Lesson 4: The Importance of ‘Aqeedah| Part 1

Question 1

What is the purpose of creation?

Answer 1

• Knowing Allah
• Worshipping Allah based off of knowing him

Question 2

What’s the evidence for the purpose of creation being to know Allah and worship him based off of knowing him?

Answer 2

• ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِى خَلَقَ سَبْعَ سَمَـٰوَٰتٍۢ وَمِنَ ٱلْأَرْضِ مِثْلَهُنَّ يَتَنَزَّلُ ٱلْأَمْرُ بَيْنَهُنَّ لِتَعْلَمُوٓا۟ أَنَّ ٱللَّهَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَىْءٍۢ قَدِيرٌۭ وَأَنَّ ٱللَّهَ قَدْ أَحَاطَ بِكُلِّ شَىْءٍ عِلْمًۢاIt is Allāh who has created seven heavens and of the earth, the like of them.1[His] command descends among them so you may know that Allāh is over all things competent and that Allāh has encompassed all things in knowledge.> وَمَا خَلَقْتُ ٱلْجِنَّ وَٱلْإِنسَ إِلَّا لِيَعْبُدُونِAnd I did not create the jinn and mankind except to worship Me.

Question 3

Why is studying ‘Aqeedah important when we learn to worship Allah in other sciences like Fiqh?

Answer 3

in general, Aqeedah is the science that tells you the difference between worshiping Allah and worshipping someone else, the one that tells the difference between worshiping Allah in a way that is accepted by Allah and that which isn’t accepted

Question 4

What is the verse in which Allah speaks about what he does and does not forgive, and how does it relate to ‘Aqeedah?

Answer 4

إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يَغْفِرُ أَن يُشْرَكَ بِهِۦ وَيَغْفِرُ مَا دُونَ ذَٰلِكَ لِمَن يَشَآءُ ۚ وَمَن يُشْرِكْ بِٱللَّهِ فَقَدِ ٱفْتَرَىٰٓ إِثْمًا عَظِيمًا

Indeed, Allāh does not forgive association with Him, but He forgives what is less than that for whom He wills. And he who associates others with Allāh has certainly fabricated a tremendous sin.

Aqeedah is the science that tells what makes something a partner with Allah. Of course, this is general as all the sciences are connected and tied to each other and not separate

Question 5

What are some of the fruits/benefits of learning ‘Aqeedah?

Answer 5

• We come to know Allah and come near to him through knowledge
• Because of this knowledge of knowing Allah, we clear and clean our worship, so we worship Allah alone, and we make ourselves free from associating partners with him.

Question 6

Principle regarding the virtue of something being based off what is being studied

Answer 6

إِذْ شَرَفَ العِلْمُ بِشَرَفِ المَعْلُومِ

as the virtue of knowledge is due to the virtue the known (what is being studied)

Question 7

Statement of Imam Ahmed regarding uplifting ignorance

Answer 7

قَالَ الإِمَامُ أَحْمَدُ رَحِمَهُ اللهُ تَعَالَى: العِلْمُ لَا يُعَدِّلُهُ شَيْءٌ لِمَنْ صَحَّتْ نِيَّتُهُ. قَالُوا: كَيْفَ ذَلِكَ؟ قَالَ يَنْوِي رَفْعَ الْجَهْلِ عَنْ نَفْسِهِ وَعَنْ غَيْرِهِ

Imaam Ahmad (rahimahullaah) stated:

(There) is nothing equal to knowledge, for the one who makes his intention correct (i.e. sincere). So they (i.e. the people) said: And how do (we) make the intention correct (i.e. sincere) O father of Abdullaah?! He said: You make an intention to remove ignorance from yourself and others.

Question 8

Hadith regarding the virtue of the Quran

Answer 8

• عَنْ عُثْمَانَ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ ‏
  “‏ خَيْرُكُمْ مَنْ تَعَلَّمَ الْقُرْآنَ وَعَلَّمَهُ**Narrated UthmanThe Prophet (ﷺ) said, “The best among you (Muslims) are those who learn the Qur’an and teach it.”

Question 9

What is one of the names given to ‘Aqeedah?

Answer 9

Fiqh al Akbar
وَهُوَ الْفِقْهُ الْأَكْبَرُ بِالنِّسْبَةِ إِلَى فِقْهِ الْفُرُوعِ، وَلِهَذَا سَمَّى الإِمَامُ أَبُو حَنِيفَةَ رَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ مَا قَالَهُ وَجَمَعَهُ فِي أَوْرَاقٍ مِنْ أُصُولِ الدِّينِ: “الْفِقْهَ الْأَكْبَرَ

• And it is the greater jurisprudence in relation to the jurisprudence of branches. For this reason, Imam Abu Hanifa, may Allah have mercy on him, named what he said and compiled in papers on the fundamentals of religion: ‘The Greater/greatest Jurisprudence*

Question 10

What is fiqh?

Answer 10

الفَهْمُ الدَّقِيقُ-Percise, accurate, detailed understanding

Question 11

The need for ‘Aqeedah

Answer 11

• “وَحَاجَةُ العِبَادِ إِلَيْهِ فَوْقَ كُلِّ حَاجَةٍ، وَضَرُورَتُهُمْ إِلَيْهِ فَوْقَ كُلِّ ضَرُورَةٍ، لِأَنَّهُ لَا حَيَاةَ لِلْقُلُوبِ، وَلَا نَعِيمَ وَلَا طُمَأْنِينَةَ، إِلَّا بِأَنْ تَعْرِفَ رَبَّهَا وَمَعْبُودَهَا وَفَاطِرَهَا، بِأَسْمَائِهِ وَصِفَاتِهِ وَأَفْعَالِهِ. وَيَكُونُ مَعَ ذَلِكَ كُلِّهِ أَحَبَّ إِلَيْهَا مِمَّا سِوَاهُ، وَيَكُونُ سَعْيُهَا فِيمَا يُقَرِّبُهَا إِلَيْهِ دُونَ غَيْرِهِ مِنْ سَائِرِ خَلْقِهِ. “The need of the servants for it is above every need, and their necessity for it is above every necessity, because there is no life for the hearts, nor bliss, nor tranquility, except by knowing their Lord, their worshiped one, and their Creator, by His names, attributes, and actions. And with all of that, He is more beloved to them than anything else, and their striving is in what brings them closer to Him, not to any of His other creations

Question 12

What’s the 3-stage process for worshipping Allah? Where is this in the Quran?

Answer 12

1. You know Allah through his names and attributes and actions
2. You worship him based on that alone and with no partner
3. Go into the aspects of what is required of you of the Furoo

In Surah fatiha, we read the description of Allah through his names his attributes and his actions, and then Dua. Our dua is based on the ‘Aqeeda which preceded it.

Question 13

Example of the 3-stage process in the mission of Muadh ibn Jabal

Answer 13

• **عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ ـ رضى الله عنهما ـ قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم لِمُعَاذِ بْنِ جَبَلٍ حِينَ بَعَثَهُ إِلَى الْيَمَنِ ‏“‏ إِنَّكَ سَتَأْتِي قَوْمًا مِنْ أَهْلِ الْكِتَابِ، فَإِذَا جِئْتَهُمْ فَادْعُهُمْ إِلَى أَنْ يَشْهَدُوا أَنْ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللَّهُ، وَأَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ، فَإِنْ هُمْ طَاعُوا لَكَ بِذَلِكَ فَأَخْبِرْهُمْ أَنَّ اللَّهَ قَدْ فَرَضَ عَلَيْهِمْ خَمْسَ صَلَوَاتٍ فِي كُلِّ يَوْمٍ وَلَيْلَةٍ، فَإِنْ هُمْ طَاعُوا لَكَ بِذَلِكَ، فَأَخْبِرْهُمْ أَنَّ اللَّهَ قَدْ فَرَضَ عَلَيْكُمْ صَدَقَةً، تُؤْخَذُ مِنْ أَغْنِيَائِهِمْ، فَتُرَدُّ عَلَى فُقَرَائِهِمْ، فَإِنْ هُمْ طَاعُوا لَكَ بِذَلِكَ، فَإِيَّاكَ وَكَرَائِمَ أَمْوَالِهِمْ، وَاتَّقِ دَعْوَةَ الْمَظْلُومِ فَإِنَّهُ لَيْسَ بَيْنَهُ وَبَيْنَ اللَّهِ حِجَابٌ**Narrated Ibn ‘Abbas:
  Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) said to Muadh bin Jabal when he sent him to Yemen. "You will come to the people of Scripture, and when you reach them, invite them to testify that none has the right to be worshipped except Allah and that Muhammad is His Apostle. And if they obey you in that, then tell them that Allah has enjoined on them five prayers to be performed every day and night. And if they obey you in that, then tell them that Allah has enjoined on them Sadaqa (i.e. rakat) to be taken from the rich amongst them and given to the poor amongst them. And if they obey you in that, then be cautious! Don’t take their best properties (as Zakat) and be afraid of the curse of an oppressed person as there is no screen between his invocation and Allah.*

Question 14

What is ‘Aqeedah about?

Answer 14

It comes in the first pillar of Iman, and the first pillar in Islam

• Belief in Allah
• Knowing Allah
• Allah’s names and atrributes’
• Worshiping Allah alone
• How to achieve la ilaha Illah

These 2 pillars is the majority of ‘Aqeedah, Knowing Allah, and worshipping him alone.