This excerpt is taken from the treatise compiled by Sheikh Abu Umar Abdul Aziz Al-Nuristani and other Ahl al-Hadith scholars, "Dr. Israr Sahib's Theory of Wahdat al-Wujud and Its Shariah Ruling" .
الحمد لله والصلاة والسلام على رسول الله أما بعد:
Dr. Israr Ahmad, in refutation of Hindu philosophy, has established a theory. He named it Tawheed al-Wujudi, which is un-Islamic and misguidance. Because there is no difference between Wahdat al-Wujud and Tawheed al-Wujudi except in terminology, and the theory of Wahdat al-Wujud is invalid and a stepping stone to shirk and an innovation in belief for the following reasons:
First Reason:
Munazir Ahsan Gilani, in his statement, gave its example with the Taj Mahal. And Sheikh Ahmad Sirhindi gave its example (in the context of the expression Wahdat al-Shuhud) with a wooden flame, and both these examples are contrary to the Holy Quran. Allah Almighty said:
[فَلَا تَضۡرِبُوۡا لِلّٰہِ الۡاَمۡثَالَ] So do not set up equals to Allah.
Reference: An-Nahl:74
Second Reason:
The Shariah evidences are the Holy Quran and authentic Hadiths. However, the Sufis and the doctor have not presented any Quranic verse or authentic Hadith to prove this theory; they have only mentioned the sayings of Sufi scholars. Whereas, according to Ahmad Sirhindi, "The statement of a Sufi is not valid in Shariah," the statement of a Sufi is not valid in the eyes of Shariah.
Third Reason:
Whatever type of Tawheed it may be, it is a matter of belief. And to prove a belief, conclusive evidence (proof) is necessary. It cannot be established through conjectures and the sayings of men.
Fourth Reason:
Essence and "Aynah" and similar expressions (especially regarding Allah Almighty) are logical and philosophical applications; these are in no way proven by Shariah evidence. Rather, Imam Abu Hanifa (may Allah have mercy on him) forbade the application of terms like "Jawhar" (essence) and the like.
Fifth Reason:
Wahdat al-Wujud, Wahdat ash-Shuhud, and Tawheed al-Wujud are not mentioned in the books of the pious predecessors, the Imams of Ijtihad, and the Imams of Hadith. Therefore, these are innovative terms and fall under the category of ،،کل بدعة ضلالة،،, while the Sufis consider them the essence of religion.
Sixth Reason:
Wahdat al-Wujud is the same as Hulool (incarnation), and the belief in Hulool is outright disbelief and polytheism.
Seventh Reason:
The belief in Wahdat al-Wujud and Hulool is a step towards, indeed the very essence of, shirk. Because a polytheist does not consider his deity other than Allah to be different from Allah, just as the Christians say that we worship Jesus (peace be upon him), but since he is not other than Allah, we are not polytheists.
Eighth Reason:
If the meaning of Wahdat al-Wujud is taken to be that the existence of Allah Almighty is real and the existence of others besides Allah is temporary, then it is correct:
[کُلُّ مَنۡ عَلَیۡہَا فَانٍ]،[ وَّ یَبۡقٰی وَجۡہُ رَبِّکَ ذُو الۡجَلٰلِ وَ الۡاِکۡرَامِ]
[All that is on earth will perish,] [only the face of your Lord, full of Majesty and Honor, will remain.]
Reference: Ar-Rahman:27,26
But according to the Sufis, it means that the existence of creation is the very existence of Allah Almighty, and the existence of Allah Almighty is the very existence of creation. This theory is contrary to many Quranic verses and is false.
[وَ جَعَلُوۡا لَہٗ مِنۡ عِبَادِہٖ جُزۡءًا ؕ اِنَّ الۡاِنۡسَانَ لَکَفُوۡرٌ مُّبِیۡنٌ]
And they have taken some of Allah’s servants as partners in His divinity. Indeed, man is openly ungrateful.
Reference: Az-Zukhruf:15
[اَوَ لَا یَذۡکُرُ الۡاِنۡسَانُ اَنَّا خَلَقۡنٰہُ مِنۡ قَبۡلُ وَ لَمۡ یَکُ شَیۡئًا]
Does man not remember that We created him before, when he was nothing?
Reference: Maryam:67
[وَ قَالَ الَّذِیۡنَ اَشۡرَکُوۡا لَوۡ شَآءَ اللّٰہُ مَا عَبَدۡنَا مِنۡ دُوۡنِہٖ مِنۡ شَیۡءٍ]
And the polytheists say, "If Allah had willed, we would not have worshiped anything besides Him, nor would our fathers."
Reference: An-Nahl:35
[قُلۡ اِنِّیۡ نُہِیۡتُ اَنۡ اَعۡبُدَ الَّذِیۡنَ تَدۡعُوۡنَ مِنۡ دُوۡنِ اللّٰہِ]
Say, "I have been forbidden to worship those whom you call upon besides Allah."
Reference: Al-An'am:56
[وَ لَوۡ کَانَ مِنۡ عِنۡدِ غَیۡرِ اللّٰہِ لَوَجَدُوۡا فِیۡہِ اخۡتِلَافًا کَثِیۡرًا]
If this Quran had been from anyone other than Allah, surely there would have been much contradiction in it.
Reference: An-Nisa:82
From these verses, it is clear that the creation is other than Allah. Because especially in these verses, the mention is of gods besides Allah. And they are often the saints of Allah, so they too are besides Allah and other than Allah. Careful consideration of these very verses makes it clear that creation, and especially humans, are not united in the existence of Allah but are distinct (completely separate).
Ninth Reason:
According to the Sufis, knowledge is of two kinds: [1] Knowledge of Reality [2] Knowledge of Shariah (inner knowledge and outer knowledge), and they clarify that reality is different from Shariah. And Allah Almighty says:
[اَمۡ لَہُمۡ شُرَکٰٓؤُا شَرَعُوۡا لَہُمۡ مِّنَ الدِّیۡنِ مَا لَمۡ یَاۡذَنۡۢ بِہِ اللّٰہُ]
Have those who have taken partners (with Allah) appointed for them a religion which Allah has not permitted?
Reference: Ash-Shura:21
[ثُمَّ جَعَلۡنٰکَ عَلٰی شَرِیۡعَۃٍ مِّنَ الۡاَمۡرِ]
Then We made you follow the (apparent) path of religion.
Reference: Al-Jathiyah:18
And every knowledge that is other than Shariah is false knowledge.
Tenth Reason:
Among the ugly effects of Wahdat al-Wujud, it is narrated from Ibn Arabi that Pharaoh's faith was accepted. And Pharaoh's faith was superior to the faith of Musa (Moses), peace be upon him. [العیاذ باللہ]
Whereas in the Holy Quran, in Surah Adh-Dhariyat and Surah An-Nazi'at, the destruction of Pharaoh is explicitly stated, so these verses have to be denied. نعوذ بالله من الكفر والضلال
I have mentioned this briefly and concisely by the grace of Allah. If Allah grants success, I will write in detail on this issue, InshaAllah. I request the doctor to reconsider this theory and have mercy on the disciples.
وصلى الله على نبينا محمد واله وصحبه وسلم
Fazilat al-Sheikh Abu Zakariya Abdul Salam Rustami, may Allah have mercy on him
