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And now let’s start with the wordings of the introduction of the Sharih (Imam as-saa’di)

Meaning of the Introduction of Imam As-Saa’di (رحمه الله)

All praise be to Allah, the One who has been describing His great attributes, attributes of pride and all perfectness, who is clean from being associated with any deficiency, any similarity, any example. I bear witness that He is alone with the oneness of worthy to be worshipped at all situations. Praise be on our leader Muhammad (صلى الله عليه وسلم) and on his family, his companions, and those who follow him in Aqeedah (beliefs), manners, talks and actions.

And then (to proceed),

This is a light commentary on the Aqeedah of Shaykh ul Islam Ibn Taymiyyah which has been titled as ‘Al Wasitiyyah’. It has collected in a summarized form, very clearly, all what is important for Aqeedah among the basics of Iman and the correct Aqeedah. All though this subject has been very clear, it is very firmly based over here(in this compilation). It needs a light commentary over certain Quranic verses, Hadeeth in order to realize the point of evidence based on it, for understanding certain matters on how they have been compiled together, to understand how they have been gathered in one place(under this subject). Also, to point out some of its results and benefits in our hearts, our manners and all that which has to be explained will be elaborated.

I wish that this commentary, on this mode, will be sincerely for Allah, to make me near to Him and useful to the people, easy in its words and understanding. Ameen

Let’s read the lessons of the sharih, Imam as saadi (who explained this book).

(this can be called as the Introduction of the author Imam Ibn Taymiyyah)

Imam As-Saa’di began with the statement of Shaykh ul Islam from the book,

الحمد لله الَّذي أَرْسَلَ رَسُولَهُ بِالْهُدَى وَدِينِ الْحَقِّ لِيُظْهِرَهُ عَلَى الدِّينِ كُلِّهِ وَكَفَى بِاللهِ شَهِيدًا‏‏

“All praise is due to Allah, who sent His messenger with guidance and the religion of truth, to make it manifest over all religions. Sufficient is Allah as a witness.”

Praise is to Allah means praise in all modes, Perfections are to Allah (سبحانه و تعالى), they are attributed only to Allah alone with completeness. Among the things which are to be praised, is the blessings which He bestowed upon His slaves, which can never be counted by His creations. The greatest of all His blessings is the sending of His messenger Muhammad (صلى الله عليه وسلم), as a mercy to the two worlds, with the guidance(beneficial knowledge), the true religion, righteous actions, to overpower all the religions with evidences and proofs, with respect and authority. Allah is enough for this matter, as a witness for the truthfulness of His messenger and the message which they brought. Witness of Allah (سبحانه و تعالى) by His statements, by His actions, by His help to His messengers with victory, with miracles and with plenty of evidences. All of which is evidence for the prophethood and the truthfulness of the prophets. All of what they have brought is the truth. Either it is from Aqidah or Akhlaq, or adab or actions or other than it, whatever they conveyed is from the truth.

Shaykh As Saylani (حفظه الله):

This is how Imam Abdur Rahman Naasir as saa’di rahimahullah explains to us the words of shaykh ul islam, ‘All praise is due to Allah, who sent His messenger with guidance and the religion of truth, to make it manifest over all religions. Sufficient is Allah as a witness.’

This very statement of Imam ibn Taymiyyah were also explained by certain shurrah (commentators) in other words which I have to highlight to you. Usually, it has been the habit of people saying that books are started with the praise for Allah based upon a Hadees

كُلُّ كَلاَمٍ لاَ يُبْدَأُ فِيهِ بِـالْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ فَهُوَ أَجْذَمُ

Meaning of the Hadees is

‘Any action which is not started with the praising of Allah is like an empty hand’

Many used this Hadees as explanation for the actions of the Salaf beginning their books with ‘Alhamdulillah’ and ‘Bismillah’. But we must understand that the hadees

كل أمر ذى بال لا يبدأ فيه بالحمد لله ، فهو أقطع ". وفى رواية: " بحمد الله ". وفى رواية: " بالحمد ". وفى رواية: " ‌فهو ‌أجذم ". رواها الحافظ الرهاوى فى " الأربعين

This is a weak hadees. It is narrated by Imam Abdul kadhir rahawee¹¹ in his Juz’um Bil Ahadees, by Imam At-tabaraanee¹² in different places and Imam as-subkhi¹³ (رحمه الله) had made a great effort to proof this narration to be authentic in his book ‘tabaqat al kubra ash-shafiyyah’. Many scholars had fallen into this trap. Whenever they come to explain the words of an author starting his book with ‘Alhamdulillah…’, they say it is based upon this Hadees. This hadees is not authentic, it is among the weak hadees, it cannot be taken as an evidence.

The correct evidence for this practice of starting with Al-Hamdulillah (All praise is to Allah alone) is the authentic Hadees narrated by Abu Hurairah (رضي الله عنه), recorded in Sunan Abu Dawud,

Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said:

عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ ‏ "‏ كُلُّ خُطْبَةٍ لَيْسَ فِيهَا تَشَهُّدٌ فَهِيَ كَالْيَدِ الْجَذْمَاءِ ‏"‏

Meaning of the Hadees is

‘Any addressing which does not have the Tashahhud (Shahadthain and praise to Allah سبحانه و تعالى) is like an empty hand’¹⁴.

This authentic sunnah was the practice of the salaf from time of sahabah, tabieen and those who follow them till today, gatherings are started by praising Allah, with Salawat and Salam on our prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم). And here, the wording with which Imam ibn Taymiyyah started is precise but conveys great meaning with a complete praise for Allah, remembering greatest of His blessings that is the sending of the Messengers to mankind with guidance. We have to realise it. Today, people praise Allah only when they are comfortable, happy. But a true believer praises Allah at all times, all situations.

عَنْ صُهَيْبٍ قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ عَجَبًا لِأَمْرِ الْمُؤْمِنِ إِنَّ أَمْرَهُ كُلَّهُ خَيْرٌ وَلَيْسَ ذَاكَ لِأَحَدٍ إِلَّا لِلْمُؤْمِنِ إِنْ أَصَابَتْهُ سَرَّاءُ شَكَرَ فَكَانَ خَيْرًا لَهُ وَإِنْ أَصَابَتْهُ ضَرَّاءُ صَبَرَ فَكَانَ خَيْرًا لَهُ

(2999 صحيح مسلم كتاب الزهد والرقائق باب المؤمن أمره كله خير)

The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “Wondrous is the affair of a believer, as there is good for him in every matter; this is not the case for anyone but a believer. If he experiences pleasure, he thanks Allah and it is good for him. If he experiences harm, he shows patience and it is good for him.”¹⁵

This is the condition of a mu'min. If we praise Allah only when we are happy, then we are the judge. If we praise Allah at all situations submitting to Him, only then we have taken Him as our Judge. The Most important matter for which we have to praise Allah is for the sending of the prophet. Since Rasoolullah (صلى الله عليه وسلم) was sent to the globe as guide to the human race, we are able to realise the truth. We have gotten out of the darkness of kufr, shirk, disobedience and have realised to come closer to Allah due to the risalat of the messenger. Without this fact of the guidance of our prophet, we would not have reached to this understanding (of the truth and falsehood). This is the fact.

First thing which we have to emphasize and understand, All praise is to Allah, for the most valuable matter, is the Messenger-hood which was revealed to the prophets. And that is what is the true religion. Not only that He revealed the true religion, He (سبحانه و تعالى) made it over power all the other religions till every soul which wants to reach the truth will end up in the religion of rasoolullah (صلى الله عليه وسلم). Any soul which searches the truth will end up embracing Al-Islam. This is the strength of true religion. This can’t be realised by everyone. Only those who can witness the truthfulness of the message of our prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) can realise it. Some people may realise and some may not.

That’s why Imam Ibn Taymiyyah (رحمه الله) said,

“وَكَفَى بِاللهِ شَهِيدًا‏‏ ”

“Sufficient is Allah as a witness.”

Whether people understand it or not, Allah is sufficient as a witness to this truth. Those who are not educated won’t realise. Why? The Risalat is the first thing and most significant blessing bestowed on us and we must be grateful to Allah for it. There is nothing more worthier than this guidance as this is the true path which made us realise all other things. The prophethood of Rasoolullah (صلى الله عليه وسلم). This was described beautifully by the Imam.

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Footnotes:

11. Abdul kadhir rahawee – He is Ash-Shaykh Abdul Qadir Bin Abdillah Ar-Rahawee, Died in the Year 612H. He was a scholar of Hadith and a Hafidh. The hadith transmitted by Imam Abdul Qadir Rahwee is weak and you can refer Ash-Shaykh Al-Albani’s Al-Irwa Al Ghaleel (1/30).

12. He is Imam Abu al-Qasim, Sulayman ibn Ahmad at Tabaraani, died in the year 360H. He traveled and took the hadith of a very large number of imams and is known for his mu’jams.

13. Imam as-Subkhi was the judge of Damascus, died in the year 771H.

14. Sunan Abi Dawud 4841 – Explanation for this Hadeeth Can be Found in Ash-Shaykh Al-Albani’s Silsilathul Ahadeeth As-Saheeha Hadeeth No.169

15. Sahih Muslim 2999

Tahqeeq Tanbeehathul Latheefah - Part 2 (Transcription)