saheeh
that ‘Uthmaan ibn ‘Affaan (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: The
Messenger of Allaah
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said:
“Whoever dies knowing that there is no god except Allaah will enter
Paradise.”

 (2)                                    
Certainty

 This
is certainty as opposed to doubt, whereby the person who says this [the Shahaadah]
is absolutely certain about the meaning of these words, because faith does
not count unless it is based on certain knowledge, not on knowledge based
on speculation, let alone doubt.

Allaah
says (interpretation of the meaning):

 “Only
those are the believers who have believed in Allaah and His Messenger, and
afterward doubt not but strive with their wealth and their lives for the
Cause of Allaah. Those! They are the truthful”

[al-Hujuraat
49:15]

 A
condition of their being truthful in their belief in Allaah and His
Messenger is that they should not doubt. The one who doubts is a hypocrite
– Allaah forbid.

 It
is reported in al-Saheeh that Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him)
said: The Messenger of Allaah
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him) said: “Bear witness that there is no god except Allaah and that I
am the Messenger of Allaah, for no person meets Allaah with these two
(words), not doubting in them, and is kept away from Paradise.”

 (3)                                    
Acceptance

 This
means that one accepts with one’s heart and with one’s words that
which is implied by this kalimah. Allaah says concerning the one who accepts it
(interpretation of the meaning):

 “Save
the chosen slaves of Allaah (i.e. the true believers of Islamic
Monotheism).

For
them there will be a known provision (in Paradise),

Fruits;
and they shall be honoured,

In
the Gardens of Delight (Paradise)…

[al-Saaffaat
37:40-43]

 “Whoever
brings a good deed (i.e. belief in the Oneness of Allaah along with every
deed of righteousness), will have better than its worth; and they will be
safe from the terror on that Day”

[al-Naml
27:89]

 It
was narrated in al-Saheeh from Abu Moosa (may Allaah be pleased with him)
that the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said:

 “The
likeness of the guidance and knowledge with which Allaah has sent me is a
great deal of rain which falls on the land. Some of the land is fertile:
it absorbs the water and brings forth a lot of grass and vegetation. Other
parts of the land are infertile, but they hold the water and Allaah
benefits the people thereby, so that they drink it, and water their
animals and irrigate their lands with it. A third part of the land is
plains which do not hold the water and where no plants grow. This is like
the person who understands the religion of Allaah and benefits from the
Message with which Allaah sent me, so he learns and teaches others (what
he has learned), and the person who does not pay attention or accept the
guidance of Allaah with which I was sent.”

 (4)                                    
Submission

 This
means submitting to what is implied by the Shahaadatayn,
as opposed to ignoring or neglecting it.

 Allaah
says (interpretation of the meaning):

 “And
turn in repentance and in obedience with true Faith (Islamic Monotheism)
to your Lord and submit to Him (in Islam)”

[al-Zumar
39:54]

 “And
who can be better in religion than one who submits his face (himself) to
Allaah (i.e. follows Allaah’s religion of Islamic Monotheism); and he is
a Muhsin (a good-doer

[al-Nisaa’
4:125]

 “And
whosoever submits his face (himself) to Allaah, while he is a Muhsin
(good-doer, i.e. performs good deeds totally for Allaah’s sake
without any show-off or to gain praise or fame and does them in accordance
with the Sunnah of Allaah’s Messenger Muhammad), then he has grasped the
most trustworthy handhold [Laa ilaaha ill-Allaah (none has the right to be
worshipped but Allaah)]. And to Allaah return all matters for decision”

[Luqmaan
31:22]

 “submits
his face” means, he submits fully. “While he is a muhsin
(good-doer)” means he affirms the Unity of Allaah.

 (5)                                    
Truthfulness, true belief

 This
means, meaning what you say, as opposed to lying. This means saying it
from the heart, where the heart agrees with the words being uttered.

 Allaah
says (interpretation of the meaning): 

“Alif
Laam Meem.

[These
letters are one of the miracles of the Qur’aan, and none but Allaah
(Alone) knows their meanings.]

Do
people think that they will be left alone because they say: ‘We
believe,’ and will not be tested.

And
We indeed tested those who were before them. And Allaah will certainly
make (it) known (the truth of) those who are true, and will certainly make
(it) known (the falsehood of) those who are liars, (although Allaah knows
all that before putting them to test)…

[al-‘Ankaboot
29:1-3]

 In
al-Saheehayn it was narrated
from Mu’aadh ibn Jabal (may Allaah be pleased with him) that the Prophet

(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said:

“There is no
one who bears witness that there is no god except Allaah and that Muhammad
is the Messenger of Allaah, truly from his heart, but Allaah will protect
him from the Fire.”

(6)     
(6)                              
Sincerity

 

This
means purity of action with a sound intention, free from any contamination
of shirk. Allaah says
(interpretation of the meaning):

 “Surely,
the religion (i.e. the worship and the obedience) is for Allaah only”

[al-Zumar
39:3]

 “And
they were commanded not, but that they should worship Allaah, and worship
none but Him Alone (abstaining from ascribing partners to Him)…”

[al-Bayyinah 
98:5]

 In
al-Saheeh it is narrated
from Abu Hurayrah that the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him) said: “The people who will be most deserving of my
intercession will be those who say Laa
ilaaha ill-Allaah sincerely from their hearts or their
souls.”

 (7)                                    
Love

 This
means love for this word and for what it implies, and its people, those
who act upon it and adhere to its conditions; and hatred of whatever goes
against it.

 Allaah
says (interpretation of the meaning):

 “And
of mankind are some who take (for worship) others besides Allaah as rivals
(to Allaah). They love them as they love Allaah. But those who believe,
love Allaah more (than anything else).”

[al-Baqarah
2:165]

 The
sign that a person loves his Lord is that he gives priority to what Allaah
loves even if it goes against his own desires, and he hates what Allaah
hates, even if it is something to which he is inclined.. He takes as
friends those who are friends of Allaah and His Messenger and he takes as
enemies those who are the enemies of Allaah and His Messenger. He follows
His Messenger
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), follows in
his footsteps and accepts his guidance .All of these signs are conditions
of this love, and it cannot be imagined that this love can exist without
any of these conditions.

 The
Messenger of Allaah
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said:

“There
are three things which if a person finds them, he has found the sweetness
of faith: when Allaah and His Messenger are dearer to him than all else;
when he loves a person for no other reason than for the sake of Allaah;
and when he hates to return to kufr after Allaah has saved him from it as
he would hate to be thrown into fire.” (Narrated from the hadeeth of
Anas ibn Maalik).

 Some
scholars added an eighth condition, which is the rejection of all things
that are worshipped instead of Allaah (al-kufr
bi’l-taaghoot or rejection of false gods). The Prophet

(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Whoever says Laa
ilaaha ill-Allaah and
rejects everything that is worshipped instead of Allaah, his property and
his blood will be sacred [i.e., it is forbidden to seize his property or
shed his blood] and his reckoning will be with Allaah.” (Narrated by
Muslim). In order for his property and his blood to be protected, he must,
in addition to saying Laa ilaaha
ill-Allaah, also reject whatever is worshipped instead of
Allaah, no matter who or what it is.

The meaning of belief in Allaah

 

I have read and heard a great deal about the virtues of attaining true belief in Allaah, and I would like you to explain to me in detail the meaning of belief in Allaah in a way that will help me to attain true faith and to keep away from everything that goes against the teachings of our Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and the way of his companions.

Praise be to Allaah.
 

 

Faith in Allaah means believing firmly in His
existence, Lordship and Divinity, and in His names and attributes. 

Faith in Allaah implies four things, whoever
believes in them is a true believer. 

1 – Belief in the existence of Allaah. 

The existence of Allaah is something
indicated by reason and by man's innate nature, let alone the large amount of shar’i evidence to that effect. 

(i)               
The evidence of man’s innate nature that Allaah exists: every man has been created with an innate belief in his
Creator without having to first think about it or be taught, and no one deviates from this innate nature except the one who has been exposed to
misguiding influences. Hence the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “There is no child who is not born in a state of
fitrah (the natural inclination of man), but his parents make him a Jew, a Christian or a Magian.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 1358; Muslim, 2658. 

(ii)             
The evidence of reason that Allaah exists: all these created things, past, present and future, must have a Creator Who brought them
into existence, because it is not possible for them to have created themselves or to have come into existence by accident.

It is impossible for
them to have come into existence by themselves because a thing cannot create itself: before it existed it was non-existent, so how could it be a
creator?! And it is impossible for them to have come into existence by accident, because everything that happens must have a cause. Moreover, this
creation is done in a wondrous and precise manner, and every created being is in harmony with the rest of creation, and there is a strong
connection between cause and effect. All of this makes it impossible that this universe could have come into being accidentally, because what
happens accidentally does not happen in a precise and perfect manner, so how could it remain so precisely balanced?  

If it is not possible for these things to
have created themselves or to have come into existence by accident, then there must be One Who brought them into existence, namely Allaah the Lord
of the Worlds. 

Allaah has mentioned this rational evidence
and definitive proof in Soorat al-Toor, where He says (interpretation of the meaning): 

“Were they created by nothing? Or were
they themselves the creators?”

[al-Toor 52:35] 

They were not created without a Creator, and
they did not create themselves, so their Creator must be Allaah, may He be blessed and exalted. Hence when Jubayr ibn Mut’im heard the Messenger
of Allaah (S) reciting Soorat al-Toor, and he reached these verses (interpretation of the meaning): 

“Were they created by nothing? Or were
they themselves the creators?

 Or did they create the heavens and the
earth? Nay, but they have no firm Belief.

Or are with them the treasures of your
Lord? Or are they the tyrants with the authority to do as they like?”

[al-Toor 52:35-37] 

Jabeer was a mushrik at that time, and said:
“My heart almost soared, and that was the first moment that faith entered my heart.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari in several places. 

We will give you an example that will help to
explain that:  

If a person were to tell you of a beautiful
palace, surrounded by gardens among which rivers flowed, filled with furniture and couches, decorated with all kinds of luxuries and adornments,
and told you that this palace and all that it contains created itself, or came into existence like that by accident without anyone building it,
you would hasten to deny that and regard it as a lie, and you would regard this as foolish speech. So after that can it be possible that this
wondrous, vast and well balanced universe with its earth, heavens and stars, could have created itself or come into being by accident with no
Creator?! 

This rational evidence was understood by a
Bedouin who lived in the desert and who expressed it most eloquently, when he was asked, “How do you know your Lord?” He said: “If you see the
camel dung you know that a camel has passed this way, and if you see a footstep you know that a person has passed this way, so the heaven with its
starts and the earth with its mountain passes and the oceans with their high waves all point to the existence of the All-Hearing, All-Seeing.” 

2 – Belief in the Lordship of Allaah. 

i.e., belief that He alone is the Lord, with
no partner or helper. 

The Lord (Rabb) is the One Who has the power
of  creation, dominion and control. There is no Creator except Allaah, no Sovereign except Allaah, no controller of affairs except Allaah. Allaah
says (interpretation of the meaning): 

“Surely, His is the creation and
commandment”

[al-A’raaf 7:54] 

“Say (O Muhammad): ‘Who provides for you
from the sky and the earth? Or who owns hearing and sight? And who brings out the living from the dead and brings out the dead from the living?
And who disposes the affairs?’ They will say: ‘Allaah.’ Say: ‘Will you not then be afraid of Allaah’s punishment (for setting up rivals in worship
with Allaah)?’”

[Yoonus 10:31] 

“He manages and regulates (every) affair
from the heavens to the earth; then it (affair) will go up to Him”

[al-Sajdah 32:5] 

“Such is Allaah, your Lord; His is the
kingdom. And those, whom you invoke or call upon instead of Him, own not even a Qitmeer (the thin membrane over the date stone)”

[Faatir 35:13] 

Think about what Allaah says in Soorat
al-Faatihah (interpretation of the meaning): 

“The Only Owner (and the Only Ruling
Judge) of the Day of Recompense (i.e. the Day of Resurrection) [Maaliki Yaawm il-deen]”

[al-Faatihah 1:4] 

And there is an alternative reading,
Maliki yawm il-deen. If we  combine the two readings we will see a wondrous meaning, for the Malik (King) has more power and authority than
the Maalik (Owner), but a king may sometimes be a king in name only, with no control over affairs, in which case he is a king but not an owner.
But as Allaah is both Malik and Maalik, then this is confirmation both of His Sovereignty and His control over all affairs. 

3 – Belief in His Divinity 

i.e., that He is the One True God, with no
partner or associate. 

Al-Ilaah (God) means the One Who is loved,
i.e., the One Who is worshipped out of love and veneration. This is what is meant by Laa ilaaha ill-Allaah (there is no god but Allaah),
i.e., there is none who is rightfully worshipped except Allaah. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): 

“And your Ilaah (God) is One Ilaah (God —
Allaah), Laa Ilaaha illa Huwa (there is none who has the right to be worshipped but He), the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful”

[al-Baqarah 2:163] 

“Allaah bears witness that Laa ilaaha illa
Huwa (none has the right to be worshipped but He), and the angels, and those having knowledge (also give this witness); (He always) maintains His
creation in justice. Laa ilaaha illa Huwa (none has the right to be worshipped but He), the All‑Mighty, the All-Wise”

[Aal ‘Imraan 3:18] 

Everything that is taken as a god alongside
Allaah and worshipped instead of Him, its divinity is false. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): 

“That is because Allaah He is the Truth (the only
True God of all that exists, Who has no partners or rivals with Him), and what they (the polytheists) invoke besides Him, it is Baatil
(falsehood). And verily, Allaah
He is the Most High, the Most Great”

[al-Hajj 22:62] 

Calling them gods does not give them the
rights of divinity. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): 

“They are but names which you have named

you and your fathers
for which Allaah has sent down no authority”

[al-Najm 53:23] 

Allaah tells us that Yoosuf (peace be upon
him) said to the prison guard (interpretation of the meaning): 

“Are many different lords (gods) better or
Allaah, the One, the Irresistible?

You do not worship besides Him but only
names which you have named (forged) — you and your fathers — for which Allaah has sent down no authority”

[Yoosuf 12:39-40] 

No one deserves to be worshipped or singled
out for worship except Allaah, and no one has any share in this right with Him, no angel who is close to Him nor any Prophet who was sent. Hence
the call of all the Messengers, from the first to the last of them, was the call to say Laa ilaaha ill-Allaah. Allaah says (interpretation of the
meaning): 

“And We did not send any Messenger before
you (O Muhammad) but We revealed to him (saying): Laa ilaaha illa Ana [none has the right to be worshipped but I (Allaah)], so worship Me (Alone
and none else)”

[al-Anbiya’ 21:35] 

“And verily, We have sent among every
Ummah (community, nation) a Messenger (proclaiming): “Worship Allaah (Alone), and avoid (or keep away from) Taaghoot (all false deities, i.e. do
not worship Taaghoot besides Allaah)”

[al-Nahl 16:36] 

But the mushrikeen rejected that and took
other gods instead of Allaah, which they worshipped alongside Allaah, seeking their support and help. 

4 – Belief in His Names and Attributes. 

i.e., affirming the names and attributes which
Allaah has affirmed for Himself in His Book and in the Sunnah of His Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) in a manner that
befits Him, without distorting or denying the meanings, or asking how, or likening Him to His creation. Allaah says (interpretation of the
meaning): 

“And (all) the Most Beautiful Names belong
to Allaah, so call on Him by them, and leave the company of those who belie or deny (or utter impious speech against) His Names. They will be
requited for what they used to do”

[al-A’raaf 7:180] 

This verse indicates that the Most Beautiful
names belong to Allaah.

And Allaah says (interpretation of the
meaning): 

“His is the highest description (i.e. none
has the right to be worshipped but He, and there is nothing comparable unto Him) in the heavens and in the earth. And He is the All‑Mighty, the
All‑Wise”

[al-Room 30:27] 

This verse indicates that the attributes of
perfection belong to Allaah, because “the highest description” is the attribute of perfection. These two verses prove that the most beautiful
Names and the most sublime attributes belong to Allaah in general terms. With regard to the details of that, there is a great deal of information
in the Qur’aan and Sunnah. 

This field of knowledge, i.e., the names and
attributes of Allaah, is one of the fields in which there has been a great deal of dispute and division among the ummah, and the ummah has split
into various factions regarding the names and attributes of Allaah.  

Our attitude towards these differences is
that enjoined by Allaah when He said (interpretation of the meaning): 

“(And) if you differ in anything amongst
yourselves, refer it to Allaah and His Messenger, if you believe in Allaah and in the Last Day”

[al-Nisa’ 4:59] 

We refer this dispute to the Book of Allaah
and the Sunnah of His Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), seeking guidance therein from the way in which the righteous
salaf, the Sahaabah and Taabi’een, understood these verses and ahaadeeth, for they are the most knowledgeable of this ummah as to what Allaah and
His Messenger meant. ‘Abd-Allaah ibn Mas’ood spoke the truth when he described the companions of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah
be upon him) by saying: “Whoever wants to follow a path, let him follow the path of one who has died, for there is no guarantee that the one who
is still alive will not be tempted. Those are the companions of Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), the most pure in heart 
of this ummah and the most deep in knowledge, the least sophisticated and complicated, people whom Allaah chose to establish His religion and
accompany His Prophet. So acknowledge their rights and adhere to their guidance, for they are following true guidance.”

Everyone who deviates from the path of the salaf in this matter is erring and going astray, and is following a path other than that of the
believers, so he deserves the warning issued in the verse where Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): 

“And whoever contradicts and opposes the
Messenger (Muhammad) after the right path has been shown clearly to him, and follows other than the believers’ way, We shall keep him in the path
he has chosen, and burn him in Hell — what an evil destination!”

[al-Nisa’ 4:115] 

Allaah has stipulated that in order to be
correctly guided, we must believe what the companions of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) believed, as He says
(interpretation of the meaning): 

“So if they believe in the like of that which
you believe then they are rightly guided”

[al-Baqarah 2:137] 

Everyone who deviates and wanders far from
the path of the salaf is lacking in guidance to the extent that he strays from the path of the salaf. 

Based on this, then what we must do in this
case is to affirm what Allaah has affirmed for Himself or what His Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) has affirmed of the
divine names and attributes; we should take the texts of the Qur’aan and Sunnah at face value, and believe in them as the companions of the
Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) did, as they are the best and most knowledgeable of this ummah (may Allaah be pleased
with them). 

But it should be noted that there are four
things to be avoided, whoever falls into one of them has not attained true belief in the names and attributes of Allaah as he is obliged to do.
Belief in the names and attributes of Allaah is not correct unless one avoids these four things, which are: tahreef (distortion), ta’teel
(denial), tamtheel (likening Allaah to His creation) and takyeef (asking or discussing how).  

Hence we say that what is meant by belief in
the names and attributes of Allaah is “affirming the names and attributes which Allaah has affirmed for Himself in His Book and in the Sunnah of
His Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) in a manner that befits Him, without distorting or denying the meanings, or asking
how, or likening Him to His creation.” 

There follows a brief explanation of these
four things that are to be avoided: 

(i)               
Tahreef (distorting) 

What is meant is changing the meaning of the
texts of the Qur’aan and Sunnah from their true meaning, which means affirming that the most beautiful names and sublime attributes belong to
Allaah, to another meaning which was not intended by Allaah or His Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). 

For example: 

They distort the meaning of the Hand of
Allaah which is mentioned in many texts and say that it refers to His blessing or power. 

(ii)             
Ta’teel (denying) 

What is meant is denying the beautiful names
and sublime attributes and saying that Allaah does not possess them or some of them. 

Everyone who denies one of the names or
attributes of Allaah that are proven in the Qur’aan or Sunnah does not truly believe in the names and attributes of Allaah.

(iii)           
Tamtheel (likening Allaah to His creation) 

This means likening the attribute of Allaah
to the attribute of a human being, such as saying that Allaah’s Hand is like a man’s hand, or that Allaah hears as a man hears, or that Allaah
rose over the Throne like a man sitting on a chair… and so on. Undoubtedly likening the attributes of Allaah to the attributes of His creation is
wrong and false. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): 

“There is nothing like Him, and He is the
All‑Hearer, the All‑Seer”

[al-Shoora 42:11] 

(iv)             
Takyeef (discussing how) 

This means discussing how the attributes of
Allaah are, whereby a person tries to imagine or put into words how the attributes of Allaah are. 

This is definitely invalid, and man cannot
know this. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): 

“but they will never compass anything of
His Knowledge”

[Ta-Ha 20:110] 

Whoever attains these four things believes
truly in Allaah. 

We ask Allaah to make us steadfast in faith
and cause us to die therein. 

And Allaah knows best. 

See Risaalat Sharh Usool al-Eemaan by
Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen.