Praise be to Allah, and the peace and blessings of Allah be upon the noble Messenger, his family, companions and those who follow them upon excellence till the day of judgement.
Al Aqeedatu Awwalan Organization began in 2017 as a WhatsApp group on social media. Our team consisted of four Ugandan propagators to Tawhiid and the Sunnah, namely, Sheikh Ahmad Muhammad Lujja from Abubakar Islamic University of Pakistan, Sheikh Muhammad Quraish Mazinga from Dar Al-Hadiith Al Fuyuush in Yemen, Sheikh Twaha Kakande from International University of Africa - Sudan, and Sheikh Abubakar Muhammad Sserunkuuma from the Islamic University of Madiina. We focused on calling people to Tawhiid
We were disturbed by the spread of polytheism and paganism among the Muslims and their returning to the pagan cultures of their ancestors before the advent of Islam in Uganda approximately 170 years ago. So, we rose up to explain Tawhiid (Islamic Monotheism) and condemn Shirk (polytheism) and other corrupt beliefs which were widespread among Muslims.
These ignorant Muslims falsely claimed that Islam did not come to prohibit polytheism and paganism of their forefathers, but in contrast, Allah who created these cultural gods and pagan cultural norms, was pleased with their ancestor's worship of them, and therefore, they too will follow the ways of their ancestors along with Islam!
We were later joined by the honorable Sheikhs and respected teachers, Shaikh Abdurrahmaan Mukisa of Imam Muhammad bin Saud Islamic University in Riyadh, Shaikh Swiddiiq Naasir Mubiru, of the Islamic University of Madiina, and Shaikh Salmaan Ahmad Jakana of Dar Al-Hadiith Al-Ilmiyya in Ash-Shihr –Yemen, May Allah preserve them. Strengthened by our brothers, our call to Tawhiid and opposition to polytheism intensified.
With three years of blessed efforts passing, the truthfulness of Tawhiid became clear to many, and much good and benefit came about by the Grace of almighty Allah alone.
However, we noticed that our da’wah (call to Tauhiid) did not reach many of the remote areas and villages where ignorance, polytheism and superstition are at their worst! We therefore decided to expand our da’wah to the towns of these remote areas, and stop limiting ourselves to social media. Upon this, we prepared knowledge-based seminars focusing on Aqeedah and admonition for the general public in open areas. Attendance of these seminars was so high that the registered attendance of the last seminar, January 2020, reached over 8000 Muslims!
When we saw this turnout, we knew for certain that the government will not allow such large gatherings to continue except with a government registered and licensed organization. So, we went forward and registered Al Aqiidatu Awwalan as an Islamic propagation missionary institution whose main purpose is to invite people away from the darkness of polytheism and various types of disbelief, deviations and innovation to the light of Tawhiid and the correct belief.
Our Da'wah (call/ preaching) is established upon Kitaab (the book of Allah) and The Sunnah (Authentic traditions of prophet Muhammad) according to the understanding of The Salaf (righteous predecessors of this Ummah). What they considered to be first and foremost in their da'wah is what is first and foremost in our da'wah. It's nothing else but "Tauhiid", singling out Allah, in His Lordship (Rubuubiyyah), His sole right to be worshipped (Uluuhiyyah) and His perfect names and attributes (Asmaa' wa Asswifaat).
We believe that the Tawhiid of Rubuubiyyah (Lordship) is the singling out of Allah the Almighty in His actions that are specific to Him, like creation and sustenance of His entire creation, and that these mighty actions necessitate His Unique attribute of divinity. We believe that Tawhiid of Uluuhiyyah (worship) is singling Him out with all forms of worship, and that mankind was solely created for this purpose.
We believe that Tawhiid of Names and Attributes is singling Him out in His most perfect Names and Attributes, and acceptance and approval of all that our Lord or His noble Messenger told us of the Names and Attributes of Allah, without negating their meanings or likening them to the attributes of His creation or refraining from affirming their apparent meanings because "There is nothing like Him, and He is the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing" Suurat Asshuura, verse 11.
We also believe that The Qur'an and The Sunnah cannot be rightly and properly understood except in accordance with the understanding of the righteous predecessors who are the companions of the Prophet, those who saw the companions and those who saw those who saw the companions. This is due to Allah’s purification of them and His pleasure with them. Allah informed us that they were rightly guided as stated by Allah the Almighty; “So, if they believe in what you believe, then they will indeed be ˹rightly˺ guided. But if they turn away, they are simply opposed ˹to the truth.” Suurat Al-Baqara, verse 137.
And due to the witnessing of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم to the excellence of the first three generations, along with other textual evidences.
We also believe that every bid'at (innovation) in worship is misguidance, as informed by the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم . And we do not give credence to the falsely claimed "good innovations". We condemn all innovations in worship, whether they are the innovations of extremism and transgression like the heresy of the Khawaarij, or the innovation of laxity and negligence like the heresy of the Sufis and the different groups of Murji'ah.
We reject them all, and we do not cooperate with innovators in our da’wah, and we neither take knowledge from them nor listen to their preaching. We also reject and condemn the da’wah of the Muslim Brotherhood which encourages rebellion against the rulers and incites fitnah and bloodshed between the Muslim communities. Due to all this being in contradiction to many authentic hadiiths of the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم
Likewise, we disapprove and condemn all acts of terror which are carried out by the khawaarij. We don’t see suicide bombing, or bombing of diplomatic missions, security posts and personnel, markets and transport facilities, insurgency and rebellions against rulers as being the Islamically legislated Jihad, rather it's spreading mischief on earth. The legislated jihad, other than the jihad of self-defense, is that which is organized and sanctioned by a Muslim ruler of a Muslim nation, not the chaotic militancy that is exploited and taken advantage of by the enemies of Islam.
We also believe in the invalidation and misguidance of the madh'hab of the murji'at, who have equated between the righteous and the transgressor, and have taken their religion as a joke and play, diluting it by not taking the Aqeedah with any firmness and importance. We declare to be disbelievers whomever Allah and His Messenger صلى صلى الله عليه وسلم have declared to be so, and all those whose disbelief is unanimously agreed upon, and whoever falls into clear and undoubted apostasy, while taking into consideration the well-known conditions and inhibitions of takfeer. We see guidance (to the correct position) in takfeer as being between the extremism of the Khawaarij and the estrangement of the Murji'at
We believe in the perfectness and infallibility of the madh'hab of the Salaf, not its adherents. So, we support, love and hold esteem the knowledgeable and firmly established ulama (Muslim scholars), of the past and present, and in every region of the world, without estrangement or being extreme and fanatical about any of them. Our madh'hab is what agrees with the Qur'an and Sunnah evidence from the scholars' sayings and rulings.
We love and hold in high esteem the Imams of the four madh'habs and all the other Imams of the relevant schools of jurisprudence. We believe in their leadership and elevated status in knowledge, but we refuse to follow the madh'hab of any of them like following the infallible Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم. Everyone’s saying can be accepted or rejected except for the sayings of the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم
We believe to be un-equal those who know and those who do not know, and that Allah has commanded the believers to ask the people of knowledge what they are ignorant about from their religion. All that is due to their exalted position with Allah due to what they carry from the light of knowledge, insight and elevated understanding of His religion.
We therefore believe that it is an obligation to stick to the ulama, take their advice and guidance, and understand this religion according to their understanding especially in big political matters that involve unrest and bloodshed and especially on matters that they unanimously agree upon. Allah the almighty in a number of verses ordered us to refer affairs of knowledge to them.
We see that in their appreciation and reverence is the safety of the da’wah and the du'aats (callers) from heresies, deviations and perversions. We see that one of the biggest reasons that led to misguidance of deviant Muslim sects is avoiding the ulama and inviting their followers away from them and falsely ascribing them with attributes that scare the Muslim youths away from them turning to misguided and ignorant preachers who lead them astray.
This is the belief and methodology of the founders of the Al Aqeedatu Awwalan Organization, and their teachers in summary. We are not represented by anything contrary to what we have mentioned, and no acceptance is given to anyone who believes or works against what we have mentioned and stubbornly rejects advice to have any position or any leadership over Al Aqeedatu Awwalan Organization, during our life and after our death, rather they must be removed using all available Islamic means possible.
Al Aqeedatu Awwalan Organization does not have specific types of members based upon allegiance, identity card, tribe, region, sect, or anything else. Rather, we consider everyone who is pleased with Allah as Lord, with Islam as a religion, and with Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم as a Prophet, to automatically be a member of the organization and deserving of the organization’s services.
We reject hizbiyyah, (partisanship) and disunity, and we call everyone to be part of the saved sect; To adhere to the Qur'an and the Sunnah according to the understanding of the pious predecessors of this Ummah.
Our stance with regards to the politics of our country, is complete abstinence from all political activities and taking positions on political matters, whilst being distant from everything that contradicts the security and safety of the country. Our activity is limited to advancing the cause of religious knowledge and the call and guidance to Allah. We however recognize the Presidency of the president of the Republic, his government and his authority
The first and the greatest objective; The clarification of Tawhiid (monotheism), and the correct belief that the messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم came with, and calling to it by various legitimate means, and severely warning against polytheism, corrupt beliefs and innovations
The second objective: Confronting the expanding influence of the Raafidhi shites, the Qadianis, the Grave worshippers and all other disbelieving sects which are unjustly ascribed to this noble religion of Islam and which have active da’wah in Uganda.
The third objective: Spreading Islamic knowledge and encouraging it among Muslims by establishing Quran memorization centers, Islamic primary schools, institutes and knowledge centers, and actively maintaining them with Islamic knowledge and propagation to Allah
The fourth objective: Establishing modern means of da’wah, such as radio stations, Apps and websites, publishing houses for Islamic books and articles and using them as a means of calling to Allah
The fifth objective: Inviting people of other religions to Islam, and establishing centers for new converts to Islam to teach them the principles and basics of Islam and helping them to be firm upon it.
The sixth principle: Maintaining the religion through the establishment of its visible and outward signs, such as building mosques, Islamic libraries, cemeteries, and so on.
We accept anyone who comes to us with charitable assistance for the poor, orphans, widows, food for the fasting Muslims, water projects and the likes, with the condition that they do not require photographing those who are entitled, regardless of any type of photography because of prohibition of photography, and secondly, we consider photographing them as a belittlement of them and it contradicts the generosity required of a benefactor. And the belittlement is intensified if their pictures are published on the internet and newspapers, as is commonly done.
It is also very important to make a distinction between photographing the beneficiaries and photographing the goods or projects meant for the beneficiaries. As for the goods or projects, we have no problem in photographing, such as wells or food ratios etc. But we do not photograph the beneficiaries due to what has already been stated. And if the benefactor wants to visit to see the effects of his or her project, we will facilitate them.
It should also be noted, that pre-occupation with charitable assistance for the needy is not one of the basic objectives of Al Aqeedatu Awwalan Organization.
Whatever people of goodness donate to Al Aqeedatu Awwalan Organization, from lands, houses, buildings, projects or the likes, which Islamically fits to be considered a waqf (endowment), or what the organization buys or builds or establishes, all those are endowments for the organization.
Their ruling is the rule of endowments in the Islamic Sharia: It is therefore not to be sold, or gifted, or bequeathed, and any sale or gift or inheritance transaction that happen on any of the organization's waqf is null and void, and Muslims must prevent it to the best of their lawful ability.
Neglect of any donated piece of land to the Al Aqeedatu Awwalan Organization for more than three years, without establishing a beneficial activity for Muslims on it, contradicts the development principle of the organization. Hence it is a must to make it productive within three years period.
The objectives of Al Aqeedatu Awwalan Organization are not achievable without the support of people of goodness (benefactors) who are keen on what Allah has prepared for the doers of good in the gardens of bliss, and those who aspire to have a share of ongoing alms (sadaqatul jaariya) that weigh heavily upon the scales after death. We give glad tidings to those who cooperate with us in righteousness and piety, those who support us and help us to achieve our lofty goals by which Allah raises the Muslim communities with the expansion of the blessings of the merciful Lord and His generosity to them in the gardens of paradise.
We welcome anyone who will build a masjid, an Islamic school, a Qur'an memorization center, a cemetery, a land donation, a charitable project, or the likes of endowments that Muslims benefit from and whose reward follows the donor after death.
Sheikh Abubakar Muhammad Sserunkuuma
Chairman of the organization
Sheikh Muhammad Quraish Mazinga
Spokesperson and General supervisor of organization’s activities
Sheikh Ahmad Muhammad Lujja
Head of planning and development
Isah Abdurrahman Ntanda
Secretary General and Treasurer
اَلسَّلاَ مُ عَلَيْكُمْ وَرَحْمَةُ اللهِ وَبَرَكَا تُهُ