Applying the Al-Qiyās Method when Deliberating the Tablīgh Attribute: An Analysis of the Taqrīb Al-Ikhwān Fī Ta’allum Aqā’id Al-Īmān Scripture

Applying the Al-Qiyās Method when Deliberating the Tablīgh Attribute: An Analysis of the Taqrīb Al-Ikhwān Fī Ta’allum Aqā’id Al-Īmān Scripture

Nur Shazwani Ahmad Fadzli, Engku Ibrahim Engku Wok Zin, Mohd Safri Ali

Fakulti Pengajian Kontemporari Islam (FKI), University Sultan Zainal Abidin (UniSZA), Gong Badak Campus, 21300 Kuala Nerus, Terengganu, Malaysia

DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.47772/IJRISS.2025.908000488

Received: 12 August 2025; Accepted: 18 August 2025; Published: 17 September 2025

ABSTRACT

The tablīgh attribute is a significant topic of discussion in the field of Islamic creed (ʿaqīdah). It refers to the obligation of the Messengers (as) to convey the divine revelations accorded by Allah SWT to His creations without any distortion. Muslim scholars have developed a comprehensive method for identifying religious decrees (dalil) to affirm the mandatory prerequisite for Messengers to possess the tablīgh attribute. This qualitative study aimed to analyse the application of the al-qiyās method in the discourse on the tablīgh attribute based on the Taqrīb al-Ikhwān fī Ta’allum Aqā’id al-Īmān scripture. It focused on analysing the contents of the Taqrīb al-Ikhwān fī Ta’allum Aqā’id al-Īmān scripture, and at the same time analysing other literary works that support the arguments presented in the scripture. The findings reveal that Abdul Qadir Wangah employed the al-qiyās al-iqtirānī al-shartī al-ittiṣālī method based on al-shakl al-awwal to prove that it is mandatory for the Messengers (as) to possess the tablīgh attribute. He also constructed premises (muqaddimah) using sources with a “certainty” (yaqeen) status, namely al-awwaliyyāt and al-mutawātirāt. Hence, the al-qiyās that was adopted falls under the al-qiyās al-burhānī category.

Keywords: Tablīgh attribute, Taqrīb al-Ikhwān fī Ta’allum Aqā’id al-Īmān, Abdul Qadir Wangah, al- Qiyās al-Iqtirānī al-Shartī al-Ittiṣālī, al-Qiyās al-Burhānī

INTRODUCTION

The debate on the attributes of Messengers (as) in Islamic theology is a crucial aspect for understanding their position and role as Messengers of Allah SWT. The tablīgh attribute refers to the obligation of the Messengers (as) to convey all that Allah SWT has accorded to His creations (Nawawi al-Bantani, 1996: 51). An in-depth understanding of this attribute forms the foundation for affirming the perfection of a Prophet and the obligation to accept the revelations conveyed by the Messengers (as). The Taqrīb al-Ikhwān fī Ta’allum Aqā’id al-Īmān scripture is an Islamic theological literature written by Abdul Qadir Wangah, who had adopted textual (naqlī) and rational (‘aqlī) decrees in his scripture to discuss the attributes of perfection attributed to Allah SWT and His Prophets (as). This present study focused exclusively on the tablīgh attribute, as it represents the core value that demonstrates the perfect role of a Prophet as Allah SWT’s Messenger who conveys His revelations, without denying the significance of other attributes. Hence, this study analysed the application of rational (‘aqlī) decrees, mainly using the qiyās (analogical reasoning) method, in efforts to prove that it is mandatory for the Messengers (as) to possess the tablīgh attribute.

A Brief Introduction To The Taqrīb Al-Ikhwān Fī Ta’allum Aqā’id Al-Īmān Scripture ntroduction

The Taqrīb al-Ikhwān fī Ta’allum Aqā’id al-Īmān scripture is a theological treatise written by Abdul Qadir Wangah, a renowned Islamic scholar from Patani who came to prominence in the 20^th century of the Hijrah calendar. This scripture was completed on 10^th June 1959 (3^rd Zulhijjah 1378H) and the date of completion was recorded by Abdul Qadir Wangah on the final page of his treatise (Abdul Qadir Wangah, n.d.). However, details regarding exactly where the scripture was written remains a mystery. Based on the date, it can be inferred that the book was written in Patani and approximately three years after Abdul Qadir Wangah returned from Makkah (Ahmad Fathy, 2013).

According to Azman Abdullah and Engku Ahmad Zaki (2018), this scripture provides an in-depth discussion on the 20 attributes of Allah SWT based on the listing found in the Hāshiyah al-Bājūrī ‘alā Umm al-Barāhīn by Ibrāhīm al-Bājūrī scripture. The scripture is generally divided into four main sections, namely discussions on rational thoughts, customs, and Islamic law, discussions on al-Ilahiyyāt (theology of divinity), discussions on al-Nubuwwāt (theology of the Prophethood) and discussions on the declaration of faith (kalimah al-tawhīd).

The scripture comprises 32 pages and is written in classical Malay using traditional Jawi text. It has also been used as part of the teaching syllabus in mosques, surau, traditional Islamic schools (pondok), and other religious institutions. This present study had utilized a version of the book published by Saudara Press Pattani.

Definition And Concept Of The Tablīgh Attribute In Islam

Tablīgh is one of the mandatory attributes of a Messenger (as). It denotes the mandatory responsibility of Messengers (as) to convey every revelation accorded by Allah SWT without negligence or distortion, as the Messenger (as) is protected from committing sins or errors (Nūh ‘Alī Salmān, 2016). This is exhorted by Allah SWT, as follows:

يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلرَّسُولُ بَلِّغْ مَآ أُنزِلَ إِلَيْكَ مِن رَّبِّكَ ۖ وَإِن لَّمْ تَفْعَلْ فَمَا بَلَّغْتَ رِسَالَتَهُۥ ۚ وَٱللَّهُ يَعْصِمُكَ مِنَ ٱلنَّاسِ ۗ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يَهْدِى ٱلْقَوْمَ ٱلْكَـٰفِرِينَ ٦٧

“O Messenger, announce that which has been revealed to you from your Lord, and if you do not, then you have not conveyed His message. And Allāh will protect you from the people. Indeed, Allāh does not guide the disbelieving people”

(Surah Al-Mai’dah, verse 67)

According to Ahmad al-Fatani (d.u.), revelations by Allah SWT to the Messengers (as) are divided into three categories. First is revelations by Allah SWT that are not preceded by any directive to convey it to His subjects. This means that such revelations are exclusively meant for the Messengers (as) and not to be shared with other subjects. Second is revelations by Allah SWT to the Messengers with the option of either conveying them or not, which implies that it is permissible (harus) for the Messengers (as) to share these revelations. Third, revelations by Allah SWT to the Messengers (as) with an explicit command to convey it to His subjects and it cannot be concealed, which indicates that it is mandatory for the Messengers (as) to convey these revelations to other subjects, and it is forbidden to conceal it.

According to al-Ghazālī (2013), the obligation to convey revelations to other subjects is only assigned to the Messengers (as), while Prophets (as) are not obliged to do so. Wan Ismail Wan Abdul Qadir (d.u.) believed that the Messengers (as) employed several methods to convey the revelations to other subjects, namely involving decisive communication using words, actions indicative of exemplary models, direct dissemination without any intermediary, and through intermediaries. Opposite of the tablīgh (conveyance) attribute is the kitmān attribute, which refers to concealment.

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

This qualitative study adopted the content analysis method for data collection and analysis as it allows for a more detailed and in-depth understanding of the topic being discussed. Content analysis was also used to examine the application of the al-qiyās (analogical reasoning) method in the discourse on the tablīgh attribute, as mentioned in the Taqrīb al-Ikhwān fī Ta’allum Aqā’id al-Īmān scripture. This scripture serves as the primary data source for this study, while other literary works on Islamic theology that support the arguments presented in the scripture acted as the secondary source.

FINDINGS AND DISCUSSIONS

Application of the al-Qiyās Method When Discussing the Tablīgh Attribute: An Analysis of the Taqrīb Al-Ikhwān fi Ta’allum Aqā’id al-Īmān Scripture

Discussions on Islamic creed (aqidah) must be grounded on affirmative arguments and definitive religious decrees (dalil), as creed serves as the foundation for faith (iman) that requires unwavering certainty without any doubt. It also aims to refute all falsehoods and deviations propagated by the adversaries of Islam (Ibn Khaldūn, 2004, p. 2). Islamic scholars have developed detailed methods for presenting religious decrees (dalil), not only based on textual evidence from the al-Qur’an and Hadith but also supported by rational arguments (Rashidi Wahab & Faizul Azmi, 2013). Therefore, the al-qiyās (analogical reasoning) method falls under the rational argumentation category. According to al-Mu’jam al-Arabī al-Asāsī (1989), “al-qiyās” originates from the Arabic word qāsa yaqīsu qaysan, which means “measurement” (qaddara) and “comparison” (muqāranah). Whereas, from the logical terminology perspective, Ibn Sīnā (1938) defined al-qiyās as a statement composed of several premises, whereby when the premises are accepted as true, a new statement would follow.

Abdul Qadir Wangah employed the al-qiyās method in his Taqrīb Al-Ikhwān fi Ta’allum Aqā’id al-Īmān scripture to substantiate his argument that it is mandatory for Messengers (as) to possess the tablīgh attribute. He stated in his book, as follows:

“Dalil tablīgh itu kita pikir seperti dalil amānah dahulu juga kerana jikalau mereka itu menyusut maka tentulah disuruhkan kita dengan menyusut ilmu-ilmu juga kerana mereka cuta dan tauladan bagi kita seperti firmanNya ta’ālā menyuruhkan kita dengan menurut nabi kita SAW وَمَآ ءَاتَىٰكُمُ ٱلرَّسُولُ فَخُذُوهُ وَمَا نَهَىٰكُمْ عَنْهُ فَٱنتَهُوا۟ ertinya apa-apa barang yang mendatangkan kamu oleh rasul maka ambil kamu akan dia dan apa-apa barang yang menegah akan kamu daripadanya maka berhentilah kamu maka keadaanNya ta’ālā menyuruhkan kita dengan menyusut ilmu-ilmu itu bahong”

(Abdul Qadir Wangah, d.u)

Therefore, if the above statement is restructured according to the al-qiyās method, the resulting form will be as follows:

Based on the structure of the al-qiyās above, both premises (muqaddimah) are structured from qadiyyah shartiyyah muttaṣilah without any exclusionary clauses. From the al-sūrah perspective, al-qiyās falls under the al-qiyās al-iqtirānī al-shartī al-ittiṣālī category. In this type of qiyās, the natijah (conclusion) is explicitly stated as al-quwwah, meaning that the eventual natijah (conclusion) is derived from the combination of two distinct premises (muqaddimah) (‘Abd al-Salām Muhammad ‘Abduh, 1979). The conclusion, which is, “If the Prophets (as) were to conceal knowledge, then this is false”, is a new outcome obtained by combining the two premises (muqaddimah).

The phrase, “If the Prophets (as) were to conceal knowledge”, functions as the minor term (al-hadd al-asghar), derived from the muqaddimah al-sughrā, while the phrase, “then this is false”, functions as the major term (al-hadd al-akbar), derived from the muqaddimah al-kubrā and the phrase, “we would be directed to conceal knowledge”, acts as the middle term (al-hadd al-awsaṭ), then this connects the muqaddimah al-sughrā and muqaddimah al-kubrā.

The minor term (al-hadd al-asghar) serves as the antecedent (muqaddam), while the major term (al-hadd al-akbar) serves as the consequence (tālī) of the conclusion (al-Kati, 2015, p. 88). In addition, this qiyās utilizes the first figure (al-shakl al-awwal), as the middle term acts as the predicate in the muqaddimah al-sughrā, while the subject in the muqaddimah al-kubrā (al-Damanhurī, 2013).

Abdul Qadir Wangah also formed the premises using definitive sources (yaqiniyyāt). In muqaddimah al-sughrā, he employed sources from al-awwaliyyāt. According to Muhyī al-Dīn al-Ṣāfī (d.u.), al-awwaliyyāt refers to statements judged solely through reasoning without using any intermediary. Thus, reason dictates that if Allah SWT had appointed a Prophet (as) who lacked the tablīgh attribute, then it would be logical to assume that His subjects would not be  directed to convey knowledge. This is because the Prophets (as) pose as role models for all of humanity, as exhorted by Allah SWT, as follows:

مَّآ أَفَآءَ ٱللَّهُ عَلَىٰ رَسُولِهِۦ مِنْ أَهْلِ ٱلْقُرَىٰ فَلِلَّهِ وَلِلرَّسُولِ وَلِذِى ٱلْقُرْبَىٰ وَٱلْيَتَـٰمَىٰ وَٱلْمَسَـٰكِينِ وَٱبْنِ ٱلسَّبِيلِ كَىْ لَا يَكُونَ دُولَةًۢ بَيْنَ ٱلْأَغْنِيَآءِ مِنكُمْ ۚ وَمَآ ءَاتَىٰكُمُ ٱلرَّسُولُ فَخُذُوهُ وَمَا نَهَىٰكُمْ عَنْهُ فَٱنتَهُوا۟ ۚ وَٱتَّقُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ ۖ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ شَدِيدُ ٱلْعِقَابِ ٧

“And what Allāh restored to His Messenger from the people of the towns – it is for Allāh and for the Messenger and for [his] near relatives¹ and orphans and the needy and the [stranded] traveler² – so that it will not be a perpetual distribution among the rich from among you. And whatever the Messenger has given you – take; and what he has forbidden you – refrain from. And fear Allāh; indeed, Allāh is severe in penalty”.

(Surah Al-Hashr verse 7)

In the muqaddimah al-kubrā (major premise), Abdul Qadir Wangah used sources derived from al-mutawātirāt, namely pertaining to statements affirmed through rational reasoning based on information transmitted by numerous people, which otherwise would be  impossible for them to conspire on a particular falsehood (Muhyī al-Dīn al-Ṣāfī, n.d.). This muqaddimah (premise) was constructed based on Allah SWT’s command in the al-Qur’an that prohibits His servants from concealing knowledge, which is as follows:

إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ يَكْتُمُونَ مَآ أَنزَلْنَا مِنَ ٱلْبَيِّنَـٰتِ وَٱلْهُدَىٰ مِنۢ بَعْدِ مَا بَيَّنَّـٰهُ لِلنَّاسِ فِى ٱلْكِتَـٰبِ ۙ أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ يَلْعَنُهُمُ ٱللَّهُ وَيَلْعَنُهُمُ ٱللَّـٰعِنُونَ ١٥٩

“Indeed, those who conceal what We sent down of clear proofs and guidance after We made it clear for the people in the Scripture—those are cursed by Allah and cursed by those who curse”.

(Surah Al-Baqarah, verse 159)

This verse explicitly prohibits the act of concealing knowledge. Furthermore, such an act contradicts the wisdom behind the sending of Prophets (as), which is to convey and propagate knowledge (al-Ghazālī, 2003). Hence, al-qiyās falls under the al-qiyās al-burhānī category. Consequently, the conclusion derived from using the al-qiyās method is true and consistent with the exhortations of Allah SWT, as follows:

يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلرَّسُولُ بَلِّغْ مَآ أُنزِلَ إِلَيْكَ مِن رَّبِّكَ ۖ وَإِن لَّمْ تَفْعَلْ فَمَا بَلَّغْتَ رِسَالَتَهُۥ ۚ وَٱللَّهُ يَعْصِمُكَ مِنَ ٱلنَّاسِ ۗ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يَهْدِى ٱلْقَوْمَ ٱلْكَـٰفِرِينَ ٦٧

“O Messenger, announce that which has been revealed to you from your Lord, and if you do not, then you have not conveyed His message. And Allāh will protect you from the people. Indeed, Allāh does not guide the disbelieving people”

(Surah al-Ma’idah, verse 67)

CONCLUSION

The tablīgh attribute is a mandatory attribute that should be possessed by all the Messengers (as) and affirmed by every legally responsible or accountable person (mukallaf). This attribute demonstrates that every message conveyed by the Messengers (as) is a divine revelation from Allah SWT. Therefore, it must be based on religious decrees (dalil) that are definitive and qat’ī. Abdul Qadir Wangah, in his scripture Taqrīb Al-Ikhwān fi Ta’allum Aqā’id al-Īmān, had presented a rational argument (hujah aqlī) based on the al-qiyās method to refute the notion that the Messengers (as) possessed the kitmān (concealing one’s beliefs or revelations from others) attribute. As for the al-sūrah aspect, he employed al-qiyās al-iqtirānī al-shartī al-ittiṣālī based on al-shakl al-awwal. Whereas for the al-maddah aspect, he used al-qiyās al-burhānī, as the muqaddimah (premise) was constructed using sources of definitive certainty, namely al-awwaliyyāt and al-mutawātirāt. The arguments presented align perfectly with Qur’anic texts, thus, underscoring the mandatory nature of the Messengers (as) who possess the tablīgh attribute that aids them in their duty to convey the divine revelation to all of humanity.

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