Lesson 1: Understanding ‘Aqeedah

Question 1

What are the 10 essentials of knowledge?

The poem by Muhammed Ibn Ali As-Sabban

Answer 1

** Inna mabādi’a kulli fann ‘ashara

**إِنَّ مَبَادِيَ كُلِّ فَنٍّ عَشَرَهْ
**
Indeed, the principles of every science are ten:

Al-ḥaddu wal-mawḍū’u thumma ath-thamara

**الحَدُّ وَالمَوْضُوعُ ثُمَّ الثَّمَرَهْ
**
The definition, the subject, then the benefit;

Wa nisbatun wa faḍluhu wal-wāḍi’u

**وَنِسْبَةٌ وَفَضْلُهُ وَالوَاضِعْ
**
Its relationship, its virtue, and its founder;

Wal-ismu al-istimdādu ḥukmu ash-shāri’u

**وَالاِسْمُ الاِسْتِمْدَادُ حُكْمُ الشَّارِعْ
**
Its name, its sources, and the ruling of the Lawgiver;

Masā’ilun wal-ba’ḍu bil-ba’ḍi iktafā

**مَسَائِلٌ وَالبَعْضُ بِالبَعْضِ اكْتَفَى
**
Its key issues, and some are satisfied with some;

Wa man darā al-jamī’a ḥāza ash-sharafā

**وَمَنْ دَرَى الجَمِيعَ حَازَ الشَّرَفَا
**
And whoever knows all of them attains honor.

Question 2

What are the 3 types of definitions in islam, and can 2 or all of them be used synonymously?

Answer 2

-** التَّعْرِيفُ اللُّغَوِيُّ**-The linguistic definition
- التَّعْرِيفُ الاِصْطِلَاحِيُّ- The Technical definition
- التَّعْرِيفُ الشَّرْعِيُّ-The shar’ee definition, what is used in the Sharia

Yes

Question 3

What is the Root word of ‘Aqeedah?

Answer 3

ع،ق،د

Question 4

What is the Linguistic meanings of ‘Aqeedah?

Answer 4

1. الرَّبْطُ— Tying something/being tied up /tying a knot
2. العَهْدُ— Covenant/promise/contract
3. المُلازَمَةُ— To be consistent/continuous with something, to be bound/stuck/fixed to something
4. التَّوْكِيدُ— Emphasis

Question 5

What are some usages of the linguistic meaning of ‘Aqeedah?

Answer 5

• وَمِن شَرِّ ٱلنَّفَّـٰثَـٰتِ فِى ٱلْعُقَدِ- الرَّبْطُ-

And from the evil of the blowers in knots

• يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓا۟ أَوْفُوا۟ بِٱلْعُقُودِ ۚ- العَهْدُyou who have believed, fulfill [all] contracts

• ۚ وَٱلَّذِينَ عَقَدَتْ أَيْمَـٰنُكُمْ فَـَٔاتُوهُمْ نَصِيبَهُمْ ۚ-المُلازَمَةُ

And for all, We have made heirs to what is left by parents and relatives. And to those whom your oaths have bound [to you] - give them their share.1Indeed Allāh is ever, over all things, a Witness.

لَا يُؤَاخِذُكُمُ ٱللَّهُ بِٱللَّغْوِ فِىٓ أَيْمَـٰنِكُمْ وَلَـٰكِن يُؤَاخِذُكُم بِمَا عَقَّدتُّمُ ٱلْأَيْمَـٰنَ ۖ فَكَفَّـٰرَتُهُۥٓ إِطْعَامُ عَشَرَةِ مَسَـٰكِينَ مِنْ أَوْسَطِ مَا تُطْعِمُونَ أَهْلِيكُمْ أَوْ كِسْوَتُهُمْ أَوْ تَحْرِيرُ رَقَبَةٍۢ ۖ فَمَن لَّمْ يَجِدْ فَصِيَامُ ثَلَـٰثَةِ أَيَّامٍۢ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ كَفَّـٰرَةُ أَيْمَـٰنِكُمْ إِذَا حَلَفْتُمْ ۚ وَٱحْفَظُوٓا۟ أَيْمَـٰنَكُمْ ۚ كَذَٰلِكَ يُبَيِّنُ ٱللَّهُ لَكُمْ ءَايَـٰتِهِۦ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَشْكُرُونَ-التَّوْكِيدُ

Allah will not call you to account for your thoughtless oaths, but He will hold you accountable for deliberate oaths. The penalty for a broken oath is to feed ten poor people from what you normally feed your own family, or to clothe them, or to free a bondsperson. But if none of this is affordable, then you must fast three days. This is the penalty for breaking your oaths. So be mindful of your oaths. This is how Allah makes things clear to you, so perhaps you will be grateful.

Question 6

What are some other lingustic meanings of ‘Aqeedah?

Answer 6

1. الشد- tightening
2. اليقين والجزم- certainty and being sure
3. التماسك- holding something together
4. الأخذ بقوة- taking hold of something firmly

Question 7

What is meant by the definition being in the Quran or sunnah with ‘Aqeedah for example?

As when we say the linguistic/technical usage in the Quran/Sunnah is..

Answer 7

The root word like ayn gaf and dal as well as the meanings linguistically/technical being used in the way it’s described as

Question 8

What is the Technical meaning of ‘Aqeedah

Answer 8

belief of any group, related to Islam or otherwise

Question 9

What is the Connection between the Technical and Linguistic meaning

Answer 9

• • الربط- tied

You are tied to your
beliefs, it defines
you as a Muslim,
and your
allegiance is
towards it

• • العهد-covenant

your beliefs are a
covenant between
you and لجوزع ﷲ.
And the core of the
promise between
you and ﷲ is
based upon belief.
Such as how we
enter into Islam,
which is the تداهش
. The first of the
pillars of imam, in
hadeeth jibreel is
that you believe in
ﷻ ﷲ first.

• • الملازمة-consistency, continuation

You must be
grounded in faith,
(inconsistency in
aqeedah is a sign
of those who
deviated) and you
must not change
your beliefs and
principles. Such as
those who change
some of the names
of ﷻ ﷲ and his
attributes, and then
say we don’t know
what it means.

• • التوكيد-Emphasis

Not something to
be taken lightly,
beliefs that define
you as a Muslim,
and has the
greatest share in
determining
whether you re
amongst the
companions of
paradise

• اليقين-Certainty

You must be certain about this, and you shouldn’t have doubts as ﷲ said:

• The believers are only the ones who have believed in Allah and His Messenger and then doubt not
  Hujurat:15

And the significance of this verse is when “inna” is used, it is limiting it and saying no one else except

Question 10

What is the Shari’ee meaning of ‘Aqeedah?

Answer 10

The beliefs that are specific to Islam

Question 11

What are the 6 Subject areas of ‘Aqeedah

Answer 11

1. 6 pillars of الإيمان
   a. (النُّبُوَّةُ والغَيْبِيَّاتُ— issue of prophethood and what’s related to it and matters of the unseen).
2. Concept of الإيمان— What is imaan itself, what pertains to it
3. الصحابة— Belief relating to the companions
4. الإِمَامَةُ— Belief relating to the matter of rulership (muslim leadership)+مَصَادِرُ تَلَقِّي العَقِيدَةِ —Where should Aqeedah be taken from

Question 12

What are the Pillars of iman

Answer 12

أَنْ تُؤْمِنَ بِاللَّهِ، وَمَلَائِكَتِهِ، وَكُتُبِهِ، وَرُسُلِهِ، وَاليَوْمِ الآخِرِ، وَأَنْ تُؤْمِنَ بِالقَدَرِ خَيْرِهِ وَشَرِّهِ
“To believe in Allah, His angels, His books, His messengers, the Last Day, and to believe in predestination, its good and its bad.”

Question 13

What is iman?

Answer 13

قَوْلُ القَلْبِ وَعَمَلُ القَلْبِ وَقَوْلُ اللِّسَانِ وَعَمَلُ اللِّسَانِ وَعَمَلُ الجَوَارِحِ

“The statement of the heart, the action of the heart, the statement of the tongue, the action of the tongue, and the action of the limbs.”