Al-Aqidah Al-Tahawiyyah [Sharh Al-Maydani] Introduction, Part Three. 16-9-2013 Monday 7pm 9pm Course link: http://www.anymeeting.com/islamiccourses1 The Text [Al-Matn] All praise is due to Allah, the Lord of the worlds. The great scholar Abu Ja far At-Tahawi, may Allah have mercy on him, said: This is a presentation of the beliefs of Ahl us-sunnah wal-jama ah, according to the school of the jurists of this religion, Abu Hanifa An-Nu man ibn Thabit Al-Kufi, Abu Yusuf Ya qub ibn Ibrahim Al-Ansari and Abu Abdullah Muhammad ibn al-hasan al- Shaybani, may Allah be pleased with them all, and what they believe regarding the fundamentals of the religion and their faith in the Lord of all the worlds. One of the unique points about this is that Imam Tahawi clearly states the beliefs [aqidah] he is about to present are that of the Ahlus-Sunnah Wa l Jama ah. The first word used here by Imam Tahawi as mentioned by Imam Abdul Ghani Al- Ghunaymi Al-Maydani in his commentary: The beginning of the text is Ahl [people]. The Imams have said Ahl are those who align themselves to the sunnah and have made an alliance and are subjugating themselves in following the sunnah of the prophet [sall allahu alayhi wa aalihi wa sallam]. The sunnah is the way of the prophet [sall allahu alayhi wa aalihi wa sallam]. It is what he did, what he said and what he approved [sall allahu alayhi wa aalihi wa sallam]. Imam Tahawi in the beginning removes all ambiguity, any misconceptions and all doubt by saying the belief he is about to present and write about is in accordance to the people who follow the sunnah. Who are the Ahlus-Sunnah Wa l Jama ah? Imam Abu Da wud narrates in his collection, Imam Ahmad Bin Hanbal in his Musnad and Imam Al-Hakim in his Al-Mustadrak; The people of the scriptures [Ahl al-kitābayn] meaning the Jews and the Christians will be divided into 72 sects. Any my Ummah [nation] will be divided into 73 sects. All of them will go into the Fire except one, and they are the jama ah [majority].
Imam Muslim narrates in his Sahih and Imam Al-Tirmidhi. It is an authentic hadith with no shadow of a doubt; This Ummah will split into 73 sects, all of them will enter into the Fire except one. At this point the blessed sahaba were curious to find out what group it was. The sahaba then asked, Ya Rasul Allah [sall allahu alayhi wa aalihi wa sallam], which one is that will not enter the Fire. Rasul Allah [sall allahu alayhi wa aalihi wa sallam] replied, That which I and my companions are upon today. We can conclude from this single hadith that Ahlus-Sunnah Wa l Jama ah are those who follow the sunnah of Rasul Allah [sall allahu alayhi wa aalihi wa sallam] and the companions. Imam Tahawi clearly states the view of the sunnah and jama ah. Imam Tahawi then mentions the belief is according to the school of the jurists of this religion. The three Imams are then quoted, starting from this belief he is presenting is in according to the way of Imam Abu Hanifah, the great Imam and according to Qādi Abu Yusuf his student and Imam Muhammad Shaybāni. Here Imam Tahawi is reemphasising that the aqidah he is presenting is according to the people of the sunnah and the jama ah. Qādi Abu Yusuf is extremely famous and as quoted by Imam Zayd Al-Kawthari in his biography of Qādi Abu Yusuf; He was amongst the most superior and senior in knowledge [įlm] of the students of Imam Abu Hanifah. Qādi Abu Yusuf was the first chief judge in the history of Islam. Imam Shaybāni was also a student of Imam Abu Hanifah. Imam Dhahabi in his book of the Manāqib of Imam Abu Hanifah. He was of the opinion that Imam Shaybāni spent two years studying with Imam Abu Hanifah. This was the two years in which Imam Abu Hanifah was imprisoned. It was in this time Imam Shaybāni studied with him. Some have differed on this view. People are not to be confused by thinking this aqidah is strictly the beliefs of Imam Abu Hanifah and his two students. What Imam Tahawi is saying in his text is that this is an overall declaration of the people who follow the sunnah and the jama ah. When we say; Ahlus Sunnah Wa l Jama ah, it refers to every sunni Muslim and every sunni scholar and not just of the three Imams but of the Ahlus-Sunnah Wa l Jama ah collectively and is not limited to the three Imams.
1. We say about the Tawhid [1] of Allah believing with the help of Allah that Allah is unique, without any partners. [1] Some people have translated the word tawhid as meaning the unity of Allah. Some have said it means the oneness of Allah. We humbly disagree with this translation, as you cannot unite something with Allah and Allah is pure from unity. Allah is the creator of unity, hence not bound with it. The Ulema [scholars] say by what is meant by tawhid is that we believe Allah is unique and nothing is like Him. The most important part of your belief is tawhid. This is the first thing a person must learn. When one dies and the first question you will be asked in the grave is regarding tawhid. From this we deduce and the Ulema have come to the conclusion and Imam Abdul Ghani Al-Ghunaymi Al-Maydani says; From this hadith and various other hadith and Qur anic verses that the most fundamental part of aqidah is tawhid. If your tawhid is corrupt and not correctly established according to the way of the Imams of Islam, then your entire aqidah will be polluted. Example; If you have a glass of fresh water that is clean, you will drink it. This fresh water is your aqidah. If you were to add a drop of urine or a drop of najaasa [impurity] into the water, it would corrupt and pollute the entire water in the glass. You wouldn t drink from it or use it for bathing as you know it is impure. Shayh Mahmud Sa id Al-Mamduh [Hadith Master from Egypt] says; Your aqidah [belief] is the glass and the content in the glass is your Imaan [faith]. So, if your tawhid is not in conformity with the Qur an or Sunnah nor is it in alliance with the Imams of Ahlus-Sunnah wa l Jama ah; if it is corrupted, that impurity is your corruption and your bad tawhid [or your bad understanding of tawhid] which then enters into the glass, which then makes the entire contents of the glass impure. Hence, tawhid MUST be rich and pure in its meaning. So, when Imam Al-Tahawi says Tawhid, we don t say it means unity but it means; believing in the uniqueness of Allah and nothing is similar to Allah in any form. Allah [azza wa jall] is not similar to His creation. Allah is One with no partners. Imam Al-Bukhari said; A person came and said to Rasul Allah [sall allahu alayhi wa aalihi wa sallam] which were the best deeds? Rasul Allah [sall allahu alayhi wa aalihi wa sallam] said; The belief in Allah [azza wa jall] and His Messenger [sall allahu alayhi wa aalihi wa sallam].
When the word unity in translations is used, this is incorrect as it means to unite. And nothing can unite with Allah [azza wa jall], as it means to bring together. Allah is pure from unity and is only for creation and not for Him. TAWHID IS OBLIGATORY UPON ANYONE WHO IS MU KALLAF. Mu kallaf is someone who is accountable for their deeds. A Mu kallaf is; 1. Someone who is mature [has reached puberty] 2. Someone who is sane 3. Someone who is a Muslim or the message of da wah has reached them. If a male or female or a Muslim or non-muslim fulfils these three conditions, all are held accountable for their deeds. The ultimate knowledge is to study the knowledge of tawhid. About 600-700 years ago, a person who wrote a book and came to the conclusion in which he divided into three types and the contemporaries over the past two centuries who follow this individual have re-emphasised this divide of three. They say tawhid is; 1. Rubūbiyya [the tawhid in believing in Allāh] 2. Ulūhiyya [believing in the oneness of Allāh] 3. As mā wa Sifāt [the names and attributes of Allāh] These people say that these are the three types of tawhid. This concept is contrary to the classical way of Ahlus-Sunnah Wa l Jama ah. This is not the way or the minhāj [method] of the people of the sunnah [prophetic way] and the jama ah [majority]. Why do we say this? Because, the greatest teacher of tawhid for thirteen years, who was teaching his companions in Makkah Al-Mukarramah wa Muhammad [sall allahu alayhi wa aalihi wa sallam]. And after him, the companions began to teach tawhid to their students and so forth. There is not one single hadith in any book of hadith, whether authentic [sahih] or even weak [da īf], which tells or informs us that tawhid is of three types. Not even in a fabricated [mawdư] narration will you find where it is said that tawhid is of three types! We pose a question to those who divide tawhid into three types; from which source did you derive this opinion from, is it from the Qur an and where has Allah [azza wa jall] stated this? Did Allah [azza wa jall] tell us anywhere in the Qur an.
Allah [azza wa jall] says in the Qur an; Therefore know that there is no god but Allah. Allah [azza wa jall] also says time and time again in various verses of the Qur an Qul Huwa Allahu Ahad [Say, Allah is One!] Allah [azza wa jall] reminds us of His uniquness. If tawhid was of three types, then Allah [azza wa jall] would have informed us. Not in a single ayah or hadith was this mentioned The greatest man to ever walk this earth, the greatest and most honourable of the creation of Allah [azza wa jall] and the one who Allah loves and cherishes the most and the master of all prophets and our most noble prophet Muhammad [sall allahu alayhi wa aalihi wa sallam], who brought us this message of tawhid and who came to take us out of the darkness into light and to teach Al-Quraysh tawhid, because the biggest opposition to tawhid were Quraysh and the people who worshipped idols. If tawhid was three types, then Rasul Allah [sall allahu alayhi wa aalihi wa sallam] would have told us. 1. Allah [azza wa jall] never informed us about it 2. Rasul Allah [sall allahu alayhi wa aalihi wa sallam] never informed us 3. The Sahaba [radiy allahu anhum] never informed us [the greatest community after all prophets] 4. The Tābi īn [early Muslims/students of Sahaba] never informed us or said tawhid is of three types 5. The Taba tābi īn [latter Muslims/ students of the students of Sahaba] never informed of educated us of tawhid being of three types 6. The first three centuries of Islam the golden period of Islamic knowledge, also known as the renaissance period; none of the Imams said tawhid was three. To say tawhid is three is incorrect and has no basis in Islam. Imam Fakhr Ad-Din Al-Rāzi says in his Tafsīr Kabīr; When anything comes in regards to Allah [azza wa jall], we will always give a Ma jāzi [metaphorical] meaning to the word. To remove and ambiguity and anthropomorphism, we will say Allah [azza wa jall] is unique and without any partners. 2. There is nothing like Him. The Arabic word that is used is tash bīĥ [to liken with something]. It is clearly agreed upon by all the great Imams of aqidah that this liken to Allah is not vague but clear in its meaning. When the word tash bīĥ [sha ay] is used or likening to Allah, it is very clear. Some people say that the word used sha ay [to liken Allah to something] is vague. We say it is clear and the Qur an has removed this vagueness and is very clear in its meaning and nothing is similar to Allah [azza wa jall].
Imam Al-Tahawi s evidence for this and Imam Al-Maydani says; The position of saying that Allah [azza wa jall] is unsimilar; the authority of saying this is from the Qur an. Allah [azza wa jall] says in Surah Ash-Shura, Ayah 11; Nothing is like Allah in any way This verse in agreement by every scholar of tafsīr [exergist] of the Qur an have clearly said; that this verse in its meaning and its style is extremely clear and it is not open to any second interpretation. Imam Fakhr Ad-Din Al-Rāzi on his tafsīr of this very same verse and other Mufassirīn [exergists] say; This verse is not open to any second interpretation. This verse is from the verses of the Qur an, which do not have multiple meanings. The Arabic words used cannot be interpreted in multiple ways. Allah [azza wa jall] is NOT similar to His creation. Allah [azza wa jall] says in Surah Al-Furqān, Ayah 2; He [Allah, azza wa jall] created everything. Everything we see and we don t see was created by Allah [azza wa jall]. 3. There is nothing that can make him powerless. Nothing can prevent Him from having His will. Whatever is the will of Allah [azza wa jall] will happen. 4. There is no god other than Him. There is no true god or deity except Allah [azza wa jall]. There is nothing worthy of worship but Him. 5. He is the eternal without a beginning and everlasting without end. Everything in the creation of Allah [azza wa jall] has a beginning and only Allah [azza wa jall] in His uniqueness has no beginning. We as humans have a beginning but Allah has no beginning.
Every human being has a soul [rūĥ] and the soul that we have is everlasting. When you die, the soul does not end. Death does not come to your soul. All that happens is that you go from Hayāt Al-Dunyā [worldly life] to Hayāt Al-Barzakh [world between death and resurrection]. You simply go from one dimension into another dimension. Imam Hammad Al-Ghazzali says about the difference between our everlasting and the everlasting of Allah [azza wa jall] by saying; The difference between our everlasting and the everlasting of Allah [azza wa jall] is that we have a beginning and Allah [azza wa jall] does not have a beginning. Allah [azza wa jall] is not subjected nor subjugated to change or to a place or to time. Change is a characteristic if the creation. Nothing is like Allah [azza wa jall]. Humans change; we were born, we came out the womb of our mothers, we were babies, we grew into a child, then a teenager. From a man we become old and weak man and then we die. This is the process of change. Change cannot be a quality of Allah [azza wa jall]. Our existence is subjected to the will of Allah [azza wa jall] but Allah s existence is not dependent upon anyone. Imam Al-Bukhari narrates in his sahih and Imam Al-Bayhaqi has also narrated; Allah existed and there was nothing else in existence. Imam Al-Bayhaqi narrates in his Kitāb Al-As mā wa Sifāt with a Sanad [chain] going back to Hadrat Ibn Abbās [radiy allahu anhu]; Think and ponder about the creation of Allah [azza wa jall] and don t ponder upon the divine self of Allah [azza wa jall]. 6. He will never perish or come to an end. 7. Nothing happens, except what He wills. Nothing will ever happen except what Allah [azza wa jall] will Himself.