“Those who accuse honorable women (of unchastity)  but do not produce four witnesses, flog them with eighty lashes, and do not admit their testimony ever after. They are indeed transgressors, except those of them that repent thereafter and mend their behavior. For surely Allah is Most Forgiving, Ever Compassionate. “ (QS. An-Nur/The Light: 4-5)

If a free man accused a free and honorable muslim of committing adultery, or homosexuality, without legal evidence, then he was entitled to 80 lashes punishment due to his accusation. If he accused him with accusation other than that, then he is entitled to ta’zir punishment.

The punishment became the right of the accused one. According to the agreement of experts in Islamic laws, that right should not be executed without his request. But according to majority of the scholars, if the accused one forgave him, the punishment was cancelled. Because the right of the accused one was dominant in this case, such as retribution and wealth. As for those who believed that the punishment wasn’t cancelled, they believed that Allah’s right is more dominant in it, and there is no equality in it, such as in hudud (law clearly stated in indications, -ed), etc. Punishment of accusing one of adultery is compulsory to be accomplished only if the accused one was a muhshan – that is, a muslim, free man, and guarding himself.

But if the accused one was already notorious for his wickedness, then there is no firm punishment (had or hudud, -ed) for the accuser, also the infidels and slaves, but the accuser will get the ta’zir punishment.

A husband might accused his wife if she committed adultery but didn’t get pregnant from  her vile act. If she got pregnant from it, and gave birth to the baby, then he must accuse her and deny the baby; if he did accuse her, the wife got two choices; to admit her adultery, or to curse her husband, as revealed in the Qur’an and the sunnah. If the accuser was a slave, then he would be punished half the punishment of the free men.

Likewise the slashes for adulterer and adulteress and the drinker of liqueur. Because Allah the Holy and Exalted decreed regarding the slaves,

“Then if they become guilty of immoral conduct after they have entered into wedlock, they shall be liable to half the penalty to which free women (muhsanat) are liable. ” (QS. An-Nisa: 25)

As for the punishment in the form of killing or mutilating hand, then there are no half punishment in it.

Source: Fatwa Collection of Ibn Taimiyya, by Sheikh al Islam Ibn Taimiyya, published by Darul Haq.

Article of www.WhatIsQuran.com

Introduction:

All praises be to Allah, peace and prayer may always bestowed upon Prophet Muhammad, his family, and his devoted companions.

I am sure, that you still have a very fresh memory of how difficult it was to live during the drought. The land was dusty, plants were dried, water sources were shrinking, and the weather was prickly, prickly hot. But now, everything has changed; the land is muddy, greeneries are everywhere, water ditches are easily found, and the temperature is cool or brisk. Do you know what causes those changes? All happened due to the rain, which Allah the Exalted has poured down for the sake of His slaves.

اللَّهُ الَّذِي يُرْسِلُ الرِّيَاحَ فَتُثِيرُ سَحَابًا فَيَبْسُطُهُ فِي السَّمَاء كَيْفَ يَشَاء وَيَجْعَلُهُ كِسَفًا فَتَرَى الْوَدْقَ يَخْرُجُ مِنْ خِلَالِهِ فَإِذَا أَصَابَ بِهِ مَن يَشَاء مِنْ عِبَادِهِ إِذَا هُمْ يَسْتَبْشِرُونَ {48} وَإِن كَانُوا مِن قَبْلِ أَن يُنَزَّلَ عَلَيْهِم مِّن قَبْلِهِ لَمُبْلِسِينَ {49} فَانظُرْ إِلَى آثَارِ رَحْمَتِ اللَّهِ كَيْفَ يُحْيِي الْأَرْضَ بَعْدَ مَوْتِهَا إِنَّ ذَلِكَ لَمُحْيِي الْمَوْتَى وَهُوَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ. )الروم: 48-50

“Allah sends the winds that stir up clouds and then He spreads them in the sky as He pleases and splits them into different fragments, whereafter you see drops of rain pouring down from them. He then causes the rain to fall on whomsoever of His servants He pleases, and lo, they rejoice at it, although before that they were given to despair. See, then, the tokens of Allah’s Mercy: how He revives the earth after it is dead. Verily He is the One Who will revive the dead. He has power over everything.” (QS. Ar Rum/The Romans: 48-52)

Brother, allow me to ask you a question, “Have you ever think about the function of the rain?”

You’d probably swiftly answer, “The rain is there to grow the plants, and fulfill the water needs of living creatures.”

That is true, but to prompt such an answer one doesn’t need a muse or a long, deep thinking process; in fact, all living creatures certainly knows or feels so. But what I inquire is a particular answer which reflects your awareness and sensitivity of what truly happened around you.

Through this article, I’d like to entice you to think well about the whole functions of the rain so that you may act appropriately over it. Hence, you’ll be able to feel the pleasure of every drops of the rain showering your country. And in turn, that rain of you country will always bring blessings to you and your surrounding.

وَنَزَّلْنَا مِنَ السَّمَاء مَاء مُّبَارَكًا فَأَنبَتْنَا بِهِ جَنَّاتٍ وَحَبَّ الْحَصِيدِ {9} وَالنَّخْلَ بَاسِقَاتٍ لَّهَا طَلْعٌ نَّضِيدٌ {10} رِزْقًا لِّلْعِبَادِ وَأَحْيَيْنَا بِهِ بَلْدَةً مَّيْتًا كَذَلِكَ الْخُرُوجُ )ق: 9-11

“We also sent down blessed water from the heaven, wherewith We caused gardens and harvest-grain to grow, and tall palm-trees with their thickly-clustered spathes; all this as sustenance for Our servants. And thus We do bring the dead land back to life with water. Such shall be the coming forth (of human beings from the earth).” (QS. Qaaf: 9-11)

The first function: To grow the Plants

No matter how skillful you are in nurturing a plant, it would be impossible to grow it without water, moreover to yield anything. Hence, it is undeniable that after the rain, various plants which withered and hidden inside the earth before, would live and grow profusely in an instant.

وَمِنْ آيَاتِهِ أَنَّكَ تَرَى الْأَرْضَ خَاشِعَةً فَإِذَا أَنزَلْنَا عَلَيْهَا الْمَاء اهْتَزَّتْ وَرَبَتْ إِنَّ الَّذِي أَحْيَاهَا لَمُحْيِي الْمَوْتَى إِنَّهُ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ
قَدِيرٌ. فصلت: 31

“And of His Signs is that you see the earth withered, then We send down water upon it, and lo! it quivers and swells. Surely He Who gives life to the dead earth will also give life to the dead. Surely He has power over everything.” (QS. Fusshilat: 39)

Role of the rain

During the drought, some of the plants were dead, and left behind only small seeds of it which planted deep inside the earth. And many of the big-trunked trees were seemingly dying, thus none of it’s leaves stayed on it’s branches and twigs. When you saw such condition, as occurred in our country not so long ago, you might say that those plants are dead and wouldn’t grow anymore. But now your prediction is going wrong all the way.

وَهُوَ الَّذِي يُرْسِلُ الرِّيَاحَ بُشْرًا بَيْنَ يَدَيْ رَحْمَتِهِ حَتَّى إِذَا أَقَلَّتْ سَحَابًا ثِقَالاً سُقْنَاهُ لِبَلَدٍ مَّيِّتٍ فَأَنزَلْنَا بِهِ الْمَاء فَأَخْرَجْنَا بِهِ مِن كُلِّ الثَّمَرَاتِ كَذَلِكَ نُخْرِجُ الْموْتَى لَعَلَّكُمْ تَذَكَّرُونَ

“And it is He Who sends forth winds as glad tidings in advance of His mercy, and when they have carried a heavy-laden cloud We drive it to a dead land, then We send down rain from it and therewith bring forth fruits of every kind. In this manner do We raise the dead that you may take heed.” (QS. Al A’araf/The Height: 57)

The second function: Water source for The Living Creatures

All Creatures on this earth, particularly the living ones, will not be able to maintain their lives without water to drink. Hence, such water is the primary need of all creatures. So was their condition, that since the beginning of the creation of the earth, Allah the Exalted has provided them everything, waters and plants. All to preserve the living of men in particular, and all creatures in general.

وَالْأَرْضَ بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ دَحَاهَا {30} أَخْرَجَ مِنْهَا مَاءهَا وَمَرْعَاهَا {31} وَالْجِبَالَ أَرْسَاهَا {32} مَتَاعًا لَّكُمْ وَلِأَنْعَامِكُمْ

“and thereafter spread out the earth, and brought out of it its water and its pasture, and firmly fixed in it mountains; all this as provision for you and your cattle.” (QS. An Naziaat: 30-33)

Exalted be He, Who had prepared every single need of His creations even before they asked for it. This, undoubtedly, is a strong evidence of Allah’s generosity which has been forgotten by many of the men.

The third function: Remind you of the Power of Allah The Almighty

When you were still at elementary school, you’d been taught of how the rain was formed. It began from the vaporized sea water, which then condensed into a cloud, and then it was swept by the wind until the water poured back to earth in the form of rain. And probably, this lesson of rain formation made you to conclude that rain is one of the natural processes. Isn’t it?

But now, as an adult, who is probably has finished his study at university level, or became a scientist, and been through the bittersweet of life, do you still accept that conclusion just that? Don’t you ever be curious in your mind, to think again that conclusion of yours?

إِنَّ فِي خَلْقِ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالأَرْضِ وَاخْتِلاَفِ اللَّيْلِ وَالنَّهَارِ وَالْفُلْكِ الَّتِي تَجْرِي فِي الْبَحْرِ بِمَا يَنفَعُ النَّاسَ وَمَا أَنزَلَ اللّهُ مِنَ السَّمَاء مِن مَّاء فَأَحْيَا بِهِ الأرْضَ بَعْدَ مَوْتِهَا وَبَثَّ فِيهَا مِن كُلِّ دَآبَّةٍ وَتَصْرِيفِ الرِّيَاحِ وَالسَّحَابِ الْمُسَخِّرِ بَيْنَ السَّمَاء وَالأَرْضِ لآيَاتٍ لِّقَوْمٍ يَعْقِلُونَ

“(To guide) those who use their reason (to this Truth) there are many Signs in the structure of the heavens and the earth, in the constant alternation of night and day, in the vessels which speed across the sea carrying goods that are of profit to people, in the water which Allah sends down from the sky and thereby quickens the earth after it was dead, and disperse over it all manner of animals, and in the changing courses of the winds and the clouds pressed into service between heaven and earth.” (QS. Al Baqarah/The Cow: 164)

These questions may be useful to assist you in thinking back about the rain theory you’ve got during your elementary school time.

“Why was the sea water vapor under the sun?”

“Why only the water that was vapored, while the salty part stayed?”

“Why, when the water was heated by the sun, it went up as water vapors, but it poured down in the form of water drops?”

“And why was the already frozen water vapors in the cloud, didn’t stream down like a waterfall, but always, since long ago, in the form of drops?”

“Why the rain water didn’t stream down as vapors, just as the way it went up the cloud?”

After thinking about the answer of those questions above, please continue it by musing about the meaning of these verses below:

أَفَرَأَيْتُمُ الْمَاء الَّذِي تَشْرَبُونَ {68} أَأَنتُمْ أَنزَلْتُمُوهُ مِنَ الْمُزْنِ أَمْ نَحْنُ الْمُنزِلُونَ {69} لَوْ نَشَاء جَعَلْنَاهُ أُجَاجًا فَلَوْلَا تَشْكُرُونَ . الواقعة: 68-70

“Did you cast a good look at the water that you drink? Is it you who brought it down from the clouds or is it We Who brought it down? If We had so pleased, We could have made it bitter. So why would you not give thanks?” (QS. Al Waqi’ah: 68-70)

A lesson that we might learn from several verses of Qur’an about the rain is that those verses were ended with words, “He has power over everything.”, as mentioned the fiftieth verse of chapter the Romans, and 31st verse of chapter Fusshilat above.

Brother, the advancement of science and technology indeed is benefiting human being in many aspects of their life. But in the other hand, unconsciously, it made you easily neglected Allah the Almighty. As the result, many signs of Allah’s power around you became meaningless to you. Due to the revealing of the processes of those signs, such as the sun eclipse, the rain, earthquake, and others, your heart got hardened and untouched at the time you saw it, and nowadays you often name it as natural phenomena or the like.

Needless to say that such attitude reflected how far away you’ve been from the values of faith in Allah the Almighty. As an evidence, when the rain came, you didn’t think of it as the sign of Allah’s power, but merely a part of natural cycle on earth. The rain came because it’s rainy season already, and it would stop at the drought season. This was the end of your faith and respond towards it. I don’t know why you didn’t continue your comment with a question: “Who arrange the seasons, and create and regulate the sun’s revolution?”

Realizing the potential of such laziness in thinking to be occurred, the Messenger of Allah felt the need to warn his companions from it.

عَنْ زَيْدِ بْنِ خَالِدٍ الْجُهَنِىِّ أَنَّهُ قَالَ صَلَّى لَنَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ – صلى الله عليه وسلم – صَلاَةَ الصُّبْحِ بِالْحُدَيْبِيَةِ عَلَى إِثْرِ سَمَاءٍ كَانَتْ مِنَ اللَّيْلَةِ ، فَلَمَّا انْصَرَفَ أَقْبَلَ عَلَى النَّاسِ فَقَالَ « هَلْ تَدْرُونَ مَاذَا قَالَ رَبُّكُمْ » . قَالُوا اللَّهُ وَرَسُولُهُ أَعْلَمُ . قَالَ « أَصْبَحَ مِنْ عِبَادِى مُؤْمِنٌ بِى وَكَافِرٌ ، فَأَمَّا مَنْ قَالَ مُطِرْنَا بِفَضْلِ اللَّهِ وَرَحْمَتِهِ فَذَلِكَ مُؤْمِنٌ بِى وَكَافِرٌ بِالْكَوْكَبِ ، وَأَمَّا مَنْ قَالَ بِنَوْءِ كَذَا وَكَذَا فَذَلِكَ كَافِرٌ بِى وَمُؤْمِنٌ بِالْكَوْكَبِ

Narrated Zaid bin Khalid Al-Juhani : ” Allah’s Messenger led the morning Salât in Al-Hudaibiya and it had rained the previous night. When the Prophet had finished the Salât (prayer) he faced the people and said, “Do you know what your Lord has said?” They replied, “Allah and His Messenger know better.” (The Prophet said), “Allah said, `In this morning some of Ibâdi (My slaves or worshippers) remained as true believers and some became disbelievers; he who said that,

مُطِرْنَا بِفَضْلِ اللَّهِ وَرَحْمَتِهِ

“it had rained with the Blessing and Mercy of Allah” is the one who believes in Me and does not believe in the star, but he who said it had rained because of such and such (star) is a disbeliever in Me and is a believer in the star.’ ’’(Muttafaqun ‘alaih)

Likewise are the sayings which we usually say every time the rain comes: “This continuous rain is because the rainy season has begun.” But rarely we realized that the rain streamed down purely due to Allah’s order and His grace. We neglected Allah, and we remembered the season, whereas Allah has proved that season indeed changes, therefore the rain comes not in particular times, as happened lately.

Brother, as a faithful men, let us come back to Allah’s path, so that we’ll be able to view and judge every affairs according to the way of thinking of a faithful.

To be continued….

Author: DR. Muhammad Arifin Baderi, MA

Article of www.whatisquran.com

Sheikh al Islam was asked about a muslim, who, at his youth, was fond of committing wrongdoings that cost him to be exiled and avoided. Then a group of people said, “He has sought forgiveness from Allah , and Allah will forgive his mistakes and eliminate his past mistakes.” While another group said, ” It is not allowed to establish brotherhood with him nor being hostile to him;” Which of the two parties is more correct?

He answered,

No doubt that whoever repents with true repentance, Allah will accept his repentance, as He decreed, which can be translated as,

“He it is Who accepts repentance from His servants and forgives sins and knows all what you do,” (QS. Asy-Syura/The Council: 25).

“Tell them, (O Prophet): “My servants  who have committed excesses against themselves, do not despair of Allah’s Mercy. Surely Allah forgives all sins. He is Most Forgiving, Most Merciful.” (QS. Az-Zumar: 53)

That is, for every one who repents.

If so, and he already repented, then, if he has performed righteous deeds for a year, and he doesn’t invalidate his repentance, then his repentance is accepted, and it is allowed to befriend and talk to him. But if he had repented and has not up to a year, then the scholars are divided into two famous opinions.

Some of them said, “He must be befriended and his testimony must be accepted, no matter what.” While sone of them said, “It must reach a year of period, just as what Umar Ibn Al Khaththab had done to Sabigh Ibn Asal.” And this is the problem of ijtihad. Whoever thinks that his repentance is accepted and he must be befriended no matter what his condition, before putting him into a trial first, then he has taken a rightful opinion to be taken, and whoever thinks that he must be postponed for some times until he performed righteous deeds and the truth of his repentance been revealed, then he has also taken a rightful opinion. Both opinions are not a kind of misguidance.

Source: The collection of fatwas of Ibn Taimiyya, by Sheikh al Islam Ibn Taimiyya, published by Darul Haq.

Article of www.whatisquran.com

Indications of the Excellences of Worship When Most of the People Neglected It

Still on the similar point as above, was the Prophet’s wish -peace and prayer of Allah be upon him- to postpone the Isha’ prayer to just about the middle of the night, as explained by Imam Ibn Rajab. One late night he went to see the companions who had been waiting for him long enough to pray the Isha’ prayer together. He -peace and prayer of Allah be upon him- told them,

مَا يَنْتَظِرُهَا أَحَدٌ مِنْ أَهْلِ الأَرْضِ غَيْرُكُمْ

“”None of the occupants of the earth at this time are waiting the time of this Isha’ prayer but you.” (Narrated in “Shahih Bukhari” , in hadith no. 569, 570) (This hadith also gives hint about the excellence of the companions -may Allah be pleased with them. And a firm argument that supports the opinion stating that congregational prayer on mosque/masjid  is compulsory for men).

Imam Ibn Rajab -may Allah have mercy on him- commented on the hadith by saying,

وَفِيْ هَذَا إِشَارَةٌ إلَى فَضِيْلَةِ التَّفَرُّدِ بِذِكْرِ اللهِ فِيْ وَقْتٍ مِنَ الأَوْقَاتِ لاَ يُوْجَدُ فِيْهِ ذَاكِرٌ لَهُ

“It bears a sign of the excellence of being alone in remembering Allah, when none other was remembering Him at that time.” (See: “Lathaa-iful Ma’aarif” by Ibn Rajab page . 251-252)

However, the Prophet didn’t oblige or perform Isha’ prayer on late night time, for he worried that it would burden his followers.

In a hadith about the excellence of fasting on the month of Sha’ban, the Messenger of Allah -peace and prayer of Allah be upon him- explained his reason in doing it,

شَعْبَان بَيْنَ رَجَب وَرَمَضَانَ يَغْفُلُ النَّاسُ عَنْهُ تُرْفَعُ فِيْهِ أَعْمَالُ الْعِبَادِ، فَأَحَبُّ أَنْ لاَ يُرْفَعَ عَمَلِيْ إِلاَّ وَأَنَا صَائِمٌ

“The month of Sha’ban was between month Rajab and Ramadan, and most of the people were neglecting it. At that time, (Sha’ban) the slaves’ deeds were lifted and I love to have my deeds weren’t lifted, but while I was fasting.” [A good hadith, see Ash Shahiihah, no. 1898, and "Shahiih Targhiib wat Tarhiib", no. 1022, by Sheikh al-Albani may Allah have mercy on him- ].

Imam Ibn Rajab -may Allah have mercy on him said, “there is an indication in this hadith about the virtue of righteous deed performed when other people were neglecting it.,” (see: Lathaa-iful Ma’aarif, hal. 251]

The Three Benefits Of Worships when the Heedlessness Dominated

At least, there are three excellent benefits that might be obtained from worshipping Allah at the time of heedlessness. (Summarized from the book “Lathaa-iful Ma’aarif,” pages 252-254):

First: The worship would certainly be hidden, and such hidden, righteous deed is dearly loved to Allah. Even though it would be seen by others, it would just looked as a strange and abnormal thing among the majority of the people who were drowned in negligence of their status; the slaves of Allah. This is the plus point, which shows the strength of the love and sincerity of a slave towards his Creator.

If a sincerity has been planted in one’s heart, it is almost certain that all virtues of sincerity promised in the Qur’an and the saying of His messenger, will be reached.

So was the condition of our predecessors. They really fond of hiding their voluntary deeds so that it would just be a secret between him and Allah. It is narrated that Qatada may Allah have mercy on him- once advised:

يُسْتَحَبُّ لِلصَّائِمِ أَنْ يَدَّهَنَ حَتَّى تَذْهَبَ عَنْهُ غُبْرَةُ الصِّيَامِ

“It is suggested for one who fast to wet themselves (to make it fresh) to wash away the shabby impression due to his fast. (so that the deed would still be hidden from men’s eyes.) [cited from Lahtaa-iful Ma’aarif,by. 252]

Second: Rewards of worship performed during the time others were neglecting it were greater than it. The scholars had explained that reward of a deed would be increased along with the greater sacrifice, patience, and effort to do it, as long as those were a natural consequence of it, and not a kind of sacrifice or effort done deliberately” (see: Al-Majmuu’ al-Fataawa: 10/620-622, by Sheikh al Islam Ibn Taimiyya)

The Prophet- peace and prayer of Allah be upon him- hinted this matter in his saying to ‘Aisha -may Allah be pleased with her- when she wished to complete her minor pilgrimage: .

وَلَكِنَّهَا عَلَى قَدْرِ نَصَبِكِ

“But the (reward of the) worship depends on the level of your efforts,” (See: Sahih Muslim in hadith no. 1211)

Men’s souls tended to feel burdened to perform righteous deeds at the time when majority of people were enjoying pleasures that diverted them from worship; thus it preferred to enjoy what many others were enjoying.

Think about fasting! On Ramadan, we might said that all muslims performed it without any major difficulties, simply because first, it was from their faith, and second, they were not alone in bearing the hunger and the thirst. But when the time of Shawwal fast came, the voluntary 6 days fast on Shawwal, there were only few of them who continued to perform it. Men’s souls at that time felt heavy to bear the hunger alone,  to obtain Allah’s please, while people around it were celebrating with various foods and cookies. Indeed, this was one of the reason why the reward of the 6 days fast in Shawwal in Allah’s side was so great.

Third: Being alone to pray, while most of the men are drowning in sinful acts and ignorances, may function as a shield that protects against Allah’s wrath that would enclose all of His creations. Allah Himself declared, which can be translated as,

وَلَوْلا دَفْعُ اللَّهِ النَّاسَ بَعْضَهُمْ بِبَعْضٍ لَفَسَدَتِ الأرْضُ وَلَكِنَّ اللَّهَ ذُو فَضْلٍ عَلَى الْعَالَمِينَ

“And were it not that Allah repelled some people with another, the earth would surely be overlaid with mischief. But Allah is Bounteous to the people of the world (and thus extirpates mischief).” (QS Al Baqarah/The Cow:251)

Some scholars -among them was Imam Ibn Rajab -may Allah have mercy on him- interpreted the verse by saying, “what prevented the destruction on earth due to men’s sins was Allah’s mercy upon the obedient who were living among the sinful.” [see: " Lathaa-iful Ma’aarif" page. 256]

In the past, some predecessors used to say, ,

ذَاكِرُ اللهِ فِي الْغَافِلِيْنَ كَمَثَلِ الَّذِيْ يَحْمِي الْفِئَةَ الْمُنْهَزِمَةَ، وَلَوْلاَ مَنْ يَذْكُرُ اللهَ فِي غَفْلَةِ النَّاسِ لَهَلَكَ النَّاسُ

“ Those who remembered Allah among the ignorance of many others, was as a shield that protects a group of people whom were the target of enemies. If it’s not for people who remembered Allah while the others were neglecting Him, mankind would surely be doomed. ”

Main references:

• Lathaa-iful Ma’aarif, Ibnu Rajab al-Hambali, Cet.-5, Daar Ibn Katsir, 1420
• Al-Majmuu’ al-Fataawaa, Ibnu Taimiyyah, Majma’ al-Malik Fahd, 1416
• Shahih al-Bukhaari & Shahih Muslim, li asy-Syaikhain
• Shahiih at-Targhiib wat Tarhiib, al-Albani, Cet.-5, Daar al-Ma’aarif
• Silsilah al-Ahaadiits ash-Shahiihah, al-Albani, Cet.1, Daar al-Ma’aarif

Author: Ustadz Johan Saputra Halim (Lecturer at Abu Hurairah School, Mataram, Nusa Tenggara Barat)

Article of www.whatisquran.com

The stoning would not be accomplished until there were 4 persons bore witnesses of the deed, or the perpetrator himself bore witness against himself with four testimonies, according to majority of the scholars. Some of them considered a single testimony for himself was enough. But if he admitted his indecent act, then drew his testimony, some scholars said that his punishment should be cancelled, while the rest considered that it shouldn’t.

Muhshan is a free man who is obliged with obligations in shari’a, and ever slept with a woman he had married before, although just for once. Now, is the woman whom he slept with should be equal to him in those attributes? And is a teenager who is entering his puberty considered as a muhshan, or not?

As for the ahl dzimmah (the protected non muslim), they were mushan too according to  majority of the scholars, such as Shafi’i, and Ahmad. Thus the Prophet -peace and prayer of Allah be upon him- stoned two jewish man beside the door of the mosque, and  it was the beginning of stoning punishment in Islam.

The scholars also disagreed about the pregnant woman, who has no husband nor master (if she was a slave-girl), and there was no vagueness on that pregnancy. There were two opinions in madzhab of Imam Ahmad and others regarding this matter. Some said, there was no hadd (legal) punishment for her, since it was possible for her to get pregnant by rape, or due to various possibilities, or due to a vague intercourse. Some other said, she must be punished. And this was the opinion recorded from the four caliphs, and it was closer to the principles of shari’a, and it was also the stance of the dwellers of Medina; since the various possibilities were rare thus need not be considered, such as the possibility of her telling lies or the witnesses telling lies about her.

As for liwath (i.e, homosexual and lesbian), some scholars opined that their punishment resembled punishment of adultery, but some also said it was not, and the correct stance in this matter was: Both person should be killed, the perpetrator and the victim, or in other case, his or her partner, whether he or she was a mushan or not. The authors of sunan book had narrated from Ibn Abbas -may Allah be pleased with him-, from the Prophet -peace and prayer of Allah be upon him-, he said,

“”Whoever you found committing the act of the people of Lot, then kill the culprit and his partner.”

Abu Daud narrated Ibn Abbas -may Allah be pleased with him- who was caught doing lesbianism. He said that she must be stoned, and the similar story were recorded from Ali Inn Abi Thalib.

The scholars did agree about the killing as their punishment; however, they disagreed about how to kill them. It was narrated from Ash Shiddiq -may Allah be pleased with him- that he ordered people to burn them. Others said that they might be put under collapsing rock, causing them to be squeezed to death underneath the ruins. Some also said, they should be locked in the most terrible place until their death. The others said, they should be placed on the highest wall of the village, then thrown from it along with stoning, as Allah did to the people of Lot. This is the narration from Ibn Abbas, -may Allah be pleased with him-. As for other narration, it was said that they were stoned. This is the opinion of most of the past time scholars, they said, “Since Allah had stoned the people of Lot, and he commanded to stone the adulterer, the punishment should be similar to what had afflicted the people of Lot. Both were stoned, whether they were free men or slave, or one of them free and the other is slave, if they had reached maturity. If one of them was not reach that age, then he or she should be punished with punishment other than being killed, since the stoning is only for adults.

Source: Fatwa Collection of Ibn Taimiyya, by Sheikh al Islam Ibn Taimiyya, Publihed bu Darul Haq,

Article of www.whatisquran.com

Ignorance is the condition of the Arabs before the rise of Islam. They didn’t know about the real meaning of Allah and His messenger, and they were proud of their ancestral. The usage of term ignorance for them, was due to their lack of knowledge or unwillingness to follow the truth, as said by Sheikh al Islam Ibn Taimiyya: “They who didn’t understand the truth, were called unknowing (jahl al basith) but if they believed in something false, then they were called jahl al murakkab (who didn’t know but  being ostentatious). If he said something false, while he knew the truth, or if he didn’t know it, then he was also named as someone not knowing. (jahl)”

Hence, it is clear that mankind were indulged in their ignorance before the apostolate of Allah’s messenger -peace and prayer of Allah be upon him- (due to their foolishness). Because their words and deeds were created by the not knowing, and done also by not knowing. Likewise, each that contradicted everything brought by Allah’s messengers, from the Jew or the Christian; they also belonged to the ignorants in general.

As for what happened after the apostolate of Allah’s messenger -peace and prayer of Allah be upon him-, then the ignorance might afflicted a country but not others, as occurred in the countries of disbeliever. The attribute or character of ignorance might also afflicted some people, as one who has not embraced Islam : he is still dubbed as an ignorant, even though he lived in Islamic country.

If the meaning of the ignorance here is the general type, then there is no more of it after the apostolate of Allah’s messenger -peace and prayer of Allah be upon him- , since after the apostolate, there will always be a group of his followers who enjoin the truth until the Last Day. But if what meant by ignorance here is a limited one, then it is true that there are some of muslim countries that are still afflicted with ignorance, as well as some muslims. The Messenger of Allah -peace and prayer of Allah be upon him- :

” There are four things among the matters of ignorance that occurred to my followers.” (Narrated by Muslim)

Also his words to Abu Dharr:

“Indeed, you still have a character of an ignorant within you.” (Narrated by Bukhari and Muslim).

And many other of his sayings that indicated it.

The conclusion is that the definition of the ignorance itself was related to the void of knowledge (of the truth). Such ignorance was further divided into two categories:

The general ignorance: that is, what had happened before the apostolate of Allah’s messenger -peace and prayer of Allah be upon him-, and it ended with the apostolate of the Messenger of Allah -peace and prayer of Allah be upon him-.
The particular or limited ignorance: that is what happened to some countries and persons. Such ignorance will still occur until the Last Day.

Therefore, it is evident that people who claimed that this era is the era of ignorance in general, the ignorance of this century, etc, were mistaken. The truth is that there are traces of ignorance in some men of this century, or most men of this century. As for claiming it as time of general ignorance, it is a wrong and forbidden notion, since the apostolate of Prophet Muhammad -peace and prayer of Allah be upon him- had vanished such general ignorance.

Al Fusuq (Wickedness, evil doing)

The meaning of wickedness by language is : out or getting out; while according to shari’a, wickedness means disobeying Allah. This definition includes absolute disobedience, as what occurred to the infidels, and typical disobedience to some orders; the latter is given to a believer who committed major sins.

Hence, wickedness are divided into two categories:

- A wickedness that outed one from Islam, which means he was to be an infidel. Therefore, the infidel or disbeliever was also termed as wicked, as Allah mentioned in The Qur’an about iblis:

“And recall when We said to the angels: “Prostrate yourselves before Adam”; all of them fell prostrate, except Iblis. He was of the jinn and so disobeyed the command of his Lord.  Will you, then, take him and his progeny as your guardians rather than Me although they are your open enemies? What an evil substitute are these wrong-doers taking!” (QS. Al-Kahfi/The Cave: 50)

Such wickedness or disobedience resembled infidelity. As His verse:

“As for the evil-doers, their refuge shall be the Fire. Every time they want to escape from it they shall be driven back and shall be told: “Taste the chastisement of the Fire which you used to reject as a lie.” (QS. As-Sajdah/The Prostration: 20)

The following verse indicated that the evil-doers are disbeliever:

“As for the evil-doers, their refuge shall be the Fire. Every time they want to escape from it they shall be driven back and shall be told: “Taste the chastisement of the Fire which you used to reject as a lie.” (QS. As-Sajdah/The Prostration: 20)

But sometimes, muslim who committed wrongdoing was also dubbed as evil-doers, but that didn’t out him from Islam. It is as Allah’s decree:

“Those who accuse honorable women (of unchastity)  but do not produce four witnesses, flog them with eighty lashes, and do not admit their testimony ever after. They are indeed transgressors,” (QS. An-Nur/The Light: 4)

And His verse:

“Whoever intends to perform Pilgrimage in these months shall abstain from sensual indulgence, wicked conduct and quarreling;”(QS. Al-Baqarah/The Cow: 197)

The scholarly interpretation of the word ‘wicked conduct’ here was wrongdoing.

Dhalal (Astray)

The meaning of astray, or going astray, is deviating from the straight path. It is the opposite of guidance. Allah decreed, which can be translated as:

“He who follows the Right Way shall do so to his own advantage; and he who strays shall incur his own loss. No one shall bear another’s burden.  And never do We punish any people until We send a Messenger (to make the Truth distinct from falsehood).” (QS. Al-Isra’/The Night Journey: 15)

Generally, the word astray has several meanings, among those are:

Sometimes it means Infidelity, as in His decree, which can be translated as:

“Truly it is only associating others with Allah in His Divinity that Allah does not forgive, and forgives anything besides that to whomsoever He wills. Whoever associates others with Allah in His Divinity has indeed strayed far away.” (QS. An-Nisa/The Women: 116)

2. Sometimes it means shirk, as in His decree, which can be translated as:

“Whoever associates others with Allah in His Divinity has indeed strayed far away” (QS. An-Nisa/The Women: 116)

3. Sometimes it means something that deviates from the path of truth, or contradicts it, but not yet categorized as infidelity, as the term of “The astray groups”; it means the deviating groups.

4. Sometimes it means a non intended mistake, as what done by Prophet Moses :

“Moses replied: “I committed that act erringly.” (QS. Asy-Syu’ara/The Poets: 20)

5. Sometimes it means to forget, as in His decree, which can be translated as,

“so that if one of the two women should fail to remember, the other might remind her.” (QS. Al-Baqarah/The Cow: 282)

6. And sometimes astray means lost or unseen, as in the meaning of “Dholatul ibil”, that is, the camel is lost. (See: ar-Raghib in al-Mufradat (Vocabularies): page 297-298)

Riddah (Apostasy)

The meaning of apostasy in etymological course is turning back, as in the verse of Allah the Holy and Exalted, which can be translated as,

“My people! Enter the holy land which Allah has ordained for you;  and do not turn back for then you will turn about losers.” (QS. Al-maidah/The Table Spread: 21)

As for the definition of apostasy according to jurisprudence terminology is: turning back to infidelity after believed (embraced Islam, -ed). Allah declared, which can be translated as,

“(So remember well) that whoever from amongst you turns away from his religion and dies in the state of unbelief their work will go to waste in this world and in the Next. They are destined for the Fire and it is there that they will abide.” (QS Al-Baqarah/The Cow: 217)

The Classification of Apostasy

One who plunged himself in one or more of the nullifiers of Islam, might as well considered as an apostate. While there are actually many of the nullifiers of Islam that caused the apostasy,the main of it could further classified into four classifications:

1. Apostasy caused by words, such as people who mocked Allah, or His messenger, or His angel, or one of His messengers. Included in it a person who admitted to know the unseen, or claimed him or herself as a prophet, or those who affirmed such claim, or those who prayed to other than Allah, seeking aid to be relieved from calamity from it, and seeking refuge of things which none would be able to master it but Allah.

2. Apostasy caused by deeds, such as prostrated before the idols, or tree, or stone, or grave, or slaughtered for it. Included in pervert deeds are dumping the Qur’an to the dirty places, practicing magic, learning and teaching it, also included in it, ruling with any other rules and laws but what Allah has sent down through His messenger, and believed  that such action is alright.

3. Apostasy caused by beliefs, such as people who believed that there is partner next to Allah, or considered that adultery and alcoholic drinks are lawful, or considered that bread is forbidden, or believed that the compulsory prayers are not compulsory, or other things which lawful or unlawful or compulsory states had been agreed in certainty, or likewise that already known.

4. Apostasy caused by doubt, over the matters already mentioned above, such as people who doubted over the forbidden state of alcoholic drinks, adultery, and shirk, or doubted over the lawful state of bread, or over the treatise of Prophet Muhammad -peace and prayer of Allah be upon him- or doubt over the treatise of other prophets, or their honesty, or over Islam itself, or the suitability of Islamic teaching over times.

Hence, if one committed one or more of the causes above, fully aware and knowledgeable of it’s consequence, then the laws regarding this apostate would be as follows:

1. The apostate was asked to repent; if he repented and embraced Islam back in around a three days period, then his repentance was accepted and he should be freed.

2. If he was reluctant to repent, then he deserved of death penalty, as the Prophet said;

” Kill whoever replaced his religion.” (Narrated by Bukhari)

3. An apostate was not allowed to spend any of his wealth during the period of which he was asked to repent; if he went back to embrace Islam, then the wealth should be his again, but if he refused to repent, then the wealth should be considered as spoilt of war (fa’i) and bequeathed to the Bait al Mal at the time of his death (or be killed) while he was still in his apostasy

4. The right of inheritance between he and his kith and kin broke, and he was not allowed to inherit anything from his kith and kin, nor they from him.

5. If he died as an apostate, or killed due to his apostasy, he should not be bathed, nor a janaza prayer should be done for him, nor be buried at muslim cemetery. He must be buried at the infidel cemetery or anywhere but the muslim cemetery.

Reference: The Basic Principles of Ahl Sunnah wal Jama’ah

Article of www.whatisquran.com

“The Noble Sheikh has explained that it is compulsory to concern about the current muslim condition and to recognize which of the infidels that must be fought and which of them mustn’t. I ask your excellence an example of the infidels that mustn’t be fought, how long the muslim should restrain their hands from them, and in what condition should we restrain ourselves?”

Answer:

“People who should not be fought are:

First: People of whom we are not able to fight against. Then, we should restrains ourselves from them.

Second: the infidels whom we are making pact to, and they ceased-fire with the muslims, then such people shouldn’t be fought, until the time of the cease-fire run out. As long as the treaty still valid and they are consistent to it, the muslims are not allowed to fight them. Allah the Mighty and High had declared,

كَيْفَ يَكُونُ لِلْمُشْرِكِينَ عَهْدٌ عِندَ اللهِ وَعِندَ رَسُولِهِ إِلاَّ الَّذِينَ عَاهَدتُّمْ عِندَ الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَامِ فَمَا اسْتَقَامُوا لَكُمْ فَاسْتَقِيمُوا لَهُمْ إِنَّ اللهَ يُحِبُّ الْمُتَّقِينَ

“How can there be a covenant with those who associate others with Allah in His Divinity be binding upon Allah and His Messenger, excepting those with whom you made a covenant near the Sacred Mosque? Behave in a straight manner with them so long as they behave with you in a straight manner for Allah loves the Godfearing.” (Qs.At-Taubah/The Repentance:7)

And His decree,

وَإِمَّا تَخَافَنَّ مِن قَوْمٍ خِيَانَةً فَانبِذْ إِلَيْهِمْ عَلَى سَوَآءٍ إِنَّ اللهَ لاَيُحِبُّ الْخَآئِنِينَ

“And if you fear treachery from any people (with whom you have a covenant) then publicly throw their covenant at them. Allah does not love the treacherous.” (Qs.Al-Anfal/The Spoils of War 58).

If your are willing to end the peace treaty between you and them, then you should tell them and announce it to them so that it’ll be evident for all. Thus, a treaty, or a promise, was not a light matter at all. Allah the Exalted decreed,

وَأَوْفُوا بِالْعَهْدِ إِنَّ الْعَهْدَ كَانَ مَسْؤُولاً

“And fulfill the covenant, for you will be called to account regarding the covenant.” (Qs.Al-Isra’/ The Night Journey: 34).

The treaty or covenant should not be cancelled but for legal reason in shari’a, and it must be approved by the Imam and based on the imam’s order who had declared them the treaty. He, the Imam, is the one responsible over pact, and he should be the one authorized to cancel it according to legal reasons, And it is a part of Imam’s policy and task, and not the policy of all people.

Source: Complete Fatwas regarding terrorism, jihad, and accusing a muslim of being infidel.

Answered by: Sheikh al Fauzan -may Allah preserve Him.

Article of www.whatisquran.com

1- الإيمان بالملائكة الكرام إجمالا, واما تفصيلا فبما صح به الدليل من أسمائهم وصفاتهم وأعمالهم بحسب علم المكلف

2- الإيمان بالكتب المنزلة جميعها وأن القران الكريم أفضلها وناسخها وأن ما قبله طرأ عليه التحريف وأنه لذلك يجب اتباعه دون ما سبقه.

3- الإيمان بأنبياء الله ورسله صلوات الله وسلامه عليهم وأنهم أفضل ممن سواهم من البشر ومن زعم غير ذلك فقد كفر. وما صح فيه الدليل بعينه منهم وجب الإيمان به معينا ويجب الإيمان بسائرهم أجمالا وأن محمدا صلى الله عليه وسلم أفضلهم واخرهم و أن الله أرسله للناس جميعا

4- الإيمان بانقطاع الوحي بعد محمد صلى الله عليه وسلم وأنه خاتم الأنبياء والمرسلين, ومن اعتقد خلاف ذلك كفر

1. Believe in the noble angels as a whole. As for the details, then it should be based on valid indications that explain their names, attributes, and tasks according to the knowledge of a mukallaf (people who are of legal age)

2. Believe in all Books that have been sent down, and that the Noble Qur’an is the main Book that nullifies the previous Books and that those previous Books has been mixed with man-made changes. Thus, the Book to follow is the Qur’an only, and not the previous Books..

3. Believe in the prophets and messengers of Allah -may peace and prayer of Allah be upon them-, and that they are more prominent than the rest of human being. Whoever believes in other than that, is indeed a disbeliever. Also believe in a specific indication mentioning one of them. Beside that, we should believe in all of the messengers in general, and believe that Muhammad -peace and prayer of Allah be upon him- is the most prominent and the last of them (no other prophet or messenger after him), and Allah has sent him down to all human being.

4. Believe that the divine decree had been stopped after the death of Prophet Muhammad -peace and prayer of Allah be upon him-, and that he was the last and the closer of prophets and messengers. Whoever believes in other than that, has committed infidelity. (See: “Mujmal Ushul Ahlissunah”, by Dr. Nashir Al ‘Aql)

Explanations:

No. 1:  The angels are creatures who live in the unseen realm, who always pray to Allah. They do not have any godly attributes, nor that they are deserved to be worshipped. Allah the Holy and Exalted created them from light and granted them constant obedience to His orders and ability to do it.

Their numbers are huge, no one’ll be able to count it but Allah. In the hadith of Isra’ and Mi’raj (the night journey and ascension to the seventh sky), Allah’s messenger -peace and prayer of Allah be upon him- said:

فَرُفِعَ لِيَ الْبَيْتُ الْمَعْمُورُ فَسَأَلْتُ جِبْرِيلَ فَقَالَ هَذَا الْبَيْتُ الْمَعْمُورُ يُصَلِّي فِيهِ كُلَّ يَوْمٍ سَبْعُونَ أَلْفَ مَلَكٍ إِذَا خَرَجُوا لَمْ يَعُودُوا إِلَيْهِ آخِرَ مَا عَلَيْهِمْ

“Then I was shown the Bait al Ma’mur. I asked Gabriel (about it), and he replied, ‘This is Al-Bait-ul-Ma’mur where seventy thousand angels perform Salât (prayer) daily, and when they leave they never return to it as their last duty (but always a fresh batch comes into it daily).” (Narrated by Bukhari)

Among the faith in the angels is to believe in their existence, and believe in them in general and specific ways.

In general means that we believe that Allah has plenty of angels who always worship Him, obey His orders, and are capable of doing it. As for the specific, as mentioned above, we believe in all indications that explain about the angels’ details, their attributes, duties, etc, according to the knowledge level of every muslim who already reached legal age. Example of their names are angel Gabriel, Michael, Israfil, Munkar, Nakir, Malik, etc. Example of their attributes is the attribute of angel Gabriel. The Messenger of Allah ever saw him in his real shape; he had 600 wings (Narrated by Bukhari), and each wing covered the horizon (Narrated by Ahmad). As for the example of their duties are as follow:

1. Angel Gabriel is sent to deliver the divine decree.
2. Angel Michael is sent to regulate the rain and plants.
3. Angel Israfil is sent to blow the trumpet.
4. The death angel is sent to take out souls.
5. There are angels who are sent to guard the Paradise and Hell.
6. There are angels who are sent to blow the spirit into the fetus, and write down his sustenances, death, deeds, and whether he’ll be a wreck or a happy man.
7. There are angels who are sent to guard and write down men’s deeds. Every human being will be guarded by two angels, one is in his right side and the other in his left.
8. There are angels who are sent to ask questions to the deceased in their tombs. The dead soul will be asked about his Lord, religion, and prophet.

No. 2 : Allah the Holy and Exalted has sent down His Books to His messengers as graces and guidance to mankind, to achieve happiness in this world and in the Hereafter. The Books contain Allah’s divine decree sent to His messengers, to be delivered to His creatures. The divine decree is not a creature, because decreeing is one of the attributes of Allah, and attributes aren’t creature.

Among the faith in Allah’s Books are:

- Believing that the Books came from Allah.
- – Believing in those Books, in general and specific ways. In specific way means that we believe in the explanations of The Qur’an and The Sunnah which mention about the other Books of Allah in details, such as it’s name, and the name of prophet who receive it, and so on. As for the general part, we believe that Allah has sent the Books to His messengers, although their name aren’t mentioned.

Confirming the truth of every news brought by the Books (the unchanged one) such as the news in the Qur’an and in other unchanged Books. We use the word ‘unchanged because Books other than the Qur’an aren’t guarded, unlike the Qur’an, which is guarded by Allah the Holy and Exalted Himself. As for other Books than the Qur’an, such as Torah and Gospel, has been changed by the irresponsibles men, with addition, changes, lessen, or omitted, thus it!s condition is not as pure as it was when revealed. Allah the Exalted decreed, which can be translated as, “Among those who have become Jews there are some who alter the words from their context, ‘ (QS. An Nisaa’/The Women: 46)

Performing the laws contained in those Books, as long as it hasn’t been committed yet- with pleasures, and acceptance, whether we understand the wisdom beyond it one not. But after the revelation of the Qur’an, then the previous Books are omitted and irrelevant to use, and the Qur’an in the only source of deeds and laws.

Sulaiman Ibn Habib said, “We are ordered to believe in the Torah and Gospel, and we’re not ordered to perform it’s laws.”

No. 3: A messenger is a man who received divine decree, is ordered to convey new shari’a, whereas prophet is a man who is sent by the shari’a of previous messenger
who came before him.

The messengers were human being, and they possessed nothing of godly attributes (creating, regulating, and mastering the universe), they knew nothing of the unseen, and they were unable to give advantages or deny any dangers. Allah the Holy and Exalted ordered His prophet, Muhammad, -peace and prayer of Allah be upon him-, (while he was the leader of the messengers, and the highest in position among them) to say:

“Tell them (O Muhammad): “I have no power to benefit or harm myself except as Allah may please. And had I knowledge of the Unseen, I should have amassed all kinds of good, and no evil would have ever touched me. I am merely a warner and the herald of glad tidings to those who have faith.” (QS. Al A’raaf/The Height: 188)

Among the faith in the messengers are:

- Believing that their treatise is truly from Allah’s side. Thus, whoever disbelieve in one of them, means that he disbelieves in all of them.

- Believing in the messengers, in general and specific ways. In general, we believe that Allah the Exalted has sent to every nation a messenger to enjoin them to worship Allah alone, although He doesn’t tell us the names and stories of them. As for the specific way, is we believe in the messengers whose names and stories had been revealed to us.

- Confirming the truth of the valid news that they brought.

- Performing the shari’a (laws) brought by the messenger that was sent to us. And the messenger that was sent to us is Prophet Muhammad -peace and prayer of Allah be upon him.

It is also compulsory for us to believe that the messengers are more excellent than all mankind, even better than the wali, unlike the assumption of some of the Sufis, who believe that the wali ( friend of Allah, meaning His pious slaves)  is more prominent than prophet. While the correct order is a messenger is more prominent/more excellent than a prophet, and a prophet is better than a wali. Also, we must believe that the divine decree has been stopped after the death of Prophet Muhammad -peace and prayer of Allah be upon him-. Hence, there are no more divine decree revealed to anyone after him, that make them as prophet and messenger. He was the last of the prophets and no more prophet after him. One who claims that there are prophets after Prophet Muhammad -peace and prayer of Allah be upon him- is indeed a disbeliever.

Allah the Holy and Exalted decreed, which can be translated as,

“Muhammad is not the father of any of your men, but he is the Messenger of Allah and the seal of the Prophets.  Allah has full knowledge of everything.” (QS. Al Ahzaab: 40)

The Messenger of Allah -peace and prayer of Allah be upon him- said:

لِى خَمْسَةُ أَسْمَاءٍ : أَنَا مُحَمَّدٌ ، وَأَحْمَدُ ، وَأَنَا الْمَاحِى الَّذِى يَمْحُو اللَّهُ بِى الْكُفْرَ ، وَأَنَا الْحَاشِرُ الَّذِى يُحْشَرُ النَّاسُ عَلَى قَدَمِى ، وَأَنَا الْعَاقِبُ

“I have five names: I am Muhammad and Ahmad; I am Al-Mâhi through whom Allâh will eliminate Al-Kufr (i.e., disbelief—infidelity); I am Al-Hâshir who will be the first to be resurrected, the people being resurrected thereafter; and I am also Al-’Aqib (i.e., there will be no Prophet after me).” (Narrated by Bukhari)

He also declared:

…وَإِنَّهُ سَيَكُوْنُ فِي أُمَّتِي كَذَّابُوْنَ ثَلاَثُوْنَ كُلُّهُمْ يَزْعُمُ أَنَّهُ نَبِيٌّ وَاَنَا خَاتَمُ النَّبِيِّيْنَ لاَ نَبِيَّ بَعْدِيْ

“There will be among my Ummah thirty liars, each of whom will claim to be a prophet, but I am the Last of the Prophets, there will be no Prophet after me. “ (Narrated by Ahmad, Abu Daud, Ibn Maja, with a valid narrational chain. See the book: “ash-Shahiihah (IV/252)” by Sheikh Al Albani)

Author: Marwan Ibn Musa
Article of www.whatisquran.com

References:
- “Mujmal Ushul Ahlis Sunnah wal Jama’ah” by Dr. Nasir Ibn Abdul Karim Al ‘Aql
- “Sharh ‘Aqidah Ahlus Sunnah wal Jama’ah” by Ustadz Yazid Ibn Abdul Qadir Jawas
- etc.

Among the creeds that every muslim must believe in are the followings:

1- الإيمان بما صح الدليل عليه من الغيبات كالعرش والكرسي والجنة والنار ونعيم القبر وعذابه والصراط والميزان وغيرها دون تأويل شيء من ذلك.

2- الإيمان بشفاعة النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم, وشفاعة الأنبياء والملائكة والصالحين وغيرهم يوم القيامة كما جاء تفصيله فى الأدلة الصحيحة.

2- رؤية المؤمنين لربهم يوم القيامة فى الجنة وفى المحشر حق ومن أنكرها أو أولها فهو زائغ ضال وهي لن تقع لأحد فى الدنيا

1. Believe in every thing mentioned in valid indications about the unseen, such as the Great Throne, the Chair, Paradise, Hell, pleasure and torment in the grave, the Bridge, the Scale, and others without twisting it’s meaning.

2. Believe in the intercession of the Prophet -peace and prayer of Allah be upon him- , intercession of the prophets, angels, pious men, and other than them on the Last Day, as mentioned in details in valid indications.

3. Believe that the believers will see their Lord in the Last Day in Paradise and in the field of Mahsyar. Whoever disbelieve in it, or twisting it’s meaning, then he is indeed deviating and going astray, and that thing (seeing Allah) can’t be happened to anyone in this world. (See: “Mujmal Ushul Ahlissunah” by Dr. Nashir al-‘Aql)

Explanations:

The Great Throne and the Chair

No.1: The Great Throne (Arsy) is Allah’s throne. It has pillars that are borne by the angels. The Messenger of Allah -peace and prayer of Allah be upon him- said, “ When all mankind are already dead, I will be the first man to conscious. But in fact I see Moses has clung onto a pillar of the Great Throne. I don’t know, whether he was conscious before me, or it is enough for him his fainting on the mount of Thur.” (muttafaq ‘alaih)

Angels who bear the Throne are the great angels. The Messenger of Allah -peace and prayer of Allah be upon him- said, :

أُذِنَ لِيْ أَنْ أُحَدِّثَ عَنْ مَلَكٍ مِنْ مَلَائِكَةِ اللهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ مِنْ حَمَلَةِ الْعَرْشِ ، إِنَّ مَا بَيْنَ [شَحْمَةِ] أُذُنِهِ إِلىَ عَاتِقِهِ مَسِيْرَةَ سَبْعَمِائَةِ عَامٍ

“I have been given permission to speak of one of the angels of Allah, one of the bearers of the Throne. The distance between his earlobe and his shoulder is like the distance of seven hundred year’s travel.” (Narrated by Abu Daud and others; see: “Ash Shahihah”: 151)

The Great Throne is the biggest and the highest of Allah’s creature. It resembles a dome for the universe and it’s roof. Allah the Holy and Exalted settles on His throne (Chapter Ta-ha:5). His throne is on the water (chapter Hud:7)

Ibn Mas’ud -may Allah be pleased with him- said, “ Between the world’s sky and the next sky is 500 years distance, between each sky the distance is 500 years, between the seventh sky and the Chair the distance is 500 years, between the Chair and the sea (water) the distance is 500 years, and the Throne is on the sea (water) and Allah is on the throne. and nothing of your deeds is unclear for Him.” (Narrated by Ibn Mahdy from Hammad Ibn Salama from ‘Ashim from Zirr from Abdullah, also narrated by Al Mas’uudiy from ‘Aashim from Abu Waa’il from Ibn Mas’ud. It’s chain of narration is good, and it is also narrated by Ibn Khuzaima, Adz Dzahabi and Baihaqi).

As for the Chair, according to Ibn Abbas, it is the place where Allah put His feet. About the Chair, the Messenger of Allah -peace and prayer of Allah be upon him- said,

مَاالْكُرْسِيُّ فِى الْعَرْشِ اِلَّا كَحَلْقَةٍ مِنْ حَدِيْدٍ اُلْقِيَتْ بَيْنَ ظَهْرَيْ فَلَاةٍ مِنَ اْلاَرْضِ

“The Chair compared to the Throne, is like an iron bracelet put on a vast desert on earth.” (Valid, narrated by Ibn Abi Syaiba in book, “al ‘Arsy”)

Imam Ath Thahawi said, “(Nevertheless) Allah the Holy and Exalted does not need the throne and whatever below it. He overspreads everything and on it, and no creature that can overspread Him.”

He also explained, “That Allah created the throne and settles on it, doesn’t mean that Allah needs the throne, but Allah has His own wisdom regarding this matter.”

As for the Paradise and Hell, both are already discussed previously. And about the pleasure and torment inside the grave, it is enough for us the order of Allah’s messenger -peace and prayer of Allah be upon him- to his companions, to seek protection from the torments of the grave when they prayed before the salam. Also based on a hadith from al Barra’ Ibn ‘Azib about the trials in the grave.

For believers, there will be a calling from the sky, saying, “My slave is right, spread for him rugs and clothes from Paradise, and open him the door to Paradise. Then a wind from Paradise and it’s fragrance will come to him, and his grave will be expanded as far as the eye can see. Whereas for disbeliever, a voice  will call from the sky, “My slave lies, bring to him rugs from the Hell, and open for him a door to Hell, then the heat and hot wind from it will come to him. His grave will be confined until his ribs get overlapping one another.” (as narrated by Ahmad, Abu Daud, etc. It is classed valid/sahih by Sheikh Al Albani).

Pearl of wisdom:

Is the torment or pleasure of the grave happened to one’s soul or body?

Sheikh al Islam Ibn Taimiyya said, “The belief of the predecessors and their imams is that the torment and pleasure of the grave may happened to the soul of the deceased and his body, and that the soul may still feel pleasure or torment after it parted with the body, and that sometimes the soul unites with the body hence it feels the pleasure or torment together with the body.”

Intercession

No. 2: Intercession means asking for goods for other people. There are 8 kinds of intercession,  among those there are special intercessions of the Prophet -peace and prayer of Allah be upon him-, and some are not only special for him, but others may also give it too.

First, is syafaat (intercession) ‘uzhma, (the commendable position), that is the intercession of the Prophet -peace and prayer of Allah be upon him- so that Allah the Holy and Exalted gives the decision for His slaves after their lengthy stay at the field of mahsyar.

Second, intercession of the Prophet -peace and prayer of Allah be upon him- for the dwellers of Paradise to enter the Paradise after they’ve been through the counting of deeds (hisab).

Third, intercession of The Prophet -peace and prayer of Allah be upon him- for his uncle, Abu Thalib, so that his torments will be lightened.

These three kind of intercessions are special for the Prophet only -peace and prayer of Allah be upon him-.

Fourth, intercession of the Prophet -peace and prayer of Allah be upon him- for the believers of tawheed who deserve to get into the Hell, to avoid it.

Fifth, intercession of the Prophet -peace and prayer of Allah be upon him- for those who already enter the Hell, from the believers, to be taken out from it.

Sixth, intercession of the Prophet -peace and prayer of Allah be upon him- for some of the Paradise dwellers to get their level increased.

Seventh, intercession of the Prophet -peace and prayer of Allah be upon him- for those whose righteous deeds and sins are equal to be able to enter the Paradise. According to some scholars, they are the inhabitant of the A’raf (The high place between the Paradise and Hell).

Eighth, intercession of the Prophet -peace and prayer of Allah be upon him- for some of the believers to enter the Paradise without counting process and torments.

These five kinds of intercession are able to be given by the prophets, angels, those who confirmed the truth, and the martyrs.

An intercession will not be established but by two requirements:

- The Permission from Allah for the giver. See: chapter Al Baqarah/The Cow: 255 and Yunus/Jonah: 3.
- The pleasure of Allah to those who are given intercession. See: chapter Al Anbiyaa’/The Prophets: 28.

Both requirements are also mentioned in chapter An Najm/The Star:26

Indication showing that other than the Prophet -peace and prayer of Allah be upon him- are allowed to give intercession is a hadith below:

فَيَقُولُ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ شَفَعَتِ الْمَلاَئِكَةُ وَشَفَعَ النَّبِيُّونَ وَشَفَعَ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ وَلَمْ يَبْقَ إِلاَّ أَرْحَمُ الرَّاحِمِينَ فَيَقْبِضُ قَبْضَةً مِنَ النَّارِ فَيُخْرِجُ مِنْهَا قَوْمًا لَمْ يَعْمَلُوا خَيْرًا قَطُّ .

“Allah The Great and Almighty decreed: “The angels gave intercession, the prophets gave intercession, and the believers gave intercession, and only Allah the Most Gracious and Merciful left. He grab with a grab from the Hell, and He takes out from it several people who never do any goodness at all.” (Narrated by Muslim).

Seeing Allah on the Last Day

No. 3: The indication that believers may look onto Allah on the Last Day is Allah’s decree, “Some faces on that Day will be fresh and resplendent, and will be looking towards their Lord;” (QS. Al Qiyamah/The Last Day: 22-23)

Imam Muslim narrated from Abu Sa’id al Khudri, that people of the time of Messenger of Allah -peace and prayer of Allah be upon him- asked, “ O Messenger of Allah, will we see our Lord on the Last Day?” Allah’s messenger -peace and payer of Allah be upon him- replied, “Yes.”

As for the infidels will be screened from seeing Allah. (Chapter Al Muthaffifin: 15)

And the sight will not only happened in Paradise, but also in the field of mahsyar. The Messenger of Allah -peace and prayer of Allah be upon him- said,

“do you have any difficulty in seeing the sun at midday when it is bright and there is no cloud in the sky?” They replied, “No.” He said, “Do you have any difficulty in seeing the moon on a full moon night when it is bright and there is no cloud in the sky?” They replied, “No.” The Prophet -peace and prayer of Allah be upon him- said, “(Similarly) you will have no difficulty in seeing Allah The Great and Almighty on the Day of Resurrection as you have no difficulty in seeing either of them. On the Day of Resurrection, a call-maker will announce, `Let every nation follow that which they used to worship.’ Then none of those who used to worship anything other than Allah, like idols and other deities, but will fall in Hell (Fire), till there will remain none but those who used to worship Allah, both those who were righteous pious ones, and the mischievous evil ones – Ibrahim (the narrator) was doubt about the precise text-. And then Allah comes them and said, “I am your Lord.” Then they replied “This is the place where we stay, until our Lord come to us. If our Lord came to us, we will surely recognize Him.”Allah then come to them with a shape that they recognize, and Allah said, “I am your Lord.” Then they replied, “You are indeed our Lord.” Then they follow Him. A bridge then established between the two brinks of The Hell, me and my follower are the first to cross it…and so on.” (Narrated by Bukhari).

Also in a narration of Bukhari it is mentioned that, “ So Allah the Almighty came to them and said, “I am your Lord.” They said, “You are our Lord.” At that time, no one speak but the prophets. Allah decreed, “Do you know any sign to recognize Him?” They answered, “The thigh.” Then Allah uncover His thigh, and every believer prostrated, and one who prostrated to Him due to riya’ and sum’ah (popularity) was being left, he went to prostrate but his back came into a fold.” In the narration of Muslim it is said, “When he wanted to prostrate, he fell on his nape.”

So, Allah shows their hypocrisy.

Author: Marwan Ibn Musa
Article of www.whatisquran.com

References:

“Mujmal Ushul Ahlissunnah wal Jamaa’ah fil ‘Aqiidah” by (Dr. Nashir Al ‘Aql)
“Syarh Ath Thahaawiyyah” by (Imam Ath Thahaawiy)
“Ta’liq Mukhtashar ‘ala kitab Lum’atil I’tiqad” by (Sheikh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen),
“Syarh ‘Aqidah Wasithiyyah” by (Sheikh Shalih Al fauzan),
“Syarah ‘Aqidah Ahlussunnah” by (Ust. Yazid)
etc.

Imam Adz Dzahabi cited from Abu ‘Awanah Al Yasykuri, he said, “I saw Muhammad Ibn Sirin on the market, and no one saw him but would remember Allah [2].”

Subhanallah, how noble his character was. He was very devoted in worshipping and remembering Allah the Holy and Exalted thus when he was trading on the market, that quality of him was seen by others.

Isn’t it normal for one to see a man who prayed in a mosque, and that sight caused him to remember Allah, the Holy and Exalted? But to see a man who was busily trading in a hectic market, and his attitudes reminded us of Allah, the Holy and Exalted? Isn’t it show to us that the pious men are always busying themselves with remembrances and prayers to Allah, wherever they are?

It is true, the saying of the Messenger of Allah -peace and prayer of Allah be upon him-, “The devoted men to Allah are those, whom, if being saw, are reminding people of Allah.” [3]

Our next example is Imam Ibrahim Ibn Maimun Ash Shaigh, a Sunni Imam, from the generation of the students of tabeen. Imam Ibn Hajar al ‘Asqalani cited from his biography that his was a blacksmith, but when he heard the calling of prayer (adhan), even if he had lifted his hammer, he wouldn’t be able to use it and he would immediately left his work to pray. [4]

Look how great the fear and glorification of the pious men to Allah the Holy and Exalted, hence any kind of activities they did, never made them neglected the calling to pray to Allah.

Allah the Holy and Exalted decreed:

{ذَلِكَ وَمَنْ يُعَظِّمْ شَعَائِرَ اللَّهِ فَإِنَّهَا مِنْ تَقْوَى الْقُلُوبِ}

“Such is the fact. And whoso venerates the sanctity of all that have been ordained as symbols of Allah surely does so because it is part of the true piety of the hearts.” (QS. Al-Hajj/The Pilgrimage: 32).

Several wisdoms to take from the stories above are:

- A pious believer is one who are not neglecting prayers and remembrance of Allah the Holy and Exalted due to his business and activities.  And Allah The Holy and Exalted praised this quality in His decree:

{رِجَالٌ لَا تُلْهِيهِمْ تِجَارَةٌ وَلَا بَيْعٌ عَنْ ذِكْرِ اللَّهِ وَإِقَامِ الصَّلَاةِ وَإِيتَاءِ الزَّكَاةِ يَخَافُونَ يَوْمًا تَتَقَلَّبُ فِيهِ الْقُلُوبُ وَالْأَبْصَارُ}

“people whom neither commerce nor striving after profit diverts them from remembering Allah, from establishing Prayer, and from paying Zakat; people who dread the Day on which all hearts will be overturned and eyes will be petrified;” (QS. An-Nuur/The Light: 37).

Imam Ibn Katsir said, “Those are people who are not being fooled by riches and wordly adornments, and joys of trading and obtaining great profits, (being neglected from) remembering (praying to) their Lord (Allah the Holy and Exalted) Who is The Creator and The Bestower of their sustenances, and they are people who know (believe) that (the reward) from Allah the Holy and Exalted is better and more excellent than their possessions, since whatever they possess will be gone whereas the rewards of Allah are eternal. [5]”

- Working and trading places are very potential in neglecting people from remembering Allah the Holy and Exalted, thus, mentioning and remembering Allah the Holy and Exalted on such places are of great excellence in the side of Allah the Holy and Exalted.

Imam Ath Thiibi said, “Whoever remembering Allah (when he was) in the market, then he is among the men of whom Allah the Holy and Exalted declared about their excellence (in the verse above) [6].”

- Taking good examples from the stories of the past time scholars is one of the best way to motivate oneself to increase his devotion to Allah the Holy and Exalted. It is because man’s soul is easier to take example from the real story and (it will) causes him to be more enthusiast in performing righteous deeds and being haste in doing goodness [7].

Therefore, Allah the Holy and Exalted declared to His messenger -peace and prayer of Allah be upon him- :

وَكُلًّا نَّقُصُّ عَلَيْكَ مِنْ أَنبَاءِ الرُّسُلِ مَا نُثَبِّتُ بِهِ فُؤَادَكَ وَجَاءَكَ فِي هَٰذِهِ الْحَقُّ وَمَوْعِظَةٌ وَذِكْرَىٰ لِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ

“(O Muhammad), We narrate these anecdotes of Messengers to you that We may strengthen your heart through them. In these anecdotes come to you the Truth, and an Exhortation, and a Reminder for the believers.” (QS. Hud:  120).

Imam Abu Hanifah said, “I am more fond of the stories (of exemplary) of the scholars and sit together in their forum, than most of the jurisprudence (affairs), since the stories contain their manners and attitudes (to emulate)[8].”

وصلى الله وسلم وبارك على نبينا محمد وآله وصحبه أجمعين، وآخر دعوانا أن الحمد لله رب العالمين

Peace and prayer of Allah be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and all of his companions. And the end of our prayer (is that) all prayers be to Allah, Lord of universe.

City of Kendari, 1 Rabi’ul akhir 1432 H.

Author: Abdullah Ibn Taslim Al-Buthani, M.A.
Article of www.whatisquran.com
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Footnotes:
[1] He is a great Imam from generation of tabe’en (a generation after the generation if the Prophet and his companion, -ed), very trustworthy, and scrupulous in narrating hadith of Allah’s messenger -peace and prayer of Allah be upon him (died in year of 110 H). His biography is in book titled ‘Tahdzibul Kamal’ (25/344), and ‘Siyaru A’laamin Nubala’ (4/606).
[2] See: ‘Siyaru A’laamin Nubalaa’ (4/610).
[3] Narrated by Ath Thabrani in his work ‘Al-Mu’jamul Kabiir’ (no. 12325), by Dhiya’uddin Al-Maqdisi in ‘Al-Ahaaditsul Mukhtaarah’ (2/212) and others. Al Albani said that it is a good hadith in his work ‘Ash-Shahiihah’ (no. 1733) because it is narrated from various chains that are supporting one another.
[4] See: ‘Tahdziibut Tahdziib’ (1/150).
[5] See: ‘Tafseer Ibn Katsir’  (3/390).
[6] Cited by Al Mubarakfuri in his book ‘Tuhfatul Ahwadzi’, (9/273).
[7] See an explanation of Sheikh Abdurrahman As Sa’di in his book (a tafseer/Qur’an interpretation) , page 271.
[8] Cited with narration by Imam Ibn ‘Abdil Barr in his book ‘Jaami’u Bayaanil ‘Ilmi wa Fadhlihi’ (no. 595).