Nitham - Chapters 1 & 2

Page Para Concept Implication Important Related Concepts

Chapter 1 - Way to Belief

5 1 Man revives according to thought Revival, thought, concept

1 About man, life, universe & inter-relationships Nature of man, life & universe
1 Revival based on radical & comprehensive thought Radical v gradual, partial v comprehensive
1 Thoughts generates concepts Thoughts, emotions, concepts, public opinion
1 Man shapes behaviour according to concepts Human behaviour, sentiments, instincts, will, group think

5 2 Ayah - emphasis on individual imperative to change all

6 1 Change concepts by changing thoughts about life

1 Need comprehensive idea, coz basis of all ideas
1 Answers to above = solution to man's greatest problem
1 Everything else partial or branch
1 True revival not achieved unless:
a. compatible with man's nature
b. convinces the mind
c. fills heart with tranquility

6 2 True solution only achieved thru enlightened thought Types of thought

Correct revival must be upon correct thinking
This thought is Aqeedah, the intellectual basis for: Contextual use of word Aqeedah
a. every detailed thought man's behaviour
b. systems of life

6 3 Islam solved greatest question with the three conditions

7 1 Rational acceptance condition of its embracement Mukallaf, condemnation of previous generations, appeal
Core statement of Aqeedah - details … to the mind (highest appeal), contrast with K/Communist

7 2 Must be Creator because comprehensibles are - Detailed arguments regarding creationism

2 limited, weak, imperfect & depedendent
2 Man is limited because …
2 Life is limited because …
2 Universe is limited because …
2 Creator is either -
a. created by someone else
b. creator of himself
c. azali (eternal/limitless)

8 2 Target is anyone with mental faculty

2 Comprehension through any sensed things
2 Observation = imperfect, weak & dependent
2 Quran instructs us to look, ponder & conclude
2 Eg's of relevant ayat

9 Eg's of relevant ayat

10 2 Thus belief in Allah through reason & clear evidence

10 3 Belief in Allah (swt) is natural in every human

3 But innate belief through emotion, which =
a. trustworthy result?
b. stability?
3 Emotions often add mythical & unfounded ideas which
leads to kufr
3 Islam not leave emotions as ONLY way to belief
3 Islam compels use of mind WITH the emotions
3 Islam forbids imitation in Aqeedah
3 Mind is arbitrator in belief

11 2 Islam's emphasis on intellectual belief -

deep thinking, ponderance, reason, clear evidence,
scrutiny, investigation, confidence, assured, enlightened

11 3 Man's cannot comprehend that which he cant sense

Man cant comprehend the essence of Allah
12 1 Belief is in existence of Allah, not essence
1 Mind's limitations should strengthen his belief, not diminish
1 Have to submit to all that Allah has informed us concerning
that which the mind cannot comprehend

13 1 Need for messengers …

13 1 Need system to organise relationship with Creator

1 This system cannot emanate from man
1 Need messengers to convey this system to man

13 2 Need system to satisfy man's needs & instincts

2 Man liable to disparity, differences, contradiction, influence
2 System of man will have same attributes

Page 1 of 3
 2 Therefore, need system from Creator

13 3 Proof that Quran is from Allah (swt) … Nature/Definition of miracles

14 1 Quran - from Arabs, Muhammad (saw) or Allah (swt) Miracle of Quran is in its language/ Knowledge of
History/Nature of Language
14 2 False from Arabs coz challenged to bring something similar Reality of Quraysh at time of revelation

14 2 False from Muhammad (saw) -

2 a. Muhammad is part of Arabs
2 b. Disparities between hadith & quran
15 1 c. None of Arabs levelled this claim
1 d. Only claimed that he was inspired by Jabr

15 2 If not from Arabs, Prophet, then must be from Allah (swt)

16 2 Therefore, belief in Allah (swt) thru rational way

2 Basis for all matters that Allah (swt) informed us about
2 Rational belief v transferred belief
2 Aqeedah built only on mind, quran a& mutawatir hadith Aqeedah details, contextualised use of word Aqeedah

16 3 Therefore, before this life … Allah (swt)

After this life … Reckoning
Relationship between life, before & after = Allah's commands
17 1 Man must restrict himself to this relationship

17 2 Enlightened thought established

2 Greatest problem solved

17 3 Now man can establish sound concepts about life Discussion about revival - nature, history, objective, etc
This enlightened thought = basis of ideology = way of revival Discussion about nature of revival aimed by HT
a. basis of ideology
b. way of revival
c. basis of civilisation
d. basis upon which state is established

18 1 Now every Muslim obliged to believe in Sharia as a whole Comprehensive belief

1 Kufr to deny Ahkam as a whole, or any definite hukm
1 No difference between ibadat, mu'amalat, uqoobat etc
19 1 Belief in the sharia not based upon the mind
One must surrender completely to all that was revealed
Respond to all obligations, leave all munkar
Aqeedah is spring for all matters (cant make distinctions)
Discussion about methodology
Role/area of the mind
Nature of Islamic implementation/manifestation

Chapter 2 - Al-Qadaa wal adar Whole discussion surrounding ilm ul-kalaam

Whole discussion about proper use of mind (as per Ch 1)
21 1 Ayat supporting predestined fate See IP1 for further details
22 1 Ayat supporting predestined fate

23 1 Arguments -
a. Man is compelled to undertake actions
b. Compulsion from decree & will of Allah (swt)
c. Allah (swt) created man & his actions

23 2 Additional supporting evidences (ayah & hadith)

24 1 Issue of Q/Q occupied great deal of discussion Talking about scholars of ilm ul-kalaam
1 a. Ahlus Sunnah: Summary of summary!
i. Kasab Ikhtiari (free will) to carry out actions
ii. accounted because of Kasab ikhtiari
1 b. Mu'tazilah:
i. man creates his actions
ii. Accounted coz he initiates them
c. Jabriyah:
i. Allah (swt) creates man & his actions
ii. Man is compelled & has no free will

24 2 Must have correct understanding of basis of discussion Redifining the debate (as with most other things!)
2 Not:
a. Actions created by man or Allah (swt)
b. Knowledge of Allah (swt) (knows actions to be done)
c. Decree of Allah (swt) (must happen coz of this decree)
d. Lawh al-Mahfouz (pre-recorded)

24 3 Issue is one of reward & punishment

25 1 Issue is whether man compelled to perform an action

25 2 Man lives in two spheres:

a. Man dominates (has free will)
b. Dominates man (no free will)

25 3 Sphere that dominates man …

Man has nothing to do with them or their existence
a. Laws of universe
b. Accidents

Page 2 of 3
25 3 Laws of universe …
i. Man is in complete submission to them
ii. Forced to proceed in accordance with them
iii. Occurs without man's will

26 2 Accidents …
i. Man initiates or initiated against him
ii. Beyond man's ability to control them

26 2 All these actions (a & b) are called Qadaa

i. Allah predestined them
ii. Man is not accountable for them
iii. Only Allah (swt) knows the good & bad in them
iv. Man believes in them & tat they are from Allah (swt)

27 1 Qadar …
i. Attributes in things
ii. Allah created the objects and their attributes
iii. Man must believe Allah predetermined these attributes

27 1 Man can use these attributes for good or bad

Good = accordance with Allah (swt) commands
Bad = Against Allah (swt) commands

28 2 Muslim must believe Qadaa & Qadar from Allah (swt)

i. actions (good/bad) beyond his sphere from Allah (swt)
ii. Attributes, whether resulting in good/bad, from Allah (swt)

28 3 Sphere that man dominates

i. Proceeds freely according to the system he chooses
ii. Can act or refrain from acting
iii. Man is reckoned on these matters

29 1 Man, not attributes, initiate action

1 Attributes have potential for good & bad
1 Allah (swt) -
i. Created man with mind that can comprehend & judge
ii. Provided guidances on the good & bad
1 Relevant ayat …

30 1 Good = act in accordance with commands of Allah (swt)

1 Bad = act against the commands of Allah (swt)
1 Man is accounted for these actions (rewarded/punished) coz
undertaken by free will

30 2 Attributes don’t force man to act

31 1 In this respect, Issue of Qadaa & Qadar is irrelevant!

31 2 Regarding knowledge of Allah (swt) …

i. Does not force man to carry out actions
ii. Don’t carry out action based on knowledge of Allah (swt)
iii. Just means Allah (swt) knows the actions you're going to
undertake (and all things/actions)

31 3 Regarding will of Allah (swt) …

i. Does not force man to carry out actions
ii. Just means that nothing happens against the will of Allah

32 2 Issue, once understood properly -

i. Drive man to do good, avoid bad
ii. Realise Allah (swt) is watching him & will account him
iii. Allah (swt) gaves us choice to act or abstain
iv. Rewarded if do right actions
v. Punished if do wrong actions
vi. Very concious in observing Allah (swt) orders because of
fear of punishment, desire for jannah & pleasure of Allah (swt)

Page 3 of 3