Al Wajibat Exp. Sh. Ahmad Al Najmi HS

T he Su c c ess g ran ted b y th e o ft-
f o r g iv in g L ord
In Explanation o f the O bligatory M atters That

E very M uslim Should Know
Al-Wajibat
Explanation by
Shaykh al-'Allamah Ahmad b. Yahya al-Najmi
T ranslated by
Jamil Finch
The Obligatory Mailers Thai Every M uslim Should Know
© 2015 IIIN Publications
A ll rights reserved.
N o part of this Booh may be reprinted or reproduced or

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means now known, or hereafter invented, including
photocopying and recording, without prior permission from the
publishers.
First Edition: 1436F1/August 2015CE
Translation: Jamil Finch

Reviewed and Edited: IIIN Publications
ISBN: 978-1-4951-1860-9
Address:
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2 IP a g e
The Obligatory Matters That Beery M uslim Should Kuote
Table o f Contents
Biography of Shaykh Ahmad al-NajmT 5

The Three Fundamental Principles 8
The Foundation of the Religion and Its Basis 16

The Conditions of the Testimony of Faith 20
The Proof for These Conditions from the Book of Allah 28
The Nullifiers of Islam 63
TawhTd Is Three Categories 111
The Opposite to TawhTd is Shirk [Polytheism] 132
Disbelief Is Two Categories 153
Hypocrisy 170
The Meaning of Taghut and Its Heads 181
Text of this Treatise (Arabic) 216
3 IP a g e
The Obligatory Matters That Every M uslim Should Know
Transliteration Table
Consonants
> d d d k
0
L_> b j dh Ja t J 1
lZj t J r Ja z i* m
L_) th j z I
c
o n
2L j o* s i gh A h
L h i_A sh f 3 w
t kh s J q 6 y
Vowels
Short - a - i - u
Long L a S?T T 3- u
Diphthongs aw ^ ay
The Mighty and Majestic.

The Sublime and Exalted.
May Allah make good mention ot His Prophet in the
highest company and grant him safety in this life and
the next.
May Allah be pleased with him.
4i&Ajb) May Allah show mercy to him.
p3\^c Peace be upon him.
4 IP a g e
Biography O f Shaykh al-‘Allamah Ahmad b. Yahya al-

Najml (iisT^'s)1
All praise is due to Allah and abundant peace and blessings

upon the Messenger o f Allah, his family and his companions.
To proceed:
I am your brother, Ahmad b. Yahya b. M uham m ad b. Shablr
al-NajmT. I was born in the village o f al-Najam lyah and my
birth was at end o f the year 1346 H. I learned the [whole of]
the Q ur‘an three times at the local schools before the arrival
o f our Shaykh, Abdullah b. M uham m ad al-Q ar awl.
After the arrival o f the Shaykh and the establishment
o f al-Madrasah al-Salafiyah in Samitah in the year 1359 I
visited this school a num ber o f times; however, I did not
continue to do so. Then at the beginning o f the year 1360 , in
the m onth o f Safar to be exact, 1 joined al-Madrasah al-
Salafiyah, which was established by our noble Shaykh, the
renow ned caller to Allah.
It was by way o f him that Allah rescued a nation in the tow n
ofJTzan and bestowed upon them His mercy, as He brought
them from polytheism to Islamic m onotheism , from
ignorance to knowledge and from sin and innovation to
righteousness and faith.
1 [PN] This biography is taken from al-Fatawa al-Jaliyah o f

the Shaykh.
5 IP a g e
All praise is due to Allah, I continued to study in the school

o f the Shaykh and in the year 1365 1 was appointed by way o f
the Shaykh [as a teacher] at [the school] al-Madrasah al-
Najamiyah and in the mosque that was next to my house,
where I would teach. I would also teach at al-Madrasah al-
SalafJyah.
Then in the year 1367 H I was officially made a teacher in the
same school. In the year 137 2 H, I was appointed as an Imam
and teacher in the Masjid Abtl Sttbaylah in al-‘Aridah. 1
remained in this city for two years and I would go and come.
After this the educational institute was opened in Samitah at
the beginning o f the year 1374 H and I was appointed there as
a teacher along w ith Shaykh Hafiz [al-Hakaml] (d.i 377 H),
Nasir Khalufah and others.
I taught at this institute for a period o f 10 years and I resigned
in the year 3/ 11 / 1384 . At that time I had a desire to join the
Islamic University as a teacher due to the presence o f Shaykh
M uhammad Nasir al-D in al-Alban! (d.i 4 2 0 H), the renow ned
scholar o f hadlth, and Shaykh ‘Abdul ‘Aziz b. Baz (d.i 4 2 oH)
w ho was the acting head o f the Islamic University. So I
desired to join them at the University and take knowledge
from them. This is som ething 1 aspired to do but Allah did
not will this to happen.
I attempted to join the University; however, this was not
decreed for me so I joined the centre for propagation and
direction where I was appointed as a teacher and religious
guide in Samitah, al-Mawsim, al-M usarahah and Abu Arish.
6 IP a g e
So I remained in this region for approximately three years

travelling from place to place, w ith the task o f adm onishing
and advising the people. The frequent travelling became
difficult and burdensom e, w hich resulted in me putting forth
a request to return to the educational institutes once again as
a teacher. All praise is due to Allah, a decision was made for
me to return to the educational institutes as a teacher.
At the beginning o f the year I could not get a position at the
institute in Samitah and 1 was appointed at the centre in JTzan.
T hat is where I remained for the school year o f 1387 H to
1388 H. At the end o f the academic year I returned to the
institute in Samitah for the second time and that is where I
remained until I retired in 14 10 H.
After this - and all praise is due to Allah - I did not stop
teaching rather 1 continued to teach through classes that were
held in the mosques. I ask Allah to grant me and you a good
7 IP a g e
Chapter: The Three Fundamental Principles W hich are

Obligatory for Every Male Muslim and Female Muslim
to Learn
Text:
The three fundamental principles which are obligatory
for every male Muslim and female Muslim to learn are
that the servant knows his Lord, his religion and his
Prophet, M uhammad
If it is said to you, “W ho is your Lord?” T hen say, “My
Lord is Allah, the O ne W ho nurtured me and nurtured
all o f the creation with His blessings. He is the O ne
W hom I worship; I do not worship anything besides
him .”
If it is said to you, “W hat is your religion?” Say, “My
religion is Islam; and it is to submit to Allah with
Taw hld [Islamic monotheism], yielding to Him and
obeying Him, and to disassociate from polytheism and
its people.”
And if it is said to you, “W ho is your Prophet?” Then
say, “M uhammad b. Abdullah b. ‘Abdul Muttalab b.
Hashim, and Hashim are from the Quraysh, and the
Quraysh are descendants o f the Arab, and the Arabs are
the progeny o f Ismail b. Ibrahim. May Allah grant both
8 IP a g e
o f them, and our Prophet, the best exaltation and most

excellent safety
The Explanation:
The author said, “O bligatory Matters that must be
k n o w n ...”
1 The compiler o f this treatise is 'Abdullah b. Ibrahim al-

Q ar awl, may Allah give him success. W e view him to be a
student o f knowledge from Buraydah w ho is on the path of
the righteous predecessors, by Allah’s permission. W e see this
to be his condition, and Allah is his reckoner. W e do not put
our recom m endation before Allah’s knowledge o f his reality.
I would like to point out to the beginning students o f
knowledge, may Allah grant them success, that he is not the
virtuous Shaykh, the caller, the Salafi, the rectifier, 'Abdullah
b. M uham m ad b. Ham ad al-Q ar awl the Shaykh o f
our Shaykh, Ahmad al-N ajm ! the explainer o f this
treatise.
The compiler o f this treatise performed the task o f gathering
this beneficial text from the speech o f Shaykh al-Islam
M uham m ad b. ‘A bdul-W ahhab and his grandchildren
( l o s These obligatory matters were gathered by Shaykh
Abdullah from their dispersed speech, books and treatises.
9 IP a g e
This refers to those things that it is not permissible for anyone

to be neglectful concerning nor lax in learning them. They
are that the servant knows his Lord, his Religion and his
Prophet, M uhammad
As is relates to the servant know ing his Lord, then it is upon
him to know Him through His signs and His creation.
[His] signs are two types:
1. Legislated, Q uranic signs: These are the verses o f the
Q u r’an.'
In this treatise, our Shaykh (i.e. Ahmad al-Najrm) attributes

the speech to its source, not to the compiler. Pay attention to
this point. May Allah grant you success.
1 The verses o f the Noble Q ur’an are that by w hich the
servant knows His Lord and that by w hich he knows w hat
He legislated and commanded, so that he can act by it. He
likewise knows His Lord by way o f w hat Allah revealed to
His Prophet (fcj£&$£>) from the Sunnah, which explains and
clarifies the verses in the Q u r’an.
Therefore, the servant knows w hat Allah loves and is pleased
with by way o f this Noble Q u r’an, revelation (i.e. the
Sunnah) and light that Allah sent His Messenger (^j*&ijii|p)
w ith and revealed to him.
Indeed, the servants do not recognize nor know w hat Allah
loves and is pleased w ith, nor do they recognize and know
10 I P a g e
The Obligatory Matters That Beery M uslim Should Know
2. Universal, decreed signs: These are the signs that Allah

alluded to in His (J^&UUi) statement:
•${ oU j ]§•
“W e will show them O ur signs in the horizons and

w ithin themselves until it becomes clear to them that it
is the truth.” [Surah Fussilat 41:54]
After the servant acquires knowledge and knows w ho is his
Lord then it makes it incum bent upon the servant
to single out his Lord, W ho deserves to be worshipped, the
True King, by fulfilling the obligation o f w orshiping 1 Him
alone He does not worship anyone else besides
him, no m atter w ho it is.
This is because He is the O ne W ho created him, nurtured
him and nurtured all o f the creation w ith His blessings. For
this reason, He is the O ne w ho deserves to be worshipped and
there is nothing w orthy o f worship in truth besides Him.
So “All praise is due to the Lord o f the creation.”
that which He dislikes and rejects except by His (d^^WLL)

sending o f the messengers and His revelation o f the books.
1Allah (j\2j£WLl) says, “Unquestionably, for Allah is the pure
religion.” [Surah (39): 3]
11 I P a g e
As it relates to knowledge o f the religion, then it is to know

the religion o f Islam with its proof. It is to submit to Allah
with Taw hld [Islamic m onotheism ]', yield to Him w ith
obedience, and it is to disassociate and disengage from
polytheism and the polytheist.
It is three levels: Islam, Iman, and Ihsan, and every level has
its own pillars, just as they have come in detail in the Hadlth
when Jibril asked the Prophet about Islam, Iman
and Ihsan. The Hadlth is collected in al-Bukhari and Muslim
on the authority o f Abu Hurayrah, and it is collected by
Muslim, Abu Dawud and al-Daraqutm on the authority o f
‘Um ar b. al-Khattab
1 Meaning: Singling out the Lord w ith worship, the O ne

W ho deserves to be worshipped in truth, the O ne W ho
possesses the most beautiful names and the most lofty
attributes. It means to single Him out in the worship that
Allah com manded with, such as Islam, Iman and Ihsan. Some
examples o f this worship are supplication, slaughtering for
Allah, desire, love for His sake, dread, fear, humility, awe o f
Him, dependence upon Him, repentance, seeking aid,
seeking deliverance and seeking refuge with Allah, vows for
Allah and other than that from the acts o f worship that Allah
and His Messenger legislated. D irecting all o f
these acts o f worship, apparent and hidden, to Allah alone,
W ho has no partner. This is because w hoever directs any act
o f worship to other than Allah, then he is a polytheist,
disbeliever.
12 I P a g e
As it relates to knowledge o f your Prophet, M uham m ad

then he is the servant o f Allah and His
Messenger. Allah sent him to guide m ankind to
the obedience o f their Lord and to clarify for them how to
worship H im and not associate partners w ith Him.
As it relates to his lineage, then he is M uham m ad b. Abdullah
b. ‘Abdul-M uttalab b. Hashim; Hashim are decedents o f the
Quraysh; the Quraysh are from the Arab al-M ustarabah, and
the Arab al-M usta rabah 1 are from the progeny o f Isma il b.
Ibrahim, al-Khalll. May Allah grant them both, and our
Prophet, the best exaltation and the most complete safety.
1The Arab consists o f Aribah, M uta rribah, and Musta rabah.

Al-'Aribah are tribes whose traces are extinct, such as Ad,
Tham ud, Tasm and Jadls. They are the extinct Arabs. Al-
M uta rribah are the children o f Q ahtan b. Abir. They spoke
w ith the language o f al- Aribah and lived in their habitats. Al-
Musta rabah are the children o f Isma il b. Ibrahim. See “al-
Mu jam al-W asIt.”
13 I P a g e
Exercise Questions on the Chapter1

1. W hat is the name o f this text?
2. W ho is the compiler o f this book?
3. W hose speech did the compiler gather?
4. W hose explanation o f this concise treatise has been

translated here?
5. W hat are the three principles that every Muslim must

know?
6 . W hat is the definition o f Islam?
1 [PN] The questions at the end o f each chapter have been

added by the translator to assist the English reader to
com prehend the text o f this treatise and its explanation.
14 I P a g e
7. W ho is your prophet, and w hat is his lineage?
8 . W hat are the tw o types o f signs by w hich a person knows

his Lord?
9. W hat are the three levels o f the religion and where can
the proof for them be found?
15 I P a g e
The Obligatory Matters That Every M uslim Should K iiow
Chapter: The Foundation o f the Religion and Its Core

Principle
Text:
The foundation o f the religion and its core principles
are two matters:
The First: The com m and to worship Allah alone, W ho
has no partners, to call to that, to have allegiance based
on that, and to declare the one w ho abandons it (i.e. the
worship o f Allah) an apostate.
The Second: To warn from Shirk [polytheistic
practices] in the worship o f Allah, to sternly censure and
criticize this, to disassociate based on that, and to declare
the one w ho practices it (i.e. polytheism) an apostate.
Explanation:
The foundation o f the religion and its core principle are two
affairs, and they are:
1. The first is that the servant singles out the Lord, alone, with
all worship and no one else, no m atter w ho it is; and that the
servant calls [others] to single out his Lord, the O ne W hom
he worships (i.e. Allah), if he able to do so.
16 I P a g e
He loves for His sake, he hates for His sake, he allies for His
sake, and he disassociates for His sake. Certainly, allegiance
and disassociation are from the foundations o f this religion.
Verily, Allah informed us about Ibrahim w hen he
disassociated from his people and their objects o f worship that
they were w orshipping besides Allah.
Allah said,
I :© : tr- ^
“And [m ention, O M uhammad], w hen Ibrahim said to

his father and his people, ‘Indeed, I am disassociated
from that which you worship. Except for He who
created me; and indeed, He will guide m e.’” [Surah al-
Z ukhruf 43:26-27]
2. The second is disbelief in all that is worshipped besides
Allah, w arning against and censuring all types o f [Shirk]
polytheism: polytheism in lordship and polytheism in
worship. And denial o f the names and attributes o f Allah is a
form o f polytheism.
The proof for this foundation and these core principles is the
statement o f Allah
17 I P a g e
The Obligatory Matters That Every M uslim Should K iio iv
“So whoever disbelieves in Taghut and believes in Allah

has grasped the most trustw orthy handhold.” [Surah al-
Baqarah 2: 256]
Therefore, Taw hld [Islamic m onotheism] is not correct
except with disbelief in all that is worshipped besides Allah
and disassociation from polytheism and the polytheist.
18 I P a g e
Exercise Questions on the Chapter

1. W hat tw o affairs are the foundation o f the religion and its
The First: The command to worship Allah alone Who has no partners, to call to that, to have
allegiance based on that, and to declare the one who abandons it an apostate.
The Second: To warn from Shirk in the worship of Allah to sternly censure and criticize this to
dissociate based on that and to declare the one who practices it an apostate.
The proof for this foundation is, he who love, he hates for His sake, he
allies for His sake, and he disassociates for His sake. Certainly allegiance
and dissassociation are from the foundations of this religion.
The proof from the Quran is :"So whoever disbelieves in Taghut and believes in Allah
has grasped the most trustworthy handhold." [Surah al-Baqarah 2:256]
Therefore, Tawhid [Islamic monotheism] is not correct except with disbelief in all that is
worshiped besides Allah and diassociation from polytheism and the polytheist.
19 I P a g e
Tlw Obligatory Matters That Every M uslim Should Know
Chapter: The Conditions o f “N one Truly has the Right

to Be Worshipped Except Allah”
Text:
The First: Knowledge o f its meaning, as to w hat it
negates and w hat it affirms.
The Second: Certainty, and it is complete knowledge
o f it, which negates doubt and uncertainty.
The Third: Sincerity, w hich negates polytheism.
The Fourth: Truthfulness, which negates lying.
The Fifth: Love for this statement, w hat it proves, and
happiness about that.
The Sixth: To surrender [to Allah] with its rights, which
are the obligatory actions, perform ing them solely for
Allah and seeking His pleasure.
The Seventh: Acceptance, w hich negates rejection.
Explanation:
The m eaning o f ‘La ilah ilia Allah’ is that there is nothing
w orthy o f worship except Allah.
The tw o pillars o f ‘La ildh ilia Allah’are:
20 I P a g e
1. N egation, w hich is found in the statement: “N one has the

right to be w orshipped.”
2. Affirmation, w hich is found it the statement: “Except
Allah.”
Thus, “none has the right to be w orshipped” negates the right
to be worshipped from everyone other than Allah, and
“except Allah” affirms the right o f worship for Allah alone,
W ho has no partners.
There are Seven Conditions for the Statem ent ‘Ld ildh ilia
Allah’:
• The first is knowledge o f its m eaning, w hat it negates and
w hat it affirms. The negation is in the phrase “none has the
right to be w orshipped,” and the affirmation is in the
phrase “except Allah.”
So he must have knowledge that it is obligatory to
disbelieve in everything that is worshipped besides Allah,
and he negates the right o f servitude from them. Just as it
is obligatory for him to affirm and single out Allah in
worship alone, W ho has no partners. And the opposite o f
knowledge o f this statement is ignorance o f it.
• The second is certainty. Certainty means that the one w ho
says ‘La ildh ilia Allah,’ says it w ith certainty, m eaning
complete knowledge o f it in his heart, believing in it with
faith that is not stricken by nor open to uncertainty or
doubt.
21 I P a g e
• The third is sincerity, which negates polytheism. So the

one w ho says ‘La ildh ilia Allah,’ says it sincerely w hen he
utters it, seeking the Face o f Allah w ith this.
Likewise, all o f his actions are performed sincerely for
Allah, w ithout them being corrupted by the pollution of
polytheism or showing-off.
• The fourth is truthfulness, which negates lying and
prevents hypocrisy. So he is truthful [when he says ‘La ildh
ilia Allah’], since there are people w ho are present that say
‘La ildh ilia Alldlt’while [in fact] they are lying w ith their
statement and in their testimony.
This is just as Allah, the Most M ighty in speech
said,
“W hen the hypocrites come to you, [O M uhammad],

they say, ‘W e testify that you are the M essenger o f
Allah.’ Allah knows that you are His Messenger, and
Allah testifies that the hypocrites are liars.” [Al-
M unafiqun (63):l]
• The fifth is love for this statement, what it establishes and
w hat it necessitates. Likewise, love is to be joyful about
receiving Allah’s grace and delighted at His mercy, as Allah
granted him success and guided him to pronounce and
22 I P a g e
love this statement - and we would have never been

guided if Allah had not guided us.
Love [of this statement] is for the one w ho pronounces it
to love it, to know that there is no safety for anyone except
by actualizing it, and through abiding by it. Love o f it also
means to love its adherents and despises its enemies.
• The sixth is to surrender to Allah w ith its rights, and they
are the obligatory acts o f the religion', sincerely for Allah
and seeking His pleasure. Subm itting is also that he exerts
in the pursuit o f His pleasure everything that is requested
from him.
Thus, he disbelieves in the T aghut [false deities] and
believes in Allah; he performs prayer for Him; he give alms
from his wealth, while being pleased w ith that and seeking
the face o f Allah. Likewise, he exerts him self and his wealth
if the affair calls for that by way o f Jihad in the path o f
Allah, so he is willing to sacrifice his soul or for his blood
to be shed, if the affair calls for that or becomes incum bent.
He does this seeking that Allah gives him victory or
martyrdom , thus living a life better than his present life and
' W hat is m eant by the obligatory actions are the obligatory

actions o f the religion; they are everything that Allah has
made obligatory on the servants to believe in and to act by
from that which is found in the Islamic legislation and the
branches o f faith.
23 I P a g e
he accepts the trade o f Allah: that Allah purchases from him

his life and his wealth in exchange for Paradise.
• The seventh is acceptance, which negates rejection. So he
accepts it, seeking by that the pleasure o f Allah, eager that
Allah will reward him for that and that it will be a reason
for him entering Paradise.
And 1 (i.e. Shaykh Ahmad al-Najml) shall add an eighth
condition. Its m ention is appropriate in contem porary times
due to the spreading o f some Sufi forms o f rem em brance 1
which separate and disconnect its (i.e. the testimony o f faith’s)
two com ponents (i.e. negation and affirmation).
I say it is better; rather, it is obligatory and m andatory that
the Muslim servant says it consecutively and connects the two
parts o f ‘La ilah ilia Allah’ w hen he says it. Therefore, he
follows the negation with the affirmation, in opposition to
those from the people o f innovation and Sufi circles who
disconnect them.
It is obligatory to believe that whoever disconnects the
negation from the affirmation, then certainly he has come
w ith a false statement and this necessitates disbelief. This is
because w hoever says, “N one has the right to be worshipped
in truth, none has the right to be worshipped in truth, none
has the right to be worshipped in truth.. and he repeats this
part alone, many times, then certainly he has uttered a
' Like that which is found with the sect called the Tabligh,
which is considered a contem porary Sufi circle.
24 I P a g e
statement that comprises o f a negation o f Allah’s right to be

worshipped.
Based on this, w hen he comes after that w ith the phrase
“except Allah,” disconnected from the phrase o f negation (i.e.
none has the right to be worshipped in truth), then his
statement is falsehood and his creed is one o f disbelief.
This is because whoever says “N one truly deserves to be
worshipped” four hundred times, and then he says, “Except
Allah” one hundred times, or more than that or less, then
certainly he has disconnected the negation from the
affirmation purposely. This necessitates the disbelief o f the
one w ho says this; and he definitely leaves the fold o f Islam
due to this.
Allah ( J l ) said,
“So know , [O M uhammad], that there is none truly

w orthy o f worship except Allah, and ask forgiveness for
your sin.” [Surah M uham m ad 47: 19]
It as if this person, w hen he disconnects and separates
betw een the two, is saying, “I know that there is nothing
w orthy o f w orship,” then he repeats this falsehood and
disbelief many times. W e seek refuge w ith Allah from that.
And I say (i.e. Shaykh Ahmad al-Najml):
25 I P a g e
The Sufis have entered horrendous corruption into the

understanding o f Islam - and refuge w ith Allah is sought.
They have caused destructive havoc to the understanding o f
Islam. To Allah we belong and to H im we shall return.
26 I P a g e

1. W hat are the tw o pillars o f the testimony o f faith?
2. W hat are the seven conditions o f the testimony o f faith

m entioned in the text o f “O bligatory Matters that Every
Muslim Should K now ”? Be sure to m ention w hat they
negate as well.
3. W hat is the eighth condition m entioned by Shaykh

Ahmad al-N ajm l (Ui>^) in the explanation?
4. W hy did Shaykh Ahmad al-N ajm i iid’Tri) m ention this

eighth condition?
5. W hat did Shaykh Ahmad al-N ajm l say about Sufis

and their orders?
27 1P a g e
Chapter: Proofs for These Conditions from the Book o f

Allah and from the Sunnah o f His Messenger
Text
• The proof for the condition o f knowledge is the
statement o f Allah lUUi,),
“So know, [O M uhammad], that there is none truly

w orthy o f worship except Allah, and ask forgiveness for
And His statement,
“But only those w ho testify to the truth [can benefit],

and they know .” [Surah al-Z ukhruf 43: 86]
M eaning: Those w ho testify that “N one truly has the
right to be worshipped except Allah” “and they know ”
in their hearts w hat their tongues pronounce.
And from the Sunnah there is an established Hadlth in
the authentic collection o f Muslim on the authority of
28 I P a g e
‘U thm an {&<!&&), w ho said that the Messenger o f Allah

said,
“W hoever passes away, whilst know ing that none

truly has the right to be worshipped except Allah, will
enter Paradise.”'
• The proof for certainty is the statement o f Allah
“The believers are only the ones w ho have believed

in Allah and His M essenger and then doubt not but
strive w ith their properties and their lives in the cause
o f Allah. It is those w ho are the truthful.” [Surah al-
H ujurat 49:15]
Therefore, the condition that has been laid dow n to
determ ine truthfulness in their faith in Allah and His
Messenger is that “they do not doubt,” m eaning “they
are not uncertain.” As for the one in doubt, then he is
from the hypocrites.
And from the Sunnah there is an established H adlth in
the authentic collection o f Muslim on the authority o f
1Collected by Muslim (#26).

29 I P a g e
Abu Hurayrah w ho said that the M essenger of

Allah said,
“[The statements] I testify that none truly has the
right to be worshipped except Allah and that I,
[M uhammad], am the M essenger o f Allah, no servant
meets Allah having said these tw o statements,
w ithout doubt in them, except that he will enter
Paradise.”
And in another w ording,
“No one w ho meets Allah believing in them and
w ithout doubting them will be prevented from
Paradise .” 1
And also on the authority o f Abu Hurayrah in
a long Hadlth,
“W hoever you meet behind this wall that testifies that

none truly has the right to be worshipped except
Allah, whilst being certain about it in his heart, then
give him the glad tidings o f Paradise.2”
• The proof for sincerity is the statement o f Allah
1 Collected by Muslim (#27).

Collected by Muslim (#31) on the authority o f Abu
Hurayrah (&£$&>)•
30 I P a g e
“Unquestionably, for Allah is the pure religion.”

[Surah al-Zum ar 39:3]
And His statement
“And they were not com m anded except to worship

Allah, [being] sincere to H im in religion, inclining to
truth.” [Surah al-Bayyinah 98:5]
And from the Sunnah there is an established Hadlth in
the authentic collection o f al-Bukhari on the authority
o f Abu Hurayrah that the Prophet
[said],
“The happiest person w ith my intercession is the one
w ho says, sincerely from his heart or from his soul,
‘N one truly has the right to be worshipped except
Allah.’1”
Also in the authentic collection o f al-Bukhari there is
the H adlth o f Itban b. Malik on the authority
o f the Prophet he said,
1 Collected by al-Bukhari (#99).

“Allah has forbidden the fire from the person w ho says,

seeking the face o f Allah, ‘N one truly has the right to be
worshipped except Allah (dlSj^l^ ) . ’” 1
And in the collection o f al-N asa! entitled “The
[Actions] o f the Day and The N ight,” in the Hadlth o f
the two men that were Com panions o f the Messenger
o f Allah, [they said], the Prophet said,
“N o one says, sincerely from his heart, truthfully from

his tongue, ‘N one truly has the right to be
worshipped except Allah alone, having no partners,
to Him belongs the dom inion, to H im belongs all
praise, and He is capable o f doing anything,’ except
that Allah surely clefts open the sky for that statement
and looks at the one w ho said it from the people on
earth. And it is a right o f the slave w hom Allah has
looked at that He gives him w hat is asks for .”2
1 Collected by al-Bukhari (#425) and Muslim (#263).

2 Collected by al-NasaT in “Actions o f the Day and N ight,”
pg. 150. Al-AlbanI authenticated it in the book “Actualizing
the Statement o f Sincerity,” p. 61.
32 I P a g e
• The proof for truthfulness is His statement
“Alif, Lam, M im. Do the people think that they will

be left to say, ‘W e believe’ and they will not be tried?
But W e have certainly tried those before them, and
Allah will surely make evident those w ho are truthful,
and He will surely make evident the liars.” [Surah al-
Ankabut 29: 1-3]
And His statement
“And of the people are some w ho say, ‘W e believe in

Allah and the Last D ay,’ but they are not believers.
They [think to] deceive Allah and those w ho believe,
but they deceive not except themselves and perceive
[it] not. In their hearts is disease, so Allah has
increased their disease; and for them is a painful
33 I P a g e
punishm ent because they [habitually] used to lie.”

[Surah al-Baqarah 2:8-10]
And from the Sunnah there is the established H adlth in
the tw o authentic collections on the authority o f
Mua d h b. Jabal ( i [ h e said], the Prophet
said,
“No one testifies, truthfully from his heart, that ‘None
truly has the right to be worshipped except Allah,’
except that Allah makes him impermissible for the fire.”
• The proof for love is His statement
“And [yet], am ong the people are those w ho take

other than Allah as equals [to Him]. They love them
as they [should] love Allah. But those w ho believe are
stronger in love for Allah.” [Surah al-Baqarah 2:165]
And His statement (JbyAiUCl),
•|j _*j V
/ c s s y s A
34 I P a g e
“O you w ho have believed, whoever o f you should

revert from his religion - Allah will bring forth [in
place o f them] a people He will love and w ho will
love Him [who are] hum ble toward the believers,
powerful against the disbelievers; they strive in the
cause o f Allah and do not fear the blame o f a critic.”
[Surah al-M a’idah 5:54]
And from the Sunnah there is an established H adlth on
the authority o f Anas w ho said that the
Messenger o f Allah said,
“There are three things that if they are found in a
person, he has found the sweetness o f faith: That
Allah and His Messenger are more beloved to him
than anything else, that he loves a brother and he only
loves him for the sake o f Allah, and that he hates to
return to disbelief after Allah saved him from it, just
as he hates to be throw n in the fire.”
• The proof for submission is indicated in His
statement
“And return [in repentance] to your Lord and submit

to Him before the punishm ent comes upon you; then
you will not be helped.” [Surah al-Zum ar 39: 54]
35 I P a g e
And His statement,
“And w ho is better in religion than one w ho submits

himself to Allah while being a doer o f good.” [Surah
al-Nisa 4: 125]
And His statement,
“And whoever submits his face to Allah while he is a

doer o f good - then he has grasped the most
trustw orthy handhold.” [Surah Luqman 31: 2 2 ]
The “most trustw orthy handhold” means: [the
statement] “N one truly has the right to be worshipped
except Allah.”
And His statement, (d\2ÛLLl),
36 I P a g e
“But no, by your Lord, they will not [truly] believe

until they make you, [O M uhammad], judge
concerning that over which they dispute am ong
themselves and then find w ithin themselves no
discomfort from w hat you have judged and subm it in
[full, willing] submission.” [Surah al-Nisa 4: 65]
And from the Sunnah there is the statement o f the
Prophet “N one o f you truly believes until
his desires follow that w ith which 1 have com e.”
This is complete submission and its epitome.
“And similarly, W e did not send before you any

w arner into a city except that its affluent said, ‘Indeed,
we found our fathers upon a religion, and we are, in
their footsteps, follow ing.’
[Each warner] said, ‘Even if I brought you better
guidance than that [religion] upon which you found
37 I P a g e
your fathers?’ They said, ‘Indeed we, in that with

which you were sent, are disbelievers.’
So W e took retribution from them; then see how was
the end o f the deniers.” [Surah al-Z ukhruf (43): 23-
25]
And from the Sunnah, there is w hat is established in the
narration o f Abu Musa (i■*£&)) on the Prophet
“The example o f guidance and knowledge w ith which

Allah has sent me is like abundant rain falling on the
earth, some o f which was fertile soil that absorbed rain
water and brought forth vegetation and grass in
abundance.”
A nother portion o f the earth was hard and held the rain
water, and Allah benefited the people with it, and they
utilized it for drinking, m aking their animals drink from
it and for irrigation o f the land for cultivation.
A nother portion o f the earth was barren; indeed, it
could neither hold the water nor bring forth vegetation.
This is the example o f the person w ho com prehends
Allah’s religion and benefits from that which Allah sent
me with, so he learned and taught.
And [it is also] the example o f a person w ho does not
accept the guidance o f Allah that I was sent with.
38 I P a g e
Explanation
The proof for [the condition of] knowledge is the statement
o f Allah
“So know, [O M uhammad], that there is no deity truly

w orthy o f worship except Allah and ask forgiveness for
Knowledge is a condition for pronouncing “N one truly has

the right to be worshipped except Allah”. So whoever says,
“none truly has the right to worshipped except Allah” and he
does not know its meaning, then it is possible that he falls into
w hat contradicts this statement and he does not realize it.
Indeed, he will not benefit from it unless he knows its
m eaning, w hat it establishes and w hat it negates.
And from the proofs for the condition o f knowledge is His
(Jl'Jy&ZCl) statement,
“But only those w ho testify to the truth [can benefit],

and they know .” [Surah al-Z ukhruf 43: 86]
39 I P a g e
M eaning: Those w ho testify “N one truly has the right to be

worshipped except Allah,” and they know its m eaning with
their hearts and the m eaning o f w hat they are saying with
their tongues.
And from the Sunnah, there is an established Hadlth in the
authentic collection o f Muslim on the authority o f ‘‘Uthm an
( i l H e said, the Messenger o f Allah said,
“W hoever passes away, whilst know ing that none truly

has the right to be worshipped except Allah, will enter
Paradise .” 1
This means that he knows w ith certain knowledge that
everything that is worshipped besides Allah, then indeed it
has been deified and worshipped in falsehood; and that Allah
is the O ne W ho deserves to be worshipped in truth. It is
obligatory to direct worship to H im alone, w ithout any
partners.
The proof for certainty is the His statement
“The believers are only the ones w ho have believed in

Allah and His Messenger and then doubt not but strive
with their properties and their lives in the cause o f Allah.
' Collected by Muslim (#26).
40 I P a g e
It is those w ho are the truthful.” [Surah al-H ujurat

49:15]
They do not doubt this reality, and it is the testim ony that
“N one has the right to be worshipped except Allah”. And they
strive w ith their wealth and w ith their selves in the path of
Allah. They are those w ho are truthful, those w ho validated
their statement w ith actions.
So it is a condition for truthfulness o f their faith in Allah and
His messenger that they do not doubt, and doubt is
uncertainty and weakness o f certainty.
Also in the H adith o f al-Bara b. ‘Azib (i&Qg?)), the Hadith
w hen the two angels, M unkar and Naklr, will question those
in the grave, there is his statement, “As for the uncertain,” the
doubtful hypocrite, then at the time o f being questioned he
will say, “Huh, huh, I do not know . I heard the people saying
something, so I said it.” And refuge is w ith Allah.
O Allah fill our hearts w ith faith and certainty, and bestow on
us w ell-being that protects our hearts from deviance until we
m eet you.
And his statement, and from the Sunnah is the established
Hadith on the authority o f Abu Hurayrah w ho said
that the Messenger o f Allah p ) said,
“I testify that none truly has the right to be worshipped
except Allah and that I, [M uhammad], am the
Messenger o f Allah. N o servant meets Allah having said
41 I P a g e
these two statements, w ithout doubt in them, except

that he will enter Paradise.1”
He said this at a time w hen he and the Com panions were
heading to the Battle o f Tabuk and there rations had run out.
So they sought permission from the Messenger o f Allah to
slaughter some o f their riding beasts, and he gave permission
to some o f them.
'U m ar came to the Prophet and said, “O
Messenger o f Allah, if you give permission to them to
slaughter their riding beasts, there will be less available for
transportation. So let them gather w hat they have rem aining
from their rations, then supplicate to Allah to bless them .”
Subsequently, this is w hat the Prophet did. A
person would come with his wheat and another would come
w ith his dates until a good portion was gathered. T hen he
supplicated to Allah and com m and them to come
to him. So they filled up their containers, and there was even
some left.
At this point, he said,
“1 testify that none truly has the right to be worshipped
except Allah and that I, [M uhammad], am the
Messenger of Allah. No servant meets Allah having said
these two statements, w ithout doubt in them, except
that he will enter Paradise.”
1Collected by Muslim (#48).

42 I P a g e

“[No one w ho meets Allah believing in them and
w ithout doubting them] will be prevented from
Paradise.1”
Likewise, there is w hat has been reported in a lengthy Hadlth
narrated by Abu Hurayrah and in it He m entioned
the statement o f the Prophet
“W hoever you m eet behind this wall that testifies that

‘none truly has the right to be worshipped except Allah’,
whilst being certain about it in his heart, then give him
the glad tidings o f Paradise .”2
This occurred when the Prophet (^j-gfeijiiip) gave him his

two sandals and he com m anded him to give glad tidings to
the people, so he gave them glad tidings.
Perhaps some o f the students o f knowledge think that this
means that entrance into to Paradise will be immediate. The
reality is that this is a promise o f Paradise for those w ho die
upon Taw hld [Islamic m onotheism ]. And this entrance could
be w ithout [receiving] punishm ent o f after [receiving]
punishm ent.

2Collected by Muslim (#31) on the authority o f Abu
Hurayrah
43 I P a g e
The one w ho practices TawhTd [Islamic monotheism], dies

while practicing monotheism and he meets Allah having
com m itted some sins, then he is under the will o f Allah. If He
wills, He will pardon him and enter Him into Paradise
w ithout any punishment; and if He wills He will enter him
into the Fire until he is purified and cleansed from his sins.
Then after that, he will enter him into Paradise.
Thus, the news about him entering Paradise means that he
could be from those w ho enter from the beginning o f his
affair, w ithout any reckoning or punishm ent. It could also be
news about the end o f his affair, m eaning that his final
destination will be his entrance into Paradise, w hether it is
after a punishm ent or w ithout. W ith this [understanding] all
the evidences are combined.
The proof for sincerity is His statement,
“U nquestionably, for Allah is the pure religion.”

[Surah al-Zum ar 39:3]
And His statement,
44 I P a g e
“And they were not com m anded except to worship

Allah, [being] sincere to H im in religion, inclining to
truth.’’[Surah al-Bayyinah 98:5]
And from the Sunnah, there is the established Hadlth o f Abu
Hurayrah (%£§$&) w herein the Prophet (^ j^ S aijp ) said,
“The happiest person w ith my intercession is the one w ho
says sincerely from his heart - or he said, “From his soul” -
‘N one truly has the right to be worshipped except Allah .’” 1
There is also the authentic Hadlth o f Itban b. Malik
[that the Prophet said],
“Allah has forbidden the fire from the person w ho says,
seeking the face o f Allah, ‘N one truly has the right to be
worshipped except Allah
And in the collection o f al-Nasa5! entitled “Actions o f the Day
and the N ight,” in the H adlth o f the tw o men that were
Com panions o f the Messenger o f Allah, where [they said]
that the Prophet said,
“N o one says, sincerely from his heart, truthfully from
his tongue, ‘N one truly has the right to be worshipped
except Allah, alone, having no partners, to H im belongs
the dom inion, to Him belongs all praise, and He is

45 I P a g e
capable o f doing anything,’ except that Allah surely

clefts open the sky for that statement and looks at the
one w ho said it from the people on earth, and it is a
right o f the slave w hom Allah has looked at that He
gives him w hat is asks for.”'
I say [Shaykh Ahmad al-Najml]:
Sincerity linguistically comes from the w ord purity and
clarity.
Allah said,
40 liftUJU-
“And indeed, for you in grazing livestock is a lesson.
W e give you drink from w hat is in their bellies -
between excretion and blood - pure milk, palatable to
drinkers.” [Surah al-Nahl (16): 66 ]
His (J\2j£U ll) statement “pure m ilk” means that it is purified,
cleansed and freed from the things it was once mixed with.
Likewise sincerity is purity and clearness.
' Collected by al-NasaT in “Actions o f the Day and N ight,”

p. 150. Al-AlbanI authenticated it in the checking o f “The
Statement o f Sincerity,” p. 61.
46 I P a g e
Therefore, he says this statement sincerely for Allah. He does

not w ant anything from the affairs o f the passing worldly life.
Rather, he desires to practice his religion for Allah, the Lord
o f all the creation, by fulfilling His right upon His servants
that He made incum bent upon them, and this is that they
worship Him alone, w ith no partners.
So this is w hat is m eant by sincerity. O Allah, make us from

those w ho do actions sincerely for you, and make us from
those w ho are followers o f the m ethodology o f your
Messenger
The proof for truthfulness is the statement o f Allah
^ o' o' i h }$•

Xx.^3) p ^ -L'3 (j* Jj& j \
“Alif, Lam, MIm. Do the people think that they will

be left to say, ‘W e believe’ and they will not be tried?
But W e have certainly tried those before them, and
Allah will surely make evident those w ho are truthful,
and He will surely make evident the liars.” [Surah al-
Ankabut 29: 1-3]
Likewise, His statement concerning the hypocrites,
47 I P a g e
And o f the people are some w ho say, ‘W e believe in

Allah and the Last D ay,’ but they are not believers. They
[think to] deceive Allah and those w ho believe, but they
deceive not except themselves and perceive [it] not. In
their hearts is disease, so Allah has increased their disease,
and for them is a painful punishm ent because they
[habitually] used to lie.” [Surah al-Baqarah 2:8-10]
W hat is meant by “disease” is hypocrisy and doubts, and this
is uncertainty about the correctness o f w hat the believing
servants o f Allah believe and testify: “N one truly has the right
to worshipped except Allah, and M uham mad is the
Messenger o f Allah.”
In the authentic Hadlth collections o f al-Bukhari and
Muslim, on the authority o f Anas b. Malik ( i w h o said,
“It has been m entioned to me that the Prophet ( ^ j^ & ip )
said to Mu adh b. Jabal (&££&),
“N o one testifies truthfully from his heart that ‘None
truly has the right to be worshipped except that Allah
and that M uhammad is His slave and M essenger,’ except
that Allah makes him impermissible for the fire .”” 1

48 I P a g e
So truthfulness is the agreem ent o f the exterior w ith the

interior, that the heart agrees w ith the tongue w hen
pronouncing [the testimony o f faith], and that he is not lying
nor claiming som ething that is not present inwardly, like the
hypocrites w ho say it (i.e. the testimony o f faith) w ith their
tongues, while their hearts reject w hat is stated by their
tongues.
These people, Allah declared them liars, so He said,
“They say with their tongues w hat is not w ithin their

hearts.” [Surah al-Fath (48): ll]
And His statement (J\*y£WUl),
“W hen the hypocrites come to you, [O M uham mad],

they say, ‘W e testify that you are the Messenger o f
Allah.’ Allah knows that you are His Messenger, and
Allah testifies that the hypocrites are liars.” [Surah al-
M unafiqun (63): l]
Therefore, he w ho truthfully testifies w ith this testimony,
while his heart is in agreem ent w ith his tongue, believing that
this testimony is incum bent, acting by it and w ithout
49 I P a g e
The Obligatory Mailers Thai Ercry M uslim Should Know
opposing it, then that is the believer that Allah has made
impermissible for the fire.
As for the person w ho says with his tongue that which is
different from w hat is in his heart, and he bears witness to
w hat he does not believe, then his testimony o f faith does not
benefit him. W e seek refuge with Allah from the nullification
o f one’s actions, and from being a person w ho says w hat he
does not believe.
The proof for love is the statement o f Allah
“And [yet], am ong the people are those w ho take other

than Allah as equals [to Him]. They love them as they
[should] love Allah. But those w ho believe are stronger
in love for Allah.” [Surah al-Baqarah 2: 165]
And His statement
50 I P a g e
“O you w ho have believed, w hoever o f you should

revert from his religion - Allah will bring forth [in place
o f them] a people He will love and w ho will love Him
[who are] humble toward the believers, powerful
against the disbelievers; they strive in the cause o f Allah
and do not fear the blame o f a critic.” [Surah al-M a’idah
5: 54]
And the proof from the Sunnah is w hat has been established
on the authority o f Anas w ho said that the Messenger
said,
“There are three things that if they are found in a
person, he has found the sweetness o f faith: T hat Allah
and His Messenger are more beloved to him than
anything else, that he loves a brother, and he only loves
him for the sake o f Allah, and that he hates to return to
disbelief after Allah saved him from it, just as he hates to
be throw n in the fire .” 1
The believer’s love for Allah is that he gives precedence to the
obedience o f Allah over the obedience o f other than him. It
is diligence in attaining His pleasure by carrying out His
commands, staying away from His prohibitions, believing in
w hat He informed o f and stopping at His boundaries. It is
that you love w hat He loves, that you detest w hat He detests,
out o f humility to Him and subm itting to His Majesty,
desiring w hat He possesses from good and frightened from
what He possesses from punishm ent.
1 Collected by al-Bukhari (16) and Muslim (43).

51 I P a g e
As it relates to Allah’s love for the believers, then it is an

established attribute o f His that is befitting to His
Majesty. Thus, it is obligatory for a Muslim to describe Allah
with w hat He has described H im self w ith from the beautiful
names and the lofty attributes. So we believe that He loves
the believers and detests the disbelievers, and we believe that
He rewards whoever obeys Him, and that He punishes
whoever disobeys Him.
It is not permissible for us to distort the m eaning o f this
attribute, which is the attribute o f love. Rather, it is
incum bent upon us to believe in it and to accept it just as it
came to us.
W e believe that the attributes o f Allah are befitting to His
Majesty and they are not equated to the attributes o f the
creation. Even if the names [of these attributes] agree with
the attributes o f the creation [in name], the reality o f them is
different.
The proof for submission is the statement o f Allah (J.
“And return [in repentance] to your Lord and submit to

H im before the punishm ent comes upon you; then you
will not be helped.” [Surah al-Baqarah 2:165]
52 I P a g e
And His statement

himself to Allah while being a doer o f good.’’[Surah al-
Nisa 4: 125]
And His statement (Jliy&UUi.),
“And whoever submits him self to Allah while he is a doer o f

good - then he has grasped the most trustw orthy handhold.”
[Surah Luqman 31: 22]
“The most trustw orthy handhold” is referring to “none truly
has the right to be worshipped except Allah.”
And His statement
S/
.<
> $ -y s / s ' ? ' / >
^1 dLjj ^3
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I*
/ r \ r< \ •" I- '
< ■ ! « L*-^, ^* ^ ''••1 ; ! > <
“But no, by your Lord, they will not [truly] believe

until they make you, [O M uhammad], judge
53 1P a g e
concerning that over which they dispute am ong

themselves and then find w ithin themselves no
discomfort from w hat you have judged and subm it in
[full, willing] submission.” [Surah al-Nisa 4: 65]
And the statement o f the Prophet ( ^ j ^ u s ^ ) ,
“N one o f you truly believes until his desires follow that
with which I have com e .” 1
The m eaning o f this Hadlth is correct and in agreem ent w ith
the foundations o f the religion. Com plete submission and its
upmost level is w hen the M essenger (fcji& ’Mfe*) and w hat he
came w ith is more beloved to the Muslim servant than
himself, his parents, his children and all o f the people.
The m eaning o f submission is that you are submissive to the
commands o f your Lord, that you follow them and that you
are driven to them by your belief in Allah and your following
o f what he has legislated. This is because you know that Allah
does not com mand you with a thing except that there is good
in it, and you know that He does not prohibit you from a
thing except that there is evil in it.
T hat w hich proves submission [is a condition o f the
testimony o f faith] from the Q u r’an is the statement o f Allah,
1 Collected by Ibn Abu Asim in “Al-Sunnah,” (1/46). It was

declared weak by al-AlbanT in “Dhilal al-Jannah,” (15)
in a Hadlth narrated by Abdullah b. Amr
54 I P a g e
“And return [in repentance] to your Lord.”
Al-Inabah [returning] means repentance and returning to

Allah.
And His statement in the second verse,
him self to Allah while being a doer o f good.”
The fact that you have submitted your face to Allah, means
that you have submitted to your Lord by carrying out His
commands and staying away from His prohibitions.
The point related to this topic in the verse is His statement
“O ne w ho submits him self to Allah while being a
doer o f good.”
And in the third verse, the point related to this topic is His
statement
“And w hoever submits his face to Allah while he is a
doer o f good - then he has grasped the most
trustw orthy handhold.”
And in the fourth verse, the point related to this topic is His
statement
“T hen find w ithin themselves no discomfort from w hat
you have judged and subm it in [full, willing]
submission.”
55 I P a g e
And the point related to this topic in the Hadlth is his

statement
“N one o f you truly believes, meaning: one does not

have true belief and one’s faith is not complete, until his
desires follow that with which I have com e.”
The proof for acceptance is His statement
bf bbjj/c* Is (j-* <3 uy L* tilhiSj &

Li—
JX j**p d & p p - fofcl;
“And similarly, W e did not send before you any warner

into a city except that its affluent said, ‘Indeed, we found
our fathers upon a religion, and we are, in their
footsteps, following.’
[Each warner] said, ‘Even if I brought you better
guidance than that [religion] upon which you found
your fathers?’ They said, ‘Indeed we, in that with which
you were sent, are disbelievers.’
So W e took retribution from them; then see how was
the end o f the deniers.” [Surah al-Z ukhruf (43) 23-25]
And His saying (JlSjkiWUL),
56 I P a g e
“Indeed they, w hen it was said to them , ‘There is

nothing w orthy o f worship except Allah,’ were
arrogant. And were saying, ‘Are we to leave our gods
for a mad poet?”’ [Surah al-Saffat (37): 35-36]
These verses prove that w hoever leaves off acceptance, then
he will be punished. This is due to His statement,
“So W e took retribution from them; then see how the
end o f the deniers was.”
And due to His statement,
“Indeed they, w hen it was said to them , ‘There is
nothing w orthy o f worship except Allah,’ were
arrogant.”
The proof in this verse for acceptance is only from the angle
that whoever leaves it off will be punished.
N othing saves the servant from punishm ent except his
acceptance o f this statement, the trem endous statement o f al-
Tawhld: “N othing truly has the right to be worshipped
except Allah.”
57 I P a g e
The Obligatory Xlatlcrs That Every M uslim Should Know
In the Hadlth o f Abu Musa (a££u^ ) there is proof that there

is much good that comes from acceptance. This is in the
statement o f the Messenger o f Allah
“Some (i.e. o f the earth) o f which was fertile soil that

absorbed rain w ater and brought forth vegetation and
grass in abundance.”
His statement “Absorbed rain w ater” is proof that
accepting revelation brings forth righteous actions.
His statement ( ^ j
“Another portion o f the earth was hard and held the rain
water, and Allah benefited the people with it, and they
utilized it for drinking, m aking their animals drink from
it, and for irrigation o f the land for cultivation.”
This is the example o f a person w ho has knowledge, but he
does not benefit from it; rather, others w ho take knowledge
from him benefit.
The third category is found in his statement
“Another portion o f the earth was barren; indeed, it
could neither hold the w ater nor bring forth
vegetation.”
The main point is that these conditions must accompany the
statement “N one truly has the right to be worshipped except
Allah” otherwise the one w ho says it will not benefit from it.
58 I P a g e
The Obligatory Matters That Every M uslim Should Kuoiv
He only benefits from it w hen he knows its meanings and

acts according to w hat it necessitates.
As for the person w ho does not know its m eaning, or he
knows its meaning, but he does not act by w hat it
necessitates, then the statement “none truly has the right to
be worshipped except Allah” does not benefit him. W e seek
refuge w ith Allah from that.
For this reason, the Prophet ( ^ 5 said,
“That is the example o f the person w ho comprehends
Allah’s religion and benefits from that w hich Allah sent
me with, so he learned and taught. And the [other is an]
example o f a person w ho does not accept the guidance
o f Allah that I was sent w ith.”1
Benefit:
Indeed, some o f them have gathered its seven conditions and
added an eighth, w hich is disbelief in the T aghut2; and they
have made it into tw o lines o f poetry:
' Collected by al-Bukhan (#79) and Muslim (#2286) in a

H adith narrated by Abu Musa al-Ash‘ari (&£$*£>)■
2 This condition is taken from His statement
59 I P a g e
-*5 ^ 4y\ ^ lc J lu j \ ju j 3
Knowledge, certainty, sincerity and your truthfulness

along w ith love, submission and acceptance o f this.
An eighth was added, which is your disbelief in
everything other than Allah from the things that are
worshipped.
“So w hoever disbelieves in Taghut and believes in Allah

has grasped the most trustw orthy handhold.” [Surah al-
Baqarah (2): 165]
A discussion has already preceded w hen talking about the
foundation o f the religion. Its foundation is tw o affairs: Belief
in Allah and disbelief in Taghut. And due to its importance
and its dangerous nature, the topic o f disbelief in T aghut will
be discussed with additional detail at the end o f the treatise.
60 I P a g e

1. W hat is a proof for the condition o f knowledge?
2. W hat is a proof for the condition o f certainty?
3. W hat is a proof for sincerity?
4. W hat is a proof for truthfulness?
5. W hat is a proof for love?
6. W hat is a proof for submission?
61 I P a g e
7. W hat is a proof for acceptance?
8. W hat is a proof for disbelief in Taghut?
9. Discuss the Hadlth o f rainfall onto different lands and the

different categories o f people it refers to.
10. Discuss w hat it means for a believer to love Allah.
62 I P a g e
Chapter: The Nullifiers o f Islam

Text:
Know that the nullifiers o f Islam are ten:
The First: Shirk [Associating partners w ith Allah]
in Acts o f W orship.
Allah ( J l s a y s :
“Indeed, Allah does not forgive association w ith Him,

but He forgives w hat is less than that for w hom He
wills.” [Surah al-Nisa (4): 48]
And He said:
“Indeed, he w ho associates others w ith Allah - Allah has

forbidden him Paradise, and his refuge is the Fire. And
there are not for the w rongdoers any helpers.” [Surah
al-M a’idah (5): 72]
And from the forms o f Shirk [associating partners] with
Allah in worship is slaughtering for other than Allah
63 I P a g e
such as a person w ho slaughters for a jin n or

a grave.
The Second: W hoever places betw een him and Allah
intermediaries to w hom he supplicates, asks for
intercession and relies on them. This is disbelief by way
o f scholarly consensus.
The Third: W hoever does not declare polytheists to be
disbelievers, has doubt about their disbelief or deems
their way to be correct.
The Fourth: W hoever believes that guidance other
than the guidance o f the Prophet is more
complete than his guidance, or he believes
that rulings other than his rulings are better,
such as the person w ho favors the rulings o f al-
Taw aghlt over his rulings; then this person
is a disbeliever.
The Fifth: W hoever detests som ething that the
Messenger o f Allah came with, even if he
performs it, has disbelieved.
64 I P a g e
The Sixth: W hoever mocks som ething that the

Messenger came with, its rewards or its
punishments.
The proof is the statement o f Allah
ailLl J i v ' JyiJ ,J\J j
“And if you ask them, they will surely say, ‘W e were

only conversing and playing.’ Say, ‘Is it Allah and His
verses and His M essenger that you were m ocking?’
Make no excuse; you have disbelieved after your belief.”
[Surah al-Taw bah (9): 65-66]
The Seventh: Magic, and from it is that w hich causes
attraction and that w hich causes detest. W hoever does
magic or is pleased w ith it, then he has disbelieved. The
proof is the statement o f Allah,
“But they do not harm anyone through it except by the

permission o f Allah. And they [i.e., people] learn what
65 I P a g e
harms them and does not benefit them .” [Surah al-

Baqarah (2): 102]
The Eighth: Aiding the polytheist and helping them
against the Muslims.
The proof for this is the statement o f Allah
“And whoever is an ally to them am ong you - then

indeed, he is [one] o f them. Indeed, Allah guides not the
w rongdoing people.” [Surah al-M a’idah (5): 5l]
The Ninth: W hoever believes that some people do not
have to adhere to the laws o f M uhammad
Just as Khidr did not have to follow the laws o f Musa
then he is a disbeliever.
The Tenth: T urning away from the Religion o f Allah,
not learning it or acting by it.
The proof is the statement o f Allah,
“And w ho is more unjust than one w ho is reminded o f

the verses o f his Lord, then he turns away from them?
66 I P a g e
The Obligatory Matters That Every Muslim Should Know
Indeed, W e, from the criminals, will take retribution.”

[Surah al-Sajdah (32): 22]
There is no difference between the one w ho does these

things jokingly, seriously, or out o f fear except for the
one w ho is compelled. All o f these nullifiers are the most
dangerous and occur the most. It is befitting for a
Muslim to beware o f them and fear for himself
concerning them. W e seek refuge with Allah from that
which causes His anger and the pain o f His punishment.
Explanation:
Shaykh M uham m ad b. 'Abdul W ahhab (iusfc^,) said, “K now
that the nullifiers o f Islam are ten nullifiers:”'
1 T he enum eration o f the nullifiers here is not a restriction.

T he num ber o f nullifiers o f Islam that the author m entioned
here is ten. [H ow ever], the nullifiers are m ore than that. In
the chapters o f apostasy and the apostate, the scholars have
m entioned m any types o f apostasy by w hich a M uslim could
apostate from his religion.
T he author has m entioned the most dangerous, the greatest
and those that occur the most. There is also scholarly
consensus on the ten he has m entioned. W e ask Allah to make
us and you firm in the religion.
67 I P a g e
The First: Associating Partners w ith Allah in W orship

Allah said,
W hat was just stated is just as the Shaykh said after he

m entioned these nullifiers, “And all o f them - m eaning these
ten nullifiers -are distinct from the rest. This is because they
are the most dangerous and occur the most. Thus, it is
befitting for a Muslim to beware o f them and fear for him self
concerning them. W e seek refuge w ith Allah from that
which causes His anger and the pain o f His punishm ent.”
Apostasy occurs by com m itting a nullifier o f Islam, and the
nullifiers o f Islam are many. They return to four categories,
and they are:
1. Apostasy by way o f statement
2. Apostasy by way o f action
3. Apostasy by way o f belief
4. Apostasy by way o f doubt in w hat has preceded.
For further benefit see “Kitab al-T aw hld” by al-Fawzan, p.
26.
“Indeed, Allah does not forgive association w ith Him , but He

forgives w hat is less than that for w hom He wills.” [Surah al-
Nisa (4): 48
And He ( $ said:
I Ail' (v -* - aIi Ij O'* ’*^1
“Indeed, he w ho associates others w ith Allah - Allah has

forbidden him Paradise, and his refuge is the Fire. And
there are not for the w rongdoers any helpers.” [Surah
al-M a’idah (5): 72]
And from the acts o f join in g partners w ith Allah in worship
is slaughtering for other than Allah ( $ \ s u c h as a
person w ho slaughters for a jin n or a grave.
Indeed, one o f the beneficial books and w ritings o f Shaykh
M uhammad b. ‘A bdul-W ahhab (iusfeifci) is “The Ten Nullifiers
o f Islam.”
Surely, from the things that the Muslim should do and which
it is imperative for him to do is learn these nullifiers, so he
does not fall into any o f them while he does not realize.
69 I P a g e
The first and most dangerous o f these nullifiers is associating

partners with Allah and the proofs for this are
abundant. Here are some o f them:
Allah said,
“Indeed, Allah does not forgive association with Him,

A nother proof is the statement o f Allah inform ing
us about Isa that he said:
“O Children o f Israel, worship Allah, my Lord and your

Lord.” Indeed, he w ho associates others w ith Allah - Allah
has forbidden him Paradise, and his refuge is the Fire. And
there are not for the wrongdoers any helpers. [Surah al-
M a’idah (5): 72]
A nother proof is His statement
n+ s'JC £ » , /
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“And whoever invokes besides Allah another deity for

which he has no proof - then his account is only with
his Lord. Indeed, the disbelievers will not succeed.”
[Surah al-M u’m inun (23): 117]
And there are other verses that prove that righteous actions
coupled w ith polytheism are not accepted, and that Allah does
not forgive evil deeds while polytheism is present, even if it
was one o f the closest people to Allah w ho possessed
tremendous status and the highest station w ith Him.
Verily, Allah said to His Prophet ij^),
“And it was already revealed to you and to those before

you that if you should associate [anything] w ith Allah,
your work would surely become worthless, and you
would surely be am ong the losers.” [Surah al-Zum ar
(39): 65]
And He (J\2j&iLL) said to the Prophets ((*L21y^t),
71 I P a g e
T at is the guidance o f Allah by which He guides

whom ever He wills o f His servants. But if they had
associated others with Allah, then worthless for them
would be w hatever they were doing.” [Surah al-A n‘am
(6): 88]
O n the authority o f Abu Hurayrah (i*£$&,) w ho said that the

Messenger o f Allah {& *& & & ) said,
“Allah, the Blessed and Most High said, ‘I am free from

having any partners. W hoever does an action and
associates a partner with Me, 1 have abandoned him and
his act o f Shirk.
All o f these evidences prove that whoever associates partners

with Allah - com m itting major polytheism - calling on
others besides Allah, or along with Him , to bring about
benefit or to remove harm, believing they have the ability to
do this, then they have left Islam.
An example o f this is slaughtering for other than Allah
because Allah said to His Prophet

72 I P a g e
Say, Indeed, m y prayer, my rites o f sacrifice, my living
and m y dying are for Allah, Lord o f the worlds.
N o partner has He. And this I have been commanded,

and I am the first [am ong you] o f the Muslims.’
Say, ‘Is it other than Allah I should desire as a lord while

H e is the Lord o f all things? And every soul earns not
[blame] except against itself, and no bearer o f burdens
will bear the burden o f another. Then to your Lord is
y ou r return, and H e will inform you concerning that
over w hich you used to differ.’
A nd it is H e w ho has made you successors upon the
earth and has raised some o f you above others in degrees
[o f rank] that He may try you through w hat He has
given you. Indeed, your Lord is swift in penalty, but
indeed, He is Forgiving and M erciful.” [Surah al-An am
(6 ): 162-165]
73 I P a g e
W hoever calls on the dead, seeks deliverance from them,

slaughters for them, or vows for them has com m itted major
polytheism, and the result o f this is disbelief in the oneness o f
Allah, a disbelief that causes him to exit the religion.
[The same applies] to the one w ho slaughters for the jin n or
slaughters carrying out the request o f a magician, soothsayer
or someone w ho takes the same ruling as them. The same
applies to one w ho slaughters in order to draw close to a grave
or the one in the grave.
The Second:
W hoever places betw een him and Allah intermediaries to
w hom he supplicates, asks for intercession and relies on them
has disbelieved, according to a scholarly consensus.
The proof for this nullifier is the same for the first. This is
considered a type o f Shirk [polytheism]. The polytheists
w hom the Messenger o f Allah was sent to used to believe in
the oneness o f Allah’s Lordship. They believed that no one
shared w ith Him in creating the creation, providing for them,
giving them life, nor causing death.
However, they used to have objects o f worship that they
thought were intermediaries between them and Allah. They
would seek intercession from them, m eaning to bring them
closer to Allah.
74 I P a g e
For this reason, there are many verses in the Q u r’an that
oblige the polytheists to recognize that w hat they are doing
is a huge mistake and disbelief in the ability o f Allah
His Knowledge and His Rule.
[H ow could they worship other than Allah] w hen they used
to believe that Allah is The C reator and that the false deities
they call on have not created anything nor have the ability to
benefit or harm themselves or anyone else?
From the verses in the Q u r’an [which is a proof for this] is the
statement o f Allah after He m entioned some o f His
perfect attributes in Surah al-Fatir,
“He causes the night to enter the day, and He causes

the day to enter the night and has subjected the sun
and the m oon - each running [its course] for a
specified term. That is Allah, your Lord; to Him
75 I P a g e
belongs sovereignty. And those w hom you invoke

other than Him do not possess [as much as] the
membrane o f a date seed.
If you invoke them, they do not hear your
supplication; and if they heard, they would not
respond to you. And on the Day o f Resurrection they
will deny your association. And none can inform you
like [One] Acquainted [with all matters].
O m ankind, you are those in need o f Allah, while Allah
is the Free o f need, the Praiseworthy.
If He wills, He can do away w ith you and bring forth
a new creation. And that is for Allah not difficult.”
[Surah al-Fatir (35): 13-17]
And He ( J \ 2 j s a i d in Surah al-Furqan,
“But they have taken besides Him gods which create

nothing, while they are created, and possess not for
themselves any harm or benefit and possess not [power
to cause] death or life or resurrection.” [Surah al-
Furqan (25): 3]
The Obligatory Matters That Every M uslim Should Knoiv
And He said in Surah Saba,
“Say, [O M uhammad], ‘Invoke those you claim [as

deities] besides Allah.’ They do not possess an atom's
w eight [of ability] in the heavens or on the earth, and
they do not have therein any partnership [with Him],
nor is there for Him from am ong them any assistant.”
[Surah Saba (34): 22]
And there are other verses similar to this.
Rather Allah (JlijÛUi) informed in Surah al-Zum ar,
“’W e only worship them that they may bring us nearer

to Allah in position.’ Indeed, Allah will judge betw een
them concerning that over which they differ. Indeed,
Allah does not guide he w ho is a liar and [confirmed]
disbeliever.” [Surah al-Zum ar (39): 3]
The verses on this topic are many.
77 I P a g e
The im portant point is that those w ho seek intermediaries

with Allah, seeking intercession from them, calling on other
than Allah and relying on them, they are considered
disbelievers because o f that, just as it states at the end o f the
verse in Surah al-Zum ar.
The Third:
W hoever does not declare the polytheists to be disbelievers,
has doubt about their disbelief or deems their way to be
correct.
Allah has called the polytheist disbelievers in more than one
verse. O ne o f these verses is His statement,
C
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4
“Indeed, they w ho disbelieved am ong the People o f the

Scripture and the polytheists will be in the fire o f Hell,
abiding eternally therein. Those are the worst o f
creatures.” [Surah al-Bayyinah (98):6]
In this verse Allah m entioned the people o f the book and the
polytheists together, and He clarified that they are
disbelievers and that their abode is the Fire.
78 I P a g e
He said about the polytheists specifically in the

following verse,
“Those w ho disbelieve have claimed that they will

never be resurrected. Say, ‘Yes, by my Lord, you will
surely be resurrected; then you will surely be informed
o f w hat you did. And that, for Allah, is easy.’” [Surah
al-Taghabun (64): 7]
And He (d\2j£UUl) said about the Jews,
“For w rongdoing on the part o f the Jews, W e made

unlawful for them [certain] good foods which had
been lawful to them, and for their averting from the
way o f Allah many [people], and [for] their taking of
usury while they had been forbidden from it, and their
consum ing o f the people's wealth unjustly. And W e
have prepared for the disbelievers am ong them a
painful punishm ent.” [Surah al-Nisa (4): 160-161]
79 I P a g e
And He said about the Christians,
$ <i\ jMjlU aSj ^

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“They have certainly disbelieved w ho say that Allah is

Christ, the son o f M ary.” [Surah al-M a’idah (5): 17]
And there are other verses on the topic.
So whoever does not declare them to be disbelievers, then he
has disbelieved in w hat Allah informed [us] about them: that
they are disbelievers. For this reason he is considered a
disbeliever.
The Fourth:
W hoever believes that guidance other than the guidance o f
the Prophet is more complete than his
guidance or he believes that rulings other than his
rulings are better, like the person w ho favors the rulings o f
al-Taw aghlt over his rulings, then this person is
a disbeliever.
O ne o f the things that believing in the Message of
M uhammad necessitates is to believe that his guidance is the
most complete guidance and that his rulings are the most
complete rulings.
Allah said,
80 I P a g e
CEl SiS-*^ S*S Sj£ ^ 4 - ' ) $ •
“But w ho is better than Allah in judgm ent for a people

w ho are certain [in faith].” [Surah al-M a’idah (5): 50]
This question is a questioning o f rebuke, m eaning there is no
one whose rulings are better than Allah’s.
The Prophet said in the beginning o f his sermons,
“And the best guidance is the guidance o f M uhammad
Therefore, since the best guidance is the guidance of

M uhammad then the one w ho does not believe
that; rather, he believes that there is guidance better than his
or that the rulings o f others are better than his rulings, then
at that point that person has disbelieved in w hat the
Messenger brought.
Thus, those w ho favor the ruling o f al-Taw aghlt over his
rulings are considered disbelievers because o f that.
The following people are included in this fourth category:
Those w ho believe that m an-m ade laws and systems, which
the people devise, are better than Islamic law; those who
believe that the Islamic system o f rule is not suitable for
1 Collected by Muslim (#868).

81 I P a g e
application in the 20rl’ (or the 21st) century); those w ho believe

that Islamic law is a cause for regression o f the Muslims, and
those w ho believe that the practice o f Islamic law is restricted
to that which is between a person and his Lord and it does
not enter into other affairs o f life.
The following people also enter into this fourth category:
W hoever believes that cutting o f the hand or stoning the
adulterer is not suitable for contem porary tim es.1 Similarly,
w hoever believes that it is permissible to rule by other than
Islamic law in civil affairs, punishm ents or other than that,
even if he does not view that it is better than Islamic law.
This is because by doing that he has made permissible that
which Allah has made impermissible from the affairs that are
know n about the religion by necessity, such as fornication,
interest and ruling by other than Islamic law. Therefore, he is
a disbeliever according to consensus o f the Muslims.
The Fifth:
W hoever detests som ething that the Messenger of Allah
(^ j^ a ijy i) came with, even if he performs it, has disbelieved.
1 [PN] It is not permissible for anyone to establish any o f the

prescribed punishments except for the Muslim ruler or one
w ho is appointed by him. Cases are heard in the Islamic courts
in the Muslim lands. Vigilantism is not allowed in Islam, as it
results in chaos and turmoil. Refer to ‘Fatawa al-Lajnah al-
D d’imah (22/5-10)’
82 I P a g e
This is due to the statement o f Allah (J\2ji£l££),
“That is because they disliked w hat Allah revealed, so

He rendered worthless their deeds.” [Surah
M uhammad (47): 9]
Therefore, dislike o f w hat the Messenger (y n jC iii^ ) brought
from rulings and legislation is considered disbelief. This is
because it is obligatory for us to love him and everything that
he brought.
It is also obligatory for us to believe in everything that he
brought: if it is a ruling, we believe that it is the best ruling;
if it is character, we believe that it is the best character; if it is
worship, we believe that it is the best worship. D etesting what
the Prophet came w ith or detesting any part o f
w hat he came with is a proof o f hypocrisy.
W hoever finds in him self this trait and characteristic, then it
is upon him to w ork to change it. He must supplicate to Allah
(J\2j&SUi) to remove it from him, to change his dislike to
love, to change his depreciation to grandeur and to chance
his detest to desire.
The Sixth:
W hoever mocks som ething that the Messenger
came with, its reward or its punishm ent has disbelieved.
83 I P a g e
The proof is the statement o f Allah (J\2j
“And if you ask them, they will surely say, ‘W e were

only conversing and playing.’ Say, ‘Is it Allah and His
verses and His Messenger that you were m ocking?’
Make no excuse; you have disbelieved after your
belief.” [Surah al-Taw bah (9): 65-66]
Therefore, m ocking the religion o f the Messenger
its rewards or its punishm ents is disbelief.
W hoever mocks the beard or anything from the rulings o f
the religion, then he is considered to have disbelieved and
exited from Islam.
There has come in a Hadlth that some o f the hypocrites,
while they were travelling to Tabuk said,
“W e have not seen the like o f these reciters o f ours. No
one is greedier than them, no one lies more than them
and no one is more afraid than them at the time of
battle.”
They meant the reciters from am ongst the Com panions
o f the M essenger o f Allah
84 I P a g e
So Allah (QZyd&iL) revealed the verses,
3 >
“Say, ‘Is it Allah and His verses and His M essenger that
you were m ocking?’ Make no excuse; you have
disbelieved after your belief.”
And we hear from people in contem porary times statements
such as this or worse, and they show no concern. W e ask
Allah for pardon and well-being.
The Seventh: Magic, and from it is that w hich causes
attraction' and that w hich causes detest2. W hoever does
magic or is pleased w ith it, then he has disbelieved. The proof
is the statement o f Allah,
1Attraction: It is magical w ork to cause a person to desire that

which he does not desire, by way o f satanic methods.
2 Detest: It is magical w ork to cause a person to dislike that
which he desires, such as changing a man from loving his
wife to disliking her.
85 I P a g e
“But they [i.e., the tw o angels] do not teach anyone

unless they say, “W e are a trial, so do not disbelieve [by
practicing m agic].”
T o the end o f the verse.
Indeed, Allah made it know n that learning magic
is disbelief. That necessitates that practicing it is disbelief.
Allah (d\2j&ô) says,
“And they followed [instead] w hat the devils had

recited during the reign o f Solomon. It was not
Solomon w ho disbelieved, but the devils disbelieved,
teaching people magic and that which was revealed to
the tw o angels at Babylon, H arut and M arut. But they
[i.e., the tw o angels] do not teach anyone unless they
say, “W e are a trial, so do not disbelieve [by practicing
m agic].’’And [yet] they learn from them that by which

they cause separation betw een a m an and his wife. But
they do not harm anyone through it except by the
permission o f Allah. And they [i.e., people] learn what
harms them and does not benefit them. But they [i.e.,
the Children o f Isra’Tl] certainly knew that whoever
purchased it [i.e., magic] w ould not have in the
Hereafter any share. And w retched is that for which
they sold themselves, if they only knew .” [Surah al-
Baqarah (2): 102]
The clear w ording o f this verse explicitly proves that learning
magic is disbelief and that perform ing it is disbelief. This is
due to His statement,
“It was not Solomon w ho disbelieved, but the devils

disbelieved, teaching people m agic.” [Surah al-Baqarah
(2): 102]
This proves that teaching people magic is considered
disbelief.
He said,
87 I P a g e
“And that which was revealed to the tw o angels at

Babylon, H arut and M arut. But they [i.e., the two
angels] do not teach anyone unless they say, ‘W e are a
trial, so do not disbelieve [by practicing m agic].’”
[Surah al-Baqarah (2): 102]
This proves that learning magic is disbelief.

At the end o f the verse the Most Majestic in speech
said,
“But they [i.e., the Children o f Israel] certainly knew

that whoever purchased it [i.e., magic] would not have
in the Hereafter any share. And wretched is that for
which they sold themselves, if they only knew .”
M eaning that there is no share for them in the Hereafter.
Rather, they are from the people o f the fire, and from those
w hom deserve punishm ent.
88 I P a g e
This verse is explicit in proving the disbelief o f w hoever

teaches magic or performs it. The ruling is the same w hether
it is magic that causes attraction, detestation or other than
that.
The majority o f scholars view that magic is disbelief, except
al-Shafi‘I It has been narrated that he has a distinct
elaboration [on this m atter]. He said: “Say to the magician:
‘Describe for us your m agic.’ ”
The position o f excom m unication (Takfir) o f the magician
w ithout offering a detailed explanation is the truth. This is
due to w hat was m entioned in the verse and w hat has been
narrated concerning Hafsah Bint ‘U m ar w ho had a
female servant w ho placed magic on her, so she com m anded
that she be put to death. And she did not ask her to give a
detailed explanation o f her m agic.1
There is also the H adith o f Bajalah b. Abdah al-Tam lm l2
(iisfcs^). He said, “‘U m ar b. al-Khattab (&£$&>) w rote, ‘Put
every male and female magician to death.’ ”
1 Collected by Malik in al-M uw atta (#1624) w ith the phrase

“It has reached m e.” Abdur-Razzaq connected its chain in
“al-M usanaP (10/180).
2 Bajalah b. 'Abdah al-Tam lm ! al-Anbari al-BasrT was a noble
student o f the Com panions (ijfU^).
89 I P a g e
Bajalah (iuifcftj) said, “So we put three magicians to death.”

And the narrations coupled w ith the verse that preceded
prove that no one is capable o f perform ing magic except a
disbeliever.
From these narrations is the narration reported by Ibn KathTr
(Sj&uft)) in his “Explanation o f the Q u r’an” on the authority o f
‘A’ishah that she said,
“A w om an from the people o f Al-Jandel came asking for the

Prophet shortly after his death to ask about a
matter related to magic that she had fallen into but she did
not practice it.”
‘A’ishah said to Urwah,
“I saw her cry w hen she did not find Allah’s M essenger
to cure her. I felt pity for her w hen she said,
‘I am afraid 1 could be doomed. I had a husband w ho left me,
and I complained about this to an old w om an w ho came by.
The old w om an said, ‘If you do w hat I tell you, I will make
him come back to you.’ At night she brought two black dogs
and each one o f us rode a dog. N othing happened until we
reached Babal, where there were tw o m en hanging by their
legs.
The men asked us, ‘W hy are you here?’ I answered, ‘T o learn

m agic.’ The men said, ‘W e are only for trial, so do not
90 I P a g e
disbelieve. Go back to where you came from .’ I refused, and

said, ‘N o.’
Thus, they told me, ‘Go to that vessel and urinate in it.’ I
went, but I was afraid, so I did not do w hat they asked me to
do.
They asked me, ‘Did you do it?’ 1 said, ‘Yes.’ They said, ‘Did
you see anything?’ I replied, ‘N o.’ They said, ‘You did not do
it. Go back hom e and do not disbelieve.’ I stayed there, and I
refused [to leave].
So they told me, ‘Go to that vessel and urinate in it.’ I w ent
there, but I got goose bumps and was scared, so I returned to
them w ithout doing it. They said, ‘W hat did you see?’ I said,
‘N othing.’ They said, ‘You lied. You did not do it. Go back
hom e and do not disbelieve. You are the com m ander o f your
ow n self.’ I stayed there, and I refused [to leave].
Therefore, they asked me again, ‘Go and urinate in that
vessel.’ So I w ent and I urinated it. T hen 1 saw an armored
man leaving my body, ascending towards the sky until he
disappeared from my vision. I w ent back to them and I said,
‘I urinated in the vessel.’
They said, ‘W hat did you see?’ I said, ‘I saw an arm ored man
leaving my body, ascending towards the sky until he
disappeared from my vision.’ They said, ‘You are telling the
truth. That was your faith leaving you. So go.’
91 I P a g e
I said to the wom an, ‘I do not know anything and they told
me nothing.’ She said, ‘W hat you just said to me is not true.
W hatever you want, it will come true.’
She said, ‘Take this wheat and sow it.’ So I did. I said grow,
so it grew. I said reap and it was reaped. I said dry, and it
dried. I said be crushed, and it was crushed. I said bake, and it
baked.
W hen I saw that there was not a thing that I wanted to
happen except that it occurred, I put my head in m y hand and
became regretful.
By Allah, O m other o f the believers, I have not done
anything, and I will not do so in the future.’”
And it has been narrated by Ibn Abu H atim on the authority
o f al-RabT b. Sulayman in a long version just like the one that
has preceded; however, he added after her statement ‘And I
will not do so in the future’:
“She asked the Prophet's companions shortly after the death
o f the Messenger o f Allah iijp ), and at that time they
were abundant in num ber, but they did not know w hat to
tell her (i.e. the woman).
They were afraid to give her a legal opinion about som ething
they had no knowledge of. However, Ibn Abbas, or some of
those w ho were w ith him, said to her, ‘If either your parents
or one o f them is alive, perhaps they will suffice you?”’
92 I P a g e
From that w hich establishes that no one is able to perform

magic expect a disbelieving magician is that the devils inside
o f the body o f the one afflicted by magic say, “It is so and so
that com m anded us and we are unable to leave.”
Additionally, the magicians describe how the devils make it a
condition w hen they teach them magic to enter the toilet
w ith the M ushaf and urinate and walk on it for forty days. All
o f this proves that no one is able to practice magic except after
disbelief.
This is w hy we say that all magic is disbelief, and that
perform ing it is disbelief. W e also see that the prescribed
punishm ent for the magician is death, as a form o f capital
punishm ent. And w hat is apparent from the text is that capital
punishm ent is performed even if the magician manifests
repentance.
[it is also noted that] magic is tw o types:
1. Actual, effective magic
2. Illusionary magic
As for actual, effective magic, then it causes the afflicted to
the point where he experiences delusions and other
symptoms; he is affected to a degree that he has no stability.
It is possible that years go by and he does not enjoy relaxation
nor the blessing o f a focused mind. If he were to go to the
hospital and they gave him a medical exam, they would
conclude that there is nothing w rong w ith him.
93 I P a g e
A proof that relates to this type o f magic is w hat has been

reported about magic being performed upon the Prophet
O n the authority o f'A ’ishah w ho said,
“Magic was worked on the Prophet, so that he began to
imagine that he was doing a thing that he was not. O ne
day when he was with me he invoked (Allah) and then
said, ‘O A’ishah, I feel that Allah has informed me as
how to cure myself.’ I said, ‘And w hat is that O
Messenger o f Allah?”’
He said,
“T w o men came to me. O ne sat by my head and the

other by my feet. O ne o f them asked the other, ‘W hat
is the ailment o f this man?’ The other replied, ‘Magic
has been performed on him .’ The first asked, ‘W ho
placed magic on him?’ The other replied, ‘Lubayd b. Al-
A'sam,’ the Jew from the tribe o f Zurayq.’ The first one
asked, ‘W hat material has he used?’ The other replied,
‘A comb, the hair gathered on it from the head and
beard, and the outer skin o f the pollen o f the male date-
palm.’ The first asked, ‘W here is it?’ The other replied,
‘It is in the well o f Thl-A rw an.’”
'A’ishah said,
94 I P a g e
“So the Prophet w ent out w ith some o f his

Com panions towards the well, then he
( ^ 5 returned and said to me, ‘By Allah, the color
o f its w ater is like the infusion o f H enna leaves, and the
date-palms (the date-palms near the well) are like the
heads o f the devils.’
I asked, ‘Did you take out those things with which the
magic was worked?’ He said, ‘No, for I have been cured
by Allah, and 1 am afraid that this action may spread evil
am ongst the people.’”1
As for illusionary magic, then this is the magic that Allah

m entioned concerning the magicians that were
w ith Fir'awn.
Allah said,
“He said, ‘T hrow ,’ and w hen they threw, they

bewitched the eyes o f the people and struck terror into
' Collected by al-Bukhari (#5765) and Muslim (#2189).

95 I P a g e
them, and they presented a great [feat of] m agic.”

[Surah al-‘A 'raf (7): 116]
And Allah ( $ said,
4 jf
“He said, ‘Rather, you throw .’ And suddenly their ropes and
staffs seemed to him from their magic that they were m oving
[like snakes].” [Surah Taha (20): 66]
The Eighth:
Aiding the polytheists and helping them against the Muslims.

■ .. “5 ^ ^ * s ' ^ f s ' ^ /- ^ y ✓
4 iS-s-triS sif <J\ > *3
“And whoever is an ally to them am ong you - then

indeed, he is [one] o f them. Indeed, Allah guides not
the w rongdoing people.” [Surah al-M a’idah (5): 5l]
W hoever helps the disbelievers, the Jews, or the Christians

against the Muslims, then they are to be considered a
disbeliever and his action is disbelief.
96 I P a g e
This is because assisting the polytheists and aiding them

against the Muslims is a proof o f allying w ith them instead o f
the Muslims. And allying w ith them in this fashion is a proof
o f loving their religion o f disbelief and giving it preference
over Islam.
There is no doubt that this is disbelief that necessitates exiting

from the religion. W e seek refuge w ith Allah.
It is not considered allying w ith the polytheists and

disbelievers w hen the objective is to w ork w ith them to
prevent som ething that Islam has prohibited. I w rote a
religious verdict on this topic w ith some detail.
That is because some people have made cooperating w ith a

group o f disbelievers against terrorism, w hich Allah and his
M essenger prohibited, a form o f disbelief and
apostasy.
The truth, w hich is obligatory to embrace, is that if a group

from the disbelievers present to us [an offer] to cooperate
w ith them and for them to cooperate w ith us to fight against
som ething that Islam prohibits and com mands for it to be
fought against and prevented, then it is permissible for us to
do so.
97 I P a g e
For example, if they present to us the objective o f preventing

fornication or to fight against terrorism - which are the
explosions that some individuals from the Muslims are
carrying out, believing this is worship - then we say we will
cooperate w ith them on that.
However, if one o f the groups from the groups o f the

disbelievers proposes to us that we fight against the hijab,
which Allah commanded with, or against the beard, which
Allah com manded with grow ing it, or anything from the
signposts o f Islam; or this group o f disbelievers requests that
we help them against the Muslims, then there is no doubt that
this is not permissible for us. Rather, whoever does this, helps
them, and allies w ith them against the Muslims, then he is
counted as an ally o f the people o f disbelief and an aid o f theirs
against the people o f Islam. This is a type o f apostasy.
The Ninth:
W hoever believes that some people do not have to adhere to

the laws o f M uhammad just as Khidr did not
have to follow the laws o f Musa then he is a
disbeliever.
This is due to the statement o f Allah
98 I P a g e
“And whoever desires other than Islam as a religion -

never will it be accepted from him, and he, in the
Hereafter, will be am ong the losers.” [Surah Al Imran
(3): 85]
The legislation o f M uham m ad is general for all of

the people on earth, m ankind and jinn. Allah said,
<
“Say, [O M uhammad], ‘O mankind, indeed I am the

M essenger o f Allah to you all...’” [Surah al-A raf (7):
158]
And the Prophet said,
“I have been given five [things] that were not given to

anyone before m e ...” From them: “A prophet used to
be sent specifically to his people, and I have been sent
to all o f m ankind.”
99 I P a g e
Perhaps some ignorant people believe it is permissible to exit

from the legislation o f M uhammad ('Ujt&ZSfeo) similar to
what happened with Khidr exiting from the legislation o f
Musa, whereas w ith the sending o f the Prophet to the whole
o f m ankind and [the conveyance of] his legislation it is not
allowed for anyone to exit [these laws] ever. And whoever
follows him and accepts w hat he came w ith will be safe and
successful.
W hoever claims that they can exit from the legislation o f

M uhammad and thinks that it is permissible to do so, such as
some o f the extreme Sufis, then indeed this is considered
disbelief and apostasy from the legislation o f M uhammad
The Tenth:
T urning away from the religion o f Allah, not learning it or

acting by it.
The proof is the statement o f Allah,
100 I P a g e
“And w ho is more unjust than one w ho is reminded o f

the verses o f his Lord; then he turns away from them?
Indeed W e, from the criminals, will take retribution.”
[Surah al-Sajdah (32): 22]
I say [Shaykh Ahmad al-Najm l],
T urning away from the religion, not learning it and not

acting by it, even w hen it is presented to them , such as leaving
off the testimony o f faith or saying it w ith the tongue and not
learning its meaning, whilst com m itting acts that are
contradictory to it. And w hen he is invited to learn “None
truly has the right to be worshipped except Allah” so that he
does not fall into w hat contradicts it, he refuses, turns away
and displays arrogance.
Along w ith this, he is falling into that w hich contradicts the

testimony o f faith, such as w orshipping the Awliya [the
righteous], going to magicians and astrologists, m aking
T aw af around the graves, m aking vows to them, or not
praying the prayer, w hich is a com m and from Allah and the
pillar o f Islam.
This type o f turning away is understood as turning away

from the foundations o f the religion, which a person is not
Muslim except by accepting them, agreeing w ith them,
learning them and acting by them.
101 I P a g e
Thus, whoever turns away from the foundations and

principles and he refuses to accept them, learn them and act
by them, then he is a disbeliever due to the disbelief o f turning
away.
It should be know n that turning away from the religion is
tw o types:
1. A complete turning away:
A complete turning away is to turn away from the

foundations and principles o f the religion, as we just said.
This necessitates disbelief.
2. A partial turning away:
A partial turning away is to turn away from some o f the

subsidiary rulings o f the religion and to not act by them.
Examples o f this are shaving the beard, allowing the garm ent
to drag below the ankle, for a w om an to refrain from w earing
the hijab and to reveal her adornments, and the like o f this.
This type o f turning away from the religion does not

necessitate disbelief. Rather, it is disobedience. N o one
declares the Muslim to be a disbeliever on account o f this
except the Khawarij and the Mu tazilah. As for the main
body, Ahl al-Sunnah then they do not remove someone from
the fold o f Islam due to this.
102 I P a g e
M ajor disbelief, w hich removes a person from the religion has

been categorized into four categories, the explanation o f
them will be put forth later, if Allah wills. See page 108 and
w hat is after it.
Here are the four categories:
1. Disbelief due to turning away.
2. Disbelief o f rejection, like the disbelief o f the

disbelieving Quraysh.
3. Disbelief o f haughtiness, like the disbelief o f Iblls (the

Devil) and Fir'awn (Pharaoh) and his people.
Allah (d \2 j& ^ ) said,
^ jj& iie$ J OSi ^ >
4
.
“And they rejected them , while their [inner] selves

were convinced thereof, out o f injustice and
haughtiness.” [Surah al-Nam l (27): 14]
4. Disbelief o f polytheism, w herein a person believes that

Allah has a partner, or He believes that the righteous
103 I P a g e
have an [unlegislated] station w ith Allah, so they take

them as intermediaries, w orshiping them and
supplicating to them due to that false belief.
As for hypocrisy in belief, then perhaps it can be counted as a

fifth category, or perhaps it falls under the disbelief o f
rejection, because they displayed belief, yet they concealed
their rejection.
Al-'Allamah al-San am (lli\X*£) in his book “al-'Uddalt” and al-

Shaykh Hafidh al-Hakam l in his poem that rhymes on
Dal “al-Jawharah al-FaridalT counted the types o f m ajor
disbelief to be four.
Shaykh al-Islam M uhammad b. ‘A bdul-W ahhab (&sfcft;)

counted them as five; however, it is possible to enter the fifth
into the disbelief o f rejection, just as I said. This is w hat is
apparent to me.
The Shaykh said,
“There is no difference concerning all o f these nullifiers

betw een the one w ho is joking, serious or afraid, except
for the one w ho is being forced. All o f these nullifiers
are the most dangerous and the ones that occur the
most. Thus, it is befitting for a Muslim to learn them,
be on guard against them, and to fear for himself
104 I P a g e
concerning them. W e seek refuge w ith Allah from the

things that cause His anger and from the pain o f His
torm ent.”
In this conclusion, the author (&\ZK>) advises the Muslim to

be on guard against falling into any o f these nullifiers by
uttering them or doing them, seriously or jokingly. This is
because whoever says any o f these nullifiers jokingly, his
action is a proof o f his m aking light o f the Islamic legislation
and his boldness to contradict it.
It is not permissible for a Muslim to say polytheistic

statements in a jok ing fashion, nor is it permissible for him to
mock at anything from the religion o f the M essenger o f Allah
its rewards, or its punishm ents in a joking
fashion.
This goes for all o f the nullifiers o f Islam. It is not permissible

for anyone to make light o f that and to do any o f them.
Certainly, this is as they say, “Playing w ith fire,” m eaning due
to its danger and the m agnitude o f the sin. So be careful; be
careful.
As for a person w ho is forced, then there is a text in the book

o f Allah about that. Ammar b. Yasir used to be under
105 I P a g e
punishm ent. He continued to be punished until he

m entioned their deities with good. So, he came to the
Prophet and the Com panions said,
“ Ammar has disbelieved!”
The Prophet said',
“ Ammar has not disbelieved. Indeed, ‘Ammar is full of

faith (iman) from head to toe.”
Consequently, Allah revealed the verse, which is

in Surah al-Nahl:
“Except for one w ho is forced [to renounce his

religion] while his heart is secure in faith.” [Surah al-
Nahl (16): 106]
The Shaykh said,
“The one w ho is afraid,” means that mere fear does not

perm it statements o f disbelief, and it is not considered as
being forced, except if there is im m inent perception o f
punishm ent or a threat o f death, and situations that are similar
' Authenticated by Shaykh al-Albam in al-Sahlhah (#807).

106 I P a g e
to that. So in these situations a person w ould be considered as

being forced.
However, there is an issue that needs to be addressed: Is

coercion an excuse for statements and actions or only
statements?
This needs to be examined since ‘Ammar did not prostrate to

their deities, nor did he circulate around them, nor did he
slaughter for them; rather, he made a statem ent w ith his
tongue. So do actions enter into that?
If it is requested to prostrate to an idol, or to do any action

that is considered major polytheism, is it permissible for them
to do so, using the action o f Am m ar that the verse in the
Q ur’an was revealed about?
The action o f Ammar (iZgfggj) that occurred from him was a

statement. And there is also the H adlth that “A man entered
Paradise because o f a fly, and a man entered into the fire
because o f a fly.”'
If this is authentic, then it is a proof for the separation

betw een statements and actions. The actions o f the latter, the
one w ho sacrificed a fly, it is possible that he was forced, and
1 Declared weak by al-Albam in al-Da ifah, #5829.

107 I P a g e
it is possible that he believed in the permissibility o f that

action.
if he believed in the permissibility o f that action, then he

entered the fire due to his belief.
And [even] if he was coerced, then everything a Muslim puts

forth for other than Allah, w hether it be small or little like a
fly or if it is much and big like a camel, then by way o f that
sacrifice he has left the fold o f Islam, and he deserves the fire.
This is because coercion is in statements not actions. And

Allah is the granter o f success.
-&G>?
108 I P a g e
T h e O bligatory M atters That E v e ry M u slim S h o u ld K n o iv
1. W hat are the nullifiers o f Islam?
2. W ho was it that mocked the Com panions o f the

Prophet
3. M ention Shaykh Ahmad al-N ajm i’s speech about the

permissibility o f aiding non-M uslim s to fight against
terrorism.
4. W hat should a person do if they find themselves disliking

som ething about Islam?
5. W hy are these ten nullifiers m entioned, even though there

are more?
110 I P a g e
The ( M inatory Matters That Every M uslim Should Know
Chapter: M onotheism (al-Tawhld) is Three Categories
Text:
The First Category: Islamic M onotheism o f Lordship

(TawhTd al-Rubublyah)
This is the Islamic m onotheism that the disbelievers

affirmed during the time o f the Messenger o f Allah
fa>), and the Messenger [still] fought them, and
that [affirmation] did not enter them into Islam. Their
blood and wealth was lawful.
It is to single out Allah in His actions. The proof for it

is the statement o f Allah (
JT\ ofjV'j j i $.
V'-t' \ is* * ' >-'* o*_)
" v^ • y* V1-" u '
“Say, ‘W ho provides for you from the heaven and the

earth? O r w ho controls hearing and sight and w ho
brings the living out o f the dead and brings the dead out
of the living and w ho arranges [every] m atter?’ They
111 I P a g e
will say, ‘Allah,’ so say, ‘Then will you not fear Him ?’”
[Surah Yunus (10): 3 1]
And the verses on this topic are very plentiful.
• The Second Category: Islamic M onotheism o f W orship

(Tawhld al-Uluhlyah)
This is the Islamic m onotheism [Tawhld] concerning

which disputes took place about since the times o f old
and at present. It is for Allah to be singled out with the
acts o f the servant such as supplication, vows,
slaughtering, hope, fear, reliance, strong desire, dread
and repentance. All o f these acts o f worship are
established by evidence from the Q ur’an.
• The Third Category: Islamic M onotheism o f Allah’s

Self and Names and Attributes (Tawhld al-dhat W a al-
Asma W a al-Sifat)
Allah says,
112 I P a g e
“Say, ‘He is Allah, [who is] O ne. Allah, the Eternal

Refuge. He neither begets nor is born. N or is there to
Him any equivalent.’” [Surah al-Ikhlas (112): 1-4]
And the statement o f His (J\2jSiU2i),
“And to Allah belong the best names, so invoke H im by

them. And leave [the com pany of] those w ho practice
deviation concerning His names. T hey will be
recompensed for w hat they have been doing.” [Surah
al-‘A 'raf (7): 180]
And the statement o f His (JliyXWUi),
“There is nothing like unto Him , and He is the

Hearing, the Seeing.” [Surah al-Shura (42): l l]
113 I P a g e
Explanation
• The First Category: Islamic M onotheism o f Lordship

(Tawhld al-Rubublyah)
This is the Islamic m onotheism [Tawhld] that the disbelievers

affirmed during the time o f the Messenger ( ^ l j a n d
the Messenger o f Allah fought them and their blood was
made lawful. This affirmation o f the Lordship o f Allah did not
enter them into Islam.
This category o f Islamic monotheism [Tawhld] is to single

Allah out in His actions, m eaning to believe that Allah is the
Creator, the O w ner o f everything and the Disposer o f all
affairs. [And to believe] that He is the Provider, the Giver o f
life and the Causer o f death.
The disbelievers used to believe this. The proof is the

statement o f Allah,
" *■'\\ ■
*! • 'VM'' \
114 I P a g e
The Obligatory Matters That Every M uslim Should Kiiotv
“Say, ‘W ho provides for you from the heaven and the

earth? O r w ho controls hearing and sight and w ho
brings the living out o f the dead and brings the dead
out o f the living and w ho arranges [every] matter?’
They will say, ‘Allah,’ so say, ‘Then will you not fear
H im ?”’ [Surah Yunus (10): 3 1]
The verses on this topic are very plentiful.
There are people in these days and times w ho explain Islamic

m onotheism o f worship [Taw hld al-Uluhiyah] by
m entioning m onotheism o f Lordship. They believe that
whoever affirms Islamic m onotheism o f Lordship [Taw hld
al-Rubublyah] is considered a person w ho has singled out
Allah (i.e. he is a Mitwahhid).
This is trem endous ignorance. Rather, you will even find that
there are authors and writers w ho believe that, such as Sayyid
Q utb,1 for verily he explained Taw hld al-Uluhlyah with
Taw hld al-Rubublyah.
1 From the mistakes in this issue is Sayyid Q utb ’s explanation

o f the statement o f Allah
“There is none truly w orthy o f worship except H im .” [Surah

al-Qasas (28): 70] by saying, “M eaning that He has no
115 1P a g e
Therefore, a person that affirms Taw hld al-Rubublyah, his

affirmation o f that does not enter him into Islam nor does it
necessitate Paradise for him.
It does not protect his blood1 nor his wealth, m eaning that
the protection o f blood and wealth does not occur except by
partners in His creation or choice.” See “In the Shade o f the

Q ur’an,” 5/2707.
Creating and choosing are from the actions o f Allah, and they
are from the meanings o f Lordship that the polytheist
confessed to, just as w hat has preceded. See the treatise: “The
Testim ony That N one Has The Right To Be W orshipped
Except Allah And That M uham m ad Is The M essenger o f
Allah” by the virtuous Shaykh M uham m ad Jamil ZTnu
(iife ;).
In this treatise you will find more clarification and a beautiful

elucidation.
'[P N ] The Prophet said: “The believer will not

cease to remain w ithin the vastness o f his religion, as long as
he does not shed blood that is unlawful.” Collected by al-
BukharT
Shaykh Ibn al-‘UthaymTn com m ented upon this hadith by
saying,
116 I P a g e
way o f Taw hld al-Uluhlyah due to w hat the statement

“N one truly has the right to be worshipped except Allah”
necessitates for the one w ho says it, believing its m eaning and
carrying out w hat it requires.
As for the one w ho says, “I know that Allah is my Lord, that

He created the heavens and the earth, that He is the O ne W ho
gives life and causes death and that He is the O ne W ho sends
dow n rain and provides for His slaves,” then all o f that does
not protect his blood nor his wealth.
T hat which protects and makes his blood and his wealth
sacred is Taw hld al-Uluhlyah and m aking worship solely for
Allah alone.
• The Second Category: Islamic M onotheism o f W orship

(Tawhld al-Uluhlyah)
Tawhld al-Uluhlyah is the category o f [Tawhld] Islamic

m onotheism concerning w hich disputes betw een the nations
and their messengers (yUiy^L) took place. Similarly, disputes
“His Saying: “As long as he does not shed blood that is

unlawful” means as long as he does not m urder the
believer, the non-M uslim w ho lives in the land o f the
Muslims and pays al-Jizyah, the non-M uslim w ho has a
covenant w ith the Muslims and the non-M uslim w ho
is granted permission to travel safely.”
117 I P a g e
took place between the nations and the followers o f the

messengers - from the past to the present.
Taw hld al-Uluhlyah is for the servant to single Allah out in

acts o f worship, such as supplication, vows, slaughtering,
hope, fear, awe, reliance, fervent desire, dread and
repentance. All o f these types [of worship] are based in
evidence from the Q u r’an.
So w hat is the difference betw een Taw hld al-Uluhlyah and

Taw hld al-Rububiyah?
The difference betw een the two is the following, and it

becomes clear through their definitions:
Taw hld al-Rubublyah: It is to single Allah out in His actions,

such as creating, providing, giving life, causing death, and
other similar actions.
Taw hld al-Uluhlyah: It is that the servant singles out Allah

w ith all acts o f worship. Therefore, you direct your
supplication to Him, your hope, your fear, your awe, your
slaughtering, your reliance, your fervent desire, your dread,
and your repentance.
W hen you supplicate, you supplicate to Allah alone, no one

except Him; w hen you make a vow, you only vow for Allah
118 I P a g e
alone, no one except him; w hen you slaughter, you slaughter

for Allah alone, no one except him; w hen you hope, you hope
in Him alone. And the fear that is the fear o f worship, you
single Him out alone w ith this type o f fear, and no one except
Him. This is the same for all other acts o f worship as well.
Here are some proofs from the Q u r’an for these acts of
worship:
W hat is the proof that supplication is only for Allah?
His (J\2ÛUL) statement,
“And your Lord says, ‘Call upon Me; 1 will respond to

you.’ Indeed, those w ho disdain My worship will enter
Hell [rendered] contem ptible.” [Surah Ghafir (40): 60]
W hat is the proof that vows are only for Allah (dUy^WUL)?
His (d\*y£WUL) statement,
119 1 P a g e
W hat is the proof that slaughtering is only for Allah
His statement,
“Say, ‘Indeed, my prayer, my rites o f sacrifice, my living and

my dying are for Allah, Lord o f the worlds. N o partner has
H e ...’” [Surah al-An am (6 ): 162-163]
And the proof from the Sunnah is “Allah has cursed whoever
slaughters for other than Allah.”'
W hat is the proof that fear is only from Allah

His statement,
' Collected by Muslim (#1987) in a Hadith narrated by All b.

Abu Talib
120 I P a g e
“So fear them not, but fear Me, if you are [indeed]
believers.” [Surah Al ‘Imran (3): 175]
W hat is the proof that hope is only for Allah
His iUUi,) statement,
“So whoever would hope for the m eeting w ith his Lord
- let him do righteous w ork and not associate in the
worship o f his Lord anyone.” [Surah al-K ahf (18): 110]
W hat is the proof that reliance is only for Allah
His (JlZy*>\£iL) statement,
“And upon Allah rely, if you should be believers.”

[Surah al-M a’idah (5): 23]
W hat is the proof that dread is only for Allah?
His statement,
121 I P a g e
“And be afraid o f [only] M e.” [Surah al-Baqarah (2): 40]

W hat is the proof that repentance is only for Allah
His (jQySfcUi) statement,
“And return [in repentance] to your Lord and submit

to H im .” [Surah al-Zum ar (39): 45]
W hat is the proof that fervent desire, dread and humility are
only for Allah
His statement,
“Indeed, they used to hasten to good deeds and

supplicate Us in hope and fear, and they were to Us
hum bly submissive .” 1 [Surah al-Anbiya (24): 90]
' See the treatise “The Three Principles” and “The Book o f
Islamic M onotheism [Kitab al-Taw hld]” by Shaykh
122 I P a g e
• The Third Category: Islamic M onotheism o f the names

and attributes o f Allah (Tawhld al-Asma W a al-Sifat)
Allah said,
“Say, ‘He is Allah, [who is] O ne. Allah, the Eternal

Refuge. He neither begets nor is born, nor is there to
H im any equivalent.’” [Surah al-Ikhlas (112) 1-4]
And Allah (Jl2j&£jLi,) said,
“And to Allah belong the best names, so invoke Him

by them. And leave [the com pany of] those w ho
practice deviation concerning His names. They will be
recompensed for w hat they have been doing.” [Surah
al-A 'raf (7): 180]
M uhammad b. ‘Abdul W ahhab for more details on the types

o f worship.
123 I P a g e
And Allah said,
“There is nothing like unto Him , and He is the

Hearing, the Seeing.” [Surah al-Shura (42): 11]
These attributes break dow n into three categories:
1. Attributes purely pertaining to His Self. 1
1 The w ord al-Bahtah means som ething that is absolutely

pure, containing nothing else. Therefore, these attributes are
absolutely pertaining to His Divine Self and are not
pertaining to actions.
Just as the Sell of the Creator is unlike the creation, the same
applies to the attributes o f the Lord l ^ ) . They do not
resemble the attributes o f the creation. [Our] knowledge
cannot encompass them, nor is there to H im any equivalent,
and there is nothing like unto Him, and He is the Hearing,
the Seeing.
O brother in Islam, here is a benefit from the book “Benefits”
by Ibn al-Qayyim:
W hen the slave sees som ething from the beautiful actions o f
the Lord, their magnificence, their perfection and their
124 I P a g e
tremendousness, he uses that as an evidence for the beauty of

[His] attributes, their perfection and their loftiness.
Then, he uses the beauty o f His characteristics as evidence for
the beauty and loftiness o f His Self.
He is lofty in Self [i.e. Allah is above His creation],
Status and M ight. He is the All-M ighty, above His servants;
He is the Most H igh, the M ost Trem endous, and He is the
Greatest, the Most Exalted
The beauty o f the Lord is four categories: beauty o f self,
beauty o f attributes, beauty o f actions and beauty o f names.
All o f His names are beautiful; all o f His attributes are perfect,
and all o f His actions are o f wisdom and benefit, and just and
mercy.
As it relates to the beauty o f His Self and its exactness, then it
is an affair that no one fully grasps or knows except Him . The
creation only have the knowledge that has come to them by
way o f w hat Allah revealed to His messengers
which He revealed in His pure books.
Allah will bestow on the people o f [Taw hid] Islamic
m onotheism and faith in Paradise an additional enjoym ent
and pleasure therein. He will be pleased w ith them and honor
them even further than the honor and pleasure that they are
already experiencing. He will further honor them by
allowing them to see His Noble Face and yearning to meet
125 I P a g e
2. Attributes pertaining to His actions.

3. Attributes that pertain to His actions and to His Self.
As for the attributes that are pure to His self, examples o f this
are hearing, sight, tw o eyes, tw o hands, two palms, fingers, a
face, a foot, and a shin; these are perm anent attributes o f Self.
As for the attributes that are actions, then examples of this are
the attributes o f creating. Allah (dl2jk>UdL) said,
Him, and they will have the pleasure o f that -by the
permission o f Allah- in the magnificent Paradise.
Thus, after that, they will forget all o f the pleasures and
enjoym ents they had seen in Paradise before that. They will
increase in excellence and beauty as time goes by in the abode
o f beauty, nobility and benevolence, near the Lord, the
Bestower of virtue, the Most Beautiful, the Bestower o f
Mercy to the believers, and the Bestower o f M ercy to all.
W e ask Allah, the Ever Living, Self Sufficient, the O w ner o f
Majesty and H onor, w ho is the All-Gentle, the Best
Bestower, the Most Generous, the Acceptor o f repentance, to
accept our and your repentance. W e ask that He bestows His
virtues upon us and you, so that we are from Allah’s believing,
m onotheistic slaves [M uwahhidun] w ho will have excellence
and an increase. O Allah, answer our supplication.
126 I P a g e
The Obligatory Matters That Every A4uslitu Should Know
“T hen is He w ho creates like one w ho does not create?

So will you not be rem inded?” [Surah al-Nahl (16): 17]
A nother example is the attribute o f com ing. Allah (d^yXÂ)

says,
“And your Lord has come and the angels, rank upon
rank.” [Surah al-Fajr (89): 22]
And He (d^y^^L ) says,
“Do they await but that Allah should come to them in

covers o f clouds.” [Surah al-Baqarah (2 ): 2 1 0 ]
A nother example is the attribute o f providing. Allah

says,
“Say, ‘W ho provides for you from the heavens and the

earth?’ Say, ‘Allah.’” [Surah Saba (34): 24]
A nother example is the attribute o f descending. This attribute

is found in the statement o f Messenger ( ^ j^ u ijp ) ,
“Y our Lord descends every night in its last third, or the

middle o f it, to the sky o f the w o rld ...” to the end of
the H adith . 1
Another example is the attribute o f rising. This attribute is

found in the statement o f Allah
4
“And then He rose above the T hrone.” [Surah al-

HadTd (57): 4]
As for the attributes that are attributes pertaining to His

chosen actions and perm anent attributes o f Self, then an
example o f this is speech. It is a perm anent attribute o f Self
and it is an attribute pertaining to His chosen actions, from
the angle that He speaks w hen wills.
1Collected by al-Bukhari (#1145) and Muslim (#758).

128 I P a g e
For this reason, the people o f knowledge say, “Allah is

described as possessing the attribute o f speech and that He
speaks w henever He wills, w ith w hat he wills.”
Allah said,
jl)di) JL> ^
bju LE>-
“Say, ‘If the sea were ink for [writing] the words o f my
Lord, the sea would be exhausted before the words o f
my Lord were exhausted, even if W e brought the like
o f it as a supplem ent.”’ [Surah al-K ahf (18): 109]
129 I P a g e
1. W hat are the three categories o f Islamic monotheism (al-

Tawhld)?
2. W hat are their definitions?
3. W hat is the mistake that some authors and writers, such a

Sayyid Q utb, make w hen explaining Tawhld?
4. W hat is the category o f Taw hld that the disbelieving

Quraysh confessed to?
130 I P a g e
5. O ver w hat category o f Taw hld did differing take place

betw een the Messengers and their people?
6 . M ention the verse in Surah al-Shura that highlights the

correct understanding o f the names and attributes o f Allah.
7. M ention the verse in Surah al-K ahf that is a proof for the
attribute o f speech for Allah.
131 I P a g e
Chapter: The Opposite o f M onotheism is Polytheism

(Shirk)
Text
Shirk [Polytheism] is Three categories:
• M ajor Shirk [Polytheism]

• M inor Shirk [Polytheism]
• Hidden Shirk [Polytheism]
1. The first category o f Shirk [polytheism] is major

polytheism.
Allah does not forgive it, and He does not accept any
righteous action coupled with its presence.
Allah said,
“Indeed, Allah does not forgive association with Him,

wills. And he w ho associates others w ith Allah has
certainly gone far astray.” [Surah al-Nisa (4): 116]
132 I P a g e
And He said,
“They have certainly disbelieved w ho say, ‘Allah is the

Messiah, the son o f M ary’ while the Messiah has said, ‘O
Children o f Israel, worship Allah, my Lord and your
Lord.’ Indeed, he w ho associates others w ith Allah -
Allah has forbidden him Paradise, and his refuge is the
Fire. And there are not for the w rongdoers any helpers.”
And Allah ( ^ \ 2 j s a i d ,
“And W e will turn w hat they have done o f deeds and

make them as dust dispersed.” [Surah al-Furqan (25):
23]
And Allah (^bSjAiWLL) said,
133 I P a g e
“If you should associate [anything] with Allah, your

w ork would surely become worthless, and you would
surely be am ong the losers.” [Surah al-Zum ar (39): 65]
And Allah said,
“But if they had associated others w ith Allah, then

worthless for them would be whatever they were
doing.” [Surah al-An am (6 ): 88]
Major Shirk [Polytheism] Is Four Categories:
• The First Category: Shirk [Polytheism] o f Supplication
The proof for it is the statement o f Allah
And when they board a ship, they supplicate to Allah,

sincere to H im in religion. But w hen He delivers them
to the land, at once they associate others w ith H im .”
[Surah al-'Ankabut (39): 65]
• The Second Category: Shirk [Polytheism] o f Intention

and Purpose
The proof for it is the statement o f Allah (

“W hoever desires the life o f this world and its

adornments - W e will fully repay them for their deeds
therein, and they therein will not be deprived. Those
are the ones for w hom there is not in the Hereafter but
the Fire. And lost is w hat they did therein, and worthless
is w hat they used to do.” [Surah H ud (l l): 15-16]
• The Third Category: Shirk [Polytheism] o f Obedience
They have taken their scholars and monks as lords

besides Allah, and [also] the Messiah, the son o f Mary.
And they were not com m anded except to worship one;
there is nothing w orthy o f worship except Him. Exalted
is He above whatever they associate w ith H im .” [Surah
al-Taw bah (9): 3l]
The explanation o f this verse, w hich carries no

ambiguity is as follows: This verse is referring to
136 I P a g e
obedience to scholars and servants in disobedience - not

supplicating to them.
Just as the Prophet explained to Adi b. Hatim

w hen Adi (&£&£) asked the Prophet, ‘Adi said:
“W e do not worship them .” So the Messenger o f Allah

m entioned to him that worship o f them is
obedience to them in affairs o f disobedience.
The Fourth Category: Shirk [Polytheism] o f Love
The proof for that is the statement o f Allah
> ai' ojs i_r'QL"Tr« \ Ijy

than Allah as equals [to H im ]. They love them as they
[should] love Allah.” [Surah al-Baqarah (2): 165]
137 I P a g e
2. The second category o f Shirk [polytheism! is m inor

polytheism, and it is to show-off.
“So w hoever would hope for the m eeting w ith his Lord
- let him do righteous w ork and not associate in the
worship o f his Lord anyone.” [Surah al-K ahf (18): 110]
3. The third category o f Shirk [polytheism! is hidden
polytheism.
The proof for it is the statement o f the M essenger o f
Allah (J&jA&itifee),
“The polytheism o f this nation is more hidden than the
crawling o f a black ant on a black rock in the darkness
o f the night.”
And its expiation is the statement o f the M essenger o f

Allah
“O Allah, I seek refuge with you from knowingly

associating anything as a partner w ith you. And I seek
your forgiveness from sins that I do not know about.”
138 I P a g e
Explanation
The author (ilife;) stated, “The opposite o f m onotheism is

polytheism .” And polytheism is three categories.
1. M ajor Shirk [Polytheism]
2. M inor Shirk [Polytheism]
3. H idden Shirk [Polytheism]
As for major Shirk [polytheism], then Allah does

not forgive it, nor does He accept a righteous
action w ith its presence.
The proof is the statement o f Allah
“Indeed, Allah does not forgive association w ith Him,

And He said,
139 I P a g e
The ( )blioatory Matters That Every M uslim Should Know
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“They have certainly disbelieved w ho say, ‘Allah is the

Messiah, the son o f M ary’ while the Messiah has said, ‘O
Children o f Israel, worship Allah, my Lord and your
Lord.’ Indeed, he w ho associates others with Allah -
Allah has forbidden him Paradise, and his refuge is the
Fire. And there are not for the w rongdoers any helpers.”
And His (J2J&U22,) statement,
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“And W e will turn what they have done o f deeds and

23]
And His (d\2j£UU2-) statement,
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The Obligatory Matters That Et’cry M uslim Should Knoir
“If you should associate [anything] w ith Allah, your w ork

would surely become worthless, and you would surely be
am ong the losers.” [Surah al-Zum ar (39): 65]
And w hen Allah m entioned the Prophets in Surah
al-An am, He (d\2jk>UU3,) m entioned at the end,
“But if they had associated others with Allah, then worthless

for them would be whatever they were doing.” [Surah al-
An am (6 ): 88]
Shirk [polytheism] ruins [a person’s] Islam and renders

actions fruitless. A person engaged in polytheism, his good
deeds are not accepted and his evil deeds are not forgiven; and
there is no hope for him to be saved from the Fire. Rather, he
will remain in the Fire eternally.
This is w hat has been recorded in these verses and those

similar to them. For this reason, Allah says about ‘ Isa
that he said,
141 I P a g e
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“O Children o f Israel, worship Allah, my Lord and

your Lord.” Indeed, he w ho associates others with
Allah - Allah has forbidden him Paradise, and his
refuge is the Fire.” [Surah al-M a’idah (5): 72]
And He informed that their actions (i.e. a

polytheists) will be rendered dust, which is dispersed. This is
in His (J \2 j£ l^ ) statement,
“And W e will turn w hat they have done o f deeds and

23]
And He (J\2j£U22,) said,
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142 I P a g e
“The example o f those w ho disbelieve in their Lord is

[that] their deeds are like ashes which the w ind blows
forcefully on a stormy day; they are unable [to keep]
from what they earned a [single] thing. T hat is w hat is
extreme error.” [Surah Ibrahim (14): 18]
An evidence that bears witness to the fact that polytheist,

engaged in the act o f major polytheism, will dwell in the Fire
eternally is His statement ($ 2 )$ -^ ),
“So do not invoke with Allah another deity and [thus]

be am ong the punished.” [Surah al-Shuara (26): 213]
And the Most Majestic in speech said,

which he has no proof - then his account is only with
143 1P a g e
So the negation o f success for them is a proof o f their eternal

wretchedness.
Then the author ( i l s c a t e g o r i z e d the first category - major

polytheism - into four categories:
1 . Shirk [Polytheism] o f Supplication
2. Shirk [Polytheism] o f Intention
3. Shirk [Polytheism] o f Obedience
4. Shirk [Polytheism] o f Love
As for polytheism o f supplication, then the proof is the

statement o f Allah (J\2j£UU2,),

which he has no p ro o f- then his account is only with
144 I P a g e
Shirk o f supplication encompasses both Shirk in the

supplication o f worship and Shirk in the supplication o f a
request and appeal.
As for Shirk [polytheism] o f intention and purpose, the proof

is the statement o f Allah
“W hoever desires the life o f this world and its

adornments - W e fully repay them for their deeds
therein, and they therein will not be deprived. Those
are the ones for w hom there is not in the Hereafter but
the Fire. And lost is w hat they did therein, and
worthless is w hat they used to do.” [Surah H ud (ll):
15-16]
As for Shirk [polytheism] o f obedience, then the proof is the
statement o f Allah
$ os f e # >
145 1P a g e
“They have taken their scholars and monks as lords

besides A llah...” [Surah al-Taw bah (9): 31 ]
And polytheism o f obedience is obedience to scholars and
worshippers w ithout any proof, m eaning to obey them in
disobedience.
As for Shirk [polytheism] o f love, then the proof for it is the
statement o f Allah

than Allah as equals [to Him]. They love them as they
[should] love Allah.” [Surah al-Baqarah (2): 165]
Here, the author ( i i c a t e g o r i z e s Shirk [polytheism] as
three categories. It is more correct - and Allah knows best -
to divide it into tw o categories:
i. The type which causes the individual to abide
eternally in the Fire and ruins all actions.
ii. The type which does not cause that.
Therefore we say, major Shirk [polytheism] and m inor
[Shirk] polytheism. This includes that which is apparent and
open and that which is hidden.
As for hidden polytheism, then it is categorized into two

categories:
The First:
S how ing-O ff That Is Considered M ajor Shirk [Polytheism]
This means that show ing-off is the [sole] incentive for the
action. So if a person is not seen doing the action, he or she
will not do it. This is the show ing off o f the hypocrites (the
M unafiqun). This is the reason they did not attend Isha
prayer and Fajr prayer.
The Prophet ( ^ b j s a i d ,
“The most burdensom e prayer on the hypocrites is

‘Isha prayer and Fajr prayer .” 1
This is because there is no light present at that time, for them
to be seen.
This is just as Allah (^\2jioWUL) said,
“And when they stand for prayer, they stand lazily,

show ing [themselves to] the people and not
1Collected by al-Bukhar! (#657).
147 I P a g e
rem em bering Allah except a little...” [Surah al-Nisa

(4): 142]
The Second:
Show ing-O ff that Occurs during the Action
The example o f this is that a person does a good deed;
however, he tries to beautify that action so he can be
applauded. This is som ething that occurs during the action.
So this person does not exit Islam, but it could reach a point
where his reward is ruined and void.
Yet, if he fights it and supplicates w ith supplications that have
been narrated, we hope that he will be saved by way o f it.
The Prophet used to teach his companions
to say this if they found a trace o f this in themselves,
“O Allah, 1 seek refuge w ith you from associating

partners with you whilst I know, and I seek your
forgiveness concerning that w hich I do not know .1
Indeed, You know, and I do not know, and You are
The Knower o f the unseen .”2
' Authenticated by al-Albam in “Sahih al-Adab al-M ufrad.”

2 Collected by al-Bukhari (#1096) in the Hadlth o f al-
Istikharah, on the authority o fjab ir b. ‘Abdullah.
148 I P a g e
[Here is another supplication]:
“O Allah, inspire me w ith my guidance, and save from

the evil o f myself.” 1
[Here is another supplication]:
“O Allah, the C reator o f the Heavens and the Earth,
The Lord o f everything and its O w ner, I bear witness
that none truly has the right to be worshipped except
You. I seek refuge w ith you from the evil o f myself
and from the evil o f the Devil (Shaytan) and his
polytheism .” 2
Therefore, if we say that Shirk [polytheism] is tw o categories
- major and m inor - then hidden Shirk [polytheism] enters
into both categories, as explained earlier.
Swearing by other than Allah, ascribing blessings to other
than Allah, m entioning the will o f other than Allah in par
with the Will o f Allah like a person saying, “W hat Allah
willed and what so and so willed will happen,” are all
considered m inor Shirk.
1Authenticated by al-Albam in Sahih and D a if Sunan al-

Tirm idhl (#3483).
2Authenticated by al-Alban! in Sahih and D a if Sunan al-
Tirm idhl (#3392).
149 I P a g e
The m eaning o f Shirk in ascription is to ascribe the blessing

to other than the one w ho granted and bestowed it, like
saying, “such and such a star is generous” and “such and such
a season is generous.” As generosity is only from Allah.
A nother form o f m inor polytheism is the statement, “If so and
so or some specific thing were not present, then a certain
thing would or would not happen.”
W hat is correct is that a Muslim servant should say, “If it were
not for Allah then so-so .” 1
1 See “Kitab al-Taw hld, W hich is the Right o f Allah O ver the
Servants” by Shaykh M uhammad b. ‘A bdul-W ahhab (ilife}).
It is one o f the best books w ritten on Taw hld [Islamic
monotheism] o f worship, that which safeguards its
boundaries.
150 I P a g e
Exercise Questions on Chapter

1. H ow many types o f Shirk are there according to Shaykh
Ahmad al-N ajm l (ilife^)?
2. W hat are the categories o f major Shirk listed in the text o f

“O bligatory Matters that Every Muslim should Know?”
And w hat are there proofs?
3. W hy didn’t the hypocrites attend 'Isha prayer and Fajr

prayer?
4. W hat is the supplication if one finds traces o f show ing off

in himself?
151 I P a g e
5. Does Allah forgive major Shirk, if a person dies upon it?

Provide proof for your answer.
152 I P a g e
Chapter: Disbelief (al-Kufr) is Two Types1

Text
• The First Type:
Disbelief that causes a person to exit the Religion.
It is five types:
> The First Type: Disbelief by W ay o f Denial
The proof for it is the statement o f Allah (J\2j£U22,),
“And w ho is more unjust than one w ho invents a lie

about Allah or denies the truth w hen it has come to
him? Is there not in Hell a [sufficient] residence for the
disbelievers?” [Surah al-‘A nkabut (29): 68 ]
> The Second Type: Disbelief o f Arrogance W hile
K now ing the Truth
1 For more benefit, see the book “A l-T aw hld” by al-Fawzan,

p. 15 for a summarized understanding o f the differences
betw een major disbelief and minor.
153 I P a g e
“And [mention] when W e said to the angels, ‘Prostrate

before Adam’; so they prostrated, except for Iblis. He
refused and was arrogant and became o f the
disbelievers.” [Surah al-Baqarah (2): 34]
> The Third Type: Disbelief o f D oubt (Shakh) and It Is

the Disbelief o f U ncertainty (Zatttt)
“And he entered his garden while he was unjust to

himself. He said, ‘I do not think that this will perish -
ever. And I do not think the H our will occur. And even
if I should be brought back to my Lord, I will surely
find better than this as a return.’
His com panion said to him while he was conversing
with him, ‘Have you disbelieved in He w ho created you
from dust and then from a sperm -drop and then
154 I P a g e
proportioned you [as] a man? But as for me, He is Allah,

my Lord, and I do not associate w ith my Lord anyone.”’
[Surah al-K ahf (18): 35-38]
> The Fourth Type: Disbelief o f T urning Away
The proof for it is the statement o f Allah (J^&UUi,),
<
“But those w ho disbelieve, from that o f w hich they are
warned, are turning away.” [Surah al-A hqaf (46):3]
> The Fifth Type: Disbelief o f Hypocrisy
The proof for it is the statement o f Allah (J\2jiiW22,),
“T hat is because they believed, and then they

disbelieved; so their hearts were sealed over, and they
do not understand.” [Surah al-M unafiqun (63:3]
• The Second Type: It is the disbelief that does not cause
a person to exit from the Religion, and it is the disbelief
as it relates to blessings, also know n as Kufr al-N i'm ah
[denial o f blessings].
The proof for it is the statem ent o f Allah (Jl^&UUL),
155 I P a g e
“And Allah presents an example: a city [i.e., Makkah]

which was safe and secure, its provision com ing to it in
abundance from every location, but it denied the favors
o f Allah. So Allah made it taste the envelopm ent of
hunger and fear for w hat they had been doing.” [Surah
al-Nahl (16): 112]
Explanation
Disbelief linguistically means: To cover and conceal.
Disbelief legislatively means: The opposite o f belief (Iman).
Therefore, disbelief is the absence o f belief in Allah and His
messenger. This is w hether it is accompanied by rejection, or
it is not accompanied by rejection. Rather, it could be by way
o f uncertainty, turning away, envy, arrogance, or following
some desires that block the path o f following the message -
even though the rejecter o f the truth is greater in disbelief.
156 I P a g e
The same applies to the denier, rejecter and envious, w ho

knows the truthfulness o f the messengers
Disbelief is divided into tw o categories:
Firstly, there is disbelief that causes a person to exit the fold

o f the religion, and this type o f disbelief - m eaning m ajor
disbelief - is five types:
> The First Type: Disbelief o f Denial
The proof for it is the statement o f Allah ($\2j&^2»),
“And w ho is more unjust than one w ho invents a lie

about Allah or denies the truth w hen it has come to
him? Is there not in Hell a [sufficient] residence for the
disbelievers?” [Surah al-‘Ankabut (29): 68 ]
Denial and rejection o f undeniable proofs from the Book o f
Allah (J\2jAiU2L) and the established Sunnah o f His Messenger
is disbelief by way o f denial, w hich causes a
person to exit from the religion, obligates that a person
' See “M ajmu' al-Fatawa” by Ibn Taym iyah (iiU>^), (12/335).

157 I P a g e
remain eternally in the fire, and obligates that his actions are
nullified.
That is because it is apostasy, and apostasy necessitates
nullification o f the actions and eternity in the Fire.
An example o f this is the enemies o f the Messengers who
denied the Messengers o f Allah w hen they came to
them w ith clear proofs. Examples o f these enemies are the
disbelievers o f the Quraysh w hen they denied the Messenger,
M uhammad
> The Second Type: Disbelief o f Haughtiness and

Arrogance while K now ing the Truth
The haughtiness and arrogance o f the Devil (Iblls), w hen he
refused to prostrate, is used as a proof for this, just as Allah
( d s a i d ,
“And [mention] w hen W e said to the angels, ‘Prostrate

before Adam’; so they prostrated, except for Iblls. He
refused and was arrogant and became o f the
disbelievers.” [Surah al-Baqarah (2): 34]
It is also exemplified in the statement o f His (d^j£U22,) in
Surah al-Naml about Fir awn (Pharaoh) and his people,
158 I P a g e
J—k>U LJlU
4 'Q ?
“And they rejected them, while their [inner] selves were

convinced thereof, out o f injustice and haughtiness. So see
how was the end o f the corrupters.” [Surah al-Nam l (27): 14]
Thus, Allah informed [us] about Fir'awn and his people, that
their souls were certain o f the truthfulness o f Musa, due to the
proofs that were w ith him w hich proved his truthfulness.
> The Third Category: Disbelief o f D oubt (Shakk), and it is
the Disbelief o f U ncertainty (Zann)
It is not befitting to use the expression Zann [to refer to
disbelief] this is because Allah (JlijÛUi) said about a group
o f the believers,
iThose w ho are certain [Yazunun] that they will meet

their Lord and that they will return to H im .” [Surah
al-Baqarah (2): 46]
Zann is w hen one possibility seems to be more correct than
the other, [and sometimes it means certainty, as in the verse].
159 I P a g e
As for doubt (Shakk), then it is to think that two things have

the same possibility to be true. Therefore, the w ord Zann
should not be used to explain doubt [as it relates to the topic
o f disbelief].
The proof for the disbelief o f doubt is the statement o f Allah
)' Sr1(1)^ ^ j. (*[k-li J ^

I I I by-
4 4 ^ id[d>^p_3 aujLj
<— LS4h? I »al Jli
•g drd: \lu -1 zjdj bfj dd t£>: ^ "f
“And he entered his garden while he was unjust to

himself. He said, ‘I do not think that this will perish -
ever. And I do not think the H our will occur. And
even if I should be brought back to my Lord, I will
surely find better than this as a return.’
His com panion said to him while he was conversing
with him, ‘Have you disbelieved in He w ho created
you from dust and then from a sperm -drop and then
proportioned you [as] a man? But as for me, He is
Allah, my Lord, and I do not associate with my Lord
anyone.’” [Surah al-K ahf ( l 8): 35-38]
The word Zann in these tw o verses is referring to Sltakk. This
person thinks that it is most probable that the hour will not
be established, m eaning the greater o f the tw o possibilities to

him is that the hour will not be established, nor is there a
garden superior to his.
> The Fourth Type: Disbelief o f T urning Away
The proof for it is the statement o f Allah (JlSjkUCl),
“But those w ho disbelieve, from that o f w hich they are

warned, are turning away.” [Surah al-A hqaf (46):3]
I say [Shaykh Ahmad al-Najm l]:
T urning way is divided into tw o categories:
1. A Com plete T urning Away
2. A Partial T urning Away
A complete turning way necessitates disbelief. As for a partial
turning away, then it is impermissible also, but it is possible
for the person w ho commits it to reach the level o f disbelief
and it is possible he does not.
> The Fifth Type: Disbelief o f Hypocrisy
“That is because they believed, and then they

disbelieved; so their hearts were sealed over, and they
do not understand.” [Surah al-M unafiqun (63:3]
Hypocrisy is manifesting Islam and concealing disbelief.
W hoever manifests Islam and conceals disbelief, then that is
hypocrisy in belief, and he is deserving o f a punishm ent and
eternity in the Fire.
W e seek refuge w ith Allah from that. Rather, the hypocrites
are threatened with the lowest level o f the Fire. W e ask Allah
for pardon and safety.
• Secondly, there is m inor disbelief that does not cause a
person to exit the religion. This is called disbelief in action.
They are the sins that have been referred to as disbelief in the
Book and the Sunnah, but they have not reached the level o f
major disbelief. Examples o f this are ungratefulness o f
blessings, fighting a Muslim and swearing by other than
Allah.
O ne o f the verses in the Q ur’an that mentions the
ungratefulness o f blessings is where Allah (d\2j£WUl) said,
“And Allah presents an example: a city [i.e., Makkah]

which was safe and secure, its provision com ing to it
in abundance from every location, but it denied the
favors o f Allah. So Allah made it taste the envelopm ent
o f hunger and fear for w hat they had been doing.”
[Surah al-Nahl (16): 112]
Reference to m inor disbelief is also found in the Sunnah. An
example o f that is the statem ent o f the Prophet
“Cursing a Muslim is disobedience and fighting him is
disbelief.”'
W hat is m eant by disbelief here is disbelief in the bond of
brotherhood o f faith. Therefore, if the believers, w hom Allah
has united by way o f faith fight one another, then indeed they
have disbelieved in this unity. In other words, they have
denied it.
1 Collected by al-BukharT (#48) and Muslim (#64) in a

narration narrated by 'Abdullah b. Mas ud (i^^gi).
163 I P a g e
This is why Allah (d\2jkUUi) still called them brothers, despite

them fighting [with one another],
Allah (Jlij&KEL) said is Surah al-H ujurat (49): 10,
“Indeed the believers are nothing but brothers.”

He said this after He (Jlij&^Ll) m entioned two parties: the
transgressing and the transgressed against in His statement,
“And if tw o factions am ong the believers should

fig h t...” Until He (dlijÛUi) said, “The believers are
but brothers, so make settlement between your
brothers.” [Surah al-H ujurat (49): 9-10.]
So He (d^kU U l) affirmed for them the brotherhood o f faith,
even in the presence o f them fighting against one another.
The Khawarij erred in their understanding o f this topic. They
excommunicate Muslims [i.e. declare them to be disbelievers]
due to major sins. This understanding has occurred due to
nothing but their ignorance, turning away from the Sunnah

o f the Messenger o f Allah, and their excom m unication o f the
Com panions and them not taking knowledge from them.
Therefore, they fell into - and we seek refuge w ith Allah -
repugnant innovation, w hich is excom m unicating the
Muslims, declaring the blood o f those whose lives are
inviolable to be lawful and m aking the taking o f their wealth
permissible; and that w hich results from that from
tremendous corruption.
Thus, the distinguishing betw een the disbelief that causes a
person to exit from the religion and the disbelief that does not
is a serious affair.
This is similar to ruling by other that w hat Allah revealed. Ibn
Abbas said about it, “It is not the disbelief that you
deem it to be. It is not a disbelief that causes a person to leave
the religion. It is disbelief lesser than [major] disbelief.” 1
Similarly, the statement o f the Prophet

“T w o things present am ong the people are disbelief:
m aligning lineage and wailing over the deceased .”2
1 Collected by al-H akim (2/342) and he said, “Its chain is

authentic.” A l-D hahabl agreed w ith him.
2Collected by Muslim (#67) in a narration narrated by Abu
Hurayrah (ilZkgti&j).
165 1P a g e
There is an im portant m atter that must be understood. The

action o f a person does not mean that he believes it to be
permissible, nor does it necessitate disbelief. T hat which
necessitates disbelief is believing som ething to be permissible.
Here is an example: W e see a person using interest,
fornicating or drinking intoxicants, time after time. It is not
permissible to attribute disbelief to him and declare him a
disbeliever, w ith disbelief that causes him to exit the religion.
In “Sahih al-Bukhari,” on the authority o f ‘U m ar b. al-
Khattab
“There was a man during the time o f the Prophet

whose name was Abdullah. He was
nicknamed Himm ar, and he used to make the
Messenger o f Allah laugh. The Messenger o f Allah had
lashed him before for drinking intoxicants.
He was brought to the Messenger one day,
and the M essenger lashed him. A man
from the people said, ‘O Allah curse him. H ow many
times will he be brought!’ U pon hearing this, the
Prophet 'yga) said, ‘Do not curse him. By Allah,
I have not come to know except that he loves Allah
and His M essenger.’”'
In another w ording o f the narration it reads,
1 Collected by al-Bukhan (#6780).
166 I P a g e
“So when he departed, a man said, “W hat is the m atter

with him?! May Allah disgrace him .” U pon hearing
this, the Messenger said, “Do not be a
helper o f the Devil against your brother .” ” 1
Just because a person is led by his desires, tem ptation or other
factors that cause a person to fall into m ajor sins does not
necessitate disbelief - even if he falls into these sins num erous
times. Unless that action is accompanied by rejection o f the
fact that it is impermissible and he deems it to be permissible,
and this is an affair that is know n from the religion by
necessity, [in this case] this person has disbelieved. However,
if they do not deem the act to be permissible, then this person
has not disbelieved.
The im portant point here is that disbelief o f blessing does not
necessitate leaving the religion o f Islam, it does not necessitate
eternity in the Fire, it does not ruin all actions and it does not
allow for a person to be called a disbeliever, except if that
person deems an act permissible that there is consensus about
its impermissibly, or he deems an act impermissible that there
is consensus about its permissibility.

167 I P a g e

1. M ajor disbelief is that which causes a person to leave the
religion. H ow many types o f it are there? W hat are the
proofs for each type?
2. W hat does the verse in Surah al-Hujarat [49: 10] prove?
3. W hich deviated group declares Muslims disbelievers due

to major sins lesser than Shirk?
4. Shaykh Ahmad al-N ajm l said they (i.e. the

aforementioned deviant group) fell into this error for what
reasons?
168 I P a g e
5. W hat is a proof that you should not aid the Devil against
your brother?
169 I P a g e
Chapter: Hypocrisy
Text:
Hypocrisy is o f tw o types: Hypocrisy in Belief and
Hypocrisy in Action.
Hypocrisy in belief is six types. W hoever commits them is
from the people w ho will be in the lowest depths o f the
Fire:
• The First: D enying the Messenger
• The Second: Rejecting some o f w hat the Messenger

brought.
• The Third: H ating the Messenger
• The Fourth: H ating some o f w hat the Messenger

brought.
• The Fifth: Happiness at the decline o f the religion o f the
Messenger
• The Sixth: Disliking that the Religion o f the Messenger
be victorious.
Hypocrisy in action is five types. The proof for this is
the statement o f the Messenger
170 I P a g e
“The signs o f the hypocrite are three. W hen he speaks,

he lies, w hen he promises, he does not fulfill it and w hen
he is trusted, he does not fulfill his trust.”
“W hen he disputes, he is insults, and w hen he has a pact,
he betrays his covenant.”
Explanation
His Saying, “In belief and action.” Its grammatical place in
the sentence is that it is Badl from the w ord ‘tw o types’.
It is correct to say hypocrisy is o f tw o types: in belief and in
action.
Hypocrisy in belief causes its perpetrator to be from the
people w ho are in the lowest depth o f the fire. W e seek refuge
w ith Allah from that.
This is the definition o f hypocrisy in belief: It is inward
rejection and denial, while m anifesting belief.
Allah mentions hypocrisy in belief, and He clarifies
the traits o f its people in Surah al-Baqarah, beginning w ith
His statement,
171 I P a g e
‘CD’ (** JjiiO* ot&C/ij £
“And o f the people are some w ho say, ‘W e believe in

Allah and the Last D ay,’ but they are not believers.”
The description continues to His statement
*Li>^ J&o
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“And if Allah had willed, He could have taken away
their hearing and their sight. Indeed, Allah is over all
things able.” [Surah al-Baqarah (2): 20].
He also clarified tremendously the traits o f the hypocrites in
Surah Bara [which is another name for Surah al-Taw bah]. He
repeatedly said: “And am ong them ,” “And am ong them ,” and
“And am ong them ,” just as it is found in His statement
^—~Sdi\ Xs ~^ Vj \ 6j-2>t ^ f*— j $•
“And am ong them is he w ho says, ‘Permit me [to

remain at home] and do not put me to trial.’
Unquestionably, into trial they have fallen. And
indeed, Hell will encompass the disbelievers.” [Surah

al-Taw bah (9): 49]
Likewise there is His statement,
“And am ong them are some w ho criticize you

concerning the [distribution of] charities. If they are
given from them, they approve; but if they are not
given from them, at once they become angry.” [Surah
al-Taw bah (9): 58]
And His ( J \ s t a t e m e n t ,
“And am ong them are those w ho made a covenant

with Allah, [saying], ‘If He should give us from His
bounty, we will surely spend in charity, and we will
surely be am ong the righteous.’
173 I P a g e
But when He gave them from His bounty, they were

stingy with it and turned away while they refused.
So He penalized them with hypocrisy in their hearts
until the Day they will meet Him - because they failed
Allah in what they promised Him and because they
[habitually] used to lie.” [Surah al-Taw bah (9): 75-77]
Throughout the course o f that, Allah ( j . c l a r i f i e d
many of their traits, until He said,
IP >4-5
“And when a Surah was revealed [enjoining them] to

believe in Allah and to fight w ith His Messenger, those
o f wealth am ong them asked your permission [to stay
back] and said, ‘Leave us to be w ith them w ho sit [at
hom e].”’ [Surah al-Taw bah (9): 86]
Up until He said,
174 I P a g e
“They will make excuses to you w hen you have

returned to them. Say, ‘Make no excuse - never will
we believe you. Allah has already informed us o f your
news [i.e., affair]. And Allah will observe your deeds,
and [so will] His Messenger; then you will be taken
back to the Knower o f the unseen and the witnessed,
and He will inform you o f w hat you used to
do.’’’[Surah al-Taw bah (9): 94]
Up until He said,
“And w henever a Surah is revealed, they look at each

other, [saying], “Does anyone see you?” and then they
dismiss themselves. Allah has dismissed their hearts
because they are a people w ho do not understand.”
[Surah al-Taw bah (9): 127]
T hroughout these verses Allah ( J \ c l a r i f i e d many of
their actions. He also m entioned them and clarified
many o f their traits in Surah al-Ahzab. He did the
same in Surah al-M unafiqun.
The definition o f hypocrisy in belief, as m entioned earlier, is
to manifest Islam and conceal disbelief. The hypocrite
professes that he loves Allah His Messenger and
that he is a believer, but his condition is contrary to that: He
175 I P a g e
rejects the Messenger and the Q ur’an. He hates

the Messenger and w hat he has brought, and he
hates the religion o f the Messenger
Because o f the corrupt creed o f the hypocrite, he assembles

w ith clear disbelievers such as the Jews, the Christians and the
polytheists.
And this is how it is. The hypocrite is happy at a decline in
the religion o f the Messenger and he is happy
that the religions o f disbelief are more apparent than the
religion o f Islam. He dislikes that the religion o f the
Messenger be victorious. This is hypocrisy in belief, w hich is
in their hearts. W e seek refuge w ith Allah from hypocrisy and
from corrupt belief.
As for hypocrisy o f action, then here is its definition: It is to
do an act o f the hypocrites while belief remains in the heart.
This does not remove a person from the religion; however, it
is a gateway to it, and the person w ho commits it has in him
belief and hypocrisy. And if a person commits it frequently it
will be a cause for him to become a pure hypocrite.
The proof for hypocrisy in action is the statement o f the
Prophet
“Four traits are the signs o f a pure hypocrite; and

whoever has a trait from them, then he has a trait of
hypocrisy in him until he leaves it off. W hen he is
trusted, he does not fulfill his trust. W hen he speaks, he
176 I P a g e
lies. W hen he makes a pact, he betrays his covenant.

W hen he disputes, he insults .” 1
And it has been m entioned in a H adith narrated by Abu
Hurayrah (i&g&j) that the Prophet f*) that he said,
“The signs o f a hypocrite are three: W hen he speaks,
he lies. W hen he promises, he breaks it. W hen he is
trusted, he betrays.2”
“W hen he disputes, he insults. W hen he has a pact, he
breaks the covenant .”3
Hypocrisy in action does not remove [a person] from Islam;
rather, the one w ho commits it is a disobedient Muslim.
The w ord al-nifdq comes from al-nafaq, w hich is al-juhr (a
hole), the correlation is that the perpetrator o f al-nifdq
manifests a thing and hides its opposite.
Hypocrisy in action is called hypocrisy because the person
w ho deceives in his speech makes it appear as if his speech is
1 Collected by al-Bukhari (#34) and Muslim (#58) in a Hadith

narrated by Abdullah b. Mas ud ( i l ^ ^ ) .
2 Collected by al-Bukharl (#33) and Muslim (#59).
3Collected by al-Tirm idhl (#2632), and it was authenticated

by al-Albanl in “Sahih and D a'lf Sunan al-T irm idhl.”
177 I P a g e
true, but it is not true. He promises, but at the time o f the

promise, he plans not to fulfill it. He manifests fulfillment, and
he conceals a lack o f fulfillment.
As for the person w ho makes a truthful promise and
som ething that busies him arises which prevents him from
fulfilling his promise, then this person is not a hypocrite.
Hypocrisy in action also applies to the one w ho is trusted then
betrays, and to the one w ho disputes and then acts indignant:
He swears by Allah, and gives a false testimony, claims for
him self som ething that does not belong to him and denies
that which is true about him.
Similarly his statement
“W hen he has a pact, he breaks the covenant.”

W hoever has a pact, and he wants to fulfill the covenant, but
a preventive factor arises, preventing him from fulfillment,
then this person does not enter into the term hypocrisy.
So whoever possesses these four characteristics in himself,
then evil has gathered in him and the traits o f the hypocrites
are purely in him. And whoever has one o f these traits in
himself, then he has a trait o f the hypocrites in him.
Indeed, it is possible for good characteristics and bad
characteristics to gather in a servant, and it is also possible for
traits o f belief, disbelief and hypocrisy to gather in him. He
178 I P a g e
deserves reward and punishm ent based on the factors that

necessitate each.
A nother example o f hypocrisy in action is laziness in
attending the congregational prayer in the Masjid, for indeed,
it is from the traits o f the hypocrites.
Hypocrisy is evil and very dangerous. The Com panions were
afraid to fall into it.
Ibn Abu Mulaykah (iuifc?^) said,
“I met thirty Com panions o f the M essenger o f Allah
Each one o f them feared hypocrisy from
himself .” 1
££)**$• oa
1 Collected by al-Bukhari w ithout its full chain o f narration,

( 1/ 18).
179 I P a g e

1. W hat are the six types o f hypocrisy in belief?
2. W hat is the definition o f hypocrisy in belief?
3. W hat are the traits o f hypocrisy in action? M ention the

Hadith that highlights them.
4. W hich Surahs were m entioned that highlight the traits o f

the hypocrites? M ention some verses from them.
5. W hat did Ibn Abi Mulaykah say about this topic?
180 I P a g e
Chapter: The M eaning o f al-Taghut and Its Head

Categories
Text:
Know, may Allah have mercy on you, that
the first thing obligated on the children o f Adam was
disbelief o f at-T aghut and belief in Allah.
The proof for this is the statement o f Allah (J.
“And W e certainly sent into every nation a messenger,

[saying], ‘W orship Allah and avoid al-T aghut.’” [Surah
al-Nahl (16): 36]
The way to disbelieve in al-Taghut is to believe in the
falsehood o f w orshipping other than Allah, to leave it
and to deem those w ho do so disbelievers and to have
enm ity towards them.
As for the m eaning o f believing in Allah, then this
means to believe that Allah is the only one w ho truly
deserves to be worshipped alone, w ithout any partners.
It is to make all worship solely for H im alone and to
negate worship for everything that is worshipped
besides Allah. You love the people w ho worship Allah
181 I P a g e
alone and aid them, and you dislike the people o f

polytheism and have enm ity towards them.
This is the religion o f Ibrahim. It is the religion that the
one w ho does not enter it has declared him self a fool.
His religion is the example that Allah informed us o f in
His (JiiySiUUl) statement,
“There has already been for you an excellent example in

Ibrahim and those w ith him, w hen they said to their
people, ‘Indeed, we are disassociated from you and from
whatever you worship other than Allah. W e have
denied you, and there has appeared betw een us and you
animosity and hatred forever until you believe in Allah
alone’” [Surah al-M um tahinah (60): 4]
A l-Taghut is general for all that is worshipped besides
Allah, and he is pleased with worship being directed
towards him. This is w hether he is worshipped,
followed or obeyed in that which is disobedience to
Allah and His Messenger.
A l-Taw aghlt are many, and their heads are five:
182 I P a g e
• The First: The Devil (al-Shaytan), the one w ho calls

people to the worship o f other than Allah.
The proof for this is the statement o f Allah (J\2j£U ^),
“Did I not enjoin upon you, O children o f Adam, that

you not worship Satan - [for] indeed, he is to you a
clear enem y.” [Surah Yasln (36): 60]
• The Second: A Tyrannical Ruler W ho Changes the

Rulings o f Allah
The proof for this is the statem ent o f Allah (
“Have you not seen those w ho claim to have believed

in w hat was revealed to you, [O M uhamm ad], and what
was revealed before you? They wish to refer legislation
to al-Taghut, while they were com m anded to reject it;
and Satan wishes to lead them far astray.” [Surah al-Nisa
(4): 60]
183 I P a g e
The Obligatory Matters That Beery M uslim Should Know
• The Third: The one w ho Rules by other than what

Allah Revealed
“And whoever does not judge by w hat Allah has

revealed - then it is those w ho are the disbelievers.”
[Surah al-M a’idah (5):44]
• The Fourth: He W ho Claims Knowledge o f the Unseen
Besides Allah
“[He is] Knower o f the unseen, and He does not disclose

His [knowledge o f the] unseen to anyone.” [Surah al-
Jinn (72): 26]
And the statement o f Allah
184 I P a g e
“And w ith H im are the keys o f the unseen; none knows

them except Him. And He knows w hat is on the land
and in the sea. N ot a leaf falls but that He knows it. And
no grain is there w ithin the darknesses o f the earth and
no moist or dry [thing] but that it is [written] in a clear
record.” [Surah al-A n‘am (6 ): 59]
• The Fifth: The O ne w ho is W orshipped and He Is
Pleased to Be W orshipped
“And whoever o f them should say, ‘Indeed, I am a god

besides H im ’ - that one W e w ould recompense with
Hell. Thus do W e recompense the w rongdoers.” [Surah
al-Anbiya (21): 29]
Know that a person does not become a believer in Allah
until he disbelieves in al-Taghut.
The proof for that is the statement o f Allah ($ 2 ^ 2 2 ,),
185 1P a g e
“So w hoever disbelieves in al-Taghut and believes in

Allah has grasped the most trustw orthy handhold with
no break in it. And Allah is H earing and K now ing.”
[Surah al-Baqarah (2): 256]
W hat is meant by the right course is the religion of

M uhammad and w hat is m eant by the
w rong course is the religion o f Abu Jahl. The most
trustw orthy handhold is to testify that none has the
right to be worshipped except Allah, and it includes two
affairs: negation and affirmation.
It includes a negation o f all acts o f worship for other
than Allah, and it affirms that all acts o f worship are to
be done for Allah alone; He has no partners.
And all praise is for Allah. By way o f His blessings,
righteous deeds are completed.
Explanation:
Shaykh M uhammad b. ‘A bdul-W ahhab said, “Know,
may Allah UUi.) have mercy on you, that the first thing
obligated on the children o f Adam was disbelief o f al-Taghut
and belief in Allah.
186 I P a g e
“And W e certainly sent into every nation a messenger,

[saying], ‘W orship Allah and avoid al-T aghut.’”
[Surah al-Nahl (16): 36]
This verse contains three benefits, and they are as follows:
i. The First Benefit: Allah informs us that He
sent a messenger to every nation, m eaning that there has
not been a nation except that Allah brought from it a
messenger. The Prophet said, “You complete
seventy nations. You are the best o f them and most noble
o f them to Allah .” 1
This shows that Allah sent to every nation a messenger to
call them to the worship o f Allah alone and to establish the
proof against them.
ii. The Second Benefit: His statement, “W orship Allah”
means that He sent a M essenger to every nation saying,
“W orship Allah.” In other words: “Single H im out in
worship, and do not worship anything besides him .”
1Collected by al-Tirm idhl (#3001) in a H adlth narrated by
Mu awryah b. Haydah Al-AlbanT graded it hasan in
“Sahlh and Da if Sunan al-Tirm idhl.”
187 1P a g e
iii. The Third Benefit: His statement, “And avoid al-

T aghut” means that there has not been a Messenger that
was sent except that he com m anded his nation to worship
Allah alone and to avoid al-Taghut. In other words:
Abandon them and believe that they are false.
The statement o f Shaykh M uhammad b. ‘A bdul-W ahhab,
“As for the way to disbelieve in al-T aghut,” then this
means to believe that it is falsehood to worship other
than Allah; it means to abandon it, to hate it, to deem
those w ho do so disbelievers and to have enm ity
towards them.
The statement o f Shaykh M uhammad b. ‘Abdul-W ahhab,
“As for the m eaning o f belief in Allah,” then it means to
believe that Allah is the only one w ho truly deserves to be
worshipped, alone, w ithout partners.
It is to make all worship solely for him, all types o f worship
are solely for Allah - He has no partners - and to negate
worship for everything that is worshipped besides Allah. You
love the people w ho worship Allah alone and aid them, and
you dislike the people o f polytheism and have enm ity towards
them.
Perhaps a person may say, “If I worship Allah and disbelieve
in al-Taghut, how can my Lord task me w ith disliking the
people o f polytheism and having enm ity towards them?
188 I P a g e
The answer is that disliking the people o f polytheism and

having enm ity towards them is obligatory upon every
Muslim. And affection towards the people o f Taw hld, loving
them and aiding them is also obligatory . 1
This is due to the statement o f Allah
“You will not find a people w ho believe in Allah and

the Last Day having affection for those w ho oppose
Allah and His Messenger, even if they were their
fathers or their sons or their brothers or their kindred.
Those - He has decreed w ithin their hearts faith ...”
[Surah al-M ujadilah (58): 22]
This verse is a clear proof that no one loves and aids
polytheists except someone w ho is weak in his faith and his
portion o f it is small. As for the people o f true faith, then they
despise the people o f polytheism and have enm ity towards
them.
1[PN ] Refer to the appendix.

189 I P a g e
This is the religion o f Ibrahim The religion that no

one rejects, except for he w ho has made a fool o f himself.
Allah said,
(J• } ' > ' 9.< Cr* ».^T1j. ^ if*^ y 'T»/ iy*J Vf
{ @ 5 v~i^n
“And w ho would be averse to the religion o f Ibrahim

except one w ho makes a fool o f himself. And W e had
chosen him in this world, and indeed he, in the
Hereafter, will be am ong the righteous.” [Surah al-
Baqarah (2): 130]
O Allah, make us from those w hom you chose, O [our] Lord
- those w hom you have chosen for them belief in you and
love o f you - those w hom you have chosen for them hatred
for that which is worshipped besides you and hatred for
everyone w ho worships other than you.
Shaykh M uhammad b. ‘A bdul-W ahhab said,
“This is the religion o f Ibrahim that whoever is averse to it
has made a fool o f himself. It is the example that Allah
informed about in His statement
190 I P a g e
“There has already been for you an excellent pattern in

Abraham and those w ith him, w hen they said to their
people ‘Indeed, we are disassociated from you and
from whatever you worship other than Allah. W e have
denied you, and there has appeared betw een us and
you animosity and hatred forever until you believe in
Allah alone.”’ [Surah al-M um tahinah (60): 4]”
This verse is a proof for enm ity and hostility towards the
polytheist and disbelievers. That is because Allah is the O ne
W ho created us. He also created the whole universe and that
w hich is in it from lofty creations and lower creations. He is
the O ne W ho created the creation and provided for them. He
is the O ne W ho gave them life. He is the O ne W ho makes
provisions easy for them. He com m anded them to worship
Him alone. Therefore, whoever worships other than Him
and believes in other than Him , then he has declared him self
a fool.
Is it true to those w ith intellect that Allah is the O ne W ho
creates, provides, gives life, gives death, and that He is the
O ne W ho com m anded the servants to worship Him alone,
w ithout any partners?
191 I P a g e
Is it correct to those with intellect that Allah is the O ne W ho

creates and provides, yet other than Him is worshipped from
that which has not created anything for you, nor for other
than you an atoms w eight o f anything, nor does it own
anything!
Allah said,
Iji JUJU Qji ij* ^

J* A \dj jJpi ^ p^ Xf O yL ltf n . |
i
“Say, [O M uhammad], ‘Invoke those you claim [as

deities] besides Allah.’ They do not possess an atom ’s
w eight [of ability] in the heavens or on the earth, and
they do not have therein any partnership [with Him ],
nor is there for Him from am ong them any assistant.”
[Saba (34): 22]
Allah (d\2j&^2,) said in Surah al-Fatir, after He m entioned
many things from His dom inion that are in existence,
192 I P a g e
“That is Allah, your Lord; to H im belongs sovereignty.

And those w hom you invoke other than H im do not
possess [as m uch as] the mem brane o f a date seed. If
you invoke them, they do not hear your supplication;
and if they heard, they w ould not respond to you. And
on the Day o f Resurrection they will deny your
association. And none can inform you like [One]
Acquainted [with all m atters].” [Surah al-Fatir (35):
13-14]
Then, He (J\2j£UUi) said,
{ 0 ? cX j oi
“O m ankind, you are those in need o f Allah, while

Allah is the Free o f need, the Praiseworthy. If He wills,
He can do away w ith you and bring forth a new
creation. And that is for Allah not difficult.” [Surah al-
Fatir (35): 15-16]
Allah ($Uy&£li) has certainly informed that those w ho are
called upon besides H im do not ow n an atoms w eight in the
Heavens nor on Earth, and He negated the delusional
thoughts o f partnership:
193 I P a g e
$ at £
“And they do not have therein any partnership [with

H im ].”
And He likewise negated any type o f aid or assistance:
“N or is there for Him from am ong them any assistant.”

He informed in Surah al-Fatir that those w ho are called upon
besides Him,
“Do not possess [as much as] the membrane o f a date

seed.”
And the membrane o f a date seed it the white lining or
covering found on the date seed.
O wnership is exclusively for Allah. The kings and royals o f
this world and all that they own, all o f them belong to Allah.
He negated that those w ho are called on besides H im can
hear, and He negated that even if they could hear - m eaning
if that which is called on was alive and you called on them to
relieve you from duress that only Allah is able to relieve -they
would not be able to answer your call.
194 I P a g e
These things that are called upon besides Allah will deny
those w ho make them a partner w ith Allah, meaning: rebuke
them and reject them. [Allah says],
“And on the Day o f Resurrection they will deny your

association. And none can inform you like [One]
Acquainted [with all m atters].”
All o f this is establishing and clarifying that Allah is the O ne
W ho deserves to be worshipped alone, w ithout any partners.
For this reason, there comes in the Hadlth,
“Indeed Allah com m anded Yahya b. Zakariyah
with five, and He com m anded him to com m and the
Children o f Isra'll to abide by them. But he was slow in doing
so. So ‘Isa said:
“Either you com m and them, or I shall com m and
them .”
Yahya (’pSiiJudt) said:
“I fear that if you precede me in this, then Allah will
punish m e.”
Thus, he gathered the Children o f Isra'll [and stated],
195 1 P a g e
“The first o f them is that you worship Allah and not

associate anything w ith him. The parable o f the one
w ho associates others w ith Allah is that o f a man w ho
buys a servant w ith his wealth, then he says to him:
‘W ork, and hand over the profit.’ So the servant works
and gives the profits to someone other than his master.
W hich o f you would like to have a servant like that ?” ’1
The M eaning o f al-Taghut
A l-Taghut linguistically is taken from the w ord al-tugydn,
which means to transgress the bounds, to transgress from
truth to falsehood, to transgress from belief to disbelief, and
other examples that are similar to that. And every Taghut is a
disbeliever w ithout doubt .2
A l-Taghut is a general word or noun. Therefore, everything
that is worshipped besides Allah and is pleased w ith that
worship, w hether it is worshipped, followed or obeyed in that
which is disobedience to Allah and His Messenger, then that
person or object is a Taghut.
A l-Taw aghlt are many, and their heads are five:
• The First:
1 Collected by al-Tirm idhl (#2863) in a H adlth narrated by

al-Harith b. al-Ash'ar! ( i l a n d it was authenticated by
al-Alban! (£*&$&) in “Sahlh and D a'if Sunan al-Tirm idhl.”
2See “A l-M untaqa” by al-Fawzan (2/278).
196 I P a g e
The First: The Devil (al-Shaytan) w ho calls people to the

worship o f other than Allah.
The proof for this is the statement o f Allah (j2jk>UUi),
“Did I not enjoin upon you, O children o f Adam, that you

not worship Satan - [for] indeed, he is to you a clear enemy.
And that you worship [only] Me? This is a straight path.”
[Surah Yasln (36): 60-61]
• The Second: A tyrannical ruler w ho changes the rulings o f
Allah.
The proof for this is the statement o f Allah (dUsj&ÛL),
“Have you not seen those w ho claim to have believed

in w hat was revealed to you, [O M uham mad], and
w hat was revealed before you? They wish to refer
legislation to al-Taghut, while they were com m anded
197 I P a g e
to reject it; and Satan wishes to lead them far astray.”

[Surah al-Nisa (4): 60]
So Allah named the one w ho rules by other than
w hat Allah revealed to His Prophet a Taghut.
This is if the one w ho is ruling by other than Allah is an
oppressive disbeliever1, like if he fell into the fourth nullifier
o f Islam2, or other than it from the nullifiers and things that
1As for the one w ho rules by other than w hat Allah revealed
oppressively and disobediently, then this is not one o f the
heads o f Taghut, nor is he considered a Taghut.
This is because every T aghut is a disbeliever, and when
applying excom m unication (Takfir) to the one w ho rules by
other than w hat Allah revealed, it is a must that all the
conditions are fulfilled and all o f the preventive factors
m entioned in the pure legislation have been removed.
The person w ho rules by other than Allah can be a disbeliever
or someone w ho is disobedient, sinful or oppressive.
Oppression and disobedience are levels and degrees,
according to the effects o f the general or specific corruption
caused, or a com bination o f the two, or their consequences.
Pay attention to these details.
2 The fourth nullifier is to believe that there is a guidance that
is more complete than the guidance o f the Prophet
or to believe that rulings other than his
198 I P a g e
cause a person to exit the religion. In that situation a person

is called a Taghut; rather, he is one o f their heads.
As for the followers and those w ho obey the one w ho rules
by other than w hat Allah revealed, the one w ho has made
permissible that which Allah made impermissible and made
impermissible that which Allah made permissible, then they
are in one o f two states:
1. The First State:
They obey them in this and they know that they have
replaced the rulings o f Allah and that they are in
opposition to the Messengers
So along w ith this obedience, they also believe in m aking
impermissible w hat Allah made permissible, and they also
believe in m aking permissible w hat Allah made
impermissible.
This state is disbelief that causes an exit from the religion.
2. The Second State:
They obey and follow those w ho have changed the
legislation o f Allah but they believe in the
%*) rulings are better. Such as those w ho believe the

rulings o f al-Taw aghlt are better than the rulings o f the
Messenger $£>). W hoever feels this way or believes it,
has disbelieved.
199 I P a g e
impermissibility o f that which Allah made impermissible

and they believe in permissibility o f that which Allah
made permissible. However, they obey them due to
desires and disobedience.
The example o f this is w hat many disobedient people do
w hen they are given permission to drink intoxicants, and
as a result they will not be punished. A nother example is
w hen they are given permission to steadily use interest [in
the place they reside].
They drink intoxicants hoping for pleasure, and they
indulge in interest seeking wealth - while they confess to
their sins. The example o f this is the condition o f many o f
the Muslims in this time. So the ruling on these people is
the same ruling as those similar to them from the people
o f sins and disobedience.
[W ithin] this category o f [Shirk] polytheism (i.e. polytheism
o f obedience), it is possible for a learned person whose
knowledge has not benefitted him and he follows his desires
to fall into this affair. Thus, he obeys a ruler or someone w ho
is in charge in m aking permissible that which Allah made
impermissible and m aking impermissible that which Allah
made permissible, hoping by way o f that to gain status, or
luxuries, or rulership and leadership.
Shaykh al-Islam Ibn TaymTyah (jUqjÛUi,) said,
“W hen a learned person leaves that w hich he learned
and he follows the ruling o f a ruler that opposes the
200 I P a g e
ruling o f Allah and His Messenger, he becomes an

apostate, a disbeliever and he deserves the punishm ent
o f Allah in this life and the hereafter.
Allah said,
“Alif, Lam, Mim, Sad. [This is] a Book revealed to you,

[O M uhammad] - so let there not be in your breast
distress therefrom - that you may warn thereby and as
a rem inder to the believers. Follow, [O mankind], w hat
has been revealed to you from your Lord and do not
follow other than H im any allies. Little do you
rem em ber.” [Surah al-A ‘raf (7): 1-3]
Even if he followed the rulings o f other than Allah due
to being hit, jailed, and harmed by various means so he
could leave off his knowledge o f w hat Allah and His
Messenger have legislated - legislation which is
obligatory for him to follow - he would deserve the
punishm ent o f Allah.
Rather, it is upon him to be patient, even if he is harmed
in the path o f Allah. This is the way o f Allah w ith the
prophets and their followers.
201 I P a g e
Allah said,
3 4 ol 0 4' >
“Alif, Lam, MTm. Do the people think that they will be

left to say, ‘W e believe’ and they will not be tried? But
W e have certainly tried those before them, and Allah
will surely make evident those w ho are truthful, and He
will surely make evident the liars.” [Surah al- Ankabut
(29): 1-3]”
To the end o f Shaykh al-Islam’s speech which is found
in M ajm u'’ al-Fatawa (35/372-373).
3. The Third: The one w ho rules by other than w hat

Allah revealed.
The proof for this is the statement o f Allah (J^& ULi),
“And w hoever does not judge by what Allah has

revealed - then it is those w ho are the disbelievers.”
[Surah al-M a’idah (5):44]
This is the one w ho rules by other than w hat Allah
revealed and believes that the rulings o f Islam are not
202 I P a g e
appropriate, or he makes it permissible to rule by other

than w hat Allah revealed.
4. The Fourth:
The one w ho claims knowledge o f the unseen along with
Allah. Allah denied knowledge o f the unseen
from others besides Himself.
The Most Exalted in speech said,
Say, ‘N one in the heavens and earth knows the unseen

except Allah,’ and they do not perceive w hen they will
be resurrected.” [Surah al-Nam l (27): 65]
And He ’l ) said,
“[He is] K now er o f the unseen, and He does not disclose

His [knowledge o f the] unseen to anyone.” [Surah al-Jinn
(72): 26]
And He ($\2J&^2,) said
203 I P a g e
“And with Him are the keys o f the unseen; none

knows them except H im .” [Surah al-An am (6 ): 131]
5. The Fifth: The O ne w ho is W orshipped, and He is

Pleased to be W orshipped
4 0
“And w hoever o f them should say, ‘Indeed, I am a god

besides H im ’ - that one W e would recompense with
Hell. Thus do W e recompense the w rongdoers.”
[Surah al-Anbiya (21): 29]
M ore than one o f the Salaf have enum erated these Tawaghlt,
such as Ibn al-Qayyim and other than him from the people
o f knowledge.
He (&'&£>) said, “A l-Taw aghlt are many, and their heads are
five1:
' I have m entioned them for benefit, due to a difference

betw een w hat the compiler o f the treatise and w hat Ibn al-
Q ayyim and other than him have m entioned. This is because
“a tyrannical ruler w ho changes the rulings o f Allah” enters
into “the one w ho rules by other than w hat Allah revealed.”
And this issue will come in its place am ongst the five heads of
TawaghTt that Ibn al-Q ayyim m entioned, “W hoever calls
people to worship himself.” This is w hether he is a ruler or
not.
Similarly, if you were to ponder, then you would see that
whoever calls people to the worship o f himself, if he was
responded to he would enter into those are worshipped
besides Allah and he is pleased w ith being worshipped.
Rather, he calls to that due to his transgression and his corrupt
inner self. And refuge is sought with Allah.
It must be made know n that a tyrannical ruler w ho changes
the rulings o f Allah is an issue that is detailed according to the
person’s belief. And this was discussed previously in the
chapter o f [Shirk] polytheism o f obedience and other than it.
Therefore, if he was a learned person or a worshipper w ho
called the people to his obedience, and they responded, then
he made permissible that which is impermissible, and he made
impermissible that which is permissible, then by way o f that
they have worshipped him and taken him as a lord besides
Allah, just as Allah said,
205 1P a g e
1. The Devil, may the curse o f Allah be on him, for indeed,

he is the head o f al-Taw aghit.
“They have taken their scholars and monks as lords besides

Allah, and [also] the Messiah, the son o f Mary. And they were
not com m anded except to worship one God; there is nothing
w orthy o f worship except Him. Exalted is He above whatever
they associate with H im .” [Surah al-Taw bah (9): 31 ]
By acting in this m anner, he is the severest in transgression
and corruption. This is because he has gathered betw een
being a person w ho calls people to the worship o f him self and
a person w ho rules by other than w hat Allah
revealed. So, he is from the heads o f the Taw aghlt from two
angles. This was the condition o f al-N am rud and Fir awn
with their people.
206 I P a g e
2. W hoever is worshipped besides Allah and is pleased with

that.
3. W hoever claims knowledge o f the unseen.
4. W hoever calls people to the worship o f himself.
This (i.e. calling people to the worship o f himself) is what
some o f the people o f desires do, such as the Rafidah, those
w ho are a part o f Sufi orders and other than them - those
w ho dictate to many heedless people, and their am ount is
plentiful! May Allah guide them to m onotheism and the
Sunnah.
Those people (i.e. the people o f desires, the heads o f Sufi
orders) designate for themselves attributes o f lordship and
a station o f worship. This is from the angle that they claim
for themselves that they bring about benefit, cause harm,
have the ability to affect others, to affect the universe, to
control affairs, etc.
They manipulate [the servants o f Allah] and become their
leaders by way o f falsehood. They claim a sign o f show ing
love and respect to them is to supplicate to them, to seek
deliverance from them and to seek aid from them , this is
w hether they are alive or after their death. This is clearly
calling to polytheism [Shirk].
207 I P a g e
The ( thligatory Matters That Every M uslim Should Know
Supplication, just as we find in an authentic Hadith, is

w orship1, and seeking deliverance is worship. It is not
permissible nor allowed to direct any form o f worship,
outward or inward, except to Allah. However, w hat they
do is untruthfully and deceptively name it honoring the
righteous, giving due right to the allies o f Allah, aiding
them and loving them. In reality, it is major polytheism
[Shirk] and a means to it.
Rather, they believe that leaving off this [Shirk]
polytheism is being rude and displaying hatred towards
them. This is from the deception o f the Devil that he has
fooled them and their followers with. This is present in
1 Collected by al-Tirm idhl (#3247) in a Hadith narrated by

al-N 'um an b. Bashir. He said, “I heard the Prophet
(yij 4icii|yi) saying, ‘Supplication is w orship.’” The he recited,
“And your Lord says, “Call upon Me; I will respond to you.”
Indeed, those w ho disdain My worship will enter Hell
[rendered] contem ptible.” [Surah Ghafir (40): 60]
A uthenticated by al-Albanl in “Sahih and D a if Sunan al-
T irm idhl.”
208 I P a g e
their books. W e seek refuge w ith Allah from polytheism

and from exaggeration in righteous people . 1
5. W hoever rules by other than w hat Allah revealed.
Know that a person does not become a believer in Allah
except if he disbelieves in al-Taghut.
Allah said,
“They w ho believe and do not mix their belief with

injustice those will have security, and they are [rightly]
guided.” [Surah al-A nam (6 ): 82]
Allah said,
<U)'j ( I <>1 AS rfilLi v '■ }
“There shall be no compulsion in [acceptance of] the

religion. The right course has becom e clear from the
w rong. So, w hoever disbelieves in Taghut and believes
in Allah has grasped the most trustw orthy handhold
1 For additional benefit, see “An Explanation o f The Six

Foundations” by the virtuous Shaykh Salih al-Fawzan. May
Allah give him success and raise his status w ithin the Muslim
nation.
209 I P a g e
with no break in it. And Allah is H earing and

K now ing.” [Surah al-Baqarah (2): 134]
“The right course” means to believe in Allah, and it is the
religion o f M uhammad and those w ho follow
him.
“The w rong path” means disbelief in Allah, and it is the
religion o f Abu Jahl and those w ho traverse his path.
“The most trustw orthy handhold” is to bear witness that none
has the right to be worshipped except Allah. This statement
includes a negation and an affirmation. You negate all types
o f worship directed to other than Allah and you
affirm all types o f worship, all o f them, for Allah alone, W ho
has no partners.
All praise is for Allah, He w ho by way o f His blessings
righteous actions are completed, and by rem em bering Him
life is prosperous.
This is the end o f the explanation o f “O bligatory Matters that
Every Muslim Must K now .” May Allah exalt the m ention o f
and grant safety to our Prophet and beloved, M uhammad, the
best o f creation . 1
1The com pletion o f the review and the com m ents that Allah
made easy on this treatise were finished on 2/12/1425 AH
210 I P a g e

1. M ention a verse that obligates disbelief in al-Taghut.
2. W hat are three benefits that Shaykh Ahmad al-Najm i

m entioned from Surah al-Nahl [ l 6 : 36]?
3. W hat is the definition o f al-Taghut?
4. W hat are the five heads o f al-Taghut according Ibn al-

Q ayyim (ilifc«4,)?
5. W hat was first thing that Allah obligated in the children o f

Adam?
211 I P a g e
Appendix One
The Ruling o f Loving O ne’s Non-M uslim
Relatives with an Innate, Natural Love
Shaykh M uhammad Bazmul (-»«' said,
“Is it permissible for a Muslim to love a non-M uslim [with

natural lovej?
The answer is yes; this is allowed.”
He continued to say,
“The proof is the saying o f Allah,
“This day all good foods have been made lawful, and
the food o f those w ho were given the Scripture is lawful
212 1P a g e
for you and your food is lawful for them. And lawful in
marriage are chaste w om en from am ong the Believers
and chaste w om en from am ong those w ho were given
the Scripture before you, w hen you have given them
their due compensation, desiring chastity, not unlawful
sexual intercourse or taking secret lovers. And whoever
denies the faith - his w ork has become worthless, and
he, in the Hereafter, will be am ong the losers.” [Surah
al-M a‘idah 5:5]
The part o f the ayah that is a proof in this case is,
“And chaste w om en from am ong those w ho

were given the Scripture.”
This is a proof from the perspective that Allah has allowed

Muslim men to marry chaste w om en from the people o f the
Book, and it is accepted that a relationship betw een a man
and his wife will not be void o f a type o f love and affection
that [naturally] occurs betw een a man and the wife. So w hen
Allah allowed the marriage to chaste w om en from the people
o f the Book - recognizing that the relationship will not be
void o f w hat was m entioned - then this shows that this is not
the type o f love that will exit a person from the fold o f the
Religion. This is w hy I defined the love that will exit a person
213 I P a g e
from the Religion to be the loving o f the Religion and belief

that the disbeliever professes .” 1
Another proof is the saying o f Allah,
“Indeed, (O M uhammad), you cannot guide

those w hom you love, but Allah guides whom
He wills. And He is most know ing o f the
rightly guided.” [Surah al-Qasas 28:56],”2
Shaykh Salih al-Fawzan •kkia.) stated,
“Indeed, you.” O Messenger.
1 Refer to al-W ala‘ Wa al-Bara‘ (p. 13) o f M uhammad

Bazmul.
2 Ibn al-Jawz! (d.597H) said in Zad al-Mastr (6/112), “About
His saying, “Those whom you love,” there are two
interpretations:
The First: those w hom you love to be guided.
The Second: those w hom you love due to their kinship [i.e.
natural, innate love].”
214 I P a g e
“C annot guide.” You do not control guidance.

“Those w hom you love.” From your relatives and your uncle.
The intent behind love here is natural, innate love and not
religious love. It is not permissible to love a polytheist with
religious love, even if they are the closest o f relatives:
“You will not find a people w ho believe in

Allah and the Last Day loving those w ho
oppose Allah and His Messenger, even if they
were their fathers or their sons or their brothers
or their kindred.” [Surah al-M ujadilah
58:22]...”'
' Refer to I'analt al-Mnstaftd (1/356) o f Salih al-Fawzan.

215 I P a g e
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226 I P a g e
Our Call to the Ummah

[1]: W e believe in Allah and His Names and Attributes, as
they were m entioned in the Book o f Allah and in the Sunttah
o f the M essenger o f Allah w ithout tahrlf (distortion),
nor ta'unl (figurative interpretation), nor tamthll (m aking a
likeness), nor tashblh (resemblance), nor ta'til (denial).
[2 ]: W e love the Com panions o f the M essenger o f
Allaah and we hate those w ho speak against
them. W e believe that to speak ill o f them is to speak ill o f the
Religion, because they are the ones w ho conveyed it to us.
And we love the Family o f the Prophet (3 5 ^ 2u i^) w ith love
that is perm itted by the Shartah.
[}]: W e love the People o f Hadlth and all o f the Salaf o f the
Ummah from Ahl al-Simnah. Imam al-Shatib! (d-79 oH) -
i j s - said, “The Salaf al-Sdlih, the Com panions, the tdbi'in
and their successors knew the Qur'an, its sciences and its
meanings the best.”
U]: W e despise 'ilm al-kalam (knowledge o f theological
rhetoric), and we view it to be from am ongst the greatest
reasons for the division in the Ummah.
[>]: W e do not accept anything from the books o f fiqh
(jurisprudence), nor from the books o f tafsir (explanation o f
the Qur'an), nor from the ancient stories, nor from the Slrah
(biography) o f the Prophet except that which has
been confirmed from Allah or from His Messenger
W e do not mean that we have rejected them, nor
227 I P a g e
do we claim that we are not in need o f them. Rather, we

benefit from the discoveries o f our Scholars and the jurists and
other than them. However, we do not accept a ruling, except
with an authentic proof.
[6]: W e do not write in our books, nor do we cover in our
lessons, nor do we give sermons w ith anything except the
Qur'an, or the authentic and authoritative hadlth. And we
detest w hat emanates from many books and admonishers in
terms o f false stories and weak and fabricated ahadith.
H : W e do not perform tahfir upon any Muslim due to any
sin, except Shirk with Allah, or the abandonm ent o f Prayer,
or apostasy. W e seek refuge in Allah from that.
[8] : W e believe that the Qur'an is the Speech o f Allah, it is not
created.
M : W e hold that our ‘obligation is to co-operate w ith the
group that traverses the m ethodology o f the Book and the
Sunnah, and w hat the Salafo f the Ummah were upon; in terms
o f calling to Allah and being sincere in worship o f
Him, and w arning from Shirk, innovations, and
disobedience, and to advise all o f the groups that oppose this.’
‘So co-operating upon righteousness and piety (taqwd) and
mutual advising necessitates w arning against evil and not co
operating w ith the w icked.’
[10 ]: W e do not deem it correct to revolt against the Muslim
rulers as long as they are Muslims, nor do we feel that
228 I P a g e
revolutions bring about reconciliation. Rather, they corrupt

the com m unity.
[11]= W e hold that this multiplicity o f present day parties is a
reason for the division o f the Muslims and their weakness. So
therefore we set about ‘freeing the minds from the fetters o f
blind-follow ing and the darkness o f sectarianism and party
spirit.’
[12 ]: W e restrict our understanding o f the Book o f Allah and
o f the Summit o f the M essenger o f Allah to the
understanding o f the Salaf o f the Ummah from the Scholars
o f hadlth, not the blind-followers o f their individuals. Rather,
we take the truth from wherever it comes. And we know that
there are those w ho claim Salaftyah, yet Salaflyah is free from
them, since they bring to the society w hat Allah has
prohibited. W e believe in ‘cultivating the young generation
upon this Islam, purified from all that we have mentioned,
giving to them a correct Islamic education from the start -
w ithout any influence from the disbelieving western
education.’
[il]: W e believe that politics is a part o f the Religion, and
those w ho try to separate the Religion from politics are only
attem pting to destroy the Religion and to spread chaos.
[14 ]: W e believe there will be no honor or victory for the
Muslims until they return to the Book o f Allah and to the
Sutmah o f the Messenger o f Allah (jbk&Jjii$3 ).
[is]: W e oppose those w ho divide the Religion into

trivialities and im portant issues. And we know that this is a
destructive Da'wah.
[ 16 ]: W e oppose those w ho put dow n the knowledge o f the
Sunnah, and say that this is not the time for it. Likewise, we
oppose those w ho put dow n acting upon the Sunnah o f the
Messenger o f Allah \y>).
[1 7 ]: O ur Da'wah and our 'Aqidah is more beloved to us than
our own selves, our wealth and our offspring. So we are not
prepared to part w ith it for gold, nor silver. W e say this so
that no one may have hope in buying out our Da'wah, nor
should he think that it is possible for him to purchase it from
us for dinar or dirham.
[18 ]: W e love the present day Scholars o f the Sunnah and hope
to benefit from them and regret the passing away o f many o f
them. Imam Malik said (d.i 79 H) - “The knowledge o f
hadlth is your flesh and blood and you will be asked
concerning it on the Day ofjudgm ent, so look w ho you are
taking it from .”
[19 ]: W e do not accept a fatwd except from the Book o f Allah
and the Sunnah o f the Messenger o f Allah
These are glimpses into our 'Aqidah and our Da'wah. So if
one has any objection to this, then we are prepared to accept
advice if it is truthful, and to refute it if it is erroneous, and to
avoid it if it is stubborn rejection. And Allah knows best.
230 I P a g e
T h e O bligatory M atters That E v e ry M u slim S h o u ld K n o w

Al Wajibat Exp. Sh. Ahmad Al Najmi HS

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T he Su c c ess g ran ted b y th e o ft-

In Explanation o f the O bligatory M atters That

© 2015 IIIN Publications

N o part of this Booh may be reprinted or reproduced or

First Edition: 1436F1/August 2015CE

Translation: Jamil Finch

Biography of Shaykh Ahmad al-NajmT 5

The Foundation of the Religion and Its Basis 16

The Mighty and Majestic.

Biography O f Shaykh al-‘Allamah Ahmad b. Yahya al-

All praise is due to Allah and abundant peace and blessings

1 [PN] This biography is taken from al-Fatawa al-Jaliyah o f

All praise is due to Allah, I continued to study in the school

So I remained in this region for approximately three years

Chapter: The Three Fundamental Principles W hich are

o f them, and our Prophet, the best exaltation and most

1 The compiler o f this treatise is 'Abdullah b. Ibrahim al-

This refers to those things that it is not permissible for anyone

In this treatise, our Shaykh (i.e. Ahmad al-Najrm) attributes

2. Universal, decreed signs: These are the signs that Allah

“W e will show them O ur signs in the horizons and

that which He dislikes and rejects except by His (d^^WLL)

As it relates to knowledge o f the religion, then it is to know

1 Meaning: Singling out the Lord w ith worship, the O ne

As it relates to knowledge o f your Prophet, M uham m ad

1The Arab consists o f Aribah, M uta rribah, and Musta rabah.

Exercise Questions on the Chapter1

2. W ho is the compiler o f this book?

3. W hose speech did the compiler gather?

4. W hose explanation o f this concise treatise has been

5. W hat are the three principles that every Muslim must

6 . W hat is the definition o f Islam?

1 [PN] The questions at the end o f each chapter have been

7. W ho is your prophet, and w hat is his lineage?

8 . W hat are the tw o types o f signs by w hich a person knows

Chapter: The Foundation o f the Religion and Its Core

“And [m ention, O M uhammad], w hen Ibrahim said to

“So whoever disbelieves in Taghut and believes in Allah

Exercise Questions on the Chapter

Chapter: The Conditions o f “N one Truly has the Right

1. N egation, w hich is found in the statement: “N one has the

• The third is sincerity, which negates polytheism. So the

“W hen the hypocrites come to you, [O M uhammad],

love this statement - and we would have never been

' W hat is m eant by the obligatory actions are the obligatory

he accepts the trade o f Allah: that Allah purchases from him

statement that comprises o f a negation o f Allah’s right to be

“So know , [O M uhammad], that there is none truly

The Sufis have entered horrendous corruption into the

Exercise Questions on the Chapter

2. W hat are the seven conditions o f the testimony o f faith

3. W hat is the eighth condition m entioned by Shaykh

4. W hy did Shaykh Ahmad al-N ajm i iid’Tri) m ention this

5. W hat did Shaykh Ahmad al-N ajm l say about Sufis

Chapter: Proofs for These Conditions from the Book o f

“So know, [O M uhammad], that there is none truly

“But only those w ho testify to the truth [can benefit],

‘U thm an {&<!&&), w ho said that the Messenger o f Allah

“W hoever passes away, whilst know ing that none