Explanation of the CREED

Society Religion & Philosophy
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*21: To have Faith in the Bridge over Hell. *

To have Faith in the Bridge over Hell. The Bridge seizes whomever Allah pleases, allows passage to whomever Allah pleases and causes whomever Allah pleases to fall into Hell. The people are preceded by light according to their level of Faith[1].

NOTES
1. Allah, the Most High, says:

There is none of you but will pass over it (Hell); this is, with your Lord, a decree which must be accomplished; but we shall save those who used to fear Allah and were dutiful to Him and We shall leave the wrongdoers therein, (humbled) to their knees. Soorah Maryam (19): 71-72

Allahu Alim

22

*22: To have Faith in the Prophets and Angels. *

To have Faith in the Prophets and the Angels

NOTES: 1. Allah, the Most High, says:

The Messenger believes in what has been revealed to Him from His Lord, as do the believers. Each (one of them) believes in Allah, His Angels, His Books and His Messengers. (They say): We make no distinction between one and another of His Messengers. Soorah al-Baqarah (2): 285

*23: To have Faith that Paradise and the Fire are true and both are already created. *

To have Faith that Paradise is true and real and that the Fire is true and real and that both are already created[1]. Paradise is in the seventh Heaven. Its ceiling is the Throne. The Fire is beneath the seventh and lowest earth. They are both created. Allah, the Most High, knew the number of inhabitants of Paradise and those who would enter it and the number of those who are the inhabitants of the Fire and those who would enter it. Neither of them will ever end; they will both last along with Allah forever and ever.

NOTES: 1. The hadeeth of the Israa and Mi’raaj shows the present existence of Paradise and the Fire. It occurs in Saheeh al-Bukhaaree (Eng. trans., vol.5, no.227) and Saheeh Muslim (Eng. trans., vol.1, no.309-322). Raf’ul-Astaar by al-Ameer as-San’aanee is an excellent book, being a reply to those who claim that the Fire will eventually come to an end.

Allahu Alim

'Rabbee zidnee`ilmaa'
My Lord! Increase me in knowledge.[20:114]

The Prophet (sallallaahu 'alayhe wa sallam) said:
"Whoever sets out on a path to seek knowledge, Allaah will make easy his path to Paradise."
[Saheeh Muslim]

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*24: Adam (alaihis salaam) was in Paradise, but was removed from it after disobeying Allah. *

Adam (alaihis salaam) was present in the everlasting and created Paradise, but was removed from it after disobeying Allah, the Mighty and Majestic.

*25: To have Faith in al-Maseehud-Dajjaal. *

To have Faith in al-Maseehud-Dajjaal[1].

NOTES: 1. From the many ahaadeeth about the Dajjaal is what al-Bukhaaree reports in his Saheeh (Eng. trans., vol.9, no.245) from Anas (radiallaahu anhu), that the Prophet said, “No Prophet was sent except that he warned his nation about the one-eyed liar (i.e. Dajjaal). Beware! He is blind in one eye, whereas your Lord is not so. There will be written between his (Dajjaal’s) eyes: ‘Kaafir.’ ”

*26: To have Faith in the descent of 'Eesaa (alaihis salaam). *

To have Faith in the descent of 'Eesaa (alaihis salaam), the son of Maryam. He will descend, kill Dajjaal, marry and pray behind the leader of the Muslims, who is from the family of Muhammad, and he will die and be buried by the Muslims[1].

NOTES: 1. All of this is established in authentic ahaadeeth and many of these are quoted by al-Haafidh ibn Katheer in his tafseer of verse 159 of Soorah an-Nisaa’. Refer also to Saheeh al-Bukhaaree (Eng. trans., vol.4, nos. 657, 658) and Saheeh Muslim (Eng. trans., vol.4, nos. 6924, 7023).

Allahu Alim

24

*27: Eemaan (Faith) comprises of speech, action and beliefs and it increases and decreases. *

To have Faith that Eemaan (Faith) comprises of speech, action and beliefs. It increases and decreases. It increases as Allah wills and may decrease to the extent that nothing remains of it[1].

NOTES: 1. Al-Laalikaa’ee reports, in Sharh Usool I’tiqaad Ahlis-Sunnah (5/958/no.1737), that ‘Abd ar-Razzaaq (as-San’aanee) said, “I met seventy Shaikhs, from amongst them are Ma’mar, al-Awzaa’ee, ath-Thawree, al-Waleed ibn Muhammad al-Quraashee, Yazeed ibn as-Saa’ib, Hammaad ibn Salamah, Hammaad ibn Zayd, Sufyaan ibn ‘Uyainah, Shu’ayb ibn Harb, Wakee’ ibn al-Jarrah, Maalik ibn Anas, Ibn Abee Laylaa, Isma’eel ibn ‘Ayyaash, al-Waleed ibn Muslim and those I have not named, all of them saying: Faith is saying and action, it increases and decreases.”

‘Abdullah ibn Ahmad reports in as-Sunnah (no.612): My father narrated to me: Abu Salamah al-Khuzaa’ee related to us, saying, “Maalik, Shareek, Abu Bakr ibn ‘Ayyaash, ‘Abdul-‘Azeez ibn Abee Salamah, Hammaad ibn Salamah and Hammaad ibn Zayd said, ‘Faith is conviction, declaration and action.’ ”

Al-Laalikaa’ee reports (5/959/no.1740) that ‘Uqbah ibn ‘Alqamah said: I asked al-Awzaa’ee about Faith; can it increase? He said, “Yes, until it becomes like the mountains.” I said, ‘Can it decrease?’ He said, “Yes, even until nothing remains of it.”

Amongst the verses quoted by the scholars as proof for the fact that faith increases are: Aayah 173 of Soorah Aali-‘Imraan, Aayah 4 of Soorah al-Fath and Aayah 124 of Soorah at-Tawbah.

'Rabbee zidnee`ilmaa'
My Lord! Increase me in knowledge.[20:114]

The Prophet (sallallaahu 'alayhe wa sallam) said:
"Whoever sets out on a path to seek knowledge, Allaah will make easy his path to Paradise."
[Saheeh Muslim]

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*28: The best of the Companions of Allah's Messenger. *

The best of this Ummah, after the passing away of its Prophet, is Abu Bakr, and then ‘Umar, and then ‘Uthmaan. This is what is reported to us from Ibn ‘Umar, who said, “We used to say, whilst Allah’s Messenger was amongst us, ‘The best of people after the Messenger of Allah is Abu Bakr, then ‘Umar, then’Uthmaan.’ The Prophet would hear of that and not criticise it.”[1] Then the best of people after them are ‘Alee, Talhah, az-Zubayr, Sa’d ibn Abee Waqqaas, Sa’eed ibn Zayd, ‘Abdur-Rahmaan ibn ‘Awf and Abu ‘Ubaidah ‘Aamir ibn al-Jarrah. All of them were suitable to be Khaleefah. Then the best of people after them are the (rest of the) Companions of the Messenger of Allah, the first generation amongst whom he was sent, the first Muhaajirs and Ansaar, those who prayed towards both qiblahs, then the best of people after them are those who accompanied the Messenger of Allah for a day, a month, a year or less or more than that. We ask Allah to have mercy upon them. We mention their virtues and remain silent about any mistakes they made and we do not speak about a single one of them except favourably, as the Messenger of Allah said, “When my Companions are mentioned then withhold,”[2] Sufyaan ibn ‘Uyainah[3] said, “He who speaks a single word against the Companions of Allah’s Messenger is an innovator.”[4]

NOTES: 1. This is reported by al-Bukhaaree (5/6/no.7), Ahmad in Fadaailus-Sahaabah (no.570) and as-Sunnah of ‘Abdullah ibn Ahmad (pp.574-578).

  1. Saheeh: reported by at-Tabaraanee from Ibn Mas’ood, from the Prophet. See Silsilatul-Ahaadeeth as-Saheehah (no.34) of Shaikh al-Albaanee.

  2. Shaikhul-Islaam, Sufyaan ibn ‘Uyainah was a Taabi’ut-Taabi’een. He was born in 107H, in Makkah and died in 198H.

  3. In the printed edition, after the saying of Sufyaan, there occurs: The Prophet said, “My Companions are like the stars; whichever of them you follow, you will be guided.” This narration is a fabrication. Refer to Silsilatul-Ahaadeeth ad-Da’eefah (no.58) and The Prophet’s Prayer Described, by Shaikh al-Albaanee (pp.94-96).

Allahu Alim

'Rabbee zidnee`ilmaa'
My Lord! Increase me in knowledge.[20:114]

The Prophet (sallallaahu 'alayhe wa sallam) said:
"Whoever sets out on a path to seek knowledge, Allaah will make easy his path to Paradise."
[Saheeh Muslim]