1. Musallah at-Taqwa
Islamic College of Canberra
Saturday
February 28,
2009
‫ﺑﺴﻢ ﺍﷲ ﺍﻟﺮﲪﻦ ﺍﻟﺮﺣﻴﻢ‬
Explanation of the Three Fundamental Principles
Class Notes – Term 1, Week 3
‫ﺋﻞ‬‫ﺎ‬‫ﺑﻊ ﻣﺴ‬‫ﺗﻌﻠﻢ ﹶﺃﺭ‬ ‫ﺎ‬‫ﻠﹶﻴﻨ‬‫ﻳﺠﺐ ﻋ‬ ‫ﻪ‬‫ﺇﹺﻋﻠﻢ ﺭﺣﻤﻚ ﺍﷲ ﹶﺃ‬
‫ ﹶ‬ ‫ ﹺ‬  ‫ﱡ‬
 ‫ ﹺ‬‫ ُ ﻧ‬     ‫ﹶ‬
“Know, may Allah have mercy upon you, that it is obligatory upon you to have knowledge of four matters”.
What is knowledge?
‫ﺇﹺﻋﻠﻢ‬
‫ﹶ‬
– Is an order, meaning know! The way it is phrased indicates that the matter which needs to be learnt
is of importance.
Knowledge (al-‘Ilm): Its meaning is to comprehend the reality of something as it truly is, with certainty. There
are six levels of comprehension.
(i)
(ii)
(iii)
(iv)
(v)
(vi)
Knowledge (al-‘Ilm): To comprehend the reality of something as it truly is, with certainty.
Slight Ignorance (al-Jahlul Baseet): The absence of full comprehension.
Aggravated Ignorance (al-Jahlul Murakkab): To comprehend something in a way contrary to
its true reality.
Delusion (al-Wahm): To think one comprehends something despite the presence of
something which should cause you to realise you are wrong.
Doubt (ash-Shakk): To think you comprehend something, but you are aware of something
contrary to it which you think has the same possibility of being correct. i.e. equal probability
of being correct or incorrect.
Preponderant Belief (Dhann): Comprehension of something despite the presence of
something which is contrary to it but is less likely to be true. i.e. greater probability of being
correct.
Knowledge is of two categories:
(i)
(ii)
Inevitable (Durooree): Is known inevitably without the need to investigate or prove with
evidence. e.g. the fact that fire is hot.
Speculative (Nadharee): Requires investigation and proof in order to establish its truth. e.g.
intention (niyyaa) is obligatory when making wudoo.

2. The meaning of “May Allah have mercy upon you”
‫– ﺭﺣﻤﻚ ﺃﹶﷲ‬
  
Its general meaning is: May Allah (swt) shower his mercy upon you so that you obtain what
you are seeking and escape that which you fear and causes misfortune.
The full meaning of Rahma (mercy):
(i)
(ii)
(iii)
May Allah (swt) forgive your previous sins &
Guide you to what is correct and good in the future &
Protect you from sins in the future.
If Maghfira (forgiveness) is used alongside Rahma (mercy) then the meaning changes:
Maghfira: Forgiveness of one’s previous sins
Rahma: Guide you to what is correct and good in the future & protect you from sins in the future.
Therefore the term Rahma by itself is stronger as it includes all three meanings. Maghfira is used in this
context as a comparative word to illustrate the stronger meaning of Rahma when used independently.
The kindness of the author
·
·
·
·
·
·
The phrase ‫ ﺭﺣﻤﻚ ﹶﷲ‬is a dua (supplication) which the Sheikh makes to the one seeking
‫ﺃ‬  
knowledge.
It shows the care and concern he has for the reader that he intends and desires good for them.
This is the kindness a teacher should have towards their students, or from someone calling to Allah
(swt). This is so that the person on the receiving end is affected by what is being taught and is willing
to accept.
If they were harsh then the students would turn away.
Therefore when calling to Allah (swt) gentleness and kindness in words and actions must be used as
this is more likely to be accepted by the one sincerely seeking the truth.
As for the person who is rebellious and arrogant, then they are addressed in the opposite manner
with strong and harsh refutation because they do not wish for good but instead prefer misguidance
and the misguidance of others.
What is ‘Wajib’?
‫ﺎ‬‫ﻠﹶﻴﻨ‬‫ﻳﺠﺐ ﻋ‬ - ‘Obligatory upon you’
 ‫ﹺ‬
Wajib (obligatory): The person who does it will be rewarded, and the person who leaves it will be punished.
· Therefore it is obligatory for every Muslim individual to know the subsequent four issues which are
mentioned.
· Doing so will earn the reward of Allah (swt) and not doing so will earn His severe punishment.
· The author did not say that the four issues are mustahabb (recommended) or mubaah (permissible),
rather he said that they are wajib (obligatory).

3. There are Two Types of Wajib:
‫ﻴﻨﹺﻲ‬‫ﺍﺟﺐ ﺍﻟﻌ‬‫ ﺍﻟﻮ‬ ‫ﹺ‬
·
·
There is no excuse for being ignorant of this knowledge. Every person will be accountable for it
on the Day of Judgment.
An example is knowledge of the five pillars. You need to learn Tawheed to avoid Shirk. You need
to know the rulings of salaat so that you can pray in the proper manner that the Prophet (saw)
used to pray.
‫ﻲ‬‫ﻔﹶﺎﺋ‬‫ﺍﺟﺐ ﺍﻟﻜ‬‫ﺍﻟﻮ‬
 ‫ﹺ‬
·
·
·
Obligatory on every Muslim to know and implement.
– Not obligatory on every Muslim to know.
At a minimum, a group of people must learn this knowledge and serve the community with it.
E.g. the laws of inheritance or transactions. There is no harm in every individual learning it.
If a group learns and implements this knowledge then the responsibility falls off the remainder
of the community.
However if no one learns and implements this knowledge, then the whole community is sinful.
What knowledge is implied?
·
‫ﺗﻌﻠﻢ‬ – To have knowledge of, or to learn. This indicates that we must make the effort to learn these
 ‫ﱡ‬
four matters, as knowledge can only be attained through learning and struggle. That is, knowledge
must be sought after and is not acquired passively.
· The knowledge that is implied is the knowledge that the Prophet (saw) came with and draws the
slave closer to Allah (swt).
· Learning worldly knowledge is mubaah (permissible) and not intended in this context. Whoever is
ignorant of worldly knowledge will not be held accountable for it. However a person who learns
worldly knowledge (and it is halal) and serves the community with his knowledge then he will
Inshallah be rewarded for his service.
· This illustrates the importance and priority a person must give towards learning and implementing
the knowledge that will save him from the Hellfire and admit him into Paradise.
Last week’s questions
(i)
Why does the hidden verb in the basmalah come after the name of Allah (swt)? Hint: there are
two reasons.
(ii)
Explain the beautiful name of Allah (swt). In your explanation, describe how the beautiful name
of Allah (swt) is derived.
(iii)
What is the combined meaning of ‘al-Rahmaan, al-Raheem’? What is the verse in the Quran
which supports this meaning?
(iv)
When confirming and establishing the names and attributed of Allah (swt), what are the four
things we avoid?