By the Scholar of Hadeeth, Shaykh Muhammad Naasirud-Deen al-Albaanee [1]
From that which has been established in the Sharee’ah (prescribed law) is that mankind was – in the beginning – a single nation upn true Tawheed, then Shirk (directing any part or form of worship, or anything else that is solely the right of Allaah, to other than Allaah) gradually overcame them. The basis for this is the saying of Allaah – the Most Blessed, the Most High:
“Mankind was one Ummah, then Allaah sent prophets bringing good news and warnings.” [Sooratul-Baqarah 2:213]
Ibn ‘Abbaas – radhiyallaahu ‘anhu – said:
“Between Nooh (Noah) and Aadam were ten generations, all of them were upon Sharee’ah (law) of the truth, then they differed. So Allaah sent Prophets as bringers of good news and as warners.” [2]
Ibn ‘Urwah al-Hanbalee (d.837 H) – rahimahullaah – said:
“This saying refutes those historians from the People of the Book who claim that Qaabil (Cain) and his sons were fire-worshippers.” [3]
I say: In it is also a refutation of some of the philosophers and atheists who claim that the (natural) basis of man is Shirk, and that Tawheed evolved in man! The preceeding aayah (verse) falsifies this claim, as do the two following authentic hadeeth:
Firstly: His (sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) saying that he related from his Lord (Allaah): “I created all my servants upon the true Religion (upon Tawheed, free from Shirk). Then the devils came to them and led them astray from their true Religion. They made unlawful to people that which I had made lawful for them, and they commanded them to associate in worship with Me, that which I had sent down no authority.” [4]
Secondly: His (sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) saying: “Every child is born upon the fitrah [5] but his parents make him a Jew or a Christian or a Magian. It is like the way an animal gives birth to a natural offspring. Have you noticed any born mutilated, before you mutilate them?” Aboo Hurayrah (radhiyallaahu ‘anhu) said: Recite if you wish: “Allaah’s fitrah with which He created mankind. There is to be no change to the creation (Religion) of Allaah.” [Sooratur-Room 30:30] [6]
After this clear explanation, it is of the utmost importance for the Muslim to know how Shirk spread amongst the believers, after they were muwahhideen (people upon Tawheed) Concerning the saying of Allaah – the most perfect – about the people of Nooh:
“And they have said: You shall not forsake your gods, nor shall you forsake Wadd, nor Suwaa‘, nor Yaghooth, nor Ya’ooq, nor Nasr.” [Soorah Nooh 71:23]
It has been related by a group from the Salaf (Pious Predecessors), in many narrations, that these five deities were righteous worshippers. However, when they died, Shaytaan (Satan) whispered into their people to retreat and sit at their graves. Then Shaytaan whispered to those who came after them that they should take them as idols, beautifying to them the idea that you will be reminded of them and thereby follow them in righteous conduct. Then Shaytaan suggested to the third generation that they should worship these idols besides Allaah – the Most High – and he whispered to them that this is what their forefathers used to do!!! So Allaah sent to them Nooh (‘alayhis-salaam), commanding them to worship Allaah alone. However none responded to his call except a few. Allaah – the Mighty and Majestic – related this whole incident in Soorah Nooh.
Ibn ‘Abbaas relates: “Indeed these five names of righteous men from the people of Nooh. When they died Shaytaan whispered to their people to make statues of them and to place these statues in their places of gathering as a reminder of them, so they did this. However, none from amongst them worshipped these statues, until when they died and the purpose of the statues was forgotten. Then (the next generation) began to worship them.” [7] The likes of this has also been related by Ibn Jareer at-Tabaree and others, from a number of the Salaf (Pious Predecessors) – radhiyallaahu ‘anhum.
In ad-Durral-Manthoor (6/269): ‘Abdullaah Ibn Humayd relates from Aboo Muttahar, who said: Yazeed Ibnul-Muhallab was mentioned to Aboo Ja’far al-Baaqir (d.11H), so he said: He was killed at the place where another besides Allaah was first worshipped. Then he mentioned Wadd and said: “Wadd was a Muslim man who was loved by his people. When he died, the people began to gather around his grave in the land of Baabil (Babel), lamenting and mourning. So when Iblees (Satan) saw them mourning and lamenting over him, he took the form of a man and came to them, saying: I see that you are mourning and lamenting over him. So why don’t you make a picture of him (i.e. a statue) and place it in your places of gatherings so that you maybe reminded of him. So they said: Yes, and they made a picture of him and put in their place of gathering; which reminded them of him. When Iblees saw how they were (excessively) remembering him, he said: “Why doesn’t every man amongst you make a similar picture to keep in your own houses, so that you can be (constantly) reminded of him.” So they all said “Yes.” So each household made a picture of him, which they adored and venerated and which constantly reminded them of him. Aboo Ja’far said: “Those from the later generation saw what the (previous generation) had done and considered that…to the extent that they took him as an ilaah (diety) to be worshipped besides Allaah. He then said: “This was the first idol worshipped other than Allaah, and they called this idol Wadd.” [8]
Thus the wisdom of Allaah – the Blessed, the Most High – was fufilled, when He sent Muhammad (sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) as the final Prophet and made his Sharee’ah the completion of all divinely Prescribed Laws, in that He prohibited all means and avenues by which people may fall into Shirk – which is the greatest of sins. For this reason, building shrines over graves and intending to specifically travel to them, taking them as places of festivity and gathering and swearing an oath by the inmate of a grave; have all bee prohibited. All of these lead to excessiveness and lead to the worship of other than Allaah – the Most High. This being the case even more so in an age in which knowledge is diminishing, ignorance is increasing, there are few sincere advisors (to the truth) and Shaytaan is co-operating with men and jinn to misguide mankind and to take them away from the worship of Allaah alone – the Blessed, the Most High.
![islamreflection:
Five Degrees of Prayer, by Ibn Qayim al-Jawziyyah
The lowest is a person “who wrongs his own soul”[1], who is remiss, who curtails ablutions and the times of prayer, the limits and the essential elements of prayer. This person will be punished.
At the fourth level is he who keeps the times, rules and essential elements of prayer, who keeps its ablution but is taken away by distractions, which he lacks the inner strength to resists. This person will be admonished.
At the next level of prayer is a person who keeps the limits and essential elements of the prayer, and struggles against distractions. This person is preoccupied with striving against his Foe, “lest he rob him of his prayer”. In prayer, he is in sacred combat (jihad). This person will be redeemed.
At the second level is a person who, while standing in prayer, completes it requirement, its essential elements and its limits. This person’s heart is absorbed in safeguarding the rules and requirements of the prayer “lest he miss any of them”. In fact, this person’s entire concern becomes performing the prayer as it should be, completely and perfectly. In this way, his concern for the prayer and for worshipping his Lord absorbs his heart. This person will be rewarded
The highest is a person who, while standing in prayer, performs it in the manner of the fourth, but in addition places their heart before His Lord. With this he beholds God-ever vigilant before Him, filled with His love and glory-as if, seeing Him, he were physically present before Him. Therefore the distraction vanish, as the veil between him and his Lord is lifted. The difference between this person in his prayer and everyone else is as vast as the distance between heaven and earth, for he is occupied [only] with his Lord Almighty in prayer, in which he finds his source of gladness. This person will be gladdened by nearness to his Lord in this world and the next.
He who finds gladness in God, gladdens others [in turn]. But whoever does not, leaves this world a loser.
It has also been said that when the servant stands up to pray, God says “Remove the veil between Me and My servant.” But when the servant turns away-which is taken to mean from God toward something else-He says, “Replace the veil.” When he turns toward something else, the veil descends between him and God; and the Devil enters to show him all sorts of worldly things, appearing as if a mirror. But when the servant turns his heart towards God, and does not turn away, the Devil cannot find a place between that heart and God. The Devil enters only when the veils are raised. So if the worshipper flees towards God, and makes his heart present, the Devil flees; if he turns away, he returns.](http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m4laz3vRii1r1ycvho1_500.jpg)
