The first pillar of Islam is the declaration and acknowledgment of the Kalima Shahadat لا إله إلا الله محمد رسول الله.
The testimony of the Kalima Tawheed لا إله إلا الله means that there is no true deity except Allah alone.
Thus, the first part of this Kalima لا إله negates and rejects all those false deities who are worshipped besides Allah, and the second part الا الله affirms the worship of Allah Almighty alone, who has no partner. Regarding this, Allah the Exalted says:
﴿شَهِدَ اللَّهُ أَنَّهُ لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ وَالْمَلَائِكَةُ وَأُولُو الْعِلْمِ قَائِمًا بِالْقِسْطِ ۚ لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ الْعَزِيزُ الْحَكِيمُ﴾
“Allah bears witness that there is no deity except Him, and the angels and those endowed with knowledge also bear witness; He maintains justice. There is no deity except Him, the Exalted in Might, the Wise.”
Requirements of the Kalima Tawheed:
The trust of Tawheed is in our hearts
It is not easy to erase our name and identity
Before actions, it is necessary to acquire knowledge of the belief in Tawheed, otherwise all actions become futile without the belief in Tawheed, just as the body perishes without the soul.
The testimony of the Kalima Tawheed لا إله إلا الله requires acknowledgment of the following three points:
(1) Tawheed al-Uluhiyyah (Oneness of Worship). (2) Tawheed al-Rububiyyah (Oneness of Lordship). (3) Tawheed al-Asma wa Sifat (Oneness of Names and Attributes).
First: Tawheed al-Uluhiyyah:
That is, in all acts of worship, Allah alone should be acknowledged, and no form of worship should be directed towards anyone other than Allah.
Remember, this is the very monotheism for which Allah created the creation, as Allah Almighty says:
﴿وَمَا خَلَقْتُ الْجِنَّ وَالْإِنسَ إِلَّا لِيَعْبُدُونِ﴾
“And I did not create the jinn and mankind except to worship Me.”
And to spread the call of this monotheism of divinity, Allah sent prophets and messengers, and revealed scriptures and books. Accordingly, Allah Almighty says:
﴿وَلَقَدْ بَعَثْنَا فِي كُلِّ أُمَّةٍ رَّسُولًا أَنِ اعْبُدُوا اللَّهَ وَاجْتَنِبُوا الطَّاغُوتَ﴾
“And We sent to every nation a messenger, [saying], ‘Worship Allah and avoid Taghut (false gods).'”
“Shirk” is the opposite of “Tawheed.” When “Tawheed” means to acknowledge Allah alone and uniquely in His worship, then the definition of “Shirk” is to associate any other (besides Allah) in any form of worship alongside Allah.
Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) says:
المشرك الذى عبد مع الله إلها آخر
“A polytheist is one who worships besides Allah in any way.”
Therefore, whoever, out of their own desire and will, performs any form of worship for anyone other than Allah, whether it is prayer, fasting, supplication, vow, sacrifice, or seeking intercession from any grave owner, then they have committed shirk with Allah.
And shirk is the greatest sin.
﴿إِنَّ الشِّرْكَ لَظُلْمٌ عَظِيمٌ﴾
“Indeed, shirk is a great injustice.”
Because of which all righteous deeds become void. After mentioning eighteen (18) noble prophets, Allah Almighty says:
﴿وَلَوْ أَشْرَكُوا لَحَبِطَ عَنْهُم مَّا كَانُوا يَعْمَلُونَ﴾
“And if they had associated others with Allah, then worthless would have been their deeds.”
Hafiz Ibn Kathir (may Allah have mercy on him) states that this noble verse describes the awe and danger of shirk. As Allah Almighty says:
﴿وَلَقَدْ أُوحِيَ إِلَيْكَ وَإِلَى الَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِكَ لَئِنْ أَشْرَكْتَ لَيَحْبَطَنَّ عَمَلُكَ وَلَتَكُونَنَّ مِنَ الْخَاسِرِينَ﴾
“It has been revealed to you and to those before you that if you associate others with Allah, your deeds will surely become worthless.”
Dear readers! If even Allah’s chosen and great prophets, despite their status, would have their deeds nullified if they committed shirk, then what will be the condition of others who commit shirk?
And the life and wealth of one who commits shirk also become unsafe. The beloved Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, said:
أمرت أن أقاتل الناس حتى يقولوا: لا إله إلا الله، فمن قال: لا إله إلا الله عصم منى ماله ونفسه
“I have been commanded to fight the people until they testify that لا إله إلا الله. So whoever says لا إله إلا الله has saved his life and property.”
Second: Oneness of Lordship:
That is, to acknowledge that Allah Almighty is the Creator, Provider, the One who gives life and causes death, and He alone is the Manager of the entire universe, whose dominion is in the heavens and the earth. Such acknowledgment and affirmation of Tawheed is the requirement of the nature upon which Allah Almighty has created all creatures, even the polytheists among whom the Hashimi Messenger ﷺ was sent, they also acknowledged this and were not deniers of it. As Allah Almighty has said:
﴿قُلْ مَن يَرْزُقُكُم مِّنَ السَّمَاءِ وَالْأَرْضِ أَمَّن يَمْلِكُ السَّمْعَ وَالْأَبْصَارَ وَمَن يُخْرِجُ الْحَيَّ مِنَ الْمَيِّتِ وَيُخْرِجُ الْمَيِّتَ مِنَ الْحَيِّ وَمَن يُدَبِّرُ الْأَمْرَ ۚ فَسَيَقُولُونَ اللَّهُ ۚ فَقُلْ أَفَلَا تَتَّقُونَ﴾
“Say, ‘Who provides for you from the heaven and the earth? Or who owns hearing and sight? And who brings the living out of the dead and brings the dead out of the living? And who arranges [every] matter?’ They will say, ‘Allah.’ Say, ‘Then will you not fear Him?’”
Very few people have denied this kind of Tawheed, and that too openly out of arrogance and obstinacy; otherwise, they too acknowledged it in their hearts. Allah Almighty has said about them:
﴿وَجَحَدُوا بِهَا وَاسْتَيْقَنَتْهَا أَنفُسُهُمْ ظُلْمًا وَعُلُوًّا ۚ فَانظُرْ كَيْفَ كَانَ عَاقِبَةُ الْمُفْسِدِينَ﴾
“And they denied Our signs out of injustice and arrogance, while their inner selves were convinced of them. So see how was the end of the corrupters.”
Third: The Oneness of Names and Attributes:
The time has come; the era is in delicate negligence.
No one recites the anthem of Tawheed.
That is, Allah Almighty, or the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, has described the attributes of Allah Almighty, and one should believe in them and accept them without ambiguity and anthropomorphism, and without distortion or negation, as the command of the Almighty Allah is:
﴿وَلِلَّهِ الْأَسْمَاءُ الْحُسْنَىٰ فَادْعُوهُ بِهَا﴾
“And to Allah belong the best names, so call upon Him by them.”
At another place, it is stated:
﴿قُلِ ادْعُوا اللَّهَ أَوِ ادْعُوا الرَّحْمَٰنَ ۖ أَيًّا مَّا تَدْعُوا فَلَهُ الْأَسْمَاءُ الْحُسْنَىٰ﴾
“Say: Call upon Allah or call upon the Most Merciful. Whichever name you call – to Him belong the best names.”
Also, it is stated:
﴿لَيْسَ كَمِثْلِهِ شَيْءٌ ۖ وَهُوَ السَّمِيعُ الْبَصِيرُ﴾
“There is nothing like unto Him, and He is the Hearing, the Seeing.”
The testimony of the Kalima of Tawheed لا اله الا الله is the affirmation and declaration of the above three types of Tawheed. Thus, whoever understands its meanings and concepts and accepts it, fulfilling its requirements, that is, avoids shirk and believes in the oneness of Allah, is a true and genuine Muslim. Conversely, whoever verbally accepts it without confirming it in the heart and outwardly fulfills its requirements is a hypocrite. And whoever verbally accepts it but acts contrary to its requirements commits disbelief, even if he repeatedly recites this Kalima.
Testimony of Prophethood:
The meaning of محمد رسول الله is to acknowledge the prophethood and messengership of Muhammad, peace be upon him, and to affirm all that he, peace be upon him, has brought from Allah Almighty. This means to obey his commands, avoid prohibitions and forbidden acts, and perform all acts of worship according to the Shariah he brought. Allah Almighty says:
﴿لَقَدْ جَاءَكُمْ رَسُولٌ مِّنْ أَنفُسِكُمْ عَزِيزٌ عَلَيْهِ مَا عَنِتُّمْ حَرِيصٌ عَلَيْكُم بِالْمُؤْمِنِينَ رَءُوفٌ رَّحِيمٌ﴾
“O Muslims! There has come to you a Messenger from among yourselves; it is hard upon him what you suffer, and he is deeply concerned for your guidance, and is very compassionate and merciful towards the believers.”
At another place, He says:
﴿مَّن يُطِعِ الرَّسُولَ فَقَدْ أَطَاعَ اللَّهَ﴾
“Whoever obeys the Messenger has indeed obeyed Allah.”
At another place, He says:
﴿وَأَطِيعُوا اللَّهَ وَالرَّسُولَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُرْحَمُونَ﴾
“And obey Allah and the Messenger so that mercy may be shown to you.”
Requirements of Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him:
The second part of the Kalima Tawheed محمد رسول الله has certain requirements, without fulfilling which a person cannot become a true believer and Muslim.
First Requirement:
The second part of the Kalima Tawheed محمد رسول الله requires that a servant believes in the prophethood of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). Allah Almighty says:
﴿إِنَّمَا الْمُؤْمِنُونَ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا بِاللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ﴾
“Remember! The believers are those who believe in Allah and His Messenger.”
And the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said:
والذي نفس محمد بيده لا يسمع بي أحد من هذه الأمة يهودي ولا نصراني ثم يموت ولم يؤمن بالذي أرسلت به إلا كان من أصحاب النار
“By the One in Whose hand is the soul of Muhammad! There will be no Jew or Christian (or any other religion) in this era (i.e., from my time until the Day of Judgment) who fully believes in me and in what I have been sent with, except that he will enter Hell.”
It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abu Huraira (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Noble Prophet (peace be upon him) said:
“By Allah, in Whose hand is my soul, the time is near when the son of Mary (Sayyiduna Isa, peace be upon him) will descend among you as a just ruler. He will break the cross, kill the pig, abolish the jizya, and wealth will be so abundant that no one will accept it. One prostration will be better than the world and all that is in it.” Then Abu Huraira (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “And if you wish, read this verse (from Surah An-Nisa) which supports this hadith, that none of the People of the Book will believe in him before his death, and on the Day of Judgment Isa will testify against them.”
Furthermore, the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said:
“What will be your condition when the son of Mary (Sayyiduna Isa, peace be upon him) descends among you and your Imam is from among you.”
When a servant believes in him (peace be upon him), he must also hold the belief that he (peace be upon him) is the last Prophet and Messenger of Allah, and that after him there will be no Prophet or Messenger. Allah Almighty says:
﴿مَّا كَانَ مُحَمَّدٌ أَبَا أَحَدٍ مِّن رِّجَالِكُمْ وَلَٰكِن رَّسُولَ اللَّهِ وَخَاتَمَ النَّبِيِّينَ﴾
“Muhammad is not the father of any of your men, but he is the Messenger of Allah and the Seal of the Prophets.”
The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said:
أنا خاتم النبيين لا نبي بعدي
“I am the Seal of the Prophets; there is no prophet after me.”
Abdullah bin Abi Awfa was asked if he had seen Ibrahim bin Rasul (peace be upon him). He replied that he died in childhood, but if Allah had intended to make him a prophet after the Noble Prophet (peace be upon him), he would have lived. But after you, there is no prophet.
Imam Ahmad narrates that Sayyiduna Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) said:
رحمة الله على إبراهيم لوعاش لكان صديقا نبيا
“May Allah have mercy on Ibrahim; if he had lived, he would have been a true prophet.”
Hafiz Ibn Hajar in Fath al-Bari has narrated from Ibn Manda that:
ولكن لم يكن لأن نبيكم آخر الأنبياء
“Allah did not keep him alive because your Prophet (peace be upon him) is the last Prophet.”
Benefit: The statement of the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) is in accordance with the command of the Noble Prophet (peace be upon him) because the Companions cannot speak of unseen matters from their personal opinion. They must have heard it from the Noble Prophet (peace be upon him), even though they did not mention their hearing from him.
In the light of these noble verses and authentic hadiths, it is clear that the claim of the Qadianis that Mirza Ghulam Ahmad Qadiani was a prophet is a denial of the Quran and Sunnah and is a kufr (disbelief) belief. Those who hold this belief are not Muslims, and indeed their false prophet Mirza Ghulam Ahmad Qadiani was not a Muslim either.
Blasphemous and Un-Islamic Beliefs and Ideologies of the False Mirza Ghulam Ahmad Qadiani, Who Attacked the Finality of Prophethood:
1: Mirza Ghulam Ahmad insulted the Holy Quran by writing:
“The Holy Quran is the book of God and the words of my (i.e., Mirza’s) mouth.”
2: About the Hadiths of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, he writes:
“Any Hadith that contradicts my words, we throw that Hadith into the basket of rubbish.”
He further said:
“We present those Hadiths in support which are not against the Holy Quran and my words.”
3: About Sayyiduna Hussain رضي الله عنه, he writes:
“People say about me that I have claimed to be superior to Hasan and Hussain, to which I reply yes, I am superior to them; soon Allah will manifest this superiority of mine.”
4: About Sayyiduna Abu Huraira رضي الله عنه, he writes:
“Abu Huraira was foolish and his narrations were not correct.”
5: He further said:
“Some companions were fools.”
6: “What were Abu Bakr and Umar? They were not even worthy of untying the shoelaces of Mirza Ghulam Ahmad Qadiani.”
7: Insulting the Prophets and Messengers, he said:
“My father said he is superior to Adam, Noah, and Jesus because Satan expelled Adam from Paradise while I will bring mankind to Paradise; the Jews crucified Jesus while I will break the cross; Noah’s son was misguided while my son is on the path of guidance.”
8: He further says:
“The perfections found in all Prophets were gathered in the person of Prophet Muhammad and then increased and transferred to me; that is why my name was given as Adam, Abraham, Moses, Noah, David, Joseph, Solomon, John, and Jesus.”
9: He has also insulted the Creator of the universe, saying:
“In my revelation, I saw that I myself am God and then I believed that I am He.”
Consider that such a person who denies the Book and Sunnah, insults the noble Prophets and companions, and abuses the Creator of the universe, cannot be a Prophet, nor even an ordinary Muslim; rather, such a person is a disbeliever. Read more of his blasphemous beliefs.
10: The God who holds every particle cannot be escaped by man; He says: I will come secretly like thieves.
11: God Almighty named me Muhammad and Ahmad in Barahin Ahmadiyya 26 years ago and declared me the Promised One of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ.
12: The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ and his companions used to eat cheese made by Christians, although it was known that it contained pig fat.
13: I myself believe that no prophet has ever come in the world who never made a mistake in Ijtihad.
14: Therefore, this Ummah’s Yusuf, i.e., this weak Israel, is greater than Yusuf because this weak one was saved from prison by praying, but Yusuf son of Jacob was put in prison.
15: It is very shameful that you took the mountain teaching, which is called the essence of the Gospel, from the Jewish book Talmud and wrote it, then made it appear as if it is my teaching.
16: The damage that alcohol has caused to the people of Europe is because Jesus used to drink wine.
17: Once a friend advised me that opium is useful for diabetes. So for treatment, it is not wrong to start opium. I replied that you have been very kind and sympathetic, but if I develop the habit of taking opium for diabetes, I fear people will mock and say the first Messiah was a drunkard and the second was an opium user.
18: The enemy has become wild boars of our deserts and their women have become worse than dogs.
19: Every person who believes in Moses but not in Jesus, or believes in Jesus but not in Muhammad, or believes in Muhammad but not in every Promised Messiah, is not only a disbeliever but a confirmed disbeliever and outside the fold of Islam.
20: And whoever does not believe in our victory will be clearly understood to desire to be illegitimate and not legitimate-born.
21: And I have been given the glad tidings that whoever, after recognizing you, adopts enmity and opposition towards you, he is a denizen of Hell.
22: The true God is the God who sent His Messenger to Qadian.
23: It is absolutely true that every person can progress and attain the highest rank, even surpassing Muhammad Rasulullah ﷺ.
24: I have as much faith in my revelation as in the Torah, Gospel, and Holy Quran.
25: Christians have written many of your miracles, but the truth is that no miracle happened from you, and from the day you cursed those who asked for miracles and called them sinners and children of sin, from that day the noble ones distanced themselves from you.
26: God sent the Promised Messiah from this Ummah who is far greater in all respects than the previous Messiah, and He named this second Messiah Ghulam Ahmad.
27: As Abu Huraira رضي الله عنه is foolish and does not have good understanding.
28: Whoever believes in the Holy Quran should throw away Abu Huraira’s sayings like worthless rubbish.
29: Hazrat Fatimah رضي الله عنها, in a state of revelation, placed my head on her thigh and showed me that I am from her.
Second Requirement:
The second requirement of محمد رسول الله is that we consider the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) as our guide, obey and follow him. Allah Almighty says:
﴿وَمَا آتَاكُمُ الرَّسُولُ فَخُذُوهُ وَمَا نَهَاكُمْ عَنْهُ فَانتَهُوا﴾
“And whatever the Messenger gives you, take it, and whatever he forbids you, abstain from it.”
Because he did not speak on his own, but all of it was revelation from Allah. It is stated:
﴿وَالنَّجْمِ إِذَا هَوَىٰ.مَا ضَلَّ صَاحِبُكُمْ وَمَا غَوَىٰ.وَمَا يَنطِقُ عَنِ الْهَوَى.﴾
“By the star when it descends, your companion (i.e., the Messenger, peace be upon him) has neither gone astray nor erred, nor does he speak from his own desire.”
And in Surah An-Nisa it is stated:
﴿وَأَنزَلَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْكَ الْكِتَابَ وَالْحِكْمَةَ﴾
“And Allah has revealed to you the Book and wisdom.”
The author of “Fath al-Bayan” writes: “This verse is evidence that the Sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) was revelation that was placed in his heart.”
Both the Holy Quran and the Sunnah of the Prophet are from Allah. The primary explanation of the Holy Quran is the Sunnah of the Prophet; the meanings and interpretations of the Quran must be understood in the light of the Hadith of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him). Indeed, the Holy Quran cannot be understood without the Sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). Allah Almighty says:
﴿وَأَنزَلْنَا إِلَيْكَ الذِّكْرَ لِتُبَيِّنَ لِلنَّاسِ مَا نُزِّلَ إِلَيْهِمْ وَلَعَلَّهُمْ يَتَفَكَّرُونَ﴾
“This reminder (Quran) We have sent down to you so that you may explain to the people what has been sent down to them, and so that they may reflect.”
And the exalted saying of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) is:
عليكم بسنتي وسنة الخلفاء الراشدين المهديين عضوا عليها بالنواجذ واياكم ومحدثات الأمور فإن كل بدعة ضلالة
Al-Albani has declared it authentic.
“Hold firmly to my Sunnah and the Sunnah of my rightly guided Caliphs, cling to it with your molars, and avoid innovations, for every innovation is misguidance.”
Third Requirement:
The third requirement of Prophethood is that in matters of dispute, the decision of the Messenger ﷺ should be accepted. And whatever decision he makes should be accepted wholeheartedly. Allah Almighty says:
﴿فَلَا وَرَبِّكَ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ حَتَّىٰ يُحَكِّمُوكَ فِيمَا شَجَرَ بَيْنَهُمْ ثُمَّ لَا يَجِدُوا فِي أَنفُسِهِمْ حَرَجًا مِّمَّا قَضَيْتَ وَيُسَلِّمُوا تَسْلِيمًا﴾
“So by your Lord, they will not [truly] believe until they make you, [O Muhammad], judge concerning that over which they dispute among themselves and then find within themselves no discomfort from what you have judged and submit in [full, willing] submission.”
In another place, it is stated:
﴿يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا أَطِيعُوا اللَّهَ وَأَطِيعُوا الرَّسُولَ وَأُولِي الْأَمْرِ مِنكُمْ ۖ فَإِن تَنَازَعْتُمْ فِي شَيْءٍ فَرُدُّوهُ إِلَى اللَّهِ وَالرَّسُولِ إِن كُنتُمْ تُؤْمِنُونَ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ خَيْرٌ وَأَحْسَنُ تَأْوِيلًا﴾
“O you who have believed, obey Allah and obey the Messenger and those in authority among you. And if you disagree over anything, refer it to Allah and the Messenger, if you should believe in Allah and the Last Day. That is the best [way] and best in result.”
Imam Ahmad narrated from Sayyidina Ali ibn Abi Talib (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ sent a military detachment under the leadership of an Ansari. The commander of the detachment became angry with the people over something and set fire, ordering the people to jump into it. A young man of the detachment told the people that they had believed in the Messenger of Allah ﷺ to be saved from fire, so they should not rush until they ask the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. When they returned and asked the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, he said that if you had jumped into it, you would never have gotten out; obedience to the commander or leader is in matters of goodness.
According to Sayyidina Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them), “Ulu al-Amr” refers to the people of jurisprudence and religion, and according to Mujahid, Ata, Hasan al-Basri, and others, it refers to scholars. But apparently, the truth is that all those who have authority in decision-making, including rulers and scholars, are meant.
Mujahid and other early scholars said that “refer to Allah and His Messenger” means the Quran and Sunnah. In this part of the verse, Muslims are commanded that if there is any dispute among them, its decision should be according to the Quran and Sunnah. This is the requirement of faith in Allah and the Last Day. It is clear that whoever does not accept the ruling of the Quran and Sunnah in any disputed matter will not be considered a believer in Allah and the Day of Judgment. After that, Allah said that in referring to the Quran and Sunnah lies all good, and in terms of outcome, this is also the best course of action.
Status of Scholars’ Opinions During Disputes:
The famous trustworthy Imam Aamir bin Sharahil Al-Sha’bi Al-Tabi’i (died 104 AH) says:
ما حدثوك هؤلاء عن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم فخذ به وما قالوه برأيهم فألقه فى الحش
“Hold firmly to whatever hadith of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ is narrated to you, and throw away whatever is said from personal opinion in the restroom.”
The young Tabi’i, the famous trustworthy and reliable Imam Al-Hakam bin Utbah (died 115 AH) says:
ليس أحد من خلق الله الا يؤخذ من قوله ويترك إلا النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم
“Among Allah’s creation, other than the Noble Prophet ﷺ, there is no person whose statement must be accepted without rejection. Only he ﷺ is such a blessed and pure personality whose every statement must be accepted.”
The famous Imam of the people of opinion, Abu Hanifa, may Allah have mercy on him, once said to his special student Qadi Abu Yusuf:
ويحك يا يعقوب ! لا تكتب كل ما تسمع مني فإني قد أرى الر أى اليوم وأتركه غدا وأرى الر أى غدا و أتركه بعد غد
“O Ya’qub! (Abu Yusuf) may your Satan be cursed! Do not write down everything I say, for today I have one opinion and tomorrow it changes, and the day after tomorrow it changes again.”
Shah Sahib writes in Tafheemaat 2/240:
در فرع پيروي علماء محدثين كه جامع باشند ميان فقه و حديث كردن ودائما تفريعات فقهيه رابر كتاب و سنت عرض نمودن و آنچه موافق باشد در حيز قول آوردن والا كالائے بديرش خاوند دادن. امت راهيچ وقت از عرض مجتهدات بر كتاب و سنت استغناء حاصل نيست و سخن متقشفه فقهاء كه تقليد عالمي را دستاويز ساخته تتبع سنت را ترك كرده اند نه شنيدن و بديشان التفات نه كردن و قربت خدا جستن بدوري اينان
“Follow the branches of knowledge from scholars who are both muhaddithin and have insight into fiqh. Always present the subsidiary issues of fiqh on the Book and Sunnah; accept what agrees with them and reject what opposes them. The Ummah has no choice but to present their ijtihadi issues on the Book and Sunnah. Do not listen to the words of austere jurists at all. Those who have abandoned the Book and Sunnah by blindly following scholars, do not even look at them. Stay away from them and seek closeness to Allah.”
Imam Malik, may Allah have mercy on him, used to say:
كل الناس يؤخذ منه ويؤخذ عليه إلا صاحب هذا القبر، وأشار إلى قبر رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم
Translation: “The statement of every person can be accepted or rejected except the one of the sacred grave (ﷺ).” And he used to point towards the Prophet’s grave ﷺ.
Imam Abu Hanifa, may Allah have mercy on him, used to issue fatwas saying: We have understood this issue only to this extent; if another scholar explains the matter more clearly than us, then his statement should be accepted.
Sheikh Ibn Uthaymeen, may Allah have mercy on him, said:
“There is no doubt that Imam Abu Hanifa’s madhhab is among the four famous madhhabs that are followed, but it should be known that the truth is not confined to these four madhhabs; rather, the truth can be in any other madhhab as well. The agreement of these four Imams on any issue cannot be considered the consensus of the entire Ummah. These Imams themselves knew their status and believed that obedience to them is only valid in matters that conform to the Sunnah of the Messenger ﷺ. Therefore, they forbade blind following unless their madhhab was in accordance with the Sunnah.”
“And there is no doubt that the madhhab of Imam Abu Hanifa, Imam Ahmad, Imam Al-Shafi’i, Imam Malik, may Allah have mercy on them, and other scholars can be wrong or right, and each statement can be accepted or rejected except the sayings of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, whose every command is obligatory to follow. Therefore, there is no harm for a teacher to teach his students the fiqh of Imam Abu Hanifa, may Allah have mercy on him, but the condition is that when he finds evidence against it, he should follow that evidence and abandon Abu Hanifa’s opinion and inform his students that evidence is the truth, and they too must act only upon evidence in such situations and abandon Imam Abu Hanifa’s madhhab when there is a conflict.”
The trustworthy muhaddith Imam Abdul Aziz bin Rafi’ (died 130 AH) says:
When Imam Ata bin Abi Rabah, may Allah have mercy on him (died 114 AH, according to the famous narration), was asked about an issue, he said: لا ادري (I do not have knowledge about it). Imam Abdul Aziz bin Rafi’ says that when Imam Ata bin Abi Rabah was asked: ألا تقول فيها برأيك؟ “Why did you not answer with your opinion?” He replied: إني أستحي من الله أن يدان فى الأرض برائي “I am shy before Allah that my opinion should be made into religion on earth.”
Imam Al-Shafi’i, may Allah have mercy on him, used to say that all Muslims agree that if the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ becomes clear and established for a Muslim, it is not permissible for him to abandon that Sunnah and hadith because of anyone’s statement or action. Indeed, many people are on the truth who follow the commands and actions of the Messenger ﷺ and act according to his orders and method. If two different ways of acting are proven from the Prophet ﷺ in an issue, sometimes they follow one way and sometimes the other. In this way, after the Prophet ﷺ, they also respect the actions of the Rightly Guided Caliphs and the Companions, may Allah be pleased with them.
Someone has rightly said:
زلة العالم زلة العالم
“A slip of one scholar causes the slip of the whole world.”
Sheikh Ibn Baz, may Allah have mercy on him, said in one place:
كل قول يخالف الأذلة الشرعية يجب أن تطرح ولا يعول عليه لقول الله عزوجل ﴿فَإِن تَنَازَعْتُمْ فِي شَيْءٍ فَرُدُّوهُ إِلَى اللَّهِ وَالرَّسُولِ إِن كُنتُمْ تُؤْمِنُونَ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ خَيْرٌ وَأَحْسَنُ تَأْوِيلًا﴾ وقوله ﴿وَمَا اخْتَلَفْتُمْ فِيْهِ مِنْ شَيْئٍ فَحُكْمُهُ إِلى اللهِ﴾
“Every statement that contradicts the Shariah evidences must be rejected, because the Divine command is: ‘And if you disagree over anything, refer it to Allah and the Messenger, if you believe in Allah and the Last Day. That is better and more suitable for final determination.’ And He said: ‘And whatever you differ about, its decision is with Allah.'”
Sheikh Ibn Baz, may Allah have mercy on him, wrote an article titled وجوب العمل بسنة الرسول صلى الله عليه وسلم وكفر من أنكرها, in which he wrote at one point:
“And when some people argued with Sayyiduna Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with them, regarding the issue of Hajj Tamattu’, saying that Sayyiduna Abu Bakr and Umar, may Allah be pleased with them, are of the opinion of Hajj Ifrad, Ibn Abbas replied: It is quite possible that stones may start raining down on you from the sky; I say that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said so, and you say that Abu Bakr and Umar said so.”
After that, Sheikh Ibn Baz, may Allah have mercy on him, said:
فإذا كان من خالف السنة لقول أبى بكر وعمر تخشى عليه العقوبة فكيف بحال من خالفها لقول من دونهما، أولمجرد رأيه واجتهاده
“So if a person abandons the Sunnah because of the sayings of Abu Bakr and Umar, may Allah be pleased with them, then there is fear of punishment upon him. So what warning can be for one who abandons the Sunnah because of the sayings of any other Imam, or his own opinion and ijtihad?”
Imam Ibn Taymiyyah, may Allah have mercy on him, and Allama Ibn Abdul Barr, may Allah have mercy on him, said: When an authentic hadith of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ is found, it is not permissible to take anyone’s statement against it. Rather, adopting and acting upon the Sunnah and commands of the Messenger ﷺ is obligatory and compulsory for every Muslim, and it is not permissible to give precedence to any fiqh madhhab or any Imam’s statement over the Qur’an and Hadith.
Sayyiduna Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with them, said:
ويل للآتباع من عثرات العالم، قيل: كيف ذاك؟ قال: يقول العالم شيئا برأيه ثم يجد من هو أعلم منه برسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم فيترك قوله ثم يمضى الاتباع
“Those who follow every good and bad statement of a scholar are doomed. People asked: How so? He said: A scholar says something from his opinion, then someone who has more knowledge than that scholar finds a saying or action of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, but he abandons the saying of the Prophet ﷺ and follows that scholar.”
Hazrat Shah Waliullah Muhaddith Dehlawi, may Allah have mercy on him, said:
ما من أحد إلا وهو ما خوذ من كلامه ومردود عليه إلا رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم
“No one in the world except the Noble Messenger ﷺ was born whose every statement is accepted as correct.”
Hazrat Shah Sahib’s reasoning is derived from this verse of the Holy Qur’an:
﴿وَمَا يَنطِقُ عَنِ الْهَوَىٰ . إِنْ هُوَ إِلَّا وَحْيٌ يُوحَىٰ.﴾
“He does not speak from his own desire. It is only a revelation revealed.”
It is narrated from Imam Alai that when a follower finds the statement of another Imam to be according to hadith and his own Imam’s statement is against hadith, then the follower should abandon his Imam’s statement and adopt the other Imam’s statement which is according to hadith.
Sheikh Muhammad Jamil Zino says:
ونحن لم نؤمر إلا باتباع القرآن المنزل من عند الله، وقد شرحه لنا رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم بأحاديثه الصحيحة، لقوله تعالى ﴿اتَّبِعُوا مَا أُنزِلَ إِلَيْكُم مِّن رَّبِّكُمْ وَلَا تَتَّبِعُوا مِن دُونِهِ أَوْلِيَاءَ﴾ فلا يجوز لمسلم سمع حديثا صحيحا أن يرده لأنه مخالف لمذهبه، فقد أجمع الأيقة على الأخذ بالحديث الصحيح، وترك كل قول يخالفه
“We have only been commanded to follow the Qur’an which has been revealed by Allah, and its interpretation has been explained by the Noble Messenger ﷺ through his authentic hadiths. The Divine command is: ‘Follow what has been revealed to you from your Lord and do not follow other than it from the allies.’ So it is not permissible for any Muslim to hear an authentic hadith and then reject it because it contradicts his madhhab, because the Imams themselves unanimously agree that authentic hadith must be acted upon and every statement and madhhab that contradicts it must be abandoned.”
Amir al-Mu’minin, the Rightly Guided Caliph Sayyiduna Umar bin Abdul Aziz, may Allah have mercy on him, said:
لا رأى لأحد مع سنة سنها رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم
Imam Awza’i, may Allah have mercy on him, said:
عليك بأثار من سلف، وإن رفضك الناس، وإياك وآراء الرجال وإن زخرفوا لك القول
“You must hold firmly to the traces of the Salaf, even if people separate from you, and beware of the opinions of people even if they present the matter to you adorned.”
Fourth Requirement:
The fourth requirement is that the Hadith and Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, should not be opposed, because Allah Almighty has warned those who oppose him, peace and blessings be upon him, of trial and painful punishment. He said:
﴿فَلْيَحْذَرِ الَّذِينَ يُخَالِفُونَ عَنْ أَمْرِهِ أَن تُصِيبَهُمْ فِتْنَةٌ أَوْ يُصِيبَهُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ﴾
“So those who oppose the command of the Messenger should beware lest a trial strike them or a painful punishment befall them.”
It is narrated from Sayyiduna Salamah bin Akwa, may Allah be pleased with him, that a man was eating with his left hand in the presence of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him. The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said: “Eat with your right hand.” He said: “I cannot eat with it.” The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said: “Then you will not be able to eat with it.” Accordingly, this happened and indeed his right hand became paralyzed.
Fifth Requirement:
This call is not of a few Muslims alone,
The entire Ummah is devoted to the sanctity of the Prophet.
The fifth requirement of محمد رسول الله is that such immense love should be given to the noble person of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) that this love surpasses the love for the entire universe and all creations. It is stated:
﴿قُلْ إِن كَانَ آبَاؤُكُمْ وَأَبْنَاؤُكُمْ وَإِخْوَانُكُمْ وَأَزْوَاجُكُمْ وَعَشِيرَتُكُمْ وَأَمْوَالٌ اقْتَرَفْتُمُوهَا وَتِجَارَةٌ تَخْشَوْنَ كَسَادَهَا وَمَسَاكِنُ تَرْضَوْنَهَا أَحَبَّ إِلَيْكُم مِّنَ اللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ وَجِهَادٍ فِي سَبِيلِهِ فَتَرَبَّصُوا حَتَّىٰ يَأْتِيَ اللَّهُ بِأَمْرِهِ ۗ وَاللَّهُ لَا يَهْدِي الْقَوْمَ الْفَاسِقِينَ﴾
“Say, if your fathers, your sons, your brothers, your wives, your relatives, the wealth you have earned, the commerce in which you fear decline, and the dwellings you love are dearer to you than Allah and His Messenger and striving in His cause, then wait until Allah brings His command to pass. And Allah does not guide the defiantly disobedient people.”
The Hadiths of the Prophet (peace be upon him) express this concept as follows. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said:
لا يؤمن عبد حتى أكون أحب إليه من أهله وماله و الناس أجمعين
“No one is a true believer until I am dearer to him than his family, his wealth, and all people.”
The demand of loving the Prophet (peace be upon him) is that love should be held for his lovers and enmity for his enemies.
A man came to the Noble Prophet (peace be upon him) and said: O Messenger of Allah! Indeed, you are more beloved to me than my own life, and you are more beloved to me than my children. Indeed, when I remember you while at home, I do not remain patient until I come to see you. And when I remember my death and your death, I am certain that you will be in a high and exalted position among the Prophets when you enter Paradise. And indeed, when I enter Paradise, I fear that I will not be able to see you then. The Noble Prophet (peace be upon him) did not respond to this at that time until Jibril (Gabriel) came down with this verse:
﴿وَمَن يُطِعِ اللَّهَ وَالرَّسُولَ فَأُولَٰئِكَ مَعَ الَّذِينَ أَنْعَمَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِم مِّنَ النَّبِيِّينَ وَالصِّدِّيقِينَ﴾
“And whoever obeys Allah and the Messenger – those will be with the ones upon whom Allah has bestowed favor of the prophets, the steadfast affirmers of truth…” and so on.
The demand of the Prophet (peace be upon him) is that love should be shown to such lovers of the Prophet (peace be upon him) and the prayerful phrase “Radi Allahu Anhum” should be recited after their names. Allah Almighty says:
﴿مِّنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ رِجَالٌ صَدَقُوا مَا عَاهَدُوا اللَّهَ عَلَيْهِ ۖ فَمِنْهُم مَّن قَضَىٰ نَحْبَهُ وَمِنْهُم مَّن يَنتَظِرُ ۖ وَمَا بَدَّلُوا تَبْدِيلًا ﴾
“Among the believers are men who have been true to their covenant with Allah; of them some have completed their vow [to the death], and some [still] wait; but they have never changed [their determination] in the least.”
The commentators write that this refers either to the Ansar of Medina who pledged at the Pledge of Aqabah to support the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) under all circumstances, or to the noble companions who vowed that if given the opportunity to fight alongside the Messenger of Allah, they would remain steadfast and not flee. Indeed, some of them participated in the Battle of Uhud, such as Hamza, Mus’ab ibn Umair, and Anas ibn An-Nadr (may Allah be pleased with them), sacrificing their lives for the Creator. Those who survived, like Uthman ibn Affan, Talhah, and Zubair (may Allah be pleased with them), awaited Allah’s victory and martyrdom in His cause, and they did not alter their covenant with their Lord nor break it like the hypocrites, as indicated in verse (15) of the same Surah, where it is mentioned that the hypocrites had previously pledged to Allah not to show their backs to the enemy on the battlefield.
The noble companions (may Allah be pleased with them) are our leaders after the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), as the Prophet (peace be upon him) said:
عليكم بسنتي وسنة الخلفاء الراشدين المهديين عضوا عليها بالنواجد وإياكم ومحدثات الأمور فإن كل بدعة ضلالة
Al-Albani has authenticated it.
“Hold firmly to my Sunnah and the Sunnah of the rightly guided Caliphs after me. Hold onto it tightly with your molar teeth, and beware of innovations, for every innovation is misguidance.”
And Allah Almighty said:
﴿وَمَن يُشَاقِقِ الرَّسُولَ مِن بَعْدِ مَا تَبَيَّنَ لَهُ الْهُدَىٰ وَيَتَّبِعْ غَيْرَ سَبِيلِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ نُوَلِّهِ مَا تَوَلَّىٰ وَنُصْلِهِ جَهَنَّمَ ۖ وَسَاءَتْ مَصِيرًا﴾
“And whoever opposes the Messenger after guidance has become clear to him and follows other than the way of the believers – We will give him what he has taken and drive him into Hell, and evil it is as a destination.”
It is understood that whoever opposes the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) after the truth has become clear and adopts a path other than Islam, Allah will leave him on that path of opposition to the Messenger and rejection of Islam. Indeed, He will make that path appear beautiful and good in his eyes until he falls into Hell.
This verse is evidence that opposing the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) leads a person to disbelief, and it is also evidence that opposing the consensus of Muslims is a major sin, and that consensus is a proof.
The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said:
إن الله لا يجمع أمتي على الضلالة، ويد الله على الجماعة
“Allah will never gather my Ummah upon error, and the hand of Allah is over the group.”
Shi’ism in the Mirror of Its Own Books:
The truth is that love should be shown for the companions of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), and they should be considered as one’s leaders and guides. However, on the contrary, the Twelver Shia hate the companions of the Prophet (may Allah be pleased with them) to such an extent that they declare them outside the fold of Islam. Certainly, the beliefs of the Twelver Shia, from Tawheed (monotheism) to Shariah rulings, are in conflict with Islam. Below are some of their beliefs:
1: The occurrence of distortion and alteration in the Quran is similar to that in the Torah and the Gospel, and the hypocrites of the Ummah took control and became rulers, following the same method as the Children of Israel did to distort the Quran.
2: The present Quran contains words that are against eloquence and are detestable.
3: The name of Hazrat Ali has been removed from many places in the Quran.
4: The status of Imamat is higher than the status of Prophethood.
5: The truth is that there is no difference between the Prophet and the Imam in perfections, conditions, and attributes.
6: The Imams purified (A’immah al-Athar), except for the Master of the Universe (peace be upon him), are superior and nobler than all other Prophets, including the Ulul Azm.
7: The issue of the Wilaya (guardianship) of Ali (peace be upon him) is written in all the scriptures of the Prophets (peace be upon them), and Allah did not send any messenger who did not command belief in Muhammad (peace be upon him) as a Prophet and Ali (peace be upon him) as his successor, nor did he fail to propagate this.
8: The Imam has ten special signs. He is born completely pure and clean, circumcised at birth. When he is born and comes to the earth, he comes in such a way that both palms are placed on the ground, and he recites the Kalima Shahada loudly. He never experiences janabat (major impurity), and when sleeping, only his eyes sleep while his heart remains awake. He never yawns nor stretches. He sees both forward and backward simultaneously. His excrement smells like musk, and the earth is commanded by Allah to hide and swallow it. When he wears the armor of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), it fits him perfectly, but when anyone else wears the same armor, even if they are tall and broad, the armor remains a handspan too large.
9: After the departure of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) from this world, except for four individuals—Ali ibn Abi Talib, Miqdad, Salman, and Abu Dharr—all others apostatized.
10: Abu Bakr, Umar, and their companions did not believe sincerely; they clung to the religion of the Prophet (peace be upon him) out of greed for rulership.
11: Abu Bakr and Umar are both definite disbelievers; may Allah, the angels, and all humans curse them.
12: Just as the wives of Noah and Lot did not enter the category of pure women (Tayyibat), similarly, Aisha and Hafsa also do not enter the category of Tayyibat.
13: We worship and know such a God whose actions are according to reason, not a God who gives rule to tyrants and wicked people like Yazid, Muawiya, and Uthman.
14: ﴿إِنَّ الَّذِينَ ارْتَدُّوا عَلَىٰ أَدْبَارِهِم مِّن بَعْدِ مَا تَبَيَّنَ لَهُمُ الْهُدَى﴾
“When guidance came to them clearly, they turned away in disbelief.”
This verse refers to Abu Bakr, Umar, and Uthman, who apostatized due to abandoning the Wilaya of Amir al-Mu’minin (peace be upon him).
15: ان تسعة أعشار الدين فى التقية “90% of religion is falsehood.”
16: Majlisi wrote in his book Bihar al-Anwar (29/94), published by Dar al-Ihya al-Turath al-Arabi, Beirut: Whenever you have a need from Allah Almighty, relying on Allah, write your need on a piece of paper and place it on any of the graves of the Imams, or seal it and wrap it, then place it in clean, pure kneaded clay and throw it into a flowing river, a deep well, or a lake. Your request will reach the Imam (peace be upon him), and the Imam himself will fulfill your need.
17: Imam Kulayni wrote in Usul al-Kafi (1/444) and Majlisi in Bihar al-Anwar (240/20) that Allah created Muhammad, Ali, and Fatimah. Thousands of years after their creation, Allah created other creatures and made them witnesses to the creation of His creatures, obliging them to obey and submit to them, entrusting them with the care of all affairs. Therefore, they can make something lawful or unlawful as they wish.
18: Khomeini wrote in his book Tahrir al-Wasilah (164/2) that the prohibition of eating soil for healing is excepted for the soil of the grave of Sayyiduna Hussain (peace be upon him). However, eating it is only permissible for seeking healing and only in the amount of a medium-sized chickpea. No other soil, not even that of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) or the Imams’ graves, can be equated with the soil of his grave.
19: Imam Kulayni wrote in Furu’ al-Kafi (p. 59) that it is a fact that visiting the grave of Hussain (peace be upon him) is equivalent to twenty Hajj pilgrimages, indeed it has more virtue than twenty Hajj and Umrah pilgrimages.
Sixth Requirement:
The sixth requirement of محمد رسول الله is that people should neither diminish nor add to the religion you have brought, and it is established that the religion of Mustafa (peace be upon him) is complete. Allah Almighty has said:
﴿الْيَوْمَ أَكْمَلْتُ لَكُمْ دِينَكُمْ وَأَتْمَمْتُ عَلَيْكُمْ نِعْمَتِي وَرَضِيتُ لَكُمُ الْإِسْلَامَ دِينًا﴾
“Today I have perfected your religion for you, completed My favor upon you, and have chosen for you Islam as your religion.”
Imam Malik (may Allah have mercy on him) used to say:
Whoever innovates something in Islam and considers it good, indeed he has thought that Muhammad (peace be upon him) was negligent in his prophethood, because Allah Almighty has said: “Today I have perfected your religion for you, completed My favor upon you, and have chosen for you Islam as your religion.”
Similarly, the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) also said regarding this matter:
إذا حدثتكم حديثا فلا تزيدن عليه
“When I narrate to you a hadith, do not exaggerate it.”
Exaggeration will be a rejected innovation. The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said:
من عمل عملا ليس عليه أمرنا فهورة
“Whoever does an action which is not in accordance with our command, then that action is rejected.”
No matter how good an action appears outwardly, if its basis or method is not proven from the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), then it is an innovation, and every innovation is misguidance. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said:
كل بدعة ضلالة، وإن رأها الناس حسنة
“Every innovation is misguidance, even if people consider it good.”
Allama Al-Shatibi states in his fatwas: كل بدعة ضلالة The hadith is considered general by scholars, and nothing is excluded from this generality, nor in any circumstance will any innovation be a good innovation.
Innovation in Sufism:
Among the innovations prevalent nowadays is the innovation of Sufism, which is filled with innovations, superstitions, and self-invented rituals. It should also be remembered that the term “Sufism” did not exist in the early centuries (the first three centuries of Islam).
Sheikh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy on him) states:
“The scholars of truth have clearly explained that the term Sufism was not known in the early centuries; it became famous later.”
The word Sufism is derived from “Suf,” because generally, the Sufis abandoned fine clothes and started wearing woolen garments.
The author of Al-Rimah has narrated from Sheikh Ahmad Tijani that both his feet are on the neck of every wali (saint) from Adam (peace be upon him) until the blowing of the trumpet.
It is narrated from Suleiman al-Darani:
إذا طلب الرجل الحديث أو الزواج أو سافر فى طلب المعاش فقد أكن إلى الدنيا
“If a person learns hadith, or wishes to marry, or travels in search of livelihood, then he has inclined towards the world.”
It is narrated from Abu Bakr Shibli that whenever he liked a woolen garment, cap, or turban, he would immediately burn it and say:
كل شيء مالت إليه النفس دون الله وجب إتلافه فقيل له: لم لا تتصدقبه فقال …الخ
“Meaning, it is obligatory to destroy whatever the nafs inclines towards besides Allah. When told to give it as charity to a poor or needy person, he replied: If the thing remains, even if on another’s body, the nafs will continue to pursue it. Therefore, to focus attention on Allah, it is better to burn and destroy it.”
Imam Ghazali narrated from Hamshad al-Dinuri: “He says that Paradise has been presented to me for thirty years, but I have not even glanced at it.”
Some misguided Sufis have adopted ignorance as knowledge and innovation instead of Sunnah. In Futuhaat Ibn Arabi (365/1) it is stated:
“You take your knowledge from the dead, and we have taken our knowledge from the Ever-Living, the One who never dies.”
For them, learning hadith is considered disgraceful. Abu Saeed says that he was residing in the ribat of the Sufis and secretly used to read and write hadith. One day, light fell on his sleeve, and some Sufis said, “Cover your private parts.”
From Sheikh Ahmad Tijani of the Tijani order, Sahib al-Rimah has narrated (177/2) that he said the conditions of seclusion are: Enter seclusion as you enter a mosque, and upon entering, seek cooperation and help from the souls of all the sheikhs through your Sheikh, and keep the image of the Sheikh before your eyes because he is your companion on the path, and the Sheikh remains with the disciple with his meanings and spirituality.
✿ Ibn Arabi, while explaining the reality of Wahdat al-Wujud (Unity of Existence) in “Futuhaat Makkiyah,” said:
“Pure is the Being who created things and Himself remained the very essence of things.”
✿ He further said: “It is these dogs and pigs who are our gods. Allah has become a priest in a church.”
✿ Bayazid Bastami, while insulting the Prophets and Messengers, says:
“We have entered the ocean of (gnosis), but the Prophets and Messengers remained standing on the shore.”
✿ In the sayings of Mawlana Rumi in “Fihi Ma Fihi,” it is written:
“The difference between faith and disbelief is only up to the paths, not at the destination. All debates, disputes, this path is wrong, that path is right, this is on truth, that is on falsehood—when the destination is reached, it is realized that all differences were only on the paths, and the destination was the same for all.”
✿ A Sufi, Hasan Rizwan (died 1310 AH), in his Diwan “Rawd al-Quloob,” writes:
فليس فى الوجود شيئ يشهد
سواه فالأشياء به توحد
“There is nothing in existence that can be observed except that the Divine Being is present within all things (i.e., how the incarnation has occurred).”
These are the beliefs and thoughts which are kufr (disbelief) and shirk (polytheism) beliefs opposed to the Book and Sunnah. May Allah protect us.
Seventh Requirement:
The seventh requirement is that abundant salutations and blessings be sent upon the Holy Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, who brought this pure Shariah, the Shariah of light. Allah Almighty says:
﴿إِنَّ اللَّهَ وَمَلَائِكَتَهُ يُصَلُّونَ عَلَى النَّبِيِّ ۚ يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا صَلُّوا عَلَيْهِ وَسَلِّمُوا تَسْلِيمًا﴾
“Indeed, Allah and His angels send blessings upon the Prophet. O you who have believed, send blessings upon him and greet him with peace abundantly.”
And the Holy Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, said:
من صل على واحدة صلى الله عليه عشرا
“Whoever sends blessings upon me once, Allah will send ten mercies upon him.”
Sending salutations upon the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, is a means of nearness to him.
He, peace be upon him, said:
إن أولى الناس بي يوم القيامة أكثركم على صلاة
Ibn Hibban declared it authentic.
“On the Day of Resurrection, the one who will be closest to me is the one who sends the most blessings upon me.”
