The Importance of ‘Aqeedah (Creed), by Shaykh Ibn Baaz

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Ever Merciful…

The great scholar, Shaykh ‘Abdul-‘Azeez ibn Baaz (may Allah have Mercy on him), was asked the following question:

QUESTION: Teachers focus so much on matters of ‘aqeedah (creed) in their call. It is well known that it is of great importance, and it has a great status, since establishing a foundation of creed is the great focus of Islam, however we hope you could re-direct our focus on social manners and repelling lowly manners when building the creed. And why is it that most often scholars neglect this so much?

ANSWER: In each case, it is well known about the scholars that they focus on this and that. ‘Aqeedah -as you have mentioned, O questioner- is the central focus. It is the foundation. Yet with this, most of the people of knowledge in the various lands do not focus on ‘aqeedah, despite what you have said. They speak about manners and other things, about prayer, zakaat, prayer timings, and other things. ‘Aqeedah is neglected, so much so that graves are being worshipped in their midst, things beside Allah! Shirk (polytheism) has even taken place among them, yet they do not even sense it!

The scholar himself may even fall into associating partners with Allah, as he lived upon shirk with his father, with his uncle, and with his teacher. They lived their lives committing shirk due to some reasons: They did not speak about ‘aqeedah. They did not have any focus on ‘aqeedah.

You find him teaching, yet worshipping other than Allah. You find him in the masjid teaching, but then he supplicates to al-Badawee, or he supplicates to al-Husayn, or ‘Abdul-Qaadir, because he has lived his life like this, he and his father, and his grandfather, and his peers. This is from the results of neglecting ‘aqeedah and not focusing on ‘aqeedah.

You find him to be an insightful expert on the rulings of divorce, endowments, rental (or work) contracts, zakaat, bequeathals, and other things, because he studied them and focused on them. As for ‘aqeedah, then he does not focus on it, nor does he know it.
Even when he is good [not committing shirk], he still focuses on the ‘aqeedah of the people of rhetoric, along with what such people delve into of rhetoric, and the beliefs which are taught by the people of rhetoric among the Ash’ariyyah, Jahmiyyah, and Mu’tazilah [cults]. He is heedless about the Salafee ‘aqeedah, held by the companions of the Messenger (may Allah raise his rank and grant him peace), what was held by our righteous predecessors of affirming the Names and Attributes [of Allah], issues of belief in Allah, the towheed of worship, and not associating partners with Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, and focusing on these matters.

Thus, it is extremely important as an emphasized duty that one must focus on ‘aqeedah. Let the scholars focus on it when they clarify matters to both the common people and the elite. Let the lessons be primarily focused on it, while they still give focus to manners and other rulings. Neither this nor that should be neglected, yet let the greater focus be on ‘aqeedah.

Shaykh Muhammad [ibn Ibraaheem] (may Allah have Mercy on him) used to say in his writings to some his opponents who would write to him, debating issues of ‘aqeedah: “I want you to study ‘aqeedah like how you study the Chapter of Endowments.” Meaning: As you study and give great focus to issues of endowments between the people, I hope you would study ‘aqeedah, the chapter about rulings on the apostate, with the same attention you give to the chapter on endowments.

If they were to study the chapter on rulings on apostates in the books of Fiqh written by the scholars of each math-hab, if they would only study the chapter about apostates and focus on it, the falsehood and polytheism they have fallen into would become clear to them. Yet, they are heedless about that chapter, as they do not encounter any questions about it, nor is there any focus on it. Instead, you find them busy with issues of endowments and their caretakers: How should the endowment be executed? How should extra profit from an endowment be dealt with? How about rent, how should it be rented? How should people interact with the orphan’s estate?

They are occupied with these [things], yet they have neglected ‘aqeedah, since they have no focus on it, and since the common people do not ask about it. Thus, it dried up, and they lost focus on it. People then began to fall into obvious acts of associating partners with Allah, worshipping graves and righteous people. Due to this neglect, you find al-Badawee and others, So-and-So and So-and-So, in Egypt, the Levant, Iraq, and every place, are worshipped along with Allah, while the scholars are dressed in turbans, calling to that, doing that along with the common people.

They’ve caused confusion about this matter, and neglected it, as they did not give it any attention, so much so that the common people have fallen into shirk because of them. They now remain at gravesites in dedication, calling upon them along with Allah, seeking relief from them, asking them to fulfill their needs, heal them, and grant them victory over their enemies. These kinds of things are happening among the people. Anyone who would deny this who travels to other lands, go by the grave of al-Badawee, al-Husayn, So-and-So, and So-and-So. You find the people remaining there in devotion. One says: “O my master, Fulaan, Help! Heal my sick [family]! Give me victory over my enemy! Do this or that for me!” So much so, they have even gone so far as to ask them for children, for their wives to get pregnant, or to give them this or that! We ask Allah for well-being! They have disregarded Allah, so He disregarded them; there is no power nor any ability except by way of Allah.

SOURCE: The shaykh’s official website | Arabic Audio (MP3) | Transcript (Arabic & English) 

Translated by: Moosaa Richardson (1446.03.03)

Hadeeth Study: The Best Supplication for the Day of ‘Arafah

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Ever-Merciful…

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah raise his rank and grant him peace) said:

خير الدعاء دعاء يوم عرفة، وخير ما قلت أنا والنبيون من قبلي: لا إله إلا الله وحده لا شريك له، له الملك وله الحمد وهو على كل شيء قدير

“The best supplication is the one made on the Day of ‘Arafah. The best thing ever said by me and the previous prophets is: There is no deity worthy of worship other than Allah, who is alone, having no partner. His is the dominion, and to Him belongs all praise. He is, of everything, All-Capable.”

The hadeeth was collected by Imam at-Tirmithee and others, and it has been authenticated by the scholars. [1]

14 Points of Benefit Derived From or Related to the Hadeeth:

1 – The Day of ‘Arafah is the ninth day of the month of Thul-Hijjah. The Day of ‘Arafah this year (1445) is Saturday, June 15, 2024. The following day is ‘Eed al-Adh-haa, the second of the two annual holidays in Islam. [2]

2 – The best day of the year to supplicate to Allah is the Day of ‘Arafah, while the best night for supplication is Laylat al-Qadr in Ramadhan. The Day of ‘Arafah is found within the best ten days of the year, the first ten of Thul-Hijjah, while Laylat al-Qadr is found in the best ten nights of the year, the last ten nights of Ramdhaan. While supplications in general may be made during both great opportunities, both have Continue reading

Shaykh Saalih Aal ash-Shaykh on Asking the Dead to Intercede

In the Name of Allaah, the Most Gracious, the Ever Merciful…

This is an answer given by Shaykh Saalih Aal ash-Shaykh to the issue of requesting the supplication of the deceased. The shaykh was asked (during his explanation of al-‘Aqeedah at-Tahaawiyyah, in the printed version: 2/1029, Dar al-Mawaddah, Egypt):

من سأل النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم أن يدعو له وأن يطلب له المغفرة من الله بعد موته، هل هذا شرك؟

The one who asks the Prophet (may Allaah raise his rank and grant him peace) to supplicate for him and to ask for his forgiveness from Allaah after his (the Prophet’s) death, is this shirk (an act of polytheism)?

The shaykh’s answer:

نعم، هو شرك أكبر لأن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم لا يُدعى بعد موته، فطلب الدعاء من الميت، وطلب الدعاء بالإغاثة أو الاستسقاء؛ يعني أن يدعو الله أن يغيث، أو أن يدعو الله أن يغفر، أن يدعو الله أن يعطي ونحو ذلك، هذا كله داخل في لفظ الدعاء والله – عز وجل – قال {وَأَنَّ الْمَسَاجِدَ لِلَّهِ فَلَا تَدْعُوا مَعَ اللَّهِ أَحَدًا} [الجن:18].

Yes, it is major shirk because the Prophet (may Allaah raise his rank and grant him peace) is not to be called upon after his death. Requesting supplication from the dead  (for them to) request rescue and sending of rain, meaning, that he (the deceased) supplicates to Allaah that He grants relief or he supplicates to Allaah to forgive (the person making the request), that he supplicates to Allaah to give (to that person) and what is like this, all of it is included in the meaning of the word “du’aa” (supplication), and Allaah, the Mighty and Majestic said, “And the mosques are for Allaah, so do not invoke anyone alongside Allaah” [72:18].

 والذي يقول إنّ هذه الصورة وهي طلب الدعاء تخرج عن الطلب الذي به يكون الشرك شركًا فإنه ينقض أصل التوحيد كله في هذا الباب، فكل أنواع الطلب؛ طلب الدعاء يعني طلب الدعاء من الميت، طلب المغفرة من الميت، أو طلب الدعاء من الميت أن يدعو الله أن يغفر، أو طلب الإغاثة من الميت أو طلب الإعانة أو نحو ذلك كلها باب واحد هي طلب، والطلب دعاء فداخلة في قوله تعالى {وَمَنْ يَدْعُ مَعَ اللَّهِ إِلَهًا آخَرَ لَا بُرْهَانَ لَهُ بِهِ فَإِنَّمَا حِسَابُهُ عِنْدَ رَبِّهِ إِنَّهُ لَا يُفْلِحُ الْكَافِرُونَ} [المؤمنون:117] ، وفي قوله {وَأَنَّ الْمَسَاجِدَ لِلَّهِ فَلَا تَدْعُوا مَعَ اللَّهِ أَحَدًا} ، وفي قوله {وَالَّذِينَ تَدْعُونَ مِنْ دُونِهِ مَا يَمْلِكُونَ مِنْ قِطْمِيرٍ} [فاطر:13] ، ونحو ذلك من الآيات.

And the one who says that this form, which is to Continue reading

Did Prophet Adam Commit Shirk by Naming His Son Abdul-Haarith?

In the Name of Allaah, the Most Merciful…

Allaah, the Most High says, what means:

( He is the One who created you (all) from a single soul, and from it He created its mate, so he could dwell with her (harmoniously).  When he (Adam) covered her (Eve, in intimacy), she became pregnant, a light pregnancy (not difficult) that she went through.  When she got heavier, they called upon Allaah, their Lord, ‘If you give us a sound child we would surely be of the thankful.  And when He gave them sound offspring, they set up partners unto Him regarding what He had given them.  Exonerated is Allaah above the partners they ascribe to Him! ) [Soorah al-A’raaf, 7:189-190]

This Qur’aanic passage may seem to indicate that it was Adam and Eve that committed the act of shirk (setting up partners unto Allaah), especially when one reads the following report, with many similar wordings and meanings, which has been reported in the books of Tafseer:

When Hawwaa’ (Adam’s wife, Eve) became pregnant, Iblees came to her, after she had not had any offspring that had lived, saying: Name him Abdul-Haarith!  So she named him Abdul-Haarith and he lived.  And that is a kind of revelation (of misguidance) from Shaytaan and how he orders the people (with misguidance).

Other narrations mention that he threatened them, saying that he would make the baby deformed.

The great scholar of Hadeeth, Shaykh Muhammad Naasir ad-Deen al-Albaanee – may Allaah have Mercy on him – said:

Dha’eef (unauthentic) – It was collected by at-Tirmithee (2/181, Boolaaq), al-Haakim (2/545), Continue reading