صيام المرء مشكاة

 

نور الهدى ومسك الختام في مدح خير الأنام

 

Worshipping Allah Alone & The Path to Victory

The Obligation of Worshipping Allah Alone and the Means of Victory Over the Enemies of Allah

The most paramount duty incumbent upon every accountable individual and the greatest obligation upon them is to worship their Lord, the Sovereign of the heavens and the earth and the Lord of the Mighty Throne, as stated in His Glorious Book:

"Indeed, your Lord is Allah, who created the heavens and the earth in six days and then established Himself above the Throne. He covers the night with the day, chasing it rapidly, and (He created) the sun, the moon, and the stars, subjected to His command. Unquestionably, to Him belongs the creation and the command; blessed is Allah, Lord of the worlds." (Al-A‘rāf: 54)

Furthermore, Allah the Exalted has informed in another passage of His Book that He created both jinn and humankind solely for His worship, declaring:

"And I did not create the jinn and mankind except to worship Me." (Adh-Dhāriyāt: 56)

This worship, for which Allah has created both races, entails the absolute devotion of all forms of servitude to Him alone, including prayer, fasting, almsgiving, pilgrimage, bowing, prostration, circumambulation, sacrifice, vows, fear, hope, seeking aid, seeking refuge, and all other supplications. It also encompasses obedience to His divine commandments and the abstention from His prohibitions, as dictated by His Noble Book and the Sunnah of His trustworthy Messenger, upon whom be the most excellent blessings and salutations from His Lord.

Allah has enjoined this exclusive worship upon both jinn and humankind, sending forth messengers and revealing scriptures to elucidate and affirm it, commanding that it be rendered purely unto Him. As the Almighty declares:

"O mankind, worship your Lord, who created you and those before you, that you may become righteous." (Al-Baqarah: 21)

"And your Lord has decreed that you worship none but Him, and to parents, (show) excellent conduct." (Al-Isrā’: 23)

The term decreed in this verse signifies commanded and enjoined.

"And they were not commanded except to worship Allah, being sincere to Him in religion, inclining to truth, and to establish prayer and give alms; and that is the correct religion." (Al-Bayyinah: 5)

Numerous other verses in the Divine Book expound upon this fundamental doctrine.

Allah further states:

"And whatever the Messenger gives you, take it, and whatever he forbids you, abstain from it. And fear Allah; indeed, Allah is severe in penalty." (Al-Ḥashr: 7)

"O you who have believed, obey Allah and obey the Messenger and those in authority among you. And if you dispute over anything, refer it to Allah and the Messenger, if you believe in Allah and the Last Day. That is the best (course) and best in outcome." (An-Nisā’: 59)

"Whoever obeys the Messenger has indeed obeyed Allah." (An-Nisā’: 80)

Similarly, the Almighty states:

"And We certainly sent into every nation a messenger, (proclaiming): ‘Worship Allah and shun false deities.’" (An-Naḥl: 36)

"And We did not send before you any messenger except that We revealed to him, saying: ‘There is no deity except Me, so worship Me.’" (Al-Anbiyā’: 25)

"Alif, Lām, Rā. (This is) a Book whose verses are perfected and then presented in detail from (One who is) Wise and Acquainted. (Saying): ‘Do not worship except Allah. Indeed, I am to you from Him a warner and a bringer of glad tidings.’" (Hūd: 1-2)

These decisive verses and their counterparts throughout the Divine Scripture unequivocally affirm the obligation of dedicating all acts of worship exclusively to Allah. This doctrine constitutes the foundation of faith and the very essence of the divine message. It is also the underlying wisdom behind the creation of jinn and humankind, the mission of the messengers, and the revelation of the scriptures.

Consequently, it is incumbent upon all accountable individuals to devote the utmost attention to this fundamental tenet, to acquire a profound understanding of it, and to remain vigilant against the errors into which many adherents of Islam have fallen. These include excessive veneration of prophets and saints, the construction of edifices over their graves, turning them into sanctuaries and domes, invoking them, seeking their intercession, and supplicating them for the fulfilment of needs, relief from distress, recovery from illness, or victory over adversaries—acts that constitute grave polytheism.

Authentic traditions from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) corroborate the teachings of the Divine Book. In the two Ṣaḥīḥ collections, it is recorded that Mu‘ādh (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said to him:

"Do you know the right of Allah upon His servants and the right of the servants upon Allah?" Mu‘ādh replied: "Allah and His Messenger know best." The Prophet then said: "The right of Allah upon His servants is that they worship Him and do not associate anything with Him. And the right of the servants upon Allah is that He does not punish those who do not associate anything with Him."

Likewise, it is reported in Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī that Ibn Mas‘ūd (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:

"Whoever dies while invoking a partner besides Allah will enter the Fire."

Similarly, Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim records from Jābir (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) stated:

"Whoever meets Allah without associating anything with Him will enter Paradise; and whoever meets Him while associating anything with Him will enter Hell."

These and numerous other narrations unequivocally establish the gravity of this issue. The Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) was commissioned to call to monotheism and to prohibit polytheism. He conveyed this divine mandate with utmost diligence, enduring severe trials in the cause of Allah. His noble companions (may Allah be pleased with them) likewise bore hardships in disseminating this message until the Arabian Peninsula was purged of all idols and false deities, and multitudes embraced Islam. The idols surrounding the Ka‘bah were demolished, and the pagan shrines of Lāt, ‘Uzzā, and Manāt were obliterated.

Islam subsequently expanded beyond the Arabian Peninsula through the twin forces of da‘wah (invitation) and jihād, illuminating vast regions of the world with divine truth and justice. The believers thus became the vanguards of guidance, the champions of righteousness, and the bearers of justice and reform. Their noble path was followed by the righteous successors, who persisted in spreading the faith, enjoining monotheism, and striving in the cause of Allah without fearing reproach. Consequently, Allah granted them His support and fulfilled His promise:

"O you who have believed, if you support Allah, He will support you and plant your feet firmly." (Muḥammad: 7)

"And Allah will surely support those who support Him. Indeed, Allah is Powerful and Almighty. (They are) those who, if We establish them in the land, establish prayer, give alms, enjoin what is right, and forbid what is wrong. And to Allah belongs the outcome of (all) matters." (Al-Ḥajj: 40-41)

Then, in the course of time, people altered their ways, became divided, and exhibited laxity in their commitment to jihad. They prioritised ease and the pursuit of desires, while transgressions became widespread among them, except for those whom Allah, the Most High, safeguarded. Consequently, Allah altered their circumstances, subjecting them to their adversaries as a recompense for their actions. And your Lord is never unjust to His servants. As stated in the Qur'an:

"That is because Allah would not change a blessing He had bestowed upon a people until they change what is within themselves." [Al-Anfal: 53]

It is therefore incumbent upon all Muslims—governments and nations alike—to return to Allah, to devote worship solely to Him, and to repent from past shortcomings and transgressions. They must hasten to fulfil their obligatory duties, abstain from what has been prohibited, enjoin one another towards righteousness, and cooperate in the pursuit of virtue and piety.

A most critical aspect of this obligation is the establishment of the prescribed legal punishments, the enforcement of divine law in all matters, and the abandonment of man-made laws that contravene the dictates of Islam. It is imperative to reject arbitration by any rule that contradicts divine legislation and to compel all societies to adhere to the divine decree. Scholars, in turn, must educate the people in their faith, disseminate Islamic awareness, and exhort one another to uphold the truth with patience and perseverance. They must also encourage rulers to adhere to these principles, striving to combat pernicious ideologies such as socialism, Ba'athism, and the fervent nationalism that deviates from divine guidance.

By adhering to these directives, Allah shall rectify the corruption that has afflicted the Muslim community, restore what has been lost, and return to them their former glory. He shall grant them victory over their adversaries and establish them in the land, as He, the Most Truthful, declares:

"And it is an obligation upon Us to grant victory to the believers. " [Al-Rum: 47]

He also states:

"Allah has promised those who believe and perform righteous deeds that He will surely grant them succession upon the earth just as He granted it to those before them, and He will establish for them their religion which He has chosen for them, and He will replace their fear with security. They worship Me and do not associate anything with Me. But whoever disbelieves thereafter—then those are the defiantly disobedient." [Al-Nur: 55]

Moreover, the Almighty affirms:

"Indeed, We shall grant victory to Our messengers and to those who believe in the life of this world and on the Day when the witnesses will stand—on the Day when the excuses of the wrongdoers will be of no benefit to them, for theirs is the curse, and theirs is the worst abode." [Ghafir: 51-52].

We beseech Allah, the Most High, to guide the Muslim leaders and their people, to grant them a sound understanding of the faith, and to unite them upon piety. May He guide them all to His straight path, grant them victory in upholding the truth, and cause them to vanquish falsehood. May He enable them to cooperate in righteousness and piety and to enjoin one another upon truth and patience. Verily, He alone is the Guardian of this, and He alone is capable of bringing it to fruition. May the blessings and peace of Allah be upon His servant and Messenger, His chosen one from creation, our Prophet, leader, and master, Muhammad ibn Abdullah, as well as upon his family, his companions, and all who follow his guidance.

And peace and blessings be upon you all, and may the mercy of Allah and His blessings be upon you.

Wayward Path of Errors

 

Faith as Speech and Action: A Harmonious Elevation

⁸⁷Faith is both a word and a deed,
   Growing in obedience, yet sin makes it recede.
⁸⁸It cannot falter through lesser wrongs,
   For shirk or kufr must echo in one's songs.
⁸⁹Adultery, theft, or the intoxicant's snare,
   Do not displace one from the faithful's care.
⁹⁰Allah proclaims, His mercy vast:
   “Indeed, He forgives, save shirk, steadfast.”

⁹¹The Prophet assured, in hadiths sincere,
   That even mustard-sized faith draws Allah near.
⁹²From Hell's grasp, the believer is freed,
   For Allah answers every faithful plead.

 

Loving and Hating for His Divine Pleasure

⁹³Faith resides in love and loyalty bright,
   For believers, we share a bond of light.
⁹⁴The Companions hold the most esteemed place,
   Their actions reflect Allah's radiant grace.
⁹⁵The Prophet declared in a noble decree:
   "The best generation is mine, then two more, you'll see."

⁹⁶Abu Bakr stands in virtue supreme,
   Then Umar, Uthman, and Ali’s gleam.
⁹⁷With respect, the others we hold dear,
   Avoiding disputes they held near.
⁹⁸They sought truth with a heart so pure,
   For error earned reward, and success ensured.

⁹⁹To the Prophet's kin, love extends,
   To wives and family, our loyalty bends.
¹⁰⁰The Rafidah curse, the Nawasib deny,
    But Ahl al-Sunnah holds their heads high.

 

The Wayward Paths of Error

¹⁰¹Polytheists seek idols and saints,
    Directing prayers through distorted complaints.
¹⁰²Like Quraysh of old, who shirked the Divine,
    They sought gods for intercession’s shrine.
¹⁰³"One God for all?" they decried in surprise,
    “This is strange,” they said, blinded by lies.

¹⁰⁴Yet the Prophet called, with wisdom’s light,
    Warning of shirk’s consuming plight.
¹⁰⁵He raised Allah’s banner, the truth unfurled,
    And led His word across the world.
¹⁰⁶The Companions joined in struggles long,
    Until His religion triumphed strong.

¹⁰⁷But ignorance crept in with time’s slow decay,
    And shirk returned in a subtler way.
¹⁰⁸To Prophets and saints, veneration grew,
    Their intercession claimed as falsely true.
¹⁰⁹They failed the meaning of La ilaha illa Allah,
    A truth known even to Jahiliyyah’s awe.

 

The Veil of Contemporary Polytheists

¹¹⁰Modern idolaters echo old tunes,
    "Our saints bring us close, like heavenly moons."
¹¹¹But Allah rebuked their baseless plea:
    "Your claims hold no truth before Me."
¹¹²Their acts of worship, to others turned,
    Have lost the divine light that once burned.

 

The Materialist Denial

¹¹³Atheists today deny Allah’s reign,
    Reducing existence to worldly gain.
¹¹⁴From Marx to Lenin, their doctrines deny,
    Paradise, Hell, and resurrection's reply.
¹¹⁵Their books reveal the darkness within,
    A creed opposing all prophets’ kin.

Belief in Angels, Books, Prophets, and Decree

 

Belief in Angels

⁵⁹Majestic beings fashioned of light divine,

   Unseen, they serve their Lord in perfect line.

⁶⁰No speech nor act precedes His sovereign call,

   They bow, in awe, before the Lord of all.

⁶¹From mighty thrones to guarding Heaven’s gate,

   Recording deeds or sealing every fate,

⁶²Jibril descends with truths from skies above,

   Mika’il tends the earth with boundless love.

⁶³Israfil waits to sound the fateful horn,

   While Malik guards the realm where souls are torn.

⁶⁴Angels, ethereal servants pure and bright,

   Reflect the Maker’s glory, strength, and might.

 

Belief in Divine Books

⁶⁵The words divine, revealed in written grace,

   To guide mankind through every time and place.

⁶⁶The Torah’s light, the Gospel’s holy creed,

   The Psalms resound, the Qur’an now leads.

⁶⁷Its verses heal, its wisdom clears the way,

   The seal of books, forever here to stay.

⁶⁸“Mankind was one,” then truth would reappear,

   Through Prophets sent to make His justice clear.

⁶⁹So, follow now the blessed path it shows,

   The mercy of the Lord in each verse flows.

 

Belief in Prophets

⁷⁰Messengers sent to light the narrow way,

   Their call to truth no power could dismay.

⁷¹“Worship Allah, avoid the false,” they plead,

   Their mission clear, their warnings intercede.

⁷²Nuh, Hud, and Salih led the chosen few,

   Ibrahim’s faith the purest ever true.

⁷³Muhammad, last, the finest seal of all,

   Through him the light of truth on hearts does fall.

⁷⁴Reject not these; the call to faith is plain,

   Eternal joy for those who heed remains.

 

Belief in the Last Day

⁷⁵A day of trials, grave and vast, will rise,

   When deeds are weighed beneath the judging skies.

⁷⁶The balance set, the bridge stretched far and thin,

   The righteous pass while sinners fall within.

⁷⁷Paradise calls with rivers pure and sweet,

   While Hell’s consuming fires the wretched greet.

⁷⁸The records show the path each soul has trod,

   And faithful hearts behold the face of God.

⁷⁹A day of justice, mercy’s final stand,

   Where all must face the fate, His wisdom planned.

 

Belief in Divine Decree

⁸⁰His knowledge vast, eternal and supreme,

   Beyond the bounds of any mortal dream.

⁸¹All written clear within the sacred scroll,

   Each thought, each deed, each destiny, each goal.

⁸²What He decrees shall be, none can oppose,

   His will commands the sun to set, to rose.

⁸³Creation bows; He fashioned all that is,

   No hand but His can grant or take or give.

⁸⁴Such faith completes the creed, the heart’s delight,

   Submission to His plan in wrong or right.

⁸⁵Each verse, a guide, a mirror to the soul,

   To shape the self and make the spirit whole.

⁸⁶This path of faith, a lantern through the strife,

   Illuminates the way to eternal life.

Deviants from the Creed

Faith as Speech and Action: Its Increase and Decrease

Belief in Allah encompasses both speech and action, forming an inseparable foundation of faith. It is dynamic, increasing through acts of obedience and diminishing through sin. A Muslim cannot be declared a disbeliever due to sins less than shirk (polytheism) or kufr (disbelief), such as adultery, theft, usury, consuming intoxicants, disobedience to parents, or other major transgressions, unless such acts are deemed lawful. Allah affirms:

"Indeed, Allah does not forgive association with Him, but He forgives what is less than that for whom He wills." (Surah An-Nisa: 48)

The Prophet ﷺ, in widely authenticated narrations, assured that Allah will eventually release from Hell anyone who possesses even a mustard seed's weight of faith in their heart.

 

Loving and Hating for the Sake of Allah

A fundamental aspect of faith is loving and disliking for the sake of Allah. This involves showing love and loyalty (walaa’) to believers while opposing and disavowing disbelievers. Among the believers, the Companions of the Prophet ﷺ hold a preeminent status. The adherents of Ahl al-Sunnah wa’l-Jama‘ah (the mainstream Sunni tradition) love and remain loyal to the Companions, recognising them as the best of humanity after the Prophets, as per the saying of the Prophet ﷺ:

"The best generation is my generation, then those who follow them, then those who follow them." (Agreed upon)

Ahl al-Sunnah uphold that Abu Bakr As-Siddiq is the most virtuous, followed by Umar ibn al-Khattab, Uthman ibn Affan, and Ali ibn Abi Talib (may Allah be pleased with them all). After these luminaries, they honour the remaining ten promised Paradise, followed by the rest of the Companions.

They refrain from criticising or debating the internal disputes among the Companions, holding that they acted based on sincere judgment: those correct in their ijtihad earned double rewards, while those mistaken earned one.

Moreover, Ahl al-Sunnah cherish the family of the Prophet ﷺ and extend loyalty to them, including the mothers of the Believers, his noble wives. They denounce the Rafidah (extreme Shia) who curse the Companions and elevate the Prophet’s family beyond the station assigned to them by Allah. Similarly, they reject the Nawasib, who harm the Prophet’s family through speech or action.

 

Deviants from the Creed

The deviations from this creed manifest in various forms:

 

Idolaters and Polytheists

These include those who worship idols, angels, saints, jinn, trees, stones, and other entities. These individuals did not respond to the call of the Messengers; instead, they opposed and defied them, much like the Quraysh and various other Arab tribes behaved towards our Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. They would seek their deities' intercession for the fulfilment of needs, healing of the sick, and victory over enemies. Additionally, they offered sacrifices and made vows to these idols. When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ denounced these practices and commanded them to dedicate worship exclusively to Allah alone, they found his message strange and vehemently rejected it, saying:

“Has he made the gods into One God? Indeed, this is a strange thing.” (Surah Sad: 5)

Despite their rejection, the Prophet ﷺ continued to call them to Allah, warning them against shirk (associating partners with Allah) and clarifying the reality of what they worshipped. Through his persistent efforts, Allah guided whomever He willed to the truth. Many embraced the religion of Islam in large groups, and ultimately, the religion of Allah triumphed over all others after sustained effort and struggle by the Prophet ﷺ, his noble Companions (may Allah be pleased with them), and the righteous followers who came after them.

Over time, however, circumstances changed. Ignorance prevailed among the majority of people, leading many to revert to the practices of Jahiliyyah (the pre-Islamic era of ignorance). This manifested in their excessive veneration of Prophets and saints, invoking them, seeking their intercession, and engaging in other forms of shirk. These individuals failed to comprehend the true meaning of La ilaha illa Allah (There is no deity worthy of worship except Allah) as even the Arab polytheists of old had understood it. Indeed, Allah’s help is sought.

Such acts of shirk have continued to spread among people up to this very day, driven by widespread ignorance and the remoteness of generations from the time of Prophethood.

 

Contemporary Idolaters

The argument of these later generations mirrors that of the earlier ones. They claim: "These are our intercessors with Allah. We only worship them so that they may bring us closer to Allah."

However, Allah decisively refuted this claim, making it clear that worshiping anything or anyone other than Him—be it Prophets, saints, or others—constitutes major shirk (polytheism) and disbelief. Allah states:

"And they worship besides Allah that which neither harms them nor benefits them, and they say, 'These are our intercessors with Allah.'" (Surah Yunus: 18)

In response, Allah declares:

"Say, 'Do you inform Allah of something He does not know in the heavens or on the earth? Exalted is He and high above what they associate with Him.'" (Surah Yunus: 18)

This verse unequivocally establishes that directing acts of worship to anyone besides Allah—whether to Prophets, saints, or others—constitutes major shirk, regardless of how those who engage in such practices attempt to justify or label them.

Likewise, Allah states:

"And those who take protectors besides Him [say], 'We only worship them that they may bring us nearer to Allah in position.'" (Surah Az-Zumar: 3)

To this, Allah responds:

"Indeed, Allah will judge between them concerning that over which they differ. Indeed, Allah does not guide one who is a liar and a disbeliever." (Surah Az-Zumar: 3)

In these verses, Allah categorically denies the validity of their excuses, affirming that their worship of other beings—through invocation, reliance, or other forms of devotion—is nothing but falsehood and disbelief. He exposes their claim that such acts bring them closer to Him as a lie, declaring their actions as outright rejection of His sole right to be worshipped.

 

Atheists and Materialists

Among the doctrines of disbelief that stand in direct opposition to the true creed and contradict the teachings brought by the Messengers (peace be upon them) are the beliefs held by atheists in this era, such as the followers of Marx, Lenin, and other proponents of atheism and disbelief. Whether these ideologies are termed socialism, communism, Ba'athism, or any other designation, they are fundamentally rooted in materialistic principles that deny the existence of Allah, asserting that life is merely material.

One of their core tenets is the denial of resurrection, the rejection of Paradise and Hell, and disbelief in all religions. Anyone who examines their writings and delves into their doctrines will ascertain this with certainty. Undoubtedly, this ideology is in direct contradiction to all divinely revealed religions and inevitably leads its adherents to the most devastating consequences in both this world and the Hereafter.

Similarly, among the beliefs that stand in opposition to truth are the doctrines propagated by certain sects of the esoteric Batiniyyah and some extremist Sufi factions. These groups falsely attribute to certain individuals they refer to as "saints" divine powers over the universe, claiming that such figures govern the affairs of creation. They label them with invented titles such as "poles" (aqtab), "pillars" (awtad), or "helpers" (aghwath).

This constitutes one of the gravest forms of shirk in lordship (rububiyyah), exceeding even the polytheism of the pre-Islamic Arabs. The polytheists of Arabia, while associating partners with Allah in worship, did not attribute divine governance to anyone other than Allah. Furthermore, their shirk was primarily during times of ease; in moments of adversity, they would sincerely turn to Allah alone in worship, as Allah states:

"And when they board a ship, they supplicate Allah, sincere to Him in religion. But when He delivers them to the land, at once they associate others with Him." (Surah Al-Ankabut: 65)

As for lordship, they acknowledged it exclusively for Allah, as indicated by Allah’s words:

"If you ask them who created them, they will surely say, 'Allah.'" (Surah Az-Zukhruf: 87)

And He also states:

"Say, 'Who provides for you from the heaven and the earth? Or who controls hearing and sight and brings the living out of the dead and brings the dead out of the living and arranges [every] matter?' They will say, 'Allah.' So say, 'Then will you not fear Him?'" (Surah Yunus: 31)

Such verses clearly highlight the grave deviation of these groups, who ascribe to others powers that belong solely to Allah. The consequences of these false beliefs are severe and lead their adherents further away from the truth revealed by all Messengers of Allah.

 

What Late Polytheists Added to Their Predecessors

As for the later polytheists, they exceeded their predecessors in two distinct ways. First, some among them committed shirk (polytheism) in Allah’s Lordship (Rububiyyah). Second, they engaged in polytheism during both times of ease and hardship. This can be clearly observed by those who have interacted with them, examined their conditions, and witnessed their practices at the graves of individuals like Al-Husayn and Al-Badawi in Egypt, Al-Aydarus in Aden, Al-Hadi in Yemen, Ibn Arabi in the Levant, and Sheikh Abdul Qadir Al-Jilani in Iraq. These widely venerated graves have become sites of exaggerated reverence where the masses direct acts of worship that are due solely to Allah, the Exalted.

They offer prayers, supplications, sacrifices, and vows at these graves—acts that should be directed only to Allah. Few individuals among them rise to refute such practices or clarify the reality of monotheism (Tawhid), which Allah sent His Prophet Muhammad ﷺ to establish, as well as the Prophets before him (peace be upon them all). Indeed, to Allah we belong, and to Him we shall return. We beseech Him, the Most High, to guide them back to the path of reason and righteousness, to increase among them the callers to truth and guidance, and to enable the leaders and scholars of the Muslims to combat this form of polytheism and eradicate its means and manifestations. Verily, He is All-Hearing and Near.

 

Errant Doctrines in the Names and Attributes of Allah

Among the erroneous beliefs that contradict the sound creed are those held by innovators regarding the Names and Attributes of Allah. This includes the doctrines of the Jahmiyyah, the Mu’tazilah, and those who followed their path by denying Allah’s attributes. These groups render Allah devoid of His attributes of perfection and liken Him to non-existent entities, inanimate objects, and impossibilities. Exalted is Allah far above what they claim, elevated infinitely beyond such falsehoods.

Also included are those who partially deny Allah’s attributes while affirming others, such as the Ash’aris. Their stance reveals inconsistencies, for the very principles they use to affirm some attributes contradict their rejection of others. Their reliance on misinterpretation (ta’wil) and selective affirmation causes them to oppose both textual and rational evidence, leading to clear contradictions in their creed.

 

[The Approach of Ahl al-Sunnah wa’l-Jama‘ah]

In contrast, Ahl al-Sunnah wa’l-Jama‘ah affirm for Allah what He has affirmed for Himself or what His Messenger ﷺ has affirmed for Him, adhering to the principles of perfection and majesty. They describe Allah with attributes of completeness, while absolving Him of any resemblance to His creation. Their approach is free from distortion, misinterpretation, or negation. They harmonize all the evidence, neither altering the divine texts nor denying their meanings, thereby safeguarding themselves from the contradictions that have plagued others, as previously explained.

This approach represents the path of salvation and success in this life and the Hereafter. It is the straight path treaded by the righteous predecessors (Salaf) of this Ummah and its leading scholars. The final generations will not attain success except by adhering to what brought success to the earlier generations: following the Qur’an and Sunnah and avoiding all that contradicts them.