Aqeedah Tahawiyyah- The Aqaid/beliefs of a Muslim

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

In the Name of Allah-SWT, the Merciful, the Compassionate Praise be to Allah-SWT, Lord of all the worlds.

هَذا ما رَواهُ الإْمامُ أَبو جَعْفَرٍ الطَّحاوِيُّ في ذِكْرُ بَيانِ اعْتِقادِ أَهْلِ السُّــنَّةِ وَالجَماعَةِ عَلى مَذهَبِ فُقَهَاءِ المِلَّةِ أَبي حَنيفَةَ النُّعْمانِ بْنِ ثابـِتٍ الكُوفِيِّ، وَأَبي يُوسُفَ يَعْقُوبَ بْنِ إِبْراهيمَ الأَنْصَارِيِّ، وَأَبي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ الحَسَنِ الشَّيْبانِيِّ ـ رِضْوَانُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِمْ أَجْمَعين، وَمَا يَعْتَقِدُونَ مِنْ أُصُولِ الدِّينِ وَيَدِينُونَ بـِهِ لِرَبَّ العَالَمِينَ.

The great scholar Hujjat al-lslam Abu Ja'far al-Warraq al-Tahawi al-Misri, may Allah have mercy on him, said: This is a presentation of the beliefs of Ahl al-Sunna wa al-Jama`a, according to the school of the jurists of this religion, Abu Hanifa al-Nu`man ibn Thabit al-Kufi, Abu Yusuf Ya`qub ibn Ibrahim al-Ansari and Abu `Abdullah Muhammad ibn al-Hasan al-Shaybani, may Allah-SWT be pleased with them all, and what they believe regarding the fundamentals of the religion and their faith in the Lord of the worlds.

نَقُولُ في تَوْحيدِ اللَّهِ مُعْتَقِدينَ، بـِتَوْفيقِ

We say about Allah-SWT's unity, believing by Allah-SWT's help that:

إِنَّ اللَّهَ تَعالى وَاحِدٌ لا شَرِيكَ لَهُ،

1. Allah-SWT is One, without any partners.

وَلا شَيْءَ مِثْلُهُ،

2. There is nothing like Him-SWT.

وَلا شَيْءَ يُعْجِزُهُ،

3. There is nothing that can overwhelm Him-SWT.

وَلا إِلهَ غَيْرُهُ،

4. There is no god other than Him-SWT.

قَدِيْمٌ بـِلا ابْتِدَاءٍ، دَائِمٌ بـِلا انْتِهَاءٍ،

5. He-SWT is the Eternal without a beginning and enduring without end.

لا يَفْنَى وَلا يَبـِيدُ،

6. He-SWT will never perish or come to an end.

وَلا يَكُونُ إِلا مَا يُرِيدُ،

7. Nothing happens except what He-SWT wills.

لا تَبْلُغُهُ الأَوْهامُ، وَلا تُدْرِكُهُ الأَفْهامُ،

8. No imagination can conceive of Him-SWT and no understanding can comprehend Him-SWT.

وَلا تُشْبـِهُهُ الأَنامُ

9. He-SWT is different from any created being.

حَيٌّ لا يَمُوتُ، قَيُّومٌ لا يَنامُ،

10. He-SWT is living and never dies and is eternally active and never sleeps.

خَالِقٌ بـِلا حَاجَةٍ، رَازِقٌ لَهُمْ بـِلا مُؤْنَةٍ،

11. He-SWT creates without His-SWT being in need to do so and provides for His-SWT creation without any effort.

مُمِيتٌ بـِلا مَخَافَةٍ، بَاعِثٌ بـِلا مَشَقَّةٍ.

12. He-SWT causes death with no fear and restores to life without difficulty.

مَازالَ بـِصِفَاتِهِ قَدِيماً قَبْلَ خَلْقِهِ. لَمْ يَزْدَدْ بـِكَوْنِهِمْ شَيْئاً لَمْ يَكُنْ قَبْلَهُمْ مِنْ صِفَاتِهِ، وَكَما كَانَ بـِصِفَاتِهِ أَزَلِيَّاً كَذلِكَ لا يَزَالُ عَلَيْهَا أَبَدِيَّاً.

13. He-SWT has always existed together with His-SWT attributes since before creation. Bringing creation into existence did not add anything to His-SWT attributes that was not already there. As He-SWT was, together with His-SWT attributes, in pre-eternity, so He-SWT will remain throughout endless time.

لَيْسَ مُنْذُ خَلَقَ الخَلْقَ اسْتَفَادَ اسْمَ الخَالِقِ، وَلا بـِإِحْدَاثِهِ البَرِيَّةَ اسْتَفَادَ اسْمَ البارِي

14. It was not only after the act of creation that He-SWT could be described as "the Creator" nor was it only by the act of origination that He-SWT could he described as "the Originator."

لَهُ مَعْنى الرُّبوبـِيَّةِ وَلا مَرْبوبٌ، وَمَعْنى الخَالِقِيَّةِ وَلا مَخْلوقٌ،

15. He-SWT was always the Lord even when there was nothing to be Lord of, and always the Creator even when there was no creation.

وَكَمَا أَنَّهُ مُحْيِـي المَوْتَى بَعْدَما أَحْيَاهُمْ، اسْتَحَقَّ هَذا الاسْمَ قَبْلَ إِحْيائِهِمْ، كَذلِكَ اسْتَحَقَّ اسْمَ الخَالِقِ قَبْلَ إِنْشَائِهِمْ،

16. In the same way that He-SWT is the "Bringer to life of the dead," after He-SWT has brought them to life a first time, and deserves this name before bringing them to life, so too He-SWT deserves the name of "Creator" before He-SWT has created them.

ذلِكَ بـِأَنَّهُ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيْرٌ، وَكُلُّ شَيْءٍ إِلَيْهِ فَقِيرٌ، وَكُلُّ أَمْرٍ عَلَيْهِ يَسيرٌ، لا يَحْتَاجُ إِلَى شَيْءٍ
لـــَيْسَ كَمِثـــْلِهِ شَيْءٌ وَهُوَ السَّمِيعُ البَصِيرُ

17. This is because He-SWT has the power to do everything, everything is dependent on Him-SWT, everything is easy for Him-SWT, and He-SWT does not need anything. "There is nothing like Him-SWT and He-SWT is the Hearer, the Seer." (al-Shura 42:11)

خَلَقَ الخَلْقَ بـِعِلْمِهِ،

18. He-SWT created creation with His knowledge.

وَقَدَّرَ لَهُمْ أَقْداراً،

19. He-SWT appointed destinies for those He created.

وَضَرَبَ لَهُمْ آجالاً،

20. He-SWT allotted to them fixed life spans.

لَمْ يَخْفَ عَلَيْهِ شَيْءٌ مِنْ أَفْعَالِهِمْ قَبْلَ أَنْ خَلَقَهُمْ، وَعَلِمَ مَا هُمْ عَامِلُونَ قَبْلَ أَنْ يَخْلُقَهُمْ،

21. Nothing about them was hidden from Him-SWT before He-SWT created them, and He-SWT knew everything that they would do before He-SWT created them.

وَأَمَرَهُمْ بـِطَاعَتِهِ وَنَهَاهُمْ عَنْ مَعْصِيَتِهِ،

22. He-SWT ordered them to obey Him-SWT and forbade them to disobey Him-SWT.

وَكُلُّ شَيْءٍ يَجْرِي بـِقُدْرَتِهِ وَمَشِيئَتِهِ. وَمَشِيئَتُهُ تَنْفُذُ، وَلا مَشِيئَةَ لِلْعِبَادِ إِلاَّ مَا شَاءَ لَهُمْ، فَمَا شَاءَ لَهُمْ كَانَ وَمَا لَمْ يَشَأْ لَمْ يَكُنْ.

23. Everything happens according to His-SWT decree and will, and His-SWT will is accomplished. The only will that people have is what He-SWT wills for them. What He-SWT wills for them occurs and what He-SWT does not will, does not occur.

يَهْدِي مَنْ يَشَاءُ وَيَعْصِمُ وَيُعَافِي مَنْ يَشَاءُ فَضْلاً، وَيُضِلُّ مَنْ يَشَاءُ وَيَخْذُلُ وَيَبْتَلِي عَدْلاً

24. He-SWT gives guidance to whomever He-SWT wills, and protects them, and keeps them safe from harm, out of His-SWT generosity; and He-SWT leads astray whomever He-SWT wills, and abases them, and afflicts them, out of His-SWT justice.

وَ کُلھم مُتَقلبونَ فِی مَشِیئتھ ، بَین فَضلھ وَعَدلھ

25. All of them are subject to His-SWT will either through His-SWT generosity or His-SWT justice.

وَهُوَ مُتَعَالٍ عَنِ الأَضْدَّاد وَالأَنْدَاد

26. He-SWT is Exalted beyond having opposites or equals.

لا رَادَّ لِقَضَائِهِ، وَلا مُعَقِّبَ لِحُكْمِهِ، وَلا غَالِبَ لأَمْرِهِ،

27. No one can ward off His-SWT decree or delay His-SWT command or overpower His-SWT affairs.

آمَنَّا بِذلِكَ كُلِّهِ، وَأَيْقَنَّا أَنَّ كُلاًّ مِنْ عِنْدِهِ.

28. We believe in all of this and are certain that everything comes from Him-SWT.

وَإِنَّ مُحَمَّداً صلى الله عليه وسلم عَبْدُهُ المُصْطَفَى، وَنَبـِيُّهُ المُجْتَبَى، وَرَسُولُهُ المُرْتَضَى،

29. And we are certain that Muhammad-SAAW (may Allah-SWT bless him and grant him peace) is His-SWT chosen Servant and selected Prophet and His-SWT Messenger-SAAW with whom He-SWT is well pleased,

خَاتِمُ الأَنْبـِيَاءِ وَإِمَامُ الأَتْقِياءِ، وَسَيِّدُ المُرْسَلِينَ، وَحَبـِيبُ رَبِّ العَالَمِينَ،

30. And that he-SAAW is the Seal of the Prophets-SAAW and the Imam of the godfearing and the most honored of all the Messengers-AS and the Beloved of the Lord of all the worlds.

وَكُلُّ دَعْوَةِ نُبُوَّةٍ بَعْدَ نُبُوَّتِهِ فَغَيٌّ وَهَوَى؛

31. Every claim to Prophet-hood after him-SAAW is falsehood and deceit.

وَهُوَ المَبْعُوثُ إِلى عَامَّةِ الجِنِّ وَكَافَّةِ الوَرَى، المَبْعُوثِ بـِالحَقِّ وَالهُدَى

32. He-SAAW is the one who has been sent to all the jinn and all mankind with truth and guidance and with light and illumination.

وَإِنَّ القُرْآنَ كَلامُ اللَّهِ تَعَالى، بَدَأَ بـِلا كَيْفِيَّةٍ قَوْلاً، وَأَنْزَلَهُ عَلَى نَبـِيِّهِ وَحْياً، وَصَدَّقَهُ المُؤْمِنُونَ عَلَى ذلِكَ حَقَّــاً، وَأَيْقَنُوا أَنَّهُ كَلامُ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى بـِالحَقِيقَةِ. لَيْسَ بـِمَخْلُوقٍ كَكَلامِ البَرِيَّةِ، فَمَنْ سَمِعَهُ فَزَعَمَ أَنَّهُ كَلامُ البَشَرِ فَقَدْ كَفَرَ، وَقَدْ ذمَّهُ اللَّهُ تَعالَى وَعَابَهُ، وَأَوْعَدَهُ عَذابَهُ، حَيْثُ قَالَ:
سَأُصْلِيهِ سَقَرَ
فَلَمَّا أَوْعَدَ اللَّهُ سَقَرَ لِمَنْ قَالَ:
إِنْ هَذَا إِلَّا قَوْلُ الْبَشَرِ
عَلِمْنا أَنَّهُ قَوْلُ خَالِقِ البَشَرِ، وَلا يُشْبـِهُ قَوْلَ البَشَرِ،

33. The Qur'an is the word of Allah-SWT. It came from Him-SWT as speech without it being possible to say how. He-SWT sent it down on His-SWT Messenger-SAAW as revelation. The believers accept it, as absolute truth. They are certain that it is, in truth, the word of Allah-SWT. It is not created as is the speech of human beings, and anyone who hears it and claims that it is human speech has become an unbeliever. Allah-SWT warns him and censures him and threatens him with Fire when He-SWT says, Exalted is He-SWT: "I will burn him in the Fire." (al-Muddaththir 74:26) When Allah-SWT threatens with the Fire those who say "This is just human speech" (74:25) we know for certain that it is the speech of the Creator of mankind and that it is totally unlike the speech of mankind.

وَمَنْ وَصَفَ اللَّهَ تَعَالَى بـِمَعْنَىً مِنْ مَعَانِي البَشَرِ فَقَدْ كَفَرَ، فَمَنْ أَبْصَرَ هَذا اعْتَبَرَ، وَعَنْ مِثْلِ قَوْلِ الكُفَّارِ انْزَجَرَ، وَعَلِمَ أَنَّ اللَّهَ تَعَالَى بـِصِفَاتِهِ لَيْسَ كَالبَشَرِ.

34. Anyone who describes Allah-SWT as being in any way the same as a human being has become an unbeliever. All those who grasp this will take heed and refrain from saying things such as the unbelievers say, and they will know that He-SWT, in His-SWT attributes, is not like human beings.

وَالرُّؤْيَةُ حَقٌّ لأَهْلِ الجَنَّةِ بـِغَيْرِ إِحَاطَةٍ وَلا كَيْفِيَّةٍ، كَمَا نَطَقَ بـِهِ كِتَابُ رَبِّـنَا حَيْثُ قَالَ:
وُجُوهٌ يَوْمَئِذٍ نــَّاضِرَةٌ - إِلَى رَبـِّها نَاظِرَةٌ
وَتَفْسِيرُهُ عَلَى مَا أَرَادَهُ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى وَعَلِمَهُ، وَكُلُّ مَا جَاءَ فِي ذلِكَ مِنَ الحَدِيثِ الصَّحِيحِ عَنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَعَنْ أَصْحَابـِهِ رِضْوانُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِمْ أَجْمَعِينَ فَهُوَ كَمَا قَالَ، وَمَعْنَاهُ وَتَفْسِيرُهُ عَلَى مَا أَرَادَ، لا نَدْخُلُ فِي ذلِكَ مُتَأَوِّلِينَ بـِآرائِنَا وَلا مُتَوَهِّمِينَ بـِأَهْوَائِنا، فَإِنَّهُ مَا سَلِمَ فِي دِينِهِ إِلاَّ مَنْ سَلَّمَ لِلَّهِ تَعَالى وَلِرَسُولِهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ; وَرَدَّ عِلْمَ مَا اشْتَبَهَ عَلَيْهِ إِلَى عَالِمِهِ،

35. The Seeing of Allah-SWT by the People of the Garden is true, without their vision being all-encompassing and without the manner of their vision being known. As the Book of our Lord has expressed it: "Faces on that Day radiant, looking at their Lord." (al-Qiyama 75:22-3) The explanation of this is as Allah-SWT knows and wills. Everything that has come down to us about this from the Messenger-SAAW, may Allah-SWT bless him and grant him peace, in authentic traditions, is as he-SAAW said and means what he-SAAW intended. We do not delve into that, trying to interpret it according to our own opinions or letting our imaginations have free rein.

No one is safe in his religion unless he surrenders himself completely to Allah-SWT, the Exalted and Glorified and to His-SWT Messenger-SAAW, may Allah-SWT bless him and grant him-SAAW peace, and leaves the knowledge of things that are ambiguous to the one who knows them.

وَلا يَثْبُتُ قَدَمُ الإِسْلامِ إِلاَّ عَلَى ظَهْرِ التَّسْليمِ وَالاسْتِسْلامِ، فَمَنْ رَامَ عِلْمَ مَا حُظِرَ عَلَيْهِ، وَلَمْ يَقْنَعْ بـِالتَّسْليمِ فَهْمُهُ، حَجَبَهُ مَرَامُهُ عَنْ خَالِصِ التَّوْحيدِ، وَصَافِي المَعْرِفَةِ، وَصَحِيحِ الإِيمَانِ، فَيَتَذبْذبُ بَيْنَ الكُفْرِ وَالإِيْمَانِ، وَالتَّكْذِيبِ، وَالإِقْرَارِ وَالإِنْكَارِ، مُوَسْوَسَاً تَائِهَاً، زَائِغَاً شَاكَّــاً، لاَ مُؤْمِنَاً مُصَدِّقاً، وَلاَ جَاحِداً مُكَذِّباً.

36. A man's Islam is not secure unless it is based on submission and surrender. Anyone who desires to know things which it is beyond his capacity to know, and whose intellect is not content with surrender, will find that his desire veils him from a pure understanding of Allah-SWT's true unity, clear knowledge and correct belief, and that he veers between disbelief and belief, confirmation and denial and acceptance and rejection. He will be subject to whispering and find himself confused and full of doubt, being neither an accepting believer nor a denying rejector.

وَلا يَصِحُّ الإِيمَانُ بـِالرُّؤْيَةِ لأَهْلِ دَارِ السَّلامِ لِمَنْ اعْتَبَرَهَا مِنْهُمْ بـِوَهْمٍ، أَوْ تَأَوَّلَهَا بـِفَهْمٍ، إِذا كَانَ تَأْوِيلُ الرُّؤْيَةِ وَتَأْوِيلُ كُلِّ مَعْنىً يُضَافُ إِلَى الرُّبُوبـِيَّةِ تَرْكَ التَأْويلِ وَلُزُومَ التَّسْلِيمِ، وَعَلَيْهِ دِينُ المُرْسَلينَ وَشَرَائِعُ النَّبـِيِّـينَ. وَمَنْ لَمْ يَتَوَقَّ النَّفْيَ وَالتَّشْبيهِ زَلَّ، وَلَمْ يُصِبِ التَّنْزِيهَ؛ فَإِنَّ رَبَّنا جَلَّ وَعَلا مَوْصُوفٌ بـِصِفَاتِ الوَحْدَانِيَّةِ، مَنْعُوتٌ بـِنُعُوتِ الفَرْدَانِيَّةِ، لَيْسَ بـِمَعْناهُ أَحَدٌ مِنَ البَرِيَّةِ،

37. Belief of a man in the seeing of Allah-SWT by the People of the Garden is not correct if he imagines what it is like or interprets it according to his own understanding, since the interpretation of this seeing or indeed, the meaning of any of the subtle phenomena which are in the realm of Lordship, is by avoiding its interpretation and strictly adhering to the submission.

This is the religion of Muslims. Anyone who does not guard himself against negating the attributes of Allah-SWT, or likening Allah-SWT to something else, has gone astray and has failed to understand Allah-SWT's glory, because our Lord, the Glorified and the Exalted, can only possibly be described in terms of Oneness and absolute singularity and no creation is in any way like Him-SWT.

تَعَالَى اللَّهُ عَنِ الحُدُودِ وَالغَاياتِ، وَالأَرْكانِ وَالأَدَواتِ، لا تَحْوِيهِ الجِهَاتُ السِّتُّ كَسَائِرِ المُبْتَدَعاتِ.

38. He-SWT is beyond having limits placed on Him-SWT, or being restricted, or having parts or limbs. Nor is He-SWT contained by the six directions as all created things are.

وَالمِعْرَاجُ حَقٌّ. وَقَدْ أُسْرِيَ بـِالنَّبـِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَعُرِجَ بـِشَخْصِهِ فِي الْيَقَظَةِ إِلَى السَّمَاءِ، ثُمَّ إِلَى حَيْثُ شَاءَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى مِنَ العُلَى، وَأَكْرَمَهُ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى بـِمَا شَاءَ،
فَأَوْحَى إِلَى عَبْدِهِ مَا أَوْحَى (مَا کذب الفواد ما رای) فصلی اللھ علیھ وسلم فِی الاخرۃ والاولی

39. Al-Mi`raj (the Ascent through the heavens) is true. The Prophet-SAAW, may Allah-SWT bless him and grant him-SAAW peace, was taken by night and ascended in his bodily form, while awake, through the heavens, to whatever heights Allah-SWT willed for him-SAAW. Allah-SWT ennobled him-SAAW in the way that He-SWT ennobled him-SAAW and revealed to him-SAAW what He-SWT revealed to him-SAAW, "and his-SAAW heart was not mistaken about what it saw" (al-Najm 53:11). Allah-SWT blessed him-SAAW and granted him-SAAW peace in this world and the next.

وَالْحَوْضُ الَّذِيْ أَكْرَمَهُ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى بـِهِ غِيَاثَاً لأُمَّتِهِ حَقٌّ

40. Al-Hawd, the Pool which Allah-SWT has granted the Prophet-SAAW as an honour to quench the thirst of his-SAAW Community on the Day of Judgement, is true.

وَالشَّفَاعَةُ الَّتِي ادَّخَرَهَا اللَّهُ لَهُمْ كَمَا رُوِيَ فِيْ الأَخْبَارِ

41. Al-Shafa`a, the intercession which is stored up for Muslims, is true, as related in the hadiths.

وَالْمِيْثَاقُ الَّذِيْ أَخَذهُ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى مِنْ آدَمَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ وَذُرِّيَّتِهِ حَقٌّ.

42. The covenant which Allah-SWT made with Adam-AS and his offspring is true.

وَقَدْ عَلِمَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى فِيْمَا لَمْ يَزَلْ عَدَدَ مَنْ يَدْخُلِ الْجَنَّةَ، وَيَدْخُلِ النَّارَ جُمْلَةً وَاحِدَةً، لا يُزَادُ فِيْ ذلِكَ العَدَدِ وَلا يَنْقُصُ مِنْهُ؛

43. Allah-SWT knew, before the existence of time, the exact number of those who would enter the Garden and the exact number of those who would enter the Fire. This number will neither be increased nor decreased.

وَكَذلِكَ أَفْعَالَهُمْ، فِيْمَا عَلِمَ مِنْهُمْ أَنَّهُمْ يَفْعَلُونَهُ. وَكُلٌّ مُيَسَّرٌ لِمَا خُلِقَ لَهُ. ۔ وَالاعمال بالخواتیم۔ والسعید من سعد بقضاءاللھ ، الشقی من شقی بقضاءاللھ

44. The same applies to all actions done by people, which are done exactly as Allah-SWT knew they would be done. Everyone is eased towards what he was created for and it is the action with which a man's life is sealed which dictates his fate. Those who are fortunate are fortunate by the decree of Allah-SWT, and those who are wretched are wretched by the decree of Allah-SWT.

وَأَصْلُ الْقَدَرِ سِرُّ اللَّهِ فِي خَلْقِهِ، لَمْ يَطَّلِعْ عَلَى ذلِكَ مَلَكٌ مُقَرَّبٌ، وَلا نَبـِيٌّ مُرْسَلٌ. وَالتَّعَمُّقُ وَالنَّظَرُ فِيْ ذلِكَ ذرِيْعَةُ الخِذلانِ، وَسُلَّمُ الْحِرْمَانِ، وَدَرَجَةُ الطُّغْيَانِ. فَالْحَذَرَ كُلَّ الْحَذَرِ مِنْ ذلِكَ نَظَراً أَوْ فِكْراً أَوْ وَسْوَسَةً؛ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ تَعَالَىْ طَوَىْ عِلْمَ الْقَدَرِ عَنْ أَنَامِهِ، وَنَهَاهُمْ عَنْ مَرَامِهِ، كَما قالَ في كِتابـِهِ:
لاَ يُسْأَلُ عَمَّا يـَفْعَلُ وَهُمْ يـُسْأَلــُوْنَ
. فَمَنْ سَأَلَ: لِمَ فَعَلَ؟ فَقَدْ رَدَّ حُكْمَ كِتابِ اللَّهِ، وَمَنْ رَدَّ حُكْمَ كِتابِ اللَّهِ تَعالى كَانَ مِنَ الكافِرينَ.

45. The exact nature of the decree is Allah-SWT's secret in His-SWT creation, and no angel-AS near the Throne, nor Prophet-AS sent with a message, has been given knowledge of it. Delving into it and reflecting too much about it only leads to destruction and loss, and results in rebelliousness. So be extremely careful about thinking and reflecting on this matter or letting doubts about it assail you, because Allah-SWT has kept knowledge of the decree away from human beings, and forbidden them to enquire about it, saying in His Book, "He is not asked about what He does, but they are asked" (al-Anbiya' 21: 23).

Therefore, anyone who questions: "Why did Allah-SWT do that?" has gone against a judgement of the Book, and anyone who goes against a judgement of the Book is an unbeliever.

فَهذا جُمْلَةُ ما يَحْتاجُ إِلَيْهِ مَنْ هُوَ مُنَوَّرٌ قَلْبُهُ مِنْ أَوْلِياءِ اللَّهِ تَعالى، وَهِيَ دَرَجَةُ الرَّاسِخينَ في العِلْمِ؛ لأَنَّ العِلْمَ عِلْمانِ:
عِلْمٌ في الخَلْقِ مَوْجودٌ، وَعِلْمٌ في الخَلْقِ مَفْقودٌ؛ فَإِنْكارُ العِلْمِ المَوْجودِ كُفْرٌ، وَادِّعاءُ العِلْمِ المَفْقودِ كُفْرٌ.
وَلا يَصِحُّ الإِيمانُ إِلاَّ بـِقَبولِ العِلْمِ المَوْجودِ، وَتَرْكِ طَلَبِ العِلْمِ المَفْقودِ.

46. This in sum is what those of Allah-SWT's Friends (Aulia) with enlightened hearts (glowing/illuminated hearts) need to know and constitutes the degree of those firmly endowed with knowledge. For there are two kinds of knowledge: knowledge which is accessible to created beings, and knowledge which is not accessible to created beings. Denying the knowledge which is accessible is disbelief, and claiming the knowledge which is inaccessible is disbelief. Belief can only be firm when accessible knowledge is accepted and the inaccessible is not sought after.

وَنُؤْمِنُ بـِاللَّوْحِ، وَالقَلَمِ، بـِجَميعِ ما فيهِ قَدْ رُقِمَ. فَلَوِ اجْتَمَعَ الْخَلْقُ كُلُّهُمْ عَلى شَيْءٍ كَتَبَهُ اللَّهُ فيهِ أَنَّهُ كائِنٌ لِيَجْعَلوهُ غَيْرَ كائِنٍ لَمْ يَقْدِروا عَلَيْهِ. جَفَّ القَلَمُ بـِما هُوَ كائِنٌ إِلى يَوْمِ القِيامَةِ. وَما أَخْطَـأَ العَبْدَ لَمْ يَكُنْ لِيُصيبَهُ، وَما أَصابَهُ لَمْ يَكُنْ لِيُخْطِئَهُ.

 47. We believe in al-Lawh (the Tablet) and al-Qalam (the Pen) and in everything written on the former. Even if all created beings were to gather together to make something fail to exist, whose existence Allah-SWT had written on the Tablet, they would not be able to do so. And if all created beings were to gather together to make something exist which Allah-SWT had not written on it, they would not be able to do so. The Pen has dried having written down all that will be in existence until the Day of Judgement.Whatever a person has missed he would have never got, and whatever he gets he would have never missed.

وَعَلى العَبْدِ أَنْ يَعْلَمَ أَنَّ اللَّهَ قَدْ سَبَقَ عِلْمُهُ في كُلِّ شَيْءٍ كائِنٍ مِنْ خَلْقِهِ، وَقَدَّرَ ذلِكَ بـِمَشيئَتِهِ تَقْديراً مُحْكَماً مُبْرَماً، لَيْسَ فيهِ ناقِضٌ وَلا مُعَقِّبٌ، وَلا مُزيلٌ وَلا مُغَـيِّرٌ، وَلا مُحَوِّلٌ، وَلا زَائِدٌ وَلا ناقِصٌ مِنْ خَلْقِهِ في سَماواتِهِ وَأَرْضِهِ. وَذلِكَ مِنْ عَقْدِ الإِيمانِ وَأُصولِ المَعْرِفَةِ، وَالاعْتِرافِ بـِتَوْحيدِ اللَّهِ وَرُبوبـِيَّتِهِ؛ كَما قالَ تَعالى في كِتابـِهِ العَزيزِ:
وَخَلَقَ كــُلَّ شَيْءٍ فَقَدَّرَهُ تــَقْدِيــْرَاً
وَقالَ تَعالى:
وَكَانَ أَمْرُ اللهِ قَدَرَاً مَقْدُورَاً
. فَوَيْلٌ لِمَنْ صارَ لَهُ اللَّهُ في القَدَرِ خَصيماً، وَأَحْضَرَ لِلنَّظَرِ فيهِ قَلْباً سَقيماً، لَقَدِ الْتَمَسَ بـِوَهْمِهِ في مَحْضَ الْغَيْبِ سِرَّاً كَتيماً، وَعادَ بـِما قَال فيهِ أَفَّـاكاً أَثيماً.

48. It is necessary for the servant to know that Allah-SWT already knows everything that is going to happen in His-SWT creation and has decreed it in a detailed and decisive way. There is nothing that He-SWT has created in either the heavens or the earth that can contradict it, or add to it, or erase it, or change it, or decrease it, or increase it in any way. This is a fundamental aspect of belief and a necessary element of all knowledge and recognition of Allah-SWT's oneness and Lordship. As Allah-SWT says in His Book: "He-SWT created everything and decreed it in a detailed way." (al-Furqan 25: 2) And He-SWT also says: "Allah-SWT's command is always a decided decree." (al-Ahzab 33: 38) So woe to anyone who argues with Allah-SWT concerning the decree and who, with a sick heart, starts delving into this matter. In his deluded attempt to investigate the Unseen, he is seeking a secret that can never be uncovered, and he ends up an evil-doer, telling nothing but lies.

وَالعَرْشُ وَالكُرْسِيُّ حَقٌّ

49. Al-`Arsh (the Throne) and al-Kursi (the Chair) are true.

وَهُوَ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ مُسْتَغْنٍ عَنِ العَرْشِ وَما دونَهُ،

50. He-SWT is independent of the Throne and that which is beneath it.

مُحيطٌ بـِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ وَبـِما فَوْقَهُ، قَدْ أَعْجَزَ عَنِ الإِحاطَةِ خَلْقَهُ.

51. He-SWT encompasses all things and that which is above it, and what He-SWT has created is incapable of encompassing Him-SWT.

وَنَقولُ: إِنَّ اللَّهَ اتَّخَذ َ إِبْراهيمَ خَليلاً، وَكَلَّمَ موسى تَكْليماً، إِيماناً وَتَصْديقاً وَتَسْليماً.

52. We say with belief, acceptance and submission that Allah took Ibrahim-AS as an intimate friend and that He spoke directly to Musa-AS.

وَنُؤْمِنُ بـِالمَلائِكَةِ وَالنَّبـِيِّـينَ، وَالكُتُبِ المُنْزَلَةِ عَلى المُرْسَلينَ. وَنَشْهَدُ أَنَّهُم كانوا عَلى الحَقِّ المُبينِ.

53. We believe in the angels-AS, and the Prophets-AS, and the books which were revealed to the messengers-AS, and we bear witness that they were all following the manifest Truth.

وَنُسَمِّي أَهْلَ قِبْلَتِنا مُسْلِمينَ مُؤْمِنينَ ما دامُوا بـِما جاءَ بـِهِ النَّبـِيُّ عَلَيْهِ الصَّلاةُ وَالسَّلامُ مُعْتَرِفينَ، وَلَهُ بـِكُلِّ ما قالَ وَأَخْبَرَ مُصَدِّقينَ غَيْرَ مُكَذبِّينَ.

54. We call the people of our qibla Muslims and believers as long as they acknowledge what the Prophet-SAAW, may Allah-SWT bless him and grant him peace, brought, and accept as true everything that he-SAAW said and told us about.

وَلا نَخوضُ في اللَّهِ،  وَلا نُماري في دينِ اللَّهِ تَعالى.

55. We do not enter into vain talk about Allah-SWT  nor do we allow any dispute about the religion of Allah-SWT.

وَلا نُجادِلُ في القُرْآنِ؛ وَنَعْلَمُ أَنَّهُ كَلامُ رَبِّ العالَمينَ، نَزَلَ بـِهِ الرُّوحُ الأَمينُ، فَعَلَّمَهُ سَيِّدَ المُرْسَلينَ، مُحَمَّداً صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَعَلى آلِهِ وَصَحْبـِهِ أَجْمَعينَ. وَكلامُ اللَّهِ تَعالى لا يُساويهِ شَيْءٌ مِنْ كَلامِ المَخْلوقينَ. وَلا نَقولُ بـِخَلْقِ القُرْآنِ؛ وَلا نُخالِفُ جَماعَةَ المُسْلِمينَ.

56. We do not argue about the Qur'an and we bear witness that it is the speech of the Lord of all the Worlds which the Trustworthy Spirit came down with and taught the most honoured of all the Messengers-AS, Muhammad-SAAW, may Allah bless him and grant him peace. It is the speech of Allah-SWT and no speech of any created being is comparable to it. We do not say that it was created and we do not go against the Congregation (jama`a) of the Muslims regarding it.

ولا نكفرأحداً من أهل القبلة بذنب ، ما لم يستحله

57. We do not consider any of the people of our qibla to be unbelievers because of any wrong action they have done, as long as they do not consider that action to have been lawful.

ولا نَقولُ: لا يَضُرُّ مَعَ الإِسْلامِ ذنْبٌ لِمَنْ عَمِلَهُ؛

58. Nor do we say that the wrong action of a man who has belief does not have a harmful effect on him.

وَنَرْجو لِلْمُحْسِنينَ مِنَ المُؤْمِنينَ، وَلا نَأْمَنُ عَلَيْهِمْ، وَلا نَشْهَدُ لَهُمْ بالجَنَّةِ، وَنَسْتَغْفِرُ لِمُسيئِهمْ. وَنَخافُ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلا نُقَنِّطُهُمْ.

59. We hope that Allah-SWT  will pardon the people of right action among the believers and grant them entrance into the Garden through His mercy, but we cannot be certain of this, and we cannot bear witness that it will definitely happen and that they will be in the Garden. We ask forgiveness for the people of wrong action among the believers and, although we are afraid for them, we are not in despair about them.

وَالأَمْنُ وَالإِياسُ يَنْقُلانِ عَنِ المِلَّةِ؛ وَسَبيلُ الحَقِّ بَيْنَهُما لأَهْلِ القِبْلَةِ،

60. Certainty and despair both remove one from the religion, but the path of truth for the People of the Qibla lies between the two.

وَلا يَخْرُجُ العَبْدُ مِنَ الإِيمانِ إِلاَّ بِجُحودِ ما أَدْخَلَهُ فيهِ.

61. A person does not step out or belief except by disavowing what brought him into it.

وَالإِيمانُ هُوَ الإِقْرارُ بِاللِّسانِ وَالتَّصْديقُ بِالجَنانِ،

62. Belief consists of affirmation by the tongue and acceptance by the heart.

وَأَنَّ جَميعَ ما أَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ في القُرْآنِ، وَجَميعَ ما صَحَّ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم مِنَ الشَّرْعِ وَالبَيانِ كُلُّهُ حَقٌّ.

63. And the whole of what is proven from the Prophet-SAAW, upon him be peace, regarding the Shari`a and the explanation (of the Qur'an and of Islam) is true.

وَالایمان واحد واھلھ فَی اصلھ سواء۔ والتفاضل بینھم بالتقوی ومخالفۃ الھوی و ملازمۃ الاولی

64. Belief is, at base, the same for everyone, but the superiority of some over others in it is due to their fear and awareness of Allah-SWT , their opposition to their desires, and their choosing what is more pleasing to Allah-SWT .

وَالمُؤْمِنونَ كُلُّهُمْ أَوْلِياءُ الرَّحْمنِ، وَأَكْرَمُهُمْ أَطْوَعُهُمْ وَأَتْبَعُهُمْ لِلْقُرْآنِ

65. All the believers are Friends of Allah-SWT  and the noblest of them in the sight of Allah-SWT  are those who are the most obedient and who most closely follow the Qur'an.

وَالإِيمانُ: هُوَ الإِيمانُ باللَّهِ وَمَلائِكَتِهِ وَكُتُبهِ وُرُسُلِهِ وَاليَوْمِ الآخِرِ، وَالبَعْثِ بَعْدَ المَوْتِ، وَالقَدَرِ خَيْرِهِ وَشَرِّهِ؛ وَحُلْوُهِ وَمُرُّهِ مِنَ اللَّهِ تَعالى.

66. Belief consists of belief in Allah-SWT , His angels-AS, His books, His Messengers-AS, the Last Day, and belief that the Decree -- both the good of it and the evil of it, the sweet of it and the bitter of it -- is all from Allah-SWT .

وَنَحْنُ مُؤْمِنونَ بذلِكَ كُلِّهِ، وَلا نُفَرِّقُ بَيْنَ أَحَدٍ مِنْ رُسُلِهِ، وَنُصَدِّقُهُمْ كُلَّهُمْ عَلى ما جاءوا بهِ.

67. We believe in all these things. We do not make any distinction between any of the Messengers-AS, we accept as true what all of them brought.

وَأَهْلُ الكَبائِرِ مْنْ أُمَّةِ مُحَمَّدٍ صلى الله عليه وسلم في النَّارِ لا يُخَلَّدونَ إِذا ماتوا، وَهُمْ مُوْحِّدونَ وَإِنْ لَمْ يَكونُوا تائِبينَ بَعْدَ أَنْ لَقُوا اللَّهَ عارِفينَ مُؤْمِنينَ، وَهُمْ في مَشيئَتِهِ وُحْكْمِهِ إِنْ شاءَ غَفَرَ لَهُمْ، وَعَفا عَنْهُمْ بفَضْلِهِ، كَما قالَ تَعالى في كِتابهِ العَزيزِ: إِنَّ اللَّهَ لاَ يَغْفِرُ أَنْ يُشْرَكَ بهِ وَيغْفِرُ مَا دُوْنَ ذلكَ لِمَنْ يشَاءُ
وَإِنْ شاءَ عَذبَّهُمْ في النَّارِ بقَدْرِ جنايَتِهِمْ بعَدْلِهِ، ثُمَّ يُخْرِجُهُمْ مِنْها برَحْمَتِهِ وَشَفاعَةِ الشَّافِعينَ مِنْ أَهْلِ طاعَتِهِ، ثُمَّ يَبْعَثُهُمْ إِلى جَنَّتِهِ، وَذلِكَ بأَنَّ اللَّهَ مَوْلى أَهْلِ مَعْرِفِتِهِ، وَلَمْ يَجْعَلْهُمْ في الدَّارَيْنِ كَأَهْل نُكْرَتِهِ الَّذينَ خابُوا مِنْ هِدايَتِهِ، وَلَمْ يَنالُوا مِنْ وِلايَتِهِ. اللَّهُمَّ يا وَلِيَّ الإِسْلامِ وَأَهْلِهِ مَسِّكْنا بالإِسْلامِ حَتَّى نَلْقاكَ بهِ.

68. Those of the Community of Muhammad-SAAW, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, who have committed grave sins will be in the Fire, but not forever, provided they die and meet Allah-SWT as believers affirming His-SWT unity even if they have not repented. They are subject to His-SWT will and judgement.

If He-SWT wants, He-SWT will forgive them and pardon them out of His-SWT generosity, as is mentioned in the Qur'an when He-SWT says: "And He-SWT forgives anything less than that (shirk) to whomever He-SWT wills" (al-Nisa' 4: 116); if He-SWT wants, He-SWT will punish them in the Fire out of His-SWT justice, and then bring them out of the Fire through His-SWT mercy, and for the intercession of those who were obedient to Him-SWT, and send them to the Garden.

This is because Allah-SWT is the Protector of those who recognize Him-SWT and will not treat them in the hereafter in the same way as He-SWT treats those who deny Him-SWT, who are bereft of His-SWT guidance and have failed to obtain His-SWT protection. O Allah-SWT, You-SWT are the Protector-SWT of Islam and its people; make us firm in Islam until the day we meet You-SWT.

ونری الصلاۃ خلف کل بر وفاجر من اھل القبلۃ ، ونصلی من مات منھم

69. We agree with doing the prayer behind any of the People of the Qibla whether rightful or wrongful, and doing the funeral prayer over any of them when they die.

ولا ننزل احداً منھم جنۃ ولا ناراً ، ولا نشھد علیھم بکفر ولا شرک ولا نفاق مالم یظھر منھم من ذلک شیء ، و نذر سراءرھم الی اللہ تعالی

70. We do not say that any of them will categorically go to either the Garden or the Fire, and we do not accuse any of them of kufr (disbelief), shirk (associating partners with Allah-SWT), or nifaq (hypocrisy), as long as they have not openly demonstrated any of those things. We leave their secrets to Allah-SWT.

ولا نری السیف علی احداً من امۃ محمد الا من وجب علیھ السیف

71. We do not agree with killing any of the Community of Muhammad-SAAW, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, unless it is obligatory by Shari`a to do so.

ولا نری الخروج علی ائمتنا و ولاۃ امورنا وان جاروا ولا ندعو علی احداً منھم ، ولا ننزع یدا من طاعتھم من طاعۃ فریضۃ مالم یامروا بمعصیۃ وندعو لھم بالصلاح والمعافاۃ

72. We do not accept rebellion against our Imam or those in charge of our affairs even if they are unjust, nor do we wish evil on them, nor do we withdraw from following them. We hold that obedience to them is part of obedience to Allah-SWT, the Glorified, and therefore obligatory as long as they do not order to commit sins. We pray for their right guidance and ask for pardon for their wrongs.

وَنَتَّبعُ السُّنَّةَ وَالجَماعَةَ، وَنَجْتَنِبُ الشُّذوذ َ وَالخِلافَ وَالفُرْقَةَ

73. We follow the Sunna of the Prophet-SAAW and the Congregation of the Muslims (Khair-ul-Quroon), and avoid deviation, differences and divisions.

وَنُحِبُّ أَهْلَ العَدْلِ وَالأَمانَةِ، وَنُبْغِضُ أَهْلَ الجَوْرِ وَالخِيانَةِ

74. We love the people of justice and trustworthiness, and hate the people of injustice and treachery.

ونقول اللھ اعلم فیما اشتبھ علینا علمھ

75. When our knowledge about something is unclear, we say: "Allah-SWT knows best."

وَنَرى المَسْحَ عَلى الخُفَّيْنِ في السَّفَرِ وَالحَضَرِ، كَما جاءَ في الأَثَرِ

76. We agree with wiping over leather socks (in ablution) whether on a journey or otherwise, just as has come in the hadiths.

وَالحَجُّ وَالجهادُ فَرْضانِ ماضِيانِ مَعَ أُوْلي الأَمْرِ مِنْ أَئِمَّةِ المُسْلِمينَ بَرِّهِمْ وَفاجرِهِمْ لا يُبْطِلُهُما شَيْءٌ، وَلا يَنْقُضُهُما.

77. Hajj and jihad under the leadership of those in charge of the Muslims, whether they are right or wrong-acting, are continuing obligations until the Last Hour comes. Nothing can annul or controvert them.

وَنُؤْمِنُ بالكِرامِ الكاتِبينَ، وَأَنَّ اللَّهَ قَدْ جَعَلَهُمْ حافِظينَ

78. We believe in the the noble angels-AS who write down our actions, for Allah-SWT has appointed them over us as two guardians.

وَنُؤْمِنُ بمَلَكَ المَوْتِ المُوَكَّلِ بقَبْضِ أَرْواحِ العالَمينَ.

79. We believe in the Angel-AS of Death who is in charge of taking the spirits of all the worlds.

وَبعذابِ القَبْرِ لِمَنْ كانَ لَهُ أَهْلاً.
وَبسُؤالِ مُنْكَرٍ وَنَكيرٍ لِلمَيِّتِ في قَبْرِهِ عَنْ رَبِّهِ وَدينِهِ وَنَبيِّهِ، عَلى ما جاءَتْ بهِ الأَخْبارُ عَنْ رَسولِ رَبهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم، وَعَنِ الصَّحابَةِ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمْ أَجْمَعينَ.

80. We believe in the punishment in the grave for those who deserve it, and in the questioning in the grave by Munkar and Nakir about one's Lord, one's religion and one's Prophet, as has come down in the hadiths from the Messenger-SAAW of Allah-SWT, may Allah-SWT bless him and grant him peace, and in reports from the Companions-RAU, may Allah-SWT be pleased with them all.

وَالقَبْرُ رَوْضَةٌ مِنْ رِياضِ الجَنَّةِ أَوْ حُفْرَةٌ مِنْ حُفَرِ النَّارِ.

81. The grave is either one of the meadows of the Garden or one of the pits of the Fire.

وَنُؤْمِنُ بالبَعْثِ وَبجزاءِ الأَعْمالِ يَوْمَ القِيامَةِ، وَالعَرْضِ وَالحِسابِ، وَقِراءَةِ الكِتابِ، وَالثَّوابِ وَالعِقابِ، وَالصِّراطِ.
وَالميزانِ يُوزَنُ بهِ أَعْمالُ المُؤْمِنينَ مِنْ الخَيْرِ وَالشَّرِّ وَالطَّاعَةِ وَالمَعْصِيَةِ.

82. We believe in being brought back to life after death and in being recompensed for our actions on the Day of Judgement, and the exhibition of works, and the reckoning, and the reading of the book, and the reward or punishments, and the Bridge, and the Balance; and the deeds of the Muslims, good evil obedient and disobedient are weighed by it.

وَالجَنَّةُ وَالنَّارُ مَخْلوقَتانِ لا يَفْنَيانِ، وَلا يَبيدانِ.
وَإِنَّ اللَّهَ تَعالى خَلَقَ الجَنَّةَ وَالنَّارَ، وَخَلَقَ لَهُما أَهْلاً.
فَمَنْ شاءَ إِلى الجَنَّةِ أَدْخَلَهُ فَضْلاً مِنْهُ، وَمَنْ شاءَ مِنْهُمْ إِلى النَّارِ أَدْخَلَهُ عَدْلاً مِنْهُ.
وَكُلٌّ يَعْمَلُ لِما قَدْ فُرِغَ مِنْهُ، وَصائِرٌ إِلى ما خُلِقَ لَهُ.

83. The Garden and the Fire are created things that never come to an end and we believe that Allah-SWT created them before the rest of creation and then created people to inhabit each of them. Whoever He-SWT wills goes to the Garden out of His-SWT bounty and whoever He-SWT wills goes to the Fire through His-SWT justice. Everybody acts in accordance with what is destined for him and goes towards what he has been created for.

وَالخَيْرُ وَالشَّرُ مُقَدَّرانِ عَلى العِبادِ،

84. Good and evil have both been decreed for people.

وَالاسْتِطاعَةُ الَّتي يَجبُ بها الفِعْلُ مِنْ نَحْوِ التَّوْفيقِ الَّذي لا يَجُوزُ أَنْ يُوْصَفَ المَخْلوقُ بها تَكونُ مَعَ الفِعْلِ، وَأَمَّا الاسْتِطاعَةُ مِنَ الصِّحْةِ وَالْوُسْعِ وَالتَّمَكُّنِ، وَسلامَةِ الآلاتِ فَهِيَ قَبْلَ الفِعْلِ، وَبها يَتَعَلَّقُ الخِطابُ، وَهُوَ كَما قالَ اللَّهُ تَعالى:
لاَ يكَلفُ الْلَّهُ نفْسَاً إِلاَّ وُسْعَهَا

85. The capability in terms of divine grace and favor which makes an action certain to occur cannot be ascribed to a created being. This capability is integral with action, whereas the capability of an action in terms of having the necessary health and ability, being in a position to act, and having the necessary means, exists in a person before the action. It is this type of capability which is the object of the dictates of the Shari`a. Allah-SWT the Exalted says: "Allah-SWT does not charge a person except according to his ability." (al-Baqara 2: 286)

وَأَفْعالُ العِبادِ هِيَ بخَلْقِ اللَّهِ تَعالى وَكَسْبٍ مِنَ العِبادِ.

86. People's actions are created by Allah-SWT but earned by people .

ولم يكلفهم الله تعالى إلا ما يطيقون ، ولا يطيقون إلا ماكلفهم . وهو تفسير لا حول ولا قوة الا بالله ، نقول : لا حيلة لأحد ، [ ولا تحول لأحد ] ، ولا حركة لأحد عن معصية الله ، الا بمعونة الله ، ولا قوة لأحد على إقامة طاعة الله والثبات عليها إلا بتوفيق الله .

87. Allah-SWT, the Exalted, has only charged people with what they are able to do and people are only capable of doing what Allah-SWT has granted them to do. This is the explanation of the phrase: "There is no power and no strength except by Allah-SWT." We add to this that there is no stratagem or way by which anyone can avoid or escape disobedience to Allah except with Allah-SWT's help; nor does anyone have the strength to put obedience to Allah-SWT into practice and remain firm in it, except if Allah-SWT makes it possible for him to do so.

وَكُلُّ شَيْءٍ يَجْري بمَشيئَةِ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ وَعِلْمِهِ وَقَضائِهِ وَقَدَرَهِ.
غَلَبَتْ مَشيئَتُهُ المَشيئاتِ كُلَّها، وَغَلَبَ قَضاؤُهُ الحِيَلَ كُلَّها، يَفْعَلُ ما شاءَ وَهُوَ غَيْرُ ظالِمٍ أَبَداً.
تَقَدَّسَ عَنْ كُلِّ سُوءٍ، وَتَنَزَّهَ عَنْ كُلِّ عَيْبٍ وَشَيْنٍ،
( لاَ يُسْأَلُ عَمَّا يفْعَلُ وَهُمْ يسْأَلوْنَ )

88. Everything happens according to Allah-SWT's will, knowledge, predestination and decree. His-SWT will overpowers all other wills and His-SWT decree overpowers all stratagems. He-SWT does whatever He-SWT wills and He-SWT is never unjust. He-SWT is exalted in His-SWT purity above any evil or perdition and He-SWT is perfect far beyond any fault or flaw. "He-SWT will not be asked about what He-SWT does, but they will be asked." (al-Anbiya' 21: 23)

وَفي دُعاءِ الأَحْياءِ للأَمْواتِ وَصَدَقَتَهِمْ مَنْفَعَةٌ لِلأَمْواتِ

89. There is benefit for dead people in the supplication and alms-giving of the living.

وَاللَّهُ تَعالى يَسْتَجيبُ الدَّعَواتِ، وَيَقْضي الحاجاتِ،

90. Allah-SWT responds to people's supplications and gives them what they ask for.

وَيَمْلِكُ كُلَّ شَيْءٍ، وَلا يَمْلِكُهُ شَيْءٌ
وَلا يُسْتَغْنى عَنِ اللَّهِ تَعالى طَرْفَةَ عَيْنٍ، وَمَنِ اسْتَغْنَى عَنِ اللَّهِ طَرْفَةَ عَيْنٍ فَقَدْ كَفَرَ، وَصارَ مِنْ أَهْلِ الخُسْرانِ.

91. Allah-SWT has absolute control over everything and nothing has any control over Him-SWT. Nothing can be independent of Allah-SWT even for the blinking of an eye, and whoever considers himself independent of Allah-SWT for the blinking of an eye is guilty of disbelief and becomes one of the people of perdition.

وَإِنَّ اللَّهَ تَعالى يَغْضَبُ وَيَرْضَى لا كَأَحَدٍ مِنَ الوَرَى

92. Allah-SWT is angered and He-SWT is pleased but not in the same way as any creature.

وَنُحِبُ أَصْحابَ النَّبيِّ وَلا نُفَرِّطُ في حُبِ أَحَدٍ مِنْهُمْ، وَلا نَتَبَرَّأُ مِنْ أَحَدٍ مِنْهُمْ. وَنُبْغِضُ مَنْ يُبْغِضُهُمْ، وَبغَيْرِ الْحَقِ لا نَذكُرُهُمْ؛ وَنَرى حُبَّهُمْ ديناً وَإِيماناً وَإِحْساناً، وَبُغْضَهُمْ كُفْراً وَشِقاقاً وَنِفاقاً وَطُغْياناً.

93. We love the Companions_RAU of the Messenger-SAAW of Allah-SWT but we do not go to excess in our love for any one individual among them; nor do we disown any one of them. We hate anyone who hates them or does not speak well of them and we only speak well of them. Love of them is a part of Islam, part of belief and part of excellent behavior, while hatred of them is disbelief, hypocrisy and rebellion.

وَنُثْبتُ الخِلافَةَ بَعْدَ النَّبيِّ أَوَّلاً لأَبي بَكْرٍ الصِّدِّيقِ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ تَفْضيلاً وَتَقْديماً عَلَى جَميعِ الأُمَّةِ، ثُمَّ لِعُمَرَ بْنِ الخَطَّابِ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ، ثُمَّ لِعُثْمانَ بْنِ عَفَّانَ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ، ثُمَّ لِعَلِيٍّ بْنِ أَبي طالِبٍ رِضْوانُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِمْ أَجْمَعينَ. وَهُمُ الخُلَفاءُ الرَّاشِدونَ، وَالأَئِمَّةُ المَهْدِيُّونَ، الَّذينَ قَضَوْا بالحَقِّ وَكانُوا بهِ يَعْدِلونَ.

94. We confirm that, after the death of Allah-SWT's Messenger-SAAW, peace be upon him, the caliphate went first to Abu Bakr al-Siddiq-RAU, thus proving his excellence and superiority over the rest of the Muslims; then to `Umar ibn al-Khattab-RAU; then to `Uthman-RAU; and then to `Ali-RAU ibn Abi Talib; may Allah be well pleased with all of them. These are the Rightly-Guided Caliphs and upright leaders.

وَإِنَّ العَشَرَةَ الَّذينَ سَمَّاهُمْ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ . نَشْهَدُ لَهُمْ بالجَنَّةِ كَما شَهِدَ لَهُمْ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ. وَقَوْلُهُ الحَقِّ، وَهُمْ: أَبو بَكْرٍ وَعُمَرُ وَعُثْمانُ وَعَلِيٌ وَطَلْحَةُ وَالزُّبَيْرُ وَسَعْدٌ وَسَعيدٌ وَعَبْدُ الرَّحْمنِ بْنُ عَوْفٍ وَأَبو عُبَيْدَةَ بْنُ الجَرَّاحِ، وَهُوَ أَمينُ هذِهِ الأُمَّةِ رِضْوانُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِمْ أَجْمَعينَ.

95. We bear witness that the ten who were named by the Messenger-SAAW of Allah-SWT, may Allah-SWT bless him and grant him peace, and who were promised the Garden by him-SAAW, will be in the Garden, as the Messenger-SAAW of Allah-SWT, peace be upon him, whose word is truth, bore witness that they would be. The ten are: Abu Bakr-RAU, `Umar-RAU, `Uthman-RAU, `Ali-RAU, Talha-RAU, Zubayr-RAU, Sa`d-RAU, Sa`id-RAU, `Abd al-Rahman-RAU ibn `Awf, and Abu `Ubayda-RAU ibn al-Jarrah whose title was the Trustee of this Community, may Allah be pleased with all of them.

وَمَنْ أَحْسَنَ القَوْلَ في أَصْحابِ النَّبيِّ وَأِزْوَاجهِ وَذرِّيَّاتِهِ فَقَدْ بَرِئَ مِنَ النِّفاقِ

96. Anyone who speaks well of the Companions of the Messenger-SAAW of Allah-SWT, may Allah-SWT bless him-SAAW and grant him-SAAW peace, and his-SAAW wives and offspring, who are all pure and untainted by any impurity, is free from the accusation of hypocrisy.

وَعُلَماءُ السَّلَفِ مِنَ الصَّالِحينَ وَالتَّابعينَ وَمَنْ بَعْدَهُمْ مِنْ أَهْلِ الخَيْرِ وَالأَثَرِ، وَأَهْلِ الفِقْهِ وَالنَّظَرِ، لا يُذكَرُونَ إِلاَّ بالجَميلِ، وَمَنْ ذكَرَهُمْ بسوءٍ فَهُوَ عَلى غَيْرِ السَّبيلِ.

97. The learned men of the Predecessors, both the first community and those who immediately followed (Khair-ul-Quroon: Sahabah, Tabaee, Taba Tabaeen): the people of virtue, the narrators of hadith, the jurists, and the analysts-- they must only be spoken of in the best way, and anyone who says anything bad about them is not on the right path.

وَلا نُفَضِّلُ أَحَداً مِنَ الأَوْلِياءِ عَلى أَحَدٍ مِنَ الأَنْبياءِ. وَنَقولُ: نَبيٌّ واحِدٌ أَفْضَلُ مِنْ جَميعِ الأَوْلِياءِ،

98. We do not prefer any of the saintly men among the Community over any of the Prophets-AS but rather we say that any one of the Prophets-AS is better than all the Awliya' put together.

وَنُؤْمِنُ بما جاءَ مِنْ كَراماتِهِمْ، وَصَحَّ عَنِ الثِّقاتِ مِنْ رِوايَتِهِمْ

99. We believe in what we know of the karamat or marvels of the Awliya' and in the authentic stories about them from trustworthy sources.

وَنُؤْمِنُ بأَشْراطِ السَّاعَةِ مِنْها: خُروجُ الدَّجَّالِ، وَنُزولُ عيسى عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ مِنَ السَّماءِ، وَبطُلوعِ الشَّمْسِ مِنْ مَغْرِبها، وَخُروجِ دَابَّةِ الأَرْضِ مِنْ مَوْضِعِها.

100. We believe in the signs of the Hour such as the appearance of the Antichrist (dajjal) and the descent of `Isa ibn Maryam-AS, peace be upon him, from heaven, and we believe in the rising of the sun from where it sets and in the emergence of the Beast from the earth.

وَلا نُصَدِّقُ كاهِناً وَلا عَرَّافاً، وَلا مَنْ يَدَّعي شَيْئاً بخِلافِ الكِتابِ وَالسُّنَّةِ وَإِجْماعِ الأُمَّةِ.

101. We do not accept as true what soothsayers and fortune-tellers say, nor do we accept the claims of those who affirm anything which goes against the Book, the Sunna, and the consensus of the Muslim Community (Khair-ul-Quroon, Fuqaha, the learned scholars, and Aulia).

وَنَرى الجَماعَةَ حَقَّاً وَصَواباً، وَالفُرْقَةَ زَيْغاً وَعَذاباً.

102. We agree that holding together is the true and right path and that separation is deviation and torment.

وَدِينُ اللَّهِ في السَّماءِ وَالأَرْضِ واحِدٌ وَهُوَ دِينُ الإِسْلامِ، كَما قالَ اللَّه تَعالى:
إِنَّ الدِّينَ عِنْدَ الْلَّهِ الإِسْلامُ
، وَقالَ تَعالى:
وَمَنْ يبْتغِ غَيْرَ الإِسْلامِ دِينَاً فَلَنْ يقْبَلَ مِنْهُ
، وَقالَ تَعالى:
وَرَضِيْتُ لكُمُ الإِسْلامَ دِينَاً

103. There is only one religion of Allah-SWT in the heavens and the earth and that is the religion of Islam ("submission"). Allah-SWT says: "Surely religion in the sight of Allah-SWT is Islam." (Al `Imran 3: 19) And He-SWT also says: "I am pleased with Islam as a religion for you." (al-Ma'ida 5: 3)

وَهُوَ بَيْنَ الغُلُوِّ وَالتَّقْصيرِ، وَالتَّشْبيهِ وَالتَّعْطيلِ، وَالجَبْرِ وَالقَدَرِ، وَالأَمْنِ وَاليَأْسِ.

104. Islam lies between going to excess and falling short, between the likening of Allah-SWT's attributes to creation (tashbih) and divesting Allah-SWT of attributes (ta`til), between determinism and freewill, and between sureness and despair.

فَهذا دِينُنا وَاعْتِقادُنا، ظاهِراً وَباطِناً.
وَنَحْنُ نَبْرَأُ إِلى اللَّهِ تَعالى مِمَّنْ خالَفَ الَّذي ذكَرْناهُ، وَبَيَّناهُ.

105. This is our religion and it is what we believe in, both inwardly and outwardly, and we renounce any connection, before Allah-SWT, with anyone who goes against what we have said and made clear.

We ask Allah to make us firm in our belief and seal our lives with it and to protect us from variant ideas, scattering opinions and evil schools of view; who go against the Sunna and Jama`a and have allied themselves with error. We renounce any connection with them and in our opinion they are in error and on the path of destruction. We ask Allah to protect us from all falsehood and we ask His Grace and Favour to do all good.

---

Imam Abu Ja`far al-Tahawi:

Imam Abu Ja`far al-Tahawi (239-321) can be said to represent the creed of both Ash`aris and Maturidis, especially the latter, as he was also following the Hanafi madhhab. We have therefore chosen to include the entire translated text of his Statement of Islamic Doctrine commonly known as the `aqida tahawiyya. This text, representative of the viewpoint of Ahl al-Sunna wa al-Jama`a, has long been the most widely acclaimed, and indeed indispensable, reference work on Muslim beliefs, of which the text below is a complete English translation.

Imam Abu Ja`far Ahmad ibn Muhammad al-Azdi, known as Imam Tahawi after his birthplace in Egypt, is among the most outstanding authorities of the Islamic world on hadith and jurisprudence (fiqh). He lived at a time when both the direct and indirect disciples of the Four Imams of law were teaching and practicing. This period was the greatest age of Hadith and fiqh studies, and Imam Tahawi studied with all the living authorities of the day. Al-Badr al-`Ayni said that when Ahmad died, Tahawi was 12; when Bukhari died, he was 27; when Muslim died, he was 32; when Ibn Majah died, he was 44; when Abu Dawud died, he was 46; when Tirmidhi died, he was fifty; when Nisa'i died, he was 74. Kawthari relates this and adds the consensus of scholars that Tahawi allied in himself completion in the two knowledges of hadith and fiqh, a consensus that included, among others, al-`Ayni and al-Dhahabi, with Ibn Taymiyya singling himself out in his opinion that Tahawi was not very knowledgeable in hadith. This is flatly contradicted by Ibn Kathir who says in his notice on Tahawi in al-Bidaya wa al-nihaya: "He is one of the trustworthy narrators of established reliability, and one of the massive memorizers of hadith." Kawthari calls Ibn Taymiyya's verdict "another one of his random speculations" and states: "No-one disregards Tahawi's knowledge of the defective hadith except someone whose own defects have no remedy, and may Allah protect us from such."

Tahawi began his studies with his maternal uncle Isma`il ibn Yahya al-Muzani, a leading disciple of Imam Shafi`i. However, Tahawi felt instinctively drawn to the corpus of Imam Abu Hanifa's works. Indeed, he had seen his uncle and teacher turning to the works of Hanafi scholars to resolve thorny issues of fiqh, drawing heavily on the writings of Abu Hanifa's two leading companions, Muhammad Ibn al-Hasan al-Shaybani and Abu Yusuf, who had codified Hanafi fiqh. This led him to devote his whole attention to studying the Hanafi works and he eventually joined the Hanafi school. He now stands out not only as a prominent follower of that Hanafi school but, in view of his vast erudition and remarkable powers of assimilation, as one of its leading scholars. His monumental scholarly works, such as Sharh ma`ani al-athar and Mushkil al-athar, are encyclopedic in scope and have long been regarded as indispensable for training students of fiqh. He was in fact a mujtahid across the board and was thoroughly familiar with the fiqh of all four schools, as stated by Ibn `Abd al-Barr and related by Kawthari, and as shown by Tahawi's own work on comparative law entitled Ikhtilaf al-fuqaha'.

Tahawi's "Doctrine" (al-`Aqida), though small in size, is a basic text for all times, listing what a Muslim must know and believe and inwardly comprehend. There is consensus among the Companions, the Successors and all the leading Islamic authorities such as the four Imams and their authoritative followers on the doctrines enumerated in this work, which are entirely derived from the undisputed primary sources of Religion, the Holy Qur'an and the confirmed Hadith. Being a text on Islamic doctrine, this work sums up the arguments set forth in those two sources to define sound belief, and likewise, the arguments advanced in refuting the views of sects that have deviated from the Sunna.

As regards the sects mentioned in this work, familiarity with Islamic history up to the time of Imam Tahawi would be quite helpful. More or less veiled references to sects such as the Mu`tazila, the Jahmiyya, the Karramiyya, the Qadariyya, and the Jabariyya are found in the work. It also contains allusions to other views considered unorthodox and deviant from the way of Ahl al-Sunna. There is an explicit reference in the work to the controversy on the creation of the Qu'ran in the times of al-Ma'mun and others.

While the permanent relevance of the statements of belief in the `Aqida are obvious, the historical weight and point of certain of these statements can be properly appreciated only if the work is used as a text for study under the guidance of some learned person able to elucidate its arguments fully, with reference to the intellectual and historical background of the sects refuted in the work. Since the present book is intended exactly as one such aid towards understanding the details of Islamic belief with clarity, it is hoped that the quotation of the entire text of Tahawi's "Doctrine," which we consider as the doctrine of Ahl al-Sunna wa al-Jama`a, will be of benefit to the reader. And may Allah grant us a true understanding of faith and count us among those described by the Prophet as the Saved Group.

http://central-mosque.com/index.php/Aqeedah/aqeedah-tahawiyyah.html

Regrading Shirk, Tawassul/Wasilah and Knowledge of the Unseen

Shirk means attributing the Qualities and traits of Allah-SWT (which are specifically descriptive of Him-SWT alone) to anybody or anything else ... for example to believe any one other than Allah-SWT is 'Hazir-o-Nazir' would also come under shirk and when we call out to anyone other than Allah-SWT we actually are denoting this quality of Omni-presence and All-hearing to that person or thing which falls under the exact definition of Shirk.

It is not acceptable for anyone to call out to anyone or anything other than Allah-SWT (especially for the fulfillment of any need at all), be the person a Christian, Jews, Sikhs, Buddhists, Hindus, Qadiani, Shia, Sunni, Berailvi, Sufi, Ahl-e-Hadis, and or any other so called maslaq that exists. Infact if you study Hinduism, they too believe in One final God, and believe some similar notion about their demi gods.

the difference between Shirk and disbelief is that in disbelief, One simply does not believe in Allah-SWT. And in Shirk, one believes in Allah-SWT, but also believes that others share similar qualities as Him-SWT or are partners or co-creators or co-sustainers with Allah-SWT, and the act of this belief of shared qualities which are solely specific of Allah-SWT is Shirk.

to say things like "Ya-Muhammad" or "Ya-Ali" or "Ya-Hussain" etc are all incorrect - because none of them are hazir-o-nazir only Allah-SWT is Omni-present and only Allah-SWT is All-Hearing, All-Seeing, All-encompassing, All-Sustaining. He-SWT is the sole Provider and none can fulfill our needs but Him-SWT.

Sayyiduna Rasoolullah (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam) said, "On the Day of Qiyamah, that person will be closest to me who used to read Durood Shareef in abundance. The person who reads the Durood Shareef on Fridays, Almighty Allah fulfils a hundred needs of his, seventy needs of the Hereafter and thirty of this world. Almighty Allah also commands an Angel to present the Durood Shareef to me as you would receive a present. This Durood Shareef is then preserved in a white record". (Sadaatud Daarain)

“Whoever recites Durood at my grave, I hear it myself. And whoesoever recites it from a distance, Angels present them to me.” (BAIHAQI)

Allah Almighty has appointed a group of angels who travel the world, and in my Ummah, whoever sends salutatations to me, those salutations are presented to me by these angels.” (IBNE HABBAN)

Almighty Allah says: “Surely Allah and His Angels send blessings on the Holy Prophet (Sallal Laahu Alaihi Wasallim). O you who believe! Send Blessings (Durood) and Salutations (Salaams) on the Prophet with worthy Salutation”.(Surah al-Ahzab: 56)

There is no human who was ever created more exalted in spiritual and physical stature than the Prophet Muhammad-SAAW. There is no human superior to him-SAAW in the eyes of Allah-SWT or closer than his-SAAW to Allah-SWT. The proof being the above ayat that Allah-SWT Himself-SWT sends blessings (Durud) on the Prophet Muhammad-SAAW. Thus if he-SAAW cannot hear us directly when we recite durud from a distance and angels have been ordained the duty to carry our durud like gifts to him-SAAW (in barzakh), then no other creation on earth can be expected to be all-hearing or ever-present (hazir-o-nazir). Only Allah-SWT is Omni-Present and All-Hearing and only He-SWT has the right to be called out to for all our desires and needs.

Al-Jinn (The Jinn) ruku 2

72:20 (Picktall) Say (unto them, O Muhammad-SAAW): I pray unto Allah only, and ascribe unto Him no partner.

72:21 (Picktall) Say: Lo! I control not hurt nor benefit for you.

72:22 (Picktall) Say: Lo! none can protect me from Allah, nor can I find any refuge beside Him

72:23 (Picktall) (Mine is) but conveyance (of the truth) from Allah, and His messages; and whoso disobeyeth Allah and His messenger, lo! his is fire of hell, wherein such dwell for ever.

72:24 (Picktall) Till (the day) when they shall behold that which they are promised (they may doubt); but then they will know for certain) who is weaker in allies and less in multitude.

72:25 (Picktall) Say (O Muhammad-SAAW, unto the disbelievers): I know not whether that which ye are promised is nigh, or if my Lord hath set a distant term for it.

72:26 (Picktall) (He is) the knower of the Unseen, and He revealeth unto none His secret,

72:27 (Picktall) Save unto every Messenger-AS whom He hath chosen, and then He maketh a guard to go before him and a guard behind him

72:28 (Picktall) That He may know that they have indeed conveyed the Messages of their Lord. He surroundeth all their doings, and He keepeth count of all things.


In The Name of Allah-SWT the Most Gracious, The Most Merciful
SECRETS OF REVELATION:
Declare O Prophet-SAAW, that you only worship your Rabb-SWT and ascribe no partners to Him-SWT and that you are not responsible for their vices and virtues nor is it a part of your duties, being also His-SWT creation and His-SWT bondman. All your affairs are in His-SWT very control and you have no refuge save Him-SWT . However, your duty as His-SWT Messenger is only to convey His-SWT Message and whoever disobeys is destined to abide in the Hell. But the wretched souls incapable of accepting would never heed what you say. When they will see Akhirah materializing and the promise of retribution for disbelief coming true, they would know who was weak and fragile. They think that a handful of powerless Muslims posed no serious threat to them.

But they have seen in this world that Allah-SWT's Word is true and would so witness it in the Akhirah. Therefore, tell them that the hour of the Doomsday is only known to Allah-SWT , and not to His-SWT Prophets-AS. Only He-SWT Knows whether it is very near or far away. But it certainly is there. As for the Unseen, it is again only known to Him-SWT save what He-SWT informs the Prophets-AS on, through revelation, in full confidence and secrecy. He-SWT dominates everything and has a count of each particle in universe.

Knowledge of the Unseen
It must be remembered that the Knowledge of the Unseen is peculiar to Allah-SWT as His-SWT Knowledge is independent of any source or medium. He-SWT Knows even 'the number of atoms in each speck of the universe and whatever these contain. He-SWT Knows everything at all times. This is the kind of knowledge no one else can possess. But the Information over the Unseen, as hinted in the preceding paragraph, is given to the Prophets-AS as and when required for the fulfillment of their Prophetic responsibilities. The Holy Prophet-SAAW is blessed with this information to the highest degree, but despite it, he does not have, by any stretch of imagination, a share in Allah-SWT's Attributes.


The Holy Prophet-SAAW and Knowledge of the Unseen
This is an issue often discussed in public debates. However, according to the consensus of the righteous scholars, to say that the Holy Prophet-SAAW did not know the unseen, or to make him-SAAW the topic of discussion in this context is not permitted at all. In fact it is so impudent that it may well jeopardize one's faith. It is true that the Holy Prophet-SAAW is not a partner in His-SWT Being and His-SWT Attributes, nor anyone else. The knowledge vouchsafed to His-SWT entire creation is less than what has been given to the Holy Prophet-SAAW alone. The Ayah under discussion may be interpreted to mean that he-SAAW does not claim to know the unseen, nor does he-SAAW foretell anything even about himself-SAAW as to what may befall him-SAAW the next day. He-SAAW speaks only that of which he-SAAW is blessed with knowledge by Him-SWT .

They must be warned of the consequences of their denial, for undoubtedly this Quran is from Allah-SWT , duly supported by logical as well as Scriptural evidence. And many a righteous scholars of Bani Israil enjoying knowledge of the earlier Divine Scriptures have believed in it, testifying its authenticity. Other are just being arrogant, denying out of sheer ignorance and conceit. A severe punishment awaits them and Allah-SWT does not guide such transgressors.


7:188 = Say you-SAAW : I possess no power of benefit or hurt to myself save as Allah-SWT wills; and had I knowledge of the unseen I would have amassed ample good, and evil would not have touched me. I am nothing but a warner and bringer of good tidings to a people who believe.


The Exalted Office of Prophethood
The Holy Prophet-SAAW is being told to inform the people that he-SAAW has no power over his-SAAW own gain and loss, for it is purely in the control of the Almighty. It is His-SWT Will that prevails and it is by His-SWT Grace and blessing that he-SAAW enjoys an exalted status, which depends upon His-SWT Pleasure. Prophets-AS, too, are Allah-SWT's creation who submit to His-SWT Omnipotence and always look up to Him-SWT for His-SWT Blessings. To ascribe partners in Divine Attributes is polytheism; neither a Prophet-AS, nor an angel-AS nor a Wali can be taken as partners in any of His-SWT Attributes. In fact, to eradicate this very evil Allah-SWT sent His-SWT Messengers-AS unto mankind. It is not proper to hope for the attainment of health, affluence or other worldly needs from a Prophet'-AS or to make obedience conditional to the fulfillment of mundane desires. The expectation generally associated with the Aulia that they can prevent a loss or cause benefit is absolutely wrong. Take note that these are Divine Attributes and whatever happens is by His-SWT Free Will.

The Holy Prophet-SAAW told the people that he-SAAW had no knowledge of the unseen. Had he-SAAW any control over his-SAAW gain and loss, he-SAAW would have never gone through any distress. He-SAAW could have avoided all problems by making the correct choice and avoiding possible loss, had he-SAAW known the unseen. But they could see how he-SAAW endured hardships and temporal losses. Though he-SAAW was not responsible for the worldly loss or gain yet the status he-SAAW enjoyed was to impart broad and enlightened vision and knowledge to the mankind through which they can perceive the end results of evil and the reward of piety, to help cultivate a strong faith in the Day of Judgement. Take note that the Messengers-AS of Allah-SWT are the personalities "those mildest gestures can brighten the destiny of millions. At the same time it can also be a source of punishment if inspite of being associated with a Prophet"-AS, one fails to accept the faith and be obedient. Therefore, all authority rests with Allah-SWT . Barakah can be acquired through the Prophets-AS and the Aulia but it is not a ride that all associating with them will always be guided.

Knowledge of the Unseen
Secondly, it is worth paying attention that the topics addressed by the Prophets-AS pertain to the unseen, such as the Angels-AS, Barzakh, Hereafter and the Almighty Himself-SWT , Who-SWT is the Greatest of the Unseen. The Prophets-AS do inform mankind on the unseen but reiterate that they do not possess the Knowledge of the Unseen themselves. In fact, all realities pertaining to the unseen conveyed to mankind by the Prophets-AS are revealed unto them by Allah-SWT . The major share of such knowledge, of course, went to the Holy Prophet-SAAW and his knowledge excels all his-SAAW distant and recent predecessors. But this is termed as Information on the Unseen whereas Knowledge of the Unseen is that which is not attained through a medium or a source and is an Attribute of the Almighty. The excellence of Prophethood is that people become not only aware of good and evil but also practically begin to refrain from the latter and thus receive the glad tidings of salvation. This is also an indicator of the distinction of a Wali that those who associate with him are blessed with correction of beliefs and practices. But only those shall be blessed with this correction who embrace faith because the pre requisite of receiving beneficence from a Prophet-AS is faith.


Knowledge Of The Unseen; A Divine Peculiarity
The knowledge of the unseen is Allah-SWT's domain while the Messengers-AS are informed over it. Therefore, if Allah-SWT withholds information over a particular matter, it cannot be known. In this case Allah-SWT used the hoophoe as a courier to convey the news to Prophet Sulaiman-AS. It had witnessed a city called Saba in Yemen, ruled by a woman (Queen Bilqees), who had all the resources required for running an empire and sat on a magnificent throne.


Human estimation and planning, based on which people imagine Allah-SWT to be like them and argue about Him-SWT , carry no importance at all. The Knowledge of the Unseen is only with Allah-SWT and it is He-SWT Alone Who-SWT knows what is there in-store for tomorrow. No human being can predict what can befall him the very next moment. So the only reasonable thing for a human being to do is obedience because he does not know when the Hour may strike, when everything is shacked up and the Day of Judgement is established. Allah-SWT certainly Knows when it is going to be. Rather, it is He-SWT Who-SWT will cause it and He-SWT certainly is Omnipotent. Therefore, following His-SWT instructions and planning for the future within the framework of His-SWT‘s obedience is the most appropriate thing to do.

The extent of human knowledge is so limited that when Allah-SWT brought him to this world from his mother's womb, he was completely ignorant of everything. He knew nothing about his food or clothing. He was completely incapable of discriminating between right and wrong; he had no knowledge whatsoever. Allah-SWT blessed him with senses which gradually turned more and more refined with the passage time, and man began to acquire knowledge. The primary source of this acquisition is the sense of hearing. Seeing is the second major source, as a person collects information primarily through hearing, while the opportunity to witness everything is comparatively less.

17:57 = Those whom they call upon seek access themselves to their Rabb-SWT , striving which of them shall be the nearest; and they hope for His-SWT Mercy and fear His-SWT Chastisement; the Chastisement of your-SAAW Rabb-SWT is indeed ever to be guarded against.


Wasilah (Means of Approach)
The idols of angels, Prophets-AS or saints which they worship are themselves always seeking means of pleasing Allah-SWT . They worship and obey Allah-SWT diligently so that their obedience may serve as a Wasilah to obtain His-SWT Pleasure. They remain hopeful of His-SWT Mercy while being fully conscious and apprehensive of Him-SWT . He-SWT is without any want. And certainly His-SWT Punishment is worthy of being feared.

5:35 = O’ you who believe; fear Allah-SWT and seek approach to Him-SWT . And strive hard in His-SWT Way that haply you may thrive.

The address to those claiming faith continues. The Quranic style of speech here is charming indeed, when it says: "O’ you who believe!" This expression connotes affection, love and advice, and stresses upon the believers to renounce sin, abandon Allah-SWT's disobedience and not to allow the relationship between them and Allah-SWT weaken; rather to strive for strengthening it. For this purpose, one must find means of approaching Allah-SWT , termed as Wasilah.

Reality of Wasilah
According to scholars the meaning of Wasilah is to be joined in love, if it is written with s. (see the difference in the Transliteration) it will mean an absolute joining without hinting at any under King emotions. Here it calls for such actions which increase Allah-SWT's Love in the heart, and by which Allah-SWT will take the seeker as His-SWT beloved. According to the Quran: "Follow me (the Holy Prophet-SAAW ) and Allah-SWT shall love you (3:31).

If you fulfill your obligations and restrain yourself from sin as commanded by the Holy Prophet-SAAW , Allah-SWT shall start loving you. If you complement them with Sunnah and voluntary Salat, as was the practice of the Holy Prophet-SAAW, Allah-SWT shall love you even more. Next in order are those neutral practices for which no hard and fast method has been fixed in Shari’ah. They are permissible, but include those acts which were not practiced by the Holy Prophet-SAAW as a routine throughout his life. Conforming to his-SAAW way of dressing also falls under the same category. Once Hadhrat ‘Umar Faruq-RAU had a new shirt with longer sleeves. He sent for a knife and asked his son to cut off the extra length. The son said that he would get a scissors, but Hadhrat 'Umar-RAU insisted on using the knife as once the Holy Prophet-SAAW had done so. It is quite possible that the Holy Prophet-SAAW may have used a knife due to the non availability of scissors but Hadhrat 'Umar-RAU had a choice. Nevertheless, following the Holy Prophet-SAAW comprehensively was extremely important to him.

When Hadhrat Ibn-e-'Umar-RAU was an old man, he was on his way to Hajj riding a camel. Suddenly, he bent down touching the packsaddle and sat up straight again. Those accompanying him asked the reason behind this action. He told them that there used to be a tree there, and as the Holy Prophet-SAAW had passed by he had bent down on his camel in a similar manner to avoid the branches. "But the tree is no longer here." he was asked. He replied 'Even if the tree stands no more, the gestures of the Holy Prophet-SAAW stand today to be followed. What do we have to do with the tree?"

If this level of adherence to the Holy Prophet-SAAW even in neutral acts is practiced. Allah-SWT's love too will multiply manifolds. This love will be initiated from Allah-SWT's side and it is characteristic of His-SWT Love, that when it is received, a person, in turn, starts loving Him-SWT . Even in everyday life if we love someone he will also reciprocate, and if we hate someone without even uttering a word, he too will begin to hate us. Following the Holy Prophet-SAAW in an endeavour to qualify for Allah-SWT's Love is the reality of Wasilah. Similarly, any action helpful in approaching Allah-SWT shall be a Wasilah. An intermediary or any human being helping in His-SWT Path will also be Wasilah. Such as the Prophets-AS, the Companions-RAU, the Aulia-, the pious and the righteous scholars. It is true that one's good deeds can be referred to while praying to Allah-SWT , since deeds are also a creation. Praying through the Wasilah of pious people is also permissible: so long as the motive is pure. One should not sell the honourable names of the Prophets-AS and the righteous for some petty mundane benefits. The Wasilah should only be sought for the sake of Allah-SWT , to seek His-SWT Pleasure and to struggle in His-SWT Cause. If Wasilah is available, but there is no struggle, optimum results cannot be obtained.

This should be ascertained from those who have had the opportunity to benefit from the company of an accomplished Shaikh, but for some reason it discontinued altogether or the time gap between the meetings drew longer. The spiritual states in this case tend to weaken. To benefit from Wasilah, be it good deeds or a pious person, one's personal efforts, are the pre-requisite. Jihad with sword is obligated by necessity. It may become an individual or a collective obligation, depending upon the prevailing circumstances. But Jihad with one's own soul to cultivate virtue and repel evil is a never ending process. Therefore, strive in the Cause of Allah-SWT , and work hard for success both in this world as well as in the Hereafter. When the Quran mentions success, it embraces personal, family, and national life extending to after life and the Day of Resurrection. The worldly affluence, in comparison, means nothing. For, firstly it is impossible that the entire wealth of the world may ever accumulate in one hand. And even if the non-believers amass all the wealth of the world and even if they double it, it will not suffice as ransom on the Day of Judgment. Allah-SWT will not accept anything because everything belongs to Him-SWT and they are not offering any personal belonging. The logical outcome of disbelief is punishment. A desire to find an outlet from the Hell will always pique the non-believers, but they will never succeed. Eternal torment and perpetual pain is their destiny. Therefore, it is very important to abandon wrongdoing, and obey Allah-SWT ; to love Him-SWT and win His-SWT Love. To achieve this one must put his heart and soul and his very life in His-SWT Cause. This is not an ordinary affair. The wealth is mundane and will not be of any help in the Hereafter, but Allah-SWT's Love will entitle a person to behold His-SWT Splendour and have the honour of a dialogue with Him-SWT . Do take a note of the difference

JazakAllah Khair

May Allah-SWT forgive me any mistakes and correct me in my understanding where I have erred.

ps: Another kind of Shirk that we all fall victim to at some point and time or the other ... and that is placing our own likes and desires over what Allah-SWT has preferred for us, thus accepting our own selves as na'uzubillah Allah-SWT equals or partner god (Allah-Forbid!)

May Allah-SWT protect us from this worst and most hidden shirk that we fall victim to committing without realizing the true significance of what we are doing. Ameen

We all must seek protection and guidance from indulging in this unforgivable crime at any level, be it out of ignorance or misunderstanding. May Allah-SWT keep us safe from this gravest of sins and may He-SWT guide us on to the sirat-e-Mustaqeem. May He-SWT eliminate all firqa's and bring us all to the authentic and pure Islam, free of all sects, the one that the Prophet-SAAW brought more than 1400 yrs ago. May He-SWT unite this Ummah and fill our hearts with His-SWT Love and the urge for being obedient to Allah-SWT alone, and in the ways taught to us by the Holy Prophet Muhammad-SAAW. May He-SWT shower us with His-SWT forgiveness and Mercy and May He-SWT join all our hearts in Love and Peace and allow us to be a source of pride and joy for our Prophet Muhammad-SAAW, his-SAAW's family-RAU, the Companions-RAU and the Aulia-RUA and be an honourable part of his-SAAW's Ummah. Ameen!