The two hundred and fifty-first letter in the first volume
of the book Maktűbât-i-Imâm-i-Rabbânî, which is a compilation of five hundred and thirty-six of the
explanatory and advisory letters written to scholars, governors, commanders and
rulers living in various cities, by Hadrat Imâm
Rabbânî, Mujaddid-i-elf-i-thânî, Ahmad Fârűqî ‘quddisa
sirruh’, the greatest Islamic scholar, was written to Muhammad Ashraf, and
elucidates a variety of matters such as the virtues of the Khulafâ-ir-râshidîn,
(i.e. the earliest four Khalîfas, namely, Abű Bakr, ’Umar, ’Uthmân, and Alî,)
‘radiy-Allâhu ta’âlâ ’anhum ajma’în’; the superiorities of the Shaikhayn, [i.e.
Hadrat Abű Bakr and Hadrat ’Umar,] ‘radiy-Allâhu ’anhumâ’; the special values
possessed by Hadrat Amîr, [i.e. Hadrat Alî,] ‘radiy-Allâhu ’anh’; the honours
and distinctions conferred on the Ashâb-i-kirâm ‘alaihim-ur-ridwân’; and the
inner nature of the wars among them.
The initial part of the letter contains profound and
subtle information concerning Prophets ‘alaihim-us-salawât’ and Awliyâ’
‘quddisa sirruhum’. We therefore translate the latter part:
Learning the fact that Hadrat Amîr’s ‘radiy-Allâhu ’anh’
name is written above the gate into Paradise, I began to wonder what could be
the eminence and special honours allotted for Hadrat Shaikhayn, [i.e. Abű Bakr
and ’Umar,] ‘radiy-Allâhu ’anhumâ’ before the gate of Paradise. I endeavoured
hard to learn the matter. Eventually I attained the information that this
Ummat’s, [i.e. Muslims’,] entering Paradise will be realized through the
authority and permission of these two great persons. As it were, Abű Bakr
‘radiy-Allâhu ’anh’ will stand by the gate of Paradise,
giving
permission for entrance, while ’Umar ‘radiy-Allâhu ’anh’ will usher the
fortunate in by holding them by the hand. I sense as if the entire Paradise is
suffused with the nűr (lights, haloes) of Abű Bakr ‘radiy-Allâhu ’anh’.
According to this faqîr[1], Hadrat Shaikhayn have additional honours and
superiorities among all the Ashâb-i-kirâm ‘alaihim-ur-ridwân’. No one else has
a share from them. Siddîq, (i.e. Abű Bakr,) ‘radiy-Allâhu ’anh’ and our master,
the Prophet ‘sall-Allâhu ’alaihi was sallam’, own so to speak, the same one
house. The difference between them is like that which is between the two
storeys of a house. Fârűq, (i.e. ’Umar,) ‘radiy-Allâhu ’anh’ also is in the same
honourable house as an assistant to Abű Bakr ‘radiy-Allâhu ’anh’. The other
blessed Sahâbîs are, as it were, neighbors and fellow-citizens of the
Sarwar-i-’âlam ‘sall-Allâhu ’alaihi wa sallam’, their closeness to the blessed Prophet being in proportion
to their success in observing his Sunnat-i-saniyya, [i.e. the Islamic
religion]. When this is the case with them, one should imagine the positions of
the Awliyâ among the later-comers! Accordingly, what could ever have fallen to
their share in the business of realizing the greatness of the Shaikhayn? So
great and so numerous are the merits and virtues they possess that they share
the same position with Prophets ‘alaihim-us-salâm’. With the exception of the rank
of prophethood, they enjoy having all their superiorities. As a matter of fact,
our Prophet
‘sall-Allâhu ’alaihi wa sallam’ stated, “Were
there Prophets to succeed me, ’Umar would be a Prophet.”
Imâm-i-Ghazâlî ‘rahmatullâhi ’aleyh’ relates: When the Khalîfa
’Umar ‘radiy-Allâhu ’anh’ was martyred, Abdullah ibn ’Umar said to the
Ashâb-i-kirâm: “Nine-tenths of knowledge has joined ’Umar ‘radiy-Allâhu ’anh’
to death!” When some of the audience showed hesitancy because they did not
understand his statement, he explained, “By ‘knowledge’ I mean ‘to know Allâhu
ta’âlâ’, and not the knowledge concerning wudű’ (ablution) and ghusl (ritual
washing)[2].” How could
anyone ever comprehend the greatness of Abű Bakr ‘radiy-Allâhu ’anh’
notwithstanding this fact about ’Umar, whose total number of goodnesses, as is
stated in a hadîth-i-sherîf, could add up to
---------------------------------
[1] Hadrat Imâm Rabbânî ‘quddisa sirruh’ means himself.
[2] There is detailed information about ablution and ghusl in the second and fourth, respectively, chapters of the fourth fascicle of Endless Bliss.
only one of the so many goodnesses possessed by the former? The
difference between ’Umar and the Siddîq (Abű Bakr) ‘radiy-Allâhu ’anhumâ’ is
greater than the diffence between the Siddîq and Rasűlullah ‘sall-Allâhu ’alaihi wa sallam’. This fact sets a benchmark
whereby to imagine how far lower others must be than the Siddîq ‘radiy-Allâhu
’anh’. Nor after death were the Shaikhayn ‘radiy-Allâhu ’anhumâ’ away from our Prophet ‘sall-Allâhu ’alaihi wa sallam’. And
our Prophet informs that he will rise
with them and come to the place of assembly (in the Hereafter) with them. Then,
superiority means closeness to him, wherein these two great persons are by far
ahead of others. Only a lowly faqîr as I am, how could I ever understand
anything of their greatness, and what could I ever tell about their
superiorities? Could dust or smoke define the sun? Could a drop of water
describe great seas?
Some Awliyâ ‘qaddas-Allâhu ta’âlâ asrâra-hum-ul-’azîz’, who were sent
back on the duty of advising and guiding others, (although they had attained
the highest spiritual grades possible for mankind,) and some of the Tâbi’în and
the Taba’i-tâbi’în, who had attained the grade of ijtihâd in knowledge,
developed a certain amount of awareness of the perfections peculiar to the
Shaikhayn ‘radiy-Allâhu ’anhumâ’ and managed a humble degree of penetration in
the inner nature of their greatness, -which the former group owed to the nűr
(lights, haloes) of their kashf and the latter to their competence to perceive
the ulterior meanings hidden in the depths of hadîth-i-sherîfs-,
and they stated their unanimous findings concerning their superiorities. Other
kashfs and findings contradictory to their unanimous statements they rejected
and despised, saying that they were wrong. As a matter of fact, it was
well-known among the Ashâb-i-kirâm that these two, (i.e. the Shaikhayn,) were
the most superior. For instance, Abdullah ibn ’Umar ‘radiy-Allâhu ’anh’ is
quoted in the book Bukhârî-i-sherîf as having stated, “During the lifetime of
the Prophet ‘sall-Allâhu ’alaihi wa sallam’ we
did not know a person to be equated with Abű Bakr. Our second favourite after
him was ’Umar, and next below him (in superiority) we knew ’Uthmân
‘radiy-Allâhu ’anhum’. Below them we held no one else superior to others.”
According to another narration on the authority of Abű Dâwűd, Abdullah ibni
’Umar is quoted as having said, “In the time of the Messenger of Allah
‘sall-Allâhu ’alaihi wa sallam’, we would say that Abű
Bakr
was the highest (of the Sahâba), and we held ’Umar next below him, and ’Uthmân
next below the latter, “radiy-allâhu ’anhum’, in superiority.”
The statement, “The rank of a Walî is higher than that of
a Prophet,” is a fruit of surmise and
imagination and belongs to people in spiritual ecstacy. In other words, it is
made by those Awliyâ who have not been sent back (with the mission of guiding
other people), and who therefore are quite unaware of the rank of prophethood.
As I, the faqîr, have stressed in a number of my letters, prophethood is above
wilâyat (the rank of a Walî). In fact, a Prophet’s prophethood is higher than his own wilâyat. This is the truth.
He who contradicts this must be unaware of the high grade of the rank of
prophethood. Among the paths of wilâyat, one path, namely the Silsila-t-uz-zahab, is the path of
the Siddîq-i-akbar (Abű Bakr) ‘radiy-Allâhu ’anh’. Those who follow this path,
therefore, are wakeful. For this reason, it is the most superior path. How
could the Awliyâ of other paths grasp their perfections? And how could they
ever understand the inner nature of their path? I do not mean that all the
followers of this path reap equal fruits. It is a blessing and a great fortune
if one in a million attains the unique perfections indicated. As a matter of
fact, Hadrat Mahdî ‘rahimahullâhu ta’âlâ’, a great scholar whose advent towards
Doomsday was foretold by our Prophet ‘sall-allâhu ’alaihi wa sallam’, will occupy the highest grade of
wilâyat, which, in its turn, means that he will have been educated via this
path, reached perfection in this path, and put the finishing touches on this
path. For, all the other orders and paths of wilâyat are inferior to this path,
and the grades of wilâyat they reach, therefore, incorporate few features
reflecting the perfections peculiar to the rank of prophethood. Wilâyat
attained by following this path, by contrast, accomodates a great deal of those
perfections, since it is a path under the guidance of the Siddîq-i-akbar (Abű
Bakr ‘radiy-Allâhu ta’âlâ ’anh’).
Because Hadrat Amîr (Alî) ‘radiy-Allâhu ’anh’ undertook and carried on
the wilâyat belonging to our Prophet
‘sall-Allâhu ’alaihi wa sallam’, the education of the Awliyâ called ‘qutb’,
‘abdâl’, ‘awtâd’, etc., who have not returned from the grades they attained,
-and therefore do not mix with people-, and who profusely enjoy the perfections
inherent in wilâyat, is contingent on his help and guidance. The Awliyâ called
‘qutb-ul-aqtâb’, or
‘qutb-i-medâr’,
are under his command and guidance. In other words, they do their duties under
his help and instructions. Fâtima-t-uz-zahrâ, (his blessed wife and the Prophet’s blessed daughter,) Hasan and Husayn, (his
blessed sons), ‘radiy-Allâhu ’anhum’, share this rank with Hadrat Amîr.
All the Ashâb ‘radiy-Allâhu ’anhum’ of our Prophet ‘sall-Allâhu ta’âlâ ’alaihi wa
sallam’ are great. We have to deem them as great and say that they are great,
each and every one. Enes bin Mâlik ‘radiy-Allâhu ’anh’ relates: Our Prophet ‘sall-Allâhu ’alaihi wa sallam’
stated: “Allâhu ta’âlâ chose me from among the
entire humanity. And He chose the best people and made them Ashâb (Companions) to me. And from among them He
chose the highest ones and made them my relatives and assistants. If a person
respects them because he loves me, Allâhu ta’âlâ will protect him against all sorts of danger. Those who hurt me by
insulting them, however, will get their come-uppance from Him.” Abdullah ibn Abbâs ‘radiy-Allâhu ta’âlâ ’anhumâ’ relates: Rasűlullah ‘sall-Allâhu ’alaihi wa sallam’
stated: “May those who slander and curse my
Ashâb be accursed in the view of Allâhu ta’âlâ, in the view of all the angels and human beings!” Another hadîth-i-sherîf reported on the authority of Âisha-i-siddîqa ‘radiy-Allâhu ’anhâ’
states: “The worst people among my Umma are
those who dare to speak ill of my Ashâb.”
It must be known that the wars among the Ashâb-i-kirâm
‘alaihim-ur-ridwân’ were based on benevolent motives and thoughts and not on
worldly interests and advantages. For, the differences among them were
differences of ijtihâd and interpretation. They were not differences
originating from sensuous desires and ambitions. The scholars of (the right way
termed) Ahl as-sunnat agree on this. Only, those who fought against Hadrat Amîr
‘radiy-Allâhu ’anh’ were wrong (in their ijtihâd). Hadrat Amîr (Alî)
‘radiy-Allâhu ’anh’ was right. However, since their mistake was a matter of
ijtihâd, they cannot be blamed or criticized. As the book Sharh-i-mawâqif
reports fromÂmidî, the events (wars) of Jamal (Camel) and Siffîn arose from
(differences of) ijtihâd. According to a quotation from Abű Shakűr Muhammad
Sulamî in the book Tamhid, the scholars
of Ahl as-sunnat wa-l-jamâ’at agree on that Hadrat Mu’âwiya and his allies ‘radiy-Allâhu
’anhum’ were wrong. Yet their mistake was a result of ijtihâd. Ibn Hajar Makkî
states as follows in his
book Sawâiq-i-Muhriqa: The war between Hadrat Mu’âwiya
and Hadrat Amîr ‘radiy-Allâhu ’anhumâ’ was based on ijtihâd. Scholars of Ahl as-sunnat
state so. Who are meant by the expression ‘our ashâb’ in the statement, “The
so-called wars (among the Ashâb) were not based on ijtihâd according to the
majority of our ashâb,” in the book Sharh-i-mawâqif?
Scholars of Ahl as-sunnat do not say so. They say to the contrary. All the
books written by the greatest Islamic authorities state that mistaken
conclusions of ijtihâd were involved in the events. Imâm Ghazâlî, Qâdî Abű Bakr
and other Islamic scholars share the same knowledge concerning this fact.
Therefore, it is not permissible to tax those who fought against Hadrat Amîr
(Alî) ‘radiy-Allâhu ’anh’ with crimes such as blasphemy or heresy.
Imâm Mâlik ‘radiy-Allâhu ’anh’ is quoted as having made
the following statements: “If a person curses or maligns one of the Ashâb of
our Prophet ‘sall-Allâhu ’alaihi wa
sallam’, e.g. Abű Bakr or ’Umar or ’Uthmân or Mu’âwiya or Amr ibn al-Âs
‘radiy-Allâhu ’anhum’, on the allegation that they ‘deviated from the right
course’ or ‘became disbelievers’, he must be killed. If he imputes other faults
or deficiencies to them, he must be beaten severely.”[1] Contrary to the allegations of some
fanatical Shiites who call themselves ‘Alevî’, those who fought against Hadrat
Alî ‘radiy-Allâhu ’anh’ are not disbelievers. Nor are they by anymeans sinful.
In fact, Âisha Siddîqa ‘radiy-Allâhu ’anhâ’, Talha and Zubayr, and many other
Sahâbîs were among them ‘ridwânullâhi ’alaihim ajma’în’. Talha and Zubayr
‘radiy-Allâhu ’anhumâ’ and thirteen thousand other people were killed in the war
called Jamal (Camel). Hadrat Mu’âwiya ‘radiy-Allâhu ’anh’ did not take part in
those events. A Muslim simply could not utter words of accusation, such as
‘heretics’ and ‘wrongdoers’, about them. One must have a foul heart and a dirty
soul to say so.
Some scholars of fiqh used the (Arabic) word ‘jawr’, which
means ‘cruelty’, about Hadrat Mu’âwiya’s ‘radiy-Allâhu ’anh’ behaviour; yet,
what they really meant was that it had been ‘unjust of him to declare himself
Khalîfa during the caliphate of Hadrat Amîr.’ ‘Cruelty’ in that sense should
not be construed as ‘heresy’ or ‘wrongdoing’. Therefore, their staments
(concerning this matter) are in agreement with those of the greater
---------------------------------
[1] Shifâ-i-sherîf, by Qâdî Iyâd ‘rahimahullâhu ta’âlâ’.
authorities of Ahl as-sunnat. However, true religious scholars
should not make statements of this sort, which are always susceptible to
misunderstandings. How can one ever utter the word ‘cruel’ about Hadrat
Mu’âwiya ‘radiy-Allâhu ’anh’? Ibn Hajar Makkî states in his Sawâiq-ul-muhriqa
that he was a Khalîfa just and blameless in observing the commandments of Allâhu ta’âlâ and protecting the rights of
Muslims. It would have been something justifiable if they had uttered terms on
that level about Yazîd. But it is extremely nasty and very ignoble to utter
them about Mu’âwiya ‘radiy-Allâhu ’anh’. All the scholars of hadîth state that
our Prophet ‘sall-Allâhu ’alaihi wa
sallam’ invoked blessings on Mu’âwiya ‘radiy-Allâhu ’anh’. For instance, he
(the Prophet) pronounced the following
invocation: “Yâ Rabbî, teach him the book, -i.e.
writing and knowledge-, and judgment, and protect him against torment!” On another occasion, he invoked: “Yâ Rabbî! Guide him to the right way, and make him a guide to the
right way!” It is doubtless that an invocation
offered by the Messenger of Allah ‘sall-Allâhu ’alaihi wa sallam’ must have
been accepted (by Allâhu ta’âlâ’). Some [ignorant and aberrant] people who are
supposed to be men of religion assert that he (the Prophet) pronounced a malediction on him
(Hadrat Mu’âwiya). Doesn’t their assertion prove that they are quite unaware of
religious books? Their assertion that “Hadrat Imâm Sha’bî criticized Hadrat
Mu’âwiya ‘radiy-Allâhu ’anh’ ” is not true, either. If it were true,
Imâm-i-a’zam Abű Hanîfa, who was one of Imâm Sha’bî’s disciples, should have
quoted his master’s criticisms. Imâm Mâlik ‘radiy-Allâhu ’anh’ was one of the
Taba-i-tâbi’în, according to a report, and lived during the time of Hadrat
Mu’âwiya ‘radiy-Allâhu ’anh’. It is an absolute fact that he was the highest of
the scholars of the blessed city of Medina. What on earth could have made that
great scholar state that those who swore at Mu’âwiya and Amr ibn Âs
‘radiy-Allâhu ’anhumâ’ should be killed? Since he ordered to kill those who
swore at him (Hadrat Mu’âwiya), swearing at him must have been, in his
knowledge, one of the grave sins, as grave as swearing at Hadrat Abű Bakr or
Hadrat ’Umar or Hadrat ’Uthmân ‘radiy-Allâhu ’anhum’.
Then, it is never permissible to swear at Hadrat Mu’âwiya
‘radiy-Allâhu ’anh’. We should think well; Hadrat Mu’âwiya ‘radiy-Allâhu ’anh’
was not alone in those events. Almost half of the Ashâb-i-kirâm were with him.
To call those who fought
against
Hadrat Amîr ‘radiy-Allâhu ’anh’ ‘disbelievers’ or ‘heretics’ means to destroy
half of the Islamic religion. For, it is them who spread the Islamic religion
over the world and who taught it to us. A person will not criticize them unless
he is a heretic whose purpose is to demolish Islam. Those wars and commotions
started over the martyrdom of Hadrat ’Uthmân ‘radiy-Allâhu ’anh’. They were
initially based on demands for retaliation against the murderers. Talha and
Zubayr ‘radiy-Allâhu ’anhumâ’ went out of the blessed city of Medina because
the retaliation was suspended. Âisha ‘radiy-Allâhu ’anhâ’ was of the same
opinion. What they wanted was that the retaliation must be carried out as soon
as possible. It never occurred to them that they should fight. The war of Jamal
began with an onslaught by the men of a Jewish convert named Abdullah bin
Saba’, the behind-the-scenes conspirators of the martyrdom of Hadrat ’Uthmân
‘radiy-Allâhu ’anh’. Thirteen thousand people and Talha and Zubayr
‘radiy-Allâhu ’anhumâ’ were killed in those wars. Later, Mu’âwiya ‘radiy-Allâhu
’anh’, who was in Damascus, joined in the matter and sided with them. Thereupon
the war of Siffîn was made. According to Imâm Ghazâlî, those wars were not made
for the purpose of assuming caliphate. They were consequent upon the demands
that the murderers must be retaliated against and that the retaliation must
take precedence over other matters at the outset of Hadrat Amîr’s ‘radiy-Allâhu
’anh’ career as Khalîfa. As Hadrat Allâma ibn Hajar-i-Makkî confirms, this fact
is unanimously stated by the scholars of Ahl as-sunnat. According to Abű Shekűr
Muhammad Sulamî, one of the greatest scholars in the Madhhab of Hanafî, the war
that Hadrat Mu’âwiya fought against Hadrat Amîr ‘radiy-Allâhu ’anhumâ’ was
based on caliphate. For the Prophet
‘alaihis-salâtu wassalâm’ had said to him, “When
you preside over people, behave mildly towards them!” He had been
yearning for caliphate since the day he had heard this. However, he was wrong
in his ijtihâd. Hadrat Amîr’s ‘radiy-Allâhu ’anh’ ijtihâd, on the other hand,
was right. For, his (Hadrat Mu’âwiya’s) time of caliphate was to begin after
the caliphate of Hadrat Amîr ‘radiy-Allâhu ’anhumâ’. That means to say that the
initial cause of the so-called turmoil was the delay in the retaliation. And
when the retaliation was put off, the idea of becoming Khalîfa came into being.
In any case, it was a matter of ijtihâd. The wrong party deserved one blessing,
and
the party with the correct ijtihâd earned two blessings. The best policy that
devolves on us in this matter is not to concern ourselves with the fights among
the Ashâb ‘radiy-Allâhu ’anhum’ of our master, the Prophet
‘sall-Allâhu ’alaihi wa sallam’. We should not discuss them. Our Prophet ‘sall-Allâhu ’alaihi wa sallam’ stated, “Do not concern yourselves with the matters among my Ashâb ‘ridwânullâhi
’alaihim ajma’în!” At some other time, he stated: “Hold
your tongue when they are talked about!” He stated in another hadîth-i-sherîf: “Fear Allâhu ta’âlâ in the matter
of my Ashâb! Do not criticize my Ashâb!”
Yes, Yazîd, the ignominious, was an obdurate sinner. He
has not been cursed because the (scholars of) Ahl as-sunnat have not approved
of cursing a person, even if he is a disbeliever. They, (scholars of Ahl
as-sunnat), say that a person can be cursed only if he (or she) is known to
have died as a disbeliever. Abű Lahab and the like are among such people. This
does not mean, however, that Yazîd must not be cursed. May those who offend Allâhu ta’âlâ and His Messenger
‘sall-Allâhu ’alaihi wa sallam’ be accursed in the view of Allah in both this
world and the next!
Recently, a number of people have made it an avocation for
themselves to discuss the matters of caliphate. Whatsoever the topic of
conversation in their presence, they somehow convert it into one about the wars
among the Sahâba. Because their religious culture consists only in what they
have read in the name of history written by ignorant people and what they have
heard from people of bid’at, whose lies they take for granted, they malign most
of the Ashâb-i-kirâm ‘alaihim-ur-ridwân’. I have therefore considered it
necessary to write the facts I know and send them to my friends. Our Prophet ‘sall-Allâhu ’alaihi wa sallam’
stated: “At times of chaos, when lies are
written (in the name of truth), acts of worship are contaminated with customs, and my Ashâb ‘alaihim-ur-ridwân’ are censured,
those who know the truth should explain it to others! May those who do not tell
the truth, although they know it and are able to tell it, be accursed in the
view of Allâhu ta’âlâ, in the view of angels and in the view of entire humanity! Allâhu ta’âlâ will not accept
any of their acts of worship, whether they are fard or else.”
Any degree of thanks and praise would fall short of paying
the
debt of gratitude we owe to Allâhu ta’âlâ, for
the present time’s pâdishâh (ruler, emperor) [of India] is a Sunnî Muslim in
the Madhhab of Hanafî. If this were not the case, things would be very
difficult for Muslims. Every Muslim has to pay thanks for this great blessing.
Every Muslim has to learn the Sunnî credo, correct their belief accordingly, and watch their steps lest they should slip and deviate from the right path by believing people of obscure origin and false books. To attempt to learn one’s religion and belief from books and magazines written cheatfully with fondling and coaxing words by enemies of religion, instead of reading books written by scholars of Ahl as-sunnat ‘rahima humullâhu ta’âlâ’, means to throw oneself into Hell. Reading books containing the words of scholars of Ahl as-sunnat, and adapting ourselves to them is the only way to salvation. This is the end of the translation of the hundred and twenty-first letter.