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• ॕ .. •• - -'..."\l" .. 1YI - " I 6 ..• ·.r: ... ॔ · jj\ ૽r .. - ... "\l",,1\'I - J ऴ y LJA ,-. व श ष - .J!.J ,- . (..S..)C- .... ... ... ,,., .... J iii ,,. .... J ,,. J ,,.,. .... :::. c)LllJ ଀I YJ ࣭J y ੕:.ii cࣰ࣯ fଁI J)b. ࣧ\5 4;i Jf.9 ;;ࣦIJ J Jo o CJ࣪.J ࣫࣬.J ଂଃI "The bare essence of Islam and the basics, upon which Islam has been established, are three. Whoever leaves one of them becomes an unbeliever and his blood may legally be spilled. [These acts are:] Testifying that there is no God except Allah, the obligatory prayers and the fast of Ramadhaan." This hadith was recorded by Abu Yala and al-Dailami. Some scholars have called it hasan. However, the correct view seems to be that of al-Albani, that the hadith is weak. But, most likely, it seems that it is a statement of the Companion ibn Abbaas and not that of the Prophet (peace be upon him). 2 Therefore, it cannot 1 Recorded by ibn Hibbaan and ibn Khuzaima. According to al-Albaani, it is sahih. Al-Albaani, sahih al-Targheeb wa al-Tarheeb, vol. 1 , p. 420. 2 See Muhammad Naasir al-Deen al-Albaani, Silsilat al-Ahadeeth al-Dhaeefah (Beirut: al­ Maktab al-Islaami, 1398 A. H.), vol. 1, pp. 13 1-2. Commentary on the Forty Hadith of al-Nawawi be considered an overriding proof in this matter, especially if there is no record that the other Companions agreed with him on this point. However, a Companion coming to such a conclusion demonstrates the importance of this act of fasting. No scholar would make such a statement, not to speak of a Companion, unless that act was of great importance in Islam. Although the majority and the strongest opinion is that such a person does not become a disbeliever, those Muslims who refuse to fast the month of Ramadhaan should consider ibn Abbaas' statement very carefully as there is a likelihood that what he said is correct. Furthermore, al-Dhahabi once wrote, According to the established believers, anyone who leaves the fast of Ramadhaan without being sick is worse than a fornicator or an alcoholic. In fact, they doubt his Islam and they suspect that he might be a zandiqah (renegade against Islam) and one of those who destroy Islam. 1 What About Jihad? In a variation of this hadith in Musnad Ahmad, the narrator, ibn Umar, was asked about jihad after he mentioned these pillars of Islam. Ibn Umar answered, "Jihad is very good but this is what the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) narrated to us." The importance of jihad in Islam is clearly established in the Quran and sunnah. The Prophet (peace be upon him), for example, once said, J J ,,,,. ,,,, $ )*\ ƅC oj !J o"I #$%J rJC.y1 _(&I 'I( "The head of the matter is Islam. Its pillar is the prayer. And its apex is jihad."2 The Prophet (peace be upon him), however, did not mention jihad in this hadith mentioning the pillars of Islam. There are people today who stress jihad a great dealthere is even a book entitled Jihad: The Sixth Obligation. Unfortunately, sometimes these same people are not very careful about their performance of the pillars of Islam. They are like someone who beautifies the third floor of his house while he has not taken the time to make sure that his foundation is solid and firm. Allah knows best, but this is probably a major reason why many of the people who talk about or participate in jihad do not live a full Islamic life. Some of them may even be willing to lie and cheat their own Muslim brothers. After a jihad is finished, they may just look after their own best interests instead of the interests of Islam and the Muslims. These are all facets of stressing one aspect of Islam while ignoring its foundations and its 1 Quoted in Sabiq, vol. 3, p. 1 1 1. 2 Recorded by al-Tirmidhi. Hadith #3: Islam Has Been Built Upon Five [Pillars] pillars. This simply cannot be done. Success cannot possibly come about when one ignores the foundations of an entire structure and pays close attention to a lesser important aspect. Recognizing the importance of jihad, different scholars have stated why it is not mentioned as one of the pillars of Islam. For example, there are those who claimed that this hadith was stated by the Prophet (peace be upon him) before the obligation of jihad took place. However, this view is not tenable. This is because jihad was made an obligation before the fast and Hajj were made obligations and they are mentioned in this hadith. 1 According to ibn Raj ab and ibn Hajr, the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) did not mention jihad because, in general, it is a communal obligation (jardh kifaayah) and not an individual obligation (jardh ain).2 Ibn Rajah adds that jihad is not something that will exist until the Day of Judgment.