Arab Badui

Abu Mas’ud meriwayatkan bahwa Nabi shallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam bersabda, “Dari arah sini, fitnah akan datang dari arah Timur. Kekasaran (al-jaf’u) dan kerasnya hati (ghildzu al-qulūb) merupakan karakteristik orang-orang badui (ahl al-wabar) yang sibuk dengan kumpulan unta dan sapi (dan tidak menaruh perhatian pada agama), dari kalangan Rabi’ah dan Mudhar.” (HR Bukhari).

Orang-orang arab badui pada masa Nabi lebih sering disebut di dalam al-Qur’an dan hadits dengan sebutan A’rab. Namun gambaran tentang mereka secara umum kurang positif, tidak dalam arti mendiskreditkan, tetapi lebih kepada realitas yang melekat pada diri mereka. Riwayat-riwayat hadits dan sejarah lebih sering menyebutkan tentang mereka secara anonim, tanpa nama. Ciri-ciri mereka diketahui, tetapi nama dan ketokohan mereka tidak dikenali. Tabiat mereka cenderung kasar dan kurang memiliki adab, tetapi Nabi berinteraksi dengan mereka secara sabar dan menjaga sikap.

Pernah sekumpulan Arab badui datang pada Nabi shallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam dan tanpa keraguan membanggakan iman. Namun al-Qur’an meluruskan, “Kamu belum beriman, tapi katakanlah ‘kami telah Islam’ …” (QS 49: 14).

Ini karena iman belum betul-betul masuk ke dalam hati mereka. Pada ayat yang lain al-Qur’an menyifatkan mereka sebagai “lebih sangat kekafiran dan kemunafikannya” (asyaddu kufran wa nifāqan), “memandang apa yang dinafkahkannya (di jalan Allah) sebagai suatu kerugian”, dan “menanti-nanti marabahaya menimpamu (Nabi)” (QS 9: 97-98).

Mereka itu, tulis Ibn Jarīr al-Thabarī (1374H: 429) saat menafsirkan ayat ke-97 di atas, “paling keras hatinya (aqsā qulūban) dan paling sedikit ilmunya (aqallu ‘ilman) terhadap hak-hak Allah.” Dan mereka tidak banyak bergaul dengan orang-orang yang baik (ahl al-khayr). Tetapi al-Qur’an juga menyatakan bahwa di antara orang-orang badui itu “ada yang beriman kepada Allah dan hari kemudian dan memandang apa yang dinafkahkannya (di jalan Allah) itu sebagai jalan untuk mendekatkannya kepada Allah dan sebagai jalan untuk mendapatkan doa Rasul” dan kelak Allah akan memasukkan mereka ke dalam rahmat (Surga)-Nya (QS 9: 99).

Pada masa Perang Khandaq, orang-orang munafik Madinah digambarkan oleh al-Qur’an (33: 20) sebagai berkeinginan untuk pergi ke gurun dan tinggal untuk sementara waktu bersama orang-orang Arab badui sambil memastikan pasukan Ahdzab yang sebelumnya mengepung Madinah benar-benar sudah pergi meninggalkan kota itu.

Rupanya kampung-kampung badui adalah tempat yang dianggap aman bagi mereka untuk menutupi nifak yang ada di dalam dada.

Dan memang tak lama setelah wafat Rasulullah shallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam, telah terjadi peristiwa riddah di mana masyarakat di luar Makkah dan Madinah banyak yang berbalik keluar dari Islam dan menolak untuk membayar zakat kepada khalifah Abu Bakar al-Shiddiq radhiallahu ‘anhu. Banyak di antara yang berbalik keluar dari Islam ini adalah dari kalangan orang-orang Arab badui. Namun, Abu Bakar mampu mengatasi keadaan dan dapat mempertahankan cahaya Islam di Jazirah Arab dari ancaman riddah (Haekal, 2003: 97).

Karena itu pula orang kota yang memilih pindah dan menetap di gurun kadang dicurigai ada masalah dengan imannya. Setelah terbunuhnya Utsman bin Affan, Salamah bin al-Akwa’ radhiallahu ‘anhuma memutuskan untuk menetap di satu tempat di gurun yang bernama al-Rabadzah. Ia menikah dan punya anak di tempat itu, dan baru kembali ke Madinah beberapa hari sebelum kematiannya. Ketika ia bertemu Hajjaj, yang terakhir ini berkata kepadanya, “Wahai Ibn al-Akwa’, engkau telah murtad dengan menetap di gurun bersama orang-orang badui.” Ibn al-Akwa’ menjawab, “Tidak, melainkan Rasulullah shallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam telah memberi ijin kepadaku untuk menetap di tengah orang-orang badui.” (HR Bukhari, Muslim).

Hajjaj mungkin mencari-cari jalan untuk menuduh Ibn al-Akwa’, tetapi alasan yang digunakannya bukan sama sekali tak berdasar. Jawaban Ibn al-Akwa’ juga mengisyaratkan bahwa kehidupan badāwah merupakan satu kemunduran dan bukan sesuatu yang baik jika dilakukan tanpa ijin dari Nabi.* (BERSAMBUNG)

Bid‘ah

Bid‘ah

In Islam, Bid‘ah (Arabic: بدعة‎‎; English: innovation) refers to innovation in religious matters.[1] Linguistically the term means "innovation, novelty, heretical doctrine, heresy".[2]

In classical Arabic literature (adab), it has been used as a form of praise for outstanding compositions of prose and poetry.[3]

In Sunni Islam

In early Islamic history, bid'ah referred primarily to heterodox doctrines (as evidenced below). However, in Islamic law, when used without qualification, bid'ah denotes any newly invented matter that is without precedent and is in opposition to the Qur'an and Sunnah.[4]

Scholars (most prominent of which is Imam Shafi‘i) generally have divided bid'ah into two types: innovations in worldly matters and innovations in religious matters.[5][page needed][need quotation to verify] Some have additionally divided bid'ah into lawful and unlawful innovations, the details of which are discussed below.[6]

Introducing and acting upon a bid‘ah in religious matters is a sin and considered one of the enormities in Islam that is obligatory to immediately desist and repent from.[7]

In worldly matters
Some Sunni Muslim scholars have divided bid‘ah in worldly matters into two types:[5]

Good innovations such as using technology to propagate the faith of Islam.[8]

Innovations that are purely evil - these are forbidden under Islamic law. Examples of this type of bid'ah include alcohol,[9] or, in modern times, the discovery and synthesis of new intoxicants.

In religious matters

Traditional view

There are a number of different definitions of Bid‘ah.

Good and bad innovation:

Bid'ah Say'iah, "a new thing" which "opposes the Qur’an and Sunnah" or is "against Islam"[10] (Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani[11] and Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyya)[12] or "Sharia (Islamic law)" (Muhammad Ramzaan),[13] or removes sunnah or wajib and is forbidden.

Bid'ah Hasana, a new thing that is not against the Sharia (according to scholars such as Muhammad ash-Shawkani[14] Al-Nawawi[15] Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani,[16] Ibn Manzur, Al-Raghib al-Isfahani and Badr al-Din al-Ayni).[10] An example of Bid'ah Hasana is the development of the study of Hadith, Fiqh, Tafsir, which did not exist at the time of the Islamic prophet Muhammad (Al-Nawawi).[17]

"carrying out actions which displease Allah ta`ala and his messenger" Muhammad. (Muhammad ibn Isa at-Tirmidhi).[10][18]

"new things that have no basis in the Qur'an or Sunnah" (Ibn Rajab).[10][19]

bid'ah is always bad but if a new thing has origins in the Qur'an and Sunnah it is to be called Bid'ah Logaviyya (innovation verbally), (Ibn Taymiyyah).[10][20]

Views against bad bid’ah

The Qur’anic verse: "This day I have perfected your religion for you, completed my favor upon you, and have chosen for you Islam as your religion."(Quran 5:4), is considered by at least some Muslim to be against bid'ah in religion. The Sunnah has many more prohibitions against innovation in religion.[citation needed]

Ali ibn Abu Talib, of the Rashidun (rightly guided Caliphs), said; "He who innovates or gives protection to an innovator, there is a curse of Allah and that of His angels and that of the whole humanity upon him."[21][22] `Abd Allah ibn `Umar said: "Every innovation is misguidance, even if the people see it as something good."[23]

Abd Allah ibn Abbas, a companion of the Prophet and early Islamic scholar also said: "Indeed the most detestable of things to Allaah are the innovations."[24] Sufyan al-Thawri, a tabi'i Islamic scholar, Hafiz and jurist, mentions: "Innovation is more beloved to Iblees than sin, since a sin may be repented for but innovation is not repented for."[25] He also said, "Whoever listens to an innovator has left the protection of Allaah and is entrusted with the innovation."[26]

A person once sent salaam to Abdullah ibn Umar who replied: "I do not accept his salaam, as this person has innovated by becoming Qadriyyah (A sect which does not believe in destiny."[27]

Al-Fuḍayl ibn ‘Iyāḍ is reputed to have said: "I met the best of people, all of them Salafi and they used to forbid from accompanying the people of innovation."[28][29] Hasan al-Basri mentions: "Do not sit with the people of innovation and desires, nor argue with them, nor listen to them".[30] Ibraaheem ibn Maysarah mentions: "Whoever honours an innovator has aided in the destruction of Islam."[31]

Al-Hasan ibn 'Ali al-Barbahari mentions: "The innovators are like scorpions. They bury their heads and bodies in the sand and leave their tails out. When they get the chance they sting; the same with the innovators who conceal themselves amongst the people, when they are able, they do what they desire."[32] Abu Haatim said: "A sign of the people of innovation is their battling against the people of Narrations."[33] Abu 'Uthmaan as-Saaboonee said: "The signs of the people of innovation are clear and obvious. The most apparent of their signs is their severe enmity for those who carry the reports of the Prophet."[34]

Views that differentiate between good and bad bid’ah

A tradition holds that Muhammad told a companion: "The person who introduced a good thing in Islam, shall obtain the reward for it and also the reward for those who adopt it. As for the one who introduces a bad thing he will obtain the punishment for introducing it and also for those who adopt it, will also be punished."[35][36][37][38]

Jabir ibn Abd Allah narrated "...The Prophet said: He who introduced some good practice in Islam which was followed after him (by people) he would be assured of reward like one who followed it, without their rewards being diminished in any respect. And he who introduced some evil practice in Islam which had been followed subsequently (by others), he would be required to bear the burden like that of one who followed this (evil practice) without their's being diminished in any respect.[39][40][41]

Anas ibn Malik said
"I heard the Prophet say: 'My nation will not unite on misguidance, so if you see them differing, follow the great majority.'"[42]

Abu Hurairah narrated that the Prophet said, "Whoever prayed at night the whole month of Ramadan out of sincere Faith and hoping for a reward from Allah, then all his previous sins will be forgiven." After the Prophet's death the people continued observing that (i.e. Nawafil offered individually, not in congregation), and it remained as it was during the Caliphate of Abu Bakr and in the early days of Umar ibn Al-Khattab's Caliphate. During Ramadan upon seeing people praying in different groups, Umar ordered Ubay ibn Ka'b to lead the people in congregational prayer. On this Umar said: 'What an excellent Bida (i.e. innovation in religion) this is; but the prayer which they do not perform, but sleep at its time is better than the one they are offering.'[37][43][44][45]

Salman al-Farsi narrated that Prophet was asked, by some of the companions, about the permissibility and prohibition of certain items, he states "Halal is that which Allah has made Halal in His book, Haram is that which Allah has made Haram in His book and about which he has remained silent is all forgiven."[46]

Abu Hurairah narrated at the time of the Fajr prayer the Prophet asked Bilal ibn al-Harith,

"Tell me of the best deed you did after embracing Islam, for I heard your footsteps in front of me in Paradise." Bilal replied, "I did not do anything worth mentioning except that whenever I performed ablution during the day or night, I prayed after that ablution as much as was written for me."[47]

Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani says in Fath al-Bari that "the hadith shows it is permissible to use personal reasoning (ijtihad) in choosing times for acts of worship, for Bilal reached the conclusion he mentioned by his own inference and the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) confirmed him therein."[48]

Similar to this Khubyab bin Adi asked to pray two rak‘as before being executed by idolators in Mecca, and was hence the first to establish the sunna of two rak'as for those who are steadfast in going to their death.[48][49]

Rifaa ibn Rafi narrated:
When we were praying behind the Prophet and he raised his head from bowing and said, "Allah hears whoever praises Him," a man behind him said, "Our Lord, Yours is the praise, abundandly, wholesomely, and blessedly."When he rose to leave, the Prophet asked who said it, and when the man replied that it was he, the Prophet said, "I saw thirty-odd angel each striving to be the one to write it."[50] Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani comments in Fath al-Bari that the hadith "indicates the permissibility of initiation new expression of dhikr in the prayer other than the ones related through hadith texts, as long as they do not contradict those conveyed by the hadith. It is clear that this is since the above were a mere enhancement and addendum to the know, sunna dhikr."[48]

Imam Shafi'i gave the following advice,
"An innovation which contradicts the Qur'an, Sunnah, an Athar or Ijma is a heretical bid'a: if however something new is introduced which is not evil in itself and does not contradict the above mentioned authorities of religious life, then it is a praiseworthy, unobjectional bid'a."[37][51][52][53][54]

Modern discourse
The criterion that qualifies a particular action as a bid`ah in the religion is a debate amongst Sunni scholars.

Scholars affiliated to the Salafi and Wahhabi sects argue for an exclusive, literal definition that entails anything not specifically performed or confirmed by the Prophet.[55]

Traditional Sunni scholars, especially by practitioners of Sufism, argue for an inclusive, holistic definition. Umar Faruq Abd-Allah writes:

[B]id‘a could take on various shades of meaning. When used without qualifying adjectives, it tended to be condemnatory, as, for example, in the statement, "bid‘a must be avoided"” Nevertheless, bid‘a was not always something bad. In certain contexts, especially when qualified by adjectives, bid‘a could cover a wide range of meanings from what was praiseworthy to what was completely wrong, as, for example, in the caliph ‘Umar’s statement below, "what an excellent bid‘a is this!"

— Umar Faruq Abd-Allah, Innovation and Creativity in Islam[56]
Nuh Ha Mim Keller writes:

First point is that scholars note that the hadith does not refer to all new things without restriction but only those to whose validity nothing in Sacred Law attests. The use of the word every in the hadith does not indicate an absolute generalization, for there are many examples of similar generalizations in the Koran and sunna that are not applicable without restriction, but rather are qualified by restrictions found in other primary textual evidence.

The second point is that sunna and way of the Prophet was to accept new acts initiated in Islam that were of the good and did not conflict with established principles of Sacred Law, and to reject things that were otherwise.

And our third and last point is that new matters in Islam may not be rejected merely because they did not exist in the first century, but must be evaluated and judged accordingly got the comprehensive methodology of Sacred Law, by virtue of which it is and remains the final and universal moral code for all peoples until the end of time.
— Nuh Ha Mim Keller, The Concept of Bid‘a in the Islamic Shari‘a[57]

In Shia Islam

According to Shia Islam the definition of bid'ah is anything that is introduced to Islam as either being fard, mustahabb, makruh or haram that contradicts the Qur'an or hadith. Any new good practice introduced that does not contradict the Qur'an or hadith is permissible. However, it is not permissible to say that a new good practice (that does not contradict the Qur'an or hadith) is obligatory, highly recommended or "sunnah" proper. Hence, the Shi`a stance mirrors the body of Sunni scholars who proffer the idea of "bid'ah hasana". As a general rule in Shi'a jurisprudence, anything is permissible except whatever is prohibited through divine revelation (i.e. the Qur'an or hadith).[58]

Disputes

Despite the general understanding of standing scholarly disagreements (ikhtilaf), the notion of lawful innovation is a polarizing issue in the Islamic world. A practical example of this is the debate over the permissibility of the mawlid or commemoration of Muhammad's birthday. All scholars agree that such celebrations did not exist in the early period of Islamic history, and yet mawalid commemorations are a common element in Muslim societies around the world. Even so, Sunnis' scholars are divided between emphatic unconditional condemnation[59] and conditional acceptance[60] of the celebration with the former insisting it is a bid'ah and thus automatically unlawful, while the latter argues it nonetheless is contextually permissible.

British historian Sadakat Kadri has noted the change over time in what is considered bid'ah.

Hadith were not written down until the 9th century, at least in part because "traditionialists such as Ibn Hanbal considered human literature to be an unholy innovation."[61] This interpretation changed even for very conservative jurists such as Ibn Taymiyyah who wrote dozens of books. Ibn Taymiyyah however considered mathematics, a bidah, a false form of knowledge that "does not bring perfection to the human soul, nor save man from castigation of God, nor lead him to a happy life", and forbade its used in determining the beginning of lunar months.[62] Very conservative Wahhabis allow the broadcast of television but Indian Deobandi forbid their followers from watching it,[63] but make use of the more recent invention the internet to issue fatwas.[63]

Traditionally who died of plague and who did not was explained as simply the will of God based on al-Bukhari’s al-Sahih hadith,[64][65] but studying the progress of the Black Death (bubonic plague) in the 14th century, scholar Ibn al-Khatib noted those who died had the plague transmitted to them from "garments, vessels, ear-rings; ... persons ... by infection of a healthy sea-port by an arrival from an infected land" where as isolated individuals were immune.[64]

In the Muqaddimah, Ibn Khaldun defends the science of medicine from suggestions that it is an innovation going against the Sunna. "The medicine mentioned in religious tradition ... is in no way part of the divine revelation." It was simply part of "Arab custom and happened to be mentioned in connection with the circumstances of the Prophet, like other things that were customary in his generation." But was "not mentioned in order to imply that [it] is stipulated by the religious law."[66]

In his Book of Knowledge Al-Ghazali observed that many phenomena once thought bid'ah had come to be though legally unobjectionable.

[A]mong the accepted practices of our time are decorating and furnishing the mosques, and expending great sums of money on their ornate construction and fine rugs which were then considered innovations. These were introduced by the pilgrims, since the early Muslims seldom placed anything on the ground during prayer. Similarly disputation and debate are among the most honoured disciples of the day and are numbered among the best meritorious works (qarubat): nevertheless they were among the taboos at the time of the Companions. The same is true of the chanting (talhiri) of the Qur'an and the call for prayer, going to excess in matters of cleanliness and being over fastidious in matters of ceremonial purity, ruling clothes unclean on petty and far-fetched grounds, and, at the same time, being lax in ruling foods lawful and unlawful as well as many other like things.[67]

He quoted Hudhayfah ibn al-Yaman approvingly: "Strange as it may seem, accepted practices of today are the taboos of a day gone by. ... And the taboos of today are the accepted practices of a day yet to come."[67]

References

^ A.C. Brown, Jonathan (2009). Hadith: Muhammad's Legacy in the Medieval and Modern World (Foundations of Islam). Oneworld Publications. p. 277. ISBN 978-1851686636.

^ Wehr, Hans (1994). Arabic-English Dictionary. Spoken Language Services, Inc. p. 57.

^ Al-Shatibi, Ibrahim ibn Musa. al-I`itsam. pp. 1:49.

^ al-Masri, Jamaluddin ibn al-Manzur. Lisan al-‘Arab. pp. 8:6.

^ a b Al-Qawaa'id wal-Usool al-Jaami'ah wal-Furooq wat-Taqaaseem al-Badee'ah an-Naafi'ah by Abd ar-Rahman ibn Naasir as-Sa'di

^ Nawawi, Al-. Tahzeeb al-Asma wal-Lugha. 2. pp. 22–23.

^ al-Dhahabi, Muhammad ibn Ahmad. Kitab al-Kaba'ir.

^ Al-Bahith ,, Yahya (February 27, 2012). "What is the meaning of Bida'a? Is using modern technology in Dawah considered as Bida'a?". Islam Q & A. Retrieved 26 June 2015. Innovation and discoveries related to our daily life is encouraged in Islam, as long as it does not contradict Islamic teachings and principles. Using modern technology in Dawah is required as means to convoy the message of Islam.

^ Fat-hul Baari by Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani (vol.2, page 443)

^ a b c d e from: "Concept of Bidah in Islam". Alahazrat.net. INTERNATIONAL ISLAMIC WEBSITE. Retrieved 31 August 2015.

^ (Fathul Bari chap on Taravi by Hafidhh Asqalani)

^ Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyya wrote: 'The one who denies the punishment of the grave is an innovater'.

^ Bin Ramzaan Al Haajiree, Muhammad (2013). The Guidance of the Companions With Regards To The People Of Innovation (Salafi). MPUBS. p. 8. Retrieved 3 September 2015.

^ Qadi Shawkani Nayl-ul-Autaar, chapter Salaah Al Taravee

^ Tahzeeb al-Asma wal-Lughat , word Bid’ah by Imam Nawawi

^ (Hafidhh Asqalani, Fathul Bari, chapter on Taravi)

^ Tahzeeb al Asma wal lughaat word Bid’ah by Imam Nawawi

^ [Tirmizi chapter Il

^ (Hafidhh ibn Rajjab, Jaami' Al Uloom Al Hukkam, p 252)

^ (Hafidhh ibn Taymiyya, Iqtidah al Sirat al Mustaqeem. chapter on Bid'ah)

^ Sahih Muslim, 9:3601

^ Sahih al-Bukhari, 8:80:8747

^ Abu Shaamah (no. 39)

^ al-Bayhaqee in as-Sunan al-Kubraa (4/316)

^ al-Laalikaa'ee - Sharh Usool I'tiqaad Ahlis-Sunnah wal-Jamaa'ah (no. 238)

^ Abu Nu'aym in al-Hilyah (7/26) and Ibn Battah (no.444)

^ Kitaab-ul-Iman wa-al-Qadr, transmitted by Abu Dawood, Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah

^ Abu 'Iyaad as-Salafi. "Warning Against the Innovators". salafi publications. Retrieved 26 June 2015.

^ al-Laalikaa'ee - Sharh Usool I'tiqaad Ahlis-Sunnah wal-Jamaa'ah (no.267)

^ Sunan ad-Daarimee (1/121)

^ al-Laalikaa'ee - Sharh Usool I'tiqaad Ahlis-Sunnah wal-Jamaa'ah (1/139)

^ Tabaqaatul-Hanaabilah - Volume 2, Page 44

^ Sharh Usool I'tiqaad Ahlus-Sunnah wal-Jamaa'ah - al-Laalikaa'ee - Volume 1, Page 179

^ Abu 'Uthmaan as-Saaboonee, The 'Aqeedah of the (Pious) Predecessors - Page 101

^ Sahih Muslim, Kitaab-uz-Zakaat

^ Tirmidhi, chapter 11)

^ a b c Valentine, Simon Ross (2015-08-01). Force and Fanaticism: Wahhabism in Saudi Arabia and Beyond. Oxford University Press. p. 88. ISBN 9781849046152.

^ Goldziher, Ignác (1973-01-01). Muslim Studies, Vol. 1. SUNY Press. p. 37. ISBN 9780873952347.

^ Sahih Muslim, 34:6466

^ Duderija, Adis (2015-10-14). The Sunna and Its Status in Islamic Law: The Search for a Sound Hadith. Palgrave Macmillan. p. 81. ISBN 9781137369925.

^ An-Na'im, Abdullahi Ahmed (1996-01-01). Toward an Islamic Reformation: Civil Liberties, Human Rights, and International Law. Syracuse University Press. p. 197. ISBN 9780815627067. This can be illustrated not only from usage of early Musims but also from the usage of the Prophet (s) himself when he speaks of reward for any Muslim who establishes a good sunna and punishment for any Muslim who establishes a bad sunna.

^ Sunan ibn Majah 5:36:3950

^ Sahih Bukhari, 3:32:227

^ Goldziher, Ignác (1973-01-01). Muslim Studies, Vol. 1. SUNY Press. p. 36. ISBN 9780873952347.

^ Shavit, Uriya (2015-11-12). Shari'a and Muslim Minorities: The wasati and salafi approaches to fiqh al-aqalliyyat al-Muslima. Oxford University Press. ISBN 9780191074448. It was accorded a second, positive connotation by the second Khalifa Umar, who said in regard to the prayer of Ramadan that it is a blessed innovation.

^ Ibn Majah, page 249

^ Sahih Bukhari, 2:21:250

^ a b c Keller, Nuh Ha Mim (1995). The Concept of Bid‘a in the Islamic Shari‘a. Muslim Academy Trust]. p. 5. ISBN 1-902350-02-2.

^ Sahih Bukhari, 4:52:281

^ Sahih Bukhari, 1:12:764

^ al-Bayhaqi, Manaqib al-Shafi'i, in Qastallani, X, p 342. Cf Muhammad al-Adbari, al-Madhkal (Alexandria, 1293), III, p 293.

^ Jokisch, Benjamin (2007-01-01). Islamic Imperial Law: Harun-Al-Rashid's Codification Project. Walter de Gruyter. p. 389. ISBN 9783110924343.

^ Böwering, Gerhard; Crone, Patricia (2013-01-01). The Princeton Encyclopedia of Islamic Political Thought. Princeton University Press. p. 218. ISBN 0691134847.

^ Goldziher, Ignác (1973-01-01). Muslim Studies, Vol. 1. SUNY Press. pp. 36–37. ISBN 9780873952347.

^ Valentine, Simon Ross (2015-08-01). Force and Fanaticism: Wahhabism in Saudi Arabia and Beyond. Oxford University Press. p. 87. ISBN 9781849046152. Wahhabism, literal and narrow in its exegesis of the Qur'an and hadith regards bida as 'whatever religious practice or concept had come into being after the third century of the Islamic era', or as some ulema argue, those things introduced into society which were not known at the time of Prophet Muhammad (s)

^ Abd-Allah, Umar Faruq (2006). Innovation and Creativity In Islam (PDF). A Nawawi Foundation Paper. p. 2. ISBN 1-902350-02-2.

^ Keller, Nuh Ha Mim (1995). The Concept of Bid‘a in the Islamic Shari‘a. Muslim Academy Trust. pp. 1–2. ISBN 1-902350-02-2.

^ Answering-Ansar.org :: Bidah (Innovation) Archived March 16, 2007, at the Wayback Machine.

^ Bin Baz, Abd al-Aziz. "Warning Against Bid'ahs: Ruling on Celebrating the Prophet's Mawlid and Other Events". Fatawa Bin Baz. Retrieved 30 September 2011.[dead link]

^ Bin Bayyah, Abdullah. "On Celebrating the Prophet's Birthday".

^ Kadri, Heaven on Earth, 2012: p.187

^ see Nurcholish Madjid, `Ibn Taymiyya on Kalam and Falsafa: A Problem of Reason and Revelation in Islam` (Ph.D. dissertation., University of Chicago, 1984), pp.235-36.

^ a b Kadri, Heaven on Earth, 2012: p.190

^ a b Kadri, Heaven on Earth, 2012: p.185

^ Sahih al-Bukhari, 4:56:680

^ Ibn Khaldun (1967). The Muqaddimah : an introduction to history ; in three volumes. 1. Princeton University Press. p. 387. Retrieved 3 September 2015.

^ a b Al-Ghazali, Book of Knowledge, p.206
Kadri, Sadakat (2012). Heaven on Earth: A Journey Through Shari'a Law from the Deserts of Ancient Arabia ... macmillan. p. 187. ISBN 9780099523277.
Further readingEdit

Keller, Nuh Ha Mim. (1995). The Concept of Bid‘a in the Islamic Shari‘a. Muslim Academy Trust. 1-902350-02-2.
Abdullah, 'Umar Faruq, "Heaven", in Muhammad in History, Thought, and Culture: An Encyclopedia of the Prophet of God (2 vols.), Edited by C. Fitzpatrick and A. Walker, Santa Barbara, ABC-CLIO, 2014, Vol I, pp. 251–254.

External links

Sunni view

The Perfection of the Sharia and an Exposition of the Reprehensible Innovations That Have Crept Into Islam
Innovation in Light of the Perfection of the Shari'ah
Shaykh ‘Uthaymeen on innovations(redirects to survey)
Expounding Bid'ah
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What is the reason (wisdom) behind the punishment of rajm

What is the reason (wisdom) behind the punishment of rajm (stoning to death)? Why does Islam, which is a religion of love apply it?

"A ruler must have grace and mercy on his right side and wrath and education on his left side. Reward is a necessity of his mercy; and education necessitates punishment."

It does not befit the dignity of a ruler not to reward those who obey and not to punish those who disobey; both of them are signs of weakness. God Almighty is free from deficiencies like that.

We should state it clearly that decrees like rajm are among heavy grave deterrent sanctions in Islam. One of the common aims of humanity and heavenly religions is to ensure the continuation of the generation. Fornication is a mean, illegitimate way that degenerates and intermingles generations in terms of various legal and human criteria. It is a grave crime and an attractive mechanism of committing crime for      spirits. We cannot expect a heavenly religion like Islam not to take a deterrent measure to prevent such a mean crime. To punish a criminal is not contrary to mercy and love; it is a necessity of justice.

By using the phrase "do not approach fornication" instead of "do not commit fornication" miraculously, the Quran prohibits people from approaching fornication let alone committing it. For, the phrase "do not approach fornication" is more fluent    than the phrase "do not commit fornication". To say "do not approach" to someone is more effective than to say "do not do"; the phrase "do not approach fornication" expresses prohibiting from the things that can lead to fornication like touching, kissing, looking and winking. Doing the things that lead to fornication confirms fornication. Fornication is a very bad deed and a major sin. Besides, fornication is a very bad way in that it opens the veil of a passing fad, causes the confusion of generations, leads to haram deeds, violates the rights of others and demolishes the columns of the community by demolishing the family, spreads anarchy, causes agony and spreads immoral diseases.

Sheikhu'l-Islam Alusi states the following because it is death for children: "For it narrows and sterilizes generation. A person whose parents are not legitimate is like a dead person. (Alusi, Ruhu'l-Maani, Daru'l-Fikr, 8/67.) What can be the attempts and activities of the dead people related to the issues of the Islamic law?"

After all of the deeds that lead to fornication are forbidden, Islamic law regards the crime of fornication as violation of public rights and punishes it accordingly; it makes punishment and sanctions of fornication heavier to deter people.  In fact, the crime of fornication shakes the foundations of the family and threatens it. The family is the basis of the community. If such a crime becomes free, it will spread in the community, causing the family to collapse the community to be corrupted and the generation to degenerate.  However, the Islamic law regards the maintenance of the community to be superior to everything and gives great importance to it.

Therefore, the Islamic law punishes fornication severely and prohibits all kinds of fornication in order to keep people safe from its dreadful effects and to protect the community.  Furthermore, it does not want the married people who commit adultery to live and regards them as very bad examples. 

Fiqh scholars unanimously agree that a single person who commits fornication and who is not a slave whether male or female needs to be flogged with one hundred stripes. For, Allah states the following: "The woman and the man guilty of adultery or fornication― flog each of them with a hundred stripes: let not compassion move you in their case, in a matter prescribed by Allah, if ye believe in Allah and the Last Day: and let a party of the Believers witness their punishment." (an-Nur, 24/2)

Fiqh scholars also agree unanimously by giving various evidence that a married person whether male or female is stoned to death when he or she commits adultery.

The punishment of hadd, which also includes rajm, becomes definite in two cases: confession (the person who has committed fornication admits it) and witnesses (4 male witnesses). The necessary conditions for the punishment to be given to a person are: 1. To be sane, 2. To have reached the age of puberty, 3. To be able to choose, 4. To know that it is haram.

As it is seen, Islam stands against man in every stage of this way, tries to keep him away from this ugly deed and advises him to live in a legitimate atmosphere and within the boundaries of chastity. 

Yet, no matter how strong the system is and no matter how sound the rules it introduces are, not much will be solved if the individual does not have a pure conscience to accept that system and those rules. Therefore, along with very strong and sound rules, individuals should be raised in a way to apply those rules and they should be raised to have pure conscience lest the suggestions and advice should be heeded. The Quran takes man to the point "No matter what you do where and when, you are under the control of God Almighty, " and makes him do all of his deeds in such an atmosphere.

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Ihya' s Praise In Verse

Imam Al-Ghazali's Ihya' 'Ulum Al-Deen

Its Praise In Verse

Indeed, Sayyidunal Imam al-Habib Mawlana al-Haddad has composed a whole qasida in praise of Ihya' 'Ulum al-Deen in which he also extols his ancestor Shaykh Abubakr al-'Aydaroos, who as already noted, took to the Ihya' with such devotion. This qasida is in his Diwan (Collected Eulogies) titled Ad-Durru'l Manzun Li Dhawi'l 'Uqul Wa'l Fuhum (Poetic Pearls For Discerning and Understanding Minds, p.315). Here it is in transliteration and translation.

Bi Ihya'-i 'Ulum-id-Deen-i tuhyi qulubanaa
Wa yukshafu 'annaa ghammunaa wa kurubunaa

Kitaabun hawa'l 'ilmulladhee huwa naafi'un
Muallifuhu ustaadhunaa wa tabibunaa

Kitaabun hawaa 'ilmal kitabi wa sunnatin
Wa maa qaalahu awwahunaa wa muneebunaa

Mawaareethu aslaafin lanaa wa a'immatin
Madhaw wa 'alaa aathaarihim mustajeebunaa

Idhaa nushirat a'laamuhu wa 'uloomuhu
Wa absaruhaa 'allaamunaa wa museebunaa

Tahaqqaqa anna'l 'ilma feehi bi asrihi
Wa lam yustarib fee mithli haadhaa areebunaa

Wa qad atnab ash-Shaykh u'l Imami biwasfihi
Abu'l makramati'l 'Aydaroos-i habibunaa

Wa kam ghairihi min 'aarifin wa muhaqqiqin
Wa habrin 'aleemin wa'l Ilaahu Haseebunaa

Wa tammat wa Sallillahu fee kulli sa'atin
'Ala'l Mustafa'l Haadee Shafee'i dhunubinaa

With "The Revival of the Religious Sciences" you rejuvenate our hearts
And remove our grief and sorrow

It is a book containing useful knowledge
Written by our teacher and physician

A book with the knowledge of the Qur'an and the Sunnah
And what he said makes us lamentful and penitent

It is the heritage of our ancestors and Imams
Who passed away and whose footprints we follow

When he unfurls his flags and publishes his knowledge
The best who behold it are our learned and rightly guided

It has been proved that all knowledge is in it
And our people of wisdom have no doubt in it

And its qualities were praised beyond measure by the Shaykh the Imam
The father of miracles our beloved al-'Aydaroos himself

How many such others are there, possessors of direct knowledge
Certifiers of truth, most knowledgeable scholars, and God is sufficient for us

And I conclude by invoking blessings of Allah in each and every moment
On (Muhammad) Mustafa the guide, the intercessor for our sins.

There are various levels of learning in this qasida that call for more study. For example, Mawlana al-Haddad's use of the words "awwah" and "muneeb" in the third verse remind us of the following verse of the Holy Qur'an Kareem.

Inna Ibrahima la haleemun awwaahun muneeb
No doubt, Ibrahim is forbearing, lamentful, penitent (11:75).

In his sharh (explanation) of the Ihya', al-Habib 'Abdulqadir al-'Aydaroos quotes two qasidas on the Ihya', one by Shaykh 'Ali bin Abibakr and the other by Shaykh al-Imam al-Muhaddith Abu'l 'Abbas al-Aqlishi, one of the students of Imam al-Ghazali, Naf'anAllahu bihim.

The qasida by Shaykh 'Ali bin Abibakr has 23 couplets all rhyming in the letter "qaaf", three of which are:

'Alayka bi Ihya' i'l 'Ulum-i wa lubbihaa
Wa asraarihaa kam qad hawaa min daqaaiq

Wa kam min lateefaatin lidhi'l lubbi munhalin
Wa kam min maleehaatin sabat lubba haadhiq

Kitabun jalilun lam yusannif qablahu
Wa laa ba'dahu mithlun lahu fi't taraaiq

You must have with you The Revival of the Sciences and its kernel
How many encompass with its secrets such perfections

And how many are the subtleties that spring forth from it to hearts that receive
And how many are the beauties that conquered the hearts of the intelligent

A majestic book whose author has no comparison
Before him or after him in the sacred quest

The qasida by Shaykh Abu'l 'Abbas al-Aqlishi is from his book An-Najm wa'l Kawaakib (The Star And the Galaxy).

Abaa Hamid anta'l mukhassas bi'l majdi
Wa antalladhee 'allamtanaa Sunan u'r Rushdi

Wada'ta lana'l Ihya' tuhyee nufusanaa
Wa tunqidhunaa min ta'atin naadhighi'l murdee

Fa rub'u 'ibaadaatihi wa 'aadaatihi'l latee
Yu'aaqibuhaa kadduri nazmun fi'l 'iqdi

Wa thaalithuhaa fi'l muhlikaati wa innahu
La munjinn minal halki'l mubarrahi wa'l bu'di

Wa raabi'uhaa fi'l munjiyaati wa innahu
Liyusrihu bi'l arwaahi fee jannati'l khuldi

Wa minhaa ibtihaaju liljawaarihi zaahirin
Wa minhaa salaahun li'l qulubi minal hiqdi

O Abu Hamid your dignity is very special
For sure, you are the one who taught us
     about the path of guidance (of the Prophet)
You gave us the Ihya' to revive ourselves
And to save us from obeying shaytaan
The first two volumes about worship and the ethics of daily life
Appear to have been composed like a necklace of pearls

And its third volume about ways to perdition
Saves us from damnation and ex-communication

And its fourth volume about ways to salvation
Lets the souls soar in paradise for ever

In it is happiness that manifests openly on one's self
As well as inner purification of the heart of malice

We find the following couplet on Imam al-Ghazali in the biographical dictionary of Salah al-Deen Khalil al-Safadi (passed away 764 A.H/1363 C.E).

Because of him the lame walked briskly
And the songless through him burst into melody

(Translation by Shaykh Abdal-Hakim Murad, in The Rememberance of Death, p. xv).

Shaykh Uways bin Muhammad al-Barawi al-Qadiri Naf'anAllahu bih does not fail to mention Imam al-Ghazali in his Tawassul.

Wa bi'l Imam-i Hujjatu'l Islam-i
Huwa Muhammad ubnu Muhammad ibni Muhammad-a

And the Imam The Proof of Islam
He is Muhammad son of Muhammad son of Muhammad

The Urdu speaking Muslims love to quote 'Allamah Iqbal's lament about the present state of the Muslim ummah so as to encourage them to put both body and soul in their worship to achieve spiritual excellence.

Reh gaee rasmay azan
Ruhay Bilali na rahee

Falsafaa reh gayaa
Talkeenay Ghazali na rahee

The tradition of azan remained
The spirit which Sayyidina Bilal infused into it vanished

Philosophy remained
The exhortations of Imam al-Ghazali vanished

One approach that the 'ulama (the learned) have taken is to directly praise the Ihya' in a qasida. Another is to summarise its essential message in a qasida. Sayyidunal Imam Mawlana al-Haddad has done it both ways in his Diwan (Collected Eulogies). The opening verse of the qasida by Mawlana al-Haddad (in Diwan, p. 317) that captures the basic teachings of the Ihya' is:

'Alayka bi-taqwallahi fi's sirri wa'l 'alan
Wa qalbaka nazzifhu mina'r rijsi wa'd daran

You must have fear of Allah in secret and in open
And your heart clean it of dirt and rust

Mawlana al-Haddad conveys in verse what Imam al-Ghazali teaches in prose to form an indescribably rich mosaic. May Allah Ta'ala make us benefit from them, Aameen.

Hasbunallahu wa ni'mal Wakeel
Allah is Sufficient for us and (He is) the most excellent Trustee (3:173)

Imam Al-Ghazali's Ihya' 'Ulum Al-Deen

He Adopted The Sufi Path

In Ta'reef i'l Ihya' bi Fadhaail i'l Ihya (Introducing "The Revival" with the Grace of "The Revival") of al-Habib 'AbdulQadir al-'Aydaroos, we get the biography of Imam al-Ghazali. He was born in Tus, Iran in 450 A.H/1058 C.E. His father was a dervesh who advised his friend to spend his wealth on the education of his sons Muhammad and Ahmad after he passed away. This his friend did after the demise of Imam al-Ghazali's father in 465 A.H. He studied under the Imam al-Haramayn, Abu'l Ma'ali al-Juwayni in Nishapur until 478 A.H when he moved to Baghdad. There he proved his brilliance and in 484 A.H was appointed professor at the Madrasatun Nizamiyyah, the highest scholarly position and the most coveted honour at that time.

He explains in another of his books titled Al-Munqidh Min al-Dhalaal (Deliverance from Error) that he had mastered all the zahiri (manifest) knowledge like shari'a (sacred law) and fiqh (jurisprudence) as well as what the philosophers had to say, but he yearned to achieve yaqin (certitude). To acquire this, he decided in Dhul Qa'da 488 A.H to entirely give up his position, status and fame and to adopt the life of a dervesh. He had realised that achieving personal religious experience was the only way to gain certitude (yaqin). He supplicated to Allah to make it easy for him to renounce the world (dunya) and Allah accepted his dua. He went for Hajj and Ziyara to Makkah and Madina as well as to Bayt ul Maqaddas and to Damascus where he went into khalwa (spiritual retreat) in the zawiya (khaniqa or spiritual lodge) of the Jami Mosque. Since then, the zawiya has been named after him.

He writes that he obtained many benefits in khalwa (spiritual seclusion) but the one thing he would like to convey to people for their benefit is his realisation that the only true path to Allah is the path of the sufis, their spiritual journey is the best journey, and their character is the purest character. He says that if all the intelligence of the thinkers and the wisdom of all the wise people and the knowledge of all the 'ulama who know the secrets of shari'ah were to be put together, they would not be worth exchanging for the Sufi path because the Sufi path is lit with the Nur-i Mishkaat-un-Nubuwwah (light from the niche of Prophethood). He set himself the task of cleaning his heart of everything except Allah. We say Allahu Akbar (Allah is Great) to begin salah. A sufi begins by saying Allah Akbar to clean his heart of everything except Allah for his whole life. Once he says Allahu Akbar, he gives up his ikhtiyaar (choice) and surrenders himself completely to Allah in worshipful service, to achieve the stage of fana fillah, all the while following the perfect example of our beloved, blessed and noble Prophet Muhammad Mustafa Sallallahu 'alaihi wa Sallam.

The Ihya' and some of his most well-known kutub (books) were written after he adopted the sufi path. Allah had obviously accepted his father's dua (supplication) to give his sons 'ilm un nafi' (useful knowledge).

Once in a while, he talks of spiritual experiences in the Ihya'. For example, in Vol. III, p.20, Ajaib al-Qalb, Bayan al-farq bayn al-ilham wa'l ta'allum ("The Wonders of the Heart: An Exposition of the Difference Between Inspiration and Learning"), he writes:

"If his aspiration is true, his ambition pure and his concentration good, so that his appetites do not pull at him, and he is not distracted by the hadith an-nafs (discourse of the soul meaning egotism of the soul) towards the attachments of the world, the gleams of the Truth will shine in his heart. At the outset, this will resemble a brief, inconstant shaft of lightening, which then returns, perhaps after a delay. If it returns, it may be fleeting or firm; and if it is firm (thabit), it may or may not endure for some time. States such as these may come upon each other in succession, or only one type may be present. In this regard, the stages of God's saints (awliya) are as innumerable as their outer attributes and qualities". (Translation by Shaykh Abdal-Hakim Murad, in Al-Ghazali on Disciplining The Soul, p. lxvii-lxviii).

Who else can give you such detailed insights?

He passed away on 14 Jamadil Akhir 505 A.H/1111 C.E. 'Allamah ibn al-Jawzi narrates in his book 'Abdul Mamaat (The Servants of Allah Who Passed Away) that on Monday early in the morning, Imam al-Ghazali got up from his bed, performed the morning prayer, and then sent a man to bring him his kafan (burial shroud). When it was brought, he lifted it upto his eyes and said: "Lord's Command is to be obeyed". Saying this, he lied facing the qibla and breathed his last.

Naf'anAllahu bih, May Allah Sub'hanahu wa Ta'ala make us benefit from him, Aameen.

It is reported in the Sharh of al-Habib 'Abdul Qadir al-'Aydaroos that after Imam al-Ghazali passed away, Shaykh Shihab ud-Deen Ahmad az-Zabidi, saw one day while he was sitting, that the gates of heaven opened and some malaika (angels) descended. A certain grave opened and a person came out whom they clothed in a green robe, and they ascended with him on a conveyance, passed the seven heavens and beyond sixty veils till they were lost out of sight. When he asked who he was, he was answered: "This is the Imam al-Ghazali".

Naf'anAllahu bih, May Allah make us benefit from him, Aameen.

Hasbunallahu wa ni'mal Wakeel
Allah is Sufficient for us and (He is) the most excellent Trustee (3:173)

Imam Al-Ghazali's Ihya' 'Ulum Al-Deen

The Ihya' is Encyclopedic

The Ihya' is truly encyclopedic. It is not just one book but consists of forty books in four volumes as follows:

Volume I: On Worship ('Ibaadaat)

Book 1: Knowledge

Book 2: Foundations of the Articles of Faith

Book 3: The Secrets of Purity

Book 4: The Secrets of Ritual Prayer

Book 5: The Secrets of Zakah

Book 6: The Secrets of Fasting

Book 7: The Secrets of the Pilgrimage

Book 8: The Proprieties of Qur'anic Recitation

Book 9: Invocations and Supplications

Book 10: The Arrangements of Regular Invocations and Division of the Night Vigil

Volume II: On The Proprieties of Daily Life ('Aadaat)

Book 1: The Proprieties of Eating

Book 2: The Proprieties of Marriage

Book 3: The Proprietes of Acquisition and Earning a Livelihood

Book 4: The Lawful and Unlawful

Book 5: The Proprieties of Friendship, Brotherhood and Companionship

Book 6: The Proprieties of Seclusion

Book 7: The Proprieties of Travelling

Book 8: The Proprieties of Audition and Ecstacy

Book 9: Enjoining Good and Forbidding Evil

Book 10: The Proprieties of Living as Exemplified in the Virtues of the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him.

Volume III: The Ways To Perdition (Muhlikaat)

Book 1: Expounding the Wonders of the Heart

Book 2: Disciplining the Soul, Refining the Character and Curing the Sicknesses of the Heart

Book 3: Breaking the Two Desires

Book 4: Harms of the Tongue

Book 5: Condemnation of Anger, Rancour and Envy

Book 6: Condemnation of the World

Book 7: Condemnation of Miserliness and of the Love of the World

Book 8: Condemnation of Status and Ostentation

Book 9: Condemnation of Pride and Conceit

Book 10: Condemnation of Self-Delusion

Volume IV: On The Ways To Salvation (Munjiyaat)

Book 1: Repentance

Book 2: Patience and Thanksgiving

Book 3: Fear and Hope

Book 4: Poverty and Abstinence

Book 5: The Unity of God and Reliance Upon Him

Book 6: Love, Longing, Intimacy and Contentment

Book 7: Intention, Truthfulness and Sincerity

Book 8: Holding Vigil and Self Examination

Book 9: Meditation

Book 10: The Remembrance of Death and the Afterlife

Hasbunallahu wa ni'mal Wakeel
Allah is Sufficient for us and (He is) the most excellent Trustee (3:173)

Ihya' 'Ulum Al-Deen

Imam Al-Ghazali's

Ihya' 'Ulum Al-Deen

An Appreciation by Siddiq Osman Noormuhammad

1. What some Awilya And Saliheen Say

2. Its Praise In Verse

3. He Adopted the Sufi Path

4. The 'Ihya is Encyclopedic

5. The 'Ihya is Comprehensive

6. It Is Full Of Qur'an

7. It Is Full Of Hadith

8. The Narratives

9. He Encourages Zikr

10. A Literary Masterpiece

11. Simile and Metaphor

12. Rhyming Prose

13. Scholarship on the Ihya'

14. Khatam Shareef of the Ihya'

15. References

What Some Awliya And Saleheen Say

It is best to begin by quoting what some of the awliya (saints) and the saleheen (pious) say about Ihya' 'Ulum al-Deen (The Revival of the Religious Sciences) by Imam Abu Hamid Muhammad ibn Muhammad ibn Muhammad al-Ghazali, Naf'anAllahu bih (450-505 A.H/1058-1111 C.E). To quote al-Habib 'AbdAllah bin 'Alawi bin Hasan al-'Attas Naf'anAllahu bih in his book The Way of Bani 'Alawi, (p. 17), translated by Dr. Mostafa al-Badawi.

"""Our master 'Abdallah bin 'Alawi al-Haddad has said:

"Al-Ghazali is a graceful favour bestowed by Allah upon this nation (ummah). He has investigated the sciences and weaved them. No 'alim can have his rank".

And: "The books of al-Ghazali quench thirst for they are a cure of the heart's sicknesses".

And: "To love al-Ghazali is an incomparable gift, and you will see this in akhira. Only the believer whose heart is enlightened and who deals justly with his self loves the books of al-Ghazali, he has guided us with his books and the barakat of his secrets.

And: "Never have the people of truth agreed about the perfection of anyone as they have about that of Imam al-Ghazali. A traveller's journey is not complete until he has read the books of al-Ghazali, for they help him in his journey and protect him from the evil of his self".

And: "The one who engages in reading the Ihya' is gaining firmly established knowledge, for the reading of it may suffice as a teacher and a shaykh. Nothing is more beneficial to the people of this time than to read the Ihya', for it is life and happiness in akhira".

And: "The Ihya' is a miracle""".

Another important reference is the sharh (appreciative explanation) of the Ihya' titled Ta'reef i'l Ihya' bi Fadhaail i'l Ihya' (Introducing "The Revival" with the Grace of "The Revival") by al-Habib 'AbdulQadir bin Shaykh Abubakr bin Shaykh 'Abdallah al-'Aydaroos, Naf'anAllahu bihim. (This is given as an annex to the Ihya' in Arabic) He narrates that according to his forefather, Shaykh ul-Akbar 'Abdallah al-'Aydaroos (passed away 865 A.H/1461 C.E), the Ihya' is a sharh (explanation) of the Holy Qur'an Kareem and the blessed Hadith Shareef, and the reading of it brings you maghfira (forgiveness of Allah Ta'ala). May Allah Ta'ala give us this maghfira, Aameen Yaa Rabbal 'Aalameen.

Al-Fateha!

According to Shaykh 'Abdallah al-'Aydaroos, Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala Himself is pleased with the Ihya'! He calls it the bahral muhit (the encircling ocean) and a'jubatuz-zamaan (the marvel of the times). He advises that if anyone acts on it, he will get the love of Allah Sub'hanahu wa Ta'ala, the love of Rasulullah Sallallahu 'alaihi wa Sallam, the love of the angels, the love of all the Prophets 'alayhimussalam; and the love of the awliyaAllah (friends of Allah), Naf'anAllahu bihim.

Indeed Shaykh 'Abdallah al-'Aydaroos and his son, the equally illustrious Shaykh Abubakr al-'Aydaroos Naf'anAllahu bih (passed away 914 A.H/1508 C.E) popularised the books of Imam al-Ghazali so much that several editions of the Ihya' were produced in their time. Dars (lessons) used to be given from the Ihya' and in the time of Shaykh Abubakr al-'Aydaroos, the reading of the Ihya' from the first page to the last, all the more than 1800 pages of it, was completed 25 times. Allahu Akbar! This tradition continues to this day among the 'ulama, Al-Hamdu Lillah!

In his sharh (explanation), al-Habib 'AbdulQadir al-'Aydaroos Naf'anAllahu bih gives a neat little summary about the contents of the Ihya'. According to him,

the first volume on 'Ibaadaat (worship) is about Huququllah (rights of Allah),
the second volume on 'Aadaat (the proprieties of daily life) is about huquq u'l 'ibaad (the rights of Allah's servants on you),
the third volume on Muhlikaat (the ways to perdition) is about tazkiyat u'l qalb min sifat i'l madhmumah (purification of the heart of condemnable qualities), while
the fourth volume on Munjiyaat (the ways to salvation) is about tahliyatul qalb min sifaat i'l mahmudah (the embellishment of the heart with praiseworthy qualities).
He also quotes the views of many other mashaayikh (spiritual masters) about the Ihya'. Shaykh Abu Muhammad al-Kaazruni said, for example, that if all the books were to perish, the Ihya' would be sufficient to replace them all.

Shaykh 'Ali bin Abubakr bin Shaykh 'AbdulRahman al-Saqqaf said that if a non-believer opened the Ihya', he would become a Muslim because it is a hidden secret and a magnet for the heart.

Al-Faqih ul 'Allamah Isma'il bin Muhammad al-Hadhramy calls Imam al-Ghazali "Sayyidul Musannifeen" (the leader of all the authors).

Imam Abu'l Hasan al-Shadhili once saw Rasulullah Sallallahu 'alaihi wa Sallam in a dream pointing to Imam al-Ghazali and asking Sayyidina Musa 'Alayhissalam and Sayyidina 'Isa 'Alayhissalam whether they had seen such a hibr (most knowledgeable scholar) in their ummah (community). They responded "No".

Another great work on the Ihya' is by Shaykh Hafiz al-Iraqi (725-806 A.H), a Hafiz of Hadith Shareef who knew more than 300,000 ahaadith by heart. His book is titled Takhreej Maa Fi'l Ihya' Minal Akhbaar (Identification of the Hadith in "The Revival") In it he identifies the verses of the Qur'an Kareem referenced in the Ihya' as well as the sources of Hadith Shareef. He identifies the Hadith Shareef in three categories:

those that are in the Sahihayn of Imam Bukhari and Imam Muslim;
those that are in the rest of the Sihah Sitta (the six authentic books of hadith), that is, in the Jami' of Tirmidhi, Sunan of Abu Dawud, Sunan of An-Nasaai, and Sunan of Ibn Majah; and
those that are in the rest of hadith compilations, such as the al-Muwatta (The Well-Trodden Path) of Imam Malik, Shu'ab al-Iman (Branch of the Faith) and Dalaail un Nubuwwah (Proofs of Prophethood) of Imam al-Bayhaqi, and the Musnad collections of Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal, Al-Daylami, al-Bazzar, and Abu Ya'la, among others.
This monumental piece of scholarship forms the footnotes to the Ihya' in the original Arabic, such is the stature of the Ihya'!

According to Shaykh Hafiz al-Iraqi,

the first volume of the Ihya' on 'Ibaadaat (worship) is a must for those dedicated to aakhirah (the afterlife),
the second volume on 'Aadaat (the proprieties of daily life) is a must for those who want to live according to the religion of Islam,
the third volume on Muhlikaat (the ways to perdition) is a must for those who want to achieve tazkiyatun nafs (purification of the ego/self), and tat'hirul qalb (purification of the heart) while
the fourth volume on Munjiyaat (the ways to salvation) is a must for those who want to be among the muqarrabeen (those drawn near to Allah) and siddiqeen (the sincerely truthful).
According to him, the Ihya' is medicine for the heart, medicine for the soul and a means to achieve everlasting bliss in paradise.

In the Muqaddimah (Introduction) to the Ihya' in Arabic, Vol.I, we learn that according to Imam Muhammad bin Yahya, Imam al-Ghazali is the second Imam Shafi'i, Naf'anAllahu bihim.

Imam Abu'l 'Abbas al-Mursi said that Imam al-Ghazali achieved the status of Siddiqiyyah 'uzma (the greatest station among the siddiqeen, the truthful). We learn of this in the "Introduction" to the Gujarati translation of Minhajjul 'Aabideen (The Path of the Worshippers), another of Imam al-Ghazali's books, translated by Janab Shabbir 'Ali Patel Razvi.

According to al-Habib 'Abdallah al-'Attas in The Way of Bani 'Alawi, the Ihya' is totally concerned about the realisation of 'ubudiyyah (worship of Allah Sub'hanahu wa Ta'ala). He quotes Shaykh 'Abdallah bin Ahmad Baa-Sudan Naf'anAllahu bih from his kitab Al-Futuhaat al-'Arshiyyah (The Openings of the Divine Throne): "Swim in the sea of the Ihya' and you shall be counted among the living".

Among other mashaayikh who have written on Imam al-Ghazali are:

Imam Hafiz ibn 'Asakir
Imam Abu'l Faraj ibn al-Jawzi
Shaykh 'Afifuddin 'Abdallah bin As'ad al-Yafi'i al-Yamani
Imam Taj al-Deen al-Subki
Al-Sayyid Muhammad al-Murtada al-Husaini al-Zabidi
My master, the majestic Shaykh al-Habib Ahmad Mash-hur bin Taha al-Haddad Naf'anAllahu bih mentions the Ihya' among "Valuable Books - Milestones For Seekers" in his Miftahul Jannah (The Key To Paradise, p.99).

Sayyidunal Imam 'AbdAllah bin 'Alawi al-Haddad Naf'anAllahu bih (henceforth referred to as al-Habib Mawlana al-Haddad) explains in Ad-Da'wat u't Taammah (The All-Out Call) that the 'ulama are agreed that Imam al-Ghazali was the mujaddid (renewer) of the fifth century. He calls him Hujjat ul Islam (The Proof of Islam) as do one and all.

Naf'anAllahu bihim, may Allah Sub'hanahu wa Ta'ala make us benefit from them all, Aameen Yaa Rabbal 'Aalameen.

Hasbunallahu wa ni'mal Wakeel
Allah is Sufficient for us and (He is) the most excellent Trustee (3:173)

The Superiority Of Fiqh Over Hadith

The Superiority
Of Fiqh Over Hadith

by Sh. G. F. Haddad

chapters:
0. Introd.
1. Hadîth Misguides Those Devoid of Fiqh
2. Imâms of Hadîth Defer to Imâms of Fiqh
3. Knowledge Is Not Memorization but a Light
4. The Hadîth of the Jurists is Preferable to That of the Non-Jurists
5. Knowing the Hadîth is Different From Practicing It
6. Understanding the Hadîth is Superior to Knowing It
7. Most Hadîth Scholars Do Not Possess Intelligence of the Hadîth
8. Not Every Sound Hadîth Forms Evidence
9. NOTES

Allah Most High said, {He gives wisdom to whomever He will, and whoever receives wisdom receives immense good } (2:269).

The Holy Prophet  said, "He for whom Allâh desires great good, He grants him (superlative) understanding in the Religion (yufaqqihhu/yufqihhu fî al-dîn). I only distribute and it is Allâh Who gives. That group shall remain in charge of the Order of Allâh, unharmed by those who oppose them, until the coming of the Order of Allâh."1

"It may be that one carries understanding without being a person of understanding; it may be that one carries understanding to someone who possesses more understanding than he."

Imâm al-Shâfi`î apparently took from Imâm Abû Hanîfa his famous statement, said: "You [the scholars of h.adîth] are the pharmacists but we [the Jurists] are the physicians." This is also reported from al-A`mash and Abu Sulayman Ibn Zubar and was probably proverbial. Mullâ `Alî al-Qârî commented: "The early scholars said: The h.adîth scholar without knowledge of fiqh is like a seller of drugs who is no physician: he has them but he does not know what to do with them; and the fiqh scholar without knowledge of h.adîth is like a physician without drugs: he knows what constitutes a remedy, but does not have it available."2

Imâm Ah.mad is related by his students Abû T.âlib and H.umayd ibn Zanjûyah to say: "I never saw anyone adhere more to h.adîth than al-Shâfi`î. No one preceded him in writing down h.adîth in a book."

The meaning of this is that al-Shâfi`î possessed the intelligence of
h.adîth after which Ah.mad sought, as evidenced by the latter's statement: "How rare is fiqh among those who know h.adîth!"

This is a reference to the h.adîth: "It may be one carries understanding (fiqh) - meaning: memorizes the proof-texts of fiqh - without being a person of understanding (faqîh)."3 The Salaf and Khalaf elucidated this rule in many famous statements showing that, for all the exalted status of the Muh.addith, yet the Faqîh excels him:

H.adîth Misguides Those Devoid of Fiqh

Cautioning against the danger of misusing hadith to the point of committing sin, Imam Ahmad narrated from Muhammad ibn Yahya al-Qattan (d.233) that the latter said: "If one were to follow every rukhsa that is in the hadîth, he would ebcome a transgressor (fâsiq)."

* Ibn Abî Zayd al-Mâlikî reports Sufyân ibn `Uyayna as saying: "H.adîth is a pitfall (mad.illa) except for the fuqahâ'," and Mâlik's companion `Abd Allâh ibn Wahb said: "H.adîth is a pitfall except for the Ulema. Every memorizer of h.adîth that does not have an Imâm in fiqh is misguided (d.âll), and if Allâh had not rescued us with Mâlik and al-Layth [ibn Sa`d], we would have been misguided."4

Ibn Abî Zayd comments: "He [Sufyân] means that other than the jurists might take something in its external meaning when, in fact, it is interpreted in the light of another h.adîth or some evidence which remains hidden to him; or it may in fact consist in discarded evidence due to some other [abrogating] evidence. None can meet the responsibility of knowing this except those who deepened their learning and obtained fiqh." Imâm al-Haytamî said something similar.5

Ibn Wahb is also reported to say: "I met three hundred and sixty learned people of knowledge but, without Mâlik and al-Layth, I would have strayed."6

Another versions states: "Were it not for Mâlik ibn Anas and al-Layth ibn Sa`d I would have perished; I used to think everything that is [authentically] related from the Prophet - Allâh bless and greet him - must be put into practice."7

Another version has: "I gathered a lot of h.adîths and they drove me to confusion. I would consult Mâlik and al-Layth and they would say to me, 'take this and leave this.'"8 Ibn Wahb had compiled 120,000 narrations according to Ah.mad ibn S.âlih..9

Hence, Ibn `Uqda replied to a man who had asked him about a certain narration: "Keep such h.adîths to a minimum for, truly, they are unsuitable except for those who know their interpretation. Yah.yâ ibn Sulayman narrated from Ibn Wahb that he heard Mâlik say: 'Many of these h.adîths are [a cause for] misguidance; some h.adîths were narrated by me and I wish that for each of them I had been flogged with a stick twice. I certainly no longer narrate them!'"10

By his phrase, "Many of these h.adîths are misguidance," Mâlik means their adducing them in the wrong place and meaning, because the Sunna is wisdom and wisdom is to place each thing in its right context.11 An example of this is al-Shâfi`î's report that Mâlik regretted including in the Muwatta the hadith of the pond in which the Prophet is told, "You do not know what they did after you" because of the inevitable abuse at the hands of Shî`îs (or shî`ified Sunnis such as the Ghumârî school and others in our time).

* Ibn al-Mubârak said: "If Allâh had not rescued me with Abû H.anîfa and Sufyân [al-Thawrî] I would have been like the rest of the common people." Al-Dhahabî relates it as: "I would have been an innovator."12

The Imâms of H.adîth Defer to the Imâms of Fiqh

* Imâm Ah.mad's teacher, Yah.yâ ibn Sa`îd al-Qat.t.ân, despite his foremost status as the Master of h.adîth Masters and expert in narrator-recommendation and discreditation, would not venture to extract legal rulings from the evidence but followed in this the fiqh of Abû H.anîfa as he explicitly declared: "We do not belie Allâh. We never heard better than the juridical opinion (ra'î) of Abû H.anîfa, and we followed most of his positions."13

Similarly, Muh.ammad ibn `Abd Allâh ibn `Abd al-H.akam said: "If it were not for al-Shâfi`î I would not have known how to reply to anyone. Because of him I know what I know."14 As for Muh.ammad ibn Yah.yâ al-Dhuhlî (d. 258) of Khurâsân, whom Abû Zur`a ranked above Imâm Muslim and who is considered an Amîr al-Mu'minîn fî al-H.adîth ("Commander of the Faithful in the Science of H.adîth"), he never considered himself a non-muqallid but said: "I have made Ah.mad ibn H.anbal an Imâm in all that stands between me and my Lord."15 Mis`ar ibn Kidâm said the same with regard to Imâm Abû H.anîfa.16

Knowledge Is Not Memorization but a Light

Fiqh is the context of many statements of the Imâms on knowledge consisting in wisdom, benefit, deeds, and light rather than learning and memorization as we already mentioned. Mâlik said: "Wisdom and knowledge are a light by which Allâh guides whomever He pleases; it does not consist in knowing many things"17. Al-Shâfi`î: "Knowledge is what benefits. Knowledge is not what one has memorized."18

Al-Dhahabî: "[Knowledge (al-`ilm) is "not the profusion of narration, but a light which Allâh casts into the heart. Its condition is followership (ittibâ`) and the flight away from egotism (hawâ) and innovation."19

Al-Khatîb in his brief Iqtidâ' al-`Ilm al-`Amal ("Learning Necessitates Deeds") narrates many statements to this effect from Ibn Mas`ûd, Abû Hurayra, Abû al-Dardâ, Abû Qilâba, al-Zuhrî, al-Tustarî, Ibn `Uyayna, and otherrs of the Salaf. This Islamic understanding of knowledge elucidates al-H.asan al-Bas.rî report that the Prophet said: "The energy of the Ulema is care and help while the energy of fools is to quote" (himmat al-`ulamâ' al-ri`âya wa himmat al-sufahâ' al-riwâya).20 and the statement of the `Abbâsî Caliph `Abd Allah ibn Mu`tazz (249-296): "The learning of the hypocrite consists in his discourse while the learning of the Believer consists in his deed."

The H.adîth of the Jurists is Preferable to That of the Non-Jurists
Wakî` ibn al-Jarrâh preferred long-chained narrations through the fuqahâ' to short-chained ones through non-fuqahâ' and said: "The h.adîth current among the jurists is better than the h.adîth that is current among the h.adîth scholars."21 This is a foundational rule in the H.anîfî School, which like Yah.yâ al-Qat.t.ân, Wakî` followed.22

Al-A`mash (Abû Muh.ammad Sulaymân ibn Mahrân al-Asadî the Tâbi`î 61/-148) also said: "The h.adîth that jurists circulate among themselves is better than that which h.adîth narrators circulate among themselves."23

Ibn Rajab said that Abû Dâwûd in his Sunan was more concerned with the jurisprudence of the h.adîth than with its chains of transmission.24

This is also the case with al-Bukhârî's Sahîh while Muslim, Ibn Mâjah, and al-Nasâ'î focussed on the benefits of its transmission chains and text variants - Muslim being the most thorough and reliable in these regards. Al-Tirmidhî gave equal weight to the fiqh of the hadîth and the study of its transmission although Abû Dâwûd is somewhat stricter in hadîth authentification while al-Nasâ'î surpasses them both.

Knowing the H.adîth is Different From Practicing It

Sufyân al-Thawrî used to say to the h.adîth scholars: "Come forward, O weak ones!"25 He also said: "If h.adîth were a good thing it would have vanished just as all goodness has vanished," and "Pursuing the study of h.adîth is not part of the preparation for death, but a disease that preoccupies people." Al-Dhahabî commented: "He said this verbatim. He is right in what he said because pursuing the study of h.adîth is other than the h.adîth itself."26

Understanding the H.adîth is Superior to Knowing It

Ish.âq ibn Râhûyah said: "I would sit in Iraq with Ah.mad ibn H.anbal, Yah.yâ ibn Ma`în, and our companions, rehearsing the narrations from one, two, three routes of transmission... But when I said: What is its intent? What is its explanation? What is its fiqh? They would all remain mute except Ah.mad ibn H.anbal."30

Sufyân al-Thawrî said: "The explanation (tafsîr) of the h.adîth is better than the h.adîth."27 Another wording has: "The explanation of the h.adîth is better than its audition."28

Abû `Alî al-Naysabûrî said: "We consider understanding superior to memorization."29

Ibn Mahdî regretted not having written, after every hadîth he had recorded, its explanation.

The perspicuity and fiqh of Abû Thawr among the h.adîth Masters is famous. A woman stood by a gathering of scholars of h.adîth comprising Yah.yâ ibn Ma`în, Abû Khaythama, Khalaf ibn Salim, and others. She heard them saying: "The Prophet said," and "So-and-so narrated," and "No one other than So-and-so narrated," etc. Whereupon she asked them: "Can a woman in her menses wash the dead?" for that was her occupation. No one in the entire gathering could answer her, and they began to look at one another.

Abû Thawr arrived, and they referred her to him. She asked him the same question and he said: "Yes, she can wash the dead, as per the h.adîth of al-Qâsim from `A'isha: 'Your menses are not in your hand,'31 and her narration whereby she would scrub the Prophet's  hair at a time she was menstruating.32 If the head of the living can be washed [by a woman in her menses], then a fortiori the dead!"

Hearing this, the h.adîth scholars said: "Right! So-and-so narrated it, and So-and-so told us, and we know it from such-and-such a chain," and they plunged back into the narrations and chains of transmission.
The woman said: "Where were you all until now?"33

Ibn `Abd al-Barr cites Imâm Ah.mad as saying: "From where does Yah.yâ ibn Ma`în know al-Shâfi`î? He does not know al-Shâfi`î nor has any idea what al-Shâfi`î says!"34 Ibn Râhûyah similarly conceded defeat before al-Shâfi`î's jurisprudence although himself reputed for fiqh.35

Most H.adîth Scholars Do Not Possess Intelligence of the H.adîth

* `Abd al-Razzâq al-S.an`ânî, Sufyân's contemporary, was the teacher of the pillars of h.adîth memorization in their time - Ah.mad, Ibn Râhûyah, Ibn Ma`în, and Muh.ammad ibn Yah.yâ al-Dhuhlî. Yet when Muh.ammad ibn Yazîd al-Mustamlî asked Ah.mad: "Did he [`Abd al-Razzâq] possess fiqh?" Ah.mad replied: "How rare is fiqh among those who know h.adîth!"36

Anas ibn Sîrîn said: "I came to Kûfa and found in it 4,000 persons pursuing h.adîth and 400 persons who had obtained fiqh."37

Sufyân al-Thawrî: "Knowledge in our view is only the dispensation of a trustworthy learned perrson. As for strtictness, anyone can be strict!"

Hujjat al-Islâm al-Ghazâlî in al-Mustasfâ and Imâm Ibn Qudâma in Rawdat al-Nâzir both said that an `Âlim may be an Imâm in a particular science and an uneducated common person in another.

Ibn `Abd al-Salâm said: "Most h.adîth scholars are ignorant in fiqh."38 A majority of 90% according to Anas ibn Sîrîn - among the Salaf!
Al-Dhahabî said: "The majority of the h.adîth scholars have no understanding, no diligence in the actual knowledge of h.adîth, and no fear of Allâh regarding it."39 All of the authorities al-Dhahabî listed as "those who are imitated in Islâm" are Jurisprudents and not merely
h.adîth masters.

Al-Sakhâwî in his biography of Ibn H.ajar entitled al-Jawâhir wa al-Durar fi Tarjamat Shaykh al-Islâm Ibn Hajr states that al-Fâriqî said: "One who knows chains of h.adîth but not the legal rulings derived from them cannot be counted among the Scholars of the Law." His student Ibn Abî `As.rûn (d. 585) also followed this view in his book al-Intis.âr.40

Not Every Sound Hadîth Forms Evidence

Ibrâhîm al-Nakha`î said: "Truly, I hear a h.adîth, then I see what part of it applies. I apply it and leave the rest."41 Shaykh Muh.ammad `Awwâma said: "Meaning, what is recognized by the authorities is retained while anything odd (gharîb), anomalous (shâdhdh), or condemned (munkar) is put aside."

Yazîd ibn Abî H.abîb said: "When you hear a h.adîth, proclaim it; if it is recognized, [keep it,] otherwise, leave it."42

Ibn Abî Laylâ said: "A man does not understand h.adîth until he knows what to take from it and what to leave."43

`Abd al-Rah.mân ibn Mahdî, the Commander of the believers in H.adîth, said: "It is impermissible for someone to be an Imâm [i.e. to be imitated] until he knows what is sound and what is unsound and until he does not take everything [sound] as evidence, and until he knows the correct way to infer knowledge [in the Religion]."44

Al-Shâfi`î narrated that Mâlik ibn Anas was told: "Ibn `Uyayna narrates from al-Zuhrî things you do not have!" He replied: "Why, should I narrate every single h.adîth I heard? Only if I wanted to misguide people!"45

Shaykh `Abd al-Fattâh. Abû Ghudda mentioned some of the above examples and commented: "If the likes of Yah.yâ al-Qat.t.ân, Wakî` ibn al-Jarrâh., `Abd al-Razzâq, Yah.yâ ibn Ma`în, and those who compare with them, did not dare enter into ijtihâd and fiqh, then how rash are the claimants to ijtihâd in our time! On top of it, they call the Salaf ignorant without the least shame nor modesty! Allâh is our refuge from failure."46

The blessings and peace of Allah on the Prophet
his Family and his Companions!

NOTES

1H.adîth of the Prophet  narrated from Mu`âwiya by al-Bukhârî and Muslim.

2 Al-Qârî, Mu`taqad Abî H.anîfata al-Imâm fî Abaway al-Rasûl `Alayhi al-S.alât wa al-Salâm (p. 42).

3 A nearly-mass-narrated (mashhûr) sound h.adîth of the Prophet - Allâh bless and greet him - reported from several Companions by al-Tirmidhî, Abû Dâwûd, Ibn Mâjah, and Ah.mad.

4 Ibn Abî H.âtim in the introduction of al-Jarh. wa al-Ta`dîl (p. 22-23); Ibn Abî Zayd, al-Jâmi` fî al-Sunan (p. 118-119); Ibn `Abd al-Barr, al-Intiqâ' (p. 61); al-Dhahabî. See Shaykh `Abd al-Fattah Abû Ghudda's comments on this statement in his notes on al-Lacknawî's al-Raf` wa al-Takmil (2nd ed. p. 368-369, 3rd ed. p. 90-91).

5 In al-Fatâwâ al-H.adîthiyya (p. 283).

6 Narrated by Ibn H.ibbân in the introduction to al-Majrûh.în (1:42). He then narrates from Ibn Wahb a similar statement where he adds the names of `Amr ibn al-H.ârith and Ibn Mâjishûn.

7 Narrated by Ibn `Asâkir and al-Bayhaqî cf. Ibn Rajab, Sharh. al-`Ilal (1:413) and `Awwâma (p. 76).

8 Narrated by Qâd.î `Iyâd.. in Tartîb al-Madârik (2:427).

9 In Ibn al-Subkî, T.abaqât al-Shâfi`iyya al-Kubrâ (2:128).

10 Narrated by al-Khat.îb, al-Faqîh wal-Mutafaqqih (2:80).

11 Shaykh Ismâ`îl al-Ans.ârî as quoted by `Awwâma, Athar (p. 77).

12 Ibn H.ajar, Tahdhîb al-Tahdhîb (10:449-452 #817) and al-Dhahabî's Manâqib Abî H.anîfa.

13 Narrated by al-Dhahabî in Tadhkirat al-H.uffâz. (1:307) and Ibn H.ajar in Tahdhîb al-Tahdhîb (10:450).

14 Narrated by Ibn `Abd al-Barr in al-Intiqâ' (p. 124).

15 Narrated by al-Dhahabî in the Siyar (10:205).

16 Cf. Ibn Abî al-Wafâ, last page of the Karachi edition of al-Jawâhir al-Mud.iyya.

17 In Ibn `Abd al-Barr, Jâmi` Bayân al-`Ilm (1:83-84), al-Qâd.î `Iyâd.., Tartîb al-Madârik (2:62), al-Shât.ibî, al-Muwâfaqât (4:97-98).

18 "The Knowledge That Benefits is That Whose Rays Expand in the Breast and Whose Veil is Lifted in the Heart." Ibn `At.â' Allâh, H.ikam (#213).

19 Siyar (10:642).

20 Narrated mursal from al-H.asan by Ibn `Asâkir in his Târîkh and al-Khat.îb in al-Jâmi` li Akhlâq al-Râwî (1983 ed. 1:88 #27) cf. al-Jâmi` al-S.aghîr (#9598) and Kanz (#29337).

21 Cited by al-Dhahabî in the Siyar (al-Arna'ût. ed. 9:158, 12:328-329).

22 Cf. al-Dhahabî, Tadhkirat al-H.uffâz. (1:307) and Ibn H.ajar in Tahdhîb al-Tahdhîb (11:126-127).

23In al-Sakhâwî, al-Jawâhir wa al-Durar (p. 21).

24Ibn Rajab, Sharh. `Ilal al-Tirmidhî (1:411).

25 Cited from Zayd ibn Abî al-Zarqa' by al-Dhahabî, Siyar (al-Arna'ût. ed. 7:275).

26 Al-Sakhâwî, al-Jawâhir wa al-Durar (p. 20-23).

27 Narrated by al-Harawî al-Ans.ârî in Dhamm al-Kalâm (4:139 #907).

28 In Ibn `Abd al-Barr, Jâmi` Bayân al-`Ilm (2:175).

29 In al-Dhahabî, Tadhkirat al-H.uffâz. (2:776).

30 Narrated by Ibn Abî H.âtim in the introduction to his al-Jarh. wa al-Ta`dîl (p. 293), Ibn al-Jawzî in Manâqib al-Imâm Ah.mad (p. 63), and al-Dhahabî in Târîkh al-Islâm (chapter on Ah.mad).

31In Muslim and the Four Sunan.

32 In al-Bukhârî and Muslim.

33 Ibn al-Subkî in T.abaqât al-Shâfi`iyya, al-Sakhâwî in his introduction to al-Jawâhir wa al-Durar, and al-Haytamî in his Fatâwâ H.adîthiyya (p. 283). Something similar is narrated of Ah.mad by Ibn Rajab in his Dhayl T.abaqât al-H.anâbila (1:131) and al-`Ulaymî in al-Manhaj al-Ah.mad (2:208).

34Ibn `Abd al-Barr, Jâmi` Bayân al-`Ilm (2:160).

35 Ish.âq ibn Ibrâhîm ibn Makhlad, known as Ish.âq ibn Râhûyah or Râhawayh, Abû Ya`qûb al-Tamîmî al-Marwazî al-Hanzali (d. 238), one of the major h.adîth Masters. Abû Qudâma considered him greater than Imâm Ah.mad in memorization of h.adîth, a remarkable assessment considering Ah.mad's knowledge of 700,000 to a million narrations according to his son `Abd Allâh's and Abû Zur`a al-Râzî's estimations. He once said of himself: "I never wrote anything except I memorized it, and I can now see before me more than 70,000 h.adîths in my book"; "I know the place of 100,000 h.adîths as if I were looking at them, and I memorize 70,000 of them by heart - all sound (s.ah.îh.a) - and 4,000 falsified ones." [Narrated by al-Khat.îb in al-Jâmi` li Akhlâq al-Râwî (2:380-381 #1832-1833).]

He did not reach the same stature in fiqh. Al-Bayhaqî and others narrate that he unsuccessfully debated al-Shâfi`î on a legal question, as a result of which the latter disapproved of his title as the "jurisprudent of Khurâsân." To a Jahmî scholar who said: "I disbelieve in a Lord that descends from one heaven to another heaven," Ibn Râhûyah replied: "I believe in a Lord that does what He wishes." [Narrated by al-Dhahabî who identifies the scholar as Ibrâhîm ibn (Hishâm) Abî S.âlih. in Mukhtas.ar al-`Uluw (p. 191 #234).] Al-Bayhaqî comments: "Ish.âq ibn Ibrâhîm al-Hanzali made it clear, in this report, that he considers the Descent (al-nuzûl) one of the Attributes of Action (min s.ifât al-fî`l). Secondly, he spoke of a descent without `how'. This proves he did not hold displacement (al-intiqâl) and movement from one place to another (al-zawâl) concerning it." [See post titled, "The `Descent' of Allâh Most High".] Sources: Ibn Abî Ya`lâ, T.abaqât al-H.anâbila (1:6, 1:184); al-Bayhaqî, Manâqib al-Shâfi`î (1:213) and al-Asmâ' wa al-S.ifât (2:375-376 #951); al-Dhahabî, Siyar (9:558 #1877); Ibn al-Subkî, T.abaqât al-Shâfi`iyya al-Kubrâ (2:89-90, 9:81).

36 Narrated by Abû Ya`lâ in T.abaqât al-H.anâbila (1:329) and cited by Shaykh Abû Ghudda in his introduction to Muh.ammad al-Shaybânî's Muwat.t.a' and his short masterpiece al-Isnâd min al-Dîn (p. 68).

37 Narrated by al-Râmahurmuzî in al-Muh.addith al-Fâs.il (p. 560).

38Ibn `Abd al-Salâm, al-Fatâwâ al-Maws.iliyya (p. 132-134).

39 In al-Sakhâwî, al-Jawâhir wa al-Durar (p. 18).

40 Al-Sakhâwî, al-Jawâhir wa al-Durar (p. 20-23).

41 Narrated from Ibn Abî Khaythama by Abû Nu`aym in the H.ilya (4:225) and Ibn Rajab in Sharh. `Ilal al-Tirmidhî (1:413).

42 In Ibn Rajab, Sharh. `Ilal al-Tirmidhî (1:413).

43 In Ibn `Abd al-Barr, Jâmi` Bayân al-`Ilm (2:130).

44 Narrated by Abû Nu`aym in the H.ilya (9:3).

45 Narrated by al-Khat.îb in al-Jâmi` li Akhlâq al-Râwî (2:109).

46 Abû Ghudda, al-Isnâd min al-Dîn (p. 68). He means by his remarks al-Albânî and others of his ilk. Abû Ghudda's student, Shaykh Muh.ammad `Awwâma, listed several examples of this rule of the Salaf in his Athar al-H.adîth al-Sharîf fî Ikhtilâf al-A'immat al-Fuqahâ' ("The Mark of the Noble H.adîth in the Differences of the Imâms of Jurisprudence").

Hajj Gibril
GF Haddad ©

Myth of Quran's lost verse

Myth of Quran's lost verse about stoning answered

Waqar Akbar Cheema  7:03 PM

Christian missionaries and other anti-Islamic polemics try to question the authority of the Quran by misinterpreting the following Hadith about the punishment of stoning.

----------------"In the meantime, 'Umar sat on the pulpit and when the call makers for the prayer had finished their call, 'Umar stood up, and having glorified and praised Allah as He deserved, he said, "Now then, I am going to tell you something which (Allah) has written for me to say. I do not know; perhaps it portends my death, so whoever understands and remembers it, must narrate it to the others wherever his mount takes him, but if somebody is afraid that he does not understand it, then it is unlawful for him to tell lies about me. Allah sent Muhammad with the Truth and revealed the Holy Book to him, and among what Allah revealed, was the Verse of the Rajam (the stoning of married person (male & female) who commits illegal sexual intercourse, and we did recite this Verse and understood and memorized it.

Allah's Apostle did carry out the punishment of stoning and so did we after him. I am afraid that after a long time has passed, somebody will say, 'By Allah, we do not find the Verse of the Rajam in Allah's Book,' and thus they will go astray by leaving an obligation which Allah has revealed. And the punishment of the Rajam is to be inflicted to any married person (male & female), who commits illegal sexual intercourse, if the required evidence is available or there is conception or confession." (Bukhari, Hadith 6328) ------------------

The problem with all these anti-Islamic polemics is that they only pick up a tradition or two and base all their arguments on their own explanations not understanding that Islamic treasury of traditions is quite rich and well able to expose any self styled hallow research scholar. Let's make a detailed study of the issue at hand.

Truth about the origin of the alleged verse:

Some traditions suggest that the wording of that verse is 'When a married man or woman commit adultery stone them (to death)'.

But the fact, which becomes evident looking at all the various traditions, is that this was never meant to be part of the Quran. The word 'revealed' is used about this only in a metaphorical sense. This was perhaps a verse from one of the Books of the Jews and it was not revealed as a part of the Quran but its order was upheld through revelation so it remains in place.

The following tradition recorded by Tabari in his Tafsir points to the fact that it was a part of earlier revelations.

Ibn Jarir Tabari relates in his commentary of Surah Maida in connection to the incident of stoning of Jews."

The Holy Prophet (pbuh) said to them: 'Who is the most learned of the Law among you?'. They replied, 'so and so Al-A'war (i.e. Abdullah bin Souriya)'. He was called upon and he came. So the Prophet (pbuh) said: 'Are you the most learned of the Law among them?' He said, 'Jews think so.' So the Prophet (pbuh) said to him; 'By Allah and by the Law that He gave Moses on the day at Sinai, (tell me) what you find in the Law regarding adulterers?' He said: 'O Abul Qasim (i.e. Prophet), they stone the despicable (adulterer), and make the rich (if he does it) sit on the camel, blacken his face and make him face camel's back and stone the despicable if he commits adultery with a rich woman and they do the same to her.' So (again) the Prophet (pbuh) said to him: 'By Allah and by the Law that He gave Moses on the day at Sinai, (tell me) what you find in the Law?' He started to beat around the bush and the Prophet (pbuh) urged him by Allah and by the Law that He gave Moses on the day at Sinai till he said: 'O Abul Qasim, 'When a married man or woman commit adultery stone them.' So the Prophet (pbuh) said: 'It is like that, take them (the Jews who committed adultery) and stone them.' (Tafsir Ibn Jarir Al-Tabari 10/328 Narration 11976)

Now it's clear this verse as Abdullah bin Souriya spoke is similar to a verse in the Law (i.e. Torah). Even today we can find similar injunctions in the Bible i.e. Deuteronomy 22.

Meanings of the Hadith in question:

Let it be known that in Islam revelation is not only what constitutes the Holy Quran, infact there were other revelations as well as Holy Prophet (pbuh) did not speak on his own. (Quran 53:3)

Having said this, now lets analyze the wording of the Hadith in question.

Firstly it says, 'Allah sent Muhammad with the Truth', here 'Truth' refers to all forms of revelation i.e. both Quran and Prophet's sayings. Next we read, 'and revealed the Holy Book to him', here the first word is 'and' which is used as i.e. in conjunctive sense (separating the two phrases) and it continues 'revealed the Holy Book to him' i.e. the Quran. Then it reads, 'and among what Allah revealed, was the Verse of the Rajm (stoning)', here 'what Allah revealed' includes both types of revelation and not only the Book as we again have the conjunction 'and' separating the two phrases. And we do find the 'verse' about stoning in a saying of the Holy Prophet (pbuh):

Narrated by 'Ajma, she said: I heard that Messenger of Allah say; 'When a married man or woman commit adultery stone them both to death.'

(Tabarani Kabeer, Hadith 20321. Ibn Hajr graded it as Hasan in his work Muwafaqatul Khubr al-Khabr 2/304. Same is found in al-Mustadrak, 8070. Hakim classified it as Sahih. al-Dhahbi agreed with him)

It was never meant to be a part of the Quranic text:

There are more proofs that it was not at all meant to be the part of the Quranic script.

1-It is reported in a narration from Kathir bin Salt that: Zaid (b. Thabit) said: 'I heard the Messenger of Allah say, 'When a married man or woman commit adultery stone them both (to death)', (hearing this) Amr said, 'When this was revealed I came to Prophet and asked if I could write it, he (the Prophet) disliked it.' (Mustadrik Al-Hakim, Hadith 8184. Hakim called it Sahih. al-Dhahbi agreed with him)

2- About this 'verse' Kathir bin Salt says that he, Zaid bin Thabit and Marwan bin Hakam were discussing as to why it is not written in the Quranic manuscript and Umar bin Khattab was present with them and listening to their discussion he said he knew it better then them and told them that he came to Messenger of Allah and said:

"'O Messenger of Allah, let the verse about stoning be written for me.' He (the Prophet) said, 'I can't do this.'" (Sunan Al-Kubra Baihiqi 8/211 & Sunan Al-Kubra Nasai Hadith 7148. Albani (in Sahiha 6/412) said Baihiqi pointed to its authenticity)

Who could stop the Prophet (pbuh) from writing this verse in the Quran if it was supposed to be? Indeed it was not meant to be written in the Quran and that's why Holy Prophet disliked its idea of its being written down.

Why is it called a 'verse'?

Infact it was a verse from an earlier book as proved from Tabari's narration above and since its instruction was upheld through revelation so it is referred to as a 'verse' and the words 'sent down' or 'revealed' are used for it.

Is stoning (rajm) mentioned in the Quran today?

And as to Caliph Umar's statement 'the people may say: We do not find the punishment of stoning in the Book of Allah.', it only refers to categorical mentioning otherwise Quran does point to the punishment of stoning. Infact Quran 5:43-44 were revealed about punishment of stoning and the words 'Command of Allah' (v.43) and 'What Allah hath revealed' (v.44) refer to punishment of stoning. This becomes absolutely clear considering the traditions that Ibn Kathir, Tabari and Qurtubi etc. have brought in commentary to these verses.

And when Caliph Umar said, 'Stoning is a duty laid down in Allah's Book' he perhaps only referred to verses 43-44 of Surah 5 as mentioned above. Also we need to know that the Companions of the Prophet (pbuh) used to consider something proved from Hadith as important and as authentic as being in the Quran.

The following tradition testifies to it.

'Abdullah (bin Masud) said. "Allah curses those ladies who practice tattooing and those who get themselves tattooed, and those ladies who remove the hair from their faces and those who make artificial spaces between their teeth in order to look more beautiful whereby they change Allah's creation." His saying reached a lady from Bani Asd called Um Yaqub who came (to Abdullah) and said, "I have come to know that you have cursed such-and-such (ladies)?" He replied, "Why should I not curse these whom Allah's Apostle has cursed and who are (cursed) in Allah's Book!" Um Yaqub said, "I have read the whole Quran, but I did not find in it what you say." He said, "Verily, if you have read it (i.e. the Quran), you have found it. Didn't you read: 'And whatsoever the Apostle gives you take it and whatsoever he forbids you, you abstain (from it).' (59.7). She replied, "Yes, I did," He said, "Verily, Allah's Apostle forbade such things. (Bukhari, Hadith 4507)

And as we know that punishment of stoning is clearly established in Hadith so Caliph Umar's statement can well be taken on that account.

Did Caliph Umar actually think some verse was missing?

Most certainly Caliph Umar knew well and understood that the particular words 'When a married man or woman commit adultery, stone them (to death)'are not meant to be the part of the actual text of the Holy Quran. This is clear from another tradition in which he said:

"Had it not been that people would say Umar has made an addition to the Book of Allah, I would have written it on the margin of the Quran."

(Musnad Ahmad Hadith 151. Ahmad Shakir classified it as Sahih)
And according to the wording in Sunan Nasai Al-Kubra Hadith 7151 , he said 'I would have written and appended it to the Quran.'

Now idea of writing at the margin of the Quran or adding as an appendix clearly shows that he only meant to add it as side note or commentary to the Quran to tell the future generations explicitly about the punishment of stoning whom he feared rejecting this commandment and going astray.

The above detail makes it absolutely clear that never was there any verse about stoning a part of the Quranic text.

Scholars' intake:

The idea that there was never any verse on stoning revealed to be a part of the Qur'an and then abrogated is not my brainchild. Infact the above is based on Shaykh Taqi Usmani's explanation (see Takmala Fath al-Mulhim vol.2 p.354-61).

Sayyid Maududi held the same view (see his answer to the question HERE -its in Urdu)

al-Alusi quotes Ibn Humam (d. 861 A.H.) to have argued for the same (See Ruh al-M'ani 9/278)

al-Baqilani (403 A.H.) also refused to accept the idea of its once being a part of the Qur'an and then getting abrogated in his al-Intisar. Shaykh Shu'aib Arnaut quoted it in his notes to Hadith 21636 of Musnad Ahmad and seemingly agreed to it.

Moreover, this explanation puts to death all queries and questions on the issue.

The institution of Stoning (Rajm):

Regardless of the issue at hand the ruling of stoning is indeed valid. It is proved through Mutawatar Ahadith reported by around 52 companions (see Takmala Fath al-Mulhim vol.2 p.362 for all the references). The Mutawatar Ahadith decide the scope of the Qur'anic verse in Surah Nur about lashing and limit it to unmarried people. Just like Qur'an gives the general ruling that anyone who steals, man or woman, his/her hand should be amputated. The ruling is general and literally applies to a something worth a single cent even. But Mutawatir Ahadith limit it to above a certain amount.

About the narrations which say it was part of Surah Ahzab see THIS

INDEED ALLAH KNOWS THE BEST!