أَبُــو ذَرّ - التَّوحِيدُ أوَّلا ً

When studying 'Aqidah, you need to learn things from the ground up. Meaning: you need to start at the very basics; making sure that you understand each point before moving forward. Doing this will ensure that you've built a solid foundation, which will prove to be essential later on. Without a solid foundation, you've left room for misguidance and misconceptions (shubuhat) to slip into your 'Aqidah and beliefs. Think about it like this: if you're building a house, you'd make sure to build it on solid ground. Why? Because there's a good chance the house might collapse on itself if the ground beneath it is unstable. Likewise, you could think of these fundamentals in 'Aqidah as pillars, holding up all other Islamic sciences. If there's a mistake in your understanding of the shahadah, then all of the other sciences will collapse, rendering it all meaningless on the Day of Resurrection. Allah (تعالى) says about those who disbelieved: { وَقَدِمْنَآ إِلَىٰ مَا عَمِلُوا۟ مِنْ عَمَلٍۢ فَجَعَلْنَـٰهُ هَبَآءًۭ مَّنثُورًا } "Then We shall turn to the deeds they have done and reduce them to scattered dust." [Surah al-Furaq, 23] And what is worse than doing all of this 'ibadah, studying the religion, and sacrificing so much, when in the end a mistake in your 'aqidah caused you suffering in the akhirah. Just as He (سبحانه وتعالى) said: { قُلْ هَلْ نُنَبِّئُكُم بِٱلْأَخْسَرِينَ أَعْمَـٰلًا * ٱلَّذِينَ ضَلَّ سَعْيُهُمْ فِى ٱلْحَيَوٰةِ ٱلدُّنْيَا وَهُمْ يَحْسَبُونَ أَنَّهُمْ يُحْسِنُونَ صُنْعًا } "Say, [O Muḥammad], 'Shall we [believers] inform you of the greatest losers as to [their] deeds? Those whose efforts have been wasted in this life while they thought that they were acquiring good by their deeds'" [Surah al-Kahf, 103-4] Many of those who went astray, such as the different Jahmi sects - those who claim the most disgusting and vile things about Allah's beautiful Names & perfect Attributes, the modern day madakhila - those who excuse shirk with ignorance and only declare takfir when kufr is uttered upon the tongue, the modern day ghulat - those who declare takfir upon Imam bukhari and Shaykh al-Islam ibn taymiyyah, and all of the other deviant groups - all of them started from a major errors in the 'Aqidah of their leaders. So, my Muslim brother, don't rush this knowledge. For by Allah, it is of the utmost importance. @AbuDhar1

Which texts to study for 'Aqidah? How to study texts properly? Alhamdulillah. A lot of brothers have been discussing about seeking knowledge, specifically about 'Aqidah. So, after consulting with many students of knowledge that I'm acquainted with, I put together a list of texts to study and how to study them. A very important matter: Make sure to correct your intentions, to fear nifaq, and to constantly be on guard with regards to the reason why you're seeking knowledge. You're not learning to elevate yourself, to put others down, or to win debates, rather you're doing this to get closer to Allah, to free yourself from shirk, and to perfect all of your 'ibadat. Three Priorities: Before you start memorizing larges texts, you need to prioritize the memorization of the Qur'an and shorter collections of Ahadith. This can be done alongside the memorization of texts, but it should be given priority. Likewise, learning the Arabic language is also important - however, understanding basic 'aqidah should take precedence over this. So, after learning basic texts of 'Aqidah, you should integrate some form of Arabic learning into your schedule. How to study texts: Memorize the base matn, and then carefully pick an explanation (sharh). Read the Sharh over and over again, until you retain the points made, evidences given, and arguments presented. Don't be afraid of memorizing longer texts, as it is easier than you might think. You should understand that knowledge shouldn't be rushed, sometimes it might take a long time before you fully understand or finish a topic. There is no issue with this. Introductory texts for the science of 'Aqidah: - Usul ath-thalatha - Kitab at-Tawhid - Nawaqid al-Islam - al-'Aqidat al-Wasitiyyah These texts (along with their explanations) will teach you: all three types of tawhid, kufr bit-taghut, al-wala wal-bara, and serve as a great foundation for you build off of. We ask Allah سبحانه وتعالى  to correct our intentions and to bestow upon us knowledge.

The disbelief of the Christians is clear. 1 - They claim that Allah became a man, that Allah had a son, that Allah needed to "rest", they direct their worship to other than Allah (to 'Isa, to 'Uzayr, to their saints, to their scholars, etc), and so much more.. 2 - Furthermore, Allah تبارك وتعالى declared takfir of them in the Qur'an, and the did the Messenger (عليه الصلاة والسلام) in his sunnah. From these two points we can make a few important deductions: (i) - Whoever doesn't declare takfir on the Christians is a disbeliever himself. This is for two reasons: (1) if you do not declare Christians to be disbelievers, than this is the same as saying that they are Muslims. Understand that there is no "in-between", you are either a kafir or a Muslim. So, by excusing them you have rejected many Ayat and Ahadith, which is disbelief by 'ijmaa of the Muslim scholars. The second reason for the excuser falling into disbelief, is because you validated their worship. To make this clear: if you come across someone worshiping 'Isa (عليه السلام), making sujud to across, calling out "Oh Jesus", and similar statements - this is very clear worship of other than Allah. If you see this, and then still say that this person is a Muslim, it is like you have said that a person can worship other than Allah and still be a Muslim. Thus validating your disbelief in the taghut, as one of the pillars of kufr bit-taghut is that you believe in the invalidity of the worship of these false gods. That you believe in it being wrong, and have bara towards those who are doing it (whether that bara is open or within your heart).. (ii) - Whoever grieves for the "priest" who was attacked, doesn't understand al-Wala wal-Bara. The same applies to anyone who thinks that Christians and Muslims should unite. Allah تعالى makes this very clear throughout the Qur'an, that you cannot take the disbelievers as supporters and close friends. The scholars even said that al-Wala wal-Bara is from the foundation of the religion, because you loving and hating is based on لا إله إلا الله, not on who support "Palestine" or who "hecking based and trad" (iii) - Many today are ignorant of tawhid. From the very basics of Islam is to believe that other beliefs are false. Yes, perennialism is disbelief in Allah سبحانه وتعالى, for if you say that all other religions are correct - then you've indirectly said that the Qur'an is false, and the our Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) did not bring the truth. And Allah's refuge is sought from that. So, why is that we see Muslims angry that this priest was attacked? I'm not justifying the attack at all, don't get me wrong. All I am doing is making a very clear observation at how many Muslims have their priorities mixed up. May Allah rectify our affairs..

The disbelief of the Christians is clear. Allah تبارك وتعالى declared takfir of them in the Qur'an, and the did the Messenger (عليه الصلاة والسلام) in his sunnah.

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One of the biggest issues in our time is that the opinions of men are given more weight, more authority, and more legislative power than what was revealed in the Qur'an, authentic Sunnah, and what companions agreed upon. If you look towards these different groups of misguidance, you'd come to realize that they all share one thing common: they took their shuyukh, leaders, and Imams are lords besides Allah, giving them more authority in the religion than they gave to Allah (subhanahu). This can even be said about ahlul-kitab and other disbelieving groups. And this is where the danger lies. A good example of this is that of many modern day jahmiyyah, where it isn't about finding the truth, but rather it's about obeying the corrupt 'aqidah that their shaykh teaches. Likewise, with the neo-Murji'ah, you'd find that they become angry when hearing the truth because it's contrary to what their shuyukh and "scholars" regurgitate. They think "how could my teachers be wrong?", just like those earlier generations who said a similar statement: "how could my forefathers be wrong in their beliefs and practices?" You see, the truth is from Allah. That's why we take the Qur'an as a primary source of our religion, as it is His speech revealed to mankind as a source of clear guidance. Similarly, we follow the Sunnah because that is what Allah's Messenger (sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam) taught us, and he (sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam) did not speak from his own desires - raher he came with the religion of Allah (ta'ala). And after that, we follow the 'ijma of the companions of the Prophet, because they learned from the one who was sent by Allah to teach mankind. If something contradicts any of these things, then it is a misguidance. And no amount of long-winded explanations, terminology, or certifications is going to change that.

Uproar at the destruction of ancient idols. Whenever the images of Muslims smashing statues and ancient idols go viral, it enrages the disbelievers on a mass scale. At least a couple hundred thousand, if not more, start fuming because "muh historical  artifacts" "muh history". The Messenger (صلى الله عليه وسلم) was asked: "With what were you sent?” He said: “I was sent to uphold the ties of kinship, to break the idols, and so that Allaah would be worshipped alone with no partner or associate.” [Sahih Muslim] Alhamdulillah, our Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) was sent to destroy idolatry, and that is what he did. For there is nothing worse then worshiping other than Allah, whether it be an idol or your own desires, as Allah has forbidden paradise for the one who engages in this kind of worship. Allah, the Most High, says: { إِنَّهُۥ مَن يُشْرِكْ بِٱللَّهِ فَقَدْ حَرَّمَ ٱللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ ٱلْجَنَّةَ وَمَأْوَىٰهُ ٱلنَّارُ ۖ وَمَا لِلظَّـٰلِمِينَ مِنْ أَنصَارٍۢ } "Indeed, he who associates others with Allah - Allah has forbidden him Paradise, and his refuge is the Fire. And there are not for the wrongdoers any helpers." [5:72] So, there is nothing more dangerous and detrimental to the human being than associating partners with Allah. It's a matter of Paradise and Hellfire. Which is why we as Muslims want to destroy all remnants of polytheism, to rid the world of this disbelief. Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, says: { وَقَـٰتِلُوهُمْ حَتَّىٰ لَا تَكُونَ فِتْنَةٌۭ وَيَكُونَ ٱلدِّينُ كُلُّهُۥ لِلَّهِ } "And fight them until there is no more Fitnah [meaning: disbelief and polytheism] and the religion [worship] will all be for Allah Alone [in the whole of the world]." [8:39] So.. With this in mind, why is it that we see some supposed Muslims feeling "sad" to thag these idols were destroyed? It's understandable that the disbelievers are irate and seething with rage, but a Muslim? The one who claims to worship Allah alone? The one who claims to follow the religion that our Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) was sent with? Since when do Muslims speak like this? We should only "preserve history" that's worth preserving, not pieces of rock which Ibrahim - the close friend of Allah - rejected and destroyed.