Correct Belief – its Importance and Some of its Virtues

الحمد لله رب العالمين، وصلى الله وسلم على نبينا محمد وعلى آله وأصحابه أجمعين، أما بعد

 

Shaikh ‘Abdul-‘Azeez bin Baaz (rahimahullaah) said: “The Clear Book of Allaah and the Sunnah of His trustworthy Messenger (may the best extolment and security be upon him from his Lord) have proven that the correct belief is summarized as: belief in Allaah, and His Angels, and His Books, and His Messengers, and The Last Day, and in the pre-decree – the good of it and the bad of it.

So these six affairs are the principles of the correct belief with which the Book of Allaah, The All-Mighty, was revealed regarding, and Allaah sent His Messenger Muhammad (‘alaihi salaatu was-salaam) regarding, and there branches from these principles all that is necessary to have belief in from the affairs of the unseen and all of that which Allaah and His Messenger (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) informed of.”[1]

 

Rectifying the Beliefs was the Basis of the Call of the Prophets and Messengers

 

Allaah, The Most High, said:

وَلَقَدْ بَعَثْنَا فِي كُلِّ أُمَّةٍ رَّسُولًا أَنِ اعْبُدُوا اللَّهَ وَاجْتَنِبُوا الطَّاغُوتَ

((And indeed We sent a Messenger to every nation [ordering]; that they should worship Allaah, and avoid Taaghoot [everything that is worshipped besides Allaah].)) (An-Nahl: 36)

 

Muhammad bin Isma’eel al-Ameer as-San’aanee (rahimahullaah) said: “Indeed, the Messengers called their nations to say this statement (that none has the right to be worshipped except Allaah), as well as belief in its meaning – not merely the utterance of it with the tongue.”[2]

 

He said also: “Know that Allaah, The Most High, sent the Prophets (‘alaihim as-salaatu was-salaam) – from the first of them to the last of them, calling the servants to singling Allaah, The Most High, in worship, not that they should affirm that He created them and the like, since they were in acknowledgement of that.”[3]

 

Shaikh Saalih bin Fawzaan al-Fawzaan (hafidhahullaah) said: “So all of the Messengers came with the call to this creed, and all of the divinely revealed Books were revealed in clarification of it and clarifying what nullifies it.”[4]

 

It is a Must that One has Correct Belief for Actions to be Validated and Accepted

 

Shaikh ‘Abdul-‘Azeez bin Baaz (rahimahullaah) said: “It is known through the legislated proofs from the Book and the Sunnah; that the actions and statements are correct and accepted if they stem from having correct belief. So if the belief is not correct, then that which branches off from it from actions and statements is invalidated.”[5]

 

Shaikh  Saalih bin Fawzaan (hafidhahullaah) said: “So correct belief; it is the foundation upon which the religion is established, and by way of which the actions are rendered correct, as He, The Most High, said:

فَمَن كَانَ يَرْجُو لِقَاءَ رَبِّهِ فَلْيَعْمَلْ عَمَلًا صَالِحًا وَلَا يُشْرِكْ بِعِبَادَةِ رَبِّهِ أَحَدًا

((So whoever hopes for the meeting with his Lord, let him work [deeds of] righteousness and not associate anyone in the worship of his Lord.)) (Al-Kahf: 110)

 

And He, The Most High, said:

وَلَقَدْ أُوحِيَ إِلَيْكَ وَإِلَى الَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِكَ لَئِنْ أَشْرَكْتَ لَيَحْبَطَنَّ عَمَلُكَ وَلَتَكُونَنَّ مِنَ الْخَاسِرِينَ

((And indeed it has been revealed to you and to those before you that if you should associate anything [in worship with Allaah], your deeds would surely be made ineffective, and you will certainly be among the losers.)) (Az-Zumar: 65)

 

So these noble ayaat – and that which has come with their meaning – and they are many, prove that actions are not accepted unless they are exempt from shirk.”[6]

 

The Shaikh said likewise: “There is no benefit in prayer and giving zakaat and the rest of the actions without the actualization of the two statements of faith, and this is from that which proves the importance of belief, as well as its station in Islaam.”[7]

 

Correct Belief Brings About Unity, Aid and Victory

 

Shaikh Saalih bin Fawzaan (hafidhahullaah) said regarding the saying of Allaah, The Most High:

لَوْ أَنفَقْتَ مَا فِي الْأَرْضِ جَمِيعًا مَّا أَلَّفْتَ بَيْنَ قُلُوبِهِمْ وَلَٰكِنَّ اللَّهَ أَلَّفَ بَيْنَهُمْ إِنَّهُ عَزِيزٌ حَكِيمٌ

((If you had spent all that is in the earth, you could not have brought their hearts together; but Allaah brought them together. Indeed He is All-Mighty, All-Wise.)) (Al-Anfaal: 63)

 

“He brought them together in harmony with what? With correct belief, the Tawheed of: “None has the right to be worshipped except Allaah.” – This is that by way of which Allaah brought them together in harmony over. The Muslims cannot be brought together in harmony today and be restored to their unity and their strength except by that which brought harmony between the predecessors. It is due to this that Imaam Maalik (rahimahullaah) said:

‘Nothing will rectify the end of this Ummah except that which rectified its first part.’

Therefore if they desire to gather the Ummah and for brotherhood and co-operation, then upon them is the rectitude of the beliefs, without the rectitude of belief it is not possible to gather the Ummah, as it is gathering between contrary opposites – even if whoever attempts to try does so.”[8]

 

Correct Belief Repels Doubts and False Concepts

 

Allaah, The Most High, said:

يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ قَدْ جَاءَكُم بُرْهَانٌ مِّن رَّبِّكُمْ وَأَنزَلْنَا إِلَيْكُمْ نُورًا مُّبِينًا

((O mankind, indeed there has come to you a convincing proof from your Lord, and We have sent down to you a clear light.)) (An-Nisaa: 174)

 

Shaikh Muhammad bin Saalih al-‘Uthaimeen (rahimahullaah) said regarding correct belief: “It liberates the intellect and thought from chaotic confused disorder which emanates from the vacuity of the heart from this belief, since whoever’s heart is vacant of it, then he is either vacant in heart from every belief and is a worshipper of tangible material possession only, or that he is confused in the misguided notions of the varying beliefs and superstitious drivel.”[9]

 

It is the Reason for a Good Life and Prosperity in the Hereafter

 

Allaah, The Most High, said:

مَنْ عَمِلَ صَالِحًا مِّن ذَكَرٍ أَوْ أُنثَىٰ وَهُوَ مُؤْمِنٌ فَلَنُحْيِيَنَّهُ حَيَاةً طَيِّبَةً وَلَنَجْزِيَنَّهُمْ أَجْرَهُم بِأَحْسَنِ مَا كَانُوا يَعْمَلُونَ

((Whoever does righteousness, whether male or female, while he is a believer – We will surely cause him to live a good life, and We will surely give them their reward according to the best of what they used to do.)) (An-Nahl: 97)

 

Shaikh Saalih bin Fawzaan (hafidhahullaah) said: “So if this belief is in accordance to that which Allaah sent His Messengers with, and revealed His Books regarding, then it is correct sound belief due to which there transpires being saved from the punishment of Allaah, as well as prosperity in the worldly life and the Hereafter.

Yet if this belief is in opposition to that which Allaah sent His Messengers with, and revealed His Books regarding, then it is belief which necessitates punishment for its adherents, as well as wretchedness in the worldly life and the Hereafter.”[10]

 

It Repels the Evils of the Devils

 

He, The Most High, said regarding Satan:

إِنَّهُ لَيْسَ لَهُ سُلْطَانٌ عَلَى الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَلَىٰ رَبِّهِمْ يَتَوَكَّلُونَ

((Indeed, he has no authority over those who believe and have reliance upon their Lord.)) (An-Nahl: 99)

 

Imaam At-Tabaree (rahimahullaah) said: “What is meant by that is; that Satan has no competent authority over those who believe in Allaah and His Messenger, and implement that which Allaah commanded with and refrain from that which Allaah prohibited them from.”[11]

 

Shaikh ‘Abdur-Rahmaan as-Sa’dee (rahimahullaah) said: “So Allaah repels the evil of Satan from the believers – those that have reliance upon Him, and so there remains no pathway to them for him.”[12]

 

Shaikh Muqbil bin Haadi al-Waadi’ee (rahimahullaah) said: “So if you are strong in belief, the Jinn and Satan will both have fear of you. Yet if you are unsteady in belief, you may well fear your own shadow.”[13]

 

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[1] Majmu’ Fataawa vol 1 p.13

[2] Tat-heerul I’tiqaad p.34

[3] Tat-heerul I’tiqaad p.41

[4] Al-Irshaad ilaa Saheeh al-I’tiqaad p.3

[5] Majmu’ Fataawa vol 1 p.13

[6] ‘Aqeedah at-Tawheed p.10

[7] Taken from an audio lecture entitled: Madhaahir Da’f al-‘Aqeedah fee ‘Asrinaa al-Haadir wa Turuq ‘Ilaajuhaa.

[8] Madhaahir Da’f al-‘Aqeedah fee ‘Asrinaa al-Haadir wa Turuq ‘Ilaajuhaa.

[9] Majmu’ Fataawa vol 5 p.144

[10] Al-Irshaad ilaa Saheeh al-I’tiqaad p.3-4

[11] Jaami’ al-Bayaan vol 14 p.174

[12] Tayseer al-Kareem ar-Rahmaan p.449

[13] Qom’ al-Mu’aanid part 1 p.35

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