بِسْمِIn the name ofاللَّهِAllahالرَّحْمَنِthe Most Graciousالرَّحِيمِthe Most Merciful
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
مُقَدِّمَةٌIntroduction
Introduction
إِنَّIndeedالْحَمْدَall praiseلِلَّهِ،is for Allah,نَحْمَدُهُwe praise Himوَنَسْتَعِينُهُand we seek His helpوَنَسْتَغْفِرُهُ،and we seek His forgiveness,وَنَعُوذُand we seek refugeبِاللَّهِin Allahمِنْfromسَيِّئَاتِthe evilsأَعْمَالِنَا،of our deeds,مَنْwhoeverيَهْدِهِAllah guidesاللَّهُHimفَلَاthen there is noمُضِلَّmisguiderلَهُ،for him,وَمَنْand whoeverيُضْلِلْHe causes to go astrayفَلَاthen there is noهَادِيَguideلَهُ،for him,وَأَشْهَدُand I bear witnessأَنْthatلَاthere is noإِلَهَgodإِلَّاexceptاللَّهُAllahوَحْدَهُaloneلَاnoشَرِيكَpartnerلَهُ،for Him,وَأَشْهَدُand I bear witnessأَنَّthatمُحَمَّدًاMuhammadعَبْدُهُis His servantوَرَسُولُهُ.and His Messenger.
Indeed, all praise is for Allah; we praise Him, seek His help, and seek His forgiveness. We seek refuge in Allah from the evils of our deeds. Whoever Allah guides, there is no misguider for him, and whoever He causes to go astray, there is no guide for him. I bear witness that there is no god except Allah alone, with no partner for Him, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and His Messenger.
بَعَثَهُAllah sent himاللَّهُAllahتَعَالَىthe Exaltedرَحْمَةًas a mercyلِلْعَالَمِينَ،to the worlds,بَشِيرًاas a bearer of glad tidingsوَنَذِيرًاand a warnerوَدَاعِيًاand a callerإِلَىtoاللَّهِAllahبِإِذْنِهِby His permissionوَسِرَاجًاand as a lampمُنِيرًا.giving light.فَفَتَحَSo openedاللَّهُAllahبِهِthrough himأَعْيُنًاeyesعُمْيًا،that were blind,وَآذَانًاand earsصُمًّا،that were deaf,وَقُلُوبًاand heartsغُلْفًا،that were sealed.وَأَقَامَAnd He establishedبِهِthrough himالْمِلَّةَthe religionالْعَوْجَاءَ،that was crooked,صَلَوَاتُprayersاللَّهِof Allahعَلَيْهِbe upon himوَعَلَىand uponآلِهِhis familyوَصَحْبِهِand his companionsوَسَلَّمَand He sentتَسْلِيمًاpeaceكَثِيرًا.abundantly.
Allah the Exalted sent him as a mercy to the worlds, a bearer of glad tidings, a warner, a caller to Allah by His permission, and an illuminating lamp. Through him, Allah opened eyes that were blind, ears that were deaf, and hearts that were sealed. He established through him the crooked religion. May the prayers and abundant peace of Allah be upon him, his family, and his companions.
أَمَّاAs forبَعْدُ:what follows:فَإِنَّindeedالتَّوْحِيدَTawhidيَحْتَاجُneedsلِمَعْرِفَتِهِits knowledgeأَهْلُthe peopleالْأَرْضِof the earthقَاطِبَةً،altogether,وَأَهْلُand the peopleالْمِلَّةِof the religionالْإِسْلَامِيَّةِof Islamخَاصَّةً،specifically,فَهُمْfor theyأَحْوَجُare more in needإِلَيْهِof itمِنْthanغَيْثِrainالسَّمَاءِ،from the sky,وَمِنْand thanنُورِthe lightالشَّمْسِof the sunالَّذِيwhichيُذْهِبُremovesعَنْهُمْfrom themحَنَادِسَthe darkness(١)(1)الظَّلْمَاءِ،of gloom.فَضَرُورُتُهُمْSo their necessityإِلَيْهِfor itأَعْظَمُis the greatestالضَّرُورَاتِ،of necessities,وَحَاجَتُهُمْand their needإِلَيْهِfor itمُقَدَّمَةٌis priorعَلَىtoجَمِيعِallالْحَاجَاتِ،needs,إِذْsinceلَاthere is noحَيَاةَlifeلِلْقُلُوبِ،for the hearts,وَلَاnorسُرُورَjoyوَلَاnorلَذَّةَpleasure,وَلَاnorنَعِيمَblissوَلَاnorأَمَانَsecurityإِلَّاexceptبِتَحْقِيقِby realizingلَاThere is noإِلَهَgodإِلَّاexceptاللَّهُAllah(الَّتِي(whichوَرَّثَهَاinheritedإِمَامُthe leaderالْحُنَفَاءِof the pure monotheistsلِأَتْبَاعِهِto his followersإِلَىuntilيَوْمِthe Dayالْقِيَامَةِ،of Resurrection,وَهِيَand it isالْكَلِمَةُthe wordالَّتِيby whichقَامَتْwere establishedبِهَاthrough itالْأَرْضُthe earthوَالسَّمَاوَاتُ،and the heavens,وَفَطَرَand createdاللَّهُAllahعَلَيْهَاupon itجَمِيعَallالْمَخْلُوقَاتِ،creation,وَعَلَيْهَاand upon itأُسِّسَتِwas foundedالْمِلَّةُthe religionوَنُصِبَتِand was erectedالْقِبْلَةُthe Qiblah,وَجُرِّدَتْand were unsheathedسُيُوفُthe swordsالْجِهَادِ،of Jihad,وَهِيَand it isمَحْضُthe pureحَقِّrightاللَّهِof Allahعَلَىuponجَمِيعِallالْعِبَادِ،the servants,وَهِيَand it isالْكَلِمَةُthe wordالْعَاصِمَةُthat protectsلِلدَّمِbloodوَالْمَالِand wealthوَالذُّرِّيَّةِand offspringفِيinهَذِهِthisالدَّارِ،world,وَالْمُنْجِيَةُand that savesمِنْfromعَذَابِthe punishmentالْقَبْرِof the graveوَعَذَابِand the punishmentالنَّارِ،of the Fire,وَهِيَand it isالنُّشُورُthe means(٢)(2)الَّذِيby whichلَاno oneيَدْخُلُentersالْجَنَّةَParadiseإِلَّاexceptبِهِ،through it,وَالْحَبْلُand the ropeالَّذِيthatلَاdoes notيَصِلُreachإِلَىtoاللَّهِAllahمَنْwhoeverلَمْdoes notيَتَعَلَّقْclingبِسَبَبِهِ)،to its means),وَهِيَand it is(كَلِمَةُ(the word
As for what follows: Indeed, Tawhid is something whose knowledge is needed by the people of the earth altogether, and specifically by the people of the Islamic religion, for they are more in need of it than rain from the sky, and than the light of the sun which removes the darkness of gloom from them. Their necessity for it is the greatest of necessities, and their need for it takes precedence over all other needs. For there is no life for the hearts, nor joy, nor pleasure, nor bliss, nor security, except by realizing: 'There is no god except Allah' (which the leader of the pure monotheists bequeathed to his followers until the Day of Resurrection. It is the word by which the earth and the heavens were established, Allah created all creation upon it, upon it the religion was founded, the Qiblah was erected, and the swords of Jihad were unsheathed. It is the pure right of Allah over all His servants. It is the word that protects blood, wealth, and offspring in this world, and that saves from the punishment of the grave and the punishment of the Fire. It is the means through which no one enters Paradise except by it, and it is the rope; whoever does not cling to its means will not reach Allah), and it is (the word