Tawhid related issues Abu Butayn
http://darultavhid.com/en/forum/index.php?topic=2346.0
Will anyone who utters ‘lailahaillaAllah’ be performed takfir?
Question:
How can we answer someone who states this: When those came before us
stated ‘lailahaillaAllah’ they had not been touched. Although we are
uttering it as well, you are trying to kill us while stating that we
are performing shirk. What shall we do to prevent you from touching us?
The answer (of Abdullah ibn Abdurrahman): All praise to Allah,
who created His servants in different characters. Mainly there are two
different groups of humans: The grateful ones and ungrateful ones. A
group among people make tawhid of Allah (swt), slaughters their
sacrifices in His name; others slaughter their sacrifices in the name
of others, votives in the name of the taghouts, plays instruments such
as daff, tanbur and other similar instruments.
Again some of
them perform the prayer, pay the zakah, observe fast, go to hajj,
witness that there is no deity other than Allah who desires to be
worshipped (and witness that) He has no partner, make tawhid with
ikhlas, not ungrateful, testify while accepting Muhammad (saw), with
whom the hanif deen aroused, is the messenger and slave of Allah (awj),
and some of them turn their faces away from these.
The word
‘lailahaillaAllah’ is the key of the abode of paradise; it is the word
of Islam and the taqwa (conscious of Allah). It is the most trustworthy
hand-hold. Skies and the earth stand owing to it. Allah (swt) has
created the entire creation for it; the jihad is done for it. This is
the right of Allah (swt) over His servants. The abode of kufr is
separated from the abode of Islam with this. The one whose last word is
this will enter the Paradise. This is the word, which brings security
for lives and possession, and (the word which) saves from the
punishment of the grave and the punishment of hell. Again this word is
the word which lets one enter Paradise, brings one closer to Allah, a
word which people differentiated with as happy, miserable, desired and
expelled. If the meaning of this word is not applied necessarily and if
those who don’t love it are not taken as enemy (one) will not have
shown love and friendship to this kalimah. RasulAllah (saw) is only
imam of those, who love this word. It will only be possible to love and
adhere to RasulAllah (saw) by loving this word. Allah (swt) says:
“Do ye then see whom ye have been worshipping,- Ye and your fathers before
you?- For they are enemies to me” (Shuara 26/75-77)
Without
baraa there will be no walayah. The way of being friend of Allah (swt),
necessitates keeping distant from His (swt) enemies and breaking off
the connections with them. Therefore, without keeping distant from all
other deities except Allah, the friendship of Allah will not be earned.
This is the meaning of ‘lailahaillaAllah’. Allah (swt) says:
“Behold!
Ibrahim said to his father and his people: ‘I do indeed clear myself of
what ye worship: (I worship) only Him Who made me, and He will
certainly guide me.’ And he left it as a Word to endure among those who
came after him, that they may turn back (to Allah). ” (az-Zukhruf
43/26-28)
The imam of the hanif, Ibrahim (as) has left this word
to his followers and they have left it to their successors. Likewise
the other messengers did this also.
When Allah (awj) sent
RasulAllah (saw) as a prophet, instructed him to call humans to this
word and these two bases. Allah (jj) commands:
“Say: O ye that
reject Faith! I worship not that which ye worship, nor will ye worship
that which I worship. And I will not worship that which ye have been
wont to worship, nor will ye worship that which I worship. To you be
your Way, and to me mine.” (al-Kafirun 109/1-6)
When RasulAllah
(saw) called the mushrik society to utter ‘lailahaillaAllah’, since
they had understood the meaning very well, they answered him with the
following:
“Has he made the gods (all) into one Allah? Truly this is a wonderful thing!”
(Sad 38/5)
Thus
RasulAllah (saw) told his uncle Abu Talib, during the time of his
death: ‘O uncle come and utter ‘lailahaillaAllah’. Those Abu Jahl and
Abdullah b Abu Umayyah who were present there, immediately challenged
him while stating: Do you leave the deen of Abdulmuttalib? (Bukhari;
Muslim; Ahmad, Musnad) It is because they knew exactly, what this word
meant. These words contain tawalli (friendship) and tabarri (keeping
distant and enmity).
Allah (swt) instructed the messenger to call also the Ahlu’l-Kitab to this word:
“Say:
‘O People of the Book! come to common terms as between us and you: That
we worship none but Allah; that we associate no partners with him; that
we erect not, from among ourselves, Lords and patrons other than
Allah’...” (Al-e Imran 3/64)
RasulAllah (saw) said: “He who
professed that there is no god but Allah and made a denial of
everything which the people worship beside Allah, his property and
blood became inviolable, an their affairs rest with Allah.” (Muslim;
Ahmad, Musnad)
Thus the errors of deceived ones and the
invalidity of proofs of the deniers are established. It is because like
already mentioned above; the meaning of the kalimah ‘lailahaillaAllah’
has two angles refusal and acceptance. These are wala for Allah (swt)
and bara (enmity) for Allah (swt). Besides, this enmity requires hatred
and disavowing. Allah (swt) says:
“There is for you an excellent
example (to follow) in Ibrahim and those with him, when they said to
their people: ‘We are clear of you and of whatever ye worship besides
Allah: we have rejected you, and there has arisen, between us and you,
enmity and hatred for ever,- unless ye believe in Allah and Him
alone’..” (al-Mumtahina 60/4)
Other than Ibrahim (as) also the
separation of RasulAllah (saw) and his ashab from their people and show
enmity towards them is an example for us. The incident between Sad (ra)
and his mother is a clear example for this.
Also these statements of our Lord in the reference to Ibrahim (as) are an
example to us:
“And I will turn away from you (all) and from those whom ye invoke besides
Allah” (Maryam 19/48)
Allah (awj) commands regarding Ashab-i Kahf:
“And when ye withdraw from them and that which they worship except Allah, then
seek refuge in the Cave” (al-Kahf 18/16)
Allah
(swt) informs in these muhkam ayahs their departure from the mushrik
society first; before the deities they broke off their relations and
connections with the mushrik society. Where are the scholars (!) of
today in relation to these truths? They do not even comprehend this
word as well as the ignorant kuffar from yesterday did and do not act
according to its requirements. However deen has been sent with the word
of tawhid to inform that there is no partner in the mulk of Allah and
He is One, there is no other deity except Allah who deserved to be
worshipped; and nabi and rasul of Allah exalted His Highness with this.
Allah (swt) says:
“Know, therefore, that there is no god but Allah…” (Muhammad 47/19)
This ayah had been revealed in the 8th year of hijrah in Madina. Likwise in a
well-known hadith RasulAllah (sas) said:
“Musa
(as) said: ‘O Lord! Teach me something so I can remember You and make
dua to You (with).’ Allah (jj) commanded: ‘O Musa utter
lailahaillaAllah!’ Musa (as) replied: ‘O my Lord! All of Your slaves
say this (word).’ Upon this Allah (swt) told him: ‘Utter
lailahaillaAllah.’ Musa (as) said: ‘O Lord! There is no other deity
which is deserved to be worshipped but You! However I am asking to You,
to inform me of something which is unique for me.’ This time Allah
(awj) replied him saying: ‘O Musa! If the seven earths and the seven
skies and everything in it can be put on a counter and lailahaillaAllah
on the other side of the counter, lailahaillaAllah will weigh
heavier’.” (Ahmad, Musnad; Hakim; Ibn Hibban; Baghawi, Sharhu’s-Sunna;
Nasai, Amalu Yawm wa Layl; Ibn Rajab, Kalimatu’l-Ikhlas; Abu Ya’la;
Tabarani; Bayhaqi; Abu Nuaym, al-Hilya; Ibn Abdul Barr)
The one
who wants to give advice to his nafs should think about what great
importance this word possesses. It is not sufficient to express this
word by tongue only; the one who wants to gain the virtue of this word
must fulfill its conditions. As seen in the above hadith, even Musa
(as) had not comprehended its virtues completely.
If it is taken
notice, there are many ayah and ahadith regarding this matter. We have
here only mentioned some of them. The sharih (commentators) and other
Islamic scholars have said so much about this that it is impossible to
mention them all here.
But the most comprehensive meaning of
these is: Stating ‘lailaha’ meaning (except Allah) there is no god,
which is worthy, to be worshipped. Allah (swt) says:
“Alif. Lam.
Ra. (This is) a Book, with verses basic or fundamental (of established
meaning), further explained in detail,- from One Who is Wise and
Well-acquainted (with all things): (It teacheth) that ye should worship
none but Allah.” (Hud 11/1-2)
Allah, the all wise (Hakim) and
all well- acquainted (Habir) informs that He has sent this book
(Qur’an) as a book, which its ayah are muhkam (fundamental of
established meaning) and mufassal (in detail explained) and only He
(swt) may be worshipped. It is because the expression ‘ye should
worship none but Allah’ necessitates worshiping Allah alone. Also the
book had down-sent for this (reason). So this is the meaning of the
word ‘lailahaillaAllah’.
In the dictionary it is referred that
the word ilah comes from ‘waliha-aliha’. Therefore ilah means: ‘the
thing that hearts are bound with respect, fear, hope, dua, tawakkul,
tawba and infinite love. Thus all respect (attention and admiration)
are entitled simply to Allah (swt); for this reason attestation/oath is
only taken in His name.
The secret of ‘lailahaillaAllah’ is,
making tawhid of Allah with which was enumerated here and with the
things, thereby that are connected. Ilah is a attribute, which causes
one to turn to it. Therefore; whoever turns with ibadah, reverence, and
tabarruk to another than he makes it ilah (for himself).
The
following is narrated from Abu Waqid al-Laithi (ra): "RasulAllah (saw)
went to Hunain. He came across a tree called Dhaatu Anwaat which
belonged to the mushrik society. The mushrik society used to hang upon
it their weapons (to seek blessing from it). They (those among the
Sahaabah who were new in the Deen) said: "Oh RasulAllah, make for us a
Dhaatu Anwaat like theirs." Upon this he (saw) said: "SubhanAllah! That
which you have said is the same as the people of Musa said: Make for us
an Ilah (one whom they can worship) just like their ilah". (Araf
7/138)Then RasulAllah (saw) said: By the One Whose hand my soul is, you
will definitely follow the way of those who were before you."
(Tirmidhi; Ahmad)
A further characteristic of ilah is that only
with it refuge is looked for and that nobody obeys others except Him.
So testifying (Shahada) of ‘lailahaillaAllah’ can be only fulfilled,
with knowing and afterwards acting according to this. It is because
someone, who actualizes something, is only the one who puts his trust
on it very deeply and bounded it with his acts and statements. Allah
(swt) says:
“And those who stand firm in their testimonies.” (al-Maarij 70/33)
Only
those, who possess the mentioned characteristics, actualize the
testimony. It is because it is only, with this word, possible for the
spirit to get the life. Such as bodies’ finding its life, bound with
the spirit.
What can be more useful for the servants than this?
The
servants will turn to Allah (swt) completely, will become busy with His
dhikr, will blessed with His tawhid, will dependent their love and
decisions to His consent and their existence will melt in such akhlaq
(moral) state. So some among them will be placed in Paradise without
being punished and without having an account. RasulAllah (saw)
describes them as:
“They are those who do not seek ruqya
(spiritual cures) for physical ills, who do not practice cauterization,
nor believe in omens, but depend totally, on their Lord.” (Muslim;
Tirmidhi)
Whoever says ‘lailahaillaAllah’ with certainty
(fulfilling its requirements) will receive the blessings of dunya, the
blessings of grave and blessings of the Paradise. Allah (swt) made the
eternal hell fire haram for them. Therefore, as much the servant
performs it, as much he acts according to this word, his yaqeen
(certainty), his development and his patience will decrease or will
increase. The sabaat (stability) in this world is actualizing of this
word. His passing over the bridge of Sirat in the akhirah is also
dependent to his actualizing this word or not. We ask Allah (swt) to
make us steadfast on this way. We seek (from Allah) that honors us and
Muslims with this word giving our souls while dying. (We seek from
Allah that He) treats us with His mercy. It is because He (swt) is the
most merciful among the merciful.
We will take this question in hand from three different aspects:
First
of all: Allah (swt) commanded the jihad; and He (swt) informed us
regarding its wisdoms and under which circumstances there is security
and its reasons. Allah (swt) says:
“And fight them on until
there is no more tumult or oppression, and there prevail justice and
faith in Allah altogether and everywhere…” (al-Anfal 8/39)
The word deen is a name which has general meaning. Allah (swt) sent and
assigned RasulAllah (saw) with this. Allah (swt) says:
“So serve Allah, offering Him sincere devotion. Surely pure religion is for
Allah only.” (az-Zumar 39/2-3)
“And
they have been commanded no more than this: To worship Allah, offering
Him sincere devotion, being true (in faith)…” (al-Bayyina 98/5)
“I
have been sent near the Day of Judgment so the ibadah will not be
performed by associating partners to Allah.” (Ahmad, Musnad; Ibn Hajar,
Fathu’l-Bari; Ibn Taymiyya, Iktidau's siratil mustaqim)
Secondly: Allah (swt) commanded (fight with all of the mushrik):
“…then
fight and slay the Pagans wherever ye find them, an seize them,
beleaguer them, and lie in wait for them in every stratagem (of war);
but if they repent, and establish regular prayers and practice regular
charity, then open the way for them...” (at-Tawba 9/5)
Allah
(swt) commands not to release the mushrik until all of the Islamic
signs can be seen on them. (And these conditions are three) Allah (swt)
says:
“And they have been commanded no more than this: To
worship Allah, offering Him sincere devotion, being true (in faith); to
establish regular prayer; and to practice regular charity...”
(al-Bayyina 98/5)
“I have been commanded to fight against people
till they testify that there is no god but Allah, that Muhammad is the
messenger of Allah, and they establish prayer, and pay Zakat and if
they do it, their blood and property are guaranteed protection on my
behalf except when justified by law, and their affairs rest with
Allah.” (Tirmidhi; Ahmad, Musnad; Bukhari; Muslim; Abu Dawud; Darimi;
Ibn Maja)
When RasulAllah (saw) sent Muadh (ra) to Yemen, he
(saw) asked him to call Yemenites to three things which are mentioned
in the hadith and he (saw) warned him in this regard several times. And
also his (sa) caliphates (ra) remained closely bound to it. Abu Bakr
(ra) has fought against those, who did not pay the zakah, although they
were saying ‘lailahaillaAllah’.
Thirdly; Abu Mabad Miqdad b.
Aswad reports: I told RasulAllah (saw): RasulAllah, you just see (here
is a point): If I encountered a person amongst the infidels (in the
battlefield) and he attacked me and struck me and cut off one of my
hands with the sword. Then he (in order to protect himself from me)
took shelter of a tree and said: I become Muslim for Allah's sake.
RasulAllah, can I kill him after he had uttered this? RasulAllah (saw)
said: Do not kill him. I (the narrator) said: RasulAllah, he cut off my
hand and uttered this after amputating it; should I then kill him?
RasulAllah (saw) said: Don't kill him, for I you kill him, verily he
would be in a position where you had been before killing him and verily
you would be in a position where he had been before uttering (kalima).”
(Bukhari; Muslim; Abu Dawud)
The meaning of this (hadith) is
as follows: ‘he would be in a position where you had been before
killing him’ (meaning in a situation that murdered Muslim), ‘and you
are in the situation, in which he was before’. Meaning it is because
you killed Muslim thus there qisas for you and you will be permissible
(to be killed) for his inherit. But this does not mean that you changed
your deen. Nevertheless Allah (swt) knows it best.
For a Muslim
it is a must that besides him knowing the value of this word and
comprehending its meaning in a way that it should be known; he must
believe this word by heart, utter what he believes and perform its
requirements with his limbs. If he offends one of these enumerated
things he can not be Muslim. Even if he was Muslim and practices
accordingly afterwards he falls in a situation which opposes it by
statement, act or faith, he would not be benefited from his good deeds
that he performed. Allah (jj) commanded the following regarding mockery
of munafiq during the journey of Tabuk:
“Make ye no excuses: ye have rejected Faith after ye had accepted it...”
(at-Tawba 9/66)
“…but indeed they uttered blasphemy, and they did it after accepting Islam…”
(at-Tawba 9/74)
Now
where can we find these truths within the people of today? They say
this word as a ridiculous statement while having fun and this is
accepted as Islam and Iman. But they distort tawhid, the right of Allah
over His servants. They turned away from it and have turned towards
some idols and shrines. They ignored and become unaware of fard
(obligations) and other distinguished signs of Islam. They represented
bidah and revolting as something beautiful. Allah (swt) has designated
the word ‘lailahaillaAllah’ as the word of the ‘taqwa’. But they have
brought this into the situation of the word of the 'fajir' (wicked evil
doer).
With a mushrik it is only permitted to not fight once
he actualizes the open and clear principles of Islam which we mentioned
before in some muhkam ayah. Those who perform these will establish
saving their life and possessions. Allah (swt) mentioned these muhkam
ayahs after He commanded to fight. Also this is explained in the clear
and sahih hadith. Allah (swt) while mentioning the tawhid first
commanded to leave shirk then mentioned the following:
“…establish regular prayers and practice regular charity…” (at-Tawba 9/5)
After then
“…open the way for them” (Tawba 9/5)
“…and faith in Allah altogether and everywhere…” (al-Anfal 8/39)
RasulAllah
(saw) said: “…if they do it, their blood and properties are guaranteed
protection on my behalf except the right of Islam.”
When they
actualize these things, then individuals will have protection. The
Salaf of the Ummah did this also and this is the reality which had been
accepted by the mujtahid imams.
When it comes to those who have
the knowledge of the matter; if they leave their deen by statement, act
or something else, or if they perform anything that means they don’t
enter Islam, as mentioned in the ahadith, their protection; security of
their life and possession will be lift. Only those, who perform the
necessities of the kalimah tawhid, meaning Islam can benefit from the
right of protection.
Against peoples, who left these three bases, war is led immediately. Among
these:
Tawhid: The pure and special right of Allah (swt) over His servants.
Salat Prayer: It is the only rukn which differentiates between the Kufr and the
Islam.
Zakah: Is an ibadah which ashab had led war against those who omitted it.
In
addition the ulama also made ittifak (agreement) over this issue. All
of the writers, commentators and fuqaha explained this in such way.
These statements are completely clear and open in their books.
If
some individuals say ‘lailahaillaAllah’ but act not in such a way, as
it is to be acted or perform some of the hukm but others not, whatever
is a necessity regarding them will be done. Allah (swt) says:
“He
whom Allah, guides is rightly guided; but he whom Allah leaves to
stray,- for him wilt thou find no protector to lead him to the Right
Way.” (al-Kahf 18/17)
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