The excellence of the scholars

The Excellence of the Scholars
Written by Ibn Qayyim al Jawziyyah

Allaah, the Mighty and Majestic, says in the Noble Qur’aan: “Allaah bears witness that none has the right to be worshipped but He, and the angels, and those having knowledge (Oolul-’llm) (also bear witness to this; (He is always) maintaining His creation in justice. None has the right to be worshipped but He. the All-Mighty. the All-Wise.” (Soorah Aal-’Imraan (3):18)
This verse shows the superiority of knowledge (“ilm) and its people; the following points can be inferred from this verse:

1. Allaah chose the people of knowledge (Oolul ‘ilm) to bear witness to His Oneness (Tawheed) over and above the rest of His creation.

2. Allaah honoured the people of knowledge by mentioning their testimony along with His testimony.

3. He raised high the status of the scholars by associating their testimony with the testimony of the angels.

4. This verse bears witness to the superiority of those who possess knowledge. Allaah does not make any of His creation bear witness except the upright amongst them.

There is a well-known narration from the Prophet (sallallahu `alaihi wa sallam), who said: “The upright in every generation will carry this knowledge, rejecting the distortions of the extremists, the false claims of the liars, and the (false) interpretations of the ignorant.” (hasan)

5. Allaah, the One free from all defects. Himself bears witness to His Oneness, and He is the greatest of witnesses. Then He chose from His creation the angels and the scholars – this is sufficient to show their excellence.

6. Allaah made the scholars bear witness with the greatest and the most excellent testimony and that is, “None has the right to be worshipped but Allaah.” Allaah, the One free of all defects and the Most High, does not bear witness except to matters of great importance and only the greatest from Allaah’s creation bear witness to this.

7. Allaah made the testimony of the people of knowledge a proof against the rejecters. Thus they are its proofs and its signs, indicating His Oneness (Tawheed).

8. Allaah, the Most High, used a single verb (shahida) to refer to His testimony and the testimony of the angels and the scholars. He did not use an additional verb for their testimony; thus he connected their testimony to His. This shows the strong link between their testimony and Allaah’s testimony, as if He himself bore witness to His Oneness upon their tongues and made them utter this testimony.

9. Allaah, the One free from all defects, made the scholars fulfil His right (that none has the right to be worshipped but Him) through this testimony and if they fulfill it then they have fulfilled and established this right of Allaah upon them. Then it is obligatory upon mankind to accept this testimony which is the means to reach happiness in this life and in their final return (to Allaah). Whosoever takes this guidance from the scholars and accepts this truth because of their testimony, then for the scholars there is a reward equal to them. And none knows the value of this reward but Allaah.

May Allah reward the scholars of truth for their service at a time when the wolves in sheep’s clothing (the scholars of falsehood) have sold out the Muslim Ummah.

obedience to the rulers and scholars in making the lawful to be unlawful and the unlawful to be lawful

Shaikh Sulaymaan Aal ash-Shaikh

 

Tayseer al-Azeer al-Hameed (p.553-554)

 

“And as for his (i.e. Ibn ‘Abdul-Wahhaab’s) saying (as quoted in Fath ul-Majeed p.342 by Shaikh Abdur-Rahmaan bin Hasan Aal ash-Shaikh, under the chapter of obedience to the rulers and scholars in making the lawful to be unlawful and the unlawful to be lawful), “And worshipping the rabbis (ahbaar, scholars, learned ones), this is knowledge (ilm) and understanding (fiqh)”.

 

Meaning, this is what they call today, ilm and fiqh, that which has been authored upon the madhhabs of the Imaams and what is similar to that. So they obey them (i.e. their scholars) in everything that they (the ahbaar) follow him (i.e. one of their scholars), regardless of whether it agrees with the judgement of Allaah or not. Rather, they are not even concerned with what this opposes from the Book and the Sunnah, rather they reject the words of Allaah, and the words of His Messenger, with the sayings of those whom they blindly follow. And they make it clear (yusarrihoon) that it is not lawful to act by a Book and nor a Sunnah, and that is is not permissible to acquire knowledge from them both, and that the ilm, fiqh, and hudaa (guidance) is actually what they find in their books. Rather, greater than all of this and more calamitous than this is the accusation made by many of them that the words of Allaah and the words of His Messenger do not amount to knowledge and nor certainty in the topic of knowing the Names of Allaah, His Attributes, and His Tawheed, and they call it “the apparent meanings of the words”, and then they call what the Philosophers, the Mushriks have devised, “intellectual certainties”, and then they put this before whatever has come from Allaah in the topic of the Names, Attributes and Tawheed. Then they accuse anyone who leaves obedience to the priests and rabbis (i.e. their heads and chiefs) and goes to the obedience of the Lord of the Worlds, obedience to His Messenger, and to judging by what Allaah has revealed in the issues of dispute, [they accuse them] with bid’ah (innovation) or kufr (or disbelief).”

Remaining steadfast upon the Sunnah

The messenger of Allah (saw) left us upon a clear path to be aware of the deviations that the shaytan has has created for us.

 

The Prophet Muhammad (saw) warned his followers: “I have left you upon clear proofs, its night is like its day, and no one deviates from it except one who is destroyed, and whoever lives (long) from amongst you will see great controversy. So stick to what you know from my Sunnah and the Sunnah of the rightly-guided Khaleefahs - cling to that with your molar teeth.” [Reported by Imaam Ahmed (4/126), Ibn Maajah (no.43), al-Haakim (1/96) and al-Baihaqee in al-Madkhal (51)]

 

The Prophet Muhammad (saw) warned us that we would become divided into many sects: “Indeed the people of the Book before you split into seventy-two sects. And this nation will split into seventy-three sects; seventy-two are in the Fire and one in Paradise”. And in another narration, “All are in the Fire except one.” It was asked: Who is that one? He replied, “That which I and my Companions are upon.” [Related by at-Tirmidhi (5/62) and al-Haakim (1/128)]

 

Ibn Mas’oud (ra) said: “Allaah’s Messenger drew a line for us and then said, “This is Allaah’s Path.” Then he drew lines to its right and its left, and said “These are different paths, upon each of them there is a Shaytaan (devil) calling to it”. Then he recited the verse “And Verily this is My Path, so follow it, and do not follow other paths for they will separate you away from His Path.” [Soorah al-An’aam, 6: 153]

 

Therefore we must stick to the Qur'aan and the Sunnah as was understood by the Sahaabah. The messenger of Allah (saw) also praised the first three generations of Muslims: "Verily the best among you (to follow) is my generation (the Companions [ra]), then those who follow them, and then those who follow them…" (Saheeh Muslim, Book: the Virtues of the Sahaabah, chapter 52 hadeeth #2535)

 

Here is what the Imams of the Salaf who followed the Sunnah as understood by the Sahaabah (ra) said regarding innovated creeds and the people of innovation...

 

Imaam ash-Shaafi'ie (d. 204H) (rh) said that: "A person meets Allaah with every sin except Shirk is better than meeting Him upon any one of the innovated beliefs." [Reported by al-Bayhaqee in al-I'tiqaad p.158]

 

In al-Kubraa (4/316) Ibn 'Umar (d. 84H) said: "Every innovation is misguidance, even if the people see it as something good." (Reported by Abu Shaamah no. 39)

 

Sufyaan ath-Thawree (d. 161H) said: "Innovation is more beloved to Iblees than sin, since a sin may be repented from but innovation is not repented from." (Reported by al-Laalikaa’ee no. 238)

 

Imaam ash-Shaafi'ie (d. 204H) said: "If a person meets Allaah with every sin except Shirk, it is better than meeting Him upon any one of the innovated beliefs." (Reported by al-Bayhaqee in al-I’tiqaad p.158)

 

Al-Layth bin Sa’d (d. 175H) said: "If I saw a person of desires (i.e. innovations) walking upon the water I would not accept from him." So Imaam as-Shaafi’ee then said: "He (al-Layth) has fallen short. If I saw him walking in the air I would not accept from him." (Reported by as-Suyooti in al-Amr bil ‘Ittibaa wan-Nahee anil Ibtidaa’)

 

Yunus bin Ubaid said to his son, "I forbid you from fornication (zinaa), stealing and drinking wine. However that you meet Allaah with any of these sins is better to me than that you meet him with the view of Amr bin Ubaid and the associates of Amr (i.e. the Mu’tazilah)." (Al-Ibaanah 2/466)

 

Sa’eed bin Jubair said, "That my son accompanies a sinful and cunning scoundrel who is a Sunni is more beloved to me than that he accompanies a humble and worshipful Innovator." (Al-Ibaanah no. 89)

 

Imaam Ahmad said, "The graves of Ahl us-Sunnah from those who committed the major sins are like gardens. And the graves of Ahl ul-Bid’ah from amongst their abstemious pious ones are hollow and empty. The sinners of Ahl us-Sunnah are the Awliyaa’ (Friends) of Allaah and the abstemious pious ones of Ahl ul-Bid’ah are the Enemies of Allaah." (Tabaqaat ul-Hanaabilah 1/184)

 

Imaam al-Barbahaaree (rh) said: "However, if you see a person whose manner and opinion is despicable, he is wicked, sinful and oppressive, yet he is a person of the Sunnah, accompany him and sit with him, since his sin will not harm you. If you see a man who strives hard and long in worship, is abstemious (abstains from worldly affairs), being continual in worship, except that he is a person of innovation, do not sit with him, do not listen to his words and do not walk along with him, since I do not feel safe that you will not eventually come to be pleased with his way and go to destruction along with him." [Sharh us-Sunnah no. 149]

 

A serious warning dear Muslims to have Ikhlaas and to stick to the Sunnah while fleeing from bid'ah and its people and their gatherings. It is still not too late for Ahl ul-Bid'ah to repent and give up hizbiyyah (biased partisanship) for innovated sects, their founders, and parties and come to the path of the messenger of Allah (saw) and his companions (ra), Ahl us-Sunnah wal-Jamaa'ah.

Raised in the House of Fir’awn

As muslims living in the West, we must deeply consider our situation on an individual and on a collective basis. We must ask ourselves what is our purpose as a muslim minority living in the West, do we have some sort of an obligation to god and the vast majority of people residing in our locality (muslims and non-muslims)?

“I did not create Man and Jinn except to worship me.” Ad-Dharriyat: 56

Allaah also says again;

“Indeed in the Messenger of Allaah you have the best of example for him who looks to Allaah and the last Day and remembers Allaah much.” Al Ahzab: 21

Allaah tells us in the above verses as to what our purpose in life is and who the example is in order to fulfil that purpose, as there will be no dispute in following the standard that has been ordained by God because it is important to understand that if the muslims wish to obey Allaah & worship him this can only be achieved in the manner which he has prescribed for us. Allaah did not leave the Qur’an with us to judge it with according to our whims and desires.

At a time when Islaam is considered strange, backward and considered as un-applicable in modern times, these statements are absurd especially coming directly from the tongues of muslims. The causes of these irrational statements maybe for numerous reasons such as; lack of knowledge, plotting of the Minafiqs and especially one of the apparent causes of degeneration is having inferiority complex as to the Kuffar. Many muslims after 9/11 and 7/7 feel as though we should hide our heads in shame or in order to show that we are tolerant people we have to integrate in to the Kuffar way of life.

“There will come a time holding on to Islaam is like holding on to a hot coal”
(tirmidi –gharieb hadeeth)

“Islaam came as something strange, will return as something strange, so Tooba for the strangers.”
Sahih Muslim

In another narration:

“So tooba is for the strangers, those who are steadfast in righteousness when the people become corrupt.”

On the authority of Anas ibn Malik that the Messenger of Allaah said;

“Among the signs of the Hour will be the disappearance of knowledge and prevalence of ignorance.”
Bukhari and Muslim

The evidences clearly shows us that the times we are living in is something strange, especially at a time when the creation is worshipped instead of the creator, sexual promiscuity is rampant, prostitution being legalised, Paedophilia gradually being accepted by the general public, increase in poverty in the so called third world after being economically raped by the ‘civilised nations’, oppression etc.

The solution for the muslims is not to have a defeatist personality, but actively participating in any Islamic activities starting off with acquiring the beneficent knowledge which will please Allaah and that knowledge would have to be in accordance to what the salaf (pious predecessors) established for us. After acquiring islamic knowledge he/she are obliged to carry the Ilm to others publicly and privately so that we do not fall in to sin and we can differentiate ourselves from the people who have forgotten the day of recompense.

“And who is better in speech than he who (says: “My lord is Allaah.” And then stands firm, and invites (men) to Allaah, and does righteous deeds, and says: “I am one of the Muslims.” Fussilat: 33

If we study the life and times of our beloved messenger, we can see how he gave daw’ah to his people and what the reaction of his people was? He first called the people to tawheed and to shun the worshipping of idols. Before he started to proclaim his daw’ah he was a respectable and noble person within the Quraysh elite, given notable title such as ‘the trustworthy one’ but within days of him proclaiming the message publicly he was given new names ‘poet’, madman, magician etc because he criticised the corruption in his society openly due to which He and his companions were severely beaten, humiliated, slandered, boycotted and even killed. This is the struggle our beloved messenger and his companions endured this to bring dignity and honour upon this ummah, so whosoever would like to embark upon this path would have to endure the similar type of struggle regardless wherever you are or which ever regime you are addressing be it USA,UK or those false god regimes in the Muslim world due to their exceeding limits of corruption.
Many pessimists in particular the group of people who are cementing the throne of taghout (false idols i.e. the disbelieving rulers) would argue on their behalf saying “why do you bite from the hand that feeds you”, “if you don’t like it then leave”, “why do you claim benefits from the country you despise” etc. We can take numerous examples from the Ambiya such as Nuh calling his people to tawheed until the flood seized them, Ibrahim being thrown in the fire until having to be exiled, Jesus proclaimed his daw’ah until he was raised to the Heavans and Musa being raised in the house of Fir’awn, where he later brought an end to his evil regime by constantly commanding the good and forbidding the evil in response to Musa s public daw’ah, Fir’awn with his intelligence service and military might discovered his plan to flee Egypt with the Children of Israel. In result of his transgression Fir’awn was defeated.

“Allah has promised those among you who believe, and do righteous good deeds,
that He will certainly grant them succession (to the present rulers) in the earth, as He
granted it to those before them, and that He will grant them the authority to practice
their religion, that which He has chosen for them (Islam). And He will surely give them
in exchange a safe security after their fear, provided they (believers) worship Him and
do not associate anything (in worship) with Him.”
An-Nur: 55

We too can be like Musa being raised in the house of Fira’wn and establish the code of conduct which has been prescribed by God providing that we are deserved for this blessing.

O you who believe! Whoever from amongst you turns his back from his religion, Allaah will bring a people whom He will love and they will love Him; humble toward the believers. Stern towards the disbelievers, striving in the path of Allaah, and never fear of the blame of the blamers…
Al Ma’idah :54

The Question Which Hides Under the Wing of Apostasy

Many people today tend to ask why we place a line of difference between the Muslims and the Jews and Christians.

One who is sincere should not ask such questions.  How can one claim that there is no difference between Islaam and other religions? 

This is not a new question; rather it has been raised many times.  And such a question has been answered many times too.  In fact these types of questions hide under the banner of apostasy.  It is a type of question which diverts a Muslim from the fold of Islaam to the fold of kufr.  And the carriers of such a question are those who call for interfaith.

The answer is simple to understand and remember…
This call, to bond all religions with Islaam is an evil call which brings apostasy and kufr to the scene.

The idea of interfaith started from the Sufis, from the people of Hulool.  Whereby, such people carried the claim of uniting with Allah swt.  People such as, Ibn Sab’een, Ibn Hood and Ibn A’rabi.  These are the people who permit the Muslims to become Jews and Christians.

It is known in Islaam by necessity, and from the consent of all the salaf and the khalaf, that whoever permits, or declares that it is allowed to follow a deen other then Islaam, or to follow the shari’aah other then the shari’aah of the Messenger Muhammad [saw] he is a Kaafir who has left the camp of Islaam.

Allah swt says:
“Verily the only deen accepted by Allah, is Al-Islaam…”
[3:19]

Sheikh ul-Islaam Ibn Taymiyyah and Muhammad ibn Abdul Wahhab reported on the issue of ‘the negations of the deen of Islaam’:
“The one who does not believe that the Jews and Christians are Mushrikeen, or he doubts their kufr, or he says their (Jews and Christians) deen is like our deen, then he is a Kaafir with the consensus of all the Ulema’.”

Imam ibn Hazm in his book – Maraatibul Ijmaa’ (The level of Consensus) said:
“The Muslims are the ones who consent: that anyone who calls the Jews and Christians believers and belong to the brotherhood of the Muslims is Kaafir, and he agrees to call them (Jews and Christians) kufaar.”

Qaadhi Iyaadh mentioned in his book Ash-Shifa’aa:
“We declare the takfeer on anyone who follows the deen different then the deen of Islaam.  And we declare the takfeer on anyone who doubts that those who do not follow Islaam are Kaafir.”

This is what the ulema used to believe and declare.  But today we have people coming out with the kufr and because of such people, distortion will occur in the deen unless the sincere Muslims can stop them by continuing to carry the haq.

And Allah swt says:
“Never will the Jews nor the Christians be pleased with you (till you follow their religion. Say: “Verily, the Guidance of Allâh that is the (only) Guidance. And if you were to follow their (Jews and Christians) desires after what you have received of Knowledge (i.e. the Qur’ân), then you would have against Allâh neither any Walî (protector or guardian) nor any helper.”
[2:120]

May Allah swt protect our tongues from asking the questions which hide under the wings of kufr and apostasy.