✦ This article is adapted from the book Tuhfah Hanfiyyah authored by Maulana Abu Suhaib Dawood Arshad حفظه الله. The book is a well-researched response to Tuhfah Ahl-e-Hadith, written by Deobandi scholar Abu Bilal Jhangvi.
He himself states:
"A friend wrote to me saying that since you authored the book Hadiyyat al-Mahdi, a large group from the Ahl al-Hadith—including Maulana Shams al-Haq Azimabadi, Maulana Muhammad Husain Lahori, Maulana Abdullah Ghazipuri, Maulana Faqeerullah Punjabi, and Maulana Sanaullah Amritsari—have become disheartened with you. The general public of Ahl al-Hadith has also lost their belief in you."
(Lughaat al-Hadith, Vol. 2, p. 50, under the entry “Shin”)
Further reference can be found in Hayat Waheed uz-Zaman, p. 100, authored by Muhammad Abdul Haleem Chishti, published by Noor Muhammad Ashraf al-Matabi’, Karachi, 1957.
(وحكى عن ابن تيمية انه ينزل كما انا انزل من المنبر)
"It is narrated from Ibn Taymiyyah that Allah descends from the Throne in the same manner as I descend from the pulpit."
(Hadiyyat al-Mahdi, p. 11)
This is a blatant fabrication against Imam Ibn Taymiyyah, as detailed by Mawlana Ataullah Hanif رحمه الله in Hayat Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah, pp. 793–898, and by Shaykh Mawlana Muhammad Yahya Gondalwi in Aqidah Ahl al-Hadith, p. 217.
Imam Ibn Taymiyyah himself stated:
"Whoever claims that Allah descends in the same way I descend is a wicked deviant who denies Allah’s attributes."
(al-Maturidiyyah, Vol. 3, p. 516)
His book Hadiyyat al-Mahdi and others such as Nuzul al-Abrar and Kanz al-Haqa’iq were rejected even by non-Muqallid institutions. No Ahl al-Hadith madrasah included them in their curriculum, nor did their scholars reference these in their Fatwas, and neither did the general public of Ahl al-Hadith accept them.
As Master Amin Safdar Okarawee wrote:
“The fate that befell these books, may Allah not allow even an enemy’s book to suffer such a fate.”
(Tajalliyat Safdar, Vol. 1, p. 621)
① Saying "Ya Ali" or "Ya Rasulullah" is permissible
▶ Rebuttal: Allama explicitly states such beliefs are Shirk and outside the fold of Islam. (Hadiyyat al-Mahdi, p. 24)
② There is no consensus on the superiority of Abu Bakr and Umar
▶ Rebuttal: Allama affirms their superiority; he only debates the type of consensus (definitive or speculative). (Hadiyyat al-Mahdi, p. 94)
③ Mentioning the Rightly Guided Caliphs in Khutbah is Bid’ah
▶ Rebuttal: No such statement exists in Hadiyyat al-Mahdi.
④ Later scholars can be superior in knowledge to some Sahabah
▶ Rebuttal: This is discussed in terms of knowledge and understanding only—not overall virtue. (Hadiyyat al-Mahdi, p. 90)
⑤ Liwat (anal intercourse) with one's wife is permissible
▶ Rebuttal: Allama clearly states it is not permissible, and likens it to the prohibition of intercourse during menstruation. (Nuzul al-Abrar, Vol. 2, p. 67)
⑥ Mut‘ah (temporary marriage) is permissible
▶ Rebuttal: Allama states it was initially permitted but later prohibited permanently. (Sunan Ibn Majah, Vol. 2, p. 76)
⑦ Calling themselves “Shia of Ali”
▶ Rebuttal: The phrase is used against Khawarij, not in a Shiite context. Allama affirms love for all of the Prophet’s wives and Ahl al-Bayt. (Hadiyyat al-Mahdi, p. 100)
⑧ The statement “A companion’s opinion is not proof”
▶ Rebuttal: The context is that a companion’s opinion is not proof against a Hadith. This is also the stance of Hanafi scholars. (‘Urf al-Jadi, Vol. 1, p. 207)
⑨ Denial of Ijma‘ (consensus)
▶ Rebuttal: Ahl al-Hadith accepts Ijma‘, provided it is proven and not merely claimed.
Those attributing deviant views to him bear the burden of proof and are cautioned by the Qur’anic warning:
"Curse of Allah be upon the liars."
✿ Introduction: Recognition of Allama Waheed uz-Zaman
There is no doubt that Allama Waheed uz-Zaman was a learned individual. His translation of the Qur'an and the five major Hadith collections is a commendable service. However, his personal Ijtihad and attempts to compile Fiqh were never favorably received by the scholars of Ahl al-Hadith from the outset.He himself states:
"A friend wrote to me saying that since you authored the book Hadiyyat al-Mahdi, a large group from the Ahl al-Hadith—including Maulana Shams al-Haq Azimabadi, Maulana Muhammad Husain Lahori, Maulana Abdullah Ghazipuri, Maulana Faqeerullah Punjabi, and Maulana Sanaullah Amritsari—have become disheartened with you. The general public of Ahl al-Hadith has also lost their belief in you."
(Lughaat al-Hadith, Vol. 2, p. 50, under the entry “Shin”)
Further reference can be found in Hayat Waheed uz-Zaman, p. 100, authored by Muhammad Abdul Haleem Chishti, published by Noor Muhammad Ashraf al-Matabi’, Karachi, 1957.
❖ Deviation in Beliefs in Later Life
Towards the end of his life, Allama Waheed uz-Zaman diverged from the mainstream positions of the majority of Hadith scholars on several theological and subsidiary issues. His book Hadiyyat al-Mahdi includes doctrines that clearly do not align with the Ahl al-Hadith stance. For example, he narrates:(وحكى عن ابن تيمية انه ينزل كما انا انزل من المنبر)
"It is narrated from Ibn Taymiyyah that Allah descends from the Throne in the same manner as I descend from the pulpit."
(Hadiyyat al-Mahdi, p. 11)
This is a blatant fabrication against Imam Ibn Taymiyyah, as detailed by Mawlana Ataullah Hanif رحمه الله in Hayat Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah, pp. 793–898, and by Shaykh Mawlana Muhammad Yahya Gondalwi in Aqidah Ahl al-Hadith, p. 217.
Imam Ibn Taymiyyah himself stated:
"Whoever claims that Allah descends in the same way I descend is a wicked deviant who denies Allah’s attributes."
(al-Maturidiyyah, Vol. 3, p. 516)
❖ Criticism by Ahl al-Hadith Scholars
Mawlana Ubaidullah Afeef حفظه الله stated that Allama Waheed uz-Zaman, despite his scholarly contributions in translation, was like a "junkyard" in the field of Fiqh. He lacked the discernment to distinguish between authentic and weak, true and false rulings.His book Hadiyyat al-Mahdi and others such as Nuzul al-Abrar and Kanz al-Haqa’iq were rejected even by non-Muqallid institutions. No Ahl al-Hadith madrasah included them in their curriculum, nor did their scholars reference these in their Fatwas, and neither did the general public of Ahl al-Hadith accept them.
As Master Amin Safdar Okarawee wrote:
“The fate that befell these books, may Allah not allow even an enemy’s book to suffer such a fate.”
(Tajalliyat Safdar, Vol. 1, p. 621)
❖ Refutations of Accusations from "Tuhfah Ahl-e-Hadith"
Here are nine major accusations made by Jhangvi in Tuhfah Ahl-e-Hadith, along with detailed rebuttals proving they are fabrications or severe misrepresentations of Allama Waheed uz-Zaman’s actual views:① Saying "Ya Ali" or "Ya Rasulullah" is permissible
▶ Rebuttal: Allama explicitly states such beliefs are Shirk and outside the fold of Islam. (Hadiyyat al-Mahdi, p. 24)
② There is no consensus on the superiority of Abu Bakr and Umar
▶ Rebuttal: Allama affirms their superiority; he only debates the type of consensus (definitive or speculative). (Hadiyyat al-Mahdi, p. 94)
③ Mentioning the Rightly Guided Caliphs in Khutbah is Bid’ah
▶ Rebuttal: No such statement exists in Hadiyyat al-Mahdi.
④ Later scholars can be superior in knowledge to some Sahabah
▶ Rebuttal: This is discussed in terms of knowledge and understanding only—not overall virtue. (Hadiyyat al-Mahdi, p. 90)
⑤ Liwat (anal intercourse) with one's wife is permissible
▶ Rebuttal: Allama clearly states it is not permissible, and likens it to the prohibition of intercourse during menstruation. (Nuzul al-Abrar, Vol. 2, p. 67)
⑥ Mut‘ah (temporary marriage) is permissible
▶ Rebuttal: Allama states it was initially permitted but later prohibited permanently. (Sunan Ibn Majah, Vol. 2, p. 76)
⑦ Calling themselves “Shia of Ali”
▶ Rebuttal: The phrase is used against Khawarij, not in a Shiite context. Allama affirms love for all of the Prophet’s wives and Ahl al-Bayt. (Hadiyyat al-Mahdi, p. 100)
⑧ The statement “A companion’s opinion is not proof”
▶ Rebuttal: The context is that a companion’s opinion is not proof against a Hadith. This is also the stance of Hanafi scholars. (‘Urf al-Jadi, Vol. 1, p. 207)
⑨ Denial of Ijma‘ (consensus)
▶ Rebuttal: Ahl al-Hadith accepts Ijma‘, provided it is proven and not merely claimed.
❖ Conclusion
It is evident from the rebuttals that the objections raised by Jhangvi against Allama Waheed uz-Zaman are either fabrications or gross distortions. The integrity of Allama’s works, particularly in translation, is recognized, though his jurisprudential efforts were not accepted by the Ahl al-Hadith scholars.Those attributing deviant views to him bear the burden of proof and are cautioned by the Qur’anic warning:
"Curse of Allah be upon the liars."
