Twelve Principles of Sunni Islamic Belief according to Imam Abu Hanifa RA - Known as Al Wassiyyah.
In the name of Allah, the Divinely-Compassionate, the Ever-Merciful All praise is due to Allah – the Sustainer of all the worlds, and may blessings be upon the leader of all the Messengers, Muhammad, upon his family and upon all of his Companions (May Allah be pleased with them).
This is the Book of the Testament (Kitab al-Wasiyyah) by the Greatest Imam after the Salaf us Saliheen, Al-Imam al-Aʿzam Abu Hanifah (May Allāh have mercy on him). When the Imām of the Muslims al-Imam Abu Hanifah (May Allah have mercy on him) fell severely ill, he gathered around himself his companions and his pupils, and they desired from him a testament based upon the path of the Sunnah of the Messenger Muhammad (May Allah bless him and grant him peace). So, he ordered his servant that he sit him up, and his servant sat behind his back and he (the servant) propped him against himself. Thereafter, he (Allah have mercy on him), said:
“Know you all, my companions and my brothers, that the creed of the People of the Prophetic Way and the Majority (Ahlu’s-Sunnah wa’l-Jamāʿah) is based upon twelve characteristics (After belief with 100% conviction in the acceptance of the 5 pillars of Islam and 6 articles of Eeman) Of you, whoever is firm upon these characteristics shall not be an innovator and nor a dissenter. So, it is incumbent upon you to hold firm to these characteristics so that you may be included in the intercession of our Prophet Muhammad (May Allah bless him and grant him peace) on the Day of Judgement and Resurrection.”
First Principle: The affirmation of faith
“This first is faith, which is through affirmation with ones tongue and belief in ones heart.” (I.e of La ilaha ilallah Muhammedur Rasulullah)
Realisation - “Realisation is through ones heart, while affirmation (of ones tongue ) alone is not faith, because, were it the case, the hypocrites, one and all, would have been believers.”
Faith does not increase or decrease - “Faith does not increase or decrease because it’s unimaginable that it should decrease without one increasing in disbelief; and it’s unimaginable that it should increase without one decreasing in disbelief.” (I.e anything less than certainty is uncertainty and faith must be with certainty)
A believer or disbeliever, not both at the same time - “How is it conceivable for any given person in any given moment to be a believer and a disbeliever at the same time? Or a true believer and a disbeliever? There is no doubt in faith, just as there is no doubt in disbelief, in view of the exalted having said, “Those are the true believers” (Quran 8:4) and “those are the true disbelievers.” (Quran 4:151) You either believe 100% or not. HafizunAllah.
Muslims who commit major sins - “The sinners of the nation of Muhammad pbuh are all true believers and are not disbelievers. Action is not faith and nor is faith action, and a proof for this is that most of the time the action is removed from the believer.” (in the events of exemptions while faith still remains, I.e the woman’s monthly menstural cycle, or Zakat not being obligatory on a poor Muslim who has not held a minimum wealth for a year. According to the Prophet SAW in the famous Islam Ihsan and Eeman Hadith Eeman is conviction in belief not action although some actions can negate Eeman for example like shirk as the action demonstrates non belief in one of the articles of Eeman, the belief in the Oneness of Allah.
Faith and action - “It is not possible to say that faith has been lifted from one like Allah, Glorious and exalted, has lifted (the obligation of) prayer from a woman in her menses. Nor is it permissible to say that Allah has raised faith from her or ordered her to leave faith. Rather, the sacred law has enjoined her to forgo fasting but make it up. Not is it permissible to say leave faith then make it up. It is permissible to say that (payment of) Zakat is not (obligatory) for the poor, but it is not permissible to say there is (no need) for the poor to have faith.”
Good and Evil - “The decree of good and evil is all created by Allah, Glorified and exalted, and so if someone was to claim that anyone besides him has the ability to decree good and evil, he would become a disbeliever in Allah and nullify any monotheism that he had.”
Second Principle: Classification of actions
“Actions are of three categories - Obligatory, virtuous and disobedience.”
The obligatory - “The obligatory is through the command of Allah (the exalted), his will, his love, his satisfaction, his predestination, his decree, his bringing into existence, his ruling, his knowledge, his given success (to servants) and his record of it in the Lawh Al Mahfuz/Preserved tablet.”
The virtuous - “The virtuous is not the command (I.e Order) of Allah, the Exalted, but it is by his will, his love, his pleasure, his predestination, his decree, his creating, and it is recorded in the preserved tablet.”
Disobedience - “Disobedience is not the command of Allah, but it is in his will (you chose, he creates); not what he loves, it is in his predestination, not his good pleasure; it is in his decree, not his given success (Tawfiq) but rather his forsaking (His servant); it is by his knowledge and it is recorded.”
Third Principle: Arsh of Allah
Sunni interpretation - “Allah glorious and exalted inscribed that he established the Arsh without being in need of it or to be affirmed by it.”
“He manifests the Arsh, and everything besides, without being in need (of it). He would not posses the omnipotent power to bring into existence the world, preserve it and manage it, much like those who are created if he were to be in need of “Sitting” or “staying”. Where was Allah (the exalted) before he created the Arsh? Allah is free of having any need absolutely.” (Allah is free of space and there is nothing like him.)
Fourth Principle: Qur’an is the uncreated speech of Allah
The Qur’an is the speech of Allah - “It is inscribed that the Qur’an is the uncreated speech of Allah (the exalted), his divine inspiration, his revelation, as he described, but it is not him nor another, rather it is released as he described.”
Recorded - “The Qur’an is recorded in mushafs, recited on tongues, memorised in hearts without being changed, while the ink, paper and writing (therein) are all created because they are the actions of the servant.”
“The speech of Allah, glorious and exalted, is uncreated because writing, letters, words and verses are all instruments of the Qur’an that the servant is in need of (to understand it). The speech of Allah (the Exalted) is established in His dhat, meaning understood through these things. Whoever says that the Qur’an is created is a disbeliever in Allah, the greatest. Allah (the exalted) is deserving of our worship and is now as he ever was. His speech is recited, recorded and protected without it being separated from him whom it is an attribute of.”
Fifth Principle: The Sahaba
The ranks of companions - “It is inscribed that the best of this nation after our prophet Muhammad pbuh is Abu Bakr As Siddiq, then Umar RA, Uthman RA then Ali RA.”
“The Exalted said, “The out-strippers have proceeded; they are brought close; in the blessed paradise.” Those who proceeded are more virtuous. Every fearful believer loves them and every wretched hypocrite hates them.”
Sixth Principle: Actions are created at the time of the action
“It is inscribed that the servant along with his actions, affirmation and realisation are created. So when the doer is created then his actions are necessarily created. Allah (the Exalted) created all creation and their actions.”
“They do not have the strength because they are weak and incapable. Allah, the exalted, created them and gave them provision. The exalted said, “It is Allah who created you, then gave you provision, then caused you to die and then brought you back to life.”
Halal and Haram provision - “Acquisition is lawful and gathering wealth from lawful means lawful, while gathering wealth from unlawful means unlawful.”
Seventh Principle: Types of people
“People are of three types: the sincere believer in his faith, the rejecting disbeliever in his disbelief and the concealed hypocrite in hypocrisy.”
The responsibility of each of them - “Allah the exalted has made actions obligatory for the believer, faith an obligation for the disbeliever, and sincerity an obligation for the hypocrite. As the exalted said “O people, fear your lord, meaning “O believers ‘obey’, o disbelievers ‘believe’, o hypocrites ‘be sincere’.” (& All three are still necessary for the believer, sincerity, faith & actions.
Eighth Principle: Ability is with Allah alone
Ability - “It is inscribed that ability is conjoined with action, not before or after it. For if it were before action then the servant would be free from Allah the exalted, in the time of need and this contradicts the ruling of the text of the exalted, “Allah is free of need and it is you who is impoverished.” If it were after the action then it would be impossible because it would necessitate the occurrence of the action without ability and strength.”
Ninth Principle: Leather socks
Wiping leather socks - “It is inscribed that wiping on leather socks is permissible for 24 hours for every person and three days for a traveller, in view of the many hadith reported.” (Always best to wash the feet if possible if water is available to be safe, including the heels)
“Shortening prayers and not fasting when travelling are dispensations according to the text of the Qur’an, in view of the exalted having said “If you strike out in the earth then there is no crime to shorten your prayer.’ Regarding not fasting, the exalted has said “Whoever of you is ill or travelling then make up the fasts on other days.”
Tenth Principle: The Pen
The Pen - “It is inscribed that Allah the exalted ordered the pen to write and it asked “What do I write? O lord?” Allah the exalted said “Write what will be until the day of judgement.’ In view of the exalted having said “Everything they did is in the scriptures; every small and great thing is recorded.”
Eleventh Principle: The punishment of the grave & Akhira
Punishment of the grave - “The punishment of the grave certainly occurs. The questioning of Munkar and Nakir is true because of the many reports.”
Paradise & Hell - “Paradise and hell are true and created for those who belong in either of them, in view of the exalted having said to the believers, “(paradise) prepared for the pious.” and concerning the disbelievers “(hell) prepared for the disbelievers” Allah has created them for reward and punishment.”
The scales - The scales are true in view of the exalted having said “We (grand I in arabic language not meaning plural) placed justice on the balance on the day of judgement. The reading of the books is true in view of the exalted having said “Read your book and that is a sufficient reckoner.”
Twelfth Principle: Resurrection after death & Intercession, Paradise (For the Muslim) and Hell (For the non Muslim) are eternal
Resurrection after death - “It is inscribed that Allah, the exalted, will bring the souls back to life after death. They shall all be resurrected on a day that is 50’000 years long (The Prophet SAW said “for the believers it will pass like the time between Dhuhr and Asr”)- for reward, the recompense and the restoral of rights - in view of the exalted having said “Allah will resurrect whoever was in their graves.”
The blessed meeting - “It is true that Allah will meet the people of paradise, without modality, anthropomorphism and direction.”
Intercession - “The intercession of our Prophet Muhammad (May Allah bestow peace and blessings on him) is true for everyone who is from the residents of paradise, even if they committed enormities.”
The rank of the female companions - “Aisha after Khadijah Al Kubra (May Allah be pleased with them both), is the most virtuous of women in the universe, one of the mothers of the believers, pure from the accusation of the false claims of fornication by the rawafid (Shia).” (May Allah curse whoever utters such a thing)
Residents of Paradise and Hell are in there forever - “The residents of paradise are in paradise forever and the residents of hell are in hell forever in view of the exalted having said about the believers, ‘They are the dwellers of paradise and remain in it forever.’ And in regard to the disbelievers, ‘They are the dwellers of hell and remain in it forever.’”
Closing statement:
“All praise belongs to Allah alone, Lord of all creation, and peace be upon our master Muhammad and upon all his family and companions.”
Amin
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