By Shaykh Saalih al-Fawzaan
The first, main, and primary foundation of the
Call to Allaah, and why this is the case.
The ’aqeedah must come first because the only
real cause for the differing and destruction
that has come upon our Islaamic world is the
purified ’aqeedah.Allaah - the Most High.
WHY MUST ’AQEEDAH COME FIRST?
The ’aqeedah (creed) must come first because it
is the foundation of the da’wah (call) of the
Prophets as Allaah the Exalted said upon the
tongue of every Prophet He sent to his people:
“O people! Worship Allaah, you do not have a
deity other than Him.” [Soorah Hood 11:84]
The ’aqeedah (creed) must come first because it
is the decisive partition between abiding in the
Fire (forever) and being saved from it. Have you
not heard the statement of Allaah – Sublime is
His Affair – :
“Verily Allaah does not forgive that
shirk(association) be made with Him, and He
forgives whatever is less than that for whomever
He wishes. And whoever commits shirk with Allaah,
then he has indeed perpetrated a great sin.” [Sooratun-Nisaa‘
4:48]
Shirk is the greatest of those things which
negate Tawheed, whish is the basis for the
correctness of the correct ’aqeedah.
The ’aqeedah must come first because shirk with
Allaah is the greatest form of oppression as
Allaah the Exalted says: “Verily Shirk is indeed
a great transgression.” [Soorah Luqmaan 31:13]
The ’aqeedah must come first because the only
real cause for the differing and destruction
that has come upon our Islaamic world is the
purified ’aqeedah. So indeed the creed of many
of the Muslims today has become corrupted by
matters of greater shirk from making tawaaf
(encircling) the graves, and seeking help from
the dead people inside of them, and trying to
fulfill ones needs and affairs from them. So
they return to the first jaahiliyyah (pre-Islaamic
times of ignorance), and it is as if they have
not heard the statement of Allaah the Exalted:
‘‘Verily those whom you call upon besides Allaah
do not hear your calls. And if they were able to
hear you, then they would not be able to answer
you. And upon the Day of Judgement, they will
disown your worship of them, and there is none
like He who is the All-Knower.” [Sooratul-Faatir
14]
And we prohibit you from the innovations of the
Soofiyyah which many of the common folk of the
Muslims have erected to (such) an educational
level that whole countries have
institutionalized these innovations, such as the
celebration of the Birthday of the Prophet. And
(innovations such as) accompanying the
Christians in their festivals, not to mention
the deviations in dealings and manners and other
than that from that which separates their
countries from the Book and the authenticated
Sunnah, with the permission of Allaah, the
Mighty and Majestic.
And after this beloved brother of mine we have
shown the truth of our statement that the
’aqeedah must come first.
