Aqeedah Q and A Part II
1. Discuss how charms and omens corrode Tawheed ar Ruboobeeyah and explain the correct ruling regarding Qur’aanic charms.
- Believing that by having charms harm can be averted or by reading the signs of omens one can be led to safety, by necessity, leads to the belief that one can avoid the Qadar of Allah through these means.
- Narrated Abu Hurairah (ra) that Allah’s Messenger said: “(There is) no ‘Adwa (contagion of disease without Allah’s permission), not is At-Tiyarah (any bad omen from birds), nor is there any Haamah (the omen of the night bird i.e. owl), nor is there (any bad omen in the month of Safar.”[1]
- Allah’s decree and predestination is fundamental to His Ruboobeeyah (Lordship) because He alone causes all things to exist and He alone possesses the real power in the universe.
Be aware that if the whole of mankind gathered together in order to do something to help you, they would only be able to do something for you which Allah had already written for you. Likewise, if the whole of mankind gathered together to harm you, they would only be able to do something to harm you which Allah had already written to happen to you.[2] - Qur’aanic charms refer here to written words from the Qur’aan in any material that is believed to cause good or avert harm by wearing it or by displaying it. The Qur’aan was revealed to be read, comprehended, contemplated and applied. This was the practice of the Prophet sallallaahu alaihi wa sallam and as well as his companions. None of them wrote verses of the Qur’aan and hang them around their necks so that they may benefit from it. In fact if a person does so, it is like getting a prescription from a physician and instead of going to the pharmacy and buy the drugs, he folded up the paper, and tied it with a string and hanged it on his neck so that his illness will be cured. The correct ruling therefore is that it is haram to do it because it is Bid’ah or an innovation in the Deen. What is not included as part of Islam in the time of the Prophet sallallaahu alaihi wa sallam can not be included as part of Islam today. This is because Allah said in the Qur’an:
This day, I have perfected your religion for you, completed My Favour upon you, and have chosen for you Islâm as your religion. (Al Ma’idah 5:3)
Narrated Aishah that the Messenger of Allah said, "If somebody innovates something which is not in harmony with the principles of our religion, that thing is rejected."[3]
'A'ishah reported Allaah's Messenger sallallaahu alaihi wa sallam as saying: He who innovates things in our affair for which there is no valid (reason) (commits sin) and these are to be rejected. [4]
2. Why was omen taking called Tiyarah after birds?
It was taken from the pre-Islamic Arabs who believed that the direction to which birds and animals go is a sign of an impending good or bad fortune and would plan their lives around such signs. ‘If an individual set out on a journey and bird flew over him and turned to the left, he would see in it a sign of impending bad fortune, turn around and return home.’[5]
3. What are the two groups that fortunetelling may be divided into and what is the Islamic ruling on each?
- The first group are those who have no real knowledge or secrets but depend on telling their customers about general incidences which happen to most people. They often go through a series of meaningless rituals, (and) then make calculated general guesses. Some of their guesses, due to their generality, usually come true. Most people tend to remember the few predictions that come true and quickly forget the many which do not. This tendency is a result of the fact that after some time all the predictions tend to become half-forgotten thoughts in the subconscious, until something happens to trigger their recall.[6]
- The second group are those who have made contact with the Jinn. This group is of greater significance because it is usually involves the grave sin of shirk, and those involved often tend to be highly accurate in their information and thus present a real fitnah (temptation) for both Muslims and non Muslims alike.[7]
4. Identify the origin of Astrology, how it corrodes Tawheed and the Islamic ruling regarding one who practices it.
It originated in Mesopotamia where the underlying belief was that the heavenly bodies were powerful gods.[8]
This belief was also held by the Sabians to whom the Prophet Ibrahim alaihis-salam was sent.
When the night covered him over with darkness he saw a star. He said: "This is my lord." But when it set, he said: "I like not those that set." When he saw the moon rising up, he said: "This is my lord." But when it set, he said: "Unless my Lord guides me, I shall surely be among the erring people. When he saw the sun rising up, he said: "This is my lord. This is greater." But when it set, he said: "O my people! I am indeed free from all that you join as partners in worship with Allâh. (Al-An'am 6:76-78)
It corrodes Tawheed because it attributes power to heavenly bodies such as the stars to influence the happenings in the universe.
The Islamic ruling with regard to anyone who visits a fortuneteller believing that he knows the unseen and the future is that of Kufr (disbelief).[9] Abu Hurairah and al-Hasan both reported from the Prophet sallallaahu alaihi wa sallam that he said,
“Whosoever approaches a fortuneteller and believes in what he says, has disbelieved in what was revealed to Muhammad”. [10]
5. Discuss briefly the evidence from the Qur’aan and Sunnah which proves that magic is real, and identify the Islamic ruling on those who practice it.
- Qur’aan: They followed what the Shayâtin (devils) gave out (falsely of the magic) in the lifetime of Sulaimân (Solomon). Sulaimân did not disbelieve, but the Shayâtin (devils) disbelieved, teaching men magic and such things that came down at Babylon to the two angels, Hârût and Mârût, but neither of these two (angels) taught anyone (such things) till they had said, "We are only for trial, so disbelieve not (by learning this magic from us)." And from these (angels) people learn that by which they cause separation between man and his wife, but they could not thus harm anyone except by Allâh's Leave. And they learn that which harms them and profits them not. And indeed they knew that the buyers of it (magic) would have no share in the Hereafter. And how bad indeed was that for which they sold their ownselves, if they but knew. (Al-Baqarah 2:102)
o The purpose of this verse is to deny the claim of the Jews that Sulaimân practiced magic.[11]
o This verse proves that magic is real as it mentions the two angels Hârût and Mârût, as a trial for them, teaching people magic.
- Hadeeth: “Zayd ibn Arqam reported that a Jew by the name of Labeeb ibn ‘Asam, cast a magical spell on the Prophet sallallaahu alaihi wa sallam and when he began to suffer from it, Jibreel came to him and revealed the Mu’awwa-dhatan (Surahs al Falaq and an Nas) then said to him, ‘Surely it was a Jew who cast this spell on you and the magical charm is in a certain well.’ The Prophet sallallaahu alaihi wa sallam sent Ali ibn Abi Talib to go and fetch the charm. When he returned with it, the Prophet sallallaahu alaihi wa sallam told him to untie the knots in it, one by one, and recite a verse form the Surahs with each. When he did so, the Prophet sallallaahu alaihi wa sallam got up as if he had been released from being tied up.[12]
o Allah allowed it to occur to the Prophet but not to the extent that it would affect the delivery of revelation.
o It affected him only for us to know how to deal with it.
6. Explain the role of the jinn in fortunetelling, magic and possession and why Christian, Hindu and Buddhist exorcists are able to cure those possessed.
Fortunetelling: In the ancient past, the jinn used to ascend to places high up in the heavens, where they would try to eavesdrop on the news of heavens and find out events before they happened.[13]
It is narrated from Abu Hurayrah that the Prophet sallallaahu alaihi wa sallam told him: When Allah decrees a matter in heaven, the angels beat their wings in submission to what He says, (with a sound) like a chain beating on a rock[14]. Then when the fear is banished from their (angels’) hearts, they (angels) say: ‘What is it that your Lord has said?’ They say: ‘The truth. And He is the Most High, the Most Great’ (cf. Saba’34:23). So those who are trying to eavesdrop hear it, and those who are trying to eavesdrop are standing one above the other.” – Sufyan described that by holding his hand upright with the fingers spread apart. – “So he (the listener) hears a word and passes on to the one who is beneath him, so passes it on in turn, until it reaches the lips of the sorcerer or soothsayer. Sometimes the flaming fire will hit him before he passes it on and sometimes he will pas it on before he is hit, and he tells one hundred lies along with. Then it is said, ‘Did he not tell us on such and such day that such and such (would happen)?” So he is believed for that one word which was heard from heaven.[15]
Magic: Jinns have been given extra powers that enable them to do certain feats that are seemingly miraculous in nature. They are essentially invisible but some they can take on any form they want including the human form. The proof of this is the hadeeth concerning Abu Hurairah: Allah's Messenger made me responsible to protect the Zakah of Ramadan. While I was doing so, someone came and began to dig around in the food so I caught hold of him. I said, 'By Allah I am going to take you to Allah's messenger! The man implored, 'Verily I am poor and I have dependents. I am in great need. 'So I let him go. The next morning, the Prophet said, 'O Abu Huraira, what did your captive do last night? I said 'He complained of being in great need and of having a family so I let him go.' The Prophet replied, 'Surely he lied to you and he will return.'
This incident happened three times. At the last incident, the Prophet said to Abu Hurairah, 'O Abu Hurairah! Do you know who you have been speaking to these past three night?' I replied, 'No'. And he said, 'That was a devil.'.[16]
Other Jinns have physical ability way beyond humans such as the Ifreet who offers help to Prophet Sulayman described in Soorah an Naml 27: 39-40
An Ifreet (strong one) from the jinn said: ‘I will bring it you before you rise from your place (council). And Verily, I am indeed strong and trustworthy for such work.
Possession: Allah allowed jinns to possess humans according to His wisdom. In a hadeeth narrated by Umm Aban bint al Wazi where a boy who was insane was brought to the Prophet sallallaahu alaihi wa sallam. “He grabbed the boy’s clothes and began to hit him severely on his back. While he was hitting him he said ‘Get out, enemy of Allah! Enemy of Allah get out!’. The boy then began to look around as if he were all right. The Prophet sallallaahu alaihi wa sallam sat him down in front of him and called for some water. He then wiped it on the boy’s face and made a prayer for him. After the Prophet’s prayer, there were none in the delegation who was better than the boy.”[17]
Therefore, all these mysterious phenomena can be explained by the intervention of the Jinns, and of course with the permission of Allah.
The reason why exorcists other than Muslims (who don’t use the Qur’an) are able to cure possession is the jinns inside the body agrees only to come out when they know that their ends has been met – which is for people to commit shirk or other lesser sins. For example a Christian exorcist may cure possession when he says ‘In the name of Jesus Christ, get out’. The jinn might go out from the body and when it does so, the people will then affirm their belief that Jesus alaihis salam has the power to command jinns by himself even though he is not here on this world today. This phenomenon also applies to other religions that don’t use Qur’anic recitations and prayers seeking refuge in Allah.
I have a personal experience regarding this when I still don’t have knowledge about this issue when the possessed asked everyone around her to acknowledge that she is Allah otherwise she will not stop hurting herself. Everyone, including the Imam yielded and acknowledged that she is Allah. Thereafter the girl suddenly became quiet and her aggression disappeared.
7. What does al-‘Uloo (Transcendence) mean with regard to Allah?
It means that Allah is above and beyond and separate from His creation. He is neither contained in it nor does He surround the creation. Yet His power, knowledge and justice can affect the creation without the need of Him being in it.
8. Explain the meaning of Divine immanence.
Divine immanence or omnipresence is defined as Allah being everywhere.
9. Discuss the Hindu beliefs regarding Brahman and human beings
The Hindus believed that Brahma, the Supreme Being, was in every place and in everything so they worshipped countless idols, human beings and even animals as personifications of Brahma. In fact, this belief has taken Hindus to an incredible state wherein they actually make pilgrimage to their Holy City of Banaras to worship the god Shiva personified as an erect male (organ) endearingly called Lingam.[18]
10. Give three examples how Jewish scriptures erroneously describe God with human weaknesses.
That Allah spent the first six days creating the universe and then slept on the seventh (Genesis 2:2, “And on the seventh day God finished his work which he had done, and he rested on the seventh day form all his work which he had done.)
God is portrayed as repenting for His bad thoughts in the same way humans do when they realize their errors (Exodus 32:14, “And the Lord repented of the evil which he thought to do to his people”)
God wrestling with Prophet Jacob and losing the match!
11. Identify the belief of Mu’tazilite philosophical school regarding the question: Where is Allah?
12. What does the term as-Samad found in Soorah al-Ikhlaas mean?
As-Samad means that to which things rise. This is a name of Allah that stands as a proof that He is above His creation and not present with them.
13. Briefly explain the main danger of the belief that Allah is everywhere.
The main danger of the belief that Allah is everywhere is that the creation could be worshipped along with or other than Allah. This is the basis of all false religions. In Hinduism, everything can be worshipped. In Christianity, a Prophet is worshipped due to the belief that Allah went down to earth and became a man. This can happen also with modern day cults where charismatic preachers and people often claim godhood and in turn worshipped by their followers. One may remember Jim Jones and the Heavens Gate cult where the followers committed suicide in obedience to their leaders. In the case of the Heavens gate cult, ‘God’ or ‘Older Member of the Evolutionary Level Above Human’ (from what they understood the concept of Godhood), passes by the earth as an alien in a UFO following the Hale Bopp comet (in 1997), to collect his followers and bring them to Kingdom of heaven.
14. Identify the evidence that Allah is not surrounded by His creation according to the prayer proof.
Islamic beliefs prohibit us from worshipping idols, trees and human beings. If Allah is surrounded by the creation, then it would become acceptable to bow and prostrate to idols with the intention that Allah is inside them.
15. What is the proof according to human nature that Allah is above His creation?
Human nature detests filthy things. If Allah is everywhere then He can be present in feces, sewage tanks and garbage dumps. Consequently they all can be ridiculously worshipped as well.
16. Discuss the proof that Allah is completely separate from His creation according to the Prophet’s statement to Mu’aawiyah ibn al Hakam’s salve girl.
The Hadeeth: I had a servant girl who used to tend my sheep in the area of Mount Uhud, near a place called al-Jawwariyyah. One day I came to see them only to find that a wolf had made off with a sheep from her flock. Since I, like the rest of Adam’s descendants, am prone to do regrettable acts, I gave her a terrible slap in her face. When I came to Allah’s Messenger with the story, he considered it a grave thing for me to have done. I said, ‘O Messenger of Allah couldn’t I free her? He replied, ‘Bring her to me’, so I brought her. He then asked her, ‘Where is Allah?’ and she replied, ‘Above the sky,’ Then he asked her, ‘Who am I? and she replied. ‘You are the Allah’s Messenger.’ So he said, ‘Free her for verily she is a believer.’”[19]
The discussion: The Messenger of Allah affirmed in this hadeeth the basis of being a believer: That Allah is above the creation (not present amongst them) and the recognition that he is His messenger. It should be noted that the pagans of Quraish believed in Allah. Many people of the world today believe in Allah. Yet they are disbelievers in the scale of Islam because of their fundamental belief that Allah can be present in the creation and consequently can be objects of worship. Remember that the Messenger of Allah could have asked the question ‘Do you believe in Allah?’ But he did not because belief in Allah alone as the creator is not enough to complete the Islamic concept of monotheism (Tawheed).
17. Why did Allah describe Himself in the Qur’an and through the Prophet’s Sunnah?
Because limited human mind will not be able to correctly understand Allah and His attributes. If mankind is left to his intellect in understanding Allah, he will end up attributing to Allah human attributes because he only knows what he can see, hear, touch etc. His perception will be limited to his senses.
Also, we need to know who Allah is so that we can worship Him properly - and this is the very purpose of our existence (51:56). Likewise we need to know who is not Allah so that we can avoid falsely worshipping other than Him.
18. Explain what is meant by the Qur’aanic verses: “I am closer to man than his jugular vein” and “I come between a man and his heart”.
First verse is about Allah’s knowledge as evident in the context of the verse. “Verily, We created man and KNOW what his soul whispers, for We are closer to him than his jugular vein.” (50:16)
Second verse is about Allah’s control. “O believers, respond to Allah and His Messenger when they call you to that which give you life. And know well that Allah comes between a man and his heart. And to Him you will be gathered”. (8:24)
19. What did Imaam Aboo Haneefah say concerning a person who said he did not know whether Allah was above the heavens or not?
He said that he has disbelieved because Allah said, ‘The Most Merciful is above the throne’, (Qur’an 20:5) and His throne is above His seven heavens.
20. What is the correct interpretation of the verse which describes Allah as being with humans wherever they may be?
Have you not seen that Allah KNOWS whatsoever is in the heavens and whatsoever is on the earth? There is no secret consultation between three but He is the fourth – nor of five but He is their sixth – nor of less than that or more but He is with them wheresoever they may be. (Soorah al Mujaadilah 28:7)
Vocabulary: The Arabic word for this ‘Withness’ of Allah is Ma’iyyah
.
Ibn Kathir (the great scholar of tafseer of Qur’an) in his explanation of this verse says: Then Allah the Exalted informs of His knowledge encompassing all creation, observing it, hearing their speech and seeing them, wherever they may be and in whatever condition they may be in. Then he mentions the Ayah above and said: He is watching over them, perfectly hearing their speech, whether uttered in public or secret. His angels record all they say, even though He has better knowledge of it and hears them perfectly.
He goes on: For this reason, several mentioned that there is a consensus among the scholars that this ‘with’ refers to Allah’s knowledge. There is no doubt that this meaning is true, especially if we add to it the certainty that His hearing encompasses all things, as well as His sight. He, the Exalted and Most Honored, is never lacking in knowing all their affairs.[20]
Shaykh Muhammad Ibn Saalih al Uthaimeen said concerning the issue of the ‘Withness’ of Allah as His knowledge: This is only an explanation of what the Ma’iyyah includes. Their purpose of this explanation was to refute the Jahmiyyah who said that Allah is personally everywhere. They ( the Jahmiyyah) then used as proof the texts of the Ma’iyyah to support their misinterpretation. Therefore, those of the Salaf (Sahabah, then their students, then their students) explained that what is meant by this Ma’iyyah is not that Allah is personally with the creation Himself. This is impossible according to the intellect and the legislation because it contradicts His transcendency (being high above the creation) and it would necessitate that His creation encompasses and surrounds Him which is impossible.[21]
Further, the verse begins with, ‘Have you not seen that Allah KNOWS whatsoever is in the heavens and whatsoever is on the earth? Therefore the context of the verse refers to Allah’s knowledge.
Note: The Dhaat (His Being) of Allah is separate from the creation. But His attributes of knowledge, seeing, hearing etc. affects the creation without the need of being with them. This is easy to comprehend if one thinks that one can know what’s happening in the other side of the world by just pushing of a button through watching satellite television. If human beings can do this, then how about the Lord of the Universe?
[1] Agreed upon by Bukhari and Muslim.
[2] Reported by Ibn Abbas and collected by Tirmidhi. Hadeeth translation is taken from Dr. Bilal Philip’s book The Fundamentals of Tawheed pg. 23.
[3] Sahih Bukhari No. 2523
[4] Sahih Muslim. Chapter: Rejecting the wrong things and the innovations (in the religion) No. 4266.
[5] The Fundamentals of Tawheed. Dr. Bilal Philips pg. 80.
[6] Ibid pg. 91
[7] Ibid pg.92
[8] Ibid pg. 105
[9] The Fundamentals of Tawheed. Dr. Bilal Philips pg. 80.
[10] Collected by Ahmad, Abu Dawood, (Eng, Trans), vol. 3, p. 1095, hadith no. 3895 and al-Bayhaqi. Hadeeth translation taken from Dr. Bilal Philip’s book The Fundamentals of Tawheed pg. 102.
[11] See Tafsir Ibn Kathir (Eng Trans) vol. 1 pg. 313 for more explanation.
[12] Collected by ‘Abd ibn Humayd and al-Bayhaqi and much of it can also be found in Bukhari (Arabic Eng.), vol. 7, Pp. 443-4, hadith no. 660 and Muslim (Eng. Trans), vol. 3, Pp. 1192-3, hadith no. 5428. Hadeeth translation taken from Dr. Bilal Philip’s book The Fundamentals of Tawheed pg. 121.
[13] The World of the Jinn and Devils, Islamic Belief Series Vol. 3. by Umar al Ashqar pg. 44
[14] The sound of the beatings of the wings of the angels is like a chain beating on a rock. It does not mean the sound of Allah’s speech in heavens.
[15] Narrated by Bukhari in his Saheeh. Hadeeth translation taken from The World of the Jinn and Devils, Islamic Belief Series Vol. 3. by Umar al Ashqar pg. 44 -45.
[16] See the whole hadeeth collected by Bukhari (Arab-Eng) vol. 4 Pp. 319-20, hadeeth no. 495. Hadeeth translation taken from Dr. Bilal Philip’s book The Fundamentals of Tawheed pg. 123.
[17] Collected by Ahmad and Abu Dawud at-Tayalasi. Hadeeth translation taken from Dr. Bilal Philip’s book The Fundamentals of Tawheed pg. 128.
[18] The Fundamentals of Tawheed. Dr. Bilal Philips pg. 134. Quoted from John R. Hinnells, Dictionary of Religions, (England: Penguin Books, 1984, Pp. 67-8).
[19] Collected by Muslim. Hadeeth translation taken from Dr. Bilal Philip’s book The Fundamentals of Tawheed pg. 146.
[20] Tafsir Ibn Kathir (Eng. Trans) Vol. 9, pg. 518.
[21] Explanation of a Summary of al Aqeedatul Hamawiyyah, pg. 73.
1 comment:
Jazak'Allahu khair for posting this.. appreciate it.
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