Part 18

Rather the Believer must be in a state of enmity with those who oppose Allaah and His Messenger, even if the person is the closest of relations to him. He must have hatred for him and separate from him, but this does not prevent him from sincerely advising him and calling him to the truth. Know, [28] may Allaah direct [29] you to obedience [30] to Him, that the true and straight Religion, [31] the way [32] of Ibraaheem [33] ________________________________________________________ Speech concerning Knowledge has preceded, so there is no need to repeat it here. Ar-Rushd i.e. may Allaah direct you to uprightness upon the way of truth. Taa'ah (obedience): Conformity with what is required by doing what is com manded to be done, and avoiding what is forbidden. Al-Haneefiyyah: That is the religion which is free from shirk, and founded upon purity and sincerity of intention for Allaah, the Mighty and Majestic. Al-Millah i.e. the way which he, Ibraaheem followed in religion. Ibraaheem is the chosen and beloved friend (Khaleel) of the Most Merciful. Allaah, the Mighty and Majestic, says, "And Allaah made Ibraaheem a chosen and beloved friend." [surah an-Nisaa' (4): 125] He is the father of the prophets, and his way is mentioned repeatedly so that it should be adhered to. is that you worship Allaah alone [34] making the Religion purely and sincerely for Him. [35] ________________________________________________________ Worship ('ibaadah) in its general sense is: ' Submitting oneself to Allaah with love and awe, by doing that which He has ordered and avoiding that which He has forbidden, in the manner laid down and prescribed by Him.' As for the specific meaning of worship, then Shaykh-ul-Islaam Ibn Taymiyyah, rahimahullaah, said: " 'ibaadah (worship) is a comprehensive term covering whatever Allaah loves and is pleased with, both sayings and actions, the apparent and the hidden; such as fearing, having awe, Prayer, zakaat, fasting and other practices prescribed by Islaam." Al-lkhlaas: means to purify. What is meant here is that the person by his worship intends and desires the Face of Allaah, the Mighty and Majestic, and to reach the place where He bestows honour and favours (i.e. Paradise). So the per son does not worship anything along with Him, neither any angel brought near, nor any prophet sent as a messenger. Allaah, the Most High, says, "Then We revealed to you, O Muhammad, that you should follow the Religion of Ibraaheem who was a Muslim upon the true Religion and was not one of those who worshipped idols and associated partners with Allaah." [surah an-Nahl (16):123] "And who turns away from the Religion of Ibraaheem except a fool, ignorant of what benefits him; and We indeed chose Ibraaheem in this world, and made him amongst the righteous in the Hereafter; When his Lord said to him: Make your worship purely for Me and submit obediently to Me, he said in response: I submit obediently and make my worship purely for the Lord of all creation. Then Ibraaheem enjoined this upon his sons, and so did Ya'qoob, saying: 'O my sons, Allaah has chosen the Religion of Islaam for you, so do not abandon Islaam for as long as you live, so that you die as Muslims.'" [surah al-Baqarah (2): 130-132] This is what Allaah commanded all of the people with, [36] and it was for this that He created them. Allaah, the Most High, says: ________________________________________________________ i.e. with the true Religion, which is to worship Allaah, making all of the Religion purely for Him. This is what Allaah commanded all of creation with and it was for this He created them. Allaah, the Most High, says, "We did not send any Messenger before you, O Muhammad, except that We revealed to him that none has the right to be worshipped except Allaah, so make all of your worship purely for Him." [surah al-Ambiyaa' (21):25] Allaah, the Mighty and Majestic, made clear in His Book that mankind and jinns were only created for this. Allaah, the Most high, says, "I did not create jinn and mankind except that they should worship Me." [surah adh-Dhaariyaat (51):56] "I did not create jinn and mankind except that they should worship Me" [surah adh-Dhaariyaat (51):56] and the meaning of worship ('ibaadah) here is to single Allaah out with all worship (tawhid) [37] ________________________________________________________ Meaning that tawhid is from the meaning of 'ibaadah (i.e. true worship, which is to make aU of it purely for Allaah). The meaning of 'ibaadah has already preceded, and also what it applies to, and that it is more general than tawhid itself. You should know that Ibaadah is of two types: (i) The servitude of the creation ('Ibaadah Kawniyyah), which is submission to what Allaah has commanded and decreed in the creation, and this is the submission that is common to all of the creation, none of them being able to escape it. Allaah, the Most High, says, "All the angels in the heavens, and all men and jinn upon the earth will come to the Most Merciful on the Day of Judgement as submissive slaves." [surah Maryam (19):93] This servitude covers the Believers and the unbelievers, the righteous and the wicked.