Growth part II
Its ironic to me how we can get into the deen and become 'religious' and we automatically assume that we have somehow earned Allah swt's hidaaya and that we have to now by default be upon the right path.Sincerity is step one, and then step two is seeking the knowledge.
Even Musa PBUH wasnt just granted a sea which was split that he could just walk right through. He even had to take the means that he had which was the stick which he had to hit the sea with for it to part. Even the Anbiyaa' were not just granted success, they had to strive hard to achieve it.
I got into an 'interesting' discussion just now with an old friend of mine who was studying overseas and we got to the topic of taqleed. The discussion turned into almost a 'this what you have to do to be on the right path' talk and subhan Allah, I marvelled at the scene.
I dont believe anything just so that I can associate with a particular group and then subscribe to their magazine and hang their flag in front of my door. I believe anything that I believe because I really reflected on it, I came to a fork in the road and assessed the evidence I had to find the road best travelled, and most importantly: I implored Allah swt to guide me to that which is true.
So I have no problem discussion why I am treading the path I am treading because I feel as though it is the most sound and will be able to explain it, but dont attack me and my beliefs trying to imply that your way is the only way. I take conversations like this extremely personal because it makes me think that you are calling me insincere and are telling me that my imploring Allah swt for guidance and my seeking the truth has lead me into a deviant direction.
I dont think I even realized how much ive changed over the past 3 to 4 years. I was digging through my archives of email and I came across an email that a brother (may Allah reward him) had sent me through a message board that I used to post on (even before Islamica). I had made a post about exactly the same moment when I began doubting traditional scholarship which I mentioned in an earlier post, and this brother took the time to express to me his concern about the path I was headed down. This particular email is a reply that the brother sent to an email I had sent him, so my words are going to be in a red color and I will leave his black.
Subhan Allah, I read the email and it brings tears to my eyes to think that this brother cared enough to take the time out of his life to address my misconceptions with the utmost manners. Notice my writing style and my 3s for Ains. LOL, what a poser I was.
Check it out...
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January 31st 2002
From what i have studied, which as i admit once again, is very little, is that the different types of worship and rituals that the Sufis have been known for are not from the Quran and Sunnah.
Maybe then what is required is further study, and lessconcern regarding the judgement of others, what do youthink my dear Brother? Of what use will this avail youas currency in the hereafter? Better you do a morethorough investigation, and one which is from lessbiased sources, and proceed more impartially. For onewho admits to having studied little you are alreadyprematurely coming to judgements on such issues.
Furthermore, you should know that the usuliyyun didnot consider the Qur'an & Sunnah as the only usul,that you say "Quran and Sunnah" as if these are theonly two sources. Yes, they are the primary sources,but from them other sources were derived. Such usullike ijma', qiyas, and others which there is somedisagreement upon, like istihsan, istishab, saddal-dhara'i, etc.
Im sure everything that is related to Sufi rhetoric is not Bid'3a, but people like Ibn Arabi have said things that clearly contradict the Quran and Sunnah.
And you know this by yourself, or by your reliance onwhat others have told you? If it is by what othershave told you, then that precludes your own capacityto judge, for if you could do so yourself you'd haveno need for recourse to others. By virtue of thishandicap, it is better for your akhira that you leavejudgement in the absence of citing authorities, untilsuch time as you yourself can *verify* what is beingsaid about such Shuyukh. The flesh of scholars ispoison, and if it isn't necessary for you to delveinto that which is obviously beyond you, then don't.Many of us lack the humility to be able to back off.For you to be able to even consider judging Shaykh Ibnal-'Arabi [raheemullah], you'd need to be proficientin his thought and works, and not just quote whatothers have said having read a few articles, or hearda few tapes/talks. Are you able to be independent inyour analysis, or are you confined to the explanationsof what others have told you? If I were to ask you toexplain to me those concepts of his [raheemullah]which are contended by some of those you take youropinion from, could you explain it *without* referringto what such people have told you? If not, then youhave no business casting judgement on one whose affairlies with Allah ta'ala. Such preoccupations blind usto our own miserable condition.
ibn Arabi claims that he wrote a book and distributed it to people by permission of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) which was given to him in a dream which he claims to have seen?
I cannot comment on this, but are you willing totestify that he [raheemullah] was lying? Given that hewas most definitely a thiqa, are you willing to put*your* neck on the line concerning - at the least - aScholar, and say he was lying? You seek to increaseyour burden of accountability before Allah ta'ala so?Is it worth it akhi?
How much have you read of what the *Classical* Ulemasaid about him? And a word of advice. *Don't* rely onthe opinion of those Scholars about who themselves arethe subject of much disagreement and debate. Rather,try and rely on those Scholars upon whom there is ageneral consensus, and the khubool [acceptance] of theUmmah. Because of you rely only on those Ulema whothemselves have debate surrounding them - even if youyourself disagree with the contentions concerning them- then you will never be able to proceed with yourcontentons, because others will disagree with yourciting of that Scholar as a source.
Most of this book contradicts what Allaah revealed in His Books and is opposed to what His Prophets said. And this was a prominent Sufi shaikh.
No scholar is without his critics. Imam Ibn Taymiyyah[raheemullah] was not without his critics too. So,should the *mere* PRESENCE of criticism be taken as aproof of someone's deviance? If the presence ofcriticism of Shaykh ibn al-'Arabi is a proof againsthim [raheemullah] then let us be consistent and agreethat the presence of criticism of Imam Ibn Taymiyyah[raheemullah] is also a proof against him. But no,regarding one, you would rush to defend him, yetregarding the other the same level of judiciousness isnot exercised. And Allah ta'ala is aware of suchinjustice, and the recompense will be as it wasearned, wallahu a'lam.
Then not to mention such Sufi rituals like deep reflections in cemeteries communing with the dead, the theory of anthropomorphism, sufi healing, etc all have no basis in the Quran and Sunnah and are therefore Bida.
The Sahabah [radhiallah ta'ala ajmaeen] are reportedto have made taffakur in cemeteries, wallahu a'lam. Asfor communing with the dead, please bring forth someproof, for an allegation in its absence is ghiba, andonly the foolish would even entertain ghiba without aqat'i [definite] proof.
Regarding anthropomorphism, then it is unusual youattribute this to sufis, when it is well known to be ahallmark of some of their critics, wallahu a'lam.Again, some evidence would be of use. What is sufi healing?
My Aqidah inshaALLAH is to follow the Quran and the SUnnah.
So, you're a sufi too. ;)
If Sufis believe that one should hear and obey the Quran and Sunnah without any innovations, then they have the same aqidah as me. WaALLAhuA3lim.
Except that you probably reject what many manyscholars - including Imam ash-Shafi'i [raheemullah] -define bid'ah as.
I think i have changed my view and now do agree as far as the certain rituals being condemned. But The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Whoever innovates something in this matter of ours [i.e., Islam] that is not a part of it, will have it rejected.”
Hadith is dangerous to quote without sharh, so bewareof your implication, lest it depart form the intendingmeaning of Al-Shaari'.
Some unseen was granted by ALLAH subhannah wa ta3la for Muhammed PBUH to know and convey to us, but only ALLAH knows the Ghaib THE All knower all Wise.
Which is a u-turn from your original statement.
SubhanALLAH, this is why I wanted to know the Sufi Aqeedah. I want to know if they feel they can achieve explaining the unexplanable or re-explain the already explained.
How well do you know your own aqidah, before youenquire about the aqidah of others? Is that not ofmore importance my dear Brother?
Your above point is oxymoronic too. How can oneexplain the unexplainable? What you mean is, can oneexplain that which is *considered by some* to beinexplicable, right? Give me an example of somethingyou mean.
Secondly, can you cite me an *authoritative* source which states that this is what sufis believe please? I want to learn aq, i want to know if this is what they believe.
Well, if by this you are admitting you have noexample, then again I caution you of your ghiba, forsuch an allegation without evidence/proof istantamount to ghiba, wallahu a'lam. Akhi, this is nolight matter. If you have backbitten *all* sufis, youmay have closed a door to jannah for yourself, forthat is a right Allah ta'ala will not intervene in,and yet, how will you ever obtain the forgiveness ofevery sufi??! You won't, so why not instead *not* putyourself in such an insurmountable position in thefirst place.
Akhi I hope you arent trying to put me down as I am trying to learn and am on that quest daily through ALLAH's mercy.
Then don't cut off the means to that Rahma by engagingin what could constitute ghiba. If you want that Rahmaso much, then tread much more carefully akhi.And know the difference between being put down, andbeing put in your place.
One of the hardest lessons tobe learnt is to distance oneself from kibr[arrogance], mukaabarah [obstinacy], and pride. I haveyet to achieve this.
I am trying to follow the examples of> the companions as when they heard a new revelation, they made sure they had implemented it in their lives before moving on.
Yet you seem to be hasty in judging that which youhave yet to fully grasp. Why? Why can you not witholdjudgement until you have obtained the knowledge?
I constantly learn and act, learn and act, ONLY by ALLAH's mercy.
The mercy you show to other Muslims - including theSufis - is the mercy you will be entitled to on theDay of Judgement, wallahu a'lam, so be wary of how youare towards those whom you frown at. For all yourcriticism, many of them may have had more ikhlas in asingle prayer of theirs, than you have ever managed tomuster in all of yours. Allah ta'ala knows what lieswithin.
Know also that it was/is a classic trait of the Ahlal-Firaq [Peopl of Sects] to be preoccupied in judgingothers more, and the self less. It is one of shaytaanstricks to veil them from their own faults, wallahua'lam.
Ameen, and may ALLAH reward you for helping out a miskin brother like myself get the fruits of knowledge which i am starving for. Ameen
Astaghfirullah, I am not any kind of vehicle forknowledge, plase don't make the mistake of thinkingthat akhi, for to do so will only land you in hotwater. :) Plus, personally, I think this issue you'reasking about is of much less importance to you thanmany other kinds of knowledge you should be seeking.One of which would most definitely be some knowledgeof fiqh and usul, as exemplified in another of yourposts, in the Madrasatul Ilm of Madinat al-Muslimeen,which you posted on 25/01/02 at 23:04:02, and entitled'What do you do when your local Imam says there is noneed for a daleel?' You wrote:
At the Masajid tonight the Imam was explaining the artof Wudu according to the Hanafi school of thought. Iwas one of the older guys there as there were manyother young children. He said some things associatedwith Wudu which raised my eyebrows along with a coupleother brothers who were near me. After the halaqa oneof the brothers asked the Imam if he could kindly givehim the sources for the prescribed methods which hewas illustrating. The Imam then asked him and I tocome with him into his office. He then went to hisbookshelf and started picking up book after booksaying that he has read and studied these books andknows what hes talking about. He said that there is nosuch thing as daleel in the UK (where he is fromoriginally) and that this is something very new tohim. He said that we should trust him and that hewouldnt teach us anything wrong. WHAT SHOULD WE DO Ifelt very baffled as I have never heard this before?May ALLAH guide us all...
There exist a number of problematic concepts in thatpost which you need to comprehend.May Allah (awj) judge you - and me - according to His(awj) Rahma, and not His (awj) Justice
posted by Iboo LaL @ 8:16 PM
Comments: 3
