Qalāʾid al-ʿIqyān 2: The Author’s Introduction | Tanzīh, Tafwīḍ, and Tawḥīd in Hanbalī Creed

Alright, Bismillahirrahmanirrahmanirrahim, Bismillahirrahmanirrahim, Bismillahirrahmatullahi r-Rahmani r-Rahmani r-Rahim, Bismillahirrahmatullahi r-Rahim, Bismillahirrahmatullahi r-Rahim, Bismillahirrahmatullahi r self. And what we're going to do is take a look at this line by line. And then I will do my best to unpack some of this, not only what appears to be the intent of the author, but hopefully providing some evidence or supporting evidence to add to what he's saying, as well as what I hope will be some spiritual insights to kind of keep things rather comprehensive in nature. So, the Japanese says alhamdulillah, so right away he opens he says all praises for Allah, who is known to exist by necessity, as proven by the marbles of his creation. So, you can see the author opens up with the praise of Allah, alhamdulillah, which is not only the way of Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala in the Quran, as we know so to fatiha, begins with alhamdulillahir abbel ala'lamin, but this is also the way of the prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam. And there's a very explicit Hadith in regards to this sonna in which he said, "Kullu emmanin bibaal Allah yubda ufihi bilhamdulillahi fa hua aqtah." So, this Hadith is narrated and sonna bidawudum, when the sa'ih wa bnumaja. And it means any matter of importance which is not begun with alhamdulillah, bihamdulillah, he says, "Bilhamdulillahi says", in the Hadith, the Prophet alayhi wa sallam, which is not begun with alhamdulillah, this phrase remains defective. So, that gives you an idea to the importance of opening with these words of praise. So, alhamd, just as a general understanding means perfect praise. And it's a broader praise than mere gratitude, which would be like a shukr, which we're going to talk about in upcoming sessions together. Gratitude is typically only offered when a favor has been received or extended. While praise alhamd can be for the very qualities of the one being praised, even when nothing has been received. So, when we say alhamdulillah here, alhamdulillah, the adif and lamb in this alhamdul, shows that all praise is intended and meant because the nature of this structure with the adif lamb makes it encompassing in the nature of the work. And the lamb, where it says, "Lillahi," this is typically referred to as lamal mulkia, which is the lamb of ownership, basically is saying that this praise belongs by right to Allah alone. So, the lamb here indicates ownership entitlement, as well as exclusivity. And so, the author begins by showing how, after that praise, he says, used to tell ala wujubi wujudhi, he's basically now showing us how we come to know Allah subhanahu ala exists. That his existence is not something that's optional, but necessary, as he mentions, ala wujubi, upon the necessary nature of his existence, ala wujudhi, ala wujubi wujudhi. So, his existence is not optional, but it's necessary. And the evidence for that is found all around us, in the marvelous design of creation. So, essentially, the concept here is that just as a house or a building proves the existence of a builder, or a book proves the existence of an author, the beauty of Allah's creation, or I should say the beauty of the world around us and all that exists, and its order and its structure, that of the universe and everything that it contains, prove there is a creator. So, the existence of creation, essentially, proves the existence of a creator, and that is by necessity. And so, what the scholars mean when they say by necessity here, ala wujubi wujudhi, upon the necessity of his existence here, is essentially because everything else depends on him. And this is a concept that's delivered clearly in the Quran when Allah SWT says, so this means were they created from nothing, or were they themselves the creators. So, the phrase wujub ala wujudhi, necessity of existence, touches on the difference between wujub ala wujudhi and mumpkin ala wujudhi. So, the first one being necessary existence, so that would be Allah, Allah SWT is wujub ala wujud, meaning his existence is by necessity, otherwise nothing else could exist. If Allah doesn't exist as the creator, then nothing else exists. Whereas mumpkin ala wujudhi, mumpkin means possibility, a possible existence, this is in reference to everything he's created, meaning the creation of Allah could exist, or it could not exist because nothing dependent on its existence. Allah SWT is not dependent on creation. So, the creator doesn't depend on the existence of the creation to be in existence. He goes on when he says in the next line, now where the next phrase wujub ala wujudhi, mumpkin ala wujudhi, mumpkin ala wujudhi and whose eternity and everlastingness are realized by the perishing of his creatures. wujudhi wujudhi, mumpkin ala wujudhi, mumpkin ala wujudhi, mumpkin ala wujudhi, mumpkin ala wujudhi, mumpkin ala wujudhi. So, Allah SWT points out this reality when he says in the Qur'an, 'kullumman ala'afan, wujudhi So, this is a very well-known couplet here or two verses in the Qur'an and sort of 'rahman', everyone upon it means everyone upon it will perish, kullumman ala'afan, and there will remain the wedge, wujudhi or al-bika, the wedge of your Lord will remain possessor of majesty and honor, al-jalad wa l-ikram, keep that in mind as we push for those attributes of al-jalad wa l-ikram. So, essentially here everything around us passes away but Allah SWT alone will remain and this is why one of his names is al-qadim, the pre-eternal, not only it is a name but it is also an attribute meaning that nothing preceded his existence. So, Allah SWT is the one that has no beginning and no end. You can often or you can also articulate that with al-awwala wa l-akharu, the first and the last, in that Allah SWT doesn't have a starting point or an originating point and won't have a ending or a finality to him. So, this is one of the attributes al-qadim here is an attribute that the scholars often categorize as being minasifetas selbiyah. Sifetas selbiyah are like negative, if you will, attributes in that it's not a negative connotation but it's an attribute that negates anything that is not befitting of Allah SWT. So, sometimes you'll find the classification of these Sifetas as I said selbiyah and thubutia, so those which negate and then those which affirm. So, here is as selbiyah. So, essentially what we're negating is a non-existence from Allah SWT that he was preceded by non-existence meaning there was nothing and then Allah came to being. So, his pre-eternity is considered intrinsic, it's considered necessary, and it is considered absolute. And that's what the author intends here when he says that his eternity and everlastingness are recognized or realized when we see everything else perishes. And then the Imam goes on in the next phrase here, al-Munazzahi, al-Mathiri wa n-naviri wa n-naviri wa n-naviri wa n. shabih, he fi bati, he wa faadi, he wa cifati. So this means he who is sanctified beyond any equal, resemblance or likeness in his vat, number one in his fi, number two, and in his cifat, number three. So the author here in Nubell-Ben is essentially declaring that a law of survival is sanctified. And I'm using the word sanctified for al-monazah. Al-monazah he here, as he mentions here, a ten-z, essentially to sanctify a law of survival with ta'ala. And he's sanctified above any equal resemblance or likeness. And that is included in, as mentioned here is that, which is his essence of the being of a law of survival. That is his fi, or his actions, and his cifat in his attributes. And this is the basic meaning of ten-z. The meaning of ten-z, which is foundational in the doctrine of the Hanabila, is to revere and exalt Allah above everything that is unbefitting to him while affirming for him absolute perfection. So essentially the foundation of ten-z declaring a law's sanctification or transcendence is what the scholars of our tradition describe as a law being utterly different than created things or beings. So if we look at comparative, just dip into a little comparative doctrine or theology, the shayahirah, their scholars, for example, when explaining this principle of ten-z, they list out possible ways that people might imagine resemblance between Allah and His creation. And they said that it's possible for a law to be described with the following categories that would cause a resemblance between Allah, the divine and His creation. So number one is al-Jisan, which is a body made up of parts, the johar, which is a substance or it could be like an indivisible entity. There's an out of something that exists by inhearing in something else, meaning they require like a johar. An out of would be like a smell. And macan, they say, which is of course being confined by a place, al-Jihah, which is a direction, so you might define Allah as being bound in a direction or a tahayus, which means to occupy a space, a tahayud bis-Zaman to be restricted by time or a halul al-Hawad al-Bihi, which is to be subject to have events or things of creation occur within you, or also a sygar walkibur, which means smallness or largness and size or al-Hawad, which are essentially acting out of needs and purposes. So these are the categories that they highlight that this type of comparison or similitude could be drawn with a law of supano-atat, and therefore these things must be negated. So in short, what we would say is that a law of supano-atat is exalted above every way of resembling His creation. And this is the essence of Tuhid according to the Hanabila. The Hanabila defined Tuhid in this manner, and one of the more comprehensive explanations or definitions of this, we can find with the great works, the works of the great Imam Mujiruddin al-Ulaimi. He authored Fattar Rahmani, if he Tafsiahir Quran has a great kind of beginner level Tafsiahir work, or maybe an intermediate, we might say. And he said that true Tuhid is to affirm an essence unlike any other essence, which is not deprived of attributes. We don't strip away a law's attributes. There's nothing like His essence, meaning is that. There's nothing like His names, His SMET. There's nothing like His actions, His F. Adan, and there's nothing like His attributes, His SMET, except in mere similarity of wording, meaning the only thing that shared is the names. So he says, "The pre-eternal essence cannot possess a created attribute, just as a created being cannot possess an eternal attribute." So whenever an image appears in the mirror of the heart, or an example comes to mind, the nuts, or the inner self leans toward imagining a how. When that happens, one must be certain that Allah is beyond all of that, for all such notions belong to created things bound by limits and descriptions and apply all to creation. The creation is exalted above them all. So that's the definition with a bit of an explanation from Mu'jiruddin Al-Ulaingh. He also mentions the great spiritual master Junaid, great Sufi master. He swore that no one truly knows Allah except Allah himself. And a law subhanahu tala testifies that this in the Quran, he says, "There's a commitment in the He-Shaykh, wa-hu wa-sami ala wa-salaam." A very famous verse, and this is going to be a foundational verse for us, as we move into the first chapter of the book. It means there is nothing like unto him, and he is the all-hearing as samir, al-basir, what we might say, the hearing and the scene. And we'll talk about the way the Hanabila they deal with those attributes and how they understand them. So the imam goes on in the next phrase, he says, "Al-Kadir," "alladhi ansh'a al-moujudati bi ali kelimati." So here, "Al-Kadir," or what we might call the omnipotent, "who brought forth all existence by his lofty words." So the author here, I'm Allah wa-ta'ala, mentions Allah as "Al-Kadir," meaning the one who's power encompasses all things. "Kadirun al-Kulli-Shaykh," able to do all things. He tells us that Allah brought forth existence by his al-Kadir, bi ali kelimati, the lofty words, if you will, exalted words. And some of the scholars call these words al-Kadir met at takwiniye. The creative words of Allah as-Supana wa-ta'ala, in that when he wants to bring something into existence, he says, "Be with a command, and then it comes into being." Much like what is said, Allah wa-Supana wa-ta'ala says in the Qur'an, he says, "Inna ma'amro, iida arada shaytan, an yakudala ukun fa yakun." He's translated his command. Inna ma'amro, his command, when he intends a thing, is only that he says, "Be," and it is. It's very famous verse. So these kelimati takwiniye, the imam is drawing our attention to here. So creation itself is a result of Allah's word of command, his kelimati takwiniye, as opposed to kelimati tashriye, which would be like his legislative words. Well, that would be delivered through revelation. And this shows us the power, the absolute power of Allah as-Supana wa-ta'ala, that nothing delays his command once he decrees it. It is. The next line reads al-Aleem al-Aleem, "la ya azabu'an'a'an il mihi mith qadu wal-Ratim fi ardihi wa-samawati." So al-Aleem, the all-knowing, from whom not even the weight of an atom escapes in his earth or his heavens. So next after al-Qadir, the great imam introduces to us another name of Allah-Supana wa-ta'ala al-Aleem, often translated as the all-knowing. In that, nothing is hidden from him, from his knowledge, not even the smallest particle in the heavens. There's nothing that is that can evade Allah-Supana wa-ta'ala. As Allah-Supana says, "So the attribute of knowledge here gives us an introduction to the other category." As I mentioned, there was Sifat, this is a min-Sifat, it's an attribute which is of affirmation. Here, we're affirming a perfect attribute of knowledge that belongs to Allah-Supana wa-ta'ala. So as opposed to negating, obviously, you would negate by understanding a lack of knowledge or ignorance, but you're affirming the perfect knowledge which is all encompassing with Allah's wajjad. So this is affirming him in a perfect sense, an absolute manner. So here, again, that goes back to the concept of tanzi. We both deny what cannot be true of Allah or what is not befitting of Allah-Supana wa-ta'ala while we affirm every aspect of his perfection and completeness that is true of him. So here, by looking at both, the Imam is giving us a fuller picture. The next phrase it reads, al-Afu, al-Afu, al-Adiya, afu, anis, سيئتي ويستروا على المظن بقبيحة إسائتي so العفو is the pardoning how it's been translated here who forgives misdeeds and conceals the center's mile offenses so he's still swearing by this is still a swearing here well حمد للهي excuse me it's still another swear but it is a these are like الحمد للهي للهي here القديري العليمي العفوي so it's all connected to that basically saying all praise belongs to Allah all praise belongs to the قديري عمنبطن all praise belongs to the العليم the all knowing all praise belongs to the high foo who forgives misdeeds and conceals the center's mile offenses so the other names this next next name of Allah and the name means more than simply forgiving or pardoning ملفرة is forgiveness it means to cover a sin and not punish for that sin but العفو is a complete erasure of it as if it never happened and that also entails or indicates a valing of sorts of the center's faults so again this attribute here and this name an attribute of a lawsuit panel with Tata is a bit more expansive if you will then than mere forgiveness but now this is also an erasure of sorts while valing the center's faults and this is captured perhaps best by the Prophet allayhi s-salat wa s-salam أنا حريث أنا سهي البخاري مصنم when he says "كل أممة معافن إلا المجاهري" so every one of my followers will be forgiven except for those who expose them they're wrong doings so the beginning of the حريث chose "كل أممة معافن giving us this العفو right here" so not just forgiven but concealed as well this is where "إنًا من المجاهرة أن يعمل الرجل بالليلي" عمل الثمة يسبحة بقدستره الله فيقوله يفولانه عملت البارحة كذا وكذا لقد باته يستره ربه و يسبحه يكشفه ستر الله عنه so we go on and says an example of this meaning when somebody exposes themselves and their sins is when a man who commits a sin at night which a law covered and concealed for him and in the morning he wakes up and he says to the people "Hey guess what I committed this sin and that sin last night" while a law subpoinance out of head kept its secret so during the night a law had covered it but in the morning the sinner gets up and rips or tears away the cover that a law subpoinance out of provided for him and this also I thought this would be a nice interesting note to add here there's something that many of us hear frequently during the month of Ramadan that particular supplication which was advised to be utilized especially on late Al-Turqadr Imnu Belban mentions this in his Muqtasr al-Ifadat Muqtasr al-Ifadat is one of the books that he authored and I mentioned that in the last session and so essentially says here in this Muqtasr of his connecting this name of a law subpoinance out of directly to a late Al-Turqadr he says that it's recommended that one spend the night sitting upright so on late Al-Turqadr there are some manners, some etiquettes sitting upright leaning on something so it's not to be lying down and falling asleep throughout the night making do-offer ones needs and among the do-a one should say is "Allahumma innak kaafu" and to "haibul aafa faafu anni" that's very famous to most of us are used to saying that during Ramadan especially when the last ten nights begin so when we call upon Allah we're dealing with this do-a, especially in Ramadan we're calling on him by his name al-Aafu which is what Imnu Belban is introducing to us in this treaties meaning the one who erases sins, partens the servants and conceals them and the sins they commit it so he says in the next phrase "Suphanahu min ilahiin" "Tanezzaha an-antudriqahu al-ohamu" "O tahrhiq abihil ukulu wa al-afamu" all right so the next line here he's saying here "Suphanahu exalted is he a deity sanctified" again we're getting that word "tanzih" is a deity sanctified beyond being grasped by imagination or encompassed by intellects or understandings so the line here this is important this is a line that's repeated throughout the text of the Hanaabilah it reminds us that no matter how much we imagine or how deeply we think that al-Suphanahu t-salah is beyond our comprehension, Allah is beyond our imaginations we cannot picture him in any possible way he's transcended above he's sanctified beyond what we could conjure up in our own minds and our intellects essentially we cannot encompass Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala and this is mentioned in the Qur'an clearly when Allah says "Ya Alam al-Mabbaina adihim wa Maqalpahum" "Wala yuhipuna bihi ilma" this verse reads what means he knows what is before then and was behind him "Yet they do not comprehend him" "Wala yuhipuna bihi ilma" this is the point here in this part of the verse that I draw your attention to "Yet they do not comprehend him" so listen to this about this comprehension or this Ehalpa if you will while we understand the importance of knowledge especially in matters of doctrine and our appeal that we have to have a level of knowledge and certainty there's also a sweetness when it comes to knowing things many of us that have tasted this sweetness it only increases our eagerness to want to learn more and to understand more Imam Ashatlibi he kind of eludes to this and he says in his book and muhafat that in knowing things there's a delight and this is a delight that is not compared to any other delight because it is a kind of overcoming of or prevailing or gaining mastery over the known and taking hold of it and the human nuts is created with this natural love for overcoming things getting mastery over them, taking hold of them and so the heart is drawn to that but when it comes to Allah no mastery and no prevailing is possible not even in a literal sense we couldn't gain mastery over a law in a literal sense like actual physical mastery or to take hold of or to overcome or to prevail and we certainly cannot do that as well in a metaphorical sense meaning by understanding through comprehension and it doesn't matter how much we long for that or want that to happen we can't will it into existence because there's an end point for the human capacity there's an end point that we can only know Allah subhana wa ta'ala through the outcomes and results of his names and attributes and his actions that means the loasim as opposed to the actual meanings like to understand the essence, the reality of Allah subhana wa ta'ala by way of either his that to see fatur as fi'al what we do understand and can get to know are the loasim the outcomes are the results of his name's attributes and his actions at least some or many of those while there may be some that even the loasim we're not going to be able to comprehend and understand and beyond that Allah subhana wa ta'ala will remain sanctified far above our grasp Imam al-Babalhi goes on and he says so rather everything that occurs to the mind or that is conjured in the imagination he is utterly other than that he's a 'bechilafi' you know the opposite of not what it is that you imagine or think for he is the 'ekrami' and the possessor of honor and majesty so here the author is telling us again whatever crosses the mind whatever the imagination conjures Allah subhana wa ta'ala is utterly opposite of that he's not that and that's because our intellects themselves are created and because of that they're bound by the limits of creation and for us that includes things like time, space, forms and the various other categories of this world and some of them I listed for you based on the ashyariya and how the categories they see that comparison can be made with a law subhana wa ta'ala so we're limited to those things and understandings so no matter how creative we think or how creative the thought is whatever the mind produces is still only a reflection of something created something derived from experience or knowledge of the world even the most creative people, even the most creative, even artistic people are deriving their creativity creativity and their artistry from things that they've witnessed themselves or have acquired through acquisition of knowledge. Right. So it might be like a little piece of that and a little piece of this and we'll put this piece together and this color and that color and this size. These are all realities that they witnessed in some form or fashion or have come to know of and then the artistry is what constructing and imposing them in some maybe even unique way. But they're built up of things that are very much worldly inspired. And because a loss of panel thought is beyond creation, then it's not possible for the imagination to comprehend or to imagine what he could be or how he could be. A loss of panel thought is not bound by creation or these limitations and therefore he cannot be imagined and even the most elevated thought that we might have. If we were to say, you know, you could really push human creativity and imagination. Even that thought itself remains a created entity, meaning the thought that's produced is created by a loss of panel to others. As Allah has said, he says, and Allah created you in that which you do. So even your thoughts are created by Allah as well, so just the fact that the thought itself is a creation. A loss of panel of talent cannot be embodied in creation or or comprehended or limited to creation. And this is why the line that Imam Rosti has here, he says, "Inns in this way with Dul-Ikram Wal-Jalal," the possessor of honor and majesty. So what is it? What is the connection here with this Dul-Ikram Wal-Jalal? And many of us would recognize this Dul-Jalal, Wal-Ikram, as I already recited from the verse, "Wayab-Kawwaj-Hurab-Bika Dul-Jalal, Wal-Ikram." "Wayab-Kawwaj-Hurab-Bika Dul-Jalal, Wal-Ikram." Where is this Jalal and Akram playing this line of Imam Rosti? So if we turn to a great work by Sheikh Ar-Rosani Al-Hambali in his Tafsi-Rumuz al-Kunuz, he talks about these attributes. Jalal, what's often referred to as the majesty and Akram, what's typically translated as honor, and he says that these are among the greatest of Allah's attributes. So when we speak of Allah's Jalal and Akram or Dul-Jalal, Wal-Ikram, meaning the possessor of majesty and honor, we're really speaking about reverence. And this is what scholars call ijlal, comes from the word jalal. ijlal means to revere Allah, to sanctify him above all that does not be fit him. And that's why we never try to imagine Allah's SubhanAllah, because our minds only work within the limits of creation, as created things themselves, producing created thoughts and imaginations, which are bound by time, space, etc. But Allah's majesty, his Jalal, is beyond those limits. And true reverence or ijlal is to acknowledge that reality of Allah. All right, so to get even more succinct, if you looked at, we go back to Fetha-Ruhman by Imam Al-Ulayi, Mujiruddin. He explains these attributes in a very simple, but very powerful way. He says al-Jalal means that Allah, az-o-jal, is the one whom the believers magnify, and they revere, meaning you jilluhu. They're using this word again from ijlal. You jilluhu, meaning revering him above every quality of createdness. That's what he says. Reveering him above every quality of createdness. This is exactly what we mean by ijlal, treating Allah with the reverence due to his majesty. So whenever you hear that verse or those lines of that verse, lul jalali, what the Krom, you understand now better what jalal entails. And then of course, iqram means that Allah, his panel tells us the one who honors his servants, typically the Oliya of Allah. He pours upon them blessings and of course raises them in rank. So these two names are mentioned in the Quran together. Mujiruddin al-Koram, and if memory serves correct, they're mentioned twice in the Quran. And so essentially Allah's majesty on one end demands that we sanctify him beyond likeness to creation. While he's honored, iqram invites us to turn to him in hope of his generosity. And the prophet alayhi s-salaam, perhaps for this very reason, there's a Hadith in which he said, "Be constant with ijlal jalali, what iqram." Meaning this supplication, using this or invoking Allah by these names and attributes, to cling to this supplication because when you do so, it's capturing both the reverence and the hope that's needed when calling upon Allah's wajjah. As the next phrase here, he says, "Ahmeduhu, en hadana alidini al-Hak, dina al-Islami wa arshadana al-Tauhidi, ala hasa lima rakkaba faina, min al-Fahmi wa iqdam." Okay, so essentially I praise him for guiding us to his true religion, the religion of Islam, and directing us to his oneness according to what he has instilled within us of understanding and resolve. So Imam al-Balbali, praising Allah supano wa ta'ala, of course, for guiding us to Islam, and hadana alidini, his religion, the true religion of Islam, wa arshadana al-Tauhidi, guiding us to Tauhid in accordance to what he has instilled within us, and what he instilled in us, he says, "Ala hasa lima rakkaba faina, min al-Fahmi wa iqdam." Essentially he's given us understanding and also resolve. And so this shows us that the gratitude here is twofold. Allah grants us the religion itself, the revelation, and then he creates within us the capacity to recognize and enact upon it. Two things here, two elements that he's drawing our attention to. He died of al-A supano wa ta'ala, and then a capacity or an ability that he's bestowed upon us or given us created within us. But ultimately, this is an important note here. The capacity that he's given us, as he says, the understanding or the desire and the resolve, they're only a means, and they're not the determining factor. These aren't determining factors. A person, a level, the level of a person's intelligence or their desire or their resolve are not determining factors, they're simply means. Because, and if we're honest with ourselves as individuals, at least I'll be with myself, there are people out there with a greater intellectual capacity and ability that I have. I recognize that 100%. Right? And while they have that capacity, they're still blocked from true faith. They're still blocked from recognizing the truth of al-A supano wa ta'ala. So it's not the determining factor, as well as resolved. There are people that have the resolve or the desire or the desire, but still at the same time, they may be blocked from recognizing the truth of Allah's Rejeb. And of course, al-A supano wa ta'ala reminds us of this in the Qur'an when he says, "Fa mai yudhi dillahu an yahdhi yahshara s'adrahul islam." Right? So whoever Allah wills, the guide, he expands his chest to Islam. It's a law of supano wa ta'ala that guides the hearts. It's a law of supano wa ta'ala that does all, creates all, the one that does. And it's a very beautiful kind of summary of this from whose known as sultan al-Arifinn, perhaps you recognize, that Shaykh Abdul-Adir al-Gilani, the great Humbali figure towering spiritual master and authority, explaining this reality. So he says, "You can find this in al-Fatah Rabbani wa al-Fadah Rabbani." This is one of his works. And I believe this is like a measure this 60. It's broken down. The book is broken down like that in these little topics by number. And I believe this is number 60. He says, "Do not speak about causes." These are SBAP. The causes of things. Nor busy yourself with them. Nor depend upon them. For Allah will become angry with you. For the one who brings, he's the one who brings about causes. Meaning, a loss of panel is the one that brings about those causes. And you're getting wrapped up in those causes and busing yourself with the causes. A loss of panel is the creator and the originator of those causes. The people of truth, their belief. Those who are firmly grounded in the book of Allah and the son of the Messenger al-A'iz al-Saram understand that the sword does not cut by its own nature. Rather, it is al-Azoujel who cuts by it. As fire does not burn by itself, rather a law burns by it. Water does not quench first by itself. Rather, it is a law that quenches by it. Food does not satiate by itself. But rather, it is a law that satiate by it. And so, it is with all causes of every kind in category. That Allah Almighty is the one who disposes of them and through them. They are but instruments before him with which he acts as he wills. For he is the true doer in reality. It's very powerful on passage there, reminding us about a lawsuit panel. Tala's role in being the true doer, the creator and originator, and that, you know, our intellect is not the deciding factor in the realities of Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala. And so when the author says that Allah guided us according to what he's instilled within us of understanding and resolve, it's a reminder that both the path, the way which he elucidates for us by way of revelation, as well as the capacity to walk that path, they come entirely from him. And so, naturally, praise and thanks are certainly due. And then we kind of get close to the wrap-up of this introduction. He says, "Wa Usalli wa Usalli Mu'ala Sayyidina Muhammadin Al-Masoumi Al-Zayi wa Zalali wa Kulli Mu'hemi Nukzaniin Al-Moballi Ghiyani Allahi Shar'aahu Al-Kawim Al-Avim Al-Arkani Lila Ummatihi Khayri Ummatin Ukhri Jattin Nasih Ila A'khil Zaman I send prayers and salutations upon our Master Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, protected from deviation and error and from every implication of deficiency who conveyed from Allah his upright legislation mighty in its foundations. To his nation, the best nation ever brought forth for mankind until the end of time. We recognize right away as salatu al-Nabi, alaihi salatu wa sallam. And of course, this is a divine command when Allah says in Allah wa Mala ikatahu yusalluna al-Nabi. Ya yuhallahu alayhi wa sallam wa tesalima, what means indeed Allah is angels and blessings upon the Prophet, all you who believe, send blessings upon him and offer him peace and full submission. Very famous verse, many of us hear this regularly on Friday, because Friday is a great day, a recommended day to send as salat al-Nabi. And in the classical interpretation of a salat al-Nabi, it means here the salat, because the verse is encompassing not only us as believers sending these prayers, but also Allah and the angels. So what does it mean when Allah and the angels send salat al-Nabi? So what's classically understood is that when Allah sends salat al-Nabi, it means rahmah, he's sending his rahmah. And when the angels send salat al-Nabi, it means that they're seeking forgiveness for him. And from human beings, it's a supplication and asking for goodness for him, alayhi wa sallat wa sallam. And if we were to understand a little bit more about the salat al-Nabi, then from a legal perspective, especially from the framework of the Hanabilah, if we looked at Qashafir Qinaa, this is of course by the great Imam Buhuti, he says that sending salat al-Nabi upon the Prophet, Allah sallam, is recommended outside of prayer. It's a recommendation to send salat al-Nabi. And it's a pillar in the final tasha'ud of the salat. It's also a pillar in the Friday khutbah, meaning what has to be said during the khutbah, there has to be as a pillar of that khutbah salat al-Nabi. And it's further emphasized to do so abundantly whenever he is mentioned. So as the scholars, they kind of give some spiritual insights as well as the etiquette with this, they say that it's encouraged to mention the Prophet sallallam with great pride because he's the best of Allah's creation. And we can see that, both the upper and lower realms, they send salat al-Nabi, al-Sarat wa sallam, they're sending these salutations of peace and blessings. And it is said that Allah sallam, this is very powerful, it's said that Allah sallam is not only honored Adam by commanding the angels to prostrate to him. You may hear that the angels were commanded to prostrate to Adam to honor him and the reason that they were ordered to do so was because Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa sallam was within his loins. And this is actually transmitted report in M.O. for Hadeeth. And so you can see that helps us understand the status of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam and the role, of course, that he plays in some of the etiquette that we should have within M.A. sallat wa sallam as being our leader and our master. And so by extension, Al-Salam mentioned by Imam and Nubalban, the by extension of the Prophet sallat, we're honored as Muslims, we're honored and we're considered by Allah's who did the best nation because we're following in the footsteps of the Prophet al-Sallat wa sallam and hopefully spreading his way. And a lot of that has to do with enjoying the good and forbidding the evil. Right? We're trying to get people to believe and have faith, to have sound faith, to embark upon a life of devotion and worship to a lot and then, of course, also by way of preventing and objecting to evils, disbelief, untruth, etc. He goes on, he says, So here he kind of wraps up this, Salat al-Nabi, he says, he continued striving in the cause of Allah until his religion prevailed over all other religions. In prayers and salutations upon his family and companions, the noble leaders and foremost of the people of faith with a prayer everlasting and enduring for as long as the twin stars shine and the night continues to alternate. So the phrase here al-Farqadan, he says, Malam al-Farqadan wa ta'akab al-Jadeedan. The Farqadan here refers to the two northern stars, specifically to the two bright stars. These are the ones that marked the outer edge of the little dipper bowl. And these were typically used for navigation and they were used to be able to identify the location of the north star. And then al-Jadeedan here is a poet expression referring to the ever renewing pair of day and night. So essentially, evoking a constant cycle of time, meaning our sagitation upon the Prophet and our Salat al-Nabi upon his family, his companions, the noble leaders, the foremost people in faith is one which we offer constantly and consistently so long as time continues on. So that gives you an idea against some of the etiquettes and understandings of what the Salah is supposed to be. And the next kind of section where he says, "wabadu", "wabadu" here is a traditional means by which he separates topics. And "wabadu", this is very typical not only in writing but also in speech. And this was noted from the Prophet al-As-Salaam as well. So the Imam al-Balbanis says, "Fa lam mara aitu aqidat al-Imam al-Alam al-Alam al-Azahid al-Wara'i al-Muhaqqil al-Mudakqil al-Mutqini al-Mutqini al-Ubaid al-Lahi, Ibn Muhammad al-Ibn Muhammad al-Ibn Muhammadan. Radhi Allah wa-Arabaahu wa-Jalla Buhabuhat al-Janan, masqanahu wa-Mathwaahu, al-Talukiyat, bil-Kubooli wa-Tazim wa-Haziyat, bil-Hati-Irami wa-Takrimu, aif ala wa-Yemen, anfa al-Aqadi wa-Ajall al-Thawadid wa-A al-Alam al-Mawarid wa-Ajma al-Shawadid." Alright, so here he says, "When I came to know that the creed of the Imam, the learned, the practicing, the ascetic, the scrupulous, the precise, the diligent, the masterful, obeyed to the Ibn Muhammad, in Muhammad bin Muhammad bin Muhammadan, may Allah be pleased with him, and grant him the gardens of paradise as his dwelling, had been received with acceptance and reverence, honored, and esteemed, and how could it not being among the most beneficial of creeds, and nobles to benefits, the sweetest of sources, and the most comprehensive and scattered discussions?" So now he's basically addressing the nature of the book and his project. However, in this text that we're looking at in the book, Imam bin Muhammad bin Muhammad bin Muhammad bin Muhammad bin Muhammad bin Muhammadan, now we know Ibn Muhammadan is the well-known name of the author, but the name that he mentions here is someone who's actually referred to as Ibn-u-Batta, Ibn-u-Batta Zahadith-Skawar, the Sheikh of Iraq. His name was Abu Abdullah, obeyed to Allah, Ibn Muhammad bin Muhammad bin Muhammad, it's exactly what Imam Ibn-u-Balban writes, but he is Ibn-u-Habdan al-Ukbari al-Hambali, author of the book al-Iban al-Kubra, and he was born in the year 304, the Hedger calendar passing away in 387, the author of Nihayat al-Muqtadi'in is Najmuddin, okay, he's an expert jurist, judge, his name was Abu Abdullah, Ibn Abith-Thana, Ahmad Ibn-u-Hamdan, Ibn-u-Shabib, Ibn-u-Hamdan, Ibn-u-Shabib, Ibn-u-Hamdan, Ibn-u-Mahmoud, Ibn-u-Shabib, Ibn-u-Riyat, Ibn-u-Sabq, Ibn-u-Ethab, Ibn-u-Mahmadi al-Harrani, so he was born in 603, so like 300 years later, and he was born in the city of Harran, very different from Iraq of course, and of course this great Imam in scholar Ibn-u-Hamdan, Najmuddin that is Ibn-u-Hamdan, I was one of the leading figures of the Hambali school, tremendous knowledge and expertise in both the sciences and fields of Fikh as well as Osulu Fikh, and of course in Osul-Din, and I talked a little bit about the acceptance of his book, and he had to the Muqtadi'in and how often it's cited throughout the various different works of the Hanabilah. He had tremendous teachers as well. For example, one of his teachers was Mejduddin Ibnut-Tamiya. Mejduddin Ibnut-Tamiya is also referred to as the grandfather, meaning the grandfather Shaykhul Islam Ibn Tamiya. So he studied with Mejduddin. So Mejduddin is right up there with Ibn Quddam in terms of his position among the scholars or al-Ashab. In terms of the developments of the Mevhab Ibn Quddam, the legacy that he left behind put some kind of like right in the center and then Mejduddin Ibn Tamiya is right there next to him. Maybe like such a towering figure perhaps like a number two if you will. So anyway, this is one of his great teachers among many other greats and towering figures in the Mevhab. And the work that he authored Mejduddin, of course, a book in Akhidah that had basically built on the transmissions of Ibn Ahmad and the various subsequent great scholars. He says, he says, he says, he says, he says, so describing what he's going to do with the work he says, yet within it, meaning after praising the work Mejduddin, he said, there is a lengthiness in it from which most people of this time grow weary. So he's going to summarize it, you know, to a third as he says, he says, which confounds the understanding of many of this age and which surpasses the resolve, the innegligent to commit it to memory. I desire to abridged it to about a third of its length. I did so as encouragement for beginners as an aid to the understanding of students, it to make it memorization easier. And at times, I've added a few refined beneficial additions, flashes of insights, if you will, for the nostics. So then he's to be a little bit of spiritual benefit here, which of course we're going to get as we have in shahla from the introduction. So he says, well, philosophy is the many to aboebbin. So he says, so here essentially he says the original contains eight chapters. And he hides the moped to the end. That's ibn al-Humdan's work. There's eight chapters. I've abridged it into five with an epilogue and a conclusion. So we have al-Hatima and a tatima to look at as well. So chapter one, he says, knowledge of the law, the exalted, and what relates to it. And in this chapter, namely, what he discusses is a obligatory such as Allah's existence, oneness and perfection, what is impossible for him, which is non-existence, having a partner or being deficient, and what is permissible for a law supano-itata. And that would be things like acting or not acting by his will, together with matters connected to these principles, rather to create something or not, etc. Chapter two, he says concerning the acts, or al-Fa'ah. We've talked about that a little bit in terms of the divine, but it also has to do with us as his creatures and servants. So he talks about how these actions relate to kesp, which is the acquisition of deeds, based on what we do in our human capability. And it also explains what follows that, from the necessity of maintaining righteousness and uprightness, sincerity and deeds for Allah's supano-itata alone, striving for excellence and completeness. It also addresses questions of provision, guidance and misguidance, as well. Chapter number three, as he says concerning rulings at laqam, rulings and names of things, he talks about the definitions of Islam and iman, what relates to them both in terms of rulings, discusses repentance and what follows it, together with matters of divine decree, like al-Ala and predestination al-Adaar, and the believers balance between having fear of Allah's punishment and hope in His, in His al-Rashama, where His benevolence and mercy. That's number three. Chapter number four, as he says, is a samiyat, baqiyat o samiyat, which are the remaining transmitted reports and the conditions of the resurrection and other matters. So these are matters transmitted through revelation, a samiyat, these are like reports of the unseen world. Things that would include like the resurrection, the mizan, which is like the balance for the scale, the reckoning, the sab, the seeroth, which is the bridge, janna, jahanan, paris, and how the prophets hold or the basin, and various other unseen realities. That's what would be included in this chapter. So it also covers like some of the signs of the hour, trials of the grave, questioning by the angels, the states of the jinn, et cetera. That's what we covered in chapter number four. Chapter number five, as he says, is a naboowa wil imamah, which is prophethood and imamah, which is like leadership here, meaning at a grander level as opposed to like the imamah of the masjid. So this would also include things like and more gzat, the miracles that are granted to the prophets or karamah to the aliyat, the wonders that are gifted to saints. It also discusses the authorities and the Muslim community and respected duties, connected to them, talks about commanding good for bidding evil, having loyalty to the companions of the prophet, as al-Saram, acknowledging their virtue, et cetera. And then in the epilogue and conclusion, as he mentions, he's basically going to clarify some of the technical terms that we're going to be addressing. And of course, in the explanation, I'll bring that forward so that we can get a clearer idea as to what the intent is from the author. He's going to explain some of the approach in terms of doctrine as utilized or discussed by latter scholars. Also, discussions revolving around precise terminologies and how to utilize those. In this conclusion, an epilogue, he's going to urge the reader to adhere to the sunnah, to have complete surrender, to Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala, and his messenger to avoid objecting, and rebelling against them, also counseling us to not fall into fruitless polemics, an excessive disputation or argumentation, reminding the reader that the purpose is to affirm Allah's sanctity or his Tenzi without falling into negation, which would be like Ta'ala, stripping away lost attributes, or falling into Teşbih or anthropomorphism. And that also excessive argumentation in these matters typically breeds enmity, and it ends up being a complete waste of time. And then there's some other admonitions and reminders that he provides us as well in the end. He concludes this introduction. He says, "O Allah, ask Allah to forgive her as we forgive her." Haspi wa n-e-m-e-wakil, "I ask Allah to make it as beneficial as the original, to make it purely for his noble wedge, a means of nearness to him and the gardens of bliss, to protect me within it, from deviation and error, and to grant me success and word, and deed, in that which pleases him, by him I seek victory, and in him I place my trust and reliance for he is sufficient for me and the best of guardians." So this is all that we're going to cover in this session. And this is perhaps a more thorough explanation than we'll have in subsequent sections of the book. And the reason that is is because introductions of books are typically, especially by today's modern reader, are typically either skipped over or read rather quickly as if it's just ceremonial. So after reading through that, and kind of I tried my best within the constraints of time to pull out as much as I could to help unpack what the Eman was doing. But at the end of it, there's an arc here. There's something greater at play. So the introduction, of course, very poetic, very powerful, very beautiful. It's worth stopping at the end, after we've completed, looking at these opening passages, again not simply ornamental or ceremonial, but it's a classic tradition in the works of these great scholars, that the introduction of the book serves as like a microcosm of the entire contents. So the author is going to be very meticulous and carefully choose the set of words that he's going to pin to poetically convey the spirit of the contents of the book in order to prepare their reader. And so every line is a reflection of the author's thought and meticulousness in being able to put that in words, in order to articulate that, not only a way to praise Allah as we began with Alhamdulillah to honor the Prophet (AS) but also essentially setting the spiritual tone of the work while hinting at the basic structure and content. So if we really, listen, if we really, really dug in to just this opening, we would be able to pull out the subsequent lessons that he's going to present in a much fuller format throughout the book. And so as we reflect on these words, a great exercise to engage further, and this would be kind of like a homework assignment, would be to go through what we've covered in the opening of imam ibnub al-Ben and identify the themes within the introduction that relate to the chapters and their contents of the rest of the book. And if you're able to do that, you'll appreciate these introductions and you also understand what it is that we have to look forward to. And that's what we're going to wrap up here with our session. Tonight we ask Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala to guide us and to keep us safe, to make our journey successful and to increase us in our knowledge, our righteous action, and our acceptance that he forgive us and overlook our mistakes and faults. And of course that he bless our Sheikh ibnub al-Ben as well as ibn Ahmaden and the other great luminaries of our tradition and the great scholars of Islam as well as all of the Muslims, may Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala also grant relief to those who are oppressed and suffering around the world. And with that, Allah may He bless us and to Allah, peace and blessings of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah, and peace be upon you.