Aqida-text av Imam Abu Hafs Umar al-Nasalfi (d. 537 H)

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av Imam Abu Hafs b. Muhammad Umar al-Nasalfi (d. 537 H)
Se även: viewtopic.php?f=47&t=4052&p=22568#p22568


Arabiska:
** Matn al-Nasafiyya () - se nedan


English:
** The Nasafi Creed:
http://www.marifah.net/articles/matnalnasafiyya.pdf - see below
http://www.sacred-texts.com/isl/dmt/dmt22.htm (alternative translation)
** Commentary of Imam al-Taftazani om the Nasafi Creed:
http://privat.bahnhof.se/wb449823/00_DA ... er-eng.pdf


Book recommendation:
** Book recommendation:
Aqa'id an-Nasafi: Introduction to Islamic Creed
By Imam Abu Hafs an-Nasafi
English Translated By Dr. Musharraf Hussain (It includes the Arabic Text)
Forword By Sheikh Abu Jafar Hassan Al-Hanbali
Paperback Small Booklet 29 Pages
http://kitaabun.com/shopping3/product_i ... ts_id=1700

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قال النسفي رحمه الله:

قالَ أهلُ الحقّ: حقائقُ الأشياءِ ثابتةٌ، والعلمُ بها مُتَحققٌ خلافًا للسوفسطائية. وأسبابُ العلمِ للخلقِ ثلاثةٌ: الحواسُّ السليمةُ، والخبرُ الصادقُ، والعقلُ. فالحواسُّ خمسٌ: السمعُ، والبصرُ، والشمُّ، والذوقُ، واللمسُ. وبكل حاسةٍ منها يُوقف على ما وُضِعَت هي له: كالسمعِ، والذوقِ، والشمِّ. والخبرُ الصادقُ على نوعين: (أحدهُما) الخبرُ المتواترُ، وهو الخبرُ الثابتُ على ألسنةِ قومٍ لا يُتصورُ تواطؤهُم على الكَذِبِ، وهو مُوجِبٌ للعلمِ الضروريّ، كالعلمِ بالملوكِ الخاليةِ في الأزمنةِ الماضيةِ والبُلدانِ النائيةِ، (والثاني) خبرُ الرسولِ المؤيَّدِ بالمعجزةِ، وهو يُوجبُ العلمَ الاستدلاليَّ، والعلمُ الثابتُ بهِ يُضاهي العلمَ الثابتَ بالضرورةِ في التيقنِ والثباتِ. وأما العقلُ: فهو سببٌ للعلمِ أيضًا، وما ثبتَ منه بالبديهةِ فهو ضروريٌّ كالعلمِ بأنَّ كلَّ الشىءِ أعظمُ من جزئِهِ، وما ثبتَ منهُ بالاستدلالِ فهو اكتسابيٌّ.

والإلهامُ ليسَ من أسبابِ المعرفةِ بصحةِ الشىءِ عندَ أهلِ الحقِّ، والعالمُ بجميعِ أجزائِهِ مُحدَثٌ، إذ هو أعيانٌ وأعراضٌ. فالأعيانُ ما له قيامٌ بذاتِهِ، وهو إما مركبٌ وهو الجسمُ، أو غيرُ مركبٍ كالجوهرِ وهو الجزءُ الذي لا يتجزأ. والعَرَضُ ما لا يقومُ بذاتِهِ ويَحدُثُ في الأجسامِ والجواهرِ كالألوانِ، والأكوانِ، والطُّعُومِ، والروائحِ. والمحدِثُ للعالم هو الله تعالى الواحدُ القديمُ الحيُّ القادرُ العليمُ السميعُ البصيرُ الشائي المريدُ ليس بِعَرَضٍ، ولا جسمٍ، ولا جوهرٍ، ولا مُصوَّرٍ، ولا محدودٍ، ولا معدودٍ، ولا متبعِّضٍ، ولا متجزّ، ولا مُتَركّبٍ، ولا متناهٍ، ولا يُوصف بالماهيةِ، ولا بالكيفيةِ، ولا يتمكَّنُ في مكانٍ، ولا يجري عليهِ زمانٌ، ولا يُشبههُ شىءٌ، ولا يَخرُجُ عن علمِهِ وقدرتِهِ شىءٌ.

وله صفاتٌ أزليةٌ قائمةٌ بذاتِهِ وهي لا هُو ولا غيرُهُ، وهي العلمُ، والقدرةُ، والحياةُ، والقوةُ، والسمعُ، والبصرُ، والإرادةُ، والمشيئةُ، والفعلُ، والتخليقُ، والترزيقُ، والكلامُ، وهو متكلمٌ بكلامٍ هو صفةٌ لهُ أزليةٌ ليس من جنسِ الحروفِ والأصواتِ وهو صفةٌ منافيةٌ للسكوتِ والآفةِ، والله تعالى متكلمٌ بها ءامرٌ ناهٍ مخبِرٌ، والقرءانُ كلامُ الله تعالى غيرُ مخلوقٍ، وهو مكتوبٌ في مصاحِفِنا، محفوظٌ في قلوبِنا، مقروءٌ بألسنتِنا، مسموعٌ بآذانِنا، غيرُ حالّ فيها،

والتكوينُ صفةٌ لله تعالى أزليةٌ، وهو تكوينُهُ للعالمِ ولكل جُزءٍ من أجزائِهِ لوقتِ وجودِهِ، وهو غيرُ المكوَّنِ عندَنا، والإرادةُ صفةٌ لله تعالى أزليةٌ قائمةٌ بذاتِهِ تعالى.

ورؤيةُ الله تعالى جَائزَةٌ في العقلِ واجبةٌ بالنقلِ، وقد وردَ الدليلُ السَّمعيُّ بإيجاب رؤيةِ المؤمنينَ لله تعالى في دارِ الآخرةِ، فيُرى لا في مكانٍ، ولا على جهةٍ من مُقابلةٍ أو اتصالِ شُعاعٍ أو ثبوتِ مسافةٍ بين الرائي وبينَ الله تعالى، والله تعالى خالقٌ لأفعالِ العبادِ مِن الكفرِ والإيمانِ، والطاعةِ والعصيانِ وهي كُلُّها بإرادتِهِ، ومشيئتِهِ، وحُكمِهِ، وقضيتِهِ، وتقديرِهِ، وللعبادِ أفعالٌ اختياريةٌ يُثابونَ بها ويُعاقبونَ عليها، والحسنُ منها برضاءِ الله تعالى، والقبيحُ منها ليسَ برضائِهِ تعالى، والاستطاعةُ مع الفعلِ وهي حقيقةُ القدرةِ التي يكونُ بها الفِعلُ، ويقعُ هذا الاسمُ على سلامةِ الأسبابِ والآلاتِ والجوارحِ، وصِحةُ التكليفِ تَعتمِدُ هذه الاستطاعَة، ولا يُكلفُ العبدُ بما ليس في وُسعِهِ.

وما يُوجَدُ من الألمِ في المضروبِ عَقيبَ ضربِ إنسانٍ، والانكسارِ في الزجاجِ عقيبَ كَسرِ إنسانٍ وما أشبههُ، كلُّ ذلك مخلوقٌ لله تعالى لا صُنعَ للعبدِ في تخليقِهِ. والمقتولُ ميتٌ بأجلِهِ، والموتُ قائمٌ بالميتِ مخلوقٌ لله تعالى، لا صُنعَ للعبدِ فيه تخليقًا ولا اكتسابًا، والأجلُ واحدٌ، والحرامُ رزقٌ، وكلٌّ يستوفي رِزقَ نفسِهِ حلالاً كانَ أو حرامًا، ولا يُتصورُ أن لا يأكلَ إنسانٌ رزقَهُ أو يأكلَ غيرُهُ رزقَهُ، والله تعالى يُضِلُّ من يشاءُ، ويهدي من يشاءُ، وما هُو الأصلحُ للعبدِ فليسَ ذلك بواجبٍ على الله تعالى، وعذابُ القبرِ للكافرينَ ولبعضِ عُصاةِ المؤمنينَ، وتنعيمُ أهلِ الطاعةِ في القبرِ، وسؤالُ منكرٍ ونكيرٍ ثابتٌ بالدلائلِ السَّمعيةِ، والبعثُ حقٌّ، والوَزنُ حقٌّ، والكتابُ حقٌّ، والسؤالُ حقٌّ، والحوضُ حقٌّ، والصِّرَاطُ حقٌّ، والجنةُ حقٌّ، والنارُ حقٌّ وهما مخلوقتانِ الآن، موجودتَانِ باقيتانِ لا تَفنيانِ ولا يَفنَى أهلُهُما.

والكبيرةُ لا تُخرِجُ العبدَ المؤمنَ من الإيمانِ ولا تُدخِلُهُ في الكُفرِ، والله تعالى لا يَغفِرُ أنْ يُشرَكَ بهِ ويغفِرُ ما دونَ ذلكَ لمن يشاءُ مِنَ الصغائِرِ والكبائِرِ، ويجوزُ العِقابُ على الصغيرةِ والعفوُ عن الكبيرةِ إذا لم يَكن عنِ استحلالٍ، والاستحلالُ كُفرٌ.

والشفاعَةُ ثابتةٌ للرسلِ والأخيارِ في حقّ أهلِ الكبائرِ بالمستفيضِ من الأخبارِ، وأهلُ الكبائرِ مِن المؤمنينَ لا يُخلَّدونَ في النَّارِ وإن ماتوا من غيرِ توبةٍ. والإيمانُ في الشَّرعِ: هُوَ التصديقُ بما جاءَ النبيُّ عليهِ الصلاةُ والسلامُ بهِ مِن عندِ الله تعالى، والإقرارُ بهِ، وأمَّا الأعمالُ فهي تَتَزايَدُ في نفسِهَا، والإيمانُ لا يزيدُ ولا ينقُصُ، والإيمانُ والإسلامُ واحِدٌ، فإذا وُجِدَ مِن العبدِ التصديقُ والإقرارُ صحَّ له أنْ يقولَ: أنا مؤمنٌ حَقًّا، ولا ينبغي أنْ يقولَ: أنا مؤمنٌ إنْ شَاءَ الله، والسَّعيدُ قد يَشقَى، والشّقِيُّ قد يَسعَدُ، والتغيُّرُ يكونُ على السعادَةِ والشقَاوَةِ دونَ الإسعَادِ والإشقَاءِ، وهُما من صفاتِ الله تعالى، ولا تَغيرٌ على الله تعالى ولا على صِفَاتِهِ.

وفي إرسالِ الرُّسُلِ حِكمَةٌ، وقد أرسلَ الله تعالى رُسُلاً مِنَ البشرِ إلى البشرِ مبشرينَ ومُنذرينَ ومُبيّنينَ للناسِ ما يَحتاجونَ إليهِ من أُمورِ الدُّنيا والدينِ، وأيَّدَهم بالمعجزاتِ الناقِضَاتِ للعادَاتِ. وأولُ الأنبياءِ ءادمُ عليه السلامُ وءاخرهم محمدٌ صلى الله عليه وسلم.

وقَد رُوي بَيانُ عددِهِم في بعضِ الأحاديثِ، والأولى أنْ لا يقتَصَرَ على عددٍ في التسميةِ، فقد قالَ الله تعالى:{مِنْهُم مَّن قَصَصْنَا عَلَيْكَ وَمِنْهُم مَّن لَّمْ نَقْصُصْ عَلَيْكَ}، ولا يُؤمَنُ في ذكرِ العددِ أن يُدخَلَ فيهم مَنْ ليسَ منهم، أو يُخرَجَ منهم من هُوَ فيهم، وكُلُّهُم كانوا مُخبرينَ مُبلّغينَ عن الله تعالى صَادقينَ نَاصِحينَ، وأفضلُ الأنبياءِ محمدٌ عليهِ الصلاةُ والسلامُ، والملائكةُ عِبادُ الله تعالى العاملونَ بأمرِهِ، ولا يُوصَفُونَ بِذُكُورَةٍ ولا أُنُوثَةٍ.

ولله تعالى كُتبٌ أنزَلَها على أنبيائِهِ، وبيّنَ فيها أمرَهُ ونهيَهُ، ووعدَهُ ووعيدَهُ، والمعراجُ لرسولِ الله صلى الله عليه وسلم في اليقظَةِ بشخصِهِ إلى السماءِ، ثم إلى ما شاءَ الله تعالى مِن العُلى حَقٌّ.

وكراماتُ الأولياءِ حَقٌّ، فَيُظهِرُ الكرامةَ على طريقِ نقضِ العادَةِ للولي من قطعِ المسافَةِ البعيدةِ في المُدةِ القليلةِ، وظهورِ الطعامِ والشرابِ واللباسِ عند الحاجَةِ، والمشيِ على الماءِ، والطيرانِ في الهواءِ، وكلامِ الجَمَادِ والعجماءِ، وغيرِ ذلك من الأشياءِ، ويكونُ ذلكَ معجزةً للرسولِ الذي ظَهرتْ هذه الكَرامَةُ لواحدٍ من أمّتِهِ، لأنه يَظهَرُ بها أنه وليٌّ ولنْ يكونَ وليًّا إلا أنْ يكونَ مُحقًّا في دِيَانَتِهِ، وديانتُهُ الإقرارُ برسالةِ رسولِهِ.

وأفضلُ البشرِ بعدَ نبينا أبو بكرٍ الصديقُ رضي الله عنهُ، ثم عمرُ الفاروقُ، ثم عثمانُ ذو النورينِ، ثم عليٌّ المُرتضى. والخلافَةُ ثابتَةٌ على هذا الترتيبِ أيضًا. والخلافةُ ثلاثونَ سنةً، ثم بعدَها مُلكٌ وإمارةٌ.

والمسلمونَ لا بدَّ لهم من إمامٍ ليقومَ بتنفيذِ أحكامِهِم، وإقامَةِ حُدودِهِم، وسَدّ ثُغورِهِم، وتجهيزِ جيوشِهِم، وأخذِ صدقاتِهِم، وقهرِ المُتَغَلبَةِ والمُتلَصّصَةِ، وقطاعِ الطريقِ، وإقامَةِ الجُمَعِ والأعيادِ، وقطعِ المنازعاتِ الواقعةِ بينَ العبادِ، وقبولِ الشهاداتِ القائمةِ على الحقوقِ، وتزويجِ الصِّغَارِ والصَّغَائِرِ الذينَ لا أولياءَ لهم، وقِسمةِ الغنائمِ ونحوِ ذلك.

ثم ينبغي أن يكونَ الإمامُ ظاهرًا لا مُختفيًا ولا مُنتظرًا، ويكونَ من قريشٍ، ولا يجوزُ من غيرِهم، ولا يَختَصُّ ببني هاشمٍ وأولادِ عليٍّ رضي الله عنه، ولا يُشتَرَطُ في الإمامِ أن يكونَ معصومًا، ولا أن يكونَ أفضل من أهلِ زمانِهِ، ويُشتَرَطُ أن يكونَ من أهلِ الولايةِ المطلقةِ الكاملةِ، سائِسًا قادرًا على تنفيذِ الأحكامِ، وحفظِ حدودِ دارِ الإسلام، واستخلاصِ حَقّ المظلومِ من الظالمِ، ولا يَنعزِلُ الإمامُ بالفسقِ والجَوْرِ. وتجوزُ الصَلاةُ خَلفَ كُلّ بَرٍّ وفاجرٍ، ويُصلّى على كلّ بَرٍّ وفاجرٍ، ويُكفُّ عن ذكرِ الصحابَةِ إلا بخيرٍ.

وَنَشهَدُ بالجنةِ للعشَرَةِ الذينَ بَشَّرَهُمُ النبيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم بالجنةِ، ونرى المَسحَ على الخُفينِ في الحَضَرِ والسَّفَرِ، ولا نُحَرّمُ نبيذَ التمرِ. ولا يَبلغُ وليٌّ دَرَجَةَ الأنبياءِ أصلاً، ولا يَصِلُ العبدُ إلى حيثُ يَسقُطُ عنهُ الأمرُ والنهيُ. والنصوصُ تُحمَلُ على ظَواهِرِهَا، والعدولُ عنها إلى معانٍ يَدّعيها أهلُ الباطنِ إلحادٌ، ورَدُّ النصوصِ كُفرٌ، واستحلالُ المعصيةِ والاستهانةُ بها كُفرٌ، والاستهزاءُ على الشريعةِ كُفرٌ، واليأسُ مِن رحمةِ الله تعالى كُفرٌ، والأمنُ من عَذَابِ الله تعالى كُفرٌ، وتصديقُ الكاهِنِ بما يُخبرُه ُ عن الغَيبِ كُفرٌ. والمَعدُومُ ليس بشىءٍ.

وفي دُعاءِ الأحياءِ للأمواتِ وصَدَقَتِهِم عنهم نفعٌ لهم، والله تعالى يُجيبُ الدعواتِ، ويَقضي الحَاجَاتِ. وما أخبَرَ به النبيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم من أشراطِ الساعةِ مِن خروجِ الدّجالِ، ودَابةِ الأرضِ، ويأجوجَ ومأجوجَ، ونزولِ عيسى عليهِ السلامُ مِنَ السماءِ، وطلوعِ الشمسِ من مَغرِبِها فهو حقٌّ. والمجتهدُ قد يُخطئ وقد يُصيبُ، ورُسلُ البَشَرِ أفضلُ من رُسُلِ الملائكةِ، وَرُسُلُ الملائكةِ أفضلُ من عَامّةِ البَشَرِ، وَعَامّةُ البَشَرِ أفضلُ من عَامّةِ المَلائِكَةِ، والله أعلمُ.

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by Imam Shaykh Najmuddin Abu Hafs 'Umar ibn Muammad ibn Amad al-Nasafi.

Translated by Shaykh Tahir Mahmood Kiani
http://www.marifah.net/articles/matnalnasafiyya.pdf

In the name of Allah, the Divinely-Compassionate, the Ever-Merciful.
The People of Reality(Ahl al-Haqq), as opposedtothe Sophists(Sufis6a’iyya),say:
The realities of things are conclusive and the science thereof is convincing.
The sources of knowledge for mankind are three:

[1.] Sound Senses (al-awas al-salima),
[2.] True Narration (al-khabar al-<adiq), and
[3.] Reason ('aql ).

[1.] As for the Senses, they are five: Hearing, Sight, Smell, Taste and Touch; by each of these senses, one is informed [regarding] that for which it1 is appointed.

[2.] True Narration is of two kinds.
a. One ofthetwois al-khabar al-mutawatir, andthatisthe narration[which has been] fixed on the tongues of a large number of people, [regarding] whom their agreeing on a lie is inconceivable. It affirms necessary knowledge (al-'ilmal-Daruri), like the knowledge of departed kings in past ages, and [the knowledge of] distant lands.
b. The second kind is a narration by the Messenger [which is] aided by miracle. It affirms deduced knowledge (al-'ilm al-istidlali). The knowledge [which is] established by it resembles the knowledge [which is] established by necessity in [terms of] certitude and stability.

[3.] With regards to Reason, it is also a source of knowledge. Whatever is established by it by way of intuition (badiha), it is of necessity, as the knowledge that everything is bigger than its part. Whatever [of knowledge] is established by inference is acquired (iktisabi ).
Inspiration (ilham ) is not of the sources of cognizance with [respect to] the soundness of things, according to the People of Reality.


The world, [together] with all of its constituents, is originated, in that it is [made up of] Substances and Attributes.

[1.]Substances are what have [the ability of] existence by themselves; it is either a compound, or a non-compound, like an element – and thatis a part which is not [further] divided.
[2.] Attribute is what does not exist by itself but [that] it exists [intrinsically] in bodies and elements, like colours, conditions, tastes and odours.

The Originator of the worldi s Allah,the One, the Eternal, the Living, the All-Powerful, the Knowing, the Hearing, the Seeing, the Willing, the Decreeing; He is not an attribute, nor a body, nor an element, nor a formed [entity], nor a limited [entity], nor a numbered [entity], nor a partitioned [entity], nor a divided [entity] and nor an expired [entity]; He is not described by quiddity and nor by modality; He does not exist in any ‘place’ and nor does any [form of] ‘time’ overcome Him; Nothing resembles Him; Nothing departs from His knowledge and [nor from] His power. He has eternal qualities [which are] existing in His being; they are not He and nor are they [anything] other than He. They are:

knowledge,
power,
life,
strength,
hearing,
seeing,
decreeing,
willing,
doing,
creating,
sustaining and
speech.

He speaks with a Word which is a quality to Him, eternal, [and which] is not from the genus of letters and sounds. It is a quality contrary to silence and weakness. Allah speaks with it; commanding, prohibiting, informing. The Qur’an is the Word of Allah (Kalam Allah) the Exalted [and] not a creation. It is written in our copies, preserved in our hearts, recited by ourtongues, heard by our ears, [but] not a [fixed] state in [any of] these.

Creation (takwin) is an eternal quality of Allah. It is His creating of the world, and[also] of every part of its [many] parts, [which is] not from eternity but from the time of its existence according to His knowledge of it and His willing of it. According to us, it [i.e. the quality of creating – takwin] is not the created [object]. Willing is an eternal quality of Allah, existing in His being.

The Vision of Allah is permitted by reason and established by tradition (naql ). Traditional evidence has come down with the affirmation of the vision of the believers [regarding] Allah in the Final Abode; so, He is not seen in any place, in any direction by facing, by the connecting of rays and nor by the determination of a distance between the viewer and Allah.

Allah is the creator of the actions of the creation, all of them, of disbelief and belief, obedience and rebellion. They are all from His will, His Decree, His judgement, His decision and His esteem. The creation has wilful actions, for which they are rewarded for and punished against. The good of them is with the pleasure of Allah, and the evil of them is not with His pleasure. The ability [to do the action] is with the action, and it is the actuality of the power with which the action takes place. This noun [of ability] takes place according to the soundness of the means, instruments and limbs. The validity of commissioning (taklif) is based on this ability. The creature is not commissioned with what is not in his control. Whatever of painis experiencedinthe one whois beatenfollowingthe beating by a man, and the breakage in glass following the breaking by a man, and whatever [else] resembles it, all of that is created by Allah - there is no hand in its creation by [any of] the creation. The slain is dead due to its deadline, and the deadline is [only] one. The forbidden [article] is [still] Sustenance (rizq). Each [one] acquires his own Sustenance, be it permitted or forbidden. It is not to be thought that a man does not consume his own [share of] Sustenance, or tha the consumes the Sustenance of another.

Allah misleads whom He wills and He guides whom He wills. That which is best for the creature, it is not mandatory upon Allah [to do]. The torment of the grave is for the disbelievers and for some of the sinners from the believers. The pampering of those of obedience in the grave is according to what Allah know and what He wills.

The questioning by Munkar and Nakir is proven by traditional evidences. The Resurrection [of the dead] is areality, the Balancing [of scales] is a reality, the Book is a reality, the Questioning is a reality, the Water-Basin is a reality, the Bridge is a reality, the Garden [of Paradise] is a reality and the Fire [of Hell] is a reality - both of them are created, existing, persisting,they shall not perish and neither shall their dwellers. The Major Sin does not evict the believing creature from faith, and it does not enter him into disbelief. Allah does not forgive that He be made partners with but He forgives whatever [sin] is [committed] other than that, for whom He wills, ofthe Minor Sins and the Major Sins. Penalty is admissible for the Minor Sin and pardon [is admissible] for the Major Sin, if it is not [the sin] of unlawfully declaring lawful [of what is forbidden] (istihlal) for unlawfully declaring lawful is disbelief. Intercession is established for the Messengers and of the Nobles in the favour of those
with Major Sins. Those with Major Sins from the believers will not remain forever in the Fire [of Hell]

Belief is: the assent to that which comes from Allah and the confession to it. With regards to actions, they increase within themselves but Belief does not increase nor decrease. Belief (Iman) and Submission (Islam) are one [and the same]. When assent and confession are found [together] in a creature, it is correct for him to say: “I am, truly, a believer.”, and it is not appropriate for him to say: “I am a believer, Allah willing.”

The fortunate one sometimes becomes ill-fortuned, and the ill-fortuned sometimes becomes fortunate. The alteration takes place on the good-fortune and the illfortune, not of making fortunate and making ill-fortunate. Both of them are of the qualities of Allah and there is no alteration in Allah and nor in His qualities.

There is wisdom in the sending of Messengers. Allah has sent Messengers of flesh to flesh, givers of glad tidings and warners, making clear to the people of what they are in need, of the affairs of the mundane and the divine. He aided them with miracles which counter the orders of nature. The first of the Prophets is Adam, peace be upon him, and the last of them is Muhammad, Allah's peace and blessings be upon him. The mention of their number has been reported in some hadiths, but is better that it is not limited to a [specific] number in mentioning [them]. Allah has indeed said:

“Of them are those whom We have narrated to you and of them are those whom We have not narrated to you.” There is no security in the stating of a number that he who is not of them is entered in them, or he who is of them is excluded from them. They are all informers, missionaries from Allah, truthful advisers. The most excellent of the Prophets, peace be upon them, is Muammad (s).

The Angels are servants of Allah, working according to his command. They are not qualified with masculinity and nor femininity.

Allah has books which He has revealed to His Prophets. Withint hem, he has explained His command, His prohibition, His promise and His warning.

The Ascension (mi'raj) for the Messenger of Allah (s), while awake, in his [physical] person to the heaven, [and] thereafter to whatever [place] Allah willed of the High [Location], is a reality.

The miracles (karamat ) of the Saints are a reality. A miracle for the Saint appears on a course against [that] of nature: of the traversing of a long distance in a short time, the appearance of food, drink and clothes according to need, walking on water and in the air, the speaking of the inanimate and the beast, the deterring of the approaching of evil,the safeguarding of the distressed from enemies, and things other than that. That is a miracle (mujiza) for the Messenger whom this miracle (karama) appeared for one from his nation (Ummah), because it is evident by it that he is a Saint, and he would never be a Saint unless he was true in his religion, and his religion is his confession to the Message of his Messenger.

The most excellent of mankind after our Prophet is Abu Bakr al-Siddiq (the most truthful), there after 'Umar al-Faruq (the great divider), thereafter 'Uthman Dhu al-Nurayn(of the two lights), [and thereafter 'Ali al-Murtada (the content). Their caliphate is according to this sequence.

The Caliphate was for thirty years, thereafter came kingship and emirate. The Muslims, for them a leader (Imam) is indispensable, who stands for the enforcements of their commands, maintaining their borders, guarding their ports,equipping their armies, receiving their donations, vanquishing the overwhelming, the thief and the brigands, the maintaining of the Friday services and the festivals, the elimination of disputes between creatures, the admittance of evidences produced for [legal] rights, the marrying off of minors – and minors are those who have no [legal] guardians - and the distribution of spoils. Thereafter, it is required that the leader be visible, not hidden or awaited upon, and that he be from the [tribe of] Quraysh – it is not permitted from other than them – and he is not specified from the Banu Hashim.
It is not stipulated that he be infallible and nor that he be the most excellent of those of his time, but it is stipulated that he be of those with complete unrestricted authority, a statesman with the ability to the enforcement of decrees, the safeguarding of the boundaries of the Muslimstate (Dar al-Islam) and execute justice of the oppressed against the oppressor. The leader is not removed [from office] on account of immorality or tyranny. The mention of the Companions (Paaba) is not made but with good. We testify in favour of the Ten Well-Promised (al-asharat al-mubashshara) for whom
the Prophet (s), gave glad tidings [of Paradise].

We approve of the wiping over the moccasins during travel and settlement. We do not forbid [the consumption of] the mead (nabidh) of dates. The Saint does not attain the level of the Prophets and nor does the creature reach to a degree where [the laws of] command and prohibition pass from him.

The texts (nusus) are [interpreted] according to their outward [meaning], and the desistance from them towards interpretations which those of the Esoteric (Ahl al-Batin) assert is apostasy. The rejection of the texts is disbelief, the unlawful legalisation (istilal) of sin is disbelief and the contemptforit is disbelief,the derision of the Canon(Shari'ah) is disbelief, despair in Allah is disbelief,[seeking] protection against Allah is disbelief, and the approving of a soothsayer in what he tells of the Unseen is disbelief. The non-existent is nothing. In the praying of the living for the dead, and in their almsgiving on their behalf, is a benefit for them. Allah answers prayers and He fulfils needs.

Whatever the Prophet (s) told regarding the portents of the [Final] Hour, from the emergence of the Dajjal, the Beast of the Earth (dabbatal-ard), Gog (Yajuj)and Magog(Majuj),the descending of 'Isa, peace be upon him, from heaven and the rising of the sun from its setting point, it is a reality.

The Distinguished Jurist (mujtahid) sometimes errs and [sometimes] he is on target.

The Messengers from mankind are better than the Messengers from the angels, the messengers from the angels are better than the common people, and the common people are better than the common angels.