conviction that whatever their meanings may be, they are correct. And this is the best way of looking at these things. Alternatively, we could give them some appropriate meaning with which we could get an understanding of them.
 

8. Whatever good or evil that takes place in the world, Allâh Ta'âla knows of it from eternity; and according to His knowledge He brings it into existence. This is what is meant by taqdir (pre-destination). There is a lot of mysterious wisdom in creating even evil things. Everyone is not aware of this wisdom.
9. Allâh Ta'âla has given man an understanding and the power of choice with which he chooses between good and evil. However, man does not have the power to bring anything into existence of his own accord. Allâh Ta'âla is pleased with good deeds and displeased with evil deeds.
10. Allâh Ta'âla has not ordered man to do anything which is beyond his power.
11. Allâh Ta'âla is not bound by anything. Whatever mercy He shows is solely out of His kindness and virtue.
 

Beliefs concerning the Prophets

1. Allâh Ta'âla has sent down many prophets to guide mankind onto the right path. They are all free from sins. Their actual number is known to Allâh alone. In order to establish their truthfulness, Allâh caused new and difficult acts to happen through them which others cannot do. Such acts are called miracles (mu'jizât). The first prophet is âdam alayhis salâm and the last is Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa sallam. All the others came in between these two. Some of them are famous, such as: Nuh alayhis salâm, Ibrahim alayhis salâm, Is'hâq alayhis salâm, Ismail alayhis salâm, Yaqub alayhis salâm, Yusuf alayhis salâm, Daud alayhis salâm, Sulayman alayhis salâm, Ayyub alayhis salâm, Musa alayhis salâm, Harun alayhis salâm, Zakariyyah alayhis salâm, Yahya alayhis salâm, Isa alayhis salâm, Ilyas alayhis salâm, al-Yasa' alayhis salâm, Yunus alayhis salâm, Lut alayhis salâm, Idris alayhis salâm, Zul Kifl alayhis salâm, Salih alayhis salâm, Hud alayhis salâm, and Shuayb alayhis salâm.
 

2. Allâh Ta'âla did not show the exact number of prophets to anyone. We should therefore have this belief that we have faith in all the prophets that Allâh sent down; those that we know of and those that we do not know of as well.
 

3. The status of some prophets is higher than that of others. The highest status is that of our Prophet Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa sallam. No new prophet can come after him. He is the prophet of all mankind and jinn right until the day of Qiyamat.
 

4. Allâh Ta'âla took our Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam physically while he was awake, from Makkah to Baitul Maqdis, and from there to the seven heavens, and from there to wherever Allâh wanted. He then sent him back to Makkah. This journey is known as the Mi'raj.

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