When Allah Calls, “O You Who Believe”

5 March 2022 / Qur'an & Its Sciences / By

Allah Subhanahu wa Ta’ala repeatedly calls the muslims in the Qur’an by mentioning them as the people who have iman (belief), before commanding them to do something or prohibiting them from something,

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا

“O you who believe…”

Shaikh ‘Abdur-Rahman ibn Nasir as-Sa’diy rahimahullah explained in his book al-Qawa’idul-Hisan that there are two meanings behind this call.

First: Allah Subhanahu wa Ta’ala explains to us that the consequence of having that iman is doing what Allah commands and refraining from what He prohibits. It is not appropriate for someone who claims that he/she has iman to become heedless of the commands of Allah.

Second: Allah Subhanahu wa Ta’ala reminds us that iman is the biggest blessing that Allah gives to His servants, such that it is obligatory upon us to have shukr (thankfulness, gratitude) to Allah for this blessing. He then teaches us that shukr to Him is achieved by doing His commands and staying away from His prohibitions.1

Shaikh Muhammad ibn Salih al-‘Uthaimin rahimahullah also explained another wisdom behind this call: that iman is something that is loved by every person with sound intellect. That is why Allah Subhanahu wa Ta’ala calls the muslims as ‘the people who have iman’ or ‘the people who believe’ before commanding them or prohibiting them. The purpose is so that it will be easier for them to submit to Allah’s orders.2

That is why it is obligatory upon us to listen carefully when the verses of the Qur’an containing this call are recited. Ibnu Mas’ud radiyallahu ‘anhu said,

وإذا سمعت الله يقول: {يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا}، فأرعها سمعك، فإنه خير يُؤمَر به، أو شر يُنهَى عنه.

“If you hear Allah says, ‘O you who believe,’ then listen carefully, because what will be mentioned afterwards is a good that will be commanded or an evil that will be prohibited.”3

We hope that if we take heed of Allah’s commands that are mentioned after He calls the people who believe, then Allah will enable us to enter a place in the Hereafter that is prepared only for the people who believe: the Paradise.

Written by: Dr. Andy Latief
Article of Al-Minhaj Institute

Footnotes:
  1. al-Qawa’idul-Hisan, authored by ‘Abdur-Rahman ibn Nasir as-Sa’diy, the Ninth Principle (p. 40), printed with kitab at-Ta’liq ‘ala al-Qawa’idil-Hisan authored by Muhammad ibn Salih al-‘Uthaimin, published by Dar Ibn al-Jauziy (Riyad), second edition, 1435 H. [↩]
  2. Liqa’ al-Bab al-Maftuh, Muhammad ibn Salih al-‘Uthaimin, Halaqah 50. [↩]
  3. Hilyatul-Auliya’ wa Tabaqatul-Asfiya’, authored by Ahmad ibn ‘Abdillah Abu Nu’aim al-Asbahaniy (1/ 130), published by Maktabah al-Khanjiy (Cairo) dan Darul-Fikr (Beirut), 1416 H. [↩]

Fasting in the Month of Ramadan is Obligatory

5 March 2022 / Fiqh & Its Principles / By

Fasting in the month of Ramadan is a virtuous act of worship, which was obligated by Allah to His servants in His Saying Subhanahu wa Ta’ala,

يـٰأَيُّهَا الَّذينَ ءامَنوا كُتِبَ عَلَيكُمُ الصِّيامُ كَما كُتِبَ عَلَى الَّذينَ مِن قَبلِكُم لَعَلَّكُم تَتَّقونَ

“O you who have believed, decreed upon you is fasting as it was decreed upon those before you that you may become righteous.”1

Fasting in the month of Ramadan is even one of the pillars of Islam, as mentioned in the hadith of ‘Umar radiyallahu ‘anhu that the Prophet sallallahu ‘alaihi wa sallam said when he was asked by the Angel Jibril ‘alaihis-salam about Islam,

الإسلام أن تشهد أن لا إله إلا الله وأن محمدا رسول الله، وتقيم الصلاة، وتؤتي الزكاة، وتصوم رمضان، وتحج البيت إن استطعت إليه سبيلا.

“Islam is to testify that there is no god worthy to be worshipped except Allah and that Muhammad is the messenger of Allah, to establish salah (prayers), to pay zakah (obligatory charity), to observe fasting in the month of Ramadan, and to perform hajj (pilgrimage) to the House (the Ka’bah at Makkah) if you can find a way to it.”2

It is also mentioned in the hadith of ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar radiyallahu ‘anhuma, that the Prophet shallallahu ‘alaihi wa sallam said,

بُني الإسلام على خمس: شهادة أن لا إله إلا الله وأن محمدا رسول الله، وإقام الصلاة، وإيتاء الزكاة، وصوم رمضان، وحج البيت.

“Islam is built on five pillars: testifying that there is no deity worthy to be worshipped except Allah and that Muhammad is the messenger of Allah, establishing the salah (prayers), paying the zakah (obligatory charity), fasting in the month of Ramadan, and performing the hajj (pilgrimage) to the House (the Ka’bah at Makkah).”3

Written by: Dr. Andy Latief
Article of Al-Minhaj Institute

Footnotes:
  1. Surah al-Baqarah: 183. [↩]
  2. Narrated by Muslim (no. 8). [↩]
  3. Narrated by al-Bukhariy (no. 8) dan Muslim (no. 16). [↩]
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