The Accontable (Mukallaf)

Islamically, the accountable person (mukallaf) is the one who is pubescent, sane, and has received the message of Islam. Pubescence happens when one reaches the age of fifteen (15) lunar years, or otherwise. The sane person is the one who has not lost one’s mind. For one to be accountable (mukallaf), it is a condition that one receives the call of Islam. This means that if the person is pubescent and sane, he becomes mukallaf simply by receiving the message of Islam, which is: “No one is God except Allah, and Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah.” The non-believer mukallaf is required to embrace Islam and follow its teachings. He must also perform all the obligations and avoid all the sins. From this, it is understood that the young child is not accountable until he reaches pubescence. Likewise, the insane person is not accountable. The pubescent one who did not receive the message of Islam is also not accountable. Allah ta'ala, said in the Qur’an: [Wa ma kunna mu^adhdhibina hatta nab^atha rasula.] Ayah 15 of Suratul-Isra’ means: {Allah does not torture those who do not receive the basic message of Islam.} The Messenger of Allah, sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam, said: Rufi^al qalamu ^an thalathah: ^anin-na’imi hatta yastayqidh, wa ^anis-sabiyyi hatta yahtalim, wa ^anil-majnuni hatta ya^qil.] Which means: “The pen has been lifted from [writing the deeds of] three: the one who is asleep until awakening, the young child until becoming pubescent, and the crazy person until becoming sane.” (Related by Abu Dawud) Note: During the season of Hajj when many of the Arab non-believers used to assemble from different places in Makkah, the Prophet called them to Islam. They would hear from the Prophet the Two Testifications: “I bear witness that no one is God except Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah.” The non-believers came to the Ka^bah in keeping with the traditions of their Muslim ancestors.

The Attributes of Allah

The scholars said that it is obligatory upon every mukallaf (baligh,sane and has received the message of Islam) to know thirteen Attributes of Allah. They are: Existence, Oneness, Eternity, Everlastingness, Non-neediness of others, Power, Will, Knowledge, Hearing, Sight, Life, Speech, and Non-resemblance to the creation. The explanation of these attributes is as follows: 1. Existence: It is obligatory to believe that Allah exists and that there is no doubt in His Existence. He exists without a place. Time does not lapse on Allah. 2. Oneness: Allah is One without any partners. He is One in His Self, His Attributes, and His Actions. 3. Eternity: Allah is Eternal; there is no beginning to His Existence. He has existed since before the creation. 4. Everlastingness: Allah is Everlasting; His existence does not come to an end. He does not perish. 5. Non-neediness of others: Allah does not need any of His creations and they are all in need of Him. 6. Power: Allah has Power over everything. 7. Will: Everything that occurs in this world is by the Will of Allah. 8. Knowledge: Allah knows about all things before they occur. Allah knows what happened, what is currently happening and what is going to happen in the future. 9. Hearing: Allah hears all what is hearable, without an ear or any other organ. 10. Sight: Allah sees all what is seeable, without a pupil or any other organ. 11. Life: Allah is alive without a soul, skin, or heart. His Life is not similar to ours. He is alive and does not die. 12. Speech: Allah's Speech is without a tongue or lip. His Speech is not in a language, Arabic or anything else. His Speech does not resemble the speech of the humans. 13. Non-resemblance to the creations: Allah does not resemble the creations.