Questions on Creed 000 Istiwa' 000 The Meaning of Tawhid 000 ?
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The questioner: Indeed, our success and our salvation
The Shaykh: You have spoken well. Indeed, our success and our salvation, and following the Sunnah of our Messenger, but if you were to ask them, "What is the Sunnah in this prayer that you just performed?" They do not know. The important thing is that they sit after the prayer and open *Riyad al-Salihin*, which is a good book. They read two or three hadiths, without explanation, without clarification, and without elucidation. They read it as they find it in the book, and then they disperse the people. And just as they say about us in the Levant, "Titi titi, just as you went, you came back." What did you understand from the hadith, my brother?The Shaykh : Why did they not explain it to us? Why did they not explain? Because one who lacks a thing cannot give it, my brother. And so, instead of wasting their time reading hadiths they do not understand, let one or two out of the thousands among them specialize in knowledge: tafsir, hadith, language, and so on. Then they gather the people around them and call them to Islam and call them to insight. But in this manner, what does the Tabligh group convey? Islam. Good. But what is the creed that a Muslim must believe in? Is it, for example, the Ash'ari creed, or the Maturidi creed, or the creed of the people of hadith, as I told you earlier? Everyone is according to what they find, either from their father, mother, and grandfather, or from Al-Azhar, or from the Islamic University, or so on. And as for him, his mind is completely empty; he has neither this nor that. What is the reason?
First, it is not part of their system that they understand the creed of their group. It is not part of their system, it is not part of their curriculum. Second, it is not part of their da'wah that they make people understand the Sunnah and bid'ah. The old Arab Muslim poet said:
"I knew evil not for the sake of evil, but to avoid it. And whoever does not know evil from good falls into it."
And this poetic wisdom is taken from the hadith of Hudhayfah ibn al-Yaman (may Allah be pleased with him), who said about himself: "The people used to ask the Messenger of Allah about good, and I used to ask him about evil, so that it might not overtake me..." And as the poet also said: "Sa'd led them in, and Sa'd was wrapped up. This is not how you lead in camels, O Sa'd."
Do you want to call to Islam? Do you want to know what Islam is, starting with faith? Some of the brothers might remember this hadith: and so on. I heard one of these brothers say, "If you explain the word 'faith in Allah'... you could write volumes on it." And it is sufficient to note that Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah has a volume titled *Kitab al-Iman*. And there are old books by hadith scholars like Ibn Abi Shaybah, Abu 'Ubaydah al-Qasim Salim, and others, all under the title *Kitab al-Iman*. What is faith? Faith in Allah? Muslims believe in Allah, Christians believe in Allah, Jews believe in Allah. Every religion other than atheism believes in Allah. But each one of these people's faith in Allah differs from the faith of the others. So what is the faith that is the first condition of faith? Is this topic studied at all? Does this faith, for example, include faith in the oneness of Allah's essence? Does it include faith in the oneness of Allah's divinity, such that none is worshipped but Him? Does it include the oneness of Allah in His attributes? The Tabligh group does not revolve around any of these things at all. So, my brother, what is the Islam you are calling to? Just, my brother, to the one who does not pray: "Come, pray." This is a word of truth with no objection, but where are you regarding His saying: So our advice is that they should study jurisprudence. Not all of them, the thousands, and perhaps millions, not hundreds. These are the ones who direct them to following the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah. As for going out, only the people of knowledge go out. This was the guidance of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him). As for conveying the message, every person conveys what he knows. But this conveying is not organized in this manner. What do they want to do? A group of workers leave their families and children and go to Europe and America. Sit, my brother, in your own home, and the mosque is next to you. Sit there and study the religion of Allah and learn as the Companions of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) did. We repeat and say: The best guidance is the guidance of Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him). Who understood this fundamental principle better than us? Without a doubt, it is the Companions of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), then those who follow them, then those who follow them. My brothers, we say that fourteen centuries have passed since Islam. No matter how much corruption there is in this time and how much there is of differing methods, and so on, we are today in the fourteenth century. In all these centuries, no group of people of knowledge has come out like this, in the tens or hundreds, touring the lands in the cause of da'wah. Why did they not do this? Therefore, the people of knowledge say, "Every good is in following the Salaf, and every evil is in the innovation of the Khalaf." No one disputes the cause of da'wah, because Allah the Exalted says: [Ali 'Imran 3:104] But the discussion becomes about the method of da'wah, the way of da'wah, and what has been introduced into it of matters that were not in the time of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him). The clearest of these is that one who has no knowledge goes out. What does he go out to learn? My brother, sit in your house, and the mosque is next to you. Sit there and learn from the people of knowledge.
The questioner: If you go to a second village and sit in a mosque, or even the same mosque, what is the objection?
The questioner: My brother, this is not the issue. May Allah be pleased with you. Do not make us enter into points that are not a matter of disagreement. Perhaps you do not know me. When I was in Syria, I used to go to Homs, Hama, Idlib, and Latakia. What is the objection? You will say to me, "What is the objection?" There is no objection. But I tell you, the closest are the most deserving of kindness: your family, your neighbors, and so on. And to whom do you call? Your family. Have you taught them? Now, without blame, and the discussion is between you and me: Have you taught your family the creed? Have you taught them how the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) prayed? I tell you, no. Why? On the assumption that you are from the Tabligh group. I do not know, but let us assume you are from the Tabligh group. The Tabligh group does not learn how the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) prayed, nor do they teach how to perform Hajj to the House of Allah al-Haram. They do not learn, nor do they teach, and so on. So, on the assumption that you are an individual from the Tabligh group, your family with whom you live, who embrace you and you embrace them, and so on, and who are the closest people to you. Have you fulfilled this duty so that you can leave and go to another village and say, "What is the objection?" I tell you, there is no objection. But start with yourself, then with those next to you. Why do you leave your country? Is it because of the lack of knowledge in your country, so that you go to other lands, so that you go to Europe? No, my brother. Those among us are sufficient for us. We need hundreds of scholars and preachers, hundreds, so that it is sufficient for us to fulfill the obligation. Then, for example, we move to Zarqa, to such and such, not to Europe. Where are these preachers? This is our discussion, my brother. One who lacks a thing cannot give it. We have a joke in the Levant that they mention, saying that a man from the Kurds was enthusiastic for Islam, but he was a Kurd who knew little of Islam. He found a man from the Jews on the road, and the dagger was in his bosom. He drew the dagger and said to the Jew, "Will you submit or shall I kill you?" He said to him, "What should I say?" He said, "By Allah, I do not know." So what benefit is this enthusiasm? It did not benefit him. He did not know how to teach this Jew Islam. What is it? So we tell him, before this enthusiasm, sit and learn what Islam is? Then convey it to people in the best manner. And this is sufficient to explain what is taken against the Tabligh group. Otherwise, entering into the details is not for us... because in that case, the matter requires historical research, and whether the chain is sound or not sound is not for us in this regard. But the thing that is completely clear is this going out with groups who know little of Islam.
The questioner: This accusation is innocent of it... .
The Shaykh: You have spoken well. Indeed, our success and our salvation, and following the Sunnah of our Messenger, but if you were to ask them, "What is the Sunnah in this prayer that you just performed?" They do not know. The important thing is that they sit after the prayer and open *Riyad al-Salihin*, which is a good book. They read two or three hadiths, without explanation, without clarification, and without elucidation. They read it as they find it in the book, and then they disperse the people. And just as they say about us in the Levant, "Titi titi, just as you went, you came back." What did you understand from the hadith, my brother?The Shaykh : Why did they not explain it to us? Why did they not explain? Because one who lacks a thing cannot give it, my brother. And so, instead of wasting their time reading hadiths they do not understand, let one or two out of the thousands among them specialize in knowledge: tafsir, hadith, language, and so on. Then they gather the people around them and call them to Islam and call them to insight. But in this manner, what does the Tabligh group convey? Islam. Good. But what is the creed that a Muslim must believe in? Is it, for example, the Ash'ari creed, or the Maturidi creed, or the creed of the people of hadith, as I told you earlier? Everyone is according to what they find, either from their father, mother, and grandfather, or from Al-Azhar, or from the Islamic University, or so on. And as for him, his mind is completely empty; he has neither this nor that. What is the reason?
First, it is not part of their system that they understand the creed of their group. It is not part of their system, it is not part of their curriculum. Second, it is not part of their da'wah that they make people understand the Sunnah and bid'ah. The old Arab Muslim poet said:
"I knew evil not for the sake of evil, but to avoid it. And whoever does not know evil from good falls into it."
And this poetic wisdom is taken from the hadith of Hudhayfah ibn al-Yaman (may Allah be pleased with him), who said about himself: "The people used to ask the Messenger of Allah about good, and I used to ask him about evil, so that it might not overtake me..." And as the poet also said: "Sa'd led them in, and Sa'd was wrapped up. This is not how you lead in camels, O Sa'd."
Do you want to call to Islam? Do you want to know what Islam is, starting with faith? Some of the brothers might remember this hadith:
A man came while we were sitting with the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). He was a man with very white clothes and very black hair, and no one recognized him, nor did they see any sign of travel on him. He sat down with the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), placed his knees against the Prophet's knees, and put his hands on his thighs. He said: "O Muhammad, tell me about faith." He said: "Faith is..." He said: "Tell me about Islam." He said: "Islam is..."
إنه جاء رجل بينما نحن جلوس عند رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم إذ جاء رجل شديد البياض الثياب شديد سواد الشعر لا يعرفه أحد ولا يُري عليه آثار السفر حتى جلس إلى النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم فأسند ركبتيه إلى ركبتيه ووضع يديه على فخذيه وقال : يامحمد أخبرني عن الإيمان . قال : الإيمان " كذا " قال : أخبرني عن الإسلام. قال الإسلام " كذا "Pray as you have seen me pray.
صلوا كما رأيتمون أُصليTake from me your rituals of pilgrimage, for I do not know whether I will meet you after this year of yours.
خذوا عني مناسككم فإني لا ادري لعلي لا ألقاكم بعد عامكم هذاAnd let there be [arising] from you a nation
ولتكن منكم أُمةThe questioner: If you go to a second village and sit in a mosque, or even the same mosque, what is the objection?
The questioner: My brother, this is not the issue. May Allah be pleased with you. Do not make us enter into points that are not a matter of disagreement. Perhaps you do not know me. When I was in Syria, I used to go to Homs, Hama, Idlib, and Latakia. What is the objection? You will say to me, "What is the objection?" There is no objection. But I tell you, the closest are the most deserving of kindness: your family, your neighbors, and so on. And to whom do you call? Your family. Have you taught them? Now, without blame, and the discussion is between you and me: Have you taught your family the creed? Have you taught them how the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) prayed? I tell you, no. Why? On the assumption that you are from the Tabligh group. I do not know, but let us assume you are from the Tabligh group. The Tabligh group does not learn how the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) prayed, nor do they teach how to perform Hajj to the House of Allah al-Haram. They do not learn, nor do they teach, and so on. So, on the assumption that you are an individual from the Tabligh group, your family with whom you live, who embrace you and you embrace them, and so on, and who are the closest people to you. Have you fulfilled this duty so that you can leave and go to another village and say, "What is the objection?" I tell you, there is no objection. But start with yourself, then with those next to you. Why do you leave your country? Is it because of the lack of knowledge in your country, so that you go to other lands, so that you go to Europe? No, my brother. Those among us are sufficient for us. We need hundreds of scholars and preachers, hundreds, so that it is sufficient for us to fulfill the obligation. Then, for example, we move to Zarqa, to such and such, not to Europe. Where are these preachers? This is our discussion, my brother. One who lacks a thing cannot give it. We have a joke in the Levant that they mention, saying that a man from the Kurds was enthusiastic for Islam, but he was a Kurd who knew little of Islam. He found a man from the Jews on the road, and the dagger was in his bosom. He drew the dagger and said to the Jew, "Will you submit or shall I kill you?" He said to him, "What should I say?" He said, "By Allah, I do not know." So what benefit is this enthusiasm? It did not benefit him. He did not know how to teach this Jew Islam. What is it? So we tell him, before this enthusiasm, sit and learn what Islam is? Then convey it to people in the best manner. And this is sufficient to explain what is taken against the Tabligh group. Otherwise, entering into the details is not for us... because in that case, the matter requires historical research, and whether the chain is sound or not sound is not for us in this regard. But the thing that is completely clear is this going out with groups who know little of Islam.
The questioner: This accusation is innocent of it... .
Source
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