Ikhtilaf (differences) among the Madhhabs in Islam

Ikhtilaf (differences) among the Madhhabs in Islam

Dr. G. Fouad Haddad

1 Al-Hafiz al-Bayhaqi in his book "al-Madkhal" and al-Zarkashi in his "Tadhkirah fi al-ahadith al-mushtaharah" relate: Imam al-Qasim ibn Muhammad ibn Abi Bakr al-Siddiq said:

"The differences among the Companions of Muhammad (s) are a mercy for Allah's servants.

Al-Hafiz al-`Iraqi the teacher of Ibn Hajar al-`Asqalani said:

"This is a saying of al-Qasim ibn Muhammad who said:

'The difference of opinion among the Companions of Muhammad (s) is a mercy.

2 Al-Hafiz Ibn al-Athir in the introduction to his "Jami` al-usul fi ahadith al-rasul" relates the above saying from Imam Malik according to al-Hafiz Ibn al-Mulaqqin in his "Tuhfat al-muhtaj ila adillat al-Minhaj" and Ibn al-Subki in his "Tabaqat al-Shafi`iyya."

3 Bayhaqi and Zarkashi also said: Qutada said: "'Umar ibn `Abd al-`Aziz used to say:

'It would not please me more if the Companions of Muhammad (s) did not differ among them, because had they not differed there would be no leeway (for us).'"

4 Bayhaqi also relates in "al-Madkhal" and Zarkashi in the "Tadhkira": Al-Layth ibn Sa`d said on the authority of Yahya ibn Sa`id:

"the people of knowledge are the people of flexibility (tawsi`a). Those who give fatwas never cease to differ, and so this one permits something while that one forbids it, without one finding fault with the other when he knows of his position."

5 Al-Hafiz al-Sakhawi said in his "Maqasid al-hasana" p. 49 #39 after quoting the above:

"I have read the following written in my shaykh's (al-Hafiz ibn Hajar) handwriting: 'The hadith of Layth is a reference to a very famous hadith of the Prophet (s), cited by Ibn al-Hajib in the "Mukhtasar" in the section on qiyas (analogy), which says: "Difference of opinion in my Community is a mercy for people" (ikhtilafu ummati rahmatun li al-nas).

There is a lot of questioning about its authenticity, and many of the imams of learning have claimed that it has no basis (la asla lahu).

However, al-Khattabi mentions it in the context of a digression in "Gharib al-hadith" . . . and what he says concerning the tracing of the hadith is not free from imperfection, but he makes it known that it does have a basis in his opinion.'"

6 Al-`Iraqi mentions all of the above (1-5) in his "Mughni `an haml al-asfar" and says: "What is meant by "the Community" in this saying is those competent for practicing legal reasoning (al-mujtahidun) in the branches of the law, wherein reasoning is permissible."

NOTE: What `Iraqi meant by saying "the branches wherein reasoning is permissible" is that difference is not allowed in matters of doctrine, since there is agreement that there is only one truth in the essentials of belief and anyone, whether a mujtahid or otherwise, who takes a different view automatically renounces Islam. (Shawkani, "Irshad al-Fuhul" p. 259 as quoted in Kamali, "Principles of Islamic Jurisprudence" p. 383.)

Al-Albani in his attack on the hadith "Difference of opinion in my Community is a mercy" ignores this distinction and even adduces the verse: "If it had been from other than Allah they would have found therein much discrepancy" (4:82) in order to prove that differences can never be a mercy in any case but are always a curse.

Al-Albani's point is directed entirely against those who are content to follow a madhhab.

The only scholar he quotes in support of his position is Ibn Hazm al-Zahiri, whose mistake he adopts without mentioning it was denounced by Nawawi. ("Silsila da`ifa" 1:76 #57)

7 Ibn Hazm said in "al-Ihkam fi usul al-ahkam" (5:64): "The saying "Difference of opinion in my Community is a mercy" is the most perverse saying possible, because if difference were mercy, agreement would be anger, and it is impossible for a Muslim to say this, because there can only be either agreement, or difference, and there can only be either mercy, or anger."

However, Imam Nawawi said in his Commentary on "Sahih Muslim": "If something (i.e. agreement) is a mercy it is not necessary for its opposite to be the opposite of mercy. No-one makes this binding, and no-one even says this except an ignoramus or one who affects ignorance.

Allah the Exalted said:

"And of His mercy He has made night for you so that you would rest in it," and He has named night a mercy: it does not necessarily ensue from this that the day is a punishment."

8 Al-Khattabi said in "Gharib al-hadith": "Difference of opinion in religion is of three kinds:

- In affirming the Creator and His Oneness: to deny it is kufr (disbelief);

- In His attributes and will: to deny them is innovation;

- In the different rulings of the branches of the law (ahkam al-furu`):

Allah has made them mercy and generosity for the scholars, and that is the meaning of the hadith: "Difference of opinion in my Community is a mercy." Al-Jarrahi cited it in "Kashf al-khafa" 1:64 #153.

9 Al-Hafiz al-Suyuti says in his short treatise "Jazil al-mawahib fi ikhtilaf al-madhahib" (The Abundant Grants Concerning the Differences Among the Schools):

"The hadith "Difference of opinion in my Community is a mercy for people" has many benefits among which are the fact that the Prophet (s) foretold of the differences that would arise after his time among the madhahib in the branches of the law, and this is one of his miracles because it is a foretelling of things unseen.

Another benefit is his approval of these differences and his confirmation of them because he characterizes them as a mercy.

Another benefit is that the legally responsible person can choose to follow whichever he likes among them."

After citing the saying of `Umar ibn `Abd al-`Aziz already quoted (#3 above), Suyuti says:

"This indicates that what is meant is their differences in the rulings in the branches of the law."

10 The muhaddith al-Samhudi relates al-Hafiz Ibn al-Salah's discussion of Imam Malik's saying concerning difference of opinion among the Companions: "Among them is the one that is wrong and the one that is right: therefore you must exercise ijtihad."

Samhudi said: "Plainly, it refers to differences in legal rulings (ahkam). Ibn al-Salah said: "This is different from what Layth said concerning the flexibility allowed for the Community, since this applies exclusively to the mujtahid as he said: "you must exercise ijtihad," because the mujtahid's competence makes him legally responsible (mukallaf) to exercise ijtihad and there is no flexibility allowed for him over the matter of their difference.

The flexibility applies exclusively to the unqualified follower (muqallid). The people meant in the saying: "Difference of opinion in my Community is a mercy for people" are those unqualified followers.

As for the import of Malik's saying "Among the Companions is the one that is wrong and the one that is right," it is meant only as an answer to those who say that the mujtahid is able to follow the Companions. It is not meant for others.""

11 The author of "al-Fiqh al-Akbar" (attributed to Imam Abu Hanifa) said: "Difference of opinion in the Community is a token of divine mercy."

12 Ibn Qudama al-Hanbali said in "Al-`Aqa'id": "The difference in opinion in the Community is a mercy, and their agreement is a proof."

Discussion
The decision of `Umar whereby he gave precedence to `Ubayy ibn Ka`b's ijtihad over the ijtihad of `Abdullah ibn Mas`ud on the validity of praying in a single garment is not a proof that `Abdullah was wrong, rather it is a proof that `Umar exercised his own ijtihad and authority as the Greater Imam in settling the question.

He overruled, not invalidated, and if Ibn Mas`ud held his position from the Prophet (s) he cannot change it even after `Umar's ruling. 
This is true of every true mujtahid at any time: he is obligated to follow the result of his own ijtihad even if it should differ with that of every other mujtahid of the past and present, unless he becomes convinced that he was mistaken in his previous ijtihad.

According to all the scholars it is incumbent upon the leader of the Muslims to be a mujtahid and it is his responsibility in such cases to settle the question for the sake of the people of his time, and that is the proper context of Imam Malik's injuction: "Exercise ijtihad."

It is addressed to the mufti who must establish what is correct in clearcut fashion, not to the muqallid (follower) who is only interested in "a way to follow" (= madhhab) without having to verify its proofs and inferences.

However, another mufti may reach another conclusion and be followed, and is not bound by that of the first, nor are those who take their fatwa from him, and no-one finds fault with the other, as Al-Layth ibn Sa`d stated.

A clear proof that the fatwa of the leader overrules but does not invalidate the opinion of the Companions even if it directly contradicts it, is the fact that when `Umar ibn al-Khattab proposed to have all the hadith collected and written down he consulted the Companions and they unanimously agreed to his proposal; later he disapproved of it and ordered that everyone who had written a collection burn it.

Yet `Umar ibn `Abd al-`Aziz later ordered that hadith be collected and written. Al-Hafiz al-Baghdadi relates it in his "Taqyid al-`ilm" 49, 52-53, 105-106, and Ibn Sa`d in his "Tabaqat" 3(1):206, 8:353.

Those who think they are mujtahid but in reality are unqualified, when faced by the followers of madhahib, cover up their ignorance with the flashy claim:

"We follow Qur'an and Sunna, not madhahib."

When it is pointed out to them that to follow a madhhab is to follow Qur'an and Sunna through true ijtihad, they become upset:

"How can the four madhhabs differ and be right at the same time? I have heard that only one may be right, and the others wrong."

The answer is that one certainly follows only the ruling that he believes is right, but he can never fanatically invalidate the following of other rulings by other madhahib, because they, also, are based on sound principles of ijtihad.

At this they rebel and begin numbering the mistakes of the mujtahids: "Imam Malik was right in this, but he was wrong in that; Imam Shafi`i was right in this, but he was wrong in that . . . "

This is what they say, and what they hide in their heart is worse because it includes even the Companions. This we will never accept.

But when they are rebuked for this blatant disrespect they make it known that they have been wronged and "They are arrogant in their sin" (2:206).

This is nothing else than the legacy of the Wahhabi/Salafi movement.

Blessings and Peace on the Prophet, his Family, and His Companions.

May Allah be well pleased with the Four Mujtahid Imams, and all the scholars who feared Allah truly.

Fouad Haddad Sunnah Foundation

Comment by Dr Gibril Fouad

Comment by Dr Gibril Fouad Haddad, 2013

”As we have said time and again shaytan and its followers always want Muslims to make less Dhikr of Allah Most High, less Salawat on His Prophet (upon him blessings and peace), less Tarawih in Ramadan, less respect of Awliya, less Tawassul through the Prophet and Salihin, and less pursuit of all the blessings and spiritual knowledge and practice that Allah has made available to this Umma.

Even when the Umma is being physically attacked and slaughtered East and West, these enemies have no shame in continuously trying to divide Muslims, eviscerate the Deen from its spiritual content and weaken Da`wa as much as they can.”

”They wish to extinguish Allah's light by formalizing His religion, encouraging secularism, and dissociating Muslims from their emotional attachment to Allah and His Prophet and Awliya which is the basis of strong faith.

They are trying instead to produce automatons who force themselves and others to follow rules without understanding. This is the exact recipe of extremism that is now devastating the world.

Whenever we see someone trying to push such an agenda we should recognize them for what they are - Wahhabi ”Salafis”, modern offshoots of Kharijism - and send them packing, just as each generation of Sunni teachers did in their time and just as the true scholars of Ahl al-Sunna have always done and will continue to do. Wa-min Allah al-Tawfiq wal-Hidaya.”

mengemis kepada orang bukan Melayu

KUALA LUMPUR – Orang Melayu kini terpaksa mengemis kepada orang bukan Melayu untuk raih sokongan bagi memenangi pilihan raya.

Bekas Perdana Menteri, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad berkata, ini berpunca daripada perpecahan yang berlaku dalam kalangan orang Melayu yang terbahagi kepada tiga puak.

“Orang Melayu kini tinggal 60 peratus dan dengan jumlah ini sepatutnya menang setiap kali pilihan raya kerana kita mempunyai majoriti. Tetapi kita berpecah sesama sendiri dan terbahagi kepada tiga puak yang jumlah setiap satu kurang 50 peratus.

“Dengan jumlah ini, kita tak mungkin mendirikan kerajaan dengan majoriti mutlak. Sebaliknya untuk dapat majoriti memerintah negara, kita terpaksa menjadi pengemis minta pertolongan kaum lain khususnya Cina,” katanya ketika menyampaikan ucap tama di Konvensyen Kepimpinan Melayu Muda Nusantara (NUSA’14) di sini, semalam.

Katanya lagi, baik Umno, Pas dan PKR masing-masing mengemis di kaki orang Cina DAP supaya mendapat sokongan.

“Bila kita jadi pengemis, kita tidak lagi jadi orang yang berkuasa. Namun, inilah keadaan yang berlaku sekarang,” katanya.

Beliau turut menegur sikap orang Melayu yang lebih utamakan kata-kata pemimpin atau puak sendiri berbanding ajaran Islam dan al-Quran.

“Kalau puak kita bertindak bercanggah dengan ajaran Islam sekalipun, kita lebih utamakan puak kita, pemimpin kita. Dengan itu, berlakulah perpecahan kerana pemimpin ada hasrat tertentu bagi dirinya.

“Dikumpulkan orang kita di kelilingnya dan mereka ini akan patuh kepada pemimpin walaupun bertentangan dengan agama. Sebab itu, hari ini perpecahan berlaku dalam kalangan orang Islam,” katanya.

Kualiti Umat Akhir Zaman Seperti Buih

( Nabi Muhammad Amat Bangga Pada Umatnya Yang Ramai tapi Berapa Ramaikah Yang Berkualiti? )

Rasulullah s.a.w bersabda :

"Hampir tiba masanya kamu dikerumuni oleh manusia seperti mana orang-orang mengerumuni sesuatu hidangan" Berkata seorang sahabat, "Adakah ia lantaran pada waktu kita yang sedikit?" Nabi menjawab, "Tidak,sebaliknya kamu ramai tetapi kamu menjadi seperti buih ketika berlaku banjir. Allah mencabutkan rasa gerun dari hati musuhmu dan memasukkan perasaan wahan ke dalam hatimu." Sahabat-sahabat bertanya, "Apakah itu wahan?" Bersabda nabi, "Cintakan dunia dan takutkan mati ".

(Hadis Riwayat Abu Daud)

Berhubung dengan hadith ini, as-Syeikh Said Hawa dalam al-Madkhal Ila Dakwah al-Ikhwan Al-Muslimin berkata, " Sejak runtuhnya kerajaan Uthmaniyah di Turki, umat Islam menjadi seperti yang disebutkan oleh hadith ini. Inilah penyakit yang menyerang umat Islam pada hari ini. Umat kehilangan kekuatan sehingga menjadi ringan dan terus hanyut di bawa arus. Bagaimanakah cara bagi menghentikan keadaan ini? Kita sebenarnya bertanggungjawab menerapkan nilai kebenaran pada umat dan seterusnya memproses umat ini sehingga mereka mempunyai nilai-nilai Islam yang kukuh, yang memampukan mereka melahirkan arus mereka sendiri.".

faktor-faktornya seperti berikut:

Kurang didikan agama dikalangan golongan masyarakat

Hari ini, jika kita perhatikan masyarakat kita dihanyutkan atau dimomokkan secara berlebihan dengan hiburan dan kemewahan dunia. Islam tidak menghalang atau melarang umatnya daripada mencari kesenangan dan kemewahan dunia, tetapi ianya haruslah berpaksikan kepada Al-Quran dan As-Sunnah.

Hal ini bersesuaian dengan sabda Nabi s.a.w. yang bermaksud, "

Carilah oleh mu kehidupan akhirat, tetapi jangan kau lupa bahagian mu di dunia "

Bahkan Allah S.W.T. di dalam Al-Quran sendiri secara jelas memerintahkan kita agar sentiasa mencari kebaikan di dunia dan kebaikan di akhirat. Jika kita lihat pada hari ini, mereka yang terlibat dalam gejala sosial, hingga melibatkan perkara aqidah adalah di kalangan membesar jauh dari Al-Quran.

Mereka ini kebanyakannya tidak pernah membaca apatah lagi mengetahui makna Al-Quran itu sendiri. Saya amat yakin dan percaya, sekirannya pembudayaan kepada pembaca Al-Quran seterusnya penerusan melalui kaedah pemahamannya yang berterusan, masalah dan gejala sosial yang melanda masyarakat kita pada hari in mampu untuk di atasi.

Kurang rasa penghormatan kepada golongan Ulama’dan Ilmuwan Islam

Para ulama’ dan ilmuwan Islam adalah mereka yang sentiasa berusaha untuk menjunjung Al-Quran dan As-sunnuh sebagai panduan dan pedoman umat. Mereka sentiasa berikhtiar untuk menjaga kemashalatan dan kebajikan masyarakat, Justeru, mereka sentiasa memberian pandangan dan pendapat terhadap sesuatu isu dan permasalahn yang dihadapi oleh negara dari kaca mata dan perspektif agama.

Malanglah, golongan ini sering kali ditohmahan yang tidak enak seperti golongan ulama’ yang jumud dan tidak terdedah pada arus kemodenan. Harus diingat bahawa golongan ini tadak sama sekali anti kepada pembangunan, tetapi pembangunan itu hendaklah seiring dengan pembangunan rohani dan spiritual yang selaras dengan ajaran Islam. Nah, beginilah jadinya sekiranya pandangan dan nasihat yang sering di keluarkan oleh golongan ini dianggap remeh dan tidak seiring dengan edaran masa.

Posted by Syarah Al-Hadith at 12:14 AM
Labels: Syarah Al-Hadith

Ulama adalah pewaris dan pelanjut para nabi dan para rasul.

Sesungguhnya, ilmu menempati tempat termulia, martabat tertinggi, keagungan teratas, keuntungan yang bermanfaat. Karena dengan ilmulah seseorang dapat bertauhid kepada Allah dan membenarkan para nabi dan para rasul.

Maka jadilah ulama itu sebagai hamba-hamba Allah yang khusus dan ditempatkan pada sumber pengetahuan agama serta diberi petunjuk kepada-Nya dengan fadhalnya. Mereka telah ditetapkan dan dipilih oleh Allah. Ulama adalah pewaris dan pelanjut para nabi dan para rasul. Mereka adalah orang-orang yang sangat mengenal para nabi dan rasul.

Sesuai dengan firman Allah dalam surah Al-Faathir ayat 32:

“Kemudian Kitab itu Kami wariskan kepada orang-orang yang Kami pilih di antara hamba-hamba Kami, lalu di antara mereka ada yang menganiaya diri mereka sendiri; dan di antara mereka ada yang pertengahan, (yaitu orang-orang yang sama amal baik dan buruknya). Juga di antara mereka ada orang-orang yang berlomba dalam
kebaikan.”

Juga sesuai dengan sabda Nabi:

“Ulama adalah pewaris pada nabi karena mereka memiliki ilmu. Seluruh penghuni langit mencintainya dan penghuni lautan memohon ampun bagi mereka sampai hari kiamat.”

Allah berfirman di dalam Al-Quran: (QS. Faathir: 28) “Di antara hamba Allah hanya ulama yang merasa takut kepada Allah”. Nabi bersabda:

“Pada hari kiamat Allah akan membangunkan seluruh manusia dan ulama akan dipisahkan”. Allah berfirman kepada mereka:

“Wahai para ulama, tidak Aku berikan ilmu-Ku kepadamu, kecuali karena Aku mengetahui keadaanmu dan pemberian ilmu-Ku padamu bukan karena Aku akan menyiksamu. Masuklah ke surga karena dosamu telah Aku ampuni.”

Segala puji bagi Allah dalam setiap keadaan. Allah tetap memberikan derajat bagi para ahli ibadah; dan qurbah bagi para ahli ma’rifat.

Kissing the Thumbs, etc. During The Adhan

Kissing the Thumbs, etc. During The Adhan?

By Shaykh Muhammad Afifi al-Akiti

I hope that you are well and in good health with the grace of Allah Ta'allah. I spoke to you in the Mosque yesterday after your kutba, my name is [xyz].

I would like to know whether kissing the thumbs and putting them on your eyes on hearing the Prophet Muhammad (blessing and peace of Allah be upon him and his family) in the azan has any basis according to Shafi mazhab?

I have read that it is not aloud, but i have read that there is a Hadith about Hazrat Abu Bakr (may Allah be please with him) doing this action and the Prophet (blessing and peace of Allah be upon him and his family) saying follow my companions sunnah.

According to the literature this Ahadith is not authentic (weak), can you enlight me on this subject. I follow Hanafi mazhab but I want to hear your answer on this subject coz your neutral because your a Shafi teacher I want to know what the ruling is in Shafi mazhab.

Allah Hafiz Ma sha' Allah, Rabbi zidni 'ilman!

In fiqh, the discussion of taqbil al-unbulatayn wa mash al-'aynayn is usually found at the end of Bab Adhan. Certain gestures performed during the adhan, and specifically the 'amal of kissing the thumbs and wiping the eye, are something known to Shafi'is, and there can be no objection whatsoever by our jurists (and any jurists for that matter) to those wishing to perform this 'amal: as far as we are concerned, it is classified under the category of the Fada'il al-A'mal [I'anat, 1:243; al-Jurdani, Fath al-'Allam, 2:140-1].

Among its legal bases ['ilal] is that it is a Sunna of the first Khalifa of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's blessings and peace be upon him!) [i.e., an Athar of the first Khalifa], and it is also based on a number of Hadiths, of which the most well known is the Hadith of Abu Bakr (may Allah be well pleased with him!):

lammA sami'a qawla l-mu'adhdhini ashhadu anna MuHammadan rasUluLlAhi qAla hAdhA wa qabbila bATina l-unmulatayni l-sabbAbatayni wa masaHa 'aynayhi fa-qAla SallaLlAhu 'alayhi wa sallama man fa'ala mithla khalIlI faqad Hallat 'alayhi shafA'atI

[Whenever he [Abu Bakr] heard the Mu'addhin say: "I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah", he would repeat this [phrase as it is the Mandub of Adhan] and would kiss the tip of the index fingers [or thumbs] and wipe his eyes. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him!) said:

whosoever does what my friend [i.e., Abu Bakr] did, my intercession will come down upon him] (Related by al-Daylami, with variants).

Almost all of the Muhaddith consider this and other Hadiths like it to be weak [Da'if] (at its lowest level, a Marfu' Hadith [something ascribed to the Prophet]; and it is because the Hadith is Da'if that the 'amal is counted among the Fada'il, and not the confirmed Sunna!).

Nevertheless, this is definitely not a fabricated Hadith [Mawdu'], and weak Hadiths are not and cannot be considered as false and lies.

Furthermore, as Sayyid 'Alawi al-Maliki (may Allah be pleased with him!) reported in his dedicated treatise on the rules concerning the use of weak Hadiths, the Manhal Latif, that scholars of the four law-schools [madhhab] concurred by Ijma' [Consensus]--and that this Ijma' was recorded from the time of the Mujtahid Imam, Ahmad Ibn Hanbal (may Allah be well pleased with him!) until now--that any Hadith which are Da'if (as long as it is not Mawdu'), can be acted upon for the Fada'il al-A'mal ['Alawi al-Maliki, Manhal, 251-253].

Literally, "Fada'il al-A'mal" means 'extra works'; but technically it means the extra acts of devotion performed, or refrained from, beyond one's call of duty in order to please the Lawmaker, that is, an 'amal that can lead to it's being classed either as recommended [i.e., Mandub/Sunna/Mustahabb] or disliked [Makruh] but never Wajib [obligatory] or Haram [prohibited]. In this mas'ala, of course, it is a recommended act (and not Makruh).

Know that he who blames others--in the name of bid'a--for carrying out an 'amal, saying that it is based on a weak Hadith or that the 'amal is not based on an authentic Hadith, shows a sign that he may not be a trained faqih (whether he is called a Mufti/Shaykh/Mawlana or not); and that he probably has knowledge only of the literal Arabic but not a deep understanding of what is beyond the text, which is what the jurist is expected to know. In the old days, when scholarship was taken for granted (because scholastic 'alims were many and accessible then), even the public knew that a weak Hadith can form the basis of an 'amal. Imam al-Nawawi (may Allah be pleased with him!), in his popular work the Adhkar, says: "The specialists of Hadiths [i.e., Muhaddith] and the jurists [Fuqaha'] and other (scholars) have said that one is permitted, and in fact is recommended, to use weak Hadith in matters of 'extra acts of devotion' [Fada'il] and in 'arousing one's desire to do good and inspiring one's fear from doing evil' [Targhib wa al-Tarhib]--as long as it is not a fabricated Hadith.

As for the legal rulings pertaining to what is lawful and unlawful [al-Halal wa al-Haram], buying and selling, marriage and divorce, and others like it [because all of them involve either an injunctive legal ruling [Hukm Shar'i Taklifi] (such as Haram and Wajib) or a stipulatory legal ruling [Hukm Shar'i Wad'i] (such as Shart and Mani')] are concerned, one can only use a rigorously authenticated Hadith [Sahih] or a well authenticated Hadith [Hasan], except if a precautionary ruling [Ihtiyat] is [involved] in some matter relating to one of them. So, if a weak Hadith is found to object against some types of sales or some form of marriages, then it is recommended to avoid it (i.e., the sale or the marriage) even when it is not obligatory to do so [and even when the sale or the marriage is legally valid]." (al-Nawawi, Adhkar, 7-8)
I am not a Hanafi scholar (from whom you should really be asking your fiqhi/furu' questions), but classical Hanafi reference texts such as those of the Muhaqqiq of your school, Ibn 'Abidin (and in spite the fact that he knew this 'amal is based on weak Hadiths, he nevertheless) relates the opinion that this 'amal is permissible and even Mustahabb, that is, the act when done will entail a reward. [Ibn 'Abidin, Hashiya, 2:84-5].

In practice, apart from the Hanafis, some Shafi'i communities have inherited this 'amal, and among the Malikis, those who are in the Sudan.

Qa'ida: To this end, we could sum up a point of law tersely in the following maxim: al-'amalu bi-r-riDA yanfI l-Hurmata [an act that is consented to, prevents prohibition].

What I mean by this qa'ida is that once something has been accepted by some of the mustahiqq, in this case, the scholars and the public alike, no one has any right [haqq] to object to it.

So do not be swayed by what you read if Muslims have been doing this in the past and are still doing this fadila 'amal. If there are others who blame you for carrying on with this inherited 'amal, then know that the person, apart from wasting his precious time, knows not how to leave alone what does not concern him [tark ma la ya'nih] where his time could be better spent in improving the lot of the Muslims today or benefiting others in this world.

Not only does he not know how to mind his own business, but he has no right whatsoever to censure [Ihtisab] you in the first place (and by not tolerating and by criticizing you on this, he himself is transgressing a well known rule of Bab Amr bi-l-Ma'ruf wa Nahi 'an al-Munkar [roughly speaking, the duty of a Muslim to intervene when another is acting wrongly]: that the duty has no application in matters over which the fuqaha' differed, thereby making himself liable for others to advise him).

Furthermore, what is more embarrassing is that there is no legal basis ['illa] and cause [sabab] that warrants a Hisba for this case, or at least no jurist properly schooled will ever entertain the thought.

For when others are blamed by a Muhtasib for carrying out this 'amal, it is no different from the case of someone becoming upset at the sight of a pedestrian suddenly stopping to remove a wad of old chewing gum from his path (ponder over this!) or at the very minimum, complaining why a customer is buying only apples and not oranges.

According to Shafi'i jurists, this act is counted among the Fada'il, and there are undeniable benefits for those who wish to take from it and they are means to make one rich in the Next world; and in the same way that the one performing it cannot criticize others for neglecting it, nor can others criticize those who carry on doing it. It is a matter of personal choice (for one's private-but-made-public bank account is no one else's in the Next world) if one wants to take or overlook this Fadila in this world: take it or leave it, no more.

Allahumma aj'alna mina'l-'amilin wa-la taj'alna mina'l-mutakallikim! [O' Allah! Make us among those who do some work, not among those who can only talk]; Amin! May this be of benefit.

wa sallallahu 'ala Muhammadin wa 'ala alihi wa sahbihi wa sallam wa billahi t-tawfiq wa l-hidaya wa l-hamdulillah rabbi l-'alamin.

Your silent brother in Oxford, M. Afifi al-Akiti 24 Muharram 1425 17 III 2004

Select Bibliography: 'Alawi al-Maliki. al-Manhal al-Latif fi Ahkam al-Hadith al-Da'if. In Majmu' Fatawa wa-Rasa'il al-Imam al-Sayyid 'Alawi al-Maliki al-Hasani. Edited by [his son and our scholar] Muhammad ibn 'Alawi al-Maliki al-Makki al-Hasani. [Medina: Matabi' al-Rashid], 1413 H. al-Bakri. Hashiyat I'anat al-Talibin. 4 vols. Bulaq, 1300 H. al-Jurdani. Fath al-'Allam bi-Sharh Murshid al-Anam fi al-Fiqh 'ala Madhhab al-Sadah al-Shafi'iyah. Edited by Muhammad al-Hajjar. 4 vols. Cairo: Dar al-Salam, 1990. Ibn 'Abidin. Radd al-Muhtar 'ala Durr al-Mukhtar Hashiyat Ibn 'Abidin. Edited by 'Abd al-Majid Tu'mah Halabi. 12 vols. Beirut: Dar al-Ma'rifa, 2000. al-Nawawi. al-Adhkar al-Muntakhab min Kalam Sayyid al-Abrar. Beirut: al-Maktaba al-'Umawiyya, 1955.   

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Kejeniusan imam syafi'i

Kejeniusan imam syafi'i

RA KH.RD.M. HARIRI ABDUL AZIZ / USTADZ HARIRI , disebut-sebut sebagai Da'i bermadzhab Syafi'iyah (nisbat kepada Imam Syafi'i RA), Karena memang beliau Seorang Aswaja yg bermadzhab Syafi'iyyah.

Siapakah imam Syafi'i?

Dia adalah imam yg jenius, Dikisahkan bahwa sebagian ulama terkemuka di Irak iri kepada Imam Syafi'i radhiyallahu 'anhu. Mereka membuat tipu daya kepadanya lantaran beliau lebih unggul dari mereka dari segi ilmu dan hikmah. Imam Syafi'i mendapatkan hati para pencari ilmu pengetahuan sehingga mereka hanya berminat dengan majelis pengajian beliau, mereka hanya mau tunduk dengan pendapat dan ilmu beliau.

Oleh karena itulah, para ulama yang iri terhadap Imam Syafi'i membuat kesepakatan di antara mereka untuk memberikan pertanyaan-pertanyaan yang rumit dalam bentuk teka-teki. Sehingga mereka dapat menguji kecerdasan beliau, seberapa mendalam dan seberapa matang ilmu beliau di hadapan Khalifah Harun ar-Rasyid yang sangat kagum dengan beliau dan sering memuji beliau.

Setelah mereka selesai membuat pertanyaan-pertanyaan, mereka menyampaikan kepada khalifah yang ikut hadir dalam diskusi dan mendengarkan pertanyaan-pertanyaan yang dapat dijawab oleh Imam Syafi'i radhiyallahu 'anhu dengan penuh kecerdasan dan kefasihan.

Berikut ini soal jawab tersebut:

Soal 1: Bagaimana pendapatmu tentang seseorang yang menyembelih kambing di rumahnya kemudian dia keluar untuk suatu keperluan, lalu dia kembali lagi lantas dia berkata kepada keluarganya, “Makanlah kambing ini. Sungguh kambing ini haram bagiku.” Keluarga pun berkata, “Demikian juga haram bagi kami?”

Jawab 1: Sesungguhnya laki-laki tersebut orang musyrik. Dia menyembelih kambaing atas nama berhala, lalu dia keluar dari rumahnya untuk suatu keperluan, dan ternyata Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala memberi hidayah kepadanya untuk memeluk agama Islam, sehingga dia masuk Islam. Maka, kambing tersebut haram baginya. Ketika para keluarganya tahu bahwa lelaki tersebut masuk Islam, maka mereka pun ikut masuk Islam. Maka, kambing tersebut juga diharamkan atas mereka.

Soal 2: Ada dua muslim yang sama-sama berakal minum arak. Salah satunya dikenai hukuman sedangkan yang lainnya tidak dikenai hukuman?

Jawab 2: Sebab salah satunya baligh sedangkan lainnya masih kecil

Soal 3: Ada lima orang melakukan zina terhadap seorang perempuan, maka orang pertama harus dibunuh, orang kedua dirajam, orang ketiga dikenai hukuman zina, orang keempat dikenai separuh hukman zina, dan orang kelima tidak dikenai sanksi apapun?

Jawab 3: Orang pertama menganggap zina perbuatan halal, sehingga dia murtad dan dia harus dibunuh. Orang kedua adalah muhshan (orang yang pernah menikah). Orang ketiga adalah ghairu muhshan (belum pernah menikah). Orang keempat adalah seorang budak. Sedangkan orang kelima adalah orang gila.

Soal 4: Ada seorang laki-laki melaksanakan shalat. Setelah dia mengucap salam ke kanan, istrinya tertalak. Ketika dia mengucap salam ke kiri, maka shalatnya batal, dan ketika dia melihat ke langit, maka dia waijb membayar seribu dirham?

Jawab 4: Pada saat dia mengucap salam ke kanan, dia melihat seseorang yang istrinya dia nikahi ketika dalam keadaan suami sedang ghaib (tidak ada). Maka, ketika dia melihat suaminya datang, istrinya tertalak. Pada saat dia mengucap salam ke kiri, dia melihat najis pada pakaiannya, maka shalatnya batal. Pada saat dia melihat ke langit, dia melihat hilal (bulan sabit) telah tampak di langit dan dia mempunyai hutang seribu dirham yang seharusnya dibayar pada awal bulan sejak munculnya hilal.

Soal 5: Ada seorang imam melaksanakan shalat bersama empat orang di dalam masjid, lantas ada seseorang yang masuk dan ikut melakukan shalat di sebelah kanan imam. Ketika imam mengucap salam ke kanan dan melihat lelaki tersebut, maka si imam wajib dibunuh sedangkan keempat makmum lainnya, wajib didera dan masjid tersebut wajib dirobohkan sampai ke dasarnya.

Jawab 5: Sesungguhnya lelaki yang baru datang mempunyai seorang istri. Kemudian dia pergi dan menitipkan istrinya di rumah saudaranya, lalu si imam membunuh sang saudara tersebut. Si imam mengklaim bahwa perempuan tersebut merupakan istri orang yang terbunuh, lalu dia menikahi perempuan tersebut. Sedang empat orang yang ikut melaksanakan shalat adalah saksi pernikahan mereka. Lalu, masjid tersebut merupakan rumah orang yang terbunuh yang dijadikan sebagai masjid oleh si imam.

Soal 6: Bagaimana pendapatmu mengenai seseorang yang budaknya kabur, lalu dia berkata, “Budak tersebut statusnya merdeka jika saya makan sebelum saya menemukannya.” Bagaimana solusi dari ucapan tersebut?

Jawab 6: Dia memberikan budaknya kepada sebagian anaknya, kemudian dia makan, lalu dia meminta lagi budak yang telah diberikannya.

Soal 7: Dua orang perempuan bertemu dua lelaki muda, lalu kedua perempuan tersebut berkata, “Selamat datang dua anak kami, dua suami kami, dan dua anak suami kami?”

Jawab 7: Sesungguhnya dua lelaki muda tersebut merupakan anak dari kedua perempuan terebut. Lantas masing-masing dari kedua perempuan tersebut menikah dengan laki-laki perempuan satunya. Jadi, kedua lelaki muda tersebut merupakan anak dari kedua perempuan tersebut, suami dari kedua perempuan tersebut, dan anak dari (mantan) suami dari kedua perempuan tersebut.

Soal 8: Seorang laki-laki mengambil segelas air untuk diminum. Dia dihalalkan minum separuhnya. Tetapi diharamkan baginya minum air yang masih tersisa di gelas?

Jawab 8: Sesungguhnya lelaki tersebut baru minum separuh gelas lalu dia mimisan dan menetes pada air yang masih tersisa di dalam gelas, sehingga darah tercampur dengan air. Maka, sisa air tersebut diharamkan baginya.

Soal 9: Seorang laki-laki memberikan kepada istrinya satu kantong yang terisi penuh dan terkunci. Dia meminta kepada istrinya agar mengosongkan isinya dengan syarat dia tidak boleh membukanya, membelahnya, merusak kuncinya atau membakarnya. Jika dia melakukan salah satu dari hal tersebut, maka dia tertalak?

Jawab 9: Sesungguhnya kantong tersebut berisi gula atau garam. Yang dapat dilakukan si istri ialah menaruh kantong tersebut di dalam air, sehingga isi kantong meleleh dengan sendirinya.

Soal 10: Ada seorang lelaki dan seorang perempuan bertemu dua anak muda di jalan, lantas keduanya mencium kedua anak muda tersebut. Ketika keduanya ditanya mengenai perbuatan tersebut, si lelaki menjawab, “Ayahku adalah kakek keduanya. Saudaraku adalah paman keduanya. Istriku adalah istri ayah keduanya.” Sedangkan si perempuan menjawab, “Ibuku adalah nenek keduanya, saudara perempuanku adalah bibi
keduanya.”

Jawab 10: Sesungguhnya si lelaki merupakanj ayah kedua anak muda tersebut sedangkan si perempuan merupakan ibu keduanya.

Soal 11: Ada dua laki-laki di atas loteng rumah. Salah satunya terjatuh dan mati. Anehnya, istri lelaki satunya yang masih hidup menjadi haram baginya?

Jawab 11: Sesungguhnya lelaki yang terjatuh sampai mati menikahkan anak perempuannya kepada budaknya yang menemaninya di atas loteng. Ketika laki-laki tersebut meninggal, maka anak perempuannya memiliki budak yang merupakan suaminya sendiri. Maka, perempuan tersebut haram baginya.

Sampai di sini, Khalifah Ar-Rasyid yang ikut hadir dalam diskusi tersebut tidak mampu menyembunyikan kekagumannya terhadap kecerdasan Imam Syafi'i, kecepatannya mendaapt ide, ketajaman pemahamannya, dan bagus daya tangkapnya. Dia berkata,

“Alangkah hebatnya keturunan Bani Abdi Manaf ini. Sungguh, engkau menjelaskan dengan sebaik-baiknya, engkau menafsirkan dengan sejelas-jelasnya, dan engkau membuat redaksi dengan fasih.”

Lalu Imam Syafi'i berkata,

“Semoga Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala memanjangkan umur Amirul Mukminin. Saya akan mengajukan satu pertanyaan kepada para ulama ini. Jika mereka mampu menjawab pertanyaan tersebut, maka Alhamdulillah. Akan tetapi, jika mereka tidak mampu menjawab, maka saya mohon kepada Amirul Mukminin untuk mencegah kejahatan mereka terhadap diriku.

Khalifah Ar-Rasyid menanggapi,

“Baiklah, kupenuhi keinginanmu. Silakan ajukan pertanyaan kepada mereka sesuai yang engkau kehendaki, wahai Syafi'i!”

Lalu Imam Syafi'i berkata,

“Ada seorang laki-laki wafat meninggalkan 600 dirham. Saudara perempuannya hanya memperoleh satu dirham saja dari harta peninggalan tersebut. Bagaimana cara pembagian harta warisan ini?”

Ternyata para ulama tersebut saling berpandangan satu sama lain cukup lama. Tidak satu pun di antara mereka mampu menjawab pertanyaan tersebut. Keringat pun bercucuran dari dahi mereka.

Ketika mereka terdiam cukup lama, maka Khalifah berkata,

“Ya sudah, sampaikan jawabannya kepada mereka!”

Lantas Imam Syafi'i angkat bicara setelah orang-orang yang ingin menghilangkan posisi Imam Syafi'i di mata Khalifah yang sangat mengaguminya lantaran ilmu dan ketakwaannya akhirnya mati kutu.

Beliau berkata,

“Laki-laki tersebut wafat meninggalkan dua orang anak perempuan, ibu, seorang istri, dua belas saudara laki-laki, dan seorang saudara perempuan. Jadi, dua anak perempuan mendapat bagian dua pertiga, yaitu sebesar 400 dirham, ibu mendapat bagian seperenam, yaitu sebesar 100 dirham, istri mendapat bagian seperdelapan, yaitu sebesar 75 dirham, kedua belas saudara laki-laki mendapat bagian 24 dirham dan tersisa satu dirham untuk saudara perempuan.”

Khalifah Ar-Rasyid tersenyum dan berujar,

“Semoga Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala menjadikan banyak keluargaku seperti engkau.”

Khalifah memberikan 2000 dirham kepada Imam Syafi'i. Kemudian Imam Syafi'i menerimanya lalu membagikannya kepada para pelayan dan pembantu istana.

Diposkan oleh Didik Santosa di 22.12

Label: Fiqih 0

The Amal of The Living For The Dead

UThe 'Amal of the Living for the Dead By Shaykh Muhammad Afifi al-Akiti

“I read in the Reliance of the Traveller (p. 928)” [which is a complete manual of Islam consisting, in the main part of the book, a translation together with a useful explanation in English of a beginner's level textbook on Shafi'i fiqh (but a post-Fard 'Ayn text), the 'Umdat al-Salik by Imam al-Naqib; while in the other parts of the book, there are various useful selections from medieval and also modern-but-reliable texts on a number of issues including the following mas'ala which past Muslims have accepted without question] “that donating the reward of our worship to the dead is permissible. But where does it say this in a specific Shafiite fiqh reference?” [Since the text that the Reliance refers to for this particular issue is a modern work called the Qada' al-'Ibadat written by a modern Shafi'i Mufti, which the questioner here, for reasons unknown to us, seems unwilling to accept the conclusions of this modern Shafi'i scholar.]

“Didn't the Qur'an say: "And that man can have nothing but what he does"?

Is there an ahl tafsir who says that one can donate the reward of our worship to the dead? Can you please clarify this for me?

Also what is established ruling in the Shafii school regarding donating the Fatihah, for example, to the dead?”

Al-hamdulillah
al-'aliyy al-kabir yarfa'u l-mutawadi'in wa-yudhillu l-murtabin fa-salawat rabbi wa-salamuhu 'ala sayyid al-mutawadi'in yad'u ila husn al-zann wa 'ala alihi wa-sahbihi wa 'ala ahl l-thiqqa ila yawm al-haqiqa ajma'in.
Allahumma ftah 'alayna futuh al-'arifin, ma sha' Allah la quwwata illa billah, wa qul:

Rabbi zidni 'ilman!

My dear questioner, if I were allowed only to give you a one-line answer, it would have been sufficient for me to say only this: be humble, and learn to trust your scholars!

May Allah make it easy for us to open our hearts to make us accept and trust what we have not found "proof" of, what we have not seen and what had been veiled from us; for we have been unworthy of it, Ya Rabb!

Whereas if one wanted to express the epitome of the following answer in verse, I would only have to compose this for you; so learn them so you may be guided [min bahr al-basit]:

ajru l-qirA'ati ya'tI l-mayta mu'taqadu # fI mA salaf wa-khalaf wa-hum aqarrU bi-hi wa-ayatu n-nafI ma'nAhA 'adamu hudan # lA yaqbalUna wa-lam yaSghU siwA Haqqihi

[That the reward of the recitation reaches the dead is a point of belief, and both then and now, they have acknowledged this belief.

Whereas the Qur'anic verse which (appears to) deny (this belief), its meaning is in fact loss of Guidance, since they can no longer receive, nor listen (to Guidance), save his own right.]

So what is there to clarify for you?

Isn't the Qada' al-'Ibadat (a work of around 500 pages [in parts, reproduced in Keller, Reliance, 928-931 (w35.2)]) by Shaykh Nuh 'Ali Salman al-Qudat (may Allah protect him!), a Shafi'i mufti from Jordan, a good enough Shafi'iyya reference for you?

Well, if you are finding it hard to follow his judgements then I doubt that the following medieval references will make any difference.

If they will, then ask yourself what your intention was in the first place and ask that Allah purify your intentions.

Of the many "specific Shafiite fiqh reference", we only have to relate what is in the Fath al-Mu'in, a basic but important Shafi'iiyya textbook that is read widely, from East Africa to South East Asia.

In fact, this is a medieval topos that appears usually in the subsection of the Bab of Wasiyya [bequests] (following the famous statement in Imam al-Nawawi's Minhaj: "wa-tanfa'u al-mayyita Sadaqatun wa-du'A'un min wArithin wa-ajnabiyyin"):

"The dead is benefited by charity [sadaqa] performed on his behalf whether by the heir [of the dead; warith; meaning his relation] or by others.

Among them [i.e., the sadaqa] are: (1) to endow [waqf] a Qur'an and the like, or (2) to build a mosque, to dig a well, or to plant a tree whether by him while he was alive or by others on his behalf after his death, and [the dead is also benefited by] performing supplication [du'a'] on his behalf; and all of this is agreed by the Consensus of the Muslims [Ijma'].

In a Sahih [rigorously authenticated Hadith], it is said that Allah raises the rank of a slave in Paradise by means of his son asking forgiveness [istighfar] for him. [This is the meaning of the well known Hadith of Abu Hurayra which is related by Ahmad, Ibn Majah, al-Bayhaqi and Ibn Abi Shayba.]

As for the words of Allah the Most High: "wa-an laysa li-l-insAni illA mA sa'A" [That [each] man can have nothing [i.e., no right to a reward] save what he strives for] (al-Najm, 53:39),

it is General ['Amm; a technical term used in Usul Fiqh to mean that this Qur'anic verse has a General meaning and that it may be subject to Takhsis [Specification of the General]; the point here is that the verse does not contain a Qarina [indication] that others might be prevented from helping him, and as it turns out, it is a verse] that has been Specified [Makhsus; i.e., it is being Takhsis] by that [rigorously authenticated Hadith and Ijma']. It is also said, that it [i.e., this verse] had been Abrogated [Mansukh].

The meaning of "the dead being benefited by sadaqa" [as opposed to "the dead being benefited by du'a'"] is, it is as though the dead himself is the one performing the sadaqa.

[Imam] al-Shafi'i (may Allah be pleased with him!) said:

"[Among] the abounding favour from Allah is that He will also reward those who perform sadaqa [on behalf of the dead].

For that reason, our jurists have said that it is [legally] recommended [i.e., the hukm shar'i is Mandub/Sunna] for the one [who wishes to perform sadaqa] to intend [instead] to perform sadaqa on behalf of his parents, for example, for Allah the Most High will reward both of his parents without this decreasing in any way, his own reward." [I'anat, 3:218-9].

(So, you should now correct the legal ruling found in your own statement from "donating the reward of our worship to the dead is permissible," to " is recommended!")
From this single reference in the Fath al-Mu'in, most of your questions and suspicions have been answered for you; while this will be sufficient for those who understand.

In addition to what have been said above about the verse of Sura al-Najm, I hope you have noticed that your translation of the verse is inaccurate and it can easily be misinterpreted when read literally. The preposition "lam" used in this verse is what the grammarians called "lam li-l-istihqaq" or "a lam that is used to show that one has a right [Haqq] to possession".

Thus the correct sense of this verse is not simply: "That mankind can have nothing save what he strives for", but "That [each] man can have nothing [i.e., meaning that he has no right to any reward] save what he strives for".

So the meaning of the verse is actually:

if a person did not act righteously, he or she does not deserve to be rewarded.

What is denied for in that verse is the Haqq of that person, not the Haqq of another person and certainly, never the favour and mercy of Allah.

So much so, that even when a person is neglectful and did not strive to do good in this world and therefore does not have a right to be rewarded in the next world, Allah may forgive him through His abounding Fadl and by His countless Rahma to whomsoever He sees fit.

Indeed, as "yakhtaSSu bi-raHmatie hi man yashA'u wa-Allahu dhU l-faDli l-'aZImi" [He selects anyone He wishes for His mercy; Allah's favour is boundless!] (Al 'Imran, 3:74).

In order to illustrate this mute theological point, the scholars of Tawhid like to present the following example.

Given Zayd who works for 'Umar: Zayd does not have a right and does not deserve to receive any payment from 'Umar except for the work Zayd has done for 'Umar.

However, this does not mean that Zayd cannot receive any gifts from 'Umar or even receive help from another co-worker, Ahmad, for example, in the case when Zayd, for whatever reason, neglected to do the work for 'Umar; for then, it is no longer a question of Zayd's rights, but it is a case of the mercy of 'Umar and the charity of Ahmad.

(But living on someone else's handouts is never satisfying and wouldn't it be better for us to aim to be 'rich' before the gift that have been given to us in this world, namely to be able to do 'amal, are 'denied' from us!)

What is more, never did Allah nor His Messenger prohibited the living from giving charity on behalf of the dead. Because if there was such a prohibition (for there is none), even if it be a Hadith which is Da'if and weak, those who prohibit and dislike this practice (such as the Mu'tazila) would have used it by now.

(Despite the fact that Da'if Hadiths cannot be used to derive primary rulings in fiqh but can still be used for the fada'ils and illustrations.)

Owing to the fact that our Prophet (may Allah's blessings and peace be upon him!) never said anything against this practice (and on the contrary, there are numerous rigorously authenticated Hadiths that encourage it), no one has therefore the right to prohibit and deny others a practice which our jurists have deemed good, and indeed, to which the Umma has recorded a Consensus over the issue.

In fact, the verse which you quoted from Sura al-Najm (and others like it), turns out to be the scriptural proof that the Mu'tazila had used in defence of their position that the dead cannot benefit from our actions

(or more precisely, to put it in a theological framework: the Mu'tazila believe that a person could not dedicate the reward of his or her 'amal to others (whether dead or alive), and if it is carried out, it will not reach them, nor will it benefit them). [cf. I'anat, 3:218-9; al-Zuhayli, Fiqh al-Islam, 3:2097].

(The point being, my brother, the Ahl Sunna will shy away from using this verse as a proof.)

As the Fath al-Mu'in makes clear, there is also the position maintained by some of our scholars (if the verse is to be read literally) that this verse had been Abrogated or Cancelled by another verse.

(Hint: did you not read the verse that came before this one? This episode shows that we must be careful, not to quote the Qur'an out of its original and intended context.)

The scholars of Tafsir have said: "This [verse] is also [found] in the Scriptures [Suhuf] of Ibrahim and Musa [may Allah send his peace upon them both!]...and it is said that that [i.e., the legal ruling apparent in this verse] is for the people of Ibrahim and Musa [may Allah send his peace upon them both!], while for this Umma, they can have what they have strived for and they can [also] have what others have strived for them." [al-Khazin, Tafsir, 4:199].

It was none other than Ibn 'Abbas (may Allah be well pleased with both of them!), the Imam of Tafsir among the Companions, who declared that this verse had been Abrogated by another verse: "The legal ruling [of this verse] has been Abrogated with respect to this [Umma's] Sacred Law [Shari'a] by the statement of Allah the Most High:

"alHaqNA bi-him dhurriyyatahum"

[We shall unite them [in Paradise] with their offspring] (al-Tur, 52:21),

for, the offspring can be made to enter Paradise through the righteousness of [their] parents." [al-Khazin, Tafsir, 4:199].

Indeed, that is why in another Tafsir of the verse of al-Najm, some of our scholars have interpreted it to mean that the verse can be literally correct from the standpoint of Divine justice, but not from the standpoint of Divine mercy, which, again, is confirmed by what is in the verse of al-Tur. [al-Khazin, Tafsir, 4:199; cf. al-Zuhayli, Fiqh al-Islam, 3:2096].

And yet in another Tafsir according to al-Rabi' Ibn Anas, a Tabi'in Mufassir (may Allah be well pleased with him!), the verse is in fact a reference to non-Muslims. [al-Qurtubi, Tadhkira, 1:107].

The discussions arising from the verse of al-Najm is a famous topos among the Ahl al-Tafsir, and if you find yourself amongst those who have never heard of the various ta'wils and interpretations and tafsirs of it, to which our jurists have taken them for granted for more than a thousand years, then it is an indication that your company has no knowledge of this Fard Kifaya science.

(I hope you will have understood the point of this exercise, namely that there is more than one reason why this verse should not be read literally on its own.)

In answer to your specific question of whether "is there an ahl tafsir who says that one can donate the reward of our worship to the dead?"; the answer is obviously yes, and even better, we can relate to you the statement of not any famous mufassir but a Shafi'i one, Imam al-Khazin (may Allah be pleased with him!):

"In the two Hadiths [i.e., he means the two rigorously authenticated Hadiths of 'A'isha (about the mother who died unexpectedly) on the one hand, and the moving Hadith of Ibn 'Abbas (about the meeting at Rawha'), on the other hand (may Allah be pleased with all of them!), both of which are related, among others, by Muslim, al-Bayhaqi and Ibn Abi Shayba], there is the legal proof [dalil] that sadaqa performed on behalf of the dead benefits the dead and its reward reaches them.

This [ruling] is reached by the Ijma' of the scholars, and likewise, the scholars have [also] reached Ijma' on [the fact that] performing du'a' [for them] and settling the debt [of the deceased] reaches [them], owing to the [numerous] scriptural proofs [Nass] that has reached [us] regarding it." [al-Khazin, Tafsir, 4:199].

Going beyond the specific reference of Fiqh, let us look at what Imam al-Nawawi (may Allah be pleased with him!), one of the most famous Shafi'i jurists, had to say about this issue.

In his Sharh to the Sahih Muslim, he makes it unequivocally clear, again, about the Consensus reached by the Muslims:

"Those who want to do good to their [dead] parents, then by all means, perform sadaqa on behalf of them. For sadaqa reaches the dead and
the dead will use them.

There is no disagreement [about this] among the Muslims and this is the right [opinion]." [al-Nawawi, Sharh Muslim, 1:80].

For those who want to disagree with what is being said, the Imam had only this to say: "as for those who say that the dead does not get any reward after their death, [let him know that] it is definitely a wrong and mistaken opinion [madhhab] which is clearly against the scriptural proofs of the Qur'an and the Hadiths, and against the Ijma' of the Umma. So do not pay attention to it and do not turn to it!" [ibid.]

As for your question: "what is [the] established ruling in the Shafii school regarding reciting the Fatihah, for example, to the dead?"

If you had understood all that we have said so far, then the following is easier to understand (because it will be like relating a story to you for which there will be no thinking required on your part in that you only have to absorb it) and may you be benefited by it!

Unique to our school (for the other schools do not have an issue with this) is a famous disagreement over the matter of reciting the Qur'an on behalf of the dead because our Mujtahid Imam was reputed to have two conflicting Fatwas regarding it (to which Imam al-Nawawi reported one of them (that the reward does not reach the dead) as the Qawl Mashhur [Popular Position] of the school in the Sharh of Sahih Muslim as well as in the Adhkar) and over which, the Sultan al-'Ulama', 'Izz Ibn 'Abd al-Salam (may Allah be pleased with him!) was at the centre of this controversy after having single-handedly issued a Fatwa against this practice (to which he supposedly retracted his Fatwa and admitted his mistakes according to the testimony of his companions, albeit in a dream, as recorded by the trusted Maliki Mufassir and Muhaddith, Imam al-Qurtubi in his most popular work, the Tadhkira [al-Qurtubi, Tadhkira, 1:109, cf. al-Sha'rani, Mukhtasar, 25; and indeed, Imam al-Qurtubi himself interpreted the verse of al-Najm above (if read literally) as applicable only to bad deeds [sayyi'a] and not to good deeds; al-Qurtubi, Tadhkira, 1:108]).

In the Adhkar, Imam al-Nawawi followed the opinion of the majority of the Muslims, thus going against the apparent [Zahir] meaning of the Qawl Mashhur which he himself reported in the Sharh to Sahih Muslim, and he held that the reward of the recitation reaches the dead especially if after the recitation, the reciter says a du'a donating the reward of his recitation to the deceased. [al-Nawawi, Adhkar, 150].

It was Imam al-Subki (may Allah be pleased with him!) who famously put the issue to rest for the Shafi'is by performing the necessary legal process of derivation [Istinbat] and set the Qawl Mu'tamad [Relied Upon Position] of our school concerning it as follows: that the reward of the recitation will reach the dead provided that the reciter wanted the reward of the recitation be transferred to the deceased, even if the reciter wished it after the recitation.

And this, as the Fath al-Mu'in makes clear, is the legal position, "according to the three [other] schools, and is the choice of many of our jurists, and is made reliable by [Imam] al-Subki and others [in our school]." [I'anat, 3:221].

Later, Imam al-Bujayrimi, confirmed the Qawl Mu'tamad when commenting upon Imam al-Nawawi's reports (via Shaykh al-Islam Zakariyya al-Ansari): "al-Nawawi: [reporting the Qawl Mashhur:] That its reward does not reach [the dead] (al-Bujayrimi: is a Qawl Da'if [Weak Position]). al-Nawawi: While some of our jurists say that it reaches [the dead] (al-Bujayrimi: is the Qawl Mu'tamad)." [al-Bujayrimi, Tajrid, 3:330].

As for the Qawl Mashhur that was one of the conflicting Fatwas of Imam al-Shafi'i (may Allah be well pleased with him!) reported by Imam al-Nawawi, this is understood by our jurists as referring to the case when the recitation did not meet one of the requirements that would enable its reward reach the dead because it lacked either:
(a) the intention that the reward of the recitation is for the deceased; or (b) the du'a' wishing that the reward reach the deceased.

In other words, in this particular case (and Ma-sha' Allah(!), just as in the case of the verse of Sura al-Najm above), the words of our Mujtahid Imam should not be read literally since, to put it simply, there was a 'story' behind them, as Shaykh al-Islam Zakariyya al-Ansari said:

"What [Imam al-Nawawi] said, that [the reward does not reach the dead] which belongs to the Qawl Mashhur of the school, is understood in terms of when the recitation is not done in the presence of the deceased and that the reciter did not intend that the reward of his recitation is for the deceased." [ibid.]

It should be noted here that the two towering figures of our school, Imams Ibn Hajar and al-Ramli (may Allah be pleased with both of them!) disagreed over the minor details concerning the 'conditions' of making the reward reach the dead.

The latter is of the opinion that in the case when one is not in the presence of the deceased (such as not being at the grave), the reward can still reach the dead even when the recitation is not followed by a du'a' (while the opinion of the former is the more precautionary [Ihtiyat] position and that is to have both the niyya (before or during the recitation) as well as the du'a' (after the recitation) accompany the recitation).*

Both are valid opinions within the school and both opinions are practiced today by the Shafi'i community (the Hadramawt, South East Asia, and East Africa Shafi'is following Imam al-Ramli, while the rest of the community is said to follow Imam Ibn Hajar), and this is reflected by the fact that later manuals of our school (such as the the Fath al-'Allam of Imam al-Jurdani, for instance), confirm both opinions. [See for example: al-Jurdani, Fath al-'Allam, 3:322-323].

*For students: It can be noticed here that when relating this legal ruling, we have been careful in not using the legal terminology of "shart" [i.e., the minimum condition required for a particular act to be valid] so that the inclusion or exclusion of the du'a' will therefore not be a matter of valid vs. invalid, but a case of what is more precautionary vs. what is more lenient.

The minimum du'a' is what Imam al-Nawawi has related in the Adhkar, and this is said after the recitation [al-Nawawi, 150]:

AllAhumma awSil thawAba mA qara'tuhu ilA "X"*

[O Allah, send the reward of what I have recited to so-and-so!].

*In fact, according to our well-respected Faqih of Hadramawt, Sayyid Balfaqih (may Allah be pleased with him!), it would be preferable [Awla] to specify the name of the recipient, such as to say "X bin Y" or Zayd the son of Ahmad (and the hukm for not specifying the name would only be Khilaf al-Awla). [Ba'alawi, Bughya, 97].

You will have noticed by now that while some of our jurists have minor disagreements over the best method to send the reward of the Qur'anic recitation to the dead, these same jurists had already taken for granted that the reward of the recitation CAN reach the dead, and WILL reach the dead if the relevant conditions are fulfilled.

If after all this you are still uncomfortable with that modern reference found in the Reliance (perhaps sadly because that scholar is unknown to you), then I refer you to another contemporary scholar (perhaps, this time you are more comfortable with), Dr. Wahbah al-Zuhayli, who, in his work on khilaf [comparative fiqh] in the section concerning "Donating the reward of [our] actions to the dead", said:

"The scholars are agreed that the reward of [our] du'a', sadaqa and dedication reaches the dead on account of the previously mentioned [rigorously authenticated] Hadith [of Abu Hurayra]:

"idhA mAta l-insAnu inqaTa'a 'amaluhu illA min thalAthin Sadaqatin jAriyyatin aw 'ilmin yuntafa'u bi-hi aw waladin SAliHin yad'u la-hu"

[When a man dies, all but three of his deeds come to an end:
(1) continuous works of sadaqa,
(2) knowledge that people continue to benefit from, and
(3) the du'a' of a pious offspring [meaning, the Muslims.]] (Related by Ahmad, al-Darimi, al-Bukhari (but in his Adab), Muslim, Abu Dawud, al-Tirmidhi, al-Nasa'i, Ibn Khuzayma, Ibn Hibban, with only one variant).

The majority [jumhur] of Ahl al-Sunna wa-l-Jama'ah say that a man can give the reward of his action to others whether it be [his] prayer or fast or sadaqa or recitation of the Qur'an, by saying [i.e., making a du'a':],

"O' Allah, give the reward of what I do to so-and-so." [al-Zuhayli, Fiqh al-Islam, 3:2095-2096].

We have reached the end of what needs to be said concerning this issue. If you have not by now committed to memory the above poem that was composed for you, then let us summarize again all that we have said here by listening to Sayyid Ba'ashn, the author of the famous textbook, Bushra al-Karim, which is a commentary to Sayyid Bafadl's Muqaddima (may Allah be pleased with both of them):

"It has been established [tahqiq; by our jurists after the disagreements arising from the issue of donating the rewards of the Qur'anic recitation to the dead] that the dead can be benefited by the recitation [of the Qur'an by the living], through one of either three things:
(1) that he intends that the recitation is on behalf of the dead, or
(2) that his presence is near the dead [during the recitation],
(3) or that his du'a' that the same reward of his recitation is for the dead, even if done after [the recitation].

Whereas, the du'a' and the sadaqa [on behalf of the dead] benefits them, without there being any disagreement [among the scholars about this]." [Ba'ashn, Bushra al-Karim, 2:39].

Now, all of the medieval Imams mentioned above, al-Nawawi, al-Khazin, al-Subki, Zakariyya al-Ansari, Ibn Hajar, al-Ramli, al-Bujayrimi, Ba'ashn, Balfaqih, al-Jurdani and the authors related to the Fath al-Mu'in are not only the foremost Shafi'iyya Imams and are among the well respected guardians and representatives of our Mujtahid Imam, but they are also well established jurists and mufassirs who lived in different times and places.

So ask yourself now whether the Shari'a ruling in the end about this matter would have been any different from the modern reference you found in the Reliance? Whether you have personally seen the "proof" for it or not will in no way change the legal ruling that has already been fixed, set and understood by those who know.

Ergo, (although we have given what you originally asked for) the question of whether you yourself should see or indeed need another reference or "proof" is irrelevant. It is actually a question of trust and in your particular case it becomes a question of you accepting the judgements and testimony of a living Shafi'i scholar regarding this issue.

Is it not sad (and would it not be a tragedy for us all from now on) if those who do not know are unable to trust a living jurist and that he would rather in this case (until someone digs the dead references that will suit his pleasure) deprive himself of the immense benefit that this well known practice, a practice which is accepted by the Umma, brings to both the dead as well as the living amongst us, and especially for the sake of our own departed family members and of our loved ones?

We will only know the extent of our folly and how our time have been wasted in the months and years of our arguing about the validity of it when we find ourselves needing that extra help and favour once we pass the point where we cannot anymore do things by ourselves.

It is precisely then that we will be wishing those who are still alive to exercise their God given right; but by then it may only be wishful thinking on our part.

Worse still, owing to our not thinking about the welfare of our own parents who have passed on to the other world and to our never showing this in front of our children, they might think it unlawful to make sadaqa for us once we are no longer in this world.

What goes around comes around, and we ask that Allah save us from such a fate! Let us end with the du'a' that our Prophet had taught us to say for our Muslim brothers and sisters, always:

Allahumma ghfir li-hayyina wa-mayyitina!

[O Allah, forgive those of us who are alive and those who are dead amongst us!]

++Something extra and a fa'ida for us all at the end of the road++

Imam Ibn Hajar was asked about a man who passed by a graveyard and read one Fatiha and donated its reward to all of the members of the graveyard, whether

(a: by subtraction), that one reward will be broken up equally and apportioned to all of them, or whether

(b: by addition), every one of them will receive the same whole reward of a single Fatiha each.

His answer was for the latter and for the reward to be added together, for it is the one worthy of the immeasurable mercy of Allah the Most High! [Ibn Hajar, Fatawa Kubra, 2:24; cf. Ba'alawi, Bughya, 97].

Subhanallah, so look, my dear questioner, at why we shouldn't restrict the Rahma of Allah, for we would deprive ourselves of this immense blessing!

Let us all say a Fatiha for the souls of all the scholars mentioned here, al-Fatiha!
al-fAtiHata ilA arwAHi mani jtama'nA hunA bi-sababihim, ajarakumu LlAhu l-fAtiHah!

The one in need of forgiveness, Muhammad Afifi al-Akiti © Oxford 17 Dhu l-Qa'da I 1424 10 January 2004 Select Bibliography: Ba'alawi, Abd al-Rahman. Bughyat al-Mustarshidin fi Talkhis Fatawa ba'd al-Muta'akhkhirin. Bulaq, 1309 H. Ba'ashn. Bushra al-Karim bi-Sharh Masa'il al-Ta'lim [a commentary on al-Muqaddima al-Hadramiyah]. 2 vols. Singapore: al-Haramayn, 1309 H. al-Bakri. Hashiyat I'anat al-Talibin. 4 vols. Bulaq, 1300 H. al-Bujayrimi. Hashiya al-Bujayrimi 'ala Sharh Manhaj al-Tullab [of Zakariyya al-Ansari; also known as al-Tajrid li-Naf' al-'Abid]. Edited by 'Abdullah Mahmud Muhammad 'Umar. Beirut: Dar al-Kutub al-'Ilmiya, 2000. Ibn Hajar. al-Fatawa al-Kubra al-Fiqhiyah. 4 vols. Bulaq, 1308 H. al-Jurdani. Fath al-'Allam bi-Sharh Murshid al-Anam fi al-Fiqh 'ala Madhhab al-Sadah al-Shafi'iyah. Edited by Muhammad al-Hajjar. 4 vols. Cairo: Dar al-Salam, 1990. Keller, Nuh H. M. (ed.). Reliance of the Traveller [='Umdat al-Salik wa-'Uddat al-Nasik by Ibn al-Naqib]. Revised ed. Evanston, IL: Sunna, 1994. al-Khazin, Tafsir al-Khazin al-Musamma Lubab al-Ta'wil fi Ma'ani al-Tanzil. 4 vols. Bulaq, 1328 H. al-Nawawi. al-Adhkar al-Muntakhab min Kalam Sayyid al-Abrar. Beirut: al-Maktaba al-'Umawiyya, 1955. al-Nawawi. al-Minhaj fi Sharh Sahih Muslim. Edited by Wahbah al-Zuhayli and 'Ali 'Abd al-Hamid Abu al-Khayr. 7 vols. Damascus: Dar al-Khayr, 1994. al-Qurtubi. al-Tadhkira fi Ahwal al-Mawta wa-Umur al-Akhirah. Edited by Ahmad Hijazi al-Saqa. 2 vols. Cairo: Maktabat al-Kuliyyat al-Azhariyah, 1980. al-Sha'rani. Mukhtasar Tadhkirah al-Qurtubi. Bulaq, 1307 H. al-Zuhayli, Wahbah. Fiqh al-Islam wa-Adillatuh. 11 vols. 4th revised ed. Damascus: Dar al-Fikr, 1997. - - - For more of S. M Afifi al-Akiti's texts, go to: [main] next page vs.2.1 home latest update: Sat, 10 Oct 2009 2004-05-16 * living Islam – Islamic Tradition * http://www.livingislam.org

Kemuliaan Golongan Khalaf Pada Pandangan Rasulullah

Pada suatu ketika, Rasulullah bertanya kepada para sahabat,

"siapakah yg paling luar biasa imannya?"

Para sahabat menjawab, "malaikat,ya Rasulullah."

Balas Rasulullah, "sudah tentulah malaikat luar biasa imannya, kerana mereka sentiasa di sisi Allah."

Seketika terdiam para sahabat, menjawab lagi, "para nabi,ya Rasulullah."

Rasulullah berkata, "para nabi sudah tentu hebat imannya, kerana mereka menerima wahyu daripada Allah."

Para sahabat mencuba lagi, "kalau begitu kamilah yang paling beriman."
Jawab Rasulullah, "aku berada di tengah tengah kalian, sudah tentulah kalian orang yang paling beriman."

Lalu, salah seorang sahabat berkata, "kalau begitu, Allah dan Rasul Nya sajalah yang mengetahui."

Maka dengan nada perlahan, Rasulullah berkata,

"Mereka adalah umat yang hidup selepas aku. Mereka membaca Al Quran dan beriman dengan isinya. Orang yang beriman denganku dan pernah bertemu denganku, adalah orang yang bahagia.

Namun orang yang tujuh kali lebih bahagia adalah mereka yang tidak pernah bertemu aku tetapi beriman denganku."

Rasulullah diam seketika. Kemudian, beliau menyambung dengan suara yang lirih,

"sesungguhnya, aku rindukan mereka...

اَللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ َعلى سيدنا مُحَمَّدٍ وَ عَلَى آِل سيدنا مُحَمَّد
ٍ
Hantar ke semua group contact . Anda akan membuat beribu , malah berjuta-juta org berselawat ke atas Nabi Muhammad S.A.W.

For Evil To Triumph, Good Men Do Nothing

Najib Tun Abdul Razak
PM Malaysia:

"Benarlah cendekiawan menyebut, ‘for evil to triumph, good men do nothing’. Malah menurut para ilmuwan, kata-kata ini boleh disesuaikan dengan beberapa hadis antaranya oleh hadis Nabi Muhammad SAW yang diriwayatkan oleh Abu Daud.

"Maksudnya, sekalipun kita di pihak yang benar, tapi jik hanya duduk berdiam dan tidak melakukan apa-apa, musuh akan bermaharajalela dan makin menjadi-jadi," katanya.

Tafsir Surah Asy Syu'araa

TAFSIR   SURAT   ASY  SYU’ARAA : ( 51-52 )

وَمَا كَانَ لِبَشَرٍ أَن يُكَلّمَهُ اللّهُ إِلاّ وَحْياً أَوْ مِن وَرَآءِ حِجَابٍ أَوْ يُرْسِلَ رَسُولاً فَيُوحِيَ بِإِذْنِهِ مَا يَشَآءُ إِنّهُ عَلِيّ حَكِيمٌ‏ 
‏Artinya:”Dan tidak mungkin bagi seorang manusiapun bahwa Allah berkata-kata dengan dia kecuali dengan perantaraan wahyu atau dibelakang tabir atau dengan mengutus seorang utusan (malaikat) lalu diwahyukan kepadanya dengan seizin-Nya apa yang Dia kehendaki. Sesungguhnya Dia Maha Tinggi lagi Maha Bijaksana.”(Asy-Syura : 51)

          
وَكَذَلِكَ أَوْحَيْنَآ إِلَيْكَ رُوحاً مّنْ أَمْرِنَا مَا كُنتَ تَدْرِي مَا الْكِتَابُ وَلاَ الإِيمَانُ وَلَـَكِن جَعَلْنَاهُ نُوراً نّهْدِي بِهِ مَن نّشَآءُ مِنْ عِبَادِنَا وَإِنّكَ لَتَهْدِيَ إِلَىَ صِرَاطٍ مّسْتَقِيمٍ‏
Artinya: “Dan demikianlah Kami wahyukan kepadamu wahyu (Al Quran) dengan perintah Kami. Sebelumnya kamu tidaklah mengetahui apakah Al Kitab (Al Quran) dan tidak pula mengetahui apakah iman itu, tetapi Kami menjadikan Al Quran itu cahaya, yang Kami tunjuki dengan dia siapa yang kami kehendaki di antara hamba-hamba Kami. Dan sesungguhnya kamu benar- benar memberi petunjuk kepada jalan yang lurus.”  (Asy-Syura : 52)

            Surat as-Shura ayat di atas menceritakan tentang ragamnya wahyu turun kepada Nabi saw.[1] Inilah tingkat penurunan wahyu dari sisi Allah kepada hamba-hambanya. Dalam proses penurunannya, bahwasanya kadang-kadang Allah dengan menghembuskan isi wahyu itu ke dada seorang Nabi,[2]. sebagaimana hadis yang diriwayatkan oleh Ibnu Hiban :  
ان روح القدس نفث في روعي : أن نفسا لن تموت حتي تستكمل رزقها وأجلها ,  فاتقوا الله وأجملوا في الطلب
Artinya : “Sesungguhnya  ruh qudus (Jibril) telah menghembuskan wahyu ke dadaku, bahwasanya seseorang tidak akan mati sebelum menerima lengkap rezeki dan ajalnya, maka bertaqwalah kamu sekalian kepada Allah dan sederhanakanlah dalam permohonan.”

Sebab an-Nuzul ayat di atas berkenaan dengan perkataan Yahudi terhadap Nabi saw. Seorang Yahudi berkata kepada Nabi  saw.,

“Hai Nabi bagaimana caramu  dapat berbicara dan melihat Allah, jika kamu seorang Nabi, sebagaimana berbicanya dan melihatnya Musa kepada Allah.  Sesungguhnya kami tidak akan beriman kepadamu hingga kamu mengerjakan yang demikian itu.”   Lalu turunlah ayat surat as-Sura ayat ke 51 tersebut.[3]

Firman Allah (wa maa kaana libasyarin ayyukallimahullahu illa wahyan) menurut mujahid hembusan yang dihumbuskan pada hati Nabi saw. yang berbentuk ilham, atau ada kalanya melihat langsung di dalam tidurnya.[4]

Firman Allah (au miuwaraai hijaabin) atau di belakang tabir sebagaimana Musa as. Berbicara dengan Tuhannya.  (au yursala rasulan) dengan mengutus seorang utusan, seperti pengutusan Jibril as. kepada Musa as. [5]

Firman Allah (fayuhaa biidnihi maa yasyaa) ) lalu diwahyukan kepadanya dengan seizin-Nya apa yang Dia kehendaki.  Menurut Ibnu ‘Abbas, Jibril turun untuk menyampaikan wahyu Tuhan kepada para Nabi, di antara mereka tidak bisa melihat Jibril kecuali Nabi Muhammad saw., ‘Isa, Musa, Zakaria.  Adapun selain mereka berempat dalam proses penurunan wahyu melalui ilham di dalam tidur mereka. [6]

Firman Allah (innahu ‘aliyyun hakiim) sesungguhnya Dia Maha Tinggi lagi Maha Bijaksana.  Dalam ayat ini Allah memuji dirinya sendiri , karena memiliki ketinggian melampai segala sesuatu yang ada dan memiliki kebijaksanaan di dalam mengatur ciptaannya.[7]

Firman Allah (wa kadhalika au haina ilaika ruuhanmin amrina) Dan demikianlah Kami wahyukan kepadamu wahyu dengan perintah Kami.  Sebagaimana Allah mewahyukan kepada seluruh rasul-Nya, demikian pula Allah mewahyukan (al-Qur'an) kepada Muhammad beserta rahmad-Nya. [8]  Seputar makna ruhan pada ayat diatas, para ulama berbeda pendapat, di antara pendapat mereka adalah ruhan bermakna kenabian, rahmad dari Allah, wahyu, kitab, Jibril, dan al-Qur'an.[9]
Firman Allah (ma kunta tadri malkitabu walal iimaanu) Sebelumnya kamu tidaklah mengetahui apakah Al Kitab (Al Quran) dan tidak pula mengetahui apakah iman itu.  Sebelum adanya wahyu Tuhan kepada Nabi Muhammad saw., beliau tidak mengetahui kitab apapun dan keimanan.[10]

Firman Allah (walaakin ja’alnaahu nuuran) tetapi Kami menjadikan Al Quran itu cahaya.  Allah menciptakan al-Qur'an sebagai kitab pedoman yang memberikan penerangan untuk seluruh manusia.  Al-Qur'an menerangi dengan penerangan yang telah Allah jelaskan di dalamnya, supaya umat manusia mengarah pada kehidupan yang benar.[11]

Firman Allah (nahdii bihii mayyasyaau min ‘abdinaa) Kami tunjuki dengan dia siapa yang kami kehendaki di antara hamba-hamba Kami (yang bertaqwa)[12].  Allah memberi petunjuk kepada para hambanya dengan al-Qur'an.  Petunjuk itu hanya kepada para hamba-Nya yang dikehendaki dengan memberikan hidayah untuk menuju jalan yang benar.[13]

Firman Allah (wa innaka latahdii ilaa shiraathal mustaqiim) Dan sesungguhnya kamu benar- benar memberi petunjuk kepada jalan yang lurus.  Dalam ayat ini Allah menerangkan kepada Nabi Muhammad saw., seakan-akan Tuhan berkata kepada Nabi Muhammad saw. “Wahai Muhammad engkau benar-benar memberi petunjuk (berda’wah) menuju jalan yang lurus kepada hamba-hamba-Ku (yaitu agama Islam).[14]

Jadi dari uraian tafsir surat as-Sura ayat 51-52 adalah, ada kalanya isi wahyu Allah diterima langsung oleh seorang Nabi dengan hanya mendengar kalam Ilahi tanpa dapat melihatnya sebagaimana telah dialami oleh Nabi Musa di atas Thur Sina.[15]

Allah dapat pula menurunkan wahyunya kepada seorang Rasul dengan mengutus seorang malaikat, sebagaimana yang dialami oleh Nabi Muhammad saw. tatkala didatangi oleh malaikat jibril yang menjelma sebagai seorang pria untuk menyampaikan wahyu Allah kepadanya.[16]

Selanjutnya, Allah berfirman, “Dan demikianlah Kami telah menurunkan kepadamu hai Muhammad, wahyu al-Qur'an yang merupakan cahaya bagimu untuk memberi petunjuk kepada hamba-hamba-Ku ke jalan yang lurus, jalan yang dikehendaki dan diridhai Allah, Tuhan yang memiliki kerajaan langit dan bumi dan kepadanya kembali segala urusan.[17]

Tafsir ayat istiwa

Ibnu katsir membungkam wahhaby (2) : Tafsir ayat “istiwa”

Bagaimana cara ulama ahli sunnah waljamaah dalam memahami masalah asma wa sifat atau yang sering di sebut dngan ayat-aya dan hadit-haditst sifat?ayat-ayat sifat disini adalah ayat Alquran atau Hadits Nabi yang menyebutkan tentang aggota tubuh seperti mata ,tangan,naik turun yang di sandarkan kepada Allah dll yang jika salah dalam memahamimya seseorang bisa masuk dalam kesesatan aqidah mujassimah(yang megatakan bahwa Allah SWT mempunyai aggota badan yang menyerupai dengan hambanya).Atau akan terjerumus dalam ta’thil (yang menolak sifat-sifat Allah SWT ).Begitu penting dan bahaya permasalahan ini maka ulama benar-benar telah membahasnya dengan detail dan rinci agar ummat ini tidak salah dalam memahami ayat –ayat dan hadits-hadits sifat .

Ada dua catara yang di ambil oleh ulama ahli sunnah waljamaah dalam memahami ayat-ayat sifat ini :

Pertama adala tafwidh, maksudnuya menyerahkan pemahaman makna tersebut kepada Allah SWT karena khawatir jika di fahami sesuai dhohir lafatnya akan merusak aqidah. Misanya disaat Allah menyebut tangan yang di nisbatkan kepada Allah, maka maknanya tidak di bahas akan tetapi dilalui dan diserahkan kepada Allah SWT.   Ibnu katsir adalah salah satu ulama yang menggunkan methode ini.

Kedua adalah dengan cara mentakwili ayat tersebut dengan makna yang ada melalaui dalil lain. Seperti tangan Allah di artikan dengan kekuasaan Allah yang memang makna kekuasaa itu sendiri di tetapkan dengan dalil yang pasti dari Alquran dan hadits.

Perhatian

1-Dua cara ini yakni attafwid dan attakwil adalah cara yang di ambil oleh ulama salaf dan kholaf,sungguh tidak benar jika tafwid adalah metode tyang di ambil oleh ulama salaf dan ta’wil adalah yang di ambil oleh ulama kholaf saja.

2-Ada sekelompok orang di akhir zaman ini menfitnah para ulama terdahulu(salaf) dan menyebut mereka sebagai ahli bidah dan sesat karena telah mentakwili ayat-ayat sifat ini.maka kelompok yang membid’ahkan ulama terdahulu karena takwil ,sungguh mereka adalah orang –orang yang tidak mengerti bagaimana mentakwil dan mereka uga tidak kenal dengan benar dengan ulama terdahulu karena banyak riwayat ta’wil yang dating dari para salaf..

3-ada sekelompok orang yang menyebut diri mereka sebagai ahli tafwid akan tetapi telah terjerumus dam kesesatan takwil yang tidak mereka sadari.misalnya disaat mereka mengatakan bahwa Allah berada di atas ‘ars ,mereka mengatakan tidak boleh ayat tentang keberadaan Allah di ars ini di ta’wili.akan tetapi dengan tidak di sadari mereka menjelaskan keberadan Allah di ars dengan penjelasan bahwa ars adlah makhluq terbesar(seperti bola dan semua mkhluk yang lain di dalamnya.kemudian mereka mengatakkan dan Allah swt berada di atas Arsy nag besar itu di tempat yang namany makan ‘adami(tempat yang tidak ada).Lihat dari mana mereka mengatakan ini semua. Itu adalah takwil fasid dan ba’id(takwil salah mereka yang jauh dari kebenaran.

Adapun ulama ahli kebenaran, ayat tentang Allah dan ars,para ahli tafwid menyerahkan pemahaman maknanya kepada Allah swt,adapu ahli ta’wil mengatakan Alah menguasai Ars dan tidaklah salah karena memang Allah dzat yang maha kuasa terhadap makhluk terbesar Ars, sebab memang Allah maha kuasa terhadap segala sesuatu.wallhu a’lam bishshowab

A.  Tafsir Ayat Mutasyabihat ISTIWA

I. Tafsir Makna istiwa Menurut Kitab Tafsir Mu’tabar
lihat dalam tafsir berikut :

1. Tafsir Ibnu katsir menolak makna dhahir (lihat surat al -a’raf ayat 54, jilid 2 halaman 295)

Tarjamahannya (lihat bagian yang di line merah)  :

{kemudian beristawa kepada arsy} maka manusia pada bagian ini banyak sekali perbedaan pendapat , tidak ada yang memerincikan makna (membuka/menjelaskannya)  (lafadz istiwa) dan sesungguhnya kami menempuh dalam bagian ini seperti apa yang dilakukan salafushalih, imam malik, imam auza’I dan imam atsuri, allaits bin sa’ad dan syafi’I dan ahmad dan ishaq bin rawahaih dan selainnya dan ulama-ulama islam masa lalu dan masa sekarang. Dan lafadz (istawa) tidak ada yang memerincikan maknanya seperti yang datang tanpa takyif (memerincikan bagaimananya) dan tanpa tasybih (penyerupaan dgn makhluq) dan tanpa ta’thil(menafikan)  dan (memaknai lafadz istiwa dengan)  makna dhahir yang difahami (menjerumuskan) kepada pemahaman golongan musyabih yang menafikan dari (sifat Allah)  yaitu Allah tidak serupa dengan makhluqnya…”

Wahai mujasimmah wahhaby!!

lihatlah ibnu katsir melarang memaknai ayat mutasyabihat  dengan makana dhohir karena itu adalah pemahaman mujasimmah musyabihah!

bertaubatlah dari memaknai semua ayat mutasyabihat dengan makna dhahir!!

Kemudian Ibnu katsir melanjutkan lagi :

““Tidak ada sesuatupun yang serupa dengan-Nya, dan Dia Maha Mendengar lagi Maha Melihat” [al-Syura: 11]. Bahkan perkaranya adalah sebagaimana yang dikatakan oleh para imam, diantaranya Nu’aim bin Hammad al-Khuza’i, guru al-Bukhari, ia berkata: “Siapa yang menyerupakan Allah dengan makhluk-Nya, ia telah kafir, dan siapa yang mengingkari apa yang Allah mensifati diri-Nya, maka ia kafir, dan bukanlah termasuk tasybih (penyerupaan) orang yang menetapkan bagi Allah Ta’ala apa yang Dia mensifati diri-Nya dan Rasul-Nya dari apa yang telah datang dengannya ayat-ayat yang sharih (jelas/ayat muhkamat) dan berita-berita (hadits) yang shahih dengan (pengertian) sesuai dengan keagungan Allah dan menafikan dari Allah sifat-sifat yang kurang; berarti ia telah menempuh hidayah.”

Inilah selengkapnya dari penjelasan Ibnu Katsir.Berdasarkan penjelasan ibnu katsir :

- Ayat mutasyabihat harus di tafsir dengan ayat syarif (ayat muhkamat) atau ayat yang jelas maknanya/Bukan ayat mutasyabihat!! Tidak seperti wahhaby yang menggunakan ayat mutasyabihat utk mentafsir ayat mutasyabihat yang lain!!!! ini adalah kesesatan yang nyata!

- ibnu katsir mengakui ayat ‘istiwa’ adalah ayat mutasyabihat yang tidak boleh memegang makna dhahir dari ayat mutasyabihat tapi mengartikannya dengan ayat dan hadis yang – jadi ibnu katsir tidak memperincikan maknanya tapi juga tidak mengambil makna dhahir ayat tersebut.

- disitu imam ibnu katsir, imam Bukhari dan imam ahlsunnah lainnya  tidak melarang ta’wil.

“…dan  selain mereka dari para imam kaum muslimin yang terdahulu maupun kemudian, yakni membiarkan (lafadz)nya seperti apa yang telah datang (maksudnya tanpa memperincikan maknanya)tanpa takyif  (bagaimana, gambaran), tanpa tasybih (penyerupaan), dan tanpa ta’thil (menafikan)….”

sedangkan wahaby melarang melakukan tanwil!

2.    Sekarang akan disebutkan sebahagian penafsiran lafaz istawa dalam surah ar Ra’d:

1- Tafsir al Qurtubi

(ثم استوى على العرش ) dengan makna penjagaan dan penguasaan

2- Tafsir al-Jalalain

(ثم استوى على العرش ) istiwa yang layak bagi Nya

3- Tafsir an-Nasafi Maknanya:

makna ( ثم استوى على العرش) adalah menguasai Ini adalah sebahagian dari tafsiran , tetapi banyak lagi tafsiran-tafsiran ulamak Ahlu Sunnah yang lain…

4- Tafsir Ibnu Kathir , darussalam -riyadh, Jilid 2 , halaman 657, surat ara’ad ayat 2):

(ثم استوى على العرش ) telah dijelaskan maknanya sepertimana pada tafsirnya surah al Araf,  sesungguhnya ia ditafsirkan sebagaimana lafadznya yang datang (tanpa memrincikan maknanya) tanpa kaifiat(bentuk) dan penyamaan, tanpa permisalan, maha tinggi

Disini Ibnu Katsir mengunakan ta’wil ijtimalliy iaitu ta’wilan yang dilakukan secara umum dengan menafikan makna zahir nas al-Mutasyabihat tanpa diperincikan maknanya.

II. Makna istiwa yang dikenal dalam bahasa arab dan dalam kitab-kitab Ulama salaf

Di dalam kamus-kamus arab yang ditulis oleh ulama’ Ahlu Sunnah telah menjelaskan istiwa datang dengan banyak makna, diantaranya:

1-masak (boleh di makan) contoh:

قد استوى الطعام—–قد استوى التفاح maknanya: makanan telah masak—buah epal telah masak

2- التمام: sempurna, lengkap

3- الاعتدال : lurus

4- جلس: duduk / bersemayam,

contoh: – استوى الطالب على الكرسي : pelajar duduk atas kerusi -استوى الملك على السرير : raja bersemayam di atas katil

5- استولى : menguasai,

contoh: قد استوى بشر على العراق من غير سيف ودم مهراق

Maknanya: Bisyr telah menguasai Iraq, tanpa menggunakan pedang dan penumpahan darah.

Al Hafiz Abu Bakar bin Arabi telah menjelaskan istiwa mempunyai hampir 15 makna, diantaranya: tetap,sempurna lurus menguasai, tinggi dan lain-lain lagi, dan banyak lagi maknannya. Sila rujuk qamus misbahul munir, mukhtar al-Sihah, lisanul arab, mukjam al-Buldan, dan banyak lagi. Yang menjadi masalahnya, kenapa si penulis memilih makna bersemayam. Adakah makna bersemayam itu layak bagi Allah?, apakah dia tidak tahu bersemayam itu adalah sifat makhluk? Adakah si penulis ini tidak mengatahui bahawa siapa yang menyamakan Allah dengan salah satu sifat daripada sifat makhluk maka dia telah kafir?

sepertimana kata salah seorang ulama’ Salaf Imam at Tohawi (wafat 321 hijrah):

ومن وصف الله بمعنى من معانى البشر فقد كفر

Maknanya: barang siapa yang menyifatkan Allah dengan salah satu sifat dari sifat-sifat manusia maka dia telah kafir. Kemudian ulama’-ulama’ Ahlu Sunnah telah menafsirkan istiwa yang terkandung di dalam Al quran dengan makna menguasai arasy kerana arasy adalah makhluk yang paling besar, oleh itu ia disebutkan dalam al Quran untuk menunjukkan kekuasaan Allah subhanahu wata’ala sepertimana kata-kata Saidina Ali yang telah diriwayatkan oleh Imam Abu Mansur al-Tamimi dalam kitabnya At-Tabsiroh:

ان الله تعالى خلق العرش اظهارا لقدرته ولم يتخذه مكان لذاته

Maknanya: Sesungguhnya Allah Ta’ala telah mencipta al-arasy untuk menzohirkan kekuasaanya, bukannya untuk menjadikan ia tempat bagi Nya.

Allah ada tanpa tempat dan arah adalah aqidah salaf yang lurus.

III. Hukum Orang yang meyakini Tajsim; bahwa Allah adalah Benda

*Bersemayam yang bererti Duduk adalah sifat yang tidak layak bagi Allah dan Allah tidak pernah menyatakan demikian, begitu juga NabiNya. Az-Zahabi adalah Syamsuddin Abu Abdullah Muhammad bin Ahmad bin Uthman bin Qaymaz bin Abdullah ( 673-748H ). Pengarang kitab Siyar An-Nubala’ dan kitab-kitab lain termasuk Al-Kabair.Az-Zahabi mengkafirkan akidah Allah Duduk sepertimana yang telah dinyatakan olehnya sendiri di dalam kitabnya berjudul Kitab Al-Kabair. Demikian teks Az-Zahabi kafirkan akidah “ Allah Bersemayam/Duduk” :Nama kitab: Al-Kabair.
Pengarang: Al-Hafiz Az-Zahabi.
Cetakan: Muassasah Al-Kitab Athaqofah,cetakan pertama 1410h.Terjemahan.

Berkata Al-Hafiz Az-Zahabi:

“Faidah, perkataan manusia yang dihukum kufur jelas terkeluar dari Islam oleh para ulama adalah: …sekiranya seseorang itu menyatakan: Allah Duduk untuk menetap atau katanya Allah Berdiri untuk menetap maka dia telah jatuh KAFIR”. Rujuk scan kitab tersebut di atas m/s 142.

Syekh Ibn Hajar al Haytami (W. 974 H) dalam al Minhaj al
Qawim h. 64, mengatakan:

“Ketahuilah bahwasanya al Qarafi dan lainnya meriwayatkan perkataan asy-Syafi’i, Malik, Ahmad dan Abu Hanifah – semoga Allah meridlai mereka- mengenai pengkafiran mereka terhadap orangorang yang mengatakan bahwa Allah di suatu arah dan dia adalah benda, mereka pantas dengan predikat tersebut (kekufuran)”.

Al Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal –semoga Allah meridlainyamengatakan:
“Barang siapa yang mengatakan Allah adalah benda, tidak seperti benda-benda maka ia telah kafir” (dinukil oleh Badr ad-Din az-Zarkasyi (W. 794 H), seorang ahli hadits dan fiqh bermadzhab Syafi’i dalam kitab Tasynif al Masami’ dari pengarang kitab al Khishal dari kalangan pengikut madzhab Hanbali dari al Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal).

Al Imam Abu al Hasan al Asy’ari dalam karyanya an-Nawadir mengatakan : “Barang siapa yang berkeyakinan bahwa Allah adalah benda maka ia telah kafir, tidak mengetahui Tuhannya”.

As-Salaf ash-Shalih Mensucikan Allah dari Hadd, Anggota badan, Tempat, Arah dan Semua Sifat-sifat Makhluk

Al Imam Abu Ja’far ath-Thahawi -semoga Allah meridlainya- (227-321 H) berkata:

“Maha suci Allah dari batas-batas (bentuk kecil maupun besar, jadi Allah tidak mempunyai ukuran sama sekali), batas akhir, sisi-sisi, anggota badan yang besar (seperti wajah, tangan dan lainnya) maupun anggota badan yang kecil (seperti mulut, lidah, anak lidah, hidung, telinga dan lainnya). Dia tidak diliputi oleh satu maupun enam arah penjuru (atas, bawah, kanan, kiri, depan dan belakang) tidak seperti makhluk-Nya yang diliputi enam arah penjuru tersebut”.

Perkataan al Imam Abu Ja’far ath-Thahawi di atas merupakan Ijma’ (konsensus) para sahabat dan Salaf (orang-orang yang hidup pada tiga abad pertama hijriyah).

III.  ulamak 4 mazhab tentang aqidah

1- Imam Abu hanifah:

لايشبه شيئا من الأشياء من خلقه ولا يشبهه شيء من خلقه

Maknanya:: (Allah) tidak menyerupai sesuatu pun daripada makhlukNya, dan tidak ada sesuatu makhluk pun yang menyerupaiNya.Kitab Fiqh al Akbar, karangan Imam Abu Hanifah, muka surat 1.

IMAM ABU HANIFAH TOLAK AKIDAH SESAT “ ALLAH BERSEMAYAM/DUDUK/BERTEMPAT ATAS ARASY.

Demikian dibawah ini teks terjemahan nas Imam Abu Hanifah dalam hal tersebut ( Rujuk kitab asal sepertimana yang telah di scan di atas) :

“ Berkata Imam Abu Hanifah: Dan kami ( ulama Islam ) mengakui bahawa Allah ta’al ber istawa atas Arasy tanpa Dia memerlukan kepada Arasy dan Dia tidak bertetap di atas Arasy, Dialah menjaga Arasy dan selain Arasy tanpa memerlukan Arasy, sekiranya dikatakan Allah memerlukan kepada yang lain sudah pasti Dia tidak mampu mencipta Allah ini dan tidak mampu mentadbirnya sepeti jua makhluk-makhluk, kalaulah Allah memerlukan sifat duduk dan bertempat maka sebelum diciptaArasy dimanakah Dia? Maha suci Allah dari yang demikian”. Tamat terjemahan daripada kenyatan Imam Abu Hanifah dari kitab Wasiat.

Amat jelas di atas bahawa akidah ulama Salaf sebenarnya yang telah dinyatakan oleh Imam Abu Hanifah adalah menafikan sifat bersemayam(duduk) Allah di atas Arasy.

Semoga Mujassimah diberi hidayah sebelum mati dengan mengucap dua kalimah syahadah kembali kepada Islam.

2-Imam Syafie:

انه تعالى كان ولا مكان فخلق المكان وهو على صفته الأزلية كما كان قبل خلقه المكان لايجوز عليه التغيير

Maknanya: sesungguhnya Dia Ta’ala ada (dari azali) dan tempat belum dicipta lagi, kemudian Allah mencipta tempat dan Dia tetap dengan sifatnnya yang azali itu seperti mana sebelum terciptanya tempat, tidak harus ke atas Allah perubahan. Dinuqilkan oleh Imam Al-Zabidi dalam kitabnya Ithaf al-Sadatil Muttaqin jilid 2 muka surat 23

3-Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal :

-استوى كما اخبر لا كما يخطر للبشر

Maknanya: Dia (Allah) istawa sepertimana Dia khabarkan (di dalam al Quran), bukannya seperti yang terlintas di fikiran manusia. Dinuqilkan oleh Imam al-Rifae dalam kitabnya al-Burhan al-Muayyad, dan juga al-Husoni dalam kitabnya Dafu’ syubh man syabbaha Wa Tamarrad.

وما اشتهر بين جهلة المنسوبين الى هذا الامام المجتهد من أنه -قائل بشىء من الجهة أو نحوها فكذب وبهتان وافتراء عليه

Maknanya: dan apa yang telah masyhur di kalangan orang-orang jahil yang menisbahkan diri mereka pada Imam Mujtahid ini (Ahmad bin Hanbal) bahawa dia ada mengatakan tentang (Allah) berada di arah atau seumpamanya, maka itu adalah pendustaan dan kepalsuan ke atasnya(Imam Ahmad) Kitab Fatawa Hadisiah karangan Ibn Hajar al- Haitami

4- Imam Malik :

الاستواء غير المجهول والكيف غير المعقول والايمان به واجب و السؤال عنه بدعة

Maknannya: Kalimah istiwa’ tidak majhul (diketahui dalam al quran) dan kaif(bentuk) tidak diterima aqal, dan iman dengannya wajib, dan soal tentangnya bidaah.

lihat disini : imam malik hanya menulis kata istiwa (لاستواء) bukan memberikan makna dhahir  jalasa atau duduk atau bersemayam atau bertempat (istiqrar)…..

Bersambung ….

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