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

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Changing of Names Does Not Constitute Changing in Ruling

Thus, the entire religion is included in Ibâdah. If a person knows and verifies the meaning of Ilâh and that it is Ma'bûd, and recognizes the reality of Ibâdah, it will become clear for him that whoever directs anything from Ibâdah to other than Allâh has worshipped it and has adopted it as an Ilâh, even if he refrains from naming it a Ma'bûd or Ilâh and names this mediation, intermediary, seeking refuge, and etc.

Therefore, the polytheist is a polytheist, regardless of him liking it or not. Just as the investor in interest is an investor in interest even if he does not call what he does interest, regardless of him liking it or not. Also, the alcohol drinker is an alcohol drinker, even if he renames alcohol. It is narrated in the Hadîth of the Nabî Sallallâhu Alayhi wa Sallam,

"A people will come from my Ummah who will drink alcohol and rename it."³⁸

Thus, renaming does not change the reality of the thing that is named and it does not get rid of its ruling, just as the Bedouin's naming their false traditions as the truth and them renaming what they take from people unjustly.

When Adiyy bin Hâtim heard the statement of Allâhu Taâlâ when he was a Christian,

"They (the Jews and Christians) took their rabbis and their monks to be their lords besides Allâh." (at-Tawbah, 9/31)

He said to the Nabî Sallallâhu Alayhi wa Sallam,

"We do not worship them."

The Nabî Sallallâhu Alayhi wa Sallam said,

"Don't you make Harâm (impermissible) what Allâh made Halâl (permissible) when they (the rabbis and monks) made it Harâm, and don't you make Halâl what Allâh made Harâm when they made it Halâl?" Adiyy Radiyallâhu Anh said: I said, "Yes indeed!" The Nabî Sallallâhu Alayhi wa Sallam said, "This is their worship."³⁹

So, Adiyy Radiyallâhu Anh did not think that their confirmation in what was mentioned was worshipping them. Therefore, the Nabî Sallallâhu Alayhi wa Sallam informed him that this is their worship of them although they do not believe that this is worshipping them.

Similar to this is what the grave-worshippers do, i.e., invoking the deceased, asking them to fulfill their needs and relieve them from distress, coming closer to them by sacrifices and vows; this is their worship of them even though they do not call it nor believe it to be worship.


^38- Abû Dâwûd, Hadîth no. 3688-3689; Ibnu Mâjah, Hadîth no. 3384, 4020; Ahmad, Musnad, Hadîth no. 18073; al-Hâkim, al-Mustadrak, Hadîth no. 7237.

^39- At-Tirmidhî, Hadîth no. 3095; at-Tabarî, Tafsîr, 14/209-211, no. 16631-16634.

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The Incident of Dhâtu Anwât

Likewise, those who said to the Nabî Sallallâhu Alayhi wa Sallam,

"Appoint for us a Dhâtu Anwât."

They did not think that their statement, "appoint for us a Dhâtu Anwât," was similar to the statement of the Children of Israel,

"Make a deity for us just as they have deities." (al-A'râf, 7/138)

They did not think that this is deifying other than Allâh, which is negated by Lâ Ilâha Illallâh because they would say Lâ Ilâha Illallâh and knew its meaning, as they were Arabs. However, this issue was obscure to them because they were close to the period of Kufr. Until the Nabî Sallallâhu Alayhi wa Sallam said,

"Allâh is Great!.. Verily, it is the same path; by the One in Whose Hand is my soul! You have said similar to what the Children of Israel said to Mûsâ Alayh'is Salâm,

"Make a deity for us just as they have deities! He said: You are really an ignorant people!" (al-A'râf, 7/138)

You will follow the path of those before you."⁴⁰

Objection:

If it is said, "Therefore, the Nabî Sallallâhu Alayhi wa Sallam did not declare Takfîr upon them due to this!

Response:

We say: This indicates that whoever utters a statement of Kufr while he is ignorant of its meaning, but then he is warned and he pays attention, he will not become a disbeliever.

Undoubtedly, if they had taken a Dhâtu Anwât after the disapproval of the Nabî Sallallâhu Alayhi wa Sallam, they would have committed Kufr.⁴¹

Allâhu Taâlâ said,

"And (remember) when Ibrâhîm said to his father and his people: Verily, I am free of what you worship, except for He who created me; and indeed, He will guide me. And he made it a word lasting among his offspring that they may turn back (to the truth)." (az-Zukhruf, 43/26-28)

The pronoun in the statement of Allâhu Taâlâ,

"He made it." (az-Zukhruf, 43/28)

Goes back to His statement,

"Verily, I am free of what you worship, except for He who created me." (az-Zukhruf, 43/26-27)

Mujâhid and Qatâdah said,

"This is the testimony of Lâ Ilâha Illallâh. Those from Ibrâhîm's descendants that worship Allâh alone, will not seize."⁴²

In this verse and in the two Hadîths mentioned before it, there is an explanation of the meaning of Lâ Ilâha Illallâh and that being free from deifying and worshipping other than Allâhu Taâlâ and unifying Allâh Subhânahu in worship is meant by this testimony.


^40- The Hadîth in full reads,

It is narrated on the authority of Abû Wâqid al-Laythî that when the Messenger of Allâh Sallallâhu Alayhi wa Sallam went to Hunayn, he passed by a tree of the polytheists called Dhâtu Anwât on which they used to hang their weapons on. So, they said, "O Messenger of Allâh! Appoint for us a Dhâtu Anwât, just as they have a Dhâtu Anwât." Thereafter, the Nabî Sallallâhu Alayhi wa Sallam said, "Glory be to Allâh! This is just like what the people of Mûsâ said, "Make a deity for us just as they have deities!" (al-A'râf 7/138) By He whom in His Hand is my soul, you will follow the path of those before you."

This Hadîth was narrated by at-Tirmidhî; Kitâb'ul Fitan (Book of Trials), Chapter: What has been Related About "You Shall Follow the Ways of Those Who Were Before You," Hadîth no. 2180 classifying it as a fair and Sahîh Hadith by stating, "The Hadîth is Hasan Sahîh (Good Authentic)." It was also narrated by Imâm Ahmad in al-Musnad, 36/225; al-Humaydî, al-Musnad, Hadîth no. 871; at-Tayâlisî, al-Musnad, Hadîth no. 1443; Ibnu Abî Âsim, as-Sunnah, Hadîth no. 76; at-Tabarî, Tafsîr, at-Tawbah 9/31; Ibnu Hibbân, Sahîh, Hadîth no. 1835; Mawârid'uz Zamân, Kitâb'ul Fitan, Chapter of Division of the Nations; at-Tabarânî, Mu'jam'ul Kabîr, Hadîth no. 3290, Hadîth no. 3294; ash-Shâfi'î, al-Musnad, Hadîth no. 23; al-Bayhaqî, ad-Dalâ'il, 5/125; Ibnu Abî Shaybah, al-Musannaf, 7/479, Kitâb'ul Fitan, Chapter of Those who Dislike Revolting During Fitan; Abû Ya'lâ, al-Musnad, Hadîth no. 1441; as it was mentioned in Tuhfat'ul Ashrâf, 11/112 an-Nasâ'î in his books as-Sunan'ul Kubrâ and Tafsîr; as it was mentioned in ad-Durr'ul Manthûr, 3/533 Ibnu Mundhir, Ibnu Abî Hâtim, Abu'sh Shaykh, and Ibnu Mardawayh narrated it from Abû Wâqid al-Laythî Radiyallâhu Anh.

^41- The meaning of "ignorant of its meaning" is not knowing the meaning of the word that one uttered. However, not knowing the ruling of a clear word is not intended with this statement. Meaning, the companions were not ignorant regarding the fact that seeking blessings from a tree and not from Allâhu Taâlâ is Shirk. However, they were unaware that the statement they uttered indicates to this meaning of Shirk. Muhammad bin Abd'il Wahhâb Rahimahullâh said the following regarding a similar issue,

"Shaykh'ul Islâm Muhammad bin Abd'il Wahhâb Rahimahullâhu Taâlâ was asked regarding some issues...

The fourth issue: His statement: "Or if a person utters a word of Kufr without knowing its meaning, Takfîr is not declared upon him by this." Does this mean that he utters the word of Kufr without knowing its explanation or does it mean that he utters the word of Kufr without knowing that it necessitates his Kufr?

He answered:

"If a person utters a word of Kufr without knowing its meaning," it is clear and obvious that he utters something without knowing its meaning. When it comes to him not knowing that it necessitates his Kufr, then the following statement of Allâh is sufficient regarding this,

"Make no excuse; you have disbelieved (i.e., rejected faith) after your belief." (at-Tawbah, 9/66)

They made excuses to the Nabî Sallallâhu Alayhi wa Sallam thinking that this does not make them disbelievers. Astonishing are those who ascribe the matter to this (second meaning) while they hear the statement of Allâhu Taâlâ,

"While they think they are doing well." (al-Kahf, 18/104)

"Indeed, they have taken the devils as allies instead of Allâh, and they think that they are guided." (al-A'râf, 7/30)

"And verily, they (devils) hinder them from the path (of Allâh), while they deem themselves to be on the right path." (az-Zukhruf, 43/37)

Do they think that these are not disbelievers? But due to the strangeness, the clear ignorance regarding these issues cannot be condemned!" (Mu'allafât'ush Shaykh Muhammad bin Abd'il Wahhâb, volume 4, part 2, pages 58-66; ad-Durar'us Saniyyah, 10/120-125)

As it is clearly seen, the meaning of the statement mentioned in the books of the scholars, "Takfîr is not declared upon the one who utters a statement of Kufr while he is ignorant of its meaning," is regarding those who do not know what the statement indicates to. The incident of Dhâtu Anwât is included within this scope. As for those who speak open Kufr without knowing that it renders them disbelievers have no excuse, just like those who while returning from the military expedition of Tabûk, stated utterances that ridiculed the religion while thinking that they were not disbelievers.

Even though the incident of Dhâtu Anwât necessitates a detailed study, we may say the following without delving much into detail:

The Sahabah said a statement which apparently looks like Kufr, since Dhâtu Anwât was one of the idols of the polytheists. Therefore, the meaning of their statement, "Appoint for us a Dhâtu Anwât, just as they have a Dhâtu Anwât", apparently means, "Appoint for us and idol, just as they have an idol." However, the companions did not intend the true meaning of the statement. The following statements of the Shaykh Rahimahullâh also indicates this, "They did not think that their statement, "appoint for us a Dhâtu Anwât," was similar to the statement of the Children of Israel, "Make a deity for us just as they have deities." (al-A'râf, 7/138) They did not think that this is deifying other than Allâh, which is negated by Lâ Ilâha Illallâh because they would say Lâ Ilâha Illallâh and knew its meaning, as they were Arabs."

Meaning; the companions knew the meaning of Ilâh since they were Arabs and knew the Arabic language and by requesting a Dhâtu Anwât, they did not request something relating to taking it as an Ilâh, such as seeking help from the tree itself. Rather, they requested a tree that they would ask from Allâh by its means. However, their statement connotated as if they were requesting the same Dhâtu Anwât idol of the polytheists, and their state resembled Shirk apparently.

The only problematic point here is the statement used by the Messenger of Allâh Sallallâhu Alayhi wa Sallam when he scorned them, "You have said similar to what the Children of Israel said to Mûsâ Alayh'is Salâm: Make a deity for us just as they have deities!" The issue that was prohibited here in this statement is the resemblance of the statement of the companions with the statement of the Children of Israel. The difference between the two statements is that the Children of Israel requested the idols to be their deity while the companions did not request the tree to be their deity. We mention the following statement of Imâm ash-Shâtibî Rahimahullâh with regards to this point,

"Since attaining a Dhâtu Anwât resembles attaining deities besides Allâh; it is not attaining one per se. For this reason, when considering things there is a Nass (textual evidence) related to, it is not necessary for the matter without any Nass pertaining to it to be the same in all of its aspects. And Allâh knows best!" (ash-Shâtibî, al-I'tisâm, Dâru Ibn'il Jawzî, 3/189)

Shaykh'ul Islâm Ibnu Taymiyyah Rahimahullâh said the following while explaining the Hadîth,

"The Nabî Sallallâhu Alayhi wa Sallam rebuked the companions mere imitation of the disbelievers regarding attaining a tree they adhere to while hanging their weapons on it. Then what is the case of resembling the polytheists in greater issues, or resembling Shirk per se!" (Ibnu Taymiyyah, Iqtidhâ'us Sirât'il Mustaqîm, 2/157-158)

It is clearly understood from the statements of ash-Shâtibî and Ibnu Taymiyyah that the request of the companions was not taking the tree as a deity and worshipping it, which is Major Shirk. The Messenger of Allâh Sallallâhu Alayhi wa Sallam rebuked the companions due to it connotating Shirk in some aspects, even though the actions of the companions did not entirely resemble the actions of the children of Israel. Also, at-Tirmidhî relating this Hadîth under the heading, "Chapter Regarding What Has Been Related Regarding You Will Follow the Ways of Those Before You," is an indication that the Salaf evaluated the incident as a prohibition regarding resembling the disbelievers.

The scholars have clearly evaluated the request by the companions as Minor Shirk. In example, after mentioning the Hadîth under the heading, "Chapter Regarding Those Who Seek Blessings from a Tree, Stone, and its Likes," Shaykh Muhammad bin Abd'il Wahhâb Rahimahullâh said,

"This chapter comprises of some issues:

The eleventh issue: That there is Major and Minor Shirk. This is because the companions did not apostate with this." (Muhammad bin Abd'il Wahhâb, Kitâb'ut Tawhîd, p. 32-33)

To sum up; the request of the Children of Israel and the actions of the polytheists who were worshiping Dhâtu Anwât is Major Shirk. Meaning, it is Major Shirk like taking a deity other than Allâh, aspiring from it, invoking it and etc. The request of the companions, on the other hand, was not the same as these while there was similarity in wording.

As for the statement of the Shaykh, "Undoubtedly, if they had taken a Dhâtu Anwât after the disapproval of the Nabî Sallallâhu Alayhi wa Sallam, they would have committed Kufr." If one who utters a word of Kufr without knowing its meaning consents to this Kufr by insisting upon this statement and act after he was reminded and warned concerning the meaning of the statement, he will become a disbeliever. Shaykh Abâ Butayn Rahimahullâh might have meant this or he might have meant the situation of those who deliberately oppose the orders of the Nabî Sallallâhu Alayhi wa Sallam. In any case, there is nothing here indicating to ignorance being an excuse. This is also against the purpose of the composition of the book.

With the permission of Allâhu Taâlâ, Shaykh Abâ Butayn Rahimahullâh is not going to oppose himself by stating that ignorance is an excuse in his book which he composed to prove that ignorance is not an excuse in Shirk! The Shaykh, as is understood from the context, mentioned the incident of Dhâtu Anwât in order to clarify that according to the Sharî'ah, matters are not handled according to their names, but rather, handled according to their real meaning and so, clarifying that whoever changes the name of his worship of other than Allâh such as invoking it, trusting in it, and etc. and does not name them worship and taking a deity, these acts would still be considered worship. Shaykh Abâ Butayn Rahimahullâh mentioned that even though Dhâtu Anwât was not named a deity and had a different name than the idols, the fact that it was worshipped by the polytheists made it equal to the request of a deity by the people of Israel. As Shaykh Abd'ur Rahmân bin Hasan said in Fath'ul Majîd regarding this very same incident, even if the names are different, they are still the same. And Allâh knows best.

^42- Ibnu Kathîr, Tafsîr, Dâru Taybah, 7/225.

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

One of the biggest calamites is the majority of people turning away from looking into the meaning of the magnificent Kalimah. Such that due to their lack of knowledge regarding the meaning of this Kalimah in terms of what it negates and affirms, many of them say, "We do not say anything regarding the one who utters Lâ Ilâha Illallâh, no matter what he does."

Whereas, it is unavoidable for the one who utters this statement to fall in contradiction. If it was said to him, "What do you say regarding the one who says Lâ Ilâha Illallâh and does not affirm the message of Muhammad bin Abdillâh Sallallâhu Alayhi wa Sallam?" He will not pause regarding declaring Takfîr upon him. Or if it is said to him, "What do you say regarding the one who affirms the two testimonies of faith but rejects the resurrection?" He will not pause regarding declaring Takfîr upon him. Or if it is said to him, "What do you say regarding the one who deems fornication, sodomy and their likes permissible or says the five daily prayers are not obligatory, or says that fasting during Ramadhân is not obligatory?" It is unavoidable for him to proclaim the disbelief of the one who says this! Thus, how is it that Lâ Ilâha Illallâh does not benefit him in these cases and does not intervene between him and disbelief?

When he commits what negates Tawhîd, which is worshiping other than Allâh, i.e., Major Shirk, the gravest of the Major Sins, it is said, "He says Lâ Ilâha Illallâh, so it is impermissible to declare Takfîr upon him, since he utters the Kalimah of Tawhîd!" However, the disaster of ignorance and blind-following necessitates this contradiction.

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Those Who Mock the Muwahhidûn

When these people and their likes hear one who affirms the affair of Tawhîd and mentions Shirk, they mock and condemn him.

Shaykh'ul Islâm Ibnu Taymiyyah -may Allâh sanctify his soul- said during his speech, "The deviated ones who despise the Tawhîd (oneness) of Allâhu Taâlâ magnify invoking other than Allâh consisting of the dead, and when they are commanded with Tawhîd and prohibited from Shirk, they despise it. Just as Allâhu Taâlâ said in the verse,

"And when they see you, they treat you only in mockery (saying): Is this the one whom Allâh has sent as a messenger? He would have nearly misled us from our deities had we not been steadfast in (worshipping) them." (al-Furqân, 25/41-42)

Thus, they mocked the Messenger Sallallâhu Alayhi wa Sallam when he prohibited them from Shirk. Due to the glorification of Shirk in their souls, the polytheists still revile the prophets and attribute to them foolishness, misguidedness, and insanity when the prophets call them to Tawhîd.

Likewise, due to the Shirk they have, when those who resemble them see one who calls to Tawhid, they mock him."<sup>43


43-</sup> Majmû'u Fatâwâ Shaykh'il Islâm Ahmad Ibni Taymiyyah, 15/48.

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The Plot of Satan Against the People of Innovation: Changing the Name of Shirk

One of the plots of satan against the innovators from this nation who associate people in the graves and others with Allâh is the following;

When an enemy of Allâh knows that all of those who recite the Qur'ân and hear it hate Shirk and worshipping other than Allâh, he casts into the hearts of the ignorant that what they commit near those in the graves and others is not worshipping them, but rather, it is mediation, asking for intercession from them, seeking refuge in them, etc.

Therefore, the enemy of Allâh stripped the titles of Ibâdah and Shirk from their hearts and gave them titles that the hearts would not hate. Then the enemy of Allâh wished to delude them further and the Fitnah became greater such that some who are attributed to knowledge and religion facilitated for them what they commit of Shirk and argued for them with false arguments. To Allâh we belong and to Him shall we return!