Question N Answer (part 1)

As Salamualikum Wa Rahmatullah Wa Barakatuh.

These Question and Answer are from the book " The Signposts of the Propogated Sunnah for the Creed of the Saved and Aided Group" and are Aqeedah (creed) based. By Seikh Haafidh Al-Hakamee (d. 1377 hijrah, RahimauAllah)




Question 1:

What is the first thing that is obligatory upon the slaves?

Answer:

The first thing that is obligatory upon the slaves is the recognition of the purpose which Allah has created them, took a covenant from them 1, sent His Prophets and Messengers to them, and revealed His books to them. Because of it, the worldly life and the hereafter were created and Paradise and Hell were created. Because of it the ‘inevitable’ will come true and the ‘event’2, will come to pass. Because of it, the scales will be set up and the scrolls of deeds will be scattered about. In it (this first obligation to be known) is either sadness or happiness, and according to it the lights will be divided. ‘And whomsoever Allah does not give light to, there will be no light for him.

Footnotes:

1) The covenant is the one that Allah The Most High took from all of the progeny of Adam (allayhe salam) while they were still in the backbone of their father (i.e. while they were still yet unborn). Allah The Most High says:
“And (remember) when your Lord brought forth from the Children of Adam, from their loins, their seed (or from Adam's loin his offspring) and made them testify as to themselves (saying): "Am I not your Lord?" They said: "Yes! We testify," lest you should say on the Day of Resurrection: "Verily, we have been unaware of this." (Al-A'raf 7:172)

And ibn kathir mentioned many ahadeeth that show that the taking of this covenant (is something established. (Tafsir ibn katheer 2/261-264)

2) “The Inevitable” and “The Event” are names of the Day of Judgement as He The Most High says in the Qur’aan: “When the Event (i.e. the Day of Resurrection) befalls. (Al-Waqi'ah 56:1). The Inevitable (i.e. the Day of Resurrection)! (Al-Haqqah 69:1), What is the Inevitable? (Al-Haqqah 69:2).


Question 2:

What is that affair for which Allah created the creation?

Answer:

Allah The Most High says:
“And We created not the heavens and the earth, and all that is between them, for mere play, (Ad-Dukhan 44:38), We created them not except with truth (i.e. to examine and test those who are obedient and those who are disobedient and then reward the obedient ones and punish the disobedient ones), but most of them know not. (Ad-Dukhan 44:39)

And Allah The Most High says:
“And We created not the heaven and the earth and all that is between them without purpose! That is the consideration of those who disbelieve! Then woe to those who disbelieve (in Islâmic Monotheism) from the Fire! (Sad 38:27)

And Allah The Most High says:
“And Allâh has created the heavens and the earth with truth, in order that each person may be recompensed what he has earned, and they will not be wronged. (Al-Jathiyah 45:22)

And Allah The Most High says:
And I (Allâh) created not the jinns and humans except they should worship Me (Alone). (Adh-Dhariyat 51:56)


Question 3:

What is the meaning of the word “Abd” (slave)?

Answer:

If the intended meaning is the one who enslaved i.e. subjugated and subservient, then with this meaning it encompasses all of the created things from the upper and lower worlds, from the intelligent and non-intelligent, the animate and inanimate, the dynamic and the static, the apparent and the hidden, the believer and the disbeliever, the pious and the sinful and other than that.

Everything is the creation of Allah, The Mighty, The Majestic, subjected to Him, subservient through his subjugation and controlled through His control. Everything from them (all the above) has a designation and a limit at which it finishes, each one running (its course) for an appointed term and it does not exceed it by an atoms worth:

And the sun runs on its fixed course for a term (appointed). That is the Decree of the All-Mighty, the All-Knowing. (Ya-Sin 36:38).

and it is the Control of The Just, The Most Wise.

If the intended meaning is the humble worshipper who loves (Allah), then that is specific to the believers; those who are His honourable slaves and devout allies, they are the ones who shall not fear nor shall they grieve.1
Footnotes:

1) This is understood from the saying of Allah The Most High:
“And indeed he (Satan) did lead astray a great multitude of you. Did you not, then, understand? (Ya-Sin 36:62), This is Hell which you were promised! (Ya-Sin 36:63)


Question 4:

What is worship?

Answer:

Worship is a comprehensive word for all that Allah loves and is pleased with from words and deeds, open and hidden. And it is being free from that which negates or contradicts this.1

Footnotes:

1) This definition of worship was defined by Sheikh-ul-Islam Ibn Taymeeyyah (rahimuallah). See Kitaab-ul-‘uboodeeyah page 4.


Question 5:

When is an action considered worship?

Answer:

When two things in it are perfected, and they are:
The perfection of love (for Allah) and the perfection of submission (to Allah).

Allah The Most High says:
“...But those who believe, love Allâh more (than anything else)...” (Surah Al-Baqarah 2:165)

And He The Most High says:
Verily! Those who live in awe for fear of their Lord; (Al-Mu'minun 23:57)

And indeed, Allah The Most High brought together these two aspects in His saying:
“...Verily, they used to hasten on to do good deeds, and they used to call on Us with hope and fear, and used to humble themselves before Us. (Al-Anbiya 21:90)