THE SUNNI PATH

Allâhu ta'âlâ, having mercy upon all people on the earth, creates useful things and sends them to us. In the Hereafter, He will forgive those guilty Believers who are to go to Hell, and will bring them to Paradise. He alone creates every living creature, keeps every being in existence every moment, and protects all against fear and horror. Trusting myself to the honourable name of Allâhu ta'âlâ I begin to write this book.
Hamd'" be to Allâhu ta'âlâ. Peace and blessings be on Rasûlullah, the Prophet Muhammad sall-Allâhu 'alaihi wa sallam'. Benedictions be over his pure Ahl al-Bait and over all his just and devoted companions radiy-Allâhu ta'âlâ 'anhum ajma'în'.
The saying that goes, "This is a world of struggles," should not be looked on as a trite remark. We have been plodding along in a life beset with a variety of struggles; we struggle against natural forces, such as sweltering weather in summer and snowy winter, against the tricks and slanders of wicked and irreligious people, who attack us with all their psychological weaponry and material warfare. The first requirement to be fulfilled for waging a struggle against the enemy is to acquire extensive knowledge about the enemy. Otherwise, a venture undertaken to defend ourselves may turn out to be an injury inflicted on our neighbours and friends.
Things needed for a comfortable life are called mal (property) or mulk (possession). Everything from thread and needle to a house or an apartment house is property. Allâhu ta'alâ has given some people and communities permission to use certain items of property. These items of property and a man's wife, children, neighbours and relatives are offerings that he may avail himself of. Everybody uses their property and possessions as much as Allâhu ta'âla permits them to. It is never permissible to use them more than that or to use someone else's property. There is a widely-known saying that goes: "Do not be proud of your property, and do not ever claim to be peerless. An adverse wind may blow, and like winnowing grain, carry away all you possess." Property and possessions earned by harâm (forbidden) ways are called dunyâ (world). Dunya consists of harâms and makrühs and is harmful. Various books have various accounts of whether something is useful or harmful. The most correct distinction is the one drawn by Allâhu ta'âlâ.
Allâhu ta'âlâ's commandments are called farz(es), and His prohibitions are termed harâms. The Prophet's commandments are called sunnats, and his prohibitions are called makrûhs. These four things, en masse, are called Islam. The symptom of imân's existence in a heart is its liking and accepting the Ahkâm-i-islâmiyya (Islam's commandments and prohibitions). Denial of a single sunnat causes the denier to lose his (or her) mân and to become a kâfir (unbeliever, disbeliever). A person who has imân and yet who disobeys an Islamic rule, (i.e. a commandment or a prohibition,) becomes (a) fâsiq (Muslim). It is sinful to disobey Islam. A kâfir will be burned eternally in Hell, whereas a fasig Muslim will be burned as much (and as long) as he (or she) deserves on account of their sin(s), and thereafter they will be taken to Paradise. A person who both has mân and obeys Islam is called as sâlih slave (qul). (The feminine form of sâlih is sâliha.) A person who lives in mountains or wildernesses and who is therefore unaware of Islam will not become a kâfir or a fâsig Muslim. Such people will not go to Paradise or Hell after being called to account on the Day of Judgment. Like animals, they will be annihilated. Islam, one of the heavenly religions, is a great blessing which causes great felicity. People who do not appreciate the value of this blessing shall pay for it.