Page 55 - The Importance of the Ahl Al-Sunnah

ADNAN OKTAR

his elevated status in Paradise is known as al-Maqam al-
Mahmud (the Praised Station).” (Omer Nasuhi Bilmen,
The Great Islamic Catechism, p. 33)

7) Belief in Destiny
The Ahl al-Sunnah wal Jama‘ah believe in the good and evil of
destiny. There are two degrees of belief in destiny:
The first degree is that Allah (swt) is fully aware of what
every member of creation has done and will do. He knows
their obedience and their rebellion before they ever take
place. Almighty Allah (swt) has written the destiny of all that
exists on al-Lawh al-Mahfuz (the Preserved Tablet). A person’s
destiny is brought to him by an angel while he is still in an
embryonic form, before his soul has been breathed into him.
The second one is that Allah’s (swt) will is superior to that of
human beings. No one can be a believer or an unbeliever
unless Allah (swt) wills it to be so. Muslims must be very sensi-
tive on this subject.

8) The Ahl al-Qiblah Cannot Be
Excommunicated (Takfir) Due to Sinning
Someone adhering to the Ahl al-Sunnah’s convictions does
not excommunicate another believer who prays in the same
direction (qiblah) as he does or claim that such a person is an
unbeliever. Kharijism, Islamic history’s first heretical move-
ment, produced its first corruption (fitnah) on this very sub-
ject.
No matter how many good works someone who has lapsed
into denial may perform, he will not benefit from them.
Similarly, no matter how many sins a Muslim may commit, he
cannot be considered a denier until he says that what is actual-
ly allowed is prohibited and that what is actually prohibited is
53