by ‘Abdur-Rahmaan ibn Naasir as-Sa‘dee
Translated by Aboo Shaybah (revised Sha‘baan 1434h/June 2013)
Foreword of ash-Shaykh ‘Abdullaah ibn ‘Abdil-‘Azeez ibn ‘Aqeel al-‘Aqeel (1/1/1424)
All praise is due to Allaah alone. The treasured works of our Shaykh, the noble scholar, ‘Abdur-Rahmaan ibn Naasir as-Sa‘dee continue to surface from time to time as his children and grandchildren graciously share with us his more recent and older writings on fundamental and subsidiary topics, ‘aqeedah and sharee‘ah.
Among the most recent presented to us by his grandson, Musaa‘id ibn ‘Abdillaah as-Sulaymaan as-Sa‘dee, is this beneficial summarized selection about rudimentary Islamic beliefs. I carefully examined the manuscript in the handwriting of the author, which I know well, and found that he used five principles as its basis:
- 1- Tawheed
2- Eemaan in all Prophets, and our Prophet Muhammad (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wassallam) in particular
3- Eemaan in the Last Day
4- The nature of eemaan
5- The approach of Ahlus-Sunnah wal-Jamaa‘ah towards knowledge and action
He concluded it with encouragement to seek aid by means of beneficial knowledge and righteous action, and dated it Ramadaan, 1357h. Thus it came – and all praise is due to Allaah – as a fine gift presenting the basics of the religion as a summarized text. The author – may Allaah have mercy upon him – promised to elaborate upon it and explain it with its proofs if Allaah allowed him to accomplish that in his life. However, his time ended before fulfilling this aspiration. May Allaah enable some of our brothers and scholars to explain it in detail with all its proofs, just as the author had mentioned. Such would truly be an outstanding deed and quality of perfection.
Stated and written by the one in need of Allaah, ‘Abdullaah ibn ‘Abdil-Azeez ibn ‘Aqeel, former head of the Supreme Judicial Council; praising Allaah, and sending salaah and salaam upon His Messenger, Muhammad, and all his family and Companions.
All praise is due to Allaah, the Lord of all creation. May Allaah send salaah and salaam upon Muhammad, his family, Companions and followers until the Day of Judgement.
This is a very brief synopsis concerning rudimentary Islamic beliefs and comprehensive foundational principles. I have merely highlighted and drawn attention to them without much elaboration or citation of their evidences. It is very much like an index of topics compiled to draw attention to their rudimentary principles, as well as their status and significance in respect to the religion as a whole.
Accordingly, whoever desires further knowledge can seek elaboration and evidences from their respective sources. If Allaah facilitates and grants me the opportunity during my lifetime, I will elaborate on these topics and explain them citing their proofs.
Principle 1: Tawheed
The comprehensive definition of Tawheed which comprises its categories is: One’s unwavering conviction and belief that Allaah is unique in possessing all attributes of perfection, and singling Him out with all forms of worship. This includes:
- -Tawheed ar-Ruboobiyyah, which is the belief that the Lord (Rabb) is unique in the acts of creating, providing, and all types of organization.
- -Tawheed al-Asmaa’ was-Sifaat, which is the affirmation of all the beautiful names and the lofty attributes of perfection that Allaah has affirmed for Himself, and that His Messenger has affirmed for Him, without any semblance to the creation (tashbeeh) or giving any likeness (tamtheel); and without altering the intended meaning (tahreef), or negation (ta‘teel).
- -Tawheed al-Uloohiyyah wal-‘Ibaadah, which is singling out Allaah alone with all categories (ajnaas), types (anwaa’), and individual acts (afraad) of worship without giving any share of them whatsoever to other than Him, and while maintaining the belief that He alone has the sole right to be worshipped.
Tawheed ar-Ruboobiyyah entails affirming preordainment and divine decree (al-Qadaa’ wal-Qadar); whatever Allaah wills shall take place, and whatever Allaah has not willed to happen shall not occur; He is Omnipotent over all things; He is free of all needs and Most Praiseworthy, whereas everything other than Him is in need of Him in every way.
Tawheed al-Asmaa’ was-Sifaat entails affirming all the meanings of the beautiful names of Allaah which are found in the Book and the Sunnah.
Eemaan in them is of three levels: eemaan in the names, eemaan in the attributes, and eemaan in what is entailed by the attributes. For instance, consider knowledge. He is All-Knowing (al-‘Aleem), possesses complete knowledge, and knows every single thing. Similarly, He is the Omnipotent (al-Qadeer), He possesses unlimited might, and He is powerful over every single thing. The same can be said for all of the perfect, sanctified names that belong to Him.
That includes the affirmation of His highness (‘uloo) over His creation, being above (istiwaa’) His throne, and His descent to the lowest heaven each night, all in a manner that befits His majesty and grandeur.
That further includes affirming the sifaat thaatiyyah – which are attributes intrinsic to Him, such as hearing, sight, knowledge, highness, and others similar to these – as well as the sifaat fi‘liyyah – which are attributes that depend upon His will and unlimited might, such as speaking, creating, providing, being merciful, being above the throne, and descending to the lowest heaven, all as He wills. All of them are affirmed for Allaah without likeness (tamtheel) or negation (ta‘teel). They are all established by His existence, and He is described with them. He, the Most Exalted, has always been, and will continue to be, speaking and acting. He does whatever He wants and says whatever He wills,
whenever he wills, however He wills. He always has the attribute of speech, and is always known as merciful and kind.
That also includes eemaan that the Qur’aan is the speech of Allaah, revealed and not created. From Him it originated, and to Him it returns. He truly and really spoke the Qur’aan, and His speech can neither be depleted, nor can it perish.
That further entails eemaan that Allaah is near and responsive, yet at the same time, He is the Most High and Exalted. There is no contradiction between the perfection of His highness and the perfection of His nearness, because there is nothing comparable to Him in any of His qualities and attributes.
Tawheed al-Asmaa’ was-Sifaat remains incomplete until one has eemaan in everything in the Book and Sunnah regarding the names, attributes, actions, and all they entail, in a manner that befits the majesty and grandeur of the Originator; and until one realizes that just as nothing compares to Him in His essence, nothing compares to Him in any of His attributes.
Whoever presumes that certain rational conceptions necessitate interpretation (ta’weel) of some attributes to have other than their established meanings has strayed into clear error.
Tawheed ar-Ruboobiyyah remains incomplete until one holds the unwavering belief that: actions of created beings are created by Allaah; their will is subservient to the will of Allaah; they have actions, as well as willpower by which their actions take place, and their actions are the subject of commands and prohibitions; and these two matters do not contradict one another: affirming the comprehensive will of Allaah – which encompasses all individuals, actions, and attributes – and affirming the ability of an individual concerning his own actions and statements.
Tawheed al-‘Ibaadah remains incomplete until one is sincere with Allaah, the Most Exalted, in intention, statements, and deeds; and until one avoids major shirk – which completely contradicts tawheed in every way – and it is to direct any type of worship at all to other than Allaah, the Most Exalted.
The completion of that lies in avoiding minor shirk, which comprises any channel that leads to major shirk, such as taking oaths by other than Allaah, or the slightest amount of riyaa’, and other things of a similar nature.
With respect to Tawheed, people vary according to how well acquainted they are with Allaah, and the degree to which they establish His worship. Thus, the most complete of them is the one who knows the details of the names, attributes, actions, and blessings of Allaah, and their meanings as established in the Book and Sunnah, understanding them properly with sound comprehension. As a result, his heartbecomes filled with knowledge, veneration, reverence, and love for Allaah; turning to Him in repentance; all his heart’s inclinations are drawn to Allaah, the Most Exalted, and render it devoted to Him alone, and none other; all his movements and stillness take place with full eemaan and complete sincerity, untarnished by any corrupt motive. Thus, he finds tranquility in knowing Allaah and turning to Him in repentance, acting and abstaining, perfecting himself, and perfecting others by calling them to this tremendous principle.
As such, we ask Allaah, out of His bounty and generosity, to grant us that.
Principle 2: Eemaan in the Prophethood of all Prophets in General, and the Prophethood of Muhammad (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wassallam) in Particular
This principle is founded upon the unwavering belief and eemaan that:
Allaah distinguished all the Prophets by giving them His revelation and sending them with His message. He designated them as intermediaries between Him and His creation in terms of conveying His laws and religion. Allaah supported them with unequivocal proofs of their truthfulness and the integrity of what they brought.
They are the most complete of the creation in knowledge and action, and the most truthful, devoted, and outstanding of them in character and deeds. Allaah distinguished them with such merits and virtues that none can match, and Allaah absolved them of every despicable trait.
They are impeccable in all they conveyed from Allaah, the Most Exalted. Nothing is contained in their teachings and message except what is true and correct.
It is obligatory to have eemaan in them and in all that Allaah gave them, and to love and venerate them.
All these things apply to our Prophet Muhammad (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wassallam) in the most complete way. It is obligatory to know all of the legislation he brought – in a general sense as well as in detail – and have eemaan in that, and to consistently maintain obedience to him in all things by believing his statements, carrying out his commands, and avoiding his prohibitions.
That includes the fact that he is the seal of the Prophets. His code of law abrogates all others, and his Prophethood and laws will remain until the final hour. There is neither a Prophet after him, nor a code of law other than his – both in the fundamentals and the branches of the religion.
Eemaan in the Messengers includes eemaan in the books. Therefore, eemaan in Muhammad (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wassallam) necessitates eemaan in all of the Book and Sunnah that he brought, their wordings and meanings.
Eemaan in him is not complete until that is fulfilled. The more one knows about that, believes in it, acknowledges it, and acts by it, the more complete his eemaan will be.
Eemaan in the angels and in the divine decree (al-Qadar) also fall under this tremendous principle.
From the completeness of eemaan in him is to know that everything he brought is the truth, and it is impossible for any rational or tangible proof to be at variance with it, just as no textual proof can be at variance with it.
For all things – whether conceived by the mind or perceived by the senses – if they are useful, you can find general directives for them in the Book and Sunnah, affirming them and encouraging learning and implementing them.
In the case where the aforementioned things are of no benefit, there is nothing in the texts which denies their existence, although the legal texts do prohibit and censure the harmful things among them.
Eemaan in what the Messenger brought and, in fact, what all the other Messengers brought as well, further entails:
Principle 3: Eemaan in the Last Day
Everything reported in the Book and Sunnah about what occurs after death is part of eemaan in the Last Day, such as events during the time in the grave (barzakh), and events on Day of Resurrection which include: being called to account, reward and punishment, intercession, the balance (meezaan), the records which will be taken in the right hand or the left, the bridge (siraat), everything related to Jannah and the Fire, the state of their respective inhabitants, and the various things Allaah has prepared for them – both generally and in detail. All of that is part of eemaan in the Last Day.
Principle 4: The Nature of Eemaan
Ahlus-Sunnah unwaveringly believe in all that is contained in the Book and Sunnah about eemaan being the belief of the heart which necessarily entails actions of the limbs.
Thus, they say that eemaan comprises beliefs and actions of the heart, actions of the limbs, and statements of the tongue. They are all part of eemaan.
Anyone who completes them externally and internally has completed the requirements of eemaan. Anyone who is lacking in any of them has detracted from his eemaan. These things are seventy some-odd branches. The highest of them is the statement that there is nothing worthy of worship except Allaah, the lowest of them is the removal of harm from the pathway, and hayaa’ is a branch of eemaan.
Based on this principle, they say that people are of different levels regarding eemaan: those brought near, companions of the right, and those who oppress themselves. These are in accordance to their standing with respect to the religion and eemaan.
It increases and decreases. Thus, anyone who commits a prohibition, or neglects an obligation, falls short of the required level of eemaan as long as he does not repent to Allaah.
Based on this principle, they hold that people fall into three categories:
- - Someone who fulfils all requirements of eemaan, and he is the true mu’min.
- - Someone who abandons them in totality, and he is a disbeliever (kaafir) in Allaah, the Most Exalted.
- - Someone who possesses eemaan and kufr, eemaan and nifaaq, or good and evil. Thus, he receives support from Allaah and whatever he is entitled to of His generosity according to the eemaan he possesses; and receives hostility from Allaah and what he deserves of punishment from Allaah according to aspects of eemaan he neglected.
Also based on this tremendous principle, they hold that major and minor sins which are not tantamount to kufr decrease one’s eemaan without expelling him from the realm of Islaam, and he would not eternally remain in the hellfire.
They do not ascribe the title of kufr to him, as do the Khawaarij, or negate eemaan from him, as do the Mu‘tazilah.
Instead, they say that he is a mu’min in proportion to his eemaan, a faasiq in proportion to his major sins. Hence, he possesses the general description of eemaan (mutlaq al-eemaan), whereas the description of complete eemaan (al-eemaan al-mutlaq) is negated from him.
Based upon these principles, eemaan is understood taking all texts of the Book and Sunnah into consideration.
This principle also entails that Islaam wipes away what occurred before it; repentance wipes away what came before it; someone who apostates and dies in that state nullifies his deeds; and whoever repents, Allaah will accept his repentance.
Based on this principle, they also hold the validity of exemption from eemaan. Thus, it is correct to say, “I am a mu’min if Allaah so wills,” because one hopes from Allaah, the Most Exalted, the completion of his own eemaan. For that reason, he exempts himself, and he hopes for firmness upon it until death. Hence, he exempts himself without any uncertainty about the root of eemaan itself.
Based on this principle they also hold that love and hate – their root and degree – are in proportion to eemaan according to its presence or absence, completeness or deficiency.
Stemming from that are alliance and disavowal. Consequently, eemaan includes love for the sake of Allaah, hatred for the sake of Allaah, alliance for the sake of Allaah, and disavowal for the sake of Allaah.
Eemaan demands – and remains deficient without – loving for one’s brother that which he loves for himself.
That further entails desiring unity between the people of eemaan, and encouragement towards togetherness and mutual love, as well as the absence of discord and separation.
Ahlus-Sunnah wal-Jamaa‘ah remain free of bigoted alliance, splitting, and mutual hatred, and they view this principle as bring one of the most vital among the fundamentals of eemaan. They do not consider difference about matters which do not amount to kufr or bid‘ah as something that necessitates splitting.
Eemaan also dictates love for the Companions of the Prophet (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wassallam) according to their respective levels, and acknowledging that they have such excellence, precedence, and virtues by which they have outdone the remainder of the Ummah.
They consider it a religious obligation to love them and publicize their virtues. They refrain from any conflict which may have occurred between them. The Companions are the most entitled of the Ummah to every praiseworthy trait, the foremost of them in every good, and the furthest of them from every evil.
They also hold the unwavering belief in the necessity for the Ummah to have a leader to administer its religious and worldly affairs, and defend it from the hostilities of aggressors. His authority is undermined unless he is obeyed in everything that is not disobedience to Allaah, the Most Exalted.
They also consider eemaan incomplete without commanding good and forbidding evil – with the hand, and if not then with the tongue, and if not then with the heart – in the order defined by the sharee‘ah and using appropriate methods.
In short, they consider fulfilling all principles of the sharee‘ah, in the legislated manner, as part of perfecting one’s eemaan and religion.
One component perfecting this principle is their approach to knowledge and action:
Principle 5: Their Approach towards Knowledge and Action
Ahlus-Sunnah wal-Jamaa‘ah unwaveringly believe and maintain that there is no means to Allaah and His bounty except by way of beneficial knowledge and righteous action.
Beneficial knowledge is everything brought by the Messenger: the Book of Allaah and the Sunnah of His Messenger (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wassallam). Thus, they diligently strive to comprehend their meanings and thoroughly understand all their contents, whether fundamentals or branches.
They employ all methods of deduction in dealing with them: complete reference (mutaabaqah), partial reference (tadammun), and implicit reference (iltizaam).
They expend their efforts to comprehend that according to what they have been granted by Allaah. They believe that this all comprises beneficial knowledge – it, as well as all that stems from it, such as sound analogies and legal deductions.
Every area of knowledge that supports, furthers, or is contingent upon that is considered legal (shar‘ee) knowledge. On the contrary, all that opposes and contravenes it is futile knowledge. This is the approach they take to knowledge.
As for their approach to action, they seek nearness to Allaah, the Most Exalted, by complete affirmation and acknowledgment of the fundamental beliefs of eemaan which are the very foundation and basis for all acts of worship. Following this, they seek nearness to Him by fulfilling the deeds obligated by Allaah pertaining to His right as well as the rights of His servants, while also performing many optional deeds, and forsaking everything forbidden and prohibited, doing so as worship of Allaah, the Most Exalted.
They know that Allaah, the Most Exalted, accepts nothing except the deed done sincerely for His Noble Face, in the manner performed by the esteemed Prophet.
They seek help from Allaah, the Most Exalted, in traversing these advantageous paths – beneficial knowledge and righteous action – leading to every good, success, and happiness, short term and long term.
And all praise is due to Allaah, Lord of all worlds. May He send salaah and abundant salaam upon Muhammad, his family and Companions.
Ramadaan 5, 1357h
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