Islamic Creed Based on Qur'an and Sunnah

Zino

• Publisher: Qadeem Press
• Year: 2025
• Print ISBN: 9789394770973
• eBook ISBN: 9789366087887
• Edition: 2
• Topic: Theology & Religion
• Subtopic: Islamic Theology

A Comprehensive Guide to Islamic Theology Through Question and Answer

Islamic Creed Based on Qur'an and Sunnah represents a systematic presentation of Islamic theological principles organized around direct questions and evidence-based answers. Written by Muhammad Bin Jamil Zino, a respected teacher at Darul Hadith Al Khairiya in Makkah Al Mukarramah, this work provides readers with accessible entry into complex doctrinal concepts that form the foundation of Islamic faith.

The question-and-answer format reflects a pedagogical tradition extending throughout Islamic intellectual history. This methodology allows readers to locate specific topics quickly while building comprehensive understanding through cumulative learning. Each section addresses fundamental questions that Muslims and students of Islam naturally ask: What is Islam? Why did Allah create humanity? What constitutes proper worship? What practices contradict Islamic monotheism? How should Muslims apply Qur'anic teachings and prophetic traditions in daily life?

The Foundational Framework

The work opens with the Pillars of Islam and Faith, establishing the theological and practical foundations of Muslim life. Readers encounter the Five Pillars of Islam—testimony of faith, prayer, charity, fasting, and pilgrimage—alongside the Six Pillars of Faith: belief in Allah, His angels, His books, His messengers, the Last Day, and divine decree. These foundational concepts receive detailed exposition with complete Qur'anic and prophetic support, enabling readers to understand not merely what Muslims believe but why these beliefs matter and how they derive from Islamic sources.

The discussion of Tawhid (Divine Unity) forms the work's theological core. Shaykh Zino explains the three categories of monotheism recognized in Islamic theology: Tawhid Ar-Rubūbiya (affirming Allah's unique role as Creator and Sustainer), Tawhid Al-Ulūhiya (directing all worship exclusively to Allah), and Tawhid Al-Asmā Was-Sifāt (affirming Allah's Names and Attributes as He describes them without distortion, comparison, or denial). This tripartite framework provides readers with sophisticated theological vocabulary for understanding Islamic conceptions of God.

Understanding and Avoiding Shirk

A substantial portion of the work addresses shirk (polytheism)—the gravest sin in Islamic theology. Shaykh Zino distinguishes between major shirk (shirk akbar), which nullifies faith, and minor shirk (shirk asghar), which severely damages it without necessarily removing one from Islam. Major shirk includes practices like supplicating to the dead, seeking help from those who are absent, consulting fortune-tellers, believing others share in Allah's knowledge of the unseen, and sacrificing in names other than Allah's.

The author provides extensive practical guidance on recognizing polytheistic practices that sometimes persist in Muslim communities despite contradicting fundamental Islamic teachings. He examines beliefs and practices including veneration of graves beyond permitted limits, attributing supernatural powers to created things, wearing amulets for protection, swearing oaths by other than Allah, and seeking intercession through improper means. Each discussion includes clear evidence from Qur'an and Sunnah explaining why these practices contradict Islamic monotheism.

Minor shirk receives equally careful treatment. The author explains practices like performing worship to be seen by others (riya), swearing casual oaths by created things, and using phrases that linguistically associate partners with Allah's will. While less severe than major shirk, these actions demonstrate inadequate consciousness of Tawhid and require correction.

Proper Understanding of Intercession

The section on intercession (shafa'ah) addresses widespread confusion among Muslims regarding permissible and forbidden forms. Shaykh Zino clarifies that proper intercession involves supplicating to Allah alone using His Names and Attributes, mentioning righteous deeds when making supplication, and requesting prayers from living righteous people. Forbidden intercession includes directing supplications to deceased prophets or saints, believing deceased individuals can directly grant requests, and thinking Allah requires human intermediaries to hear prayers.

The author carefully explains the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ intercessory role on the Day of Judgment while clarifying that during earthly life, Muslims direct all supplications to Allah alone. This balanced approach avoids both excessive veneration that leads to shirk and insufficient respect that fails to honor the Prophet's unique status.

Contemporary Applications

The work addresses modern challenges facing Muslims with practical wisdom grounded in Islamic sources. The section on jihad, walā, and hukm examines the status of striving in Allah's cause (understood broadly to include armed defense, personal struggle against evil, da'wah, and supporting truth with wealth and speech), proper understanding of loyalty to fellow believers, appropriate relationships with non-Muslims, and the obligation to govern by Islamic law.

These discussions avoid both apologetic defensiveness and polemical aggression, instead presenting Islamic teachings on these sensitive topics as Muslims understand them from scriptural sources. The author addresses questions about the applicability of Shari'ah, the prohibition against judging by other than Allah's revelation, and the conditions under which Muslims achieve divine support and worldly success.

The Qur'an and Sunnah as Sources

An entire section examines the indispensability of both Qur'an and Sunnah for understanding Islam. Shaykh Zino refutes claims that the Qur'an alone suffices without prophetic traditions, presenting evidence that the Sunnah functions as divinely inspired explanation of the Qur'an's meaning and application. He emphasizes that both sources must take priority over all other opinions, whether from scholars, school founders, or cultural traditions.

The author provides guidance on resolving religious differences: refer disputed matters to Qur'an and Sunnah, follow authenticated evidence regardless of who presents it, and avoid prioritizing human opinions over divine revelation. This section equips readers with principled methodology for navigating disagreements among Muslims.

Innovation in Religious Practice

The treatment of bid'ah (innovation) distinguishes between worldly innovations (permissible and sometimes praiseworthy) and religious innovations (categorically forbidden). Shaykh Zino explains that since Islam is complete and perfect, adding new acts of worship or altering prescribed practices constitutes implicit rejection of Islamic completeness. He categorizes innovations by severity: those amounting to disbelief, those absolutely forbidden, and those merely disapproved.

The concept of Sunnah Hasanah (good practice) receives clarification—it refers to reviving or practically implementing teachings already established in Islam, not creating new religious practices. This distinction helps readers understand that while adapting means for achieving Islamic objectives is permissible, inventing new forms of worship is not.

Practical Supplications

The final section presents powerful supplications taught by the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, including the comprehensive prayer for relief from grief and anxiety, and the supplication of Prophet Yunus (Jonah) while in the whale's belly. These practical elements demonstrate how theological knowledge translates into spiritual practice, providing readers with authentic formulas for seeking Allah's help during difficulties.

Pedagogical Excellence

Throughout the work, Shaykh Zino maintains exceptional pedagogical clarity. Arabic texts of Qur'anic verses and hadith appear alongside transliteration and translation, allowing readers without Arabic proficiency to engage with original sources. Complete source citations enable verification of every claim. The systematic organization allows use as both cover-to-cover reading and quick reference guide.

This work serves diverse audiences: students building foundational knowledge, teachers seeking a reliable textbook, new Muslims learning their faith's theology, scholars referencing orthodox Sunni positions, and interfaith participants understanding Islamic self-understanding. Its evidence-based approach, accessible format, and comprehensive coverage make it an invaluable resource for anyone seeking authentic knowledge of Islamic creed as Muslims themselves articulate it.

Table of contents

• I. The Pillars of Islâm
• II. The Pillars of Faith
• III. Human beings' duty to Allah
• IV. Forms and benefits of Tauhid
• V. Conditions for Allah's acceptance of our deeds
• VI. Major shirk (Shirk Akbar) and its manifestations
• VII. Types of major Shirk (Shirk Akbar)
• VIII. Minor Shirk (Shirk Asghar)
• IX. Intercession
• X. Jihad (fighting), Walā (loyalty), and Hukm (rule)
• XI. Living according to the Qur'an and Hadith.
• XIII. The prayer (Invocation) which is answered.
• Endnotes