Text under study
Lum’atul I’tiqaad al-haadee ilaa sabeel irrashaad by Ibn Qudaamah al-Maqdisee, a short text about ‘aqeedah (creed and belief).
In this book, Imaam Ibn Qudaamah presents the Creed of the Salaf as is the custom of the scholars of Ahlus-Sunnah wal-Jamaa’ah in every century — to preserve the authentic Creed by way of writing it down in books and spreading it So this Creed became well known amongst the scholars and studied in the gatherings of knowledge. In fact the treatise continues to be studied and reviewed by students of knowledge throughout the world.
Introduction by Shaykh Saalih al-Fawzaan
The Defenders of the Creed and Belief
All praise is for Allaah, the Lord of the whole of creation. May Allaah extol and grant peace and security to our Prophet Muhammad (sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam), the Seal and final one of the Prophets, and upon his true followers, and his companions and the tabi`een upon good until the Day of Recompensing. To proceed:
Allaah, the One Free of all imperfections, has established for the creed and belief of the Muslims, trustworthy guardians from the scholars who are firmly founded in knowledge. So, when the enemies made attacks trying to corrupt the creed and belief of the Muslims, bringing misgivings and raising doubts from the disbelievers, the atheists, the hypocrites, and the companions of the deviant sects, those who deviated away from the methodology of the pious predecessors with regard to the Jahmiyyah, the Mu`tazilah, the Shee`ah, the Baatiniyyah and others; the Baatiniyyah, the Qadariyyah, the Khawaarij, the Murji`ah, the Soofiyyah, and the grave worshippers. Those scholars who are firmly founded in knowledge, who educate and train the people, stood to clarify the correct `aqeedah which is founded upon the Book and the Sunnah and that is what the salaf-us-saalih (pious predecessors) were upon from these affairs.
They stood to repel the doubts and deviations which those contentious enemies put forth. So through them, Allaah threw back their plots into their necks, and their arrows rebounded into their own chests and the correct `aqeedah remained fully protected and clear in its signposts by means of what those imaams have written from books and treatises, some of them abridged and some large in size, which the Muslims studied generation after generation. From those Imaams who were rabbaniyyoon (scholars upon wisdom and taught their students in a wise manner) was Shaykhul-Islaam Muwaffaqud-Deen Aboo Muhammad, `Abdullaah ibn Qudaamah al-Hanbalee, with what he wrote in his book: Lum`atul-I`tiqaad al-Haadee ilaa Sabeel ar-Rashaad.
I taught this book and those lessons were recorded on cassette tapes. One of the brothers, may Allaah bless him, transcribed those tapes and arranged them, then he showed the result to me, so I amended and corrected that and refined it. [So] from that came this book which I put forward for their reader despite its deficiency. However, it is a small effort, just as it has been said: “Giving something extra to your requirements is not generosity until you give generously when you only possess a small amount.”
I ask Allaah to cause it (with what it contains) to be a benefit and that He forgives me wherever I have fallen short or made a mistake.
May Allaah extol and send peace and security upon our Prophet Muhammad, his true followers and companions.
Written by:
Shaykh Saalih al-Fawzaan bin `Abdillaah al-Fawzaan 6/9/1424H
Q. What is the meaning of the word al lum’ah?
It is taken from the word al-lam’aan, which means something which radiates light and shines. So this book is al-lum’ah in that it is something that shines – in contrast to adh–dhulmah (darkness).
Q. Why is this book entitled lum’ah?
This name lum’ah is appropriate for this book on account of the distinction between it on one hand and the books of darkness on the other – those books which cause the people to have doubts in their creed and belief.
Q. What is al-i’tiqaad and how is it different from al-eemaan?
This is the verbal noun which is derived from the verb i’taqada and has the meaning of al yaqeen ul jaazim (absolute certainty) which is held as belief in the heart.
It carries the same meaning as al eemaan – there is no difference in meaning between the two terms.
For this reason, Jibreel ‘alaiyhissalaam said to the Prophet sall Allaahu ‘alaiyhi wa sallam ‘Tell me about al eemaan’.
And the Prophet sall Allaahu ‘alaiyhi wa sallam replied:
Al eemaan is that you truly believe in Allaah, and His angels, and His books, and His messengers, and the Day of Judgement, and you truly believe in al-qadr (the Divine Predecree), both the good of it and the evil of it.
And these are the fundamentals of al i’tiqaad and are called the pillars of al eemaan.
Q. What is ar-rashaad and why is it part of this book’s title?
Ar-Rashaad (correct guidance) is the opposite of al-ghayy (error) and ad-dalaal (misguidance).
So this i’tiqaad (that which is contained in this book) guides to the correct path which leads on to Allaah subhaanahu wa ta’aala – in contrast to the the creeds and beliefs of the people of misguidance which lead to destruction and straying.
Resources
Sufficiency in Creed (Lum’at-ul-‘Itiqaad) – Imaam Ibn Qudaamah
This is a translation of the classic treatise Lum’at-ul-‘Itiqaad (Sufficiency in Creed) of the great Imaam, Abu Muhammad Muwaffaq-ud-Deen Ibn Qudaamah AI-Maqdisee, may Allaah have mercy on him.
Lumatul Ittiqaad – Arabic Audio Text
Explanation of Lum’at-ul-I’tiqaad (Sufficiency in Creed) – Shaykh Fawzan | Dawood Burbank [Audio-En].Explanation by Sh Fawzaan hafizahullaah Translated by Abu Talhah rahimahullaah
Lumatul Ittiqaad – Questions & Answers– Checked by Dawood Burbank [PDF]
These are LUMATUL ITTIQAAD Questions and Answers designed to accompany these audio recordings. Written by Nasser ibn Najam, checked by Abu Talhah Dawood Burbank rahimahullaah, they contain 200 pages of detailed questions, as well as footnotes containing additional quotes from the scholars.
[Book Reco] The Explanation of the Sufficiency in Creed (Lum’at-ul-‘Itiqaad) : Shaikh Muhammad bin Saalih Al-‘Uthaimeen
In this book, we present the classical treatise on Creed of Imaam Ibn Qudaamah Al-Maqdisee, rahimahullaah, known as Lum’at-ul-‘Itiqaad, which is studied all over the Muslim world. Imaam Muhammad bin Saalih Al-‘Uthaimeen, rahimahullaah, has provided an in depth explanation for the points touched on by the author in a clear and simple manner. Furthermore, the narrations mentioned in the book have been verified and lengthy and extensive footnotes have been provided to make this book a valuable source of reference.
AbdurRahman.Org 