Tawheed Class(Explanation of the ThreeFundamental Principles)Transcribed from classes by Shaykh Ahmad Musa JibrilPlease send details of any errors in referencing or otherwise

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Table of Contents.........................................................................................................2Class One.....................................................................................................................1Introduction.................................................................................................................1Knowledge in Islam is to be Taken Gradually................................................................1The Three Levels of Studying........................................................................................3Writing is the Trend of the Salaf...................................................................................4Al-Usool Ath-Thalaathah..............................................................................................5Chapter One.................................................................................................................6The Basmalah...............................................................................................................6Tawheed in Bismillahir-Rahmaanir-Raheem.................................................................6

Tawheed Al-Uloohiyyah.................................................................................................6Tawheed Ar-Rububiyyah................................................................................................6Tawheed Al-Asmaa Was-Sifaat.....................................................................................7

Linguistic Rules in Bismillahir-Rahmaanir-Raheem........................................................7The First Rule.................................................................................................................7The Second Rule............................................................................................................8

Proofs for Beginning with the Basmalah.......................................................................8It is in Accordance with the Quran...............................................................................8The Prophet Began his Letters with Bismillahir-Rahmaanir-Raheem............................9There is an Alleged Hadith About the Basmalah...........................................................9

The Blessing in the Basmalah.....................................................................................10Class Two...................................................................................................................11Do You Say Bismillah or Bismillahir-Rahmaanir-Raheem?...........................................12The Name Allah..........................................................................................................15

Allah: The Sole Title for the Lord that Fashioned Everything......................................15The Root of the Name Allah........................................................................................15Allah Uses Allah and Rabb in the Quran.....................................................................15Allah is Different to Any Other Names.........................................................................17The Name Allah by Itself is Not a Dhikr.......................................................................17Allah is the Name that All His Other Names Follow....................................................17Aspects of Tawheed in the Name Allah.......................................................................17The Mighty Name Allah...............................................................................................18

Ar-Rahmaan and Ar-Raheem......................................................................................20Ar-Rahmaan.................................................................................................................20Ar-Raheem...................................................................................................................20Ar-Rahmaan and Ar-Raheem.......................................................................................21

The Mercy of Allah.....................................................................................................24

The Attribute of Mercy................................................................................................24The Mercy of Allah.......................................................................................................25Attaining the Mercy of Allah........................................................................................27

Class Three.................................................................................................................28Know May Allah Have Mercy On You..........................................................................28The Importance of Knowledge....................................................................................28The Definition of Knowledge......................................................................................34The Use of the Word Ilam..........................................................................................34

Is Knowledge Conveyed to Other than Humans?........................................................34Can you Say Ilam to Someone More Knowledgeable?...............................................36

The Levels of Knowledge: Ibn Al-Qayyim....................................................................37The Honour of Knowledge..........................................................................................38The Example of the Scholars.......................................................................................44

Jaabir and Abu Ayyub..................................................................................................44Muhammad Ibn Hasan Ash-Shaybaani........................................................................45Asad Ibn Al-Furaat.......................................................................................................45Saeed Ibn Musayyib, Ar-Raazi and Al-Bukhari............................................................46An-Nawawi, Lisaan Ad-Deen Ibn Al-Khateeb and Muaadh Ibn Jabal.........................47Sulaymaan Ibn Abdul-Malik the Khaleefah and Ataa Ibn Abi Rabaah........................49Al-Kasaaee and the Sons of the Khaleefah.................................................................50Ash-Shaafiee and Ibn Al-Jawzi....................................................................................50

Rahimak Allah............................................................................................................50Maghfirah and Rahmah...............................................................................................51Do You Say Rahimak Allah to a Non Muslim?..............................................................51Why Did He Say Ilam Rahimak Allah?.........................................................................53

Class Four...................................................................................................................57The Four Introductory Matters...................................................................................57What is the Definition of Waajib?...............................................................................58Is There a Difference Between Waajib and Fardh?......................................................58

The Proof for the Opinion that Waajib and Fardh Are Synonymous...........................59The Proof for the Opinion that Waajib is Lesser than Fardh.......................................61How Do They Categorise the Faraaidh and Waajibaat?.............................................62The Result of this Dispute............................................................................................63

The Islamic Knowledges are Intertwined....................................................................64Which Definition of Waajib Did the Author Intend?....................................................65Knowledge in Matters that Pertain to Allah................................................................65

The Definition of Fardh Ayn........................................................................................66The Definition of Fardh Kifaayah.................................................................................66

Fardh Ayn in Knowledge, Action, Leaving Matters and Belief.....................................66Fardh Ayn in Knowledge Pertaining to Allah...............................................................66Fardh Ayn in Action ....................................................................................................67

Fardh Ayn in Leaving Matters......................................................................................67Fardh Ayn in Belief......................................................................................................68

The Four Obligatory Matters.......................................................................................68The Definition of Masalah..........................................................................................69The First Introductory Matter: Knowledge..................................................................70Knowing Allah............................................................................................................70

Marifatullah................................................................................................................71Knowledge of the Halaal and Haraam.........................................................................72The Importance of Marifatullah.................................................................................72Ignorance in Marifatullah...........................................................................................76

Knowing the Prophet Muhammad Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam.................................78Knowing Islam............................................................................................................81

The Definition of Islam.................................................................................................81Islam is the Only Religion Acceptable to Allah............................................................82The Foundation Actions of Islam.................................................................................85

Class Five....................................................................................................................85The Order of the Definition of Knowledge..................................................................86Knowing Allah, the Prophet Muhammad and the Religion with Proof........................87

What is the Definition of Proof? .................................................................................87Is Taqleed Permissible in Matters of Aqeedah?..........................................................89

The First Opinion: You Must Know the Proof..............................................................90The Second Opinion: It is not Obligatory to Know the Proof .....................................90The Third Opinion: Looking into the Proof is Haraam.................................................90The Summary of the First Two Opinions.....................................................................90Proofs that Taqleed is Permissible ..............................................................................91

The Second Introductory Matter: To Act Upon Knowledge..........................................96The Types of Actions in Islam......................................................................................96Do You Get Reward for Leaving the Haraam?..............................................................96The Essential Aspects of Applying Knowledge.............................................................97

Ordaining the Good and Forbidding the Evil and Application Within Oneself Are Two Separate Obligatory Matters........................................................................................98A Man Whose Actions Do Not Match His Knowledge.................................................99One is Going to be Questioned About His Knowledge on the Judgment Day...........100Saying That Which You Do Not Do.............................................................................100

Knowledge That Does Not Benefit............................................................................101Class Six....................................................................................................................106Knowledge That Does Not Benefit Action.................................................................106Knowledge is Different to Action..............................................................................107Knowledge Was Sent to be Acted Upon....................................................................107The Consequences of Not Acting Upon Your Knowledge...........................................110

One Should Not Abandon Seeking Knowledge Due to Being Accountable For His Knowledge...............................................................................................................112Being Higher in Knowledge Means You Are Held to a Higher Standard .....................113Examples of Applying Knowledge.............................................................................116Evil Scholars.............................................................................................................118Acting on Your Knowledge in Dawah........................................................................122

Ibn Al-Jawzi And His Shuyookh..................................................................................122Do Not Get Conceited with Humans or with Allah....................................................125Class Seven...............................................................................................................126The Third Introductory Matter: Calling People Unto It..............................................126What Does the Dhameer Refer To?...........................................................................127Is Dawah Fardh Ayn or Fardh Kifaayah?...................................................................127

Attaining the Detailed Knowledge is Fardh Kifaayah.................................................127Every Muslim has a Personal Obligation to Perform Dawah....................................128

Should One Leave Dawah Until He Becomes Fully Knowledgeable?.........................130The Dangers of Speaking About Allah Without Knowledge.......................................132Class Eight ...............................................................................................................137Do Not Commit Any Sins Under the Pretext of Dawah.............................................138

When Sins Become Widespread it Affects Everyone.................................................140You Have to Know How to Give Dawah....................................................................144

Proof on Dawah.......................................................................................................146Invite People Unto Allah with Knowledge.................................................................146Dawah is Our Pride...................................................................................................147Rise Up and Warn......................................................................................................149The Value of Guiding One Man..................................................................................150The Day of Uhud and the Day of Taif .......................................................................151

You Have to Know and Relate to Your Audience........................................................154Dawah Must be in the Best of All Manners..............................................................157

Class Nine.................................................................................................................158Wisdom in Dawah can Include Harshness................................................................169The Difference Between Mudaaraah and Mudaahanah...........................................176

Examples of Our Salaf in Dawah..............................................................................177Conclusion on Dawah to Allah.................................................................................182Class Ten...................................................................................................................183The Fourth Introductory Matter: Patience................................................................183Patience is Essential for a Daaiyah...........................................................................185

What do you get out of Patience? ............................................................................185What is the Definition of Sabr? ................................................................................190

The Linguistic Definition of Sabr................................................................................190Does Complaining Negate Sabr?...............................................................................190The Types of Patience................................................................................................192

Why does Allah Test Us? ..........................................................................................193Do Not Expect a Life Without Trials ..........................................................................195Some Verses on Trials

201A Daaiyah is Most Optimistic in the Darkest of Times..............................................207Class Eleven..............................................................................................................211One on the Guided Path Should Expect Hardships....................................................212Trials are a Purification from our Sins.......................................................................215The Importance of Intention.....................................................................................217Stand Your Ground Even if you are Alone..................................................................220

The Majority are Usually Villified in the Quran........................................................220The Quran Praises the Minority................................................................................221

Why does Allah Test us when He has Knowledge of Everything?...............................222Everything is Good for the Believer...........................................................................224Be Patient on Harsh Words.......................................................................................225Always Head to Repentance When Tested and Have Mercy......................................228Patience in Dawah is Special....................................................................................231Wise Words from Shaykh Musa Hafidhahullah.........................................................231Conclusion on Sabr...................................................................................................234Class Twelve.............................................................................................................235An Introduction to Surat Al-Asr................................................................................236What Does Al-'Asr Mean?.........................................................................................238

The First Opinion: All of Time....................................................................................238The Second Opinion: The Era of the Prophet Muhammad ......................................239The Third Opinion: The End of the Day.....................................................................239The Fourth Opinion: Salatul-Asr or the Timing of Salatul-Asr..................................241The Selected Opinion.................................................................................................242

The Importance of Al-Asr.........................................................................................245Oaths in the Quran and Sunnah...............................................................................246The Oaths of Human Beings......................................................................................249Class Thirteen...........................................................................................................251Do Not Waste Time..................................................................................................251The Subject Matter of the Oath................................................................................252Mankind is at a Loss.................................................................................................253

Khusr Comes in a Noun Form....................................................................................253Why is Khusr Mentioned as a Nakirah?.....................................................................253A Practical Example Pertaining to this Surah.............................................................254Losses are Levels........................................................................................................258

Why Does the Surah Generalise and then Make Exceptions?....................................258Those who Believe...................................................................................................260

Imaan is the Fruit of Knowledge................................................................................261

Why did Allah not Detail Imaan?...............................................................................261The Meaning of Imaan in this Verse..........................................................................262

Those who do Good Deeds.......................................................................................263There is no Imaan Without Action.............................................................................263Actions Without Imaan..............................................................................................265All Deeds are Included in this Verse..........................................................................267

Advise and Recommend with Truth and Patience.....................................................267Dawah is not a Monopoly.........................................................................................268Advising is a Group Effort..........................................................................................268Haqq Refers to All of the Revelation of Allah............................................................269

Patience...................................................................................................................269Patience is Implied Throughout the Surah................................................................270Patience Refers to All Types of Patience....................................................................270

The Statement of Ash-Shaafiee................................................................................272Class Fourteen..........................................................................................................274A Chapter Title from Sahih Al-Bukhari......................................................................275

Why did the Author use a Chapter Title from Bukhari as Proof?..............................276Knowledge Precedes Action......................................................................................278Laa Ilaaha Illallah.......................................................................................................279Do Verses Addressed to the Prophet Include Us?.....................................................279

The Structure of the Book.........................................................................................281Chapter Two.............................................................................................................284The Obligation to Know and Act on Three Matters....................................................284

Why did the Author say Male and Female?..............................................................284Why did the Author say Muslim?..............................................................................285

The First Matter: Tawheed Ar-Rububiyyah................................................................2871A: Allah Created Us.................................................................................................287

Proofs from the Quran and Sunnah..........................................................................287Proofs from the Intellect ...........................................................................................292

Poetry on the Existence of Allah...............................................................................294Class Fifteen.............................................................................................................2991B: Allah Provided Sustenance For Us.......................................................................299

The Difference Between Ar-Raaziq and Ar-Razzaaq..................................................300The Definition of Provision........................................................................................301

Allah is Ar-Razzaaq ..................................................................................................301Your Provision is in the Sky........................................................................................302Provision Comes From Allah......................................................................................304Your Unchangeable Provision is Already Written......................................................306Ar-Razzaaq is Wise in Giving Provision......................................................................308True Tawakkul and Tawaakul.....................................................................................311Seek Means but Keep your Heart Fully Attached to Allah.........................................313

Provision is Not Only Materialistic.............................................................................315Depend on Allah in Hardship ....................................................................................317

They Worship Others Besides Allah Who Have No Control Over Provision................317Ar-Razzaaq Will Send You Means..............................................................................320Class Sixteen.............................................................................................................3221C: He Did Not Create Us Without A Purpose...........................................................323

What is Hamala?........................................................................................................323Incorrect Opinions on the Purpose of Our Creation..................................................324You Were Created for a Purpose...............................................................................327Save Yourself From Hell.............................................................................................328Allah is Independent of His Creation.........................................................................330

1D: He Sent Messengers to Us..................................................................................3321E: Whoever Obeys Him Will Enter Paradise.............................................................335

The Quran and Sunnah are Equal as Sources of Legislation.....................................336The Quran has a Higher Status in Other Areas.........................................................337Obedience to the Prophet Must be Complete Obedience........................................338

The Story of Julaybeeb.............................................................................................339Class Seventeen........................................................................................................344Three Types of Commands in the Quran and Sunnah...............................................345

A Command Accompanied by Evidence to Indicate it is Obligatory..........................345A Command With Proof to Indicate it is Not Obligatory...........................................345The General Commands............................................................................................347

The Relationship Between the Quran and Sunnah...................................................348In Accordance and Similarty......................................................................................348The Sunnah Gives Details, Explains or Specifies........................................................349The Hadith are Independent in Legislating................................................................350

Those Who Deny the Sunnah....................................................................................3521F: Whoever Rejects and Disobeys Him Will Enter Hellfire........................................354Categories of Disobedience......................................................................................354

Major Shirk or Major Kufr..........................................................................................354A Muslim who Meets Allah with Sins........................................................................359One who Meets Allah with Minor Shirk....................................................................361Does one who Commits Minor Shirk Fall Under the Masheeah?.............................363The Duaa to Shield Oneself from Minor Shirk..........................................................365

Why Did Allah Choose Musa to Compare with the Prophet Muhammad?.................366Class Eighteen ..........................................................................................................367The Second Matter: Shirk Al-Uloohiyyah...................................................................367Introduction on Tawheed and Shirk..........................................................................368Three Types of Shirk Al-Uloohiyyah..........................................................................374The First Type: Associating a Partner to Allah...........................................................374The Second Type: Giving a Portion of Your Worship to Other Than Allah...................374

Shirk in Duaa At-Talab..............................................................................................374Shirk in Duaa Al-Ibaadah..........................................................................................377

Shirk in Intention.......................................................................................................377Shirk in Love...............................................................................................................379Shirk in Fear...............................................................................................................382Shirk in Hope..............................................................................................................385Shirk in Rukoo and Sujood........................................................................................385The Difference Between Sujood, Rukoo and Qiyaam...............................................386

Class Nineteen..........................................................................................................387Shirk in Sacrifice.........................................................................................................388Shirk in Tawaaf...........................................................................................................389Shirk in Tawakkul.......................................................................................................389

Is Tawheed Three Categories or Four Categories?.....................................................391The Third Type: Shirk in Governorship......................................................................395The Proof of the Author............................................................................................400Conclusion ...............................................................................................................402Class Twenty ............................................................................................................403The Third Matter: Walaa and Baraa .......................................................................404Proofs on Walaa and Baraa.....................................................................................405The Importance of Walaa and Baraa.......................................................................408The Danger of Having Any Deficiency in the Belief of Walaa and Baraa...................410The Goal and Result of Diluting Walaa and Baraa...................................................413Two Athaar Regarding those who Change in Their Belief..........................................416A Special Category of Carriers of Knowledge.............................................................418Conclusion of Halaqah..............................................................................................421Class Twenty One.....................................................................................................422Types of People Who Promote Interfaith..................................................................423Never Will the Jews nor the Christians be Pleased with You......................................424The Statement of Abul-Wafaa Ibn Aqeel.................................................................426A Response to those who Shed in their Aqeedah and Claim to be like Ash-Shaafiee 426The War on Changing Islamic Terminology................................................................430

Changing the Terminology in the Area of Walaa and Baraa....................................432Categories of Walaa and Baraa...............................................................................434The First Category: Tawalli........................................................................................434The Second Category: Al-Muwaalaah.......................................................................437The Third Category: Permissible Dealings with Non Muslims....................................438Class Twenty Two.....................................................................................................439The Third Category: Permissible Dealings with Non Muslims ...................................440

Dawah to Non Muslims............................................................................................441Eating from the Slaughter of the People of the Book................................................442Marriage from the People of the Book......................................................................442

Exchanging Gifts.........................................................................................................442Visiting Non Muslims.................................................................................................443

Treatment of Non Muslims.......................................................................................444Love and Hate is at the Core of Walaa and Baraa....................................................446

Baraa from Kufr and Kaafireen.................................................................................449Our Hate is Restrained by the Guidance of Islam......................................................452

Islam Recognises Natural Love and Hate...................................................................453The Son of Abdullah Ibn Ubayy Ibn Salool................................................................456Conclusion of Halaqah..............................................................................................457Class Twenty Three...................................................................................................459Chapter Three..........................................................................................................459The Types of Guidance..............................................................................................460

The First Type of Guidance........................................................................................460The Second Type of Guidance...................................................................................460The Third Type of Guidance.......................................................................................461The Fourth Type of Guidance....................................................................................462Which Type of Guidance did the Author Intend?......................................................462

Al-Haneefiyyah Millat Ibraheem...............................................................................463The Root Word of Haneefiyyah.................................................................................464The Connection Between the Linguistic and Sharee Definition ..............................465Haneefiyyah and Islam are Interchangeable.............................................................465Haneefiyyah and the Ahnaaf are Different................................................................468

A Dream Pertaining to Haneefiyyah..........................................................................468Millat Ibraheem........................................................................................................470

The Definition of Millah.............................................................................................470Who is Ibraheem?......................................................................................................471

Class Twenty Four.....................................................................................................475Why did Allah Specify Ibraheem and not any Other Messenger?..............................475Salah and Salaam on the Prophets and Messengers..................................................476

Why did the Author Mention Ibraheem Without Adding Alayhis-Salaam?.............476Saying Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam and Writing it Fully............................................477Is it Waajib to say Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam?........................................................479

To Worship Allah Alone............................................................................................480The Definition of Ibaadah.........................................................................................481Why did Allah Order us to Worship Him?..................................................................483

Allah does not Benefit from our Obedience and He is not Harmed by our Sins.......483Ibaadah is a Right of Allah Upon Us...........................................................................486Ibaadah is for Our Own Benefit.................................................................................488

Class Twenty Five.....................................................................................................490Ikhlaas......................................................................................................................491Deficiencies in Ikhlaas..............................................................................................492

The First Scenario.....................................................................................................492The Second Scenario.................................................................................................492The Third Scenario....................................................................................................493The Fourth Scenario.................................................................................................494

Category 4A...............................................................................................................494Category 4B................................................................................................................495Category 4C................................................................................................................496Does Praise of People Negate Ones Ikhlaas?............................................................497

The Fifth Scenario.....................................................................................................498The Sixth Scenario....................................................................................................500The Seventh Scenario...............................................................................................501Ikhlaas in Seeking Knowledge...................................................................................503Tawheed and Ikhlaas ...............................................................................................509Class Twenty Six ......................................................................................................510What Did Allah Command All People With? .............................................................511

This Command is Waajib ...........................................................................................511Allah Commanded the Humans and the Jinn............................................................511He Created Them First and Then He Commanded Them..........................................512

Jinn and Mankind Have Been Created For Worship...................................................512The Jinn......................................................................................................................513The Ins........................................................................................................................514Hasir wa Qasir............................................................................................................514

The Definition of Worship.........................................................................................514Ibaadah is Broader Than Tawheed Alone..................................................................514A Broader Definition of Worship...............................................................................515The Author is Referring to Tawheed Al-Uloohiyyah..................................................516Tawheed Al-Uloohiyyah is Tawheed Al-Ibaadah........................................................516It is the Ibaadah we Were Created for.......................................................................516This is Not the Forced Type of Ibaadah.....................................................................518

Types of Wills of Allah..............................................................................................519Al-Iraadah Al-Kawniyyah............................................................................................519Al-Iraadah Ash-Shariyyah.........................................................................................521

Types of Ibaadah......................................................................................................522Ibaadah Kawniyyah....................................................................................................523Ibaadah Shariyyah....................................................................................................523The Importance of the Distinction Between Kawniyyah and Shariyyah..................524

The Type of Laam in Li-Yabudoon.............................................................................525Class Twenty Seven..................................................................................................526The Greatest Matter Allah Commanded is Tawheed.................................................526The Definition of Tawheed and Aqeedah.................................................................528

The Definition of Tawheed.........................................................................................528

The Definition of Aqeedah........................................................................................528The Sharee Meaning of Tawheed and Aqeedah......................................................529Is There a Difference Between Tawheed and Aqeedah?..........................................529

Tawheed is to Affirm and Deny.................................................................................530The Worst Matter Allah Prohibited is Shirk...............................................................530The Definition of Shirk..............................................................................................532Types of Duaa..........................................................................................................533

Duaa Al-Masalah .....................................................................................................533Duaa Al-Ibaadah........................................................................................................533

Why Are Tawheed and Shirk the Most Essential Matters?.........................................534Tafseer of the Proof of the Author ...........................................................................540The Three Principles.................................................................................................542

The Definition of Usool..............................................................................................543Why Did the Author Use a Question Format?...........................................................543

Living and Dying by Tawheed ...................................................................................543The First Hurdle of the Life After is the Grave...........................................................544

Class Twenty Eight....................................................................................................547What are the Three Principles a Person Must Know?................................................547Two Teaching Tactics of the Author...........................................................................548Why is the One Asking Not Mentioned?...................................................................548The Three Principles in Summary..............................................................................549

These are not the Only Principles of the Deen..........................................................549Knowing these Matters is Waajib..............................................................................549What is the Method to Attain this Marifah?............................................................550

Marifah Includes Belief and Action..........................................................................550The Meaning of Marifah .........................................................................................551

Marifah Cannot be Used for Allah............................................................................551Marifah is Usually in the Context of Vilification in the Quran.................................552

There is no Room for Doubt in this Matter................................................................554Two Types of Servants..............................................................................................554

The Servant by Force.................................................................................................554The Servant by Choice...............................................................................................555

The First Principle.....................................................................................................555Is the Test in the Grave only a Test of Lordship?........................................................555

Uloohiyyah Includes Rububiyyah and Rububiyyah Requires Uloohiyyah ................556Uloohiyyah is Included by Purpose and Intent..........................................................557Rububiyyah and Uloohiyyah Resemble Imaan and Islam..........................................557The Test in the Grave Includes Uloohiyyah................................................................559

The Second Principle................................................................................................559The Third Principle...................................................................................................559The Three Principles In Depth...................................................................................560

The First Principle ....................................................................................................560Faa Al-Faseehah........................................................................................................560

Who is Your Lord?.....................................................................................................561Do not Disdain this Question.....................................................................................561

The Definition of Rabb..............................................................................................562The Owner of Something or one in Control of Something........................................562Nurture or Raise Up...................................................................................................563Allah Nurtured the Aalam.........................................................................................564The Sharee Meaning of Ar-Rabb...............................................................................565

Uloohiyyah is Included in Rububiyyah when Mentioned Alone.................................566Rububiyyah and Uloohiyyah are Different Types of Tawheed...................................568

My Lord is Allah........................................................................................................568Tawheed Al-Uloohiyyah: He is the One I Worship.....................................................569The Author Used Ithbaat and Nafi............................................................................571Class Twenty Nine....................................................................................................572Tafseer of Alhamdulillahi Rabbil-Aalameen..............................................................572

Alhamdulillah.............................................................................................................573Laam in Lillah.............................................................................................................573The Difference Between Hamd and Shukr ................................................................574Tawheed Al-Uloohiyyah in the Quran by Name, Act and Order...............................575Rabbil-Aalameen.......................................................................................................576Alhamdulillah is Tied to Rabbil-Aalameen................................................................576Why Did the Author Use it as Proof?.........................................................................577

Everything Besides Allah is Created and I am One of Those Creations.......................577How Did you Arrive at this Knowledge?....................................................................578

Three Covenants With Allah......................................................................................579Intellectual and Textual Proof....................................................................................581

The Two Types of Ayaat............................................................................................582Ayaat Shariyyah........................................................................................................582Ayaat Kawniyyah .......................................................................................................584

Which Definition of Ayaat did the Author Intend?....................................................584The First Scenario ......................................................................................................585The Second Scenario..................................................................................................585The Third Scenario.....................................................................................................585

Among the Signs and Creations of Allah ...................................................................586Why did the Author Distinguish Between the Two Groups?......................................587Overcoming Doubts in Man Rabbuk.........................................................................588A Sunnah of the Prophet Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam..............................................594Class Thirty...............................................................................................................598The Proof of the Author ...........................................................................................599Tafseer of the Verse in Surat Fussilat.........................................................................599

Tafseer of the Verse in Surat Al-Araaf.......................................................................601Allah Created the Heavens and the Earth in Six Days................................................601Opinions of the Ulamaa on the Wisdom Behind Creating the Heavens and the Earth in Six Days......................................................................................................................602

Tafseer of the Verse in Surat Al-Araaf (Continued)....................................................603The Lord is the One Worthy of Being Worshipped.....................................................605The Proof of the Author ...........................................................................................607

One Who Gave His Worship to Other than Allah Does not Fall Under Ibaadah.......608The Proof of the Author (Continued)........................................................................608

The Conclusion of the Verse......................................................................................611This Verse Contains Nafi and Ithbaat.........................................................................612This Verse is Intellect Proof to Destroy the Shirk Belief............................................613

The Statement of Ibn Katheer ..................................................................................613A Brief Biography of Ibn Katheer...............................................................................614The Types of Worship that Allah Commanded..........................................................615

Ibaadaat are Both Waajib and Mustahabb................................................................615Examples of Ibaadaat...............................................................................................615

Hadith Jibreel.............................................................................................................616Why Did the Author Consider Islam, Imaan and Ihsaan as Ibaadaat?......................617

Class Thirty One........................................................................................................618A Brief Summary of Chapter Three...........................................................................619Duaa........................................................................................................................621The Proof of the Author............................................................................................621The Importance of Duaa..........................................................................................622An Explanation of a Verse on Duaa in Surat Al-Baqarah...........................................624

It is a Direct Answer from Allah.................................................................................624Allah Did Not Use the Third Person Pronoun............................................................625Allah Did Not Say I Will Answer If I Will.....................................................................626The Condition Comes After the Result......................................................................626Allah Used Ithaa and Not In.......................................................................................626Ithaa Also Comes to Mean a Large Quantity.............................................................629Allah Responds to the Invocation of the Supplicant..................................................630Ibaadee Refers to a Large Quantity of Servants........................................................631He Used Innee to Add Extreme Emphasis ................................................................632

Khawlah Bint Thalabah............................................................................................632Why Does Some Duaa Go Unanswered?..................................................................633Duaa is Ibaadah.......................................................................................................634

The Definition of Ibaadah..........................................................................................635The Sharee Meaning of Duaa...................................................................................636The Author is Referring to Duaa Al-Masalah ...........................................................636

The Proof of the Author on Duaa.............................................................................637

The Categories of Asking Other Than Allah...............................................................638Asking a Dead Person................................................................................................638Asking One Who is Alive............................................................................................638Asking the Jinn...........................................................................................................639

The Ruling on Saying Waa Mutasimaa and Similar Statements................................641Speaking to the Dead in the Context of a Sermon to Oneself and Others..................642Calling the Jinn Using Yaa.........................................................................................642Is it Permissible to Ask Others to Make Duaa For You?.............................................642Class Thirty Two.......................................................................................................646Khawf.......................................................................................................................646Two Avenues of Proof for What Constitutes an Ibaadah and It Becoming Shirk.........647The Proof of the Author on Khawf............................................................................648The Types of Fear .....................................................................................................649Natural Fear.............................................................................................................650The Prohibited Type of Fear......................................................................................652

Ikraah.........................................................................................................................653The One Threatening Must be Able to Carry Out the Threat and You Are Unable to Defend Yourself..........................................................................................................654You Have to Truly Believe He Will Carry Out the Threat............................................654The Threat Must Be Imminent...................................................................................655There Is No Ikraah If You Have A Choice....................................................................655The Level of Harm for Ikraah.....................................................................................655There is No Mutadi in Ikraah....................................................................................656Mashaqqah................................................................................................................658Slight Hardship...........................................................................................................658Al-Wahan Wal-Jubun.................................................................................................658

The Reverential Fear.................................................................................................659Is All Fear of Allah Praiseworthy?..............................................................................659Fear of the Plan of Allah............................................................................................660Fear of A Bad End......................................................................................................661Fear of Jahannam and Being Deprived of Seeing Allah.............................................663

The Secret Supernatural Fear....................................................................................663The Difference Between Khashyah and Khawf .........................................................665Class Thirty Three.....................................................................................................666Rajaa ......................................................................................................................666The Definition of Rajaa............................................................................................667Types of Rajaa.........................................................................................................667

Natural Hope..............................................................................................................667The Ibaadah Type of Rajaa........................................................................................668The Praised and Dispraised Form of Rajaa...............................................................668

The Proof of the Author on Rajaa............................................................................673

Hope, Love and Fear.................................................................................................675Tawakkul..................................................................................................................676What is Tawakkul? ...................................................................................................677Types of Means........................................................................................................678The Proofs of the Author on Tawakkul......................................................................678The Forms of Tawakkul.............................................................................................680

Trust and Reliance Upon Allah...................................................................................680Secret Trust and Dependence....................................................................................680Relying on Someone in Affairs and Then Feeling Low in Those Matters...................681Giving Someone Permission to Represent You in Some Matters..............................682

The Ruling on Certain Statements Concerning Tawakkul...........................................682The Importance of Tawakkul.....................................................................................685The Story of Qaadhi Al-Maaristaan...........................................................................686Verses on Tawakkul..................................................................................................689The Story of Al-Mansoor and the Prisoner................................................................690The Story of a Prisoner From The Innocent Man.....................................................692Class Thirty Four.......................................................................................................693Raghbah, Rahbah and Khushoo...............................................................................693Raghbah...................................................................................................................694The Definition of Raghbah........................................................................................694The Story of Urwah Ibn Az-Zubay Ibn Al-Awwaam..................................................694Raghbah in Duaa......................................................................................................697Raghbah is an Ibaadah..............................................................................................698Rahbah.....................................................................................................................698The Definition of Rahbah..........................................................................................699The Difference Between Khawf and Rahbah.............................................................699When is Rahbah Shirk? ............................................................................................700Khushoo..................................................................................................................701The Definition of Khushoo.......................................................................................701When is Khushoo Ibaadah? ....................................................................................701When is Khushoo Shirk? .........................................................................................702The Difference Between Khushoo and Khudhoo.....................................................702The Importance of Khushoo and How to Attain It....................................................703Examples of the Salaf in Khushoo............................................................................705The Proof of the Author on Raghbah, Rahbah and Khushoo....................................705Raghbah and Rahbah in Ibaadah .............................................................................707Khashyah..................................................................................................................708The Definition of Khashyah.......................................................................................708The Difference Between Khawf and Khashyah .........................................................708When is Khashyah Shirk? .........................................................................................711The Proof of the Author on Khashyah.......................................................................711

The Importance of Khashyah and the Status of the Salaf In It...................................712Class Thirty Five........................................................................................................715Inaabah....................................................................................................................715What is Inaabah?......................................................................................................715What is the Relationship Between Inaabah and Khashyah?......................................719What is the Biggest Sign that One has Inaabah in their Heart?..................................720The Levels of Inaabah...............................................................................................721

The First Level: The Inaabah from Shirk to Tawheed.................................................721The Second Level: The Inaabah of Al-Muttaqeen......................................................721The Third Level: The Inaabah of Al-Muhsineen.........................................................722

How Do We Know Inaabah is Different to Tawbah?..................................................726Al-Inaabah Ar-Rububiyyah and Al-Inaabah Al-Ilahiyyah............................................726When is Inaabah Shirk?............................................................................................728What is the Difference Between Inaabah and Raghbah? ..........................................728The Proof of the Author on Inaabah.........................................................................728

Submission to Allah is Two Types..............................................................................729Class Thirty Six..........................................................................................................730Istiaanah..................................................................................................................731Forms of Istiaanah ..................................................................................................733

The First Form............................................................................................................733The Second Form.......................................................................................................734The Third Form..........................................................................................................735The Fourth Type.........................................................................................................735The Fifth Type............................................................................................................735The Sixth Type............................................................................................................736

The Proof of the Author on Istiaanah.......................................................................740The Verse From the Quran........................................................................................741The Hadith.................................................................................................................745

Inspirational Conclusion on Istiaanah.......................................................................746Class Thirty Seven.....................................................................................................751Istiaadhah ..............................................................................................................751Definition of Istiaadhah...........................................................................................751Forms of Istiaadhah.................................................................................................751

The First Form............................................................................................................751The Second Form.......................................................................................................752The Third Form..........................................................................................................754The Fourth Form........................................................................................................754

Can You Say I Seek Refuge in Allah and Then in You?................................................756The Proof of the Author on Istiaadhah.....................................................................757Istighaathah.............................................................................................................758The Definition of Istighaathah..................................................................................759

The First Form............................................................................................................759The Second Form.......................................................................................................760The Third Form..........................................................................................................761The Fourth Form........................................................................................................762

The Proof of the Author on Istighaathah ..................................................................762What is the Difference Between Istiaanah, Istiaadhah and Istighaathah?................763What is the Relationship Between Istiaanah, Istiaadhah, Istighaathah and Duaa? . 764Can You Do Istiaanah, Istiaadhah and Istighaathah in Jinn?.....................................764Inspirational Conclusion to Istiaanah, Istiaadhah and Istighaathah..........................768Istighaathah For Guidance During Fitan....................................................................776Appendices..............................................................................................................777Appendix One: Patience...........................................................................................777Appendix Two: Muslims Joking About Islamic Matters..............................................790Appendix Three: Ramadhaan Gem #8 on Inaabah....................................................802

CLASS ONE

INTRODUCTION

As we promised, this is the start of the explanation on the Usool Ath-Thalaathah (the three fundamental principles). As you all know, it is a booklet, not a book, a booklet on Tawheed, and we have mentioned it many times. It is very small in words but has some great, great meanings. These meanings, no one can be ignorant of. Scholars have always discussed this book and taught it among the first that is taught in Tawheed. If you really look into the three principles and what he means about those principles, they are in reality the matters you are going to be asked about in your grave. So you need to know those three principles, really as best as one knows, and you need to apply them so when you are asked about them in the grave, you quickly go through them Inshaa Allah Taaala.

KNOWLEDGE IN ISLAM IS TO BE TAKEN GRADUALLY

We start gradually because knowledge in Islam is to be taken gradually. You do not wake up overnight an Aalim or a Shaykh. Ibn Abdil-Barr in his book Al-Jaami said az-Zuhri said:

Whoever seeks to get knowledge in a lump sum overnight, it (knowledge) ends up leaving him in a lump sum. Knowledge is to be attained slowly, over days and nights.

Knowledge needs patience and it needs persistence. It is a step by step process. You do not go for example to some in depth Aqeedah books and then you end up getting frustrated, facing complex matters you cannot break down, which you would have been able to do had you went in a step by step process. Some brothers tell me they are studying Aqeedah and Tawheed books that Ulamaa have had a hard time breaking down. The bigger problem is they are studying it on their own and to top that off, they are not even studying it in the language of the author. So explain to me how you can understand it like that? If you are unable to get to a teacher, which many are, especially in this day and age, that is a whole different story but you still have to at least know how to start.

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Now this is a starter book on Tawheed. You can sit and read this book right now and before I even finish this introduction, you can probably be done reading it. It still needs to be broken down (sentence by sentence) so the student of knowledge understands the deep meaning ofwhat the book really entails. If you start in the step by step process and you find it difficult (which you may), never ever give up. This simple book that you have before your hand, I studied it cover to cover with eleven different Shuyookh. Portions of it I studied with even more than that, but the entire booklet with eleven different Shuyookh.

Al-Khateeb al-Baghdaadi in his book al-Jaami narrated that a student of knowledge went to the Shuyookh of Hadith to learn. He found knowledge of Hadith is very difficult, he got frustrated and he said this is not for me. One day he was walking and he saw water dripping on a stone, maybe a spring. If you have ever seen a spring, especially where water has been dripping on a stone for years and years, or even if you look at a fountain that has been dripping on a stone or even cement, the water dents the cement or the rock over the years.

He said to himself wow, look at that. Water as light as it is, Lateef () (soft and mild), it affected the stone as hard as it is. He said knowledge is softer and lighter than water, and myheart and my mind are not as hard as a rock. He went back to studying Hadith and became avery reputable, famous scholar of Hadith.

Start gradually and as you go on, move forward patiently. This is the start of the classical study we mentioned and it is to create, I am not going to say students of knowledge, Inshaa Allah it is to create Ulamaa. The other lectures we did and we will continue to do, like the University of Yusuf, The Ultimate Pleasure, The Love and Fear Series, the question and answers. They are informative and inspirational, there is definitely knowledge in them but that is not what makes an Aalim. Those kind of lectures are not what can make an Aalim. If you hear a lecture here, attend a two day seminar, an event and trailer here and there, that is good. But if that is what makes an Aalim then the whole Ummah are Ulamaa because your fathers have been attending Jumuah for about fifty or sixty years, and they have been attending lectures between Maghrib and Ishaa for a similar time. There is a structured studyto becoming a student of knowledge and an Aalim. There are an uncountable number of benefits in studying Islam in the classical way. This is a step by step process that will encompass the Madinah program Inshaa Allah and even more than that Biithnihi Taaala, if Allah blesses us to continue.

The next issue, many people from all over the world want to come and study with us and I really say it with no exaggeration Alhamdulillah. Especially from UK, Europe, parts of the US and even some Arab countries. As you know, we do not have resources and a very well established place to accommodate such number of students yet. My father has taught me never to charge or take anything for Dawah and has done so throughout his career, whetherit may be a marriage, seminars, lectures, classes like this or even more than that. So you can study with us through the internet until Allah finds us a way out. I mention this because many ask if it is the same as studying with you.

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THE THREE LEVELS OF STUDYINGBack in the day, the students of knowledge had three levels of studying. The first one is As-

Samaa al-Mubaashir ( ), immediately learning from a Shaykh. Those who areattending, that is as-Samaa al-Mubaashir. That is the best and the reward for that in itself is

immense. The next one is al-Waasitah (), between you and the Shaykh is a mediator. So if one of you goes and conveys this whole message to another person, that is Waasitah. You were the mediator between me and that person you taught. Some used to do that, especially business men or farmers, they would take turns in learning and teaching

each other. The third one is Wijaadah (), to find a book written by a Shaykh and study from it.

Now where does learning for example, from a Shaykh on Youtube come in? In my opinion, it is a little higher than number two because you are not learning through a mediator, you are learning from the Shaykh but you are learning possibly through the internet. And it is definitely not Wijaadah, it is not taking a book and studying from it. So it is really between the number one and number two. Through the internet one can even interact these days through emails or he can call the Shaykh that he is learning from, so in reality it has become a notch under as-Samaa al-Mubaashir. That is not to minimise going to a Shaykh. One should not resort to Wijaadah, Waasitah or any other means if he can find a direct Shaykh. Ifyou find a righteous Shaykh and he is in the end of the world, you pack your bags and go if you are able to go and learn from him. If Allah blesses us in the future and we can accommodate, we would love for everyone Inshaa Allah to join us.

Learning from a Shaykh in person has its benefits, like you see his private life, his manners, his attitude, his Ibaadah and you see how he reacts to things. Outside of the regular Madinah curriculum, my father made sure to contact the major Shuyookh of our time (manyof them who are now dead) and made sure that I studied with them. The last one for example was Shaykh Muqbil and I always used to make Duaa to learn from him but I was not able to go to Yemen. He was kicked out of Saoodiyyah in the late seventies, and I was not able to go to Yemen. Then Subhan Allah in the year 2000, he came to Los Angeles in California to get medical treatment. I immediately headed there and stayed with him in his house. Then suddenly in the middle of the treatment, it was Dhul-Hijjah so he decided to go to Makkah to make Hajj and return. When he went to Makkah, an article broke out in some newspaper in California, that Shaykh Muqbil who is a radical is in the United States and how did they let him in. So immediately, the embassy in Saoodiyyah revoked his visa. I say InshaaAllah that was possibly from my Duaa because a few weeks later he died, Rahmatullahi Alayhi. I always think of it and say Alhamdulillah, it might have been my Duaa that he came all the way from Yemen to LA for medical treatment, I learned from him, then he went back and shortly thereafter he died. So if you can pursue a reputable, righteous Shaykh who fears Allah and is not a lowlife, deluded, sell out modernist or a promoter for the Kufr or Kuffaar,

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or those who work for governments, if you can find that then surely go ahead and learn from him and follow him even if he is in the end of the globe.

The Salaf used to consider it a negative characteristic for one to study from books alone. They said:

If your Shaykh is your book, your mistakes are more than your correctness. When Shaykh IbnUthaymeen was asked about one who studies through audio tape, he encouraged it but he said learning directly is better because you can discuss and ask. You can apply that factor today because you can ask us, you can email us and you can call us by phone to ask, and those who are in the classical study with us will get precedence in answering their questions Inshaa Allah Taaala.

WRITING IS THE TREND OF THE SALAF

Those of you who attended here without pen and paper, you have to go and get your pen and paper. Invest in some pen and paper and write, or you can take notes on your laptop or phone like some here are doing. Whatever method you use, you should document down your knowledge. You should try your best to possibly even type verbatim, and that is your back up. Jotting down notes on your laptop is great. One time I was in North Carolina and a brother was on his phone. Back then I was just recently getting into the technology, and I sort of scolded him for using the phone. After the lecture, he came respectfully to me and showed me his phone, he said look Shaykh, these are all the notes from your lecture. I said Subhan Allah because back then I did not know they also use phones to take notes. So one needs to write down his knowledge.

When I was seven years old I was in Madinah and my father was a student. An Iraqi student with my father, he was from Saamarraa Rahmatullahi Alayhi (he got killed in 1980 in Iraq), he came to me and told me your father is a lion, in class he writes every single word down. And then I used to notice my father in the Haram, in his classes outside the university where I saw him, he would write everything down and always record every single lecture and we still have the tapes until today. So I took it upon myself to do the same, I never ever sat before a Shaykh where I did not write every single thing he said. There are some exceptional things you do not write or that you miss, but I tried my best to write everything verbatim. In fact, I always refer to my notes that I took from Shuyookh.

Writing is the trend of the Salaf. Abdullah Ibn Amr used to write the Hadith of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam until Quraysh deterred him from that. Then the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said proceed and write, the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam encouraged him to write the Hadith.

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In Sunan ad-Daarimi, Muaawiyah Ibn Qurrah Ibn Abi Iyyaas said:

If you do not write knowledge, your knowledge is not considered anything. Those who do not write knowledge, their knowledge is not considered anything. They may have possibly meant Hadith but even if they did mean that, it still applies to this kind of study that we are doing today. Saeed Ibn Jubayr used to write what he hears in sand if he does not have anything to write it down, and when daylight breaks or he finds something to write it down, he goes and writes it down. Similar things about writing are narrated by al-Muwardi, al-Khaleel Ibn Ahmad and others. They either documented or encouraged knowledge to be documented.

AL-USOOL ATH-THALAATHAH

We will start slow and pick up speed as time goes by. Like I said, this is the first of our classical study Inshaa Allah. Everyone should have a copy of this book and these days Alhamdulillah you do not have to go out and buy it, you can go ahead on the internet and print it. I think it is about five pages or so in English or close to that. Before I start, to avoid confusion, the author starts with an introduction of four matters before he gets to the three matters. Then he goes and talks about the three matters (which is the core book) and then there is an ending and a conclusion at the end of the book that we will talk about Inshaa Allah Taaala.

Like I said, the book is no more than five pages but it has great, immense benefits. We will take it line by line, possibly even word by word. Today we are only going to take Bismillahir-Rahmaanir-Raheem, I do not think we are even going to finish Bismillahir-Rahmaanir-Raheem, so we will probably only take Bismillah. He starts off with Bismillah, the Basmalah (

) (Bismillah is called the Basmalah). The author starts with Bismillahir-Rahmaanir-Raheem and we are going to break that down point by point. As students of knowledge, your understanding to do Bismillah is not like any regular person. There are 1.5 or 1.8 Billion Muslims that are outside and if you ask them why they are saying Bismillah to matters, manymay not even know that. As a student of knowledge, you are supposed to get the entire perspective as to why you are saying Bismillahir-Rahmaanir-Raheem to everything. Now you should come out with a different understanding as to why you say Bismillahir-Rahmaanir-Raheem.

CHAPTER ONE

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THE BASMALAH

TAWHEED IN BISMILLAHIR-RAHMAANIR-RAHEEM

TAWHEED AL-ULOOHIYYAH

When you say Bismillahir-Rahmaanir-Raheem, you are exerting your entire Tawheed to Allahin that matter that you are saying Bismillah to. It has all aspects of Tawheed in it. When you

say Bismillah, you are saying Bismillah, Allah permits me to do this, Athinallahu