CHAPTER SEVEN
The Qur’an is God’s word: He truly said it in sounds, words and surahs. We do not say that ‘it is mere meaning without utterance’, but we say that God speaks whenever He wills: ‘God has spoken His word directly to Moses’. (4: 164) ‘When Moses came for Our appointment and his Lord spoke to him’. (7: 143) His word is what He says: ‘God says the truth and He alone shows the right path’. (33: 4)
God’s word is memorized in people’s hearts: ‘Nay, but this [Qur’an] consists of verses that are clear to the hearts of those gifted with real knowledge’. (29: 49) It is heard with people’s ears: ‘If any of the idolaters seeks asylum with you, grant him protection so that he may hear the word of God and then convey him to his place of safety’. (9: 6) The fact that it was God’s messenger who delivered it to us does not alter the fact that it is God’s own word.
It is written down as God says: ‘By a scripture inscribed on unrolled parchment’. (52: 3) God has preserved it on a tablet He has kept: ‘This is indeed a glorious Qur’an, inscribed on an imperishable tablet’. (85: 21–2) ‘It originates in the source of revelation kept with Us; it is indeed sublime, full of wisdom’. (43: 4) The fact that it is written down does not alter the fact that it is God’s word, since paper is created like ink is created. God says: ‘Even if We had sent down to you a book written on paper and they had touched it with their own hands’. (6: 7) He thus makes the book and the paper two different things.
Confirming that the Qur’an is His own word, even though it is written with created pens and created ink, He says: ‘Were all the trees on earth to be made into pens, and the sea ink, with seven more seas yet added to it, the words of God would not be exhausted’. (31: 27) ‘Say: “If the sea were ink for my Lord’s words, the sea would surely dry up before my Lord’s words are exhausted, even though we were to add to it another sea to replenish it”’. (18: 109) So, what is written with pens and what is not written is God’s word and it is all the same.
Whoever says that God’s word is a creature is an unbeliever, because God’s speech is one of His attributes. He has distinguished between His creation and His words. He says: ‘Your Lord is God who has created the heavens and the earth in six aeons, and is established on the throne. He covers the day with
30 The Islamic Faith
the night in swift pursuit. The sun, the moon and the stars are subservient to
His command. Surely all creation and all authority belong to Him. Blessed is
God, the Lord of the worlds’. (7: 54) In this verse, God distinguishes between
His creation and His command. His creation includes those mentioned here:
heavens, the earth, the sun, the moon and the stars, while His command is His
speech with which He gives shape to His creatures, as He says in this verse:
‘[They are] subservient to His command’.
God created the voices of the reciters of the Qur’an just as He created their lips,
tongues and throats as well as their movements, the air and their saliva. Yet this
does not change the fact that what we hear from them is God’s word. He says:
‘Some of them would listen to the word of God then, having understood it,
knowingly distort it?’ (2: 75) This means that what is heard is God’s word even
though it is pronounced by the reciters. It is as some scholars said: ‘The voice
belongs to the reciter, but the word belongs to the Creator’.
CHAPTER EIGHT
When revealed text and rational thinking are combined together, religious truth is fully understood. Revealed text is of no benefit to one who has no reason, and reason on its own is of no help to one who has no knowledge of revelation. When either of these is missing knowledge of the truth is deficient. Should they superficially contradict each other revealed text is given precedence, because it comes from God’s perfect knowledge while reason is derived from the knowledge of creatures, which is imperfect.
Reason is like the ‘seeing sense’ while the revealed text is like light. No one benefits by having two eyes when he is in pitch black darkness, just like a rational person benefits nothing by his reason without revelations. The better the light, the better the vision. Similarly, the more text is revealed the better reason is guided. When religious text and reason complement each other perfectly full guidance and insight are at their optimum, just like vision is at its best at mid-day. God says: ‘Is he who was dead and whom We have raised to life and for whom We set up a light to see his way among men to be compared to one who is in deep darkness out of which he cannot emerge?’ (6: 122)
A rational person benefits by reason in his life just like flying and walking animals benefit by their instincts. They migrate and settle at certain times, they know each other, find their way to their areas, make their own nests and recognize their predators.
However, man cannot find sufficient guidance from reason to know his Lord in full unless he benefits by what He has revealed to His messenger. Man simply cannot reach out to his Lord without the benefit of divine revelations, because without them he is in darkness: ‘God is the patron of the believers. He leads them out of darkness into the light. As for the unbelievers, their patrons are false deities who lead them out of light into darkness. Those are the people destined for the Fire, therein to abide’. (2: 257)
We note that God says that He ‘leads them’, because without Him they will remain in darkness. Light is the same even though it may be of different types, such as fire and brightness. Likewise, revelation is the same even though it may be in different forms, such as the Qur’an and the Sunnah. God says: ‘Be32
The Islamic Faith
lievers, obey God and obey the messenger’. (4: 59)
A person who says that he will know God through his reason, without need of
revelation, is the same as one who claims to find the right way using only his
eyes, without the need for light. Both deny what is definitely necessary: the
first has no religion and the second has no life.
God describes His revelations as light that gives guidance to all mankind:
‘Those, therefore, who believe in him, honour and support him, and follow
the light that has been bestowed from on high through him shall indeed be
successful’. (7: 157) His revelations provide guidance to prophets and to their
followers.
We accept what God has commanded and prohibited and we believe in what
He has told us. If we know the reason for any particular thing we believe in
it, but if we do not know it we still believe and submit. Reason does not necessarily
comprehend every reasonable thing. How can it comprehend what is
incomprehensible and how can all minds agree to it?
The one who says that he accepts those of God’s laws and rulings that reason
comprehends but disbelieves what is incomprehensible puts reason ahead of
divine revelations. If our mind cannot comprehend something this does not
mean it does not exist. It only means that it lies beyond our faculties of comprehension.
The human mind has a limit beyond which it cannot go, just like
eyesight has a limit. The furthest one can see does not represent the end of the
universe or existence. Likewise, hearing has a limit but this does not mean the
end of sound. An ant makes a sound that we cannot hear and similarly there are
atmospheres, planets and stars in the universe that are invisible to us.
CHAPTER NINE
The authority to legislate belongs to God alone: He makes what He wills permissible or forbidden, according to His knowledge and infinite wisdom. His legislation is to ensure that both religion and life are on the proper course. His commands apply to all those who are subject to them and cannot be removed at any time or place without His permission.
We do not differentiate between His legislation for religion and life, they are both religious and for life. The religious ones include prayer, fasting, the pilgrimage, glorifying Him and attending mosques. Those that are concerned with human life include commercial transactions, marriage, divorce, inheritance, etc. Whoever distinguishes between the two, assigning judgement over religious matters to God and giving to someone other than God the authority to rule over worldly or life matters is an unbeliever. Judgement belongs to God alone and whoever assigns this authority to anyone else is in the same position as one who says that prostration may be offered by right to someone other than God. He says: ‘All judgement rests with God alone’. (12: 40)
This was the way the Children of Israel became unbelievers, as God says: ‘They make of their rabbis and their monks, and of the Christ, son of Mary, lords besides God. Yet they have been ordered to worship none but the One God, other than whom there is no deity. Exalted be He above those to whom they ascribe divinity’. (9: 31) In this verse God clearly describes their action as giving divinity to beings other than God.
God revealed His book and gave His legislation knowing what conditions will be like at all times and what had happened in the past. He also knew the exact situation at the time He bestowed His legislation from on high. His knowledge is not diminished because of an event that might have taken place in the past or may take place in the future. Nor is His knowledge increased because of an event that is happening at present. To Him, knowledge of the past, present and future is all the same. All glory be to Him.
Whoever believes that God’s legislation was only suitable for the time when it was revealed and in future people may legislate for themselves what they feel suitable, even though it may be in conflict with God’s legislation and judgement, is an unbeliever. Whoever says this starts from the premise that human
34 The Islamic Faith
knowledge of the present and what has not yet taken place is different, and as
a result man’s judgement will differ according to the difference in his knowledge.
He imagines that this also applies to God and thus gives present human
knowledge a higher position than that of God’s knowledge at the time of revelation
or what will happen in the future. This is blatant disbelief. God knows
what is witnessed in the here and now in exactly the same way as He knows
what is beyond the present. As He describes Himself: ‘He knows all that is beyond
the reach of human perception, and all that can be witnessed. Sublimely
exalted is He above anything they associate as partner with Him’. (23: 92) His
judgement applies to what is witnessed in the same way as it applies to what
lies beyond our perception. He says: ‘Say: “God! Originator of the heaves and
the earth! You have knowledge of all that is beyond anyone’s perception and
all that anyone may witness. It is You who will judge between Your servants
concerning all that over which they differ”’. (39: 46) His judgement applies to
all His servants: those who are present and those who are not.
Whoever separates judgement on religious matters from that of life matters, assigning
the first to God and giving man the authority to judge the latter, favours
a multiplicity of legislators, while in fact God alone is the Legislator: ‘Do you,
then, believe in some parts of the Scriptures and deny others?’ (2: 85) Whoever
denies any part of God’s book denies it all.
It is God’s commandment that judgement between people should be on the basis
of what He has revealed to His messenger of the Book and wisdom. As God says
to His messenger: ‘Hence, judge between them in accordance with what God has
revealed and do not follow their vain desires, but beware of them lest they tempt
you away from any part of what God has revealed to you’. (5: 49) The verse
relates to judgement in disputes between people. The Prophet is warned against
submitting to any temptation that leads him to deviate from God’s judgement.
On questions where revelations do not give us any details competent scholars
may deduce rulings, provided that the judgement they arrive at is not in conflict
with any confirmed divine ruling.
People’s judgement that is in conflict with God’s ruling may not be given precedence.
Had this been the case, prophets would have deviated from the truth.
Prophets were sent to peoples who had already agreed among themselves what
was contrary to the divine law, at least most of them, and in delivering their message
prophets advocated what was contrary to the views of their communities.
CHAPTER TEN
God has assigned their lot to all creatures before they were created, and every creature was created by God’s determination that preceded its creation. God says: ‘It is He who has created all things and ordained them in due proportions’. (25: 2) ‘We have created everything in due measure’. (54: 49) ‘God’s will is always destiny absolute’. (33: 38)
God has determined all matters and all things, good and bad. In an authentic hadith the Prophet states that an essential part of faith is ‘to believe in divine destiny, both the good and the evil of it’.3
God’s knowledge is essential for His determination of destiny. No one can determine things except the One who knows them. No one knows their fine details, places, changes, beginning and end except for their Creator. God says that we must learn that ‘God has power over all things, and God encompasses all things with His knowledge’. (65: 12) ‘How could it be that He who has created should not know all? He is above all comprehension, yet is All-Aware’. (67: 14)
Whoever denies God’s determination of all things denies His knowledge, and whoever denies God’s knowledge denies His determination. What God determined for His creation is all recorded in a book kept with Him. He says: ‘No single thing have We left out of the book’. (6: 38) ‘We keep an account of all things in a clear record’. (36: 12)
God’s creation is of two types: 1) creatures that have no will of their own, such as planets and stars; and 2) creatures that have a will and freedom of choice, such as humans, jinn and angels. He has not set them on their respective courses without giving them a choice, so as to force them to disobey Him and then punish them for that. Nor did He give them total freedom without any aspect of subservience, so as to enable them to be His partners in will and action. He has given them a will that is under His will, as He says: ‘This is only a reminder to all mankind, to those of you whose will is to be upright. Yet, you cannot will except by the will of God, Lord of all the worlds’. (82: 27–9)
3 Related by Muslim, 8.
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God created people and their actions, as He says: ‘Do you worship something
that you yourselves have carved, while it is God who has created you and all
you do?’ (37: 95-6)) He created causes and determined their effects and this is
the result of His perfect and complete knowledge as well as His infinite wisdom
in establishing the universe in such a fine and perfect system.
It is not right for the human mind to turn away from believing in what it does
not understand of God’s wisdom or its essence of God’s determination. The
wisdom behind certain things may be beyond the capacity of our minds’ comprehension.
The human mind is like a vessel and some wisdom is like the water
of the ocean. Should too much water be poured into this vessel it would drown
it, leaving it completely lost, and the continued contemplation of some wisdom
only increases man’s perplexity, just like the sun at mid-day hurts our eyes if
we stare fixedly at it.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Death is inevitable. God says: ‘All that lives on it perishes; but forever will remain the face of your Lord, full of majesty, granting grace’. (55: 26–7) It is a part of faith that we should believe in what comes after death, including one’s examination in the grave and the resulting happiness or torment.
Moreover, it is essential to believe in resurrection. God says: ‘The Trumpet will be sounded and out of their graves they will rise and hasten to their Lord’. (36: 51) Whoever doubts the resurrection disbelieves in God: ‘And as for the unbelievers, [they will be asked]: “When My revelations were recited to you, did you not glory in your arrogance and persist in your wicked ways? For when it was said, ‘God’s promise will certainly come true, and there can be no doubt about the Last Hour,’ you would answer, ‘We know nothing of the Last Hour. We think it is all conjecture, and we are by no means convinced’”’. (45: 31–2) Needless to say, the one who denies the Day of Judgement is also an unbeliever: ‘Nay! It is the Last Hour that they deny. For those who deny the Last Hour We have prepared a blazing fire’. (25: 11)
Another part of faith is to believe in the reckoning on the Day of Judgement. God says: ‘We shall set up just scales on the Day of Resurrection, so that no soul shall be wronged in the least. If there be but the weight of a mustard seed We shall bring it [to account]. Sufficient are We for reckoning’. (21: 47)
Yet another part of faith is to believe in reward and punishment, heaven and hell. God says: ‘Those who will have brought wretchedness upon themselves, they will be in the Fire where they will sob and moan’. (11: 106) ‘And those who are blessed with happiness will be in Paradise’. (11: 108) The unbelievers will go to the Fire and the believers will be in heaven, as God says: ‘As for those who disbelieve I shall inflict on them severe suffering in this world and in the life to come; and they shall have none to help them. But to those who believe and do good works, He will grant their reward in full. God does not love the wrongdoers’. (3: 56-7)
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It is also required to believe in everything stated in authentic texts of the things
that will take place in the life to come and on the Day of Judgement, such as the
pathway, the scales, the pond and the scrolls of people’s good and evil deeds.4
4 The pathway is a sort of bridge that is erected over Hell on the Day of Judgement. All people
will need to cross it in order to reach Heaven. Believers will be able to do so, while unbelievers
will fall. The scales are placed to weigh people’s actions which they did during their life
on earth. The pond belongs to Prophet Muhammad when he will give people to drink. Only
believers may drink from it. The scrolls are records of all that people do in this present life.
Each one will be handed their records on the Day of Judgement and the believers will be proud
of their records calling on other people to look into them. The unbelievers will wish that they
had never seen their records.
CHAPTER TWELVE
To stay with the community is obligatory and no community exists without a leader, or imam. The leader of the Muslim community is obeyed in line with the obedience of God, who says: ‘Believers, obey God and obey the messenger and those from among you who have been entrusted with authority’. (4: 59) The phrase, ‘from among you,’ means from among the Muslims. An unbeliever may not be an imam nor a leader of the Muslim community, nor is it permissible to appoint an unbeliever to such a post. It is not required to obey him except insofar as what serves the interests of the community.
If the leader of the Muslim community does not have good knowledge of Islam he should appoint a scholar to advise him, so as to ensure that the religious and worldly affairs of the Muslim community are set on the right basis: ‘If any matter pertaining to peace or war comes to their knowledge, they make it known to all and sundry; whereas, if they would only refer it to the Messenger and to those from among them entrusted with authority, those of them who are engaged in obtaining intelligence would know it’. (4: 83)
It is not permissible to rebel against the leader or try to usurp his authority. If he deals unfairly his unfairness should be tolerated with resignation, unless he perpetrates some clear unbelief. Umm Salamah, the Prophet’s wife, reports that the Prophet said: ‘Some leaders will be appointed over you and you shall be happy with some of their actions but not with others. Whoever is displeased with the latter clears himself of responsibility, and whoever speaks out against it is safe. It is the one who accepts and follows [that is condemned]’. People asked: ‘Messenger of God, should we not fight them?’ He said: ‘Not as long as they attend to their prayers’.5
Advice should be offered to the ruler with knowledge and wisdom, so as to remove or lessen evil. Such advice should not be aimed to seek self-satisfaction or to show the ruler in a bad light. In an authentic hadith the Prophet said: ‘Religion is sincere counsel’. We said: ‘To whom’? [The Prophet] said: ‘To God, His Book, His messenger, and to the leaders of the Muslims and their common folk’.6
5 Related by Muslim, 1854.
6 Related by Muslim, 55.
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A scholar must not stay away from people’s affairs without concerning himself
with what sets their affairs on the right course. If he does not seek life’s
comforts, so as to personally stay away from temptation, then this is good and
praiseworthy. However, if he does not concern himself with people’s affairs his
attitude is not the right one. Indeed, he should support whoever suffers injustice,
even if his support is merely offering what is very little when he cannot
afford more. He should seek help in order to feed the hungry, even if it yields
no more than a date. A scholar has recognized authority and setting people’s
life on the right basis serves as a way to improve their religious attitude. The
Prophet never aspired to any riches even when the treasures of the earth were
available to him, but he supported Barirah and others over the case of a few
dinars, even delivering a speech about the case.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Jihad continues until the end of human life and remains in force all of the time, as long as the Qur’an remains. In an authentic hadith, Jabir reports that the Prophet said: ‘A group of my community will continue to fight for the truth, prevailing until the Day of Judgement’.7
When jihad is to repel an attacking enemy it does not require permission by the leader or the formulation of the right intention. It is sufficient that it is undertaken to remove and repel harm and aggression. It is obligatory, even if it is to defend one’s honour, life or property. According to the hadith: ‘Whoever is killed defending his property is a martyr, and whoever is killed defending his family, himself or his faith is a martyr’.8 The hadith is given in a shorter form in the two Sahih anthologies.9
It is a duty to repel an aggressor in defence of one’s honour, self or property, whether the aggressor is a Muslim or an unbeliever. ‘A man came to the Prophet and said: “What should I do if a man comes aiming to take my property?” The Prophet said: “Remind him of God”. The man said: “Suppose he turns a deaf ear?” The Prophet said: “Then seek the help of those Muslims who are close to you?” The man said: “What if there is no Muslim close by?” The Prophet said: “Then seek the help of government authority?” The man said: “And if the authority takes no action to help me?” The Prophet said: “Then fight to protect your property until you are either killed and be a martyr or you keep your property safe”’.10
When the Muslim community is on the offensive the intention must be to make God’s word supreme. An authentic hadith, reported by Abu Musa al-Ash[ari, states: ‘A Bedouin came to the Prophet and asked: “Messenger of God: a man fights for a share of war gains, and one fights so as to gain a reputation, and one fights so that he is seen. Which of these is considered for God’s cause?” The Prophet said: “He who fights so that God’s word is supreme is fighting for God’s cause”’.11
7 Related by Muslim, 156.
8 Related by Abu Dawud, 4772; al-Tirmidhi, 1421; al-Nasa’i, 4095 and Ibn Majah, 2580 on the authority of Sa[id ibn Zayd.
9 Related by al-Bukhari, 2348; Muslim, 141 on the authority of [Abdullah ibn [Amr.
10 Related by al-Nasa’i, 4081; Ibn Abi Shaybah, 28043; Ahmad, 22514; al-Tabarani in Al-Mu[jam al-Kabir, vol. 20, p. 313.
11 Related by al-Bukhari, 123 and 2655; Muslim, 1904.
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In jihad, it is obligatory to obey the leader of the Muslim community provided
that he does not order anything that is forbidden in Islam. The Prophet
said: ‘Whoever obeys me obeys God, and whoever disobeys me disobeys God.
Whoever obeys the commander I appoint obeys me, and whoever disobeys the
commander I appoint disobeys me’.12
12 Related by al-Bukhari, 6718; Muslim, 1835 on Abu Hurayrah’s authority.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
The best of people are prophets, then Prophet Muhammad’s companions. Their high status is stated in the Qur’an: ‘Muhammad is God’s Messenger; and those who are with him are firm and unyielding towards the unbelievers, full of mercy towards one another. You can see them bowing down, prostrating in prayer, seeking favour with God and His good pleasure’. (48: 29)
Just like some prophets are of a higher standard than others, the Prophet’s companions are of different standards. The lowest ranking prophet is superior to the highest ranking companion of the Prophet. Likewise, the lowest ranking companion of the Prophet is superior to the highest ranking person among the following generations.
The best of the Prophet’s companions were those who believed in Islam during the early days of the religion. The one who believed in the Prophet’s message during the time when Islam was in a position of weakness is better than those who believed during Islam’s time of strength. Certainly, those who believed before Makkah fell to Islam are better than those who believed after its fall. God says: ‘Those of you who gave and fought [for God’s cause] before the victory are not like the others: they are higher in rank than those who gave and fought afterwards’. (57: 10) However, the merit of companionship with the Prophet is assured to those who believed afterwards. The Qur’anic verse goes on to say: ‘Although God has promised the ultimate good to all of them. God is well aware of all that you do’. (57: 10) God also says: ‘As for the first to lead the way, of the Muhajirin and the Ansar, as well as those who follow them in [the way of] righteousness, God is well-pleased with them, and well-pleased are they with Him’. (9: 100)
The best of the earliest believers are the ten to whom the Prophet gave the happy news of being in heaven, and the best of these are the four Caliphs. Next to these ten are the Prophet’s companions who fought in the Battle of Badr, and next to them are those who fought in the Battle of Uhud, then come those who gave their pledges to the Prophet under the tree. God says: ‘God was indeed well pleased with the believers when they pledged their allegiance to you under the tree. He knew what was in their hearts and so He sent down tranquillity upon them and rewarded them with a speedy victory’. (48: 18) In an authentic hadith, Jabir reports that the Prophet said to those who gave
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their pledges under the tree: ‘You are the best of people on earth’.13 They were
fourteen hundred.
The Prophet’s companions were the trustees of God’s revelations and they delivered
Islam to people. To speak ill of them is to cut the transmission of Islam
and to raise doubts about the Sunnah of the final messenger of God. They are
indeed the safeguards of the Muslim community after the Prophet, as stated
clearly in an authentic hadith: ‘My companions are safeguards for my community:
when they are gone, my community will face what is in store for it’.14
The Prophet’s companions were not infallible. However, their mistakes should
never be an excuse to attack them. Their disagreements should not be revived,
except for learning from and drawing lessons. Therefore, it should be looked
into with respect and not for seeking excuses. Even when they disagreed, the
Prophet’s companions were better than other people, even though they might
be in agreement. God has granted them their high status because of their good
companionship of the Prophet, not because of their companionship with one
another. Therefore, their disagreement with one another was a question of
choices when they all endeavoured to be right and they are rewarded for their
choices even if these were wrong. To claim that they disagreed with the Prophet
is to be unjust to them and God has cleared them of it. They gave the Prophet
good companionship and through him they were better than other people.
To criticise the Prophet’s companions is risky, because this is an area that will
grow wider and wider. If criticism is levelled at one of them it will open the
way to criticism of others, hence the tabi[in and their followers refrained from
it. [Umar ibn [Abd al-[Aziz was asked about [Ali, [Uthman and the Battles of
the Camel and Siffin and what happened during that period. His answer was:
‘These led to the shedding of blood and God has spared my hand from these. I
will not dip my tongue in them’.15
No one who comes after them will be questioned on their disagreements on
the Day of Judgement, but everyone will be asked whether they recognized
their merits.
13 Related by al-Bukhari, 4154.
14 Related by Muslim, 2531.
15 Ibn Sa[d, Al-Tabaqat al-Kubra, vol. 5, p. 394; Ibn [Asakir, Tarikh Dimashq, vol. 65, p. 133.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
We do not call anyone who offers the Islamic prayer an unbeliever as a result of committing any sin other than disbelief in God. To revile God is an act of disbelief and is indeed worse than associating partners with him. An idolater does not bring God down to the status of stones; rather he elevates the stones to the rank of God. God mentions in the Qur’an what unbelievers will say on the Day of Judgement: ‘By God, we were obviously in error when we deemed you equal to the Lord of all the worlds’. (26: 97-8) The one who reviles God brings Him down below the rank of stones.
To revile God is very grave disbelief. Like faith, disbelief may decrease and increase. God says: ‘The postponement [of sacred months] is only an excess of unbelief’. (9: 37) ‘But those who return to disbelief after having accepted the faith and then grow more stubborn in their rejection of the faith, their repentance will not be accepted. For they are those who have truly gone astray’. (3: 90) However, the increase or decrease of disbelief does not lead to the unbeliever becoming exempt from punishment in the Fire; it only leads to increasing or lessening his punishment. God says: ‘Upon those who disbelieve and debar others from the path of God, We will heap suffering upon suffering in punishment for all the corruption they wrought’. (16: 88)
We do not testify that any particular person will be in heaven or hell except those whom God and His messenger have stated their destiny. We bear witness that whoever dies a believer belongs to heaven and whoever dies unbeliever will be in the Fire.
CHAPTER SEXTEEN
The essence of freedom is to be free of subservience to anyone other than God. To think that freedom is to discard God’s commandments is nothing less than considering oneself as the idol and giving subservience to desire. God says: ‘Consider the one who takes his own desires as his deity, and whom God has [therefore] let go astray despite his knowledge [of the truth], sealing his ears and heart and placing a cover on his eyes: who can guide such a person after God [has abandoned him]? Will you not, then, take heed?’ (45: 23)
Whoever justifies that man can do and say whatever he chooses, as he chooses and when he chooses, accepts that man is subservient to his own desire. Man is created as a subservient being: if he does not submit himself to God and worship Him, he will worship someone else, without doubt.
Had there been only one human being living on earth, God would not have legislated for him punishment for murder, false accusation and adultery; nor would He have required him to lower his gaze or to adopt a system of inheritance. He would not have forbidden him adultery, usury and other vile practices. God has legislated all these because man lives with other human beings. The greater the number of people, the more life needs controls. Had the moon been the only one in space would God have assigned it such an accurate existence? He has made it move so accurately in order to be part of the system that includes the sun, the earth, the planets and other celestial bodies. The greater their number the more control is required.
God says: ‘He covers the day with the night in swift pursuit. The sun, the moon and the stars are subservient to His command. Surely all creation and all authority belong to Him. Blessed is God, the Lord of the worlds’. (7: 54) ‘Neither can the sun overtake the moon, nor can the night outrun the day. Each floats in its own orbit’. (36: 40) Islamic legislation is meant to regulate matters of religion and life. Whoever justifies violating God’s laws for himself incurs His punishment.
To embrace Islam is obligatory and to turn away from it is apostasy. As God says: ‘Whoever of you renounces his faith and dies an unbeliever, his works shall come to nothing in this world and in the world to come. Such people are
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destined for hell, wherein they shall abide’. (2: 217) The Prophet says: ‘Whoever
changes his religion should be killed’.16
To worship God is the ultimate purpose of creation and existence. Whoever allows
himself to be turned away from it does not believe that it is the purpose of
existence. How is it that a person prohibits the breach of the constitution or the
laws of one’s country but justifies the breach of submission to God? To do so
is to implicitly admit that one does not truly believe in the purpose of creation.
But God says: ‘I have not created the jinn and mankind to any end other than
that they may worship Me’. (51: 56)
The One who brought the humans and the jinn into this life to worship Him
alone will certainly bring them into the life to come, so that they will account
for their deeds and receive their reward or punishment.
May God grant us the best of situations in life and give us the best of provisions.
Peace and blessings be upon His prophet and those who follow him.
16 Related by al-Bukhari, 2854.
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THE ISLAMIC FAITHAbdulaziz Al-TarifiEinglishيزيلجنإThis book is a short outline of the Islamic faith as held by the Sunni Muslim community. The author dedicates this work to the people of Syria – may God put an end to their distress – and to Muslims in general. He gives this outline guided by the Qur’an and the Prophet’s sunnah, as well as the faith expounded by the early Muslims, i.e. the Prophet’s companions and the generation of tabi‘in who succeeded them. As the author has an excellent command of Arabic, the book benefits by clarity of expression enabling the reader to easily comprehend the true Islamic faith. The true faith is the foundation of good action that benefits the one who does it in this present life and in the life to come. It is also the starting point from which the world Muslim community may reclaim its leading position in the world which it deserves. It is only natural, therefore, that scholars should dedicate themselves to explaining and clarifying the true faith. In doing so, they also point out what is in conflict with it, or mars its beauty, of word and deed.THE ISLAMIC FAITHTranslated and edited byAdil Salahi
book is a short outline of the Islamic faith as held by the Sunni Muslim community. The author dedicates this work to the people of Syria – may God put an end to their distress – and to Muslims in general. He gives this outline guided by the Qur’an and the Prophet’s sunnah, as well as the faith expounded by the early Muslims, i.e. the Prophet’s companions and the generation of tabi‘in who succeeded them. As the author has an excellent command of Arabic, the book benefits by clarity of expression enabling the reader to easily comprehend the true Islamic faith. The true faith is the foundation of good action that benefits the one who does it in this present life and in the life to come. It is also the starting point from which the world Muslim community may reclaim its leading position in the world which it deserves. It is only natural, therefore, that scholars should dedicate themselves to explaining and clarifying the true faith. In doing so, they also point out what is in conflict with it, or mars its beauty, of word and deed.THE ISLAMIC FAITHTranslated
