From: Tyagi@HouseOfKaos.Abyss.com
Subject: Islam:Fundamentals
Date: Fri,  7 Jan 94 15:51:03 PST


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                  FUNDAMENTALS OF THE ISLAMIC RELIGION
                                  By
              Sheikh Al-Islam Mohammad Bin Sulaiman At-Tamimi
              Arranged Under The Format of Question/Answer By
               Sheikh Mohammad At-tayeb Al-ansari Al-Madani

In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious,Most Merciful, from whom we seek aid,
and Peace be upon our prophet Mohammad (PBUH: Peace Be Upon Him) and all of his
relatives and companions.

Q:      What are the four things that human beings must learn?

A:      1) Knowledge, i.e. knowledge of Allah[the only Creator, God and Lord],
        knowledge of his prophet [Mohammad (PBUH)] , and knowledge of Islam wit
h
        proofs [in arabic, plural of Daleel which can be translated into
        reference or proof];
        2) Applying/using this knowledge [al-amal bi haza deen];
        3) Inviting people to it [Da'wah]; and
        4) Being patient at what hurts people from it.

Q:      What's the proof for that? (i.e what's the reference?)

A:      Allah (SWT: Subhanahu Wa Taala [i.e. far away and way above is Allah
        from the things which he did not describe himself/or relate to
        himself])'s words in Surat 103 (Al-a'ssr)

        <By the time,
        Verily Man is in loss,
        Except such as have Faith,
        And do righteous deeds,
        And (join together)
        In the mutual enjoining
        Of Truth, and of
        Patience and Constancy.>

Q:      What did Imam As-Shafi'i say about this Surat [Chapter of the Holy
        Quran]?

A:      Imam As-Shafi'i (Rahimahullah) said: "If Allah (SWT) only descended
        this Surat on mankind, this Surah would have been sufficient."
        [sufficient in that this Surat summarizes very concisely the essence of
        the message which includes the fact that success (antonym of loss) is
        achieved through Faith in Allah, the Creator, doing good, enjoining
        Truth, and acquiring/training oneself to master/gain patience]

Q:      What comes first: i) Speaking of [al-qawl] and working according
        [al-amal bi] this knowledge [al-ilm]; or ii) acquiring the knowledge
        before al-qawl and al-amal?

A:      Acquiring the knowledge comes first. The proof is Allah (SWT)'s words
        in 47:19

        <Know, therefore that
        There is no god
        But Allah, and ask
        Forgiveness for thy fault,
        And for the men
        And women who believe:
        For Allah knows how ye
        Move about and how
        Ye dwell in your homes.>

        So Allah (SWT) mentioned knowledge (al-ilm) before al-qawl (speaking
        of it) al-amal (working with it). This is Al-Bukhari's (rahimahullah)
        explanation.
Q:      What are the three things that must be learnt and applied (al-amal
        biha)?

A:      1) Allah (SWT) has created us and blessed us with His bounties and did
        not leave/neglect us, but He (SWT) sent us a prophet (PBUH) whoever
        obeys him will enter Paradise, and whoever disobeys him will enter
        HellFire.

Q:      What's the proof for that?

A:      Allah (SWT)'s words in 73:15-16

        <We have sent to you,
        (O men!) a Messenger,
        To be a witness concerning you,
        Even as We sent
        A messenger to Pharaoh.
        But Pharaoh disobeyed
        The messenger; so We
        Seized him with
        A heavy Punishment.>

        2) Allah (SWT) is not pleased with any of His creatures who associate
        other gods/partners with Him, or even associate a "close" Angel or a
        messenger with Him. [subanallah amma yasifoon]

Q:      What's the proof?

A:      Allah (SWT)'s words in 72:18

        <And the places of worship
        Are for Allah (alone):
        So invoke not any one
        Along with Allah.>

        3) It is not permissible for whoever obeys the Messenger (PBUH) and
        worships/believes in Allah(and only Him) to be a companion/ally
        [Muwalat] of whoever opposes Allah (SWT) and His Messenger (PBUH),
        even if the two persons are relatives [or like/love each other].

Q:      What's the proof?

Q:      Allah (SWT)'s words in 58:22

        <Thou wilt not find
        Any people who believe
        In Allah and the Last Day,
        Loving those who oppose
        Allah and His Messenger,
        Even though they were
        Their fathers or their sons,
        Or their brothers, or
        Their kindred. For such
        He has written Faith
        In their hearts, and strengthened
        Them with a spirit
        From Himself ... >

Q:      What is Al-Haneefiyah, the religion [millat] of Ibrahim (PBUH)
        [Abraham]?

A:      It is to worship Allah only with a TOTAL worship. It is like this that
        Allah (SWT) commanded people to worship Him, and He created them
        for that reason.

Q:      What's the proof?

A:      Allah (SWT)'s wors in 51:56

        <I have only created
        Jinns and Human Beings that
        That they may serve Me.>

Q:      What does "serve Me" [or "worship Me"] mean?

A:      That is Jinns and Human Beings worship Allah (SWT) only without
        associating partners with Him, and Allah (SWT) commands them, and
        Allah (SWT) forbids them.

Q:      What is the greatest thing that Allah (SWT) has commanded?

A:      It is At-Tawheed [monotheism].

Q:      What is At-Tawheed?

A:      It is to exclude but Allah from worship, and to take(and believe in) Hi
s
        self-made descriptions the way He described Himself, and described His
        messenger, and excluding Him from imperfections [naqa'es] and
        resemblance to His creatures.

Q:      What is the greatest thing that Allah (SWT) has forbidden?

A:      It is As-Shirk [associating partners with Him - multitheism].

Q:      What does As-Shirk mean?

A:      It is to pray for other than Allah and to Him, and to set up a rival fo
r
        Allah (SWT) even though Allah (SWT) created us [and not the
        rival].

Q:      What's the proof?

A:      Allah (SWT)'s words in 4:36

        <Serve Allah, and join not
        Any partners with Him; ... >

        and in 2:22

        < ... Then set not up rivals unto Allah ... >

Q:      What are the three basic fundamentals that humans must know?

A:      The servant's knowledge of his Rab [Lord] , his religion, and his
        prophet Mohammad (PBUH).

Q:      What is your Rab ?

A:      My Rab [Lord]  is Allah (SWT) who raised me up as He raised up every
        Jinn and Human Being with his bounty, and He is whom I worship, and I
        do not worship anyone/anything but Him.

Q:      What's the proof?

A:      Allah (SWT)'s words in 1:2

        <Praise be to Allah
        The Cherisher and Sustainer of the Worlds>

Q:      By what do you recognize your Rab?

A:      I recognize Him by his Ayats and His creatures, Night, Day, the Sun,the
        Moon, the seven Heavens and the seven Ardoon's, and whomever is
        in them and in what separates them.

Q:      What's the proof?

A:      Allah (SWT)'s words in 41:37

        <Among His signs are
        The Night and the Day,
        And the Sun and the Moon.
        Prostrate not to the sun
        And the moon, but prostrate to
        Allah, Who created them,
        If it is Him ye wish
        To serve.>

        and in 7:54

        <Your Guardian Lord
        Is Allah, Who created
        The heavens and the earth
        In six Days, then He
        Settled Himself on the Throne:
        He draweth
        The night as a veil
        O'er the day, each seeking
        The other in rapid succession:
        And the sun,
        The moon, and the stars,
        (All) are subserviant
        By His Command.
        Verily, His are the
        Creation and the Command
        Blessed be Allah, the Cherisher
        And Sustainer of the Worlds!>

Q:      What is the Rab ["Guardian Lord" in the above ayat] ?

A:      The Rab is the Master, Owner, Creator from nothing to existence, and
        He is worthy of worship.

Q:      What's the proof?

A:      Allah (SWT)'s words in 2:21-22

        <O ye people!
        Worship your Guardian Lord,
        Who created you
        And those who came before you
        That ye may become righteous,
        Who has made the earth your couch,
        And the heavens your canopy;
        And sent down rain from the heavens;
        And brought forth therewith
        Fruits for your sustenance;
        Then set not up rivals unto Allah
        When ye know (the truth).>

        So the Creator of all those things is the One worthy of Ibadat[worship]