Salaf-us-Saalih.com :: The Call of the Salaf is True Islam

Bismillahi wal hamdullillah was salaatu was Salaamu ‘Alaa Rasoolillah

Wa B’ad:

It has been authentically narrated upon the messenger (saw) that he said: “Indeed the actions are by ones final action” (Collected by Tabaraani in Mu’jam Al Kabeer 6/143)

The hadeeth deals with a reality, and that is the importance of ones final action and the fact that ones final action is something of an indicator of ones outcome.

This affair is discussed in more detail in the following Hadeeth:

Upon the Authority of Abdullah ibn Amr (Radhiyallahu ‘Anhumaa) who said: ‘The Messenger of Allah came out to us (on an occasion) with two books in his hands and said: ”Do you know what these two books are? so we said ‘No Oh messenger of Allah! Unless you inform us! So He said concerning the book in his right hand: “This is a book from the Lord of all the worlds, in it are the names of the people of paradise, their fathers names and their tribes. Their information is then summerised (at the end of the book) and concluded. There will be no increase (to the contents of the book) nor (decrease from it). Then he said concerning the book in his left hand: “This is a book from the lord of all the worlds in it are the names of the people of the hellfire, their fathers and their tribes. Their information is then summerised (at the end of the book) and concluded. There will be no increase (to the book) nor (decrease from it) ever.

(So) do that which is correct (and good) and come as close as possible to being upright and balanced. For indeed the last action that a person of paradise will perform (in the life of this world) will be one of the actions of the people of paradise (ie a good action), regardless of the actions he performs (ie through his life). And indeed the last action a person of the hellfire will perform (in the life of this world), will be one of the actions of the people of hellfire, regardless of the actions he performs (ie through his life). Your lord has concluded (grouping) his servants. (Then he recited) “A party in paradise and a party in Hellfire (Suratush Shuraa Vs “7)“

(collected by Ahmad, At Tirmidhi and Nasaa’ie and declared ‘Saheeh’ By shaikh Al Albaani in Saheehul Jaami’ 88)

And Allah’s Aid is Sought!
Abu Hakeem Bilal Davis @ SP
http://ah-sp.com/2011/09/06/what-will-your-final-deed-be

By Shaykh Hamood At Tuwayjary may Allah have mercy upon him

 The following is a summary translation taken from  http://www.sahab.net

Imitating the enemies of Allah the Exalted–Category 32:

Dropping the word (ibn) from the lineage such as their saying for the person named Ahmad ibn Muhammad—Ahmad Muhammad, for example. This practice is known from the Franks (a Germanic tribe) since many generations. Only Allah the Exalted can count the numbers who have followed them in this practice. Those who are captivated with following the Franks have surely opposed the Book and the Sunnah and that which the Muslims are upon since the time of the companions until recently.

As for the opposition to the Quran, then Allah the Exalted has mentioned Isa ibn Maryam in various places in the Quran. And He says in every place where he is mentioned Isa ibn Maryam and He did not say: Isa Maryam.  Allah the Exalted said:

﴿وَمَرْيَمَ ابْنَتَ عِمْرَانَ الَّتِي أَحْصَنَتْ فَرْجَهَا…﴾ [التحريم: 12] الآية

And Maryam bint Imran, who guarded her chastity (Soorah Tahrim (66):12)

He did not say Maryam Imran.

In Sahih Muslim narrated from Abu Huraira رضي الله عنه that the Prophet, صلى الله عليه وسلم, said that He said—meaning Allah the Exalted:

لَا يَنْبَغِي لِعَبْدٍ لِي – وفي رواية: لِعَبْدِي أَنْ يَقُولَ أَنَا خَيْرٌ مِنْ يُونُسَ بْنِ مَتَّى عَلَيْهِ السَّلَام

“It is not befitting for a servant of Mine–(in another narration) for My servant to say, ‘I am better than Yunus bin Mattaa’, peace be upon him.”

 As for their opposition to the Sunnah then it has been collected by Imam Ahmad and Tirmidi from Muttlab ibn Abi Wadaah, رضي الله عنه, he said Al Abbass رضي الله عنه, said:

بَلَغَهُ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ بَعْضُ مَا يَقُولُ النَّاسُ قَالَ فَصَعِدَ الْمِنْبَرَ فَقَالَ مَنْ أَنَا قَالُوا أَنْتَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ فَقَالَ أَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الْمُطَّلِبِ

“It reached the Messenger of Allah, صلى الله عليه وسلم, some of what the people were saying. He said, so he ascended the minbar and said: ‘Who am I?’ They said: ‘You are the Messenger of Allah.’ He said: ‘I am Muhammad bin Abdullah bin Abdul Mutalib.’”

In the Musnad and in Bukari narrated from ibn Umar, رضي الله عنهما, the Messenger of Allah, صلى الله عليه وسلم said:

الْكَرِيمُ ابْنُ الْكَرِيمِ ابْنِ الْكَرِيمِ ابْنِ الْكَرِيمِ يُوسُفُ بْنُ يَعْقُوبَ بْنِ إِسْحَاقَ بْنِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَلَيْهِمْ السَّلَام

“Al Kareem ibn Al Kareem ibn Al Kareem ibn Al Kareem Yusuf bin Yuqub bin Ishaq bin Ibrahim, peace be upon them.”

And also in the Musnad narrated from Abu Huraira, رضي الله عنه, he said the Messenger, صلى الله عليه وسلم said:

إِنَّ الْكَرِيمَ ابْنَ الْكَرِيمِ ابْنِ الْكَرِيمِ ابْنِ الْكَرِيمِ يُوسُفُ بْنُ يَعْقُوبَ بْنِ إِسْحَاقَ بْنِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ خَلِيلِ الرحمن

“Verily Al Kareem ibn Al Kareem ibn Al Kareem ibn Al Kareem Yusuf bin Yuqub bin Ishaq bin Ibrahim the friend of the Most Merciful…”

 And it is found in Bukari and Muslim narrated from ibn Abbass رضي الله عنهما that the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم said:

لَا يَنْبَغِي لِعَبْدٍ أَنْ يَقُولَ أَنَا خَيْرٌ مِنْ يُونُسَ بْنِ مَتَّى

“It is not befitting for a person to say, ‘I am better than Yunus ibn Matta.’”

Bukari and Muslim added: He attributed him to his father.

In the Sunnan of Abi Dawood narrated from Abdullah ibn Jafar رضي الله عنهما, the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم said:

مَا يَنْبَغِي لِنَبِيٍّ أَنْ يَقُولَ إِنِّي خَيْرٌ مِنْ يُونُسَ بْنِ مَتَّى

“It is not befitting for a Prophet to say, ‘I am better than Yunus ibn Matta.’”

In Bukari and Muslim narrated from Abu Huraira رضي الله عنه, he said the Messenger, صلى الله عليه وسلم said:

ولا أقول إن أحدًا أفضل من يونس بن متى

And I will not say that anyone is better than Yunus ibn Matta

 In Bukari and Muslim narrated by Ibn Masood رضي الله عنه, he said:   The Messenger, صلى الله عليه وسلم said:

لا ينبغي لأحدٍ أن يقول: أنا خير من يونس بن متى

It is not befitting for anyone to say I am better than Yunus ibn Matta

 And in the Musnad narrated by Abdullah ibn Amr رضي الله عنهما, the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم said:

يا عبدالله بن عمرو، إنك تصوم الدهر

Oh Abdullah ibn Amr, verily you fast continuously…

 And in Bukari and Muslim from the hadith narrated by Muadh ibn Jabal رضي الله عنه, he said:

كُنْتُ رِدْفَ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ لَيْسَ بَيْنِي وَبَيْنَهُ إِلَّا مُؤْخِرَةُ الرَّحْلِ فَقَالَ يَا مُعَاذَ بْنَ جَبَلٍ قُلْتُ لَبَّيْكَ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ وَسَعْدَيْكَ ثُمَّ سَارَ سَاعَةً ثُمَّ قَالَ يَا مُعَاذَ بْنَ جَبَلٍ قُلْتُ لَبَّيْكَ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ وَسَعْدَيْكَ ثُمَّ سَارَ سَاعَةً ثُمَّ قَالَ يَا مُعَاذَ بْنَ جَبَلٍ قُلْتُ لَبَّيْكَ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ وَسَعْدَيْكَ قَالَ هَلْ تَدْرِي مَا حَقُّ اللَّهِ عَلَى الْعِبَادِ قَالَ قُلْتُ اللَّهُ وَرَسُولُهُ أَعْلَمُ

“I was riding behind the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم with nothing between us except for the back of the saddle, he said: ‘oh Muadh ibn Jabal’; I said, ‘At your service oh Messenger of Allah’. Then we travelled for a time and he said: ‘oh Muadh ibn Jabal’. I said, ‘At you service oh Messenger of Allah’. Then we travelled for a time then he said, ‘oh Muadh ibn Jabal’.   I said, ‘At your service oh Messenger of Allah.’ He said, ‘Do you know the rights of Allah upon the slaves?’ I said, ‘Allah and His Messenger know best…’”

In Bukari and Muslim and Tirmidi narrated from Abdullah bin Amr رضِي الله عنهما that the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم, said:

استقرؤوا القرآن من أربعة: من عبدالله بن مسعود، وسالم مولى أبي حذيفة، ومعاذ بن جبل، وأبي بن كعب

‘Study the Quran from four: Abdullah ibn Musood, Saalim the freed slave of Abu Hudhaifa, and Muadh ibn Jabal and Ubay ibn Kab.’

In Tirmidi from Anas ibn Maalik رضي الله عنه the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم said:

أَرْحَمُ أُمَّتِي بِأُمَّتِي أَبُو بَكْرٍ وَأَشَدُّهُمْ فِي أَمْرِ اللَّهِ عُمَرُ وَأَصْدَقُهُمْ حَيَاءً عُثْمَانُ وَأَعْلَمُهُمْ بِالْحَلَالِ وَالْحَرَامِ مُعَاذُ بْنُ جَبَلٍ وَأَفْرَضُهُمْ زَيْدُ بْنُ ثَابِتٍ وَأَقْرَؤُهُمْ أُبَيٌّ وَلِكُلِّ أُمَّةٍ أَمِينٌ وَأَمِينُ هَذِهِ الْأُمَّةِ أَبُو عُبَيْدَةَ بْنُ الْجَرَّاحِ

The most merciful of my nation to my nation is Abu Bakr and the most stern of them concerning the commands of Allah is Umar. The most shy of them is Uthman. The most knowledgeable of them concerning the permissible and impermissible is Muadh ibn Jabal. The most knowledgeable concerning the obligations, is Zaid ibn Thabit. The most knowledgeable concerning the recitation is Ubay. And every nation has one who is trustworthy, and the trustworthy of this nation is Abu Ubaidah bin Al Jaraah.

Also in Tirmidi from Abu Huraira رضي الله عنه, he said the Messenger, صلى الله عليه وسلم said:

نِعْمَ الرَّجُلُ أَبُو بَكْرٍ ، نِعْمَ الرَّجُلُ عُمَرُ ، نِعْمَ الرَّجُلُ أَبُو عُبَيْدَةَ بْنُ الْجَرَّاحِ ، نِعْمَ الرَّجُلُ أُسَيْدُ بْنُ حَضِيرٍ ، نِعْمَ الرَّجُلُ ثَابِتُ بْنُ قَيْسٍ ، نِعْمَ الرَّجُلُ مُعَاذُ بْنُ جَبَلٍ ، نِعْمَ الرَّجُلُ مُعَاذُ بْنُ عَمْرِو بْنِ الْجَمُوحِ

What an excellent man is Abu Bakr, what an excellent man is Umar, what an excellent man is Abu Ubaidah bin Al Jaraah, what an excellent man is Usayd bin Hadir, what an excellent man is Thabit bin Qas, what an excellent man is Muadh ibn Jabal, what an excellent man is Amr ibn Al Jamooh.

The narrations like what I have mentioned are many. And it has not been narrated from the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم that he dropped the (ibn) from the lineage, and the best guidance is his guidance. And it has been authenticated from the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said:

هدينا مخالف لهديهم

Our guidance opposes their guidance (meaning the pagans)

As for their opposing what the Muslims are upon then this is not hidden from the student of knowledge. And it is not known that the Muslims dropped the (ibn) from the lineage until they increased in mixing with the communities of the Franks, thus the ignorant were put to trial with blind following them and following their way step by step.

Translated by Rasheed ibn Barbee
http://mtws.posterous.com

“I’m not a lucky person, rather I’m a blessed person…”

Explanation of Kitaab at-Tawheed, Abul-’Abbas Moosaa Richardson, Class 33

Question:

Is it okay to say good luck?

Answer:

“I would advise you not to say “good luck” and the idea of luck is not really considered to be al-fa’al but rather luck is what people believe in when they don’t believe in blessings from Allaah ta aa’la. They have money, they have good things happen to them and they believe in good luck and so they seek to increase themselves in good luck by charms or by belief in different things and they think that this is the source of their blessings and this is all shirk and very despicable habits to not praise the One who has given you something, to not thank the One who has bestowed a great blessing upon you and say “I’m lucky.” This is filthy and this is disgusting and I know that the questioner is not asking about that situation, but yet that is the basis of the practice of saying “good luck.” Its from those people who have those belief, so let us be distinct from them and have good words and good phrases about Allaah, let us not pass up an opportunity in front of another Muslim or in front of a kaafir, to praise Allaah for what we have. Even if you are talking to a kafir and you have to mention something about your family, or about your wealth, or about your car, say: “This is from Allaah the Lord of the Creation who has given this to me, and its not from my work and my efforts but instead its a blessing from Allaah. I’m not a lucky person, rather I’m a blessed person, with blessings from Allaah” ...and in that you become a daa’ee as opposed to saying “I’m lucky,” you become a person who’s speech is similar to the speech of the people of shirk.”

start: 47 minutes, end: 48 minutes and 40 seconds
http://www.wiziq.com
Click here for class details and here for previous audios, in shaa Allaah.

The Young Ibn Taymiyyah

Translated by Ahmed Abu Turaab

Ibn Abdul-Haadi, Shaikhul-Islaam Ibn Taymiyyah’s student wrote:

“And it so happened that a Shaikh from Aleppo came to Damascus, saying, “I have heard that in this city there is a boy who goes by the name of Ahmad the son of Taymiyyah and that he is extremely quick in memorising. I have come perchance I may see him.”

So a tailor said to him, “This is his route to school and he has not yet come, so sit with us. Anytime now he will pass us on his way to the school.”

So the Aleppan Shaikh sat down for a short while. Then two young boys walked by, so the tailor said to the Shaikh, “The young boy carrying that large tablet – he is Ahmad ibn Taymiyyah.”

So the Shaikh called him and he (Ibn Taymiyyah) came to him. Then the Shaikh took the tablet and looked at what was written therein. Then he said, “O my son! Wipe this out so that I can dictate something to you which you can write.”

So Ibn Taymiyyah did so. Then the Shaikh dictated eleven or thirteen sayings of the Prophet (sallallaahu alaihi wa sallaam) to him. Then the Shaikh said to him, “Read this.”

So Ibn Taymiyyah looked over it once after he had written it and then gave the tablet back to the Shaikh. So he said, “Read it to me.”

So he read it back to him in the best way possible. Then the Shaikh said to him, “O my son! Wipe this out.”

So he wiped it out and the Shaikh dictated a number of chains of narrations that he had chosen and said, “Read this.”

Ibn Taymiyyah looked at it and he did as he had done the first time. So the Shaikh stood up, saying, “If this young boy lives long he will have a great standing and rank – since the like of this has not been seen before.”

Ibn Naasirud-Deen narrated the saying of Abul-Muzaffar As-Sarmari, “And from the amazing matters regarding memorisation in our time is the Shaikh of Islaam Abul-Abbaas Ahmad bin Abdul-Haleem bin Taymiyyah. Since he would come across a book and would look over it once only after which it would be inscribed in his mind. He would be able to discuss it thereafter, narrating from it in his written works with its precise wording and meaning.

And from the most amazing of what I have heard about him is what some of his companions narrated to me. They said that in the start of his affair when he was a young boy his father wanted to take his sons for an outing to a garden. So he said to Ibn Taymiyyah, “O Ahmad! Go out with your brothers and relax.”

So he exscused himself from that however his father persisted. But the young Ibn Taymiyyah strongly declined, saying, “I would like you to excuse me from going out.”

So his father let him stay and left with his other sons. They spent their day in the garden and returned at the end of the day whereupon his father said to him, “O Ahmad! You deserted your brothers today! And you annoyed them because of your absence from them. So what is this?”

So he replied, O father! Today I memorised this book.”  Alluding to a book with him. So his father replied, “You memorised it?!”  In denial, shocked and amazed at what his son had just said. So he said to him, “Read it to me.”

So he did.

He had indeed memorised the entire book. Then his father held him and kissed him between his eyes and said, “O my son! Do not tell anyone about what you have done,” fearful lest the the Evil Eye should fall upon him.”

Taken from Ibn Abdul-Haadi’s Al-’Uqood Al-Durriyah min Manaaqib Shaikhil-Islaam Ibn Taymiyyah, p. 7

http://giftsofknowledge.wordpress.com – Ahmed Abu Turaab

Rectify what remains of your life
Advice from Fudail ibn Iyaad

Fudail ibn lyaad, may Allah have mercy upon him, encountered a man, so he asked him the following questions:

Fudail ibn Iyaad: “How old are you?”

The man: “Sixty years old.”

Fudail ibn lyaad: “Thus you—for the past sixty years have been upon a journey towards the meeting with your Lord and you have almost reached your destination.’

The man: “Verily from Allah we come and to Him we shall return.”

Fudail ¡bn lyaad: “Do you know the meaning of this statement?”

The man: “Yes. I know that I am a slave of Allah and ¡ am returning to Him.”

Fudail ibn Iyaad: “Oh my brother; whoever knows that he is a slave of Allah and that he is going to rernrn to Him: then let him also know that he is going to stand in front of Him. And whoever knows that he is going to stand in front of Him then let him also know that he is going to be questioned. And whoever knows that he is going to he questioned then let him prepared answers for the questions.”

The man: “What is the solution?”

Fudail ibn Iyaad: “It’s simple.”

The man: “What is it?”

Fudail ibn Iyaad: “Rectify what remains (of your life) and you will be forgiven for what has already passed by; but if you misuse what remains (of your life) then you will be taken to account for that which has passed by and that which remains.”

Translated by Rasheed Barbee
Note: This is not a translation of Shaykh Raslaan’s speech, rather it is a translation of the narration that he is speaking about.
http://mtws.posterous.com/rectify-what-remains-of-your-life-advice-from

الإمام محمد ناصر الدين الألباني
al-Imaam Muhammad Naasir ud-Deen al-Albaanee
هذه دعوتنا : الدعوة السلفية
This is Our Call – The Salafi DawahArabic audio link: http://www.alalbany.ws/alalbany/huda_noor_audio/640.rm
Translation taken from: http://shaikhalbaani.wordpress.com/2011/04/25/following-the-understanding-of-…

Source : http://ahlulsunnahwaljammah.wordpress.com

[Download the PDF]

Abu Idrees (hafidahullah) on Brotherhood, taken from the Birmingham October Conference 2011.

In the name of Allaah, the Beneficient, Most Merciful. May peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, companions and all those who follow them in goodness until the day of Return. As for what follows;

Question:

The religion of Islaam has encouraged us to aqquire lawful earnings. However I wish that you could mention to us the effects that unlawful earnings have on an individual and the community as a whole?

Sheikh Saalih al-Fouzaan, may Allaah protect him, answers:

Unlawful earnings, and Allaah’s refuge is sought, nourishes the body in a corrupt manner and rears a person upon evil.

The Prophet, may peace and blessings be upon him, stated in the narration of the one who travels a far distance: “… dishoveled and dusty, who stretches his two hands out to the sky saying, “My Lord! My Lord!”, while his food is unlawful, his drink is unlawful, his clothing is unlawful and he has been nourished from unlawful sources, so how can he possibly be answered?” [Muslim]

Therefore using and dealing in the haraam (unlawful) matters prevents (one’s) supplication from being answered and shuts the door of response between him and his Lord, the Most High. Indulging in the unlawful is very risky and it has many unhealthy traces upon a persons livelihood and his interactions with the people. He beecomes hated in the muslim community and the people flee away from him along with many other things that are connected with indulging in the unlawful affairs. And if there wasn’t anything except the fact that it prevents the supplication from being answered and one’s actions from being accepted it would be sufficient. And there is no might nor power except with Allaah.

It is upon the Muslim to suffice himself with the lawful and be content with what Allaah permitted for him because in that is good and blessings. And to leave off what He has forbade becuase there is no good in that rather it will harm him and will be a great burden on his back the day of Judgement.

Source: http://alfawzan.af.org.sa/node/13575
Translated by: Abu Fouzaan Qaasim
American student studying in the Islaamic University of Medinah from Chester,PA.

The time is the life of the servant, it was said by a poet

“…and the time is the most precious thing that you can have concern for preserving–and I see that it is the easiest thing which can be wasted”

Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allaah have mercy upon him) said:

“The wasting of time is more severe than death. That is because the matter of death cuts you off from the worldly life whereas the wasting of time cuts you off from Allaah”

The time is the capital of your wealth. That is because your life which Allaah has decreed for you, He wants that you attain with it the honor of the Deen and the bliss of the hereafter. Therefore if you waste it, the reality of your worldly life will be wasted as well as your hereafter being plundered. There is no (worldly) loss greater upon the servant than the wasting of his time.

The prophet said (what means):

“Take advantage of 5 things before 5 things overcome you:

1. Take advantage of your youth before your old age.
   
2. Take advantage of your health before your sickness.
   
3. Take advantage of of you life before your death.
   
4. Take advantage of your richness before you poverty, and
5. Take advantage of your free time before becoming preoccupied.”
   [Narrated by al-Haakim on the authority of Ibn Abbaas.]

So the question stands,

is the wasting of these prize possessions to be considered from the happiness of the Muslim? Therefore with the time the Muslim has the ability to capitalize off of everything that has been mentioned in the hadeeth….

This was taken from “Tahdheerul-Bashar min Usoolish-Sharr” of The Noble Shaykh Muhammad bin Abdillaah al-Imaam (may Allaah preserve him) Page #57-58, Daarul-Aathaar.

May Allaah benefit you all with that which has been mentioned, Aameen.

Abu Yusuf Khaleefah.
http://31097.multiply.com/journal/item/2/From_The_Foundations_of_Evils

From the Secrets of Fatiha and What it Contains
By Shaykh ul –Islaam Ibn Qayyim aj-Jawzeeyah as-Salafi  -Rahimullaah-
Translated by Abbas Abu Yahya

 Shamsuddeen Muhammad bin Abee Bakr Ibn Qayyim aj-Jawzeeyah (d.751 A.H.) -Rahimullaah- said:

 Two Strengths

‘The human being has two strengths:

1. The strength of researched knowledge.
2. And the strength of practical firm determination of actions.

 A human’s complete happiness is dependent upon the perfection and completion of the two strengths of knowledge and firm determination of actions.

As for the perfection and completion of the strength of knowledge, then this is achieved

1. by knowing his Creator and his Originator,
2. knowing His Names and Attributes;
3. by knowing the path which leads to Him, and
4. by knowing what causes weakness in following that path, and
5. by knowing himself and his shortcomings and mistakes.

Having awareness of these five points, leads the human to achieve perfection in the strength of knowledge. The most knowledgeable of the people are those who know and understand these points the most.

 As for the perfection and completion of the strength of practical firm determination of actions, this can only be achieved by complying with the rights of Allaah -Subhanahu- which He has over the slave, and the slave fulfills them with Ikhlaas (sincerity), truthfulness, faithfully, being righteous and by following and testifying to Allaah’s favours upon the slave of Allaah.

The slave has shortcomings in fulfilling Allaah’s rights, and so is ashamed to face Allaah with what (little) he has from servitude to Him. The slave knows that his servitude to Allaah is less than that which Allaah is worthy of, in fact it is even less and lesser than that.  There is no way for him to perfect these two strengths except with Allaah’s help.  Allaah guides him to the straight path to which He guided, His ‘Aawliyaa and those who are close to Him. Allaah averts him from going off the path (Siraat), through either becoming corrupted in his strength of knowledge, and he falls into misguidance, or from his strength of actions, which obligates anger upon him.

 The Principles of Guidance in Sooratul – Fatiha

The complete happiness of a human cannot be achieved except with a combination of these matters, and they are included in Sooratul Fatiha and these matters are arranged in the best way, so the saying of Allaah Ta’ala: <<All praise belongs to Allaah, the Lord of all the worlds * The Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful.  * The Only Owner (and the Only Ruling Judge) of the Day of Recompense (i.e. the Day of Resurrection)>> comprises the first principle, which is knowing about Allaah and His Names, His Attributes and His Actions.

The Names mentioned in this Soorah are the principle names of Allaah’s Beautiful Names, which are; the Name ‘Allaah’, ‘ar-Rabb’ (The Lord) and ‘ar-Rahmaan’ (The Most Merciful).

• The Name ‘Allaah’ comprises the attributes of al-Ulooheeya (worship).
• The Name ‘ar-Rabb’ comprises the attributes of Roobubeeyah.
• The Name ‘ar-Rahman’ comprises the attributes of Beneficence, generosity and Kindness.

The meanings of the Names of Allaah revolve around this.

As for Allaah’s saying:

<<You (Alone) we worship, and You (Alone) we ask for help (for each and everything)>> : This is knowing the path leading to Allaah, which is none other than worshipping Him Alone with what Allaah loves and is pleased with, and seeking aid from Him whilst worshipping Him.

As for His saying: <<Guide us to the Straight Way >> this comprises the explanation that the slave of Allaah has no way to his own happiness except by Isteeqamah (being upright) on the Siraat al-Mustaqeem (the straight path).  There is no path for him to Isteeqamah except by Allaah’s guidance, just as there is no way for him to Allaah’s worship except by Allaah’s aid, in the same way there is no path for him to Isteeqamah upon the correct way except by Allaah’s guidance.

As for Allaah’s saying: << not (the way) of those who earned Your Anger, nor of those who went astray>> this contains the two extremities of deviancy from the straight path.  Deviating to one of these sides leads to misguidance, which is the corruption of knowledge and belief deviating to the other side, to Allaah’s anger which is due to corruption of the intention and action.

The first part of the Soorah is mercy, the middle is guidance and last part is blessings.

 The Slave of Allaah is between Blessings and Guidance

The portion of blessings a slave of Allaah has is related to the amount of guidance he has.

The proportion of guidance for a slave of Allaah is related to the portion of Mercy. So, the whole matter returns back to Allaah’s Blessings and His Mercy.

Blessing and Mercy are from those things which necessitate Allaah’s Roobubeeyah (Lordship). Indeed Allaah is The Merciful and The Giver of blessings and these are from the obligations of His Ilaheeyaeehi (being the One worthy of worship), so He is the deity in Truth, even if the rejecters deny it, and the Mushrikeen associate partners with Him.

Whoever puts into effect the meanings of Fatiha with knowledge and understanding, practically and immediately; then he will have been successful in his perfecting [knowledge and action] in the best way. Then his worship of Allaah becomes a distinct worship by which his grade is raised above that of the general worshippers.

Wa Allaahul Must’aan.’

 [Taken From his book ‘Al-Fawaid’ p.115-118]