In the name of Allah, Most Merciful, the Bestower of Mercy.
The Text of the Chapter:
Shaikhul-Islam Muhammad Ibn Abdul-Wahhāb said, that Allah said:
فَلَا تَجْعَلُوا۟ لِلَّهِ أَندَادًۭا وَأَنتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ
“Then do not set up rivals unto Allāh (in worship) while you know (that He Alone has the right to be worshipped).” (Al-Baqarah: 22)
Ibn ‘Abbās (radiyallāhu ‘anhumā) said regarding the above ayah: “Setting up rivals (andād) is shirk. It is more inconspicuous than a black ant on a black rock in the blackness of the night. It is like you were to say, ‘By Allah and by your life, O so and so, and by my life!’
Or the saying, ‘Were it not for the dog, the thieves would have come upon us.’
Or the saying, ‘Were it not for the [noise of the] duck in the house, the thieves would have come upon us.’
Or the saying of a man to his companion, ‘Whatever Allah has willed and what you have willed.’
Or the saying, ‘Were it not for Allah and so and so…’
So, do not enter ‘so and so (i.e., others besides Allah)’ into this affair because this is shirk.” (Reported by Ibn Abee Hātim 1/62. no. 229)
‘Umar ibn al-Khattāb (radiyallāhu ‘anhu) reported that the Prophet (salallāhu ‘alaihi wasallam) said: “Whoever swears by other than Allah, then he has committed unbelief or shirk.” (At-Tirmidhi no. 1535, Al-Hākim 4/330 no. 7814, graded saheeh by Al-Albāni in As-Saheehah no. 2042)
Ibn Mas’ood (radiyallāhu ‘anhu) said: “That I swear by Allah and lie is more beloved to me than that I swear by other than Allah and tell the truth.” (‘Abdur Razzāq in his Musannaf 8/469 no. 15929)
Hudhaifah (radiyallāhu ‘anhu) said that the Prophet (salallāhu ‘alaihi wasallam) said: “Do not say, ‘Whatever Allah has willed and what so-and-so has willed,’ but say, ‘Whatever Allah has willed, then what so-and-so has willed.” (Abu Dawood no. 4980, graded saheeh by Al-Albāni in As-Saheehah no. 137)
It has been narrated from Ibraheem an-Nakha’ee (rahimahullah) that he forbade and hated the saying: ‘I seek refuge with Allah and with you.’ However, it is allowed to be said, ‘I seek refuge with Allah then with you.’ He (rahimahullah) also stated that it can be said, ‘Were it not for Allah and then for so-and-so,’ but do not say, ‘Were it not for Allah and so and so.’ (Reported by Ibn Abee Dunyā in As-Samt, p. 193, no. 344 – Meaning: that a person should use the term ‘then’ and he should not use the term ‘and.’)
Explanation
The term An-Nidd (plural: Andād) in the verse refers to an associate, rival or co-equal, and the intent here is: ‘Do not take rivals for Allah (or alongside Allah) and thus associate partners alongside Him.’ This is not permitted, and making the creation rivals with the Creator encompasses both major shirk (which exits a person from Islām) and minor shirk. For this reason, ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbās (radiyallāhu ‘anhumā) said: “Taking rivals (with Allah) is shirk,” he then explained this as being shirk, major or minor, such that the swearing of the Sahābah (radiyallāhu ‘anhum) by their fathers before it was prohibited, was a type of minor shirk which did not exit a person from the religion.
This is why Ibn ‘Abbās (radiyallāhu ‘anhumā) said: “
“Setting up rivals (andād) is shirk. It is more inconspicuous than a black ant on a black rock in the blackness of the night. It is like you were to say, ‘By Allah and by your life, O so and so, and by my life!’
Or the saying, ‘Were it not for the dog, the thieves would have come upon us.’
Or the saying, ‘Were it not for the [noise of the] duck in the house, the thieves would have come upon us.’”
It has already been mentioned in a previous chapter that ascribing the bounties to other than Allah is a type of shirk that does not exit a person from the religion. Likewise, the statement of a man to his companion, ‘Whatever Allah has willed and what you will,’ and also the statement, ‘Were it not for Allah and so and so,’ so, do not enter ‘so-and-so’ into the affair – i.e., do not mention others alongside Allah in these matters. All of this is considered minor shirk, and the way out of it is to use the term ‘then’ i.e., ‘Were it not for Allah, then so and so..’
‘Umar ibn al-Khattāb said that the Prophet (salallāhu ‘alaihi wasallam) said: “Whoever swears by other than Allah, then he has committed unbelief or shirk.” Taking an oath (wearing) by other than Allah is considered to be minor shirk because it is a form of rejection of a particular right of Allah of veneration. Allah (the Most High) is greater than every other greatness, and He is more deserving than anyone from the creation that He be sworn by. This is because swearing is to give veneration to the thing that is sworn by, therefore Allah has more right that He be sworn by. However, one who swears by other than Allah does not leave the fold of Islām unless he venerates that thing more than he venerates Allah. There are those from amongst the people who find it easy to swear by Allah and lie, but they would not do so if they had to swear by other than Allah – and this is a proof that they venerate the creation more than they venerate the creator, and they fear the thing that they have sworn by more than they fear Allah. This is shirk and kufr that exits a person from the fold of Islām.
As for swearing by other than Allah in a general sense, then major shirk or major kufr is not ascribed to that person. In fact, swearing by other than Allah was allowed in the early part of Islām, but then they were forbidden from that. In a Hadeeth reported by Bukhāri and Muslim, from ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar (radiyallahu ‘anhumā), the Prophet (salallāhu ‘alaihi wasallam) met ‘Umar (radiyallahu ‘anhu) whilst he was with a group of riders, and he heard ‘Umar (radiyallahu ‘anhu) swear by his father, so the Prophet (salallāhu ‘alaihi wasallam) said: “Indeed Allah forbids you to swear by your fathers, and whoever wishes to take an oath, then let him swear by Allah or remain silent.” (Bukhāri no. 6108, Muslim no. 1646) This proves that when a person, in generality, swears by other than Allah, it is not considered major shirk.
‘Abdullah ibn Mas’oud (radiyallahu ‘anhu) said: “That I should swear by Allah and lie is more beloved to me than that I swear by other than Allah and tell the truth.” In this, there is a fleeing from swearing by other than Allah, and it also shows that the major sins are lesser in harm than minor shirk.
There occurs in the Hadeeth of the Bedouin who came to the Prophet (salallāhu ‘alaihi wasallam) and said:
“O Messenger of Allah! What are the major sins?”
So, he (salallāhu ‘alaihi wasallam) said, ‘To associate partners with Allah.’ He (the Bedouin) said, ‘Then what?’ So, he (salallāhu ‘alaihi wasallam) said, ‘To be undutiful to one’s parents.’ He said, ‘Then what?’ He said, ‘Taking a false oath (al-yameen al-ghamoos).’ So, he asked, ‘What is the false oath (al-yameen al-ghamoos)?’ He (salallāhu ‘alaihi wasallam) said, ‘It is swearing falsely and lying to usurp the property of a Muslim.” (Bukhāri no. 6920)
The narration of ‘Abdullah ibn Mas’ood proves that to swear and to take an oath by Allah falsely (which is from al-yameen al-ghamoos) is lesser than taking an oath by other than Allah, and that is because minor shirk is a greater sin than the major sins.
In the Hadeeth of Hudhaifah (radiyallahu ‘anhu), Allah’s Messenger (salallāhu ‘alaihi wasallam) said, “Do not say, ‘Whatever Allah wills and whatever so-and-so wills,’ rather you should say, ‘Whatever Allah wills then what so and so has willed.” (Abu Dawood, no. 4980, graded saheeh by Al-Albāni in Al-Mishkāt no. 4778). This is in order to avoid making the creation rivals to Allah. It is a lesson from this noble companion to the Ummah so that they do not fall into minor shirk, so whoever says, ‘Whatever Allah wills then whatever so-and-so wills,’ has safeguarded himself by staying away from the arena of shirk.
It is reported from Ibraheem An-Nakha’ee (rahimahullah) that he would hate and forbid that a man should say, ‘I seek refuge with Allah and with you,’ but he said that it is permissible for him to say, ‘I seek refuge with Allah, then with you.’ A person should say, ‘Were it not for Allah, then so-and-so,’ and he should not say, ‘Were it not for Allah and so-and-so,’ in order to avoid making the creation as co-equals or rivals with Allah.
Sheikh Ahmad an-Najmi (rahimahullah) stated: “I advise you, O servant of Allah, that you take caution and that you are aware of shirk, minor and major, and that you are distant and far removed from all of the terminologies and words that are ambiguous.” This is done by using the word ‘then,’ as is mentioned in the above narrations.
From Al-ʿAllāmah Shaikh Ahmad Ibn Yahyā An-Najmi’s (rahimahullāh) explanation with added notes by Abu Khadeejah.
سبحانك اللهم وبحمدك أشهد أن لا إله إلا أنت، أستغفرك وأتوب إليك
الحمد لله رب العالمين وصلى الله على نبينا محمد وعلى آله وصحبه وسلم
This article was transcribed by Umm Maryam (may Allah reward her) from the classes of Abu Khadeejah (SalafiSounds.com). Please share it with others.
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