Al-Ghazali: Knowledge of The Hereafter

Steadfastness and patient perseverance in Allah’s religion is a basic requirement that should be met by every sincere Muslim who wants to stick to the Straight Path with understanding and determination. Muslims today face many temptations and distractions. Those who consciously seek the means of steadfastness will succeed and those who are negligent will, sadly, suffer the doubts and confusion which are more severe now than ever before. Happy are those who seek the way out and join the righteous, dedicated Muslims, and who spare no effort to learn their religion and remain steadfast. This valuable book deals with all these issues and points out the means of steadfastness that every Muslim should learn and practice. The author also discusses common worldly distractions and explains how to deal with them.

Dr. Abu Ameenah Bilal Philips has rendered Ibn Taymiyah’s treatise, Eedaah-ud-Dalaalah fee ‘Umoom-ir-Risaalah, from volume 19 of Majmoo‘-ul-Fataawa into very readable English. This abridged and annotated translation is significant in that it is perhaps the first book available in English exclusively on the topic of spirit-possession and exorcism in Islam.

Ahmad ibn ‘Abdul-Haleem ibn Taymeeyah was bron in the town of Harran [near Edessa, in what was once Northern Iraq, but is now called Orfa and is a part of Turkey.], in the year 1263 CE. His father was a leading scholar of the Hanbalite school of Islamic law and so was his grandfather, who authored Muntaqaa al-Akhbaar, the text of ash-Shawkaanee’s Hadeeth classic Nayl al-Awtaar.

Ibn Taymeeyah mastered the various disciplines of Islamic study at an early age and read extensively the books of the various sects and religions in existence at that time. Much of his time and effort was spend defending the orthodox Islamic position against a tidal wave of deviation which had swept over the Muslim nation. Consequently, he faced many difficulties from both the prominent sectarian scholars of his time and from the authorities who supported them. His clashes with them led to his imprisonment on numerous occasions. Ibn Taymeeyah also fought, not only against internal enemies of Islaam, but also against its external enemies by both his Fatwaas (Islamic legal rulings) and his physical participation in battles. His ruling allowing the taking up arms against groups which recognized the Shahaadataan (declaration of faith) but refused to uphold some aspects of the fundamental principles of Islaam, greatly affected the resistance movement against the Tartars who had declared their acceptance of Islaam but did not rule according to divine law.

During these struggles he wrote countless books and treatises demonstrating his extensive reading and knowledge, not only of the positions of the early scholars, but also those of the legal and theological schools which had subsequently evolved. Ibn Taymeeyah also had a major effect on the open-minded schoars of his day, most of whom were from the Shaafi’ite school of law. Among the most famous of his students were IBN KATHEER, ADH-DHAHABEE and IBN AL-QAYYIM. The author died in 1328 while in prison in Damascus for his Fatwaa against undertaking journeys to visit the graves of saints [Ibn Taymeeyah’s ruling was based on the authentic statement reported by Abu Hurayrah wherein the Prophet Muhammad (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam) said, “Do not undertake a journey except to three masjids; this masjid of mine, Masjid al-Haraam (Makkah) and Masjid al-Aqsaa (Bayt al-Maqdis).” Collected by Al-Bukhaaree and Muslim]. His Fatwaa had been distorted by his enemies to say that he forbade visiting the Prophet Muhammad’s (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam) grave.

In this book the authors outlined a complete methodology for Islamic work today. From `Aqeedah to Da’wah, Jihad to Khilafah and Taqwa to Sabr (patience), they explained how all of these parts of Islam come together for the sole objective of each and every Muslim: to seek the Pleasure of Allah ( SWT ), the Irresistible. It was written in a manner portraying the true situation of the Muslims today and, coming from imprisoned scholars: a realistic portrayal.

This book is an excellent read by itself and an even better guide if used as a syllabus in learning Islam in an organised, collective manner. It is ideal as a basis for study circles and acts as a comprehensive manual. Coupled with the supplementary reading of some other books in the English language and memorisation of the Holy Quran, it can consolidate the knowledge of anyone seeking to work for Islam in this day and age.

Contents

Preface

Introduction

Part One: Our Ultimate Goal

Part Two: Our `Aqeedah

Part Three: Our Understanding

Part Four: Our Aim

Part Five: Our Path

Part Six: Our Provisions

Part Seven: Our Walaa’ (Loyalty)

Part Eight: Our ‘Adaa’ (Animosity)

Part Nine: Our Gathering

Glossary of Arabic Trems

The Twentieth Century has witnessed one of the fiercest blows inflicted upon our Ummah by our enemy: the collapse of the Khilafah. If only their conspiracy had stopped at the demise of Khilafah. But they went on to indoctrinate Muslims with strange, foreign ideas and concepts, in order to confuse our understanding of our Deen. Once we wake up and try to return to our original Deen, we will be confronted with an intellectual perplexity, in which evil and good is mixed. Hence, the truth will be ambiguous and we will go astray, and lose the true understanding of Islam.

And hold fast, all of you together, to the Rope of Allah (this Qur’an) and be not divided among yourselves.” [Surah Ale-Imran (3), Ayah 103.]

by Dr. Naahah Ibrahim, Asim Abdul Maajid and Esaam-ud-Deen Darbaalah