The Authentic Creed

To proceed:

In view of the fact that the true 'Aqidah, or creed, is the foundation of Islam, I have decided on ' The Authentic Creed and the Invalidators of Islam as a title for the present treatise. It is evident from texts of the Noble Qur’aan and the Sunnah that a person's words and deeds will not be accepted unless they emanate from a true creed. If the creed is not authentic, all words and deeds emanating there from are bound to be rejected. The Qur'aan says:

"And whosoever disbelieves in Faith then, fruitless is his work and in the Hereafter he will be among the losers." (Soorah 5:5)

"And indeed it has already been revealed to you, as it was to those before you, that if you join others with Allah in worship, then surely all your deeds will be in vain, and you will certainly be among the losers." (Soorah 39:65)

The Verses to this effect are numberless.

The Qur’aan and the Prophetic traditions clearly state that the true creed is to believe in Allah, His Angels, His Books, His Messengers, the Last Day, and Al-Qadar (Divine Destiny), the good of it and the bad of it. These six articles constitute the basis of the true creed with which Allah sent His Book and with which He sent His Messenger Muhammad !.

These articles also include all aspects of Al-Ghaib (Unseen World), or in which a Muslim should believe. They also include all that which Allah and His Messenger have informed us thereof. The evidence of these articles come from many Verses of the Qur’aan as well as Prophetic traditions. The following are but a few examples. Allah says:

"It is not righteousness that you turn your faces towards east or west; but it is righteousness to believe in Allah and the Last Day, and the Angels, the Book and the Messengers." (Soorah 2:177)

He also said:

"The Messenger believes in what has been revealed to him from his Lord, as do the believers. Each one (of them) believes in Allah, His Angels, His Books, and His Messengers. (They say) 'We make no distinction between one another of His Messengers.' And they say, 'We hear and we obey. We seek Your forgiveness, our Lord, and to You is the end of all journeys." (Soorah 2:285)

He further says:

"O you who believe! Believe in Allah and His Messenger, and the Scripture which He sent to His Messenger (i.e.,the Qur’aan) and the Scripture which He sent to those before (him) any who disbelieves in Allah, His Angels, His Books, His Messengers and the Last Day has indeed gone far, far astray." (Soorah 4:136)

"Know you not that Allah knows all that is in the heaven and on the earth? Verily, it is (all) in the Book (Al-Lauh Al-Mahfāz), Verily, that is easy for Allah." (Soorah 22:70)

The authentic Prophetic traditions clearly stating these articles are also innumerable. We cite the following tradition as an example. Muslim reported in his Sahih on the authority of 'Umar bin Al-Khattāb that when Jibril asked the Prophet ! about Faith, he said: "Iman or Faith, is to believe in Allah, His Angels, His Books, His Messengers, the Last Day, and to believe in Destiny, the good of it and the bad of it."

This tradition has also been reported by Al-Bukhāri on the authority of Abu Hurairah. From these articles emanate all that a Muslim should believe with regard to Allah's Right, the Day of Judgment and all matters pertaining to the Unseen World.