Although they say they
are Muslims, Wahhâbîs, also called Najdîs, are one of the groups who
have departed from the Ahl as-Sunna.
Ahmed Cevdet
Paþa, a statesman, and Eyyûb Sabrî Paþa [d. 1308 (
Wahhâbism was established
by Muhammad ibn ’Abd al-Wahhâb. He was born in Huraimila in Najd in 1111 (
---------------------------------
[1] The seventh volume of the former’s 12-volume Târîkh-i Othmânî and the third volume of the latter’s 5-volume Mir’ât al-Haramain (p. 99. Turkish, the Library of Süleymâniyye).
[2] Ahmad Dahlân ‘rahmatullâhi ’aleyh’, (1231 [1816], Mekka-1304 [1886], Medina), Mufti of Mekka.
[3] Meccan scholars wrote very beautiful answers to Kitâb at-tawhîd and refuted it with sound documents in 1221. The collection of their refutations, titled Saif al-Jabbâr, which was later printed in Pakistan, was reproduced in Istanbul in 1395 [1975 A.D.].
-61-
and was interpolated and
published in Egypt with the title Fat’h al-majîd by a Wahhâbî called
Muhammad Hamîd. Muhammad ibn ’Abd al-Wahhâb’s ideas spread among villagers, the
inhabitants of Dar’iyya and their chief, Muhammad ibn Su’ûd. Those who accepted
his ideas, which he termed Wahhâbiyya, are called Wahhâbîs or Najdîs. They
increased in number, and he imposed himself as the qâdî and Muhammad ibn Su’ûd
as the amîr (ruler). He declared it as a law that only their own descendants
should succeed them.
Muhammad’s father, ’Abd
al-Wahhâb, who was a pious Muslim and a scholar of Medina, apprehended from Ibn
’Abd al-Wahhâb’s words that he would start a perverted movement and advised
everybody not to talk with him. But he proclaimed Wahhâbism in 1150 (
The Wahhâbî point of view
is that he who says that anybody besides Allâhu ta’âlâ did something becomes a
polytheist, a disbeliever. For example, he who says, “Such and such medicine
relieved the pain,” or “Allâhu ta’âlâ accepted my prayers near the tomb of such
and such a Prophet or Walî,” becomes a polytheist. To prove these ideas, he
puts forth as documents the âyat al-kerîma: “Iyyâka nasta’în” (Only Thy help we ask)
of the
Sûrat al-Fatiha and the âyats expounding tawakkul.[1]
The book Al-Usûl-ul-arba’a
fî-terdîd-il-wahhâbiyya, at the end of its second part, says in Persian:
The Wahhâbîs and other
lâ-madhhâbî people cannot comprehend the meanings of majâz[2] and isti’âra’ (metaphor).
---------------------------------
[1] The correct meanings of these âyats by the ’ulamâ’ of the Ahl as-Sunna and the matters of tawhîd and tawakkul are written in detail in Endless Bliss, Third Fascicle, Chapter 35. Those who know the correct meaning of ‘tawhîd’ will understand that the Wahhâbîs, who consider themselves muwahhids, are not muwahhids (believers in tawhîd Majâz is the use of a word not in its usual or obvious literal meaning but in a sense connected to its meaning. When a word special to Allâhu ta’âlâ is used for men in a majâzî (figurative, symbolic) sense, the Wahhâbîs take it in its literal meaning and call the one who uses it symbolically a polytheist and disbeliever; they are unaware that such words are used for men in symbolical senses in Qur’ân al-kerîm and Hadîth ash-sherîf.).
[2] Majâz is the use of a word not in its usual or obvious literal meaning but in a sense connected to its meaning. When a word special to Allâhu ta’âlâ is used for men in a majâzî (figurative, symbolic) sense, the Wahhâbîs take it in its literal meaning and call the one who uses it symbolically a polytheist and disbeliever; they are unaware that such words are used for men in symbolical senses in Qur’ân al-kerîm and Hadîth ash-sherîf.
Whenever somebody says
that he did something, they call him a polytheist or a disbeliever though his
expression is a majâz. However, Allâhu ta’âlâ declares in many âyats of Qur’ân
al-kerîm that He is the Real Maker of every act and that man is the majâzî
maker. In the 57th âyat of Sûrat al-An’âm and in Sûrat Yûsuf, He says: “The decision
(hukm) is Allâhu ta’âlâ’s alone,” that is, Allâhu ta’âlâ is the only Decider (Hâkim).
In the 64th âyat of the Sûrat an-Nisâ’, He says: “They will not
be Believers unless they make thee (the Prophet) judge (yuhakkimûnaka) of what is in dispute between them.” The former âyat states
that Allâhu ta’âlâ is the only Real Hâkim, and the latter states that man can
be metaphorically referred to as a hâkim.
Every Muslim knows that
Allâhu ta’âlâ alone is the One who gives life and takes life away, for He
declares: “He alone gives and takes life,” in the 56th âyat of the Sûrat Yûnus, and, “Allâhu ta’âlâ
is the One who makes man dead at the time of his death,” in the 42nd âyat of the
Sûrat az-Zumar. In the 11th âyat of the Sûrat as-Sajda, He says as a majâz: “The angel who
is appointed as the deputy to take life takes your life.”
Allâhu ta’âlâ alone is
the One who gives health to the sick, for the 80th âyat of Sûrat ash-Shu’arâ
states: “When I become sick, only He gives me recovery.” He quotes ’Îsâ (’alaihi
’s-salâm) in the 49th âyat of the Âl-i ’Imrân sûra as saying: “I heal him
who is blind and baras,[1] and I bring the dead back to life by
Allâhu ta’âlâ’s permission.” The One who gives a child to man is actually He; the 18th
âyat of the Sûrat Mariam states [the Archangel] Jabrâ’îl’s (’alaihi ’s-salâm)
majâzî words, “I will give you a pure son.”
The real owner of man is
Allâhu ta’âlâ. The 257th âyat of the Sûrat al-Baqara states this openly: “Allâhu ta’âlâ
is the Walî (Protector,
Guardian) of those who believe.” And by saying, “Allâhu ta’âlâ and His Prophet (’alaihi ’s-salâm) are your
walîs,” and
“The Prophet protects the Believers more than they protect
themselves,” in the 56th and 6th âyats of Sûras al-Mâ’ida and al-Ahzâb,
respectively, He means that man, too, though symbolically, is a walî.
Similarly, the real helper is Allâhu ta’âlâ, and He also calls men ‘mu’în’
(helper) metaphorically. He says in the third âyat of the Sûrat al-Mâ’ida: “Help one
another in
---------------------------------
[1] A skin-diseased person, albion or vitiligo, with complete or partial whiteness, respectively, of the skin.
goodness and
piety (taqwâ).” Wahhâbîs use the word ‘mushrik’ (polytheist) for those Muslims who
call somebody an ’abd (servant, slave) of someone other than Allâhu ta’âlâ, for
example, ‘’Abd an-Nabî’ or ‘’Abd ar-Rasûl’; however, in the 32nd âyat of Sûrat
an-Nûr, it is declared: “Give in marriage your unmarried women and
those pious ones among your slaves and female slaves.” The Real Rabb (Trainer)
of men is Allâhu ta’âlâ, but someone else can also be called ‘rabb’
metaphorically; in the 42nd âyat of the Sûrat Yûsuf is said, “Mention me in
the presence of your rabb.”
‘Istighâtha’ is what the Wahhâbîs
oppose most: ‘to ask help or protection of someone other than Allâhu ta’âlâ,’
which they call polytheism. In fact, as all Muslims know, true istighâtha is
only for Allâhu ta’âlâ. However, it is permissible to say metaphorically that
one can do istighâtha for someone, for, it is declared in the 15th âyat of
Sûrat al-Qassass: “People of his tribe did istighâtha for him against the
enemy.” A
hadîth sherîf says, “They will do istighâtha for Âdam (’alaihi ’s-salâm) at the place
of the Mahshar.” A hadîth sherîf written in Al-hisn al-hasîn, says, “He who needs
help should say, ‘O Allâhu ta’âlâ’s slaves!Help me!’ ” This hadîth sherîf
commands one to call for help from someone not near him.”[1] Translation from the book Al-Usûl-ul-arba’a
ends
here.
[Every word has a
distinguishable meaning, which is called the real meaning of that word. The
word will be called majâz when it is not used in its real meaning but in any
other meaning which can be related to it. When a word special to Allâhu ta’âlâ
is used as majâz for human beings, Wahhâbî people will think that the word is being
used with its real meaning. So, they will call a person who uses the word
mushriq, or kâfir. But they should pay attention to the fact that these words
are used as majâz in âyats and hadîth-i sherîfs for human beings.]
To ask for shafâ’a
(intercession) and help from Rasûlullah
---------------------------------
[1]
Al-usûl al-arba’a fî tardîd al-Wahhâbiyya (in
Persian), end of the second part, India, 1346 (
(’alaihi ’s-salâm) and
the Awliyâ’ does not mean to turn away from Allâhu ta’âlâ or to forget that He
is the Creator. It is like expecting rain from Him through the cause or means
(wâsita) of clouds; expecting cure from Him by taking medicine; expecting
victory from Him by using cannons, bombs, rockets and aeroplanes. These are
causes. Allâhu ta’âlâ creates everything through causes. It is not polytheism
(shirk) to stick to these causes. Prophets ’alaihim-us-salâm always clung to
causes. As we go to a fountain to drink water, which Allâhu ta’âlâ created, and
to the bakery to get bread, which again He created, and as we make armaments
and drill and train our troops so that Allâhu ta’âlâ will give us victory, so
we set our hearts on the soul of a Prophet or a Walî in order that Allâhu
ta’âlâ will accept our prayers. To use a radio in order to hear a sound which
Allâhu ta’âlâ creates through the means of electro-magnetic waves does not mean
to forget about Him and have recourse to a box, for He is the One who gives
this peculiarity, this power, to the apparatus in the radio box. Allâhu ta’âlâ
has concealed His Omnipotence in everything. A polytheist worships idols but
does not think of Allâhu ta’âlâ. A Muslim, when he uses causes and means,
thinks of Allâhu ta’âlâ, who gives effectiveness and peculiarities to the
causes and creatures. Whatever he wishes, he expects it from Allâhu ta’âlâ. He
knows that whatever he gets comes from Allâhu ta’âlâ. The meaning of the
above-mentioned âyat shows that this is true. That is, when saying the Sûrat
al-Fâtiha in each salât, the Believer says, ‘O my Rabb! I hold on to material
and scientific causes in order to get my worldly desires and needs, and beg
Thine beloved slaves to help me. As I do so, and always, I believe that Thou
alone is the Giver, the Creator of wishes. From Thee alone I expect!’ Believers
who say this every day can not be said to be polytheists. To ask for help from
the souls of Prophets and Awliyâ’ is to hold on to these causes, which were
created by Allâhu ta’âlâ. This âyat of Sûrat al-Fâtiha states clearly that they
are not polytheists but true Believers. Wahhâbîs also stick to material and
scientific means. They satisfy their sensual desires by any means. But they
call it “polytheism” to have recourse to Prophets and Awliyâ’ as mediators.
Since the words of
Muhammad ibn ’Abd al-Wahhâb were all in accordance with sensual desires, those
who did not have religious knowledge believed them easily. They asserted that
the ’ulamâ’ of the Ahl as-Sunna and Muslims of the right way were disbelievers.
Amîrs (leaders) found Wahhâbism consistent with
their desires to increase
their power and to extend their lands and territories. They forced the Arab
tribes to become Wahhâbî. They killed those who did not believe them.
Villagers, from fear of death, obeyed the amîr of Dar’iyya, Muhammad ibn Sa’ûd.
Becoming soldiers of the amîr suited their desires to attack the property, life
and chastity of non-Wahhâbîs.
Shaikh Sulaimân, Muhammad
ibn ’Abd al-Wahhâb’s brother, was an ’alîm of the Ahl as-Sunna. This blessed
person refuted Wahhâbism in his book As-sawâ’iq al-ilâhiyya fî ’r-raddi ’alâ
’l-Wahhâbiyya and deterred the dissemination of its heretical tenets. This valuable
book was printed in the year 1306. It was also printed in offset process in
Istanbul in 1395 [1975 A.D.]. Muhammad’s teachers, who realized that he had
opened a way leading to evil, refuted his corrupt books. They announced that he
had deviated from the right way. They proved that Wahhâbîs gave wrong meanings
to âyats and hadîths. Yet all these increased the villagers’ resentment and
hostility against the Believers.
Wahhâbism was spread not
through knowledge but through cruelty and bloodshed by ignorant people. Of the
cruel who soaked their hands with blood in this way, the amîr or Dar’iyya,
Muhammad ibn Sa’ûd, was the most stone-hearted. This man was of the Banî Hanîfa
tribe and was one of the descendants of those idiots who had believed
Musailamat al-kadhdhâb as a prophet. He died in 1178 [1765 A.D.] and was
succeeded by his son ’Abd-ul-’azîz, who, in his turn, was slain by a Shiite in
1217. He was succeeded by his son Sa’ûd, who died in 1231. His son Abdullah
took his place, only to be executed in Istanbul in 1240. His place was taken by
Tarkî bin Abdullah, a grandson of ’Abd-ul-’azîz’s. The person to succeed him,
in 1254, was his son Faisal, who in his turn was succeeded by his son Abdullah
in 1282. His brother ’Abd-ur-rahmân and his son ’Abd-ul-’azîz settled in
Kuwait. In 1319 [1901 A.D.] ’Abd-ul-’azîz moved to Riyâd and became the Emîr.
In 1918 he attacked Mekka in cooperation with the British. In 1351 [1932 A.D.]
he established the State of Sa’udi Arabia. We read in newspapers issued in 1991
that Fahd, the Emîr of Su’ûd, had sent four billion dollars as an aid to the
Russian disbelievers who had been fighting the Mujahideen in Afghanistan.
Wahhâbîs claim that they
are on the way of being sincere in believing in the Oneness of Allâhu ta’âlâ
and in escaping disbelief, that all Muslims have been polytheists for six
hundred
years, and that they have
been trying to save them from disbelief. To prove themselves right, they put
forward the fifth âyat kerîma of Sûrat al-Ahqâf and the 106th âyat kerîma of
the Sûrat Yûnus. However, all the commentaries of Qur’ân al-kerîm unanimously
write that these two âyats and many others have all been sent down for
polytheists. The first of these âyats is: “No one is more heretical than the one
who turns away from Allâhu ta’âlâ and prays to things which will never hear
till the end of the world.’ And the other is: “Tell the Meccan polytheists, ‘I was
commanded not to pray to things, which are neither useful nor harmful, other
than Allâhu ta’âlâ. If you pray to anyone but Allâhu ta’âlâ, you will be
torturing and doing harm to yourselves!”
The book Kashf
ash-shubuhât deals with the third âyat kerîma of Sûrat az-Zumar, which declares: “Those who
accept things other than Alâhu ta’âlâ as guardians say, ‘If we worship them, we
worship them so that they might help us approach Allâhu ta’âlâ and intercede
for us.’ ” This
âyat kerîma quotes the words of polytheists who worship idols. The book likens
Muslims who ask for shafâ’a to such polytheists and intentionally says that
polytheists also believed that their idols were not creative but that Allâhu
ta’âlâ alone was the Creator. In an interpretation of this âyat kerîma, the
book Rûh al-bayân says, “Human creatures are created with the ability to
acknowledge the Creator, who created them and everything. Every human creature
feels the desire to worship his Creator and to be drawn towards Him. Yet this
ability and desire are worthless, for the nafs, Satan or bad companions might
deceive man, [and as a result, this innate desire will be destroyed,] and man
will become [either an unbeliever in the Creator and the Last Day like
communists and freemasons or] a polytheist. A polytheist cannot approach Allâhu
ta’âlâ, nor can he know Him. The valuable thing is the ma’rifa, the knowledge,
which ensues after eliminating polytheism and embracing tawhîd. Its sign is to
believe in prophets (’alaihi ’s-salâm) and their books and to follow them. This
is the only way of being drawn towards Allâhu ta’âlâ. The merit of prostrating
oneself was naturally given to Satan, but he refused to prostrate in a manner
unsuitable for his nafs. Ancient Greek philosophers became disbelievers because
they wanted to approach Allâhu ta’âlâ not by following prophets (’alaihi
’s-salâm) but by their own reasons and nafses. Muslims, to approach Allâhu
ta’âlâ, adapt themselves to Islam, thus their
hearts get filled with
spiritual light. The attribute ‘Jamâl’ (Beauty) of Allâhu ta’âlâ manifests
itself to their spirits. Polytheists, to approach Allâhu ta’âlâ, follow not the
Prophet or Islam but their nafses, their defective minds and bid’as, and thus
their hearts get darkened and their spirits get obscured. Allâhu ta’âlâ, at the
end of this âyat kerîma, states that they lie in their statement, “We worship
idols so that they shall intercede for us.” As it is seen, it is very unjust to
take the 25th âyat kerîma of Sûrat al-Luqmân, which says, “If you ask
disbelievers, ‘Who created the earth and the skies?’ they will say, ‘certainly
Allâhu ta’âlâ created them,’ ” and the 87th âyat kerîma of Sûrat az-Zukhruf, which says, “If you ask
those who worship things other than Allâhu ta’âlâ, ‘Who created these?’ they
will say, ‘Certainly Allâhu ta’âlâ created them,’ ” as documents and to say,
“Polytheists, too, knew that the Creator was Allah alone. They worshipped idols
so that they would intercede for them on the Day of Judgement. For this reason
they became polytheists and disbelievers.”[1]
We, Muslims, do not
worship prophets (’alaihi ’s-salâm) or Awliyâ’ (rahimahum-Allâhu ta’âlâ) and
say that they are not companions or partners of Allâhu ta’âlâ. We believe that
they were creatures and human beings and that they are not worth worshipping.
We believe that they are the beloved slaves of Allâhu ta’âlâ, and He will pity
His slaves for the sake of His beloved ones. Allâhu ta’âlâ alone creates loss
and profit. He alone is worth worshipping. We say that He pities His slaves for
the sake of His beloved ones. As for polytheists; though they, owing to the
knowledge inherent in their creation, say that their idols are not creative,
and because they have not developed this latent knowledge by following prophets
(’alaihimu ’s-salâm), believe that their idols are worth worshipping, and so
they worship them. Because they say idols are worth worshipping, they become
polytheists. Otherwise, they would not become
---------------------------------
[1]
Jamîl Sidqî az-Zahâwî (rahmatullâhi ta’âlâ
’aleyh) an ’âlim of Iraq, in his work Al-fajr as-Sâdiq fi ’r-raddi ’ala
’l-munkiri ’t-tawassuli wa ’l-karâmati wa ’l-hawâriq, [published in Egypt
in 1323 (
polytheists for saying
that they wanted intercession. As it is seen, likening the Ahl as-Sunna to
idolatrous disbelievers is completely wrong. All these âyats were sent for
idolatrous disbelievers and polytheists. The book Kashf
ash-shubuhât gives wrong meanings to the âyats, uses sophism and says that the
Muslims of the Ahl as-Sunna are polytheists. It also recommends that
non-Wahhâbite Muslims should be killed and that their property should be
confiscated.
Two hadîths reported by
’Abdullah ibn ’Umar (radiy-Allâhu ’anhumâ) state: “They have
left the right course. They have imputed to Muslims the [meanings of the] âyats that
descended for disbelievers,” and “Of all my fears on behalf of the Umma, the
most horrible thing is their interpretation of Qur’ân al-kerîm according to
their own opinions and their fallacious translations.” These two hadîths
foretold that the lâ-madhhabî would appear and by misinterpreting the âyats
that had descended for disbelievers they would use them against the Muslims.
Another person who
realized that Muhammad ibn ’Abd al-Wahhâb had wrong ideas and would be harmful
later on and who gave advice to him was Shaikh Muhammad ibn Sulaimân al-Madanî
(d. in Medina in 1194/1780, rahimah-Allâhu ta’âlâ), one of the great ’ulamâ’ of
Medina. He was a Shâfi’î scholar of fiqh and wrote many books. His annotation
on Ibn Hajar al-Makkî’s (rahimah-Allâhu ta’âlâ) At-tuhfat
al-muhtâj, a
commentary to the book Minhâj, has gained great fame. In his two-volume book,
which is entitled Al-fatâwâ, he says, “O Muhammad ibn ’Abd al-Wahhâb! Don’t slander
Muslims! I advice you for Allâhu ta’âlâ’s sake. Yes, if someone says that
someone other than Allâhu ta’âlâ creates actions, tell him the truth! But those
who cling to causes (wasîla) and who believe that both causes and the effective
power in them are created by Allâhu ta’âlâ cannot be called disbelievers. You
are a Muslim, too. It would be more correct to call one Muslim a ‘heretic’ than
calling all Muslims as such. He who leaves the community is more likely to go
astray. The 114th âyat kerîma of Sûrat an-Nisâ’ proves my word right: ‘If a person
who, after learning the way to guidance, opposes the Prophet (’alaihi ’s-salâm) and deviates
from the Believers’ beliefs and ’ibâdât, in the next world We shall resurrect
him in disbelief and apostasy, with which he has been so intimate, and We shall
hurl him into Hell.’ ”
Though Wahhâbîs have
innumerable wrong tenets, they are based on three principles:
1— They say that a’mâl or
’ibâdât are included in îmân and that he who does not perform a fard though he
believes that it is fard, for example, salât because of laziness or zakât
because of stinginess, becomes a disbeliever and he must be killed and his
possessions must be distributed among Wahhâbîs.
Ash-Shihristânî states:
“The ’ulamâ’ of the Ahl as-Sunna have unanimously said that ’ibâdât are not
included in îmân. One who, though he believes it to be a fard, does not perform
a fard because of laziness does not become a disbeliever. There has not been
unanimity concerning those who do not perform salât; according to Hanbalî Madhhab,
one who does not perform salât because of laziness becomes a disbeliever.”[1] [Thenâ-ullah Pâni-pûtî ‘rahmatullâhi aleyh’ states at the
beginning of his book Mâ-lâ budda, “A Muslim does not become a disbeliever by
committing a grave sin. If he is put into Hell, he will be taken out of Hell
sooner or later and will be put into Paradise. He will stay eternally in
Paradise.” This book is in Persian and was printed in Delhi in 1376 [1956 A.D.]
and was reproduced by Hakîkat Kitâbevi in Istanbul in 1410 [1990 A.D.]. In
Hanbali Madhhab, it was said that only he who did not perform salât would
become a disbeliever. The same was not said for other kinds of ’ibâdât.
Therefore, it would be wrong to consider Wahhâbîs as Hanbalî in this respect.
As explained above, those who do not belong to the Ahl as-Sunna cannot be
Hanbalî, either.[2] Those who do not belong
to any of the four Madhhabs do not belong to the Ahl as-Sunna.
2— They say that one who
asks for shafâ’a from the souls of prophets (’alaihimu ’s-salâm) or Awliyâ’
(rahimahum-Allâhu ta’âlâ) or who visits their tombs and prays while considering
them mediators becomes a disbeliever. They also believe that the dead do not
have any sense.
If a person who talked to
a dead person in a grave had been a disbeliever, our Prophet (sall-Allâhu
’alaihi wa sallam), great ’ulamâ’ and the Awliyâ’ would not have prayed in this
manner. It was our Prophet’s (sall-Allâhu ’alaihi wa sallam) habit to visit the
---------------------------------
[1]
Al-milal wa ’n-nihal (Turkish), p. 63,
Cairo,
[2] See pp. 18 and 31 above. See also our Advice for the Muslim for details on the same subject.
Bakî Cemetery in Medina and
the martyrs of Uhud. In fact, it is written on the 485th page of the Wahhâbite
book Fath al-majîd that he greeted and talked to them.
Our Prophet (sall-Allâhu
’alaihi wa sallam) always said in his prayers, “Allâhumma
innî as-aluka bi-haqqi ’s-sâ’ilîna ’alaika,” (O my Allâhu ta’âlâ! I ask Thee for the sake of
those people whom Thou hast given whatever they asked) and recommended to pray
so. When he interred Fâtima, the mother of Hadrat ’Alî (radiy-Allâhu ’anhumâ),
with his own blessed hands, he said, “Ighfir li-ummî Fâtimata binti Asad wa
wassi’ ’alaihâ madkhalahâ bi-haqqi nabiyyika wa ’l-anbiyâ’ illadhîna min qablî
innaka arhamu ’r-râhimîn.” (O Allâhu ta’âlâ! Forgive Mother Fâtimat binti Asad, her
sins! Widen the place she is in! Accept this prayer of mine for the right
[love] of Thy Prophet and of the prophets who came before me! Thou art the Most
Merciful of the merciful!) In a hadîth sherîf reported by ’Uthmân ibn Hunaif
(radiy-Allâhu ’anh) one of the greatest of the Ansâr, it is told how the
Prophet (’alaihi ’s-salâm) ordered a blind man, who asked him to pray for his
healing, to perform an ablution and a salât of two rak’as and then to say, “Allâhumma
innî as’aluka wa atawajjahu ilaika bi-nabiyyika Muhammadi ’n-nabiyyi ’r-Rahma,
yâ Muhammad innî atawajjahu bika ilâ Rabbî fî hâjatî hâdhihî li-takdiya lî,
Allâhumma shaffi’hu fiyya.” In this prayer the blind man was commanded to have
recourse to Muhammad (’alaihi ’s-salâm) as a mediator so that his prayer would
be accepted. The Sahâbat al-kirâm often recited this prayer, which is quoted in
the second volume of Ashi’at al-lama’ât and also in Al-hisn
al-hasîn with
its references and, in its explanation, interpretation as, “I turn towards Thee
through Thine Prophet.”
These prayers show that
it is permissible to put those whom Allâhu ta’âlâ loves as mediators and to
pray to Him by saying “for their sake.”
Shaikh ’Alî Mahfûz, who
died in 1361 (
these tasks to them or
they do what they wish or that one who clings to them will not go wrong. But
whether they are alive or dead, Allâhu ta’âlâ blesses, among His Awliyâ’, the
ones whom He wills, and, through their karâmât, He cures the ill, rescues those
who are about to be drowned, helps those who are fighting an enemy and recovers
lost things. This is logical. Also Qur’ân al-kerîm reveals these facts.”[1]
’Abd al-Ghanî an-Nablusî
(rahimah-Allâhu ta’âlâ) writes: “A hadîth qudsî, which al-Bukhârî reported from
Abû Huraira (radiy-Allâhu ta’âlâ ’anh), says: Allâhu ta’âlâ declared: ‘My slaves
cannot approach Me through anything as close as they approach me by means of
the fard. If My slaves do the supererogatory ’ibâdât, I like them so much that
they hear with Me, see with Me, hold everything with Me, walk with Me, and I
give them whatever they ask of Me. If they trust in Me, I protect them.’ ” The supererogatory
’ibâdât mentioned here are, [as clearly written in Marâq al-falâh
and
at-Tahtâwî’s annotation. Please see page 428,] the sunna and supererogatory
’ibâdât done by those who do the ’ibâdât which are fard. This hadîth sherîf
shows that one who, after doing the ’ibâdât which are fard, does the
supererogatory worships will earn Allâhu ta’âlâ’s love and his prayers will be
accepted.”[2] Whether alive or dead,
when such people pray for others, people for whom they pray get what they wish.
Such people hear even when they are dead. As they did not when they were alive,
they do not turn down those who ask empty-handed, and they pray for them. For
this reason, a hadîth sherîf states: “When you are in trouble in your
affairs, ask for help from those who are in graves!” The meaning of this
hadîth sherîf is clear, and its ta’wîl (interpretation in a different way) is
not permitted. Alûsî’s ta’wîl is false.
In actual fact, “Muslims
are still Muslims when they are dead just as is the case when they are asleep.
Prophets are still prophets (’alaihi ’s-salâm) after death just as is the case
when they are asleep; for, it is the soul who is a Muslim or a prophet. When a
man dies, his soul does not change. This fact is written in
---------------------------------
[1] Shaikh ’Alî Mahfûz, Al-ibdâ’, p. 213,
Cairo, 1375 (
[2] ’Abd al-Ghanî an-Nabulusî, Al-hadîqat an-nadiyya, p. 182, Istanbul, 1290.
the book ’Umdat al-’aqâ’id
by Imâm
’Abdullah an-Nasafî [printed in London in 1259 (
Muhammad Hâdimî Efendi
(rahimah-Allâhu ta’âlâ) of Konya (d. 1176/1762 in Konya) wrote: “The Karâmât of
Awliyâ’ are true. A Walî is a Muslim who is al-’ârifu
bi’llâh (one
who knows Allâhu ta’âlâ and His Attributes as much as is possible). He performs
many ’ibâdât and tâ’at. He very carefully avoids sins and the sensual desires
of his nafs. Things created by Allâhu ta’âlâ outside of His Law of Causation
and scientific laws are called ‘khâriq-ul ’âda’ (extraordinary things),
which are of eight kinds: mu’jiza, karâma, i’âna, ihâna, sihr, ibtilâ, isâbat
al-ayn (effect caused by the evil eye) and irhâs. Karâma is an extraordinary
occurrence that happens through a devoted Believer who is al-’ârifu bi’llâh. He
is a Walî, not a prophet. Abû Is’hâq Ibrâhîm al-Isfarâinî, a Shâfi’î scholar,
denied some of the karâma, and all Mu’tazila denied karâma. They said that it
can be confused with mu’jiza and, therefore, belief in prophets might become
difficult. However, a Walî through whom a karâma happened does not claim
prophethood, nor does he want a karâma to happen. It is permissible to pray to
Allâhu ta’âlâ through prophets and Awliyâ’ even after their death because their
mu’jiza and karâma do not cease after death. This type of prayer is called ‘tawassul’ or ‘istighâtha.’ Ar-Ramlî, too, said the
same. Al-Imâm al-Haramain said, ‘Only the Shî’ites deny the continuity of
karâma after death.’ ’Alî Ajhurî, a prominent Mâlikî scholar of Egypt, said,
‘The Walî, when he is alive, is like a
---------------------------------
[1] Al-hadîqa an-nadiyya, p. 290.
[2]
These three booklets were published together with
Ahmad Zainî Dahlân’s (rahimah-Allâhu ta’âlâ ’aleyh) Ad-durar as-saniyya fi
’r-raddi ’alâ ’l-Wahhâbiyya in Cairo in 1319 (
sword in its sheath.
After his death, his influence becomes stronger like that of a sword out of its
sheath.’ This statement is also quoted by Abû ’Alî Sanjî in his book Nûr al-hidâya.
It is
certified in the light of the Book (Qur’ân al-kerîm), the Sunna and ijmâ’
al-Umma that karâma is true. Hundreds of thousands of the karâmât of the
Awliyâ’ have been reported in many valuable books.”[1] The translation from the book Barîqa ends here.
And, a sahîh hadîth
conveyed by the hadîth scholars Ibn Hudhaima, ad-Dâra Qutnî and at-Tabarânî on
the authority of ’Abdullah ibn ’Umar (radiy-Allâhu ta’âlâ anhumâ) states: “It has become
wâjib for me to intercede for those who will visit my grave.” Imâm al-Manâwî, too,
quoted this hadîth in Kunûz ad-daqâ’iq. In addition, he wrote the
hadîth ash-sherîf, “After my death, visiting my shrine is like visiting me
when I am alive,” from Ibn Hibbân; and the hadîth ash-sherîf, “I will
intercede for the one who visits my grave,” from at-Tabarânî. The following two hadîths, which
are marfû’, the first one quoted by Imâm al-Bazzâr and the second one written
in the Sahîh of Muslim and both on the authority of ’Abdullâh ibn ’Umar
(radiy-Allâhu ta’âlâ anhumâ), are known by almost every Muslim: “It has become
halâl for me to intercede for those who will visit by grave’; ‘On the Day of
Judgement I shall intercede for those who come to al-Madînat al-munawwara to
visit my grave.”[2]
It is great news that is
quoted in the hadîth ash-sherîf, “A person who performs hajj and then
visits my grave will have visited me when I was alive,” which was quoted by
at-Tabarânî, ad-dâra Qutnî and [’Abd ar-Rahmân] Ibn al-Jawzî. The hadîth
ash-sherîf, “A person who does not visit me after carrying out the hajj will
have hurt me,” which ad-Dâra Qutnî quotes, alludes to those who neglect to visit the
Prophet’s (’alaihi ’s-salâm) grave after hajj though they do not have an excuse
(not to do so).
’Abd al-’Azîz, Rector of
the Islamic University of al-Madînat al-munawwara, wrote in his Tahqîq wa
Îdhâh, “None
of the [above] hadîths [recommending the visit] has any support or document.
Shaikh al-Islâm Ibn Taimiyya said that all of them were mawdû’.” However, their
sanads (documents) are written in detail in the eighth volume of az-Zarkânî’s
commentary to Al-
---------------------------------
[1] Berîqâ, p. 269.
[2] Mir’ât al-Madîna (Mir’ât al-Haramain) p. 106.
mawâhib and at the end of the
fourth volume of as-Samûdî’s Wafâ’ al-wafâ’. In these books, it is
also written that these hadîths were hasan[1] and that Ibn Taimiyya’s comment was groundless. The
rector and instructors of Medina university try to calumniate the writings of
the ’ulamâ’ of the Ahl as-Sunna and in their place spread the Wahhâbî tenets
all over the world with their books. In order to convince Muslim and non-Muslim
nations that they are true Muslims, they follow a new policy; they have founded
an Islamic centre called Râbitat al-Âlam al-Islâmî in Mekka and have
gathered ignorant and bribable men with religious education that they have
chosen from every country and to whom they pay salaries, which amount to
hundreds of gold coins. These ignorant men with religious posts, having no
knowledge about the books of the scholars of the Ahl as-Sunna, are used like puppets.
From this centre they disseminate their tenets, which they call “fatwâs of
world Muslim unity,” to the entire world. In the fallacious fatwâ issued during
the Ramadân of 1395 (
While explaining the
subjects concerning the khutba of
---------------------------------
[1] Please see the sixth chapter in the second fascicle of Endless Bliss for kinds of hadîth.
Jum’a, takbîr iftitâh and
prayers in salât, Ibn ’Âbidîn (rahimah-Allâhu ta’âlâ) wrote in his work Radd
al-muhtâr: “Delivering
the khutba in a language other than Arabic would be like saying the takbîr
iftitâh (“Allâhu akbar”) in another language when beginning salât. The takbîr
iftitâh is like the dhikrs of salât, and it is makrûh tahrîma to recite the
dhikrs and prayers of salât in a language other than Arabic, as was forbidden
by Hadrat ’Umar (radiy-Allâhu ’anh).” In the chapter on the wâjibs of salât, he
wrote: “To commit a makrûh tahrîma is a minor sin. If one continues to commit
it, one loses one’s ’adâla.”[1] It is written in at-Tahtâwî that a person who
continually commits a minor sin becomes a fâsiq and that one should go to
another mosque in order not to perform salât [in congregation] behind an imâm
who is a fâsiq or a committer of bid’a. Because it was a makrûh and a bid’a,
which is a grave sin, to read the whole or a part of the khutba in another
language, the as-Sahâbat al-kirâm and the Tâbi’ûn (rahimahum-Allâhu ta’âlâ)
always delivered the entire khutba in Arabic in Asia and Africa, even though
the listeners had no knowledge of Arabic and could not understand the khutba.
Though religious knowledge had not spread and had to be taught to them, they
read the entire khutba in Arabic. And it was for this reason that for six
hundred years the Ottoman Shaikh al-Islâms and world-wide famous great Muslim
scholars, though they seriously wanted the khutba to be read in Turkish so that
the congregation could understand its contents, could not permit it —for they
knew it was not permissible for the khutba to be delivered in Turkish.
A hadîth sherîf, reported
by Imâm al-Bayhakî on the authority of Abû Huraira (radiy-Allâhu ’anh) states: “When a person
greets me, Allâhu ta’âlâ gives my soul to my body and I hear his greeting.” Relying on this hadîth
sherîf, Imâm al-Bayhakî (rahimah-Allâhu ta’âlâ) said that prophets (’alaihi
’s-salâm) were alive in their graves in a life unknown to us.
And ’Abdal-’Azîz ibn ’Abdullah of Medina quotes this hadîth on the 66th page of his Al-hajj wa ’l-umra and comments that it expresses the death of the Prophet (’alaihi ’s-salâm). Yet, on the same page, he states that he is alive in his grave in a life unknown to us. His statements contradict each other. In actual fact, this hadîth sherîf indicates that his blessed soul is given to his body
---------------------------------
[1] ‘Justness’; he will become unreliable on religious matters; he will not be accepted as a witness.
and he responds to
greetings. Furthermore, the two hadîths quoted on the 73rd page of the same
book report the command that one should say, “As-salâmu ’alaikum ahl ad-diyâri min
al-Mu’minîn,” while visiting graves. The hadîths order us to greet the graves of all
Muslims. Someone who hears can be greeted or spoken to; although the
la-madhhabî quote these hadîths, they claim that the dead cannot hear, and they
say ‘polytheist’ about those who believe that the dead can hear. They
misinterpret âyats and hadîths!
There are many hadîths
revealing that Rasûlullah (sall-Allâhu ’alaihi wa sallam) is alive in his tomb
in an unknown life. There being so many of them signifies that they are sound.
Of these hadîths, the following two are written in six famous books of hadîths:
“I will hear the salawât recited at my grave, I will be informed of
the salawât recited at a distance”; “If a person recites salawât at my grave,
Allâhu ta’âlâ sends an angel and informs me of this salawât. I will intercede
for him on the Day of Judgement.”
If a Muslim goes to the
grave of a dead Muslim whom he knew when he was alive and greets him the dead
Muslim will recognize him and reply to him. A hadîth sherîf reported by Ibn
Abî’d-dunyâ declares that a dead Muslim recognizes and answers the one who
greets him and becomes happy. If a person greets dead people whom he did not
know, they become pleased and acknowledge the greeting (salâm). While good
Muslims and martyrs (rahimahum-Allâhu ta’âlâ) recognize and answer those who
greet them, is it possible that Rasûlullah (sall-Allâhu ’alaihi wa sallam) will
not? As the sun in the sky illuminates the entire world, so he answers all
simultaneous greetings simultaneously.
A hadîth sherîf says, “After my
death, I will hear as I do when I am alive.” Another hadîth sherîf reported by Abu Ya’lâ says, “Prophets (’alaihimu ’s-salâm) are alive in
their graves. They perform salât.” Ibrâhîm ibn Bishar and Sayyid Ahmad ar-Rifâ’î and
many other Awliyâ (rahimahum-Allâhu ta’âlâ) said that they had heard a reply
after they had greeted Rasûlullah (sall-Allâhu ’alaihi wa sallam).
The great Muslim scholar
Hadrat Jalâl ad-dîn as-Suyûtî wrote the book Sharaf al-muhkam as an answer to the
question asked of him: “Is it true that Sayyid Ahmad ar-Rifâ’î kissed
Rasûlullah’s blessed hand?” In this book, he proved with reasonable and
traditional evidence that Rasûlullah (sall-Allâhu ’alaihi wa sallam)
was alive in his grave in
an incomprehensible life and that he heard and answered greetings. He also
explained in this book that on the Mi’râj Night Rasûlullah saw Mûsâ (’alaihi
’s-salâm) performing salât in his grave.
A hadîth sherîf, which
our mother ’Â’ishat as-Siddîqa (radiy-Allâhu ’anhâ) related, says, “I suffer the
pain of the poisonous meat I ate at Khaibar. Because of that poison my aorta
almost fails to function now.” This hadîth sherîf shows that, in addition to prophethood,
Allâhu ta’âlâ has given the status of martyrdom to Muhammad, the Highest of
Mankind (’alaihi ’s-salâm). Allâhu ta’âlâ declares in the 169th âyat of Sûrat
âl ’Imrân: “Never regard those who have been killed in the way of Allâhu
ta’âlâ as dead! They are alive in His view. They are nourished.” No doubt this great
Prophet (’alaihi ’s-salâm), who has been poisoned in the way of Allâhu ta’âlâ,
is the highest of those honored with the status defined in this âyat kerîma.
A hadîth sherîf reported
by Ibn Hibbân says, “Prophets’ (’alaihimu-’s-salâm) blessed bodies
never rot. If a Muslim recites the salawât for me, an angel conveys that
salawât to me and says, ‘So and so’s son so and so has recited a salawât and
greeted you.’ ”
A hadîth sherîf reported
by Ibn Mâja says, “On Fridays recite the salawât for me repeatedly! The
salawât will be communicated to me as soon as it is recited.” Abu ’d-dardâ’
(radiy-Allâhu ta’âlâ ’anh), one of those who were in the company of the Prophet
(’alaihi ’s-salâm) at that moment, asked, “Will it be communicated to you after
death, too?” The Prophet (’alaihi ’s-salâm) said, “Yes, I will
be informed of it after my death, too, for, it is harâm for the earth to
decompose prophets (’alaihi ’s-salâm). They are alive after death, and they are
nourished.” [This
hadîth-i sherîf is written also in the final section of the book Mawtâ-wal-qubûr,
by
Thenâ-ullâhi Pâni-pûtî. This book is in Persian and was printed in Delhi in
1310 [1892 A.D.] and reproduced by Hakîkat Kitâbevi in Istanbul in 1990].
Hadrat ’Umar
(radiy-Allâhu ’anh), after the conquest of Quds (Jerusalem), went into the
Prophet’s (’alaihi ’s-salâm) Blessed Grave (al-Qabr as-Sa’âda) and visited his
grave and greeted him. Hadrat ’Umar ibn Abd al-’Azîz, who was a great Walî,
usually sent officials from Damascus to Medina and had them recite a salawât at
the Blessed Grave and greet him. Hadrat ’Abdullah ibn ’Umar, after returning
from each journey, would
go directly to the Hujrat
as-Sa’âda; first he would visit Rasûlullah (’alaihi ’s-salâm), then Abu Bakr
as-Siddîq (radiy-Allâhu ’anh) and then his father and greet them. Imâm Nâfi’
said, “More than a hundred times I saw Hadrat ’Abdullah ibn ’Umar go into the
Blessed Grave and say, ‘As-salâmu ’alaika yâ Rasûl-Allah!’ One day Hadrat ’Alî
(radiy-Allâhu ’anh) went into Masjid ash-Sherîf and he wept when he saw the
grave of Hadrat Fâtima (radiy-Allâhu ’anh) and he wept all the more when he
went to the Hujrat as-Sa’âda. Then, saying, ‘As-salâmu ’alaika yâ Rasûl-Allah’
and ‘As-sâlâmu ’alaikumâ, O Two Brothers of Mine!’ he greeted the Prophet
(’alaihi ’s-salâm), Hadrat Abû Bakr and Hadrat ’Umar (radiy-Allâhu ta’âlâ
anhumâ).”
According to al-Imâm
al-a’zam Abu Hanîfa (rahmatullâhi ’aleyh), one should perform hajj first and
then go to al-Madînat al-munawwara and visit Rasûlullah (’alaihi ’s-salâm). The
same is written in the fatwâ of Abu ’l-Laith as-Samarqandî.
Qâdî ’Iyâd, author of the
book Shifâ’; Imâm an-Nawawî, a Shâfi’î ’âlim; and Ibn Humâm, a Hanafî
’âlim (rahimahum-Allâhu ta’âlâ), said that there had been ijmâ’ al-Umma on it
being necessary to visit the Blessed Grave. Some ’âlims said that it is wâjib.’
As a matter of fact, it is sunnat to visit graves, a fact which is also written
in the Wahhâbite book Fat’h al-majîd.
The 63rd âyat al-kerîma
of Sûrat an-Nisâ’ purports: “If they, after tormenting their nafses, come to
you (My Messenger) and beg for Allâhu ta’âlâ’s (My) pardon, and if My Messenger
apologizes on behalf of them, they will certainly find Allâhu ta’âlâ as the
Receiver of Repentance and Compassionate.” This âyat kerîma indicates that Rasûlullah
(sall-Allâhu ’alaihi wa sallam) will intercede and his intercession (shafâ’a)
will be accepted. Also, it commands us to visit his blessed grave and to ask
for his intercession by coming from distant places.
A hadîth sherîf states: “It is
suitable to set off on a long journey only for visiting three mosques.” This hadîth points out
that it is thawâb to go on a long journey for the purpose of visiting Masjid
al-Harâm in Mekka, Masjid an-Nabî in Medina and the Masjid al-Aqsâ in
Jerusalem. For this reason, those who go for hajj but do not visit the Blessed
Grave in Masjid an-Nabî will be deprived of this reward.
Imâm Mâlik (rahmatullâhi
’aleyh) said that it is makrûh for those who visit the Blessed Shrine to stay
too long near the Hujrat as-Sa’âda. Imâm Zain al-’Âbidîn (rahmatullâhi ’aleyh),
while visiting, stood
near the pillar which stood in the direction of the Rawdat al-Mutahhara and he
approached no further. Until Hadrat ’Âisha (radiy-Allâhu ’anhâ) died, the visit
was done by standing, facing the qibla, at the outer side of the door of the
Hujrat as-Sa’âda.
A hadîth sherîf says, “Do not make
my grave a [place
of] festival.” Hadrat ’Abd al-’Azîm al-Munzirî, a hadîth scholar,
explained this hadîth sherîf as: “Do not consider it enough to visit my grave
only once a year, like on ’Iyd days. Try to visit me frequently!” And the
hadîth ash-sherîf, “Do not make a cemetery of your houses,” means that we should not
make our houses look like a cemetery by not performing salât. Thus it is seen
that Hadrat al-Munzirî’s explanation is correct. As a matter of fact, it is not
permitted to perform salât in a cemetery. It was said that this hadîth sherîf
might come to mean, “Do not fix a certain day like a feast for visiting my
shrine?” Jews and Christians, during their visit to their prophets, habitually
assembled together, played instruments, sang songs and held ceremonies. These
hadîths imply that we should not behave like them; that is, we should not make
merry with forbidden things on feast days, nor play reeds or drums or gather to
hold ceremonies during our visit. We should visit and greet, pray and then
leave silently without staying long.
Al-Imâm al-a’zam Abu
Hanîfa (rahimah-Allâhu ta’âlâ) said that visiting the Blessed Grave is a most
valuable sunna, and there are some scholars who said that it is wâjib. For this
reason, visiting the Blessed Grave is allowed as a vow in the Shâfi’î Madhhab.
In fact, “Allâhu ta’âlâ,
in His Word, ‘If I had not created you, I would not have created anything!’[1] points out that Muhammad
(‘alaihi ’s-salâm) is the Habîb-Allah (Allâhu ta’âlâ’s Most Beloved). Even an
ordinary person will not refuse something asked for the sake of his beloved. It
is easy to have a lover do something for the sake of his beloved. If a person
says, ‘O my Allâhu ta’âlâ! For the sake of Thine Muhammad (’alaihi ’s-salâm), I
ask of Thee,’ this wish of his will not be refused. Trivial worldly affairs,
however, are not worth putting Rasûlullah’s (sall-Allâhu ’alaihi wa sallam)
sake as a mediator.”[2]
---------------------------------
[1] This hadîth qudsî is quoted also in al-Imâm ar-Rabbanî’s (rahimah-Allâhu ta’âlâ) Maktûbât, vol III, 122nd letter.
[2] Mir’ât al-Madîna, p. 1282.
Al-Imâm al-a’zam Abu Hanîfa
(rahimah-Allâhu ta’âlâ) said, “I was in Medina. Shaikh Ayyûb as-Sahtiânî, one
of the sulahâ’, went into Masjîd ash-Sherîf. I followed him. Hadrat Shaikh
faced the Blessed Grave and stood with his back to the qibla. Then he went
out.” Hadrat Ibn Jamâ’a wrote in his book Al-mansak al-kabîr, “While visiting, after
performing a salât of two rak’as and praying near the minbar (pulpit), you
should come to the qibla side of the Hujrat as-Sa’âda and, with the Prophet’s
(’alaihi ’s-salâm) blessed head on your left, you should stay two metres away
from the wall of the al-Marqad ash-Sherîf (the Prophet’s shrine),
then, leaving the qibla wall behind and turning slowly till you face the Muwâjahat
as-Sa’âda, you
should greet him. This is so in all the Madhhabs.”
’Abd al-Ghanî an-Nabulusî
(rahimah-Allâhu ta’âlâ), while explaining the twenty-third of the “Disasters
incurred by the tongue,” writes: “It is makrûh tahrîma to say, while praying,
‘for the right of the prophets’ or ‘for the right of [such and such living or dead]
Walî’ or to ask Allâhu ta’âlâ for something by saying so, for, it has been said
that no creature has any rights on Allâhu ta’âlâ; that is, he does not have to
grant anyone’s wish. This is true, yet He promised His beloved slaves and
recognized a right for them on Himself; that is, He will accept their wish. He
declared in Qur’ân al-kerîm that He placed a right of His slaves on Himself,
for example, ‘It has become a right on Us to help Believers.’ ”[1] It is declared in Al-fatâwâ
al-Bazzâziyya, “It is permitted to ask for something for the sake of a prophet or a
dead or living Walî by mentioning his name.” The commentary on Shir’a states: “One must pray
[to Allâhu ta’âlâ] by making intermediaries of His prophets (’alaihi ’s-salâm)
and sâlih Believers. This is also written in Al-hisn al-hasîn.” As it is seen, Muslim
scholars said that it is permissible to pray to Allâhu ta’âlâ through the right
and love which He has given to His beloved ones. And no scholar said that it
would be polytheism to pray with the idea that men have rights on Allâhu
ta’âlâ. Only Wahhâbîs say so.
Though they praise Al-fatâwâ
al-Bazzâziyya in the book Fat’h al-majîd and put forward his
fatwâs as documents, they oppose him in this respect. Also Hâdimî, while
explaining the “Disasters caused by the tongue,” wrote: “ ‘For the right of Thy
Prophet or Walî’ means ‘his prophethood or wilâya is right.’ Our
---------------------------------
[1] Al-hadîqa.
Prophet (’alaihi
’s-salâm), too, with this intention said, ‘For the right of Thy Prophet Muhammad,’
and,
during the wars he asked for Allâhu ta’âlâ’s help for the right of the poor
among the Muhâjirûn. Also there were many Muslim ’ulamâ’ who prayed, ‘For the
sake of those people whom Thou hast given whatever they asked from Thee,’ and,
‘For the right of Muhammad al-Ghazâlî,’ and who wrote these prayers in their
books.”[1] The book Al-hisn al-hasîn is full of such prayers.
The tafsîr Rûh al-bayân says in an explanation of the eighteenth âyat of Sûrat
al-Mâida: A hadîth reported by ’Umar al-Fârûq (radiy-Allâhu ’anh) states: “When Âdam (’alaihi ’s-salâm) made a
mistake, he said, ‘O my Rabb! Forgive me for the sake of Muhammad (’alaihi ’s-salâm).’ And Allâhu
ta’âlâ said, ‘I have not created Muhammad yet. How do you know him?’ He said,
‘O my Rabb! When Thou created me and gave me of Thine soul, I looked up and saw
the phrase “Lâ ilâha illa’llâh Muhammadun Rasûlullâh” written on the skirts of
the ’Arsh. Thou would only write the name of Thine most beloved by Thine Name.
Considering this, I knew that Thou loved him very much.’ Upon this Allâhu
ta’âlâ said, ‘O Adam, you tell the truth. Of Mine creatures, he is the one I
love most; so I have forgiven you for his sake. If Muhammad had not existed, I
would not have created you.’ ” This hadîth sherîf is quoted in Imâm al-Bayhakî’s Dalâ’il and in Âlûsî’s Ghâliyya.
The Wahhâbî writes: “Imâm Zain al-’Âbidîn ’Alî (rahimah-Allâhu ta’âlâ) saw a man praying by the Prophet’s (’alaihi ’s-salâm) grave and interrupted him by telling him the hadîth, ‘Recite a salawât for me. Wherever you are, your greeting will be communicated to me.’ ” It narrates the event incorrectly and goes on, “Hence, it is forbidden to go near a grave for praying and reciting salawât, which is similar to making graves places of festival. It is forbidden for those who go to perform salât in Masjîd an-Nabî to approach the tomb for greeting. None of the Sahâba did so, and they prevented those who wanted to do so. No other deed but the prayers and greetings said by his Umma will be communicated to the Prophet.”[2] He also writes that the Sa’ûdî government placed soldiers near the Prophet’s (’alaihi ’s-salâm) shrine in Masjid an-Nabî to prevent Muslims from doing so.[3]
---------------------------------
[1] Hâdimî, Berîqa, Istanbul, 1284.
[2] Fat’h al-Majîd, p. 259; see above p. 53 for this book.
[3] ibid, p. 234.
Hadrat Yûsuf an-Nabhânî
refuted these lies at many places in his book: “Imâm Zain al-’Âbidîn
(rahimah-Allâhu ta’âlâ) did not forbid visitation to the Blessed Grave of the
Prophet (’alaihi ’s-salâm). But he forbade non-Islamic, disrespectful behaviour
during a visit. His grandson, Imâm Ja’far as-Sâdiq, used to visit the Hujrat
as-Sa’âda, and, standing near the pillar which stood in the direction of the
Rawdat al-Mutahhara, greet and say, ‘His blessed head is on this side.’ ‘Do not make
my grave [a
place of] festival’, means ‘Do not visit my grave on certain days like feast
days. Visit me usually.’ ”[1] “Abû ’Abdullah al-Qurtubî
writes in his At-tadhkira that the deeds of the Prophet’s (’alaihi ’s-salâm)
Umma are communicated to him every morning and every evening.” (pp. 88, 106)
“Khalîfa Mansûr, during his visit to [the shrine of] the Prophet (’alaihi
’s-salâm), asked Imâm Mâlik, ‘Shall I face the tomb or the qibla?’ Imâm Mâlik
(rahimah-Allâhu ta’âlâ) said, ‘How could you turn your face away from
Rasûlullah (sall-Allâhu ’alaihi wa sallam)? He is the cause of your and your
father Âdam’s (’alaihi ’s-salâm) forgiveness!’ ” (pp. 89, 116) “The hadîth
ash-sherîf, ‘Visit graves!’ is a command. If a harâm is committed during the visit,
not the visit itself, but the harâm should be forbidden.” (p. 92) “Imâm
an-nawawî says in his Adhkâr, ‘It is a sunna to visit frequently the shrines of the
Prophet (’alaihi ’s-salâm) and of pious Muslims and to stay for some time near
such places of visitation.’ ” (p.98) “Ibn Humâm, in his Fat’h
al-qadîr, quotes
the hadîth ash-sherîf transmitted by ad-Dâra Qutnî and al-Bazzâr which says, ‘If someone
visits me [at
my shrine] only with a view to visiting me and not to do anything else, he
will have the right to be interceded for by me on the Day of Judgement.’ ” (p. 100) “Allâhu ta’âlâ
favoured the Awliyâ’ with karâmât. Their karâmât are witnessed frequently even
after their death. They are able to be helpful after death, too. It is
permitted to have them intercede with Allâhu ta’âlâ. But one should ask help
from them in a manner compatible with Islam. It is not permitted to say, ‘I
will give that much... for you if you give me what I request,’ or ‘If you cure
my sick relative,’ which is often uttered by the ignorant. However, this cannot
be regarded as an act causing disbelief or polytheism, for, even an utterly
ignorant person will not expect a Walî to create. He wants the Walî to be the
cause in Allâhu ta’âlâ’s creating. He thinks
---------------------------------
[1]
Shawâhid al-haqq, p. 80. 3rd. ed., Cairo,
1385 /(
that the Walî is a human
creature whom Allâhu ta’âlâ loves, and says, ‘Please ask Allâhu ta’âlâ to
favour me with what I wish; He will not reject your prayer.’ As a matter of
fact, Rasûlullah (sall-Allâhu ‘alaihi wa sallam) said, ‘There are
many people who are considered low and worthless but who are Allâhu ta’âlâ’s
beloved slaves. When they want to do something, Allâhu ta’âlâ certainly creates
it.’[1] Obeying such hadîths, Muslims
ask the Awliyâ’ to intercede. Imâm Ahmad, al-Imâm ash-Shâfi’î, Imâm Mâlik and
al-Imâm al-a’zam Abû Hanîfa (rahimahum-Allâhu ta’âlâ) said that it is jâ’iz
(possible, permissible) to attain baraka (blessing) through the graves of the
pious. Those who say that they are of the Ahl as-Sunna or that they belong to
one of the Madhhabs of the Ahl as-Sunna must say as these imâms said.
Otherwise, we would rather take them as liars than Sunnîs.” (p. 118)
It is written in the
subject concerning the performance of hajj on behalf of someone else in the
book Al-fatwâ al-Hindiyya, “It is permissible to devote the thawâb of an
’ibâda to someone else. Therefore, the thawâb of salât; fast; alms; pilgrimage;
recitation of Qur’ân al-kerîm; dhikr; visitation of the tombs of prophets,
martyrs, Awliyâ’ and sâlih Muslims; giving a shroud for a corpse; and the
thawâb of all gifts and good deeds can be devoted.” It is understood from this
passage, too, that visiting the graves of the Awliyâ’ does bring thawâb.
Documents of what has
been written so far are written at length in our Arabic and English books.
Allâhu ta’âlâ orders Muslims to unite. Therefore, all Muslims should learn the
i’tiqâd of the Ahl as-Sunnat wa ’l-Jamâ’a and come together on the
right way of Truth by believing as reported in the books of these great
scholars of the Ahl as-Sunna. The Prophet (sall-Allâhu ’alaihi wa sallam) said
that the only right way will be the way of the Ahl as-Sunna. We must be very
careful not to stray from the unity of the Ahl as-Sunna and not to be taken in
by the deceitful writings of ignorant men with religious post who trade in
religious books and the writings of heretics who want to deceive Muslims.
Allâhu ta’âlâ declares clearly in the 114th âyat of Sûrat an-Nisâ that those
who dissent from the Muslims’ unity will go to Hell. It is clear by documents
and references that a person who does not join in one of the four Madhhabs has
separated himself
---------------------------------
[1] This hadîth is also quoted on the 381st page of the book Fat’h al-majîd.
from the unity of the Ahl
as-Sunna and that such a lâ-madhhabî person will become a heretic or a
non-Muslim.[1]
The book At-tawassulu
bi’n-Nabî wa jahâlat al-Wahhâbiyyîn proves with examples and documents that Ibn
Taimiyya had departed from the way of the Ahl as-Sunnat wa’l-Jamâ’a. Wahhâbîsm is a mixture of Ibni
Taymiyya’s heresies and the British spy Hempher’s lias and slanders.
3— Wahhâbîs say, “It
causes kufr (disbelief) and shirk (polytheism) to build a dome over a grave, to
light oil-lamps for those who worship and serve in shrines, and to vow alms for
the souls of the dead! The inhabitants of al-Haramain (Mekka and Medina) have
worshipped domes and walls up to now.”
Building a dome over a
grave is harâm if it is for ostentation or ornamentation. If it is for
protecting the grave from destruction, it is makrûh. If it is intended lest a
thief or an animal should break in, it is permissible. But it should not be
made a place for visiting; that is, one should not say that it should be
visited at certain times.
It is not makrûh to bury
corpses in a building that has been built before. The As-Sahâbat al-kirâm
buried Rasûlullah (sall-Allâhu ’alaihi wa sallam) and his two Khalîfas in a
building. None of them was against it. The Hadîth ash-sherîf states that their
unanimity cannot have been based on heresy. The great Islamic scholar Ibn
’Âbidîn wrote: “Some scholars said that it was makrûh to put a covering cloth,
a skullcap or a turban over the graves of pious Muslims or Awliyâ’. The book Al-fatâwâ
al-hujja says
that it is makrûh to cover a grave with cloth. But, to us, it is not makrûh if
it is intended to show everybody the greatness of the one in the grave or to
prevent him from being insulted or to remind those who visit him to be
respectful and behave well. Acts that are not prohibited in the al-adillat
ash-Shar’iyya should be judged in view of the intention involved. Yes, it is
true that during the time of the Sahâbat al-kirâm neither domes were built over
graves nor sarcophagi or clothes were put on graves. But none of them was
against the interment of Rasûlullah (sall-Allâhu ’alaihi wa sallam) and the
Shaikhain (his two immediate Khalîfas) in a room. For this reason and for
carrying out the
---------------------------------
[1] Hâshiyatu Durr al-mukhtâr by the great scholar Ahmad at-Tahtâwî and Al-basâ’ir ’ala ’l-munkiri ’t-tawassuli bi ’l-maqâbir, which was written in Pakistan as a refutation to fat’h al-majîd and reprinted in Istanbul.
commands, ‘Do not step
on graves!’ and
‘Do not be disrespectful to your dead!’ and because they were not
prohibited, they cannot be bid’as only because they were practices observed by
later generations. All fiqh books state that right after the farewell tawâf it
is necessary to leave Masjid al-Harâm as an act of respect towards the Ka’ba
al-mu’azzama. However, the as-Sahâbat al-kirâm did not have to do so because
they were always respectful towards the Ka’ba. But since succeeding generations
were unable to show due reverence, our ’ulamâ’ declared that it was necessary
to show respect by leaving the Masjid by walking backwards. Thus, they made it
possible for us to be respectful like the as-Sahâbat al-kirâm. Likewise, it
became permissible to cover the graves of the sulahâ’ and Awliyâ with cloth or
to build domes over them in order to be respectful as the Sahâbat al-kirâm
were. The great scholar Hadrat ’Abd al-Ghanî an-Nabulusî explains this in
detail in his book Kashf an-nûr.”[1] In Arabia, shrines are called “mashhad.” In al-Madînat
al-munawwara, there were many mashhads in the Bakî’ Cemetery. The lâ-madhhabî
destroyed all of them. No Islamic scholar has ever said that it would be
polytheism or disbelief to build domed tombs or to visit tombs. No one has ever
been seen demolishing tombs.
Ibrâhîm al-Halabî
(rahimah-Allâhu ta’âlâ) wrote at the end of the book Al-Halabî
al-kabîr, “If
a person decides that his land will be a cemetery and if there is an empty
space in it, it is permissible for one to build a domed tomb in it with an
intention of burying a corpse. When there is no empty space left, this tomb
shall be demolished and graves shall be dug [in its place]. This is so because
it is a place belonging to a waqf, devoted to be a cemetery.” If building domed
tombs had been known to be polytheistic, or if domed tombs had been considered
idols, it would always have been necessary to demolish them.
The first of the Islamic
tombs to exist on the earth was the Hujrat al-mu’attara, where Rasûlullah
(sall-Allâhu ’alaihi wa sallam) is buried. Our master Rasûlullah (sall-Allâhu
’alaihi wa sallam) passed away in the room belonging to his beloved wife, our
mother ’Â’isha (radiy-Allâhu ’anhâ), before noon on
---------------------------------
[1]
Ibn ’Âbidîn, Hâshiyatu Durr al-mukhtâr (Radd
al-muhtâr) p. 232, vol. V, Bulaq, 1272; Kashf an-nûr and Jalâl
ad-dîn as-Suyûtî’s (rahimah-Allâhu ta’âlâ) Tanwîr al-khalak fî imkâni
ru’yati ’n-Nabî jihâran wa ’l-malak were published together with the title Al-minhat
al-wahbiyya, Istanbul, 1393 (
Monday, the twelfth of
Rabî al-awwal,
Hadrat ’Â’isha’s
(’radiy-Allâhu ’anhâ) room was three metres high, somewhat more than three
metres long and wide, and was made of sun-dried bricks. It had two doors, one
facing the west and the other facing the north. Hadrat ’Umar (radiy-Allâhu
ta’âlâ ’anh), when he was Khalîfa, enclosed the Hujrat as-Sa’âda with a low
stone wall. ’Abdullah ibn Zubair (radiy-Allâhu ta’alâ ’anhumâ), when he became
Khalîfa, demolished this wall and rebuilt it with black stones and had it
plastered beautifully. This wall was not roofed at the top and there was a door
on the north. When Hadrat Hasan (radiy-Allâhu ta’âlâ ’anh) passed away in
Walîd, the sixth Umayyad
Khalîfa, when he was the governor of Medina, raised the wall round the room and
had it covered over with a small dome. When he became Khalîfa, he ordered ’Umar
ibn ’Abd al-’Azîz, his successor as the governor of Medina, to enlarge the
Masjid ash-Sherîf in 88 (
The book Fat’h al-majîd
says: “A
person who intends to get blessed (tabarruk) with a tree, stone, grave or the
like becomes a polytheist. Graves have been idolized by building domes over
them. The people of the Jâhiliyya Ages, too, worshipped pious persons and
statues. Today, all such and even more excessive acts are committed at shrines
and graves. To attempt to get blessed
---------------------------------
[1]
See article
with the graves of pious
persons is similar to worshipping the idol al-Lât.[1] These polytheists suppose that Awliyâ’ hear and answer
their prayers. They say that they approach the dead by making vows and giving
alms for the graves. All these acts are major forms of polytheism. A polytheist
is still a polytheist even if he calls himself something else. Praying to the
dead respectfully and affectionately, slaughtering animals, making vows and
other similar acts are all polytheistic whatever they call them. Today’s
polytheists, using the words ‘ta’zîm’ (respect, honour) and ‘tabarruk,’ say
that what they do is permissible. This supposition of theirs is fallacious.”[2]
We have already
translated the answers given by Muslim scholars to such offensive lampoons
against the Muslims of the Ahl as-Sunna, and have written them down in our
various books. In the following, a passage from the first chapter of the book Al-usûl
al-arba’a fî tardîd al-Wahhâbiyya is translated to show the vigilant reader that the
Wahhâbîs have deceived themselves and will lead Muslims to ruination:
“Qur’ân al-kerîm, Hadîth
ash-sherîf, statements and acts of the Salaf as-sâlihîn, and most of the
’ulamâ’ document that it is permissible to show ta’zîm to somebody other than
Allâhu ta’âlâ. The 32nd âyat of Sûrat al-Hajj states: ‘When one
shows honour (yu’azzim) to Allâhu ta’âlâ’s sha’â’ir, this behaviour is out of
the heart’s taqwâ.’ So it became wâjib to show honour to Allâhu ta’âlâ’s
sha’â’ir.’ ‘Sha’â’ir’ means ‘signs and indications.’ Abdulhaqq ad-Dahlawî
(rahimah-Allâhu ta’âlâ) said, ‘Sha’â’ir is the plural of sha’îra, which means indication
(’alâma). Anything that reminds one of Allâhu ta’âlâ is a sha’îra of Allâhu
ta’âlâ.’ The 158th âyat of Sûrat al-Baqara says: ‘As-Safâ and
al-Marwa are among the sha’â’ir of Allâhu ta’âlâ.’ As understood from this
âyat kerîma, not only the hills as-Safâ and al-Marwa are the sha’â’ir of Allâhu
ta’âlâ, but there are other sha’â’ir as well. And not only the places called
’Arafât, Muzdalifa and Minâ can be cited as sha’â’ir. Shâh Walî-Allâh
ad-Dahlawî (rahimah-Allâhu ta’âlâ) says on the 69th page of his work Hujjat Allâhi
’l-bâligha, ‘The
greatest sha’âir of Allâhu ta’âlâ are Qur’ân al-kerîm, Ka’bat al-mu’azzama, the
Prophet (’alaihi ’s-salâtu wa ’s-salâm) and the ritual salât.’ And on the 30th
page of his book Altâf al-Quds,
---------------------------------
[1] One of the chief idols worshipped by the Arabs during the pre-Islamic era called the Jâhiliyya Ages.
[2] Fat’h al-majîd, p. 133.
Shah Walî-Allâh
ad-Dahlawî (rahimah-Allâhu ta’âlâ) says, ‘To love the sha’â’ir of Allâhu ta’âlâ
means to love Qur’ân al-kerîm, the Prophet (’alaihi ’s-salâtu wa sallam) and
the Ka’ba, or, to love anything that reminds one of Allâhu ta’âlâ. To love the
Awliyâ’ of Allâhu ta’âlâ is the same.’[1] While the two hills near
Masjid al-Harâm in Mekka, namely as-Safâ and al-Marwa, between which the
Prophet Ismâ’îl’s (’alaihi ’s-salâm) mother Hadrat Hajar walked, are among the
sha’â’ir of Allâhu ta’âlâ and can cause one to remember that blessed mother,
why should not the places where the Prophet Muhammad (’alaihi ’s-salâm), who is
the most superior of all creatures and the Beloved One of Allâhu ta’âlâ, was
born and brought up and the places where he worshipped, migrated, performed
salât and passed away and his blessed shrine and the places of his Âl (his
blessed wives and Ahl al-Bait) and companions be counted among the sha’â’îr?
Why do they destroy these places?
When Qur’ân al-kerîm is
read attentively and objectively, it will be easily seen that many âyats express
‘ta’zîm’ for Rasûlullah (’alaihi ’s-salâm). The Sûrat al-Hujurât declares: ‘O those who
believe! Do not go ahead of Allâhu ta’âlâ and His Prophet (sall-Allâhu ’alaihi
wa sallam)! Fear Allâhu ta’âlâ! O those who believe! Do not speak louder than
the Prophet’s voice! Do not call him as you call one another! The reward for
the deeds of those who do so will vanish! Allâhu ta’âlâ fills with taqwâ the
hearts of those who lower their voices in the presence of Allâhu ta’âlâ’s
Prophet; He forgives their sins and gives many rewards. Those who shout at him
from the outside are thoughtless; it is better for them to wait till he comes
out.’ It
is apparent to a person who reads and thinks over these five âyats impartially
how much Allâhu ta’âlâ praises the ta’zîm that will be shown to His beloved
Prophet (’alaihi ’s-salâm) and how seriously He commands the Umma to be
respectful and modest towards him. The degree of its importance can be judged
by the fact that all the deeds of those who speak louder than him will come to
naught. These âyats came as a penalty for the seventy people of
---------------------------------
[1] Because the Prophet said, ‘When Awliyâ’ are seen Allâhu ta’âlâ is remembered,’ which is quoted in Ibn Abî Shaiba’s Musnad, in Irshâd at-Tâlibîn, and in Kunûz ad-daqâiq, this hadîth sherîf shows that Awliyâ’, too, are among the sha’âir. It is written in Jâmî’ ul-fatâwâ that it is permissible to build domes over the graves of Awliyâ and ’Ulamâ in order to show them honour.
the Banî Tamîm tribe who
had called the Prophet by shouting disrespectfully in Medina. Today some people
say that they are the descendants of the Banî Tamîm tribe. It must have been
for them that Rasûlullah said, ‘A violent and torturous people are in the
East,’ and
‘Satan will arouse disunion from there,’ pointing to a direction
towards the Najd territory [on the Arabian Peninsula] with his blessed hand.
Some of the lâ-madhhabî are ‘Najdîs,’ who have spread out from the Najd. The disunion
predicted in the hadîth quoted above appeared twelve hundred years later: they
came from the Najd to the Hijâz, plundering Muslims’ possessions, killing the
men and enslaving the women and children. They committed baser evils than
disbelievers.
“WHAT IS MORE:
In the
above âyats, the repetitive phrase ‘O those who believe,’ shows that all Muslims of
all centuries till the Last Day are commanded to be respectful towards
Rasûlullah (sall-Allâhu ’alaihi wa sallam). If the command had been only for
the as-Sahâbat al-kirâm, ‘radiy-Allâhu ta’âlâ anhum ajma’în’, ‘O as-Sahâba,’
would have been said. As a matter of fact, the phrases, ‘O wives of
the Prophet!’ and ‘O people of Medina!’ are Qur’ânic. The same phrase, ‘O those who
believe!’ is
used in the âyats stating that salât, fast, pilgrimage, zakât and other ’ibâdas
are fard for all Muslims of all times till the Last Day. So the Wahhâbîs’ idea
that ‘the Prophet (sall-Allâhu ’alaihi wa sallam) was to be respected when he
was alive; he must not be respected or asked for help after his death,’ is
groundless in view of these âyats.
“The above âyats indicate
that ta’zîm towards others besides Allâhu ta’âlâ is also necessary. The 104th
âyat of Sûrat al-Baqara states: ‘O those who believe! Do not say “Râ’inâ” [to the Prophet], but say, “Look
upon us.” You, be listeners to Allâhu ta’âlâ’s commands.’ Believers used to say
‘Râ’inâ’ (watch over, protect us) to the Prophet (sall-Allâhu ’alaihi wa
sallam). ’Râ’inâ’ also meant ‘to swear, to blemish’ in the Jewish language, and
the Jews used this word for the Prophet (sall-Allâhu ’alaihi wa sallam) in this
sense. Because it also had this bad meaning, Allâhu ta’âlâ forbade the
Believers to use this word.
“The 33rd âyat of Sûrat
al-Anfâl purports, ‘Allâhu ta’âlâ will not punish them while you are with
them,’ and
promises not to punish them until the end of the world. This âyat refutes the
Wahhâbîs’ claim that the Prophet went away and became soil.
“The 34th âyat of Sûrat
al-Baqara purports: ‘When We said to the angels, “Prostrate
yourselves before Âdam,” they all fell
prostrate,
except the Satan (Iblîs).’ This âyat kerîma commands that Âdam (’alaihi ’s-salâm)
should be shown ta’zîm. Satan refused to respect somebody other than Allâhu
ta’âlâ and slandered prophets, and thus disobeyed this command. Wahhâbîs are in
the footsteps of Satan. Yûsuf’s (’alaihi ’s-salâm) parents and brothers, too,
showed honour to him by prostrating themselves before him. If it caused
polytheism or disbelief to show honour or respect to somebody other than Allâhu
ta’âlâ, He would not have praised His beloved slaves with the word ‘sajda’
(prostration) when describing them. According to the Ahl as-Sunna, prostration
before somebody other than Allâhu ta’âlâ is harâm because it resembles the
prostration in ’ibâda, not because it is a sign of respect!
“Satan always appeared in the figure of an old man of the Najd to Rasûlullah (sall-Allâhu ’alaihi wa sallam). When the disbelievers assembled at a place called Dâr an-Nadwa in Mekka and decided to kill the Prophet, Satan appeared in the figure of an old man of the Najd and taught them how to carry out the murder, and they agreed to do as the Najdî old man said. Since that day, Satan has been called Shaikh an-Najdî. Hadrat Muhyiddîn Ibn al-’Arabî writes in his work Al-musâmarât: ‘When the Qouraish disbelievers were repairing the Ka’ba, each of the heads of the tribes said that he was going to replace the valuable stone called al-Hajar al-aswad. Later they agreed that the person who came [to the Ka’ba] first the following morning would be the referee to choose one from among them to place the stone. Rasûlullah (sall-Allâhu ’alaihi wa sallam) was the first who came. He was twenty-five then, and they said they were going to obey what he would say because he was trustworthy (amîn). He said, “Bring a carpet and put the stone on it. You all hold the carpet at its sides and raise it to the level where the stone will be placed.” After it was raised, he took the stone from the carpet with his blessed hands and set it at its place in the wall. At that moment. Satan appeared in the figure of the Shaikh an-Najdî and, pointing to a stone, said, “Put this beside it to support it.” His real purpose was for the foul stone he pointed to to fall in the future, so that the Hajar al-aswad would lose its steadiness and, consequently, people would consider Rasûlullah (sall-Allâhu ’alaihi wa sallam) inauspicious. Seeing this, Rasûlullah (sall-Allâhu ’alaihi wa sallam) said, “A’ûdhu bi’llâhi min ash-shaitâni ’r-rajîm,” and Satan immediately ran away, disappeared.’ Because Muhyiddîn ibn al-’Arabî (rahmatullâhi ta’âlâ ’aleyh), with this writing, made known to the world that the Shaikh an-
Najdî was Satan, the
lâ-madhhabî hate this great Walî. They even call him a disbeliever. It is
understood also from this passage that their leader was a satan. For this
reason, they destroy the blessed places inherited from Rasûlullah (sall-Allâhu
’alaihi wa sallam). They say that these places make people polytheists. If it
were polytheism to pray to Allâhu a’âlâ in sacred places, Allâhu ta’âlâ would
not have ordered us to go for hajj; Rasûlullah (sall-Allâhu ’alaihi wa sallam)
would not have kissed the Hajar al-aswad while he was performing tawâf; nobody
would pray at ’Arafât and Muzdalifa; stones would not be thrown at Minâ, and
Muslims would not walk between as-Safâ and al-Marwa. These sacred places would
not have been respected that much.
“When Sa’d ibn Mu’âdh
(radiy-Allâhu ta’âlâ ’anh), the head of the Ansâr, came to where they
assembled, Rasûlullah (sall-Allâhu ’alaihi wa sallam) said, ‘Stand up for
your leader!’ This command was intended for all of them to honour Sa’d. It is wrong
to say, ‘Sa’d was ill. It was intended that he should be helped off his
riding-animal,’ because the order was for all of them. If it were intended for
helping him, the order would have been for one or two persons only, and ‘for
Sa’d’ would have been said, and there would have been no need to say ‘for your
leader.’
“Every time he went from
Medina to Mekka for hajj, ’Abdullah ibn ’Umar (radiy-Allâhu ’anhumâ) stopped
and performed salât and prayed at the sacred places where Rasûlullah
(sall-Allâhu ’alaihi wa sallam) had sat. He would become blessed by these
places. He would put his hands on Rasûlullah’s (sall-Allâhu ’alaihi wa sallam)
minbar (pulpit) and then rub them on his face. Imâm Ahmad ibn Hanbal
(rahmatullâhi ta’âlâ ’aleyh) would kiss the Hujrat as-Sa’âda and the pulpit to
become blessed by them. The lâ-madhhabî, on the one hand say that they belong
to the Hanbalî Madhhab, and, on the other, regard as ‘polytheism’ what the imâm
of this Madhhab did. Then, it is understood that their claim to be Hanbalî is
false. Imâm Ahmad ibn Hanbal put al-Imâm ash-Shâfi’î’s (rahmatullâhi ta’âlâ
’aleyh) shirt into water and drank the water to get blessings. Khâlid ibn Zaid
Abû Ayyûb al-Ansârî (radiy-Allâhu ’anh) rubbed his face against Rasûlullah’s
(sall-Allâhu ’alaihi wa sallam) blessed grave and, when someone wanted to lift
him up, he said: ‘Leave me! I came not for the stones or soil but for the
audience of Rasûlullah (sall-Allâhu ’alaihi wa sallam).’
The as-Sahâbat al-kirâm
(’alaihimu ’r-ridwân) used to get blessed with the things that belonged to
Rasûlullah (sall-Allâhu ’alaihi wa sallam). They received blessings from the
water he
used in ablution and from
his blessed sweat, shirt, sceptre, sword, shoes, glass, ring, in short, from
anything he used. Umm-i-Salama (radiy-Allâhu ’anhâ) the mother of the Faithful,
kept a hair from his blessed beard. When ill people came, she would dip the
hair into water and have them drink the water. With his blessed glass, they
used to drink the water for health. Imâm al-Bukhârî’s (rahmatullâhi ta’âlâ
’aleyh) grave emanated the smell of musk, and people took soil from the grave
to get blessed with it. No ’âlim or muftî disapproved of it. The ’ulamâ’ of
hadîth and fiqh permitted such actions.”[1] Translation from the
book Usûl-ul-arba’a ends here.
[During the times of the
Sahâbat al-kirâm and the Tâbi’ûn, and even until the end of the first
millenium, there were many Awliyâ’ and sulahâ’. People used to visit and
receive blessings from them as well as obtain their prayers. There was no need
to make the dead intermediaries (tawassul) or to get blessed (tabarruk) with
lifeless things. The fact that these events were rare in those days does not
mean that they were forbidden. If they had been forbidden, there would have
been those who would prevent them. No ’âlim prevented them.
As the Last Age has set
in, however, bid’as and symptoms of disbelief have increased. The youth have
been deceived by the enemies of Islam in the disguise of religious authorities
and scientists,[2] and, because
irreligiousness or apostasy has suited their purposes, dictators and the cruel,
the slaves of their nafses, have given great support to this movement. The
number of’âlims and Walîs has decreased, there even has not appeared any in the
last decades, and, therefore, it has become a must to be blessed by the graves
of and the things inherited from the Awliyâ’. But, some things, which are harâm
to do, have been inserted into these too, as if it was done in every affair and
worship.
With unanimity of the
’ulamâ’[3] of Islam, not this lawful practice itself should be
prevented, even though prohibited behaviours (harâms) have been introduced into
it, but instead the bid’as introduced into it should be removed].
---------------------------------
[1]
Al-usûl al-arba’a,
part one.
[2]
Those who are in the disguise
of scientists are called
‘sham scientists’, while those in the disguise of religious men are called
‘zindîqs’.
[3]
The writings of the ’ulamâ’ on
this subject are quoted in Ahmad bin Zainî Dahlân’s
Ad-durar as-saniyya fi ’r-raddi ’alâ ’l-Wahhâbiyya,
Egypt, 1319 and 1347; photographic
reproduction, Istanbul, 1395 (