Of Umar, son of Al-Khattab, may God's grace be upon him, thus it was said: Lo, as we sat in the presence of God's Emissary, peace and blessings be upon him, there came unto us a man arrayed in garments of purest white and with hair of deepest black. Upon him bore no trace of a journey, nor was he known amongst us. He drew nigh unto the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, and with his knees touching the Prophet's own, he rested his hands upon his thighs, and thus he spake, "O Muhammad, I beseech thee, speak unto me of this Islam."

The Prophet, peace be upon him, responded, "Verily, Islam is to testify that there is no god but God, and Muhammad is His messenger, to observe prayer, to give alms, to fast during the month of Ramadan, and to make pilgrimage unto the Sacred House, if thou art able to journey there."

"Thou hast spoken truly," the man replied. We marvelled greatly at this stranger who sought the Prophet's wisdom, and then confirmed its truth. He then inquired further, "Now tell me of faith."

The Prophet, peace be upon him, answered, "Faith is to believe in God, His angels, His holy books, His messengers, the Last Day, and the divine decree, whether it brings good or ill."

"Thou hast spoken truly," the man affirmed. "Now speak to me of goodness."

The Prophet replied, "Goodness is to worship God as though thou seest Him, for even if thou dost not see Him, He seeth thee."

"Now tell me of the Final Hour," the stranger implored.

"Of that hour," replied the Prophet, "the one who is asked knows no more than the one who asks."

"Then speak to me of its signs."

The Prophet, peace be upon him, answered, "The signs shall be that a servant girl shall give birth to her mistress, and thou shalt see the barefoot, the naked, the destitute, the shepherds vying in the construction of lofty buildings."

With that, the stranger took his leave. After a while had passed, the Prophet turned to me and asked, "O Umar, dost thou know who was the questioner?"

"Nay," I responded, "God and His Messenger know best."

The Prophet, peace be upon him, said, "Verily, it was the angel Gabriel. He came to teach you your religion."

By the scholar Jalal al-Din al-Suyuti

The chapter on theology from his larger work Purity

In the name of God, Most Gracious, Most Merciful,

Theology is the discipline in which is examined that which must be believed.

The cosmos is a creation, and its Creator, the One, is eternal, possessing no commencement in His existence. 

His nature is distinct from the nature of all other beings. 

His attributes encompass life, will, knowledge, power, hearing, sight, and His eternal word, inscribed in the sacred texts, held in the hearts, and pronounced by tongues. 

He, Exalted be He, is transcendent, beyond physical form, color, taste, and accidental properties, and does not indwell within creation. 

Concerning the scriptural and traditional narrations of enigmatic matters, we adhere to their apparent meaning, while acknowledging His transcendence beyond their literal reality, entrusting their interpretation to Him or engaging in theological exegesis. 

Divine providence, both its blessings and trials, originates from Him. 

His will manifests, and what He does not will, does not occur. 

He does not pardon idolatry but may forgive sins other than this, if He so chooses. 

No duty is incumbent upon Him, Exalted be He. 

He dispatched His messengers with clear signs and miracles, culminating in Muhammad ﷺ. 

A miracle is an act that transcends natural laws, in response to a challenge, and serves as a sign of grace for the saints, except in the case of birth without a natural parentage. 

We affirm the reality of the tribulation in the grave, the interrogation by the two angels, the final gathering, the celestial basin, the bridge, the scale, the intercession, and the believers' beatific vision of Him, Exalted be He, as true. 

The bodily ascension of the Chosen One ﷺ is true, as is the return of Jesus near the end of time and his defeat of the Antichrist, and the taking away of the Koran is true. 

Heaven and Hell have been created, with Heaven being celestial, and concerning Hell we abstain. The soul endures and death is predestined. 

Sin does not eradicate faith, nor does heresy, except in the case of anthropomorphism or denying God's omniscience in details. 

The most exalted of all creation is the Beloved of God, the Chosen One ﷺ, followed by His friend Abraham, peace be upon him, then Moses, Jesus, and Noah, who are the Resolute. Subsequently, the other prophets vary in their esteemed ranks, followed by the angels, then Abu Bakr, then Umar, then Uthman, then Ali, then the remainder of the ten, then the people of Badr, then Uhud, then the pledge at Hudaybiyyah, then the rest of the Companions, may God be pleased with them, and then the remainder of the faithful, distinguished by their varying characteristics. The most venerable among women are Mary and Fatimah, along with the mothers of the faithful: Khadijah and Aishah. 

The prophets, peace and blessings be upon them, are safeguarded from error, the Companions are deemed upright, and figures such as Al-Shafi'i, Malik, Abu Hanifa, Ahmad, among other leaders, are guided on the path of righteousness. Imam Abu al-Hasan al-Ash'ari stands as a preeminent leader in the tradition, and the path of Ibn al-Qasim al-Junayd and his companions is firmly established.

Also known as: The Smallest, The Smallest of the Small

By the scholar Abu Abdullah Muhammad ibn Yusuf al-Sanusi

In the Name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful,

May blessings and peace be upon our Master, Muhammad, and his noble family. Thus spoke the revered and learned Sheikh, the esteemed jurist and sage of his time, Abu Abdullah Sidi Muhammad ibn Yusuf al-Sanusi al-Hasani, may God's mercy encompass him, and may He be well pleased with him. Amen.

Praise be to God, and peace and blessings be upon the Messenger of God.

Know that our Lord, exalted and mighty is He, doth possess attributes that are necessary and eternal: existence, pre-eternity, and everlastingness. He is unlike His creation, subsisting in His own essence, independent of any locus or determinative cause. He is singular in His essence, attributes, and actions. To Him alone belongeth power, will, knowledge, life, hearing, sight, and speech, speech that is neither composed of letters nor uttered in sound. He is indeed endowed with omnipotence, volition, omniscience, vitality, hearing, sight, and speech.

Furthermore, there are twenty attributes impossible to ascribe to Him, the Most High, which are the opposites of the aforementioned necessary attributes. These include non-existence, temporality, the possibility of ceasing to exist, resemblance to created things, dependency on a place or a specific direction, and the existence of any partner in His essence, attributes, or actions.

Likewise, it is impossible for Him, exalted is He, to be impotent with regard to any possible matter, to be unwilling, ignorant, forgetful, inattentive, or heedless. It is impossible for Him to die, to be deaf, blind, or mute.

It is permissible, concerning God the Most High, that He may act upon or refrain from any possible matter.

The proof of His existence, exalted is He, is the occurrence of the world. Had He not been eternal, He would have been contingent. Had He not been everlasting, He would not have been eternal. Had He not been distinct from His creation, He would have been like them, a contingent being. Had He not been self-subsisting, He would have been in need of a locus and a specific cause. If He had required a locus, He would have been a mere attribute. If He had required a specific cause, He would have been contingent.

Had He not been one, He would have been overcome, yet He is the Subduer over His servants. Had power, will, knowledge, and life not been necessary for Him, none of His creation would have come into being. Had He not possessed hearing, sight, and speech, He would have been deficient, exalted is God above such a thing with great exaltation.

Had it not been permissible for Him, the Most High, to act or refrain from acting in regard to possible matters, the very essence of reality would have been overturned, and the overturning of realities is impossible.

As for the Messengers, upon them be peace and blessings, it is necessary for them to be truthful, trustworthy, and to convey that which God hath commanded them to convey unto creation.

It is impossible for them, upon them be peace and blessings, to possess the opposites of these attributes, namely falsehood, treachery, and concealing what God hath commanded them to convey unto creation.

It is permissible for them, upon them be peace and blessings, to experience what is permissible for other human beings, such as illness, hunger, sleep, eating, drinking, buying and selling, marriage, and divorce, so long as these do not detract from their lofty stations.

The proof of their truthfulness, upon them be peace and blessings, lies in the miracles they perform. Had they not been trustworthy, they would have been treacherous. Had they not conveyed, they would have concealed, and such a thing is impossible.

The evidence for the permissibility of human attributes in them, upon them be peace and blessings, is the witnessed occurrence of such attributes during their lifetimes by the people of their time, transmitted to us through mass transmission and reports, generation after generation, until the present day.

And with God's guidance, success is achieved; there is no Lord besides Him, nor is there any deity in truth save Him. And may God send blessings upon our Master and Lord, Muhammad, and upon his family and companions, and grant them abundant peace.

Thus, the Creed is completed, by the praise of God, the Most High.

By the saint and scholar, Imam Abu Hamid al-Ghazali

A chapter from his larger work Ihya Ulum al-Din

In the Name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful,

It contains four chapters.

The First Chapter: A rendering of the creed of the People of the Sunnah concerning the two phrases of the Testimony, which are among the pillars upon which Islam is built.

Praise be to God, the Beginner and the Restorer, the Doer of whatsoever He wills, Possessor of the Glorious Throne and Mighty in Retribution, the One who guides the elect among His servants unto the upright path and the sound doctrine; He who bestows upon them, after the testimony of Divine Oneness, His favour in safeguarding their beliefs from the shadows of doubt and hesitation. 

He it is who leads them to follow His chosen Messenger, grace and benedictions be upon him in full measure, and to tread the traces of his noble Companions, honored and upheld by divine support and heavenly guidance. He manifests unto them, in His Essence and His Acts, the most beautiful of attributes, which none comprehends save he who lends an ear while bearing witness with heart awake.

He has made them to know that He, in His Essence, is One without partner, unique without equal, eternal without opposite, singular without rival.

He is One, Pre-eternal, without beginning; Everlasting, without end; Abiding in perpetual being, without cessation; Everlasting, without limit or decline; Self-sustaining, without interruption; Ever-during, without lapse or dissolution. 

He has never ceased, nor shall He ever cease, to be described with the attributes of majesty. The passing of ages nor the vanishing of times decree no end upon Him, nor doth the expiry of durations or the extinction of lifespans sever Him from existence. Nay rather, He is the First and the Last, the Manifest and the Hidden, and He is, of all things, All-Knowing.

He is exalted beyond all likeness, not a body, nor a substance defined by limit or measure. He resembles not bodies, neither in extension nor in susceptibility to division. He is not a substance, nor do substances inhere in Him; nor is He an accident, nor do accidents befall Him. Nay rather, He resembles not toward any creation, nor does any existent resemble toward Him.

There is naught like unto Him, nor is He like unto aught.

No dimension constrains Him, no direction encompasses Him, no region contains Him, neither do the heavens nor the earth enclose Him.

Ascending Above

And He is exalted above the Throne in the manner which He hath declared, and in the meaning which He Himself intend, an exaltation purified from contact, settlement, establishment, indwelling, or movement. The Throne bears Him not; rather, the bearers of the Throne are themselves born, upheld by the subtlety of His power, and subdued beneath His grasp.

He is above the Throne and the heavens, and above all things down unto the depths of the dust. Yet His exaltedness adds not nearness to the Throne or the skies, just as it adds not distance from the earth or the soil below. Nay rather, He is exalted in degree above the Throne and the heavens, just as He is exalted above the earth and what lies beneath.

And yet, He is near unto every created thing, closer to the servant than his jugular vein, and He is Witness over all things. For His nearness resembles not the nearness of bodies, even as His Essence resembles not the essence of bodies.

And He, exalted is He, is not indwelling in anything, nor does anything dwell within Him. Transcendent is He above being contained by space, just as He is sanctified above being confined by measure.

He is now as He ever was, before He created time and space, for time and space are His creation, and He is as He was before them.

He, glorified be He, is separate from His creation by His Attributes: there is naught within His Essence but He Himself, nor is His Essence found within aught besides Him.

He is hallowed above all change and alteration; no emergent events befall Him, nor do accidental states overtake Him.

Nay, He remains ever in the Attributes of His Majesty, purified from cessation, and in the perfections of His beauty, in no need of increase nor completion.

And He, exalted is He, is known in His Essence by the intellects through the certainty of existence, and His Essence shall be beheld by the eyes as a grace from Him and a mercy upon the righteous in the Abode of Settlement, as a gladdening of their bliss through the vision of His Noble Countenance.

His Power

And verily, He is Living, ever Living, Mighty, All-Powerful, Overwhelming, and Subduing. No incapacity touches Him, nor any feebleness; nor does slumber seize Him, nor sleep. Perishing has no sway over Him, nor does death ever draw nigh.

He is the Possessor of sovereignty and dominion, might and majesty. His is the command, His the creation, His the dominion and the decree. The heavens are rolled up in His right hand, and all created beings are subdued beneath His grasp.

He is the One alone in creation and origination, the Sole Author of existence and innovation. He created all creatures and their deeds, apportioned their sustenance and their appointed terms. No object within His grasp can escape His power, nor can the unfolding of affairs elude the decree of His might.

His decreed things cannot be numbered, nor can His knowledge be encompassed by limit.

His Knowledge

And He is Knowing of all that is known, encompassing all that comes to pass, from the depths of the earth to the heights of the heavens. Naught escapes His knowledge, not the weight of a mote in the earth, nor in the sky. Nay, He knows the creeping of the black ant upon the hard stone in the pitch of a dark night. And He perceives the movement of the mote in the midst of the air, and knows the secret and what is yet more hidden.

He is aware of the stirrings of the inmost thoughts, the motions of passing notions, and the subtlest whispers of the soul’s recesses، by a knowledge pre-eternal and uncreated, with which He has ever been described from the dawn of pre-eternity. Not by a knowledge newly acquired within Himself through indwelling or transition, but by an eternal knowledge, unchanging and without beginning.

His Will

And God, exalted is He, is the Willer of all that is, the Disposer of all that comes newly into being. Naught passes in the realm of dominion or sovereignty, be it little or much, small or great, good or evil, benefit or harm, faith or disbelief, gnosis or denial, triumph or loss, increase or diminution, obedience or rebellion, save by His decree and foreordainment, His wisdom and volition. Whatsoever He wills, it is, and whatsoever He wills not, shall never be.

Nor does the glance of an onlooker, nor the fleeting thought of a thinker, escape His Will, for He is the Beginner and the Restorer, the Doer of whatsoever He wills.

None may repel His command, nor delay His judgment; and no servant has refuge from sin save through His enabling grace and mercy, nor has he strength for obedience save by His Will and His desire.

And if mankind and jinn, angels and devils, were to gather as one to move a single mote in the world, or to still it, apart from His Will and ordinance, they would be utterly powerless so to do.

And His Will subsists within His very Essence, among the totality of His Attributes. He has ever been thus, described eternally as Willing, having willed, in His pre-eternity, the existence of things in the times He appointed for them. And so they came into being in their due times, even as He had willed them from everlasting, neither earlier nor later, but precisely in accordance with His Knowledge and Will, without alteration or change.

He disposes all affairs, not by the ordering of thoughts, nor by awaiting the passage of time; and thus, no affair distracts Him from another.

Hearing and Sight

And He, exalted is He, is All-Hearing, All-Seeing. 

He hears and He sees; naught escapes His hearing, though it be hidden, nor is any visible thing absent from His sight, though it be subtle. His hearing does not arise after absence, nor is His seeing hindered by darkness. He beholds without pupil or eyelids, and He hears without canal or ears, just as He knows without heart, strikes without limb, and creates without instrument; for His Attributes bear no likeness to the attributes of creation, just as His Essence resembles not the essences of created beings.

Speech

And He, exalted is He, is Speaking, commanding and forbidding, promising and threatening, with a Speech that is pre-eternal, without beginning, subsisting in His Essence, unlike the speech of created beings. It is not a sound arising from the vibration of air or the striking of corporeal bodies; nor is it composed of letters that cease by the closing of lips or the movement of tongue.

And the Koran, the Torah, the Gospel, and the Psalms are His revealed Books, sent down upon His Messengers, peace be upon them all.

And the Koran is recited upon tongues, written in codices, and preserved within hearts; yet withal, it is pre-eternal, subsisting in His Essence, majestic is His Majesty, admitting neither separation nor division through its transmission into hearts and parchments.

And Moses, grace and peace be upon him, heard the Speech of God Most High without sound and without letter, just as the righteous shall behold the Essence of God, glorified and exalted is He, in the hereafter, without substance or accident.

And if these be His Attributes, then He is Living, Knowing, Powerful, Willing, Hearing, Seeing, and Speaking, through Life, Power, Knowledge, Will, Hearing, Sight, and Speech, not merely by Essence alone.

And verily, there is naught in existence besides Him but that it is created by His act, and flows forth from the outpouring of His bounty, in the most excellent, complete, perfect, and just of forms.

He is Wise in all His doings, Just in all His judgments. His power is not to be measured by the power of His servants, for injustice may be conceived of in the servant, when he acts upon the possession of another; but no injustice can be conceived of in God Most High, for there is naught that belongs to another wherein His action might be deemed unjust.

Thus, all that is besides Him, of men and jinn, angels and devils, heaven and earth, animals and plants, inanimates and essences, air and soil, intelligibles and sensibles, is created, brought into being by His power after non-existence, through sheer origination.

And He brought all into being after it had been naught, for in pre-eternity He was, and naught was with Him. He alone existed, without peer or partner. Then He brought forth creation, as a manifestation of His power, a fulfillment of His pre-eternal Will, and a realization of His eternal Word. Not out of need or want did He create, but as a gracious favor.

He is the Benefactor in creating, originating, and enjoining, not by compulsion or necessity; the Bestower of blessings and rectitude, not out of obligation. To Him belong grace, beneficence, bounty, and favor, for He is able, if He so willed, to pour upon His servants all manner of torment, and to try them with diverse pains and afflictions. And were He to do so, it would be but justice from Him, neither wrong nor evil.

And He, mighty and exalted is He, rewards His believing servants for their acts of obedience by the rule of generosity and promise, not by way of obligation or merit. For naught is incumbent upon Him on behalf of any soul, nor can injustice be conceived of in His actions; no right is owed Him by any, and no duty is owed by Him to any.

His right upon His servants in matters of obedience became binding upon them by His own ordinance, as conveyed through the tongues of His Prophets, peace be upon them, not by reason alone.

But He sent forth Messengers, and made manifest their truthfulness by evident miracles; they conveyed His commands and prohibitions, His promises and His threats, and thus it became incumbent upon creation to believe them in all that they brought.

The Second Phrase, which is the Testimony concerning the Messenger, grace and benedictions be upon him, affirming his Prophetic Mission.

And verily, He sent the unlettered Prophet, the Qurayshite, Muhammad, grace and benedictions be upon him, with His message unto all peoples, Arab and non-Arab, jinn and mankind alike.

By his sacred law He abrogated the laws that came before, save that which He confirmed thereof.

He exalted him above all the other Prophets, and made him the Master of mankind.

He rendered the Testimony of Faith incomplete, namely: “There is no god but God,” except it be joined with the Testimony of the Messenger: “Muhammad is the Messenger of God.”

And He made it incumbent upon all creation to believe him in all that he conveyed, concerning matters of this world and the hereafter. Nor is the faith of any servant accepted until he believe in all that the Prophet declared regarding what is to come after death.

And the first of these is the questioning by Munkir and Nakir, two dreadsome and awe-inspiring beings who seat the servant upright in his grave, body and soul united, and question him concerning the Oneness of God and the Prophethood. They say unto him: “Who is thy Lord? What is thy religion? And who is thy Prophet?” They are the examiners of the grave, and their questioning is the first trial following death.

And one must believe in the punishment of the grave, that it is true, and its judgment just, and that it may befall both body and soul, according to whatsoever God wills.

And he must believe in the Scale, possessing two scales and a tongue, its magnitude like unto the breadth of the heavens and the earth. Therein shall deeds be weighed by the power of God Most High. And the weights, on that Day, shall be like grains of dust and mustard seed, in perfect fulfillment of divine justice. The scrolls of good deeds shall be cast therein in a comely form, luminous and radiant, and the scale shall be made heavy thereby, in proportion to their rank in the sight of God Most High, by the bounty of God. And the scrolls of evil deeds shall be cast therein in an ugly and darkened form, and the scale shall be made light thereby, by the justice of God.

And he must believe in the Bridge, that it is true indeed. It is a bridge stretches across the surface of Hell, sharper than a sword, finer than a hair. Thereon shall the feet of the disbelievers slip, by the judgment of God,glorified is He, and they shall be cast down into the Fire. But the feet of the believers shall be made firm upon it, by the grace of God, and they shall be led onward to the Abode of Settlement.

And he must believe in the Promised Basin, the Basin of our Master Muhammad, grace and benedictions be upon him. From it shall the believers drink before entering Paradise, and after crossing the Bridge. Whosoever drinks from it a single draught shall never thirst again for all eternity. Its breadth is as the distance of a month's journey; its water is whiter than milk and sweeter than honey. Around it are vessels as numerous as the stars of heaven. And into it flow two channels, pouring forth from al-Kawthar.

And he must believe in the Reckoning, and that the creation shall differ therein: some shall be called to full account and examined in detail, others shall be pardoned without reckoning, and among them are those who shall enter Paradise without any account; they are the ones brought nigh.

God Most High shall question whomsoever He wills from among the Prophets concerning the delivery of the Message; and whomsoever He wills from among the disbelievers concerning their denial of the Messengers. He shall question the innovators concerning the Sunnah, and the Muslims concerning their deeds.

And he must believe in the deliverance of the monotheists from the Fire after vengeance has been exacted, such that none shall remain in Hell of those who affirmed Divine Oneness, by the grace of God Most High. No believer in the Oneness of God shall abide eternally in the Fire.

And he must believe in the Intercession, first by the Prophets, then by the scholars, then by the martyrs, and then by the righteous among the believers, each according to his rank and station in the sight of God Most High.

And whosoever remains of the believers without an intercessor shall be brought forth by the sheer grace of God, glorified is He. Thus, no believer shall be consigned to everlasting punishment, but shall be brought forth therefrom if there be in his heart so much as the weight of a grain of faith.

And he must hold firm belief in the virtue of the Companions, may God be pleased with them, in accordance with their established ranks. That the best of mankind after the Messenger of God, grace and benedictions be upon him, is Abu Bakr, then Umar, then Uthman, then Ali, may God be well pleased with them all.

And he must maintain a good opinion of them, and of all the Companions collectively; and he must praise them, just as God, mighty and majestic, and His Messenger, grace and benedictions be upon him, praised them all.

For all this has come by sound reports, and has been born witness to by the narrations and traditions.

And whosoever holds all these beliefs with full certainty and unwavering conviction, is of the people of truth and the company of the Sunnah, separate from the faction of error and the party of innovation.

So we ask God Most High for the perfection of certainty and steadfastness in the religion, for ourselves and for all the Muslims, by His mercy, for verily He is the Most Merciful of the merciful.

And may blessings be upon our Master Muhammad, and upon every elect servant chosen and drawn nigh.

By the Scholar Najm al-Din Abu Hafs Umar al-Nasafi

In the Name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful,

Praise be to God, the Lord of all creation, and peace and blessings be upon our Master Muhammad, the faithful one. Now, to proceed,

The venerable Nasafi, God rest his soul, said that the adherents of truth declare:

The realities of things are steadfast, and the knowledge of them is ascertained, in contrast to the assertions of the Sophists.

The means of knowledge for the created beings are threefold: unimpaired senses, truthful testimony, and reason.

The senses are fivefold: hearing, vision, olfaction, touch, and taste, and by each of these faculties, one comprehends that for which it has been ordained.

The truthful testimony is of two kinds: (1) the recurrent testimony, which is the testimony established on the tongues of a people, their collusion in falsehood being unimaginable. It gives rise to necessary knowledge, like the knowledge of bygone kings in the elapsed eras and remote lands.

The second kind is the testimony of the Apostle, endorsed by miracles, which necessitates inferential knowledge. The knowledge established by this testimony is akin to the knowledge established by necessity in terms of certainty and steadfastness.

As for reason, it too is a means of knowledge. What is established by it through intuition is necessary, like the knowledge that the whole is always greater than its part. What is established by it through inference is acquired.

The cosmos, with all its constituents, is created, for it consists of substances and accidents. Substances are entities that exist per se, either composite or non-composite, like essence, which is the indivisible part. Accidents are entities that do not exist independently and occur in bodies and essences, such as colors, dimensions, tastes, and odors.

The Creator of the cosmos is God, the Most High, the One, the Everlasting, the Living, the Omnipotent, the Omniscient, the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing, the Ordainer, the Willing, who is neither an accident nor a body, nor an essence, nor a form, nor limited, nor numbered, nor divisible, nor fragmentable, nor finite, and who is not defined by essence, nor by modality, and who is not contained in a place, nor subject to time, and nothing resembles Him, and nothing eludes His knowledge and power.

He possesses eternal attributes inherent in His essence, which are neither He nor other than He [i.e., His attributes are fixed to His essence and are inseparable from Him]. They are knowledge, power, life, might, hearing, sight, will, decree, action, creation, provision, and speech. He speaks with a speech that is an attribute of His, eternal, not of the nature of letters and sounds, and it is an attribute that negates silence and affliction. God, the Exalted, speaks with it, commanding, forbidding, and informing. The Koran is the uncreated speech of God, the Exalted, and it [i.e., the utterance revealed that indicates it] is inscribed in our scrolls, preserved in our hearts, recited on our tongues, heard by our ears, and not subject to change.

The act of bringing into existence is an eternal attribute of God, the Most High, and it pertains to His creation of the cosmos and every part of its constituents, not in eternity but at the time of their existence, in accordance with His knowledge and will. This act of bringing into existence is distinct from the created things themselves, in our understanding. Will is also an eternal attribute of God, the Most High, inherent in His essence.

The vision of God, the Exalted, is rationally possible and obligatory according to divine revelation. The auditory evidence affirms the vision of the faithful beholding God, the Exalted, in the abode of the hereafter. He shall be seen not in a place, nor in a direction, without facing or contact of rays, nor with a fixed distance between the beholder and God, the Exalted.

God, the Exalted, is the Creator of all the actions of His servants, including disbelief, faith, obedience, and disobedience, all of which occur by His will, decree, wisdom, judgment, and predestination.

The servants have voluntary actions for which they are rewarded or punished. The good actions among them are pleasing to God, the Exalted, while the evil actions are not.

Ability accompanies action, and it is the reality of power by which an action is performed. This term also applies to the soundness of means, instruments, and faculties. The validity of obligation depends on this ability. A servant is not burdened with what is beyond his capacity.

As for what occurs of pain in the one struck after being struck by a human, and the breaking of glass after being broken by a human, and the like, all of that is created by God, the Exalted. There is no agency for the servant in their creation.

Verily, both the licit and the illicit are provisions for sustenance, and each soul shall receive its due provision, be it rightful or sinful. It is unthinkable for a man not to consume his own provision or for another to consume that which is not his. 

God Almighty leads astray whom He wills, and guides whom He wills. That which is best for His servant is not obligatory upon God Almighty. 

The torment of the grave awaits the unbelievers and some of the sinful believers, while the obedient ones shall enjoy comfort in the grave as God Almighty knows and wills. The questioning by the angels Munkar and Nakir is confirmed by auditory evidence. Resurrection, Judgment, the Scripture, the Questioning, the Font, the Bridge, Heaven, and Hell are all truth. Both Heaven and Hell are created realities that shall persist eternally; they shall not perish, nor shall their inhabitants. 

A grave sin does not expel the believing servant from faith, nor does it place him in disbelief. God forgives not that partners should be set up with Him, but He forgives anything less than that to whom He wills, both minor and major sins. Punishment may be inflicted for minor sins, and pardon may be granted for major sins unless they involve making the illicit lawful, for such a transgression constitutes disbelief. 

Intercession is confirmed for the messengers and the righteous, especially for those of the believers who have committed grave sins, who shall not abide eternally in Hellfire. 

Faith is to affirm what comes from God Almighty and to acknowledge it. As for deeds, they can increase in themselves, but faith neither increases nor decreases. Faith and submission are one and the same. 

If a servant affirms and acknowledges, it is right for him to say: "I am a true believer", and he ought not to say, "I am a believer, God willing." The fortunate may suffer, and the unfortunate may find happiness. Changes occur in the states of felicity and misery, not in the bestowing of these states, for they are attributes of God Almighty, who Himself does not change, nor do His attributes. 

In the sending of messengers, there is wisdom. God has sent messengers from among humans to other humans, bringing glad tidings and warnings, and clarifying to people what they need in matters of this world and the faith. They were supported with miracles that contradicted ordinary conventions. The first of the prophets was Adam, peace be upon him, and the last of them was Muhammad, peace be upon him. While their exact number is mentioned in some traditions, it is preferable not to confine to a specific count; for God Almighty has said, "Some of them We have narrated unto thee, and some of them We have not narrated unto thee." We should be careful in considering the count, lest we include those who do not belong or exclude those who do. All of them delivered messages from God Almighty, and they were truthful and sincere. The best of the prophets, peace be upon them, is Muhammad, peace be upon him. 

The angels are the servants of God Almighty, who act according to His command. They are not described as being male or female. God has revealed books to His prophets, in which He clarified His commandments, prohibitions, promises, and threats. 

The ascension of the Messenger of God, peace be upon him, to the heavens and then to whatever God Almighty willed was a reality. 

The miracles of the saints are real. These miracles manifest in ways that contradict ordinary conventions, such as covering great distances in a short time, the provision of food, drink, and clothing in times of need, walking on water and in the air, speaking with inanimate objects and the mute, warding off calamities, and defeating enemies, among other things. Such occurrences would be considered miracles for a messenger if they were to occur for a member of his community, for they affirm his saintliness, and no one is a saint unless he is truthful in his faith, which is to acknowledge the message of his messenger. 

The best of humanity after our Prophet is Abu Bakr the Truthful, then 'Umar the Discriminator, then 'Uthman the Possessor of Two Lights, then 'Ali the Accepted One, and their succession was in this order. 

The Caliphate lasted for thirty years, and after it came monarchy and leadership. 

And the faithful must have a leader who shall execute their judgments, establish their bounds, defend their borders, prepare their armies, take their alms, subdue the oppressor and the usurper and the highwaymen, establish the congregation and the holy days, terminate the disputes arising among the servants of God, accept the testimonies grounded upon just claims, betroth the young and the orphans who have no guardians, distribute the spoils of war, and the like. Then, it behooves that the leader be manifest, not concealed nor awaited, and he shall be of the tribe of the Koraish, and none other is permissible, nor shall he be exclusively of the House of Hashim and the children of Ali, may God be pleased with him. And it is not required that the leader be sinless, nor that he be the best of the people of his time; but he must be of the people of absolute and perfect authority, able to execute judgments and preserve the boundaries of the Christian dominion and to vindicate the oppressed from the oppressor. And the leader is not to be removed due to wickedness and tyranny.

And it is permissible to pray behind every righteous man and sinner, and prayers shall be said for every righteous man and sinner.

And we shall mention the companions only with good. And we bear witness to the ten who received the glad tidings, those whom the Prophet, peace be upon him, gave tidings.

And we hold that wiping over the foot coverings, both in travel and at home, is permissible, and we do not forbid the must of dates.

And no saint attains the degree of the prophets, nor does a servant reach the point where commandments and prohibitions fall away from him.

And the texts are to be understood according to their outward meanings; to deviate from them to other meanings, as is claimed by the esotericists, is heresy, and to reject the texts is disbelief, and to declare sinfulness lawful is disbelief, and to make light of sin is disbelief, and to ridicule the law is disbelief, and to despair of God is disbelief, and to be secure from God is disbelief, and to believe in the priest concerning what he tells of the unseen is disbelief.

And that which does not exist is not anything.

And in the prayers of the living for the dead and their giving of alms on their behalf, there is benefit for them. And God Almighty answers prayers and fulfills needs.

And whatever the Prophet, peace be upon him, has informed of the signs of the hour, such as the emergence of the Antichrist and the Beast of the Earth, and Gog and Magog, and the descent of Jesus, peace be upon him, from the evening and the rising of the sun from its setting, it is the truth.

And the jurist may err and may succeed.

And the messengers of humanity are better than the messengers of the angels, and the messengers of the angels are better than the generality of humanity, and the generality of humanity is better than the generality of angels.

A commentary upon the Compendium of al-Akhdari according to the jurisprudence of the Imam Mālik

by the scholar Abu Muhammad Abd al-Latif ibn al-Musabbih al-Mirdasi

— may God have mercy upon him —

From the beginning of the work unto the Chapter Concerning Purification

Praise be to God, Who hath exalted the landmarks of Islam, made jurisprudence in religion an object of desire, and declared unto His believing servants the knowledge of those laws and ordinances which He hath imposed upon them. Grace and peace be upon our lord Muhammad, the best of mankind, and upon his good, pure, and noble family and companions; a perpetual benediction which we may find a support upon the Day of Thronging.

Thereafter: I have purposed in this commentary to expound the Compendium of the learned jurist, the erudite scholar, the friend of God, my lord Abu Zayd Abd al-Rahman al-Akhdari, may God have mercy upon him; for it compriseth the weightier matters of religion, purified from the admixture of controversies. We have not found any of the jurists to have expounded its expressions; I therefore desired to disclose the contents of its chapters and books by an exposition sufficient for our attainment of the end, that thereby we might know what God Most High hath established as a usage for us and laid upon us as an obligation. I have named it The Support of Exposition Concerning the Knowledge of Personal Obligations. I have not composed it for one superior to myself, but for myself and for such students as are beginners like me. I crave pardon of men of understanding for whatever defect hath entered into this transmitted work.

I beseech God to make us of those who discharge His duties, who are granted success in the acts of obedience which He hath commanded; to preserve us from error and misstep; and to prosper us in word and deed until the appointed term. He is sufficient for us, and an excellent Trustee. There is neither might nor power save in God, the High, the Magnificent.

TEXT: Praise be to God.

COMMENTARY: The author, may God Most High have mercy upon him, began this book with praise, following the example of the glorious Book of God and obeying that unto which the Apostle of God, upon whom be God's grace and benedictions, encouraged us when he said: “Every matter of moment which is not begun with praise is mutilated.” In another narration it is “leprous,” and in another, “cut off.” All signify a repellent defect and want of completion.

Praise is laudation in speech of the one praised for the beauty of his attributes absolutely, whether those attributes proceed from beneficence or from perfection. Thanksgiving is laudation, in speech or otherwise, of a benefactor by reason of his benefaction unto the thankful. Hence praise and thanksgiving possess generality and particularity under different aspects: they meet in one instance, while each is found apart in another. Praise is more general in respect of its cause and more particular in respect of its instrument; thanksgiving is the contrary, being more general in instrument and more particular in cause. We say “laudation in speech,” rather than “with the tongue,” that the four praises may be comprehended, namely, the two eternal and the two originated praises.

Know that praise is obligatory upon the legally responsible person once in his life, even as pilgrimage, the two testimonies of faith, and grace upon the Prophet, upon whom be God's grace and benedictions, are obligatory once in a lifetime. The definite article in “the praise” is said to signify the genus, which is the sounder doctrine; it is also said to signify a determinate thing, which some have elected.

Know likewise that, since the name of Majesty is the greatest of the names, comprehending the names of the Essence and the attributes, praise was joined unto it rather than unto any other name. It is a proper name of the necessarily existent Essence, qualified by the attributes, exalted above defects, and without partner among created things. This mighty name admitteth attachment, but not assimilation in character; whereas the remainder of His names, Most High, admit both. Attachment signifieth that the Creator, majestic and mighty, named Himself therewith and forbade His servants to be so named. Assimilation in character, as touching His other names, signifieth that creatures may be named thereby. Attachment standeth alone at one extreme, namely, in the name God; while it is joined with assimilation at the other, namely, in His remaining names. Success is from God Most High.

TEXT: Lord of the worlds.

COMMENTARY: Nurture originally signifieth the conveyance of a thing from one state unto another until it attain the end intended by the nurturer. It was then transferred unto the owner and the reformer, since nurture commonly adhereth unto both. “Worlds,” with the medial consonant opened, is the plural of “world.” In language, a world is every originated existent wherein there is a sign whereby it is distinguished from the other species and genera of creatures. Thus, among species, one saith the world of man and the world of birds; and among genera, the world of animals, the world of bodies, and the world of plants. God Most High gathered together all that dispersion in His saying, “Praise be to God, Lord of the worlds”; that is, He Most High is Lord of everything which ye call a world. In technical usage, the world is every existent save God Most High and the attributes of His Essence. This description, “the worlds,” therefore proclaimeth the origination of all worlds and their need of an Originator, Who can be none other than the Necessary Existent, majestic and mighty.

Success is from God Most High.

TEXT: And grace and peace be upon our lord Muhammad, the Seal of the Prophets and Imam of the Apostles.

COMMENTARY: Having first spoken of praise, which containeth laudation of God Most High for that whereof He is worthy, the author, may God Most High have mercy upon him, now speaketh of grace upon His Prophet; for the acceptance of supplication dependeth upon grace upon the Prophet. He began with “Praise be to God, Lord of the worlds,” and followed it with grace upon the Seal of the Prophets. He thereby taught us that nurture is of two kinds, common and particular. Common nurture consisteth in bringing into existence, sustaining, and developing by life and other things shared by bodies generally. Particular spiritual nurture consisteth in the sciences and intellectual cognitions. God Most High hath appointed that no man upon earth obtain this particular nurture save at the hands of the Apostles, upon whom be grace and peace. He allotted the fullest portion and greatest share thereof unto that which is received at the hand of our Prophet, lord, and master Muhammad.

Thus the author indicated common nurture by “Lord of the worlds,” and particular nurture by “and grace and peace be upon our lord Muhammad, the Seal of the Prophets.”

Know that the grace of God Most High upon His Prophet is an ennoblement and an increase of honour; toward one beneath the rank of prophecy it is mercy. Grace upon the Prophet, upon whom be God's grace and benedictions, is obligatory upon every Muslim once in his life. A lord is one unto whom men resort in every grave matter; and none can doubt that the gravest matter wherein they resort unto the Prophet, upon whom be God's grace and benedictions, is the supreme intercession for all the people of the place of assembly.

“Muhammad” is a proper name transferred from an intensive passive participle. Our Prophet, upon whom be God's grace and benedictions, was so named by an inspiration from God Most High, in good augury that creatures would praise him abundantly because of his many laudable qualities. He is therefore praised in this world and the next. It is related in the histories that his grandfather Abd al-Muttalib was asked: “Why hast thou named thy son Muhammad, when it is not among the names of thy fathers?” He answered: “I hoped that he would be praised in heaven and earth.” God fulfilled his hope according to what had preceded in His eternal knowledge.

The Seal of the Prophets signifieth their last; by him their number, one hundred and twenty-four thousand, was completed, and there is no Prophet after him. It followeth necessarily that there is no Apostle after him; for prophecy is more general than apostleship according to the sound doctrine, and the negation of the more general entaileth the negation of the more particular, though the reverse doth not hold. In language, sealing is impressing; and the seal of a thing is its last part, whence His saying, Most High, “Its seal is musk.” “Prophets” is the plural of prophet. The term is derived, according to one opinion, from tidings, which are information; and, according to another, from elevation, loftiness, and nobility. There is no doubt that he, upon whom be grace and peace, reporteth from God Most High and is likewise at the utmost elevation, loftiness, and nobility.

The distinction between a Prophet and an Apostle is that a Prophet is everyone unto whom revelation is given, while an Apostle is one unto whom revelation is given and who is commanded to convey it. In sum, the favours of our Master, majestic and mighty, and the gifts whereby He distinguished our Prophet Muhammad in this world and the next cannot be numbered. We beseech Him, glorious and Most High, to make us of the best of his nation, attaining the honour of nearness unto him by His bounty and generosity. Success is from God Most High.

TEXT: The first thing incumbent upon the legally responsible person is the rectification of his faith.

COMMENTARY: That is, the first thing legally incumbent upon every legally responsible person, namely, every sane adult, is to know what is necessary, impossible, and possible in respect of our Master, majestic and mighty. He must likewise know the same concerning the Apostles, upon whom be grace and peace.

Those versed in these three judgements concerning God Most High and His Apostles have differed whether this knowledge is the very faith which God hath imposed upon us, without the inward assent consequent thereon. This is the doctrine of Shaykh al-Ashari. Or is knowledge a necessary concomitant of faith, faith upon this account being the inward assent which followeth knowledge? This is the doctrine of Judge Abu Bakr al-Baqillani, which the eminent Ibn al-Hajib declared sounder. It accordeth more closely with the linguistic signification of faith.

According to either doctrine, therefore, knowledge is required in the articles of faith. Knowledge is a firm judgement conformable to reality and proceeding from proof. Mere adherence, which is a firm judgement conformable to reality but proceeding without proof, doth not suffice. A rational man will not accept for himself the trade of adherence; for, according to many critical authorities, it doth not deliver in the world to come. It is thus established that the command to know what must be believed compriseth the command to employ the speculation which leadeth thereunto. The legally responsible person is commanded to rectify his beliefs until he knoweth that he hath obtained something of substance in the articles of Divine unity and hath discharged the liability of adherence.

When he considereth the works of his Lord and exerciseth thought upon His signs, decisive proofs appear unto him in every one of those works. God Most High saith: “Verily, in the creation of the heavens and the earth, and the alternation of night and day, are signs for men of understanding” [3:190]. He saith: “Say: Behold what is in the heavens and the earth” [10:101]; “Do they not behold the camels, how they were created?” [88:17]; and, “And in your own souls; will ye not then see?” [51:21]. These are luminous demonstrations.

If a man consider his own existence, how he was a drop in his father's loins, then came into his mother's womb until his formation was completed according to the manner ordained by his Lord, and was thereafter brought forth from the darknesses of the womb; how hearing and sight were appointed unto him, and a power deposited within him whereby he passed from childhood unto youth, he must exclaim: Glory be to Him Who, when He willeth a thing, saith unto it only, “Be,” and it is. He is then addressed with those personal obligations incumbent upon him, and especially with the knowledge of the articles of faith. He must conceive the meanings of the rational judgement and judge them firmly concerning the eternal, magnificent Lord and concerning His Apostles, upon whom be grace and peace, with a judgement conformable to reality.

TEXT: He must thereafter know that the attributes which proof establisheth as necessary for our Master, majestic and mighty, are twenty.

COMMENTARY: They are existence; beginninglessness; endlessness; His dissimilitude from originated things; His subsistence by Himself, that is, His want of neither subject nor determiner; unity, that is, He hath no second in His Essence, attributes, or acts; power and will, both of which relate unto all possibilities; knowledge, which relateth unto all necessities, possibilities, and impossibilities; life, which relateth unto nothing; hearing and sight, which relate unto all existents; speech, which consisteth neither of letter nor sound and relateth unto all those objects unto which knowledge relateth; and His being powerful, willing, knowing, living, hearing, seeing, and speaking.

Their contraries are impossible concerning Him Most High. By their contraries is meant everything which repugneth them. Non-existence repugneth existence; origination repugneth beginninglessness; cessation repugneth endlessness; likeness unto originated things repugneth dissimilitude from them; need of a subject or determiner repugneth subsistence by Himself; multiplicity in the Essence, attributes, or acts repugneth unity; universal or particular impotence repugneth universal power; the occurrence of all or any acts despite aversion unto their occurrence repugneth universal will; ignorance, or anything of its signification concerning any object of knowledge, repugneth knowledge; deafness, or the absence of any existent from His hearing, repugneth His universal hearing; blindness, or the concealment of any existent from His sight, repugneth His universal sight; dumbness, the failure of His speech to signify any object of knowledge, or the composition of His speech from letters, sounds, or any of their necessary concomitants, repugneth His speech; and death repugneth life.

The doing and leaving of possibilities is possible concerning Him Most High. Reward, punishment, the sending of Apostles, and the observance of the good or the better good of creatures all enter herein: none is necessary or impossible for Him Most High.

Concerning the Apostles, upon whom be grace and peace, truthfulness, trustworthiness, and the conveyance unto creatures of all which they were commanded to convey are necessary. Falsehood, treachery, and concealment of aught which they were commanded to convey are impossible concerning them. Such human accidents as sickness and the like are possible concerning them, provided that they conduce not unto a diminution of their exalted ranks. Success is from God Most High.

TEXT: Thereafter he must know that whereby his personal obligation is made sound, such as the ordinances of prayer, purification, and fasting.

COMMENTARY: After rectifying his beliefs, the legally responsible person must know that whereby his personal obligation is made sound; that is, what bindeth him in his own person and is not discharged from him by another's performance, as a communal obligation is discharged by the performance of some. The ordinances of prayer must be known; and one must distinguish therein what is an obligation, what is a customary ordinance, and what is a perfection. Prayer compriseth words and acts, all of which are divided into an obligation without which it is invalid, a customary ordinance without which it is incomplete, and a perfection without which it lacketh completeness. Every man must therefore learn its ordinances that he may perform the worship in its most complete estate.

The words “purification and fasting” signify that the legally responsible person must also know the ordinances of purification, which is a condition of the validity of prayer; then those of fasting, pilgrimage, and all the other personal obligations. The Muslims are agreed that a legally responsible person may not undertake an act before knowing God's judgement concerning it, whether it pertain to transactions or worship. If, for example, a man pray or perform ablution and execute all the words and acts of worship, yet, when questioned concerning their ordinances, know nothing of their obligations, customary ordinances, or perfections, but remain ignorant of all and say only, “I did as I saw men do,” his prayer and purification are invalid, and in all which he did he is a sinful transgressor. Some scholars relate no controversy concerning this. Al-Sayuri transmitted two opinions, one maintaining validity and the other invalidity. As for one who omitteth an obligation, his worship is invalid by agreement.

Ibn Jamaa was asked concerning a man who wiped his ears in his washing from major ritual impurity; he answered that the man must repeat his prayer, and preferred that judgement.

Know that the outward acts of obedience, when their conditions are neglected, are a mockery for Satan, accompanied by much toil and little profit. The believer must expend his utmost endeavour in acquiring the obligations and abstaining from prohibitions; for by these two is deliverance from the Fire attained and degrees raised by God's bounty. He should leave aside such recommended works as remembrance, seeking forgiveness, taking the rosary, and other commendable acts, since none of these profiteth him while he neglecteth any obligation. Success is from God.

TEXT: He must preserve the bounds of God and stand at His command and prohibition.

COMMENTARY: “Bounds” is the plural of “bound,” a word derived from restraint. Here it signifieth the laws of God Most High, comprising obligations, commendable acts, prohibitions, and reprehensible acts. The legally responsible person must preserve God's bounds, that is, His laws, by establishing their pillars and persevering in their observance. He must avoid what God hath forbidden and obey what He hath commanded. When a servant employeth his members in obedience and avoideth disobedience, he hath preserved the bounds of God Most High. The divisions of the law are comprehended under commands, prohibitions, and acts. Preservation of those bounds consisteth in obedience unto the commands and avoidance of the prohibitions.

Abstention is harder upon the soul than compliance; for everyone may comply with commands, but none save the eminently truthful abstain from prohibitions. The proof that leaving is harder upon the soul than doing is his saying, upon whom be God's grace and benedictions: “When I forbid you a thing, refrain from it; and when I command you a thing, perform thereof what ye are able.” Observe how he advanced the prohibition before the command in this noble tradition. His words, “and stand at His command and prohibition,” signify that he transgresseth not the bounds established for him by the glorious Law.

The standing intended here is spiritual: the servant standeth at God's command by performing obligations, and at His prohibition by refraining from forbidden acts. He guardeth himself against every sin and transgression; for the Lawgiver commandeth man to perform acts of obedience and forbiddeth him forbidden things. God Most High saith: “Whatsoever the Apostle giveth you, take it; and whatsoever he forbiddeth you, refrain therefrom; and fear God” [59:7]. Success is from God Most High.

TEXT: He must repent unto God Most High before He be angered with him.

COMMENTARY: Thou hast learned that God's commands and prohibitions are many. When a servant sinneth, whether by omitting an obligation or committing a prohibition, he must repent unto God Most High before his Lord be angered with him. The reality of repentance is remorse for sin by reason of one's failure to observe the rights of God Most High. The Arabic word is derived from a word signifying a garment, because repentance covereth sin as a garment covereth nakedness. Linguistically, it signifieth return from blameworthy unto praiseworthy acts.

Its legal judgement is that it is a personal obligation upon everyone who hath committed a sin. Its obligatoriness is established by the Book, the Sunna, and consensus. God Most High saith: “Turn ye all together unto God in repentance, O believers, that ye may prosper” [24:31]; and, “O ye who believe, turn unto God with sincere repentance” [66:8]. The Apostle of God, upon whom be God's grace and benedictions, said: “Repent unto God, for I repent unto God more than seventy times each day”; in certain narrations, one hundred times. He said: “He who repenteth of sin is as one who hath no sin”; and, “Remorse is repentance,” that is, remorse is the greater part of repentance, even as he said, “Pilgrimage is Arafat.” The nation is agreed that repentance is immediately obligatory. He who deferreth it is disobedient and must repent also of the deferment, for the deferment is a second sin.

Know that repentance is a favour bestowed by God upon His servants and one of the peculiar privileges which He hath granted this nation. Among former nations, when a man sinned, he would find written upon his door in the morning: “The expiation of this sin is that thou kill thyself,” or that he perform such and such an act. Their repentance consisted in killing themselves; and they removed an impurity from its place only by cutting it away with shears. We, praise be to God, through the blessing of our Prophet, upon whom be grace and peace, repent by remorse and desistance, and remove impurity with water. This is of God's bounty toward us. The author's words, “before He be angered with him,” signify that, if the legally responsible person repent not of his sin, his Master, majestic and mighty, is angered with him and punisheth him for neglecting the commanded immediate return unto Him and desistance from sin. Success is from God Most High.

TEXT: The conditions of repentance are remorse for what is past; the intention never to return unto sin during what remaineth of his life; and the immediate abandonment of the sin, if he be engaged therein. It is not lawful for him to defer repentance, nor to say, “until God guide me”; for that is a mark of wretchedness, abandonment, and the obliteration of spiritual sight.

COMMENTARY: The conditions without which repentance is invalid are, as the author saith, three. Al-Qarafi called them pillars, saying: “The pillars of repentance are three.” He did not number among them the restoration of wrongfully held rights unto their owners. The apparent sense of the Epistle is that this is a fourth pillar, for it saith: “Of repentance is the restoration of wrongfully held rights.” The author of the Waghlisiyya likewise numbered such restoration among the pillars without which repentance is invalid. Other scholars have said that it is neither a pillar nor a condition of repentance, but another obligation, and that repentance is valid without it.

The things from which a servant repenteth are of two kinds: rights of God and rights of men. The rights of God are themselves either commands or prohibitions. Repentance from prohibitions is accomplished by the aforesaid three conditions. Commands are of two kinds: some omissions must be supplied, as the five prayers; others cannot be supplied, as dutifulness toward parents. Repentance from the first kind is obtained by supplying the prayers neglected, together with the aforesaid three conditions, and then humbly beseeching God Most High to accept it. Repentance from the second is obtained by the three conditions alone.

The rights of men are pecuniary or bodily. Repentance concerning property consisteth in restoring it unto its owner or his heirs. The offender must restore all that he oweth, though it consume everything in his possession. If the owner have no heirs, he giveth it in alms on his behalf. Al-Jazuli transmitted from certain shaykhs that he may retain so much as will sustain him, since he is numbered among the poor.

Bodily rights are either incorporeal or corporeal. The incorporeal concern honour. Repentance therefrom requireth that he obtain release from the injured person if he can find him; otherwise, let him multiply good works, that he may possess wherewith to compensate him in the world to come. Corporeal injuries are wounds or homicide. If a wound be subject to blood-money, he must pay it unto the injured person or his heirs, according to what hath preceded concerning property. If it be subject to retaliation, he must surrender himself thereto. Homicide is accidental or intentional. Repentance for accidental homicide followeth what hath preceded concerning property. If intentional, and the victim pardoned the offender during his life, the offender's repentance is accepted without controversy. If the victim granted no pardon, the murderer must surrender himself for retaliation; the heirs may exact it or pardon him. There are two opinions whether his repentance is accepted, or whether the threatened punishment must necessarily be executed upon him.

“Remorse for what is past” meaneth grief for what hath proceeded from him. Among the signs of repentance are pain, sorrow, and the flowing of tears. Ibn Arafa defined remorse as the agent's apprehension of his aversion unto that which he had done. Remorse alone may constitute repentance when the offender is incapable of more. Thus, if a fornicator's member be severed, he can do no more than repent; and if a thief's hand be severed so that he can steal no more, his repentance consisteth in remorse alone.

“The intention never to return unto sin during what remaineth of his life” meaneth that it is a condition of repentance that he resolve in his heart to abandon the sin for the remainder of his life, obeying his Lord's command and avoiding His prohibition. This concerneth one still capable of returning thereto, as a sound fornicator. If his member have been severed, there are two opinions whether he must intend not to return unto it upon the supposition that he were able.

“And the abandonment of the sin, if he be engaged therein,” meaneth that immediate abandonment of the sin is likewise a condition. He must desist at once and leave it in hatred thereof. Repentance is neither realized nor bringeth forth its fruit save by refraining from sin. When a man reflecteth upon his deed, perceiveth its ugliness, and is ashamed in his heart of his evil dealing with his Master, God Most High strengtheneth him with a sound resolve and disposeth for him the means of repentance: seeking forgiveness and all its other conditions. Repentance is not obtained without seeking forgiveness. God Most High saith: “Will they not turn unto God in repentance and seek His forgiveness?” [5:74]. He began with repentance and followed it with seeking forgiveness, which, when joined unto sin, is a petition that God Most High veil it. No sin which God hath veiled for His servant in this world will He fail to forgive him in the world to come. God is too generous to uncover a sin which He hath veiled for His servant.

The words, “nor to say, ‘until God guide me’; for that is a mark of wretchedness, abandonment, and the obliteration of spiritual sight,” signify that, when passion stirreth the servant, his soul calleth him unto its lusts until he becometh engaged in sin and delayeth repentance. If it be said unto him, “Return from that wherein thou art,” he answereth, “until God guide me.” This is a mark of wretchedness, abandonment, and the obliteration of spiritual sight; we seek refuge in God therefrom. God Most High saith: “It is not the eyes that are blind, but the hearts within the breasts that are blind” [22:46]. The effect of God's might and justice hath appeared in this forsaken man, and an evil end is feared for him. We beseech God Most High for well-being.

Sahl ibn Abd Allah said: “The servant cannot dispense with his Master in any state. His best state is that he return unto God in everything. When he disobeyeth Him, let him say: ‘My Lord, veil me.’ When he repenteth, let him say: ‘My Lord, grant me preservation.’ When he performeth an obedience, let him say: ‘My Lord, accept it from me.’” The best act to follow a sin is repentance. Success is from God Most High.

TEXT: He must guard his tongue from obscenity, reprehensible and foul speech, oaths of divorce, rebuking or demeaning a Muslim, reviling him, or frightening him without a lawful right.

COMMENTARY: The legally responsible person must guard his tongue from uttering that which the Law permitteth him not to utter. The tongue is one of the outward members, one of God's greatest favours unto the servant, and among the wonders of His workmanship: small in body, great in good, and abundant in evil. By it unbelief is distinguished from faith. No member of man is more disobedient, and no man is delivered from it save by silence. Hence he, upon whom be God's grace and benedictions, said: “He who keepeth silence is saved”; and, “Silence is wisdom, and few practise it.” He said likewise: “When God willeth good for a man, He aideth him to guard his tongue.” It is related that the members complain of the tongue each morning and say: “Fear God concerning us; if thou art upright, we are upright, and if thou art crooked, we are crooked.” The meaning is that the tongue's speech affecteth the members with Divine aid or abandonment.

One of the righteous said: “My tongue is a beast of prey; if I loose it, it devoureth me.” Imam al-Ghazali transmitted this in The Revival. Malik ibn Dinar said: “If thou findest hardness in thy heart, weakness in thy body, and deprivation in thy provision, know that thou hast spoken of that which concerneth thee not.” Speech is divided according to the divisions of the Law. Some is obligatory, as uttering the two testimonies and commanding the recognized good and forbidding the repudiated evil. Some is recommended, as remembrance and its like. Some is forbidden, as backbiting and talebearing. Some is reprehensible, as speech after the dawn and evening prayers which containeth no remembrance of God Most High. Some is permitted, as reciting verse wherein there is neither harm nor profit.

“Obscenity, reprehensible and foul speech” signifieth the explicit and shameful expressions used by the lowest of men. God hath forbidden this. The Apostle of God, upon whom be God's grace and benedictions, said: “Beware obscenity, for God Most High loveth neither obscenity nor its affectation”; and, “Were obscenity a man, he would be an evil man.”

“Oaths of divorce” meaneth that he must guard his tongue against swearing by divorce. Such an oath is reprehensible according to the received doctrine, though it is said to be forbidden. The tradition saith: “Swear not by divorce or manumission, for such are the oaths of transgressors.” The Apostle of God, upon whom be God's grace and benedictions, said: “He who would swear, let him swear by God or keep silence.”

“Rebuking or demeaning a Muslim” meaneth that the legally responsible person must guard his tongue from harsh speech toward a Muslim; for it is an injury and humiliation, and it is not lawful to humiliate or injure a believer. “Reviling or frightening him without a lawful right” meaneth that man must preserve his tongue from reviling and frightening a Muslim, neither being lawful. In the sound tradition he said, upon whom be God's grace and benedictions: “Repeatedly reviling a Muslim is transgression.” To frighten is to cause the expectation of a harm from which the person is not secure. Rather, one must inform him of the place of danger that he may guard against it. This concerneth fear imposed without lawful right; when a lawful right requireth it, it is permitted.

In sum, all these matters are diseases of the tongue. A rational man must guard his tongue and ponder his words before uttering them, that perchance he may escape its diseases. All good is in silence, according to his saying, upon whom be God's grace and benedictions: “Whoso believeth in God and the Last Day, let him speak good or be silent”; and, “Are men cast headlong upon their faces into the Fire for aught save the harvests of their tongues?” Success is from God Most High.

TEXT: He must guard his sight from looking upon the forbidden. It is not lawful for him to look upon a Muslim with a look which injureth him, unless he be an open transgressor, in which case he must be forsaken.

COMMENTARY: The legally responsible person must guard his sight from everything which it is unlawful to behold, whether the beholder be male or female, free or enslaved. It is a personal obligation to lower one's sight from the inviolable things of God Most High. God Most High saith: “Say unto the believers that they lower their gaze and preserve their private parts” [24:30]; and, “Verily, hearing, sight, and heart: each of these shall be questioned” [17:36]. In the tradition: “Three eyes shall the Fire not consume upon the Day of Resurrection: an eye which lowered itself from God's inviolable things; an eye which wept for fear of God; and an eye which passed the night keeping watch in the path of God.” Consensus establisheth the obligation of lowering the gaze from forbidden things.

Dhu al-Nun al-Misri said: “The veil against appetite is the lowering of the gaze.” Ibn Sirin said: “Beware excess of looking, for it leadeth unto excess of appetite.” One of the wise said: “He whose glances are many, his regrets endure.” If God hath favoured thee with sight, employ it not in ingratitude for that favour, lest thou lose what God hath prepared for the thankful. Know that the eye is among the chief corrupters of religion; for the pivot of religion and the world is the heart, and the corruption of the heart most commonly cometh through the eye. Ali ibn Abi Talib, may God be pleased with him, said: “He who governeth not his eyes setteth no value upon his heart.”

The Epistle saith: “There is no fault in the first glance when it is unintended.” The tradition saith: “Beware following one glance with another, for it soweth appetite in the heart.” The first glance is for thee, that is, no sin lieth upon thee because thou didst not intend it; but the second is against thee because thou didst intend it. God Most High saith: “He knoweth the treachery of the eyes and what the breasts conceal” [40:19]. The treachery of the eyes is the eye's theft of the second lustful glance. This is sufficient warning for him who feareth the station of his Lord.

In sum, God Most High hath favoured thee with thy members and placed them in trust with thee. To betray that trust, and employ His gift as an aid unto disobedience against Him, are among the worst tyranny and utmost loss. We beseech God Most High to deal with us according to His gentleness, bounty, and generosity.

“It is not lawful for him to look upon a Muslim with a look which injureth him” meaneth that it is forbidden to cast upon his believing brother a look whereby he is hurt. Every Muslim must refrain from injuring his brother outwardly or inwardly; for this is a sin which God leaveth not unrequited. “Unless he be an open transgressor, in which case he must be forsaken” meaneth that, if he be a transgressor, whether an innovator or one who openly committeth grave sins and concealeth not his disobedience, and one be unable to punish or admonish him, or he accept not admonition, he must then be forsaken as a restraint upon him and a deterrent unto his like. There is no backbiting in recounting his state. Success is from God Most High.

TEXT: He must guard all his members to the utmost of his ability.

COMMENTARY: Every man must, as far as possible, guard all his members: the tongue, the eyes, the ears, the hands, the feet, the belly, and the private parts. God Most High hath entrusted all unto him and commanded him to preserve them from every sin and transgression, employ them in obedience, and examine them at every time. Let him consider those members: if they have earned good, let him thank God; if they have earned evil, let him repent and seek God's forgiveness. None is capable of this save the people of watchfulness.

Umar ibn al-Khattab, may God be pleased with him, used to call himself to account when night fell. Thou, O poor man, must therefore avoid every sin, small or great; for the servant knoweth not by which sin he may deserve punishment. Many a sin is contemned by him who committeth it, although thereby he hath deserved chastisement. Ibn Ata Allah, may God be pleased with him, said: “No sin is great when His bounty confronteth thee, and no sin is small when His justice meeteth thee.”

One of the later masters said: God created Paradise and encompassed it with distasteful things; He created the Fire and encompassed it with appetites. He appointed seven gates for the Fire, according to the number of man's members. Whoso disobeyeth by one of them deserveth to enter by one of those gates. We beseech God Most High to deal with us according to His bounty, favour, and generosity.

TEXT: He must love for God's sake, hate for His sake, be pleased for His sake, and be angered for His sake.

COMMENTARY: Since love for God's sake and hatred for His sake are among the most excellent works, the legally responsible person is commanded to love those who obey God, hate His enemies, draw near unto the former, and withdraw from the latter. He loveth for God's sake by reason of obedience unto God, and hateth for God's sake by reason of disobedience unto Him.

In the tradition God Most High saith upon the Day of Resurrection: “Where are those who loved one another for My sake? This day will I shade them in My shade, when there is no shade save Mine.” Malik related it in The Well-Trodden Path. Al-Baji said that this is the day wherein men stand beneath the heat of the sun, save whomsoever God Most High shadeth. Ibn Dinar said that “I shall shade them in My shade” meaneth: I shall preserve them from afflictions and turn terrors away from them; for there is neither heat nor sun there.

His words, “be pleased for His sake,” signify that his pleasure must be for God Most High alone. He must never seek the pleasure of a creature through the displeasure of the Creator. Let him know certainly that the pleasure of creatures is an end which cannot be attained, because their purposes differ. A man may approve something in himself which men approve not; or he may please one person and displease another. He imagineth that he is doing what will profit him in men's esteem, while in truth he seeketh what harmeth him both before men and before God. Ibn Ata Allah, may God be pleased with him, said: “Whoso seeketh God's pleasure by that which displeaseth men, God is pleased with him and causeth men to be pleased with him. Whoso seeketh God's displeasure by that which pleaseth men, God is displeased with him and causeth men to be displeased with him.”

Anger is legally blameworthy, being the source of evils; but his words, “and be angered for His sake,” signify that anger for God's sake is legally praiseworthy. The Prophet, upon whom be God's grace and benedictions, was the most forbearing of men and the best in character; yet, when he saw the inviolable things of God violated, he became angered for God's sake.

God revealed unto Moses, upon whom be peace: “Hast thou wrought any work for Me, that I may show thee mercy thereby?” Moses said: “My Lord, I have prayed, fasted, given alms, and paid the alms-tax.” He said: “Thy prayer is a proof for thee, thy fasting a shield, thy alms a shade, and thy alms-tax a light. What work hast thou wrought for Me, O son of Imran?” Moses said: “My Lord, what work is that?” He said: “Hast thou ever befriended a friend for My sake, or opposed an enemy for My sake?” Moses then knew that the most excellent works are love for God's sake and hatred for God's sake. Success is from God.

TEXT: He must command the recognized good and forbid the repudiated evil.

COMMENTARY: This is incumbent upon the legally responsible person, for it is among the weightiest matters of religion. For its sake God sent His Prophets. Were it neglected, the Law would be suspended, religion would decay, error would spread, and ignorance become general. The men of the first age, may God have mercy upon them, neglected it not, but discharged it perfectly, until the lights of the Law filled every country, justice appeared among the subjects, and the provisions of the servants multiplied. As for the present time, report cannot equal sight: dissimulation and passion have overcome men in this arduous age until this Muhammadan custom hath been effaced, and scarcely may one find upon the earth a believer who reviveth it.

The recognized good is every act commanded by the Law; the repudiated evil is every act forbidden by the Law. The command and prohibition are a communal obligation without controversy, unless they be exercised in the heart; then they are a personal obligation, for everyone is capable thereof. Judge Abd al-Wahhab so declared. Their obligatoriness is proved by the Book, the Sunna, and consensus.

God Most High saith: “Let there be among you a nation calling unto good, commanding the recognized good, and forbidding the repudiated evil” [3:104]; “Ye are the best nation brought forth for mankind: ye command the recognized good and forbid the repudiated evil” [3:110]; and, in the account of Luqman, “Command the recognized good and forbid the repudiated evil” [31:17]. The Apostle of God, upon whom be God's grace and benedictions, said: “Ye shall assuredly command the recognized good and forbid the repudiated evil, or God shall assuredly chastise you with a chastisement from Himself”; and, “Whoso among you beholdeth an evil, let him alter it with his hand; if he be unable, then with his tongue; if unable, then with his heart, and that is the weakest faith.” In a tradition, God Most High revealed unto Gabriel, upon whom be peace, that he should overturn a certain city upon its inhabitants.

Gabriel said: “My Lord, within it is such a one, who hath never disobeyed Thee for the twinkling of an eye.” He answered: “Overturn it upon him and upon them; for his countenance never altered when he beheld an evil.”

The nation is agreed that commanding the recognized good and forbidding the repudiated evil are obligatory. The former is called recognized because hearts recognize it; the latter is called repudiated because hearts repudiate it. The recognized good is mentioned first because it was known among the noble angels before God created Adam and Iblis; repudiated evil arose only when He created the two. One condition of altering an evil is that the alteration lead not unto a greater evil, as when forbidding the drinking of wine would lead unto homicide. Another is that an effect be likely; he who altereth the evil must judge it probable that his speech will profit. Success is from God Most High.

TEXT: Lying, backbiting, and talebearing are forbidden unto him.

COMMENTARY: These are diseases of the tongue and are forbidden by consensus. The first is lying, among the vilest sins and foulest matters. The tradition saith: “Beware lying, for it is the root of hypocrisy.” An inadvertent lie incurreth no sin, according to the tradition: “Error, forgetfulness, and that whereunto men are compelled are removed from my nation.” An intentional lie may be forbidden when it altereth a benefit or severeth a Muslim's right; it then requireth repentance and release from the person wronged. A lie whereby a Muslim's property is appropriated is more grievous still.

Lying may be obligatory, as when thou hast seen a man flee from an oppressor who desireth to kill him, and, being questioned concerning him, answerest that thou hast not seen him; and likewise when the oppressor desireth unlawfully to take his property. It may be recommended, as when one telleth an unbeliever that the Muslims possess a mighty army and marvellous equipment. It may be reprehensible, as lying unto one's wife. It may be permitted, as lying to reconcile men. Lying is thus divided according to the five legal judgements: obligatory, recommended, forbidden, reprehensible, and permitted.

Backbiting is to mention concerning a man what he would dislike to hear, if that disliked quality be truly in him. If it be not in him, the speech is calumny. Envy leadeth men unto backbiting; insinuation and express speech are alike therein. It maketh no difference whether one mention a defect in the victim's body, lineage, understanding, deed, speech, religion, or worldly estate, even in his garment, house, or beast. The nation is agreed that whoso mentioneth another by what he disliketh is a backbiter disobedient unto his Lord, although he speak truly.

The Apostle of God, upon whom be God's grace and benedictions, said: “Know ye what backbiting is?” They answered: “God and His Apostle know best.” He said: “Thy mention of thy brother by what he disliketh. If that which thou sayest is in thy brother, thou hast backbitten him; if it is not in him, thou hast calumniated him.” He said likewise: “Beware backbiting, for it is graver than fornication. The fornicator repenteth and God accepteth his repentance; but God forgiveth not the backbiter until his victim forgive him.”

Talebearing is to say unto a man, “Such a one said this and that concerning thee,” thereby producing enmity and sedition between him from whom the speech is related and him unto whom it is carried. It is also defined as revealing what the person concerned, the hearer, or another would dislike to have revealed. The revelation may be by speech, writing, or gesture, and the thing transmitted may be a word or an act. One who observeth aught of men's affairs should keep silence concerning it, save when disclosure procureth a benefit for a Muslim or averteth a harm from him. Thus, if thou seest a man take another's property, thou must bear witness thereto for the sake of the owner's right. But if thou seest him conceal his own property and revealest it, this is talebearing and disclosure of a secret.

In sum, backbiting and talebearing are two blameworthy qualities. God Most High saith: “Let not some of you backbite others” [49:12], likening the backbiter unto one who eateth dead flesh. The Apostle of God, upon whom be God's grace and benedictions, said: “The blood, honour, and property of every Muslim are inviolable unto every Muslim”; and, “A severer shall not enter Paradise.” Being asked who the severer was, he answered: “He who severeth men one from another by talebearing.” He unto whom a tale is carried must disbelieve the bearer, forbid him that legally repudiated evil, and entertain no evil suspicion of his absent brother; for God Most High saith: “Verily, some suspicion is sin” [49:12]. Success is from God Most High.

TEXT: Pride, self-admiration, ostentation, seeking reputation, envy, and hatred are forbidden unto him.

COMMENTARY: Pride and all that followeth it are forbidden unto the legally responsible person. Pride is among the greatest sins of the heart. One of the friends of God said: “Every sin may be accompanied by an opening save pride.” God Most High saith: “Thus doth God seal every proud and tyrannical heart” [40:35]; and, “I shall turn away from My signs those who wax proud upon the earth without right” [7:146]. The Apostle of God, upon whom be God's grace and benedictions, said: “He shall not enter Paradise in whose heart is the weight of an atom of pride.” They said: “O Apostle of God, one of us loveth that his garment and sandals be fair.” He answered: “God is beautiful and loveth beauty. Pride is rejection of truth and contempt of men.” Muslim related it. Rejection of truth is to refuse it from him who speaketh it; contempt of men is to despise them.

Solomon, upon whom be peace, once commanded his armies to go forth. Two hundred thousand men and two hundred thousand jinn went forth. He was raised until he heard the angels' glorification in heaven, then lowered until his feet touched the sea. He heard a voice say: “Had there been in your companion's heart the weight of an atom of pride, he would have been swallowed up.”

Know that pride is an inward disposition, together with outward acts issuing from the members, whereby a man magnifieth himself and despiseth another. This becometh him not; for grandeur, might, and exaltation belong in truth unto God Most High alone. Pride may arise from knowledge, works, lineage, strength, beauty, wealth, or multitude of supporters. Whoso waxeth proud by any of these hath denied his Lord's favour; we beseech God Most High for well-being. Its greatest degree is pride against God Most High, then against His Apostle, and then against the remainder of creation.

Self-admiration is that a man regard and magnify his own worship. He who admireth himself is ever abandoned, because he is veiled from Divine aid; and he who is veiled from Divine aid deserveth destruction. Imam al-Ghazali so declared in The Way. In the sound tradition: “Three things destroy: avarice obeyed, passion followed, and a man's admiration of himself.” Among the diseases of self-admiration is that it corrupteth righteous work. Jesus, upon whom be peace, said: “How many a lamp hath the wind extinguished, and how many a worshipper hath self-admiration corrupted.” Every rational man must deem his work paltry in itself, set no value upon it, and behold the favour as belonging to God Most High, Who honoured him with the work and made it easy for him.

Ostentation is the performance of an act of devotion with men intended thereby. There is no ostentation outside an act of devotion, as in adorning oneself with clothing and the like. It is of two kinds. Ostentation opposed to sincerity is to perform the devotion for men alone. Associative ostentation is to perform it both for God Most High and for men; this is lighter than the first. Ostentation is forbidden by consensus. Whoso performeth an obedience intending men thereby is an ostentatious man. God Most High saith: “Those who make a show and withhold common kindness” [Small Kindnesses 107:6-7]. When ostentation embraceth the whole worship, it is invalid by consensus; for God Most High saith in the sacred tradition: “I am the most independent of partners from partnership. Whoso performeth a work wherein he associateth another with Me, I leave him unto My partner.” If ostentation embraceth part of a worship whose latter portion dependeth upon its former, as prayer, the scholars have hesitated concerning its validity. Al-Ghazali mentioneth this in The Revival.

Seeking reputation differeth from ostentation. It is that a servant first perform a work sincerely and afterward inform men thereof for some purpose, such as their magnification of him. The tradition saith: “Whoso publisheth his work, God shall publish him upon the Day of Resurrection”; that is, it shall be proclaimed: “This is such a one, who performed a work for Me and afterward intended another thereby.”

The forbidden species of envy is the heart's desire that a favour depart from the envied and come unto the envier. This is the lighter of the two species. The graver is to desire that the favour depart from the envied even though it come not unto oneself. Its prohibition is established by the Book, the Sunna, and consensus. God Most High saith: “And from the evil of an envier when he envieth” [113:5]; “Or do they envy men for that which God hath given them of His bounty?” [4:54]; and, “Covet not that whereby God hath preferred some of you above others” [4:32]. The Apostle of God, upon whom be God's grace and benedictions, said: “Envy not one another, hate not one another, and be ye servants of God as brethren.” The nation is agreed upon its prohibition.

TEXT: The permitted species of envy is that called emulation.

COMMENTARY: It is to behold a good estate in thy brother and desire its like for thyself without the least diminution thereof in thy brother. The Apostle of God, upon whom be God's grace and benedictions, said: “There is no envy save in two: a man unto whom God hath given the Koran and who standeth by it throughout the watches of the night and the ends of the day; and a man unto whom God hath given wealth and who spendeth thereof throughout the watches of the night and the ends of the day.” That is, no emulation is proper save in these two.

Envy was the first sin whereby God Most High was disobeyed upon earth, for Iblis envied Adam. Among its signs are backbiting the envied and rejoicing at his sin. The envier remaineth continually anxious and grieved; he regardeth himself as wronged while he is the wrongdoer. Forbidden envy preventeth understanding. Sufyan al-Thawri therefore said: “Be not envious, and thou shalt be swift of understanding.”

Hatred of one's believing brother, together with rancour and envy toward him, is forbidden; for these lead unto injuring and wronging the believer. Soundness of breast is incumbent: the heart must be empty of those blameworthy qualities. God Most High saith: “We shall remove whatever rancour is in their breasts; as brethren they shall be upon couches, face to face” [15:47]. The Apostle of God, upon whom be God's grace and benedictions, said: “Envy not one another and hate not one another.” He said unto Abd Allah ibn Abbas, may God be pleased with them both: “If thou art able to enter evening and morning with no deceit toward any man in thy heart, do so”; and, “Whoso entereth morning and evening intending no wrong unto any man shall be forgiven what he hath committed.” Success is from God Most High.

TEXT: He is likewise forbidden to regard himself as possessing excellence above another; to defame, reproach, trifle, and mock.

COMMENTARY: The legally responsible person is forbidden to approve and vaunt himself by raising himself through the disparagement of another; as when he saith, “Such a one is ignorant and his speech is weak,” intending thereby to purify himself and declare himself superior. God Most High saith: “Purify not yourselves; He knoweth best who feareth Him” [53:32]. Defamation and reproach are forbidden. God Most High saith: “Woe unto every defamer and reproacher” [104:1], and, “A defamer, going about with talebearing” [68:11]. The Apostle of God, upon whom be God's grace and benedictions, said: “A tale-carrier shall not enter Paradise.”

The nation is agreed upon the prohibition of both defamation and reproach. Their distinction is that defamation is to censure a man in his presence, while reproach is to censure him in his absence; though the reverse hath also been said. It is likewise said that they are of one signification and no distinction obtaineth between them. Whoso censures men and worketh corruption among them is called a defamer and reproacher. God knoweth best.

Trifling meaneth play. It is forbidden unto the legally responsible person, for man was created for God's worship, not for play and diversion. God Most High saith: “I created jinn and mankind only that they should worship Me” [51:56]. In the sound tradition: “Every diversion wherewith the believer diverteth himself is vain, save three: a man's playing with his wife, training his horse, and shooting with his bow.” Ibn Rushd said that the deliberate attendance of any diversion or play is unlawful.

Mockery is likewise forbidden, being contempt and humiliation of a Muslim. God Most High saith: “Let not one people mock another people” [49:11]. The Apostle of God, upon whom be God's grace and benedictions, said: “It is evil enough for a man that he contemn his Muslim brother. The honour, property, and blood of every Muslim are inviolable unto every Muslim.” God Most High granteth success.

TEXT: Fornication, looking upon a woman outside the prohibited degrees, and taking pleasure in her speech are forbidden.

COMMENTARY: Fornication is forbidden unto the legally responsible person. God therefore ordained the legal punishment for it, saying: “The fornicatress and the fornicator: scourge each of them with one hundred stripes” [24:2]. A legal punishment is ordained only for an act which the Law permitteth not. The fornicator is chastised throughout his body because he took pleasure in fornication throughout his body. God hath forbidden it in many verses.

Looking upon a woman outside the prohibited degrees is forbidden. A woman is wholly nakedness, save her face and hands; but when seduction is feared from her, even her face may not be looked upon, unless she be an old woman or a black woman. A man may not take pleasure in hearing the speech of such a woman. In sum, neither woman nor man may look with pleasure; nor may one look thus upon beautiful boys. God Most High granteth success.

TEXT: Consuming men's property without their free consent, and consuming it by intercession or by means of religion, are forbidden.

COMMENTARY: Of all members, the belly is among the greatest in temptation. If thou starve it, the remaining members are satisfied; if thou satisfy it, they hunger. Naught hath destroyed men save the two appetites of the belly and the private parts. Whoso is aided by God Most High to strive against them is prosperous; whoso is not aided is lost, unless God have mercy upon him.

It is forbidden to consume men's property without their free consent, as when it is acquired by usurpation, trespass, treachery, deception, theft, brigandage, or the like. It is likewise forbidden when acquired with the owners' consent through usury, bribery, gambling, the price of social influence, the fee of a soothsayer, the hire of a prostitute, or the like. God Most High saith: “Consume not your property among yourselves in vanity” [4:29]; “Consume not their property by joining it unto your own” [4:2]; and, “Fear God and relinquish what remaineth of usury, if ye be believers” [2:278]. The Apostle of God, upon whom be God's grace and benedictions, said: “The person, property, and honour of every Muslim are inviolable unto every Muslim.” It is related that God hath appointed an angel over the Holy House who proclaimeth each night: “Whoso consumeth the unlawful, God accepteth from him neither supererogation nor obligation.” Consensus establisheth the inviolability of men's property. 

Whoso deemeth the property of another Muslim licit is an unbeliever: he is required to repent, and, if he repent not, is put to death for unbelief.

Property consumed “by intercession” is that which a man taketh from another as the price of interceding for him with an usurper or the like. This is forbidden and is consumption of men's property in vanity.

Property consumed “by means of religion” is exemplified by one who maketh an outward show of Sufism, and is consequently given money, allowed favour in purchase, or hath merchandise bought from him for blessing, while his inward state accordeth not with uprightness. What he receiveth in this fashion is forbidden. Our lord Junayd, may God be pleased with him, said: “Ye are known and honoured for God's sake; how then are ye with God when alone with Him?” Imam al-Ghazali, may God Most High have mercy upon him, said: “To consume wealth by tambourines and pipes is lighter than to consume it by means of the world to come,” that is, by means of religion.

It is related of Iblis and Pharaoh, may God's curse be upon them both, that Iblis came unto Pharaoh in human form. Pharaoh asked which of them was more foolish. Iblis answered: “Thou. I preferred myself above a creature like myself, saying, ‘I am better than he’; but thou didst ascribe lordship unto thyself and say, ‘I am your Lord Most High.’” Pharaoh asked whether a third like them existed upon earth. Iblis answered: “Yea: a man who consumeth the world by means of the world to come.”

Under this section falleth also a scholar who is asked a question and answereth it not until money be given him; and a schoolmaster who sendeth the children to collect gifts upon a birth or wedding. The questions contained under this section are without number. Success is from God Most High.

TEXT: Delaying prayer beyond its appointed times is forbidden.

COMMENTARY: If the legally responsible person delay prayer until its time hath departed, he is disobedient unto God and His Apostle; that is, if he perform it neither within the elective time nor within the time of necessity, and his omission be without excuse. If he omit it by reason of an excuse, no sin lieth upon him. If by choice he perform it within the time of necessity, it is said that he is disobedient; and it is said that he performeth it within a reprehensible time. Each doctrine requireth discussion beyond the capacity of this Compendium. By “prayer” the author intendeth the five obligatory prayers. Success is from God Most High.

TEXT: It is not lawful for him to keep company or sit with an open transgressor save from necessity.

COMMENTARY: The legally responsible person may not associate or sit with an open transgressor. Every man who lacketh uprightness must likewise be forsaken, for one nature stealeth from another. Whoso keepeth company with such men is likely to become one of them. The Apostle of God, upon whom be God's grace and benedictions, said: “A man followeth the religion of his intimate friend; let each of you therefore consider whom he taketh as intimate”; and, “A man is proved by his brethren.” Luqman said unto his son: “O my son, sit not with the disobedient, nor associate with them, lest a chastisement descend from heaven and overtake thee among them.” Said ibn al-Musayyib said: “Look not upon the people of disobedience, lest your hearts become hard and your works be rendered vain.”

O rational man, choose for thy company one whose aspiration is attached unto God Most High and raised above creatures; for he shall direct thee unto God. The company of one in such an estate, though his worship be little, is praiseworthy in consequence and bringeth every benefit. God is He Whose aid is sought; success is from God Most High.

TEXT: He must not seek the pleasure of creatures through the displeasure of the Creator. God, glorious and Most High, saith: “God and His Apostle have a greater right that they should please Him, if they be believers” [9:62]. The Apostle of God, upon whom be God's grace and benedictions, said: “There is no obedience unto a creature in disobedience unto the Creator.”

COMMENTARY: Whoso seeketh men's pleasure through God's displeasure, God is displeased with him and causeth them to be displeased with him. If a man perform obedience for men's sake, coveting that which is in their hands, God Most High is the true subjugator of their hearts; God is the true giver and withholder. We need not the pleasure of creatures, nor should we pursue their several purposes. Whoso observeth the purposes of men dieth of grief. Every believer must seek the pleasure of his Master and disregard the pleasure of creatures. He must not obey them in that which harmeth him before his Lord. Let him obey what God Most High hath commanded and avoid what God and His Apostle have forbidden. Success is from God Most High.

TEXT: It is not lawful for him to perform any act until he know God's judgement concerning it. He must ask the scholars and follow those who adhere unto the Sunna of His Apostle, upon whom be God's grace and benedictions, who direct men unto obedience toward God and warn them against following Satan.

COMMENTARY: The legally responsible person may perform no act of worship or transaction until he know God's judgement concerning it. The author said “act” rather than “speech,” because acts are more numerous and possess many instruments, whereas speech hath only one, the tongue; may God preserve us from its evil.

If he knoweth not a judgement of the Law, he must ask the people of knowledge; for the obligation of the ignorant is inquiry. God Most High saith: “Ask the people of remembrance if ye know not” [16:43]. Inquiry is obligatory because the divisions of the Law are five: obligatory, recommended, forbidden, reprehensible, and permitted. Whoso knoweth not these divisions must inquire, lest, while intending the licit, he fall into the forbidden.

He must follow the scholars, may God be pleased with them, in that which they have made manifest unto us of the Sunna of Muhammad, upon whom be God's grace and benedictions. They direct men unto the acts of worship commanded by God Most High and warn against following Satan. All good is in following the Sunna and those who adhere unto it; thereby deliverance is attained and the servant preserved from destruction.

Al-Abyani said: “Three sentences are so brief that they might be written upon a fingernail, yet within them is the good of this world and the next: follow, and innovate not; humble thyself, and exalt not thyself; practise restraint, and enlarge not.” The last signifieth: whoso practiseth restraint multiplieth not worldly possessions. Success is from God Most High.

TEXT: He must not accept for himself what the bankrupt accepted for themselves, whose lives were wasted outside obedience unto God Most High. Alas for their regret, and how long shall be their weeping upon the Day of Resurrection!

COMMENTARY: A rational man accepteth not for himself what the bankrupt accepted, who wasted their lives in disobedience unto God Most High, wronged themselves, and sought not their Lord's forgiveness until their appointed terms came. These are the truly bankrupt.

The Apostle of God, upon whom be God's grace and benedictions, once said unto his companions: “Know ye who is bankrupt among my nation?” They answered: “He who possesseth neither silver nor goods.” He said: “The bankrupt of my nation is he who cometh upon the Day of Resurrection with prayer, fasting, and alms-tax, but hath reviled this man, consumed this man's property, shed this man's blood, and struck this man. This one is given of his good works and that one of his good works. When his good works are exhausted before his liabilities are discharged, their sins are taken and cast upon him; then is he cast into the Fire. This is the bankrupt.”

Those who wasted their lives outside obedience unto God Most High shall remember the anguish and overwhelming distress of death, and the terrors of the world to come which await them.

Upon the Day of Resurrection they shall behold what hath befallen the people of the Fire and God's answer: “Remain therein abject, and speak not unto Me” [23:108]. They shall behold the joy and exalted rank attained by the obedient. Then shall they regret exceedingly the obedience unto God which they neglected in this world, bear their burdens upon their backs, weep long over themselves, and repent with utmost repentance. Let man guard with utmost vigilance against everything wherein regret and remorse upon the Day of Resurrection are to be feared. God Most High granteth success.

TEXT: We beseech God, glorious and Most High, to grant us success in following the Sunna of our Prophet, beloved, and lord Muhammad.

COMMENTARY: Humble entreaty unto God, glorious and Most High, is the marrow and core of worship; and the core of a thing is its noblest part. The author, may God Most High have mercy upon him, therefore concluded the preface of his book with that which is the purpose of every act of worship. He besought God Most High to grant us success in following the Sunna of our Prophet Muhammad, upon whom be God's grace and benedictions. The Sunna is the way transmitted from him in the ordinances of worship and transactions, and compriseth his words, deeds, and approvals.

The obligation of acting according to his Sunna is derived from the Book of God Most High. He, majestic in His glory, saith: “Whatsoever the Apostle giveth you, take it; and whatsoever he forbiddeth you, refrain therefrom” [59:7]; “Whoso obeyeth the Apostle hath obeyed God” [4:80]; and, “He speaketh not from passion” [53:3]. The Apostle of God, upon whom be God's grace and benedictions, said: “Hold fast unto my Sunna and the Sunna of the rightly guided Caliphs after me; bite upon it with the molar teeth.” He said likewise: “I have left among you two things; ye shall not go astray so long as ye hold fast unto them: the Book of God Most High and the Sunna of His Prophet.” Imam Malik related it in The Well-Trodden Path.

Whoso seeketh deliverance otherwise than by following the Sunna hath gone astray; whoso followeth the Sunna hath been guided. The tradition saith: “Whoso seeketh guidance in the Book, the Sunna, and consensus hath attained the right; whoso seeketh guidance elsewhere hath failed.” The author, may God Most High have mercy upon him, concluded his supplication with grace upon the Prophet, because such grace is praise of God Most High for His beautiful bounty and mighty benefaction; for the Prophet, upon whom be grace and peace, is among the greatest of God's favours unto His creatures. The meaning of all this hath preceded in our exposition of the book's opening. God, glorious and Most High, is the Giver of success unto the right.

By the Saint and Scholar Ahmad Zarruq

An excerpt from Zarruq's commentary on the Foundational Queries of the Mystic Path by the Zaragozan

In the Name of the Lord, the Compassionate, the Merciful

Verily, in the pursuit of penitence, threefold are the conditions of its validity: a heart laden with remorse for transgressions past, a swift forsaking of the sinful path, and a resolute intent never to return to the ways of old. 

And threefold also are the conditions for its fulfillment: a universal intent, for though penitence may stand with one sin forsaken and another yet embraced, such a soul remains imperfect, disobedient in another aspect, and seldom safe from the snare of relapse, burdened still by the root of transgression. The discharge of duties owed unto the Lord, be it in prayer, fasting, almsgiving, or atonements, must be rendered. And the restitution of material and reputational wrongs, agreed upon universally, and as is known among the sages of faith.

Threefold too are the conditions of perfection: a redoubling of vigor in new endeavors, replacing past laxities. A flight from the snares of temptation, by all possible means, and a zealous quest for spiritual perfection in whatsoever manner it may be achieved. For he who lacks the conditions of validity, finds no repentance; he who lacks the conditions of fulfillment, remains in disobedience, rarely free from the perils of backsliding; and he who lacks the conditions of perfection, tastes not the sweetness of repentance, nor grasps its fruits. Each condition holds not but by the soundness of that which follows it. Thus, the sages in their wisdom have not merely stated these truths, but adorned themselves therewith, and enjoined them upon others, both in general counsel and in specific guidance, as deemed fit by the sage or feasible for the seeker.

By the Holy Sage and Scholar Ahmad Ibn Idris

In the Name of the Lord, the Compassionate, the Merciful

DOCTRINE I: Reckoning

Blessings and grace be upon our master Mohammed and his family, with every look and every breath, matching the count of what God's knowledge encompasses.

Indeed, the complete matter, the resonant word, the flaming sword on God's exalted path is: the prudent person who wants to save his soul from all dangers and who wants the Lord to admit him into the company of those drawn close to Him in all ways should, if he wants to undertake any matter, whether by speech or by action, make sure that God Almighty will indeed bring him to stand before Him and will question him about that matter. Thus, he should prepare the response to the question of the Truth before he engages in that matter. If he finds the response fitting and truthful, in accordance with the Truth and acceptable to Him, then he should begin that matter, for the result will be praiseworthy in this life and the next.

But if he finds the answer displeasing to the Truth and unacceptable, then he should run from that matter, whatever it may be. For it will bring disaster upon him if he undertakes it. This doctrine is the cornerstone of all words and deeds.

Whoever grasps this doctrine and remains firm in it, all his states will be founded upon truth, outwardly and inwardly, without the smallest imperfection. This is the essence of the Prophet's words, peace and blessings upon him, "reckon with yourselves before you are reckoned with, and weigh yourselves before you are weighed against."

DOCTRINE II: Sincerity

That he does not say a word or perform an action until his intent is only to seek the face of God. For if his purpose is pure for the sake of God's face and he has cleaned his heart from all contamination of hidden motives, and if his heart is steadfast in this doctrine, he will neither speak nor act except with resolve and thoughtfulness. Thus, all his actions will be sincere, without the smallest stain. This is the meaning of the words of our Creator, the Majestic, to His most exalted messenger and beloved, peace and blessings upon him, "and restrain yourself with those who call upon their Lord at morning and evening, desiring His face," (The Cave), signifying nothing else in all their affairs. And He, the Mighty and Majestic, said, "and confers no favour on any man for recompense, only seeking the Face of his Lord the Most High; and he shall surely be satisfied," (The Night).

DOCTRINE III: Mercy

Let his heart become a dwelling of mercy for all the faithful, both young and old, and let him bestow upon them their due in Islam with reverence and honour. If his heart stays firm and resolute in this doctrine, God, beyond and exalted, will pour forth divine mercy on his entire being, and allow him to taste its sweetness, for he will have attained a vast and mighty portion of the prophetic inheritance from God's words, "We have not sent you, except as a mercy to all beings," (The Prophets). And this is the meaning of the Prophet's words, peace and blessings be upon him, "Indeed, God, Mighty and Majestic, holds three things sacred: whoever guards them, God will in turn protect his religious and worldly affairs, and whoever does not guard them, God will not protect anything for him: the sanctity of Islam, my sanctity, and the sanctity of my family." In the same vein are the words of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, to Abu Bakr, the truthful, may God be pleased with him, "Do not despise anyone among the Muslims, for the least of the Muslims is great with God."

DOCTRINE IV: Virtue 

The nobility of character, indeed, is that which the Messenger, peace and blessings upon him, was sent to perfect, and the essence of his words, "I was only sent to perfect goodly character." This doctrine, in truth, is the marrow of faith, and its reality is that the servant is gentle and tender with family and friends, with servants, and with all creation. The Messenger, peace and blessings upon him, said, "The inhabitants of the garden are gentle, soft, easy, and familiar; while the dwellers of the fire are harsh and behemoth." They asked, "What does behemoth mean, O Messenger of God?" He answered, "Harsh with his wife, his friends, and his family."

Our Lord Almighty has said, "Speak good to people," (The Cow) meaning not foul. He, mighty and majestic, said, "And tell My servants to say words that are kinder," (The Night Journey), and the kinder are those which are both good and more.

In sum, that which you would want others to treat you with - gracious speech, kindly words, and beautiful actions - do likewise with God's creation. While that which you would hate for them to treat you with - foul speech, harsh words, and hateful actions - avoid. For, indeed, God deals with the servant according to the manner and character in which the servant deals with creation. The recompense of a quality is the very same quality in return. "He will surely recompense them for their quality," (The Cattle). "For a suitable recompense" (The Tiding). Thus, whoever is a shield, a mercy, and an expansive shade for creation to find comfort in, God will be the same for him. Whoever honours a servant

for the sake of his master has, in truth, honoured his master.

As it has come to pass in a tradition of God, mighty and majestic, "Indeed, He says to the servant on the Day of Resurrection, 'I was hungry and you did not feed me, I asked you for water and you did not give me to drink, I was sick and you did not visit me,'" and the servant says, "How can You be hungry when You are the Lord of the Worlds? How can You be sick when You are the Lord of the Worlds? How can You seek water when You are the Lord of the Worlds?" So, God Most High and transcendent explains, "Indeed, my servant so-and-so was sick, and had you visited him, you would have found me with him. My servant so-and-so was hungry, and had you fed him, you would have found that with me. My servant so-and-so sought water, and had you given him to drink, you would have found that with me." He, the transcendent, clarified the meaning of His words, 'I was hungry, I was sick, I sought water,' by saying, 'my servant so-and-so was hungry, my servant so-and-so was sick, my servant so-and-so sought water.' Therefore, dealing with the servant with regards to his master is nothing less than dealing with the master himself. Whoever's foot is firmly placed in this station, his dealings become dealings with the Truth, mighty and majestic, in all things, for he sees none other than God, most high.

The sum of virtuous character with God, most high, and with His servants is the words of the Blessed Prophet, "Honour God by not letting Him see from you anything He has forbidden," and this is that He does not find you where He forbade you, and that He does not find you absent where He commanded you.

That which makes the servant ashamed before God, most high, is the knowledge with full certainty that God observes all and witnesses all, as He, most high, said, "Know that God knows what is in your hearts, so fear Him," (The Cow). If the servant fills his heart with this watchfulness and practises it until it becomes habit and familiar, then shame before God most high will deter him from uttering or doing anything that displeases God or ill-befits His majesty; He is present in his heart, "He is with you wherever you are," (The Iron), for indeed God, most high, is with him and looks upon him.

Surely, if the servant wishes to commit adultery, for example, or to steal while others watch him, he is unable to proceed, knowing they observe him. Indeed, he regrets and disdains that which he sees in himself. Thus, if this is the case with created beings which possess no harm or benefit, and the cause of all this is the mere fear of falling into disgrace before others and losing their respect, then without doubt, had his heart been present at the moment of doing what displeases God, most high, he would have immediately stopped. This is the meaning of the words of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, on perfecting faith, "Worship God as though you see Him, for even though you do not see Him, He surely sees you."

Whoever finds himself in this state will perfect and fulfill this act of worship according to the strength of his knowledge that God is watching him. And God alone grants success.

Grace and blessing be upon our master Mohammed and upon his kin, with every glance and every breath, according to the number of what God's knowledge encompasses.

By the scholar Jalal al-Din al-Suyuti

The chapter on mysticism from his larger work Purity

In the name of God, Most Gracious, Most Merciful,

The doctrine of mysticism speaketh of the heart's purification before the Lord Most High and the renouncing of all but Him. 

Observe thou the Lord in every condition of thine, commencing with the performance of duties mandated, and the avoidance of the forbidden, progressing to the voluntary and the discouraged acts. 

Let thy zeal in abandoning the forbidden surpass thy diligence in performing the commanded, and in matters permitted, thou art free. Shouldst thou seek by it obedience, or means thereto, or abstention from the forbidden, it is praiseworthy. 

Acknowledge thy shortfall in what thou hast presented, and that thou hast not fulfilled unto the Lord the merest fraction of His due, and count not thyself above any soul, for the end of all things is unknown to thee. 

Yield unto the command of the Lord Most High and His decree, assured that only that which He wills shall transpire, not as thou desirest. And take heed not to judge the conditions of thy brethren, save by that which the Sacred Law doth dictate. 

Within thyself, treasure these three tenets:

The first: That neither benefit nor harm can issue but from Him, Most High, and whatever He hath preordained as thy provision, boon, or trial from before time shall surely come to pass.

The second: That thou art a servant sustained, and thy Sovereign and Possessor exerciseth over thee His will, and it fitteth not to disdain what thy Sovereign enacteth upon thee, Who is more tender and merciful towards thee than thyself and thy kin, and He is the most judicious of judges in His enactments, seeking by that which afflicteth thee nothing but thy betterment and welfare.

The third: That this world is ephemeral and evanescent, while the Hereafter approacheth, everlasting, and thou art but a sojourner herein, and inevitably thy voyage shall conclude, and thou shalt arrive at thy abode. Endure, therefore, the travails of this journey and labor in the cultivation of thine eternal dwelling, its refurbishment and embellishment in this fleeting span, that thou might revel therein for an unending age. 

And in truth, he is a believer complete, in whom the branches of faith are fully realized, numbering sixty-odd or seventy-odd. And such is: 

the faith in Allah, 

and His attributes, 

and the origination of all that is not Him, 

and in His angels, 

and His scriptures, 

and His messengers, 

and in the divine decree, 

and the Day of Judgment, 

and in the love of Allah, 

and love and detestation for His sake, 

and in the love of the Prophet, peace be upon him, 

and the belief in his exaltation, 

and therein the invocation of blessings upon him, 

and adherence to his Sunnah, 

and purity of intent, 

and therein the rejection of show and hypocrisy, 

and repentance, 

and awe, 

and hope, 

and gratitude, 

and fidelity, 

and patience, 

and acquiescence to the divine will, 

and modesty, 

and trust, 

and compassion, 

and humility, 

and therein the veneration of the elder, 

and the mercy towards the younger, 

and the eschewing of haughtiness and vanity, 

and abandoning envy, malice, and anger, 

and affirming the Oneness of God, 

and the recitation of the Quran, 

and the pursuit and dissemination of knowledge, 

and supplication, 

and remembrance, 

and therein seeking pardon, 

and avoiding idle speech, 

and cleansing both in essence and in judgment, 

and therein the eschewing of filth, 

and the veiling of nakedness, 

and prayer, obligatory and voluntary, 

and almsgiving similarly, 

and the freeing of captives, 

and benevolence, 

and therein sustenance, 

and hospitality, 

and fasting, mandated and voluntary, 

and retreat, 

and the quest for the Night of Power, 

and the pilgrimage, 

and the lesser pilgrimage, 

and the circuits, 

and the flight in faith's cause, 

and therein migration, 

and the fulfillment of vows, 

and earnestness in faith, 

and the enactment of atonements, 

and chasteness through wedlock, 

and the maintenance of dependents' rights, 

and filial piety, 

and the upbringing of offspring, 

and the knitting of kinship, 

and the heed to leaders, 

and kindness to servants, 

and the steadfast upholding of justice, 

and the consort with the congregation, 

and the heed to those of authority, 

and the amendment amongst the folk, 

and therein the strife against the rebels and the insurrectionists, 

and the support in righteousness, 

and therein the enjoinment of good, 

and the prohibition of evil, 

and the execution of legal penalties, 

and the struggle in God's path, 

and therein: the guard at the frontier, 

and the discharge of trust, inclusive of the fifth, 

and the settlement of loans, 

and the honouring of neighbours, 

and the integrity of dealings, 

and therein the lawful accumulation, 

and the rightful expenditure of wealth, 

and therein: the avoidance of profligacy and excess, 

and the reciprocation of greetings, 

and the blessing upon the sneezer, 

and the prevention of harm, 

and the shunning of frivolity, 

and the removal of nuisances from the path.

Sufyan, the son of Waki', recounted unto us, "Jumay', the son of 'Umayr, the son of 'Abd al-Rahman, of the clan of 'Ijli, shared with us from his book, saying, 'A man from the tribe of Banu Tamim, known by the agnomen Abu 'Abdillah, and one of the offspring of Abu Hala, the spouse of Khadija, told me, which he received from one of the sons of Abu Hala, who heard from Hasan, the son of 'Ali, who reported:

'I inquired of my mother's brother, Hind, the son of Abu Hala, skilled in the description of features, regarding the comely aspect of the Messenger of the Lord, peace be upon him. I desired that he would impart some of his features unto me, that I might cherish and hold them fast. He said, "The Messenger of the Lord, peace be upon him, possessed sublime qualities, and was esteemed accordingly by others. His blessed countenance shone like the light of the full moon on a clear night. He was taller than the common man, but shorter than one who is tall. His blessed head was large, and his blessed hair was wavy. If his hair would easily part at the front of his blessed head, he would part it in the midst; if not, he would let it be. When left alone, his hair would fall past his earlobes. His complexion was fair and luminous. His blessed forehead was broad. His eyebrows were full, perfectly shaped, but not joined together. Between them, a vein would pulsate when anger seized him. His blessed nose was prominent, and a light proceeded from it; one who observed him not closely might think it straight. His blessed beard was thick, and his cheeks were smooth. His mouth was wide, and between his blessed front teeth was a slight space. A thin line of hair ran from his blessed chest to his navel. His blessed neck resembled that of an ivory statue, resplendent as silver. His form was evenly proportioned; he was well-built and strong, his blessed chest and stomach level with one another. His blessed chest and shoulders were broad, and his blessed joints were large. His blessed limbs shone bright when uncovered. Save for the thin line of hair that extended from his blessed upper chest to his navel, his chest and stomach bore no hair. His blessed arms, shoulders, and upper chest were, however, covered with hair. He had long forearms and wide palms, sturdy hands, and feet. His blessed fingers and toes were long and well-proportioned, and his blessed feet's soles had a slight arch. His blessed feet were so smooth that water could readily flow from them. When he walked, he lifted his blessed feet with vigor, leaning forward slightly and treading lightly. He possessed a naturally wide gait, as if descending an incline when he walked. When he turned to look, he would do so with his whole body. He cast his gaze downward, fixing his eyes on the ground more than the sky. He looked mostly from the corner of his blessed eye. His Companions would walk before him, and he would greet with peace those he encountered first."'