Sound Answers to Guided Questions Part 1

Al-Ajwibah al-Sadidah: Sound Answers to Rightly-Guided Questions (Part 1) by Zayd al-Madkhali

Al-Ajwibat-us-Sadidah ‘ala al-As’ilat-ir-Rashidah” – (The Sound Answers to the Rightly-Guided Questions) – (Part 1)

By: ‘Allamah Zayd ibn Muhammad ibn Hadi al-Madkhali (rahimahullah)

Urdu Translation by: Umm Muhammad Khushnuma Muslihuddin

Translator’s Foreword:

All praise is for Allah, the Lord of the worlds, and peace and blessings be upon our master Muhammad, his family, and all his companions. As for what follows:

It is a reality that the Muslim Ummah has been confronted with various intellectual, creedal, and practical tribulations (fitan) in every era. At such critical junctures, Allah the Almighty has raised from among His servants such people of knowledge who, through a correct understanding of the religion, adherence to the creed of the Salaf (pious predecessors), and insightful guidance in the face of tribulations, have continued to show the Ummah the path of light. A prominent name among these esteemed scholars is Shaykh al-‘Allamah Zayd ibn Muhammad ibn Hadi al-Madkhali (rahimahullah), whose scholarly and reformative services need no introduction.

He (rahimahullah) was born in the year 1357 AH in a village named “Al-Rukubah” in Jazan. He grew up there and received his primary education there as well. He graduated from the Faculty of Shari’ah at the renowned Imam Muhammad ibn Saud Islamic University in Riyadh. He had the honor of studying under several distinguished scholars, among whom the eminent scholar Shaykh Ahmad ibn Yahya al-Najmi (rahimahullah) is noteworthy. His special inclination in the field of writing and compilation was admirable. As a result of his literary efforts, dozens of valuable books on religious and scholarly topics came into existence. The translation of one of these books is presented here. Filled with the spirit of disseminating knowledge, he founded the first Salafi charitable library in the city of Samtah, where a collection of more than four thousand rare scholarly books is housed. This library is specifically for students of knowledge visiting from all over the world. He passed away from this transient world in the year 1435 AH in his native region of Jazan.

This book of the Shaykh, “Al-Ajwibah al-Sadidah ‘ala al-As’ilah al-Rashidah” (The Sound Answers to the Guided Questions), is a guiding book in this era of tribulations. In it, the Shaykh (rahimahullah) has answered various intellectual, creedal, and methodological questions from inquirers, which have been given with moderation and insight in the light of the Qur’an, Sunnah, and the methodology of the Salaf. Although the questions are brief, the answers are scholarly, well-reasoned, and extremely comprehensive.

This book consists of a total of six volumes:

The first volume: covers some important topics such as acts of worship, the pillars of Islam, the pillars of faith, and ethics.

The second volume: is based on the pursuit of knowledge and its virtue and importance, which is actually a detailed answer to a single question comprising three parts.

The third volume: deals with the misguidance of old and new deviant sects and partisan groups, and the methodology and moderation of Ahl al-Sunnah wa al-Jama’ah. A special feature of this volume is that it includes a valuable foreword by ‘Allamah Ahmad ibn Yahya al-Najmi (rahimahullah). Although this volume consists of answers to nine questions, only the answers to seven questions are mentioned, with the remaining two questions answered in the fourth volume.

The fourth volume: contains the answers to the remaining two questions from the third volume.

The fifth volume: focuses on answers to methodological questions, with detailed discussions on important issues such as responding to objections against Salafiyyah, the reality of the ‘Manhaj al-Muwazanat’ (methodology of weighing good and bad deeds), and refuting innovators.

The sixth and final volume: also consists of answers to methodological questions, in which delicate and precise topics such as the signs of the saved sect (al-firqah al-najiyah), the ruling on associating with people of innovation (hajr al-mubtadi’), the excuse of ignorance (‘udhr bil-jahl), and the principles of the Salafi methodology are discussed in detail.

The purpose of the Urdu translation of the book before you is to provide the Urdu-reading community with the opportunity to benefit from this valuable scholarly treasure, so that they can learn the principles of recognizing truth from falsehood, knowing the correct creed, and remaining steadfast on the methodology of the Salaf.

I have tried my utmost to ensure that the translation is in harmony with the meaning, arrangement, and expression of the original, and to convey the seriousness, moderation, and clarity of the Shaykh’s style into Urdu. Any shortcoming, deficiency, or error in this translation is from my part, and I seek forgiveness and pardon from Allah the Almighty. And whatever is stated correctly is from Allah.

May Allah the Almighty accept this sincere effort, make it beneficial for the Ummah, and make it a source of ongoing charity (sadaqah jariyah) for me, my parents, and my teachers. Ameen.

And may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and all his companions.

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Introduction by the Author:

All praise is for Allah who calls His servants to the Abode of Peace (Paradise) and guides whom He wills to the straight path. And may complete peace and blessings be upon the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), to whom revelation was sent, as Allah, the Exalted, says:

{وَإِنَّكَ لَتَهۡدِیۤ إِلَىٰ صِرَ ٰ⁠طࣲ مُّسۡتَقِیمࣲ (٥٢) صِرَ ٰ⁠طِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلَّذِی لَهُۥ مَا فِی ٱلسَّمَـٰوَ ٰ⁠تِ وَمَا فِی ٱلۡأَرۡضِۗ أَلَاۤ إِلَى ٱللَّهِ تَصِیرُ ٱلۡأُمُورُ} – [Ash-Shura: 52-53]

Translation: “And indeed, you guide to a straight path (52) The path of Allah, to whom belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth. Unquestionably, to Allah do all matters return.”

The longing for the guidance of creation is undoubtedly a magnificent trait; it has been the distinguishing characteristic and practice of the Prophets (peace be upon them). This is the methodology that the bearers of beneficial knowledge, the embodiments of righteous deeds, and the followers of the truth in creed, worship, jihad, and da’wah (calling to Allah) have followed in the footsteps of these Prophets (peace be upon them). In contrast, being neglectful of the concern for guidance is the path of utter misguidance.

It is an established fact among the scholars and intellectuals that in this testing ground of human life, the battle between truth and falsehood has always existed throughout all periods of history. Both have had their callers and their helpers. As for the helpers of the truth, they are always striving with continuous struggle, wise strategies, and the correct methodology of the Salaf as-Salih (pious predecessors) for the guidance of humanity, so that people do not fall into humiliation by being led astray.

As for the supporters of falsehood, its propagators, and its promoters, they are always engaged in trying to cause corruption on the earth, which leads to the decay of hearts, natural abilities, and morals, even though Allah does not love the corrupters at all.

But Allah is predominant over His affair, and He is the Helper of His religion, His obedient servants, and the followers of His Messengers. This is His true promise, as the Lord states:

{اِنَّا لَنَـنۡصُرُ رُسُلَنَا وَالَّذِيۡنَ اٰمَنُوۡا فِى الۡحَيٰوةِ الدُّنۡيَا وَيَوۡمَ يَقُوۡمُ الۡاَشۡهَادُ} – [Ghafir: 51]

Translation: "Indeed, We will support Our messengers and those who believe during the worldly life and on the day when the witnesses will stand."

Verily, among the Muslims, the one who is most perfect in obedience and deserving of the highest reward is the one whose benefit reaches others. And certainly, Allah the Almighty has, in every time and place, chosen Rabbani (godly) scholars who tread upon the methodology of the Salaf as-Salih, who call people towards goodness, virtue, reformation, and guidance. They walk in the footsteps of the Prophets and Messengers, calling to Allah without changing it in the slightest, so that they may illuminate people with the light of knowledge, teach them the correct understanding of the religion, instill in their hearts the love for righteous deeds, and motivate them towards the pleasure of Allah and the abode of the Hereafter. Consequently, as a result of their call to goodness, Allah guided whom He willed from His creation. Thus, some among them reached the station of better to best, some came from the sickness of heedlessness to the spring of guidance and healing, and some emerged from the swamp of sin to the heights of obedience, thereby living their lives upon the way of the Salaf as-Salih and Ahl al-Sunnah wa al-Jama’ah.

One of the important legislative means of calling to the truth is to provide purposeful, correct, and well-reasoned answers to questions. On this basis, I have been invited to give lectures on various occasions in many places. So, like other students of the Prophetic knowledge, I considered this opportunity valuable and presented the beneficial guidance and legislative advice that was destined for me. Furthermore, important questions and useful suggestions were received from some of the attendees, which I answered within the scope of my knowledge, so that knowledge may be preserved, its benefit may become widespread, and its advantage may remain. Thus, with my pen, I have compiled these conversational treatises comprising various chapters of knowledge and jurisprudence (fiqh), especially the important issues of the “greater fiqh” (creed) and its principles, and have named it: “Al-Ajwibah al-Sadidah ‘ala al-As’ilah al-Rashidah.”

I pray to Allah, the Exalted, that He makes this book beneficial for the author, the reader, and the listener. Ameen.

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Question 1: Who is your Lord, and how did you come to know Him? What is the purpose for which He created you?

Answer: My Lord is Allah, who brought me into existence from a despised fluid (a drop of sperm) and perfected His apparent and hidden blessings upon me. He is my true God worthy of worship. In Him alone I trust, and He is the Lord and Master of the Great Throne. I know my Lord, the Blessed and Exalted, through His signs and His creations. Among His signs are the night and the day, the sun and the moon, and countless other signs. And among His creations are the seven heavens and the seven earths, and what is within them, including the clouds, rains, rivers, seas, crops, trees, and fruits, and all other creations which are the creation of Allah, the One, the Subduer.

As for the purpose for which my Lord created me, it is solely to worship Him alone, who has no partner, as He, the Exalted, states:

{وَمَا خَلَقۡتُ ٱلۡجِنَّ وَٱلۡإِنسَ إِلَّا لِیَعۡبُدُونِ (٥٦) مَاۤ أُرِیدُ مِنۡهُم مِّن رِّزۡقࣲ وَمَاۤ أُرِیدُ أَن یُطۡعِمُونِ (٥٧) إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ هُوَ ٱلرَّزَّاقُ ذُو ٱلۡقُوَّةِ ٱلۡمَتِینُ} – [Adh-Dhariyat: 56-58]

Translation: “And I did not create the jinn and mankind except to worship Me (56). I do not want from them any provision, nor do I want them to feed Me (57). Indeed, it is Allah who is the [continual] Provider, the firm possessor of streng1th.”

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Question 2: What is meant by worship (ibadah)? And who is obligated to perform it?

Answer: Worship (ibadah) is a comprehensive term that includes every matter that Allah loves and is pleased with, whether they are sayings, actions, or deeds, and whether they are apparent or hidden. The one obligated to perform it is every sane and mature individual from among mankind and jinn who is accountable to perform it as an obligation (fard), a duty (wajib), or a recommended act (mustahab) according to the command of Allah the Almighty, as Allah the Almighty says:

﴿وَمَا أُمِرُوا إِلا لِيَعْبُدُوا اللَّهَ مُخْلِصِينَ لَهُ الدِّينَ حُنَفَاءَ وَيُقِيمُوا الصَّلاةَ وَيُؤْتُوا الزَّكَاةَ وَذَلِكَ دِينُ الْقَيِّمَةِ} – [Al-Bayyinah: 5]

Translation: “And they were not commanded except to worship Allah, [being] sincere to Him in religion, inclining to truth, and to establish prayer and to give zakah. And that is the correct religion.”