Sharh-ul-Usool ath-Thalaathah : Lesson 44 (Part B)
Shaykh Saalih al-Fawzan | Dawud Burbank [Audio|English]
[Souncloud Audio Link]
Settling in al-Madeenah and the Coming Down of the Rest of the Religious Duties and the Completion of the Religion
Imaam Muhammad ibn ‘Abdul-Wahhaab (rahimahullaah) said:
فلما استقر بالمدينة أمر ببقية شرائع الإسلام ، مثل الزكاة والصوم والحج والجهاد ، والأذان ، والأمر بالمعروف والنهي عن المنكر ، وغير ذلك من شرائع الإسلام ، أخذ على هذا عشر سنين ، وبعدها توفي صلوات الله وسلامه عليه ، ودينه باق وهذا دينه ، لا خير إلا دل الأمة عليه ، ولا شر إلا حذرها منه ، والخير الذي دلها عليه التوحيد وجميع ما يحبه الله ويرضاه ، والشر الذي حذر منه الشرك وجميع ما يكرهه الله ويأباه ، بعثه الله إلى الناس كافة ، وافترض الله طاعته على جميع الثقلين الجن والإنس
When he sallallaahu`alaihi wa sallam settled in al-Madeenah, he was ordered with the rest of the prescribed duties of Islaam, such as the zakaat; fasting (Sawm); Hajj; Jihaad; the adhaan; commanding good and forbidding evil; and the rest of the prescribed duties of Islaam. He spent ten years establishing that, after which he passed away, may Allaah extol and send blessings of peace upon him. His religion remains and this is his religion. There is no good except that he directed his nation to it and there is no evil except that he warned them against it. The good that he guided them to is tawheed, and all that Allaah loves and is pleased with. The evil which he warned against was shirk and everything that Allaah hates and rejects. Allaah sent him as a prophet to the whole of mankind, and Allaah made it obligatory upon all of the jinn and mankind to obey him.
قُلْ يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ إِنِّي رَسُولُ اللَّهِ إِلَيْكُمْ جَمِيعًا
The proof is His saying, the Most High: «Say: O people! I am the Messenger of Allaah to you all.» [7:158] [67]
[67] Shaykh Saalih al-Fawzan’s Explanation :
This, as has already been explained, means that the sharee`ah came down in stages until it was completed – and all praise is for Allaah – before the death of the Prophet sallallaahu`alaihi wa sallam and before Allaah sent down to him:
الْيَوْمَ أَكْمَلْتُ لَكُمْ دِينَكُمْ وَأَتْمَمْتُ عَلَيْكُمْ نِعْمَتِي وَرَضِيتُ لَكُمُ الْإِسْلَامَ دِينًا
«This day, I have completed your religion for you, perfected My blessings upon you, and am pleased with Islaam as your Religion.» [5:3]
A short period after this aayah came down, the Prophet sallallaahu`alaihi wa sallam passed away; and his religion remains until the establishment of the Hour.
Imaam Muhammad ibn ‘Abdul-Wahhaab (rahimahullaah) said:
Allaah completed the religion through him and the proof is His saying, He the Most High:
الْيَوْمَ أَكْمَلْتُ لَكُمْ دِينَكُمْ وَأَتْمَمْتُ عَلَيْكُمْ نِعْمَتِي وَرَضِيتُ لَكُمُ الْإِسْلَامَ دِينًا
«This day, I have completed your religion for you, perfected My blessings upon you, and am pleased with Islaam as your Religion.» [5:3][68]
[68] Shaykh Saalih al-Fawzan’s Explanation :
He sallallaahu`alaihi wa sallam did not pass away until after Allaah had completed the religion and the favour through him and had sent down to him His saying, He the Most High:
الْيَوْمَ أَكْمَلْتُ لَكُمْ دِينَكُمْ وَأَتْمَمْتُ عَلَيْكُمْ نِعْمَتِي وَرَضِيتُ لَكُمُ الْإِسْلَامَ دِينًا
«This day, I have completed your religion for you, perfected My blessings upon you, and am pleased with Islaam as your Religion.» [5:3]
This aayah came down to the Prophet sallallaahu`alaihi wa sallam whilst he was performing the standing in `Arafah during the Farewell Hajj on the Day of Jumu`ah. And he sallallaahu`alaihi wa sallam lived after it for a short time and then moved on to the highest company (of angels).
And he left his nation upon al-mahajjah al-baydaa (the clear white path) whose night is the same as its day; no one deviates from it except that he is destroyed.
This aayah contains a testimony from Allaah, the Perfect and Most High, that this religion has been completed and that it covers everything of benefit to the servants and that it contains a solution for all of their issues and problems until the Establishment of the Hour. And that is suitable for every time and place; they do not need any other legislation after it or any other book to come down or any other messenger to be sent after the Messenger sallallaahu`alaihi wa sallam.
So, there is no matter to be found and there is no event that will occur until the Day of Resurrection except that in the Legislation revealed to Muhammad sallallaahu`alaihi wa sallam there is a solution for it and the ruling concerning it. However, the matter relates back to who is competent to extract evidence and to derive proof, rulings and issues. If there are to be found ahlul-`ilm (people of knowledge) and people qualified to make ijtihaad (personal deductions in rulings) who fulfill the conditions of ijtihaad, then indeed, this legislation is complete and contains a solution for all problems. Deficiency only comes about from us from the aspect of deficiency in (our) knowledge and inability to fully understand what Allaah, the Perfect and Most High, has sent down – or from the aspect of desires, that there occurs a case of following of desires which diverts a person away from the Truth. Otherwise this religion is fully suitable and comprehensive and complete. Allaah has sufficed the Islaamic nation with it until the establishment of the hour if it acts upon it (the religion) correctly and refers back to it in its affairs.
He, the Most High, said:
فَإِن تَنَازَعْتُمْ فِي شَيْءٍ فَرُدُّوهُ إِلَى اللَّهِ وَالرَّسُولِ
«So if you disagree about anything then refer it back to Allaah and the Messenger.» [4:59]
Referring back to Allaah is to refer back to the Book of Allaah, and referring back to the Messenger after his passing away is to refer back to his Sunnah.
He, the Most High, said:
وَمَا اخْتَلَفْتُمْ فِيهِ مِن شَيْءٍ فَحُكْمُهُ إِلَى اللَّهِ
« And whatever you disagree about then its judgment is to be referred to Allaah.» [42:10]
This aayah (from Soorah al-Maa.idah) contains a refutation of those who make accusations against the Islaamic Legislation of its having shortcomings or of its being deficient, (these accusations coming) from the atheists and the evil heretics, or from the “semi students” whose understanding falls short in being able to understand the hidden wisdoms of the Islaamic Legislation. Therefore, these (foolish people) ascribe deficiency to the Islaamic Legislation and they do not know that the deficiency is with themselves alone.
So it (this aayah) contains a refutation against those who accuse the Islaamic Legislation of deficiency and that it does not cover all needs of the servants and all matters of welfare of the servants until the Establishment of the Hour.
Or those who say: “It was specific to a certain olden times,” – because there are many ignorant people who, when it is said to them, “This is the Islaamic ruling,” they say, “That was in the time of the Messenger and the initial time. As for now, conditions have changed and the matters have altered; and the legislated rulings were for people who have now passed away and for problems that have come to an end.”
They say this, and this is disbelief in Allaah, the Mighty and Majestic, and it is a denial of His Saying, He the Most High:
الْيَوْمَ أَكْمَلْتُ لَكُمْ دِينَكُمْ
«This day, I have completed your religion for you.» [5:3]
Allaah completed the religion for this nation until the Hour is established for every time and place and for every generation of mankind.
It also contains a refutation of the innovators, those who introduce worship from themselves and ascribe it to the religion, when it has no proof from the Book of Allaah and the Sunnah of His Messenger sallallaahu`alaihi wa sallam. Rather they just introduce it in accordance with what they deem to be good or based upon blindly following others whom they have good thoughts about from the people of false ideas and people with their own goals and desires. So therefore, they introduce worship into the religion, which Allaah has sent down no proof for. He sallallaahu`alaihi wa sallam said:
» من أحدث في أمرنا هذا ما ليس منه فهو رد «
«Whoever introduces into this affair of ours that which is not from it, then it is rejected.»
[Reported by al-Bukhaaree no. 2697 and Muslim no. 1718 from a hadeeth of `Aa.ishah, radiyallaahu `anhaa.]
And he `alaihissalaatu wasallaam said:
» وإياكم ومحدثات الأمور فإن كل محدثة بدعة وكل بدعة ضلالة «
«And beware of newly introduced matters, for every newly introduced matter is an innovation, and every innovation is misguidance.»
[Reported by Aboo Daawood, Ahmad, at-Tirmithee, and Ibn Maajah from the famous hadeeth of `Irbaad ibn Saariyyah, radiyallaahu `anhu. (al-Albaanee declared it saheeh) ].
Whoever introduces acts of worship which have no proof from the Book of Allaah nor from the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allaah, then he is accusing this religion of not being complete and he wishes to complete the religion himself. He is not actually acknowledging the fact that Allaah has completed it.
Whatever was not religion in the time of the Prophet sallallaahu`alaihi wa sallam will never be religion after him. So this contains a refutation of these groups: The group who say that Islaam is not suitable for every time, or those who innovate newly invented innovations which have no proof from the Book of Allaah nor the Sunnah of His Messenger, and who ascribe them to the religion.
This aayah (from Soorah al-Maa.idah) contains a refutation of them because the religion was completed by Allaah, the Perfect and Most High. So there is no scope for addition in it nor for reduction from it. And there is no scope for raising doubts nor seeking to obscure the issue by saying that it is not suitable for the people in these later times.
الْيَوْمَ أَكْمَلْتُ لَكُمْ دِينَكُمْ
«This day, I have completed your religion for you.» [5:3]
This is the Speech of Allaah, the Perfect and Most High. He is the Most Truthful One of those who speak.
And He, the Most High, said:
وَأَتْمَمْتُ عَلَيْكُمْ نِعْمَتِي وَرَضِيتُ لَكُمُ الْإِسْلَامَ دِينًا
«And I perfected My blessings upon you, and am pleased with Islaam as your Religion.» [5:3]
This was the last of that which came down to the Prophet sallallaahu`alaihi wa sallam and it is a testimony from the Lord of the whole of the Creation for this religion that it is complete, comprehensive, and fully suitable for every time and place.
So His saying (in this aayah) is an address to this nation, from the first of it to the last of it, and it is not just an address to the first generation alone. Rather it is an address to the whole of the nation until the Hour is established.
As for ijmaa` (consensus), then the whole nation are agreed in consensus that he sallallaahu`alaihi wa sallam passed away. No one disagrees about this except the people of false beliefs, those who say that the Messenger did not die. They negate death from the Messenger sallallaahu`alaihi wa sallam. This is baseless speech and speech which is clearly rejected. It is refuted by what has been experienced and what is clearly the case, for the Messenger sallallaahu`alaihi wa sallam indeed passed away amongst his Companions. He was bathed, shrouded, had the funeral prayer prayed over him and he was buried. Can these actions be carried out on a person who is still alive? He sallallaahu`alaihi wa sallam was treated as one who had died. He was washed and shrouded and prayed over and then he sallallaahu`alaihi wa sallam was buried in his grave.
This is the way of Allaah, the Mighty and Majestic, with regards to His Creation. And then where are the Messengers who came before him? What occurred to him occurred to the Messengers who came before him. They died. And he is one of them, so he died. This is by consensus of the Ahlus-Sunnah wal-Jamaa`ah. No one disagrees about this except the people of false beliefs, those who seek to attach themselves to the Messenger sallallaahu`alaihi wa sallam and seek deliverance through him besides Allaah, and say: “He is still alive.”
Imaam Muhammad ibn ‘Abdul-Wahhaab (rahimahullaah) said:
The proof that he sallallaahu`alaihi wa sallam died is His saying, the Most High:
إِنَّكَ مَيِّتٌ وَإِنَّهُم مَّيِّتُونَ – ثُمَّ إِنَّكُمْ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ عِندَ رَبِّكُمْ تَخْتَصِمُونَ
«O (Muhammad sallallaahu`alaihi wa sallam)! You will certainly die and they will certainly die. Then on the Day of Resurrection you will all dispute before your Lord.» [39:30-31][69]
[69] Shaykh Saalih al-Fawzan’s Explanation :
The Prophet sallallaahu`alaihi wa sallam, when Allaah completed the religion through him and perfected His Favour through him, caused him to die, as is the way of Allaah, the Perfect and Most High, with His creation:
كُلُّ نَفْسٍ ذَائِقَةُ الْمَوْتِ
«Every soul shall taste death.» [3:185]
The Prophets and the Messengers enter within this generality:
كُلُّ نَفْسٍ ذَائِقَةُ الْمَوْتِ
«Every soul shall taste death.» [3:185]
The Prophet sallallaahu`alaihi wa sallam passed away and moved on from this world to his Lord, He the Mighty and Majestic. This is established by the text, by consensus, and by analogy.
As for the textual (proof), then it is His statement, He the Most High:
إِنَّكَ مَيِّتٌ وَإِنَّهُم مَّيِّتُونَ
«You will certainly die and they will certainly die.» [39:30]
This is information from Allaah to His Messenger sallallaahu`alaihi wa sallam that he will soon die.
Meaning: You are going to die.
So it is said to a person who is going to die: “This is a mayyit (person who is going to die).”
As for the person who has actually already died, then it is said about him: ‘mayt,’ with a sukoon (on the letter yaa in the middle of the word), because of His saying, He the Most High:
أَوَمَن كَانَ مَيْتًا فَأَحْيَيْنَاهُ
«Or one who was mayt (dead) and We gave life to him.» [6:122]
So the mayt is the one whose soul has left his body. As for al-mayyit, then he is the one who will die in future.
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Sharh-ul-Usool-ith-Thalaathah. Explanation of the Three Fundamental Principles of Imaam Muhammad ibn ‘Abdil-Wahhaab by Shaykh Saalih ibn Fowzaan al-Fowzaan hafizahullaah. Translated by Daawood Burbank, rahimahullaah
Posted with kind permission from Dawud Burbank rahimahullaah
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Listen to the Full Audio Series:
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