TI

THE3RD EDI ON KEYSTO KNOWLEDGE

D AW R A H
I
LMI
YYAH

I
NSTUCTOR
USTADH ABDULRAHMAN
HASSAN

A DE
TAI
LEDE
XPLANATI
ON
OFMANTHUMATUL-F
IQHI
YYAH

NAME.
.
..
..
.
..
..
.
..
..
.
..
..
.
..
..
.
..
..
.
..
..
.
..
..
.
..
..
.
 Learn Islam
in your language
KALEMAH

KALEMAH ISLAMIC CENTER is a community center for all. Kalemah

was founded in 2007 and is managed by a Board of Emirati
Nationals, an Executive Committee and a staff of over a dozen full-
time employees. We operate based on charitable donations from
philanthropic individuals, organizations and governmental bodies.

We are a non profit organization officially registered under the

Islamic Affairs and Charitable Activities Department (IACAD)
Government of Dubai.

Our Mission: To propagate the

pristine, unadulterated teachings of
Islam to Muslims and non-Muslims
in Dubai in the most effective and
appropriate way.

Our Vision: The souls of a nation,

connected to their Creator.
2
 Manẓūmah al-Qawā’id al-Fiqhiyyah
By Shaykh al-‘Allāmah ‘Abd al-Raḥmān Ibn Nāṣir al-Si’dī (d.1376H)

[1] All praise is due to Allāh the Most High, The

Most Kind.

The one who brings matters together and

separates them,

[2] Of vast and abundant blessings

as well as numerous and splendid wisdom.

[3] Then may the peace and blessings always be

upon the last prophet hailing from

Quraysh.

[4] As well as his family and noble companions,

possessors of lofty status.

[5] Know, may Allāh guide you; that the best of

favours is

knowledge that removes doubt and sin.

[6] And exposes the truth to the hearts;

And leads the slave to his goal.

[7] Strive to understand these principles

[which] gather scattered matters/issues.

[8] To gradually grow in knowledge in the best way,

And tread on the path of those who have

been given success.

[9] And these principles that I have poeticised,

Have been taken from the books of the

people of knowledge.

[10] May Allāh reward them the grandest of

rewards,

And pardon [them] with his forgiveness

and goodness.

3
4
[11] The intention is a condition for all
actions,

with it determines the validity and

corruption of each act.

[12] The religion is based on beneficial

interests

Which it establishes, and repels

evil.

[13] If beneficial interests collide;

The most beneficial will be given

precedence.

[14] On the contrary, if the harms collide;

Then the least harmful will be

given precedence.

[15] And from the principles of Sharī’ah is

ease

In every matter which is difficult.

[16] There is no obligation without ability,

And no prohibition with dire

necessity.

[17] and every prohibition that is done due

to necessity,

Is according to the need of the

necessity.

5
6
[18] And rulings are based on certainty,

As certainty is not removed by

doubt.

[19] The origin concerning water is that it

is pure,

As well as the earth, clothing and

stones.

[20] The origin concerning intercourse,

meat,

life, and property of the protected

[21] is impermissibility until there is proof

of its permissibility,

May Allāh guide you to

understand this.

[22] The origin of customs is permissibility,

unless there is proof to divert it

from permissibility.

[23] And there are no affairs that are

legislated,

except that which is mentioned in

our Sharī’ah.

[24] The means to a matter is like the goal,

then the ruling [of the goal] is

applied to that [means] as well as the
completion.

7
8
[25] And mistakes, being forced, or
forgetting,

then such is pardoned by the Most

Merciful whom we worship.

[26] However if by (the act) damage is

affirmed, recompense is required,

Yet there is no sin or slippage on

its doer.

[27] And from the issues which cannot

stand alone,

then it shares the same ruling of

what it follows.

[28] And the customs are applied if there is

present,

a ruling from the noble Sharī’ah

that does not limit.

[29] Whoever hastens to get something

before its due time,

he will be at loss as well of being

deprived of it.

[30] And if an action is accompanied with

another forbidden act,

Or its conditions, then it is corrupt

and flawed.

[31] And the retaliator of one who harms

him is not held responsible,

After trying to repel with what is

better.

9
10
[32] And the (‫ )ال‬indicates generality,

For a plural or singular like al-

‘Aleem.

[33] And the indefinite in context of

negation,

Or context of prohibition indicates

generality.

[34] Also, the word (‫ )ﻣﺎ‬and (‫ )ﻣﻦ‬indicate

generality

So, oh my brother pay attention.

[35] Likewise, when the singular noun is

possessive,

So understand may you be guided,

what is possessive.

[36] And the ruling is not complete until

there combines,

all the conditions and the

obstacles are removed.

[37] And whoever fulfils what is upon him

of action,

Deserves what is due from that

action.

[38] And part of the obligation is to be

done,

If there is a hardship in doing it all.

[39] And whatever you are permitted to

do,

Then such is an act wherein is no

liability.

11
12
[40] And every ruling revolves around the
reason,

Which determines its ruling.

[41] And every condition is binding on the

one who takes it,

In sales, marriage and other

intended [matters].

[42] Except a condition which made the

permissible, impermissible

Or vice versa, so know this is

invalid.

[43] And drawing lots can be used when

things are unclear,

Regarding rights or when issues

are colliding.

[44] And when similar actions collide,

Then proceed to do one of them,

so pay attention.

[45] And the one who is engaged [in any

contract] should not be engaged [in
another]

For example, an endowment or

security.

[46] And whoever fulfils an obligation on

behalf of his brother,

For him is a return, if he intended

seeking it.

[47] The natural deterrent of sins,

Is without any denial like the

legislative deterrent.

[48] And the perfect praise be to Allāh

in the beginning, the end and

always.

[49] Then may the expansive mention and

peace

Be upon the Prophet, his

companions, and the followers.

13
 TI
THE3RD EDI ON KEYSTO KNOWLEDGE

D AW R A H
I
LMI
YYAH

I
NSTUCTOR
USTADH ABDULRAHMAN
HASSAN

A DE
TAILEDE
XPLANATI
ON
OFS HARHUS-
SUNNAH

NAME.
.
..
..
.
..
..
.
..
..
.
..
..
.
..
..
.
..
..
.
..
..
.
..
..
.
..
..
.
 Learn Islam
in your language
KALEMAH

KALEMAH ISLAMIC CENTER is a community center for all. Kalemah

was founded in 2007 and is managed by a Board of Emirati
Nationals, an Executive Committee and a staff of over a dozen full-
time employees. We operate based on charitable donations from
philanthropic individuals, organizations and governmental bodies.

We are a non profit organization officially registered under the

Islamic Affairs and Charitable Activities Department (IACAD)
Government of Dubai.

Our Mission: To propagate the

pristine, unadulterated teachings of
Islam to Muslims and non-Muslims
in Dubai in the most effective and
appropriate way.

Our Vision: The souls of a nation,

connected to their Creator.
2
 Sharḥus-Sunnah
By Imām Ismā’īl Ibn Yaḥyā al-Muzanī (d.264H)
Said ‘Alī Ibn ‘Abdullāh al-Halwānī: I was in
‫ال كنت بطرابلس الحمغرب فَذكرت‬ ‫َعلي بن عبد هللا ا حْلل ي‬
َ َ‫حواِن ق‬
Tripoli. So our companions and I were ّ
‫ال‬ َ ‫السنة إي ََل أَن‬
َ ‫ذكران ال ُحم يزِنّ َرمحَه هللا فَ َق‬ ّ ‫َص َحاب لنا‬ ‫أَان َوأ ح‬
mentioning the Sunnah, up until we
mentioned al-Muzanī - . So one of our
companions said, “It has reached me that he
speaks about the Qur’ān and withholds with
‫لغِن أَنه يتَ َكلَّم يِف الح ُق حرآن َويقف يع حنده َوذكر‬ ‫َص َحابنَا بَ ي‬
‫بعض أ ح‬
‫اخر فغم النَّاس َذليك‬ َ ‫اجتمع َمعنا قوم‬ ‫آخر أَنه يَ ُقوله إي ََل ان ح‬
regards to it. And another companion
mentioned that he would complete the

‫غما َش يديدا فكتبنا إيلَحْ يه كتااب نُ يريد أَن نستعلم يم حنهُ فَكتب إيلَحْ نَا‬
statement. And by then another group had
gathered along with us. So the people

‫السنة يِف الحقدر واإلرجاء َوالح ُق حرآن والبعث والنشور‬

worried about that a great deal. So we wrote
him a letter with which we wanted to find ّ ‫شرح‬
:‫واملوازين َويِف النّظر فَكتب‬
out from him. So he wrote to us << Sharḥus-
Sunnah >> in al-Qadr, al-Irjā’, the Qur’ān, the
Resurrection, the Reckoning, the Scales, and
the looking [of the people at the face of the 
Lord]. So he wrote:

In the name of Allāh, the Most Merciful, .‫عصمنا هللا َوإي ََّّي ُكم ابلتقوى ووفقنا َوإي ََّّي ُكم ملوافقة اْلحدى‬
the Bestower of Mercy

May Allāh protect us and you through taqwā :‫أما بعد‬

(piety) and grant us success to remain in
conformity to the guidance.
‫السنة أمرا تصرب نَفسك على‬ ّ ‫َلتِن أَن أوضح لَك من‬ ‫فَإنَّك َسأ ي‬
To Proceed:

So you have asked me to clarify to you from ‫سك بي يه وتدرأ بي يه َع حنك شبه حاْلَقَا يويل وزيغ حمداثت‬ ُّ ‫َّم‬
َ ‫الت‬
the Sunnah an affair that you may make
‫فسي‬ ‫الضَّالّني وقد شرحت لَك منهاجا موضحا منريا مل آل نَ ي‬
yourself patient in adherence to it and avert َ
.‫َوإي ََّّيك في يْه نصحا بدأت في يْه يِبَ حمد هللا يذي الرشد والتسديد‬
thereby the doubtful sayings and the
deviation in the newly-invented affairs of the
misguided ones.
‫ا حْلمد هلل أَحق من ذكر وأوَل من شكر وعلي يْه أثِن الحو ي‬
‫احد‬
Indeed, I shall explain to you a clearly distinct َ ََ َ َ َ
‫الصمد لَْس لَه ي‬
ُ‫جل َعن املثْل فَ ََل َشبْه لَه‬
ّ ‫صاحبَة َوََل ولد‬ َ ُ َ ‫َّ ح‬
and an enlightening minhāj (methodology)
as sincere advice that cannot be attributed
to me or you. I shall begin by praising Allāh,
the Possessor of correct guidance.
‫صري ال َحعليْم ح‬
.‫اْلَبيري املنْع الرفْع‬ ‫الس يمْع الحب ي‬
َ َّ ‫َوََل عديل‬
The praise is for Allāh, the most deserving of
remembrance and the first of those who
must be thanked. And I praise Him, the One,
the Eternal who does not have a female
companion, nor offspring. He is far exalted
above having an equal. So no one resembles
Him and no one is similar to Him. He is the
All-Hearing, the All-Seeing, the All-Knowing,
the Well-Acquainted, the Invincible, the
Exalted.

3
4
 The Ascendancy of Allāh
‫الحعُلُّو‬
1 – [Above] His Throne and He is close to His
‫ي يي‬
‫أحاط‬ َ ‫[عال] على َع حرشه َو ُه َو َدان بيعلحمه من خلقه‬ َ –١
creation with His knowledge. His knowledge
encompasses the affairs and whatever He

‫علمه ابْلمور وأنفذ يِف خلقه َسابق ال َحم حق ُدور ﴿يعلم َخائينَة‬
has previously decreed for His creation is
fulfilled. “He knows that which deceives the

ُّ ‫حاْلَ حعني َوَما ختفي‬

eyes and what the chests conceal.” [Sūrah
Ghāfir 40:19] .﴾‫الص ُدور‬

5
6
 َ ‫الح َق‬
‫ضاء َوالحقدر‬
Pre-ordainment and Pre-Decree

2 – So the creation act in accordance to His

‫خلقههم لَهُ من‬ُ ‫ فاْللق عاملون بسابق علمه وانفذون ملا‬- ٢

Fore-Knowledge and they carry out
whatever He created them for from

َ َّ‫خري َوشر ََل ميل ُكو َن ْلَنح ُف يس يه حم من الط‬

‫اعة نفعا َوََل ََيدو َن إي ََل‬
goodness and evil. And they are not able to
benefit from obedience by themselves and
they do not find themselves able to avert
disobedience as a defence.
‫حمع ي‬
.‫صَْة َع حن َها دفعا‬ ‫صرف ال ح‬

7
8
 The Angels
‫ال َحم ََلئي َكة‬
3 – He created the creation with His Will,

‫اجة َكانَت بي يه فخلق‬ َ ‫اْللق مبشْئته َعن غري َح‬‫ خلق ح‬- ٣
without any need for the creation. So He
created all of the Angels for His obedience

‫منهم َم ََلئي َكة‬ ‫ي‬ ‫الحم ََلئي َكة َي‬

‫ادته فَ ح‬
َ َ‫َج ًْعا لطاعته وجبلهم على عب‬
and He made them naturally inclined
towards His worship. So from them are َ
‫بقدرته للعرش حاملون َوطَائيَفة يم حن ُهم حول َع حرشه يسبحون‬
Angels who carry the Throne by His Power.
And there is a group from amongst them

ً ‫اصطفى يم حن ُهم‬
‫رسَل إي ََل رسله‬ ‫ي‬
‫آخ ُرو َن يِبَ حم يده يقدسون َو ح‬
who surround the Throne glorifying Him.
And there are others who praise and َ ‫َو‬
venerate Him. And He chose Messengers
from amongst them and some of them carry .‫َوبَعض مدبرون ْلَمره‬
out His command.

9
10
 َّ ‫آدم َعلَحْ يه‬
Ādam 
‫الس ََلم‬
4 – Then He created Ādam with His Hand and
gave him lodging in His paradise. And before
that He created the earth for him and He
‫َس َكنَهُ جنته َوقبل ذَليك حلْل حَرض‬ ‫يي‬
‫ مثَّ خلق آدم بيَْده َوأ ح‬- ٤
prohibited him from the tree. Indeed, His
pre-ordainment came to pass upon him and
‫ضا ُؤهُ َعلَحْ يه أبكلها مثَّ ابتَله‬
َ َ‫خلقه َو ََنَاهُ َعن َش َج َرة قد نفذ ق‬
‫يمبَا ََنَاهُ َعنهُ يم حن َها مثَّ سلط َعلَحْ يه عدوه فأغواه َعلَحْ َها َوجعل‬
he ate from it. Then He tried him with that
which He had prohibited him from. Then his

‫أكلها َسبيَْلً َوََل‬

َ ‫أكله َْلَا إي ََل اْل حَرض َسببا فَ َما وجد إي ََل ترك‬
enemy prevailed over him and led him
astray. And his eating from the tree was the
cause of Allāh placing him upon the earth. So
he found no way to avoid eating from it, nor .ً‫َعنهُ َْلَا مذهبا‬
a way out from it.

11
12
 The actions of the people of Paradise and
Hell
‫اعمال اهل ا حْلنَّة َوالنَّار‬

‫ مثَّ خلق للجنة من ذُريَّته أَهَلً فهم أبعماْلا مبشْئته‬- ٥

5 – Then, He created people for Paradise
from the progeny of Ādam. So they perform

‫عاملون وبقدرته وإبرادته ينفذون َوخلق من ذُريَّته للنار أَهَل‬

their deeds by the will of Allāh. And they
carry out the deeds by the Might and Will of
Allāh. And He created people for Hell from
the progeny of Ādam. So He created for ‫واب‬
ً ُ‫فخلق َْلُم أعْناً ََل يبصرون هبَا وآذاانً ََل يسمعُو َن هبَا َوقُل‬
them eyes which do not see, and ears which
do not hear and hearts which do not ‫يفقهو َن هبَا فهم بذلك َعن اْلحدى حمجوبون وأبعمال أهل‬ ُ ‫ََل‬
understand. So they are separated from
guidance due to that and they commit the .‫النَّار بسابق قدره حيعملُو َن‬
deeds of the people of Hell by His Pre-
Ordainment.

13
14
 Faith – al-Īmān
‫حي‬
‫اإلميَان‬
6 - And al-īmān (faith) is statement and
action. And they are two congruent equals.
They are linked together, we do not ‫اإلميَان قَول َوعمل ومها سْان ونظامان وقرينان ََل‬ ‫ َو حي‬- ٦
.‫ْنهما ََل إيميَان إيََّل بي َع َمل َوََل عمل إيََّل إبييميَان‬
َ َ‫نفرق ب‬
differentiate between them. There is no
īmān without action and there is no action,
except with īmān.
‫واملؤمنون يِف حي‬
‫اإلميَان يتفاضلون وبصاحل حاْلَ حع َمال هم متزايدون‬
And the Believers fluctuate in terms of īmān
and they increase their īmān with righteous ‫اإلميَان َوََل يكفرون بركوب معصْة‬ ‫خيرجون يابلذنُ ي‬
‫وب من حي‬ ُ ‫َوََل‬
deeds. And they are not expelled from īmān
due to sins and they are not declared ‫َوََل عصْان َوََل نوجب حملسنهم اْلحنان بعد من أوجب لَهُ النيَِّب‬
disbelievers due to perpetration of a sin, nor
disobedience. And we do not make Paradise .‫صلى هللا َعلَحْ يه وآله َوسلم َوََل ن حشهد على مسْئهم ابلنَّار‬
incumbent for those who perform good
deeds, except for those whom the Prophet
 declared would be in Paradise.
And we do not testify that those who commit
evil deeds will be in the Fire.

15
16
 The Qur’ān
‫الح ُق حرآن‬
7 - And the Qur’ān is the speech of Allāh
. It emanated from Him, and it is not
created so it will not perish. َ ْ‫ َوالح ُق حرآن َك ََلم هللا عز َوجل َومن لَدنه َولَح‬- ٧
‫س مبخلوق‬
.‫فْبْد‬

17
18
 ّ‫ي‬
‫الص َفات‬
The Attributes [of Allāh]

8 – [And the Words of Allāh], the Power of

Allāh, His description, and His attributes are ‫ – [وكلمات هللا] وقدرة هللا ونعته و ي‬٨
‫ص َفاته كامَلت غري‬
all perfect, they are not created things. They َ
‫ست مبحداثت فتبْد َوََل َكا َن‬
َ ْ‫خملوقات دائمات أزلْات َولَح‬
are eternal and forever and they are not
newly-created, so they will not perish. So our

.‫َربنَا َانقيصاً فْزيد‬

Lord is not deficient, so He will not increase
in anything.

His Attributes are far above from having any

resemblance [to the attributes of the ُ‫[ص َفات املخلوقني] َوقصرت َعنه‬ ‫ص َفاته َعن شبه ي‬ ‫جلت ي‬

ُّ ‫فطن الواصفني قريب ابإلجابة يع حند‬

creation] and the most intelligent describers
cannot comprehend Him. He is near with an ‫الس َؤال بعْد ابلتعزز ََل‬
answer for those who ask, He is far with
‫س مبعدوم َوََل‬ ‫ي‬
Might that does no harm. He is above His
throne, separate from His creation. He is in
َ ْ‫ينَال َعال على َع حرشه َابئن من خلقه َم حو ُجود َولَح‬
existence and not in non-existence, nor is He .‫مبفقود‬
absent.

19
20
 The Appointed Times [of Death]
‫اآلجال‬
َ
9 - And the creation die at their appointed

‫ واْللق مْتون آبجاْلم يع حند نفاد أ حَرَزاقهم َوانح يقطَاع‬- ٩

times of death when their sustenance is
depleted and their deeds are cut off.

.‫آاثرهم‬
َ

21
22
 The grave
‫الح َق حرب‬
10 – Then after they have been squeezed
they will be questioned in their grave.
.‫ مثَّ هم بعد الضغطة يِف الح ُقبُور مساءلون‬- ١٠

23
24
 The Resurrection and the Reckoning
‫النشور واْلساب‬
11 – And afterwards, they become

‫ورو َن‬
ُ ‫ش‬ ُ ‫ َوبعد البلى منشورون َويَ حوم ال يحقَْ َامة إي ََل َرهبم َححم‬- ١١
decomposed and widespread. And in the
Day of Judgement, they will be gathered

‫ض َرة املوازرين َونشر صحف‬ ‫ولدى الحعرض َعلَحْ يه حماسبون يِبَ ح‬

together in front of their Lord. And in His
presence, they will be exposed to Him during

‫صاهُ هللا ونسوه يِف يَ حوم َكا َن يم حق َداره مخسني ألف‬ ‫الد َوا يوين أ ح‬
َّ
their reckoning. In the presence of the scales
and the unfolding scrolls of records, Allāh َ ‫َح‬
‫سنة لَو َكا َن غري هللا عز َوجل ا حْلَاكيم بَني خلقه [لكنه] هللا‬
will count up the deeds and the people will
have forgotten their deeds. This will occur on

ُّ ‫يَليي اْلكم بَْنهم بعدله يمبي حق َدار القائلة يِف‬

a Day whose length would be fifty thousand
years if anyone other than Allāh  were ‫أسرع‬‫الدنح َْا َو ُه َو ح‬
‫اْلاسبني َك َما بدأه َْلُم من شقاوة وسعادة يَ حومئيذ يعودون فريق‬
the judge between his creation.

[However], Allāh will deliver the judgement

between them with justice in a length of .‫يِف ا حْلنَّة وفريق يِف السعري‬
time known in the worldly life. And He is the
fastest of Reckoners. Just as He began them
from misfortune and happiness, so shall they
return on that Day – a group in Paradise and
a group in Hell.

25
26
 Paradise and Hell
‫واانر‬
ّ ‫ا حْلنَّة‬
12 – And the people of Paradise will be

‫ َوأهل ا حْلنَّة يَ حومئيذ يِف ا حْلنَّة يتنعمون وبصنوف اللَّ َّذات‬- ١٢

enjoying themselves in Paradise on that Day.
And they will be delighting in all sorts of

.‫يتلذذون وأبفضل الكرامات حيربون‬

pleasures and they will have the most
excellent favours bestowed upon them.

13 – So at that point, they will look upon

‫ينظرو َن ََل ميارون يِف النّظر إيلَحْ يه‬ ‫ي ي ي‬
their Lord. They will not be glancing here and ُ ‫ فهم حْنَئذ إ ََل َرهبم‬- ١٣
‫َوََل يَشكو َن فوجوههم بكرامته انضرة وأعْنهم بفضله إيلَحْ يه‬
there whilst looking at Him and they will not
be in doubt. So their faces will be shining by

‫[انظرة] يِف نعْم َدائيم ُمقْم و ﴿ ََل ميسهم في َْها نصب َوَما هم‬
His Generosity and their eyes will be gazing
upon Him by His excellence. They will reside

،﴾‫يم حن َها مبخرجني‬

there in a state of perpetual happiness and,
“No fatigue will touch them therein, nor ‫حك عُقىب الَّ يذي اتَّقوا وعقىب‬
َ ‫﴿أكلها َدائيم وظلها تيل‬
َ
‫ححد َعن َرهبم يَ حومئيذ حملجوبون َويِف النَّار‬
from it will they ever be removed.” [Sūratul-
Hijr 15:48], “Its fruit is lasting, and its shade. ‫الح َكافرين النَّار﴾ َوأهل اْل ح‬
‫يسجرون ﴿لبئس َما قدمت َْلُم أنفسهم أَن سخط هللا َعلَحْ يهم َويِف‬
That is the consequence for the righteous,
and the consequence for the disbelievers is
the fire.” [Sūratur-Ra’d 13:35].
‫ال َحع َذاب هم َخال ُدو َن﴾ و ﴿ ََل ي حقضى َعلَحْ يهم فْموتوا َوََل ُخيَفف َع حن ُهم‬
And the people of obstinate rejection will be
‫اء هللا من‬ ‫ي‬
veiled from their Lord on that Day and they َ ‫من َع َذاهبَا َك َذلك جنزي كل كفور﴾ حاآليَة خَل من َش‬
will be burned in the fire, “How wretched is
that which they have put forth for
.‫ال ُحم َو يّحدين إخراجهم يم حن َها‬
themselves in that Allāh has become angry
with them, and in the punishment they will
abide eternally.” [Sūratul-Mā’idah 5:80].
And, “Death is not decreed for them so they
may die, nor will its torment be lightened
for them. Thus do we recompense every
ungrateful one.” [Sūrah Fātir 35:36].

And Allāh will take out from it whosoever He

wills from the people of Tawhīd.

27
28
 Obedience to the Leaders and Rulers and
The prohibition of Revolting Against Them
‫اعة حاْلَئي َّمة واْلمراء َومنع ح‬
‫اْلُُروج َعلَحْ يهم‬ َ َ‫ط‬
‫ْما َكا َن يع حند هللا عز َوجل‬ ‫ي‬ َ َّ‫ َوالط‬- ١٤
َ ‫اعة ْلويل حاْلَمر ف‬
14 – And obedience to the ruler in whatever
is pleasing to Allāh and remaining far
away from whatever is displeasing [to Allāh].
.‫[ع حند هللا] مسخطا‬ ‫مرضْاً واجتناب ما َكا َن ي‬
And abandoning revolt in response to their َ َ‫َ ح‬
‫اْلُُروج يع حند تعديهم وجورهم َوالت حَّوبَة إي ََل هللا عز َوجل‬ ‫َوترك ح‬
hostility and oppression. And repenting to
Allāh in order that they become
inclined towards their subjects.
.‫َك حْ َما حيعطف هبم على رعْتهم‬

29
30
 ‫حقب لَة‬ ‫ي‬ ‫حي‬
‫ساك َعن تَ حكفري أهل ال ح‬
َ ‫اإل حم‬
Refraining from Takfīr of Ahlul-Qiblah

15 - And refraining from takfīr

‫ْما‬ ‫ي ي‬ ‫ي‬
َ ‫حقب لَة والرباءة م حن ُهم ف‬
‫ واإلمساك َعن تَ حكفري أهل ال ح‬- ١٥
(excommunication) of the people of the
Qiblah and absolving oneself from them in

‫َح َدثُوا َما مل يبتدعوا ضَلَلً فَمن ابتدع يم حن ُهم ضَلَلً َكا َن على‬‫أح‬
terms of whatever they invent, as long as
they do not innovate misguidance. So

‫حقب لَة َخا يرجا َومن ال ّدين مارقاً ويتقرب إي ََل هللا عز َوجل‬
whoever from amongst them innovates
misguidance, then he is a dissident against ‫أهل ال ح‬
‫اءةي يم حنهُ ويهجر وحيتقر وجتتنب غدته فَ يه َي أعدى من غُ َّدة‬ ََ ‫يابل‬
the people of the Qiblah and a renegade
from the religion. And one must draw closer َ ‫حرب‬
to Allāh by freeing himself from such a
person. He must be boycotted, held in .‫اْلرب‬
contempt and his gland must be avoided,
since it is more hostile than the germ
infested gland.

31
32
 The Companions   ‫الص َحابَة رضي هللاُ عنهم‬
َّ
16 – And Abū Bakr as-Siddīq , the
Caliph of the Messenger of Allāh ,
‫ َويُ َقال بيفضل َخلْ َفة َر ُسول هللا صلى هللا َعلَحْ يه وآله‬- ١٦
is mentioned with excellence. So he is the
‫ضي هللا َعنهُ فَ ُه َو أفضل ح‬
‫اْللق‬ ‫الصديق ر ي‬
َ ّ ‫َوسلم [أيب بكر‬
most excellent of the creation and the best
of them after the Prophet . And
after him we praise al-Fārūq and he is ‘Umar ‫وأخريهم بعد النيَِّب صلى هللا َعلَحْ يه َوسلم ونثِن بعده ابلفاروق‬
Ibn al-Khattāb . So they are the two
ministers of the Messenger of Allāh ‫ضي هللا َعنهُ] فهما وزيرا َر ُسول هللا‬ ‫اْلطاب ر ي‬ ‫َو ُه َو عمر بن ح‬
 and his companions in his َ
gravesite. And we count as third: Dhun- ‫[ِف قَربه ونثلث بي يذي النورين‬ ‫صلى هللا َعلَحْ يه َوسلم وضجْعاه ي‬
Nūrayn ‘Uthmān Ibn ‘Affān . Then
‫لي بن‬ ‫يي‬ ‫َّ ي‬
ّ ‫عُثح َمان بن َعفان َرضي هللا َعنهُ مثَّ بذي الحفضل والتقى َع‬
there is the possessor of excellence and
righteousness: ‘Alī Ibn Abī Tālib .
.‫ني‬ ‫ضي هللا َع حن هم أ ح ي‬‫أيب طَالب] ر ي‬
Then the remaining from the ten whom the َ ‫ََجَع‬ ُ َ
Prophet  promised paradise, and
‫ني من الحع حش َرة الَّذين أوجب َْلُم َر ُسول هللا صلى هللا‬ ‫ي‬
we free for every one from amongst them
from love in relation to how much the
َ ‫مثَّ البَاق‬
Prophet gave them virtue, then ‫َعلَحْ يه َوسلم ا حْلنَّة وخنلص لكل رجل يم حن ُهم من الحمحبَّة بيقدر‬
the remaining companions .
‫الَّ يذي أوجب َْلُم رسول هللا صلى هللا َعلَحْ يه وسلم من التَّ حف ي‬
‫ضْل‬
And they are mentioned with excellence and َ َُ
.]‫ني‬ ‫ضي هللا َع حن هم [أ ح ي‬
‫َصحابه من بعدهم ر ي‬ ‫مثَّ ي‬
َ ‫ََجَع‬ َ ‫لسائر أ ح‬
their good deeds are mentioned. And we
withhold from delving into whatever ُ َ ‫ح‬ َ
disagreements occurred between them. So
they are the best people upon the earth after ‫َويُ َقال بفضلهم ويذكرون مبحاسن أفعاْلم ومنسك َعن ح‬
‫اْلَحوض‬
their Prophet. Allāh was pleased with
them to accompany His Prophet and He ‫ْما شجر بَْنهم فهم يخَْار أهل اْل حَرض بعد نَبيّْهم ارتضاهم‬ َ‫ف‬
‫ي‬
made them supporters of His Religion. So
they are leaders of the Religion and ‫هللا عز َوجل لنَبْه وخلقهم أنصارا لديني يه فَهم أَئي َّمة ال ّدين‬
outstanding Muslims .
.‫ني‬ ‫ضي هللا َع حن هم أ ح ي‬
‫وأعَلم الحمسلمني ر ي‬
َ ‫ََجَع‬ ُ َ ُ

33
34
 َ ‫الص ََلة َوَراء حاْلَئي َّمة َواْل‬
‫حهاد َم َعهم‬ َّ
Prayer behind the Leaders and Jihād Along
with Them.

‫ضور ا حْلُ ُم َعة وصَلهتا َم َع بر َه يذه حاْلمة‬

ُ ‫ – َوََل حيْتك ُح‬١٨
18 – And the Friday Prayer must not be
abandoned and praying it behind the

‫وفاجرها ََلزم َما َكا َن من الحبي حد َعة برَّي [فَيإن ابتدع ضَلَلً فَ ََل‬
righteous and sinful person of this Ummah is
binding, as long as he is free from innovation.

.‫حهاد َم َع كل إي َمام عدل أَو َجائير َوا حْلج‬

[So if he innovates misguidance, then there
is no Prayer behind him]. And Jihād and the َ ‫ص ََلة َخلفه] َواْل‬
َ
Hajj must be performed along with every
leader, regardless of whether he is just or
oppressive.

35
36
 ‫ي‬
‫َس َفار‬ ّ ‫الص ََلة َواَل حختيَْار بَني‬
‫الصْام واإلفطار يِف حاْل ح‬ َّ ‫قصر‬
Shortening the Prayer and Choosing
Between Fasting and Fast Breaking During
Travel

19 – And shortening the Prayer during ‫الص ََلة يِف حاْلَ حس َفار َو ياَل حختيَْار [في يْه] بَني‬
َّ ‫ وإقصار‬- ١٩
َ ‫ام َوإين َش‬
.]‫اء أفطر‬ َ‫ص‬ َ ‫اء‬ َ ‫َس َفار [إين َش‬ ‫الصْام واإلفطار يِف حاْل ح‬
travels and having the choice between
fasting and fast breaking during travels. [If an ّ
individual wishes, he may fast and if he
wishes, he may break his fast].

37
38
Consensus of the Past Imāms of Guidance
upon these Statements
‫اجتي َماع أَئي َّمة اْلحدى املاضني على َه يذه املقاَلت‬
‫ح‬
‫اجتمع َعلَحْ َها املاضون حاْلَولو َن‬ ‫ي‬
‫ َهذه مقاَلت وأفعال ح‬- ٢٠
20 – The early Imāms of guidance from the
past have a consensus upon these

‫رضى‬ ‫ي‬
ً ‫تصم هبَا التابعون قدوةً و‬ َ ‫من أَئ َّمة اْلحدى وبتوفْق هللا ا حع‬
statements and deeds. And with guidance
from Allāh, the tābi’ūn held onto them and
‫ي‬
َ ‫وجانبوا التَّ َكلُّف ف‬
took them as examples to be followed and
were pleased with them. And they stayed far ‫ْما كفوا فسددوا بعون هللا ووفقوا مل يَ حرغَبُوا‬
‫ي‬
‫ فَ ح‬:‫َعن اَلتّيبَاع فْقصروا َومل َُيَا يوُزوهُ [تزيداً] فْعتدوا‬
‫نحن ياب ََّّلل‬
away from whatever exceeded these
statements. So they remained upon the

َ ‫واثقون َو َعلي يْه متوكلون َوإيلَحْ يه يِف اتّيبَاع‬

correct path with the help of Allāh and were
successful. They did not turn away from .‫آاثرهم راغبون‬
following, such that they fell short. And they
did not go beyond these statements such
that they became extreme and exceeded the
bounds.

So we trust in Allāh and rely upon Him and

we desire to reach Allāh by following these
Imāms’ narrations.

39
40
 ‫حرمات‬ ‫ال ُحم َحافظَة على أ ََداء الح َف َرائيض والرواتب َو ح‬
َ ‫اجتنَاب ال ُحم‬
Preserving the Observance of the
Obligatory and Supererogatory Deeds and
avoidance of the Unlawful Deeds

21 – So I have this explanation of the Sunnah ‫السنة >> حتريت كشفها وأوضحتها فَمن‬ ّ ‫ َه َذا << شرح‬- ٢١
in order to clarify it and elucidate it. So
whoever Allāh grants success will carry out ‫حقْام على أ ََداء‬‫َوفقه هللا لل يحقَْام يمبَا أبنته َم َع معونته لَهُ يابل ي‬
‫ي ي ي‬ ‫ي‬
َ ‫اسات وإسباغ الطَّ َه‬ َ ‫فَ َرائضه يابَل ححتَْاط يِف الن‬
that which I have clarified, along with the
assistance of Allāh in performing the ‫ارة على‬ َ ‫َّج‬
َّ ‫الصلَ َوات على اَلستطاعات وإيتاء‬ َ َّ‫الط‬
obligatory duties and taking precautionary
measures against the impurities, performing ‫الزَكاة‬ َّ ‫اعات َوأ ََداء‬
the purification properly in obedience, Hajj
for the people of diligence and ability, fasting ‫على أهل ا حْل َّدات َواْلحج على أهل ا حْل ّدة واَلستطاعات‬
a month for the people who have health and
‫صلوات سنّ َها َر ُسول‬ ‫وي‬
َّ ‫صَْام‬
five Prayers that were prescribed by the َ ‫الش حهر ْلهل الصحات َومخحس‬ َ
Messenger of Allāh . After those
‫ص ََلة الحوتر يِف كل لَحْ لَة وركعيت‬ ‫ي‬
Prayers, there is the Prayer of al-Witr during َ :‫هللا صلى هللا َعلَحْه َوسلم‬
every night and the two units of al-Fajr and
the Prayers of al-Fitr and an-Nahr and the َّ ‫ص ََلة كسوف‬
‫الش حمس َوالح َق َمر‬ َ ‫ص ََلة الحفطر والنحر َو‬
َ ‫حفجر َو‬
‫ال ح‬
.‫اَلستي حس َقاء َمىت َوجب‬
Prayers of solar and lunar eclipses when they
occur and the Prayer for rain when it َ ‫إيذا نزل َو‬
‫ص ََلة ح‬
becomes obligatory.

41
42
 Conclusion of the Treatise
‫خامتة الرسالة‬
22 - And one must avoid the unlawful affairs

‫اجتنَاب ال َحم َحا يرم واَلحْتاز من النمْمة َوالحكذب‬ ‫ َو ح‬- ٢٢

and take caution against tale-carrying, lying,
backbiting and transgressing against others.

‫والغْبة َوالحبَغي بيغَ حري اْلحق َوأَن يُ َقال على هللا َما ََل يعلم كل‬
And it is unlawful to speak about Allāh
without knowledge. All of these are major
unlawful sins.
.‫رمات‬ ‫ي‬
So whoever waivers around the unlawful is
َ ‫َه َذا َكبَائر ُحم‬
in danger of falling into it. So whoever finds .‫فَمن رعى حول اْلحمى فَيإنَّهُ يُوشك أَن يواقع اْلحمى‬
it easy to avoid unlawful acts, then he is upon
guidance from the Religion and he is upon
hope from mercy. And may Allāh grant us
َّ ‫فَمن يسر ْلََذا فَيإنَّهُ من ال ّدين على هدى َومن‬
‫الر حمحَة على‬
and you the success to follow His Straight ‫َر َجاء ووفقنا هللا َوإي ََّّيك إي ََل َسبْله اْلقوم مبنه اْلزيل اْلقدم‬
Path through his Eternally Abundant Honour
and His Most Generous and Lofty Glory. And
may the peace be upon you and upon those
َّ ‫الس ََلم َعلى من قَ َرأَ علْنا‬
‫الس ََلم َوََل‬ َّ ‫وجَلله الحعلي اْلكرم َو‬
who recite the greeting of peace upon us.
And the greeting of peace is not presented
.]‫[وا حْلَ حمد هلل رب ال َحعاملني‬
َ ‫ينَال َسَلم هللا الضَّالّني‬
‫الرسالَة يِبَ حمد هللا َويم حنه وصلواته على ُحمَ َّمد َوآله‬
to the misguided ones. [And the praise is for
Allāh, Lord of the worlds].
َ ‫جنزت‬
We have completed this treatise with the
praise and blessing of Allāh. And may the
.ً‫َص َحابه وأزواجه الطاهرات َوسلم كثرياً كثريا‬
‫َوأ ح‬
abundant and plentiful peace and
salutations of Allāh be upon Muhammad, his
Family, his Companions, and his Chaste
wives.

43
 TI
THE3RD EDI ON KEYSTO KNOWLEDGE

D AW R A H
I
LMI
YYAH

I
NSTUCTOR
USTADH ABDULRAHMAN
HASSAN

A DE
TAI
LEDE
XPLANATION
OFMUQADDIMAH FIUS
OOL

NAME.
.
..
..
.
..
..
.
..
..
.
..
..
.
..
..
.
..
..
.
..
..
.
..
..
.
..
..
.
 Learn Islam
in your language
KALEMAH

KALEMAH ISLAMIC CENTER is a community center for all. Kalemah

was founded in 2007 and is managed by a Board of Emirati
Nationals, an Executive Committee and a staff of over a dozen full-
time employees. We operate based on charitable donations from
philanthropic individuals, organizations and governmental bodies.

We are a non profit organization officially registered under the

Islamic Affairs and Charitable Activities Department (IACAD)
Government of Dubai.

Our Mission: To propagate the

pristine, unadulterated teachings of
Islam to Muslims and non-Muslims
in Dubai in the most effective and
appropriate way.

Our Vision: The souls of a nation,

connected to their Creator.
2
 Muqaddimah fi Uṣūl al-Tafsīr
By Shaykh al-Islām Ibn Taymiyyah (d.728H)

All praise is due to Allāh. We seek His

assistance and His forgiveness. We seek
refuge in Allāh from the evil of ourselves
and the evil of our actions. Whomsoever
Allāh guides none can misguide him, and
whomsoever Allāh misguides none can
guide him.

I bear witness that none has the right to

be worshipped but Allāh alone, without
partner. I bear witness that Muḥammad
is His slave and Messenger. May the
peace and blessings of Allāh be upon
him.

To Proceed:

I have been asked by a number of

brothers to author an introduction to the
exegesis of the Qur’ān, comprising of
comprehensive principles which will
assist one in understanding its meanings
as well as differentiating between the
truth and all kinds of falsehood
indicating in all of the above the criterion
to be used. For the books of Qur’ānic
exegesis contain both good and bad,
apparent falsehood and clear truth.

Knowledge is either a text which is

received from an infallible source, or a
saying backed by a clear proof. As for all
else, then it is either false and rejected,
or doubtful so its truthfulness or
falsehood cannot be ascertained.

3
4
The Muslim Nation greatly needs to
understand the Qur’ān which is the firm
rope of Allāh, the wise reminder and the
straight path. Evil desires will never
corrupt it. Wicked tongues will never
distort it. Continuously studying it will
never cause it to fade and its miracles
will never cease. The scholars will never
be able to reach its depths. Whoever
utters it has spoken the truth. Whoever
acts according to it will be rewarded.
Whoever rules by it has been just.
Whoever calls to it has been guided to
the straight path. And whosoever
arrogantly leaves it will be destroyed.
And whosoever seeks guidance
elsewhere will be misguided.

Allāh says: “And if there should come to

you guidance from Me – then whoever
follows My guidance will neither go
astray [in the world] nor suffer [in the
Hereafter]. And whoever turns away
from My remembrance – indeed, he will
have a depressed life, and We will gather
him on the Day of Resurrection blind. He
will say, “My Lord, why have you raised
me blind while I was [once] seeing?”
[Allāh] will say, “Thus did Our signs come
to you, and you forgot them; and thus
will you this Day be forgotten.” [Sūrah
Ṭā-Hā, 20:123-126]

And He says: “…there has come to you Our

Messenger making clear to you much of
what you used to conceal of the Scripture
and over-looking much. There has come to
you from Allāh a light and a clear Book [i.e.
the Qur’ān]. By which Allāh guides those
who pursue His pleasure to the ways of
peace and brings them out from darkness
into the light, by His permission, and guides
them to the straight path.” [Sūrah al-
Mā’idah, 5:15-16]

And He says: “Alif Lām Rā. [This is] a

Book which We have revaled to you, [O
Muḥammad], that you might bring
mankind out of darkness into the light by
permission of their Lord – to the path of
the Exalted in Might, the Praiseworthy.
Allāh, to whom belongs whatever is in
the heavens and whatever is on the
earth” [Sūrah Ibrāhīm, 14:1-2]

5
6
Allāh says: “And thus We have revealed
to you and inspiration of Our command
[i.e. the Qur’ān]. You did not know what
is the Book or [what is] faith, but We
made it a light by which We guide whom
We will of Our servants. And indeed, [O
Muḥammad], you guide to the straight
path. The path of Allāh, to whom belongs
whatever is in the heavens and whatever
is on the earth. Unquestionably, to Allāh
do [all] matters return” [Sūrah al-Shūrā,
42:52-53]

I have written this introduction and

made it brief, full of beneficial points by
the blessings of Allāh. Allāh alone guides
to the path of righteousness.

7
8
 Chapter

The Prophet (‫ )ﷺ‬Explained the

Meanings of the Qur’ān to his
Companions

It is obligatory to know that the Prophet

(‫ )ﷺ‬explained to his companions the
meaning of the Qur’ān just as he taught
its words. The following statement of
Allāh includes both: “…that you may
make clear to the people what was sent
down to them” [Sūrah al-Naḥl, 16:44]

Abū ‘Abdul-Raḥmān al-Sulamī said: “It

has been related to us by those who
used to teach us to read the Qur’ān, the
likes of ‘Uthmān Ibn ‘Affān, ‘Abdullāh Ibn
Mas’ūd and other than them, that when
learning from the Prophet (‫ )ﷺ‬they
would not proceed past ten verses until
they had learnt what was contained in
them of knowledge and action. They
said: ‘So we learnt the Qur’ān,
knowledge and action all at once.’ This is
why it would take them some time to
memorise a single surah.”

Anas said: “If a man from amongst us

was able to memorise Baqarah and Āl-
‘Imrān he would gain respect in our
eyes.”

Ibn ‘Umar spent a number of years – it is

said eight years – in the memorisation of
Surah al-Baqarah. This is reported by
Mālik. All of this is as a result of the
saying of Allāh: “(This is) a blessed Book
which We have revealed to you, that
they might reflect ver its verses and that
those of understanding would be
reminded.” [Sūrah Ṣād, 38:29]

9
10
And His statements: “Then do they not
reflect upon the Qur’ān” [Sūrah
Muḥammad, 47:24]. And he said: “Then
have they not reflected over the word”
[Sūrah Mu’minūn, 23:68]. Therefore it is
not possible to contemplate over the
Qur’ān without first understanding its
meaning.

Allāh, the Most High also says: “Indeed,

We have sent it down as an Arabic
Qur’ān that you might understand”
[Sūrah Yūsuf, 12:2]. And understanding
the speech is dependent upon knowing
[its meaning].

It is well known that the purpose of

speech is not just to understand the
words being spoken, but the intended
meanings behind those words too. If this
is the case with normal speech, then the
Qur’ān is more befitting of this.

Likewise, it is also the custom of people

when they are studying in a certain field
such as medicine or mathematics that
they seek to understand it. This is more
so with the speech of Allāh which is their
source of protection, success, and
happiness, as well as the backbone of
their worldly and religious affairs.

For this reason, the companions rarely

differed regarding the exegesis of the
Qur’ān. This difference occurred more in
the time of their students (tābi’ūn) but
was still considerably less when
compared to later generations. In short,
the more noble a generation was, the
more profound their knowledge,
understanding and unity.

From among the tābi’ūn are those who

studies the whole of the Qur’ān from the
companions. As Mujāhid said: “I read the
whole Qur’ān to Ibn ‘Abbās stopping him
at the end of every verse, asking him
concerning it.” This is why al-Thawrī
would say: “If the exegesis of Mujāhid
comes to you then that is sufficient for
you.” For this reason, scholars such as al-
Shāfi’ī, Bukhārī,

11
12
and Imām Aḥmad would heavily rely
upon his narrations, compared to others.

The point here is that the tābi’ūn studied

the exegesis of the Qur’ān from the
companions just as they took from them
the Prophetic Sunnah. They would also
comment on the Qur’ān using their
deductions basing them on other
evidences just as they did with the
ḥadīths of the Prophet (‫)ﷺ‬.

13
14
 Chapter

Differences of Opinion amongst the

Predecessors in the Exegesis of the
Qur’ān: A Difference of Variation

The predecessors differed little in the

exegesis of the Qur’ān, however they
differed considerably more in issues
related to rulings (aḥkām). Whenever
they do differ in the exegesis of the
Qur’ān it is more a difference of
variation than contradiction. This is of
two categories:

The first: The expression of one and the

same idea by using different words, such
as them referring to the same concept
by one mentioning a particular aspect
concerning it and the other mentioning
another aspect. These explanations are
like using equivalent names which lie
between synonyms and antonyms.

For example, it is said whilst mentioning

alternative names for ‘sword’: ‘ṣārim’
and ‘muhind’. Similar to this are names
of Allāh, the names of the Prophet (‫)ﷺ‬
and the names of the Qur’ān. The names
of Allāh all refer to Him, the Most High.

Therefore, supplicating to Him using one

of His names is not contradictory to
supplicating to Him using another name.
Rather, it is as Allāh has mentioned:
“Say, “Call upon Allāh or call upon the
Most Merciful [al-Raḥmān]. Whichever
[name] you call – to him belong the best
names.” [Sūrah al-Isrā’, 17:110].

15
16
Each of His names refers to Allāh Himself
as well as the attribute which that name
possesses. For example, the All-Knowing
refers to Allāh and the attribute of
knowledge. The All-Powerful refers to
Allāh and the attribute of power. The
Most Merciful refers to Allāh and the
attribute of mercy.

Whosoever rejects that these names

point to attributes are from those who
claim to only accept the apparent. They
have made a claim similar to the
extreme Bāṭiniyyah Qarāmiṭah who
state: ‘It is not said that He is living or
not living.’ They negate both opposites.
This group does not reject words such as
pronouns; they only deny attributes
which these names possess. Whoever
agrees with their extreme views in this
respect has conformed to the way to the
Bāṭiniyyah, and this is not the place to
expand upon this topic.

The point being that every single name

of Allāh refers to Him and the attributes
that name possesses. By necessity, it
also refers to the attributes which other
names may possess.

Similar to this are the names of the

Prophet (‫ )ﷺ‬such as: Muḥammad,
Aḥmad, al-Māḥiy [the one who
extinguishes], al-Ḥāshir [the one who
gathers] and al-‘Āqib [the last prophet].
Likewise, the names of the Qur’ān
include: al-Furqān [the criterion], al-
Hudā [the guide], al-Shifā [the cure], al-
Bayān [the clarification], and al-Kitāb
[the book].

17
18
If the intention of the questioner is to
pinpoint an object, it can be described
by using any name so long as it is
understood to refer to that particular
object. This description may be in the
form of a noun or an attribute. For
example, the one who asks concerning
the verse: “And whosoever turns away
from My remembrance” [Sūrah Ṭā-Hā,
20:124]. What is the remembrance? The
answer is: ‘It is the Qur’ān’ or ‘It is His
divinely revealed Books.’ The word
remembrance is a noun, and a noun is
either attached to the subject [the one
who remembers] or the object [what is
being remembered].

Therefore, the remembrance of Allāh in

relation to the second meaning is like
the statement: Subḥān Allāh [All glory be
to Allāh], Alḥamdulillāh [All praise is for
Allāh], Lā ilāha illallāh [none has the
right to be worshipped but Allāh] and
Allāhu Akbar [Allāh is the greatest]. In
relation to the first meaning [i.e. the
subject] it refers to the one who is
remembering His speech, and this is
what is being referred to in this verse.

This is further supported by the verse

which precedes this verse: “And if there
should come to you guideance from Me –
then whoever follows My guidance will
neither go astray [in the world] nor suffer
[in the Hereafter].” [Sūrah Ṭā-Hā,
20:123]. His guidance is that which He
has revealed. Allāh then states: “He will
say, “My Lord, why have you raised me
blind while I was [once] seeing?” [Allāh]
will say, “Thus did Our signs come to you,
and you disregarded them; and thus will
you this Day be forgotten.” [Sūrah Ṭā-Hā,
20:125-126].

The point being that what is intended by

the remembrance is His revealed speech
or the remembrance of that speech by
the servant. Therefore, whether it is
said: ‘My remembrance’ means ‘My
Book’ or ‘My speech’ or ‘My guidance’,
the intended meaning is one and the
same.

19
20
However, if the intention of the
questioner is to learn about the attribute
which that name also connotes, then an
added explanation must also be given.
For example, it is possible for one to ask
concerning the names of Allāh: al-
Quddūs [the pure], al-Salām [the
perfect], al-Mu’min [the Bestower of
Faith] even though one knows that these
names refer to Allāh but he wishes to
inquire about these specific attributes.

If that which has preceded is clear, one

realises that it is often the case that the
salaf would describe something using a
name which points to the object being
referred to; at the same time this name
may also contain an attribute not
present in its other names. Just as the
Prophet (‫ )ﷺ‬is described as: al-Ḥāshir, al-
Māḥiy, and al-‘Āqib, and Allāh is al-
Ghafūr and al-Raḥīm. All these names
refer to one and the same thing but each
also contains a unique attribute. It is
well-known that this is not a difference
of contradiction as some people
mistakenly think.

For example, what does the ‘straight

path’ refer to? Some scholars mention it
is to follow the Qur’ān due to the
statement of the Prophet (‫)ﷺ‬, “The
Qur’ān is the firm rope of Allāh, the wise
reminder and the straight path.” Others
have stated that the straight path refers
to Islām due to the ḥadīth of the Prophet
(‫ )ﷺ‬narrated by al-Nawwās ibn Sam’ān:
“Allāh has set forth the parable of a
straight path; on either side of this path
there is a wall in which there are open
doors and upon these doors are curtains.
There is a man calling from the top of the
road and another from above the road.

21
22
He said: The straight path is Islām. The
walls are the boundaries of Allāh. The
open doors are the prohibitions. The
caller from the top of the road is the
Book of Allāh, and the caller from above
the road is the admonisher from Allāh
which ever believers hears in his heart.”

So both the explanations mentioned for

the ‘straight path’ are in reality the
same, as the religion of Islām is to follow
the Qur’ān. However each description
points to a particular aspect not present
in the other description. The word ‘path’
also signifies a third meaning. Similar to
this are all the other explanations given
for the ‘straight path’, that is al-Sunnah
wal Jamā’ah, or the path of worship, or
it is obedience to Allāh and his
Messenger (‫)ﷺ‬. All of these explanations
refer to one and the same thing;
however each one chooses to describe it
using a particular attribute.

The second category: To mention by

way of example and illustrating some
aspects of the general term being
referred to, in order to draw the
attention of the listener to the type of
thing that is being referred to and not to
completely define the boundaries of the
word. Thus, if a non-Arab asked about
the word khubz (bread) and was shown a
raghīf (a loaf of bread), this illustrates to
that person that similar things are
known as khubz, not that this particular
load alone can be described as such.

23
24
An example of this is the Qur’ānic verse:
“Then We caused to inherit the Book
those We have chosen of Our servants,
and among them is he who wrongs
himself, and among them is he who is
moderate, and among them is he who is
foremost in good deeds by the
permission of Allāh.” [Sūrah Fāṭir, 35:32].

Those who wrong themselves are those

who do not perform the obligatory
duties and embark upon that which has
been prohibited. The moderate are
those who fulfil their obligations are
refrain from the prohibitions. Those who
are foremost are the ones who not only
do that which is obligated upon them
but perform optional acts too. Thus, the
moderate will be the people on the right,
and the foremost will be the foremost;
those who are brought near [to Allāh].

Furthermore, each one of these three

can be described by the ways in which
they perform a certain act. It can be said
that the foremost are those who pray
their daily prayers at their proper time,
the moderate are those who pray within
the allotted duration, and those who
wrong themselves are those who delay
the prayer until the time is about to
pass.

Likewise it can be said that these three

types of people are also mentioned in
Sūrah al-Baqarah, the good-doer is
mentioned as being charitable, the
wrong-doer deals in usury and the just
busies himself in trade, so with regards
to wealth people are generous, just or
oppressive. Thus, the foremost are those
who are generous by not only fulfilling
the obligatory act but also giving extra.
The oppressive are those who deal in
usury or refuse to pay the Zakāh, and
the moderate are those who give Zakāh
but do not deal in usury.

25
26
Therefore, each saying mentions
something which is already present in
the verse; it is merely stressed in order
to draw attention to that particular
aspect of the verse by way of example.
For defining something by way of
illustration or example can be much
easier than defining something with an
absolute definition.

One’s intellect can easily relate to an

example of something, just as it
understands what bread is when it is
shown a loaf. From this category is also
the statement: The reason this verse was
revealed was due to such and such,
especially if it was due to a person. This is
the case with the background regarding
the revelation of certain verses.

For example, they state that the verse

concerning ẓihār was revealed
concerning the wife of Aws ibn al-Ṣāmit.
The verse of li’ān was revealed
concerning ‘Uwaymir al-‘Ajlānī or Hilāl
ibn Umayyah, and the verse of kalālah
was revealed in the case of Jābir ibn
‘Abdullāh. Similarly, the verse: “And
judge, [O Muḥammad], between them by
what Allāh has revealed” [Sūrah al-
Mā’idah, 5:49]; was revealed during the
incident of Banū Qurayẓah and Banū
Naḍīr. The verse: “And whoever turns his
back to them on such a day” [Sūrah al-
Anfāl, 8:16]; was revealed concerning
[the battle of] Badr. Likewise, the verse:
“…testimony [should be taken] among
you when death approaches one of you”
[Sūrah al-Mā’idah, 5:106]; was revealed
in the story of Tamīm al-Dārī and ‘Adiyy
ibn Badā’. Also, the statement of Abū
Ayyūb about the verse: “…and do not
throw [yourselves] with your [own]
hands into destruction” [Sūrah al-
Baqarah, 2:195]; ‘It was revealed
concerning us: the Anṣār.’

There are many such examples where it

is mentioned that a certain verse was
revealed concerning the polytheists of
Makkah or the Jews and Christians, or
concerning a group of believers.

27
28
The purpose of such statements is not to
insinuate that these verses only
pertained to these people and no one
else; this would not be said by a Muslim
or an intelligent person.

The only point of difference is

concerning a general term which is used
in a particular case; is it limited to that
case or not? None of the Muslim
scholars infer that the general terms
present in the Qur’ān and Sunnah only
pertain to those specific people about
whom those verses were revealed.
Rather, the most that can be said that
such said verses apply to all those who
are similar to that person for which the
verse was revealed, and the wording is
not generalised to the limits to which the
language allows.

Any verse which was revealed for a

particular reason, especially if the verse
is an order or a prohibition, not only
includes that particular person for whom
it was revealed but all those similar to
him. This is also the case if the verse is
praising or censuring someone.

Knowledge of the reasons for which a

verse was revealed assists one in
understand that verse, for knowledge of
the cause helps to bring about
knowledge of the result. For this reason,
the stronger of the two opinions
concerning a person who forgets the
oath he took is that one returns to the
reason which caused him to take the
oath in the first place. What caused it
and what factors led to it?

Their statement: ‘This verse was

revealed due to such and such’ can
sometimes mean that this was the
reason the verse was revealed. It can
also imply that the meaning is also
present in the verse even if it is not the
reason for its revelation, i.e. the meaning
of this verse is such and such.

29
30
The scholars have different regarding the
statement of a companion: ‘This verse
was revealed due to such and such.’
Does this statement count as being a
prophetic narration just as if the
companion was to narrate the incident
as it took place, or is it considered an
explanation which the companion gives
himself and not a [prophetic] narration?

Al-Bukhārī considered it to be a
narration whereas others did not. The
majority of books containing narrations
fall into the latter category such as
Musnad Aḥmad. If on the other hand,
the companion describes the incident as
a narration then all agree that it is a
narration.

If this is known and one states: ‘This

verse was revealed due to this,’ this does
not contradict a similar statement from
someone else, so long as the word can
include both meanings as we have
explained when discussing tafsīr by way
of example.

Likewise, if one mentions a reason for

which the verse was revealed and then
another mentions a different reason, it is
possible that both are speaking the truth
and that the verse was revealed after a
number of incidents took place, or the
verse was revealed twice, one each
occasion for a different reason.

These two different categories of tafsīr

which we have just mentioned –
variation in names and attributes or
different categories and types with
which they are described such as
illustrations – are the two most
predominant types of tafsīr found
among the predecessors which may be
thought of as differences in opinion.

31
32
Another type of difference which can be
found is where we have ambiguous
words. This can be done in two ways.
Firstly, it is ambiguous because it has a
number of meanings in the language
such as the word ‘qaswarah’ which can
refer to a shooter or a lion, and the word
‘’as’asa’ which can refer to both the
advent and departure of the night.

[The second way it can be ambiguous] is

because even though the word originally
only has one meaning, it denotes one of
two different types or one of two things
such as a pronominal subject which at
times can refer to a number of things,
like in the verse: “Then he approached
and descended. And was at a distance of
two bow lengths or nearer” [Sūrah al-
Najm, 53:8-9].

Other similar words include: al-fajr (the

day-break), al-shaf’ (the even), al-watr
(the odd) and layālin ‘ashar (the ten
nights). It is possible that these words
have the meanings the salaf gave to
them, or their meanings could be
otherwise.

The first is the case when a verse is

revealed twice, once for one reason and
then again due to another reason, or
because of an ambiguous word where
both meanings can be correctly applied.
This is the opinion of the majority of the
scholars of the Mālikī, Shāf’ī and Ḥanbalī
schools of thought as well as many
theologians. The other case is where one
word has only one meaning making it
general so long as there is nothing which
specifies its meaning. If both meanings
are permitted then this will fall into the
second category.

Another statement of theirs which is

commonly thought to be a difference of
opinion, is when they express an opinion
each using a different choice of words.
These words are similar in their
connotations but not synonymous.

33
34
There are very few words in the Arabic
language which are synonymous; this is
even rarer in the Qur’ān if not non-
existent. It is rare to express the exact
same meaning using two sets of words;
at best, the meanings will be
approximate. This is from the miracles of
the Qur’ān.

If one were to say regarding the verse:

“On the Day the heaven will sway with
the circular motion (mawr)” [Sūrah al-
Ṭūr, 52:9]; that ‘mawr’ is a movement it
would be a similar meaning but not
exact, as the word means a quick, silent
movement.

Likewise, to say ‘waḥy’ (revelation)

means to inform, or the verse ‘We have
revealed to you’ means ‘We sent down’,
or that the verse: “And We conveyed to
the Children of Israel” [Sūrah al-Isrā,
17:4]; means ‘We taught’.

In all these examples the substitute

words are similar in meaning but not
exact. Revelation is quick and secret and
not just a way of informing. Conveying is
much more specific that simply teaching
as it involves information and revelation.
It is common for the Arabs to attach a
verb to another verb by using the
preposition of the latter.

From here, we can see the mistake made

by those who substitute certain words
with others, as they do in the verse:
“[David] said, “He has certainly wronged
you in demanding you ewe [in addition]
to his ewes…” [Sūrah Ṣād, 38:24],
substituting ‘in addition to’ with ‘with his
ewes’. Likewise, in the verse: “Who are
my supporters for [the cause of] Allāh”
[Sūrah Āl-Imrān, 3:52]; ‘for the cause of’
has been substituted with ‘with Allāh’
and so on.

The correct opinion is that of the

grammarians of Baṣrah who state that it
is a case of implication. Thus, the
demand for the ewe implied taking and
adding it to his ewes.

35
36
Another example is the verse: “And
indeed, they were about to tempt you
away from that which We revealed to
you” [Sūrah al-Isrā, 17:73]; Tempt
implies the meaning they prevent and
divert you.

Also [included in this is the following]

verse: “And We aided [i.e. saved] him
from the people who denied Our signs”
[Sūrah al-Anbiyā, 21:77]; Aided also
implies the meaning we saved and
rescued.

Likewise, another example is the verse:

“…from which the servants of Allāh
drink” [Sūrah al-Insān, 76:6]; Drinking
implies the meaning of quenching one’s
thirst. Such examples are abundant.

Likewise, whosoever says that ‘rayb’

means ‘shakk’ has only given an
approximate meaning, for the word
‘rayb’ implies internal unrest and turmoil
as in the ḥadīth: “Leave that which is
doubtful for that which is not doubtful.”
As well as the ḥadīth in which the
Prophet (‫ )ﷺ‬passed by a deer with its
head between its legs and said: “None of
you disturb [yuriyb] it.” Therefore, just as
certainty implies inner peace and
tranquillity its opposite, doubt, implies
internal unrest and turmoil. On the other
hand, the word ‘shakk’ does not possess
the same implications.

Also in the statement of Allāh: “That

Book” which is normally stated as
meaning ‘This Book’ is another example
of an approximate meaning. Even
though what is being referred to in both
statements is the Qur’ān, to point to
something which is close by saying ‘this’
does not give the same implications and
meanings as that which is referred to as
being far and absent [which is implied by
saying ‘that’]. Similarly, the word ‘Book’
is used here instead of ‘Qur’ān’ implies it
is apparent and read. Such differences in
language are present in the Qur’ān.

37
38
If one were to say that the word in the
Qur’ān “an tubsala” means to be
imprisoned, and another says it is to be
bailed, this is not a contradictory
difference, for the one imprisoned may
or may not be bailed, so this is an
approximate explanation.

To gather these varying sayings and

opinions of the salaf is very beneficial.
By gathering all these opinions one will
have a clearer understanding of the
intended meaning, much more so that if
he were to just collect a saying or two.

Even with all the above, there exist

genuine differences of opinion among
the Salaf, such as their differences in
matters of jurisprudence. However,
essential knowledge which everyone
requires is known to all; the lay person
and the elite. Examples of this include
the number of daily prayers, the number
of units in each prayer and their timings.
Also known are the items on which zakat
is levied and their minimum amounts,
which is the month of Ramaḍān, how to
perform ṭawāf, the standing in ‘Arafāt,
stoning the pillars, where a person dons
on the iḥrām etc.

Furthermore, the difference of opinion

which existed amongst the companions
in issues such as the shares of the
grandfather and brothers [in
inheritance] and musharrakah, rarely
occur in the majority of inheritance
rulings. Rather, most people only need
to know about the shares of the
ascendants, descendants, siblings and
spouses. Indeed Allāh revealed three
detailed verses concerning inheritance.
In the first, He mentioned the
ascendants and descendants. In the
second, He mentioned the relatives who
have prescribed shares such as the
spouses and maternal brother.

39
40
He mentioned in the third the relatives
that have no prescribed shares and they
are the full or paternal brothers. Cases in
which the paternal grandfather and
brothers meet are rare. This is why the
first such reported instance in Islām took
place after the death of the Prophet (‫)ﷺ‬.

This difference of opinion may occur due

to relevant evidences being hidden,
overlooked, not being known or being
misunderstood, or due to one favouring
an opposing opinion. The purpose here
is to briefly allude to this point and not
to expound upon it.

41
42
 Chapter

The Two Categories of Differences in

the Exegesis of the Qur’ān Relating to
the Source: Narrations and Deductions

Differences in the exegesis can be of two

types: The source of the first is
narrations and the other type is derived
from different means, for knowledge is
either a truthful narration, or a correct
deduction, and the narration either
originate from one who is infallible or
one who is not.

Here, we will discuss these narrations

irrespective of whether they stem from
an infallible authority or not; this is the
first category. At times, we are able to
distinguish between authentic and weak
narrations and at times we are unable to
do so. This latter part whose authenticity
we cannot ascertain, for the most is
unbeneficial and to delve into is
unnecessary.

As for that knowledge which is essential

to the Muslims, then Allāh has placed for
them sufficient signs showing them the
truth.

43
44
An example of that which is unbeneficial
and has no clear evidence is the
difference regarding the colour of the
dog belonging to the companions of the
cave. Similar to this is the difference
regarding which part of the cow was
used to strike the slain man. Also
included in this are the measurements of
the ark of Nūh, and the type of wood
used. Similar to this is the name of the
boy killed by Khiḍr etc.

All this can only be ascertained from the

narrations. That which is authentically
narrated from the Prophet (‫ )ﷺ‬in this
regard, such as the name of the
companion of Mūsā being Khiḍr is
accepted. As for other than this, such as
that which is taken from the People of
the Book, like the narration of Ka’b,
Wahb, Muḥammad ibn Isḥāq and others
who take from them, one cannot accept
or reject these narrations except with
clear proof.

It is reported in the Ṣaḥīḥ that the

Prophet (‫ )ﷺ‬said: “If the People of the
Book narrate to you then do not attest to
their truthfulness nor reject them, rather
say we believe in Allāh and His
Messengers. Otherwise you may reject
something truthful or attest to
something false.”

Likewise, if narrations of the tābi’ūn –

irrespective of whether or not they are
taken from the People of the Book –
differ then some of their sayings do not
hold greater weight and authority than
others.

Rather, authentic narrations from the

companions in this regard are more
reliable than narrations from their
students, as it is a stronger possibility
that the companion heard his opinion
from the Prophet (‫ )ﷺ‬or from another of
the companions who in turn heard it
from the Prophet (‫)ﷺ‬. Furthermore, the
companions’ narrations from the People
of the Book are less than that of the
tābi’ūn.

45
46
Therefore, when a companion
adamantly holds an opinion, it is not
thought that he has taken this opinion
from the People of the Book, especially
since they were forbidden from believing
them.

The point being, such differences [in

opinion] in which one cannot ascertain
what is authentic and what is weak is
just as unbeneficial as narrating a ḥadīth
in which one cannot ascertain its
authenticity.

As for the first category in which one is

able to establish the authenticity of a
narration, this is possible – and all praise
is for Allāh – in those matters which are
essential. Many narrations in tafsīr,
ḥadīth and expeditions concerning the
Prophet (‫ )ﷺ‬and other Prophets are false
as they contradict authentic narrations.
This is the case with narrations and what
is deduced by methods.

The point being, there are clear signs

showing the authenticity or weakness of
those narrations which are essential and
required by the Muslims.

It is also known that many narrations in

tafsīr are similar to narrations about
expeditions and history. This is why
Imām Aḥmad said: “Three things contain
no chain of narration: tafsīr, expeditions
and history.” This is because the majority
of narrations are marāsīl, such as that
which is mentioned by ‘Urwah Ibn
Zubayr, al-Sha’bī, al-Zuhrī, Mūsā ibn
‘Uqbah, ibn Isḥāq, and those who came
after them such as Yaḥyā ibn Sa’īd, Walīd
ibn Muslim, al-Wāqidī and others who
authored in history and expeditions.

47
48
Indeed, the most knowledgeable of
people concerning military expeditions
are the people of Madīnah, then Shām
and then Iraq.

The people of Madīnah are the most

knowledgable in this as the expeditions
took place among them.

The people of Shām are known for their

military and tactical skills, and due to this
they possess an understanding of these
matters which other don’t. For this
reason, people revere Abū Isḥāq’s book
on this topic, and consider al-Awzā’ī to
be more knowledgeable in this field than
other scholars.

As for tafsīr, then the most

knowledgeable of people in this field are
the people of Makkah. The reason for
this is that they are the students of Ibn
‘Abbās, like Mujāhid, ‘Aṭā’ Ibn Abī Rabāḥ
and ‘Ikrimah, and others such as Ṭāwūs,
Abū Sha’thā and Sa’īd ibn Jubayr.

Likewise it includes the people of Kūfah

who are the students of ‘Abdullāh Ibn
Mas’ūd. Some of these are distinguished
scholars.

From the scholars of Madīnah who

specialised in tafsīr is Zayd ibn Aslam.
Those who took tafsīr from him [i.e. his
students] include Imām Mālik, and his
own son ‘Abdul-Raḥmān. ‘Abdul-Raḥmān
was the teacher of ‘Abdullāh ibn Wahb.

Mursal ḥadīth which are reported by

many narrations to the extent that there
can be no change of intentional or
incidental collusion between the
narrations, are without doubt authentic.

49
50
A narration can be authentic and correct,
or false in which the narrator
intentionally lied or made a mistake. If
we can establish that it is free of lies and
mistakes then it is undoubtedly
authentic.

Therefore, if a ḥadīth has been narrated

from two or more chains and it is known
that the narrators did not conspire in its
differences, and that it is not possible to
agree on such a thing incidentally, the
narration is classed as authentic.

It is like a person who mentions an

incident which took place, explaining in
detail what was said and done, and then
another person who cannot have
conspired with the first mentions the
exact same story in detail. It is known
that on the whole the story is true. If
they had conspired to lie about the story
or had mistakenly done so, it would not
be conceivable that they would agree on
all the details, as without collusion such
a thing would be impossible. It is
possible that a person may compose a
verse of poetry and another happens to
also compose the same verse, or one
tells a particular lie which happens to be
the same lie another tells without having
colluded with the first. However, if a
person was to compose a lengthy poem
containing all types of rhythmical styles
and techniques, it is not possible that
someone else would compose the exact
same poem with the same words and
meanings, rather it is known that the
latter took from the former. Likewise, if
someone mentions a long narration
containing much detail and another
person narrates the same thing, then the
latter either colluded with the former, or
he copied him, or else the narration is
true.

51
52
Using this method it is possible to
determine the authenticity of narrations
which are reported through different
transmissions, even though each
individual narration is not sufficient on
its own due to a missing link present or
the weakness of a narrator.

However this method cannot be used in

pinpointing the accuracy of words and
details; the accuracy of such things must
be established via another method.

Thus, the battle of Badr has been

established by recurring narrations. It is
established that it took place before the
battle of Uḥud. Furthermore, it is also
established that Ḥamzah, ‘Alī and Abū
‘Ubaydah had a duel with ‘Utbah,
Shaybah and Walīd, that ‘Alī killed Walīd,
and Ḥamzah killed his opponent.
However there is a different [of opinion]
over who his opening was, was it Utbah
or Shaybah?

This is an essential principle to

remember, and is very beneficial in
determining the truthfulness of
narrations in ḥadīth, tafsīr, and military
expeditions, and what people said or did.

For this reason, if a prophetic ḥadīth has

been narrated with two different chains,
and it is known that one narrator did not
collaborate with the other, we can be
certain that the narration is true. This is
even more so if the narrators are those
who would not intentionally lie, rather
the most that is feared for them is that
they may make a mistake or forget. The
one who is familiar with companions
such as Ibn Mas’ūd, Ubayy ibn Ka’b, Ibn
‘Umar, Jābir, Abū Sa’īd and Abū
Hurayrah would know that they would
never intentionally ascribe a lie to the
Prophet (‫)ﷺ‬, let alone those who are
greater in status than them.

53
54
This is similar to a person who knows
another well due to his extensive
experiences with him. He knows he
would not steal, ambush or give false
testimonies.

This can also be said about the tābi’ūn of

Madīnah, Makkah, Shām, Baṣrah.
Whoever is familiar with the likes of Abū
Ṣāliḥ al-Sammān, al-A’raj, Sulaymān ibn
Yasār, Zayd ibn Aslam and their
contemporaries will know that they
would not purposefully ascribe lies to
the Prophet (‫)ﷺ‬.

Let alone those scholars who are greater

than them such as Muḥammad ibn Sīrīn,
al-Qāsim ibn Muḥammad, Sa’īd ibn al-
Musayyib, ‘Alqamah, al-Aswad and
others.

Rather what is feared is that they may

have made errors, as mistakes and
forgetfulness often affect people.
However, certain scholars are known to
be far from this. This is known about the
likes of al-Sha’bī, al-Zuhrī, ‘Urwah
Qatādah and al-Thawrī, especially al-
Zuhrī and al-Thawrī in their times. It is
said: ‘Indeed, Ibn Shihāb al-Zuhrī rarely
erred even though he narrated many
ḥadīths and had an expansive memory.’

55
56
The point here is that if a ḥadīth has
been narrated from two different chains
without collaboration, then it cannot be
a mistake or a lie. A lengthy story cannot
be one big mistake; rather parts of it
may contains errors. Therefore, if a
person narrates a long and detailed
story, and another narrates exactly the
same story without collusion then both
stories cannot be a mistake, just as they
cannot be lies.

As such, the mistakes which occur can be

concerning certain details within the
story, like the ḥadīth in which the
Prophet (‫ )ﷺ‬bought a camel from Jābir.
Whoever contemplates the different
chains of the ḥadīth will realise that the
ḥadīth is authentic, even though the
narrations differ concerning the exact
price of the camel. This is also explained
by al-Bukhārī in his Ṣaḥiḥ.

For the majority of what is in Bukhārī

and Muslim can be ascribed to the
Prophet (‫ )ﷺ‬with certainty, as it is of this
calibre, and the Ummah has accepted it
as such, and the whole Muslim nation
cannot unite upon error. For if a ḥadīth is
a lie but the Ummah accepts it as
truthful, they have in essence accepted a
lie. This is unity upon error and is
impossible. Without unity and consensus
it is possible that a narration contains a
mistake or lie, just as this is possible in
an analogy in which the truth may be in
the opposite of what we believed.
However, once unity is achieved upon a
matter, we affirm its wording and
meaning.

57
58
For this reason, the majority of scholars
from all the different schools of thought
agree that if a ḥadīth reported with a
single narrator in its chain of narration is
accepted or approved by action then it is
sufficient as evidence. This is mentioned
by the authors of Uṣūl al-Fiqh from all
the school of fiqh: the student of Abū
Ḥanīfah, Mālik, Shāfi’ī and Aḥmad. This
opinion is opposed by a minority of
latter time scholars who chose the
opinion of some theologians. However,
the majority of theologians agree with
the jurists, scholars of ḥadīth and
predecessors on this. This is the opinion
of the majority of Ash’arite scholars such
as Abū Isḥāq and Ibn Fawrak.

As for Ibn al-Bāqillānī, he is the one who

held the opposing opinion, and was
followed by Abul-Ma’ālī, Abū Ḥāmid, Ibn
‘Aqīl, Ibn al-Jawzī, Ibn al-Khaṭīb, al-Āmadī
and others.

The first opinion is also supported by

Shaykh Abū Ḥāmid, Abu al-Ṭayyib, Abū
Isḥāq and their likes from the Shāfi’ī
school. Qaḍī ‘Abdul-Wahhāb and his
likes from the Mālikī school. Shams ul-
Dīn al-Sarakhsī and others from the
Ḥanafī school.

59
60
Abū Ya’lā, Abul-Khaṭṭāb, and Abul-Ḥasan
from the Ḥanbalī school.

If consensus upon a narration is

sufficient in establishing it, then the
consensus which is applicable is that of
the scholars of ḥadīth. Just as consensus
in practical rulings is sought with the
scholars who specialise in orders,
prohibitions and recommendations, so is
the case with this.

The point being made is that a narration

possessing multiple transmissions in
which no collusion or agreement is
possible, is sufficient in establishing the
content narrated. This is more beneficial
when one is aware of the state of the
narrators.

In this regard, one may benefit from the

narrations of an unknown narrator or
one possessing bad memory, or a mursal
ḥadīth. For this reason the scholars
would write down such narrations and
say: ‘What can’t be used as evidence
itself may be used in order to support
another evidence’.

Imām Aḥmad would state: ‘I may write

the narrations of a man in order to
consider them.’ He then gave ‘Abdullāh
ibn Lahiy’ah, the Egyptian judge as an
example of such a man. He was a pious
man who narrated many ḥadīths, but
when his books were burnt, his later
narrations had mistakes in them, so he
was a narrator considered and used to
support others.

He is often compared to al-Lath ibn Sa’d;

Layth was a trustworthy authority and
imām.

61
62
Just as they use the ḥadīth of the one
with bad memory as supporting
evidence, they may also classify the
ḥadīth of a trustworthy and reliable
narrator as weak due to apparent and
clear errors for in some narrations. This
is known as the science of ‘ilal al-ḥadīth
(the hidden defects in ḥadīth), and is one
of the most noble and advanced sciences
in the field of ḥadīth. This is when one
who is usually trustworthy and reliable
makes an error in his narrators, and his
error has become known. As it is known
that the Prophet (‫ )ﷺ‬married Maymūnah
whilst he was not in a state of iḥrām, and
that he prayed two rak’ahs inside the
Ka’bah. The narrations of Ibn ‘Abbās
which state that he (‫ )ﷺ‬married whilst in
a state of of iḥrām and that he did not
pray inside the Ka’bah are mistaken.

Likewise, it is also known that the

Prophet (‫ )ﷺ‬only preformed four
‘Umrahs, and that the statement of Ibn
‘Umar which claims he made ‘Umrah in
Rajab is also mistaken.

It is also well known that the Prophet (‫)ﷺ‬

performed tamattu’ in a state of security
during his farewell Ḥajj. Thus, the
narration in which ‘Uthmān said to ‘Alī:
‘We were in a state of fear on that day’ is
also mistaken.

Another example of this is what is

reported in some narrations in Ṣaḥīḥ al-
Bukhārī: “The Hellfire will not be full until
Allāh creates another creation for it.”
This is also a narration which contains a
mistake.

People are of two extremes in this issue:

A group of scholastic theologians and

their likes who are unfamiliar with the
science of ḥadīth and its scholars, do not
differentiate between authentic and
weak narrations. This causes them to
doubt the authenticity of ḥadīths even
though they are classified as authentic
by the scholars of this science.

63
64
The other group claims to follow ḥadīths
wherever they find a wording narrated
by a trustworthy person, or a ḥadīth
which appears to be authentic,
considering it to be from among those
ḥadīths whose authenticity has been
established by the scholars. Even if they
contradict a well-known and authentic
ḥadīth, they will instead revert to facile
interpretations and insist it is an
evidence for a certain issue even though
the scholars of ḥadīth consider it to be
incorrect.

Just as there are signs by which one can

come to know and establish that a
ḥadīth is truthful, there are signs which
also point to a ḥadīth being a fabrication.
An example of this is what is narrated by
the fabricators and people of innovation
in certain matters of superiority (faḍā’il),
such as the ḥadīth concerning the day of
‘Āshūrā’ which states that whoever
prays two rak’ahs will receive the reward
of such and such prophets.

In the books of tafsīr many such

fabrications exist. An example of this is
the ḥadīth narrated by al-Tha’labī, al-
Wāḥidī and Al-Zamaksharī regarding the
superiority of the chapters of the Qur’ān.
These are fabricated by the agreement
of the scholars.

Al-Tha’labī himself was a good and pious

man, but he was like a wood gatherer at
night. He would copy whatever he found
in the books of tafsīr, whether authentic,
weak or fabricated.

65
66
Al-Wāḥidī was his companion and was
more knowledgeable than him in the
Arabic language, but more distant in
terms of following the pious
predecessors.

Al-Baghawī’s tafsīr is a summary of al-

Tha’labī’s. However, he preserved his
book from fabricated ḥadīths and
innovated opinions.

And the fabrications in the books of

tafsīr are many.

Examples include the many ḥadīths

mentioning that the basmalah is said
aloud, and the long ḥadīth of ‘Alī where
he gave his ring in charity whilst praying.
These are considered fabricated by the
agreement of the scholars.

This also includes what is narrated

regarding the verse: “…and for every
people is a guide” [Sūrah al-Ra’d, 13:7];
Some state that it refers to ‘Alī. “…and
[that] a conscious ear would be
conscious of it.” [Sūrah al-Ḥāqqah,
69:12]; It has also been said that this also
refers to ‘Alī.

67
68
 Chapter on The Second Category:
Differences in Tafsīr Relating to
Reasoning and Deductions

The second of the two categories in

which differences occur relates to
reasoning and deduction as opposed to
narrations. Most mistakes which occur in
tafsīr are as a result of two things which
appeared after the generation of the
companions, their students and those
who followed them in righteousness. For
this reason, you will not find any of these
two things in the exegesis and
commentaries of those noble scholars,
the likes of ‘Abdul-Razzāq, Wakī, ‘Abd
ibn Ḥumayd, ‘Abdul-Raḥmān ibn Ibrāhīm
Duḥaym, Imām Aḥmad, Isḥāq ibn
Rāḥawayh, Baqī ibn Makhlad, Abū Bakr
ibn al-Mundhir, Sufyān ibn ‘Uyaynah,
Sunayd, Ibn Jarīr, Ibn Abī Ḥātim Abū Sa’īd
al-Ashajj, Abū ‘Abdullāh ibn Mājah and
Ibn Mardawayh.

The first problem which arose was

people believing in certain ideologies
and then interpreting the Qur’ān to fit
those ideologies.

The second problem was a group of

people who interpreted the Qur’ān just
as an average Arabic speaker would,
without considered from whom these
words came, to whom it was revealed
and who they were addressing.

69
70
The first group concentrated on
meanings that suited them without pay
attention to the real implications and
contexts of the verses.

The second group concentrated on the

words and how they were used by the
Arabs and disregarded the context of the
verses. This group also mistakenly
interprets words of the Arabic language
thinking that their interpretations are
linguistically correct. The first group also
falls into this error, but more so [their
error is that] as they are incorrect in the
interpretations they give to the
meanings of the Qur’ān; the other group
is also guilty of this. The first group
prefers to concentrate on meanings and
the other group places emphasis on
words.

The first group is further divided into

two sub-groups; a group which strips the
words of the Qur’ān of their real and
intended meaning, and a group which
gives the words meanings which they do
not convey. In both instances, that which
they wish to affirm or negate may be
incorrect and therefore they have erred
in both the evidence and the ideology
they wish to support with it, or that
particular idea may be correct in which
case they have only erred in the way
they use the evidence.

Just as this method is present in the

exegesis of the Qur’ān, it is also present
in the exegesis of ḥadīth.

71
72
Those who err in both the evidence and
the ideology such as the sects of the
people of innovation oppose the truth
which the moderate Ummah holds onto;
they are those who do not agree upon
misguidance such as the predecessors of
this nation. They interpret the Qur’ān
and twist it to support their views. At
times they use verses as evidence even
though these verses do not support
them, and at times they twist and
change that which contradicts their
views, thus distorting these words from
their proper usages.

From these groups are the Khawārij,

Rawāfiḍ, Jaḥmiyyah, Mu’tazilah,
Qadariyyah, Murji’ah and others.

From amongst them the Mu’tazilah are

especially known for their rhetoric and
argumentation. They have authored
commentaries of the Qur’ān based upon
their beliefs and principles, such as the
tafsīr of ‘Abdul-Raḥmān ibn Kaysān al-
Aṣamm, the teacher of Ibrāhīm ibn
Ismā’īl ibn ‘Ulayyah who used to debate
with al-Shāfi’ī. Likewise there is the book
of Abū ‘Alī al-Jubbā’ī, Tafsīr al-Kabīr by
Qāḍī ‘Abdul-Jabbār ibn Aḥmad al-
Ḥamdānī, al-Jāmi’ li-‘Ilm al-Qur’ān by ‘Alī
ibn ‘Īsā al-Rummānī, and al-Kashāf by
Abul-Qāsim al-Zamaksharī. All of these
authors and others like them held the
beleifs of the Mu’tazilah.

The principles of the Mu’tazilah are five:

tawḥīd, justice, the station between two
stations, implementation of the
punishment and ordering the good and
forbidding the evil.

73
74
Their concept of tawḥīd is similar to that
of the Jaḥmiyyah, i.e. denying the
attributes of Allāh.

Their concept of tawḥīd is similar to that

of the Jaḥmiyyah, i.e. denying the
attributes of Allāh. They claim that Allāh
will not be seen, that the Qur’ān is
created, and that Allāh is not above His
creation. They further claim that He does
not possess knowledge, power, life,
hearing, sight, speech, will or any other
attribute.

Their concept of justice involves

believing that Allāh did not will creation
[i.e. that they should exist], create them
nor does He possess power over them.
They also believe that Allāh doesn’t
create the actions of His slaves, whether
good or bad. He only wants that which
He has ordered in his divine laws. All else
may take place without his permission.

Others who agreed with them on this

point are the Shī’ah of later times, the
likes of al-Mufīd, Abū Ja’far al-Ṭūsī and
others.

Abū Ja’far has a tafsīr in which he

employs the methods of the Mu’tazilah
whilst incorporating into that the
method of the Twelver Shī’ah’s. The
Mu’tazilah do not prescribe to their
doctrine and beliefs, nor do they reject
the Caliphates of Abū Bakr, ‘Umar,
‘Uthmān or ‘Alī.

From amongst the principles of the

Mu’tazilah and Khawārij is the
implementation of the punishment. They
believe that Allāh will not accept any
intercession for those who committed
major signs nor will they be removed
from the fire.

75
76
Without a doubt this belief of theirs has
been refuted by some of the Murji’ah,
Karrāmiyyah and Kallābiyyah and their
followers. They often did well in their
rebuttal but at times they also erred
until the two groups became complete
opposites as has been explained
elsewhere.

The point here being that this group of

people held certain beliefs and then
interpreted the words of the Qur’ān in
support of those beliefs. In this regard
they have no predecessors from the
companions, their students or those who
followed them from the great scholars of
the Muslims, neither in their beliefs nor
in their commentaries of the Qur’ān.

The faults of their interpretation of the

Qur’ān can be seen from many angles.

Two main ways are: possessing

knowledge of the futility of their views
and knowledge of their incorrect
interpretations of the Qur’ān, either by
refuting their position or defending the
positions they attack.

From amongst them are individuals who

are eloquent and charming, and able to
conceal their innovations so that most
people will not realise their deception.
This includes the author of al-Kashāf and
others. This particular author manages
to confuse many who would not expect
him to possess erroneous views.

77
78
I know of many commentators of the
Qur’ān and others who freely quote from
these people in their words; who even
though they do not agree with their views
or principles, do not realise the errors in
their writings.

Then, due to their extremist in this, groups

such as the Rāfiḍah Imāmiyyah, followed
by the philosophers and then the
Qarāmiṭah and others have gone to even
further extremes. The philosophers and
Qarāmiṭah have especially exacerbated
this issue by interpreting the Qur’ān in the
strangest of ways.

Examples of commentaries by the Rāfiḍah

are: “May the hands of Abū Lahab be
ruined, and ruined is he” [Sūrah al-Masad,
111:1]; [They claim that] ‘The two hands
are Abū Bakr and ‘Umar’. And “…if you
should associate [anything] with Allāh,
your work would surely become worthless”
[Sūrah al-Zumar, 39:65]; [They interpret
this to mean] ‘between Abū Bakr and
‘Umar vis a vis ‘Alī in terms of the
caliphate’. “Indeed, Allāh commands you
to slaughter a cow.” [Sūrah al-Baqarah,
2:67]; ‘The cow to be slaughtered is
referring to ‘Ā’ishah’ according to them.
“…then fight the leaders of disbelief”
[Sūrah al-Tawbah, 9:12]; ‘The leaders of
disbelief are Ṭalḥah and Zubayr’,
[according to the Rāfiḍah]. “He released
the two seas meeting [side by side]” [Sūrah
al-Raḥmān, 55:19]; [This verse is
interpreted as] ‘The two seas are ‘Alī and
Fāṭimah’. “…pearl and coral” [Sūrah al-
Raḥmān, 55:22]; ‘They are Ḥasan and
Ḥusayn’. “…and all things We have
enumerated in a clear register” [Sūrah Yā
Sīn, 36:12]; ‘The register is ‘Alī ibn Abū
Ṭālib’. “About what are they asking one
another? About the great news” [Sūrah al-
Naba’, 78:1-2]; ‘The great news is ‘Alī ibn
Abū Ṭālib’. “Your ally is none but Allāh and
[therefore] His Messenger and those who
have believed – those who establish prayer
and give zakāk, and they bow [in worship]”
[Sūrah al-Mā’idah, 5:55]; The verse is
addressing ‘Alī. They then mention a
ḥadīth which has been classed as
fabricated by the agreement of the
scholars, in which ‘Alī gave his ring in
charity whilst praying.

79
80
“Those are the ones upon whom are
blessings from their Lord and mercy.”
[Sūrah al-Baqarah, 2:157]; ‘This verse
was revealed concerning ‘Alī when
Ḥamzah was martyred’.

Similar to these above commentaries is

what other commentators mention. An
example is the commentary of the
following verses: “The patient, the true,
the obedient, those who spend [in the
way of Allāh], and those who seek
forgiveness before dawn.” [Sūrah Āl-
‘Imrān, 3:17]; They state that the patient
one is the Prophet (‫)ﷺ‬. The truthful one
refers to Abū Bakr, ‘Umar is the obedient
one, the one who gives in charity is
‘Uthmān and ‘Alī is the seeker of
forgiveness.

And similar to this statement:

“Muḥammad is the Messenger of Allāh;
and those with him…”; i.e. Abū Bakr,
“…are forceful against the
disbelievers…”; Meaning ‘Umar,
“Merciful among themselves.”; This
refers to ‘Uthmān. “You see them
bowing and prostrating [in prayer]”
[Sūrah al-Fatḥ, 48:29]; This is ‘Alī.

Even stranger is the commentary of the

verse: “By the fig and the olive. And [by]
Mount Sinai. And [by] this secure city [i.e.
Makkah]” [Sūrah al-Tīn, 95:1-3]; They
comment that the fig is Abū Bakr, ‘Umar
is the olive, Mount Sinai is ‘Uthmān and
‘Alī is the secure city.

These types of distortion are brought

from words which in no way imply the
said meanings. These words do not
specifically refer to certain individuals.

Allāh’s statement, “…and those with him

are forceful against the disbelievers,
merciful among themselves. You see
them bowing and prostrating [in
prayer].” These are all descriptions for
those with the Prophet; this is what the
grammarians refer to as successive
predication.

81
82
All of these adjectives describe those
with him, and each description does not
connote a particular individual.

At times these distortions in exegesis

cause what is general to be confined to a
specific person, such as the verse, “Your
ally is none but Allāh and [therefore] His
Messenger and those who have
believed” referring specifically to ‘Alī.
Another example is that the verse, “And
the one who has brought the truth [i.e.
the Prophet (‫ ])ﷺ‬and [they who] believed
in it” [Sūrah al-Zumar, 39:33] Some
commentators state that this refers
specifically to Abū Bakr.

The following verse, “Not equal among

you are those who spent before the
conquest [of Makkah] and fought [and
those who did so after it]” [Sūrah al-
Ḥadīd, 57:10] Is also said to refer to Abū
Bakr specifically.

The tafsīr of the likes of Ibn ‘Aṭiyyah is

closer to the methodology of Ahlus
Sunnah and further from innovation
compared to the tafsīr of Zamaksharī.
However, if Ibn ‘Aṭiyyah had sufficed in
mentioning the views of the
predecessors found in their books it
would have been better. He often
quotes from the tafsīr of Muḥammad ibn
Jarīr al-Ṭabarī whose book is from the
greatest works of tafsīr, but he then
leaves quoting all of the sayings which
Ibn Jarīr brings from the salaf. Instead he
relies on opinions of people he
considered to be profound scholars who
in reality are from the people of kalām
possessing principles similar in nature to
those which the Mu’tazilah possess,
even though they are closer to the
Sunnah than the Mu’tazilah. It is
important that we give credit where it is
due, and to know that this tafsīr is
according to a particular madhab.

83
84
Indeed, if the companions, their
students and the scholars have an
opinion regarding the commentary of a
verse, and another group of people
interpreted the same verse in a different
way based upon their ideals and beliefs
which are contrary to the beliefs of the
companions and those who followed
them, this latter group is in agreement
with the Mu’tazilah and innovators in
this respect.

In short, whoever diverts away from the

methodology of the companions, their
students and their commentaries and
leans towards what opposes them is
wrong in this. Rather he is an innovator
in this respect, even though he may be
striving to attain the truth and so be
forgiven for his errors. The point here is
to highlight and clarify the methods of
verifying knowledge and the methods of
identifying the truth.

We know that the Qur’ān was recited by

the companions, their students and their
subsequent successors, and we know
that they were more knowledgeable of
the meanings and exegesis of the
Qur’ān, as well as more aware of the
truth brought by the Prophet (‫[ )ﷺ‬than
us]. Therefore, whoever contradicts their
statements and uses different
explanations is mistaken in both his
deduction and in his method.

Everyone who opposes their statements

possesses certain doubts, either
intellectual or textual, as has been
expounded upon elsewhere.

Here, we wish to highlight the causes of

difference in tafsīr. One of the greatest
causes is innovation and falsehood
where proponents of these go to the
extent of distorting the words of Allāh,
and interpreting the statements of Allāh
and His Messenger (‫ )ﷺ‬incorrectly and
twisting their meanings.

85
86
In order to counteract this, one must be
aware of the opposing view which is the
truth. One must also know that their
views are opposed by the views of the
salaf, and that their commentaries are
innovations. Furthermore, one should
then study in detail the falsehood of
their views by using the clear markers of
truth laid down by Allāh.

This problem is also prevalent amongst

those who write about the exegesis of
ḥadīth just as it is prevalent amongst
those who author in the exegesis of the
Qur’ān.

Those who err in their deductions and

not their methods are like the Ṣūfīs,
preachers, jurists and others who
interpret the Qur’ān with correct ideas
but the words of the Qur’ān do not imply
such meanings. An example of this is
much of what Abu ‘Abdul-Raḥmān al-
Sulamī mentions in Ḥaqā’iq al-Tafsīr. If
the ideas they propagate are also wrong
then without doubt this will fall under
the first category; mistakes in deduction
and methods, since now the meaning
they intend is also false.

87
88
 Chapter

The best method of exegesis

If one were to ask: what is the best

method of tafsīr?

The response would be that the most

authentic of methods is to:

First explain the Qur’ān with the Qur’ān.

This is because what is mentioned briefly
in one place will be expounded upon in
another place, and what is summarised
in one place will be explained in detail
elsewhere.

If you are unable to do this then use the

Sunnah as it is an explanation of the
Qur’ān, and a clarifier for it. Imām Abū
‘Abdullāh Muḥammad ibn Idrīs al-Shāfi’ī
said, ‘Every ruling the Prophet (‫ )ﷺ‬issued
was derived from the Qur’ān’. Allāh
states: “Indeed, We have revealed to
you, [O Muḥammad], the Book in truth
so you may judge between the people by
that which Allāh has shown you. And do
not be for the deceitful an advocate”
[Sūrah al-Nisā’, 4:105]. He also says,
“And We revealed to you the message
[i.e. the Qur’ān] that you may make clear
to the people what was sent down to
them and that they might give thought.”
[Sūrah al-Naḥl, 16:44]. In yet another
verse, He states, “And We have not
revealed to you the book, [O
Muḥammad], except for you to make
clear to them that wherein they have
differed and as guidance and mercy for a
people who believe.” [Sūrah al-Naḥl,
16:64]. This is why the Prophet (‫ )ﷺ‬said,
“Indeed, I have been given the Book and
something similar to it” i.e. the Sunnah.

89
90
The Sunnah is also a form of revelation
similar to the Qur’ān although it is not
recited as the Qur’ān is recited. Imām al-
Shāfi’ī and others have quoted many
evidences in support of this, however
this is not the place to go into detail
about that.

The point here is that you seek to

understand the Qur’ān with the Qur’ān.
After this one goes to the Sunnah, as the
Prophet (‫ )ﷺ‬said to Mu’ādh ibn Jabal
when he sent him to Yemen, “With what
will you judge?” He replied, “With the
Book of Allāh.” He asked, “And if you do
not find [the ruling] in it?” He replied,
“Then the Sunnah of the Prophet (‫ ”)ﷺ‬He
then asked, “And if you do not find [the
ruling] in it?” He replied, “I will use my
own judgement.” The Prophet (‫ )ﷺ‬struck
his chest and said, “All praise is to Allāh
who guided the emissary of the
Messenger of Allāh to what pleases the
Messenger of Allāh.”

This ḥadīth is found in the Masānīd and

Sunan with a chain of narration that is
Jayyid.

Thus, if you do not find the tafsīr in the

Qur’ān or Sunnah you return to the
statements of the companions, for they
are more knowledgeable regarding this
as they witnesses the revelation of the
Qur’ān and the circumstances which
surrounded its revelation. They also
possessed complete understanding
along with correct knowledge and
righteous actions. This is especially the
case with their leaders and scholars, like
the four rightly guided caliphs and their
righteous scholars such as ‘Abdullāh ibn
Mas’ūd.

91
92
Imām Abū Ja’far Muḥammad ibn Jarīr al-
Ṭabarī said: Abū Kurayb narrated to us:
Jābir ibn Nūḥ informed us that al-A’mash
informed him, relating from Abū Ḍuḥā
from Masrūq that ‘Abdullāh ibn Mas’ūd
said, “By the One besides whom there is
no other god, not a single verse has been
revealed except that I know about whom
it was revealed and where it was
revealed, and were I to know of anyone
more knowledgeable than me in this
regard and I was able to reach him then I
would travel to him.”

A’mash relates from Abū Wā’il that Ibn

Mas’ūd said, “When a man from
amongst us would learn ten verses he
would not proceed until he fully
understood their meaning and acted
upon them.”

Also from them [i.e. the scholars of the

companions] is the ink and ocean [of this
nation] ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Abbās, the cousin
of the Prophet (‫)ﷺ‬. He [i.e. Ibn ‘Abbās]
was also known as the interpreter of the
Qur’ān due to the blessings of the du’ā’
the Prophet (‫ )ﷺ‬made from him, “O
Allāh, give him understanding of the
religion and teach him the interpretation
[of the Qur’ān]”.

Ibn Jarīr stated: Muḥammad ibn Bashār

narrated to us that he was informed by
Wakī’ who was informed by Sufyān, from
the authority of A’mash from Muslim
who said: ‘Abdullāh ibn Mas’ūd said:
‘What a blessed interpreter of the
Qur’ān Ibn ‘Abbās is’.

He then quoted another chain of

narration from Yaḥyā ibn Dāwūd from
Isḥāq al-Azraq, on the authority of
Sufyān from A’mash from Muslim ibn
Ṣabīḥ Abū Ḍuḥā, who narrated from
Masrūq that ibn Mas’ūd said, ‘What a
blessed interpreter of the Qur’ān Ibn
‘Abbās is’.

93
94
[A third chain of narration is] then
mentioned from Bandār, who related
from Ja’far ibn ‘Awn from A’mash that
ibn Mas’ūd said the previous about Ibn
‘Abbās.

These are authentic chains of narration

which all declare that ibn Mas’ūd praised
Ibn ‘Abbās using the aforementioned
wording. Furthermore, ibn Mas’ūd died
in the year 33 AH, and Ibn ‘Abbās lived
on for another 36 years, so how much
more knowledge would he have
acquired during these years?

A’mash relates from Abū Wā’il that ‘Ali

appointed Ibn ‘Abbās leader of the Ḥajj
season. One day he gave a sermon in
which he recited Sūrah al-Baqarah – and
in a narration – Sūrah al-Nūr. He then
explained each verse in such a wau that
were the Romans, Persians and
Dalamites to have heard him they would
have embraced [Islām].

It is for this reason that the majority of

what Ismā’īl ibn ‘Abdul-Raḥmān al-Suddī
the Senior relates in his tafsīr is from
these two men: Ibn Mas’ūd and Ibn
‘Abbās.

At times, al-Suddī narrated from them

sayings of the People of the Book which
the Prophet (‫ )ﷺ‬allowed in his
statement, “Convey from me even if it is
a verse, and there is no harm in
narrating from the Children of Israel, but
whosoever intentionally ascribed lies to
me will take his place in the fire.”
Collected by al-Bukhārī from the ḥadīth
of ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Amr.

95
96
This is why when ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Umar
came into possession of two loads of
books belonging to the People of the
Book on the day of Yarmūk, he would
narrate from them due to the
permissibility stated in the previous
ḥadīth.

However these Israelite traditions are

quoted as supporting evidences and not
primary sources. These traditions are of
three types: a type which is authentic as
its truthfulness is attested to by our own
sources, a type which is false as our own
sources reject it, and a third type which
does not fall into the previous two
categories, we can neither judge it to be
authentic or inauthentic. As such we
neither believe in it nor reject it. One is
allowed to quote from this third type,
even though most of what is contained
in it is of no immediate benefit.

The scholars of the People of the Book

differ considerably regarding this third
category, and as a result the scholars of
tafsīr quote from them and also differ in
this regard. Examples of this category
are the names of the companions of the
cave, the colour of their dog, and their
precise number. Likewise, they differ
regarding the type of wood the staff of
Mūsā was made from, the types of birds
which Allāh gave life to as a sign for
Ibrāhīm, which part of the cow was used
to strike the slain man, the type of tree
Allāh spoke from to Mūsā, and other
such matters which are not detailed in
the Qur’ān which possess no direct
benefit in worldly or religious affairs.
However, one may mention the
difference of opinion in these matters.

97
98
Allāh mentions, “They [i.e. people] will say
there were three, the fourth of them being
their dog; and they will say there were five,
the sixth of them being the dog – guessing
at the unseen; and they will say there were
seven, and the eighth of them was their
dog. Say, [O Muḥammad], “My Lord is
most knowing of their number. None
knows them except a few. So do not argue
about them except with an obvious
argument and do not inquire about them
among [the speculators] from anyone.””
[Sūrah al-Kahf, 18:22]. This verse
comprises good etiquette in this situation
along with teaching what is necessary.
Allāh mentions them [i.e. the companions
of the cave] in three opinions. He then
weakens the first two opinions and
remains silent about the third showing its
correctness. Were it to also be wrong He
would have refuted it as He did the first
two. Allāh then states that inquiring about
such issues possesses no benefit. As such
the befitting response to such an inquiry is
“My Lord is most knowing of their
number.” Only a few people know of their
exact number as Allāh has given them that
knowledge which is why He then says, “So
do not argue about them except with an
obvious argument” meaning do not exert
you energy in what is unbeneficial.
Furthermore, do not ask them concerning
such affairs as they only guess the
unknown.

This is the best way of mentioning

differences of opinion. One gathers all of
the relevant opinions, mentions the
correct opinion while refuting the
incorrect and then states the fruits and
benefits derived from the discussion. This
is to ensure that one does not prolong
discussion over insignificant matters which
possess no benefit and one does not
digress from what is more crucial and
important.

Therefore, the one who does not gather all

the different opinions on a particular issue
has presented an incomplete argument, as
the truth may lie in what he has neglected.
Similarly, the one who does not point out
the correct opinion has also performed an
incomplete task.

99
100
If one intentionally authenticates
something incorrect, he has ascribed lies
and falsehood, and if one does this out
of ignorance then he has erred.

Similarly, whoever discusses differences

in issues which hold little or no benefit,
or mentions varying opinions which even
though they possess different wordings
all dissolve into just one or two opinions
has wasted time and has incorrectly
exaggerated the matter. Such a person is
like one who wears two robes, both of
which are stolen. And Allāh guides to the
truth.

101
102
 Chapter

Exegesis of the Qur’ān with the

Statements of the Successors (Tābi’ūn)

If one is unable to find the explanation of

a verse in the Qur’ān or Sunnah, and
does not find any relevant commentaries
from the companions, then many of the
scholars used the statements of the
successors; such as Mujāhid ibn Jabr
who was a marvel in this science.
Muḥammad ibn Isḥāq said that he was
informed by Abān ibn Ṣālih that Mujāhid
said, ‘I recited the whole Qur’ān to Ibn
‘Abbās three times from beginning to
end, stopping him at each verse and
asking him about it.’

Al-Tirmidhī reports from al-Ḥusayn ibn

Mahdī al-Baṣrī that ‘Abdul-Razzāq
informed him from Ma’mar, who reports
from Qatādah that Mujāhid said, ‘There
is not a single verse in the Qur’ān except
I have heart something about it.’

Al-Tirmidhī also reports from Ibn Abī

‘Umar who narrated from Sufyān ibn
‘Uyaynah from A’mash that Mujāhid
said, ‘Had I recited the Qur’ān using the
recitation of Ibn Mas’ūd, I would not
have needed to ask Ibn ‘Abbās about
much of what I asked him.’

103
104
Ibn Jarīr stated: Abū Kurayb informed us
from Ṭalq ibn Ghanām, who related from
‘Uthmān al-Makkī from Ibn Abī
Mulaykah who said, ‘I saw Mujāhid
asking Ibn ‘Abbās about the exegesis of
the Qur’ān and he had with him his
tablets. Ibn ‘Abbās said to him “write”
until he went through all of tafsīr.’

This is why Sufyān al-Thawrī would say,

‘If you have the commentary of Mujāhid
then it is sufficient.’

Other such successors are Sa’īd ibn

Jubayr, ‘Ikrimah the freed slave of Ibn
‘Abbās, ‘Aṭā’ ibn Abī Rabāḥ, Ḥasan al-
Baṣrī, Masrūq ibn al-Ajda’, Sa’īd ibn al-
Musayyib, Abul ‘Āliyah, Rabī ibn Anas,
Qatādah, Ḍaḥḥāk ibn Muzāḥim and
others from the successors, their
students and those who followed them.

Their statements are quoted and at

times there is a different in wording, but
those who are not grounded in
knowledge believe it to be difference of
opinion and quote it as such. This is not
the case, as some of them mention
something by using examples or similes
whilst others are explicit in what they
are referring to. Most of the time they
are in agreement so let that astute be
aware of this, and guidance is from
Allāh.

Shu’bah ibn Ḥajjāj and others have said

that the statements of the successors in
matter such as practical rulings are not
authoritative, so how can they be so in
issues of tafsīr?

105
106
This means that their opinions are not
authoritative over other [successors]
who hold contrary views; this is true.
However, if they all agree on a single
issue then without doubt it is sufficient
as evidence. Instead, when they differ,
one returns to the language of the
Qur’ān or Sunnah, or the general Arabic
language or statements of the
companions.

Exegesis of the Qur’ān based solely on

one’s reasoning is ḥarām.

Mu’ammal informed us from the

authority of Sufyān from ‘Abdul-A’lā,
who related from Sa’īd ibn Jubayr that
Ibn ‘Abbās said: The Prophet (‫ )ﷺ‬said,
“Whoever speaks about the Qur’ān
without knowledge then let him take his
seat in the fire.”

Wakī informed us on the authority of

Sufyān from ‘Abdul-A’lā al-Tha’labī, who
related from Sa’īd ibn Jubayr that Ibn
‘Abbās said: The Prophet (‫ )ﷺ‬said,
“Whoever speaks about the Qur’ān
without knowledge then let him take his
seat in the fire.”

Al-Tirmidhī reports from ‘Abd ibn

Ḥumayd from Ḥibbān ibn Hilāl, who was
informed by Suhayl the brother of Ḥazm
al-Qat’ī, who related from Abū ‘Imrān al-
Jūnī from Jundub that the Prophet (‫)ﷺ‬
said, “Whosoever speaks about the
Qur’ān using his own intellect and
happens to be correct [in his reasoning]
is still wrong.”

Al-Tirmidhī declared this ḥadīth to be

gharīb and some scholars of ḥadīth have
spoken concerning Suhayl ibn Abū Ḥazm.

107
108
These are the reports from the scholars
who narrated from the companions of the
Prophet (‫ )ﷺ‬and other than them, all
stating the severity of commentating on
the Qur’ān without knowledge.

There are some reports that Mujāhid,

Qatādah and other than them would
commentate on the Qur’ān, however, one
does not believe that their commentaries
were not based on knowledge or that they
spoke of their own desires.

There are many narrations from them

which support the fact that they did not
use their own reasoning in the exegesis of
the Qur’ān. Whoever speaks about the
Qur’ān using his own reasoning has placed
a burden upon himself which he need not
bear, and he is treading a path he has not
been ordered to tread. Even if he were to
stumble upon the correct meaning he
would still have erred. The reason for his
error is because he did not approach this
matter through the correct channel. This is
similar to the one who judges between
people with ignorance thus ending up in
the Fire even if his ruling is correct at
times. He is still sinful but the sin is less
than the one who is incorrect in his ruling,
and Allāh knows best.

Similarly, Allāh refers to the slanderers as

liars, as He says, “And when they do not
produce the witnesses, then it is they, in
the sight of Allāh, who are the liars” [Sūrah
al-Nūr, 24:13]. Therefore the slanderer is a
liar, even if his slander is relating to an
accusation of adultery, for he is spreading
what he has no right to spread and
speaking about that which he does not
possess knowledge of, and Allāh knows
best.

It is for this reason that a number of the

salaf would excuse themselves from
interpreting verses they had no knowledge
of. This is reported by Shu’bah from
Sulaymān from ‘Abdullāh ibn Murrah, who
related from Abū Ma’mar that Abū Bakr al-
Ṣiddīq said, ‘Which earth will hold me and
which sky will shadow me if I speak about
the Book of Allāh without knowledge.’

109
110
It is also narrated from Abū ‘Ubayd al-
Qāsim ibn Sallām who narrated from
Muḥammad ibn Yazīd from al-‘Awwām
ibn Ḥawshab, who related from Ibrāhīm
al-Taymī that Abū Bakr al-Ṣiddīq was
asked concerning the verse, “And fruit
and grass” [Sūrah ‘Abasa, 80:31]; He
responded, ‘Which sky will shadow me
and which earth will hold me if I speak
about the Book of Allāh without
knowledge.’ The chain of narration is
disconnected.

Abū ‘Ubayd narrated that we were

informed by Yazīd, who related from
Ḥumayd from Anas, that ‘Umar ibn al-
Khaṭṭāb recited on the pulpit, “And fruit
and abbā (grass).” ‘He asked what is
abb? As for fruits then we know of them
but what is abb? He then said to himself,
‘Indeed, this is overburdening oneself O
‘Umar.’’

‘Abd ibn Ḥumayd reported that

Sulaymān ibn Ṣarb narrated from Ibn
Zayd, who related from Thābit from Anas
who said, ‘We were with ‘Umar ibn al-
Khaṭṭāb and in his robe were four
patches. He recited the verse, “And fruit
and abbā (grass).” He asked, what is
abb? He then said, ‘Indeed, this is
overburdening oneself, what’s the harm
in not knowing?’’

All of the above refers to the fact that

they (‫ر� � ﻋﻨﻤﺎ‬‫ن‬
‫ ) ي‬wanted to discover the
reality of the abb. Otherwise it is well
known to all that it is a type of herbage
which grows, as Allāh says,

“And caused to grow within it grain. And

grapes and herbage. And olive and palm
trees. And gardens of dense shrubbery.
And fruit and grass.” [Sūrah ‘Abasa,
80:27-31]

111
112
Ibn Jarīr narrated from Ya’qūb ibn
Ibrāhīm from Ibn ‘Ulayyah, who related
from Ayyūb from Ibn Abī Mulaykah who
stated, ‘Ibn ‘Abbās was asked concerning
some verses – were you to be asked
concerning them you would have
spoken, but he refused to answer.’ Its
chain of narration is authentic.

Abū ‘Ubayd narrated from Ismā’īl ibn

Ibrāhīm, who related from Ayyūb from
Ibn Abī Mulaykah who said, “A man
asked ‘Ibn ‘Abbās about the verse, “…a
Day, the extent of which is a thousand
years.” [Sūrah al-Sajdah, 32:5]. Ibn
‘Abbās asked him, ‘Then what about the
verse, “…a Day the extent of which is
fifty thousand years.” [Sūrah al-Ma’ārij,
70:4]. The man replied, ‘The reason I
asked you was so that you would inform
me.’ Ibn ‘Abbās said, ‘They are two days
which Allāh has mentioned in His Book,
and Allāh knows best what they are
[referring to].’ He disliked speaking
about the book of Allāh without
knowledge.”

Ibn Jarīr narrated from Ya’qūb ibn

Ibrāhīm from Ibn ‘Ulayyah, who related
from Mahdī ibn Maymūn from al-Walīd
ibn Muslim who said, ‘Ṭalq ibn Ḥabīb
came to Jundub ibn ‘Abdullāh and asked
him concerning a verse of the Qur’ān. He
replied, “I implore you never to come to
me if you are a Muslim.” And in a
narration he said, “…never to sit with
me.”’

Mālik narrated from Yaḥyā ibn Sa’īd that

if Sa’īd ibn al-Musayyib was ever asked
concerning a verse of the Qur’ān he
would say, ‘We do not say anything
concerning the [tafsīr of the] Qur’ān.’

113
114
Al-Layth reported from Yaḥyā ibn Sa’īd
that Sa’īd ibn al-Musayyib would not
speak except about that which he knew
when it came to the Qur’ān.

Shu’bah related from ‘Amr ibn Murrah

who said, “A man asked Sa’īd ibn al-
Musayyib about a verse of the Qur’ān
and he replied, ‘Do not ask me
concerning the Qur’ān. Rather ask the
one who claims that none of it is hidden
from him.’ He was referring to ‘Ikrimah.”

Ibn Shawdhab reports from Yazīd ibn

Abū Yazīd who said, ‘We would ask Sa’īd
ibn al-Musayyib about the lawful and
unlawful and he was the most
knowledgeable concerning these
matters. Then when we would ask him
about the tafsīr of a verse, and he would
remain silent as if he had not heard us.’

Ibn Jarīr narrated from Aḥmad ibn

‘Abdah al-Ḍabbī, who related from
Ḥammād ibn Zayd from ‘Ubaydullāh ibn
‘Umar who said, ‘I have met the jurists of
Madīnah and they considered it a grave
matter to speak about tafsīr. From them
was Sālim ibn ‘Abdullāh, al-Qāsim ibn
Muḥammad, Sa’īd ibn al-Musayyib and
Nāfi’’

Abū ‘Ubayd reported from ‘Abdullāh ibn

Ṣāliḥ, who related from al-Layth from
Hishām ibn ‘Urway who said, ‘I never
heard my father interpret a verse from
the Qur’ān.’

Ayyūb, Ibn ‘Awn and Hishām al-

Dastawā’ī all reported from Muḥammad
ibn Sīrīn that he said, ‘I asked ‘Ubaydah
al-Salmānī concerning a verse of the
Qur’ān. He replied, “Those who knew in
what circumstances the verses were
revealed have passed away. Rather fear
Allāh and remain firm and upright.”’

115
116
Abū ‘Ubayd reported from Mu’ādh from
Ibn ‘Awn, who related from ‘Ubaydullāh
ibn Muslim ibn Yasār from his father who
said, ‘Before you speak about Allāh,
pause and look at what precedes and
follows it [i.e. look at the context].’

Hushayhm narrated from Mughīrah from

Ibrāhīm who said, ‘Our peers used to try
to avoid [having to] explain verses and
would give [this science] much respect.’

Shu’bah narrated from ‘Abdullāh ibn Abū

al-Safar, that al-Sha’bī said, ‘I swear by
Allāh, there is not a single verse except
that I have asked concerning it, but it
[tafsīr] is to narrate from Allāh.’

Abū ‘Ubayd narrated from Hushayhm

who narrated from ‘Umar ibn Abū
Zā’idah, who related from Sha’bī from
Masrūq who said, ‘Beware of tafsīr, for
indeed it is reporting from Allāh.’

These and other authentic narrations

from the pious predecessors all state the
impermissibility of speaking about tafsīr
without knowledge. However, there is
no harm in speaking if one possesses the
relevant linguistic and religious
knowledge; then there is no harm in this.
It is for this reason that there are a
number of varying statements reported
from these scholars. This does not imply
contradiction, for they spoke about
matters they had knowledge of, and
remained silent on that which they had
no knowledge of.

This is what is obligatory upon everyone.

Just as one should remain quiet about
that which he is ignorant of, likewise he
should speak about that which he
possesses knowledge of when he is
asked concerning it, as Allāh said:

“…You must make it clear [i.e. explain it]

to the people and not conceal it” [Sūrah
Āl-‘Imrān, 3:187]

117
118
This is also due to what is reported in the
ḥadīth, “Whosoever is asked about a
matter but conceals it, will be given a
bridle of fire on the Day of Judgement”

Ibn Jarīr reported from Muḥammad Ibn

Bashār from Mu’ammal, who related
from Sufyān from Abū al-Zinād that Ibn
‘Abbās said, ‘Tafsīr is of four types; a
type which the Arabs know from their
language, a type which no-one is allowed
to be ignorant of, a type which is known
to the scholars and a type which is not
known except to Allāh.’ And Allāh knows
best.

119
 TI
THE3RD EDI ON KEYSTO KNOWLEDGE

D AW R A H
I
LMI
YYAH

I
NSTUCTOR
USTADH ABDULRAHMAN
HASSAN

A DE
TAILE
DE XPLANATI
ON
OFAL-ARBA’E
EN AL-
NAWAWI

NAME.
.
..
..
.
..
..
.
..
..
.
..
..
.
..
..
.
..
..
.
..
..
.
..
..
.
..
..
.
 Learn Islam
in your language
KALEMAH

KALEMAH ISLAMIC CENTER is a community center for all. Kalemah

was founded in 2007 and is managed by a Board of Emirati
Nationals, an Executive Committee and a staff of over a dozen full-
time employees. We operate based on charitable donations from
philanthropic individuals, organizations and governmental bodies.

We are a non profit organization officially registered under the

Islamic Affairs and Charitable Activities Department (IACAD)
Government of Dubai.

Our Mission: To propagate the

pristine, unadulterated teachings of
Islam to Muslims and non-Muslims
in Dubai in the most effective and
appropriate way.

Our Vision: The souls of a nation,

connected to their Creator.
2
 Al-Arba’īn al-Nawawī Ma’ Ziyādāt al-Rajabiyyah

In the name of Allah, the Most

Merciful, the Bestower of Mercy.

All praise is due to Allāh, the Lord of

the Worlds, the [One who] Sustains the
Heavens and the Earths, Director of all
that is created, who sent the
Messengers, peace and the blessings of
Allāh be upon all of them, to rational
beings; to guide them and explain the
religious laws to them with clear proofs
and undeniable arguments. I praise
Him for all of His bounties. I ask Him to
increase His grace and generosity.

I bear witness that there is none

worthy of worship except Allāh, alone,
who has no partner, the One Alone, the
[One who] Subdues, the Generous, the
Forgiving. I bear witness that our
leader Muhammad is His servant and
Messenger, His beloved and dear one,
the best of all creation. He was
honoured with the Glorious Qur’ān
that is the enduring miracle throughout
all the years. He was also sent with his
guiding sunnah that shows the way for
those who seek guidance. He has been
particularised with the characteristic of
eloquent and pithy speech, and
simplicity and ease in the religion. May
the peace and blessings of Allāh be
upon him, the other prophets and
Messengers, all of their families and
the rest of the righteous.

3
4
To proceed:

We have narrated, through many

chains and various narrations, from ‘Alī
ibn Abī Tālib, ‘Abdullāh ibn Mas’ūd,
Mu’ādh ibn Jabal, Abī al-Dardā, Ibn
‘Umar, Ibn ‘Abbās, Anas ibn Mālik, Abū
Hurayrah and Abū Sa’īd al-Khudrī ( �‫ر‬ �
‫ي‬
‫ )� ﻋﻨﻬﻢ‬that the Messenger of Allāh
(‫ )ﷺ‬said: "Whoever preserves for my
Nation forty hadīth related to its
religion, Allāh will resurrect him in the
company of the jurists and scholars."
Another narration states: "Allāh will
raise him as an erudite and learned
scholar." In the narration from Abī al-
Dardā, it is stated: "On the Day of
Resurrection, I will be an intercessor
and witness for him."

In the narration from Ibn Mas’ūd: "It

will be said to him, Enter Paradise
through any door you wish.” In the
narration of Ibn ‘Umar: "He will be
recorded among the company of the
scholars and will be resurrected in the
company of the martyrs."

The scholars of hadīth agree that,

although this hadīth has numerous
chains, it is weak.

The scholars (‫)ر� � ﻋﻨﻬﻢ‬ ‫ن‬ have

‫ي‬
compiled innumerable works of this
nature. The first one that I know of
who compiled such a work was
‘Abdullāh ibn al-Mubārak. After him
came Muhammad ibn Aslam al-Tūsī, a
pious scholar. Then came al-Hasan ibn
Sufyān al-Nasawī, Abū Bakr al-Ājurrī,
Abū Bakr Muhammad ibn lbrāhīm al-
Asfahānī, al-Dāraqutni, al-Hākim, Abū
Nu’aym, Abu ‘Abdul-Rahmān al-Sulamī,
Abū Sa’d al-Mālīnī, Abū ‘Uthmān al-
Sābūnī, ‘Abdullāh ibn Muhammad al-
Ansārī, Abū Bakr al-Bayhaqī and
countless others; both from earlier and
later generations.

I have turned to Allāh for guidance and

prayed to Him while compiling these
forty hadith, following the example of
those Imāms and guardians of Islām.

5
6
The scholars have agreed that it is
permissible to act upon weak hadīth that
state the virtuousness of deeds.
Nonetheless, I have not relied upon that
hadīth only in compiling this work.
Instead, upon the statement of the
Prophet (‫ )ﷺ‬found in authentic aḥādīth:
"Let him who was present among you
convey to those who are absent." And
he also said (‫)ﷺ‬: "May Allāh make
radiant the man who has heard what I
said, preserved it [in his memory], and
conveyed it in the way that he heard it."

Then from the scholars are those who

have compiled forty hadīth in; the
foundations of the religion, the
subsidiary matters, Jihād, asceticism,
manners, and even on sermons. All of
these [collections] were concerning
righteous aims. May Allāh be pleased
with those who sought them. However, I
have found it best to collect together
forty hadīth which are more important
than all of those. These forty hadith
incorporate all of those separate topics.
Every hadīth in it is a great principle from
the principles of the religion. Some
scholars state that all of Islām revolves
around these hadīth, or that they are
one-half of Islām, or one-third of Islām
and so forth.

I have committed myself in (al-Arba’īn) to

include only authentic hadīth. The
majority of them are from Sahīh al-
Bukhārī or Sahih Muslim. I have
mentioned them without their chain of
narrations; in order for it to be easier to
memorise and thus more will be able to
benefit from them, Allāh willing. After
this, I included a section on the meanings
of the obscure expressions found.
Everyone who desires and looks forward
to the Hereafter must be familiar with
these hadith because they cover the
most important aspects [of the religion]
and offer direction to all forms of
obedience. This is clear to anyone who
ponders over these. I rely only upon Allāh
and I entrust my affair only to Him. To
Him is all the Praise and grace, from Him
is guidance to success and protection
from error.

7
8
 First Hadīth

On the authority of the Leader of the

Believers Abī Hafs ‘Umar ibn al-Khattāb
(‫)ر� � ﻋﻨﻪ‬ ‫ن‬ who said: I heard the
‫ي‬
Messenger of Allāh (‫ )ﷺ‬saying:

"Verily, actions are only by what is

intended, and every man shall have
but that which he intended. Thus, he
whose migration was for Allāh and His
Messenger, [then] his migration was
for Allāh and His Messenger; and he
whose migration was to achieve some
worldly benefit or to take a woman in
marriage, his migration was for that
which he migrated."

This was related by the two Imāms of

the scholars of hadīth, Abū ‘Abdullāh
Muhammad ibn lsmā’īl ibn Ibrāhīm ibn
al-Mughīrah ibn Bardizbah al-Bukhārī
al-Ju’fī, and Muslim ibn al-Hajjāj ibn
Muslim al-Qushayrī al-Naysābūrī in
their collections of authentic hadīth
which are the most authentic works
compiled.

9
10
 Second Hadīth

Also on the authority of ‘Umar ( � �‫ر‬ �

‫ي‬
‫ )ﻋﻨﻪ‬who said: One day while we were
sitting with the Messenger of Allāh (‫)ﷺ‬
there came before us a man with
extremely white clothing and extremely
black hair. There were no signs of travel
on him and none of us knew him. Until
he sat next to the Prophet (‫)ﷺ‬, placing
his knees against his knees, and put his
hands on his thighs. He said: O’
Muhammad, tell me about Islām?; The
Messenger of Allāh (‫ )ﷺ‬said: "Islām is
to: testify that there is none worthy of
worship except Allāh and that
Muhammad is the Messenger of Allāh,
to establish the prayers, to pay the
zakat, to fast Ramadhaan, and to make
the pilgrimage to the House [i.e. Hajj] if
you have the means to do so." He said:
You have spoken truthfully [or
correctly]. We were amazed that he
asks the question and then he says that
he had spoken truthfully.

He said: Tell me about Īmān? He said:

"It is to believe in Allāh, His angels, His
books, His Messengers, the Last Day
and to believe in the divine decree, the
good and the evil thereof." He said: You
have spoken truthfully. He said: Tell me
about al-Ihsān? He said: "It is that you
worship Allāh as if you see Him. And
even though you do not see Him, [you
know] He sees you." He said: Tell me
about the Hour. He said: "The one being
asked does not know more than the
one asking." He said: Tell me about its
signs? He said: "The slave-girl shall give
birth to her master, and you will see
the barefooted, scantily-clothed,
destitute shepherds competing in
constructing lofty buildings."

Then he went away. I stayed for a long

time. Then he said: O’ ‘Umar, do you
know who the questioner was? I said:
Allāh and His Messenger know best. He
said: "It was Jibrīl who came to teach
you your religion." Recorded by
Muslim.

11
12
 Third Hadīth

On the authority of Abī ‘Abdi-Rahmān

‘Abdīllah ibn ‘Umar ibn al-Khattāb ( �‫ر‬�
‫ي‬
‫ )� ﻋﻨﻬﻤﺎ‬who said: I heard the
Messenger of Allāh (‫ )ﷺ‬say:

"Islām is built upon five [pillars]:

testifying that there is none worthy of
worship except Allāh and that
Muhammad is the Messenger of Allāh,
establishing the prayers, giving the
zakat, making the pilgrimage to the
House and fasting the month of
Ramadhaan."

Recorded by al-Bukhārī and Muslim.

13
14
 Fourth Hadīth

On the authority of Abī ‘Abdi-Rahmān

‘Abdīllah ibn Mas’ūd (‫)ر� � ﻋﻨﻪ‬ ‫ ن‬who
‫ي‬
said: The Messenger of Allāh (‫ )ﷺ‬- and
he is the truthful, the believed - narrated
to us:

“Verily, each of you is brought together

in his mother's abdomen for forty days
in the form of a drop of fluid. Then it is a
clinging object for a similar [period].
Thereafter, it is a lump looking like it
has been chewed for a similar [period].
The angel is then sent to him and he
breathes into him the soul. He is also
commanded to issue four decrees: to
record his sustenance, his life span, his
deeds and [whether he will be] unhappy
[by entering Hell] or happy [by entering
Paradise]. I swear by Allāh, other than
Whom there is no God, certainly, one of
you will definitely perform the deeds of
the people of Paradise until there is not
between him and Paradise except an
arm's length and then what has been
recorded will overtake him and he shall
perform the deeds of the people of Hell
and enter it. And, certainly, one of you
will perform the acts of the people of
Hell until there is not between him and
Hell except an arm's length and then
what has been recorded will overtake
him and he shall perform the deeds of
the people of Paradise and enter it."

Recorded by al-Bukhārī and Muslim.

15
16
 Fifth Hadīth

On the authority of the Mother of the

Believers, Umm ‘Abdillāh ‘Ā’ishah ( �‫ر‬�
‫ي‬
‫ ;)� ﻋﻨﻬﺎ‬who said: The Messenger of
Allāh (‫ )ﷺ‬said:

"Whoever introduces anything into this

matter of ours that is not from it shall
have it rejected."

Recorded by al-Bukhārī and Muslim.

In the narration of Muslim, it states:

"Whoever does an act that is not in
accord with our matter will have it
rejected." al-Bukhārī transmitted it
without mentioning his teacher
[Mu’allaq].

17
18
 Sixth Hadīth

On the authority of Abī ‘Abdīllah al-

Nu’mān ibn Bashīr (‫ر� � ﻋﻨﻬﻤﺎ‬ ‫ن‬
‫ ;) ي‬who
said: I heard the Messenger of Allāh (‫)ﷺ‬
say:

"That which is lawful is clear and that

which is unlawful is clear and between
the two of them are doubtful [or
ambiguous] matters about which many
people do not know. Thus, he who
avoids these doubtful matters certainly
clears himself in regard to his religion
and his honour. But he who falls into
the doubtful matters falls into that
which is unlawful like the shepherd who
pastures around a sanctuary, all but
grazing therein. Verily every king has a
sanctuary and Allāh's sanctuary is His
prohibitions. In the body there is a
morsel of flesh which, if it be sound, all
the body is sound and which, if it be
diseased, all of the body is diseased.
This is the heart."

Recorded by al-Bukhārī and Muslim.

19
20
 Seventh Hadīth

On the authority of Abī Ruqayyah Tamīm

ibn Aws (‫;)ر� � ﻋﻨﻪ‬ ‫ن‬ that the Prophet
‫ي‬
(‫ )ﷺ‬said:

"The religion is naseehah". We said: To

whom? He said: "To Allāh and to His
Book and to His Messenger and to the
Leaders of the Muslims and to the
common folk of the Muslims."

Recorded by Muslim.

21
22
 Eighth Hadīth

On the authority of Ibn ‘Umar ( � �‫ر‬ �

‫ي‬
‫)ﻋﻨﻬﻤﺎ‬, the Messenger of Allāh (‫ )ﷺ‬said:

"I have been ordered to fight against

the people until they testify that there is
none worthy of worship except Allāh
and that Muhammad is the Messenger
of Allāh, establish the prayer and give
the zakat. Then, if they do that, their
blood and wealth will be protected from
me, except in accordance with the right
of Islām. And their reckoning will be
with Allāh, the Exalted."

Recorded by al-Bukhārī and Muslim.

23
24
 Ninth Hadīth

On the authority of Abī Hurayrah ‘Abdil-

Rahmān ibn Sakhr al-Dūsī (‫;)ر� � ﻋﻨﻪ‬ ‫ن‬
‫ي‬
who said: I heard the Messenger of Allāh
(‫ )ﷺ‬saying:

"What I have forbidden you, stay away

from. What I have ordered you, do as
much of it as you can. Verily, the people
before you were destroyed only because
of their excessive questioning and their
disagreeing with their Prophets."

Recorded by al-Bukhārī and Muslim.

25
26
 Tenth Hadīth

On the authority of Abī Hurayrah ( � �‫ر‬�

‫ي‬
‫ ;)ﻋﻨﻪ‬who said: The Messenger of Allāh
(‫ )ﷺ‬said:

"Verily Allāh, the Exalted, is pure and

accepts only that which is pure. Allāh
has commanded the believers to do that
which he has commanded the
Messengers. He has said: ((O
Messengers! Eat of the good things and
do right)) [al-Mu’minūn: 51], and He said:
((O’ believers! Eat of the good things that
We have provided for you)) [al-
Baqarah:172].

Then he [the Prophet] mentioned a man

who after a long journey is dishevelled
and dust-coloured. [The man] stretches
his hands out toward the sky and says:
O’ Lord, O’ Lord, while his food is
unlawful, his drink is unlawful, his
clothing is unlawful and his
nourishment is unlawful. How is he to
be answered [in such a state]!”

Recorded by Muslim.

27
28
 Eleventh Hadīth

On the authority of Abī Muhammad al-

Hasan ibn ‘Alī ibn Abī Tālib - the
grandson of the Messenger of Allāh (‫)ﷺ‬
and his beloved - (‫ر� � ﻋﻨﻬﻤﺎ‬ ‫ن‬
‫) ي‬, who
said: I memorised from the Messenger
of Allāh (‫)ﷺ‬:

"Leave that which makes you doubt for

that which does not make you doubt."

Recorded by al-Tirmidhī and al-Nasā’ī. al-

Tirmidhī said: "It is a hasan sahīh
hadīth."

29
30
 Twelfth Hadīth

On the authority of Abī Hurayrah ( � �‫ر‬�

‫ي‬
‫ )ﻋﻨﻪ‬who said: The Messenger of Allāh
(‫ )ﷺ‬said:

"Part of the perfection of a person's

Islām is to leave off that which is of no
concern to him."

A hasan hadīth. Recorded by al-Tirmidhī

others in this way.

31
32
 Thirteenth Hadīth

On the authority of Abī Hamzah Anas ibn

Mālik (‫)ر� � ﻋﻨﻪ‬ ‫ – ن‬the servant of the
‫ي‬
Messenger of Allāh (‫ )ﷺ‬- from the
Prophet (‫ ;)ﷺ‬who said:

"None of you [truly] believes until he

loves for his brother what he loves for
himself."

Recorded by al-Bukhārī and Muslim.

33
34
 Fourteenth Hadīth

On the authority of ibn Mas’ūd ( � �‫ر‬�

‫ي‬
‫ )ﻋﻨﻪ‬who said: The Messenger of Allāh
(‫ )ﷺ‬said:

"It is not legal [to spill] the blood of a

Muslim except in one of three cases: the
fornicator who has previously
experienced legal sexual intercourse, a
life for a life and one who forsakes his
religion and separates from the
community."

Recorded by al-Bukhārī and Muslim.

35
36
 Fifteenth Hadīth

On the authority of Abī Hurayrah ( � �‫ر‬�

‫ي‬
‫)ﻋﻨﻪ‬, from the Messenger of Allāh (‫)ﷺ‬
who said:

"Whoever believes in Allāh and the Last

Day should speak good or remain silent.
Whoever believes in Allāh and the Last
Day should be courteous and generous
to his neighbour. Whoever believes in
Allāh and the Last Day should be
courteous and generous to his
[traveling] visitor."

Recorded by al-Bukhārī and Muslim.

37
38
 Sixteenth Hadīth

On the authority of Abī Hurayrah ( � �‫ر‬�

‫ي‬
‫ ;)ﻋﻨﻪ‬A man came to the Prophet (‫)ﷺ‬
and said: Advise me. He said: "Do not
become angry." The man repeated [his
request] several times, he said: "Do not
become angry."

Recorded by al-Bukhārī.

39
40
 Seventeenth Hadīth

On the authority of Abī Ya’lā Shaddād

ibn Aws (‫)ر� � ﻋﻨﻪ‬, ‫ن‬ from the
‫ي‬
Messenger of Allāh (‫ )ﷺ‬who said:

"Verily, Allāh has prescribed excellence

in all things. Thus, if you kill, kill in a
good manner. If you slaughter,
slaughter in a good manner. Each of you
should sharpen his blade and spare
suffering to the animal he is
slaughtering."

Recorded by Muslim.

41
42
 Eighteenth Hadīth

On the authority of Abī Dharr Jundub ibn

Junāda and Abī ‘AbdilRahmān Muaadh
ibn Jabal (‫ر� � ﻋﻨﻬﻤﺎ‬ ‫ن‬
‫ ) ي‬from the
Messenger of Allāh (‫ )ﷺ‬who said:

"Fear Allāh wherever you are. And

follow up a bad deed with a good deed
and it will wipe it out. And behave
towards the people with a good
character."

Recorded by al-Tirmidhī who said: it is a

hasan hadīth. And in some of the
manuscripts/copies: hasan sahīh.

43
44
 Nineteenth Hadīth

On the authority of Abil-Abbās ‘Abdullāh

ibn Abbās (‫ر� � ﻋﻨﻬﻤﺎ‬ ‫ن‬
‫ ) ي‬who said: One
day I was riding behind the Prophet (‫)ﷺ‬
and he said to me:

"O’ young man, I shall teach you some

words [of advice]. Be mindful of Allāh
and Allāh will protect you. Be mindful of
Allāh, and you will find Him in front of
you. If you ask, ask of Allāh. If you seek
help, seek help in Allāh. Know that if the
nation were to gather together to
benefit you with something, they would
not benefit you with anything except
that which Allāh has already recorded
for you. If they gather to harm you by
something, they would not be able to
harm you by anything except what
Allāh has already recorded against you.
The pens have been lifted and the pages
have dried."

Recorded by al-Tirmidhi who said: "It is a

hasan sahīh hadīth."

In a narration other than that of al-

Tirmidhi, it states:

"Be mindful of Allāh, you will find Him

in front of you. Become beloved to Allāh
during times of prosperity, He will know
you in times of adversity. Know that
what has passed you by was never to
befall you. And [know that] what has
befallen you was never to have passed
you by. And know that victory
accompanies perseverance, relief
accompanies affliction, and ease
accompanies hardship."

45
46
 Twentieth Hadīth

On the authority of Abī Mas’ūd ‘Uqbah

‫ ن‬who said:
ibn ‘Amr al-Ansāri (‫;)ر� � ﻋﻨﻪ‬
‫ي‬
The Messenger of Allāh (‫ )ﷺ‬said:

"From the words of the previous

prophets that the people still find are: If
you feel no shame, then do as you
wish."

Recorded by al-Bukhārī.

47
48
 Twenty-first Hadīth

On the authority of Abī ‘Amr – and it is

said: Abī ‘Amrah – Sufyān ibn ‘Abdillāh;
who said: I said: O’ Messenger of Allāh,
tell me a statement about Islām such
that I will not have to ask anyone other
than you." He said:

"Say: I believe in Allāh, and then remain

steadfast."

Recorded by Muslim.

49
50
 Twenty-second Hadīth

On the authority of Jābir ibn ‘Abdillāh al-

Ansārī (‫;)ر� � ﻋﻨﻪ‬ ‫ن‬ A man asked the
‫ي‬
Messenger of Allāh (‫)ﷺ‬: Tell me if I were
to perform the obligatory [prayers], fast
Ramadhān, treat the lawful as
permissible and treat the forbidden as
prohibited, and I do not add anything to
that, would I enter Paradise?" He said:
"Yes."

Recorded by Muslim.

The meaning of "treat the forbidden as

prohibited": is to stay away from it. And
the meaning of "treat the lawful as
permissible": is to perform them
believing that they are permissible.

51
52
 Twenty-third Hadīth

On the authority of Abī Mālik al-Hārith

ibn Āsim al-Ash’ari (‫;)ر� � ﻋﻨﻪ‬ ‫ن‬ who
‫ي‬
said: The Messenger of Allāh (‫ )ﷺ‬said:

"Purification is half of the faith. [The

phrase] alhamdulillāh fills the scale.
[The phrases] subhānallāh and
alhamdulillāh together fill – or: each fill
- what is between the heavens and
earth. Prayer is a light. Charity is a
proof. Patience is a brightness. The
Qur’ān is either an argument for or
against you. And everyone goes out in
the morning and sells himself, either
freeing or destroying himself."

Recorded by Muslim.

53
54
 Twenty-fourth Hadīth

On the authority of Abī Dharr al-Ghifārī

‫ ن‬from the Prophet (‫)ﷺ‬, from
(‫)ر� � ﻋﻨﻪ‬,
‫ي‬
among the sayings he relates from his
Lord (‫ ;)ﷻ‬that He said:

"O’ My servants; I have forbidden

oppression for Myself, and I have made
it forbidden for you. Therefore, do not
wrong one another. O’ My servants; all
of you are misguided except for those
whom I have guided. Therefore, seek
guidance from Me and I will guide you.
O’ My servants; all of you are hungry
except for those whom I have fed.
Therefore, seek food from Me and I will
feed you. O’ My servants; all of you are
naked except for those whom I have
clothed. Therefore, seek clothing from
Me and I will clothe you. O’ My
Servants; you sin by night and by day,
and I forgive all sins. Therefore, seek
forgiveness from Me and I will forgive
you. O’ My servants; you will not be
able to harm Me so as to bring any
harm to Me, and you will not be able to
benefit Me so as to bring any benefit to
Me. O’ My servants; if the first and last
of you and the human and jinn of you
were as pious as the most pious heart of
anyone among you, it would not add
anything to My dominion. O’ My
servants; if the first and last of you and
the human and jinn of you were as
wicked as the most wicked heart of
anyone among you, it would not
decrease anything from My dominion.
O’ My servants; if the first and last of
you and the human and jinn of you
were to gather together on [the same
portion] of land and all asked of Me and
if I were to give everyone of them what
he asked, that would not decrease what
I have any more than a needle
decreases what is in the ocean when it
is put into it. O’ My servants; it is but
your deeds that I reckon for you. Then I
recompense you for them. The one who
finds good is to give praises to Allāh.
The one who finds other than this
should not blame anyone but himself."

Recorded by Muslim.

55
56
 Twenty-fifth Hadīth

Also on the authority of Abī Dharr ( �‫ر‬ �

‫ي‬
‫ ;)� ﻋﻨﻪ‬some of the Companions of the
Messenger of Allāh (‫ )ﷺ‬said to the
Prophet (‫)ﷺ‬: O’ Messenger of Allāh, the
affluent have made off with the rewards.
They pray like we pray, fast like we fast
and they also give in charity from their
extra wealth. He said:

"Has not Allāh made things for you to

do in charity? Verily, every tasbīh is a
charitable act, every takbīr is a
charitable act, every tahmīd is a
charitable act, every tahlīl is a
charitable act, ordering good is a
charitable act, forbidding evil is a
charitable act, and you having sexual
intercourse is a charitable act."

They said: O’ Messenger of Allāh, when

one of us fulfils his desire, he will have a
reward for that?" He said:

"Tell me, if he were to fulfil it

unlawfully, would he bear that sin?
Similarly, if he fulfils it lawfully, he will
have a reward."

Recorded by Muslim.

57
58
 Twenty-sixth Hadīth

On the authority of Abī Hurayrah ( � �‫ر‬�

‫ي‬
‫ )ﻋﻨﻪ‬who said that the Messenger of
Allāh (‫ )ﷺ‬said:

"Charity is due upon every joint of the

people for every day which the sun
rises. Being just between two people is
charity. Helping a man with his animal
and lifting him or his belongings onto it
is charity. A good word is charity. Every
step that you take toward the prayer is
charity, and removing a harmful thing
from the road is charity."

Recorded by al-Bukhārī and Muslim.

59
60
 Twenty-seventh Hadīth

On the authority of al-Nawwās ibn

Sam’ān (‫)ر� � ﻋﻨﻪ‬‫ ن‬from the Prophet
‫ي‬
(‫ )ﷺ‬who said:

"Righteousness is good character. And

sin is that which wavers in your soul and
which you dislike the people finding out
about."

Recorded by Muslim.

On the authority of Wābisah ibn Ma’bad

(‫)ر� � ﻋﻨﻪ‬ ‫ ن‬who said: I came to the
‫ي‬
Messenger of Allāh (‫ )ﷺ‬and he said:

"You have come to ask about

righteousness?" I said: Yes. He said:
"Consult your heart. Righteousness is
that which makes the soul feel tranquil
and the heart feel tranquil. And sin is
that which makes the soul waver and
the breast uneasy, even if the people
have given you [their] verdict on it and
[continue] to give you [their] verdict."

This is a hasan hadīth; It has been

transmitted in the Musnads of the two
Imāms Ahmad ibn Hanbal and al-Dārimī
with a hasan chain.

61
62
 Twenty-eighth Hadīth

On the authority of Abī Najīh al-‘Irbād

ibn Sāriyah (‫)ر� � ﻋﻨﻪ‬‫ ن‬who said: The
‫ي‬
Messenger of Allāh (‫ )ﷺ‬delivered an
admonition that made our hearts fearful
and our eyes tearful. We said: O’
Messenger of Allāh, it is as if it were a
farewell admonition, so advise us. He
said:

"I advise you to have taqwa of Allāh

and to listen and obey even if a slave is
a leader over you. Certainly, the one
who will live among you will see many
differences. So stick to my sunnah and
the sunnah of the right-principled and
rightly-guided successors. Bite onto that
with your molar teeth. And avoid
newly-introduced matters. Verily, every
innovation is misguidance."

Recorded by Abū Dāwūd and by al-

Tirmidhī who said: It is a hasan sahīh
hadīth."

63
64
 Twenty-ninth Hadīth

On the authority of Mu’ādh ibn Jabal

(‫)ر� � ﻋﻨﻪ‬ ‫ن‬ who said: I said: O’
‫ي‬
Messenger of Allāh; inform me of an act
which will place me in to paradise and
keep me away from the Fire. He said:
"You have asked about a great matter
but it is easy for whomever Allāh,
Exalted be He, makes it easy: [You
should] worship Allāh and not ascribe
any partner to Him, establish the
prayer, give the zakat, fast Ramadhan
and make the pilgrimage to the House."

He then said:

"Shall I not inform you of the gates to

goodness? [They are] fasting [which] is
a shield, charity [which] extinguishes
the sins like water extinguishes a fire
and the prayer of a man in the depths of
the night." Then he recited: ((Who
forsake their beds)) until he reached
((they used to do)) [al-Sajdah: 16-17].

Then he said: "Shall I not inform you of

the head of the matter, its pillar and its
apex? al-Jihad."

Then he said: "Shall I not inform you of

what controls all of this?" I said:
Certainly, O’ Prophet of Allāh. He took
hold of his tongue and said: "Restrain
this." I said: O’ Prophet of Allāh, will we
be held accountable for what we say? He
said:

"May your mother be bereaved of you.

Is there anything that has people
thrown on their faces - or he said on
their noses - into the Fire except that
which their tongues reap?"

Recorded by al-Tirmidhī and he said: It is

a hasan sahīh hadīth.

65
66
 Thirtieth Hadīth

On the authority of Abī Tha’laba al-

Khushanī Jurthūm ibn Nāshir ( � �‫ر‬ �
‫ي‬
‫)ﻋﻨﻪ‬, from the Messenger of Allāh (‫)ﷺ‬
who said:

"Verily, Allāh, the Exalted, has

prescribed the obligatory [matters], so
do not neglect them. He has set limits,
so do not go beyond them. He has
forbidden some things, so do not violate
them. And He has been silent about
some things, out of mercy upon you and
not out of forgetfulness, so do not seek
after them."

A hasan hadīth; recorded by al-

Dāraqutnī and others.

67
68
 Thirty-first Hadīth

On the authority of Abī al-Abbās Sahl ibn

‫ن‬
Sa’d al-Sā'idī (‫;)ر� � ﻋﻨﻪ‬ who said: A
‫ي‬
man came to the Prophet (‫ )ﷺ‬and said:
O’ Messenger of Allāh, direct me to a
deed concerning which, if I perform it,
Allāh will love me and the people will
love me. He said:

"Be ascetic from the world and Allāh

will love you. Be ascetic from what the
people possess and the people will love
you."

A hasan hadīth; recorded by Ibn Mājah

and others with hasan chains.

69
70
 Thirty-second Hadīth

On the authority of Abī Sa’īd Sa’d ibn

Mālik ibn Sinān al-Khudrī (‫;)ر� � ﻋﻨﻪ‬ ‫ن‬
‫ي‬
that the Messenger of Allāh (‫ )ﷺ‬said:

"There is not to be any causing of harm

nor is there to be any reciprocating of
harm."

This is a hasan hadīth; It is recorded by

Ibn Mājah, al-Dāraqutnī and others, and
recorded by Mālik in his al-Muwattā
which is Mursal; from ‘Amr ibn Yahyā,
from his father, from the Prophet (‫;)ﷺ‬
Abā Sa’īd has been dropped [from the
chain], and it has chains that strengthen
one another.

71
72
 Thirty-third Hadīth

On the authority of Ibn ‘Abbās ( � �‫ر‬�

‫ي‬
‫ )ﻋﻨﻪ‬that the Messenger of Allāh (‫)ﷺ‬
said:

"If people were given in accordance

with their claims, then men would claim
the wealth and lives of other people.
Rather, the burden of proof is on the
claimant and an oath is a duty upon he
who denies the claim."

It is a hasan hadīth. Al-Bayhaqī and

others recorded it in this way, and its
origins are in the two Sahīh’s.

73
74
 Thirty-fourth Hadīth

On the authority of Abī Sa’īd al-Khudrī

(‫;)ر� � ﻋﻨﻪ‬‫ن‬ who said: I heard the
‫ي‬
Messenger of Allāh (‫ )ﷺ‬say:

"Whoever among you sees evil should

change it with his hand. If he is
unable to do so, then with his tongue.
If he is unable to do so, then with his
heart, and that is the weakest level of
faith."

Recorded by Muslim.

75
76
 Thirty-fifth Hadīth

On the authority of Abī Hurayrah ( � �‫ر‬�

‫ي‬
‫ )ﻋﻨﻪ‬who said: The Messenger of Allāh
(‫ )ﷺ‬said:

"Do not be envious of one another; do

not artificially raise prices against one
another; do not hate one another; do
not turn ones back on each other; and
do not undercut one another in business
transactions. And be, O’ servants of
Allāh, brethren. A Muslim is the brother
of a Muslim. He does not wrong him. He
does not fail him [when he needs him].
He does not lie to him. And he does not
show contempt for him. Piety is here -
and he pointed to his chest three times -
, It is enough of evil for a person to hold
his brother Muslim in contempt. All of a
Muslim is sacred to another Muslim: his
blood, his wealth and his honour."

Recorded by Muslim.

77
78
 Thirty-sixth Hadīth

On the authority of Abī Hurayrah ( � �‫ر‬�

‫ي‬
‫ )ﻋﻨﻪ‬from the Prophet (‫ )ﷺ‬who said:

"Whoever relieves the hardship of a

believer in this world, Allah will
relieve his hardship on the Day of
Resurrection. Whoever helps ease
someone in difficulty, Allah will make
it easy for him in this world and in the
Hereafter. Whoever covers the faults
of a Muslim, Allah will cover his faults
in this world and in the Hereafter.
Allah helps the servant as long as he
helps his brother. Whoever travels a
path in search of knowledge, Allah
will make easy for him a path to
Paradise, for a people do not gather
together in the houses of Allah,
reciting the Book of Allah and
studying together, except that
tranquillity will descend upon them,
mercy will cover them, angels will
surround them, and Allah will
mention them to those with Him.
Whoever is slow to good deeds will
not be hastened by his lineage.”

Recorded by Muslim with this wording.

79
80
 Thirty-seventh Hadīth

On the authority of Ibn Abbās ( � �‫ر‬ �

‫ي‬
‫)ﻋﻨﻪ‬: On the authority of the Messenger
of Allāh (‫ )ﷺ‬from among the sayings
that he related from His Lord (‫ )ﷻ‬is that
He said:

"Verily, Allah has recorded good and

evil deeds and he made them clear.
Whoever intends to perform a good
deed but does not do it, then Allah
will record it as a complete good
deed. If he intends to do it and does
so, then Allah Almighty will record it
as ten good deeds, up to seven
hundred times as much or even more.
If he intends to do an evil deed and
does not do it, then Allah will record
for him one complete good deed. If he
does it, then Allah will record for him
a single evil deed."

Recorded by al-Bukhārī and Muslim in

their two Sahihs with this wording.

Dear brother - may Allāh grant us and

you success-, look at Allāh's great
kindness. Ponder over the wording. His
statement, "With Him" indicates Allāh's
great care for it. His statement,
"complete" is for emphasis and extreme
care for it. About the evil that one
considers and then leaves: "Allāh
records it with Him as one complete
good deed" and He emphasises it with
"complete". If he does it, he records it as
one evil deed. He has emphasised its
insignificance by saying, "one" and he
did not stress it by saying, "complete".
And to Allāh is all praise and graces. He is
far above every imperfection. We cannot
praise Him enough for His bounties. And
all success is from Allāh.

81
82
 Thirty-eighth Hadīth

On the authority of Abī Hurayrah ( � �‫ر‬�

‫ي‬
‫ )ﻋﻨﻪ‬who said: The Messenger of Allāh
(‫ )ﷺ‬said:

"Allāh the Almighty has said: Whoever

shows hostility to a friend of mine, then
I have declared war upon him. My
servant does not draw near to Me with
anything more beloved to Me than the
religious duties that I have imposed
upon him. And My servant continues to
draw near to Me with supererogatory
works such that I love him. And when I
love him, I am his hearing with which he
hears, his seeing with which he sees, his
hand with which he strikes, and his leg
with which he walks. Were he to ask of
Me, I would surely give him; and were
he to ask Me for refuge, I would surely
grant him it.”

Recorded by al-Bukhārī.

83
84
 Thirty-ninth Hadīth

On the authority of Ibn ‘Abbās ( � �‫ر‬ �

‫ي‬
‫ ;)ﻋﻨﻪ‬The Messenger of Allāh (‫ )ﷺ‬said:

"Verily, Allāh has pardoned my nation

for their mistakes, their forgetfulness,
and what they are coerced into
doing."

A hasan hadīth; recorded by Ibn Mājah,

al-Bayhaqī and others.

85
86
 Fortieth Hadīth

On the authority of Ibn ‘Umar ( � �‫ر‬ �

‫ي‬
‫ ;)ﻋﻨﻬﻤﺎ‬who said: The Messenger of Allāh
(‫ )ﷺ‬took hold of my shoulder and said:

"Be in the world as if you were a stranger

or a traveller along a path."

And ibn Umar (‫)ر� � ﻋﻨﻬﻤﺎ‬ ‫ ن‬would say:

‫ي‬
"If you survive till the late afternoon, do
not expect [to be alive in] the morning. If
you survive till the morning, do not
expect [to be alive in] the late afternoon.
Take from your health for your sickness
and from your life for your death."

Recorded by al-Bukhārī.

87
88
 Forty-first Hadīth

On the authority of Abī Muhammad

‘Abdillāh ibn ‘Amr ibn al-Aas ( � �‫ر‬ �
‫ي‬
‫ )ﻋﻨﻬﻤﺎ‬who said: The Messenger of Allāh
(‫ )ﷺ‬said:

"None of you [truly] believes until his

desire is subservient to what I came
with."

This is a hasan sahīh hadīth; We have

narrated it in the book, al-Huijah, with a
sahīh chain.

89
90
 Forty-second Hadīth

On the authority of Anas (‫;)ر� � ﻋﻨﻪ‬ ‫ن‬

‫ي‬
who said: I heard the Messenger of Allāh
(‫ )ﷺ‬say:

"Allāh, the exalted, said: ‘O son of

Adam, if you call upon me and place
your hope in me, I will forgive you
without hesitation. ‘O son of Adam, if
you have sins piling up to the clouds
and then ask for my forgiveness, I will
forgive you without hesitation. ‘O son
of Adam, if you come to me with
enough sins to fill the earth and then
you meet me without associating
anything with me, I will come to you
with enough forgiveness to fill the
earth."

Recorded by al-Tirmidhī and he said: It is

a hasan sahīh hadīth."

91
92
 Forty-third Hadīth

[It is the First Hadīth from the additions

of Ibn Rajab]
‫ ن‬reported that the
Ibn ‘Abbās (‫)ر� � ﻋﻨﻪ‬
‫ي‬
Prophet (‫ )ﷺ‬said:

“Give the Faraa’id to those who are

entitled to receive it. Then whatever
remains, should be given to the closest
male relative [of the deceased].”

Recorded by al-Bukhārī and Muslim.

93
94
 Forty-fourth Hadīth

[It is the Second Hadīth from the

additions of Ibn Rajab]

‘Ā’ishah (‫ر� � ﻋﻨﻬﺎ‬‫ن‬

‫ ) ي‬reported that the
Prophet (‫ )ﷺ‬said:

“Suckling relations make all things

unlawful which are unlawful through
corresponding birth (blood) relations.”

Recorded by al-Bukhārī and Muslim.

95
96
 Forty-fifth Hadīth

[It is the Third Hadīth from the

additions of Ibn Rajab]
‫ن‬
Jābir (‫;)ر� � ﻋﻨﻪ‬ narrated, In the year
‫ي‬
of the Conquest of Makkah, I heard
Allāh’s Messenger (‫ )ﷺ‬saying:

“Verily Allāh and His Messenger made

unlawful the trade of wine, dead
animals, pigs and idols.”

The people asked: Allāh’s Messenger!

What about the fat of dead animals, for
it was used for greasing boots and hides
and people used it for lights? He
answered:

“No, it is unlawful.”

Allāh’s Messenger (‫ )ﷺ‬then said:

“May Allāh curse the Jews, for Allāh

made the fat illegal for them, yet they
used to melt the fat, sell it, and eat up
the money.”

Recorded by al-Bukhārī and Muslim.

97
98
 Forty-sixth Hadīth

[It is the Fourth Hadīth from the

additions of Ibn Rajab]

Abī Burdah narrated from his father Abī

Mūsā al-Ash’arī (‫)ر� � ﻋﻨﻪ‬ ‫ ن‬who said:
‫ي‬
That the Prophet (‫ )ﷺ‬sent him to
Yemen, so he asked [the Prophet] about
certain drinks which used to be prepared
there. He [The Prophet] said: “What are
they?” He said: Al-Bit’u and Al-Mizr - Abī
Burdah was asked: “What is Al-Bit’u” He
answered: It is an alcoholic drink made
from honey and al-Mizr is an alcoholic
drink made from barley. So [The
Prophet] said: “All intoxicants are
prohibited.”

Recorded by al-Bukhārī.

99
100
 Forty-seventh Hadīth

[It is the Fifth Hadīth from the additions

of Ibn Rajab]

Al-Miqdām ibn Ma’dī-Kariba narrated: I

heard the Messenger of Allāh (‫)ﷺ‬
saying:

“The son of Adam cannot fill a vessel

worse than his stomach, as it is
enough for him to take a few bites to
straighten his back. If he cannot do it,
then he may fill it with a third of his
food, a third of his drink, and a third of
his breath.”

Recorded by Imām Ahmad, al-Tirmidhī,

al-Nasā’ī, and Ibn Mājah.

al-Tirmidhī said: It is a hasan hadīth.

101
102
 Forty-eighth Hadīth

[It is the Sixth Hadīth from the additions

of Ibn Rajab]

‘Abdillāh ibn ‘Amr ibn al-Aas ( � �‫ر‬�

‫ي‬
‫ )ﻋﻨﻬﻤﺎ‬reported that the Messenger of
Allāh (‫ )ﷺ‬said:

“Whoever possesses these four

characteristics is a hypocrite, and
anyone who possesses one of them
possesses a trait of hypocrisy till he
gives it up: When he talks, he tells a lie;
when he makes a covenant, he acts
treacherously; when he argues he is
wicked, and when he makes a promise,
he breaks it.”

Recorded by al-Bukhārī and Muslim.

103
104
 Forty-ninth Hadīth

[It is the Seventh Hadīth from the

additions of Ibn Rajab]

‘Umar ibn al-Khattāb (‫)ر� � ﻋﻨﻪ‬ ‫ن‬

‫ي‬
reported, that the Prophet (‫ )ﷺ‬said:

“If you all put your trust in Allāh with

due reliance, He will certainly give you
provision as He supplies provisions to
birds who get up hungry in the morning
and return with full belly at dusk.”

Recorded by Imām Ahmad, al-Tirmidhī,

al-Nasā’ī, Ibn Mājah, Ibn Hibbān in his
Sahīh and al-Hākim.

al-Tirmidhi said it is Hasan Sahīh.

105
106
 Fiftieth Hadīth

[It is the Eighth Hadīth from the

additions of Ibn Rajab]

‘Abdillāh ibn Busr, reported a man came

to the Prophet (‫ )ﷺ‬and said: ‘O
Messenger of Allāh; The ordinances of
Islām have become burdensome for me,
So tell me something I can hold onto. He
said:

“Always keep your tongue moist with

the rememberance of Allāh.”

Recorded by Imām Ahmad with this

wording.

107
 TI
THE3RD EDI ON KEYSTO KNOWLEDGE

D AW R A H
I
LMI
YYAH

I
NSTUCTOR
USTADH ABDULRAHMAN
HASSAN

A DE
TAI
LEDE
XPLANATI
ON
OFNUKHBATULF
IKR

NAME.
.
..
..
.
..
..
.
..
..
.
..
..
.
..
..
.
..
..
.
..
..
.
..
..
.
..
..
.
 Learn Islam
in your language
KALEMAH

KALEMAH ISLAMIC CENTER is a community center for all. Kalemah

was founded in 2007 and is managed by a Board of Emirati
Nationals, an Executive Committee and a staff of over a dozen full-
time employees. We operate based on charitable donations from
philanthropic individuals, organizations and governmental bodies.

We are a non profit organization officially registered under the

Islamic Affairs and Charitable Activities Department (IACAD)
Government of Dubai.

Our Mission: To propagate the

pristine, unadulterated teachings of
Islam to Muslims and non-Muslims
in Dubai in the most effective and
appropriate way.

Our Vision: The souls of a nation,

connected to their Creator.
2
 Nukhbat al-Fikr Fī Muṣṭalaḥ Ahl al-Athar
By al-Ḥāfiẓ Ibn Ḥajar (d.852H)

All praise be to Allāh who is always

knowing and able, and may Allāh send
salutations upon our master
Muḥammad, whom He sent to mankind
as a bearer of glad tidings and a warner,
and upon his family and Companions
many salutations.

To proceed:

The books regarding the terminologies

of Ahl al-Ḥadīth are many and were
expanded and condensed. Some of my
brothers asked for me to summarise for
them what is important from this. I
responded to this request seeking to be
counted among those who trod the
[scholarly] path”

So I say:

The path of a report (Khabar) are either:

[1] without specific number, [2] more
than two paths, [3] two paths, [4] one
path.”

The first: is al-Mutawātir, and conveys

certain knowledge when its conditions
are met.

The second: is al-Mashhūr and it is also

called al-Mustafīḍ according to one
opinion.

The third: is al-‘Azīz. It is not the

[minimal] condition for authenticity,
contrary to whoever claimed it.

The fourth: is al-Gharīb.

3
4
All of them except for the first are Āḥād,
and these encompass the accepted and
rejected. Since using them as evidence
hinges on investigating the status of the
reporters, contrary to the first category.
Yet they might contain what conveys
inductive knowledge with external
indicators, according to the preferred
opinion”

Then the singularity is either: [1] at the

beginning of the chain, [2] or not.

The first: is al-Fard al-Muṭlaq.

The second: is al-Fard al-Nisbī, and little

do they use [the term] Fard
unrestrictedly for it [i.e. al-Fard al-Nisbī].

The narration which is Āḥād when

transmitted by an [1] integrity, [2]
thoroughly precise [person], [3] with a
connected chain, [4] that is not defective
[5] nor opposition, is sound itself.

Its ranks are commensurate to variation

in these conditions. Hence Ṣaḥīḥ al-
Bukhārī was put first, then Muslim, and
then what matches their conditions.

If the precision decreases: then it is

Ḥasan li-Dhātihi, and with its many
routes it becomes Ṣaḥīḥ.

If brought together [i.e. Ṣaḥīḥ and

Ḥasan], if there is one chain; then it is
due to being doubtful, and if there are
two; then it applies to either chain [i.e.
one is Ṣaḥīḥ and the other is Ḥasan].

And the addition of those narrators [i.e.

Ṣaḥīḥ and Ḥasan] are accepted as long as
it does not oppose one who is more
trustworthy (Thiqah).

If it opposes [i.e. the Ziyādah al-Thiqah]

by what is more stronger, then the
stronger is: al-Maḥfūẓ, and the opposite
is: al-Shādh, and [if it occurs] with a
weak [narrator] then the stronger is: al-
Ma’rūf, and the opposite is: al-Munkar.

5
6
and [with regards to] al-Fard al-Nisbī; If
other than it supports it then it is called
a Mutābi’. And if there is a text which is
similar, then it is: a Shāhid. And following
up the chains for it is known as: al-
I’tibār.

Then the Maqbūl: If it is saved from

opposition then it is al-Muḥkam, and if it
opposes [a narration] that is similar: if
[1] reconciliation is possible, it is
Mukhtalif al-Ḥadīth. If not and that
which came after is established then it is
[2] al-Nāsikh, and the other is: al-
Mansūkh. If not, then [3] al-Tarjīḥ, [if
not] then [4] al-Tawaqquf.

Then al-Mardūd: It is due to either a

disconnection [in the chain] or criticism
[of a narrator].

So the disconnection: is either from the

beginning of the chain from the author,
or from its ending after the Tābi’ī, or
other than it.

The first: al-Mu’allaq.

The second: al-Mursal.

The third: If two [narrators]

consecutively [are dropped] then it is
Mu’ḍal, otherwise it is al-Munqaṭi’.

Then it [the disconnection] can be

apparent or hidden.

The first [apparent] is recognised by lack

of meeting [between narrators], hence
the need for [biographical] history.

The second is: al-Mudallas, a report

related with a phrase which implied
possible meeting, such as “From so-and-
so”, “He said…” Likewise, al-Mursal al-
Khafī [which is] from a contemporary he
did not meet.

7
8
Then criticism: occurs due to the
narrator lying, or being accused of lying,
or making enormous mistakes, or being
heedless, or being corrupt, or being
delusionary, or opposing others, or being
unknown, or being an innovator, or
having poor memory.

The first: is al-Mawḍū’.

The second: is al-Matrūk.

The third is: al-Munkar, according to an

opinion.

As are the fourth and fifth.

When delusion is discovered through

external indications and fathering the
paths of transmission, then it is; al-
Mu’allal.

Then opposition: if it results from

changing the wording of the chain it is
Mudraj al-Isnād, or if conflating a
Mawqūf [report] with a Marfū’, then it is
Mudraj al-Matn, or transposition then it
is al-Maqlūb, or inserting a narration,
then it is al-Mazīd fī Muttaṣil al-Masānīd,
or it is substituting [one narrater for
another] without strengthening then it
is: Muḍṭarib – and substitution may
occur intentionally for the sake of testing
-, or alternating dots or vowels while the
orthography remains the same, then it is
al-Muṣaḥḥaf and al-Muḥarraf.

It is not permissible to intentionally alter

the text by omission or paraphrase,
except for someone knowledgeable of
what changes the meaning. If the
meaning is obscure, explaining al-Gharīb
and clarifying al-Mushkil is required.

9
10
The causes for which a narrator is unknown are: the
narrator may have many names and he is mentioned
with one that is not well-known, for a purpose.
Concerning this they authored regarding al-Mūḍiḥ. It
may be because the narrator has few [narrations] and
is not frequently taken from, concerning this they
wrote regarding al-Wuḥdān. Or he may be left
unnamed out of brevity. Concerning this [they
compiled] al-Mubhamāt. The anonymous narrator is
not accepted; even if he is mentioned anonymously
with a grading of commendation, according to the
soundest opinion.

If the narrator is named and only one person related

from him, then he is: Majhūl al-‘Ayn, or if two or more
related from him and he is not [explicitly] declared
reliable, then he is: Majhūl al-Ḥāl, and that is al-
Mastūr.

Then innovation, it is either: disbelief, or sinfulness.

As for the first, the majority do not accept any

narrator thus described.

As for the second: Someone who is not inviting people

to it [the innovation] is accepted according to the
soundest opinion, unless he related something
supporting his innovation; in that case he is rejected
according to the preferred opinion. This is what al-
Nasā’ī’s Shaykh, al-Jūzajānī, explicitly said.

Then poor memory: If it is chronic, then it is Shādh

according to an opinion, or occasional then [it is] al-
Mukhtaliṭ.

Whenever a [narrator] with poor memory is

corroborated by a reported worthy of consideration,
or [the narrations which are] al-Mastūr, al-Mursal,
and al-Mudallas = the narrations become Ḥasan not
due to itself, but on the whole.

Then the chain either ends at the Prophet explicitly or

by ruling; from his speech, or actions, or tacit
approval. Or it ends at a companion in the same way,
and [the companion is] the one who met the prophet
believing in him and died as a Muslim – even if [his
Islam] was interrupted by apostasy according to the
strongest opinion -,

11
12
or to a Tābi’ī, and it is anyone who met
one of the companions.

The first is: al-Marfū’.

The second is: al-Mawqūf.

The third is: al-Maqṭū’, it is the same for

anyone subsequent to the Tābi’ī.

And it is said regarding the last two: al-

Athar.

And al-Musnad: is a report that a

companion raised to the Prophet with a
chain that has the outward appearance
of being connected.

If the numbers [of narrators]; either it

ends with the Prophet, or an Imām with
a distinguished description, like Shu’bah.

The first is: al-‘Ulūw al-Muṭlaq.

The second is: al-Nisbī.

In [al-Nisbī] it includes al-Muwāfaqah,

which arrives at the Shaykh of one of the
authors without using the authors path.

It also includes al-Badal, which arrives at

the Shaykh’s Shaykh in the same way.

It also includes al-Musāwāt, which is the

number of narrator-links in the chain
from the narrator to the end equalling
[the length of] the chains of one of the
authors.

13
14
It also includes al-Muṣāfaḥa, which
equals the chain of that authors student.
Nuzūl corresponds to Ulūw in all its
categories.

If the narrator is the same age as

someone who narrates from him and
they met, then it is [known as] al-Aqrān.

If each of them related from each other

then it is [known as] al-Mudabbaj.

If he relates from someone younger;

then it is [known as] al-Akābir ‘an al-
Aṣāghir. It includes: fathers-from-sons
narration; its opposite is frequent. It
includes son-from-father-from-
grandfather narration.

If two share the same Shaykh and one’s

death precedes, then it is [known as] al-
Sābiq wa al-Lāḥiq.

If he relates from two Shaykhs whose

names match and cannot be
differentiated, then the face the he
specialises in narrations from one of
them is a sign that the other one is
irrelevant.

If he denies what is related from him

categorically, the report is rejected. If
[he denies it] indecisively, then it is
accepted according to the soundest
opinion, concerning this [is the title]
Man Ḥaddatha wa Nasiya.

If the narrators conform in the phrasing

used to convey or in some other
manner, then it is al-Musalsal.

The forms of conveyance are: ((I heard

and he narrated to me)), then ((I
presented to him and I read to him)),
then ((it was read to him while I heard)),
then ((he informed me [after
presenting])), then ((he put into my
hands [i.e. the book])),

15
16
then ((he allowed me verbally)), then
((he wrote to me)), then ((from)) and the
like.

The first two are for someone who heard

the Shaykh verbatim. If pluralised then
[he heard] with someone else. The first:
is the most explicit and is the highest
ranked in dictation.

The third and fourth are for someone

who read [to the Shaykh] himself. If the
plural is used it is like the fifth.

Informing [the sixth] is synonymous with

reporting [the third]. However, in the
custom of the later generations it is for
authorisation (Ijāzah), like ‘an [from].

The indecisive-transmission terminology

of contemporaries is understood to be
direct unless from a narrator who is a
Mudallis. It is said that a condition that is
the meeting of the contemporaries has
to be proven - even if only once -, this is
the preferred opinion.

The used Mushāfaha for an oral

authorisation and Mukātabah for a
written authorisation.

For the authenticity of Munāwala, they

stipulated that it be accompanied by
permission to relate; it is the highest
type of authorisation.

They also stipulated permission for a

report found [i.e. within a book],
likewise a book bequeathed, and in a
Shaykh’s public announcement that he
narrates something, otherwise it is of no
weight; as in an authorisation that is
universal or to someone unknown [to
us], or to someone non-existent –
according to the soundest opinion
concerning all of the above.

If the names of the narrators and the

names of their fathers and upwards
match although they are different
individuals, then it is [known as] al-
Muttafiq wa al-Muftariq.

17
18
If the names match in writing but differ
in pronounciation, then it is al-Mu’talif
wa al-Mukhtalif.

If the names match but the fathers

differ, or the opposite, it is al-
Mutashābih, and likewise if the similarity
occurred in the name and the name of
the father while there is difference in the
affiliation. This and the previous can
form various combinations including;
similarity or difference occurring except
in one or two letters, or transposition,
and the like.

19
20
 Conclusion

It is also important to know: the

synchronous layers of narrators, the
dates of their birth and death, their
lands and regions, their conditions;
praise, criticism, and anonymity.

The categories of criticism, the worst: to

be described with the superlative; like
((greatest of all liars)), then ((Dajjāl)), or
((fabricator)), or ((liar)), the least is
((soft/malleable)), or ((poor memory)) or
((there is something about him)).

And the ranks of praise, from the

highest: to be described with the
superlative; like ((most trustworthy of
people)), then what is emphasised with
one attribute or two; like ((trustworthy-
trustwothy)) or ((trustworthy-precise)),
and the least: something that suggests
proximity to the slightst level of
criticism; like ((Shaykh)).

The praise [of an individual] is accepted

from one who is knowledgeable in its
criteria; even if from a single person
according to the soundest opinion.

Criticism takes precedence over praise if

it comes in detail from someone
knowledgeable regarding its criteria.
When lacking praise, criticism is
accepted without specifics according to
the preferred opinion.

It is also important to know: agnomens

(Kunā) of the people referred to by [first]
name, the names of people referred to
by agnomen, those whose agnomen and
name are one and the same, those with
multiple agnomens or multiple titles,

21
22
the one whose agnomen matches his
father’s name, or vice-versa, or his
agnomen [matches] his wife’s agnomen;
and whoever is affiliated to someone
than his father or to something that does
not immediately come to mind; and
whose name matches the name of his
father and grandfather, or his Shaykh’s
name and the Shaykh’s Shaykh, and on
up; and whose name matches the
Shaykh’s name and the person narrating
from him.

And to know the basic names of

narrators; and the names exclusive to
one person, and the agnomens and
nicknames, and affiliations i.e. to tribes,
homelands, countries, localities, roads
and alleys, proximity, crafts and
professions. It gives rise to similarities
and confusions, as with names; and
affiliations sometimes take place as
nicknames. And the reasons for these
[because it may be contrary to the
obvious]. To know the Mawālī: topwise
[patrons and maters], and bottomwise
[clients and freedmen], male and female
siblings, and the etiquette of the Shaykh
and the student. It includes the age of
procurement and conveyance, the
manner of writing Ḥadīth, reading back
to the Shaykh, audition, recital and
travelling for Ḥadīth. One should also
know how Ḥadīth is compiled: according
to chains of narrators, subject matter,
defects, or keywords; and knowing the
historical context for the Ḥadīth. One of
the Shaykhs of al-Qāḍī Abū Ya’lā Ibn al-
Farrā’ wrote about it.

They have written books in most of

these genres. This is a basic list
mentioning definitions without
examples. It is difficult to be thorough,
so consult the longer books.

Allāh is the One Who grants success and

guides, there is no deity worthy of
worship except Him.

23
 TI
THE3RD EDI ON KEYSTO KNOWLEDGE

D AW R A H
I
LMI
YYAH

I
NSTUCTOR
USTADH ABDULRAHMAN
HASSAN

A DE
TAILE
DE XPLANATI
ON
OFAL-WARAQAAT

NAME.
.
..
..
.
..
..
.
..
..
.
..
..
.
..
..
.
..
..
.
..
..
.
..
..
.
..
..
.
 Learn Islam
in your language
KALEMAH

KALEMAH ISLAMIC CENTER is a community center for all. Kalemah

was founded in 2007 and is managed by a Board of Emirati
Nationals, an Executive Committee and a staff of over a dozen full-
time employees. We operate based on charitable donations from
philanthropic individuals, organizations and governmental bodies.

We are a non profit organization officially registered under the

Islamic Affairs and Charitable Activities Department (IACAD)
Government of Dubai.

Our Mission: To propagate the

pristine, unadulterated teachings of
Islam to Muslims and non-Muslims
in Dubai in the most effective and
appropriate way.

Our Vision: The souls of a nation,

connected to their Creator.
2
 Al-Waraqāt fī Uṣūl al-Fiqh
By Imām ‘Abdil-Malik ibn ‘Abdillāh ibn Yūsuf al-Juwaynī (d.478H)

In the name of Allah, the Most Merciful,

the bestower of Mercy.

All praise be to Allāh, the Lord of the

worlds, and May Allāh bestow his peace
and blessing upon our master
Muhammad, his family and companions.

And to proceed:

These pages include sections of the

fundamentals of jurisprudence.

Which is composed of two individual

parts:

• First: al-Uṣūl
• Second: al-Fiqh

al-Aṣl: that which other matters are

based upon.

al-Far’a: that which is based upon other

matters.

al-Fiqh: Knowledge of the rulings of the

Shari’ah that are derived by way of
independent reasoning.

Rulings are seven types: obligatory (al-

wājib), recommended (al-mandūb),
permissible (al-mubāḥ), forbidden (al-
maḥẓūr), disliked (al-makrūh), sound (al-
ṣaḥīḥ), and invalid (al-bāṭil).

Obligatory is an action which is

rewarded if done and is punished if left
out.

3
4
Recommended is an action which is
rewarded if done and is not punished if
left out.

Permissible is an action which is neither

rewarded if done nor is punished if left
out.

Forbidden is an action which is rewarded

if left out and is punished if done.

Disliked is an action which is rewarded if

left out and is not punished if done.

Sound is the proper implementation of a

deed and is considered acceptable.

Invalid is the improper implementation

of a deed and is not considered
acceptable.

al-Fiqh is more specific than knowledge.

Knowledge is to recognise what is

known as it exists in reality.

Ignorance is to imagine something

differently than it is in reality.

Necessary knowledge is what does not

result from reflection or deduction, such
as knowledge of reality by one of the five
senses, which are hearing, seeing,
smelling, tasting, and touching, or by
unanimous reports (al-tawātir).

As for acquired knowledge, it is

dependent upon reflection and
deduction.

Reflection is to think about the object

that needs reflection.

Deduction is seeking a proof.

Proof is what leads to that which is

sought.

5
6
Confidence is the presence of two
possibilities, one of which is more likely
than the other.

Doubt is the presence of two

possibilities, neither of which is more
likely than the other.

Uṣūl al-Fiqh deals with ‘general proofs’

of Fiqh and methodology to adduce
them as ‘proof’ in evidential inquiry.

The chapters of Uṣūl al-Fiqh:

The types of speech, commands and

prohibitions, general and specific
wordings, ambiguous and clear
wordings, apparent and interpreted,
actions, abrogating and abrogated,
consensus, reports, analogy,
unlawfulness and permissibility, priority
of evidences, the attributes of the mufti
and the mustafti, and rulings related to
the mujtahid.

Speech is minimally composed of: Two

nouns, a noun and a verb, a verb and a
particle, or a noun and a particle.

Speech is divided into commands and

prohibitions, declarations and questions.
It is also divided into wishes,
suggestions, and oaths.

From another aspect, it is divided into

literal and figurative speech.

Literal speech is that which is used in its

ordinary meaning, or it is said that it is
used as a specific term known to its
audience.

Figurative speech is what goes beyond

its ordinary meaning.

7
8
Literal speech can be either linguistic,
legal, or customary.

Figurative speech can be by an addition,

deletion, transfer, or metaphor.

Figurative by addition is like the saying of

Allah Almighty: “There is nothing like unto
Him,” (42:11) in which an additional ‘like’
is added to emphasize the meaning.

Figurative by deletion is like the saying of

Allah Almighty: “Ask the village,” (12:82)
meaning ask the people of the village.

Figurative by transfer is like the word

‘gully’ (ghā’iṭ) to refer to what exits the
human body, as the original linguistic
meaning has been changed to another
obscure meaning.

Figurative by metaphor is like the saying

of Allah Almighty: “A wall wanting to
collapse…” (18:77) as an inanimate thing
has been compared to something else.

A command is a verbal demand obliging

an inferior to perform an act. The verbal
form that indicates command is if’al [the
imperative].

When unqualified, and in the absence of

contextual indications [to the contrary], it
is interpreted as obligation, except when
some evidence indicates that
recommendation or permission is meant,
in which case it is interpreted accordingly.

The correct view is that command does

not require the repetition of the act,
unless some evidence indicates that
repetition was intended; nor does it
require immediate action.

The command to bring about an action is

a command to perform both the act and
whatever is required for the completion
of the act, just as the command to
perform the prayers is a command
enjoining the purity that paves the way
for them. When the commanded act is
performed, the one who is commanded
is considered to have discharged his
responsibility.

9
10
 Those who are included in the command and
prohibition and those who are not

Believers are included in those who Allah, The Most

High addresses, but those who forget, children, and
the insane are not included.

The disbelievers are addressed with the branches of

the Law and with what is required for its soundness,
which is Islam, as in the saying of the Almighty, “What
caused you to enter fire? They will say: We were not
among those who prayed.” (74:42-43)

The command to do something is a prohibition of

doing its opposite, and a prohibition of something is a
command to do its opposite.

The prohibition is a call to leave an action by words to

someone who is below, in the manner of an obligation
which indicates the corruption/invalidity of what is
prohibited.

As for the general meaning, it is what generalises two

or more things. It comes from the phrase, ‘I included
Zayd and Umar in the gift,’ and, ‘I included all people
in the gift.’

Its wordings are four: a single noun with the definite

article,

11
12
plural nouns with the definite article,
undefined nouns such as ‘whoever’ for
animate beings, ‘whatever’ for
inanimate beings, ‘whichever’ for
anything, ‘wherever’ for place,
‘whenever’ for time, ‘whatever’ for
inquiry, consequences, and other things,
and ‘no’ for indefinite nouns.

Generality is a characteristic of speech. It

is not permissible to claim general
application in actions which are not so
and in whatever has a defined
application.

Specific is the opposite of general.

Specification is distinguished by part of
the sentence. It is divided into
dependent and independent clauses.

The dependent clause can be an

exception, a restriction to conditions,
and a restriction to characteristics.

An exception is excluding what would

otherwise be included in the statement.
It is only sound on condition that
something remains for which the
exception is made and on condition that
it is connected to the statement.

It is possible for an exception to be

stated before that for which it is made,
and it is possible for a category to be
excepted from a different category.

13
14
Conditions can potentially be stated
after mentioning what is made
conditional, and potentially before
mentioning what is made conditional.

That which is restricted to a

characteristic is given the same
interpretation as if it were unqualified,
such as a slave characterised by faith in
some places and unqualified in other
places. The unqualified is interpreted as
though it were qualified by the
characteristic.

It is possible for the Book (the Qur’an) to

be specified by the Book, for the Book to
be specified by the Sunnah, for the
Sunnah to be specified by the Book, for
the Sunnah to be specified by the
Sunnah, and for statements to be
specified by analogy. What we mean by
‘statements’ are the sayings of Allah
Almighty and His Messenger, peace and
blessings be upon him.

The ambiguous is what lacks clarity.

The clear is what turns something vague

into something evident.

The decisive text (al-naṣṣ) is what

cannot be interpreted except with one
meaning, or it is said that it is
interpreted as it was revealed. The word
nass is etymologicaly derived from the
brides minassa, i.e. her seat.

The apparent meaning is what can

potentially be interpreted in two ways,
one of which is more obvious than the
other.

The apparent meaning is interpreted

differently if there is an evidence to do
so, which is called ‘apparent by virtue of
evidence.’

15
16
 Actions

The actions of the law-giver, are not

vacuous, whether they are from the
perspective of worship, obedience, or
something else.

If there is an indication demonstrating

the action is specific to him, then it is
interpreted as specific to him.

If there is no indication, it is not specific

to him as Allah Almighty says, ‘Certainly
in the Messenger of Allah you have an
excellent example,’ (33:21).

It is interpreted as an obligation,
according to some of our scholars.
Among our scholars are some who said it
should be interpreted as a
recommendation, and among them are
those who suspended judgment.

If it were from a perspective other than

worship and obedience, it is interpreted
as permissible.

The tacit approval given by the law-giver

to a statement issued by anyone is itself
a statement of the law-giver. The tacit
approval of an action is his action.

What was done in his time but not in his

presence, which he knew about and did
not reject, is judged as if it were done in
his presence.

As for abrogation (al-naskh), its linguistic

meaning is ‘removal’

17
18
or it is said its meaning is ‘transfer,’ from
their phrase, ‘I abrogated what was in
this book,’ that is, I transferred it.

Its definition is an address indicating the

lifting of a ruling established by a
previous address, without which it would
remain in effect.

It is possible for writing to be abrogated

but the ruling to remain, or for the ruling
to be abrogated but the writing to
remain.

Abrogation can be by replacement or

without replacement, and to what is
stricter or to what is more lenient.

It is possible for the Book to be

abrogated the Book, the Sunnah to be
abrogated by the Book, and the Sunnah
to be abrogated by the Sunnah.

It is possible for a unanimous report to

be abrogated by another unanimous
report, and a solitary report (al-āhād) to
be abrogated by another solitary or
unanimous report. It is not possible for a
unanimous report to be abrogated by a
solitary report.

19
20
 Section regarding contradiction

If two statements contradict each other,

they are inevitably either two general
statements, two specific statements, one
is general and the other is specific, or
each of them is general from one
perspective and specific from another
perspective.

If they are two general statements that

can be reconciled, they are reconciled. If
they cannot be reconciled, judgment is
suspended if their historical order is not
known. If the historical order is known,
the previous statement is abrogated by
the later statement. It is the same if they
are two specific statements.

If one of them is a general statement

and the other is a specific statement, the
general statement is restricted by the
specific statement. If one of them is
general from a perspective and specific
from another perspective, the generality
of each is restricted by the specification
of the other.

As for consensus (al-ijmā’), it is the

agreement of the scholars of an era on a
new ruling. By ‘scholars’ we mean
‘jurists’ and by ‘new’ we mean a new
legal issue.

21
22
The consensus of this nation is a proof in
itself, due to his saying, peace and
blessings be upon him, ‘My nation will
not gather together upon misguidance.’
The law has related the immunity of this
nation from error (in consensus).

Consensus is a binding proof for the

following generation and in each
generation thereafter. It is not a
condition that the first generation pass
away, according to the correct opinion.

If we say that the passing of the first

generation is a condition, the opinion of
one would be considered who was born
in their lifetimes, acquired legal
knowledge, and became a legal expert,
that they may retract this ruling.

Consensus is valid by their statements

and actions, or the widespread
statements and actions of some of them
while the remaining jurists are silent.
The statement of a single companion is
not a binding proof over others,
according to the new school of al-Shāfi’ī.

As for reports, they are what has been

narrated, including what is true and
what is false. They are divided into two
categories: solitary reports and
unanimous reports.

Unanimous reports necessarily result in

accurate knowledge. They are reported
by groups who could not have conspired
upon a lie, from those similar to them up
to the end of transmission, and being
what was originally witnessed or heard,
not from independent reasoning.

23
24
Solitary reports are those which are
acted upon but which do not necessarily
result in accurate knowledge. They are
divided into mursal and attributed
transmissions musnad.

If mursal reports are from those besides

the companions, they are not a binding
proof unless they are the reports of Sa’īd
ibn al-Musayyib, as they have been
investigated and found to be
attributable to the Prophet, peace and
blessings be upon him.

Reports with imprecise transmission

terminology (saying ‘from’ or ‘an) are
included in attributed reports.

If the Shaykh reads a report, it is

permissible for the narrator to say ‘he
narrated to me,’ (ḥaddathanī) or ‘he
informed me,’ (akhbaranī). If the
narrator reads a report to the Shaykh, he
says ‘he informed me’ and he does not
say ‘he narrated to me.’ If the Shaykh
grants him license without reading, he
says ‘he granted me license’ or ‘he
informed me by license.’

As for analogy, it is referring a derived

case back to the original case through an
effective cause (‘illah) that connects
them in the ruling. It is divided into three
categories: analogy by effective cause,
analogy by indication, and analogy by
similarity.

25
26
Analogy by effective cause contains an
effective cause that necessitates the
ruling.

Analogy by indication is inferred by one

of two identical cases from the other. It
is that the effective cause indicates the
ruling but does not necessitate the
ruling.

Analogy by similarity is a derived case

relatable to two original cases. It is not
resorted to if the previous types of
analogy are possible.

Among the conditions of the derived

case is that it be suitable to the original
case. Among the conditions of the
original case is that it be established by
evidence and agreed upon by conflicting
parties.

Among the conditions of the effective

cause is that it be continuous in its
effects, such that it does not alter its
wording or meaning.

Among the conditions of the ruling is

that it be similar to the effective cause in
negation or affirmation, that is, in its
existence or non-existence. If the
effective cause is found, the ruling is
found. The effective cause is what
results in the ruling.

As for forbidden and permissible, among

people are those who say that things are
forbidden except if the law permits
them. If no indication is found in the law
to permit them, the default position is
adhered to, which is that it is forbidden.

27
28
\\And among people are those who say
the opposite, which is that the default
position of things is permission except if
the law forbids them.

The meaning of ‘presumption of

continuity’ (istiṣḥāb al-ḥāl) which is
binding is that the default position (al-
aṣl) is taken in the absence of legal
evidence.

As for evidences, precedence is given to

the obvious over the obscure, to certain
knowledge over certain suspicion, to
transmission over analogy, and to
obvious analogy over obscure analogy.

If a statement is found which changes

the default position, the statement is
acted upon, otherwise continuity is
presumed.

Among the conditions of the legal expert

are that he is knowledgeable in
jurisprudence, its roots, its branches, its
disagreements, and its doctrines, that he
is completely aware of the indications of
independent legal reasoning, recognizing
what is needed to derive rulings, the
exegesis of verses related to the rulings,
and the reports related to them.

Among the conditions of one seeking a

verdict is that he is among those
incapable of independent legal
reasoning, so he conforms to the legal
expert in his verdict. It is not for the
scholar to blind-follow others.

29
30
Blind-following (al-taqlīd) is to accept
the opinion of someone without
knowing its proof.

Based on this, accepting the statement

of the Prophet, peace and blessings be
upon him, is called conformity.

Among them are those who said legal

conformity is to accept the opinion of
someone without knowing on what basis
he said it.

If we say that the Prophet, peace and

blessings be upon him, spoke by analogy,
it is permissible to refer to acceptance
his statement as conformity.

As for independent legal reasoning (al-

ijtihād), it is to expend the sum of one’s
efforts in achieving the objective. If the
expert jurist has mastery over the
mechanisms of legal reasoning in
secondary issues and his verdict is
correct, he will have two rewards. If he
reasons to a verdict and is mistaken, he
will have one reward.

It is not possible that every expert jurist

is correct in foundational theological
issues, for that would lead to declaring
the people of misguidance to be correct,
such as pagans, unbelievers, and
heretics.

The evidence of those who say that not

every expert jurist is correct in
secondary issues is his saying, peace and
blessings be upon him, “Whoever strives
in his reasoning and is correct, he will
have two rewards. Whoever strives in his
reasoning and is mistaken, he will have
one reward.”

The view of the evidence is that the

Prophet, peace and blessings be upon
him, declared an expert jurist to be
mistaken sometimes and to be correct
other times.

31
 TI
THE3RD EDI ON KEYSTO KNOWLEDGE

D AW R A H
I
LMI
YYAH

I
NSTUCTOR
USTADH ABDULRAHMAN
HASSAN

A DETAI
LEDEXPLANATI
ON
OFAL-AJ
RUMIYYAH

NAME.
.
..
..
.
..
..
.
..
..
.
..
..
.
..
..
.
..
..
.
..
..
.
..
..
.
..
..
.
 Learn Islam
in your language
KALEMAH

KALEMAH ISLAMIC CENTER is a community center for all. Kalemah

was founded in 2007 and is managed by a Board of Emirati
Nationals, an Executive Committee and a staff of over a dozen full-
time employees. We operate based on charitable donations from
philanthropic individuals, organizations and governmental bodies.

We are a non profit organization officially registered under the

Islamic Affairs and Charitable Activities Department (IACAD)
Government of Dubai.

Our Mission: To propagate the

pristine, unadulterated teachings of
Islam to Muslims and non-Muslims
in Dubai in the most effective and
appropriate way.

Our Vision: The souls of a nation,

connected to their Creator.
2
 al-Muaqddimah al-Ājurrāmiyyah
By Imām Muhammad ibn Muhammad ibn Ājurrām al-Sinhājī (d.723H)

In the name of Allāh, the Most Merciful, the

Bestower of Mercy

Speech is utterance, [which is]

compounded, meaningful, in its placement.

And it is three types: Noun, Verb and

Particle which conveys meaning.

So the Noun is known by Al-Khafdh, At-

Tanween, the acceptance of the particle of
definition Alif Laam, and the letters of
Khafdh, and these are from (min), to (ilaa),
‘An, above (‘Alaa), in (Fee), Little/A lot
(Rubba), Transmission (al-Baa),
Resemblance (al-Kaaf) and al-Laam (of
ownership or specificity).

And the letters of pledge, which are: al-

Waaw, al-Baa and al-Taa.

And the verb is known by Qad, al-Seen,

Sawfa, and al-Taa al-Ta’neeth as-saakinah.

And the particle is that which does not accept

the indicators or signs of the noun or verb.

3
4
 Chapter: Grammatical Analysis

The Grammatical analysis is the changing

of vowel markings at the end of words
according to the addition of agents;
whether they are explicit or implicit.

The types of grammatical analysis are

four: Raf', Nasb, Khafdh and Jazm.

So for the nouns is Raf', Nasb and

Khafdh with Jazm excluded.

And for the verbs is Raf', Nasb and Jazm

with Khafdh excluded.

5
6
 Chapter: Knowing the signs of
grammatical analysis

There are four signs which indicate the

condition of Raf': The Dhammah, the
Waaw, the Alif and the Noon.

As for the Dhammah: Then it is an

indicator of Raf’ in four Instances: [1]
The singular noun, [2] The broken plural,
[3] The sound feminine plural, and [4]
The present tense verb which has
nothing attached to the end of it.

As for the Waaw: Then it is an indicator

of Raf’ in two cases: [1] The sound
masculine plural and [2] The five
exceptional nouns which are: Abooka,
Akhooka, Hamooka, Fooka, and Dhoo-
Maalin.

As for the Alif: Then it is an indicator of

Raf’ specifically in [1] the dual forms.

As for the Noon, Then it is an indicator of

Raf’ in the present tense if it is
connected to an attached pronoun of
duality, an attached pronoun of
pluraility, or an attached pronoun used
to address the female gender.

And for the conditions of Nasb there are

five signs: the Fathah, the Alif, the
Kasrah, the Yaa, and the removal of the
letter Noon.

7
8
As for the Fathah, then it is an indicator
of the state of Nasb in three instances:
[1] In the singular nouns, [2] In broken
pural forms, [3] In the present tense
verbs if a Naasib precedes it and there is
nothing attached to the last letter in the
verb.

As for the Alif, then it is an indicator of

the state of Nasb in the five nouns. Like
the following example: Ra’aytu Abaaka
wa Akhaaka. And whatever resembles
this.

As for the Kasrah, then it is an indicator

of the state of Nasb for the sound
feminine plurals.

As for the Yaa, then it is an indicator of

the state of Nasb in both the dual and
plural noun forms.

As for the removal of the letter Noon,

then it is an indicator of the state of
Nasb in the five verbs when the indicator
of the state of Raf’ is the fixedness of the
letter Noon.

And for the conditions of Khafdh, there

are three signs: The Kasrah, the Yaa, and
the Fathah.

As for the Kasrah, then it is an indicator

of the state of Khafdh in three instances.
[1] The singular noun which has vowel
markings that can be changed [accept
Tanween]. [2] In broken plural forms
where the vowel markings can also be
changed. [3] In the sound feminine
plurals.

As for the Yaa, then it is an indicator of

the state of Khafdh in three instances:
[1] The five nouns, [2] The dual forms,
[3] The plural forms.

As for the Fathah, then it is an indicator

of the state of Khafdh for the nouns
which are fixed and do not change their
vowel markings.

9
10
And for the state of Jazm, there are two
signs: [1] The Sukoon, and [2] Removal.

As for the Sukoon, then it is an indicator

of the state of Jazm in the present tense
verbs which end in a sound letter.

As for removal, then it is an indicator of

the state of Jazm when the last letter in
a present tense verb is weak, and in the
five verbs when the sign of the state of
Raf’ is the fixedness of the letter Noon.

11
12
 Section

The words which contain vowel markings

that can be changed are divided into two
groups. One group is identified by
diacritical vowel markings while the
other group is identified by way of
letters.

So the group which is identified by way

of vowel markings contains four types of
nouns. [1] The singular noun, [2] The
Broken plural, [3] The sound feminine
plural, [4] The present tense verb to
which there is nothing attached to the
end of it.

In all of the previous nouns the condition

of Raf’ is indicated by a Dhammah, the
condition of Nasb is indicated by a
Fathah the condition of Khafdh is
indicated by a Kasrah, and the condition
of Jazm is indicated by a Sukoon.

The only exceptions from those are

three: [1] The sound feminine plural in
which the condition of Nasb is indicated
by a Kasrah, [2] The condition of Khafdh
in Nouns which vowel marks do not
change is a Fathah, [3] The present tense
verb which ends with a weak letter
enters the state of Jazm with the
removal of its last letter.

And the group of words which are

grammatically identified by letters are of
four types: [1] The dual form, [2] The
sound masculine plural, [3] The five
nouns, [3] The five verbs which are
Yaf’alaan, Taf’alaan, Yaf’aloon,
Taf’aloon and Taf’aleen.

As for the dual form then the condition

of Raf’ is indicated by an Alif and the
condition of Nasb and Khafdh is
indicated by the letter Yaa.

13
14
As for the Sound masculine plural, then
the condition of Raf’ is indicated with
the letter Waaw and both the condition
of Nasb and Khafdh are indicated by the
letter Yaa.

As for the Five nouns then the condition

of Raf’ with them is indicated with the
letter Waaw and the condition of Nasb is
indicated with the letter Alif, and the
condition of Khafdh is indicated with the
letter Yaa.

As for the Five verbs then condition of

Raf’ with them is indicated by the
establishment and firmness of the letter
Noon. Both the conditions of Nasb and
Jazm are indicated by the removal of the
Noon.

15
16
 Chapter: Verbs

The verbs are three [types]: Past Tense,

Present Tense and Command form. For
example: He hit, He is hitting, and Hit!

The Past Tense always ends with a

Fathah.

The Command always ends with a Jazm.

The Present tense is preceded by one of

four extra letters which are gathered in
the word (Anaytu) and the present tense
is always in a state of Raf’ until an article
of Nasb or Jazm enters upon it and alters
its vowel marking.

The articles of Nasb are ten: An, Lan,

Idhan, Kay, Laamu Kay, Laam al-Juhood,
Hataa, responses with Faa, Waaw, or
Aw.

The articles of Jazm are twelve: Lam,

Lamaa, Alam, Alammaa, Laam al-Amr
and Du’aa, and Laam in al-Nahi and
Du’aa, In, Maa, Mann, Mahmaa, Idh
maa, Ayy, Mataa, Aynaa, Abaan, Anaa,
Haythumaa, Kayfamaa, Idhaa when it is
used specifically in poetry.

17
18
 Chapter: The Nouns which are in the
state of Raf’

The Nouns which are in the state of Raf'

are seven: They are [1] the verbal
subject (doer), [2] the Object whose
subject is not named, [3] the Nominal
Subject, [4] its Predicate, [5] the Noun of
Kaana and her sisters, [6] the Predicate
of Inna and her sisters, and [7] the
follower of something in the state of Raf'
which are four; the adjective,
conjunction, emphasis, and substitution.

19
20
 Chapter: The Verbal Subject (Doer)

The Verbal Subject (Doer) is the Noun in

the state of Raf' which is preceded by its
own verb.

And it consists of two types: apparent,

and Implicit.

So the Apparent Verbal Subject (Doer) is

like the following: Mentioned in the
Arabic text.

And the Implicit Verbal Subjects (Doers)

are twelve like the following: Mentioned
in the Arabic text.

21
22
 Chapter: Object whose subject is not
named

This is a noun that is in Raf’ but whose

subject is not mentioned with it.

When the verb is a past tense; then the

first letter takes a Dhammah and the
penultimate takes a Kasrah. On the
other hand, if the verb is a future tense;
then the first letter takes a Dhammah
but the penultimate takes a Fathah.

This is two types: Apparent and Implicit.

The explicit is in such statements as:

Mentioned in the Arabic text.

The implicit contained in the verb is

twelve as in the following examples:
Mentioned in the Arabic text.

23
24
Chapter: Nominal Subject and Predicate

The Nominal Subject is a Noun in the

state of Raf', which is unaffected by
explicit agents.

The Predicate is a Noun in the state of

Raf' which is attributed to the subject
like the following examples: Mentioned
in the Arabic text.

The Nominal Subject consists of two

types: Apparent and Implicit.

So the Explicit is what was previously

mentioned.

And the Implicit Nominal Subjects are

twelve like the following: I, We, You
(male), You (female), You (dual), You lot
(m), You lot (f), he, she, they (dual), they
(m), they (f).

Like the statements: Mentioned in the

Arabic text. And whatever is similar to
this.

And the predicate is of two types:

Singular [word] and Non-Singular [word].

The example of Singular Predicate is the

sentence: Mentioned in the Arabic text.

The Non-Singular Predicate consists of

four things:

[1] The articles of Jaar, [2] Circumstantial

Preposition, [3] The Verb and its Verbal
subject and [4] The Nominal Subject and
its Predicate. Examples of this can be
found in the following sentences:
Mentioned in the Arabic text.

25
26
Chapter: Agents that enter the Nominal
Subject and Predicate

Agents that can affect the Nominal

Subject and Predicate are divided into
three categories: 1. Kaana and her
sisters. 2. Inna and her sisters. 3.
Dhununtu and her sisters.

As for Kaana and her sisters they make

the Nominal subject into the state of Raf'
and place the Predicate into a state of
Nasb.

Kaana and her sisters include…

Mentioned in the Arabic text. Like it is
said: Mentioned in the Arabic text. And
whatever is similar to this.

As for Inna and her sisters then they

make the Nominal Subject into the state
of Nasb and place the predicate into the
state of Nasb. Inna and her sisters
include: Mentioned in the Arabic text.

As it is said in the following examples:

Mentioned in the Arabic text. And
whatever is similar to this.

27
28
Both Inna and Anna are used to express
emphasis. Ka-Anna is used for similarity,
Lakinna is used to express rectification.
Layta is used to express regret. La’alla
used to express anticipation and
expectation.

As for Dhanantu and her sisters. Then

they place both the Nominal subject and
predicate into the state of Nasb while
making them nominal objects for
Dhanantu and her sisters.

Dhanantu and her sisters are: Mentioned

in the Arabic text.

It is said: Mentioned in the Arabic text.

And whatever is similar to this.

29
30
 Chapter: The Adjective

The adjective follows the object of

description in its Raf', Nasb, and Khafdh
while also following the object of
description in its definiteness or
indefiniteness.

It is said: Mentioned in the Arabic text.

The condition of definiteness consists of

five things: [1] Pronoun; like I and You,
[2] Proper Nouns; like Zayd and Makkah,
[3] Ambiguous nouns; like this (m), this
(f), and these, [4] Nouns which are
preceded by the definite article; like the
man and the boy, [5] [Nouns] which are
attributed with one of the four
previously mentioned nouns.

The indefinite consists of every noun

which is general in its classification and is
not easily distinguished from other
nouns of the same type. One might
approximate that the indefinite includes
all of the words that can accept the
definite article.

31
32
 Chapter: Conjunction

The letters of Conjunction are ten:

Waaw, Faa, Thumma, Aw, Amm, Imma,
Bal, and Laa, Laakin, and in some
instances Hatta.

So if a word is conjoined with another

which is in the state of Raf' then the
conjoined word also assumes the state
of Raf', and if a word is conjoined with
another which is in the state of Nasb
then the conjoined word also assumes
the state of Nasb, and if a word is
conjoined with another which is in the
state of Khafdh then the conjoined word
also assumes the state of Khafdh, and if
a word is conjoined with another which
is in the state of Jazm then the conjoined
word also assumes the state of Jazm.

As it is said: Mentioned in the Arabic

text.

33
34
 Chapter: Emphasis

The Emphatic Article follows the

emphasized object in its Raf', Nasb,
Khafdh, and definiteness.

The emphatic state is established with

the following wards: Nafs, Ayn, Kulli,
Ajmu’, and the words that can be
extracted from Ajmu’ like: Akta’u,
Atba’u, and Absa’u.

It is said: Mentioned in the Arabic text.

35
36
 Chapter: Substitution

If a noun is substituted for another noun

or if a verb is substituted for another
verb then the substitute follows the
original noun or verb in exactly the same
grammatical state.

Substitution is divided into four

categories: [1] The complete substitution
of something. [2] The substitution of a
part for the whole. [3] The theoretical
substitution. [4] The Substitution of
error.

Like the statements: Mentioned in the

Arabic text.

Since (Zayd) was mentioned accidentally,

the word (al-Farasa) is then mentioned
directly afterwards as a substitution for
the word which was mentioned
mistakenly.

37
38
 Chapter: Nouns in the state of Nasb

The Nouns in the State of Nasb are

fifteen: [1] The verbal object, [2] The
infinitive, [3] The preposition
(circumstantial) of time, [4] The
preposition (circumstantial) of place, [5]
Status (state), [6] Specification, [7]
Exception, [8] The Noun of Laa [9] The
Caller, [10] The Causative Object, [11]
The Object of Accompaniment, [12] The
Predicate of Kaana and her sisters [13]
The Nominal Subject of Inna and her
sisters. [14] The articles which follow
what has proceeded in Nasb are four:
the adjective, the conjunction, the
emphatic article, and the substitution.

39
40
 Chapter: The Verbal Object

The Verbal Object is the Noun in the

state of Nasb upon which a verb is
enacted. Like the statements: Mentioned
in the Arabic text.

And it is divided into two types:

Apparent, and Implicit/pronoun.

The apparent has been previously

explained.

The implicit can be divided into two: The

attached and detached.

So the Attached Implicit Verbal Objects

are twelve which include: Mentioned in
the Arabic text.

And the Detached Verbal Objects are

also twelve which include: Mentioned in
the Arabic text.

41
42
 Chapter: The Masdar (Original noun)

The Masdar (Original Noun) is the Noun

in the state of Nasb which is mentioned
third when conjugating Arabic verbs. For
Example: Mentioned in the Arabic text.

And the Masdar (Original Noun) can be

divided into two groups: By Wording,
and By Meaning.

So if the letter composition of the

Masdar agrees with the verb which is
extracted from it then the Masdar is
written like: Mentioned in the Arabic
text.

And if the meaning of the Masdar agrees

with a verb consisting of a different word
structure but conveys the same meaning
as the Masdar then this Masdar is
considered abstract like: Mentioned in
the Arabic text. And whatever is similar
to this.

43
44
Chapter: The circumstantial preposition
of time and place

The circumstantial Preposition of Time is

a noun of time, which is in the state of
Nasb with the implied meaning of "in" as
in the following examples: day, night,
morning, beginning of day till sunset, last
of the night, tomorrow, first third of the
night, midnight to the zenith, evening,
infinity, infinity, and that which is similar
to this.

The circumstantial Preposition of Place is

a noun of location, which is in the state
of Nasb which conveys the meaning of
"in" as in the following examples: In
front, behind, in front, behind, above,
below, next to, with, opposite, close, far,
close, And whatever is similar to this.

45
46
 Chapter: The situational

The Situational is the Noun in the state

of Nasb which gives description to an
ambiguous situation, like the following:
Mentioned in the Arabic text. And that
which is similar to it.

The Situational does not exist except in

the indefinite state, and does not occur
except after completed speech. The
companion of the Situational cannot be
anything other than Definite.

47
48
 Chapter: Distinction

The Distinctive is the Noun in the state

of Nasb which gives description to an
ambiguous object like the following
statements: Mentioned in the Arabic
text.

The Distinctive does not exist except in

the indefinite state and does not occur
except after completed speech.

49
50
 Chapter: The exceptional

The articles of exceptional are eight: Ilaa,

Ghayru, Siwaa, Suwaa, Sawaa, Khalaa,
Adaa, Haashaa.

The Exceptional with (Ilaa) is entered

into the state of Nasb if the speech
which has preceded it is complete. For
example: Mentioned in the Arabic text.

If the speech is complete and also

negative then substitution here is
permissible, as well as exception as in
the following: Mentioned in the Arabic
text.

If the speech is deficient then its

grammatical classification depends upon
the presence of agents like those found
in the following examples: Mentioned in
the Arabic text.

The exceptional with Ghayr, Siwaa,

Suwaa, Sawaa are always in a state of
Jarr.

The exceptional with Khalaa, Adaa, and

Haashaa can place the noun which
follows it into either the state of Nasb or
Jarr like that found in the following
examples: Mentioned in the Arabic text.

51
52
 Chapter: Laa

Know that (Laa) Places indefinite nouns

without the tanween into the state of
Nasb if it is immediately followed by
another indefinite noun and the (Laa) is
not repeated as in the following
sentence: Mentioned in the Arabic text.

And if it is not immediately followed by

an indefinite noun then the state of Raf'
becomes obligatory as does the
repetition of (Laa) as in the following
example: Mentioned in the Arabic text.

So if (Laa) is repeated then it is

permissible for it to be used as it is also
permissible for it to remain unused. So it
can be said: Mentioned in the Arabic
text.

53
54
 Chapter: Calling (Vocative)

The Called (Vocative) is of five types: [1]

The Single Proper Name, [2] The
indefinite Intended [Implied], [3] The
indefinite unintended, [4] The attributed
Nouns, [5] And that which resembles the
attributed Nouns.

As for the Single Proper Name and the

Indefinite Intended then they are both
linguistically constructed upon the
Dhamma without the presence of
Tanween like in: Mentioned in the Arabic
text.

And the three remaining stay in the state

of Nasb and do not change.

55
56
 Chapter: The Causative object

The Causative Object is the Noun in the

state of Nasb which is mentioned in
order to explain the reason why a verb
occurred as in the following examples:
Mentioned in the Arabic text.

57
58
 Chapter: The Accompanying verbal
object

The Accompanying Verbal Object is the

Noun in the state of Nasb which is
mentioned in order to explain who
participated in the enactment of the
verb (action) as in the following
examples: Mentioned in the Arabic text.

As for the Predicate of Kaana and her

sisters and the Nominal Subject of Inna
and her sisters then you will find its
mention in the chapter of the Nouns in
the State of Raf' and you will also find its
explanation in the chapter of following;
this has preceded.

59
60
 Chapter: The Nouns in the state of
Khafdh

The Nouns in the state of Khafdh are

three types: [1] The Nouns in the state of
Khafdh because of a particle, [2] The
Nouns in the state of Khafdh due to
compounding, [3] And The Nouns in the
state of Khafdh because of Succession
(Following the Vowel marking of
whatever preceded it).

As for the Nouns in the state of Khafdh

because of a particle then they are
whatever is grammatically affected by:
Mentioned in the Arabic text.

And as for the Nouns which are placed

into the state of Khafdh by way of
compounding then their example is like
that of the following: Mentioned in the
Arabic text.

And they are divided into two groups:

[1] That which is supposed with al-Laam

like: Mentioned in the Arabic text.

[2] That which is supposed with Min,

like: Mentioned in the Arabic text.

61
 TI
THE3RD EDI ON KEYSTO KNOWLEDGE

D AW R A H
I
LMI
YYAH

I
NSTUCTOR
USTADH ABDULRAHMAN
HASSAN

A DE
TAILEDE XPLANATION
OFAQEEDAH AL-WAASITI
YYAH

NAME.
.
..
..
.
..
..
.
..
..
.
..
..
.
..
..
.
..
..
.
..
..
.
..
..
.
..
..
.
 Learn Islam
in your language
KALEMAH

KALEMAH ISLAMIC CENTER is a community center for all. Kalemah

was founded in 2007 and is managed by a Board of Emirati
Nationals, an Executive Committee and a staff of over a dozen full-
time employees. We operate based on charitable donations from
philanthropic individuals, organizations and governmental bodies.

We are a non profit organization officially registered under the

Islamic Affairs and Charitable Activities Department (IACAD)
Government of Dubai.

Our Mission: To propagate the

pristine, unadulterated teachings of
Islam to Muslims and non-Muslims
in Dubai in the most effective and
appropriate way.

Our Vision: The souls of a nation,

connected to their Creator.
2
 Al-Aqīdah al-Wāsiṭiyyah
by Shaykh al-Islām Ibn Taymiyyah (d.728H)

In the Name of Allāh, the Most Merciful,

the Bestower of Mercy.

All praise is due to Allāh, who sent His

messenger with guidance and the
religion of truth, to make it manifest over
all religions, and sufficient is Allāh as a
witness. And I testify that there is no
deity worthy of worship except Allāh,
without any partners, establishing by it
His oneness. And I bear witness that
Muhammad is His servant and His
messenger, peace and blessings of Allāh
be upon him, his family, and his
companions with abundant peace.

The creed of the saved and victorious

group until the establishment of the
Hour, Ahl al-Sunnah wal Jamā’ah: To
believe in Allāh, His angels, His books, His
messengers, the resurrection after death,
and decree – the good and evil of it - .

Part of belief in Allāh is to have belief in

the way He described Himself in His
honourable book and in the way
described by His messenger Muhammad
(‫ )ﷺ‬without distortion and negation, and
without asking ‘how’ or likening Him to
something else. Rather, they believe that
for Allāh, The Exalted:

"There is none like Him; He is the All-

Hearer, the All-Seer." (ash-Shura 42:11)

They do not nullify what He was

described with, nor do they distort the
words from their proper places. They do
not blaspheme against the names of
Allāh and His verses, nor do they ascribe
a modality to Him, nor do they compare
His attributes to those of His creation.
For He, glory be to Him, has no likeness,
no comparison, and no partner. Nor is He
measureable in analogy with His
creation, glory be to Him, the Exalted.

3
4
Indeed, He knows Himself best, as well
as everything else. He is the most
truthful in speech, the best in address
to His creation.

Thus, His messengers are truthful and

affirm the truth, differing from those
who speak of what they do not know.
For this reason, He said,

"Glorified be your lord, the Lord of

Majesty, from that which they attribute
to him. And peace be upon the
messengers. And praise be to Allāh the
Lord of the Universe." (as Saffat 37:180-
182).

He glorified Himself above what was

described by those who opposed the
messengers. He sent peace upon the
messengers, as they described Allāh
free of any of the defects or faults that
they claimed for Him.

He, glory be to Him, combined what He

described and named for Himself
between negation and affirmation.

Hence, Ahl al-Sunnah wal Jamā’ah do

not deviate from what the messengers
brought. Indeed, it is the straight path,
the path of those whom Allāh has
favoured among the prophets, the
truthful, the martyrs, and the
righteous.

Included in the entirety of this is what

Allāh described for Himself in Sūrat al-
Ikhlāṣ, which is equal to a third of the
Quran, wherein He says,

"Say He is Allāh The One, Allāh The

Eternal. He never begot, nor was
begotten. There is none comparable to
Him."

And what He described Himself with in

the greatest verse in His book, wherein
He says,

"Allāh, there is no one worthy of

worship except Him, The Living, The
Eternal. Neither slumber nor sleep
overtake Him.

5
6
To Him belongs whatever is in the
heavens and whatever is on the earth.
Who can intercede with Him except
with His permission? He knows what is
before them and what will be after
them, and they encompass not a thing
of His knowledge except for what He
wills. His footstool extends over the
heavens and the earth, and their
preservation tires Him not, for He is the
Exalted, the Almighty.” (al-Baqarah
2:255)

For this reason, whoever had read this

verse in the night, Allāh will not cease
to guard him and Satan will not
approach him until morning.

Allāh has also said: "Rely upon the

Living, He who never dies." (al-Furqan
25:58).

And He, the Glorified, has said: "He is

The First and The Last, The manifest
and The hidden; and He has knowledge
over all things.” (al-Hadid 57:3)

And He, the Glorified, has said: “He is

the Knowing, the Wise.” (al-Tahrim:2)

“He is the Wise, the Aware.”

And He, the Glorified, said: "He knows

what enters the earth and what comes
out from it and what descends from the
heavens and what ascends therein."
(Saba' 34:2)

“With Him are the keys of the Unseen,

none knows them but Him. He knows
what is on land and in the sea. No leaf
falls but that He knows it. No grain is
there within the darknesses of the
earth, nor any moist or dry thing but
that it is in a clear record." (al-An'am
6:59)

"No female carries a child or gives birth

but that He knows it.” (Fatir 35:11)

7
8
And He has said: "That you may know
Allāh is able to do all things, and that
Allāh knows all things." (at-Talaq 65:12)

And He has said: “Verily, Allāh is the

Provider, possessor of strength and
might.” (adh-Dhariyaat 51:58)

And He has said: "Nothing is like Him;

and He is The Hearer, The Seer." (ash-
Shura 42:11)

"Verily, excellent is that with which

Allāh admonishes you. Verily, Allāh is
ever hearing and seeing." (an-Nissa'
4:58)

And He has said: “Were it not that you

entered your garden and said: As Allāh
has willed, there is no power but with
Allāh.” (al-Kahf 18:39)

And He has said: "If Allāh had so willed

it, those who followed after them
would not have fought each other;
after clear proofs had come unto them.
But they differed, some of them
believing and some disbelieving. And if
Allāh had so willed it, they would not
have fought each other; But Allāh does
what He wills." (al-Baqarah 2:253)

And He has said: “Whoever Allāh

intends to guide, He opens his heart to
Islam. Whoever Allāh intends to
misguide, He makes his heart
constricted as if he were ascending into
the sky.” (al-An'am 6:125)

And He has said: "The beast of cattle is

made lawful unto you [for food], except
that which is announced unto you
[herein], hunting being unlawful when
you are on pilgrimage; Indeed, Allāh
ordains that which He wills." (al-
Ma'idah 5:1)

He has said: "And do good; Indeed,

Allāh loves those who do good." (al-
Baqarah 2:195)

9
10
And He has said: "Act equitably;
Indeed, Allāh loves the equitable." (al-
Hujurat 49:9)

And He has said: “As long as they are

upright to you, be upright to them.
Verily, Allāh loves the righteous.” (at-
Tawbah 9:7)

And He has said: "Verily, Allāh loves

those who repent and He loves those
who purify themselves." (al-Baqarah
2:222)

And He has said: "Say, [O Muhammad,

to mankind]: If you love Allāh, follow
me; Allāh will love you." (Al'Imran 3:31)

And He has said: “Allāh will soon bring

forth a people whom He loves and they
love Him.” (al-Ma'idah 5:54)

And He has said: "Verily, Allāh loves

those who fight in His path in ranks, as
if they were a firm structure." (as-Saff
61:4)

And He has said: "He is The Forgiving,

The Loving." (al-Buruj 85:14)

And His saying: "In the name of Allāh,

The Most Merciful, the bestower of
Mercy"

He has said: "Our Lord! You

comprehend all things in mercy and
Knowledge." (al-Mu'min 40:7)

And He has said: "He is Merciful to the

believers." (al-Ahzab 33:43)

And He has said: "My Mercy has

embraced all things." (al-A'raf 7:156)

And He has said: "Your Lord has

prescribed for Himself Mercy." (al-
An'am 6:54)

And He has said: "He is The Forgiving,

The Merciful." (Yunus 10:107)

And He has said: "Allāh is better [than

any one] at guarding, and He is The
Most Merciful of those who show
mercy." (Yusuf 12:64)

11
12
And He has said: "Whoever deliberately
kills a believer, then his recompense is
Hell to abide therein, and Allāh is angry
with him and has cursed him." (an-Nissa'
4:93)

And He has said: “That is because they

followed what displeased Allāh and they
hated His pleasure.” (Muhammad 47:28)

And He has said: "When they angered

Us, We punished them." (az-Zakhruf
43:55)

And He has said: "Rather, Allāh disliked

them being sent, so He held them back."
(at-Tawbah 9:46)

And He has said: "It is most hateful in the

Sight of Allāh that you say that which
you do not do." (as-Saff 61:3)

He has said: "Will they wait until Allāh

comes to them in canopies of clouds,
with the angels? Then the case will have
been already judged." (al-Baqarah 2:210)

And He has said: "Do they [then] wait for

anything except that the angels should
come to them or your Lord should come
or that there come some of the signs of
your Lord? The Day that some of the
signs of your Lord will come no soul will
benefit from its faith" (al-An'am 6:158)

And He has said: "Nay, when the earth

has been pounded with a great pounding
and your Lord and the angels come row
upon row." (al-Fajr 89:21-22)

And He has said: "And the Day the

heavens will break open with clouds and
the angels descend, one after another”
(al-Furqan 25:25)

He has said: "The face of your Lord will

remain, possessor of majesty and
honour" (ar-Rahman 55:27)

And He has said: "Everything will perish

except His Face." (al-Qasas 28:88)

13
14
And He has said: "What stopped you
from prostrating to what I created with
My own hands?" (Sad 38:75)

And He has said: "The Jews say the hand

of Allāh is tied. It is their hands which are
tied and they are cursed for what they
have said. Rather, His hands are
outspread, spending as He wills." (al-
Ma'idah 5:64)

He has said: "Be patient with the

judgment of your Lord, for you are under
Our eyes." (at-Tur 52:48)

And He has said: "We carried him on

planks and nails, sailing under Our eyes
as a recompense for him who was
denied.” (al-Qamar 54:13-14)

And He said: "I bestowed upon you love

from Me that you would be brought up
under My eye." (Ta Ha 20:39)

He has said: "Allāh has indeed heard her

who argued with you [O Muhammad]
concerning her husband, and who
complained unto Allāh; Allāh hears your
dialogue, for Allāh is hearing and
seeing." (al-Mujadalah 58:1)

And He has said: "Allāh has heard the

word of those who say Allāh is poor, yet
We are rich." (Al'Imran 3:181)

He has said: "Indeed, I will be with you

[Musa and Harun], I hear and I see." (Ta
Ha 20:46)

And He has said: "Or do they think that

We do not hear their secrets and private
conversations? Nay, our messengers are
with them recording." (az-Zakhruf 43:80)

And He has said: "Does he not know that

Allāh sees?" (al-'Alaq 96:14)

And He has said: "He who sees you when

you stand and you turn in prostration.
Verily, He is the Hearing, the Knowing."
(ash-Shu'ara' 26:218-219)

15
16
And He has said: "Say [unto them]: Act!
Allāh will see your actions, and [so will]
His Messenger and the Believers." (at-
Tawbah 9:105)

He has said: "He is severe in

contrivance." (ar-Ra'd 13:13)

And He has said: "They planned and

Allāh planned, and Allāh is the best of
planners." (Al-'Imran 3:54)

And He has said: "They prepared a plan

and We prepared a plan, while they did
not perceive it." (an-Naml 27:50)

And He has said: "Verily, they plotted a

great plot and I plotted a great plot." (at-
Tariq 86:15-16)

He has said: "If you do good openly or

conceal it, or if you forgive evil, indeed,
Allāh is Forgiving and Powerful." (an-
Nissa' 4:149)

And He has said: "Let them pardon and

overlook. Would you not love for Allāh to
forgive you? And Allāh is forgiving and
merciful." (an-Nur 24:22)

He has said: "To Allāh belongs honour,

and to His messenger and the believers"
(al-Munafiqun 63:8)

And He said: "[Iblis] said: Then by Your

honour, I will lead all of them astray."
(Sad 38:82)

And He has said: "Blessed be the Name

of your Lord, Full of Majesty, and
Honour." (ar-Rahman 55:78)

He has said: "Worship Him and be

steadfast in His worship. Do you know of
anything similar to Him?" (Maryam
19:65)

And He has said: "There is none

comparable to Him." (al-Ikhlas 112:4)

17
18
And He has said: "Do not set up rivals to
Allāh when you know." (al-Baqarah 2:22)

And he has said: "Among people are

those who take partners besides Allāh,
loving them as they love Allāh." (al-
Baqarah 2:165)

And He has said: "Say: All praise is due to

Allāh, who has not taken a son and has
no partner in the dominion, who needs
no guardian due to weakness, so exalt
Him with great exaltation." (al-Isra'
17:111)

And He has said: "All that is in the

heavens and all that is on the earth
glorifies Allāh; To Him belongs Dominion;
To Him belongs all Praise; and He is Able
to do all things." (at-Taghabun 64:1)

And He has said: "Blessed is He Who sent

down the Criterion upon His Servant
[Muhammad], that He may warn all
creatures. He to Whom belongs the
dominion of the heavens and the earth,
no son has He taken; Nor has He any
partner in His Dominion. It is He Who
created all things and ordered them in
due proportions." (al-Furqan 25:1-2)

And He has said: "Allāh has not taken a

son, nor is there a god alongside Him. If
so, each god would have taken what it
created and some would have surpassed
others. Glory be to Allāh above what
they describe. Knower of the Unseen and
the seen, Exalted is He above what they
associate." (al-Mu'minun 23:91-92)

And He has said: "Do not strike

similitudes for Allāh; Indeed, Allāh knows
and you know not." (an-Nahl 16:74)

And He has said: "Say: My Lord has only

forbidden immoralities, what is public of
them and what is private, and sin,
transgression without right, that you
associate with Allāh that to which He has
not delegated authority, and that you
say about Allāh what you do not know"
(al-A'raf 7:33)

19
20
And His saying: "The Merciful rose above
the Throne." (Ta Ha 20:5)

And His saying: "Then, He rose over the

Throne." (al-A’raf: 54) in six places in the
Qur’ān.

And He said: "O Jesus, I will take you and

raise you unto Me" (Al'Imran 3:55)

And He has said: "Rather, Allāh raised

him up to Him." (An-Nisaa' 4:158)

And He has said: "To Him ascend good

words, and righteous deeds are raised to
Him." (Fatir 35:10)

And He [Fir’awn] has said: "O Haman!

Build me a tower that I may reach the
roads, - the roads of heavens, and that I
may climb up to the God of Moses,
though verily I think he [Moses] is a liar."
(Ghafir 40:36-37)

And He has said: "Do you feel secure that

He Who is in Heaven will not cause you
to be swallowed up by the earth when it
shakes? Or do you feel secure that He
Who is in Heaven will not send against
you a wind casting down pebbles from
the sky? You will soon know how was the
warning!" (al-Mulk 67:16-17)

And He has said: "He created the

heavens and the earth in six days; Then
He rose above the Throne. He knows all
that enters the earth and all that
emerges there from and all that comes
down from the sky and all that ascends
therein; He is with you wherever you may
be. And Allāh Sees what you doing." (al-
Hadid 57:4)

And He has said: "There is in no private

conversation of three but that He is the
fourth of them, nor are there five but
that He is the sixth of them, and no less
than that and no more but that He is
with them wherever they are. Then, He
will inform them of what they did on the
Day of Resurrection. Verily, Allāh knows
all things." (al-Mujadalah 58:7)

21
22
And He said: "Grieve not. Indeed, Allāh is
with us." (at-Tawbah 9:40)

And He has said: "Indeed, I will be with

you, Hearing and Seeing." (Ta Ha 20:46)

And He has said: "Verily, Allāh is with

those who are mindful of him and those
who do good" (an-Nahl 16:128)

And He has said: "Be patient, for Allāh is

with the patient” (al-Anfal 8:46)

And He has said: "How often a small

group overcame a big one by the
permission of Allāh. And Allāh is with the
patient." (al-Baqarah 2:249)

He has said: "Who is more truthful in

speech than Allāh?" (an-Nissa' 4:87)

And He has said: "Who is more truthful

in steatements than Allāh?" (an-Nissa'
4:122)

And He has said: "When Allāh said: O

Jesus, son of Mary" (al-Ma'idah 5:116)

And He has said: "Perfected is the Word

of your Lord in Truth and Justice." (al-
An'am 6:115)

And He has said: "To Moses Allāh spoke

directly." (an-Nissa' 4:164)

And He has said: "And of whom

(messengers) there are some unto whom
Allāh spoke." (al-Baqarah 2:253)

And He has said: "When Moses came to

Our appointed place, and his Lord spoke
unto him." (al-A'raf 7:143)

And He has said addressing Musa: "We

called him from the right side of the
mountain and We approached him
privately." (Maryam 19:52)

23
24
And He has said: "When your Lord called
Moses: Go to the oppressive people."
(ash-Shu'ara' 26:10)

And He has said: "And their Lord called

both of them: Did I not forbid you That
Tree, and tell you: Lo! Satan is an open
enemy to you?" (al-A'raf 7:22)

And He said: "On The Day He will call

unto them and say: Where are My
partners who you claimed?" (al-Qasas
28:62)

And He has said: "The Day He will call

them, saying: What was your answer to
the messengers?" (al-Qasas 28:65)

And He has said: "If anyone of the

pagans seeks your protection, grant it to
him so that he may hear the Words of
Allāh." (at-Tawbah 9:6)

And He has said; "A sect among them

had heard the word of Allāh, then they
distorted it after understanding it while
they knew.” (al-Baqarah 2:75)

And He has said: "They desire to replace

the word of Allāh. Say: Never will you
follow us. Such did Allāh say before" (al-
Fath 48:15)

And He has said: "Recite what has been

revealed to you of the Book of your Lord;
None can change His Words." (al-Kahf
18:27)

And He has said: "Verily this Qur'an

narrates unto the Children of Israel most
of the matters which they dispute." (an-
Naml 27:76)

25
26
And He has said: "This is a Blessed Book
which We have sent down." (al-An'am
6:92)

And He has said: "Had We send down

this Qur'an on to a mountain, verily you
would have seen it humbled and rent
asunder from the fear of Allāh." (al-
Hashr 59:21)

And He has said: "When we replace a

verse in place of another, and Allāh
knows best what He has revealed, they
say: Indeed, you are a fabricator! Rather,
most of them do not know. Say: It has
been sent down by the Holy Spirit from
your Lord in truth, to make firm those
with faith and as guidance and glad
tidings for the Muslims. We know that
they say: Indeed, he has been taught by
a man! Yet the tongue of the one they
speak of is foreign, while this is in a clear
Arabic language." (an-Nahl 16:101-103)

He has said: "Faces on that Day will be

radiant, looking at their Lord" (al-
Qiyamah 75:22-23)

And He has said: "On adorned couches,

looking" (al-Mutaffifin 83:35)

And He has said: "For those who do

good, is the best and even more” (Yunus
10:26)

And He has said: "They will have

whatever they desire therein and with Us
is even more" (Qaf 50:35)

There is much on this topic in the book

of Allāh. Whoever contemplates over the
Quran, seeking guidance from it, the
path of truth will be made clear to him.

The Sunnah of the Messenger of Allāh

(‫ )ﷺ‬interprets the Qur'an and clarifies it,
leads to it, and expresses its meaning.

27
28
 Whatever the Messenger described
about his Lord, Mighty and Majestic, in
the authentic prophetic narrations,
which were received and accepted by
the people of knowledge, is obligatory to
believe in.

Like his saying (‫)ﷺ‬: “Our Lord descends

to the worldly heaven in the last
remaining third of every night and He
says: Who is calling upon Me that I may
answer? Who is asking Me that I might
give? Who is seeking My forgiveness that
I may forgive him?” It is agreed upon.

And his saying (‫)ﷺ‬: “Allāh is more

delighted by the repentance of his
servant than if one of you were to find
his camel after he had lost it in the
desert wilderness.” It is agreed upon.

And his saying (‫)ﷺ‬: “Allāh laughs at two

men, one who killed the other, yet both
of them enter Paradise.” It is agreed
upon.

And his saying (‫)ﷺ‬: “Your Lord wonders

at the despair of His servants, for his
good is near. He looks at you continuing
to despair, so He continues to laugh
knowing that relief is coming soon.” It is
a Hasan narration.

And his saying (‫)ﷺ‬: “Hell will continue to

be filled and will say: Are there any
more? Until the Lord of honor places His
leg (and in another narration: His foot)
over it and some of its parts retreat from
each other and it says: Enough!
Enough!” It is agreed upon.

And his saying (‫)ﷺ‬: “Allāh the Exalted

will say: O Adam! Adam will say: I am
here at Your pleasure. A raised voice will
call out: Verily, Allāh commands you to
send a group of your progeny to the
Hellfire.” It is agreed upon.

29
30
And his saying: "There is none among
you but that his Lord will speak to him
without any translator/mediator
between them".

And his saying – regarding incantations

for the sick -: “Our Lord is Allāh, who is in
the heavens. Sanctified is Your name,
Your command is in the heavens and on
the earth. As Your mercy is in the
heavens, place Your mercy upon the
earth. Forgive our mistakes and our sins.
You are the Lord of all who are good.
Send down mercy from Your mercy,
healing from Your healing, upon this pain
that it might pass”. Narrated by Abu
Dawuud.

And his saying: “Will you not trust me

while I am trusted by Him in the
heavens?” Narrated by al-Bukharee and
others.

And his saying: “The Throne was above

water, and Allāh is above the Throne. He
knows what you do.” Narrated by Abu
Dawuud, al-Tirmidhi and others.

And his saying to the slave girl: “Where is

Allāh?” She said, In the heavens. He said,
“Who am I?” She said, You are the
Messenger of Allāh. He said, “Free her,
for she is a believer.” Narrated by
Muslim.

And his saying (‫)ﷺ‬: “Among the best of

faith is to know that Allāh is with you
wherever you are.”

And his saying (‫‘ )ﷺ‬Among the best of

faith is to know that Allāh is with you
wherever you are.’ It is a Hasan
narration.

And his saying: “When one of you stands

to pray, let him not spit to his front, nor
to his right, for Allāh is in front of him.
Rather, let him spit to his left or beneath
his feet.” It is agreed upon.

31
32
And his saying (‫)ﷺ‬: “O Allāh, Lord of the
heavens and Lord of the earth, Lord of
the Great Throne, our Lord and the Lord
of all things, the Splitter of the grain and
the seed, the Revealer of the Torah, the
Gospel, and the Quran, I seek refuge in
You from the evil of myself and the evil
of every creature whose forelock You
hold. O Allāh, You are the First, there is
nothing before You. You are the Last,
there is nothing after You. You are the
Manifest, there is nothing above You.
You are the Hidden, there is nothing
beyond You. Relinquish my debts and
enrich me from poverty.” It was narrated
by Muslim.

And his saying when his companions

raised up their voices in invocation: “O
people, be gentle with yourselves for
you are not calling upon one who is deaf
or absent. Rather, you are calling upon
the Hearing, the Seeing. Verily, the One
you call upon is closer to you than the
neck of your riding animal.” It is agreed
upon.

And his saying: “Verily, you will see your

Lord as you see the full moon at night.
You will have no difficulty seeing Him. If
you are able to avoid missing a prayer
before sunrise and before sunset, then
do so.” It is agreed upon.

For the likes of these traditions which

were reported by the Messenger of Allāh
(‫)ﷺ‬, from his Lord and about Him, the
saved group Ahl al-Sunnah wal
Jamā’ah believe in all of that.

33
34
Just as they believe in what Allāh related
in His book, without distortion or
negation, and without ascribing a
modality or making comparisons with
creation. Rather, they take the middle
path regarding the sects of the Muslim
nation, just as the Muslim nation is in
the middle of all nations.

They are in the middle regarding the

attributes of Allāh, glory be to Him, the
Exalted, between the people of
negation (al-Jahmīyah) and the people of
anthropomorphism (al-Mushabbihah).

They are in the middle regarding the

actions of Allāh, between the (al-
Qadarīyah) and the (al-Jabrīyah).

On the topic of the threat of Allāh, they

are between the (al-Murji’ah) and and
(al-Wa’īdīyah), among the (al-Qadarīyah)
and others.

On the topic of eeman and the religion,

they are between the (al-Ḥarūrīyah) and
(al-Mu’tazilah), and between the (al-
Murji’ah) and (al-Jahmīyah).

Regarding the companions of the

Messenger of Allāh (‫ )ﷺ‬the (al-Rāfiḍah)
and the (al-Khawārij).

Included in what we mentioned of faith

in Allāh is faith in what Allāh related in
His book, what is unanimously reported
from His messenger (‫)ﷺ‬, and what the
Muslim nation’s righteous predecessors
came to consensus upon.

Among it is that He, glory be to Him, is

above His heavens, over the Throne,
transcendent over His creation. And He,
glory be to Him, is with them wherever
they are. He knows what they do, as this
is all mentioned in His saying, "He is the
One Who created the heavens and the
earth in six days;

35
36
then He rose above the Throne. He
knows what enters the earth and what
comes out from it and what descends
from the sky and what ascends therein.
He is with you wherever you are, for
Allāh sees what you are doing." (al-Hadid
57:4)

His saying "He is with you" does not

mean that He is commingled with the
creatures: The language does not
indicate this and it is against what the
early generation of the Ummah agreed
upon, and contrary to the natural
disposition of the creation; For example,
the moon is one of Allāh's Signs to be
found amongst the smallest of his
creatures; It is placed in the skies
whereas at the same time with the
traveller wherever he goes; and He, The
Glorified, is above His throne, observing
His creation, guarding over them, and
aware of them, including other features
of His Lordship.

All of this discourse, which Allāh

mentioned, such that He is above the
Throne and that He is with us, is true in
its reality, it is in no need of distortion.
Rather, it should be preserved against
false speculation.

Included in all of that is faith in His

nearness and answering supplications, as
all this is mentioned in His saying, “If My
servants ask you about me, then verily I
am near” (al-Baqarah 2:186)

And the Prophet (‫ )ﷺ‬said: “Verily, He

whom you call upon is closer to you than
the neck of your riding animal.”

And what is mentioned in the Book and

the Sunnah of His nearness and His
Ma’iyyah do not negate what we
mentioned of His highness and
transcendence. For He, glory be to Him,
is not like anything else in all of His
qualities. He is exalted in His proximity
and near in His transcendence.

37
38
Part of belief in Allāh and His books is
belief that the Quran is the word of
Allāh, revealed and uncreated. It
originated from Him and to Him it will
return. And that Allāh speaking it is
reality, and that this Quran which was
revealed to Muhammad (‫ )ﷺ‬is the word
of Allāh in reality, not the speech of
anyone else.

It is not permissible to claim it is an

allegory of the word of Allāh, or an
expression of it. Rather, if people read it
or write it in the scriptural copy (al-
muṣḥaf), that does not exclude it from
being the word of Allāh the Exalted in
reality, for speech is only attributed in
reality to whoever said it first and not to
the one who later transmitted it or
declared it.

Included also in what we mentioned of

belief in Him, His books, His angels, and
His messengers, is belief that the
believers will see Him on the Day of
Resurrection with the vision of their
eyes, just as they see the sun on a clear
day without clouds. Just as they see the
full moon at night, they will have no
difficulty in seeing Him.

They will see Him, glory be to Him, while

in the courts of the Resurrection, and
they will see Him after they have
entered Paradise, as Allāh the Exalted
wills.

Part of faith in the Last Day is to have

faith in everything reported by the
Prophet (‫ )ﷺ‬of what comes after death,
so they believe in the trials of the grave,
in the punishment of the grave and its
blessings. As for the trial, people will be
questioned in their graves. It will be said
to a man: Who is your Lord? What is
your religion? Who is your Prophet?
Allāh will keep firm those who had faith
with the firm word

39
40
 in this worldly life and in the Hereafter.
The believer will say, ‘My Lord is Allāh,
Islam is my religion, and Muhammad
(‫)ﷺ‬, is my prophet.’ As for one who
doubted, he will say, ‘Oh oh! I do not
know! I heard people saying something
so I said it!’ Then he will be struck with
an iron bar and he will scream. It will be
heard by everything except human
beings, for if they heard it, they would
faint.

Then after this trial, whether it is blessed

or whether it is punishment, the Greater
Resurrection will be established and the
souls will return to their bodies.

The Resurrection will be established,

which Allāh conveyed in His book and on
the tongue of His messenger (‫ )ﷺ‬and
over which the Muslims have a
consensus. People will rise from their
graves in front of their Lord barefoot,
naked, and uncircumcised. The sun will
draw near to them and sweat will pour
over them. Then, the scales will be set
up that the deeds of the servants would
be weighed: "Thus, whoever has his scale
heavy (with good deeds), those are
among the successful, and whoever has
his scale light (with good deeds), they are
those who have lost their souls to abide
in Hell." (al-Mu'minun 23:102-103)

The records will be distributed, and they

are the written copies of deeds. One will
take his book in his right hand and
another will take his book in his left hand
or from behind his back. As He said,
glory be to Him the Exalted, "Every
person is held responsible for his [or her]
deeds. On the Day of Resurrection We
shall bring out for him a scroll which he
will see spread open. (He will be
ordered): Read your own record; It is
sufficient that you judge yourself today."
(al-Isra' 17:13-14)

Allāh will hold the creation to account.

He will meet privately with His faithful
servant and confess his sins, as is
described in the Book and the Sunnah.

41
42
 As for the unbelievers, they will not be
held to account in the same way as one
whose good and evil deeds are balanced,
for they have no good deeds at all.
Rather, their evil deeds deeds will be
counted and calculated, such that they
stand over them, confess to them, And
will be punished for them.

And in the courts of the Resurrection is

the Basin (al-ḥawḍ) belonging to the
Prophet (‫ )ﷺ‬the water of which is whiter
than milk and sweeter than honey. Its
drinking vessels are as numerous as the
stars, the length and width of a month of
travel. Whoever drinks from it will never
be thirsty again.

The straight and narrow path (al-ṣirāṭ) is

erected over the top of Hell. It is a bridge
between Paradise and Hellfire. People
will pass over it according to the
measure of their deeds. Among them are
those who will pass in the blink of an
eye, and among them are those who
pass like a flash of lightning. Among
them are those who pass like the wind,
and among them are those who pass like
a valiant steed.

Among them are those who pass as if

they were riding a camel, and among
them are those running quickly, or
walking quickly, or crawling slowly.
Among them are those who are caught
and thrown into Hell. For over the bridge
are hooks to catch people according to
their deeds. Whoever passes over the
narrow path will enter Paradise. When
they have traversed it, they will stop
over an arch between Paradise and
Hellfire where they will settle any
disputes between each other. When
they are polished and cleansed, they will
be given permission to enter Paradise.

The first to open the gate of Paradise will

be Prophet Muhammad (‫ )ﷺ‬and the
first among nations to enter Paradise will
be his nation.

43
44
He (‫ )ﷺ‬will have three intercessions
during the Resurrection. As for the first
intercession, he will intercede on behalf
of those held behind until matters are
settled between them, after the
prophets Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses,
and Jesus the son of Mary have passed
on the intercession and it is left to him.

As for the second intercession, he will

intercede on behalf of the people of
Paradise to enter Paradise. These two
intercessions are specific to him.

As for the third intercession, he will

intercede for those who deserve Hellfire.
This intercession is for him and the rest
of the prophets, the truthful, and others.
He will intercede for those who deserve
Hellfire, that they would not enter it. He
will intercede for those who have
entered it to be taken out of it.

And Allāh will take people out of Hellfire

without any intercession at all. Rather, it
is only due to His grace and His mercy.
There will remain space in Paradise
unoccupied by those who entered it
from the people of this world, so Allāh
will produce more people and they will
enter Paradise.

The topics included in the abode of the

Hereafter are the reckoning, the reward,
the punishment, Paradise, and Hellfire.
The details are mentioned in the
revealed books from heaven, the traces
of knowledge left behind by the
prophets, and in the knowledge
inherited from Muhammad (‫ )ﷺ‬which is
satisfactory and sufficient. Whoever
seeks it will find it.

45
46
The saved group among Ahl al-Sunnah
wal Jamā’ah believes in the decree, its
good and its evil. Belief in the decree has
two aspects and each aspect contains
two matters.

The first aspect is faith that Allāh has

(perfect) knowledge of the creation.
They act under His timeless knowledge,
which He described as infinite and
eternal. He knows all of their
circumstances of obedience,
disobedience, provision, and life spans.
Thereafter, Allāh wrote in the Preserved
Tablet (al-lawḥ al-maḥfūẓ) the destinies
of the creation.

The first thing Allāh created was the Pen.

He said to it, ‘Write!’ It said, ‘What shall I
write?’ Allāh said, ‘Write what will be
until the Day of Resurrection.’

Thus, whatever befalls a human being

could never be missed by him, and
whatever is missed by him could never
befall him. The Pen has been lifted and
the pages have dried, as He the Exalted
said: "Do you not know that Allāh knows
what is in the heavens and on the earth?
Verily, that is in a book and it is certainly
easy for Allāh." (al-Hajj 22:70)

And He said: "Nothing afflicts you of

calamities on the earth, nor within
yourselves, but that it is in a book before
it is brought about. Verily, that is easy for
Allāh. " (al-Hadid 57:22)

This decree is according to His

knowledge, glory be to Him, in situations
both general and specific. He has written
in the Preserved Tablet whatever He
wills.

47
48
When He creates a body before blowing
the spirit into it, He dispatches an angel
and commands him to write four
decrees. It is said to him, ‘Write his
provision, his life span, his deeds, and
whether he is damned or blessed,’ and
so on. This decree was rejected in the
past by the extremist al-Qadarīyah sect,
but few reject it today.

The second aspect is the will of Allāh, its

execution, and His all-inclusive power. It
is faith that whatever Allāh wills comes
to pass, and whatever He does not will
does not come to pass, and that
whatever is in the heavens or on the
earth, of movement or stillness, only
occurs by the will of Allāh, glory be to
Him. Nothing occurs in His dominion if
He does not intend it.

And that He, glory be to Him, has power

over all things that exist and do not exist.
There are no creatures on the earth, nor
anything in the heavens, except that
Allāh is its Creator, glory be to Him.
There is no Creator other than Him, nor
is there a Lord besides Him. Along with
that, He has commanded the servants to
obey Him and to obey His messengers.
He prohibited them from disobeying
Him.

He, glory be to Him, loves the righteous,

the good-doers, and the just. He is
pleased with those who have faith and
perform good deeds. He does not love
unbelievers and He is not pleased with
sinful people. He has not commanded
immorality, nor is He pleased with the
unbelief of His servants, nor does He
love corruption.

49
50
The deeds of the servants are done by
them in reality and Allāh creates their
deeds. The servant can be a believer, an
unbeliever, righteous, wicked, praying,
or fasting. The servants have a measure
of ability over their actions and they
have will. Allāh created them, their
abilities, and their wills. As He the
Exalted said: “For whoever among you
wills to be upright, yet you do not will
except that Allāh wills, the Lord of the
worlds.” (at-Takwir 81:28-29)

This aspect of providence was denied by

the majority of the al-Qadarīyah, who
were named by the Prophet (‫ )ﷺ‬as the
fire-worshipers (al-Majūs) of this nation.
It was exaggerated by some people who
otherwise affirmed it, to the extent that
they deprived the servant of his agency
and his choices, thereby removing from
the actions and rulings of Allāh their
wisdom and their benefit.

Among the fundamentals of Ahl al-

Sunnah wal Jamā’ah is that religion and
faith are words and actions, words in the
heart and on the tongue, and actions in
the heart, on the tongue, and on the
limbs. And that faith increases with
obedience and decreases with
disobedience.

And they, despite this, do not

excommunicate those from (Ahl al-
Qiblah) because of sins unrestrictedly
and major sins, as is done by the
Khawārij. Rather, the brotherhood of
faith is affirmed despite disobedience, as
He said, glory be to Him: “Whoever
pardons his brother for something and
follows it with good.” (al-Baqarah 2:178)

And He said: "If two groups of believers

fight each other, try to make peace
between them. However, if one of them
transgresses against the other, then
fight those who transgressed

51
52
until they return to the Ordinance of
Allāh; Then, if they return, make peace
between them justly, and act equitably.
Indeed, Allāh loves the equitable.
Believers are indeed brothers, therefore
make peace between your brothers." (al-
Hujurat 49:9)

The people of the Sunnah do not

completely strip the Muslim transgressor
from faith. And they do not believe that
he will stay in Hell forever as the
Mu'tazilah claim. Rather (they believe
that) the transgressor enters under the
name of Eemaan just as Allāh has said:
"And liberate a slave who is a believer."
(an-Nissa' 4:92). He may not enter under
the name of absolute faith as Allāh, The
Exalted, has said: "Indeed, the believers
are those whose hearts, when Allāh is
mentioned (in their presence), fill with
piety, and whose faith, when His Words
are recited to them, increases." (al-Anfal
8:2). As the Prophet (‫ )ﷺ‬said: "No
adulterer, when he commits adultery,
does so as a believer. No thief, when he
commits theft, does so as a believer. No
drunkard, when he drinks wine, does so
as a believer. No plunderer, when people
see him as he plunders valuables, does
so as a believer”

They say he is a believer who is deficient

in faith, or that he is a believer with his
faith and a sinner with his enormity.
They do not grant him the name of
‘faith’ absolutely, nor do they strip it They obey the Prophet (‫ )ﷺ‬in his saying, ‘Do not curse my
from him absolutely. companions,

Among the fundamentals of Ahl al-

Sunnah wal Jamā’ah is the purity of their
hearts and their tongues regarding the
companions of the Messenger of Allāh
(‫ )ﷺ‬as Allāh described them in His the
Exalted’s saying: “Those who came after
them say: Our Lord, forgive us and our
brothers who came before us in faith
and do not let hatred enter our hearts
towards those who believe. Our Lord,
you alone are the Kind and the
Merciful.” (al-Hashr 59:l0)

53
54
for by the One in whose Hand is my soul,
if one of you spent gold in charity like
the mountain of Uhud, it would not
amount but to a small portion of their
(good deeds), nor even half of it.”

They accept what has come in the Book,

the Sunnah, and by consensus regarding
their virtues and status.

They assign the most virtue to those who

spent (in the cause of Allāh) before the
liberation, which is the treaty of
Hudaybiyyah, over those who spent
after it and fought. They assign greater
status to the emigrants from Mecca (al-
Muhājirūn) over the supporters in
Medina (al-Anṣār). They believe that
Allāh said about the people at the battle
of Badr, who were a little over three
hundred, “Act as you wish, for I have
forgiven you.”

None will enter Hellfire who pledged

allegiance under the tree, as reported by
the Prophet (‫)ﷺ‬. Rather, Allāh is pleased
with them and they are pleased with
him. They are more than one thousand
and four hundred.

They bear witness that Paradise is for

whomever it was testified by the
Messenger of Allāh (‫ )ﷺ‬such as the ten
companions promised Paradise, Thābit
ibn Qays ibn Shammās, and others
among the companions.

They confirm what has been

unanimously reported about the
Commander of the Faithful, ‘Alī ibn Abī
Ṭālib, may Allāh be pleased with him,
and others that the best of this nation
after its Prophet is Abū Bakr, then
‘Umar,

55
56
thirdly ‘Uthmān, and fourthly ‘Alī ibn Abī
Ṭālib, may Allāh be pleased with them
all, as is evident in the narrations and as
agreed upon by the companions in giving
priority to the pledge of ‘Uthmān.

Even so, some of Ahl al-

Sunnah disagreed over ‘Uthmān and ‘Alī,
may Allāh be pleased with them, after
their pledge of allegiance to Abū Bakr
and ‘Umar. Which of them is better?
Some people gave priority to ‘Uthmān
and were silent, or they considered ‘Alī
to be the fourth even though they
preferred ‘Alī, and some were neutral.

Rather, the matter was settled by Ahl al-

Sunnah in giving priority to ‘Uthmān and
then ‘Alī. Yet, this matter of ‘Uthmān
and ‘Alī is not among the fundamentals
which lead astray those who disagree,
according to the majority of Ahl al-
Sunnah. Rather, that which leads astray
is the matter of the Caliphate itself, and
it is that they believe the Caliph after the
Messenger of Allāh (‫)ﷺ‬, was Abū Bakr
and ‘Umar, then ‘Uthmān and then ‘Alī.
Whoever challenges the legitimacy as
Caliph of any of these has been led
further astray than a donkey among his
people.

They love the household of the

Messenger of Allāh (‫)ﷺ‬, and preserve
the bequest of the Messenger of Allāh
(‫)ﷺ‬, wherein he said on the day
of Ghadīr Khum, ‘I remind you of your
duty to Allāh regarding my family.’

57
58
He also said to ‘Abbās his uncle when
some of the Quraysh complained to him
that they resent the Prophet’s tribe (Banī
Hāshim), ‘By the One in whose Hand is
my soul, you will not have faith until you
love them, for the sake of Allāh and for
the sake of relationship to me.’ And he
said, ‘Verily, Allāh chose the children of
Ishmael, and He chose Kinānah from the
children of Ishmael, and He chose the
Quraysh from Kinānah, and He chose
Banī Hāshim from the Quraysh, and He
chose me from Banī Hāshim.’

They ally themselves with the wives of

the Messenger of Allāh (‫)ﷺ‬, the mothers
of the faithful. They believe they are his
wives in the Hereafter, specifically
Khadījah, may Allāh be pleased with her,
who was the mother of most of his
children, the first to have faith in him
and support him in the matter. She had
the highest status in his estimation. And
also the truthful woman, daughter of the
truthful man, may Allāh be pleased with
her, about whom the Prophet (‫)ﷺ‬, said,
‘The virtue of ‘Āi’shah over all other
women is like the virtue of fine cuisine
over all other food.’

They disavow the way of the (al-

Rawāfid), who hate the companions and
curse them, as well as the (al-Nawāṣib),
who harm the prophetic household with
words and actions.

They refrain from stirring argument

regarding the companions, and they say:
Indeed, those narrations reported about
their evil deeds are lies, among which
are additions, omissions, or they were
changed from their context. The truth is
that they are excused, whether their
reasoning was correct or whether it was
mistaken.

59
60
They, despite that, do not consider each
one of the companions to be infallible
from committing major sins or minor
sins. Rather, it is possible for them to sin
in general. They were among the
foremost and the virtuous, which
necessitates their forgiveness of
whatever they committed, if anything
was committed at all, to the extent that
their evil deeds were forgiven, although
those who came after them will not be
forgiven in the same way, because the
companions had many good deeds to
erase their evil deeds, unlike those who
came after them.

The Messenger of Allāh (‫ )ﷺ‬has affirmed

that they are the best generation, and
that a small portion of charity given by
them is better than an amount of gold
like the mountain of Uhud given by
those after them. Then, if one of them
had committed a sin, he has repented of
it, or performed a good deed to erase it,
or he was forgiven for it due to the
virtue of his achievements, or by the
intercession of Muhammad (‫ )ﷺ‬as they
are the most worthy of receiving his
intercession, or they endured a trial in
the world to expiate it.

If this is in the case of actual sins, then

how so in matters for which they
exercised reasoning? If they were
correct, they were given two rewards. If
they were mistaken, they were given a
single reward and the mistake was
forgiven.

Moreover, the measure of evil in some

of their deeds is little, insignificant, and
forgiven in light of their virtues and good
traits, such as their faith in Allāh and His
messenger, striving (jihād) in His way,
emigrating to Medina, lending support
to Islam, spreading beneficial
knowledge, and performing righteous
deeds.

61
62
Whoever investigates the biographies of
these people with insightful knowledge
and what Allāh blessed them of virtues,
he will know with certainty that they are
the best of the creation after the
prophets. There never was, nor will
there ever be, any others like them. They
are the elite generation of this nation,
which is the best of all nations and the
most honoured by Allāh.

Among the fundamentals of Ahl al-

Sunnah is to confirm the miracles of the
saints (al-Awliyā’) and what Allāh
performs at their hands, such as
extraordinary feats in matters of
knowledge, epiphanies, types of power
and effects, such as what is narrated
about previous nations in Sūrat al-
Kahf and others, and what came out of
this nation among the companions, the
successors, and the following
generations of this nation. It will exist
among them until the Day of
Resurrection.

Thereafter, it is the way of Ahl al-Sunnah

wal Jamā’ah to follow the narrations of
the Messenger of Allāh (‫)ﷺ‬, both
inwardly and outwardly, and to follow
the path of the first and foremost among
the emigrants from Mecca and the
supporters in Medina, and to follow the
instructions of the Messenger of Allāh
(‫)ﷺ‬, wherein he said, ‘You must follow
my precedent (sunnah) and the
precedent of the rightly-guided Caliphs
after me and hold fast to it. Bite onto it
with your molar teeth. Beware of newly-
invented manners, for every religious
innovation is misguidance.’

They know that the most truthful speech

is the word of Allāh, the best guidance is
the guidance of Muhammad (‫)ﷺ‬.

63
64
They give preference to the word of
Allāh above the speech of all other
people. They give priority to the
guidance of Muhammad (‫ )ﷺ‬over the
guidance of anyone else.

For this reason, they are called ‘the

people of the Book and the Sunnah,’ and
they are named ‘the people of the
united community,’ for the community is
unity and its opposite is sectarianism.
The word ‘community’ became the name
for the same united people, and
consensus is the third fundamental
principle upon which they rely for
knowledge and religion.

They measure by these three

fundamentals all that people are upon of
words and actions, inward or outward,
which are related to the religion.
Consensus, which is disciplined, was
practiced by the righteous predecessors.
After them there were many differences
that spread in the Muslim nation.

Thereafter, along with these

fundamentals they enjoin good and
forbid evil according to what is required
by the Law (al-Sharī’ah). They regard (as
obligatory) establishing the Hajj
pilgrimage, jihād, the Friday prayer, and
celebrating holidays with the leaders,
whether they are righteous or wicked,
and they preserve congregational
prayers. They offer sincere advice to the
Muslim nation.

65
66
They believe in the meaning of his saying
(‫)ﷺ‬, ‘Verily, the believers are like a
structure, each one strengthening the
other,’ and he held up his two fingers
together to illustrate (‫)ﷺ‬.

And his saying (‫)ﷺ‬, ‘The parable of the

believers in their affection, mercy, and
compassion for each other is that of a
body. When any limb aches, the whole
body reacts with sleeplessness and
fever.’

They enjoin patience at the time of

hardship, gratitude at the time of
prosperity, and contentment with the
difficulties of providence. They invite
others to have noble ethics and to
perform good deeds, and they believe
in his saying (‫)ﷺ‬, ‘The most complete of
the believers in faith are those with the
most excellent character.’

They encourage you to maintain good

relations with those who cut you off, to
give to those who deprive you, and to
forgive those who wrong you.

They order righteousness with parents,

maintenance of family ties, good
neighbourliness, and good treatment of
orphans, the poor, and the traveller, and
gentleness with servants.

They prohibit pride, vanity,

transgression, and disrespecting the
creation, whether it is deserved or not.
They order the loftiest ethics and they
prohibit foolishness. All of what they say
and do of this, among other things, is
only due to their following the Book and
the Sunnah. Their way is the religion of
Islam, for which Allāh sent

67
68
Muhammad (‫ )ﷺ‬.However, the Prophet
(‫ )ﷺ‬reported that his nation would split
into seventy three sects, each of them in
the Hellfire but one, the ‘united
community.’ And in the prophetic
tradition he said, ‘They are those
adhering to the likes of what myself and
my companions are upon today.’ Those
who adhere to pure, unadulterated
Islam without deviation, they
became Ahl al-Sunnah wal Jamā’ah.

Among them are the truthful, the

martyrs, and the righteous, and from
them are the signs of guidance, lamps in
the darkness, people of notable merit
and memorable virtues. Among them
are righteous replacements (al-abdāl),
leaders in the religion, upon whom the
Muslims agree as to their guidance and
erudition. They are the group always
supported Allāh, about whom the
Prophet (‫ )ﷺ‬said, ‘There will continue to
be a group of my nation acting upon the
truth and being supported. They will not
be harmed by those who oppose them,
nor by those who abandon them, until
the establishment of the Hour.’

We ask Allāh Almighty to make us

among them, to not divert our hearts
after we were guided, and to grant us
His mercy. Verily, He alone is the
Granter. All praise is due to Allāh, the
Lord of the words. And may Allāh’s
blessing be upon Muhammad – the
greatest of creation – his family, and his
companions.

69
 TI
THE3RD EDI ON KEYSTO KNOWLEDGE

D AW R A H
I
LMI
YYAH

I
NSTUCTOR
USTADH ABDULRAHMAN
HASSAN

A DE
TAILE
DEXPLANATION
OFAL-DURARAL-BAHI
YYAH

NAME.
.
..
..
.
..
..
.
..
..
.
..
..
.
..
..
.
..
..
.
..
..
.
..
..
.
..
..
.
 Learn Islam
in your language
KALEMAH

KALEMAH ISLAMIC CENTER is a community center for all. Kalemah

was founded in 2007 and is managed by a Board of Emirati
Nationals, an Executive Committee and a staff of over a dozen full-
time employees. We operate based on charitable donations from
philanthropic individuals, organizations and governmental bodies.

We are a non profit organization officially registered under the

Islamic Affairs and Charitable Activities Department (IACAD)
Government of Dubai.

Our Mission: To propagate the

pristine, unadulterated teachings of
Islam to Muslims and non-Muslims
in Dubai in the most effective and
appropriate way.

Our Vision: The souls of a nation,

connected to their Creator.
2
 Al-Durar al-Bahiyyah fi Masā’il al-Fiqhiyyah
By Imām Muhammad ibn ‘Alī al-Shawkānī (d.1250H)

The book of purification

Chapter: [Water]

Water is pure and is able to purify.

Water does not relinquish either of

these two characteristics unless, its:

1. Scent,
2. Colour, or
3. Taste,

Is altered as a result of an addition of

impurities.

And regarding the second

[characteristic of being able to purify],
that which takes it away from the
name absolute water is that which is
mixed with a [different] pure
substance.

There is no difference between:

1. A little and a lot of water.

2. Water that exceeds the
Qullatayn and what is less than
that.
3. Used and unused water.
4. Running and stagnant water.

3
4
 Unit: [Regarding the Types of
Impurities]

Impurities consist of:

• The excrement of humans

unrestrictedly.
• The urine of human beings;
except of a young male breast-
fed child.
• Dog saliva.
• Faeces of animals.
• Menstrual Blood.
• The flesh of swine.

Other than these there is

disagreement.

The original essence [is that everything]

is pure, and nothing can make it
impure unless there is a clear proof
which is not contested by something
equal or stronger than it.

5
6
Unit: [Regarding Purifying Impurities]:

The way to clean [something] that has

become impure:

• By washing; until there is no

trace, colour [stain], smell or
taste of the impurity
remaining.
• Shoes are to be cleansed by
wiping them.
• If the Najaasah turns into
another material it becomes
pure since its original impure
nature – which was the source
of the impurity - ceases to
exist.

That which cannot be washed:

• water is to be poured upon it,

or
• it is to be removed until no
trace of the Najaasah remains.

Water is the primary cleansing tool that

is to be used when purifying and
cleansing. Nothing can be used in its
place unless there is an explicit
permission alluding to this granted
from the Lawgiver.

7
8
Chapter: Answering the Call of Nature

When relieving oneself [one must]:

• Conceal oneself till one is close

[to the ground or floor].
• Maintain a distance or relieve
oneself in a closed toilet.
• Cease talking.
• Not carry sacred items.
• Avoid places where the act of
relieving oneself is forbidden
by the religion or customs.
• Do not face the Qiblah nor turn
ones back towards it.
• Clean ones private parts using
three clean stones or any other
substitute object that meets
the purpose.

When about to relieve oneself it is

recommended to:

• Seek Allāh’s refuge from the

devil at the beginning.
• And praise Allāh when finished.

9
10
 Chapter: Wudū (Ablution)

It is an obligation upon every Muslim

liable to the obligations of Islam; when
performing ablution to:

• Mention the Name of Allāh; if

one remembers.
• Rinse your mouth and snuff
water [in the nose].
• Wash all of the face.
• Wash the two hands up to the
elbows.
• Wipe the head along with the
ears.
• It will do if only some of it [the
head] is wiped.
• Wipe over the turban.
• Wash the feet to the ankles.
• Wipe over the khuffayn.

Ablution is never valid without the

intention to perform it.

11
12
Unit: [Regarding Recommended Actions
in the Wudū]

It is recommended that one:

• Repeats each act of ablution

thrice when washing body parts
other than the head.
• Lengthens/extends the area of
washing .
• Starts with Siwaak.
• Washes the hands to the wrists
thrice before washing other
parts necessary for ablution.

13
14
 Unit: [The Nullification of Wudū]

Wudū is nullified when:

• Whatever exits the two passages

from matter or wind.
• Anything that necessitates
Ghusl.
• Sleeping by reclining.
• Eating camel meat.
• Vomiting.
• Touching the male private part.

15
16
 Chapter: Ritual Bathing (Al-Ghusl)

Ghusl becomes obligatory for these

reasons:

• When semen discharges based

off lust or even thought-induced.
• When the two [circumcised]
private areas come into contact.
• Menstruation.
• Postpartum bleeding.
• Nocturnal [wet] dream; provided
that one sees signs of seminal
fluid.
• Death [i.e. the deceased must be
washed].
• Islam [i.e. when one embraces
Islam, he or she must take a full
bath].

17
18
 Section: [Regarding its description]:

The obligatory way of Ghusl is:

• Pour water over the entire body

or immerse oneself in it. Also to
sniff water and to rinse the
mouth, and to rub whatever can
be rubbed.
• The ghusl is not valid unless one
has the intention of removing
the reason for the bath.

It is recommended:

• To give precedence to washing

the limbs that are washed in
Wudu’ except for the feet.
• To start with the right hand side.

19
20
 Section: [Regarding the legislated
[times for] ghusl]:

The full bath is legitimately

[recommended] for the following:

• The Friday Prayer.

• The two ‘Eid Prayers.
• For the one who washes a
deceased person.
• For Ihraam.
• For the entrance into Makkah.

21
22
 Chapter: al-Tayammum

It is used as a temporary substitute for

[the acts which require] Wudu and
Ghusl; for the one who does not have
water, or fears harm if he uses it.

The areas for the purification with earth

are:

• Face.
• Then the Hands.
• One is to wipe these areas once
after one patting.
• With the Intention.
• Saying Bismillāh.
• The nullifiers of this are the
same as those of wudu.

23
24
 Chapter: Menstruation

There is no valid proof that establishes

the minimum and maximum duration
[for the days of the Menses].

This goes for purity as well.

Thus, if a female has a definite period of

menstruation, she is to handle acts of
worship accordingly.

Otherwise [if it is not definite], she is to

form judgements about her situation by
resorting to external evidences.

As menstrual blood is distinguishable

from other than it, therefore:

• [Considered] Menstruating:
When menstrual blood is
observed.
• [Considered] in
irregular/prolonged bleeding:
When other than it is seen.

In the latter case, the female’s situation

is similar to a state of purity, she should
wash off the blood, and do ablution for
every prayer.

Yet a menstruating female must neither

pray nor fast.

She is not to engage in sexual

intercourse until she bathes after purity.

She must also make up days for which

she missed fasting [during the month of
Ramadan].

Section: [Regarding Postnatal Bleeding]:

• The maximum postnatal

bleeding period is forty days.
• There is no minimum
• and she is just like a
menstruating female.

25
26
 The Book of Prayer

The time of the Dhuhr prayer starts once

the sun passes the zenith.

The period Dhuhr prayer ends when

anything and its shadow are equal in
length.

This timing indicates the beginning of

the ‘Asr prayer.

It is the time of ‘Asr as long as the sun is

white and clear.

The start of Maghrib prayer time is

sunset.

The end of it is the disappearance of the

twilight.

This in turn indicates the start of the

‘Ishā prayer.

And its end is the middle of the night.

The beginning of Fajr prayer time is

when the dawn breaks.

It ends at sunrise.

Whoever missies a prayer due to sleep

or forgetfulness; then its time is upon
waking or remembering.

As for one who had an excuse and was

able to pray a rak’ah (a unit of prayer)
then he has caught the prayer.

Praying at the proper time is obligatory.

Prayers may be combined if there is a

[valid] excuse.

One who has done Tayammum and the

one whose prayer or purity is
incomplete; should offer prayer like
others without delay.

Disliked times to pray are:

• After the dawn till the sun rises.

• The time of Zenith.
• After the afternoon payer till
sunset.

27
28
 Chapter: The Call to Prayer

It is legislated for the inhabitants of a

city/town to appoint one or more callers
to prayer.

The caller is to call using the legislated

words when the time for prayer begins.

Upon hearing the call, it is legislated that

the hearer follows the caller.

It is also legislated to pronounce Iqāmah

according to the way it has been
reported.

29
30
Chapter: [Regarding the Prerequisites of
the Prayer]

One praying must:

• Purify his clothes, body and

place of the prayer from
impurity.
• Cover the ‘Awrah.
• He is not to do al-Samā’a.
• He is not to do al-Sadl.
• He is not to do al-Isbāl.
• Not to fold/tie [the
garments/hair].
• [A man is] not to pray while
wearing a silk garment.
• Nor ostentatious clothing.
• Nor to pray in stolen garments.
• It is upon the individual to face
the Ka’bah if it is observable, or
if he takes the ruling of it.
• If not, one is to strive to roughly
estimate the direction.

31
32
 Chapter: The Description of the Prayer

It is not valid without the intention.

All of the pillars of prayer are obligatory,

except the middle Tashahud.

There are no obligatory adhkār except:

• Al-Takbīr.
• Fatihah in every rak’ah.
• The last tashahud.
• The Tasleem.

Other than these are recommended.

And these are:

• Lifting the arms in the four

specified positions.
• Placing the hand on the other.
• The opening words of prayer
following Takbir.
• Seeking Allāh’s refuge from
shaytaan.
• Saying Aameen.
• Reciting anything else with the
Fatihah.
• The middle tashahud.
• The resting position
• The adhkār in every pillar.
• Making abundant du’a; [asking]
for the best in this world and the
hereafter; whether by that
which has been reported and
that which has not.

33
34
 Section: [Regarding its Nullifiers]

The prayer is nullified by:

• Talking.
• Preoccupying oneself with what
is not related to [the] prayer.
• Intentionally leaving out a
prerequisite or pillar.

Section: [Regarding the one who has to

pray and the one who is exempted].

Prayer is not compulsory for one who is

not Mukallaf.

The following individuals are exempted

from the obligation of prayer:

• Who is unable to make [bodily]

signals.
• Who fell unconscious until the
prayer time passed.
• As for the ill; they should pray
standing, then sitting, then lying.

35
36
 Chapter: Supererogatory Prayers

Supererogatory prayers are:

• Four before Dhuhr.

• Four after it [Dhuhr]
• Four before ‘Asr.
• Two rak’ah after Maghrib
• Two rak’ah after ‘Isha
• Two rak’ah before fajr.
• Prayer of Duha.
• Night prayer, and its Rak’ah are
13 at most, conclude with Witr.
• The prayer upon entering the
Masjid.
• The prayer for guidance.
• The two rak’ahs between the
Adhan and the Iqāmah.

37
38
 Chapter: Congregational Prayer

Congregational prayer is one of the most

recommended Sunnan.

• Two [Muslim] individuals as a

minimum make a congregation.
• The more the congregation is
the more is the reward.
• It is valid behind the less
virtuous [comparatively].
• Yet it is better that the Imām be
from the righteous.
• Men lead women but not vice
versa.
• One leading an obligatory prayer
may lead who is observing a
supererogatory prayer and vice
versa.
• One must follow [the Imām] in
other than the nullifiers.
• An Imām must not lead those
who dislike him.
• He is to lead the prayer as
succinct as the briefest of them
[from the congregation may
observe].

Individuals who should be conceded the

role of Imām are:

• The ruler, the owner of the

house, and the best with regards
to the Qur’an.
• Then the most learned.
• Then the eldest.
• If something goes wrong with
the Imām’s prayer he, the Imām,
is responsible for it and not the
ones praying behind.
• The individuals led in prayer are
to stand behind the Imām. If
there is only one he is to stand
on the right hand side.
• The men should form a row first,
then the boys, then the women.
• The ones who deserve to be in
the first row are the most wise
and learned.
• The individuals of a congregation
must maintain straightness and
evenness in their rows.
• And to fill the gaps, from closest
to the next and as follows.

39
40
 Chapter: Prostration Due to
Forgetfulness

It is composed of two prostrations

performed before or after the Tasleem,
with Takbeer, a Tashahud and a Tahleel
[i.e. Tasleem].

It is legislated [to be performed] when:

1. Leaving off a sunan [of the

prayer].
2. Making an unintentional
addition of even one Rak’ah.
3. Doubting the number.

When the Imam prostrates, those

praying are expected to follow up as
well.

Chapter: Making up Missed Prayers

If one did not offer a prayer and there

was no excusable reason for doing so,
then paying back the debt of Allāh is
given utmost priority.

If it were due to an excusable reason it is

not making up for the missed prayer, it
becomes a matter of performance rather
than a matter of making up for it,
except; for Eid prayers it is to be
performed in the following day.

41
42
 Chapter: Friday Prayer

This prayer is obligatory upon everyone

who is a Mukallaf, except:

• Women.
• Slaves.
• Travellers.
• Those who are ill.

It is like the rest of the prayers, and

differs only in the legitimacy of the two
sermons delivered before it.

Its time is that of Dhuhr prayer.

Whoever attends should:

• Not step on or annoy the people.

• Listen attentively during the two
sermons.

It is recommended for Friday prayer to:

• Arrive early to the Masjid.

• Perfume one’s self.
• Adorn one’s self and be well
dressed.
• Sit near the Imām.
• One who was able to catch one
Rak’ah is considered to have
observed Friday prayer.

And on the day of Eid there is

concession.

43
44
 Chapter: The Prayer of Two Eid

It is two rak’ah.

In the first rak’ah there are seven

takbeerat before the recitation.

In the second rak’ah, there are five

takbeerat before the recitation as well.

Sermon is delivered after [the prayer].

It is recommended to:

• Adorn oneself and be well

dressed.
• Offer prayer outside one’s city,
town, or village.
• To take another path [when
returning].
• To eat before leaving home to
prayer in Eid Al-Fitr but not in Eid
Al-Adha.

Its time starts after the sun rises to an

altitude of a spear until the zenith.

There is no Adhan or Iqāmah for it.

Chapter: Prayer of fear

The Prophet (‫ )ﷺ‬offered this prayer in

different ways and they are all
permissible.

When fear reaches its peak and battle

becomes seriously intense they can offer
prayer while walking, riding, even if it is
not towards the Qiblah, even with the
eyes.

45
46
 Chapter: Prayer in Time of Journey

Shortening the prayer becomes

obligatory upon whosoever moves out of
his/her homeland with the intention of
traveling, even if the distance is less than
a Bareed.

If one resides a place and is doubtful

about his/her period of residence,
he/she is to shorten prayer for 20 days,
then offer the complete prayers after
then.

Yet if one willingly intends to reside for a

period of four [days], he/she is to offer
the complete prayers after then.

It is at one’s discretion to combine two

prayers in advance or have the
combining delayed; with one Adhān and
two Iqāmahs in both cases.

47
48
Chapter: The Prayer of the two eclipses

It is a Sunnah.

The most correct of what has been said

regarding its description is:

• Two rak’ahs, with two bowing

postures in each rak’ah.
• In this regard, three, four and
five (rak’ahs) have been
mentioned.
• Between every two bowing
postures, one is to recite what
he is able to offer.
• One bowing posture in each
rak’ah has also been mentioned.

It is recommended to:

• Supplicate
• Takbeer (saying “Allāhu Akbar”)
• Give Sadaqah.
• Seek forgiveness.

Chapter: Prayer for Rain

When it is a time of drought, [it is

Sunnah] to offer a prayer of two Rak’ahs.

Once offered, a sermon is to follow. It

should include:

• Words of reminder, exhortations

to return in obedience, warning
demanding restraint from
disobedience to Allāh.
• The Imām and those with him
should abundantly ask Allāh’s
forgiveness and ask Him to uplift
the drought
• Then they are to turn over their
garments.

49
50
 Book of Funerals

From the Sunnah is to:

• Visit the ill.

• Instruct the one close to death
to say the Shahadatayn.
• To direct the dying person
[towards Qiblah].
• Close the dying person’s eyes
when he dies.
• Recite Surah Yasīn on him.
• Rush forth to prepare his body,
unless he is still alive.
• Pay his debts and wrap him.
• Moreover it is permissible to kiss
[the dead].

Upon the dying person is to:

• Have good thoughts of his Lord.

• Repent to him.
• Get rid of all what he owes
others [i.e. rights and
responsibilities].

Section: Washing the Deceased

Those who are alive must wash the

deceased Muslim.

The closer in kinship must do the

washing if he/she is from the same sex.

A Husband/Wife may wash the one who

is dead.

The washing is three, five, seven times or

more.

With water and lotus leaves.

The last wash is with camphor.

The right side of the body are to be

washed first.

The Shaheed is not to be washed.

51
52
 Section: [Shrouding the Deceased]:

• He must be shrouded in a
garment that appropriately
covers the body, even if it is the
only garment he has.
• There is nothing wrong with
adding more shrouds but
without being extravagant.
• The Shaheed is to be shrouded in
the garments he was wearing
when he was killed.
• It is recommended to perfume
the deceased’s body and
shrouds.

Section: [Praying on the Deceased]:

Praying upon the dead is obligatory.

The Imam is to stand:

• Near the man’s head and the

woman’s waist.
• Then he is to pronounce four or
five takbeerat.
• After the first takbeer he is to
recite the Fatihah and a Surah.
• Between the takbeerat, he is to
supplicate with the reported
supplications.

One must not pray on the:

• Stealer of booty before it is

distributed.
• One who committed suicide.
• Disbeliever.
• Shaheed.

Moreover, prayer can be offered by the

grave.

It can also be offered on the absentee.

53
54
 Section: [Following the funeral and
what is forbidden in it]:

The deceased should be taken quickly to

where he is supposed to be buried.

Walking with it and carrying it is Sunnah.

It is the same whether one is at the front

or at the rear of the funeral.

It is disliked to ride [or drive].

It is forbidden to:

• Announce the death.

• Wail
• Following a funeral with fire.
• Tear off one’s clothes.
• Ask for affliction and woe upon
oneself.

One accompanying the funeral must not

sit before it is put down.

Standing for it has been abrogated.

55
56
 Section: Burial, visiting graves

The deceased must be buried in a pit

that protects him from beasts.

There is nothing wrong with a grave with

pit dug within.

But, digging a side extension within is

better.

The deceased should be inserted from

the rear part of the grave.

He is to be laid on his right side facing

the Qiblah.

For those who are present it is preferred

that each heaps three heaps of earth
back in to the grave.

The grave’s height above ground is not

to exceed the span of one’s hand.

Visiting the dead is legitimised.

The visitor should face the Qiblah.

It is forbidden to take graves as

Mosques, to decorate them, light them,
or sit on them.

It is also forbidden to curse the dead.

Condolence is a legitimate act, and so is

handing food to the deceased’s relatives.

57
58
 Book of Zakat

Zakat is obligatory in the following kinds

of wealth as long as the possessor is
liable to the obligations of Islam.

Chapter: The Zakat of animals

Zakat is obligatory concerning cattle, this

includes; camels, cows and sheep.

Section: on the Zakat of Camels

Once the number of camels amounts to

five, one sheep must be given out as
Zakat.

Then in every five, one sheep is given

out.

Once the number of camels amount to

25, one Ibnat makadh or Ibn Labūn is
given out.

In every 36, one Ibnat Labun.

In every 46, on Hiqqah.

In every 61, a Jadha’ah.

In every 67, two bint Labuns.

In every ninety up to one hundred and

twenty two Hiqqahs.

If camels amount to more than the latter

figure; one bint Labun is to be given out
in every forty and a Hiqqah in every fifty.

59
60
 Section: [On the Zakat of cows]:

• Once the number of cows

amounts to thirty, a Tabbe’ and
Tabbe’ah, must be given out as
Zakat.
• In every forty a Musinnah.
• And it continues like this.

Section: [The Zakat of sheep]

• Once the number of sheep

amounts to forty, one sheep
must be given out as Zakat.
• Up to one hundred twenty one,
and that is when two sheep
must be given out.
• Up to two hundred and one, and
that is when three sheep must
be given out.
• Up to three hundred and one
and that is when four sheep
must be given out.
• Finally, in every 100; one sheep
is given out.

Section: [The rules of Zakat on mixed

cattle]

• Scattered cattle must not be

gathered in one property.
• Moreover, cattle in one’s
property must not be split so as
to avoid giving out the Zakat.
• There is no Zakat in what is less
than the obligatory specified
figures.
• Nothing is also in the Awqās.
• As for property, in the case of
cattle, equally owned by two
partners, they should give out a
combined Zakah and make
claims for restitution from one
another with equity.
• Decrepit cattle must not be
given out.
• Nor must one give out one-eyed,
unfit (e.g. crippled,
diseased….etc.) and little cattle.
• One must not also give out
fattened, milch and pregnant
cattle. Nor must a stud (i.e. male
cattle for breeding) be given out.

61
62
 Chapter: The Zakat of gold and silver

When one complete year passes over

the possession of either of the two, the
amount of Zakat to be given out is 2.5%.

The standard amount demanding Zakat

of gold is 20 Dinars.

For silver it is 200 dirhams.

There is no Zakat on less than these

standards.

Moreover, there is no Zakat in any other

jewels, wealth that is set for trading, or
wealth that is taken advantage of.

Chapter: The Zakat of grains and wheat

One-tenth must be given out from

wheat, barley, corn, dates and hazelnuts.

If either of the above was watered by

waterwheel, the amount of Zakat to be
given out becomes half.

The standard amount demanding the

Zakat of the aforementioned plants is
five Awsuq.

No Zakah is given out for other plants,

for instance vegetables and fruits.

The Zakat of honey is One-tenth.

It is permissible to hasten giving out

Zakat.

The Imam is to redistribute the Zakat of

the rich among the poor of them.

The owner of property no longer

becomes responsible for a Zakat handed
to the ruler; even if he is oppressive.

63
64
 Chapter: The ways of expenditure of
Zakat

They are eight as in the verse.

Zakat is prohibited upon:

• The descendants of Haashim.

• Their freed slaves.
• The rich or well to do.
• Those who are strong and
capable of owning their living.

Chapter: Sadaqat Al-Fitr

It is one Sa’ [i.e. 2.5 kilograms] of

commonly eaten food payable upon
every individual.

It is obligatory upon the slave’s master

and the one who spends on the young,
and the like.

It is given before the prayer of Eid.

For that who does not find more than his

usual daily amount of food; no Fitrah is
imposed.

Its way of expenditure is that of Zakat.

65
66
 Chapter: The Khumus (Fifth)

It is obligatory in the booty of war and

Rikaz [i.e. pre-Islamic buried wealth or
treasure].

It is not obligatory in anything other than

this.

Its way of expenditure is mentioned in

this verse: “And know that whatever you
get as a booty….” [Surah Anfal: 41].

67
68
 Book of Fasting

Fasting Ramadan becomes obligatory

once its crescent is seen by a
trustworthy [Muslim] individual;
otherwise, Sha’ban must be completed.

One is to fast thirty days unless the

crescent of Shawwal is seen before
Ramadan is completed.

If the inhabitants of certain area see the

crescent of Ramadan, then fast the
month, other areas must also do the
same.

The one who fasts must determine

intention prior to Fajr.

Section: [Regarding the nullifiers of

Fasting]

The following nullify fasting:

• Eating
• Drinking
• Sexual intercourse
• Deliberately Vomiting

Wisal fasting [i.e. to fast more than one

day continuously] is forbidden.

One who deliberately nullifies his fasting,

must expiate.

It is preferred to hasten Futoor and delay

Suhoor.

Section: [Rules on making up missed

fasts]

It is obligatory for the one who broke his

fast for a legitimate reason to make it
up.

Breaking the fast for the one on a

journey or the like of him is permitted,
for one who fears weakness or harm in
battle: for them breaking the fasting
becomes a must.

As for one who dies before completing

fasting, his guardian must take over the
fasting.

The elderly who are unable to perform it

or make it up are to expiate by feeding a
needy person each day.

69
70
 Chapter: Supererogatory Fasting

It is recommended to fast:

• Six days from Shawwal.

• Nine days of Dhul-Hijjah.
• Muharram.
• Sha’ban.
• Mondays.
• Thursdays.
• The white days [13th, 14th and
15th of every lunar month].

The best of supererogatory fasting is to

fast every other day.

Yet, it is disliked to fast:

• The Dahr [i.e. fasting every day].

• To dedicate fasting Friday or
Saturday alone.

It is forbidden to [fast on the following

days]:

• Fast the two Eids.

• The days of Tashreeq [i.e. three
days after the Day of Sacrifice in
Hajj]
• Fast one or two days prior to
Ramadan.

71
72
 Chapter: I’tikaf

It is legitimised for a fasting person at

any time in the mosque.

It is more emphasised in Ramadan,

especially in the last 10 days.

It is recommended to strive in doing

righteous deeds in these days and to
stand for prayer in the nights of Al-Qadr.

One who is performing I’tikaf should not

go out for anything except for a need.

73
74
 The Book of Hajj

It is obligatory once in lifetime upon

every Mukallaf to hasten the
performance of his/her Hajj

Section: [Regarding the Ihram]

One must determine by intention the

type of Hajj he wants to do; Tamattu,
Qiraan or Ifraad.

The first type is the best of them all.

Ihram must be from one of the known

locations.

Yet whoever is living within these

Mawaqits is to resume Ihram from
where he starts, even the people of
Makkah.

75
76
Section: [The Prohibition of Ihram].

The Muhrim should not wear:

A shirt

A turban

A garment with head coverings

Trousers

Any garment that has any dye or saffron

He must not wear shoes which cover all

the feet, unless he cannot get sandals; in
which cases he must cut them below the
ankles.

Women must not wear Niqab.

Nor must they wear gloves and whatever

is incensed with Wars or Saffron.

All in all one must not perfume him/her.

Nor must one take from his/her hair

unless for excusable reason.

One must avoid sexual intercourse,

doing evil or sins, dispute.

Also one must not marry, contract a

marriage, or propose.

One must not hunt or kill a game.

If one kills an animal, one is penalised by

offering from cattle just as what he had
killed after two individuals known for
their honesty and piety pass down such
judgement.

One must not eat what was killed

[hunted] by someone else unless the one
who hunted is not in the state of Ihram
and was not hunted for the former.

Plants of the Haram should not be cut

except the Edhkhir (a kind of herbage).
One may kill the five Fawasiqs [pests].
Previous rules also apply to games and
plants of Madinah, except for that who
cuts its trees or grass the articles and
belongings attached to that particular
person should go to the one who finds
him cutting, hunting the games of
Wudge (it is a valley in Ta’if) or cutting its
trees is forbidden.

77
78
Section: [Circumambulating the house]

When the pilgrim first arrives to Makkah

he is to perform Tawaf seven rounds
[around the Ka’bah].

He is to hasten in the first three rounds

and walk in the rest.

Then he may kiss the black stone or

touch it with a Mihjan or the similar
object used instead (if any).

He is to touch also the Yemeni corner

and black corner.

It is enough for the qaarin to do one

tawaf and one Sa’ee.

One performing Tawaf must be clean

[i.e. purification done] and cover there
Awrah.

A menstruating woman is expected to do

everything that the pilgrim does except
the tawaf round the house.

Reported Adhkaar is recommended

during Tawaf.

Having finished the Tawaf, one is to pray

two rak’ah behind Maqam Ibrahim.

Then he may return to the black corner

and touch it.

Section: Sa’ee (Walking between Safa

and Marwah)

One is to perform Sa’ee between Safa

and Marwah seven times, supplicating
with that which has been reported.

If one is Mutamattu [performing Hajj At-

Tamattu] illegal acts become Halal for
him/her after the Sa’ee.

When it is the day of Tarwiyah, one is to

resume Hajj.

79
80
 Section: [How to Perform the Hajj].

One is to arrive at Arafah in the morning

reciting Talbiyah and Takbeer. Then one
is to combine Dhuhr and Asr prayers in
Arafah and deliver the sermon. One is to
then go from Arafah after the sunset and
come to Muzdalifah, combine Isha and
Maghrib there, and spend the night
there. After praying Fajr one is to arrive
at al-Mash’ar and spend time in dhikr till
it is about sunrise.

One is then to move till he/she arrives

the valley of Muhassir, where he should
take the path in the middle that leads to
the Jamrah near the tree: the Jamrah of
Aqabah. There he is to throw seven
pebbles saying Takbeer with every
pebble like a small bean. One must
throw after sunrise, except for women
and children who are permitted to throw
prior to sunrise.

One is to shave his head or shorten it,

and that is when all prohibitions become
Halal, except for women. And anyone
who shaves his hair or shortens, or
slaughters his sacrifice animal, or makes
Tawaf before he throws the pebbles,
there is no harm.

The one is to return to Mina:

Spend the nights of Tashreeq there. In

each of these days one is to throw the
three Jamaraat with seven pebbles,
starting with the nearest, then the
middle, then finally the last Aqabah.

It is recommended for the one who is

guiding the pilgrims to:

Deliver a speech on the day if Nahr, and

in the middle of the days of Tashreeq.

Then they are to perform the Tawaf of

Ifaadah, which is the Tawaf of visiting on
the day of Nahr. When the rituals of Hajj
are completed and decided to return
one is to perform the farewell tawaf.

81
82
 Section: [Regarding the Hadyi].

The best of Hadyi is the camel, then the

cow, then the sheep.

The camel and cow is enough for seven

individuals.

It is permissible for one sacrificing to:

• Eat from the meat of his sacrifice

and ride it.
• It is also permissible for one to
slightly cut the sacrificial animal
and hang an object on its neck.
• One who send a sacrificial
animal [i.e. who doesn’t intend
Hajj] is not liable for any of the
prohibitions upon the Muhrim.

Chapter on Umrah

One is to intend and do Ihram from the

Miqaat.

One who resides in Makkah must go to

Hil.

Then perform Tawaf, Sa’ee, and then

finally shave or shorten his hair.

It is legislated throughout the year.

83