Tag Archives: Ibn Taymiyyah

Mar 27 2020

The Varying Forms of Wrongful Backbiting

by Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah

There are found amongst the people those that will backbite in accordance to his gathering and his companions and his associates. Whilst his knowing that the one being backbitten is free of what it is they say – or of some of what they say. However; he sees that if he were to forbid them then the sitting will cease and the people of the sitting would become sullen with him just as they would become estranged from him. So he sees compliance with them through good social relations as well as good companionship; so when they become angered then he likewise becomes angry due to their being angered – so he takes it up with them.

Then there are those that take backbiting out into many forms. So at times it would be in the form of Religion and rectification, so he will say: ‘I am not in the habit of mentioning anyone except in good; and I neither like backbiting nor lies. However I shall inform you of his affairs.’ So He will say: ‘By Allaah – he is Miskeen (weak/pitied) – or he is a good man; however he has in him such and such.’ Or he may say: ‘let us leave off him; may Allaah forgive him and us.’ Whilst his intent is to belittle him as well as causing a wrong to his flank. Thus taking the backbiting out from the form of rectification and Religion. They seek to deceive Allaah with that just as they deceive the creation. For we have seen this and its like from them in many varying colours.

Then there are those that will elevate other than himself out of showing off – and then raise himself. So he will say: ‘If I had supplicated for so and so last night in my prayer; then there would have reached me from him such and such.’ So as to raise himself whilst putting him down with the one that may have faith in him. Or he may say: ‘so and so is dull in intelligence and has little understanding.’ So his intent is the praise of himself and establishing his awareness of him – and that he is better than him.

Likewise from them are those that are carried by envy upon backbiting; and so will gather between two ugly affairs: backbiting as well as envy. So when an individual is praised, then he will try to remove that from him through showing his deficiencies in the form of Religion and rectification – or in the form of envy and immorality and dispraise – in order to remove that from him.

Then there are those that take backbiting out into the form of mockery and play; in order to bring laughter to other than himself through his joking and his mimicry and his belittling of the one he is joking about.

Then there are those that take backbiting out into the form of amazement; so he will say: ‘I am amazed at so and so at how he does not do such and such?! And from so and so as to how he fell into such and such; and how he did such and such.’ Thus pronouncing his name during the course of his amazement.

There are those from them that show sorrow; so he will say: ‘so and so is weak/pitied, it has caused me sorrow for what has happened to him and what the outcome was for him.’ So he who hears him thinks that he has sorrow for him and that he is regretful and that his heart is covered in the attainment of recovery for him; and if it were possible then he would add to that which was with him. He may also mention him in front of his enemies so that they may profit from it. So this; and other than it is from amongst the greatest of the sicknesses of the heart as well as deceitfulness to Allaah and His creation.

From them are those that make apparent backbiting through the form of anger and disapproving something abominable. So there becomes manifest in this aspect certain things from the adornment of speech which contains fallacies. Whilst his intent was other than what he made apparent. And Allaah’s aid is sought.

Dec 16 2012

What is Salafiyyah?

Allaah says:

“Indeed in the Messenger of Allaah there is an excellent example for those who seek Allaah and the Last Day and remember Allaah much”

And Allaah says:

“And what the Messenger gives you then take it and what he prohibits you from then abstain from it”

Then after the Messenger of Allaah (صلى الله عليه وسلم) it is an obligation to follow the methodology of the righteous predecessors (Salaf as-Saalih – سلف الصالح) and at the heads of them, the Companions and those who followed them and then those who followed them with righteousness, those whom Allaah said about them:

“And the first to embrace Islaam of the Muhaajiroon (those who migrated from Makkah to Al-Madeenah) and the Ansaar (the citizens of Al-Madeenah who helped and gave aid to the Muhaajiroon) and also those who followed them exactly (in Faith), Allaah is pleased with them and they are pleased with Him”

And following them is that you tread upon their methodology as well as their beliefs because protection is specific to the Messengers (عليهم الصلاة والسلام) and that anyone other than them are not infallible, rather they are subject to mistakes and correctness. However the salaf of this Ummah are not subject to that which came from those came after that, so they are the closest people, rather they are those who desire the most in aspiring to follow the prophetic methodology in statements and details and speech and action and belief. For that, being guided by their guidance and treading their methodology then this is what is required. Allaah says after mentioning some of the Prophets addressing the Messenger (صلى الله عليه وسلم):

“They are those whom Allaah has guided so follow their guidance”

And for this the Companions and those who followed them and those who came after them from the predecessors of the rightly guided Imaams did not have an expression in the noble generations, they are those who it is an obligation to follow and tread upon their methodology and that as-Salafiyyah is a methodology upright upon the guidance of the Book and the Sunnah.

And I believe that the word, “salafiyyah” or “Ahlus Sunnah” and “Ahlus Sunnah wal-Jamaa’ah” or “Firqatun Naajiyyah” (The saved sect), or “at-Taa’ifatul Mansoorah” (the victorious group), or “Ahlul Haqq” (the people of the Truth), then these words are all synonymous and contain one meaning. And it is not that Salafiyyah is an innovation as it is claimed but rather it is a synonymn for these words that I mentioned and it meaning it to take from the Salaf, those who came before. So the intent of the Salaf or the Salaf as-Saalih are those who came foremost from the Imaams of guidance and the religion and those who tread their path of success from the covenant of the Messenger (صلى الله عليه وسلم) to those who came from our scholars in our time. So it is not that salafiyyah is an innovation and it is not that this word is a new word.

And for that we find in the books of the Salaf, and from them Shaykh al-Islaam Ibn Taymiyyah and Ibn al-Qayyim and and from before them the guided Imaams, all of them used the word Salaf and followed the salaf and the methodology of the salaf and said “as-Salaf”, and this is the general statement of the Salaf. And this is the statement of the salaf all together and similar to that from the pronunciations that are evident upon the understanding of Salafiyyah. So the meaning of “salafiyyah” is following the the methodology of the Salaf as-Saalih from the Companions and those who followed them and those who followed them in faith, so therefore it is not an innovation and it is not a group from the groups that are formed upon themselves and if they differ with the Book and the Sunnah as it is the care with most of the groups which are found in our time. Therefore the word “as-Sunnah” and “Ahlus Sunnah”, so those who say that the word “Salafiyyah” is an innovation and use as a proof that the word “Salafiyyah” was not present in the time of the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) then we say to him that the word “Ahlus Sunnah” in this wording which is used by some of these groups was not present with this wording in the prophetic time, but that which was presented was “Sunnah” and “Jamaa’ah”, these wordings were present in the time of the Messenger (صلى الله عليه وسلم) and what the salaf made clear after that was that these wordings are synonymous with them and they carry the same meaning.

Therefore the statement of the one who says that it is an innovation then there is no doubt that it is merely out of prejudice. We say that if the intent of a person with the word Salafiyyah is to sectify which we find in our time with the groups or calls to that which is not like the Manhaj of the Salaf, then we do not agree with him nor do we accept from him this naming because he wears the garment and he’s not from it. Just as many of the old groups of innovators, many of them saw that they are from Ahlus Sunnah. The Ashaa’irah say that they are Ahlus Sunnah and the Mu’tazilah say that they are Ahlus Sunnah, it is only the Raafidah who say that they do not adopt the word Sunnah and Ahlus Sunnah, but as for the other groups then all of them claim that they are from Ahlus Sunnah. And in conclusion, all these wordings are synonymous in meaning and they all imply one meaning and imply one clear methodology and that is following the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) and his companions without excessiveness and negligence and extremism and laxity in speech and action and beliefs, and the intent is not to sanctify personalities and it is not a problem of personality sanctification in Salafiyyah because the Men are known by way of the Truth and it is not that the Truth is known by way of Men. And Allaah guides to the best path.))

Shaykh Saleh as-Suhaymee
Source: AhlusSunnahAudio.com
Translated by Akram an-Najdee

Oct 29 2012

Ibn Taymeeyah’s Letters from Prison {Download PDF}

Shaykhul-Islam Ibn Taymiyyahs Letters from Prison


DownloadShaykh al-Islaam Ibn Taymiyahs Letters from Prison
 (Right click then save target as)

Letter One The letter of Shaykh ul-Islaam Ibn Taymeeyah to his mother
Letter Two This is the first of two letters especially written for the benefit of his students and brothers in Damascus
The letter of Shaykh ul Islam from his prison in Alexandria to his companions
Letter Seven: The letter of the Imaam of the Muttaqeen, Ibn Taymeeyah to the King of Cyprus

Jan 2 2012

The Creed of The Imaam of Hadeeth

Al-Bukhari & of The Great Scholars From Whom He Narrated

The aqidah of The Imam of Hadith Aboo Abdullah Muhammed ibn Ismaa'eel Al-Bukharee & of The Great Scholars From Whom He Narrated, the Aqeedah of Ahlalhdeeth


Download
(Right click then save target/link as)

He is Muhammad ibn Ismaa’eel ibn Ibraaheem ibn Mugheerah al-Bukhaaree, Abu Abdullaah, he was born in Shawwaal, 194H.

1. About the Author
2. The Chain of Narrators
3. The Text
4. Speech and Actions
5. The Quríaan
6. The Pre-Decree (Qadar)
7. The Companions and their Honor
8. Innovations
9. Following the Messenger
10. Dealing with the Rulers

APPENDIX

A Brief Biography of Imaam al-Laalakaaíee
Books containing expositions of the Aqeedah of the Salaf
Wise Scholars and the Impateint Workers
Related by Ibn Saíd Tabaqaatul Kubraa (7/163- 165)
Paving the Way for Victory by Shaih Naasir ud-Deen Al- Albanee Fiqhul-waaqi (pp 49-51)
A Brief History of the Innovated Sects by Sheikh ul-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah (D.728H)

Dec 30 2010

Shaykh al-Albaanee: Recommends Books For A Young Person That Is Starting Out In His Islaamic Studies

Question: What are the books you recommend a young person that is starting out in his Islaamic studies to read?

Answer: If he is a novice, then from the books of Fiqh, we advise him to read ” Fiqh As-Sunnah” of Sayyid Saabiq, while seeking assistance from some of its references, such as ” Subul-us-Salaam” (of Imaam As-Sana’aanee, rahimahullaah). And if he looks into ” Tamaam-ul-Mannah” (of Al-Albaanee) then that will be stronger for him. And I advise him to read ” Ar-Rawdat-un-Nadiyyah” (of Sideeq Hasan Khaan).

As for the subject of Tafseer, then he should habitually read from the book ” Tafseer Al-Qur’aan-ul-‘Adheem” of Ibn Katheer – even though it is somewhat long – for it is the most authentic from the books of Tafseer today.

Then, on the subject of religious exhortation and heart-softening narrations, he should read the book “Riyaad-us-Saaliheen” of Imaam An-Nawawee.

Then, with regard to the books related to Creed, I advise him to read the book ” Sharh Al-‘Aqeedat-ut-Tahaawiyyah” of Ibn Abee Al-‘Izz Al-Hanafee. And he should seek assistance, also, from my comments and explanations to it.

Then, he should make it his customary practice to study from the books of Shaikh-ul-Islaam Ibn Taimiyyah and his student Ibn Qayyim Al-Jawziyyah, may Allaah have mercy on them. For I hold them to be from the rare and unique Muslim scholars that have treaded upon the methodology of the Salaf As-Saalih (righteous predecessors) in their understanding, while having Taqwaa and righteousness. And we do not purify anyone over Allaah.

Shaykh al-Albaanee (may Allaah have mercy on him)
[Al-Asaalah, Issue #5]

Dec 24 2010

E-Book & Audio: Explanation of a Summary of Aqeedah al-Hamawiyyah

Explanation of a Summary of Ibn taymiyyahs Aqeeda al-Hamawiyyah


Download
 (Right click then save target as)

Explanation of Aqeedah Al-Hamawiyah by Ali at-Timimi (Audio)
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4

Explanation of Ibn Taymiyyah’s Aqeedah al-Hamawiyyah by Shaykh Uthaymeen
One of the works on this subject is his “al‐Fatwaa al‐Hamawiyyah” which he wrote as an answer to a question presented to him. In it, he was asked what the scholars and Imaams of the religion say concerning the Aayaat and the Ahaadeeth of the Sifaat, or the attributes and characteristics of Allah.

Dec 1 2010

The Last Days of Ibn Taymiyyah

Zain-ud-din Abdur-Rahman relates that after completing 80 recitals of the Qur’aan, Ibn Taymiyyah started it all over again with him. However, when he reached the closing verses of Surah Al-Qamar – “Lo! The righteous will dwell among gardens and rivers firmly established in the favour of a Mighty King” – he expressed his desire to continue the recital further with Abdullah ibn Muhib and his brother Abdullah az-Zara’ee. These brothers were both pious and pure of heart, and their recital pleased Ibn Taymiyyah very much. He did not, however, complete this recital of the Qur’aan before the knell summoning him to heaven was sounded.

The Shaikh had been indisposed for a few days when the Governor of Damascus called upon him. At his request to pardon him for the inconvenience caused on his account, Ibn Taymiyyah replied: “I have already forgiven you and all those persons who have been hostile to me. They knew not that I was in the right. I bear no malice nor have I any grievance against the King for putting me in jail at the instance of the theologians. He did not do it of his own accord and is free from all responsibility in this regard. I have pardoned every man in this affair except those who are enemies of God and His Prophet.”

Ibn Taymiyyah was taken ill 22 days before his death. His health gradually deteriorated till the journey’s end drew near on the night of the 22nd of Dhul-Qa’da, 728 A.H., when he quit the world aged 67 years. “Everyone that is thereon will pass away there remained but the countenance of thy Lord of Might and Glory”. (ar-Rahman 55:26-27)

The crier of the Citadel Mosque announced Ibn Taymiyyah’s death from the minaret. In turn, this was repeated by the guards in the turrets and before long the news has spread like wildfire throughout the whole city. The gates of the fort were thrown open to allow wave after wave of teeming crowds to come and pay their last homage to their departed teacher. With tears brimming in their eyes, many of them kissed the forehead that frequently remained prostrated before the Lord.

The bier was brought to the Ummayad Mosque for the funeral service. The thronging crowd which was getting stronger every moment was so great that the soldiers has to force their way through, carrying the bier with great difficulty. With this vast multitude jostling and pushing to get near the bier many lost their shoes. At last the procession reached Suq al-Khalil where another funeral service was led by Ibn Taymiyyah’s younger brother Zain-ud-din Abdur-Rahman. After the service, Ibn Taymiyyah was laid to rest in Maqbarat-us-Sufiyah (1) by the side of his brother, Sharaf-ud-din Abdullah. It is estimated that some 60,000 to 100,000 persons of which at least 15,000 were women joined the funeral procession. (2)

In several Islamic countries lying to the south and east of Syria funeral services were held in absentia for Ibn Taymiyyah. Ibn Rajab, a chronicler who write Tabalaqat-ul-Hanabilah, says that funeral services were also held in several nearer and far-off lands like Yemen and China. “The funeral service of an expositor of the Qur’aan will now be held,” was the announcement made after Friday Prayuers in a far-off city according to travellers returning from China.

by Shaykh Sayyed Abu’l Hasan Ali an-Nadwi
Sheikh-ul-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah’s Life and Achievements
Published by UK Islamic Academy

——————————————————-
1.In this burial ground where such luminaries as Ibn Asakirm Ibn al-Salah, Ibn al-athir, Abul-Hajjaj al-Mizzi, Hafidh Imad-ud-din Ibn Katheer were buried, only the grave of Ibn Taymiyyah now remains in an open space before the hall of the University of Syria and the Hospital.

2.Ibn Katheer, vol.XIV pp 136-9

Jun 4 2010

Imam al-Mizzi Imprisoned by the Ash’aris for Reading out Imam Bukhari’s Book

The following incident is a clear proof that the Ash’aris are at odds with the Aqidah of the Salaf and the Imams of Ahl al-Hadith, such as Imam al-Bukhari. It is for this reason that they imprisoned the erudite Hadith scholar, Abul-Jamal al-Mizzi for reading out Khalq Af’al al-’Ibad, a famous creedal work by Imam al-Bukhari:

Ibn Kathir said in al-Bidayah:
“Some jurists were jealous of Ibn Taymiyyah because he had contacts in the Government, and because he single-handedly took care of enjoining the good and forbidding the evil, and because people listened to what he had to say, and because they loved him, and because of the great number of his followers, and because he stood for the truth, and because of his knowledge and action.

In Damascus, a lot of tension arose due to the absence of the vice Head of State [who was in Egypt at the time]. The [Ash’ari] judge in Damascus ordered for some disciples of Ibn Taymiyyah to be punished.

In the same period, it so happened that al-Mizzi read a chapter refuting the Jahmiyyah from al-Bukhari’s Khalq Af’aal al-Ibaad under the Nasr Dome [in the Umayyad Mosque]… Some [Ash’ari] jurists who were present there became angry and complained to the Shafi’i [Ash’ari] judge, Ibn Sasraa (??? ????) who was an enemy of his. Al-Mizzi was therefore jailed.

News reached Ibn Taymiyyah and he was saddened. He went to jail and had him taken out. He then went to the palace and found the judge there. They argued over al-Mizzi, so Ibn Sasraa took an oath that he would return al-Mizzi to jail or else he would step down as judge. [News reached Egypt], and the deputy Head of State had him re-imprisoned to keep the [Ash’ari] judge happy, but had al-Mizzi jailed nearby him in the city of Cusae [Asyut, Egypt]. Then the Deputy Head released him.

When the Deputy Head returned, Ibn Taymiyyah told him what had happened to him and his disciples in his absence. The Deputy Head was deeply saddened and announced in Damascus that nobody should debate in theology, and whoever does so would have his wealth seized, his blood shed and his house and shop razed to the ground. The situation therefore cooled down…”

Ibn Hajar said in al-Durar al-Kaaminah:
“In Rajab 712 A.H., al-Mizzi read a chapter from al-Bukhari’s Khalq Af’aal al-Ibaad in the Umayyad Mosque. Some Shafi’is [i.e. Ash’aris] heard him and became vexed. They remarked: “We are the ones being targeted by this”. They took him to court by a Shafi’i [Ash’ari] judge and he ordered for him to be jailed. News reached Ibn Taymiyyah, so he proceeded to the prison and had him released with his own hands… ”

“Al-Mizzi started to read out al-Bukhari’s Khalq Af’aal al-Ibaad, in which there is a chapter in refutation of the Jahmis. Some people [Ash’aris] became angry and remarked: “We are the ones being targeted here”. News reached the Shafi’i [Ash’ari] judge that very day and he ordered for him to be incarcerated. Ibn Taymiyyah went to get him released, but the deputy Head of State had him returned to prison. Later on, al-Mizzi was released…”

Al-Sakhawi said in al-Daw’ al-Laami’:
“… al-Mizzi was tested due to his reading out of al-Bukhari’s Khalq Af’aal al-Ibaad…”

Saheefah.org

Apr 21 2009

Learning from Ash’ari shaykhs

Question:

We are students who are seeking knowledge. We study ‘aqeedah with some teachers who are teaching us Ash’ari ‘aqeedah. They interpret the hand of Allaah as meaning His power or His blessing, and His being above His throne (istiwaa’) as meaning His sovereignty, and so on. What is the ruling on studying with these teachers?

Answer:

Praise be to Allaah.

These people who interpret the Qur’aan in this manner, whether they are called Ash’aris or some other name, have gone astray from the path of the righteous salaf.

Not even one letter of what these people say in their misinterpretations has been narrated from the righteous salaf.

Let them bring one word from the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), or from Abu Bakr, or ‘Umar, or ‘Uthmaan, or ‘Ali, to say that they interpreted Allaah’s hand as meaning His power, or that they interpreted His being above the Throne (istiwaa’) as referring to His Sovereignty, or that they interpreted His Face as meaning reward, or that they interpreted His love as meaning reward, etc. Let them produce one word from them to show that they interpreted these aayahs and similar verses in the manner that these people interpret them. If they cannot produce any such thing, let it be said that either the righteous salaf, headed by the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), the leader of the pious, were unaware of the meaning of this tremendous ‘aqeedah (of Islam), or they did know it but they concealed the truth. But neither of these can be said of the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) or of any of the Rightly-Guided Khaleefahs, or of his Companions (may Allaah be pleased with them). If that is the case then we have to follow their path (the path of the Prophet and the Rightly-Guided Khaleefahs).

My advice to these people is to fear Allaah and to abandon what So and so said, and to come back to the Book of Allaah and the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), and the way of the Rightly-Guided Khaleefahs who came after him. They should know that there will come a Day when they will return to Allaah, when they will not be able to use the opinion of So and so as evidence. By Allaah, So and so will not be able to help them on that Day. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“And (remember) the Day (Allaah) will call to them, and say: ‘What answer gave you to the Messengers?’” [al-Qasas 28:65]

He did not say, Remember the Day when (Allaah) will call to them and say, ‘What answer gave you to So and so…?’

And Allaah says in His Book (interpretation of the meaning):

“So believe in Allaah and His Messenger (Muhammad), the Prophet who can neither read nor write (i.e. Muhammad), who believes in Allaah and His Words, and follow him so that you may be guided” [al-A’raaf 7:158]

Allaah commanded us to believe in him and follow him. If this is the case then how can a person believe in Allaah and His Messenger in the true and complete sense, then turn away from the Sunnah of His Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and the way in which he believed in his Lord, and misinterpret the way in which Allaah has described Himself in His Book or the way in which His Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) has described Him, simply because of illusions which they call rational thought?

I advise them to come back to Allaah and to abandon any other opinion, and follow what Allaah and His Messenger say, for if they die following that they will have died following the truth. But if they go against that then they are in grave danger and those whose opinions they are following will not protect them from Allaah. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“(Remember) the Day when every person will come up pleading for himself, and every one will be paid in full for what he did (good or evil, belief or disbelief in the life of this world) and they will not be dealt with unjustly” [al-Nahl 16:111]

I repeat this advice to every believer, to come back to the Book of Allaah and the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) with regard to what he believes about his Lord and God, following the path of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), the rightly guided khaleefahs who came after him, and the imams of the Muslims who led the people in following the Sunnah of the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), without referring to rational thought, which is no more than an illusion, concerning issue that have to do with Allaah and His names and attributes.

Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah spoke well when he described the ahl al-kalaam (“Islamic” philosophers) as “having been given intelligence but not knowledge, and had having been given smartness but not sincerity.” So one has to deepen one’s knowledge on the basis of the Book of Allaah and the Sunnah of His Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). I ask Allaah to help us all to have faith and to cause us to meet Him when He is pleased with us, for He is Able to do all things. Praise be to Allaah, the Lord of the Worlds, and may Allaah send blessings and peace upon our Prophet Muhammad and his family and companions.

I call upon all seekers of knowledge to call their brothers to that which they have heard, for by Allaah it is the truth. Whoever claims to have truth other than this, we will accept it and adhere to it (if it can be proven to be true).

From Fataawa al-Shaykh Muhammad ibn Saalih al-‘Uthaymeen, Kitaab al-‘Ilm, p. 226