It is also reported in the Saheeh that 'Aaishah
narrated that the Prophet [Peace and Blessings of Allaah be upon him] said,
"The most god-fearing (Taqwaa)and foremost in doing good deeds from you
all is I.[1]"
What this means is that one is raised in their
honour and ranking because of the knowledge they possess and consequently the
righteous deeds they practice, and that there is no virtue in merely possessing
a lot of information (i.e. without action, knowledge is merely
information).
This is also proven by history. The nation of
Moosaa took a golden-calf as an object of worship in his absence, and Allaah
had Informed him of this crime. However, when he returned to his nation and saw
the act of Shirk for himself, his knowledge and belief increased, and in anger,
he threw the Tablets he had received from Allaah to the ground in anger (cf.
7:150).
This point was explained to us directly in a
Hadeeth, in which the Prophet said, "Being informed of something is not the
same as having the full perception of something. So when Allaah, the Glorified and the Exalted, Informed Moosaa about the crime that his nation had committed
by taking the calf as an object of worship, Moosaa did not throw the Tablets.
However, when he returned and saw what they had done with his own two eyes, he
threw the Tablets to the ground.[2]"
Allaah, the Most High, Said:
“And (remember)
when Ibrahim (Abraham) said, "My Lord! Show me how You give life to the
dead." He (Allah) said: "Do you not believe?" He [Ibrahim
(Abraham)] said: "Yes (I believe), but to be stronger in Faith.”"” [al-Baqarah 2:260]
Similarly in this example, Ibraaheem knew for
certain that Allaah is Ever-Able to Resurrect the deceased, but here he is asking Allaah in order for his Emaan and
certainty in this belief to be increased.
What all of this teaches us is that certainty and al-Emaan can increase, and this particular point of reference has been
explained further in a book I have authored entitled, 'Al-Qat' wa at-Thunn 'ind
al-'Usooleeyeen' (Certainty and Conjecture with the Scholars of the Principles
of al-Fiqh)[3].
As for the statement of some of the Murji'ah
that, 'My Emaan is of the same ranking of that of Jibreel' then this false
notion is refuted by the consensus of the Salaf.
Ibn Abee Mulaykah [May Allaah have Mercy on
him] said, "I have met thirty Companions of the Prophet, all of them
feared hypocrisy for themselves. None of them proclaimed to have the same
ranking of Emaan as Jibreel or Meekaaeel.[4]"
[2] Reported
by Ahmad (1/271) at-Tabaraanee (12451) and Ibn Hibbaan (6213) who declared it
to be Saheeh.
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