bismillaahirrahmaanirraheem
KITAAB AT-TAWEED
Shaikhul-Islaam Muhammad ibn ABDUL-WAHHAAB
d. 1206 H
Taught by
MOOSA RICHARDSON
Indeed all praise is for Allaah, we praise Him, we seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. We seek Allaah’s refuge from the evils of ourselves and from our evil actions. Whomsoever Allaah guides none can misguide him, and whomsoever Allaah misguides none can guise him. I bear witness that non has the right to be worshipped except Allaah, alone, having no partner, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His slave and His Messenger.
O you who believe! Fear Allaah as He should be
feared. And die not except in a state of Islaam (as Muslims)
[Soorah Aal-Imraan (3): 102]
O mankind be dutiful to your Lord, who created you
from a single person (Aadam), and from him He created
his wife, and from them both He created many
men and women. Fear Allaah through whom
you demand your mutual (rights), and (do not cut the
relations of) the wombs (kinship). Surely, Allaah
is ever an All Watcher over you.
[Soorah an-Nisaa (4):1]
O you who believe! Keep your duty to Allaah and
fear Him, and speak (always) the truth. He will
direct you to do righteous good deeds and will forgive
you your sins. And whosoever obeys Allaah and His
Messenger, he has indeed achieved a great achievement.
[Soorah al-Ahzaab (33):70-71]
To proceed: The truest speech is the Book of Allaah, and the best way is the way of Muhammad (sallallaahu alaihi wasallam). The worst of affairs are the newly invented matters, every newly invented matter is an innovation, every innovation is misguidance, and misguidance is in the Fire.
CLASS #1 27th November 2010
We will begin today with a short introduction insha’Allaah to this book.
What is this book?
Who is the author?
What is the point of the book?
What is the focus of the book?
What have the Scholars of Ahl-us-Sunnah said about this book?
What status does it hold?
How important is it to the layman and to the students of knowledge?
These issues we will read from the statements of our preferred mashaykh, the best of Ahl-us-Sunnah. The Scholars like Shaykh Saalih al-Fawzaan, and like Shaykh Saalih al as-Shaykh, of the ones who are alive, who have written explanations of this great book. We shall also hear statements of Scholars who have passed, about the excellence of this great book.
So firstly, let me explain a bit about the excellence of this book.
It was stated by the Shaykh, the Minister of Islaamic Affairs in the kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Shaykh Saalih Abdul Aziz ala Shaykh (hafidhAllaah) said that Kitaab at-Tawheed is an amazing book, a very great book.
The Scholars of Tawheed have united on the opinion that there has not been a book written in its topic similar to it. It is a unique and original book in its subject matter. The one that has not had the likes of it written before. Because the author has dealt with in this book the issues of Tawheed that relates to our worship to Allaah. How Allaah (Azzawajall) is One, as it relates to our acts of worship. And what opposes that idea. And what negates a persons Tawheed. And what affects its completeness or what causes it to be deficient. This book has become an exemplary book in how it is organised into chapters dealing with details and evidences on the topics. A book like this, which has been organised so well and put into these kinds of chapters, discussing the issues of Tawheed. There is no book that has proceeded the author in this book.
So the need that students of knowledge have with this book and for the meanings contained therein is a dire one, a very important need, due to what is in this book of ayaat, ahadeeth and benefits.
The Shaykh has also said in another place in his introduction, in his explanation to Kitaab at-Tawheed, it is an extremely beneficial book, a book that deserves dedication to it by way of memorisation, by way of studying and by way of contemplation over what is in it.
So every person is in need of this book, so that he can act by it. And so that he can convey the important meanings contained inside this book to those who are with him, those he is responsible for. Whether they are in the masjid, whether they are in the marketplace, or in his house, or in his place of work, or any other place.
He said the point here is whoever understands this book will understand the majority of all issues of Tawheed that relate to how we are to worship Allaah alone. Even more so he would have understood the most important, those that deserve the most focus, those which are most common among the issues of Tawheed.
This book has been compared to Kitaab at-Tawheed of al-Bukhaaree d. 256, the author of the book Saheeh al-Bukhaaree, that you all know and other books. Some Scholars have compared Kitaab at-Tawheed to Saheeh al-Bukhaaree. Saying that it’s written in a similar style and is presented with the same strength, and with the same passion, with the same organisation that is found in the book Saheeh al-Bukhaaree.
I will quote to you from the words of Shaykh Saalih ash Shaykh, what leads us to understand that, or what is more specific about that point. Some of the Scholars have said this book resembles, or it as if this book is a selection or small piece of Saheeh al-Bukhaaree (may Allaah have mercy on al-Bukhaaree). He said that this is obvious. This point is obvious because the author Shaykh Muhammad ibn Abdul Wahhaab (rahimaAllaah) has written the book just as Bukhaaree has wrote his Saheeh, Saheeh al-Bukhaaree. With how he organised a chapter into an ayah and a hadeeth usually. An ayah and a hadeeth. With a verse from the Qur’aan as part of the introduction, or part of the chapter title. Then what comes after the verse is an explanation of the verse, as we will see insha’Allaah, chapter by chapter. Just similarly he brings the statements of the Scholars of the Companions and the Scholars of the followers of the Companions, and the Imaams of the Muslims. It is done as Bukhaaree ibn Abdullaah had done in his Saheeh, bringing the statement of the Scholars of Islaam, explaining the meanings of the verse mentioned in the chapter title.
So what exactly does this great book Kitaab at-Tawheed contain?
A preview of what is to come in these lessons insha’Allaah. Shaykh Saalih ash Shaykh has said:
In this book the Shaykh clarifies the evidences used to establish the correct understanding of Tawheed.
He explains or clarifies with this book the meaning of Tawheed and the bounties, the excellence, the virtues of Tawheed.
He also explains what violates or negates that Tawheed. The importance of being afraid of what opposes Tawheed.
He also explained the individual issues of Tawheed as it relates to how we worship Allaah, one by one. He explains in a general way of the Tawheed of Allaah’s Names and Attributes.
He also took care to clarify the meanings of major shirk and lesser shirk and their manifestations.
As well as the things that lead to those things, major shirk and minor shirk.
He clarified in this book many things that would protect a persons proper understanding of Tawheed, and what would grant a person a means to obtain that.
He also expounded a little bit about the Oneness of Allaah as it relates to His Lordship, Tawheed ar-Rooboobiyyah.
Shaykh Abdul-Rahmaan ibn Hassan ibn Muhammad ibn Abdul Wahhab, the grandson of the Shaykh, who was a Scholar in his own right, wrote his own explanation of Kitaab at-Tawheed. It is famously referred to as Fath al-Majeed. He said in his introduction, Kitaab at-Tawheed has stood out as a book that is original in its subject, because it explains Tawheed with all its evidences and he gathered in this book a great number of proofs, so that he could clarify that and make it easy and clear for the people.
So it has become a signpost or a distinguishing sign of the people of Tawheed. It has become a decisive proof against the people of ilhaad, the people of deviation, when it comes to Tawheed. Thus a large number of people, great masses of people have benefitted from this book.
There are some concerns that some people have over the ahadeeth in the book. There are a few hadeeth which have defects, and we will discuss those as we come across them without much detail, in rather a brief way insha’Allaah.
This book can be divided into four catorgaries, as mentioned by Shaykh Saalih al-Fawzaan in the larger of his two explanations he wrote for this book. The larger one being called ‘eean al-mustafee’. The lesser one being called ‘al mukhlasuas. Al-Mukhlasas is the one we will be basing our discussion on insha’Allaah.
Shaykh Saalih al-Fawzaan said that the proofs that the author used (rahimuallaah) in this book are of four types:
Ahadeeth which are Saheeh
Ahadeeth which are Hasan
Saheeh is an authentic hadeeth of the highest caliber of connectivity of the chain and strength of the reliability of the narrators.
Hasan is an acceptable hadeeth which is ranked below that. Meaning it is complete in connectivity in the chain of narration, yet there is some slight criticism or some slight statement to be made against one or more of the narrators. Meaning he wasn’t of the highest caliber of narrators, yet he was acceptable in a general way.
Ahadeeth which are Hasan ar-gharhreehee
There are some hadeeth which are weak by their chain of transmission, meaning da’eef, but they are strengthened by other chains. This is something called Hasan ar-gharhreehee. It becomes hasan by way of support of some other chains.
Ahadeeth which are da’eef, weak.
They are da’eef, weak, with its chain of transmission, meaning unacceptable, yet the meaning of the hadeeth falls under a general principle that is already accepted and approved of and endorsed by the Book and the Sunnaah, according to the way the author has laid out his chapter title. That will be explained in more detail as those issues come up.
The fourth catorgary are very few and they will be handled issue to issue as they come up.
With that, I’ll mention to you a few benefits just before we end today, as we want to keep the class short and to the point and to allow some time for questions or clarifications.
I’ll mention to you now that the books written with the name Kitaab at-Tawheed. There are at least six books. I’ll name for you now six books called Kitaab at-Tawheed.
Kitaab at-Tawheed of Saheeh al-Bukhaaree, that he put in his Saheeh. d. 256
Kitaab at-Tawheed of Muhammad ibn Ishaaq ibn khuzaymah, Aboo Bakr al-Naysabooree. d. 311
Kitaab at-Tawheed of Ibn Mandah. The great Imaam of Tawheed and Sunnah. Ibn Mumdah when mentioned as a Scholar refers to one of five Scholars known by that name.
RESEARCH QUESTION - Who are the five Scholars that possibly could be referred to when one says Ibn Mandah?
Aboo Abdullaah Muhammad ibn Ishaaq ibn Muhammad ibn Yahyah ibn Mandah. d. 395
Kitaab at-Tawheed of Ibn Rajab al-Hanbalee. A small book, not very well known. Ibn Rajab was the author of Jamee ul-Uloom wal Hikam, the great and most outstanding explanation of the 40 hadeeth of Nawaawee. A great Scholar of hadeeth and its hidden defects. He also gave an explanation to Saheeh al-Bukhaaree. d. 695
Kitaab at-Tawheed of Muhammad Ibn Abdul Wahhaab, the one we are studying. d. 1206
Kitaab at-Tawheed of Saalih al-Fawzaan. He has his own book called Kitaab at-Tawheed.
So we have the six books called Kitaab at-Tawheed written throughout history. Our book is the fifth of them, Kitaab at-Tawheed of Muhammad ibn Abdul Wahhaab.
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