The First and The Last Obligation

 

Imam Ibn Qayyim (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: 

Singling out Allah the Most High for worship (at-Tawheed) is the first call of all the messengers (peace and blessings of Allah be upon them), the first station on the path to Allah the Most High and the first standing spot for the traveler to Allah the Most High.

Allah the Most High said: “Indeed, We sent Nooh (Noah) to his people and he said: ‘O my people! Worship Allah! You have no other Ilaah (God) but Him.’”  [Soorah al-A’raaf: 59].

Hood (peace be upon him) said to his people: “O my people! Worship Allah! You have no other Ilaah (God) but Him....” [Soorah al-A’raaf: 65].

Likewise Saalih ( peace be upon him) told his people: “Worship Allah! You have no other Ilaah (God) but Him...” [Soorah al-A‘raaf: 73].  Similarly, Shu‘ayb ( peace be upon him) said to his people, “Worship Allah! You have no other Ilaah (God) but Him.” [Soorah al-A‘raaf: 85].

And Allah the Exalted said: “And verily, We have sent among every Ummah (community, nation) a Messenger (proclaiming): ‘Worship Allah (Alone), and avoid (or keep away from) Taaghoot (all false deities).” [Soorah an-Nahl: 36]. 

So singling out Allah the Most High for worship is the key to the call of the messengers. For this reason, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said to his messenger Mu‘aadh bin Jabal (may Allah be pleased with him) when he sent him to Yemen: “You are going to a nation from the people of the Scripture, so let the first thing to which you will invite them be the worship of Allah alone. If they testify that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, then tell them that Allah has enjoined on them, five prayers to be offered in one day and night.”[1]

The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) also said: “I have been commanded to fight the people until they testify that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah.”[2]

Consequently, the correct view is that the first obligation upon the legally accountable individual is to testify that, “There is no deity worthy of worship except Allah.” There should be no dispute regarding it nor should there be any intention to argue or doubt, as the masters of blameworthy rhetoric opine.  Tawheed is thus the first thing with which the individual enters Islam and the last thing to depart this world with as evidenced by the statement of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him):“He whose last words (in this world) are: ‘There is no deity worthy of worship except Allah’ will enter the Paradise.”[3]

Hence, it is the first and the last obligation and the first and the last command.

Source: Madaarij As-Saalikeen bayna Manaazil (Iyyaaka Na‘bud wa Iyyaaka Nasta‘een) by Imaam Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah. Translated by Abdus-Samee Abdus-Salaam.

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[1] Recorded by al-Bukhaaree (7372) and Muslim (1395)

[2] Recorded by al-Bukhaaree (25) and Muslim (126)

[3]  Recorded by Aboo Daawood (3116)

The Unchangeable Way of Allaah

 

Imaam Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah (may Allaah have mercy on him) stated:

The unchangeable observed law of Allah and His unalterable way is to enshroud a sincere person with dignity, light and love in the hearts of the creatures and drawing their hearts closer to him in proportion to his sincerity, intention and dealings with his Lord. And He will cover an insincere person who puts on the garment of falsehood with detestation, humiliation and revulsion that befit him. Therefore, a sincere person will have dignity and love while the other will gain abhorrence and hatred.

Source: I’laam al-Muwaqqi‘een ‘an Rabb al-‘Aalameen, by Imaam Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah. Translated by Abdus-Samee’ Abdus-Salaam.

 

The Doctrine of Hidden Knowledge

Shaykh Saalih al-Fawzaan stated: 

Hidden knowledge is the doctrine of the Baatiniyyah among the Ismaa’iliyyah and others who say that the texts (of the Qur’aan and Sunnah) have apparent and hidden meanings. None knows the hidden meanings except their leaders while the masses only know the apparent. They say that Salaah only means supplication and whoever supplicates have performed Salaah. According to them it does not mean the five daily prayers or supererogatory prayers.

Similarly, they say the meaning of Zakaah is purification and cleansing of the soul and not Zakaah on property. They also say that the meaning of Siyaam (fasting) is concealing their secrets and school of thought. Consequently, they are called the secret organizations. They also say that Hajj (pilgrimage) is going to their Shaykhs, and not going to the House of Allaah to perform Hajj and ‘Umrah…

This doctrine of hidden knowledge is an innovation in the religion and misguidance from the truth. Knowledge cannot be acquired except through learning from God-fearing scholars. Consequently, Ibn Qayyim (may Allah have mercy on him) said: 

“Ignorance is a deadly disease. And its cure is in two things set in agreement: a text from the Qur’an or Sunnah and a doctor, who is a God fearing scholar.”

This is knowledge. Knowledge is not taste and inspiration, not hidden knowledge according to the Baatiniyyah. Knowledge is only what has come from Allah, His Messenger (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam) and what the companions of Allah’s Messenger said. This is knowledge, and whatever is out of it is ignorance and misguidance and knowledge nor guidance. 

Source: A Gift to the Reader in Annotation of Sharh As-Sunnah, vol. 2, 188-189 by Shaykh Saalih al-Fawzaan, transl. by Abdus-Sami Abdu-Salam, published by Dar Makkah International 

Sexual Intercourse in Paradise

-1-  Anas ibn Maalik (may Allaah be pleased with him) narrated that the Messenger of Allaah (may Allaah raise his rank and grant him peace) said:  “A believer in Paradise will be given the stamina to have sexual intercourse such-and-such (number of times).” Anas said, “O Messenger of Allaah! (How) will he have the ability to do so?” He replied: “He will be given the stamina of one hundred (men).”

Collected by at-Tirmithee (#2536) and others. At-Tirmithee authenticated it, as did Ibn al-Qayyim in Haadee al-Arwaah (p.232) and Al-Albaanee.  At-Tirmithee entitled the chapter: “What Has Been Reported About the Sexual Intercourse of the People in Paradise.” 

-2-  Zayd ibn Arqam (may Allaah be pleased with him) narrated that a Jew came to the Prophet (may Allaah raise his rank and grant him peace) and said, “O Abal-Qaasim! Don’t you presume that the people of Paradise shall eat and drink there?!” He replied: “Nay, (I swear) by the One in whose Hand is my soul! Surely, one of them will have the stamina of a hundred men with regards to eating, drinking, desires, and sexual intercourse.”

It was collected by Ahmad (4/367, 371) and others with an authentic chain. Ibn al-Qayyim authenticated it in Haadee al-Arwaah (p.187), as did Al-Albaanee in Saheeh at-Targheeb (#3739).

-3-  Aboo Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) asked the Prophet (may Allaah raise his rank and grant him peace), “O Messenger of Allaah! Are we going to approach our wives (for sex) in Paradise?” He replied: “Yes, (I swear) by the One in whose Hand is my soul!  Surely a man will approach one hundred virgins in a single afternoon!”

It was collected by at-Tabaraanee in al-Mu’jam al-Awsat (#718).  ad-Dhiyaa’ al-Maqdisee authenticated it according to the standards of Muslim, as quoted in It-haaf al-Jamaa’ah (3/268) of at-Tuwayjiree.

Some scholars mention that this narration is more correctly attributed to Ibn ‘Abbaas, not Aboo Hurayrah. Refer to al-‘Ilal al-Waaridah of ad-Daaraqutnee (10/30).

In another version of Aboo Hurayrah’s narration: “Yes, (I swear) by the One in whose Hand is my soul, orgasm after orgasm; and when he gets up, she returns to being a pure virgin.”

This version was authenticated by al-Albaanee in Silsilat al-Ahaadeeth as-Saheehah (#3351).

In another version collected by Is-haaq ibn Raahawayh (#345) and al-Bazzaar (16/243) in their Musnads:  “Yes, with a penis that does not tire, a vagina that does not dry up, and a desire that does not cease.”

Al-Bazzaar mentions that this version is not authentic, as does al-Haythamee in Majma’ az-Zawaa’id (10/417).  However, it can be supported by the generality of these narrations, as well as the upcoming narration of Aboo Umaamah specifically.

-4-  Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allaah be pleased with him) is also reported to have narrated the previous hadeeth about one hundred virgins in one afternoon, as mentioned.

It was collected by Aboo Ya’laa in his Musnad (#2436). This report appears to have a weak (unauthentic) chain of narration.

-5-  Aboo Umaamah (may Allaah be pleased with him) said that the Prophet (may Allaah raise his rank and grant him peace) was asked if the people of Paradise will indulge in sexual intercourse, and he replied: “Yes, with a penis that does not tire and desires that do not cease, orgasm after orgasm!” 

It was collected by at-Tabaraanee in his al-Mu’jam al-Kabeer (8/160, 172) and others. Although its chain is weak, Al-Albaanee authenticated it based on support from other narrations in Silsilat al-Ahaadeeth as-Saheehah (7/1062).

-6-  The scholars of Tafseer (Quranic Exegesis), beginning with the Companions, like ‘Abdullaah ibn ‘Abbaas and ‘Abdullaah ibn Mas’ood, and the Taabi’oon and later scholars, the likes of Sa’eed ibn al-Musayyab, ‘Ikrimah, al-Hasan al-Basree, Qataadah, and many others, have explained the following Verse:  “Verily, the people of Paradise that Day shall be occupied, rejoicing” [36:55]

They said: “Occupied with taking the virginity of virgins (through sexual intercourse).”

Source: Tafseer Ibn Katheer (36:55).

-7-  The four well-known imaams – Aboo Haneefah, Maalik, ash-Shaafi’ee, and Ahmad (may Allaah have Mercy on all of them) – all held the position that the people of Paradise will enjoy sexual intercourse from the many joys of Paradise.

Source: Manaazil al-A’immat al-Arba’ah (p.126) of al-Waa’ith Aboo Zakariyyaa as-Salamaasee (d.550). (Note: This book was one of the first books ever written to identify the points of belief agreed upon by the four imaams.)

-8-  The entire body of the scholars of the Salaf unanimously agreed that the people of Paradise will indulge in sexual intercourse. In fact, some of the scholars declared a person who would reject any one of the textually established pleasures of Paradise to be a disbeliever.

Al-Waa’ith as-Salamaasee (d.550) said: “Anyone who opposes any of these things [from them: sexual intercourse in Paradise] has left Islam, due to his contradiction to the Qur’aan, the Sunnah, and scholarly consensus.”

Source: His book, Manaazil al-A’immat al-Arba’ah (p.126).

Compiled by: Moosaa Richardson