Meeting with Allah - Shaykh Nabil al Awadi

Bismillah

Shaykh Nabil al Awadi – Meeting with Allah

Who is Allah?

(Paraphrasing) The Prophet, sallalahu alayhi wa sallam said, after glorifying, ‘To you belongs all Praise, Life, Sustainer, Lord of the heavens and the earth. You are true, your promise is true and the meeting with You is true.’ This is what every believer yearns for.

The desire to meet Allah is in accordance with the love we have for Allah. It is the greatest thing a believer loves.

(Paraphrasing) ‘Those who believe, their love for Allah is deeply rooted in their heart’

The Shaykh then reminded us of the story of Musa and his meeting with His Lord.

(Paraphrasing) Musa departed from Israel, after Pharaoh was destroyed. He had a meeting with Allah and he reached there early. When he was asked why, he said it was because of his desire to meet Allah early....

’Verily in the remembrance of Allah do hearts find rest’ (Ra’d:28). 

Allah gave Musa the tablet of the commandments. Musa asked to see Allah (he couldn’t help himself). Allah said, ‘You’ll not be able to see me but look at the mountain (think about the size and strength of the mountain) and if the mountain can handle it, then you can. The mountain crumbled and Musa fell unconscious. He then replied ‘Glory be to you Allah, indeed I have repented’

The Prophet’s, sallalahu alayhi wa sallam dua – ‘I ask for the delight to gaze upon your face’

**NOW IMAGINE YOU’RE IN JANNAH**

As Allah says, ‘Those who fear their Lord will be driven to Paradise in groups and then, the gates will open (there’s a little pause)’. It’s a beautiful sight to JUST be outside of Jannah. The first to be resurrected will be the Prophet, sallalahu alayhi wa sallam and he will knock on the door of Paradise. People will begin to enter Paradise and be greeted by the greetings of the angels ‘Salaamun Alaykum’ because they were patient in salah and fasting.

The Shaykh said, ‘What a beautiful ending for those who’ve reached that level’

The delights of Paradise are many indeed i.e. rivers/food/drinks/clothing.

(Paraphrasing) ‘If just a nails worth of Paradise was placed in this dunya, it would adorn and embellish the whole of the heavens and earth.’

The Shaykh then went back to the hadith and said people will be enjoying themselves and there will be no sleep, otherwise you’ll be cut off from the pleasures of Paradise.

‘O people of Jannah, Your Lord, The Most High, wants to meet you’ – Imagine you’re having fun and you think that’s the best thing ever and then there’s more.

After being invited, they’ll be taken on special units to take them to this place. In this place, pulpits will be erected. They will be waiting and someone will call out ‘Oh people of Jannah, Salam Alaykum’. IT WILL BE ALLAH GIVING THE SALAM!

The people reply, ‘Oh Allah, You are Salaam and from is As Salaam and Glory be to you’. After this greeting, Allah will ask the believers if there is anything else they’d like.

They will reply, ‘Haven’t you given us everything?’ They ask Allah to be pleased with them and He says that if He wasn’t pleased with them, they would be here today. In the same voice, the believers ask to see Allah’s Face.

Allah will remove the veil and they will gaze upon the face of their Lord. All of the beautiful names of Allah. This is vision is not an all encompassing vision but despite that you’ll be in great delight. Even the faces that gaze at Allah will be affected as they will be gleaming.

When it comes to this situation, will it be crowded? No! Everyone will be in their own respective places. Indeed you will see your Lord, just like you see the moon at its fullest and Allah is far greater than the moon.

The punishment of the people in the Hereafter is that they will be denied to see Allah. A veil will be placed between them and Allah. These people didn’t prepare for this day. They didn’t have hope for Allah.

So this vision, to see Allah is of two types. Jannah doesn’t come at a cheap price and we strive by giving charity/dawah/cry/give up our life for Allah.

The Shaykh ended with a dua. ‘We ask Allah to make us of the people who can see His face’ Ameen!

All good is from Allah and all mistakes are from myself.

People of Paradise and the obstacles to Al Jannah - Shaqur Rahman

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Shaqur Rahman – People of Paradise and the obstacles to Al Jannah

Shaqur Rahman started of the talk by reading out a hadith that is reported in Tirmidhi on the authority of Abu Hurairah who said that the Messenger of Allah (SALLALAHU ALAYHI WA SALLAM) said:
When Allah created Paradise and Hell-fire, He sent Gabriel to Paradise, saying: Look at it and at what I have prepared therein for its inhabitants. The Prophet (sallalahu alayhi wa sallam) said: So he came to it and looked at it and at what Allah had prepared therein for its inhabitants. The Prophet (sallalahu alayhi wa sallam) said: So he returned to Him and said: By your glory, no one hears of it without entering it. So He ordered that it be encompassed by forms of hardship, and He said: Return to it and look at what I have prepared therein for its inhabitants. The Prophet (sallalahu alayhi wa sallam) said: So he returned to it and found that it was encompassed by forms of hardship (1). Then he returned to Him and said: By Your glory, I fear that no one will enter it. He said: Go to Hell-fire and look at it and what I have prepared therein for its inhabitants, and he found that it was in layers, one above the other. Then he returned to Him and said: By Your glory, no one who hears of it will enter it. So He ordered that it be encompassed by lusts. Then He said: Return to it. And he returned to it and said: By Your glory, I am frightened that no one will escape from entering it.

The point the ustadh was trying to make is that Al Jannah has been surrounded by difficulties but An Naar is surrounded by temptations. There is wisdom behind this – the Prize of Allah is al Jannah.

‘You think you’ll go to Jannah and not be tested? There were people before us that were touched by tribulations and destroyed and not only that but they had tasted every hardship before going to Jannah’. Any path to Jannah must have hardship because Jannah is not FOR EVERYONE. It is only for those who deserve it

‘Hasten towards good deeds’

The ustadh mentioned some of the hardships we face. He said that all of the fitan can be summarised into two points – doubts and temptations. All of this happens when we fall against the requirement of Allah.

OBSTACLES

 Ø  The desire to have power – e.g. Bashar al Assad

 Ø  Weak conviction – you are not worried about the DoJ until calamities befall you. This person has lost in this world and the next world

 Ø  Ibn Taymiyyah (paraphrasing) – A person who has an emotional imaan, that kind of imaan can easily vanish but imaan through knowledge, that imaan is far more difficult to remove.

 Ø  Being pleased and content with this world. (paraphrasing)’... This dunya is a place which has been beautified and Allah is going to place you therein. Allah is watching what we do. Put a barrier between you and the punishment of Allah. Beware of the fitnah ESPECIALLY THE FITNAH OF THE WOMEN’

Ustadh then said that ‘The prize of Allah is only for those slaves He chooses’

CONCLUSION

Remember, to achieve al Jannah, disobey your desires and submit them to the Prophet, sallalahu alayhi wa sallam

(Paraphrasing) "None of you (truly) believes until his desire or inclination is in accordance with what I have brought or subservient to what I came with."

All good is from Allah and all mistakes are from myself.

Nawaqid al Islaam - the 8th, 9th and 10th Nullifiers

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Nawaqid al Islam (The Nullifiers of Islam) by Muhammad ibn Abdil Wahhab

Explanation by Aboo Thaabit

Eighth: Supporting and assisting the polytheists against the Muslims. The proof for this is Allah’s statement: “And whoever amongst you takes them (i.e. the disbelievers) as allies and protectors then he is indeed from among them. Verily, Allah does not guide a wrong-doing people.” [Surah Al-Maa’idah: 51]

Aiding the mushrikeen against the Muslimeen is disbelief. This is the concept of Al Wara wal Bara. You love the Muslim because of their imaan and you hate the non Muslims because of their disbelief. You don’t hate a non-Muslim because of who he is.

There are two extremes:

         Just by helping a non-Muslim you get called a kaafir

         You are too laid back and you follow the festivals of the non Muslims

**helping the non-Muslims DOES NOT make you a kaafir**

In the same way a Muslim man is allowed to marry a non-Muslim woman, there are two conditions

       This particular lady has to be chaste

        She has to be a Christian of Jewish lady who believes in God

Ninth: Whoever believes that it is permitted for some people to be free of (implementing) the Sharee’ah (revealed laws) of Muhammad (i.e. Islaam), just as it was permitted for Al-Khidr to be free from the Sharee’ah of Moosaa, then he is a disbeliever.

It is not permissible for one to think that he is free from implementing the Shariah and that it does not apply to him because he may have reached a point of ‘certainty’ in his beliefs.

The lessons we learn from this nullifier

       1.       The very fact that Musa, alayhis salaam went out to seek knowledge shows the virtue of knowledge

    
And worship your Lord until there comes to you the certainty (death). (Hijr: 99)



     2.       Yaqeen means death but some people have taken it out of context!

     3.       If anyone had the right to stop worshipping Allah, it would have been the Prophet, sallalahu alayhi wa sallam but even he didn't do it!

     4.       The sahaba interpreted ‘yaqeen’ as death

Sh Fawzan said that the Prophet, sallalahu alayhi wa sallam was sent to mankind in its entirety. The proof for this is:

Every Prophet used to be sent to his nation only, but I have been sent to all mankind.(Bukhari)

So if someone doesn’t follow in the sunnah of the Prophet, sallalahu alayhi wa sallam, he becomes a kaafir

What does it mean to follow in the sunnah of the Prophet, sallalahu alayhi wa sallam?

     1.       It is to follow his commands

     2.       To believe in what he came with

     3.       To stay away from the things he told you to stay away from

     4.       To not worship Allah in any way except the way he taught you.

With regards to Khidr and Musa, why did Khidr goes against Musa?

Firstly, who is Khidr? The scholars have differed. The scholars have said that firstly you cannot say that Musa was sent to the whole of mankind so you cannot say that Khidr was underneath Musa’s rule. Our Prophet, sallalahu alayhi wa sallam was sent to ALL of mankind so if someone does anything that goes against the shariah, it is wrong.

Sh Fawzan said the first category is kufr. So if you say that you don’t need to follow the rulings of the religion, you’ve left the fold of Islam. The second category is by leaving the shariah, you are not kaafir but you are misguided – like the one who might have misinterpreted certain verses.

Tenth: Turning away from Allah’s Religion, not learning it or implementing it (is an act of disbelief). The proof for this is Allah’s saying: “And who does more wrong than he who is reminded of the ayaat (signs/verses) of his Lord, then turns away from them. Verily, We shall extract retribution from the criminals.” [Surah As-Sajdah: 22]

Knowledge in itself is divided into two parts

1. Fardh ul Ayn – a must for every Muslim to know. If a Muslim turns away from this type of knowledge, he has turned away from the religion of Allah
2. Fardh Khifayah – This knowledge is obligatory on the community. For example, knowing issues to do with fiqh in depth.

Allah gave Jews knowledge and they didn’t act upon it therefore Allah got angry. Then there are those who do not seek knowledge i.e. the Christians.

So seek knowledge and act upon it! The proof for this is:

When Allah desires good for someone, He gives him understanding of the deen. (Bukhari)

The scholars used to say before that the aalim that doesn’t practice upon his knowledge will be punished on the Day of Judgement before the mushrikeens themselves.

The Shaykh means that there are those who do not even seek the basic knowledge regarding Islam.

The Shaykh, Abdul Wahhab mentioned these ten things because they are from the dangerous of things. As a Muslim you should treasure your imaan. Your faith in Allah should be most beloved to you.

With this we finish the Nullifiers in Islam. All good is from Allah and any mistakes are from myself. May Allah protect us all. Ameen

Nawaqid al Islam - The Seventh Nullifier

Bismillah

Nawaqid al Islam (The Nullifiers of Islam) by Muhammad ibn Abdil Wahhab

Explanation by Aboo Thaabit

Seventh: Sorcery, which includes magic spells that cause a person to hate something he seeks after (sarf) or love something he doesn’t seek after (‘atf). So whoever performs it or is pleased with it being done, has committed disbelief. The proof for this is Allaah’s statement: “And neither of these two (angels) would teach anyone until they had first said to them: ‘We are only a trial (for the people), so do not commit disbelief.’” [Surah Al-Baqarah: 102]

Magic (Sihr) is of two types

             True magic

             False magic

**Both of these are haram in Islam. **

True magic is what Allah speaks about in Surah al Falaq:

And from the evil of the blowers in knots (Falaq:4)

This type of sihr is that which might cause two married people to separate. This is the help from Jinns and devils

False sihr is the magicians magic during the time of Musa, alayhis salaam. In this society, magic is seen as something nice but magic is a type of kufr

And they followed [instead] what the devils had recited during the reign of Solomon. It was not Solomon who disbelieved, but the devils disbelieved, teaching people magic and that which was revealed to the two angels at Babylon, Harut and Marut. But the two angels do not teach anyone unless they say, "We are a trial, so do not disbelieve [by practicing magic]." And [yet] they learn from them that by which they cause separation between a man and his wife. But they do not harm anyone through it except by permission of Allah . And the people learn what harms them and does not benefit them. But the Children of Israel certainly knew that whoever purchased the magic would not have in the Hereafter any share. And wretched is that for which they sold themselves, if they only knew. (Baqarah:102)

The consequences of performing magic is very severe. If someone is seen performing magic, he must be killed BUT magic is of two types. You don’t only have to be a magician but if you see a magician and LIKE what they do, you become a disbeliever yourself. Disbelief should worry you, in your heart.

In the ayah mentioned, the reference to the angels that would not teach anyone except that they’d say they’re a trial, why would Allah send angels to teach sihr?

The scholars say that this was, as mentioned in the verse, a trial/test. For it to become known who from mankind were true and who would fall for this trial. For example, this is the same case for pigs and alcohol – it’s meant to be a test for mankind.

The only way to fight magic is using the prescribed ways:

Using the Qur’an and adhkaar in the sunnah. You are NOT allowed to use magic to battle magic are haram.

"Allah has not placed a cure for your diseases in things that He has forbidden for you.'' (Bukhari)

It is important for us to understand here that sihr is kufr and THERE IS NO MAGIC THAT IS HALAL and whoever practises magic, he, himself becomes kaafir and then the punishment of magic is death BUT when it comes to fulfilling the laws of Shariah, it is not up to you and me. What is upon you is that you tell the authority  and they make the decision.

All good is from Allah and all mistakes are from myself

Nawaqid al Islaam - The Fifth and Sixth Nullifiers

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Nawaqid al Islam (The Nullifiers of Islam) by Muhammad ibn Abdil Wahhab

Explanation by Aboo Thaabit

Fifth: Whoever hates something that the Messenger came with, even though he may act on it, has disbelieved.

For example if you say you are Muslim but hate the concept of salaah, you become a disbeliever.

That is because they disliked what Allah revealed, so He rendered worthless their deeds. (Muhammad:9)

Slightly off the topic but the teacher mentioned that a lot of people say that Islam is about equality but this is wrong. Islam is about justice. If you try and make everyone equal then no doubt you’ll transgress against the rights of one party. You give every person their due right and justice is more important than equality.

Question: What about if you don’t hate something but you find it difficult to do? For example, someone finds it difficult to wake for Fajr and they don’t like the idea of making wudhu with cold water. If a person prefers their bed over salaah, is he a kaafir?

Answer: No, there is a difference between having difficulty and disliking something. The proof for this is the 

word of Allah:

Fighting has been enjoined upon you while it is hateful to you. But perhaps you hate a thing and it is good for you; and perhaps you love a thing and it is bad for you. And Allah Knows, while you know not. (Baqarah: 216)

Therefore difficulties do not fall under disliking something.

Sixth: Whoever mocks or ridicules any part of the Messenger’s Religion or its rewards or punishments has committed an act of disbelief. The proof for this is Allaah’s statement: “Say: ‘Was it Allaah and His verses and His Messenger that you were mocking? Make no excuses, you have disbelieved after having had faith.” [Surah At-Tawbah: 65-66]

If someone mocks anything regarding the religion of the Messenger or mocks the rewards of Allah then this is disbelief.

“Say: ‘Was it Allaah and His verses and His Messenger that you were mocking? Make no excuses, you have disbelieved after having had faith.” (Tawbah: 65-66)

These ayat were revealed concerning of the battles when the Prophet, sallalahu alayhi wa sallam left Madinah and a group of Muslims sat together at the camp and were speaking ill of the Prophet, sallalahu alayhi wa sallam. The Ulama use this as evidence because these people are saying these things and then they are saying that they were joking about these matters.

Allah, when He revealed these ayat, He mentioned a group of people but the hadith concerning this says that it was only one person. Why did Allah mention more people?

The scholars say that when this person spoke about the the religion in this manner, no one stopped him. As Muslims, keeping silent when someone is doing something wrong is in it and of itself wrong.

Making fun of the religion is one way includes making fun of Allah, the Prophet, the Scholars etc and the second way is through actions and gestures. 

All good is from Allah and all mistakes are from myself

Nawaqid al Islaam - The Fourth Nullifier

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Nawaqid al Islam (The Nullifiers of Islam) by Muhammad ibn Abdil Wahhab

Explanation by Aboo Thaabit

Fourth: Whoever believes that some guidance other than that of the Prophet’s(sallAllahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) is more complete than his guidance

When we mention his guidance, this includes some things like:

          His statements regarding the religion

          His actions

         What he approved of.

The guidance of the Prophet, sallalahu alayhi wa sallam is the best type of guidance. The supporting hadith is the following:

The best of speech is the Book of Allah and the best of guidance is the guidance of Muhammad (sallalahu alayhi wa sallam). The most evil of things are those which are newly-invented (in religion), and every innovation is a going astray." (Muslim).

There is no one better than the Prophet sallalahu alayhi wa sallam and Allah praised him in the Qur’an. Allah says,

‘You have indeed a good example in the Messenger of Allah (saws) for whosoever hopes for Allah and the Last Day, and remembers Allah much’ (Ahzab:21)

Sh Fawzan then uses gives more support to prove that the Prophet, sallalahu alayhi wa sallam is the best of the people:

Anas Bin Maalik said: While we were in the masjid with the Messenger of Allah, a Bedouin came; he then urinated in the masjid. The Companions of the Messenger of Allah said, “Mah Mah (An expression used to severely scold someone, to indicate the graveness of a matter).”The Messenger of Allah said, “Do not put a halt to his urinating, but instead leave him.”They left him alone until he finished urinating. The Messenger of Allah called him over and said to him, “Any kind of urine or filth is not suitable for these masjids. Instead they are only [appropriate] for the remembrance of Allah, the Prayer, and the recitation of the Qur’an,” or this is near to what the Messenger of Allah said. He (saw) then issued an order to a man from the people, who then came with a bucket of water, which he poured over the [effected] area [of the masjid]. [Muslim]

When something is decreed by Allah, we say ‘We hear and we obey’

and that someone else’s judgement is better than his judgement, such as the one who prefers the judgement of the Tawaagheet (pl. of Taaghoot; false deities/religions) over his judgement, then he is a disbeliever.

If you have the option to judge upon the Shariah and another law and you pick the other law, that makes you a disbeliever (kaafir). Scholars have put down certain restrictions.

If a ruler judges according to anything other than the Qur’an and Sunnah, it falls into three categories

1.                               Those who say that the man made law is better than the Qur’an and Sunnah. In Islamic terms, that person is a kaafir because he favoured man made laws over Allah’s laws

2.                               Those who say it does not matter whether you judge according to Qur’an or Sunnah or manmade laws. The scholars say that these people are kaafir because they placed Creator and creation on the same level

3.                               Those who judge with other than Allah’s law BUT they do not say that manmade laws are better. The scholars have said that the person has committed a grave sin.

With regard to this nullifier, the Shaykh is referring to the first two groups of people.

Sh Fawzan says that when it comes to the Shariah law, people think it only deals with issues that happen between mankind but Shariah Law is very comprehensive. It involves all parts of faith because Islam is a way of life. The Qur’an and sunnah are the main things we take our rulings from.

Nawaqid al Islaam - The Third Nullifier

Bismillah

Nawaqid al Islam (The Nullifiers of Islam) by Muhammad ibn Abdil Wahhab

Explanation by Aboo Thaabit

The Third Nullifier

Third: Whoever does not hold the polytheists to be disbelievers, or has doubts about their disbelief or considers their ways and beliefs to be correct, has committed disbelief.

This is a very important point as it very prevalent in this day and age, especially in the west. There are certain people that call to unifying faiths. The evidence they use is the following:

Indeed, those who believed and those who were Jews or Christians or Sabeans [before Prophet Muhammad] - those [among them] who believed in Allah and the Last Day and did righteousness - will have their reward with their Lord, and no fear will there be concerning them, nor will they grieve. (Baqarah:62)

This is wrong! This verse doesn’t show that these people will enter Jannah! It is talking about those who believed in their Prophet, at that time. BUT now, we have to follow our Prophet.

The evidence for this is the hadith of our Prophet, sallalahu alayhi wa sallam who said:

“By the One in Whose hand is the soul of Muhammad, there is no-one of this Ummah, Jew or Christian, who hears of me then dies without believing in that with which I have been sent, but he will be one of the people of Hell." (Muslim, 153)

This call that these people try and convince people of is a false call and it is not from Islam.

Islam is to submit to His will through tawheed and following the sunnah of the Prophet.

If a person dies a kaafir, are we allowed to say that they will end up in the Hell fire?

We say, we only judge upon the apparent. If Allah wants to forgive them, that is up to Him. If we see him die in a state of kufr we say that whoever dies in a state of kufr will enter the Hell Fire and Allah knows best.

With this, we end the third nullifier. All good is from Allah and any mistakes are from myself

Nawaqid al Islam - The Second Nullifier

Bismillah

Nawaqid al Islam (The Nullifiers of Islam) by Muhammad ibn Abdil Wahhab

Explanation by Aboo Thaabit

The Second Nullifier

Second: Whoever places intermediaries between himself and Allaah, calling unto them and asking intercession from them, and seeking reliance in them, has committed disbelief according to the unanimous agreement (Ijmaa’).

Sh Fawzaan: When someone says intermediaries, you have to ask them what they mean.

If a person says, ‘A person cannot speak directly to Allah and needs a person who speaks to Him.’ This is the correct belief because the Angels and Messengers speak to Him.

If a person says, ‘I am a sinful person and need someone to make dua to speak to Allah’, this is not allowed and the person leaves the fold of Islam.

YOU NEED TO ASK A PERSON WHAT THEY MEAN

These people who ask an intermediary are doing tawassul. In Islam, we are allowed to use tawassul. There are certain halal ways to do it.

1. Reaching Allah through His Asma was Sifaat. You make dua and call upon Allah using His Names because Allah says,
   
   
   
   To Allah belongs the Most beautiful names so call upon them. (A’raf:180)
2. You can ask a righteous person to make dua for you. AS LONG AS THEY ARE ALIVE.
3. You try to reach Allah through doing good deeds
4. You mention your state to Allah. You humble yourself in front of Allah and make it known that you are in need of the Mercy of Allah. The dua of Musa, Allah mentions:
   
   
   
   "My Lord, indeed I am, for whatever good You would send down to me, in need." (Qasas:24)

Tawassul is recommended as long as you stay within the boundaries. There are four conditions when you ask someone for a favour

1. Has to be alive
2. The person has to be present
3. They have to be able
4. Believe that this person fulfilling your request is only a means

If someone says that they are not worshipping these people but merely using them as a means you say that they are repeating the acts of the mushriks from the time of the Prophet, sallalahu alayhi wa sallam. Allah says,

And your Lord says, "Call upon Me; I will respond to you." Indeed, those who disdain My worship will enter Hell [rendered] contemptible. (Ghaafir: 60)

Intercession in Islam is the truth. However there are conditions.

1. To be accepted, Allah has to give permission. NB: Allah doesn’t not give permission to any except that they are Muslims
2. The person that is receiving the intercession has to be Muslim themselves. The Prophet, sallalahu alayhi wa sallam mentioned that he will intercede on behalf of Abu Talib so how can he do it? The scholars say that this is a very unique case and an exception to the rule.

With this we reach the end of the second nullifier. Again, all good is from Allah any mistakes are from myself. 

Nawaqid al Islam - The First Nullifier

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Nawaqid al Islam (The Nullifiers of Islam) by Muhammad ibn Abdil Wahhab

Explanation by Aboo Thaabit

The First Nullifier

Know that the Nullifiers of Islaam are ten. Are there only ten?

Sh Fawzaan said that some of the scholars have gather up to 400 things that you out of the fold of Islam.

Why does this book only mention 10?

This is for two reasons  

1. These are the gravest ones
2. A lot of people fall into these things

Shaykh Abdul Wahhab’s intention was to warn people about the major things that cause people to leave the fold of Islam

First: Shirk (associating partners) in the worship of Allah.

To know what is the definition of worship, you can look at this blogpost and see how Ibn Taymiyyah defined it. The scholars say that in order for something to be accepted there are two conditions:

1. To have sincerity (ikhlaas), otherwise Allah will not accept from you
2. Come with  the sunnah.

The Shaykh backs up his statement with evidence from the Quran where Allah says:

“Verily, Allah does not forgive that partners be associated with Him in worship (i.e. Shirk), but He forgives what is less than that to whom He wills.” [Surah An-Nisa: 116]

And He says:

 “Verily, the one who mixes partners in worship with Allah (Shirk), then Paradise has been made forbidden for him and his final abode will be the Hellfire. And the wrongdoers will not have any helpers (in Hell).” [Surah Al-Maa’idah: 72]

Shirk is seen as a great injustice. How? We say that the definition of ‘dhulm’ is not only transgress but to replace something in other than its rightful place.

What is the right of Allah?

Allah has the right to be worshipped alone. So if a person takes this right and gives it to someone else, this is the worst type of injustice. Shirk is of many types and the Shaykh mentions the sacrifice for other than Allah. What falls into this is performing sacrifices to someone other than Allah, such as the person who offers a sacrifice to the Jinn or to a grave. Sacrificing is an act that Allah loves and is pleased with therefore it is an action of ibaadah. Those who sacrifice to Jinn or graves have committed shirk. This shows that there is no difference in who you sacrifice it to, they are one and the same! The most common type of shirk is in ibaadah.

Is a person forgiven due to ignorance regarding kufr or shirk?

Ignorance is of two types:

• One Allah will forgive
• One Allah will not forgive

In the first instance, if the person in question is truly ignorant and has never heard of tawheed or shirk then Allah will forgive it

In the second instance is a person who lies amongst Muslims and has heard of the Quran and at the very least heard of the Quran and Sunnah. This kind is not forgivable.

We have reached the end of the first nullifier. All good is from Allah and all bad is from me.

Nawaaqid al Islam - Introduction

Bismillah 

Nawaqid al Islam (The Nullifiers of Islam) by Muhammad ibn Abdil Wahhab

Explanation by Aboo Thaabit

Introduction

The Shaykh, Abdul Wahhab was born in a society where shirk was prevalent. The teacher used Shaykh Salih al Fawzaan’s explanation of this book.

If Allah has decreed a matter, it is not for believing men and women to discuss the matter. We say:

‘We hear and we obey’ (Ma’idah: 7)

What is the difference between Aqeedah and Tawheed?

Aqeedah is a general belief that everyone has and tawheed is the truth.

Nawaqid is something that nullifies. Sh Fawzaan explained this great book by saying, ‘Islam is to submit yourself to Allah through tawheed and humbling yourself with obedience and staying away from shirk and its people’

Islam doesn’t mean peace but it comes with the message of peace.

Those who have believed and whose hearts are assured by the remembrance of Allah. Unquestionably, by the remembrance of Allah hearts are assured." (Ra’d:28)

The word Islam comes from the word ‘Istislam’, which means to submit yourself to the will of Allah through tawheed and humbling yourself with obedience. If you say ‘la illaha’, it doesn’t make you Muslim. You have to say  ‘illallah’ too. To say the kalimah means ‘There is no God but Allah’ is wrong because people worship lots of false deities. You have to say ‘There is no God worthy of worship besides Allah’.

Sh Fawzaan mentions that this religion came with five main objectives:

1. Safeguard religion
2. Safeguard lives
3. Preserve the intellect of Mankin
4. Protect the wealth of people
5. Protect the honour and lineage of people

These are the fives reason why Allah revealed the religion.

On a side point, the teacher mentioned takfeer, which is to declare someone a disbeliever. In this day and age, it has become something easy to do. People discuss thing that they have no knowledge on but as Muslims, we leave takfeer for the scholars. It is not up to us to declare another kaafir. Why?

Ibn Umar (peace be upon him) said: The Messenger of Allah, sallalahu alayhi wa sallam said,
"When a person calls his brother (in Islam) a disbeliever, one of them will certainly deserve the title, If the addressee is so as he has asserted, the disbelief of the man is confirmed, but if it is untrue, then it will revert to him." [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]

Four conditions on declaring someone a kaafir

1. The person has to be of age and understanding. If a crazy person utters a statement of kufr, he is not held accountable. The evidence for this is:
   The Pen has been raised from three: the one who is sleeping, until he awakens; the insane person, until he returns to his senses; and the child, until he reaches puberty. (Ahmad and others)
2. The statement or action of kufr a person commits has to be due to his own will. The evidence for this is:
   
   
   
   
   

Whoever disbelieves in Allah after his belief... except for one who is forced [to renounce his religion] while his heart is secure in faith. But those who [willingly] open their breasts to disbelief, upon them is wrath from Allah , and for them is a great punishment (An Nahl: 106)

3.       Evidence has reached the person in question. So for example they should have a Quran in sight

4.       The person has not misinterpreted a verse.

Who is a kaafir?

This is a person who disbelieves in Allah and what the Prophet, sallalahu alayhi wa sallam came with.

What is the difference between kufr and shirk?

Kufr is disbelief and shirk is a part of kufr, where you attribute partners to Allah. Every mushrik is a kaafir but every kaafir is not a mushrik. Even one of the greatest Messengers was afraid of falling into shirk:

And [mention, O Muhammad], when Abraham said, "My Lord, make this city [Makkah] secure and keep me and my sons away from worshipping idols. (Ibrahim:35)

Major shirk can make you leave the fold of Islam, all your good deeds are in vain and you’ll remain in Hell forever. Scholars have mentioned minor shirk to be ‘Riya’, which is to show off.

Scholars have said that kufr is of four kinds:

1.       Kufr al Qawli – Statement of disbelief

2.       Kufr I’tiqaadi – Disbelief with regards to creed and belief

3.       Kufr A’maali – Action of disbelief

4.       Kufr ash Shaq – Having doubts with regards to religion **this is the most dangerous type**

It is here we end the introduction and the Shaykh moves on to the first nullifier. This will come in the posts to follow. All mistakes are from myself and all good is from Allah