To think according to principle, to possess true faith and believe and accept the true Commands of Islam is known as "Aqeeda". It is also understood as one's intention, concept and path that one follows. It must also be understood that the basis of one's action is one's Imaan and that the basis of one's Imaan is one's Aqeeda. If one's Aqeeda is corrupt, then one's Imaan is improper and if one's Imaan is not proper, then his Amaal (actions) are useless. In other words, Aqeeda is the soul, Imaan is the body and Amal is the garb.
To have good and strong Imaan, one must have the proper Aqeeda. It is for this reason that we quote a few un-Islamic beliefs together with the proper Islamic answers, so that we may, after reading about them, repent from any false and corrupt beliefs that we may hold and, thereafter, hold firmly to the proper Islamic beliefs. To hold improper per Aqeeda leads to Kufr, whereas proper Aqeeda is strength for Imaan.
The un-Islamic beliefs which we have quoted below are quotations from those individuals who possess such beliefs and by writing them in this book, we have no intention of Kufr.
FALSE BELIEF 1: "Allah can speak lies". ("Barahine Qaatia" by Khaleel Ambetwi; "Yakrozi" by Ismaeel Dehlwi; "Fatawa Rasheedia" by Rasheed Ahmed Gangohi).
PROPER BELIEF 1: Lies is a defect which is not worthy of the Zaat of Almighty Allah and is totally Muhaal (Impossible) for Almighty Allah. Allah is free from all shortages and defects thus making lies Muhaal for Almighty Allah.
FALSE BELIEF 2: To say that Allah is free from place, space, direction and time, etc. is to be misled. ("Izaahul Haq" by Ismaeel Dehlwi)
PROPER BELIEF 2: Time and space have been created and will be eventually destroyed. Almighty Allah is Qadeem (Always Is and Always Will Be). If one accepts Allah to be in a fixed place and in a fixed time zone, then one will have to accept, Ma'az-Allah, that Allah is a creation and can be destroyed, whereas it is well known that, that which is Haadith (non-Eternal) and can be destroyed can never be Allah. The Being of Allah is Eternal and anything that is non-Eternal cannot be Allah. It is, thus, necessary to accept Almighty Allah to be free from time and place.
FALSE BELIEF 3: The Prophet (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam) had died and is mixed in the sand. ("Taqweeyat-ul Imaan" by Ismaeel Dehlwi)
PROPER BELIEF 3: It has been stated in the Hadith: "Verily, Almighty Allah has made it Haraam upon the earth to eat the bodies of the Ambiya". It has also been stated that Ambiya are alive and are blessed with Sustenance from Almighty Allah.
FALSE BELIEF 4: Every creation, no matter how big or small, is equivalent to a cobbler before Allah. ("Taqweeyat-ul Imaan" by Ismaeel Dehlwi)
PROPER BELIEF 4: The Holy Prophet Muhammad (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam) is the most beloved Nabi of Almighty Allah. Almighty Allah took Qasm (Oath) even on the city of the Prophet (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam). He is the greatest of the creations of Almighty Allah. His every word is accepted in the Court of Allah. He is a perfection in the Attributes of Almighty Allah and Allah has not created any unique being besides Sayyiduna Rasoolullah (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam).
FALSE BELIEF 5: Ambiya are not totally free from lies. To say that it is not possible for Ambiya to lie or to say that they are totally sinless is false. ("Tasfiyatul Aqaa'id" by Qasim Nanothwi)
PROPER BELIEF 5: Ambiya and Malaa'ikah are Masoom (Sinless). It is Muhaal for them to commit sin. Committing a sin is not a quality of Ambiya. Ambiya are free from all small and big sins and all defects even before and after their Nubuwat.
FALSE BELIEF 6: The Ummah sometimes supercede the Ambiya in A'maal (Good deeds). ("Tahzeerun Naas" by Qasim Nanotwi)
PROPER BELIEF 6: A Kaafir can never be equal to a Muslim. An ordinary Muslim is not equal to a practising Muslim. A practising Muslim can never be equal to a non-Aalim, who is not equal to an Aalim. An Aalim is never equal to a Wali, a Wali can never be equal to a Tabbe Taabi'ee. A Tabbe Taabi'ee can never be equal to a Taabi'ee. A Taabi'ee can never be equal to a Sahaba. A Sahaba can never be equal to the Khulafa-e-Arbaa. None from the Khulafa-e-Arbaa can be equal to Sayyiduna Abu Bakr Siddique. He in turn can never be equal to a Nabi. No Nabi can be equal in any way to the King of Prophets, Muhammad Mustapha (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam). How then can a Ummah supercede Nabi Muhammad (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam) in good deeds? Ma'az-Allah!
FALSE BELIEF 7: To think of an ox and donkey in Salaah is permissible, but to think of the Prophet (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam) in Salaah is Shirk (Polytheism). ("Seerate Mustaqeem" by Ismaeel Dehlwi)
PROPER BELIEF 7: For a Muslim to perform any Ibaadat accepting that it is a noble action of Rasoolullah (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam) is the true sense of Ibaadat. If one reads Namaaz thinking of it as the Sunnah of the Prophet (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam), then, without doubt, one will think of the Prophet (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam). This belief creates in the mind of the performer the thought of the Holy Prophet (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam). Not only is the thought of the Prophet in Namaaz permissible, it is also the demand of Shari'ah that one must remember the Holy Prophet (salall laahu alaihi wasallam) at the time of Tashahud. According to the Fuqaha (Jurists) it is Waajib to believe that the Prophet (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam) is observing you and that he is aware of your actions.
FALSE BELIEF 8: Any person who says the Nabi to be Haazir and Naazir is a Kaafir. ("Jawaahirul Quraan" by Ghulaamullah Khan)
PROPER BELIEF 8: Until and unless we do not accept Rasoolullah (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam) as being Haazir and Naazir, the concept of Risaalat will be incomplete. Our Prophet (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam) is Shaahid, Mubashir and Nazeer.
FALSE BELIEF 9: Rasoolullah (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam) is our elder brother and we are his younger brothers. ("Taqweeyatul Imaan" by Ismaeel Dehlwi)
PROPER BELIEF 9: The Holy Quran has commanded us that the Prophet (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam) cannot be regarded as the father of anyone of you. How then can he be regarded as the elder brother? Then, to call him elder brother is disrespect and against of Quranic command. We are the Ummati, he is the Nabi. We are sinners, he is the Masoom most pure. We are believers, he is the source of Imaan. The difference here is enormous. It must be understood, that if the husband takes his wife as his mother, then his Nikah will be nullified. Likewise, if one takes the Prophet (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam) as the elder brother, then one's Imaan will be nullified.
FALSE BELIEF 10: To respect the Prophet deeply is Kufr. ("Ad Durrun Nadheed" by Qazi Shaukani)
PROPER BELIEF 10: The respect and reverence of the Prophet (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam) is not only waajib, but is an obligation upon every Muslim. Unless a person does not love the Prophet (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam) more than anyone and anything in the world, his Imaan will not be perfected. The love of the Prophet (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam) is the first condition of Imaan.
FALSE BELIEF 11: The grave of the Prophet (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam) is an idol and to respect it is Kufr and Shirk. ("Ad Durrun Nadheed" by Qazi Shaukani)
PROPER BELIEF 11: Madinah is more exalted than Makkah; the Roza-e-Anwar more than the Kaaba; and the actual Qabr-e-Anwar is even more exalted than Jannat. The Qabr-e-Anwar is a sign from amongst the signs of Allah and to respect it is a sign of Imaan and Taqwa.
FALSE BELIEF 12: Any person who says, "As Salaatu Was Salaamu Alaika Ya Rasoolallah", is a Bid'ati and sinner. ("Akhbaar Ahle Hadith
Amritsar")
PROPER BELIEF 12: Bukhari and Muslim narrate on the authority of Hazrat Uthman bin Haneef (radi Allahu anhu) that a Sahabi who was blind by birth was once taught a special Du'a by the Holy Prophet (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam), which he was to recite after every Salaah. The Du'a is as follows: "O Allah, i ask from you, and turn towards you through the Wasila of Your Prophet Muhammad (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam), who is indeed a prophet of mercy. O Muhammad (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam)! with your Wasila, I turn towarsds Allah for my need so that it may be bestowed. O Allah, accept the Prophet's intercession for me".
To say "Ya Nabi" and call to the Holy Prophet (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam), and to send salutations upon him, is the Sunnah of Almighty Allah, the Angels, the Prophets and the Sahaaba-e-Kiraam. Almighty Allah has commanded us to send salutations upon the Prophet (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam) in abundance. To send Durood at least once in one's life is Fard and in Namaaz it is Waajib. It is also Waajib to send salutations out of Namaaz, for the fist time the name of the Prophet is mentioned. Even if the name is mentioned continuously, then to send salutations is Sunnah.
FALSE BELIEF 13: To ask assistance from the Prophet (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam) is the work of Shaitaan and Shirk. ("Kashfush Shubhaat" by Abdul Wahab Najdi; "Taqweeyatul Imaan" by Ismaeel Dehlwi)
PROPER BELIEF 13: "Ya Rasoolallahi Unzur Haalana, Ya Habeeballahi Isma Qaalana, Innani fir Bahri Hammim Mughriqun, Khuz Yaddi Sahhil lanaa Ishkaalana", has been the Wazeefa of the great predecessors and is accepted as a means of asking from the Prophet (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam). To seek assistance from the Prophet (salall laahu alaihi wasallam) and seek Wasila of Awliya and Saaliheen is permissable.
FALSE BELIEF 14: To use the Ambiya, Awliya and Malaa'ikah as a means of Wasila (Mediation). ("Tohfa-e-Wahaabiya" by Ismaeel Dehlwi)
PROPER BELIEF 14: We did not enter this world without means, and we will not leave this world without means. With the exception of the verse of the Quran commanding mediation, the following verses of Sheikh Bouseeri and Sheikh Saadi (radi Allahu anhuma) are always in the Du'as of Muslims: "Ya Rabbi bil Mustapha Baligh Maqasidana, Waghfirlana Ma Madaa Ya Waasi al Karami", and "Ilahi bahaqe bani Fathima, ke Barqaul Imaan Qunni Khatima, Agar Daawatam rad Kunni War Qabool, Manno Dast Damaane Aale Rasool".
