Part 2 -
Warning Against the
Fitnah of
Takfeer
The Principle of Understanding the Book
& the Sunnah
Therefore, following or not following the path of
the Believers is a very important matter in relation to complying or denying
that path. So whosoever follows the path
of the Believers, then he is successful with the Lord of the worlds and
whosoever differs from the path of the Believers, then Hell is sufficient for
him – and what an evil destination.
From this point, numerous groups, old and new
deviated because they never sufficed themselves to adhering to the path of the
Believers. Instead, they rode on their
own intelligence. Instead, they followed
their own desires in trying to understand the Book and the Sunnah. Then they built upon their desires, their
very dangerous results, and with that they left what the Salaf-As-Saalih
– may Allaah be pleased with all of them- were upon.
The Messenger - SallAllaahu
alayhi wa sallam - emphasized this section of the noble Ayah:
<<……follows other than the path of the
believers ….>>
He - SallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam - emphasized it by using an eloquent emphasis, in more than just one
authentic prophetic ahadeeth.
These ahadeeth, which I will indicate to and mention some of, are
known amongst the general Muslims, let alone the scholars of the Muslims. But
what is unknown about these ahadeeth, is that they direct one towards
the obligation and necessity of adhering to the path of the Believers in their
understanding of the Book and Sunnah.
This point has been forgotten – and its importance
and its necessity have been forgotten by many of the specific people, not to
speak of those who have become known – in these modern times - as 'Jama’at
Al- Takfeer '! Or by some of those kinds of groups who ascribe
themselves to Jihaad, whereas in reality they are the scattered,
defeated remnants of Takfeer! !
From amongst these types of people, there may be
some who may very well in the depths of their hearts be righteous and sincere
people. However, this alone is not sufficient for its possessor to be
successful and for one to prosper with Allaah Azza wa Jal.
Due to this it is necessary for the Muslim to
combine two points:
·
Having truthful sincerity in ones
intention, with Allaah Azza wa Jal.
· Following correctly what the Prophet - SallAllaahu
alayhi wa sallam - was upon.
It is not only sufficient for a Muslim to be
sincere and serious in respect to acting with the Book and the Sunnah
and calling towards it. But, in addition to this, his methodology should be correct,
good and upright; and his methodology cannot be complete in itself except by
following what the righteous Salaf of this Ummah were upon – may
Allaah be pleased with them all.
From these well known and established ahadeeth
- that build a foundation for what I have said – as I indicated previously it is
the hadeeth of the 73 sects, and it is none other than the saying of the
Messenger - SallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam:
“The Jews
had split up in to 71 sects and the Christians had split up into 72 sects, and
my nation will split up into 73 sects all of whom will be in the fire except
one. The Companions asked, ‘Which
one O Messenger of Allaah?’ He
replied: The Jamaa’aah.” In another narration: “What I am upon and my Companions are upon.”
So we find the Prophet's answer, agreeing perfectly
with the previous Ayah:
<<……follows other than the path of the
Believers……>>
Therefore, those who primarily enter into the
generality of this Ayah are: the Companions of the Messenger - SallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam, since the Messenger -
SallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam - was not content in this hadeeth with just saying: “What I am upon…..”
Perhaps this would actually be sufficient for the
Muslim who truly understands the Book and the Sunnah. But he - SallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam – adapted practically
Allaah’s saying, when Allaah characterized His Prophet that he was:
<<….
for the Believers he is full of pity,
kindness, and mercy>>[1]
It is from his - SallAllaahu
alayhi wa sallam – perfect kindness and his complete mercy
for his Companions and his followers, that he - sallAllaahu
alayhi wa sallam – clearly illustrated for them the distinction
of the saved sect. Which implies that they are people and companions of the
saved sect are upon what the Messenger - sallAllaahu
alayhi wa sallam – was also upon, and what his Companions
were upon after him.
Therefore, it is not allowed – for the Muslims
generally and the callers to Islaam specifically - to be content with just understanding
the Book and Sunnah using the means of understanding which are well
known. Such as knowledge of the Arabic language, the knowledge of abrogated and
abrogative texts and other such rules.
But it is necessary, primarily to return in all of this back to what the
Companions of the Prophet - SallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam -were upon, because they were – which is clear from their traditions
and their biographies – the most sincere to Allaah Azza wa Jal in
worship. They had more of an understanding of the Book and the Sunnah
than us, and many other praise worthy characteristics with which they were shaped,
and cultivated with its exquisite manners.
What resembles this hadeeth perfectly – in respect
to its fruits and benefits - is the hadeeth of the Rightly Guided Khulafaah,
which is narrated in the books of as-Sunnan from the narration of al-Irbaad
bin Saireeyah - may Allaah be pleased with him. He said that the Messenger of
Allaah - SallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam -gave us an admonition which caused hearts to tremble, and eyes to shed
tears.
So we said, “It is as if this is a farewell speech,
so advise us O Messenger of Allaah!”
He said: “I
advise you to hear and obey, even if an African slave rules over you, and
indeed whomsoever from you lives will see many differences, so hold on to my
Sunnah and the Sunnah of the Rightly Guided Khulafaah after me, bite on to it
with your molar teeth……………….” To the end of the hadeeth.
The proof from this hadeeth is also the same
evidence from the answer of the Messenger - SallAllaahu
alayhi wa sallam -about the previous question (about the
73 sects). In as much as he compelled his nation to follow the characteristics
of his Companions due to their adherence to his Sunnah, and he did not
limit it to just that, but rather he said:
“……And
the Sunnah of the Rightly Guided Khulafaah after me.”
Therefore, it is necessary for us – and this being
our situation - to constantly repeat always and forever this fundamental
principle. If we intend to understand our Aqeedah, understand our
worship, and understand our manners and behavior.
It is necessary for us to return to our Salaf-us-Saalih
to understand all these matters, which are necessary for a Muslim, so that he
can actualize in himself - with sincerity – that he is from the Saved Sect.
From this point many of the sects of old and new have
deviated, when they did not pay heed to the evidence in the previous Ayah,
and to the significance of the hadeeth of the Sunnah of the
Rightly Guided Khulafaah, and likewise the hadeeth of the
splitting of the Ummah. Therefore,
it was completely natural that they deviated like those who deviated previously
from the Book of Allaah, and the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allaah - SallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam - and the manhaj
of the Salaf-us-Saalih.
From those who deviated were the Khawaarij of
old and of recent times!
Indeed the foundation of the fitnah of Takfeer
in this era - rather, since a long time - is surrounding the Ayah, which
they themselves always keep mentioning, which is none other than His Ta'alaa saying:
<<And whosoever does not judge with what
Allaah has revealed are the kuffaar>>
So they take this Ayah without a deep
understanding, and they present it without detailed knowledge.
We know that this noble Ayah has been
repeated and ends with three different wordings:
<< . . . so they are kuffaar>>
<<. . so they are oppressors>>
<< . . .so they are transgressors/sinners>>
It is from complete ignorance that those who reason
with just this Ayah with its first wording which is : <<. . . so they are kuffaar>>
that they have not become acquainted with – at the very least - with some of the other texts of the Sharia',
whether from the Qur'aan or the Sunnah, in which the word (al-kufr ) is mentioned. Instead they
have taken it – without any understanding to mean exiting from the Deen,
and that there is no difference between the one who fell into kufr, and
between those mushrikeen from the Jews and the Christians and followers
of the other faiths outside the faith of Islaam.
Whereas the word al-kufr in the language of
the Book and the Sunnah does not – always - carry this meaning, which
they constantly repeat, and attempt to impose their wrong and erroneous understanding.
The matter of this word (al-kufr ) whereas it
does not direct to one meaning, is also the matter of the other two words <<
the oppressors>> and <<the transgressors/sinners>>. Just like the one who is characterized as an oppressor
or sinner does not necessarily mean that he is someone who has apostated from
the Deen, so the same goes for the one characterized that he is a kaafir,
that it does not necessarily mean that he is someone who has apostated from the
Deen.
This diversity in the meaning of one word, that is
indicated by the language, and the Sharia' came with the Arabic
language; the language of the Noble Qur’aan. Due to this, it is obligatory on those who
want to issue judgment on the Muslims; - regardless if it is the ruler or the
ruled - that they be upon knowledge of the Book and Sunnah and in the light
of the Salaf Saalih.
It is not possible to understand the Book and the Sunnah
– and also what is contained within it- except with the path of the Arabic
language and its literature, knowing it specifically and precisely. If the student of knowledge has a deficiency
in the understanding of the language, what will help him in rectifying this
deficiency is returning to the understanding of the scholars before him. Especially
if they are the people from the first three generations that have been
certified with goodness.
No comments:
Post a Comment