Aqeedah: A Clarification of its Importance and Foundation for Which the Religion is built upon
‘Aqeedah linguistically: The word aqeedah is taken from al-‘aqd which is the connection of something.
‘Aqeedah is that which mankind practices as a religion. It is said, “He has good ‘aqeedah” meaning it is free of doubt.
‘Aqeedah is an action of the heart which is a belief the heart has for something as well as its affirmation for that matter.
‘Aqeedah according to the Sharee’ah:
It is the belief in Allaah, His angels, His books, His messengers, the last day, and belief in the qadr, good and bad. And these are called the articles of faith.
The Sharee’ah is divided into two categories: beliefs and actions
As for the beliefs: They are those matters that are not related to a manner of action such as belief in the Lordship of Allaah and the obligation to worship Him and belief in the remainder of the articles of faith mentioned (these do not have an action of the body parts related to it). This (these beliefs) is known as the foundation.
And as for actions: They are those matters that have a specific manner in which they should be performed such as prayer, zakaat, fasting, and the rest of the legislated practices. This (these actions) is called branches because they are built upon beliefs, be they correct or incorrect
So the correct ‘aqeedah is the groundwork that the religion is built upon and actions are accompanied with it as Allaah ta’ala says,“So whoever hopes for the meeting with his Lord, let him work righteousness and associate none as a partner in the worship of his Lord."[1]
And He says: “And indeed it has been revealed to you (O Muhammad - sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam), as it was to those (Allaah's Messengers) before you: "If you join others in worship with Allaah, (then) surely (all) your deeds will be in vain, and you will certainly be among the losers."[2]
These verses and all those with similar meaning, and they are many, indicate that actions are not accepted except that they are pure of shirk. Thus we see the importance of the Messengers – may the peace and blessings of Allaah be upon them all – in cleansing creed firstly.
So the first thing that they called their people to was to the worship of Allaah alone and leaving off worship of all others besides Him as Allaah says:“And verily, We have sent among every Ummah (community, nation) a Messenger (proclaiming): "Worship Allaah (Alone), and avoid (or keep away from) Taaghoot (all false deities, etc. i.e. do not worship Taaghoot besides Allaah)”[3]
For every messenger, the first thing they told their people was:“O my people! Worship Allaah! You have no other Ilaah (God) but Him. (Laa ilaaha ill-Allaah: none has the right to be worshipped but Allaah).”[4]
It was said by Nuh, Hud, Saalih, Shu’ayb, and the rest of the prophets to their people.
The Prophet (sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam) stayed in Makkah after being sent for thirteen years calling the people to Tawheed and correcting the creed because it is the foundation in which religion is built upon.
Many of the callers and reformers in every time have emulated the Prophets and Messengers. They begin their call with Tawheed and rectification of the creed and after that they gave attention to the other areas of the religion.
FootNote
1 Al-Kahf - 110
2 Al-Zumr - 65
3 An-Nahl - 36
4 Al-‘Araaf – 59, 65, 73, 85
Aqeedah: The Creed or Belief of the Salafus-Saalih
It is to the have the same creed (i.e. to believe the way) the Salaf of this Ummah did.
The Salaf (specifically) of this Ummah are Abul-Qaasim Muhammed ibn Abdillah Sallallaahu alaihi wa sallam, his Sahaabah (Companions), the Taa'bieen, and the athbaa'at-Taabieen. The Three Best Generations Lived upon this Globe.
As Allah 'azza-wa-Jal saya : "And if the rest of mankind believed in the manner in which you all (i.e. the prophet and his Companions) believed, only then will they be rightly guided" [Soora al-Baqarah 2:137]
Points to benefit:
* Condition for being rightly guided is that we believe as the prophet and his Companions did.
* Thus if one is to take a belief other than theirs then for sure one will not be rightly guided.
Imaam al-Awzaa''ee said, "Patiently restrict yourselves to the sunnah, stop where the people stopped, say what they said, avoid what they avoided. Take to the path of the salaf, for indeed what was sufficient for them was sufficient for you." [Al-Hujjah of Ismail Abu Fadhl (6/A-B)]
‘Aqeedah linguistically: The word aqeedah is taken from al-‘aqd which is the connection of something.
‘Aqeedah is that which mankind practices as a religion. It is said, “He has good ‘aqeedah” meaning it is free of doubt.
‘Aqeedah is an action of the heart which is a belief the heart has for something as well as its affirmation for that matter.
‘Aqeedah according to the Sharee’ah:
It is the belief in Allaah, His angels, His books, His messengers, the last day, and belief in the qadr, good and bad. And these are called the articles of faith.
The Sharee’ah is divided into two categories: beliefs and actions
As for the beliefs: They are those matters that are not related to a manner of action such as belief in the Lordship of Allaah and the obligation to worship Him and belief in the remainder of the articles of faith mentioned (these do not have an action of the body parts related to it). This (these beliefs) is known as the foundation.
And as for actions: They are those matters that have a specific manner in which they should be performed such as prayer, zakaat, fasting, and the rest of the legislated practices. This (these actions) is called branches because they are built upon beliefs, be they correct or incorrect
So the correct ‘aqeedah is the groundwork that the religion is built upon and actions are accompanied with it as Allaah ta’ala says,“So whoever hopes for the meeting with his Lord, let him work righteousness and associate none as a partner in the worship of his Lord."[1]
And He says: “And indeed it has been revealed to you (O Muhammad - sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam), as it was to those (Allaah's Messengers) before you: "If you join others in worship with Allaah, (then) surely (all) your deeds will be in vain, and you will certainly be among the losers."[2]
These verses and all those with similar meaning, and they are many, indicate that actions are not accepted except that they are pure of shirk. Thus we see the importance of the Messengers – may the peace and blessings of Allaah be upon them all – in cleansing creed firstly.
So the first thing that they called their people to was to the worship of Allaah alone and leaving off worship of all others besides Him as Allaah says:“And verily, We have sent among every Ummah (community, nation) a Messenger (proclaiming): "Worship Allaah (Alone), and avoid (or keep away from) Taaghoot (all false deities, etc. i.e. do not worship Taaghoot besides Allaah)”[3]
For every messenger, the first thing they told their people was:“O my people! Worship Allaah! You have no other Ilaah (God) but Him. (Laa ilaaha ill-Allaah: none has the right to be worshipped but Allaah).”[4]
It was said by Nuh, Hud, Saalih, Shu’ayb, and the rest of the prophets to their people.
The Prophet (sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam) stayed in Makkah after being sent for thirteen years calling the people to Tawheed and correcting the creed because it is the foundation in which religion is built upon.
Many of the callers and reformers in every time have emulated the Prophets and Messengers. They begin their call with Tawheed and rectification of the creed and after that they gave attention to the other areas of the religion.
FootNote
1 Al-Kahf - 110
2 Al-Zumr - 65
3 An-Nahl - 36
4 Al-‘Araaf – 59, 65, 73, 85
Aqeedah: The Creed or Belief of the Salafus-Saalih
It is to the have the same creed (i.e. to believe the way) the Salaf of this Ummah did.
The Salaf (specifically) of this Ummah are Abul-Qaasim Muhammed ibn Abdillah Sallallaahu alaihi wa sallam, his Sahaabah (Companions), the Taa'bieen, and the athbaa'at-Taabieen. The Three Best Generations Lived upon this Globe.
As Allah 'azza-wa-Jal saya : "And if the rest of mankind believed in the manner in which you all (i.e. the prophet and his Companions) believed, only then will they be rightly guided" [Soora al-Baqarah 2:137]
Points to benefit:
* Condition for being rightly guided is that we believe as the prophet and his Companions did.
* Thus if one is to take a belief other than theirs then for sure one will not be rightly guided.
Imaam al-Awzaa''ee said, "Patiently restrict yourselves to the sunnah, stop where the people stopped, say what they said, avoid what they avoided. Take to the path of the salaf, for indeed what was sufficient for them was sufficient for you." [Al-Hujjah of Ismail Abu Fadhl (6/A-B)]
