Lessons of
Creed Acquired From the Hajj
By
‘AbdurRazzaq bin ‘Abdul-Muhsin al-Badr
Translated
by
Abbas Abu Yahya
Chapter Four
What has preceded is the explanation of the excellence of the proclamation (Talbiyaah) and that it comprises the proclamation of Allaah’s Tawheed and the rejection of Shirk. This is why the great Companion Jabir bin
Abdullaah -radiAllaah anhu- mentioned the Hajj
of the Prophet as is described in Saheeh Muslim by saying: ‘Then he made the proclamation with Tawheed, Here I am O Allaah, here I am, You have no
partner, here I am, Verily all praise is for You, and every bounty is from You,
and all dominion is Yours - You have no partner.’
So he -radiAllaah anhu- described this statement as
a proclamation with Tawheed;
because in it is sincerity for Allaah and the rejection of Shirk. This also shows us that these words, by which
I mean the words of the Talbiyaah, are not mere words which do not
suggest any meaning, but rather they have a great meaning and a deep
significance and it is none other than the spirit of this Deen, its
foundation and the origin upon which the Tawheed of Allaah Ta’ala is built.
Therefore, it is
indeed an obligation on everyone who proclaims these great words that he brings
to mind what these words suggest, from their meanings. Also, that one knows what they contain of
evidence; so that one can be truthful in
one’s proclamation and so that, due to
this, one’s speech can be in conformity with the reality of one’s situation,
whereby one can hold on to Tawheed, preserving it, observing its rights,
keeping away completely from that which cancels out Tawheed and that
which opposes it from Shirk and setting up equals unto Him.
So do not ask, except
from Allaah, and aid is not sought except from Allaah and do not rely, except
upon Allaah, do not request aid, help or victory except from Allaah and do not
direct any aspect of worship except to Allaah Alone, He in Whose Hand is
bestowing and withholding, taking and (giving
openly), benefit and harm.
أَمَّن يُجِيبُ ٱلۡمُضۡطَرَّ إِذَا دَعَاهُ وَيَكۡشِفُ ٱلسُّوٓءَ
وَيَجۡعَلُكُمۡ خُلَفَآءَ ٱلۡأَرۡضِۗ أَءِلَٰهٞ مَّعَ ٱللَّهِۚ قَلِيلٗا مَّا تَذَكَّرُونَ
<< Is not He
(better than your gods) Who responds to the distressed one, when he calls Him
and Who removes the evil and makes you inheritors of the earth, generation
after generation. Is there any god with
Allaah? Little is it that you remember! >>[al-Naml : 62]
When the Muslim says
in his proclamation : ‘You have no
partner’ then it is obligatory upon him to have knowledge about the reality of Shirk,
recognising its danger, and being completely wary of falling into it or any of
its causes, means and ways; since it is the greatest of sins by which Allaah is
disobeyed. Due to this, the punishments that are levelled for Shirk in this
world and the Hereafter are not the same as those levelled for any other sin,
by which the blood and wealth of the people become lawful and their women and
children become prisoners, such that there is no forgiveness for a person for
his sins except by repenting from them.
Allaah Ta’ala says :
إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يَغۡفِرُ أَن يُشۡرَكَ بِهِۦ وَيَغۡفِرُ مَا دُونَ
ذَٰلِكَ لِمَن يَشَآءُۚ وَمَن يُشۡرِكۡ بِٱللَّهِ فَقَدِ ٱفۡتَرَىٰٓ إِثۡمًا
عَظِيمًا
<< Verily,
Allaah forgives not that partners should be set up with Him in worship, but He
forgives except that (anything else) to whom He pleases, and whoever sets up
partners with Allaah in worship, he has indeed invented a tremendous
sin.>> [Nisa:48]
He says :
إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يَغۡفِرُ أَن يُشۡرَكَ بِهِۦ وَيَغۡفِرُ مَا دُونَ
ذَٰلِكَ لِمَن يَشَآءُۚ وَمَن يُشۡرِكۡ بِٱللَّهِ فَقَدۡ ضَلَّ ضَلَٰلَۢا
بَعِيدًا
<< Verily!
Allaah forgives not (the sin of) setting up partners in worship with Him, but
He forgives whom He pleases sins other than that, and whoever sets up partners
in worship with Allaah, has indeed strayed far away. >>[Nisa:116]
He also says :
إِنَّهُۥ مَن يُشۡرِكۡ بِٱللَّهِ فَقَدۡ حَرَّمَ ٱللَّهُ عَلَيۡهِ
ٱلۡجَنَّةَ وَمَأۡوَىٰهُ ٱلنَّارُۖ وَمَا لِلظَّٰلِمِينَ مِنۡ أَنصَارٖ
<< Verily, whosoever sets up partners in worship
with Allaah, then Allaah has forbidden Paradise for him and the Fire will be
his abode. And for the Zalimoon (polytheists and wrongdoers)
there are no helpers.>> [Maida:72]
And Allaah says :
وَلَقَدۡ أُوحِيَ إِلَيۡكَ وَإِلَى ٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبۡلِكَ لَئِنۡ
أَشۡرَكۡتَ لَيَحۡبَطَنَّ عَمَلُكَ وَلَتَكُونَنَّ مِنَ ٱلۡخَٰسِرِينَ ٦٥ بَلِ
ٱللَّهَ فَٱعۡبُدۡ وَكُن مِّنَ ٱلشَّٰكِرِينَ ٦٦
ٱللَّهَ فَٱعۡبُدۡ وَكُن مِّنَ ٱلشَّٰكِرِينَ ٦٦
<<And indeed it has been revealed to you as it was to those (Allaah’s
Messengers) before you: ‘If you join others in worship with Allaah, (then)
surely (all) your deeds will be in vain, and you will certainly be among the
losers.’ Nay! But worship Allaah (Alone and none else), and be
among the grateful. >> [az-Zumar: 65-66]
There are very many Ayaat
with these meanings in the Noble Qur’aan.
Allaah warns His slaves against committing Shirk with Him and He
explains to them the extreme danger of Shirk, the magnitude of its foolishness
and the evil consequence, in this world and the Hereafter, for the one who does
it.
So, the consequence of
Shirk is evil, its result is grievous, its danger is immense and the one
who commits it does not benefit
anything after it except failure, deprivation, degradation and loss. It is the greatest of sins by which Allaah is
disobeyed, because it is the most oppressive of oppressions; since its meanings
contain a belittling of the Lord of the worlds, diverting His absolute Right to
someone else and equating someone else with Him. This is because the one committing Shirk
is contradicting the purpose of creation and Allaah’s command, negating it from
every angle.
Shirk is the height of
opposition to the Lord of the worlds and
it is to be too arrogant to have obedience and humility for Him, because Shirk
is to liken the creation to the Creator, the Most High and the Holy.
How can a person put
someone else in the position of worship - one who does not possess the ability
to harm or to bring about benefit, nor possesses death, nor life, nor can he
resurrect the dead, let alone other than himself, - and liken (him) to The One
Who owns all of the creation and the dominion, in Whose Hands is all good and
all matters and to Whom all matters return?
Whatever He wills
exists and whatever He does not will does not exist. There is none to prevent what He gives and
there is none to give what He prevents. He Who, if He opens up mercy for the
people there is none to hold it back and whatever He withholds, then there is none that can send it after Him.
Indeed, the obligation on every Muslim is that
he warns most sternly against Shirk and that he is extremely wary of
falling into it. We have the Prophet of Allaah and His friend Ibraheem - sallAllaahu alayhi
wa sallam – saying in his supplication:
وَٱجۡنُبۡنِي وَبَنِيَّ أَن نَّعۡبُدَ ٱلۡأَصۡنَامَ ٣٥ رَبِّ
إِنَّهُنَّ أَضۡلَلۡنَ كَثِيرٗا مِّنَ ٱلنَّاسِۖ
<< And keep me
and my sons away from worshipping idols. O my Lord! They have indeed led astray
many among mankind. >> [Ibraheem: 35-36]
So, Ibraheem –alayhis Salaam- feared this and supplicated
to his Lord that He protect him and his offspring from worshipping idols. So, if Ibraheem al-Khaleel –alayhis Salaam- used to ask Allaah to keep
him and his offspring away from worshipping idols, then what do you think about
anyone other than him? As Ibraheem
at-Taymee -Rahimullaah- said : ‘Who can feel
safe from trial after Ibraheem ?’[2]
There is no doubt that
the heart which is alive and fearful of Shirk is extremely wary of it
and is continuously and ceaselessly asking Allaah to be excepted from falling
into it. This then requires that the
believing slave must be knowledgeable about the reality of Shirk and its
causes, its principles and its various types; so as not to fall into it. This is why Hudayfah bin al-Yaman -radiAllaah anhu- said : ‘The people used to
ask the Messenger of Allaah -
sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam – about
good, but I used to ask him about evil fearing that I would fall into
it.’ Narrated by Bukhari and Muslim in
their authentic collections.
That is because for
the one who knows nothing but good, then perhaps evil may come to him but he
doesn’t know that it is evil. So, either
he will fall into it or he will not be able to reject it, unlike the one who
knows about it, who will be able to reject it; so this is why Umar bin
al-Khattab -radhiAllaah anhu - said : ‘Indeed the yoke
of Islaam will be taken apart peice by piece if the one raised in Islaam does
not know about the times of ignorance.’
Indeed being far removed from all types of Shirk
whilst having sincerity of Tawheed for Allaah is the foundation upon
which it is obligatory to build all acts of obedience, those which bring the
slave closer to Allaah Ta’ala and this includes the Hajj and
other acts of obedience. Allaah Ta’ala said in Sooratul Hajj:
٢٦ وَأَذِّن فِي ٱلنَّاسِ بِٱلۡحَجِّ يَأۡتُوكَ رِجَالٗا وَعَلَىٰ كُلِّ ضَامِرٖ يَأۡتِينَ مِن كُلِّ فَجٍّ
عَمِيقٖ ٢٧ لِّيَشۡهَدُواْ
مَنَٰفِعَ لَهُمۡ وَيَذۡكُرُواْ ٱسۡمَ ٱللَّهِ فِيٓ أَيَّامٖ مَّعۡلُومَٰتٍ عَلَىٰ مَا رَزَقَهُم مِّنۢ بَهِيمَةِ ٱلۡأَنۡعَٰمِۖ فَكُلُواْ مِنۡهَا
وَأَطۡعِمُواْ ٱلۡبَآئِسَ ٱلۡفَقِيرَ ٢٨ ثُمَّ لۡيَقۡضُواْ تَفَثَهُمۡ وَلۡيُوفُواْ نُذُورَهُمۡ وَلۡيَطَّوَّفُواْ بِٱلۡبَيۡتِ ٱلۡعَتِيقِ ٢٩
ذَٰلِكَۖ وَمَن يُعَظِّمۡ حُرُمَٰتِ ٱللَّهِ فَهُوَ خَيۡرٞ لَّهُۥ عِندَ رَبِّهِۦۗ وَأُحِلَّتۡ لَكُمُ ٱلۡأَنۡعَٰمُ إِلَّا مَا يُتۡلَىٰ عَلَيۡكُمۡۖ
فَٱجۡتَنِبُواْ ٱلرِّجۡسَ مِنَ ٱلۡأَوۡثَٰنِ وَٱجۡتَنِبُواْ قَوۡلَ ٱلزُّورِ حُنَفَآءَ لِلَّهِ غَيۡرَ مُشۡرِكِينَ بِهِۦۚ وَمَن يُشۡرِكۡ بِٱللَّهِ فَكَأَنَّمَا خَرَّ مِنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ فَتَخۡطَفُهُ ٱلطَّيۡرُ أَوۡ تَهۡوِي بِهِ ٱلرِّيحُ فِي مَكَانٖ سَحِيقٖ٣٠
مَنَٰفِعَ لَهُمۡ وَيَذۡكُرُواْ ٱسۡمَ ٱللَّهِ فِيٓ أَيَّامٖ مَّعۡلُومَٰتٍ عَلَىٰ مَا رَزَقَهُم مِّنۢ بَهِيمَةِ ٱلۡأَنۡعَٰمِۖ فَكُلُواْ مِنۡهَا
وَأَطۡعِمُواْ ٱلۡبَآئِسَ ٱلۡفَقِيرَ ٢٨ ثُمَّ لۡيَقۡضُواْ تَفَثَهُمۡ وَلۡيُوفُواْ نُذُورَهُمۡ وَلۡيَطَّوَّفُواْ بِٱلۡبَيۡتِ ٱلۡعَتِيقِ ٢٩
ذَٰلِكَۖ وَمَن يُعَظِّمۡ حُرُمَٰتِ ٱللَّهِ فَهُوَ خَيۡرٞ لَّهُۥ عِندَ رَبِّهِۦۗ وَأُحِلَّتۡ لَكُمُ ٱلۡأَنۡعَٰمُ إِلَّا مَا يُتۡلَىٰ عَلَيۡكُمۡۖ
فَٱجۡتَنِبُواْ ٱلرِّجۡسَ مِنَ ٱلۡأَوۡثَٰنِ وَٱجۡتَنِبُواْ قَوۡلَ ٱلزُّورِ حُنَفَآءَ لِلَّهِ غَيۡرَ مُشۡرِكِينَ بِهِۦۚ وَمَن يُشۡرِكۡ بِٱللَّهِ فَكَأَنَّمَا خَرَّ مِنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ فَتَخۡطَفُهُ ٱلطَّيۡرُ أَوۡ تَهۡوِي بِهِ ٱلرِّيحُ فِي مَكَانٖ سَحِيقٖ٣٠
<< And proclaim
to mankind the Hajj (pilgrimage). They will come to you on foot and on
every lean camel; they will come from every deep and distant (wide) mountain
highway (to perform Hajj). That they may witness things that are of
benefit to them and mention the Name of Allah on appointed days over the beast
of cattle that He has provided for them (for sacrifice).
Then eat thereof and
feed therewith the poor who have a very hard time. Then let them complete the
prescribed duties for them, and perform their vows, and circumambulate the
Ancient House (the Ka'bah at Makkah).
That (duties of Hajj
is the obligation that mankind owes to Allaah), and whoever honours the sacred
things of Allah, then that is better for him with his Lord. The cattle are
lawful to you, except those (that will be) mentioned to you (as exceptions). So
shun the abomination (worshipping) of idols and shun lying speech (false
statements)
To
worship none but Allaah, not associating partners unto Him and whoever assigns
partners to Allah, it is as if he had fallen from the sky, and the birds had
snatched him, or the wind had thrown him to a far-off place. >>
[Hajj : 27-31]
Allaah warns against Shirk
in these Noble Ayaat, in context of the Hajj, and commands
keeping away from Shirk and He explains the ugliness of Shirk and
its evil consequences. The one who does Shirk,
it is as if he has fallen from the sky and the birds have snatched him or the
wind has thrown him to a far-off place.
Just as was mentioned
before these Ayaat, Allaah –Subhanahu- ordered His Prophet
Ibraheem - sallAllaahu alayhi wa
sallam –to sanctify the House after Allaah had shown him a place for it, and Allaah
prohibited him from making Shirk with Allaah, as He –Subhanahu-
says :
وَإِذۡ بَوَّأۡنَا لِإِبۡرَٰهِيمَ مَكَانَ ٱلۡبَيۡتِ أَن لَّا
تُشۡرِكۡ بِي شَيۡٔٗا وَطَهِّرۡ بَيۡتِيَ لِلطَّآئِفِينَ وَٱلۡقَآئِمِينَ وَٱلرُّكَّعِ
ٱلسُّجُودِ
<< And (remember) when
We showed Ibraheem the site of the (Sacred) House (the Ka'bah at Makkah)
(saying): ‘Do not Associate anything (in worship) with Me and sanctify My House
for those who circumambulate it, those who stand up for prayer and those who
bow and make prostration (in prayer);’ >> [Hajj: 26]
These Ayaat, which are
regarding Hajj, are surrounded by a warning against Shirk, a
prohibition of it and an explanation of its evil consequences. These Ayaat also demonstrate a great
proof illustrating the ugliness of Shirk and its great danger. May Allaah protect myself and yourselves from
it and may He provide us with sincerity in our speech and actions.
