Lesson 4 — The Creed of Imaam al-Bukhari

So we’ll continue with our lesson that we started before the prayer.
And I pointed out at the beginning of our lesson today, I pointed out the combination
of seeking knowledge and seeking earnings.
And I would like to add to that in the beginning of this period.
So I’ll say, somebody asks, how is the condition of so-and-so, our brother?
So it said about him, Allah’s aid is sought.
We ask Allah for firmness.
So that makes you fearful for your brother that somebody has said that about him.
Has he fallen into something from innovation?
Has he began to commit sins and other forms of disobedience?
So then they’ll say about him, no, he didn’t do that.
But they’ll say he’s been taken by the worldly life.
And he’s become weak in seeking knowledge.
How has the worldly life taken him?
And what he’s actually done is started to just deal in business.
Is this a good situation to be in or a bad situation to be dealing in business?
How is it that the state has come for some of the people in their deviation from seeking
knowledge that it’s reached the state that they think and they assume that working and
seeking provision through doing business and other than that is something that would negate
seeking knowledge?
And it’s a situation of falling short and weakness.
And that’s not correct to think that way.
You don’t say about someone like that that the worldly life has taken them.
And you wouldn’t say about someone like that that they have abandoned seeking knowledge.
Because from the worldly life is that which is obligatory upon him to attain with the
permissible means so that he can provide and spend on himself.
And so he can spend on all those who it is obligatory upon him to support and provide
for such as his wife and his children.
So this is from the mistakes to think that if someone has turned towards doing business
and working that this is something that is falling short or a weakness but rather we
are happy for them and we make dua for them that they are aided and successful and we
ask Allah for him that the worldly life does not distract him from what is obligatory.
And that his striving and attention for this worldly life and his striving and focus on
earning wealth, that it does not lead him to combine doing things which are halal and
those things which are haram.
And the second thing that I’d like to point out and it is very important, you’re reading
now this small book by Imam Al-Bukhari and you’re hearing the commentary on it that he
mentions a tremendous issue of importance in it from the foundations of the religion
and the sunnah and he mentions a single proof for it.
Is it that Imam Al-Bukhari did not have more proofs rather of course he had many proofs
but rather he would just mention an issue and mention one proof for it due to certain
reasons.
The first reason, that one proof is sufficient as a proof and evidence if it is from the
Quran or the sunnah.
Secondly, that because he has tried it, that whoever is not sufficed by a single proof
will not be convinced by a hundred proofs.
And this is the issue of listening and obeying the orders of the Muslims and prohibiting
the prohibition of rebelling against them and the obligation of being patient upon them
even if they’re oppressive or sinful.
There has come related to this foundational principle more than a hundred authentic ahadeeth
Where are the innovated Islamic political groups from this foundational principle?
All of them oppose this principle.
And Imam Muhammad Ibn Abdul Wahab said in his book, the Six Foundational Principles,
that from the completeness of coming together is hearing and obeying to whoever Allah has
put in authority over us even if he was an Abyssinian slave.
And Allah has clarified that with a clear clarification, both in the Shariah and as
what has occurred from the Qadr.
So Imam Muhammad Ibn Abdul Wahab continued.
So this foundational principle has become, this foundational principle has become something
that most of the people who claim to have knowledge do not recognize it.
So how can they act upon it?
So the correct hearts answer to Allah and His Messenger even with a single proof.
And the proof that’s established upon the people occur even with a single evidence.
So what about all of the issues from these issues that there are tens of proofs and evidences?
And along with that, the people of innovations and desires do not cease to and all of the
different deviated sects that are opposed to the Sunnah from different times of the
past up until today they still continue upon their innovations following their desires
because they put their desires ahead of the text.
They put their desires ahead of the revelation and guidance.
Because they put their intellects ahead of the revelations and texts.
So here Imam Al-Bukhari mentions a single proof.
We said for these reasons.
First reason, because a single proof is sufficient as an evidence.
Related to the foundations of the religion or any of the matters of faith.
Secondly, if somebody will not accept a proof and evidence from the Quran or Sunnah then
likewise even if there were tens of proofs it wouldn’t convince them.
And a clear proof of that is the current state of all of these innovative Islamic political
groups and parties.
The third reason, so that the book can remain summarized and short.
So it’s a small book.
So it’s not appropriate that he needs to mention so many proofs.
And other than him from the Imams, when they authored large books they’ll mention many
tens of evidences for it.
Why did they do that?
Because we’ve already covered that a single evidence is sufficient as a proof.
So why did they mention many?
For two benefits.
Secondly, the first reason is so that you can increase in surety and iman.
And so you can increase in firmness upon that.
Because indeed having much proofs or many proofs will help you increase in your iman
and your surety.
That was the first reason.
So the second reason is that it is an increase of establishing the proof even more.
And to convey the excuses for people.
And to raise any doubts that someone might have as a mercy for the people.
So that whomever Allah wills to return back from their innovations can return back.
And all praises for Allah.
And it is not ceased despite all of the times that have passed.
Many people return back from bid’a to the sunnah.
Indeed it even happens that someone might be from the heads of people of bid’a.
But then he repents and is truthful in his repentance and becomes from the scholars of
the sunnah.
This has happened both in the past and more recently.
I wanted to point out these two important points.
And now we’ll take our third issue from the book.
That Imam Bukhari mentioned, may Allah have mercy on him.
He said that the good and the bad is from the qadr.
This is the issue of having iman in the qadr.
And it is from the six pillars of iman.
Which have come mentioned in the hadith of Jibreel.
That both Bukhari and Muslim narrated from the hadith of Abu Huraira.
And Muslim narrated also directly from Umar ibn al-Qattab.
Not directly from Umar, but related as Umar as the narrator.
So Jibreel asked the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, what is iman?
And his angels, his books, his messengers, and the last day, and you have iman in the qadr?
It’s good and it’s bad.
And Allah the mighty and majestic said,
He said that which means, indeed everything we have created it with qadr.
So you believe that both the good and the bad is from the creation of Allah.
And imam al-Bukhari mentioned as proofs for that the statement of Allah which means,
Say, O Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, seek refuge in the lord of the phalaq, the lord of the dawn from the evil that he created.
So he said here, from the evil that he created.
So this is a proof that from what Allah has created there exists evil.
And the statement of Allah which means, Allah created you and what you do.
So Allah created you and he created in you your wanting to do things.
And he created for you strength in order to act upon your wants.
So when you want to do good and obedience then you act upon it.
And when you want to do something from sin and transgression then you act upon it.
So Allah has created you and he has created your actions.
And you have done your actions from either good or bad based upon what you wanted and what you chose to do.
So due to that you are rewarded with your good deeds with goodness.
And you are rewarded for them on the day of resurrection.
And you would be punished due to the evil that you do.
And then he mentions the third ayah which means, indeed everything we have created with qadr.
And indeed the bid’ah or the innovation in qadr has come about at the end of the time of the sahabah.
And it started in Basra in Iraq.
And two men came to Abdullah ibn Omar.
And they said to him, indeed there are people from with us that they make out like they have knowledge.
Meaning that there are people with us that they focus and study on knowledge and try to look into it intricately.
And they say indeed everything that happens happens on its own without being pre-decreed from before.
And they reject that Allah knows what will happen.
And they say that Allah does not know what will happen until after it happens.
And we seek refuge in Allah from this terrible disbelief.
Because Allah knows everything.
And He is over everything all-knowing.
And in the hadith of Abdullah ibn Omar in Sahih Muslim,
The Prophet ﷺ said, indeed Allah wrote the maqadir of everything before He created the heavens and the earth by 50,000 years.
So this writing was about what Allah knew what would happen.
And in the hadith of Ubad ibn Samit and other than it,
The Prophet ﷺ said, the first thing that Allah created is the pen.
So Allah said to it, write.
So the pen asked Allah, what should I write?
So Allah ordered the pen to write everything that would happen up until the establishment of the last hour.
So we see from these two hadith the mention of writing.
And this writing was with what?
This writing was in accordance with what Allah knew.
So Allah is all-knowing of what happened before.
And He is all-knowing of everything that exists now.
And He is all-knowing of everything that will happen.
And He even is all-knowing of whatever will not happen.
Even if it were to happen, how it would be.
Like Allah said,
Well, like what Allah said about the people in the hereafter,
He said that if they were sent back to this worldly life,
Meaning in the hereafter, if they were sent back to this worldly life,
They would return back to what they used to do.
So once those two men that came to Ibn Umar, once they informed him about this innovation,
He informed them about what those people were saying and spreading in Basra,
And they were called the Qaduriya,
And I have already explained their beliefs,
So I have already explained their ways or their beliefs with more than what those two narrators mentioned.
And my speech is an explanation for you.
I am explaining what the narrators conveyed to Ibn Umar.
And they were Yahya ibn Yaḥmār and Humayd ibn Abdur-Rahman.
So they said to Ibn Umar, Indeed those people say that everything that happens, happens on its own.
Meaning without any pre-degree.
So Ibn Umar said, Inform those people that Ibn Umar is free from them.
And they are free from Ibn Umar.
And that which Ibn Umar swore by,
Even if those people that they give in charity,
The amount of the mountain of Uhud,
It would not be accepted from them,
Up until they believed in the Qadr.
And Umar Ibn Al-Khattab said,
When we were with the Prophet, when a man came to us,
He mentioned the long hadith of Jibril.
And in it, one of the pillars of Iman,
That you believe in the Qadr,
Its good and its bad.
And we have seen in those hadiths the Kitabah.
And this is one of the levels of Qadr.
So you must believe that Allah knew everything before it happens.
And then He ordered the pen to write, so it wrote what would happen.
How many levels is that so far?
Two levels of Qadr so far.
Then you believe that whatever Allah willed to happen will happen.
And whatever Allah doesn’t will to happen will not happen.
So whatever Allah willed will happen or happened already,
Even if you don’t want it to happen.
And whatever Allah did not want to happen will never happen.
Even if you want it to happen.
And the Prophet said to Ibn Abbas,
Know that if the whole Ummah came together to benefit you in something that Allah did not write for you,
Then they would not be able to aid you or benefit you in anything.
And even if the whole Ummah came together in order to harm you with something
That Allah had not already written for you to happen,
Then they would not be able to harm you with anything.
So this is our Iman in the Qadr.
It brings about your reliance upon Allah.
And it gives you bravery.
And it gives you aid in turning towards the truth.
So this third level of Qadr is the Mashi’ah, is what Allah has willed.
And the fourth is the actual happening of what Allah had willed.
And this is the level of the creation.
So if Allah willed something to happen, He created it.
Whether it is good or bad.
And this is an important point now to mention.
This bad or evil which is mentioned now,
Is not in the actions of Allah or Allah’s Qadr.
And the Prophet ﷺ said,
And the Prophet ﷺ praised his Lord,
By saying dua that an evil is not to you.
So indeed when we are mentioning evil,
This is related to what Allah had decreed and what He created.
Not in any of Allah’s own actions.
So here is one example to clarify.
Sickness.
That Allah had decreed sickness and disease to happen is something good.
But for you personally to be afflicted with a sickness,
Then this is something bad for you personally.
But it is not something that is completely bad.
Rather in it is something good for you.
It helps to wipe out your sins.
And it encourages you to repent.
So how many people repented after they got sick?
So how amazing is the number of people that have repented after they became sick.
So they began to fulfill the rights of their companions.
And he turned back towards his prayers and towards his worship.
And his situation after his being sick or diseased is better than his situation before he was sick.
So Allah’s creation and his degree of the existence of sickness and disease is something good.
But sickness in itself related to you is something bad.
But it is not something that is completely bad.
Because it has angles of it that are good.
And this is from the meanings of the statement of the Prophet which means that evil is not to you.
So we’ve studied or we’ve covered knowledge of Allah and the writing and then Allah’s will and then Allah’s creation.
These four levels of Qadr is what we must believe in.
And it is for every Muslim that they must know that whatever has come to him is not something he could have ever avoided.
And whatever he has not been afflicted with is not something that he ever would have been affected by.
And whatever Allah has willed has happened and whatever Allah does not will will never happen.
And everything is by Allah’s Qadr, Allah’s pre-degree.
Number four, that you have your own wants and you have your own choice.
You do good with it and you act upon it in good and you’re rewarded for that.
Or you do bad actions and you would be punished for that.
This is the general belief in the Qadr for every Muslim.
And I don’t want to go into too much detail and go into too much length regarding the deviated sects related to Qadr.
But regarding the first issue of Iman and we spoke about the Qawarij,
we spoke about the issue of were the Qawarij only in the past or are they still around today.
So we clarified that they’re still here today among all of these innovative Islamic political groups and parties.
Did they finish or are they still around?
They’re still around now and they are different sects.
So the Ash’a’ira in their Iman are Murgia.
And the Hanafi sects related to Imam Abu Hanifa are Murgia in their Iman.
And they are many in the group of Tabligh and Da’wah and in the group of Ikhwan.
So whatever you’re studying now, then these innovations are around today.
Likewise, the statement or the issue of the Quran not being created and the issue of the Martazila.
Did they finish or are they still around today?
Indeed, they are still around today.
All of the sects of the Shi’a are Martazila.
And the Ibadia sect of the Qawarij are Martazila.
And they openly claim today that the Quran is created.
And they are present in the land of Oman.
And they are present in some of the mountainous areas of Libya.
And they are present in some of the southern areas of Algeria.
And they might even have presence in Da’wah activities in these lands or other than them.
Or historical facts.
We’re studying these false beliefs that are still existing today.
Just as the correct belief of the Sunnah is still present.
So indeed, whatever oppose is it is still present also.
Likewise, this third point.
Those who oppose regarding this issue of Qadr are two types.
The first type have almost disappeared or maybe there are a few of them left.
And they are the ones that negate the knowledge of Allah.
And the other type are still around.
They say,
They claim that Allah has only willed the good things and He did not will the evil.
And they say,
They say that Allah did not create the actions of the slaves.
But Imam Al-Bukhari has a big book called the creation of the actions of the slaves.
And it is printed and available.
And this type of Martezila are still around.
Among the sects of the Shi’a.
And the sects of the Ibadiyya.
And they are among the Houthi and the Zaidiyya in Yemen.
All of them clearly express this false belief.
So study your own belief.
And take knowledge and the Sunnah as your weapon for defense.
Then Imam Al-Bukhari continued,
And they were not,
Meaning those who have come before from the scholars and the Imams.
Those whom he met.
They did not declare to be disbelievers.
Anyone from the people of the Qibla,
Meaning the people who pray towards the Qibla,
They did not declare any of them to be a non-Muslim due to a sin.
Meaning they did not declare anyone from the Muslims to be a disbeliever due to a sin.
Whether there was somebody who was a ruler or somebody who was from the subjects,
Whether it was a major sin or a minor sin.
Whether they committed that sin privately or if they did it openly.
Whether he did it alone by himself,
Or if he even invited other people to that sin with him.
And he would strive, even if he would strive to spread that sin,
And establish places to commit that sin,
Such as some Muslim countries,
Or by opening the doors of prostitution,
And towards that from the crimes and sins.
So these scholars did not declare anyone to be a Kafir,
Whether they were a ruler or somebody under a ruler,
Or if it was a man or a woman from the people of the Qibla,
Meaning a Muslim,
Due to their sins.
Whether the sin was an innovation or a major sin,
Or like what is preceded from the clarification.
Why did I explain to you these details?
Because some people claim,
I don’t declare somebody to be a Kafir due to sins.
And I seek refuge in Allah from the way of the Khawarij.
But somebody that continues to do the sin,
Even though you advise them,
And he doesn’t accept your advice,
And he still keeps continuing and committing that sin,
Then surely this person must that sin to be permissible.
So then he must be a Kafir.
So this is somebody who tries to bring in the methodology of the Khawarij from one door,
And doesn’t bring it in from the other door.
Because the Imams of the Sunnah said,
Whoever dies and he’s continuing upon that sin,
Without having repented,
Then he’s under the mashi’ah, under the will of Allah.
And I clarified for you,
Because some people say,
I don’t declare somebody to be a Kafir due to their sins.
And they say, I seek refuge in Allah from having the way of the Khawarij.
But this country,
But this country that gives permission to sell alcohol,
Or to establish other than that from sins,
Or to announce it through television and media,
This country surely consumes alcohol, so it’s a Kafir.
This deceives himself,
And he doesn’t deceive us, the people of the Sunnah,
Because that itself is the way of the Khawarij.
And a third type of person claims,
I don’t declare somebody to be a Kafir due to their sins.
And they say, I seek refuge in Allah from having the way of the Khawarij.
But this type of person,
He calls and invites other people to commit sins along with him,
And he takes pictures and videos of himself,
And he spreads these videos of him committing these sins,
And he doesn’t care about that.
So this person, he must consider it permissible.
So he’s a Kafir.
And other than that from these trickery ways,
That they pretend that they’re not upon the way of the Khawarij,
But they use them to reach an end point of declaring Muslims to be Kufar,
Whether they use these principles of theirs to declare rulers to be Kufar,
Or the subjects who are not rulers.
So pay attention to all of this.
And due to this Imam al-Bukhari said,
So Imam al-Bukhari said that those scholars did not declare a single person
From the people of the Qibla to be a Kafir due to a sin.
Due to the statement of Allah,
Indeed Allah does not forgive that Shirk or that partners be associated with Him.
But He forgives whatever is less than that to whomever He wills.
So whatever is less than major Shirk,
Then it is under the will of Allah.
If Allah wills, He will completely forgive the person who commits it.
And if He wills, He will punish them.
And if He punishes the person,
Then certainly He will not remain in the Hellfire.
So this verse refutes the Khawarij.
And the Mu’tazilah refutes them.
And it also refutes anyone from the innovative Islamic political groups and parties that take from their way.
That way of declaring Muslims to be Kufar due to their sins.
So we ask Allah to protect us and you all from these misguided statements of theirs.
And to preserve us and you upon the Sunnah.
And it has come already in the first issue.
Clarification of the way of the people of Sunnah in this regard.
So suffice with that for now.
So you can relax.
And our next session will be after Maghrib prayer.
And after Isha prayer.
Until we will complete the book inshaAllah.
We ask Allah to give us aid and success.