Explanation of The Four Rules Regarding Shirk pdf

Explanation of The Four Rules Regarding Shirk

EXPLANATİON OF THE FOUR RULES REGARDİNG SHİRK

Book’s Introduction 

I ask Allaah, the Most Generous, Lord of the Great Throne to befriend you in this world and the Hereafter, and to make you blessed wherever you may be.

And (I ask) that He make you from those who when they are given, are thankful; when they are tested, are patient; and when they sin, seek forgiveness (from Allaah). For indeed these three characteristics are the true signs of happiness. 

explanation 

Language: yatawallaaka (He befriend you) meaning that He take you as a friend (walee) through (His) love, granting of success and guidance. 

Explanation: 

The author has begun by supplicating and asking Allaah, the Most Generous, Lord of the Great Throne, to befriend the one who reads this book in this world and the Hereafter. As for befriending him in this worldly life, then it is by loving him, guiding him, directing him and assisting him.

And as for befriending him in the Hereafter, then it is by showing him mercy and forgiveness, protecting him from the Hellfire and admitting him into Paradise. Then he also supplicates that he be blessed wherever he may be, and that Allaah make him fulfill the meaning of servitude, as well as its stations, which are three: 

First: Being thankful for His Blessing. This is at the time when He gives it, as Allaah says: 

“Work you, O family of Dawood, with thanks!” [Surah Saba: 13] 

And Allaah says: 

وإن تشكروا يرضه لكم 

“And if you are grateful, He will be pleased therewith for you.” [Surah Az-Zumar: 

And He says: 

Explanation of “The Four Rules Regarding Shirk” 

“And give thanks to Me and do not disbelieve.” [Surah Al-Baqarah: 152] 

Being thankful for Allaah’s Blessing is shown through the heart by way of affirming, acknowledging and showing gratitude. And it is shown through the tongue by way of speaking about the blessing and praising it. And it is shown through the limbs by way of acting in accordance with what pleases Allaah. 

Second: Being patient during tribulations, hard times and with the things that one 

which befall the people as a test and examination from Allaah. What is obligatory in these situations is that one have patience. Patience means suppressing the heart from being displeased and from despairing; suppressing the tongue from complaining; and suppressing the limbs from those acts that negate and contradict patience. Allaah says: 

واصبر على ما أصابك 

“And bear with patience whatever befalls you.” [Surah Luqmaan: 17] 

And He says: 

“And give glad tidings to those who are patient.” [Surah Al-Baqarah: 155] 

Third: Seeking forgiveness after committing a sin. This is since all of the Son of Aadam (i.e. humans) are sinners. But what is obligatory upon mankind when they should fall into sin is to rush to ask for forgiveness and repentance, as Allaah says: 

“And those who when they commit some immoral act (i.e. fornication) or wrong themselves with evil, remember Allaah and so seek (His) forgiveness for their sins. And who is it that forgives sins except Allaah? And they do not persist knowingly in what sins they committed (after that).” [Surah Aali ‘Imraan: 135] 

So these are the three characteristics: Being thankful for (Allaah’s) Blessing, being patient during times of tribulation, and seeking forgiveness after committing a sin. 

Whoever fulfills all of these will no doubt be from those who will experience happiness. In fact, happiness is linked to these three characteristics more than any others. All of them contain the meanings of Tawheed, submission, compliance and acceptance from Allaah. 

SECTION ONE: THE FOUNDATION OF AL-HANEEFIYYAH, THE RELIGION OF IBRAAHEEM 

Know, may Allaah grant you the ability to obey Him, that the Haneefiyyah, the religion of Ibraaheem is that you worship Allaah alone, making the Religion sincere for only Him, as Allaah says: “And I did not create the Jinn and mankind except to worship Me.” [Surah Adh-Dhaariyaat: 56] 

So when you come to realize that Allaah created you in order to worship Him, then know that worship is not called worship unless it is accompanied by Tawheed, just as prayer is not called that unless it is accompanied by (ritual) purity. So if Shirk (mixing partners) enters into one’s worship, it ruins it, just like impurity when it enters into the (ritual) purity. 

So when you come to realize that Shirk – when mixed into one’s worship – spoils it, invalidates one’s actions, and makes the person who possesses it into one who will reside eternally in the Hellfire, you will know that the most important thing that is binding upon you is to gain knowledge of that, so that perhaps Allaah may absolve you from this trap, which is ascribing partners to Allaah (i.e. Shirk) about which Allaah said: “Verily, Allaah does not forgive that partners be ascribed to Him in worship, but He forgives what is less than that to whom He wills.” [Surah An-Nisaa: 116] This can be achieved by knowing Four Rules that Allaah has mentioned in His Book. 

explanation 

Language: Al-Haneefiyyah comes from Haneef, which is someone that turns away from Shirk while being firmly established upon Tawheed; ahbata (invalidates) nullifies; maa doona dhaalik (what is less than that) i.e. what is less than Shirk such as sins and so on. 

Explanation: The Shaikh, may Allaah have mercy on him, began by clarifying the foundation of Al Haneefiyyah, which is the upright religion of Ibraaheem. Its basis is found in what Allaah has stated, calling the people to follow Ibraaheem: