Part 33

This is because the Prophet (0) forbade making vows and said, "It does not bring good, it merely causes the miserly person to spend" [Reported by al-Bukhaaree (Eng. transl. 8/448/no.684) and Muslim (Eng. transl. 3/871/no.4019)]. Yet even so, if a person does go ahead and vow that he will do some act of obedience to Allaah, then it becomes obligatory upon him to perform it as the Prophet (3|§) said, "Whoever vows to act in obedience to Allaah, then let him obey Him" [Reported by al-Bukhaaree (Eng. transl. 8/449/no.687)]. So in summary vows {an-nadhr) applies to the obligatory acts of worship in general, and to making vows in specific, which is that a person obliges himself to do something for the sake of Allaah, the Mighty and Majestic. The scholars divide the vow into various categories and these are laid out in the books of fiqh (details of Islamic law and regulations). THE SECOND PRINCIPLE [85] Knowledge of the Religion (Deen) of Islaam with the proofs. ________________________________________________________ That is the second of the three principles, which is to attain knowledge of the Religion of Islaam, and to know the Religion of Islaam from its proofs in the Book and the Sunnah. It is to submit [86] to Allaah with tawhid [87] and to yield obediently [88] to Him, and to free and disassociate oneself from shirk and its people. [89] ________________________________________________________ The Religion (Deen) of Islaam is "Submission to Allaah with tawhid, to yield obediently to Him, and to free and disassociate oneself from shirk and its people," so it comprises three matters. That is that the person must submit to his Lord in the manner prescribed in the Sharee'ah, and it is to submit to Allaah, the Mighty and Majestic, with tawhid, and by singling Him out with all worship. As for submission to the pre-decree and what Allaah has ordained with regard to laws of creation, then there is no reward attached to that since the person has no choice or ability to escape that. In this regard Allaah, the Most High, says, "And to Him everyone in the heavens and the earth submit willingly or unwillingly, and to Him you all will be returned." [surah Aal-'Imraan (3):83] That is by doing whatever He has commanded, and avoiding everything which He has forbidden, since obedience means to carry out His orders and avoid what He forbids. Freeing and disassociating one from shirk means to absolve oneself of it, and totally remove oneself from it and this necessitates separation and disassociation from its people. Allaah, the Most High, said, "There is a fine example for you to follow in Ibraaheem and those with him when they said to their unbelieving people: 'We are free of you and whatever you worship besides Allaah, and we deny and reject what you are upon; and because of your disbelief in Allaah and your worship of others besides Him enmity and hatred has arisen between us for ever, unless you believe truly in Allaah, and single Him out and worship Him alone." [surah al-Mumtahinah (60):4] And it is of three levels: [90] Islaam (submission and obedience to Allaah), eemaan (true faith comprising belief of the heart, speech of the tongue and action of the limbs), and ihsaan (perfection of worship). Each level has its pillars. [91] [The first level] The pillars of Islaam are five: [92] _____________________________________________________________________ The author explained that the Religion of Islaam is of three levels, one above the other, and they are: Islaam, eemaan and ihsaan. The proof for that is his saying in the hadith related by 'Umar ibn al Khattaab, radiyallaahu 'anhu, concerning the time when Jibreel came and asked the Prophet (jj§) about Islaam, eemaan and ihsaan, and he explained that and said, "That was Jibreel, he came to you to teach you your Religion" [al-Bukhaaree (Eng. transl. l/42/no.47) and Muslim (Eng. transl. 1/1-2/1)]. The proof for that is the hadith of Ibn 'Umar, radiyallaahu 'anhumaa, who said that the Prophet said, "Islaam is built upon five: the testification that none has the right to be worshipped except Allaah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allaah; establishment of the Prayer; payment of the zakaat; fasting Ramadaan; and hajj to Allaah's sacred House" [Reported by alBukhaaree (Eng. transl. l/17/no.7) and Muslim (Eng. transl. l/9/no,18)]. The testification that none has the right to be worshipped except Allaah, and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allaah; [93] to establish Prayer; to pay zakaat; to fast Ramadaan; and to make hajj to the sacred House of Allaah. So the proof for the testification (shahaadah) is the Saying of Allaah, the Most High, “Allaah bears witness that none has the right to be worshipped but Him; and likewise the angels and the people of knowledge bear witness: He who maintains justice, none has the right to be worshipped but Him, the All-Mighty, the All-Wise” [94] [surah Aal-‘Imraan (3): 18]. _________________________________________________________ The testification that none has the right to be worshipped except Allaah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allaah is a single pillar, and they are a single pillar, even though they are two complementary parts, since all acts of worship depend upon implementation of them together.