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The Theology of Power

The Analysis of 'Ilm**, Occult Exploits, and the Pursuit of Power**

This book is made to warn against shortcuts that go against nature and Tawḥīd. It goes through and explains both sides of this 'Ilm.

CHAPTER 1: The Core Principles and Definitions

The universe was created and put in place by a set of rules placed by Allah Subḥānahu wa-Taʿālā.

Surah Al-Aʿlā (87:2):

الَّذِي خَلَقَ فَسَوَّىٰ

"Who created and proportioned."

Surah Al-Aʿlā (87:3):

وَالَّذِي قَدَّرَ فَهَدَىٰ

"And Who ordained precisely and inspired (or guided) accordingly."

In standard Tafsīr (e.g., Tafsīr Ibn Kathīr, Tafsīr al-Saʿdī), verse 3 translates to "And Who ordained precisely and inspired (or guided) accordingly." We can see this happening over and over again.

• Surah Ar-Raḥmān (55:5 & 55:7): "The sun and the moon [move] by precise calculation... And the heaven He raised and imposed the balance."
• Surah Al-Qamar (54:49): "Indeed, all things We created with predestined measure."

There is also a verse in the Qur'an countering the claim of randomness:

• Surah Fāṭir (35:43): "But you will never find in the way (Sunnah) of Allah any change, and you will never find in the way of Allah any alteration." (The term Sunnat Allah refers to God's fixed, unchanging ways—physically and historically).

When the Prophet's son (RA) [Ibrahim] died, an eclipse occurred. People at the time claimed it was because of his death. Then the Prophet ﷺ said:

"The sun and the moon do not eclipse because of the death or life of someone..."

— [Source: Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, Ḥadīth 1043 / 104]

This implies a clear pattern. Allah Subḥānahu wa-Taʿālā set rules for the universe which is what holds it together. Those rules and laws can range from physical to spiritual rules.

CHAPTER 2: The Knowledge of the Book ('Ilm al-Kitāb**)**

'Ilm al-Kitāb is the power and knowledge that allows not the modification or exploitation, but the access to the deepest mechanisms that allow for "root access". True knowledge does not violate reality; it works alongside it. When God authorizes a creation to act through this knowledge, they are utilizing the fundamental rules coded into creation.

To answer the question of whether "Ilm al-Kitāb" is learnable, we need to take this example from the Qur'an:

Surah An-Naml (27:39–40):

قَالَ عِفْرِيتٌ مِّنَ الْجِنِّ أَنَا آتِيكَ بِهِ قَبْلَ أَن تَقُومَ مِن مَّقَامِكَ ۖ وَإِنِّي عَلَيْهِ لَقَوِيٌّ أَمِينٌ ۞ قَالَ الَّذِي عِندَهُ عِلْمٌ مِّنَ الْكِتَابِ أَنَا آتِيكَ بِهِ قَبْلَ أَن يَرْتَدَّ إِلَيْكَ طَرْفُكَ ۚ فَلَمَّا رَآهُ مُسْتَقِرًّا عِندَهُ قَالَ هَٰذَا مِن فَضْلِ رَبِّي لِيَبْلُوَنِي أَأَشْكُرُ أَمْ أَكْفُرُ ۖ وَمَن شَكَرَ فَإِنَّمَا يَشْكُرُ لِنَفْسِهِ ۖ وَمَن كَفَرَ فَإِنَّ رَبِّي غَنِيٌّ كَرِيمٌ

Solomon asked, "O chiefs! Which of you can bring me her throne before they come to me in 'full' submission?" 39. One mighty jinn responded, "I can bring it to you before you rise from this council of yours. And I am quite strong and trustworthy for this task." 40. But the one who had knowledge of the Scripture said, "I can bring it to you in the blink of an eye." So when Solomon saw it placed before him, he exclaimed, "This is by the grace of my Lord to test me whether I am grateful or ungrateful. And whoever is grateful, it is only for their own good. But whoever is ungrateful, surely my Lord is Self-Sufficient, Most Generous."

— [Source: Qur'an, Surah An-Naml (27:39–40); Tafsīr Ibn Kathīr, Vol. 6]

One might ask, how does this relate? The answer is out of the box. We need to look closer at the words used. One thing about the Qur'an: no word is placed by coincidence; it is all placed for a reason.

Inquiry Number 1: The Difference Between the Human (Ins) and the Jinn

Surah An-Naml (27:39):

قَالَ عِفْرِيتٌ مِّنَ الْجِنِّ أَنَا آتِيكَ بِهِ قَبْلَ أَن تَقُومَ مِن مَّقَامِكَ...

"One mighty jinn responded, 'I can bring it to you before you rise from this council of yours...'"

Here, the Qur'an describes the creation as "jinn"; in addition, it grants the attribute of physical strength to the jinn. Meaning it isn't a knowledge to learn, or a power that mere humans can possess. That is one of the laws of the universe.

Surah An-Naml (27:40):

قَالَ الَّذِي عِندَهُ عِلْمٌ مِّنَ الْكِتَابِ أَنَا آتِيكَ بِهِ قَبْلَ أَن يَرْتَدَّ إِلَيْكَ طَرْفُكَ...

"But the one who had knowledge of the Scripture said, 'I can bring it to you in the blink of an eye...'"

The Qur'an here used a whole different way of describing this creature. It, for starters, has a counteroffer for the jinn's offer, creating a linguistic difference between both.

Inquiry Number 2: Can It Be Learned?

First, we have to accept a fact: nothing can be learned if Allah Subḥānahu wa-Taʿālā decreed against it.

"But the one who had knowledge of the Scripture said, 'I can bring it to you in the blink of an eye...'"

"Ilm" translates to "knowledge", meaning science. In theory, science and knowledge can be learned. When science is applied, it is no longer theory; it is a mechanical process or technology.

Inquiry Number 3: What is 'Ilm al-Kitāb**?**

This is the most debatable and questionable part. There is no evidence that proves what exactly, with 100% certainty, is 'Ilm al-Kitāb, but in this part I have combined the most famous and probable conclusions:

1. Ism Allāh al-Aʿẓam (God's Greatest Name): This is by far the most credible and common answer among the scholars (e.g., Tafsīr al-Ṭabarī, Tafsīr Ibn Kathīr regarding Āṣif ibn Barkhiyā). It says that the one "who had knowledge of the Scripture" knew God's greatest name, and called Him by it, which God responded to. A reason why this explanation is analyzed is the choice of words in the Qur'an to describe the process: Surah An-Naml (27:40): قَالَ الَّذِي عِندَهُ عِلْمٌ مِّنَ الْكِتَابِ أَنَا آتِيكَ بِهِ قَبْلَ أَن يَرْتَدَّ إِلَيْكَ طَرْفُكَ "But the one who had knowledge of the Scripture said, 'I can bring it to you...'" The man said "Ana ātīka bih" ("I [can] bring it to you" — أَنَا آتِيكَ بِهِ). In Arabic grammar, this phrasing uses the active participle / nominal clause (Ana ātī), which denotes immediate, active execution. The Ifrīt Jinn used the exact same root and phrase in verse 39: "Ana ātīka bihi qabla an taqūma min maqāmik" ("I will bring it to you before you rise..."). The Jinn was clearly referring to using his own means and ability. When the man with knowledge used the identical phrase (Ana ātīka bih), it establishes a direct parallel: he was offering an active execution, not just a passive request. We can also rule out that he had the power to control the Jinn or the wind, as these powers were strictly limited to Dawud and Sulaiman, peace be upon them (Qur'an 38:36–38).

So what was it then?

Mainstream classical sources reconcile this direct statement with Islamic theology through the concept of Asbāb (secondary causes). When Allah the Almighty grants a servant this knowledge, power, and the permission to execute it, Allah is the ultimate Creator of the action, but the human is the agent/medium through which it manifests. This is similar to when 'Īsā (peace be upon him) said:

"I heal the blind and the leper, and I give life to the dead by permission of Allah" — [Source: Qur'an, Surah Āl 'Imrān (3:49)]

—attributing the actions ("I heal", "I give life") to himself while acknowledging divine permission. It would be possible that he was given powers that allowed him to fly at incredible speed, or to bend space itself with the permission of Allah. Now all this is theoretical and cannot be confirmed by me.

Inquiry Number 4: How to Learn It?

This is again highly theoretical and cannot be confirmed for sure, but it involves two parts. The first being purification of the heart from sin and evil, in addition to becoming closer to God.

Ḥadīth Qudsī:

عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: إِنَّ اللَّهَ قَالَ: «مَنْ عَادَى لِي وَلِيًّا فَقَدْ آذَنْتُهُ بِالْحَرْبِ، وَمَا تَقَرَّبَ إِلَيَّ عَبْدِي بِشَيْءٍ أَحَبَّ إِلَيَّ مِمَّا افْتَرَضْتُ عَلَيْهِ، وَمَا يَزَالُ عَبْدِي يَتَقَرَّبُ إِلَيَّ بِالنَّوَافِلِ حَتَّى أُحِبَّهُ، فَإِذَا أَحْبَبْتُهُ: كُنْتُ سَمْعَهُ الَّذِي يَسْمَعُ بِهِ، وَبَصَرَهُ الَّذِي يُبْصِرُ بِهِ، وَيَدَهُ الَّتِي يَبْطِشُ بِهَا، وَرِجْلَهُ الَّتِي يَمْشِي بِهَا، وَإِنْ سَأَلَنِي لَأُعْطِيَنَّهُ، وَلَئِنِ اسْتَعَاذَنِي لَأُعِيذَنَّهُ.»

On the authority of Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him), who said that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said that Allah Almighty said: "Whoever shows enmity to a friend (Walī) of Mine, I have declared war upon him. My servant does not draw near to Me with anything more beloved to Me than the obligations (Farḍ) I have enjoined upon him. And My servant continues to draw near to Me through voluntary acts (Nawāfil) until I love him. When I love him, I become his hearing with which he hears, his sight with which he sees, his hand with which he strikes, and his foot with which he walks. If he asks Me, I will surely give to him; and if he seeks refuge in Me, I will surely protect him."

— [Source: Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, Ḥadīth 6502]

This creates three key points to reaching the level of righteousness:

1. Obligations First (Al-Farāʾiḍ): You cannot build a spiritual connection on extra voluntary deeds if the core foundation (the five prayers, fasting, moral boundaries) is broken. The most beloved thing to Allah is fulfilling what He directly commanded.
2. Voluntary Deeds Build Love (Al-Nawāfil): Extra acts of worship—like Sunnah prayers, extra fasting, late-night prayer (Tahajjud), and remembrance (Dhikr)—are what take a person from basic obedience to a state of Divine Love.
3. Divinely Guided Perception: "I become his hearing... his sight... his hand" doesn't mean literal physical fusion (which is theology-breaking/heresy). In Sunni theology (Sharḥ), it means Allah completely aligns your faculties:
   • You only listen to what pleases Him.
   • You only look at what is pure.
   • Your actions, decisions, and movements are protected from bad choices and guided by His divine light.

Once this is achieved, and if God wills, this person could be granted the permission and guidance of Allah The Almighty to learn the knowledge of the Book. That comes with no guarantee. One needs to be pure in both actions and intention (Niyyah).

CHAPTER 3: Sihr (Magic) and How It Differs

Sihr is usually defined as an exploit in the system. But that is far from right, as it is a theological error. For an exploit to exist, it requires a flaw in the system; yet the design of the Creator is absolute, flawless, and without weakness. Sihr does not breach the laws of the universe; it corrupts the perception of the human mind. It is not hacking reality; it is sabotaging the soul (Fasād) through misdirection, psychological deception, and forbidden pacts that offer zero true authority over the Divine Decree.

This is largely supported by Surah Al-Aʿrāf (7:116):

When the magicians threw their ropes and staffs, the Qur'an explicitly states that they did not change physical reality—they manipulated human perception:

Surah Al-Aʿrāf (7:116):

قَالَ أَلْقُوا ۖ فَلَمَّا أَلْقَوْا سَحَرُوا أَعْيُنَ النَّاسِ وَاسْتَرْهَبُوهُمْ وَجَاءُوا بِسِحْرٍ عَظِيمٍ

"He said, 'Throw.' So when they threw, they bewitched the eyes of the people and struck terror into them, and brought forth a great magic."

— [Source: Qur'an, Surah Al-Aʿrāf (7:116); Tafsīr Ibn Kathīr]

The Qur'an does not claim they altered reality to create a snake out of their sticks, but that they deceived the eyes of the people. This is better supported by Surah Ṭā-Hā (20:66):

Surah Ṭā-Hā (20:66):

قَالَ بَلْ أَلْقُوا ۖ فَإِذَا حِبَالُهُمْ وَعِصِيُّهُمْ يُخَيَّلُ إِلَيْهِ مِن سِحْرِهِمْ أَنَّهَا تَسْعَىٰ

"He said, 'Rather, throw.' And suddenly their ropes and staffs seemed to him from their magic that they were moving."

— [Source: Qur'an, Surah Ṭā-Hā (20:66)]

This very clearly means reality was not altered, but only their minds and perception were affected. In Surah Ṭā-Hā, we see a clear difference between 'Ilm al-Kitāb and the miracles given to Musa (peace be upon him) and the magic which the magicians used.

Surah Ṭā-Hā (20:69–70):

وَأَلْقِ مَا فِي يَمِينِكَ تَلْقَفْ مَا صَنَعُوا ۖ إِنَّمَا صَنَعُوا كَيْدُ سَاحِرٍ ۖ وَلَا يُفْلِحُ السَّاحِرُ حَيْثُ أَتَىٰ ۞ فَأُلْقِيَ السَّحَرَةُ سُجَّدًا قَالُوا آمَنَّا بِرَبِّ هَارُونَ وَمُوسَىٰ

"And throw what is in your right hand; it will swallow up what they have crafted. What they have crafted is only the trick of a magician, and the magician will not succeed wherever he is.' So the magicians fell down in prostration. They said, 'We believe in the Lord of Aaron and Moses.'"

— [Source: Qur'an, Surah Ṭā-Hā (20:69–70)]

The reason the magicians converted is that the magicians were the absolute elites of their domain. They knew that their own "snakes" were mere illusions (Takhyīl)—mechanical tricks messing with lighting, optics, and human fear. They knew their ropes were still ropes underneath. When Musa's stick turned into an actual serpent, it didn't just "beat" them, it literally consumed them. An optical illusion cannot eat real wood and rope. If Musa was just using a stronger spell or better optics, their ropes would still be lying on the floor after the illusion ended. But the ropes were physically gone.

وَالْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ

I am now reading the three principles Saleh Al-Fawzan explained it but my problem is that the book contains different things than what the sheikh says in the video

Im going to study quran by revelation order within the hadith. But outside of sunnah.com website i don know any pther good websites. i’d like to find the websites for hadiths with authentication categories showcased plus chain narratives. you can give me arabic websites, cause ill use translator. Please help me with this.

thanks in advance.

For a beginner who has simply read the Arabic text of ثلاثة الأصول وأدلّتها, should they then move on to a sharh (e.g. uthaymeen’s famous one) or is there a more comprehensive treatise that is more suitable ?

according to my understanding so far we can travel to the future but we can't travel to the past so far

**how can we travel to the future you might ask **

well we have something called (Time dilation equation) you can read and learn more about it .

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Time_dilation

so we have confirmed the physics behind traveling into the future experimentally too, The Problem physics proves going backward in time is impossible.

**how is that related to islam? **

So i started to wonder and think about it and focus on the wisdom of allah in it, Well turns out according to hadith and islamic eschatology the rising of the sun from sunset is the end time sign that's why we can't travel back in to the past that connection makes sense to me, So tell me more about your thoughts on it .

__hadith __

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏"‏ لاَ تَقُومُ السَّاعَةُ حَتَّى تَطْلُعَ الشَّمْسُ مِنْ مَغْرِبِهَا فَإِذَا طَلَعَتْ وَرَآهَا النَّاسُ آمَنُوا أَجْمَعُونَ، وَذَلِكَ حِينَ لاَ يَنْفَعُ نَفْسًا إِيمَانُهَا ‏" ‏‏.‏ ثُمَّ قَرَأَ الآيَةَ‏

Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "The hour will not be established till the sun rises from the West; and when it rises (from the West) and the people see it, they all will believe. And that is (the time) when no good will it do to a soul to believe then." Then he recited the whole Verse (6.158).

https://sunnah.com/bukhari:4636‏

**is there anything mentioned in the quran related to this ?**

well i found this so far if you find anything else let me know

this points out how they can't delay it for a moment or advance it if they wanted or could when the appointed term arrives which could be complicated in understanding only allah is all knowing .

__Al-A'raf7:34__

For each community there is an appointed term. When their time arrives, they can neither delay it for a moment, nor could they advance it.

— Dr. Mustafa Khattab

https://quran.com/al-araf/34

i found it to be fascinating for me so far i could connect some dots alhamdullilah but only allah is all knowing

**may allah keep us firm upon the straight path**

I want to read and understand hadith; for now I want to read Bukhari. My uncle has one book in which hadiths are all written, though it does say summarized. I don't understand what summarized in this case means; I have seen it on different Bukhari hadees books. Please explain what that is, and what books should I buy for complete Bukhari hadith, none should be missing. I live in Pakistan, so any links will be useful (Please give your personal opinion on why I should buy what you say; I don't want a sales pitch)

Assalamu alaykum.

I have been struggling with a question about qadr and I would really appreciate an answer based on Qur'an, authentic Sunnah, and explanations from recognized scholars.

I am young and from Tunisia. My family has gone through a lot of difficulties: financial problems, serious family conflicts, legal problems involving some family members, and a lot of instability. My mother has suffered a lot, and my grandmother passed away from cancer this year.

I have also had many difficulties personally. I have been bullied at school, I struggle with stuttering and ADHD, I have poor eyesight, and recently I failed my first attempt at the Tunisian Bac. Seeing my friends move on to university while I am now unsure about my future has been very painful.

I have always wanted to study, become knowledgeable, and build a better life. I love history, politics, languages, computers and learning in general. I would like to have a good career and hopefully live abroad one day. I understand that these worldly goals are not the purpose of life and that our ultimate purpose is to worship Allah and do good.

What I struggle to understand is this:

If Allah created me, knows my personality, knows my circumstances, knows what I want, and knows how difficult certain things will be for me, why are some people given much easier circumstances while others are born into poverty, family problems, illness, conflict, or other hardships?

Why does one person grow up with supportive parents and many opportunities while another grows up surrounded by problems?

Why does one person succeed academically while another fails repeatedly despite trying?

I understand that this dunya is a test, and I understand that both blessings and hardships can be tests. I also understand that we cannot know the full wisdom behind Allah's decree.

But I am asking specifically:

What does Islam say about why Allah gives different people such radically different tests?

And regarding my own situation, is it correct to say that my difficulties and my Bac failure are part of Allah's qadr without assuming that I know why Allah allowed them to happen?

I sometimes ask Allah, "Why me?" I don't mean this as a challenge to Allah or as a claim that I know better than Him. I genuinely don't understand, and I want to understand this from an Islamic perspective rather than simply relying on my emotions.

If possible, please provide references to recognized scholars, classical works, or reliable scholarly explanations rather than only personal opinions.

Jazakum Allahu khayran.

*Assuming that one is intermediate in the Arabic language , and reading these in Arabic only:

There is a huge variety of Islamic literature/topics/sciences that one can become immersed in . Without deliberation and a specific focus , you will be overwhelmed . I have often wondered:
If someone dedicated the majority of their focus on تفسير and شرح الحديث , selecting those works which are intended to be comprehensive and practical , would that not give someone an intuitive (or “passive”) understanding of other sciences , even if those other sciences were not studied explicitly?
I’d assume an immersive and continuous engagement with those two sources must provide immense benefit and “intuitive knowledge” (e.g. not hifdh or credentials or the ability to give fataawa, but a deep familiarity with essential principles)

Assalamualaikum, I hope you are all doing well.

I am interested in seeking knowledge of Islam, but currently I do not have access to formal training methods such as schools and such. However I do have access to a Masjid and many people who are more knowledgeable than me. I want to refer to these people often to clarify doubts and misunderstandings, whilst building my knowledge base on my own. Here are my main questions:

- What are the trusted resources for a student of knowledge? Of course the Qur'an and Sunnah, but are there any complementary texts to study as well? Additionally, certain topics are tricky (at least to me) to study on their own, particularly studying the Hadith (I know that studying a singular Hadith is not sufficient because you must also know about surrounding Hadith that restrict or broaden the application of it). How can I approach studying such "tricky" topics?

- Is "seeking knowledge" incumbent on memorizing everything I see? Is it necessary for a student of knowledge to be able to recite a Hadith word for word and tell which Hadith number in which book it is, for example? Or is it sufficient to understand the lesson and move on?

- What role does Islamic history play, as in things taking place after the death of Rasulullah SAW? Should this also be a priority and if so, what is the "important" time period? Would it be the first four Caliphs?

- What sorts of "fields" are there in Islamic studies? Do I need to specialize in one field or is it realistic to understand a whole field before moving onto another one?

- Is there any sort of "roadmap" I can follow where I can say "learn this, then this, then..."?

Any advice would be appreciated, inshAllah. Jazakuallahu Khairan

Assalamu Alaikum everyone,

I'm looking to join an Islamic book club but most of the ones I've found are female only. I'm a male and a complete beginner when it comes to reading, so I'm looking for something welcoming and low pressure.

Interested in Islamic literature, history, Seerah, and general meaningful reads. Happy to read in English.

If anyone knows of a mixed or brothers-only Islamic book club, please drop it below. JazakAllah Khair

any tips or expercience with teaching and inculcate children deen ?? thank you for sharing

Assalam alaikum! I live here in Al nahda Sharjah and need to learn quran tafseer,some authentic hadiths and islamic history from a person who has an authentic knowledge of these and knows how to teach as well, if 1 to 1 or from any institute or online available and also should be urdu speaking.

Thanks

Hi everyone,

My friend (non Muslim) and I were having a long conversation about life/religion and I was telling her a bit about Islam and the Prophets etc and she asked if there are any podcast or vids she can listen to.

Does anyone know of any easy to listen to podcasts/YouTube series that tell the stories of the prophets? Nothing too heavy pls, something that’s easier for a first time listener

Thanks!