Note: text in image is from pages 17-18 of the book. The following paragraphs continue on from that point (pages 18-20):
“Shaykul-Islaam Ibn Taymiyyah says in his book, al-Istiqaamah (1/466): “So these sins along with correct tawheed are better than corrupted tawheed in the absence of these sins.”21
Then another jamaa’ah affiliates itself with da’wah, except that its methodology is also at variance with the methodology of the Messengers. They give no importance to correct ‘aqeedah, rather they give importance to worshipping and practising some dhikr (remembrance of Allaah) in the way of the Sufis.22 They concentrate upon going out (khurooj) and touring the lands, and what is important to them is that they manage to attract the people to join them, without caring about their beliefs and creed (‘aqeedah). All of these are innovated ways, taking as their starting point matters which were left last in the call of the Messengers. This is just like the case of one who seeks to cure a body whose head has been cut off, since the place of ‘aqeedah in the religion is like the head with regard to the body. So it is necessary for these groups to correct their concepts and understanding by referring back to the Book and the Sunnah in order to know the methodology of the Messengers in calling to Allaah. For indeed Allaah, the One free of all imperfections, informed that correct rule and sovereignty, which is the central part of the call of the former Jamaa’ah whom we mentioned, cannot be achieved except after correcting the ‘aqeedah such that all worship is for Allaah alone, and worship of everything else is abandoned. Allaah, the Most High says:
وَعَدَ اللَّهُ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا مِنكُمْ وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ لَيَسْتَخْلِفَنَّهُمْ فِي الْأَرْضِ كَمَا اسْتَخْلَفَ الَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِهِمْ
وَلَيُمَكِّنَنَّ لَهُمْ دِينَهُمُ الَّذِي ارْتَضَىٰ لَهُمْ وَلَيُبَدِّلَنَّهُم مِّن بَعْدِ خَوْفِهِمْ أَمْنًا ۚ يَعْبُدُونَنِي لَا يُشْرِكُونَ بِي شَيْئًا ۚ وَمَن
كَفَرَ بَعْدَ ذَٰلِكَ فَأُولَـٰئِكَ هُمُ الْفَاسِقُونَ
“Allaah has promised those who truly believe (have true eemaan) amongst you, and act in obedience to Allaah and His Messenger, that He will grant them rulership upon the earth just as He granted it to those before them, and that He will establish their religion for them, grant them authority to practise the religion which He chose for them and ordered. And He will certainly change their situtation to one of security, after their fear, providing that they worship and obey Me, not associating anything else in worship with Me. Then whoever rejects this favour by disobedience to their Lord, then they are the rebellious transgressors”.23
So these people wish to establish the Islamic State before purifying the lands of idolatrous beliefs which take shape in the worship of the dead, and devotion to tombs, such as is no different to the worship of al-Laat, al-‘Uzzaa and the third of them Manaat,24 rather it is worse, So they are attempting that which is impossible.
Indeed establishment and application of the Sharee’ah and the prescribed punishments; establishment of the Islamic State; avoidance of whatever is prohibited; and achievement of whatever is obligatory – all of these things are from the rights of tawheed, and matters which perfect it and follow on from it. So how can we give attention to that which is subsidiary whilst neglecting that which is of primary importance?”
Footnotes
21 The proof for this is the Saying of Allaah, the Most High:
إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يَغْفِرُ أَن يُشْرَكَ بِهِ وَيَغْفِرُ مَا دُونَ ذَٰلِكَ لِمَن يَشَاءُ
“Allaah does not forgive that partners should be set up with Him in worship, but He forgives whatever is lesser than that to whom He pleases.” [Soorah an-Nisaa (4):48]
22 Publisher’s Note: For more information about Sufism refer to “The Reality of Sufism” by Muhammad ibn Rabee’ ibn Haadee al-Madkhalee (Al-Hidaayah Publishing and Distribution, U.K., 1995).
23 Soorah an-Noor (24):55.
24 Publisher’s Note: These were some of the idols that were worshipped by the Quraysh at the time of the Prophet (ﷺ).
