AL-INTISÂR LI HIZBILLÂH'IL MUWAHHIDÎN | SHAYKH ABDULLÂH ABÂ BUTAYN

[Subul’us Salâm]

Türkçe

بِسْمِ اللّٰهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ

الانتصار لحزب الله الموحدين والرد على المجادل عن المشركين

Aiding the Party of Allâh the Muwahhidûn
and
Refuting Those Who Dispute on Behalf of the Mushrikûn

الشيخ عبد الله بن عبد الرحمن أبابطين النجدي رحمه الله

Shaykh Abdullâh bin Abd'ir Rahmân Abâ Butayn an-Najdî Rahimahullâh

Khutbat'ul Hâjah (The Sermon of Necessity)

About the Author

Preface

The Reason Behind the Creation of Humans and Jinns

Why the Messengers Were Sent

The Meaning of Tâghût

The Meaning of the Lafdh'ul Jalâlah (Exalted Word) Allâh

The Meaning of the Term Ilâh

The Meaning of Lâ Ilâha Illallâh and What It Necessitates

The Polytheists Are Aware of the Meaning of Kalimat'ut Tawhîd

The First Obligation Upon the Slave Is Knowing the Meaning of Lâ Ilâha Illallâh

Refuting Those Who Say: We, Are Not Responsible from Passing Judgment on People

Affirming Tawhîd'ur Rubûbiyyah Is Insufficient for One to Become a Muslim

The Reality of Ibâdah (Worship)

Changing of Names Does Not Constitute Changing in Ruling

The Incident of Dhâtu Anwât

The Contradictions of Those Who Say, "We Cannot Declare Takfir Upon the One Who Utters Lâ Ilâha Illallâh, No Matter What He Does"

[Subul’us Salâm]

Türkçe

خُطْبَةُ الْحَاجَةِ

إِنَّ الْحَمْدَ لِلّٰهِ، نَحْمَدُهُ، وَنَسْتَعِينُهُ، وَنَسْتَغْفِرُهُ، وَنَعُوذُ بِاللهِ مِنْ شُرُورِ أَنْفُسِنَا، وَمِنْ سَيِّئَاتِ أَعْمَالِنَا، مَنْ يَهْدِهِ اللهُ فَلاَ مُضِلَّ لَهُ، وَمَنْ يُضْلِلْ فَلاَ هَادِيَ لَهُ، وَأَشْهَدُ أَنْ لاَ إِلٰهَ إِلاَّ اللهُ وَحْدَهُ لاَ شَرِيكَ لَهُ، وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُولُهُ.

﴿يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اتَّقُوا اللهَ حَقَّ تُقَاتِهِ وَلاَ تَمُوتُنَّ إِلاَّ وَأَنْتُمْ مُسْلِمُونَ.﴾ [آل عمران: 102]

﴿يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ اتَّقُوا رَبَّكُمُ الَّذِي خَلَقَكُمْ مِنْ نَفْسٍ وَاحِدَةٍ وَخَلَقَ مِنْهَا زَوْجَهَا وَبَثَّ مِنْهُمَا رِجَالاً كَثِيرًا وَنِسَاءً وَاتَّقُوا اللهَ الَّذِي تَسَاءَلُونَ بِهِ وَالْأَرْحَامَ إِنَّ اللهَ كَانَ عَلَيْكُمْ رَقِيبًا.﴾ [النساء: 1]

﴿يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اتَّقُوا اللهَ وَقُولُوا قَوْلاً سَدِيدًا. يُصْلِحْ لَكُمْ أَعْمَالَكُمْ وَيَغْفِرْ لَكُمْ ذُنُوبَكُمْ وَمَنْ يُطِعِ اللهَ وَرَسُولَهُ فَقَدْ فَازَ فَوْزًا عَظِيمًا.﴾ [الأحزاب: 71-70]

أَمَّا بَعْدُ: فَإِنَّ أَصْدَقَ الْحَدِيثِ كِتَابُ اللهِ، وَخَيْرَ الْهَدْيِ هَدْيُ مُحَمَّدٍ، وَشَرَّ الْأُمُورِ مُحْدَثَاتُهَا، وَكُلَّ مُحْدَثَةٍ بِدْعَةٌ، وَكُلَّ بِدْعَةٍ ضَلاَلَةٌ، وَكُلَّ ضَلاَلَةٍ فِي النَّارِ.

Khutbat'ul Hâjah (The Sermon of Necessity)

All praise is due to Allâh. We praise Him, seek His help, and seek His forgiveness. We seek refuge in Allâh from the evil within ourselves and our evil deeds. Whoever Allâh guides, there is no one who can lead him astray, and whoever Allâh leads astray, then there is no one who can guide him. I bear witness there is no -true- deity -worthy of worship- except Allâh, He is One and He has no partners, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and His Rasûl (Messenger).

"O you who believe! Fear Allâh as He should be feared, and die not except as Muslims." (Âl-i Imrân 3/102)

"O mankind! Be dutiful to your Lord, Who created you from a single person, and from him He created his wife, and from them both He created many men and women and fear Allâh through Whom you demand your mutual (rights), and beware of severing the ties of kinship. Surely, Allâh is Ever an All-Watcher over you." (an-Nisâ 4/1)

"O you who believe! Keep your duty to Allâh and fear Him, and speak the truth. He will set your deeds right and forgive your sins. And whoever obeys Allâh and His Messenger, has truly achieved a great triumph." (al-Ahzâb 33/70-71)

Ammâ Ba'd (to Proceed):

Verily, the most truthful speech is the Kalâmullâh (Speech of Allâh), the best guidance is the guidance of Muhammad Sallallâhu Alayhi wa Sallam. The worst of affairs are the newly invented matters. Every newly invented matter is a Bid'ah (religious innovation), and every Bid'ah is a Dalâlah (misguidance), and every misguidance is in the Nâr (Hellfire).<sup>1


1-</sup> This Du'â (prayer) which Shaykh'ul Islâm Ibnu Taymiyyah Rahimahullâh accounted as "a knot between the Islâmic system and Îmân" (Ibnu Taymiyyah, Majmû'ul Fatâwâ, 14/223) which is known as "Khutbat'ul Hâjah (The Sermon of Necessity)" was recited by Rasûlullah Sallallâhu Alayhi wa Sallam during the beginning of his Jumu'ah Khutbah (Friday Sermon). Various portions of this renown Khutbah has been narrated with different wordings in an-Nasâ'î, Hadîth no: 3278; Muslim, Hadîth no: 868; Abû Dâwûd, Hadîth no: 2118; at-Tirmidhî, Hadîth no: 1105, and in other compilations of Hadîth.

[Subul’us Salâm]

Türkçe

The Biography of the Author Shaykh Abâ Butayn (1194 H-1282 H)²

He is Allâmah, Faqîh, Usûl scholar, Abû Abd'ir Rahmân, Abdullâh bin Abd'ir Rahmân bin Abd'il Azîz bin Abdillâh bin Sultân bin Khamis. Like his predecessors, he attained the Kunyah³, Abâ Butayn.

He is from the region of Aiz and from among the family Khamis. He is from the Hanbalî Maddhab. He was born in the city of Rowdhah, in the region of Sudir, in the month of Dhu'l Qa'dah 1194 H/1773 CE. He was born twelve years before the death of Imâm Mujaddid Muhammad bin Abd'il Wahhâb Rahimahullâh. He grew up in a family affiliated with the Dîn, and had interest in Ilm since he was young such that he had a large amount of Ilm during his young ages due to having a strong perception and being a quick learner.

His Travels for Seeking Ilm and his Teachers

Shaykh Abâ Butayn Rahimahullâh studied in his city Rowdhah with its scholar, Shaykh Muhammad Ibn'ul Hajj ad-Dowsarî Rahimahullâh and became very talented in Fiqh (jurisprudence). He Rahimahullâh then traveled to Shaqraa, the capital city of the region of Washm, where he studied Tafsîr, Hadîth, Fiqh and Usûl'ud Dîn with its Qadhî (judge) and one of the renowned students of Shaykh Muhammad bin Abd'il Wahhâb Rahimahullâh, Abd'ul Azîz bin Abdillâh al-Husayn Rahimahullâh and became expert in these sciences.

Among his teachers are, the son of Shaykh Muhammad Rahimahullâh, Abdullâh bin Muhammad bin Abd'il Wahhâb Rahimahullâh and Allâmah Hamad bin Nâsir bin Mu'ammar Rahimahullâh from among the students of Shaykh Muhammad Rahimahullâh. Therefore, he studied under those valuable teachers and he became one of the Ahl'ul Ilm (People of Knowledge) of his era.

One of his students, the author of Târîkhu Najd, Uthmân bin Bishr Rahimahullâh said the following regarding him, "He had complete knowledge in (the sciences); Tafsîr, Hadîth, and Fiqh and he was an Imâm in all types of sciences of Ilm."

What is more astonishing is the statement by one of his students, Muhammad bin Abdillâh bin Humayd, in his book "as-Suhub'ul Wâbilah" regarding the Tabaqât of Hanâbilah -with so many praises- regarding him. He said, "As for his awareness of the disagreements and the narrations of the Four Imâm and A'immah of the Salaf, views of the Madhâhib (pl. Madhhab), then this is indeed strange. I do not know anyone alike him moreover (I do not know) one who comes close to him (in these matters)." After praising him numerous times, just as we mentioned he ended his statements regarding him saying, "...and with his death the Tahqîq era in the Madhhab of Imâm Ahmad Rahimahullâh ended. He was an Âyah (symbol) in this regard."⁴ With this, he meant that Shaykh Abâ Butayn Rahimahullâh was the last of the Muhaqqiqîn.

What makes these statements important is that; the owner of these statements, Ibnu Humayd, was his student however, he differed with him in matters of Aqîdah. Such that due to his severe opposition to the Da'wah of Tawhîd, he did not allocate a place for Shaykh'ul Islâm Muhammad bin Abd'il Wahhâb Rahimahullâh and many among his Ashâb in his book regarding the Tabaqât of Hanâbilah. Furthermore, he attacked the Shaykh Muhammad and his Da'wah with undercover statements while mentioning his father.⁵ He tried to defend the poem well known as "al-Qasîdat'ul Burdah" which has abundant Shirk in it. Shaykh Abd'ur Rahmân bin Hasan Rahimahullâh wrote a refutation to Ibnu Humayd an-Najdî.⁶ Even though an opposer it is important, that such an opposer of the Aqîdah mentioned the status of Shaykh Abâ Butayn Rahimahullâh in Ilm.

His Positions

He held the position as the Judge of Ta'if during the era of Sa'ûd bin Abd'il Azîz bin Muhammad Rahimahullâh. Then Abdullâh bin Sa'ûd appointed him as a Judge for Oman. Imâm at-Turkî Rahimahullâh appointed him in his time as the Judge of Washm and made him the Judge of Sudayr region. After he became a Judge of Qasîm, he departed from his position as a judge.

His Students

His position did not hold Shaykh Abâ Butayn Rahimahullâh away from teaching and calling to Tawhîd. Some of his students are:

1- Sâlih bin Îsâ Rahimahullâh.

2- (His son) Abd'ur Rahmân bin Abdillâh bin Abâ Butayn Rahimahullâh.

3- Muhammad bin Abdillâh bin Humayd (author of "as-Suhub'ul Wâbilah" as mentioned above).

4- Uthmân bin Bishr Rahimahullâh (author of "Unwân'ul Majd" regarding the history of Najd).

His Akhlâq (Character)

The author was a Zâhid (devotee), an owner of Wara (abstinence) and had a personality who dedicated his time completely to Ilm. He liked silence, spoke little, and had a Waqur (graceful) personality. He had Matânah (firmness) regarding Haqq (truth); was a generous person and he consecrated himself to Ilm. He was among the Ahl'ul Ibâdah and Tahajjud (People of Worship and Prayer of Tahajjud Prayer), he rarely went out to the people.

His Works

He studied many sciences and compiled many works. Some of his works are:

1- Muhktasar (summary) of "Badâ'i'ul Fawâ'id" which belongs to Ibn'ul Qayyim Rahimahullâh.

2- Hâshiyah to the book "Sharh'ul Muntahâ" which is regarding the Hanbalî Fiqh.

3- Refutation to Dâwûd bin Jarjîs an-Naqshibandî, "Ta'sîs'ut Taqdîs".

4- "Al-Intisâr li Hizbillâh'il Muwahhidîn" (Mentioned in ad-Durar'us Saniyyah, this book is a refutation against Dâwud bin Jarjîs).

5- A Mukhtasar Risâlah regarding Usûl'ul Fiqh.

6- A Risâlah regarding Tajwîd.

His many Fatâwâ are found in "ad-Durar'us Saniyyah", "Majmû'at'ur Rasâ'il" and other compilations, which gather the works of Ulamâ of Najd.

His Death

Shaykh Abâ Butayn Rahimahullâh died when he was eighty-eight years old in the Shaqraa region. May Allâhu Taâlâ have mercy upon him and may his abode be Jannah (Paradise), Âmîn!


^2- We benefitted from the following sources while preparing the biography of Shaykh Abâ Butayn Rahimahullâh: ad-Durar'us Saniyyah fi'l Ajwibat'in Najdiyyah, 16/427-429; Mashâhiru Ulamâ'in Najd, 176-179, and information given in the beginning of the book "al-Intisâr" by the verifier.

^3- Kunyah is a type of nickname that a person is praised and honoured with, unlike nicknames which may have connotations of praise or otherwise.

^4- As-Suhub'ul Wâbilah alâ Dharâ'ih'il Hanâbilah, 626-633, no. 386.

^5- As-Suhub'ul Wâbilah ala Dharâ'ih'il Hanâbilah, no. 415.

^6- The book titled "al-Mahijjah fi'r Raddi ala'l Lujjah" and published in "al-Matlab'ul Hamîd" comprises pamphlets of the Shaykh Abd'ur Rahmân bin Hasan Rahimahullâh. The Muhaqqiq of "al-Matlab'ul Hamîd" stated the reason for this Risâlah to be written was the statements of Ibnu Humayd regarding al-Burdah. Al-Lujjah was the nickname of Ibnu Humayd.

[Subul’us Salâm]

Türkçe

الانتصار لحزب الله الموحدين والرد على المجادل عن المشركين

Aiding the Party of Allâh the Muwahhidûn
and
Refuting Those Who Dispute on Behalf of the Mushrikûn

الشيخ عبد الله بن عبد الرحمن أبابطين النجدي رحمه الله

Shaykh Abdullâh bin Abd'ir Rahmân Abâ Butayn an-Najdî Rahimahullâh

Preface

In the Name of Allâh, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

All praise is due to Allâh. We praise Him, seek His help, seek His forgiveness, and repent to Him. We seek refuge in Allâh from the evil within ourselves and our evil deeds. Whoever Allâh guides, there is no one who can lead him astray, and whoever Allâh leads astray, then there is no one who can guide him. I bear witness there is no -true- deity -worthy of worship- except Allâh, He is One and He has no partners, and I bear witness that Muhammad -Sallallâhu Alayhi wa Sallama Taslîman Kathîran- is His servant and His Messenger.

To proceed:

[Subul’us Salâm]

Türkçe

The Reason Behind the Creation of Humans and Jinns

Allâhu Taâlâ said,

"I have not created the jinn and human beings except that they worship Me." (adh-Dhâriyât, 51/56)

When Allâh Subhânahu taught us that He created us only to worship Him, it became compulsory on us to be concerned with what He created us for -in knowledge and in deed. Allâhu Taâlâ said in the verse,

"O people, worship your Lord Who created you and those before you, so that you may become God-fearing." (al-Baqarah, 2/21)

Allâhu Taâlâ also said,

"Worship Allâh and associate nothing with Him." (an-Nisâ, 4/36)

Ibnu Abbâs Radiyallâhu Anhumâ said,

"What is intended with all that is mentioned in the Qur'ân regarding the command of worship is Tawhîd."<sup>7


7-</sup> Al-Baghawî, Tafsîr, Dâru Taybah print, 1/71, explanation of Sûrat'ul Baqarah, verse 21.

[Subul’us Salâm]

Türkçe

Why the Messengers Were Sent

Allâhu Taâlâ sent all of the Messengers with this. Allâhu Taâlâ said,

"We never sent a messenger before you except that We revealed to him, "There is no -true- deity -worthy of worship- except Me, so worship Me (alone)." (al-Anbiyâ, 21/25)

Allâhu Taâlâ also said,

"And ask those We sent before you of Our messengers; have We made besides the Most Merciful deities to be worshipped?" (az-Zukhruf, 43/45)

The first thing all the Messengers were reciting to their people was to say, "Worship Allâhu Taâlâ, you have no deity other than Him."

[Subul’us Salâm]

Türkçe

The Meaning of Tâghût

Allâhu Taâlâ said,

"And verily, We have sent among every nation a Messenger (proclaiming): Worship Allâh (alone), and avoid (worshipping) the Tâghût." (an-Nahl, 16/36)

(Imâm) Mâlik Rahimahullâh and others from the Mufassirûn (scholars of Qur'ânic Exegeses) said,

"Tâghût is everything worshipped other than Allâh."⁸

Umar Ibn'ul Khattâb and Ibnu Abbâs Radiyallâhu Anhum said,

"Tâghût is the Shaytân."⁹

Ibnu Kathîr said,

"This is a really strong (good) opinion. Because this opinion encompasses every aspect of what the people of Jâhiliyyah (pre-Islâmic era) were upon from worshipping idols, seeking judgement from them, and requesting help from them." Ibnu Kathîr mentioned this while commenting upon the statement of Allâhu Taâlâ,

"So whoever disbelieves in the Tâghût and believes in Allâh..." (al-Baqarah, 2/256)¹⁰

An-Nawawî Rahimahullâh said,

"Al-Layth, Abû Ubaydah, al-Kisâ'î, and the majority of the scholars of language said: Taghût is everything worshipped other than Allâhu Taâlâ."¹¹

Al-Jawharî said,

"Tâghût is the shaytân and every main-figure in deviation." End quote.¹²

What these and similar verses from the Qur'ân encompass of commanding worshipping Allâh alone Who has no partners and forbidding worshipping other than Him, is the meaning of Lâ Ilâha Illallâh (there is no -true- deity -worthy of worship- except Allâh)!


^8- Ibnu Wahb, the student of Imam Mâlik, narrated this in his book al-Jâmi fî Tafsîr'il Qur'ân, 2/135, no. 270. It was mentioned in ad-Durr'ul Manthûr (2/22), in the Tafsîr of the Âyah al-Baqarah 2/256, that Ibnu Abî Hâtim Rahimahullâh narrated this as well.

^9- This was narrated with the sequence of Ta'lîq (omission of the chain of narration) in Sahîh'ul Bukhârî, the book of Tafsîr, in the Âyah an-Nisâ 4/43. Al-Hâfidh Ibnu Hajar Rahimahullâh narrated that this chain of narration is "Strong." (Ibnu Hajar, Fath'ul Bârî, 8/252) Also, in his Tafsîr, no. 5834-5835, at-Tabarî, narrated this narration and Ibnu Kathîr has extracted it in his Tafsîr, 1/523, regarding the Âyah al-Baqarah 2/256. Likewise, in ad-Durr'ul Manthûr, it is mentioned that al-Firyâbî and Sa'îd bin Mansûr have also narrated this. (as-Suyûtî, ad-Durr'ul Manthûr, 2/22)

^10- Ibnu Kathîr, Tafsîr, Dâru Taybah, 1/683.

^11- An-Nawawî, Sharhu Sahîh Muslim, 3/18.

^12- Al-Jawharî, as-Sihâh, 6/2413.

[Subul’us Salâm]

Türkçe

The Meaning of the Lafdh'ul Jalâlah (Exalted Word) Allâh

Ibnu Jarîr (at-Tabarî) said in his statement regarding the meaning of Lafdh'ul Jalâlah, "It was narrated to us from Ibnu Abbâs that he said: Meaning, He is the possessor of Ulûhiyyah (divinity) and Ubûdiyyah (servitude) over all of His creation."¹³

Al-Jawharî said in as-Sihâh,

"Alaha -with Fathah- Ilâhatan meaning Abada (he worshipped) -Ibâdatan (to worship)."

He said,

"Our saying "Allâh" is also (derived) from it. The origin of the word Allâh is Ilâhun upon the form Fi'âl in the meaning of Maf'ûl (object). This is because Ma'lûh (the one who is taken as a deity) means Ma'bûd (the one who is worshipped)."

He said,

"At-Ta'lîh (divinization) is at-Ta'bîd (deification); at-Ta'alluh (making divine) is at-Tanassuk (devotion) and at-Ta'abbud (devoting to worship). Ru'bah¹⁴ said, "Due to my Ta'alluh (worship) they did Tasbîh and Istirjâ (i.e. said, 'Glory to be Allâh!' and, 'Truly, to Allâh we belong and truly, to Him we shall return!')."¹⁵

End quote.¹⁶

(Al-Fîrûzâbâdî) said in al-Qâmûs('ul Muhît),

"Alaha-Ilâhatan-Ulûhatan (meaning) Abada (he worshiped)-Ibâdatan (to worship, slavery). Lafdh'ul Jalâlah (the name Allâh) is (derived) from it.

He also said,

"The origin of Lafdh'ul Jalâlah is Ilâh which means Ma'lûh. Everything that is taken as Ma'bûd is an Ilâh in the presence of the one who takes it (as Ma'bûd)."

He said,

"Ta'alluh is Tanassuk and Ta'abbud."¹⁷

In al-Misbâh('ul Munîr by al-Fayyûmî), it is said,

"Alaha -from the group of Ta'iba- Ilâhatan meaning Abada (he worshipped) -Ibâdatan (to worship). At-Ta'alluh (making divine) is at-Ta'abbud (devoting to worship). Ilâh is Ma'bûd, who is Allâh Subhânahu. The polytheists used this word for those whom they worship besides Allâh." End quote.<sup>18


13-</sup> Imâm at-Tabarî narrated this in his Tafsîr (no. 141). According to what was mentioned in ad-Durr'ul Manthûr, Ibnu Abî Hâtim also narrated this narration (as-Suyûtî, ad-Durr'ul Manthûr, 1/23). In the chain of narration, there is a weak narrator named Bishr bin Umârah.

^14- Ru'bah bin Ajjâj at-Tamîmî Rahimahullâh was among the eloquent speakers of the Arabs and has poetry on the Wazn of Rajaz (Arabic poetry genre). He is from Basra and studied under his father and others. Yahyâ al-Qattân Rahimahullâh and many others studied under him. He was a scholar of Arabic Language and was accounted as a great scholar in the field during his era. He died in 145 H.

^15- Ru'bah, Dîwân, 165.

^16- Al-Jawharî, as-Sihâh, 6/2223.

^17- Al-Fîrûzâbâdî, al-Qâmûs, 4/280

^18- Al-Fayyûmî, Misbâh'ul Munîr, 1/19.

[Subul’us Salâm]

Türkçe

The Meaning of the Term Ilâh

Shaykh'ul Islâm Ibnu Taymiyyah Rahimahullâh said, "Ilâh is the obeyed Ma'bûd. So Ilâh is in the meaning of Ma'lûh (the who is taken as an Ilâh)."¹⁹

Ibn'ul Qayyim said, "Ilâh, is the one which the hearts deify with love, respect, penitence, honor, glorification, fear, hope, and reliance."²⁰

Ibnu Rajab said, "Ilâh is the one who is not disobeyed and is obeyed due to veneration, respect, love, fear, hope, and reliance, asking from Him and invoking Him. These can only be directed to Allâh. So, whoever associates a created being in one of these affairs that are specific qualities of Ilâhiyyah, then this will pierce his sincerity in saying Lâ Ilâha Illallâh and will diminish his Tawhîd. His worship of the created being is in accordance with the specific qualities he attributes to it. All of these are from the branches of Shirk."<sup>21


19-</sup> With similar wording in Majmû'u Fatâwâ Shaykh'il Islâm Ahmad Ibni Taymiyyah, 13/202; Ibnu Taymiyyah, Iqtidhâ'us Sirât'il Mustaqîm, 2/387.

^20- Ibn'ul Qayyim, Ighâthat'ul Luhafân, Maktabat'ul Ma'ârif, 1/27.

^21- Ibnu Rajab al-Hanbalî, Kalimat'ul Ikhlâs, al-Maktabat'ul Islâmî, p. 23-24.

The statements by these scholars were quoted by Abd'ur Rahmân bin Hasan Rahimahullâh with similar wording. (Abd'ur Rahmân bin Hasan, Fath'ul Majîd, p. 37-38)

[Subul’us Salâm]

Türkçe

The Meaning of Lâ Ilâha Illallâh and What It Necessitates

In al-Ifsâh, (the Hanbalî jurist Wazîr Abu'l Mudhaffar) Ibnu Hubayrah (d. 560 H) said,

"His statement (in the Hadîth), "Bearing witness that there is no -true- deity -worthy of worship- except Allâh," necessitates the one who witnesses to know that there is no -true- deity -worthy of worship- except Allâh. Allâhu Taâlâ said,

"So know that there is no -true- deity -worthy of worship- except Allâh." (Muhammad, 47/19)

It is necessary for the one who utters it to bear witness to it. Allâhu Taâlâ has said in a very clear fashion that if the person witnessing to the truth does not know what he witnessed, he does not attain truthfulness in testimony attained by those who bear witness to you with what they know. Allâh has said this in He Taâlâ's statement,

"Only those who testify to the truth and they know." (az-Zukhruf, 43/86)"

Ibnu Hubayrah said, "The noun Allâh is in the nominative case after the word (of exception) Illâ since He is the One for whom Ilâhiyyah is compulsory, thus none other than Allâh Subhânahu deserves it."

Ibnu Hubayrah also said, "Affirming this statement necessitates knowing that everything that has a sign of being new cannot be an Ilâh. Thus, when you say Lâ Ilâha Illallâh, this very utterance of yours includes that everything other than Allâh is not an Ilâh. Therefore, it necessitates you to single out Allâh Subhânahu alone in this regard."

Ibnu Hubayrah said, "Concisely, the benefit in this is that you know that this word comprises of disbelieving in the Tâghût and believing in Allâh. This is because when you have negated Ilâhiyyah and affirmed compliance to Allâh, then you have become from those who have disbelieved in the Tâghût and believed in Allâh." End quote.²²

In his Tafsîr, Abû Abdillâh al-Qurtubî said, "Lâ Ilâha Illâ Huwa (there is no -true- deity -worthy of worship- except Him) meaning, "There is no Ma'bûd (one who deserves to be worshipped) except Him."²³

Az-Zamakhsharî²⁴ said, "The word Ilâh is a generic noun just like the words man and horse. It is a noun referring to everything that is worshipped, regardless of it being true or false. Afterwards, the use of this word for the true Ma'bûd prevailed."²⁵

(The Shâfi'î jurist and exegete) al-Biqâ'î (d. 885H) said,

"Lâ Ilâha Illallâh, meaning; the possibility of there being a true Ma'bûd other than the Magnificent King was banished in a powerful manner. Verily, this knowledge is the greatest reminder that saves one from the horrors of the final hour. This only becomes knowledge when it benefits, and it is only beneficial if it is coupled with submissive obedience and acting in accordance with its requirements, otherwise, it is pure ignorance." End quote.<sup>26


22-</sup> Abd'ur Rahmân bin Hasan, Fath'ul Majîd, p. 37.

^23- Al-Qurtubî, al-Jâmi'u li Ahkâm'il Qur'ân, 2/191.

^24- Az-Zamakhsharî is one of the leaders of the innovators from the Mu'tazilah and a philologist. Since he mastered language, the scholars of Ahl'us Sunnah benefitted from his books. He passed away in the year 538 H. For his biography, refer to Ibnu Hajar al-Asqalânî, Lisân'ul Mîzân, 6/4.

^25- Az-Zamakhsharî, al-Kashshâf, 1/6.

^26- Al-Biqâ'î, Nadhm'ud Durar fî Tanâsub'il Âyâti wa's Suwar, 18/230; Abd'ur Rahmân bin Hasan, Fath'ul Majîd, p. 38.

[Subul’us Salâm]

Türkçe

The Polytheists Are Aware of the Meaning of Kalimat'ut Tawhîd

All the exegetes explain the term Ilâh as Ma'bûd. The polytheists knew this since they were experts of the Arabic language. So, when the Nabî Sallallâhu Alayhi wa Sallam requested them to say Lâ Ilâha Illallâh, they said,

"Has he made the Âlihah (pl. Ilâh; deities) (all) into One Ilâh? It is a very strange thing indeed!" (Sâd, 38/5)

The polytheists admitted that Allâh is the Creator, the Sustainer, the Disposer of all the affairs, the Lord and King of everything, as Allâhu Taâlâ informed of this regarding them in multiple places in His Book.

[Subul’us Salâm]

Türkçe

The First Obligation Upon the Slave Is Knowing the Meaning of Lâ Ilâha Illallâh

Allâh Subhânahu obligated upon His slaves knowing the meaning of Lâ Ilâha Illallâh and knowing that there is no -true- deity -worthy of worship- except Him. Allâhu Taâlâ said,

"So know that there is no -true- deity -worthy of worship- except Allâh." (Muhammad, 47/19)

Al-Bukhârî interpreted this verse and said,

"Chapter: Knowledge is Before Statement and Action."²⁷

Al-Bukhârî alluded to the fact that knowledge with regards to the meaning of Lâ Ilâha Illallâh is the first obligation. Statements and actions come after its knowledge.

Allâhu Taâlâ said,

"This Qur'ân is a message for the people that they may be warned thereby and that they may know that He is but one Deity." (Ibrâhîm, 14/52)

Allâhu Taâlâ did not say, "So that they say He is but one Deity."

Allâhu Taâlâ said,

"So, if they do not respond to you, then be assured that it has been sent down with the knowledge of Allâh and that there is no -true- deity -worthy of worship- except Him. So, do you submit?" (Hûd, 11/14)

Meaning: Know that there is no -true- deity -worthy of worship- except Him.

Allâhu Taâlâ said,

"And those they invoke besides Him do not possess (power of) intercession; but only those who testify to the truth (can benefit), and they know." (az-Zukhruf, 43/86)

The exegetes said, "Except those who witness to Lâ Ilâha Illallâh while they know in their hearts what they witnessed to with their tongues..."²⁸

The Nabî Sallallâhu Alayhi wa Sallam said,

"Whoever dies while he knows that there is no -true- deity -worthy of worship- except Allâh will enter Paradise."²⁹

The scholars have deducted from these and similar verses that the first obligation upon people is knowing Allâh.

These verses indicate that the firmest of the obligations is knowledge with regards to the meaning of Lâ Ilâha Illallâh and that the greatest ignorance is deficiency regarding its meaning. This is because knowledge of its meaning is the firmest of what is compulsory, then ignorance regarding it is the greatest of ignorance and the ugliest of ignorance. 


^27- Al-Bukhârî, Sahîh, 10^th chapter of Kitâb'ul Ilm.

^28- For similar explanations, refer to Ibnu Kathîr, at-Tafsîr, Dâru Taybah 7/243; al-Qurtubî, at-Tafsîr, 16/122.

^29- Ahmad, Musnad, 1/509, Hadîth no. 464; with similar wording in Muslim, Sahîh, Hadîth no. 26.

[Subul’us Salâm]

Türkçe

Refuting Those Who Say: We, Are Not Responsible from Passing Judgment on People

What is astonishing is that when some people hear those who speak regarding the meaning of this word in regards to what it negates and affirms, they condemn this and say, "We are not responsible from (passing judgment on) people and speaking regarding them!"

It will be said to him: Rather you are responsible with knowing Tawhîd for which Allâhu Taâlâ created the jinns and humans and sent all of the messengers calling to. You are also responsible with knowing Shirk, its opposite that is not forgiven. Ignorance in this regard is not an excuse for the legally responsible person.

Imitating in this regard is impermissible, since it is the fundamental of fundamentals. Therefore, whoever does not know what is good and does not reject what is evil then he is destroyed; especially the one who does not know the greatest of the good which is Tawhîd and the greatest of the evil which is Shirk.

A man said to Abdullâh bin Mas'ûd Radiyallâhu Anh, "I am destroyed if I do not enjoin the good and forbid the evil!" So Ibnu Mas'ûd Radiyallâhu Anh said, "You are destroyed if your heart does not know the good and does not reject the evil."³⁰

With the knowledge of Tawhîd, its people are known, as Alî Radiyallâhu Anh said, "Recognize the truth; you'll recognize its people."<sup>31


30-</sup> With similar wording in Abû Nu'aym, Hilyat'ul Awliyâ, 1/135; Ibnu Abî Shaybah, al-Musannaf, no. 37581; al-Bayhaqî, Shu'ab'ul Îmân, Maktabat'ur Rushd, no. 7182.

^31- Ibn'ul Jawzî, Talbîsu Iblîs, p. 74; al-Qurtubî, Tafsîr of the verse al-Baqarah 2/42.

[Subul’us Salâm]

Türkçe

Affirming Tawhîd'ur Rubûbiyyah Is Insufficient for One to Become a Muslim

As for affirming Tawhîd'ur Rubûbiyyah, which is affirming that Allâh Subhânahu is the Creator, King and Disposer of everything, then this is inevitably affirmed by the Muslim and disbeliever. However, a person does not become a Muslim with it until he brings forward Tawhîd'ul Ilâhiyyah which the messengers called to, the polytheists refrained from affirming, and through which the Muslim is differentiated from Shirk and the people of paradise are differentiated from the people of the Hell-fire.

Allâh Subhânahu narrated in many places in His Book regarding the polytheists that they affirm Tawhîd'ur Rubûbiyyah. Allâh Subhânahu uses their affirmation of Tawhîd'ur Rubûbiyyah as a proof against their Shirk in Tawhîd'ul Ilâhiyyah. Allâh Subhânahu says in the verse,

"Say: Who is it that sustains you (in life) from the sky and from the earth? Or who is it that has power over hearing and sight? And who is it that brings out the living from the dead and the dead from the living? And who is it that rules and regulates all affairs? They will say: Allâh. Say: Will you not then show piety (to Him)? For that is Allâh, your Lord, the Truth." (Yûnus, 10/31-32)

When explaining this verse, al-Bakrî ash-Shâfi'î³² said,

If you say, "If the polytheists affirm this, then how could they worship the idols?" I say, "All of the polytheists believed that their worship of the idols is worshipping Allâh and coming close to Allâhu Taâlâ. However, they had various paths (to follow) in this regard:

A sect said, "We are ineligible to worship Allâh without an intermediary due to His magnificence, hence we worship the intermediaries so that they bring us nearer to Allâh."

A sect said, "The angels have esteem in the presence of Allâh, so we adopted idols in the fashion of angels so that they bring us nearer to Allâh."

A sect said, "We adopted the idols as a direction for us to face during our worship, just as the Ka'bah is a direction to face while worshipping Him."

A sect believed that, "Every idol has a devil in charge with the command of Allâh. Therefore, whoever truly worships the idol, that devil will fulfill his needs with the command of Allâh; otherwise, the idols devil will afflict him with a calamity with the command of Allâh."³³

Upon the statement of Allâhu Taâlâ, Ibnu Kathîr said,

"And those who take Awliyâ (pl. Walî; saints) besides Him (say): We only worship them that they may bring us near to Allâh." (az-Zumar, 39/3)

What prompted them to worship the idols is the fact that they approached the idols and according to their claim, took them as the images of the close angels. They worshipped those images diminishing this to the status of their worship of the angels, so that they would intercede with Allâh in regards to helping them and what afflicts them from the affairs of this world.

Qatâdah, as-Suddî, and Mâlik narrated from Zayd bin Aslam and Ibnu Zayd that they said, "We only worship them that they may bring us near to Allâh." (az-Zumar, 39/3) meaning, "So that they may intercede for us and bring us closer to Allâh (in rank)."³⁴

"And if you should ask them: Who has created the heavens and the earth? They will certainly say: They were created by the All-Mighty, the All-Knowing!" (az-Zukhruf, 43/9)

"And if you asked them who created them, they would surely say: Allâh. So how are they deluded?" (az-Zukhruf, 43/87)

Allâhu Taâlâ also said,

"And most of them believe not in Allâh without associating (other as partners) with Him!" (Yûsuf, 12/106)

Ibnu Abbâs and others said, "When you ask them, 'Who created the heavens and the earth?' They say 'Allâh' while they worship other than Him!"³⁵

Thus, Ibnu Abbâs and others interpreted belief in this verse as their affirmation of Tawhîd'ur Rubûbiyyah, and Shirk as their worship of other than Allâh, which is Tawhîd'ul Ulûhiyyah.


^32- Allâh knows best but it seems as if the scholars name is Zayn'ud Dîn Muhammad Ibnu Abî Bakr ar-Râzî al-Hanafî, as this passage is found in his book.

^33- With similar wording in Zayn'ud Dîn ar-Râzî al-Hanafî, Anmûdhajun Jalîlun fî As'ilatin wa Ajwibatin fî Gharâ'ibi Ây'it Tanzîl, p. 186.

^34- Ibnu Kathîr, Tafsîr, 7/74-75.

^35- At-Tabarî, Tafsîr'ut Tabarî, Ahmad Shâkir, 16/286-289.

[Subul’us Salâm]

Türkçe

The Reality of Ibâdah (Worship)

When the meaning of Ilâh and it being Ma'bûd is stipulated, it is incumbent upon us to know the reality of Ibâdah (worship) and its boundary.

Some defined it as, "What is commanded by the Sharî'ah without a customary sequence or logical necessity."³⁶

Some said, "It is the perfection of love with the perfection of submission. This necessitates obedience to the beloved and complying to it."

Shaykh'ul Islâm Ibnu Taymiyyah Rahimahullâh said, "Ibâdah is a comprehensive name for everything which Allâh loves and is pleased with from statements and actions, internal and external. Like the Salâh (prayer); Zakâh (obligatory charity); Siyâm (fasting); Hajj (pilgrimage); speaking the truth; fulfilling the trust; being kind to parents; tying the relationship with relatives; commanding the good; forbidding from bad; Du'â, Dhikr (remembrance of Allâh), reciting the Qur'ân, and the likes of these are from Ibâdah.<sup>37


36-</sup> Refer to Ibnu Muflih, al-Furû, 1/163.

^37- With similar wording in Majmû'u Fatâwâ Shaykh'il Islâm Ahmad Ibni Taymiyyah, 10/149.