3️⃣ - The statement of Ibn Qayyim regarding not committing Ilhad in the Names of Allah (Subhanahu wa ta'ala) and His Attributes:

💢"Doing Ilhad in His Names means turning away from those real meanings of His Names which are proved from them. The word 'Lahd' is derived from 'Ilhad' meaning the cleavage o­ne falls in when he deviates from the Firqa. The phrase 'Mulhid fi'd-Din' is also derived from it which means the o­ne who deviates from the Truth and introduces such things into the Din which have no bearing in it.

💠 'Ilhad' in relation to the Names and ayahs of Allah (Subhanahu wa ta'ala) occurs either by their total negation or by denying their meanings and rejecting them altogether, or due to 'Tahrif' from the Truth or by doing false 'Ta'wil' by deviating from the Truth, or it may happen by giving some self-coined words to those Names just as the Ilhad of the ahl-lttihad."

4️⃣ - The consequence of all this is that the Salaf had faith in all such things which Allah (Subhanahu wa ta'ala) had stated about Himself in the Qur'an and in all such things that the Prophet (Sallallahu alaihe wa sallam) described. This faith is absolutely free from Tahrif, Ta’til, Takyif and Tamthil.

5️⃣ - Their statements on the Self of Allah (Subhanahu wa ta'ala) and His Attributes are the same; the statement about the Attributes is an offshoot of the statement about the Self in which the statement regarding the Self is perfectly observed. So when the aim to prove the Self is to prove its existence then the same is true regarding the Attributes.

💠They (i.e., the Salaf) interpret this in one of their remarks: "We will pass them down exactly as we received them, without Ta'wil." Those who do not follow this remark suffer from an illusion that they mean to say only the word should be read and no controversy should be raised about the meaning, although this is a wrong notion. Negation of Ta’wil here is aimed at the reality of meaning, its details and its state.

6️⃣ - The saying of Imam Ahmed: "Allah (Subhanahu wa ta'ala) shall be qualified only with those Attributes with which He has qualified Himself or His Messenger (Sallallahu alaihe wa sallam) has qualified Him with. Nothing should be said beyond the Qu'ran and Hadith."

7️⃣ - The saying of Naim bin Hammaad: "Whoever described Allah (Subhanahu wa ta'ala) in the likeness of His creatures he has committed kufr and if someone denied the Attributes by which Allah (Subhanahu wa ta'ala) qualified Himself, then he has also committed kufr. The Attributes by which Allah (Subhanahu wa ta'ala) qualified Himself or those that were narrated about Him from the Prophet (Sallallahu alaihe wa sallam) will not be called Tashbih (comparison/metaphor) or Tamthil."

8️⃣ - The reason for the Ahlu’s-Sunnah wa’l-Jamaa'ah not committing Takyif or Tamthil is that there is no parallel to the Self of Allah (Subhanahu wa ta'ala) which is deserving of His Name nor is there anything of such greatness which equals him in height. The verse in Surah Maryam: “Do you know of an equal to Him?”

9️⃣ - The meaning of His having no likeness does not mean that no one will be named after His Name as there are many such names which are common to Allah (Subhanahu wa ta'ala) and His creatures. When Allah (Subhanahu wa ta'ala) uses these names for His Self then their meanings are specific to Him.

☝️No one other than Allah (Subhanahu wa ta'ala) will be a partner to that meaning. Partnership can only take place in the total sense of the name (i.e., the meaning) and this can only exist in the mind. In the external cases the meaning is only partial and specific.

🍃Its position is relative to the meaning. If the relation is with Allah (Subhanahu wa ta'ala) then the meaning is specific to Him and the Slave of Allah (Subhanahu wa ta'ala) will not be partner in it and if the relation is with the Slave of Allah (Subhanahu wa ta'ala) then the meaning is specific to him and Allah (Subhanahu wa ta'ala) will not be a partner to it.

🔟- Kofu : means equal and having co-status.

The statement of Allah (subhanahu wa ta'ala) is witness to its negation: “And there is none that is comparable to Him.”

🔰11- Nid : means equal and of co-status. The statement of Allah (azza wajal - the Mighty the Sublime): “And do not knowingly set up rivals to Allah.”

🚫12- Not to follow analogy means use of no such measure is allowed which may imply and analogy made between Allah (The Analogized) and that which is the point of analogy, showing equality and similarity. This analogy is like Tamthil as shown by the Scholars of Fiqh.

💢Combination of the derived with the original in the precept as a whole. The example of Nabidh and Alcohol. Incorporation of Nabidh into the haraam due to the common characteristic which makes it enter into the forbidden which is intoxication.

🔰The analogy is based upon similarity. This is not permissible in the case of Allah in relation to His creatures. Similar to the Shamul (Inclusion: To argue from the standpoint of a whole in relation to a part that this part is a component of the whole along with some other parts) of the Logicians.

💠13- There exists no comparability between Allah (Subhanahu wa ta'ala) the Revered, the Exalted and His creatures on any single thing. The highest level of analogy is used for Allah (Subhanahu wa ta'ala), meaning that in every quality which is proved for the creature and there is a possibility that Allah (Subhanahu wa ta'ala) is also qualified with it, then in that quality Allah (Subhanahu wa ta'ala) is far superior to the creature and reaches absolute perfection in it. Similarly for a defect, if a creature is free from a defect, then the Creator is definitely free from that in the first degree.

🍃14- Similar principle for perfection. What is intended is that when two persons are compared and one of whom has the quality of perfection and the other does not, then the first will be regarded as being more perfect. Therefore, it is necessary to accept this attribute for Allah (Subhanahu wa ta'ala) also on the condition that the existence of this quality is a perfection and its absence is a defect.

@AlfurqaN_FoundatioN | #Aqidah

🔰Aqidatu'l-Waasitiyyah -Note Form
💠Shaikhu'l-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah
💢Part - 5

🍃The following is a summary, in note form, of the explanation of the classical text of Ibn Taymiyyah, Aqidatu'l-Waasitiyyah in which he outlines the beliefs of the Ahlu's-Sunnah wa'l-Jamaa'ah.

💥The Basis for believing in those Qualities mentioned in the Qur'an and Hadith :

💢For He knows best His Own Self and the selves of others. What He says is the Truest and the most beautiful speech, better than that of His creation. His Messengers are the truthful ones who have been testified for as opposed to those who say about Allah (Subhanahu wa ta'ala) that of which they have no knowledge and for this reason He said:

💠 “Glorified be your Lord, the Lord of Majesty from that which they ascribe (to Him) and peace be upon those that have been sent (to proclaim) and all Praise be to the Lord of the Worlds.”

💥He (Subhanahu wa ta'ala) has glorified Himself from that which has been ascribed to Him by those in opposition to the Messengers and has sent peace upon them for the absence of drawbacks and defects from their statements. He has mentioned Negation and Affirmation of the Names and Attributes with which He qualified Himself.

1️⃣ - The Basis of the justification for having faith in that which Allah (Subhanahu wa ta'ala) has mentioned in the Qur'an and Hadith is the fact that He is the Best Knower of His Self and all other things.

2️⃣ - Whatever His Messengers say about Him is always true. They are free from telling lies about Allah (Subhanahu wa ta'ala) , nor do they say anything which is against reality. This is the reason for the necessity of having faith in whatever Allah (Subhanahu wa ta'ala) and His Messengers have said about the attributes in an affirmative or negative form.

3️⃣ - Such things as have been mentioned by Allah (azza wajal - the Mighty the Sublime) and His Messenger (Sallallahu alaihe wa sallam) cannot be left for believing in the statements of those people that falsify against Allah (Subhanahu wa ta'ala) and say such things about Him of which they themselves have no knowledge.

4️⃣ - The detail behind this matter is that failure in a statement to convey its intended meaning is due to one or more of the following three factors:

⭕️ - The speaker is himself ignorant of what he says.

⭕️ - He does not have the power of eloquence and the required amount of skill to communicate.

⭕️ - He resorts to lies, distortions and adulteration.

5️⃣ - The Qur'an and hadith are in every sense free from these three things. The statements of Allah (Subhanahu wa ta'ala) and His Messenger (Sallallahu alaihe wa sallam) are extremely clear and bright, without ambiguity.

6️⃣ - The three opposite elements of narrating and understanding are found in the statements of RasulAllah (Sallallahu alaihe wa sallam). RasulAllah (Sallallahu alaihe wa sallam) has the highest knowledge of those things which he wants the people to be apprised of. He adopts the best style of narrating them. He is most willing to give admonition and guidance to the creatures.

💢Therefore, it is not possible that his statements suffer from weakness or defect, whereas the statements of others are not free of shortcomings and defects. So it is not correct to regard the statements of others as equal to the statements of RasulAllah (Sallallahu alaihe wa sallam), let alone having conviction in the statements of others in comparison with those of RasulAllah (Sallallahu alaihe wa sallam).

7️⃣ - For this reason Allah (Subhanahu wa ta'ala) describes His own Holiness and sends Peace upon His Messengers.

8️⃣ - Subhan : is the infinitive of Tasbih which means keeping purified and remote from evil. The root word is Sabh, meaning speed, flow and remoteness.

9️⃣ - Allah (Subhanahu wa ta'ala) keeps His Self purified from all those things which the Mushrikun associate with Him, such as having a wife or a son and other defects and drawbacks.

🔟- He (Subhanahu wa ta'ala) sends Peace upon His Messengers.

This is an indication that just as it is necessary to have faith that Allah, the Mighty and Great is free from all defects and drawbacks, likewise it is also necessary to have faith in the purity of the words and deeds of the Prophets, for the Prophets and the Messengers never tell lies about Allah (Subhanahu wa ta'ala) nor do they associate partners with Him and neither do they put their followers in make- believe positions. They never say anything but the Truth regarding Allah (Subhanahu wa ta'ala).

💠 11- The command of Allah is : “All Praise is for Allah (Subhanahu wa ta'ala) who is the Owner of all the Worlds.” On account of being in possession of perfection in attributes, most magnificent qualities and most righteous deeds, the Holy Allah Himself praises His Self.

💢 12- Negation and Affirmation are included in both general and specific terms in His Names and Attributes.

🔰 13- Generality in Negation is that all those defects and drawbacks are denied in the Self of Allah (Subhanahu wa ta'ala) which go against His perfection. For example:

⭕️“Nothing is as His likeness” and

⭕️“Do you know of an equal to Him?” and

⭕️“Glorified be Allah over all that they allege.”

💠 14- Specificity in negation means negating that Allah (Subhanahu wa ta'ala) is associated in His attributes with such defects and drawbacks such as father, son, partner, wife, peer, opponent, ignorance, helplessness, misguidance, forgetfulness, drowsiness, sleep, uselessness and falsehood.

🔰 15- Negation does not stand alone in the Qur'an and the hadith. Mere negation does not denote any attribute. Rather there is the affirmation of the perfection of the greatness of Allah (Subhanahu wa ta'ala) and the uniqueness in His Attributes in opposition to both the negations.

💥The negation in ignorance stands for his broad and unlimited Knowledge, the negation of injustice is for the affirmation for the perfection of His Justice; the negation of uselessness is for the affirmation of His eternal life and stability.

💢 16- Thus, that is the reason why negation has often come in the Qur'an and hadith in a general sense rather than in a specific sense; in contrast with affirmation in which there are greater specificness than generalities because these are intended for His Self.

💥 17- The generality in affirmation means that absolute perfection, absolute praise, absolute magnificence etc., are proved as Allah (Subhanahu wa ta'ala) says:

⭕️“All Praise is for Allah the Lord of the Worlds” and He (Subhanahu wa ta'ala) says:

⭕️ “And His is the Sublime similitude.”

💠18- The specificity in affirmation includes all nouns and adjectives mentioned in the Qur'an and hadith; it is often that they cannot all be counted. RasulAllah (Sallallahu alaihe wa sallam) used to say:

🤲 “I ask You for every Name by which You have named Yourself or which You have revealed or which You have taught someone from amongst Your creatures or which You have kept with Yourself in the Knowledge of the Unseen.”

@AlfurqaN_FoundatioN | #Aqidah

🔰Aqidatu'l-Waasitiyyah -Note Form
💠Shaikhu'l-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah
💢Part - 6

💥The following is a summary, in note form, of the explanation of the classical text of Ibn Taymiyyah, Aqidatu'l-Waasitiyyah in which he outlines the beliefs of the Ahlu's-Sunnah wa'l-Jamaa'ah.

💥The Straight Path and Commentary on Surah Ikhlaas :

💢The Ahlu’s-Sunnah wa’l-Jamaa'ah do not deviate from those things which have been brought by the Messengers, for that is the straight path, the path of those whom Allah (Subhanahu wa ta'ala) has bestowed His favour upon from among the Prophets, the Truthful, the Martyrs and the Righteous.

🔰It is in this collection of what has been described about Allah (Subhanahu wa ta'ala) by Himself in Surah Ikhlaas that makes it equal to one third of the Qur'an. Allah (Subhanahu wa ta'ala) has said:

💠“Say! He is Allah, the one! The Eternally Besought of all! He does not beget, nor is He begotten. And there is nothing comparable to Him.”

1️⃣ - Whatever RasulAllah (Sallallahu alaihe wa sallam) brought with him, that alone is real. It is obligatory to obey it and forbidden to deviate from it as this alone is the Straight Path which has no curves.

2️⃣ - The Straight Path is only one and whoever deviates from it he strays into the wrong path, innovation and injustice. Allah (azza wajal - the Mighty the Sublime) commands:

💠“And this is My Straight Path, so follow it and do not follow the other paths lest they divert you from His way.” [6:153]

3️⃣ - The Straight Path is that path of the ummah which lies in between the two extremes. Hence, the supplication in every rakah of the prayer: “Guide us to the Straight Path!”[1:6] that He should help, assist, guide, support and lead us in those things which will help us to obey Him and keep us steadfast on His Path. This is the Path of those who were favoured by Allah (Subhanahu wa ta'ala) : the Prophets, the Truthful, the Martyrs and the Righteous, and these are the best for keeping company.

4️⃣ - The Concept of tawhid has been explained in Surah Ikhlaas by separating and purging it from Shirk (polytheism and idolatry).

5️⃣ - Imam Ahmad's narration of Ubayy bin Ka'ab (Rady'Allahu Anhu) that the mushrikun asked:

💠"O Muhammad! Tell us the genealogy of Your Lord." Thereupon Allah (Subhanahu wa ta'ala) revealed this Surah.

6️⃣ - From authentic ahadith, it is proven that this Surah is equal to one third of the Qur'an. The substance of the statement of Ibn Abbas (Rady'Allahu Anhu) is as follows:

💠“that the Qur'an consists of three fundamental objectives”:

⭕️ - Those do's and don'ts which contain the commandments and practical ways. These form the subject matter of the science of Fiqh and Ethics.

⭕️ - The tales and narratives which include the stories of the Messengers of Allah (Subhanahu wa ta'ala) and their communities. The punishments and disasters which befell those who falsified the Messengers of Allah (Subhanahu wa ta'ala) . Also, the promises, rewards, warnings and dooms.

⭕️ - The knowledge of tawhid and the description of those matters which relate to the Names of Allah (Subhanahu wa ta'ala) and His Attributes, which to have faith in is obligatory upon the Slave of Allah (Subhanahu wa ta'ala). This has precedence over the first three.

7️⃣ - Surah al-Ikhlaas contains the third objective and a general description of it. Thus, it is correct to say that this Surah is equal to one third of the Qur'an.

8️⃣ - The answer to the question that how does this Surah contain comprehensively the knowledge of tawhid and its principles which form the essence of the belief in Allah (Subhanahu wa ta'ala) : Allah's command:

💥“He is Allah, the One” negates partnership with Him in every sense, whether it concerns His Self, Attributes or His deeds. It also demonstrates the distinctiveness of Allah (Subhanahu wa ta'ala) in His perfection, magnificence and majesty. The word Ahad is not used in affirmation for anyone besides Allah (Subhanahu wa ta'ala). Ahad is more emphatic than Waahid.

9️⃣ - The Tafsir of Ibn Abbas (Rady'Allahu Anhu) for the verse:

💥“Allah! The Eternally Besought of all”;

🍃 The Chief who is best in His Nobility. The Great one who is best in His greatness. The Tolerant one who is best in His toleration. The Omnipotent who is the best in His omnipotence, the All Knowing who is best in His knowledge.

🔰The Self which is perfect in all types of nobility and greatness -that Self is only Allah (Subhanahu wa ta'ala) - the Most Revered and the Most Powerful. He alone has these qualities for they do not apply to anyone save Him. No one is equal to Him and no one is like Him.

🔟 - The Tafsir is also as follows; The Self who has no fear, around whom all creatures turn and Whom they seek after for all their needs and actions.

💢 11- Affirmation in the oneness negates all forms of polytheism and similitude. Affirmation of all the meanings of Samad includes all the noble Names and the most exalted Attributes. This is the tawhid of Affirmation.

☝️12- The tawhid of Purity is in the statement:

💠 “He does not beget not nor is He begotten. And there is none comparable to Him.”

💢 This statement can also be understood from the general statement: “Say! He is Allah! the One.” Nothing came out of Him nor did He come out of anything. He has no equal, no likeness and no similarity.

💥13- Domination of the concept of tawhid in this Surah. The affirmation of oneness for the Lord in total and absolute contradiction to all forms of Polytheism. His character of being:

🍃 “Eternally Besought of all” which proves all His Attributes, that He cannot suffer from any defect, negation of father and son which is an implication of Him being in no need and that all is in need of Him.

💢All is characterized in the statement of His being besought and His oneness. Negation of an equal which includes negation of similarity, resemblances and likeness. This Surah includes all of these matters and is therefore rightly deserving of being called equal to a third of the Qur'an.

@AlfurqaN_FoundatioN | #Aqidah

🍃Imam Ibn al-Qayyim (Rahimahu'Allah):

🔥"Whoever allows his eyes to roam freely carries his soul to the places of destruction."

[Sickness and the Cure, p.15]

💠 al-Wasiyyatu’s-Sughraa (The Concise Legacy)
Shaikhu'l-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah - 1

❓The Question

🔰Abul-Asim al-Qasim bin Yusuf bin Muhammad at-Tajibi as-Sabti al-Maghribi says:

💢"I requested the Shaykh, Faqih, respected Imam, Alim, last of the pious predecessors and leader of the later generations, inimitable, fascinating, possessor of great eloquence and clarity of expression, the most knowledgeable person I have met in the East or West, Taqi ad-Din Abu’l-Abbas Ahmad bin Taymiyyah, (may Allah enable us to continue benefiting from him):

🍃 to direct me towards what would set right my affairs of Din and Dunya; to point me towards those books on which I might rely regarding knowledge of hadith, and similarly for other sciences of the Shari’ah; to draw my attention towards the best of righteous actions after the compulsory duties; and to explain to me those goals which should outweigh all other aims; all of this by way of concise guidelines. May Allah safeguard him, and peace and Allah's blessings be on him."

💠 The Answer - part - 1

💥 The Shaykh of Islam, Ocean of Knowledge, Ibn Taymiyyah, may Allah bestow His mercy and pleasure on him, answered as follows:

🔰 All Praise be to Allah (Subhanahu wa ta'ala) , Lord of the Worlds. To begin with the Wasiyyah: in my opinion, there is no Wasiyyah more beneficial than that of Allah (Subhanahu wa ta'ala) and His Messenger (Sallallahu alaihe wa sallam) for whoever understands it and follows it.

💢 The Wasiyyah of Allah, (azza wajal - Mighty and Sublime)

🍃The Wasiyyah of Allah Exalted is mentioned in the following ayah:

💥 “Verily, We have directed the People of the Book before you, and you (O Muslims) to Fear Allah.” [4:131]

🔰 The Messenger's (Sallallahu alaihe wa sallam) Wasiyyah

💠 RasulAllah (Sallallahu alaihe wa sallam) enjoined on Mu’adh (Rady'Allahu Anhu) when he sent him to Yemen as a judge, the following:

🍃"O Mu’adh, fear Allah wherever you are, and follow up a bad deed with a good one and it will wipe it out, and behave well towards people."

[Reported in Tirmidhi who said it is a hasan hadith]

💥The Excellence of Mu’adh bin Jabal (Rady'Allahu Anhu)

🔰Mu’adh had a high status in the eyes of RasulAllah (Sallallahu alaihe wa sallam), who once said to him:

💢"O Mu’adh! By Allah, truly I love you.

💠" Sometimes, RasulAllah (sallallahu alaihe wa sallam) would let Mu’adh ride behind him on the same mount. It is also narrated about him that he is the most knowledgeable person in the ummah about the (issues of) Halaal and Haraam (Lawful and Prohibited), and on the Day of Resurrection he will be raised up one step ahead of all the people of knowledge.

💢Also, part of Mu’adh's excellence is that RasulAllah (Sallallahu alaihe wa sallam) sent him to the people of Yemen as a preacher on his behalf, a caller, a man of understanding in the din, a giver of religious verdicts, and a judge.

🔰He also used to compare Mu’adh to Ibrahim (alayhi wa sallam), khalil (the friend) of Allah (Subhanahu wa ta'ala) and Imam of mankind.

🍃Also, Ibn Mas’ud (Rady'Allahu Anhu), used to say: "Verily, Mu’adh is a leader of the people, he is Allah's obedient slave, and he is not of the polytheists." thus comparing him to Ibrahim (alayhi wa sallam). With all these qualities of Mu’adh, RasulAllah (Sallallahu alaihe wa sallam) bequeathed to him this Wasiyyah.

💥So we know that this Wasiyyah is comprehensive, and whoever understands it will see that it is so. Furthermore, it is an explanation of the Qur'anic Wasiyyah.

⭕️ The Reason for the Comprehensiveness of the Wasiyyah

💥As for the explanation of the comprehensiveness of this legacy, it covers the fact that there are two rights over a human being: The responsibility towards Allah (Azza wajal - Mighty and Sublime) ; the responsibility towards His servants.

♨️Further, (the Wasiyyah also covers the fact) that there will always be a deficiency in each person's fulfilling of this responsibility, e.g., by missing a duty or doing something forbidden: hence RasulAllah (saw) said:

🔰"Fear Allah wherever you may be.

" This statement is comprehensive and his words "wherever you are" confirm that the human being is in need of taqwaa (piety, fear of Allah) both secretly and in the open.

💢 He then said: "Follow up a bad deed with a good one, which will cancel it."; the example of this is that whenever a patient eats something bad for him, the doctor prescribes him to take something which will make him better. Since it is definite that a human being will commit sin, the wise person is the one who is continuously doing good acts in order that the effects of his bad deeds are cancelled out.

🍃In this hadith, the phrase "bad deed" is used first because the purpose here is to wipe out bad deeds, rather than to do good deeds; hence, this saying is like his (Sallallahu alaihe wa sallam) saying about the Bedouin’s urine: "Pour over his urine a bucketful of water."

⭕️ The types of actions by which sins can be forgiven. It is also most appropriate that the good deeds be of the same nature as the bad deeds, for that is most effective in cancellation. The recompense for sins can be averted through several things:

💥Tawbah (repentance); istighfaar (asking for forgiveness), even without repentance, for Allah (Subhanahu wa ta'ala) does forgive in answer to one's supplication even if he has not repented; however, if repentance and forgiveness are combined (i.e., a person stops sinning and petitions for forgiveness), then that is ideal; good and correct actions which are Kaffaaraat (expiating sins).

💢The Kaffaraat are of two types:

1️⃣ Specified Kaffaraaat : i.e., in those actions for which the Shari’ah has fixed an expiation. Examples of such Kaffaaraat are those for committing intercourse while fasting in Ramadan, for saying to one's wife: "You are like a mother to me", for violating certain prohibitions during Hajj or leaving some of its obligations, or for killing game in the haraam; all these have established allotted ways to expiate the sins, of four types:

⭕️a) sacrifice,
⭕️b) freeing a slave,
⭕️c) charity
⭕️d) fasting;

2️⃣ general Kaffaraaat : as Hudhaifah (Rady'Allahu Anhu) said to Umar (Rady'Allahu Anhu):

♨️"Fitnah is caused to a man due to his family, wealth and children; so prayer, fasting, charity, enjoining goodness and forbidding evil wipe this out."

💢Also on this point, the Qur’an and sahih ahadith prove that the five daily prayers, Friday Prayer, fasting, Hajj and other actions expiate sin, regarding which it is said:

🔰"Whoever says such-and-such or does such-and-such, then he is forgiven, or his previous sins are forgiven."

🍃There are many of these types of actions; whoever researches into the books of hadith will find them in abundance, particularly in those books compiled regarding the virtues of actions.

@AlfurqaN_FoundatioN | #Aqidah

🔰Among the causes of having worries disappear and sins forgiven is sending ṣalāh (supplications for peace) upon the Prophet ﷺ, and the effect of sending ṣalāh upon him on Friday is greatest.

💠Ubayy ibn Kaʻb, may Allah be pleased with him, said,

🔰"O Messenger of Allah, I frequently invoke the blessings of Allah upon you. How much of my supplications should I devote to you?"

💢He, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said, "Whatever you wish." I said, "A quarter?" He said, "Whatever you wish, and if you do more, it is better for you." I said, "One half?" He said, "Whatever you wish, and if you do more, it is better for you." I said, "Two thirds?" He said, "Whatever you wish, and if you do more, it is better for you." I said, "Shall I devote all my supplication to (invoking blessings upon) you?"

💥He said, "Then, you will be freed from your worry and your sin will be forgiven."

[At-Tirmithi: good-authentic; Al-Haakim in Al-Mustadrak]

💠Anas bin Maalik (radhi Allaahu anhu) said:  Verily the Prophet (salla Allahu alaihi wa sallam) said:

💥Whoever sends Salah upon me once Allah will send ten (blessings) upon him and remove ten of his sins and raise his rank by ten levels.

[Imam Ahmad in his Musnad, Imam Bukharee in Adabul Mufrad #642 and #643. Jami Sagheer #6359 authenticated by Al Abaanee]

💠“Truly Allah and His angels say Salah on the Prophet, O you believers, recite Salah on him and send Salam on him completely.” [Al-Ahzab | C.33: A.56]

💠 Ibn Abbas (Rady'Allahu anhu) reported: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ, said,

‼️"Whoever forgets to send blessings upon me, he has missed a path to Paradise."

[Sunan Ibn Mäjah 908]

@AlfurqaN_FoundatioN | #jumuah

💠Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) talked about Friday and said,

💥"There is an hour (opportune time) on Friday and if a Muslim gets it while praying and asks something from Allah, then Allah will definitely meet his demand."

🔰And he (the Prophetﷺ) pointed out the shortness of that time with his hands.

حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ مَسْلَمَةَ، عَنْ مَالِكٍ، عَنْ أَبِي الزِّنَادِ، عَنِ الأَعْرَجِ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ذَكَرَ يَوْمَ الْجُمُعَةِ فَقَالَ ‏ "‏ فِيهِ سَاعَةٌ لاَ يُوَافِقُهَا عَبْدٌ مُسْلِمٌ، وَهْوَ قَائِمٌ يُصَلِّي، يَسْأَلُ اللَّهَ تَعَالَى شَيْئًا إِلاَّ أَعْطَاهُ إِيَّاهُ ‏"‌‏.‏ وَأَشَارَ بِيَدِهِ يُقَلِّلُهَا‏.‏

[Sahih al-Bukhari 935]

💠Al-Wasiyyatu’s-Sughraa (The Concise Legacy)
Shaikhu'l-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah - 2

🔰Influence of the habits of Ignorance, especially of the Jews andf Christians :

💢It should be known that care regarding expiation of sins is one of the most important needs of a person, for otherwise one acquires habits similar to those of the Days of Ignorance, especially in this age and those ages where Revelation and Messengership has stopped.

💥Even one who is brought up amongst people of Knowledge and Faith finds himself polluted by many aspects of Jaahiliyah, so what about one who does not have that advantage?!

💠In the Sahihs of Bukhari and Muslim, there is a hadith on the authority of Abu Sa’id (Rady'Allahu Anhu) that RasulAllah (Sallallahu alaihe wa sallam) said:

‼️"You will certainly follow the ways of those nations who were before you, span by span and cubit by cubit, so much so that even if they entered a lizard's hole, you would follow them.

⭕️They said: O RasulAllah! (Do you mean) the Jews and the Christians? He (Sallallahu alaihe wa sallam) said: Who else?"

🔰This hadith is supported by the Qur’an:

💠"... they had their enjoyment of their portion, and you have yours as did those before you, and you indulge in idle talk as they did ... [9:69]

💢This hadith is supported also by many sahih and hasan narrations. This matter does affect even the elite people who are attributed with the Faith, as several of the Salaf, e.g., Ibn Uyainah, have said:

⭕️"that some people attributed with Knowledge have become affected by many of the conditions of the Jews, and some of those attributed with Piety have been affected by many of the conditions of the Christians",

🍃as will be perceived by one who understands the reality of the din of Islam, with which Allah (Subhanahu wa ta'ala) sent the Messenger, and compares with the situation of the people. With the situation as it is, that person whose heart Allah (Subhanahu wa ta'ala) has made open, and is firm on the light that Allah (Subhanahu wa ta'ala) has given him, who was dead and then Allah (subhanahu wa ta'ala) brought him to life and gave him light by which he could move among the people; for such a one, it is necessary to be aware of the conditions of Ignorance and the path of the two nations:

🔥"Those who incurred (Allah's) anger" and "those astray" i.e., the Jews and Christians, so he may realize which things have affected him. Hence, one of the most beneficial things for both the advanced and ordinary person is knowledge of what he can do to liberate himself from these pitfalls, and that is to follow up bad deeds with good ones, good deeds being the actions, manners and characteristics which Allah (subhanahu wa ta'ala) has recommended on the tongue of the last Prophet (Sallallahu alaihe wa sallam).

🔰Another category of things which avert the consequences of sinning is "expiating misfortunes", i.e., whatever causes hardship or suffering, be it fear or sorrow, or harm to one's wealth, honur, body, etc. However, of course, these misfortunes are not the work of the person himself.

@AlfurqaN_FoundatioN | #Aqidah

📚 Al-Wasiyyatu’s-Sughraa (The Concise Legacy)
Shaikhu'l-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah - 3

💥Good Nature ❖

💢 Next, after RasulAllah (Sallallahu alaihe wa sallam) had covered Allah's right in the first two clauses, i.e., to act righteously and to rectify any harm done, he said:

🍃"... and behave well towards the people"

🔰thus turning to the right of one's fellow worshippers. The essence of being good-natured to people is that: he who cuts off relations with you, that you keep an association with him, giving him greetings, respecting him, supplicating for him, asking Allah (Subhanahu wa ta'ala) to forgive him, speaking of him in good terms and visiting him.

⭕️He who deprives you of knowledge, benefit and wealth, you give them in return; and he who does an injustice to you regarding blood, wealth or honor, you forgive him. Some of these actions are obligatory and others are recommended. As for the "great character" which Allah (Subhanahu wa ta'ala) described Muhammad's (sallallahu alaihe wa sallam) way, it is no other than the complete din, comprising of everything that Allah (subhanahu wa ta'ala) commanded him with, as explained by Mujahid and other knowledgeable commentators.

🔰It is no other than the implementation of the Qur’an, as 'Aishah (Rady'Allahu Anha) said:

💠"His character was the Qur’an.", and the reality of it is an eagerness to put into practice those things that Allah (Subhanahu wa ta'ala) loves, with purity of soul and openness of heart.

💥Tafsir of the word 'Taqwa' ❖

🔰All of the above ideas do emanate from the Wasiyyah of Allah (Subhanahu wa ta'ala) mentioned at the beginning, and this should be understood as such that the word 'Taqwa' is very comprehensive, covering the fulfillment of all of Allah's orders, whether they are ones of obligation or recommendation, and also the refraining from all that Allah (Subhanahu wa ta'ala) has forbidden,

⭕️Whether it is totally prohibited or strongly discouraged; hence, it includes both the right of Allah (Subhanahu wa ta'ala) and the right of his slaves. However, wherever 'taqwa' specifically refers to fear of the consequent punishment refraining one from indulging in the prohibited.

🍃It is clear from the context; an example of this is in the hadith of Mu’adh (under discussion), and similar is the hadith of Abu Hurayrah (Rady'Allahu Anhu) which Tirmidhi has narrated and declared to be sahih, RasulAllah (Sallallahu alaihe wa sallam) was asked about that which mostly earns people entry to Paradise; he replied:

💥 "Taqwa and goodness of character."

💠He was also asked about that which mostly earns people entry into the Fire; he replied:

💢"The mouth and the private parts."

🔰In a narration of a sahih hadith from Abd-Allah bin Umar (Rady'Allahu Anhu), RasulAllah (Sallallahu alaihe wa sallam) said:

⭕️"The most complete of the believers in iman is he who is the best of them in character."

🍃Hence, RasulAllah (Sallallahu alaihe wa sallam) told us that perfection of iman lies in completeness of one's goodness of character; it is known that all of iman is Taqwa.

🔰However, this is not the place for a detailed discussion of the fundamentals and branches of Taqwa, for that would cover the din in its entirety.

@AlfurqaN_FoundatioN | #Aqidah

📚 Al-Wasiyyatu’s-Sughraa (The Concise Legacy) Shaikhu'l-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah - 4

💠 Ikhlaas 💠

💢The origin and root of all good is Ikhlaas (pure sincerity), i.e., that the slave directs all worship and seeking of assistance purely towards his Lord, as in Allah's statements:

❐ “You alone we worship and Your aid alone we seek.” [1:5] and

❐ “then worship Him, and put your trust in Him.”[11:123] and

❐ "in him I trust, and unto Him I turn.”[11:88] and

❐ “then seek sustenance from Allah, and serve Him, and be grateful to Him.” [29:17]

🍃This is done in such a way that the slave terminates his heart's connection with the created, whether with regard to benefiting from them or acting for their sake, but instead preoccupies himself with his Exalted Creator, the means of attaining which is to supplicate Him for everything required out of poverty, necessity or fear, etc., to carry out every beloved action for the sake of His (Subhanahu wa ta'ala) good pleasure.

💢If someone were to implant this type of Ikhlaas firmly and thoroughly, it would not be possible for him to be affected by any punishable trait.

❖ the Dhikr (remembrance) of Allah ❖

⭕️After the obligatory acts the best action is Dhikr Allah (remembrance). As for the next question regarding the best action after the obligatory duties, an answer which is totally comprehensive and detailed for everyone is not possible since it would vary according to each person's differing capabilities and opportunities.

🔰However, what is agreed upon by all those who have knowledge of Allah (Subhanahu wa ta'ala) and His commands, is that in general, the best thing with which a slave can occupy himself is the Dhikr (remembrance) of Allah (Subhanahu wa ta'ala). In support of this is the hadith from Abu Hurayrah (Rady'Allahu Anhu) which Imam Muslim narrates:

❐ "The Muraffidun (loners) have taken the lead. The Companions asked: O RasulAllah! Who are the loners? He (Sallallahu alaihe wa sallam) replied: Those men and women who remember Allah in abundance."

💢Similar is narrated by Abu ad-Darda (Rady'Allahu Anhu) in a report of Imam Abu Dawud:

❐ "Shall I not inform you of the best of your actions, the most pure in the sight of your Master, the one which raises your ranks highest, that which is better for you than giving gold and silver (in charity), and better for you than your meeting your enemies, so that you strike their necks and they strike yours? The companions urged: "Of course, O RasulAllah! (Inform us!) He (Sallallahu alaihe wa sallam) replied: It is the Remembrance of Allah."

💥The virtues of the remembrance of Allah are confirmed by proofs of insight, narration and analysis from the Qur’an and iman. The basic method of Dhikr is that the slave makes a habit of putting into practice those adhkaar (phrases of dhikr) which have been taken from the teacher of goodness, the leader of the righteous, Muhammad (Sallallahu alaihe wa sallam).

🍃Such as: those adhkaar which have a fixed timing, e.g., at the beginning and end of the day, when going to sleep and waking up, and after the compulsory Prayers; those adhkaar which are specified for certain actions, e.g., eating and drinking, putting on clothes, sexual intercourse, entering and exiting the Masjid and the toilet, or at the time of rain and thunder, etc.

💢As regards both these types of Dhikr, books have been written under the title of

❐ "Actions of the Day and Night"

🔰There are also those adhkaar which are unrestricted, i.e. they are not confined to some special time or occasion; of these, the most excellent is :

☝🏼️ ‘La-ilaha illallah’ (There is no true deity except Allah), but sometimes according to the situation, some phrases such as:

❐ SubhanAllah (Allah is Glorified),
❐ Alhamdulillah (All Praised be to Allah),
❐ Allahu Akbar (Allah is the Greatest) and
❐ La Hawla wa la Quwwata illa bi-Allah (There is no power or movement except by Allah) become more excellent.

⭕️Further, it should be known that everything that brings mankind closer to Allah (Subhanahu wa ta'ala) , whether it is the saying of the tongue or contemplation of the heart, for example in acquiring knowledge, commanding good and forbidding evil, this is all part of the Dhikr of Allah (Subhanahu wa ta'ala) .

🔰Hence, one who is occupied in seeking beneficial Knowledge after fulfilling the obligatory acts, or takes his place in a gathering where Fiqh (Understanding) -that which Allah (Subhanahu wa ta'ala) and His Messenger (Sallallahu alaihe wa sallam) have named Fiqh- is read and taught, this also an excellent Dhikr of Allah (Subhanahu wa ta'ala).

💠When you consider this, you will thus realize that there is no major controversy among the early people of knowledge regarding the most excellent of actions after the obligatory duties. ❐

📚 Al-Wasiyyatu’s-Sughraa (The Concise Legacy)
Shaikhu'l-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah - 5

💠Istikhaarah (asking Allah to decide on one's behalf)

❐ In those matters where the slave is in doubt, he should seek Allah's guidance in deciding, for he who seeks help in decision from Allah (Subhanahu wa ta'ala) will never be ashamed.

He should do this often and also supplicate often, for that is the key to every benefit, and not be impatient saying:

🎲 "I have asked but not been answered" 🎲

💢and he should seek to find the best time to supplicate, for example the last part of the night, at the time of Adhaan, after the obligatory Prayers, at the time of rain, and others.

❖ The Best Goal is Trust in Allah ❖

🔰As for the next part of the question, about the highest prize to aim for, the answer to this is that the best prize to have is Trust in Allah (Subhanahu wa ta'ala), reliance in Him of His sufficiency, and keeping a good opinion of Him, the latter being that if anyone is anxious regarding their subsistence then he should turn to the shelter of Allah, as the Exalted said, from what is narrated by His Prophet (Sallallahu alaihe wa sallam) :

❐ "O My servants, all of you are hungry except for those I have fed, so seek food of Me and I shall feed you. O My servants, all of you are naked except for those I have clothed, so seek clothing of Me and I shall clothe you."

💢In this regard there is also the hadith which Imam Tirmidhi narrates from Anas (Rady'Allahu Anhu), who said that RasulAllah (Sallallahu alaihe wa sallam) said:

❐ "Each of you should ask for his needs from Allah, even if the lace of your shoe breaks, because if Allah does not facilitate it, it will never be possible."

🍃Allah (Subhanahu wa ta'ala) says in His Book:

❐ “But ask Allah for His bounty.” [4:32]

💥He (jalla jalaluhu - His glory be glorified) also says:

❐ "And when the prayer is finished, then you may disperse through the land, and seek of the Bounty of Allah.” [62:10]

🔰Although this ayah is in the context of the congregational Friday Prayer, its meaning applies to all the prayers. This is why -and Allah (Subhanahu wa ta'ala) knows best- RasulAllah (Sallallahu alaihe wa sallam) instructed the person entering the masjid to say:

❐ "Allahumma iftah li abwaaba rahmatik (O Allah open the doors of Your mercy for me)"

💢and when leaving the masjid to say:

❐ "Allahumma inni as'aluka min fadlik (O Allah give me of Your Bounty)" ;

⭕️also, the Friend of Allah (Ibrahim alayhi wa sallam) had said:

❐ "So seek sustenance from Allah, serve Him, and be grateful to him.”

🔰This is a command, and a command signifies obligation. Therefore, to seek help from Allah (Subhanahu wa ta'ala) and to entreat to Him in the matter of livelihood and others is a major principle.

💢Further, it is important in seeking a livelihood that one should acquire wealth with generosity of heart so that he may be blessed in it, and without greediness. Neither should he make wealth the primary aim; rather, he should regard wealth much as he regards the toilet, which he has need of but it has no place in his heart, and he only resorts to it when necessary.

🔰A marfu hadith which is related by Tirmidhi and others is:

❐ "He who gets up in the morning with this world his greatest concern, Allah (Subhanahu wa ta'ala) disperses his collected gains and puts its loss in front of him, and only that of the world comes to him, which is written for him. And he who gets up in the morning with the Hereafter his greatest concern, Allah (Subhanahu wa ta'ala) gathers for him his works and creates richness in his heart due to them, and the world comes to him subserviently."

💠One of the Salaf said:

❐ "Each of you is in need of the world but you are in more need of your portion in the Hereafter. Therefore, if you are in search of your portion in the Hereafter first and foremost (and you should be so), then achieve your portion of the world in passing, such that it is taken care of as it comes.”

💥Allah (jaalla jalaluhu - His glory be glorified) says:

❐ "I have only created jinns and men that they may serve Me. No sustenance do I require of them, nor do I require that they should feed Me. For Allah is He who gives (all) sustenance, Lord of Power, steadfast (forever).” [51:56-57]

🍃With regard to the best skill, or specifying one skill over another, be it handicraft or trade, building or agricultural, etc., this varies among people, and I know of no all-embracing answer, except that when an opportunity presents itself to a person, then he should seek help in decision from Allah (Subhanahu wa ta'ala) through the Istikhaarah learnt from the Teacher of Goodness (Sallallahu alaihe wa sallam), because there is unlimited blessing in that, and then adopt whatever is easy for him.

⭕️Thus he will not have to go to great hardship in another line, unless there is any Shari’i objection to the initial possibility, in which case it is a different matter. ❐

@AlfurqaN_FoundatioN | #Aqidah