Chapter 1

We say – In the Name of the Merciful, the Compassionate Allah. Praise be to Allah who distinguished the community of the sunnah (prophetic way) with the light of certainty and favored the people of truth by guiding them to the foundation of Religion; who saved them from the errors of the unrighteous and the wickedness of the unbelievers.

It is with His Grace that He led them to follow the example of the Master of the Messengers; who directed their footsteps in the way of his honored companions and enabled them to emulate the good, early generations, so that they protected themselves with the strong cord against the dictates of reason, and (to emulate) the lives and beliefs of the ancients with the clear method, combining thereby the products of reason and the ordinances of the religion.

Furthermore they found out that mere verbal repetition of the words "There is no god except Allah; Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah" is of no avail unless they completely understand what the fundamentals of the witness involve of principle and pillars. They also have known that the two witnessing phrases, despite their brevity, contain an affirmation of the existence of Allah Himself, His Attributes, and His Deeds, as well as an affirmation of the truthfulness of the Messenger – the praise and peace be upon him – And they also knew that establishing the faith upon these pillars, which are four, each one having ten principles: The first pillar concerning the knowledge of the Essence of Allah – the High – consists of ten principles. They are:

• The knowledge that Allah – the High – exists.
• He is Ancient
• He is Everlasting.
• He is not a substance.
• He is not a body.
• He is not a quality of a body (accident).
• He is not subject to a direction.
• He is not resident in a place.
• He is seen.
• He is One.

The second pillar concerns the attributes of Allah: It comprises of ten principles. They are the knowledge that:

• He is Alive.
• He is Knowledgeable.
• He is Powerful.
• He is the Willer.
• He is the Hearer.
• He is the Seer.
• He is the Speaker.
• His Essence is Exalted to contain a creation (a substratum for originated properties or a locus of phenomena).
• His Words are ancient and eternal.
• His Knowledge is ancient and eternal as His Will.

The third pillar concerns the Deeds of Allah: it consists of ten principles:

• The actions of mankind are created by Allah – the High.
• They are gained by the creation.
• They are willed by Allah – the High.
• Allah has been Gracious by creation and invention.
• Allah is free to impose unbearable obligations.
• Allah is free to punish the innocent.
• While taking into consideration that which is best is not obligatory upon Him.
• That there is nothing obligatory except by the Religion.
• His sending of prophets is possible (not an obligation upon Him).
• The prophecy of our Prophet Muhammad – the praise and peace be upon him – is true being confirmed by miracles.

The fourth pillar is concerning heard verses and the prophetic quotations mentioning the unseen. And consist of ten principles:

• The affirmation of the assembly on the Day of Recompense.
• The accounting.
• The questioning (of the dead by the angels) Munkar and Nakeer.
• The punishment of the grave.
• The balance.
• The Bridge over Hell.
• The creation of Paradise and Hell.
• The ruling of the imamate (Caliphate).
• The excellence of the Companions is in accordance with the chronological order.
• The conditions of the imamate (caliphate).

The First Pillar

The first among the pillars of belief is the knowledge of the Essence of Allah – the Exalted, the High – and that Allah – the High – is One.

It consists of ten principles:

(i-a) The Knowledge of His Existence

The first principle is the knowledge of the existence of Allah – the High:

The first light which should be used for illumination and the first thing to be followed on the road of admonition are the instructions of the Qur'an, because there is no explanation beyond that of Allah – the Exalted. Allah says in the Qur'an:

"Have We not made the earth a cradle and the mountains as pegs? And We created you in pairs, and We made your sleep a rest, and We made the night a mantle, and We made the day for a livelihood. And We built above you seven strong ones, and placed in them a blazing lamp and have sent down from the clouds pouring rain that We may bring forth with it grain and plants and luxuriant gardens." (Ch.78:6-16).

And again,

"Assuredly in the creation of the Heaven and of the Earth; and in the alternation of night and day; and in the ships which pass through the sea with what is useful to man; and in the rain which Allah sends down from Heaven, giving life by it to the earth after its death, and by scattering over it all kinds of cattle; and in the change of the winds, and in the clouds that are compelled between the Heaven and the Earth; are signs for those who understand."

He – the High – also said:

"Have you not seen how Allah created the seven heavens one above the other, setting in them the moon as a light and the sun as a lantern? Allah has caused you to grow from the earth, and to it He will return you. Then He will bring you forth." (Ch.71:15-18).

And He – the High – said:

"Have you seen what you ejaculate? Did you create it, or are We the Creator? It was We that decreed death among you. We will not be outstripped that We will charge you and cause you to grow again in a fashion you do not know. You have surely known the first creation. Why then, will you not remember! Consider the soil you till. Is it you that sow it, or are We the Sower? If We will, We would make it broken orts and you would remain wondering. (Saying:) `We are laden with debts! Rather, we have been prevented!' Consider the water which you drink. Is it you that send it down from the clouds or We? If We will, We would make it bitter, why then do you not give thanks? Consider the fire which you kindle. Is it you that originated its tree, or are We the Originator?" (Ch.56:58-72 Qur'an).

Anyone with the least bit of intellect is able to reflect upon the import of these verses and reviewing the wonders of the creation of Allah, in Heaven and on earth as well as the beauties of nature in animal and plant, realizes that this wonderful matter with its consummate order cannot be independent from the Creator to direct it and the Maker to govern it and quantify it.

Therefore Allah – the High – said:

"Is there any doubt about Allah, the Creator of the heavens and the earth?" (Ch.14:10).

The prophets – the praise of Allah be upon them – were, therefore, sent in order to call the creation to the Oneness, that they may say, "There is no god except Allah." They were not, however, commanded to say, "We have a god and the world has a god," because such a thing is inborn in their minds from the time of their birth and in the midst of their youth.

For this reason Allah – the High, the Glorified – said:

"If you ask them: `Who has created the heavens and the earth?' They will reply: `Allah.'... (Ch.31:25 Qur'an).

And He – the High – said:

"Therefore set your face to the Religion, purely, the upright creation upon which He originated people there is no changing of the creation of Allah, this is the valuable religion." (Ch.31:30 Qur'an).

Therefore there is in human nature and the testimonies of the Qur'an what will render the task of citing proof unnecessary.

(i-b) The Proof of Reason for His Existence

Nevertheless, by way of preparation and following the example of the learned theologians, we say: One of the obvious logic of the mind is that an originated phenomenon cannot come into existence without a cause. Since the world is an originated phenomenon, it cannot come into existence without a cause.

As for our saying that originated phenomena cannot come into existence without a cause, is obvious. For every originated phenomenon belongs to a certain definite time the precedence or the subsequence of which may be assumed. Its being definite in time and distinct from what preceded it and what succeeded it, will naturally require one who renders things definite.

As to one saying that the world is an originated phenomenon, its proof is found in the fact that bodies are not independent of motion and rest. Both states are originated phenomena; and whatever is not independent of originated things is itself originated.

The proof consists of three claims:

The first is that bodies are not independent of motion and rest. This is readily understood and requires neither meditation nor thinking, for he who conceives of a body being in neither the kinetic state nor in the static state is both ignorant and foolish.