Translation by Maaz Qureshi
Imaam Maalik Ibn Anas[1] (d.179H) – rahimahullaah – said, “Eemaan (faith) is statement and action, it increases and decreases. And some parts of it are better than other parts.” And he was asked about eemaan, so he said, “Statement and action.” It was said, “Does it increase and decrease?” He said, “Indeed, Allaah the Glorified mentioned in more than one aayah from the Qur‘aan that eemaan increases.” So it was said, “Does it decrease?” He said, “Leave alone speech concerning its decrease and refrain from it.” So it was said, “So are some parts of it better than other parts?” He said, “Yes.”[2]
And he used to say, “The Qur‘aan is the speech of Allaah. And the speech of Allaah is from Allaah. And nothing from Allaah is created. And whosoever says that the Qur‘aan is created, then he is a disbeliever. And those who refrain from speaking about this issue clearly are worse than him. Repentance is to be sought from them, and if they do not repent, then their necks must be struck.”[3]
And Abus-Samh asked him, “Will Allaah be seen on the day of judgement?” So he said, “Yes, Allaah the Mighty and Majestic says,
- “And some faces shall be shining and radiant upon that day, looking at their Lord.” [Sooratul-Qiyaamah 75:22]
And He said to another people,
- “No! Indeed, they shall be veiled from their Lord upon that day.” [Sooratul-Mutaffifeen 83:15].”[4]
And al-Waleed Ibn Muslim asked him about the ahaadeeth which mention the Believers seeing Allaah on the Day of Judgement, so he answered, “Pass them along as they have come, without asking how.”[5]
And one time a man said to him, ‘O Abaa ’Abdullaah,
- “The Most Merciful ascended over the Throne.” [Soorah Taa Haa 20:5]
How did He ascend?’ So he said, “The ascension (istiwaa‘) is known from Him, and the modality is incomprehensible from Him, and the question concerning this is an innovation, and to believe in it is obligatory. Indeed, I suspect that you are misguided. Take him away from me!”[6]
And he used to say, “Allaah is above the heavens, and His knowledge is in every place. Nothing is excluded from it.”[7]
Imaam Maalik was asked, “Who are the best of the people after the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam)?” So he said, “Aboo Bakr.” So it was said, “Then who?” He said, “’Umar.” It was said, “Then who?” He said, “’Uthmaan.” It was said, “Then?” So he said, “This is where the people have stopped. The Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) commanded Aboo Bakr to lead the Prayer. And Aboo Bakr chose ’Umar. And ’Umar made it six, so they chose. So the people stopped here.”[8]
And he used to say, “Indeed, Ahlus-Sunnah are those who do not have a nickname by which they are known. They are not the Jahmiyyah,[9] nor the Qadariyyah,[10] nor the Raafidah.[11] And the one who reviles the Companions of the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) has no right to the booty. Indeed, Allaah has divided the booty amongst three groups. So He said,
- “For the poor emigrants who were expelled from their homes.” [Sooratul-Hashr 59:8]
And He said,
- “And those who were settled in their homes and adopted faith.” [Sooratul-Hashr 59:9]
And He said,
“And those who came after them saying: Our Lord, forgive us and our brothers who preceded us in faith.” [Sooratul-Hashr 59:10]
So the booty is only for these three.”[12]
And he said, “The people of desires are an evil people. They are not to be greeted, and abandoning them is more beloved to me.”[13]
And Imaam Maalik – rahimahullaah – would oft-times recite the following lines of poetry,
- ‘And the best of affairs are those that are Sunnah, And the most evil of affairs are the newly-invented innovations.’[14]
Footnotes:
[1] He is Maalik Ibn Anas Ibn Maalik, Aboo ’Abdullaah al-Asbahee al-Humayree. He was the Imaam of Daarul-Hijrah (i.e. al-Madeenah). He died in al-Madeenatul-Munawwarah in the year 179H. For his biography, refer to Siyar A’laamun-Nubalaa‘ (8/43-120) of adh-Dhahabee.
[2] Refer to al-Intiqaa‘ fee Fadaa‘ilith-Thalaathatil-A‘immatil-Fuqahaa‘ (p. 33).
[3] Refer to Tarteebul-Madaarik (1/174).
[4] Refer to al-Intiqaa‘ fee Fadaa‘ilith-Thalaathatil-A‘immatil-Fuqahaa‘ (p. 36).
[5] Refer to Tarteebul-Madaarik (1/170-171), Sharh Usoolul-I’tiqaad (no. 398) of al-Laalikaa‘ee, Haadiyyul-Arwaah (p. 296-330) of Ibnul-Qayyim and Sharhul-’Aqeedatit-Tahaawiyyah (1/215-218) of Ibn Abil-’Izz.
[6] Refer to al-Intiqaa‘ fee Fadaa‘ilith-Thalaathatil-A‘immatil-Fuqahaa‘ (p. 35).
[7] Refer to al-Intiqaa‘ fee Fadaa‘ilith-Thalaathatil-A‘immatil-Fuqahaa‘ (p. 35).
[8] Refer to Tarteebul-Madaarik (1/175).
[9] Jahmiyyah: The Jahmiyyah are the followers of Jahm Ibn Safwaan, who unleashed upon this Ummah the horrific innovation of ta’teel (denial of Allaah’s Attributes) - either directly, or by twisting the meanings; such as twisting the meaning of Hand of Allaah to mean: His Power and Generosity. They also deny that Allaah is above His creation, above His Throne, as well as holding the belief that Hell-Fire are not ever-lasting. Refer to ar-Radd ’alal-Jahmiyyah by Imaam Ahmad and also ad-Daarimee and al-Ibaanah (p. 141) of Abul-Hasan al-Ash’aree.
[10] Qadariyyah: The Qadariyyah are the followers of Ma’bad al-Juhanee, and from their false beliefs are: that Allaah has no prior knowledge of anything until it comes into existence; that it is people and not Allaah who are the creators of their own actions, denying ’aqeedah in the punishment of the grave, and denying that the authentic hadeeth is an evidence for the ’aqeedah, unless it is related in mutawaatir form. Refer to al-Milal wan-Nihal (l/72) of ash-Shahrastaanee and Sawnul-Mantaq wal-Kalaam (p. 160) of as-Suyootee.
[11] Raafidah: The Raafidah (the rejecters) are an extreme sect of the Shee’ah who rejected Zayd Ibn ’Alee Ibnul-Husayn due to his refusal to condemn Aboo Bakr and ’Umar (radiyallaahu ’anhumaa). They rapidly deteriorated in ’aqeedah, morals and Religion - until the present day where their beliefs are those represented by the Ithnaa ’Ashariyyah Shee’ah of ’Iraan. From their false beliefs are: declaring all but three or five of the Companions to be disbelievers, the belief that their imaams have knowledge of the Unseen past, present and future, considering the imaamah to be one of the main pillars of eemaan (faith) and the incompleteness of the Qur‘aan. Refer to: Maqaalaatul-Islaamiyyeen (l/65), al-Farq Baynal-Firaq (no. 21) of ’Abdul-Qaadir al-Baghdaadee and Talbees Iblees (p. 94-100) of Ibnul-Jawzee.
[12] Refer to Minhaajus-Sunnah (2/20) of Ibn Taymiyyah, al-Intiqaa‘ (p. 36) and as-Sunnah (no. 792) of al-Khallaal.
[13] Refer to al-Inqitaa‘ (p. 34).
[14] Refer to al-Inqitaa‘ (p. 37).
Source: http://sunnahpublishing.net/