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Kitaab At-Tawheed, Chapter: 21

What Has Been Said Concerning Those of This Ummah, Who Worship Idols

Allah says:

" Do you not see those who were given a portion of the Book? They believe in Al-Jibt 1 and At-Taaghoot and say to the unbelievers that they are better guided than the Believers!" (Qur'an 4:51)

In this verse, Allah , Most Glorified, Most High, directs the attention of His Messenger, Muhammad (may Peace Be Upon Him) and that of all the Muslims, to the evil deeds of some of the Jews, who believed in the worship of idols and preferred that to the Believers' worship of their Rabb, even though the Jews knew from their Revealed Books that the Religion of Islam was better than the worship of idols and that the Messenger of Allah (may Peace Be Upon Him) spoke the truth from his Rabb. But their hatred and jealousy blinded them and prevented them from speaking the truth and instead, caused them to praise and flatter the unbelievers; but Allah will complete His Light and Guidance, even though the disbelievers may detest that.

Benefits Derived From This Verse

1. Confirmation that the Jews had distorted the teachings of their Scriptures.

2. That false flattery in matters of religion and concealing the truth are amongst the characteristics of the Jews.

3. The existence of Shirk amongst the People of the Book.

Relevance of This Verse to the Subject of the Chapter and to the Subject of Tawheed

That the verse proves the existence of shirk amongst the People of the Book and it has been authentically reported from the Prophet (may Peace Be Upon Him) that the Muslims will imitate the People of the Book, and this includes in committing Shirk.

Important Note

The reason for the revelation of this verse has been narrated by Imam Ahmad, on the authority of Ibn `Abbas (ra), who said: "When K'ab Ibn Al-Ashraf approached Makkah, Quraish said: "Do you not see this orphan, who is cut off from his family? He claims that he is better than us, while we are the patrons of the pilgrims and the Custodians (of the Sacred Mosque)," at which K'ab replied: "You are better (than he)." Then this verse was revealed:

" Verily, he who despises you will be cut off [from hope of mercy and forgiveness in the Hereafter]" (Qur'an 108:1)

..ooOOoo..

Allah says:

" Say: "Shall I inform you of something much worse than this [as judged] by the treatment it received from Allah? Those who incurred the curse of Allah and His wrath, those of whom some He transformed into apes and some into swine, those who worshipped At-Taaghoot - they are worse in rank and far astray from the even Path" (Qur'an 5:60)

Allah says, addressing the Prophet (may Peace Be Upon Him): Say, oh, Muhammad, to these disbelievers from amongst the People of the Book: "Shall I tell you about those who will receive the worst punishment on the Day of Resurrection? They are those of you whom Allah has banished from His Mercy and His wrath is upon them and He has turned them into apes and swine, and they worship idols." Because of these evil attributes, Allah has informed us that they are the worst of people and the farthest astray.

Benefits Derived From This Verse

1. The permissibilty of cursing the disbelievers in general.

2. Confirmation of Allah's Divine Attribute of Anger.

3. Confirmation of Allah's having transformed some of the People of the Book into pigs and apes.

4. The presence of Shirk amongst the People of the Book.

5. That disobedience to Allah's Will can result in chastisement in this world as it does in the Hereafter.

Relevance of This Verse to the Subject of the Chapter and to the Subject of Tawheed

That it proves the existence of Shirk among the People of the Book by their worship of At-Taghoot; and it has been authentically reported that this Ummah will imitate the Jews and Christians and this includes committing Shirk.

Important Note

Allah transformed some of the Jews into apes because the ape outwardly resembles the human being, although they are separate and distinct from them. Likewise, the Jews used to commit transgressions which, in some ways, outwardly appeared to be good deeds, while in fact they were false.

..ooOOoo..

Allah says:

" And thus did We make their case known to the people that they might know that the Promise of Allah is true, and that there can be no doubt about the Hour [of Judgement]. When they disputed among themselves about their affair, [some] said: "Construct a building over them." Their Rabb knows best about them: Those who prevailed over their affair said: "Verily, we will build a place of worship over them."" (Qur'an 18:21)

Allah , Most High, informs us in this verse that He drew the attention of the people to the situation of the People of the Cave; and the wisdom behind that was to prove to them that man can be resurrected after death. Then He , Most High, informs us about the dialogue which took place between their people: That some of them believed that they should build structures over the People of the Cave although that which was incumbent upon them was for Allah to decide while others preferred that they should build a place of worship over them.

Benefits Derived From This Verse

1. Confirmation of the story of the People of the Cave.

2. Confirmation of the truth of resurrection after death.

3. That making places of worship over graves was the practice of former peoples.

Relevance of This Verse to the Subject of the Chapter and to the Subject of Tawheed

That the verse proves that the People of the Book used to build structures over graves, and the Prophet (may Peace Be Upon Him) cursed them because of this as their actions led to the worship of the graves' inhabitants; and it has been authentically reported that some of the people of this Ummah will imitate them, building mosques over graves and worshipping their inhabitants.

..ooOOoo..

It is reported on the authority of Abu Sa'eed Al-Khudri (ra) that the Messenger of Allah (may Peace Be Upon Him) said:

"Surely, you will follow the ways of those before you, just as the flight of one arrow resembles another, so much so, that even if they entered the hole of a lizard, you would enter it." They said: "(Do you mean) the Jews and Christians?" He (may Peace Be Upon Him) replied: "(If not them,) then whom?" (Narrated by Bukhari and Muslim)

Abu Sa'eed Al-Khudri (ra) tells us in this Hadith that the Messenger of Allah (may Peace Be Upon Him) informed the Companions that this Ummah will imitate the previous nations in their customs, their politics and even their religion; indeed in all matters, as the flight of one arrow resembles another. Then he further impressed upon us this fact, saying that even were those previous nations to enter the hole of a lizard, the people of this Ummah would try to follow them. Then when the Companions asked him as to the identity of those people, were they the Jews and Christians? he (may Peace Be Upon Him) replied in the affirmative.

Benefits Derived From This Hadith

1. Evidence of a Prophetic miracle, since the Messenger of Allah (may Peace Be Upon Him) predicted correctly that the Muslims would one day imitate the Jews and Christians.

2. That making things clear by using powerful similes is an Islamic method of teaching.

3. The forbiddance of imitating the People of the Book.

4. The permissibility of asking questions of the people of knowledge.

Relevance of This Hadith to the Subject of the Chapter and to the Subject of Tawheed

That it proves that this Ummah will do as the People of the Book do; and amongst their actions is the worship of idols.

..ooOOoo..

It is narrated by Muslim, on the authority of Thawban (ra) that the Messenger of Allah (may Peace Be Upon Him) said:

"Verily, Allah folded the earth for me, so much so that I saw its East and its West: The kingdom of my Ummah will reach as far as the earth was folded for me. The two treasures, both the red and the white were given to me. I prayed to my Rabb that He may not destroy my Ummah by a widespread drought and not give sovereignty over them to an enemy who annihilates them in large numbers except from among themselves. And then verily, my Rabb said: "Oh, Muhammad (may Peace Be Upon Him)! When I issue a decree, it is not withdrawn: I have promised your Ummah that I will not destroy it by a widespread drought and I shall not give sovereignty of them to an enemy who exterminates them in large numbers, even if they are stormed from all sides of the earth except from among themselves. Only a portion of them will destroy another portion and a portion will take another portion prisoner." This was also narrated by Al-Barqaani, who added: "I fear for my Ummah those leaders who will send them astray: When the sword is used among my people, it will not be withdrawn from them until the Day of Resurrection and the Hour will not come until a tribe from among my Ummah attach themselves to the polytheists and numbers of my people worship idols; and there will be among my Ummah thirty liars, all of them claiming that he is a prophet, though I am the Seal of the Prophets - none will come after me. But some of my Ummah will continue to hold to the truth and they will be victorious and they will not be harmed by those who oppose them until Allah's Command comes."

The Prophet (may Peace Be Upon Him) tells us in this Hadith that Allah gathered together for him all of the earth, and he saw all that lay between the east and west. And he saw that the kingdom of his people would stretch across all of the earth then he asked his Rabb, Almighty, All-powerful not to destroy his Ummah through drought or famine nor allow any enemy from without to rule over them and who would slaughter them in large numbers. And his Rabb granted his request, but that they would quarrel amongst themselves, fight each other, kill each other and take each other prisoner. Then he (may Peace Be Upon Him) made clear that the most dangerous thing that he fears for his Ummah is those leaders who will misguide the people, for they will follow them and will be ruled by them, though they have no knowledge; thus they will be astray themselves and will send others astray; and should the killing begin, it will not end until the Day of Resurrection; and a number of his Ummah will worship idols, and that there will appear among them thirty liars who will claim prophethood, but the Messenger of Allah (may Peace Be Upon Him) has informed us that he is the Seal of the Prophets and that none will come after him. And finally, in order that we despair not he (may Peace Be Upon Him) informs us that a number of his Ummah will hold fast to the true Religion, that they will be aided by Allah and they will not be harmed by those who abandon them or those who plot against them until the Command of Allah comes.2

Benefits Derived From This Hadith

1. Evidence of a miracle of the Prophet (may Peace Be Upon Him) in predicting the future - some of which has come to pass and some of which has yet to happen.

2. The permissibility of taking war booty for the Muslims.

3. The Prophet's care for the fate of his Ummah.

4. Confirmation of Allah's Divine Attribute of Speech.

5. That the cause of destruction of this Ummah will be quarrelling and warring amongst themselves.

6. Evidence that the danger to this community will come from misguided leaders who will send their people astray.

7. The presence of Shirk in this Ummah.

8. The rejection of all those who claim to be Prophets after Allah's Messenger, Muhammad (may Peace Be Upon Him).

9. That Muhammad (may Peace Be Upon Him) is the Seal of the Prophets.

  1. The continuation of the Truth among some of this Ummah until comes the Command of Allah .

Relevance of This Hadith to the Subject of the Chapter and to the Subject of Tawheed

That the Hadith proves that some of this Ummah will worship idols.

Footnotes

1. Al-Jibt: A false idol.
2. This would appear to be a reference to the wind which Allah (swt) will send and which will take away the souls of all the believers so that when the Trump is sounded, there will be none alive except the unbelievers - and Allah (swt) knows best.

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