Part of Concepts of Ahl as-Sunnah (series completed)
· Lesson 9 of 1251
Summary of Sunni concepts | Concept (7) | The perceptions that belief creates
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Transcript
Machine translation — may contain errors
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A summary of the concepts held by the Ahl al-Sunnah.
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The perceptions that creed cultivates.
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The sound creed is firmly rooted in human nature,
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solely because man is in need of it,
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to populate his heart,
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and from it, his perceptions and actions emerge.
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It provides him with a comprehensive interpretation of his life and destiny,
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and of the universe around him,
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and of his relationship—and that of the universe—with Allah, the Supreme Creator.
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The first perception this creed establishes
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is the realization of the reality of the Lord,
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and the reality of the universe in which man lives,
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both what he observes within it and what is hidden from him,
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and the reality of the life to which he belongs, in its present and its unseen aspects.
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And finally,
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his realization of the reality of his own self, which he carries within,
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and the purpose of his existence and his ultimate destiny.
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Among the most vital perceptions established by the creed
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is taking Allah alone as one’s deity,
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and negating divinity from anything other than Allah, the Exalted.
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Thus, servitude is directed to Allah alone,
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and to no one else.
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Among these perceptions, too,
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is the realization that sovereignty belongs to Allah alone,
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and to none of His servants.
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Furthermore, the creed maps out for the individual goals greater than his own self,
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broader than his own generation,
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and more sublime and elevated than his current reality.
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It links these goals to the Essence of Allah, the Most High,
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from whom the individual receives the system of his life,
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the methodology of his thought and conduct,
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and the rites of his worship.
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He realizes that Allah maintains surveillance and control over him.
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Yet, with all this, the individual
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loves his Lord, the Author of this system, surveillance, and control,
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and he loves and hates for His sake,
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fears Him, and guards against His wrath,
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seeks His pleasure,
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asks for His aid in goodness and righteousness,
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feels ashamed to confront Him with evil,
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and hopes for His just reward,
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which compensates him for what he misses in his struggle against evil in this worldly life.
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Among what the creed also establishes
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is the realization that whims and emotions are governed by the creed,
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not the other way around.
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Finally, this creed
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affirms the reality of submission to Allah’s choice in every matter,
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as the Almighty said:
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“Thy Lord bringeth to pass what He willeth and chooseth. They have never any choice. Glorified be Allah and Exalted above all that they associate (with Him)!” (28:68)
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“Thy Lord bringeth to pass what He willeth and chooseth. They have never any choice. Glorified be Allah and Exalted above all that they associate (with Him)!” (28:68)
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No one has the right to suggest anything to Allah,
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nor to add or subtract,
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or to alter or change anything in His creation.
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For it is Allah who chooses from His creation whom He wills,
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for whatever functions, tasks,
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duties, and stations He wills.
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If this truth were firmly settled in the souls of mankind,
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people would not be resentful of anything that befalls them,
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nor would they be arrogant about what they attain with their own hands,
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nor would they be saddened by what they miss.
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For they are not the ones who choose;
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rather, it is Allah who chooses.
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This does not mean
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that they should abandon their intellects, wills, and activities,
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or fail to employ legitimate means.
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Rather, it means
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that they should accept what occurs after they have exerted
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all that is within their capacity of thought, planning, and choice.
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Thus, they receive everything that happens to them
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with contentment, submission, and acceptance.
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For they are only held accountable for what is within their capacity,
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while the command and the choice belong to Allah alone.