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Explanation of Some Important Islamic Terms

Islamic Concepts & Definitions

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1.1 Acts for pleasing Allah (riḍwān)
We must look at each action that we do, or are about to do, and make sure that it will be pleasing to Allah.

Otherwise we will see that great actions are being made small because of one's [low or non-existing] intention. This can best be shown by the hadith related by Abu Umama, when a man once came to the Prophet ﷺ and said, "What of a man who joined us in fighting, his intention being for fame and booty?" The Prophet ﷺ said, "He receives nothing." The man repeated the question three times, and each time the Prophet ﷺ said, "He receives nothing." Then he said,
"Allah only accepts actions that are intended purely for His good pleasure."
an-Nisa'i

1.2. Weighing Actions:

1.2.1 There is a saying that it is more lovely for Allah that a man sits for an hour thinking and weighing his actions, than if he prays for some long time.^[23] MOO129^[L]

1.2.2 Pondering about the Hereafter
الْفِكْرَةُ فِي الآخِرَةِ تُورِثُ الْحِكْمَةَ وَتُحْيِي الْقَلْبَ
: Abu Sulayman, may Allah have mercy on him, said
“Thinking about the Hereafter produces wisdom and life in the heart.”^[24] Abu Nu’aym reported it.

1.2.3 Be Mindful of Allah Always
You must, O my brothers, be mindful of Allah in all your movements and times of stillness, at every moment, with every blink of the eye, with every thought, wish or any other state. Feel His nearness to you! Know that He looks and is Aware of you, that nothing that you conceal is hidden from Him. (Sura 10-61; 20-7) ^[5]

{ He is with you whereever you are, } (Sura 57-4) with His knowledge, awareness and power. If you are of the righteous, He will guide, assist and protect you.

If you find emerging in your heart, when you call to mind the fact that Allah observes you, a shyness that prevents you from disobeying Him and drives you to exert yourself in obeying Him, you are in possession of something of the realities of vigilance (murāqabah). ^[-n2] Imam ʿAbdallah Ibn Alawi Al-Haddad ^[5]

1.3 The Highest Form of Action
The highest form of action is the invocation of the Divine Name
associated with the prayer of the heart which requires the complete participation of man's will and concentration of mind.
KS315-6^[L], the word: invocation-

1.4 Two Kinds of Acts

شَتَّانَ ما بيْن عملين عملِِ تَذْهَبُ لَذَّتُهُ و ﺗﺒﻘَﯽ تَبِعَتُه و عملِِ تذهب مَوؤُنَتُهُ و ﯾَﺒﻘَﯽ أَجْرُهُ
"What a difference there is between two kinds of acts - an act whose pleasure passes away but its (ill) consequence remains and an act whose hardship passes away but its reward stays."^[20]
Saying of ʿAli ibn Abi Talib كرم الله وجهه in NB515 no.121 (a: 118)^[L]

1.5 Ali (may Allah ennoble his face) كرم الله وجهه was asked concerning actions and alms and he said:

من قصَّر في العملِ اﺑْﺘُﻠِﯽ بِالهَمِّ
man qaṣṣara fi-l ʿamali- btuli bi-l hammi
"Whoever falls short of actions gets into grief."^[21]

1.6 Ali كرم الله وجهه on the third best act (after shahadah and prayers): alms

لا حَاجَةَ لِلّٰهِ فيمن ليس لِلّٰهِ ﻓﯽ مالِهِ و نفسهِ نَصيبٌ
lā h.ājata li-llahi fīman laisa li-llahi fī mālihi wa nafihi nas.ībun
"Allah has nothing to do with him who spares nothing from his weath in the name of Allah."
1.1.5 & 1.1.6 are one saying.
Saying of ʿAli ibn Abi Talib كرم الله وجهه in NB517 no.126 (a: 124-5)^[L]

1.7 Kinds of Legal Rulings

1.7.1 ʿAbd al-Wahhab Khallaf (RT28^[L]): A legal ruling is a statement from the Lawgiver (syn. Allah or His messenger ﷺ Allah bless him and give him peace) concerning the acts of those morally responsible which:

(1) requires something (ṭalaban)
(2) allows a choice (takhayaran)
(3) or gives stipulations (waḍian)

Show more

1.8 Human Acts of Those Morally Responsible - af'āl al-mukallifīn

Overview - Human Acts according to Islamic Law.
… Show more - or - as tableboard^[3]

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2.1 Iman (faith / belief) is of two kinds:
- The simple expression of faith in the teachings of the Quran and ahadith (or traditions);
- The formal declaration of belief in the six articles of Muslim creed:

1. in Allah
2. the Angels of Allah
3. the holy books of Allah
4. the Prophets of Allah
5. the Day of Judgement
6. Predestination to good and evil

2.2 Belief
The Muslim believes in One God, who is all-powerful and has no partner; believes in his messengers, sent to mankind for their guidance from the beginning of time; believes that Muhammad ﷺ closed the cycle of messengers and that there can be no further revelation of the divine Law after him; believes that the Quran is the Word of God, unaltered and unalterable, and believes in the obligation to conform to the 'Five Pillars', which are the confession of faith, the five daily prayers, payment of the poor-due, the fast of Ramadan, and performance of the Pilgrimage to Mecca by those physically and financially able to undertake it. A Muslim may neglect one or more of the pillars (except the first) and still be counted as a believer, but if he denies their necessity he has placed himself outside the community. IDM3u^[L]

2.3 Ali (ra) was asked concerning belief īmān and he said:

"al-īmān maʿrifatun bil-qalb,
wa iqrār bi-lisān wa ʿamal bi-l arkān"

"Belief īmān is appreciation / gnosis by the heart,
acknowledgement iqrār with tongue and action ʿamalun with limbs."
Saying of ʿAli ibn Abi Talib كرم الله وجهه in NB536 no.227 (a: 225)^[L]

2.4a Belief īmān is being true to the trust amānah which Allah has placed in man:

{ إِنَّا عَرَضْنَا الْأَمَانَةَ عَلَى السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ وَالْجِبَالِ فَأَبَيْنَ أَن يَحْمِلْنَهَا وَأَشْفَقْنَ مِنْهَا وَحَمَلَهَا الْإِنسَانُ }

2.4b Faith ('Belief') i.e. Iman is trust
”Iman is to trust.” (`Abdullah). ”Iman is the deeds.” (Az-Zuhri)
”{They have faith} in Sura 2-3 means, they fear Allah.

Ibn Jarir (At-Tabari) commented, ”The preferred view is that they be described as having faith in the Unseen by the tongue, deed and creed. In this case, fear is included in the general meaning of Iman, which necessitates following deeds of the tongue by implementation.…

2.5 For his brother
Belief (iman) is incomplete for whoever does not love for his brother what he loves for himself, according to the famous hadith:
"lā yuminu ahadukum hatta yuhibbu li-akhīhi ma yuhibbu li-nafsihi"
CFH62^[L]
"He is not a believer who does not love for his brother what he loves for himself."

2.6 Belief īmān has been explained by none other than the Angel Jibril (a.s.) in the famous hadith on islam, iman, ihsan:

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3.1 Adab embraces the consideration of all those moral excellencies which are enjoined by the Quran and Traditions (ahadith), as sincerity ikhlās-; trust and confidence in God [tawakkul]; humility (tawādu'); resignation (tafwīz); keeping down one's expectation (qasru-l amal); renunciation of the world (zuhd fi-ddunyā-; giving good counsel and advice nasīha-; contentment (qanā'ah); liberality (sakhāwah); love for Allah and man (hubb); patience (sabr); &c. DI285ii^[L]

3.2 Righteousness And Sin

Narrated An-Nawwās (ra):

I asked the Prophet of Allah ﷺ about righteousness and sin, and he said:

3.3 The Rules of Religion Against The World

It is related that Ibrahim Khawwas said:
“I desire Allah to give me an everlasting life in this world dunya-,
in order that, while mankind are engrossed in the pleasures of the world and forget Allah,
I may observe the rules of religion amidst the affliction (fitnah) of the world and remember Allah.”

3.4 Part of The Adab of Islam Is Gentleness
Aisha رضي الله عنها reported: I was upon a camel which was misbehaving so I began to beat it. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ peace and blessings be upon him, said:

When a group of Jews said ugly words and ʿĀisha responded in a similar way, the holy Prophet (the blessings and peace of Allah upon him) responded and said:

“O ʿĀisha! Allah is kind and lenient and
likes that one should be kind and lenient in all matters.”

يَا عَائِشَةُ إِنَّ اللّٰهَ رَفِيقٌ يُحِبُّ الرِّفْقَ فِي الأَمْرِ كُلِّهِ
Yā ʿā.ishatu, inna-l llāha rafīqun yuh.ibbu-r rifqa fī-l amri kullihi
Al-Bukhari, 9.61

If this is the [adab] of Islam with hardened enemies, so how should it not apeopley to our fellow Muslims, let alone family and loved ones?

3.5 Leaving What Does Not Concern One
The Prophet ﷺ said,
مِنْ حُسْنِ إسْلَامِ الْمَرْءِ تَرْكُهُ مَا لَا يَعْنِيهِ
“The excellence of a person's Islam includes leaving what does not concern him.”

Here Muhammad Jurdani commented:
Meaning the fullness and perfection of a person's Islam and his submission to its rules includes leaving what does not concern him, meaning that which is not connected with what is important to one, be it in word or deed.

The matters that concern a person are those connected with necessities of life in gaining a livelihood and having a safe return in the afterlife. These do not amount to much in comparison with what does not concern one.

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4.1 The Believer's Prison

What is the true character of this worldly or lower life? الحياة الدنيا
It is sometimes beautiful, other times awful and ugly, and always passing.
It is the believer's stepping stone for the Life Beyond, which is the real life. الآخِرَة

The Prophet ﷺ said:
الدُّنْيَا سِجْنُ الْمُؤْمِنِ وَجَنَّةُ الْكَافِرِ
ad-dunyā sijnu-l mumin wa jannatu-l kāfir
This (lower) life is the believer's prison and the disbeliever's paradise.

4.2 The Period And Use Of This World:

"al-dunya saʿatun fa ijʿalha taʿatan"
"This world lasts for an hour: Spend it in obedience."
Saying of ʿAli ibn Abi Talib كرم الله وجهه related by Ibn al-Jawzi in "Sifat al-safwat"

4.3 The Islamic teaching concerning this world - dunya:

{ إِنَّ الَّذِينَ لَا يَرْجُونَ لِقَاءَنَا وَرَضُوا بِالْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا وَاطْمَأَنُّوا بِهَا وَالَّذِينَ هُمْ عَنْ آيَاتِنَا غَافِلُونَ }
{ Surely those who do not hope in Our meeting and are pleased with this world's life and are content with it, and those who are heedless of Our communications/ our verses:
(As for) those, their abode is the fire because of what they earned.}
Sura Yunus 10, verses 7/8

One of the (2)enormities- [ of sins ] is wanting the life of this world more than the next and being satisfied and contented with it. RT^[L]

4.4 Two Kinds of People:
"This world is a place of transit, not a place of stay. The people herein are of two categories: One is the man who sold away his self (to passions) and thus ruined it, and the other the man who purchased his self (by control against passions) and freed it. "
Saying of ʿAli ibn Abi Talib كرم الله وجهه in NB520 no.133 (a: 131)^[L]

4.5 Like A Serpent
"This world is like a serpent. It is soft in touch but its inside is full of venom.
An ignorant person who has fallen in deceit is attracted towards it but a wise and intelligent man keeps guard from it."
Saying of ʿAli ibn Abi Talib كرم الله وجهه in NB514 no.119 (a: 116)^[L]

4.6 Reality Or Imagination?
This world is maintained by [Divine] imagination. You call it 'reality', since it can be seen and perceived and those meanings of which the world is an offshoot you call 'imagination.' The true situation is the reverse. The imagination is this world itself, for that Meaning [by Allah] brings into existence a hundred worlds like this, and they rot and disintegrate and become naught. Then It [Allah] produces a new world and better… RUM250^[L]

4.7 One Reality
All Reality (Being - wujūd) is one and an absolute Unity.
It is the source and cause of all beings.
There is only one reality in existence;
from different angles it is called the One, the Real (al-Haqq),
or the many, the phenomenal world, appearences, (al-khalq);
so - the One and the Many are only names
for two aspects of One Reality;
and because Allah is the One and there is no 'other',
and because Allah is the Real and there is no-one more 'real',
so this Ultimate Reality is Allah and there is no other. AFF^[L]

4.8 No Relaxation in this World
There can be no relaxation at all in this world for a believer endowed with reason. Whenever he finds such relaxation, this is always accompanied by heedlessness of his Lord and of his appointed time (of death). A fool, however, may find relaxation in the world, for as a fool, he is unaware of problems or of disturbing things, whether actual or expected. Imam al-Haddad^[32]

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5.1 The heart is the principle of both the mind and the body. KS311+11^[L]

5.2 hadith: Compassion In The Hearts:

Narrated Usama bin Zaid: The daughter of the Prophet ﷺ sent someone to her father requesting him to come as her child was dying (or was gasping), but the Prophet ﷺ told him to convey his greeting to her and say:
"Whatever Allah takes is for Him and whatever He gives, is for Him, and everything with Him has a limited fixed term (in this world) and so she should be patient and hope for Allah's reward."
She again sent for him, swearing that he should come. The Prophet ﷺ got up, and so did Sad bin 'Ubada, Muadh bin Jabal, Ubai bin Ka'b, Zaid bin Thabit and some other men. The child was brought to Allah's Apostle while his breath was disturbed in his chest … On that the eyes of the Prophet ﷺ started shedding tears. Sad said, "O Allah's Apostle! What is this?" He replied,
"It is mercy which Allah has put in the hearts of His slaves, and Allah is merciful only to those of His slaves who are merciful (to others)."
(wa innamā yarHamu-LLahu min ʿibādihi-rruHamā) B2-373

5.3 Traditional doctrine states that Sacred Knowledge is being attainable not through the mind but the heart once it is purified and the 'eye of the heart '... opened. KS28-5^[L]

5.4 hadith: What Whispers In The Hearts:

Narrated Abu Huraira:

Bukhari vol 3, book 46, no. 705

5.5 Hearts Advancing And Retreating:

inna li-l qulūbi shahwatan wa iqbālan wa idbāran
fa.tūhā min qabli shahwatihā fa-inna-l qalba idhā akrihā ʿamiya

"Hearts are imbued with passion and power of advancing and retreating. Therefore approach them for action at a time of (or: before) their passionateness (and when they are in the mood of advancing), because if hearts are forced (to do a thing) they get blind."
Saying of ʿAli ibn Abi Talib كرم الله وجهه in NB531 no.193 (a: 191)^[L]

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6.1 The Law of Islam is also called the "Way or Road" in Islam, which Allah has established for the guidance of mankind, both for the worship of God and for the duties of life.

6.2 The occidental tends to see the shariʿah as a straightjacket rather than as a framework,
unaware that it has within it adequate space for free movement (and for individual differences), and unwilling to accept the psychological implications of the fact that a physical body disintegrates when placed in a vacuum. IDM170^[L]

All of the Shariʿah and the religion is an instruction and a blessing from Allah.

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7.1 Striving hard for Allah's countenance and good pleasure.

7.2 The Universal Principle For Doing Good
This universal principle states that in order to do good one must be good; in order to conquer the world one must first conquer oneself, which means one's lower passions.
This universal truth needs to be reasserted today more than ever before when so many wish to reform the world without having reformed themselves. SH Nasr

7.3 Jihad is first against the self nafs
(It has to be noted) that the verses of jihād were revealed in the Meccan period when military action was impossible, proving that the first and foremost jihad meant by Allah Most High is the jihad against the self, without which the second is a corrupt jihad (jihād al-fasād) - of which, unfortunately, there is abundant illustration nowadays. GF Haddad

7.4 Wrong and defective definition of jihad
“Jihad is not a defensive war only, but a war against any unjust regime. If such a regime exists, a war is to be waged against the leaders, but not against the people of that country. People should be freed from the unjust regimes and influences so that they can freely choose to believe in Allah.”

In this respect compare 7.4 with 7.5 !

7.5 Rebellion Against Rulers
“Whoever lives under a particular government must obey the ruler and live peacefully. They are prohibited from taking up arms against him. Uprising or violence by any group against the ruler is completely rejected in Islam, and was prohibited by the Prophet ﷺ and will be a cause of death on the way of ignorance (jahiliyya).”

7.6 Conditions for Combative Jihad
“The position of the law is that only at such a time when it can be reasonably proven that there are aggressive designs against Islam and there are concerted efforts to eject Muslims from their legally acquired property and that military campaigns are being launched to eradicate them.
At such a time the ruler can declare and execute the provisions of Jihad. It is a condition that there be a leader of the Muslims, an Imam, to declare combative Jihad.”

7.7 Standing firm
Standing firm is the lesser jihad and is dependent on the greater jihad which is the jihad against the ego through the remembrance of God and purification of the soul.

7.8 The principles of treating the illnesses of the soul (nafs)
They are five:
- lightening the stomach by diminishing one's food and drink,
- taking refuge in Allah Most High from the unforeseen when it befalls,
- shunning situations that involve what one fears to fall victim to,
- continually asking for Allah's forgiveness and His blessings
     upon the Prophet ﷺ night and day with full presence of mind,
- and keeping the company of him who guides one to Allah.^[2]

These are some of the beneficial steps for the ʿabd to take (servant of Allah) on the road of jihād al akbar جهاد الاكبر (the greatest jihad, the struggle against the lower self - nafs.)

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12.1 Islam sees the cardinal sin of man in his forgetfulness ghaflah of who he is, although he still carries his primordial^[17] nature, which is al-fitrah within himself. KS185fn14^[L]

12.2 There are 17 'kabirah' or greater sins:

1. kufr - infidelity, disbelief
2. Constantly committing little sins
3. Dispairing of Allah's mercy
4. Considering oneself safe from the wrath of God
5. False witness
6. qadhf - falsely charging a Muslim with adultery
7. Taking a false oath
8. Magic
9. Drinking wine
10. Appropriation of the property of orphans
11. Usury
12. Adultery
13. Unnatural crime
14. Theft
15. Murder
16. Fleeing in battle before an infidel enemy
17. Disobedience to parents DI594ii^[L]

12.3 Islam sets out to abolish both uncertainty and hesitation and especially both error and sin; error in holding that the Absolute is not, or that it is relative..; (whereas) sin places these errors on the level of the will or of action. UI13^[L]

12.5 hadith: Faith Taken Away From Believer:

Narrated 'Ikrima from Ibn 'Abbas:

12.6 hadith: The biggest sin:

12.7 Abstention From Sin:

"Abstention from sin is easier than seeking help afterwards."
Saying of ʿAli ibn Abi Talib كرم الله وجهه in NB527 no.170 (a: 168)^[L]

12.8 "Whoever falls into ambivalent matters ... haram"

Meaning that either it is haram or not, or that he would _almost_ fall into haram, as it is said, "Acts of disobedience are the postal service of disbelief (kufr)", because when a person falls into infringements, he will advance step by step from one corruption to another greater than it. CFH39

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13.1 A disbeliever is he who directs his hostile attitude against Islam or muslims, with hand, tongue or pen. Then he is a kafir, whether he belongs to some religion or is an atheist.
From this follows that when Non-Muslims treat Muslims in a normal and proper way, he must not be considered a kafir, also because it cannot be said that he has correct knowledge of Islam, while living in an environment with anti-Islam propaganda.

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14.1 Scholars distinguish between three levels of the unlawful:

(1) minor sins (saghira, pl. sagha'ir), which may be forgiven from prayer to prayer, from one Friday prayer (jumu'a) to another, and so forth, as is mentioned in the hadith.

(2) enormities (kabira, pl. kaba'ir), those which appear by name in the Quran or hadith as the subject of an explicit threat, prescribed legal penalty, or curse.

(3) and unbelief (kufr), sins which put one beyond the pale of Islam and necessitate stating the Testification of Faith (Shahada) to reenter it.

Repentance is obligatory for all three. RT-31^[L]

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15.1 Islam
Islam is to believe in the words of Allah and the Prophet ﷺ and to accept them.
It is to obey Allah in reverence , to purify one's inner and outer self and to harmonize one's speech with it.
The one who fulfills these prerequisites is a Muslim. ISKA11^[L]

15.2 Islam
Islam is a way of life as old as man himself. It consists of beliefs and actions, but neither of the two is, by itself, deemed enough. All great teachers of the world - Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus and Muhammad ﷺ - are to be respected as the true prophets of Allah, because they all preached Islam, each according to its time. With the Holy Prophet of Islam the basic teachings of Islam received their final shape. So Muhammad ﷺ was the Last of the Prophets. LSIS-5^[L]
Islam is the last boat to shore.

15.3 Islam
"I am defining Islam as no-one has defined (it) before me:
Islam is submission taslīm, submission is conviction yaqīn, conviction is affirmation tasdīq, affirmation is acknowledgement iqrār, acknowledgement is discharge ( of obligation) adā.u, discharge of obligation is action ʿamal. "
Saying of ʿAli ibn Abi Talib كرم الله وجهه in NB517 no.125 (a: 122)^[L]

15.4 Islam has been explained by none other than the Angel Jibril (a.s.) in the famous hadith on islam, iman, ihsan:

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16.1 Haqīqah: the profound truth of everything in existence. It is "the essence of a thing as meaning that by being which a thing is what it is." DI162i ^[L]

16.2 Islamic haqīqah: Islam in its aspect of divine truth and knowledge

16.3 Shariʿah - haqīqah and the difference between them:
These terms are used ... to denote [the] soundness of the outward state and [the] maintenance of the inward state.

Two parties err in this matter:
firstly, the formal theologians, who assert that there is no distinction between shariʿat (law) and haqīqat (truth), since the Law is the Truth and the Truth is the Law;
secondly, some heretics, who hold that it is possible for one of these things to subsist without the other, and declare that when the Truth is revealed the Law is abolished. This is, the doctrine of [some sects].

The proof that the Law is virtually separate from the Truth lies in the fact that in faith belief is separate from profession and the proof that the Law and the Truth are not fundamentally separate, but are one, lies in the fact that belief without profession is not faith, and conversely profession without belief is not faith; and there is a manifest difference between profession and belief.

Haqīqah, then, signifies a reality which does not admit of abrogation and remains - in equal force, from the time of Adam, to the end of the world, like knowledge of God and like religious practice, which is made perfect by sincere intention; and shariʿat signifies a reality which admits of abrogation and alteration, like ordinances and commandments. Therefore shariʿat is man's act, while haqīqat is God's keeping and preservation and protection, whence it follows that shariʿat cannot possibly be maintained without the existence of haqīqat, and haqīqat cannot be maintained without observance of shariʿat. Their mutual relation may be compared to that of body and spirit: when the spirit departs from the body the living body becomes a corpse and the spirit vanishes like wind, for their value depends on their conjunction with one another.

Similarly, the Law without the Truth is ostentation, and Truth without the Law is hypocrisy. God has said: "Whosoever strives hard for Our sake, we will assuredly guide them in Our ways ( sura al-ʿankabut 29, verse 69): striving hard (jāhada) is Law, guidance is Truth; the former consists in a man's observance of the external ordinances, while the latter consists in God's maintenance of a man's spiritual feelings. Hence the Law is one of the acts acquired by man, but the Truth is of the gifts bestowed by God. KAM383/4^[L]

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17.2 Sadaqah is random acts of kindness and good deeds, due upon every Muslim every day, so it is not just a monetary transaction, but comes in many forms.^[16]
Donating Sadaqah - little or much - "instills compassion and empathy in the heart of the doers and eases the beneficiaries in multiple ways."^[9]

Abu Dharr narrated that the Prophet ﷺ said, “You putting some of the water from your bucket in your brother’s bucket is sadaqah. You removing stones, thorns and bones from people’s path is sadaqah. You guiding a man in a place where there are no guides is sadaqah.”[9]

17.3 Sadaqah - three more hadith

“Sadaqah (charity) extinguishes sin as water extinguishes fire” (Tirmidhī).
He also said that Allah (may His Majesty be exalted) will give relief on a day when there is no other relief for those who spend sadaqa:
“The believer's shade on the Day of Resurrection will be their charity.” (Tirmidhī).
and
"Charity (al-sadaqa) certainly extinguishes the Lord's anger and repels a bad death." (Narrated from Anas with a weak chain by al-Tirmidhī, gharīb).

17.4 Protection against the Fire
اتَّقُوا النَّارَ وَلَوْ بِشِقِّ تَمْرَةٍ فَمَنْ لَمْ يَجِدْ فَبِكَلِمَةٍ طَيِّبَةٍ
ittaqū-n nāra wa lau bi-shaqqi tamaratin
"Protect yourself against the fire (of Hell),
even by giving away half a piece of a date (in charity)." ^[12]
ʿAdiyy bn Hātim relates that he heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ say it.

17.5 Sadaqah Jariyah
Sadaqah Jariyah means ongoing reward of a Muslim, even when he has passed on to the next abode. For example having invested in the teaching the dīn of Islam: multiple beneficial results over generations for those trained, their offspring and for society as a whole.^[10]

17.6 Giving Alms - sadaqah
Saying of ʿAli ibn Abi Talib كرم الله وجهه
اسْتنْزلُوا الرِّزْقَ بِالصَّدَقَةِ
istanzilū-r rizqa bi-s. s.adaqati
"Seek livelihood by giving alms."^[11]

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18.1 Ikhlās
It means "the purification of your action from all tinge,^[13] … so that in it only exists the striving to come closer to Allah and no other motive."
Al-Ghazalī in his Ihya IE-I-57

18.2 Sincerity
Al-Junayd said: الاخلاص ما اُريد به الله من أﯼ عمل كان
"Sincerity is that whereby Allah is desired, whatever the act may be."^[15]
Ruwaym said: الاخلاص ارتفاع رؤيتك من الفعل
"Sincerity is lifting one's regard from the deed."[15]

18.3 Ikhlās means purity
It means purity, because it is about minimising the number of intentions in every action we have.
The believer should have one intention, which is to please the One who alone is a meaningful judge. A H Murad^[47]

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19.1 Man Is Vice-Regent Of Allah On Earth.

Allah the Creator of the universe created man as the best creature in all creation. He says in the Holy Qur'an:

With the best of forms and due to his particular qualities man was exalted in his position as he was made vice-regent of Allah on earth. Allah even commanded the angels to fall down in obeisance to him. But it was man who took it on to himself to shoulder this big responsibility - amānah - and to discharge the duties as deputy of the Lord, with all the difficulties and suffering this entails.

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20.1 It is the knowledge of Allah's oneness or unification.

20.2 Everything Will Disappear
When one realizes that everything besides Allah is bound to vanquish because it is no cause in itself and has neither real power over anything and nor independent being, one comes to a point to reject everything except the First Cause, the Independent Being, God, Allah. This then is:

{ صِرَاطَ الَّذِينَ أَنْعَمْتَ عَلَيْهِمْ غَيْرِ الْمَغْضُوبِ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا الضَّالِّينَ }
{ The path of those You have favoured, not of those who earn Your anger or of those who go astray. }
Quran, sura the Opening (1) verse7 FSH26^[L]

20.3 Stages of Belief in Unification
Those who profess belief in unification ( tauhīd may be classified into three groups: those, including hypocrites, who confess the unity with the tongue only; those who believe on the basis of some so-called reliable authority; and those who, on the evidence of their direct, intuitive perception, believe that God is the unmoved Mover of the material world and the ultimate Cause of all creation and that He alone has real or absolute existence. The last stage is the highest.

20.4 The Realization of Tawhid
That the belief in unification has to be realized and lived.
…

20.5 Three Lights
Ibn ʿAta' Allah said: “The one who utters the Word of Oneness needs three lights: the light of guidance (Nūr al-hidāya), the light of sufficiency (nūr al-kifāya), and the light of divine help (nūr al-ʿināya).” ^[31]

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21.1 Worshipping the ONE:

ʿIbādah is worship (devotion) of the ONE Being,
الحقّ
because He, God - Allah is the Eternal, the Living, the Existence-Giver, the Real, the True, the Ultimate Truth.
may His Majesty be exalted!

21.2 This is how Allah adressed all of mankind:

{ يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ اعْبُدُوا رَبَّكُمُ الَّذِي خَلَقَكُمْ وَالَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَتَّقُونَ }
{O you men ! worship your Lord who created you
and those before you, that you may guard against evil.}
Quran, sura the Cow (2) verse 21

21.3 Allah is qualified by real qualities (which are relations).
العلم والقدرة والقوة والعزة والحلم والحكمة والكبرياﺀ والجبروت والقدم والحيٰواة والارادة واﻟﻤﺸﻴﺌﺔ والكلام
These are: knowledge, strength, power, glory, mildness^[28], wisdom, majesty, omnipotence, eternity, life, desire, will and speech.
Allah has hearing, sight, face, and hand, unlike^[29] (ordinary) hearing, sight, hands and faces. These are attributes of Allah, they are neither He nor other than He, and He is not in need of them, or that He does things with them. DS16 ^[L]

21.4 Worship in Fear or in Hope
If one were asked which is better, worship in fear or in hope, the answer by Al-Ghazali is (may Allah have mercy on him):
"Worship in hope is better, for hope gives rise to love, while fear can give rise to despair." ^[30]

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22.1 Sunna is the practice of Islam:
The Arabic word sunna lexically means "road" or "practice." In the language of the Prophet ﷺ and the Companions it denotes the whole of licit [lawful] practices followed in the Religion (dīn), particularly the pristine (hanīf) path of Prophets, whether pertaining to belief, religious and social practice, or ethics generally speaking. GF Haddad

22.2 On Following The Sunna:
"Know that the one who observes the Prophetic good manners in his everyday activities is preserved by Allah from trespassing into the base attributes and behavior that are outside them and obtains the religious and wordly benefits that Allah has set, through His wisdom within them."
Imam ʿAbdallāh Ibn ʿAlawī al-Haddād, BA51^[L]

22.3 The Sunna opens up human potential
The Sunna is not ”a way of restricting you into a particular bandwidth of the human potential, but as the whole history of the umma, with all of our paradigms, indicates, that in fact it *opens up the bandwidth* and allows a wide range of different human types to demonstrate the capacity which God has created within them…” AHM ^[33]

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23.1 By New Creation (khalqu-l jadīd) is meant the constant renewal of being in every single moment of time, and not a single act of creation is from nothing. This renewal happens much faster than human perception can perceive.

23.2 It follows from this theory, usually referred to by the Qur'anic term "new creation" (khalqu-l jadīd), that two consequent temporal states of the world are not related to each other as cause and effect. Each further state of the world is defined not by the preceding one, but by the way in which the inner relations of Divine unity will be embodied in the given moment. Cause-and-effect relations are renewed (they start anew) at each moment of time. They are in fact eternity-to-time relations: each essence, considered in its temporality, is effect, but regarded as an unmanifested inner correlation of Divinity, is cause.

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24.1 Futuwwah is Generosity, Trustworthiness…
Meaning youth and chivalry, Futuwwah, as a term,^[40] is a composite of virtues such as generosity, munificence, modesty, chastity, trustworthiness, loyalty, mercifulness, knowledge, humility and piety, and it is one of the stations a traveler on the path to Allah passes by and a dimension of sainthood.

24.2 Sum of the four virtues
- Forgiving when one is able to punish.
- Preserving mildness and acting mildly and gently when one is furious.
- Wishing even one's enemies well and doing them good.
- Always being considerate of the well-being and happiness of others first even when one is needy.

24.3 Others Can Be Forgiven
Futuwwah is knowing that others can be forgiven for their misdeeds,
but you yourself are always at fault;
that everyone and everything else is complete,
while you yourself are lacking.

Futuwwah is showing understanding and compassion equally to what appears good and what appears bad.

The highest form of Futuwwah is when nothing occupies you but Allah."
Abu ʿAbdullah al-Sajazi in FUT99^[L]

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25.1 The Lawful Halāl is the Way to Allah
The lawful Halāl is that by which one comes near to Allah.
It is the way of Allah.
It is righteousness, obedience, good deeds, charity, and fairness. It is the way of those on the path al- salikīn, and the method of those intending Allah and worshipping Him; it is that which is travelled by everyone who desires Allah and follows the way of self-denial zuhd and religious practice, and what is called poverty and Sufism and the like. Ibn Taymiyya*

25.2 Comment: this 'approach' is in knowledge of Allah, in devotion, good deeds, seeking justice…

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26.1 It “consists in cleansing the heart from whatever is other than Allah.”

26.2 When we see someone in this Community who claims to be able to guide others to Allah, but is remiss in but one rule of the Sacred Law - even if he manifests miracles that stagger the mind - asserting that his shortcorning is a special dispensation for him, we do not even turn to look at him, for such a person is not a sheikh, nor is he speaking the truth, for no one is entrusted with the secrets of Allah Most High save one in whom the ordinances of the Sacred Law are preserved. Muhyiddin ibn al-ʿArabi (ra)

26.3 The primacy of the Shariʿa forms the soundest tradition in Sufism.

'The Sufi among Jurists is better than the Jurist among Sufis.'

26.4 Sufism is a knowledge through which one knows the states of the human soul, praiseworthy or blameworthy, how to purify it from the blameworthy and ennoble it by acquiring the praiseworthy, and to journey and proceed to Allah Most High, fleeing unto Him.

Its fruits are the heart's development, knowledge of God through direct experience and ecstasy, salvation in the next world, triumph through gaining Allah's pleasure, the attainment of eternal happiness, and illuminating and purifying the heart so that noble matters disclose themselves, extraordinary states are revealed, and one perceives what the insight of others is blind to. Muhammad Amin Kurdi*

26.5 The way of the Sufis consists in ten items:

(1) The reality of tasawwuf which is defined by truthful self-orientation (sidq al-tawajjuh) to Allah Most High. Shaykh al-ʿArusi
Show more Sufism in Islam

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27.1 When you face the qiblah [direction towards the Kaʿba], you should despair of this world, what it contains of creation and what others are occupied with. Empty your heart of every preoccupation which might distract you from Allah. See the immensity of Allah with your innermost being, and remember that you will stand before Him. Jaʿfar As-Sādiq LP60^[L]

27.2 Someone said that the soul of prayer is complete absorbtion; it is a state of unconciousness which has no room for form, outward or inward, no room for thought or imagination. SR201^[L]

27.3 Hadith from the Messenger of Allah ﷺ :

Prayer is the miraj (union with, or annihilation in, the Divine Essence by means of continual upward progress) of the Faithful.

He whom prayer preventeth not from wrongdoing and evil, increaseth in naught save in remoteness from the Lord. ^[44]

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“Every new matter (kullu muhdathatin) is an innovation (bidʿa), every innovation is misguidance (dalala), and every misguidance is in the Fire.”

What is meant by the hadith “Every new matter is an innovation” is the innovation that contravene the texts of the Law. That, and that alone, is the innovation of misguidance.

28.2 H.ujjat al-Islām al-Ghazzālī said:

The fact that this (adding of dots to the Qur'anic script) is innovated (muh.dath) forms no impediment to this. How many innovated matters are excellent! As it was said concerning the establishing of congregations in Tarāwīh. that it was among the innovations of ʿUmar (ra) and that it was an excellent innovation (bidʿa h.asana). The blameworthy bidʿa is only what opposes the ancient Sunna or might lead to changing it.

28.3 Another clear definition

”The Shari’ah terminology of of bidʿa however means anything that has been introduced into the beliefs and actions of the Muslims that is in direct opposition to the Qur’an or the Sunnah, or anything that distorts the Sunnah or claims to be better than the Sunnah.”

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29.1 Witnessing but Allah Alone
Fanā means that you don't witness but Allah alone, not any more yourself. This happens when the veil is removed, but in reality it is not Allah who is veiled but you!

29.2 What is meant by attaining the contact with Allah (Almighty and Glorious is He) is that you make your exit from the sphere of creation, from passion and will and desire, and become securely linked to His action, so that no movement of yours affects either you or His creation unless by His decree, at His command and through His action this is the state of annihilation (fana'), which is another term for that contact.

29.3 The dissolution of the ego^[4], however, is not the denial or suppression or invalidation of the human person. In my personhood, I am a living face of God; the ego (nafs) is simply all that stands between me and this knowledge. My recognized nothingness is nothing but my liberation from the illusory burden of my own self-creation. In Sufi terms, the other side of my annihilation in God - fanā - is my subsistence in God - baqā. Subsisting in Him, I know myself completely contingent upon Him; I see how I, in my unique personhood, am precisely as God wills me to be. God recognizes a certain aspect of Himself in me alone; no other person, object or entity can fill that role. At the root of my uniqueness is my annihilation. SAC175 ^[L]

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30.1.1 Linguistically zakāt means growth, and purification.
The shariʿah definition of zakāt is: the name for that which is taken from one's wealth for a specific purpose, ie. to those who are valid recipients, which is a duty upon the one who has the capacity to give.

30.1.2 ) Zakāt is a charity or tax of 2.5% of the untouched or surplus wealth over a (lunar) year. It is for purifying wealth and bringing it back into economic circulation, especially for the poor and needy, the disenfranchised and maginalized classes of society.

→ For Sadaqah go to 17.

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31.1) All knowledge (al-ʿilm) is but a branch of worship (at-taʿabbud)
and all worship is but a branch of abstinence (al-waraʿ)
and all abstinence is but a branch of trust in Allah (tawakkul)
and trust in Allah (tawakkul) has neither limit nor finite end.
Imam Abu Talib al-Makki, Qut al-qulub

31.2) Sarī al-Saqaṭī said: "Trust (tawakkul) is the stripping off of power and strength."^[7] Ibn Masrūq said: "Trust is resignation to the course of the decrees of fate." Sahl said: "Trust is being at ease before Allah."^[8]

قال سهل التوكّل الاسترسال بين يدي الله تعاﻟﯽ

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32.1 All knowledge (al-ʿilm) is but a branch of worship (see above 31. )

32.2 Knowledge of four objects:

The objects of knowledge (al-ma`lūmāt) are four:

1st. God, Allah who is not defined by any definition, nor limited by any limitation while He is the Absolute Concious Being (al-wujūd al-mutlaq). He is neither the effect (ma`lūl), nor the cause of anything (`illa). On the contrary he exists through His very Essence and His existence is not other than His Essence.

Knowledge of Him consists of knowledge that He exists.
His Essence remains unknown, whereas the Attributes that are attributed to Him are known. Knowledge of the reality of His Essence (haqīqat al-dhāt) is impossible and to dwell on it leads to /confusion/.

2nd. The second object of knowledge is the Universal Reality (al-haqīqat al-kulliyya).
This reality is eternal when the Eternal is described by it (it belongs to God), and it is temporally originated when the temporally originated is described by it (it belongs to the world). So it is qualified neither by existence nor non-existence, neither by temporal origination nor eternity (al-qidam). No objects of knowledge - whether eternal or temporally originated - are known until this reality is known, but this reality does not exist until those things described by it exist.
• Eternal existent: it exists without a precedent nonexistence (`adam mutaqaddim), such as the Being of God and His Attributes.
• Temporally originated: it exists by means of something other than itself, such as the existence of everything other than God (mā siwā Allāh).
• The likeness of it would be the quality of wood in timber, in a chair etc. 'Woodness' lie within the reality of any of these things. //

3rd. The third object of knowledge is the entire world (al-mulk al-akbar).

4th. The fourth object of knowledge is man.

32.3 Advice for the seeker of sacred knowledge

32.3.1 Advice #1

It is narrated from Abu al-Dardā':
Be a scholar,
or a student,
or a listener;
don't be the fourth type and thus destroy yourself.

□ comment: Therefore ask yourself:
Am I a scholar? then you have certain duties (incl. patience, abstinence), if not
→ are you a student? then you have the duties (incl. patience, perseverance) and rights of a student (the right to be taught), if not
→ you should at least be a listener while being in the company of more knowledgeable persons, not to argue or debate, but to be attentive and focused as much as possible to what is said and taught.

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33.1 "Fiqh is to know what is for and against oneself."
Imam Abu Hanifa (Allah be pleased with him)

33.2 The word fiqh, originally meaning 'insight', came to signify religious knowledge, canon law, dogmatic or speculative theology and jurisprudence. CEI361^[L]

33.3 Shariʿah is more than Fiqh. It covers not only ritual but every aspect of life.
It is the revealed law as put forth in the Quran and Sunnah and elaborated by the four orthodox schools (madhabib). CEI361^[L]

33.4 The Prophet ﷺ peace be upon him said:
”One person who knows his fiqh is more difficult for shaytan than a thousand worshippers who don’t know their fiqh.”
Narrated on the authority of Ibn Abbas may Allah be pleased with him in Sunan Ibn Majjah

The usul al-fiqh (roots of jurisprudence) are the basis of Islamic law.
Every act fits into one of the categories, as listed here.

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34.1 fitna; fitan: awesome trial(s) of deceptive attractions
When times are such that people lose their faith, when killing will abound, knowledge (that is knowledge of God and religion) is being taken away, including the Muslim who does not know about his or her Islam, then these are the times of great trials of deceptive attractions as foretold by the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, who had knowledge of the Unseen* al-ghaib . He warned people and told us what to do, because there will be seemingly important man (and women), seemingly calling to goodness but they are false leaders, blind guiding the blind, leading to Hell. HAU?^[L]

What to do:
- Guarding your faith imān,
- and other actions to take.

34.2 In times of fitna, do this acc. to the prophetic hadith:
تَأْخُذُونَ مَا تَعْرِفُونَ وَتَذَرُونَ مَا تُنْكِرُونَ وَتُقْبِلُونَ عَلَى أَمْرِ خَاصَّتِكُمْ وَتَذَرُونَ أَمْرَ عَامَّتِكُمْ
“Keep to what you recognize as good and leave off what you recognize as evil. Turn your attention to your own personal affairs and leave off the affairs of the masses.”
Source: Sunan Abī Dāwūd 4342 ^[45]

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Because the abode of this world is founded on hardship and trial, kneaded with trouble and distress, and filled with preoccupations and distractions, the things that divert one away from acts of obedience abound, as are those things that incite to transgression. These distractions are numerous, but may be reduced to four categories:
- The first is ignorance,
- the second weakness of faith,
- the third long hopes, and
- the fourth eating illicit or dubious food.
Imam al-Haddad^[6] Then the imam goes into detail in what follows.

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Al-Junayd said:
الزهد خلو الأيدﯼ من الاملاك و القلوب من التتبع
“Abstinence is when the hands are void of possessions, and the heart of acquisitiveness.”
‘Ali ibn Abi Talib كرم الله وجهه, being asked what the nature of abstinence is, replied:
هو أن لاتبالي مَن أكل الدنيا من مؤمن أو كافر
“It means, that one does not care who consumes (the things of) this world, be he believer or unbeliever.”
Al-Shibli, being asked concerning abstinence, said: “Alas for you! What value is there in that which is less than the wing of a gnat, that abstinence must needs be exercised concerning it?” [Ref. hadith below:]

أَتُرَوْنَ هَذِهِ هَيِّنَةً عَلَى صَاحِبِهَا فَوَالَّذِي نَفْسِي بِيَدِهِ لَلدُّنْيَا أَهْوَنُ عَلَى اللَّهِ مِنْ هَذِهِ عَلَى صَاحِبِهَا وَلَوْ كَانَتِ الدُّنْيَا تَزِنُ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ جَنَاحَ بَعُوضَةٍ مَا سَقَى كَافِرًا مِنْهَا قَطْرَةً أَبَدًا

“We were with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ in Dhul-Hulaifah, when we saw a dead sheep lifting its leg (because of bloating). He said: ‘Don’t you think this is worthless to its owner? By the One in Whose hand is my soul, this world is more worthless to Allah than this (dead sheep) is to its owner. If this world was worth the wing of a mosquito to Allah, the disbeliever would not have a drop to drink from it.’”
It was narrated that Sahl bin Sa’d said this.^[17]

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37.1 murāqabah is Awareness, Vigilence, Close Attention

37.2 murāqabah is knowing that Allah is watching over us. Its is the servant's constant awareness of this fact. If you find in your heart… ^[n2]

Allah سبحانه و تعالى says:

{ وَاعْلَمُوا أَنَّ اللّٰهَ يَعْلَمُ مَا فِي أَنفُسِكُمْ فَاحْذَرُوهُ }
{ And know that Allah knows what is in your minds, so fear Him. } 2-235

{ وَكَانَ اللّٰهُ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ رَّقِيبًا }
{ And Allah is Ever a Watcher over all things. } 33-52 ^[18]

In the hadith of Jibril, when he asked the Prophet about ihsan (goodness and excellence), the Prophet replied,
أَنْ تَعْبُدَ اللّٰهَ كَأَنَّك تَرَاهُ فَإِنْ لَمْ تَكُنْ تَرَاهُ فَإِنَّهُ يَرَاك
"Ihsan is to worship Allah as if you see Him, but since we do not see Him we should know that He sees us at all times." Bukhari and Muslim

37.3 What is meant in this hadith is to have this certain knowledge that Allah is watching over our internal and external affairs, seeing us at all times. This sacred knowledge will lead to our murāqabah (vigilance/ close attention/ awareness).

Al-Junaid said, "The one firm in murāqabah fears the waste of even a moment for other than his Lord."

Dhun-Nun said, "The sign of murāqabah is to favor what Allah has sent down (of the revelation), to glorify what Allah has glorified, and to despise what Allah has despised." ^[19]

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38.1 Muhāsabah is using the instrument of reason (38.2) for self-examination - while anticipating the Great Examination (Judgement Day) that will certainly come.
So that self-examination will lead up to spiritual awareness of one’s thoughts, intentions and acts, and therefore to be equipped avoiding evil and doing good instead, thereby seeking the good pleasure of Allah, the Lord of the worlds.

38.2 The root of the word Hāsaba has been described by Al-Ghazali as calculating/ counting. It is about evaluation one’s thoughts, intentions and actions through the intermediate of reason, that reason which is informed by the 'sharp distinguisher' (furqān), that is the Quranic revelation and the beauty of the prophetic example - may Allah bless him and grant him peace. See Ihya, IH-IV-419 ^[L]

38.3 Not free from temptation or remiss!
Then there is this warning by Imam Al-Ghazali:
"However much Allah’s servant examines his soul, it will be free neither of the temptation to sin nor of being remiss in respect of God’s right. Therefore, he must not neglect his soul. Neglecting it facilitates his temptation to sin, to which his soul may grow accustomed and then find it difficult to shed it. This is what causes the ruin of the soul. Indeed, he must punish it."

38.4 Imām Al-Muhāsibi is credited with founding the school or practice of Muhāsabah, he authored the 'Book of observance of the rights of Allah' ’Kitab al-riʿaya li huqūq Allah’. It’s about the idea of taking oneself (i.e. one’s soul, nafs) to account before it is taken to account on the Day of Judgement, when a return to the world of activity is closed.

38.5 The Trifle Worth Of This World [ad-dunyā]
This ’accounting activity’ is closely coupled to the knowledge of the trifle worth of this world (see ch. muraqaba).
Hasan al-Basri practiced it and it was most probably practiced by the Sahabah, for how can one lead a life of God consciousness (taqwa), if one is unaware of one’s intentions and acts?

38.6 Two Sayings by Imām Al-Muhāsibi
”One who rectifies his inner self with an awareness of God’s surveillance and sincerity, God adorns his outer self with devotional acts and adherence to the prophetic way (Sunnah).”

“Everything has an essence. The essence of a human being is his intellect, and the essence of his intellect is patience.”

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39.1 Personal Accomplishment
The personal accomplishment and fulfillment in religion is ihsān, (spiritual excellence, benevolence, doing good).

أَنْ تَعْبُدَ اللّٰهَ كَأَنَّك تَرَاهُ فَإِنْ لَمْ تَكُنْ تَرَاهُ فَإِنَّهُ يَرَاك
"Ihsan is to worship Allah as if you see Him, and if you cannot see Him, then be sure that He is seeing you." Bukhari and Muslim

39.2 Excellence in Acting
People of realization, gnosis, clear vision, and certitude give precedence to excellence (iḥsān) in acting over the act itself. For the outward form of acts, whether ritual Prayer, Fasting, recitation [of the Quran], or invocation of God, will be nothing but hardship and toil of no benefit in the absence of thoroughness and excellence in performance, perfection of the inner dimensions, reverence before God, humility, submission, attention, and the courtesy of behavior that befits that holy, sublime, and august presence (of Allah).^[43] Imam Al-Haddad ^[L]

39.3 Benevolence

{ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَأْمُرُ بِالْعَدْلِ وَالْإِحْسَانِ وَإِيتَاءِ ذِي الْقُرْبَىٰ وَيَنْهَىٰ عَنِ الْفَحْشَاءِ وَالْمُنكَرِ وَالْبَغْيِ يَعِظُكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَذَكَّرُونَ }
{ Allah commands justice, the doing of good (iḥsān), and giving to kinsfolk, and He forbids all shameful deeds, and injustice and rebellion (immorality, bad conduct and oppression): He instructs/ admonishes you, that ye may receive admonition. } 16-90

An explanation of this verse
"Justice (ʿadl)" is professing ‘there is no god but God and Muhammad is the Messenger of God’, and adhering to the Sunna of His Prophet ﷺ; and "benevolence" (ihsan) is that you do good to each other, and "giving to kinsfolk" means that whoever God has provided for in abundance should give to those among his relatives for whom God has made him responsible… Al-Tustari TT109u ^[L]

39.4 Those who followed in excellence (ihsan)

{ وَأَمَّا إِن كَانَ مِنْ أَصْحَابِ الْيَمِينِ }
{ And if he be of those of the right (hand). } 56-90

By which is meant those who realise God’s oneness (muwaḥḥidūn). The outcome (‘āqiba) will be theirs,^[25] for they were God’s faithful servants who delivered the trust (amāna),^[26] namely, that which He has commanded and prohibited. Those who followed [the religious directives] in excellence (ihsan) did not commit any transgressions nor did they make any slips, so they became secure from the fear (khawf) and terror (hawl) which comes to (others). Al-Tustari, TT219 ^[L]

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40.1 Conditions for Futuwwa
”He who is among the people of futuwwah must also be good and possess justice, fairness and equity.” Suhrawardi
Also: manly virtue, sacrifice, hospitality, nobility, compassion.

40.2 futuwwa is derived from fata, (young to medium aged adult man btw. 18 - 40y). The ideal fata, who is exemplified by ʿAli كرم الله وجهه is characterized by selflessness, courage, generosity and honor. FUT20 ^[L]

40.3 A definition of futuwwa from the Quranic episode of 21-60, the fata 'young man' Ibrahim^[34]:
"The fata is he who breaks the idol."
Qushayri then immediately adds the comment: "And the idol of each man in his ego nafs." (reported by Qushayri) FUT21 ^[L]

40.4 First Step on This Path
On the path of the destruction of the illusionary ego nafs, and the unveiling of Unique Reality, the fata must first learn not to love his ego, and has to be taught by his shaykh to love others ^[35] before himself, and to love God - Allah above all. FUT22 ^[L]

40.5 Every Moment
All who enter the path of Futuwwah are under Allah's direction and protection.
(O my son), may Allah accord you His pleasure.
You asked about Futuwwah. Know that Futuwwah means following the ordinances of perfect devotion, leaving all evil, and attaining in action and in thought the best of visible and hidden good conduct. Every condition and every moment demand from you one aspect of Futuwwah.^[36] From Sulami's Introduction FUT36^[L]

40.6 One Hadith and one saying on Futuwwah ^[42]
Bring joy into the lives of your friends and meet their needs.
The Messenger of Allah (the blessings and peace of Allah upon him) said:
“When one brings joy with his words into the life of a believer or satisfies his worldly needs, whether small or large, it becomes an obligation upon Allah to offer him a servant on the Day of Last Judgment.” (Anas ibn Malik)

Ja‘far al-Sadiq was once asked, ‘‘What is Futuwwan? He replied: ‘‘Futuwwah is not possible with quarreling backbiting. Futuwwah is feeding people, giving to them, being pleasant and honorable to them, and not causing difficulties.” FUT64 ^[L]

40.7 Futuwwah and the Law (Shariah)
”There are many things that are impermissible according to both futuwwa and muruwwah,^[41] but may still be permissible under the Holy Law.” Suhrawardi

Comment ^[37]
”The Law defines what is actionable and formally assessed. But there may be a lot of things, where the Shariah seems to make something technically legal, but where futuwwa, this inward mercy, compassion and justice, will say the thing may have to be looked at differently, but without the law being violated.” Abdul Hakim Murad ^[38]

Show more

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41.1 Allah (may His Majesty be exalted)
The apex of knowledge of Allah is to know that He exists without a direction or place. Sayyid Ahmad al-Rifaʿi ^[46]

{ فَاطِرُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ جَعَلَ لَكُم مِن أَنفُسِكُم أَزْوَاجًا وَمِنَ الْأَنْعَامِ أَزْوَاجًا يَذْرَؤُكُمْ فِيهِ لَيْسَ كَمِثْلِهِ شَيْءٌ وَهُوَ السَّمِيعُ البَصِيرُ }

{The Originator of the heavens and the earth; He has appointed for you, of yourselves, pairs, and pairs also of the cattle, therein multiplying you. Like Him there is naught; He is the All-hearing, the All-seeing.
42-11

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42.1 Purification has four levels.
‘Know that purification has four levels:
Firstly, to purify the body from ritual impurities, physical impurities and excretions.
Secondly, to purify the limbs from sins and disobedience.
Thirdly, to purify the heart from its odious traits and deplorable vices.
Fourthly, to purify the innermost being from all else save Allah, exalted is He; this being the ultimate goal.’ Ibn Qudamah^[48]

And:
Religion is about awakening to Allah. It is about vigilance and remembrance of Allah. Heedlessness is an impurity that must be cleansed. This is the fourth degree: to empty the heart of whatever distracts it from Allah.^[48]

Literature
BA, CEI, NB, RT, KAM, IDM, ISKA, KWH^[43], LSIS, DI, DS^[8], KS, LP, SR, SAC, MOO, FUT^[42], HAU are abbreviations for books from this [booklist].

"In any case, what Westerners call civilization, the others would call barbarity, because it is precisely lacking in the essential, that is to say, a principle of a higher order."
René Guénon, East And West, 1924

صلّى الله على سيّدنا محمّد و على آله و صحبه و سلّم

The blessings and peace of Allah on the Prophet, his Family, and his Companions, ( sallAllahu `aleihi wa sallam ) .

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Related texts
Glossary written by Sh G F Haddad:
A Concise Sunni Glossary of Fiqh, Hadīth, Kalām, and Tasawwuf
Glossary written by Sh Muhammad Afifi al-Akiti:
Fiqh, Astronomy, Islamic general terms

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