Reflections of a Traveler

Aisha Bewley’s Homepage

Ibn Qudamah said, “Do not look down upon a Muslim nor think that you are better than him. This might invalidate your actions.” (Al Wasiyyah – Translated by Aisha Bewley)

My Thoughts:

The proofs for this are many.

1. Be Humble

Allah Most High says “Do not ascribe purity to yourselves. Allah knows best who is righteous.” (53:32)

2. We are all sinners.

Anas ibn Malik reported: The Prophet, (salallahu alaihi wa salam), said, “All of the children of Adam are sinners, and the best sinners are those who repent.” (Sunan al-Tirmidhī 2499)

Remember you too are a sinner. Allah may forgive their sins and not forgive yours.

3. Allah has hidden His Awliya amongst the Muslims

Allah Most High says: “He who is hostile to a friend of Mine I declare war against.” (Bukhari)

Maybe Allah forgave them of their sins, and has raised him or her to rank of the Awliyatullah. You don’t know who is a friend of Allah, if Allah wages war against you, who do you think is going to win?

4. To have mercy is to receive it.

Abdullah ibn Mas’ud reported: The Messenger of Allah, (salallahu alaihi wa salam), said, “Whoever is not merciful to people will not be shown mercy from Allah.” (Hasan: al-Mu’jam al-Kabīr 3847)

Remember it is Allah’s Mercy that will save us, not our actions alone.

Abu Hurayrah that the Prophet (salallahu alaihi wa salam) said, “Your actions alone will not save any of you.” They asked, ‘Messenger of Allah, not even you?’ He replied, “Not even me, unless Allah were to envelop me in His mercy. (Buhari)

5. Your brother is your mirror

Abu Huraira reported: The Prophet (salallahu alaihi wa salam) said, “The believer is a mirror to a believer. He protects him against loss and defends him behind his back.”(Hasan- al-Adab al-Mufrad 239)

Perhaps the faults you see in your brother, are faults Allah is trying to get you to see within yourself. Not that you necessarily have the same faults but that you have faults.

6. Cover your brothers faults

Abu Huraira reported: The Prophet, (salallahu alaihi wa salam) said, “A servant does not cover the faults of another servant in the world but that Allah will cover his faults on the Day of Resurrection.” (Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 2590)

Maybe Allah has placed that believer in front of you, that you may learn to cover his/her faults, so in return Allah may cover your faults.

7. Allah loves beauty, so be beautiful

Abdullah ibn Mas’ud reported: The Messenger of Allah, (salallahu alaihi wa salam), said:No one who has the weight of a seed of arrogance in his heart will enter Paradise. Someone said, “Indeed, a man loves to have beautiful clothes and shoes.” So the Prophet said:Verily, Allah is beautiful and He loves beauty. Arrogance means rejecting the truth and looking down on people. ( Sahih Muslim 91)

Be beautiful by seeing the good in your brothers and sisters.

And Allah knows best.

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Allah’s Speech: The Difference Between Asharis, Hanbalis and Salafis in light of the Quran and Sunnah

The Creed of Ahlus Sunnah Wal Jamaah is that we do not know how Allah speaks.

Imam al Tahawi said, “The Quran is the Speech of Allah that emanated from Him without modality (howness) in its expression.”

When Salafis read Asharis saying, “Allah’s Speech is without letters and sound”, they are reading it as if Asharis are saying “Allah speaks without letters and sounds.” They are reading it as a statement of affirmation as if we are describing how Allah speaks. When Asharis says, Allah’s Speech is without letters and sounds it is actually a “statement of negation”, we are only negating from Allah’s Speech, the Speech of creation, which is the only speech we know in reality.

Similarily traditional Hanbalis, when they say Allah’s Speech is with letters and sounds. Again, it is not a statement of affirmation, in the sense of describing how Allah Speaks.. When they say Allah’s Speech is with letters and sounds, they are describing creation’s perception of Allah speech, ie Allah can be heard (ie the meaning of “with sound”), and Allah can be understood (ie the meaning of “with letters”), not that they know how Allah speaks or that they believe Allah’s Speech is like creation in some way.

Taymiyyan-Salafis on the other hand, believe Allah’s Speech is literally with letters and sounds, in the same way, that our speech is with sounds which are articulated and understood as letters except they don’t believe it is produced with a tongue and a vocal cord for Allah. They believe this because they believe in tashbih (similarity). They believe there is a degree of likeness (tashbih) between Allah and His creation when it comes to Allah’s Attributes.

Do you see the difference?

Again, when Asharis say, “Allah’s Speech is an Attribute, which has no beginning nor end, uncreated”. Salafis are reading it as, “Allah Speaks without beginning nor ending”. This understanding implies howness, ie how Allah speaks. And there is a big difference between the two statements. When we say Allah’s Speech is an Attribute without beginning nor end, we are not describing how Allah Speaks rather we are describing the Speech of Allah, as an Attribute, which is uncreated, without beginning nor end.

Human beings speak with sounds, and those sounds point to letters and words, and those letters and words point to particular meanings. Sound is how human beings speak.

We don’t know how Allah speaks.

Not all speech is with sound in the same way that our speech is with sound, but we as humans (through karamat) can hear (perceive) speech that is not like ours.

The ant spoke to Solomon

“Until when they [Solomon’s army] came across a valley of ants, one ant said, ‘O ants! Enter into your dwellings, so Solomon and his soldiers do not trample you without realizing!’ And so he [Solomon, peace be upon him] smiled at its words…” [Qur’an 27:18]

Ants don’t speak with sound. But if Allah chooses, through karamat (miracles), we will be able to hear them. Solomon was able to perceive the speech of ants with clarity, even though ants don’t speak with sound. Ants communicate by releasing chemicals, and ants have chemical receptors to perceive each others chemicals.

The Tree Spoke to the Prophet (saw)

“Narrated Abdullah bin Masúd that he was asked, ‘As to who informed the prophet about the Jinns at night when they heard the Quran?’ He said that a tree informed the prophet about them.” (Bukhari Vol. 5, Bk. 58, No. 199)

“Narrated Jabir bin Abdullah: The prophet used to stand by a stem of a date-palm tree (while delivering a Khutba). When the pulpit was placed for him we heard that stem crying like a pregnant she-camel till the prophet got down from the pulpit and place his hand over it.” (Bukhari Vol. 2, Bk. 13, No. 41)

Trees don’t speak with sound. But if Allah chooses, through karamat (miracles), we will be able to hear them. The Prophet :saw: was able to perceive the speech of trees with clarity, even though trees don’t speak with sound. In fact, we don’t know how trees communicate.

In the future stones will speak to us

“Narrated Abdullah bin Umar: Allah’s messenger said, ‘You (i.e. Muslims) will fight against the Jews till some of them will hide behind stones. The stones will (betray them) saying, ‘O Abdallah (i.e. slave of Allah)! There is a Jew hiding behind me; so kill him.’ In another quotation: ‘The hour will not come until you fight against Jews.’” (Bukhari Vol. 4, Bk. 52, No. 176)

Stones don’t speak with sound. But if Allah chooses, through karamat (miracles), we will be able to hear them. There will come a time when our Ummah will able to perceive the speech of stones with clarity, even though rocks don’t speak with sound. In fact, we don’t know how stones communicate.

In conclusion, even though ants, trees and rocks are able to communicate to human beings, it doesn’t mean their speech is like the Speech of human beings. But our perception may be as such if so Allah wills.

We don’t know how Allah Speaks. All we can say is, Allah Speaks in a manner that befits His Majesty.. The scholars of Ahlus Sunnah Wal Jamaah have concluded that the Speech of Allah is uncreated, in refutation of the Mutazilah, who believed that the Speech of Allah was created.

Just as Solomon had no difficult hearing the Ant, the Prophet, saw, and no difficult hearing the tree, and the future Muslim will have no difficult hearing the rocks or stones. Just as Musa had no difficulty hearing Allah Subhana wa ta ala.

This is like when the Prophet, (saw), compared our seeing of Allah and our seeing of the moon. The Comparison isn’t comparing Allah and the Moon, thus no tashbih (similarity), it is comparing our “seeing” of Allah to our “seeing” of the moon. Comparing our ability to see. I too am not comparing Allah to creation when I say, Solomon heard the Ant, the Prophet heard, the Tree, the future will hear the stone and Musa heard Allah. I am comparing our “hearing”, our ability to hear.

Abu Hurayrah relates: They (the Companions of the Prophet) said: O Messenger of Allaah, will we be able to see our Lord on the Day of Judgement? He replied: “Do you have any difficulty in seeing the sun at noon when there is no cloud over it?” They said: No. He again said: “Do you have any difficulty in seeing the moon on the fourteenth night when there is no cloud over it?” They said: No. Thereupon he said: “By Allaah Who is the One in Whose Hand is my life, you will not face any more difficulty in seeing your Lord than you face in seeing one of them.” (Muslim)

In conclusion:

We don’t say, Allah speaks from eternity because we do not delve into the howness of Allah’s Speech. Rather we say, Allah’s Speech is an Attribute of His, which has no beginning nor end, uncreated. We believe Allah’s Speech can be heard and understood as Musa heard and understood Allah when He spoke to Musa, but we do not believe Allah’s Speech is like the speech of creation in any way.

“There is absolutely nothing like Him, yet He Hears and Sees.” (42:11)

And Allah knows best.

Imam Ahmad and the Salaf on Allah being without limits.

Imam Ahmad said, “We believe that Allah is on the Throne in the manner He wishes and however He wishes, without limit nor description anyone could give or define Him by.” (Narrated by Abu Yala in Ibtal al Tawil per Ibn Taymiyyah, Bayan Tablis.)

Imam Ahmad commented on the verse, “And He is with you wheresoever you may be” (57:4) saying, “His knowledge. His knowledge encompasses all, and our Lord is over the Throne without limit (bila hadd) and description.” (Al Dhahabi Mukhtasar al Uluw)

Imam Ahmad said, “Allah is not subject to change, substitution nor limits, whether before or after the creation of the Throne.” (Ibn Abi Yala, Tabaqat al Hanabila)

Imam Ahmad said, “Allah is not to be described more than whatever He described Himself with, or His Prophet (saw) described Him with, without limit nor delimitation (bila haddin wal ghaya).” (Ibn Qudamah Dhamm al Tawil)

Abu Dawud said, “Sufyan al Thawri, Shu’ba, Hammad Ibn Zayd, Hammad Ibn Salama, Sharik, and Abu Awana did not hold that Allah had a limit or likeness or similitude. They would narrate the hadiths without saying ‘how.’ If asked, they would answer with whatever was transmitted. And this is also our position.” (Al Bayhaqi, Asma wall Sifat)

Imam Tahawi said, “Allah Most Glorious is beyond having limits placed on Him, or having boundaries, or having parts, limbs or organs! Nor is He contained by the six directions as all created things are.” (Aqida Tahawi)

Origin of the INNOVATION of Allah having a Limit.

The source of the innovation of ascribing Allah to a limit is from Uthman Ibn Said al Darimi (not the compiler of the Sunan) who said, “Allah Most High has a limit which none but He knows and it is impermissible for anyone to imagine that His limit possess boundaries.” (Al Naqd)

And Allah knows best.

Salafis are Mushabbihah (Anthropomorphist)

The Salafi understanding of dhahir (apparent meaning) entails tashbih (resemblance – similarity Allah and His creation). Yes, the Salafis are Al Mushabbihah (Anthropomorphist). Salafi scholars openly admit tashbih (likening Allah to His creation). It is not an accusation if the Salafi scholars actively affirm tashbih.

Some Salafis will argue and say, no I have been taught to negate tashbih (likening Allah to His creation). We only affirm the apparent meanings (Dhahir), without radd (rejection), tawil (misinterpretation), tashbih (resemblance), and tamthil (likening).

Many Salafis are unaware that tashbih is entailed in their understanding of the dhahir, this is because the beginning student of knowledge are taught to negate tashbih while the advance student of knowledge are taught to affirm tashbih. This can be seen in the writings of Ibn Uthaymeen.


Salafis Negate Tashbih In The Beginning:

Sharh Lumat ul Itiqaad li Ibn Qudamah by Ibn Uthaymeen is a beginning text on Aqida.

Ibn Uthaymeen said, “The text from the Quran and Sunnah that mention Allah’s Attributes can be divided into two categories: Those that are clear and obvious and those that are ambiguous and hidden. The clear ones are those that have an evident wording and meaning. Thus, believing in them, in their literal sense, and affirming their meanings is obligatory without committing radd (rejection), taweel (misinterpretation), tashbih (comparison) and tamthil (representation).” (Ibn Uthaymeen – Sharh Lumat ul Itiqaad li Ibn Qudamah)

Ibn Uthaymeen also said, “Tashbih – The affirming of a comparison to Allah in which is specific for Him alone, whether with respect to Himself or His Attributes. This amounts to disbelief since it is a form of shirk, ascribing partners to Allah. It consists of ascribing deficiencies to Allah since He is compared to creation, which has deficiencies.” (Ibn Uthaymeen – Sharh Lumat ul Itiqaad li Ibn Qudamah)

Salafis Affirm Tashbih as they Advance in Aqida

Ibn Uthaymeen said, “To negate Tashbih (resemblance) in its entirety is not correct, because there are no two things among entities or attributes, except that they share something together between them. This commonality is a type of resemblance. If you, therefore, negate Tashbih absolutely, you are (by that) negating everything wherein there is a form of resemblance between the Creator and the creature. For example, existence: Both the Creator and the creature primarily share this together.” (Ibn Uthaymeen -Sharh Aqida Wasatiyyah Vol 1 pg 144)

Ibn Taymiyyah said, “One may say that there must be a guideline in this area by which it can be known what is permissible for Allah and impermissible for Him in affirmation and negation. Relying upon mere negation of resemblance (tashbih) or an unrestricted affirmation without resemblance is unsound. That is because there are no two things except that they have a shared portion (qadr mushtarak) between them as well as that which sets them apart.” [Risala al Tadmuriyya li Ibn Taymiyyah]

Yes, the Salafis are Al Mushabbihah (Anthropomorphist). And the Mushabbihah are not from Ahlus Sunnah Wal Jamaah.

Imam al Tahawi said, “We ask Allah for a firm foundation in faith, that He seal our lives with it, and that He protect and preserve us from any heresies, variant and baseless opinions, and corrupt doctrines, such as the Anthropomorphism (al mushabbihah), Rationalists (al Mutazilah), Pantheists (al Jahmiyyah), Determinist (al jabriyyah), Dualists (al qadariyyah) and any other deviant sects that oppose the Sunnah and the majority of Muslim scholars (Ahlus Sunnah Wal Jamaah) and that ally themselves with misguidance. We completely absolved from them. For us, they are astray and ruined. Ultimately, protection and success is from Allah alone.” (Aqida al Tahawi)

The Salafus Salih opposed Tashbih

Tashbih is to liken Allah to His creation.

Imam Tahawi said, “Imaginations cannot attain Him; comprehensions cannot perceive Him. Creatures do not bear any similarity (tashbih) to Him.” (Aqida Tahawi)

Ishaq ibn Ibrahim ar-Raahawaih said: tashbih is if it is said: “Hand like my hand, or similar to my hand”, or it is said: “Hearing like my Hearing, or similar to my hearing”, then this is tashbih. But if what is being said is what Allah has said: Hand, Hearing, Seeing and it is not asked how, nor is it said: “Like my hearing, or similar to my hearing” – then it is not tashbih. Allah, the Most Blessed, Most High, said in His Book: [ b]There is none like unto Him, and He is the all-Hearing, the all-Seeing (42:11). (Sunan al Tirmidhi)

Nuaym b Hammad, the Shaykh of Al Bukhari, may Allah have mercy upon them said, “Whoever draws a resemblance between Allah and His creation has disbelieved, and whosoever denies what Allah has described Himself with has also disbelieved – there is no resemblance (tashbih) or likeness (tamthil) in that with which Allah or His Messenger have described Him.” [Sharh Risala al Tadmuriyya]

“Ibn Wahb says, I heard Malik say, “Whoever recites “The Hand of Allah” (3:73)(5:64)(48:10)(57:29) and indicates his hand or recites “The eye of Allah” (20:39)(11:37)(23:27)(52:48)(54:14) and indicates that organ of his: let it be cut off to disciple him over Divine Sacredness and Transcendence above what he has compared Him to, and above his own comparison to Him. Both his life and the limb he compared to Allah are cut off.” (Ibn al Arabi al Maliki, Ahkam al Quran)

Imam Ahmad said, “Whoever moves his hand while reciting the verse, “I created with both My Hands” (38:75) or gestures with his fingers when narrating the hadith, “The heart of the believer is between two fingers of the Merciful,” cut their hands or fingers off!” (Al Shahrastani, Al Milal Wal Nihal)

Compare that with Ibn Uthaymeen statement when he said, I said, ” If you say, ‘What is the image of Allah in which Adam is created?’ We reply, “Allah, the Mighty and Sublime, has a Face, an Eye, Hand and Foot, the Mighty and Sublime, but it is not imperative that these be similar to that of humans. While there is a form of resemblance (tashbih), but it is not a similarity, as there is a resemblance between the first group to enter Paradise and the moon but without being the same.” (Ibn Uthaymeen -Sharh Aqida Wasatiyyah vol pg 143) authobillah.

The Salafi understanding of dhahir in reference to Allah’s Attributes entails tashbih (Likening Allah to His creation).

This is against the Quranic verse, “There is absolutely nothing like Him, yet He Hears and Sees.” (42:11)

Ibn Uthaymeen argues, that Allah negates tamthil not tashbih. The ignorance of this statement is that tamthil includes tashbih.

Imām al-Rāghib al-Asbahānī said in Mufradāt al-Qur’ān: “Mithl is an expression about resemblance with something in any property from its properties, whatever property it may be. It is broader than other words designated for resemblance. That is, nidd is said about something that shares in essence only, shibh is said about something that shares in quality only, musāwī is said about something that shares in quantity only, shakl is said about something that shares in measure and distance only. Mithl is broader than all of that. This is why when Allāh (Exalted is He) wished to negate tashbīh from every dimension, He mentioned this specifically, so He said: laysa ka mithlihī shay’.” (al-Mufradāt, p. 597)

Allah says, “There is nothing like Him, yet He hears and sees..” “laysa ka mithlihī shay ’.”(42:11)

Imam al Bayhaqi said, “When Allāh intended to negate tashbih (making a resemblance between Allāh and His creation) in the most emphatic way that a negation can [possibly] be made, He put together in our recitation the particles of similitude (i.e. ka) with the noun of resemblance (i.e. mithl), so that the negation is emphasized to the utmost.” (Al-Asmā’ wa l-Sifāt, 2:34)

There is a double emphasis on nothing being like Allah. “laysa ka mithlihī shay”: no (laysa) like (ka) like (mithl) Him (hi) a thing (shay).

“There is absolutely nothing like Him, yet He Hears and Sees.” (42:11)

Imām Ibn Qudamah al-Maqdisī (ra) said in ar-Rawdah an-Nādhir with the gloss of Ibn Badrān (1/186):

“What is correct is that the Mutashābih (unclear verses and narrations) are: what has been narrated (textually) regarding the attributes of Allāh the Exalted.”

Imam Ibn Muflih al Hanbali (ra) said in al-Usūl (1/316):

“The Muhkam (clear) is: that, the meaning of which is clear, not needing any clarification, and the Mutashābih (unclear) are the opposite; either due to (the words) sharing (in meaning, Ar. Ishtirāk) or generality (in expression, Ar. Ijmal). A group of our companions (from the Hanābilah) and others (have defined it as): that which the apparent thereof (implies) resemblance (Ar. Tashbīh), such as the attributes of Allāh.”

Imām al-Mardāwī al Hanbali (ra) said in at-Tahbīr Sharh al-Tahrīr (3/1395):

“What is most correct is: The Muhkam (clear) is: that, the meaning of which is clear and the Mutashābih (unclear) are the opposite either due to (the words) sharing (in meaning, Ar. Ishtirāk) or generality (in expression, Ar. Ijmal) or the apparent (implication) of resemblance (Ar. Tashbīh), such as the attributes of Allāh.”

The Ash’ari School

By Sayyid Muhammad Alawi al-Maliki

A defence of the Ash’ari school by one of the foremost scholars of Hadith and Fiqh in Makkah of his time – Shaikh Sayyid Muhammad Alawi al-Maliki al-Makki (RahimAllah).

Shaykh Muhammad ‘Alawi Maliki: “Many sons/daughters of Muslims are ignorant of the Ash’ari School, whom it represents, and its positions on the tenets of the Islamic faith (aqidah), and yet some of them are not God-fearing enough to refrain from accusing it of deviance, departure from the religion of Islam, and heresy about the attributes of Allah. The ignorance of the Ash’ari school is a cause of rendering the unity of the Ahl al-Sunnah dispersing its ranks. Some have gone as far as to consider the Ash’aris among the categories of heretical sects, though it is beyond me how believers can be linked with misbelievers, or how Sunni Muslims can be considered equal with the most extreme faction of the Mu’tazilites, the Jahmites.

The Ash’aris are the Imams of the distinguished figures of guidance among the scholars of the Muslims, whose knowledge has filled the world from east to west, and whom people have unanimously concurred upon their excellence, scholarship, and religiousness. They include the first rank of Sunni scholars and the most brilliant of their luminaries, who stood in the face of the excesses commited by the Mu’tazilites, and who constitute whole sections of the foremost Imams of Hadith, Sacred Law, Quranic exegesis. Shaykh al-Islam Ahmad ibn Hajar ‘Asqalani (d. 852/1449; Rahimullah), the mentor of Hadith scholars and author of the book “Fath al-Bari bi sharh Sahih al-Bukhari“, which not a single Islamic scholar can dispense with, was Ash’ari. The shaykh of the scholars of Sunni Islam, Imam Nawawi (d. 676/1277; Rahimullah), author of “Sharh Sahih Muslim” and many other famous works, was Ash’ari. The master of Qur’anic exegetes, Imam Qurtubi (d. 671/1273; Rahimullah), author of “al-Jami’ li ahkan al-Qur’an“, was Ash’ari. Shaykh al-Islam ibn Hajar Haytami (d. 974/1567; Rahimullah), who wrote “al-Zawajir ‘an iqtiraf al-kaba’ir“, was Ash’ari. The Shaykh of Sacred Law and Hadith, the conclusive definitive Zakariyya Ansari (d. 926/1520; Rahimullah), was Ash’ari. Imam Abu Bakr Baqillani (d. 403/1013; Rahimullah), Imam ‘Asqalani; Imam Nasafi (d. 710/1310; Rahimullah); Imam Shirbini (d. 977/1570; Rahimullah); Abu Hayyan Tawhidi, author of the Qur’anic commentary “al-Bahr al-muhit“; Imam ibn Juzayy (d. 741/1340; Rahimullah); author of “al-Tashil fi ‘ulum al-Tanzil“; and others – all of these were Imams of the Ash’aris. If we wanted to name all of the top scholars of Hadith, Qur’anic exegesis, and Sacred Law who were Imams of the Ash’aris, we would be hard put to do so and would require volumes merely to list these illustrious figures whose wisdom has filled the earth from east to west. And it is incumbent upon us to give credit where credit is due, recognising the merit of those of knowledge and virtue who have served the Sacred Law of the Greatest Messengers (Allah bless him and grant him peace). What good is to be hoped for us if we impugn our foremost scholars and righteous forbearers with charges of aberrancy and misguidance? Or how should Allah give us the benefit of their scholarship if we believe it is deviance and departure from the way of Islam? I ask you, is there a single Islamic scholar of the present day, among all the PhD.’s and geniuses, who has done what Ibn Hajar ‘Asqalani or Imam Nawawi have, of the service rendered by these two noble Imams (May Allah enfold them in His mercy and bliss) to the pure Prophetic Sunnah? How should we charge them and all Ash’aris with abberancy when it is we who are in need of their scholarship? Or how can we take knowledge from them if they were in error? For as Imam Zuhri (d. 124/742; rahimullah) says, “This knowledge is religion, so look well to whom you are taking your religion from.”

Is it not sufficient for someone opposed to the Ash’aris to say, “Allah have mercy on them, they used reasoning (ijtihad) in figuratively interpreting the divine attributes, which it would have been fitter for them not to do”; instead of accusing them of deviance and misguidance, or displaying anger towards whoever considers them to be of the Sunni Community? If Imams Nawawi, ‘Asqalani, Qurtubi, Baqillani, al-Fakhr al-Din al-Razi, Haytami, Zakariyyah Ansari, and many others were not among the most brilliant scholars and illustrious geniuses, or of the Sunni Community, then who are the Sunnis?

I sincerely entreat all who call others to this religion or who work in the field of propagating Islam to fear Allah respecting the honour of the Community of Muhammad (Allah bless him and grant him peace) is possessed of goodness until the Final Hour, we are bereft of any if we fail to acknowledge the worth and excellence of our learned.”

In conclusion, the Ahl al-Sunnah wa’l Jama’ah are the true followers of the Prophet (Peace be upon him) and his Companions (Allah be pleased with them all), followed by by those who trod their path for the last 1400 years. It is in summary the followers of Imam Abu’l Hasan al-Ash’ari (Rahimullah) and Imam Abu Mansur al-Maturidi (Rahimullah) in Aqeedah, and this saved sect is represented by the adherents of one of the four schools – Hanafi, Maliki, Shafi’i and Hanbali today. This is the sect which has had the largest following throughout Islamic history as-Sawad al-Az’am) as confirmed by the Qur’anic and Ahadith based evidence and it will remain dominant until the Hour is established, inshaAllah.The

The Principles of Tasawwuf
by Sheikh Muhammad al-Ya`aqubi

Answered by Ustadh Salman Younas

Question: Could you please explain the state of the fitra in non-Muslims? For example, does the fitra change in essence when a person becomes “a Christian, Jew, or Zoroastrian”?

Answer: assalamu `alaykum

Thank you for your question.

There has been extensive disagreement between scholars on the definition of the term fitra that impacts the way in which we understand the tradition, “There is no child except that he or she is born on the fitra, and it is the parents who make him Jewish, Christian, or Magian.” [Bukhari, Muslim]

I have listed some of the major interpretations below:

(a) Fitra refers to the sound natural disposition and constitution of the human being that allows one to discern the existence of God, His oneness, and His religion. In other words, the fitra is not a form of knowledge, nor an actual state of belief or disbelief.

(b) Fitra refers to Islam. In other words, every child is born a Muslim, namely in terms of recognizing God, or with an inclination towards Islam.

(c) Fitra refers to the decree of God in terms of the individuals being damned or saved. In other words, every child is born upon that state which God knows he will eventually die upon.

[Ibn `Abd al-Barr, Tamhid (18:65-84); al-Nawawi, Sharh Sahih al-Muslim (16:208); al-`Ayni, `Umdat al-Qari (8:178); al-Subki, Fatawa (2:361-62)]

In each of the interpretations above, the adoption of a religion other than Islam does not entail the removal of the fitra in its essence. This is most clear for the first and third interpretations, since a person always in some capacity possesses the ability to discern the truth and since decree of God is unchanging and based on His pre-eternal knowledge.

As for the second interpretation, it may be that the fitra is lost in its essence in so far as a person is in fact no longer on it i.e. he is not on Islam. However, even here, there still may be deep down a natural inclination towards the truth that can never be erased from the heart of an individual.

Salman

Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

Abu Hurayrah narrates that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said,

مَا مِنْ مَوْلُودٍ إِلاَّ يُولَدُ عَلَى الْفِطْرَةِ فَأَبَوَاهُ يُهَوِّدَانِهِ وَيُنَصِّرَانِهِ وَيُمَجِّسَانِهِ كَمَا تُنْتَجُ الْبَهِيمَةُ بَهِيمَةً جَمْعَاءَ هَلْ تُحِسُّونَ فِيهَا مِنْ جَدْعَاءَ

“No child is born except on the Fitrah and then his parents make him Jewish, Christian or Magian. Just as an animal produces a perfect young animal: do you see any part of its body amputated?”

Then Abu Hurayrah said, “And recite if you wish:

فِطْرَ‌تَ اللَّـهِ الَّتِي فَطَرَ‌ النَّاسَ عَلَيْهَا ۚ لَا تَبْدِيلَ لِخَلْقِ اللَّـهِ

“The fitrah of Allah upon which He has created [all] people. No change should there be in the creation of Allah.” [30:30]

[Muslim #6423]

Imam al-Nawawi writes in his explanation of Sahih Muslim about this hadith:

قوله صلى الله عليه وسلم : ( ما من مولود إلا يولد على الفطرة ، فأبواه يهودانه وينصرانه ويمجسانه كما تنتج البهيمة بهيمة جمعاء ، هل تحسون فيها من جدعاء ؟ ثم يقول أبو هريرة : اقرءوا إن شئتم : فطرة الله التي فطر الناس عليها لا تبديل لخلق الله الآية وفي رواية : ما من مولود يولد إلا وهو على الملة وفي رواية ليس من مولود يولد إلا على هذه الفطرة حتى يعبر عنه لسانه قالوا : يا رسول الله ، أفرأيت من يموت صغيرا ؟ قال : الله أعلم بما كانوا عاملين وفي رواية : إن الغلام الذي قتله الخضر طبع كافرا ، ولو عاش لأرهق أبويه طغيانا وكفرا وفي حديث عائشة : توفي صبي من الأنصار ، فقالت : طوبى له ، عصفور من عصافير الجنة ، لم يعمل السوء ، ولم يدركه . قال : أو غير ذلك يا عائشة إن الله خلق للجنة أهلا خلقهم لها وهم في أصلاب آبائهم ، وخلق للنار أهلا خلقهم لها وهم في أصلاب آبائهم . .

His statement (ﷺ), “No child is born except on the Fitrah and then his parents make him Jewish, Christian or Magian, as an animal produces a perfect young animal: do you see any part of its body amputated? Then Abu Hurayrah said, “And recite if you wish:’The fitrah of Allah upon which He has created [all] people. No change should there be in the creation of Allah.’” And in another narration, “No child is born except upon the millah“, and in another another narration, “Every child is born on this Fitrah so long as he does not express himself with his tongue” They said, “What is your opinion about him who dies in infancy?” He said, “It is Allah alone Who knows best what they would be doing”. And in another narration, “The young man whom Khadir killed was a kaafir by his very nature and had he survived he would have involved his parents in defiance and unbelief.” And in the hadith of ‘Aaishah: A child from the Ansar died, so she said, “Glad tidings for this child who is a bird from amongst the birds of Paradise for it committed no sin nor has he reached the age when one can commit sin” So he (ﷺ) said, “‘Perhaps it may be otherwise, O ‘Aaisha, because Allah created for Paradise those who are fit for it while they were yet in their father’s loins and created for Hell those who are to go to Hell. He created them for Hell while they were yet in their father’s loins.”

أجمع من يعتد به من علماء المسلمين على أن من مات من أطفال المسلمين فهو من أهل الجنة ; لأنه ليس مكلفا . وتوقف فيه بعض من لا يعتد به لحديث عائشة هذا ، وأجاب العلماء بأنه لعله نهاها عن المسارعة إلى القطع من غير أن يكون عندها دليل قاطع ، كما أنكر على سعد بن أبي وقاص في قوله : أعطه إني لأراه مؤمنا ، قال : ” أو مسلما ” الحديث . ويحتمل أنه صلى الله عليه وسلم قال هذا قبل أن يعلم أن أطفال المسلمين في الجنة ، فلما علم قال ذلك في قوله صلى الله عليه وسلم : ما من مسلم يموت له ثلاثة من الولد لم يبلغوا الحنث إلا أدخله الله الجنة بفضل رحمته إياهم وغير ذلك من الأحاديث . والله أعلم

The majority of Muslim scholars have confirmed that whoever dies from the children of the Muslims, then he is from the people of jannah, because he is not legally responsible. But some of them did not confirm that position because of the hadith of ‘Aaishah, and answer of the scholars is that perhaps he (ﷺ) wanted to prevent her from rushing to a conclusion without having had the evidence for that, just as he corrected Sa’d ibn Abi Waqqaas when he said, “Verily I see him a mu’min”, so he (ﷺ) said, “or a Muslim.” And perhaps he (ﷺ) said this before he knew that the children of Muslim are in jannah, for it is known that he (ﷺ) said, “Any Muslim who loses three children before they reach the age of maturity, will be granted Jannah by Allah, the Exalted, out of His Mercy for them” and elsewhere in other ahaadith. And Allah knows best.

وأما أطفال المشركين ففيهم ثلاثة مذاهب . قال الأكثرون : هم في النار تبعا لآبائهم . وتوقفت طائفة فيهم . والثالث ، وهو الصحيح الذي ذهب إليه المحققون أنهم من أهل الجنة ، ويستدل له بأشياء منها حديث إبراهيم الخليل صلى الله عليه وسلم حين رآه النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم في الجنة ، وحوله أولاد الناس قالوا : يا رسول الله ، وأولاد المشركين ؟ قال : ” وأولاد المشركين ” رواه البخاري في صحيحه . ومنها قوله تعالى : وما كنا معذبين حتى نبعث رسولا ولا يتوجه على المولود التكليف ويلزمه قول الرسول حتى يبلغ ، وهذا متفق عليه . والله أعلم .

But as for the children of the mushrikoon, then there are three opinions. Most say: they are in the fire, following their fore-fathers. A group from amongst them stopped [did not answer]. And third, and this is accurate, is that they are from among the people of jannah, and from the evidences for this is the hadith of Ibrahim al-Khaleel (ﷺ) when he was seen by the Prophet (ﷺ) in jannah, and he was surrounded by children. The people said, “O Messenger of Allah, even the children of the mushrikoon? He said, “And the children of the mushrikoon.” This is narrated by al-Bukhaari in his sahih. And another evidence is the statement of Allah, “And never would we punish until we sent a messenger” [17:15] and this does not apply to the child which is not legally responsible, as according to the statement of the Messenger, until he reaches maturity, and this is agreed upon. And Allah knows best.

وأما الفطرة المذكورة في هذه الأحاديث فقال المازري : قيل : هي ما أخذ عليه . في أصلاب آبائهم ، وأن الولادة تقع عليها حتى يحصل التغير بالأبوين . وقيل : هي ما قضي عليه من سعادة أو شقاوة يصير إليها . وقيل : هي ما هيئ له هذا كلام المازري . .

And as for the fitrah which is mentioned in these ahaadith, al-Maazari said, “It is said, ‘it is what one clings to, in the loins of their fathers, and what was is born upon until his parents alter that.’ And it is said, ‘It is was has been decreed for him of joy or sorrow which will come to him.’ And it is said, ‘it is was is prepared for him’ and this is the statement of al-Maazari.”

وقال أبو عبيد : سألت محمد بن الحسن عن هذا الحديث ، فقال : كان هذا في أول الإسلام قبل أن تنزل الفرائض ، وقبل الأمر بالجهاد . وقال أبو عبيد كأنه يعني أنه لو كان يولد على الفطرة ، ثم مات قبل أن يهوده أبواه أو ينصرانه لم يرثهما ، ولم يرثاه ، لأنه مسلم ، وهما كافران ، ولما جاز أن يسيء فلما فرضت الفرائض ، وتقررت السنن على خلاف ذلك علم أنه يولد على دينهما

And ibn ‘Ubayd said, “I asked Muhammad ibn al-Hasan about this hadith, and he said, ‘that is in the beginning of Islam before the obligatory duties were sent down, and before the command for jihaad.’” And Abu ‘Ubayd said it is as if it means that if one is born upon the fitrah, then he dies before his father makes him a Jew or a Christian, he doesn’t inherit that from them, nor do they inherit something from him, because he is a Muslim and they are Kuffaar. And when he is able to sin, then I assign the obligatory duties, and I have decided the sunan over what contradicts it that he is born upon his parents religion.

وقال ابن المبارك : يولد على ما يصير إليه من سعادة أو شقاوة فمن علم الله تعالى أنه يصير مسلما ولد على فطرة الإسلام ، ومن علم أنه يصير كافرا ولد على الكفر

And Ibn al-Mubaarak said, “born upon what is destined from him of joy or sorrow, for whoever Allah knows will become a Muslim, he is born upon the fitrah of al-Islam, and whoever He knows will become a kaafir, he is born upon kufr.

وقيل : معناه كل مولود يولد على معرفة الله تعالى والإقرار به ، فليس أحد يولد إلا وهو يقر بأن له صانعا ، وإن سماه بغير اسمه ، أو عبد معه غيره والأصح أن معناه أن كل مولود يولد متهيئا للإسلام ، فمن كان أبواه أو أحدهما مسلما استمر على الإسلام في أحكام الآخرة والدنيا ، وإن كان أبواه كافرين جرى عليه حكمهما في أحكام الدنيا ، وهذا معنى ( يهودانه وينصرانه ويمجسانه ) ، أي يحكم له بحكمهما ما في الدنيا .

And it is said, “It’s meaning is that the child is born having the awareness of Allah and affirmation of Him. So there is no one born except that he admits that Allah is his Maker, and if he called by other than His Name, or worshiped others alongside Him, then the most accurate position is the meaning that every child is born prepared for Islam, so whoever has two or at least one Muslim parents, he will remain upon Islam in the rulings of the aakhira and the dunya, but if his parents are kaafiroon then their ruling becomes his ruling in the dunya, and this is the meaning of “his parents make him Jewish, Christian or Magian” , and he is judged according to their status in the dunya.

. فإن بلغ استمر عليه حكم الكفر ودينهما ، فإن كانت سبقت له سعادة أسلم ، وإلا مات على كفره . وإن مات قبل بلوغه فهل هو من أهل الجنة أم النار أم يتوقف فيه ؟ ففيه المذاهب الثلاثة السابقة قريبا . الأصح أنه من أهل الجنة . والجواب عن حديث الله أعلم بما كانوا عاملين أنه ليس فيه تصريح بأنهم في النار ، وحقيقة لفظه : الله أعلم بما كانوا يعملون لو بلغوا ولم يبلغوا إذ التكليف لا يكون إلا بالبلوغ . وأما غلام الخضر فيجب تأويله قطعا لأن أبويه كانا مؤمنين ، فيكون هو مسلما ، فيتأول على أن معناه أن الله أعلم أنه لو بلغ لكان كافرا ، لا أنه كافر في الحال ، ولا يجري عليه في الحال أحكام الكفار . والله أعلم

And if he attains maturity remaining upon the status of kufr and his parents religion, and unless the joy of submitting was written for him, he would not die except in a state of kufr. And if he died before he reached the age of maturity, is he from the people of jannah or the hell-fire or we do not know? Of the three opinions the last one is the closest. The most accurate position is that he is from the people of jannah. And the response to the hadith “It is Allah alone Who knows best what they would be doing” is that it is not a clear statement that they are in the hell-fire. And the reality of the wording is, “Allah knows best what they would be doing if they had attained maturity, and they did not attain the status of legal responsibility, which only applies to those of mature age.” And as to the boy in the story of al-Khidr, then an explanation is certainly necessary , because his parents were mu’minoon, so he was a Muslim. So this is explained by the meaning that Allah knew best that, had he reached maturity, he would have been a kaafir, and he was not a kaafir inherently, and the condition of the status of a kaafir did not apply to him. And Allah knows best.

وأما قوله صلى الله عليه وسلم : ( كما تنتج البهيمة بهيمة ) فهو بضم التاء الأولى ، وفتح الثانية ، ورفع البهيمة ، ونصب بهيمة . ومعناه كما تلد البهيمة بهيمة ( جمعاء ) بالمد أي مجتمعة الأعضاء سليمة من نقص ، لا توجد فيها جدعاء بالمد ، وهي مقطوعة الأذن أو غيرها من الأعضاء . ومعناه أن البهيمة تلد البهيمة كاملة الأعضاء لا نقص فيها ، وإنما يحدث فيها الجدع والنقص بعد ولادتها .

And as for his statement (ﷺ) “Just as an animal produces an animal” – meaning just as an animal gives birth to an animal “whole” with all its limbs present, free from detraction, and you will not find in it any alteration, such as a slit in the ears or other than that from its limbs. And the meaning is that the animal gives birth to a whole and complete animal with all its limbs and no parts missing therefrom, and the alterations or amputations only occur after its birth.

[Sharh al-Nawawi ‘alaa Muslim #2658]