False Religions

What exactly is a false religion? How would we go about defining one? This would seem like such an easy question, but in the age that we live in much has become complicated. There tends to be a state of universalism now extent among us, meaning that people are now being massaged into spiritual sleep regarding contemplation on their eternal destination.

They are falsely led to believe that ‘all roads lead to the top of the mountain.’ But what if you are at the wrong mountain? Then whatever road you may use for transportation would be fruitless as you are at the
wrong location.

We must use the standard of Allah when judging all things, not merely what we think to be best. For if eternal truths have been laid down, that would of course necessitate that those things outside of those time honoured principles would be false. And if those things are false, this would mean that following it would result in divine judgement, something that no sane and sincere human being desires.

Perhaps we should examine exactly what Allah, Glorified and Exalted be He, has to say about other  religions? Let us allow Him to speak in His Word and tell us the affair in our midst,

This Day I have perfected your religion for you, perfected My Favour upon you and have chosen for you Islam as your religion.
[Surat ul-Maa’idah (5), ayah 3]

Indeed the religion in the sight of Allah is Islam
[Surah Aali `Imraan (3), ayah 19]

But what if you are a good person and you practice what religion that you have to the best of your ability? As long as you are a good person, should this not be the criterion? Allah has answered this in the negative,

And whoever chooses other than Islam as a religion, it will never be accepted from him. And he will be from among the losers in the Hereafter.
[Surah Aali `Imraan (3), ayah 85]

It has been inferred by some that as long as devotees of false religions faithfully practice the tenets of their faith, that this would be submission and count as a type of Islam. Therefore, those following the basic tenets of the world religions would be a sort of ‘generic Muslim’ populace. But is this what Allah has said about religion in general? Again, let us turn to His Infallible Word,

And it is He who sent His Messenger with guidance and the religion of Truth to make it manifest and victorious over all other religions, no matter how the idol worshippers may hate it.
[Surat us-Saff (61), ayah (verse) 9]

And it is He who sent His Messenger with guidance and the religion of Truth to make it manifest and victorious over all other religions. And Allah is sufficient as a witness.
[Surat ul-Fath (48), ayah (verse) 28]

But what of the good deeds and all the charitable works that many people who are not Muslim do in the world? Does that not count for anything? The answer is unfortunately no, as the Shahaadah (Testimony of Salvation and Faith) is the criterion for deeds to be valid and not self-goodness alone. What has Allah said about those who want to ‘measure up’ without believing?

Those who disbelieve, their deeds are like a mirage in a sandy desert, which the one who is thirsty mistakes for water; until when he comes to it he finds it to be nothing; but he finds Allah with him and Allah will pay him his account and Allah is swift in taking account.
[Surat un-Nur (24), ayah 39]

Those who disbelieve and hinder from the path of Allah, their deeds are nullified.
[Surah Muhammad (47), ayah 1]

Those who do not believe and they hinder from the path of Allah and then they die while they are kuffar (unbelievers), Allah will never forgive them.
[Surah Muhammad (47), ayah 34]

It is from this that we must understand that the following of any other faith besides Islam is the direct road to eternal judgement in the court of Allah on the Day of Resurrection. Let there be no doubt that there are certainly some who may be exempt from eternal judgement based on certain circumstances that exist that Allah Himself knows the fullness of in totality. However, the exception to the rule is not to be held as the rule, but as an exception. Thus the general rule, as we do not know the unseen and the intimate knowledge that Allah has of every person, is that we have no choice but to assume that those who outwardly have not submitted to Allah with the creed of salvation as far as we know are indeed lost and headed for eternal judgement. Consider the general principle that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) put forward for us to think about,

My example and yours is like that of a man who kindled a fire. Then the locusts and moths fell into it and the man was preventing them from it. And I am taking you by the seat of your clothes away from the Fire, but you are getting away from me.
[Collected by Imaams Muslim, hadith #2285 and Ahmad in his Musnad, V. 3, pp. 361 & 391]

What this statement is telling us is that the majority of humanity will not and are not going to submit and pronounce the word of salvation. They will not do so. It is for this reason, and not the exception, that we desire to reach out and pull as many people away from the Fire as possible through these articles and other tools for preaching the faith. Therefore, let the articles that we have given not be a form of entertainment, but a tool in presenting the faith handed down in the Infallible Word of Allah.

DEFINITION OF IMAAN

In terms of the Shari'ah the two words, Imaan and Islam , are inextricably interwoven. The Shar'i meaning of the one is incomplete without the meaning of the other. The two terms are complementary. The one is a necessary corollary of the other. The existence of the one is dependent on the existence of the other. Negation of the one implies the automatic negation of the other. A proper understanding of Imaan is, therefore, possible only by a study of the Shar'i definition of both words and their interrelationship to one another. 
  
Literal Meaning 


Imaan literally means:
to verify, to accept, to attest with the heart .

The acceptance by the heart with conviction is termed Imaan in the literal sense. Hence, Imaan is a state or an internal ( Baatini ) condition. 

Islam literally means:
to submit oneself to another; to make oneself lowly in the presence of another .

In the literal meanings of the two words have their share in the Shar'i definition of Imaan and Islam. Basing the technical (i.e. the Shar'i ) meanings on the literal meanings. Imaam Abu Muhammad Mas'ud Baghawi Rahmatullah Alay says: 

Nabi (SAW) defined Islaam as the name for external acts and Imaan as the name of the internal beliefs.
  
Technical ( Shar'i ) Meaning 


For all practical purposes, Imaan and Islaam mean one and the same thing. Allamah Taftaazaani Rahmatullah Alay in sharhul Aqaa-id states:
Imaan and Islaam are on thing.

Imaam Subki Rahmatullah Alay explaining the interrelationship between Imaan and Islaam , says that although Islaam applies to outward submission inward Imaan is a prerequisite or a condition (shart) for its ( Islaam 's) validity. Similarly, although Imaan applies to inward submission (inqiyaad baatin ), outward submission is essential for it. 

It will now be clear that Islaam minus Imaan and Imaan without Islaam are of no consideration in the Shari'ah . Allamah Zubaidi rahmatullah Alay states that the Ashaa'irah * and Hanafiyah are unanimous on this view. 

The unity of the Shar'i conception of the two words is amply borne out by the following statements which appear in Sharhul Aqaa`id :

In the Shari'ah it is not proper, to proclaim the same person to be a Mu'min but not a Muslim or a Muslim but not a Mu'min.

The one is inseparable from the other because of the unity of conception.

In short Imaan cannot be divorced from Islaam nor Islaam from Imaan .

The accepted and popular definition of Imaan is: 

Acceptance with the heart and the declaration with the tongue.

 

Thus, in terms of the Shari'ah , Imaan (viz. that Imaan requisite for proclaiming one a Muslim) consists of two fundamentals: 

To accept with the heart. To declare with the tongue what has been accepted with the heart. Should anyone of these two fundamentals be lacking, one will not be called a Muslim in the terminology of the Shari'ah . 


Difference Between The Two Fundamentals 


Of the two fundamentals of Imaan or Islaam , acceptance with the heart ( Tasdeeq bil Qalb ) is the primary one, having greater importance, than declaration with the tongue ( Iqraar bil Lissaan). There is absolutely no possibility of the first fundamental, viz. Tasdeeq bil Qalb , ever being waived whereas the second fundamental, viz. Iqraar bil Lissan , can at times be waived, e.g. the circumstance of torture. Under torture concealing one's Imaan by refraining from declaration with the tongue or by rejecting with the tongue will be permissible on condition that acceptance with the heart remains intact.

The Effect Of The Existence Of Only One Fundamental

One who fulfills the first fundamental of Tasdeeq bil Qalb (acceptance with the heart) but refrains from the second fundamental of Iqraar bil Lisaan (declaration with the tongue) will be a Mu'min by Allah. However, in terms of the Shari'ah and in relation to this world he will not be called a Mu'min or Muslim. On the other hand, one who subscribes to Iqraar bil Lisaan while refraining from Tasdeeq bil Qalb will be a Kaafir by Allah , and in relation to the world he will be a Mu'min in the same category as a Munaafiq .

QADR

A fundamental requirement for the validity of Imaan is belief in Qadr or predestination.

 The doctrine of Qadr is among the mysteries of Allah. It is not fully comprehensible to the human mind not can it be fully explained. Qadr is related to the Eternity of Allah. Allah is the ONE and only uncreated, infinite Being. Hence, the conception of Qadr falls within the scope of Divine Eternity. Man and all creation are created, hence finite beings. Thus man's intellect and understanding are also finite and limited. A finite entity will necessarily be subjected to limitations. Therefore, the finite and limited mind of man cannot encompass or comprehend fully and in entirety a concept which in infinite and limitless. 

It is because of the inability of the finite mind and intellect to grasp in totality the infinite, unlimited, uncreated and eternal realities and truths that Rasoolullah (SAW) forbade probing into the concept of Qadr. The following hadith will indicate the Shar'i attitude in relation to Qadr. 
 
Hadhrat Abu Hurairah (RA) narrates;Once while we were disputing about the concept of Qadr, Rasoolullah (SAW) came upon us. (Seeing us debating the subject of Qadr) he became so much filled with anger that his face became red. His face reddened (with anger) to such an extent that it seemed that the seeds of a pomegranate were squeezed out on his cheeks. He exclaimed: â€کWhat! Have you been commanded with this?' , or he said: What! Have I been sent to you for this? Verily, those before you were destroyed when they disputed in this question. I give you an oath! I give you an oath! (i.e. I command you) Do not dispute in it'.
[Tirmidhi] 

It is, therefore, not permissible to dispute about the mas`alah of Qadr which is a fundamental article of Imaan . The Mu'min should accept that Rasoolullah (SAW) formed the Ummah of the fundamental importance of Qadr for the validity of Imaan . Hence, irrespective of our failure to comprehend it, we believe in it. Qadr is related to the Eternal Attributes (sifaat) of Allah. It is, therefore, only logical that it will not be fully comprehensible to our minds. 

The absolute essentiality of belief in Qadr for the validity of Imaan will be borne out by the following statement of the Sahaabi, Hadhrat Ubayy Bin Ka'b (RA):

 

If you spend gold to the extent of Mount Uhad in the path of Allah, Allah will not accept it from you unless you believe in Qadr, and you know that whatever has befallen you could not have missed you, and that whatever has missed you could not have befallen you. If you die while holding a contrary belief to this, you will most assuredly enter the Fire.‌
[Ahmad, Abu Dawood, Ibn Majah] 

Many Sahaabah have narrated similar statements of Rasoolullah (SAW). 

THE MEANING OF IMAAN BIL-QADR 


Belief in Qadr means to believe that whatever happened, happens or will happen (be it good or bad) is with the Command, Will and Knowledge of Allah . The entire scheme and operation of entire creation is in accordance with His, Will and Command. 

The greater the Yaqeen in this belief in the nature stated above, the greater will be man's submission to Allah and the greater will be his reliance on Allah while at the same time his hope and reliance on material agencies will be negated, i.e. he will not cherish any hope on anyone or anything besides Allah . 

This, then, is the meaning of belief in Qadr. This is the belief of the Ahl-Sunnah Wal Jammat “ the belief of Rasoolullah (SAW). Denial of this belief in Qadr is kufr. 

In obedience to the order of Rasoolullah (SAW) we shall end the discussion on this belief. What has been stated above is sufficient for the understanding of the Mu'min and absolutely necessary for the validity of Imaan .

THE HISTORY AND DEVELOPMENT OF MATURIDI THOUGHT

Abu Mansur Al-Maturidi (d. 368) was a prominent Hanafi figure in Transoxiana. He was instrumental in the development of Hanafi Usul al-Fiqh. He was a defender of the `aqidah of Ahl al-Sunnah and a contemporary of al-Ash`ari. The ideological climate in Transoxiana was different from that of al-Ash`ari’s Iraq. Transoxiana had been spared the brunt of the Mu`tazili mihnah, and was consequently less polarised when it came to the relationship between reason and revelation. The Hanafi fiqh, as well, was already more accepting of taking recourse to reason than was the fiqh of the other three madhhabs.

This produced an approach to Sunni theology that was more rationally inclined and less antagonistic to Mu`tazili thought. This would lead Hanafi scholars from the Arab world, like Ibn al-Humam, to accuse their “brothers from across the river” of agreeing with the Mu`tazilah on more than one occasion.

On the other hand, al-Kawthari sees this as their strength. He says, after mentioning what he considers to be an imbalance in the thought of al-Ash`ari with respect to reason and revelation, “This did not occur with his (al-Ash`ari’s) contemporary, the Imam of guidance, Abu Mansur al-Maturidi, the Shaykh of the Sunnah in Transoxiana, due to the absolute preponderance  of the Sunnah in that region over the different innovative sects, a preponderance which prevented any conflict from surfacing between them. This made it possible for al-Maturidi to take a completely balanced course, giving both revelation and reason their just due.” (Muqaddimah al-Kawthari ala al-Tabyin, 19) Actually, we have seen that both the Ash’aris and Maturidis maintain this balanced course, it is just a minor question of degree.

Where we could say that the Ash’ari creed, after a series of independent scholarly works, came to its culmination with the writings of al-Ghazali (d. 505), the Maturidi literature developed mainly as a series of commentaries on Abu Hanifa’s al-Fiqh al-Akbar – a precedent set by al-Maturidi himself – and occasionally on the Tahawiyyah.

The most significant development in the Maturidi literature came with al-Nasafi (d. 508), a contemporary of al-Ghazali. He wrote many important works in theology including the superb Tabsirah al-Adillah. He also wrote his famous al-Aqidah al-Nasafiyyah, which would henceforth be the focus of most Maturidi scholarly efforts.

It might be said that Maturidi thought came to its culmination with al-Taftazani (753), who wrote his landmark Sharh al-Maqasid, a heavily philosophical work corresponding to al-Mawaqif of al-Iji in the Ash`ari literature. Al-Taftazani also wrote the authoritative commentary on al-`Aqidah al-Nasafiyyah upon which numerous commentaries have been written.

Geographically, Maturidi influence first predominated in Central Asia, gaining favor among the Hanafis of Khorasan as well for reasons previously discussed. The Maturidi creed spread from Central Asia into India. It also traveled with the Turks to Anatolia (Modern Turkey) and Eastern Europe. It is estimated that about two-thirds of the adherents of the Hanafi madhhab are Maturidi. The other third, mainly in the Arab world, are Ash`ari.

ASHRAF ALI THANWI AND EQUALITY BETWEEN WIVES

Hakimul Ummal went to great lengths in maintaining equality between his wives. Even in matters which do not require strict equality, Hadhrat Maulana Ashraf Ali (rahmatullah alayhi) exercised extreme caution so as to maintain the happiness of his wives. The following episode illustrates the great care he would exercise in his relationship with his wives.

One day someone presented a beautiful piece of cloth as a gift to Hadhrat Thaanvi. Hadhrat liked the cloth much. He instructed the servant to go to the bazaar and purchase another piece of cloth of exactly the same kind. This he did because he had two wives. After much searching, the servant returned saying that such a cloth was not available anywhere in the bazaar. Hadhrat Thaanvi took the cloth and divided it into two pieces, sending one piece to each of his wives.

Someone there commented. "Now this cloth is of no 'use to anyone. If the idea was to mete out equality, then you could have sent the cloth to one wife and the price thereof to the other wife"

Hadhrat commented: "Your thinking is not correct. Equality could not have been maintained in this way. Equality is necessary in every aspect so thai there remains no! the slightest doubt of inequality in the heart of any one of them.

When I refuse acceptance of a gift presented to me, I fear despite the valid reason (for refusing) because when I reflect, I discern a doubt of kibr (pride). This creates great fear in me. May Allah Ta'ala forgive me.

It is very difficult to differentiate between istighna (independence) and kibr (pride). Both are so similar.
Sometimes one is deceived (in attempting to differentiate between the two). Sometimes one thinks it to be istighna while in reality it is kibr. Only Allah can protect one (from this deception). In fact our every statement is impregnated with danger. None of our conditions is devoid of danger.

One should not be vain on account of one's acts of ibaadat. Don't think highly of the hour you had spent in thikr. It is not known whether it is accepted by Allah or not.

While I am not issuing a fatwa, I certainly do give mashwarah (advice) that the management of the home affairs should either be in the control of the wife or the husband himself It should not be in the hands of others even if they are one's brother, mother or father. This is very hurting to the wife. Either the husband arranges the finances himself or entrusts this duty to the wife. After all, she is more entitled to this than others. The right of the wife is not restricted to only feeding and clothing her. For the sake of maintaining the happiness of the wife the Fuqaha have decreed it permissible to speak even a lie. From this may be assessed the importance of keeping the wife happy.

Regardless of how beloved a guest may be to me, I never insist that he stays longer than his wish. When he wishes to take leave. I wholeheartedly consent. I do not insist that he eats. I consider such insistance to be very evil. To compel a person who is not hungry to eat is administering poison to him. The disease of forcing guest to eat is widespread.

Generally people are under the impression that the right of Allah Ta'ala is not related to Haqqul Ibad (Right of people) It is thought that only the rights of people are involved. This is erroneous. Allah Ta'ala, in fact, has
commanded the observance of Huqooqul Ibad (Rights of people), e.g aid the oppressed; refrain from gheebat; refrain from hurting others. When these commands are transgressed, it involves violation of the right of people as well as violation of Allah's right since it is He who has decreed these orders. His command was transgressed, hence, obtainal of pardon from people when their rights have been violated, is not sufficient. Taubah and seeking forgiveness from Allah Ta'ala are incumbent. Generally, Allah Ta'ala forgives the violator when the person whose rights have been violated forgives However sometimes when His special and beloved servants (the Auliya) even forgive a person who had violated their rights. Allah Ta'ala does not forgive His right, but apprehends the violator (with His punishment).

Time Zones and the Quran

Seeing as back fourteen centuries ago people probably did not understand much about time zones, the Quran's statements about this subject are considerably surprising. The concept that one family is having breakfast as the sun comes up while another family is enjoying the brisk night air is truly something to be marveled at, even in modern time. Indeed, fourteen centuries ago, a man could not travel more than thirty miles in one day, and thus it took him literally months to travel from India to Morocco, for example. And probably, when he was having supper in Morocco, he thought to himself, "Back home in India they are having supper right now." This is because he did not realize that, in the process of traveling, he moved across a time zone. Yet, because it is the words of Allah, the All-Knowing, the Quran recognizes and acknowledges such a phenomenon.

In an interesting verse it states that when history comes to an end and the Day of Judgement arrives, it will all occur in an instant; and this very instant will catch some people in the daytime and some people at night. This clearly illustrates Allah's divine wisdom and His previous knowledge of the existence of time zones, even though such a discovery was non-existent back fourteen centuries ago. Certainly, this phenomenon is not something which is obvious to one's eyes or a result of one's experience, and this fact, in itself, suffices as proof of the Quran's authenticity.

Merchant Marine

Some years ago, the story came to us in Toronto about a man who was in the merchant marine and made his living on the sea. A Muslim gave him a translation of the Quran to read. The merchant marine knew nothing about the history of Islam but was interested in reading the Quran. When he finished reading it, he brought it back to the Muslim and asked, "This Muhammad, was he a sailor?" He was impressed at how accurately the Quran describes a storm on a sea. When he was told, "No as a matter of fact, Muhammad lived in the desert,"
that was enough for him. He embraced Islam on the spot.

He was so impressed with the Quran's description because he had been in a storm on the sea, and he knew that whoever had written that description had also been in a storm on the sea. The description of "a wave, over it a wave, over it clouds" (Surah Nur, 24:40) was not what someone imagining a storm on a sea to be like would have written; rather, it was written by someone who knew what a storm on the sea was like. This is one example of how the Quran is not tied to certain place and time. Certainly, the scientific ideas expressed in it also do not seem to originate from the desert fourteen centuries ago.