The Lost Perception and the Weight of Reality
بسم الله الرحمن
الرحيم
الحمدلله
رب العالمين والصلوة
والسلام على اشرف
الانبياء وسيدالمرسلين
نبينا محمد صل
ا لله عليه وعلى
آله واصحابه وازواجه
اجمعين - امابعد
All the praises and thanks be to Allaah,
Sustainer of the Universe, and blessing and salutation to be the most
distinguish of the Messengers and foremost among the Prophets, our Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings of
Allaah be on him and on his wives, children and Companions.
During the modern era no one has done more harm to Islaam and Muslims than Muslims themselves, especially through the Cyber Space (Internet). Many Muslim and/or Pseudo-Muslim websites have thrived on disinformation. The MSA’s (Muslim Student Association) website takes the cake, for posting incomplete, inconclusive and often erroneous translations of Ahadeeth, beside of other sources. That has given enemies of Islaam, Pseudo-Muslims a never-ending pile of ammunitions to attack Islaam and Muslims, not to mention misleading the naďve and ignorant Muslims. Needless to point out that Christian missionary websites are dancing with joy while using MSA’s website as their main source, while learned Muslims who are defending Islaam are dumb founded, since anti-Islaam forces always toss the MSA link as their source claiming it to be an Islaamic source, which in fact is poles apart being an Islaamic source. What was the need of positing or uploading half-baked plethora of Ahadeeth literature on any web site is beyond me. However, in this treatise I will inSha Allaah prove that those who reject Ahadeeth and/or those who even question Ahadeeth are outside the fold of Islaam.
The failure of people who either don’t understand
Ahadeeth or question it or reject it lies referring to or using
of the English translations of Ahadeeth احاديث (that equally apply to any other
translation as well). Because in order to have a clear picture of the
meaning and message, one must possess the intellectual capacity to comprehend
the Ahadeeth احاديث together with a proper understanding of
the background and the prelude of the Hadeeth حديث (Asbaab-ul-Hadeeth اسباب الحديث). In the absence of these
prerequisites, the mere translation of the Ahadeeth احاديث is bound to lead to objections and
misgivings.
Let us examine the lost perception with obvious differences in which contradictions appear due to the contradictory narrations found in the Hadeeth حديث. A good example is that, it is reported that Prophet Muhammad صلی الله عليه وسلم was once seated when the bier (Janaaza جنازه) of a disbeliever passed by. He (Prophet Muhammad صلی الله عليه وسلم) immediately stood up. According to some versions of this Hadeeth floating around on Internet (of course the English translations) it was a bier of a Jew or least a disbeliever, implying that even the Prophet of Islaam Muhammad صلی الله عليه وسلم has honored disbeliever[s] and/or the Jew. However, we learn the underlying cause (Asbaab-ul-Hadeeth اسباب الحديث) through authentic sources that Allaah’s Messenger Muhammad صلی الله عليه وسلم stood up so that the bier would not pass above the heads of the Muslims, as this is a form of humiliation to them. If this is the underlying reason (which in fact is) for his standing up, then the practice of standing up for a bier (Janaaza جنازه) will be restricted to the bier of a disbeliever.
So the mere recitation of a translation of Sahih Bukhari or Sahih Muslim will not enable anyone and/or any Hadeeth rejecter to determine whether a certain injunction is compulsory, optional or permissible. This is why the scholars of Hadeeth have instituted the study of the principles of Qur’aan, Hadeeth, and Jurisprudence [fiqh فقه] as pre-requisite to the actual science of Glorious Qur’aan and Hadeeth. But how many Hadeeth rejecters possess these qualifications, the answer is ZERO.
Another
example of a difference of perception that may espouse the doubts of apparent
contradictions in the narrations is simply because various people saw Prophet
Muhammad صلی الله
عليه وسلم doing a certain thing and they all narrated it according to
their own understanding of things. Many examples of this can be found in the
Ahadeeth احاديث dealing with the Pilgrimage حج.
For example, one of the narrators says that Prophet Muhammad صلی الله عليه
وسلم
made an ifrad Hajj because he heard the Prophet Muhammad صلی الله عليه
وسلمsaying “Labbayka bi hajjatin” (I
have presented myself in Your service to perform the Hajj)” The narration itself is authentic and the narrator is not
guilty of any deficiency. However, other people
narrated that Prophet Muhammad صلی الله
عليه وسلم performed a qiran hajj. These narrations
apparently seem contradictory to the first, because the qiran hajj
is very different from the ifrad hajj. In fact, there is no contradiction
between the narrations, since it is permissible for one performing qiran hajj
to also say “Labbayka bi hajjatin” (I have presented myself in Your
service to perform the Hajj).” But only a Mujtahid is
able to bring about some harmony between the apparent contradictory narrations
and can avoid obvious confusion. But the Hadeeth rejecters don’t know this
all, thus, they go on slandering the Imaams, Ahadeeth and Muslims for idol worship
etc.
Another good example is found in
the Hadeeth dealing with the commencement of his (Prophet Muhammad صلی الله عليه
وسلم) ihram
or (Pilgrim sanctity). There are conflicting narrations as to exactly
when Prophet Muhammad صلی الله
عليه وسلم started his ihram. Imaams have
also differed on this as to when it is most virtuous for one to initiate one’s ihram.
Prompted by these contradictory narrations Sa’id ibn Jubayr رضی الله عنه an outstanding Follower (تابعی) asked Abdullah ibn Abbas رضی
الله عنه to explain these contradictions.
Abdullah ibn Abbas رضی الله عنه replied, I am quite aware of the reason.
Since Prophet Muhammad صلی الله
عليه وسلم performed only one Hajj after his migration to Madinah,
and a great number of people attended this Hajj. So the person who
observed him doing a certain thing at a certain time regarded that as a
principal element of Hajj. This resulted in contradictory reports on his
performance of Hajj.
Abdullah ibn Abbas رضی الله عنه was fully aware of what transpired, so he
confidently explained exactly what happened. Since he was a Jurist
and Mujtahid, he also explained the reasons for the differences
of narrations and at the same time he brought about harmony between all
narrations. But the Hadeeth rejecters are absolutely
ignorant of these facts and sciences, so they prey on laymen to confront them
with these types of so-called contradictions, who are often left, perturbed
and/or dumbfounded. Here, I have presented
couple of examples that harmonize the contradictions while showing the
difference of perception. Sadly some Muslim websites, mainly MSA’s website has
all these contradictory Ahadeeth and/or narrations without any explanations
and/or harmonization, which has complicated the situation rather simplify it. In
all attacks of Islaam, Qur’aan and Prophet Muhammad صلی الله عليه
وسلم
anti-Islaam websites always quote Muslims and/or Islaamic sources i.e. MSA
website. Every discussion forum on the Internet Muslims are assaulted and put
on defense using MSA website as an Islaamic source. Muslims’ apparent ignorance
of Islaam has also contributed since they have no clue where and how to seek
correct information and how to verify these claims and how to defuse and/or
refute them. Most Muslims have never seen the authentic books of Islaamic
sciences, let alone reading them. The irony of this self-destructive idiocy is
that now some Islaamic websites are popping up on the Internet with alleged
“Tafsîr” of Qur’aan. How accurate that is and will be is remain to be seen. But,
I would not advice anyone to use Internet as their sources be it an Islaamic
website, unless he or she possess the capacity to verify everything using
authentic Islaamic sources.
The
absurdity of Hadeeth rejecters’ claims is to challenge the reliability of
Sunnah and/or Hadeeth or both, while making declaratory statements such as:
·
Ahadeeth
were compiled centuries after Muhammad (صلی
الله عليه وسلم)[notice my use of parenthesis, because
they don’t show any reverence of the Messenger of Allaah)
·
Ahadeeth
were compiled 250 years or 300 years after Muhammad (صلی الله عليه
وسلم)
·
We believe
in Qur’aan alone.
·
We believe
in the Word of Allaah.
·
Allaah has promised
to protect the Qur’aan from any corruption.
·
Hadeeth
compilers and/or Hadeeth collectors cannot be trusted. Are they infallible as
Allaah?
I have said
this before and I say it again here. ‘That there is no substitute of common
sense and there is no rehabilitation of stupidity.’ Having said that, don’t
you wonder whether these Hadeeth rejecters have ever realized and/or ponder
upon the sources Muslims have received the Glorious Qur’aan? Hello, we have
received both, the Glorious Qur’aan and Ahadeeth from exact same sources. The
people who transmitted the Glorious Qur’aan and the people who transmitted the
Ahadeeth to us are the same people. Thus, how you can trust those people for the Glorious Qur’aan and
cast doubts and reject them for Ahadeeth? That
is why Rejection of Ahadeeth is
really rejection of Qur’aan and Protection of Qur’aan
includes protection of Ahadeeth.
The absurd claims of Hadeeth rejecters does not stop here, they
goes on quoting Qur’aanic Ayaah 15:9, regarding the protection of Glorious
Qur’aan.
The Glorious Qur’aan, Surah: 15. Hijr Verse: 9
إِنَّا
نَحْنُ نَزَّلْنَا
الذِّكْرَ وَإِنَّا
لَهُ لَحَافِظُونَ
Verily,
We, it is We Who have sent down the Dhikr (i.e. the
Qur’ân) and surely, We will guard it (from corruption) {1}
.
{1} (V.15: 9) This Verse is a challenge to mankind and
everyone is obliged to believe in the miracles of this Qur’ân. It is a clear
fact that more than 1400 years have elapsed and not a single word of this
Qur’ân has been changed, although the disbelievers tried their utmost to change
it in every way, but they failed miserably in their efforts. As it is mentioned
in this holy Verse: "We will guard it." By Allâh! He has guarded it.
On the contrary, all the other holy Books (the Taurât (Torah), the Injeel
(Gospel).) have been corrupted in the form of additions or subtractions or
alterations in the original text.
Again, this Ayaah has also reached us from the
same sources and/or same people, who Hadeeth rejecters bash for rejecting
Ahadeeth. Had the Hadeeth rejecters known about the Preservation
of Glorious Qur’aan
& Sunnah. For Glorious Qur’aan Tawatur
تواتر (continuity) is a must. The Glorious Qur’aan is defined as,
(صلى
الله عليه وسلم) انه
الكلام المعجزُ
المنزلُ علی النّبى
المكتوب
فى المصاحف المنقول
باتواتر، المتعبد
بتلاوته
“It is the word of Allaah, miraculous, revealed on the
Prophet Muhammad صلى الله
عليه وسلم, written in Mus-haf مصحاف, passed on from generation to
generation with Tawatur تواتر (continuity)[recitation of which is done as a
worship].”
Tawatur
تواتر (continuity) means that something is passed on in such as way that in
each generation its narrators and/or reciters are so numerous that they cannot
be counted and it is logically impossible for so many people living in
different parts of the world to get united for telling a lie and/or making a
mistake. For an Ayaah آيه (verse) to be a part of Qur’aan this
Tawatur تواتر (continuity) is must. Therefore, only those Ayaat آيات
of the Glorious Qur’aan which have come to us from Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه
وسلم
by Tawatur تواتر (continuity) are recited as the
Qur’aan. An interesting fact must be
mentioned here that Jews and especially Christians cannot produce the Tawatur تواتر (continuity) for their
scriptures, tracing their scriptures back to Moses and/or Jesus and/or
any other Biblical prophets etc. beside making hollow claims.
Another
Ayaah in support of Ahadeeth from the Glorious Qur’aan that can be presented to
these Hadeeth rejecters is Ayaah 43:3,
|
وَمَا يَنطِقُ
عَنِ الْهَوَى |
3 |
|
Transliteration: 3 |
Wama yantiqu AAani alhawa |
|
Yusuf Ali: 3 |
Nor does he say (aught) of (his own) Desire. |
|
Shakir: 3 |
Nor does he speak out of desire. |
|
Pickthal: 3 |
Nor doth he speak of (his own) desire. |
|
M. Khan: 3 |
Nor does he speak of (his own) desire. |
Thus, the Ahadeeth are the Divine
revelation as well that is not recited. Hadeeth rejecters are absolutely
ignorant of Divine revelation (Wahi
Matlu and Ghayr Matlu). This again, explains about the Wahy
being of two kinds: Matluww- That, which is recited, and Ghayr-Matluww- that
which is not recited. Wahy Matluww or
the revelation that is recited is the name of the Glorious Qur’aan and/or is
the Glorious Qur’aan. Its words and meanings are both from Allaah. And Wahy Ghayr-Matluww or
that is not recited is the name of Hadeeth of the Rasul Allaah صلی الله عليه
وسلم
(the word of which are from Prophet Muhammad صلی
الله عليه وسلم and the meanings of which is from Allaah.
Evidence
of this {Wahy Ghayr Matluww} is found at many places in Glorious
Qur’aan, that there were many other things that were taught to Prophet Muhammad
صلی الله عليه
وسلم
by Allaah (SWT) through Wahy (Ghayr Matluww). I will only cite here one Ayaah i.e. 2:143 as
proof (Also see 66:3 beside many others).
وَكَذَلِكَ
جَعَلْنَاكُمْ
أُمَّةً وَسَطًا
لِتَكُونُوا شُهَدَاءَ
عَلَى النَّاسِ
وَيَكُونَ الرَّسُولُ
عَلَيْكُمْ شَهِيدًا
وَمَا جَعَلْنَا
الْقِبْلَةَ الَّتِي
كُنْتَ عَلَيْهَا
إِلَّا لِنَعْلَمَ
مَنْ يَتَّبِعُ
الرَّسُولَ مِمَّنْ
يَنْقَلِبُ عَلَى
عَقِبَيْهِ وَإِنْ
كَانَتْ لَكَبِيرَةً
إِلَّا عَلَى الَّذِينَ
هَدَى اللَّهُ
وَمَا كَانَ اللَّهُ
لِيُضِيعَ إِيمَانَكُمْ
إِنَّ اللَّهَ
بِالنَّاسِ لَرَءُوفٌ
رَحِيمٌ
Thus We have made you (true Muslims - real believers of Islâmic Monotheism, true followers of Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم and his Sunnah (legal ways)), a just (and the best) nation, that you be witnesses over mankind {1} and the Messenger (Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم) be a witness over you. And We made the Qiblah (prayer direction towards Jerusalem), which you used to face, only to test those who followed the Messenger (Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم) from those who would turn on their heels (i.e. disobey the Messenger). Indeed it was great (heavy) except for those whom Allâh guided. And Allâh would never make your faith (prayers) to be lost (i.e. your prayers offered towards Jerusalem). Truly, Allâh is full of Kindness, the Most Merciful towards mankind.
{1} (V.2: 143) Narrated Abu Sa‘îd Al-Khudrî رضي الله عنه: Allâh’s Messenger صلى الله عليه
وسلم
said "Nűh will be called on the Day of Resurrection and he will say, ‘ Labbaik and Sa’daik, (I respond to Your Call and I am obedient to Your Orders) O
my Lord! Allâh will say, ‘Did you convey Our Message of Islâmic Monotheism?’
Nűh will say, ‘Yes’. His nation will then be asked, ‘Did he convey Our Message
of Islâmic Monotheism to you?’ They will say, ‘No warner came to us.’ Then
Allâh will say (to Nűh), ‘Who will bear witness in your favor?’ He will say,
‘Muhammad صلى الله
عليه وسلم and his followers.’ So they (i.e., Muslims) will testify that
he conveyed the Message - and the Messenger (Muhammad صلى
الله عليه وسلم) will be a witness over you, and that is
what is meant by the Statement of Allâh عز
وجل: We made
you (true Muslims - real believers of Islâmic Monotheism, true followers of
Prophet Muhammad صلى الله
عليه وسلم and his Sunnah (legal ways)) a just (and the best) nation that you be
witnesses over mankind and the Messenger (Muhammad صلى
الله عليه وسلم) will be a witness over you." (Sahih Al-Bukhâri, Vol.6, Hadîth No.14).
Muslims were facing the Baytal-Maqqadis (Jerusalem) while performing
Salaat in the early day of Islaam. The above Ayaah was revealed when it was ordained
to face Ka’abah again. This Ayaah states that previous order of Allaah to face “Baytal-Maqqadis” was test to know
who obey the order and who reject it. Readers must note that the order to face Baytal-Maqqadis during worship
has been attributed by Allaah to Himself. That means that He was the One Who
had commanded His Messenger Muhammad صلی
الله عليه وسلم to
the direction of Baytal-Maqqadis. But
the command itself is not found anywhere in the Glorious Qur’aan. It is obviously clear that this order was given
by Allaah through a Wahy (Ghayr Matluww){revelation beside Glorious
Qur’aan}, which is not a part of the Glorious Qur’aan. At this point we must
point out that people of the Book were foretold about
the new Qibla i.e. Ka’bah and its superiority over Jerusalem in their
Scripture.
Hadeeth rejecters do not posses Imaan that is why they reject Hadeeth
and/or Sunnah. Glorious Qur’aan has provided a
comprehensive definition of Imaan ايمان in Ayaah 3 of
Surah Al-Baqarah,
Surah Al-Baqarah 3
الَّذِينَ
يُؤْمِنُونَ
بِالْغَيْبِ
وَيُقِيمُونَ
الصَّلَاةَ وَمِمَّا
رَزَقْنَاهُمْ
يُنْفِقُونَ
Who believe in the Ghaib {1}
and perform As-Salât (Iqâmat-as-Salât), {2}
and spend out of what We have provided for them (i.e. give Zakât {3}
, spend on themselves, their parents, their children, their
wives, etc., and also give charity to the poor and also in Allâh’s Cause - Jihâd).
{1} (V.2:
3): Al-Ghaib: literally
means a thing not seen. But this word includes vast meanings: Belief in Allâh,
Angels, Holy Books, Allâh’s Messengers, Day of Resurrection and Al-Qadar (Divine Pre-ordainments). It
also includes what Allâh and His Messenger صلى
الله عليه وسلم informed about the knowledge of the
matters of past, present, and future e.g., news about the creation of the
heavens and earth, botanical and zoological life, the news about the nations of
the past, and about Paradise and Hell.
{2} (V.2:
3): Iqâmat-as-Salât إقامة الصلاة: The performance of Salât (prayers). It means that: a)
Each and every Muslim, male or female, is obliged to offer his Salât (prayers) regularly five times a
day at the specified times; the male in a mosque in congregation and the female
at home. As the Prophet صلى الله
عليه وسلم has said: "Order your children for Salât (prayers) at the age of seven
and beat them (about it) at the age of ten." The chief (of a family, town,
tribe, etc.) and the Muslim rulers of a country are held responsible before
Allâh in case of non-fulfillment of this obligation by the Muslims under their
authority. b) One must offer the Salât (prayers) as the Prophet صلى
الله عليه وسلم used to offer them with all their rules
and regulations, i.e., standing, bowing, prostrating, sitting, as he صلى الله عليه وسلم has said: "Offer your Salât (prayers) the way you see me
offering them (see Sahih Al-Bukhâri, Vol.1, H. No. 604 and Vol.9, H. No. 352)." (For the
characteristics of the Salât (prayer) of the Prophet صلى
الله عليه وسلم see Sahih
Al-Bukhâri, Vol.1, H. No. 702, 703, 704, 723,
786, 787].
{3} (V.2:
3) Zakât زكاة: A certain fixed proportion of the wealth and of each and every
kind of property liable to Zakât of a Muslim to be paid yearly for the benefit of the poor in
the Muslim community. The payment of Zakât is obligatory as it is one of the five pillars of Islâm. Zakât is the major economic means for
establishing social justice and leading the Muslim society to prosperity and
security. (See Sahih Al- Bukhâri, Vol. 2, Book of Zakât, No. 24]
يُؤْمِنُونَ
بِالْغَيْبِ (
Believe in the unseen) in the terminology of Islaamic Shariah, signifies accepting
with complete certitude the statement made by Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه
وسلم out of one’s total confidence and trust in him and without
need of personal observation. The
word Ghaib غيب lexically denotes things that are not known to man in an
evident manner and/or which are not apprehensible through the five senses.
In conclusion, we
can assert with absolute confidence that those who reject the Ahadeeth and/or
Sunnah are absolute ignorant of Islaamic sciences and they are outside the fold
of Islaam. Their attacks on scholars of Islaam, our Imaams and the Sunnah and
Hadeeth are mere boldface lies and complete misrepresentation of the truth. I
will also urge the Muslims to stop relying on websites like MSA or else, they
are nothing but breeding ground of ignorance and disinformation. One cannot
learn by mere English translations of Qur’aan and Ahadeeth. The few examples
cited above proves that proper learning and using appropriate sources can
resolve the misconceptions and what appears to be contradictory narrations,
which in reality are not even close to be contradictory.
Wednesday, April 13, 2005