Allah's Characteristics (Aqidah Hamawiyyah) 1

Jan. 7, 2009 - PRLog -- Aqidah Hamawiyyah: What is Obligatory Upon the Slave of Allah Concerning His Religion
Author: Syaikhul Islam Ahmad ibn Halim ibn Taimiyyah

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It is to follow what Allaah and His Messenger have said, and then the Rightly Guided Khaleefah-s and the Companions, and then those who followed them in goodness.
1.1 FOLLOWING ALLAAH AND HIS MESSENGER (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam)
- (7):158

1.2 FOLLOWING THE MESSENGER (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam) AND THE RIGHTLY GUIDED KHALEEFAH-S.
- Hadeeth "It is obligatory that you stick to my Sunnah and that of the Rightly Guided Khaleefah-s after me. Stick to that and bite onto that with your molar teeth. And beware of newly invented matters, for every such matter is an innovation and every innovation leads astray."

1.3 FOLLOWING THE COMPANIONS.
- They followed the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam) in Beneficial Knowledge and Righteous Actions. They have the greatest right to be followed after the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam) as Allaah chose them to accompany the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam) knowing them to be:
- the most complete in Faith.
- the most superior in intellect.
- the most upright in actions.
- the most firm in resolve.
- the most guided on the correct path they were upon.

1.4 FOLLOWING THOSE WHO FOLLOWED THEM IN GOODNESS.
- and the Imaams of the Religion who followed this way who were known for being upon guidance and correctness.

1.5 TO BELIEVE THAT ALLAAH SENT HIS MESSENGER WITH CLEAR PROOFS.
- and the guidance to obligate all to have faith in him and to follow him
The message of the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam) comprised of [see (61):9]
- Beneficial Knowledge = Guidance [al-Hudaa]
- Righteous Actions = Religion of Truth [Deen-ul-Haqq]


2.1 BENEFICIAL KNOWLEDGE [AL 'ILM-UN-NAFI']
- That which results in good for the Ummah in this world and next.
- The most beneficial is that of Allaah, His Names, Attributes, Actions.
a). It is the essence of Tawheed-ul-Ulooheeyah.
b). It is the essence of the Prophetic call.
c). By it, is the Religion supported.
- It's impossible that the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam) left it unclearly explained because:

2.1.1 THE MESSAGE OF THE PROPHET (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam) CONTAINED LIGHT AND GUIDANCE.
- And Allaah dispatched him as a bringer of glad tidings, a warner and a bright lamp.
- And greatest most lasting light is that which enlightens the heart as a result of recognising Allaah, His Names and Attributes.
- Hence he must have explained it clearly.

2.1.2 THE PROPHET (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam) TAUGHT THE UMMAH ALL IT NEEDED TO KNOW.
- He even gave some knowledge of the birds [cf. narration of Aboo Dharr].
- Then surely he taught the knowledge of Allaah, His Names and Attributes.

2.1.3 EEMAAN IN THIS KNOWLEDGE IS:
- The basis of the Religion.
- The essence of what the Messenger called to.
- The most obligatory of knowledge.
- The most excellent of things that the minds should grasp.
- So how could he not teach it when he taught lesser matters?

2.1.4 THE PROPHET (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam) WAS:
- The most knowledgeable about his Lord.
- The most sincere to the creation.
- The most eloquent in speech.
- Hence he could not have left this matter of Eemaan in Allaah, His Names and Attributes unclear and doubtful, while this knowledge needed clarification.

2.1.5 AND THE COMPANIONS MUST HAVE CLEARLY CONVEYED THIS KNOWLEDGE.
Or else they were silent or spoke falsely - both are impossible.
2.1.5.1 It's Impossible That They Were Silent
- If so , it meant that they were ignorant of what is obligatory to know with respect to Allaah, His Names and Attributes, or else they concealed this knowledge purposely.
2.1.5.1.1 It's Impossible That They Were Ignorant
- for all hearts with life, consciousness, a desire for knowledge and to worship, would have its most important issue as studying Eemaan in Allaah, His Names and Attributes, and to realise this in terms of knowledge and belief.
- And the Companions - the best of people - had most life in their hearts, and greatest love for goodness, and the most desire to realise beneficial knowledge.
- He (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam) said: "The best of the people is my generation, then those who followed them, then those who followed them."
- And this goodness encompasses their excellence in everything done to bring one closer to Allaah, via words, actions and beliefs.
- And if they were ignorant, then those after them would be more so, as the Messenger (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam) used them to convey the religion.
- Hence the saying they were ignorant implies that no one now has this knowledge, and this is clearly impossible.
2.1.5.1.2 It's Impossible That They Concealed the Truth
- for every rational person knows the Companions to have been eager to convey beneficial knowledge to the Ummah.
- Hence it's impossible - especially concerning the most obligatory of things to know.
2.1.5.2 It's Impossible That They Spoke Falsely - i.e. with No Authentic Evidence
- They were the least likely to speak without knowledge of an authentic proof.
- They were the first to obey Allaah's commands: (17):36 and (7):33.
- And the source of false speech is either ignorance or a desire to misguide - both are impossible.
2.1.5.2.1 As for Ignorance
- then that is impossible - see 2.1.5.1.1
2.1.5.2.2 As for Misguiding the Creation
- then this is an evil desire which could not come from the Companions for the Ummah.
- And if true it implies all what they said about the Religion is false and so the whole Sharee'ah is in doubt - And this saying is futile.
2.1.5.3 Hence Once It's Clear That They did Speak the Truth Concerning This
- They did so either via their Minds or via the Revelation
2.1.5.3.1 As for the Mind
- then it can't reach the details of what is obligatory to know of Allaah, His Names and Attributes.
2.1.5.3.2 And that leaves the only source of their knowledge as the Revelation Brought by Muhammad (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam)

2.2 RIGHTEOUS ACTIONS [AL 'AMAL-US-SAALIH]
- Those done:
- Solely for Allaah's sake [al-Ikhlaas]
- In accordance with the Sunnah of His Messenger (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam) [al-Mutaaba'ah]

Ahl-us-Sunnah wal Jamaa'ah are those who gather upon adherence to the Prophet's Sunnah (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam) - outwardly and inwardly; in speech, action and belief.
Their way with respect to Allaah's Names and Attributes is:

3.1 CONCERNING AFFIRMATION
They affirm that which Allaah has affirmed for Himself in His Book or via His Messenger (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam) without Tahreef, Ta'teel, Takyeef or Tamtheel.

3.2 CONCERNING DENIAL
They deny that which Allaah has denied for Himself in His Book or via His Messenger (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam) .
At the same time they affirm the opposite in the most perfect sense.

3.3 CONCERNING WHERE AFFIRMATION OR DENIAL IS NOT SPECIFICALLY MENTIONED
e.g. al-Jism (body), al-Hayyiz (realm), al-Jihah (direction).
Then their way is:
To halt at the words and neither affirm or deny them.
Then to look into the meaning of those words
- if the meaning is false then they deny this meaning
- if the meaning is correct and not prohibited for Allaah then they accept this meaning.

3.4 THIS WAY (3.1-3.3) IS ESTABLISHED VIA TWO WAYS:
- The Mind
- The Revelation

3.4.1 THE MIND

- It's clear to the mind, that the details of what is obligatory, permitted or prohibited for Allaah can not be reached by the mind.
- Hence one must follow the Revelation - affirming or denying what it affirms or denies, and staying silent where it is silent.
3.4.2 THE REVELATION
3.4.2.1 (7):180 - Proof of Affirmation without Tahreef or Ta'teel for both of these are from Ilhaad.

3.4.2.2 (42):111 - Proof to reject Tamtheel.

3.4.2.3 (17):36 - Proof to reject Takyeef and to obligate us to halt at those terms where affirmation or denial is not mentioned.