BIRTH CONTROL
Author: Shaykh Muhammad Bin Saalih al Uthaymeen
Source: Fataawa al-Mar'ah al-Muslimah and Liqaa al-Baab al-Maftooh
Published: January 2002
In response to a question on whether or not a woman can use birth control like the pill or coil, Shaykh Ibn 'Uthaymeen (rahimahullaah) said:
What the Muslims should do is to have as many children as they can, because this is the command issued by the Prophet (sal-Allaahu 'alayhe wa sallam) when he said:
"Marry the one who is loving and fertile, for I will be proud of your great numbers."
Because increasing the number of children increases the size of the Ummah, and being of great numbers is a source of pride, as Allaah said, reminding the Children of Israel of that:
"And We helped you with wealth and children and made you more numerous in man power" [al-Israa 17:6]
And Shu'ayb (alayhis-salaam) said to his people:
"And remember when you were but few, and He multiplied you" [al-A'raaf 7:86]
No one would deny that if the Ummah is great in number this will lend it pride and strength. This is contrary to what is imagined by those who think evil thoughts, that the large numbers of the ummah is the cause of its poverty and hunger.
If the ummah increases in number and relies on Allaah, and believes in His promise, in the aayah:
"And no moving (living) creature is there on earth but its provision is due from Allaah" [Hood 11:6]
Then Allaah will make things easy for them and will grant them sufficient means from His Bounty.
On this basis, the answer to the question is as follows:
A woman should not use birth control pills unless the following two conditions are met:
•She should have a reason for that such as being sick and unable to bear a pregnancy every year, or being physically weak, or having other reasons why getting pregnant every year would be harmful for her.
•Her husband should give his permission, because the husband has the right to have children. This must also be done in consultation with a doctor, to find out whether taking these pills will be harmful to her or not.
If these two conditions are met, then it is OK for her to use these pills, but that should not be on a permanent basis, i.e., she should not use the type of birth control pills that prevent pregnancy permanently, because this is preventing progeny.
(Fataawa al-Mar'ah al-Muslimah, 2/657, 658)
Concerning the harms caused by contraception, the Shaykh (rahimahullaah) said:
Birth control pills: I have heard from a number of sources that doctors say they are harmful. Even if we do not know this from the doctors, we know it from ourselves, because preventing something natural that Allaah has created and decreed for the daughters of Aadam is undoubtedly harmful. Allaah is Wise, and He has only created this blood which flows at certain times for a reason. If we prevent it with these medicines, that is harmful without a doubt.
But I have heard that the matter is worse than we imagine, that they may be a means of damaging the womb, and a means of causing nervous disorders. This is something we must beware of.
(Liqaa al-Baab al-Maftooh, question no. 1147)
THE ISSUE OF WOMEN CUTTING THEIR HAIR
Authors: The Noble Shaykh's Abdul Azeez Bin Baaz (Raheemahullah) and Saalih al-Fawzaan
Source: The Clear Path
Published: 14th January 2002
Shaykh Bin Baaz (May Allaah have mercy on him) said:
We do not know anything (to disallow) cutting women's hair. What is forbidden is shaving it. You should not shave your hair but you may cut it and reduce its length or volume; we know of nothing wrong with that. But that should be done in a proper manner which will please you and your husband. You should come to some agreement with him on a kind of haircut that does not resemble kaafir women, because if you leave it long, it will be a lot of trouble to wash it and comb it.
So if the hair is very long or thick, and the woman cuts it to reduce its length or volume, that doesn't matter. Cutting some of it will make it more beautiful, which will please both the woman and her husband. So we do not know of any reason to disallow that. But shaving it altogether is not permissible, except in the case of sickness. And Allaah is the Source of strength.
See Fataawa al-Mar'ah al-Muslimah, part 2, p. 515.
Shaykh Saalih al-Fawzaan said:
It is not permissible for a woman to cut her hair short in the back and leave the sides longer, because this involves disfiguring and fooling about with her hair which is part of her beauty, and it also involves imitating the kaafir women. This prohibition also applies to haircuts which are named after kaafir women or animals, like the "Diana" cut, named after a kaafir women, or the "lion" cut or "mouse" cut, because it is haraam to imitate the kaafirs or to imitate animals, and because that involves fooling about with a woman's hair which is part of her beauty.
Fataawa al-Mar'ah al-Muslimah , 2/516,517
IS IT PERMISSIBLE TO WORK AS A LECTURER?
Author: Shaykh Muhammad Musa Nasr
Source: Al-Manhaj
The following is a question and answer from Shaykh Musa Nasr (hafidhahullah) which was answered at al-manhaj.com's sixth conference recently.
Q.
Is it permissible (for a woman) to work as a full-time lecturer in a co-educational university in a Muslim country and teach about Islam? Jazakumullah Khairan.
A.
"The general rule with regard to women, is that they should remain in their homes, based on the saying of Allaah: 'And remain in your homes and do not openly display yourselves like the times of the Days of Ignorance.' However, it is permissible for a woman to teach her similars, such as other women. As for the example that was given in the question, then this is something that is not permitted, especially since the woman can be put to trial (fitnah) by men. And likewise, they can be put to trial by her. A woman must keep far away from places in which there is free-mixing and intermingling, as much as she is able and so long as she is not forced to do this thing. Consequently, what we hold is that it is not permissible for her to teach males and to freely mix with them, based on the general texts that prohibit that."
THE DANGER OF WOMEN FREELY MIXING WITH MEN, AND ESPECIALLY IN RELATION TO THEIR PARTICIPATION IN THE WORK ARENA OF MEN
Author: Shaykh 'Abdul 'Azeez Bin Baaz
Translators: Abu Muhammad 'Abdur Rauf Shakir and M.S. Yate
Source: Message of Islaam (from the book entitled, 'Mushaarikatul Marr'a Lirrajuli Fee Maydaan 'Amaliihee')
All Praise is due to Allah, The Lord of the Worlds, and may the Prayer and Peace be upon His trustworthy Messenger (sal-Allaahu 'alayhe wa sallam) and upon all his family and Companions.
The open call, or its intimation, for women to go out to work in the same arena as men, resulting in the mixing of sexes, citing the necessities of this age and the demands of civilisation as proof, is indeed a very dangerous matter. It has dangerous ramifications, bitter fruits and disatrous consequences. And this call is made despite it conflicting with stipulations in Islamic Law, which requires a woman to remain in her home to fulfil the duties which are particular to her.
Whoever would like to see from close proximity the immeasurable [damage] which has been caused by the mixing of the sexes, then let him consider with fairness and impartiality, seeking only the Truth, those societies who have succumbed, whether [by] choice or by force, to this affliction and he will find grievance and regret from both the individual and society because of the feeling of the woman [being away] from her home and the [resultant] breaking up of the family.
This we find mentioned, not only by many authors, but throughout the media, solely because it is the destruction of the society and its foundations.
There are many clear, authentic proofs which forbid the seclusion of a man with "Al Ajnabiyyah" (i.e. literally; a foreign woman - it includes all those women whom a man is permitted to marry by Islamic Law.), his looking at her and those steps which lead to the occurrence of what Allah (Ta'aala) has forbidden. They are unequivocal in forbidding the mixing of men and women because it leads to what is not commendable.
The ousting of the woman from her home, which is her domain and base in this life, is her removal from her nature which Allah (Ta'aala) created her upon.
So the call for women to step into the arena of men is a great matter of great danger for the Islamic society. The resultant mixing of men and women is one of the leading causes of fornication, which fragments the society, cheapens its value and undermines its morality.
It is clear that Allah, The Blessed, The Exalted, created for women a particular physique, which differs completely from the physique of man. With it, He prepared her to carry out her duties in her home and among women. And due to this, the plunging of women into the arena designated for men must be considered her removal from her nature. That is a great injustice to a woman and is the extinguishing of her personality. The effect of this is passed on to both the males and the females of the next generation.
They are deprived of education, tenderness and affection, because the mother has been separated from her responsibilty in these matters and completely removed from her domain, out of which it is not possible for her to find peace, stability and tranquility. The condition of those societies which are entangled in this is the strongest proof for what we say. Islam has designed for both the husband and the wife particular duties and it is for each one of them to fulfil those duties in order that the building of the society, both inside and outside the home, may be completed.
The man is responsible for expenditure and earning while the woman is responsible for bringing up the children, tenderness and affection, suckling the young, weaning them and all other duties appropriate to her, such as teaching the young and the management of their schooling, their medical care and so forth.
For a woman to abandon her household duties is tantamount to the ruin of the home and its occupants and there follows as a consequence the break up of the family, to such an extent that the society becomes but a form, an image with neither reality nor meaning.
Allah The Sublime, The Exalted says:
"Men are the protectors and maintainers of women, because Allah has made one of them to excel the other, and because they spend (to support them) from their means."
[The Noble Qur'an: Surah 4 Ayah 34]
This noble Ayah [1] points out that it is the custom of Allah (Ta'aala) in His creation that man has guardianship over women and is a degree above them.
The meaning of Allah's Ordering a woman to be settled in her home and forbidding her from At Tabbaraj (i.e. for a woman to display of her beauty that which evokes the desires of men, and which it is obligatory for her to veil) is the prohibition of Al Ikhtilaat, which is the mixing of men and women in the same place of work, buying and selling, picnics or travel and so forth. This is because the plunging of women into this arena leads to her falling into that which is forbidden, and that is a violation of Allah's command and the neglect of His Law, which it is obligatory for a Muslim woman to abide by.
The Qur'an and Traditions of the Prophet (sal-Allaahu 'alayhe wa sallam), both show that the mixing of the sexes and all that might lead to it, is not permissible.
Allah, The Sublime, The Exalted says:
"And stay in your houses, and do not display yourselves like that of the times of ignorance, and perform As Salat (Iqamat as Salat), and give Zakat and obey Allah and His Messenger. Allah wishes only to remove Ar Rijs (evil deeds and sins) from you, O members of the family (of the Prophet), and to purify you with a thorough purification.
[The Noble Qur'an: Surah 33 Ayah 33]
And so Allah (Ta'aala) Ordered the Mothers of the Believers [2] - and all Muslim women are included in that injunction to be settled in their homes because in that is their protection and their being distant from the causes of immorality. A woman leaving her home unnecessarily could lead to "At Tabarraj" and other harm. They are also ordered to do righteous deeds, such as the performance of Prayer, the paying of Zakat and obedience to Allah and His Messenger (sal-Allaahu 'alayhe wa sallam), which all protect her from committing vile and reprehensible actions.
They are then directed to what will benefit them in this world and the next, which is to be in continual touch with the Qur'an and the Prophetical Traditions, both of which remove impurities from the heart and purify it from iniquity, guide to the Truth and to that which is correct.
Allah, The Exalted says:
"O Prophet! Tell your wives and your daughters and the women of the Believers to draw their cloaks (veils) all over their bodies (i.e. screen themselves completely except the eyes or one eye to see the way). That will be better, that they should be known (as free respectable women) so as not to be annoyed. And Allah is Ever Oft Forgiving, Most Merciful."
[The Noble Qur'an: Surah 33 Ayah 59]
And so Allah (Ta'aala) ordered His Prophet (sal-Allaahu 'alayhe wa sallam), the transmitter of the Message from his Lord, to tell his wives and daughters and all the women of the Believers to shroud themselves with their Jalabeeb [3] if they had to go out for a particular need, in order that they would not suffer harm from people with corrupt hearts. And so if this matter is of such importance then imagine her stepping into the arena of men, mixing with them, exposing her need to them through employment and by so doing, relinquishing much of her femininity and losing her modesty. All this, in order to achieve an equality of the two sexes which are different both in meaning and form.
Allah, The Sublime, The Exalted says:
"Tell the Believing men to lower their gaze (from looking at forbidden things), and protect their private parts (from illegal sexual acts). That is purer for them. Verily, Allah is All Aware of what they do. And tell the Believing women to lower their gaze (from looking at forbidden things), and protect their private parts (from illegal sexual acts) and not to show off their adornment except only that which is apparent (like both eyes for necessity to see the way, or outer palms of hands or one eye or dress like veil, gloves, head-cover, apron), and to draw their Khumaar [4] all over their Juyoob [5] (i.e. their bodies, faces, necks and bosoms)..."
[The Noble Qur'an: Surah 24 Ayat 30-31]
Allah (Ta'aala) ordered His Prophet (sal-Allaahu 'alayhe wa sallam), to inform the Believing men to lower their gaze and to guard themselves against committing adultery and fornication and then He, Exalted made it clear that it was more befitting them. It is clear that guarding the self against committing adultery and fornication is achieved by avoiding its causes and there can be no doubt that leaving the eyes free to gaze, and the mixing of men and women at work and elsewhere are some of its major causes.
These two matters, lowering the eyes and guarding against immorality which are demanded from the Believer, are impossible to achieve while he is working with "Al Marr'a Al Ajnabiyyah" (once again: literally a foreign woman. It includes all those women whom a man is permitted to marry by Islamic Law), as his colleague or partner.
And so Allah (Ta'aala) ordered the Believing women to lower their gaze and to be chaste and not to display their ornaments, except those which are openly apparent, He also commanded them to let their head coverings fall down over their breasts, which would include her covering her head and face.
So how can the lowering of the eye's chastity and the concealing of a woman's adornment be achieved when she goes to work with men and mixes with them, all of which guarantees the occurrence of that which we should be wary of?
How is it possible for a Muslim woman to lower her gaze while she is side by side with "Al Ajnabee" (literally a foreign man. It includes all those men whom a woman is permitted to marry by Islamic Law), on the pretext that she is participating with him or is equal to him in all that he does?
Allah (Ta'aala) has forbidden all the causes of that which is prohibited and so He has ordered women not to use enticing speech with men because that can awaken in men a desire for women.
Allah, The Exalted says:
"O wives of the Prophet! You are not like any other women. If you keep your duty to (Allah), then be soft in speech, lest he in whose heart is a disease should be moved with desire, but speak in an honourable manner."
[The Noble Qur'an: Surah 33 Ayah 32]
What is meant is the sickness of lust, so how can that be avoided while the mixing of the sexes is occurring?
What is quite clear is that if she goes out to work with men she most certainly will speak with them and they will speak with her, and she will beautify her speech for them and they for her. In addition to that, Shaytaan makes immorality appealing and calls people to it, until they fall prey to him. And so Allah (Ta'aala) in His wisdom has ordered women to be veiled.
That is only because amongst people there are those who are righteous and pure and others who are adulterers and fornicators. Thus, veiling/concealing prevents, Insha' Allah, temptation, hinders its causes and by it purity of the heart of both men and women is achieved as well as the distancing of suspicion and accusation.
Allah, The Sublime, The Exalted says:
"And when you ask (the Prophet's wives) for anything you want, ask them from behind a screen, that is purer for your hearts and for their hearts."
[The Noble Qur'an: Surah 33 Ayah 53]
And the best screen for a woman, after the covering of her face and body with clothes, is her house.
Islam has forbidden women to mix with "Al Ajaanib" (i.e. plural of Al Ajnabee), so that she does not expose herself to temptation, directly or indirectly. It requires her to be settled in the house and not go out, except when obliged to, and to do so with the decency required by Islam.
Allah (Ta'aala) has termed her remaining in her home "Qaraaran" (i.e. lit. being settled, stable, steady or still.), and in it is the subtlest of meanings, because it contains the settling of her self and the tranquillity and delight of her heart. The leaving of that stability leads to the disturbance of her breast and her exposure to that whose outcome is not commendable.
Islam has prohibited a man's seclusion with "Al Ajnabiyyah" under any circumstances, and it has forbidden her (the woman) to travel except with her "Mahram" [6] in order to curtail the description of Shaytaan.
For this reason Allah's Messenger (sal-Allaahu 'alayhe wa sallam) said:
"I have not left behind me a trial more harmful to men than women."
"Be wary of the life of this world and be on your guard against women, because the first trial for the Israelites was through women."
It is possible that some of those who call for the mixing of the sexes depend upon the superficial meaning of some of the texts of Law, the real meaning and purpose of which are not perceived except by he whose heart has been illuminated by Allah (Subhannah wa Ta'aala) and who has been given understanding of Allah's Religion and has gathered all the evidence together, until it has been unified in his mind, so that no part of it is separated from any [other] part.
A misunderstanding has occurred, for instance, because some women accompanied the Prophet (sal-Allaahu 'alayhe wa sallam), on some military expeditions. The correct explanation for this, however, is that they did so with their "Mahaarim" (i.e. plural of Mahrim), in order to achieve many benefits and it did not lead to what is feared for them nor [did it lead to] immorality because of their Faith and Piety, [and] their supervision by their "Mahaarim" and their care about remaining concealed following the Revelation concerning it, in contrast to many of the women of this time.
It is clear that a woman's leaving her home in order to work, is a completely different situation from when the women went out with Allah's Prophet (sal-Allaahu 'alayhe wa sallam) on a military expedition. So to compare the one with the other must be considered an incorrect analogy.
We must also ask what it was that the Rightly Guided predecessors understood concerning this matter. There can be no doubt that they understood the meanings of the texts better than other people and were closer to the implementation of the injunctions of the Qur'an and the Traditions of the Prophet (sal-Allaahu 'alayhe wa sallam).
So what has been constantly related by them throughout history?
Have they extended the range of a woman's activity, as those who call for the mixing of men and women claim, and thus reported that what has been mentioned in the texts is that a woman can work in every field of life with men, so that she competes with them and they compete with her? Or did they understand that these matters were limited and did not go beyond them?
If we examine the Islamic conquests and military expeditions throughout history, we do not find this mixing of men and women. However, the call today for the recruitment of a woman as a soldier, who carries weapons and kills like a man, is nothing more than a reason to ruin and breakdown the morals of the army, in the name of 'relaxation' for the army.
This is because there occurs quite naturally between a man and a woman, affection, intimacy and relaxation through conversation when they are alone together; and as one thing can lead to another, it is wiser and more prudent and further from future regret to close the door of temptation.
And so the prime objective of Islam is the promoting of that which is beneficial and the averting of [all that is] evil, and closing the doors of its causes. It has been mentioned previously that the mixing of men and women at work is a major cause for the decline of a people and the corruption of its society.
It is also an historical fact that one of the main reasons for the decline and decay that happened to the old Roman and Greek civilisations [and others] like them, was the emergence of the woman from her particular domain into that of the man's [domain] and their competing together. This led to the corruption of the morals of the men and their abandoning that which would push the community to a material and spiritual development.
Also, if the woman is busy outside the home, this leads to the man becoming idle, causing a decline and collapse of their (the men's) role, and the corruption of the family, causing the collapse of its structure and the corruption of the morals of the children. As well as this, it also leads to the violation of the principles which Allah (Ta'aala) has declared in the Qur'an, which is that man has been placed as the guardian.
It is also the objective of Islam to distance a woman from everything which contradicts her nature, and so [it is for this reason that] she is prohibited from being entrusted with public governorship, such as the leadership of the country, the administration of the Law and all those duties which carry public responsibilities.
This is because the Prophet (sal-Allaahu 'alayhe wa sallam) said:
"Never would a community succeed which entrusted the direction of their affairs to a woman."
[Related by Al Bukharee in his collection of authentic Hadeeth.]
And so the opening of the door for her to step into the arena of men must be considered contradictory to what Islam wants for her of happiness and stability. And so Islam prohibits the enlisting of a woman in that which is outside her proper arena and field of activity.
Besides what has been mentioned in the Qur'an, and the Traditions of the Prophet (sal-Allaahu 'alayhe wa sallam) concerning the difference between their two natures and duties, experience has also proven - especially in those societies where men mix freely with women - that men and women are both by nature [not] equal. And those who call for the equality of the fair sex with men are either ignorant, or pretending to be ignorant of the basic differences between them.
Footnotes:
•Ayah - The Qur'an is divided into 114 Suwar, or Chapters. Each Surah is divided into a variable number of Ayat (plural). The total number of Ayat in the Qur'an is 6236.
•Mothers of the Believers: A title given to the wives of the Prophet Muhammad (sal-Allaahu 'alayhe wa sallam).
•Jalabeeb: plural of Jalbaab. A loose outer garment that covers all a woman's body. Some of the commentators have said that a woman should cover her head and face with it, except for one eye; in order that it be known that she is a free woman, and so not to be exposed to any harm.
•Khumaar: The plural of Khimaar. It is what is used by a woman to cover her head. The commentators have stated that during the times of ignorance (Jahileeyah), before Islam, the women would leave their 'Khumaar' to drop down from behind, and due to the widened opening of their gowns at their front, their necks and necklaces would be exposed.
•Juyoob: The plural of Jayb. The original meaning of the word is the opening in a garment through which the head passes. Some of the commentators have stated that it refers to the position of the opening and so the meaning in the Ayah would be 'their breasts'.
•Mahram: A person whom it is not permissible for a woman to marry by Islamic Law, such as her father or brother.
HAYA (SHYNESS) WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO "HIJAAB"
What is Haya?
Haya itself is derived from the word hayat which means life. But that is something that we will get into later on in this essay. This term covers a large number of concepts. In English, it may be translated as modesty, shyness, self-respect, bashfulness, shame, honour, etc. The original meaning of Haya according to a believer's nature, refers to a bad and painful feeling accompanied by embarrassment, caused by one's fear of being exposed or censured for some unworthy or indecent conduct.
Islamicaly Haya is an attribute which pushes the believer to avoid anything distasteful or abominable. It keeps him/her from being neglectful in giving everyone what is due upon them, and if for any reason he/she is not able to keep up with his/her commitment then they will feel extremely bad and ashamed about this. The reason being that he/she will have displeased Allah by breaking a commitment.
Haya plays a huge role in the lives of Muslims because it is a very important part of our eeman (faith/belief). If we do not have any form of haya in us then it is most likely that our eeman is very weak. For as it states in the following hadith:
Narrated by Abu Huraira (radhiallaahu anhu):
The Prophet (sal-Allaahu 'alayhe wa sallam) said, "Faith (Belief) consists of more than sixty branches (i.e. parts). And Haya (This term "Haya" covers a large number of concepts which are to be taken together; amongst them are self respect, modesty, bashfulness, and scruple, etc.) is a part of faith."
[Bukhaaree]
We also learn from the Prophet (sal-Allaahu 'alayhe wa sallam) the importance of having haya and how it is not something to be ashamed about, but instead one should be ashamed if they do not have it.
Narrated Abdullah ibn Umar (radhiallaahu anhu):
The Prophet (sal-Allaahu 'alayhe wa sallam) passed by a man who was admonishing his brother regarding Haya and was saying, "You are very shy, and I am afraid that might harm you." On that, Allah's Apostle said, "Leave him, for Haya is (a part) of Faith."
[Bukhaaree]
Now the above hadith is also a form of proof that "shyness" is not just something regarding women but also an attribute that believing men should have, for it is an indication if their fear of Allah and an indication of the value of their deen.
Now to discuss the different types of haya. How many types of haya are there?
Haya' is of two kinds: good and bad;
The good Hayâ' is to be ashamed to commit a crime or a thing which Allah and His Messenger (sal-Allaahu 'alayhe wa sallam) has forbidden, and bad Hayâ' is to be ashamed to do a thing, which Allah and His Messenger (sal-Allaahu 'alayhe wa sallam) ordered to do.
Firstly, to talk about the types of Good haya.
For example, anyone who is a believer, he/she should build their personalities and their character with the good dimensions of haya. The most important is that he/she must be shy of doing ANYTHING displeasing to Allah, with the belief that he/she will have to answer to all their deeds. If one develops a sense such as this one, it will help the believer to obey all of Allah's command and to stay away from the sins. Once the believer realizes that Allah is watching us all the time and we will have to answer for every move we make in this dunya, he/she would not neglect any order from Allah or His Messenger (sal-Allaahu 'alayhe wa sallam). So the stronger this sense of haya becomes, the more it motivates one to make sure that Allah doesn't see him/her doing anything forbidden. The way to develop this haya is that one must keep learning and absorbing more and more knowledge of our deen.
Another type of haya is more of a social aspect concerning others besides Allah. Normally these things often come in regard with ones relationship with family. For instance a child not wanting to do something displeasing to his mother, or a wife not wanting to do something displeasing to her husband or even a student who is careful about saying something incorrect infront of his teacher (dai'i). Last but not least is the type of haya in which the believers become shy of themselves. This is when they have reached the peek of their eeman. What this means is that if they do, or say, or see, anything wrong or even commit the tiniest sin, they start to feel extremely bad and embarrassed or they feel extreme guilt in their heart. This builds a high degree of self-consciousness and that is what strengthens the believers commitment to Allah.
After discussing the various types of "beneficial" haya, it is time to discuss the type of haya which is not only against the teachings of our Prophet (sal-Allaahu 'alayhe wa sallam) but it is also solid proof of the weakness of someone's eeman. This negative aspect revolves around a person's shamefulness or shyness of doing something that Allah has ordered us to do through the Quran or our Prophet's (sal-Allaahu 'alayhe wa sallam) sunnah. This constitutes the shamefulness or embarrassment of doing a lawful act or something that is ordered upon us from Allah. Meaning for someone not to follow an obligation of Islam, due the fact of being shy infront of others about it. This is totally forbidden because then one is giving the people of this dunya more respect than the One who Created this whole universe. It also means if someone is shy or afraid to seek knowledge of Islam for worldly reasons, because they do not want others to see them or to know of their ignorance. This once again goes contrary to what Allah has told us in the Quran, which is to seek knowledge and preach it to others.
In this society there are many examples. People will go out an get degrees in law schools, or science, or engineering and they will put four to six years of their lives studying for this stuff that will only benefit them in this world. Why? You ask? Well most likely, in this society people including Muslims, choose their careers according to how much money they will make and what status they will have in this society as to being a lawyer or a doctor etc. They do not realize that in Islam the BEST stature of a Muslim is that of a "dai'i" or a teacher of Islam. These Islamic teachers and scholars are even higher in the eyes of Allah then one who only sits at home and preaches or does ibaadah. If they want to study law, why not Islamic Shariah? If they want to study science, why not Islamic Science? So this explains how people consider the worldly careers to be of higher value and are embarrassed to even express an interest in Islamic Studies. Only because they will not be considered as high as the other "educated" people. This is having the bad haya or "shame" of something that is encouraged to us by Allah and His Messenger (sal-Allaahu 'alayhe wa sallam).
Another proof of bad haya is that which is extremely popular amongst our sisters in this western society. That is what the rest of this essay will be focused on. One of the most important aspects of haya, for women, is that of guarding their chastity and their modesty. To do this they must follow the order from Allah telling them to keep hidden themselves and their adornments from all men unlawful to them in marriage. Now this order involves all the aspects of haya for those who do follow it. The believing and following women are ashamed of disobeying Allah. They are shy of the opposite gender in this society because of what they might experience if strange men look at them and lastly they have haya because they are ashamed of going out in public and committing this grave sin of displaying their beauty is public. There are many women in this society who claim that they have haya but to follow the order of hijab is backwards and that women in this society shouldn't have to cover, is obviously disbelief. For if someone really had haya they would never contradict ANYTHING that Allah has ordained upon us even if they did not exactly like the idea. A women's haya comes from her modesty and her shyness and her fear of Allah, so how can she have haya if she walks around in public un-veiled? Proof lies in the following hadith.
Abdullah ibn Umar (radhiallaahu anhu) narrated that the Prophet (sal-Allaahu 'alayhe wa sallam) said:
"Indeed haya (modesty) and Iman are Companions. When one of them is lifted, the other leaves as well."
[Baihaqi]
There are many verses in the Quran and many ahadith explaining the reasons behind observing Hijab. The Islamic Shariah has not stopped at giving the Commandments of Hijab, it has also clarified every such thing which directly relates to these commandments and, with the slightest carelessness, may result in vulgarity and immodesty. In other words such things have also been forbidden in order to close the doors to indecency and lewdness, in return providing a stronger pillar for haya. Modesty (haya) and maintaining one's honor are of primary importance in preserving the moral fiber of any society. This is why modesty has been called the ornament of a woman, which protects her from many sins and which prevents ill-intentioned men from daring to have bad thoughts about her. This haya has been made a part of her nature to safeguard her from being abused by immoral men.
Narrated on the authority of Anas bin Malik (radhiallaahu anhu), the Prophet (sal-Allaahu 'alayhe wa sallam) said:
When lewdness is a part of anything, it becomes defective; and when haya is a part of anything it becomes beautiful.
[Tirmidhi]
So it is only obvious that Hijab plays and extremely important role in regards to Haya. For Hijab prevents lewdness and Haya backs this up and then person's eeman becomes even stronger. So both things work together in a partnership. At the time of our beloved Prophet (sal-Allaahu 'alayhe wa sallam) as soon as the verses of Hijab were revealed, all the Quraish and Ansar ran home to their wives and daughters and close female relatives to tell them to cover themselves. The ones who had veils used them and the ones who did not have veils made some right away. For instance the following hadith tells us:
Narrated by Aisha (radhiallaahu anhaa):
May Allah have mercy on the early immigrant women. When the verse "That they should draw their veils over their bosoms" was revealed, they tore their thick outer garments and made veils from them. And when the verse "That they should cast their outer garments over themselves" was revealed, the women of Ansar came out as if they had crows over their heads by wearing outer garments.
[Abu Dawood]
This indicates that all these women wanted to guard their modesty which is why they followed out the orders of Allah. Yet, another verse talk about the level of modesty in Aisha (radhiallaahu anhu).
Narrated Aisha (radhiallaahu anhaa):
"I used to enter my house where Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) was and take off my garment, saying that only my husband and my father were there; but when Umar was buried along with them, I swear by Allah that I did not enter it without having my clothes wrapped round me owing to modesty regarding Umar."
[at-Tirmidhi and Ahmed]
If women in today's society choose not to wear the veils, but some belief in their hearts, than they might be categorized as Muslim women but not Mumineen. The truth is that Haya is a special characteristic of a Mu'min. People who are ignorant of the teachings of the Prophet (sal-Allaahu 'alayhe wa sallam) do not concern themselves with Haya and Honor. Haya and Iman are interdependent; therefore either they both exist together or they both perish.
Thus, the Prophet (sal-Allaahu 'alayhe wa sallam) has said in one hadith,
"When there is no haya left, then do as you please."
Today vulgarity and all its ingredients have become a common place even among well-known Muslims in the zeal of imitating the non-believers. It is these people who have been struggling to bring Muslim women out of Hijab into immodesty "be'hayai" and indecency. They have adopted the lifestyles of the Christians more than the traditions of the Prophet (sal-Allaahu 'alayhe wa sallam). Such people are in a dilemma. On the one hand, they desire to freely look at the half-clad bodies of the wives and daughters of other Muslims on the streets; and on the other hand, they do not have the courage to deny the teachings of the Holy Quran and the Prophet (sal-Allaahu 'alayhe wa sallam). Neither can they say they have given up Islam, nor can they bear to see Muslim women wear Hijab and showing some Haya. Actually the fact is, indulging in indecency for so long has killed the sense of modesty (haya) which Islam had commanded them to preserve. It is this natural desire of maintaining one's honor which compels men to protect the respect and honor of their women. What these men and women do not understand is that if the women do not observe Hijab and do not develop Haya inside of them, they will be entertaining those who have taken the path of shaitaan. Such as the following hadith:
Malik b Uhaimir (radhiallaahu anhu) reported that he heard the Prophet (sal-Allaahu 'alayhe wa sallam) saying that,
"Allah will not accept any good deeds or worship of an immodest and vulgar person." We asked "Who is a vulgar and immodest person?" He replied, "A man who's wife entertains Ghair-mehram men."
Now the word "entertains" implies that she is showing off her beauty instead of keeping herself covered up. If the Muslim brothers of today's society knew the benefits of haya and hijab hey would definitely not tolerate the opposite. At the time of our beloved Prophet (sal-Allaahu 'alayhe wa sallam) the husbands could not even imagine their wives leaving the houses un-veiled let alone go out and beautify themselves for other men to get "free looks". The following hadith shows this fact clearly:
Narrated by Al-Mughira (radhiallaahu anhu):
Sa'd bin 'Ubada said, "I will not hesitate killing my wife with a sword if I see her with another man" This news reached Allah's Apostle who then said, "You people are astonished at Sa'd's Ghira (self-respect, honor). By Allah, I have more Ghira than he, and Allah has more Ghira than I, and because of Allah's Ghira, He has made unlawful shameful deeds and sins done in open and in secret. And there is none who likes that the people should repent to Him and beg His pardon than Allah, and for this reason He sent the warners and the givers of good news. And there is none who likes to be praised more than Allah does, and for this reason, Allah promised to grant Paradise (to the doers of good)." 'Abdul Malik said, "No person has more Ghira than Allah."
[Sahih Bukhari]
So this should be enough to understand why Hijab is so important for women to establish Haya in themselves and live the lives of true mu'mineen. Sometimes the situation becomes a such that people will have done wrong/sins for such a long period of time that they will not be able to differentiate between right and wrong. Another way to put this is that, a person's exceeding indulgence in indecency results in the loss of wisdom and the ability to see good deeds from bad deeds.
As the Prophet (sal-Allaahu 'alayhe wa sallam) said:
"I have a sense of Honor ( a part of haya). Only a person with a darkened heart is deprived of Honor."
So one wonders....what if this observing of Hijab and maintaining Haya is so important then how come we have nothing to show us the merits? Well the answer to that question clearly lies in the Quran and ahadith.
There are many merits of Haya if one wants to know. Here are some just to list a few.
•Allah loves Haya. We know this by the following hadith:
"Surely Allah (is One who) has haya and is the Protector. He loves haya and people who cover each others faults."
[Bukhari]
•Haya itself is a Greatness of Islam as our Prophet (sal-Allaahu 'alayhe wa sallam) indicated:
"Every way of life has a innate character. The character of Islam is haya." Or "Every deen has an innate character. The character of Islam is modesty (haya)."
[Abu Dawood]
•Haya only brings good and nothing else. Our Prophet (sal-Allaahu 'alayhe wa sallam) said:
"Haya does not bring anything except good."
[Bukhari]
•Haya is a very clear indication of our eeman. As the Prophet (sal-Allaahu 'alayhe wa sallam) had mentioned to the Ansar who was condemning is brother about being shy:
"Leave him, for Haya is (a part) of Faith."
[Bukhari]
•Last but not least, Haya leads us to PARADISE . As the Prophet (sal-Allaahu 'alayhe wa sallam) told us:
"Haya comes from eeman; eeman leads to Paradise . Obscenity comes from antipathy; and antipathy leads to the fire."
[Bukhari]
The actual word Haya is derived from Hayat. This means life. It is only obvious that when someone has Haya in them, they will LIVE a life of Islam. On the other hand if they do not have Haya they are living a life that is Dead "Islamically" but alive according to this dunya.
The Prophet (sal-Allaahu 'alayhe wa sallam) said:
"Haya and Trustworthiness will be the first to go from this world; therefore keep asking Allah for them."
[Baihaqi]
In conclusion to this essay we must understand that Haya is important for both men and women. Men are to control themselves by getting married as young as possible or if they cannot afford that they should fast.
Women are told to conceal themselves so that the men will not be over taken by the whispers of shaitaan and will not disrespect or take advantage of the women. There are many verses in the Quran that have clearly explained how we have to behave and Allah is All-Knowing therefore He knew that we would face these problems living in this society, and that is no excuse to change Islam and only practice what we feel is right. Allah has told men how to guide their modesty and has told women how to guide their modesty. If either one of them refuse to follow the commandment of their Lord, may Allah have mercy on them and may He guide them to the straight path.
"Say to the believing men that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty: that will make for greater purity for them: and Allah is well acquainted with all that they do. And say to the believing women that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty; that they should not display their beauty and ornaments except what (must ordinarily) appear thereof; that they should draw their veils over their bosoms and not display their beauty... ."
[Surah Nur, 30-31]
ALL PRAISE BE TO ALLAH, AND MAY HIS PEACE AND BLESSINGS BE UPON MUHAMMAD (SAL-ALLAAHU 'ALAYHE WA SALLAM), HIS FAMILY, HIS COMPANIONS AND HIS TRUE FOLLOWERS UNTIL THE DAY OF JUDGEMENT.
Footnotes:
•Glossary of Islamic terms
•Safi Khan, Selections from Sahih-ul-Bukhari
•Kashif ul-Astar un-Zuwaid-ul-Barrar, pg.187
•Ihyaa Uloom-ud-Deen (selected texts)
•Firdous Al-Dailmi
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
Scholars who decided that Ibn Arabi is a Kafir
Among those Scholars who decided that Ibn Arabi is a Kafir :
Imam Shahabudeen Ahmed bin Yahya bin Abi Hajlah Al-Talmasani Al-Hanafi.
Imam Abdul Lateef As-Saoudi (Died on 736 Hijri)
Imam Al-Hussien bin Abdur Rahman bin Muhammed bin Ali Al-Hussienie Al-Alawai As-Shafie well known as Al-Ahdal.
Sultan Al-Ulema Izzudeen Abdul Aziz bin Abdus Salaam bin Abil Qasim As-Sulami As-Shafie
Imam Muhammed bin Muhammed bin Ali bin Yusof well known as Imam Ibn Al-Jazri As-Shafie
Imam Al-Qatalani
Imam Badurudeen Ibn jamaa'ah
Imam Imaadudeen Ahmed bin Ibrahim Al-Wasithi
Imam Abu Hayyan Muhammed bin Yusof Al-Andlusi well known as Ibn Abi Hayyan
Imam Taqyudeen Shiekhul Islam Ali bin Abdul-Kaafi As-Subki As-Shafie
Imam Al-Hafiz Taqyudeen Al-Faasi
Imam Baha-udeen As-Subki
Imam Sharafudeen Isa bin Masoud Az-Zawawie Al-Maliki
Imam Noorudeen Ali bin Ya'qoub Al-Bakari As-Shafie
Imam Najumdeen Muhammed bin Uqaiel Al-Balisie As-Shafie
Imam Abu Umamah Muhammed bin Ali Ibn An-Naqqash Al-Misri As-Shafie
Imam Jamuludeen Abdullah bin Yusof bin Hisham well known as Imam Ibn Hisham
Imam Shamsudeen Muhammed Al-E'ieerie As-Shafie
Imam Lisaanudeen Muhibudeen Ibn Al-Khatheeb Al-Andlusi Al-Maliki
Imam Shamsudeen Abu Abdullah Muhammed Al-Mousili As-Shafie
Imam Shahabudeen Ahmed bin Yahya bin Abi Hajlah Al-Talmasani Al-Hanafi.
Imam Abdul Lateef As-Saoudi (Died on 736 Hijri)
Imam Al-Hussien bin Abdur Rahman bin Muhammed bin Ali Al-Hussienie Al-Alawai As-Shafie well known as Al-Ahdal.
Sultan Al-Ulema Izzudeen Abdul Aziz bin Abdus Salaam bin Abil Qasim As-Sulami As-Shafie
Imam Muhammed bin Muhammed bin Ali bin Yusof well known as Imam Ibn Al-Jazri As-Shafie
Imam Al-Qatalani
Imam Badurudeen Ibn jamaa'ah
Imam Imaadudeen Ahmed bin Ibrahim Al-Wasithi
Imam Abu Hayyan Muhammed bin Yusof Al-Andlusi well known as Ibn Abi Hayyan
Imam Taqyudeen Shiekhul Islam Ali bin Abdul-Kaafi As-Subki As-Shafie
Imam Al-Hafiz Taqyudeen Al-Faasi
Imam Baha-udeen As-Subki
Imam Sharafudeen Isa bin Masoud Az-Zawawie Al-Maliki
Imam Noorudeen Ali bin Ya'qoub Al-Bakari As-Shafie
Imam Najumdeen Muhammed bin Uqaiel Al-Balisie As-Shafie
Imam Abu Umamah Muhammed bin Ali Ibn An-Naqqash Al-Misri As-Shafie
Imam Jamuludeen Abdullah bin Yusof bin Hisham well known as Imam Ibn Hisham
Imam Shamsudeen Muhammed Al-E'ieerie As-Shafie
Imam Lisaanudeen Muhibudeen Ibn Al-Khatheeb Al-Andlusi Al-Maliki
Imam Shamsudeen Abu Abdullah Muhammed Al-Mousili As-Shafie
The takfir of Ibn Arabi
Hafidh Ibn Hajr said, “I asked my Shaykh Siraaj ud deen al-Balqayaanee about Ibn Arabi and he replied quickly he is kafir (disbeliever)” (Lisaan ul-Mizaan, 4/319; 5/213; Tambiyyatul-Ghabee Ilaa Takfir Ibn Arabi, 159)
Hafidh Ibn Daqiq al-Eed asked Abu Muhammad Izzuddeen Abdul Azeez bin Abdus Salaam as-Silmi ad-Damashqee about Ibn Arabi and he replied, “Dirty, liar and far from the truth, he opined time was old and he did not consider other peoples private parts to be haraam.” (al-Wafaa Bal-Wafyaat, 4/125; Tambiyyatul-Ghabee, 138-139; Mizaan ul-Ei’tidaal, 3/659; Lisaan ul-Mizaan, 5/311-312; 6/398)
Abu Hayyaan Muhammad bin Yoosuf Andaloosee (745H) said, “From the heretics who affirm unification and unity of existence are…… Ibn Arabi”
(Tafsir Bahr al-Muhit, 3/464-465)
Hafidh Ibn Kathir said, “and the book which is named Fusoos al-Hikam contains many things which indicate clear kufr (disbelief).” (Bidaayah Wan-Nihaayah, 13/167)
Imam Ibn Taymiyyah wrote, “No one has elucidated the meaning of al-Heerah from amongst the people of knowledge and Eemaan, however a group from amongst the heretics like the author of Fusoos al-Hikam Ibn Arabi and others like him who are heretics.” (Majmoo’ al-Fataawa, 11/385)
Muhaddith Baqaa’ee wrote our teacher Hafidh Ibn Hajr and another man called Ibn al-Ameen had a mubaahilah concerning Ibn Arabi. The man said, “If Ibn Arabi is upon misguidance then curse me.” Hafidh Ibn Hajr said, “Oh Allah if Ibn Arabi is upon guidance then curse me.” After a few months the man became blind and died during the night. (Tambiyyatul-Ghabee, 136-137)
Qadhee Taqiuddeen Ali bin Abdul Kaafee as-Subki said in Sharh Minhaaj in the Chapter of al-Wasayyah, “Whoever is from amongst the later sufi’s like Ibn Arabi and others then they are ignorant and misguided and they outside the way of Islam.” (Tambiyyatul-Ghabee, 143)
Shamsuddeen Muhammad al-Eaizree wrote about Fusoos al-Hikam in his book al-Fatawaa al-Muntashirah, “The scholars says whatever is in it, then all of it is disbelief and everything in it is based on the belief of unification.” (Tambiyyatul-Ghabee, 152)
Mulla Ali Qaari said, “So if you are a true Muslim and believer, then do not have doubt in the disbelief of Ibn Arabi and his group and do not hold back in their misguidance and stupid misguided group. If it is asked is it permissible to give them salam first? Then I say no and nor should you reply to their Salam, rather do not even say Alaykum as their evil is worse than the Jews and Christians, and the ruling concerning them is that of the heretical disbelievers. It is obligatory to burn the books they have authored and everyone should mention their evil and hypocrisy as the silence of the scholars and the differing of some of the narrators became the reason for this fitnah.” (Radd Alal Qaa’ileen Bi-Wahdatul-Wajood, 155-156)
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"When Allah, the One and Only, is mentioned, the hearts of those who believe not in the Hereafter are filled with disgust and horror; when those (whom they worship) beside Him are mentioned, behold, they are filled with joy!" (39/45)
Hafidh Ibn Daqiq al-Eed asked Abu Muhammad Izzuddeen Abdul Azeez bin Abdus Salaam as-Silmi ad-Damashqee about Ibn Arabi and he replied, “Dirty, liar and far from the truth, he opined time was old and he did not consider other peoples private parts to be haraam.” (al-Wafaa Bal-Wafyaat, 4/125; Tambiyyatul-Ghabee, 138-139; Mizaan ul-Ei’tidaal, 3/659; Lisaan ul-Mizaan, 5/311-312; 6/398)
Abu Hayyaan Muhammad bin Yoosuf Andaloosee (745H) said, “From the heretics who affirm unification and unity of existence are…… Ibn Arabi”
(Tafsir Bahr al-Muhit, 3/464-465)
Hafidh Ibn Kathir said, “and the book which is named Fusoos al-Hikam contains many things which indicate clear kufr (disbelief).” (Bidaayah Wan-Nihaayah, 13/167)
Imam Ibn Taymiyyah wrote, “No one has elucidated the meaning of al-Heerah from amongst the people of knowledge and Eemaan, however a group from amongst the heretics like the author of Fusoos al-Hikam Ibn Arabi and others like him who are heretics.” (Majmoo’ al-Fataawa, 11/385)
Muhaddith Baqaa’ee wrote our teacher Hafidh Ibn Hajr and another man called Ibn al-Ameen had a mubaahilah concerning Ibn Arabi. The man said, “If Ibn Arabi is upon misguidance then curse me.” Hafidh Ibn Hajr said, “Oh Allah if Ibn Arabi is upon guidance then curse me.” After a few months the man became blind and died during the night. (Tambiyyatul-Ghabee, 136-137)
Qadhee Taqiuddeen Ali bin Abdul Kaafee as-Subki said in Sharh Minhaaj in the Chapter of al-Wasayyah, “Whoever is from amongst the later sufi’s like Ibn Arabi and others then they are ignorant and misguided and they outside the way of Islam.” (Tambiyyatul-Ghabee, 143)
Shamsuddeen Muhammad al-Eaizree wrote about Fusoos al-Hikam in his book al-Fatawaa al-Muntashirah, “The scholars says whatever is in it, then all of it is disbelief and everything in it is based on the belief of unification.” (Tambiyyatul-Ghabee, 152)
Mulla Ali Qaari said, “So if you are a true Muslim and believer, then do not have doubt in the disbelief of Ibn Arabi and his group and do not hold back in their misguidance and stupid misguided group. If it is asked is it permissible to give them salam first? Then I say no and nor should you reply to their Salam, rather do not even say Alaykum as their evil is worse than the Jews and Christians, and the ruling concerning them is that of the heretical disbelievers. It is obligatory to burn the books they have authored and everyone should mention their evil and hypocrisy as the silence of the scholars and the differing of some of the narrators became the reason for this fitnah.” (Radd Alal Qaa’ileen Bi-Wahdatul-Wajood, 155-156)
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"When Allah, the One and Only, is mentioned, the hearts of those who believe not in the Hereafter are filled with disgust and horror; when those (whom they worship) beside Him are mentioned, behold, they are filled with joy!" (39/45)
Haafidh Ibn Hajar`s position on the Sufi Ibn Arabi
Tanbeehul-Al-Ghabee be Takfir Umar bin Al-Faaridh wa Ibni Arab, 137-138
Allamah Burhaanud-Deen Al-Biqaaee[1] narrated:
Our Shaykh, Shaykul-Islam, the Haafidh of his era, chief justice, Abul-Fadal Shihaabud-Deen Ahmed bin `Ali bin Hajar Al-Kanaanee, Al-Asqalanee[2], As-Shafee, from Egypt, narrated to us:
I also saw this incident transcribed and transmitted from Al-Haafidh Taqiud-Deen Al-Faasee[3] [in his book] which our Shaykh Ibn Hajar Asqalanee himself amended - with his own handwriting – as part of the subject of declaring Ibn `Arabi4 a disbeliever [Takfir of Ibn `Arabi].
Ibn Hajr Al-Asqalanee said: In the days of Az-Zaahir Barqooq[4], there was a person known as Ibnul-Al-Ameen, who was extremely fanatical and bigoted with Ibn Arabi[5], the author of Al-Fusoos [`Bezels of widsom`], and I was constantly elucidating his [Ibnul-Arabi] faults, and manifesting his mistakes and errors.
And there was a Shaykh in Egypt known as As-Shaykh Safaa, and he was closely associated with Az-Zaahir. Ibnul-Al-Ameen threatened me, saying he would disclose my identity to Shaykh Safaaa so that he may mention to the ruler Az-Zaahir that in Egypt there is a group of people - and I being amongst them - who speak ill of the pious people and other things of the same kind.
And in those days, there were outrageous acts of injustice, calamities and business losses. I was a person who possessed wealth; therefore I feared its consequences and I apprehensively feared its calamity.
And then I said to Ibnul-Ameen, `indeed here is something that is more likely better than what you intend, something that some of the Haafidh [of Hadith] have described as an accomplished fact based upon the occurrence of past events that whenever any two people have invoked the curse of Allah upon each other regarding a matter, a [complete] year does not elapse by for the one who is upon falsehood amongst them both. Therefore, come on then! Let us both invoke the curse of Allah upon ourselves, so that it can be known who is upon the truth amongst us on this issue and who is upon falsehood.
Then we both, he and I, invoked the curse of Allah upon ourselves, I said to him invoke the curse of Allah upon yourself with the following words:
`Oh Allah if Ibn Arabi is upon misguidance, curse me with your curse,` He said that. Then I said: Oh Allah if Ibn Arabi is upon true guidance then curse me with your curse.` And then, we both separated from one another
.
He used to live in a place called Ar-Rawdaah[5]. One of the sons of a soldier took him in as his guest, then for some reason he [Ibnul-Ameen] suddenly decided to leave them. So then he left in the early part of the night, with the soldiers` sons also accompanying him to escort him and bid him farewell.
Then suddenly, he felt something that passed over his feet. He said to his companions, `something soft just passed over my feet; please see what it was.` They searched to see what had passed by but didn`t see anything, so then he continued walking [alone]. He did not reach his home except that he became blind, and morning did not come except that he died. And this was in the month of Dhul-Qadah in the year 797 AH, and the Mubahalah - invoking the curse of Allah upon the liar - had taken place between us in the month of Ramadan.
Ibn Hajar, with his final words, said:
Indeed at the time when the Mubahalah took place, I informed those who were present at the Mubahalah, that the [one amongst us] who would be upon falsehood [as a result of this Mubahalah] would not even live a full year, and that is exactly what happened, and All praise is due to Allah for that. So I was relieved from the evilness of this person, and safe from his plotting and deceiving.
Footnotes
[1] He is Ibrahim bin Umar bin Hasan Ar-Rubaat bin Ali bin Abi Bakr, Abul-Hasan Burhaanud-Deen Al-Biqaaee As-Shafee. He was born in the year 809 AH at the ruins of a village in the vicinity of Biqaa [currently in Lebanon]. He spent his early life there before travelling to Damascus, where he learned how to recite the Qur`aan, and memorized it, with different types of recitation. He then occupied himself with learning syntax of the Arabic language, subsidiary issues of the shari'ah [Fiqh], and many other different sciences of Islam. He studied under many scholars, including Haafidh Ibn Hajar Al-Asqalanee and Ibn Naseerud-Deen. He authored many books, including: 1. Tanbeehul-Al-Ghabee be Takfir Umar bin Al-Faaridh wa Ibni Arabi [on the issue of declaring Umar bin Al-Faaridh and Ibn Arabi disbelievers], and 2. Al-Munaasibaatul-Al-Qur`aaniyyah. [on the subject of the science of the Qur`an]. He died at the age of 76 during Rajab, 885 AH Egypt, in Cairo, Egypt. [TN]
[2] He was born in Egypt during the month of Sha`ban of the year 773 AH on the coast of the Nile River. His father died when he was young. He memorized the Qur`an when he was nine years old. Allah had blessed Haafidh Ibn Hajr with such a great memory that it has been said about him that he memorized all of Surah Maryam in a single day. He wrote over a hundred books, his most famous book being the explanation of Sahih Bukhari known as Fathul-Baree. Among his other books were Bulugul-Muraam, a book on fiqh regulations based upon the A-Haadeeth of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be with him; and Al-Isaabah Fee Tameez-Asahaabah, on the biographies of the companions of the Messenger of Allah, may Allah be pleased with them all. He died in the year 852 AH. [Refer to Al-Isaabah Fee Tameez-Asahaabah of Haafidh Ibn Hajar Al-Asqalanee, Volume 1, pages 90- 123,]
[3] He is Muhammad bin Ahmed bin Ali. He was born in Makkah in the year 775 AH, and died in the year 832 AH. He was assigned as the judge of the judiciary of the Mâlikis at Makkah.
[4] He was the founder of the Barjiyyah Empire, their origin being Turkish slaves. He ruled from the year 784 AH till 801 AH, and died at the age of 60.
[5] He was born in Murcia, Spain, on the 17th of Ramadan, 560 AH (July 28, 1165 CE). His family moved to Seville when he was eight. He began disciplined Sufi practice (Sulook) at the age of twenty. He studied the traditional sciences, Hadith in particular, with many teachers; he mentions ninety of these in an autobiographical note. In 597 AH/ 1200 CE, he left Spain for good, with the intention of performing hajj. In 601 AH/1204 CE, he set off from Makkah on his way to Anatolia with Majd-al-Din Eshaq, whose son Sadr-al-Din Qunawi (606-673 AH /1210-1274 CE) would be his most influential Sufi disciple. After moving about for several years in the central Islamic lands, never going as far as Persia, he settled in Damascus in 620 AH/1223 CE. There, he taught and wrote until his death. Some of the books that he authored include: al-Fotuhat al-makkiya (`The Meccan Openings`), and Fosus al-hekam (`Bezels of widsom` is less than 180 pages long). Refer to Ibn al-`Arabi, by Professor William Chittick, State University of New York.
Allamah Burhaanud-Deen Al-Biqaaee[1] narrated:
Our Shaykh, Shaykul-Islam, the Haafidh of his era, chief justice, Abul-Fadal Shihaabud-Deen Ahmed bin `Ali bin Hajar Al-Kanaanee, Al-Asqalanee[2], As-Shafee, from Egypt, narrated to us:
I also saw this incident transcribed and transmitted from Al-Haafidh Taqiud-Deen Al-Faasee[3] [in his book] which our Shaykh Ibn Hajar Asqalanee himself amended - with his own handwriting – as part of the subject of declaring Ibn `Arabi4 a disbeliever [Takfir of Ibn `Arabi].
Ibn Hajr Al-Asqalanee said: In the days of Az-Zaahir Barqooq[4], there was a person known as Ibnul-Al-Ameen, who was extremely fanatical and bigoted with Ibn Arabi[5], the author of Al-Fusoos [`Bezels of widsom`], and I was constantly elucidating his [Ibnul-Arabi] faults, and manifesting his mistakes and errors.
And there was a Shaykh in Egypt known as As-Shaykh Safaa, and he was closely associated with Az-Zaahir. Ibnul-Al-Ameen threatened me, saying he would disclose my identity to Shaykh Safaaa so that he may mention to the ruler Az-Zaahir that in Egypt there is a group of people - and I being amongst them - who speak ill of the pious people and other things of the same kind.
And in those days, there were outrageous acts of injustice, calamities and business losses. I was a person who possessed wealth; therefore I feared its consequences and I apprehensively feared its calamity.
And then I said to Ibnul-Ameen, `indeed here is something that is more likely better than what you intend, something that some of the Haafidh [of Hadith] have described as an accomplished fact based upon the occurrence of past events that whenever any two people have invoked the curse of Allah upon each other regarding a matter, a [complete] year does not elapse by for the one who is upon falsehood amongst them both. Therefore, come on then! Let us both invoke the curse of Allah upon ourselves, so that it can be known who is upon the truth amongst us on this issue and who is upon falsehood.
Then we both, he and I, invoked the curse of Allah upon ourselves, I said to him invoke the curse of Allah upon yourself with the following words:
`Oh Allah if Ibn Arabi is upon misguidance, curse me with your curse,` He said that. Then I said: Oh Allah if Ibn Arabi is upon true guidance then curse me with your curse.` And then, we both separated from one another
.
He used to live in a place called Ar-Rawdaah[5]. One of the sons of a soldier took him in as his guest, then for some reason he [Ibnul-Ameen] suddenly decided to leave them. So then he left in the early part of the night, with the soldiers` sons also accompanying him to escort him and bid him farewell.
Then suddenly, he felt something that passed over his feet. He said to his companions, `something soft just passed over my feet; please see what it was.` They searched to see what had passed by but didn`t see anything, so then he continued walking [alone]. He did not reach his home except that he became blind, and morning did not come except that he died. And this was in the month of Dhul-Qadah in the year 797 AH, and the Mubahalah - invoking the curse of Allah upon the liar - had taken place between us in the month of Ramadan.
Ibn Hajar, with his final words, said:
Indeed at the time when the Mubahalah took place, I informed those who were present at the Mubahalah, that the [one amongst us] who would be upon falsehood [as a result of this Mubahalah] would not even live a full year, and that is exactly what happened, and All praise is due to Allah for that. So I was relieved from the evilness of this person, and safe from his plotting and deceiving.
Footnotes
[1] He is Ibrahim bin Umar bin Hasan Ar-Rubaat bin Ali bin Abi Bakr, Abul-Hasan Burhaanud-Deen Al-Biqaaee As-Shafee. He was born in the year 809 AH at the ruins of a village in the vicinity of Biqaa [currently in Lebanon]. He spent his early life there before travelling to Damascus, where he learned how to recite the Qur`aan, and memorized it, with different types of recitation. He then occupied himself with learning syntax of the Arabic language, subsidiary issues of the shari'ah [Fiqh], and many other different sciences of Islam. He studied under many scholars, including Haafidh Ibn Hajar Al-Asqalanee and Ibn Naseerud-Deen. He authored many books, including: 1. Tanbeehul-Al-Ghabee be Takfir Umar bin Al-Faaridh wa Ibni Arabi [on the issue of declaring Umar bin Al-Faaridh and Ibn Arabi disbelievers], and 2. Al-Munaasibaatul-Al-Qur`aaniyyah. [on the subject of the science of the Qur`an]. He died at the age of 76 during Rajab, 885 AH Egypt, in Cairo, Egypt. [TN]
[2] He was born in Egypt during the month of Sha`ban of the year 773 AH on the coast of the Nile River. His father died when he was young. He memorized the Qur`an when he was nine years old. Allah had blessed Haafidh Ibn Hajr with such a great memory that it has been said about him that he memorized all of Surah Maryam in a single day. He wrote over a hundred books, his most famous book being the explanation of Sahih Bukhari known as Fathul-Baree. Among his other books were Bulugul-Muraam, a book on fiqh regulations based upon the A-Haadeeth of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be with him; and Al-Isaabah Fee Tameez-Asahaabah, on the biographies of the companions of the Messenger of Allah, may Allah be pleased with them all. He died in the year 852 AH. [Refer to Al-Isaabah Fee Tameez-Asahaabah of Haafidh Ibn Hajar Al-Asqalanee, Volume 1, pages 90- 123,]
[3] He is Muhammad bin Ahmed bin Ali. He was born in Makkah in the year 775 AH, and died in the year 832 AH. He was assigned as the judge of the judiciary of the Mâlikis at Makkah.
[4] He was the founder of the Barjiyyah Empire, their origin being Turkish slaves. He ruled from the year 784 AH till 801 AH, and died at the age of 60.
[5] He was born in Murcia, Spain, on the 17th of Ramadan, 560 AH (July 28, 1165 CE). His family moved to Seville when he was eight. He began disciplined Sufi practice (Sulook) at the age of twenty. He studied the traditional sciences, Hadith in particular, with many teachers; he mentions ninety of these in an autobiographical note. In 597 AH/ 1200 CE, he left Spain for good, with the intention of performing hajj. In 601 AH/1204 CE, he set off from Makkah on his way to Anatolia with Majd-al-Din Eshaq, whose son Sadr-al-Din Qunawi (606-673 AH /1210-1274 CE) would be his most influential Sufi disciple. After moving about for several years in the central Islamic lands, never going as far as Persia, he settled in Damascus in 620 AH/1223 CE. There, he taught and wrote until his death. Some of the books that he authored include: al-Fotuhat al-makkiya (`The Meccan Openings`), and Fosus al-hekam (`Bezels of widsom` is less than 180 pages long). Refer to Ibn al-`Arabi, by Professor William Chittick, State University of New York.
Etiquettes of Ziyaarah
All Praise be to Allaah. O you who come to the City of the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), you have come to a good place and you are going to earn great reward. May Allaah accept your righteous deeds and fulfil your greatest hopes. Welcome to the land of Hijrah and victory, the land of the Chosen Prophet, the land to which the righteous Sahaabah migrated and the home of the Ansaar.
There follow a few words of advice to those who want to visit the Mosque of the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him):
1 – O you who come to Madeenah, you are in a place which, after Makkah, is the best and noblest of all places, so respect it as it should be respected; honour its sanctity and holiness and observe the best etiquette therein.
Know that Allaah has warned of the severest punishment for those who commit evil therein.
It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Madeenah is a Haram (sanctuary), so whoever commits evil therein or gives protection to an evildoer, the curse of Allaah, the angels and all of mankind may be upon him. Allaah will not accept any obligatory or naafil deed from him on the Day of Resurrection.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 1867; Muslim, 1370.
So whoever commits any evil action or offers protection to any evildoer who seeks his help is exposing himself to a humiliating punishment and the wrath of the Lord of the Worlds.
One of the most serious of evil deeds that violate its purity is openly doing acts of bid’ah and spoiling its atmosphere with myths and false ideas, and contaminating its pure land with the spread of articles which promote bid’ah, books which contain shirk, and all kinds of reprehensible and haraam actions which go against Islamic sharee’ah. The evildoer and the one who gives him protection are equally guilty of sin.
2 – Visiting the Prophet’s Mosque is an act that is Sunnah; it is not an obligatory action and has nothing to do with Hajj, nor is it an action that is required in order for Hajj to be complete. All the ahaadeeth which say that it is connected to Hajj or that say that visiting the grave of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) is connected to Hajj are fabricated and false.
Whoever travels to Madeenah for the purpose of visiting the Mosque and praying therein, his intention is acceptable and his efforts will be rewarded. Whoever travels there only for the purpose of visiting the graves and seeking the help of their occupants, his intention is haraam and his actions are reprehensible.
It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Do not travel to visit any mosques except three: al-Masjid al-Haraam [in Makkah], this Mosque of mine [in Madeenah] and al-Masjid al-Aqsa [in Jerusalem].” Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 1189; Muslim, 1397.
It was narrated from Jaabir (may Allaah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The best places to which a person may travel are this Mosque of mine, and the Ancient House (i.e., the Ka’bah).” Narrated by Ahmad, 3/350; classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in al-Silsilah al-Saheehah, 1648.
3 – Prayers offered in the Mosque of Madeenah bring a multiple reward, both obligatory and naafil prayers according to the more correct of the two scholarly opinions. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “One prayer in this Mosque of mine is better than one thousand prayers offered anywhere else, except al-Masjid al-Haraam.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 1190; Muslim, 1394.
But offering naafil prayers at home is better than offering them in the mosque, even if the reward for offering them in the Mosque is multiplied, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said, “The best prayers are those that a man offers in his home, apart from the prescribed [obligatory] prayers.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 731; Muslim, 781.
4 – The visitor to this great Mosque should note that it is not permissible to seek blessing (barakah) from any part of the Prophet’s Mosque, such as the pillars, walls, doors, mihraab or minbar, by touching or kissing them. It is also not permitted to seek blessing from the Prophet’s hujrah (chamber) by touching it, kissing it, or wiping one's clothes against it or to circumambulate it. Whoever does any of these things has to repent and not repeat it.
5 – It is prescribed for the one who visits the Prophet’s Mosque to pray two rak’ahs in the Rawdah or whatever he wants of naafil prayers, because it is proven that there is virtue in doing so. It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The area between my house and my minbar is one of the gardens ( riyaad, sing. rawdah) of Paradise, and my minbar is on my cistern (hawd)” Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 1196; Muslim, 1391.
And it was narrated that Yazeed ibn Abi ‘Ubayd said: “I used to come with Salamah ibn al-Akwa’ and he would pray by the pillar which was by the mus-haf, i.e. in the Rawdah. I said, ‘O Abu Muslim, I see that you are keen to pray by this pillar!’ He said, ‘I saw that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) was keen to pray here.’” Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 502; Muslim, 509.
Being keen to pray in al-Rawdah does not justify being aggressive towards people or pushing the weak aside, or stepping over their necks.
6 – It is prescribed for the visitor to Madeenah and for the one who lives there to go to the Mosque of Quba’ and pray there, following the example of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and seeking the reward of ‘Umrah. It was narrated that Sahl ibn Haneef said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Whoever goes out until he comes to this mosque – meaning the Mosque of Quba’ – and prays there, that will be equivalent to ‘Umrah.” Narrated by Ahmad, 3/437; al-Nasaa’i, 699; classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Targheeb, 1180, 1181.
According to Ibn Maajah: “Whoever purifies himself in his house, then comes to the Mosque of Quba’ and prays there, he will have the reward of ‘Umrah.” Narrated by Ibn Maajah, 1412.
In al-Saheehayn it is narrated that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to go to the mosque of Quba’ every Saturday, walking or riding, and he would pray two rak’ahs there. Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 1191; Muslim, 1399
7 – For the visitor to Madeenah, it is not prescribed to visit any other mosques in the city apart from these two, the Mosque of the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and the Mosque of Quba’. It is not prescribed for the visitor or anyone else to head for a particular spot, hoping for blessing or to worship Allaah in that place, when there is no evidence from the Qur’aan or Sunnah concerning visiting that place and no evidence that the Sahaabah (may Allaah be pleased with them) did that.
It is not prescribed to go to the places and mosques in which the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) or the Sahaabah prayed in order to pray there or to worship Allaah by offering du’aa’s there etc., because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) did not enjoin that or encourage people to visit these places.
It was narrated that al-Ma’roor ibn Suwayd (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: We went out with ‘Umar ibn al-Khattaab, and we passed by a mosque on the way. The people hastened to pray there, and ‘Umar said, “What is the matter with them?” They said, “This is a mosque in which the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) prayed.” ‘Umar said, “O people, those who came before you were doomed because they followed such practices, until they established places of worship in such locations. If a time for prayer comes when you are there, then pray, and if it is not the time for prayer, then move on.” Narrated by Ibn Abi Shaybah in al-Musannaf, 7550.
When ‘Umar ibn al-Khattaab heard that there were people who came to the tree under which the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) had received the bay’ah (oath of allegiance), he ordered that it be cut down. Narrated by Ibn Abi Shaybah in al-Musannaf, 7545.
8 – It is prescribed for men who are visiting the Prophet’s Mosque to visit the grave of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and the graves of his two companions Abu Bakr and ‘Umar (may Allaah be pleased with them), and to send salaams upon them and make du’aa’ for them.
And al-Tirmidhi (1056) narrated from Abu Hurayrah that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) cursed women who visit graves. Al-Tirmidhi said it is hasan saheeh. It was also narrated by Ahmad, 2/337; Ibn Maajah, 1574; classed as hasan by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Tirmidhi, 843; Mishkaat al-Masaabeeh, 1770.
The way in which the grave of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) is to be visited is that the visitor should come to the grave and face it and say “Al-salaamu ‘alayka ya Rasool-Allaah (Peace be upon you, O Messenger of Allaah).” Then he should move about a yard to his right and say salaams to Abu Bakr by saying, “Al-salaamu ‘alayka ya Aba Bakr.” Then he should move a little further to his right, about a yard, and say salaams to ‘Umar ibn al-Khattaab, by saying, ‘Al-salaamu alayka ya ‘Umar.”
9 – It is prescribed for men who are visiting Madeenah to visit the people buried in Baqee’ al-Gharqad and the martyrs of Uhud, to send salaams on them and to make du’aa’ for them.
It was narrated that Buraydah (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to teach them, when they went out to the graveyards, to say, “Al-salaamu ‘alaykum ahl al-diyaar min al-mu’mineen wa’l-muslimeen, wa innaa in sha Allaah bikum laahiqoon. Nas’al Allaah lana wa lakum al-‘aafiyah. (Peace be upon you, O dwellers of these abodes, believers and Muslims. We will, when Allaah wills, join you. We ask Allaah to grant salvation to us and you).”
10 – Visiting the graves is prescribed for two great purposes:
(i) So that the visitor may receive a lesson and reminder.
(ii) So that the person visited will benefit from the du’aa’s and prayers for mercy and forgiveness that are offered for him.
Permission to visit graves is subject to the condition that no false words are spoken, the worst of which are shirk and kufr. It was narrated from Buraydah from his father that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “I used to forbid you to visit graves, but now whoever wants to visit them let him do so, but do not utter any falsehood.” Narrated by al-Nasaa’i, 2033; classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in al-Silsilah al-Saheehah, 886.
Muslim narrated this also (no. 977), but without the phrase, “but do not utter any falsehood.”
It is not permitted to circumambulate these graves or any others, or to pray towards them or amongst them, or to perform acts of worship beside them such as reading Qur’aan, making du’aa’, etc, because these are means of associating others in worship with the Lord of all creation and taking them (graves) as places of worship , even if no mosque is built over them.
It was narrated that ‘Aa’ishah and ‘Abd-Allaah ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allaah be pleased with them both) said: When death was approaching the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), he put a cloak over his face, and when he felt hot he removed it and said, “May Allaah’s curse be upon the Jews and Christians, for they took the graves of their Prophets as places of worship” – warning against doing what they did. Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 436; Muslim, 529.
And he (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The most evil of people are those upon whom the Hour will come when they are still alive and those who take graves as places of worship.” Narrated by Ahmad, 1/405. It is also narrated by al-Bukhaari in a mu’allaq report in Kitaab al-Fitan, Baab Zuhoor al-Fitan, 7067. Also narrated by Muslim in Kitaab al-Fitan, Baab Qurb al-Saa’ah, 2949, without mentioning the taking of graves as places of worship.
It was narrated that Abu Marthad al-Ghanawi said: I heard the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) say, “Do not sit on graves or pray facing towards them.” Narrated by Muslim, 972
.
And it was narrated that Abu Sa’eed al-Khudri (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said, “All of the earth is a place of prayer apart from graveyards and bathrooms.” Narrated by Ahmad, 3/83; al-Tirmidhi, 317; classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Irwa’ al-Ghaleel, 1/320.
According to a hadeeth narrated by Anas (may Allaah be pleased with him, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) forbade people to pray between graves. Narrated by Ibn Maajah, 1698. Al-Haythami said in Majma’ al-Zawaa’id (2/27), Its men are the men of saheeh.
It is not permissible to prostrate on graves, rather that is a kind of idolatry and ignorance, and a sign of intellectual deviation and backwardness.
It is not permissible for the visitor to those graves or anyone else to seek blessings from them by touching them, kissing them, clinging with any part of the body to them, or to seek healing from its dirt by rubbing one’s hands or face with it or to take anything from them in order to dilute it with water and wash oneself with it.
It is not permissible for visitors to the grave or others to bury any part of their hair or body or handkerchiefs in them, or to put their pictures or anything else that they may have with them in their soil in order to seek blessing (barakah).
It is not permissible to throw money or any kind of food such as grains etc. on them. Whoever does any of these things has to repent, and not do it again.
It is not permissible to perfume them, or to swear to Allaah by their occupants. It is not permissible to ask of Allaah by virtue of their occupants or their status, rather that is a haraam kind of beseeching Allaah and is one of the means that lead to shirk.
It is not allowed to build up the graves or erect any structure over them, because this is a means of veneration that leads to shirk. It is not permissible to sell food or perfume etc to one who it is known will use them for such seriously wrong actions.
Seeking the help of the dead or asking them for support or calling upon them and asking them to meet needs and to help alleviates calamity and to bring benefits and ward off hardships are all forms of major shirk which put a person beyond the pale of Islam and make him a worshipper of idols, because no one can relieve a person of worries and distress except Allaah alone with no partner or associate. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“Such is Allaah, your Lord; His is the kingdom. And those, whom you invoke or call upon instead of Him, own not even a Qitmeer (the thin membrane over the date stone).
If you invoke (or call upon) them, they hear not your call; and if (in case) they were to hear, they could not grant it (your request) to you. And on the Day of Resurrection, they will disown your worshipping them. And none can inform you (O Muhammad) like Him Who is the All‑Knower (of everything” [Faatir 35:13-14]
“Say (O Muhammad): ‘Call upon those — besides Him whom you pretend [to be gods like angels, ‘Eesa (Jesus), ‘Uzayr (Ezra) and others]. They have neither the power to remove the adversity from you nor even to shift it from you to another person.’
Those whom they call upon [like ‘Eesa (Jesus) ‑ son of Maryam (Mary), ‘Uzayr (Ezra), angel and others] desire (for themselves) means of access to their Lord (Allaah), as to which of them should be the nearest; and they [‘Eesa (Jesus), ‘Uzayr (Ezra), angels and others] hope for His Mercy and fear His Torment. Verily, the Torment of your Lord is (something) to be afraid of!”
[al-Isra’ 17:56-57]
There follow a few words of advice to those who want to visit the Mosque of the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him):
1 – O you who come to Madeenah, you are in a place which, after Makkah, is the best and noblest of all places, so respect it as it should be respected; honour its sanctity and holiness and observe the best etiquette therein.
Know that Allaah has warned of the severest punishment for those who commit evil therein.
It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Madeenah is a Haram (sanctuary), so whoever commits evil therein or gives protection to an evildoer, the curse of Allaah, the angels and all of mankind may be upon him. Allaah will not accept any obligatory or naafil deed from him on the Day of Resurrection.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 1867; Muslim, 1370.
So whoever commits any evil action or offers protection to any evildoer who seeks his help is exposing himself to a humiliating punishment and the wrath of the Lord of the Worlds.
One of the most serious of evil deeds that violate its purity is openly doing acts of bid’ah and spoiling its atmosphere with myths and false ideas, and contaminating its pure land with the spread of articles which promote bid’ah, books which contain shirk, and all kinds of reprehensible and haraam actions which go against Islamic sharee’ah. The evildoer and the one who gives him protection are equally guilty of sin.
2 – Visiting the Prophet’s Mosque is an act that is Sunnah; it is not an obligatory action and has nothing to do with Hajj, nor is it an action that is required in order for Hajj to be complete. All the ahaadeeth which say that it is connected to Hajj or that say that visiting the grave of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) is connected to Hajj are fabricated and false.
Whoever travels to Madeenah for the purpose of visiting the Mosque and praying therein, his intention is acceptable and his efforts will be rewarded. Whoever travels there only for the purpose of visiting the graves and seeking the help of their occupants, his intention is haraam and his actions are reprehensible.
It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Do not travel to visit any mosques except three: al-Masjid al-Haraam [in Makkah], this Mosque of mine [in Madeenah] and al-Masjid al-Aqsa [in Jerusalem].” Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 1189; Muslim, 1397.
It was narrated from Jaabir (may Allaah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The best places to which a person may travel are this Mosque of mine, and the Ancient House (i.e., the Ka’bah).” Narrated by Ahmad, 3/350; classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in al-Silsilah al-Saheehah, 1648.
3 – Prayers offered in the Mosque of Madeenah bring a multiple reward, both obligatory and naafil prayers according to the more correct of the two scholarly opinions. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “One prayer in this Mosque of mine is better than one thousand prayers offered anywhere else, except al-Masjid al-Haraam.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 1190; Muslim, 1394.
But offering naafil prayers at home is better than offering them in the mosque, even if the reward for offering them in the Mosque is multiplied, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said, “The best prayers are those that a man offers in his home, apart from the prescribed [obligatory] prayers.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 731; Muslim, 781.
4 – The visitor to this great Mosque should note that it is not permissible to seek blessing (barakah) from any part of the Prophet’s Mosque, such as the pillars, walls, doors, mihraab or minbar, by touching or kissing them. It is also not permitted to seek blessing from the Prophet’s hujrah (chamber) by touching it, kissing it, or wiping one's clothes against it or to circumambulate it. Whoever does any of these things has to repent and not repeat it.
5 – It is prescribed for the one who visits the Prophet’s Mosque to pray two rak’ahs in the Rawdah or whatever he wants of naafil prayers, because it is proven that there is virtue in doing so. It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The area between my house and my minbar is one of the gardens ( riyaad, sing. rawdah) of Paradise, and my minbar is on my cistern (hawd)” Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 1196; Muslim, 1391.
And it was narrated that Yazeed ibn Abi ‘Ubayd said: “I used to come with Salamah ibn al-Akwa’ and he would pray by the pillar which was by the mus-haf, i.e. in the Rawdah. I said, ‘O Abu Muslim, I see that you are keen to pray by this pillar!’ He said, ‘I saw that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) was keen to pray here.’” Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 502; Muslim, 509.
Being keen to pray in al-Rawdah does not justify being aggressive towards people or pushing the weak aside, or stepping over their necks.
6 – It is prescribed for the visitor to Madeenah and for the one who lives there to go to the Mosque of Quba’ and pray there, following the example of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and seeking the reward of ‘Umrah. It was narrated that Sahl ibn Haneef said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Whoever goes out until he comes to this mosque – meaning the Mosque of Quba’ – and prays there, that will be equivalent to ‘Umrah.” Narrated by Ahmad, 3/437; al-Nasaa’i, 699; classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Targheeb, 1180, 1181.
According to Ibn Maajah: “Whoever purifies himself in his house, then comes to the Mosque of Quba’ and prays there, he will have the reward of ‘Umrah.” Narrated by Ibn Maajah, 1412.
In al-Saheehayn it is narrated that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to go to the mosque of Quba’ every Saturday, walking or riding, and he would pray two rak’ahs there. Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 1191; Muslim, 1399
7 – For the visitor to Madeenah, it is not prescribed to visit any other mosques in the city apart from these two, the Mosque of the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and the Mosque of Quba’. It is not prescribed for the visitor or anyone else to head for a particular spot, hoping for blessing or to worship Allaah in that place, when there is no evidence from the Qur’aan or Sunnah concerning visiting that place and no evidence that the Sahaabah (may Allaah be pleased with them) did that.
It is not prescribed to go to the places and mosques in which the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) or the Sahaabah prayed in order to pray there or to worship Allaah by offering du’aa’s there etc., because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) did not enjoin that or encourage people to visit these places.
It was narrated that al-Ma’roor ibn Suwayd (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: We went out with ‘Umar ibn al-Khattaab, and we passed by a mosque on the way. The people hastened to pray there, and ‘Umar said, “What is the matter with them?” They said, “This is a mosque in which the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) prayed.” ‘Umar said, “O people, those who came before you were doomed because they followed such practices, until they established places of worship in such locations. If a time for prayer comes when you are there, then pray, and if it is not the time for prayer, then move on.” Narrated by Ibn Abi Shaybah in al-Musannaf, 7550.
When ‘Umar ibn al-Khattaab heard that there were people who came to the tree under which the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) had received the bay’ah (oath of allegiance), he ordered that it be cut down. Narrated by Ibn Abi Shaybah in al-Musannaf, 7545.
8 – It is prescribed for men who are visiting the Prophet’s Mosque to visit the grave of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and the graves of his two companions Abu Bakr and ‘Umar (may Allaah be pleased with them), and to send salaams upon them and make du’aa’ for them.
And al-Tirmidhi (1056) narrated from Abu Hurayrah that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) cursed women who visit graves. Al-Tirmidhi said it is hasan saheeh. It was also narrated by Ahmad, 2/337; Ibn Maajah, 1574; classed as hasan by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Tirmidhi, 843; Mishkaat al-Masaabeeh, 1770.
The way in which the grave of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) is to be visited is that the visitor should come to the grave and face it and say “Al-salaamu ‘alayka ya Rasool-Allaah (Peace be upon you, O Messenger of Allaah).” Then he should move about a yard to his right and say salaams to Abu Bakr by saying, “Al-salaamu ‘alayka ya Aba Bakr.” Then he should move a little further to his right, about a yard, and say salaams to ‘Umar ibn al-Khattaab, by saying, ‘Al-salaamu alayka ya ‘Umar.”
9 – It is prescribed for men who are visiting Madeenah to visit the people buried in Baqee’ al-Gharqad and the martyrs of Uhud, to send salaams on them and to make du’aa’ for them.
It was narrated that Buraydah (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to teach them, when they went out to the graveyards, to say, “Al-salaamu ‘alaykum ahl al-diyaar min al-mu’mineen wa’l-muslimeen, wa innaa in sha Allaah bikum laahiqoon. Nas’al Allaah lana wa lakum al-‘aafiyah. (Peace be upon you, O dwellers of these abodes, believers and Muslims. We will, when Allaah wills, join you. We ask Allaah to grant salvation to us and you).”
10 – Visiting the graves is prescribed for two great purposes:
(i) So that the visitor may receive a lesson and reminder.
(ii) So that the person visited will benefit from the du’aa’s and prayers for mercy and forgiveness that are offered for him.
Permission to visit graves is subject to the condition that no false words are spoken, the worst of which are shirk and kufr. It was narrated from Buraydah from his father that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “I used to forbid you to visit graves, but now whoever wants to visit them let him do so, but do not utter any falsehood.” Narrated by al-Nasaa’i, 2033; classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in al-Silsilah al-Saheehah, 886.
Muslim narrated this also (no. 977), but without the phrase, “but do not utter any falsehood.”
It is not permitted to circumambulate these graves or any others, or to pray towards them or amongst them, or to perform acts of worship beside them such as reading Qur’aan, making du’aa’, etc, because these are means of associating others in worship with the Lord of all creation and taking them (graves) as places of worship , even if no mosque is built over them.
It was narrated that ‘Aa’ishah and ‘Abd-Allaah ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allaah be pleased with them both) said: When death was approaching the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), he put a cloak over his face, and when he felt hot he removed it and said, “May Allaah’s curse be upon the Jews and Christians, for they took the graves of their Prophets as places of worship” – warning against doing what they did. Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 436; Muslim, 529.
And he (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The most evil of people are those upon whom the Hour will come when they are still alive and those who take graves as places of worship.” Narrated by Ahmad, 1/405. It is also narrated by al-Bukhaari in a mu’allaq report in Kitaab al-Fitan, Baab Zuhoor al-Fitan, 7067. Also narrated by Muslim in Kitaab al-Fitan, Baab Qurb al-Saa’ah, 2949, without mentioning the taking of graves as places of worship.
It was narrated that Abu Marthad al-Ghanawi said: I heard the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) say, “Do not sit on graves or pray facing towards them.” Narrated by Muslim, 972
.
And it was narrated that Abu Sa’eed al-Khudri (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said, “All of the earth is a place of prayer apart from graveyards and bathrooms.” Narrated by Ahmad, 3/83; al-Tirmidhi, 317; classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Irwa’ al-Ghaleel, 1/320.
According to a hadeeth narrated by Anas (may Allaah be pleased with him, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) forbade people to pray between graves. Narrated by Ibn Maajah, 1698. Al-Haythami said in Majma’ al-Zawaa’id (2/27), Its men are the men of saheeh.
It is not permissible to prostrate on graves, rather that is a kind of idolatry and ignorance, and a sign of intellectual deviation and backwardness.
It is not permissible for the visitor to those graves or anyone else to seek blessings from them by touching them, kissing them, clinging with any part of the body to them, or to seek healing from its dirt by rubbing one’s hands or face with it or to take anything from them in order to dilute it with water and wash oneself with it.
It is not permissible for visitors to the grave or others to bury any part of their hair or body or handkerchiefs in them, or to put their pictures or anything else that they may have with them in their soil in order to seek blessing (barakah).
It is not permissible to throw money or any kind of food such as grains etc. on them. Whoever does any of these things has to repent, and not do it again.
It is not permissible to perfume them, or to swear to Allaah by their occupants. It is not permissible to ask of Allaah by virtue of their occupants or their status, rather that is a haraam kind of beseeching Allaah and is one of the means that lead to shirk.
It is not allowed to build up the graves or erect any structure over them, because this is a means of veneration that leads to shirk. It is not permissible to sell food or perfume etc to one who it is known will use them for such seriously wrong actions.
Seeking the help of the dead or asking them for support or calling upon them and asking them to meet needs and to help alleviates calamity and to bring benefits and ward off hardships are all forms of major shirk which put a person beyond the pale of Islam and make him a worshipper of idols, because no one can relieve a person of worries and distress except Allaah alone with no partner or associate. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“Such is Allaah, your Lord; His is the kingdom. And those, whom you invoke or call upon instead of Him, own not even a Qitmeer (the thin membrane over the date stone).
If you invoke (or call upon) them, they hear not your call; and if (in case) they were to hear, they could not grant it (your request) to you. And on the Day of Resurrection, they will disown your worshipping them. And none can inform you (O Muhammad) like Him Who is the All‑Knower (of everything” [Faatir 35:13-14]
“Say (O Muhammad): ‘Call upon those — besides Him whom you pretend [to be gods like angels, ‘Eesa (Jesus), ‘Uzayr (Ezra) and others]. They have neither the power to remove the adversity from you nor even to shift it from you to another person.’
Those whom they call upon [like ‘Eesa (Jesus) ‑ son of Maryam (Mary), ‘Uzayr (Ezra), angel and others] desire (for themselves) means of access to their Lord (Allaah), as to which of them should be the nearest; and they [‘Eesa (Jesus), ‘Uzayr (Ezra), angels and others] hope for His Mercy and fear His Torment. Verily, the Torment of your Lord is (something) to be afraid of!”
[al-Isra’ 17:56-57]
Monday, June 20, 2011
An Outline of the Methodology of Jamaa'at ut-Tabligh
All Praise is to Allaah who says in His Book:
This day have I completed (perfected) your religion for you and have completed My favour upon you and have chosen for you Islaam as your religion
and Who also says
And no by your Lord, they cannot be real believers until they make you as a judge in all disputes between them and then do not find any resistance against what you have decided in their souls but accept (it) with the fullest submission
and Who also said:
And the first to embrace Islam of the Muhajirun (those who migrated from Makkah to Madinah) and the Ansar (the citizens of Madinah who helped and gave aid to the Muhajirun) and also those who followed them exactly (in faith). Allaah is well pleased with them asa they are well pleased with Him. He has prepared for them Gardens under which rivers flow (Paradise), to dwell therein forever. That is the supreme success.
And may prayers and peace be upon His friend and chosen one, Muhammad bin Abdullaah, who said: "I have left you upon clear proof. Its night is like its day. No one deviates from it except one who is destroyed" [Musnad Ahmad], and who also said: "Whoever does an action which we have not commanded will have it rejected." [Bukaaree]
And [prayers and peace] be upon his family and companions to whom the Messenger (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam) said: "I advise you to fear Allaah (have taqwaa of Him) and to listen and obey (to the leader) even if it is a black abyssinian slave. He amongst you lives for long will see many controversies/differences. Therefore, you must stick to my sunnah and the sunnah of the rightly guided caliphs. Stick to it (the sunnah) with your molar teeth and beware of the newly-invented matters as every newly-invented matter is an innovation and every innovation is misguidance", and who also said: "And my ummah will split into 73 groups all of them in the Hellfire except for one", then it was said: 'And what is this one group? He said: "It is that which I am upon this day and my companions."
Nowadays there is a lot of talk regarding the muslim groups and the majority of those who speak about them can be divided into two types: Those who praise and those who criticise, due to the differences in the purposes of the criticism. For this reason I loved to talk about two groups from amongs them so that I make clear, what I believe to be correct and that I make clear some of the things which some of the noble brothers have complained about. Also, that I may respond to some of the queries which circulate in the minds of many of the youth, while joining together the branches with the fundamentals, which these groups have gone towards (and adopted), so I say and with Allaah lies success:
Know my brother - may Allaah make me and you receive every goodness - that the true da'wah is the da'wah that stands by and sticks to the Book and the Sunnah upon the understanding of the Salaf us-Saalih (the Righteous Predecessors) and that any da'wah that leaves anything from what has just been mentioned has deviated and swerved from the path of truth and correctness to the extent of its abandonment of what has been mentioned above.
Know also that every group claims to be sticking to the Book and the Sunnah so what do you see is the difference between these groups and the call of the group upon the truth?
The differences are many and amongst them are:
Firstly: That the truthful call is the one that clings to the Book and the Sunnah upon the understanding of the Salaf us-Saalih and all the other calls cling to the Book and the Sunnah upon the understanding of the one who initiated and founded it. The Jahmiyyah cling to the Book and the Sunnah upon the understanding of Ja'd bin Dirham and Jahm bin Safwaan. The Ash'ariyyah cling to the Book and the Sunnah upon the understanding of their scholars who attribute themselves to Abu al-Hasan al-Ash'ariyy, the Tableeghiyyah cling to the Book and the Sunnah upon the understanding of its founder, Muhammad Ilyaas and the Ikhwaaniyyah with all its types and offshoots and amongst them are the Qutubiyyah cling to the Book and the Sunnah upon the understanding of its founder(s) Hassan al-Bannaa, Saeed Qutub, Hudaibee and others.
Secondly: That the call of truth is the one whose adherents take their knowledge from the leaders of the da'wah of the Salafiyyah in every age and era, who study under and learn from the living amongst them and read the books of those who are dead amongst them, from every generation in opposition to the calls of falsehood since they are the enemies of the scholars of the Salaf, the living amongst them and the dead. In fact they are behind every opposition to them even if they claim openly that they are followers of them.
Thirdly: That the adherents of the call of truth concern themselves with the books of the Salafiyyah, by reading, memorising, understanding, authenticating, and publishing and defending them in opposition to the calls of falshood since they are haters of those books. Rather, they fight against them, against their publication and they strive to get their followers to stick to the books of the founders of their groups.
To proceed, someone will say: 'Who are the Salaf and what are the written works of the Salafiyyah? The answer is: The Salaf are the companions, their successors and their successors. They are our predecessors and anyone who travels upon their way and methodology is a Salafi.
As for the works of the Salafiyyah, then they are many. I shall mention some of them:
* Musnad of Imaam Ahmed,
* Saheeh Bukhaaree,
* Saheeh Muslim,
* the four Sunans (Abu Daawood, Trimidhee, Nasaa'ee and Ibn Maajah),
* the tafseer of Ibn Jareer at-Tabaree,
* the tafseer of al-Baghawee,
* the tafseer of Ibn Katheer,
* the Refutation of Imaam Daarimee against Bishr al-Mareesee,
* the Refutation of Imaam Ahmed against the Jahmiyyah,
* Creation of the Actions of the Servants by Imaam Bukhaaree,
* ash-Sharee'ah by al-Aajuree,
* al-Eemaan by Ibn Mandah, at-Tawheed by Ibn Mandah,
* at-Tawheed by Ibn Khuzaimah,
* as-Sunnah by Ahmad bin Hanbal,
* as-Sunnah by al-Khilaal,
* as-Sunnah by Abdullaah ibn Ahmed bin Hanbal,
* al-Ibaanah by Ibn Battah,
* as-Sunnah by al-Barbahaaree,
* Sharh Usool I'tiqaad Ahl is-Sunnah wal-Jamaa'ah by al-Laalikaa'ee,
* the books of Shaikh ul-Islaam Ibn Taymiyyah - may Allaah have mercy upon him - all of them, without exception and likewise the books of his student, Ibn al-Qayyim - may Allaah have mercy upon him
* the books of the scholars of the Salafi da'wah in the Najd such as Kitaab ut-Tawheed of Imaam Muhammad bin Abdul Wahhaab and its explanations such as Tayseer al-Azeez al-Hameed and Fath ul-Majeed and Qurratu Uyoon il-Muwahhideen and Durar as-Sunniyyah and others besides them which are many and which have been written upon the way and methodology of those noble ones amongst the earliest ones who have passed by and those who came after them.
When you have learnt this then know that I will now talk about two groups amongst those groups like I indicated to you previously, making one of them as a branch and the other a foundation (for the discussion of the other) or putting it in another way, making one of them the foundation so that the reader might understand, in light of it, the other group. For you now is the explanation thereof and upon Allaah is reliance (placed):
The First Group: Jamaa'at ut-Tableegh
This group has a way and a methodology upon which it travels and fundamentals (principles) to which it returns and which it has named the six fundamentals and they are as follows:
1. Actualisation of the Kalimah: There is none deserving of worship except Allaah and Muhammad is the Messenger of Allaah. 2. Salaat (prayer) performed with khushoo' and khudoo' (awe, humility and submission). 3. Knowledge along with Dhikr (Remembrance). 4. Honouring the Muslims. 5. Correction of the intention and its purification. 6. Going out in the path of Allaah.
Beware - my noble brother - of these six fundamentals, look into them and reflect over the meaning of each fundamental. Then come with me so that I take some of these fundamentals and explain what they mean by them. Then we shall see after that: are they on the path of the Salaf in their understanding of these fundamentals, their implementation of them and in calling to them or not?!
Before the discussion, it is necessary that you understand, my brother, that these six fundamentals have a secret word (or agenda). When you have understood it you will be able, by the permission of Allaah, to understand all the words and actions of this group.
If you are now ready to understand these fundamentals and likewise this hidden agenda then come with me - may Allaah direct me and you to every good and turn away from me and you every evil.
The hidden agenda O my brother is:
Everything which causes or brings about separation or aversion/dislike or difference between two people (or parties) then it is cut off and abolished from the methodology of the group.
Have you understood the hidden agenda? I want you to look again repeatedly with a good understanding. Look once again.
Now, come with me so that we take one of the fundamentals of this group (and look into it) which is: The actualisation of the kalimah: There is none worthy of worship except Allaah. Do you know what the meaning of the actualisation of the kalimah: There is none worthy of worship except Allaah.
The meaning of the actualisation of the kalimah: There is none worthy of worship except Allaah, is the actualisation of Tawheed with all its three types: Tawheed ul-Uloohiyyah, Tawheed ur-Ruboobiyyah and Tawheed ul-Asmaa was-Sifaat. Shaikh Abdur-Rahmaan bin Hasan bin Aal Shaikh - may Allaah have mercy upon him - said in Fath ul-Majeed:
"His saying: Chapter: Whoever actualises Tawheed will enter Paradise without being held to account. I say: Its actualisation is: its purification and clarity from all the impurities of Shirk, Innovation and disobedience."
A question my brother - if Allaah allows and if you will permit me - if this is the meaning of the actualisation of the kalimah then why do we differ from them then?
Listen to the answer - after you have remembered the hidden agenda or secret word. Have you remembered? Then listen: Yes they do say: The first fundamental is the actualisation of the kalimah: There is none worthy of worship except Allaah alone, however what do they mean and intend by this actualisation? Their intent by its actualisation is speaking about Tawheed ur-Ruboobiyyah. Why? Because it does not cause any dislike/aversion or separation or difference between any two people among the muslims.
As for talking about Tawheed ul-Asmaa was-Sifaat, then it causes separation, dislike/aversion, and differences because there are (amongst the muslims many groups including) the Ash'ariyyah, the Maatureediyyah, the Jahmiyyah, the Hulooliyyah, the Ittihaadiyyah and the Salafiyyah. All of them differ with regard to this topic, Allaah's Names and Attributes and the fundamental upon which this group (Jamaa'at ut-Tableegh) stick to and travel upon which is the secret word or hidden agenda is that anything which causes aversion, separation and difference between two people then its ruling is that it should be removed and abolished from the methodology of the group.
It is likewise for the second type of the types of Tawheed which is Tawheed ul-Uloohiyyah. Speaking about this matter is forbidden and its ruling in the methodology of the group is that it is cut off and abolished because it causes separation, aversion and difference. It is so because this one is a Salafi and this other one is a grave worshipper. As for the first, he does not allow setting out on a journey to graves or performing prayer by the grave or towards it and nor does he allow Tawaaf to be performed around it and nor making Tawassul by the righteous dead people and nor seeking help and sustenance from them and so on, in opposition to the other one to whom all of what has been mentioned is permissible, rather he thinks it is the essence of the religion.
And this is why - my noble brother - when one of their leaders stands in order to exlplain this fundamental he does not say except: 'All praise is to Allaah who created us, gave us sustenance and has bestowed favours upon us' and so on, continuing with matters related to Tawheed ur-Ruboobiyyah only.
My brother says: Why dont you explain to me another of their fundamentals. I say to him: With happiness, of course! And do I desire for you anything but goodness!? Come, let us take the third fundamental: Knowledge with Dhikr (Remembrance)
I know and you know that knowledge is: 'Allaah said and His Messenger said and the Companions said', (in every matter) whether it is related to belief, acts of worship or dealings (with other people) or manners. But what is their intent by knowledge?
They say: Knowledge is of two types: Ilm ul-Fadaa'il (Knowledge of the Virtues of Actions) and Ilm ul-Masaa'il (Knowledge of Matters of Fiqh).
Have you remembered the secret word (or the hidden agenda)? I will remind you.
Everything which causes or brings about separation or aversion/dislike or difference between two people (or parties) then it is cut off and abolished from the methodology of the group.
Now let us return to their division: Knowledge is of two types, knowledge of the virtues and knowledge of the matters (of fiqh). They say: This (knowledge of the virtues) is for us (i.e. their group) and the knowledge of the matters is for the people of knowledge, all of you (i.e. the people who go out on khurooj with them) should seek it from the scholars of his own town (or country).
Have you taken caution from this division of theirs? Why do they allow speaking about the knowledge of the virtues of the actions and forbid it with regard to matters of fiqh? In fact they request from those who go out with them to seek this knowledge from the scholars of their own towns and countries. It is because the first does not cause separation, aversion and differences in opposition to the second.
My brother will you allow me to ask a question to see whether you have understood their secret word (or their hidden agenda) or not?
The question is: Will they enjoin the good and forbid the evil?
The answer is in light of the secret word (or hidden agenda): No. Why not? Because enjoining the good and forbidding the evil causes aversion and alienation - in their opinion - between the one who orders and the one who is being ordered. Therefore its ruling is that is removed from the methodology of the group.
Another question: If this is so, how do they enjoin and forbid?
The answer: They apply hadeeth and verses from the Qur'aan which exhort to the performance of that particular action which they are enjoining and which has been abandoned, or which exhort to the abandonment of that partcular action which is being committed, without every approaching the aspect of belief. They will say, for example, to the one who has left the prayer: "The Believers will prosper. Those who are humble and submissive in their prayers.." and they will also say: The Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam) said: "There is no muslim servant who performs twelve rakahs of prayer for Allaah every day voluntarily, besides the obligatory except that Allaah builds a house for him in Paradise", this is the excellence of the voluntary prayers, how then would the excellence of the obligatory prayer be?
And this is why when a disobedient one who goes out with them wishes to smoke a cigarette, they permit him to do so. In fact they even buy the cigarettes for him. Likewise for the one who drinks alcohol, they carry his vessel (container of alcohol) for him. And when one desires to shave his beard they give him the razor or go with him to the barber and so on.
You will say: This is an exaggeration my brother!
Then I say - may Allaah guide me and you - being informed is not like observing, so go to the books which have criticised them you will see the strangest of things.
And if you refuse then I will mention some of their stories which show that the teaching of their foundations is done by the use of stories and which will explain some of their (false) interpretations.
When they divide knowledge into knowledge of the virtues of the actions and knowledge of matters (of fiqh) and say to those who go out with them that the knowledge of the matters of fiqh should be sought from the scholars of their own town (or region) they are scared and fearful that these words should enter into the minds and hearts of these people. This is because if they learn they will leave the group and for this reason they make some obstacles which will prevent them from seeking the knowledge of the matters of fiqh and which will help them in seeking the knowledge of the virtues of the actions. So when they hear a verse of the Qur'aan or a hadeeth in which there is a mention of knowledge and its excellence they will reduce it to knowledge of the virtues of actions.
Know - may Allaah show mercy to you - that they have two gatherings. A gathering on Tuesday and a gathering on Wednesday. The first gathering is for those who have come back from their khurooj. Those whom they wish to encourage to go out with them or whom they wish to create a certain impression upon are brought in the presence of those who have come back from khurooj. The second gathering is for the preparation for going out for four months. The ameer of that group will say to one of those who went out: How many days did you go out for? He will respond: I went out for four months in the path of Allaah. The ameer will respond: Maashaa'allaah! Where did you spend them? He will respond: "A month in the Gulf states, twenty days in jungles of Africa, a month in Europe, a month in South America and a month in East Asia, India and Pakistan." The ameer of that gathering will say to him - and pay attention - : Maashaa'allaah, you are a daa'iyah (a caller) and a caller is like the clouds which pass over mankind on their land and give them to drink in opposition to the scholars, since they resemble the springs and wells. When thirst touches you after a distance of a mile (on a journey) it will kill you before you come to that spring or well. In fact you will not drink from it because the bucket which is used to obtain the water will not be present. If you wish to drink you will need to get to the edge of the well, throw in the bucket and then pull it out until you are able to drink.
Are you now aware of what has struck your soul - just as the souls of those who are listening would be jolted and struck? By what they have heard with regard to the excellence of the one who goes out and calls to Allaah over (and above) that of the one who is a scholar possessing knowledge.
When one of them desires to sit for the purpose of seeking knowledge this story is mentioned so that this person now wishes he is like a cloud and not like a well (or a spring).
I do not wish that you become confused with this story, therefore it is necessary to comment on its spuriousness and falsity, so I say and with Allaah is all success:
Know - may Allaah direct me and you to every goodness and truth - that clouds do not cause except the herbage and greenery for the animals to grow. They do not cause except the seasonal herbage to grow. In fact if it rained upon a salt marsh or a swamp or if it rained at other than its proper time (for the land) it would not be of benefit. Therefore in those clouds there would be ruin and destruction.
This is in opposition to the water of the wells and springs since the people's thirst is quenched from it, land is cultivated by them and the region in which there are wells and springs is full of life most of the time. This is because the people in that area cultivate the land, and from it they drink and from it they reap their harvest and so on. Furthermore, the one who is resident as well as the traveller on his path is benefitted from the wells and springs. It is the same for their animals, their plants or even for making a provision for their journey by storing some water in their waterskins or their vesicles/containers.
So have you understood the difference?
For you is another story so that you may gain some insight about them:
One of them (the leaders) says, in the presence of those who have just started with them, to one of them who desires to seek knowledge of the Sharee'ah: Where are you going to O so and so? He will say: I will go to seek knowledge. The other one will reply to him: And for what purpose? He will say: So that I know the halaal from the haraam. The other one will reply: "Subhaanallaah! You do not know the halaal from the haraam? Have you not heard the saying of the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam) : "Consult your heart even if people give you their opinion...." Subhaanallaah, until now you do not know the halaal from the haraam and yet many of the animals even know the halaal from the haraam. Do you not see that when you put your food in a place and then leave it the cat eats from it and when you return to it and you see the cat eating from it, if the cat sees you it will flee from you. On the other hand if you are sitting at a table and you place some food on your side it will come to you and eat besides you.
The first knows that it has fallen into the haraam and that is why it ran away from you and the second knew that it had obtained what was halaal and that is why it ate with you. O my brother with a sound and balanced intellect, differentiate between the halaal and the haraam, 'consult your heart even if people give you their opinion'.
O my brother, has this example and this glance (at them) made you satisfied?!!
The response to this story is left for you.
Take a third story:
One of them says to whoever is listening to him, with the intention of encouraging and exhorting him to go out with them on khurooj and to abandon his land, his family, his children and his wealth and other things besides them: O my brother, when you put some sugar in a cup and then pour some tea into it and then drink it without stirring the sugar you will not taste the sweetness of the sugar. When you stir it you will taste its sweetness. This is just like the eemaan in the heart of every human being, it is present and a person is not able to taste its sweetness until after it has been moved and stirred by going out on khurooj with the jamaa'ah.
My noble brother I think you will be quick in rejecting this story and this example by saying: Subhaanallaah, eemaan is present in the heart of every person, until it is present in even the Hypocrites, the Disblievers and the Apostates.
And you will also say: Subhaanallaah, if that is so then whoever does not go out (away from) the scholars, the students of knowledge, the callers to Allaah, the general people from among the men and women will not taste the sweetness of eemaan.
You will also say: Subhaanallaah. Did not the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam) say: "There are three qualities which if found in a person will taste the sweetnes of eemaan: That Allaah and His Messenger are more beloved to him than anything else besides them, that he loves a person not loving him except for the sake of Allaah and that he dislikes to return to kufr after Allaah has saved him from it just as he hates to be thrown into the Fire." [Muslim]
I will finish with the next story my loved one (for the sake of Allaah),so that you can see how the Sharee'ah and the mind of the listener is being played with:
The ameer of the khurooj will, on the morning of Thursday, divide the people who are going out with him into two groups. The first group will stay in the mosque to form a circle for doing dhikr repetitively until all of the other sections of the second group return to the mosque. The second group is itself divided into smaller groups composed of three or more individuals. They are to go out to the neighbouring houses calling the people to be present and participate in the programme of the jamaa'ah in the mosque and to attend the speech which will take place after Maghrib until Isha. But before they all depart and while all of them are still in the mosque, the ameer tells them a educational story so he says:
One time a jamaa'ah went out to such and such a place and after they had been divided into two groups, one of them remained in the mosque and the second group, after it had been further divided into smaller groups, went to the houses neighbouring the mosque. Every time they went passed by a door of a house they did not find a suitable reply nor any good response (to their invitation). They did not cease in going to each door and (each time) they were not responded to. Then some of them said to the others: Your have lost your eemaan O loved ones and therefore everyone has lost his eemaan and does not see anything wrong with that. Then one of them understood what this one meant and said: Maybe our brothers whom we left in the mosque have become unmindful of Allaah's remembrance. Then they all say together: Let us go and see, so when they enter the mosque and upon their brothers they found that they had (indeed) become heedless of Allaah's remembrance.
O my brother, has this struck your heart and your mind? Just as it would strike the heart and mind of the ones listening to it. If you were going out with them and they made you remain in the circle in the mosque, and then you heard this story do you think you will become heedless of Allaah's remembrance? Or will you strive in it so that perhaps Allaah will grant success to your brothers who are outside in the second group that was formed until they return with their captives??
There is no doubt that this is what would occur especially if the saying of the Messenger (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam) was mentioned afer that story: "Never do a people gather in a house from among the houses of Allaah reciting the book of Allaah and studying together except that tranquility descends upon them and mercy covers them, the angels surround them and Allaah mentions them to those who are near to Him." [Muslim]
So the people in the mosque are like an electric generator and the second group who go out are like a light bulb at the end of the electric wire. When the electric generator is busy and occupies itself that light is illuminated and when it diminishes that light is extinguished.
Have you heard the likes of this my brother? And have you seen such reasoning - which was never thought of or imagined by the best of generations (the first three generations) - which is like this reasoning?!!
I did not mention this except with the desire of warning you and making you aware from such mockery and deviation. So beware O seeker of the Truth, the correct, the good and the straight and upright.
I have already informed you before that I did not intend to make an extensive study of this jamaa'ah. Rather I mentioned it so that you may be able to understand another jamaa'ah because it's (deviation) is more subtle and hidden than this one. So prepare yourself for understanding it well. If you wish relax for a short time and then come with me so that I come to know, along with you, the objective of this group, the means of actualising its goal, exposing this jamaa'ahs secret word (or hidden agenda) and the key to its secret sign, discussing (contesting) its ideas and thought, relying upon Allaah in all of this first and foremost and then upon the books of these people, their statements and their tapes secondly and then upon the statements of those who abandoned them after they used to be with them thirdly
The goal of this group is to bring about a jamaa'ah of (all) muslims and from amongst their midst a leader.
Before I acquaint you with the name of this group you will say: Does this jamaa'ah have any ways or means by which it actualises what it aspires or inclines to?
And I will respond to you with 'Yes'. And I shall soon mention these ways to you in short first and then I will return to them - with the help of Allaah and his success - with a detailed explanation, which is healing and raises and repels every doubt/confusion in your soul, if Allaah wills. Are you then prepared to listen? Listen then to what is thrown at you of proof and evidence.
From my reading of the books and magazines of these people and listening to their cassettes and meeting many of those who have abandoned them (after being with them) and reading the refutations against them I have concluded that this jamaa'ah has three chief ways/means for actualising their objective or goal and these are:
1. Equity and Justice
2. Understanding the state of affairs
3. Firmness/Establishment.
And these three ways are presented, to those who are called by them and those who read their material, in the most generalised of ways. And this is the secret word (or hidden agenda) with them - just like that of the Tabligh which was explained to you earlier - which would make possible and feasible for them success (in) uniting between the one who agrees with them and the one who disagrees with them. And when this is achieved the jamaa'ah of muslims which is their aim is formed.
The first way is entering all the muslim groups into one single jamaa'ah to which they give the name 'Ahl us-Sunnah wal-Jamaa'ah' and others call it 'Al-Qutubiyyah'
The second way is to raise the level of their callers and and leaders to the level of scholars and leaders (of the muslims) and putting down, diminishing the level and position of the scholars (in truth) with the claim that they do not understand the state of affairs.
The third is to propagate and spread their rumours, speeches, ideas and concepts making the people think thereby that they are the people of firmness/strength and at the same time for repelling the criticism and refutation of their jamaa'ah, individuals within it and those who call to it, even if this criticism or refutation is the pure truth.
When that which has been mentioned has become clear to you my noble brother then there is no harm in that we proceed in order to look at every one of their ways/means with evidence and proof. However, (not after) we have mentioned their secret word (or hidden agenda) and that is:
Any way/mean, idea, statement for which it is desired that it is spread amongst people, then it is essential to spread it in such a generalised manner so that all stop to (and pay heed) to it - both the one who agrees and the one who differs.
This day have I completed (perfected) your religion for you and have completed My favour upon you and have chosen for you Islaam as your religion
and Who also says
And no by your Lord, they cannot be real believers until they make you as a judge in all disputes between them and then do not find any resistance against what you have decided in their souls but accept (it) with the fullest submission
and Who also said:
And the first to embrace Islam of the Muhajirun (those who migrated from Makkah to Madinah) and the Ansar (the citizens of Madinah who helped and gave aid to the Muhajirun) and also those who followed them exactly (in faith). Allaah is well pleased with them asa they are well pleased with Him. He has prepared for them Gardens under which rivers flow (Paradise), to dwell therein forever. That is the supreme success.
And may prayers and peace be upon His friend and chosen one, Muhammad bin Abdullaah, who said: "I have left you upon clear proof. Its night is like its day. No one deviates from it except one who is destroyed" [Musnad Ahmad], and who also said: "Whoever does an action which we have not commanded will have it rejected." [Bukaaree]
And [prayers and peace] be upon his family and companions to whom the Messenger (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam) said: "I advise you to fear Allaah (have taqwaa of Him) and to listen and obey (to the leader) even if it is a black abyssinian slave. He amongst you lives for long will see many controversies/differences. Therefore, you must stick to my sunnah and the sunnah of the rightly guided caliphs. Stick to it (the sunnah) with your molar teeth and beware of the newly-invented matters as every newly-invented matter is an innovation and every innovation is misguidance", and who also said: "And my ummah will split into 73 groups all of them in the Hellfire except for one", then it was said: 'And what is this one group? He said: "It is that which I am upon this day and my companions."
Nowadays there is a lot of talk regarding the muslim groups and the majority of those who speak about them can be divided into two types: Those who praise and those who criticise, due to the differences in the purposes of the criticism. For this reason I loved to talk about two groups from amongs them so that I make clear, what I believe to be correct and that I make clear some of the things which some of the noble brothers have complained about. Also, that I may respond to some of the queries which circulate in the minds of many of the youth, while joining together the branches with the fundamentals, which these groups have gone towards (and adopted), so I say and with Allaah lies success:
Know my brother - may Allaah make me and you receive every goodness - that the true da'wah is the da'wah that stands by and sticks to the Book and the Sunnah upon the understanding of the Salaf us-Saalih (the Righteous Predecessors) and that any da'wah that leaves anything from what has just been mentioned has deviated and swerved from the path of truth and correctness to the extent of its abandonment of what has been mentioned above.
Know also that every group claims to be sticking to the Book and the Sunnah so what do you see is the difference between these groups and the call of the group upon the truth?
The differences are many and amongst them are:
Firstly: That the truthful call is the one that clings to the Book and the Sunnah upon the understanding of the Salaf us-Saalih and all the other calls cling to the Book and the Sunnah upon the understanding of the one who initiated and founded it. The Jahmiyyah cling to the Book and the Sunnah upon the understanding of Ja'd bin Dirham and Jahm bin Safwaan. The Ash'ariyyah cling to the Book and the Sunnah upon the understanding of their scholars who attribute themselves to Abu al-Hasan al-Ash'ariyy, the Tableeghiyyah cling to the Book and the Sunnah upon the understanding of its founder, Muhammad Ilyaas and the Ikhwaaniyyah with all its types and offshoots and amongst them are the Qutubiyyah cling to the Book and the Sunnah upon the understanding of its founder(s) Hassan al-Bannaa, Saeed Qutub, Hudaibee and others.
Secondly: That the call of truth is the one whose adherents take their knowledge from the leaders of the da'wah of the Salafiyyah in every age and era, who study under and learn from the living amongst them and read the books of those who are dead amongst them, from every generation in opposition to the calls of falsehood since they are the enemies of the scholars of the Salaf, the living amongst them and the dead. In fact they are behind every opposition to them even if they claim openly that they are followers of them.
Thirdly: That the adherents of the call of truth concern themselves with the books of the Salafiyyah, by reading, memorising, understanding, authenticating, and publishing and defending them in opposition to the calls of falshood since they are haters of those books. Rather, they fight against them, against their publication and they strive to get their followers to stick to the books of the founders of their groups.
To proceed, someone will say: 'Who are the Salaf and what are the written works of the Salafiyyah? The answer is: The Salaf are the companions, their successors and their successors. They are our predecessors and anyone who travels upon their way and methodology is a Salafi.
As for the works of the Salafiyyah, then they are many. I shall mention some of them:
* Musnad of Imaam Ahmed,
* Saheeh Bukhaaree,
* Saheeh Muslim,
* the four Sunans (Abu Daawood, Trimidhee, Nasaa'ee and Ibn Maajah),
* the tafseer of Ibn Jareer at-Tabaree,
* the tafseer of al-Baghawee,
* the tafseer of Ibn Katheer,
* the Refutation of Imaam Daarimee against Bishr al-Mareesee,
* the Refutation of Imaam Ahmed against the Jahmiyyah,
* Creation of the Actions of the Servants by Imaam Bukhaaree,
* ash-Sharee'ah by al-Aajuree,
* al-Eemaan by Ibn Mandah, at-Tawheed by Ibn Mandah,
* at-Tawheed by Ibn Khuzaimah,
* as-Sunnah by Ahmad bin Hanbal,
* as-Sunnah by al-Khilaal,
* as-Sunnah by Abdullaah ibn Ahmed bin Hanbal,
* al-Ibaanah by Ibn Battah,
* as-Sunnah by al-Barbahaaree,
* Sharh Usool I'tiqaad Ahl is-Sunnah wal-Jamaa'ah by al-Laalikaa'ee,
* the books of Shaikh ul-Islaam Ibn Taymiyyah - may Allaah have mercy upon him - all of them, without exception and likewise the books of his student, Ibn al-Qayyim - may Allaah have mercy upon him
* the books of the scholars of the Salafi da'wah in the Najd such as Kitaab ut-Tawheed of Imaam Muhammad bin Abdul Wahhaab and its explanations such as Tayseer al-Azeez al-Hameed and Fath ul-Majeed and Qurratu Uyoon il-Muwahhideen and Durar as-Sunniyyah and others besides them which are many and which have been written upon the way and methodology of those noble ones amongst the earliest ones who have passed by and those who came after them.
When you have learnt this then know that I will now talk about two groups amongst those groups like I indicated to you previously, making one of them as a branch and the other a foundation (for the discussion of the other) or putting it in another way, making one of them the foundation so that the reader might understand, in light of it, the other group. For you now is the explanation thereof and upon Allaah is reliance (placed):
The First Group: Jamaa'at ut-Tableegh
This group has a way and a methodology upon which it travels and fundamentals (principles) to which it returns and which it has named the six fundamentals and they are as follows:
1. Actualisation of the Kalimah: There is none deserving of worship except Allaah and Muhammad is the Messenger of Allaah. 2. Salaat (prayer) performed with khushoo' and khudoo' (awe, humility and submission). 3. Knowledge along with Dhikr (Remembrance). 4. Honouring the Muslims. 5. Correction of the intention and its purification. 6. Going out in the path of Allaah.
Beware - my noble brother - of these six fundamentals, look into them and reflect over the meaning of each fundamental. Then come with me so that I take some of these fundamentals and explain what they mean by them. Then we shall see after that: are they on the path of the Salaf in their understanding of these fundamentals, their implementation of them and in calling to them or not?!
Before the discussion, it is necessary that you understand, my brother, that these six fundamentals have a secret word (or agenda). When you have understood it you will be able, by the permission of Allaah, to understand all the words and actions of this group.
If you are now ready to understand these fundamentals and likewise this hidden agenda then come with me - may Allaah direct me and you to every good and turn away from me and you every evil.
The hidden agenda O my brother is:
Everything which causes or brings about separation or aversion/dislike or difference between two people (or parties) then it is cut off and abolished from the methodology of the group.
Have you understood the hidden agenda? I want you to look again repeatedly with a good understanding. Look once again.
Now, come with me so that we take one of the fundamentals of this group (and look into it) which is: The actualisation of the kalimah: There is none worthy of worship except Allaah. Do you know what the meaning of the actualisation of the kalimah: There is none worthy of worship except Allaah.
The meaning of the actualisation of the kalimah: There is none worthy of worship except Allaah, is the actualisation of Tawheed with all its three types: Tawheed ul-Uloohiyyah, Tawheed ur-Ruboobiyyah and Tawheed ul-Asmaa was-Sifaat. Shaikh Abdur-Rahmaan bin Hasan bin Aal Shaikh - may Allaah have mercy upon him - said in Fath ul-Majeed:
"His saying: Chapter: Whoever actualises Tawheed will enter Paradise without being held to account. I say: Its actualisation is: its purification and clarity from all the impurities of Shirk, Innovation and disobedience."
A question my brother - if Allaah allows and if you will permit me - if this is the meaning of the actualisation of the kalimah then why do we differ from them then?
Listen to the answer - after you have remembered the hidden agenda or secret word. Have you remembered? Then listen: Yes they do say: The first fundamental is the actualisation of the kalimah: There is none worthy of worship except Allaah alone, however what do they mean and intend by this actualisation? Their intent by its actualisation is speaking about Tawheed ur-Ruboobiyyah. Why? Because it does not cause any dislike/aversion or separation or difference between any two people among the muslims.
As for talking about Tawheed ul-Asmaa was-Sifaat, then it causes separation, dislike/aversion, and differences because there are (amongst the muslims many groups including) the Ash'ariyyah, the Maatureediyyah, the Jahmiyyah, the Hulooliyyah, the Ittihaadiyyah and the Salafiyyah. All of them differ with regard to this topic, Allaah's Names and Attributes and the fundamental upon which this group (Jamaa'at ut-Tableegh) stick to and travel upon which is the secret word or hidden agenda is that anything which causes aversion, separation and difference between two people then its ruling is that it should be removed and abolished from the methodology of the group.
It is likewise for the second type of the types of Tawheed which is Tawheed ul-Uloohiyyah. Speaking about this matter is forbidden and its ruling in the methodology of the group is that it is cut off and abolished because it causes separation, aversion and difference. It is so because this one is a Salafi and this other one is a grave worshipper. As for the first, he does not allow setting out on a journey to graves or performing prayer by the grave or towards it and nor does he allow Tawaaf to be performed around it and nor making Tawassul by the righteous dead people and nor seeking help and sustenance from them and so on, in opposition to the other one to whom all of what has been mentioned is permissible, rather he thinks it is the essence of the religion.
And this is why - my noble brother - when one of their leaders stands in order to exlplain this fundamental he does not say except: 'All praise is to Allaah who created us, gave us sustenance and has bestowed favours upon us' and so on, continuing with matters related to Tawheed ur-Ruboobiyyah only.
My brother says: Why dont you explain to me another of their fundamentals. I say to him: With happiness, of course! And do I desire for you anything but goodness!? Come, let us take the third fundamental: Knowledge with Dhikr (Remembrance)
I know and you know that knowledge is: 'Allaah said and His Messenger said and the Companions said', (in every matter) whether it is related to belief, acts of worship or dealings (with other people) or manners. But what is their intent by knowledge?
They say: Knowledge is of two types: Ilm ul-Fadaa'il (Knowledge of the Virtues of Actions) and Ilm ul-Masaa'il (Knowledge of Matters of Fiqh).
Have you remembered the secret word (or the hidden agenda)? I will remind you.
Everything which causes or brings about separation or aversion/dislike or difference between two people (or parties) then it is cut off and abolished from the methodology of the group.
Now let us return to their division: Knowledge is of two types, knowledge of the virtues and knowledge of the matters (of fiqh). They say: This (knowledge of the virtues) is for us (i.e. their group) and the knowledge of the matters is for the people of knowledge, all of you (i.e. the people who go out on khurooj with them) should seek it from the scholars of his own town (or country).
Have you taken caution from this division of theirs? Why do they allow speaking about the knowledge of the virtues of the actions and forbid it with regard to matters of fiqh? In fact they request from those who go out with them to seek this knowledge from the scholars of their own towns and countries. It is because the first does not cause separation, aversion and differences in opposition to the second.
My brother will you allow me to ask a question to see whether you have understood their secret word (or their hidden agenda) or not?
The question is: Will they enjoin the good and forbid the evil?
The answer is in light of the secret word (or hidden agenda): No. Why not? Because enjoining the good and forbidding the evil causes aversion and alienation - in their opinion - between the one who orders and the one who is being ordered. Therefore its ruling is that is removed from the methodology of the group.
Another question: If this is so, how do they enjoin and forbid?
The answer: They apply hadeeth and verses from the Qur'aan which exhort to the performance of that particular action which they are enjoining and which has been abandoned, or which exhort to the abandonment of that partcular action which is being committed, without every approaching the aspect of belief. They will say, for example, to the one who has left the prayer: "The Believers will prosper. Those who are humble and submissive in their prayers.." and they will also say: The Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam) said: "There is no muslim servant who performs twelve rakahs of prayer for Allaah every day voluntarily, besides the obligatory except that Allaah builds a house for him in Paradise", this is the excellence of the voluntary prayers, how then would the excellence of the obligatory prayer be?
And this is why when a disobedient one who goes out with them wishes to smoke a cigarette, they permit him to do so. In fact they even buy the cigarettes for him. Likewise for the one who drinks alcohol, they carry his vessel (container of alcohol) for him. And when one desires to shave his beard they give him the razor or go with him to the barber and so on.
You will say: This is an exaggeration my brother!
Then I say - may Allaah guide me and you - being informed is not like observing, so go to the books which have criticised them you will see the strangest of things.
And if you refuse then I will mention some of their stories which show that the teaching of their foundations is done by the use of stories and which will explain some of their (false) interpretations.
When they divide knowledge into knowledge of the virtues of the actions and knowledge of matters (of fiqh) and say to those who go out with them that the knowledge of the matters of fiqh should be sought from the scholars of their own town (or region) they are scared and fearful that these words should enter into the minds and hearts of these people. This is because if they learn they will leave the group and for this reason they make some obstacles which will prevent them from seeking the knowledge of the matters of fiqh and which will help them in seeking the knowledge of the virtues of the actions. So when they hear a verse of the Qur'aan or a hadeeth in which there is a mention of knowledge and its excellence they will reduce it to knowledge of the virtues of actions.
Know - may Allaah show mercy to you - that they have two gatherings. A gathering on Tuesday and a gathering on Wednesday. The first gathering is for those who have come back from their khurooj. Those whom they wish to encourage to go out with them or whom they wish to create a certain impression upon are brought in the presence of those who have come back from khurooj. The second gathering is for the preparation for going out for four months. The ameer of that group will say to one of those who went out: How many days did you go out for? He will respond: I went out for four months in the path of Allaah. The ameer will respond: Maashaa'allaah! Where did you spend them? He will respond: "A month in the Gulf states, twenty days in jungles of Africa, a month in Europe, a month in South America and a month in East Asia, India and Pakistan." The ameer of that gathering will say to him - and pay attention - : Maashaa'allaah, you are a daa'iyah (a caller) and a caller is like the clouds which pass over mankind on their land and give them to drink in opposition to the scholars, since they resemble the springs and wells. When thirst touches you after a distance of a mile (on a journey) it will kill you before you come to that spring or well. In fact you will not drink from it because the bucket which is used to obtain the water will not be present. If you wish to drink you will need to get to the edge of the well, throw in the bucket and then pull it out until you are able to drink.
Are you now aware of what has struck your soul - just as the souls of those who are listening would be jolted and struck? By what they have heard with regard to the excellence of the one who goes out and calls to Allaah over (and above) that of the one who is a scholar possessing knowledge.
When one of them desires to sit for the purpose of seeking knowledge this story is mentioned so that this person now wishes he is like a cloud and not like a well (or a spring).
I do not wish that you become confused with this story, therefore it is necessary to comment on its spuriousness and falsity, so I say and with Allaah is all success:
Know - may Allaah direct me and you to every goodness and truth - that clouds do not cause except the herbage and greenery for the animals to grow. They do not cause except the seasonal herbage to grow. In fact if it rained upon a salt marsh or a swamp or if it rained at other than its proper time (for the land) it would not be of benefit. Therefore in those clouds there would be ruin and destruction.
This is in opposition to the water of the wells and springs since the people's thirst is quenched from it, land is cultivated by them and the region in which there are wells and springs is full of life most of the time. This is because the people in that area cultivate the land, and from it they drink and from it they reap their harvest and so on. Furthermore, the one who is resident as well as the traveller on his path is benefitted from the wells and springs. It is the same for their animals, their plants or even for making a provision for their journey by storing some water in their waterskins or their vesicles/containers.
So have you understood the difference?
For you is another story so that you may gain some insight about them:
One of them (the leaders) says, in the presence of those who have just started with them, to one of them who desires to seek knowledge of the Sharee'ah: Where are you going to O so and so? He will say: I will go to seek knowledge. The other one will reply to him: And for what purpose? He will say: So that I know the halaal from the haraam. The other one will reply: "Subhaanallaah! You do not know the halaal from the haraam? Have you not heard the saying of the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam) : "Consult your heart even if people give you their opinion...." Subhaanallaah, until now you do not know the halaal from the haraam and yet many of the animals even know the halaal from the haraam. Do you not see that when you put your food in a place and then leave it the cat eats from it and when you return to it and you see the cat eating from it, if the cat sees you it will flee from you. On the other hand if you are sitting at a table and you place some food on your side it will come to you and eat besides you.
The first knows that it has fallen into the haraam and that is why it ran away from you and the second knew that it had obtained what was halaal and that is why it ate with you. O my brother with a sound and balanced intellect, differentiate between the halaal and the haraam, 'consult your heart even if people give you their opinion'.
O my brother, has this example and this glance (at them) made you satisfied?!!
The response to this story is left for you.
Take a third story:
One of them says to whoever is listening to him, with the intention of encouraging and exhorting him to go out with them on khurooj and to abandon his land, his family, his children and his wealth and other things besides them: O my brother, when you put some sugar in a cup and then pour some tea into it and then drink it without stirring the sugar you will not taste the sweetness of the sugar. When you stir it you will taste its sweetness. This is just like the eemaan in the heart of every human being, it is present and a person is not able to taste its sweetness until after it has been moved and stirred by going out on khurooj with the jamaa'ah.
My noble brother I think you will be quick in rejecting this story and this example by saying: Subhaanallaah, eemaan is present in the heart of every person, until it is present in even the Hypocrites, the Disblievers and the Apostates.
And you will also say: Subhaanallaah, if that is so then whoever does not go out (away from) the scholars, the students of knowledge, the callers to Allaah, the general people from among the men and women will not taste the sweetness of eemaan.
You will also say: Subhaanallaah. Did not the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam) say: "There are three qualities which if found in a person will taste the sweetnes of eemaan: That Allaah and His Messenger are more beloved to him than anything else besides them, that he loves a person not loving him except for the sake of Allaah and that he dislikes to return to kufr after Allaah has saved him from it just as he hates to be thrown into the Fire." [Muslim]
I will finish with the next story my loved one (for the sake of Allaah),so that you can see how the Sharee'ah and the mind of the listener is being played with:
The ameer of the khurooj will, on the morning of Thursday, divide the people who are going out with him into two groups. The first group will stay in the mosque to form a circle for doing dhikr repetitively until all of the other sections of the second group return to the mosque. The second group is itself divided into smaller groups composed of three or more individuals. They are to go out to the neighbouring houses calling the people to be present and participate in the programme of the jamaa'ah in the mosque and to attend the speech which will take place after Maghrib until Isha. But before they all depart and while all of them are still in the mosque, the ameer tells them a educational story so he says:
One time a jamaa'ah went out to such and such a place and after they had been divided into two groups, one of them remained in the mosque and the second group, after it had been further divided into smaller groups, went to the houses neighbouring the mosque. Every time they went passed by a door of a house they did not find a suitable reply nor any good response (to their invitation). They did not cease in going to each door and (each time) they were not responded to. Then some of them said to the others: Your have lost your eemaan O loved ones and therefore everyone has lost his eemaan and does not see anything wrong with that. Then one of them understood what this one meant and said: Maybe our brothers whom we left in the mosque have become unmindful of Allaah's remembrance. Then they all say together: Let us go and see, so when they enter the mosque and upon their brothers they found that they had (indeed) become heedless of Allaah's remembrance.
O my brother, has this struck your heart and your mind? Just as it would strike the heart and mind of the ones listening to it. If you were going out with them and they made you remain in the circle in the mosque, and then you heard this story do you think you will become heedless of Allaah's remembrance? Or will you strive in it so that perhaps Allaah will grant success to your brothers who are outside in the second group that was formed until they return with their captives??
There is no doubt that this is what would occur especially if the saying of the Messenger (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam) was mentioned afer that story: "Never do a people gather in a house from among the houses of Allaah reciting the book of Allaah and studying together except that tranquility descends upon them and mercy covers them, the angels surround them and Allaah mentions them to those who are near to Him." [Muslim]
So the people in the mosque are like an electric generator and the second group who go out are like a light bulb at the end of the electric wire. When the electric generator is busy and occupies itself that light is illuminated and when it diminishes that light is extinguished.
Have you heard the likes of this my brother? And have you seen such reasoning - which was never thought of or imagined by the best of generations (the first three generations) - which is like this reasoning?!!
I did not mention this except with the desire of warning you and making you aware from such mockery and deviation. So beware O seeker of the Truth, the correct, the good and the straight and upright.
I have already informed you before that I did not intend to make an extensive study of this jamaa'ah. Rather I mentioned it so that you may be able to understand another jamaa'ah because it's (deviation) is more subtle and hidden than this one. So prepare yourself for understanding it well. If you wish relax for a short time and then come with me so that I come to know, along with you, the objective of this group, the means of actualising its goal, exposing this jamaa'ahs secret word (or hidden agenda) and the key to its secret sign, discussing (contesting) its ideas and thought, relying upon Allaah in all of this first and foremost and then upon the books of these people, their statements and their tapes secondly and then upon the statements of those who abandoned them after they used to be with them thirdly
The goal of this group is to bring about a jamaa'ah of (all) muslims and from amongst their midst a leader.
Before I acquaint you with the name of this group you will say: Does this jamaa'ah have any ways or means by which it actualises what it aspires or inclines to?
And I will respond to you with 'Yes'. And I shall soon mention these ways to you in short first and then I will return to them - with the help of Allaah and his success - with a detailed explanation, which is healing and raises and repels every doubt/confusion in your soul, if Allaah wills. Are you then prepared to listen? Listen then to what is thrown at you of proof and evidence.
From my reading of the books and magazines of these people and listening to their cassettes and meeting many of those who have abandoned them (after being with them) and reading the refutations against them I have concluded that this jamaa'ah has three chief ways/means for actualising their objective or goal and these are:
1. Equity and Justice
2. Understanding the state of affairs
3. Firmness/Establishment.
And these three ways are presented, to those who are called by them and those who read their material, in the most generalised of ways. And this is the secret word (or hidden agenda) with them - just like that of the Tabligh which was explained to you earlier - which would make possible and feasible for them success (in) uniting between the one who agrees with them and the one who disagrees with them. And when this is achieved the jamaa'ah of muslims which is their aim is formed.
The first way is entering all the muslim groups into one single jamaa'ah to which they give the name 'Ahl us-Sunnah wal-Jamaa'ah' and others call it 'Al-Qutubiyyah'
The second way is to raise the level of their callers and and leaders to the level of scholars and leaders (of the muslims) and putting down, diminishing the level and position of the scholars (in truth) with the claim that they do not understand the state of affairs.
The third is to propagate and spread their rumours, speeches, ideas and concepts making the people think thereby that they are the people of firmness/strength and at the same time for repelling the criticism and refutation of their jamaa'ah, individuals within it and those who call to it, even if this criticism or refutation is the pure truth.
When that which has been mentioned has become clear to you my noble brother then there is no harm in that we proceed in order to look at every one of their ways/means with evidence and proof. However, (not after) we have mentioned their secret word (or hidden agenda) and that is:
Any way/mean, idea, statement for which it is desired that it is spread amongst people, then it is essential to spread it in such a generalised manner so that all stop to (and pay heed) to it - both the one who agrees and the one who differs.
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