‫بِ ۡس ِم ٱِ ٱلر ۡﱠح َم ٰـ ِن ٱل ﱠر ِح ِيم‬

Foundations upon which Worship is Built

Taken from: "Haqeeqat at-Tasawwuf wa Mawqif as-Soofiyyah" p.g. 10-14

Shaykh al-Allaamah Saalih al-Fawzaan ‫ حفظه ﷲ تعالى‬wrote in his concise introduction to the
foundation of worship and what it is built upon:

Indeed the Ibadah (worship), which Allaah has legislated, is built upon established
fundamentals and foundations that can be summed up in the following (points):

1. Ibadah is Tawqeefiyyah - This means there is no place for (personal) views regarding it.
Rather, it necessitates that the legislator of it is Allaah. As Allaah Said to His Messenger
‫صلى ﷲ عليه وسلم‬:

ۚ‫َاب َم َع َك َو َال ت َۡط َغ ۡو ْا‬

َ ‫ﭑستَقِمۡ َك َمآ أُ ِم ۡرتَ َو َمن ت‬
ۡ َ‫ف‬

"So stand (ask Allaah to make) you (O Muhammad) firm and straight (on the religion of
Islâmic Monotheism) as you are commanded and those (your companions) who turn in
repentance (unto Allaah) with you, and transgress not (Allaah’s legal limits)."
[Surah Hud: 112]

Allaah also States:

َ ‫ش ِري َع ۟ ٍة ﱢم َن ۡٱألَمۡ ِر فَﭑتﱠبِ ۡع َھا َو َال تَتﱠبِ ۡع أَ ۡھ َوآ َء ٱلﱠ ِذ‬

َ ‫ين َال يَ ۡعلَ ُم‬
‫ون‬ َ ٰ‫ثُ ﱠم َج َع ۡلنَ ٰـ َك َعلَى‬
"Then We have put you (O Muhammad) on a (plain) way of (Our) Commandment. So
follow you that and follow not the desires of those who know not."
[Surah al-Jaathiyah: 18]

And Allaah States about His Messenger ‫صلى ﷲ عليه وسلم‬:

َ ُ‫إِ ۡن أَتﱠبِ ُع إِ ﱠال َما ي‬

‫وح ٰ ٓى إِلَ ﱠى‬
"I only follow that which is revealed to me." [Surah al-Ahqaaf: 9]
2. It is a necessity that the Ibadah be for Allaah alone, free from any of the affairs of Shirk
(polytheism), for Allaah Says:
۟
َ ً‫ان يَ ۡر ُجو ْا لِقَآ َء َربﱢ ِۦه فَ ۡليَ ۡع َملۡ َع َمال‬
‫ص ٰـلِ ۟ ًحا َو َال يُ ۡش ِر ۡك بِ ِعبَا َد ِة َربﱢ ِۤۦه أَ َح ۢ َدا‬ َ ‫فَ َمن َك‬
"So whoever hopes for the meeting with his Lord, let him work righteousness and
associate none as a partner in the worship of his Lord." [Surah al-Kahf: 110]

If anything from amongst the affairs of Shirk mixes with the Ibadah, then it invalidates it -
Just as Allaah Mentions:

َ ُ‫ط َع ۡن ُھم ﱠما َكانُو ْا يَ ۡع َمل‬

‫ون‬ َ ‫َولَ ۡو أَ ۡش َر ُكو ْا لَ َح ِب‬

"But if they had joined in worship others with Allaah, all that they used to do would
have been of no benefit to them." [Surah al-An'aam: 88]

Allaah has also States:

‫ين ِمن قَ ۡبلِ َك لَ ِٕٮ ۡن أَ ۡش َر ۡكتَ َولَقَ ۡد‬ ِ ُ‫ أ‬S‫ٱ‬

َ ‫وح َى إِلَ ۡي َك َوإِلَى ٱلﱠ ِذ‬ َ ‫ين بَ ِل ﱠ‬
َ ‫س ِر‬ِ ‫طنﱠ َع َملُ َك َولَتَ ُكونَنﱠ ِم َن ۡٱل َخ ٰـ‬ ۡ َ‫ف‬
َ َ‫ﭑعبُ ۡد لَيَ ۡحب‬
‫ين‬ ‫َو ُكن ﱢم َن ٱل ﱠ‬
َ ‫ش ٰـ ِك ِر‬
"And indeed it has been revealed to you (O Muhammad), as it was to those (Allaah's
Messengers) before you: If you join others in worship with Allaah, (then) surely (all)
your deeds will be in vain, and you will certainly be among the losers. Nay! But worship
Allaah (Alone and none else), and be among the grateful." [Surah az-Zumar: 65-66]

3. It is a necessity that the example (to be followed) in the acts of Ibadah and the one
who clarifies it, is the Messenger of Allaah ‫ صلى ﷲ عليه وسلم‬Just as Allaah States:

ٌ‫سنَ ۟ة‬
َ ‫ أُ ۡس َوةٌ َح‬S‫ٱ‬
ِ ‫ول ﱠ‬
ِ ‫س‬ َ ‫لﱠقَ ۡد َك‬
ُ ‫ان لَ ُكمۡ فِى َر‬
"Indeed in the Messenger of Allaah you have a good example to follow."
[Surah al-Ahzaab: 21]
Allaah has states:

ۚ‫سو ُل َف ُخ ُذوهُ َو َما نَہَ ٰٮ ُكمۡ َع ۡنهُ فَﭑن َت ُھو ْا‬

ُ ‫َو َمآ َءاتَ ٰٮ ُك ُم ٱل ﱠر‬
“And whatsoever the Messenger gives you, take it, and whatsoever he forbids you,
abstain (from it).” [Surah al-Hashr: 7]

The Prophet ‫ صلى ﷲ عليه وسلم‬Said:

“Whoever does an action and our affair is not over it, it is rejected.” [Saheeh Muslim]

In another narration:

“Whoever introduces into our affair that which is not from it, it is rejected.” [Agreed upon]

The Prophet ‫ صلى ﷲ عليه وسلم‬also Stated:

"Pray the way you have seen me pray.” [Agreed upon]

And the Prophet ‫ صلى ﷲ عليه وسلم‬Said:

"Take from me your rituals of Hajj." [Saheeh Muslim]

... And other than that from the texts.

4. Ibadah is limited (regulated) by times and amounts. It is not permissible to transgress

and go beyond them. An example would be the salah, as Allaah Says:

‫ين ِكتَ ٰـ ۟بًا ﱠم ۡوقُو ۟تًا‬

َ ِ‫ص َلوٰ ةَ َكانَ ۡت َع َلى ۡٱل ُم ۡؤ ِمن‬
‫إِنﱠ ٱل ﱠ‬
"Verily, As-Salat (the prayer) is enjoined on the believers at fixed hours."
[Surah an-Nisaa’: 103]

Also (from that which is included) is the like of Hajj. Allaah states:

ۚ ٌ‫ۡٱل َح ﱡج أَ ۡش ُھ ۟ ٌر ﱠم ۡعلُو َم ٰـ ۟ت‬

"The Hajj (pilgrimage) is (in) the well-known (lunar year) months (i.e. the 10th month,
the 11th month and the first ten days of the 12th month of the Islamic calendar, i.e. two
months and ten days)." [Surah al-Baqarah: 197]
Likewise, in the matter of fasting, Allaah Says:

۟
ِ ‫ى أُن ِز َل فِي ِه ۡٱلقُ ۡر َءانُ ُھ ًدى لﱢلنﱠا‬
‫س شَہۡ ُر‬ ٓ ‫ان ٱلﱠ ِذ‬
َ ‫ض‬َ ‫ت ﱢم َن ۡٱل ُھ َد ٰى َو ۡٱلفُ ۡرقَا ِنۚ َف َمن ش َِہ َد ِمن ُك ُم َر َم‬
ٍ ۟ ‫ٱلشﱠہۡ َر َوبَيﱢنَ ٰـ‬
ُ َ‫فَ ۡلي‬
ُۖ‫صمۡ ه‬
"The month of Ramadân in which was revealed the Qur'an, a guidance for mankind and
clear proofs for the guidance and the criterion (between right and wrong). So whoever
of you sights (the crescent on the first night of) the month (of Ramadan), he must
observe Sawm (fasting) that month." [Surah al-Baqarah: 185]

5. It is a necessity that the Ibadah is established upon loving Allaah, lowering oneself to
Him, fearing Him, and hoping in His reward. Allaah Says:

ِ ‫ون إِلَىٰ َربﱢ ِھ ُم ۡٱل َو‬

‫سيلَةَ أَ ﱡيہُمۡ أُ ْولَ ٰـ ٓ ِٕٮ َك‬ َ ‫ون َع َذابَهُ ٱلﱠ ِذ‬
َ ‫ين يَ ۡدع‬
َ ‫ُون يَ ۡبتَ ُغ‬ َ ُ‫ون َر ۡح َمتَهُۥ َو َي َخاف‬ ُ ‫أَ ۡق َر‬
َ ‫ب َويَ ۡر ُج‬
"Those whom they call upon desire (for themselves) means of access to their Lord, as to
which of them should be the nearest and they hope for His Mercy and fear His
Torment.” [Surah al-Israa: 57]

Allaah Says about His Prophets:

‫ين‬ ِ ‫ڪانُو ْا لَنَا َخ ٰـ‬

َ ‫ش ِع‬ ِ ‫ُون فِى ۡٱل َخ ۡي َرٲ‬
َ ‫ت َويَ ۡدعُونَنَا َر َغ ۟بًا َو َر َھ ۟بًاۖ َو‬ َ ُ‫ڪانُو ْا ي‬
َ ‫س ٰـ ِرع‬ َ ۡ‫إِنﱠ ُھم‬
"Verily, they used to hasten on to do good deeds, and they used to call on Us with hope
and fear, and used to humble themselves before Us." [Surah al-Anbiyaa: 90]

Allaah also States:

‫َ فَﭑتﱠ ِب ُعونِى يُ ۡحبِ ۡب ُك ُم ﱠ‬S‫ٱ‬

ۡ‫ُ قُل‬S‫ٱ‬ ‫ون ﱠ‬ َ ‫ُ َغفُو ۟ ٌر ﱠر ِحي ۟ ٌم قُلۡ إِن ُكنتُمۡ تُ ِح ﱡب‬S‫ٱ‬‫ َويَ ۡغفِ ۡر لَ ُكمۡ ُذنُوبَ ُكمۡ ۗ َو ﱠ‬S‫ٱ‬
َ ‫أَ ِطي ُعو ْا ﱠ‬
‫سو َلۖ فَإِن َت َولﱠ ۡو ْا فَإِنﱠ ﱠ‬
‫َ َال‬S‫ٱ‬ ُ ‫ين َوٱل ﱠر‬ َ ‫يُ ِح ﱡب ۡٱل َك ٰـفِ ِر‬
"Say (O Muhammad, to mankind): If you (really) love Allaah then follow me, Allaah will
love you and forgive you your sins. And Allaah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful. Say (O
Muhammad): Obey Allaah and the Messenger. But if they turn away, then Allaah does
not like the disbelievers." [Surah Aal 'Imraan: 31-32]
Allaah Informs (in this Ayah) the signs of love for Allaah and its fruits. As for its signs: It is
the following of the Messenger ‫ صلى ﷲ عليه وسلم‬and obedience to the Messenger ‫صلى ﷲ‬
‫ عليه وسلم‬- And as for its fruits: It is the attainment of the love of Allaah, the forgiveness of
the sins, and the receiving of His mercy.

6. The obligation of Ibadah does not cease (to be upon the person) from the time of his
reaching the state of puberty until the time of his death. Concerning this Allaah states:

َ ‫َو َال تَ ُموتُنﱠ إِ ﱠال َوأَنتُم ﱡم ۡسلِ ُم‬

‫ون‬
"… and do not die except in a state of Islaam (as Muslims with complete submission to
Allaah)." [Surah Aali 'Imraan: 102]

Allaah also says:

ُ‫ٱعبُ ۡد َربﱠ َك َحتﱠىٰ يَ ۡأتِيَ َك ۡٱليَ ِقين‬

ۡ ‫َو‬

"And worship your Lord until there comes unto you the certainty (i.e. death)."
[Surah al-Hijr: 99]

Translated by Abu Yusuf Khaleefah