THE THREE FOUNDATIONS1
SHAYKH'UL ISLÂM MUHAMMAD BIN ABD'IL WAHHÂB RAHIMAHULLÂH
In the name of Allâh, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful,
May Allâh have mercy on you2, know that,
FOUR ISSUES
It is compulsory for us to learn four issues:
1. Knowledge: It is knowing Allâh, knowing His Nabî Sallallâhu Alayhi wa Sallam, and knowing the religion of Islâm with its proofs.
2. Acting upon this knowledge.
3. Calling/inviting to it.
4. Patience in the face of adversity that results from (knowing, acting and inviting to) it.
And the evidence is the statement of Allâhu Taâlâ,
"(I swear) by the Time, indeed, mankind is in loss, except those who believed and did righteous deeds, and advised each other to the truth and advised each other to patience." (al-Asr 103/1-3)
In the name of Allâh, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful,
(Imâm) ash-Shafi'î (d. 204H) Rahimahullâhu Taâlâ said,
"If no proof besides this Sûrah (Chapter of the Qur'ân) had been revealed by Allâhu Taâlâ to His creation, it would have been sufficient for them."
(Imâm) al-Bukhârî (d. 256H) Rahimahullâhu Taâlâ said,
"Chapter: Knowledge is Before Statement and Action." And the evidence is the statement of Allâhu Taâlâ,
"So know that there is no -true- deity -worthy of worship- except Allâh." (Muhammad 47/19)
Thus, (the verse) began with knowledge before "statement and action."
1- Mu'allafât'ush Shaykh 1/185-196; ad-Durar'us Saniyyah, 1/125-135, 146-151; Mahmûd Shukrî al-Âlûsî, Ghâyat'ul Amânî fî'r Raddi ala'n Nabhânî, 2/84-93.
2- The statement "May Allâh have mercy on you, know that" is not found in ad-Durar'us Saniyyah. Al-Âlûsî relates what follows in the following manner,
"(Know that) it is compulsory to learn knowledge and it is the cure for the sick hearts. And again, it is one of the most important things obligated upon you. Acting with this knowledge is the reason for entering Jannah (Paradise). Being ignorant of it and neglecting it is a reason to enter Hell. (And again know that) there are four issues compulsory upon you..." (also refer to ad-Durar'us Saniyyah, 4/337)