40 Hadith: Lesson 8

Sun 11th Nov 2018

Lesson 8: Belief in Allah consists of 4 matters

Recap of previous lesson:

• We are currently on Hadith 2 (which we started in lesson 4);
• • • Also on the authority of `Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) who said: “While we were one day sitting with the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) there appeared before us a man dressed in extremely white clothes and with very black hair. No traces of journeying were visible on him, and none of us knew him. He sat down close by the Prophet (ﷺ) rested his knees against the knees of the Prophet (ﷺ) and placed his palms over his thighs, and said: “O Muhammad! Inform me about Islam.” The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) replied: “Islam is that you should testify that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah and that Muhammad is His Messenger (ﷺ), that you should perform salah (ritual prayer), pay the zakah, fast during Ramadan, and perform Hajj (pilgrimage) to the House (the Ka`bah at Makkah), if you can find a way to it (or find the means for making the journey to it).” He said: “You have spoken the truth.” We were astonished at his thus questioning him (ﷺ) and then telling him that he was right, but he went on to say, “Inform me about Iman (faith).” He (the Prophet) answered, “It is that you believe in Allah and His angels and His Books and His Messengers and in the Last Day, and in fate (qadar), both in its good and in its evil aspects.” He said, “You have spoken the truth.” Then he (the man) said, “Inform me about Ihsan.” He (the Prophet) answered, “It is that you should serve Allah as though you could see Him, for though you cannot see Him yet He sees you.” He said, “Inform me about the Hour.” He (the Prophet) said, “About that the one questioned knows no more than the questioner.” So he said, “Then, inform me about its signs.” He said, “They are that the slave-girl will give birth to her mistress and that you will see the barefooted ones, the naked, the destitute, the herdsmen of the sheep (competing with each other) in raising lofty buildings.” Thereupon the man went off. I waited a while, and then he (the Prophet) said, “O `Umar, do you know who that questioner was?” I replied, “Allah and His Messenger know better.” He said, “That was Jibreel. He came to teach you your religion.” [Muslim]
• Atheists are of 3 types
• • • The submissive, common atheist
    • The atheist with an agenda to rid society of religion and morality
    • The honest atheist

• Belief in Allah consists of 4 matters:
• 1. Belief in his existence
• • • • We can know this by:
        • our Fitrah (natural disposition),
        • our intellect,
        • our senses and
        • our religion
    • 2. Belief in Allah’s unique Lordship and actions
      • This itself can be related to 3 matters,:
        • 1. Allah is unique in his ability to create from nothing, whereas mankind does not create but rather transforms one matter into another
        • 2. He is the sustainer and controller of all that exists
        • 3. He is the sole owner of all that exists and no one has a share with him in any of these things
• 3. Worshipping Allah alone
• • • • Belief in Allah’s sole right to be worshipped naturally follows on from 1 and 2
      • Allah has given us ability and free will, therefore we are responsible for what we do and Allah has obligated upon Mankind and Jinn that they worship him alone
      • Allah has sent Prophets and Messengers (may peace be upon them all) to provide us with information about what he has obligated upon us and how to be grateful to him. The Prophets and Messengers have also brought us information and details about our creator, our purpose and our ultime end (Paradise or Hell). We could not have obtained these details just by basic observation or thought since they are from the unseen.
• 4. Belief in his perfect names and attributes
• • • There are principles which we must follow:
      • 1. That we believe in every name and attribute that Allah has mentioned in his book (the Qur’an) or upon the tongue of his Messenger (ﷺ) (the Sunnah)
      • 2. Every name and attribute that Allah has negated from himself in the Qur’an and Sunnah then we negate this also
      • 3. We do the above without falling into 4 things:
        • 1. We do not deny any name or attribute of Allah
        • 2. We do not distort their meanings
        • 3. We do not liken them to creation
        • 4. We do not ask “how” about the nature of Allah’s names and attributes