Just as Islam has five pillars (please
recall tohe definitions of Islam and Pillar), so Iman (please recall
the definition of Iman in all of its three necessary components)
also has six pillars, taught to us by the Prophet (saws). These
pillars are:
Belief in Allah;
Belief in the angels;
Belief in the revealed books;
Belief in the commissioned Messengers (peace be upon them).
Belief in the resurrection and the events of Qiyamah.
Belief in the predestination by Allah of all things, both the (seemingly) good and the (seemingly) bad.
This section is a more detailed explanation of the first pillar of Iman: belief in Allah Most High. This is, of course the most fundamental principle in Islam, and the foundation of all other principles of belief and action.
Distortion (At-Tahreef).
Distortion of the Names and Attributes themselves (i.e. the words) and (b) Distortion of their meanings.
[Istawaa 'alaa al-'arsh] ==> [Istawlaa 'alaa al-'arsh]
The innovators who changed the case of a noun in the Qur'an in an effort to negate Allah's attribute of speech:
[Wa kallama Allahu Musa takleeman] ==> [Wa kallama Allaha Musa takleeman]
Others distorted meanings of Allah's attributes without actually changing the words. Examples include those who said that Allah's anger (u>Ghadhab) means His intention to punish, His mercy (u>Rahma) means his intention to have mercy, His hand (u>Yad) is His generosity or His power, etc.
Allah has described Himself with certain attributes in this short Sura which is equivalent to one third of the Qur'an, as the Prophet (saws) said in the hadith. These attributes are among those in which a Muslim must believe. Allah said:
[Say: He is Allah, the One * Allah, the one sought for all needs, the self-sufficient, the eternal. * He bears not offspring, nor was He born, * And there exists nothing comparable to Him.] Qur'an Al-Ikhlaas/all
These, then are among the attributes which a Muslim accepts as they have come in the revelation without negation, analogy, distortion or speculation. The Prophet (saws) informed us in a sahih hadith that this one short sura is equivalent to one third of the Qur'an. This is because all of the knowledge contained in the Qur'an fits into one of three categories:
Knowledge of the Rulings of the Law (Shariah): in which is included the science of Fiqh which deals with Ibadaat (worship), Mu'aamalaat (human interaction) and corollaries of those two;
Knowledge of the Consequences of Our Actions: which includes those actions which are the reason for returns of what their doers deserve, either reward or punishment, and descriptions of some of the details of the rewards and punishments in the hereafter;
Knowledge of Tauhid: This is the most sublime of the three types of knowledge, and includes knowledge of all that is obligatory upon Allah's slaves in terms of knowledge of Him and belief.
Sura Al-Ikhlas contains the entire foundation for this third type of knowledge (and this, and Allah knows best, is why the Prophet equated it to one third of the Qur'an). Say, He is Allah, the One, i.e. the completely unique in His greatness and perfection, the one and only in his majesty, sublimity and grandeur. This is carried further by the next verse: Allah, the one sought for all needs, the self-sufficient, the eternal, i.e. Allah is the Lord whose lordship is absolute, the Great whose greatness is absolute, the All-Knowing whose knowledge knows no flaw, the absolute Sovereign, and the Perfect in each and every one of His names and attributes. Another meaning of As-Samad in this verse is He who is sought and needed by all creation for all of their needs, wants and aspirations. Thus the word As-Samad is not only one of Allah's attributes, rather it includes in its meaning the affirmation of all of Allah's glorious names and sublime attributes. This is the first and greatest aspect of the Tauhid of Allah's Names and Attributes: affirmation of all of His attributes of perfection and greatness.
The second aspect of the Tauhid of Allah's names and attributes, is negation with respect to Allah of any progeny, partners or equals. This is found in the next verses: He bears not offspring, nor was He born, * And there exists nothing comparable to Him.
The negation of the process of birth or the betaking of a son is in reality a negation of all types of shirk. Shirk is much more common among the human race than the claim of Allah having a son. Both of them entail the belief in another like unto Allah at least in some aspects. All of this is rejected by sound reasoning as well as the infallible texts of the revelation.
If this imagined son is considered equal to Allah, this means the need of each of them for the other, and that is impossible with respect to Allah, the All-Powerful, the Self-Sufficient.
If, on the other hand, the son is less than equal, this indicates that the father sought him to aid him in something. The fact that all created beings are in absolute need of their Creator for all needs, and that the Creator is absolutely self-sufficient and not in need of them for anything negates totally the concept of father and son with respect to Allah.
Birth is something which occurs not by the choice of the parents. It is impossible for anything to take place which is not by the choice and decree of Allah, Most High.
The betaking of a son is resorted to when one is unable to have their own as a substitute for a natural offspring. To say that about Allah is even worse, since it indicates a lack and a need.
This Sura has been called Al-Ikhlas (i.e., sincerity, completeness of devotion) because it is complete in its description of the Merciful or because it makes the devotion of one who reads and practices it complete and free of associations, either conceptual or practical.
This Sura contains in its meanings all three types of Tauhid. It deals explicitly with the Tauhid of Allah's names and attributes; the Tauhid of Allah's lordship is implicit in its meanings; and the Tauhid of worship and obedience is an inevitable consequence of the contents of this Sura.
The complete need of the creation for Allah, and His absolute lack of any need for them;
A rebuttal of the claim of those who say that the Qur'an is the words of Muhammad;
Rejection of the claim of the Jews that Uzair is the son of Allah and that of the Christians that Isa is His son;
A call to reliance on Allah for all needs;
A call to the worship of Allah alone and with no partner;
Exaltation of Allah above any resemblance to His creation;
Details of belief are to be taken from the Qur'an and the Sunnah only;
A rejection of those who say the nature and its laws are what direct all events in the universe;
Whoever steadfastly believes in the Oneness of Allah, that He is As-Samad and that He is the Doer of whatever He wishes purifies his heart from all contamination of shirk or attachment to other than Allah Most High; and
This Sura includes the rejection of all of the various types of associationism. Multiplicity of the Deity is rejected by the words the One. Allah negates all types of need for others on His part with the word As-Samad. He negates any similarity or equality between Creator and creation with the words He bears not offspring. He negates the possibility of His coming about at a point in time (Al-Huduth) with the words Nor was He born. And, finally, he negates the possibility of any others being at all comparable to Him with the words: And there exists nothing comparable to Him.
Allah's Will
Allah says, quoting the man speaking to the one with the great garden:
{Rather He is Allah, my Lord, and I will associate no one with my Lord. And, if only, when you entered your garden, you had said: That which Allah wills; there is no power except by Allah, if you see me as less than you in wealth and children.} Al-Kahf/38-39
In this verse, and others like it, Allah affirms the reality of His absolute will. Allah's will is of two types:
Iradat Allah Al-Kauniya Al-Qadariya: This is His will as related to His decree, which we have already discussed. It is His determination of all things and events. This will must be, and nothing whatsoever can alter it, change it, or prevent its coming about. The decree of Allah contains both human actions which are in accordance to Allah's Shariah and things which are in violation of it. The will referred to in the above verse is of this type.
Iradat Allah Ad-Deeniya Ash-Shar'iya: This is Allah's will as related to His order, i.e., all that with which He has ordered us via His messengers. At this point in time, that means the Shariah found in the message of Muhammad (saws). This will may be in any particular case and it may not be. Thus Allah ordered that Abu Talib should be a Muslim, but He did not decree it. This will contains only that which is pleasing to Allah, i.e. that which is enjoined in the Shariah.
In this verse, the believing man is addressing another who has become haughty because of worldly wealth which Allah has given him. He says to him that if you were so pleased with your garden when you entered it, why didn't you then thank Allah for the bounty which He has bestowed upon you, reminding yourself that whatever happens is only what Allah has decreed. This would have been on your part an admission of your powerlessness, and that all that is in your garden is only by Allah's will, as is its continued existence or its destruction and decay. Furthermore, the development and cultivation which you have done to it was only by Allah's permission and with His aid, not by your own strength, capability or power.
Affirmation of Allah's attribute of doing, and that He does whatever He wishes.
Affirmation of Allah's attribute of absolute power and ability to do all things.
The next verse from Sura Al-Maidah is an example of the other will of Allah, i.e., the one relating to that which pleases Allah and that which He enjoins upon us and that is the Shari'ah if Islam.
{O you who believe, fulfil your contractual obligations. Allowed for you are the grazing animals, except that which has been recited to you, and not to make hunted animals allowed while you are in a state of Ihraam. Verily Allah rules as He wishes.} Al-Maidah/1
The will of Allah alluded to here is of the second type explained above. It is clear that it is Allah's will or order that we eat only of the animals which are Halal, and that we not break the restrictions on hunting during the Hajj. It is also clear that this will does not always occur in all cases. Some people follow the orders of Allah, while others violate it and partake of the haraam.
Allah rules (yahkum) as He wishes. He is the absolute sovereign and source of law (u>Al-Hakim), and there can be no objection to His rulings. He is Al-Hakim and there is no other sovereign (Haakim) other than Him. All sovereignty other than His sovereignty is false and rejected. Anyone who rules by any rulings or laws other than those of Allah and His Prophet (saws) is a Taaghoot (shaitaan) and a Kaafir. Allah said:
{And any who rule not by what Allah has sent down are indeed Kaafireen.}
This is general, and covers all areas of life. There is no issue in which Allah does not have a ruling. Allah said:
{We have neglected nothing in the book.}
{On this day we have perfected for you the Deen, and completed our favour upon you.}
The Prophet said in the hadith:
I have left you on the clearest of bases. Its night is like its day. None are corrupted away from it except those doomed to destruction.
It was an obligation upon every single messenger sent by Allah to point his nation to all that he knew was for their good and to warn them against all that he knew was for their detriment.
Abu Dharr said: The Prophet (saws) passed way from us and there was not a single bird flapping its wings in the sky but that he had given us some knowledge of it.
There can be no doubt that anyone who turns away from the book of Allah and the Sunnah of His Messenger (saws) and taking in its stead man-made laws is a kaafir whose Kufr is sufficient to remove him from the Ummah of the Muslims. Likewise, anyone who mocks the Qur'an, or claims that it is contradictory or a forgery or that humans could produce the likes of it. Also anyone who denies or rejects any part of the contents of the Qur'an.
It is also Kufr for anyone to believe that they can transcend the law of Muhammad, as it was possible for Al-Khidhr in the Qur'an to transcend the law of Musa. Or one who believes the guidance of another man to be superior to the guidance of Muhammad (saws). Or that we must transcend his law because of the time in which we are living - i.e., that it was fine in the days in which it was revealed but is not out of date.
Four-legged grazing type animals are halal, except what has been exempted in the Qur'an or the Sunnah.
Prohibition of hunting during the period of Ihraam.
Affirmation of Allah's will as relates to his Shariah, and that He rules in whatever way He wishes.
Affirmation of the Tauhid of Allah's Deityship.
Allah's mercy and compassion with His creation.
In this verse, Allah tells us that whoever has been prepared by His will (which one?) and His decree to accept the Da'wah of Islam, which is the Deen of Al-Fitra and the guidance to the path of righteousness will find in his heart an expansiveness and an open-minded, joyous desire to accept the Da'wah. This joy in the heart at the hearing of the Da'wah will mean that they will experience no difficulty in looking carefully into that which is being presented to them and contemplating it. Then, this person will discover its wonders and his whole heart and will will be guided to the bright light and flawless proofs of the message of Islam.
That Prophet (saws) was asked about the meaning of expansion of the breast and said:
A light which is cast therein making it expansive and roomy. They then asked him if there were any signs by which this state could be known. He said: The turning [of the heart] toward the Abode of Permanence, the repulsion from the Abode of Deception and preparedness for death before its approach.
Then Allah said: {and whoever He wishes to send astray...}. Whoever possesses a fitrah which has become impure through the presence of Associationism or contaminated with sins and disobedience will find his heart tight and constricted when he is called to contemplate the signs of Tauhid. He will not be open to the contemplation of the clear signs in the revelation, in the physical world around him and in himself. Rather, his heart is infatuated with the falsehood of custom, nationalism, arrogance and other forms of foolishness. He is blocked from turning away from that to which he as become accustomed as have the people around him. His will is not strong enough to leave his ways in response to the caller to the Deen of Islam. He finds the practice of the Deen to be a heavy burden, and feels incapable of carrying it, just as one who ascends into the upper atmosphere feels constriction in the chest and difficulty in breathing. Another interpretation of this analogy is that practicing Islam seems as heavy a burden to him as if he were asked to fly (unaided) up into the atmosphere.
Ibn Taimia said elsewhere: Allah made three types of hearts: impenetrable, diseased and believing. This is because it is either dry and fossilized and unable to soften up to the truth and acknowledge and submit to it, or it is not so. The first one is the impenetrable heart - it is dry and hard like a rock - it cannot change and faith has not been decreed for it. Furthermore, knowledge can not enter it, because that requires a soft and open place to accept it. The second is either firm and steadfast in faith due to inner strength along with softness and openness of the heart or this openness may be accompanied by weakness and negligence. The first is the believing heart, and the second is the one in which their is disease.
That guidance and going astray is entirely in the hands of Allah Most High and not within human power.
Affirmation of the Deity ship and Lordship of Allah Most High.
That we possess no power over our benefit or our harm and are completely impoverished and in need before our Lord Most High for guidance and for all other needs.
The One who alone possesses creation and giving of sustenance is the only One to rightfully be given exclusive devotion in the area of Deityship, worship, beseeching and all other forms of worship. No one - neither Prophets nor angels nor anyone else - has any power to guide hearts or remove calamities except Allah Most High.
Affirmation of Al-'Illa and the wisdom behind Allah's actions and rulings. Since He does them intentionally and wilfully, there is of necessity a reason and a wisdom behind all of Allah's actions and rulings.
A sign of those for whom Allah has decreed belief is an openness and softness of the heart to receive and contemplate the message of Islam followed by a joyful acceptance of it and an easy and willing submission to all of its dictates.
A sign of those for whom Allah has decreed disbelief is the constriction and difficulty of the heart to listen to the message of Islam followed by a stubbornness and unwillingness to contemplate its message and a perception of the practice of Islam as a heavy burden.
Allah directs the hearts of his slaves in whatever way He wishes. (The Prophet (saws) used to make Du'a to Muqallib Al-Quloob i.e., He who turns hearts over.
That there are signs which indicate those for whom faith has been decreed and those for whom disbelief has been decreed.
Whoever feels that Allah has blessed him with expansiveness of breast to accept Islam and submit easily to its teachings should constantly express gratitude to Allah and beseech Him to grant him steadfastness on the path until death.
Question: There are four logical possibilities of the presence of either or both of Allah's wills in any event. Name and describe the four possible combinations and give examples for each.
[Note: Read 5:41 which speaks about hypocrites and some of their allies first.]
{Constant listeners to lies, constant devourers of the forbidden. So, if they come to you, judge between them, or turn away from them. If you [decide to] turn away from them, they will not harm you in the least. And, if you [decide to] judge between them, judge between them with in equity. Verily, Allah loves those who judge in equity.} Al-Maidah/42
{How could the associationists have a pact before Allah and His Prophet?! Except those with whom you made a pact at the Sacred Mosque: as long as they live up to their pledges to you, live up to yours to them, verily, Allah loves the people of Taqwa.} At-Tauba/9
{They ask you about menses. Say: It is unclean, so withdraw from women during their courses. And do not approach them until they have become clean. Then, when they have purified themselves, go to them from where Allah has ordered you. Verily, Allah loves those who ever turn to Him in repentance and He loves those who ever purify themselves.} Al-Baqarah/222
{Say: If you [truly] love Allah, then follow me that Allah may love you and forgive you your sins. And Allah is Forgiving, Merciful. * Say: Obey Allah and obey the Prophet. Then, if they turn away [know that] Allah loves not the disbelievers.} Aal-Imran/31-32
In these verse is the proof of Allah's attribute of love. Love is one of the attributes of Allah's actions (u>As-Sifaat Al-Fi'liya). There can be no doubt about this attribute of Allah as is clear from the Qur'an, the Sunnah, and the Consensus of the beginning of the Ummah of the Muslims. His love is called just that, and is of a nature appropriate to His Greatness and Perfection. It cannot be compared to human love except in name, since Allah said about himself: {There is nothing like unto Him, and He is the Hearer, the Seer}. This is the case with all of Allah's attributes, both those of His Essence and those of His Actions.
The linguistic derivation of the work for love (Hubb) contains the meanings of things being consistently together, and steadfastness. Thus is is said that a camel Ahabb (the same verb as the one meaning loves) when it sits down and is quiet. Thus, one who loves is constant in the remembrance of the object of his love, and his heart is steadfast in its love with not desire to move away from it or to shift it to another.
Among the evidences of the Sunnah for Allah's attribute of Love is the following sahih hadith narrated by Ahmad:
Three Allah loves, and three Allah hates: a man who faces the enemy along with a group [of mujahideen] and continues to face them until he either is killed, or opens a way for his companions; a group of people who press on in their journey until they yearn to touch the ground (i.e. sleep), and so they stop. Then one of them takes himself off to one side and continues praying until he wakes his companions to continue their journey; and a man who has a neighbour who harasses him and who is patient with his neighbour's torments until they are separated by death or journey. As for those whom Allah hates: a businessman who ever swears by the truth of his claims; a poor person who is arrogant; and a stingy person who is ostentatious and boastful about what he gives.
Ibn Taimia said: The people of the Sunnah and Al-Jamaa say that Allah loves and is pleased, as the Qur'an and the Sunnah have clearly shown. They further say that Allah's love and his pleasure (or acceptance) is more specific than His Will. Thus, Allah does not love disbelief or any forms of corruption and disobedience nor does he accept it, even though all of these things fall under His Will and His Decree as does everything in the creation.
Belief in Allah;
Belief in the angels;
Belief in the revealed books;
Belief in the commissioned Messengers (peace be upon them).
Belief in the resurrection and the events of Qiyamah.
Belief in the predestination by Allah of all things, both the (seemingly) good and the (seemingly) bad.
The Affirmation Of Allah's Characteristics (Without Negation, Analogy, Distortion Or Speculation)
The Author: Part of the belief in Allah is the belief in all that with which He has described Himself in His Book or with which His Prophet (saws) has described Him without any distortion, negation, speculation (as to the exact nature of these attributes), nor analogy (i.e. between Allah's attributes and those of His creation bearing the same names).This section is a more detailed explanation of the first pillar of Iman: belief in Allah Most High. This is, of course the most fundamental principle in Islam, and the foundation of all other principles of belief and action.
Distortion (At-Tahreef).
Distortion of the Names and Attributes themselves (i.e. the words) and (b) Distortion of their meanings.
Examples:
The Jahmiy (follower of the deviations of Al-Jahm ibn Safwan) negates Allah's statement about himself that he sat on the throne by adding an extra letter to the word in the Qur'an.[Istawaa 'alaa al-'arsh] ==> [Istawlaa 'alaa al-'arsh]
The innovators who changed the case of a noun in the Qur'an in an effort to negate Allah's attribute of speech:
[Wa kallama Allahu Musa takleeman] ==> [Wa kallama Allaha Musa takleeman]
Others distorted meanings of Allah's attributes without actually changing the words. Examples include those who said that Allah's anger (u>Ghadhab) means His intention to punish, His mercy (u>Rahma) means his intention to have mercy, His hand (u>Yad) is His generosity or His power, etc.
Section
Discussion Of Texts Dealing With The Attributes Of Allah In Which A Muslim Must Believe
Surah Ikhlas
First: Hadith which reveal the greatness of this Sura (presented orally).Allah has described Himself with certain attributes in this short Sura which is equivalent to one third of the Qur'an, as the Prophet (saws) said in the hadith. These attributes are among those in which a Muslim must believe. Allah said:
[Say: He is Allah, the One * Allah, the one sought for all needs, the self-sufficient, the eternal. * He bears not offspring, nor was He born, * And there exists nothing comparable to Him.] Qur'an Al-Ikhlaas/all
These, then are among the attributes which a Muslim accepts as they have come in the revelation without negation, analogy, distortion or speculation. The Prophet (saws) informed us in a sahih hadith that this one short sura is equivalent to one third of the Qur'an. This is because all of the knowledge contained in the Qur'an fits into one of three categories:
Knowledge of the Rulings of the Law (Shariah): in which is included the science of Fiqh which deals with Ibadaat (worship), Mu'aamalaat (human interaction) and corollaries of those two;
Knowledge of the Consequences of Our Actions: which includes those actions which are the reason for returns of what their doers deserve, either reward or punishment, and descriptions of some of the details of the rewards and punishments in the hereafter;
Knowledge of Tauhid: This is the most sublime of the three types of knowledge, and includes knowledge of all that is obligatory upon Allah's slaves in terms of knowledge of Him and belief.
Sura Al-Ikhlas contains the entire foundation for this third type of knowledge (and this, and Allah knows best, is why the Prophet equated it to one third of the Qur'an). Say, He is Allah, the One, i.e. the completely unique in His greatness and perfection, the one and only in his majesty, sublimity and grandeur. This is carried further by the next verse: Allah, the one sought for all needs, the self-sufficient, the eternal, i.e. Allah is the Lord whose lordship is absolute, the Great whose greatness is absolute, the All-Knowing whose knowledge knows no flaw, the absolute Sovereign, and the Perfect in each and every one of His names and attributes. Another meaning of As-Samad in this verse is He who is sought and needed by all creation for all of their needs, wants and aspirations. Thus the word As-Samad is not only one of Allah's attributes, rather it includes in its meaning the affirmation of all of Allah's glorious names and sublime attributes. This is the first and greatest aspect of the Tauhid of Allah's Names and Attributes: affirmation of all of His attributes of perfection and greatness.
The second aspect of the Tauhid of Allah's names and attributes, is negation with respect to Allah of any progeny, partners or equals. This is found in the next verses: He bears not offspring, nor was He born, * And there exists nothing comparable to Him.
The negation of the process of birth or the betaking of a son is in reality a negation of all types of shirk. Shirk is much more common among the human race than the claim of Allah having a son. Both of them entail the belief in another like unto Allah at least in some aspects. All of this is rejected by sound reasoning as well as the infallible texts of the revelation.
If this imagined son is considered equal to Allah, this means the need of each of them for the other, and that is impossible with respect to Allah, the All-Powerful, the Self-Sufficient.
If, on the other hand, the son is less than equal, this indicates that the father sought him to aid him in something. The fact that all created beings are in absolute need of their Creator for all needs, and that the Creator is absolutely self-sufficient and not in need of them for anything negates totally the concept of father and son with respect to Allah.
Birth is something which occurs not by the choice of the parents. It is impossible for anything to take place which is not by the choice and decree of Allah, Most High.
The betaking of a son is resorted to when one is unable to have their own as a substitute for a natural offspring. To say that about Allah is even worse, since it indicates a lack and a need.
This Sura has been called Al-Ikhlas (i.e., sincerity, completeness of devotion) because it is complete in its description of the Merciful or because it makes the devotion of one who reads and practices it complete and free of associations, either conceptual or practical.
This Sura contains in its meanings all three types of Tauhid. It deals explicitly with the Tauhid of Allah's names and attributes; the Tauhid of Allah's lordship is implicit in its meanings; and the Tauhid of worship and obedience is an inevitable consequence of the contents of this Sura.
Knowledge Contained In This Sura
The Oneness of Allah Most High;The complete need of the creation for Allah, and His absolute lack of any need for them;
A rebuttal of the claim of those who say that the Qur'an is the words of Muhammad;
Rejection of the claim of the Jews that Uzair is the son of Allah and that of the Christians that Isa is His son;
A call to reliance on Allah for all needs;
A call to the worship of Allah alone and with no partner;
Exaltation of Allah above any resemblance to His creation;
Details of belief are to be taken from the Qur'an and the Sunnah only;
A rejection of those who say the nature and its laws are what direct all events in the universe;
Whoever steadfastly believes in the Oneness of Allah, that He is As-Samad and that He is the Doer of whatever He wishes purifies his heart from all contamination of shirk or attachment to other than Allah Most High; and
This Sura includes the rejection of all of the various types of associationism. Multiplicity of the Deity is rejected by the words the One. Allah negates all types of need for others on His part with the word As-Samad. He negates any similarity or equality between Creator and creation with the words He bears not offspring. He negates the possibility of His coming about at a point in time (Al-Huduth) with the words Nor was He born. And, finally, he negates the possibility of any others being at all comparable to Him with the words: And there exists nothing comparable to Him.
Allah's Will
Allah says, quoting the man speaking to the one with the great garden:
{Rather He is Allah, my Lord, and I will associate no one with my Lord. And, if only, when you entered your garden, you had said: That which Allah wills; there is no power except by Allah, if you see me as less than you in wealth and children.} Al-Kahf/38-39
In this verse, and others like it, Allah affirms the reality of His absolute will. Allah's will is of two types:
Iradat Allah Al-Kauniya Al-Qadariya: This is His will as related to His decree, which we have already discussed. It is His determination of all things and events. This will must be, and nothing whatsoever can alter it, change it, or prevent its coming about. The decree of Allah contains both human actions which are in accordance to Allah's Shariah and things which are in violation of it. The will referred to in the above verse is of this type.
Iradat Allah Ad-Deeniya Ash-Shar'iya: This is Allah's will as related to His order, i.e., all that with which He has ordered us via His messengers. At this point in time, that means the Shariah found in the message of Muhammad (saws). This will may be in any particular case and it may not be. Thus Allah ordered that Abu Talib should be a Muslim, but He did not decree it. This will contains only that which is pleasing to Allah, i.e. that which is enjoined in the Shariah.
In this verse, the believing man is addressing another who has become haughty because of worldly wealth which Allah has given him. He says to him that if you were so pleased with your garden when you entered it, why didn't you then thank Allah for the bounty which He has bestowed upon you, reminding yourself that whatever happens is only what Allah has decreed. This would have been on your part an admission of your powerlessness, and that all that is in your garden is only by Allah's will, as is its continued existence or its destruction and decay. Furthermore, the development and cultivation which you have done to it was only by Allah's permission and with His aid, not by your own strength, capability or power.
Knowledge Contained In This Ayat
Affirmation of Allah's absolute will and that whatever occurs is by His will and that whatever He wills must occur.Affirmation of Allah's attribute of doing, and that He does whatever He wishes.
Affirmation of Allah's attribute of absolute power and ability to do all things.
The next verse from Sura Al-Maidah is an example of the other will of Allah, i.e., the one relating to that which pleases Allah and that which He enjoins upon us and that is the Shari'ah if Islam.
{O you who believe, fulfil your contractual obligations. Allowed for you are the grazing animals, except that which has been recited to you, and not to make hunted animals allowed while you are in a state of Ihraam. Verily Allah rules as He wishes.} Al-Maidah/1
The will of Allah alluded to here is of the second type explained above. It is clear that it is Allah's will or order that we eat only of the animals which are Halal, and that we not break the restrictions on hunting during the Hajj. It is also clear that this will does not always occur in all cases. Some people follow the orders of Allah, while others violate it and partake of the haraam.
Allah rules (yahkum) as He wishes. He is the absolute sovereign and source of law (u>Al-Hakim), and there can be no objection to His rulings. He is Al-Hakim and there is no other sovereign (Haakim) other than Him. All sovereignty other than His sovereignty is false and rejected. Anyone who rules by any rulings or laws other than those of Allah and His Prophet (saws) is a Taaghoot (shaitaan) and a Kaafir. Allah said:
{And any who rule not by what Allah has sent down are indeed Kaafireen.}
This is general, and covers all areas of life. There is no issue in which Allah does not have a ruling. Allah said:
{We have neglected nothing in the book.}
{On this day we have perfected for you the Deen, and completed our favour upon you.}
The Prophet said in the hadith:
I have left you on the clearest of bases. Its night is like its day. None are corrupted away from it except those doomed to destruction.
It was an obligation upon every single messenger sent by Allah to point his nation to all that he knew was for their good and to warn them against all that he knew was for their detriment.
Abu Dharr said: The Prophet (saws) passed way from us and there was not a single bird flapping its wings in the sky but that he had given us some knowledge of it.
There can be no doubt that anyone who turns away from the book of Allah and the Sunnah of His Messenger (saws) and taking in its stead man-made laws is a kaafir whose Kufr is sufficient to remove him from the Ummah of the Muslims. Likewise, anyone who mocks the Qur'an, or claims that it is contradictory or a forgery or that humans could produce the likes of it. Also anyone who denies or rejects any part of the contents of the Qur'an.
It is also Kufr for anyone to believe that they can transcend the law of Muhammad, as it was possible for Al-Khidhr in the Qur'an to transcend the law of Musa. Or one who believes the guidance of another man to be superior to the guidance of Muhammad (saws). Or that we must transcend his law because of the time in which we are living - i.e., that it was fine in the days in which it was revealed but is not out of date.
Knowledge Contained In This Ayat
Affirmation of Allah's absolute and unique sovereignty.Four-legged grazing type animals are halal, except what has been exempted in the Qur'an or the Sunnah.
Prohibition of hunting during the period of Ihraam.
Affirmation of Allah's will as relates to his Shariah, and that He rules in whatever way He wishes.
Affirmation of the Tauhid of Allah's Deityship.
Allah's mercy and compassion with His creation.
Allah's Will
{Is then the one who had been dead, who We brought to life and for whom We made a light with which he walks among the people like the one whose analogy is [as] one in darkness, never coming out there from? Thus, that which the disbelievers do is made to seem fair to them. * And thus We made in every village prominent ones who are its criminals that they may plot therein. But they plot not except against their own souls, without even knowing it. * And when a clear sign comes to them, they say: We will not believe until we are given like that which was given to the Messengers of Allah. Allah knows best where He placed His message. He will afflict the criminals with humiliation before Allah and a harsh punishment because of the plots which they used to make. * And so as for he who Allah wishes to guide, He will expand his breast for Islam; and whoever He wishes to send astray, He will make his breast constricted and impenetrable as if they were ascending into the sky. Thus Allah makes evil and punishment upon those who do not believe. * This is the way of your Lord which is straight. We have made the signs clear for those who accept admonition. * Theirs is the abode of peace with their Lord and He is their protecting Ally because of that which they used to do.} Al-An'aam/122-127In this verse, Allah tells us that whoever has been prepared by His will (which one?) and His decree to accept the Da'wah of Islam, which is the Deen of Al-Fitra and the guidance to the path of righteousness will find in his heart an expansiveness and an open-minded, joyous desire to accept the Da'wah. This joy in the heart at the hearing of the Da'wah will mean that they will experience no difficulty in looking carefully into that which is being presented to them and contemplating it. Then, this person will discover its wonders and his whole heart and will will be guided to the bright light and flawless proofs of the message of Islam.
That Prophet (saws) was asked about the meaning of expansion of the breast and said:
A light which is cast therein making it expansive and roomy. They then asked him if there were any signs by which this state could be known. He said: The turning [of the heart] toward the Abode of Permanence, the repulsion from the Abode of Deception and preparedness for death before its approach.
Then Allah said: {and whoever He wishes to send astray...}. Whoever possesses a fitrah which has become impure through the presence of Associationism or contaminated with sins and disobedience will find his heart tight and constricted when he is called to contemplate the signs of Tauhid. He will not be open to the contemplation of the clear signs in the revelation, in the physical world around him and in himself. Rather, his heart is infatuated with the falsehood of custom, nationalism, arrogance and other forms of foolishness. He is blocked from turning away from that to which he as become accustomed as have the people around him. His will is not strong enough to leave his ways in response to the caller to the Deen of Islam. He finds the practice of the Deen to be a heavy burden, and feels incapable of carrying it, just as one who ascends into the upper atmosphere feels constriction in the chest and difficulty in breathing. Another interpretation of this analogy is that practicing Islam seems as heavy a burden to him as if he were asked to fly (unaided) up into the atmosphere.
Ibn Taimia said elsewhere: Allah made three types of hearts: impenetrable, diseased and believing. This is because it is either dry and fossilized and unable to soften up to the truth and acknowledge and submit to it, or it is not so. The first one is the impenetrable heart - it is dry and hard like a rock - it cannot change and faith has not been decreed for it. Furthermore, knowledge can not enter it, because that requires a soft and open place to accept it. The second is either firm and steadfast in faith due to inner strength along with softness and openness of the heart or this openness may be accompanied by weakness and negligence. The first is the believing heart, and the second is the one in which their is disease.
Knowledge Contained In This Ayat
The reality of the two types of wills which belong to Allah Most High and the difference between them.That guidance and going astray is entirely in the hands of Allah Most High and not within human power.
Affirmation of the Deity ship and Lordship of Allah Most High.
That we possess no power over our benefit or our harm and are completely impoverished and in need before our Lord Most High for guidance and for all other needs.
The One who alone possesses creation and giving of sustenance is the only One to rightfully be given exclusive devotion in the area of Deityship, worship, beseeching and all other forms of worship. No one - neither Prophets nor angels nor anyone else - has any power to guide hearts or remove calamities except Allah Most High.
Affirmation of Al-'Illa and the wisdom behind Allah's actions and rulings. Since He does them intentionally and wilfully, there is of necessity a reason and a wisdom behind all of Allah's actions and rulings.
A sign of those for whom Allah has decreed belief is an openness and softness of the heart to receive and contemplate the message of Islam followed by a joyful acceptance of it and an easy and willing submission to all of its dictates.
A sign of those for whom Allah has decreed disbelief is the constriction and difficulty of the heart to listen to the message of Islam followed by a stubbornness and unwillingness to contemplate its message and a perception of the practice of Islam as a heavy burden.
Allah directs the hearts of his slaves in whatever way He wishes. (The Prophet (saws) used to make Du'a to Muqallib Al-Quloob i.e., He who turns hearts over.
That there are signs which indicate those for whom faith has been decreed and those for whom disbelief has been decreed.
Whoever feels that Allah has blessed him with expansiveness of breast to accept Islam and submit easily to its teachings should constantly express gratitude to Allah and beseech Him to grant him steadfastness on the path until death.
Question: There are four logical possibilities of the presence of either or both of Allah's wills in any event. Name and describe the four possible combinations and give examples for each.
Allah's Attribute Of Love
{And spend in the path of Allah and do not cast yourselves to destruction with your own hands and practice Ihsaan. Verily, Allah loves those who practice Ihsaan.} Al-Baqarah/195[Note: Read 5:41 which speaks about hypocrites and some of their allies first.]
{Constant listeners to lies, constant devourers of the forbidden. So, if they come to you, judge between them, or turn away from them. If you [decide to] turn away from them, they will not harm you in the least. And, if you [decide to] judge between them, judge between them with in equity. Verily, Allah loves those who judge in equity.} Al-Maidah/42
{How could the associationists have a pact before Allah and His Prophet?! Except those with whom you made a pact at the Sacred Mosque: as long as they live up to their pledges to you, live up to yours to them, verily, Allah loves the people of Taqwa.} At-Tauba/9
{They ask you about menses. Say: It is unclean, so withdraw from women during their courses. And do not approach them until they have become clean. Then, when they have purified themselves, go to them from where Allah has ordered you. Verily, Allah loves those who ever turn to Him in repentance and He loves those who ever purify themselves.} Al-Baqarah/222
{Say: If you [truly] love Allah, then follow me that Allah may love you and forgive you your sins. And Allah is Forgiving, Merciful. * Say: Obey Allah and obey the Prophet. Then, if they turn away [know that] Allah loves not the disbelievers.} Aal-Imran/31-32
In these verse is the proof of Allah's attribute of love. Love is one of the attributes of Allah's actions (u>As-Sifaat Al-Fi'liya). There can be no doubt about this attribute of Allah as is clear from the Qur'an, the Sunnah, and the Consensus of the beginning of the Ummah of the Muslims. His love is called just that, and is of a nature appropriate to His Greatness and Perfection. It cannot be compared to human love except in name, since Allah said about himself: {There is nothing like unto Him, and He is the Hearer, the Seer}. This is the case with all of Allah's attributes, both those of His Essence and those of His Actions.
The linguistic derivation of the work for love (Hubb) contains the meanings of things being consistently together, and steadfastness. Thus is is said that a camel Ahabb (the same verb as the one meaning loves) when it sits down and is quiet. Thus, one who loves is constant in the remembrance of the object of his love, and his heart is steadfast in its love with not desire to move away from it or to shift it to another.
Among the evidences of the Sunnah for Allah's attribute of Love is the following sahih hadith narrated by Ahmad:
Three Allah loves, and three Allah hates: a man who faces the enemy along with a group [of mujahideen] and continues to face them until he either is killed, or opens a way for his companions; a group of people who press on in their journey until they yearn to touch the ground (i.e. sleep), and so they stop. Then one of them takes himself off to one side and continues praying until he wakes his companions to continue their journey; and a man who has a neighbour who harasses him and who is patient with his neighbour's torments until they are separated by death or journey. As for those whom Allah hates: a businessman who ever swears by the truth of his claims; a poor person who is arrogant; and a stingy person who is ostentatious and boastful about what he gives.
Ibn Taimia said: The people of the Sunnah and Al-Jamaa say that Allah loves and is pleased, as the Qur'an and the Sunnah have clearly shown. They further say that Allah's love and his pleasure (or acceptance) is more specific than His Will. Thus, Allah does not love disbelief or any forms of corruption and disobedience nor does he accept it, even though all of these things fall under His Will and His Decree as does everything in the creation.
