Imaam Ibn Qudaamah Al-Maqdisi rahimahullaah Said:
Know verily that, the true meaning and understanding of the text has been changed and substituted with different meanings that contradict the understanding of the pious predecessors.
Among those words that their true meaning has been changed and substituted with different meaning are;
♦ Al-I’lm.
In the first generation of Muslims, the word ‘Ilm’ meant knowledge that has to do with knowing Allah Ta’ala, His signs, His blessings and His actions towards His servants. But this encompassing meaning of knowledge was now restricted to simply knowing the Masaail of fiqh. By this understanding, even one that does not know Tafsir and Hadith is still labelled as an ‘Aalim as far as he knows about the Masaail of fiqh.
♦ At-Tawhid.
The word At-Tawhid means for one to believe that Allah controls everything without depending mainly on the As’baab (means through which things are achieved). Having such a belief makes one to have tawakkul and to be pleased with Allah in what He decreed.
However, presently, the meaning of Tawhid is now derived from the understanding of the Mutakallimin in Al-usul and this method of deriving the meaning of tawhid through ‘Ilmu Al-kalaam is highly disliked by the pious predecessor.
♦ At-Tadhkir and Adh-Dhikr.
At-tadhkir is the remembrance of Allah and His signs.
Allah says;
“وَذَكِّرْ فَإِنَّ الذِّكْرَىٰ تَنفَعُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ
Teach the Message, for teaching benefits the Believers.”
Surah Adh-Dhariyat, Verse 55
Nowadays, Dhikr of Allah has been changed with false stories and sitting in a gathering where fables and tales are narrated instead of sitting where the name of Allah is remembered and mentioned.
Verily, one who busy himself with narrating tales of the past generation should know that the authenticity of such stories are not established. Thus, narrating such tales causes more calamities to the people than solution.
This is because it contains things that can trigger the shahawaat of the people and this will lead to great destruction in the society.
♦ Al-Hikmah.
Hikmah (wisdom) is to have sound knowledge and to work with the knowledge in order to earn the pleasure of Allah.
Ibn Qutaybah rahimahullah was reported to have said:
” A man will not be a wise person except he has combined both sound knowledge and action with the knowledge he has acquired”
But this true meaning of wisdom has been changed and substituted with knowledge about the worldly matters like one who is a doctor or an astronomer.
And unfortunately, the doctors and the astronomers are the ones that are called the wise people in this era of ours.
Allaahu A’alam
Baarakallaahu feekum
