By Shaikh Saalih Bin ‘Abdullah Al Fawzaan

(may Allah The Most High preserve him)

Translated by Abu ‘Abdis Salaam Siddiq Al Juyaanee

Shaikh’s Introduction

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

All praise and thanks belong to Allah the Lord of all that exists.  May the peace and blessings of Allah be upon our Prophet Muhammad who is the last of all the Messengers (عليهم الصلاة و السلام), he (صلى الله عليه و سلم) who was sent as a mercy for all Mankind and Jinn; he (صلى الله عليه و سلم) who delivered the message, fulfilled the trust, and advised the Ummah (Muslim Nation); he (صلى الله عليه و سلم) who strove with the epitome of striving in the way of Allah until Allah completed the religion by way of him, perfected His favor, and thus rendering it obligatory to obey, follow, and love him more than one loves himself, his parents, his children and all of mankind. 

As to what follows:

(Dear reader) insha Allah you are about to indulge and delve into a topic that is of the utmost importance to every Muslim man and woman, the topic of Aqeedah.  Aqeedah (proper belief) is the authenticating foundation of each and every action.  Thus, every action which is not built upon the foundation of proper belief will be rejected, irregardless to how hard an individual strove and tired himself, nor the duration of his life he spent doing it, (it will be rejected). 

Aqeedah is the foundation of the Religion and the sum of the call of the Prophets and Messengers, from the first of them to the last of them (عليهم الصلاة و السلام).  A servant will be asked on the Day of Judgment about what he/she used to believe in just as it comes in the narration,

كلمتان يسأل عنهما الأولون و الآخرون: ماذا كنتم تعبدون؟

 و ماذا أجبتم المرسلين؟

“There are two words that the first and last of mankind will be asked about.  What did you worship, and what was your response to the Messengers?”

Every created being will be asked these two questions on the Day of Judgment.  The answer to the first question is the testimony that, “Nothing has the right to be worshiped in truth except Allah.” And the answer to the second question is the testimony that, “Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah”; (both of these) in statement and action.

The Proper and Firm Belief

The proper belief is that which the Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه و سلم) came with, called and made clear he      (صلى الله عليه و سلم) said,

أن الأمة ستفترق من بعدي علي ثلاث و سبعين فرقة

 كلها في النار الا واحدة قالوا: من يا رسول الله؟

 قال: من كان علي مثل ما أنا عليه اليوم و أصحابي

“Verily, the Ummah (Muslim Nation) will split and divide after me into seventy three sects, all of them will be in the fire except one.  They (the Sahaabah) asked, “O Messenger of Allah which is that one (i.e. saved sect)?”  He  (صلى الله عليه و سلم) said, “It is that which I and my companions are upon today.”[1]

So whoevers beliefs agree with that which the Messenger (صلى الله عليه و سلم) and his companions where upon, then verily he will be saved from the punishment of Allah and entered into Jennah.  For this reason the group that is firm and steadfast upon this Aqeedah has been named, ‘the saved sect.’ 

The reason (the saved sect) was named with this name goes back to the fact that it is (the only sect that is) saved from Allah’s punishment from amongst the seventy three sects.  (This sect will be saved) whereas the other (seventy two sects) will be in the fire, and we seek refuge in Allah from that.

Therefore, the saved sect, are the people of the Sunnah in every time. 

The reason (the saved sect) was named with this name goes back to the fact that it is (the only sect that is) saved from Allah’s punishment from amongst the seventy three sects.  (This sect will be saved) whereas the other (seventy two sects) will be in the fire, and we seek refuge in Allah from that.

 

Therefore, the saved sect, are the people of the Sunnah in every time. 

لا تزال طائفة من أمتي علي الحق ظاهرين لا يضرهم من خذلهم

 و لا من خالفهم حتي يأتي أمر الله و هم علي ذلك

“There will always be a group from Ummah who will be clear and apparent upon the truth, they will not be harmed by those who abandon them or by those who go against them until the order of Allah, and they will (still) be upon that.”[2]

The Truth Is One & Not Many

Yes, the groups have become many.  Likewise the beliefs, methodologies, and statements are various and have become many.  However, this is the religion of the Messenger (صلى الله عليه و سلم) of which Allah The Most High says,

وَأَنَّ هَـذَا صِرَاطِي مُسْتَقِيمًا فَاتَّبِعُوهُ وَلاَ تَتَّبِعُواْ السُّبُلَ فَتَفَرَّقَ بِكُمْ عَن سَبِيلِهِ ذَلِكُمْ وَصَّاكُم بِهِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَتَّقُونَ

"And verily, this is my Straight Path, so follow it, and follow not (other) paths, for they will separate you away from His Path. This He has ordained for you that you may become Al-Muttaqun (the pious)." (Al-An'am: 153)

The Straight Path of Allah is that which Allah sent his Messenger with and noble companions, the (first three) best generations and all those who follow them from the later generations of this Ummah tread upon until the establishment of the hour.  This is the Straight Path of Allah whereas that which is in opposition, contrary to this way, are the other paths. 

خط النبي (صلى الله عليه و سلم) خطا مستقيم و خط علي جنبيه خطوطا متعرجة فقال (صلى الله عليه و سلم) عن الخط المستقين: هذا صراط اللة، و قال عن الخطوط الجانبية المتفرقة: و هذه سبل، علي كل سبيل منها شيطان يدعو اليه

“The Prophet (صلى الله عليه و سلم) drew a straight line, then he drew on either side of this straight line crooked lines.  He (صلى الله عليه و سلم) then commented on the straight line and said, this is the Straight Path of Allah.  Then he  (صلى الله عليه و سلم) commented on the crooked lines which deviated off to either side and said, these are the other paths, on each path there is a devil who calls and invites to it.”[3]

This is an extremely clear explanation from the Messenger for the meaning of this verse. (صلى الله عليه و سلم)

وَأَنَّ هَـذَا صِرَاطِي مُسْتَقِيمًا فَاتَّبِعُوهُ

"And verily, this is my Straight Path, so follow it.”