“It is grave polytheism to pray to anyone other than
Allah, to ask anyone other than Him for help to relieve him of troubles, to
expect what one needs from anyone other than Him, to esteem graves as great, to
deify or to build domes over them, to perform salât at tombs, to worship those
buried in graves, or to want anything from the dead by heart or in words or by
worshipping. All these will cause one to stay in Hell forever. Those who do not
fear to lie while swearing by Allah’s Name do fear to lie when they swear by Ahmad
al-Badawî’s name, which shows that they esteem him more than they do Allah and
know him as more powerful.”
The author of this book confuses the right with the
wrong. He wants to burn the innocent with the guilty. It is polytheism and
disbelief, of course, to expect anything from any dead or living person other
than Allâhu ta’âlâ or to swear by somebody else’s name whether it be a lie or
truth. But, by showing the unbecoming actions of a few people to claim that
visiting graves, performing salât at tombs for Allah’s sake towards the Ka’ba
while intending its thawâb for the dead and making mediators of Allâhu ta’âlâ’s
beloved servants for Allah’s creating are polytheism and to destroy tombs and
graves for this reason are slanderous actions against Islam and Muslims. He who
says “kâfir” for a Muslim becomes a kâfir himself if he says so out of enmity
and obstinacy. If he says do depending on his misinterpretation (ta’wîl) of
ambiguous nasses, he, though does not become a disbeliever, becomes a man of bid’a.
The above quotation from his book is similar to the argument: “There is much
theft in mosques. And some people go to mosques to propaganzide lâ-madhhabism.
Some others go there to calumniate and report about preachers or to curry
favour or for ostentation. Therefore, mosques should be demolished.” However,
mosques are not built to serve such evil causes but to perform salât, to preach
and to listen to the Qur’ân
al-karîm in them. Instead of abolishing
mosques under the pretext of such evil misuse, it is necessary to prevent such
evil people from entering mosques and penetrating into the society of good
people. It indicates enmity against Islam to say, on the pretext of preventing
evil heretics, that the pure Muslims of the Ahl as-Sunna are polytheists and to
commit disrespect towards the tombs of Rasûlullâh (sall-Allâhu ta’âlâ
’alaihi wa sallam), the awliyâ’ and ’ulamâ’ (rahimahum-Allâhu ta’âlâ).
The great ’âlim ’Abd al-Ghanî an-Nabulusî
(rahimah-Allâhu ta’âlâ) wrote:
“Al-adillat ash-shar’iyya (the sources of Islamic knowledge) are four: the Book, the Sunna, qiyâs and ijmâ’. Qiyâs and ijmâ’
were derived from the Book and the Sunna. Therefore, the main sources of
Islamic knowledge are the Book and the Sunna. Any action or idea taken from
elsewhere is a bid’a. Bid’as, whether of belief, teaching or practice, are
all heretical and lead man to disasters. For example, some people who claim to
be men of tasawwuf or tarîqa commit a munkar (something inconsistent with the
knowledge of ijmâ’) and then say, ‘We know the hidden, spiritual knowledge.
This action is halâl for us. You learn from books, but we speak with Muhammad
(’alaihi ’s-salâm) and
understand the truth. And if we do not trust his
words, we ask Allah and learn the truth from Him. Our shaikh’s help makes us
attain the ma’rîfat-Allah (Divine Knowledge). We do not need to learn anything
from a book or a master. To attain the knowledge about Allah, it is not
necessary to read a book nor to go to school. If our way were corrupt, none of
the spiritual light, prophets or souls would have shown themselves to us. When we
make a mistake or commit a harâm, we are informed of it and corrected in our
dreams. Things considered bad by the men of knowledge were said not to be bad
in our dreams. We do them because we know them to be good.’
“Men who utter such nonsensical words are zindîqs and
heretics who ridicule Islam and insult and distrust the Qur’ân al-karîm and Hadîth
ash-sharîf, and who allude that there are
mistakes or inadequate teachings in the Qur’ân al-karîm and Hadîth ash-sharîf. We should not believe such hypocritical words.
“The ’ulamâ’ of Ahl as-Sunna (rahimahum-Allâhu ta’âlâ)
declared that the ah’kâm (religious rules) could not be determined through
ilhâm (inspiration). In other words, knowledge revealed to the hearts of
awliyâ’ (rahimahum-Allâhu ta’âlâ) by Allâhu ta’âlâ cannot be documents for
halâls or harâms. The ilhâm to Rasûlullâh’s (sall-Allâhu ta’âlâ ’alaihi wa sallam) blessed
heart, however, is a document for every Muslim and must be obeyed by every
Muslim. If a walî’s ilhâm is in agreement with Islam, it can be a document only
for him, but not for other Muslims. Ilhâm is helpful in comprehending the
meaning of the Book and the Sunna, and it is inspired to the pious (sâlih)
believers. What dawns upon the hearts of holders of bid’a and heresy is satan’s
waswasa. Knowledge that occurs to the heart is called “al-’ilm al-ladunnî,” which may be either heavenly or satanic. The former
kind is called ilhâm and the latter is waswasa. Ilhâm is
concordant with the Book and the Sunna, while waswasa does not. A dream, too,
is either heavenly or satanic. Rasûlullâh (sall-Allâhu ta’âlâ ’alaihi wa sallam) practised
according to his dreams for six months before he was informed of his prophethood.
Al-Junaid al-Baghdâdî, one of the leading men of tasawwuf and a high walî
(rahimahum-Allâhu ta’âlâ), declared, ‘The only way that leads men to Allâhu
ta’âlâ’s love is Muhammad’s (’alaihi ’s-salâm) way. Other religions, sects or
ways and others’ dreams are all blind alleys that do not take men to bliss.
Anyone who has not learned the rules in the Qur’ân al-karîm and does not
obey the Hadîth ash-sharîf is ignorant and negligent. Such people should not be
obeyed. Our knowledge and madhhab are based on the
Book and the Sunna.’ Muhyiddîn ibn al-’Arabî (rahimah-Allâhu ta’âlâ) [who
passed away in Damascus in
“Not every learned man can understand whether the
words and deeds of awliyâ’ are in accordange with the rules of Islam or not;
for this, it is necessary to know the teaching of tasawwuf thoroughly and have
a good knowledge of the words of the great men of tasawwuf. For example,
Bâyazîd al-Bistâmî (rahimah-Allâhu ta’âlâ) [who passed away in Bistan on the
southern coast, of the Caspian sea in
power. He regarded his tasbîh of these manifestations
as tasbîh of his own ability and said he glorified himself (subhânî). Then,
seeing the tajallîs concordant with the tanzîh of other people and concluding
that their tasbîh was inferior and that his own tasbîh was more suitable, he
said his ability was great.’ As it is seen, he wanted to explain something
which was in agreement with Islam in this statement. Because he was in a state
of sakr, he could not find some other expression for this subtle knowledge and
said it in those words, which the ordinary man cannot understand. This great
walî, again, took his students to visit a walî in the town of Bistâm. He saw
that the walî, whose zuhd and taqwâ was the subject of conversation in those
days, spit in the direction of the qibla. Thereupon, he did not greet him and
went away. ‘This man did not care for one of the adabs necessary for having
respect towards Rasûlullâh (sall-Allâhu ta’âlâ ’alaihi wa sallam), so he could
not observe the adabs necessary for being a walî, either,’ he said. Being
immodest towards the qibla is a misbehaviour. The ’ulamâ’ of Ahl as-Sunna
declared that it was makrûh to strecth out one’s legs towards the qibla when
lying down or sitting. Allâhu ta’âlâ ordered us to visit the Ka’ba and to be
clean during the visit. Muhyiddîn ibn al-’Arabî (rahimah-Allâhu ta’âlâ)
declared, ‘A person who says that his prayers are accepted is not to be
believed if he fails to observe one of the adabs of Islam, even if many karâmât
occur on him.’ Bâyazîd al-Bistâmî (rahimah-Allâhu ta’âlâ) declared, ‘If
somebody says he is a walî, do not believe him before having a look at his
performance of ’ibâdât, abstention from harâms and obedience to Islam, even if
he sits in the air.’[1]
“ ’Abd ar-Ra’ûf al-Manwâwî (rahimah-Allâhu ta’âlâ)
[who passed away in Egypt in
[1] Today, one should scrutinize, in these respects, the present-day writers of books on the religion. One should not read the books written by those who do not obey Islam.
[who passed away in Damascus in
’Abd al-Ghanî an-Nablusî quotes al-Imâm al-Qastalânî
as writing in Al-mawâhib
al-ladunniyya, “Love for Allâhu
ta’âlâ is of two types: fard and non-fard. With the fard love, one obeys His
orders, abstains from prohibitions and resigns oneself to His qadâ’ and qadar.
Committing harâms and not performing fards are indications of slackness in this
love. The non-fard love makes one perform nâfila (the supererogatory) and
abstain from mushtabihât. A hadîth qudsî reported by Al-Bukhârî on the
authority of Abu Huraira (radî-Allâhu ta’âlâ ’anh) says, ‘Allâhu ta’âlâ declared, “My human servants
cannot approach Me through anything as close as they approach Me through the
fard. If My human creatures do the supererogatory ’ibâdât, I like them so much
that they hear with Me, see with Me, hold everything with Me and walk with Me,
and I give them whatever they ask of Me. If they trust in Me, I protect them.” ’ This hadîth sharîf shows that the
worship Allâhu ta’âlâ likes most is the fard. The supererogatory ’ibâdât
mentioned here are those that are to be performed along with the fard and that
compensate for the deficiencies in performing the fard. ’Umar ibn ’Alî
al-Fâqihânî [al-Iskandarî al-Mâlikî, who passed away in
’Abd al-Ghanî an-Nablusî (rahimah-Allâhu ta’âlâ) continues: “Beginning with [the quotation from] al-Junaid al-Baghdâdî up to here, I have quoted from Ar-risâha of the great sûfî ’Abd al-
[1] Summarized from (page 153 and on) ’Abd al-Ghanî an-Nablusî’s Alhadîqat an-nadiyya, Istanbul, 1290.
[2] Ibid, p. 182. Saying, “It is polytheism to expect prayer and help of awliyâ’ and to entreat them for this,” indicates disbelieving this hadîth sharîf.
Karîm
al-Qushairî (rahimah-Allâhu ta’âlâ). Study the preceding writings impartially!
See how those above-mentioned superiors of tasawwuf and walîs had clung to
Islam! They always tested their kashfs, karâmât, knowledge of heart and
inspirations in view of the the Book and the Sunna. Is it appropriate for a
Muslim to slander the ’ulamâ’ of Ahl as-Sunna and the superiors of tasawwuf
under the pretext of blaming the vile words of ignorant people who have
departed from the way of Rasûlullâh (sall-Allâhu ta’âlâ ’alaihi wa sallam)? Is he to be
believed when he says mushrik for those walîs and Muslims who love these men of
Allah? The karâmât of awliyâ’ are true. The things that Allâhu ta’âlâ grants
outside His usual custom [that is, outside the known physical, chemical and
physiological laws] to those who have the faith (i’tiqâd) of the Ahl as-Sunna
and are seen to obey Islam are called karâmât. A walî does not
say that he possesses karâmât. Nor does he wish to possess it. The karâmât of a
walî can be witnessed both when he is alive and when dead. When they die, walîs
are not deprived of their wilâya just as prophets are not deprived of prophethood
after they die. Walîs know Allâhu ta’âlâ and His Attributes. The karâmât of
many walîs are narrated in the Qur’ân
al-karîm. [For example,] the karâmât
witnessed Hadrat Mariam [Miriam, Mary] when she gave birth to ’Îsa (’alaihi
’s-salâm) without a father can be mentioned. Zakariyyâ (’alaihi ’s-salâm) would
see food in Hadrat Mariam’s room whenever he came to her room and, knowing that
no one other than him would go in her room, would ask, ‘Where did you get it
from?’ ‘Allâhu ta’âlâ created it,’ she would answer. The Qur’ân al-karîm also relates the karâmât of As’hâb al-khaf who had
stayed in a cave without eating and drinking for years. Âsaf ibn Barkhiyâ’s
taking the throne of Belgîs [the Queen of Sheba] to Sulaimân (’alaihi ’s-salâm)
is also reported in the Qur’ân
al-karîm. Thousands of the karâmât of
as-Sahâbat al-kirâm and the Tâbi’ûn have been reported in books and spread from
mouth to mouth. One should wonder why some people do not believe karâmât. The
reason is obvious: no karâmât has ever occurred on them, nor have they ever
heard that such things have been seen to occur on their masters and those whom
they highly esteem. When he was asked about karâmâ, Imâm [Najm ad-dîn ’Umar]
an-Nasafî [(rahimah-Allâhu ta’âlâ), who passed away in Samarkand in
end of the subject on ‘murtadd’ in Ibn ’Âbidîn’s Radd al-muhtâr.
“It is written also at the end of the chapter about Thubât an-nasab in Ibn ’Âbidîn’s work that some awliyâ’ travelled
long distances in a short time. As a matter of fact, this became the subject of
mas’alas (matters) in books of fiqh in the Shâfi’î and Hanafî madhhabs. Ibn
Hajar al-Hîtamî [(rahimah-Allâhu ta’âlâ), who passed away in Mecca in
“The highest of awliyâ’ is Hadrat Abu Bakr as-Siddîq (radî-Allâhu ta’âlâ ’anh). The highest after him is Hadrat ’Umar al-Fârûq (radî-Allâhu ta’âlâ ’anh). There were thirty-nine
Muslims before he embraced Islam. They used to perform ’ibâda secretly. When he
became Muslim, he said, ‘From now on, we shall not perform ’ibâda secretly.’
The first Muslim who performed ’ibâda publicly was ’Umar (radî-Allâhu ta’âlâ
’anh). The highest walî after these two is Hadrat ’Uthmân Dhi ’n-Nûrain (radî-Allâhu ta’âlâ ’anh). He was honoured with the
name ’Dhi ’n-Nûrain’ (Possessor of Two Lights) for he married, one after the
other, Rasûlullâh’s (sall-Allâhu ta’âlâ ’alaihi wa sallam) two
daughters, Ruqiyya and Umm Ghulsum (radî-Allâhu ta’âlâ ’anhunna). Rasûlullâh (sall,Allâhu ta’âlâ ’alaihi wa sallam) declared, “If I had a third unmarried daughter, I
would marry her to ’Uthman, again,”
after Umm Ghulsum died. The next highest walî is Hadrat
’Alî Al-Murtadâ (radîallâhu ta’âlâ ’anh). Because Rasûlullâh (sall-Allâhu ta’âlâ ’alaihi wa sallam), when he started for the Ghazâ
of Tabuk, appointed him as his deputy in Medina to protect his Ahl al-Bait and
said, ‘You are related to
me like Hârûn was to Mûsâ, with the only difference that there will not be any prophet to come after me,’
he was called ‘Murtadâ.’ The caliphate of these four had been in the order of
their superiorities. The highest awliyâ’ after them are all the other Sahâbîs (radî-Allâhu ta’âlâ ’anhum ajma’în). Our hearts and tongues have to be
respectful and good towards them when mentioning their names and talking about
the wars between them. The cause of the wars between them was the difference of
their ijtihâds. They deserved thawâb or such deeds of theirs, too. Those who were
mistaken were given one thawâb, and two thawâbs were given to those who were
right. Rasûlullâh said that the ten persons called al-’Asharat al-mubashshara would go to Paradise. They were the Four Caliphs,
Talha, Zubair, Sa’d ibn Abî Waqqâs, Sa’îd ibn Zaid, Abu ’Ubaida ibn Jarrâh and
’Abd ar-Rahmân ibn Awf. We believe that Hadrat Fâtimat az-Zahrâ, Rasûlullâh’s blessed daughter, her two sons, Hadrat Hasan and Hadrat Husain,
Khadîjat al-kubrâ and ’Â’ishat as-Siddîqa (radî-Allâhu ta’âlâ ’anhum ajma’în) are the people of
Paradise, too. We cannot mention anybody else’s name as someone who will
certainly go to Paradise. We may have a fairly certain opinion (zann) that the
’ulamâ’ and awliyâ’ will go to Paradise, but we cannot say it as a certainty.
The highest awliyâ’ after as-Sahâbat al-kirâm are the superiors of the Tâbi’ûn,
after whom comes the superiors of Taba’ at-Tabi’în
(ridwân-Allâhi ta’âlâ ’alaihim ajma’în).”[1]
The lâ-madhhabî author says,
“There are ten things that cause one to love Allâhu
ta’âlâ. The ninth thing is to be together with the people who love Allah, to
collect the sweet fruits uttered by them, and to talk only when necessary in
their presence. The stages of love may be traversed one after the other by
clinging to these ten causes. And the Beloved may be approached.”
We believe so, too. We love the superiors of tasawwuf
for this reason. It is for this that we gather in crowds around walîs whom
Allahu ta’âlâ loves. We praise them because of this. We do not understand the
reason why he regards the Muslims who do so as polytheists.
[1] Extended summary from Al-hadîqâ.