Who is Allah, and what does belief in Allah mean in Islam?

Every creature has an inherent faith in the Oneness of Allah, the true God, Who has neither wife, son, partner nor equal, and Whose essence resembles no other. Nothing occurs in the visible or invisible worlds without His will, He responds to the believer who supplicates to Him, and He is above His Throne in a manner which suits His grandeur and majesty. All the legitimate acts of worship must be dedicated to Him alone.

What are the six articles of faith (Aqida) in Islam?

Islam's six articles of faith are belief in Allah, His Angels, His Scriptures, His Messengers, the Day of Judgement, and predestination (Qadr), and being a Muslim requires upholding every one of them without any doubt. Belief in Allah, the first of them, takes in His Lordship, His Divinity, and His names and attributes.

What does the hadith of the three men trapped in the cave teach about sincerity?

Abdullah bin Umar narrated from the Prophet the account of three men of an earlier nation who entered a cave at night and were shut in when a big rock rolled down the mountain and closed its mouth. Each man recalled a deed of his own and asked Allah to relieve them if he had done it for His sake only; the rock shifted a little, then a little more, then completely, and they got out. It is a hadith on the importance of sincerity.

What did Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal think of the Sufis?

Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal gave great importance to the Sufis and honoured them, and Shaykh Abdul Hafiz al-Makki discusses his positive opinion of Tasawwuf and Sufism in a book dedicated to him. Asked about the seeker who takes the path of Tasawwuf, Imam Ahmad replied that the seeker should remain with Allah as Allah wishes and leave all which he himself desires for what Allah desires.

What was Imam Abu Hanifa’s connection to Sufism?

Imam Abu Hanifa was the master of many great Sufi Mashaikh, among them Ibrahim ibn Adham, Fudayl ibn 'Iyad, Dawud Ta'i and Bishr Hafi. At first he wished to go into seclusion, but a dream was interpreted to mean that he would attain a high rank in knowledge of the Prophet and in preserving his Sunnah, and he spent all his life compiling Hadith.

Who was Mujaddid Alf Thani, and what did his letters achieve?

Mujaddid Alf Thani, Ahmad al-Faruqi al-Sirhindi, was a great scholar known as Mujaddid, or reviver. In a time of great trial, the letters he wrote in Persian to his disciples became a movement and brought change from within the society, and they are considered the alchemy of Tasawwuf. He repeatedly emphasised that the only way to achieve the Divine love is through the Qur'an and Sunnah.

What is the difference between a Zahid, an Aabid and an Aarif, according to Ibn Sina?

Ibn Sina calls the man devoted to absolute abstinence from worldly pleasures a Zahid, and the man who keeps almost every moment of his life devoted to worship an Aabid. The Aarif keeps his attention perennially focussed towards the Holy Omnipotent and expects every moment the manifestation of Divine Light in his inner self, and such a man is held worthy of the title of Sufi.

What did Ibn Khaldun say about the origin of Sufism?

In his Muqaddimah the historian Ibn Khaldun writes that Sufism is based on the assumption that the method of the people later called Sufis had always been considered, by the men around the Prophet, the men of the second generation and those who came after them, the path of truth and right guidance. Constant application to Divine worship, complete devotion to Allah and aversion to the false splendour of the world were general among the early Muslims, and when worldly aspirations increased, the special name of Sufis was given to those who aspired to Divine worship.

If no one can equal the Prophet, how can we follow his example inwardly and outwardly?

Although the Prophet's status is unequalled and unmatched even amongst the Prophets, Allah sent the believers a Messenger from themselves, so that they can follow him in his deeds and actions, whether external or internal. Tasawwuf is the path to attain the Divine love of Allah by following the path of His Last Prophet.

What three things are indispensable for a believer, according to Shaykh Abdul Qadir Gilani?

Keeping the commandments of Allah, abstaining from the forbidden things and being pleased with the decree of Providence are the three things Shaykh Abdul Qadir Gilani calls indispensable for a believer in all conditions of life, in the first discourse of Futuh ul-Ghaib. The least that is expected of a believer is that he should not be without them, so he should make up his mind for them, talk to himself about them and keep his organs engaged in them.