Lesson 001 November 26, 2010

Bismillaahi`r-Rahmaani`r-Raheem

Inna`l-hamdulillaah, wa`s-salaatu wa`s-salaamu ‘alaa rasoolillaah, wa ba’ad

Lesson 01

Famous book of ‘Aqeedah; known to the Islaamic world as the ‘Aqeedah of Ahlu`s-Sunnah wa`l-Jamaa’ah.

It is titled al-‘Aqeedah at-Tahaaweeyyah.

It is a summary of the Islaamic belief system as it is held by the people of Sunnah.

• Topics to be Covered

What is the definition of al-‘Aqeedah?

What does al-‘Aqeedah cover?

What are some of the names used by the people of Sunnah to refer to al-‘Aqeedah?

What is the definition of Ahlu`s-Sunnah wa`l-Jamaa’ah?

What are some of the names used to refer to the Ahlu`s-Sunnah wa`l-Jamaa’ah?

What are the distinguishing characteristics of the ‘Aqeedah of Ahlu`s-Sunnah wa`l-Jamaa’ah?

What are the distinguishing and important characteristics of the Ahlu`s-Sunnah wa`l-Jamaa’ah (the people)?

These are the foundations of this series of lessons to be completed inshaa`Allaah.

• Definition of al-‘Aqeedah

Linguistically, ‘Aqeedah is from the word al-‘Aqd.

Al-‘Aqd means binding, clinging or tightening something (i.e to tie or bind something).

Al-‘Aqd is also used in our worldly affairs, when people make an agreement on something they say that the contract is “binding” upon each other, something that they are “tied” to.

Technically, from the religious terminology, al-‘Aqeedah means the confirmed state or conviction that doesn’t allow any doubt to come upon a person who believes in that thing or has faith in it.

This technical definition is applicable to the conviction or belief which is true or false. Both the true and false beliefs are called ‘Aqeedah.

• A Brief Description of al-‘Aqeedah al-Islaameeyah

Al-‘Aqeedah al-Islaameeyah, the real, the true and proper ‘Aqeedah, is to confirm an unwavering conviction, faith or belief in Allaah, and that which is obligatory on the human being to have faith in, to acknowledge and to recognise in reference to Allaah’s ‘Ulooheeyah that Allaah Alone has the right to be worshipped, as well as His Ruboobeeyah that He Alone is the Rabb, the Lord, the Creator, the One Who gives life and death, the One Who owns and controls everything in the Universe, in addition to that Allaah Alone is entitled to be called by or to be described by the most Perfect Names and Characteristics of Perfection that belong to Him exclusively.

Additionally al-‘Aqeedah al-Islaameeyah deals with the faith or the belief in the Angels of Allaah, and all that the Qur’aan and the Sunnah has informed us about confirming the Angels, their names, their ranks, their responsibilities, their numbers and so on.

In Addition to the firm conviction in the Books or Revelations, the Divine Scriptures that were revealed throughout the ages which were revealed to man up until the final book al-Qur’aan.

It also deals with the conviction or belief in the messengers of prophets that have been sent to every nation on the Earth, from Aadam ‘alayhi’s-salaam, who was the first man, up until the final prophet and messenger Muhammad sallAllaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam.

It also deals with the belief in the Last Day, the Day of Ressurection, the Day of Judgment, the Day of Accounting when all what one has done in this world will be brought forth, whether big or small, and he will be brought to account for it.

It also deals with al-Qadr wa’l-Qadaa’, that which Allaah has decreed from the beginning of time, whether it is of the good or otherwise.

It also includes everything that has come to us through the authentic sources of Qur’aan and Sunnah related to the fundamentals of the Deen (Usool ad-Deen) as well as those matters related to the Unseen and those things reported of the past nations and all of that which is to come in the future.

It also includes that which is agreed upon by consensus of the righteous or pious predecessors, the early generation of the Muslims, primarily the Sahaabah, the companions of the Prophet sallAllaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, and their students tabi’oon, and their students who came afterwards from amongst the Imaams and otherwise.

It also has included in it willing compliance and submission to Allaah subhaanahu wa ta’ala in that which He has ordered us with and decreed or legislated; and that which has ocme to us from the Prophet sallAllaahu ‘alayhi wa sallaam, obedience to him and following his judgment.

Al-‘Aqeedah al-Islaameeyah is a science and knowledge to be studied and known by the Muslims in general.

Al-‘Aqeedah al-Islaameeyah includes Tawheed and its various aspects, Eemaan, Islaam, Unseen matters (prophethood, Divine Decree, reports of past nations), and those undisputable, absolute, principles and foundations of the religion, as well as those necessary matters concerning the refutation of the people of innovation and deviation, as well as the refutation of other false beliefs, religions, ways of life, and schools of thoughts.

• Other Names of al-‘Aqeedah

Names used and currently accepted amongst the people of Sunnah, who follow the Sunnah of the Prophet sallAllaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam strictly and follow the manhaj (methodology) of his companions radiAllaahu ‘anhum ‘ajmaa’een.

1) At-Tawheed – Used generally to refer to the whole of the Islaamic belief system, because it deals with the knowledge of Allaah, His Uniqueness, His right to Divinity, Names and Characteristics. It is the most honoured and most important aspect of ‘Aqeedah.

Many of the scholars used to refer to al-‘Aqeedah as at-Tawheed.

Examples: Kitaab at-Tawheed, one of the chapters in as-Saheeh al-Bukhaaree, which discusses matters of al-‘Aqeedah.

Al-Imaam ibn Khuzaymah wrote a book called Kitaab at-Tawheed wa-Ithbaat Siffaat ar-Rabb, The Book of Tawheed and the Affirmation of the Characteristics of the Lord.

2) As-Sunnah – At-Tareeqah, The way of the Prophet sallAllaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam. The ‘Aqeedah of the early generation of the Muslims, the Salaf, because that ‘Aqeedah was in conformity with the way of the Prophet sallAllaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam.

Examples: Kitaab as-Sunnah by Imaam Ahmad, Kitaab as Sunnah by ‘Abdullaah ibn Ahmad ibn Hanbal, Sharh as-Sunnah by Imaam al- Barbahaaree.

3) Usool ad-Deen – Many scholars when they said Usool ad-Deen, they meant al-‘Aqeedah. Usool ad-Deen means the foundations of the religion of which the most important foundation is the Islaamic belief system, secondary to which is the Islaamic Jurisprudence (Fiqh).

Examples: Kitaab al-Ibaanah Usool ad-Diyaanah by Abu’l-Hasan al-Ash’ari. Abu’l-Hasan al-Ash’ari, before he came to the ‘Aqeedah of Ahlu’s-Sunnah wa’l-Jamaa’ah had some strange deviant beliefs that many people who ascribe themselves to him by holding on to his early beliefs that he discarded and embraced the ‘Aqeedah of Ahlu’s-Sunnah wa’l-Jamaa’ah. He wrote a book towards the end of his life, which describes his final beliefs.

4) Al-Fiqh al-Akbar – The Greatest Fiqh (Understanding), which is similar in meaning to the Usool ad-Deen. It means the fundamental, the foundation of the religion. This is in comparision to al-Fiqh al-Asghar which refers to the Islaamic Jurisprudence which the scholars made ijtihaad upon.

Examples: al-Fiqh al-Akbar by Imaam Aboo Hanifah.

5) Ash-Shar’eeyah – That which Allaah legislated, and the greatest thing that Allaah subhaanahu wa ta’ala legislated was the fundamentals of the religion.

Examples:

• Names for ‘Aqeedah used by people other than Ahlu`s-Sunnah wa`l-Jamaa’ah:

1) ‘Ilm al-Kalaam – Knowledge of Kalaam (speech). They used to talk a lot about their ideas, so maybe it is fitting that their creed is called ‘Ilm al-Kalaam!

2) Al-Falsafa – Philosophy. Instead of relying on Qur’aan and Sunnah they used philosophy as a basis and foundation for their explanation and interpretation of the Islaamic ‘Aqeedah.

3) Metaphysics – This word is used by some Muslims just as the kuffaar use to explain the things behind the nature,as they say.

So, al-‘Aqeedah an expression that is used to refer to that which we believe in and we have ocnviction in of the fundamentals of the religion, even if those beliefs that the person holds is incorrect or false, it may be referred to as ‘Aqeedah. For surew, al-‘Aqeedah has a correct understanding and this is the ‘Aqeedah of Ahlu’s-Sunnah wa’l-Jamaa’ah.

The false ‘Aqeedah is any thing that is contradictory from that which came from Allaah subhaanahu wa ta’ala and the Prophet sallAllaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam.

Just as Deen is used to refer to the false ways and the true way, ‘Aqeedah may also be used to refer to the false beliefs and the right way.

The expression al-‘Aqeedah al-Islaameeyah however should be used to refer to the beliefs and the convictions and the methodology of implementing the religion that was held by the people of Sunnah, the Ahlu’s-Sunnah wa’l-Jamaa’ah, because that is the Deen that Allaah has legislated for us.

Any other ‘Aqeedah should be examined in light of Qur’aan and Sunnah, and the understanding of the sahaabah and the early generation of the Muslims and that which is in agreement with what they held, then it is considered to be a part of al-‘Aqeedah al-Islaameeyah and that which is in contradiction and in conflict with those beliefs of theearly generation of the Muslims should be rejected and not be considered a part of the Islaamic ‘Aqeedah, even though those who hold those beliefs are Muslims.

• Definition of Ahlu`s-Sunnah wa`l-Jamaa’ah

Most of the Muslims in the World refer themselves to the Ahlu’s-Sunnah wa’l-Jamaa’ah.

Linguistically, as-Sunnah means at-Tareeqah (the way) or as-Seerah (the way of life/lifestyle).

Technically, as-Sunnah means the guidance that the Messenger of Allaah sallAllaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam had given to us and that pattern of conduct which he displayed and exemplified as well as that which we found being exemplified by his companions, including their knowledge or belief, their saying and their actions. The behaviour patterns of the Prophet sallAllaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, his guidance, his actions, his speech are included in the technical meaning of as-Sunnah. This is the Sunnah is what is obligatory upon us to follow. People are praised for following this Sunnah, and people are blamed for contradicting or opposing this Sunnah.

The expression Sunnah also has many other meanings.

Sunnah is the opposite of Fardh; it is used in the Islaamic Jurisprudence to describe that which is not obligatory.

Sunnah is used to mean the opposite of bid’ah. Bid’ah is something that which has no basis from the Prophet sallAllaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, and Sunnah is something that is based from the Prophet.

Sunnah is also used to refer to that which is not from the Qur’aan but came from the Prophet sallAllaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, his saying, actions and approvals.

Sunnah also means al-‘Aqeedah.

Linguistically, al-Jamaa’ah means coming together, the opposite of breaking up or separating. It is used to refer to a group of people who come together on common points, and are in agreement with each other on a certain matter.

Technically, al-Jamaa’ah refers first and foremost to the first generation of the Muslims, the companions of the Prophet sallAllaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, as well as the tabi’een and those who followed them and their ways. They are the people who collected themselves together and gathered on common points, on following the Qur’aan, the Sunnah and the rightly guided Imaams of the Muslim Ummah. Whoever follows this way up until our day may be included in this technical definition of al-Jamaa’ah.

Ahlu’s-Sunnah wa’l-Jamaa’ah refers to those people who stick firmly and cling to and hold tightly to the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allaah sallAllaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam in both beliefs and actions and avoid that which is in contradiction to his way, no matter in what land they may be or what time in history they are. There will remain some people on this way until the Day of Judgment, and they are the Ahlu’s-Sunnah wa’l-Jamaa’ah.

Al-Jamaa’ah does not refer to any group of people from the Muslims who are together even if they are the majority; only those who unite upon the truth, they are the Jamaa’ah even if they are the minority.

The Prophet sallAllaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam said, those people who will be helped, supported or aided by Allaah, at-Taa’ifah al-Mansoorah, they are the Ahlu’s-Sunnah wa’l-Jamaa’ah. This will be one group from the 73 groups that the Muslim group will be divided into and they may not be the majority.

Wahb ibn Baqiyyah told us from Khaalid from Muhammad ibn ‘Amr from Abu Salamah from Abu Hurayrah who said: the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The Jews were divided into seventy-one or seventy-two sects, and the Christians were divided into seventy-one or seventy-two sects, and my Ummah will be divided into seventy-three sects.”
[Abu Dawood in his Sunan, Kitaab al-Sunnah, Baab Sharh al-Sunnah]

From this we know that not all of the people who call themselves Muslims are those people who are following the Sunnah and from tht group that would be supportred and saved from the Hellfire because they fall the methodology, the manners and the way of the Prophet sallAllaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam.

• Other Names of Ahlu`s-Sunnah wa`l-Jamaa’ah

1. Ahlu`s-Sunnah (without mentioning al-Jamaa’ah)

2. Al-Jamaa’ah

It was reported from ‘Awf ibn Maalik who said: the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The Jews were divided into seventy-one sects, one of which is in Paradise and seventy are in the Fire. The Christians were divided into seventy-two sects, seventy-one of which are in the Fire and one is in Paradise. By the One in Whose hand is the soul of Muhammad, my Ummah will be divided into seventy-three sects, one of which will be in Paradise and seventy-two will be in the Fire.” It was said, O Messenger of Allaah, who are they? He said, “Al-Jamaa’ah.”
[Sunan Ibn Maajah, no. 3982]

3. As-Salaf as-Saalih – This expression is commonly used but usually misunderstood. It was used by the scholars of the past and of the present.

Linguistically, it means the righteous predecessors. Our righteous predecessors are firstly the companions of the Prophet sallAllaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam and those who came after them even up until today.

4. Ahlu`l-Athaar – People who follow the Athar, the Sunnah that was transmitted to us from the Prophet sallAllaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam and his companions.

5. Ahlu`l-Hadeeth – The people of Hadeeth. They are the people who take from the Sunnah or the way of the Messenger of Allaah sallAllaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, studying the narrations that were from him, narrating them, memorising them, as well as trying to understand their meanings that may be applied in their lives. They follow this guidance that came from the hadeeth.

6. At-Taa`ifah al-Mansoorah – The group which will be aided and helped in this World

7. Al-Firqa an-Naaji’ah – The group that will be saved from the Fire in the Hereafter

• Names those are acceptable to be used to refer to Ahlu`s-Sunnah wa`l-Jamaa’ah:

1. Ahlu-Ittiba’ah – The people who follow strictly the narrations and reports of the Prophet sallAllaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, and the ways of the companions and the pious who came after them, in their outwards appearance and their inner beings. They follow the instructions and advice of the Messenger fo Allaah sallAllaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam who said:

The Messenger of Allaah sallAllaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam said: “I counsel you to have Taqwaa of Allaah and to hear and obey, even if an Abyssinian slave were to command you. For, verily, whoever amongst you lives (to grown old), he will see many differences. So stick to my Sunnah and the Sunnah of the rightly guided khaleefahs. Cling tightly onto it and hold onto it with your molar teeth. And beware of newly invented matters. For, indeed, every newly invented matter is an innovation, and every innovation is a thing that leads astray, and everything that leads astray is in the Hellfire.”
[Aboo Dawood]

That is, Aboo Bakr, ‘Umar, ‘Uthmaan and ‘Alee, radiAllaahu ‘anhu ajma’een.

Their Sunnah is obviously the Sunnah of the Prophet sallAllaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam.

• Distinguishing Characteristics of the ‘Aqeedah of Ahlu`s-Sunnah wa`l-Jamaa’ah

1) This ‘Aqeedah as opposed to the ‘Aqeedah of other groups from amongst the Muslim Ummah who have deviated, it is derived from the primary sources of Islaam, Qur’aan and Sunnah.

It is far away and removed from those foreign influences that came into the Muslim Ummah in the later generations and it is free from those intellectual and rational arguments that caused the Muslims to deviate or those deviations that came about because of people following their desires.

2) It causes the Muslim to consider the texts that come from Qur’aan and Sunnah as being very great, we do not take this lightly and consider it to be of utmost importance, as opposed to others when they are told about a matter of belief from the Book of Allaah or the Sunnah of the Messenger sallAllaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, they consider it to be insignificant and refuse to accept it!

3) This ‘Aqeedah ties us and binds us to the Salaf as-Saalih who held the very same belief. This raises our status and our honour because we are connected to the best of the generation of this Ummah.

4) The fact that the Qur’aan has called to our attention the absolute necessity of sticking to that which the first generation of the Muslims were upon and avoiding other than that.

“And whoever contradicts and opposes the Messenger (Muhammad SAW) 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.”
[Soorat an-Nisaa’ (004:115)]

5) It enables the Muslims to be described and take on the characteristic that Allaah is pleased with. The believer accepts whatever the Messengerhas ruled for us or given to us even if our desires rule otherwise. This characteristic is a characteristic achieved when the people follow this correct ‘Aqeedah.

“But no, by your Lord, they can have no Faith, until they make you (O Muhammad SAW) judge in all disputes between them, and find in themselves no resistance against your decisions, and accept (them) with full submission.”
[Soorat an-Nisaa’ (004:065)]

6) It enables us to unite the ranks of the Muslims and gather us together in true unity because the ‘Aqeedah of the Qur’aan and the Sunnah is in reality the practical achievement and the correct authentic response to the call of Allaah subhaanahu wa ta’ala when he said:

“And hold fast, all of you together, to the Rope of Allâh (i.e. this Qur’ân), and be not divided among yourselves, and remember Allâh’s Favour on you, for you were enemies one to another but He joined your hearts together, so that, by His Grace, you became brethren (in Islâmic Faith), and you were on the brink of a pit of Fire, and He saved you from it. Thus Allâh makes His Ayât (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.,) clear to you, that you may be guided.”
[Soorat Aal-Imraan (003:103)]

7) It requires us to hold on to the Sunnah of the Prophet sallAllaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam in its totality without rejecting anything from the Sunnah and without making any differentiation in accepting the Sunnah in our belief, whether it came from hadeeth mutawaatir or hadeeth ahad, unlike the other people who only accept that point of creed which is based on hadeeth mutwaatir.

Hadeeth Mutaawatir are those hadeeth which were recorded throughout the different ages from the Prophet sallAllaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam by many reporters in every time period, which calls us to believe for sure that it was authentic and truly coming from the Prophet sallAllaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam and removing any doubt that those people could have come together to invent it or plan or conspire to invent something.

Hadeeth Ahad is reported from one reporter in one generation or every generation.

We accept both if they are proven authentic by the scholars of hadeeth.

8 ) Of the most important and distinguishing characteristics of Ahlu’s-Sunnah wa’l-Jamaa’ah is that they attach utmost importance to the Book of Allaah by memorisation, recitation and seeking the explanantion of the Qur’aan and the explanation of the narrations of the Prophet sallAllaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam.

9) They submit completely to Islaam and they make it as their way of life totally and have faith in all of the Qur’aan and they believe in those texts which mention Allaah’s promise as well as those that mention Allaah’s punishments. They believe in those texts which affirm Allaah’s Names and Attributes, and those who negate any resemblance between Allaah and His creatures. They join and combine between accepting Allaah’s Qadr as well as affirming the fact that the human being has a will of his own. They also reconcile between knowledge and action. They not only seek knowledge, they practice the knowledge that they seek. They adhere to the Sunnah and reject the innovation. They oppose and reject and stay far away from those matters of religion that divide the Muslims. They follow the guidance of the well-known, reliable and trustworthy scholars of Islaam (namely the companions of the Prophet sallAllaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) and those who follow the way of the Sahaabah in matters of belief and actions, as well as matters related to Da’wah. They remain firm and clear from those who contradict and oppose the way of the companions of the Prophet sallAllaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam. They maintain a middle position in matters of beliefs while in matters of worship and conduct they also adhere to the middle postion between those who go to extremes beyond the bounds that have been legislated in the Sunnah and those who go to the other extreme of neglecting that which has been legislated by Allaah and His Messenger. They also strive to unite the Muslims on the Truth, and unite them upon Tawheed, and following the Prophet sallAllaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, and try to eliminate all causes that lead to arguments and differences that causes splitting between Muslims. They do not distinguish themselves from the rest of the Muslims in the fundamentals of the religion by using any other names other than Ahlu’s-Sunnah wa’l-Jamaa’ah or those names accepted by the scholars or those that came from the Qur’aan. They call others to Allaah, they command the good and forbid the wrong and make Jihaad and try to revive the Sunnah which has been lost or neglected. They try to revive the Deen and establish Allaah’s Law and Rule in all aspects of our life, whether major or minor. They have equity and justice in dealing with others whether they are from deviant groups or other religions. They observe the right of Allaah in dealing with people and they do not just speak of their own desires or desires of their groups or associations. They do not exploit or do wrong to others, and they do not belittle or consider insignificant those who deserve to be respected. They have conformity in all matters of the Deen even though they may be in different lands or different time periods.

They also show kindness and goodness towards all people, and they exhibit and display sincerity to Allaah, the Book of Allaah, the Messenger of Allaah, to the leaders and general body of Muslims. They show concern for the affairs of the Muslims and aid and support them and fulfil their rights, and try to removed from them or push away from them any harm.