The Obligation Upon The Servant Regarding His Religion

[Shehzad Sattar]

The Obligation Upon The Servant Regarding His Religion

Chapter 1 – Taken from Explanation of a Summary of al-‘Aqeedatul-Hamawiyyah of Ibn Taymiyyah Rahimahullaah – Explained by Shaykh Muhammad ibn Saalih al-Uthaymeen Rahimahullaah.

Translated by Aboo az-Zubayr ‘Abdur-Rahmaan Harrison

The obligation on the servant concerning his religion is following what Allaah says and what His Messenger Muhammad ﷺ says, as well as the Rightly‐Guided Successors after him from the Companions, and those who followed them in righteousness.

This is because Allaah sent Muhammad ﷺ with clarifications and guidance; and obligated upon all of the people to believe in him and follow him outwardly and inwardly. Allaah The Most High said:

ʺSay: ʹOh mankind, indeed I am the Messenger of Allaah to you all, [from Him] to whom belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth. There is no god but Him; He gives life and causes death. So believe in Allaah and His Messenger, the unlettered Prophet, who believes in Allaah and His Words, and follow him that you may be guided.ʺ [Sooratul‐ʹAraaf, 7:158]

And the Prophet ﷺ said:

ʺIt is incumbent upon you (to follow) my Sunnah and the Sunnah of the Rightly‐Guided Successors after me. Hold fast to it and bite onto it with your molars. And beware of the newly‐invented matters, for every newly‐invented matter is an innovation and every innovation is misguidance.ʺ [1]

The Rightly‐Guided Successors are those who came after and followed the Prophet ﷺ in beneficial knowledge and righteous action. The most deserving of people of this description are the Companions. Allaah chose them for the companionship of His Prophet ﷺ and the establishment of His Religion. And Allaah would not choose ‐ while He is the Most Knowledgeable, the Most Wise ‐ for the companionship of His Prophet except the most complete of people in Eemaan, the highest in intellect, the most righteous in action, the most determined, and the closest guided to the path. So they are the most deserving of people to be followed after their Prophet ﷺ, and after them are the Imaams of the religion, those who are known for their guidance and well‐being.

Footnote:
[1] Recorded by at‐Tirmidhee (2676) and he said it is Hasan Saheeh. Also recorded by Aboo Daawood (4607), Ibn Maajah (42), and Ahmad (4/126). Ibn Hibbaan and al‐Haakim declared it to be Saheeh.