Aqida from the ground up1

Islamic Notes Series
Aqida
Aqida from
the Ground
Up
ByProf MohamedTariqKahn

Aqida
The Tawhid of Allah
Concerning knowledge of Allah, know that Allah is One
without any partners, not in His Lordship, not in His
Divinity or in His names and attributes. Allah is Allah and
creation is creation.
Allah, glory be to Him, He has no helpers, no child, mother,
father, wife...any associate. None. He has no partner and no
need for it.
There is no creator besides Him and no lord or master
besides Him.
There is no provider, and no one that disposes of the
affairs in this existence except Him.
Then acknowledge and testify that there is none that has
the right to be worshipped but Him, al- Aziz , al-Hakim.
NOTES:
Termsof Reference

Aqida
Affirming Tauhid means singling out the worship of Allah
alone, also
Affirming that worship is for Allah alone! with all its
necessary implications and rights.
Affirming Tauhid means negating the types of shirk
and partnerships in glorification, and what follows as a
consequence of that.
ِ‫ون‬ُ‫ﺪ‬ُ‫ﺒ‬ْ‫ﻌ‬َ‫ـ‬‫ﻴ‬ِ‫ﻟ‬ ‫ﱠ‬‫ﻻ‬ِ‫إ‬ َ‫ﺲ‬ْ‫ﻧ‬ِْ‫اﻹ‬َ‫و‬ ‫ﱠ‬‫ﻦ‬ِْ‫ﳉ‬‫ا‬ ُ‫ﺖ‬ْ‫ﻘ‬َ‫ﻠ‬َ‫ﺧ‬ ‫ﺎ‬َ‫ﻣ‬َ‫و‬
"I did not create the Jinns and the human beings except
for the purpose that they should worship Me"
Quran 51:56
NOTES:
These obligatory matters
include believing in the heart
and expressing with the
tongue : Laa illaha illallah
and is followed by actions.

Aqida
Singling out for worship: What is the implications of
that?
It means to single Him, the glorified out for all types of
worship such as:
Prostration, bowing, vowing, tawaf , sacrifice, slaughter,
supplication, legislation, and all things similar to it.
ِ‫ﺎﰐ‬ََ‫ﳑ‬َ‫و‬ َ‫ﺎي‬َ‫ﻴ‬َْ‫ﳏ‬َ‫و‬ ‫ﻲ‬ِ‫ﻜ‬ُ‫ﺴ‬ُ‫ﻧ‬َ‫و‬ ِ‫ﰐ‬ َ‫ﻼ‬َ‫ﺻ‬ ‫ﱠ‬‫ن‬ِ‫إ‬ ْ‫ﻞ‬ُ‫ﻗ‬َ‫ﲔ‬ِ‫ﻤ‬َ‫ﻟ‬‫ﺎ‬َ‫ْﻌ‬‫ﻟ‬‫ا‬ ِّ‫ب‬َ‫ر‬ ِ‫ﱠ‬ِ-
َ‫ﲔ‬ِ‫ﻤ‬ِ‫ﻠ‬ْ‫ﺴ‬ُ‫ْﻤ‬‫ﻟ‬‫ا‬ ُ‫ل‬‫ﱠ‬‫َو‬‫أ‬ َ0َ‫أ‬َ‫و‬ ُ‫ت‬ْ‫ﺮ‬ِ‫ُﻣ‬‫أ‬ َ‫ﻚ‬ِ‫ﻟ‬َ‫ﺬ‬ِ‫ﺑ‬َ‫و‬ ۖ ُ‫ﻪ‬َ‫ﻟ‬ َ‫ﻳﻚ‬ِ‫ﺮ‬َ‫ﺷ‬ َ‫ﻻ‬
(Quran 6:162-163).
"Say, :My prayer, my offering, my life and my death are for
Allah, the Lord of all the worlds.
For Him there is no partner. And thus I have been
commanded, and I am the first one to submit".
Even our life and death is for Allah, not this or that being.
NOTES:

Aqida
Laysa kamithli shay' : He is unlike anything
Quran 42:11
ٌ‫ء‬ْ‫ﻲ‬َ‫ﺷ‬ ِ‫ﻪ‬ِ‫ﻠ‬ْ‫ﺜ‬ِ‫ﻤ‬َ‫ﻛ‬ َ‫ﺲ‬ْ‫ﻴ‬َ‫ﻟ‬
and also
ُ‫ﻞ‬َ‫ﺜ‬َ‫ْﻤ‬‫ﻟ‬‫ا‬ ِِّ-َ‫و‬َ‫ﻰ‬َ‫ﻠ‬ْ‫ﻋ‬َ‫ﻷ‬‫ا‬
Wa lillahil-mathalul-a'la.
Ayah 60 of Suratun-Nahl
Allah has Attributes of perfection that are not similar to
the attributes of others or creation. Everything other than
Allah is created (i.e., this entire universe, space-time, the
worlds, jannah, jahannam, anything possible).
Everything we as human beings know exist in 3 dimensional
space-time. Three dimensional space time gives us six
directions. A flat piece of paper is two dimensional space.
A two dimensional space-time has four directions. Allah has
NO direction as He is not contained in any such dimensional
existences. Allah is also not subjected to time.
NOTES:

Aqida
4 directions is 2D
Two dimensional space-time cannot describe Allah.
6 directions is 3D
Three dimensional space-time CANNOT describe Allah.
Only Allah can describe Allah, in Quran and on the tongue of
His Messenger ‫ﷺ‬ but we CANNOT give any likeness or
interpretation in OUR OWN terms of reference to it.
NOTES:

Aqida
We can only CONFIRM what Allah says about Himself, not
attempt to imagine all kinds of possibilities.
The Attributes of Allah are eternal and everlasting; they
have no beginning or end. The Attributes of Allah do not
change, develop, or transform, because those processes
belong to the attributes of the creation. The "How" is not
possible for anyone to ask.
Thus says Ibn Qudama al-Maqdisi (Lum atul I'tiqad):
"Every attribute of the Most Merciful [Allah] which comes in the Qur’an, or is
authentically narrated from the Chosen One ‫ﷺ‬ , must be believed in, submitted
to and accepted. Contradicting it by rejection, interpretation, drawing
resemblance or similitude, must be abandoned. Whatever is difficult to grasp
must be affirmed, and delving into its meaning should be avoided. Knowledge of
it should be referred to the One who said it, and we put its responsibility/
trusteeship to the one who narrated it. We follow the way of those firmly
grounded in knowledge who were praised by Allah in His Clear Book in His
statement:
“… And those firmly grounded in knowledge say: We believe in it; all of it is from
our Lord.” (SurahAal ‘Imran, (3): 7)
Regarding those who desire to interpret the unclear aspects of revelation:
“As for those in whose hearts there is deviation, they follow what is unclear of
it, desiring turmoil and misinterpretation.” (SurahAal ‘Imran, (3):7)
He made the desire for interpretation a sign of deviation and linked it to the
desire for turmoil in censure. Then He veiled them from what they hoped for
and cut off their desires from what they sought in His statement:
“While, no one knows its interpretation except Allah.”
(SurahAal ‘Imran, (3): 7)"
NOTES:

Aqida
Can we speculate about Allah with our own
knowledge?
The statement of Allah narrated from Isa ibn Maryam –
Peace be on him:
“You know what is in myself and I do not know what is in
Yourself. ” (Soorah al- Maa’idah, (5): 116)
This explains that even the answer of a Prophet of Allah
was not subject to his own interpretation, even with the
vast knowledge that came with prophethood. The
contentious question, "How?" is not entertained because it
will lead to unending questioning and speculation of the
essence of Allah which will lead to disbelief.
The Prophet ‫ﷺ‬ asked someone called Husayn : “How many
gods do you worship? ” He replied, “Seven; Six on Earth and
one above the heavens.” He asked him, “From Whom do you
seek your needs and protection from your fears? ” Husayn
replied, “From the One above the heavens.” He then told
him, “Leave the six and worship the One who is above the
heavens and I will teach you two prayers.” He accepted
Islam.
NOTES:

Aqida
The Arsh (Throne) of Allah
Imam Malik ibn Anas – May Allaah have mercy on him – was
asked: “O Abu ‘Abdullah, “The Most Merciful has settled
above the throne,” how did He settle above?” He replied,
“Settling above is not unknown, the how is incomprehensible,
belief in it is obligatory, and questioning about it is
innovation.” He then instructed that the man be seized and
expelled from the gathering.
Narrated by al-Bayhaqee in al-Asmaa was-Sifaat,, ad-Daarimee in ar-Radd ‘alaa al-
Jahmiyyah,
‫ﻰ‬َ‫ﻠ‬َ‫ﻋ‬ ُ‫ﻦ‬َْ‫ﲪ‬‫ﱠ‬‫ﺮ‬‫اﻟ‬ ‫ﷲ‬ ‫ﻋﺒﺪ‬ ‫أ‬ : ‫ﻓﻘﺎل‬ ‫ـﻞ‬‫ﺟ‬‫ر‬ ‫ﻓﺠﺎء‬ ‫أﻧﺲ‬ ‫ﺑﻦ‬ ‫ﻣﺎﻟﻚ‬ ‫ﻋﻨﺪ‬ ‫ﻛﻨﺎ‬ :
‫اء‬‫ﻮ‬‫اﻻﺳﺘ‬ )) ‫ﺣﱴ‬ ‫أﺳﻪ‬‫ر‬ ‫ﻣﺎﻟﻚ‬ ‫ﻓﺄﻃﺮق‬ :‫ﻗﺎل‬ ،‫اﺳﺘﻮى؟‬ ‫ﻓﻜﻴﻒ‬ ‫ى‬َ‫ﻮ‬َ‫ـ‬‫ﺘ‬ْ‫اﺳ‬ ِ‫ش‬ْ‫ﺮ‬َ‫اﻟﻌ‬
‫ﻣﻌﻘﻮل‬ ‫ﻏﲑ‬ ‫اﻟﻜﻴﻒ‬‫و‬،‫ﳎﻬﻮل‬ ‫ﻏﲑ‬،‫ﺑﺪﻋﺔ‬ ‫ﻋﻨﻪ‬ ‫ال‬‫ﺆ‬‫اﻟﺴ‬‫و‬ ،‫اﺟﺐ‬‫و‬ ‫ﺑﻪ‬ ‫اﻹﳝﺎن‬‫و‬ ،
Our knowledge and belief in a matter is not dependent on
knowing its kayfiyyah. In other words, not knowing the
description and reality of an attribute neither negates nor
opposes believing in the Attribute itself as there is no
interdependence between the meaning and the kayfiyyah.

Aqida
The Messenger of Allah, the ultimate teacher about
Allah.
Imam al-Awza’i narrates that Hassan ibn Atiyyah said,
“The revelation used to descend on the Messenger of Allah
‫ﷺ‬ and Jibreel would bring him the Sunnah which interprets
that revelation, so the Prophet ‫ﷺ‬ didn’t have any source for
his statements, actions and approvals except the Wahi
(revelation).
Then he recited:
“Nor does he speak of (his own) desire. It is only an
Inspiration that is inspired” (Qur’an 53:3-4).
The unique nature in which Islam was brought and taught, in
stages with the revelation from Allah of His uncreated
Word, the Quran al-Majeed, deserves special merit and the
Ulama are unanimous that there are nothing left out of
knowledge in the development of a human being that was not
dealt with by the Rasul of Allah, Muhamad ‫ﷺ‬ . This human
development, ( not technological advancement which is
knowledge of " the names of things", which Allah gave to our
ancestor Adam, alayhi salaam,) is the crowning glory of the
vast Sunnah of Muhamad ‫ﷺ‬.

Aqida
Aboveness (uluw) is to be accepted without direction
or 3D envisioning
Qadi Abu Bakr Ibn Al-Arabi Al-Maliki said, when speaking
about Hadith on Allah's Attributes: «And the madhhab of
Malik -Rahimahullah- is that each one of them [the hadiths
of Attributes] its meaning is known, that is why he said to
the one who asked him: "Al-Istiwa' is not unknown, and the
kayfiyyah [its reality, how it is] is incomprehensible.")
And it has been narrated that Imam Malik said: «Allah Azza
wa Jal is above the heaven (fi as-sama') and His Knowledge
is everywhere, not being absent from anything.»
Muhammad bin Mawheb Al-Maliki (d. 406 H.) said in his
Sharh of Ibn Abi Zayd’s “Risalah” : “And the word “fi” (in) in
the language of the Arabs can have the meaning “fawqa”
(above), like His saying: {Do you feel secure that He, Who is
over the heaven} [67:16] …{and I will surely crucify you fi
(on) the trunks of date palms} [20:71]. The people of Tafsir
said: He means “above it”, and it is the saying of (Imam)
Malik from what he understood from the Tabi`een, from
what they understood from the Sahabah, whom understood
it from the Prophet –Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam- that Allah
is fis-sama’ (in the heaven) meaning: above it.
(Al-Uluw by Adh-Dhahabi (p.264)

Aqida
Imam Al-Qurtubi al Maliki (d. 671 H.) said in “Al-Asna fi Sharh
Asma’ Allah Al-Husna” after mentioning 14 sayings regarding
Allah’s Istiwa : “And the most correct of these beliefs...., is
what is manifest in the ayaat and hadiths, that Allah –
Subhanahu wa Ta`ala- is on His Throne as He said in His Book,
and upon the tongue of His Prophet without (asking) how,
separate from all His creation, this is the sum of the belief of
the Pious Salaf from what has been transmitted from them by
the Trustworthy narrators.”
Imam Al-Qurtubi also says:
‫ووﺻﻔﮫ‬‫اﻷﺟﺳﺎم‬ ‫ﺻﻔﺎت‬ ‫ﻷﻧﮭﺎ‬ ‫واﻟﺣدود‬ ‫واﻟﺟﮭﺎت‬ ‫ﺑﺎﻷﻣﺎﻛن‬ ‫ﻻ‬ ‫واﻟﻌظﻣﺔ‬ ّ‫ﺑﺎﻟﻌﻠو‬.‫اﻷﯾدي‬ ‫ﺗرﻓﻊ‬ ‫وإﻧﻣﺎ‬
‫ﻣن‬ ‫اﻟﻣطﮭرﯾن‬ ‫وﻣﻌدن‬ ،‫دس‬ُ‫ﻘ‬‫اﻟ‬ ‫وﻣﺣل‬ ،‫اﻟﻘطر‬ ‫وﻣﻧزل‬ ،‫اﻟوﺣﻲ‬ ‫ﻣﮭﺑط‬ ‫اﻟﺳﻣﺎء‬ ‫ﻷن‬ ‫اﻟﺳﻣﺎء‬ ‫إﻟﻰ‬ ‫ﺑﺎﻟدﻋﺎء‬
‫ﻟﻠدﻋﺎء‬ ً‫ﺔ‬‫ﺑﻠ‬ِ‫ﻗ‬ ‫اﻟﻛﻌﺑﺔ‬ ‫ﷲ‬ ‫ﺟﻌل‬ ‫ﻛﻣﺎ‬ ‫وﺟﻧﺗﮫ؛‬ ‫ﻋرﺷﮫ‬ ‫وﻓوﻗﮭﺎ‬ ،‫اﻟﻌﺑﺎد‬ ‫أﻋﻣﺎل‬ ‫ﺗرﻓﻊ‬ ‫وإﻟﯾﮭﺎ‬ ،‫اﻟﻣﻼﺋﻛﺔ‬
‫وﻻ‬ ‫واﻟزﻣﺎن‬ ‫اﻟﻣﻛﺎن‬ ‫ﺧﻠﻖ‬ ‫ﻗﺑل‬ ‫أزﻟﮫ‬ ‫ﻓﻲ‬ ‫وﻛﺎن‬ ،‫إﻟﯾﮭﺎ‬ ‫ﻣﺣﺗﺎج‬ ‫ﻏﯾر‬ ‫وھو‬ ‫اﻷﻣﻛﻧﺔ‬ ‫ﺧﻠﻖ‬ ‫وﻷﻧﮫ‬ ،‫واﻟﺻﻼة‬
‫زﻣﺎن‬ ‫وﻻ‬ ‫ﻟﮫ‬ ‫ﻣﻛﺎن‬.‫ﻛﺎن‬ ‫ﻋﻠﯾﮫ‬ ‫ﻣﺎ‬ ‫ﻋﻠﻰ‬ ‫اﻵن‬ ‫وھو‬ .
The descriptions of aboveness (‘uluw) and grandeur are not in
the sense of a place, direction of limits as these are the
qualities of bodies. During supplication the hands are only raised
towards the heavens because this is the place from where
revelation descends and rain falls, the place of purity where the
pure Angels reside, and the deeds of creation are raised
towards it, and over the heaven is His ‘Arsh and Paradise – just
like Allah has made the Ka’bah the direction (qibla) for
supplication and prayer. This is because Allah has created place
and He is not in need of place Himself, He was in His beginning-
less eternality before creating space and time, when there was
no place or time, and He is now as He was.

Aqida
Imam Ghazali as-Shafi'i said in his Qawa'id al Aqa'id:
"Truly, He is seated on the throne after the manner in
which He said and in the sense in which He willed -in a state
of equilibrium removed from contact, fixity of location,
stability, envelopment, and change. The throne does not
support Him, but the throne and those who carry it are
supported by the grace of His power and are constrained by
His hand. He is above the throne and above the Heavens and
above everything to the limits of the earth with an
aboveness which does not bring Him nearer to the throne
and the Heavens, just as it does not make Him farther from
the earth. No, He is highly exalted above the throne and
the Heavens, just as He is highly exalted above the earth."
Thus the statements of the Most High:
“Are you secure from the One above the heavens?” (Soorah
al-Mulk, (67): 16)
And the statement of the Prophet ‫ﷺ‬:
“Our Lord is Allah who is above the heavens, holy is Your Name"
(Sunan Abu Dawud, vol. 3)

Aqida
Is Allah Everywhere?
It is the belief of the rationalists who subscribed to the
logic of the Greek translations that began to flourish during
the Umayyad era after the conquest of Egypt. They denied
Allah's attributes and His description of Himself was
questioned. Human rationality became a yardstick, not the
word of the Most High.
Ibn Abdul-Barr Al-Maliki (d. 463 H.) in “At-Tamheed” when
explaining the hadeeth regarding Allah’s Nuzool : “And in it
is evidence that Allah –Azza wa Jal- is above the heaven on
the Throne, from above seven heavens, as the Jama`ah
said. And it is from their evidences against the Mu`tazilah
and Jahmiyyah who says that Allah –Azza wa Jal- is
everywhere, and not on the Throne.”
( Remember the principle - Dont ask How?)
In opposing the view of the people of Sunnah, the
Mu'tazillah seeked to explain away what their logic saw as
attributing direction to Allah, and proposed that Allah is
everywhere.

Aqida
Jahm ibn Safwan the heretic
Abu Muàdh Khalid bin Sulaiman Al-Balkhi (d. 199 H.) said: «al-Jahm
bin Safwan was on the crossing of Tirmidh, and he had an eloquent
tongue, but he had no knowledge, and had no sitting with the people
of knowledge. He then spoke to the Sumaniyah, and they said to him:
“Describe for us your Lord whom you worship.” So he entered his
home and didn’t come out (for some time), then he came out to them
after several days and said: “He is this air, (He is) with everything,
and in everything, nothing is free of Him.” Abu Muàdh said: “The
enemy of Allah has lied, Allah is above the heavens (fis-sama) on the
Throne as He described Himself.»
Ishaq bin Rahwaih said (d. 238 H.) : «The sign of Jahm and His
companions is their claim, with their passion with lying, that Ahl Al-
Jam’ah are Mushabbiha (one’s who liken Allah to His creation), nay
but they are Muàttilah (negators of Allah’s Attributes), and if it
was probable to say: “they are the Mushabbiha”, it would be possible,
for they say : Allah -Subhanahu Wa Taala- is everywhere with all of
Him, in the lowest earth and the highest heaven the same, and they
have lied in that, and kufr (disbelief) is imperative of them.»
Abu Asim Khushaish bin Asram (d. 235 H.) said, when classifying the
Jahmiyyah: «Some of them claims that there is no veil between
Allah and His Creation, and that Allah cannot be separated from His
creation and His creation cannot separate from Him unless He
annihilate all of His creation, so none is left of His creation. And
that He is at the end the Last of His creation mixed with it, so if He
took the life of His creation, He would be clear of them and they
would be clear of Him ...

Aqida
Another type of Jahmiyyah denied that Allah –subhanahu wa Ta’ala-
is above the Heaven (fi as-sama), denied The Kursi, and denied that
Allah is above the Throne, above the heavens; And they say that
Allah is everywhere, existing even in dirty places, Exalted Be Allah
from what they say.
Remember:
Allah is free of likeness, place, our
imagination...By introducing the questioning
of Allah's description in His revelation, a
re-interpretation, explaining away, became
necessary, leading to even more
preposterous presumptions by the Jahmiah
and the Mu'tazillah. This philosophical
approach was later incorporated amongst
Sufi orders as well, who wished to explain
the verse: "Everywhere you look is the Face
of Allah."

Aqida
What follows is the translation of the Aqida section of
the Matn Risala ibn Abi Zayd, which was done by Alhaj
Bello Mohammad Daura, MA. The commentary was done
by the author of this current book in order to
contextualise it to our situation.
Who was Ibn Abi Zayd?
Ibn Abi Zayd was known as the Little Malik, in that he
was regarded as being so closely on the methodology of
Malik, in scrupulousness and understanding. He was
from Qayrawan in North Africa and lived from 310AH
to 386AH.
He was the Imam of the Malikis in his time and their
model. He had a comprehensive grasp of the school of
Malik and explained his statements. He had extensive
knowledge and a prodigious memory and transmission.
His books are ample testimony of that. His writing was
fluent, clarifying and defining what he said. He did not
write in flowery language but penned what was easily
understood and whose meaning was apparent and clear.
He defended the school of Malik and established
evidence in its support. He knew how to refute the
people of sects. In addition to his writing, he was very
righteous, scrupulous and chaste. He obtained
leadership in the deen and this world and people from
all regions travelled to visit him.
His work on Aqida is a bastion of the belief of the
Ahlus Sunnah.

Aqida
1.1 Beliefs regarding Allah
1.1a Tawhid -His Oneness and Disconnection from creatures
(tanzih)
These obligatory tenets include believing in the heart and
expressing with the tongue that Allah is One God with no
god other than Him, nor any likeness to Him, nor any equal
to Him.
1.1b. Lack of Associates
He has had no child. He had no father. He has no wife. He
has no partner.
1.1c. Lack of Temporality
There is no beginning to His firstness nor any end to His
lastness.
1.1d. Ineffablity and Indefinablity
Those who try to describe Him can never adequately do so
nor can thinkers encompass Him in their thought. Real
thinkers may derive lessons from His signs but do not try to
think about the nature of His Essence. "But they do not
attain any of His knowledge except what He wills." (2:254)
Aqidaof IbnAbiZaydalMaliki

Aqida
1.1e. His Footstool
"His Footstool embraces the heavens and the earth, and
their preservation does not tire Him. He is the Most High,
the Magnificent" (2:254)
1.1g. His Attributes
The All-Knower and the All-Aware, the Arranger and the
All-Powerful. The All-Hearer and the All-Seeing. The High
and the Great. He is over His Glorious Throne by His
Essence.
1.1g. His knowledge
He is everywhere by His knowledge. He created man and He
knows what his self whispers to him and He is nearer to him
than his jugular vein. No leaf falls without him knowing of it
nor is there any seed in the darkness of the earth, nor any
fresh thing nor any dry thing, that is not in a clear book.
1.1h. Mastery over all creation
He is firmly established on His throne and has absolute
control over His kingdom.
1.1i. His Names and Attributes
"To Allah belong the Most Beautiful Names" (7:180)
1.1j. His Speech and Manifestation
He spoke to Musa with His speech which is an attribute of
His essence and not something created. He manifested
Himself to the mountain and it disintegrated through
exposure to His majesty.

Aqida
The Prophet said:
“O Allah, I ask you by every name belonging to You with which You named
Yourself, or You revealed in Your scripture, or You taught one of Your
creatures, or You kept with Yourself exclusively in the hidden knowledge.”
[Musnad Ahmad, vol. 1, p. 394, 452]
Allah's names and attributes are not decided by reason but by Revelation.
Thus we accept all his names and attributes as He revealed without asking
How. When He describe Himself by terms like His Hands, it can be
explained metaphorically, or accepted as is without further delving. And
affirmation, due to lack of our own knowledge, is preferred over reason
which subjects Allah to our knowledge.
“And to Allah belongs the supreme example” (Soorah an-Nahl, (16): 60)
However attributes in creation that represents deficiency without any
element of perfection, is absolutely inapplicable to Allah. For example,
death, ignorance, inability, deafness, blindness, etc. Because the Almighty
punishes those who attribute deficiency and imperfection to Himself and He
exalted Himself far above the deficiencies they attributed to Him due to the
contradiction of deficiency to Lordship and sovereignty.
In outlining the points of belief in Allah, ibn Abi Zayd gives a short but
concise description which is a framework for correct belief in the Asma wa
Sifaat as described in the Quran and Hadith. Thus Allah is given the glory of
naming and attributing to Himself what he wants, not subject to human
intellect. For instance :
“They plot and Allaah plots, and Allaah is the best of plotters.” (Soorah
al-Anfaal, (8): 30)
Does this ayat indicate something negative about Allah? No. If it is asked,
for example: “Can Allah be described as plotting?” Do not say yes or
no. Instead say that He plots against those who deserve it, and Allah knows
best.

Aqida
1.2 Belief in the Qur'an
The Qur'an is the speech of Allah, not something created
which must therefore die out, nor the attribute of
something created which must therefore come to an end.
1.3 Belief in the Decree (Qadar)
1.3a. The Prior Decree of Good and Evil
Also included is belief in the Decree both the good of it and
the evil of it, the sweet of it and the bitter of it. All of this
has been decreed by Allah, our Lord. The way things are
decided is entirely in His hand and the way they happen is
according to His decree. He knows all things before they
come into existence and they take place in the way He has
already decided.
The early Muslims never differed that this audible Qur’an is Allah’s Speech, and that Jibreel
descended with it upon the Prophet ‫ﷺ‬ . The reliable imams all declared that the Quran is
eternal, as stated here by Ibn Abi Zayd, while the Mu’tazila claimed that it is created. Later
some Muslims agreed with the Mu’tazila that the Quran is created and said: ‘This is not
Allah’s Speech. Rather, Allah’s Speech is an Attribute subsisting in Allah’s Essence. It did not
descend on the Prophet, nor is it audible.'
We do not oppose the basic statement of Ibn Abi Zayd. It is safer to accept that the Quran is
Kalaamullah, without questioning how?

Aqida
1.3b. Prior Knowledge
There is nothing that His servants say or do which He has
not decreed and does not have knowledge of. "Does not He
who creates know, when He is the Subtle and the Aware."
(67:14)
1.3c. The Prior Predisposition of People
He leads astray whoever He wills and in His justice debases
them and He guides whoever He wills and in His generosity
grants them success. In that way everyone is eased by Him
to what He already has knowledge of and has previously
decreed as to whether they are to be among the fortunate
or the miserable.
1.3d. Exaltedness of Allah's power
He is exalted above there being anything free of Him in His
kingdom, or that there should be anything not dependant on
Him, or that there should be any creator of anything other
than Him, the Lord of all people, the Lord of their actions,
the One who decrees their movements and the time of their
death.

Aqida
1.4 Belief in the Messengers and Muhammad ‫ﷺ‬
1.4a. The sending of Messengers
He has sent Messengers to them in order that they should
have no argument against Him.
1. 4b. The Final Messenger
He sealed this Messengership, warning, and Prophethood
with his Prophet Muhammad, may Allah bless him and grant
him peace, whom He made the last of the Messengers - "A
bringer of good news and a warner, calling to Allah by His
permission and an illuminating lamp."
1.4c. Divine Guidance through the Book
He sent down on him His Wise Book and by means of him He
explained his upright deen and guided people to the
Straight Path.
It is obligatory to believe in the Prophet ‫ﷺ‬ as the final Messenger
and final Prophet. It is necessary to accept everything that the
Prophet ‫ﷺ‬ has brought to us, that authentically narrated from him.
We believe accept that what he brought is truth and correct,
whether we understand it or are ignorant of it and have not
understood the reality of its meaning. For example, the Night
Journey (Israa ) and the Ascension (Mi‘raaj) which took place in
the waking state and not during sleep. The Quraysh tribe rejected it
and considered it a gross error, while not denying dreams. To the
Prophet ‫ﷺ‬ was revealed the final complete revelation, al-Quran. He
was described as the Living Quran by his wife Aisha, radialllahu
anha.

Aqida
1.5. Belief in the Resurrection and Judgement
1.5a. The Last Hour
Also part of what must be believed is that the Hour is
coming - there is no doubt about it .
1.5b. Resurrection of the Dead
It must be believed that Allah will raise up all who have
died: "As He brought them into existence the first time so
they will be brought back again;"
1.5c. Divine Reward: Multiplication of Good Actions
It must be believed that Allah, glory be to Him, multiplies
the reward of the good actions of His believing servants.
1.5d. Pardoning Wrong Actions
He pardons them for their major wrong actions by virtue of
their repentance (tawba) and forgives them for their minor
wrong actions by virtue of their avoidance of the major
wrong actions.
1.5e. Those who do not repent are subject to His will
Those who do not repent of their major wrong actions
become subject to His will. "He does not forgive anything
being associated with Him, but He forgives anything other
than that to whoever He wills."

Aqida
1.5f. Deliverance from the Fire because of Iman
Those He punishes with His Fire, He will remove from it
because of any Iman they did have and by this He will
cause them to enter His Garden. "Whoever does an atom's
weight of good will see it." (99:7)
1.5g. The Intercession of the Prophet
Any of the community of the Prophet, may Allah bless him
and grant him peace, who have committed major wrong
actions and for whom he intercedes, will be brought out of
the Fire by his intercession.
1.6 The Afterlife: the Garden and the Fire
1.6a. The Garden
Allah has created the Garden and has made it ready as an
everlasting abode for His friends (awliya'). He will honour
them in it with the vision of His Noble Face. This is the
same Garden from which He sent down Adam, His Prophet
and Khalif, to the earth, which was as it had already been
decreed in His foreknowledge.
1.6b. The Fire
He has created the Fire and has made it ready as an
everlasting abode for those who disbelieve in him and deny
His signs and Books and Messengers and He keeps them
veiled from seeing Him.

Aqida
1.7 Details of the Resurrection
1.7a The Coming of Allah and the Angels
Allah, may He be blessed and exalted, will come on the Day
of Rising together with the angels, rank upon rank.
1.7b. Presentation of Peoples
All the different peoples are confronted with their
accounts and their punishment or reward.
1.7c. The Balance
The balances will be set up to weigh people's actions -
"Whoever's actions are heavy in the balance - they are the
successful."
1.7d. The Books of Actions
People will be given pages on which their actions are
recorded - "Whoever is given his book in his right hand will
be given an easy accounting and whoever is given his book
behind his back - they will burn in a Fire." (84:7- 13)
1.7e. The Sirat
The Bridge (sirat) is true and people will cross it according
to their actions. Those who cross it, and achieve safety
from the Fire, do so at different speeds, while the actions
of others cast them to their destruction in the Fire.

Aqida
1.7f The Basin
Also included is belief in the Basin (hawd) of the Messenger
of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, which
his community will come down to drink from after which
they will never feel thirst again. But those who make any
changes or alterations in the dîn will be driven from it.
1.8 Belief (Iman)
1.8a. Definition of Iman
Iman consists of what you say with the tongue, what you
believe sincerely in the heart, and what you do with the
limbs.
1.8b Increase and Decrease of Belief
It increases when your actions increase and decreases when
they decrease. So it is through actions or the lack of them
that increase and decrease in belief occurs.
1.8c. The intention and following the Sunna
The statement of belief is not complete without action.
Neither the statement nor action are complete without
intention. And neither the statement nor intention are
complete unless they are in accordance with the sunna.

Aqida
1.8d. Islam and Wrong actions
No Muslim becomes an unbeliever (kafir) through wrong
actions.
1.8e. Martyrs
Martyrs (shuhada') are alive, receiving their provision in the
presence of their Lord.
1.8f. In the grave: the spirits of the fortunate
The spirits of the fortunate remain in bliss until the day
they are raised again.
1.8g. In the grave: the spirits of the miserable
The spirits of the miserable are tormented until the Day of
Judgement.
1.8h. The questioning in the grave
The believers are tried and questioned in their graves.
"Allah makes those who believe firm by giving them firm
words in the life of this world and the next world."

Aqida
1.9 The Angels
1.9a. The Recording Angels
People have recording angels over them who write down
their actions. Nothing people do escapes the knowledge of
their Lord.
1.9b. The Angel of Death
The angel of death seizes people's spirits by the permission
of his Lord.
1.10 Authorities
1.10a The Best generation
The best generation are those who saw the Messenger of
Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and believed
in him. Then those who followed them and then those who
followed them.
1.10b. The best Companions
The best of the Companions (Sahaba) are the rightly-guided
khalifs. Firstly, Abu Bakr, then 'Umar, then 'Uthman, then
'Ali, may Allah be pleased with all of them.

Aqida
1.10c. Respect for all the Companions
None of the Companions of the Messenger should be
mentioned except in the best way and silence should be
maintained concerning any disagreements that broke out
between them. They are the people who are most worthy of
being considered in the best light possible and the people
whose opinions should be most respected.
1.10d. Those in authority
Obedience to the leaders of the Muslims, both their rulers
and their men of knowledge, is obligatory.
1.10e. The Salaf
It is also obligatory to follow the Right-acting Companions,
to tread in their footsteps and ask forgiveness for them.
1.10f. Avoiding Disputation
It is also obligatory to avoid wrangling and argumentation
regarding the Deen ...

Aqida
1.10g. Avoiding Innovations (Bidah)
...and (it is obligatory) to avoid every new thing which people
have introduced into it (the Deen).
New matters of worship in the Deen are shunned as per the hadith in the Sahih of
Muslim and many others:
Narrated Irbad ibn Sariyah:
AbdurRahman ibn Amr as-Sulami and Hujr ibn Hujr said: We came to Irbad ibn
Sariyah who was among those about whom the following verse was revealed: "Nor
(is there blame) on those who come to thee to be provided with mounts, and when
thou saidst: "I can find no mounts for you."
We greeted him and said: We have come to see you to give healing and obtain
benefit from you.
Al-Irbad said: One day the Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) led us in
prayer, then faced us and gave us a lengthy exhortation at which the eyes shed tears
and the hearts were afraid.
A man said: Apostle of Allah! It seems as if it were a farewell exhortation, so what
injunction do you give us?
He then said: I enjoin you to fear Allah, and to hear and obey even if it be an
Abyssinian slave, for those of you who live after me will see great disagreement.
You must then follow my sunnah and that of the rightly-guided caliphs. Hold to it
and stick fast to it. Avoid novelties, for every novelty is an innovation, and every
innovation is an error.
In the Muwatta: Yahya related to me from Malik, from Yahya ibn Said, from
Muhammad ibn Ibrahim ibn al-Harith at-Taymi, that Rabia ibn Abdullah ibn al-Hudayr
once saw a man in a state of ihram in Iraq. So he asked people about him and they said,
"He has given directions for his sacrificial animal to be garlanded, and it is for that reason
that he has put on ihram ."
Rabia said, "I then met Abdullah ibn az-Zubayr and so I mentioned this to him and he
said, 'By the Lord of the Kaba, an innovation!"

Aqida
May Allah bless and give much peace to our Master
Muhammad ‫ﷺ‬ , His Prophet, and his family and his wives and
his descendants

Aqida
Arabic Matn of the Aqida.

Aqida
First Draft End

Aqida from the ground up1

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