“Indeed, ˹it is˺ We ˹Who˺ sent this ˹Quran˺ down on the Night of Glory.” (Qur’an 97:1)
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The Spiritual Benefits of Ramadan.
*5th of Ramadan* ——————————– *Heart Health Hope and Fear*
“They fear a Day when hearts and eyes will tremble.” (Qur’an 24:37)
Fear is one of the attributes of the righteous in the Qur’an, and it’s the pain in the heart that’s caused by expecting harm in the future.
“Say, ˹O Prophet, that Allah says,˺ “O My servants who have exceeded the limits against their souls! Do not lose hope in Allah’s mercy, for Allah certainly forgives all sins. He is indeed the All-Forgiving, Most Merciful.” (Qur’an 39:53)
Hope is the comfort in the heart caused by expecting something loved by it.
If fear overwhelmed hope, the servant will lose hope in Allah (And do not lose hope in the mercy of Allah, for no one loses hope in Allah’s mercy except those with no faith).
In contrast, if hope overwhelmed fear, the servant will guarantee paradise for himself.
“Neither by your wishes nor those of the People of the Book! Whoever commits evil will be rewarded accordingly, and they will find no protector or helper besides Allah.” (Qur’an 4:123)
So the Muslim should try to keep the balance between these two forces, and if we take a look at the Salaf, they gave the best examples of this, here is Imam Abu Hamza Ashari (may Allah have mercy on him) describing the companions in his famous speech in Medina after freeing it from the injustice of Bani Umayah: (Were the companions of the prophet peace be upon him anything but youth, by Allah they were youth, perfect in their youth, their eyes are hidden from evil, their feet are slow to falsehood, weak from worship, hungry from staying late, when one of them goes through a verse that mentions paradise he cries in eagerness to it, and if he goes through a verse mentioning hell, he sobbed as if the roaring of hell is in his ears…TO THE END OF HIS SPEACH)
*The attributes of essence* Allah’s attributes can be described as attributes of Dhat (essence) and attributes of Fi’l (action).
The attributes of essence are the attributes that Allah cannot be described by with their opposites.
Examples: Knowledge, so we can’t say Allah is ignorant. Vision so we can’t say Allah is blind. Eternal so we can’t say Allah is created ‘ and so on.
We should know that the attributes of essence are Allah him self and not something other than Allah.
How?
We say Allah is all seeing in his essence, so he doesn’t need a tool to see like humans that need eyes, if we say that Allah is all seeing with something else that would mean Allah is dependent on that thing, this will also mean that Allah has parts which contradicts the absolute oneness.
In conclusion, the attributes of essence are the essence of Allah Subhanahu Wata’ala
*Ghusl from impurity* Ghusl is an important topic in Fiqh, it’s like Wudu’ but it should be done after ejaculation (sleeping or awake), sexual intercourse or menstruation for women.
If someone had this and didn’t perform Ghusl then he is in a state of major Hadath, and in this state no prayer or fasting is accepted, and one can not touch a Mushaf or enter a mosque.
How to perform Ghusl: 1- Intention 2- Washing the private part(s) 3- Wash between the naval and the knee, and clean any filth in the body 4- Perform normal ablution while delaying the feet 5- Wash the entire body with water (with force like rubbing or shower) starting from the top to The bottom and the right before the left 6- Wash the feet
Other notes: From the sunna is saying Basmalah, passing urine before Ghusl, performing ablution before Ghusl, starting from the top to bottom and right to left. Water should reach every piece of hair in Ghusl.
May Allah (swt) bless this youth for his beautiful recitation of the glorious Qur’an.
“And they say, “Never will the Fire touch us, except for a few days.” Say, “Have you taken a covenant with Allah? For Allah will never break His covenant. Or do you say about Allah that which you do not know?” Yes, whoever earns evil and his sin has encompassed him – those are the companions of the Fire; they will abide therein eternally.” (Qur’an 2:80-81)
“But whoever disobeys Allah and His Messenger and exceeds their limits will be cast into Hell, to stay there forever. And they will suffer a humiliating punishment.” (Qur’an 4:14)
Do you not consider, [O Muhammed], those who were given a portion of the Scripture? They are invited to the Scripture of Allah that it should arbitrate between them; then a party of them turns away, and they are refusing. “This because they say: “The Fire shall not touch us but for a few numbered days.” What will happen to their belief when We bring them together on the Inevitable Day when every soul will be justly recompensed for its deeds?” For their forgeries deceive them as to their own religion.” (Qur’an 3:23-24)
“Indeed, your Lord’s torment is fearsome.” (Qur’an 17:57)
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As mentioned in a previous post, we would like to clarify that, for those of us who follow the Ibadi school of Islam, for us, it is not important if our school is right or wrong on the matter.
What is important for us is that we are following the clear evidence as given by the Qur’an and the agreed-upon traditions of the Blessed Messenger (saw) Al Sunnah.
What is also important to note is that on this very important issue it is absolutely impossible for us to lose on this issue. As we mentioned to a brother before. We believe that the Ash`aris & Maturidis & Athari are upon batil (falsehood) and we are upon haqq (truth) in this matter.
So why is it impossible for us to lose? Because if the Ashari and Maturidi and Athari are correct, then we will all eventually be in paradise. However, if we are correct, and they are mistaken, your eternal salvation is the price of being upon misguidance.
The first point of clarification. Difference between infinite and everlasting (going backward and forward in time).
The difference between infinite and everlasting. Infinite is something beyond counting, beyond a real measurement. In this regard, only Allah (swt) is truly eternal. The knowledge of the created things is eternal.
Knowledge of the eternal does not equate to the eternality of the thing known.
Whereas everlasting is enduring forever; existing or continuing without end.
“That is Allah, your Lord; there is no deity except Him, the Creator of all things, so worship Him. And He is Disposer of all things.” (Qur’an 6:102)
Only Allah (swt) has no beginning.
Prevalent Muslim attitudes towards the afterlife have precipitated a moral and ethical decline.
Some may wonder if such an article is necessary? What benefit does this have for the Muslim community? Such an article is necessary, and it has an immense benefit for those who are willing to take heed. Every one of us has come short of the Glory of Allah (swt). Every one of us has fallen short in some aspect of our relationship with Allah (swt). Some of us more than others.
Do you ever wonder about moral erosion even in the Muslim communities? Do you think that this possibly has some root in the theology that Muslims have concerning the afterlife?
Do you not think that an attitude that says:
I’ll only be in the hellfire for a little while.
The Blessed Messenger (saw) will make intercession for me, so I have nothing to worry about.
Do you not think that such attitudes are flippant? To already treat hellfire as such a light matter has certainly led many of us not to fear Allah (swt).
An over-emphasis on the Love of Allah (swt). Of course, Allah (swt) is known as Al-Wadud (The Loving) twice in the Qur’an. After that, people have to read Rumi and other forms of poetry and books of saints to get their fix.
However, the Al-Nar (The Fire) is mentioned some 120+ times.
Jahnnam (The Abode of Hell) is mentioned some 70+ times.
Jaheem (Blazing Flames) is mentioned 20+ times.
It is a theme that is threaded all throughout the Qur’an.
We have often wondered at the success of Christian evangelism throughout certain parts of the world. Certainly, they bring food, build wells, hospitals, and schools. All of this is good and Muslims are doing this and should increase our efforts in doing this. Yet, for the Evangelicals, there is one central message that comes packaged with this help. That message is one that says, ‘I care about your eternal hereafter‘. It is a frightening warning, that without faith in Christ Jesus we will burn for all eternity. Unless one is in the habit of scoffing outright at such a proclamation, it is certainly something many take very seriously.
“And thus We have revealed to you an Arabic Qur’an that you may warn the Mother of Cities [Makkah] and those around it and warn of the Day of Assembly, about which there is no doubt. A party will be in Paradise and a party in the Blaze.” (Qur’an 42:7)
Allah (swt) revealed the Qur’an in Arabic. He wanted the Blessed Messenger (saw), to convey the message about the day of resurrection, that people would be in paradise and that people would be in hellfire.
Now, with calling people to Allah (swt), there should be a methodology and wisdom in how we call people. Yet, it cannot be denied that the Blessed Messenger (saw) was sent to warn people against the hellfire.
Keep in mind as well, those very few but loud voices that say that hellfire is an allegory, are now saying the same thing about paradise and the resurrection. They came as a packaged message.
“This is the fire which you used to deny. Is this an illusion (afasih’run) or is it you who are still unable to see?” (Qur’an 52:14-15)
We would like to begin as well with a quotation that is a very heartfelt response taken by the majority of our brothers from Ahl Sunnah today. That those who commit the major sins will still enter paradise. As well as the view as taken by the majority of Sunni Muslims that sinful Muslims will eventually enter paradise.
“This objection is rejected in that, on the basis of this opinion of theirs, they must then say that the committers of fornication, those who do the deed of the people of Lut, the consumers of usury, the killers of souls without right, those who prevent the payment of zakah, and the rest of the people who commit major sins other than shirk, will be counted among the righteous who have been promised Bliss, and greater contentment from Allah. By Allah, there is no more effective means to demolish the foundations of the religion, to abase the rituals, to diffuse evil, than this opinion. It demolishes all the commands and prohibitions of Allah and blows up everything that has come in His Book and the Sunnah of His Messenger, of the warning for people who commit major sins. It is sufficient that fornication, homosexuality, drinking wine, indifference to being cuckolded, and all the prohibited things will be among acts of righteousness because those who commit them are in the ranks of the righteous.” — Shaykh Ahmad b. Hamad al-Khalili (Grand Mufti of the Sultanate of Oman)
“The belief of us Ibadis is that whoever enters the Fire from among the muwahhid disobedient and the associators (mushriks) will remain there permanently, not for a finite period.”-Shaykh Ahmed b. Hamad al-Khalili
“The difference between us and the Kharijis is that they oppose us only in that they judge every punishable act of shirk entailing expulsion from the millah.”-Shaykh Ahmed b. Hamad al-Khalili.
What is the methodology that is used to establish the truth in this matter?
The established rule is that any major belief of the Muslims should come from the agreed- upon text. We see, for example, that those who believe in the second coming of Christ Jesus (as) will try and appeal to various texts of the Qur’an, among them are the following: Qur’an 4:159 Qur’an 43:61 Qur’an 3:46
Yet, when it comes to the belief that a believer will enter hellfire, we do not see that our opponents can establish any evidence from the Qur’an at all for this.
We can turn to the hadith, and we can find hadith promising because of this or that such and such a person will enter paradise. We can also find hadith promising that such and such a person for doing this or that will enter the hellfire. That they will never see paradise or even smell the slightest scent of paradise.
Thus, we turn to the Qur’an.
Methodological principles.
When we analyze the text of the Qur’an. We take the verses that are firm and decisive in their meaning, whereas the Ahl Khilaf (the People of Opposition) base their evidence upon verses that are subject to various interpretations.
“It is He who caused the Book to descend to you. In it are verses, that are (muḥkamāt) definitive. They are the essence of the Book and others, ones that are (mutashābihāt) unspecific. Then, those whose hearts are swerving, they follow what was unspecific in it, looking for dissent and looking for an interpretation.” (Qur’an 3:7)
That is to say we build our belief upon clear-cut evidence from the Qur’an. Ahl Khilaf (the People of Opposition) take an isolated verse that is subject to more than one interpretation and make the clear-cut verses bend to an interpretation.
Looking at the evidence from theQur’an.
“And they say, “Never will the Fire touch us, except for a few days.” Say, “Have you taken a covenant with Allah? Allah will never break His covenant. Or do you say about Allah that which you do not know?” Yes, whoever earns evil and his sin has encompassed him – those are the companions of the Fire; they will abide therein eternally(khaliduna).”(Qur’an 2:80-81)
Among the people who believe that hellfire is not permanent are the Jews. This assertion of theirs is rebuked and made public to emphasize how very wrong they were in their assertion.
Verily, what has reached us from the Qur’an is that Allah (swt) not once informed us about this doctrine of exit from the hellfire, neither from the Jews nor from others. Rather, what Allah (swt) has informed us is the doctrine of uninterrupted torment, and it includes the invalidation of the doctrine of the exit from hellfire. It also nullifies the doctrine of cessation of torment and its absolute end.
The idea of being in the hellfire ‘except for a few days‘ or ‘awhile’ is juxtaposed next to the phrase ‘companions of the Fire; they will abide therein eternally‘.
There are those who will object to the word khaliduna. Two things must be kept in mind:
The term khaliduna is being contrasted with the bold lie of being in hell for a little while.
” And We granted not to any human being immortality before you (O Muhammed), then if you die, would they live forever (khaliduna)?” (Qur’an 21:34) -This verse contrasts living a long time with living forever.
Whom Allah (swt) addresses in verses: 81–82.It is very clear that this distinguishes a few days, a little while, from non-permanence with everlasting permanence.
This is another text that should make this very clear.
“But I have for you only notification from Allah and His messages.” And whoever disobeys Allah and His Messenger – then indeed, for him is the fire of Hell; they will abide therein(khalidina) forever(abadan).” (Qur’an 72:23)
Those who do not understand the obvious text and wording of khalidina to be forever will also have to come to terms with the idea that heaven is not abiding forever, the paradise will not abide forever, neither will the Blessed messenger (saw) or his family.
They will one day come out of paradise. Do you believe it?
The idea of hellfire being some temporary stay is certainly Jewish penetration into Islamic thought.
Do you not consider, [O Muhammed], those who were given a portion of the Scripture? They are invited to the Scripture of Allah that it should arbitrate between them; then a party of them turns away, and they are refusing. “This is because they say: “The Fire shall not touch us but for a few numbered days.” What will happen to their belief when We bring them together on the Inevitable Day when every soul will be justly recompensed for its deeds?” For their forgeries deceive them as to their own religion.” (Qur’an 3:23-24)
There are a few things to take note of for those who fear Allah (swt) in the above verse:
This text would in no way be sensible to those it addressed if the Qur’an itself contained such a doctrine! (limited time in the hellfire)
These people will say hell is only a number of days, they are going to be in for a really terrible surprise when they approach the inevitable day. ‘What will happen to their belief?‘
These lies have deceived them about their own religion—that there could be laxity in obeying the commands of Allah (swt).
“But whoever kills a believer intentionally – his recompense is Hell, wherein he will abide eternally, and Allah has become angry with him and has cursed him and has prepared for him a great punishment.” (Qur’an 4:93)
Killing is a major sin (less than shirk) but still deserving of everlasting hellfire.
“Those who consume interest cannot stand on the Day of Resurrection except as one stand who is being beaten by Satan into insanity. That is because they say, “Trade is just like interest.” But Allah has permitted trade and has forbidden interest. So whoever has received an admonition from his Lord and desists may have what is past, and his affair rests with Allah. But whoever returns to dealing in interest or usury- those are the companions of the Fire; they will abide eternally therein.” (Qur’an 2:275)
“For them who have done good is the best reward and extra. No darkness will cover their faces, nor humiliation. Those are companions of Paradise; they will abide therein eternally. But they who have earned blame for evil doings – the recompense of an evil deed is its equivalent, and humiliation will cover them. They will have from Allah no protector. It will be as if their faces are covered with pieces of the night – so dark, are they! Those are the companions of the Fire; they will abide therein eternally.” (Qur’an 10:26-27)
Prima Qur’an Comments:
People who were in hell for a while and then admitted to heaven can hardly be described as having, “no darkness covering their faces nor humiliation.”
Those who do not understand the obvious text and wording of khalidina to be forever will also have to come to terms with the idea that heaven is not abiding forever, the paradise will not abide forever, neither will the Blessed messenger (saw) or his family.
They will one day come out of paradise. Do you believe it?
“And those who say, “Our Lord, avert from us the punishment of Hell. Indeed, its punishment is (gharanama) everlasting debt…” (Qur’an 25:65)
“Our Lord! bring us out of this: if ever we return to Evil, then shall we be wrong-doers indeed!” He will say: “Be driven into it with ignominy! And do not speak to Me!” (Qur’an 107- 108)
“But as for those who defiantly disobeyed, their refuge is the Fire. Every time they wish to emerge from it, they will be returned to it while it is said to them, “Taste the punishment of the Fire which you used to deny.” (Qur’an 32:20)
“And for those who disbelieve will be the fire of Hell. Death is not decreed for them so they may die, nor will its torment be lightened for them. Thus do we recompense every ungrateful one. And they will cry out therein, “Our Lord, remove us; we will do righteousness – other than what we were doing!” But did We not grant you life enough for whoever would remember therein to remember, and the warner had come to you? So taste the punishment, for there is not for the wrongdoers any helper.” (Qur’an 35:36-37)
“And those who do not invoke with Allah another deity or kill the soul which Allah has forbidden to be killed, except by right, and do not commit unlawful sexual intercourse. And whoever should do that will meet a penalty. Their punishment will be multiplied on the Day of Judgment, and they will remain in it forever (wayakhlud), in disgrace .” (Qur’an 25:68-69)
“So taste the penalty, and never will We increase you except in torment.” (Qur’an 78:30)
“Indeed, the righteous will be in pleasure, And indeed, the wicked will be in Hellfire. They will [enter to] burn therein on the Day of Recompense, And will not be removed from it.” (Qur’an 82:13-16)
“Indeed, Allah has cursed the ungrateful and prepared for them a Blaze Abiding therein forever (khalidina fiha abadan), they will not find a protector or a helper., they will not find a protector or a helper.” (Qur’an 33:64-65)
Prima Qur’an Comments:
These people are not going to be let out during Ramadan (no helper, no protector).
Allah (swt) is not going to release them after a period of time. (no helper, no protector).
They find no reprieve in the annihilation of hellfire and/or their own existence (no helper, no protector).
“Indeed, those who disbelieve and commit wrong or injustice – never will Allah forgive them, nor will He guide them to a path. Except for the (tariqah)path of Hell; they will abide therein forever(khalidina fiha abadan). And that, for Allah, is always easy.” (Qur’an 4:168-169)
“But the ones who disbelieved and denied Our verses – those are the companions of the Fire, abiding eternally (khalidina) therein; and wretched is the destination.” (Qur’an 64:10)
“Indeed, the criminals will be in the punishment of Hell, abiding eternally (khaliduna). It will not be allowed to subside for them, and they, therein, are in despair. And We did not wrong them, but it was they who were the wrongdoers. And they will call, “O Malik, let your Lord put an end to us!” He will say, “Indeed, you will remain.” (Qur’an 43:74-77)
Prima Qur’an Comments:
Once again, if anyone has any doubts about khaliduna being eternal, forever, everlasting, the guardian of Hellfire himself, the noble angel Malik, told the inhabitants that they will remain there.
The proof of the enduring, eternal, everlasting nature of the punishment of hellfire is overwhelming. In fact, based upon the evidence that has been given every place in the Qur’an that talks about hellfire (is talking about eternal agony)
This is absolutely terrifying. In fact, We would encourage anyone reading this to go and listen to their favorite Qur’an reciter, reciting the verses of Hellfire and you will feel as if a hand has reached deep within your soul and shook you to the core of your being! Except possibly those whose hearts are dead or bereft of faith. May Allah (swt) protect us from that!
POSSIBLE OBJECTIONS TO THIS FIRMLY ESTABLISHED BELIEF.
First, it is important to understand that there are two groups here:
There is Jahm bin Safwan and Ibn Al Qayyim. Keep in mind that most of what is known about Jahm is through polemical works directed at him, so how fair the assessment is can be debated. Their understanding is that there is an end to punishment for both the associators and the disobedient muwahhid .
The Ash’ari holds permanence is for both places. However, they hold that the non-muwahhid will abide in hell forever, whereas the muwahhid disobedient will be in hell for a short while (undefined).
As regards the term ‘khalidina‘, both groups try to dismiss this by interpreting it metaphorically. We have already shown above the problem with doing this, especially when we look at the context.
The argument of the first and the last.
As regards evidence that Jahm bin Safwan advanced to show that heaven and hell are not eternal is the following:
“He is the First and the Last, the Ascendant and the Intimate, and He is, of all things, Knowing.” (Qur’an 57:3)
The argument is that, if we understand this, is that, as Allah (swt) is The Last, it means heaven and hell cannot be enduring.
We understand ‘The First and The Last‘ as the first meaning taking precedence and The Last as remaining after every existent. Nothing brought into being can cancel out anything about him. Presidency over -remaining after every existent. Nothing is before Him and nothing is after Him.
We also understand that Allah (swt) is one. However, we do not understand this as numerically ‘one‘ as zero precedes one.
The argument that ages comes to an end.
Another proof that is used is:
“They will abide therein for ages.” (Qur’an 78:23)
The argument is that ages come to an end.
It is simply an expression of time. One age passes, another follows. Note it does not say ‘until the ages come to an end’.
Even one has to agree that the evidence here is implicit. Whereas the explicit is what is mentioned here:
“They would desire to go forth from the fire, and they shall not go forth from it, and they shall have a lasting punishment.” (Qur’an 5:37)
“Everything(kullu)will perish save His Face.” (Qur’an 28:88)
Texts taken at their apparent meaning in and of themselves are foundational.
If this text is understood without understanding Arabic grammar, it can present a challenge.
This text is a challenge that takes the attributes of Allah (swt) based upon their apparent meaning.
We take into account other places where this is mentioned:
“Everyone upon the earth will perish. And there will remain the Face of your Lord, Owner of Majesty and Honor.” (Qur’an 55:26-27)
We understand this to be that every single being will perish, and their lives will be short. Whereas Allah (swt) is Ever-Living.
This text cited above brings us to the next point.
This above text (Qur’an 28:88) is also used by believers who ascribe to Neoplantonism, and those among the Muslims who believe in the eternality of the universe.
They will argue everything comes to an end (hell, heaven, all of it). That is a huge logical fallacy.
There is a huge logical flaw in this. You cannot have an infinitude that goes one way and not the other. That is why you will see them often come up with other arguments that are nothing more than the machinations of their own imaginations.
In the next section, we will bring forth proof text that can be used by Jahm bin Safwan and Ibn Al Qayyim as well as the Ash’ari/Maturidi
The proof texts
The following will always be the ‘go to’ verse for those who wish to go against the clear verses. They will take a verse that is not definite in meaning and use it to bend the verses which are definitive in meaning.
“As for those who were destined to be wretched, they will be in the Fire. For them therein is violent exhaling and inhaling. They will be abiding therein as long as the heavens and the earth endure, except what your Lord should will. Indeed, your Lord is an effecter of what He intends. And as for those who were destined to be prosperous, they will be in Paradise, abiding therein as long as the heavens and the earth endure, except what your Lord should will – a bestowal uninterrupted.” (Qur’an 11:106-108)
A look at the two clauses.
The first clause: “Except what Allah wills.”
This will deal primarily with the Ash’ari/Maturidi objection.
Those who also cite the above text (Qu’ran 11:106-108) in conjunction with the following verse:
“And the Day when He will gather them together and say, “O company of jinn, you have misled many of mankind.” And their allies among mankind will say, “Our Lord, some of us made use of others, and we have now reached our term, which you appointed for us.” He will say, “The Fire is your residence, wherein you will abide eternally, except for what Allah wills. Indeed, your Lord is Wise and Knowing.” (Qur’an 6:128)
So at 11:108 above and at 6:128, they focus on the phrase: “Except for what Allah wills.“
First, it is important to understand that Allah’s will is not like a human will. If a human being wills something today, that person may change their mind tomorrow, and when tomorrow comes they may again adopt a completely different idea.
“There is no changing in the decree of Allah.” (Qur’an 10:64)
“We would have invented against Allah a lie if we returned to your religion after Allah had saved us from it. And it is not for us to return to it except what Allah wills. Our Lord has encompassed all things in knowledge. Upon Allah, we have relied. Our Lord, decide between us and our people in truth, and You are the best of those who give a decision.” (Qur’an 7:89)
We can see the phrase: ‘Except what Allah wills’ above.
Does anyone think for a moment that the will of Allah (swt) is that people leave Islam for their previous religion? Does anyone think, ‘Well you know there may be exceptions where Allah wants people to leave Islam and practice Shirk again!’. It is an absolutely ridiculous idea.
“The response to this is that exception does not denote the ending (of the punishment). Because exception by the Will of Allah comes in the Word of Allah to emphasize that what is reported happens by His Will (not otherwise). If he wills the opposite of that, it will be so. When Allah (swt) says that something happens if He wills it, it is intended to show His power and majesty because He has control over all things.
That is like in His saying, Exalted is He:
“By degrees shall We teach you, so you will not forget, except what Allah wills” (Qur’an 87:6-7)
With the assurance that the Prophet does not forget anything of what Allah (swt) revealed or taught him.”-Shaykh Ahmed Al Khalili
“By degrees shall We teach you, so you shall not forget except as Allah wills” (Quran 87:6-7)
The meaning is that the exception here is to emphasize the negation.
If Allah (swt) wants the Prophet (saw) to recite the Qur’an without forgetting it, the exceptional clause cannot be construed to mean that, if He wishes, He will make him forget it. That would be a contradiction and defeat the whole purpose of the passage.
If one was to interpret the above passage that Muhammed (saw) did indeed forget some of what Allah (swt) taught him then we have no objective basis to determine that the Muhammed (saw) preserved and passed on what was taught.
Another example:
Certainly, has Allah showed to His Messenger the vision in truth. You will certainly enter al-Masjid al-Haram, if Allah wills, in safety, with your heads shaved and hair shortened, not fearing anyone. He knew what you did not know and has arranged before that a conquest near at hand.” (Qur’an 48:27)
This verse cannot be construed so that Allah (swt) will ‘change his mind‘ as Allah (swt) has already given his decision on this matter: “You will CERTAINLY enter.”
So, as we have seen,’Except what Allah wills‘ can be seen as a rhetorical device.
“In any case, they have not argued from any text which means what they claim. They have only presented some interpretations which can be opposed by what invalidates them. And matters of the faith as I said above-must rely upon the firm text.” -Shaykh Ahmed Al Khalili.
If anyone was ever to be taken out ofthe hellfire it would be a clear contradiction of the following verses:
“And those who followed shall say: Had there been for us a return, then we would renounce them as they have renounced us. Thus will Allah show them their deeds to be intense regret to them, and they shall not come forth from the fire.” (Qur’an 2:167)
“And as for those who disbelieve, for them is the fire of hell; it shall not be finished with them entirely so that they should die, nor shall the chastisement thereof be lightened to them: even thus do We retribute every ungrateful one.” (Qur’an 35:36)
“And as for those who transgress, their abode is the fire; whenever they desire to go forth from it they shall be brought back into it, and it will be said to them: Taste the chastisement of the fire which you called a lie.” (Qur’an 32:20)
“They would desire to go forth from the fire, and they shall not go forth from it, and they shall have a lasting punishment.” (Qur’an 5:37)
“Surely as for those who reject Our communications and turn away from them haughtily, the doors of heaven shall not be opened for them, nor shall they enter the garden until the camel pass through the eye of the needle; and thus do We reward the guilty.” (Qur’an 7:40)
These texts are sufficient to prove that ‘Except As Allah wills‘ -that Allah (swt) has not willed for them anything except enduring punishment.
The ‘will of Allah’ in the verses above is undefined and not defined.
The verses that declare the permanence of punishment are clear, there is no uncertainty as to what they denote.
Matters of Aqidah have to be derived from the explicit text and not ambiguous evidence.
As for the Ash’ari, we say to them there is nothing in those verses that indicates differentiation between the muwahhid disobedient and the others. Rather, those verses are about the warning of ALL the people of the fire.
The second clause: “They will be abiding therein as long as the heavens and the earth endure.”
“As for those who were destined to be wretched, they will be in the Fire. For them therein is violent exhaling and inhaling. They will be abiding therein as long as the heavens and the earth endure, except what your Lord should will. Indeed, your Lord is an effecter of what He intends. And as for those who were destined to be prosperous, they will be in Paradise, abiding therein as long as the heavens and the earth endure, except what your Lord should will – a bestowal uninterrupted.” (Qur’an 11:106-108)
For Jahm bin Safwan and Ibn Al Qayyim. They are focused on the part that says, “They will be abiding therein as long as the heavens and the earth endure.” This means the enjoyment of heaven and the punishment of hellfire are conditional upon the existence of heaven and earth.
However, that very verse can be used to demolish their view. It says, “a bestowal uninterrupted.” Certainly, it would be interrupted if it was contingent upon the endurance of heaven and earth. Unless we are not talking about heaven and the earth that you and I know!
“On the Day when the earth shall be changed into another earth, as shall be the heavens, they will all appear before God, the One, the Most Supreme.” (Qur’an 14:48)
This is an important point. It is important because it is proof that demolishes any claims against the abiding punishment of hellfire. So the clause ‘except as your Lord wills‘ is also understood by the clause ‘abiding therein as long as the heavens and the earth endure‘. This in turn is ‘a bestowal without interruption‘.
Summary:
The bestowal will be uninterrupted
This means the new heavens and the new earth will have no end.
This in turn means no end to paradise and no end to the suffering of hellfire.
So this deals a crushing blow to Jahm bin Safwan and Ibn Al Qayyim.
The Ash’ari will also use the following as an argument:
“Perhaps will wish those who disbelieved, if they had been those-who-submit/Muslims.” (Qur’an 15:2)
Their argument is that those people will so wish to be Muslims when they see the disobedient Muslims getting out of the fire, whereas they still remain in it. That is an interpretation not supported by the wording of the verse, and there is no evidence for it from anywhere else.
There is no scope to argue from what is unclear.
“Indeed, Hell has been lying in wait For the transgressors, a place of return, In which they will remain for ages. They will not taste therein any coolness or drink. Except for scalding water and foul purulence -An appropriate recompense. Indeed, they were not expecting an account. And denied Our verses with emphatic denial. But all the things We have enumerated in writing. “So taste [the penalty], and never will We increase you except in torment.” (Qur’an 78:21-30)
Prima Qur’an Comment:
Also, if the Ash’ari were to apply consistent hermeneutic principles, their understanding invalidates the understanding of surah 78 because it necessarily entails saying the same about the mushrikin, that they will come out of hell, and saying that there is a term (an end) to the blessings of Paradise.
That is in regard to the Qur’an. If the Qur’an is not sufficient for anyone to draw their theological conclusions from, then let that be known.
Arguments from the Sunnah.
They (the Ash’ari)rely on narrations that speak of release from the fire, yet there are narrations that speak of dwelling permanently in the fire. We can give those upon request. We take the text of that which conforms to the strongest evidence, the Qur’an,and not what opposes it.
“Abrogation is never permitted in the reports of the Law-Maker because His Knowledge is not refreshed and He is not ignorant of anything that happens, and He does not reveal but the truth.”-Shaykh Ahmed Al Khalili
Ash’ari rational arguments:
As for their rational argument: that is that, if the muwahhid disobedient are equal to the muhsrikin in dwelling permanently, then there will be no effect of the word of tawhid, and no advantage from pious actions.
The answer to this is that they, though equal in permanence, are not equal in punishment in the same way as the righteous will not be equal in reward. Rather, they will differ in their actions. The fire has stages as the garden has grades.
Philosophical objections:
Allah’s actions are not bound by systems and world views decided by human reason, nor are they to be related to norms derived from human imagination.
“He cannot be questioned concerning what He does and they shall be questioned.” (Qu’ran 21:23)
We must believe that our limited intellects are too disabled, wearied, feeble, and powerless to encompass His wise purpose in His actions, or to penetrate His secrets in His creation:
“You are not given of the knowledge but little.” (Quran 17:85)
Our duty is only to surrender to what Allah (swt) informs us about. Our certainty that Allah, Exalted is He, does not speak but the truth, just as He does not command but to the truth:
“Who is truer in speaking than Allah?” (Quran 4:122)
As the Sufi poet Rabia Basri is recorded to have said: “O my Lord, if I worship you from fear of hell, burn me in hell. If I worship you for the hope of Paradise, bar me from its gates. But if I worship you for yourself alone, grant me then the beauty of your Face.”
Source: (Women in Praise of the Sacred (HarperCollins Publishers Inc, 1994)
One can admire such longing and desire, but it must be realized that such a statement was uttered by a person who never tasted the flames of hellfire. As is the case, paradise should be sufficient for her, you and me.
May Allah (swt) grant you the reader, all Muslims who truly repent and all truth seekers everlasting paradise. Amin!
“This because they say: “The Fire shall not touch us but for a few numbered days.” What will happen to their belief when We bring them together on the Inevitable Day when every soul will be justly recompensed for its deeds?” For their forgeries deceive them as to their own religion.” (Qur’an 3:24)
“O you who believe! If a wicked person comes to you with any news, verify it, lest you harm people in ignorance and afterwards regret what you have done.” (Qur’an 49:6)
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A recently started YouTube Channel called: Make Hijrah (which otherwise seemingly had good objectives) looks to promote sectarian strife in Muslim countries.
Now, in fairness and because Allah (swt) calls us to be just and to do justice there was an excellent interview here:
Also, to all Omani brothers reading this please note that the brother above, (brother Mustafa) has absolutely nothing to do with the sectarianism that the Make Hijrah channel promotes.
Also, I do want to bring attention to a Sunni Muslim brother that has an excellent website about moving to Muscat.
He is absolutely worth it to follow on X (Elon’s echo-chamber)
His X account is: https://x.com/movetomuscat and he has a website here: https://movetomuscat.com/ His name is Anwar. He has shown nothing but respect and love to Oman and the Omani people and I have only ever seen him speak respectfully about Shaykh Ahmed Al Khalili (h).
Please follow the brother below. Anwar@Move to Muscat. He is a respectful person and respects Oman’s diversity.
Dear readers by Allah (swt) in whose power is my life, there was an Omani brother that was going to do an interview with Make Hijrah YouTube channel about coming to Oman and living in Oman. However, this Make Hijrah channel flat out asked the brother, ‘Are you Ibadi’ to which he replied ‘yes’ and that was an issue for them!
What does being an Ibadi have to do with an interview about people coming to live in Oman?
So, instead the Make Hijra channel decided to make this blunder of a video:
So the title has: “Is There a DARK SIDE to Moving to Oman.” And most likely Jr. (the one on the left) chose the thumbnail of someone in prayer standing with their arms at the side. Once again the Salafis showcase their deficiency in fiqh and over all ignorance of the Sunnah of the Blessed Messenger (saw).
These are not the 90s. These must be the only Salafis I have encountered that didn’t the memo that they were so thoroughly refuted on the issue of hand placement in prayer that one must have been living in an isolated village in Papua New Guinea that didn’t get the memo.
Listen to Shaykh Assim Al Hakeem explain here:
@ 1:51 “These are fiqhi differences, whether you put your hand here (on the chest) you put your hand here (below the navel)you don’t put your hands at all in salat.“
You would expect with a title like: “Is There a DARK SIDE to Moving to Oman.” that these individuals might speak about hidden cost of living, or maybe there is bribery in the country, or perhaps there is a red light district that people do not know about. Maybe there is human trafficking going on.
Or maybe they had something controversial like Avicii’s death in Oman was not truly a suicide. They could have brought anything, but noooo, they had to focus on sectarianism.
Here it is:
“Is There a DARK SIDE to Moving to Oman.”
Jr speaks @3:15 “It then spread in Oman following the remnants of the Khawarijduring the Umayyad period.”
Senior speaks @3:20 “If you really want to know if the Ibadi are from the Khawarijor not it would require examining their statements from their original sources approved books and the words of their contemporary scholars. This is not for the average person. For common people and beginner students it’d be better to consult a person of knowledge you trust on this issue.”
Senior @4:24 “If you decided you want to move to Oman you can completely avoid that issueby just going to the south of the country and living among the Sunnis and in the Sunni cities.”
Jr speaks up @14:02 “Not one dude on the corner of the road praying like with his (out/down?)” This solicits laughter from Senior.
Jr. chimes in again @14:11 “It just wasn’t there like regular joint.”
So really the question for Jr. and Senior is as follows:
What is the issue in praying with the Ibadi or even behind an Ibadi Imam?
Let us say for the sake of argument that Ibadi are Khawarij or their descendants. Are Jr. and Senior more knowledgeable then the companions of the Blessed Prophet (saw)?
They can feel free to consult the sources:
However, from the video it does not seem that Jr. and Senior are fluent in reading and writing Arabic. This means they make Taqlid to the Salafi school and make Taqlid to it’s scholars as they have neither the tools or the means to go to the sources directly.
The translation of the above Arabic text states:
“And what indicates that the Companions did not consider the Khawarij to be disbelievers is that they used to pray behind them. Abdullah ibn Umar -RA- and others[companions] used to pray behind Najda al-Haruri. They also used to engage in debates with them, as the Muslim would debate with a Muslim, as Abdullah ibn Abbas debated with Najda al-Haruri when he was sent to him to ask about certain issues, and his hadith is in Al-Bukhari. Likewise, Nafi’ ibn Al-Azraq debated on famous issues. Nafi’ used to debate on matters in the Quran, as any two Muslims would debate among themselves”
Source: (The Path of the Prophetic Sunnah-In Refutation of the Shiite Qadariyyah Doctrine By Ibn Taymiyya Abu Al Abbas Taqi al Din Ahmad ibn Abd al-Halim.-Edited by Dr. Muhammed Rashad Salim Volume 5)
2. They (Jr & Senior mentioned that after eating camel meat the topic switched to jurisprudence (fiqh). So that is fiqh what about aqidah which to Salafis is the number one issue.
So my question for Jr & Senior is on what consistent basis can one pray behind an Ash’ari Shafi’i (whom they believe are deviant in aqidah but not pray behind an Ibadi) ???
Unless of course when they (Jr & Senior) say Sunni what they really mean is: “Their Salafi sect.”
So this should certainly alarm the Sunni Muslims in Oman (and indeed it has from the comments) because that means that ultimately these people would not just separate from the Ibadi but from the dominant Sunni Muslims as well!
Unfortunately all the Make Hijrah did was get the attention of the Omani government and immigration to look closer at their channel and scrutinized their intentions.
I would encourage the readers to listen to the interview between two Omanis, Sunni & Ibadi who speak about the video. Oman FM is listened all across Oman.
Listen to Religious Tolerance & Islamic Values – Shaykh Hatim Al Abdissalaam by Oman FM (English) on #SoundCloud
The only part where I would personally disagree with brother Shaykh Hatim on is where he said that in Oman they do not speak of these things or discuss them. Everyone’s upbringing is different in Oman. What Shaykh Hatim experiences is not the experience of another Omani.
What Shaykh Hatim may be speaking to is his own experience growing up and/or his own household and their particular priorities, and outlook.
There are Omani youth, 14 years of age that are very well acquainted with the conflicts that arose among the companions, and the history of the Ibadi school. This is widely discussed -because it is a right of a people to not be ignorant nor blur about their history.
That being said, they are also taught by the Mufti, May Allah (swt) continue to bless us by him, that we as Muslims need to live together in tolerance and respect for each other. This is certainly instilled in them as well.
In Oman all Muslims live together and they do not want the ghettoization of their country! So for those who want to come and live in Oman, you have something to contribute and you can live there in peace and coexistence Oman will welcome you with open arms.
However, anyone who wants to go to Oman and spread fitna or sectarianism and has that mindset, Oman does not want you, Oman certainly does not need you and the people of Oman are free from you nor are you welcomed!
“Those to whom we gave the Book know it as they know their children, but a group of them knowingly hide the truth”- Qur’an 2:146
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“And when they hear what has been revealed to the Messenger, you see their eyes overflowing with tears because of what they have recognized of the truth. They say, “Our Lord, we have believed, so register us among the witnesses.”(Qur’an 5:83)
Pope John Paul Kissing the Qur’an.
“In the first place amongst these there are the Muslims, who, professing to hold the faith of Abraham, along with us adore the one and merciful God, who on the last day will judge mankind.” -POPE PAUL VI
“You are the best nation that ever existed among humanity. You command people to good and prohibit them from evil, and you believe in Allah. Had the People of the Book accepted the faith (Islam), it would certainly have been better for them. Some of them have faith, but most of them are evil doers.” (Qur’an 3:110)
In the future all such articles concerning Christianity will go under the heading Jews and Christians here:
First and foremost any Muslim engaging with Christians should understand that those whom identify as Christians have a wide range of different beliefs. We have seen too often Muslims engage with Christians and assume their beliefs. This is akin to a Christian thinking that an Ayatollah from Iran or a Shaykh from Saudi Arabia speaks on behalf of all Muslims.
For example the Eastern Orthodox Christians do not believe that we bear the sin of Adam rather we bear the consequences of that sin. It is a nuanced position.
Another massive and influential Protestant denomination, the Church of Christ (called Campbellites) by their opponents do not hold that infants are sinless and incapable of making free will decisions to sin.
There are key but major doctrinal differences between Eastern Orthodox and Church of Christ (Campbellites) on this matter as well. With Eastern Orthodox believing original sin corrupts human nature this leads to a deposition towards sin. Whereas the Church of Christ (called Campbellites) They reject original sin altogether, believing that each individual is responsible for their own sins. Adam’s sin affects himself and not future generations.
Not all Christians believe in a Trinity, and those that do have greatly different takes on it, some viewing others as heretical. They do not all agree on the nature of Christ Jesus, rather or not he has one nature, two natures, they do not even agree on a set number of New Testament books. They have New Testament canons that range from 22 books, 27 books and even 35 books!
“And with those who say, We are Christians (nasara), We made a covenant, but they neglected a portion of what they were reminded of, therefore We excited among them enmity and hatred to the day of resurrection; and Allah will inform them of what they did.” (Qur’an 5:14)
The above verse acknowledges that there are whole factions under the umbrella terminology ‘Nasara’ . That these factions clash with one another. Therefore, it is foolhardy to think that the term ‘Nasara’ is a blanket term to refer to all those who call themselves Christians. It can refer to those who were faithful before the breaking of the covenant as well as those who came after.
Some Christians object to certain verses of the Qur’an saying: This is not what we believe. They seem to have forgotten that one person’s orthodoxy is another person’s heterodoxy. This is what the Qur’an acknowledges. There can only be hatred and enmity between those who have sharp and irreconcilable differences among them.
We hope that the students and researchers of comparative religion find the following articles helpful!
GENESIS CHAPTER 3 SEPARATES ISLAM AND CHRISTIAINITY
Christian Dominionism: The Violent take it by force.
Subordinationism.
Gregory Palamas and his errors on Islam.
May Allah (swt) guide the sincere Christians to Islam. May Allah (swt) guide them so that they may find peace in this life and the life to come. May Allah (swt) guide the sincere Christians to Islam and save them from the punishment of the hellfire.
“The Messiah, son of Mary, was not but a messenger; [other] messengers have passed on before him. And his mother was a supporter of truth. They both used to eat food. Look how We make clear to them the signs; then look how they are deluded.” (Qur’an 5:75)
“There is nothing like unto Him, and He is the Hearing, the Seeing.” (Qur’an 42:11)
“There is no comparison to His absoluteness.” (Qur’an 112:4)
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I used to think that the Salafi/Athari were people who had subtlety in their doctrine. And people who at least claimed to take the apparent meaning of a text. They would claim that Allah (swt) is not like his creation and that they do not liken Allah (swt) to the creation.
I couldn’t have been more wrong!
I am now of the view that the God of the Salafis is one that has a form or a shape. This is from THEIR understanding of certain text.
It was narrated that Abu Umamah Al-Bahili said:
“The Messenger of Allah (saw) addressed us, and most of his speech had to do with telling us about Dajjal. He warned about him, and among the things he said was: ‘There will not be any tribulation on earth, since the time Allah created the offspring of Adam, that will be greater than the tribulation of Dajjal. Allah has not sent any Prophet but he warned his nation about Dajjal. I am the last of the Prophets, and you are the last of the nations. He will undoubtedly appear among you. If he appears while I am among you, I will contend with him on behalf of every Muslim, and if he appears while I am not among you, then each man must fend for himself and Allah will take care of every Muslim on my behalf. He will emerge from Al-Khallah, between Sham and Iraq, and will wreak havoc right and left. O slaves of Allah, remain steadfast. I will describe him to you in a manner in which none of the Prophets has described him before me. He will start by saying “I am a Prophet,” and there is no Prophet after me. Then a second time he will say: “I am your Lord.” But you will not see your Lord until you die. He is one-eyed, and your Lord is not one-eyed, and written between his eyes is Kafir. Every believer will read it, whether he is literate or illiterate.”
Notice that the text that is attributed to the Blessed Prophet (saw) does not even remotely begin to refute the idea that Allah could be in the form of a human being.
The text only gives the following assurances.
Your Lord is not One-Eyed.
You will not see your Lord until you die.
In other words it is not at the core of one’s innate fitra or it is not innate to the mind that Allah (swt) is not something that takes on forms and shapes!
To have such an assurance tied to this particular hadith, of which the multitude have not even heard of!?
The proof is irrefutable.
The Prophet (saw) said, “Allah did not send any prophet but that he warned his nation of the one-eyed liar (Ad-Dajjal). He is one-eyed while your Lord is not one-eyed, The word ‘Kafir’ (unbeliever) is written between his two eyes.”
Now those who follow the Neo-Salafi Athari school will use the above text to claim that Allah (swt) has two eyes. Although that is pure speculation. Saying that the Dajjal has eye one does not necessitate that Allah (swt) has two eyes. Or saying that Allah (swt) isn’t defective in one eye does not entail Allah (swt) has more than one eye. You could say that a spider has 8 eyes and that it does not have a defective eye and both statements could be true.
However, when Allah (swt) opened my eyes to something deeper and more sinister. That the Neo-Salafi believe that the above text is trying to teach a theological point!
So what they are saying and think about this…what they are saying is that the way to DISTINGUISH Allah (swt) from the dajjal, is that the dajjal has ONE EYE and ALLAH DOES NOT HAVE ONE EYE.
What about the fact that the very hadith says, “THE WORD KAFIR IS WRITTEN BETWEEN HIS TWO EYES.”? Wouldn’t that be a big tale tell sign that THIS IS NOT Allah (swt)?
But even more bone chilling and down right frightening is that this flawed analogy leads one to think what seems to be THE ONLY thing that distinguishes Allah (swt) from the dajjal? Wouldn’t it be OBVIOUS that if a PERSON, ANY PERSON were to claim to Allah (swt) that we as Muslims would KNOW that this person is a charlatan, simply on the basis of:
Allah (swt) cannot be and is not a man/human being.
Allah (swt) cannot and does not assume form/shape.
Allah (swt) cannot be and is not a person.
However, if one is to take the Neo-Salafi perspective apparently not! Think about this good people.
What if you were to find a person that does amazing feats of magic, or breaks the laws of physics or does the unexplained. Would YOUR criteria as a Muslim be, well the person has two eyes, 20/20 vision, so maybe, possibly it COULD be Allah?
REALLY?
If the Neo-Salafi do not understand this hadith as the Blessed Messenger (saw) simply informing that Allah (swt) is not unaware and has full grasp, and has no defects than brothers and sisters, dear readers…
WE HAVE A BIG PROBLEM!
We have a big problem because nothing else is obvious; like the fact that the dajjal is:
human
has eyes.
has hands.
has feet.
has curly hair.
has a mouth.
most likely eats food (Qur’an 5:75) thus answers the call of nature.
has mass.
occupies space.
needs to have an army to effect change. Where as Allah (swt) gives the command ‘Kun faya kun’ (be and it is) ?wouldn’t ALL THESE BE A DEAD GIVE AWAY THAT THIS IS NOT ALLAH? According to the Neo-Salafi, NOPE!
But one way to POSSIBLY TELL THAT IT IS NOT ALLAH IS THIS: Is the person blind in one eye?
Imagine being brought up with this belief and you are out on police patrol one night in Saudi Arabia and you spot someone with one eye. “Hello, headquarters this is dispatch. Suspect has one defective eye. Possibly Dajjal, Definitely not Allah.”
So according to the Neo-Salafi the above hadith has come to teach us a theological point concerning Allah (swt). That being don’t be fooled because dajjal has one eye (one eye is defective) and your Lord does not have a defective eye.
This is what lead me to believe beyond a shadow of a doubt that these people believe that Allah (swt) has a form, and can even come in the form of a human being!
Saying that the Lord is not one eyed is not an affirmation that he has two eyes!
“The Originator of the heavens and earth. How could He have children when He has no mate? He created all things and has knowledge of everything.” (Qur’an 6:101)
This is a negation that Allah (swt) could not have children as he has no companion. So does this entail the opposite? If Allah (swt) had a companion he could have children? How bizarre is this type of thinking! That Allah (swt) would need anything in order to accomplish what he wants is not the belief of the Muslims.
Subhan’Allah!
May Allah (swt) rescue the Muslims and save the Muslims from perversion in their faith!
“And one of His signs is the creation of the heavens and the earth, and the diversity of your languages and colors. Surely in this are signs for those of ˹sound˺ knowledge.”(Qur’an 30:22)
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This will be a page dedicated to information about the Ibadi school in other languages.
اباضی کون ہیں؟ مکتبہ اباضیہ کے بارے میں مزید معلومات کے لیے
And for their saying, “Indeed, we have killed the Messiah, Jesus, the son of Mary, the Messenger of Allah.” And they did not kill him nor did they impale (ṣalabūhu) him; (وَمَا قَتَلُوهُ وَمَا صَلَبُوهُ وَلَٰكِنْ شُبِّهَ لَهُمْ)but it was made to appear to them so. Those who differ therein are full of doubts. They have no certain knowledge of it, but only follow conjecture. For certainly, they did not kill him.” (Qur’an 4:157)
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Al hamdulillah. All praise be to Allah (swt) for the right guidance. Whomever Allah guides no no one can misguide them. Whomever Allah allows to stray no one can guide them.
Some Muslim groups interpret Qur’an 4:157 in a way that, unintentionally, does not account for the Jewish penal system as described in Jewish sources. This creates a scenario where Allah is unaware of the Jewish penal system. This is not acceptable. Our different reading of the verse resolves this.
Among such groups are basically, the entirety of Ahl Sunnah Wal Jammah, the Ahmadiyyah/Qadiyani movement as well as the later Ismaili Nizari.
Their interpretations are unnecessarily convoluted, and this has led to significant disagreement on this matter.
These groups understand the text to refer to Romans and Roman crucifixion, though the Qur’anic passage itself does not mention them
The People of the Scripture ask you to bring down to them a book from the heaven. But they had asked of Moses [even] greater than that and said, “Show us Allah outright,” so the thunderbolt struck them for their wrongdoing. Then they took the calf [for worship] after clear evidences had come to them, and We pardoned that. And We gave Moses a clear authority. (Qur’an 4:153)
And We cursed them for their breaking of the covenant and their ingratitude towards the signs of Allah and their killing of the prophets* without right and their saying, “Our hearts are wrapped”. Rather, Allah has sealed them because of their ingratitude, so they believe not, except for a few. That they rejected Faith; that they uttered against Mary a grave false charge. (Qur’an 4:155-156)
The above text certainly is not talking about Christians at all!
There are no records of Christians killing their prophets. The only Prophets of the Christians are Yahya (John) & Esau (Jesus).
Also, Christians would never utter against Mary a false charge. In the sense of saying saying demeaning of her (Allah has honoured her in this life and in the life to come!)
Read the Qur’an dear brothers and sisters.
Read it from Qur’an 4:153-157.
Now just on reading that text alone where are the Ahmadiyyah/Qadiyani/ The Ismail-Nizari, and the entirety of Ahl Sunnah Wal Jammah conjuring up Romans from?
These groups (Ahmadiyyah/Qadiyani, The Sunnis, and The Ismaili Nizari) rely on extraneous sources outside the Qur’an and Sunnah as a basis for their interpretations
The Arabic word for Romans is not something unfamiliar to the Qur’an.
“The Romans have been defeated.” (Qur’an 30:2) غُلِبَتِ ٱلرُّومُ ghulibati l-rūm
This is akin to Muslims reading Surah Ikhlas, the 112th chapter of the Qur’an and looking at the Arabic text and imaging it speaking about Greeks and the Trojan War.
This would seem quite far-fetched to many sober minded Muslims.
Jewish sources and practices are almost always overlooked in these discussions
Imagine Christians and Jews debating about an issue concerning Muslims and Muslims were not even invited to the table?! It would be quite rude. However, this happens with the Jews and Judaism by us Muslims virtually all…..the…..time!
So we reached out to chabad.org and wethought we would ask practicing Jews what Jews believe. Who would have thought? Such a novel concept right? We will share the short but very polite and insightful e-mail exchange with Rabbi Dov Stein
Here is a comparison/contrast of four views that one may come across today.
Traditionally Sunni view.
Modern Sunni view that adopted the Ahmadiyyah/Qadiani view.
The Ahmadiyyah/Qadiani view.
The Ismail Nizari/Todd Lawson view.
All four of the above views have the following in common.
All four posit (without any evidence from the Qur’an or Sunnah) that Qur’an 4:153-157 is some how speaking about Romans.
All four posit (without any evidence from the Qur’an or Sunnah) that Qur’an 4:153-157 is speaking about a Roman Crucifixion via a Patibulum(Cross).
All four get the basis for their views from Isrā’īliyyāt material.
All four use this Isrā’īliyyāt material to impose a view upon the Qur’anic text.
All four posit a a Roman Crucifixion via a Patibulum (Cross) as historical reality with them differing on rather or not Jesus was placed on a Patibulum (Cross) or not. Rather he was killed on a Patibulum (Cross) or not.
Imami Shi’a tradition.
Want to know who does not speak about Qur’an 4:157?
The following:
Muhammed al Baqir. al-Hasan al-‘Askari. Furat ibn Ibrahim al-Kufi. ali ibn Ibrahim-al-Qummi & Muhammed ibn Mas’ud al-Ayyashi.
“Of some interest is also the fact that there is not even any mention of the verse (Qur’an 4:157) in the voluminous collection of Shi’i traditions, Usul al-Kafi, complied by the Twelver scholar al-Kulayni. Indeed, it is not until the first major tafsir work of Twelver Shi’ism by Abu Ja’far al-Tusi that the problem is broached at all.”
Source: (The Crucifixion and the Qur’an pg. 75 Todd Lawson)
The one thing all four of the above views have in common is that they indirectly by their own ignorance of the Jewish penal system attribute to Allah (swt) ignorance of the Jewish penal system!
Insh’Allah will explain how and why that is the case.
So, We had sent an e-mail to Chabad.org and we received a very cordial and swift reply.
“Capital punishment in Judaism does not involve crucifixion.“
This is very important admission by the respected Rabbi because lays to bed the idea that Jews crucify people. It is simply not part of their penal system.
Our, the Ibadi view is a very simple plain reading of the text. We let the text stand on it’s own without it being interpreted in light of the Isrā’īliyyāt material.
What is that simple conclusion? The very simple basic conclusion for anyone who has even a modicum of Arabic reading comprehension skills is that Qur’an 4:153-157 is speaking about a group of the Jews from the Children of Israel.
The People of the Scripture ask you to bring down to them a book from the heaven. But they had asked of Moses [even] greater than that and said, “Show us Allah outright,” so the thunderbolt struck them for their wrongdoing. Then they took the calf [for worship] after clear evidences had come to them, and We pardoned that. And We gave Moses a clear authority. (Qur’an 4:153)
“But they had asked of Moses [even] greater than that and said, “Show us Allah outright,” This neither refers to Christians or to Romans.
Then they took the calf [for worship] after clear evidences had come to them. This neither refers to Christians or to Romans.
And We cursed them for their breaking of the covenant and their ingratitude towards the signs of Allah and their killing of the prophetswithout right and their saying, “Our hearts are wrapped”. Rather, Allah has sealed them because of their ingratitude, so they believe not, except for a few. That they rejected Faith; that they uttered against Mary a grave false charge. (Qur’an 4:155-156)
and their killing of the prophets without right As this is a continuation of the theme it neither refers to Christians or to Romans.
that they uttered against Mary a grave false charge. This neither refers to Christians or to Romans.
And for their saying, “Indeed, we have killed the Messiah, Jesus, the son of Mary, the Messenger of Allah.” And they did not kill him nor did they impale (ṣalabūhu) him; (وَمَا قَتَلُوهُ وَمَا صَلَبُوهُ وَلَٰكِنْ شُبِّهَ لَهُمْ)but it was made to appear to them so. Those who differ therein are full of doubts. They have no certain knowledge of it, but only follow conjecture. For certainly, they did not kill him.” (Qur’an 4:157)
So let us explore the key passage of this text:
“Indeed, we have killed the Messiah, Jesus, the son of Mary, the Messenger of Allah.” And they did not kill him nor did they impale (ṣalabūhu) him.”
It cannot refer to Christians. Christians would not kill Jesus. Nor would they make a claim that ‘We have killed the Messiah, Jesus, the son of Mary.’
It cannot refer to Romans simply because the passage does not say so. There is no Arabic word for Romans anywhere in the text.
The whole theme of Qur’an 4:153-157 is speaking about a group of Jews from the Children of Israel.
So it should be beyond evident that Qur’an 4:153-157 is not addressing Romans nor Christians.
So now let us look at another key text:
“And they did not kill him nor did they impale (ṣalabūhu) him; (وَمَا قَتَلُوهُ وَمَا صَلَبُوهُ وَلَٰكِنْ شُبِّهَ لَهُمْ)”
So virtually everyone translates the text as
“They did not kill him, nor did they crucify him.”
Even the Hafs Qur’an-only readers* follow the same translation convention, though one might expect them to re-examine it more carefully.
* Refers to (those who platform a Qur’an only approach)
So let’s go with that for a moment. “nor did they crucify him.”
We have already established that the context of Qur’an 4:153-157 is speaking about a group of Jews from the children of Israel.
So now Qur’an 4:153-157 is reupdating the claims of this group of Jews with:
And for their saying, “Indeed, we have killed the Messiah, Jesus, the son of Mary, the Messenger of Allah.” And they did not kill him nor did they crucify him.”
However, the good Rabbi has informed us:
“Capital punishment in Judaism does not involve crucifixion.“
In fact, in a follow up e-mail with the respected Rabbi, Dov Stein we are informed:
“as they are hung after being executed.”
“where the body was positioned after stoning.”
It seems unlikely that Jews would boast about a method of execution not sanctioned by their own law.
“Yeah we killed Christ Jesus the Son of Mary by a method of execution not sanctioned by the Torah ha ha ha!”
Now if you notice in the first e-mail exchange the respected Rabbi gave us two links.
“I.e. after they have been executed, they are hung publicly. The person is hung up just before sunset and taken down immediately thereafter. See Hilchos Sanhedrin 15:6-7.”
It is a positive commandment to hang a blasphemer and an idolater after they have been executed, as implied by Deuteronomy 21:23: “A person who is hung is cursing God.” This refers to the blasphemer. With regard to an idolater, Numbers 15:30 states: “He blasphemes God.”
A man is hung, but a woman is not hung, as implied by Deuteronomy 21:22: “When a man has sinned and is condemned to die, after he is executed, you shall hang him….”ו
How is the mitzvah of hanging carried out? After the convicted is stoned, a beam is implanted in the ground with a rafter protruding from it. The two hands of the corpse are intercrossed and he is hung close to sunset.
He is released immediately. If not, a negative commandment is transgressed, as Ibid.:23 states: “Do not let his corpse tarry overnight on the beam.”
Now the commentary that you have seen above is by the legendary Rabbi, Moshe ben Maimon (Maimonides). That commentary was on the following text of the Torah:
“If any party is guilty of a capital offense and is put to death, and you impale the body on a stake, you must not let the corpse remain on the stake overnight, but must bury it the same day. For an impaled body is an affront to God: you shall not defile the land that your God יהוה is giving you to possess.”
“If a man commits a sin for which he is sentenced to death, and he is put to death, you shall [then] hang him on a pole. But you shall not leave his body on the pole overnight. Rather, you shall bury him on that [same] day, for a hanging [human corpse] is a blasphemy of God, and you shall not defile your land, which the Lord, your God, is giving you as an inheritance.”
Now is there anything with in the sacred sources of the Jews that the Qur’an may be refuting or interacting with?
“At this, they picked up stones to stone him, but Jesus hid himself, slipping away from the temple grounds.” (John 8:59)
“Again his Jewish opponents picked up stones to stone him, but Jesus said to them, “I have shown you many good works from the Father. For which of these do you stone me?” (John 10:31-32)
“But when he came to them with Clear Signs, they said, “this is evident sorcery!” (Qur’an 61:6)
Recall that the Qur’an mentions a double denial or a double negation.
Simply stating: They didn’t kill him would be sufficient. It covers every mode or method of death known to mankind.
Yet the Qur’an deliberately gives us a double denial/double negation.
Recall that the Jews do not crucify people but they do hang/impale them after stoning them to death. In other words a post mortem suspension humiliation.
Recall the words of the Torah:
“For an impaled body is an affront to God.”
“And they did not kill himnor did they impale (ṣalabūhu) him; (وَمَا قَتَلُوهُ وَمَا صَلَبُوهُ )”
The double negation certainly rules out the later Ismaili Nizari /Todd Lawson position.
That is because they understand the part of the text: “they did not kill him” (as a reference to Jesus soul). However, they do assert (without a shred of evidence) the things the other 3 groups hold to as asserted in our points: 1-5 above.
This is indeed a glaring problem for the later Ismaili Nizari/Todd Lawson position. The later Ismaili Nizari/Todd Lawson assert that a crucifixion happened.
Remember, that neither the Nizari/Todd Lawson do not assert the Ahmadiyyah/Qadiani interpretation of Crucifixion as ‘crucified to death’.
You see dear respected readers. All of these groups: The entirety of Ahl Sunnah Wal Jammah, the Ahmadiyyah/Qadiyani movement as well as the Ismaili Nizari/Todd Lawson have made Qur’an 4:153-157 so unnecessarily convoluted. They are astray because they do not use the Qur’an and the Sunnah as the foundation. Rather, they rely upon the Isrā’īliyyāt material to impose meaning upon the Qur’an.
The Ahl Sunnah Wal Jammah faltered because they relied upon the Isrā’īliyyāt material to impose meaning upon the Qur’an. We have not seen evidence from the Qur’an or Sunnah that substantiates their view.
The Imami Shi’i , the Ismaili-Nizar faltered because they did not check the base presuppositions of the Ahl Sunnah Wal Jammah. They relied upon those presuppositions but came to different exegetical conclusions. However, they assumed the base points that the Sunni assumed.
The Ahmadiyyah (Mirza Ghulam Ahmad) faltered because he too did not check the base presuppositions of Ahl Sunnah Wal Jammah. He relied upon those presuppositions but came to different exegetical conclusions.
The latter Sunnis who adopted the Ahmadiyyah position as it was useful for debates: (Ahmed Deedat, Shabir Ally, Yusuf Ismail, Yusuf Buccas). However, there has to be more credit given to them because at the very least they found issue with the prevailing dominant Sunni position on the issue. Where they faltered was because they did questioned some of the assumptions of the Isrā’īliyyāt material that informed that tradition, but did not think to question it in total.
Certainly with all these groups as with any who do good their reward is with Allah (swt). There is no doubt about that. Those views may have been helpful in the past. We have a better way.
The Double Negation Now Makes Complete Sense
We have identified the precise reason for the double negation in Qur’an 4:157. It is not redundant. It is not accidental. It directly addresses the theological implications of Deuteronomy 21:22-23.
1. The Jewish method for a capital offense (including blasphemy/sorcery) was:
Stone the person to death first.
Then hang/impale the body on a pole as post-mortem exposure.
The Torah explicitly states: “anyone who is hung on a pole is under God’s curse”(Deuteronomy 21:23).
2. If the Jews had successfully stoned Jesus (for alleged sorcery/blasphemy) and then impaled his body:
This would publicly declare Jesus as cursed by God.
This would be a permanent obstacle to any Jew accepting Jesus as a prophet, let alone the Messiah.
A cursed Messiah is a contradiction in terms.
3. The Qur’an’s double negation therefore:
Denies they killed him (i.e., no stoning occurred).
Denies they impaled him (i.e., no post-mortem declaration of divine curse occurred).
Removes the theological obstacle completely.
Why This Is More Coherent Than The Roman Crucifixion Theory
Under the Roman crucifixion theory:
The theological dimension (curse of God) is completely absent.
The verse becomes a simple denial of responsibility, not a profound theological correction.
The theological dimension (curse of God) is completely absent.
The verse becomes a simple denial of responsibility, not a profound theological correction.
Under our reading:
The double negation directly refutes the very basis for Jewish rejection of Jesus.
The Qur’an is saying: Not only did you not kill him, you did not (and could not) impose God’s curse upon him.
Jesus is not cursed — he is the Messiah.
The Qur’an Admits the Accusation
The Qur’an acknowledges the Jewish accusation against Jesus: “This is evident sorcery” (Qur’an 61:6). This is crucial because:
Sorcery/blasphemy was a capital offense under Jewish law.
The Jews believed they were carrying out Torah law.
The Qur’an says: You claim you were executing a cursed blasphemer. But you did not kill him. You did not impale him. So the curse never applied.
The Deeper Theological Implication
Deuteronomy 21:23 says the impaled person is cursed by God. The Apostle Paul explicitly connects this to Jesus in Galatians 3:13:
“Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: ‘Cursed is everyone who is hung on a pole.'”
Paul affirms the curse and reinterprets it redemptively. The Qur’an takes the opposite approach: The curse never happened because the impalement never happened.
This is a fundamental theological divergence:
Christianity: Jesus became a curse to redeem others.
Islam (your reading): Jesus was never cursed because he was never impaled.
Why This Reading Is Superior
Issue
Roman Crucifixion
Jewish Impalement
Mentions Romans
Yes (inserted)
No (textually faithful)
Explains double negation
Weak (“just emphasis”)
Strong (refutes curse)
Connects to Torah
No
Yes (Deut 21:23)
Addresses Jewish rejection
No
Yes (removes obstacle)
Theological coherence
Low
High
Makes Allah unaware of Jewish law
Yes
No
There is a very simple solution to all of this. Tafsir al-Quran bi-l-Quran. (Interpreting the Qur’an by the Qur’an)
We have provided a reading of Qur’an 4:157 that:
Stays entirely within the Qur’anic text (no Roman insertion).
Explains the double negation meaningfully.
Connects directly to the Torah verse Jews would recognize.
Addresses the core theological reason Jews reject Jesus.
Maintains Jesus’s honor by denying he ever bore God’s curse.
Does not make Allah unaware of the Jewish penal system.
This is, frankly, more elegant and more textually disciplined then the other views.
When we do this. We can see that: Qur’an 4:153-157 is speaking to a group of Jews from the Children of Israel. No Romans or No Christians any where in the text.
We can also see that if we do a textual analysis of Ṣād-lām-bā’: ṣalb and ṣallab refer to a bone from the upper body to the waist [i.e., the backbone]
We will clearly see the above text: Qur’an 4:153-157 (especially given that it relates to Jewish claims) does not refer to a Roman Crucifixion via a Patibulum(Cross)!
Think about it!
The Qur’an when dealing with the Christians speaks about the alleged deity of Jesus and his allegedly being the Son of Allah.
So what is the implication of the double negation (not killing or impailing) being directed towards a group of Jews from the Children of Israel?
You did not kill him.
You did not impale him. This is especially important because: For an impaled body is an affront to God
Look at this different translations of 1 Corinthians 1:23
This whole text Qur’an 4:153-157 has noting at all to do with Romans.
We do not need to propose complex scenarios involving substitution, swooning, or separation of soul from body.
We don’t have to start talking about Jesus dying physically on a Roman Patibulum (Cross) but not his soul!
We don’t have to start talking about Allah creating Christianity because he made someone else look like Jesus and that someone else was killed on a Roman Patibulum (Cross).
We don’t have to start talking about Jesus was indeed put on a Roman Patibulum (Cross) but was taken down alive, presumably after he swooned, fainted or passed out.
“He is is going forth to be stoned.” وَمَا قَتَلُوهُ they did not kill him
He was hanged (impaled) on the even of the Passover. وَمَا صَلَبُوهُ they did not impale him.
A straightforward reading using Qur’anic interpretation by the Qur’an itself yields a cohesive and cogent understanding. Tafsir al-Quran bi-l-Quran. No need to use the Isrā’īliyyāt to impose meaning upon the Qur’an.
Well, for those of you who want to believe in the crucifixion of Jesus or not believe he was crucified Knock yourself out! The idea of Roman Crucifixion via a Patibulum(Cross) is alien to the Qur’an. It neither affirms it nor negates it.
Final Thoughts.
What are the implications?
This understanding challenges a key premise of the Ahmadiyya position on this verse. It undermines the credibility of Mirza Ghulam Ahmad in a way he has never been challenged before. He was not aware that Qur’an 4:153-157 is not speaking about the Romans.
We don’t have to deal with missionary claims that the Qur’an denies a supposed ‘historical fact’. It is simply irrelevant to the Qur’an.
That a purist approach to interpreting the Qur’an by the Qur’an makes the most sense.
We don’t have to follow the Salafi Manhaj, the Dawatus Salafiyyah, the Ahmadiyyah, the Nizari Ismail and whoever else believe in Isrā’īliyyāt material with no sanad, no connected chains going back to the claimed source material.
We don’t have to imagine the creator, Allah (swt) being unaware of the Jewish penal code. Astaghfirullah.
The Jews can no longer be called Christ Killers, because the Qur’an exonerates them of the charge.
“And he is with you wherever you are.” (Qur’an 57:4)
﷽
First and foremost let us be clear.
There is no such hadith of the Slave Girl.
As if it is an ahad narration with only one type of matn (textual tradition).
What is true however, is that there is the incident of the slave girl and then we have many narrations of that incident with many textual variations.
We can see that those who call themselves the Sunni Muslims will dispute over the question: Where is Allah?
They get into conflict among themselves in regard to the following ahadith:
Narrated Mu’awiyah b. al-Hakam al-Sulami:
I said: Messenger of Allah, I have a slave girl whom I slapped. This grieved the Messenger of Allah (saw). I said to him: Should I not emancipate her? He said: Bring her to me. He said: Then I brought her. He asked: Where is Allah ? She replied: In the heaven. He said: Who am I ? She replied: You are the Messenger of Allah. He said: Emancipate her, she is a believer.
A man brought the Prophet (saw) a black slave girl. He said: Messenger of Allah, emancipation of believing slave is due to me. He asked her: Where is Allah ? She pointed to the heaven with her finger. He then asked her: Who am I ? She pointed to the Prophet (saw) and to the heaven, that is to say: You are the Messenger of Allah. He then said: Set her free, she is a believer.
So what happens is that the Sunni Muslims that are Ash’ari or Maturidi will usually quote the hadith about the woman using an action by “pointing to heaven“.
This gives opportunity for a quick counter rebuttal (to those who believe Allah is in a defalt location) because we know that Earth is spinning on its axis. Thus, if the Blessed Prophet (saw) were to ask the woman the same question a few hours from that point or eleven hours later the same response would hold true.
The Sunni Muslims that are Athari/Salafi/Wahabbi they tend to prefer the first hadith where the woman is reported to have verbally replied: “In the heaven”.
Not withstanding that some of their scholars have graded the hadith on pointing with the finger as being weak.
I have always found their appeal to this particular narration about the woman replying: “In the heaven” to be quite fascinating and perplexing. Why I find it as such is because I was always of the impression that Athari/Salafi/Wahhabi have always found the concept of Hulul (divine indwelling) in the creation to be blasphemous.
Yet, not so fast….Prima Qur’an!
Do the Athari/Salafi/Wahabbi REALLY BELIEVE ALLAH IS IN THE HEAVEN as the woman affirmed?
No, no they don’t.
“The text which describe Allah as being in heaven mean that He is high above his creation: they do not mean that the heavens surrounds and encompasses Him. That is because heaven [sama’] here means high, and it is not referring to the created heaven. Or it may be said that the proportion in [fi] in this case means above [‘ala], i.e, above the heaven.”
In other words these people practice Ta’wil figurative interpretation of text that state that Allah (swt) is IN and replace it with ABOVE. Even thought the text have an explicit meaning.
Narrated `Abdullah:
A (Jewish) Rabbi came to Allah’s Messenger (saw) and he said, “O Muhammed! We learn that Allah will put all the heavens on one finger, and the earths on one finger, and the trees on one finger, and the water and the dust on one finger, and all the other created beings on one finger. Then He will say, ‘I am the King.’ Thereupon the Prophet (saw) smiled so that his pre-molar teeth became visible, and that was the confirmation of the Rabbi. Then Allah’s Messenger (saw) recited: ‘They made not a just estimate of Allah such as is due to Him. And on the Day of Resurrection the whole of the earth will be grasped by His Hand and the heavens will be rolled up in His Right Hand.Glorified is He, and High is He above all that they associate as partners with Him.‘ (39.67)
“They did not recognise the true worth of Allah.(Such is Allah’s power that) on the Day of Resurrection the whole earth will be in His grasp, and the heavens (wal-samāwātu) shall be folded up in His Right Hand. Glory be to Him! Exalted be He from all that they associate with Him.” (Qur’an 39:67)
“Have you taken security from Him Who is in the heaven(fi samwati) that He will not cause the earth to swallow you when lo! it is convulsed?” (Qur’an 67:16)
So this is how we know that there is majaz figurative language in the Qur’an and the Sunnah. There is a section of Muslims who endanger the creed of themselves and the Ummah because they take the apparent meaning of text (well they do when they can’t except for when they are trapped like we demonstrated above).
The above verse of the (Qur’an 39:67) states that the heavens will be rolled up.
Narrated Imran bin Husain:
I went to the Prophet (saw) and tied my she-camel at the gate. The people of Bani Tamim came to the Prophet (saw) who said “O Bani Tamim! Accept the good tidings.” They said twice, ‘You have given us the good tidings, now give us something” Then some Yemenites came to him and he said, “Accept the good tidings, O people of Yemem, for Bani Tamim refused them.” They said, “We accept it, O Allah’s Messenger (saw)! We have come to ask you about this matter (i.e. the start of creations).” He said, “First of all, there was nothing but Allah, and (then He created His Throne). His throne was over the water, and He wrote everything in the Book (in the Heaven) and created the Heavens and the Earth.” Then a man shouted, “O Ibn Husain! Your she-camel has gone away!” So, I went away and could not see the she-camel because of the mirage. By Allah, I wished I had left that she-camel (but not that gathering).
Is is quite obvious from even the apparent reading of the above text that Allah (swt) is not above the heavens and the earth at the point of which they are not even have been created.
Waki’ bin Hudus narrated that his paternal uncle Abu Razin said:
“I said: ‘O Messenger of Allah (saw), where was our Lord before He created His creation?’ He said: He was above the clouds, below which was air, and above which was air and water. Then He created His Throne above the water.'”
This hadith has a grading of Hassan (it is fair) and before the establishment of various categories of hadith it would have received the grading of sahih (sound). Yet, the problem with it is very clear from the matn (text) itself.
Clouds, air, water are all creations. The wording of the text indicates that these things existed along with Allah (swt) and that his relation with them is simply in being above them but not being the creator of them. This can be solved by harmonizing it with other text that Allah (swt) clearly mention Allah (swt) is the creator of all things and by that it would mean the clouds, air and water.
There are other obvious problems with just taking the hadith of the slave girl at face value: Even if she replied that Allah is in the heaven how would that be taken to mean that she is a believer?
The belief that “Allah is in the heaven” neither establishes monotheism nor negates polytheism — because some polytheists acknowledged the existence of Allah, as do Christians, yet they associate others with Him in divinity.
The Christians believe that as well:
“He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.” (Hebrews 1:3)
“But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. “Look,” he said, “I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.” (Acts 7:55-56)
The very fact of something being in heaven does not indicate that it is God.
The very concept or idea of God being in heaven does not indicate that someone believes that this God is one being that is not comprised of persons.
Recall what the Ahl Khilaf (people of the opposition) of the truth: Salafi/Athari/Wahhabis have said above:
“The texts which describe Allah as being in heaven mean that He is high above His creation: they do not mean that the heaven surrounds and encompasses Him. That is because heaven [sama’] here means high, and it is not referring to the created heaven. Or it may be said that the proposition in [fi] in this case means above [‘ala], i.e., above the heaven.”
DOES THE IBADI HADITH COLLECTION HAVE ANYTHING INTERESTING TO SAY ON THIS MATTER?
We find in the Al Jami al Sahih, musnad al rabi’
47) – “Freeing of a Slave”
681- ‘Abū Ubayda narrated from Jābir ‘Ibn Zayd that a man went to the Prophet (saw), and said to him: “O Prophet, I have a slave girl who tends my flock of sheeps. But, I just found out that I lost a sheep. When I questioned her about this, she replied that the wolf had devoured her. I became irritated so much that I slapped her. Now, I have to free a slave. Should I free her?” The Prophet (saw) said: “If she can come, bring her to me!”. The man went to get her and brought her with him. The Prophet, (saw) said to her: “Who is your lord?“. She said: “Allah is my lord”. The Prophet, (saw) said: “Who then is your Prophet?”. She replied: “You are Muḥammad, the Prophet of Allah”. So, the Prophet, (saw) said at that time: “free her because she is a believer”.
Source:al-Imām al-Rabī‘ — His Status and His Musnad, by Shaykh Sa‘īd al-Qanūbī.
(“Who is your lord”) Source: https://sunnah.com/nasai:3653 this matches with the hadith in the ibadi hadith collection.
There are many other issues with the particular version of the hadith
First: It contradicts what has been mutawātir (mass-transmitted) from the Prophet (saw) — that when someone came to him wanting to accept Islam, he would command them to utter the two testimonies (shahādah), without asking them this question or anything similar.
Second: It contradicts what has been authentically established from the Prophet (saw)— that when he sent some of his Companions to call people to Islam, he instructed them to order the people to testify “that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah”, without commanding them to explain or ask about this alleged belief.
Third: The Prophet (saw) explained the pillars of Islam and faith in the Hadith of Jibrīl (Gabriel) — peace be upon him — and did not mention the belief that “Allah is in the heaven”, which is the belief of the anthropomorphist (mujassimah). Exalted is Allah far above that.
Fourth: It contradicts the Hadith: “I have been commanded to fight the people until they testify that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammed is the Messenger of Allah. If they do so, they have protected from me their blood and their wealth, except by the right of Islam, and their reckoning is with Allah.” Many have stated that this Hadith is mutawātir.
Fifth: It contradicts the consensus of the ummah — that whoever utters the two testimonies and believes in what the Messenger (saw) brought has entered Islam.
Sixth: As mentioned from the beginning there is no such thing as ‘the hadith of the slave girl’. Rather we have many narrations of that incident with many textual variations
Among them: it has also been reported as: “Do you testify that there is no god but Allah?” She replied: “Yes…” etc. Reported by Mālik, Ahmad (vol. 3 p. 452), ‘Abd al-Razzāq in al-Muṣannaf (vol. 9 p. 175), ‘Abd ibn Ḥumayd, al-Bazzār, al-Dārimī (vol. 2 p. 187), al-Ṭabarānī (vol. 12 p. 27), Ibn Abī Shaybah, Ibn al-Jārūd (no. 931), and al-Bayhaqī (vol. 10 p. 57). Al-Haythamī said in Majma‘ al-Zawā’id (vol. 4 p. 244): “The men of Ahmad’s chain are those of the authentic collections”, and similarly in vol. 1 p. 23. Ibn Kathīr said in his Tafsīr (1/547): “Its chain is authentic, and the anonymity of the Companion does not harm it.” It was also authenticated by Ibn ‘Abd al-Barr in al-Tamhīd (vol. 9 p. 114)
The second wording is correct, as it conforms to the mutawātir practice of the Prophet (saw), as explained above.
If it is said: The first wording is correct because Imām Muslim narrated it — we reply: Preferring the narration of the two Shaykhs (al-Bukhārī and Muslim) or one of them over others merely for that reason is very weak, rather baseless, for there is no evidence for it. In fact, the evidences — by Allah’s grace — are abundant against it. This is the view of the majority of the ummah.
Among those who adopted this view from later scholars are: the great scholar Qāsim, al-Kamāl ibn al-Humām in Fatḥ al-Qadīr and al-Taḥrīr, his commentators Ibn Amīr al-Ḥajj Muḥammad al-Amīn (known as Amīr Bād Shāh), Ibn Kathīr, al-Qasṭallānī, ‘Alī al-Qārī, al-Ṣan‘ānī, Akram al-Sindī, Aḥmad Shākir, al-Kawtharī, and others — and it is the truth
Seventh: Even if we hypothetically accepted that Muslim’s wording is equal to the other two, it would still not be permissible to use it as proof, because in that case the Hadith would be open to multiple interpretations. And when there is such uncertainty, the proof is invalidated, as is established among the people of knowledge and virtue.
Eighth: Yaḥyā ibn Abī Kathīr — one of the narrators of this Hadith — was a mudallis (one who conceals the source of his narration). Although he did explicitly state hearing in some reports, some scholars still do not accept the narration of a mudallis even if he states hearing. There is no doubt that what is agreed upon takes precedence over what is disputed.
Ninth: This Hadith contradicts definitive rational and textual proofs indicating that the Exalted Lord is not confined to the direction above. A solitary (āḥād) Hadith is not used as proof in matters of creed — as we have clarified in the treatise Akhbār al-Āḥād — especially when it contradicts definitive proofs.
Be careful of those who are not sound in their theology.
“And hold firmly to the rope of Allah all together and do not become divided. And remember the favor of Allah upon you – when you were enemies and He brought your hearts together and you became, by His favor, brothers. And you were on the edge of a pit of the Fire, and He saved you from it. Thus does Allah make clear to you His verses that you may be guided.” (Qur’an 3:103)
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Al hamdulillah! Just three years ago (2022) no one was talking about the Ibadi school. Through the efforts of Primaquran we have put the school on the map.
We even sparked an individual to start up his own YouTube channel of which he is a co-host with a former ex 12er lady. They do their own thing. Never underestimate the impact you will have on others.
Recently Shaykh Yasir Qadhi was on a podcast with brothers Dr Salman Butt and Umer Suleman. They have an excellent podcast which is one of my favourites on YouTube as well.
During this podcast Shaykh Yasir Qadhi made some comments about the Ibadi school.
@20:50 he says: “The Ibadis’ of Oman are Mu’tazilah in creed. Their worship of Allah is no less. Frankly it is better than most Sunni lands. Frankly. If you’ve ever visited Oman. Their akhlaq, their tahhajud, their Qur’an, their strong Emaan. I know the critics are going to go absolutely crazy with this. I’m not saying Mutazalism is correct but I’m saying; the way you guys made it out to be the brother of Shaitan. No it’s not.”-Shaykh Yasir Qadhi
“So let me finish this one point so the accusation that if you say X this will imply Y; that syllogism is a figment of the imagination of the critic. If you deny Allah’s istiwa then it’s going to happen. Well, this then is from you. Not from the people themselves.” -Shaykh Yasir Qadhi
“The people who actually hold it don’t go there. And this is what I’m saying when I say we have the hindsight of history. 13 centuries we look back The Zaydis of Yemen are Mu’tazilah. Their praying tahhajud and doing everything as well. You know what I’m saying?”-Shaykh Yasir Qadhi
“They clearly the itiz’ah they believe, the Ibadi’s believe the Qur’an is makhluq. The Ibadis believe the Qur’an is makhluq. Their grand mufti is on YouTube literally defending and then saying but Sunnis, he literally said: ‘but Sunnis you guys made this a bigger issue than it needed to be.’ We still recite the Qur’an take the sha, that’ s his view. I am not saying I agree with it right? And look at their laws and look at the people.”-Shaykh Yasir Qadhi.
If anyone has the contact of Shaykh Yasir Qadhi do let him know to that the ministry of awqaf in Oman would (insh’Allah) be interested in inviting him as a guest to Oman. Perhaps he (Shaykh Yasir Qadhi) can give talks there. Shaykh Yasir Qadhi speaks, reads and writes Arabic so there should be no barriers.
We believe Shaykh Salman Al Ouda was a teacher of Shaykh Yasir Qadhi. He came to Oman. Insh’Allah let us invite Shaykh Yasir Qadhi to Oman. He has access to Arabic and thus it will be beneficial insh’Allah. He wants to build bridges across sectarian lines which is a blessing.
Oman has invited many people from across various schools. Shaykh Yasir Qadhi has only to reach out to Nouman Ali Khan about the time he spent at the Qur’an school there.
As Shaykh Yasir Qadhi believes in nuance it is important to note that we are not actually we are not Mu’tazilah.
The Ash’ari agree with us on the doctrine of kasb.
The Ash’ari agree with us morality comes from revelation not human aql.
However, it is possible that Shaykh Yasir Qadhi mentioned Mu’tazilah in the broader definition than in the prevailing sectarian definitions. With Shaykh Yasir Qadhi having what some may consider more liberal leaning inclinations perhaps when he meets with the learned people in Oman he will see that the school is very strong and a very good choice for the Muslim Ummah.
He will see and observe and experience that what he may perceive to be Mu’tazilah leanings there is no doubt that the people cling to the Sunnah!
In fact in our brush ups with certain heretical strains of Salafism they never once (that we can recall)try and fault us about observance of the Sunnah. How can they? They always bring up issues of creed and history.
In regard to the talk that the Mufti of Oman (Shaykh Ahmed Al Khalii-hafidhullah) gave: Shaykh Yasir Qadhi maybe referencing the following:
Shaykh Bin Baz invited Shaykh Ahmed Khalili to his office and Shaykh Khalili accepted the invitation. Shaykh Ahmed Khalili and a small delegation went into what was described as a small room. There was no courtesy and no decorum showed on behalf of Shaykh Bin Baz. As soon Shaykh Bin Baz got everyone in the room he started shouting, “You Ibadi are Kafirs! You don’t believe in seeing Allah in the afterlife”. “You believe in the creation of the Qur’an and you must make tawba!” “You must testify that you are mistaken!”
Shaykh Ahmed Khalili remained very calm. He replied, “These issues are very old issues and many of the ulemah have been talking about it.” “Our expectation was to come and discuss on how to unite the Ummah, and keep the differences aside, and we should agree on certain terms.”
“Then We will give them a full account with sure knowledge—for We were never absent. “And the weighing that Day will be the truth. So those whose scales are heavy – it is they who will be the successful.”But those whose scale is light, they have doomed themselves for wrongfully denying Our signs.” (Qur’an 7: 7-9)
“We set up the scales of justice for the Day of Judgment, so no soul will be wronged in the least. And if a deed is the weight of a mustard seed, We will bring it forth. And sufficient are We as a Reckoner.” (Qur’an 21:47)
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The vast majority of Muslims believe that they will be weighed on some scales on the day of judgement in which Allah (swt) will weigh their deeds. They imagine their good deeds being placed on some balance to the right and their bad deeds being placed on some balance on the left.
This has also led to the idea that we merit paradise through our deeds. If we do x amount of this or that than Allah (swt) is bound to grant us paradise.
This belief arises out of the corruption of the belief sent by the earlier messengers to the people of Egypt. After the truth was mixed with falsehood they came to believe that the heart recorded all the good and bad deeds of a person’s life. When the person died their heart was weighted against the feather of the Goddess Ma’at.
Ma’at was the personification of truth and justice. (Themes you will come to see soon enough).
The scales were watched by the results of the weighing were recorded by Anubis, The jackal headed deity of embalming. Known as ‘He who is Upon His Mountain’ meaning Necropolis (The City of the Dead).
The results were recorded by Thoth -the God associated with writing and judgement of the dead. If the person was said to have led a descent life they would live forever with Osiris.
Do Muslims have any justification for believing in scales that weigh good and bad deeds?
The following verses are usually appealed to.
“Then, when the Trumpet will be blown, there will be no kinship between them on that Day, nor will they ask about one another. As for those whose scale is heavy, it is they who will be successful. But those whose scale is light, they will have doomed themselves, staying in Hell forever.” (Qur’an 23:101-103)
“The Striking Disaster! What is the Striking Disaster? And what will make you realize what the Striking Disaster is? The Day people will be like scattered moths, and the mountains will be like carded wool. So as for those whose scale is heavy, they will be in a life of bliss. And as for those whose scale is light, their home will be the abyss. And what will make you realize what that is? A scorching Fire.” (Qur’an 101:1-11)
“Then We will give them a full account with sure knowledge—for We were never absent. “And the weighing that Day will be the truth. So those whose scales are heavy – it is they who will be the successful.”But those whose scale is light, they have doomed themselves for wrongfully denying Our signs.” (Qur’an 7: 7-9)
“We set up the scales of justice for the Day of Judgment, so no soul will be wronged in the least. And if a deed is the weight of a mustard seed, We will bring it forth. And sufficient are We as a Reckoner.” (Qur’an 21:47)
wal-waznu yawma-idhin l-haqu = The weighing that day is the Truth.
wanada’u l-mawazina l-qis’ta = And we set the weighing as justice.
Notice that in the Egyptian theology Ma’at is the personification of Truth and Justice.
So we can see that the Qur’an has used as a metaphor for the Truth and Justice being done that day. The Truth is Justice and Justice is nothing but the Truth.
Allah (swt) is not need of any scale to weigh people’s deeds. He already knows what we have done. He knows even before we have done it!
A BOOK NOT TWO BOOKS
Remember the Qur’an always mentions we are given a book. We are not given two books, so that one may each be weighted.
In fact every minutia of our life is recorded in THE book of eternal life.
“This, Our record, speaks about you in truth. Indeed, We were having transcribed whatever you used to do.” (Qur’an 45:29)
This will be shown to us and as Allah (swt) says:
“And the record will be placed, and you will see the criminals fearful of that within it, and they will say, “Oh, woe to us! What is this book that leaves nothing small or great except that it has enumerated it?” And they will find what they did present. And your Lord does injustice to no one.” (Qur’an 18:49)
Notice the verse says: “Your Lord does injustice to no one.” This is what is given a book. We are not put on some scale physical or metaphysical and weighed. This is incorrect.
These ideas about being weighed in a balance are Egyptian ideas that are important to Christianity and influenced some Muslim understanding of our sacred text.
“Tekel: You have been weighed on the scales and found wanting.” (Daniel 5:7)
It is ultimately Christian belief that one cannot merit salvation and thus Christ Jesus alleged death by being nailed to a patibulum acts as a shield against this judgement or weighing.
As was discussed in a previous article, Christians are absolutely unassured of their salvation.
We know our fate at the moment of death based upon how the angels take our souls.
“The ones whom the angels take in death [while] wronging themselves, and [who] then offer submission, [saying], “We were not doing any evil.” But, yes! Indeed, Allah is Knowing of what you used to do.” (Qur’an 16:28)
“The ones whom the angels take in death, [being] good and pure; [the angels] will say, “Peace be upon you. Enter Paradise for what you used to do.” (Qur’an 16:32)
“And We took the Children of Israel across the sea, and Pharaoh and his soldiers pursued them in tyranny and enmity until, when drowning overtook him, he said, “I believe that there is no deity except that in whom the Children of Israel believe, and I am of the Muslims. Now? And you had disobeyed before and were of the corrupters? So today We will save you that you may be to those who succeed you a sign. And indeed, many among the people, of Our signs, are heedless.” (Qur’an 10:90-92)
“Pharaoh declared, “O chiefs! I know of no other god for you but myself. So bake bricks out of clay for me, O Hamân, and build a high tower so I may look at the God of Moses, although I am sure he is a liar.” And so he and his soldiers behaved arrogantly in the land with no right, thinking they would never be returned to Us. So We seized him and his soldiers, Casting them into the sea. See then what was the end of the wrongdoers! We made them leaders inviting to the Fire. And on the Day of Judgment they will not be helped. We caused a curse to follow them in this world. And on the Day of Judgment they will be among the outcasts.” (Qur’an 28:38-42)
“When the angels seize the souls of those who have wronged themselves—scolding them, “What was wrong with you?” they will reply, “We were oppressed in the land.” The angels will respond, “Was Allah’s earth not spacious enough for you to emigrate?” It is they who will have Hell as their home—what an evil destination!“ (Qur’an 4:97)
Prima Qur’an comments: In fact, if you are reading this above verse and may Allah (swt) protect you and I from being among these people. However, the very fact that there will be people aware of this verse and have this reaction by the angels is sobering indeed!
“Indeed, those who relapse ˹into disbelief˺ after ˹true˺ guidance has become clear to them, ˹it is˺ Satan ˹that˺ has tempted them, luring them with false hopes. That is because they said ˹privately˺ to those who ˹also˺ detest what Allah has revealed, “We will obey you in some matters.” But Allah ˹fully˺ knows what they are hiding. Then how ˹horrible˺ will it be when the angels take their souls, beating their faces and backs! This is because they follow whatever displeases Allah and hate whatever pleases Him, so He has rendered their deeds void. Or do those with sickness in their hearts think that Allah will not ˹be able to˺ expose their malice?” (Qur’an 47:25-29)
Prima Qur’an comments:
It can be readily seen that those whom the angel takes their souls leave this world in one of two conditions. They are either righteous or in a dreadful condition. Their state is not mixed.
There is no such thing as people being raised up in the hereafter with two types of qualities both sinful and righteous; and thus, need to be weighed to see what out weighs what. If the angels take their souls at death saying to them:
“Peace be upon you. Enter Paradise for what you used to do.” Where is the sin to put in another scale against this?!
What is the truth and justice is what is recorded in THE BOOK OF LIFE. (The entire 100,000 volume Blue-Ray edition of every iota of your life)
Every circumstance, every context and every intention.
The quality of the person is known before Allah (swt) not the quantity of his/her deeds. Quality is a measure of excellence and quantity is a measure of items.
“And abase me not on the day when they are raised, “The Day whereon neither wealth nor sons will avail, “But only he (will prosper) that brings to Allah a sound heart.” (Qur’an 26:88-90)
“Narrated An-Nu’man bin Bashir:
I heard Allah’s Messenger (saw) saying, ‘ Beware! There is a piece of flesh in the body if it becomes good (reformed) the whole body becomes good but if it gets spoilt the whole body gets spoilt and that is the heart.”
“That is Paradise, which We give as inheritance to those of Our servants who were fearing of Allah.” (Qur’an 19:63)
“Indeed, Allah only accepts from the righteous [who fear Him]” (Qur’an 5:27)
“Those who believe and do righteous deeds and perform their prayers and give the purifying alms have their reward from their Lord, and they will not fear or grieve.” (Qur’an 2:277)
“As for those who repent, believe, and do good deeds, they are the ones whose evil deeds Allah will change into good deeds. For Allah is All-Forgiving, Most Merciful.” (Qur’an 25:70)
Prima Qur’an comments:
If the person is fasiq, does not repent, is unjust than Allah refuse his all his deeds and that one will be in hell.
“Those who disbelieved, and prevented (others) from Allah’s way, He (Allah) has rendered their deeds vain.” (Qur’an 47:1)
“As for the unbelievers, how miserable will they be? Allah brought their deeds to nothing.“ (Qur’an 47:8)
“That is because they followed what angered Allah and disliked [what earns] His pleasure, so He rendered worthless their deeds.” (Qur’an 47:28)
Where is the good to put in another scale to benefit them?!
“And those who do not invoke with Allah another deity or kill the soul which Allah has forbidden [to be killed], except by right, and do not commit unlawful sexual intercourse. And whoever should do that will meet a penalty. Multiplied for him is the punishment on the Day of Resurrection, and he will abide therein humiliated –Except for those who repent, believe and do righteous work. For them Allah will replace their evil deeds with good. And ever is Allah Forgiving and Merciful.” (Qur’an 25:70)
Shirk, adultery, fornication none of them will be in paradise. Except those who repent, amend and do righteous. Allah (swt) will replace their evil deeds with good deeds.
So where is the sin to put in another scale against them?!
The book of life that is given in the right hand or the left hand
“As for those given their records in their right hand, they will cry ˹happily˺, “Here ˹everyone˺! Read my record! I surely knew I would face my reckoning.” They will be in a life of bliss, in an elevated Garden, whose fruit will hang within reach. ˹They will be told,˺ “Eat and drink joyfully for what you did in the days gone by.” And as for those given their record in their left hand, they will cry ˹bitterly˺, “I wish I had not been given my record, nor known anything of my reckoning! I wish death was the end! My wealth has not benefited me! My authority has been stripped from me.” ˹It will be said,˺ “Seize and shackle them, then burn them in Hell, then tie them up with chains seventy arms long. For they never had faith in Allah, the Greatest.” (Qur’an 69:19-33)
“As for those who are given their record in their right hand, they will have an easy reckoning, and will return to their people joyfully. And as for those who are given their record ˹in their left hand˺ from behind their backs, they will cry for ˹instant˺ destruction, and will burn in the blazing Fire. For they used to be prideful among their people, thinking they would never return ˹to Allah˺.” (Qur’an 7-14)
Prima Qur’an comments:
So it is very clear to these people when they are given their book of life in which hand they are given it what will be their fate. There is no need to put people on scales and weigh them.
Also do take note that you have been lead to believe that the all Muslims take their book by their right hand. The verse does not say that at all!
“As for those given their records in their right hand.”
This can only mean the believers who were righteous and died in a good condition. Some will try and counter and say but the verses are references to the kafir: “For they never had faith in Allah, the Greatest.” & “For they used to be prideful among their people, thinking they would never return ˹to Allah˺”
Notice. They did not really believe in Allah. Nor did they really believe in the last day.
“And there are some who say, “We believe in Allah and the Last Day,” yet they are not believers.” (Qur’an 2:8)
We human beings can only judge by the dhahir (the apparent) and Allah (swt) judges by the dhahir and the batin (the apparent and the hidden) and he knows who are the truly righteous.
It is not simply a proclamation with the tongue! Also, note that the Murji’ah (Ahl Sunnah) are divided on rather or not the disobedient sinful believer takes their book with their left hand. Some interpolate statements saying by the left hand in the front (not behind their back).
The Qur’an has left no ambiguity as Shaykh Masoud Al Miqbali (r) says:
Prima Quran 