بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم وبه نستعين والصلاة والسلام على أشرف المرسلين
ثانياً: الكتب والرسائل الموضوعة والمنحولة على الإمام الغزالي والتي نُسِبَت إليه وهي ليست له
1- سِرُّ العاَلَمين وَكَشْفُ مَافي الدَّارَين، ليس للغزالي :
هذا الكتاب ليس للغزالي بل هو منحول عليه وقد اتفق الباحثون قطعاً على انه منحول.
- يقول شاه عبد العزيز الدهلوي في كتابه "تحفة اثنا عشرية" ص 87 : "إن الكتاب منحول وليس للغزالي".
- وكذلك يرى بدوي، وكذلك يرى المستشرقون مثل: جولديستهر وبويج ومكدونالد. (بدوي ص 271).
واقول انه منحول على الغزالي من قبل الباطنية الإسماعيلية للأسباب الواضحة أدناه:
1 - قال الإمام الذهبي في كتابه "سير أعلام النبلاء" ج19 ص 328:
"ولأبي المظفر يوسف سبط ابن الجوزي في كتاب "رياض الأفهام" في مناقب أهل البيت قال: ذكر أبو حامد في كتابه "سر العالمين وكشف مافي الدارين" ... وسرد كثيراً من هذا الكلام الفسل الذي تزعمه الإمامية وما أدري ما عذره في هذا؟ ... هذا إن لم يكن هذا وضع هذا، وما ذاك ببعيد، ففي هذا التأليف بلايا لاتتطبب."
وهذا يعني صراحة ان الإمام الذهبي يشك في نسبة الكتاب للإمام الغزالي، ويرى انه موضوع عليه ولايستبعد ان يكون سبط ابن الجوزي نفسه قد وضعه لقوله: "إن لم يكن هذا وضع هذا، وما ذاك ببعيد".
2 - يذكر المؤلف أبو العلاء المعري الشاعر ويقول: أنه أنشده لنفسه: "وانشدني المعري لنفسه وأنا شاب في صحبة يوسف بن علي شيخ الإسلام " (رسائل الغزالي ج6 ص 74 )، ثم يذكر بعض الأبيات الشعرية.
ومن الحقائق التاريخية المعروفة ان المعري توفي سنة 448 للهجرة والغزالي ولد سنة 450 للهجرة فكيف أنشده لنفسه، ولانعلم ان المعري قد بعث من قبره قبل يوم النشور. أنظر بدوي ص 272 .
3 - يذكر الكاتب أبو العلاء المعري الشاعر بقوله: "وأنشد الشيخ أبو العلاء المعري لنفسه رحمه الله:
يا قوم أذني لبعض الحي عاشقة
والأذن تعشق قبل العين أحيانا
إن العيون التي في طرفها مرض
قتلننا ثم لم يحيين قتلانا
يصرعن ذا اللب حتى لا حراك به
وهن أضعف خلق الله أركانا"
( رسائل الغزالي ج6 ص 84 )
ويلاحظ على هذا النص خطأين تاريخيين:
أولاً: أنه ذكر المعري بوصفه شيخاً ولايعقل أن فقيهاً كالغزالي يقول هذا، لاسيما وان المعري قد أُتّهِم بالزندقة وهو الذي قال :
هفت النصارى وحنيفة ما أهتدت
ويهود حارت والمجوس مضللة
ثانياً: الأبيات الشعرية الثلاثة المذكورة أعلاه يدرك كل من له ثقافة عامة غير تخصصية وحتى الطالب في مرحلة الدراسة الثانوية أو التوجيهية أنها من شعر جرير وأنها ليست للمعري.
4 - يكرر المؤلف موضوع الإمامة وكل من الإمام علي ومعاوية رضي الله عنهما ويركز على النزاع بينهما وعدم أهلية معاوية للخلافة ، وهذا يقطع بأنها من دس الباطنية الأسماعيلية عليه . فالمؤلف يذكر على سبيل المثال في آخر الكتاب ما يلي: "وقد سمعت كلاماً لمعاوية إذ قال: هموا بمعالي الأمور لتنالوها ،فإني لم أكن للخلافة أهلاً فهممت بها فنلتها " (رسائل الغزالي ج6 ص 96)
وهذا هو نفسه الذي ذكره المؤلف في بداية الكتاب: "كما قال معاوية رضي الله عنه : همّوا بمعالي الأمور لتنالوها ، فإني لم أكن للخلافة أهلاً فهممت بها فنلتها " (رسائل الغزالي ج6 ص 5 )
وتكرار هذا القول في فاتحة الكتاب وفي خاتمة الكتاب لم يأت اعتباطاً وانما جاء مقصوداً ومبيتاً للتقرير في الأذهان أن معاوية لم يكن للخلافة أهل، وهو ذم وان جاء وكأنه في سياق المدح.
5 - والرسالة عموماً تغلب عليها المسحة الشيعية التي تمتاز بالغلو في علي كرَّم الله وجهه، خذ على سبيل المثال هذا النص السقيم :
"وأعجب من هذا الحديث حديث بلوقيا وعفان ، فحديثهما طويل، وإشارة منه كافية، فقد بلغ من سفرهما حتى وصلا إلى المكان الذي فيه سليمان، فتقدم بلوقيا ليأخذ الخاتم من أصبعه، فنفخ فيه التنين الموكل معه، فأحرقه فضربه عفان بقارورة فأحياه، ثم مد يده ثانية وثالثة فأحياه بعد ثلاث، فمد يده رابعة فاحترق وهلك فخرج عفان وهو يقول: أهلك الشيطان أهلك الشيطان، فناداه التنين: ادن أنت وجرب، فهذا الخاتم لا يقع في يد أحد إلا في يد محمد صلى الله عليه وسلم إذا بعث، فقل له إن أهل الملأ الأعلى قد اختلفوا في فضلك وفضل الأنبياء قبلك، فاختارك الله على الأنبياء، ثم أمرني فنزعت خاتم سليمان فجئتك به، فأخذه رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم فأعطاه عليّاً فوضعه في أصبعه، فحضر الطير والجان والناس يشاهدون ويشهدون، ثم دخل الدمرياط الجني، وحديثه طويل، فلما كانوا في صلاة الظهر تصور جبرائيل عليه السلام بصورة سائل طائف بين الصفوف، فبينا هم في الركوع إذ وقف السائل من وراء علي عليه السلام طالباً، فأشار علي بيده فطار الخاتم إلى السائل، فضجت الملائكة تعجباً، فجاء جبرائيل مهنياً وهو يقول أنتم أهل بيت أنعم الله عليكم "ليذهب عنكم الرجس أهل البيت ويطهركم تطهيراً" فأخبر النبي بذلك علياً فقال علي عليه السلام: ما نصنع بنعيم زائل، وملك حائل، ودنيا في حلالها حساب، وفي حرامها عقاب؟ فإن اعترض المفتي وقال: كيف قاتل معاوية على الدنيا؟ فالجواب أنه قاتل على حق هو له يصل به إلى حق؛ وأما التحكيم فباطل غير صحيح؛ لأن التحكيم إنما يكون على موجود ومحدود ومعروف ومعلوم غير مجهول؛ هذا فقه وشرع؛ ثم قولوا ما تريدون، فمن أراد أن ينظر في كشف ما جرى فيطلع في كتاب صنفته وسميته " كتاب نسيم التسنيم "، وفي قصص ذي القرنين كفاية، وكتاب رياض النديم لابن أبي الدنيا وانظر في كتاب الأقاليم، وانظر في كتاب المسالك والممالك، وكتب الماوردي الموصلي." (رسائل الغزالي ج6 ص 92 - 93 )
6 - إن الكتاب مليء بالخرافات وماهو اخطر من ذلك ان الكتاب يحتوي على شرك واضح وعبادة للكواكب خذ مثالاً على ذلك :
" المقالة الثامنة عشرة : في عزائم التسخير
تقف أول ساعة من يوم السبت مستقبل الغرب بثياب سوداء وزرق بأبخرة مذكورة مثل اللبان والحرمل وقشور الرمان والخردل البري، ثم تقول في وقت سعيد من تثليث أو تسديس مناط إلى شرف فتقول: "أيها السلطان الأعظم والملك العرمرم، مالك الفلك التابعة له النجوم، الخاسف المزلزل: زحل أنت أشرف الكواكب وسيدها وقائدها ومؤيدها، أسألك أن تعطيني وأن تمنحني ما يصلح منك لي " وتقول يوم الأحد عند طلوع الشمس وأنت مستقبلها بهمة مصروفة إليها: " أيتها السيدة الرفيعة والملائكية المطيعة والمدبرة الكبيرة التي جادت بفيضها على الظلام فصارت نوراً، ذاتها طاهرة وسلطنتها قاهرة، أسألك أن تعطيني ما يصلح منك لي، واصرفي همتك إليَّ وأنت الملكة العزيزة .." (رسائل الغزالي ج6 ص 62 )
ثم يستمر الكاتب الى نهاية أيام الإسبوع لكل يوم كوكب يسأله بدل أن يسأل الله سبحانه وتعالى. وحاشا لعلماء المسلمين أن يخوضوا في مثل هذا .
7 - والرسالة فيها أثر كلام اخوان الصفاء وخلان الوفاء من مسحة افلوطينية فيضية ومسحة شيعية اسماعيلية:
"والسعادة الكلية هي من الفيض الأول، ثم يفيض من طريق التحري إلى كل محل بما يقبله. والفيض الأول من العلة الأولى يتناشى بطريق الفيض الوهمي الذي عجزت العقول عن تحصيل كنهه. والذي صدر عن علة العلل من الفيض الأول هو العقل الفعال الصادر بالكلية عنه، والنفس الكلية هي التي تفيض النفوس عنها، والذي يتجلى للخلق من العقل هو بقدر نزول الشعاع للشمس في النوافذ والنور. ومثل تجلي العقل للأنبياء كمثل الشمس المنخرقة في الأرض الفلاة."ص30 .
ومن له دراية بالفلسفة يعلم ان هذه الترهات هي من أقوال المجموعة الباطنية التي سمت نفسها "إخوان الصفا"، ومن المعلوم ان اخوان الصفاء مجموعة حركية اسماعيلية. فالرسالة قطعاً منحولة من الشيعة الإسماعيلية على الإمام الغزالي، سيما وان الإمام الغزالي قد كتب في الباطنية كتباً ورسائل أعيتهم وكشفت حقيقتهم فحاولوا الطعن فيه ماأستطاعوا ولكنهم لم يفلحوا.
8 - يذكر المؤلف عدداً كبيراً من الكتب على أنها له (للغزالي) مثل: " وإن أردت سلوك طريق السلف الصالح فعليك بكتاب "نجاة الأبرار" وهو آخر ما صنفناه في أصول الدين." (رسائل الغزالي ج6 ص 91 ) ومن المعلوم قطعاً أنه ليس للغزالي على الإطلاق كتاباً تحت هذا العنوان في أصول الدين.
وكذلك يذكر المؤلف الكتب الآتية على أنها من مؤلفاته (أي ان الغزالي كتبها) :
"كتاب عين الحياة" ، "كتاب السبيل" ، "كتاب نسيم التسنيم" و "كتاب مغايب المذاهب"، ومعلوم قطعاً قديماً وحديثاً أن الغزالي لم يؤلف أياً من الكتب اعلاه فكيف يذكرها الغزالي والكاتب أعلم الناس بما كتب وصنَّف.
ويقول بدوي ان عنوانات هذه الكتب لم ترد إلا في "سر العالمين" ولاتوجد في غيره. (بدوي ص 40).
2- مكاشفة القلوب المقرب الى حضرة علاّم الغيوب: ليس للغزالي:
هذا الكتاب منحول على الإمام الغزالي للأسباب الجليّة أدناه:
1 - يقول المؤلف في بداية الكتاب: "وبعد فهذا كتاب اختصرته من الكتاب البديع، حسن الصنيع المسمى بمكاشفة القلوب المقرب الى علام الغيوب المنسوب الى الشيخ الغزالي وقد سميته كأصله بمكاشفة القلوب، واعوذ بالله من الشرك والذنوب ، واقتصرت فيه على مائة وأحد عشر باباً ليحفظ ما فيها أولو العلم والألباب." ص7 .
فليس من المعقول ان يقول الغزالي مثل هذا (أي المنسوب) عن نفسه .
2- يذكر مؤلف الكتاب القرطبي المفسر وينقل عنه في الباب الثالث عشر في الأمانة ص 39 ، ومن المعلوم ان القرطبي توفي 671 للهجرة والغزالي توفي 505 للهجرة فكيف ينقل عنه .
2 - ينقل الكاتب في عدة مواضع (مثلاً ص 19 وص41 ) عن "زهر الرياض" وهو على الأرجح كتاب " زهر الرياض وشفاء القلوب المِراض " لأبي العباس أحمد بن محمد بن أبي بكر الخطيب شهاب الدين القسطلاني المتوفى سنة 923 للهجرة (1517 م). أنظر بدوي ص 368 - 369 .
3 - الكتاب يذكر عدد كبير من الحكايات والعبر مجموعة من كتب الغزالي مثل أحياء علوم الدين ، وبداية الهداية ، ومن مؤلفين آخرين غير الغزالي، محشوة ومحشورة مع بعضها ، مما يعلن عن غياب عقلية الغزالي وطريقته المستقلة المعهودة في التأليف.
3 - المضنون الصغير: ويسمى ايضا "النفخ والتسوية" ويسميه البعض أيضاً "المضنون به على أهله" وكذلك يسمى "الأجوبة الغزالية في المسائل الأخروية" ، هذا الكتاب لم يثبت للغزالي وهو منحول عليه.
هذا الكتاب منحول على الغزالي للأسباب الآتية:
1 - انكر ابن عربي ان يكون هذا الكتاب للغزالي وقال هو لأبي الحسن علي المسفِّر السبتي، يقول أبن عربي: "وكان هذا الشيخ المسفِّر جليل القدر حكيماً عارفاً، غامضاً في الناس، محمود الذكر. رأيته بسبتة. له تصانيف منها "منهاج العابدين" الذي يُعزى لأبي حامد الغزالي، وليس له وإنما من مصنفات هذا الشيخ. وكذلك كتاب "النفخ والتسوية" الذي يُعزى إلى أبي حامد أيضاً، وتسميه الناس "المضنون الصغير" ." (محاضرة الأبرار ومسامرة الأخيار ج1ص125) انظر بدوي ص 158.
ورأي ابن عربي هنا حجة قاطعة لإنه التقى بالمؤلف فأستوفى شرط المعاصرة وشرط السماع . وربما يكون الشيخ المسفِّر هذا قد تأثر بالإمام الغزالي وبِلُغَتِه وأسلوبه فنُسب كلامه للغزالي .
2 - ينكر ابن طفيل ان يكون الكتاب أعلاه واشباهه من المضنونات لأنها لاتتضمن عظيم زيادة في الكشف على ماهو مبثوث في كتبه المشهورة .(حي بن يقظان ص 23 ، المطبعة الكاثوليكية ، بيروت ، وانظر بدوي ص 157 - 158).
3 - تواريخ مخطوطات هذا الكتاب متأخرة جداً تعود الى القرن العاشر الهجري فما بعد.
4 - في الفصل الثالث من "المضنون الصغير= (" المضنون به على أهله" = "النفخ والتسوية" = " الأجوبة الغزالية في المسائل الأخروية" )، يقول واضع الكتاب:
"قيل له: وما حقيقة هذه الحقيقة، ...قال رضي الله عنه [الغزالي]: لاهو داخل ولاهو خارج... فقيل له: هل هو في جهة؟ فقال: هو منزه عن الحلول في المحال والإتصال بالأجسام..." (رسائل الغزالي ج4 ص120 ).
وتستمر هذه الصيغة من الأسئلة والأجوبة حتى نهاية الكتاب، حتى ان الكتاب سمي الأجوبة الغزالية في المسائل الأخروية. وهذا يدل على أمرين مهمين:
الأول: أن الكتاب ليس تأليفاً بالمعنى المعتاد والمعروف من تأليف الكتب، فانك لاتقول عند تأليفك كتاب، قيل له، ولاتقول عن نفسك : قال رضي الله عنه.
الثاني: أن احداً قد كتب هذا وجعله حواراً بين السائل (السائلين) والغزالي، وهذا يعني أنه ليس من تأليف الغزالي.
5 - أنكره من المستشرقين كرادي فو ومونتجمري واط.
4- المضنون به على غير أهله : لم يثبت للغزالي :
وهو قطعاً منحول على الغزالي للأسباب الأتية:
1 – انكر الإمام الحافظ ابن الصلاح ان يكون هذا الكتاب للغزالي، قال الشيخ تقي الدين عثمان ابن الصلاح:
"كتاب "المضنون" ، المنسوب إليه [أي للغزالي]، معاذ الله أن يكون له، وقد شاهدتُ على ظهر كتاب نسخة منه بخط الصدر المكين القاضي كمال الدين محمد بن عبد الله بن القاسم الشهرزوري أنه موضوع على الغزالي ومخترع من كتاب "مقاصد الفلاسفة" الذي نقضه بكتاب "تهافت الفلاسفة" ، وأنه نفذ في طلب هذا الكتاب الى البلاد البعيدة ، فلم يقف له على خبر." (انظر كتاب "الطبقات" للشيخ محيي الدين النواوي، حيث أورد الشيخ النووي رحمه الله هذا وأورد النص بدوي في صفحة 545).
وهكذا ادرك ابن الصلاح بحق ان الكتاب موضوع وان واضع الكتاب قد استند الى بعض الفصول من "مقاصد الفلاسفة" ليبرر رأيه، ولكن من المعلوم ان "مقاصد الفلاسفة" هو حكاية وسرد أرآء الفلاسفة التي انتقدها الغزالي أشد النقد في كتابه "تهافت الفلاسفة".
2 - انكر العلامة تاج الدين السبكي أيضاً ان يكون هذا الكتاب للغزالي للسبب أعلاه. وأورد رأي ابن الصلاح بان الكتاب موضوع عليه ثم قال:
"والأمر كما قال [ أي كما قال ابن الصلاح] ، وقد اشتمل "المضنون" على التصريح بقدم العالم، ونفي العلم القديم بالجزئيات، ونفي الصفات، وكل واحدة من هذه يكفِّر الغزالي قائلها، هو وأهل السنّة أجمعون، فكيف يُتَصوَّر أنه يقولها؟" (طبقات الشافعية الكبرى: ج6 ، ص 257 ).
3 - يرى الدكتور بدوي أن حجج ابن الصلاح والسبكي تتعلق بمضمون الكتاب "وهي في الواقع حجج في غاية القوة." (بدوي: ص 154).
4 - الكتاب مهدى لإخيه أحمد ، وليس من عادة الغزالي اهداء الكتب لأخيه أحمد .
5 - تواريخ مخطوطات هذا الكتاب متأخرة جداً تعود الى القرن الحادي عشر الهجري فما بعد.
6 - والأهم من ذلك كله ان في الكتاب كفر بواح، كقول الناحل: " الزمان لايكون محدوداً وخلق الزمان في الزمان أمر محال" (ص 85 رسائل ج4 ) وهذا هو قول الفلاسفة القائلين بقدم العالم في الزمان وهو الرأي الذي نقده الإمام الغزالي أشد النقد في كتابه "تهافت الفلاسفة " وكفر الفلاسفة القائلين به ، (وقد ناقشنا هذا الموضوع في كتابنا "فقه الحضارة" في المبحث الرابع تحت نقد الفلسفة ) وعليه فهذا يناقض تماماً ما قاله الإمام الغزالي في نقده للفلاسفة حيث قال في كتابه "تهافت الفلاسفة" :
"المدة والزمان مخلوق عندنا" .
7 - لغة الكتاب ركيكة جداً ولاشبه بينها وبين لغة الإمام الغزالي، وكذلك مصطلحاته ليست مصطلحات الغزالي مثال على ذلك في ص 98 "الإنسان التولدي" و "الإنسان التوالدي" والإمام لم يستخدم هذه المصطلحات في كتبه.
والكتاب مليء بمصطلحات الفلسفة مثل: العقول وكرة النار والآثار العلوية والمادة والصورة والنفس الكلية وغيرها.
8 - فصول الكتاب متناقضة الترتيب محشورة ومقحومة في بعض من غير رابط منطقي يؤلف بينها ويجعل منها كتاباً . فالكتاب لايتسم بوحدة التأليف. ففي مدخل الكتاب حديث عن علم الربوبية ثم يقفز المؤلف الى فصل تحت عنوان "في تعليقات على آيات كريمة" مثل قوله تعالى: {فليرتقوا في الأسباب}. ثم يأتي بعد ذلك مباشرة فصل تحت عنوان : " في أن الرزق مقدر مضمون". وهلم هلم من الحشو والتلفيق.
9 - والكتاب يحتوي لغة بذيئة حاشا لعلماء المسلمين أن يتفوهوا بها ، مثال: "ومادة الأرض مادة مشتركة بين أزواج وفحول وهي أخس لأنها مثل مومسة تقبل كل ناكح" (ص86 رسائل ج4 ) ومن المعلوم لكل قاريء لكتب الإمام الغزالي ذلك المستوى الرفيع للغته العربية حتى انه عندما يتحدث عن أصابع اليد وعن السبابة فانه يسميها المسبحة بدلاً من السبابة.
10 - في الكتاب من الخرافات ما يستحيل صدوره من فقيه، خذ على سبيل المثال هذا النص السقيم:
"وقد تتولد العقارب من الباذروج ولباب الخبز، والحيات من العسل، والنحل من العجل المنخنق المنكسرة عظامه، والبق من الخل..." (رسائل الغزالي: ج4، ص 98-99 ).
ومعلوم قطعاً ان فقهاء الإسلام لم يكن مبحثهم تولد البق والعقارب، كما أن هذه ليست من موضوعات الفقه وأصوله، فمن يقرأ هذا الكتاب ويظُّنُ أنه للإمام الغزالي فقد استغفل نفسه واستحقر عقله من حيث لايشعر، لأن هذا مما هو معلوم في بلاد الإسلام ولايختلف فيه إثنان، والعقل دالٌ عليه لمن هو خارج بلاد الإسلام.
5- معارج القدس في مدارج معرفة النفس: لم يثبت للغزالي:
هذا الكتاب ليس للغزالي، بل هو منحول عليه للأسباب التالية:
1. أن الإمام الغزالي لم يذكره ولم يشر إليه في أي من كتبه ولاحتى في المنقذ من الضلال الذي ذكر فيه عدد لابأس فيه من كتبه. ولا في الإحياء.
2. أن الغزالي لم يذكر في معارج القدس أياً من كتبه الأخرى، ولم يُشر حتى إلى فصل من فصول كتبه الأخرى.
3. وضع كَاتب معارج القدس مقدمة تحت عنوان: "في معاني الألفاظ المترادفة على النفس وهي اربعة: النفس، والقلب، والروح، والعقل" وماهي إلا ملخص مقتضب في أربعة صفحات لفصل مشهور من الإحياء يقع في 50 صفحة وهو الكتاب الأول من ربع المهلكات المعروف بكتاب شرح عجائب القلب، ناقش فيه الإمام الغزالي هذه الألفاظ الأربعة بالتفصيل. فلو كان هذا من تأليفه لأشار إلى الإحياء للإستزادة، ولو كان كتبه قبل الإحياء لأشار إليه في الإحياء.
4. في الكتاب أيضاً فصل بعنوان: "بيان أمثلة القلب مع جنوده وله ثلاثة أمثلة" وهذا أيضاً تلخيص مقتضب وغير جيد لنفس الفصل من الإحياء. فلو كان مؤلفه الغزالي لأشار إلى التفصيلات الغنية من كتاب شرح عجائب القلب.
5. لم يذكره أحد ممن اهتم بتصانيف الغزالي من المتقدمين كالعلامة السبكي، ولم يذكره أحد ممن اهتم بتصانيف الغزالي من المتأخرين كالمرتضى مما يعني انه منحول على الغزالي في وقت متأخر جداً.
6. يقول بدوي في وصف مخطوطة الكتاب رقم 630 فلسفة بدار الكتب المصريّة، أنه لم يرد في صفحة العنوان غير "معارج القدس" بدون ذكر اسم مؤلف الكتاب. (بدوي ص 245)
6. والكتاب في مجمله ليس أكثر من مجموعة ملخصات من كتب الغزالي لايجمعها ربط متين.
6- الرسالة اللدنية : أو رسالة في بيان العلم اللدني . لم تثبت للغزالي:
1 - لم يذكرها السبكي ولا المرتضى وهذين ذكرا عدداً كبيراً من مؤلفات الغزالي.
2- يتضح من التحليل الداخلي لنص الرسالة : ان احد الأشخاص وهو صديق الغزالي على ما تقول الرسالة ، قد حاجج احد العلماء في العلم اللدني ثم ان ذلك العالم حجَّه وانكر العلم اللدني فجاء هذا الشخص الى الأمام الغزالي ليتقوى بحججه ضد ذلك العالم فقال للإمام الغزالي:
" أريد ان تذكر طرفاً من مراتب العلوم وتصحيح هذا العلم [اي اللدني] وتعزيه انت لنفسك وتقر على اثباته" ( رسائل ج3ص 58)
مما يدل على أن بعض الناس كان يحب ان ينتصر لرايه أو مذهبه فيتقوى بأسماء العلماء المشهورين أو ينسب افكاره اليهم.
3- في الرسالة احالة الى كتب لم يذكر الغزالي اسماؤها على خلاف عادته.
4 - في الرسالة احالة الى انه سيكتب في موضوعات مثل العلوم الثلاثة وشرائط التفكير....ولم يكتب الغزالي في شيء من ذلك.
5 - والرسالة تحاول ان توجد خرقاً في صفوف المسلمين باثارة الفرقة بين الفقهاء والمتصوفة، ولا يعقل ان يصدر مثل هذا التأليف عن فقيه كالإمام الغزالي الذي كان همه وحدة صفوف المسلمين ونبذ الخلافيات، كما هو واضح في كتلبه: "فيصل التفرقة" ففيه جهد كبير لتوحيد صفوف أمة محمد صلى الله عليه وسلم، وإبعاد الناس عن الخوض في تكفير بعضهم البعض.
6 - وممن شك فيها من المستشرقين أسين بلاثيوس ومونتجمري واط.
7 - وأرى أن واضع هذه الرسالة هو نفسه واضع كتاب "المضنون به على غير أهله" لتشابه اللغة والمصطلح وطريقة البحث.
7- منهاج العارفين : لم يثبت للغزالي :
1 - موضوعاته ليست بذي شأن ، حتى أن بدوي قال: " وعلى كل حال فالكتاب ليس بذي شأن من بين كتب الغزالي." ( انظر بدوي: ص 250.)
2 - لايبدي المؤلف أي سبب للتأليف ، أو أنه يجيب على سؤال او ما أشبه مما درج عليه الغزالي في التأليف.
3 - الكتاب يقع في احدى عشرة صفحة وهو مبوب على 28 باباً هي: باب البيان نحو المريدين ، باب الأحكام ، الرعاية ، مفتاح الرعاية ، النية ، الذكر ، الشكر ، اللباس ، القيام ، السواك ، التبرز، الطهارة، الخروج، دخول المسجد ، افتتاح الصلوات ، القراءة ، الركوع ، السجود التشهد ، السلام، الدعاء ، الصوم ، الزكاة ، الحج ، السلامة ، العزلة ، العبادة ، التفكر ، ثم تأتي بعد قول المؤلف :" تمَّ بحمد الله وعونه وحسن توفيقه والحمد لله وحده ." تأتي فقرة في ما يقارب خمسة عشر سطراً يقول : " قال الشيخ محمد بن علي الساكن ..." (رسائل ج3 ص56). وهذه الأبواب قصيرة جداً ليس فيها ما يلفت الإنتباه من عبقرية أو بعد روحي
4 - فيه انتصار للتصوف والمريدين والخرقة والغزالي لم يكن ليعبء بهذا في كتاباته وفي نهاية الرسالة جاءت هذه الفقرة :
" تمَّ بحمد اللة وعونه وحسن توفيقه والحمد للة وحده.
(1) قال الشيخ محمد بن علي بن الساكن في كتاب دليل الطالب إلى نهاية المطالب، قال: فالطالب المجتهد إذا أراد لبس الخرقة فالواجب عليه أن يخلع الثوب الذي كان يلبسه في أيام العادة. وأحسن ما تلبس هذه الطائفة الصوف إذ هم منسوبون إليه، قيل: إن أول من لبس الصوف آدم وحواء عليهما السلام، وكان موسى وعيسى ويحيى عليهم السلام يلبسون الصوف، وكان نبّينا صلى الله عليه وسلم أشرف الأنبياء وكان يلبس عباءة كان مقدار ثمنها خمس دراهم وينبغي أن لا يلبس الصوف إلامن صفا من كدر النفس، فقد قال الحسن البصري: بلغني أن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم قال: لا تلبسوا الصوف إلا وقلوبكم نقية، فإنه من لبس الصوف على دغل وغش قلاه جبار السماء فإذا لبسه وجب أن يقوم بوظائف حروفه، وهي ثلاثة أما وظيفة الصاد فهي:الصدق والصفاء والصيانة والصبر والصلاح، وأما وظيفة الواو فهي: الوصلة والوفاء والوجد، وأما وظيفة الفاء فهى: الفرح والتفجع فلو لبس المرقع وجب عليه أن يؤدي حق حروفه، وهي أربعة. فحق الميم المعرفة والمجاهدة والمذلة، وحق الراء: الرحمة والرأفة والرياضة والراحة وحق القاف: القناعة والقربة والقوة والقول الصدق، وحق العين: العلم والعمل والعشق والعبودية، وقد أمر النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم بلبس المرقع حيث قال لعائشة رضي الله عنها: "إن سرك اللحوق بي فإياك ومجالسة الموتى ولا تستبدلي ثوبآ حتى ترقعيه "، انتهى والله أعلم." (رسائل الغزالي: ج3 ص56 ).
5 - وهو بمثابة منهاج عملي لحياة المريدين ، وكأن أحد البارعين في اللغة وعلوم الدين قد كتبه ليكون منهاجاً لمن يريد أن يسلك طريق العرفان فوضع عليه اسم الإمام الغزالي ليكون أكثر انتشاراً وتأثيراً.
6 - ممن أنكره من المستشرقين أسين بلاثيوس.
8- منهاج العابدين: ليس للغزالي.
هذا الكتاب ليس للغزالي وهو موضوع عليه للأسباب الواضحة أدناه:
1 - نسبه أبن عربي لإبي حسن علي المسفَّر السبتي، كما تقدم في الحديث عن كتاب "المضنون".
2 - وردت في الكتاب أسماء كتب مثل: "القربة الى الله" و "أخلاق الأبرار والنجاة من الأشرار" ولم يصلنا عن الإمام الغزالي مثل هذه التصانيف، كما أنه لم يذكرها في كتبه المعتمدة الصحيحة النسبة اليه.
3- ذكر مؤلف "سر العالمين" كتاب "نجاة الأبرار" كما مر بنا وفي هذا أثبات أن "منهاج العابدين" منحول، وفي هذين الكتابين دس خطير لصرف الناس عن كتب الغزالي.
4 - كثيراً ما يكرر المؤلف عبارات مثل : "قال شيخنا " و "قال شيخي الإمام " ويروي عنه شعراً وهكذا، ومن المعلوم لكل قارىء أن الإمام الغزالي لايورد ولا يردد هذه الصيغة ("قال شيخنا " و "قال شيخي الإمام " ) في كتبه حتى التي كتبها في سن الشباب.
فإذا كان منهاج العابدين آخر ما ألّف الإمام الغزالي فهذا يتناقض مع شخصيته المستقلة المعهودة في التصنيف ويتناقض مع نضجه العلمي. أضف إلى ذلك أنه لم يكن للإمام الغزالي شيخ وإمام شاعر.
5 - يبدو أن مؤلف الكتاب رجل ذو علم وأنه ملّم بكتاب إحياء علوم الدين أيما إلمام ، أضف الى ذلك أنه شخصية متمكنة من الكتابة ، فلخص الإحياء وزاد من عنده بعض أشياء اخرى .
9- رسالة الطير : لم تثبت للغزالي :
1 - لغتها ضعيفة وهي ليست لغة الغزالي
2 - كتبت على لسان الطير والعنقاء، والغزالي لم يؤلف كتبه على السنة الحيوان ولسانه اكثر فصاحة وأشد صراحة من ألسنة العجماوات.
3 - توجد بالفارسية " رسالة الطير " لأحمد الغزالي (انظر بدوي ص 242 ).
نشكر الاخ الكريم الدكتور مشهد العلاف حفظه الله على روحه الطيبة الذي زودنا بهذه الدراسة الطيبة نسأل الله العلي القدير جزيل الثواب له في الداريين – مع تحيات موقع الإمام الغزالي – جميع الحقوق محفوظة للدكتور مشهد العلاف 2005 م.
Sunday, April 13, 2008
Imam Ghazali Part 1
Ignorance is not a bliss in Islam. Islam encourages every muslim to know tenents of faith and basic fiqh.The higher Islamic science is Fard e kafayah , which means , it is compulsory upon the whole community to have some one who among them who can answer Islamic questions related with Tafseer , fiqh and hadith. One such Islamic science is the science of manuscripts. The scholars associated with this field have good knowledge of history, life of scholars , the type of arabic script used at different points in history, different works of scholars, their writing style and science of determining the age of paper etc.
This science becomes vital , as we know various works are attributed to scholars who did not compose those works. Some people used to ascribe their work to their teacher as a mark of respect ,others used to compose a work and ascribe the name of a famous scholar to increase its importance and still others used to ' add " additonal points in some one's other work, there by confusing general people.Some eveil people also used to compose work against Ahlus sunnah beleif and ascribe it to some great scholar of Ahlus sunnah to make people beleif that their deviant view is also held by this great scholar of Ahlus sunnah.
Many works are falsely attributed to Imam Ghazali and those scholar who studied the life and work of Imam ghazali , his writing style , his usage of words , grammar , and various reports coming from his contemporary scholars and also his next generation scholar are unanimous that these works are not from the pen of Imam Ghazali.
One such modern day scholar is Abdur Rehman Badawi, who compiled a book "Muallafat al -Ghazali in which he gave a detailed analyis of Imam gahzalis work based upon different exisiting manuscripts and also the research of other great scholars of Islam on this subject.
Another modern day scholar on this subject is Prof Mashhad al Allaf.
Prof. Mashhad al-Allaf has written a postscript to A. Badwai's work giving detailed reasons why the below works (1-9) are not works by al-Ghazali.
Reasons such as no mention in the texts of al-Ghazali's other works; language that is used in these works is not the norm that al-Ghazali uses in his works; mention of works by people that were born years after al-Ghazali had died; terminology that al-Ghazali never used in his other works; foul language that scholars such as al-Ghazali would never use.
LIST OF "PSEUDO WORKS" ATTRIBUTED TO IMAM GHAZALI (RH)
1)Sirr al-'alamin wa khasf ma fi al-dariyyan (Secret of the two worlds and unvieling what is in the two houses =worlds). [M:214; A:67,91; GAL no 31]
2)Mukashafat al-qulub (Unveiling of the Hearts) [M:239; A:239]
al-Madnun al-saghir, [M:107; A:40, 119] (Smaller [book] of secrets) also called:
3)al-Naffakh wal-taswiya (Breathing (life) and Formation (of creation). [M:107; A:107]
4)al-Ajwaba al-Ghazaliyya 'ala al-mas'il al-akhrawiyya. (Ghazalian Answers to Questions concerning the Hereafter.) [M:108; A:40]
5)al-madnun bi hi ala ghayr ahlihi [M:A:39] (controversial still!) however I moved it to the works page. I guess the jury is still out on this one.
6)ma'arij al-qudus fi madarij ma'rifit al-nafs. [M:76; A:76] (controversial still!) however I moved it to the works page. I guess the jury is still out on this one too.
al-risala al-ladunia. [M:50, 193; A:90] (translated by Godlas)
7)Minhaj al-'arafin (Methodology of the Sufis) [M:356; A:77, A:356]
8)Minhaj al-'abidin ila Jannati Rabbi 'l-Alamin (Methodology of the Worshipful Servants to the Garden of the Lord of All the Worlds) (possibly a summary of the Ihya') (planned translation by al-baz publishing, also published in India)[M:64; A:72]
9)al-Fara'id al-la'ali min rasa'il al-Ghazzali majmu`ah mushtamilah `alá Mi`raj al-salikin wa-Minhaj al-`arifin wa-Rawdat al-talibin, wa-hiya min anfas ma katabahu al-Ghazzali / [tashih] al-Shaykh Muhammad Bakhit, [Cairo] : Faraj Allah Zaki, 1344 [1925]
10)Risalat al-tayr (Epistle of the Birds) See article: Al-Ghazzali's Epistle of the Birds. N. A. Faris (PDF). [M:189; A:75]
11)ar-Radd al-jamil 'ala sarih al-Injil (The polite answer to the evident in the Gospels) (Arabic PDF) See article: "Al-Ghazali and the Arabic versions of the Gospels" Padwick, G. J., Muslim World 29(1939), pp. 130-140. Also in German: "Al-Ghazalis Schrift wider die Gottheit Jesu (Redd ül cemil)", Franz-Elmar Wilms, Leiden, 1966. [M:194; A:83]
12)Anwar hikmit [M: 91, A:103] (in Persian)
13)al-Durrah al-fakhirah fi khasf ulum al-'akhira. [M:62; A:66]
Critical edition: Le Perle Precieuse de Ghazali, ed. Leon Gauthier.
(the Precious Pearl) translated by Jane Idleman with an introduction. (PDF) (1979) Missoula, USA.
Die Kostbare Perle über todund Jenseits, übersetzt von M. Brugsch. Hannover, 1924.
14)A poem by al-Ghazali in Arabic. al-Qasida al-munfarija [M:255; A:255, 122, 434, 435]
Last words of al-Ghazali. (link)
15)Works on magic, talisman, witchcraft, litanies, dream interpretations, secrets of letters and numbers, etc. See A. Badawi's mu'alafat al-ghazali pp. 277-302(#'s 96-127) for more information.
This science becomes vital , as we know various works are attributed to scholars who did not compose those works. Some people used to ascribe their work to their teacher as a mark of respect ,others used to compose a work and ascribe the name of a famous scholar to increase its importance and still others used to ' add " additonal points in some one's other work, there by confusing general people.Some eveil people also used to compose work against Ahlus sunnah beleif and ascribe it to some great scholar of Ahlus sunnah to make people beleif that their deviant view is also held by this great scholar of Ahlus sunnah.
Many works are falsely attributed to Imam Ghazali and those scholar who studied the life and work of Imam ghazali , his writing style , his usage of words , grammar , and various reports coming from his contemporary scholars and also his next generation scholar are unanimous that these works are not from the pen of Imam Ghazali.
One such modern day scholar is Abdur Rehman Badawi, who compiled a book "Muallafat al -Ghazali in which he gave a detailed analyis of Imam gahzalis work based upon different exisiting manuscripts and also the research of other great scholars of Islam on this subject.
Another modern day scholar on this subject is Prof Mashhad al Allaf.
Prof. Mashhad al-Allaf has written a postscript to A. Badwai's work giving detailed reasons why the below works (1-9) are not works by al-Ghazali.
Reasons such as no mention in the texts of al-Ghazali's other works; language that is used in these works is not the norm that al-Ghazali uses in his works; mention of works by people that were born years after al-Ghazali had died; terminology that al-Ghazali never used in his other works; foul language that scholars such as al-Ghazali would never use.
LIST OF "PSEUDO WORKS" ATTRIBUTED TO IMAM GHAZALI (RH)
1)Sirr al-'alamin wa khasf ma fi al-dariyyan (Secret of the two worlds and unvieling what is in the two houses =worlds). [M:214; A:67,91; GAL no 31]
2)Mukashafat al-qulub (Unveiling of the Hearts) [M:239; A:239]
al-Madnun al-saghir, [M:107; A:40, 119] (Smaller [book] of secrets) also called:
3)al-Naffakh wal-taswiya (Breathing (life) and Formation (of creation). [M:107; A:107]
4)al-Ajwaba al-Ghazaliyya 'ala al-mas'il al-akhrawiyya. (Ghazalian Answers to Questions concerning the Hereafter.) [M:108; A:40]
5)al-madnun bi hi ala ghayr ahlihi [M:A:39] (controversial still!) however I moved it to the works page. I guess the jury is still out on this one.
6)ma'arij al-qudus fi madarij ma'rifit al-nafs. [M:76; A:76] (controversial still!) however I moved it to the works page. I guess the jury is still out on this one too.
al-risala al-ladunia. [M:50, 193; A:90] (translated by Godlas)
7)Minhaj al-'arafin (Methodology of the Sufis) [M:356; A:77, A:356]
8)Minhaj al-'abidin ila Jannati Rabbi 'l-Alamin (Methodology of the Worshipful Servants to the Garden of the Lord of All the Worlds) (possibly a summary of the Ihya') (planned translation by al-baz publishing, also published in India)[M:64; A:72]
9)al-Fara'id al-la'ali min rasa'il al-Ghazzali majmu`ah mushtamilah `alá Mi`raj al-salikin wa-Minhaj al-`arifin wa-Rawdat al-talibin, wa-hiya min anfas ma katabahu al-Ghazzali / [tashih] al-Shaykh Muhammad Bakhit, [Cairo] : Faraj Allah Zaki, 1344 [1925]
10)Risalat al-tayr (Epistle of the Birds) See article: Al-Ghazzali's Epistle of the Birds. N. A. Faris (PDF). [M:189; A:75]
11)ar-Radd al-jamil 'ala sarih al-Injil (The polite answer to the evident in the Gospels) (Arabic PDF) See article: "Al-Ghazali and the Arabic versions of the Gospels" Padwick, G. J., Muslim World 29(1939), pp. 130-140. Also in German: "Al-Ghazalis Schrift wider die Gottheit Jesu (Redd ül cemil)", Franz-Elmar Wilms, Leiden, 1966. [M:194; A:83]
12)Anwar hikmit [M: 91, A:103] (in Persian)
13)al-Durrah al-fakhirah fi khasf ulum al-'akhira. [M:62; A:66]
Critical edition: Le Perle Precieuse de Ghazali, ed. Leon Gauthier.
(the Precious Pearl) translated by Jane Idleman with an introduction. (PDF) (1979) Missoula, USA.
Die Kostbare Perle über todund Jenseits, übersetzt von M. Brugsch. Hannover, 1924.
14)A poem by al-Ghazali in Arabic. al-Qasida al-munfarija [M:255; A:255, 122, 434, 435]
Last words of al-Ghazali. (link)
15)Works on magic, talisman, witchcraft, litanies, dream interpretations, secrets of letters and numbers, etc. See A. Badawi's mu'alafat al-ghazali pp. 277-302(#'s 96-127) for more information.
Thursday, April 10, 2008
HADITH OF INTERCESSION
ADAM [alayhi salaam] SEEKS INTERCESSION WITH THE PROPHET [salallahu alayhi wa sallam]
Adam [as] Seeks Intercession with the Prophet [saw]
Next, inshaAllah, two Hadith. The first Hadith was declared sound by many of the scholars of Hadith despite their knowledge of the presence of a problematic narrator in its chain by the name of Abd al-Rahman ibn Zayd ibn Aslam. Now, even if we accept the grading given to this Hadith by the "salafis" [something which many of the reliable scholars of the past have disagreed with them upon as demonstrated below] then still, as explained by Sh. GF Haddad the narration through Abd al-Rahman ibn Zayd is not actually the most authentic chain for this report! Rather, the Hadith narrated by Maysarat al-Fajr RA [see Hadith Number 9] is the most authentic chain for this report [declared by Sh. Abdullah al-Ghumari as "good and strong"].
The Prophet said on the authority of `Umar:
"When Adam committed his mistake he said: O my Lord, I am asking you to forgive me for the sake of Muhammad. Allah said: O Adam, and how do you know about Muhammad whom I have not yet created? Adam replied, O my Lord, after You created me with your hand and breathed into me of Your Spirit, I raised my head and saw written on the heights of the Throne:
LA ILAHA ILLALLAH MUHAMMADUN RASULULLAH
I understood that You would not place next to Your Name but the Most Beloved One of Your creation. Allah said: O Adam, I have forgiven you, and were it not for Muhammad I would not have created you."
A discussion regarding this Hadith was found HERE
It was transmitted through many chains and was cited by Bayhaqi (in Dala'il al-nubuwwa), Abu Nu`aym (in Dala'il al-nubuwwa), al-Hakim in al-Mustadrak (2:615), al-Tabarani in his Saghir (2:82, 207) with another chain containing sub-narrators unknown to Haythami as he stated in Majma` al-zawa'id (8:253), and Ibn `Asakir on the authority of `Umar ibn al-Khattab, and most of these narrations were copied in Qastallani's al-Mawahib al-laduniyya (and al-Zarqani's Commentary 2:62).
1. This hadith is declared sound (sahih) by al-Hakim in al-Mustadrak (2:651), although he acknowledges Abd al-Rahman ibn Zayd ibn Aslam, one of its sub-narrators, as weak. However, when he mentions this hadith he says: "Its chain is sound, and it is the first hadith of Abd al-Rahman ibn Zayd ibn Aslam which I mention in this book"; al-Hakim also declares sound another version through Ibn `Abbas.
2. al-Bulqini declares this hadith sound in his Fatawa.
3. al-Subki confirms al-Hakim's authentication (in Shifa' al-siqam fi ziyarat khayr al-anam p. 134-135) although Ibn Taymiyya's rejection and criticism of this hadith was known to him and he rejects it, as well as saying that Ibn Taymiyya's extreme weakening of Ibn Zayd is exaggerated.
4. The hadith is also included by Qadi `Iyad among the "sound and famous narrations" in al-Shifa, and he says that Abu Muhammad al-Makki and Abu al-Layth al-Samarqandi mention it; Qadi `Iyad says: "It is said that this hadith explains the verse: 'And Adam received words from his Lord and He relented towards him' (2:37)"; he continues to cite another very similar version through al-Ajurri (d. 360), about whom al-Qari said: "al-Halabi said: This seems to be the imam and guide Abu Bakr Muhammad ibn al-Husayn ibn `Abd Allah al-Baghdadi, the compiler of the books al-Shari`a devoted to the Sunna, al-Arba`un, and others.'" This is confirmed by Ibn Taymiyya in his Qa`ida fi al-tawassul: "It is related by Shaykh Abu Bakr al-Ajurri, in his book al-Shari`a."
5. Ibn al-Jawzi also considers it sound (sahih) as he cites it in the first chapter of al-Wafa bi ahwal al-mustafa, in the introduction of which he says: "(In this book) I do not mix the sound hadith with the false," although he knew of `Abd al-Rahman ibn Zayd's weakness as a narrator; he also mentions the version of Maysarat al-Fajr whereby the Prophet says: "When satan deceived Adam and Eve, they repented and sought intercession to Allah with my name"; Ibn al-Jawzi also says in the chapter concerning the Prophet's superiority over the other Prophets in the same book: "Part of the exposition of his superiority to other Prophets is the fact that Adam asked his Lord through the sanctity (hurmat) of Muhammad that He relent towards him, as we have already mentioned."
6. Suyuti cites it in his Qur'anic commentary al-Durr al-manthur (2:37) and in al-Khasa'is al-kubra (1:12) and in al-Riyad al-aniqa fi sharh asma' khayr al-khaliqa (p. 49), where he says that Bayhaqi considers it sound; this is due to the fact that Bayhaqi said in the introduction to the Dala'il that he only included sound narrations in his book, although he also knew and explicitly mentions `Abd al-Rahman ibn Zayd's weakness;
7. Ibn Kathir mentions it after Bayhaqi in al-Bidayat wa al-Nihaya (1:75, 1:180).
8. al-Haythami in Majma` al-zawa'id (8:253 #28870), al-Bayhaqi himself, and al-Qari in Sharh al- shifa' show that its chains have weakness in them. However, the weakness of Abd al-Rahman ibn Zayd was known by Ibn al-Jawzi, Subki, Bayhaqi, Hakim, and Abu Nu`aym, yet all these scholars retained this hadith for consideration in their books.
9. Three scholars reject it, such as Ibn Taymiyya (Qa`ida jalila fi al-tawassul p. 89, 168-170) and his two students Ibn `Abd al-Hadi (al-Sarim al-munki p. 61-63) and al-Dhahabi (Mizan al-i`tidal 2:504 and Talkhis al-mustadrak), while `Asqalani reports Ibn Hibban's saying that `Abd al-Rahman ibn Zayd was a forger(Lisan al-mizan 3:360, 3:442).
10. At the same time, Ibn Taymiyya elsewhere quotes it and the version through Maysara [Faqir: see below] and says:
"These two are like the elucidation (tafsir) of the authentic ahadith (concerning the same topic)" (Fatawa 2:150). The contemporary Meccan hadith scholar Ibn `Alawi al-Maliki said: "This indicates that Ibn Taymiyya found the hadith sound enough to be considered a witness for other narrations (salih li al-istishhad wa al-i`tibar), because the forged (al-mawdu`) and the false (al-batil) are not taken as witness by the people of hadith"; al-Maliki also quotes (without reference) Dhahabi's unrestrained endorsement of the ahadith in Bayhaqi's Dala'il al-nubuwwa with his words: "You must take what is in it (the Dala'il), for it consists entirely of guidance and light." (Mafahim yajib an tusahhah p. 47).
11. It is furthermore evident that Ibn Taymiyya considers the meaning of the creation of everything for the sake of the Prophet as true and correct, as he declares in his Majmu`at al-fatawa in the volume on tasawwuf (11:95-97):
Muhammad is the Chief of the Children of Adam, the Best of Creation, the noblest of them in the sight of Allah. This is why some have said that "Allah created the Universe due to him," or that "Were it not for him, He would have neither created a Throne, nor a Footstool, nor a heaven, earth, sun or moon." However, this is not a hadith on the authority of the Prophet... but it may be explained from a correct aspect...
Since the best of the righteous of the children of Adam is Muhammad, creating him was a desirable end of deep-seated purposeful wisdom, more than for anyone else, and hence the completion of creation and the fulfilment of perfection was attained with Muhammad, may Allah Exalted bless him and grant him peace... The Chief of the Children of Adam is Muhammad, may Allah Exalted bless him and grant him peace, Adam and his children being under his banner. He, may Allah Exalted bless him and grant him peace, said: "Truly, I was written as the Seal of the Prophets with Allah, when Adam was going to-and-fro in his clay," i.e. that my prophethood was decreed and manifested when Adam was created but before the breathing of the Spirit into him, just as Allah decrees the livelihood, lifespan, deeds and misery or happiness of the slave when He creates the embryo but before the breathing of the Spirit into it.
Since man is the seal and last of all creation, and its microcosm, and since the best of man is thus the best of all creation absolutely, then Muhammad, being the Pupil of the Eye, the Axis of the Mill, and the Distributor to the Collective, is as it were the Ultimate Purpose from amongst all the purposes of creation. Thus it cannot be denied to say that "Due to him all of this was created", or that "Were it not for him, all this would not have been created," so if statements like this are thus explained according to what the Book and the Sunna indicate, it is acceptable.
12. Its latter part is mentioned as a separate hadith in the wording: "Were it not for Muhammad, I would not have created the spheres (al-aflak)." al-`Ajluni said in Kashf al-khafa' (#2123): "al-Saghani (d.650) said it is forged. I say: but its meaning is correct." Similarly `Ali al-Qari said in al-Asrar al-marfu`a (#754-755): "al-Saghani (in al-Ahadith al-mawdu`a p. 7) said: "It is forged," however, its meaning is sound (mi`nahu sahih), as Daylami has narrated on the authority of Ibn `Abbas that the Prophet said: "Gabriel came to me and said: O Muhammad! Were it not for you, Paradise would not have been created, and were it not for you, the Fire would not have been created." And Ibn `Asakir's narration has: And were it not for you, the world would not have been created."
As for Albani's rejection of Qari's use of Daylami in support of the hadith with the words: "I do not hesitate to declare it weak on the basis that Daylami is alone in citing it" (Silsila da`ifa #282), it shows exaggeration and deviation from the practice of the scholars concerning Daylami and his book. Ibn Taymiyya said in Minhaj al-sunna (4:38): "The fact that Daylami alone narrates a hadith does not indicate that the hadith is sound." Note that he never said: "The fact that Daylami alone narrates a hadith indicates that it is forged," yet this is what Albani concludes! The reader may compare Albani's method of apriori rejection in lieu of a discussion of the hadith itself, to Ibn Hajar al-`Asqalani's reliance on a hadith narrated by Daylami, as is shown by hadith #33 of his Arba`un fi rad` al-mujrim `an sabb al-muslim, although Daylami is alone in citing it. Further in Minhaj al-sunna (4:78) Ibn Taymiyya declared of him and his book: "al-Daylami in his book al-Firdaws mentioned many sound (sahih) hadiths, and also fair (hasan) narrations and forged ones.... He was one of the people of knowledge and religion and he was not a liar."
13. Ibn al-Qayyim in his Bada'i` al-fawa'id went so far as to represent Allah saying to humankind that everything was created for the sake of human beings:
hal `arifat qimata nafsik? innama khalaqtu al-akwana kullaha laka... kullu al-ashiya'i shajaratun wa anta al-thamara
Have you realized your value? I only created all the universes for your sake... All things are trees whose fruit you are.[18]
If Allah created all the universes for the sake of human beings, then how could all humanity be given what the Prophet is grudged, who is better than mankind and jinn put together?
Adam[as] Seeks Intercession With the Prophet's [saw] Name
What follows now is the dicussion of another related Hadith narrated through Maysarat al-Fajr [RA] cited below in Arabic with its chain of narrators.
HADITH NUMBER 9:
ADAM [alayhi salaam] SEEKS INTERCESSION WITH THE PROPHET'S [salallahu alayhi wa sallam] NAME
I asked: "O Messenger of Allah, when were you [first] a Prophet?" He replied: "When Allah created the earth ‘Then turned He to the heaven, and fashioned it as seven heavens’(2:29), and created the Throne, He wrote on the leg of the Throne: "Muhammad the Messenger of Allah is the Seal of Prophets" (Muhammadun Rasûlullâhi Khâtamu al-Anbiyâ'). Then Allah created the Garden in which He made Adam and Hawwa' dwell, and He wrote my name on the gates, its tree-leaves, its domes and tents, at a time when Adam was still between the spirit and the body. When Allah Most High instilled life into him he looked at the Throne and saw my name, whereupon Allah informed him that 'He [Muhammad SAWS] is the liege-lord of all your descendants.' When Satan deceived them both, they repented and sought intercession to Allah with my name."
قد أخرج الحافظ أبو الحسن بن بشران قال : حدثنا أو جعفر محمد ابن عمرو، حدثنا أحمد بن سحاق بن صالح، ثنا محمد بن صالح، ثنا محمد ابن سنان العوقي، ثنا إبراهيم بن طهمان، عن بديل بن ميسرة، عن عبد الله بن شقيق، عن ميسرة قال: قلت: يا رسول الله، متى كنت نبياً ؟ قال: (( لما خلق الله الأرض واستوى إلى السماء فسواهن سبع سماوات ، وخلق العرش،كتب على ساق العرش: محمد رسول الله خاتم الأنبياء، وخلق الله الجنة التي أسكنها آدم وحواء، فكتب اسمي على الأبواب، والأوراق والقباب، والخيام،وآدم بين الروح والجسد،فلما أحياه الله تعالى: نظر إلى العرش فرأى اسمي فأخبره الله أنه سيد ولدك، فلما غرهما الشيطان ، تابا واستشفعا باسمي إليه ) .
وأخرجه ابن الجوزي في الوفا بفضائل المصطفى من طريق ابن بشران
Sh. GF Haddad discusses it briefly in the article The Prophetic Title "Best of Creation" :
In the chapter concerning the Prophet's superiority over all other Prophets in his great book titled al-Wafa bi Ahwal al-Mustafa', Ibn al-Jawzi states: "Part of the demonstration of his superiority to other Prophets is the fact that Adam (AS) asked his Lord through the sanctity (hurma) of Muhammad (SAWS) that He relent towards him."
The most authentic chain for this report is not that of al-Hakim's narration from `Umar through `Abd al-Rahman ibn Zayd ibn Aslam who is weak (da`îf), but that of the Companion Maysarat al-Fajr who narrates it as [above]
Shaykh `Abd Allah al-Ghumari cited it in Murshid al-Ha'ir li Bayan Wad` Hadith Jabir and said, "its chain is good and strong" while in al-Radd al-Muhkam al-Matin (p. 138-139) he adds: "It is the strongest Companion-corroboration (shâhid) I saw for the hadith of `Abd al-Rahman ibn Zayd" as quoted also by Shaykh Mahmud Mamduh in Raf` al-Minara (p. 248).
Elsewhere Maulana Muhammad ibn Moulana Haroon Abasoomar states:
"The chain of narrators for this Hadith is totally different from the previous one. And in fact, Hafiz ibn Hajar [ra] has stated concerning a completely different narration which has the very same chain of narrators, that this chain of narrators is strong. (al-Raddul Muhkamul Mateen pgs.138-139; al-Ahaadeethul Muntaqaa pg.14, both of Shaykh Abdullah Siddique al-Ghumarie)"
Sidi Abul Hasan also mentioned the following on Sunniforum:
The student of Imam al-Suyuti: Imam Muhammad ibn Yusuf al-Salihi of Damascus, who died in the year 942 AH, has mentioned in his multi-volume Sira work known as: Subul al-Hadi wal Rashhad, this very narration from Maysara (ra) as follows (vol. 1/p. 86, Darul Kutub Ilmiyya edn, Beirut) from Imam ibn al Jawzi:
وروى ابن الجوزي بسند جيد لا بأس به ، عن ميسرة رضي الله تعالى عنه قال : قلت يا رسول الله ، متى كنت نبيا ؟ قال : لما خلق الله الأرض واستوى إلى السماء فسواهن سبع سماوات وخلق العرش كتب على ساق العرش : محمد رسول الله خاتم الأنبياء . وخلق الله تعالى الجنة التي أسكنها آدم وحواء ، فكتب اسمي على الأوراق والأبواب والقباب والخيام ، وآدم بين الروح والجسد ، فلما أحياه الله تعالى نظر إلى العرش فرأى اسمي ، فأخبره الله تعالى أنه سيد ولدك . فلما غرهما الشيطان تابا واستشفعا باسمي إليه
The crucial point is highlighted in blue above, where Imam al-Salihi declared the chain of transmission to be: "Jayyid La Ba'sa bihi",
Meaning: "Good and there is no harm in it."
This earlier ruling gives credibility to Shaykh Abdullah al-Ghumari and his student: Shaykh Mahmud Mamduh's declarations on its authenticity. Note also, that Shaykh Abdullah al-Ghumari has also declared in his Al-Ahadith al-Muntaqa fi-Fada'il Rasul Allah (sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) that the narration from Maysara (ra) is "Qawi" - "Strong"
Sidi Abul Hasan went on to add a new point of benefit with regard to the narration from Maysara al-Fajr (ra):
فقد أخرج الحافظ أبو الحسن بن بشران قال : حدثنا أو جعفر محمد ابن عمرو، حدثنا أحمد بن سحاق بن صالح، ثنا محمد بن صالح، ثنا محمد ابن سنان العوقي، ثنا إبراهيم بن طهمان، عن بديل بن ميسرة، عن عبد الله بن شقيق(1)، عن ميسرة قال: قلت: يا رسول الله، متى كنت نبياً ؟ قال: (( لما خلق الله الأرض واستوى إلى السماء فسواهن سبع سماوات ، وخلق العرش،كتب على ساق العرش: محمد رسول الله خاتم الأنبياء، وخلق الله الجنة التي أسكنها آدم وحواء، فكتب اسمي على الأبواب، والأوراق والقباب، والخيام،وآدم بين الروح والجسد،فلما أحياه الله تعالى: نظر إلى العرش فرأى اسمي فأخبره الله أنه سيد ولدك، فلما غرهما الشيطان ، تابا واستشفعا باسمي إليه ) .وأخرجه ابن الجوزي في الوفا بفضائل المصطفى من طريق ابن بشران، نقله عن ابن تيمية في الفتاوي (2/159) مستشهداً به
Some contemporaries have objected of late that in the sanad to the narration from Ibn Bushran there is a narrator by the name of Muhammad ibn Salih - and it is not precisely known which of the numerous Muhammad ibn Salih's is this exact one in the Isnad given above.
Shaykh Mamduh has named two that could possibly be the exact narrator in the above sanad. He said:
ومحمد بن صالح هو أبو بكر الأنماطي المعروف بكيلجة ، ثقة حافظ من رجال التهذيب ، ويمكن أن يكون هو محمد بن صالح الواسطي كعب الذراع، ثقة أيضاً، ومترجم في تاريخ الخطيب (5/360)، والاختلاف في تعيين الثقة لا يضر .
Basically it may be the Muhammad ibn Salih known as Abu Bakr al-Anmati who he said was a trustworthy Hafiz (Thiqa Hafiz, as In Taqreeb al-Tahdhib of Ibn Hajar, no. 5962) or it may be Muhammad ibn Salih al-Wasiti Ka'b al-Zaari who was declared Thiqa by Khatib al-Baghdadi in his Ta'rikh (5/360).
The objection stems from not having direct evidence if any of these narrators commonly known as Muhammad ibn Salih did actually meet and narrate from the next narrator in the Isnad known as: Muhammad ibn Sinan.
The answer Insha'allah:Most of our contemporaries, like the late Shaykh Abdullah al-Ghumari and his students like Shaykh Mamduh seem to have missed or not known of another alternative route which was also related by Imam Ibn Bushran, with the crucial point of Muhammad ibn Salih not being in an alternative route containing the same text!
The Imam: Shamsud-Din Abdullah ibn Muhammad ibn Nu'man al-Marakashi, who died in the year 683 AH, hence before Ibn Taymiyya has related in his book known as:
مصباح الظلام في المستغيثين بخير الأنام
The following Isnad on p. 23, without the narrator Muhammad ibn Salih in the sanad:
أخبرنا أبو الحسين محمد بن عبد الله السلامي قال أخبرنا محمد بن ناصر السلامي عن أبيطاهر محمد بن أحمد بن قيداس عن أبي الحسين بن بشران قال حدثنا أبو جعفر محمد بن عمرو قال ثنا أحمد بن إسحاق بن صالح قال حدثنا محمد بن سنان العوقي إلإلى آخر السند والمتن
The chain from Ibn Bushran is thus from his Shaykh Abu Ja'far Muhammad ibn Amr from Ahmad ibn Ishaq ibn Salih from Muhammad ibn Sinan al-Awqi from Ibrahim ibn Tahman from Budayl ibn Maysara from Abdullah ibn Shaqiq from Maysara al-Fajr with the same text as Ibn Taymiyya mentioned from Hafiz ibn al-Jawzi.A similar chain to this was recorded by Imam al-Bayhaqi in his Dala'il al-Nubuwwa (no. 18) as follows with a different text:
وأخبرنا أبو الحسين بن بشران ببغداد قال : حدثنا أبو جعفر محمد بن عمرو الرزاز قال : حدثنا أحمد بن إسحاق بن صالح قال : حدثنا محمد بن سنان العوقي قال : حدثنا إبراهيم بن طهمان عن بديل بن ميسرة عن عبد الله بن شقيق عن ميسرة الفجر قال : قلت : يا رسول الله متى كتبت نبيا ؟ قال : " وآدم بين الروح والجسد "
Insha'allah, this should give strength to the route containing Muhammad ibn Salih in the initial part of the discussion above. If anyone has an objection to the sanad given by Imam al-Marakashi then they need to show why using Ilm al-Jarh wa Ta'dil of the narrators.
Adam [as] Seeks Intercession with the Prophet [saw]
Next, inshaAllah, two Hadith. The first Hadith was declared sound by many of the scholars of Hadith despite their knowledge of the presence of a problematic narrator in its chain by the name of Abd al-Rahman ibn Zayd ibn Aslam. Now, even if we accept the grading given to this Hadith by the "salafis" [something which many of the reliable scholars of the past have disagreed with them upon as demonstrated below] then still, as explained by Sh. GF Haddad the narration through Abd al-Rahman ibn Zayd is not actually the most authentic chain for this report! Rather, the Hadith narrated by Maysarat al-Fajr RA [see Hadith Number 9] is the most authentic chain for this report [declared by Sh. Abdullah al-Ghumari as "good and strong"].
The Prophet said on the authority of `Umar:
"When Adam committed his mistake he said: O my Lord, I am asking you to forgive me for the sake of Muhammad. Allah said: O Adam, and how do you know about Muhammad whom I have not yet created? Adam replied, O my Lord, after You created me with your hand and breathed into me of Your Spirit, I raised my head and saw written on the heights of the Throne:
LA ILAHA ILLALLAH MUHAMMADUN RASULULLAH
I understood that You would not place next to Your Name but the Most Beloved One of Your creation. Allah said: O Adam, I have forgiven you, and were it not for Muhammad I would not have created you."
A discussion regarding this Hadith was found HERE
It was transmitted through many chains and was cited by Bayhaqi (in Dala'il al-nubuwwa), Abu Nu`aym (in Dala'il al-nubuwwa), al-Hakim in al-Mustadrak (2:615), al-Tabarani in his Saghir (2:82, 207) with another chain containing sub-narrators unknown to Haythami as he stated in Majma` al-zawa'id (8:253), and Ibn `Asakir on the authority of `Umar ibn al-Khattab, and most of these narrations were copied in Qastallani's al-Mawahib al-laduniyya (and al-Zarqani's Commentary 2:62).
1. This hadith is declared sound (sahih) by al-Hakim in al-Mustadrak (2:651), although he acknowledges Abd al-Rahman ibn Zayd ibn Aslam, one of its sub-narrators, as weak. However, when he mentions this hadith he says: "Its chain is sound, and it is the first hadith of Abd al-Rahman ibn Zayd ibn Aslam which I mention in this book"; al-Hakim also declares sound another version through Ibn `Abbas.
2. al-Bulqini declares this hadith sound in his Fatawa.
3. al-Subki confirms al-Hakim's authentication (in Shifa' al-siqam fi ziyarat khayr al-anam p. 134-135) although Ibn Taymiyya's rejection and criticism of this hadith was known to him and he rejects it, as well as saying that Ibn Taymiyya's extreme weakening of Ibn Zayd is exaggerated.
4. The hadith is also included by Qadi `Iyad among the "sound and famous narrations" in al-Shifa, and he says that Abu Muhammad al-Makki and Abu al-Layth al-Samarqandi mention it; Qadi `Iyad says: "It is said that this hadith explains the verse: 'And Adam received words from his Lord and He relented towards him' (2:37)"; he continues to cite another very similar version through al-Ajurri (d. 360), about whom al-Qari said: "al-Halabi said: This seems to be the imam and guide Abu Bakr Muhammad ibn al-Husayn ibn `Abd Allah al-Baghdadi, the compiler of the books al-Shari`a devoted to the Sunna, al-Arba`un, and others.'" This is confirmed by Ibn Taymiyya in his Qa`ida fi al-tawassul: "It is related by Shaykh Abu Bakr al-Ajurri, in his book al-Shari`a."
5. Ibn al-Jawzi also considers it sound (sahih) as he cites it in the first chapter of al-Wafa bi ahwal al-mustafa, in the introduction of which he says: "(In this book) I do not mix the sound hadith with the false," although he knew of `Abd al-Rahman ibn Zayd's weakness as a narrator; he also mentions the version of Maysarat al-Fajr whereby the Prophet says: "When satan deceived Adam and Eve, they repented and sought intercession to Allah with my name"; Ibn al-Jawzi also says in the chapter concerning the Prophet's superiority over the other Prophets in the same book: "Part of the exposition of his superiority to other Prophets is the fact that Adam asked his Lord through the sanctity (hurmat) of Muhammad that He relent towards him, as we have already mentioned."
6. Suyuti cites it in his Qur'anic commentary al-Durr al-manthur (2:37) and in al-Khasa'is al-kubra (1:12) and in al-Riyad al-aniqa fi sharh asma' khayr al-khaliqa (p. 49), where he says that Bayhaqi considers it sound; this is due to the fact that Bayhaqi said in the introduction to the Dala'il that he only included sound narrations in his book, although he also knew and explicitly mentions `Abd al-Rahman ibn Zayd's weakness;
7. Ibn Kathir mentions it after Bayhaqi in al-Bidayat wa al-Nihaya (1:75, 1:180).
8. al-Haythami in Majma` al-zawa'id (8:253 #28870), al-Bayhaqi himself, and al-Qari in Sharh al- shifa' show that its chains have weakness in them. However, the weakness of Abd al-Rahman ibn Zayd was known by Ibn al-Jawzi, Subki, Bayhaqi, Hakim, and Abu Nu`aym, yet all these scholars retained this hadith for consideration in their books.
9. Three scholars reject it, such as Ibn Taymiyya (Qa`ida jalila fi al-tawassul p. 89, 168-170) and his two students Ibn `Abd al-Hadi (al-Sarim al-munki p. 61-63) and al-Dhahabi (Mizan al-i`tidal 2:504 and Talkhis al-mustadrak), while `Asqalani reports Ibn Hibban's saying that `Abd al-Rahman ibn Zayd was a forger(Lisan al-mizan 3:360, 3:442).
10. At the same time, Ibn Taymiyya elsewhere quotes it and the version through Maysara [Faqir: see below] and says:
"These two are like the elucidation (tafsir) of the authentic ahadith (concerning the same topic)" (Fatawa 2:150). The contemporary Meccan hadith scholar Ibn `Alawi al-Maliki said: "This indicates that Ibn Taymiyya found the hadith sound enough to be considered a witness for other narrations (salih li al-istishhad wa al-i`tibar), because the forged (al-mawdu`) and the false (al-batil) are not taken as witness by the people of hadith"; al-Maliki also quotes (without reference) Dhahabi's unrestrained endorsement of the ahadith in Bayhaqi's Dala'il al-nubuwwa with his words: "You must take what is in it (the Dala'il), for it consists entirely of guidance and light." (Mafahim yajib an tusahhah p. 47).
11. It is furthermore evident that Ibn Taymiyya considers the meaning of the creation of everything for the sake of the Prophet as true and correct, as he declares in his Majmu`at al-fatawa in the volume on tasawwuf (11:95-97):
Muhammad is the Chief of the Children of Adam, the Best of Creation, the noblest of them in the sight of Allah. This is why some have said that "Allah created the Universe due to him," or that "Were it not for him, He would have neither created a Throne, nor a Footstool, nor a heaven, earth, sun or moon." However, this is not a hadith on the authority of the Prophet... but it may be explained from a correct aspect...
Since the best of the righteous of the children of Adam is Muhammad, creating him was a desirable end of deep-seated purposeful wisdom, more than for anyone else, and hence the completion of creation and the fulfilment of perfection was attained with Muhammad, may Allah Exalted bless him and grant him peace... The Chief of the Children of Adam is Muhammad, may Allah Exalted bless him and grant him peace, Adam and his children being under his banner. He, may Allah Exalted bless him and grant him peace, said: "Truly, I was written as the Seal of the Prophets with Allah, when Adam was going to-and-fro in his clay," i.e. that my prophethood was decreed and manifested when Adam was created but before the breathing of the Spirit into him, just as Allah decrees the livelihood, lifespan, deeds and misery or happiness of the slave when He creates the embryo but before the breathing of the Spirit into it.
Since man is the seal and last of all creation, and its microcosm, and since the best of man is thus the best of all creation absolutely, then Muhammad, being the Pupil of the Eye, the Axis of the Mill, and the Distributor to the Collective, is as it were the Ultimate Purpose from amongst all the purposes of creation. Thus it cannot be denied to say that "Due to him all of this was created", or that "Were it not for him, all this would not have been created," so if statements like this are thus explained according to what the Book and the Sunna indicate, it is acceptable.
12. Its latter part is mentioned as a separate hadith in the wording: "Were it not for Muhammad, I would not have created the spheres (al-aflak)." al-`Ajluni said in Kashf al-khafa' (#2123): "al-Saghani (d.650) said it is forged. I say: but its meaning is correct." Similarly `Ali al-Qari said in al-Asrar al-marfu`a (#754-755): "al-Saghani (in al-Ahadith al-mawdu`a p. 7) said: "It is forged," however, its meaning is sound (mi`nahu sahih), as Daylami has narrated on the authority of Ibn `Abbas that the Prophet said: "Gabriel came to me and said: O Muhammad! Were it not for you, Paradise would not have been created, and were it not for you, the Fire would not have been created." And Ibn `Asakir's narration has: And were it not for you, the world would not have been created."
As for Albani's rejection of Qari's use of Daylami in support of the hadith with the words: "I do not hesitate to declare it weak on the basis that Daylami is alone in citing it" (Silsila da`ifa #282), it shows exaggeration and deviation from the practice of the scholars concerning Daylami and his book. Ibn Taymiyya said in Minhaj al-sunna (4:38): "The fact that Daylami alone narrates a hadith does not indicate that the hadith is sound." Note that he never said: "The fact that Daylami alone narrates a hadith indicates that it is forged," yet this is what Albani concludes! The reader may compare Albani's method of apriori rejection in lieu of a discussion of the hadith itself, to Ibn Hajar al-`Asqalani's reliance on a hadith narrated by Daylami, as is shown by hadith #33 of his Arba`un fi rad` al-mujrim `an sabb al-muslim, although Daylami is alone in citing it. Further in Minhaj al-sunna (4:78) Ibn Taymiyya declared of him and his book: "al-Daylami in his book al-Firdaws mentioned many sound (sahih) hadiths, and also fair (hasan) narrations and forged ones.... He was one of the people of knowledge and religion and he was not a liar."
13. Ibn al-Qayyim in his Bada'i` al-fawa'id went so far as to represent Allah saying to humankind that everything was created for the sake of human beings:
hal `arifat qimata nafsik? innama khalaqtu al-akwana kullaha laka... kullu al-ashiya'i shajaratun wa anta al-thamara
Have you realized your value? I only created all the universes for your sake... All things are trees whose fruit you are.[18]
If Allah created all the universes for the sake of human beings, then how could all humanity be given what the Prophet is grudged, who is better than mankind and jinn put together?
Adam[as] Seeks Intercession With the Prophet's [saw] Name
What follows now is the dicussion of another related Hadith narrated through Maysarat al-Fajr [RA] cited below in Arabic with its chain of narrators.
HADITH NUMBER 9:
ADAM [alayhi salaam] SEEKS INTERCESSION WITH THE PROPHET'S [salallahu alayhi wa sallam] NAME
I asked: "O Messenger of Allah, when were you [first] a Prophet?" He replied: "When Allah created the earth ‘Then turned He to the heaven, and fashioned it as seven heavens’(2:29), and created the Throne, He wrote on the leg of the Throne: "Muhammad the Messenger of Allah is the Seal of Prophets" (Muhammadun Rasûlullâhi Khâtamu al-Anbiyâ'). Then Allah created the Garden in which He made Adam and Hawwa' dwell, and He wrote my name on the gates, its tree-leaves, its domes and tents, at a time when Adam was still between the spirit and the body. When Allah Most High instilled life into him he looked at the Throne and saw my name, whereupon Allah informed him that 'He [Muhammad SAWS] is the liege-lord of all your descendants.' When Satan deceived them both, they repented and sought intercession to Allah with my name."
قد أخرج الحافظ أبو الحسن بن بشران قال : حدثنا أو جعفر محمد ابن عمرو، حدثنا أحمد بن سحاق بن صالح، ثنا محمد بن صالح، ثنا محمد ابن سنان العوقي، ثنا إبراهيم بن طهمان، عن بديل بن ميسرة، عن عبد الله بن شقيق، عن ميسرة قال: قلت: يا رسول الله، متى كنت نبياً ؟ قال: (( لما خلق الله الأرض واستوى إلى السماء فسواهن سبع سماوات ، وخلق العرش،كتب على ساق العرش: محمد رسول الله خاتم الأنبياء، وخلق الله الجنة التي أسكنها آدم وحواء، فكتب اسمي على الأبواب، والأوراق والقباب، والخيام،وآدم بين الروح والجسد،فلما أحياه الله تعالى: نظر إلى العرش فرأى اسمي فأخبره الله أنه سيد ولدك، فلما غرهما الشيطان ، تابا واستشفعا باسمي إليه ) .
وأخرجه ابن الجوزي في الوفا بفضائل المصطفى من طريق ابن بشران
Sh. GF Haddad discusses it briefly in the article The Prophetic Title "Best of Creation" :
In the chapter concerning the Prophet's superiority over all other Prophets in his great book titled al-Wafa bi Ahwal al-Mustafa', Ibn al-Jawzi states: "Part of the demonstration of his superiority to other Prophets is the fact that Adam (AS) asked his Lord through the sanctity (hurma) of Muhammad (SAWS) that He relent towards him."
The most authentic chain for this report is not that of al-Hakim's narration from `Umar through `Abd al-Rahman ibn Zayd ibn Aslam who is weak (da`îf), but that of the Companion Maysarat al-Fajr who narrates it as [above]
Shaykh `Abd Allah al-Ghumari cited it in Murshid al-Ha'ir li Bayan Wad` Hadith Jabir and said, "its chain is good and strong" while in al-Radd al-Muhkam al-Matin (p. 138-139) he adds: "It is the strongest Companion-corroboration (shâhid) I saw for the hadith of `Abd al-Rahman ibn Zayd" as quoted also by Shaykh Mahmud Mamduh in Raf` al-Minara (p. 248).
Elsewhere Maulana Muhammad ibn Moulana Haroon Abasoomar states:
"The chain of narrators for this Hadith is totally different from the previous one. And in fact, Hafiz ibn Hajar [ra] has stated concerning a completely different narration which has the very same chain of narrators, that this chain of narrators is strong. (al-Raddul Muhkamul Mateen pgs.138-139; al-Ahaadeethul Muntaqaa pg.14, both of Shaykh Abdullah Siddique al-Ghumarie)"
Sidi Abul Hasan also mentioned the following on Sunniforum:
The student of Imam al-Suyuti: Imam Muhammad ibn Yusuf al-Salihi of Damascus, who died in the year 942 AH, has mentioned in his multi-volume Sira work known as: Subul al-Hadi wal Rashhad, this very narration from Maysara (ra) as follows (vol. 1/p. 86, Darul Kutub Ilmiyya edn, Beirut) from Imam ibn al Jawzi:
وروى ابن الجوزي بسند جيد لا بأس به ، عن ميسرة رضي الله تعالى عنه قال : قلت يا رسول الله ، متى كنت نبيا ؟ قال : لما خلق الله الأرض واستوى إلى السماء فسواهن سبع سماوات وخلق العرش كتب على ساق العرش : محمد رسول الله خاتم الأنبياء . وخلق الله تعالى الجنة التي أسكنها آدم وحواء ، فكتب اسمي على الأوراق والأبواب والقباب والخيام ، وآدم بين الروح والجسد ، فلما أحياه الله تعالى نظر إلى العرش فرأى اسمي ، فأخبره الله تعالى أنه سيد ولدك . فلما غرهما الشيطان تابا واستشفعا باسمي إليه
The crucial point is highlighted in blue above, where Imam al-Salihi declared the chain of transmission to be: "Jayyid La Ba'sa bihi",
Meaning: "Good and there is no harm in it."
This earlier ruling gives credibility to Shaykh Abdullah al-Ghumari and his student: Shaykh Mahmud Mamduh's declarations on its authenticity. Note also, that Shaykh Abdullah al-Ghumari has also declared in his Al-Ahadith al-Muntaqa fi-Fada'il Rasul Allah (sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) that the narration from Maysara (ra) is "Qawi" - "Strong"
Sidi Abul Hasan went on to add a new point of benefit with regard to the narration from Maysara al-Fajr (ra):
فقد أخرج الحافظ أبو الحسن بن بشران قال : حدثنا أو جعفر محمد ابن عمرو، حدثنا أحمد بن سحاق بن صالح، ثنا محمد بن صالح، ثنا محمد ابن سنان العوقي، ثنا إبراهيم بن طهمان، عن بديل بن ميسرة، عن عبد الله بن شقيق(1)، عن ميسرة قال: قلت: يا رسول الله، متى كنت نبياً ؟ قال: (( لما خلق الله الأرض واستوى إلى السماء فسواهن سبع سماوات ، وخلق العرش،كتب على ساق العرش: محمد رسول الله خاتم الأنبياء، وخلق الله الجنة التي أسكنها آدم وحواء، فكتب اسمي على الأبواب، والأوراق والقباب، والخيام،وآدم بين الروح والجسد،فلما أحياه الله تعالى: نظر إلى العرش فرأى اسمي فأخبره الله أنه سيد ولدك، فلما غرهما الشيطان ، تابا واستشفعا باسمي إليه ) .وأخرجه ابن الجوزي في الوفا بفضائل المصطفى من طريق ابن بشران، نقله عن ابن تيمية في الفتاوي (2/159) مستشهداً به
Some contemporaries have objected of late that in the sanad to the narration from Ibn Bushran there is a narrator by the name of Muhammad ibn Salih - and it is not precisely known which of the numerous Muhammad ibn Salih's is this exact one in the Isnad given above.
Shaykh Mamduh has named two that could possibly be the exact narrator in the above sanad. He said:
ومحمد بن صالح هو أبو بكر الأنماطي المعروف بكيلجة ، ثقة حافظ من رجال التهذيب ، ويمكن أن يكون هو محمد بن صالح الواسطي كعب الذراع، ثقة أيضاً، ومترجم في تاريخ الخطيب (5/360)، والاختلاف في تعيين الثقة لا يضر .
Basically it may be the Muhammad ibn Salih known as Abu Bakr al-Anmati who he said was a trustworthy Hafiz (Thiqa Hafiz, as In Taqreeb al-Tahdhib of Ibn Hajar, no. 5962) or it may be Muhammad ibn Salih al-Wasiti Ka'b al-Zaari who was declared Thiqa by Khatib al-Baghdadi in his Ta'rikh (5/360).
The objection stems from not having direct evidence if any of these narrators commonly known as Muhammad ibn Salih did actually meet and narrate from the next narrator in the Isnad known as: Muhammad ibn Sinan.
The answer Insha'allah:Most of our contemporaries, like the late Shaykh Abdullah al-Ghumari and his students like Shaykh Mamduh seem to have missed or not known of another alternative route which was also related by Imam Ibn Bushran, with the crucial point of Muhammad ibn Salih not being in an alternative route containing the same text!
The Imam: Shamsud-Din Abdullah ibn Muhammad ibn Nu'man al-Marakashi, who died in the year 683 AH, hence before Ibn Taymiyya has related in his book known as:
مصباح الظلام في المستغيثين بخير الأنام
The following Isnad on p. 23, without the narrator Muhammad ibn Salih in the sanad:
أخبرنا أبو الحسين محمد بن عبد الله السلامي قال أخبرنا محمد بن ناصر السلامي عن أبيطاهر محمد بن أحمد بن قيداس عن أبي الحسين بن بشران قال حدثنا أبو جعفر محمد بن عمرو قال ثنا أحمد بن إسحاق بن صالح قال حدثنا محمد بن سنان العوقي إلإلى آخر السند والمتن
The chain from Ibn Bushran is thus from his Shaykh Abu Ja'far Muhammad ibn Amr from Ahmad ibn Ishaq ibn Salih from Muhammad ibn Sinan al-Awqi from Ibrahim ibn Tahman from Budayl ibn Maysara from Abdullah ibn Shaqiq from Maysara al-Fajr with the same text as Ibn Taymiyya mentioned from Hafiz ibn al-Jawzi.A similar chain to this was recorded by Imam al-Bayhaqi in his Dala'il al-Nubuwwa (no. 18) as follows with a different text:
وأخبرنا أبو الحسين بن بشران ببغداد قال : حدثنا أبو جعفر محمد بن عمرو الرزاز قال : حدثنا أحمد بن إسحاق بن صالح قال : حدثنا محمد بن سنان العوقي قال : حدثنا إبراهيم بن طهمان عن بديل بن ميسرة عن عبد الله بن شقيق عن ميسرة الفجر قال : قلت : يا رسول الله متى كتبت نبيا ؟ قال : " وآدم بين الروح والجسد "
Insha'allah, this should give strength to the route containing Muhammad ibn Salih in the initial part of the discussion above. If anyone has an objection to the sanad given by Imam al-Marakashi then they need to show why using Ilm al-Jarh wa Ta'dil of the narrators.
Wednesday, April 9, 2008
MOVING FINGERS IN PRAYERS: ALBANI'S MISTAKE
Nasir al-Albani is the arch-innovator of the Wahhabis and "Salafis" in our time. A watch repairman by trade, al-Albani is a self-taught claimant to hadith scholarship who has no known teacher in any of the Islamic sciences and has admitted not to have memorized the Book of Allah nor any book of hadith, fiqh, `aqîda, usûl, or grammar. He achieved fame by attacking the great scholars of Ahl al-Sunna and reviling the science of fiqh with especial malice towards the school of his father who was a Hanafi jurist. A rabid reviler of the Friends of Allah and the Sufis, he was expelled from Syria then Saudi Arabia and lived in Amman, Jordan under house arrest until his death in 1999. He remains the qibla of the people of Innovation, self-styled re-formers of Islam, and other "Salafi" and Wahhabi sympathizers, and the preferred author of book merchants and many uneducated Muslims.
Among the many classical hadith analayis by the self claimed muhaddith" Albani" was his analysis of the hadith dealing with the movement of fingers during Tashahhud in Salah.
The Wahabis keep on moving their fingers up and down in Salah and theu say that it is based on a hadith.
The Wahabi sheikh Albani analaysed this topic in this way. Please take a note how Albani attacks the scholars of Ahlus sunnah and tries to prove that he alone has understood this hadith in this ummah.
Here is the quote from ALBANI'S book
About "supplicating with it", Imaam Tahaawi said, "This is evidence that it was at the end of the prayer." Hence, there is evidence in this that the Sunnah is to continue pointing and moving the finger until the tasleem, for the supplication is until then. This is the view of Maalik and others. Imaam Ahmad was asked, "Should a man point with his finger during prayer?" He replied, "Yes, vigorously." (Mentioned by Ibn Haani in his Masaa'il of Imaam Ahmad, 1/80). From this, it is clear that moving the finger in tashahhud is a proven sunnah of the Prophet (sallallaahu `alaihi wa sallam), and it was practised by Ahmad and other imaams of the Sunnah. Therefore, those who think that it is pointless and irrelevant and has nothing to do with the Prayer, should fear Allaah, since because of this, they do not move their fingers although they know it to be an established sunnah; and they take great pains to interpret it in a way which is inconsistent with the `Arabic way of expression and contrary to the understanding of the imaams with regard to it.
The amazing thing is that some of them will defend an imaam on other issues, even if his opinion conflicts with the Sunnah, with the argument that to point out the imaam's mistakes inevitably means to taunt and disrespect him. They then forget this and reject this established sunnah, at the same time mocking at those who practise it. Whether or not they realise it, their mockery also includes those imaams whom they often defend wrongly, and who are correct about the Sunnah this time! In fact, they are deriding the Prophet (sallallaahu `alaihi wa sallam) himself, for he is the one who brought us this sunnah, and so jeering at it is equivalent to jeering at him. << But what is the reward for those among you who behave like this except ... >>
As for putting the finger down after pointing, or limiting the movement to the affirmation (saying laa ilaaha: 'there is no god ...') and negation (saying: illallaahu: '... except Allaah'), all of that has no basis in the Sunnah; in fact, it is contrary to the Sunnah, as this hadeeth proves.
Further, the hadeeth that he would not move his finger does not have an authentic isnaad, as I have explained in Da`eef Abi Daawood (175). Even if it were authentic, it is negatory, while the hadeeth above is affirmatory: the affirmatory takes precedence over the negatory, as is well-known among the scholars.
END OF QUOTE FROM ALBANI
WHAT IS THE TRUTH OF THE MATTER?
The fourth condition for a sahih hadith is that the text and transmission of the hadith must be free of shudhudh, or "variance from established standard narrations of it." An example is when a hadith is related by five different narrators who are contemporaries of one another, all of whom relate the same hadith from the same sheikh through his chain of transmission back to the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace). Here, if we find that four of the hadiths have the same wording but one of them has a variant wording, the hadith with the variant wording is called shadhdh or "deviant," and it is not accepted, because the difference is naturally assumed to be the mistake of the one narrator, since all of the narrators heard the hadith from the same sheikh.
There is a hadith (to take an example researched by our hadith teacher, sheikh Shu‘ayb al-Arna’ut) related by Ahmad (4.318), Bayhaqi (2.132), Ibn Khuzayma (1.354), and Ibn Hibban, with a reliable chain of narrators (thiqat)—except for Kulayb ibn Hisham, who is a merely "acceptable" (saduq), not "reliable" (thiqa)—that the Companion Wa’il ibn Hujr al-Hadrami said that when he watched the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) kneeling in the Tashahhud or "Testification of Faith" of his prayer, the Prophet
lifted his [index] finger, and I saw him move it, supplicating with it. I came [some time] after that and saw people in [winter] over-cloaks, their hands moving under the cloaks (Ibn Hibban, 5.170–71).
Now, all of the versions of the hadith mentioning that the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) moved his finger have been related to us by way of Za’ida ibn Qudama al-Thaqafi, a narrator who is considered reliable, and who transmitted it from the hadith sheikh ‘Asim ibn Kulayb, who related it from his father Kulayb ibn Shihab, from Wa’il ibn Hujr al-Hadrami. But we find that this version of "moving the finger" contradicts versions of the hadith transmitted from the same sheikh, ‘Asim ibn Kulayb, by no less than ten of ‘Asim’s other students, all of them reliable, who heard ‘Asim report that the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) did not move but rather pointed (ashara) with his index finger (towards the qibla or "direction of prayer").
These companions of ‘Asim (with their hadiths, which are well authenticated (hasan)) are: Sufyan al-Thawri: "then he pointed with his index finger, putting the thumb to the middle finger to make a ring with them" (al-Musannaf 2.68–69); Sufyan ibn ‘Uyayna: "he joined his thumb and middle finger to make a ring, and pointed with his index finger" (Ahmad, 4.318); Shu‘ba ibn al-Hajjaj: "he pointed with his index finger, and formed a ring with the middle one" (Ahmad, 4.319); Qays ibn al-Rabi‘: "then he joined his thumb and middle finger to make a ring, and pointed with his index finger" (Tabarani, 22.33–34); ‘Abd al-Wahid ibn Ziyad al-‘Abdi: "he made a ring with a finger, and pointed with his index finger" (Ahmad, 4.316); ‘Abdullah ibn Idris al-Awdi: "he had joined his thumb and middle finger to make a ring, and raised the finger between them to make du‘a (supplication) in the Testification of Faith" (Ibn Majah, 1.295); Zuhayr ibn Mu‘awiya: "and I saw him [‘Asim] say, ‘Like this,’—and Zuhayr pointed with his first index finger, holding two fingers in, and made a ring with his thumb and second index [middle] finger" (Ahmad, 4.318–19); Abu al-Ahwas Sallam ibn Sulaym: "he began making du‘a like this—meaning with his index finger, pointing with it—" (Musnad al-Tayalisi, 137); Bishr ibn al-Mufaddal: "and I saw him [‘Asim] say, ‘Like this,’—and Bishr joined his thumb and middle finger to make a ring, and pointed with his index finger" (Abi Dawud, 1.251); and Khalid ibn Abdullah al-Wasiti: "then he joined his thumb and middle finger to make a ring, and pointed with his index finger" (Bayhaqi, 2.131).
All of these narrators are reliable (thiqat), and all heard ‘Asim ibn Kulayb relate that the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) "pointed with (ashara bi) his index finger" during the Testimony of Faith in his prayer. There are many other narrations of "pointing with the index finger" transmitted through sheikhs other than ‘Asim, omitted here for brevity—four of them, for example, in Sahih Muslim, 1.408–9). The point is, for illustrating the meaning of a shadhdh or "deviant hadith," that the version of moving the finger was conveyed only by Za’ida ibn Qudama from ‘Asim. Ibn Khuzayma says: "There is not a single hadith containing yuharrikuha (‘he moved it’) except this hadith mentioned by Za’ida" (Ibn Khuzayma, 1.354).
So we know that the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) used to point with his index finger, and that the version of "moving his finger" is shadhdh or "deviant," and represents a slip of the narrator, for the word ishara in the majority’s version means only "to point or gesture at," or "to indicate with the hand," and has no recorded lexical sense of wiggling or shaking the finger (Lisan al-‘Arab, 4.437 and al-Qamus al-muhit (540). This interpretation is explicitly borne out by well authenticated hadiths related from the Companion Abdullah ibn al-Zubayr that "the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) used to point with his index finger when making supplication [in the Testification of Faith], and did not move it" (Abi Dawud, 1.260) and that he "used to point with his index finger when making supplication, without moving it" (Bayhaqi, 2.131–32).
Finally, we may note that Imam Bayhaqi has joined between the Za’ida ibn Qudama hadith and the many hadiths that apparently contradict it by suggesting that moving the finger in the Za’ida hadith may mean simply lifting it (rafa‘a), a wording explicitly mentioned in one version recorded by Muslim that the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) "raised the right finger that is next to the thumb, and supplicated with it" (Muslim, 1.408). So according to Bayhaqi, the contradiction is only apparent, and raising the finger is the "movement" that Wa’il saw from the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) and the people’s hands under their cloaks, according to Za’ida’s version, which remains, however, shadhdh or "deviant" from a hadith point of view, unless understood in this limitary sense.
THE RESULT
The self claimed muhaddith Albani followed a shadhdh or "deviant hadith" leaving behind many sahih ( authentic) hadith on the topic!! The question is WHY?
Answer is simple. He wanted to go against the muslims and wanted to do something" different"
PLZ NOTE
Evidence: Ibn 'Umar reported that when the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) sat for tashahhud he placed his left hand on his left knee. and his right hand on his right knee. and he raised his right finger, which is next to the thumb, making supplication in this way, and he stretched his left hand on his left knee. Another version on the authority of Ibn Umar says: When the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) sat for tashahhud, he placed his left hand on his left knee and placed his right hand on his right knee, and he formed a ring like (fifty-three) and pointed with his finger of attestation.[Muslim]
Maalik has informed that Muslim ibn Abi Maryam informed from Ali ibn Abdur Rahmaan al-Muawiy that he said, ‘Abdullah ibn Umar [sallallaahu alayhi wasallam] saw me whilst I was playing with pebbles in Salaat. When I turned (after completing my Salaat), he prevented me saying ‘do as Nabi [sallallaahu alayhi wasallam] did.’ I asked, ‘what was Nabi [sallallaahu alayhi wasallam] ‘s practice?’ he said, ‘When Nabi [sallallaahu alayhi wasallam] sat in Salaat, he placed his right hand on his right thigh and he clasped all his fingers and pointed with the finger next to the thumb, i.e. index finger and he placed his left hand on his left thigh.
Imaam Muhammad [ra] said, ‘We adopt the practice of Nabi [sallallaahu alayhi wasallam] and this is the view of Imaam Abu Hanifa [ra]’
ANOTHER WAHABI SCHOLAR REFUTED ALBANI ON THIS ISSUE
The Position of Ash-Shaikh Muqbil Al-Waadi’ee ( A WAHABI SCHOLAR)
(This was the position of Shaikh Muqbil bin Haadee Al-Waadi'ee (rahimahullaah) - i.e. that the finger is NOT moved during the tashahhud, rather one only points with it without moving it. The issue of difference revolves around a single hadeeth reported by Waa'il bin Hujr.
Shaikh Muqbil discusses it in As-Saheehul-Musnad mimmaa laysa fis-Saheehayn, vol.2, pg.265. The narration was recorded by Ibn Maajah, and Waa'il said, "I saw the Prophet (sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam) making a circle with his thumb and middle finger and he lifted the one that was next to them (i.e. the index finger), supplicating with it in the Tashahhud."
Shaikh Muqbil said, "This hadeeth is Hasan (good). This hadeeth proves pointing with the finger. However, in reference to moving it, then the only one who narrated that was Zaa'idah bin Qudaamah and he has contradicted 13 narrators (who all narrated this same hadeeth from Waa'il): Bishr bin Al-Mufadhdhal with Abee Daawood, Sufyaan bin 'Uyainah with An-Nasaa'ee, Ath-Thawree with An-Nasaa'ee, 'Abdul-Waahid bin Ziyaad with Ahmad, Shu'bah with Ahmad, Zuhayr bin Mu'aawiyah with Ahmad, 'Abdullaah bin Idrees with Ibn Khuzaymah, Khaalid bin 'Abdillaah At-Tahhaan with Al-Bayhaqee, Muhammad bin Fudhayl with Ibn Khuzaymah, Abul-Ahwas Sallaam bin Sulaym with At-Tayaalisee, Aboo 'Awaanah and Gheelaan bin Jaami' both were quoted by Al-Bayhaqee as mentioning it (i.e. this hadeeth without moving the finger), and all of them reported it from 'Aasim bin Kulayb (who narrated it from his father, from Waa'il) and none of them mentioned moving (the finger) in it.
It was also reported from the companions 'Abdullaah bin Az-Zubayr, 'Abdullaah bin 'Umar, Aboo Humayd As-Saa'idee, Aboo Hurayrah, Sa'd bin Abee Waqqaas, Ibn 'Abbaas, Khaffaaf bin Eemaa', and all of them did not mention moving (the finger). So it is known from this that the report of Zaa'idah is strange and contradicting (Shaathth). And Allaah knows best. The detailed explanation concerning those who reported the hadeeth of these narrators who have opposed Zaa'idah, and (the hadeeths of) these companions can be seen in the research of our noble brother, Ahmad bin Sa'eed, may Allaah preserve him."
The difference is that Shaikh Al-Albaanee considered this a case of Ziyaadatuth-Thiqah (the additional information added in a narration of one of the narrators who is reliable that is not found in the other versions of the hadeeth). This is because Al-Albaanee did not consider the additional wording, "and he would move it" as contradictory because he says that pointing does not negate movement. Shaikh Muqbil went with the basic principle that a Ziyaadah (extra added wording) that contradicts what others who were more reliable or more numerous in their number reported is Shaathth, and thus unaccepted.
STRANGE ARE THE WAHABI WAYS!!!
Among the many classical hadith analayis by the self claimed muhaddith" Albani" was his analysis of the hadith dealing with the movement of fingers during Tashahhud in Salah.
The Wahabis keep on moving their fingers up and down in Salah and theu say that it is based on a hadith.
The Wahabi sheikh Albani analaysed this topic in this way. Please take a note how Albani attacks the scholars of Ahlus sunnah and tries to prove that he alone has understood this hadith in this ummah.
Here is the quote from ALBANI'S book
About "supplicating with it", Imaam Tahaawi said, "This is evidence that it was at the end of the prayer." Hence, there is evidence in this that the Sunnah is to continue pointing and moving the finger until the tasleem, for the supplication is until then. This is the view of Maalik and others. Imaam Ahmad was asked, "Should a man point with his finger during prayer?" He replied, "Yes, vigorously." (Mentioned by Ibn Haani in his Masaa'il of Imaam Ahmad, 1/80). From this, it is clear that moving the finger in tashahhud is a proven sunnah of the Prophet (sallallaahu `alaihi wa sallam), and it was practised by Ahmad and other imaams of the Sunnah. Therefore, those who think that it is pointless and irrelevant and has nothing to do with the Prayer, should fear Allaah, since because of this, they do not move their fingers although they know it to be an established sunnah; and they take great pains to interpret it in a way which is inconsistent with the `Arabic way of expression and contrary to the understanding of the imaams with regard to it.
The amazing thing is that some of them will defend an imaam on other issues, even if his opinion conflicts with the Sunnah, with the argument that to point out the imaam's mistakes inevitably means to taunt and disrespect him. They then forget this and reject this established sunnah, at the same time mocking at those who practise it. Whether or not they realise it, their mockery also includes those imaams whom they often defend wrongly, and who are correct about the Sunnah this time! In fact, they are deriding the Prophet (sallallaahu `alaihi wa sallam) himself, for he is the one who brought us this sunnah, and so jeering at it is equivalent to jeering at him. << But what is the reward for those among you who behave like this except ... >>
As for putting the finger down after pointing, or limiting the movement to the affirmation (saying laa ilaaha: 'there is no god ...') and negation (saying: illallaahu: '... except Allaah'), all of that has no basis in the Sunnah; in fact, it is contrary to the Sunnah, as this hadeeth proves.
Further, the hadeeth that he would not move his finger does not have an authentic isnaad, as I have explained in Da`eef Abi Daawood (175). Even if it were authentic, it is negatory, while the hadeeth above is affirmatory: the affirmatory takes precedence over the negatory, as is well-known among the scholars.
END OF QUOTE FROM ALBANI
WHAT IS THE TRUTH OF THE MATTER?
The fourth condition for a sahih hadith is that the text and transmission of the hadith must be free of shudhudh, or "variance from established standard narrations of it." An example is when a hadith is related by five different narrators who are contemporaries of one another, all of whom relate the same hadith from the same sheikh through his chain of transmission back to the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace). Here, if we find that four of the hadiths have the same wording but one of them has a variant wording, the hadith with the variant wording is called shadhdh or "deviant," and it is not accepted, because the difference is naturally assumed to be the mistake of the one narrator, since all of the narrators heard the hadith from the same sheikh.
There is a hadith (to take an example researched by our hadith teacher, sheikh Shu‘ayb al-Arna’ut) related by Ahmad (4.318), Bayhaqi (2.132), Ibn Khuzayma (1.354), and Ibn Hibban, with a reliable chain of narrators (thiqat)—except for Kulayb ibn Hisham, who is a merely "acceptable" (saduq), not "reliable" (thiqa)—that the Companion Wa’il ibn Hujr al-Hadrami said that when he watched the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) kneeling in the Tashahhud or "Testification of Faith" of his prayer, the Prophet
lifted his [index] finger, and I saw him move it, supplicating with it. I came [some time] after that and saw people in [winter] over-cloaks, their hands moving under the cloaks (Ibn Hibban, 5.170–71).
Now, all of the versions of the hadith mentioning that the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) moved his finger have been related to us by way of Za’ida ibn Qudama al-Thaqafi, a narrator who is considered reliable, and who transmitted it from the hadith sheikh ‘Asim ibn Kulayb, who related it from his father Kulayb ibn Shihab, from Wa’il ibn Hujr al-Hadrami. But we find that this version of "moving the finger" contradicts versions of the hadith transmitted from the same sheikh, ‘Asim ibn Kulayb, by no less than ten of ‘Asim’s other students, all of them reliable, who heard ‘Asim report that the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) did not move but rather pointed (ashara) with his index finger (towards the qibla or "direction of prayer").
These companions of ‘Asim (with their hadiths, which are well authenticated (hasan)) are: Sufyan al-Thawri: "then he pointed with his index finger, putting the thumb to the middle finger to make a ring with them" (al-Musannaf 2.68–69); Sufyan ibn ‘Uyayna: "he joined his thumb and middle finger to make a ring, and pointed with his index finger" (Ahmad, 4.318); Shu‘ba ibn al-Hajjaj: "he pointed with his index finger, and formed a ring with the middle one" (Ahmad, 4.319); Qays ibn al-Rabi‘: "then he joined his thumb and middle finger to make a ring, and pointed with his index finger" (Tabarani, 22.33–34); ‘Abd al-Wahid ibn Ziyad al-‘Abdi: "he made a ring with a finger, and pointed with his index finger" (Ahmad, 4.316); ‘Abdullah ibn Idris al-Awdi: "he had joined his thumb and middle finger to make a ring, and raised the finger between them to make du‘a (supplication) in the Testification of Faith" (Ibn Majah, 1.295); Zuhayr ibn Mu‘awiya: "and I saw him [‘Asim] say, ‘Like this,’—and Zuhayr pointed with his first index finger, holding two fingers in, and made a ring with his thumb and second index [middle] finger" (Ahmad, 4.318–19); Abu al-Ahwas Sallam ibn Sulaym: "he began making du‘a like this—meaning with his index finger, pointing with it—" (Musnad al-Tayalisi, 137); Bishr ibn al-Mufaddal: "and I saw him [‘Asim] say, ‘Like this,’—and Bishr joined his thumb and middle finger to make a ring, and pointed with his index finger" (Abi Dawud, 1.251); and Khalid ibn Abdullah al-Wasiti: "then he joined his thumb and middle finger to make a ring, and pointed with his index finger" (Bayhaqi, 2.131).
All of these narrators are reliable (thiqat), and all heard ‘Asim ibn Kulayb relate that the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) "pointed with (ashara bi) his index finger" during the Testimony of Faith in his prayer. There are many other narrations of "pointing with the index finger" transmitted through sheikhs other than ‘Asim, omitted here for brevity—four of them, for example, in Sahih Muslim, 1.408–9). The point is, for illustrating the meaning of a shadhdh or "deviant hadith," that the version of moving the finger was conveyed only by Za’ida ibn Qudama from ‘Asim. Ibn Khuzayma says: "There is not a single hadith containing yuharrikuha (‘he moved it’) except this hadith mentioned by Za’ida" (Ibn Khuzayma, 1.354).
So we know that the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) used to point with his index finger, and that the version of "moving his finger" is shadhdh or "deviant," and represents a slip of the narrator, for the word ishara in the majority’s version means only "to point or gesture at," or "to indicate with the hand," and has no recorded lexical sense of wiggling or shaking the finger (Lisan al-‘Arab, 4.437 and al-Qamus al-muhit (540). This interpretation is explicitly borne out by well authenticated hadiths related from the Companion Abdullah ibn al-Zubayr that "the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) used to point with his index finger when making supplication [in the Testification of Faith], and did not move it" (Abi Dawud, 1.260) and that he "used to point with his index finger when making supplication, without moving it" (Bayhaqi, 2.131–32).
Finally, we may note that Imam Bayhaqi has joined between the Za’ida ibn Qudama hadith and the many hadiths that apparently contradict it by suggesting that moving the finger in the Za’ida hadith may mean simply lifting it (rafa‘a), a wording explicitly mentioned in one version recorded by Muslim that the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) "raised the right finger that is next to the thumb, and supplicated with it" (Muslim, 1.408). So according to Bayhaqi, the contradiction is only apparent, and raising the finger is the "movement" that Wa’il saw from the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) and the people’s hands under their cloaks, according to Za’ida’s version, which remains, however, shadhdh or "deviant" from a hadith point of view, unless understood in this limitary sense.
THE RESULT
The self claimed muhaddith Albani followed a shadhdh or "deviant hadith" leaving behind many sahih ( authentic) hadith on the topic!! The question is WHY?
Answer is simple. He wanted to go against the muslims and wanted to do something" different"
PLZ NOTE
Evidence: Ibn 'Umar reported that when the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) sat for tashahhud he placed his left hand on his left knee. and his right hand on his right knee. and he raised his right finger, which is next to the thumb, making supplication in this way, and he stretched his left hand on his left knee. Another version on the authority of Ibn Umar says: When the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) sat for tashahhud, he placed his left hand on his left knee and placed his right hand on his right knee, and he formed a ring like (fifty-three) and pointed with his finger of attestation.[Muslim]
Maalik has informed that Muslim ibn Abi Maryam informed from Ali ibn Abdur Rahmaan al-Muawiy that he said, ‘Abdullah ibn Umar [sallallaahu alayhi wasallam] saw me whilst I was playing with pebbles in Salaat. When I turned (after completing my Salaat), he prevented me saying ‘do as Nabi [sallallaahu alayhi wasallam] did.’ I asked, ‘what was Nabi [sallallaahu alayhi wasallam] ‘s practice?’ he said, ‘When Nabi [sallallaahu alayhi wasallam] sat in Salaat, he placed his right hand on his right thigh and he clasped all his fingers and pointed with the finger next to the thumb, i.e. index finger and he placed his left hand on his left thigh.
Imaam Muhammad [ra] said, ‘We adopt the practice of Nabi [sallallaahu alayhi wasallam] and this is the view of Imaam Abu Hanifa [ra]’
ANOTHER WAHABI SCHOLAR REFUTED ALBANI ON THIS ISSUE
The Position of Ash-Shaikh Muqbil Al-Waadi’ee ( A WAHABI SCHOLAR)
(This was the position of Shaikh Muqbil bin Haadee Al-Waadi'ee (rahimahullaah) - i.e. that the finger is NOT moved during the tashahhud, rather one only points with it without moving it. The issue of difference revolves around a single hadeeth reported by Waa'il bin Hujr.
Shaikh Muqbil discusses it in As-Saheehul-Musnad mimmaa laysa fis-Saheehayn, vol.2, pg.265. The narration was recorded by Ibn Maajah, and Waa'il said, "I saw the Prophet (sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam) making a circle with his thumb and middle finger and he lifted the one that was next to them (i.e. the index finger), supplicating with it in the Tashahhud."
Shaikh Muqbil said, "This hadeeth is Hasan (good). This hadeeth proves pointing with the finger. However, in reference to moving it, then the only one who narrated that was Zaa'idah bin Qudaamah and he has contradicted 13 narrators (who all narrated this same hadeeth from Waa'il): Bishr bin Al-Mufadhdhal with Abee Daawood, Sufyaan bin 'Uyainah with An-Nasaa'ee, Ath-Thawree with An-Nasaa'ee, 'Abdul-Waahid bin Ziyaad with Ahmad, Shu'bah with Ahmad, Zuhayr bin Mu'aawiyah with Ahmad, 'Abdullaah bin Idrees with Ibn Khuzaymah, Khaalid bin 'Abdillaah At-Tahhaan with Al-Bayhaqee, Muhammad bin Fudhayl with Ibn Khuzaymah, Abul-Ahwas Sallaam bin Sulaym with At-Tayaalisee, Aboo 'Awaanah and Gheelaan bin Jaami' both were quoted by Al-Bayhaqee as mentioning it (i.e. this hadeeth without moving the finger), and all of them reported it from 'Aasim bin Kulayb (who narrated it from his father, from Waa'il) and none of them mentioned moving (the finger) in it.
It was also reported from the companions 'Abdullaah bin Az-Zubayr, 'Abdullaah bin 'Umar, Aboo Humayd As-Saa'idee, Aboo Hurayrah, Sa'd bin Abee Waqqaas, Ibn 'Abbaas, Khaffaaf bin Eemaa', and all of them did not mention moving (the finger). So it is known from this that the report of Zaa'idah is strange and contradicting (Shaathth). And Allaah knows best. The detailed explanation concerning those who reported the hadeeth of these narrators who have opposed Zaa'idah, and (the hadeeths of) these companions can be seen in the research of our noble brother, Ahmad bin Sa'eed, may Allaah preserve him."
The difference is that Shaikh Al-Albaanee considered this a case of Ziyaadatuth-Thiqah (the additional information added in a narration of one of the narrators who is reliable that is not found in the other versions of the hadeeth). This is because Al-Albaanee did not consider the additional wording, "and he would move it" as contradictory because he says that pointing does not negate movement. Shaikh Muqbil went with the basic principle that a Ziyaadah (extra added wording) that contradicts what others who were more reliable or more numerous in their number reported is Shaathth, and thus unaccepted.
STRANGE ARE THE WAHABI WAYS!!!
Saturday, April 5, 2008
HADITH: THE END OF WORLD IS NEAR ( MUST FOR ALL)
On the Nature of Ignorane
The Romans used to say, mostly ironically, "dulcis ignorantia." Of course, ignorance is sweet only to those who believe that "whatever you do not know cannot harm you." But Islam considers certain types of knowledge required from every human being and other types merely recommended, while harmless ignorance applies only to that the ignorance of which does not cause a lasting impediment to obligatory knowledge.
The Ulema have divided ignorance (jahl) into two types: jahl basit (simple), and jahl murakkab (complex).
Jahl basit is basic unawareness - "I do not know." This is a minor problem in the sense that it is easily remedied and replaced with knowledge given the proper steps summed up by the act of asking. Even a superlatively knowledgeable person such as Imam Malik, will - or rather, must - at times say: "I do not know" and defer the matter to those who know, by asking. Ibn `Umar would bless the day in which he admitted not to know something. For to say "I do not know" is in itself a proof of one's knowledge that one knows something and ignores many things, as the maxim goes, "`Alimta shay'an wa jahilta ashya'."
Compound Ignorance
Jahl murakkab, compound ignorance, is by far the real problem. Most of what is posted on Internet forums is characterized by Jahl murakkab, the disease of those who say: "I do know, I do know, I do know" and they know less than nothing. Of beneficial knowledge they are completely deprived, and mostly possess useless knowledge. This is not due to the nature of their material but to the disease in their hearts, ego pushing them into denial and obduracy beyond limits of which they themselves have no idea. Wal-`iyadhu billah.
A mark of this disease is that most of their discourse if from their own heads. They will turn to their minds and produce what they will call "Islamic views" - on Authority, Human Faculties, the Meaning of Surrender, Worship, Hadith, Salvation, Khilafa, Reform, Education, the Vote, etc. taking and leaving from the Book and Sunna what they please, like other Ummas did with their Books before. And it is all nonsense and causes for remorse in the Balance on the Day of Judgment.
Safety and remedy from this disease is to stick to what the pious Salaf said - those that went before us and whose Islamic knowledge and piety are unquestioned. Imam Ahmad - Allah have mercy on him - said: "How can I ever say what was not said before me?" The compound dolt or Jahil Murakkab, on the other hand, says: "How can I ever say what was said before me?" What is worse, he will quote from the Qur'an and Sunna to support his view!
Consequently everything that proceeds from compound ignorance is, by definition, new and original. It is innovated in essence and style though not necessarily in content as they dispose of the words of the Qur'an and Sunna, and Shaytan is past master at quoting the Five Heavenly Books. Nevertheless, it is easy to detect it, wal-Hamdu lillah.
Coarseness and Ignorance - Signs of the Hour
Among the signs of the Hour mentioned by the Noble Messenger of Allah - Allah bless and greet him and his Family and Companions - in Sahih al-Bukhari is "when the destitute (al-buhm) camelherds compete in building tall structures." Another version in al-Bukhari has: "when the barefoot and the naked are the top leaders (lit. "heads") of the people." In Sahih Muslim: "you shall see the barefoot, naked, indigent (al-`âla) shepherds compete in building tall structures." Another version in Muslim states: "when the naked and barefoot are the top leaders of the people." A third version in Muslim has: "when you see that the barefoot and naked, the deaf and dumb are the kings of the earth."
Ibn Hajar said in commenting this passage of the hadith in Fath al-Bari:
It was said that "bear-foot and naked," "deaf and dumb" are their attributes by way of hyperbole, showing how coarse they are. That is, they did not use their hearing or sight in anything concerning their Religion even though they are of perfectly sound senses.
The Prophet's (saws) words: "The heads of the people" means the kings of the earth. Abu Farwas' narration names the kings explicitly.
What is meant by them is the people of the desert country, as was made explicit in Sulayman al-Taymi's and other narrations: "Who are the barefoot and naked?" He answered: "The Bedouin Arabs."
Al-Tabarani relates through Abu Hamza, on the authority of Ibn `Abbas from the Prophet Muhammad, sallahu alayhi wa sallam, that "one of the signs of the change of the Religion is the affectation of eloquence by the rabble and their betaking to palaces in big cities."
Al-Qurtubi said: "What is meant here is the prediction of a reversal in society whereby the people of the desert country will take over the conduct of affairs and rule every region by force. They will become extremely rich and their primary concern will be to erect tall building and take pride in them. We have witnessed this in our time as well as the import of the hadith: "The hour will not rise until the happiest man will be the depraved son of a depraved father (lukka` ibn lukka`)," and also "if the leadership is entrusted to those unfit for it, then expect the hour," both found in the authentic collections."
May Allah grant all people of sound hearts never to be phazed nor swayed for even one second by the argufying devils who attack Islam from outside or - especially, in our time - inside. Their endless prattle and all they hope and work for is doomed to perish, and only what was done for the Countenance of Allah shall remain and triumph. This is the path of the Salaf; the path of Ahl al-Sunna; the path of the People of Shari`a and Tariqa; the path of the People of Paradise.
May Allah send blessings and peace on the Best of Creation, OUR MASTER Muhammad in this blessed month of this birth and at all times, and upon his Family and all his Companions.
http://gizmodo.com/gadgets/media/the-worlds-tallest-building-has-a-hell-of-a-view-331730.php
and this is even more interesting
Savoy owner plans world's tallest building
By Megan Levy
Last Updated: 2:03am BST 31/03/2008
The race to build the world's tallest building has reached a new level with plans for a mile-high tower to be built near the Red Sea port of Jeddah in Saudi Arabia.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2008/03/30/wtower130.xml
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Romans used to say, mostly ironically, "dulcis ignorantia." Of course, ignorance is sweet only to those who believe that "whatever you do not know cannot harm you." But Islam considers certain types of knowledge required from every human being and other types merely recommended, while harmless ignorance applies only to that the ignorance of which does not cause a lasting impediment to obligatory knowledge.
The Ulema have divided ignorance (jahl) into two types: jahl basit (simple), and jahl murakkab (complex).
Jahl basit is basic unawareness - "I do not know." This is a minor problem in the sense that it is easily remedied and replaced with knowledge given the proper steps summed up by the act of asking. Even a superlatively knowledgeable person such as Imam Malik, will - or rather, must - at times say: "I do not know" and defer the matter to those who know, by asking. Ibn `Umar would bless the day in which he admitted not to know something. For to say "I do not know" is in itself a proof of one's knowledge that one knows something and ignores many things, as the maxim goes, "`Alimta shay'an wa jahilta ashya'."
Compound Ignorance
Jahl murakkab, compound ignorance, is by far the real problem. Most of what is posted on Internet forums is characterized by Jahl murakkab, the disease of those who say: "I do know, I do know, I do know" and they know less than nothing. Of beneficial knowledge they are completely deprived, and mostly possess useless knowledge. This is not due to the nature of their material but to the disease in their hearts, ego pushing them into denial and obduracy beyond limits of which they themselves have no idea. Wal-`iyadhu billah.
A mark of this disease is that most of their discourse if from their own heads. They will turn to their minds and produce what they will call "Islamic views" - on Authority, Human Faculties, the Meaning of Surrender, Worship, Hadith, Salvation, Khilafa, Reform, Education, the Vote, etc. taking and leaving from the Book and Sunna what they please, like other Ummas did with their Books before. And it is all nonsense and causes for remorse in the Balance on the Day of Judgment.
Safety and remedy from this disease is to stick to what the pious Salaf said - those that went before us and whose Islamic knowledge and piety are unquestioned. Imam Ahmad - Allah have mercy on him - said: "How can I ever say what was not said before me?" The compound dolt or Jahil Murakkab, on the other hand, says: "How can I ever say what was said before me?" What is worse, he will quote from the Qur'an and Sunna to support his view!
Consequently everything that proceeds from compound ignorance is, by definition, new and original. It is innovated in essence and style though not necessarily in content as they dispose of the words of the Qur'an and Sunna, and Shaytan is past master at quoting the Five Heavenly Books. Nevertheless, it is easy to detect it, wal-Hamdu lillah.
Coarseness and Ignorance - Signs of the Hour
Among the signs of the Hour mentioned by the Noble Messenger of Allah - Allah bless and greet him and his Family and Companions - in Sahih al-Bukhari is "when the destitute (al-buhm) camelherds compete in building tall structures." Another version in al-Bukhari has: "when the barefoot and the naked are the top leaders (lit. "heads") of the people." In Sahih Muslim: "you shall see the barefoot, naked, indigent (al-`âla) shepherds compete in building tall structures." Another version in Muslim states: "when the naked and barefoot are the top leaders of the people." A third version in Muslim has: "when you see that the barefoot and naked, the deaf and dumb are the kings of the earth."
Ibn Hajar said in commenting this passage of the hadith in Fath al-Bari:
It was said that "bear-foot and naked," "deaf and dumb" are their attributes by way of hyperbole, showing how coarse they are. That is, they did not use their hearing or sight in anything concerning their Religion even though they are of perfectly sound senses.
The Prophet's (saws) words: "The heads of the people" means the kings of the earth. Abu Farwas' narration names the kings explicitly.
What is meant by them is the people of the desert country, as was made explicit in Sulayman al-Taymi's and other narrations: "Who are the barefoot and naked?" He answered: "The Bedouin Arabs."
Al-Tabarani relates through Abu Hamza, on the authority of Ibn `Abbas from the Prophet Muhammad, sallahu alayhi wa sallam, that "one of the signs of the change of the Religion is the affectation of eloquence by the rabble and their betaking to palaces in big cities."
Al-Qurtubi said: "What is meant here is the prediction of a reversal in society whereby the people of the desert country will take over the conduct of affairs and rule every region by force. They will become extremely rich and their primary concern will be to erect tall building and take pride in them. We have witnessed this in our time as well as the import of the hadith: "The hour will not rise until the happiest man will be the depraved son of a depraved father (lukka` ibn lukka`)," and also "if the leadership is entrusted to those unfit for it, then expect the hour," both found in the authentic collections."
May Allah grant all people of sound hearts never to be phazed nor swayed for even one second by the argufying devils who attack Islam from outside or - especially, in our time - inside. Their endless prattle and all they hope and work for is doomed to perish, and only what was done for the Countenance of Allah shall remain and triumph. This is the path of the Salaf; the path of Ahl al-Sunna; the path of the People of Shari`a and Tariqa; the path of the People of Paradise.
May Allah send blessings and peace on the Best of Creation, OUR MASTER Muhammad in this blessed month of this birth and at all times, and upon his Family and all his Companions.
http://gizmodo.com/gadgets/media/the-worlds-tallest-building-has-a-hell-of-a-view-331730.php
and this is even more interesting
Savoy owner plans world's tallest building
By Megan Levy
Last Updated: 2:03am BST 31/03/2008
The race to build the world's tallest building has reached a new level with plans for a mile-high tower to be built near the Red Sea port of Jeddah in Saudi Arabia.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2008/03/30/wtower130.xml
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Friday, April 4, 2008
STAR BUCKS IN MAKKAH
Mecca Bucks: Why Wahhabis Invited Starbucks to Islam's Holiest City
Zvika Krieger, The New Republic Published: Wednesday, March 26, 2008
Multinational capitalism and its edifices rise in the shadow of Mecca's Grand Mosque.
According to some popular Muslim accounts, the marble Kaaba structure at the center of the Grand Mosque in Mecca was built first by the angels before God created mankind, reconstructed by Adam, and later rebuilt by Abraham and Ishmael. It's safe to say that none of these builders could have anticipated the latest use of the Mosque's image, in a promotional DVD for the Abraj Al Bait Towers, a giant new skys****er complex slated to be built just across the street from one of the entrances to the Grand Mosque. The DVD shows a beautiful woman sitting in one of the towers' luxury apartments with floor-to-ceiling windows that overlook thousands of pilgrims circling the Kaaba below. Eyes flashing a come-hither stare from beneath her tightly wound headscarf, she asks prospective buyers in Arabic, "Would you like to be here in this place in front of the Kaaba year after year?"
Unlike the United Arab Emirates, with its Western-friendly, oil-money-flush megalopolises Dubai and Abu Dhabi, Saudi Arabia had, until very recently, resisted commercializing its major cities--particularly Mecca, site of Islam's holiest relics, where millions of pilgrims flock yearly to perform the hajj. But the dramatic rise in global oil prices, and the construction boom across Saudi Arabia that followed, has finally caught up with the city where Mohammed was born.
A report by the Saudi British Bank (SABB), one of the kingdom's biggest lenders, estimates that $30 billion will be invested in construction and infrastructure in Mecca over the next four years from local and foreign companies. Up to 130 new skys****ers are anticipated, including the $6 billion Abraj Al Bait Towers, a seven-tower project that, once completed in 2009, will be one of the largest buildings in the world, with a 60-floor, 2,000-room hotel; a 1,500-person convention center; two heliports; and a four-story mall that will house, among 600 other outlets, Starbucks, The Body Shop, U.K.-based clothing line Topshop (Kate Moss is a guest designer), and Tiffany & Co. En route to the hajj, pilgrims already have the opportunity to stop at cosmetic superstore MAC, perfumery VaVaVoom, and Claire's Accessories. H&M and Cartier are on the way. "All the top brands are flocking here," says John Sfakianakis, SABB's chief economist. "The only thing missing is Filene's Basement."
The boom is coinciding with Saudi Arabia's efforts to diversify its economy, as well as its joining of the WTO in 2005, which forced the kingdom to open its retail sector to foreign companies. Still, it's not surprising that multinational capitalism has honed in on this market: Lots of tourists on vacation, no matter how holy, tend to have a lax grip on their wallets. But, to pull off this remarkable transformation of Islam's spiritual seat, including the destruction of many sites with sacred histories to make way for malls and luxury condos, the luxe brands of the world have had to lean on some unlikely allies.
Irfan Al Alawi, the founder and former Executive director the Islamic Heritage Research Foundation and the most vocal opponent of the destruction of Mecca's historic sites, lives in a house in Mecca built mostly out of salvage from demolished Meccan buildings: hulking wooden doors, intricately carved panels, and ancient stone columns. As the scion of a prominent Hadhrami family descending from the prophet Mohammed, the 40 year old historian has a significant amount of leeway to criticize the government--often joking with the secret police guards stationed outside his house to track his comings and goings (Saudis are thrown into prison on a daily basis for much less).
Alawi uses his freedom to rail against the transformation of his hometown, giving presentations to groups of businessmen about the obliteration of Islam's most significant places. Alawi estimates that over 300 antiquity sites in Mecca and Medina have already been destroyed, such as the house of the first caliph, Abu Bakr, which was leveled to make room for the Mecca Hilton Hotel. (According to Ivor McBurney, a spokesman for Hilton, "We saw the tremendous opportunities to tap into Saudi Arabia's religious tourism segment.")
"It's not just our heritage, it's the evidence of the story of the Prophet," Alawi says, sitting in his incense-filled living room, dressed in his trademark woolen cloak and intricately wound turban--itself an act of rebellion against the austere white robes and simple headdresses that Saudi men are expected to wear. "What can we say now? 'This parking lot was the first school of Islam'? 'There used to be a mountain here where Mohammed made a speech'? ... What's the difference between history and legend?" he asks. "Evidence."
Over protests by groups like the Islamic Supreme Council of America and the Muslim Canadian Congress, Saudi authorities have authorized the destruction of hundreds of antiquities, such as an important eighteenth-century Ottoman fortress in Mecca that was razed to make way for the Abraj Al Bait Towers-- a move the Turkish foreign minister condemned as "cultural genocide." An ancient house belonging to Mohammed was recently razed to make room for, among other developments, a public toilet facility. An ancient mosque belonging to Abu Bakr has now been replaced by an ATM machine. And the sites of Mohammed's historic battles at Uhud and Badr have been, with a perhaps unconscious nod to Joni Mitchell, paved to put up a parking lot. The remaining historical religious sites in Mecca can be counted on one hand and will likely not make it much past the next hajj, Alawii says: "It is incredible how little respect is paid to the house of God."
Ironically, however, some major culprits in disrespecting the "house of God" are Wahhabi clerics, crusading to destroy Mecca's historical landmarks, which they fear will lead to idolatry. Developers are often tipped off by the cleric-run ministries about future construction plans. And the Abraj Al Bait Towers are being partially funded by the government through the King Abdul Aziz Endowment, which the towers' developers describe as "a religious property" created to serve interests "vital to the welfare of Islamic society."
Prominent clerics often speak out against conservation efforts like Alawi's--in fact, it was Wahhabis who ran him out of his job in Mecca in the first place, after his increasingly bold criticisms of government policy irked the clerical elite.
"It is not permitted to glorify buildings and historical sites," proclaimed Sheikh Abdulaziz bin Baz, then the kingdom's highest religious authority, in a much-publicized fatwa in 1994. "Such action would lead to polytheism. ... [S]o it is necessary to reject such acts and to warn others away from them."
A pamphlet published last year by the Ministry of Islamic Affairs, endorsed by Abdulaziz Al Sheikh, the Grand Mufti of Saudi Arabia, and distributed at the Prophet's Mosque, where Mohammed, Abu Bakr, and the Islamic Caliph Umar ibn Al Khattab are buried, reads, "The green dome shall be demolished and the three graves flattened in the Prophet's Mosque," according to Alawi, executive director of the London-based Islamic Heritage Research Foundation. This shocking sentiment was echoed in a speech by the late Muhammad ibn Al Uthaymeen, one of Saudi Arabia's most prominent Wahhabi clerics, who delivered sermons in Mecca's Grand Mosque for over 35 years: "We hope one day we'll be able to destroy the green dome of the Prophet Mohammed," he said, in a recording provided by Al Alawi.
The clerics' stance permits the Saudi government to play it both ways, in a perfect marriage of the secular and spiritual. It can destroy ancient sites and still maintain doctrinal credibility; the massive, capitalistic accumulation of wealth becomes a religious necessity, not an evil. "The government has finally woken up to the commercial value of religious tourism," Sfakianakis says, "and they are really the ones driving this construction boom in Mecca."
Saudi officials excuse the unsavory aspects of the development by arguing that it will help ease the housing and services crunch caused by an explosion in the number of pilgrims (while about 2.4 million hajjis visited Mecca last year, some estimate that, over the next decade, the number could rise to 20 million per year). They dismiss critics like Alawi as having an overly sentimental attachment to historical sites. "It is equally fundamentalist to say that we have to keep everything exactly the way it was while the world around us is changing every day," says Nabeel Koshak, an associate professor at the government-funded Umm Al Qura University in Mecca. Habib Zain Al Abideen, the Saudi deputy minister of municipal and rural affairs, head of all the kingdom's hajj-related construction projects, calls the hajj "a good opportunity to visit Mecca and Medina, do some shopping, make a vacation out of it."
Taking his advice in a Topshop less than 100 yards from the Grand Mosque one day in December was Fatima, a twenty-something housewife. Trying to decide between the pink silk-screened tank-top and the lycra scoop-neck blouse, she stood in front of the mirror, frantically holding one and then the other over her black abaya robe. Her friend urged her to hurry up, flashing a Visa card to pay for her stretch jeans and oversized sunglasses at the register so they could make it to the Grand Mosque in time for prayers. But Fatima had been waiting all year to splurge at Topshop. "The store is closing soon," she snaps at her friend. "You can pray any time."
Zvika Krieger is a deputy web editor at The New Republic.
POINTS TO BE NOTED :
On one side ,
the Wahhabis have destroyed the prophet's home in Makkah, have demolished the mosque of the seven companions in Madina, have turned the khandaq into a parking lot, have removed many relics from the times/days of the Prophet[saws] and his companions, all on the false pretix and claims that visiting these places, reminding oneself of them, developing love for the Prophet[saws] and his companions through touching and obersevation, would lead to "shirk",
and on the other side,
the aal saud pirates are now in the process of discussion with the Vatican to build the first Church in Arabia after 1400 years, where the bandit king Abdullah ibn AbdelAziz giving his full support for this idea, a church where indeed shirk takes place.
do you see the world of ignorance with these people?
The Wahhabis are without doubt khawarij dogs, as one of their signs is that they are severe harsh , and love to crackdown on muslims on false pretixes and slanders, and at the same time they are loving, caring, and cordial with the real mushriks, like the Christians.
REALISE THIS
No denying it, they are indeed: harsh upon the Muslims, easy upon the kuffar. As noted in the book The Esoteric Deviation in Islam, by Umar Ibrahim Vadillo (hafidahullah), Salafism has been undergoing a transformation towards "inter-faith dialogue" and is part of the process of the "esotercisation" of religions, where the "central elements" are brought together and the external differences ignored, so that the capitalist global state can forge ahead with its agenda.
It makes no sense. This "kingdom" (which basis is there in Islam for such?), the only country named after its founder, has committed untold numbers of atrocities against the Muslims while it has opened up the doors of Bayt al-Haramain to the enemies of Islam to use as a launching pad against the other Muslims. This is a country which has:
(i) submitted to the kufr laws of the UN and opened up its country for kaffir occupation,
(ii) taken control over the Two Holy Cities but has refused to establish a Khalifate based on rule by a descendant of the Quraish,
(iii) demolished the tombs of the Sahaba and the Awliya, under the pretext that the people "worship" at those tombs,
(iv) attempted to demolish the green dome over Masjid an-Nabawi and to separate the graves from the Masjid, which no one from the Khalifas or the righteous scholars from every century have even thought about,
(v) instituted an economic system which is based on the usurious paper-money, where Ribaa runs rampant under the false term "Islamic banking",
(vi) the rulers who squander the wealth and rather than using it to benefit the land and Muslims throughout the world, use it to satisfy their own desires and vices,
(vii) related to this latter point is their ignoring what goes on to the Muslims throughout the world, there is no country where the Muslims are being slaughtered and oppressed, where the regime has not cultivated friendly ties with that country.
....And we're supposed to regard them as following the Salaf as-Salih, as a land where Tawhid and Shari'a prevail? What about Hakimiyya, which belongs only to Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta'ala)? The regime does not trust in Allah (Azza wa Jall), it fears only the capitalist banking structure and America.
This is why it just boggles my mind why anyone can continue to regard themselves as "Salafi", seeing that this noble term has been distorted and mocked beyond recognition by the regime and its followers. May Allah (Azza wa Jall) expose and destroy the plots and make its reality apparent to all the Muslims. Ameen
SOME ONE SAID THIS
our apprehensions result from a pattern of Sa'udi commercialization of the Two Holy Cities, coupled with their extremism about demolishing the green dome or separating the graves of the Prophet (sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam) and his close Sahabi from Masjid an-Nabawi.
Another problem is the nature of Starbucks itself. Its CEO, Howard Schultz, is a staunch zionist jew and has openly supported "israel", indeed has boasted about giving much of his profits to supporting that accursed state.
There are plenty of Muslim coffee shops to support, why invite some company which supports the zionists, unless as part of a pattern to commercialize the Two Holy Cities and create a "modern" capitalist state? These consumerist tactics are an important part of a state increasing its power and establishing even more conformity, so that their task of establishing control is made easier.
I mean, think about how outrageous this is: Forcing Muslim owners out of business, adopting American customs, the overpriced Starbucks coffee will cheat hajjis out of money and at least a sizable portion of this money will eventually fill the cofers of a state which slaughters our brothers and sisters!
Zvika Krieger, The New Republic Published: Wednesday, March 26, 2008
Multinational capitalism and its edifices rise in the shadow of Mecca's Grand Mosque.
According to some popular Muslim accounts, the marble Kaaba structure at the center of the Grand Mosque in Mecca was built first by the angels before God created mankind, reconstructed by Adam, and later rebuilt by Abraham and Ishmael. It's safe to say that none of these builders could have anticipated the latest use of the Mosque's image, in a promotional DVD for the Abraj Al Bait Towers, a giant new skys****er complex slated to be built just across the street from one of the entrances to the Grand Mosque. The DVD shows a beautiful woman sitting in one of the towers' luxury apartments with floor-to-ceiling windows that overlook thousands of pilgrims circling the Kaaba below. Eyes flashing a come-hither stare from beneath her tightly wound headscarf, she asks prospective buyers in Arabic, "Would you like to be here in this place in front of the Kaaba year after year?"
Unlike the United Arab Emirates, with its Western-friendly, oil-money-flush megalopolises Dubai and Abu Dhabi, Saudi Arabia had, until very recently, resisted commercializing its major cities--particularly Mecca, site of Islam's holiest relics, where millions of pilgrims flock yearly to perform the hajj. But the dramatic rise in global oil prices, and the construction boom across Saudi Arabia that followed, has finally caught up with the city where Mohammed was born.
A report by the Saudi British Bank (SABB), one of the kingdom's biggest lenders, estimates that $30 billion will be invested in construction and infrastructure in Mecca over the next four years from local and foreign companies. Up to 130 new skys****ers are anticipated, including the $6 billion Abraj Al Bait Towers, a seven-tower project that, once completed in 2009, will be one of the largest buildings in the world, with a 60-floor, 2,000-room hotel; a 1,500-person convention center; two heliports; and a four-story mall that will house, among 600 other outlets, Starbucks, The Body Shop, U.K.-based clothing line Topshop (Kate Moss is a guest designer), and Tiffany & Co. En route to the hajj, pilgrims already have the opportunity to stop at cosmetic superstore MAC, perfumery VaVaVoom, and Claire's Accessories. H&M and Cartier are on the way. "All the top brands are flocking here," says John Sfakianakis, SABB's chief economist. "The only thing missing is Filene's Basement."
The boom is coinciding with Saudi Arabia's efforts to diversify its economy, as well as its joining of the WTO in 2005, which forced the kingdom to open its retail sector to foreign companies. Still, it's not surprising that multinational capitalism has honed in on this market: Lots of tourists on vacation, no matter how holy, tend to have a lax grip on their wallets. But, to pull off this remarkable transformation of Islam's spiritual seat, including the destruction of many sites with sacred histories to make way for malls and luxury condos, the luxe brands of the world have had to lean on some unlikely allies.
Irfan Al Alawi, the founder and former Executive director the Islamic Heritage Research Foundation and the most vocal opponent of the destruction of Mecca's historic sites, lives in a house in Mecca built mostly out of salvage from demolished Meccan buildings: hulking wooden doors, intricately carved panels, and ancient stone columns. As the scion of a prominent Hadhrami family descending from the prophet Mohammed, the 40 year old historian has a significant amount of leeway to criticize the government--often joking with the secret police guards stationed outside his house to track his comings and goings (Saudis are thrown into prison on a daily basis for much less).
Alawi uses his freedom to rail against the transformation of his hometown, giving presentations to groups of businessmen about the obliteration of Islam's most significant places. Alawi estimates that over 300 antiquity sites in Mecca and Medina have already been destroyed, such as the house of the first caliph, Abu Bakr, which was leveled to make room for the Mecca Hilton Hotel. (According to Ivor McBurney, a spokesman for Hilton, "We saw the tremendous opportunities to tap into Saudi Arabia's religious tourism segment.")
"It's not just our heritage, it's the evidence of the story of the Prophet," Alawi says, sitting in his incense-filled living room, dressed in his trademark woolen cloak and intricately wound turban--itself an act of rebellion against the austere white robes and simple headdresses that Saudi men are expected to wear. "What can we say now? 'This parking lot was the first school of Islam'? 'There used to be a mountain here where Mohammed made a speech'? ... What's the difference between history and legend?" he asks. "Evidence."
Over protests by groups like the Islamic Supreme Council of America and the Muslim Canadian Congress, Saudi authorities have authorized the destruction of hundreds of antiquities, such as an important eighteenth-century Ottoman fortress in Mecca that was razed to make way for the Abraj Al Bait Towers-- a move the Turkish foreign minister condemned as "cultural genocide." An ancient house belonging to Mohammed was recently razed to make room for, among other developments, a public toilet facility. An ancient mosque belonging to Abu Bakr has now been replaced by an ATM machine. And the sites of Mohammed's historic battles at Uhud and Badr have been, with a perhaps unconscious nod to Joni Mitchell, paved to put up a parking lot. The remaining historical religious sites in Mecca can be counted on one hand and will likely not make it much past the next hajj, Alawii says: "It is incredible how little respect is paid to the house of God."
Ironically, however, some major culprits in disrespecting the "house of God" are Wahhabi clerics, crusading to destroy Mecca's historical landmarks, which they fear will lead to idolatry. Developers are often tipped off by the cleric-run ministries about future construction plans. And the Abraj Al Bait Towers are being partially funded by the government through the King Abdul Aziz Endowment, which the towers' developers describe as "a religious property" created to serve interests "vital to the welfare of Islamic society."
Prominent clerics often speak out against conservation efforts like Alawi's--in fact, it was Wahhabis who ran him out of his job in Mecca in the first place, after his increasingly bold criticisms of government policy irked the clerical elite.
"It is not permitted to glorify buildings and historical sites," proclaimed Sheikh Abdulaziz bin Baz, then the kingdom's highest religious authority, in a much-publicized fatwa in 1994. "Such action would lead to polytheism. ... [S]o it is necessary to reject such acts and to warn others away from them."
A pamphlet published last year by the Ministry of Islamic Affairs, endorsed by Abdulaziz Al Sheikh, the Grand Mufti of Saudi Arabia, and distributed at the Prophet's Mosque, where Mohammed, Abu Bakr, and the Islamic Caliph Umar ibn Al Khattab are buried, reads, "The green dome shall be demolished and the three graves flattened in the Prophet's Mosque," according to Alawi, executive director of the London-based Islamic Heritage Research Foundation. This shocking sentiment was echoed in a speech by the late Muhammad ibn Al Uthaymeen, one of Saudi Arabia's most prominent Wahhabi clerics, who delivered sermons in Mecca's Grand Mosque for over 35 years: "We hope one day we'll be able to destroy the green dome of the Prophet Mohammed," he said, in a recording provided by Al Alawi.
The clerics' stance permits the Saudi government to play it both ways, in a perfect marriage of the secular and spiritual. It can destroy ancient sites and still maintain doctrinal credibility; the massive, capitalistic accumulation of wealth becomes a religious necessity, not an evil. "The government has finally woken up to the commercial value of religious tourism," Sfakianakis says, "and they are really the ones driving this construction boom in Mecca."
Saudi officials excuse the unsavory aspects of the development by arguing that it will help ease the housing and services crunch caused by an explosion in the number of pilgrims (while about 2.4 million hajjis visited Mecca last year, some estimate that, over the next decade, the number could rise to 20 million per year). They dismiss critics like Alawi as having an overly sentimental attachment to historical sites. "It is equally fundamentalist to say that we have to keep everything exactly the way it was while the world around us is changing every day," says Nabeel Koshak, an associate professor at the government-funded Umm Al Qura University in Mecca. Habib Zain Al Abideen, the Saudi deputy minister of municipal and rural affairs, head of all the kingdom's hajj-related construction projects, calls the hajj "a good opportunity to visit Mecca and Medina, do some shopping, make a vacation out of it."
Taking his advice in a Topshop less than 100 yards from the Grand Mosque one day in December was Fatima, a twenty-something housewife. Trying to decide between the pink silk-screened tank-top and the lycra scoop-neck blouse, she stood in front of the mirror, frantically holding one and then the other over her black abaya robe. Her friend urged her to hurry up, flashing a Visa card to pay for her stretch jeans and oversized sunglasses at the register so they could make it to the Grand Mosque in time for prayers. But Fatima had been waiting all year to splurge at Topshop. "The store is closing soon," she snaps at her friend. "You can pray any time."
Zvika Krieger is a deputy web editor at The New Republic.
POINTS TO BE NOTED :
On one side ,
the Wahhabis have destroyed the prophet's home in Makkah, have demolished the mosque of the seven companions in Madina, have turned the khandaq into a parking lot, have removed many relics from the times/days of the Prophet[saws] and his companions, all on the false pretix and claims that visiting these places, reminding oneself of them, developing love for the Prophet[saws] and his companions through touching and obersevation, would lead to "shirk",
and on the other side,
the aal saud pirates are now in the process of discussion with the Vatican to build the first Church in Arabia after 1400 years, where the bandit king Abdullah ibn AbdelAziz giving his full support for this idea, a church where indeed shirk takes place.
do you see the world of ignorance with these people?
The Wahhabis are without doubt khawarij dogs, as one of their signs is that they are severe harsh , and love to crackdown on muslims on false pretixes and slanders, and at the same time they are loving, caring, and cordial with the real mushriks, like the Christians.
REALISE THIS
No denying it, they are indeed: harsh upon the Muslims, easy upon the kuffar. As noted in the book The Esoteric Deviation in Islam, by Umar Ibrahim Vadillo (hafidahullah), Salafism has been undergoing a transformation towards "inter-faith dialogue" and is part of the process of the "esotercisation" of religions, where the "central elements" are brought together and the external differences ignored, so that the capitalist global state can forge ahead with its agenda.
It makes no sense. This "kingdom" (which basis is there in Islam for such?), the only country named after its founder, has committed untold numbers of atrocities against the Muslims while it has opened up the doors of Bayt al-Haramain to the enemies of Islam to use as a launching pad against the other Muslims. This is a country which has:
(i) submitted to the kufr laws of the UN and opened up its country for kaffir occupation,
(ii) taken control over the Two Holy Cities but has refused to establish a Khalifate based on rule by a descendant of the Quraish,
(iii) demolished the tombs of the Sahaba and the Awliya, under the pretext that the people "worship" at those tombs,
(iv) attempted to demolish the green dome over Masjid an-Nabawi and to separate the graves from the Masjid, which no one from the Khalifas or the righteous scholars from every century have even thought about,
(v) instituted an economic system which is based on the usurious paper-money, where Ribaa runs rampant under the false term "Islamic banking",
(vi) the rulers who squander the wealth and rather than using it to benefit the land and Muslims throughout the world, use it to satisfy their own desires and vices,
(vii) related to this latter point is their ignoring what goes on to the Muslims throughout the world, there is no country where the Muslims are being slaughtered and oppressed, where the regime has not cultivated friendly ties with that country.
....And we're supposed to regard them as following the Salaf as-Salih, as a land where Tawhid and Shari'a prevail? What about Hakimiyya, which belongs only to Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta'ala)? The regime does not trust in Allah (Azza wa Jall), it fears only the capitalist banking structure and America.
This is why it just boggles my mind why anyone can continue to regard themselves as "Salafi", seeing that this noble term has been distorted and mocked beyond recognition by the regime and its followers. May Allah (Azza wa Jall) expose and destroy the plots and make its reality apparent to all the Muslims. Ameen
SOME ONE SAID THIS
our apprehensions result from a pattern of Sa'udi commercialization of the Two Holy Cities, coupled with their extremism about demolishing the green dome or separating the graves of the Prophet (sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam) and his close Sahabi from Masjid an-Nabawi.
Another problem is the nature of Starbucks itself. Its CEO, Howard Schultz, is a staunch zionist jew and has openly supported "israel", indeed has boasted about giving much of his profits to supporting that accursed state.
There are plenty of Muslim coffee shops to support, why invite some company which supports the zionists, unless as part of a pattern to commercialize the Two Holy Cities and create a "modern" capitalist state? These consumerist tactics are an important part of a state increasing its power and establishing even more conformity, so that their task of establishing control is made easier.
I mean, think about how outrageous this is: Forcing Muslim owners out of business, adopting American customs, the overpriced Starbucks coffee will cheat hajjis out of money and at least a sizable portion of this money will eventually fill the cofers of a state which slaughters our brothers and sisters!
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