Class 2 – Wrong Beliefs-Intentions

Class 2
‘MAJOR SINS RELATED TO FAITH’

I – BELIEF SYSTEM

1) SHIRK

Every other sin may be forgiven by Allah, apart from shirk, which requires specific repentance, as Allah says (interpretation of the meaning):

Verily, Allah forgives not that partners should be set up with Him in worship, but He forgives except that (anything else) to whom He pleases . . .” [al-Nisaa’ 4:48]

In the course we will not get into the technicalities of Shirk rather see some acts that are forms of Shirk which are particularly widespread in Muslim countries: –

a)    Grave-worship,

b)    Amulets

c)    Showing off in Worship

d)    Superstitious belief in omens

e)      Swearing by something other than Allah

a) Grave-worship

The belief that dead awliyaa’ (“saints”), dead Prophets, righteous people and others can fulfil one’s needs or help at times of distress, and calling upon them for aid or intercede for them or to rescue them from some calamity. Allah says (interpretation of the meaning):

And your Lord has decreed that you worship none but Him . . .” [al-Israa’ 17:23]

 “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, generations after generations? Is there any ilaah (god) with Allah? . . .” [al-Naml 27:62]

b) Amulets

Believing that certain things can bring benefit when the Creator has not made them so.

The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Whoever hangs up an amulet is guilty of shirk.” (Reported by Ahmad, 4/156; see also Silsilat al-Sahihah, no. 492).

If the one who does this believes that these things can cause benefit or harm instead of Allah, he is a mushrik who is guilty of al-shirk al-akbar. If he believes that they are a means of causing benefit or harm, then he is a mushrik who is guilty of al-shirk al-asghar, which includes shirk that consists of attributing causes to things other than Allah.

c) Showing off in worship

Among the conditions for any good deed to be acceptable are that it should be free of any kind of showing off and within the framework of the Sunnah.

Whoever does any act of worship for the sake of Allah and other people, his deeds will be unacceptable, as is stated in the hadith qudsi: “I am so self-sufficient that I am in no need of having an associate. Thus he who does a deed for someone else’s sake as well as Mine will have that deed renounced by Me to him who he associated with Me.” (Reported by Muslim, no. 2985).

It may happen that a person starts to do a deed for the sake of Allah, then the urge to show off comes over him. If he resists that impulse his deed will still be acceptable, but if he submits willingly to it, then in the opinion of most of the scholars his deed will be unacceptable.

d) Superstitious belief in omens

Before Islam, if one of the Arabs wanted to do something like travelling, he would take hold of a bird and release it: if it flew to the right, he would take this as a good omen and proceed with his plans, but if it flew to the left, he would take it as a bad omen and cancel his plans. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) gave his verdict on this practice when he said: “Al-Tiyarah (observing birds for omens) is shirk.” (Reported by Imam Ahmad, 1/389; see also Sahih al-Jaami’, 3955).

This kind of haram belief that goes against Tawheed also includes the practice of regarding certain times etc., as inauspicious, such as not holding a wedding in Safar, or regarding the last Wednesday of every month as a day of evil omen and ongoing calamity, or believing that numbers such as 13, or certain names, are “unlucky.” It is also haram to believe that handicapped people are bad omens, such as going to open one’s store but turning back upon seeing a one-eyed man.

The expiation required from the person who commits any of these sins is reported in the hadeeth reported by Abdullah ibn ‘Amr: “The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: ‘Whoever was turned away from doing something because of a bad omen is guilty of shirk.’ The people asked, ‘O Messenger of Allah, what expiation is there for doing that?’ He said, ‘That he should say: “O Allah, there is no goodness except Your goodness and no omen except your omen and there is no god but You.”’” (Reported by Imam Ahmad, 2/220; al-Silsilah al-Sahihah, 1065).

e) Swearing by something other than Allah

Allah may swear by whatever of His creatures He wills, but His creatures are not permitted to swear by anything other than Allah. Many people swear all kinds of oaths by things other than Allah, but swearing by something is like glorifying it, and it is not right to glorify anything or anyone other than Allah. Ibn ‘Umar reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Whoever swears by something other than Allah is guilty of shirk.” (Reported by Imam Ahmad, 2/125; see Sahih al-Jaami’, 6204).

It is not permitted to swear by the Ka’bah, by trustworthiness, by honour, by help, by the blessing of so-and-so, by the life of so-and-so, by the virtue of the Prophet, by the virtue of a wali, by one’s father and mother, by the heads of one’s children, etc. All of that is haraam, and the expiation for doing it is to say La ilaaha ill-Allah, as is stated in the Sahih hadith: “Whoever swears and says ‘By al-Laat’ or ‘By al-’Uzza,’ let him say ‘La ilaaha ill-Allah (there is no god except Allah).’” (Reported by al-Bukhari al-Fath, 11/536).

41) DISBELIEVING IN DESTINY (Qadar)

Allah Most High says,

{Verily, all things have We created in proportion and measure.} (AI-Qamar: 49)

In his Tafsir, Ibn AI-Jawzi highlighted two views concerning the occasion of revelation of this verse.

The first view is reported by Muslim on the authority of Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the disbelievers of Mecca came to dispute with the Messenger of Allah concerning the Destiny, then the verse was revealed to refute their claims. Abu Umamah, however, is of the opinion that this verse was revealed concerning the so-called fatalism. The second view is that the bishop of Najran came to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and said, “O Muhammed! you claim that sins are predetermined by Allah, but this is a wrong attitude.”

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ replied, “You are the enemies of Allah.” Then the following verses were revealed {Truly those in sin are the ones in error and madness. The Day they will be dragged through the Fire on their faces, (they will hear.) taste ye the touch of Hell!’ Verily, all things have We created in proportion and measure.} (Al-Qamar: 47-49)

‘Umar Ibn al-Khattab said, “The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said,

“On the Day of Judgment, Allah will gather the first and the last of people and then order a caller to say with a clear voice, where are the enemies of Allah?” The fatalists would stand whereupon they would be ordered to go to Hell.” 

Allah says, {Taste ye the touch of Hell! Verily, all things have We created in proportion and measure.} Those men are called the enemies of Allah because they dispute how Allah predetermines sins and thenpunishes the sinners thereby.”

Hisham Ibn Hassan commented, “By Allah if a fatalist observes continuous fasting until he becomes as thin as thread, or observes continuous Prayer until he becomes as faint as string, Allah would order him to be dragged through the Fire on his face and then say to him {taste the touch of Hell! “Verily all things Have We created in proportion and measure.}” 

Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) the Prophet ﷺ said,

“Everything runs in accordance with Allah’s Destiny even the inability and intelligence.” (Muslim)

Ibn ‘Abbas said, “All things have We created in proportion and measure and they are recorded in AILawh AI-Mahfuz (The TabletPreserved).”

Allah Most High says,

{But Allah has created you and your hadiwork! } (Al-saffat: 96)

`Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said,

“The Qadiriyyah (fatalists j are the Magians of this Ummah.”(Abu Dawood & Ibn Majah)

Ibn `Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said,

“Each Ummah has Magians and the Magains of this Ummah are those who deny the Destiny of Allah.” He added, “If one of them spent an amount of gold equal to Mount Uhud the way of Allah, Allah will never accept it from him until he believes in the divine Destiny, both the good and the evil thereof” Then he ﷺ mentioned the hadith, when Jabril asked about Iman (Faith), “It is to believe in Allah, His angels, His books, His Messengers, and the Last Day, and to believe in the divine Destiny, both the good and the evil thereof .” (Muslim)

Belief in the divine Destiny comprises what was referred to in the Hadith of Ibn ‘ Abbas,

“Know that if the Nation were to gather together to benefit you with anything, it would benefit you only with something that Allah had already prescribed for you, and if they gather together to harm you with anything, they would harm you only with something Allah has already prescribed for you. The pens have been lifted and the pages have dried.” (Tirmidhi)

46) BELIEVING FORTUNETELLERS & ASTROLOGERS

Allah, Most High says,

{And pursue not that of which thou hast no knowledge, for surely the hearing, the sight, the learnt all of those shall be questioned of.} (AI-Isra’: 36)

Elaborating on the above Ayah AI-Wahidi reported AI-Kalbi’s commentary that idle curiosity and undocumented reports are condemned. AI-Wahidi said, we should be called to accounted for the exercise of every faculty that has been given to us.

{He (alone) knows the Unseen, nor does He make anyone acquainted with his secrets. Except a Messenger whom he has chosen.}(AI-Jin: 26)

Thus, whoever believes that we can disclose the unseen guided by stars is an unbeliever.

The Prophet ﷺ said,

“Whoever goes to a psychic (`Arraf) or a fortuneteller and believes what he says disbelieves in what has been revealed to Muhammad.”(Ahmad)

“Allah, Most High says, “One of my servants reaches daybreak a believer, another an unbeliever. He who says,” we have received rain by Allah’s grace” is a believer in me and a disbeliever in planets. But he who says,” we have received rain by the effects of such and such a mansion of the moon” is an unbeliever in me and a believer in planets.” (Bukhari & Muslim)

“Whoever goes to a psychic, asks him about something, and believes him, will not have his prayer accepted for forty days.” (Muslim)

‘Aishah related that some people solicited from the holy Prophet ﷺ in formation about soothsayers.

He said, ‘They are a humbug and nonsense. The companions asked, “O Messenger of Allah! Sometimes they foretell something which comes true.” The Prophet ﷺ explained,

“This is something which Satan hears, by chance from the angels, and conveys to his colleagues. They mix a hundred falsehoods with it and tell it to people.”(Bukhari & Muslim)

Ibn ‘Abbas relates that the  Prophet ﷺ said,

“A person who learns about astrology, it is as if he learns magic, and the more he learns this, the more he learns about magic.” (Ahmad, Abu Dawood & Ibn Majah)

May Allah save us from this in this world and the next.

63) FEELING SECURE FROM ALLAH’s DEVISING

Allah, Most High says,

{Until, in the midst of their enjoyment of our gifts, on a sudden We called then to account, when lot They were plunged in despair!} (AI-An’am: 44)

This means that the punishment occurs suddenly while they are heedless. AI-Hasan said, whoever is blessed but unaware of Allah’s decision he is heedless, and whoever is afflicted but unaware of Allah’s trials is also heedless. Then he read the above Ayah and said, these people are put into devising as they got all what they need and then taken suddenly.

Allah says in the Quran,

{Whenever a sinful servant attains whatever he wants you should realize that he is drawn on little by little.” Then he reads, “But when they forgot the warning they had received, We opened to them the gates of all (good) things, until in the midst of their enjoyment of our gifts, on a sudden We called them to account, when lot They were plunged in despair.} (AI-An’am 44) (Ahmad)The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said,

  • `Aishah related that the Prophet used to regularly say, “0 changer of hearts! Make our hearts firm in Thy faith. He was asked, Messenger of Allah! Do you fear (that we may convert) He said, people’s hearts are between two fingers of Allah’s who changes it whenever He likes. “ (Ibn Majah)
  • “Verily one of you behaves like the people of Paradise until there is but an arm’s length between him and it, and that which has been written overtakes him and so he behaves like the people of the Hell-Fire and thus he enters it.” “Verily one of you behaves like the people of Hell-fire until there is but an arm’s length between him and it, and that which has been written overtakes him and so he behaves like the people of Paradise and thus he enters it. Works are only judged by the end.” (Bukhari) 
  • Salim Ibn Abdullah related that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ would frequently swear by saying, “No, by the changer of the hearts.”(Muslim)

This means that Allah changes one’s heart faster than the wind but in different way! Agreement, disagreement, willingness and hatred etc. Allah says,

{And know that Allah cometh in between a man and his heart, and that it is He to whom ye shall (all) be gathered} (AI-Anfal: 24)

Mujahid comments that Allah comes in between one’s mind and his own hand as stated in Allah’s saying,

{Verily in this is a message for any that has a heart and understanding or who gives ear and is a witness.} (Qaf: 37)i.e. he who has mind.

`Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) related that the Prophet ﷺ wouldalways say,

“0 Changer of hearts! Make my heart firm in thy faith. I asked, Messenger of Allah, I think that you make this supplication much! Do you fear? He said, how could I be secure while the people’s hearts are between the two fingers of Allah, Who changes it whenever He likes. Thus, if He wants to change one’s heart, He does.”

Therefore, you should not be deluded by your own faith, prayer, fasting or whatever you do of acts of worship. This is because all of these works refer to Allah’s will and his plentiful bounties and He can strip you of such blessings.

II – INTENTIONS & ACTIONS

37) SHOWING OFF IN GOOD WORK

Allah the Most High says,

{So woe to the worshipers who are neglectful of their prayers, those who (want but) to be seen, but refuse (to supply) even) neighborly needs.} (Al-Ma’un: 4-7)

As studied under Shirk that praying to show off is a form of Shirk, but it is not only for praying as explained in the below Hadith.

On the authority of Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) who said that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said,

“The first of people who will be judged on the Day of Judgment will be a man who has died a martyr. He will be brought and Allah will make known to him His Favors and he will recognize them. (Allah) will say: And what did you do with them? He will say: I fought for you until I died a martyr. He will say: You have lied. You did but fight so that it might be said (of you): He is courageous. And so it was said. Then he will be ordered to be dragged on his face until he is cast into Hell-Fire. (Next) will be a man who has studied (religious) knowledge and has taught it and who used to recite the Qur’an. He will be brought and Allah will make known to him His Favors and he will recognize them. (Allah) will say: And what did you do with them? He will say: I studied (religious) knowledge and taught it and I recited the Qur’an for Your sake. He will say: You have lied. You did but study (religious) knowledge so that it might be said (of you): He is learned. And you recited the Qur’an that it might be said (of you): He is a reciter. And so it was said. Then he will be ordered to be dragged on his face until he is cast into Hell-fire. (Then) will come a man whom Allah had made rich and to whom He had given all kinds of wealth. He will be brought and Allah will make known to him His Favors and he will recognize them. (Allah) will say: And what did you do with them? He will say: I have left no way in which You like money to be spent without spending for Your sake. He will say: You have lied. You did but do so that it might be said (of you): He is generous. And so it was said. Then he will be ordered to be dragged on his face until he is cast into Hell-Fire.”(Muslim)

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ illustrated further,

“It is shirk (association, to seek people even with the slightest deeds.”(Ibn Majah)

Al-Khattabi said, “The unfaithful men who seek people and fame with their deeds would be presented on the Day of Judgment, with all their concealed and unknown defecates and faults.”

Qatadah said, “When the person did acts to be seen by people, Allah, the Almighty says, ‘look at my servant how he disregards Me.”

`Ali Ibn `Abi Talib (May Allah be pleased with him) said, “There are three signs for the one who works to be shown by people: Inactivity when alone and activity before people, love for estimation and abhorrence to criticism.”

AI-Fudail Ibn ‘Aiad said, “Riya’ (showing off) is to leave work because of people, shirk (association) is to work for the sake of people, while sincerity is to be saved from the two staffs by Allah.

38) LEARNING SACRED KNOWLEDGE FOR THE SAKE OF THIS WORLD OR CONCELING IT

Allah Most High says,

{Those truly fear Allah among His servants who have knowledge, for Allah, is Exalted in Might, oft- Forgiving.} (Fatir: 28)

This verse clearly refers to the scholars who are acquainted with Allah, Most High. Ibn `Abbas said,

“What is meant, are those who are well acquainted with Allah’s Might, Dignity and Power and (will) fear Him more than all other people.” Mujahid and AI-Sha’bi said, “The men of knowledge are those who fear Allah.”

Allah Most High also said,

{Those who conceal the clear signs we have sent down, and the Guidance, after we have made it clear for the people in the Book, on them shall be Allah’s curse and the curse of those entitled to curse.} (AI-Baqarah: 159)

This verse was revealed as a condemnation to the Jewish scholars. The clear signs refer to the Divine prescriptions, rules and penalties.

{The Guidance} means the prophecies of Muhammad ﷺ and his features in their book. {After we have made it clear for the people} refers to the children of Israel. {The Book} refers to the Torah. {On them} means those who conceal the truth. {And the curse of those who are entitled to curse} refers to all ofcreation except jinn and mankind.

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ declared,

“Will never smell the fragrance of Paradise, the one who seeks sacred knowledge for the sake of worldly gain.” (Abu Dawood)

The hadith reported by Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him),that was previously mentioned, explained that one of the three men who would be dragged to Hell-fire is the person who sought knowledge in order that people would call him a scholar.

Furthermore, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said,

“Anyone who seeks sacred knowledge to vie with scholars, argue with fools, or win people’s hearts will go to Hell.” (Tirmidhi)

He ﷺ also said,

“Whoever is asked about an issue of knowledge, and conceals it, on the Day of Judgment he would be held by a rein of fire.”(Abu Dawood)

By the same token, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to supplicate to Allah saying,

“0 Allah! I seek refuge in you from knowledge which is of no use.”  (Abu Dawood)

Ibn Mas’ud (may Allah be pleased with him) commented, “The more the scholar does not behaveaccording to his knowledge, the more arrogant this scholar will be.”

On the authority of Abu Umamah (may Allah be pleased with him) who said that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said,

“On the Day of Judgment, the immoral scholar will be thrown into Hell where he would be rounded with a reed like a donkey which round with quern. People would wonder saying, “You are so and so, the scholar who guided us to the straight way!” He would reply, “/ used to contradict what taught you.” (Bukhair & Muslim)

Hilal Ibn Al ‘Ala’ said, “Seeking sacred knowledge is arduous, learning it is harder than seeking it, applying it is harder than learning it, and remaining safe from it is even harder than applying it.”

May Allah save us from this and keep our Niyyahs straight In sha Allah!

58) SLAUGHTERING IN THE OTHER THAN ALLAH’s NAME

Such as slaughtering in the name of Satan, an idol, or in the name of a sheikh.

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “May Allah curse who ever slaughters in other than Allah’s name.”(Tirmidhi)

Arnr Ibn Abi ‘ Amr told us on the authority of `Aishah (may Allah be pleased with both of them) that,

“Some people said, 0 Messenger of Allah, people bring us a meat but we do not know whether Allah’s name was mentioned over it or not?The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said,“Mention Allah’s name over it and eat it.” (Bukhari)

64) DESPAIRING OF THE MERCY OF ALLAH & LOSING HOPE

Allah Most High says,

  • [And never give up hope of Allah’s soothing mercy: truly no one despairs of Allah’s soothing mercy, except those who have no faith. } (Yusuf: 87)
  • {He is the one that sends down rain (even) after (men) have given up all hope.} (Ash-Shura: 28)
  • {Say, ‘O my servants who have transgressed against their souls! Despair not of the mercy of Allah).} (AzZummar: 53)

The Prophet ﷺ said,

“Let none of you die except thinking the best of Allah the Almighty.”(Muslim)

Allah, unless you love forgiveness, none of the sinful men will be delayed. O Allah, you are the Ever-Forgiver, the Ever Generous and love forgiveness: may you forgive me. O Allah look at us tenderly and include us amongst the people of purity not those of wretchedness.

O Allah! Help us to achieve our hopes, make us prosperous, grant us your pleasure, guide us to goodness and give us a good deed in this world, a good deed in the next and keep us away of the Hell-Fire

70) DISPARAGING THE COMPANIONS OF THE PROPHET

The Prophet ﷺ said,

  • “Do not revile my companions, for by Him in Whose Hand is my soul, were one of you to spend gold equal to mount Uhud, you would not attain the reward of the handful of one of them or even half of it.”(Bukhari & Muslim) (Because what they spent benefited Islam more)
  • “Allah! Allah! (Keep the thought of Allah) concerning my companions. “Do not take them as a target” (for your obscenity or charges) after me, He who loves them, loves me but he who hate them, hates Me, and he who offends them, offends me and in turn offends Allah and he who offends Allah, Allah almost takes him”(Tirmidhi)
  • “The sign of faith is love of the helpers (Ansar), and the sign of hypocrisy is hatred of the helpers.”(Bukhari & Muslim)

This is because they were the first believers who fought the enemies of Islam fiercely at the lifetime of the Prophet ﷺ. Likewise, the love of Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) is of faith and the hatred of him is hypocrisy”

The excellence of the Prophet’s companions can be recognized by studying their biography and their traces during the Prophet’s lifetime and thereafter. This excellence is represented in their sincere faith, fighting against the disbelievers, disseminating the belief, declaring the Islamic rites, raising high the word of Allah and His Messenger and teaching others the obligatory and Sunna worshiping. Were not they, we would not receive anything concerning the religion. Hence, whoever disparages them is beyond the pale of Islam.

Such disparaging is undoubtedly out of the belief that they were wicked people and thus denying the sayings of Allah and His Messenger when praising them and indicating their virtues. They are also the intermediaries between the source and the target of sacred knowledge. Doubting the intermediary necessarily affects the source.

It is obligatory for a Muslim to love Allah and his Messenger. Of the Prophet’s love is to love all what He was sent with, those who take after him, those who apply his tradition and guidance, household, companions, wives, progeny, servants, and to love whoever loves them and hate whoever hates them.

Abu Ayyub As-Sakhtiyyani (may Allah be pleased with him) said, whoever loves Abu Bakr raises the minaret of the religion higher, whoever loves ‘Umar clarifies the way, whoever loves ‘Uthman, is enlightened by Allah’s light, whoever loves Ali adheres to the clearest principle and whoever says, the Prophet’s companions are good and right is free from hypocrisy.

As for the virtues of the Prophetic companions, they are countless. The best of the companions are the ten whom the Prophet promised to enter paradise. The best four of them are Abu Bakr, ‘Umar, ‘Uthman and’ Ali (may Allah be pleased with them all). Whoever doubts them, is a hypocrite. In the hadith narrated by AI-‘Irbad Ibn Sariyyah, the Prophet said,

“You must follow my deeds (Sunna) and that of the rightly guided caliphs. Hold it and stick fast to it. Avoid novelties (in religious matters), for every novelty is an innovation and every innovation is an error and every error is in hell.” (Abu Dawood)

The Rightly-Guided Caliphs are: Abu Bakr, ‘Umar, ‘Uthman and , Ali. The former was mentioned in the Qur’an several times.

  • “Let not those among you who are endued with grace and amplitude of means resolve by oath against helping their kinsmen, those in want, and those who have left their homes in Allah’s cause” (An-Nur: 22)
  • {Being the second of the two, they two were in the care.} (At- Tawbah: 40)
  • {And he who brings the truth and who confirms (and supports) it.} (Az-Zummar: 33)