Notes - Absolute Essentials of Islam : Beliefs and Worship
Taught By: Shaykh Faraz Rabbani
- Lesson 1: Introduction and Overview
- Way of Guidance: How we understand the Qur'an and the Sunnah.
- Religion in three dimensions: Imaan, Islam and Ihsaan.
- Author's Introduction
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- The soul yearns for its Creator and Eternal Abode.
- The soul was brought before the bodies.
- The soul is the subtlety within the human body by which we exist.
"When your Lord drew forth from the loins of the children of Adam their descendants, and made them testify concerning themselves: ‘Am I not your Lord?’. They said, ‘Yes, we do testify.’ This lest you should say on the Day of Judgement: ‘We were not aware of this.’ " (Qur'an Al A’raaf :272)
- Train Analogy and our Existence:
- You find yourself on a moving train, and it has many luxuries and goods to offer. The intelligent person will ask themselves certain questions such as, 'How did I get here?', 'Where am I going?', 'Where will my destination be?', 'What will happen?'
- The Qur'an states, 'Ihdinas Siratal Mustaqeem'. We seek to understand the straight path. The path which leads us to our desired destination, which is, the Ridaa, the contentment and pleasure of Allah (SWT).
- How do we find answers to these fundamental questions? Revelation is the answer and the source of guidance.
- Surah Baqarah states: "This is the Book about which there is no doubt, a guidance for those conscious of Allah." (Qur'an Al- Baqarah: 2)
- 2 Aspects of Revelation:
- Turning to the Creator in Belief and Worship (Rights of Allah (SWT)
- Making right relating to the Creation (Rights of His Creation
- How do we know that the teachings we have are right and of divine nature? The Qur'an answers: "Verily, We have sent down the remembrance (The Qur'an) and surely We will preserve it.” [Sooratul-Hijr 15:9]
- Inimitability of the Qur'an
- The Qur'an as we have it is completely preserved; every letter and word and that too in various recital of the Qur'an (there are seven ways known through mass transmission)
-Allah (SWT) states, "the remembrance". HE not only preserved text but also remembrance. (meaning the understanding and meaning of it not merely words) This is because then people would argue that the text is preserved but is open to interpretation. The Qur'an, the remembrance is preserved also through prophethood. -
- The Prophet (SAW) is not just a transmitter but someone who explains the revelation which entails wisdom as well (capacity to act and respond in the right situation).
- This is transmitted to the people of knowledge. The Prophet (SAW) said, "There will not cease to be a group from my Ummah manifest and upon the truth not being harmed by those who forsake them neither by those who oppose them until the hour is established." (Hadith)
- Another hadith states, "Verily Allah will not make Muhammad's community agree on error." (Hadith)
- This reflects the fulfillment of divine guidance.
- It is manifested practically through:
- Through the dimensions of Islam. i.e. mainstream understanding of Islam, 4 legal school of thoughts (source of mercy)
- Spiritual excellence (Inward Reality, purpose of guidance, purification in your relating to God)
- On Understanding Mercy, Shaykh Abdul Hakim Murad said, "Every teaching of Islam is a manifestation of divine mercy and any understanding of Islam that is lacking in mercy is lacking in understanding."
- Iman, Islam and Ihsan
- Hadith of Jibraeel (a.s) : Also from 'Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, there is that he said, "While we were sitting with the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless with him and grant him peace, one day a man came up to us whose clothes were extremely white, whose hair was extremely black, upon whom traces of travelling could not be seen, and whom none of us knew, until he sat down close to the Prophet, may Allah bless with him and grant him peace, so that he rested his knees upon his knees and placed histwo hands upon his thighs and said, 'Muhammad, tell me about Islam.' The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless with him and grant himpeace, said, 'Islam is that you witness that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, and you establish the prayer, and you give the Zakat, and you fast Ramadan, and you perform the hajj of the House if you are able to take a way to it.' He said, 'You have told the truth,' and we were amazed at him asking him and [then] telling him that he told the truth. He said, 'Tell me about iman.' He said, 'That you affirm Allah, His angels, His books, His messengers, and the Last Day, and that you affirm the Decree, the good of it and the bad of it.' He said, 'You have told the truth.' He said, 'Tell me about ihsan.' He said, 'That you worship Allah as if you see Him, for if you don't see Him then truly He sees you.' He said, 'Tell me about the Hour.' He said, 'The one asked about it knows no more than the one asking.' He said, 'Then tell me about its tokens.' He said, 'That the female slave should give birth to her mistress, and you see poor, naked, barefoot shepherds of sheep and goats competing in making tall buildings.' He went away, and I remained some time. Then he asked, 'Umar, do you know who the questioner was?' I said, 'Allah and His Messenger know best.' He said, 'He was Jibril who came to you to teach you your deen'." (Muslim)
- The above hadith has lessons for both teacher and student.
a) Avidness of the Student.
b) Importance of Dress
c) Adaab Required
d) Patience with the Student.
- The hadith is strange as the asker came randomly, (there was no signs of travelling apparent in his appearance), asked permission to come and when it was granted passed through the people in the gathering and sat up knee to knee with the Prophet (SAW) whereby he asked questions and then confirmed their correctness after the Prophet (SAW) had answered the questions. The Sahaba were very much surprised and were told it was Jibraeel (a.s) who had asked these questions.
- Jibraeel a.s first asked What is Emaan (confirming it as true) What is Belief? (aspects of Belief) What is entailed by Emaan? What is Islam?
- The Prophet (SAW) referred to pillars of Islam. Pillars means they support the structure of Islaam; not the whole thing. Islam is obedience to Allah (SWT).
- What is Ihsaan? Excellence. The intelligent person seeks their greatest possible good. Excellence is the continuous realization of Tawheed and living as though you see Allah or to know that HE sees you.
- There are levels of perfection to our faith as well as realizations.
- The hadith above closes with the questioner asking about the hour and its signs. Imam Qurtubi points out how the Prophet (SAW) did not say, I don't know (about the hour) rather he directed to the consciousness of the hour. This creates a sense of urgency in this life and this is key to faith. Surah Asr states, Wal Asr..
- State of loss is not just quantitative but qualitative. (Fakhruddin Razi)
- Author's Introduction: Striving of excellence is achieved by gaining knowledge.
- Knowledge which leads to action.
- Sincerity in one's action.
- Focus of the course:
- Validity (Right beliefs)
- Soundness (Correct Manner)
- Propriety (In accordance with the Sunnah)
- Three Keys to Successful Study:
- Preparation. Read section before you come.
- Attentiveness. Take notes. Imam Shafi (r.a) said, 'Knowledge is like a wild animal that is only restrained with a pen.'
- Review. Go over what you have studied and ask questions. Ibn Abbas was asked how he achieved so much (i.e knowledge he had). He answered saying, "By a mind always pondering and a tongue always asking." The Prophet (SAW) also advised to remove confusion by asking.