Foundations of Certitude

Foundations of Certitude A Poem on Islamic Beliefs

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Say, “He is the First, the Last, the Outward, and the Inward, and He has power over all things. [Quran 57:3]

“Certitude is like the fortified wall of a city. When a city has a wall, the enemy has no hope of entering it. But when a breach occurs in the wall and gates and fissures appear in it, the enemy makes haste to enter. The pitfall of Satan and his temptation is a consequence of the defect of the body’s wall which is certitude. So let every intelligent person hasten to maintain the well-being of his body’s wall so that Satan cannot approach him and no human being disturbs him. . . . Certitude is a sign of the people of truthfulness and spiritual realization. We ask Allah Most High by His grace and His generosity to bestow on us His sweetness and secrets!” —Shaykh ‘Abd al-‘Aziz al-Dabbagh g (al-Ibriz)

Foundations of Certitude opening

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In Allah’s Holy Name this poem I start Asking Him humbly that He guide my heart 2·

By the blessed Prophet, bearer of light By whom servants ascend spiritual heights 3·

Plentiful prayers and salutations On Ahmad, master of the creation 4·

He is fairest of all, purest of speech And with knowledge of God he came to teach 5·

He was mercy to all, tender and kind He’s the closest of all to the Divine 6·

Pondering deeply and knowing the truth Is your first duty at onset of youth theology

7·

Allah is without beginning or cause Forever abiding, no end or pause 8·

Completely unlike all we see and find He has no likeness to what comes to mind 9·

Everything in the cosmos stands in need Of His care and provision but He’s free; 10·

He is independent of place and time And completely Exalted and Sublime

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11·

He is in Essence, Attributes, and acts Unique and unrivaled; understand that 12·

He is the One, there’s no god besides He Allah is alone, the true deity 13·

To Allah belongs Life, Power, and Will Hearing and Seeing all—moving or still 14·

His is knowledge without acquisition Divine speech without letters or diction 15·

These attributes here Allah must possess; And sure faith in them all we must profess 16·

 he Opposite of these, thirteen in count T Are impossible; let’s spell them all out 17·

They’re non-existence or contingency; These two are reserved for things that can be 18·

To have beginning, end, or cessation To bear resemblance to the creation 19·

To have a partner, a helper, or need Is impossible and against tawhid 20·

Inability, ignorance, or death To be blind, dumb, compelled, or to be deaf 21·

Know these words well and understand these lines Those with these qualities can’t be Divine 22·

To do what He wills or leave it undone Both are possible—He’s compelled by none

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rational proofs

23·

Do not suffice with poetry or prose; When it comes to creed, we’re obliged to know 24·

What we believe, with certainty and truth No doubts or conjecture, only sound proof 25·

Allah’s existence has proof—it’s very clear, For all that has been made needs a maker 26·

The world didn’t emerge all on its own; Each effect has a cause, willed by the One 27·

If He had beginning, there’d be regress A never ending chain, an absurd mess 28·

If with end, He’d have no eternity; If like the world, He’d have contingency 29·

And if Allah had not Self-Subsistence He’d be subject to need and dependence 30·

If not One He’d have no power to act Then the world would perish, shatter, and crack 31·

I f not a living, knowing, willing Lord With absolute power, there’d be no world 32·

I f He had no hearing, no speech, no sight He’d be imperfect and lacking in might 33·

When “possibles” undergo conversion We call that “realities’ inversion”

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34·

To become impossible or required, Inversion occurs and in falsehood mired prophetology

35·

Out of His Mercy to every nation Allah sent Prophets with revelation 36·

They are the chosen ones, pure and elect; Proofs of their truthfulness He did erect 37·

The Messengers speak truth in all they say Trustworthy, the message they did convey 38·

Likewise they possess vast intelligence Healthy features, strength, handsome countenance 39·

These are the attributes they must possess; And sure faith in them all we must profess 40·

But the opposite of these, five in count Are impossible, so let’s spell them out 41·

False words, concealment of truth, treachery Bad traits or form, lacking lucidity 42·

The Prophets all had human conditions But they did not fail their sacred missions 43·

It’s allowed that they feel sick or unwell, But only so light that they do not fail 44·

Do not suffice with poetry or prose; When it comes to our creed, we all must know

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45·

What we believe, with certainty and truth No doubts or conjecture—only sound proof proofs

46·

Were they guilty of prevarication God would have lied in His confirmation 47·

Their miracles are God’s way of saying “They speak truth in all they are conveying” 48·

Were Prophets to hide the truth or betray Bad would turn good, and we’d have to obey 49·

Had Prophets lacked knowledge or lost their way They would have floundered and failed to convey 50·

Their human states are, in themselves, a proof That they’re possible, harmless to the truth transmitted beliefs

51·

The preceding lines involve intellect Though there is more, brought by Prophets elect 52·

Beliefs taken from sacred, inspired words; Realities about the unseen worlds: 53·

Angels obedient, never fatigued Vigilant, dutiful, fulfilling needs 54·

Some roam the earth, some stand at Heaven’s door Messengers with wings, two or three or four 55·

Then there’s faith in Books, divinely revealed To Messengers of old, but they are sealed

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56·

Save the Quran, preserved till the Last Day It’s the guiding light, showing us the way 57·

When our time comes, after our final breath We shall taste the reality of death 58·

In the Next World, every single slave Will face interrogation in the grave 59·

Three questions are asked by two Angels stern Answers to these, only now we can learn 60·

“Say! Who is your Lord, and who is this Man?” —your Prophet sent, and what’s your religion?” 61·

After the grave, the quickening occurs All nations silent, not a single word 62·

That is the time for Divine reckoning Good deeds and bad deeds receive their weighing 63·

Both are placed firmly on a flawless Scale There’s no injustice: it’s Heaven or Hell 64·

Mankind, in terror and fright, shall run Begging of Prophets for intercession 65·

But all shall decline, not one will agree; Then they shall reach the Prophet of Mercy 66·

They’ll seek shelter under his blessed shade With his intercession they’ll have it made 67·

Just look at his mercy, for now you know On that terrible day where you should go!

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68·

 here is the Pond, the ever-sweet basin T Drink for the believers of all nations 69·

There is the Traverse, razor sharp and thin Whosoever crosses safely shall win 70·

 ell, for the losers, the abode of doom H Piercing darkness, flames, punishment and gloom 71·

Paradise, garden of eternal bliss Pure enjoyment—whatever you may wish 72·

Believe, we must, in the divine decree: All things are pre-ordained for you and me conclusion

73·

 his concludes our poem, a simple outline T About the Prophets sent, and the Divine 74·

 bout the unseen world, Books, and decree A All of which constitute our faith’s firm tree 75·

Allah! Send prayers and salutations On Ahmad, Intercessor of Nations 76·

 pon his folk of purest pedigree U And Companions with whom we hope to be

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