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Shaykh Ibrahim’s words about Establishment of the Masjid in Medina Baye | Translated by Imam Muhammad Abdul Latif Finch

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Shaikh Ibrahim’s Words at the Event of the Establishment of the Masjid in Medina Baye, Senegal

All praise is due to Allāh. Peace be upon you. I say before everything else that I congratulate these forerunners from every township from far off lands. I say to you that everyone must say, ‘al-Ḥamdu lillāh’. Every service raises Islām. This service is a construction for Allāh, principally, as long as they are mosques. Every building that has an honor for Islām deserves that Muslims should work together towards it until they finish it. If it is a structure that bares that which is a demolition of disbelief then Muslims should work together until they erect it. So, I congratulate you and command you all to say with your tongues and hearts, ‘al-Ḥamdu lillāh’. There is no else on the face of the earth doing this service outside of you except a masjid built by kings or a people who work with kings. As for poor people like yourselves to build the likes of this, they are not found on the face of the earth today and all praise is due to Allāh.

These are the type of mosques that endure because they are for Allāh. As for those mosques that are built for kings, they have crumbled and have become demolished. No mosque will endure but these mosques, Allāh willing. Whoever of you who has made the pilgrimage to the House of Allāh has seen the House of Ādam built still standing, and it is the Sanctified House of Allāh, and he sees the station of Ibrāhīm. Whoever goes to Shām sees the House of the Holy and that is because whatever is for Allāh maintains and is connected while whatever is for other than Him discontinues and is disconnected. For this reason we hope, from the grace of Allāh, that our companionship continues and connects in the world and the hereafter because it is for Allāh’s sake, through Allāh, and in Allāh. That is because whatever was for Allāh maintained and connected.

On this basis, all of you should say, ‘All praise is due to Allāh, Lord of the Worlds’. Allāh’s praise is obligatory for us in every situation. We are the ones whose Lord is the One-Who-Is-Praised (al-Maḥmūd), a name derived from the word ‘praise’ (ḥamd). Our prophet Muḥammad, peace be upon him, is derived from the word ‘praise’ (ḥamd). Shaikh Aḥmad is derived from ‘praise’ (ḥamd). We are Praisers (Ḥāmidūn). For this reason our religion is the religion of praise. Our spiritual path is a path of praise. Our banner on the Day of Judgment is Praise. For this reason the door of Praise was opened and will not be closed, ever. Every door will be found closed but the door of Praise.

Praise is the reality of Iḥsān. For that reason we say, ‘al-Ḥamdu lillāh, al-Ḥamdu lillāh, al-Ḥamdu lillāh’. If we had said, ‘Our Lord is Allāh’, that would suffice us. Our Lord is Allāh in good times. Our Lord is Allāh in hard times. This suffices us if our Lord suffices us that we say, ‘al-Ḥamdu lillāh’. Allāh described his Friends in His saying, ‘The angels descend upon those who say our Lord is Allāh and then are upright’ until the end of the āyah (41:30) We have stated that our Lord is Allāh and uprightness is Praise. So, one who says, ‘al-Ḥamdu lillah’ has been upright. Some of the scholars of quranic exegesis have said, ‘The angels with Allāh descend upon them in this world and the next saying to them, ‘Don’t be afraid.’ They respond, ‘what would we be afraid of since Allāh has said to us’ ‘Do not be afraid’. (Note: meaning even they wonder at the angels who would feel the need to tell them not to be afraid when they say, al-Ḥamdu lillāh and are thus upright. Those who are upright need not be afraid. Allāh knows best)

The consequence is that you should say, ‘al-Ḥamdu lillāh’. The slave has four times: 1) the time of blessing 2) the time of trial 3) the time of obedience 4) the time of disobedience. In the time of blessing the slave says, ‘al-Ḥamdu lillah’. In the time of trial the slave endures and says while being patient, ‘al-Hamdu lillāh’. In the time of obedience there is the etiquette of al-Ḥamdu lillah. In the time of disobedience, if he has repented, he says, ‘al-Ḥamdu lillāh. The entire life of the slave is al-Ḥamdu lillāh. If the human being is alive and doesn’t thank Allāh then he is actually dead. As long as the human being acts they are alive and if he didn’t do anything, he is dead. The act itself, if you examine it, returns to Praise. The tradition indicates this fact: Allāh loves to see the effect of His blessings on His slave. (Fayḍ al-Qadīr Sharḥ Jāmi’u al-Saghīr) (Note: Meaning and Allāh knows best, that as every act has an effect, and the blessing is the effect of Allāh’s having acted, the activity of displaying one’s blessings is all based upon Allāh’s original act of choosing to bless someone. This is because there is no existing thing but that it exists as a blessing of Allāh who chose to act so that it would exist through His having created it. Thus every existing thing, just like the act of displaying the blessing of Allāh in this tradition all return to Allāh’s Act of allowing things to exist in the first place.)

Whoever built a nice castle or purchased a goodly riding animal has displayed the blessing of Allāh upon them. However, this (note: building of the mosque) is better than all of that entirely. Our building of this mosque is praise to Allāh. An increase in the praise of Allāh is that we spend from the furthest of our capacities toward its completion. This night of remembrance (note: this speech occurred during a celebration of the birth of the Prophet, peace be upon him) is the establishment of the construction of this mosque. You have spent yourselves and what you value in it until it stands as you see now. Thus you have come to know that you have an assistant inwardly and outwardly (note: as the mosque did manifest, and all praise is due to Allāh). Allāh has said, ‘And whatever you spend of anything (in Allāh’s cause), He will replace it and He is the Best of Providers.’ (34:39) In a tradition it states, ‘Whoever builds a mosque for Allah – though it be the size of the ground nest of a sandgrouse – Allah will build for him a house in Paradise’. (Ibn Mājah) The meaning of the term ‘the House of Allah’ is just, ‘Allāh’ and this is why some of the Righteous have desired it, as in His words, ‘She said (note: a reference to Āsia, the wife of Pharaoh), ‘My Lord build a house for me with You in Paradise.’ (66:11) She did not say, ‘Build me something in Paradise’. Rather, she said, ‘Build me a house with You in Paradise’ and the meaning of ‘house’ is Allāh, in reality (note: meaning, and Allāh knows best, she only wanted Allāh, specifically, in Paradise. Thus she was from amongst those people that come in the next āyah Shaikh Ibrāhīm, may Allāh be pleased with him, cites). He said, ‘Truly, the Allāh-Conscious are in the midst gardens and rivers (54:54) in the seat of truth, near the Omnipotent King. (54:55) (note: meaning their consciousness is already sitting with Allāh prior to leaving this world and they want there what they are given here, as opposed to any building or any particular “thing” whatsoever, and Allāh knows best)

-Shaikh Ibrāhīm Inyās, may Allāh be pleased with him, al-Jūz al-Thālith min Khuṭab wa Rasā-il, pgs. 205-6.

Translated by Imam Muhammad Abdul Latif Finch

Imam Muhammad Abdul Latif Finch converted to Islam at the age of 20 and has earned ijazas in Islamic Sciences including Quranic Sciences, Hadith, Maliki and Shafi’i Jurisprudence, Usul al-Fiqh, Seerah, Logic, and Arabic Grammar and Morphology under the tutelage of numerous scholars, including Shaykh Hamza Yusuf, Shaykh Salik bin Siddina, Imam Zaid Shakir, Shaykh Abdur Rahman Taahir, Qari Umar Bellahi, Shaykh Abdullah Ali, and Shaykh Yahya Rhodus.

Imam Muhammad Abdul Latif Finch co-founded the Lighthouse Mosque in Oakland, California where he served as the Imam for 3 years until he resigned in 2012 to focus on his graduate studies. In addition, he was a teacher and a program developer for Deen Intensive Foundation, Seekers Guidance and had assisted Zaytuna College’s Summer Arabic Intensive program for three years in a row.

Imam Muhammad Abdul Latif Finch  has recently attained a Master’s degree in Philosophy from the Dominican School of Philosophy and Theology, a member of the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley.

Many thanks to Imam Muhammad Abdul Latif Finch for contributing to this blog.

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Muhammadiyya and the Reality of the Prophet’s Praiseworthiness‏ – an article by Imam Abdul Latif Finch

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Introduction

The Qurān states, As for those who malign God’s Apostle – grievous suffering awaits them. (9:61) However, due to the now common ignorance regarding his status amongst Muslims many of us fall into the danger of being injurious to the Prophet, peace be upon him, without realizing it. This lack of respect is not merely bad manners toward the Prophet, peace be upon him, but as the ayah clearly states it is also recompensed with punishment. To avoid such a fate we must show due respect toward the Messenger of God, peace be upon him. To respect him we must know him. To know him we must know his attributes. Here we will show that the Prophet’s muḥammadiyya or praiseworthiness is not his own but is rather a reflection of God’s own value. Treating him like any other person, it will be shown below, causes one to fall into a trap that their own disrespect will not allow them to escape from. This ruse and its preliminaries will be explained in full detail below, God willing.

Muḥammadiyya or Praiseworthiness

             The ‘Arabic suffix iyya indicates that which is of or relating to the word it is attached to. To relate is an act of telling or conveying. The name Muḥammad means, “he who is praised intensely.” Thus muḥammadiyya is the act of conveying one’s intense praise. This commendation may be self-generated or may come from another outside one’s self. It may also be self-received or given to another. In any account, praise is based upon one’s attributes. Attributes may be either temporary or permanent. Such laudation, then, may be either temporary or permanent, in turn.

As God has attributes, he also has a kind of muḥammadiyya. This state of the reception of praise when it comes to Him is pre-eternal as His qualities are pre-eternal. This is to say that there has never been a time when God failed to observe His own praiseworthiness. His self-respect, like His attributes, has no beginning and has no end. Therefore God’s self praise is a continual state. The English suffix ness denotes an action, quality, or state. In this sense one may refer to muhammadiyya as pre-eternal intensified praised-ness. For the sake of expediency we may refer to this activity as simply praiseworthiness in this article. I have chosen this term specifically as it’s the worthiness behind the One who is praised that explains both the existence and endurance of this quality.

When He created the creation He did so with this praise structure in place. Any creature that would come into being, then, would do so appearing within a context of a self-praising Lord. The fabric of the reality that this organism is woven into, then, is one built upon muḥammadiyya. For this reason praise is the natural inclination of all that dwells within time and space. To this end God states, The seven heavens and the earth and all that is therein, glorify Him and there is not a thing but glorifies His Praise. But you understand not their glorification. Truly, He is Ever Forbearing, Oft-Forgiving. (17:44) God did not create in vain, as he says, who remember Allah while standing or sitting or [lying] on their sides and give thought to the creation of the heavens and the earth, [saying], “Our Lord, You did not create this aimlessly; exalted are You [above such a thing]; then protect us from the punishment of the Fire. (3:191) That which has an aim has an end or purpose. Therefore, the creation has a purpose.

This reasoning tends to imply that there would need to be something in the creation that fulfills its purpose. As the fabric of created existence is calibrated to harmonize with the reality of divine self-praise, it follows that there would be some created entity who meets the purpose of the universe that is engaged in the praise of the Lord in the most symphonic capacity. This is to say that there must be a creature that fulfills the nature of the creation, otherwise its objective would not be realized and therefore not meet out its purpose in full. Thus, there must be a creature that harmonizes with God’s self-laudation with full receptivity to save the universe from aimlessness. This individual is the Prophet Muḥammad, peace be upon him: ‘and we have not sent you but as a mercy to the worlds.” (21:107)

 

The Prophet Muḥammad, peace be upon him, as a Reflection of God’s Own Muḥammadiyya (Praiseworthiness)

             When scholars treat the 99 Names of God, the Name al-Raḥmān precedes the rest. In this sense, it may be said that God’s Mercy is the basis of all His Names when the learned consider them. His Names are all virtuous. Thus His Mercy may be considered the basis of all God’s virtue, as we may understand it. That the Book itself states, My Mercy has enveloped everything,’ (7:156) tends to support this position.

Likewise, the Prophet, peace be upon him, is also valued primarily for his mercy. Sayyid ‘Alawī al-Mālikī, may Allāh have mercy upon him, stated from his book, The Muhammad the Perfect Man, in this regard

Allah says: ’And we have not sent you except as a mercy to the worlds’ [21:07]. He, peace be upon him, is the Messenger of

When scholars treat the 99 Names of God, the Name al-Raḥmān precedes the rest. In this sense, it may be said that God’s Mercy is the basis of all His Names when the learned consider them. His Names are all virtuous. Thus His Mercy may be considered the basis of all God’s virtue, as we may understand it.

When scholars treat the 99 Names of God, the Name al-Raḥmān precedes the rest. In this sense, it may be said that God’s Mercy is the basis of all His Names when the learned consider them. His Names are all virtuous. Thus His Mercy may be considered the basis of all God’s virtue, as we may understand it.

Mercy, whom Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He, sent as a mercy to all created beings: a mercy to the believers, and a mercy to the disbelievers, and a mercy to the hypocrites; a mercy to all humanity, men, women and children, and a mercy to the birds and the animals. He is an all-embracing mercy to all of Allah’s creation. As for his compassion, tenderness, and mercy for all of mankind, Allah says of him: ‘Grievous to him is your suffering; anxious is he over you, full of tenderness and mercy for the believers’ [9:128]. It has been said that it is a mark of the Prophet’s, peace be upon him, virtue that Allah gave two of His Names to him when He said ‘full of tenderness and mercy (ra’ūf raḥīm) for the believers. [1]

The word attribute is both a verb and a noun. As a verb attribute means to “assign or bestow,” as its Latin root includes the term tribueure literally meaning to give something (tribute). The same word, in a nominal capacity or as a noun distinguished by its pronunciation, means a “quality ascribed to someone. So, when the Prophet, peace be upon him, was gifted with these names (ra’ūf raḥīm) and others (for example he is also known as Awwal and Ākhir [First and Last, respectively]) their ascriptions to him remained gifts. In other words, they are not essential to him, peace be upon him, though his fundamental task is to reflect the presence of God. This representation may be found in ayat like, Nor does he speak from [his own] inclination. It is not but a revelation revealed (53:4) [2] Revelation is a disclosure of information to person by a divine or supernatural agency. The stem of revelation or revelare or is to “unveil, uncover, lay bare.” As the word reveal means to unveil revelation, being an act of divine agency is an act of self-disclosure. The Prophet, peace be upon him, is the recipient of this divine unveiling as he is exposed to the Attribute of God, or the Qurān whose content is then consequently reflected out into the universe, by him peace be upon him. In this sense, the Prophet, peace be upon him, is a mirror echoing the presence of the Lord for all to experience. As he, peace be upon him, is described by cĀisha, may Allah be pleased with her, as “the Qurān walking,” it may be understood that he is a mirror that reflects the attributes of the one who disclosed Himself through revelation upon his blessed heart, peace be upon him. This act was deeply impressed upon all the believers fortunate enough to be in his blessed presence, peace be upon him. Nonetheless, being a mirror, whatever they cherished from his presence amongst them was not from him anymore than what a mirror displays as an image is from itself. Hence it may be said that the Prophet’s praiseworthiness, like that of His Creator, Exalted is He, is a reflection of the structure that God has presented to us of His own praiseworthiness via His Self-Disclosure to the Perfect Mirror, peace be upon him.

 

God’s Own Value is Demeaned When the Prophet’s Praiseworthiness is Degraded

             No one can describe a mirror because it doesn’t have an identity of its own. Rather, it only shows the face of the one who looks into it, even if only as a representation. The Prophet, peace be upon him, is a mirror of God’s attributes, as demonstrated above. If a person is impressed by the image found in a mirror their praise of the representation in the mirror would be better suited for the one it reflects. Likewise, if a person takes issue with a reflection in a mirror, naturally, their contempt is not towards the mirror, itself. Their issue is with the one who looks into it. For this same reason, if one were to degrade the merit of the Prophet, peace be upon him, the mirror of God’s own praiseworthiness, they would be demeaning the virtue of the one who bestowed the Names on him, peace be upon him, in the first place. Thus, God’s own value is demeaned when the Prophet, peace be upon him’s, praiseworthiness is degraded.

Degradation of The Prophet, peace be upon him, is the Muslim’s Self-Deception

             There are some amongst us who consider the Prophet, peace be upon him, to be but a postal worker; he merely delivered the message and has no other merit to God nor His creation. I say that this is not only spiritual blindness but an attitude that exposes one to a theological disaster that he or she who holds this unfortunate position would not be able to rescue themselves from.

To explain, if a person where to ask any believing Muslim (as some may be Muslim but only in name) if the Qurān is the Word of God, they would respond with unshakable confidence that it is. If this person where to ask them if there are any contradictions in the Book, so as to indicate some flaw or other within it and thereby disproving its sanctity as revelation, the response from this same woman of faith would be a similar stalwart display of confidence in its divine status. If asked if all praise is due to God (al-hamdulillah), as it claims, she would reply with matching fervor that this is the case and the Book itself states this to be the case. If she were asked at this point if this praise is shared with any of God’s creatures she would reply that it is not as the word all indicates that praise is limited to God alone. If this interrogator were to then request an explanation for how the Prophet, peace be upon him, is named “Muhammad,” a name which literally means the one who is praised intensely and the word all does not include any other entity so therefore all praise is only due to God and hence why the obvious contradiction, she might hesitate to respond. The reason for her delay is that if she says that praise is not all for God and therefore some of it is due to the Prophet, peace be upon him, she belies the Quran. If she says that the Prophet, peace be upon him, does not actually deserve the name she has committed yet another act of disbelief. [3] Fortunately, this is only an issue for those who don’t know anything of the reality of the Prophet’s praise, peace be upon him. Unfortunately, this ignorance is the case for many people who even claim to be the bastions of orthodoxy. It also seems apparent that this degradation of The Prophet, peace be upon him, to the level of a mere mail operative, may God forgive us, is our own ideologically self induced subterfuge.

 

Knowing the Reality of the Praise of the Prophet, peace be upon him, as Protection from Disbelief

             To disrespect the Prophet, peace be upon him, is an act of disbelief. Such acts result in commitment to the Fire. These factors can be determined in this tradition:

It is related that a Bedouin came to the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, asking for something. The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, gave him something, and said to him: ‘Have I been good to you? The Bedouin man said: ‘No, and you have not acted decently! Some of the Muslims became angry and made as if to stand up to him. The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, indicated that they should stand down. He, peace be upon him, then went home, and sent the man something else, and said to him: ‘Have I been good to you? ‘The Bedouin replied: ‘Yes, may Allah reward you with goodness of family and kinsfolk!’ The Prophet, peace be upon him, said: ‘You said what you said, and this has provoked something in the souls of my companions; so if you like, say before them what you just said before me, so that their ill feelings towards you leave their hearts.’ He agreed to this.

The next day, the man came back, and the Prophet, peace be upon him, said: ‘This Bedouin said what he said, and then we gave him more, and he declared himself satisfied. Is that right? ‘The Bedouin said: ‘Yes, may Allah reward you with goodness of family and kinsfolk!’ The Prophet, peace be upon him, then said: ‘The likeness of myself and this Bedouin is as that of a man who had a camel that ran away, and the people gave chase but only succeeded it run further still. The owner of the camel said to them: ‘Get from between me and my camel, for I am gentler than you with it, and I know it better.’ He then went to it, and picked some grass for it, and called it, until it came to him and knelt. Then he secured to its saddle and mounted it. Had I left you when the man said what he said, and had you killed him, he would have gone to Hell.’ [4]

This man was not only dissatisfied with the Prophet’s generosity he told him that he was indecent. This was a grave error indeed as the Prophet, peace be upon him, explained to him and saved him from. This is the reason why the Prophet said, peace be upon him, ‘Had I left you when the man said what he said, and had you killed him, he would have gone to Hell.’ [5] To disrespect is to fail to regard someone with deferential esteem. None of us would accept someone’s failure to treat us without due regard. God says about his beloved peace be upon him, The Prophet is more worthy of the believers than themselves… (33:6) In other words, the Prophet, peace be upon him, has more of a right to the natural respect we have for ourselves than we do. The Qurān is the word of God and God’s word deserves more reverence than any other speech. Thus if we claim to believe in revelation let us consider the fact that the natural reverence we have for ourselves, that doesn’t require a reason for us to justify doing so, belongs to him first, peace be upon him. The difference being, of course, that despite its not requiring a reason God has furnished it for us anyway.

We have attempted to explain part of this reason here so that our minds may not hinder our hearts from their own inclination, as creatures created in a structure of praise, to praise and be thankful. Part of this appreciativeness is due to the means who made things clear, peace be upon him. Indeed the tradition as reported by, “Abū Hurayra says: The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “He has not thanked Allah who has not thanked people.” [6] If one hasn’t thanked Allah by thanking people what has one done with God when he hasn’t thanked the greatest of people, peace be upon him?

Conclusion

             We have shown here that muḥammadiyya is praiseworthiness. Muḥammadiyya is a reflection of God’s own merit. We also demonstrated that God’s value is demeaned when the Prophet’s praiseworthiness is degraded. Degradation of the Prophet, peace be upon him, as has been shown, is a trap. The issue is clear; if we say that all praise is due to God, then how can He have named his messenger, peace be upon him, “Muhammad,” a name that means the one who is intensely praised? In doing so God appears to have shared His praise with one of His creatures, a problem that seems insurmountable if approached with the misunderstanding that most common Muslims have about the Prophet’s status, peace be upon him. Here, however, in an attempt to reframe this positioning into something far more appropriate for him, peace be upon him, we have shown that the Prophet’s muḥammadiyya or praiseworthiness is not his own but is rather a reflection of God’s praiseworthiness. Therefore, in the end, all praise is in fact due to Allah including the acknowledgement of His making Himself accessible to us via the reality of the Prophet’s praiseworthiness, peace be upon him. Knowing something of this reality, it appears, is the fortress of faith and hence an evident good.

Imam Muhammad Abdul Latif Finch

2015

[1] Muḥammad ibn ‘Alawī al-Mālikī, Muḥammad the Perfect Man (n.p.: Vision of Reality Books, 2013), 133.

[2] In fact, there are many scholars who take the position that his entire life is revelation aiding and instructing us in some form or other.

[3] As God refers to him as Muhammad himself.

[4] Muḥammad ibn ‘Alawī al-Mālikī, Muḥammad the Perfect Man (n.p.: Vision of Reality Books, 2013), 134.

[5] Muḥammad ibn ‘Alawī al-Mālikī, Muḥammad the Perfect Man (n.p.: Vision of Reality Books, 2013), 134.

[6] Sunan Abu Dāwūd

Bibliography

al-Mālikī, Muḥammad ibn ‘Alawī. Muḥammad the Perfect Man. N.p.: Vision of Reality Books, 2013.

Muhammad Abdul Latif Finch converted to Islam at the age of 20 and has earned ijazas in Islamic Sciences including Quranic Sciences, Hadith, Maliki and Shafi’i Jurisprudence, Usul al-Fiqh, Seerah, Logic, and Arabic Grammar and Morphology under the tutelage of numerous scholars, including Shaykh Hamza Yusuf, Shaykh Salik bin Siddina, Imam Zaid Shakir, Shaykh Abdur Rahman Taahir, Qari Umar Bellahi, Shaykh Abdullah Ali, and Shaykh Yahya Rhodus.

Imam Muhammad Abdul Latif Finch co-founded the Lighthouse Mosque in Oakland, California where he served as the Imam till for 3 years until he resigned in 2012 to focus on his graduate studies. In addition, he was a teacher and a program developer for Deen Intensive Foundation, Seekers Guidance and has assisted Zaytuna College ‘s Summer Arabic Intensive program for three years in a row.

Imam Muhammad Abdul Latif Finch has recently attained a Master’s degree in Philosophy at the Dominican School of Philosophy and Theology, a member of the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley.

Many thanks to Imam Muhammad Abdul Latif Finch for contributing to this blog.

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Faith and God’s Self-Evident Praise – an article by Imam Abdul Latif Finch

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The most important aspect of the faith of Islam is the belief in the oneness of God. This oneness is understood to be his unity in His Essence, Names, Attributes and Acts. Commenting on God’s words, “Say, ‘With Allah is the far-reaching proof. If He had willed, He would have guided you all,’” al-Qurṭubī states that God’s far reaching proof or argument is…

…that which undercuts the justification of the one subsequently disproven and removes the doubt of the one who investigates it. His proof indicated here is that He is One, and His sending of the Messengers and Prophets. His oneness is made evident by virtue of observing creation. His sending the Messengers is made clear by his aiding them with miracles…

In other words, according to him, God’s far –reaching proof is something evident. This is quite a paradox as will be illustrated below. His unity is clear to those who see that all entities, for example, are unique: no two of them are identical. In this way, all are “one.” In other words, if all things were given a numerical representation they would all be the number “1.” This kind of illustration would have, for example, all the individual letters on this page to be seen as, 1111 111 11111 1111 111. If one were to lift their eyes off the page they would see the same number all around them. If they were to look in the mirror a matching number one would be staring back at them. Who gives them this sense of unity to all things but a Lord who Himself has this quality but in His own unique fashion? As for the Messengers, upon whom be peace, if activities were random and devoid of any designer then how does a miracle impress anyone when all acts would then be miraculous. Rather, it’s evident that there is a pattern and hence a Pattern Maker. It’s only when the miracle comes and breaks the pattern that we notice the presence of the pattern and call an act a “breaking of norms.” Both acts, those based in the pattern and those outside of it seem to show the evident nature of their Maker.

Faith, we should understand, is not the proof that would support it. If faith and proofs were equated, then were a proof to be disproven, faith would be refuted along with it. Likewise, if faith were a matter of proofs, then all one would have to do is understand the proofs of faith in order to have it. This is often not the case for God states, “And Moses had certainly brought you clear proofs. Then you took the calf [in worship] after that, while you were wrongdoers.” [1] Despite the clear proofs brought by Moses, his followers had weak to zero faith. Faith, rather, is something that stands on its own that comes directly from God as something self-evident. The Book says, “So whoever Allah wants to guide – He expands his breast to [contain] Islam; and whoever He wants to misguide – He makes his breast tight and constricted as though he were climbing into the sky. Thus does Allah place defilement upon those who do not believe.” [2] Here I will show that God’s praise, like faith, is self-evident, and therefore, not in need of proofs.

The Nature of Proofs

A proof is that which inclines to prove or disprove something other than itself. This evidence is sufficient to establish a thing outside the proof to be true. In order for a proof to be considered it must be established as true. If it has that kind of integrity then it may bring that which does not have the same kind of truth-ness into a state of truthfulness. In this sense, that which is to be proven is inferior to its proof. If God’s existence is to be established by proofs then His existence is inferior to these evidences. This presents a problem for, as mentioned above, God is one in all of His aspects. That which is one in all of its aspects does not have a rival in any of them. His Being, then, is rival-less. He whose existence is without a competitive existence is also not subject to inferiority or superiority with regard to any would-be viable existence. In other words, it’s inappropriate that God be proven for He is neither in need of anything, far less a proof, nor could there ever be a proof that would establish His existence as it’s own existence requires God’s own existence. Those who believe in God then, don’t believe in proofs for the above explanation. They simply have faith.

The Nature of Faith

Faith may be defined as a belief that is not based on proof. That which is not based on something else is not in need of it. Faith, therefore, is independent of proofs. As a proof is that which requires something outside of itself to establish it to be true and faith is that which does so without recourse to proofs, the two are mutually exclusive. In other words, faith and proof do not co-exist. That existent which doesn’t require proofs is obvious. As such, faith is self-evident. It occurs whenever and however God determines it to exist. It may also be removed as instantaneously. The tradition states,

Rush to perform (good) deeds now, before fitan (trials and tribulations) of pitch-black darkness (appear), wherein a man wakes up as a believer and becomes a disbeliever by nightfall, and another man goes to bed as a believer and wakes up as a disbeliever… [3]

In this hadith the Prophet, peace be upon him, mentions a time, “wherein a man wakes up a believer and becomes a disbeliever by nightfall, and another man goes to bed as a believer and wakes up a disbeliever.” If faith were something based in proofs, as long as a person knew these proofs their faith could not come and go so easily. Rather, faith is something apparent that exists in the heart or it is not. May Allah protect us from losing the obvious.

The Nature of The Self-Evident

That whose existence is not in need of proofs is termed to be “self-evident.” That which is self-evident is discernible. An example of the self-explanatory is the fact that we exist. Some would say that even our own existence is subject to debate. However, if we didn’t exist then the question about our existence would not occur. So, therefore, to question my existence presupposes our existence that might be questioned. At any rate, our own existence is not in need of proofs, it seems, and so therefore “I” am self-explanatory as well. “I” am the first thing that “I” know as a child and so therefore the basis of our understanding is on that which is self-evident; our own existence. So, the self-evident is, like our own sense of self, axiomatic: manifest, accepted and clear. That which is evident is not in need of proofs. That which is not in need of proofs is praised for its clarity. “Their messengers said, “Can there be doubt about Allah.” [4] Our relationship with God is based in faith. Faith, as mentioned above, is something evident. That which is evident is not subject to doubt. Therefore, just as there are no proofs for Allah there can be no doubt in Him. That which is free from doubt is true. That which is true is praiseworthy.

Good and bad are particular examples of existence and therefore are both equally in reference to God. The Book says, “If any good reaches them, they say, “This is from Allah,” but if any evil befalls them, they say, “This happened because of you.” Say: “All things are from Allah.” What is wrong with these people that they do not understand any word? “ [4:78] - Imam Abdul Latif Finch

Good and bad are particular examples of existence and therefore are both equally in reference to God. The Book says, “If any good reaches them, they say, “This is from Allah,” but if any evil befalls them, they say, “This happened because of you.” Say: “All things are from Allah.” What is wrong with these people that they do not understand any word?” [4:78] – Imam Abdul Latif Finch

The Nature of Praise

To be praised is to exist in the state of being approved or admired. In order to be approved or admired one must first be mentioned. Therefore, praise is based in reference. All activity points to an actor. Existence is an activity. Therefore existence points to one who causes it to occur. In this sense all entities reference or mention this Actor. Good and bad are particular examples of existence and therefore are both equally in reference to God. The Book says, “If any good reaches them, they say, “This is from Allah,” but if any evil befalls them, they say, “This happened because of you.” Say: “All things are from Allah.” What is wrong with these people that they do not understand any word? “ [5] Perhaps we cannot understand any word because we are left to our own judgments about them which causes us to be veiled from the Truth that is behind them?

I say that we cannot decide whether or not some event is ultimately good or bad unless one knows its ultimate ending when time and space finish. As creatures with only temporal orientations, we cannot know the atemporal result of any event; this is why the Day of Judgment must come for the ultimate end of every act will become clear. As such we cannot make judgments about anything outside of our perspective for we are not God and this is not the Day of Standing. Rather, the final say lies with the Actor who is beyond all events. As all activities lead to God, all acts are in reference to Him. This universal mention orients all creatures to their Maker. As objects oriented toward the Lord, He is above them in every sense. This exaltation or praise is absolute for, “Whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth is exalting Allah, the Sovereign, the Pure, the Exalted in Might, the Wise.” [6] There is nothing outside the heavens and the earth and there is one act of reference to that which is above them. This exaltation comes from them to one Receiver of this Praise. As there is no one more appropriate for this referencing, all Praise or referencing is due to Allah.

Conclusion

That which is absolute is complete. That which is complete is sufficient. That which is adequate doesn’t require help. That which doesn’t require help stands alone. As stated above, proofs serve to assist. Faith doesn’t require backing, as it stands alone. Therefore faith stands alone without partner, yet in a created sense of the idea. Likewise God’s praise has been shown to be total. That which is ample is not in need of additions. Therefore, God’s praise stands alone without partner. All of this, upon deliberation, seems self-evident. That which is self –evident stands alone and has no partner, and this is true for both God and His creature that reflects His aloneness. Ironically then, the praise of God who is Himself alone and has no partner, like the faith in our hearts, is self-evident, and therefore, not in need of proofs. This oneness seems to be a self-evident and far reaching proof. May Allah guide us all. Amin.

Imam Muhammad Abdul Latif Finch

June 2015

[1] Quran 2:92

[2] Quran 6:125

[3] Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim

[4] Quran 14:10

[5] Quran 4:78

[6] Quran 62:1

Muhammad Abdul Latif Finch converted to Islam at the age of 20 and has earned ijazas in Islamic Sciences including Quranic Sciences, Hadith, Maliki and Shafi’i Jurisprudence, Usul al-Fiqh, Seerah, Logic, and Arabic Grammar and Morphology under the tutelage of numerous scholars, including Shaykh Hamza Yusuf, Shaykh Salik bin Siddina, Imam Zaid Shakir, Shaykh Abdur Rahman Taahir, Qari Umar Bellahi, Shaykh Abdullah Ali, and Shaykh Yahya Rhodus.

Imam Muhammad Abdul Latif Finch co-founded the Lighthouse Mosque in Oakland, California where he served as the Imam till for 3 years until he resigned in 2012 to focus on his graduate studies. In addition, he was a teacher and a program developer for Deen Intensive Foundation, Seekers Guidance and has assisted Zaytuna College ‘s Summer Arabic Intensive program for three years in a row.

Imam Muhammad Abdul Latif Finch has recently attained a Master’s degree in Philosophy at the Dominican School of Philosophy and Theology, a member of the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley.

Many thanks to Imam Muhammad Abdul Latif Finch for contributing to this blog.

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