Sunday, August 20, 2017

Reality of Imaan...

Muhaddith Sulayman al-‘Alwan commenting on the words of Shaykhul-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah when he said:
“And the Kuffr of Iblees and Fir’awn and the Jews; its asl (foundation) was not because of the non-existence of tasdeeq and knowledge. This is because no one had informed Iblees with any news. Rather, Allah ordered him to prostrate to Adam but he refused and became proud and he was from the Kaafireen. So his Kuffr was out of refusal and pride and that, which comes as a result of it and not because of taktheeb. And also like this was Fir’awn and his people. They rejected it while their own selves were certain of it, due to wrongdoing and conceit. And Musa said to him, “And you have known that no one brought that down except the Lord of the Heavens and the Earth.” So what must be said here is one of two matters: (And this is the saying of the murjiah): Either it is to be said that al-istikbar and al-iba’ (i.e. refusal to comply) and al-hasad (i.e. envy) and things like that, from which Kuffr would be directly associated with the non-existence of knowledge and tasdeeq, which is Imaan (according to them). 

Otherwise, whoever has full knowledge and tasdeeq; then it would be a must for him to submit and to obey if he is able to. Just as having full intention makes it a must for him to attain his goal if he is able to. So it is known that if the goal is not achieved when the presence of ability exists, that there was no real intention in the heart (behind it). And likewise, if we do not see the result of tasdeeq and knowledge from the love in the heart and its obedience, this would indicate (according to their thinking) that what exists in the heart is not tasdeeq and it is not knowledge. Rather, there is misunderstanding and doubt. And this is exactly like the groups have stated and it is the asl of the saying of Jahm and as-Salahi and al-‘Ashari in what is famous from him and most of his companions such as the judge, Abu Bakr and those who followed him from the ones who consider the apparent and hidden actions from the product of Imaan and not it (i.e. Imaan) itself. And they considered from those things, that Imaan is non-existent when they are non-existent to be from the prerequisites of tasdeeq, which they do not consider possible for tasdeeq to be present internally while Kuffr exists, ever.” [Majmu’ al-Fatawa Vol. 7/534-535]

Shaykh Sulayman al-‘Alwan commented:
“In these words, Ibn Taymiyah refutes the ghulat murjiah and Jahmiyyah; those who say that the Kuffr al-‘Amalī (Kuffr of actions) can not exist without taktheeb or al-iba’ or al-istikbar or al-‘itiqad. So the Shaykh makes clear that (the one who) leaves what the Messenger came with, disbelieves due to this Kuffr, even if he is musaddiq (someone with tasdeeq). With lots of evidence and from it was the Kuffr of Abu Talib, because he was a musaddiq; however his Kuffr was due to his adherence to his people and not because of the absence of tasdeeq. And like that, he (i.e. Ibn Taymiyah) said that the Kuffr of Iblees was not due to the absence of tasdeeq and knowledge because Iblis was knowledgeable with the evidence of His saying, “[Iblees] said, “By Your Might, then I will surely mislead them all.” [Saad:82]. And with the evidence of his tasdeeq that he said, “Give me then respite till the Day the (dead) are resurrected.” [Saad:79] and this indicates that he was musaddiq. And he was from the angels from before, according to an opinion of a group of the ‘Ulama and according to another saying; that he was from the Jinn but from the close Jinn (to Allah), “Except Iblees. He was one of the jinn; he disobeyed the Command of his Lord.” [Al-Kahf 50] 

He (i.e. Ibn Taymiyah) says, “This is because no one had informed Iblees with any news. Rather, Allah ordered him to prostrate to Adam but he refused and became proud,” meaning that his Kuffr was due to his avoidance of obedience and istikbar and not due to the absence of tasdeeq or knowledge as the people of irja and the Jahmiyyah and others claim; those who do not make takfeer because of the abandonment of all the actions. The Shaykh wanted to make it clear that abandoning the jins al-‘Amal (i.e.the category of actions) is Kuffr with the evidence of His saying, “And they rejected them”  –  in other words, “Pharaoh and his people” –  “wrongfully and arrogantly, though their own selves were convinced thereof.” So here, the yaqeen was not sufficient. So it is a must that he acts – meaning that he completes the wajibaat (i.e. obligatory duties) and leaves the nullifiers (of Islam). So if he is a musaddiq in that Allah is the reality, and that the Messenger (saws) is a reality and yet he still did not follow him (i.e. the Prophet), “Say, ‘If you (really) love Allah then follow me, Allah will love you.” [Al Imran:31] 

For instance, if he does not make Salaah or fast or pay the Zakaah or make Hajj, then he is leaving the jins al-‘Amal (i.e. category of ations) and this one is a Kaafir. Or if he does not rule with the law of Allah, so that he rules with the fabricated laws, this one is a Kaafir. Even if he says that the Messenger is the truth and that Allah is al-Khaliq (i.e. The Creator) and ar-Razzaq (i.e. The Sustainer) and al-Mudabbir (i.e. the Controller of all Affairs), but this is (only) Tawheed ar-Rububiyyah. Or if he believes that Allah is the only One whom it is wajib to single out for worship and yet this one only believes and it is not sufficient, just like if a man said or if a man worships an idol and says, “I know that Allah is the one who brings benefit or harm,” and yet he continues to worship that idol, then this one is a Kaafir. And even if he says, “I do not believe in this thing (i.e. the idol), such-and-such.” The action on its own is Kuffr. That is why Ibn Taymiyyah says concerning His saying, “And you have known that no one brought that down except the Lord of the Heavens and the Earth.” 

He said, “So what must be said here is one of two matters: (What the people of irja say) Either it is to be said that al-istikbar and al-iba’ (i.e. refusal to comply) and al-hasad (i.e. envy) and things like that, from which Kuffr would be directly associated with the non-existence of knowledge and tasdeeq, which is Imaan (according to them). Otherwise, whoever has full knowledge and tasdeeq; then it would be a must for him to submit and to obey if he is able to. Just as having full intention makes it a must for him to attain his goal if he is able to. So it is known that if the goal is not achieved when the presence of ability exists, that there was no real intention in the heart (behind it). And likewise, if we do not see the result of tasdeeq and knowledge from the love in the heart and its obedience, this would indicate that what exists in the heart is not tasdeeq and it is not knowledge.” In other words, true tasdeeq, because of the true tasdeeq; the results of it are the actions of the body. 

So the true Mumin who believes that there is Jannah and Hell; (ordinarily) it is a necessity for him to act, however his desires might overtake him. As Allah said, concerning the Kuffaar, “That is because they loved the life of this world over that of the Hereafter.” So Allah informed the reason for the Kuffr was their preferring the life of this world over that of the Hereafter. And this might happen with weak tasdeeq or with a deficiency in knowledge. But tying this in with the (complete) absence of tasdeeq and knowledge; it is like Ibn Taymiyah has said, “It is the asl of the saying of Jahm and as-Salahi and al-‘Ashari in what is famous from him and most of his companions such as the judge, Abu Bakr and those who followed him from the ones who consider the apparent and hidden actions from the product of Imaan and not it (i.e. Imaan) itself.”

No comments:

Post a Comment