The Allaamah Abdurrahman bin Hassan Aal Shaykh, may Allah have mercy upon him, said: "So reflect and take as creed what will save you from the punishment of Allah, and this is the actualisation of the meaning of "There's no deity worthy of worship in truth except Allah" in negation and affirmation, and ponder over the statement of the most high regarding His Khaleel ﷺ:

(وَإِذْ قَالَ إِبْرَٰهِيمُ لِأَبِيهِ وَقَوْمِهِۦٓ إِنَّنِى بَرَآءٌ مِّمَّا تَعْبُدُونَ ۝ إِلَّا ٱلَّذِى فَطَرَنِى فَإِنَّهُۥ سَيَهْدِينِ ۝ وَجَعَلَهَا كَلِمَةًۢ بَاقِيَةً فِى عَقِبِهِۦ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَرْجِعُونَ)
"And [mention, O Muhammad], when Abraham said to his father and his people, "Indeed, I am free from that which you worship. Except for He who created me; and indeed, He will guide me."
And he made it a word remaining among his descendants that they might return [to it].
[Az-Zukhruf:26-28]

And the word is "Laa illaha illallaah" by consensus of those that explained the Qur'an, there is no better explanation than this nor anything clearer than this, and there is no way to Jannah except by knowing it and believing it and acting upon it". <Same previous source> (1/339).

▪️From the conditions of the words of Tawheed, by which a person deserves the title Islam:

Knowledge of the reality of the meaning of these words, a knowledge which negates ignorance, contrary to those that say it whilst not knowing what it means and what it entails, Allah the most high said:

(فَٱعْلَمْ أَنَّهُۥ لَآ إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا ٱللَّهُ وَٱسْتَغْفِرْ لِذَنۢبِكَ)
"So know, [O Muhammad], that there is no deity worthy of worship in truth except Allah".
[Muhammad:19]

And the exalted said:

(هَٰذَا بَلَٰغٌ لِّلنَّاسِ وَلِيُنذَرُوا۟ بِهِۦ وَلِيَعْلَمُوٓا۟ أَنَّمَا هُوَ إِلَٰهٌ وَٰحِدٌ وَلِيَذَّكَّرَ أُو۟لُوا۟ ٱلْأَلْبَٰبِ)
"This [Qur'an] is notification for the people that they may be warned thereby and that they may know that He is but one ilah".
[Ibrahim:52]

And the great and high said:

(فَإِلَّمْ يَسْتَجِيبُوا۟ لَكُمْ فَٱعْلَمُوٓا۟ أَنَّمَآ أُنزِلَ بِعِلْمِ ٱللَّهِ وَأَن لَّآ إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَۖ)
"And if they do not respond to you -  then know that the Qur'an was revealed with the knowledge of Allah and that there is no deity worthy of worship in truth except Him".
[Hud:14]

And the most high said:

(وَلَا يَمْلِكُ ٱلَّذِينَ يَدْعُونَ مِن دُونِهِ ٱلشَّفَٰعَةَ إِلَّا مَن شَهِدَ بِٱلْحَقِّ وَهُمْ يَعْلَمُونَ)
"And those they invoke besides Him do not possess [power of] intercession; but only those who testify to the truth [can benefit], and they know".
[Az-Zukhruf:86]

And in "Sahih Muslim" on the authority of Uthman, may Allah be pleased with him, that the Prophet ﷺ said: "Whoever dies whilst knowing that there is no deity worthy of worship in truth except Allah will enter into Jannah".

Imam Bukhari, may Allah have mercy upon him, said: "Chapter knowledge before statement and action, based upon His statement:

(فَٱعْلَمْ أَنَّهُۥ لَآ إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا ٱللَّهُ وَٱسْتَغْفِرْ لِذَنۢبِكَ)
"So know, [O Muhammad], that there is no deity worthy of worship in truth except Allah".
[Muhammad:19]

Thus starting with knowledge". End of speech.

Ibn Al-Munayir, may Allah have mercy upon him, said: "He intended: that knowledge is a condition in the validity of a statement and action, the two are not taken into consideration except with this, and it is preceded before the two, because it corrects the intention which corrects the actions, so Bukhari brought this to attention". As found in <Fathul-baari> (1/160).

And the Khaleel ﷺ said:

(إِنَّنِى بَرَآءٌ مِّمَّا تَعْبُدُونَ ۝ إِلَّا ٱلَّذِى فَطَرَنِى فَإِنَّهُۥ سَيَهْدِينِ ۝ وَجَعَلَهَا كَلِمَةًۢ بَاقِيَةً فِى عَقِبِهِۦ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَرْجِعُونَ)
"Indeed, I am free from that which you worship. Except for He who created me; and indeed, He will guide me."
And he made it a word remaining among his descendants that they might return [to it].
[Az-Zukhruf:26-28]

This is the reality of the meaning of "there's no deity worthy of worship except Allah", and it is:
Being free from all that is worshipped besides Allah, making worship solely for Allah alone, and this is the meaning which these verses point towards, and what falls under its meaning, whoever actualises this and knows this, has obtained the knowledge which negates what many of the people are upon -even those that attribute to knowledge- who are ignorant of its meaning". End of speech (1)



__
(1) <Al-Eemaan war-Rad alal Ahlil Bidah> from amongst <Majmuu' Ar-Rasaail wal-Masaail An-Najdiyyah> (v.2).


[Page 12]

So [those that say it whilst ignorant of what it means and what it necessitates: so not knowing worship which is being negated with the article of negation, nor the deification which is being affirmed for Allah the most high, then this without doubt doesn't benefit them, you will find them doing what negates this whilst they don't know]. (1)

And the previous verse points to that: the most obligatory obligation is: knowing the meaning of "Laa ilaaha Ilallaah", and the greatest of ignorance is: deficiency in knowledge in its meaning, as knowing it's meaning is the most obligatory of the obligation then ignorance in this is the greatest of ignorance and the most despicable". End of speech (2)

I say:
How can ignorance then be an excuse for the leaving off knowledge of what the statement of Tawheed means and necessitates, whilst ignorance is contradicting knowledge which is from the conditions in this statement?!

▪️A person will not have Eemaan which is accepted by Allah except if they are people of Tawheed, with their heart, their tongues and their limbs. And a person will not be safe from everlasting dwelling in the fire except with this, because if they worshipped other than Allah, and made partners with Him therein, they would have committed what negated the basis of Eemaan and safety, so there won't remain any Eemaan with this nor any safety:

(ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَلَمْ يَلْبِسُوٓا۟ إِيمَٰنَهُم بِظُلْمٍ أُو۟لَٰٓئِكَ لَهُمُ ٱلْأَمْنُ وَهُم مُّهْتَدُونَ)
"They who believe and do not mix their belief with oppression - those will have security, and they are [rightly] guided".
[Al-An'am:82]

Ibn-Ul-Qayyim, may Allah have mercy upon him, said at this verse: "The companions said: "O Messenger of Allah who from us doesn't mix their belief with oppression?". He ﷺ said: "That is Shirk [that's intended here], haven't you heard the statement of the righteous slave:

(إِنَّ ٱلشِّرْكَ لَظُلْمٌ عَظِيمٌ)
"Indeed, making Shirk [with him] is great oppression."
[Luqman:13]

So when the meaning of oppression confused them, they thought that oppressing oneself entered into this, in that those that oppress them with any type of oppression wouldn't be safe nor guided. So he ﷺ replied to them that the oppression which removes safety and guidance upon totality is Shirk, and this by Allah is the answer which cures the ailing and quenches the thirst, because oppression upon its absolute form is Shirk, which is placing worship in other than its rightful place, and the absolute safety and guidance is safety in the Dunya and the Aakhirah, and guidance to the right path, so the complete and absolute oppression removes the complete and absolute safety and guidance. And there is nothing preventing that oppression can prevent safety somewhat and guidance somewhat, so ponder over this, absolute for absolute and a portion for a portion". End of speech from <Sawaaiq Al-Mursalah> (3/1057-1058), <Fathul-Majeed Sharh Kitaab At-Tawheed> (p.33-34).


__
1) <Al-Mawrid Al-Adhaab...< from amongst <Majmuu' Ar-Rasaail wal-Masaail An-Najdiyyah> (1/295).
2) <Al-Intisaar...> (p.29)


▪️▪️◾️▪️▪️

[Page 13]

▪️Mere attribution to Islam isn't an excuse which prevents the label of Mushrik upon those that are ignorant of Tawheed:

There is no affect (that makes a difference) for person attributing themselves to Islam and is not taking the real Islam -the religion of Tawheed- as religion, as there is no Islam for those that don't have no Tawheed even if they ascribe to Islam, as the point of benefit is with the realities of the affairs and not mere names and titles.

The Mushriks used to ascribe the clear Shirk that they were upon to the religion of Ibraheem and Isma'eel -may Salaat and Salaam be upon both of them- as Bukhari reported in "his Sahih" on the authority of Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him: "He said: "The Messenger of Allah ﷺ when he came he refused to enter the House (The Ka'bah) whilst it contained deities, so he commanded for them to be removed and they were removed, then a picture of Ibraheem and Isma'eel drawing lots with divination arrows was removed, to which the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: "May Allah fight them, by Allah they never did this shooting arrows to make choices for them before". He then entered the House and performed Takbeer in a corner of the house and didn't pray in it".

I said:
With the fact that here were ignorant people amongst them, and those that were followers to their leaders of Shirk as Allah the most high informed, and whilst this is the case Allah the most high called them Mushriks. And they were perpetrating this, like those that came after them in the later times are perpetrating this, those that are supplicating to the deceased and those absent, asking them what none except Allah is capable of, and they believe regarding them that they are able to conduct in the universe and what is from the affairs of Rububiyyah (Lordship), then they call themselves Muslims people of Tawheed, and deceive the ignorant with this, and mix the affairs upon those lacking insight.

▪️What is amazing is that many of the opposers in this subject matter when you come to them using the verses which were revealed regarding the Mushriks upon the Mushriks of this era, due to the clarity of the point of connection between them two, and because the thing aligning the two is present, which is directing worship to other than Allah, in whatever manner this angle of directing may be, be it to a prophet or an angel, or a grave or a wali, or a stone or a tree, the ruling in this in one. (1)

So you find them rebuking this, making a differentiation between those that are not attributing to Islam, and descending those proofs upon them, and reject applying it to those that attribute to Islam, claiming that a Muslim has to have the evidences established upon them to label them a Mushrik. This is how they say it.

And this is from ignorance of the principles of the legislation and a crime against it, and this course in understanding the legislative texts is from the greatest of preventing manners in understanding the Book and the Sunnah, and it necessitates dismantling many of the rulings of the Book and the Sunnah, and other great harms.

And the Standing Committee of knowledgebased research and giving legal ruling (Al-Lajnah Ad-Daa'immah) were asked as it comes in <Fataawa Majmuu'atul Uwlaa> (1/753) with Imam Ibn Baaz, may Allah have mercy upon him, as its president:

Question 3: "Is there a difference between Muslims who have a type of Shirk with them, and between the Mushriks who haven't acknowledged Islam?".

Answer 3:
"There's no difference between those that regress into an innovation which is Shirk which expels those from Islam who attribute to it, and between those that didn't enter into Islam at all, in the impermissibility of marrying them nor inheritance between them and between the Muslims. But there is a difference between them in the level of disbelief and the punishment upon them in the worldly life and the Hereafter is in accordance to the level of their transgression". End of speech of what's intended.

_
1) The Allaamah Ishaaq bin Abdirrahman bin Hassan, may Allah have mercy upon him, said in his book "Takfeer Al-Mu'ayyan" (p.18): "like Shaykh-Ul-Islaam Muhammad bin Abdulwahaab ... he only makes Takfeer of what the noble Book and what the authentic Sunnah have uttered with, and what the Ummah have unanimously agreed upon doing Takfeer upon, like those who change their religion, and do the actions of those from the pre-Islamic ignorance, those that worship the prophets and the angels and the righteous and invoke them, for indeed Allah made Takfeer of them and permitted their blood and their offspring, due to worshipping other than Him, be it a prophet or a wali or an idol, and there isn't a difference in the disbelief amongst them, as the noble Book and the prevalent Sunnah points towards". End of speech.


[14-15]

▪️From what is established in the legislation is that the point of benefit is with the generality of the wording and not the specific reason it was revealed for.

[So whoever does as the Mushriks do of Shirk with Allah, by directing what's solely His right to other than Allah, from the prophets and the walis and the righteous, and supplicating to them besides Allah, and beseeching them as Allah is beseeched, and requesting from them what is only requested from Allah, then what's preventing the application of the verses upon those who do as the Mushriks do and to make Takfeer of them, and the people of knowledge have mentioned that the point of benefit is with the generality of the wording and not the specific reason it was revealed only, but when the hearts are blinded from knowing the truth, and the application of what Allah has revealed upon those Mushriks that do as they are doing, and tread the same path as them, then there is nothing that can be done for them]. As stated by the Allaamah Suleiman As-Sahmaan, may Allah have mercy upon him, in <Kashfu Ghiyaab...> (p.195).

And a congregation of the people of Usuul have declared that the benefit being with the generality of the wording and not with the specific reason it was revealed, and they relayed a consensus in this as stated by Az-Zarkashi in <Al-Bahr> end of speech (1).

So the general legislative texts which have come regarding specific occurences, their rulings are general, whilst notice is taken of it and it is not to be restricted to. (2)

▪️And this Madhab is the truth which there is no uncertainty in and no doubt, because what the slave takes as religion is the wording which has come in the legislation, and it is general, and it coming about in a specific question and is not sound to take as an aiding indication to restrict it to that reason it came about. Whoever claims that this is sound then let them come with a proof which is valid to be taken as an evidence. And those that say that restricting it to the reason it was revealed haven't come with anything which is valid, and if in certain places there's what necessitates restricting the generality to the reason it was revealed, then this ruling doesn't exceed that certain area, rather one suffices to this, and there's nothing combining between what has come with a proof restricting it, and between the rest of the generalities which have come on specific occurences so as to make that certain proof in that place all compassing to it". End of speech (3)

And the proof for this principle is: [that the Prophet ﷺ was asked regarding what means "is the benefit with the generality of the wording or with the specific reason it was revealed?". And he replied with what means: "the benefit is with the generality of the wording and not the specific reason it was revealed".

Bukhari said in "his Sahih": "I was informed by Musad-dad, I was informed by Yazeed bin Razee', I was informed Suleiman At-Tameemi, from Abu Uthman, from Ibn Mas'uud may Allah be pleased with him: "That a man kissed a woman, and went to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and mentioned this to him, then (the following) was revealed to him:

(وَأَقِمِ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ طَرَفَىِ ٱلنَّهَارِ وَزُلَفًا مِّنَ ٱلَّيْلِۚ إِنَّ ٱلْحَسَنَٰتِ يُذْهِبْنَ ٱلسَّيِّـَٔاتِۚ ذَٰلِكَ ذِكْرَىٰ لِلذَّٰكِرِينَ)
"And establish prayer at the two ends of the day and at the approach of the night. Indeed, good deeds do away with misdeeds. That is a reminder for those who remember".
[Hud:114]

The man said: "Is this for me?". He ﷺ said: "For those that act upon it from my Ummah". End of speech.

This is the wording of Bukhari in "Tafseer" in <Surah Hud>, and in a narration in "As-Sahih" he ﷺ said: "To all of my Ummah". End of speech.

So this man who kissed a woman, due to him specifically a verse with general wording was revealed, so he said to the Prophet ﷺ: "Is this for me?". The meaning of this is:
Is this legislative text specific to me, because I'm the reason it was revealed? Or is it upon the generality of its wording? And the statement of the Prophet ﷺ: "For all my Ummah"

Its meaning is that the benefit is with the generality of the wording:

(إِنَّ ٱلْحَسَنَٰتِ يُذْهِبْنَ ٱلسَّيِّـَٔاتِۚ)
"Indeed, good deeds do away with misdeeds".
[Hud:114]

And not the specific reason it was revealed]. End of speech (4) and it is a clear prophetic text in the area of dispute (5).

In the clarification of this Shaykh-Ul-Islaam Ibn Taymiyyah, may Allah have mercy upon him, said: "Many a time in this subject matter comes their statement: "This verse was revealed regarding such-and-such". Especially if what was mentioned was a person, like the ˹Asbaab An-Nuzuul˺ the cause of the revealing of the verse which are mentioned in the Tafseer, like their statement: "The verse of the ˹Thihaar˺ was revealed regarding the wife of Auws bin As-Saamit ... And that His statement:

(وَأَنِ ٱحْكُم بَيْنَهُم بِمَآ أَنزَلَ ٱللَّهُ)
"And judge, [O Muhammad], between them by what Allah has revealed".
[Al-Ma'idah:49]

Was revealed regarding Bani Quraydah and Bani An-Nadheer ... and the likes of this is plenty, and from what they mention what was revealed regarding a people from the Mushriks in Makkah, or regarding a people from the people of the Book the Yahood and the Nasaarah, or regarding a people from the believers, so those that say this don't intend that the ruling of this verse is specific to those individuals specifically in exclusion of others, this isn't said by a Muslim or an intelligent person at all, and the people even if they differed regarding the general wording which has come regarding the reason it was revealed, is it specific to its cause of not?, but not of the scholars of the Muslims have said that the generalities in the Book and the Sunnah are specific to that particular individual, the furthest they go is saying: that it's specific to a type of person that matches that individual, generalising what resembles them and that the generality in it not due based upon the wording.

And the verse which was revealed upon a specific thing, be it a command or a prohibition, then it encompasses that person and others who are in their situation, if it news information by praising or dispraise, then it encompasses that person and others who are on the situation of that person also....". (6)

As the legislation doesn't make a differentiate between two exact same things, and doesn't bring together two complete different things.

▪️The enemies of the Da'wah of Tawheed the likes of Daud bin Jarjees cast this doubt upon the people to mix the affairs upon them, claiming with this that the Imams of the Da'wah, may Allah have mercy upon them, declare the Muslims as disbelievers based upon their application of the verses which were revealed upon the Mushriks upon their latercomers the grave worshippers, so the Imams of the Da'wah refuted him and clarified the invalidity of his doubts.




_
1) "Irshaad Al-Fuhuul" (2/91).
2) "Tawdeeh an Tawheed Al-Khalaaq (2/59).
3) "Irshaad Al-Fuhuul" (2/96).
4) "Adwaa Al-Bayaan" (3/305).
5) "Mudakirah Usuul Al-Fiqh" (13/338-339)
6) "Majmuu' Al-Fataawa" (13/338-339)

[Page 15-16]

And in the rebuttal of this says the Allaamah Abdullateef bin Abdirrahman, may Allah have mercy upon him: "And from his doubts is his statement regarding some of the verses "This is revealed upon those that worship the idols" and "this was revealed upon Abu Jahl" and "This was revealed upon so-and-so and so-and-so", intending with this -may Allah fight him- the disabling the Qur'an from including their likes and their sort, who worship other than Allah, and make partners with Him". <Majmuu'atur-Rasaail wal-Masaail An-Najdiyyah> (v.3 p.78)

And he, may Allah have mercy upon him, said: "Whoever prevents the application of the Qur'an, and what it points to of rulings, upon individuals and occurrences which fall under general wordings, then they are from the most astray of the creation and the most ignorant of what the people of Islam are upon and its scholars era after era, generation after generation, and from the most disabling of the Qur'an, and abandoning of it, and isolated away from use it as proof in areas of dispute. The legislative texts of the Qur'an and its rulings are general, not specific to who it was revealed upon, and what's preventing making making Takfeer of those that do what the Yahood do or blocking and directing away from the path of Allah, and disbelieving in it after coming to know of it?!  And this Iraqi doesn't put forth a statement in his objections and his deceptions except that it is greater than its sort in ignorance and misguidance, and if he was to know the noble Book, and what it points to of rulings and admonishments, then he would've held back from these statements which are not said, except by the most bankrupt in knowledge and Eemaan, of the creation". <Ad-Diyaa Ash-Shaariqah...> (p.79)

And the Allaamah Abdullah AbaButayn, may Allah have mercy upon him, said: "As for the statement of those that say: that the verses which have been revealed upon the first Mushriks, does not apply to those that do their actions, then this is a great disbelief, whilst this statement isn't said except by a bull tied up in ignorance, will they say! That the punishments mentioned in the Qur'an and the Sunnah, were for people that died and became extinct?! So there is no punishment of the fornicator today, and the hand of the thief isn't cut off, and the likes of this, whilst this statement which one is even shy to mention, while they say: that those that were directed to pray and give zakaat and the rest of the Islamic rituals, became extinct and the ruling of the Qur'an became invalid?!". <Ad-Durar As-Saniyyah fil Ajwabatin-Najdiyyah> (10/418).

Then I came across a valuable establishment by Shaykh-Ul-Islaam Muhammad bin Abdulwahaab, may Allah have mercy upon him, relating a consensus upon this and being severe against those that throw this doubt, whereby he said challenging them: "... look in the Book of Allah, from the start to the end, and returning point in this is what the explainers of the Qur'an mentioned and the Imams. If a hypocrite argued that the verse was revealed upon disbelievers, then say to them: "Is there anyone from the people of knowledge from the start to the end of them who said that these verses don't encompass those that do this from the Muslims?!" And: "Who said this before you?!" And also say to them: "This is a rejection of the Consensus of the Ummah", because those that use verses which were revealed upon disbelievers as evidence upon those that perpetrate it from those that attribute to Islam is more than one can count, and this is also the speech of the Messenger of Allah regarding those that do these likes of these actions, the likes of the Khawaarij the ascetic worshipers those that a person would belittle the actions of the companions next to theirs, and they by consensus didn't do whatever they did except due to Ijtihaad and seeking nearness to Allah, and here are the dealings of the companions of the Messenger of Allah with those who had worship and Ijtihaad from those that opposed the religion, like Ali burning those that took him as a deity with fire, and the companions unanimously agreed upon killing them, and here are the scholars of fiqh from the first of them until the end, taking a chapter of the ruling of the apostate regarding a Muslim that commits such-and-such and such-and-such, and in the book "Al-Iqnaa' is: "That whoever who takes intermediaries between them and Allah, supplicating to them being a disbeliever by consensus of the Ummah. And he mentioned regarding those that believe regarding Ali bin Abu Taalib, to a lesser extent than what a Sufi student might believe in Husein and Idrees, and that there isn't a doubt in their disbelief". <Ad-Durar As-Sanniyyah> (59/10).

And the speech of Imams of the religion in clarification of the invalidity of this doubt are many.


[Page 17]

▪️What becomes clear with this is that the worshippers of the graves and idols are Mushriks and don't deserve the title Islam and Tawheed, and their attribution to Islam or their ignorance or them being blind followers don't affect this ruling, as long as they didn't come with what makes them deserve this title, and those amongst them that are excused due to their ignorance:

(وَمَا رَبُّكَ بِظَلَّٰمٍ لِّلْعَبِيدِ)
"Whoever does righteousness -  it is for his [own] soul; and whoever does evil [does so] against it. And your Lord is not ever unjust to [His] servants".
[Fussilat:46]

Their affair is to Allah on the day of judgment, they will be tested and then their end result will be either the Jannah or the Hellfire, out of His Justice exalted is He, as the authentic Hadiths point towards which the clarification thereof will come, with the permission of Allah.

Ibn-Ul-Qayyim, may Allah have mercy upon him, said: "And Islam is Tawheed of Allah and His worship alone, without any partners to Him, and faith in his Messenger and following him in what he has come with, and if the slave doesn't come with this then they are not a Muslim, and if they are not disbelievers and stubborn persistent, then they are ignorant disbelievers, the most that can be said regarding this category is that they are disbelievers and ignorant and not stubborn persistent". <Taareekul-Hijratayn> (p.411).

Shaykh-Ul-Islaam, Ibn Taymiyyah, may Allah have mercy upon him, said: "...a man only becomes Muslim Haneef a person of Tawheed, when testifying that there is no deity worthy of worship in truth except Allah, so worshipping Allah alone, whereby not making Shirk with anyone with Him, in the worshipping of Him and the loving of Him and in being a slave to Him ...". <Majmuu' Al-Fataawa> (8/369-370)

Similar to prayer when missing a condition -like Tahaarah (ritual purity)- or a pillar -like Tuma'ninah- isn't called a prayer, even if the one that was performing it was ignorant, the punishment and the sin is uplifted from them -as long as they are not turning away from and negligent in asking and learning their religion- but it's not given the title of prayer, for this reason the Prophet ﷺ said in the Hadith of the one who prayed badly (1): "Go back and pray for indeed you didn't pray", whilst they did the actions of the prayer, but they as they didn't perform the pillar of Tuma'ninah their prayer was invalidated, and the lack of their knowledge: "By the one that sent you in truth, I can't do better than this, so teach me", wasn't an excuse which made his prayer correct, and to give it the title of prayer, even though it was an excuse for him in the application of the punishment and sin.

Similarly is the condition (2) with the ignorant of Tawheed -those that ascribe to Islam and other than them- who couldn't obtain it and weren't negligent in searching for the truth and seeking it, they're not given the title of Islam, and they are excused in the application of the punishment upon them in the worldly life, making their ruling be in on the day of judgement that of the people of Al-Fatrah; those that Allah the most high will test, as it comes in the Hadith of Abu Hurairah and Al-Aswad bin Saree' -may Allah be pleased with them-, and clarification on this will come with the permission of Allah.

Because of this the Imam, the Mujadid, Muhammad bin Abdulwahaab, may Allah have mercy upon him, said in <Qawaaidul-Arba'>: " Know that worship isn't called worship except with Tawheed like prayer isn't called prayer except with ˹Tahaarah˺ ritual purity, if Shirk enters into worship it corrupts it like ritual impurity entering into ritual purity...". End of speech.


__
1) in the "Two Sahihs" on the authority of Abu Hurairah, may Allah be pleased with him.
2) In in what relates invalidity, and the lack of application of the title.




[Page 18]

▪️ From what [the layfolk and the learned folk from the Muslims know that it's from the religion of the Muslims, rather the Yahood and the Nasaarah know that Muhammad ﷺ was sent with it, and declared those that oppose it as disbelievers]: that Allah the most high commanded the worship of Allah alone without partners to Him, and forbade worshiping anyone besides Allah, and He created the Jin and the Mankind for His worship exalted is He:

(وَمَا خَلَقْتُ ٱلْجِنَّ وَٱلْإِنسَ إِلَّا لِيَعْبُدُونِ)
"And I did not create the jinn and mankind except to worship Me."
[Adh-Dhariyat:56]

And the Books were revealed, and the Messengers were sent, to establish this and to invite those that are culpable to single Him out in worship:

(وَمَآ أَرْسَلْنَا مِن قَبْلِكَ مِن رَّسُولٍ إِلَّا نُوحِىٓ إِلَيْهِ أَنَّهُۥ لَآ إِلَٰهَ إِلَّآ أَنَا۠ فَٱعْبُدُونِ)
"And We sent not before you any messenger except that We revealed to him that, "There is no deity except Me, so worship Me."
[Al-Anbiya:25]

And He manifested this clearly for His slaves with the clearest of clarification in His clear Book, He the most high said:

(وَلَقَدْ يَسَّرْنَا ٱلْقُرْءَانَ لِلذِّكْرِ فَهَلْ مِن مُّدَّكِرٍ)
"And We have certainly made the Qur'an easy for remembrance, so is there any who will remember?"
[Al-Qamar:17]

Whereby no argument remains for the slaves:

(رُّسُلًا مُّبَشِّرِينَ وَمُنذِرِينَ لِئَلَّا يَكُونَ لِلنَّاسِ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ حُجَّةٌۢ بَعْدَ ٱلرُّسُلِۚ)
"[We sent] messengers as bringers of good tidings and warners so that mankind will have no argument against Allah after the messengers".
[An-Nisa':165]

And it's become the case that the opposers to Tawheed became between two affairs:

1. The ˹Mu'aanid˺ the stubbornly persistent who the evidences have reached, and they rejected except to continue upon Shirk, their condition is the likes those Allah mentioned in His statement:

(إِنَّا وَجَدْنَآ ءَابَآءَنَا عَلَىٰٓ أُمَّةٍ وَإِنَّا عَلَىٰٓ ءَاثَٰرِهِم مُّقْتَدُونَ)
"Indeed, we found our fathers upon a religion, and we are, in their footsteps, following."
[Az-Zukhruf:23

2. The ˹Mu'ridh˺ those that turned away -be them ignorant or a blind-followers- these ones that turn away don't want to leave what they are upon, and they don't want to listen to that which contradicts what they are upon of clear Shirk, and the most high said:

(بَلْ أَكْثَرُهُمْ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ ٱلْحَقَّۖ فَهُم مُّعْرِضُونَ)
"But most of them do not know the truth, so they are turning away."
[Al-Anbiya:24]

Both these types, the ˹Mu'aanid˺ or the ˹Mu'ridh˺  are Mushriks and not excused, due to their stubbornness and persistency, and due to their turning away.

Imam, Al-Waadi'i, may Allah have mercy upon him, said in <Ghaaratul-Ashritah> (2/485): " The ˹Mu'ridh˺ that you want to convey to him then he turns away from you, they are not excused in their ignorance". End of speech.

And this is the condition of the majority of the grave worshippers who ascribe to Islam today whilst they're in the greatest of its nullifiers and its opposite, and they hear the speech of Allah but don't reflect upon it or ponder over its meanings, and they have come to know that it was revealed to clarify the path to salvation, the path that leads to Allah, and they see the Muslims oppose them rather forbid them from them, and they hear the call to Tawheed from these means of media, so they didn't suffice with mere turning away, rather they surpassed this to disfiguring the standing of the callers to Tawheed and accusing them of being upon the way of the Khawarij, and at times accusing them of declaring the Muslims as disbelievers, or use the claim that they are speaking ill of the righteous who they are worshipping besides Allah, and other than this which is enough to clarify that they are Mushriks disbelievers and that the evidences have been established upon them, regardless if the cause of this turning way was ignorance or blind-following or other than this.

And more elaboration and clarification will come in this with the permission of Allah.

▪️▪️◾️▪️▪️


[Page 19]

The first subject:

An advise to leave off delving into the subject of (Excusing the ignorant of Tawheed) without insight.

I say seeking aid with Allah:

I encourage all those that my speech reaches from my brothers the students of knowledge from Ahlussunnah and "Following", to not delve into this subject nor other than this of the legislative subjects without knowledge or evidences, and to cast aside all desires which directs a person away from ruling with the evidences of the Book and the Sunnah, and the Manhaj of the Salaf which we are commands to follow in every subject which they have come across, the most high said:

(يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ كُونُوا۟ قَوَّٰمِينَ بِٱلْقِسْطِ شُهَدَآءَ لِلَّهِ وَلَوْ عَلَىٰٓ أَنفُسِكُمْ أَوِ ٱلْوَٰلِدَيْنِ وَٱلْأَقْرَبِينَۚ إِن يَكُنْ غَنِيًّا أَوْ فَقِيرًا فَٱللَّهُ أَوْلَىٰ بِهِمَاۖ فَلَا تَتَّبِعُوا۟ ٱلْهَوَىٰٓ أَن تَعْدِلُوا۟ۚ وَإِن تَلْوُۥٓا۟ أَوْ تُعْرِضُوا۟ فَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ كَانَ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ خَبِيرًا)
"O you who have believed, be persistently standing firm in justice, witnesses for Allah, even if it be against yourselves or parents and relatives. Whether one is rich or poor, Allah is more worthy of both. So follow not [personal] inclination, lest you not be just. And if you distort [your testimony] or refuse [to give it], then indeed Allah is ever, with what you do, Acquainted".
[An-Nisa':135]

And this great subject matter due to its connection to the foundation of the foundations, it is not befitting that one forbids the students of knowledge from seeking insight to it, by way of its proofs and the speech of the Imams of the religion in it, but the affair is as such that a person is not to speak regarding the details of this subject matter without solid knowledgebased capability, and that their building of this subject matter is upon evidences and what the Salaf have unanimously agreed upon, and if one didn't have capability: then they are to suffice with relaying from them, and in this is safety from falling into trials and delving without knowledge.


▪️▪️◾️▪️▪️




[Page 20]

And it's upon my brothers those that are asking, and those that this speech reaches, to turn to beneficial knowledge which at the forefront of this is what's connected to the Tawheed of Allah the most high, and to take it from the people of knowledge who are knowledgeable of its topics and principles, and not to rely -not in this subject nor other than this- upon:

A. Statements by those who aren't known to be well grounded in this subject matter, nor precise in this.

B. Or some statements in this subject by some scholars which they were mistaken in.

C. Or from those who it's become known from their condition that they are like the people of Ghuluw, those that make their sole purpose speaking on this topic to reach through this to their goals relating to those that oppose them and to declare them as disbelievers, at the same time you don't find them clarifying the conditions of the people Fitnah and Hizbiyyah and the charity organisations, which have exhausted the Da'wah and the Salafis, while there is dire need for this.

Whilst freeing oneself from the people of Innovations and Hizbiyyah and clarifying their falsehood and their Fitnah is from the essence of actualising Tawheed also, and the implementation of the basis of Walaa (love/closeness) and Baraa (hate/distancing), for indeed innovation [taints Tawheed and prevents its perfection and hinders the attaining of its fruits]. (1)

And in what the Salaf established, and the Imams, like: Ibn Jareer At-Tabari, Al-Barbahaari, Ibn Taymiyyah, Ibn-Ul-Qayyim, Ibn Abdulwahaab, Ibn Baaz, Ibn Utheymeen (2), Al-Waadi'i, Al-Fawzaan and others, in this subject and others:

Is sufficiency, from relaying from those who their feet slipped in this subject matter, or those who haven't attained precision in this subject matter, or those that are dubious from the people of Ghuluw, and it has been established in the introduction of "Sahih Muslim" from Imam Muhammad bin Sireen, may Allah have mercy upon him, that he said: "Indeed this knowledge is religion, so look at he who you take your religion from".

__
1) "Stated by the Allaamah As-Sa'di in <Qawlus-Sadeed...> At his explanation of the chapter: "whoever actualised Tawheed will enter Jannah".
And the Allaamah Abdurrahman bin Hassan, may Allah have mercy upon him, said in <Fathul Majeed> (p.57) in the explanation of the actualisation of Tawheed: "Actualising it is: freeing it and purifying it from the impurities of Shirk, innovation and sins". End of speech.
2) With the permission of Allah there will come a pinpointing of his position and a clarification to his coinciding with the creed of the Salaf and the Imams of the Da'wah in this subject matter.


▪️▪️◾️▪️▪️


[Page 20-21]

And as it's the case that those that differed in this subject matter -as it comes in the question- are from the Salafis, then how is declaration of being misguided and being a disbeliever occurring amongst them whilst they are ruling with the evidences from the book and the Sunnah, and the understanding of the Salaf and the Imams of the religion; those that are a returning point in the understanding of the evidences in this subject and other than this, not a word is heard from other than them in this however lofty their status may be, except if they come from their door and establish their establishments, the most high said:

(فَلَا وَرَبِّكَ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ حَتَّىٰ يُحَكِّمُوكَ فِيمَا شَجَرَ بَيْنَهُمْ ثُمَّ لَا يَجِدُوا۟ فِىٓ أَنفُسِهِمْ حَرَجًا مِّمَّا قَضَيْتَ وَيُسَلِّمُوا۟ تَسْلِيمًا)
"But no, by your Lord, they will not [truly] believe until they make you, [O Muhammad], judge concerning that over which they dispute among themselves and then find within themselves no discomfort from what you have judged and submit in [full, willing] submission".
[An-Nisa':65]

And the most high said:

(ٱتَّبِعُوا۟ مَآ أُنزِلَ إِلَيْكُم مِّن رَّبِّكُمْ وَلَا تَتَّبِعُوا۟ مِن دُونِهِۦٓ قَلِيلًا مَّا تَذَكَّرُونَ)
"Follow, [O mankind], what has been revealed to you from your Lord and do not follow other than Him any allies. Little do you remember."
[Al-A'raf:3]

What's obligatory upon them is to not look at this subject matter from the angle of granting a certain position victory over another, this is not from the way of Ahlussunnah those that don't precede before the evidences of the revelation and what the Salaf were upon, so they don't say until they (the Salaf) said, and they don't believe except what they believed.

Imam Al-Awzaa'i, may Allah have mercy upon him, said: "Make yourself patient upon the Sunnah, stop where the people stopped, say what they say, and refrain what they refrained from, and tread upon the path of your Righteous Predecessors, for indeed you are sufficed with what sufficed them". (1)

And if a student of knowledge who Allah granted success to understanding this subject matter saw others from the Salafis have this subject become confusing for them, and weren't able to pinpoint the position of the Salaf in it, then what's obligatory upon them is to be patient upon their brother, and for them to research this subject for them, with a knowledge-based research, intending with this clarifying the truth for their brother and wanting good for them, for indeed "The religion is sincere advise" (2), and at this -with the permission of Allah- harmony and unity will be obtained, the most high said:

(وَلَا تَكُونُوا۟ كَٱلَّذِينَ تَفَرَّقُوا۟ وَٱخْتَلَفُوا۟ مِنۢ بَعْدِ مَا جَآءَهُمُ ٱلْبَيِّنَٰتُۚ وَأُو۟لَٰٓئِكَ لَهُمْ عَذَابٌ عَظِيمٌ)
"And do not be like the ones who became divided and differed after the clear proofs had come to them. And those will have a great punishment".
[Aal-e-Imran:105]


▪️▪️◾️▪️▪️



____
1) Reported by Al-Aajuri in "Ash-Sharee'ah", and Abu Nu'aym in "Al-Hilyah", and by others.
2) Reported by Muslim in "His Sahih" on the authority of Tameem bin Auws Ad-Daari, may Allah be pleased with him.




[Page 21]

▪️The second matter:
A clarification of the meaning of the exception the people of knowledge make for those that are brought up and living in far away remote regions, or those new to Islam, when they give them an excuse.

I say seeking aid with Allah:

All that are unbiased, won't disagree that this subject matter in this time of ours as it comes in the manner presented in the question: doesn't go past it being an supposition, and whilst this is the case you find those that build the subject matter of the excuse of those ignorant of Tawheed upon this, and this is a horrendous mistake, because the basis of the presence of a person -in this time- of the following condition: (ascribing to Islam - whilst being in a far away remote country or a non Muslim land or newly entered Islam - ignorant of Tawheed without being negligent in searching, or turning away).

This is an affair which is only present in the mind, imaginary, it hasn't got any presence in reality, as many of the people of knowledge and justness acknowledge.

The Allaamah Zaid bin Haadi Al-Madkhali, may Allah have mercy upon him, said whilst speaking about this scenario: "This is impossible for the case to be like this in this era, except if it was in a place we don't know of, due to abundance of means of distribution of the noble Qur'an and the pure Sunnah, and the understanding of the Qur'an and Sunnah and the sermons of the people of knowledge and the lessons of the people of knowledge is reaching the world's corners in the East and the west, whoever remains upon their ignorance using being illiterate as a proof has oppressed themselves, and there is no excuse for them". End of speech.

And in the Fataawa of the standing committee <Fataawa Al-Lajnah Ad-Daaimah Majmuu'atul Uwlaa> (2/150) with Imam Ibn Baaz as president and the Allaamah Abdurrazaaq Afeefi, as vice president, may Allah have mercy upon them both: "As for those who live in a non Islamic land, and didn't hear from the Prophet ﷺ nor from the Qur'an and Islam, then this is upon the assumption of their presence, their ruling is the ruling of the people of Al-Fatrah, it's a must upon the scholars of the Muslims to convey to them the legislation of Islam; its foundations and it's subsidiary branches, establishing the evidence upon them and as a warning to them, and on the day of Judgement they are dealt with in the manner of those that weren't culpable in the worldly life due to insanity or mentally impaired or being young in age and not being culpable". End of speech.

As the reality out in real life, outside the minds, and the true state of affairs in our times is:

The presence of ignorant people who are negligent in searching for the truth and learning, whilst being able to do this, or stubbornly persisting having been informed but not giving care, and having seen those that oppose them from the people of Tawheed, and they then were pleased with their blindfollowing of their leaders and their fathers and being fanatical to them.

And more clarification will come on this with the permission of Allah.

If we surrendered to the presence of a specific case and a rare situation, then it isn't permissible to be made a principle that we embark upon, basing upon it the understanding of the subject matter of the ignorant of Tawheed, as building the subjects of knowledge is not done upon exceptions, whereby ruling a ˹Juz-i˺ partial-subsidiary exception over what's ˹Kul-li˺ wholesome and affirmed, and preceding it in consideration.


[Page 22]

Establishing principles is only with what is the predominant basis therein, as for building principles upon exceptions, then this isn't establishing the subject matter all, we only mention the exceptions -if they're found- after establishing the subject matter of the topic and building upon what's the basis therein.

And this path is contradictory to what's the aim of the legislation and the understanding of the Salaf, and from what is implemented is that (the ˹Juz-i˺ which falls away behind the affairs which are ˹Kul-li˺, don't make a ˹Kul-li˺ affair which conflicts with this established ˹Kul-li˺ affair), and (the rare scenarios which are exceptions are withheld and no analogies are made upon it), and (if the rare had a ruling ruled upon it, other than it is not aligned to it, and taking it in consideration falls away and its presence becomes like the lack thereof).

▪️After this if we assumed that in some far away remote areas in the Islamic lands or elsewhere, or in the distant jungles and the likes of this, people that ascribed to Islam -or didn't ascribe to Islam- and the Da'wah of Tawheed didn't reach to them, and nobody came to notify them, if they were to die upon that clear Shirk, and they weren't negligent in learning, and they weren't able to reach the truth, whilst wanting guidance and being influenced by it, and loving it, and unable to obtain it and request it, due to the lack of there being anyone to guide them to it, then this description is the best description that can be for the people of Al-Fatrah, those who the evidences have come clarifying their ruling in the worldly life and in the hereafter, as preceded in the establishment of the Standing Committee.

And the Imams have clarified that the people of Al-Fatrah are not specific to a certain time zone only, the Allaamah Aba Butayn, may Allah have mercy upon him, said: "The title Al-Fatrah isn't specific to a nation with the exclusion of others, as stated by Imam Ahmad in his Khutbah "The refutation upon the heretics and the Jahmiyyah": "All praise is to Allah who has made in every period of time a ˹Fatrah˺ of Messengers: remnants from the people of knowledge". And this wording has been reported from Umar may Allah be pleased with him". End of speech.

So every time period or a place which has a people who the Da'wah of Tawheed didn't reach without them being negligent or turning away, be them those that ascribe to Islam or those that don't, then they enter into the ruling of the people of Al-Fatrah.

▪️And the people of knowledge have unanimously agreed upon that the ruling of the people of Al-Fatrah in the worldly life is that of their outward appearance, and they are not given the title of Islam.
[So one labels it what the legislation labelled Kufr or Shirk or Fisq, with its legislated title, and it's not negated from its perpetrator even if the one that commited it isn't punished for it and even if the evidences of the Message hasn't been established upon them, because the lack of establishing of the evidences doesn't change the legislative titles]. As clarified by the Allaamah Abdullah Aba Butayn, may Allah have mercy upon him, in <Ma'na Al-'Ibaadah> as found in <Majmuu'atut-Tawheed> (p.171).

[Page 23]

The Allaamah Ishaaq bin Abdirrahman bin Hassan, may Allah have mercy upon them all, said in <Takfeer Al-Mu'ayyan> (p.8-9): "The scholars agreed upon that the people of Al-Fataraat which worshiped other than Allah are Mushriks and not Muslims, and forgiveness is not sought for them". (1) End of speech.

I said:
They are excused in the worldly life due to their ignorance, the type of excuse where their blood and wealth is not permitted by the person in authority in the worldly, whilst ruling apparent disbelief upon them whereby that they are Mushriks due to what their outward situation points towards of Shirk and the worship of other than Allah. And if they die upon this condition they are not sought forgiveness for, nor prayed over, nor inherited from, their affair is to Allah on the day of Judgement, they are tested on the plains of the day of Judgement, then they will either go to Jannah or the fire, out of His fairness exalted is He, and the evidences for this will come with the permission of Allah.

▪️From those that relayed an consensus in giving them the title of the apparent Shirk and Kufr, whilst they are ignorant is:

Imam, Ibn-Ul-Qayyim, may Allah have mercy upon him, said in <Taareekul-Hijratayn> (2/896-898):

"The category of the blind-follower and the ignorant of the disbelievers, and their followers, and their donkeys, who are in a state of following to them, and say: "Indeed we found our fathers upon a religion and we are taking them as examples", with this being the case they leave the people of Islam alone, and are not in a state of battling them, like the wives of those that are fighting, and their servants and their followers ... And the Ummah has unanimously agreed upon that this category are disbelievers even if they were ignorant and blind-followers to their leaders". End of speech.

➖ And the Allaamah Abdullateef bin Abdirrahman bin Hassan, may Allah have mercy upon them all, in <Manhaaj At-Ta'sees> (p.99) has clarified the correct understanding of the speech of Ibn-Ul-Qayyim and that it includes the ignorant grave worshippers who ascribe to Islam, and his entire speech which come page 27.

➖And this was also clarified by the second Mujadid, after his grandfather, the Imam Abdurrahman bin Hassan, may Allah have mercy upon him, who said: "and also the Allaamah Ibn-Ul-Qayyim may Allah have mercy upon him said regarding the categories of the people, from this Ummah and other than it, the seventeenth category...". End of speech from <Ad-Durar As-Sanniyyah> (11/479).

▪️As for the ruling of the people of Al-Fatrah in the hereafter - and those of their ruling like the insane, and the senile, and other than them -: with the fact what has preceded of the relaying of a consensus for the ruling you them being Mushriks and disbelievers outwardly, the people of knowledge have differed in their ruling in the hereafter (2), and the most correct of statements - and it is what is relayed from the majority of the Salaf - that they will be tested in the day of Judgement, who responds correctly will enter Jannah, and whoever doesn't will enter into the Fire, as a number of evidence suggests, from it is: ⤵️



___
1) Then he, may Allah have mercy upon him, said: "The people of knowledge only differed on their punishment in the hereafter". End of speech.
2) The indication to this differing has preceded in the speech of the Allaamah Ishaaq bin Abdirrahman, may Allah have mercy upon him, whereby he relayed the consensus of the scholars on the lack of calling the ignorant of Tawheed a Muslim, and to deal with them in the manner a Mushrik and disbeliever is dealt with, in what relates the lack of eating what they slaughtered, and praying over them, and the likes of what has preceded. Differing only took place from some of the people of knowledge regarding them being punished in the hereafter, and this position is rejected by the evidences which cut away the differing, of which what it contains is the Madhab of the Salaf - as relayed by Ibn Taymiyyah and Ibn-Ul-Qayyim, and others - that the people of Al-Fatrah are not to be declared with certainty to being punished in the fire, and that their affair is to Allah, he will test them in the day of Judgement, and it is what the foundations of the legislation and its principles bear witness to.
And whoever opposed in this from the people of knowledge, then they are presented with these evidences and other than this, alongside clarification that where they took this position from is based upon the legislative texts, contrary to where the Mu'tazilah took their position from, this being the subject matter of the rhetoric˹Tahseen˺ and ˹Taqbeeh˺ and is purely rhetoric, as speech on this will come in another sitting - with the permission of Allah.





[Page 24]