Explanation of the Book of Tawhid-25
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The Shaykh : And from Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him), from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), who said: Mishkat al-Masabih 4599 The meaning of a fortune-teller has been mentioned previously: he is the one who informs about the unseen matters of the future. They were men in the Arab tribes upon whom devils would descend and inform them of what they had heard of the news of the heavens. Yes. And his saying: Sunan Ibn Majah 639Hasan (Darussalam) "Believes him"—what is the meaning of believing him? It means attributing truth to him. And he said: "And believing the news means confirming and verifying it, so it is said that this is indeed true, established, and right." And his saying: "What" is general, covering everything he says, even what might possibly be true. It is not permissible to believe him, because the original state of them is lying. Musnad Ahmad 657, 658Lts isnad is Da'if because Abu Muwarri’ is unknown], lts isnad is Da\'if because Abu Muwarri\' is unknown and it is repeat of previous report] (Darussalam) "Disbelieved in what was revealed" means in that which was revealed. And that which was revealed to Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) is the Qur'an, which Allah the Exalted revealed to him through whom? Through Jibril (Gabriel). [Ash-Shu'ara 26:192-193] [An-Nahl 16:102] So the Qur'an descended from Allah through Jibril. And by this we know that the stronger opinion regarding the Hadith Qudsi is that it is the speech of Allah the Exalted in meaning, while its wording is from the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), but he reported it from Allah. Because if we did not say that, the Hadith Qudsi would have a higher chain of transmission than the Qur'an, or not?
The student: Yes.
The Shaykh : Since the Messenger reports it directly from his Lord, while the Qur'an is through Jibril. And because if the Hadith Qudsi were the speech of Allah the Exalted in wording, the rulings of the Qur'an would be established for it, or not? Because the Shari'ah does not distinguish between identical things. And it is known that the rulings of the Qur'an do not apply to the Hadith Qudsi; it is not worshipped by reciting it, it is not read in prayer, and its wording is not inimitable.
And if it were the speech of Allah, it would be inimitable, because the speech of Allah is not matched by the speech of humans. Also, by the consensus of the scholars, as far as I know, if a polytheist came seeking safety to hear the speech of Allah, and we recited to him all the Hadith Qudsi, would it be correct for us to say that he heard the speech of Allah? No. So this indicates that it is not the speech of Allah. And this is the correct view. The scholars have two opinions on this: this is one of them, and the second is that it is the speech of Allah in wording. If someone asks: How do you justify this when the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) says: "Allah the Exalted said"? The speech is attributed to Allah, and what is said is? This hadith that is being cited. We say: This is like what Allah the Exalted said about Musa (Moses) and Pharaoh, and about Ibrahim (Abraham). It says: "Ibrahim said," "Pharaoh said," and "Musa said," even though we know that this wording is not their speech or their saying. It is not their speech or their saying. We know that it is not their speech or their saying because their language was not Arabic; it was not the Arabic language. Rather, it was translated from them. And this is clearly indicated by the fact that the stories in the Qur'an differ, or not? In length, brevity, and wording, which indicates that Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He, conveys them by what? By meaning. Yes.
The questioner : From which category of revelation does the Hadith Qudsi fall?
The Shaykh : It is in a rank between the Prophetic Hadith and the Qur'an.
The questioner : General revelation.
The Shaykh : That is the apparent view, and Allah knows best. It is general, but direct.
And his saying:Jami` at-Tirmidhi 135Hasan (Darussalam) The scholars of the people of the Sunnah, may Allah have mercy on them, mentioned that every word in the Qur'an containing "was revealed" indicates the elevation of Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He, by His Essence. Why? Because the Qur'an is the speech of Allah, without doubt, and revelation comes from above. So that indicates the elevation of Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He. And his saying: Jami` at-Tirmidhi 135Hasan (Darussalam) "The point is: That which was revealed to Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him), Allah said about it: [An-Naml 27:65] And this is a restriction by one of the strongest methods of restriction, because it implies both negation and affirmation. [An-Naml 27:65] So, is the one who believes the fortune-teller regarding knowledge of the unseen a disbeliever by this? By this statement, or not? He is a disbeliever by this statement. Then, if he knew this when he believed him, because he might be ignorant and not know, there is no doubt that it is disbelief that expels one from the religion, because it is an explicit denial of the Qur'an, since he claimed that this person knows the unseen. So it is explicit disbelief, major shirk that expels one from Islam, because it is a denial of the Qur'an. And whatever is a denial of the Qur'an is disbelief. And if he was ignorant and did not believe that the Qur'an contained any falsehood, then his disbelief is a lesser disbelief. And the majority, as it appears to me, and Allah knows best, of those who do that are mostly ignorant; it never crossed their minds that only Allah knows the unseen. Yes. And it can be said: The matter is the opposite, because one who lives in an Islamic environment understands, yes, they know that only Allah knows the unseen. The common people now, in their gatherings, in their markets, and in their mosques, say: "Only Allah knows the unseen." Yes.
The questioner : If this man claims that this knowledge of the unseen is established from Allah, Blessed and Exalted is He...
The Shaykh : This is a more severe disbelief, because it means he claimed to be a prophet.
The questioner : No, he says it is a karamah (miracle granted to a righteous person).
The Shaykh : Never. A karamah is not revelation.
The questioner : Regarding the common person, if he believes him.
The Shaykh : The same thing, except if he has no knowledge and is ignorant, because you see some common people are very ignorant and know nothing at all. But a person who lives in the environment and knows such matters is a disbeliever.
The questioner : If he saw a dream and wanted to interpret... I saw a dream.
The Shaykh : The dream, as we know,Jami` at-Tirmidhi 2271Sahih (Darussalam) and it can be true, and it is true if the dream is true. But that does not mean that if we believe this dreamer, it is believing the fortune-teller. Because this opinion has a witness from the Sunnah that dreams are verified and clarified. And he is a righteous man who says: "I saw in a dream such and such," and then what he claims of the unseen happens. The fortune-teller claims that he has knowledge of the unseen, whereas this man does not say that. He says: "I saw it in a dream," and he is a righteous man who is believed, so he does not fall under this category.
The questioner : If he interprets it, O Shaykh. He interprets it in a way other than what he saw, and the interpretation comes true...
The Shaykh : Yes, this is not permissible. Interpreting a dream in a way other than its meaning is forbidden and not permissible.
The questioner : Interpreting the meaning, but not in its wording or what he saw.
The Shaykh : In fact, a dream is sometimes exactly matching what was seen, such as seeing that a man was born a child, and a child is born. And sometimes it is parables that are not exactly matching reality, but they are parables by which reality is inferred. Like what the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) saw, the two bracelets of gold, and he interpreted them as two liars. And like what the man in prison saw, and what did he see?[Yusuf 12:43] If the dreamer wanted to interpret this on its surface, he would say: "Tomorrow, go to the market and you will find fat cows and thin cows, and these will eat." But a dream is sometimes parables. And like what the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) saw, his sword, and he shook it, and there was a notch in it in the Battle of Uhud. Yes.
The questioner : Okay, like this... is there anything wrong with it?
The Shaykh : There is nothing wrong with it, no, because it is from prophethood, so it is true. Yes.
The questioner : What type of disbelief?
The Shaykh : We mentioned that it is major shirk if he knows the Qur'an and that no one in the heavens and the earth knows the unseen except Allah, because it is a denial of the Qur'an. Otherwise, it is a lesser disbelief.
The questioner : And if he is ignorant and does not know?
The Shaykh : If he is ignorant, this statement is disbelief, but this man is not a disbeliever.
The questioner : The one who believes him... if he is ignorant.
The Shaykh : If he is ignorant, he is not declared a disbeliever. We say this belief is disbelief, but it does not follow from the statement being disbelief that the speaker is a disbeliever. Just as the scholars mentioned that if someone denies the obligation of the prayers or denies the prohibition of riba (usury or interest), and he is a young person raised in Islam, they said he is not declared a disbeliever, even though the prohibition of riba in the Qur'an is an explicit text, or not? And likewise the obligation of the prayers[An-Nisa 4:103] So if he is ignorant, meaning a Muslim who does not know about this matter, he is not declared a disbeliever. And by this, we have repeatedly mentioned to you that it is not permissible to declare a person a disbeliever, hey, except after the presence of the condition and the absence of the barrier. Yes.
It says: And from Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him), yes, before that "And for the four, and al-Hakim, who said: Authentic according to their conditions, from Abu Hurayrah:Sunan al-Bayhaqi 15:740 And for Abu Ya'la with a good chain, from Ibn Mas'ud, similar, as a mawquf (report stopping at a Companion)"
If anyone resorts to a kahin and believes him m what he says
من أتى كاهناً فصدقه بما يقولor who goes to a fortuneteller and believes what he says, he has disbelieved
من أتى كاهناً فصدقه بما يقول فقد كفرHe is truthful.
إنه صادقBy what he says.
بما يقولhas disbelieved in what was revealed to Muhammad
فقد كفر بما أُنزل على محمد صلى الله عليه وسلم(192) And indeed, the Qur'an is the revelation of the Lord of the worlds. (193) The Trustworthy Spirit has brought it down
وَإِنَّهُ لَتَنْزِيلُ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ نَزَلَ بِهِ الرُّوحُ الأَمِينُSay, [O Muhammad], "The Pure Spirit has brought it down from your Lord
قُلْ نَزَّلَهُ رُوحُ الْقُدُسِ مِنْ رَبِّكَThe student: Yes.
The Shaykh : Since the Messenger reports it directly from his Lord, while the Qur'an is through Jibril. And because if the Hadith Qudsi were the speech of Allah the Exalted in wording, the rulings of the Qur'an would be established for it, or not? Because the Shari'ah does not distinguish between identical things. And it is known that the rulings of the Qur'an do not apply to the Hadith Qudsi; it is not worshipped by reciting it, it is not read in prayer, and its wording is not inimitable.
And if it were the speech of Allah, it would be inimitable, because the speech of Allah is not matched by the speech of humans. Also, by the consensus of the scholars, as far as I know, if a polytheist came seeking safety to hear the speech of Allah, and we recited to him all the Hadith Qudsi, would it be correct for us to say that he heard the speech of Allah? No. So this indicates that it is not the speech of Allah. And this is the correct view. The scholars have two opinions on this: this is one of them, and the second is that it is the speech of Allah in wording. If someone asks: How do you justify this when the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) says: "Allah the Exalted said"? The speech is attributed to Allah, and what is said is? This hadith that is being cited. We say: This is like what Allah the Exalted said about Musa (Moses) and Pharaoh, and about Ibrahim (Abraham). It says: "Ibrahim said," "Pharaoh said," and "Musa said," even though we know that this wording is not their speech or their saying. It is not their speech or their saying. We know that it is not their speech or their saying because their language was not Arabic; it was not the Arabic language. Rather, it was translated from them. And this is clearly indicated by the fact that the stories in the Qur'an differ, or not? In length, brevity, and wording, which indicates that Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He, conveys them by what? By meaning. Yes.
The questioner : From which category of revelation does the Hadith Qudsi fall?
The Shaykh : It is in a rank between the Prophetic Hadith and the Qur'an.
The questioner : General revelation.
The Shaykh : That is the apparent view, and Allah knows best. It is general, but direct.
And his saying:
in what was revealed to Muhammad
بما أنزل على محمدhe has disbelieved in what was revealed to Muhammad
كفر بما أنزل على محمدSay, "None in the heavens and earth knows the unseen except Allah
قُلْ لا يَعْلَمُ مَنْ فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالأَرْضِ الْغَيْبَ إِلاَّ اللَّهُNone in the heavens and earth knows the unseen except Allah
لا يَعْلَمُ مَنْ فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالأَرْضِ الْغَيْبَ إِلاَّ اللَّهُThe questioner : If this man claims that this knowledge of the unseen is established from Allah, Blessed and Exalted is He...
The Shaykh : This is a more severe disbelief, because it means he claimed to be a prophet.
The questioner : No, he says it is a karamah (miracle granted to a righteous person).
The Shaykh : Never. A karamah is not revelation.
The questioner : Regarding the common person, if he believes him.
The Shaykh : The same thing, except if he has no knowledge and is ignorant, because you see some common people are very ignorant and know nothing at all. But a person who lives in the environment and knows such matters is a disbeliever.
The questioner : If he saw a dream and wanted to interpret... I saw a dream.
The Shaykh : The dream, as we know,
a portion of the forty-six portions of Prophet-hood
جزء من ستة وأربعين جزءا من النبوةThe questioner : If he interprets it, O Shaykh. He interprets it in a way other than what he saw, and the interpretation comes true...
The Shaykh : Yes, this is not permissible. Interpreting a dream in a way other than its meaning is forbidden and not permissible.
The questioner : Interpreting the meaning, but not in its wording or what he saw.
The Shaykh : In fact, a dream is sometimes exactly matching what was seen, such as seeing that a man was born a child, and a child is born. And sometimes it is parables that are not exactly matching reality, but they are parables by which reality is inferred. Like what the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) saw, the two bracelets of gold, and he interpreted them as two liars. And like what the man in prison saw, and what did he see?
seven fat cows being eaten by seven [that were] lean, and seven green spikes [of grain] and others [that were] dry
سبع بقرات سمان يأكلهن سبع عجاف وسبع سنبلات خضر وأخر يابساتThe questioner : Okay, like this... is there anything wrong with it?
The Shaykh : There is nothing wrong with it, no, because
The Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) informed that it is a part of forty-six parts.
الرسول عليه الصلاة والسلام أخبر بأنها جزء من ستة وأربعين جزءاThe questioner : What type of disbelief?
The Shaykh : We mentioned that it is major shirk if he knows the Qur'an and that no one in the heavens and the earth knows the unseen except Allah, because it is a denial of the Qur'an. Otherwise, it is a lesser disbelief.
The questioner : And if he is ignorant and does not know?
The Shaykh : If he is ignorant, this statement is disbelief, but this man is not a disbeliever.
The questioner : The one who believes him... if he is ignorant.
The Shaykh : If he is ignorant, he is not declared a disbeliever. We say this belief is disbelief, but it does not follow from the statement being disbelief that the speaker is a disbeliever. Just as the scholars mentioned that if someone denies the obligation of the prayers or denies the prohibition of riba (usury or interest), and he is a young person raised in Islam, they said he is not declared a disbeliever, even though the prohibition of riba in the Qur'an is an explicit text, or not? And likewise the obligation of the prayers
Indeed, prayer has been decreed upon the believers a decree of specified times.
إن الصلاة كانت على المؤمنين كتابا موقوتاًIt says: And from Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him), yes, before that "And for the four, and al-Hakim, who said: Authentic according to their conditions, from Abu Hurayrah: