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uponthedeen:

By Shaykh Muhammed ibn Abd al Wahhab

Shaykh Muhammad ibn ‘Abd al-Wahhaab said, describing himself, was: “I tell you that– praise be to Allah – my belief and my religion, according to which I worship Allah, is the way of Ahl al-Sunnah wa’l-Jamaa’ah, which was the way of the imams of the Muslims, such as the four Imams and their followers until the Day of Resurrection. But I explain to people that they must devote their worship sincerely to Allah (ikhlas). I forbid them to call upon the Prophets and the dead among the righteous and others, and from associating them with Allah in any act of worship that should be done for Allah alone, such as offering sacrifices, making vows, putting one’s trust, prostrating and other actions which are due to Allah and in which no one should be associated with Him, not any angel who is close to Him or any Prophet who was sent. This is the Message which was proclaimed by all the Messengers, from the first of them to the last of them, and this is the way of Ahl al-Sunnah wa’l-Jamaa’ah. I hold a high position in my village and people listen to me. Some of the leaders denounced that because it goes against the customs they grew up with. I also obliged those who are under me to perform regular prayer, pay zakaah and fulfil other Islamic duties, and I forbade them to deal with ribaa, drink intoxicants and other kinds of forbidden things. The leaders could not criticize that or find fault with it, because it is something that is liked by the common folk, so they directed their criticism and enmity against that which I enjoin of Tawheed and that which I forbid of shirk, and they confused the common folk by saying that this goes against what everyone is doing, and they caused a great deal of fitnah…”

(al-Durar al-Sanniyyah, 1/64-65, 79-80)

(Source: path-to-the-salaf)

usool:

By Sheikh Saalih Ibn Fawzaan & Imaam al-Albaani & Shaykh Taraheeb ad-Dosri

Question:

Is there a difference between the Aqeedah and the Manhaj?

Answer:

The Manhaaj is more general [and or broader] than the Aqeedah;

• The Manhaaj is in the Aqeedah [beliefs] and in the Sulook [mannerism] and in the Akhlaaq [morals] and in the Mu’a3malaat [mutual relations and business transactions] in the life of every Muslim and in every field in which the Muslim traverses is called the Manhaj.
• As for Aqeedah, then what is intended by it, is the foundation of Imaan [what the Muslim believes] and the meaning of the Shahadatain [Testification] and that which it comprises of and this is what is meant by Aqeedah.

Ajweebatul Mufeedah Anil As’ilati Al-Manaahij Al-Jadeedah [pg.75]

Sheikh Saalih Ibn Fawzaan Ibn Abdillaah Al-Fawzaan (Hafidhahullaah)

Distinguishing Between Aqeedah and Manhaj

Imaam al-Albaani was asked,

“Some of the youth differentiate between the aqidah of the Salaf and the manhaj of the Salaf so you see some of them upon the aqidah of the Salaf yet they allow themselves to work with some of the methodologies that exist today, even though there maybe what opposes the manhaj of the Salaf within them in terms of practice. So is there a binding link between the aqidah and manhaj of the Salaf in the practical implementation of the Salafi manhaj?”

The Shaikh replied in powerful and revealing words:

That which I believe and worship Allaah with is that there are both generalities (in similarity) and specific (aspects) between the Salafi manhaj and aqidah. Aqidah is more specific than manhaj as all of you know. Aqidah has a link with what is called ‎ in the view of many of the Jurists ‎ the “knowledge of tawhid”, and this is the chief and fundamental aspect of Islaam. However, manhaj is more vast than aqidah or tawhid.

As for those who claim that the differentiation that has come in this question (between aqidah and manhaj), then they desire by this to make it permissible for themselves to adopt ways and means in their daw‎ah to Islaam which the Salaf us-Salih were not upon. To say this in a different way, they consider that they have the liberty to adopt whatever ways and means they think will help them to convey (and actualise) Islaam, and you are aware of the examples of this type or these types of means.

For example, open demonstrations and rallies in order to force the rulers to turn their attention to what the society complains about and similar matters. So we say that what has come in the Book and the Sunnah and what the Salaf us-Salih were upon with respect to objectives, goals and ways and means are sufficient for the Ummah. However, the reason which leads some of the people to permit themselves to adopt these ways and means, in fact it is correct for me to say that they permit themselves to blindly-follow the disbelievers in the ways that they have adopted in order to actualise what they call either democracy or social justice and other such words which have no reality to them. So they I mean these Muslims ‎permit themselves to blindly follow the disbelievers in these ways and means.

We say, our Lord, the Mighty and Majestic has made removed us from having any need, by our Shari‎ah, of this separation which has been explained (i.e. between aqidah and manhaj) and that we should be needy of the disbelievers and that we should take from their ways and means, which might be good for them, (but) only because they have no Shari‎ah by which they guide themselves. It is for this reason that we say that manhaj is more vast than aqidah and tawhid, hence it is necessary to adhere to what the Salaf us-Salih were upon with respect to both these affairs; the one that is vast (manhaj) first and foremost and the one that is more narrow (tawhid), meaning aqidah.‎ (Al-Asaalah Magazine, Vol 22).

Shaykh Taraheeb ad-Dosri hafidhahullah was asked,

“How should we respond to one who says, “As long as our Aqeedah is the same(muslims), we should unite and work together without being on the same Manhaj.”

The Shaykh said that this is an incorrect matter.

The Aqeedah and the Manhaj are one thing. He whose Manhaj is correct then his Aqeedah is correct. He said for example; There is the position of the people of Sunnah regarding how they affirm the names and qualities of Allaah. There is also the issue that they do not declare someone to be a disbeliever by a sin they commit. So these are issues that are both Aqeedah and Manhaj. They both have a connection. So it doesn‎t go for one to say that his Aqeedah is sound and that it is according to the Qur’an and Sunnah. For instance, in his methodology he says that he is a Sufee and worshipping Allah with that which Allaah does not legislate. If he is Sunni then he can not be Sufee. If he is Sufee he can not be Sunni.

(Source: ibntaymiyyah)

hakuna-mataataa:

This is a summarization of the principles of Ahl us-Sunnah, the Righteous Salaf, the Ahl ul-Hadeeth wal-Athar, regarding belief in the Attributes reported in the revealed texts. 

1. Affirmation of everything that Allaah affirmed for Himself in His Book, or which His Messenger, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallaam, affirmed for Him without distorting (tahreef), without denial (ta’teel), and without saying how they are (takyeef) and without making any resemblance with the creation (tamtheel). Since Allaah knows better about Himself than anyone else, and His Messenger, (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallaam), knows better than rest of creation about his Lord.
2. To deny for Allaah everything which He has denied for Himself in His Book, or which His Messenger denied for Him, whilst believing its fully perfect opposite is confirmed for Allaah, the Most High. Since Allaah knows better about Himself than His creation, and His Messenger out of all the people is the one who knows best about His Lord, so denying death for Him includes affirmation of His perfect Life, and denying oppression for Him includes affirmation of His perfect Justice, and denying sleep for Him includes affirmation of His perfect charge and control over everything.
3. The attributes of Allaah, the Might and Magnificent, are only to be spoken of in accordance with a text (tawqeefiyyah). So nothing is affirmed for Him except that which Allaah affirmed for Himself (or which) was affirmed for Him by His Messenger, and nothing is denied for Allaah, the Mighty and Magnificent, except that which He denied for Himself, was was denied for Him by His Messenger, (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallaam).
4. To halt with regard to vague terms which are not found to be affirmed or denied textually, in wording or meaning, so further explanation is sought. Then if something false is meant by it, then we declare Allaah free of that and reject it, and if something that is true and something that is not to be denied for Allaah, then it is accepted and the correct terminology as found in the text is to be made clear. And one should call for its usage in place of this vague and newly-introduced wording. An example of this is the term ‘direction.’ We halt, neither affirming or denying it, and we ask the one who says it, ‘What do you mean by direction?’ So if he says, ‘I mean a place which contains Him.’ Then we say, ‘This is something false and Allaah is to be declared free from this, and we reject it.’ But if he says, ‘That He is unrestrictedly above.’ Then we say, ‘This is true it is not to be denied for Allaah,’ and we accept the meaning from him, and we say, ‘However, it is more fitting that you say, ‘He is above the heavens,’ or ‘He is above,’ as occurs in the authentic texts.’ But as for the term ‘direction’ then it is vague and a novelty, so it is better to leave it.
5. Every attribute which is established by an authentic report definitely agrees with sound intellect.
6. To cut off any hope of reaching the reality of ‘how.’ As He, the Most High, says: “And they will never compass anything of His knowledge.” (Taa haa 20:110.) 
7. The attributes of Allaah, the Mighty and Majestic, are affirmed in detail (specifically), whereas denial is done generally. So detailed and specific affirmation is, for example, affirming Hearing and Seeing, and the rest of the attributes. As for generalised denial, then like denial of any likeness as in His saying: “There is nothing like unto Him.” (Shooraa 42:11)

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salaf:

‘They [the Salafis] do not have any secret organization, a president or leader, or an individual that is absolutely followed other than the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam. They refer to the Scholars who adhere to the Book (the Qur’an) and the Sunnah upon the understanding of the pious predecessors (as-Salaf al-Salih).

1. They have no secret society.
2. They have no pledge of allegiance.
3. They have no hidden meetings.
4. They have no undercover hierarchy or anything similar.
5. They do not hide anything from the Muslim leaders or from the general Muslim community.
6. They do not have any secret chains of command, cells or wings.

Rather, they align themselves with the Muslim leaders and the general community of the Muslims as has been prescribed in the legislation of Allah, offering sincere advice inwardly and outwardly.’

[Taken from the book ‘The Salafi Methodology, its definition, distinct characteristics and call towards rectification of Shaykh Muhammad ibn ‘Umar Bazmool] 

By Shaikh Ahmad bin Yahyaa An-Najmee (rahimahullaah)

1. We worship Allaah by way of Tawheed. So we do not supplicate to anyone besides Allaah nor do we seek refuge in anyone besides Him in matters of bringing about good or repelling some harm. We perform worship by having hatred and enmity for the polytheists. However, we are obligated to call them to Tawheed first and clarify to them that there is no Islaam without Tawheed and that whoever calls unto other than Allaah has committed disbelief. So whoever persists after that, then at that point we are obligated to distance ourselves from him and hate him for the sake of Allaah.

2. The Creed of the Salaf is established upon the principle that “Allaah is described with what He has described himself with in His Book and upon the tongue of His Messenger (sallAllaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam), without resorting to tahreef, tamtheel, tashbeeh, ta’teel or ta’weel.” [1]

3. We affirm for Allaah the best of Names, which He has affirmed for Himself and which He has praised Himself with, whether they are mentioned in the Qur’aan or the Sunnah.

4. We believe that there is no path towards achieving Allaah’s contentment, or a way towards Paradise, except through the Way of Allaah’s Messenger (sallAllaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam). And whoever seeks a way towards gaining Allaah’s contentment through other than the Way of Allaah’s Messenger, then he has gone astray and been blinded from the truth. And he has lost in this world and the next.

5. We believe that the Legislation of Allaah is what has been brought down through the two revelations: The Book of Allaah and the Sunnah of His Messenger (sallAllaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam). This is what our Lord has indicated in his saying: “Then we placed you on a Sharee’ah (Legislated System) based on Our Command, so follow it, and do not follow the desires of those who have no knowledge.” (Surah Al-Jaathiyah: 18)

6. We believe that the Qur’aan is the Speech of Allaah, which was revealed and not created, and that the Sunnah is what explains and clarifies it. The Qur’aan is interpreted by the Sunnah and by the interpretations of the Sahaabah (Companions) and those who followed them in goodness. So the interpretation of the Qur’aan is by way of the narration, meaning by way of the Sahaabah, the Taabi’een and the Ahaadeeth concerning it. And the books that contain these interpretations are the ones we are obligated to acquire and read, such as the Tafseer of Ibn Jareer, the Tafseer of Ibn Katheer, the Tafseer of Al-Baghawee, the Tafseer “Ad-Durr Al-Manthoor” of As-Suyootee and so on.

7. We are obligated to take the Sunnah according to the way of the Muhadditheen – in terms of their authenticity or weakness. So we take what is found to be authentic and leave off what is weak.

8. We worship Allaah by obeying the rulers, as long as they are Muslims who seek judgement through Allaah’s Legislation and who establish the prescribed punishments, and as long as they establish the prayer. Obeying them is an obligation even if they commit oppression. And whoever says something contrary to this and makes it permissible to revolt against the Muslim leader, even if he may be oppressive, then he is an innovator and a deviant. And it is obligatory on the Muslim scholars to refute this statement of his and to expose his deviance.

9. We hold that it is not permissible to spread the faults of the leaders, because doing this influences and brings about trials and afflictions (fitan), and causes them to spread.

10. We are obligated to worship Allaah through the Sunnah, by following it and by loathing innovations and the innovators. This is based on the Prophet’s saying: “Whoever does a deed, which is not in accordance to our affair (i.e. the Sunnah) is rejected.” And in another narration: “Whoever introduces into our affair (Sunnah) that which isn’t part of it is rejected.”

This is a summary and some brief words on the Creed of the Salaf, which we are obligated to accept and follow if we truly want salvation and the truth. And we must renounce those opinions of men, which cannot be traced back to any source of evidence, since men are known by way of the truth and the truth is not known by way of men. Lastly, we must beg and implore Allaah to show us the truth as true and enable us to follow it, and to show us the falsehood as false and enable us to avoid it. Indeed Allaah is Responsible for that and Able to make it happen. And may the peace and blessings of Allaah be on Muhammad – the best, most dutiful, most pious and purest of creation – and on his family and his Companions.

Footnotes:

[1] Translator’s Note: These are forbidden acts committed against Allaah’s Names and Attributes. Tahreef means to change or distort the wording of Allaah’s name or attribute. Tamtheel and tashbeeh means to give a like resemblance to a name or an attribute. Ta’teel means total denial of a name or an attribute. Ta’weel means to misinterpret a name or an attribute, thus changing it’s meaning.

[Source: Al-Fataawaa al-Jaliyyah ‘anil-Manaahij Ad-Da’wiyyah (pg. 56-57) compiled by Hasan Ibn Mahmood Ibn Mansoor ad-Daghreeri. Produced by: Al-Ibaanah.com]

(Source: mountainofknowledge.wordpress.com)

By Shaykh Muhaddith Rabee’ ibn Haadee al-Madkhalee (hafidhahullaah)

The Light of the Sunnah & Tawheed is With the People of Hadeeth and the Darkness of Bida’ and Following Desires Reigns Over Other Than the People of Hadeeth

Indeed the place which is enlightened by the Book and the Sunnah in the Islaamic world is the place of the People of Hadeeth, as Salafiyoon.

Indeed the place which is darkened in the Islaamic world is the place of the People of Bida’ and misguidance, those who oppose the people of Hadeeth and wage war against them.

Indeed the present day political groups – who have among them Ikhwaan Muslimoon and their likes – and the deviant sects – who have among them Jamaat Tabligh – want this darkness to remain in dominance over the Islaamic world and to cover it, they do not even move against it.  They have no intention of eliminating it and they have no Manhaj (methodology) to direct them to its removal or to establish Tawheed and the light of the Book and the Sunnah, taking its place.

So they guard this darkness - especially the darkness of the Rafidah and Soofeeyah - with the justification that they are combating the enemies of Islaam, although they definitely do not do this.  Their justification is that they say, ‘We cooperate in what we agree upon and overlook what we differ upon,’ which they justify further with their claim that they gather the Muslims together along with the Rawafidah and the extreme Soofees in order to confront the enemies of Islaam.

Then, they wage war against the people of Hadeeth, placing different obstacles and hindrances in front of them which then prevent the people from being enlightened by that which the People of Hadeeth have of the light of Tawheed and the light of the Book, the Sunnah and the Manhaj of the Salaf as Saalih.

How long will the defence of this darkness subjected upon the Ummah continue?

When will the Muslims see this light?

Ibn Qayyim (rahimullaah) said, quoting As Samaanee (rahimullaah):

“Every sect from the people of Bida’ claims that they adhere to the Sharia’ of Islaam and that the truth the Messenger of Allaah (sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam) established is what they believe in and profess.  However, Allah has denied them that as the truth and correct ‘Aqeedah will only be with the People of Hadeeth and Athaar because they successively took their Deen and beliefs with from those who preceded them, generation by generation, until they reached the Tabi’een.”

The Tabi’een took it from the Companions of the Prophet (sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam) and the Companions took it from the Messenger of Allaah (sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam).

There is no way of knowing what the Messenger of Allaah (sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam) called the people to, of the straight path, except by way of what the People of Hadeeth followed.

What shows that the People of Hadeeth are upon the truth is that if you were to research all the books authored by them, from the first to the last, the oldest to the newest, you would find - despite the fact that they are from different countries and time periods with vast distances between their lands, each of them living in their own regions - that in the matter of belief they are on one path, they flow in one direction following that path and they do not diverge from it, nor do they deviate from it. Their hearts are one heart; you do not see any differing in what they narrated nor any divisions or differing in any issue, no matter how small it may be.

Rather, if everything they uttered with their tongues and what they narrated from the Salaf were gathered you would find it as though it had come from one heart and spoken by one tongue.  So is there any evidence clearer than this to show the truth?

Allaah Ta’ala said:

“Do they not then consider the Qur’aan carefully?  Had it been from other than Allaah, they would surely have found therein much contradiction.”

(Surah Nisa, 4:82)

Allaah Ta’ala said:

“And hold fast, all of you together, to the Rope of Allaah (i.e. this Qur’aan), and be not divided among yourselves, and remember Allaah’s Favour on you, for you were enemies one to another but He joined your hearts together, so that, by His Grace, you became brethren (in Islaamic Faith)”

(Surah Aali-Imraan. 3:103)

The reason that the people of Hadeeth are united is because they take their Deen and method of narration from the Book and the Sunnah and so, they inherit unity and harmony.

The people of Bida’ took the Deen from their intellects so they inherited separation and differences.

Indeed conveying and narrating from trustworthy, precise narrators ensures that differences are rare and if there were a difference it would be in a single word or the wording of a narration. This differing does not harm the Deen, not does it belittle it. As for following intellects and desires, ideas and opinions, they rarely bring unity.

We have seen that the Companions of Hadeeth, past and present, are those who travelled for these Aathaar. They sought them and took from their sources, they memorized them and became delighted by them, they called to following these narrations and they rebuked those who opposed them. They had numerous narrations between them such that they became famous due to them, just as a craftsman becomes famous because of his skill and what he produces. 

Then we saw a people who became disconnected from their memorization and knowledge and deviated from following the well-known, authentic narrations. They absolved themselves from the companionship of its people and attacked the narrations and their people.  These people abandoned the rights due to this knowledge, they ascribed evil examples to it and to the people of hadeeth, giving them the vilest of descriptions.  So, they called them Nawasib (haters of the family of the Prophet), Mushabiha (those who compare Allaah to the creation), Hashaweeyah (those who busy themselves with things of no benefit) or Mujjassama (those who ascribe a physical body to Allaah).  So we came to know, from the correct proofs and supporting evidences, that the people of hadeeth have more right to it (i.e. the knowledge of hadeeth/narrations) than the rest of the sects.’ [Mukhtasir as-Sawaaiq pg 423-429]

The new opponents of the People of Hadeeth continually repeat the attacks that the communist, laymen and Baaith party (a political party with strong socialist tendencies) use against their opponents from amongst the Muslims and other than them, attacking with such statements as, ‘they are spies,’ ‘working for America,’ ‘ scholars of the royal courts’ or ‘scholars who want meals.’

We ask Allaah for guidance that everyone returns to the truth, turning away from falsehood and departing from the darkness of Bida’.

[Written by Rabee bin Haadee Umayr al-Madkhalee 19/5/1421 AH, Translated by Abbas Abu Yahya]