As-sunnah As-sahihah

“Stones are about to descend upon you from the heavens! I say to you, ‘The Messenger of Allāh ﷺ said,’ and you say to me, ‘Abū Bakr and ʿUmar said!’”

“I am astonished at a people who know the chain of transmission of a ḥadīth and its authenticity, yet they still follow the opinion of Sufyān al-Thawrī, while Allāh, the Most High, says: فَلۡيَحۡذَرِ ٱلَّذِينَ يُخَالِفُونَ عَنۡ أَمۡرِهِۦٓ أَن تُصِيبَهُمۡ فِتۡنَةٌ أَوۡ يُصِيبَهُمۡ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ ‘Let those who oppose his (the Messenger’s) command beware, lest a fitnah befall them or a painful punishment be inflicted upon them.’” 📖 سورة النور (٢٤:٦٣)

I heard the Prophet ﷺ read this verse: “They (Jews and Christians) took their rabbis and their monks to be their lords besides Allah, and Messiah - son of Maryam, while they were commanded to worship none but One Ilāh (God-Allah) Lā ilāha illa Huwa (none has the right to be worshipped but He). Praise and glory be to Him, (far above is He) from having the partners they associate (with Him).” (9:31) So I said to him ﷺ, “Verily, we did not worship them,” to which he replied: “Did they not make ḥarām what Allah made ḥalāl so you then made it ḥarām, and (did they not) make ḥalāl what Allah made ḥarām and you therefore made it ḥalāl?” I said, “Yes.” He said, “That is worshipping them.”

“The first generations of Islām were the most righteous, so their rulers were likewise. When they later became tarnished with corruption, the rulers over them became corrupted. Hence, the wisdom of Allāh refuses that righteous rulers like Muʿāwiyah رضي الله عنه and ʿUmar ibn ʿAbdul ʿAzīz رحمه الله are put in authority over us in these times, let alone the likes of Abū Bakr and ʿUmar رضي الله عنهما. Rather, our rulers are in accordance with our nature and the rulers of those before us were in accordance with their nature.”

“The chapter on the Prophet ﷺ seeking refuge with the words of Allāh, not with the words of anyone else.” Nuʿaym ibn Ḥammād رحمه الله [d. ٢٢٨ AH] said: “It is not permissible to seek refuge with the creation, nor with the words of the servants, the jinn, the humans, or the angels. In this is evidence that the speech of Allāh is uncreated, and that everything else is created.”

فإن كمل توحيد العبد وإخلاصه لله فيه، وقام بشروطه كلها بقلبه ولسانه وجوارحه، أو بقلبه ولسانه عند الموت، أوجب ذلك مغفرة ما سلف من الذنوب كلها، ومنعه من دخول النار بالكلية، فمن تحقق بكلمة التوحيد قلبه أخرجت منه كل ما سوى الله محبة وتعظيما وإجلالا ومهابة، وخشية ورجاء وتوكلا، وحينئذ تحرق ذنوبه وخطاياه كلها ولو كانت مثل زبد البحر، وربما قلبتها حسنات، كما سبق ذكره في تبديل السيئات حسنات، فإن هذا التوحيد هو الإكسير الأعظم، فلو وضع ذرة منها على جبال الذنوب والخطايا، لقلبها حسنات

❝If the servant perfects his tawḥīd and his sincerity (ikhlāṣ) to Allāh within it, and he fulfils all of its conditions with his heart, his tongue, and his limbs, or with his heart and tongue at the time of death, this necessitates the forgiveness of all previous sins and prevents him entirely from entering the Fire. So whoever truly realizes the statement of tawḥīd in his heart, it expels from him everything besides Allāh in terms of love, veneration, exaltation, reverence, fear, hope, and tawakkul. At that point, it burns away all his sins and errors, even if they were like the foam of the sea, and it may even transform them into good deeds, as has preceded regarding the changing of evil deeds into good ones. For indeed this tawḥīd is the greatest elixir, such that if even an atom’s weight of it were placed upon mountains of sins and errors, it would turn them into good deeds.❞

“As for your claim that the interpretation of (al-Qayyūm) is ‘the One who neither leaves His place nor moves,’ this interpretation will not be accepted from you unless it is supported by an authentic narration transmitted from the Rasūl of Allāh ﷺ, or from some of his Ṣaḥābah, or the Tābiʿīn. This is because al-Ḥayy al-Qayyūm does whatever He wills: He moves if He wills, descends if He wills, ascends if He wills; He grasps and lets go, rises and sits if He wills. The distinguishing sign between the living and the dead is movement: every living being moves without exception, and every dead being is unmoving without exception.”

¹ The opposer: the Jahmī Bishr al-Mārīsī ² al-Qayyūm: from the beautiful Names of Allāh عز وجل

[An Ijāzah (Scholarly License) from Shaykh al-Islām Ibn Taymiyyah (661–728 AH) to Imām Muḥyī al-Dīn al-Qurashī, author of al-Jawāhir al-Muḍiyyah fī Ṭabaqāt al-Ḥanafiyyah (696–775 AH)]

“In the Name of Allah, the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful. All praise is due to Allah alone, and His blessings and abundant peace be upon our leader Muḥammad and his family. Requested from the benevolence of my master — the Shaykh, the Imam, the erudite scholar (al-ʿAllāmah), the ḥadīth-master (al-Ḥāfiẓ), Shaykh al-Islām: Taqī al-Dīn, the author of this book — may Allah benefit the Muslims by his life: Is that he writes for the drafter of these letters: ʿAbd al-Qādir ibn Muḥammad ibn Muḥammad al-Qurashī al-Ḥanafī [...]; Granting him permission to narrate this entire book, following its completion and its collation against the copy of my master; and that he grants him an ijāzah for everything that he is permitted to narrate of his original works and his received transmissions (masmūʿāt), according to the condition stipulated among the People of Narrations (Ahl al-Athar) — may Allah increase them. Allah is sufficient for us, and He is the best Disposer of affairs. Written in the months of the year seven hundred and eighteen [718 AH].”

“I have granted to the aforementioned individual that which he requested of me as an ijāzah, according to its condition. Written by: Aḥmad ibn ʿAbd al-Ḥalīm ibn ʿAbd al-Salām ibn ʿAbd Allāh ibn Abī al-Qāsim ibn Muḥammad ibn Taymiyyah.”

The book referred to in the request for ijāzah is: 📖 al-Ṣārim al-Maslūl ʿalā Shātim al-Rasūl (“The Drawn Sword Against the Insulter of the Messenger”)

It was said to Abū Bakr ibn ʿAyyāsh: “O Abū Bakr, who is the Sunnī?” He replied: “[He is] the one who, when the ahwāʾ (innovated whims/deviant sects) are mentioned, does not feel anger for any of them.” And in the narration of al-Lālakāʾī, the wording is: “He does not show partisanship.”

❝Taʿṭīl is worse than shirk because the one who negates (al-Muʿaṭṭil) denies His Essence itself or its perfection and this is a denial of the very reality of divinity. For an essence that neither hears nor sees, neither becomes angry nor pleased, does nothing, is neither inside the world nor outside it, neither connected to it nor separate from it, neither indwelling it nor distinct from it, neither close to it nor far from it, neither above the Throne nor below it, neither behind nor in front of it, neither to its right nor to its left—is no different from nonexistence. As for the mushrik, he affirms Allāh and His Attributes, but worships others alongside Him, so he is better than the one who denies His Essence and Attributes.❞

ولم ينقل عن أحد من الصحابة أنه رأى منكرا وسكت عن إنكاره بلسانه It has not been reported from any of the Ṣaḥābah that he saw an evil and remained silent without denouncing it with his tongue. بل كانوا يكافحون الظلمة بالإنكار، ولا يخافون في الله لومة لائم Rather, they would confront oppressors by condemning them, and they did not fear (for the sake of) Allāh, the blame of any critic. ومن ظن أن الصحابة، رضي الله عنهم، لا يظهرون دينهم، ولا ينكرون المنكر، فقد ظن بهم ظن السوء And whoever thinks that the Ṣaḥābah رضي الله عنهم did not openly practice their dīn or did not forbid wrongdoing has indeed thought ill of them ولم يعرف قدرهم وفضلهم ومحلهم من الإسلام، وغيرتهم لله وعلى دينه، ولم يقدرهم حق قدرهم؛ فهم القدوة وبهم الأسوة And has not recognized their true status, their virtue, and their rank in Islām, nor their ghayrah for Allāh and for His dīn, and has not given them their due estimation; for they are the role models, and by them is the example.

ومن ههنا قال بعض السلف: And from this, some of the Salaf said: المعاصي بريد الكفر Disobedience (sins) is the courier of kufr كما أن القبلة بريد الجماع Like how kissing is the courier of intercourse والغناء بريد الزنى And singing is the courier of zinā والنظر بريد العشق And gazing is the courier of passionate infatuation والمرض بريد الموت And illness is the courier of death.

“When one of the Salaf had a child growing up, they would busy the child with memorizing the Qurʾān and listening to the aḥādīth of the Prophet ﷺ. As a result of that, īmān became firmly established in the child’s heart.”

“Most of his criticism directed at the virtuous and the ascetics were justified. However, in some of them he was a Mujtahid. His Madhhab allows excuse for people, and he did not declare anyone a disbeliever except after the establishment of proof against him. He supported the pure Sunnah and the Salafī way arguing with proofs, matters the like of which none preceded him. He used expressions from which both the earlier and later scholars had refrained and feared, but he dared to do so. Until a group of scholars from Egypt and Syria rose up against him and they declared him an innovator, debated him, and opposed him, but he was steadfast speaking the bitter truth to which his ijtihād, incomparable intellect, and vast knowledge of the Sunnah led him. He was known for piety, quick understanding, fear of Allāh, and veneration for the sacred limits of Allāh. Between him and them occurred many conflicts, but Allāh saved him, for he was constant in supplicating, frequent in calling for help, strong in tawakkul, and firm of heart. The common people loved him, for he was devoted to benefiting them night and day, by his tongue and his pen.” He continues the mention of his bravery, how he stood up with boldness and courage against the Tatars. He also mentions that he neither married nor took a concubine-slave, and nothing is known of his possessions except little.

“The Shaykh once traveled by mule/horse to Egypt to alert the Sulṭān to act at the time of the coming of the Tatars. He recited the āyāt concerning jihād and said: ‘If you abandon Syrians, then indeed Allāh will raise up for them those who will support them, and He will replace you with someone else,’ and he recited: ﴿وَإِن تَتَوَلَّوْا يَسْتَبْدِلْ قَوْمًا غَيْرَكُمْ ثُمَّ لَا يَكُونُوٓا أَمْثَـٰلَكُمْ﴾ and: ﴿إِلَّا تَنفِرُوا يُعَذِّبْكُمْ عَذَابًا أَلِيمًا وَيَسْتَبْدِلْ قَوْمًا غَيْرَكُمْ وَلَا تَضُرُّوهُ شَيْـًٔا﴾ This reached Shaykh Taqī al-Dīn Ibn Daqīq al-ʿĪd (teacher of al-Dhahabī), who was the judge at the time, and he approved of it. He was impressed by this inference and was astonished that the Shaykh would confront the Sulṭān with such words. As for the Shaykh’s trials, they are many, and explaining them would take long.”

“There is no doubt that remembrances (adhkār) and supplications (daʿawāt) are among the most virtuous acts of worship. Acts of worship are built upon divine prescription (tawqīf) and emulation (ittibāʿ), not upon desire or innovation. Thus, the Prophetic supplications and remembrances are the very best that a seeker can aspire to in prayer and mention; the one who treads their path is upon a way of security and safety. The benefits and results that follow are such that no tongue can express, nor can any human fully encompass. Other remembrances, however, may be prohibited, disliked, or may even contain elements of polytheism (shirk) that most people do not perceive — a subject the details of which are lengthy. As for adopting a non-legislated wird (regular spiritual portion) or establishing a non-legislated practice of remembrance: this is among the matters that are forbidden. Furthermore, within the legislated supplications and remembrances lie the pinnacle of sound aspirations and the ultimate noble objectives. No one turns away from them toward other newly-invented and innovated remembrances except one who is ignorant, negligent, or a transgressor.”

"Qāḍī Abū Yaʿlā and others said: The ummah was divided into two opinions regarding the ruʾyah of Allāh with the eyes. Among them were those who declared such a vision to be impossible—these included the Muʿtazilah, the Najjāriyyah, and others who agreed with them. The other group—namely, the people of ḥaqq and the salaf of this ummah—are unanimously agreed that the muʾminūn will see Allāh in the Hereafter, while the kuffār will not see Him. This establishes an ijmāʿ of the ummah—among both those who affirm the possibility of ruʾyah and those who deny it—that kuffār are veiled from seeing Allāh. And every new opinion that arises after such an ijmāʿ is bāṭil (invalid) and mardūd (rejected)."

“There is no obedience to us if it involves disobedience to Allah, the Mighty and Majestic.”

The hadith starts: "عَنِ النَّبيِّ صلَّى اللهُ عليه وسلَّم فيما رَوى عَنِ اللهِ تَبارَكَ وتَعالى، أنَّه قال: يا عِبادي، إنِّي حَرَّمتُ الظُّلمَ على نَفسي، وجَعَلتُه بينَكُم مُحَرَّمًا، فلا تَظالَموا..." Translation: "On the authority of the Prophet (peace be upon him) from what he narrated from his Lord, the Blessed and Exalted, that He said: 'O My servants, I have made injustice forbidden for Myself, and I have made it forbidden among you, so do not wrong one another.'" Then continues: "يا عِبادي، كُلُّكُم ضالٌّ إلَّا مَن هَدَيتُه، فاستَهدوني أهدِكُم..." "O My servants, all of you are astray except those whom I guide, so ask Me for guidance and I will guide you." "يا عِبادي، كُلُّكُم جائِعٌ إلَّا مَن أطعَمتُه، فاستَطعِموني أُطعِمكُم..." "O My servants, all of you are hungry except those whom I feed, so ask Me for food and I will feed you." "يا عِبادي، كُلُّكُم عارٍ إلَّا مَن كَسَوتُه، فاستَكسوني أكسُكُم..." "O My servants, all of you are naked except those whom I clothe, so ask Me for clothing and I will clothe you." "يا عِبادي، إنَّكُم تُخطِئونَ باللَّيلِ والنَّهارِ، وأنا أغفِرُ الذُّنوبَ جَميعًا، فاستَغفِروني أغفِرْ لَكُم..." "O My servants, you commit sins by night and by day, and I forgive all sins, so ask Me for forgiveness and I will forgive you." "يا عِبادي، إنَّكُم لَن تَبلُغوا ضَرِّي فتَضُرُّوني، ولَن تَبلُغوا نَفعي فتَنفَعوني..." "O My servants, you cannot harm Me so as to cause Me harm, nor can you benefit Me so as to benefit Me." "يا عِبادي، لو أنَّ أوَّلَكُم وآخِرَكُم وإنسَكُم وجِنَّكُم كانوا على أتقى قَلبِ رَجُلٍ واحِدٍ مِنكُم، ما زادَ ذلك في مُلكي شيئًا..." "O My servants, if the first of you and the last of you, the humans of you and the jinn of you, were all as pious as the most pious heart of any one of you, that would not increase My dominion in anything." "يا عِبادي، لو أنَّ أوَّلَكُم وآخِرَكُم وإنسَكُم وجِنَّكُم كانوا على أفجَرِ قَلبِ رَجُلٍ واحِدٍ ما نَقَصَ ذلك مِن مُلكي شيئًا..." "O My servants, if the first of you and the last of you, the humans of you and the jinn of you, were all as wicked as the most wicked heart of any one of you, that would not decrease My dominion in anything." "يا عِبادي، لو أنَّ أوَّلَكُم وآخِرَكُم وإنسَكُم وجِنَّكُم قاموا في صَعيدٍ واحِدٍ فسَألوني، فأعطَيتُ كُلَّ إنسانٍ مَسألَتَه، ما نَقَصَ ذلك ممَّا عِندي إلَّا كما يَنقُصُ المِخيَطُ إذا أُدخِلَ البَحرَ..." "O My servants, if the first of you and the last of you, the humans of you and the jinn of you, were to stand on a single plain and ask Me, and I gave each one what he asked, that would not decrease what I have, except as a needle decreases when it is dipped into the sea." "يا عِبادي، إنَّما هي أعمالُكُم أُحصيها لَكُم، ثُمَّ أوفِّيكُم إيَّاها، فمَن وجَدَ خَيرًا فليَحمَدِ اللَّهَ، ومَن وجَدَ غيرَ ذلك فلا يَلومَنَّ إلَّا نَفسَه..." "O My servants, it is only your deeds that I reckon for you, and then I will pay you in full for them. So whoever finds good, let him praise Allah; and whoever finds other than that, let him blame no one but himself." Then the variant: "وفي روايةٍ: إنِّي حَرَّمتُ على نَفسي الظُّلمَ وعلى عِبادي، فلا تَظالَموا." "In another narration: 'I have made injustice forbidden for Myself and for My servants, so do not wrong one another.'" The user also included the narrator and source: Abu Dharr al-Ghifari, Muslim, Sahih Muslim, page 2577. And the summary: sahih. And a note: "من أفراد مسلم على البخاري" meaning it is exclusive to Muslim (not in Bukhari).

Aḥmad ibn Muḥammad ibn Maṭar and Zakarīyā ibn Yaḥyā reported that Abū Ṭālib narrated to them: He said: "I asked Abū ʿAbd Allāh (i.e., Imām Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal): ‘May I say that Muʿāwiyah is the maternal uncle of the believers? And that Ibn ʿUmar is the uncle of the believers?’ He replied: ‘Yes. Muʿāwiyah is the brother of Umm Ḥabībah bint Abī Sufyān, the wife of the Prophet ﷺ – may Allah have mercy on both of them – and Ibn ʿUmar is the brother of Ḥafṣah, the wife of the Prophet ﷺ – may Allah have mercy on both of them.’ I said: ‘So I may say Muʿāwiyah is the uncle of the believers?’ He said: ‘Yes.’

Yūnus ibn ʿUbayd saw his son coming out from the house of a follower of desires and said to him: “O my son! Where are you coming from?” He said: “From ʿAmr ibn ʿUbayd.” Thereupon he said: “O my son, that I see you come out of the house of a shameless person is dearer to me than to see you come out from the house of so-and-so. O my son! For you to meet Allāh as a fornicator, sinner, thief, defiantly disobedient, and treacherous person is dearer to me than that you meet Allāh with the sayings of the people of desires.” Do you not see that Yūnus ibn ʿUbayd knew that the shameless person cannot misguide his son from his religion, whereas a follower of innovation can mislead him until he causes him to fall into disbelief?

“Indeed, this knowledge is religion, so look carefully from whom you take your religion.”

“Indeed Allāh does not forgive association with Him, but He forgives what is less than that for whom He wills.” — Qurʾān 4:48

— Sharḥ al-Sunnah, 2/724-726