Three Principles of Islam Ebook Pocket 2022 v.1.1

The Scholar of Islam
Muhammad Ibn ʿAbdul-Wahhāb

(died 1206 AH / 1792 CE)
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The Three Fundamentals of
Islam and their Proofs
َّ َ ُ َُ ََ
‫ثة الُصوِل َوأدِلَُها‬#‫ث‬
  ‫لشيخ الس(م المجدد ممد بن عبد الوهاب‬

Shaikh Al-Islām, Reviver of his age, Al-Mujaddid, Al-Imām,
Muhammad Ibn ʿAbdul-Wahhāb
Died: 1206AH (1792CE), may Allāh’s mercy be upon him.
Translation by Abu Khadeejah ʿAbdul-Wāhid Alam.
Based upon the research and verification of five hand-

written manuscripts carried out by Abu Ahmad Nāsir Ibn
ʿAbdullāh Abu Ghazālah. First edition printed in 1436AH
(2015CE) by Mu’assasatu Bainūnah lin-Nashri wat-Tawzī’,
Abu Dhabī, UAE.
abukhadeejah.com for ‫اﻟﻤﮑﺘﺒﺔ اﻟﺴﻠﻔﻴﺔ‬

ISBN: 978-1-902727-47-9
© Copyright Salafi Publications 2022
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced
or utilised in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means,
now known or hereafter invented, including photocopying and record-
ing, without prior permission from the publishers.
Third Edition: December 2022 / Jumāda (I) 1444 AH
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E-Mail: [email protected]
Abu Khadeejah’s acknowledgement: ‘May Allāh reward
our brother, ash-Shaikh, Abu Talhah Dawūd Burbank
() whose original translation of the text over twenty
years ago helped me in places to choose more appropri-
ate words.’
Page 2 Salafi Publications ‫اﻟﻤﮑﺘﺒﺔ اﻟﺴﻠﻔﻴﺔ‬

Table of Contents
The Three Fundamentals of Islām and their Proofs ..........5
The Purpose Behind This Treatise ........................................5
The Name of this Treatise ......................................................8
The Author ..............................................................................11
Introduction to the Treatise ................................................15
[The Four Obligatory Affairs] ...............................................16
[Allāh has Obligated Three Affairs that must be

Learned] ..................................................................................18
[The True Monotheist Religion of Ibrāhīm () was

the Worship of Allāh Alone].................................................21
[The Three Principles] ..........................................................22
[The First Principle: Knowing the Lord] ............................23
[The Types of Worship which Allāh has Commanded]....27
[The Second Principle: Knowledge of the Religion of

Islām] .......................................................................................35
The First Level: Islām ............................................................36
The Second Level: Al-Īmān (Faith) ......................................41

The Third Level: Al-Ihsān (To Perfect Worship) ...............43
[The Third Principle: Knowledge of the Prophet

()] ............................................................................50
[To Disbelieve in the Tāghūt: Everything by Way of

Which a Person Goes Beyond Bounds] ...............................62

The Three Fundamentals of Islām
and their Proofs
Printed complete for the first time, with verification
based upon five handwritten manuscripts1
The Purpose Behind This Treatise

All praise is due to Allāh, Lord of all creation. May the
peace and blessings of Allāh be upon the Messenger Mu-
hammad, his family, his Companions, and all those who
follow him correctly until the Hour is established.
Imām Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah (d. 751H) said: “The two

feet of a person who stands before Allāh on the Day of Res-
urrection will not move until he is asked regarding two
matters: ‘What was it that you worshipped? And what
was your response to the Messengers?’ The answer to
the first question is by actualisation of the words, ‘None
has the right to be worshipped except Allāh’ with
knowledge, affirmation, and action. The answer to the
1 The research and verification of Abu Ahmad Nāsir Ibn

ʿAbdullāh Abu Ghazālah, first edition, printed 1436AH
(2015CE) by Mu’assasatu Bainūnah lin-Nashri wat-Tawzīʿ,
Abu Dhabi.
second question is by actualisation of the words, ‘Muham-
mad is the Messenger of Allāh’ with knowledge, affirma-
tion, submission and obedience.”2 From these words it be-
comes clear the tremendous importance of the treatise be-
fore us whose subject matter is to single out Allāh alone in
His Lordship and worship, and the tremendous im-
portance and station of the Messenger Muhammad
(), and that his is the example to be followed. Al-
Imām Muhammad Ibn ʿAbdul-Wahhāb (died 1206AH )
compiled this treatise in a manner that is easy to under-
stand and memorise, with each point being coupled with
a proof. It is divided into six headings each rooted in the
two fundamentals highlighted by Ibn al-Qayyim ().
These headings are:
1. The importance of seeking knowledge, and a clarifica-

tion of the obligatory types of knowledge. This lays the
foundation for the rest of the treatise.
2. The four matters that are incumbent upon every male

and female Muslim: (i) to have knowledge, (ii) to act, (iii)
to invite, and (iv) to be patient in bearing the harm that is
encountered when inviting others to Islām.
2 Zādul-Maʿād (1/37), Mu’assasat ar-Risālah edition.

3. The three matters of clarification: (i) the reason behind
creation, (ii) He is not pleased that partners be associated
with Him, and (iii) it is not permitted for a worshipper of
Allāh and a follower of the Messenger () to show
religious allegiance to those who do not believe in Allāh,
and the Revelation sent to the Prophet ().
4. The true monotheistic religion of Ibrāhīm () and

what he came with. And that is the call of all the Messen-
gers of Allāh () and likewise it was the call of the
final Prophet ().
5. The three fundamentals: these are the questions that a

person will be asked in his grave. This is the essence of the
whole treatise and the purpose behind its compilation.
6. The meaning of the term tāghūt and enumerating its

heads, and these are the false objects of worship and obe-
dience. So, the purpose of this chapter is to clarify that
which opposes the three fundamentals. And with this the
Shaikh seals his treatise.
So, this treatise expounds important matters in simple

terms that are suitable for the old, the young, the scholar,
the layman, the student, the illiterate, the male, and the
female. He explains that these foundations are the religion
of the Prophet Ibrāhīm () and the call of all the

Messengers. And that the Messenger of Allāh ()
was not a novelty amongst the Messengers, rather he trav-
ersed the path of his brothers before him from the Mes-
sengers and Prophets, may Allāh's peace and blessings be
upon them all.
The Name of this Treatise

People are often confused regarding the name of this trea-
tise. It has been printed with the title:
‫ثة الُصول َوأِدلها‬#‫ث‬
(Thalāthat al-Usūl wa Adillatuhā)
It has also been printed with the title:

َ ُ
‫ثة‬#َّ‫الُصول ال‬
(Al-Usūl ath-Thalāthah)
What seems to be more correct is the former. That is be-

cause:
1. The manuscripts with us begin with and end with the

title:

The Three Fundamentals and their Proofs (Thalāthat al-
Usūl wa Adillatuhā).
2. The most eminent explainers of the treatise have

adopted this title, such as Shaikh Ibn Bāz ().
3. Some of the grandchildren of the author mentioned that

the Shaikh authored two treatises, a longer one and a sum-
marised one. So, the longer one had the title:
ُ َُ ََ
‫ثة الُصول‬#‫ث‬
And that is what we have before us, and the shorter one
with the title:
َ ُ
‫ثة‬#َّ‫الُصول ال‬
So, the shorter one was authored by the Shaikh for
younger people and children. This was mentioned in Al-
Jāmiʿ al-Farīd.
For these reasons, the correct name of the treatise before

us is:
As for ascription of this treatise to Shaikhul-Islām Muham-

mad Ibn ʿAbdul-Wahhāb (), then there is no

ambiguity concerning that. All the handwritten manu-
scripts mention explicitly the name of the Shaikh. Indeed,
Shaikh ʿAbdur-Rahmān Ibn Qāsim stated: “Shaikh Mu-
hammad Ibn ʿAbdul-Wahhāb, may Allāh purify his soul
and sanctify him, said: ‘It is obligatory upon us to learn
four matters...’” And then Ibn Qāsim proceeded to relate
the text of the treatise.3
This text of Thalāthat al-Usūl is distinguished due to the fol-

lowing reasons:
1. This is the most complete edition of Thalāthat al-Usūl as

all previous editions have something or another that is
amiss.
2. This edition has additions not found in previously

printed versions such as an introduction at the start of the
treatise from the author himself.
3. This version has been verified with five other handwrit-

ten manuscripts and then compared with the printed edi-
tions.
3 Ad-Durar as-Saniyyah, 1/125-136.

The Author
The author of this treatise is the Shaikh of Islām, the Re-
viver of the Religion, the Imām and Scholar, Muhammad
Ibn ʿAbdul-Wahhāb Ibn Sulaimān Ibn ʿAlī Ibn Muham-
mad Ibn Ahmad Ibn Rāshid from the tribe of Tamīm. He
was born in the town of ʿUyainah in 1115AH (1703CE) in a
household of scholarship and knowledge. His father was a
great scholar, and his grandfather was the scholar of the
region of Najd in his time. Shaikh Muhammad Ibn ʿAbdul-
Wahhāb memorised the Qur’ān by the age of ten and stud-
ied the various sciences of the Religion under his father.
He studied extensively the books of Qur’anic commentary
(Tafsīr) and Hadīth and was often found studying through-
out the days and nights. Allāh had blessed him with a pow-
erful ability to memorise and understand the books he
studied. He greatly benefitted from the teachings and
writings of Ibn Taymiyyah (d. 728H, ) and Ibn Qay-
yim (d. 752H, ) such that he would transcribe their
works.
After his father died in the year 1153H, Shaikh Muhammad

Ibn ʿAbdul-Wahhāb continued to call to the Tawhīd of
Allāh, and he would forbid wrongdoing, and criticise the
innovators who worshipped other than Allāh. Eventually,
he moved to the town of Dir’iyyah, where Allāh
strengthened his daʿwah through the ruler, the Amīr, Mu-
hammad Ibn Saʿūd who was amazed with the daʿwah and
knowledge of Shaikh Ibn ʿAbdul-Wahhāb. So, he strength-
ened the Shaikh and aided him by Allāh’s permission, and
the daʿwah spread far and wide. The misguided innovators
were defeated along with their innovations, which they
attempted to ascribe to Islām.
The Shaikh authored many works. From them we have the

following:
◦ Kitāb at-Tawhīd (The Book of Singling out Allāh Alone

with Worship)
◦ Kashf ash-Shubuhāt (Unveiling the Doubts)
◦ Al-Kabā’ir (The Major Sins)
◦ Thalāthat al-Usool (The Three Fundamentals)
◦ Khamsūn Su’āl fil-ʿAqīdah (Fifty Questions in Creed)
◦ At-Tawhīd lil-Atfāl was-Sibyān (Tawhīd for Children and

Younger People)
◦ Shurūt as-Salāh wa Wājibātuhā wa Sunanuhā (The Condi-

tion of Prayer, its Obligations and Sunnahs)
◦ Usūl as-Sittah (The Six Fundamentals)

◦ Al-Qawāʿid al-Arbaʿa (The Four Principles)
◦ Usūl al-Imān (The Foundations of Faith)
◦ Fadl al-Islām (The Excellence of Islām)
◦ Masā’il al-Jāhiliyyah (The Affairs from Days of Pre-

Islāmic Ignorance)
◦ Mukhtasar al-Insāf wash-Sharh al-Kabīr (A summary of

the book: Al-Insāf)
◦ Mukhtasar Zād al-Maʿād (A summary of the book of Ibn

al-Qayyim: Zād al-Maʿād)
He also has a six-volume collection of fatāwā, letters and

treatises called Majmūʿ Mu’allafāt ash-Shaikh Muhammad Ibn
ʿAbdul-Wahhāb.
He died in the year 1206AH (1792CE) at the age of ninety-

one. He spent his life in the service of daʿwah, striving,
seeking knowledge and teaching, so may Allāh have mercy
upon him.

First page of an original handwritten manuscript of the treatise:

Introduction to the Treatise
Al-Imām Muhammad Ibn ʿAbdul-Wahhāb () said:
“Know, may Allāh have mercy upon you, that seeking
knowledge is obligatory, and is a cure for the hearts that
are afflicted with sickness.
And from the most important affairs incumbent upon you

is knowledge of your Religion. This knowledge, and action
upon it, is the cause for entry into Paradise whilst being
ignorant of it and wasting it away is the cause of entry into
the Fire. We seek refuge with Allāh for ourselves and for
the Muslims from that.”4
4 This is an addition found in an original manuscript of

the treatise and is an important introduction to the work
by the Shaikh himself.
[The Four Obligatory Affairs]
َ َ ُّ َ َ َ ُ َ ُ َّ َ ُ َّ َ َ َ ْ َ ْ
‫ب عليَْنا تَعلُم أْرَبِع َمَسائ ِل‬ ِ ‫ا ِعلم رِحك اللـه أنـه‬
‫ي‬
Know, may Allāh have mercy upon you, that it is obliga-
tory upon us to learn four affairs.
َُ ْ َ َُ ْ َّ ُ َ ْ ُ ْ ْ َ ُ
‫ِ َوَمعِرفة نب ِّي ِهِ َوَمعِرفة ِديِن‬Z‫ الِعلُم َوهَو َمعِرفة ا‬:‫الول‬
َّ َ
.‫اِلْس(ِم بالِدلِة‬
Firstly: Knowledge, and that is to have knowledge of
Allāh, His Prophet () and the religion of Islām
with the proofs.
ُ ْ ُ
.ِ‫ الَعَمل ب ِه‬:‫الَّانَِية‬
Secondly: To act upon that knowledge.
َ ْ ُ
.ِ‫ اَّلعَوةُ إ ِلْه‬:‫الَّاِلَة‬
Thirdly: To invite others to that.
َ َ َ َ ُ ْ َّ ُ َ َّ
.ِ‫ الذى فِيه‬f ‫ب‬ ‫ الص‬:‫الراب ِعة‬
Fourthly: To bear patiently the harms encountered in
that path.

ْ َْ َ َ ْ َّ ْ َ َ ُ َ ُ
‫ص۝‬ ِ ‫حيِم ۝ والع‬ ِ ‫ِ الَّرحم ِٰن الَّر‬Z‫ ﴿ب ِسِم ا‬l‫َواَّلِلل قْو ُل تَعا‬
‫ت‬ َ ِ ‫ليَن آَمُنوا َوَعِملُوا الَّصا‬ َّ َّ ْ ُ َ َ َ ْ َّ
ِ ‫لا‬ ِ ‫ ا‬yِ ‫س ۝ إ‬ ٍ ‫إ ِن ا ِلنسان لِف خ‬
﴾‫ب‬
ْ َّ ْ َ َ َ َ ّ َْ ْ َ َ َ َ
ِ ‫وتواصوا ب ِالِق وتواصوا ب ِالص‬
The evidence for these points is in the saying of Allāh, the
Most High: «In the name of Allāh, the Beneficent, The Mer-
ciful. By Time.5 Indeed all of mankind is in loss except for
those who believe and perform righteous deeds, and those
who exhort one another with the truth and with pa-
tience.» [Sūrah al-ʿAsr]
َّ ْ َ ََ ً ُ َّ ‫ »ل َْو َما َأن َْزَل ا‬ ‫ع‬
yِ ‫ خلِقهِ إ‬f ‫ ُحَّجة‬Z ُّ ِ ‫قَاَل الَّشاف‬
ََْ َ َ َ
«‫هِذه ِ الُّسوَرة لكفتُهْم‬
Imām ash-Shāfiʿī (died 204AH ) said: “Had Allāh not
sent except this Sūrah as a proof upon His creation, it
would surely have sufficed them.”
ْ َْ َ َ ْ ْ َ َ َ
‫ »بَاٌب الِعلُم قبْل القْوِل َوالَعَمِل‬ ‫َوقال الُخارُِّي‬
َ َ ْ ُ َّ ‫ ا‬yَّ‫ إَل َٰه إ‬yَ ‫ ﴿فَاْعلَْم َأنَُّه‬lَ‫َواَّلِلُل قَْو ُ ُل َتَعا‬
﴾‫ َواْسَتغِفْر ِلنب ِك‬Z ِ ِ
5 Allāh here swears by a tremendous affair, i.e. Time, so

as to show the great importance what what is to follow.
َ َ َ ْ ْ َ َ
«‫فَبَدأ ب ِالِعلِم قبْل القْوِل َوالَعَمِل‬
Imām al-Bukhārī (died 256AH ) said: “Knowledge
precedes both speech and action, and the proof for that is
the saying of Allāh, the Most High: «And know that none
has the right to be worshipped except Allāh, and seek for-
giveness for your sins.» [Sūrah Muhammad: 19] So Allāh be-
gan this verse with knowledge before speech and action.”6
[Allāh has Obligated Three Affairs

that must be Learned]
ُّ َ ّ ُ َ َ َ َ َ َ َّ َّ َ ُ َّ َ َ َ ْ َ ْ
‫ك ُمْسل ٍِم َوُمْسل َِمٍة تَعلُم‬
ِ f ‫ أوجب‬Z‫ أن ا‬Z‫ا ِعلم رِحك ا‬
ُ ْ ْ َ َ َ
‫ث هِذه ِ الـَمَسائ ِِل والَعَمل ب ِِهَّن‬
ِ (‫ث‬
Know, may Allāh show you mercy, that Allāh has obligated
upon every male and female Muslim to learn the following
three affairs and act in accordance with them.
ً َ ْ ُ ْ َ ْ َ َ َ َ َ َ َ َ َ َ َ َ َ َ َّ َّ َ َ ْ ُ ْ
(‫تكَنا هَم‬ ‫ خلقنا ل ِِعبادت ِهِ ورزقنا ولم ي‬Z‫ أن ا‬:‫الول‬
َ َ َ ُ َ َ ْ َ َ َ َّ َ ْ َ َ َ ُ َ َ َ ْ َ َ ً ُ َ َ ْ َ َ َ ْ َ َ
‫ فمن أطاعه دخل النة ومن عصاه دخل‬y‫وأرسل إ ِلنا رسو‬
6 Sahīh al-Bukhārī in Kitābul-ʿIlm, 11.

َ ً ُ َ ْ َ َّ َ َ ُ َ ُ
‫ شاهًِدا‬y‫ ﴿إ ِنا أْرَسلَنا إ ِلْكْم َرُسو‬l‫الَّاَر َواَّلِلل قْو ُل تَعا‬
ُ َ ٰ َ ََ ً َ َ َ ْ َ َ ُ ََ
‫ص ف ِْرعْون‬ ‫ ۝ فع‬y‫ ف ِْرعْون َرُسو‬lٰ ِ ‫عليْكْم كَما أْرَسلَنا إ‬
ً ً ْ َ َْ َ ََ َ
﴾(‫الَّرُسول فأخذناهُ أخذا َوب ِي‬
The first: To know that Allāh created us to worship Him,
He provided for us, and did not leave us without a purpose.
Rather, He sent to us a Messenger, whoever obeys him
() enters Paradise and whoever disobeys him
enters the Fire. The proof for this is the saying of Allāh,
the Most High: «We have sent to you a Messenger as a wit-
ness over you just as We had sent to the Pharaoh a Mes-
senger. But the Pharaoh disobeyed the Messenger, so We
seized him with a severe punishment.» [Sūrah al-Muzam-
mil: 15-16]
َ َ َ َ َ َ َّ َّ َ ُ َ َّ
y ‫شَك َمَعُه ِف ِعَبادت ِهِ أَحٌد‬َ ْ ُ ‫ يَْرَض أْن ي‬y ‫ أن اللـه‬:‫الانِية‬
َّ َ َ َ َ َ ُ ُ ْ َ ُ َّ َ ٌ َ ْ ُ ٌّ َ َ َ ٌ َّ َ ُ ٌ َ َ
‫ ﴿وأن‬l‫ نِب مرسل والِلل قول تعا‬y‫ملك مقرب و‬
َ َّ ْ َ َ َ َّ َ َْ
﴾‫ِ أَحًدا‬Z‫ِ ف( تدُعوا َمَع ا‬Zِ ‫جَد‬ ِ ‫المسا‬
The second: That Allāh is not pleased that anyone should
be taken as a partner alongside Him in worship, not an An-
gel that has been drawn close, nor a Prophet that was sent.
The proof for this is in the saying of Allāh, the Most High:

«The places of worship (the mosques) are only for Allāh,
so do not invoke or supplicate to anyone else alongside
Allāh.» [Sūrah al-Jinn: 18]
ُ‫ة‬y‫ َيُوُز َ ُل ُمَوا‬y َ َ َّ َ َّ َ َ َ ُ َّ َ َ َ ْ َ َّ َ ُ َ َّ
‫ أن من أطاع الرسول ووحد اللـه‬:‫الاِلة‬
ُُ ْ َ ُ َّ َ َ َ َ ْ َ َ َ ْ َ َ ُ َ ُ َ َ َ َّ َّ َ ْ َ
‫ب والِلل قول‬ ٍ ‫من حاد اللـه ورسـول ولو كن أقرب قِري‬
َ ُّ ْ ْ َّ َ ُ ْ َ َ َّ َ َ َ
‫خِر يَُوادون َمْن‬ ِ ‫ِ َوالَْوِم ال‬Z‫تُد قْوًما يُؤِمنون ب ِا‬ ِ y﴿ l‫تعا‬
َْ ْ ُ َ ْ ْ َ ْ ُ َ ْ َ ْ َ ْ ُ َ ُ َ ْ َ َ ُ َ ُ َ َ َ َّ َّ َ
‫ ورسول ولو كنوا آباَءهم أو أبناَءهم أو إ ِخَوانهم أو‬Z‫حاد ا‬
ُ َ َ ْ ُُ َ ‫ك َكَت‬ َ َٰ ُ ْ ُ َ َ َ
‫ب ِف قلوب ِِهُم ا ِليَمان َوأيََّدهم ب ُِروٍح‬ ِ ‫شيتهم أولئ‬ ِ ‫ع‬
َ ْ َ ْ ْ َ ْ َ ُ َُْ ُّْ
‫ليَن فِيَها‬ ِ ِ ‫خلُهْم َجَّناٍت تِري ِمن تت َِها النَهاُر خا‬ ِ ‫ِمنه ويد‬
َّ َ َ َّ ُ ْ َ ٰ َ ُ ُ ْ َ ُ َ َ ْ ُ ْ َ ُ َّ َ ِ َ
‫ إ ِن‬y‫ِ ۚ أ‬Z‫حزب ا‬ ِ ‫ عنهم ورضوا عنـه أولئ ِك‬Z‫رض ا‬
َ ُ ْ ُ ْ ُ ُ َّ َ ْ
﴾‫حون‬ ِ ‫ِ هم المفل‬Z‫حزب ا‬ ِ
The third: It is not allowed for the one who obeys the Mes-
enger () and singles out Allāh alone with wor-
ship to give allegiance to the one who opposes Allāh and
His Messenger (), even if it be the closest of rel-
atives. The proof for this is the saying of Allāh, the Most
High: «You will not find a people who believe in Allāh and
the Last Day having love for those who oppose Allāh and
His Messenger, even if they be their fathers, their sons,

their brothers or their kinsfolk. It is such believers upon
whose hearts Allāh has inscribed true faith, and He has
strengthened them with īmān, proofs and guidance from
Himself. He shall enter them into the Gardens of Paradise
under which rivers flow, and they will dwell therein for-
ever. Allāh is pleased with them, and they are pleased with
Him. They are the party of Allāh, and verily the party of
Allāh are the successful.» [Sūrah al-Mujādilah: 22]
[The True Monotheist Religion of Ibrāhīm

() was the Worship of Allāh Alone]
َْ َ َّ َ َ َ
َ ْ ‫ا ِْعلَْم أْرَشَدَك الَّلـُه ل َِطاَعت ِهِ أَّن ا‬
‫ أن‬:‫لن ِيِفَّية ِملة إ ِب َْراهِيَم‬
َ َّ َ َ َ َ ْ ُ ْ َ َّ َ ُ ْ َ
‫ َوب ِذل ِك أَمَر اللـُه جِيَع‬.‫ليَن‬ ِ ّ ‫ َوحَدهُ مل ًِصا ُل ا‬Z ‫تعبد ا‬
ْ ْ ُ ْ َ َ َ َ َ َ َ َ َ
َ َ ْ َُ َ َ َ
‫لَّن َوا ِلنَس‬ َ
ِ ‫ ﴿وما خلقت ا‬l‫الاِس وخلقهم لها كما قال تعا‬
َ َّ
ّ ْ ْ ْ َّ
‫حُدوِن‬ِ ‫ ِلَعُبُدوِن﴾ َوَمعـَن ﴿َيعـُبُدوِن﴾ يَُو‬yِ ‫إ‬
Know, may Allāh guide you to His obedience, that the true
monotheist Religion of Ibrāhīm () is that you are to
worship Allāh alone, making the Religion purely and sin-
cerely for Him. This is what Allāh has commanded all of
the people with, and it was for this that He created them
just as He, the Most High, stated: «I did not create the jinn
and humans except that they should worship Me.» [Sūrah
al-Dhāriyāt: 56] The meaning of, ‘worship Me’ in this verse
is that they are to single out Allāh alone with worship.
َ ْ َّ ُ ْ ُ
.ِ ‫ِ ب ِالِعَبادة‬Z‫حـيُد َوهَو إ ِفَراد ا‬ ُ َّ ‫َوأَْعَظُم َما أََمَر ا‬
ِ ‫ ب ِهِ اَّلْو‬Z
ُ َ ُ ْ َ َُ ْ َ َ ُ َ ُ ْ ّ ُْ َ َ َ َ ُ َ ْ ََ
‫يه ِ َمَعُه َواَّلِلل قْو ُل‬
ِ ‫وأعظم ما نه عنه ال ِشك وهو دعوة غ‬
ْ َ ُ ْ ُ َ َ َ َّ ُُْ َ َ ََ
﴾‫شكوا ب ِهِ شيًئا‬ِ ‫ ت‬y‫ و‬Z‫ ﴿واعبدوا ا‬l‫تعا‬
The greatest of all affairs that Allāh has commanded with
is Tawhīd, and that is to single out Allāh alone with wor-
ship―and the greatest of all the prohibitions that He has
forbidden is Shirk, and that is to invoke and supplicate to
others alongside Him (). The proof for this is the say-
ing of Allāh, the Most High: «Worship Allāh alone and do
not associate anything alongside Him in worship.» [Sūrah
an-Nisā’: 36]
[The Three Principles]

ْ َ َ ُ َ َّ ُ َ َّ ُ ُ ُ َ َ َ َ َ َ
‫ اِلنَساِن‬f ‫ب‬ ِ ‫ ما الصول ال(ثة الِت‬:‫فإ ِذا قِيل لك‬
‫ي‬
َّ َُ َ ْ َُ ْ ْ َُ َ ْ
‫ َمعِرفة الَعبِْد َرَّبُه َوِديَنُه َونب َِّيُه مَّمًدا َصل‬:‫َمعِرفُتَها فقل‬
َّ َ َ َّ
.‫اللـُه عليْهِ َوَسلَم‬
If it is said to you: “What are the three principles that
every person is obligated to know?” Say in response: “A

servant is obligated to know his Lord, his Religion and his
Prophet, Muhammad ().”
[The First Principle: Knowing the Lord]

َّ َّ َّ َُْ َ َ َ َ َ َ
‫لي َرَّباِن َوَرب‬ ِ ‫ َربّـَِي اللـُه ا‬:‫ َمْن َرُّبك فقل‬:‫فإ ِذا قِيل لك‬
َ َ َْ َ َ
ُ‫ َمْعُبوٌد ِسَواه‬l ‫ي بن ِْعَمت ِهِ َوُهَو َمْعـُبوِدي لَيَْس‬
ِ ِ ‫جِيع العالِم‬
ُّ ُ َ َ َ ْ ّ َ َّ ُ ْ َ ْ َ َ َ ُ ُ ْ َ ُ َّ َ
‫ي﴾ َوك َمْن ِسَوى‬ ‫ب العالِم‬ِ ‫ِ ر‬Zِ ‫ ﴿المد‬:l‫والِلل قول تعا‬
َ ْ َ َ َ َ َ َ َّ
.‫حٌد ِمْن ذل ِك الَعالِم‬
ِ ‫ِ علٌم َوأنا َوا‬Z‫ا‬
If it is said to you: “Who is your Lord?” Then say: “My Lord
is Allāh who nurtured me, and He nurtured all of creation
with His bounty. He is the One I worship, and there is none
worthy of my worship other than Him.” The proof for this
is the saying of Allāh, the Most High, “All praise is for
Allāh, the Lord of all creation.” [Sūrah al-Fātihah: 2] Every-
thing other than Allāh is the creation, and I am one of the
creation.
َ َُْ َُْ َ َ َ َ َ
َ ْ‫ بَم َعَرف‬:‫ك‬
‫ ب ِآيَات ِهِ َوملوقات ِهِ َوِمْن‬:‫ت َرَّبك فقل‬ ِ ‫فإ ِذا قِيل ل‬
َ َُْ َْ َّ ُ َّ
ِ‫ الليْل َوالََّهاُر َوالشْمُس َوالقَمُر َوِمْن ملوقات ِه‬:ِ‫آيَات ِه‬
َ ُ َ ُ ‫الَّسَماَوا‬
‫ت الَّسبُْع َوَما فِيهَّن َوالَرضون الَّسبُْع َوَمْن فِيِهَّن َوَما‬

ْ َ َْْ َ
َُ‫ك‬ ُ ْ ََ َ َ َ ُ َ ُ َْ
‫ب‬ ‫ت والرِض أ‬ ِ ‫ ﴿للق الَّسَماَوا‬l‫بَينُهَما َواَّلِلل قْو ُل تعا‬
َ َْ َ ََ‫ك‬ ْ َ َّ ٰ َ َ ْ َ
﴾‫ َيعلُمون‬y ‫ث الَّاِس‬ ِ ‫ِمْن خلِق الَّاِس ول‬
‫كن أ‬
If it is said to you: “How did you come to know your Lord?”
Say in response: “Through His signs and His creation.
From His signs is the night and day, and the Sun and Moon.
From His creation are the seven heavens and whatever is
within them, and the seven Earths and whosoever is
within them, and whatever is between the two of them.”
The proof for this is the saying of Allāh, the Most High:
«The creation of the heavens and the Earth is indeed
greater than the creation of mankind, yet most of man-
kind know not.» [Sūrah Ghāfir: 57]
َْ َّ ُ َّ َ َ ُ َ ُ
‫ ﴿َوِمْن آيَات ِهِ الليْل َوالََّهاُر َوالشْمُس َوالقَمُر‬l‫َواَّلِلل قْو ُل تَعا‬
ََ َ َّ َّ ُ ‫ ل ِلَْقَمر َواْس‬yَ‫جُدوا ل ِلَّشْمس َو‬
ُ ‫ ت َْس‬yَ
‫لي خلقُهَّن إ ِن‬ ِ ‫ِ ا‬Zِ ‫جُدوا‬ ِ ِ
َ َْ ُ
﴾‫كنُتْم إ ِيَّاهُ تعُبُدون‬
The proof is also in the saying of Allāh, the Most High:
«And from His signs is the night and the day, and the Sun
and the Moon. Do not prostrate to the Sun, nor to the
Moon. Prostrate instead to Allāh, the One who created
them, if you do truly worship Him.» [Sūrah Fussilat: 37]

َ َ َ ِ َّ ‫ ا‬Z ُ َّ َ َّ َ َ َ ُ ُ ْ َ ُ َّ َ
ُ َّ ‫كُم ا‬
ِ ‫لي خلق الَّسَماَوا‬
‫ت‬ ‫ ﴿إ ِن رب‬l‫والِلل قول تعا‬
َ ْ َّ ْ ُ ْ َ ْ َ َ ٰ َ َ ْ َّ ُ َّ َ َّ َ َْ
‫ العرِش يغِش الليل‬f ‫َوالْرض ِف ِستِة أياٍا ثم استوى‬
َّ
‫جوَم ُمَسخَراٍت‬ ُ ُّ‫الََّهاَر َيْطلُُبُه َحثيًثا َوالَّشْمَس َوالَْقَمَر َوال‬
ِ
َ﴾‫ َرُّب الَْعال َمي‬Z ُ َّ َ َ َ َ ُ ْ َ ْ َ ُ ْ َ ْ ُ َ َ َ ْ َ
ِ ‫ ل اللق والمر ۗ تبارك ا‬y‫ب ِأمِره ِ ۗ أ‬
The proof is also in the saying of Allāh, the Most High: «In-
deed your Lord is Allāh who created the Heavens and the
Earth in six days, and then ascended over His Throne. He
causes the night to cover the day which follows in quick
succession. The Sun, the Moon, the stars are all subject to
His command. Certainly, His alone is the creation and His
is the command. Exalted is Allāh, the Lord of all creation.»
[Sūrah Al-Aʿrāf: 54]
ْ َ َ َ ُ َ ُ ُ ْ ْ ُ
‫ ﴿يَا أُّيَها الَّاُس اعُبُدوا‬l‫َوالَّرُب هَو الَمعُبود َواَّلِلل قْو ُل تَعا‬
َ ُ َ ُ َّ َ ُ َ َّ ُ ََ َ َّ ُ
‫ليَن ِمن قبْل ِكْم لَعلكْم تَّتقون‬ ِ ‫لي خلقكْم َوا‬ ِ ‫َرَّبكُم ا‬
َ َ ً َ َْ ُ َ َ َّ
‫لي َجَعل لكُم الْرض ف َِراشا َوالَّسَماَء ب َِناًء َوأنَزل ِمَن‬ ِ ‫۝ا‬
ُ ْ َ َ َ ُ َّ ً ْ
‫ت رِزقا لكْم ۖ ف( تَعلوا‬ َّ َ ْ ََ َ
ِ ‫الَّسَماِء ماًء فأخَرج ب ِهِ ِمَن الَمَرا‬
َ َ ْ َ َ ً َ َّ
﴾‫ِ أنَدادا َوأنُتْم تعلُمون‬Zِ
The Lord (Ar-Rabb) is the One who is worshipped. The

proof for this is the saying of Allāh, the Most High: «O peo-
ple, worship your Lord who created you and created all
those who came before you, so that you may be among the
pious. He who has made the earth a resting place and has
made the sky a canopy. He sent down the rain from the
sky, and with it, He brought out from the earth, crops and
fruits as provision for you. So do not set up rivals alongside
Allāh in worship whilst you know all this.» [Sūrah al-
Baqarah: 21-22]
َ ْ ْ ُ َْْ ُ َْ َ ُْ َ َ
‫حُّق‬
ِ ‫ »الال ِق ل َِهِذه ِ الشَياِء هَو الُمست‬ ‫ي‬
ٍ ِ ‫قال ابن كث‬
َ ْ
«ِ ‫ل ِلِعَبادة‬
Ibn Kathīr () said: “The Creator of all these things is
the only One deserving of worship.”7
7 Narrated from Ibn Kathīr from his Tafsīr (1/194) in

meaning, and not word for word.
[The Types of Worship which
Allāh has Commanded]
ْ َ ْ ُْ َّ َ َّ َ ْ ُ ْ َ
‫َوأنَواع الِعَبادة ِ الِت أَمَر اللـُه ب َِها ِمثل ا ِلْس(ِم َوا ِليَماِن‬
ُ ْ ُّ ُ َ ْ َ ُ َ ُّ ُ ْ َ َ ْ ْ َ
‫لْوف َوالَّرَجاُء َواَّلَوك َوالَّرغَبة‬ ‫وا ِلحساِن وِمنه العء وا‬
َُ َ ْ َ ُ َ َ ْ َ ُ َ َ َ ُ َ ْ َ ْ َ ُ ُ ُ ْ َ ُ َ ْ َّ َ
‫ست ِعاذة‬y‫ست ِعانة وا‬y‫والرهبة والشوع والشية واِلنابة وا‬
َْ َ َ َ ُ ْ َ َ ُ َ َ َ ُ ْ َّ َ ُ ْ َّ َ ُ َ َ ْ َ
‫ي ذلك ِمْن أنَواِع‬ ‫ست ِغاثة والبح والذر والوبة وغ‬y‫وا‬
َ َ َ َّ َ ُّ ُ َ ُ َّ َ َ َ َّ َ َ ْ
.l‫ِ تعا‬Zِ ‫الِعبادة ِ الِت أمر اللـه ب ِها كها‬
The types of worship which Allāh has commanded such as
Islām 8 , Imān 9 , Ihsān 10 , and also supplication (duʿā), fear
(khawf), hope (rajā’), trust and reliance (tawakkul), desire
(raghbah), strong fear (rahbah), humble reverence
(khushūʿ), awe (khashyah), turning in repentance (inābah),
seeking aid (istiʿānah), seeking refuge (istiʿādhah), seeking
to be rescued (istighāthah), sacrificing (dhabh), taking a
vow (nadhr), and other than these from the various types
of worship which Allāh has commanded—then all of them
8 Submission and obedience to Allāh.

9 Belief, speech and action.
10 Striving to attain perfection in worship.
are for Allāh, the Most High, alone.
َّ ُ ْ َ َ َ َّ
ِZ‫ِ ف( تدعوا َمَع ا‬Zِ ‫جَد‬ َ َ ْ َّ َ َ َ َ َ ُ ُ ْ َ ُ َّ َ
ِ ‫ ﴿وأن المسا‬l‫والِلل قول تعا‬
َ ْ ُ ََُ َْ ًْ َ َِْ ََ َ ْ َ َ ً َ َ
‫شٌك كف ٌِر‬ِ ‫م‬ ‫و‬‫ه‬ ‫ف‬ ِ Z‫ا‬ ِ ‫أحدا﴾ فمن صف منها شيئا ل ِغ‬
‫ي‬
The proof for this is the saying of Allāh, the Most High:
«The places of worship are only for Allāh, so do not invoke
or supplicate to anyone else alongside Allāh.» [Sūrah al-
Jinn: 18] Whoever directs any of these types of worship to
other than Allāh is a polytheist and an unbeliever.
َ َ َ َ َ َ ّ ُ ْ َ َ ُ َ ُ
‫ بُْرهان ُل‬y ‫ِ إ ِل ًٰها آخَر‬Z‫ ﴿َوَمن يَدع َمَع ا‬l‫َواَّلِلل قْو ُل تَعا‬
‫ث‬ َ ْ ‫ ُيْفل ُِح الَْكف ُِروَن﴾ َوف ا‬yَ ‫حَسابُُه ِعنَد َر ّبهِ إ ِنَُّه‬
ِ ‫لِدي‬
ّ َ
ِ ‫ب ِهِ فإ ِنَِما‬
ِ ِ
َ ْ ُ
«ِ ‫»اُّلَعُء ُمخ الِعَبادة‬
The proof for that11 is the saying of Allāh, the Most High:
«Whoever calls upon another god alongside Allāh has no
proof for what he does. His reckoning will surely be with
his Lord, and the unbelievers will never prosper.» [Sūrah
al-Mu’minūn: 117] In a hadīth, there occurs: “Supplication
11 i.e. that duʿā (supplication and invocation) is worship

that must be directed to Allāh alone.
is the principal part of worship.”12
َّ ُ َ ْ َ ْ َ ُ ْ ُ ُ ُّ َ َ َ َ َ َ َ ُ ُ ْ َ ُ َّ َ
‫ب لكْم إ ِن‬ ‫ج‬ِ ‫ ﴿وقال ربكم ادعوِن أست‬l‫والِلل قول تعا‬
َ َّ َ ُ ُ ْ َ َ َ ُ ْ َ ْ َ َ َّ
ِ ‫بون عْن ِعَبادِت َسَيدخلون َجَهنَم دا‬
﴾‫خِريَن‬ ِ ‫لين يستك‬ ِ ‫ا‬
The evidence is also the saying of Allāh, the Most High:
«Your Lord said: Call upon Me and I will answer you. Those
who are too proud to worship Me will enter the Hellfire in
disgrace.» [Sūrah al-Ghāfir: 60]
12 Reported by at-Tirmidhī, no. 3771 and declared weak

by al-Albānī in al-Mishkāt (no. 2231). In another report
Nuʿmān Ibn Bashīr () said: Allāh’s Messenger
() said:
َ ْ ُ َّ
‫إ ِن اُّلَعَء هَو الِعَبادُة‬
“Indeed, duʿā is worship.” Then he () recited:

«Your Lord said: Call upon Me and I will answer you.»
[Sūrah Ghāfir: 60] Reported by al-Bukhārī in al-Adab al-Mu-
frad (no. 714), Abu Dāwūd (no. 1479), Ibn Mājah (no. 3828),
and declared sahīh by al-Albānī in Sahīh Abī Dāwūd (no.
1329).
ُ ُ َ ُ ُ ََ ََ َ َ ُ َ َ ْ ‫َوَدِلُل ا‬
‫ ﴿ف( تافوهْم َوخافوِن إ ِن كنُتم‬l‫لْوِف قْو ُل تَعا‬
َ ِ ‫ُمْؤِمن‬
﴾‫ي‬
The proof for fearing Allāh (khawf) is in the saying of the
Most High: «Do not fear them but fear Me instead, if you
are truly believers.» [Sūrah Āli-ʿImrān: 175]
ْ ْ َْ َ َ َ َ َ َ ُ َ ُ َ
‫ ﴿فَمن كن يَْرُجو ل ِقاَء َر ّب ِهِ فلَيعَمل‬l‫َودِلل الَّرَجاِء قْو ُل تَعا‬
َ َ ْ ُْ ََ ً َ ًَ َ
﴾‫شك ب ِِعَبادة ِ َر ّب ِهِ أَحًدا‬
ِ ‫ ي‬y‫عم( صاِلا و‬
The proof of hope and longing for Allāh (rajā’) is His, the
Most High, saying: «So whoever longs to meet his Lord,
then let him work righteous deeds, and let him not associ-
ate anyone in worship with his Lord.» [Sūrah al-Kahf: 110]
َ َ َ َ َ َ ُ ُ ْ َ ُ َ َّ ُ َ َ
َ ِ ‫ِ َفَتَوَّكُوا إْن ُكنُتم ُّمْؤِمن‬Zَّ‫ ا‬f
﴾‫ي‬ ِ ‫ ﴿و‬l‫ك قول تعا‬ ِ ‫ودِلل الو‬
َ َّ َ َ ْ َّ ُ َ
﴾‫ِ فُهَو َحْسُبُه‬Z‫ ا‬f ‫َوقو ُل ﴿َوَمن َيَتَوك‬
The proof for reliance and trust in Allāh (tawakkul) is in the
saying of the Most High: «And place your trust and reli-
ance in Allāh if you are true believers.» [Sūrah al-Mā’idah:
23] and His saying: «And whoever trusts in Allāh, He will
suffice him.» [Sūrah at-Talāq: 3]

ُ َ َّ َ َ ُ َ ُ ُ ْ َ َ ْ َّ َ َ ْ َّ ُ َ َ
‫ ﴿إ ِنُهْم كنوا‬l‫لشوِع قْو ُل تَعا‬ ‫ودِلل الرغبِة والرهبِة وا‬
ََ ُ َ َ ً َ َ َ ً َ َ َ َ ُ ْ َ َ َ ْ َ ْ َ ُ ُ
‫ت ويدعوننا رغبا ورهبا ۖ وكنوا لا‬ ِ ‫يَسارِعون ِف اليا‬
﴾‫ي‬َ ‫َخاِشع‬
ِ
The proof for having desire (ar-raghbah), fear (ar-rahbah)
and humble reverence (al-khushūʿ) for Allāh is in the say-
ing of the Most High: «They would race to perform good
deeds and they would call upon Allāh with desire and a
strong fear, and they displayed humble reverence before
Allāh.» [Sūrah al-Anbiyā’: 90]
ُ َ ْ ُ َ ْ َ َ َ َ َ ُ َ ْ َْ ُ َ َ
‫ ﴿ف( تشْوهْم َواخشْوِن َوِلت َِّم‬l‫لشَيِة قْو ُل تَعا‬ ‫ودِلل ا‬
َ َ ُ َّ َ ُ َ َ ْ
﴾‫ن ِعَمِت عليْكْم َولَعلكْم تْهَتُدون‬
The proof for having awe (khashyah) of Allāh is the saying
of the Most High: «Do not be in awe of them but rather
have awe of Me—and so that I may complete My blessings
on you, and that you may be guided.» [Sūrah al-Baqarah:
150]
َ َ ُ َ َ َ َ ُ َ َ ُ َ
‫ َر ّب ِكْم َوأْسل ُِموا ُل ِمن‬lٰ ِ ‫ ﴿َوأن ِيُبوا إ‬l‫َودِلل اِلنابَِة قْو ُل تَعا‬
َ ُ َ ُ َ َّ ُ ُ َ َ ْ ُ ُ َ ْ َ َ ْ َ
﴾‫صون‬ ‫ تن‬y ‫قبِل أن يأتِيكم العذاب ثم‬

The proof that one must turn to Allāh in repentance
(inābah) is in the saying of the Most High: «So turn to your
Lord in repentance and submit to Him in obedience.»
[Sūrah az-Zumar: 54]
ُ ‫يَّاَك ن َْسَتع‬ì ‫ ﴿إيَّاَك َنْعُبُد‬lَ‫ْستَعانَِة قَْو ُ ُل َتَعا‬y‫َوَدِلُل ا‬
‫ي﴾ َوِف‬ ِ ِ ِ
َّ ْ َ ْ َ َ ْ َ َ ْ َ
«ِZ‫ذا استعنت فاستِعن ب ِا‬ì» ‫ث‬ ِ ‫لِدي‬َْ ‫ا‬
The proof for seeking aid (istiʿānah) from Allāh is in the

saying of the Most High: «You alone do we worship, O
Allāh, and You alone do we ask for aid.» [Sūrah al-Fātihah:
5] And the Prophet () said: “If you seek aid, then
seek the aid of Allāh.”13
13 Reported by Ahmad, no. 2669, and at-Tirmidhī, no.

2516, and declared sahīh by al-Albānī in al-Mishkāt, no.
5312. The wording of at-Tirmidhī reads: Ibn ʿAbbās
() narrated: I was behind the Prophet ()
one day when he said: “Young boy, let me teach you some
words: Be mindful of Allāh and He will protect you. Be
mindful of Allāh and you will find Him before you. When
you ask, ask Allāh, and when you seek aid, seek Allāh’s aid.
Know that if the entire creation were to gather together
to do something to benefit you, they could not benefit you
َ
ِ ِ ‫ب الَّاِس ۝ مل‬ّ َ ُ ُ َ ْ ُ َ َ َ ُُْ َ َ َ ْ ْ ُ َ َ
‫ك‬ ِ ‫ ﴿قل أعوذ ب ِر‬l‫ست ِعاذة ِ قول تعا‬y‫ودِلل ا‬
﴾‫الَّاِس‬
The proof for seeking refuge (istiʿādhah) with Allāh is in the
saying of the Most High: «Say: I seek refuge with the Lord
of mankind. The King of mankind.» [Sūrah an-Nās: 1-2]
َ ‫كْم فَاْسَت‬ُ َّ َ َ ُ َ ْ َ ْ َ َ َ ُ ُ ْ َ َ َ ْ ُ َ
‫جاَب‬ ‫ ﴿إ ِذ تستِغيثون رب‬l‫ست ِغاثِة قول تعا‬y‫َودِلل ا‬
َ َ َ ْ َ ّ ْ َ ُ ُّ ُ ّ َ ْ ُ َ
َ ِ ‫كِة ُمْرِدف‬
﴾‫ي‬ ِ ‫لكم أِن مِمدكم ب ِألٍف ِمن الم(ئ‬
The proof for seeking to be rescued (istighāthah) by Allāh
is in the saying of the Most High: «Remember when you
sought help of your Lord and He answered you saying: I
will help you with a thousand of the angels each behind
the other in succession.» [Sūrah al-Anfāl: 9]
َ ِ lٰ َ ‫ ﴿قُْل إنَّن َهَدان َر ّب إ‬lَ‫َوَدِلُل اَّلب ِْح قَْو ُ ُل َتَعا‬

‫صاٍط‬ ِ ِ ِ ِ ِ
except with that which Allāh had already written for you.
And if they were to gather to do something to harm you,
they could not harm you except with that which Allāh had
already written for you. The pens are lifted, and the pages
have dried.”
َ ِ ‫ُّمْسَتقيم ِديًنا قَِيًما ِّم ّلََة إب َْراهِيَم َحن ِيًفا َوَما َكَن ِمَن ال ُْمْشك‬
‫ي‬ ِ ِ ٍ ِ
َ ْ ُ
َ ‫ِ َر ّب الَعالم‬Zَّ ِ ‫۝ قُْل إَن َص(ت َونُسك َومَياَي َوَمَمات‬
ْ َ َ ّ
﴾‫ي‬ ِ ِ ِ ِ ِ ِ
َّ ْ َ َ َ َ ْ َ ُ َّ َ َ َ َّ ُ َ َ
«ِZ‫ي ا‬ ِ ‫وِمن السنِة »لعن اللـه من ذبح ل ِغ‬
The proof that sacrificing (dhabh) is solely for Allāh is in
the saying of the Most High: «Say O Prophet: ‘Truly, my
Lord has guided me to a Straight Path, a right religion, the
religion of Ibrāhīm of true Islāmic Monotheism and he was
not of the polytheists.’ Say O Prophet: ‘My prayer, my sac-
rifice, my life and my death are all for Allāh, the Lord of
creation.’» [Sūrah al-Anʿām: 161-162] And proof from the
Sunnah is the saying of the Prophet (): “The
curse of Allāh is upon the one who sacrifices to other than
Allāh.”14
14 Reported by Muslim (no. 1978) from Abu at-Tufayl that

ʿAlī () was asked: “Did Allāh's Messenger ()
single you out with any special knowledge?” ʿAlī ()
responded: “Allāh’s Messenger () did not single
us out with the disclosure of anything which he did not
make public, except with which lies in the sheath of my
sword.” He drew out the written document contained in it
and on that was written: “Allāh has cursed the one who
َ َ َ ُ َ ْ َ ُ َ َ ُ َ ْ ُ َ
‫ ﴿يُوفون ب ِالَّذرِ َوَيخافون يَْوًما كن‬l‫َودِلل الَّذرِ قْو ُل تَعا‬
ُّ َ
ً ‫شهُ ُمْسَتِط‬
﴾‫يا‬
The proof that taking a vow (nadhr) is for Allāh is in the
saying of the Most High: «They fulfill their vows and they
fear a day whose evil will be widespread.» [Sūrah al-Insān:
7]
[The Second Principle: Knowledge of the

Religion of Islām]
ْ ُ َّ َ ْ َُ ْ ُ ْ َ
‫ْست ِْس(ُم‬y‫ َوهَو ا‬:‫ َمعِرفة ِديِن ا ِلْس(ِم ب ِالِدلِة‬:‫الصل الَّاِن‬
ْ ِ ّ ‫للُوُص ِمَن ال‬
‫شِك‬ ُ ْ ‫ن ْقَياُد َ ُل بالَّطاَعِة َوا‬yْ‫ِ باَّلْوحيد َوا‬Zَّ ِ
ِ ِ ِ ِ ِ
The second principle is: The knowledge of the religion of
Islām with proofs. So Islām is to submit to Allāh by wor-
shipping Him alone (Tawhīd), to yield to Him in obedience
and to dissociate oneself from polytheism (Shirk).
sacrifices to other than Allāh. Allāh has cursed the one

who steals the signposts demarcating the boundary lines
of a land. Allāh has cursed the one who curses his father.
Allāh has cursed the one who shelters a person who inno-
vates in the Religion.”
َ ُّ ُ ُ ْ ُ ُ ََ َُ
‫ َوك َمْرتَبٍة‬.‫ الْس(ُم َواِليَمان َواِلحَسان‬:‫ب‬
َ ِ ‫ث َمَرات‬ (‫هو ث‬
ٌ َ َ َ
.‫لَها أْركن‬
Islām is of three levels: Islām, Īmān and Ihsān. Each of
these three levels has pillars.
ْ َ ُ ُ َ ْ
‫ ا ِلْس(ُم‬:‫الَمْرتَبة الول‬
The First Level: Islām

ُ ُ ُ ٌ َْ ُ َ ََ
‫فأْركن اِلْس(ِم خَسة َواَّلِلل ِمَن الُّسَّنِة َحِديث اب ِْن عَمَر‬
َ ْ َ ُ َّ ُ ُ َ َ َ َ َ
‫ن الْس(ُم‬ ِ ‫ »ب‬ ِZ‫ قال رسول ا‬:‫ قال‬
َّ ُ َ ُ َّ َ َّ َّ َ َ ْ َ َ َ َْ ََ
ِZ‫ اللـُه َوأن مَّمًدا َرُسول ا‬yِ ‫ إ ِ َل إ‬y ‫ شَهادة ِ أن‬:‫ خٍس‬f
َّ َ َ َ َ َ َ َ َّ َ
ِZ‫ت ا‬ ِ ْ‫يتاِء الَّزكة ِ َوصْوِم َرمضان َوحِّج َبي‬ì ِ ‫قاِم الص(ة‬ì
«‫لَراِم‬ َْ ‫ا‬
The pillars of Islām are five in number. The evidence from the
Sunnah is the narration of Ibn ʿUmar () who said
that Allāh's Messenger () said: “Islām is built
upon five: the testimony that none has the right to be wor-
shipped except Allāh and that Muhammad is the Messen-
ger of Allāh, to establish the Prayer, to pay the Zakāt, to
fast the month of Ramadān and to perform Hajj to the
Sacred House of Allāh.”
ُ َّ َ َ َّ َ ُ َّ َ َ َ َ َ ُ ُ ْ َ ِ َ َ َّ ُ َ َ
‫ هَو‬yِ ‫ إ ِ َل إ‬y ‫ أنُه‬Z ‫ ﴿شِهد ا‬l‫فدِلل الشهادة قول تعا‬
ْ ُ َّ َ َ ْ َ ْ ْ ُ ُ َُ َ ْ
‫ هَو الَعِزيُز‬yِ ‫ إ ِ َل إ‬y ‫َوالَم(ئ ِكة َوأْولوا الِعلِم قائ ًِما ب ِالِقْسِط‬
﴾‫كيُم‬
ِ ‫ل‬َْ ‫ا‬
The proof for the testimony of faith is the saying of Allāh,

the Most High: «Allāh bears witness that none has the
right to be worshipped but He, and so do the Angels and
the people of knowledge. It is He who maintains justice,
none has the right to be worshipped but He, the Almighty,
the All-Wise.» [Sūrah Āli ‘Imrān: 18]
َّ َّ َ ْ َ َ ْ
‫ اللـُه‬yِ ‫ َمعُبود ِبَ ٍّق إ‬y :‫َوَمعَناها‬
And the meaning of this testimony is that there is none
truly worthy of worship except for Allāh.
َّ ُ ْ َ َ َ َ ُّ َّ
ِZ‫ إ ِ َل« نافًِيا جِيَع َما ُيعَبُد ِمْن دوِن ا‬y» ‫ف‬‫ال‬
The statement of negation, “Lā ilāhaha: there is no deity”
is a negation of everything that is worshipped besides
Allāh.
َ َ َ َ َ َ ُ َ ْ َ َّ َ َ َ ْ ً ْ ُ ُ َّ َّ
‫شيْك ُل ِف ِعَبادت ِهِ كَما‬
ِ y ‫ِ وحده‬Zِ ‫« مثب ِتا الِعبادة‬Z‫ ا‬yِ ‫»إ‬
ْ ٌ َ ُ َ َ ْ َ ُ َّ َ
ِ ‫شيك ِف ُمل‬
.ِ‫كه‬ ِ ‫أن ه ل يس ل‬
And the statement “illallāh: except Allāh” is to affirm the
worship for Allāh alone. He has no partners in worship of
Him just as He has no partners who share in His Sover-
eignty and Dominion.
َ َ َ ْ َ َ ُ َ ُ ّ َ ُ َّ َ ُ ْ َ َ
ِ‫ذ قال إ ِب َْراهِيُم ِلب ِيه‬ì﴿ l‫حَها قْو ُل تَعا‬ ِ ‫لي يو‬
‫ض‬ ِ ‫سيها ا‬ ِ ‫وتف‬
َّ َ َ َّ َّ َ َْ َّ َ
‫لي فَطَرِن فإ ِنُه‬ ِ ‫ ا‬yِ ‫َوقْوِمهِ إ ِنِن بََراٌء ِّمَّما تعُبُدون ۝ إ‬
َ
﴾‫جُعون‬ ْ َ ْ ُ َّ َ َ َ ًَ َ ًَ َ َََ َ َ َْ َ
ِ ‫سيهِديِن ۝ وجعلها ك ِمة باقِية ِف عِقب ِهِ لعلهم ير‬
The explanation of that is made clear in the saying of
Allāh, the Most High: «And recall when Ibrāhīm said to his
father and his people, ‘I am free from what you worship
except the worship of the One who created me and it is He
who will guide me.’ And Ibrāhīm made the testimony of
worship a word lasting among his offspring, that they may
turn back to the obedience of their Lord.» [Sūrah az-Zu-
khruf: 26-28]
ْ َ َ َ َ َ ْ َ ْ َ َ ْ ُ َ َ َ ُُْ َ َ
‫ ك َِمٍة َسَواٍء بَيَنَنا‬lٰ ِ ‫ب تَعالْوا إ‬ ِ ‫ ﴿قل يا أهل ال‬l‫وقول تعا‬
ِ ‫كتا‬
َ َّ َ َ َ ً ْ َ َ ْ ُ َ َ َ َّ َّ َ ُ ْ َ َّ َ ْ ُ َ ْ َ َ
‫خذ‬ ِ ‫ يت‬y‫شك ب ِهِ شيئا و‬ ِ ‫ ن‬y‫ و‬Z‫ ا‬yِ ‫ نعبد إ‬y‫وبينكم أ‬
ْ ُ ُ َ َّ َ ْ َ َّ ُ َ ً ْ ُ ْ
‫ِ فإ ِن تَولْوا فقولوا اشَهُدوا‬Z‫َبعضَنا َبعضا أْرَبابًا ِّمن دوِن ا‬
َ َّ َ
﴾‫ب ِأنا ُمْسل ُِمون‬
And likewise, the saying of Allāh, the Most High: «Say: O
People of the Book, come to a common word between us
and you, and that is: we shall not worship except Allāh,
and we shall not associate partners with Him in worship;
and we shall not take from ourselves people as lords be-
sides Allāh. So if after this they turn away, inform them:
bear witness that we have submitted ourselves to Allāh as
Muslims.» [Sūrah Āli ʿImrān: 64]
ُ ْ َ َ َ َ ُ َ َّ ُ َ ُ َّ َ َ َ ُ َ
‫ ﴿لقد َجاَءكْم‬l‫ِ قْو ُل تَعا‬Z‫َودِلل شَهادة ِ أن مَّمًدا َرُسول ا‬
ُ ََ َ ََ َ ُ ُ َ ّ ٌ
‫سكْم عِزيٌز عليْهِ َما عن ُِّتْم َحِريٌص عليْكم‬ ِ ‫َرُسول ِمْن أنف‬
ٌ
ِ ‫ي َرُءوف َّر‬
﴾‫حيٌم‬ َ ِ ‫بال ُْمْؤِمن‬
ِ
The evidence for the testimony, ‘that Muhammad is the
Messenger of Allāh’ is the saying of Allāh, the Most High:
«There has come to you a Messenger from among your-
selves. It grieves him that you should receive any injury or
hardship, and he is anxious over you. To the believers he
is full of pity and kindness, and he is merciful.» [Sūrah at-
Tawbah: 128]
َ َ َّ ُ َ ُ َّ َ َ َ ْ
‫ َطاعُتُه فِيَما أَمَر‬:ِZ‫َوَمعَن شَهادة ِ أن مَّمًدا َرُسول ا‬

َ َْ َْ ََ ْ ََْ َ َ ُ ُ ْ ََ
y ‫ب َواجت َِناُب َما نه عنُه َوَزَجَر وأن‬ ‫وتصِديقه فِيما أخ‬
َ َ َ َ َّ ُ َّ َ َ ْ ُ
.‫ ب ِما شع‬yِ ‫يعبد اللـه إ‬
The meaning of the testimony, ‘Muhammad is the Messenger
of Allāh’ is [i] to obey him in whatever he commanded, [ii]
to believe in whatever he said, [iii] to keep away from
whatever he forbade and prohibited [iv] and not to wor-
ship Allāh except as he prescribed.
ُ َ َ ُ َ َْ َ َّ ُ َ
‫ ﴿َوَما أِمُروا‬l‫حيِد قْو ُل تَعا‬
ِ ‫ي اَّلْو‬ ُ ‫س‬ ِ ‫َودِلل الص(ة ِ َوالَّزكة ِ َوتف‬
َ َ َّ َ َ َ ْ ُ َ َّ ْ َّ
‫ليَن ُحَنفاَء َوُيِقيُموا الص(ة‬ ِ ّ ‫ي ُل ا‬ ‫ مل ِِص‬Z ‫ ِلَعُبُدوا ا‬yِ ‫إ‬
َْ َ َ َ َ ُْ
﴾‫َوُيؤتوا الَّزكة َوذ ٰل ِك ِديُن الق ّي َِمِة‬
The evidence for the Prayer, the Zakāt, and the meaning
of Tawhīd is the saying of Allāh, the Most High: «They were
not commanded except to worship Allāh, making their
worship sincerely and solely for Him, free from idolatry;
and to establish the Prayer and to pay the Zakāh, and that
is the right and true Religion.» [Sūrah al-Bayyinah: 5]
ُ َ َ َ ُ ُ َ َ َّ َ َّ َ َ َ َ َ ُ ُ ْ َ ِ َ ّ ُ َ َ
‫ب عليْكُم‬ ِ ‫لين آمنوا كت‬
ِ ‫ ﴿يا أيها ا‬l‫ودِلل الِصيام قول تعا‬
َ ُ َّ َ ْ ُ َّ َ َ ْ ُ ْ َ َّ َ َ َ ُ َ َ ُ َ ّ
﴾‫ليَن ِمن قبل ِكم لعلكم تتقون‬ ِ ‫ا‬f‫ب‬ ِ ‫الِصيام كما كت‬

The evidence for fasting is the saying of Allāh, the Most
High: «O you who believe, fasting has been prescribed for
you just as it was prescribed upon those who came before
you, so that you may become pious.» [Sūrah al-Baqarah:
183]
ْ َ َ َّ َ َ ُ َ َْ ُ َ َ
‫ت َمِن‬ ِ ْ‫حُّج الَي‬ ِ ‫ الَّاِس‬f ِZِ‫ ﴿َو‬l‫لِّج قْو ُل تَعا‬ ‫ودِلل ا‬
َ ْ
َ ‫ن َعن الَعالم‬ َ َّ َ
َ َّ ‫كفَر فإن ا‬ َ َ ْ ََ ً َ َ
﴾‫ي‬ ِ ِ
ٌّ ‫ غ‬Z
ِ ِ ‫اْسَتَطاع إ ِلْهِ َسب ِي( ومن‬
The evidence for Hajj is the saying of Allāh, the Most High:
«And Hajj to the House (Kaʿbah) is a duty that mankind
owes to Allāh for those who can afford the expenses. And
whoever denies its obligation, then Allāh is not in need of
any of the creation.» [Sūrah Āli ‘Imrān: 97]
ُ‫ اﻟْﺎِٕﻳـﻤَﺎن‬:‫اْﻟَﻤْﺮَﺗَﺒُﺔ اﻟﱠﺜﺎِﻧَﻴُﺔ‬
The Second Level: Al-Īmān (Faith)
ََ ْ ََ ً ْ ُ َ ْ ُ ُ ْ ُ ُ َ ْ
‫ ب ِضٌع َوَسبُْعون شعَبة فأع(ها‬:‫ ا ِليـَمان َوهَو‬:‫الَمْرتَبة الَّانَِية‬
َ َ
َ ْ ‫ الَّلـُه َوأْدنَاَها إ َِماَطُة الَذى َعن الَّطريق َوا‬y
‫لَياُء‬
َّ َ َ َ ُ ْ َ
ِ ‫ إ ِل إ‬y ‫قول‬
ِ ِ ِ
ْ ٌ ْ ُ
.‫شعَبة ِمْن ا ِليَماِن‬
The second level is Īmān, and it has seventy and odd
branches. Its highest level is the saying, lā ilāha illallāh
(none has the right to be worshipped except Allāh), whilst
the lowest level of Īmān is to remove something harmful
from the path, and shyness also is a branch of Īmān.
ْ ُ َ َّ ُْ َْ ٌ ُ َ َ
‫ِ َوَم(ئ ِكت ِهِ َوكُتب ِهِ َوُرُسل ِهِ َوالَْوِم‬Z‫ أن تؤِمَن ب ِا‬:‫َوأْركنُه ِسَتة‬
َّ ُّ ُ ّ َ َ ْ َ َ َ ْ َ
ِZ‫شه ِ كُه ِمَن ا‬ ِ ‫خر وب ِالقدرِ خيِه ِ و‬ِ ‫ال‬
And Īmān has six pillars: That you believe in Allāh, His An-
gels, His Books, His Messengers, the Last Day and the Pre-
Decree, its good and its evil, all of it is from Allāh.
ْ َ َّ ْ َ ْ َّ َ َ َ ُ ُ ْ َ َ ّ َ َْ َ ََ ُ
‫ب أن‬ ِ ‫ ﴿ليس ال‬l‫ستِة قول تعا‬ ِ ‫ هِذه ِ الْركِن ال‬f ‫َواَّلِلل‬
‫ب َمْن آَمَن‬ َّ ْ ‫كَّن ال‬ َ
ِ ٰ ‫ب َول‬
ْ َْ َ ْ َ ْ َ َ ْ ُ َ ُ ُ ُّ َ ُ
ِ ِ ‫شِق والمغِر‬ ِ ‫تولوا وجوهكم ق ِبل الم‬
َ ْ َ َ ّ َّ َ َ ِ ْ‫كِة َوال‬ َ َ َْ َ ْ ْ َّ
‫ي َوآت الَمال‬ ِ ‫ب والب ِي‬ ِ ‫كتا‬ ِ ‫خِر والم(ئ‬ ِ ‫ِ َوالَْوِم ال‬Z‫ب ِا‬
َ ِ‫م َوال َْمَساك‬ ْ َ ْ ُْ َٰ َ
‫ي َوابَْن الَّسب ِيِل‬ ٰ َ ‫ب َوالََتا‬ ٰ ‫ ُح ّب ِهِ َذوِي القر‬f
َ ُ ْ َ َ َ َ َ ََ َّ
‫ب َوأقاَم الَّص(ة َوآت الَّزكة َوالُموفون‬ َ َ َّ َ
ِ ‫والسائ ِل ِي وِف الِرقا‬
ْ
‫ي‬َ ‫ح‬ ِ ‫ضاِء َو‬ َّ َّ ‫بَعْهِدهِْم إَذا َعَهُدوا ۖ َوالَّصابريَن ف اْلَأَساِء َوال‬
ِ ِِ ِ ِ
ْ
َ ُ َّ ُ ُ ُ َ ٰ َ ُ َ َ َ َ ُ َّ َ ٰ ُ ْ َْ
َ
﴾‫لين صدقوا وأولئ ِك هم المتقون‬ ِ ‫الأِس أولئ ِك ا‬
The proof for these six pillars is in the saying of Allāh, the
Most High: «It is not piety that you should turn your faces
to the east or the west. Rather piety is the piety of those
who believe in Allāh, the Last Day, the Angels, the Books,
and the Prophets. He gives wealth, despite his love for it,
to his relatives, the orphans, the needy, the wayfarer,
those who ask and to set slaves free. He establishes the
Prayer, and he pays the Zakāt. They fulfil their agreements
when they make them. They are patient in times of ex-
treme poverty and hardship and during battle. Such are
the people of truth and such are the pious.» [Sūrah al-
Baqarah: 177]
َ ْ َ َ ْ َ َّ ُ َّ َ َ َ ُ ُ ْ َ َ َ ْ ُ َ َ
﴾‫شٍء خلقَناهُ ب ِقَدٍر‬ ‫ ﴿إ ِنا ك‬l‫ودِلل القدرِ قول تعا‬
The proof for the Pre-Decree is in the saying of Allāh, the
Most High: «Verily We have created all things in accord-
ance to the Pre-Decree.» [Sūrah al-Qamar: 49]
ُ ْ ْ ُ ُ َ ْ
‫ ا ِلحَسان‬:‫الَمْرتَبة الَّاِلَة‬
The Third Level: Al-Ihsān (To Perfect Wor-

ship)
َْ َْ ُ ْ ُ ُ ْ ْ ُ َ َّ ُ َ ْ
‫حٌد َوهَو أن تعـُبَد‬ ِ ‫ ا ِلحَسان َوهَو ُركٌن َوا‬:‫الَمْرتَبة الاِلة‬
َّ َ َ ُ َ َ ْ َ َ َ َّ َ َ ْ َّ
‫اللـَه َوحَدهُ كأنك تَراهُ فإ ِن لْم تكْن تَراهُ فإ ِنُه يََراَك‬
The third level is Ihsān, and it is one pillar which is that

you worship Allāh alone as if you see Him, and even
though you see Him not, He certainly sees you.
ْ ُ ُ َّ َ ْ ُْ َ َ ُ َ ُ
ِ ‫ِ َوهَو م‬Z‫ ا‬lِ ‫ ﴿َوَمن يسل ِْم َوجَهُه إ‬l‫َواَّلِلل قْو ُل تَعا‬
‫سٌن‬
ُْ ُ َّ َ ٰ َ ْ ُ ْ ِ َ ْ ُ ْ َ َ ْ َ ْ َ َ
﴾ِ‫ِ َعق َِبة الُمور‬Z‫ ا‬lì ‫ق‬ ‫فقِد استمسك ب ِالعروة الوث‬
The proof is in the saying of Allāh, the Most High: «And
whosoever submits his face to Allāh, while he is a doer of
good deeds (muhsin), then he has grasped the most trust-
worthy hand-hold.» [Sūrah Luqmān: 22]
َ ْ ُّ ُ َّ َ َّ َّ َ َّ ‫ ﴿إَّن ا‬lَ‫َوقَْو ُ ُل َتَعا‬
﴾‫سُنون‬ ِ ‫ َمَع ا‬Z
ِ ‫ليَن اتقوا َّوا‬
ِ ‫ليَن هم م‬ ِ
And in His saying, the Most High: «Truly, Allāh is with
those who fear Him and keep their duty unto Him, and
those who are the doers of good (muhsinūn).» [Sūrah an-
Nahl: 128]
َ َّ َ َ ْ َّ َ َ ُ َ
﴾‫ِ فُهَو َحْسُبُه‬Z‫ ا‬f ‫ ﴿َوَمن َيَتَوك‬l‫َوقْو ُل تَعا‬
Also in His saying: «And whosoever puts his trust in Allāh,
then He will suffice him.» [Sūrah at-Talāq: 3]
َ ‫ح‬ َ َّ ْ َ َ ْ َّ َ َ َ ُ َ
‫ي‬ ِ ‫لي يََراك‬ ِ ‫حيِم ۝ ا‬ ِ ‫ الَعِزيِز الَّر‬f ‫ ﴿َوتَوك‬l‫َوقْو ُل تَعا‬
ْ ُ َّ َ َ ُّ َ َ َ ُ َُ
﴾‫جِديَن ۝ إ ِنُه هَو الَّسِميُع الَعل ِيُم‬ َّ
ِ ‫تقوم ۝ وتقلبك ِف السا‬
And His saying, the Most High: «And put your trust in the
All-Mighty, the Most Merciful, Who sees you when you
stand up in Prayer, and your movements among those
who fall prostrate. Verily! He, only He, is the All-Hearer,
the All-Knower.» [Sūrah Ash-Shuʿarā’: 217-220]
َ ُ ْ َُْ ْ َ ُ ُ َ َ َ ُ َ
y‫ ﴿َوَما تكون ِف شأٍن َوَما تتلو ِمنُه ِمن قْرآٍن َو‬l‫َوقْو ُل تَعا‬
َ ُ ُ ْ ً ُ ُ َ َ ُ َّ َ َ ُ َْ
﴾ِ‫ كَّنا عليْكْم شُهودا إ ِذ تِفيضون فِيه‬yِ ‫تعَملون ِمْن عَمٍل إ‬
Also the saying of Allāh, the Most High: «There is not a
thing you do, O Prophet, nor any portion of the Qur’ān
that you recite—neither do you, O people, do anything,
whether good or evil, except that We are a witness over
you when you do it.» [Surah Yūnus: 61]
ُ َ ْ ْ َ َ ْ ُ َ َّ ُّ َ ُ َّ َ
‫بائ ِيل الَمشُهوُر عْن عَمَر بِن‬ ِ ‫والِلل ِمن السنِة حِديث‬
‫ج‬
َ َ
:‫ قال‬ ‫ب‬ َّ َ ْ
ِ ‫الطا‬
The proof for Ihsān from the Sunnah is the well-known
hadīth of Jibrīl that was narrated from ʿUmar Ibn Al-
Khattāb () who said:
ََ َ ْ
‫ إ ِذ َطلَع عليَْنا‬ ‫ب‬ ّ َّ َ ْ ٌ ُ ُ ُ َْ َ ََْ
ِ ِ ‫بينما نن جلوس ِعند ال‬
ََ َ ْ َّ َ َ َّ ََ ُ َ ٌ ُ َ
ِ‫ يَُرى عليْه‬y ِ‫ب شِديُد َسَواِد الشعر‬ ِ ‫رجل شِديد بياِض اليا‬
‫ب‬ّ َّ‫ ال‬lَِ ‫جلََس إ‬ َ َ َ َّ ُ َ َ
َ َ‫ َيْعرفُُه ِمَّنا أََحٌد ف‬y ‫أثر السفِر و‬
ِِ ِ
َ َ ْ َّ َ َ َ َ َ ْ َ َ ْ ُ َ ْ َ َ ْ ُ َ َ ْ َ َ
f ِ‫ ركبتيهِ ووضع كفيه‬lِ ‫ فأسند ركبتيهِ إ‬
َْ َ ََ َ ْ ْ َ ُ َّ َ ُ َ َ َ َ ْ َ َ
‫بِن عِن اِلْس(ِم« فقال »أن‬ ِ ‫خذيهِ وقال »يا ممد أخ‬ ِ ‫ف‬
َ
َ َّ َ ُ َ َّ ُ ُ َ ً َّ َ ُ َّ َ ُ َّ َّ َ َ َ ْ َ َ ْ َ َ
‫ِ وتِقيم الص(ة‬Z‫ اللـه وأن ممدا رسول ا‬yِ ‫ إ ِل إ‬y ‫تشهد أن‬
َ َ ْ َ َ ْ ْ َ ْ َ ْ َّ ُ َ َ َ َ َ َ َ ُ َ َ َ َ َّ َ ْ ُ َ
ِ‫ت إ ِلْه‬ ‫وتؤ ِت الزكة وتصوم رمضان وتج اليت إ ِن استطع‬
ً
«(‫َسب ِي‬
“Whilst we were sitting with the Prophet () a
man entered upon us. His garments were exceedingly
white and his hair exceedingly black, there were no signs
of travel upon him yet not even one of us knew who he
was. He came and sat in front of the Prophet ()
putting his knees against his knees and placing his hands
on his thighs. He said: ‘O Muhammad, tell me about Islām.’
The Prophet () replied: ‘It is that you testify
that none has the right to be worshipped except Allāh and
that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allāh, that you estab-
lish the Prayer, pay the Zakāt, fast the month of Ramadān
and perform Hajj to the House (Kaʿbah) if you have the
ability to do so.’
َ ْ ْ َ َ َ ُ ُ ّ َ ُ َ َُُ ْ َ َُ َْ َ َ َ ْ َ َ َ َ
ِ ‫جبنا ل يسأل ويصِدقه قال »أخ‬
‫بِن عِن‬ ِ ‫قال »صدقت« فع‬
ْ ُ َ َّ ُْ َْ َ َ ْ
‫ِ َوَم(ئ ِكت ِهِ َوكُتب ِهِ َوُرُسل ِهِ َوالَْوِم‬Z‫ا ِليَماِن« قال »أن تؤِمَن ب ِا‬
«‫ت‬ َ ْ‫شه ِ« قَاَل »َصَدق‬ ّ َ َ ْ ‫خر َوتُْؤِمَن بالَْقَدر َخ‬
ِ ‫يه ِ و‬ ِ ِ ِ ِ ِ ‫ال‬
The man said: ‘You have spoken the truth.’ So we were sur-
prised with him, that he asked the question and then af-
firmed the truthfulness of it. The man then asked: ‘Tell me
about Imān.’ The Prophet () replied: ‘That you
believe in Allāh, His Angels, His Books, His Messengers, the
Last day and the Pre-Decree, its good and evil.’ The man
said: ‘You have spoken the truth.’
ُ‫ك تََراه‬ َ َّ َ َ َ َّ َ ُ ْ َ ْ َ َ َ ْ ْ َ ْ ْ َ َ َ
‫بِن عِن ا ِلحَساِن« قال »أن تعبد اللـه كأن‬ ِ ‫قال »أخ‬
َ َّ َ ْ ْ َ َ َ َ َ َ ُ َّ َ ُ َ َ ْ ُ َ ْ َ ْ َ
«‫فإ ِن لم تكن تراه فإ ِنه يراك« قال »أخِبِن عِن الساعِة‬
ْ ‫خ‬ ْ ََ َ َ َّ ‫قَاَل »َما ال َْمْسُؤوُل َعنَْها بأَْعلََم ِمَن ال‬
‫بِن‬ ِ ‫أ‬ ‫ف‬ » ‫ل‬‫ا‬ ‫ق‬ «‫ل‬ِِ ‫ئ‬ ‫ا‬‫س‬ ِ
َ َ
«‫عْن أَماَرات َِها‬
He then asked: ‘Tell me about Ihsān.’ He replied: ‘That you
worship Allāh as if you see Him, and though you see Him
not, indeed He sees you.’ The man then asked: ‘Tell me
about the Hour.’ The Prophet () replied: ‘The
one being asked is no more aware concerning it than the
one asking.’ The man continued: ‘Inform me of its signs.’

َ َ ْ َ ْ َ َ ُْ َ َْ ُ َ َ َ َْ َ َ
‫لفاة الُعَراة الَعالة رَِعَء‬ ‫ل الَمة َرَّبَتَها َوأن تَرى ا‬ ِ ‫قال »أن ت‬
َ ََ ْ َ َ َ َ َ ْ ْ ُ
‫ل« فقال‬ َّ ِ ‫الَّشاِء َيَتَطاَولوَن ِف الُنَياِن« قال »فَم َض فلب ِثَنا َم‬
َ َ َْ َ ُ َّ ُْ َ ََْ ُ
‫»يَا عَمُر أتدُرون َمِن الَّسائ ِِل« قلَنا »اللـُه َوَرُسو ُل أعلُم« قال‬
ُ َْ ُ ّ ُ ََ ُ ْ َ َ
«‫جبِيل أتاكْم ُيَعل ُِمكْم أمَر ِدين ِكم‬ ِ ‫»هذا‬
The Prophet () said: ‘When a slave-woman
gives birth to her mistress; when you see barefoot, un-
clothed, destitute shepherds competing in the building of
tall buildings.’” ʿUmar () said: “So he left, and we re-
mained behind for a while. Then the Prophet ()
said: ‘O ʿUmar, do you know who the questioner was?’ We
replied: ‘Allāh and His Messenger know better.’ He said:
‘That was Jibrīl who came to you to teach you matters of
your Religion.’”15
15 Reported by Muslim (no. 8) from Yahyā Ibn Yaʿmar

() who said: “The first to speak about the [denial of]
Pre-Decree in Basrah was Maʿbad al-Juhanī. So, myself and
Humaid Ibn ʿAbdur-Rahmān al-Himyarī embarked to per-
form Hajj or ʿUmrah. So, we said: ‘If we meet any one of
the Companions of Allāh’s Messenger (), we
shall ask him about what these people are saying
concerning the Pre-Decree.’ Then we were guided to come
across ʿAbdullāh Ibn ʿUmar Ibn al-Khattāb (), while
he was entering the mosque. My companion and I sur-
rounded him, one of us stood on his right and the other
stood on his left. I expected that my companion would
leave it to me to speak. So, I said: Oh ʿAbu Abdur-Rahmān,
there have appeared some people in our land who recite
the Qur’ān and pursue knowledge...’ After mentioning
more of their affairs, he continued: ‘These people claim
that there is no such thing as Divine Decree (Qadr) and
events are not predestined.’ ʿAbdullah Ibn ʿUmar ()
said: ‘If you happen to meet them, inform them that I have
nothing to do with them and they have nothing to do with
me. By the One whom ʿAbdullāh Ibn ʿUmar swears by, if
any one of them had gold equal to the size of the mountain
of Uhud and he spent it in charity, Allāh would not accept
it unless he affirmed his faith in Divine Decree.’ Then he
said: ‘My father, ʿUmar Ibn al-Khattāb, narrated to me say-
ing: ‘Whilst we were sitting with the Prophet ()
a man entered upon us.’...” Then he narrated this hadīth of
Jibrīl.
[The Third Principle:
Knowledge of the Prophet ()]
ُ َُ ُ َ َُ ْ ُ ُ ْ َ
‫ َوهَو‬ ‫ َمعِرفة نب ِ ّي ِكْم مَّمٍد‬:‫الصل الَّال ِث‬
َ َ
‫ب ب ِْن هاِشٍم َوهاِشٌم ِمْن‬ َّ ُ ْ ْ َ ْ َّ ْ َ ُ ْ ُ َّ َ ُ
ِ ِ ‫ِ بِن عبِد المطل‬Z‫ممد بن عبِد ا‬
َ َ ْ َّ ّ ُ ْ ُ َ َ ْ َ َ َ ْ َ ٌََُْ َُْ
‫عيل اب ِْن‬ِ ‫ب والعرب ِمن ذرِيِة إ ِسما‬ ِ ‫قري ٍش وقريش ِمن العر‬
ُ َ َْ َ ََ ََ َ ْ ‫إب َْراهِيَم ا‬
‫ نب ِ ّي َِنا أفضل الَّص(ة ِ َوالَّس(ِم‬f‫لل ِيِل عليْهِ َو‬ ِ
The third principle is knowing your Prophet Muhammad
(). He is Muhammad the son of ‘Abdullāh, the
son of ʿAbdul-Muttalib, the son of Hāshim. Hāshim is from
the tribe of Quraish, and the Quraish are from the Arabs,
and the Arabs are from the offspring of Ismāʿīl, the son of
Ibrāhīm Al-Khalīl (), the one Allāh chose as a close
friend, may the excellent peace and blessings be upon him
and upon our Prophet.
َ َ َ َ ً َ ٌ َ ْ َ
ِ ‫َو ُل ِمَن الُعُمِر ث(ث َوِسُّتون َسَنة ِمنَْها أْرَبُعون قبْل الُُّبَّوة‬
َ َُْ َْ َ ُ ً َ ًّ َ َ ْ َ ٌ َ َ
‫ب‬ ُ ُ
ِ ‫ب ﴿اقرأ﴾ وأرِسل‬ ِ ‫ نـب ِأ‬y‫وث(ث وِعشون نب ِيا رسو‬
ُ َّ ُ َ ‫﴿ال ُْمَّدثّ ِْر َوَب‬
‫لهُ َمكة‬
He () lived for sixty-three years, forty of those

years were before his Prophethood and twenty-three
years were as a Prophet and Messenger. He was appointed
as a Prophet with the Quranic verse beginning with, ‘Read
(iqra’)’ and he was appointed as a Messenger with the
Quranic chapter: ‘The one wrapped in garments (al-
Mudaththir).’ He () was from the city of Makkah.
ُ َ ُ ْ ْ ِ ّ ‫َبَعَثُه الَّلـُه بالّ َِذاَرة ِ َعن ال‬
‫حيِد َواَّلِلل‬ ِ ‫ اَّلْو‬lِ ‫شِك َوَيدعو إ‬ ِ ِ
ْ ّ َ َ َ َّ َ َ ْ ََ ْ ُ ّ َّ ُ ْ َ ُّ َ َ َ َ َ ُ ُ ْ َ
ُ
‫ ﴿يا أيها المدث ِر ۝ قم فأنِذر ۝ وربك فكِب ۝‬l‫قول تعا‬
ْ َ َْ َُْ ََ ُ ‫جَز فَاْه‬ ْ ُّ َ َ َ
‫ث۝‬ ُِ ‫ك‬ ‫ تمن تست‬y‫جْر ۝ و‬ ‫َوثَِيابَك فَطِّهْر ۝ والر‬
ْ ‫ص‬ ْ َ َ َّ َ
﴾‫ب‬ ِ ‫ول ِرب ِك فا‬
He () was sent to warn against polytheism
(shirk) and call to Tawhīd, the worship of Allāh alone. The
proof for this is in the saying of Allāh, the Most High: «O
Prophet, you who is wrapped in garments! Arise and warn
the people! Magnify your Lord, purify your garments, and
shun the idols! And do not give a thing in order to get more
in return. And be patient for the sake of your Lord.» [Sūrah
al-Mudaththir: 1-7]
َ ُ ْ ْ ِ ّ ‫َوَمْعَن ﴿ُقْم فَأَنِذْر﴾ ُينِْذُر َعن ال‬
ِ ‫ اَّلْو‬lِ ‫شِك َوَيدعو إ‬
‫حيِد‬ ِ
The meaning of ‘Arise and warn the people’ is that he must

warn against polytheism and call the people to worship
Allāh alone.
ّ َ ْ َ ْ ّ َ َ َ َّ َ َ
ِ ‫ عِظْمُه ب ِاَّلْو‬:‫ي‬
‫حيِد‬ ‫﴿وربك فكِب﴾ أ‬
The meaning of ‘Magnify your Lord’ is to extol and exalt
Allāh by the worship of Him alone.
َ َ َ ْ َ ّْ َ ْ َ ّْ ََ َ َ َ َ
ْ ِ ّ ‫ك ِمَن ال‬
‫شِك‬ ‫ طِهر أعمال‬:‫﴿وثِيابك فطِهر﴾ أي‬
‘Purify your garments’ means: purify your deeds from shirk,
i.e., from polytheism.
ْ َ َ ُ َ ْ َ َ ْ ُّ ْ ُ ْ َ َ ْ ُّ َ
َ َ ْ ‫ تَْرُكَها َوال‬:‫جُرَها‬
ُ‫باَءة‬ ‫ الصنام وه‬:‫﴿والرجز فاهجر﴾ الرجز‬
َْ ْ
‫ِمنَها َوأهل َِها‬
‘Shun the rujz’. Rujz are the idols. To shun the idols is to
leave them and disassociate from them and those who
worship them.
ْ َْ َََْ ْ ‫ اَّل‬lَ‫ي يَْدُعو إ‬ َ ْ ‫ َهَذا َع‬f
َ ِ ‫ش ِسن‬ ََ َ َ َ
‫ش‬
ِ ‫ع‬ ‫ل‬‫ا‬ ‫د‬ ‫ع‬ ‫ب‬‫و‬ ‫د‬ِ ‫ي‬‫ح‬ِ ‫و‬ ِ ‫أخذ‬
َّ ْ
َ ‫تا‬ َ
ُ ‫ت َعليْه الَّصلوا‬ َ َ
ْ ‫ الَّسَماِء َوفُرَض‬l‫ُعرَج بهِ إ‬
‫لْمُس َوَصل‬ ِ ِ ِ ِ ِ
َ‫ ال َْمدينِة‬lَ‫جَرة ِ إ‬ ْ ْ َ ُ َ َََْ َ َ َ َ َّ َ
ِ ِ ‫ِف مكة ث(ث ِسن ِي وبعدها أِمر بالِه‬
َ َ ْ ّ ََ ْ ُ َ ْ َُ ْ ْ َ
‫ل اِلْس(ِم‬ ِ َ‫ ب‬lِ ‫شِك إ‬ ِ ‫والِهجرة اِلنت ِقال ِمن ب‬
ِ ‫ل ال‬
He remained upon this for ten years, calling to Tawhīd.
Then after ten years he was carried into the heavens, and
the five daily Prayers were obligated upon him. He prayed
in Makkah for three years, and thereafter he was com-
manded with migration to Madīnah. Migration (al-Hijrah)
is to move from the land of polytheism to the land of Islām.
ْ َ َ َ ْ ّ َ َ ْ َّ ُ َ ََ ٌ َ َ ُ ْ ْ
‫ل ا ِلْس(ِم‬ ِ ‫ هِذه ِ المِة ِمن ب‬f ‫َوالِهجَرة فِريضة‬
ِ ‫ ب‬lِ ‫ل ال ِشِك إ‬
َُ َُ َْ َ ٌ
‫ أن تقوَم الَّساعة‬lِ ‫ه بَاقَِية إ‬
َ ِ ‫َو‬
Migration from the land of polytheism to the land of Islām

is an obligation upon this Ummah, and it remains as such
until the Hour is established.
َ ُ َ َ ْ ُ َّ َ َّ َّ َ َ ُ َ ُ
‫ليَن تَوفاهُم الَم(ئ ِكة ظال ِ ِم‬ ِ ‫ ﴿إ ِن ا‬l‫َواَّلِلل قْو ُل تَعا‬
َْ َ ‫ضَعف‬ ْ َ ْ ُ َّ ُ ُ َ ُ ُ ُ َ ُ َ
‫ي ِف الْرِض‬ ِ ‫سِهْم قالوا فِيَم كنتْم ۖ قالوا كنا مست‬ ِ ‫أ نف‬
َ َ َُ
‫جُروا فِيَها فأول ٰئ ِك‬ ‫ا‬‫ه‬َ ‫ِ َواِسَعًة َفُت‬Zَّ‫كْن أَْرُض ا‬ ُ َ ََْ ُ َ
‫قالوا ألم ت‬
ِ
َ ‫ضَعف‬ ْ َ ْ ْ َ ّ ً ‫ت َمِص‬ ْ َ َ َ ُ َّ َ َ ْ ُ َ ْ َ
‫ي ِمَن‬ ِ ‫ الُمست‬yِ ‫يا ۝ إ‬ ‫مأواهم جهنم وساء‬
َ َ ًَ َ َ َْ َ ْ ْ ّ
‫ َيْهَتُدون‬y‫حيلة َو‬ ِ ‫ يستِطيُعون‬y ‫الِّرَجاِل َوالن َِساِء َوالوِ َلاِن‬
ُ َ ُ َّ َ َ َ ْ ُ ْ َ َ ُ ْ َ َ ُ َّ َ َ َ َُ ً
‫ عفًّوا‬Z ‫ أن يعفو عنهم وكن ا‬Z‫َسب ِي( ۝ فأول ٰئ ِك ع َس ا‬
َُ
﴾‫غفوًرا‬

The proof for this is in the saying of Allāh, the Most High:
«Verily! As for those whom the Angels take in death while
they are wronging themselves, the Angels say to them: “In
what condition were you?” They reply: “We were weak
and oppressed on Earth.” The Angels say: “Was not the
Earth of Allāh spacious enough for you to emigrate
therein?” Such will find their abode in Hell, and what an
evil destination! Except the weak ones among men,
women and children who cannot devise a plan, nor are
they able to direct their own way. For these there is hope
that Allāh will forgive them, and Allāh is ever Oft-Pardon-
ing, Oft-Forgiving.» [Sūrah an-Nisā’: 97-99]
َ ٌ َ َّ َّ َ َ ُ َ
‫ليَن آَمُنوا إ ِن أْرِض َواِسَعة فإ ِيَّاَي‬
ِ ‫ ﴿يَا ِعَباِدَي ا‬l‫َوقْو ُل تَعا‬
ْ َ
﴾‫فاعُبُدوِن‬
Also, the saying of the Most High: «O My servants who be-
lieve! Certainly, spacious is My earth, so worship Me.»
[Sūrah al-ʿAnkabūt: 56]
َّ َ ْ ُ ْ ُ ْ َ ْ َََ َ ْ َ َ
‫ليَن‬
ِ ‫يا‬ ‫ت هِذه ِ اليَة ِف المسل ِِم‬ ‫ »نزل‬ ‫قال الَغوُِّي‬
ْ ُ َّ ‫كَة ول َْم ُيَهاجُروا نَاَداُهُم ا‬
َّ َ
«‫ ب ِاْسِم ا ِليَماِن‬Z ِ ‫ب ِم‬
Al-Baghawī () said: “The reason behind the revela-
tion of this verse was because of the Muslims who were in
Makkah and yet they did not migrate.16 Allāh addressed
them with the title of Īmān.”
ََْ َ ُ َ ْ ْ ََ ُ
‫ تنقِطُع‬y»  ‫ الِهجَرة ِ ِمَن الُّسَّنِة قْو ُل‬f ‫َواَّلِلل‬
ُ َ ُ ََْ َ ُ ََْ ْ ْ
‫ تنقِطُع اَّلْوَبة َحَّت تْطلَع‬y‫الِهجَرةُ َحَّت تنقِطَع اَّلْوَبة َو‬
ْ َّ
«‫الشْمُس ِمْن َمغِرب َِها‬
The proof for migrating (al-Hijrah) from the Sunnah is in
the saying of the Messenger of Allāh (): “Hijrah
will not end until repentance comes to an end, and repent-
ance will not end until the Sun rises from the West.”17
16 Shaikh Muhammad Ibn ʿAbdul-Wahhāb () cited

from Al-Baghawī () in meaning. Al-Baghawī stated,
regarding the reasons for the revelation of this verse in
Maʿālim At-Tanzīl (6/251) that Maqātil and Al-Kalbī said: “It
was revealed concerning the weak Muslims of Makkah.”
He also said (6/252) that it was revealed concerning those
who held back from migrating and remained in Makkah:
“They said: ‘If we migrate, we are afraid that we’ll go hun-
gry and lead a constrained life.’ So Allāh revealed this
verse and did not give them an excuse not to leave.”
17 Reported by Ahmad in al-Musnad (no. 16906), Abu
Dāwūd (no. 2479) from Muʿāwiyah (). Authenticated
َ ْ ُ
َ ْ
ِ ‫شائ ِِع ا ِلْس(ِم ِمثِل الَّزكة‬ َ َ ‫فَلََّما اْسَتَقَّر ف ال َْمِديَنِة أِمَر بَبِقَّيِة‬
ِ ِ
َ ْ ْ َ ْ َ َ ْ ْ ْ َ ْ َّ َ
َّ َ ُْ َ ْ َ َ َ ‫ل ّج َوا‬
ِ َ ‫والصوِم وا‬
‫ه عِن‬ ِ ‫لهاِد والذان والمِر ب ِالمعروِف وال‬ ِ
َ ْ ‫ َهَذا َع‬f ََ َ َ َ ْ َ َ ‫ك ِمْن‬ َ َ ْ َ َ َ ْ ُْ
‫ش‬ ‫شائ ِِع ا ِلْس(ِم أخذ‬ ِ ‫ي ذل‬ ِ ‫المنكِر وغ‬
َ َ
‫ َوِديُنُه بَاٍق َوهذا ِديُنُه‬ ‫ف‬ َ ّ ‫ي َوتُُو‬
َ ِ ‫ِسن‬
ِ
Once he had settled in Madīnah, he was commanded with
the rest of the legislations of Islām, such as the Zakāt, Fast-
ing, Hajj, Jihād, the call to Prayer (Adhān), enjoining the
good and forbidding the evil, and other than these from
the Islāmic Legislation. He established that over the pe-
riod of ten years. Then he passed away, may the blessings
of Allāh, His praise and His peace be upon him―but his
Religion remains, and this is his Religion.
ُْ‫ل‬
‫ي‬ َ ْ ‫ َحَّذَرَها َعنُْه َوا‬yَّ‫ش إ‬َّ َ yَ‫ َدَّل الَُّمَة َعلَيْهِ َو‬yَّ‫ي إ‬َْ َ َ
ِ ِ ‫خ‬y
ُ َّ ‫حيُد َوَجِيُع َما ُيُِّبُه الَّلـُه َوَيْرَضاهُ َوال‬ َ َ َّ َ َّ
‫ش‬ ِ ‫لي دلَها عليْهِ اَّلْو‬ ِ ‫ا‬
َ ْ َّ ْ َ ْ ّ ُ ْ َ َ َّ َ َّ
‫شُك َوجِيُع َما يَكَرهُ اللـُه َوَيأبَاهُ َبَعثُه‬ ِ ‫لي حذر عنه ال‬ ِ ‫ا‬
ْ َ َ َّ َ َ َ ُ َ َ َ ُ َّ َ َ َ ْ َ ً َّ َ َّ َ ُ َّ
‫ي‬ِ ‫ جِيِع القل‬f ‫ طاعته‬Z‫ الاِس كفة وافتض ا‬lِ ‫اللـه إ‬
by al-Albānī in Al-Irwā (no. 1208).

َ َ ُ َ ُ ْ ْ ْ
:l‫لِّن َوا ِلنِس َواَّلِلل قْو ُل تَعا‬
ِ ‫ا‬
There is not a goodness except that he () di-
rected his Ummah towards it, and there is not an evil ex-
cept that he warned his Ummah from it. The good that he
directed the Ummah towards is Tawhīd and everything
that Allāh loves and is pleased with. And the evil that he
warned from is shirk (polytheism) and everything that
Allāh hates and rejects. Allāh sent him to all the people in
totality, and He obligated the Jinn and Humankind to show
obedience to him (). The proof for that is in the
saying of Allāh, the Most High:
ْ َ َ ً َ ْ ُ ْ َ َّ ُ ُ َ ّ ُ َّ َ ُّ َ َ ْ ُ
ُ َّ ‫كَمَل ا‬
Z ‫ِ إ ِلكم جِيعا﴾ وأ‬Z‫﴿قل يا أيها الاس إ ِِن رسول ا‬
َ َ ُ َ ُ َ
:l‫ليَن َواَّلِلل قْو ُل تَعا‬
ِ ّ ‫ُل ا‬
«Say: O People, I am the Messenger of Allāh to you all.»
[Sūrah al-Aʿrāf: 158] Allāh () completed the Religion
for him (). The proof for that is His saying, the
Most High:
ْ ُ َ َ ُ ْ َ ْ ََ ْ ُ َ ِ ْ ُ َ ُ ْ َ ْ َ َ ْ َْ
‫ت عليْكْم ن ِعَمِت‬ ‫﴿الوم أكملت لكم دينكم وأتمم‬
َ ْ ُ َ ُ
﴾‫ت لكُم ا ِلْس(َم ِديًنا‬ ِ ‫َوَر‬
‫ضي‬
«This day, I have perfected your religion for you,
completed My favour upon you, and have chosen for you
Islām as your religion.» [Sūrah Al-Mā’idah: 3]
َّ ٌ ّ َ َ َّ َ َ َ ُ ُ ْ َ
‫نُهم‬ì ‫ت‬ ْ َ َ َ ُ َّ َ
ِ ‫ ﴿إ ِنك مي‬l‫ قول تعا‬ ِ‫ موت ِه‬f ‫والِلل‬
َ َْ ُ ْ ُ َّ ُ َ
﴾‫َّم ّي ُِتون ۝ ثَّم إ ِنكْم يَْوَم القَِياَمِة ِعنَد َر ّب ِكْم تَتِصُمون‬
The proof of the Prophet’s () death is in the say-
ing of Allāh, the Most High: «Verily you, O Prophet, will
die, and verily they too will die. Then, on the Day of Res-
urrection, you will be disputing before your Lord.» [Sūrah
az-Zumar: 30-31]
ُ َْ َ ْ َ َ ُ َ ُ َ ُ ْ ُ َ
‫ ﴿ِمنَها خلقَناكْم‬l‫َوالَّاُس إ ِذا َماتوا ُيبَْعثون َواَّلِلل قْو ُل تَعا‬
َ َ ُ َ ٰ َ ْ ُ ًَ َ ْ ُ ُ ُْ َْ َ ْ ُ ُ ُ َ َ
l‫ى﴾ َوقْو ُل تَعا‬ ‫وفِيها نِعيدكم وِمنها نِرجكم تارة أخر‬
ُ ُ ً َ َْ ُ َ ُ َّ َ
‫ أنبََتكم ِّمَن الْرِض نَباتا ۝ ثَّم يُعِيُدكْم فِيَها‬Z ‫﴿وا‬
ْ ُ ْ
﴾‫َوُيخِرُجكْم إ ِخَراًجا‬
Once the people have died, they shall be resurrected. The
proof is in the saying of Allāh, the Most High: «From the
earth We created you, and into it We shall return you, and
from it We shall bring you out once again.» [Sūrah Tāhā:
55] Also in the saying of the Most High: «And Allāh has
brought you forth from the dust of the earth. And then He

will return you into it, and bring you forth again.» [Sūrah
Nūh: 17-18]
َ َ ُ َ ُ ْ َ َ َْ َ َ ُ ْ َْ َ ْ َ َ
l‫ث ماَسُبون َومِزُّيون ب ِأعَمال ِِهْم َواَّلِلل قْو ُل تَعا‬ ِ ‫وبعد الع‬
ََ َّ ْ َ ْ َ َّ
‫ليَن أساُءوا‬ِ ‫ت َوَما ِف الْرِض ِلَجِزَي ا‬ ِ ‫ِ ما ِف الَّسَماَوا‬Zِ‫﴿َو‬
ْ َ َ َّ َ ْ َ َ ُ َ َ
ُ ْ ‫حَسُنوا با‬
﴾‫لْسَن‬ ِ ‫لي ن أ‬
ِ ‫ب ِما عِملوا ويجِزي ا‬
After the resurrection, they will be taken to account and
recompensed according to their deeds. The proof for that
is in the saying of Allāh, the Most High: «And to Allāh be-
longs all that is in the heavens and all that is in the earth,
that He may recompense those who do evil for that which
they have done, and reward those who do good, with what
is best (i.e. Paradise).» [Sūrah An-Najm: 31]
َّ َ َ َ ُ َ ُ ََ ْ ْ َّ َ َ
‫ليَن‬ ِ ‫ ﴿َزعَم ا‬l‫ث كفَر َواَّلِلل قْو ُل تَعا‬ ِ ‫َومْن كذَب ب ِالَع‬
َّ ُ َ َ ُ َّ ُ َ ْ ُ َ ّ َ َ ٰ َ َ ْ ُ ُ َ ْ ُ َّ َ ُ َ َ
‫ث ثَّم لُنَّبؤن ب َِما‬ ‫كفروا أن لن يبعثوا ۚ قل بل ورِب لبع‬
َ َّ َ َ َ َ ُْ َ
﴾‫ي‬ ٌ ‫س‬ِ ‫ِ ي‬Z‫ ا‬f ‫عِملتْم ۚ َوذ ٰل ِك‬
Whoever denies the Resurrection has disbelieved. The
proof is in the saying of Allāh, the Most High: «The disbe-
lievers pretend that they will never be resurrected. Say to
them: ‘Yes! By my Lord, you shall certainly be resurrected,

then you will be informed of what you did, and that is easy
for Allāh.’» [Sūrah at-Taghābun: 7]
ُ َ ُ ْ ّ َ ُ ُ ُّ َ َ ُ َّ َ َ ْ َ َ
‫شيَن َوُمنِذرِيَن َواَّلِلل قْو ُل‬
ِ ‫وأرسل اللـه جِيع الرسِل مب‬
ِ
َّ َ َ َّ َ ُ َّ ّ َ ُّ ً ُ ُّ َ َ َ
ِZ‫ ا‬f ‫شيَن َوُمنِذرِيَن ِلَ( يَكون ل ِلناِس‬ ِ ِ ‫ ﴿رس( مب‬l‫تعا‬
ْ ٌ
﴾‫ُحَّجة َبعَد الُّرُسِل‬
Allāh sent all the Messengers as bringers of glad tidings
and as warners. The proof for that is in the saying of Allāh,
the Most High: «Messengers as bearers of glad tidings as
well as warning in order that mankind should have no plea
against Allāh after the Messengers.» [Sūrah an-Nisā’: 165]
ُ َُ ُ ُ ََ ٌ ُ ُ َ
‫ َوهَو‬ ‫خُرهْم مَّمٌد‬ ِ ‫َوأَّولُهْم نوح عليْهِ الَّس(م َوآ‬
َ َ َ َ ُ َ ُ ْ َّ َ َ َ ّ َّ ُ َ َ
‫ ﴿َّما كن‬l‫ب َبعَدهُ َواَّلِلل قْو ُل تَعا‬ ِ ‫ ن‬y ‫خاتم الب ِـي ِـي‬
ََ َ َ َّ َ ُ َّ َٰ َ ْ ُ َ ّ ّ َ َ َ َ ٌ َّ َ ُ
‫ِ وخاتم‬Z‫كن رسول ا‬ ِ ‫ممد أبا أحٍد ِمن رِجال ِكم ول‬
َ َّ َ َ ُ َ ُ َ َ َّ َ َ َ ُ
‫ ﴿إ ِنا أْوَحيَْنا‬l‫ أن أَّولُهْم نوٌح قْو ُل تَعا‬f ‫ي﴾ َواَّلِلل‬ َ ‫الَّب ّي‬
ِِ
ْ َ ِ َ ّ َّ َ ٍ ُ ٰ َ َ ْ َ ْ َ َ َ َ ْ َ
﴾ِ ‫ نوح والب ِي ِي من بعِده‬lِ ‫إ ِلك كما أوحينا إ‬
The first of the Messengers was Nūh (), and the last
of them was Muhammad (), and he is the seal
of the Prophets. There is no Prophet after him. The proof

for that is in the saying of Allāh, the Most High: «Muham-
mad is not the father of any man among you, but he is the
Messenger of Allāh and the last of the Prophets.» [Sūrah al-
Ahzāb: 40] The proof that Nūh () is the first of the
Messengers is in the saying of Allāh, the Most High: «Ver-
ily, We have inspired you, O Muhammad, as We inspired
Nūh and the Prophets after him.» [Sūrah an-Nisā: 163]
َُ َ ُ ً َ َّ َ ُ ُّ ُ
‫ مَّمٍد‬lِ ‫ ِمْن نوٍح إ‬y‫َوك أَّمٍة َبَعث اللـُه إ ِلَْها َرُسو‬
َ َ َ َ ُ َ ْ َ َّ َ َ ْ ُ ُ ُ ْ َ
‫شيك ُل‬ ِ y ‫ يأمرهم ب ِِعبادة ِ اللـهِ وحده‬
َْ َ َ َ َ َ ُ ُ ْ َ ُ َّ َ ُ َ َ ُ ْ
‫ ﴿ولقد‬l‫ت والِلل قول تعا‬ ِ ‫َوَينَهاهْم عْن ِعَبادة ِ الَّطاغو‬
َ ُ ْ َ َّ ْ َ ً ُ ُّ َْ َ َ
﴾‫ َواجَتن ُِبوا الَّطاغوت‬Z ‫ أِن اعُبُدوا ا‬y‫ك أَّمٍة َّرُسو‬ِ ‫بعثنا ِف‬
Allāh sent to every nation a Messenger, from Nūh
() to Muhammad () commanding them
to worship Allāh alone, without associating partners with
Him in worship, and warning them from the worship of
the false deities (tāghūt). The proof for that is in the saying
of Allāh, the Most High: «And verily, We have sent among
every nation a Messenger proclaiming: ‘Worship Allāh
alone, and keep away from all false deities.’» [Sūrah an-
Nahl: 36]

[To Disbelieve in the Tāghūt: Everything by
Way of Which a Person Goes Beyond Bounds]
َ ْ ُ ْ ُ ْ ْ َ َ َ ُ َّ َ ََْ َ
ِ ‫ جِيِع الِعَباِد الكفِر ب ِالَّطاغو‬f Z
‫ت َوا ِليَمان‬ ‫تض ا‬ ‫واف‬
َ َ َ َّ
l‫ِ تعا‬Z‫ب ِا‬
Allāh obligated upon all the servants to disbelieve in the
false deities and to believe in Allāh, the Most High.
ْ َ ُ َْ َ َْ ْ َ َ
‫ت َما تَاَوَز ب ِهِ الَعبُْد‬
ِ ‫ »معن الَّطاغو‬ ‫قال ابُن القـ ّي ِِم‬
َ ْ َ ْ
«‫َحَّدهُ ِمْن َمعُبو ٍد أْو َمتُبوٍع أْو ُمَطاٍع‬
Ibn al-Qayyim () stated: “The meaning of tāghūt is
that thing by way of which the servant goes beyond
bounds, with something that is: worshipped or followed or
obeyed.”18
18 Ibn Al-Qayyim said in Iʿlām Al-Muwaqiʿīn (1/40): “At-

Tāghūt is everything by way of which the servant goes be-
yond bounds, whether it be something worshipped or fol-
lowed or obeyed. So, the tāghūt of any people is the one
who they refer to for judgement besides Allāh and His
Messenger (), or that which they worship be-
sides Allāh, or the one who they follow without knowledge
َّ َ ٌ َْ ُ َ ِ ‫ت َكث‬
‫ إ ِب ْل ِيُس لَعَنُه اللـُه َوَمْن‬:‫يةٌ َوُرؤوُسُهْم خَسة‬ ُ ‫غي‬ِ ‫َوالَّطَوا‬
َ
‫ب َوَمْن دَع‬ ْ َ ْ ْ ْ ً ْ َ َ َّ َ َ َ ََُ َ ُ
ِ ‫عب ِد وهو راٍض ومِن ادع شيئا ِمن ِعلِم الغي‬
ُ َّ َ ْ َ َْ َ َ َ ْ ََ َْ َ َ َ
‫ي َما أنَزل اللـُه َواَّلِلل‬ ِ ‫سهِ ومن حكم ب ِغ‬ ِ ‫ ِعَبادة ِ نف‬lِ ‫الَّاس إ‬
َ ّ َ ْ َ ُ ْ ُّ َ َّ َ َّ َ ّ ْ َ َ َ ُ َ
‫غ فَمْن‬ ِ ‫ليِن قد تبي الرشد ِمن ال‬ ِ ‫ إ ِكَراهَ ِف ا‬y﴿ l‫قْو ُل تَعا‬
ْ ْ َ َ ْ َ ْ َ َ َّ
‫ق‬ٰ َ ْ‫ك ب ِالُعْرَوة ِ الُوث‬ ْ
‫ِ فقِد استمس‬Z‫ت َوُيؤِمن ب ِا‬
ُ ُْ
ِ ‫يَكفْر ب ِالَّطاغو‬
َ
﴾‫ َسِميٌع عل ِيٌم‬Z ُ َّ ‫ ان ِْفَصاَم ل ََها َوا‬yَ
And the tawāghīt are numerous but their heads are five:19
and guidance from Allāh, or the one they obey not know-
ing whether it is in obedience to Allāh. So, these are the
tawāghīt (plural of tāghūt) of the world if you were to pon-
der over them.” Ibn Taymiyyah () stated in Al-Majmūʿ
(16/565): “It is a generic term, and it includes, the devil,
the idol, the soothsayer, the silver dirham, the gold dīnār,
and other than that.”
19 The author, Shaikh Muhammad Ibn ʿAbdul-Wahhāb
() stated as occurs in ad-Durar as-Saniyyah (1/125):
“And the tawāghīt are numerous and from them are five
that are clear to us: (1) first of them is the Devil, (2) the
tyrannical ruler, (3) the one who takes bribes, (4) the one
who is worshipped and is pleased with that, (5) and the
(1) Iblīs, may Allāh’s curse be upon him, (2) one who is
worshipped and is pleased with that, (3) one who claims to
have something of the knowledge of the unseen, (4) the
one who calls the people to worship him, (5) and the one
who judges by other than what Allāh has revealed. The
proof is in the saying of Allāh, the Most High: «There is no
compulsion in religion. Verily, the Right Path has become
distinct from the wrong path. Whoever disbelieves in the
taghūt and believes in Allāh, then he has grasped the most
one who acts without knowledge.” This and what has pre-
ceded clarifies that the description of someone being a
tāghūt does not necessitate that he is to be declared an un-
believer. From the scholars are those who apply the label
of tāghūt to some of the sinners and the disobedient ones,
just as Shaikh Muhammad Ibn ʿAbdul-Wahhāb has done
here. If the title of tāghūt necessitated takfīr (declaring a
Muslim to be an unbeliever) then that would necessitate
that the Shaikh has performed takfīr of those who fall into
sins, and that is clearly not the case as he himself stated in
his Risālah ilā ahlil-Qasīm: “I do not accuse anyone from the
Muslims of being an unbeliever due to a sin, and neither
do I expel them from the fold of Islām.” (See Sharh ʿAqīdat
al-Imām Muhammad Ibn ʿAbdul-Wahhāb of Shaikh Sālih al-
Fawzān, p.116)
trustworthy handhold that will never break. And Allāh is
All-Hearer, All-Knower.» [Sūrah al-Baqarah: 256]
َْ ْ
‫ث »َرأُس المِر‬ ِ ‫لِدي‬َ ْ ‫ الَّلـُه َوف ا‬y
َّ َ َ َ َ ْ َ َ ُ َ َ َ
ِ ‫ إ ِل إ‬y ‫وهذا هو معن‬
ِ
َّ ُ ْ َ َ ُ َ ْ َ ُ َّ ُ ُ ُ َ َ ُ ْ ْ
«ِZ‫لَهاد ِف َسب ِيِل ا‬ِ ‫ا ِلس(م وعموده الص(ة وذِروة سناِمهِ ا‬
And this is the meaning of lā ilāha illallāh. There is a hadīth
which states: “The head of the affair is Islām, its pillar is
the Prayer, and the uppermost part of its hump is Jihād in
Allāh’s cause.”20
20 Reported by At-Tirmidhī (no. 2616) from Muʿādh Ibn

Jabal () wherein the Prophet () said:
“Shall I not inform you about the head of the affair, and
its pillar, and the uppermost part of its hump?” I said: “Of
course, O Messenger of Allāh!” He said: “The head of the
affair is Islām, its pillar is the Prayer, and the uppermost
part of its hump is Jihād in Allāh’s cause.” Then he said:
“Shall I not inform you about what governs all of that?” I
said: “Of course O Prophet of Allāh!” He grabbed his
tongue and then said: “Restrain this.” I said: “O Prophet
of Allāh! Will we be taken to account for what we say?”
He said: “May your mother grieve your loss O Muʿādh!
Are the people tossed into the Fire upon their faces, or
ْ ََ َُ َ َ َ َّ َّ َ ْ َ َّ
ِ‫ آِلِ َوَصحب ِه‬f‫ َسّي ِِدنا مَّمٍد َو‬f ‫َواللـُه أعلُم َوَصل اللـُه‬
.‫جعِي‬ َ ْ َ‫أ‬
َ َّ َ ْ ّ َ َّ ُ ْ َ َ
‫ب الَعالِمي َوَسلَم تْسل ِيًما‬ ‫ر‬ ِ Zِ ‫د‬ ‫م‬ ‫ل‬ ‫ا‬‫و‬ ‫ل‬ ‫و‬‫ص‬ُ ُ‫ت ثََ(ثَُة ال‬ ْ ‫َتَّم‬
ِ ِ
ً ِ ‫َكث‬
.‫يا‬
And Allāh knows best, the One free of all imperfections,
the Most High. May Allāh extol our leader, Muhammad,
and send His peace and blessings upon him, upon his fam-
ily and all his Companions.
That is the completion of the Three Fundamental Principles,

all praise is due to Allāh, Lord of all that exists.
Authored by Shaikh al-Islām Muhammad Ibn ʿAbdul-Waahhāb

() and translated into English by Abu Khadeejah ʿAbdul-
Wāhid Ibn Sālih Alam.
upon their noses, except because of what their tongues

have wrought?” At-Tirmidhī said: ‘This hadīth is hasan-
sahīh.’ And Shaikh al-Albānī declared it to be sahīh.

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The Scholar of Islam

Muhammad Ibn ʿAbdul-Wahhāb

Based upon the research and verification of five hand-

abukhadeejah.com for ‫اﻟﻤﮑﺘﺒﺔ اﻟﺴﻠﻔﻴﺔ‬

Page 2 Salafi Publications ‫اﻟﻤﮑﺘﺒﺔ اﻟﺴﻠﻔﻴﺔ‬

The Three Fundamentals of Islām and their Proofs ..........5

The Purpose Behind This Treatise ........................................5

The Name of this Treatise ......................................................8

The Author ..............................................................................11

Introduction to the Treatise ................................................15

[The Four Obligatory Affairs] ...............................................16

[Allāh has Obligated Three Affairs that must be

[The True Monotheist Religion of Ibrāhīm () was

[The Three Principles] ..........................................................22

[The First Principle: Knowing the Lord] ............................23

[The Types of Worship which Allāh has Commanded]....27

[The Second Principle: Knowledge of the Religion of

The First Level: Islām ............................................................36

The Second Level: Al-Īmān (Faith) ......................................41

Page 3 Salafi Publications ‫اﻟﻤﮑﺘﺒﺔ اﻟﺴﻠﻔﻴﺔ‬

[The Third Principle: Knowledge of the Prophet

[To Disbelieve in the Tāghūt: Everything by Way of

Page 4 Salafi Publications ‫اﻟﻤﮑﺘﺒﺔ اﻟﺴﻠﻔﻴﺔ‬

The Purpose Behind This Treatise

Imām Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah (d. 751H) said: “The two

1 The research and verification of Abu Ahmad Nāsir Ibn

1. The importance of seeking knowledge, and a clarifica-

2. The four matters that are incumbent upon every male

2 Zādul-Maʿād (1/37), Mu’assasat ar-Risālah edition.

4. The true monotheistic religion of Ibrāhīm () and

5. The three fundamentals: these are the questions that a

6. The meaning of the term tāghūt and enumerating its

So, this treatise expounds important matters in simple

Page 7 Salafi Publications ‫اﻟﻤﮑﺘﺒﺔ اﻟﺴﻠﻔﻴﺔ‬

The Name of this Treatise

It has also been printed with the title:

What seems to be more correct is the former. That is be-

1. The manuscripts with us begin with and end with the

Page 8 Salafi Publications ‫اﻟﻤﮑﺘﺒﺔ اﻟﺴﻠﻔﻴﺔ‬

2. The most eminent explainers of the treatise have

3. Some of the grandchildren of the author mentioned that

For these reasons, the correct name of the treatise before

As for ascription of this treatise to Shaikhul-Islām Muham-

Page 9 Salafi Publications ‫اﻟﻤﮑﺘﺒﺔ اﻟﺴﻠﻔﻴﺔ‬

This text of Thalāthat al-Usūl is distinguished due to the fol-

1. This is the most complete edition of Thalāthat al-Usūl as

2. This edition has additions not found in previously

3. This version has been verified with five other handwrit-

3 Ad-Durar as-Saniyyah, 1/125-136.

After his father died in the year 1153H, Shaikh Muhammad

The Shaikh authored many works. From them we have the

◦ Kitāb at-Tawhīd (The Book of Singling out Allāh Alone

◦ Kashf ash-Shubuhāt (Unveiling the Doubts)

◦ Al-Kabā’ir (The Major Sins)

◦ Thalāthat al-Usool (The Three Fundamentals)

◦ Khamsūn Su’āl fil-ʿAqīdah (Fifty Questions in Creed)

◦ At-Tawhīd lil-Atfāl was-Sibyān (Tawhīd for Children and

◦ Shurūt as-Salāh wa Wājibātuhā wa Sunanuhā (The Condi-

◦ Usūl as-Sittah (The Six Fundamentals)