‘Aqidah from a Quthb

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ 

The ‘Aqidat al-Islam, “The Muslim Creed”, forms the concluding chapter of one of the classics of Muslim spirituality titled an-Naswa’ih ad-Diniyyah wa al-Wasayah al-Imaniyyah, “Sincere Religious Advices & Counsels of Faith”, by Habib ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Alawi al-Haddad al-Hadhrami ash-Shafi’i (q.s.).  This was translated by Dr. Mustafa al-Badawi. 

This is the Creed of Habib ibn ‘Alawi al-Haddad (q.s.).  Praise Belongs to Allah (s.w.t.) Alone.  May Allah (s.w.t.) Bless our master Muhammad (s.a.w.) and his family, and companions, and Grant them peace.  We know, assent, believe, confess with certainty, and testify, that there is no god but Allah (s.w.t.), Alone without partner.   He is a Mighty God, a Great King.  There is no lord beside Him, and we worship none than He.  He is Ancient and Pre-Existent, Eternal and Everlasting.  His Firstness has no beginning, neither has His Lastness any end.  He is Solitary, Self-Subsistent, neither begetting nor begotten, matchless, without partner or peer. 

سُوۡرَةُ الشّوریٰ

...‌ۚ لَيۡسَ كَمِثۡلِهِۦ شَىۡءٌ۬‌ۖ وَهُوَ ٱلسَّمِيعُ ٱلۡبَصِيرُ (١١) 

… there is nothing whatever like unto Him, and He is the One that Hears and Sees (all things). (Surah ash-Shura’:11) 

And we confess that His Holiness, Exalted in He, Renders Him beyond time and space, beyond resembling anything in existence, so that He cannot be encompassed by directions, nor be subject to contingent events.  And that He is Established on His Throne in the manner which He has Described, and in the sense which He has Intended, in an Establishment befitting the Might of His Majesty, and the Exaltation of His Glory and Magnificence.  And that He, Exalted is He, is Near to everything in existence. 

سُوۡرَةُ قٓ

... وَنَحۡنُ أَقۡرَبُ إِلَيۡهِ مِنۡ حَبۡلِ ٱلۡوَرِيدِ (١٦) 

… for We are Nearer to him than (his) jugular vein. (Surah Qaf:16) 

He is Watchful and Seeing over all things. 

سُوۡرَةُ البَقَرَة

... ٱلۡحَىُّ ٱلۡقَيُّومُ‌ۚ لَا تَأۡخُذُهُ ۥ سِنَةٌ۬ وَلَا نَوۡمٌ۬‌ۚ ... (٢٥٥) 

… the Living, the Self-Subsisting, Eternal.  No slumber can seize him nor sleep ... (Surah al-Baqarah:255) 

سُوۡرَةُ البَقَرَة

بَدِيعُ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٲتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضِ‌ۖ وَإِذَا قَضَىٰٓ أَمۡرً۬ا فَإِنَّمَا يَقُولُ لَهُ ۥ كُن فَيَكُونُ (١١٧) 

To Him is due the primal origin of the Heavens and the Earth; when He Decrees a matter, He Says to it: “Be”; and it is. (Surah al-Baqarah:117) 

سُوۡرَةُ الزُّمَر

ٱللَّهُ خَـٰلِقُ ڪُلِّ شَىۡءٍ۬‌ۖ وَهُوَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَىۡءٍ۬ وَكِيلٌ۬ (٦٢) 

Allah is the Creator of all things, and He is the Guardian and Disposer of All Affairs. (Surah az-Zumar:62) 

And that He, Exalted is He, is over all things Powerful, and of all things, Knower; His Knowledge is All-Embracing and He Keeps Count of all things. 

سُوۡرَةُ یُونس

... وَمَا يَعۡزُبُ عَن رَّبِّكَ مِن مِّثۡقَالِ ذَرَّةٍ۬ فِى ٱلۡأَرۡضِ وَلَا فِى ٱلسَّمَآءِ ... (٦١) 

… Nor is hidden from your Lord (so much as) the weight of an atom on the Earth or in Heaven ... (Surah Yunus:61) 

سُوۡرَةُ الحَدید

... يَعۡلَمُ مَا يَلِجُ فِى ٱلۡأَرۡضِ وَمَا يَخۡرُجُ مِنۡہَا وَمَا يَنزِلُ مِنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ وَمَا يَعۡرُجُ فِيہَا‌ۖ وَهُوَ مَعَكُمۡ أَيۡنَ مَا كُنتُمۡ‌ۚ وَٱللَّهُ بِمَا تَعۡمَلُونَ بَصِيرٌ۬ (٤) 

… He Knows what enters within the Earth and what comes forth out of it, what comes down from Heaven and what mounts up to it.  And He is with you wheresoever you may be.  And Allah Sees well all that you do. (Surah al-Hadid:4) 

سُوۡرَةُ طٰه

... يَعۡلَمُ ٱلسِّرَّ وَأَخۡفَى (٧) 

... for verily He Knows what is secret and what is yet more hidden. (Surah ThaHa:7) 

سُوۡرَةُ الاٴنعَام

... وَيَعۡلَمُ مَا فِى ٱلۡبَرِّ وَٱلۡبَحۡرِ‌ۚ وَمَا تَسۡقُطُ مِن وَرَقَةٍ إِلَّا يَعۡلَمُهَا وَلَا حَبَّةٍ۬ فِى ظُلُمَـٰتِ ٱلۡأَرۡضِ وَلَا رَطۡبٍ۬ وَلَا يَابِسٍ إِلَّا فِى كِتَـٰبٍ۬ مُّبِينٍ۬ (٥٩) 

… He Knows whatever there is on the earth, and in the sea.  Not a leaf does fall but with His knowledge: there is not a grain in the darkness (or depths) of the earth nor anything fresh or dry (green or withered) but is (inscribed) in a Record Clear (to those who can read). (Surah al-An’am:59) 

And that He, Exalted is He, Wills existent things, and Directs events.  And that nothing may exist, whether good or evil, beneficial or harmful, except by His Decree and Will.  Whatever He Wills is, whatever He does not, is not.  Should all creatures unite to move or halt a single atom in the universe, in the absence of His Will, they would be unable to do so. 

And that He, Exalted is He, is Hearer, Seer, Speaker of a Speech that is Pre-Existent and does not resemble the speech of creatures.  And that the Mighty Qur’an is His Ancient Speech, His Book which He Sent down upon His Messenger and Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.). 

And that He, Glorious is He, is Creator of all things and their Provider, Who Disposes them as He Wills; neither rival nor opponent is there in His Realm.  He Gives to whomsoever He Wills and Withholds from whomsoever He Wills. 

سُوۡرَةُ الاٴنبیَاء

لَا يُسۡـَٔلُ عَمَّا يَفۡعَلُ وَهُمۡ يُسۡـَٔلُونَ (٢٣) 

He cannot be questioned for His Acts, but they will be Questioned (for theirs). (Surah al-Anbiya’:23) 

And that He, Exalted is He, is Wise in His Acts, Just in His Decrees, so that no injustice or tyranny can be imaginable on His Part, and that no one has any rights over Him.  Should He, Glorious is He, Destroy all His creatures in the blink of an eye, He would be neither unjust or tyrannous to them, for they are His Dominion and His slaves.  He has the Right to do as He Pleases in His Dominion. 

سُوۡرَةُ حٰمٓ السجدة / فُصّلَت

... وَمَا رَبُّكَ بِظَلَّـٰمٍ۬ لِّلۡعَبِيدِ (٤٦) 

… nor is your Lord ever unjust (in the least) to His servants. (Surah Fuswswilat:46) 

He Rewards His slaves for obeying Him out of Grace and Generosity, and Punishes them when they rebel out of His Wisdom and Justice. 

And that to obey Him is an obligation binding upon His bondsmen, as was Made Clear through the speech of His messengers.  We believe in every Book Sent Down by Allah (s.w.t.), and in all of His messengers, His angels, and in destiny, whether good or bad. 

And we testify that Muhammad (s.a.w.) is His slave and Messenger, whom He Sent to jinn and to mankind, to the Arabs and the non-Arabs, with guidance and the religion of truth. 

سُوۡرَةُ التّوبَة

هُوَ ٱلَّذِىٓ أَرۡسَلَ رَسُولَهُ ۥ بِٱلۡهُدَىٰ وَدِينِ ٱلۡحَقِّ لِيُظۡهِرَهُ ۥ عَلَى ٱلدِّينِ ڪُلِّهِۦ وَلَوۡ ڪَرِهَ ٱلۡمُشۡرِكُونَ (٣٣) 

It is He who has Sent His Messenger with Guidance and Religion of Truth to proclaim it over all religion, even though the pagans may detest (it). (Surah at-Tawbah:33) 

And that he delivered the Message, was faithful to his trust, advised the ummah, did away with grief, and strove for Allah’s (s.w.t.) Sake as is His due, being truthful and trustworthy, supported by authentic proofs and norm-breaking miracles.  And that Allah (s.w.t.) has Made it incumbent upon His bondsmen to believe , obey, and follow him, and that a man’s faith is not acceptable – even should he believe in Him – until he believes in Muhammad (s.a.w.) and in everything that he brought and informed us of, whether of the affairs of this world or the next.  This includes faith in the questioning of the dead by Munkar (a.s.) and Nakir (a.s.) about religion, tawhid and prophethood, and in the bliss which is in the grave for those who were obedient, and the torment which it contains for the rebellions. 

And that one should believe in the Resurrection after death, the Gathering of bodies and spirits to stand in the presence of Allah the Exalted, and in the Reckoning; and that His slaves will be at that time in different states, some being called to account, some being exempted, while others shall enter the Garden without reckoning.  One should believe in the Scales in which good and evil deeds will be Weighed; and in the Swirath, which is a bridge stretched over the depths of Hell; and in the hawdh, Pool, of our Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.), the water of which is from the Garden, and from which the believers shall drink before entering the Garden.  And in the intercession of the prophets; followed by the swiddiqun, truthful saints; and then the ‘ulama; swalihin, the virtuous; and the other believers.  And that the Greatest Intercession is the prerogative of Muhammad (s.a.w.).  And that the people of tawhid who have entered the Fire shall be Taken out of it until not one person in whose heart there lies an atom’s weight of faith shall remain in it eternally.  And that the people of polytheism and disbelief shall abide in the Fire. 

سُوۡرَةُ البَقَرَة

خَـٰلِدِينَ فِيہَا‌ۖ لَا يُخَفَّفُ عَنۡہُمُ ٱلۡعَذَابُ وَلَا هُمۡ يُنظَرُونَ (١٦٢) 

They will abide therein: their penalty will not be lightened, nor will respite be their (lot). (Surah al-Baqarah:162) 

And that the believers shall abide in the Garden eternally without end. 

سُوۡرَةُ الحِجر

لَا يَمَسُّهُمۡ فِيهَا نَصَبٌ۬ وَمَا هُم مِّنۡہَا بِمُخۡرَجِينَ (٤٨) 

There no sense of fatigue shall touch them, nor shall they (ever) be asked to leave. (Surah al-Hijr:48) 

And that the believers shall see their Lord with their eyes, in a way befitting His Majesty and the Holiness of His Perfection. 

And that the companions of the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.) were virtuous, that their status was of various ranks, and that they were just, good, and trustworthy.  Is not lawful to insult or denigrate any of them.  And that the khalifah, rightful successor, to the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.) was Sayyidina Abu Bakr ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Utsman asw-Swiddiq (r.a.), followed by Sayyidina Abu Hafsw ‘Umar ibn al-Khaththab al-Faruq (r.a.), then Sayyidina Abu ‘Amr ‘Utsman ibn ‘Affan ash-Shahid (r.a.), then Sayyidina ‘Ali ibn Abu Thalib al-Murtadha (r.a.), may Allah (s.w.t.) be Pleased with them and with all his other companions, and with those who follow them with excellence until the Day of Judgement, and with us also, by His Mercy, O Most Merciful of the Merciful. 

Such is the rightly-guided creed, which conforms to be the Book and the sunnah.  No male or female Muslim should be ignorant of it.  Without affirming it, one’s faith is not sound.  It is not a condition that every person should be able to articulate it fluently; rather, what counts is what lies in the heart.