Chapter 2: Kitāb At-Tawheed. Whoever Actualises Tawheed will enter Paradise without a Reckoning: Ahmad An-Najmi

Print Friendly, PDF & Email

The Concise, Simple and Straight-forward Explanation of the Tawheed of the Exalted Creator – which was Authored by the Shaikhul-Islām Muhammad b. Abdul-Wahhāb
(Ash-Sharh al-Moojaz al-Mumahhad li Tawheed al-Khaaliq al-Mumajjad alladhi allafahu Shaikhul-Islam Muhammad)

This is an explanation of Kitāb at-Tawheed of Shaikhul-Islaam Muhammad b. Abdul-Wahhaab (d. 1206H, rahimahullāh) by ash-Shaikh al-Allāmah Ahmad b. Yahyā an-Najmee (rahimahullaah).

So Shaikhul-Islām Muhammad b. Abdul-Wahhāb (rahimahullāh) said in chapter 20:

Chapter 2

Whoever Actualises Tawheed will enter Paradise without a Reckoning

Allaah, the Most High, said:

إِنَّ إِبْرَاهِيمَ كَانَ أُمَّةً قَانِتًا لِّلَّهِ حَنِيفًا وَلَمْ يَكُ مِنَ الْمُشْرِكِينَ

Indeed, Abraham was an Ummah, devoutly obedient to Allah, inclining toward truth, and he was not of those who associate others with Allaah.

[an-Nahl: 120]

I say: Actualising Tawheed is extrapolated from the saying of Allaah, the Most High:

الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَلَمْ يَلْبِسُوا إِيمَانَهُم بِظُلْمٍ أُولَٰئِكَ لَهُمُ الْأَمْنُ وَهُم مُّهْتَدُونَ

Those who believe and do not mix their belief with injustice – those will have security, and they are rightly guided.

[al-An’aam: 82]

His saying: “Those who believe and do not mix their Eemaan with injustice.” Meaning: that they do not mix their Imaan with Shirk. So the one who does not mix his Imaan with Shirk, not minor or major, then this is one for whom it is hoped that he has actualised Tawheed. And if he actualises Tawheed, then he has absolute  (complete) security and guidance – meaning that such a person has reached the highest level of security and guidance.

The previous verses in the chapter on the “Excellence of Tawheed” (Chapter 1) can be used as an evidence in this chapter. So it can be said that the one who actualises Tawheed by not mixing his Imaan with Shirk, then he will enter Paradise without a reckoning. As for the one who mixes his Imaan with Minor Shirk (which does not exit one from Islaam), or something of major sins, or with innovations that do not reach the level of Kufr (unbelief), then such a person is subject to Will of Allaah (He may punish him for a time, or pardon him).

So the author uses the following verse to extract his point of evidence:

إِنَّ إِبْرَاهِيمَ كَانَ أُمَّةً قَانِتًا لِّلَّهِ

“Indeed, Abraham was an Ummah, devoutly obedient to Allaah.”

What is the meaning of, “devoutly obedient to Allaah”? It means that he was compliant and submissive and yielding (khaadi’an) to Allaah. He was “haneefan”, meaning, one who turned away from Shirk towards Tawheed. And he was “not from the mushriks”, on the basis that Ibraaheem was extolled by Allaah because he fulfilled the command of His Lord. Allaah, the Most High, stated:

وَإِبْرَاهِيمَ الَّذِي وَفَّىٰ

And Ibraheem, who fulfilled [his obligations].

[An-Najm: 37]

And He, the Most High, said:

وَإِذِ ابْتَلَىٰ إِبْرَاهِيمَ رَبُّهُ بِكَلِمَاتٍ فَأَتَمَّهُنَّ ۖ قَالَ إِنِّي جَاعِلُكَ لِلنَّاسِ إِمَامًا

And [mention, O Muhammad], when Ibraheem was tried by his Lord with commands and he fulfilled them. [Allah] said, “Indeed, I will make you a leader for the people.”

[al-Baqarah: 124]

So Allaah gave him the true leadership – and this is a proof of the leadership of Ibraaheem (‘alaihi salaam).

So from this it is understood that Ibraaheem fulfilled that which Allaah commanded him with, and he feared for himself (‘alaihi salaam) and his son from Shirk, and for this reason Allaah made him an Imaam in Tawheed, along with others:

قَدْ كَانَتْ لَكُمْ أُسْوَةٌ حَسَنَةٌ فِي إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَالَّذِينَ مَعَهُ

There has already been for you an excellent pattern in Ibraaheem and those with him.

[al-Mumtahana: 4]

Then the author draws upon another verse:

وَالَّذِينَ هُم بِرَبِّهِمْ لَا يُشْرِكُونَ

And they who do not associate anything with their Lord.

[al-Mu’minoon: 59]

This is a description of the accomplished believers, those established upon the actual, true Tawheed in the best way. They are the best example of those who actualise Tawheed. That hold the loftiest station with Allaah, the Mighty and Majestic.

Then the author brings the hadeeth: On the authority of Husayn b. ‘Abdur-Rahmaan who said: I was once with Sa’eed b. Jubair, when he said: “Who amongst you saw the shooting star last night?” I answered: “I did.” Then I said: “I was not in the prayer at that time, as I was stung [by an insect or scorpion].” He said: “What did you do?” I replied: “I used Ruqyah.” He asked: “And what compelled you to do that?” I said: “A hadeeth that Ash-Sha’bee related to us.” He said: “And what did he relay to you?” I answered: “He narrated to us from Buraidah b. al-Husayb, that he (Allaah’s Messenger, salallaahu ‘alaihi wassallam) said:

“There is no Ruqyah except from the evil-eye or a poisonous sting.”

Sa’eed b. Jubair said: He who stops at what he heard has done well. However Ibn Abbaas (radiyallaahu ‘anhumaa) narrated to us from Allaah’s Messenger (salallaahu ‘alahi wassallam) that he said:

“The nations were displayed before me, and I saw a Prophet with a small group of people*, and a Prophet with one or two men, and a Prophet who had nobody with him. Then a large mass of people appeared before me, and I thought they were my nation. So it was said to me: ‘This is Moosaa and his people.’ Then I looked and I saw another great mass of people, and it was said to me: ‘This is your nation, and with them are 70,000 people who will enter Paradise, without reckoning and without punishment.'”

[*Ar-Rahtu: between three and nine. See Ibn ‘Uthaimeen, Qawlul-Mufeed.]

Then he stood and entered his home, and the people starting regarding the 70,000. So some of them said: “Perhaps they are those who accompanied Allaah’s Messenger.” Others said: “Perhaps they are those who were born into Islaam, and did not associate any partners in worship with Allaah.” And they mentioned various other possibilities. Then the Messenger of Allaah (salallaahu ‘alaihi wassallam) came out to them, and they informed him of their discussion. So he (salallaahu ‘alaihi wassallam) said:

“They are those who do not seek Ruqyah, and they do not get themselves cauterised or branded, they do not follow omens, and they put their trust in their Lord.”

So ‘Ukkaashah b. Mihsan stood up and said: “O Allaah’s Messenger! Supplicate to Allaah that He makes me from them.” So Allaah’s Messenger (salallaahu ‘alahi wassallam) said: “You are from them.” Then another man stood up and said: “O Allaah’s Messenger! Supplicate to Allaah that He makes me from them.” So he replied: “‘Ukkaashah has beaten you to it!”

[Reported by al-Bukhaaree in summarised form, Book of Medicine, Chapter: One who does not seek Ruqyah; also in the Book of Softening the Hearts, Chapter: 70,000 will enter Paradise without a Reckoning. Also Muslim, Book of Imaan, Chapter: Proof that a group of Muslims will enter Paradise without Reckoning and without Punishment. At-Tirmidhee in his Sunan, Book of Description of Resurrection Day. Ahmad in his Musnad, no. 2444, in summarised form in Musnad al-Basriyyeen (within Musnad Ahmad), no. 19412, and in other places.]

His saying: I was once with Sa’eed b. Jubair, when he said: “Who amongst you saw the shooting star last night?” This refers to a fierce, swooping star that is thrown, brightly lit.

His saying: “I said: I did.” However, he feared for himself riyaa’ (showing off), so he said: “I was not in the prayer at that time, as I was stung [by an insect or scorpion],” as if to say: ‘But the thing that kept me awake was the fact I was stung. So he informed them of the reality to repel riyaa’, desiring not to seek the praise of the people.

So Sa’eed b. Jubair said to him: “So what did you do?” He responded: “I used Ruqyah.” Meaning: What did you do do after getting stung? So he responded with the fact that he performed Ruqyah upon himself. So Ibn Jubair asked him: “And what compelled you to do that?” In this there is a proof that the Salaf, may Allaah’s mercy be upon them, upon seeing one from amongst them doing something, would ask his companion for the evidence supporting his action. So his saying: “And what compelled you to do that?” Means: What is your proof? Who is your example? So he responded: “A hadeeth that Ash-Sha’bee related to us.” He said: “And what did he relay to you?” So Husayn b. Abdur-Rahmaan responded: “He narrated to us from Buraidah b. al-Husayb, that he (Allaah’s Messenger, salallaahu ‘alaihi wassallam) said:

“There is no Ruqyah except from the evil-eye or a poisonous sting.”

His (salallaahu ‘alaihi wassallam) words: “There is no Ruqyah..” negates any Ruqyah, except that which is done for evil-eye. And the “evil-eye” refers to the one afflicted by evil-eye. And the Prophet (salallaahu ‘alaihi wassallam) said:

“The Evil-Eye is real.”

[Agreed upon from the hadeeth of Abu Hurairah (radiyallaahu ‘anhu). Al-Bukhaaree in his Saheeh, Book of Medicine, Chapter: The Evil-Eye is true. Also Muslim in the Book of Salaam, Chapter: Medicine, Illness and Ruqyah. Imaam Muslim added from the narration of Ibn Abbaas (radiyallaahu ‘anhumaa): “The Evil-Eye is true, and if there was anything that would overtake the pre-Decree, then it would be overtaken by the evil-eye, so if you asked to bathe, then bathe [so that the water can be used to repel the effects of the evil-eye].”]

“Or a sting,” Is a poisonous bite or sting from a snake or scorpion for example.

The saying of Sa’eed b. Jubair: “He who stops at what he heard has done well.” Meaning, that the one who stops at what he has heard and acts upon that, has indeed done well.

The saying of Sa’eed b. Jubair: “However Ibn Abbaas (radiyallaahu ‘anhumaa) narrated to us from Allaah’s Messenger (salallaahu ‘alahi wassallam) that he said: ‘The nations were displayed before me..’” Wherein the Prophet (salallaahu ‘alaihi wassallam) said: “They are those who do not seek Ruqyah, and they do not get themselves cauterised or branded, they do not follow omens, and they put their trust in their Lord.”

From this it is understood that from truly actualising Tawheed is to abandon certain permitted means of cure such as cauterisation and divine incantation (ruqyah).

I say: Ruqyah (or divine incantation) is an affair that is textually reported as well as the Messenger’s (salallaahu ‘alaihi wassallam) tacit approval of it. So is it the case that every form of ruqyah has within it a depreciation of one’s Tawheed; or is it the seeking of ruqyah from others that depreciates Tawheed? Then this is answered in his saying: “They are those who do not seek Ruqyah,” meaning, that they do not seek it from others.

As for the narration, “They do not perform ruqyah,”[1] then this is perhaps an ambiguity emanating from the narrator. So when a person performs ruqyah upon another, then this deed of his is not a deficiency in his Tahweed or in his reliance upon Allaah.

[1] [There occurs in Fat-hul-Baaree (11/408), in summary, that there occurs in the narration of Sa’eed b. Mansoor from Muslim the wording, “they do not perform ruqyah” in place of, “they do not get cauterised”. Shaikhul-Islaam Ibn Taymiyyah criticised this narration, and claimed that it is a mistake on behalf of the one who narrated it. And when one is afflicted or sick, the raaqee (i.e. the one performing ruqyah) does a good deed for the one he ruqyah upon, so how can it be the case that abandonment of it is desirable.]

As for one performing ruqyah on oneself, or ruqyah is performed without one requesting that, then there is no forbiddance and no harm in that – and by doing so there is no depreciation in one’s perfecting Tawheed. However depreciation in the perfection of Tawheed occurs when one seeks ruqyah from others.

(As for a person who is afflicted and someone who is able volunteers to perform ruqyah without being asked, then the afflicted person should not refuse the ruqyah, as that is in opposition to the Sunnah, as the Prophet (salallaahu ‘alaihi wassallam) did not refuse the ruqyah of Aa’ishah (radiyallaahu ‘anhumaa) and did the Sahaabah. And this acceptance does not affect one’s reliance upon Allaah. See Ibn ‘Uthaimeen, al-Qawlul-Mufeed, p.73)

The Messenger’s (salallaahu ‘alaihi wassallam) saying, “and they do not get themselves cauterised.” It is reported from the Prophet (salallaahu ‘alahi wassallam) that he cauterised As’ad b. Zaraarah [2] (radiyallaahu ‘anhu).

[2] [At-Tirmidhee in as-Sunan, in the Book of Medicine, Chapter: ‘That which has been narrated about the dislike of cauterisation.’ And in the same Book, there occurs the Chapter: ‘The allowance for it,’ from the hadeeth of Anas, that the Prophet (salallaahu ‘alaihi wassallam) cauterised As’ad b. Zaraarah (radiyallaahu ‘anhu). Imaam Muhammad Naasirud-Deen Al-Albaanee graded it to be saheeh in “Saheeh at-Tirmidhee” (2/401), and he said, “See al-Mishkaat, number 4534.” (With the checking of al-Albaanee). Imaam Ahmad similarly reports it in the “Musnad ash-Shaamiyyeen” (no. 16787)]

And the Prophet (salallaahu ‘alaihi wassallam) said:

“If there is any good in your remedies, then it is in the incision of the cupper (i.e. hijaamah), or in the drink of honey, or cauterisation with fire, in accordance to what suits the ailment. And I do not like to be cauterised or branded with fire.” [3]

[3] [Agreed upon, from the hadeeth of Jaabir (radiyallaahu ‘anhu). Bukhaaree, Book of Medicine, Chapter: Curing with honey and the saying of Allaah: “Feehi shifaaun lin-naas” (an-Nahl: 69), and other places. Muslim, Book of Salaam, Chapter: For every sickness there is a cure, and the recommendation of treating illnesses, with the wording:

‘Aasim b. ‘Umar b. Qataadah said: “Jaabir b. Abdillaah came to us in our home – and there was man who complained that he was suffering from an abscess or a wound. He said: “What afflicts you?” He said: “An abscess that causes me pain.” So he said: “O young boy! Go and fetch a cupper.” He said: “O father of Abdullaah! What will you do with a cupper?” He said: “I wish to treat him with cupping tools.” The man said: “By Allaah! Even if a fly lands on me or a piece of cloth touches me, it causes me a great deal of pain.” When Jaabir saw that the man was feeling anxious, he said: “I heard Allaah’s Messenger (salallaahu ‘alaihi wassallam) say: “If there is any good in your remedies, then it is in the incision of the cupper, or in the drink of honey, or cauterisation with fire.” The Messenger (salallaahu ‘alaihi wassallam) said: “But I do not like to be cauterised.” He brought a cupper and he made an incision, and his pain went away.”]

Therefore the act of cauterisation or branding is permissible, and leaving it alone is from the perfection of Tawheed.

The saying of the Prophet (salallaahu ‘alaihi wassallam): “They do not follow omens,” meaning here that they do not find bad signs and omens in themselves [due to what they see, or hear, or due to certain places and times – such as certain days or months (marriage in Shawwaal) known to in the days of Jaahiliyyah to bad omens. The Arabs, in their pre-Islamic days of ignorance, would desire to do something good, then they would see a bird fly to the right or left, and based on what that would mean to them, they would delay that act, thinking it to be a bad sign. The Sharee’ah nullified all of this due to the harm it cause to humans in their intellects, their thinking and their behaviour. All of these affairs diminish the perfection of Tawheed except for following of omens, for that is forbidden and his has no real basis to it in any case. (see Ibn Uthaimeen, Qawlul-Mufeed ‘alal-Kitaabit-Tawheed)]. And this is from the perfection of one’s Tawheed.

The saying of the Messenger (salallaahu ‘alaihi wassallam): “And they put their trust in their Lord.” Meaning that they leave off these means of remedy that are permissible for them in favour of relying solely upon Allaah, this is from the perfection of Tawheed.

The hadeeth continues: So ‘Ukkaashah b. Mihsan stood up and said: “O Allaah’s Messenger! Supplicate to Allaah that He makes me from them.” So Allaah’s Messenger (salallaahu ‘alahi wassallam) said: “You are from them.” Then another man stood up and said: “O Allaah’s Messenger! Supplicate to Allaah that He makes me from them.” So he replied: “‘Ukkaashah has beaten you to it!”

So it is apparent from this hadeeth that the 70,000 who will enter Paradise without a reckoning and without being punished reach this station due to their perfecting Tawheed.

(Note: This is in actuality a du’aa of Allaah’s Messenger, salallaahu ‘alaihi wassallam, for ‘Ukkaashah, radiyallaahu anhu, as occurs in the hadeeth of Bukhaaree: “O Allaah make him from them.”

As for other forms of treatment that are are not mentioned in this hadeeth of the 70,000 that are mentioned in other texts, then utilising those other treatments does not exclude one from being from the 70,000 who enter Paradise without a reckoning and without punishment. And this is due to the fact that those other texts encourage the use of those remedies, such as honey, black cumin seed, etc. See Ibn Uthaimeen).