Saturday, March 21, 2015

Part 1 / 4: Importance of teaching Tawheed and issues pertaining to Creed over other topics

بسم الله والحمد لله والصلاة والسلام على رسول الله ، وبعد

Ten points of benefits from the conversation between Yusuf عليه السلام and the two prisoners:

When the two prisoners came to Yusuf عليه السلام asking him to interpret their dreams for them, this is how he began:


1) The first thing Yusuf عليه السلام did was he attributed the knowledge of interpreting the dream to Allaah تعالى. He did not take the credit for that, rather he said, I will inform you of its interpretation but the knowledge is from Allaah and not my own:

﴿ذَٰلِكُمَا مِمَّا عَلَّمَنِي رَبِّي﴾

{That is from what my Lord has taught me.} [Surah Yusuf (12): 37]


2) He عليه السلام then gave preference to informing the two prisoners more about Allaah before answering their question.


3) He began by freeing himself from Shirk (polytheism) and what the people worship other than Allaah:

﴿إِنِّي تَرَكْتُ مِلَّةَ قَوْمٍ لَّا يُؤْمِنُونَ بِاللَّـهِ وَهُم بِالْآخِرَةِ هُمْ كَافِرُونَ﴾

{Indeed, I have left the religion of a people who do not believe in Allaah, and they, in the Hereafter, are disbelievers.} [Surah Yusuf (12): 37]

This is what we are taught in the first part of the Shahaadah (لا إله ...) “There is none worthy of being worshiped…” Yusuf عليه السلام disassociated himself from Shirk and the people who commit it, in the same way as Ibraaheem عليه السلام did with his people:

﴿وَإِذْ قَالَ إِبْرَاهِيمُ لِأَبِيهِ وَقَوْمِهِ إِنَّنِي بَرَاءٌ مِّمَّا تَعْبُدُونَ * إِلَّا الَّذِي فَطَرَنِي فَإِنَّهُ سَيَهْدِينِ﴾

{And (remember) when Ibraaheem said to his father and his people: “Verily, I am disassociated from that which you worship, Except Him who created me; and indeed, He will guide me.”} [Surah al-Zukhruf (43): 27]


4) He عليه السلام informed them that he is not innovating in religion nor is he the first Prophet or Messenger; he is only following the way of his Salaf (the pious predecessors) from the Prophets and Messengers who preceded him (as mentioned earlier):

﴿وَاتَّبَعْتُ مِلَّةَ آبَائِي إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَإِسْحَاقَ وَيَعْقُوبَ﴾

{And I have followed the religion of my fathers, Ibraaheem, Is-haaq and Ya`qoob.} [Surah Yusuf (12): 38]

Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم was commanded by Allaah تعالى to say:

﴿قُلْ مَا كُنتُ بِدْعاً مِّنَ الرُّسُلِ﴾

{Say: “I (Muhammad) am not a new thing among the Messengers…”} meaning: ‘I am not the first Messenger who ever came to the world. Rather, Messengers came before me. Therefore, I am not an unprecedented incident that should cause you all to reject me and doubt my being sent to you. Indeed, Allaah has sent before me all of the Prophets to various nations.’ [Tafseer Ibn Katheer]


5) Yusuf عليه السلام then affirms the worship for Allaah alone, affirming the second part of the Shahaadah (... إالا الله) “…except Allaah.”

﴿مَا كَانَ لَنَا أَن نُّشْرِكَ بِاللَّـهِ مِن شَيْءٍ﴾

{And it was not for us to associate anything with Allaah (in worship).} [Surah Yusuf (12):38]


6) Yusuf عليه السلا also affirms that being guided towards Tawheed (worship of Allaah alone) and being saved from committing Shirk is the biggest favor of Allaah upon mankind:

﴿ذَٰلِكَ مِن فَضْلِ اللَّـهِ عَلَيْنَا وَعَلَى النَّاسِ﴾

{That is from the favor of Allaah upon us and upon the people} [Surah Yusuf (12):38]

[See Tafseer Ibn Katheer for more explanation on this Aayah]

There is no one who acquires a treasure more valuable than learning Tawheed and no one gives Sadaqah (charity) better than teaching Tawheed. If Allaah تعالى can reward the prostitute generously and forgive her because she provided water to the thirsty dog, then there is no imagination of the reward which He تعالى will give to the one who guides the people towards Tawheed.


7) But most people are thankless, heedless and careless of this great favor (as some don’t want to learn and some don’t want to teach):

﴿وَلَـٰكِنَّ أَكْثَرَ النَّاسِ لَا يَشْكُرُون﴾

{but most of the people are not grateful.} [Surah Yusuf (12):38]


8) He عليه السلام then asks them the question:

﴿يَا صَاحِبَيِ السِّجْنِ أَأَرْبَابٌ مُّتَفَرِّقُونَ خَيْرٌ أَمِ اللَّـهُ الْوَاحِدُ الْقَهَّارُ﴾

{“O two companions of the prison! Are many different lords (gods) better or Allaah, the One, the Irresistible?...”} [Surah Yusuf (12):39]

The question is not for them to answer in “yes” or “no” but for them to contemplate and ponder over what has just been said.


9) He عليه السلام further explains to them why Shirk is wrong and how it began:

﴿مَا تَعْبُدُونَ مِن دُونِهِ إِلَّا أَسْمَاءً سَمَّيْتُمُوهَا أَنتُمْ وَآبَاؤُكُم مَّا أَنزَلَ اللَّـهُ بِهَا مِن سُلْطَانٍ ۚ إِنِ الْحُكْمُ إِلَّا لِلَّـهِ﴾

{“…You do not worship besides Him except (mere) names which you have named (forged) - you and your fathers - for which no authority has been sent down by Allaah. The command (or the legislation or the judgement) is for none but Allaah (alone)…} [Surah Yusuf (12):40]

The things which people worship besides Allaah are things which they and their fathers have concocted. Allaah تعالى did not command them to do so nor do they have any proof to support their claim.


10) It is the command of Allaah that He alone should be worshiped and no partners should be associated to Him, but most of the mankind knows not:

﴿أَمَرَ أَلَّا تَعْبُدُوا إِلَّا إِيَّاهُ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ الدِّينُ الْقَيِّمُ وَلَـٰكِنَّ أَكْثَرَ النَّاسِ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ﴾

{He has commanded that you worship none but Him, that is the (true) straight religion, but most men know not.”} [Surah Yusuf (12):40]

Since Allaah تعالى says that most of the mankind does not know, so then does it not becomes necessary that one should foremost teach the people about Tawheed and the correct `Aqeedah (Creed) because their success in the Hereafter depends upon this? And does it not become necessary that one should warn them against Shirk which will lead people to eternal damnation?
***************

Some may say that we have already read books on Creed and Tawheed, so it is not necessary to read them over and over again. Others may say that this incident was between Yusuf عليه السلام and two Kaafirs and that is why he first began by teaching them Tawheed. As for those who are Muslims, then it is not necessary for them to go through these same steps.

In shaa Allaah, these doubts will be discussed in the second part.


For part 2, please click here.
For part 3, please click here.
For part 4, please click here.

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