This excerpt is taken from the book compiled by Hakim Ajmal Khan Sahib "Recognize Jamaat-e-Islami" .
By: Maulana Muhammad Dawood Raz (Late)
Beliefs and Thoughts of Maulana Maududi Sahib: According to Maulana Maududi Sahib, the thoughts and ideas of the leader of a movement are the very soul of the entire movement. Therefore, we want the beliefs and thoughts of Maulana Sahib to come to light so that the esteemed viewers become familiar with the temperament of the Jamaat-e-Islami movement. The best way to understand a person's beliefs and thoughts is through their autobiographical books. It is through these that the author's ideas become clear. Maulana Sahib is the author of numerous works, and there is no doubt that on some subjects Maulana has provided very important literary contributions. However, as the saying goes, a rider often stumbles. While presenting his thoughts in his books, Maulana has encountered some very dangerous stumbles. Had Maulana realized this, perhaps the current "intellectual war" between him and the Islamic scholars would not have erupted. But what happened was that whatever Maulana wrote was considered as "الرجال يعرفون بالحق لا يعرف بالرجال" a revelation from the heavens. And this very notion became the cause of discord. In any case, in various words, some of Maulana’s lofty thoughts which are points of contention are listed below, appealing to the fair-minded individuals in the name of knowledge and wisdom for justice. It is a famous and true saying that personalities are not the criterion for truth, but truth is the criterion for personalities.
Making mistakes is human nature; only the sacred group of the Prophets of Allah is directly protected by Allah from errors. Apart from them, no human being, no matter how high their spiritual rank, is free from the possibility of error. When the pious predecessors of the religion, may Allah have mercy on them, can be criticized, then it is a sign of extreme weakness that Maulana Maududi or his admirers not only fear criticism of his erroneous thoughts but also become overwhelmed with anger and resort to "all or nothing" in their writings and speeches. Ample evidence of this can be presented from the literature of this movement.
The Concept of Worship in Islam:
Maulana Maududi Sahib, in his renowned book of literature
Reference: Tafheemaat p. 43
, while explaining the concept of worship in Islam, states:"Whether a person believes in God or denies God, whether he prostrates to God or to a stone, whether he worships God or others, even if he is worshipping someone else by his own choice, it is still worship of God." الی آخرہ
Whether Maulana Sahib or any of his followers interpret this statement in any way, bring it under a natural phenomenon, or try to twist it to mean something else, the above words are so crude that, in the light of the monotheism presented by the Holy Quran and the guidance of all the Prophets, the belief and practice according to these words fall into the category of major sins (Akbar al-Kaba'ir). If Maulana's "concept" is accepted as correct, then labeling atheism, polytheism, and idolatry as sins would become an utterly foolish idea.
❀ That is why the famous journalist and revolutionary elder Hafiz Ali Bahadur Sahib writes in his commentary on Maulana's explanation:
The article he published in Tafheemaat under the title "The Concept of Worship in Islam" is based on misunderstandings. The concept of worship in Islam is not what Maulana (Modoodi) has presented; he has given a self-made interpretation of worship and included even idolatry under the worship of Allah. This means that according to him, worship can be both good and bad, and in his view, theft, adultery, and gambling all fall under the concept of worship. None of the Quranic verses he has cited prove this concept of worship."الی آخرہ۔
Reference: Hilal-e-No, June 4, 1951
What is even more regrettable is that Maulana makes a futile attempt to mold the Holy Quran into the framework of his false assumptions. This tone is evident throughout his writings. Perhaps this is why it is said about such people:
They do not change themselves, they change the Quran
Regarding Angels:
There is no need to shed light on the fact that believing and having faith in the existence of angels is a fundamental pillar of faith in Islam.
The Holy Quran and Hadiths are filled with mentions of angels. It is also a certain matter that angels are the luminous creation of Allah Almighty, and their status is this: [لا يعصون الله ما أمرهم ويفعلون ما يؤمرون] They do not disobey Allah but are always engaged in His obedience.
❀ Now regarding "Angels," Maulana Maududi's belief and observation are as follows:
In Islamic terminology, what is called an angel is almost the same thing that the polytheists of countries like India and Greece have considered as deities and gods.
Reference: Tajdeed wa Ihya-e-Deen: p.10
Maulana has equated the "Islamic angel" with the alleged deities of the polytheists. According to Maulana's erroneous view, angels are of both masculine and feminine types, because they are gods and goddesses. In short, this is such an interpretation of the Islamic angel that could only come from the pen of a religious reformer like Maulana, who is a connoisseur of the temperament of the Prophet and a person who tries to find a diamond in a piece of coal. There is no opportunity here for further details. The intention is only to point out a few of Maulana's false claims.
So that every face becomes black which has a lie upon it.
Regarding the Promised Mahdi:
Based on the narrations received, from the first century until today, all Muslims have believed in the existence of a Promised Mahdi with specific attributes, who is to appear at the end of times.
❀ Maulana Maududi Sahib introduces this Mahdi in the following manner.
"He will be a completely modern type of leader, possessing ijtihadi insight into all the contemporary sciences of the time (ellipsis) I fear that the clerics and Sufi elders will be the first to stir up rebellion against his struggle (ellipsis) Perhaps he himself will not even be aware that he is the Promised Mahdi, and after his death, the world will come to know through his achievements that he was the one who was to establish the Caliphate on the pattern of Prophethood. Claiming Mahdism is not something to be declared, it is something to be demonstrated (ellipsis) He will create a new religion of thought based on pure Islam, change mentalities, and raise a powerful movement."
Reference: Tajdeed wa Ihya-e-Deen: pp. 31 to 32
❀ Whatever way Hazrat Maulana Maududi Sahib has introduced the Promised Mahdi is before the respected viewers. He also rightly said that the Promised Mahdi will be present in the world, and will pass away after leading the movement all his life, but the situation will be such that even he himself will not know that he is the Promised Mahdi, nor will the people be informed. Yes, after his passing, people will realize that he was indeed the Promised Mahdi, etc., etc. Now, on one hand, keep the Ahadith related to the Promised Mahdi, and on the other hand, the introduction presented by Maulana Maududi; you will see a difference as vast as the sky and the earth. The fair thing to say is that Maulana’s statements hint towards "self-declared" but it should be clear to him.
Where is the remedy for every claimant?
Mirza Ghulam Ahmad Qadiani also started having such dreams that later he jumped and began propagating that he had seized the throne of prophethood, but what happened was this:
Neither did he find God nor the union with the beloved // Both worlds are lost, I swear by God
The historian of the future will be compelled to write something similar about other claimants of Mahdism as well.
ستبدى لك الايام ما كنت جاهلا // ويأتيك بالأخبار من لم تزود
Denial of the Ahadith regarding the "Dajjal":
The belief that near the end of times, just before the Day of Judgment, a "one-eyed Dajjal" will appear, equipped with weapons actively spreading deception, is a unanimously accepted belief among the Muslim community. The hadith about Dajjal appears eight times in Sahih Bukhari and seventeen times in Sahih Muslim. There is an authentic and famous supplication in the prayers of a Muslim, which is prescribed to be recited at the end of the Tashahhud. [اللهم انى اعوذ بك من عذاب القبر واعوذ بك من فتنة المسيح الدجال]
In other words, the Prophet (peace be upon him) taught a prayer in every prayer to seek protection from the trial of the false Messiah (Dajjal).
❀ Despite all these facts, see the audacity of Maulana Maududi, who is known as a "connoisseur of the Prophet's temperament," boldly stating:
"This one-eyed Dajjal and the like are myths that have no basis in Shariah; there is no need for us to search for such things. The kind of stories that are popular among the masses are not the responsibility of Islam, and if any of these things are proven false, Islam suffers no harm."
Reference: Tarjuman al-Quran, Ramadan and Shawwal 1364 AH
A myth is something unreliable and unverified that starts circulating among people. Maulana Maududi calls the one-eyed Dajjal a myth. The related hadiths about Dajjal are narrated 25 times in books like Bukhari and Muslim, all mere myths. Beyond this, observe further audacity, in which even the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) himself is impiously attempted to be "corrected." He says:
"The Prophet had the concern in his time that perhaps the Dajjal would appear during his era or shortly after, but has the history of thirteen and a half centuries not proven that the Prophet’s concern was not correct? Now, to narrate these matters in such a way as if they are part of Islamic beliefs neither represents true Islam nor can it be called the correct meaning of Hadith. As I have already stated, the Prophet’s (peace be upon him) conjecture or assumption not turning out to be correct in such matters is by no means a cause for criticism of the Prophethood."
Reference: Tarjuman al-Quran, Rabi’ al-Awwal 1365 AH
❀ The audacity of the "Temperament Expert of the Messenger" to claim that the Prophet’s (peace be upon him) concern about the coming of the Dajjal was incorrect is not something that can be simply ignored. Maulana is a religious man and you claim that what we have taken up is precisely Islam and the essence of Islam.
Reference: Akhbar Tasneem, 23 Jumada al-Awwal 1374 AH
Maulana’s audacity indicates that regarding the religion of Islam, you have reached a position where you even have the right to correct the Prophet (peace be upon him). Maulana has cited this audacity not once but several times with great courage and boldness.
Reference: ❀ Tarjuman al-Quran, February 1946
you say: "Various statements related to these matters are narrated from the Prophet in the Ahadith, but in reality, they are your conjectures about which you yourself were doubtful."
See, Maulana has opened such a backdoor that now all the teachings of Islam and the sayings of the Messenger (peace be upon him) that go against anyone’s temperament can be rejected by calling them "your conjectures." The Holy Quran describes the status of the Messenger of Allah as follows: [وَ مَا یَنۡطِقُ عَنِ الۡہَوٰی]،[ اِنۡ ہُوَ اِلَّا وَحۡیٌ یُّوۡحٰی]
"Our Messenger does not speak from his own desire or conjecture; every word of his is based on divine revelation."
Reference: Surah An-Najm: 3-4
❀ Your statements about the "Promised Dajjal" are very clear, and even Maulana Maududi himself acknowledges the authenticity of these narrations. According to the above verse, the Prophet (peace be upon him) gave all this information under divine revelation, yet Maulana, who "sees a diamond in a stone," calls all of these your "wrong conjectures." Dear viewers, especially the followers of Tehreek-e-Insaf, please consider whether, keeping in mind the dignity of the Prophet, justice demands that Maulana’s atheistic views be simply ignored, and whether this is the true Islam that Maulana has taken up? And will the divine government be established on such atheistic ideas? Are these the "traits" to confront the systems of falsehood?
Look at your own little oppression and cruelty; if we express it, it will be considered a complaint.
Denial of the Hadith of the Mujaddid:
First, please observe the noble hadith in which the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: [إن الله يبعث لهذه الأمة على رأس كل مائة سنة من يجدد لها دينها] meaning, indeed Allah Almighty will raise for this Ummah at the turn of every century a person who will renew the religion of Islam for this Ummah.
Reference: Sunan Abi Dawood:4291
All the narrators of this hadith are trustworthy. In the explanation of this hadith, Islamic scholars write that the Mujaddid will separate the Sunnah from innovation, spread religious knowledge, support the scholars, break the resolve of the innovators, and will be a comprehensive scholar of religious sciences. The first example of this prophetic hadith was Allah Almighty appointing Amir al-Mu'minin Caliph Umar ibn Abd al-Aziz (may Allah have mercy on him), and after him, in every century, Mujaddids of the religion have appeared, as Islamic scholars and great historians have recorded their names along with their conditions and services in every century.
❀ Observe Maulana Maududi Sahib's exposition on this matter. It is stated:
"Looking at history, it is evident that until now no perfect Mujaddid (renewer) has appeared. Umar bin Abdul Aziz, may Allah have mercy on him, almost attained this position but was not successful. After him, all the Mujaddids who appeared worked only in specific fields or a few fields, and the position of a perfect Mujaddid remains vacant to this day."
Reference: Tajdeed wa Ihya-e-Deen: p. 31, Fourth Edition
Maulana's statement clearly indicates that Umar bin Abdul Aziz, may Allah have mercy on him, and all subsequent Mujaddids of the religion were imperfect, and the prediction made by the Holy Prophet ﷺ that at the turn of every century a Mujaddid would appear has not been correctly fulfilled in the form of a perfect Mujaddid even up to the fourteenth century. This is probably a dream of "superiority" in the words of Tajdeed wa Ihya-e-Deen; this dream could only be fulfilled by lowering the status of all the Mujaddids in history, for which Maulana had the courage to say. Indeed, it is true.
Talking about Arzoo is the glory of divinity, the grandeur of Your majesty
Justification of Mut'ah:
A man contracting with a woman for a fixed sum of money for a specified period in exchange for her chastity is called "Mut'ah." In Islamic Shariah, according to Ahl al-Sunnah wal Jama'ah, this "Mut'ah" is absolutely forbidden; there is no scope whatsoever for its permissibility. However, our respected Maulana Maududi once issued a fatwa permitting it. The style and interesting arguments presented by Maulana in this regard are recorded in the tradition of "Al-I'tisam" Lahore. Therefore, instead of presenting the details ourselves, it is appropriate to include Maulana's arguments along with the commentary of the institution "Al-I'tisam" Lahore below. As the saying goes [صاحب البيت ادرى بما فيه], the people of Pakistan can understand Maulana to some extent, but how can those living far away understand him? Anyway, in the mentioned newspaper
Reference: Majriya 18 Rabi' al-Awwal 1375H
, under the headline "Temperament Knower of the Prophet" the audacity of "Dramatic Reasoning on the Permissibility of Mut'ah" by the institution is referenced with the following details.❀ Maulana Syed Abul A'la Maududi has recently started making strange and interesting investigations. A few days ago, he revealed about the authenticity and chain of narration of Sahih Bukhari that:
"No respectable person can say that all the six or seven thousand hadiths recorded in it are entirely authentic."
Now, in the August issue of Tarjuman al-Qur'an, in his "Tafhim al-Qur'an" commentary, while explaining the initial verses of Surah Al-Mu'minun, [فَمَنِ ابۡتَغٰی وَرَآءَ ذٰلِکَ فَاُولٰٓئِکَ ہُمُ الۡعٰدُوۡنَ], he issued a fatwa permitting "Mut'ah."
Before proceeding further, it would be appropriate to take a look at the initial verses of Surah Al-Mu'minun so that Maulana Maududi's position on the "permissibility of Mut'ah" can be made clear.
[قَدۡ اَفۡلَحَ الۡمُؤۡمِنُوۡنَ]،[الَّذِیۡنَ ہُمۡ فِیۡ صَلَاتِہِمۡ خٰشِعُوۡنَ]،[وَ الَّذِیۡنَ ہُمۡ عَنِ اللَّغۡوِ مُعۡرِضُوۡنَ]،[وَ الَّذِیۡنَ ہُمۡ لِلزَّکٰوۃِ فٰعِلُوۡنَ]،[وَ الَّذِیۡنَ ہُمۡ لِفُرُوۡجِہِمۡ حٰفِظُوۡنَ]،[اِلَّا عَلٰۤی اَزۡوَاجِہِمۡ اَوۡ مَا مَلَکَتۡ اَیۡمَانُہُمۡ فَاِنَّہُمۡ غَیۡرُ مَلُوۡمِیۡنَ]،[فَمَنِ ابۡتَغٰی وَرَآءَ ذٰلِکَ فَاُولٰٓئِکَ ہُمُ الۡعٰدُوۡنَ]
Translation: Certainly successful are the believers, who are humble in their prayers, who avoid vain talk, who pay zakat, who guard their private parts except from their wives and those whom their right hands possess, for indeed, they are not to be blamed; but whoever seeks beyond that, then those are the transgressors.
Reference: Surah Al-Mu'minun: 1-7
Pause here once again and carefully consider the above verses, especially the breadth of meaning of the last verse, and then tell whether this verse does not clearly and definitively state that except for "wives" and "those whom their right hands possess," all other means to fulfill sexual desires are completely closed to a Muslim, whether it be Mut'ah or anything else!
But give credit to the "Temperament Knower of the Prophet" for his "insight" that, in his view, this explicit Quranic prohibition is not a strong argument against Mut'ah. Rather, he believes that some things are permissible with Mut'ah which are so shameful that mentioning them in any gathering causes embarrassment.
It is unknown what interest Maulana Maududi has in "Mut'ah" that he has thrown his entire intellectual and ijtihad capital into the field of research to prove it. It is another matter that he failed to establish its permissibility from the pure Shariah. But one must admire his effort and endeavor that despite this, he did not lose courage and did not leave the field until he broke a ship full of passengers in a vast ocean and created a case for the permissibility of Mut'ah.
❀ Thus it is stated:
"Suppose a ship breaks apart in the sea, and a man and a woman end up floating on a plank to a deserted island where there is no population. They are forced to live together, and according to Shariah conditions, marriage between them is not possible. In such a situation, they have no option but to contract a temporary marriage (Mut'ah) with mutual offer and acceptance for the time being until they reach a populated area or the population reaches them. More or less, such emergency situations can also occur. Mut'ah is for such emergency conditions."
Reference: Tafseer Tarjuman al-Qur'an, August 1955, p. 379
You see how far Maulana Maududi had to go to justify Mut'ah.
First of all, in fourteen hundred years of Islamic history, there is not a single incident where an entire ship was lost to the turbulent waves of the sea, and only one plank remained safe, on which a non-mahram man and woman sat together. Muslims have fought wars, traded, ruled kingdoms, engaged in diplomacy, and undertaken long journeys in various conditions—by sea, land, and air! But there is not a single example like the one Maulana Maududi presented. In the last fourteen centuries of Islamic history, no ship has broken in such a manner, no non-mahram man and woman have floated on a plank to a deserted island, and no one has been so distressed and restless in such a situation as to resort to Mut'ah.
This example does not exist in reality anywhere. However, if a ship did break and this situation arose in the ocean of Maulana Maududi’s mind, then indeed this is a "fundamental and basic" issue of the present era. If the "advocate of establishing the entire Islamic system" did not present a solution, this would remain a huge gap in the Islamic system.
One argument against Maulana Maududi and his jurisprudence group is that fiqh is a collection of outdated matters. It includes assumptions that may never occur in human life. We want to ask the wise men of Jamaat-e-Islami: Has this example for the permissibility of Mut'ah ever occurred anywhere? Is there any evidence of its existence in reality?
Suppose this situation does arise, and the countless waves of the sea break a strong ship in such a way that only one plank remains, on which a man and a woman float to a deserted island. Then the question arises: when, according to Maulana Maududi, they have reached a place where there is neither man nor mankind, a deserted and uninhabited island, obviously they will need food, clothing, shelter, and a house to protect themselves from heat and cold. Will they not pay any attention to obtaining these things? As soon as they get off the plank, their mind will first turn to: let’s do Mut'ah first, and then see the rest.
This is a strange contradiction: on one hand, Maulana places the man and woman in such a place to prove Mut'ah, where life and its necessities have ended. On the other hand, he creates such an urgent sexual condition in them that they become restless for Mut'ah.
Does common sense accept that a man and woman who have no piece of bread to eat, no drop of water to drink, no clothes to wear, no shelter to live in, but their sexual hunger and intensity are unbearable? Such a wretched person may exist in Maulana Maududi’s mind, but at least in this world, he is not found. When a person passes through such a dreadful situation, becomes completely destitute, and leaves the population to go into the wilderness, think carefully: will his sexual demands remain? And will he be capable of being restless and desperate for Mut'ah?
Apparently, Maulana does not have the full definition of Mut'ah. If he were fully aware of the definition of Mut'ah, perhaps this slip would not have occurred in his "Tafheem-ul-Quran."
Those who believe in the permissibility of Mut'ah say that its purpose is not merely to fulfill sexual desires but also that when traveling, a person feels the need for a companion who understands and can fulfill their needs. This always happens in populated areas, where a person faces many difficulties for eating, cooking, clothing, and shelter, and to fulfill these, he feels the need for a companion. Therefore, the Shia sect has permitted Mut'ah (temporary marriage) in such situations. In this temporary marriage, the man gives the woman some money; it is a formal contract.
In light of this necessity and definition of Mut'ah, Maulana Maududi should explain whether such needs can arise in a deserted wilderness where life and its necessities are absent?
Reading Maulana’s article on the permissibility of Mut'ah, it seems as if Maulana is watching a film showing a vast ocean with a ship loaded with passengers sailing on it. Suddenly, turbulence arises, and the rebellious waves of the sea smash the ship into pieces. Only one plank remains, on which a man and a woman are riding. Maulana watches as the plank floats to an uninhabited island. Upon reaching there, as soon as they get off the plank, intense sexual hunger begins to torment them. That is, Maulana sees that apart from sexuality, no other problem is difficult for them. They have brought food, drink, and clothes on the plank with them. Now only one problem remains for them........ and that is Mut'ah!!
To prove the permissibility of Mut'ah, Maulana had to establish so many assumptions: that the woman is attractive, that she is worthy of Mut'ah, and that both are distressed and restless.
The question is: if the man is distressed but the woman is not, or the woman is distressed but the man is not, does Maulana take responsibility that he will inject the one who is not distressed with urgency and lust so that balance is maintained between them and they can be ready for Mut'ah?
Reference: (Al-I'tisam, 4 November 1955)
Regarding the Sunnah of the Prophet ﷺ:
Every sincere Muslim holds the exemplary character of the Messenger and the Sunnah of the Prophet ﷺ in the highest reverence in their heart, and why should they not, for this is the sign of love for the Prophet. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: [من احب سنتي فقد احبني ومن احبني كان معي في الجنة] Whoever loves my Sunnah has loved me, and whoever loves me will be with me in Paradise on the Day of Judgment.
Reference: Jami` at-Tirmidhi: 2678
There is no logical meaning of the exemplary character of the Messenger and the Sunnah of the Prophet that the common people and the elite lovers of the Prophet do not know or understand. Observe Maulana Maududi Sahib’s "revelation" in this field. In his noble opinion, the technical meaning of Sunnah is entirely wrong; this is what is called "neither the bamboo remains nor the flute plays."
❀ Accordingly, his noble statement is:
"I consider these meanings of Uswah (exemplary character), Sunnah, Bid’ah (innovation), etc., which are generally prevalent among you, to be wrong and even a cause of distortion in religion."
Reference: Tarjuman: May/June 45
Regarding the Beard:
Since nowadays even the beard has become a "bane of life" for fashion-conscious Muslims, it was the foremost task of a "connoisseur of the Prophet's temperament" like Hazrat Maulana Maududi Sahib to deny that acts like "keeping a beard," which are unbearable Sunnah practices, are Sunnah at all. Then the field is clear.
❀ Thus, the specific statement regarding the beard by the beloved is:
"Your idea that keeping a beard as long as the Prophet ﷺ kept it is the Sunnah of the Prophet or the example of the Prophet means that you consider the habits of the Prophet exactly as the Sunnah for which the Prophet ﷺ and other Prophets were sent to establish and maintain. But in my opinion, not only is this not the correct definition of Sunnah, but I also hold the belief that declaring such things (like the beard) as Sunnah and then insisting on following them is a severe kind of innovation (bid’ah) and a dangerous distortion of religion."
Reference: Tarjuman al-Quran May and June 1945
Those delicate individuals who cannot bear the burden of the beard should be very grateful to Maulana; not only did he free them from the trouble of the beard, but "the thief scolds the constable" — he declared the poor lovers of the Sunnah of the Prophet ﷺ who kept beards as innovators and disturbers of religion. No matter how much congratulations are given to Maulana for this service and preservation of religion, it is insufficient. When Maulana Sahib published these fatwas, many of his followers acted upon them and trimmed their once quite substantial beards to short lengths. For details, see
Reference: Khitaab ba Mawdudi: p.45
They were compelled to do so because
The colorful carpets fall, the Pir of Magan says // That the traveler is not unaware of the path and the customs of the stations
Searching for four doors to deny Hadith:
To reach the stage of diminishing the Sunnah, it is necessary to first pass through the stage of denying Hadith. However, openly denying the Hadith of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ against the consensus is not an easy task, and those who have done so have been rejected, cursed, and doomed in this Ummah and have failed in both worlds. For these essential reasons, Hazrat Maulana Maududi Sahib adopted the "Bain Bain" or middle path. Thus, on one hand, he praises the words of the honorable Muhaddithin (scholars of Hadith):
"The truth is that the Muslims owe such a great debt to these Muhaddithin that they cannot be relieved of this burden until the Day of Judgment."
Reference: (Tafhimat: p.276)
❀ On the other hand, Maulana’s statement about these same great Islamic Muhaddithin is as follows:
"These gentlemen (Muhaddithin) used to attack each other, calling one another ignorant, liars, and even the Dajjal of the Dajjals. Then, in the Hadith they narrated, which thing is there that does not have the possibility of error?"
Reference: (Tafhimat: p.294)
Weigh Maulana’s both statements on the scale of justice, and it will become clear to you which direction Maulana Sahib is inclined towards.
There is not a single Hadith that can be believed:
No further detail is necessary regarding this belief of Maududiyyat; it can be described as exaggeration. Therefore, note the blessed words of Maulana Maududi Sahib himself. His honorable statement is as follows:
"Hadiths have come down from a few people to a few people, and if anything is obtained from them at most, it is mere conjecture of authenticity, not knowledge of certainty."
Reference: (Tarjuman al-Quran, Rabi' al-Awwal 1265 AH)
Detailed comments on such misleading statements of Maulana are coming ahead, so here we only say that the very possibility with which you are trying to find a backdoor to deny Hadith, through the same door a researcher of the Quran like you can also deny the Quran and say that the present Quran has been transmitted from a few people to a few people, so how can "knowledge of certainty" be obtained from it? All transmitters were human, and there is the possibility of error in all of them. Now tell us, which path will Allama Maududi Sahib or his followers take to satisfy this Quran denier? Is there not a single elder among the Companions, the Successors, and the Imams of the religion whose transmission can be trusted?
❀ You try to create further distrust about the Hadith scholars in these words:
"The issue is not with the text itself but only with how far it is correct to trust them collectively. After all, they were human beings."
Reference: (Tafheemaat: p.292)
Maulana's principle is so dangerous that no person in the world, regardless of their status, can be trusted. Such extreme distrust can paralyze the entire system of the world. Yet Maulana Sahib is openly advising the Ummah to adopt this dangerous "distrust" without hesitation. Maulana, forgive me? You are also human, so how correct would it be to trust your esteemed self? And what fatwa would you give in favor of those who trust you in this manner?
❀ Observe another of your revelations in this regard, where you say:
"How can you say that what the 'honorable Muhaddithin' consider authentic is actually authentic? Even they themselves did not have complete certainty of its authenticity."
Reference: (Tafheemaat: p.292)
This is the dangerous blow from Maulana Maududi Sahib that can completely disrupt the entire fabric of Islam. If the honorable Muhaddithin themselves did not have certainty in the authentic narrations they transmitted, then did they spend their entire lives compiling this science just to starve? Did they travel hundreds of miles in search of qualified teachers for this science for no reason? Did they blacken thousands of pages and hand them over to the Ummah for no purpose? The truth is, if Allama Maududi had openly become a denier of Hadith and said such things, it would not have been regrettable. Claiming faith and certainty in Hadith while bombarding the collection of Hadith with backdoor attacks is not reasonable.
What does Mr. "Parvez" say?
Mr. Parvez probably says under these very circumstances that Maulana Maududi Sahib is also, like me, a denier of Hadith. Then why am I the only one who is criticized? The original passage of Parvez Sahib, quoted in his own words, is as follows:
"The exact same school of thought regarding Hadith (which Maududi Sahib holds) is that of the early Islam. The difference is that he does not give any individual the authority to declare that whatever his perspective deems as the Sunnah of the Prophet, its following becomes obligatory for the entire Ummah. He says that this right belongs only to the Ummah’s Quranic system, which can sift through the collection of narrations to see which things can be considered authentic and which details are such that they do not require any change or alteration. But you will see that despite this, Jamaat-e-Islami continuously and persistently labels the early Islam as deniers of Hadith and deniers of the rank of Prophethood, causing a great fitna, and declares its leader as the greatest supporter of Hadith and the modern advocate of Sunnah." Al-Khal
Reference: (Risalah Haq Parast Ulema Ka Jawab Maulana Ahmad Ali Sahib p. 58), (Tulu-e-Islam Karachi 2 April 1955)
As far as my knowledge goes, Maududi Sahib has never responded to this challenge of Parvez Sahib to this day.
Imam Bukhari, may Allah have mercy on him, and the attacks on his "Al-Jami' al-Sahih":
In view of Allama Maududi Sahib's approach, what you or your followers have said or written about Hazrat Imam Bukhari, may Allah have mercy on him, and his "Al-Jami' al-Sahih" is not entirely far-fetched. If all such writings of Maulana Sahib or his followers, who claim to "establish the religion," were collected, a considerable volume would be prepared. However, there is not enough space in this article under our pen. Therefore, we present Maulana's latest speech delivered on
Reference: 15 May 1955
at Barkat Ali Hall, referenced in
Reference: Akhbar al-I'tisam, issue dated 27 May 1955
and [3 June 1955[/ref], along with the following commentary from the same newspaper. From this, Maududi's stance on Sahih Bukhari will be understood. Then, the institution's scholarly and impartial commentary is worth reading repeatedly to gain knowledge and insightful conviction. The subject of Maulana Sahib's speech on that date was the Sunnah of the Prophet and Hadith. After much discussion, Maulana Sahib declared his position on Sahih Bukhari as follows:"No respectable person can say that the collection of Hadith that has reached us is absolutely authentic; for example, Bukhari, which is called the most authentic book after the Book of Allah, no one, even the greatest exaggerator in Hadith, can say that all six or seven thousand Hadiths recorded in it are entirely authentic."
Maulana Maududi has also explained this belief or viewpoint in an article titled "The Path of Moderation," which has been published in his collection of essays "Tanzeehat."
Maulana also said:
"No person has the right to force others to accept his research on a hadith that he has verified as authentic; every person has the right to conduct research in their own capacity."
This raises the suspicion that, God forbid, the authenticity of hadiths is such that anyone can challenge them and reject or accept them based on their own research and discretion. The acceptance-based approach, which the hadith scholars have considered a criterion of reliability rather than authenticity, is nothing more than that. Does this not strengthen the discord and rejection that Maududi Sahib is striving to eliminate? And does it not indicate that, in their view, the matter of the authenticity or inauthenticity of hadiths is entirely subjective? No one can compel another to accept any interpretation or explanation of a hadith as authentic. We want to ask Maulana whether this mode of reasoning does not weaken our own position? And whether people do not come to the conclusion that they will accept the hadiths they consider authentic and reject those they do not. Moreover, the manner in which Maulana expressed his views on this subject did not please us. A better and more responsible approach could have been adopted. For example, regarding the collections of hadiths, the views he expressed about Sahih Bukhari are extremely irresponsible. It is surprising that this part of his speech was not published in "Tasneem," although if Maulana did say this, "Tasneem" should not have refrained from publishing it.
What Maulana Abul A'la Maududi expressed about Sahih Bukhari indicates that he is not familiar with the background of its compilation and the reasons and factors behind its authorship. Furthermore, he does not seem to know the status Sahih Bukhari holds in the Ummah in terms of authenticity and certainty, nor the high regard in which it is held by the scholars of Ahl al-Sunnah.
It seems appropriate to first explain the background of the compilation of Sahih Bukhari so that Maulana Maududi and others can clearly understand how elevated its status is in terms of authenticity and certainty.
Hafiz Ibn Hajar states in the introduction of "Fath al-Bari":
When Imam Bukhari, may Allah have mercy on him, reviewed the collections of hadith, he found a mixture of authentic and weak hadiths. He resolved to compile authentic hadiths. Hafiz Ibn Hajar, may Allah have mercy on him, says: [حرك همته لجمع الحديث الصحيح الذى لا يرتاب فيه امين].
Reference: Introduction to Fath al-Bari: p.4, Egypt edition
That is, "The mentioned Imam intended to compile a collection of authentic hadiths whose authenticity would not be doubted by any honest person." He made this intention in compliance with a statement and wish of his respected teacher Imam Ishaq ibn Rahwayh (who is known among the muhaddithin by the honorable title Amir al-Mu'minin fi al-Hadith wal-Fiqh). Hafiz Ibn Hajar, may Allah have mercy on him, mentioned it as follows: Once Imam Ishaq ibn Rahwayh, may Allah have mercy on him, addressed his students and said:
[لو جمعتم كتاباً مختصراً الصحيح لسنة رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم]
"I wish you would compile an authentic collection of the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, in book form."
Imam Bukhari, may Allah have mercy on him, says that this statement of the teacher deeply impressed my heart and [اخذت فی جمع الجامع الصحیح]
Reference: (Introduction to Fath al-Bari: p.5, Egypt edition)
I began the compilation of Sahih Bukhari. Regarding how Imam Bukhari, may Allah have mercy on him, fulfilled his teacher’s statement, he himself says:
[صنفت كتابي الجامع في المسجد الحرام وما ادخلت فيه حديثاً حتى استخرت الله تعالى وصليت ركعتين وتيقنت صحته]
I composed this book in the Masjid al-Haram, and I recorded each hadith after performing istikhara (seeking guidance prayer) and praying two rak'ahs of nafl prayer, and only when I was fully certain of its authenticity.
Reference: Introduction to Fath al-Bari: p.490
Because of this certainty, Imam Bukhari proposed the name [الجامع المسند الصحيح المختصر من امر رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم وسننه وأيامه].
Regarding this unparalleled service of Imam Bukhari, may Allah have mercy on him, to the science of hadith, and the wide and universal acceptance it gained among the scholars of the Ummah, it seems appropriate to give a brief mention. So that Maulana Maududi may understand that the status of Sahih Bukhari as a text accepted with full acceptance is not in line with the view of Maulana Maududi or his admirers who say, "No honorable person can say that the collection of hadith that has reached us is absolutely authentic, for example, Bukhari, which is called the most authentic book after the Book of Allah, no one who exaggerates greatly in hadith can say that all six or seven thousand hadiths recorded in it are entirely authentic."
What is its status compared to the statements of the Imams of the religion, the scholars of the Salaf, and the experts and researchers of the field...
[1] Imam Nasai says:
[أجود هذه الكتب كتاب البخاري وأجمعت الأمة على صحة هذين الكتابين ووجوب العمل بأحاديثهما]
Translation: Among all the books of Hadith, the best book is Sahih Bukhari, and there is consensus of the Ummah that these two books (Bukhari and Muslim) are authentic and it is obligatory to act upon them.
Reference: Introduction to Sahih al-Bukhari: p.4
[2] The famous Muhaddith Hafiz Ibn al-Salah, while explaining the categories of authentic hadiths, says:
[واعلاها الاول وهو الذي يقول فيه أهل الحديث كثيراً صحيح متفق عليه] That is, in terms of authenticity, the highest rank is for those hadiths about which the Muhaddithin mostly say, "Sahih Muttafaqun Alayh" (Agreed upon as authentic).
Then he says:
The meaning of this is that Imam Bukhari and Muslim agreed on its authenticity, and it is not that the Ummah has consensus on it.
His words are:
[لكن اتفاق الامة عليه لازم من ذلك وحاصل معه لاتفاق الامة على تلقى ما اتفق عليه بالقبول]
Hadiths of this category are all absolutely authentic and from them, certain knowledge and vision are obtained.
His words are:
[وهذا القسم جميعه مقطوع بصحة والعلم اليقيني النظري واقع به]
This is their definition regarding the agreed-upon, but regarding Sahih Bukhari and Sahih Muslim individually, their statement is:
Imam Bukhari, may Allah have mercy on him, is unique in the narrations just as Imam Muslim, may Allah have mercy on him, is unique in the narrations he has; those hadiths are also absolutely authentic. Because the Ummah has given each of these books a status of acceptance. Their words are:
[ما انفرد به البخاري او مسلم مندرج في قبيل ما يقطع بصحته لتلقى الامة كل واحد من كتابيهما بالقبول]
Reference: (Introduction of Ibn al-Salah: pp. 28-29, Cairo edition)
[3] Hafiz Imad al-Din Ibn Hajar, may Allah have mercy on him, after mentioning the above statements of Hafiz Ibn al-Salah in his book
Reference: Ikhtisar Ulum al-Hadith: pp. 8-9
and after mentioning Imam Nawawi’s disagreement with them, says:"I support Hafiz Ibn al-Salah in this matter; whatever he has stated in this regard is correct."
After this, quoting the statement of Sheikh al-Islam Imam Ibn Taymiyyah, may Allah have mercy on him, he says:
"The collections of hadith that the Ummah has accepted hold the status of authenticity, and the fatwa of the definite authenticity of their hadith is established from various groups of the Imams of the religion, such as Qadi Abdul Wahhab Maliki and among the Shafi'is Sheikh Abu Hamid al-Asfara'ini, Qadi Abu Tayyib al-Tabari, Sheikh Abu Ishaq Shirazi, and among the Hanbalis Ibn Hamid, Abu Ya'la ibn al-Farra', Abu al-Khatab ibn al-Zaghuni, and among the Hanafi scholars, the statement of Shams al-A'immah al-Sarakhsi, may Allah have mercy on him. Also, among the Ash'aris, most scholars of Kalam and besides them Abu Ishaq al-Asfara'ini and Ibn Furak, etc., hold the same belief."
In conclusion, he says:
[وهو مذهب اهل الحديث قاطبة ومذهب السلف عامة وهو يعنى ماذكر ابن الصلاح استنباط فوافق فيه هؤلاء الائمه]
That is, this is the general belief of all Ahl al-Hadith and the Salaf, and this is the meaning of the statement of Hafiz Ibn al-Salah. Thus, the statement of Hafiz Ibn al-Salah aligns with all these Imams."
We want to make it clear that what we are presenting is against Maulana Maududi's inappropriate attack that "Even the greatest exaggerator regarding hadith cannot say that all the hadiths of Sahih Bukhari are authentic." We believe that these words are not only devoid of scholarly research but also contain disrespect towards the Imams of the religion, experts in the science of hadith, and the elders of the Salaf.
Hazrat Shah Waliullah Rahmatullah Alaih
Reference: Hujjatullah al-Balighah: p134 vol1
says:[الصحيحان فقد اتفق المحدثون على ان جميع ما فيهما من المتصل المرفوع صحيح بالقطع وانهما متواتران الى مصنفيهما وانه من هون امرهما فهو مبتدع متبع غير سبيل المؤمنين]
Translation: The entire connected narrations of the Sahihayn are unanimously agreed upon by the Muhaddithin to be Marfu‘ (attributed to the Prophet), and they agree that all of them are absolutely authentic. Whoever tries to diminish their importance is an innovator and is moving away from the path of the believers.
The famous recent scholar Hazrat Allama Syed Anwar Shah Deobandi Rahmatullah Alaih states in [Faiz al-Bari]:
"Hafiz Ibn Hajar Rahmatullah Alaih, Allama Sarkhasi Hanafi Rahmatullah, Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah Rahmatullah, and Imam Ibn al-Salah, etc., our group of researchers have concluded that the hadiths of the Sahihayn are definitively established."
After mentioning the opinions of these elders, Allama Deobandi issues his verdict:
[ان رائيهم هو الراى]
Reference: (Introduction Faiz al-Bari p45 vol1)
That is, their verdict is the correct one.Among the contemporary Egyptian scholars, Allama Ahmad Shakir writes:
[عند اهل العلم الحديث من المحققين ولمن اهتدى هديهم وتبعهم على بصيرة ان احاديث الصحيحين صحيحة كلها ليس فى واحد منها مطعن ولا ضعف]
That is, according to the researchers of Hadith knowledge and the insightful companions, all the hadiths of Bukhari and Muslim are authentic and there is no weakness in them.
Reference: (Hashiyah Al-Ba'ith Al-Hatheeth: p.22)
We have been compelled to express our opinion on this issue because... in the matter of Sahih Bukhari, the feelings of the Muslim Ummah are very sensitive, and it is absolutely intolerable for a responsible person like Maulana Maududi to make it a subject of irresponsible discussion in a public gathering.
Although we are aware of Maududi Sahib’s scholarly and intellectual weaknesses regarding hadith and we know well what thoughts he holds in this regard and how different his path is from Ahl al-Sunnah. However, the delicacy of the situation demanded that he should not have let go of caution in this matter and should not have taken any step that might endanger our common interests. But what remedy is there that...
"At the very time when efforts are being made to bring about unity of action among groups related to all schools of thought, he has started to create doubts and suspicions about the books of hadith in such a manner that it strengthens the interests of the deniers of hadith."
And we say with certainty that even the greatest denier of hadith would not have the courage to say in a public gathering:
"No honorable person can say that all the hadiths of Bukhari are authentic." انا لله وانا اليه راجعون
We might have remained silent if this opinion of Maulana was his personal view. But he said this in a public gathering of Jamaat-e-Islami, and in it, he appealed to people to understand his point of view through his writings, asking them to study his literature.
Therefore, Maulana Sahib’s speech, which lacks refinement, decorum, and scholarly research foundation, cannot be ignored. If indeed this is Maulana Maududi Sahib’s personal opinion and Jamaat-e-Islami has no connection with it, then is there no "Rijal-e-Rashid" (wise person) in Jamaat-e-Islami who can make Maulana Sahib aware of this mistake? And who can boldly tell him not to use the platform of the Jamaat for the propagation of such thoughts and not to consider such literature as Jamaat-e-Islami’s literature?
