Basic Belief

THE MEANING OF THE CREEDAL STATEMENT It is required of every person who is sane, has reached puberty (as defined in Islam) and has heard the Creedal Statement of Islam to become Muslim immediately upon hearing the Creedal Statement of Islam. He is required to remain Muslim and not leave Islam. If he does not become Muslim before he dies, or if he leaves Islam (becomes a non-Muslim) he will suffer forever in Hell. It is further required that the Muslim does everything he is required to do by Allah  and stays away from the things Allah  forbid him to do. The Creedal Statement No one and nothing deserves to be worshipped except Allah, and Mu'hammad is His Prophet and Messenger. How to become Muslim To become Muslim, a non-Muslim says, "I firmly believe that no one and nothing deserves to be worshipped except Allah, and Mu'hammad is His Prophet and Messenger," with the intent in his heart to become Muslim and to leave anything that contradicts that belief. Those who are held responsible If someone is Mu'ka'lla'f, he will be held accountable for all his sayings, deeds and beliefs. Definition of Mu'ka'lla'f The one who is Mu'ka'lla'f is the one who has met these three conditions at one time: The one who is sane. The one who has reached puberty as defined in Islam. The one who has heard the Creedal Statement of Islam.   EXPLANATION OF THE FIRST PART OF THE CREEDAL STATEMENT The first part of the Creedal Statement is an affirmation of the belief in Allah . The first part of the Creedal Statement is, "No one and nothing deserves to be worshipped except Allah..." Attributes of Allah  every Muslim is required to know There are thirteen attributes of Allah  that every Muslim is required to know: Allah  Exists Allah  is One Allah  has no beginning Allah  has no end Allah  has the attribute of hearing Allah  has the attribute of hearing Allah  has the attribute of sight Allah  has the attribute of Ka'lam Allah  has the attribute of life Allah  has the attribute of knowledge Allah  has the attribute of will Allah  does not need anything Allah  has the attribute of power   Allah  Exists Allah  exists without a place. Allah  existed before He created place and Allah  still exists without a place. Allah  does not change. Allah  does not resemble any of His creations God does not resemble any of His creations. If Allah  resembled any of His creations, He would be susceptible to the same things the creations are susceptible to. This is a weakness that is unacceptable to the sound intellect. Allah  created everything, He does not resemble anything. Allah  does not die, man dies. Allah  is not light, light can be turned on and off. Allah  is not color, Allah  created color. Allah  is not spirit, spirit is found in man and animals. Whatever you can imagine in your mind, Allah  does not resemble it. Allah  is One Allah  is the sole Creator. No one and nothing creates except Allah . Allah  is indivisible. Allah  has no partner nor counterpart. Allah  does not have a wife nor a child. Allah  has no beginning Allah  has always existed and has no beginning to His existence. All of God's attributes have no beginning. Allah  is perfect.   Allah  has no end Allah  has no end to His existence. Allah  does not die. Just as Allah  has no beginning to His existence, He has no end. All of God's attributes have no end Allah  does not change Allah  has the attribute of hearing Allah  does not resemble any of His creations, Allah  hears. Allah  hears everything, no matter how soft or loud. God's hearing does not depend on sound waves. God's hearing is not like man's. Allah  does not have an ear. Allah  has the attribute of sight Allah  does not resemble any of His creations, Allah  sees everything. God's sight is not like ours. God's sight does not depend on the amount of light. Allah  does not have an organ. Organs are not attributed to Allah . You can never do anything which is not seen by Allah , because Allah  sees everything. Allah  has the attribute of Ka'lam Allah  does not resemble any of His creations, Allah  has the attribute of Ka'lam. Ka'lam might be translated as speech. God's Ka'lam is not like our ka'lam. God's Ka'lam is not a sound or a language. It does not depend on traveling through a medium such as air. It does not resemble our speech. It does not resonate in our ear. It has no beginning and no end. It does not start and stop.   Allah  has the attribute of life Allah  has the attribute of life, but God's life is not like ours. We are alive with body and spirit. Allah  does not have a body or spirit. Allah  does not resemble man. God's life does not have a beginning or an end. Allah  has the attribute of knowledge Allah  knows everything. Allah  knows what happened. Allah  knows what is happening. Allah  knows what will happen. God's knowledge is perfect. God's knowledge does not have a beginning or an end. Allah  has the attribute of will Allah  has the attribute of will. What Allah  wills, will be, what Allah  doesn't will, won't be. Something can only exist, if Allah  wills for it to exist. God's will does not have a beginning or an end. God's will does not change. Everything is predestined. Allah  does not need anything Allah  does not need anything. Allah  does not change. Allah  existed before He created us and His existence does not change. Allah  is not dependent on us. Allah  does not benefit, whether we are obedient or not. Allah  has the attribute of power Allah  has the power to do whatever He wills. God's power is related only to those things which are possible to the sound intellect, even those things which are not currently in existence. God has power over everything in this world (world here means all creations).   EXPLANATION OF THE SECOND PART OF THE CREEDAL STATEMENT Saying the second part of the Creedal Statement, "...and Mu'hammad is His (God's) Prophet and Messenger," is stating the affirmation of the belief in our beloved prophet Mu'hammad , who is God's last Prophet and Messenger. About the Prophet Mu'hammad Our beloved prophet Mu'hammad  was the son of ^bdu'llah, who was the son of ^bdu'l Mu'tali'b, who was the son of Hashi'm, who was the son of ^bdu' Ma'na'f. Allah  sent Mu'hammad  to all people and Ji'n. The belief in our beloved prophet Mu'hammad  and the message Allah  revealed to him is the basis of the second part of the Creedal Statement. This belief includes other information, like facts about his life. Such as our beloved prophet Mu'hammad  was from the tribe of Qu'ra'ysh, which was the most honorable Arab tribe. He was born in Mecca. He immigrated to Medina. He died in Medina and is buried there. It also includes believing that, as all the Prophets, our beloved prophet Mu'hammad  was honest and truthful in everything he related, both those things he told us about this life and the next, as well as what happened in the past. The following are among the things he related to us.   Torture and pleasure in the grave Our beloved prophet Mu'hammad  told us there is: 1) Torture in the grave for those who deserve to be tortured. 2) Pleasure in the grave for the Ta'qi (those who did all that they were required to do by God and stayed away from those things God forbid them to do), and those who were not Ta'qi, but were Shu'ha'da' (those who died fighting for Islam). Questioning by Angels in the grave Our beloved prophet Mu'hammad  told us there is: Questioning by Angels in the grave. Two Angels who are bluish-black in color will question the Muslims and the ku'ffar to whom our beloved prophet Mu'hammad  was sent. The Prophets, Ashshu'hada', and children (children defined in Islam are those who died before they reached puberty) will not be questioned. Resurrection (Al-ba'^th) Resurrection (Al-ba'^th) is the resurrection of all people, Ji'n and animals. They will be raised from their graves. Even if their bodies decayed, they will be raised and they will appear as they did when they were alive.   The gathering of people on the plain (Ha'shr) People will be gathered on the Day of Judgment. The Day of Judgment (Al-qi'yama'h) This begins with the resurrection of the dead and ends when all those who will be in Heaven for eternity are in Heaven, and all those who will be in Hell for eternity are in Hell. During this time all people will be judged according to what they did in this life. Some people will not suffer. Some people will suffer. In Hell, the non-Muslims and the Muslims Allah  did not forgive will suffer. There will be an end to the suffering of the Muslims. There will be no end to the suffering of the non-Muslims.  The scale There is a scale with pans and a fulcrum on which deeds are weighed. The non-Muslims have no good credit for their deeds because they did not believe in Allah . Hell We are required to believe in the existence of Hell and the torture in it. Non-Muslims will be in Hell forever.   Assi'rat Assi'rat, this is a bridge which connects the plain on which people are gathered to Heaven. Assi'rat extends over Hell. Al-ha'wd Al-ha'wd is a place from which Muslims drink before entering Heaven. Each Prophet has a Ha'wd. The followers of each particular Prophet will drink from that Prophet's Ha'wd. After drinking from a Ha'wd, the Muslim will never feel thirsty again. Sha'fa^a'h (Intercession) The Prophets, Angels, those who died fighting for Islam, and the scholars who taught Islam and applied what they learned to themselves will ask Allah  to forgive some other Muslims. Some of those Muslims who deserved to be tortured in Hell will be forgiven, and some of those who suffer in Hell will have a shorter period of torture. These Muslims are saved from torture due to the good Muslims mentioned above asking Allah  to forgive them (those Muslims who deserved to be tortured). This is called Sha'fa^a'h (intercession). Heaven We are required to believe in the existence of Heaven and the pleasure the Muslim will have there. The pleasure is both of the body and the spirit. The greatest pleasure in Heaven will be to see Allah  without a place or shape. Muslims will be in Heaven forever. Angels We are required to believe in the Angels. Angels are beings Allah  created to worship Him. Allah  created Angels from light. They are completely obedient to Allah . They are neither male nor female. They do not eat, sleep nor drink.   Some of what the Prophet Mu'hammad  related We are required to believe in the following: We are required to believe in God's Messengers. We are required to believe in the books Allah  sent to His Messengers. We are required to believe that Mu'hammad  was the last Prophet and Messenger and the best creation. We are required to believe that all things both good and bad happen according to God's will. These are among the things our beloved prophet Mu'hammad  related to us: Our beloved prophet Mu'hammad  , the best and last Prophet Our beloved prophet Mu'hammad  is the best and last Prophet. There are many different proofs that Mu'hammad  is the best and last Prophet. These proofs are found in the Qur'an and Ha'dith. The best human beings are the Prophets (may Allah increase their honor), and the best Prophet is our beloved prophet Mu'hammad . Allah  gave our beloved prophet Mu'hammad  miracles, which were as great or greater than the miracles he gave to other Prophets.   Affirming the belief in all Prophets When we say the second part of the Creedal Statement we are affirming our belief in all of God's Prophets and their attributes. Attributes of the Prophets Allah  created the Prophets with certain attributes so that people would believe them when they taught Islam. The Prophets have no detractive attributes. They were always Muslim. They never committed ku'fr (something which causes a person to be non-Muslim), large sins or small sins which prove meanness, either before or after they received their revelation. The first Prophet was Adam and the last Prophet was our beloved prophet Mu'hammad . They all taught Islam. They all shared the following attributes: 1)Honesty: They were all honest. 2)Trustworthy: They were all trustworthy. 3)Intelligence: They were all intelligent. 4)Courage: They were all courageous. 5)Handsome and well-mannered: They were all good looking in appearance, and they were all well-mannered. 6)Did not commit large sins: They never committed ku'fr or what are classified as large sins, either before or after they received their revelation. Some of the Prophets committed small sins that contained no meanness. Those that committed small sins repented for them immediately.     Attributes that are impossible for Prophets to have It is impossible for the Prophets to have the opposite of the above mentioned attributes: 1) It is impossible for them to lie. 2) It is impossible for them to cheat. 3) It is impossible for them to be stupid. 4) It is impossible for them to be cowards. 5) It is impossible for them to be unattractive, they never had an illness which was disgusting. 6) It is impossible for them to be ill-mannered. 7) It is impossible for them to commit ku'fr, large sins or small sins which prove meanness. Miracles of the Prophets In addition to having the previously mentioned attributes, the Prophets also had miracles. Definition of a Miracle and Irhas: A miracle is an extraordinary event that happens in support of a Prophet's claim to Prophethood. It cannot be duplicated by his opponents. Irhas is an extraordinary event that happened in connection to a Prophet before he received his revelation. Difference between Prophets and Messengers All Messengers were Prophets, but not all Prophets were Messengers. A Prophet is a man who received the revelation to follow and teach Islam according to the rules of the Messenger who came before him. A Messenger is a man who not only received the revelation to teach Islam, but the revelation also included some changes in some of the rules of the religion from the Messenger before him.   Becoming Muslim To become Muslim, one is required to say the Creedal Statement of Islam with the intent in the heart to become Muslim, believing in God and His Messenger Muhammad without any doubt. When a person, who was originally non-Muslim becomes Muslim, God forgives all his previous sins. 　------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- KU'FR / RI'DDA'H Ku'fr is any saying, deed or belief that denies, disrespects or makes fun of God, the Prophets, the Angels, the Qur'an or the Islamic religion. Deny means to say, do or believe anything which contradicts what was taught by our beloved prophet Mu'hammad . Committing ku'fr causes one to be a non-Muslim. Types of non-Muslims A non-Muslim (kafi'r) is someone who is not Muslim. We use the word kafi'r in the singular and ku'ffar in the plural. There are two types of ku'ffar, Mu'rta'd and Asli (original). Mu'rta'd is a person who was Muslim, then committed Ri'dda'h (ku'fr), thereby leaving Islam and becoming non-Muslim (kafi'r). This person is referred to as Mu'rta'd. The other type of non-Muslim is what is referred to as an original kafi'r. That is someone who was raised as a kafi'r and has never been Muslim. A person who grew up saying, believing or doing ku'fr. Types of ku'fr (Ri'dda'h) There are three types of ku'fr: Sayings Deeds Beliefs Sayings that are ku'fr Sayings: Any saying that denies, disrespects or makes fun of God, the Prophets, the Angels, the Qur'an or the Islamic religion is ku'fr. Examples of sayings that are ku'fr : The following sayings are ku'fr: It is ku'fr to say that God has a body. It is ku'fr to say God is in a place such as Heaven. It is ku'fr to say that Jesus is the son of God. It is ku'fr to say it is all right for someone else to follow a religion other than Islam. If someone says "God is in Heaven and all is right with the world", this is ku'fr. If someone says that there is a Prophet after the Prophet Muhammad , this is ku'fr. If someone claims Ghulam Ahma'd Al-Qa'dyani is a Prophet, this is ku'fr. Even if he claims that he is not an independent Prophet, but is in the shadow of the Prophethood of our beloved prophet Mu'hammad  , this is still ku'fr. There is an 'aya'h in the Qur'an that means that our beloved prophet Mu'hammad  is the last Prophet. All of these are examples of sayings that are ku'fr Deeds that are ku'fr Deeds: Any deed or action that denies, disrespects or makes fun of God, the Prophets, the Angels, the Qur'an or the Islamic religion is ku'fr. Examples of deeds that are ku'fr: The following are examples of deeds that are ku'fr: If someone throws the Qur'an in the trash. If someone wears a cross believing it is all right to do so. This is ku'fr because  the cross is the sign of another religion, and God only accepts Islam. If someone throws the name of God in the trash. If someone does a Su'jud (kneels on the ground placing his forehead on the ground) to the sun or fire, this is ku'fr. If someone does a Su'jud to a human to worship him, this is ku'fr, if it is not done to worship him it is not ku'fr, but it is forbidden (Ha'ram). All of these are examples of deeds that are ku'fr. Beliefs that are ku'fr Beliefs: Any belief that denies, disrespects or makes fun of God, the Prophets, the Angels, the Qur'an or the Islamic religion is ku'fr. Examples of beliefs that are ku'fr : The following are beliefs that are ku'fr. whether a person says it or not, just to believe it is ku'fr: If someone believes that God is in a place. If someone does not believe in the torture in Hell. If someone believes it is all right to commit adultery. If someone does not believe in the pleasure in Heaven. If someone believes that stealing is allowed. If someone denies something which is known to be Ha'ram by both scholars and lay Muslims, such as believing that to drink alcohol is allowed, this is ku'fr. All of these are examples of beliefs that are ku'fr.   Difference between thought and belief It is important to know and not to confuse an actual belief with a thought that crosses one's mind. Sha'ytan (the Devil) can bring thoughts to our mind which are ku'fr. If this should happen we need to reject the thought in our heart and fight to get rid of it. As long as we fight it and do not believe it, we are Muslim. However, if someone believes the ku'fr he becomes kafi'r. Sha'ytan often tries to bring such thoughts to Muslims. Therefore it is important that we recognize that there is a difference between a thought and a belief. Further examples of ku'fr To allow anyone, who is asking how to become Muslim, to remain non-Muslim, even for a moment is ku'fr. If someone comes and asks you how to become Muslim, you tell him to say, "I firmly believe that no one and nothing deserves to be worshipped except God, and Mu'hammad is His Prophet and Messenger," with the intent to become Muslim and leave anything that contradicts that belief. To tell someone to wait, or to do anything else before telling him how to become Muslim is ku'fr. Because by allowing him to wait for even a moment, you are agreeing for him to stay non-Muslim for a moment, and that is ku'fr. It is very important when mentioning ku'fr stated by someone else to mention that it was that person who made the statement, either directly before or after you mention the statement. If someone repeats ku'fr, or writes ku'fr without relating it to those who said it, it causes him to leave Islam, whether he believes the ku'fr or not. For example, if someone was talking about statements that Christians make in order to show how ignorant they are, and he was mentioning the following statement, he needs to say, "Christians say that Jesus is the son of God." If the speaker does not use something like the phrase, "Christians say," either before or after the rest of the statement, in order to relate it to someone else, then the speaker has left Islam, even if he does not believe the statement. To help someone commit ku'fr is ku'fr. To be happy with someone's ku'fr is ku'fr .   HOW TO RETURN TO ISLAM AFTER COMMITTING RI'DDA'H If someone commits ku'fr, he is required to immediately say the Creedal Statement loud enough to hear himself, with the intent in his heart to become Muslim, leave that ku'fr and never repeat it again. This is how one returns to Islam (becomes Muslim again). They are required to feel sorry for having committed ku'fr. What happens when someone commits Ri'dda'h If someone was Muslim and committed ku'fr, this ku'fr is referred to as Ri'dda'h. If someone who was Muslim committed Ri'dda'h (ku'fr), he is required to return to Islam immediately. When a person is Muslim and then leaves Islam by committing ku'fr, all his good credits he worked for are gone, but all his sins remain. Some of the effects caused by committing Ri'dda'h If a Muslim was married and then committed Ri'dda'h, the person's marriage contract is dissolved (he is no longer married, this is not divorce). If the marriage was not consummated, and the spouse who committed Ri'dda'h then returns to Islam, they need to make a new marriage contract. If the marriage was consummated, and the spouse who committed Ri'dda'h returns to Islam within what would be the period of ^i'dda'h, then no new marriage contract is needed. If the one who committed Ri'dda'h returned to Islam after the time of ^i'dda'h elapsed, they need a new marriage contract. If the couple had sexual intercourse before the one who committed ku'fr returned to Islam, and before making a marriage contract, if needed, this is adultery (Zi'na). If a Muslim was fasting and committed Ri'dda'h, it breaks his fast. If a Muslim had done Atta'ya'mmu'm and then committed Ri'dda'h, his Atta'ya'mmu'm is no longer valid. If a Mu'rta'd slaughters, the meat is Ha'ram (forbidden) to eat. A Mu'rta'd is neither allowed to accept inheritance from a Muslim relative, nor when the Mu'rta'd dies is a Muslim relative allowed to inherit from him. Someone who is Mu'rta'd cannot make nor have a correct marriage contract. When a Mu'rta'd dies, it is forbidden to pray for him, and it is forbidden to bury him in a Muslim cemetery. It is not required to wash nor wrap his body, but if this is done it is not Ha'ram. His money is Fa'y', which can be distributed to the poor or used for the benefit of the Muslims.   When saying ku'fr does not cause one to leave Islam There are three occasions under which if someone says ku'fr he does not leave Islam. If someone has a slip of the tongue, he is trying to say something which is not ku'fr, but by a slip of the tongue, he says something else which is ku'fr, he does not leave Islam. If someone is not sane or is not conscious of what he is saying, and he commits ku'fr, he does not leave Islam. If someone is threatened with loss of life, limb or the like if he does not say ku'fr, if he says ku'fr, on the condition that he hates it in his heart, he does not leave Islam. For example, if someone was threatened with being killed if he did not curse God, he has the option to refuse, be killed and die Sha'hid, or curse God, on the condition that he hates this before he does it, while he is doing it, and after he did it. What we are required to do if we see someone disobeying Allah Whenever we see someone disobeying Allah  (committing a sin), we are required to do the following: First, if we are able to do something to stop him, we are required to do it. Second, if we are unable to do something to stop him, we are required to say something to stop him. Finally, if we are unable to either do or say something to stop him, we are required to hate it in our hearts, and leave where it is happening. This is the least thing we are required to do. What Allah  requires of us Allah  requires us to fulfill all the obligations He ordered us to do, through the revelation Allah  sent to our beloved prophet Mu'hammad . Allah  promised to reward the Muslim who is obedient to Him. Allah  threatened to punish the one who disobeys Him.

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