Three Fundamental Principles

Question 1

What are the Three Fundamental Principles?

Answer 1

1. Knowing the servant’s Lord,
2. Knowing Islam with its proofs,
3. and Knowing our Prophet Muhammad (صلى الله عليه وسلم).

Question 2

How does the study typically begin with?

Answer 2

1. The Three Fundamental Principles,
2. The Four Rules,
3. The Nullifiers of Islam,
4. Removing the doubts.

Then,
1. The Book of Tawhid,
2. Al-Aqidah Al-Wasitiyyah,
3. Al-Aqidah At-Tahawiyyah,
4. Al-Hamawiyyah,
5. At-Tadmuriyyah.

Then,
1. Usul as-Sunnah by Imam Ahmad,
2. Kitab as-Sunnah by his son Abdullah,
3. Kitab as-Sunnah by al-Khallal,
4. Sharh as-Sunnah by Imam al-Barbahari.

Question 3

What does the word “know” mean?

Answer 3

To affirm without doubt. With certainty.

Question 4

It is obligatory upon us to learn 4 matters. What is the first one?

Answer 4

It is KNOWLEDGE; and that is to know Allah (Jalla Jalaluhu), to know our Prophet Muhammad (صلى الله عليه وسلم), and to know the religion of Islam with its evidences.

Question 5

It is obligatory upon us to learn 4 matters. What is the second one?

Answer 5

It is ACTING UPON IT (I.E. KNOWLEDGE); that is, acting upon what has preceded from knowledge.

You believe in your heart and act with your limbs, so you direct acts of worship to Allah alone - such as prayer, fasting, zakah, and Hajj.

Question 6

It is obligatory upon us to learn 4 matters. What is the third one?

Answer 6

It is CALLING TO IT; that is, you call to the religion of al-Islam, and call the people to single out Allah in worship, and to submit to Him in obedience, etc etc…

Question 7

It is obligatory upon us to learn 4 matters. What is the fourth one?

Answer 7

It is PATIENCE UPON THE HARM ENCOUNTERED IN IT; that is, you will face harm, because you stand in the way of them, their desires, and their passions.

Question 8

Worship is?

Answer 8

A comprehensive term for everything that Allah (Jalla Jalaluhu) loves and is pleased with from statements and actions, both inward and outward.

Allah alone is worthy of all acts of worship.

Question 9

Worship is not correct except with what two conditions?

Answer 9

1. sincerity to Allah and Allah only,
2. conformity to His Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم).

Question 10

If a Muslim loves a disbeliever for his disbelief, what is his condition?

Answer 10

He becomes a disbeliever like him. May Allah protect us.

Question 11

The names of Allah are of two types. Expound on them.

Answer 11

1. Exclusive names, which belong to Him and not others at all.
2. Shared names, which may be used for both Allah (Jalla Jalaluhu) and others.
   For example, one can be named al-Malik, but it is also a name of Allah.
   In this case, the dominion of Allah is perfect, whereas the dominion of creation is deficient, limited by knowledge, and subject to extinction.

Question 12

The Nurturing of Allah is of two types. Expound on them.

Answer 12

1. General nurturing, which encompasses both believers and non-believers. Allah nurtures all his creation with His blessings. He created the believer and the disbeliever, provided for them, gave them hearing and ability in general, and showered them with blessings and provisions.
2. Specific nurturing, which is specific to the believer. It is His nurturing of the believer through faith and righteous deeds - by guiding him, granting him success, and directing his heart to accept the truth, be pleased with it, choose it, and prefer it over all else.

The second one is a religious treasure that Allah has made specific to the believer and NOT the disbeliever.

Question 13

You, I, the heavens, the seas, the trees, jinn, humankind, angels, etc etc… what are they compared to Allah?

Answer 13

You and I are part of the world, and the earth is a world. The heavens are a world. The angels are a world, and the jinn are a world.

In comparison, everything besides Allah (Jalla Jalaluhu) is a world.
And all of these worlds - the upper and the lower - their Lord is Allah.

Question 14

What is the meaning of Islam?

Answer 14

Islam is to submit to Allah the Most High through True Islamic Monotheism, to yield to him in obedience, and to disassociate oneself from shirk and its people.

Question 15

What is the meaning of Iman?

Answer 15

Iman is belief in the heart, affirmation with the tongue, and actions with the limbs (both inward and outward) - all of these are included within the definition of the True Islamic Faith.

Question 16

What is the meaning of Ihsan?

Answer 16

Ihsan is that you worship Allah with vigilant awareness, as though you see Him; and although you cannot see Him, He indeed sees you.

Question 17

With regards to ALL acts of worship, what do we do?

Answer 17

We direct them to Allah only! Whoever directs an act of worship to anyone other than Allah (Jalla Jalaluhu) commits major shirk, exits out of the fold of Islam.

Question 18

What is the ruling on the one who seeks help from other than Allah (Jalla Jalaluhu) in matters of worship?

Answer 18

He has committed shirk. He is a disbeliever.

As for seeking help in ordinary matters, such as requesting help for fixing a car, mending up a farm, or paying off a debt, there is no harm in this so long as the one being asked is present, living, and capable of offering help.

However, whoever seeks refuge with a deceased person, or someone absent, or even a living, present person in matters that only Allah (Jalla Jalaluhu) can handle, then this is shirk and that person is a polytheist.

Question 19

In du’a, you may ask for a specific thing. What are the 3 possible outcomes?

Answer 19

1. It may be fulfilled,
2. or It may be stored for him in the Hereafter,
3. or An equivalent harm may be repelled from him in exchange for what he asked.

Question 20

What is tawakkul?

Answer 20

It is placing one’s dependence upon Allah (Jalla Jalaluhu) for achieving the result, after undertaking the means.

So you heart’s reliance for the outcome should be solely upon Allah.

Tawakkul is obligatory and it is one of the acts of worship. Anything that Allah is pleased with and loves is an act of worship.

The absence of tawakkul nullifies faith. Whoever has no tawakkul has no faith.

Question 21

What does desire (raghbah) mean?

Answer 21

To ask and supplicate earnestly with heartfelt entreaty, while loving the attainment of the thing desired.

So when a person supplicates and longs for his request to be fulfilled, this is legislative desire.

Question 22

What is al-Inabah?

Answer 22

It is to turn back to Allah (Jalla Jalaluhu) with repentance and sincerity.

It means to return to Him and ask Him to forgive one’s sins.

Question 23

What is al-Istighathah?

Answer 23

It is the supplication of someone afflicted with distress - someone who has fallen into hardship.

Question 24

What does dread (rahbah) mean?

Answer 24

It is intense fleeing from what is disliked, it is a fear accompanied by action.

Question 25

What does humility (khushu') mean?

Answer 25

It means submissiveness and lowliness. Khushu' applies to the heart, or the gaze, or the voice.

Question 26

What does al-Khashyah mean?

Answer 26

al-Khasyah means fear, i.e. fear coupled with the knowledge of Allah, the Most High.

Question 27

What does La'n (curse) mean?

Answer 27

It means to be expelled and cast far away from the mercy of Allah (Jalla Jalaluhu). May Allah protect us from such thing.

Question 28

What is disbelief in Taghut?

Answer 28

It is a disavowal of all worship directed to anything besides Allah (Jalla Jalaluhu) and rejection of every form of devotion to anything other than Him.

Question 29

What is an-Nadhr (a vow)?

Answer 29

It is when a person commits to performing an act of worship that Allah (Jalla Jalaluhu) has not obligated, thereby making it obligatory upon himself. A vow can be unconditional (mutlaq) or conditional (muqayyad).

Question 30

What is the meaning of the testimony that Prophet Muhammad (صلى الله عليه وسلم) is the Messenger of Allah?

Answer 30

The explanation of this meaning is: 1. Obeying him in what he commands, 2. Believing in what he says, 3. Avoiding what he prohibits and warns against, 4. And not worshipping Allah (Jalla Jalaluhu) except by what he has legislated.

Question 31

What is the difference between the Pillars of Islam and the Pillars of Iman?

Answer 31

The Pillars of Islam - the two testimonies of faith, prayer, zakah, fasting, and Hajj - these are outward actions, visible to others. The Pillars of Iman are inward actions, matters of belief hidden in the heart, known only to Allah (Jalla Jalaluhu).

Question 32

The 1 Pillar of Ihsan has 2 levels. What are they?

Answer 32

1. That you worship Allah (Jalla Jalaluhu) as if you see Him - that is, with full presence and awe, as if He is before your eyes. 2. If you cannot reach that level, then know that He sees you, so you worship Allah (Jalla Jalaluhu) knowing that He is watching you.

Question 33

The ma'iyyah (Divine "with-ness") refers to support, aid, guidance, and direction. There are two types of ma'iyyah. What are they?

Answer 33

1. General ma'iyyah: This includes both the believer and the disbeliever. Allah is with them through His encompassing Knowledge, Power, and Decree. 2. Specfic ma'iyyah: This is exclusive to the believers and prophets. He is with the pious and the doers of good through His Help, Support, Guidance, and Direction, while He is above the Throne.

Question 34

What are the 3 levels of the religion?

Answer 34

Islam, Iman, and Ihsan.

Question 35

Explain how the Prophet Muhammad (صلى الله عليه وسلم) became a Prophet and a Messenger.

Answer 35

When 96:1 (i.e. "'Iqra") was revealed, Allah (Jalla Jalaluhu) made him a Prophet. Then, after a brief pause, Allah sent him as a messenger with the revelation of 74:1-2 (i.e. Surat al-Muddaththir).

Question 36

When did the 5 daily prayers become obligatory?

Answer 36

During the Mi'raj (heavenly ascent).

Question 37

What does Hijrah mean?

Answer 37

It means relocating from a land of shirk (polytheism) to a land of Islam. This type of migration remains obligatory until the end of time.

Question 38

The message of Prophet Muhammad (صلى الله عليه وسلم) is for mankind and jinn. Obedience to him is obligatory for both. The jinn are held accountable for the legislations just as mankind is. What is the ruling on the one who says that it is limited to mankind ONLY or that there is a prophet after him?

Answer 38

He is a disbeliever by consensus of the Muslims.

Question 39

The body and the soul together are resurrected. When the believer dies, the soul is in paradise and it remains connected to the body. Likewise with the disbeliever, except his soul is in Hellfire. What is the ruling on the one who denies the resurrection? What about the one who says ONLY THE SOULS will be resurrected?

Answer 39

They are both disbelievers.

Question 40

What did Allah (Jalla Jalaluhu) send the Messengers as?

Answer 40

Allah sent the Messengers as bearers of glad tidings and warners. This is the mission of the messengers: They give glad tidings of Paradise to those who obey them and single out Allah in worship, and they warn of the Hellfire to those who disobey them.

Question 41

Who was the first Messenger? Who is the last?

Answer 41

Nuh, and Muhammad (صلى الله عليه وسلم).

Question 42

What does disbelief in the Taghut mean?

Answer 42

It means: 1. To disown every object of worship besides Allah (Jalla Jalaluhu), 2. To abandon them, 3. To enmity and hatred towards them and their worshippers, 4. To believe in the falsehood of worshipping others besides Allah (Jalla Jalaluhu), 5. To reject and denounce such worship, 6. To declare those who do so as disbelievers, 7. To hate them and oppose them. This is OBLIGATORY upon every Muslim to do this.

Question 43

What is the limit of any created being?

Answer 43

The limit of any created being is to be: 1. a believer in Allah, 2. obedient to Allah, 3. a worshipper of Allah, 4. and a follower of the path of the Prophet Muhammad (صلى الله عليه وسلم).

Question 44

The Tawaghit are many, and the heads of them are 5? What are they?

Answer 44

1. The first head: Iblis, may the Curse of Allah be upon him. He is the leader of all evil and tribulation. 2. The second head: Whoever is worshipped while being pleased with that, meaning the people worship him, and he approves of it. 3. Whoever calls the people to worship himself. 4. Whoever claims something from the knowledge of the unseen. 5. Whoever rules by anything other than what Allah (Jalla Jalaluhu) has revealed.

Question 45

What is the Head of Islam? What is its Pillar? and What is its highest point?

Answer 45

1. The Head of Islam is Tawhid (The Divine Right of Allah to be worshipped alone) - which the Prophet Muhammad (صلى الله عليه وسلم) brought - and testifying to the Oneness of Allah, and testifying that the Prophet Muhammad (صلى الله عليه وسلم) is His Messenger. 2. Its Pillar is the Prayer - the greatest foundational act. 3. And its highest point is jihad in the Path of Allah (Jalla Jalaluhu).

Question 46

What is the correct view regarding the 'Isra and the Mi'raj?

Answer 46

That event occurred once, in one night, while the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) was awake, and in both body and soul. The Buraq carried him under the guidance of Jibril (عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ).

Question 47

What happens to the bodies of the Prophets after their death? What about every son of Adam (عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ) just in general (i.e. rest of mankind)?

Answer 47

Allah (Jalla Jalaluhu) has forbidden the earth from consuming the bodies of the Prophets. They are deceased, yet live a barzakh life. As for the rest of mankind, their bodies decay. Only the coccyx - the last bone of the spinal column - remains. From it he was created and by it he will be reassembled.