Sergeant

Allah sent Ibrahim [ﷺ] as the Messenger to teach the Chaldeans, Assyrians and the Babylonians that worshipping the celestial bodies was wrong.

Allah said: And (remember) when Ibrahim (Abraham) said to his father Azar: “Do you take idols as aliha (gods)? Verily, I see you and your people in manifest error. Thus did we show Ibrahim (Abraham) the kingdom of the heavens and the earth that he is one of those who has Faith with certainty. When the night covered him over with darkness he saw a star. He said: “This is my lord.” But when it set, he said: “I like not those that set.”[6:74-76]

Allah doesn’t set or is covered with his darkness, nor do His signs disappear from His servants.

Allah said: When he saw the moon rising up.” in the East Ibrahim[ﷺ ]said: “ “This is my lord.” The Moon is bigger and brighter than the stars. However when the moon set Ibrahim said: ““Unless my Lord guides me, shall surely be among the erring people.”[6:77]

When the Moon set he realized that it was just like the rest of the stars. During that time the erring people were those who worship the brightest celestial body in the sky

Allah said: When he saw the sun rising up, he said: “This is my lord. This is greater.”[6:78]. The sun in his mind at that time was greater than the Moon and planets.

Allah said: But when it set, he said: “O my people! I am indeed free from all that you join as partners in worship with Allah.[6:79]

The Chaldeans, Assyrians and the Babylonians used to worship the planets, the stars, the sun, and the moon. They believed that these celestial beings were responsible for driving the forces of this earth. Those people during that time excelled greatly in Astronomy. They would draw closer to the cosmic universe with sacrifices and supplications. This resulted in the practice of Astrology and Zodiac signs being done. This practice was rampant around the World with Ibrahim’s nation.

Allah appointed Ibrahim as the Messenger to teach his people that worshipping the celestial bodies wasn’t correct and that they only moved as Allah willed. They were non- living beings, without intellect, or the ability manage and govern affairs. These cosmic beings rise and set at Allah’s commands. Allah is the One who moves everything in this Universe. Ibrahim used the proof that these bodies in the sky set as a result of Allah’s Might. Therefore they shouldn’t be worshipped or prayed to, or have sacrifices made to them. Ibrahim established this publicly in the pure call to Tawheed.

Allah said: Verily, I have turned my face towards Him Who has created the heavens and the earth Hanifa (Islamic Monotheism, i.e. worshipping none but Allah Alone) and I am not of Al-Mushrikun [6:79]

Allah said: He said: “Do you observe that which you have been worshipping,”You and your ancient fathers?. “Verily! They are enemies to me, save the Lord of the ‘Alamin (mankind, jinns and all that exists);. “Who has created me, and it is He Who guides me;. “And it is He Who feeds me and gives me to drink.. “And when I am ill, it is He who cures me; “And Who will cause me to die, and then will bring me to life (again);”And Who, I hope will forgive me my faults on the Day of Recompense, (the Day of Resurrection),”. My Lord! Bestow Hukman (religious knowledge, right judgment of the affairs and Prophethood) on me, and join me with the righteous.[26:75-83]

Free from shirk, misguidance and the worshipping of the creation; Sun, Moon, stars and the planets.Were the polytheists quiet after Ibrahim destroyed their falsehood? No !

Allah said: His people disputed with him[ 6:80] they argued with him defending their shirk and turning away from the upright religion of Tawheed.

Ibrahim said: Do you dispute with me concerning Allah[6:80] about Tawheed-singling Allah alone in worship.

Ibrahim said: He has guided me[6:80] to Tawheed.

Allah mentioned Ibrahim said: and I fear not those whom you associate with Allah in worship.[6:80] They tried to incite fear into Ibrahim when he turned away from the things they worshipped.

Allah said that Ibrahim said: except when my Lord (Allah) wills something.[6:80] If anything happens to me then it’s not a result of your deities, non-living beings which have no intellect and can’t do anything. If anything happens then it’s because my Lord willed it and wanted it to happen.

Allah said Ibrahim told them: “My Lord comprehends in His Knowledge all things. Will you not then remember?[6:80] Allah created the World and does what He wills and for something to exists He simply says: Be and it exists. Allah has the strength over his servants and not the other way around.

“And how should I fear those whom you associate in worship with Allah”[6:81] meaning those non-living creatures and celestial bodies which don’t control their own lives, not to mention someone else’s.

Praise be to Allaah.
The sources of Islam on which all beliefs, principles and rulings are based are represented by the two Revelations: the Qur’aan and Sunnah. This is what is implied by Islam being a divinely-revealed religion: its pillars are based on infallible texts that were sent down from heaven, which are represented in the verses of the Holy Qur’aan and the texts of the saheeh Prophetic Sunnah.

Imam al-Shaafa’i (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:

No view is binding unless it is based on the Book of Allaah or the Sunnah of His Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). Everything other than them should be based on them. End quote.

Jimaa’ al-‘Ilm.

From these two sources the scholars derived other principles on which rulings may be based. Some scholars called them the sources of sharee’ah or the sources of Islamic legislation. They are: ijmaa’ (scholarly consensus) and qiyaas (analogy).

Imam al-Shaafa’i (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: No one has any right whatsoever to say that something is halaal or haraam except on the basis of knowledge, and the basis of knowledge is a text in the Qur’aan or Sunnah, or ijmaa’ (scholarly consensus) or qiyaas (analogy). End quote.

Al-Risaalah (39).

Ibn Taymiyah (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:

If we say Qur’aan, Sunnah and ijmaa’, they all stem from the same source, because the Messenger agrees with everything that is in the Qur’aan, and the ummah is unanimously agreed upon it in general. There is no one among the believers who does not believe it is obligatory to follow the Book. And everything that the Prophet enjoined in his Sunnah, the Qur’aan obliged us to follow it. So the believers are unanimously agreed upon that, and everything on which the Muslims are unanimously agreed can only be true and in accordance with what is in the Qur’aan and Sunnah. End quote.

Majmoo’ al-Fataawa (7/40).

Praise be to Allaah.

Allaah has commanded us to refer matters to His judgement and to establish Sharee‘ah, and He has forbidden us to rule with anything else, as is clear from a number of aayaat in the Qur’aan, such as the aayaat in Soorat al-Maa’idah (5) which discuss ruling according to what Allaah has revealed, and mention the following topics:

The command to rule according to what Allaah has revealed: “And so judge between them by what Allaah has revealed . . .” [aayah 49]

Warning against ruling by other than what Allaah has revealed: “. . . and follow not their vain desires . . .” [aayah 49]

Warning against compromising on any detail of Sharee‘ah, no matter how small: “. . . but beware of them lest they turn you far away from some of that which Allaah has sent down to you . . .” [aayah 49]

Forbidding seeking the ruling of jaahiliyyah, as is expressed in the rhetorical question “Do they then seek the judgement of (the Days of) Ignorance?” [aayah 50]

The statement that nobody is better than Allaah to judge: “. . . and who is better in judgement than Allaah for a people who have firm Faith?” [aayah 50]

The statement that whoever does not judge according to what Allaah revealed is a kaafir, a zaalim (oppressor or wrongdoer) and a faasiq (sinner), as Allaah says: “. . . And whoever does not judge by what Allaah has revealed, such are the kaafiroon.” [aayah 44]; “. . . And whoever does not judge by that which Allaah has revealed, such are the zaalimoon (polytheists and wrongdoers)” [aayah 45]; “. . . And whoever does not judge by what Allaah has revealed (then) such (people) are the faasiqoon (rebellious or disobedient).” [aayah 47].

The statement that it is obligatory for the Muslims to judge according to what Allaah has revealed, even if those who seek their judgement are not Muslim, as Allaah says: “. . . And if you judge, judge with justice between them. . .” [aayah 42]

Judging or ruling according to other than what Allaah has revealed is contrary to faith and Tawheed, which are Allaah’s rights. It may be counted as kufr akbar (greater kufr) or kufr asghar (lesser kufr) according to circumstances. Kufr akbar will make a person no longer a Muslim in cases such as the following:

If he issues laws and regulations other than those revealed by Allaah, because the right to issue laws belongs to Allaah alone, Who has no partner, and whoever “competes” with Him in a matter which is His alone is a mushrik, because Allaah says: “Or have they partners with Allaah (false gods), who have instituted for them a religion which Allaah has not allowed?” [al-Shooraa 42:21]

If the one who rules by other than that which Allaah has revealed denies the right of Allaah and His Prophet to rule, as is mentioned in Ibn ‘Abbaas’s comment on the aayah:“. . . And whoever does not judge by what Allaah has revealed, such are the kaafiroon.” [al-Maa’idah 5:44]. Ibn ‘Abbaas said: “Whoever rejects what Allaah has revealed is a kaafir.”

If he prefers the rule of falsehood to the rule of Allaah, whether this is in absolute terms or just in a few matters. Allaah says: “Do they then seek the judgement of (the Days of) Ignorance? And who is better in judgement than Allaah for a people who have firm Faith?” [al-Maa’idah 5:50]

If he regards the rule of Allaah and the rule of falsehood as equal. Allaah says: “. . . Then do not set up rivals unto Allaah (in worship) while you know (that He Alone has the right to be worshipped).” [al-Baqarah 2:22]

If he thinks that it is permissible to rule by something that contradicts the rule of Allaah and His Messenger, or he believes that it is not obligatory to rule according to what Allaah has revealed, or that the matter is optional. This is kufr which is contradictory to faith. Allaah revealed: “O Messenger! Let not those who hurry to fall into disbelief grieve you, of such who say: ‘We believe’ with their mouths but their hearts have no faith. And of the Jews are men who listen much and eagerly to lies - listen to others who have not come to you; they say, ‘If you are given this, take it, but if you are not given this, then beware!’ . . .” [al-Maa’idah 5:41]. He says: “Go to Muhammad (peace be upon him), and if he tells you that the ruling is lashes, accept it, but if he commands stoning, ignore what he says. Then Allaah revealed “. . . And whoever does not judge by what Allaah has revealed, such are the kaafiroon (disbelievers)” [al-Maa’idah 5:44].

Details: https://islamqa.info/en/974