T H E E X P L A N A T I O N OF A L - n a ’ i y a H - A Poem written about the Creed »v - • ->—o of Ahlus-Sunnah Wal-Jamaah By Abu Bakr bin Abi Dawud As-Sijistani [D. 316h ] Explained by Dr. Salih bin Fawzan - A a l f a w z n © Riwayah Publishing, A Product of RiMarkct.Net, The World’s Provider of Arabic Books No part of this book may be reproduced in anv form without written permission from RiMarkct.Net, except it it is being copied for the purpose of spreading authentic knowledge and not to sell. In such a case, we encourage people to convey the statements of the scholars of Ahl As-Sunnah and surely the success is with Allah. ISBN Number: 978-0-9846600-3-2 First Edition: Rabi’ Al-Awwal 1434/January 2013 Cover Design by: Usui Design/[email protected] Formatting, Editing, & Translation: Team Riwayah cjjUjtl ^ Riwayah Publishing Address: 924 Bergen Avenue, 322 PMB Jersey City, New Jersey, USA 07306 Website: www.rimarket.net Text. 973.332.3345 E. [email protected] Acknowledgement: 4 he translation of the Quranic verses and some of the prophetic narrations in this document arc from Muhammad Taqi Ad-Din and Muhsin Khan’s translations of the Noble Quran, Sahlh Muslim, & Sahih Al-Bukhari. Also in some instances, Abul Abbas Musa Richardson’s translation of the text of Al-Hai’yah was used. May Allah, the Most High, reward everyone who assisted in this humble effort. We ask Allah by His Beautiful Names and Lofty Attributes to allow this book to be knowledge that the people will benefit from until the Day of Judgment. Printed in the United States of America The Explanation of Al-HS’iyah Brief Biography Abu Bakr As-Sijistam.......................................................4 Dr. Salih Fawzan’s Introduction.................................................................5 Holding firm to the Book of Allah and the Sunnah...............................10 The Creed of the Salaf in Regards to the Speech of Allah, (&)...........................................................................................................42 The One Who Halts In regards to the saying “The Qur’an is Created”.....................................................................................................57 Seeing of Allah (Ski)...................................................................................63 The Denial of the Jahmiyyah that the Slaves will see their Lord 79 The Position of the Jahmiyyah In regards to the Hands of Allah (Jfe)8I Allah’s Descending....................................................................................90 The Virtues of the Sahabah ...........................................................107 The Virtues of the Remaining Ten Companions Promise Paradise... 127 Speaking Good about the Companions and the ruling pertaining to those who speak ill of them....................................................................129 The Virtues of the Prophet's Children (4fe).........................................134 The Virtue of ‘A’isha, the Mother of the Believers and the Noble Companion Mu’awiyah...........................................................................135 The Status of the Immigrants and the Ansar.....................................136 The Status of the Tabi'un and the Imams who followed them in goodness....................................................................................................138 The Divine Decree...................................................................................142 The Last Day.........................................................................................178 The One Who Professes Tawhld will be taken out the Fire...............197 The Prophet s Intercession....................................................................201 Declaring someone to be a Disbeliever due to Major Sins.................214 The ‘Aqidah of the Khawanj..................................................................218 The ‘Aqidah of the Murji'ah..................................................................220 Placing the Statement of Allah and His Messenger over all statements................................... 231 Criticizing and Speaking ill of the People of Hadith..........................237 The Importance of having A Sound Creed, Its Virtues in this Life and the Next....................................................................................................244 The Explanation of Al-HS’iyah The Biography of the Author of Al-H3’iyah His name is Abu Bakr Abdullah bin Sulayman bin Al- Ash'ath bin Ishaq bin Bashir bin Amr bin Imran Al- Azdi Al-Sijistani, known famously as “Ibn Abi Dawud.” He was born in 230 of the Islamic Calendar, in the Province of Sijistan. He is considered to be one of the Imams of the people of the prophetic tradition, from the well known figures of Ahl As-Sunnah. His father was Sulayman bin Al- Ash'ath bin Bashir better known as Al-Imam Abu Dawud the compiler of the Sunan of Abu Dawud. Abu Bakr bin Abu Dawud As-Sijistam died in the year 316, leaving behind eight children (will pA aaj). His biography is very extensive, the students who took knowledge from him, the scholars who he took knowledge from, and the books he wrote. So we will suffice by mentioning a few statements of the Great Signposts about him. Abu Abdur Rahman As-Sulaml said, “I asked Ad-Daraqutni about Abu Bakr bin Abi Dawud and he said he was reliable.” Al-Hafith Abu Muhammad Al-Khalal said, “Ibn Abu Dawud was the Imam of the people of Al-‘Iraq” Al-Khatib Al-Baghdadi said, “He was a Faqih, a scholar, and a Hafith.” Ibn Al-Khalkan said, “Abu Bakr bin Abu Dawud as-Sijistani was from the major memorizers of Baghdad. He was a man who possessed understanding, knowledge, and he was an Imam.” Al-Imam Adh-Dhahabi said: “He was from the oceans of knowledge; some even preferred him over his father.” As-Subki said, “The Hafith, the son of the Hafith, (indeed he was) one of the Noble men.” The Explanation of Al-H£’iyah Dr. Salih Al-Fawzan's Introduction All praise belongs to Allah, the Lord of everything in existence. May the peace and commendations be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his Family and Companions. This (work) is an explanation of the famous poem written by (the illustrious scholar) Abu Bakr bin Abu Dawud As-Sijistam (dill w aj), which consists of his beliefs and methodology. (Surely), he has followed the pious predecessors in writing this treatise. Because, (no doubt) the custom of the Muslims in the earlier period of Islam — meaning the (first) Three Virtuous Generations — was to believe in everything in the Qur’an and Sunnah without doubting or wavering in their belief. They were those who believed in Allah and His Messenger (^) with a strong truthful Faith. They believed in the Book of Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, and whatever is contained in it and their belief in the Sunnah was the same. Whatever the Qur’an and Sunnah mentioned regarding the affairs of the religion, whether it be creedal, in worship, in social interactions, manners and etiquettes, or pertaining to legislative rulings such as the permissible or impermissible, they believed in it wholeheartedly (never wavering), never hesitating, and never doubting in their faith, because true Iman required this from them. They believed truthfully, wholeheartedly, no hesitating regarding that which has been found in the Quran, or authentically reported in the Prophetic Tradition, regardless of what the matter was. Likewise, they did not hesitate (in their firm conviction) towards confirming the news of the past (generations), the future (years to come) or other than that. They did not exclude anything, rather they believed in everything that came in the Book and the Sunnah, The Explanation of AI-HS'tyah with a firm faith, which doubt could not approach; this is what true faith obligated. (But alter these glory years) there appeared these misguided sects, occurring at the conclusion of the Companions’ era. (From these groups were) the Khawarij, Shi’ites, Mur'jiah and the Qadariyyah. These misguided groups were silent during the time period of the three virtuous generations, hiding their false ideologies. And every time a person would openly (propagate his false creed), he would be held accountable, being disciplined and prevented from (spreading this evil). And if their (misguidance) reached the level of apostasy, this person would be executed in order to protect the religion from being (mockingly) trifled with at the hands of these frivolous (deviants). After the three virtuous generations passed away and foreign cultures began to enter into the Muslims Lands, such as the Roman and Persian cultures, disorder (and deficiency) occurred. And the callers to misguidance became active in spreading their distorted concepts amongst the people. It was during this time when the People of knowledge feverously began clarifying the creed of the People of the Sunnah and the Unified Body, which the (Messenger’s) Companions and the two succeeding generations were upon. (The Scholars) clarified this creed, writing it down in (various) books, sometimes referring to it as, “Faith”, “Legislation”, “Sunnah”, and “Tawlud.” (In these books) they refuted those who opposed the correct creed and methodology. This is (no doubt) from Allah’s (mercy) and kindness for this ummah, guaranteeing that their religion remains (preserved). Surely Allah sent protectors of this religion, guarding and preserving it at all times. Al-Imam Ahmad (<iiil<inaj) said: “All praise belongs to Allah who placed a group from the Scholars at every interval of 6 Messengers, calling to the Guidance those who have veered away ge from the straight path, patiently bearing their harm. With the Pa The Explanation of Al-Hl'iyah Book of Allah, they give life to the dead and with Allah’s Light they give sight to the blind. How many people were slain by Iblis, whom they have revived? And how many were lost wandering about, whom they have guided. How beautiful is their influence upon the people and how repugnant is the people’s influence upon them?! They are those who guarded and preserved the religion, rejected and denied the distortion of the transgressors of the Book of Allah. Likewise (they protected the Qur’an) from the pretence of the liars and the false interpretations of ignorant ones, those who initiated innovations and had unleashed insurmountable trials and tribulations (upon the Ummah). In regards to the (Qur’an) (the people of innovation) differed, they opposed the Book with unanimous agreement, (ascribing to Allah) what He did not say, and with ignorance they speak about Him and His Book. They use obscure and ambiguous speech to deceive the ignorant people in matters that are unclear to them. We seek refuge with Allah from the trials and tribulations of the misguided.” [Refutation of the Tahmiyyah and Az-Zanadiqah page (85) Reviewed by Abdur Rahman Umavrah, 2nd Edition, 1402 Hijrah, Dar Al-Liwa Ar- Rivadh, Saudi Arabia] Then, the Muslims inherited these books, extracting from them books of creed, and they disseminated that which these Great Scholars authored. Thus there existed books of Aqidah, which included all of the matters of the Islamic Belief, and that which the (pious) predecessors of this Ummah were upon. Then there were some scholars who devoted their time and attention to small creedal texts, versifying them, because (organized verses of poetry are) lighter upon the soul, easier to retain, and remains (longer) in ones memory7. They have organized these creedal texts into poetry in order that they will be easier to memorize. (And from these poems) is that which we have in front of us: the “Ha’iyyah” of Ibn Abi Dawud, deriving The Explanation of Al-HS’iyah its name from the fact that each line ends with the Arabic letter <i » “pq*” SUT1j[ar to (naming of the) books “Mimmiyyah, and “Nuniyyah” by Ibn Qavyim, because the last letter of every line of poetry ends with either the letter ^ “mim” or J “nun". If a poem is written upon a single rhythmic pattern, it takes the name of that rhyme pattern. For example, if the letter Ha, Mim, or Nun repeats then it is entitled Al-Ha’iyyah, Al-Mimiyyah, An- Nunivvah and so on and so forth. But if the poetry is not organized upon a single rhyming pattern, and it is that which is referred to as Ar-Rajz, this is (simply) referred to as versified lines, such as As-Saffarini (in Creed), Ar- Rahbiyah in Inheritance, the versified lines of Ibn Abdul Qawi for Al-Muqni’ in the Islamic Jurisprudence, and the versified lines of Legislated Mannerisms. In conclusion: versified lines of poetry are (effective) in that it helps to facilitate memorization, so that (the words) remain, because it organizes the information. So although prose are the original (way in which information is presented), (poetry) has the added benefit of stabilizing information, (and locking it in so that it will remain). From such poems is this poem: Al-Ha’iyyah of Abu Bakr Ibn Abi Dawud. Abu Bakr, he is ‘Abdullah bin Abi Dawud (Sulayman) bin Al- Ash’ath As-Sijistani: His father Abu Dawud, he is Sulayman bin Al-Ash’ath As-Sijistanl, the compiler of the (famous) collection of prophetic narrations: the Sunan of Abi Dawud, which is one of the Four Very Important Compilations of Hadith from the records of the Prophetic Tradition. He is from the companions of Al-Imam Ahmad and one of his students. He has some 8 ge questions that have been printed, which he narrated from Al- Pa Imam Ahmad, entitled The Questions of Abi Dawud. The Explanation of Al-H3’iyah And this son of his, the author of this poem, is Abdullah bin Abi Dawud, his kunya is Abu Bakr. He was a noble scholar who took knowledge from his father as well as from other (notable) scholars of his era (as well). He was a well versed expert in knowledge, the science(s) of hadith, and he (was from those who) narrated prophetic narrations. He had a lofty status in scholarship, not that much lesser than that of his father’s or close to it So this poem came, containing (within it) the creed of the pious predecessors. C S .W 'S O