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Author: Jallow Abdullah

[1] Intro: The difference between legislated and innovated acts of worship

 بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ

Shaikhul Islaam Ibn Taymiyyah (rahimahullaah) said:

Indeed, there has been much confusion in this subject matter just as it is the case in the subject matter of halaal and haraam.  Indeed a group of people make permissible some of the things which Allaah has declared impermissible and others declare impermissible some of those things which Allaah has made permissible.  Likewise some people innovate acts of worship that have not been legislated by Allaah; rather He (The Most High) prohibited them.

The foundation of the religion of Islaam is that the permissible affairs are those that Allaah and His Messenger have made permissible, and the impermissible affairs are those that Allaah and His Messenger have made impermissible.  It is not allowed (or befitting) for anyone to leave the straight path which Allaah sent His Messenger with.  Allaah (The Most High) said:

وَأَنَّ هَـٰذَا صِرَٲطِى مُسۡتَقِيمً۬ا فَٱتَّبِعُوهُ‌ۖ وَلَا تَتَّبِعُواْ ٱلسُّبُلَ فَتَفَرَّقَ بِكُمۡ عَن سَبِيلِهِۦ‌ۚ ذَٲلِكُمۡ وَصَّٮٰكُم بِهِۦ لَعَلَّڪُمۡ تَتَّقُونَ

”And verily, this is my Straight Path, so follow it, and follow not (other) paths, for they will separate you away from His Path. This He has ordained for you that you may become pious’”[6:153]

Abdullaah Ibn Mas’ood (radiyallaahu-anhu) reported that the Prophet (sallal-laahu-alayhi-wasallam) drew a line for us and said: ”This is Allaah’s Straight Path.” Then he drew lines to its right and left and then said: ”These are other paths. Upon every one of them there is a devil calling towards it.” Then he recited: وَأَنَّ هَـٰذَا صِرَٲطِى مُسۡتَقِيمً۬ا فَٱتَّبِعُوهُ‌ۖ وَلَا تَتَّبِعُواْ ٱلسُّبُلَ فَتَفَرَّقَ بِكُمۡ عَن سَبِيلِهِۦ‌  ”Indeed this is My Straight Path, so follow it. And do not follow other paths; they will separate you from His Path.” [Hadeeth reported by Imaam Ahmad  in Al-Musnad 4437]

Indeed Allaah has mentioned in Soorah Al-An’aam, Soorah Al-A’raaf and other them regarding the deeds the idol worshipers were rebuked for, when they made impermissible the things that Allaah (The Most High) have not declared impermissible, such as the Baahirah (i.e. a she-camel whose milk was spared for the idols and nobody was allowed to milk it) and the Saa’ibah (a she-camel let loose for free pasture for their false gods, e.g. idols, etc., and nothing was allowed to be carried on it).   They (also) made permissible those (deeds) which Allaah made impermissible, such as the killing of their children, and they instituted a religion which Allaah did not allow.   Allaah (The Most High) said:

أَمۡ لَهُمۡ شُرَڪَـٰٓؤُاْ شَرَعُواْ لَهُم مِّنَ ٱلدِّينِ مَا لَمۡ يَأۡذَنۢ بِهِ ٱللَّهُ‌ۚ

”Or have they partners with Allah (false gods), who have instituted for them a religion which Allah has not allowed.” [42:21]

And there were impermissible affairs which they established as acts of worship, such as shirk, and lewd behaviour, such as Tawaaf around the Kabah, whilst being naked.

To be continued In-Shaa-Allaah

 

[Source: Al-Ibaadaat Ash-Shar-iyyah Wal-Farq Baynahaa Wa Baynal Bid’ah (page 7-8). Abridged and partly paraphrased]

How would the slaves (Mankind and Jinn) know what Allaah loves….?

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ

Question:

How would the slaves (i.e. Mankind and Jinn) know what Allaah loves and what Allaah hates?

Answer:

They know it through Allaah sending the Messengers and revelation of the Books [i.e. the Zaboor, Tawraat, Injeel, and the Qur’aan (the final revelation)]— commanding what Allaah loves and is pleased with; and forbidding what Allaah hates and disdains.  And by way of this, Allaah’s irrefutable proofs are established against them (i.e. Mankind and Jinn) and His Perfect Wisdom is manifested.

Allaah (The Most High) said:

رُّسُلاً۬ مُّبَشِّرِينَ وَمُنذِرِينَ لِئَلَّا يَكُونَ لِلنَّاسِ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ حُجَّةُۢ بَعۡدَ ٱلرُّسُلِ‌ۚ

”Messengers as bearers of good news as well as of warning in order that mankind should have no plea against Allah after the Messengers.” [4:165]

And Allaah (The Most High) said:

قُلۡ إِن كُنتُمۡ تُحِبُّونَ ٱللَّهَ فَٱتَّبِعُونِى يُحۡبِبۡكُمُ ٱللَّهُ وَيَغۡفِرۡ لَكُمۡ ذُنُوبَكُمۡ‌ۗ وَٱللَّهُ غَفُورٌ۬ رَّحِيمٌ۬

”Say (O Muhammad to mankind): “If you (really) love Allah then follow me (i.e. accept Islamic Monotheism, follow the Qur’an and the Sunnah), Allah will love you and forgive you of your sins. And Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.”  [3:31]

 

[Source: 200 hundred questions and answers on the Islamic creed by Haafidh Hakami (rahimahullaah) page: 14]  

What is the reason for which Allaah created the creation? – Haafidh Hakami

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

Question: What is the reason for which Allaah created the creation?

Answer: Allaah (The Most High) said:

وَمَا خَلَقۡتُ ٱلۡجِنَّ وَٱلۡإِنسَ إِلَّا لِيَعۡبُدُونِ

And I (Allah) created not the jinns and humans except they should worship Me (Alone). [51:56]

Allaah (The Most High) said:

وَخَلَقَ ٱللَّهُ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٲتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضَ بِٱلۡحَقِّ وَلِتُجۡزَىٰ كُلُّ نَفۡسِۭ بِمَا ڪَسَبَتۡ وَهُمۡ لَا يُظۡلَمُونَ

‘’And Allah has created the heavens and the earth with truth, in order that each person may be recompensed what he has earned, and they will not be wronged.’’ [45:22]

Allaah (The Most High) said:

وَمَا خَلَقۡنَا ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٲتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضَ وَمَا بَيۡنَہُمَا لَـٰعِبِينَ

مَا خَلَقۡنَـٰهُمَآ إِلَّا بِٱلۡحَقِّ وَلَـٰكِنَّ أَڪۡثَرَهُمۡ لَا يَعۡلَمُونَ

And We created not the heavens and the earth, and all that is between them, for mere play; We created them not except with truth (i.e. to examine and test those who are obedient and those who are disobedient and then reward the obedient ones and punish the disobedient ones), but most of them know not. [44:38-39]

[Source: 200 Questions and answers on Islamic Creed by Haafidh Hakami (rahimahullaah)]