The 200 FAQ On Muslim Belief
Q 176: What is the Nushrah?
A--- The Nushrah is to remove the charm someone is affected with. If this is done through sorcery or the like, it is then a devilish piece of work. But, if it is done through Ruqyah[1] that is recited as a means of curing disease, there is no harm in that.
Q 177: What are the lawful Ruqa (Pl. Ruqyah)?
A--- The lawful Ruqyah comprises only parts of the Glorious Qur'an and the Prophetic Sunnah, pronounced in Arabic, while the one who recites them and on whom they are recited believe in that they can not be effective unless by Allah's Leave. Gabriel (Peace be upon him) practiced Ruqyah for the sake of Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) who did the same to many of his honorable companions and did not prevent them from practicing it. Rather, he ordered them to practice it and allowed them to receive payment thereto. All this can be found in the two Sahihs: Bukhari and Muslim.
Q 178: What are the unlawful Ruqa (Pl. Ruqyah)?
A--- The unlawful Ruqa are those which do not comprise parts of the Glorious Qur'an or the Prophetic Sunnah, and that which was not recited in Arabic. This is certainly a devilish prohibited work. Practicing it (in this way) as done by most jugglers, sorcerers and liars and those who used to manipulate the talismans and other witchcraft means and books such as: Shams Al-Ma 'arif and Shumus Al-Anwar, all this is forbidden and disliked by Islam.
Q 179: What is the ruling pertaining to necklaces of amulets, strings, rings, threads, cowrie shells (supposedly used to save one from the influence of the evil eye!), etc.?
A--- Abu Bashir Al-Ansari (May Allah be pleased with him) reported that he had had (the opportunity of accompanying Allah's Messenger (Peace be upon him) in some of his journeys. Allah's Messenger (Peace be upon him) sent one of his messengers, 'Abdullah Ibn Abu Bakr said: I think he said (these words) when the people were at the places of rest: No necklace of strings be left on the necks of the camels or the necklace kept unbroken. Imam Malik said: To my mind (this practice) of wearing necklace round the necks of camels or animals was because of the fact that they (wanted to save them) from the influence of the evil eye. (Bukhari and Muslim)
In addition, Allah's Messenger (Peace be upon him) sent a messenger ordering: "There shall not remain any necklace of string or any other kind of necklace round the necks of camels except it is cut off .” (Bukhari and Muslim)
In addition, Allah's Messenger (Peace be upon him) says: "Verily, (illegal) Ruqa and (all types of amulets) are (regarded as) disbelief" (Ahmed, Abu Dawud, Ibn Majah, Al-Baihaqi and Al-Hakim)
Allah's Messenger (Peace be upon him) also says: "Whosoever wears an amulet, Allah the Almighty will not grant him success; and whosoever wears a cowrie shell, Allah the Almighty will not grant him prosperity.” (Ahmed and Ibn Hibban)
In another narration: "Whosoever wears an amulet, he becomes a polytheist.”(Ahmed and Al-Hakim)
He (Peace be upon him) said to the man who was holding an amulet: "What is this?" The man said: "This is (an amulet) I hold because I feel some kind of physical weakness." He (Peace be upon him) said: "Take it off for it will not increase you but weakness, and if you die while wearing it, you will never prosper (in the Hereafter).”(Ahmed and AlHakim)
Hudhaifah (May Allah be pleased with him) cut a thread that was held by a man, then he recited Allah's Statement: {And most of them believe not in Allah except that they attribute partners unto Him [i.e. they are Mushrikun i.e. polytheists]}. (Yusuf, 106) (Compiled by Ibn Abu Hatim)
Sa'id Ibn Jubair said: "Whosoever cuts off an amulet of the neck of someone, this may equal setting a slave free.” (Compiled by Ibn Abu Shaibah)
Q 180: What is the ruling pertaining to Wearing Amulets containing something of the Glorious Qur'an?
A--- Some of the earlier scholars viewed this to be permissible, but most of them do not. Among those who forbade it were' Abdullah Ibn 'Akim, 'Abdullah Ibn 'Amr, 'Abdullah Ibn Mas'ud and his companions. This view is the proper one, because the prohibition of wearing necklaces was general. In addition, they viewed this to keep the honor of the Glorious Qur'an and not to let those who are impure to carry or even touch it or part of it, and in order not to be taken as a pretext to wear other things.
Q 181: What is the ruling pertaining to Soothsayers?
A--- Soothsayers are considered from among the Taghuts[2] who are helpers of the devils who inspire them as mentioned by Allah the Almighty: {And certainly, the Shayatin (devils) do inspire their friends (from mankind) to dispute with you, and if you obey them (by making AI-Maitah (a dead animal) legal by eating it], then you would indeed be Mushrikun (polytheists); [because they (devils and their friends) made lawful to you to eat that which Allah has made unlawful to eat and you obeyed them by considering it lawful to eat, and by doing so you worshipped them; and to worship others besides Allah is polytheism]}. (Al-An-' am, 121)
They descend upon them, disclosing what they may hear and they add to it one-hundred lies of their own. Allah the Almighty says: {Shall I inform you (O people!) upon whom the Shayatin (devils) descend? They descend on every lying, sinful person. Who gives ear (to the devils and they pour what they may have heard of the Unseen from the angels), and most of them are liars}. (Ash Shu' ra', 221-223)
Narrated `A'ishah (May Allah be pleased with her): Some people asked the Prophet (Peace be upon him) regarding the soothsayers. He said: "They are nothing." They said: "O Allah's Messenger! Some of their talks come true. "The Prophet (Peace be upon him) said: "That word which happens to be true is what a Jinn snatches away by stealth (from the Heaven) and pours it in the ears of his friend (the foreteller) with a sound like the cackling of a hen. The soothsayers then mix with that word, one hundred lies.”[3] (Abu Dawud, At-Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah)
Q 182: What is the ruling pertaining to whosoever believes a Soothsayer?
A--- Allah the Almighty says: {Say: "None in the heavens and the earth knows the Ghaib (Unseen) except Allah}. (An-Naml, 65)
Allah the Almighty says: {And with Him are the keys of the Ghaib (all that is hidden), none knows them but He}. (Al-An'am, 59)
Allah the Almighty says: {Or that the Ghaib (Unseen) is with them, and they write it down?}. (At-Tur,41)
Allah the Almighty says: {Is with him the knowledge of the Unseen so that he sees?}. (AnNajm, 35)
Allah the Almighty says: {Allah knows but you do not know}. (Al-Baqarah, 216, 232 & Al 'Imran, 66)
Allah's Messenger (Peace be upon him) says: “Whosoever came to a soothsayer or a priest and believed him (i.e. what he says), he certainly disbelieved in what was revealed to Muhammad (Peace be upon him)." (Abu Dawud and At-Tirmidhi)
He (Peace be upon him) says: “Whosoever came to a soothsayer and asked him about something and believed him, the prayers he performs for forty days would not be accepted.” (Sahih Muslim)
Q 183: What is the ruling pertaining to Practicing Astrology?
A--- Almighty Allah says: {It is He Who has set the stars for you, so that you may guide your course with their help through the darkness of the land and the sea}. (Al-An'am,97)
Allah the Almighty says: {And indeed We have adorned the nearest heaven with lamps, and We have made such lamps (as) missiles to drive away the Shayatin (devils)}. (AlMulk, 5)
Allah the Almighty says: {And the stars are subjected by His Command}. (An-Nahl, 13)
Allah's Messenger (Peace be upon him) says: “I only fear for my Ummah (Nation) believing in the stars, denying the Divine Decree, and the aggression of leaders.” (Compiled by Abu Ya' la)
Ibn 'Abbas (May Allah be pleased with them) said regarding those who practice astrology: “I think that whosoever does this, he has no share (of reward) in the Hereafter.” (Compiled by AI-Baihaqi)
Abu Qatadah mentioned Allah's Statement: {And We have adorned the nearest heaven with lamps}, (V. 67: 5) and said: "The creation of these stars is for three purposes, i.e. as decoration of the (nearest) heaven, as missiles to hit the devils, and as signs to guide travelers. So, if anybody tries to find a different interpretation, he is mistaken and just wastes his efforts, and troubles himself with what is beyond his limited knowledge.” (Compiled by Ibn Jarir)
Q 184: What is the ruling pertaining to prognosticating rain due to rising or setting of stars?
A--- Allah the Almighty says: {And instead (of thanking Allah) for the provision He gives you, you deny (Him by disbelief)!}. (Al-Waqi' ah, 82)
Narrated Sufyan (May Allah be pleased with him): 'Ubaidullah said: "I heard Ibn 'Abbas saying, "Following are some traits of the people of the pre-Islamic period of ignorance (a) to defame the ancestry of other families; (b) and to wail over the dead." 'Ubaidullah forgot the third trait. Sufyan said: "They say it (i.e. the third trait) was to believe that rain was caused by the influence of stars (i.e. if a special star appears it will rain). " (Sahih Muslim)
It is narrated on the authority of Zaid Ibn Khalid AI-Juhani: The Messenger of Allah (Peace be upon him) led the morning prayer at Hudaibiyah. There were some marks of the rainfall during the night. At the conclusion of prayer he turned towards people and observed: "Do you know what your Lord has said?" They replied: "Allah and His Messenger know best." Upon this he (the Prophet) remarked: "He (Allah) said: Some of My slaves entered the morning as My believers and some as unbelievers. He who said: We have had a rainfall due to the Blessing and Mercy of Allah, he is My believer and a disbeliever of stars, and who said: We have had a rainfall due to the rising affirmed his faith in the stars." (Bukhari and Muslim)
Q 185: What is the ruling pertaining to Divination and the like?
A--- Allah the Almighty says: {Verily, their evil omens are with Allah but most of them know not}. (Al-A'raf, 131)
Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: Allah's Messenger (Peace be upon him) said: "There is no infection (by itself without the Will of Allah), no Safar, no Hamah.” A desert Arab said: 'Allah's Messenger, how is it that when the camel is in the sand it is like a deer, then a camel afflicted with scab mixes with it and it is affected by scab?' He (the Prophet) said: "Who infected the first one?" (Bukhari and Muslim)
Allah's Messenger (Peace be upon him) says: "Divination is polytheism, divination is polytheism.” (Abu Dawud, At- Tirmidhi, Ibn Majah and Al-Hakim)
He (Peace be upon him) says: "Whomsoever is prevented from doing something by Divination, he is a polytheist." They said: "What is the expiation for this?" He (Peace be upon him) said: "That you may say: O Allah! There is no good but Yours, no good omen but Yours, and no god but You." (Imam Ahmed)
Anas (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: "Allah's Messenger (Peace be upon him) says: There is no transitive disease, no divination, but good omen pleases me, i.e. the good word or the fair word.” (Bukhari and Muslim)
Q 186: What is the ruling pertaining to the Evil Eye?
A--- Allah's Messenger (Peace be upon him) says: "The effect of an evil eye is a fact.” (Bukhari and Muslim)
Narrated Umm. Salamah (May Allah be pleased with her): That the Prophet (Peace be upon him) saw in her house a girl whose face had a black spot. He said. "She is under the effect of an evil eye, so treat her with a Ruqyah.” (Bukhari and Muslim)
Narrated `A'ishah (May Allah be pleased with her): The Prophet (Peace be upon him) ordered me or somebody else to do Ruqyah (if there was danger) from an evil eye.” (Bukhari and Muslim)
He (Peace be upon him) says: "No Ruqyah is allowed but for an evil eye or fever." (Imam Ahmed)
Other narrations that go in the same vein can be found among the authentic Hadiths. But, we should know that the evil eye can not be effective unless Allah the Almighty wills. With this, the following verse was interpreted by many of our earlier scholars: {And verily, those who disbelieve would almost make you slip with their eyes (through
hatred) when they hear the Reminder (the Qur'an)}. (Al-Qalam, 51)
Q 187: Into how many divisions are sins (deeds of disobedience) divided?
A--- Sins are divided into Major and Minor ones.
Q 188: How are sins expiated?
A--- Allah the Almighty says: {If you avoid the great sins which you are forbidden to do, We shall expiate from you your (small) sins, and admit you to a Noble Entrance (i.e. Paradise)}. (An-Nisa', 31)
Allah the Almighty says: {Verily, the good deeds remove the evil deeds (i.e. small sins)}. (Hud, 114)
Thus, Almighty Allah informed us that sins are being expiated by means of avoiding committing the Major sins and performing good deeds. In addition, the Hadith says: "And do a good deed after a sinful one to remove it.” (Ahmed, At-Tirmidhi, AI-Hakim)
In addition, the authentic Hadiths state that the following deeds of obedience along with others expiate sins and misdeeds: these acts are as follows: performing perfect ablution, walking to the mosques for prayer, performing the five compulsory prayers, Friday Prayers attending, fasting Ramadan, standing in prayer through its nights and the Night of Might in particular, and fasting during the day of 'Ashuraa’. However, most of these Hadiths stipulate that one should avoid committing the Major sins. Thus, avoiding the Major sins is a precondition for expiating the Minor sins through performing good deeds.
Q 189: What does "Major Sins" mean?
A--- In this connection, companions of the Prophet (Peace be upon him) and the earlier pious scholars said: This implies all sins that incur a major Prescribed Penalty. It is also said: this implies all sins that are followed by a curse, wrath, fire or any sort of punishment. It is also said: this implies all sins the committing of which shows the indifference of the doer towards religion and Allah the Almighty.
Among the well-known major sins are: To join partners in worship. with Allah, to practice sorcery, to kill a person which Allah has forbidden except for a just cause (according to Islamic Law), to eat up Riba (usury), to eat up the property of an orphan, to show one's back to the enemy and fleeing from the battlefield at the time of fighting, to accuse chaste women who never even think of anything touching their chastity and are good believers, to drink wine, and to show imprudence to parents, etc.
Ibn 'Abbas (May Allah be pleased with them) said: the Major Sins could reach 70 in numbers. Whosoever traces the sins called major ones, will find them more than seventy. Moreover, if one counts the so-called major sins mentioned in various Hadiths, the number will surely exceed 70.
Q 190: How can all sins - Major and Minor – be expiated?
A ---All sorts of sins can be expiated through sincere repentance. Allah the Almighty says: {O you who believe! Turn to Allah with sincere repentance! It may be that your Lord will expiate from you your sins, and admit you into Gardens under which rivers flow (Paradise)}. (At-Tahrim, 8)
Allah the Almighty says: {Except those who repent and believe (in Islamic Monotheism), and do righteous deeds, for those, Allah will change their sins into good deeds and Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful}. (Al-Furqan, 70)
Allah the Almighty says: {And those who, when they have committed Fahishah (illegal sexual intercourse) or wronged themselves with evil, remember Allah and ask forgiveness for their sins; -and none can forgive sins but Allah - and do not persist in what (wrong) they have done, while they know. For such, the reward is Forgiveness from their Lord, and Gardens with rivers flowing underneath (Paradise), wherein they shall abide forever. How excellent is this reward for the doers (who do righteous deeds according to Allah's Orders)}. (Al' Imran, 135, 136)
Allah's Messenger (Peace be upon him) says: "Repentance demolishes all the previous evil deeds.”
'Abdullah Ibn Mas'ud (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: I heard Allah's Messenger (Peace be upon him) as saying: Allah is more pleased with the repentance of His believing servant than a person who loses his riding beast carrying food and drink. He sleeps (being disappointed of its recovery) and then gets up and goes in search for that, until he is stricken with thirst, then comes back to the place where he had been before and goes to sleep completely exhausted placing his head upon his hands waiting for death. And when he gets up, lol There is before him his riding beast and his
provisions of food and drink. Allah is more pleased with the repentance of His servant than the recovery of this riding beast along with the provisions (of food and drink).”(Bukhari and Muslim)
Q 191: What does "Sincere Repentance" mean?
A--- The term "Sincere Repentance" implies the existence of three things: Giving up the sinful deed committed, regretting it, and showing firm will not to return to it for ever. If there is an oppression against anyone else, one should beg him for forgiveness before the coming of the Day of Resurrection when everyone will inevitably be retaliated. Moreover, this is the sort of oppression Allah the Almighty will not let an atom of it go without reckoning. Narrated Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him): Allah's Messenger (Peace be upon him) says: "Whoever has oppressed another person concerning his reputation or anything else, he should beg him to forgive him before the Day of Resurrection when there will be no money (to compensate for wrong deeds), but if he has good deeds, those good deeds ,will be taken from him according to his oppression which he has done, and if he has no good deeds, the sins of the oppressed person will be loaded on him. " (Sahih Bukhari)
Q 192: When does repentance cease pertaining to each human being?
A ---Allah the Almighty says: {Allah accepts only the repentance of those who do evil in ignorance and foolishness and repent soon afterwards, it is they whom Allah will forgive and Allah is Ever All-Knower, All-Wise}. (An-Nisa', 17)
Companions of the Prophet (Peace be upon him) unanimously agreed on that everything that is done in disobedience of Allah, is an act of ignorance whether it be on purpose or not.
Allah's Messenger (Peace be upon him) says: "Verily, Allah accepts the repentance of the slave till he experiences the death agony." (Ahmed, At-Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah) This is affirmed in so many Hadiths. But, if the slave saw the Angel of Death, his soul swaged in his chest, and it reached the throat and he witnessed the agony of death, upon that no repentance would be accepted and there would not be any way to run. {And they cried out when there was no longer time for escape}. (Sad, 3)
Allah the Almighty says: {And of no effect is the repentance of those who continue to do evil deeds until death faces one of them and he says: "Now I repent;” nor of those who die while they are disbelievers. For them We have prepared a painful torment}. (An-Nisa', 18)
Q 193: When does repentance cease pertaining to the whole universe?
A ---Almighty Allah says: {The day that some of the Signs of your Lord do come, no good will it do to a person to believe then, if he believed it not before, nor earned good (by performing the deeds of righteousness) through his Faith. Say: "Wait you! We (too) are waiting. "}. (Al-An' am, 158)
Allah's Messenger (Peace be upon him) narrated: The Last Hour will not be established till the sun rises from the West. So, when the sun will rise and the people will see it (rising from the West) they will all believe (embrace Islam) but that will be the time when: (As Allah says:) {No good will it do to a soul to believe then, if it believed not before; nor earned good (by deeds of righteousness) through its Faith}. (Al-An' am, 158) (Bukhari and Muslim)
Safwan Ibn 'Abbas said: I heard Allah's Messenger (Peace be upon him) saying: "Verily, Allah opened a gate for repentance towards the West whose width is (equal to the march of) seventy years; it will not be closed till the sun rises therefrom.” (Transmitted by At-Tirmidhi, An-Nasa'i and Ibn Majah)
Q 194: What is the ruling pertaining to whosoever dies from among the monotheists while he insists on committing a Major Sin?
A--- Allah the Almighty says: {And We shall set up balances of justice on the Day of Resurrection, then none will be dealt with unjustly in anything. And if there be the weight of a mustard seed, We will bring it. And Sufficient are We to take account}. (Al-Anbiya', 47)
Allah the Almighty says: {And the weighing on that day (Day of Resurrection) will be the true (weighing). So as for those whose scale (of good deeds) will be heavy, they will be the successful (by entering Paradise). And as for those whose scale will be light, they are those who will lose their own selves (by entering Hell) because they denied and rejected Our Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.)}. (Al-A' raf, 8, 9)
Allah the Almighty says: {On the Day when every person will be confronted with all the good he has done, and all the evil he has done, he will wish that there were a great distance between him and his evil. And Allah warns you against Himself (His punishment) and Allah is full of kindness to (His) slaves}. (Al `Imran, 30)
Allah the Almighty says: {(Remember) the Day when every person will come up pleading for himself, and every one will be paid in full for what he did (good or evil, belief or disbelief in the life of this world) and they will not be dealt with unjustly}. (An-Nahl, 111)
Allah the Almighty says: {And be afraid of the Day when you shall be brought back to Allah. Then every person shall be paid what he earned, and they shall not be dealt with unjustly}. (Al-Baqarah, 281)
Allah the Almighty says: {That Day mankind will proceed in scattered groups that they may be shown their deeds. So whosoever does good equal to the weight of an atom (or a small ant) shall see it. And whosoever does evil equal to the eight of an atom (or a small ant) shall see it}. (Az-Zalzalah, 6-8)
'A'ishah (May Allah be pleased with her) reported: Allah's Messenger (Peace be upon him) says: "He who is taken to account on the Day of Resurrection is in fact put to torment.” I said: "Has Allah, the Exalted and Glorious, not said this: {He will be made subject to an easy reckoning}? Thereupon he said: "(What it implies) is not the actual reckoning, but only the presentation of one's deeds to Him. He who is thoroughly examined in reckoning is put to torment.” (Bukhari and Muslim)
According to the earlier texts pertaining to the Gathering, Affairs of the Last Hour, Balance, Spreading of the Records of deeds, Presentation, Reckoning, the Straight Path, and Intercessions, etc., according to all these we came to know that the people's ranks are different in connection to the Hereafter, in correspondence to the differences between them in this present life. However, what the Qur'anic verses, Prophetic Hadiths, and opinions of the earlier pious men and companions of the Prophet (Peace be upon him) all affirmed that the disobedient from among the people of Monotheism are of three ranks:
(a) A group whose good deeds outweigh their bad ones, those enter Paradise and never touched by Fire.
(b) A group whose good deeds and the bad ones are equal; so their bad deeds did not allow them to enter Paradise, and their good ones did not allow them to enter Hell-fire. Consequently, they are called "Men on A 'raf'[4] whom Allah mentioned to be stopped between Paradise and Hell till Allah wills, then they are made to enter Paradise.
Allah the Almighty says: {And between them will be a (barrier) screen and on Al-A'raf will be men (whose good and evil deeds would be equal in scale), who would recognize all (of the Paradise and Hell people) by their marks (the dwellers of Paradise by their white faces and the dwellers of Hell by their black faces), they will call out to the dwellers of Paradise, "Salamun Alaikum" (Peace be on you), and at that time they (men on Al-A'raf) will not yet have entered it (Paradise), but they will hope to enter (it) with certainty. And when their eyes will be turned towards the dwellers of the Fire, they will say: "Our Lord! Place us not with the people who are Zalimun (polytheists and wrong-doers)." And the men on Al-A'raf will call unto the men whom they would recognize by their marks, saying: "Of what benefit to you were your great numbers (and hoards of wealth), and your arrogance (against Faith)?" Are they those, of whom you swore that Allah would never show them mercy; (Behold! It has been said to them): Enter Paradise, no fear shall be on you, nor shall you grieve}. (Al-A'raf, 46- 49)
(c) A group of people who meets Allah while they insist on committing major sins and they are basically from among the people of Monotheism. And, whose good deeds outweigh their bad ones, those would enter Hell in accordance with the seriousness of their sins: some of them would be taken by Fire till their heels, some till their legs, some till their knees, and some of them would be taken by fire except their forehead (the place on which they prostrate themselves in prayer). The last category are those in their right Allah the Almighty will make Muhammad's Intercession possible, along with the intercession of other Prophets, angels and whom He wills. He would set for them a limit whom they take out from Hell. Then, He would set for them a less-restricted limit of whom they take out from Hell, etc. Till they would take out from Hell whomsoever has in his heart what equals the weight of a Dinar of good, and less and less, till there would be no good at all in his heart. Moreover, none from among the monotheists will be kept for good in Hell, no matter what they have committed! But, those from among them whose faith was greater and sin was lighter, their torment in Hell-fire would be lighter and the period they stay therein less, and vice versa.
Allah's Messenger (Peace be upon him) says: "Whosoever said La Ilah illallah (none has the right to be worshipped but Allah), it would benefit him one day, whatsoever he would be afflicted before that (day). " (Transmitted by Al-Baihaqi and Abu Nu' aim)
Q 195: Are Al-Hudud (the Prescribed Penalties) expiatory?
A--- Narrated 'Ubada Ibn As-Samit who took part in the battle of Badr and was a Naqib (a person heading a group of six persons), on the night of Al'Aqabah Pledge: Allah's Messenger (Peace be upon him) said while a group of his companions were around him, "Swear allegiance to me for not to join anything in worship along with Allah, not to steal, not to commit illegal sexual intercourse, not to kill your children, not to accuse an innocent person (to spread such an accusation among people), and not to be disobedient (when ordered) to do good deed. " The Prophet (Peace be upon him) added: "Whoever among you fulfills his pledge will be rewarded by Allah. And whoever indulges in anyone of them (except the ascription of partners to Allah) and gets the punishment in this world, that punishment will be an expiation for that sin. And if one indulges in any of them, and Allah conceals his sin, it is up to Him to forgive or punish him (in the Hereafter).”'Ubada Ibn As-Samit added: "So we swore allegiance for these (points to Allah's Messenger).”(Bukhari and Muslim)
Q 196: How can we compromise between the saying of the Prophet "It is up to Allah to forgive or punish him", and between what is mentioned earlier that one whose sins outweigh his good deeds, will enter Hell-fire?
A--- No contradiction is there between the two. As, whom Allah wishes to forgive, he will be brought to an easy accounting.
Ibn 'Umar (May Allah be pleased with them) reported: A person said to Ibn 'Umar: How did you hear Allah's Messenger (Peace be upon him) as saying something about intimate conversation? He said: I heard him say: A believer will be brought to his Lord, Exalted and Glorious is He, on the Day of Resurrection, and he would place upon him His veil, and make him confess his faults. Then, He would say: Do you recognize (your faults)? He would reply: My Lord, I do. He (the Lord) would say: I concealed them for you in the worldly life, and today I forgive them for you.” (Bukhari and Muslim)
But, as for those who enter Hell-fire due to their sins, those are the ones who are taken to account. Allah's Messenger (Peace be upon him) says: "He who is taken to account on the Day of Resurrection is in fact put to torment.” (Bukhari and Muslim)
Q 197: What is the straight path we are ordered to follow?
A ---The religion of Islam is the straight path we are ordered to follow and are forbidden to leave. It is the religion with which Allah sent His Messengers and revealed His Books. He accepts none but it from His slaves, and He saves none but those who follow it. And, whosoever follows other than it, he will certainly go astray. Allah the Almighty says: {And verily, this is My Straight Path, so follow it, and follow not (other) paths, for they will separate you away from His Path}. (Al-An'am, 153)
The Prophet (Peace be upon him) drew a line (on earth) then said: "This is the Straight Path of Allah.” Then, he drew lines to its right and left, and said: "These are paths, none amongst which is without a devil calling thereto." Then he (Peace be upon him) recited: {And verily, this is My Straight Path, so follow it, and follow not (other) paths, for they will separate you away from His Path}. (Al-An'am, 153) (Ahmed and Ibn Hibban)
He (Peace be upon him) says: "Allah set a parable of a Straight Path..” then, he said: "the Straight Path is Islam.” (Ahmed and Ibn Jarir)
Q 198: How can one pass it safely?
A -_This can not be done unless through sticking firmly to the Glorious Qur'an and the Prophetic Sunnah. Allah the Almighty says: {And whosoever obey Allah and the Messenger (Muhammad), then they will be in the company of those on whom Allah has the Prophets, the Siddiqun,[5] the martyrs, and the righteous. And how excellent these companions are!}. (An-Nisa', 69)
Those on whom Allah has bestowed His Grace are the same to whom the Straight Path was attributed in the Al-Fatihah the Opening Chapter: {Guide us to the Straight Way. The Way of those on whom You have bestowed Your Grace, not (the way) of those who earned Your Angry (such as the Jews) nor of those who went astray (such as the Christians)}. (Al-Fatihah, 6, 7)
No greater grace bestowed on the slave than guiding him to the Straight Path and enabling him to avoid the leading-astray paths. Allah's Messenger (Peace be upon him) left his Ummah (nation) on this as explained: "I have left you on the white Path, which night is like its day, and none gets astray thereof after me but a perishable one.” (Ibn Majah)
Q 199: What is the antonym of Sunnah?
A--- Innovation is the antonym of Sunnah.
Innovation means to legislate what has not been ordained by Allah the Almighty. Allah's Messenger (Peace be upon him) means this when he says: "If any of you introduces into this affair of ours "religion” anything which does not belong to it, it is rejected.” (Bukhari and Muslim)
He (Peace be upon him) says: "Stick to my Sunnah and the way of the rightly-guided Caliphs (those who come) after me, stick to it, adhere thereto firmly, and be ware of innovations for every innovation is a mis-guidance." (Abu Dawud, AtTirmidhi and Ibn Majah)
He (Peace be upon him) says: "... and this nation will be divided into seventy-three religious sects, -all in Hell, except one, and that one is: on which I and my companions are today, i.e. following the Qur'an and the Prophet's Sunnah.”(Abu Dawud, At-Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah)
Allah the Almighty declared his (Peace be upon him) innocence from belonging to the people of Innovations, saying: {Verily, those who divide their religion and break up into sects (all kinds of religious sects), you (O Muhammad (Peace be upon him)) have no concern in them in the least. Their affair is only with Allah}. (Al-An' am, 159)
Q 200:What are the divisions of Innovation pertaining to its breach of religion?
A--- There are two divisions: Blasphemous Innovation and Non-blasphemous Innovation.
[1] i.e. Divine Speech recited as a means of curing disease. It is a kind of treatment, i.e. to recite Surah AI-Fatihah or any other Surah of the Glorious Qur'an and then blow one's breath with salvia over a sick person's body-part. (Translator)
[2] The word Taghut covers a wide range of meanings: It means anything worshipped other than the Real God (Allah) i.e. all the false deities. It may be Satan, devils, idols, stones, sun, stars, angels, human beings e.g. Messengers of Allah, who were falsely worshipped and taken as Taghuts. Likewise saints, graves, rulers, leaders etc. are falsely worshipped and wrongly followed. Sometimes "Taghut" means a false judge who gives as false judgement. (Quoted by Translator)
[3] Narrated `A'ishah (May Allah be pleased with her): I heard Allah's Messenger (Peace be upon him) saying, "The angels descend on the clouds and mention this or that matter decreed in the Heaven. The devils listen stealthily to such a matter, come down to inspire the soothsayers with it, and the latter would add to it one-hundred lies of their own." (Sahih Bukhari)
Narrated `A'ishah (May Allah be pleased with her): The Prophet (Peace be upon him) said: "While the angels talk amidst the clouds about things that are going to happen on earth, the devils hear a word of what they say and pour it in the ears of a soothsayer as one pours something in a bottle, and they add one hundred lies to that (one word)." (Sahih Bukhari, quoted by translator)
[4] Al-A'raf: It is said that it is a wall between Paradise and Hell and it has on it elevated places. (Translator)
[5] Those followers of the Prophets who were first and foremost to believe in them, like Abu Bakr As-Siddiq (May Allah be pleased with him). (Translator)