THE ORIGINS OF SHIRK (Disbelief in Oneness of GOD)
From that which has been established in the Sharee’ah (prescribed law) is that mankind was – in the beginning – a single nation upon true Tawheed (Belief in Oneness of God), then Shirk (directing any part or form of worship, or anything else that is solely the right of Allaah the One God, to other than Allaah) gradually overcame them. The basis for this is the saying of Allaah – the Most Blessed, the Most High: “Mankind was one Ummah (nation), then Allaah sent prophets bringing good news and warnings..” [Sooratul-Baqarah 2:213; Holy Quran]
Ibn ’Abbaas (companion of Holy Prophet) said: “Between Prophet Nooh (Noah) and Adam were ten generations, all of them were upon Sharee’ah (law) of the truth, then they differed. So Allaah (The One God) sent Prophets as bringers of good news and as warners.”
Ibn ’Urwah al-Hanbalee (d.837 H) – said: “This saying refutes those historians from the People of the Book who claim that Qaabil (Cain) and his sons were fire-worshippers.”
I say: In it is also a refutation of some of the philosophers and atheists who claim that the (natural) basis of man is Shirk (Disbelief in Oneness of God), and that Tawheed (Belief in Oneness of God) evolved in man! The preceeding aayah (verse) falsifies this claim, as do the two following authentic hadeeth: Firstly: The Holy Prophet's saying that he related from his Lord (Allaah): “I created all my servants upon the true Religion (upon Tawheed, free from Shirk). Then the devils came to them and led them astray from their true Religion. They made unlawful to people that which I had made lawful for them, and they commanded them to associate in worship with Me, that which I had sent down no authority.”
Secondly: The Holy Prophet's saying: “Every child is born upon the fitrah but his parents make him a Jew or a Christian or a Magian. It is like the way an animal gives birth to a natural offspring. Have you noticed any born mutilated, before you mutilate them?” Aboo Hurayrah (companion of Holy Prophet) said: Recite if you wish: “Allaah’s fitrah with which He created mankind. There is to be no change to the creation (Religion) of Allaah.” [Sooratur-Room 30:30; Holy Quran]
After this clear explanation, it is of the utmost importance for the believers of tauheed (Muslims) to know how Shirk spread amongst the believers, after they were muwahhideen (people upon Tawheed) Concerning the saying of Allaah – the most perfect – about the people of Prophet Noah: “And they have said: You shall not forsake your gods, nor shall you forsake Wadd, nor Suwaa‘, nor Yaghooth, nor Ya’ooq, nor Nasr.” [Soorah Nooh 71:23; Holy Quran]
It has been related by a group from the Salaf (Pious Predecessors), in many narrations, that these five deities were righteous worshippers. However, when they died, Shaytaan (Satan) whispered into their people to retreat and sit at their graves. Then Shaytaan whispered to those who came after them that they should take them as idols, beautifying to them the idea that you will be reminded of them and thereby follow them in righteous conduct. Then Shaytaan (Devil) suggested to the third generation that they should worship these idols besides Allaah – the Most High – and he whispered to them that this is what their forefathers used to do!!!
So Allaah sent to them Prophet Nooh (a.s), commanding them to worship Allaah (The One God) alone. However none responded to his call except a few. Allaah – the Mighty and Majestic – related this whole incident in Chapter Nooh of Holy Quran.
Ibn ’Abbaas relates: “Indeed these five names of righteous men from the people of Nooh. When they died Shaytaan whispered to their people to make statues of them and to place these statues in their places of gathering as a reminder of them, so they did this. However, none from amongst them worshipped these statues, until when they died and the purpose of the statues was forgotten. Then (the next generation) began to worship them.” The likes of this has also been related by Ibn Jareer at-Tabaree and others, from a number of the Salaf (Pious Predecessors).
In ad-Durral-Manthoor (6/269): ’Abdullaah Ibn Humayd relates from Aboo Muttahar, who said: Yazeed Ibnul-Muhallab was mentioned to Aboo Ja’far al-Baaqir (d.11H), so he said: He was killed at the place where another besides Allaah (The One God) was first worshipped. Then he mentioned Wadd and said: “Wadd was a Muslim (Believer in Oneness of God) man who was loved by his people. When he died, the people began to gather around his grave in the land of Baabil (Babel), lamenting and mourning. So when Iblees (Satan the devil) saw them mourning and lamenting over him, he took the form of a man and came to them, saying: I see that you are mourning and lamenting over him. So why don't you make a picture of him (i.e. a statue) and place it in your places of gatherings so that you maybe reminded of him. So they said: Yes, and they made a picture of him and put in their place of gathering; which reminded them of him. When Iblees saw how they were (excessively) remembering him, he said: “Why doesn't every man amongst you make a similar picture to keep in your own houses, so that you can be (constantly) reminded of him.” So they all said “Yes.” So each household made a picture of him, which they adored and venerated and which constantly reminded them of him.
Aboo Ja’far said: “Those from the later generation saw what the (pevious generation) had done and considered that...to the extent that they took him as a god (diety) to be worshipped besides Allaah (The One & Only God). He then said: “This was the first idol worshipped other than Allaah (The One & Only God), and they called this idol Wadd (Idol worshipping).”
Thus the wisdom of Allaah – the Blessed, the Most High – was fufilled, when He sent the Holy Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.s) as the final Prophet and made his Sharee’ah (Holy prescribed law) the completion of all divinely Prescribed Laws, in that He prohibited all means and avenues by which people may fall into Shirk (Disbelief in Oneness of God) – which is the greatest of sins. For this reason, building shrines over graves and intending to specifically travel to them, taking them as places of festivity and gathering and swearing an oath by the inmate of a grave; have all been prohibited. All of these lead to excessiveness and lead to the worship of other than Allaah – the Most High. This being the case even more so in an age in which knowledge is diminishing, ignorance is increasing, there are few sincere advisors (to the truth) and Shaytaan (the Devil) is co-operating with men and jinn to misguide mankind and to take them away from the worship of Allaah (The One & Only God) alone – the Blessed, the Most High.
~~~*~~~*~~~* ~~~*~~~*~ ~~*~~~*~~ ~*~~~*~~~ *~~~*~~~* ~~~*~~~*~ ~~*~~~*~~ ~*~~~*~~~ *~~~*~~~
~~~*~~~*~~~* ~~~*~~~*~ ~~*~~~*~~ ~*~~~*~~~ *~~~*~~~* ~~~*~~~*~ ~~*~~~*~~ ~*~~~*~~~ *~~~*~~~
WHO INVENTED THE TRINITY
III&E Brochure Series; No. 22
Published by The Institute of Islamic Information and Education (III&E)
The three monotheistic religions - Judaism, Christianity, and Islam - all purport to share one fundamental concept: belief in God as the Supreme Being, the Creator and Sustainer of the Universe. Known as tawhid in Islam, this concept of the Oneness of God was stressed by Prophet Moses in a Biblical passage known as the "Shema" or the Jewish creed of faith: "Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord." (Deuteronomy 6:4)
It was repeated word-for-word approximately 1500 years later by Prophet Jesus when he said: "...The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; the Lord our God is one Lord." (Mark 12:29)
Prophet Muhammad came along approximately 600 years later, bringing the same message again: "And your God is One God: There is no God but He, ...." (The Holy Qur'an 2:163)
Christianity has digressed from the concept of the Oneness of God, however, into a vague and mysterious doctrine that was formulated during the fourth century. This doctrine, which continues to be a source of controversy both within and without the Christian religion, is known as the Doctrine of the Trinity. Simply put, the Christian doctrine of the Trinity states that God is the union of three divine persons - the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit - in one divine being.
If that concept, put in basic terms, sounds confusing, the flowery language in the actual text of the doctrine lends even more mystery to the matter:
"...we worship one God in Trinity, and Trinity in Unity... for there is one Person of the Father, another of the Son, another of the Holy Ghost is all one... they are not three gods, but one God... the whole three persons are co-eternal and co-equal... he therefore that will be save must thus think of the Trinity..." (excerpts from the Athanasian Creed) Let's put this together in a different form: one person, God the Father + one person, God the Son + one person, God the Holy Ghost = one person, God the What? Is this English or is this gibberish? It is said that Athanasius, the bishop who formulated this doctrine, confessed that the more he wrote on the matter, the less capable he was of clearly expressing his thoughts regarding it.
How did such a confusing doctrine get its start?
Trinity in the Bible
References in the Bible to a Trinity of divine beings are vague, at best. In Matthew 28:19, we find Jesus telling his disciples to go out and preach to all nations. While the "Great Commission" does make mention of the three persons who later become components of the Trinity, the phrase "...baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost" is quite clearly an addition to Biblical text - that is, not the actual words of Jesus - as can be seen by two factors:
1.. Baptism in the early Church, as discussed by Paul in his letters, was done only in the name of Jesus; and
2.. The "Great Commission" found in the first gospel written, that of Mark, bears no mention of Father, Son and/or Holy Ghost - see Mark 16:15.
The only other reference in the Bible to a Trinity can be found in the Epistle of I John 5:7, Biblical scholars of today, however, have admitted that the phrase "...there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one" is definitely a "later addition" to Biblical test, and it is not found in any of today's versions of the Bible.
It can, therefore, be seen that the concept of a Trinity of divine beings was not an idea put forth by Jesus or any other prophet of God. This doctrine, now subscribed to by Christians all over the world, is entirely man-made in origin.
The Doctrine Takes Shape
While Paul of Tarsus, the man who could rightfully be considered the true founder of Christianity, did formulate many of its doctrines, that of the Trinity was not among them. He did, however, lay the groundwork for such when he put forth the idea of Jesus being a "divine Son." After all, a Son does need a Father, and what about a vehicle for God's revelations to man? In essence, Paul named the principal players, but it was the later Church people who put the matter together. Tertullian, a lawyer and presbyter of the third century Church in Carthage, was the first to use the word "Trinity" when he put forth the theory that the Son and the Spirit participate in the being of God, but all are of one being of substance with the Father.
A Formal Doctrine is Drawn Up
When controversy over the matter of the Trinity blew up in 318 between two church men from Alexandria - Arius, the deacon, and Alexander, his bishop - Emperor Constantine stepped into the fray. Although Christian dogma was a complete mystery to him, he did realize that a unified church was necessary for a strong kingdom. When negotiation failed to settle the dispute, Constantine called for the first ecumenical council in Church history in order to settle the matter once and for all.
Six weeks after the 300 bishops first gathered at Nicea in 325, the doctrine of the Trinity was hammered out. The God of the Christians was now seen as having three essences, or natures, in the form of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
The Church Puts Its Foot Down
The matter was far from settled, however, despite high hopes for such on the part of Constantine. Arius and the new bishop of Alexandria, a man named Athanasius, began arguing over the matter even as the Nicene Creed was being signed; "Arianism" became a catch-word from that time onward for anyone who did not hold to the doctrine of the Trinity. It wasn't until 451, at the Council of Chalcedon that, with the approval of the Pope, the Nicene/Constantinop le Creed was set as authoritative. Debate on the matter was no longer tolerated; to speak out against the Trinity was now considered blasphemy, and such earned stiff sentences that ranged from mutilation to death. Christians now turned on Christians, maiming and slaughtering thousands because of a difference of opinion.
Debate Continues
Brutal punishments and even death did not stop the controversy over the doctrine of the Trinity, however, and the said controversy continues even today. The majority of Christians, when asked to explain this fundamental doctrine of their faith, can offer nothing more than "I believe it because I was told to do so." It is explained away as "mystery" - yet the Bible says in I Corinthians 14:33 that "... God is not the author of confusion... "
The Unitarian denomination of Christianity has kept alive the teachings of Arius in saying that God is one; they do not believe in the Trinity. As a result, mainstream Christians abhor them, and the National Council of Churches has refused their admittance. In Unitarianism, the hope is kept alive that Christians will someday return to the preachings of Jesus: "...Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and Him only shalt thou serve." (Luke 4:8)
Islam and the Matter of the Trinity
While Christianity may have a problem defining the essence of God, such is not the case in Islam. "They do blaspheme who say: Allah is one of three in a Trinity, for there is no god except One God." (Holy Qur'an 5:73) It is worth noting that the Arabic language Bible uses the name "Allah" as the name of God.
Suzanne Haneef, in her book WHAT EVERYONE SHOULD KNOW ABOUT ISLAM AND MUSLIMS (Library of Islam, 1985), puts the matter quite succinctly when she says, "But God is not like a pie or an apple which can be divided into three thirds which form one whole; if God is three persons or possesses three parts, He is assuredly not the Single, Unique, Indivisible Being which God is and which Christianity professes to believe in." (pp. 183-184)
Looking at it from another angle, the Trinity designates God as being three separate entities - the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. If God is the Father and also the Son, He would then be the Father of Himself because He is His own Son. This is not exactly logical.
Christianity claims to be a monotheistic religion. Monotheism, however, has as its fundamental belief that God is One; the Christian doctrine of the Trinity - God being Three-in-One - is seen by Islam as a form of polytheism. Christians don't revere just One God, they revere three.
This is a charge not taken lightly by Christians, however. They, in turn, accuse the Muslims of not even knowing what the Trinity is, pointing out that the Qur'an sets it up as Allah the Father, Jesus the Son, and Mary his mother. While veneration of Mary has been a figment of the Catholic Church since 431 when she was given the title "Mother of God" by the Council of Ephesus, a closer examination of the verse in the Qur'an (5:116) most often cited by Christians in support of their accusation, shows that the designation of Mary by the Qur'an as a "member" of the Trinity, is simply not true.
While the Holy Qur'an does condemn both trinitarianism (the Qur'an 4:17) and the worship of Jesus and his mother Mary (the Qur'an 5:116), nowhere does it identify the actual three components of the Christian Trinity. The position of the Qur'an is that WHO or WHAT comprises this doctrine is not important; what is important is that the very notion of a Trinity is an affront against the concept of One God.
In conclusion, we see that the doctrine of the Trinity is a concept conceived entirely by man; there is no sanction whatsoever from God to be found regarding the matter simply because the whole idea of a Trinity of divine beings has no place in monotheism. In the Holy Qur'an, God's Final Revelations to mankind, we find His stand quite clearly stated in a number of eloquent passages: "...your God is One God: whoever expects to meet his Lord, let him work righteousness, and, in the worship of his Lord, admit no one as partner." (Holy Qur'an 18:110)
"...take not, with God, another object of worship, lest you should be thrown into Hell, blameworthy and rejected." (Holy Qur'an 17:39)
~~~*~~~*~~~* ~~~*~~~*~ ~~*~~~*~~ ~*~~~*~~~ *~~~*~~~* ~~~*~~~*~ ~~*~~~*~~ ~*~~~*~~~ *~~~*~~~
HADEETH: HELL-FIRE IS FORBIDDEN FOR THE ONE WHO HAS TAWHEED (Belief in Oneness of God)
The Holy Prophet sallallaahu 'alaihi wassalam said: "Indeed Allah has forbidden Hell for the person who testifies: There is nothing worthy of worship in truth (i.e. there is no true god) but Allah (The One & Only God), seeking thereby nothing but Allah's face (pleasure)". [Al- Bukhari and Muslim]
Hence being a Muslim (A believer in Tawheed), and having sincere and correct Tawheed means that the person will be safe from Hellfire - forever!
We should also take note of the condition in this hadeeth - this testification is not merely uttering the words of the kalimah la ilaha illallah, but rather it has to be sincerely done for Allah's pleasure, meeting all the conditions of this kalimah.
VERSE - SHIRK IS 'ZULM'
Allah (The One God) says in His Noble Book: "It is those who believe and confuse not their belief with Zulm (oppression) , for them (only) there is security and they are the guided". [Holy Qur'an 6:82]
What does 'Zulm' (oppression) mean here? As explained in the noble Hadeeth of the Holy Prophet sallallaahu 'alaihi wassalam, 'zulm' is to do shirk, i.e. associate partners with Allah (The One God)- so those who do no shirk, they are the ones for whom there is security in the Hereafter, and only they are the guided ones!
~~~*~~~*~~~* ~~~*~~~*~ ~~*~~~*~~ ~*~~~*~~~ *~~~*~~~* ~~~*~~~*~ ~~*~~~*~~ ~*~~~*~~~ *~~~*~~~
~~~*~~~*~~~* ~~~*~~~*~ ~~*~~~*~~ ~*~~~*~~~ *~~~*~~~* ~~~*~~~*~ ~~*~~~*~~ ~*~~~*~~~ *~~~*~~~
SECTION 2 - WHY EVEN A MUSLIM SHOULD KNOW SHIRK 'THE FEAR OF SHIRK"
From the discussion thus far, we have understood why Tawheed (Belief in Oneness of God) is crucial. Similarly, we understand now that Shirk must be avoided. In order to do this (avoid shirk) we must know what are the types of shirk and their manifestations in the modern world.
It may be the case that as Muslims, we are complacent and think that Shirk can never affect us in anyway, as we say the kalimah (Proclaimation of Tawheed). Let us remove this misunderstanding, by seeing the fear of shirk the Holy Prophet inculcated in his noble companions, the Sahabah.
Abdullah ibn Maso'ud radhi Allahu 'anhu narrated that the Holy Prophet of Allah sallallaahu 'alaihi wassalam said: "Whoever dies while ascribing partners to Allah (The One God), enters the Hell-fire."
HADEETH ON THE FEAR OF SHIRK - THE NOBLE SAHABA
The Prophet sallallaahu 'alaihi wassalam said, in an authentic hadeeth: "That which I fear the MOST for YOU is Shirk Al-Asghar (the minor Shirk)" [narrated by Mahmoud ibn Lubayd, and collected in Ahmad, Tabaranee and Bayhaqee].
Here the Noble Prophet is addressing the Best of All the Generations, i.e. his Noble Companions and saying that the thing he most fears for them is Shirk!
So what about us? The Noble Companions of the Holy Prophet (all of them, without exception, of course) were not only rightly guided, but the Best of All Generations, and the best amongst them were Abu Bakar, 'Umar ibn Al-Khattab, Uthman ibn 'Affan and 'Alee ibn Abu Talib, in that order.
Let us ponder this issue - if the best of all generations could fall into shirk, which is the worst of all crimes, shouldn't we consider our own actions and beliefs, and try and ensure that WE commit no shirk? Shouldn't we rectify our own beliefs and actions first and foremost? Of course we should! In fact, instead of pointing fingers at others, or getting agitated, or arguing about politics & religions, we should all first struggle and strive to remove Shirk from our beliefs and actions! Some of us may be complacent, that just because we are Muslims, we can ignore Shirk, that Shirk would never impact us - this is not the case, as we shall study.
~~~*~~~*~~~* ~~~*~~~*~ ~~*~~~*~~ ~*~~~*~~~ *~~~*~~~* ~~~*~~~*~ ~~*~~~*~~ ~*~~~*~~~ *~~~*~~~
VERSE ON THE FEAR OF SHIRK - PROPHET IBRAHEEM (ABRAHAM)
Let us consider the following verse of the Noble Qur'an: "And remember when Ibraheem 'alaihi salam said: 'O My Lord! Make this city (Makkah) one of peace and security and keep me and my sons away from worshiping idols' " [Holy Qur'an 14:35]
Now this is a truly instructive verse, one which should give us all grave cause for concern. Prophet Ibraheem 'alaihi salam as we know, was the Father of the Prophets, the Khaleel (Friend) of Allah (The One God), the True Muwahhid (believer in Tawhid).
So much so, that his own father was an idol-maker and he, Prophet Ibraheem (Prophet Abraham) destroyed those idols with his own hands! So much so, that even as a young boy, he was able to discern that the worship of created objects was Shirk and that Allah (The One God) was far removed from all this.
We could go on quoting verses, but I think we all understand the point - not only was Ibraheem 'alaihi salam a truly Noble Prophet with a lofty status, but he is the one person who was ALWAYS on Tawheed, as the Holy Qur'an says: "Verily Ibraheem was an Ummah, or a nation obedient to Allah, Haneefah (one who worships none but Allah). And he was not one of those who were Al-Mushrikoon (polytheists, idolators, disbelievers) " [Holy Qur'an 16:120].
This verse is just one of numerous which prove that not only was Ibraheem, a true monotheist (Muwahhid) but a Noble person; hence Allah (The One God) calls him a nation in his own right (an Ummah!).
And this Ibraheem, the one of such lofty status, was scared that he may end up worshipping idols! The Ibraheem who was the leader of Tawheed, the Imam (leader) of the Mutaqqoon (righteous ones), that same Ibraheem 'alaihi salam is beseeching Allah (The One & Only God), requesting Allah, that Allah protects him from shirk! And saves his family!
"And remember when Ibraheem said: 'O My Lord! Make this city (Makkah) one of peace and security and keep me and my sons away from worshiping idols'". [Holy Qur'an 14:35]
Subhan Allah ! My dear brothers and sisters - our Tawheed is far far less than that of Prophet Ibraheem 'alaihi salam or that of the Companions of the Noble Messenger Muhammad sallallaahu 'alaihi wassalam. But are we scared of shirk? Do we even spend time praying to Allah (The One God) that He protects us from Shirk? That Allah saves us from worshiping other than Him, and that we die on Tawheed?
And if we never think about shirk, why not? Are we so sure that we will enter Jannah (Paradise)? Who has given us this surety? The companions of Prophet Muhammad sallallaahu 'alaihi wassalam and Prophet Ibraheem alaihi salam did not have this certainty, rather they prayed to Allah (The One God) and were scared of doing shirk - so why are we not similarly concerned?
Insha Allah (God Willing) our response should be to start to take Tawheed very seriously; in fact as the MOST Serious Issue in our lives, and to start to be wary of Shirk.
Based on all this discussion the question arises, as a summary: Why is shirk so bad? This of course, we have attempted to understand in the previous lecture, by virtue of the analogy of the 'kind' man who murders his mother. Shirk is so ugly and unkind, so great an oppression because it vilifies and insults Allah (The One & Only God), the Most High, the Most Gracious, the Most Compassionate!
~~~*~~~*~~~* ~~~*~~~*~ ~~*~~~*~~ ~*~~~*~~~ *~~~*~~~* ~~~*~~~*~ ~~*~~~*~~ ~*~~~*~~~ *~~~*~~~
~~~*~~~*~~~* ~~~*~~~*~ ~~*~~~*~~ ~*~~~*~~~ *~~~*~~~* ~~~*~~~*~ ~~*~~~*~~ ~*~~~*~~~ *~~~*~~~
SECTION 3 - MUSLIMS COMMIT SHIRK :
This is clear from the following verse of the Holy Qur'an: "And most of them believe not in Allah, except that they commit Shirk" [Holy Qur'an 12: 106]
So Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala tells us that most of the people who actually believe in Allah (The One God), commit Shirk! And we as Muslims think that just because we believe in Allah (The One God), we are safe! Of course we are not!
The same point is explained further in the following authentic Hadeeth: "The hour (Qiyamah: Day of Resurrection) will not be established till a group of my Ummah joins the Mushrikeen (people who commit Shirk), and many people of my Ummah start worshipping idols" [narrated by Thowban radhia Allahu 'anhu, and collected in Ibn Majah and Abu Dawood].
This Hadeeth leaves no ambiguity - there is no doubt that Muslims will commit Shirk, because Allah's Messenger has told us that groups from his Ummah (i.e. from the Muslim nation) will worship idols and join the Mushriks. What should be our response to this? We, as people who are concerned about the Muslim nation, should recognise that Shirk is the greatest calamity afflicting our peoples, and the way to remove that is not force, or revolution or killing! Rather, the way to remove shirk and to establish Tawheed (Belief in Oneness of God) is the way of the Noble Messenger sallallaahu 'alaihi wassalam, i.e. teaching the people about Tawheed, warning them of Shirk (Disbelief in Oneness of God), educating them and changing their hearts. This is what this Article would Insha Allah (God Willing) aim to do: teach all of us this most Important of all affairs, Tawheed of Allah, and educate us in what Shirk is, so we can all stay away from it, and warn our loved ones too.
This issue of warning others about Shirk is important and very applicable to those who are close to us, from amongst our friends and family - it should hurt us to see those whom we love doing actions which are displeasing to Allah (The One God) or having beliefs not in accordance with the beliefs of pure Islam; and truly, we can exhibit our real love for them only by having concern for their deen (religion).
~~~*~~~*~~~* ~~~*~~~*~ ~~*~~~*~~ ~*~~~*~~~ *~~~*~~~* ~~~*~~~*~ ~~*~~~*~~ ~*~~~*~~~ *~~~*~~~
~~~*~~~*~~~* ~~~*~~~*~ ~~*~~~*~~ ~*~~~*~~~ *~~~*~~~* ~~~*~~~*~ ~~*~~~*~~ ~*~~~*~~~ *~~~*~~~
SECTION 4 - SUMMARY
The main points of the Ahadeeth we have covered in the past are:
i) the hadeeth of Mu'adh ibn Jabal, about what the slave's right upon Allah is, and vice versa, i.e. those who worship Allah (The One & Only God) alone are promised Jannah (Paradise);
ii) the hadeeth that whoever testifies that there is nothing worthy of worship in truth except Allah Alone, Allah will admit him into paradise, whatever his deeds might be; and
iii) Allah's saying that if the human being were to come to Allah (The One God) with the world full of sins, and meet Him without making anything partner to Him (shirk), Allah would come to him with a similar amount of forgiveness.
iv) the hadeeth studied today (in Section 1) that Hell Fire is haram (forbidden) for the one who has Tawheed (Belief in Oneness of God) and commits no Shirk.
Hence if we stay within the realm of iman (faith in Allah) and Islam, by having correct Tawheed, then even if we commit sins in this life (which is not something we may strive to do or be pleased with), Allah (The One God) will enter us into Paradise as promised in the verses and ahadeeth discussed above. A person like this, a Muslim who is a sinner but has perfect Tawheed and no shirk, (s)he may be punished in Hell for some time - and I ask Allah to save all of us from such an event, and to protect us from the Fire, Ameen.
But even such a Muslim who is punished in the Fire, Allah (The One God) will then shower His mercy upon him or her and remove his/her sins, purify and enter into Paradise eventually, only because of his/her Tawheed and his/her avoidance of Shirk!
But if a Muslim should leave the fold of Islam, by forgetting their Tawheed or not believing in the correct Aqeedah (Methodology of religion), then all of the deeds that they may perform will be worth nothing and the person who does this will be in the Hell-fire forever. And it is a fact, from the Holy Qur'an, that Muslims can commit Shirk - we have studied the evidences for this in details as well.
Hence, we can conclude by saying:
i) that shirk is the greatest sin, and
ii) that shirk and disbelief in Allah (The One & Only God) is a very weird and unnatural thing to do, because we are completely dependent and desperately in need of Allah, Our Creator. Allah (The one & Only God) is in no need of us, and we do not, in any way increase His unlimited richness.
iii) we should start to take shirk and Tawheed seriously - by learning Tawheed properly, and by avoiding Shirk!
From that which has been established in the Sharee’ah (prescribed law) is that mankind was – in the beginning – a single nation upon true Tawheed, then Shirk (directing any part or form of worship, or anything else that is solely the right of Allaah, to other than Allaah) gradually overcame them. The basis for this is the saying of Allaah – the Most Blessed, the Most High: “Mankind was one Ummah, then Allaah sent prophets bringing good news and warnings.” [Sooratul-Baqarah 2:213; Holy Quran]
By Shaykh Muhammad Naasirud-Deen al-Albaanee [al-Ibaanah]
Footnotes:
[1] Taken from Tahdheerus-Saajid min Ittikhaadhil- Quboori Masaajid (p. 101-106) of Shaykh al-Albaanee.
[2] Related by Ibn Jareer at-Tabaree in his Tafseer (4/275) and al-Haakim (2/546) who said: “It is authentic according to the criterion of al-Bukhaaree.” Imaam adh-Dhahabee also agreed.
[3] Al-Kawaakibud- Duraree fee Tarteeb Musnadil-Imaam Ahmad ’alaa Abwaabil-Bukhaaree (6/212/1), still in manuscript form.
[4] Related by Muslim (8/159) and Ahmad (4/162) from ’Iyaad Ibn Himaar al-Mujaashi’ee (radiyallaahu ’anhu).
[5] Translator’s Note: Ibnul-Atheer said in an-Nihaayah (3/457): “Al-Fitr: means to begin and create, and al-Fitrah is the condition resulting from it. The meaning is that mankind were born upon a disposition and a nature which is ready to accept the true Religion. So if he were to be left upon this, then he would continue upon it. However, those who deviate from this do so due to following human weaknesses and blind following of others...” Al-Haafidh Ibn Hajar said in al-Fath (3/248): “The people differ concerning what is meant by al-Fitrah and the most famous saying is that it means Islaam. Ibn ’Abdul-Barr said: That is what was well known with most of the Salaf (pious predecessors) , and the Scholars of tafseer are agreed that what is meant by the saying of Allaah – the Most High – “Allaah’s fitrah with which He created mankind.” is Islaam.
[6] Related by al-Bukhaaree (11/418) and Muslim (18/52).
[7] Related by al-Bukhaaree (8/534).
[8] Related by Ibn Abee Haatim also, as is in al-Kawaakibud- Duraree (6/112/2) of Ibn ’Urwah al-Hanbalee, along with an isnaad which is Hasan, up to Aboo Muttahar. However, no biography could be found for him, neither in ad-Dawlaabee’ s al-Kunaa wal-Asmaa‘, nor Muslim’s al-Kunaa, nor any one else’s. And the hidden defect here is that he is from the Shee’ah, but his biography is not included in at-Toosee's al-Kunaa – from the index of Shee’ah narrators.
