Cautionary advice against the Israailiyyaat found in Tafseer al-Sa`dee

بسم الله والحمد لله والصلاة والسلام على رسول الله ، وبعد

Alerting on some of the mistakes in the Tafseer of Shaikh `Abdul Rahmaan Ibn Naasir al-Sa`dee رحمه الله

By Shaikh Muhammad Ibn Jameel Zino

(Professor in Daar al-Hadeeth al-Khairiyyah - Makkah)

All praise is for Allaah alone, and peace and blessings of Allaah be upon His Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم. To proceed:

This is a cautionary advice to alert the readers regarding some of the errors found in the Tafseer of Imaam `Abdul Rahmaan Ibn Naasir al-Sa`dee رحمه الله. This is a Naseehah (sincere advice) towards the Deen of Allaah تعالى; and to defend the honor of this great Salafi Imaam; and for freeing the Book of Allaah تعالى from some of the false interpretations and from baseless, fabricated Israailiyyaat narrations (narratives originating from Jewish and Christian traditions)[1], which oppose the Deen of Allaah – from well-established and known Islaamic principles – like the preservation of all the Prophets صلوات الله وسلامه عليهم أجمعين from falling into any sin (especially in the deliverance of the Message and Sharee`ah); and to filter out such things from this book: تيسير الكريم الرحمن في تفسير كلام المنان.

Many Mufassireen (Scholars of Tafseer) mentioned these Israailiyyaat in their respective books of Tafseer which are known to be false. These false narrations sometimes become the main point for the explanation of the Aayah in their books. So this cautionary advice goes towards their books as well. May Allaah favor us with His blessings in our time so that it is possible to highlight the mistakes and errors – as a sincere advice towards His Deen and His Book. As the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said: ❝The Deen (Religion) is al-Naseehah (sincerity).❞ The people said: To whom? The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said: ❝1) To Allaah, 2) His Book, 3) His Messenger, 4) To the Imaams (rulers and scholars) of the Muslims, 5) And the Muslims in general.❞ [Saheeh Muslim (98)] 

Muhammad: The Slave of Allaah and His Messenger

بسم الله والحمد لله والصلاة والسلام على رسول الله ، وبعد

Allaah تعالى says:

﴿قُلْ إِنَّمَا أَنَا بَشَرٌ مِّثْلُكُمْ يُوحَىٰ إِلَيَّ أَنَّمَا إِلَـٰهُكُمْ إِلَـٰهٌ وَاحِدٌ ۖ فَمَن كَانَ يَرْجُو لِقَاءَ رَبِّهِ فَلْيَعْمَلْ عَمَلًا صَالِحًا وَلَا يُشْرِكْ بِعِبَادَةِ رَبِّهِ أَحَدًا﴾

{Say (O Muhammad ﷺ): “I am only a man like you. It has been inspired to me that your Ilaah is One Ilaah (i.e. He [Allaah] is alone worthy of worship). So whoever hopes for the Meeting with his Lord, let him work righteousness and associate none as a partner in the worship of his Lord.”} [Surah al-Kahf (18) 110]

Narrated `Umar Ibn al-Khattaab رضي الله عنه: I heard the Prophet ﷺ saying: ❝Do not exaggerate in praising me as the Christians praised (`Eesa) the son of Mary, for I am only a Slave. So, call me the Slave of Allaah and His Messenger.❞

[Saheeh al-Bukhaaree (3445, 6830)]

Part 1:

Qur’aan: “I am only a man like you”

Hadeeth: “I am only a Slave”

Benefit: Acknowledging the attributes that he ﷺ was a “human” and a “slave”, and never to be worshiped. The one who is himself a worshiper can never be worshiped. The one who needs nurturing (Marboob) can never be the Lord (Rabb).

The noblest attribute for a person is for him to be Allaah’s slave, and this attribute prevents the person from over-praising as the Christians over-praised `Eesaa Ibn Maryam as they made him a deity or the son of Allaah, worshiping him and supplicating to him.

Part 2:

Qur’aan: “It has been inspired to me”

Hadeeth: “So, call me the Slave of Allaah and His Messenger”

Benefit: Acknowledging that he ﷺ is also the Messenger of our Lord, so it becomes obligatory to believe in him, obey him, shun what he prohibits, and to worship Allaah only in the way he has legislated.

And this noble attribute prohibits a person to belie him ﷺ, like the Jews who disbelieved in `Eesaa and Muhammad عليهم الصلاة والسلام

۝۝۝۞۝۝۝

So he ﷺ is a Slave, never to be worshiped, and a Messenger, never to be belied.

***

[Based on Shaikh Ibn al-`Uthaymeen’s explanation of Saheeh al-Bukhaaree and Kitaab al-Tawheed]

The Gardens of `Ibaadah (Worship) and Adhkaar (remembrance)

بسم الله والحمد لله والصلاة والسلام على رسول الله ، وبعد

Ibn al-Qayyim رحمه الله said:

❝There is no (true) comfort for man, or enjoyment, or pleasure (or satisfaction), or perfection except through knowing Allaah تعالى and loving Him (as such), and when feeling calm and tranquil while making His Dhikr (remembrance), and when finding joy and pleasure in trying to get nearer to Him (through obedience and worship), and yearning to meet Him. This is the Jannah (Paradise) of this worldly life. Like how there is no comfort for him in the Hereafter nor success except by being in His (Allaah's) company, in the House of Delight, in the Jannah of the next life. For a man there are two Jannah, he will not be able to enter the second one if he does not enter the first one. I heard Shaikh al-Isaam Ibn Taymiyyah رحمه الله saying: ❝There is a Jannah in this world, whoever does not enter it will not be able to enter the Jannah of the Hereafter.❞❞

[Madaarij al-Saalikeen (1/452)]

Quote Misquoted

بسم الله والحمد لله والصلاة والسلام على رسول الله ، وبعد

In this age of technology and social media, everyone wants to share his “two cents” and wants to be heard. This maybe in the form of notes, pictures with (their own) quotes, or videos etc. Sometimes theses quotes are correct, and sometimes they are incorrect. One such pic which I came across today had the following quote:

Quote: “Dear God, I wanna take a minute, not to ask for anything from you, but simply to say… Thank You for all I have.”

One may find such quotes as thought provoking. But this is not how we behave with Allaah. Such a thought that we should not ask from Allaah all the time is considered as having bad thoughts about Allaah. Allaah تعالى does not get angry or annoyed when we supplicate to Him. Rather, Allaah تعالى loves that we should supplicate to Him, all the time, for all our needs – big or small. When we supplicate to Allaah, we humble ourselves, showing that we are the ones in need and that Allaah تعالى is Rich - free from needs and wants.

Mocking is not Naseehah

بسم الله والحمد لله والصلاة والسلام على رسول الله ، وبعد

There is Naseehah (sincere advice) and then there is mocking.

Last night a relative of mine was telling me about the sons of an Imaam of his local Masjid. Both his sons were in all sorts of vices and causing problems in the neighborhood. On being asked about the behavior of his sons, the Imaam said that he used to mock the children of other people saying: "the son of so-and-so is bad", "the son of so-and-so is up to no good", and now Allaah تعالى has put him in trials through his children.

• So if you mock someone, soon you will be mocked at. If you belittle someone, soon you will be belittled.

• Don't be proud if you are correct today, for one day you will be from those who erred.

• Naseehah is about correcting mistakes, not about getting personal.

The Prophet ﷺ said: ❝O you who have believed with your tongues but Faith has not entered your hearts! Do not backbite about the Muslims or seek their faults. For whoever seeks their faults, Allaah will seek his faults, and if Allaah seeks a person's faults, He تعالى will disgrace him even if he were inside his house.❞

[Sunan Abu Dawood (4880) and Sunan al-Tirmidhee (2032) and graded as “Hasan-Saheeh" by Shaikh al-Albaanee]

Always remember that not all days are the same - "A DAY FOR YOU AND A DAY AGAINST YOU".

﴿إِن يَمْسَسْكُمْ قَرْحٌ فَقَدْ مَسَّ الْقَوْمَ قَرْحٌ مِّثْلُهُ ۚ وَتِلْكَ الْأَيَّامُ نُدَاوِلُهَا بَيْنَ النَّاسِ﴾

{If a wound has touched you, be sure a similar wound has touched the (opposing) people. And these days [of varying conditions - the good and not so good] We alternate among the people...}

[Surah aal-`Imraan (3): 140]

Brief Comments on Riyaadh al-Saaliheen #113

From the signs of a person’s understanding of the Deen

بسم الله والحمد لله والصلاة والسلام على رسول الله ، وبعد

Abu Wail reported: `Ammaar Ibn Yaaser رضي الله عنه delivered to us the Khutbah (Friday sermon). It was short and eloquent. When he (`Ammaar) descended (from the pulpit) we said to him: O `Aba al-Yaqdhaan, you have delivered a short and eloquent sermon. Would that you had lengthened (the sermon). He said: I have heard the Messenger of Allaah ﷺ as saying:

❝The lengthening of prayer by a man and the shortness of the sermon is the sign of his understanding (of faith). So lengthen the prayer and shorten the sermon, for there is charm (in precise) expression.❞

📚 [ Saheeh Muslim ]

The bond between “Lying about the Deen” and “Bid`ah”

بسم الله والحمد لله والصلاة والسلام على رسول الله ، وبعد

۞ Telling lies about/in the Deen leads towards Bid`ah in the religion.

۞ Bid`ah needs lying for its survival.

۞ and the common thing about “Kadhib” (lying, fabricating) and “Bid`ah” (innovating in religion) is that they do not stop till they drag its people towards the Hell-fire.

Importance of treating children equally and making them feel that way

بسم الله والحمد لله والصلاة والسلام على رسول الله ، وبعد

Part of good parenting is to treat the children equally and to make them feel that way. It is important that they feel that they are equally important as their siblings.

1. Treating children fairly:

Narrated An-Nu`maan bin Basheer رضي الله عنه: My mother asked my father to present me a gift from his property; and he gave it to me after some hesitation. My mother said that she would not be satisfied unless the Prophet ﷺ was made a witness to it. I being a young boy, my father held me by the hand and took me to the Prophet ﷺ. He said to the Prophet ﷺ: “His mother, bint Rawahah, requested me to give this boy a gift.” The Prophet ﷺ said: ❝Do you have other sons besides him?❞ He said: “Yes.” Thereupon he ﷺ said: ❝Have you given gifts to all of them like this (as you have given to Nu`maan)?❞ He said: “No.” The Prophet ﷺ said: ❝Do not make me a witness for injustice.❞ [or he said: ❝I will not become a witness for injustice.❞]

[Saheehain]

From the signs of rudeness...

 بسم الله والحمد لله والصلاة والسلام على رسول الله ، وبعد

Ibn Mas`ood رضي الله عنه said:

❝Four things are from rudeness:

1) that a person urinates while standing; ^[1]

2) that a person prays while people are passing in front of him, and he does not have a Sutrah in front of him to act as a barrier between him and the people; ^[2] 

Hadeeth: Illustrative example of Life between Hope and Death

بسم الله والحمد لله والصلاة والسلام على رسول الله ، وبعد

`Alee Ibn Abee Taalib رضي الله عنه said:

❝Verily, this worldly life is departing and the Hereafter is approaching and each of them has its children. So be the children of the Hereafter, and don’t be the children of this world. For indeed today there are (opportunities to do) deeds and there is no reckoning, but tomorrow there will be reckoning and no deeds.❞ 

Brief description of the events that will take place on the Day of Judgment

بسم الله والحمد لله والصلاة والسلام على رسول الله ، وبعد

Note: Only Allaah knows best the chronological sequence of the events. The numbering is only for punctuation.

1. The Dunya: (الدنيا): The way we live in this world will determine what path we will be following on the Day of Judgment.

2. The Grave: (القبر): The answers to the three questions in the grave will determine if the grave will become for us a garden from the gardens of Paradise or a pit from the pits of Hell.

3. The Blowing of the Trumpet:  (النفخ في الصور): This will be the second blowing. On the first blowing, everything on Earth will die. On the second blowing, everything will rise up from their graves.

Tafseer: To marry only one wife when one fears he might do injustice to his other wives

بسم الله والحمد لله والصلاة والسلام على رسول الله ، وبعد

﴿وَإِنْ خِفْتُمْ أَلَّا تُقْسِطُوا فِي الْيَتَامَى فَانْكِحُوا مَا طَابَ لَكُمْ مِنَ النِّسَاءِ مَثْنَى وَثُلَاثَ وَرُبَاعَ فَإِنْ خِفْتُمْ أَلَّا تَعْدِلُوا فَوَاحِدَةً أَوْ مَا مَلَكَتْ أَيْمَانُكُمْ ذَلِكَ أَدْنَى أَلَّا تَعُولُوا﴾

{And if you fear that you shall not be able to deal justly with the orphan-girls, then marry (other) women of your choice, two or three, or four but if you fear that you shall not be able to deal justly (with them), then only one or (the captives and the slaves) that your right hands possess. That is nearer to prevent you from doing injustice.} [Surah al-Nisaa’ (4): 3]

۩•۞•۩

Narrated `Urwah Ibn al-Zubair that he had asked `Aaishah رضي الله عنها about the meaning of the Statement of Allaah:

Encouragement to make Wudhoo’ and Adhkaar before going to bed

بسم الله والحمد لله والصلاة والسلام على رسول الله ، وبعد

Hadeeth #1: If a person dies in this state, he would die upon Fitrah

Narrated Al-Baraa’ Ibn `Aazib رضي الله عنه: The Prophet ﷺ said to me:

❝Whenever you go to bed perform ablution like that for the prayer, lie on your right side and say:

اللَّهُمَّ أَسْلَمْتُ وَجْهِي إِلَيْكَ، وَفَوَّضْتُ أَمْرِي إِلَيْكَ، وَأَلْجَأْتُ ظَهْرِي إِلَيْكَ، رَغْبَةً وَرَهْبَةً إِلَيْكَ، لاَ مَلْجَأَ وَلاَ مَنْجَا مِنْكَ إِلَّا إِلَيْكَ، اللَّهُمَّ آمَنْتُ بِكِتَابِكَ الَّذِي أَنْزَلْتَ، وَبِنَبِيِّكَ الَّذِي أَرْسَلْتَ

“Allaahumma aslamtu wajhee ilaika, wa fauwaḌhtu amree ilaika, wa alja’tu Żhahree ilaika raghbatan wa rahbatan ilaika. Laa Malja’a wa laa manjaa minka illaa ilaika. Allaahumma aamantu bi kitaabika-l-ladhee anzalta wa bi nabiyyika-l ladhee arsalta” 

`Ilm, Huda & Hikmah

There are three things associated with knowledge:

بسم الله والحمد لله والصلاة والسلام على رسول الله ، وبعد

1. `Ilm (Knowledge)

2. Huda (Guidance)

3. Hikmah (Wisdom)

1) `Ilm: this refers to having information, or awareness of the Texts or its memorization. Not everyone who knows the Texts is guided or has wisdom.

When things get expensive

بسم الله والحمد لله والصلاة والسلام على رسول الله ، وبعد

Some people approached Abu Haazim complaining to him, saying: “O Abu Haazim! Do you not see that the prices (of commodities) have gone up?!” He replied: ❝Why does that distress you? The One (i.e. Allaah) who provides sustenance for us when the things are inexpensive is the same Who will provide for us when it gets expensive.❞

[al-Hilyah (3/239)]

Bishr Ibn al-Haarith said: ❝If the increase in prices distresses you out, then remember death, for it will take away from you the distress of the increase in prices.❞

[al-Hilyah (8/347)]

The Messenger of Allaah صلى الله عليه وسلم said: ❝Remember more often the destroyer of pleasures.❞ (i.e. death) 

[Sunan al-Tirmidhee (2307), Sunan Ibn Maajah (4258), and Sunan al-Nasaa’ee (1824) and graded as “Hasan Saheeh” by Shaikh al-Albaanee]

Strangers to the Sunnah

بسم الله والحمد لله والصلاة والسلام على رسول الله ، وبعد

From the Hadeeth of Abu Hurairah رضي الله عنه that the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said:

❝Islaam began as something strange, and it would revert to its (old position) of being something strange. So glad tidings to the strangers.❞

[Saheeh Muslim (270)]

  

۝۝۝

Shaikh Ibn al-`Uthaymeen said (paraphrased):

❝During its advent in Makkah, Islaam was a stranger. In the beginning and for a long time, there were only ten companions; then they gradually increased in numbers. Similarly, near the end of times, it (Islaam) will return back to its state of being a stranger.

This decrease may not necessarily mean the decrease in numbers, as there are more than a Billion Muslims in the world. It may not necessarily mean that near the end of times there will be only ten or twenty Muslims left. It may mean that the Muslims might be in their hundreds or in their thousands, but they will be strangers to the Sunnah (i.e. very few will be following and implementing the Sunnah in their lives as compared to the total Muslim population).❞

[Sharh Saheeh Muslim (1/302)]

It is sign of Faith to fight against Bid`ah

بسم الله والحمد لله والصلاة والسلام على رسول الله ، وبعد

• It is a sign of Imaan (Faith) that a person fights against Bid`aat and that which corrupts the Deen.

• Do not be baffled by the large number of people doing innovations in the Deen.

۝۝۝

It is narrated on the authority `Abdullaah Ibn Mas`ood that the Messenger of Allaah صلى الله عليه وسلم said:

۞ 1) ❝There was never a Prophet sent before me by Allaah to his people but he had, among his people, (his) disciples and companions, who followed his ways and obeyed his command. 

Love for the Qur’aan is a sign of the love for Allaah

بسم الله والحمد لله والصلاة والسلام على رسول الله ، وبعد

Ibn al-Qayyim رحمه الله said:

One’s love for the Speech of Allaah (the Qur’aan) is indeed a sign for (his) love for Allaah عز وجل. If you ever want to know how much love - you or other than you - have for Allaah, then look for how much love you have for the Qur’aan in your heart, and that your delight upon listening to the Qur’aan is much more than the pleasure one derives from listening to the entertainers (actors and performers) and music and singing. For it is well known that when a person is in love with someone, then the speech and conversation of his beloved is dearer to him than anything else. As it was said:

When you claim to love me…

Then why did you abandon my writings?

Did you not contemplate on what it contains…

Of the sweetness from my speech?

And `Uthmaan Ibn `Affaan رضي الله عنه said:

❝Were our hearts to become pure, we would never get tired of the Speech of our Lord.❞

[Al-Jawaab al-Kaafee (1/235-236) (the book is also known as al-Daa’ wal-Dawaa’]

Al-Baihaqee further added to the statement of `Uthmaan رضي الله عنه:

❝I hate that a day ever goes by in which I have not looked into the Mus-haf (the Qur’aan).❞ 

[al-Asmaa was-Sifaat of al-Baihaqee (524/1/593)]

The prohibition of killing the emissaries, envoys, messengers and those under the protection of the Muslims

The prohibition of killing the emissaries, envoys, messengers and those under the protection of the Muslims:

بسم الله والحمد لله والصلاة والسلام على رسول الله ، وبعد

Narrated `Abdullah bin `Amr رضي الله عنهما: The Prophet ﷺ said:

❝Whoever killed a Mu`aahid (معاهدا - a person who is granted the pledge of protection by the Muslims) shall not smell the fragrance of Paradise though its fragrance can be smelt from a distance of forty years (of traveling).❞

[Saheeh al-Bukhaaree (3166, 6914)]

Narrated Nu`aym ibn Mas`ood رضي الله عنه: I heard the Messenger of Allaah ﷺ say (to the two messengers) when he read the letter of Musaylimah (the liar who claimed to be a prophet):

❝What do you believe yourselves?❞

They said: We believe as he (Musaylimah) believes. He ﷺ said:

❝I swear by Allaah that were it not that messengers are not killed, I would cut off the heads of both of you.❞

[Sunan Abu Dawood (2761) and graded as “Saheeh” by Shaikh al-Albaanee]

`Abdullaah Ibn Mas`ood رضي الله عنه said: Ibn al-Nawwaahah and Ibn Uthaal came as envoys of Musaylimah to the Prophet ﷺ and he ﷺ said to them:

❝Do you bear witness that I am the Messenger of Allaah?❞

They said: We bear witness that Musaylimah is the messenger of Allaah! He ﷺ said:

❝If I were to kill any envoy, I would have killed you.❞

`Abdullaah Ibn Mas`ood said: “And it became a precedent that envoys were not to be killed.”

[Musnad Ahmad (3761) and it is “Saheeh due to supporting chains” See the previous Hadeeth]

4 Narrations on the importance of advising the tyrant rulers

بسم الله والحمد لله والصلاة والسلام على رسول الله ، وبعد

• Four narrations on the importance of advising the rulers privately even if they are tyrants.

• The scholars’ advice the rulers privately as the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم instructed us.

• Only because we do not witness it doesn't mean that the scholars do not do it.

• Shouting from the minbar (pulpit) against the rulers is not from the Sunnah.

• Your hatred towards the rulers should not make you go against the Sunnah.

• Shouting behind their back is Gheebah (backbiting) and does not achieve the purpose (as the message does not reach them), except that it cause chaos and disruption.

Bilqees and Wisdom

بسم الله والحمد لله والصلاة والسلام على رسول الله ، وبعد

Allaah's Messenger ﷺ said:

❝If Allaah wants to do good to someone, He bestows upon him the understanding of the Deen.❞

📚 [Saheehain]

Indeed, it is a huge blessing from Allaah when He تعالى bestows Wisdom and comprehension of the Deen upon his slaves. And whoever receives this blessing has received a lot of goodness.

PART 1:

In the past, and even in these days, there were people who were given wisdom even before they accepted Islaam and then Allaah increased them more in guidance after they accepted Islaam.