The Way to Salvation by Shaykh Rabee' part two

Bakkah.net - Translations of Muslim scholars, pictures of Makkah, Saudi Universities

The Way to Salvation is Found in
Holding to the Qur'aan and the Sunnah
Shaykh Rabee' ibn Haadee Al-Madkhalee
From a tele-link (1424-07-09) with TROID

[ Part One ] - [ Part Two ] - [ Part Three ] - [ Part Four ]

PART TWO:

...So then it is incumbent upon all the Muslims in each and every time and place to understand these divine instructions and these prophetic directions, and they must clamp onto them firmly with their molar teeth, especially when the Ummah has become divided.

This division is something that Allaah has dispraised and warned against, something that was dispraised by His Messenger, sallallaahu 'alayhe wa sallam, and something that he warned against, too.

There come a number of Verses related to the subject of holding fast to the Book and the Sunnah. They vary in their wordings, while the message is one - an order to establish oneself upon righteousness, an order to follow (the Messenger), an order to obey Allaah and His Messenger, sallallaahu 'alayhe wa sallam.

Similarly, there are a number of Verses that severely dispraise division and differing, like His Statement from these Verses mentioned:

"And do not be divided." [8]

And after this, from these Verses from Soorah Aali 'Imraan, comes His Statement:

"And do not become like those who split up and differed after the clear evidences came to them." [9]

Also, there come other Verses like Allaah's Statement, the Blessed and Exalted:

"Verily those who split up their Religion, becoming groups, then you (Muhammad) have nothing at all to do with them." [10]

They "split up their religion (far-raqoo)", and in one recitation, "Departed from their Religion (faaraqoo)." [11]

According to some of the scholars of tafseer, this Verse was revealed about the Jews and the Christians. Other scholars of tafseer, among them Aboo Hurayrah from the Companions, regarded it to have been revealed about the people of innovation and straying, those who split up their Religion, and thus deserve this severe blame from Allaah, the Mighty and Majestic. Furthermore, Allaah and His Messenger are free from them:

"You (Muhammad) have nothing at all to do with them." [10]

Meaning - You are free from them. And Allaah, the Blessed and Exalted, has declared His Allegiance to the truthful believers, and He has freed His Messenger from the people of innovation, those who cause division in this Ummah and break apart its affair. This is the case since this division carries such huge corruptive elements that harm both our religious and worldly affairs, in this life and in the Next. Thus, they deserve the Anger of Allaah, they deserve what Allaah threatens them with, and they deserve to be censured by Allaah; just as those who hold fast, follow, and obey Allaah and His Messenger deserve Allaah's great Statements of praise, a huge reward, and happiness and honor in this worldly life and in the Hereafter.

Therefore, this Book and this Sunnah are the very source of this Ummah's honor and happiness, if they hold fast to them both. And the source of misery, lowliness, and humiliation in this worldly life and in the Hereafter is in not holding fast to the Book and the Sunnah, not protecting oneself with them, and dividing the Ummah and splitting up the Religion, and "departing from it," according to some of the recitations. So they do not deserve anything from Allaah except His severe Threat, as found in the Qur'aan and in the Sunnah.

So it is upon the one who seeks (the reward from) Allaah and what is in the Next Abode to conform to these strong, forceful orders found in the Book of Allaah and in the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allaah to hold fast to the Book of Allaah and the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allaah, and to comply with the orders and abstain from the prohibited matters, and to believe in the reports found in the Qur'aan and the Sunnah, the established authentic reports from the Messenger of Allaah, sallallaahu 'alayhe wa sallam.

Furthermore, he must heed the severe warnings found in the Qur'aan and the Sunnah directed to those who disobey Allaah and disbelieve in Him. He must heed the warnings found in the texts, those promising the punishment of the Hellfire, a painful torment, for those who go against this Qur'aan and contradict Muhammad, sallallaahu 'alayhe wa sallam.

"So let those who contradict his order be warned, lest a calamity befall them, or a painful punishment." [12]

On the other hand:

"And whoever obeys Allaah and His Messenger, then they will be with those whom Allaah has bestowed blessings upon, from the Prophets, devoted believers, martyrs, and righteous. And what a good companionship they are! This is the bounty from Allaah, and Allaah is sufficient as One who knows." [13]

The former is the reward of the disobedient ones, and the latter is the reward of the obedient ones, that they will be in the company of the Prophets, devoted believers, martyrs, and righteous in gardens of delight. And Allaah's Refuge is sought from those who will be in the company of the devils that Day, freeing themselves from each other and cursing each other.

As for the believers, they will be leaning back on couches, looking at their Lord, enjoying the delights of Paradise.

So set your complete focus on being from the people of Paradise. And you will not be from its people unless you protect yourselves by following the Book of your Lord and the Sunnah of your Messenger. And I have warned you to take great caution not to contradict the Book of Allaah or the Sunnah of His Messenger, sallallaahu 'alayhe wa sallam. And I have mentioned the Verses and narrations that urge us to follow the Book of Allaah and the Sunnah of His Messenger and to protect one's self with them. And the narrations and the Verses that warn us against not obeying Allaah, not following the Sunnah of His Messenger, and contradicting the orders of Allaah and the Messenger are many.

So upon you is to study the Book of Allaah and the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allaah, and to gain understanding of them, in the subjects of beliefs, acts of worship, dealings, so that your life, all of it, will be based on the Book of Allaah and the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allaah, sallallaahu 'alayhe wa sallam.

Our beliefs are based upon the Book of Allaah and the Sunnah of His Messenger, sallallaahu 'alayhe wa sallam. Our acts of worship are based upon the Book of Allaah and the Sunnah of His Messenger, sallallaahu 'alayhe wa sallam. Our dealings with the Muslims and non-Muslims come from the Book of Allaah and the Sunnah of His Messenger, sallallaahu 'alayhe wa sallam.

And with this, we must be from those who follow the noble Companions from the Muhaajireen and the Ansaar. We must follow them in righteousness, and thus we will deserve Allaah's Pleasure and Mercy. And whoever opposes this, then he deserves all the severe threats mentioned in the Qur'aan and the Sunnah:

"And whoever disobeys Allaah and His Messenger, then verily for him is the Fire of Jahannam, he will reside therein forever." [14]

"And whoever disobeys Allaah and His Messenger, and transgresses His set limits, then He will cause him to enter a Fire, and reside therein forever, and for him is a humiliating punishment." [15]

This is the threat facing the one who disobeys Allaah and His Messenger. And the Messenger has said:

"All of you will enter Paradise, except the one who refuses."

They said, "And who would refuse, O Messenger of Allaah?" He replied:

"Whoever obeys me, enters Paradise; And whoever disobeys me, then verily he has refused." [16]

The one who obeys the Messenger in what he has commanded, and abstains from what he has prohibited, by way of this obedience he has followed the Book and the Sunnah...

[ Read PART THREE of this article... ]

FOOTNOTES (Abul-'Abbaas)

[8] Soorah Aali 'Imraan (3):103

[9] Soorah Aali 'Imraan (3):105

[10] Soorah Al-An'aam (6):159

[11] According to the recitation of Hamzah, Al-Kassaa'ee, and Al-A'mash.

[12] Soorah An-Noor (24):63

[13] Soorah An-Nisaa' (4):69-70

[14] Soorah Al-Jinn (72):23

[15] Soorah An-Nisaa' (4):14

[16] An authentic hadeeth collected by Imaam Al-Bukhaaree (#7280), on the authority of Aboo Hurayrah, may Allaah be pleased with him.

TEST YOUR UNDERSTANDING