Islamic Creed (Aqeedah) with regards to Allah, His Names & Attributes, and the Qur’an (as understood by the Ahlus Sunnah wal Jamaa’)

Islamic Creed (Aqeedah) with regards to Allah, His Names & Attributes, and the Qur’an (as understood by the Ahlus Sunnah wal Jamaa’)

It is from our Aqeedah (Islamic Creed based on the Qur'an, Sunnah and the Understanding of the Righteous Predecessors), that we do not try to prove a point related to Allah (Subhana wa Ta'ala), His Attributes and His Book “Qur'an”, using our philosophy (rhetoric thinking).

(For further reading, please refer Usool al-Sunnah (Fundamentals of Islamic Sunnah) by Imam Hanbal)

We have to follow the Manhaj or the way of the Prophet (Peace be upon him) and Righteous Predecessors (May Allah be please with them), which was based on the Qur’an and Sunnah.^[3] If we encounter any discrepancies, we go back to the Qur’an and Sunnah for clarifications, and follow that which has been followed and advised by the Prophet (Peace be upon him) and the Righteous Predecessors (May Allah be please with them all).

Our belief is to have faith in Allah (Subhana wa Ta’ala), the Wisdom behind what has been mentioned in the Qur’an, and the Names and Attributes of Allah (Subhana wa Ta'ala). ^[4]

Matters concerning Qur’an and Sunnah were dealt by the Ahlus Sunnah wal Jamaa’ in 3 ways:

a. What Allah (Subhana wa Ta’ala) and His Messenger has affirmed, they affirm it,

b. What Allah (Subhana wa Ta’ala) and His Messenger has denied, they deny it,

c. Matters in which Allah (Subhana wa Ta’ala) and His Messenger are silent, they remain silent about it.

(For more details you can read Aqeedah at-Tawheed or have a look at the video series of the same at www.qsep.com)

To clarify any queries or even refute a claim against Allah (Subhana wa Ta’ala) and the Qur’an, it has to be based on the Manhaj, and should be done, primarily, by the Scholars. No doubt, we Muslims need to stand-up for our Islamic Belief, and try our level best to address the issues we encounter in our day-to-day lives pertaining to Islam. The common Muslim must do his best in studying the Qur’an and Sunnah, based on the Manhaj of the Righteous Predecessors, and from the scholars who adhere to this Manhaj. Alhamdulillah, for us today, majority of the work has been done by the scholars of the past and is readily available to use in the field of Da’wah. And to add to it, Modern Day Science is establishing the Truth of the Qur’anic Verses, for Muslims and Non-Muslims alike, all around the world. This helps us use, first, the Manhaj and then Science to clarify issues related to any aspect of Islamic Belief.

The reason for adhering to the Manhaj is, so that we may not unknowingly attribute a wrong understanding to Islam, which was not understood as it was by the Prophet (Peace be upon him) and Righteous Predecessors (May Allah be please with them all). This may later lead to an Innovation in the Religion (and if too serious, may cause big deviation from the Ahlus Sunnah wal Jamaa'), thus leading to formation of an ideology that is not from the ideology of the Ahlus Sunnah wal Jamaa’. So, here lies a grave danger and the person who innovated will be held accountable for it and for those who followed that deviation, till the Day of Judgment in the eyes of Allah (Subhana wa Ta'ala).

The generations that came after the first 3 Righteous Generations had people deviating from the Manhaj of Righteous Predecessors (Ahlus-Sunnah wal Jamaa'), because they commented on Allah (Subhana wa Ta'ala), His Names & Attributes and the Qu'ran, based on their Thinking and not the understanding of the Prophet (Peace be upon him) and Righteous Predecessors (May Allah be please with them all).

The Prophet (Peace be upon him) said,

“Whoever innovates in Islam something which does not belong to it will have it rejected.” ^[5]

^[3] "Holding fast to the Qur'an and observing its right means to commit it to one's heart and to recite it properly at night and by day, to contemplate over its verses, to declare as lawful what it legalizes and to declare as unlawful what it makes illegal, to obey its ordainments, to take heed of its warnings, to derive lessons from its parables, to find admonition in its stories, to act on its entirely clear verses, to submit to its not-entirely-clear verses, to approach not its boundaries (of what is lawful and unlawful), to defend it against distortions and false claims, to give counsel to it in every meaning of the word, and to consciously preach it to men around."
(Taken from 200 FAQ on Muslim Belief by Sheikh Hafiz Ibn Ahmed Al Hakami)

^[4] "The Glorious Qur'an is the Word of Allah, the Almighty: in wording and in meaning. His Word is neither the characters only, nor the meanings only. Both the characters and the meanings constitute His Word. Allah the Almighty Spoke it verbally, sent it down on His Prophet (Peace be upon him) by Revelation, and the true believers had faith in it.
It is the Word of the Most Gracious even though it is written by hands, recited by tongues, committed to hearts, heard by ears, and seen by eyes. Indeed, the hands, ink, pens, and papers are all created, while what is written down with them is not. Moreover, tongues and voices are created, while what is recited thereof is not. Bosoms are created, while what is kept therein is not. Ears are created, while what is heard is not.
Almighty Allah says in His Glorious Qur'an: {That (this) is indeed an honorable recitation (the Noble Qur'an). In a Book well guarded (with Allah in the heaven i.e. AI-Lauh Al- Mahfuz)}. (Al-Waqi'ah, 77,78)
Allah says: {Nay, but they, the clear Ayat are preserved in the breasts of those who have been given knowledge (among the People of the Scriptures). And none but the Zalimun (Polytheists and wrongdoers) deny Our Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.)}. (Al-' Ankabut, 49)
Allah says: {And recite what has been revealed to you (O Muhammad (Peace be upon him)) of the Book (the Qur'an) of your Lord (i.e. recite it, understand and follow its teachings and act on its orders and preach it to men). None can change His Words}. (Al-Kahf, 27)
Allah says: {And if anyone of the Mushrikun (polytheists, idolaters, pagans, disbelievers in the Oneness of Allah seeks your protection then grant him protection so that he may hear the Word of Allah (the Qur'an)}. (At- Taubah, 6)
Ibn Mas'ud (May Allah be pleased with him) said: "Keep looking at (the wording) of the Glorious Qur'an.” Thereupon, whosoever says that the Glorious Qur'an or part thereof is created, he is a disbeliever denouncing Islam entirely. For the Qur'an is the Word of Allah the Almighty; it came first from Him and will turn back to Him and His Word is one of His Attributes. Whosoever says that any of the Attributes of Allah is created, he is a disbeliever and renegade.”
(Taken from 200 FAQ on Muslim Belief by Sheikh Hafiz Ibn Ahmed Al Hakami)

^[5] Reported by ‘Aaeshah and collected by al-Bukhaaree (Sahih Al-Bukhari, (Arabic-English), vol.3, p.535, no.861), Muslim (Sahih Muslim, (English Trans.), vol.3, p.931, no.4266 and no.4267) and Abu Daawood (Ahmad Hasan, Sunan Abu Dawud (English Trans.), (Lahore: Sh. Muhammad Ashraf Publishers, 1st. ed., 1984), vol.3, p.1294).