Karim Abuzaid – Know Your Lord Audio Book 02 02 – Conjecture in Faith Iman was the First Deviation Ilhad
AI: Summary ©
The speakers discuss the importance of faith and affirmations in religion, emphasizing the need for individuals to identify the correct definition of faith and clarify errors in understanding faith. They stress the importance of faith in affirmations and actions in faith, and stress the need for individuals to clarify their definition of faith and reflect on their actions. The speakers also discuss the origins of various ideological and religious views on faith, including Sunuraysha's definition of faith and Alism's definition of faith. They stress the importance of faith in affirmations and deeds, and stress the need for affirmation in order to be considered a good person.
AI: Summary ©
Chapter 2
conjecture
in faith was the first
deviation.
Despite the abundance of clear evidence regarding the
definition
and nature of faith, the subject
was the first upon which Muslims differed
and disputed.
Abu Sufyan
Farid ibn Abdul Wahid Haybatan
Rahimahullah
wrote in the translator's
notes of causes behind the increase
and decrease of iman
about the devastating consequences
of cherishing a corrupt
perception of faith.
He wrote that the nature of deviant innovation
is that the individual is content
with what they have established
and they will neither build knowledge on increasing
faith
and obedience to our Lord
nor will they avoid
what weakens faith
and displeases our Lord.
2 extremes formatted among those who held a
corrupt perception of faith.
One group held
that since faith
does not increase and decrease
actions do not affect it
and hence they concluded
that sins have no bearing
upon one's faith whatsoever.
The other group
held that faith is affected by actions.
However
since they did not recognize that faith was
of levels and parts
they believed that a person who committed a
major sin
was no longer a Muslim
and that he would reside in the fire
forever
since his faith completely vanished on account of
the sin
as it cannot decrease
according to their false belief.
Look at how Shaitan
deceives and plots
against humankind
to drive them towards disobedience in belief and
action.
We seek Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala's protection from
the constant bombardment
of his whispers.
Faith
is the greatest of all blessings,
the source of true happiness in this world
and the leading cause of success on the
day of judgment.
Yawmul Qiyamah.
Sufficient
it is
that Allah
makes the heart strong
and content
wherein faith dwells,
and with it one can taste its sweetness.
Those with faith
receive guidance from Allah
as he takes them from darkness
into light.
He defends them and provides them with protection.
Faith
is a source
of the good life that people are seeking
in this world.
Also
success in the hereafter
is contingent
upon having faith.
The prophet
companions
Sahaba
used to pay close attention
to the correct type and level of their
faith.
Many narrations report
how they regularly checked on their faith,
inspected it
and advised one another regarding its quality.
This is a comprehensive sense
of faith
that goes beyond the accumulated
system of belief
surrounding the 6 articles of faith. The first
subject muslims disagreed upon
was the definition of faith. Hence
it is crucial to understand the meaning of
faith
according to the Quran and sunnah.
As the righteous predecessors understood
misguided definitions of faith in early Islamic history
have caused
several problems
that persist even now.
However
our righteous predecessors had a clear understanding of
faith which we must adhere to as well.
Ibn Taymiyyah
Rahimahullah
said
faith is affirmation
and not merely
the attestation.
Affirmation
includes the words of the heart
which is belief without any shadow or doubt
and the actions of the heart which is
compliance.
Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala
specified that faith of the heart
necessitates
overt work.
Allah said: 'But
they,
the hypocrites,
say, we have believed in Allah and in
the Messenger
and we obey.'
then a party of them turns away after
that
and those are not believers.
And when they are called to the words
of Allah and His Messenger
to judge between them,
at once a party of them turns aside
in refusal
but if the right is theirs, they come
to him in prompt obedience.
Is there disease in their hearts?
Or have they doubted?
Or do they fear that Allah will be
unjust to
them or his messenger
rather it is they who are the wrongdoers.
That is the unjust
The only statement of the true believers when
they are called to Allah and his messenger
to judge between them
is that they say we hear
and we obey
and those
are the successful.
Despite clarity
in the definition of faith we still find
a misguided
and distorted descriptions of it
which were introduced
by different sects.
The twisted definitions are centered around 2 elements.
The first element
is whether actions are part of faith or
not.
The second element is whether faith fluctuates
or if it is fixed
and constant.
Alassan Nawal Jama'
defined faith as
attestation,
affirmation
of the heart,
affirmation
of the tongue, speech,
actions of the limbs
including the heart and tongue
subject
to increase
and decrease.
One cannot be a believer
until he assimilates his understanding of faith to
these qualities.
This position
is supported by the Quran and sunnah
based on the understanding of the prophet sallallahu
alaihi wa sallam,
his companions
Sahaba
and the first 3 generations.
Salafas Salih
Affirmation of the Heart The evidence
that affirmation
of the heart is an essential condition of
faith
is based on Quran and Sunnah. Allah Subhanahu
wa ta'ala said,
'O Messenger,
let them not grieve you who hasten into
disbelief
of those who say, we believe with their
mouths.'
But their hearts believe not, and from among
the Jews
they are avid listeners to falsehood, listening to
another people who have not come to you.
They distort words beyond their proper usages,
saying, If you are given this, take it.
But if you are not given it, then
beware.
But he for whom Allah intends fitna,
never will you possess power to do for
him a thing against Allah.
Those are the ones for whom Allah does
not intend to purify their hearts. For them
in this world is disgrace
and for them in the hereafter
akhirah
is a great punishment.
Allah Subhanahu wa ta'ala also said,
Whoever disbelieves in Allah
after his belief
except
for one who is forced
to renounce his religion while his heart is
secure in faith,
But those who willingly open their * to
disbelief
upon them
is wrath from Allah and for them is
a great punishment.
Statement of the tongue The evidence
that statement of the tongue is an essential
condition of faith lies in the saying of
Allah
Say, O believers,
we have believed in Allah and what has
been revealed to us
and what has been revealed to Ibrahim
and Ishmael
and Ishaq
and Yaqoob
and the descendants
Al Asbaq
and what was given to Musa and Aisha
and what was given to the prophet from
their lord.
We make no distinction between any of them,
and we are Muslims
to him. So if they believe in the
same
as you believe in, then they have been
rightly guided.
But if they turn away,
they are only
in dissension and Allah will be sufficient for
you against them and he is the hearing
the knowing.
Actions
of the limbs.
The evidence
that actions of the bodily limbs are essential
condition of faith
is in the saying of Allah Subhanahu Wa
Ta'ala.
Oh you have believed
bow and prostrate and worship your Lord
and do good that you may succeed.
Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala also said
and that is paradise
Jannah which you are made to inherit for
what you used to do. Furthermore
Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala associated some actions such
as prayer with faith
as in the following verse and never would
Allah have caused you to lose your faith.
The meaning of the above verse
is that the reward of prayers
towards Baytul Maqdis Jerusalem
before the changing of the direction of prayers
salah
towards Makkah
would not be lost with Allah.
The association
between faith and action
is known from the sunnah. Abu Hurairah
narrated
that the Messenger of Allah Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam
said, 'Faith,
Iman
has 70 odd or 60
odd branches.
The best of which is saying, La ilaha
illallah, and the best of which removing something
harmful from the road and modesty
is a branch of faith.
2 Sectarian Differences
Al Khawarij
and Al Mu'tazila
have agreed with Ahlus Sunnah that actions are
part of faith.
However
they differed in ruling on a man who
commits a major sin. The Khawarij regarded him
as an apostle in this world
but he could return to islam by repentance.
The Mu'athazilah
said that in this world the person who
committed a major sin is in a place
between disbelief and faith
unless he repents.
However,
both sects agree
that this person will be in hellfire forever.
Al Khawarij
was the first sect to emerge in the
Muslim world
and they had a presence
during the time with the prophet
Dhul Huaysera
at Tamimi was a man from Banu Tamim
who objected to the prophet
for his method of distributing wealth.
Dhul Qwaisirah
said, 'Fear Allah, O Muhammad.'
The Messenger of Allah Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam said,
who will obey Allah if I disobey him?
Would he trust me in the people of
the earth? But you do not trust me.
Then the man turned and left.
Dhul Qaysera
was the ideological forefather
of Al Khawarij.
They follow a belief that any deficiency
indeed causes a Muslim
to be an apostate.
And out of the fold of islam.
Muslims today who have inherited this ideology
are called Taqfiri
which means
those who excommunicate
without right.
The original Khawarij are long gone but the
ideology
persists
and its dangers
towards faith are quite real.
Al Mu'tazilah
they emerged
towards the beginning of 2nd century.
The founder of the sect was Wasl
bin Atta who was a student
of Hassan al Basri Rahimahullah.
Wasl
separated from Al Hassan Rahimahullah
after a discrepancy
that appeared between them on the fate of
the one who commits a major sin.
Wasil
held a position taken from Hellenic
philosophy,
Greek philosophical
inventions known as the speculative
speech
rather
than Quran and Sunnah. Al Mu'tazila
propagated many innovations
which they adopted
from other sects.
Takfiri
over sinful action,
denial
of the divine will of Allah Subhanahu wa
ta'ala,
his creation of the servant's actions
and denial or distortion
of the attributes of Allah Subhanahu wa ta'ala.
Actions
hamal and faith.
The next differing position regarding faith, a man,
is the nurture
and unfounded belief
that actions are not part of faith.
It is a belief held by the numerous
sects.
All of whom
have a common error called
which refers to delaying or holding back from
attributing actions to faith.
The names of the sects
may be obscure to the average American Muslim.
However
regardless
of the naming
it is incumbent
on every Muslim to identify
the correct
definition of faith
because the majority of Muslims may be in
the fallacy
of ijat
unknowingly
and party to the beliefs of these sects.
The innovative beliefs of these sects
are many and diverse.
Below
is a summarization
only
of the errors in understanding faith.
Al Murja.
The Murja
appeared
at the end of the 1st century
after migration,
Hijra in Kufa.
The group is guilty of severe religious innovations
bidah.
Its name
might have been derived
from the first innovation
that affects the definition of faith
since they excluded
the acts of worship from the reality of
it. Abu Amina Elias wrote, their intention
was to make the religion more ecumenical
in the face of extreme partisan
in fighting.
But their creed besides lacking basis in scripture
diluted
the concept of faith
to the point that it was nearly meaningless.
Aspects of their creed which deviated
were their claim that acts of worship are
a result
of faith
but not an element of it. They also
claim that faith does not increase or decrease.
Abu Hassan
Ali ibn Ismail
al Ashaari
Rahimahullah in his book
named several primary sub sects
of Almurja
based on the way they define faith.
1,
Al Jahmiya
were the followers of Al Jahm Bin Safwan
the head of the Jahmiya sect.
They defined faith, Iman as a mere acknowledgment
of Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala in the heart.
While disbelief
is the state of being ignorant about Allah
Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala.
This is Irja. They believed every other acknowledgment
such as a statement of the tongue,
affirmation
and submission of the heart.
Love of Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala and His
Messenger
Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam
are not part of faith.
They claim that faith
and infidelity are in the heart not in
words
and deeds.
According to their definition
Abu Talib,
Shaytan,
and the pharaoh
were perfect believers.
2,
Al Karamiyah
were the followers
of Abu Abdullah,
Muhammad,
Ibn Karam,
Al Sijistani.
They went further in misguidance
with a definition of faith
as the spoken testimonial
while an acknowledgment in the heart
is not necessary.
According to them, hypocrites
Munafiqun
who confess the universal declaration of faith
with their tongues while concealing disbelief
are perfect believers.
3
The foundation of their belief
is derived
from 'Abdullah
bin Saeed bin Qullab
Al Qattan
Al Basri who lived in the time
of Imam Ahmed He
was the leader of those who practiced
European dialectics
and rhetorical debate
to approach
speculative theology. The school of thought later followed
Abu al Hasan al Shari
who
went through various religious phases.
When he was young he studied Mu'tazali
Theology
with his stepfather
Abu Ali al Jubei.
He then repented from it when he noticed
his distance
from the way of the companions of the
prophet Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam. He openly announced repentance
Tawba
by saying that the Quran was not created
and he swore
to refute the teachings of the falsehood.
Allah Sha'ari Rahimullah
wrote:
We have now argued
for the validity
of our belief that the Quran is uncreated.
We have not found any scholar who ranks
as an authority
believing
that the Quran is created.
Al Shari, rahum Allah, also wrote,
the belief we hold and the religion we
follow
are holding fast to the book of our
Lord, to the sunnah
of our prophet,
and to the traditions
related on the authority of the companions
and
the successors
and the imams of the hadith
to that we hold firmly,
professing
what Abu Abdullah
Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Hanbal professed
in avoiding him who descends from his belief.
However,
his followers defined faith
as mere attestation
with no need for definite affirmation.
They also claim that faith
neither increases nor decreases.
4 Almurja,
Al Fuqaha,
Anafiyah
are among the jurists
from Ahlus Sunnah wal Jama'ah
of the Hanafiya school of thought. They adopted
the murja definition of faith an exclusion
of actions.
They also claimed that faith does not increase
or decrease
and as acknowledgment
in the heart accompanied by a declaration of
the tongue of the 4 classes
of the Mujah namely
Jahmiya,
Karamiya,
Asharia
and Murja al Fuqa Hanafiyah.
This latter
is of a lesser degree of Ijaz,
but is wide spread among the muslims today.
However
their interpretation
was not known among the 4 imams
or the orthodox scholars of the Islamic belief
system,
aqeedah
before
or after them. 5.
Almaturdia
have similar belief
to the murja.
They are the followers of Abu Mansur
who was also influenced
by Ibn Khulab.
The matur adiyya
say faith is affirmation
of the heart only
and some added speech of the tongue. They
negated
that faith increases
and decreases.
They believe in knowing our Lord based on
reason
as precedence before textual evidence.
As for Islam in faith
the maturidiyah
view them as the same with no difference
between them. Ahlus Sunnah wal Jama'ah must follow
the Qur'an and Sunnah upon the understanding of
the first three praised generations of Muslims,
o salafasaleh.
This means they will stand between the extremism
of the murjya
and the Khwarj.
Deeds
are essential to faith,
such that a person who never acted at
all on their belief in Allah
while having the ability and time to do
so
never had faith to begin with
while at the same time
a deficiency in deeds or presence of many
sins
does not necessarily
nullify the faith.
Iman of a Muslim
The strength of a Muslim's faith is equivalent
to the inward and outward good deeds they
perform.
Faith
Fluctuates.
Faith increases and decreases.
This is the last area of faith
upon which deviant groups differ and
it is essential to affirm
because it increases
through obedience
and decreases through sin
and disobedience.
Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala has made this clear
in the Quran and Sunnah. Allah said the
believers
are only those who when Allah is mentioned
their hearts become fearful and when his verses
are recited to them it increases them in
faith and upon their
Lord they rely.
Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala also said, and Allah
increases those
who are guided
in guidance, and the enduring good deeds are
better to your lord for reward
and better for recourse.
And whenever a chapter is revealed
there are among the hypocrites
those who say,
which of you has this increased faith? As
for those who believed
it has increased them in faith
while they are rejoicing.
Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala also said.
Those
believers
unto whom the people
hypocrites said,
verily
the people have gathered against you a great
army,
therefore fear them but it only increased them
in faith and they said, Allah alone is
sufficient for us and he's the best disposer
of affairs for us.
Evidence
from the Sunnah supports the reality of fluctuating
faith.
Abu Sa'id al Khudri
Radhiallahu
Anhu reported
that he heard the prophet Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam
say,
Whoever among you sees an evil action,
let him change it with his hand.
If he cannot,
then with his tongue,
and if he cannot
then with his heart,
by hating it
and feeling
it is wrong.
And that is the weakest of faith.
Faith,
iman, can become weak and diminished
to the size of a small seed but
it is still present and capable of growth.
This is mentioned
in an authentic narration
after Allah puts the people of the fire
into the fire. Jahannam.
He will say to the angels, look
and whomever you find with the mustard seed's
weight of faith in his heart bring him
out. They will bring out people who have
been burned
like charcoal.
Then they will be thrown into the river
of life
or rain from which they will emerge like
seeds sprouting
at the banks of the flood.
The 3 praise generations
considered
that recognizing
the fluctuations of faith is a condition
of the correctness
and validity of faith. The major Imams and
Jurists agreed
that faith fluctuates.
Bukhari
wrote in his book of faith,
Faith increases and decreases followed
by pieces of evidence to support his statement.
Ibn Taymiyyah
Rahimahullah said:
Faith increases
by acts of obedience
and decreases
by acts
of disobedience.
This means
that a Muslim
who has a pure intention
and performs regular good deeds
will increase his faith. Whereas a Muslim
who is spiritually ill and does not perform
good deeds will have weak faith.
What is equally important
is to not dismiss a Muslim who appears
to have weak faith as he is still
a Muslim
contending with the unique challenges of his experience
and thus his good qualities
should not be dismissed.
Abu Huraira
reported
that the messenger of Allah
said, The strong believer
is better
and more beloved to Allah than the weak
believer
although both
are good.
This relative position of faith in the life
of a believer
is a fact
that was made crystal clear in the Quran
and reliable narrations from the Sunnah.
Despite this
deviant beliefs existed
and still exist amongst Muslims
such
as Faith, Iman
is solid,
fixed and constant.
Faith does not increase or decrease.
Faith
is not made up of parts.
Every Muslim
holds the same amount
and quality of faith.
The heart is the place
where our faith
increases and decreases.
To be specific
it is in the statement of the heart
which refers to both the attestation
and the affirmation
and these 2 are combined
to be called the heart's concrete belief.
Hence
our concrete belief may increase and decrease
in the 3 domains
namely
delusions,
doubts
and suspicions.
Therefore
we must be vigilant regarding any elements of
the articles of faith.
Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala said,
The believers
are only the ones who have believed in
Allah and His Messenger
and then doubt not but strive
with their properties
and their lives
in the cause of Allah.
It is those
who are the truthful.
As seen above
concrete belief is not fixed
but a believer
is not deterred by doubts
because of his consistent efforts and sincerity.
The heart has strong faith a man which
may go up and down
between the following three levels
which we call levels of certainty
Yaqeen
as known from the position
of Ahlus Sunnahul Jama'ah
concerning hellfire.
1.
Ma'al Mulyaqeen,
knowledge of certainty
is merely hearing a description
of the paradise or hellfire and believing
because it is sure knowledge revealed from Allah
Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala
and related from his messenger Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam.
Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala said,
no,
if you only knew with knowledge of certainty.
2,
visualization
of certainty
or certainty of sight
is actually
to see the horrors
of hellfire.
Allah
said, then you will surely
see it
with the eye of certainty.
3,
truth and absolute reality
with certainty
or
experiential
certainty
in the true reality of the Hereafter,
which is the final stage when we enter
paradise,
and taste its pleasure
to enter the suffering and * fire and
we seek refuge with Allah
from the * fire. Allah
said,
indeed, this is true certainty.
Knowledge and sound belief cannot go
below the first level
without risking
supplantation
by suspicion,
doubts, or delusion.
Loss of an article of faith
by one of the 3 critical failures
may take a person
out of the fold of Islam.
Those critical failures we mentioned once again
are delusions,
doubts, and suspicions.