Some people called Sűfî appeared among the true Muslims, in other words “Ahl-as-Sunna” Muslims. A sűfi is never involved in philosophy. They said that in order to be a real Muslim and in order to understand the Qur’ân al-kerîm, it is necessary to carry out not only the orders and the prohibitions of our Prophet (sall-Allahu ’alaihi wa sallam), but also all of his manners as well as his moral principles. The fundamentals of Sűfîsm are as follows:
1) Faqr, which means, “To be conscious that you always need Allâhu ta’âlâ.’ According to them, “no one but Allâhu ta’âlâ can create anything. But, different things can become a means by which Allâhu ta’âlâ creates various things. Allâhu ta’âlâ is the Creator of all.”
2) Zuhd and taqwâ: “To adapt yourself to Islam; to observe all the principles of Islam in your daily life; to be helpful and to
worship in one’s spare time.” Presently, the word “sofu” is used instead of “sűfî” in reference to people who are pious.
3) Tafakkur, silence and dhikr: “To think continuously about Allâhu ta’âlâ and His blessings; not to talk unnecessarily; not to argue with anybody; to talk as little as possible, to continuously repeat to yourself the name of Allâhu ta’âlâ.”
4) Hâl and maqâm: “to understand, by way of the light (knowledge) coming to you, to what degree your heart and spirit have been purified.” “To be aware of your limitations.”
The first and the most famous “sűfi” was Hasan al-Basrî (radiy-Allâhu ta’âlâ anh) 21-100 (624-727). Hasan al-Basrî was so great an Islamic scholar that he has been accepted as an imâm (mujtahîd) by all Muslims. He is famous for his excellent character as well as his unattainable knowledge. He tried to put the fear of Allah into the hearts of his listeners while preaching. He was a great scholar of hadîths through whom many hadîths were transmitted. Wâsil bin Atâ, the founder of the Mu’tazila philosophy; was a disciple of Hasan-i Basrî. But, he left al-Basri’s teachings. Mu’tazil means separated. Another name used for Mu’tazila is Qadariyya. It is used becasue they deny qadar (fate). They claim: “Man is the creator of what he does. Allah never creates evil. Man has the ability of will and creation. Thus, if he commits an evil deed he will be completely responsible for it. It is impossible to avoid this responsibility with the words fate or Allah’s Will.” This thought, which is called “qadariyya,” was suggested by Wâsil bin Atâ, who was the disciple of Hasan al-Basrî and who continuously attended his lessons. For this reason Hasan al-Basrî, who believed in fate, did not accept him as his disciple.
According to “the people of Tasawwuf,” that is, the Sűfîs, real existence is only Allâhu ta’âlâ. Allâhu ta’âlâ is absolute existence, absolute goodness, absolute beauty. While He was a secret treasure He wanted to let Himself be known. This is why He created this world and everything on it. But Allâhu ta’âlâ never penetrated into any of His creatures. (That is, He is not in any of them.) No one can attain Allâhu ta’âlâ’s position. He created the attributes of man similar to His own attributes. But, this similarity is so small that if we suppose His attributes to be the sea, the attributes of man can be compared only to a bubble on its surface.
The purpose of Tasawwuf is to attain “Ma’rifat-i ilâhiyya.”
Ma’rifat-i ilâhiyya means to know the attributes of Allâhu ta’âlâ. It is impossible for a human being to know His Personality. Our Prophet (sall-Allâhu ’alaihi wa sallam) said: “Do not think about the Personality of Allâhu ta’âlâ. Think about His blessings.” That is, we should not think about what Allâhu ta’âlâ is, but about His attributes and His blessings granted to humanity. Once he said: “When you think about the Personality of Allâhu ta’âlâ, whatever comes to your mind is not Allah.” The capacity and the ability of a man’s wisdom is limited. He cannot understand the things beyond this limit. If he thinks about them he will err. He cannot attain the truth. Human wisdom and thought can not understand the secrets and the intricacies of religious knowledge. That is why the people who mixed philosophy with religious knowledge deviated from the true path shown by Islam and thereby became “heretical people” or “renegades.” Heretical people are not kâfirűn (disbelievers); they are Muslims. But they have deviated from the right way, and they have become one of the seventy two heretical groups. Since these victims of philosophy are Muslims, their false misinterpretation of the Qur’ân al-kerîm does not cause them to become disbelievers. We should think like this: “There is nothing in the name of Islamic philosophy. There are some people who have mixed philosophy with Islam.” According to the Ahl-i Sunna scholars, the source of Islamic knowledge is muhkam âyats (the ones with clear meanings) and hadîths, not human wisdom or human thought. The basis of “Tasawwuf” is to know yourself (to know your own weakness and inefficiency). Tasawwuf is also based on love of Allah, sublime love. This can be attained only by adapting one’s self to Muhammad (’alaihi ’s-salâm). When someone is advancing on the path of Tasawwuf, numerous events occur in his heart. One of them is “wahdat-i wujűd,” that is: “Existent is One; creatures are the appearance of Allah.” Yes, as it is revealed in the Qur’ân al-kerîm, Allâhu ta’âlâ manifests Himself in the hearts of humanity. But, this manifestation is only the manifestation of His attributes. It has no connection with wisdom. Men of Tasawwuf feel the manifestation of Allâhu ta’âlâ in their hearts. That is why death is not a disaster for them, but something nice and sweet. It means returning back to Allâhu ta’âlâ; it causes them to be happy. Mevlânâ Celâleddîn Rűmî[1] (rahimahullâhu ta’âlâ), a great mutasawwuf (a great man of Tasawwuf), called death “Shab-i
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[1] Celâleddîn-i Rűmî passed away in Konya in 672 (1273 A.D.)
Arűs” (the nuptial night). There is no sorrow or hopelessness in the way of Tasawwuf. There is love and manifestations only. Mevlânâ says: “Our gate is not the gate of hopeless people.” His original words are: “Bâzâ, Bâzâ, Her ançe hestî, Bâzâ” (Come, Come, whomever you are come, come even if you are a dualist, a Zoroastrian or an idolater. Here is not the gate of hopelessness. Come here even if you broke your vow a hundred times.) There are some great Awliyâ (saints) among the men of Tasawwuf, such as Imâm-i Rabbânî, Junaid-i Baghdâdî, Abdulqâdir-i Geylânî, Mevlânâ Celâleddîn-i Rűmî and some lovers of Allah such as Sultan Weled, Yűnus Emre, Mawlâna Hâlid of Baghdad. “Vahdat-i Vujűd” is not the aim or the last step of Tasawwuf. But, this is the inspiration which comes to the hearts of those on the way to the real purpose, which has no connection with wisdom, thought or materialism. They are not in the heart, but they are manifested in the heart. That is why it is better to say “vahdat-i shuhűd” instead of “vahdat-i vujűd.” When human heart is purified it becomes like a mirror. Those things manifested in the heart are not the Personality of Allâhu ta’âlâ. They are not even His attributes either. They are the shades, images of His attributes. Allâhu ta’âlâ has granted human beings some attributes similar to His own real attributes, such as Sam (Hearing), Basar (seeing), Ilm (Omniscience). The ones granted by Him are not the same as His own attributes. His seeing is eternal, everlasting. He continuously sees everything. He sees without any means, tools. Human sight is not like this. That is why His seeing is the real seeing. We say that human seeing is an image, the shade of that real seeing. As the shade of His seeing or hearing manifests itself through human eyes, or ears, respectively, likewise, shades of His many attributes, such as His loving, His knowing are manifested in human hearts. As the eyes should not be ailing or diseased in order to see, it is necessary for the heart not to be ill in order to attain those manifestations.
The medicine needed to cure the heart is made of three things. They are having a true belief as taught by the Ahl-as-Sunna scholars, worshipping, and avoiding (abstaining) from things prohibited. Sad to say, those who do not know what the Islamic religion or Tasawwuf is use the religion as a means for obtaining worldly benefits. Mixing paths of Tasawwuf, and even acts of worship, with music in order to add them a mystic air, as it were, these impostors have turned religious rites into dancing to the rhythms of musical instruments, [like in the Mevlevi
ceremonies]. The whirling dervishes with cylindrial caps on their heads which resemble tombstones, raise their right hands toward the sky and lower their left hands, which is intended to symbolize that they are, so to speak, conducting the fruits of heaven down to earth. Although these acts have nothing to do with Islam, and no mention of them is made in any âyat or hadîth-i-sherîf, these people present them in the name of mystic and Islamic rites. Our Prophet (sall-Allâhu ’alaihi wa sallam) and none of his Companions (Sahaba [’radiy-Allâhu ta’âlâ anhum ajmâ’în]) performed any ceremonies like this. There was Tasawwuf in their time. But, there were no dervish ceremonies. Today, a lot of foreign people from all over the world come to Turkey to see these ceremonies. This heretical philosophy is mentioned in all the foreign books written on tasawwuf. Imâm-i Ghazâlî (rahima hullâhu ta’âlâ) was a great Islamic scholar in the knowledge of “Kalâm” as well as a true expert in the field of Tasawwuf. It is said that Abussu’űd Effendi (rahima hullâhu ta’âlâ) 896-982 (1490-1574), the great Islamic scholar, the Shaikh-ul Islam for Sultan Sulayman the Magnificent (rahima hullâhu ta’âlâ), treated men of Tasawwuf harshly; he even rendered a formal decision that they be put to death by hanging. This assertion is not true. Abussu’űd Effendi treated harshly those deviated dervishes who mixed themselves among the true men of Tasawwuf or those claiming that: “The people who have reached high degrees in Tasawwuf do not have to obey religious precepts. They need not concern themselves with whether something is permissible or prohibited. It does not make any difference for them.” Abussu’űd Effendi gave a formal decision of death for those who committed the sin of causing discord and trouble throughout the country.
The leader of the people who rejected those who mixed philosophy with Islamic knowledge is the Prophet Muhammad (sall-Allâhu ’alaihi wa sallam). This hadîth-i sherîf is well-known: “My umma (all followers) will part into seventy-three groups. Seventy-two of them will burn in the Hell fire, and only one group will be safe. They are those who follow me and my Sahâba (companions).” This hadîth-i sherîf, which predicts the future, is a great mu’jiza (miracle). It happened as he had predicted. The Sunnî Islamic scholars have described in detail these seventy-two heretical groups, who mixed philosophy with Islamic beliefs and so deviated from the true path of the as-Sahâbat al-kirâm. Under the light of the above-mentioned tradition (hadîth) of Muhammad (’alaihi ’s-salâm), Islamic scholars confuted them with countless
proofs. One of these great Islamic scholars is Sayyid Sherîf Jurjânî[1] (rahima hullâhu ta’âlâ). This profound Islâmic scholar, who had reached the degree of Wilâyat in Tasawwuf, died in Shirâz in 816 (1413). His book Sherh-i Mawâqif is full of these kinds of proofs. Also, Sa’daddîn-i Taftazânî, (rahima-hullâhu ta’âlâ), who had attained the highest degree in the knowledge of Kalâm, eradicated heretical philosophy with his very valuable book Sherh-i aqâid. He died in Samarkand in 792 (1389). And the book Al-Milal van nihâl by Muhammad Shehrestânî (rahima hullâhu ta’âlâ), who died in Baghdad in 548 (1153), is full of refutations. This Arabic book and its Turkish translation were published again and again. It was translated into European languages by UNESCO; therefore, it has been understood by the entire world that there is no philosophy in original Islam, and it is not right to say “Islamic philosophy.”
Imam-i Muhammad Ghazâlî (rahima-hullâhu ta’âlâ) examined both Tasawwuf and metaphysics and explained in his books al-Munkiz and at-Tahâfut-ul falâsifa that those philosophers depended on intellect only, that they were terribly wrong, and that men of Tasawwuf, following âyats and hadîths, attained true faith and endless bliss. He examined each of the philosophies of the seventy-two heretical groups, who, as we have already said, are Muslims, and saw that all those groups had been influenced by Greek philosophers. If we are honest we will clearly see that the philosophies of the so-called “heretical groups” are not compatible with the truth, that is, the Qur’ân al-kerîm and the Hadîth-i sherîfs. In our century, the passages that they derived from the old Greek philosophy are not given so much importance. If we compare the philosophies of the heretical groups with one another, we will see that they all agree with each other in the facts that Allâhu ta’âlâ is One, Almighty, everything comes from Him; He is the absolute ruler; Islam is the truest and the latest religion; the Qur’ân al-kerîm is the Word of Allâhu ta’âlâ, and Muhammad (alaihi’ ’s-salâm) is His final Prophet. All these facts have been communicated by all those heretical groups. They deem a human being to be a sacred creature, not “sinful” the Christians do. So, all the seventy-two heretical groups are Believers and Muslims. However, intellect, philosophy and religion are deemed to be the same from their point of view. That is why there are some differences in their beliefs. Since they
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[1] Sayyid Sherîf passed away in Shirâz in 816 (1413 A.D.)
depend on different philosophies, some nonsensical divisions and struggles have erupted between them. Which one of them is right can be understood by assessing them with correct information and with the hadîth-i sherîfs (traditions of Muhammad). It is impossible to discern the right group with the use of force or by being enemies or by condemning each other as corrupt.
According to Islamic scholars, the religion of Islam prohibits attacking five things. These are: 1) Life, 2) Property, 3) Intelligence, 4) Progeny, 5) Religion. If a heretic says that his philosophy is the truest of all and for this reason he kills and destroys mercilessly and never listens to any advice, then in that case, we say that he is a person who is short of either religion or intelligence.
Now, let us examine once more what Allâhu ta’âlâ expects from a true Muslim and what He ordered him to do through âyats in the Qur’ân al-kerîm while leaving this philosophy mixed with the knowledge of faith by heretical people behind. As a matter of fact, there is no philosophy in Islam. The seventy-two heretical groups wounded Islam by mixing philosophy with it. On the one hand, they mixed the old Greek philosophy with Islamic beliefs, and, on the other hand, they changed religious beliefs according to their own thoughts and points of view. But, the Islamic group called “Ahl as-Sunna wal Jamâ’at” that was predicted to go to Paradise by Muhammad (’alaihi ’s-salâm) have followed the religious beliefs they heard from the Companions of Muhammad (as-Sabâhat al-kirâm [radiy-Allâhu ta’âlâ anhum ajmaîn]) without mixing Greek philosophy and their own thoughts with them. They have deemed this belief to be superior to the beliefs of other religions, philosophies, and their own intelligence. This is because Islamic belief corresponds with common sense. If someone’s wisdom doubts the truth of anything in Islam, it can be understood that his wisdom is sakîm (defective), not salîm (sane). Naturally, any wisdom or thought that considers Islam to be incomplete and thereby tries to complete it with philosophy must be understood as defective. If a disbeliever follows his own common sense, his morality and deeds will be compatible with the orders of Allâhu ta’âlâ. It is stated at the end of the sixth chapter of the tafsîr book (an interpretative book) Rűh-ul Beyân by Ismail Hakký[1] that Allâhu ta’âlâ will grant him the true faith. The Ahl as-Sunna scholars
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[1] Ismail Hakký passed away in 1137 (1725 A.D.)
(rahima humullâhu ta’âlâ) mentioned the Greek philosophers in their books only to confute and criticize them. Heretical and deviated groups tried to mix Greek philosophy with Islamic beliefs, but the Ahl as-Sunna group tried to separate and keep them out of the religion of Islam. Then he who wants to learn Islam correctly in order to understand what Allâhu ta’âlâ has meant with His Words has to read the books written by Ahl as-Sunna wa Jamâ’at scholars.
Sűra Yűnus 44: “Verily Allah will not deal unjustly with man in aught. It is man that wrongs his own soul.”
Sűra Ra’d 11: “Verily never will Allah change the condition of people until they change themselves.”
Sűra Yűnus 108: “Those who receive guidance, do so for the good of their own souls. Those who stray, do so to their own loss.”
Then, what sort of a man must we be? Allâhu ta’âlâ describes the people who believe in Him.
Sűra Furqân 63-73: “And the slaves of Allah, the Most Gracious, are those who walk on the earth in humility, and when the ignorant address them, they say, “Peace!” [be upon you.] They are those who spend the night in adoration of their Lord, prostration and standing. They are those who say, “Our Lord! Avert from us the wrath of Hell, for its wrath is indeed an affliction, grievous.” They are those who, when they spend, are not extravagant and not niggardly, but hold a just balance between those extremes. They are those who are not unjust. They are those who invoke not, with Allah, any other god, nor slay such life as Allah had made sacred, except for just cause, [yet, they punish the guilty ones.] nor commit fornication. —And any that does this not only meets punishment but the penalty on the Day of Judgement will be doubled for him, and he will dwell therein in ignominy— Unless he repents, believes and works righteous deeds. For Allah will change the evil of such people into goodness. And whoever repents and does good, has truly turned to Allah with an acceptable conversation. —They are those who witness no falsehood. And, if they pass by futility, they pass by it with an honourable [avoidance]. They are those who, when they are admonished with the signs of their Lord, listen to them carefully and do the things that are expected from them by way of those âyats.”
Sűra Mâida 8: “The hatred of others for you makes you swerve towards what is wrong and depart from justice. Be just.”
Sűra Mâida 89: “Allah will not call you to account for what is futile in your oaths, but He will call you to account for your deliberate oaths.”
The interpretative meaning of some chapters, such as Naml and Baqara is: “Allah is with those who have patience. You be patient. Be patient. It is for Allah’s sake.”
Sűra Baqara 217: “Tumult and oppression are worse than slaughter.”
Sűra Baqara 262: “Do not follow up your gifts with reminders of your generosity, or with injury.”
Sűra Baqara 271: “But if ye conceal your [acts of] charity and make it reach those [really] in need, that is best for you.”
Sűra An’âm 151 and Sűra Furqân, 68: “Take not life.”
Sűra: A’râf 31: “Eat and drink, but waste not by excess, for Allah loveth not the wasters.”
Sűra: A’râf 56: “Make not mischief on the earth after it has been set in order.”
Sűra Tawba 7: “Allah loves those who are careful in keeping a treaty.”
Sűra Ibrâhîm 26: ‘And the parable of an evil word is that of an evil tree: It is torn up by the root from the surface of the earth: It has no stability.”
Sűra Nahl 90: “Allah commands justice, the doing of good, and liberality to kith and kin. He forbids all shameful deeds, and injustice and rebellion.”
Sűra Al-Isrâ 23-24 and Ahqâf, 15: “Be kind to your parents. Whether one or both of them attain old age in thy life, say not to them a word of contempt, nor repel them, but address them in terms of honour. And, out of kindness, lower to them the wing of humility, and say: ‘My Lord! bestow on them Thy Mercy even as they cherished me in childhood.”
Sűra Isrâ 26: “And render to the kindred their due rights, as (also) to those in want, and to the wayfarer: But squander not (your wealth) in the manner of a spendthrift.”
Sűra Isrâ 28: “And even if thou hast to turn away from them, in pursuit of the mercy from thy Lord which thou dost expect, yet speak to them a word of easy kindness.”
Sűra Tâ-Ha 131: “Nor strain thine eyes in longing for the things We have given for enjoyment to parties of them, the splendour of the life of this world, through which We test them.
But the provision of thy Lord is better and more enduring.”
Sűra Rűm 31-32: “And be not ye among those who join gods with Allah, -those who split up their religion, and become (mere) sects -each party rejoicing in that which is with itself.”
Sűra Shűra 13: “You should remain steadfast in religion. And make no divisions therein.”
Sűra Jâthiya 18-19: “And follow not the desires of those who know not. They will be of no use to thee in the sight of Allah. It is only wrong doers (that stand as) protectors of one another. But Allah is the Protector of the Righteous.”
Sűra Fath 29: “Allah has promised those among them who believe and do righteous deeds forgiveness, and a great reward.”
Sűra Hujurât 9: “If two parties among the believers fall into a quarrel, make ye peace between them.”
Sűra Shűra 40: “The recompense for an injury is an injury equal thereto, (in degree), but if a person forgives and makes reconciliation, his reward is due from Allah.”
Sűra Hujurât 6: “Ye who believe! If a wicked person comes to you with any news, ascertain the truth, lest ye harm people unwittingly, and afterwards become full of repentance for what ye have done.”
Sűra Hujurât 10: “The believers are but a single brotherhood. So make peace and reconciliation between your two (contending) brothers. And fear Allah, that ye may receive mercy.”
Sűra Hadîd 23: “Do not despair over matters that pass you by, nor exalt over favours bestowed upon you. For Allah loveth not any vainglorious boaster.”
Sűra Al-Isrâ 35: “Give full measure when ye measure, and weigh with a balance that is straight.”
Sűra Rahmân 9: “So establish weight with justice and fall not short in the balance.”
Sűra al-Mutaffifîn 1-5: “Woe to those that deal in fraud, those who, when they have to receive by measure from men, exact full measure. But, when they have to give by measure or weight to men, give less than due. Do they not think that they will be called to account on a Mighty Day?”
Furthermore, although His slaves may pay attention to His orders, He knows that they will, as human beings, fall into error, and he informs us through the Qur’ân al-kerîm that He will treat
Sűra Nahl 61: “If Allah were to punish men for their wrong-doing, He would not leave on the (earth) a single living creature.”
Sűra Ankabűt 7: “Those who believe and work righteous deeds-from them shall We blot out all evil (that may be) in them. And We shall reward them according to the best of their deeds.”
Sűrâ Zumar 35: “Allah will turn off from them (even) the worst in their deeds and give them their reward according to the best of what they have done.”
Sűra Shűra 25-26: “He is the One that accepts repentance from His slaves and forgives sins. And He knows all that you do. And He listens to those who believe and do deeds of righteousness, and gives them increase from His Bounty. But, for the unbelievers there is a terrible penalty.”
Sűrâ Muhammad 2: “But those who believe and work deeds of righteousness, and believe in the (Revelation) sent down to Muhammad-for it is the Truth from their Lord —He will remove from them their ills and improve their condition.”
Sűra Najm 32: “He rewards those who do good, with what is best, those who avoid grave sins and shameful deeds, only (falling into) small faults —verily thy Lord is ample in forgiveness.”
Sűra Nâzi’ât 40: “And for such as had entertained the fear of standing before their Lord’s (tribunal) and had restrained (their) soul from lower desires, their abode will be the Garden.”
Sűra Sabâ 17: “And never do We give requital except to such as are ungrateful rejecters.”
In short, the fundamental of Islam is to obey these exalted orders of Allâhu ta’âlâ, which comfort the heart, purify the soul, and are easy for everybody to understand. The fundamentals of philosophy consist of human thoughts, only. We should read them only to reject them, yet we should accept and fulfill the orders of Allâhu ta’âlâ written in the Qur’ân al-kerîm. This is true Islam. Allâhu ta’âlâ prohibited Muslims to have a different faith, to form different groups, or to have any differences in belief among themselves. Especially, He prohibited Muslims to have secret meetings, to form secret associations, or to busy themselves with the prohibited things, such as calumny and backbiting. The âyats on this matter are as follows:
Sűra Mujâdila 9-10: “Ye who believe! When ye hold secret counsel, do it not for iniquity and hostility, and disobedience to the Prophet [indirectly, the officials governing Muslims]. But do it for righteousness and self-restraints. Secret counsels are only (inspired) by the Evil One, in order that he may cause grief among the Believers.”
Sűra Jâthiya 17: “And We granted them clear signs in affairs of religion. It was only after knowledge had been granted to them that they fell into schisms, through insolent envy among themselves. Verily thy Lord will judge between them on the Day of Judgement as to those matters in which they set up differences.”
Sűrâ Rűm 32: “Do not split up your religion into sects, each exulting in its own beliefs.”
Sűra Hadîd 20: “Know that this worldly life is merely a sport and a pastime [involving] worldly show and competition among yourselves, as well as rivalry in wealth and children. It may be compared to those showers that help plants to grow and the planters are happy with them. But later, those plants wither away and you see them turning yellow. Soon they will be just stubble. In the Hereafter [for these kinds of worldly-minded men] there will be severe and eternal torments. But for those who have lived in the world adapting themselves to the orders of Allâhu ta’âlâ, there will be His forgiveness and approval. The era of worldly life is deceptive and temporary.”
Is there another word, better than this, to explain the fact that this world is the means to win the second world? We should adapt ourselves wholeheartedly to the commandments of our religion, Islam, instead of being deceived by worldly pleasures and thereby going astray. A Muslim who has correct faith and correct religious knowledge and who has not been deceived by those who have deviated from the true path is expected to be an honest man, a real scholar, a citizen who is patriotic and loyal to the laws of his country. He is good for himself and for his nation as well.
Man is respected in Islam. Allâhu ta’âlâ declares: “I have created man as the best.” The life of a man is very important in His sight. Allâhu ta’âlâ commands: “Take not life.” Christians claim that man is an infamous creature, born sinful, but this assertion is severely rejected by the religion of Islam. All human beings are born in a nature congenial to being Muslims. They are also born pure and clean. The holy meaning of the forty-first âyat
of Sűra Zumar is: “Verily We have revealed the Book to thee in truth, for (instructing) mankind. He, then, that receives guidance, benefits his own soul. But he that strays, injures his own soul.” Allâhu ta’âlâ sent His most beloved slave (Muhammad [’alaihi ’s-salâm]) as a prophet and his greatest book (the Qur’ân al-kerîm) as a guide to mankind. Those who do not follow the way clearly shown by the Qur’ân al-kerîm and the final Prophet Muhammad (’alaihi ’s-salâm) because they do not like it will be subjected to a great punishment. Let us pay attention to the âyats below, (Sűra Sâd 87): “This (Qur’ân) is no less than an admonition to mankind.”
Sűra al-Isrâ 15: “Who receiveth guidance, receiveth it for his own benefit. Who goeth astray, doth so to his own loss. No soul shall bear another’s burden. Nor do We punish a nation until We have sent forth a Messenger to warn them.”
Then, we must invoke Allâhu ta’âlâ and beg Him to guide us to the true faith. For this to happen, it is necessary for us to grasp wholeheartedly to the Islamic religion, which is the truest and the final religion, and to read the books written by Ahl as-Sunna scholars (rahima humullâhu ta’âlâ), who have correctly described Islamic sciences.
Allâhu ta’âlâ does not have to make human beings Muslims or Believers. Both His mercy and His penalty are eternal. His justice is eternal too. If Allâhu ta’âlâ wills, He bestows on any of His slaves the true faith, without any reason or any demand on the part of that person. It has been reported above that He will grant the true and valid faith to those whose deeds and morality are good by following their common sense. It will be understood at his last breath if a man has past away with faith. A man who has faith during his lifetime but loses his faith during his final days dies without faith and will be among the faithless on the Rising Day. We must implore Allâhu ta’âlâ, every day to grant us death with faith. Since Allâhu ta’âlâ has eternal mercy, He sent prophets to His slaves to inform mankind about His existence and oneness, and the things that He wanted His slaves to believe in. Faith means to accept what the Prophet (sall-Allâhu ’alaihi wa sallam) has conveyed. Anyone who does not believe in the Prophet or does not accept the things that the Prophet reported will be a disbeliever. Disbelievers will be burned eternally in Hell-Fire. A man who never heard of the Prophet (’alaihissalawâtu wattaslîmât) but thought and believed to himself that “Allah exists and is One” and died having only this faith, will go to Paradise, too. If he did
not have any thought or faith similar to this, he will go neither to Paradise nor to Hell since he had not denied the Prophet (’alaihissalawâtu wattaslîmât). He will become non-existent after being judged on the Rising Day. Burning in Hell eternally is the consequence of denying the Prophet (’alaihissalawâtu wattaslîmât) although one has heard about him. However, there are some great Islamic scholars (rahimahumullâhu ta’âlâ) who argue that “Anyone who does not think and believe in the existence of Allâhu ta’âlâ, will go to Hell,” but their words mean the one who does not think after hearing about the Prophet (sall-Allâhu ta’âlâ ’alaihi wa sallam). Anyone who is clever enough will not deny the Prophet (’alaihissalawâtu wattaslîmât). He will immediately believe without hesitation. If he is deceived by others, follows his sensual passions, not his intellect, he will deny.
Abű Tâlib, a paternal uncle of Muhammad ‘alaihis-salâm’, said on every occasion that his affection for that nephew of his was stronger than that he felt for his own children, so much so that he delivered eulogies for him. It is a historical fact, however, that his excessive attachment to the deep-rooted social traditions deprived him of attaining the Islamic faith despite all the earnest entreaties of Muhammad ‘alaihis-salâm’, who would not leave him alone in his death-bed. Inordinate attachment to conventions and styles is a fatal trap to which the human nafs[1] is most vulnerable. Many people have fallen into this trap because of their own nafs, which in turn deprived them of great happinesses and earnings. Allâhu ta’âlâ declares in a hadîth-i-qudsî, “Know your nafs as your enemy, for it is My enemy!” This inveterate wont is not something easy to get over, especially for a person who was born to Christian parents and raised under Christian education, [i.e. brainwashed and imbued with intense dislike for Islam]. His friends may look at him with contempt or his family may ostracize him if he changes his religion. Maybe he will lose his job or post if he becomes a Muslim. Of course, each example above is a reason, but the most important reason is: Today’s Muslims are not aware of their own pure and logical religion. Moreover, misinformation about Islam; corrupt interpretations; myths and fables by religious fanatics;
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[1] A wicked being which Allâhu ta’âlâ created in the human nature. It always tries to induce man to disobey Allâhu ta’âlâ’s commandments. It is the only creature all whose wishes are against itself. Islamic scholars say that it is the most stupid creature. Please see Endless Bliss, I-36.
ignoramuses; the deviated ones who fell into one of the seventy-two heretical groups; as well as slanders, calumnious texts written by scientific disbelievers under the name of science; and also some places which may be called houses of laziness and hypocrisy make a bad impression on non-Muslims and cause them to feel antipathy for this pure, bright, logical, humane and true religion. On the other hand, whenever we talk to an educated Christian on matters written in this book, we see that he feels great admiration for Islam. If we do not take into account the men of the seventy-two heretical groups, who mixed among true Muslims a century ago, plenty of Ahl as-Sunna scholars (rahimahumullâhu ta’âlâ) appeared. Ishaq Effendi from Harput, Turkey, for example, compared Islam with Christianity with full impartiality while showing many scientific proofs. Unfortunately, their works were not translated into foreign languages; consequently, followers of other religions could not read their books.
On the subject of introducing Islam incorrectly, Islamic states that are not Ahl as-Sunna have been very harmful. Deviated men of religion in some Islamic countries, which are numbered as high as thirty, have caused the world to have incorrect information and wrong impressions about Islam. The Qur’ân al-kerîm is being interpreted incorrectly in the Islamic countries that are not Ahl as-Sunna. Moreover, some Prophets, (’alaihimussalawâtu wattaslîmât), Adam (’alaihi ’s-salâm), for example, are being denied. No doubt, in the course of time, government officials in these countries will recognize the truth and abondon those erroneous ways and will find the right path shown by millions of precious books written by Ahl as-sunna scholars (rahima-humullâhu ta’âlâ). But, for the present, because of their false dogmas and the way they are governed, which is rather primitive, they do Islam great harm.
Our holy Prophet Muhammad (sall-Allâhu ta’âlâ ’alaihi wa-sallam) reported that anyone who has no faith will be burned eternally in a Hell Fire. This message is surely true. It is necessary to believe in this message as we believe that Allâhu ta’âlâ exists and is One. What does burning eternally in Hell mean? Anyone who considers the calamity of being burned in fire eternally may be expected to lose his mind for fear of it. At least, he should try to find ways of avoiding this terrifying disaster. The remedy for it is very simple. “To believe that Allâhu ta’âlâ exists and is One; Muhammad (’alaihi ’s-salâm) is His final
Prophet, and whatever he reported is true” protects man from that eternal catastrophe. If anyone says that he does not believe in such a calamity of being burned in fire eternally, that he is not afraid of something like that, and that he is not trying to find a way of avoiding it, we will ask him: “Have you any proofs or evidences not to believe it? Which fact or scientific proof prevents you from believing this message?” Surely, he cannot provide any proofs. How can a word which is not based on any proofs or evidences be called knowledge or science? A word of that kind is called supposition or probability. Is it not necessary to avoid such a frightful calamity of “being burned eternally” in a fire even if there is only one-in-a-million or one-in-a-billion chance of it happening? Should not even a person with meagre wisdom try to avoid it? Does he not try to find a way of protecting himself from this probability of being burned in a fire eternally? As you see, every intelligent man has to have faith. In order to have faith, you do not have to bear troubles, such as paying taxes or giving property; to bear the burden and the trouble of worshipping, or to refrain from the sweet and enjoyable things. It is enough to believe by heart sincerely. You do not have to declare your faith to disbelievers. Since they are human beings and intelligent creatures, the people who do not believe in an eternal fire are expected, at least, to admit its probability. Against the probability of being burned in fire eternally, is it not foolish and even a great absurdity to abstain from having FAITH, which is the only and definite remedy for this calamity?
Sanâullah Pâni-Putî (rahmatullâhi alaih) stated in his book (Huqűq-ul-Islâm): “The existence of Allâhu ta’âlâ, His attributes and the things accepted and approved by Him could only be understood through the message of the Prophets (alaihi mussalâm). They could not be comprehended through reason. Muhammad alaihissalâm communicated these to us. They were spread everywhere by efforts of the Khulafâ-i Râshidîn. Each of the Ashâb-al-Kirâm had learned some of the knowledge. They gathered this knowledge. In this regard, Ashâb-i Kirâm have considerable rights on us. (We are greatly indebted to the Ashâb-i Kirâm). For this reason, we are ordered to love, appreciate and obey all of them (ridwânullâhi ta’âlâ alâihim ajma’în).” This book, in Persian, was published in Lahore, and also in Istanbul in 1410 [A.D. 1990] by Hakikat Kitâbevi.