Back 2 Basics – 19) Knowledge Comes Before Action

Knowledge & Actions
By Shaykh Rabia’ ibn Haadee al-Madkhalee
Compiled & translated By Abbas Abu Yahya

Published by Miraath Publications

1 – Shaykh Rabia’ said:

‘Learning knowledge should be for the sake of Allaah’s Face, and also for acting upon that knowledge, otherwise knowledge will have an evil consequence, so the person remains between two illnesses, either the illness of ignorance or the illness of knowledge which is not beneficial, but rather harmful.

The knowledge which Muhammad -sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam- came with is in itself beneficial. However, if a person does not act upon it then it becomes an evil consequence for him, and harmful for him, and perhaps it could harm others.’

2 – Shaykh Rabia’ said:
‘What is required from learning knowledge, is acting upon it, and action cannot come except after knowledge. As Allaah Tabaraka wa Ta’ala said:

فَاعْلَمْ أَنَّهُ لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَاسْتَغْفِرْ لِذَنْبِكَ وَلِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَالْمُؤْمِنَاتِ

-So know that Lâ ilâha ill-Allaah (none has the right to be worshipped but Allaah), and ask forgiveness for your sin, and also for (the sin of) believing men and believing women.-  [Muhammad: 19]

Bukhari wrote a chapter heading ‘Chapter: Knowledge comes before Statements and Actions’ because it is obligatory upon us not to act except with knowledge, and not worship Allaah except with knowledge, so we do not worship Allaah Subhanahu – with ignorance or following desires.’

3 – Shaykh Rabia’ said:

‘The way of those misguided from the people of the Book who learnt knowledge but did not act upon it, is that their hearts became hard, and most of them became evil…. . .

If this hardness afflicts the heart then it destroys it. . . . .

So it does not accept the truth, and does not act with knowledge and refuge is sought with Allaah, and it leads to hiding knowledge and acting in opposition to knowledge. . .. .

It leads to following whims and rejection of the truth, which is clear like the sun. . . . . ’

[Taken from a writing of the Shaykh ‘Comments upon the words of Imam Ibn Qayyim in his book ‘al-Fawaid’, from Miraath.net]

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Back 2 Basics – 18) Where Is Allah?

Allah is NOT in the midst of, or surrounded by the heavens BUT He is above the heavens

Q 2: What is the evidence that Allah is in the heavens?

A: The `Aqidah (creed) of Ahl-ul-Sunnah wal-Jama`ah (those adhering to the Sunnah and the Muslim main body) is that Allah is in the heavens, above all of His Creation, and that He has risen above the Throne, as He (Glorified be He) states:

Do you feel secure that He, Who is over the heaven (Allâh), will not cause the earth to sink with you, and then it should quake? Or do you feel secure that He, Who is over the heaven (Allâh), will not send against you a violent whirlwind? Then you shall know how (terrible) has been My Warning  (Surah Al-Mulk 67:16-17)

and He (Exalted be He) states:

To Him ascend (all) the goodly words, and the righteous deeds exalt it (i.e. the goodly words are not accepted by Allâh unless and until they are followed by good deeds)>> (Surah Fatir 35:10)

and states:

He manages and regulates (every) affair from the heavens to the earth; then it (affair) will go up to Him (Surah Al-Sajdah 32:5)

and in Surah Ta-Hah:

The Most Gracious (Allâh) rose over (Istawâ) the (Mighty) Throne (in a manner that suits His Majesty) (Surah Taha 25:10)

and (Glorified be He):

Indeed, your Lord is Allâh, Who created the heavens and the earth in Six Days, and then He rose over (Istawâ) the Throne (really in a manner that suits His Majesty) (Surah Al-Ara’f 7:54)

in seven places in the Qur’an.

Furthermore, it was authentically reported in the Hadith regarding the Kharijites that the prophet (peace be upon him) states:

“Don’t you trust me though I am the trustworthy man of the One in the Heavens, and I receive the news of Heaven (i.e. Divine Inspiration) both in the morning and in the evening?”

and

when the Prophet (peace be upon him) asked a slave girl, “Where is Allah?” She replied, “In the heaven.” He (peace be upon him) then asked her, “Who am I?” She said, “You are the Messenger of Allah.” He (peace be upon him) said (to her master), “Release her, for she is a believer.” [Related by Muslim]

The Prophet (peace be upon him) also stated:

The Compassionate One has mercy on those who are merciful. If you show mercy to those who are on the earth, He Who is in the heaven will show mercy to you. [Related by Ahmad, Abu Dawud and Al-Tirmidhi who classified it as a Hasan Sahih Hadith, and Al-Hakim who classified it as Sahih and Al-Dhahabi agreed with him].

And there are many other Hadith to this effect.

Sheikh-ul-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah said that this does not mean in any way that Allah is in the midst of, or surrounded by the heavens, as none of the Salaf (righteous predecessors) of this Ummah (community) or its Imams ever stated that; rather they agreed that allah is established on His Throne above the heavens and is distinguished from His creation with no similarity whatsoever between Him and His creation in terms of His Attributes, Names, or Power.

Then he quoted the saying of Al-Imam Malik that Allah is above the heavens and His knowledge encompasses everywhere and every thing, until he (Malik) said whoever believes that Allah is in the mist of, or surrounded by the heavens and that He needs His Throne or any of His creation, or that His rising above the Throne is similar to that of any of His servants sitting on a chair, then he is astray, Mubtadi` (one who introduces innovations in religion) and Islamically ignorant.

Likewise, whoever believes that Allah is not above the heavens and rising above His Throne and Muhammad was not carried to heaven or the Qur’an was revealed to him, is Mu`atil (denying Allah’s attributes), astray and Mubtadi`.  [Quoted from the collection of Fatwa by Ibn Taymiyyah.]

May Allah grant us success! May peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family and Companions!

Permanent Committee for Scholarly Research and Ifta’

Member     Member     Deputy Chairman     Chairman
Bakr Abu Zayd     Salih Al-Fawzan     `Abdul-`Aziz Al Al-Shaykh     `Abdul-`Aziz ibn `Abdullah ibn Baz

Source : alifta.net