This small book writes:
“The Qur’ân
al-karîm and the Prophet
of Rabb al-’âlamîn declared that he who did not perform salât was a polytheist
and
[3] Second edition, in Islamic letters, 96 pages, Damascus, 1385 A.H. (1965).
a disbeliever. It is sufficient to perform the salât
al-witr in one rak’a without reciting the Qunût. Even Rasûlullah did not know
the new moon of the month shawwâl. Therefore, those who say, ‘So-and-so knows
the ghaib and helps against danger,’ should fear Allah and be ashamed of
themselves before human beings. Because, the Qur’ân and the Prophet
forbid such beliefs. These impudent men say that they talk with our master the Prophet
and do as he orders. They display the fact that they are meaner than asses. If
this belief of theirs had been true, there would have been no conflict between
as-Sahâbat al-kirâm who would have talked with Rasûlullâh and got
disembarrassed of the distress. The âyat about ‘wasîla’ means that we should do
what is ordered, abstain from the prohibitions and try to perform the nâfila.
It does not suggest asking the dead for help or blessings, which is a
polytheistic and ass-like behaviour. There is no such thing in Islam. Islam
calls such people ‘polytheists and disbelievers.’
“Allah and His Prophet say that he who omits
deliberately a fard salât is a kâfir. Their performing qadâ’ for it will not be
accepted.
“The words of this or that person will not save one on
the Day of Judgement. Those who do not trust in the Book and the Sunna but
perform ’ibâda according to the words of this or that person will go to Hell.
In the grave, one will not be questioned about those who are said to be great
but about Allah and His Prophet, Allâhu ta’âlâ has ordered, ‘Ask what you do not know
from the competent.’ Some people, to avoid responsibility, say, ‘There are
apparent and hidden meanings of âyats and hadîths. We cannot understand the
hidden.’ Allah has not ordered the believers what they are not able to
understand or do. Refer to Ömer Rýzâ’s book on this subject and view the
subject through this brilliant telescope!
“It is ordered in the 238th âyat of Sûrat al-Baqara to
perform salât while walking during time of danger. Reciting the Qunût is not
ordered in the Hadîth. It is valid to perform salât al-witr without the Qunût.
The one who performs only the fard and one rak’a of salât al-witr cannot be
blamed. There is thawâb for those who perform [those salâts which are] sunnas,
but there is no sin for thim who does not perform them.
“Oh my brothers! I am telling what âyats and hadîths
convey, not out of my head. The polytheists who bark and growl are like those
who charge Rasûlullâh with mendacity and sorcery. And
those who keep away from those who convey [the orders
of] the Book and the Sunna are like the cowards who run away from Reality.
“Recitation of mawlîd and dalâ’il, tarîqas, the isqât
and talqîn are recent innovations. These are superstitious and prohibited.
Those who started them regarded themselves as Allâhu ta’âlâ, and those who
accept and do them are in a position of worshipping them. Everything has been
explained in Islam, and nothing has been left hidden. It has been declared, ‘The umma will divide into seventy-three
groups, and only those who follow me and my companions’ path will attain
salvation.’ All tarîqas are
superstitious. The things which did not exist in the time of Rasûlullâh should be rebutted. The Qâdirî, Shâdhilî, Mawlawî, Naqshabandî, Rifâî,
Tijânî, Khâlidî, Uwaisî and many other tarîqas are examples of deviation from
the true path and disobedience to the Qur’ân. Any title other than ‘Muslim’
should be omitted. And Muslims should be brothers as in the time of Rasûlullâh. People should not become a disbeliever or a polytheist by committing
the deeds which are not Islamic, such as asking graves or the souls of the dead
for salvation. Our religion did not order us to make beads to use for dhikr,
tasbîh and takbîr, or to build tekkes and tombs or domes over graves, but it
orders us to demolish tombs. Allâhu ta’âlâ said, ‘Pray to Me! I accept.’ He did not say, ‘Pray to prophets,’
or ‘to awliyâ.’ That is, He did not say, ‘Make mediators of the dead,’ or ‘Ask
graves and the souls of the dead for help.’ Allah declared that prophets
would not be able to do any harm or good to us. It is a disbelief in Allah to
do what the Qur’ân tells us not to do. Those who ask the dead for help are
polytheists and disbelievers. The salawât said by Rasûlullâh were out of wahî. Salawât said by others are bida’. Bid’a cannot be
superior to wahî. The author of the book Dalâ’il put himself in the position of
Allah and made up a new rite. He scheduled the book to be recited on certain
days. Instead of confessing repentance to Allah, they repent in front of
shaikhs as-Sahâbat al-kirâm did not make up to introduce any tarîqa, mawlîd or
salawât. The posterity ordered people such bid’as as salât-i munjiyya and
salât-i nâriyya for the protection of a country and the defeat of enemies.
Thinking of the isqât, Muslims do not perform any ’ibâda. The dead do not hear
the talqîn, and it has no place in Islam.”
Allâhu ta’âlâ and His Rasûl said that those who did
not
perform salât were disbelievers if they did not
believe that salât was an order and if they regarded it as unimportant. He who
does not perform salât because of laziness does not become a disbeliever. He
becomes a fâsiq, a sinner. In the Hanafî madhhab, it is wâjib to perform salât
al-witr as three rak’as. It is written in Marâq al-falâh, Abu
Dâwûd’s Sunan and al-Munâwî’s Kunûz ad-daqâ’iq
that our Prophet performed three rak’as of salât al-witr. And it is
wâjib to recite the Qunût and, according to Imâm Abu Yûsuf, Imâm Muhammad, Imâm
Ahmad and al-Imâm ash-Shafi’î (rahimahum-Allâhu ta’âlâ), it is sunna.
Al-Munâwî, with reference to Abu Dâwûd, wrote: “Rasûlullâh used to
recite the Qunût prayer when he performed the salât al-witr.” Reciting the
well-known prayer called the “Qunût” is unanimously reported as sunna. The hadîth ash-sharîf documenting this fact is quoted in ash-Sharnblâlî’s Marâq al-falâh. He who omits a wâjib or a sunna becomes a disbeliever
if he does not regard it as important. He who regards it as important but omits
a wâjib once or neglects a sunna everytime because of laziness becomes a
sinner. This man tries to make the Hanafî Muslims forsake their madhhab and
become lâ-madhhabî. One who becomes lâ-madhhabî departs from the Ahl as-Sunna.
One who departs from the Ahl as-Sunna, as written in the book Al-basâ’ir[1]
, becomes either a heretic or a disbeliever.
Rasûlullâh (sall-Allâhu ’alaihi wa sallam) knew the ghaib not by himself but by
Allâhu ta’âlâ’s informing him about the ghaib through wahî, as He does to His
awliyâ’ through ilhâm and karâma. Hadrat ’Umar’s seeing the Muslim soldiers in
Persia and calling out to their commander Sâriya and Sâriya’s hearing him was
such an event.[2]
Awliyâ’ do not know the unknown by themselves, but Allâhu ta’âlâ makes them
know whatever He wishes, or they see and know through the power He bestows upon
their souls. The Qur’ân
al-karîm and the Hadîth ash-sharîf convey this. Even the book Fat’h al-majîd quotes the hadîth ash-sharîf, “The world was made smaller for me. I saw
the East and the West as if they were in a mirror in my hand,” on its 268th page. Rasûlullâh prophesied
the fitna (disunion, dissolution) which would occur amongst his Companions to
whomever he wished to tell, both before and after his death. He told them to
consent to Allâhu ta’âlâ’s Decree. He gave many of them the good
[1] Published by Hakikat Kitâbevi, Istanbul, 1395 A.H. (1975).
[2] See p. 92. See also the 24th article, p. 131, for further examples.
news that they would be martyred. The hadîth ash-sharîf related by at-Tabarânî and quoted in the book Kunûz ad-daqâ’iq declares, “Husain will be killed in the year sixty.” Similarly, he foretold that Hadrat ’Uthmân, Hadrat
’Alî and many other Sahâbîs (radî-Allâhu ’anhum) would be martyred. He ordered
them to be patient. It was good news for as-Sahâbat al-kirâm to hear that they
would be martyred. They used to pray for getting martyred, but not for the
opposite. It is an ignorant absurdity to say, “Why did not Rasûlullâh help his Companions?” It is like asking, “Why did not Allâhu ta’âlâ
help His Prophet in the Battle of Uhud?” Such stupid statements as,
“The Prophet would have ordered as-Sahâba and relieved them of the
troubles if he had seen the conflict amongst them and heard their voies,” mean
that Allâhu ta’âlâ -may He forbid- did not see the tragedy and the difficulty
of the Muslims in the Battle of Uhud and did not hear their prayers and
istighâtha. We seek refuge in Allâhu ta’âlâ from believing and being taken in
by such absurd, vile statements in that book. Great scholars of Islam do not
try to change but consent to qadâ’ and qadar when they hear about them. A hadîth sharîf declares, “Ask the
ones in graves for help when you are confused about your affairs!” The lâ-madhhabî suppress the hadîths which do not
serve their interest, but, fortunately, the sun cannot be stained with mud.
They break into a fury of polemics by saying, “It is a polytheistic and
ass-like behaviour,” when they are unable to disprove through sound documents.
The one who does not perform salât out of laziness or indulgence in worldly
affairs does not become a disbeliever, he who does not regard salât as a duty,
as a debt, and does not believe that it is fard becomes a disbeliever.
He alludes to the ’ulamâ’ of Ahl as-Sunna by saying
“the words of this or that person.” However, the ’ulamâ’ of Ahl as-Sunna wrote in their books what they understood from the Qur’ân al-karîm and the Hadîth ash-sharîf and heard
from as-Sahâbat al-kirâm. They did not rely upon their own opinions and ideas.
Every subject in their books is supported by a document from among âyats,
hadîths or athars. Those who want to obey the Qur’ân al-karîm and the
Sunna and to follow the path of as-Sahâbat al-kirâm have to read the books of
Ahl as-Sunna. One should be crazy or a blockhead or zindîq if he says that
those ’ulamâ’ of Ahl as-Sunna who were the best of the best century praised in
the hadîth ash-sharîf, which is also written on the 492nd page of the book Fat’h al-majîd, could not comprehend
the Book and the Sunna but they, the Wahhâbite
heretics, who sprang up in the desert ten centuries later, could understand
them better. Their illogical writings show openly that they have not understood
the Qur’ân al-karîm and the Sunnat an-Nabawiyya in the least. They have
been playing with âyats and hadîths and interpreting them as they like. In the
grave, there will be questioning about Allâhu ta’âlâ and His Prophet.
Those who are unable to answer as the ’ulamâ’ of Ahl as-Sunna have written will
go to Hell. This author, too, quotes the âyat al-karîma, “Ask and learn what you do not know from
the competent!” Every Muslim, obeying
this âyat karîma should read the books of Ahl as-Sunna and learn his religion.
He who does not read the books by the ’ulamâ’ of Ahl as-Sunna will be
disobeying this âyat. He will remain ignorant and, being taken in by the lies
of the lâ-madhhabî, will go to Hell. The hadîth ash-sharîf related by
ad-Dailamî and al-Munâwî declares, “The science of bâtin is one of Allâhu ta’âlâ’s mysteries. It is
one of His orders.” Our master, Rasûlullâh, revealed ’ilm al-bâtin and said that it was Allâhu ta’âlâ’s order,
but this author says that the ’ulamâ’ of Ahl as-Sunna made up ’ilm al-bâtin.
Allâhu ta’âlâ revealed His orders and prohibitions for every human being, and
they are understandable and practicable. It is fard for everyone to obey them.
However, everybody cannot understand the knowledge of bâtin and those âyats
that are mutashâbih. It was the task peculiar to the ’ulamâ’ ar-râsikhîn to
comprehend and fulfil what was revealed in them. The ’ulâma’ ar-râsikhîn were
those profound ’ulamâ’ who have progressed on the way of tasawwuf and attained
to perfection. Those who have not heard about these branches of knowledge and
about those ’ulamâ’ are in denial. Ömer Rýzâ’s heretical writings are approved
only by the lâ-madhhabî.
Sûrat al-Baqara states that salât may be performed
towards a suitable direction when facing the enemy or when there is the fear of
being drowned or burnt or being attacked by wild animals. It is written in
books of fiqh that salât need not be performed in congregation (jamâ’a) when
there is fear of danger. It may be performed individually while standing or on
horsebak. It may be performed while riding only when escaping from these
dangers and when there is the possibility of missing the proper time of salât.
The related âyat, as explained in the book Imdâd, meant that
salât is to be performed towards a suitable direction. It is openly stated in
books of tafsîr and in the book of fiqh Jawhara that the word ‘rijâlan’ in the âyat al-karîma meant ‘standing’ but not
‘walking.’ That author tries to deceive the Hanafî
Muslims and make them perform salât while they are walking and does not refrain
from interpreting the âyat al-karîma wrongly. The Muslim who does not perform
the salâts which are sunna because he regards them as unimportant becomes a
disbeliever. If he regards sunnas as important but continually omits them, he
becomes a sinner. Although that author writes that he explains what âyats and
hadîths convey, he in fact gives made-up meanings to them. The ’ulamâ’ of Ahl
as-Sunna (rahimahum-Allâhu ta’âlâ) have not made up meanings but searched for Rasûlullâh’s and as-Sahâba’s interpretations and quoted those correct meanings.
The Wahhâbîs, too, confirm this fact. It is written on the 388th page of the
book Fat’h al-majîd:
“Abu Hanîfa said, ‘If you find a statement of mine
incompatible with Allah’s Book and Rasûlullâh’s Hadîth and as-Sahâba’s
athars, abandon that statement of mine and accept theirs!’ Al-Imâm ash-Shâfi’î
said, ‘If you find something incompatible with Rasûlullâh’s Sunna in
my book, abandon my statement and accept Rasûlullâh’s Sunna!”
This quotation from the Wahhâbite book, too, indicates
how tightly the ’ulamâ’ of Ahl as-Sunna (rahimahum-Allâhu ta’âlâ) have clung to
the Qur’ân al-karîm and the Hadîth ash-sharîf. This is why
those who want to learn the correct meaning of the Qur’ân al-karîm and the Hadîth ash-sharîf should read
the books of kalâm and fiqh by the ’ulamâ’ of Ahl as-Sunna. Then, also the book
by the lâ-madhhabî author confesses that those who run away from these books,
which reflect the Book and the Sunna, resemble those vile knaves who flee
Reality.
By reciting mawlid, Muslims explain about Rasûlullâh’s (sall-Allâhu ’alaihi wa sallam) birth, the Mi’râj and his life, and
remember and praise him. It is necessary for every Muslim to love Rasûlullâh very much. He who loves Rasûlullâh much remembers him,
repeats his name and praises him very frequently. The hadîth ash-sharîf narrated by ad-Dailamî and quoted in Kunûz ad-daqâ’iq declares, “The one who loves very much remembers the beloved very
frequently.” All ’ulamâ’ of Islam
have written in detail that it is necessary to love Rasûlullâh very much. Even the Wahhâbite book notes this fact on the 336th page:
“It is declared in a hadîth sharîf, ‘One’s îmân is incomplete unless he loves
me more than his children, his parents and everyone.’ That is, ‘His belief is not perfect,’ he meant. It is
wâjib for him who loves Allah to love His Prophet. And he also has to
Rasûlullâh (sall-Allâhu ’alaihi wa sallam) used to give a feast to as-Sahâbat
al-kirâm on the Mawlid nights and narrate the events that had happened when he
honoured the world and during his childhood. Hadrat Abu Bakr, when he was the
Caliph, used to call as-Sahâbat al-kirâm to assemble on the Mawlid nights, and
they used to talk about the miraculous events that happened when Rasûlullâh honoured the world. Christians learned and adopted celebrating
birthdays from Muslims. Muslims all over the world have read the books about Rasûlullâh, felt happy and celebrated that honourable night on which he honoured
the world as he and as-Sahâbat al-kirâm did on that night. The ’ulamâ’ of Islam
have paid much attention to this night. All creatures, angels, genies, animals
and non-living substances feel joyful and give one another the good news of the
arrival of this night on which Fakhr al-’âlam (Honour of all creatures)
honoured the world. Mawlânâ Jalâl ad-dîn Rûmî revealed that the places where a
mawlid was read would be safe from disasters and difficulties. It is more
effective and beneficial to recite a mawlid in verse.
The ’ulamâ’ of Islam have written books in every
language to explain the blessings of reciting a mawlid, the way of reciting it
and that reciting it is an ’ibâda. As listed in Mustafâ Kâtib Chelebî’s
(rahmat-Allâhi ’alaih) book Kashf
az-zunûn and its appendix, ten of
these books are:
1) The Turkish mawlid eulogy of Sulaimân Chelebî of
Bursa has won great fame. He was the imâm [at ritual prayers] of Ottoman Sultan
Yildirim Bâyezîd Khan (rahmat-Allâhi ’alaih) and passed away in
2) The mawlid eulogy written by Hamdullâh Effendi
(rahmat-Allâhi ’alaih), who was the son of Ak Shams ad-dîn Effendi.
3) Another mawlid was written by Molla Hasan al-Basrî
(rahmat-Allâhi ’alaih), who passed away in
4) That written by Wâiz Muhammad ibn Hamza.
5) Another one was written by Shams ad-dîn as-Siwâsî
(rahmat-Allâhi ’alaih), who passed away in
6) Jâmi’
al-âsâr fî mawlidi ’l-muhtâr by Hâfiz
ibn Nâsir ad-dîn ad-Dimishkî (rahmat-Allâhi ’alaih).
7) At-ta’rîf bi ’l-mawlidi ’sh-sharîf by Ibn Asîr Muhammad al-
Jazrî, who passed away in
8) Durr
al-munzam fî mawlidi ’n-Nabîi ’l-mu’azzam by Abu ’l-Qâsim Muhammad al-Luluwî (rahmat-Allâhi ’alaih), who passed
away in Damascus in
9) Mawlidi
’n-Nabî by ’Afîf ad-dîn Muhammad
at-Tabrîzî, who passed away in al-Madînat al-munawwara in
10) Mawlidi ’n-Nabî by Sayyid
Muhammad Kawukju al-Hanafî, who passed away in
Moreover, that the recitation of a mawlid is an ’ibâda
is proven with documents in the book An-ni’mat al-kubrâ ’ala ’l-’âlam fî mawlid as-Sayyid al-walad
al-Âdam by Ibn Hajar al-Hîtamî, in Ar-raddu ’alâ man ankara qirâ’at al-mawlidi
’n-Nabî by Jalâl ad-dîn as-Suyûtî, in
Jawâhîr al-bihâr (Part Three) and Hujjat-Allâhi ’ala ’l-’âlamîn (pages 233-9) by Yûsuf an-Nabhânî, in Ithbât al-mawlid by Ahmad Sa’îd al-Mujaddidî and in Sharh al-Mawâhib al-laduniyya (Part One, pages 136-40) by ’Allâma Muhammad
az-Zarkânî. These six books have been reproduced in a single volume in Istanbul
in
In the Persian book Tas’hîh al-masâ’il,
which was written in
“Hâfiz (scholar of hadîth) Shams ad-dîn Muhammad
as-Sahâwî [d. al-Madînat al-Munawwara,
“The great scholar ’Allâma Ibn Battâh said in his
hand-written fatwâ: ‘It is an act of respectfulness towards the mawlid night to
give alms, to gather Muslims and give them food that is permissible to eat, to
have permitted things recited and listened to, and to give clothings to pious
Muslims. It is permissible and very meritorious to do these to please Allâhu
ta’âlâ. It is not a must to do these only to the poor. It is more meritorious,
though, to make the needy happy. If, as done in these days, intoxicating things
are used, young boys come together, men and women are mingled or poems and
songs that incite lust are said [or musical instruments such as the reed, flute
and drum are played], it is very
sinful.’ [Doing such harâm things as if they are
’ibâdât or during ’ibâdât is much more sinful. One should not get deceived by
those who call such harâm ‘Islamic music.’] Imâm Jalâl ad-dîn ’Abd ar-Rahmân
ibn ’Abd al-Malik al-Kattânî said, ‘The day and night of mawlid are estimable,
sacred and reverend. It is very honourable and valuable. Rasûlullâh’s (sall-Allâhu ’alaihi wa sallam) existence is a means for the
salvation of his followers after his death. Rejoicing for his mawlid causes the
tortures in Hell to lessen. Getting happy and showing respect towards this
night cause the whole year to be fruitful. The virtue of the day of mawlid is
similar to that of Friday. The Hadîth
ash-sharîf says that the tortures in Hell
are interrupted on Fridays. Likewise, there is no torture on the day of mawlid.
One should display his happiness, give alms and presents and go to the feast he
is invited to on mawlid hights.’ [One should not go to meetings where the harâm
is committed or present; one should strictly avoid committing the harâm,
keeping company with those who commit the harâm or introducing the harâm into
’ibâdât.]
“ ’Allâma Zahîr ad-dîn ibn Ja’far said, ‘Meeting for a
mawlid is a bid’a hasana (good innovation). It is always meritorious (thawâb)
to assemble the pious, to say salâwât and to give food to the poor. Yet it is a
great sin to introduce any harâm, musical instrument, singing or dancing into
such meetings.’ ’Allâma Nasîr ad-dîn said, ‘Holding a mawlid meeting is not a
sunna, but it is very meritorious to give alms or presents, to show joy and
happiness, to get the mawlid eulogy recited where male and female Muslims are
not gathered together and to attend such a meeting. However, one should not ask
for anything from anybody unless there is darûra (compulsion). It is harâm to
do so if there is no darûra. It is an ’ibâda for the pious to congregate and to
say the dhikr of Allâhu ta’âlâ and salawât. It is very meritorious.’ ’Allâma
Abû Shâma wrote in his book Al-Bâ’is: ‘Rabî’ reported from al-Imâm ash-Shâfi’î that bida’
are of two types: One type does not conform to the Book, the Sunna, athars
(words of as-Sahâbat al-kirâm) or to ijmâ’. It causes dalâla or dissention. The
other type comprises those that conform to these four sources of Islam and are
beneficial. No ’âlim has regarded this type to be bad. ’Umar (radî-Allâhu ’anh)
said “very beautiful bid’a” for performing the tarâwih prayer in congregation
on Ramadân nights. Such innovations are called bida’ hasana. It has been
unanimously reported that it is jâ’iz and mustahab to do bida’ hasana, and it has been said that those who do them for love
of
Allah will be
given thawâb. As such are all the innovations that are compatible with the
rules of Islam. Pulpits for mosques, inns for travellers and schools for
students are good and compatible with the rules of Islam and are bida’ hasana.
These did not exist during the time of as-Sahâbat al-kirâm and the Tâbi’ûn and
were introduced later, but they were accepted as bida’ hasana for they were
helpful in carrying out Allâhu ta’âlâ’s orders.’ One of such bida’ hasana is
the annual meeting of mawlid held in the town of Arbil near Musul: alms are
given on the night of mawlid an-Nabî (sall-Allâhu ’alaihi wa sallam), ornaments
and joy are displayed, and gifts are distributed among the poor; hence, the
love and respect towads Rasûlullâh are revealed. This meeting was first organized by ’Umar
ibn Malâ, a great scholar and a sâlih, in Musul. The Sultan[1]
of Arbil followed him. ’Allâma Sadr ad-dîn ’Umar, a Shâfi’î scholar said that
holding mawlid meetings was not makrûh but jâ’iz and was given thawâb according
to intention. [If the intention is bad, no thawâb is given.] Hâfiz said that
holding mawlid meetings was a bid’a [that is, an ’ibâda that appeared later],
but it was a bid’a hasana, since good, beneficial things were done without
doing wrong things. Rasûlullâh (sall-Allâhu ta’âlâ ’alaihi wa sallam) saw on his
arrival to Medina that the Jews were fasting on the tenth day of the month
Muharram. He asked them why they did so. They answered that Allâhu ta’âlâ had
drowned Pharoah and rescued Musâ (’alaihi ’s-salâm) on that day and, therefore,
they fasted out of happiness and in thanksgiving to Allah. He said, “Musâ’s (’alaihi ’s-salâm) salvation makes
me much happier,” and fasted. And he
ordered Muslims to fast on the Ashûra day. This hadîth sharîf indicates
that it is necessary to thank Allâhu ta’âlâ on the anniversaries of the days on
which one receives blessings or is relieved of his distress. Thanking Alâhu ta’âlâ
is done by prostrating, giving alms, reciting the Qur’ân al-karîm or by performing any similar ’ibâdât. Is there a
blessing greater than the birth of the most benevolent, blessed and great Prophet?
One should look for that day every year and think of this blessing. Thus, one
will have copied Rasûlullâh’s thanking for Musâ’s (’alaihi ’s-salâm) salvation.
Without this intention in mind; this sunna of Rasûlullâh will not
have been followed and
[1] Abu Sa’îd al-Muzaffar al-Kukbûrî (rahimah-Allâhu ta’âlâ) was the brother-in-law of Salâh ad-dîn al-Ayyûbî. He got martyred during the jihâd of Akka castle in defence against the attacks of the Christian armies called “Crusaders” in 630 A.H. (1232).
such a deed does not deserve any thawâb.’ Hâfiz ibn
Jazrî said, ‘When Abu Lahab was seen in a dream and was asked about his
situation, he answered that he was suffering torture in the grave but, every
year, the torture was lessened and he felt relieved by sucking the cool water
issuing between his two fingers on the twelfth night of the month of Rabî’
al-awwal, on which his concubine Suwaiba had given him the good news of Rasûlullâh’s birth and he had freed her out of his joy and ordered her to be the
foster mother. This is why his torture is lessened on that night. If the
torture is lessened for a feroicous disbeliever like Abu Lahab, whose
wickedness has been confirmed by the Qur’ân al-karîm, then a
believer among the umma of the Great Prophet deserves to be
favoured and to be put into Paradise by Allâhu ta’âlâ if he feels happy and
shows his love for Rasûlullâh (sall-Allâhu ta’âlâ ’alaihi wa sallam) by
distributing alms on that night.’ My master has stated in his fatwâs: ‘By
holding mawlid meetings, to recite the Qur’ân al-karîm and mawlid
an-Nabî, then to offer food and to disperse is bid’a hasana.’ Hâfiz reports on
the authority of al-Baihakî: ‘Rasûlullâh (sall-Allâhu ta’âlâ ’alaihi wa sallam) slaughtered an
’aqîqa for himself after being informed of his prophethood although he
knew that his grandfather ’Abd al-Muttalib had slaughtered an ’aqîqa for him on
the seventh day of his birth. Furthermore, it is not jâ’iz to repeat the
’aqîqa. It has been concluded that he did the second one as a thanks for his
being created as a blessing for all ’âlams and that he wanted to set an example
for his umma. As a matter of fact, many times he was seen to say the salawât on
himself to encourage his umma. Therefore, it became mustahab for Muslims to
congregate on mawlid nights, to recite mawlid eulogies, to offer sweet food and
to do pious, charitable deeds, thus to fulfill the thanks due to that night.
The commentary on Sunan Ibn
Mâja reports that holding mawlid
meetings without mixing the harâm, prohibited things, into them is mustahab and
a bid’a hasana.’ ”
In As-sîrat ash-Shâmî, quotations from
’Umar ibn ’Alî al-Isqandarî al-Mâlikî al-Fâqihânî (F), who died in
“F: ‘I do not know any basis that makes
holding mawlid meetings conformable to the Book and the Sunna.’
“M: ‘Not
knowing something does not indicate that it is non-existent. Ibn Hajar, the
imâm of the scholars in hadîth, reported that mawlid meetings had an origin in
the Sunna. We noted above that it had a second origin as well.”
“F: ‘None of the great ’ulamâ’ has been
reported to have held a mawlid meeting.’
“M: ‘The
first mawlid meeting was organized by a pious ruler who was an ’alim. He did it
to please Allah. Innumerable ’ulamâ’ and sâlihûn attended it. Ibn Dihya praised
it. Great ’ulamâ’ wrote books in praise of this deed of the ruler. No one has
ever censured it.’
“F: ‘How can the mawlid meeting be
mustahab? Mustahab means the thing required by Islam.’
“M:
‘Requirement in Islam is either through the Nass or through the qiyâs. Though there
is no nass about this point, there is a qiyâs.’
“F: ‘The mawlid meeting cannot be said to
be mubâh, either. The introduction of a bid’a into the religion has not been
called “mubâh” by any ’âlim.’
“M: ‘Bida’
may not only be makrûh or harâm; those bida’s that are mubâh, mustahab or wâjib
have also been reported. Al-Imâm an-Nawawî said that bida’ in the religion were
the things that, having not existed in the time of Rasûllullâh (sall-Allâhu
’alaihi wa sallam), were introduced later and were of two types: hasana (good)
and sayyia (evil). [Shaikh al-Islâm] ’Izz ad-dîn ibn ’Abdi ’s-salâm
[ash-Shâfi’î, d.
“F: ‘It is not sinful to congregate one’s
household and friends and offer them food on the mawlid night. [However,] it is
an ugly bid’a to congregate everybody.’
“M:
‘Congregating everybody on such a blessed night is not in contradiction with
the Book, the Sunna, the Athar or the Ijmâ’.’
“F: ‘If there is singing or dancing, if men
and women are mixed and if there are other harâms, such meetings are harâm by
unanimity.’
“M: ‘This
statement is correct. However, these harâms are the very things that make such
meetings harâm. If such things are present in a meeting to perform the Jum’a
prayer, such a meeting
also becomes harâm. Nevertheless, it cannot be said
that it is harâm to congregate for the Jum’a prayer just because such a
congregation has been harâm. Similarly, one cannot say that it is harâm to
congregate on mawlid nights. Nowadays, it is seen that such prohibited things
are introduced into congregations for tarâwîh on Ramadân nights. Can it be said
that conregating for tarâwîh prayer is harâm because such things are
introduced? It can never be said! It is good to congregate for the tarâwîh
prayer. It can be said that it is bad to introduce unbecoming, prohibited
things into such congerations. Similarly, one should say that it is good to
congregate for a mawlid, but it is bad to introduce ugly, prohibited things
into them.’
“F: ‘Although Rasûlullâh (sall-Allâhu ’alaihi wa sallam) was born
in the month of Rabî’ al-awwal, he passed away in this month, too. It is
necessary not to feel happy but to feel sorry and to mourn in this month.’
“M: ‘As Rasûlullâh’s (sall-Allâhu ’alaihi wa sallam) birth is a great blessing, so his
passing away is no doubt a great misfortune. Our religion orders us to thank
for the blessings and to be patient and silent in case of misfortune and to
conceal it. Though we are ordered to slaughter an ’aqîqa when a child is born,
we are not ordered to do so or anything else when one dies; furthermore,
shouting and mourning are forbidden. Therefore, one should feel joyful and
happy instead of feeling sad and mourning in this month.’ ”
[According to the rules of Islam, one should not be
sorry but be happy by remembering the happy events and not thinking of the sad
events on the anniversary of a day on which there had been both happy and
sorrowful events. In accord with this order of our religion, one should not
mourn but, following Rasûlullâh’s sunna, be thankful and happy on the tenth of the
month Muharram, on which Hadrat Husain (radî-Allâhu ’anh) was martyred.
Martyrdom of this great imâm has been a greatly sorrowful misfortune for all
Muslims. The martydom of Hadrat ’Uthmân and Hadrat Hamza in a very tragic
manner was also a greatly sorrowful misfortune. However, our Prophet
(sall-Allâhu ’alaihi wa sallam) did not mourn on the anniversaires of the day
Hadrat Hamza was martyred. He did not order Muslims to mourn. He used to visit
the grave of and pray for Hadrat Hamza on those days. On the tenth day of
Muharram, we should not mourn by following our own reason, but we should fast
in thanksgiving and be joyful by following our Prophet.]
Rasûlullâh (sall-Allâhu ’alaihi wa sallam) had poet companions, who used to
refute the slanders of the enemies and eulogize him. He liked the poetry of
Hassân ibn Thâbit the most. He put a pulpit in the masjid for Hassân, who would
censure the enemies and praise him on that pulpit. Rasûlullâh used to say, “Hassân’s
words are more effective against the enemies than arrow-wounds are.” He declared, “If Allâhu ta’âlâ endows a servant of His with the art of writing
and speech, he should eulogize the Prophet of
Allah and censure His enemies!” Reciting
mawlids, as done in Muslim countries, is an ’ibâda also compatible with the
order in this hadîth sharîf. One’s opposition to the recitation of mawlids shows
his disapproval of what Rasûlullâh and the as-Sahâbat al-kirâm did, as well as his
disobedience to this hadîth
sharîf.
Dalâ’il al-khairât is a book of salawât, a book of prayers. The Qur’ân al-karîm orders us to say salawât on Rasûlullâh. The one who prevents the recitation of this book opposes this order
of the Qur’ân al-karîm. Every Muslim may pray in any language, and he cannot
be called a disbeliever. The prayer stated in âyats and hadîths should be
recited without any alteration. The prayers which are not stated in âyats or
hadîths may be recited except in salât. Islam does not forbid this. One lies if
he says that they cannot be recited. One who says ‘prohibited’ or especially
‘unbelief’ or ‘polytheism’ for something which is not prohibited by Allâhu
ta’âlâ or His Prophet is in danger of becoming a disbeliever. It is a great
’ibâda to eulogize Rasûlullâh very highly without deifying him, to esteem him as
the highest of all creatures, to speak about the superiorities endowed upon His
beloved Prophet by Allâhu ta’âlâ and to ask for his intercession.
Opposition to this fact is an indication of deep ignorance and very ugly
obstinacy. Moreover, it is stupidity to say,
“The author of this book has divided it into seven
parts and has said, ‘Reading one part a day, the book should be finished within
a weak.’ This statement is polytheistic. It is like occupying the office of
Allah and ordering, ‘Perform salât five times a day.’ This is a behavior which
implies that he holds himself superior to the Creator of the Universe.”
The Wahhâbite book writes on the 335th page that there
are ten things that cause one to love Allâhu ta’âlâ and explains each of them.
His charging the author of Dalâ’il
al-khairât with polytheism resembles
somebody’s charging the Wahhâbîs with polytheism because of their raising the
number of the principles
The book Dalâ’il al-khairât is
critized very violently. This book was written by an ’âlim of Ahl as-Sunna, a
perfect walî and the leading ’arif of his time, namely Muhammad ibn Sulaimân
al-Jazûlî (rahmat-Allâhi ’alaih). He explained at the beginning the importance
and use of saying salawât on Rasûlullâh, then gave in a list the prayers of salawat he had
extracted from hadîths and a collection of prayers recited by as-Sahâbat
al-kirâm.
Tarîqa means ‘way.’ It means the way of tasawwuf.
Al-Imâm ar-Rabbânî Mujaddid al-Alf ath-Thânî Ahmad al-Fârûqî and Muhammad
Ma’sûm al-Fârûqî (rahmat-Allâhi ’alaihimâ) wrote in their Maktûbâts that tasawwuf is not a bid’a and that all its ways are agreeable with
the Sunna of our master Rasûlullâh. We have already translated some parts of them from
Persian.[1]
Those who know nothing about tasawwuf criticize it and
blame Muslims for this reason, too. Muhammad Ma’sûm al-Fârûqî explained
tasawwuf briefly in the 177th letter of the first volume of his Maktûbât:
“Do not rely upon kashfs and ru’yâs (dreams)! The very
things to be trusted and that will save men from Hell are the Book and the
Sunna. Cling tightly, with all your power, to Allah’s Book and the Prophet’s
Sunna! Be very cautious in doing all your affairs compatibly with these two!
The dhikr, too, is one of Allâhu ta’âlâ’s orders. Perform the dhikr constantly!
Busy your every moment with the dhikr! [The 46th âyat al-karîma of Sûrat
al-Anfâl declares, “Oh
Believers! Remember (dhikr) Allâhu ta’âlâ with heart and tongue constantly! You
will attain salvation!” The tenth
âyat al-karîma of Sûrat al-Jum’a declares, “Remember Allâhu ta’âlâ very frequently! You will attain
salvation both in this world and in the hereafter!” The 41st âyat al-karîma of Sûrat al-Ahzâb declares, “Oh Believers! Remember Allâhu ta’âlâ at
every moment!” In the tafsîr book Tibyân, ’Abdullâh ibn ’Abbâs (radî-Allâhu ta’âlâ ’anhumâ) is quoted as saying,
“Allâhu ta’âlâ has put a limit to every order of His and has regarded it
excusable when this limit is exceeded. He forgives those who have excuses. But,
the order to perform the dhikr is not like other orders, and there is no limit
or excuse for this ’ibâda. There is no excuse for neglecting the dhikr. He
ordered us to perform the dhikr while standing, sitting or lying down at every
place, in any situation and
[1] See the articles 7 and 19.
with the tongue and the heart. He said He should never
be forgetten.” The 152nd âyat al-karîma of Sûrat al-Baqara declares, “Remember Me! And I shall remember you!” A hadîth qudsî quoted in Tibyân declares, “I am
with My servant who thinks of Me.”
The hadîths narrated by al-Baihakî declare, “Those who are at the highest degree are those who perform
the dhikr of Allah”; “The symptom of love for Allâhu ta’âlâ is the love for the
dhikr of Him”; “The dhikr of Allah is the remedy for the hearts”; “The
dhikr is better than [supererogatory]
alms and fasting,” and “Allah loves him who thinks of Him very much.” Rasûlullâh performed the dhikr every moment. Tasawwuf is the means
of performing the dhikr of Allah very much. Can such tasawwuf be criticized?]
“Men of Allah have unanimously reported that the
highest status in this way is the virtue of ma’rifa (knowing Allâhu ta’âlâ),
which means one’s annihilation in Allâhu ta’âlâ. That is, ‘knowing Allâhu
ta’âlâ’ means comprehending that only He exists and everything else is
nonexistent. Then, tasawwuf is the way that leads to ma’rifa, to such
comprehension. A couplet says:
‘Know that you are nonexistent, this is the
very perfection,
Be annihilated in Him, this is the way to
union!’
“This annihilation is called fanâ’. There are two kinds of fanâ’. One of them is fanâ’ al-qalb, in which the heart (qalb) forgets everything but
Allâhu ta’âlâ. He cannot remember anything other than Him however hard he
tries. The heart does not know or love anything but Allah. The second kind is fanâ’ an-nafs. This is the annihilation of the nafs; one becomes
unable to say ‘I’ for himself. The ’ârif himself and his indications disappear.
He cannot recognize or love anything other than Allah. There remains no
connection with himself or with others. The most fatal poison which leads men
to ruin is being fond of something other than Allâhu ta’âlâ. The imân of such
an ’ârif is like a bright mirror. His every deed is consistent with Islam. It
is very sweet and easy for him to obey Allâhu ta’âlâ’s orders and prohibitions.
There is no evil quality left in him such as ’ujb (admiration of one’s ’ibâdât)
or riyâ’ (hypocrisy). There is ikhlâs in his every deed and ’ibâda; that is, he
does them only for the sake of Allâhu ta’âlâ. The nafs, though it was formerly
disobedient and hostile to Allâhu ta’âlâ’s orders, attains to itmi’nân
(tranquillity) and becomes real, perfect Muslim.
“The purpose of progress on the way of tasawwuf is to
know
oneself as non-existent and become an absolutely
faithful servant of Allâhu ta’âlâ. The progress on this ‘way’ is called sair
and sulûk. The end of this way is fanâ’ and baqâ’, that is, forgetting everything but Allâhu ta’âlâ and
recognizing that only He exists. The one who attains fanâ’ and baqâ’ is called
an ’ârif, who is able to be servant as perfect as a human being
can be. Laziness or slackness caused by the nafs has disappeared in him.
Following the way of tasawwuf is not for the purpose of avoiding being a
servant of Allah, nor to make oneself superior to others, nor to see souls,
angels, genies or nûrs. What is the use of searching for such things while
there are enough well-designed, beautiful, and lovely things that everybody can
see through the eyes? Both the former ones and the latter ones are beings
created by Allâhu ta’âlâ. All of them were nonexistent and have been created
recently. Meeting Allâhu ta’âlâ’s Audience and seeing His Jamâl will be
possible only in the hereafter, in Paradise. It cannot happen in this world.
This fact has been unanimously reported by the ’ulamâ’ of Ahl as-Sunna and the
great leaders of tasawwuf. It is only îqân[1]
that one can obtain in this world.
“Progress on the way of tasawwuf is intended to attain
complete [obedience to] Islam in this world. Islam consists of three parts:
’ilm, ’amal and ikhlâs. Tasawwuf is the means of attaining the third part. It
will be possible only in the hereafter to meet Allâhu ta’âlâ, to join His
Audience and to see Him. Therefore, you should hold tightly onto the footsteps
of Muhammad (’alaihi ’s-salâm) with all your power! Make it a habit to perform
al-amru bi’l-ma’rûf wa ’n-nahyu ’ani ’l-munkar. Try to restore the sunnas which
are forgotten![2]
Do not rely upon dreams! Is it worth anything to dream of oneself as the ruler
of a country or as a qutb? These two positions are valuable if they are
obtained while awake. Is it a real perfection to be a ruler even when awake and
even if every being on the earth is at one’s service? Does it help one to be
saved from the punishments in the grave and after the Resurrection? A wise,
fore-sighted person does not set his heart on such things but tries to perform
everything that Allâhu ta’âlâ approves and likes. He tries to attain the state
of
[1] See Endless Bliss, III.
[2] Muslims should not arouse mischief (fitna) while teaching a forgotten sunna. It is harâm or start fitna. One should not commit the harâm while trying to teach a sunna, but be careful not to make the matter worse.
Al-Imâm ar-Rabbânî wrote in the 306th letter of the
first volume of Maktûbât: “Fanâ’ means the heart’s forgetting about the mâ-siwâ
[that is, everything other than Allâhu ta’âlâ; those whom He does not love].
For clearing the heart of the love and attachment of the things other than
Allâhu ta’âlâ, it is necessary to reach fanâ’. As the creatures are forgotten,
the heart’s attachment to them will be annihilated, too. On the way of wilâya,
fanâ’ is necessary for getting rid of the love of creatures. However, it is not
necessary on the way of nubuwwa. Because, on the way of nubuwwa, there exists
the love for Allâhu ta’âlâ and for those whom he loves.When this love exists
there cannot be love for creatures whether they are forgotten or not. Knowing
them is bad for it causes loving them. When love for them ends, it is not bad
to know and recognize them. It is the same for those who attain through the way
of wilâya.
Muhammad Ma’sûm (rahmat-Allâhi ’alaih) wrote in the
93rd letter of the first volume of his Maktûbât: “Fanâ’ takes
place in the bâtin [the heart]. After attaining to fanâ’, the ’ârif recognizes
his wife, children and friends as he did before. The heart’s understanding is
different from the zâhir’s [mind’s, intellect’s] understanding. After the heart
rescue itself from seeing and knowing, [that is, when it attains to fanâ’], the
zâhir will go on seeing and knowing.”
On all ways of tasawwuf, faid (ma’rifa, help) is
received from Rasûlullâh. All the Sahâbat al-kirâm received light and ma’rifa
directly from that source. The posterity obtained ma’rifa from as-Sahâbat
al-kirâm. Only the faid or ma’rifat that had been received from Hadrat Abu Bakr
and Hadrat ’Alî has reached the present time. The faid of other Sahâbîs could
live only for a few centuries. One who wants to receive faid should find a
sâlih person who has attained that faid, should love him and make progress
under his supervision. Even the Wahhâbite book points to this necessity on page
335 and writes that the ninth of the ten things that lead one to love Allâhu
ta’âlâ is to keep company with the faithful lovers of Allâhu ta’âlâ, to listen
to their beneficial speeches, and to talk less in their presence. Such a pious
servant of Allâhu ta’âlâ is called a murshid kâmil or rehber. The hadîth ash-sharîf related by at-Tabarânî and quoted in Kunûz ad-daqâ’iq declares, “Everything has a source. The sources of taqwâ are the hearts of
’ârifin.” The hadîths related by
ad-Dailamî declare, “Remembering
the pious (sâlihûn) clears the sins away”; “It is an
’ibâda to keep company with ’âlims,” and “It is an ibâda to look at the face of an ’âlim.” The hadîth
ash-sharîf related by Abu Habbân
declares, “The dhikr is
more beneficial than alms.” A hadîth sharîf related by ad-Dailamî declares, “The dhikr is better than supererogatory fasting.” The book Kunûz ad-daqâ’iq writes
that Rasûlullâh performed the dhikr at his every step and quotes the hadîth ash-sharîf, “Performing
the dhikr of Allah clears the heart from nifâq (enmity, hypocrisy.)” The hadîth ash-sharîf narrated by ad-Dailamî and al-Munâwî
(rahimahuma’llâhu ta’âlâ) declares, “There is a cure for every disease. The cure of the heart is the
dhikr of Allâhu ta’âlâ.” Tasawwuf
means performing the dhikr, remembering and loving ’ârifîn and holding fast to
the footprints of Rasûlullâh (sall-Allâhu ta’âlâ ’alaihi wa sallam). These hadîths
and similar ones and the âyats from which these hadîths were extracted by Rasûlullâh orders tasawwuf.
The existence of many ways of tasawwuf with various names should not confuse the ignorant! The followers of a way have used frequently the name of their rehber who caused them to receive faid, and thus such names have become the names of tarîqas. For example, though there is a common curriculum, or the same subjects are instructed, in hundreds of high schools in a country, the teachers are different in each school, so the method of teaching differs from one school to another. Every high-school graduate gains similar knowledge and the same rights. Each of them remembers and praises his teachers until death. It is not a defect for any of them to have learned from different teachers and with different methods. The case is similar for the existence of different ways of tasawwuf. Faids and ma’rifas have come to all of them from Rasûlullâh’s (sall-Allâhu ta’âlâ ’alaihi wa sallam) blessed heart. It cannot be a deficiency for them to have different masters and different names.[1]
Of course, neither Allâhu ta’âlâ nor His servant likes
evil people who do not obey the rules of Islam or perform ’ibâdât, but run
after wordly interests and follow their nafses and shahwa. We should not
believe when one of such people says he is an authority in tasawwuf and a man
of karâmât. Furthermore, tasawwuf should not be criticized because of such
people; we should think of the saying, “The jewel does not lose its value by
falling to the ground.”
[1] For the reason that ways of tasawwuf bear different names, see also the seventh article, p. 26.
The isqât and talqîn are not bida’. That they are
performed as orders of our religion is written in detail with documents in the
books Al-basâ’ir and Se’âdet-i Ebediyye. The hadîth ash-sharîf quoted by al-Bukhârî, Muslim, Imâm Ahmad, in his
Musnad, and al-Munâwî (rahimahum-Allâhu ta’âlâ) declares, “Inculcate (talqîn) kalimat at-tawhîd to
the dead!” One will have put the
blame on these two orders of our religion if he claims that some lazy, evil
people, relying on these orders, would abandon ’ibâdât and do evil deeds. What
will the lâ-madhabî say for those lazy and evil people who neglect ’ibâdât and
do every evil by impetuously putting forward the fact that Allâhu ta’âlâ is
Merciful and Forgiving?
Everything concerning Islam has been made known; the ’ulamâ’
of Ahl as-Sunna searched all these teachings and wrote down what they heard and
learnt from as-Sahâbât al-kirâm. And now we learn our religion from those books
of the ’ulamâ’ of Ahl as-Sunna. The lâ-madhhabî author tries to distort these
teachings and to alter Islam. He fabricates false and distorted meanings for
âyats and hadîths in order to deceive everybody. Rasûlullâh (sall-Allâhu
’alaihi wa sallam) prophesied that the people who would bear the name ‘Muslims’
would divide into seventy-three groups, that seventy-two of them would go to
Hell and only those who belonged to the seventy-third group and followed the
way of as-Sahâbat al-kirâm would go to Paradise. This group comprises the
Muslims of Ahl as-Sunna, because the ’ulamâ’ of Ahl as-Sunna (rahimahum-Allâhu
ta’âlâ) obtained all their knowledge from as-Sahâbat al-kirâm and held on to
the Qur’ân and the Sunna in every affair. ‘Ahl as-Sunnat wa ’l-Jamâ’a’ means the Muslims who follow the path of Rasûlullâh and his Jamâ’a, that is, as-Sahâbat al-kirâm. That author would have
done something correct if he had blamed the corrupt, heretical seventy-two
groups instead of Ahl as-Sunna. But, he did the reverse and attacked the truth
and the real Islam. Because the âyat al-karîma declares, “The wicked, evil people co-operate with
the wicked,” and because he himself
is a wicked heretic, he united with heretics and attacked Ahl as-Sunna. All
Muslims should unite and be brethren. But they should unite on the right path,
the path of Ahl as-Sunna. Rasûlullâh foretold that heretics would not unite but part into
seventy-two groups. Muslims should not go astray but should join the right path
of Ahl as-Sunna, thus attain salvation and get redeemed from heresy.
Our master Rasûlullâh (sall-Allâhu ta’âlâ
’alaihi wa sallam)
declared, “Ask the ones in graves for help when you are confused about your
affairs!” All the Sahâbat al-kirâm
observed this hadîth sharîf and visited the Qabr as-Sa’âda. They made istighâtha,
asked Habîb-Allâh for help, and thus obtained their wishes. Rasûlullâh, too, clung to the wasîla and made istighâtha through human beings. As
narrated by Ibn Abî Shaiba and written in the book Kunuz ad-daqâ’iq, Rasûlullâh would ask Allâhu ta’âlâ for help for the love of the
poor among the as-Sahâbat al-kirâm, putting them as wasîlas at times when he
was in distress. This is noted in al-Imâm ar-Rabbânî’s Maktûbât, too. The ’ulamâ’ of Islam, awliyâ’ and sulahâ’ have held fast to this hadîth sharîf for centuries. That author opposes this and similar hadîths by saying
that there is no such thing in Islam. He does his best to blemish Islam by
lying and slandering, and calls true Muslims “disbelievers” or “polytheists.”
In many âyats, Allâhu ta’âlâ orders us to perform the dhikr and to say the
tasbîh and “Allâhu akbar,” and Rasûlullâh did and ordered us to do all of them. He did not
prevent a Muslim who made a tasbîh (rosary) of date stones, but that author
claims that there was no such thing in Islam. The sun cannot be stained with
mud! He lies saying that our religion ordered tombs to be demolished. Did the
as-Sahâbat al-kirâm demolish Rasûlullâh’s tomb? No, they did not! They visited that tomb with
wet eyes and begging heart.
Allâhu ta’âlâ ordered, “Obey My Prophet!” And Rasûlullâh declared, “Ask the
ones in graves for help!” A hadîth sharîf related by ad-Dailamî and al-Munâwî declares, “If those in graves did not exist, the
people on the earth would burn.”
Muslims do not ask any grave or any dead person for help. They ask it from Allâhu ta’âlâ for the love and credit of dead Muslims in the view of Allâhu ta’âlâ. And Allâhu ta’âlâ grants what is asked out of His love for the dead beloved servants of His. Muslims request faid and ma’rifa from the soul of an ’ârif or walî and thus receive faid from the soul of that walî and gets help. Those who become walîs by getting benefit from souls are called Uwaisî. Muslims, on the one hand, work for worldly achievements and make progress in technology and, on the other, pray to Allâhu ta’âlâ and beg for His help.