The 4 Principles (Final Part)

 

Part 4 of Questions and Answers taken directly from Umm AbdulWahhab's Students of Sunnah Aqeedah Class, based on the book Al-Qawaa'id Al-Arba'ah by Al Shaykhul Islaam Muhammad ibn AbdulWahhab at-Tamimi (rahimullaah).

You can read PART 1 here , PART 2 here. and PART 3 here.

Question: What are 2 conditions that intercession must meet in order to be accepted?

Answer: The person being interceded for must be from at-Tawheed, in other words, the person must be a Muslim. The proof for this can be found in the Qur'aan in Surah Ghafir, verse 18 (40:18) :

"And warn them, [O Muhammad], of the Approaching Day, when hearts are at the throats, filled [with distress]. For the wrongdoers there will be no devoted friend and no intercessor [who is] obeyed."

Question:What is 'waseelah'? Describe the legal and illegal forms of waseelah.

Answer: Waseelah means of nearness or obedience. There are 2 forms. The first one is 'legal' and that is which leads to Allaah's pleasure. The second is 'illegal' which is when one places someone between themself and Allaah (i.e. the righteous or the dead).

Question: The third rule is that the Prophet (peace be upon him), would encounter people who worshipped many different things, but he, peace be upon him, fought them all and did not differentiate between them. What is the proof for this?
Answer: The proof can be found in the following verse:

"And fight them until there is no fitnah and [until] the religion, all of it, is for Allah. And if they cease - then indeed, Allah is Seeing of what they do." (Qur'aan 8:39).

Question: What is al-Laat? What is al'Uzza? What is Manat?

Answer: These were the 3 major idols worshiopped by the pagan Arabs who claimed that they were the 3 daughters of Allaah (azz wa jal). The following descriptions of the 3 idols are taken directly from the book.

"Al-Laat with takhfeef (without shaddah) on the taa, was the name of an idol in Taa-if in reference to a sculptured rock upon which a monument was built. It was surrounded by curtains to resemble the Ka'bah and around it was a courtyard with custodians. The people used to worship it besides Allaah, the Mighty and Majestic, and it belonged to Thaqeef (a tribe) and their related tribes and they used to take pride in it."

"Al'Uzza it was in the form of a tree in a palm growth between Makkah and Taa'if. A curtained building surrounded it and it used to have custodians. There were shayateen in it who would speak to the people and the ignorant people used to think that they were being spoken to by the tree or the building that was built upon it, although it was the shayateen who used to speak to them to divert them from the Path of Allaah, and the Quraish, the people of Makkah and those around them used to glorify it."

"Manat was a big rock which used to be in a place near Jabal Qudayd between Makkah and Madinah. It was venerated by Khuzaa'ah, 'Awd and Khazraj. They used to make Ihraam on it on the way to Hajj and they used to worship it besides Allaah."

Question: Which companion destroyed al-'Uzza? Which companion destroyed al-Laat?

Answer: Khalid bin Walid (radhiAllaahu 'anhu) destroyed al-'Uzza. Al-Laat was destroyed by Aby Sufyaan (radhiAllaahu 'anhu)

Question: The fourth principle is that the Mushrikeen(disbelievers) of our time are much worse than the Mushrikeen of the time of the Prophet (peace be upon him). Why is this so? What is the proof for this in the Qur'aan?

Answer: The Mushrikeen are much worse now because now it does not matter if they are in good circumstances or bad, they do not turn to Allaah (azz wa jal) at all. Atleast during the time of the Prophet (peace be upon him), if they were under bad circumstances they would turn to Allaah. The proof for this can be found in the following verse:

"And when they board a ship, they supplicate Allaah, sincere to Him in religion. But when He delivers them to the land, at once they associate others with Him."(Qur'aan 29:65).

Question: In which ayah (verse) did Allaah (Subhaanahu wa ta'Alaa) state to worship Him until certainty, and which hizb (party/group) uses this to their advantage and how?

Answer: Surah Al-Hijr, Verse 99 says:

"And when they board a ship, they supplicate Allah, sincere to Him in religion. But when He delivers them to the land, at once they associate others with Him" (Qur'aan 15:99).

The hizb that uses this to their advantage are the Sufi's.

The 4 Principles (Part 3)

PART 3 of Questions and Answers taken directly from Umm AbdulWahhab's Students of Sunnah Aqeedah Class, based on the book Al-Qawaa'id Al-Arba'ah by Al Shaykhul Islaam Muhammad ibn AbdulWahhab at-Tamimi (rahimullaah).

You can read PART 1 here , PART 2 here. , and PART 4 here.

Question: There are seven (sometimes eight) conditions of the shahadah (Ashhadu an La illaaha illAllaah wa ana Muhammadan Rasoolillaah). Name them.

Answer: They are knowledge ('ilm), certainty (yaqeen), sincerity (al-ikhlaas), truthfulness (sideeq), love for the statement (muhabban), compliance with what is required (al-waajibaat), acceptance (qabool), and disbelief in Taghoot (shirk).

Question: There are two forms of al-ikhlaas. What are they?

Answer: Sincerity to Allaah (azz wa jal) which means that all acts of worship are to Allaah alone without directing any of the worship to others. Sincerity to the Prophet (peace be upon him)'s Sunnah which is basically following the sunnah and leaving bid'ah (innovation).

Question: The first principle is that the kuffar, who the Messenger, sallAllaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, fought, used to affirm that Allaah, The Most High, was the Creator and Disposer of Affairs, but that didn't enter them into Islaam. Name the proof.

Answer: Surah-Yunus, ayah 31. (10:31):

Say, "Who provides for you from the heaven and the earth? Or who controls hearing and sight and who brings the living out of the dead and brings the dead out of the living and who arranges [every] matter?" They will say, "Allaah," so say, "Then will you not fear Him?"

Question: The second principle is that the Mushrikeen would turn to others (Awliyyaa') for intercession to become closer to Allaah. Name the proof where Allaah rejects this intercession.

Answer: Surah Az-Zumur, ayah 3. (39:3):

"And warn them, [O Muhammad], of the Approaching Day, when hearts are at the throats, filled [with distress]. For the wrongdoers there will be no devoted friend and no intercessor [who is] obeyed."

Question: Why did the Mushriks take on other people and objects as intercessors?

Answer: They thought that whatever they were worshipping was or were closer to Allaah, so they would go to these people for help rather than turn to Allaah (azz wa jal).

Question: What is the Arabic word for intercession? Define it. What are the 2 types?

Answer: As-Shafaa'ah. It means to step in to intercede for someone for benefit on behalf of someone else for them to go to Paradise (Jannah) or to save them from hell. The 2 types of intercession are 'Illegal' which means to seek intercession from other than Allaah (azz wa jal):
O you who have believed, do not invalidate your charities with reminders or injury as does one who spends his wealth [only] to be seen by the people and does not believe in Allah and the Last Day. His example is like that of a [large] smooth stone upon which is dust and is hit by a downpour that leaves it bare. They are unable [to keep] anything of what they have earned. And Allah does not guide the disbelieving people. [Qur'aan 2:264]

and 'Legal' which means that intercession is sought from Allaah (azz wa jal) and He grants it. 

Allaah - there is no deity except Him, the Ever-Living, the Sustainer of [all] existence. Neither drowsiness overtakes Him nor sleep. To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth. Who is it that can intercede with Him except by His permission? He knows what is [presently] before them and what will be after them, and they encompass not a thing of His knowledge except for what He wills. His Kursi(chair) extends over the heavens and the earth, and their preservation tires Him not. And He is the Most High, the Most Great. [Qur'aan 2:255],

The 4 Principles (Part 2)

PART 2 of Questions and Answers taken directly from Umm AbdulWahhab's Students of Sunnah Aqeedah Class, based on the book Al-Qawaa'id Al-Arba'ah'by Al Shaykhul Islaam Muhammad ibn AbdulWahhab at-Tamimi (rahimullaah).

You can read PART 1 here. PART 3 here, and PART 4 here

Question: In what surah did Allaah (Subhaanahu wa ta'Alaa) state that shirk is unforgiveable?

Answer: Surah An-Nisa (4:116).

"Verily! Allaah forgives not (the sin of) setting up partners in worship with Him, but He forgives whom He pleases other than that, and whoever sets up partners in worship with AllaAh, has indeed strayed far away."

Question: In what surah did Allaah (Subhaanahu wa ta'Alaa) state paradise is forbidden for those who commit shirk?

Answer: Surah Al-Ma'idah (5:72).

"Indeed, he who associates others with Allaah - Allaah has forbidden him Paradise, and his refuge is the Fire. And there are not for the wrongdoers any helpers."

Question: What are the forms of shirk? Shirk is the opposite of Tawheed (Oneness of Allaah).

Answer: There are two forms of shirk, Major (Akbar) and Minor (Asghar). Major shirk takes you  out of the fold of Islam. Minor shirk is when a person is still considered a muslim, however it is a major sin. The main difference between the two is the INTENTION.

Question: What are the types of bid'ah? Bid'ah is the opposite of Sunnah (The way of the Prophet (peace be upon him)).

Answer: Bid'ah Fid-Deen which are innovations or newly invented matters not from the Sunnah.

Bid'ah Fid-Dunya which are innovations in wordly matters.

Question: What are the 3 types of Tawheed?

Answer: Tawheed ar-Ruboobiyyah which is the Oneness of Allaah's LORDSHIP. Tawheed al-Uloohiyyah which is belief that Allaah (azz wa jal) is the only One worthy of worship. Tawheed Asma wa-Sifat which is the oneness of Allaah (azz wa jal)'s Names and Attributes. We do not take away names or attributes, nor do we add to them.

Question: Tawheed is free from the following 4 things. Define them.

Answer: 

Tasbih -- Comparison. Comparing the names of Allaah to something that already exists (i.e. so-and-so's mercy is like..)

Tamthil -- Saying that Allaah (azz wa jal) is like His Creation (i.e. His Hands are like our hands)

Tahrif --Distortion. Completely changing what Allaah (azz wa jal) has Said.

Ta'til -- Denial of Allaah's Attributes.

Question: The Kalimah (La illaaha illAllaah) has 2 pillars. Name them.

Answer: Nafi (La illaaha) which means negation. We negate everything that is worshipped other than Allaah (azz wa jal). Ithbaat (illAllaah) which means affirmation. We affirm that all worship is for Allaah (azz wa jal) Alone.

The 4 Priniciples (Part 1)

PART 1 Questions and Answers taken directly from Umm AbdulWahhab's Students of Sunnah Aqeedah Class, based on the book Al-Qawaa'id Al-Arba'ah'by Al Shaykhul Islaam Muhammad ibn AbdulWahhab at-Tamimi (rahimullaah).

PART 2 here. , PART 3 here , and PART 4 here.


Question: What is the meaning of Al-Qawa'id Al-Arba'ah and what is the book based upon?
Answer: The literal definition is 'The 4 Principles. It is based on tawheed and shirk, as well as knowing the traps of shirk and attaining knowledge of at-tawheed.


Question: The Shaykh begins the book making du'ah for the reader and names 3 important matters that lead to happiness. What are they?
Answer: Thankfulness, Patience, and Repentance.


Fill in the blanks:

On the authority of Aby Yahya Suhaib bin Sinan (radhiAllaahu 'anhu), it is related that the Prophet (sallAllaahu 'alayhi wa sallam) said, "How amazing is the affair of the believer. There is good for him in everything and that is for no one but the believer. If good times come his way, he expresses gratitude to Allaah and that is good for him, and if hardships come his way, he endures it patiently and that is better for him." [Muslim]

Question: What is Haneefiyyah? Who is a Haneef?

Answer: Haneefiyyah is belief in Allaah alone. It is to be sincere in the Deen. It's another word for Islam. A Haneef is a person who follows Haneefiyyah. He avoids shirk while being sincere in his Deen.

Question: Define shirk.

Answer: Shirk means to set partners and others in worship with Allaah (azz wa jal). If shirk exists in our 'ibaadah (worship), it nullifies it.

Question: What is the definiton of worship according to Ibn Taymiyyah (rahimUllaah)?

Answer: Worship is anything that pleases Allaah (azz wa jal). Both, sayings and actions.

Question: In what surah did Allaah (Subhaanahu wa ta'Alaa) define our purpose in life?

Answer: Surah Ad-Dhariyat (51:56)

Question: Worship is not correct unless it fulfills two conditions. Name them.

Answer: Sincerity to Allaah (azz wa jal), so it must be free from shirk, AND Mutaba'ah which means to follow the Sunnah of the Prophet (peace be upon him).